Chapter 28: Braving the Fire

BRAVING THE FIRE

“Sir, we found something weird—it showed up out of nowhere, way out past the exosphere. About seven thousand kilometers beyond the edge,” the man said without looking up, fingers darting across his keyboard. “We checked the images against the optical scan—if they’re really up there, they should move against the backdrop of stars. And they do.”

He flicked his cursor, and a simulation popped up—clusters of blinking dots moving in jagged paths. He swiveled his monitor toward General Gandamme.

"They’re the right size and moving the right way, so we're calling them meteorites for now. There are about a hundred fragments, anywhere from one and a half to nine meters wide. We’re talking tons each.” He hesitated. “But we’ve scanned the entire sector. There’s no big asteroid nearby, nothing that could’ve made all this.” He looked uneasy—even he didn't trust what the data was telling him. "Sir, any object in space has an orbit you can track. These don’t. They just appeared out of thin air. No path, no trail. Like they teleported, or—I’m out of explanations.” He finally looked up at Gandamme, nerves just below the surface. “What do you make of this? ”

Gandamme didn’t answer. He just stared at the simulation, eyes tracing the dots as they slammed into the same spot on the map, again and again.

“General? "The man pressed, clearly unsettled.

“Ow. There’s something else. Nearly every single piece—ninety-nine percent—landed right on Sariayah.” The man said it flatly, not asking, just stating what he saw. “That isn’t normal. Even if I believed in luck, this wouldn’t be it.”

“It’s impossible,” Gandamme said, watching the map. “Nothing got deflected by the magnetic field after crossing the exosphere. By all logic, this should’ve scattered over a bunch of areas, not just one forest. Does that check out?”

"Ah, yes. You are correct, Sir."

“Any anomalies in the simulation?” Gandamme said.

“No, sir. That’s the problem. Nothing. I double-checked the computer—it’s fine, it’s brand new, and I don’t mishandle the gear—” He said, serious as ever... Well, he's talking the General, not anyone else. He busied himself with the screen again. “Good news, though—not a single piece hit the nearby town or anywhere with people.”

Gandamme turned, gaze pinning him. “So let me get this straight: a hundred fragments, all sorts of sizes, no source—and every last one lands in the same forest? ”

“Yes, sir,” he nodded, swallowing. “Statistically, it’s—”

“I know,” Gandamme cut him off. He gripped the edge of the desk. “That’s exactly why I need to know where these came from. Not just what kind of debris this is—but what decided Sariayah was the bullseye. Because I don't buy that this is random.”

The man struggled for words. “We can’t trace the trajectory backward, sir. They just popped into our sensors—no path. You’re not seriously thinking something aimed at them, are you? I’m sure it’s not—”

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“Find a way,” Gandamme interrupted, eyes drawn to the burning image of the forest on the side screen. "There is a reason they hit there. I need to know if someone meant it."

“The fire’s spreading.” Now Gandamme’s voice was sharper. “The strikes were only minutes apart. Almost at the same time.” He grabbed the radio and started walking. “Alert all units near Sariayah.” He was already heading out. “And I want a full trajectory report on my desk before nightfall. This isn’t over.”

“Yes, sir! Understood.” The command room swallowed him in noise.

*******

Two helicopter jets landed hard on a field not far from the fire—the flames were creeping closer every second. There was no time to lose, and it showed on everyone’s faces.

“So? You got some trick for pulling water out of the creek and into this thing?" One man called out, watching Jethro rummage through his chopper’s compartment.

Jethro pulled out a bizarre-looking object.

"Try this," Jethro said, showing off a coiled tube thicker than his thumb and longer than a extension wire. He tossed one end to his teammate.

“A Host,” the man said, sounding impressed and nervous all at once. “You came ready, huh, Jethro. Makes me wonder what you thought would happen today.”

“Just instincts,” Jethro replied, grinning as he handed the end over.

The man eyed the tube. “Gonna take some muscle. Are you planning on choking on this thing? Looks painful.”

Jethro just shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

“Show me.” The man marched for the creek, host in hand—they both knew the fire was gaining ground.

Jethro yanked open a side hatch on his helicopter and readied himself.

The other man holding the host fumbled with the strap and nearly dropped the other end.

“Hurry up, Almarad! The fire doesn’t care if you’re ready.”

“Coming, coming.” Grumbling, Almarad shuffled over.

Jethro glanced toward the flames—and then froze. His neck locked up for a second. Something—someone—moved fast through the burning trees. Riding an animal. A kid? He couldn’t quite tell, but it shook him.

Almarad tossed the host's end into the creek. The ground gave a little shudder as the water shifted. “There. Ready. Next? — Jethro, are you alright? ”

Jethro didn’t answer right away. His eyes stayed on the flames, but then he forced himself back to work. He clamped his mouth around his end of the host and sucked in hard. That got it started. Then he plugged the tube into the tank, and the host pulled water straight from the creek—fast.

Almarad saw the first surge. “Too slow—we won’t make it at this rate.”

“That was just the starter,” Jethro shot back. He ran his hand over the host—it surged, way faster now, flooding the tank. More power than any city hose.

Almarad stared. “It just got stronger. What’d you do? ”

“Don’t you see it? ”

Almarad blinked. “Are you messing with me, or is that a real question? ”

Jethro just smirked. “What do you think? ”

Almarad shook his head, almost smiling. “I think you’re up to something strange. At this rate, we’ll fill the tank before the fire catches us. You always keep secrets, Jethro—what’s your deal? ”

“Don’t overthink it. We’re in a rush.”

Almarad laughed. “Yeah, that’s you all over.”

*******

The forest was like a furnace. Every bit of it burning. Even the Aelphians’ gifts weren’t enough to stop the blaze. Still, it wasn’t over. Not yet—there was a way out if they moved.

Thunderous footsteps beat a desperate rhythm as two Aelphians ran for their lives—Baby Giant and his mother leading, with Yuren bringing up the rear.

Baby Giant’s mother pushed through, carving a path for the escape.

But to Yuren, the exit seemed impossibly far off. Running felt endless. Everything was turning to ash—trees, grass, and the whole forest roaring and exploding with the crackle of fire.

Suddenly, Baby Giant’s mother slammed to a stop. She noticed something—and her fear made sense. An entire pack of hungry beasts blocked the way, emerging from the blazing brush. Dozens—snarling, mouths wet with blood and spit. All ready to pounce.

Six eyes fixed on a massive Aelphian body, facedown in the ash, dead and surrounded by predators. More of them kept slipping from behind it. There had to be thirty or more.

A flash of dread crossed the mother’s face. The snarls and the steps drove her back—and the others behind her froze, too. It was too many. There was no way around it. How were they going to get out alive?