Monday, February 1, 2021

Silence of the Heavens

 1/31/2021

Participated in the NYC Midnight Short Story Contest again.

Round 1:
I had 8 days to write a 2500 word story with categories that were given to me.
Categories:
genre: spy
action: interview
character: smuggler

And so... here it is. 2,498 words (not including the title & synopsis).


  

Silence of the Heavens 

Synopsis: When resources go missing from the Agency, someone will have to pay.



 

Matthew 27:50-51
Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split.

Agent J stood in the doorway, his deep-cover disguise still in full effect. Everything was just as an elite agent of his standing should be. His flawless dark-olive skin glowed with an inner light. His deep-chocolate eyes gathered information at a glance, while expressing immense love. A soft light shone down on hair that flowed around his shoulders, catching the small breezes that moved through the room.   

G slammed down their phone and gestured to the chair in front of the desk.

“Enough. Sit.” Their voice sounded with undertones of thunder, resonating off the walls and rolling down the hallways. Chatter ceased for a brief moment as an ANGEL (Alternate Noise Gathering Electronic Listener) swooped over the entire room.

J carefully closed the door, glided across the room and sat on the edge of the chair. He waited, knowing better than to be the first to speak.

“What the eff, J? This was supposed to be an easy mission. Go in, gather intel, get out. Instead, we had to initiate a high-level scrub, fake your death, and get you out. The blowback on this...well, our analysts are running scenario simulations right now to see if we can get ahead of it.”

J sighed and leaned back in the chair. This he was ready for. It wasn’t the first time he had to answer for his actions. When he spoke, his voice carried almost as much weight and gravitas as G’s. He had been practicing it for centuries.

“So,” he said, “What’s the next step?”

Silence grew on the other side of the desk. G looked at Agent J and didn’t say anything for almost an eternity. G crossed to the large expanse looking across the Universe.

“I’ve been in this role for 5 millennia,” They said. “We are finally close to having answers to THE Big Questions. I don’t have to explain the importance of this to you. You’ve been in this since the Beginning.” Turning suddenly, lightning bolts crackled with ozone-producing static all around G. “You could very well have compromised all of our work!”

G rubbed the bridge of their nose, and closed their eyes to regain control. “There is going to be an internal investigation, of course. Complete with debriefing and most likely an interview with the Oversight Committee. Just make sure you have all of your information, whatever you may need, to give a full accounting.”

The office door opened, indicating the meeting was done. Agent J stood and turned to go. He stepped back as another agent crossed the threshold.

“Agent J. So nice to see you,” said the other agent. The musicality of his voice almost stopped J in his tracks.

“Nice try, Agent L,” he growled. “I’m not some newly formed human wandering through the Park. Try your smooth-talking ways on me again, and I’ll put my foot through your head.”

Agent J stalked out of the office, followed by the scent of fresh cut flowers and baking bread.

-------------------------------------

Revelation 4:6-8

…around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first creature was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.

The Hall of the Oversight Committee was set for a Full Review. The Guardians of the Dais were in the front, as always. The normally empty audience chamber was completely packed. It had been awhile since there had been an examination of any import, so everyone that could was in attendance. An entire Host of Agents were in the audience chamber. A buzz of discussion filled the hall as everyone waited for the arrival of the Oversight Committee. J sat at the left table. The other table was empty.

A gong sounded. A lanky, cat-like creature turned its many eyes on the crowd filling the Hall. Silence fell. Its voice trumpeted through the silence. “All rise for the Most Honorable, Supremely Exalted, Superlatively Illustrious Overseers!” The conversations became a rustle as everyone stood. A single golden pinpoint of light appeared on the Dais. It pulsated and grew in size and brilliance, causing everyone in the Hall to shield their eyes. When the light dimmed, the three Oversight Committee members stood next to their respective seats.

