Call of Kayden

“The way of man fails, but the Way of the Lily brings hope.”
Call of Kayden – Prologue

When Gabriel says “yes” to a new undercover assignment from the Ministry of Scientific Compliance, he has no idea he is about to enter an underground society where supernatural acts transpire, let alone that he will wield power to change the world around him by merely dreaming it in a new way.

Gabriel doesn’t believe in anything that science cannot explain. He lives in a futuristic world where religion is banned, energy and water are allocated based on one’s ecosystem impact, and only those who provide value to society in actions and beliefs are allowed to keep their lives. The sector of Xenon is in a state of rebellion and until they are brought to heel, society will never reach its true potential.

Gabriel grows in new powers that shouldn’t be possible while struggling to decide what side he owes his allegiance. Will Gabriel betray the friends he has made and the family he has reunited with in the midst of an open rebellion, or will he persist with his mission to allow the march of scientific progress to run its course?

Planned release early 2020.

“The logic of science is not equipped to explain faith.” Raelynn answered. “Faith is hope personified into reality. You cannot explain it with logic, but yet it exists. It manifests itself in those who reach for it. And yet, it also offers itself to those who are chosen and respond to its call. Gabriel, you were chosen in the cosmos of the universe, yet you are uncertain of your loyalties, your past, your future, and the path you need take in your life. The path to faith requires you but to take one step. Step toward the path that does not seem to be there, but still trust that it will accept your weight and lead you to where you need to go.”
Call of Kayden – Chapter 5

The wind blew strongly across Gabriel’s face. There was a sense of disquiet in the air as he heard a howling sound in the distance. Gabriel had knowledge of this place, despite his efforts to forget. The terrain was mostly flat with a foggy mist permeating the air. Gabriel looked around, realizing that something seemed out of place. It was like he was viewing through a lens that stripped all color away. Yes, that was it he realized; all color was absent.

Gabriel felt an unnatural pull to move to the place he wanted to avoid. His legs stirred seemingly against his will, responding to the call that would not let go. Ahead was where it had all happened, where he had lost everything he held dear.

The layout was as he remembered it. There was a building that appeared abandoned within a protected nature area. Oversite had deemed it was occupied by a rebellious faction that was holed up within. These malcontents had started a campaign against the laws governing voiced dissent and were advocating practices that were outlawed after the Scientific Reformation. They wanted to hunt for animals in the nature preserves and advocated the eating of meat. This could not be allowed to continue, and Gabriel had come here with an extraction team from the Ministry of Scientific Compliance to arrest them, ensuring justice was served.

Gabriel’s remembrance was interrupted when he saw more than just the building. His team was just beginning its raid. Gabriel usually didn’t go into the field to accompany the arresting team, but this time was different. He had tracked and uncovered this group, and when Emily had heard about it, she wanted in on it. Gabriel could deny his fiancé nothing, so he made the request to have Emily and her team assigned and decided to accompany them. And he was reliving it again, devoid of color, anticipating with dismay what he was about to see.

Gabriel predicted they may have access to weapons but did not foresee their level of preparation for being raided. Gabriel watched the assault unfold. The team of six spread out as Emily directed them to their planned locations. There was not believed to be more than four targets, so their team’s size, surprise, and superior weaponry should have been more than adequate to subdue them. But Gabriel now knew it would not be enough to escape unscathed.

Gabriel had gone over this so many times in his mind. What could he have done differently to save her? He watched as a booby trap triggered when they entered the structure. It had to be a low technology device, or the scanners would have detected it. But it caused damage as the first team member was injured by something metal capturing and crushing his leg. Emily rushed to extract the injured party to safety while Gabriel stayed back in the rear, as he was supposed to do as an observer. Gabriel watched as he saw one of the law breakers fire at Emily as she was pulling the injured agent to safety. He watched with unbridled dismay as she got hit and fell. He ran to her without thinking and pulled her out of the line of fire as the rest of the team engaged to provide cover for his action. As soon as he and those injured were clear, Emily’s second in command deployed a low eco impact explosive device which destroyed the building and all who resisted inside of it. Gabriel should have reacted with the satisfaction of revenge at their annihilation, but instead stayed focused on the non-moving body of Emily. Fear coursed through Gabriel as she lay motionless on the ground.

Gabriel’s outlook shifted again, this time later. Emily was badly injured, a husk of herself, without the spark of life that he had known. A stab of sadness went through him at the sight. This was a sight he had seen too clearly near her end. She lay before him in a listless state, not quite awake and not quite sleeping, holding on against her end.

Gabriel moved slowly toward Emily until realizing he was already there in hues of gray. The beeping continued to grow in volume as he walked closer to her bed. The beeping started making a loud, steady sound, broadcasting something was wrong. Her body racked itself in a state of a sudden convulsion, then was still. Despair shot through Gabriel. Past emotions triggered within him. If only he could have saved her. She had the best care medical technology could provide. But it was not enough. She had died anyway, passing into the unknown.

“Do you think you could have saved her?” a voice behind him softly interjected into his grief.

Gabriel turned his head slowly to see a person he did not know standing behind him. It was odd that he had not heard her walk up. She was a tall woman with bright red hair, attired in clothing of a style he was not familiar with. She wore a skirt of bright colors and a white shirt lettered with strange symbols on it of unknown origin. He did not realize it at first, but she represented the only color in his surroundings. It was like her presence did not belong.

“Who are you?” Gabriel asked.

“I am called Raelynn,” the woman replied.

Gabriel sadly shook his head.

“I did all I could, and it was not enough,” Gabriel answered in a soft voice, barely realizing he had answered.

“The way of man fails, but the Way of the Lily brings hope,” Raelynn stated.

He was surprised he had answered her question and was confused by her response. He had kept this burden inside of him and had not shared it. He had struggled. He had summoned many different doctors hoping for a different answer. All had said the same. There was nothing more that could be done. He had stayed with her while she held on to life. Then it just ended. He had failed, and she was gone.

This woman’s words did not make sense, and he was not able to process them. His Emily’s existence was gone into oblivion. All remaining was a decomposing body and his memories of their time together. It was a memory that was painful trying to let go.

Gabriel looked back up after contemplating her end. He was again alone, the surroundings dissolving into a mist, left with only his grief to keep him company.

They called it justice, but this was not justice. This was tyranny propagated by evil people, fearful of having their power threatened.
Call of Kayden – Chapter 13