261 248: A Plague of Phantoms: A Revolutionary’s Arrival II

"WE'RE SO SORRY LORD KINGSTON!" Captain Yamamoto bellowed in apology. He and the other captain were on their knees bowing profusely on top of the bulkhead of one of their Zee-waro. Both which was now conscious.

I was back on King's glaive watching the two of them from the outside door to the control room car. Honestly I had been mad at them when they attacked the mana train initially, mostly because grandpa or anyone inside could have gotten hurt. Not to mention their initial attitudes after getting out of the compartments for their Zee-waros. Now with both captains constantly apologizing while kissing my ass I really just wanted to get going.

"Honestly if we had known that this strange craft belonged to one as accomplished as you we would never had attacked it." The second captain explained.

"The craft only looks strange because it's ancient splicer technology. Either way we need to get going, we're heading to Tsushima Island for the Evo-cution expo and this little…detour has already taken us off schedule." I said dismissively.

"Please! Allow my Sazaki, to escort you the rest of the way." Captain Yamamoto said raising his head slightly.

"And my Umagi!" The second captain added.

Sasaki and Umagi, which were the Zee-waros, floated close to the King's glaive but only because of their splicer's demands. Each evo was obviously nervous, probably because of Bone-lasher taking a seat on the top of the King's glaive and watching like a hawk in case they tried anything.

"A military escort to Tsushima would be a lot easier." Jane spoke up behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at her and saw Iris nodding in agreement beside him.

"It would definitely prevent us from getting attacked again." Iris chimed in. I shrugged and poked my head out to look at King's glaive, looking back at where one of the Zee-waro icicle spears struck it and saw not even a scratch.

"I don't think getting attacked is a problem." I said casually.

"I do! I was in the shower!" Jane said sternly. I sighed and looked back at the captains.

"Fine, we will accept your escort. We're about two hours away from Tsushima so now would be a good time to start getting everything ready for disembarking." I said. Captain Yamamoto cleared his throat to get my attention.

"Ummm…sorry Master Kingston…but it's four hours from here to Tsushima." Captain Yamamoto said. I arched a brow at that and turned around to look at King's Glaive's navigation case.

"King's Glaive, how long would it take to get to Tsushima Island from here?" I asked.

"It would take two hours traveling at maximum speed. However this mana train would have to lower our speed considerably in order to keep pace with maximum cruising speed of the evos beside us." King's Glaive replied.

"I see…that's fine. Match movement speed to that of the two evo escorts and provide a earlier warning next time if any other evo vessel come within firing distance of the mana train." I said.

"Affirmative, your orders and preferences will be implemented." King's glaive replied. I turned back to the captains and addressed them.

"Okay. We'll allow you to escort us. I'd also appreciate it of you could contact the island some way and let them know that we are on route." I said.

"Of course! It would be our honor!" The second captain said enthusiastically.

"Thank you…" I said then looked up towards the room. "…Come on back Bone-lasher."

Bone-lasher jumped down from the room and was enveloped in his crystalline structure as he was recalled back into my farm crystal. I then turned and closed the door on the captains in case they tried to continue the conversation.

"Four hours?" Madilyn said once the door closed.

Everyone was inside the control room car. Thanks to King's glaive's announcement everyone rushed to the car to find out what happened. That made things easier on me since I could now just address everyone directly instead of using the manacite communication ring in order to say what I was about to.

"Yeah, that actually works in our favor. We now have two extra hours to get everything ready for when we arrive." I said.

"And what exactly are we getting ready for?" Madilyn asked. I smirked and crossed my arms.

"Sho'lajah Artifact Company's grand entrance of course!"

***

LOGAN

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror, dressed in my military black and whites. My dress uniform, iron, pressed, and cleaned to within and inch of its life. Not a single wrinkle to be seen or piece of cloth out of place. The brass of my bars, exalted marks and proof of my rank as a second lieutenant of the American army, polished so vigorously they gleamed even in the dark of night on my shoulder.

