Zein: The Homecoming by Graham J. Wood Page B

was twisting this way and that, he felt it grow and consume his every movement, sound diminished. He didn’t use either of his seckles but power was cascading from his fingers. The same thought came to him over and over again. Kill, Kill, Kill . Just like an Ilsid warrior.
    Amelia fought against the force-field, using techniques taught by Lord Southgate to position her body to circumvent the powerful magic. There were three rules. Get close. Move slowly. Establish contact. Tyson felt soft arms wrap around him, a voice murmuring in his ear. The warm words began to seep through him. An Ilsid warrior launched himself at Amelia who was now at one with Tyson. He stretched out a hand and pure energy streamed from his outstretched fingers, tearing apart the programmed initiated attacker. Tyson felt calm return as the soothing words, like tendrils of smoke, curled around his thoughts and the tension eased from his body.
    Amelia, it was Amelia .
    Suddenly the Tower of London and the attackers disappeared. The battle was won, the algorithms calculating that the tipping point had been reached and switching off the game. The group stood gasping for air in the centre of the Coliseum, which was now just an empty box, the environmental programme no longer active.
    Tyson felt Amelia’s body against his and snapping out of his adrenalin fuelled battle state he looked down at her gentle brown eyes that shone with concern and love and he pulled her to him in an all-consuming embrace.
    ‘What is going on here?’ The sliding doors to the Coliseum had opened and in stalked General Corder, anger spilling out from his broad frame. Flanking himwere twenty of his personal guard of US Marines. ‘Who gave you permission outside prescribed hours to use the training programme? You know this is against regulations, don’t you?’ he snapped.
    Tyson, who had felt the anger subside, now felt it surge forward, much to Amelia’s and his other friends’ alarm. He pushed Amelia away from him and before General Corder could react he had taken a few steps forward and placed his hand round his throat. The general’s personal guard reacted swiftly with all the soldiers’ weapons raised and pointing at Tyson’s head. Not that this bothered the focus of their attention. ‘Don’t tell me what to do, Grandpa, you got that?’ Tyson hissed.
    ‘Let him go Tyson,’ said Kabel, shocked, hastily stepping forward and placing a hand on the hand gripping Corder’s throat, Tyson ignored him.
    ‘Tyson, we should not have been in the game, please let the General go,’ said Amelia, softly, her words enveloping him in that sweet manner that soothed his soul and the anger left him as abruptly as it had fired up. Tyson’s shoulders slumped and he let go of Corder. The soldiers moved in but General Corder put a hand up to halt them as he clutched his throat, trying to catch his breath. It was Kabel who took charge.
    ‘Stand down, let him go, put your weapons up,’ said Kabel. The soldiers glanced across General Corder but he could not speak as he still had trouble breathing. They hesitantly and reluctantly dropped their weapons to point to the floor. Tyson flung a furious look at Kabel and then marched out of the arena, closely followed by Amelia. The rest watched them go with a sense of foreboding.

Chapter 6: Undercurrent
    Prime Minister Charles Hamilton settled back in his chair, his hands creating a steeple for his chin to rest upon.
    ‘Good move Charles,’ Lord Southgate said, reaching forward and moving his bishop to build his attack on the expensive looking chess set. He then reached for another sip of the incredibly smooth and strong Mee wine that had now taken the unsuspecting palates of the Earth’s wine drinkers by storm. The Zeinonians could not produce enough to meet the growing demand. The wine was now a must at every civilised dining table.
    ‘You are not going to sucker me with faint praise Edgar,’ said Charles, as he moved his queen to