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Jeronimo
Novel excerpt
Jeronimo
by Regina Glei
Jiro didn’t know what he stood in. His feet were planted onto light-gray soil, firm like mud from the ground of Jordan’s lake, only dried. But lake mud was typically brown, not gray. He raised a foot. He left a distinct footprint in the gray soil. He looked up to see... nothing. The world around him was as white as the Dome of Souls. There was no sky or sun, just eternal whiteness. The world looked the same in every direction, though he had the feeling that the horizon fell away too suddenly, as if he stood on a big sphere. He was utterly alone and started to feel uncomfortable.
He walked a few meters. It was so quiet. Wonderfully quiet. No voices, no sound, just the crunching of his feet on the ground.
But it was also too quiet. Was there no life except his in this place? Where the hell was he?
He allowed his jaibe to reach out and, yes, to his great relief there was someone. It felt like a Bahrein.
“Ah. Fachmei?”
His voice didn’t reach far in this void. It didn’t matter, he had his jaibe. He walked towards Fachmei. There he was. A head appeared over the horizon. Jiro walked faster, Fachmei’s shoulders appeared. So, they were standing on a curved world, much smaller than Earth, or the moon. What a weird place. But he wasn’t alone, Fachmei was here.
“Jiro?” the Bahrein asked.
“Yes! Here!” Jiro walked up and smiled at the Bahrein. “Glad to see you, Fachmei.”
“Same to you. How do we get out of here?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just walk for a while.”
⌘⌘⌘
Floyd stared anxiously at Juffus. Tally, his clone friend, had joined them. Lestu, Kent, Tally and Floyd all watched apprehensively as Juffus operated on Jiro’s head. Eve was in Clone City, securing their new headquarters. Fachmei sat next to Jiro. They were holding hands and jesseb flowed. Fachmei’s eyes were closed, in match with Jiro. At the left side of Jiro’s head, Juffus had drilled a small hole into Jiro’s skull. A bit of blood stained the white linen below the head clamps. Juffus pulled an instrument ever so gently out of Jiro’s skull, millimeter by millimeter, holding his breath. His face was reddening.
“Juffus, we have to hurry,” Floyd said.
“Shut up!”
“The Community might trigger the chip any moment.”
“I’m doing what I can. Who are you anyway, and how does Jiro know you?”
“I’m Jiro’s childhood friend from Jersey times.”
Juffus grunted and continued his extraction.
Floyd was sick with fear. They were too slow. The Community would trigger the chip. Jiro was disconnected for more than ten minutes now.
⌘⌘⌘
Alvin had run to the window, Broderick still blocked the way to the elevators. Evan and Jinnai hadn’t moved. Jinnai was sweating, feeling dizzy.
“There are columns of smoke rising from lots of tunnel accesses,” Alvin said.
“What’s happening?” Jezebel shrieked.
“The Underground!” Broderick said.
“What?” Jezebel asked.
“They must’ve captured the Keeper and they’re conducting a massive attack on this town. Keeper Jezebel, trigger Jiroemon’s chip! He’s compromised.”
“No!” Evan shouted. “We have no evidence. He is Jiroemon! You cannot kill Jeronimo’s reincarnation!”
“Yeah, you’d love to kill Jiro, wouldn’t you,” Jinnai hissed. “You won’t get your stupid Jane back if you do that! How can you dare to deny the third Jeronimo?”
“Because of his lousy behavior!” Broderick shouted.
“Broderick! Shut up!” Jezebel barked out of his bracelet. “What about Kent?”
“I’ve lost the connection to her,” Evan said.
“How can you lose connection to her? Try again!”
Jinnai noticed out of the corner of his eye that Alvin was whispering into her bracelet.
“Alvin! What are you doing?”
Alvin ignored him.
“What now?” Jezebel barked.
Jinnai finally drew his gun from his robes and pointed it at Alvin.
“Alvin! Stop talking!”
Alvin looked at him, fear in her eyes. She returned to Broderick’s side, which gave Jinnai time to check the settings of his gun. It was on stun.
“My Keeper,” Alvin said. “I don’t have a clear picture, but considering your former suspicions about Keeper Jiroemon and the behavior of his two closest assistants, I can only conclude that they’re planning something rebellious.”
“Terminate Jiroemon!” Broderick barked.
Jezebel moaned.
“I know that you’ve been his mentor and that he’s like a son to you,” Broderick said. “But I don’t believe Evan ever called Citizen Kent. Jiroemon has protected the Underground for years. He has drastically reduced the number of jukafications. You must stop whatever this is!”
Jinnai sought Evan’s gaze. He gave a slight nod. Jinnai shot at Alvin, who dropped to the floor, then Jinnai let himself fall. Broderick drew his gun.
...
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The Third Dome of Souls Novel
Cover by Naoyuki Katoh
About the cover artist:
Naoyuki Katoh is a noted Japanese science fiction artist since the 1970s and has contributed to many science fiction/fantasy magazines, novels and games. He did the outstanding cover art for all of Regina's books:
"She Should Have Called Him Siegfried."