Before anyone could be seated, a flurry of resonating chimes sounded and the light in the chamber dimmed. The entrance to the Hall swung open, spilling coruscating light and dazzling everyone’s eyes. The chimes swelled just below uncomfortable and then throbbed into a pulsating rhythm. Everyone began bobbing with the beat, even the Triumvirate. Agent L strolled the length of the chamber and stood behind the empty opposing table. He caressed the Agency pin clasped fashionably on a scarf around his neck. He gestured and the music came to an end on a very satisfying crescendo. The Chamber burst into applause. L held up his hand and the applause died down.

“Your Honors, my sincere apologies for my lateness.” His voice floated through the room, interlacing overtones, weaving a glittering web of enchantment. “I had to review my notes one last time because I believe this…‘interview’…is essential to the future of our Agency.”

J jumped to his feet. “What the aitch is Agent L doing in the opposing seat? There’s no way he should be there! Everyone knows he’s been gunning for me since the Beginning! Besides, he’s augmented to enhance all aspects of sound. How am I going to have a fair hearing if he is influencing every word that comes out of his mouth?”

The bovine Guardian brayed a single tone. Silence fell again. Another Guardian screeched, “You say the Majestic Overseers are unable to hear past augmentations?”

J opened his mouth to protest, but then thought better of it and closed his mouth. He just shook his head.

The gong sounded again and the Guardians all proclaimed, “All special features of the beings in attendance will now be disengaged. No influencing abilities will be in play. Only the information pertinent to this hearing will be shared. Everyone will be seated.”

J sat down, only slightly mollified. L arched his eyebrow at J, and sat down smirking.

The Triumvirate stood. They spoke together, each speaking a single word, one-after-the-other. As they spoke, wind rushed through the hall, filling the space with their voices. It was the same as listening to a waterfall speak sonnets or wind chimes proclaim rhymes.

“We will hear an accounting of the actions of Agents in the field. Agent L will give a synopsis.”

L stood slowly. He didn’t have use of his augmentation, but he was a consummate showman regardless. This was another performance. He turned and looked at the gathered Agents. He let each audience member feel like he was talking specifically to them. “My esteemed colleague, Agent J, has caused major loss of Agency property, time, and assets. So much so, it will cost the Agency,” glowing symbols began scribbling through the air, “this much!” The numbers circled the Great Hall seven times and still the scribbling continued. The watching Agents gasped. Agent L smiled. He had them.

“This means resources for other missions have been diverted to support his reckless actions. And in that diversion, things have gone missing. Today, we are only asking for an accounting of what rightfully belongs to the Agency!” The audience chamber buzzed with comments between all of those watching. Agent L gave a little curtsy to J and sat in his chair.

The Triumvirate stood. The commenting ceased. They spoke. “Agent J will give a reckoning.”

J stood and took a deep breath. “I have spent the blink of an eye in a place that is the intersection of many Agencies. Our main goal is becoming the One Agency left standing. At times, the focus on the main goal means that I have had to work with Agents from competing Agencies. We all have stories of assets who have converted to another Agency. And we have transformed others to our side. He looked around the gallery and saw various Agents nodding in agreement.

“But this mission was about more than that.” He gestured to his table. The table expanded and allowed everyone in the gallery to see the beautifully intricate sand painting on the table.

J continued, “This is the final communique I sent before I had to be extricated from the mission. As you can see, here and here and here are the resources I used.” As he spoke various areas of the mandala glowed, showing various patterns and connections.

“Yes, some manipulation of water here, several instances where restorative effects were utilized to complete a conversion there. But again, nothing more than what any of us have done. Yes. I used Agency resources. But that is my job. That is what we all are supposed to do: use our resources to secure assets and ensure a final victory. I had twelve main assets. All but one were completely loyal to me. And even he was useful to furthering our mission.” 

Agent L stood up. “You would have us believe that the things that have gone missing are a line item mistake?” He laughed. “There is no way that could happen!” A murmur of agreement began to swell.

J turned and looked at L. “You’re right. That couldn’t happen. Unless,” he paused to allow the whispers to subside. “Unless someone was smuggling funds out for their own purposes.” He swept his arm across the table and the mandala was wiped away, replaced by fresco after fresco filled with images of death, torment, and destruction.