A knock on the door to my hotel room dragged my attention from the mirror and back to reality. I already knew who was on the other side. Private Oliver Billings, the newest and youngest member of my unit. Because he was the new blood he was resigned to little more than a messenger boy.

"Lieutenant Kingston, your father and the president are calling for you." Oliver announced. I suppressed a groan as I walked over to door and opened the door. Oliver saluted the moment he saw me and stepped to the side.

"Where is my father and the president?" I asked the private.

"The docks, sir! The president is greeting other dignitaries as they are arriving, sir!" Oliver replied.

"I see, follow me." I said then turned down the hall and headed towards the stairs.

The hotel that I was staying in currently was one of the many hotels scattered around the island of Tsushima, where this year's Evo-cution was being held. This hotel in particular, the Yukizu or za or whatever the fuck it was called in this hell's dammed splicer country, was the singular hotel that was designated for American visitors and techno-splicing companies invited to present their new evos this year.

This hotel was the largest one by far with over forty floors, but it was also the most ordinary of all the hotels on the island and for that reason and that reason alone they crammed every single American that was coming to the island into this hotel. It wasn't like the hotel was particularly bad or anything, it was just ordinary. Something you could easily find in any hotel in New York City. While the so called royals, nobles, and dignitaries stayed in the more grand and elegant hotels around the island.

This decision wasn't the choice of the companies that were invited to Evo-cution but of Tech-9, the committee that ran Evo-cution convention. The committee was ran by influential splicers from all over the world. Most of those Splicers were being paid off by Beaufort T. Justice, but that was simply to give Justice Technologies the best spots and him access to the leaders and rulers with the most money. Besides no matter how much money Beaufort or the other techno-splicing company owners threw at splicers they saw all of us as beneath them, as normies.

"Um…lieutenant Kingston?" Oliver said meekly.

"Yes private?" I said, barely containing the annoyance in my voice. Private Oliver was a good kid, barely nineteen and only a few years younger than myself, but he was so fucking clueless about so much in the fucking world.

"Are we actually safe here…on this island I mean. With all the splicers around?" Oliver asked. We'd reached the bottom of the stairs at this point. Luckily my room and the rooms of everyone in my squad were located on the third floor and not further up.

"Yes private. Why wouldn't we be?" I replied, letting my annoyance at his question seep into my voice.

"Because of all the evos? Splicers can control them can't they?" Oliver asked. I arched a brow and paused mid-step, looking over my shoulder at him. We were still in the stairwell.

"So? Take away evos that they've used to keep the normal humans in their countries splicers are nothing. Trust me, they are weak and powerless, cowardly and underhanded. The only thing they have in this world is their ability to create and control evos. Without that…normal humans would be in charge in their countries." I said sternly and with confidence. "We can overcome anything splicers throw at us with grit, determination, and good old American firepower."

Oliver's eyes widened with admiration and respect. I'd seen that look a dozen times over in the last two years. It was a look that young children had when they saw me pass through their town or neighborhood. The admiration and respect they thought due to the hero that saved St. Louis, to Logan Kingston the hero that killed the splicer that unleased about ascended thrad and its horde.

Except none of that happened. It was all the cover up that my dad and Beaufort cooked up because they needed a believable story to explain why a ascended evo suddenly disappeared and a scapegoat to blame all the death and destruction on.

"Private, remember we're soldiers of the American military. We're the best of the best. If splicers were capable of taking us then we wouldn't have won the revolutionary war." I said calmly. Oliver nodded and stared at me with reverence, as though my every word was prophesied by the gods themselves.

"Yes sir! Always Sir!" Oliver replied. I nodded curtly then turned on my heel and headed out of the stairwell and into the main lobby of the hotel.

The hotel lobby was crammed and crowded with other Americans checking into the hotel. Most were workers and businessmen of various techno-splicing companies but there were those that were members of the military among them. They were easy to spot and not just because of their uniforms.