“Here is proof that Agent L has been setting up shop on his own.” Edges of mayhem began to trickle through the watching Agents.

J pitched his voice to carry over the din. “L has wanted to set up his own Agency since time immemorial. He has been smuggling resources from the Agency and selling his services to the highest bidder. In particular, to torment all of humanity. This hearing isn’t an accounting of my actions! It is an accounting of Agent L!”

Agent L leapt on top of his table. “Of course, you assholes!” he shouted. “We spend all of our resources learning information about humanity. Why? To bring about peace and harmony? What a flaming sack of syphilitic sphincters! Humans are the bane of all existence! They deserve to be wiped off the face of all eternity!”

He snatched the Agency pin from the scarf around his neck. “I don’t need to start my own Agency when I can just take over this one!”

He threw the pin at the Dais. It smashed and flashed vividly in front of the Guardians. All of their eyes were blinded momentarily. L rushed the Dais.

Before he could get there, Agent J vaulted his table and tackled L from behind. L ducked into a side roll. He swept his leg back and around, tripped J and used him to break his own fall. J’s head smacked against the floor. He kept his arms around L and swung around, using the momentum to continue his roll and landed straddling L.

Righteous anger flashed in his eyes. “You dare to think you can lead the Agency?” Stars filled his vision as concussion tried to fill his head.

The ever present smirk on L’s face didn’t falter. “You haven’t stopped me yet!” he laughed. He thrust his hips up, twisted his body, and threw J off of him.

J rolled across the floor, careening off the Guardians that were staggering around, blinking their eyes and shaking their heads. L leapt on top of the Dais, pulling the scarf from around his neck. The scarf stiffened and became a multi-flanged staff with red fire spurting from the extensions. He swung it over his head and slashed it towards the Committee members.

The eyes of the Guardians re-engaged at that moment. All four of them emitted a roar that split the skies. They launched themselves between the flaming staff and the Committee. They planted their feet and stretched their wings, flowing together to form a writhing energy-shield, swirling with an opalescence brilliance.

The staff met the Guardians and there was a vivid purple-white flash of light and an explosive crack of electricity. The concussive sound rooted L where he was and held him in an invisible grip. He was completely trapped in the power that surrounded the Committee. His muscles strained against the energy that pulled him closer to them. He could not break free. He knew that when he arrived at their inner sanctum, he would be erased from existence as if he had never even existed.

The Three stood silently watching his struggle. Then, one lifted a single finger. L dropped to the floor, panting. Everyone waited for the death blow that was sure to come.

“Agent L.” A mighty wind whooshed through the Hall, carrying the voices of the Triumvirate. “You were one of our top Agents. You were in line to one day be considered for joining the Triumvirate. But based on the evidence, along with your actions today, you are being expulsed from the Agency.”

L struggled to his feet. “You’re not going to have your minions kill me?” he panted.

The Committee answered, “No. We are occasionally merciful. But, this will not be mercy for you. You will continue to exist. You will retain the knowledge you’ve gained until now. But, now, the entire Agency will be set against you. You will live with the knowledge of what you no longer have and every Agent will be actively working against you. And…” The wind died down and an expectant hush filled the Hall. “You are condemned to live among the very beings that you despise, the humans you deign to subjugate and ensnare. You will be despised by those you cannot stand.”

The Triumvirate lifted a finger again. Faster than lightning, one strand of the Guardian energy snaked over and ensnared L’s foot. With a small flick, the Triumvirate tossed the energy strand towards the wall. L shrieked as he sped towards the wall, fully expecting them to go back on their word and have him smash to bits against the wall. At the last second, the wall disappeared and he flew across the cosmos, towards his new home.

Quietude descended upon the Hall once again. As everyone chattered about the turn of events, Agent J looked at the Triumvirate and said, “Well…I guess that one’s gone into the Void.”

He shook the dust from his shoes and joined the other Agents.


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