As Oliver and I passed through the lobby all eyes turned to me. I pretended to not notice their stares or the whispers. I'd grown used to them over the last two years. Thanks to that day I'm a living legend, a beacon of human possibility to most and a enviable rival to others. In the beginning people would rush up to me wanting an autograph or to just shake my hand. That grew tiresome after the first month. Now thankfully, especially at these Evo-cutions, people didn't randomly run up to me but they still stared.

Oliver and I made it out of the lobby in a matter of moments and quickly found ourselves on the path to the docks. Luckily the hotel that we were staying in was only a fifteen minute walk from the docks, normally. The main road that lead to the docks was congested with steeds pulling carriages and transports from the docks. Filled with both people and evo alike. This meant that we had to take alternative routes to the docks if we wanted to get there in a timely fashion; which considering how my dad and the president have been getting on military staff about presentation in front of splicers we definitely did.

Oliver and I cut through backyards and shops on our way to the docks, any time someone said something I shot them a glare over my shoulder that silenced them. Not to brag but years of having to suffer the indignity of living with a splicer half-brother gave me plenty of opportunities to practice that face, along with my right hook.

The docks were just as chaotic as the road to them, but it was an organizes chaos. The harbor master and dock workers directed traffic of the loaded steed transports, carriages, wagons. They worked in the dozens to make sure the dozens of Warlords, and Zee-waros docked there were unloaded in a timely manor. At the far edge of the docks near a tall cliff face that over looked the entire harbor sat the tourism center. A massive three story building that housed various amenities for visitors and tourists including a café, bath house, and open air garden; though that was on the roof; and several private meetings rooms.

My dad and the president were most definitely in one of the private meeting rooms. They'd need a private refuse from the stink and corruption of splicers.

Oliver and I made our way to the visitor center, where we found the security had gotten a lot tighter. There were soldiers from multiple nations acting as basic security just to get into the center. Oliver and I were stopped twice before we got to the door and told to present identification. Oliver talked to the soldiers that stopped us, conforming with them that we were there to see the president.

Once inside the center security didn't lower one bit. Instead it got tighter. There were checkpoints every five steps it seemed. Oliver and I were frisked three times and that was before we even made it to the stairs. Admittedly I had no idea where we were going past this point and simply followed Oliver.

"How much further?" I asked as we walked up the staircase.

"Top of the stairs, sir. President Justice is in the private suite in front of the stairs." Oliver replied.

Oliver was right of course, which was even .ore of a slap to the face. The moment we made it to the top of the stairs I saw Private first class Alex Rhodes and private second class Tym Wyllis. Two more members of my unit, not quiet as new as Oliver but still new.

"Sir!" They both exclaimed and saluted as I approached. I waved a hand casually to tell them at ease, not wanting to waste the effort it would take to speak.

"Sir, President Justice and your father are waiting for you inside with the rest of the unit!" Tym exclaimed. It took all my effort to not roll my eyes at him for all but yelling that bit of information to every splicer in the building. Instead I walked over and slapped the private on the back of his head.

"Idiot! Do you not know the meaning of sensitive information or security detail?" I hissed. Tym stood still as I'd I hadn't hit him at all though his eyes betrayed the pain.

"Sorry, Sir." He said through gritted teeth. I shook my head and looked back at Oliver.

"Wait here…" I ordered, pointing to the spot in front of the door between Alex and Tym. "…we'll probably be moving out after my meeting."

Oliver nodded eagerly and saluted me, though he had the common sense to wait for me to open the door to the private room before taking his position. As I stepped into the private room and closed the door behind me I found a gun pointed at my head, prompting me to freeze. My eyes darting towards the muzzle of the rifle before movement at the far end of the room caught my eye. The two people who summoned me their stood beside each other, glancing my way only briefly.

"Ah. Logan. About time you got here."