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The Underwater City of Port Royal, Jamaica
Earth

"Forget Atlantis," IB smiled as his light bubble descended into the ocean depths. "Welcome to Port Royal, the wickedest city on earth..."

"... now transformed into a bustling entertainment hub!" Blaze grinned as he rubbed his hands eagerly. "It's still kind of wicked, of course."

"I'm just fascinated by how the Jamaicans managed to preserve it so well. The portions of the city that sank in 1692 remain intact, right next to the glittering dome that houses the hotels, theme parks and restaurants in the area. They even offer tourists a tour of the ruins."

"So why are we viewing it from the sea, huh?" Caster rubbed his hands nervously. "Can't we, I don't know, talk about this from the dome?"

Blaze laughed. "Come on, IB's bubble is strong enough to keep the ocean out. Don't be afraid." He tapped on the light bubble for effect. "See? we're perfectly safe here."

"Would you rather we go out in scuba gear to see it up close?" IB teased.

"No... no... okay, you're right," Caster said. He settled against the bubble wall, making himself comfortable. He shrugged as he peered outside. "It's huge. And there are so many people..."

"It may not contribute as much to the world as some of the institutions we've visited, but tourism is an important driver of Jamaica's economy," Blaze offered. "Imagine if your home had so many tourists too."

Caster held up his hands. "Look, you've already convinced me that completely abolishing international contact will hurt more than it will help," Caster said. "I get it. But I still think it should be regulated. I'm just not sure how, and I don't think you know the answers too."

"Yeah, we don't," IB said as he knelt down. He forced himself to make eye contact with Caster. "Nobody has all the answers. But at least if we stop fighting, we can begin working together to figure them out."

Caster nodded, and then he met IB's eyes. IB smiled. They had made really good progress with him.

Love it, love it, love it!

More, more, more!

Thank you, Harbi! I'm glad you are enjoying this story, and thanks for the frequent feedback!

The Palau Shark Sanctuary
Earth

"I have a fear of drowning and a fear of sharks. Why am I here again?" Blaze looked at IB crossly as they floated under a dozen hammerhead sharks."

"There's nothing they can do, baby," IB smiled as he tapped on the wall of his light bubble. "But thanks for coming with me to the world's first ever shark sanctuary. I've always wanted to go shark diving. And Palau is the world leader in shark conservation - and also one of the leaders in marine conservation. They've learned a lot not just from the shark sanctuary, but also from the Jellyfish Lake we visited. Millions of jellyfish which have lost their ability to sting through isolation! But I digress... look at all the shark species here! Through the years, Palau has collected all sorts of shark species from around the world!"

"Of course, baby," Blaze said as a great white swam right beside their bubble. He quickly moved to the center. "Although, I'd love to discuss our approach for Tarrin and Alexandra elsewhere..."

IB laughed as a particularly large mako shark swam near, causing Blaze to jump. "Okay, you pick our next destination."

Kiyomizu Dera, Japan
Earth

Cherry blossoms hung in the air between slender maple trees. Yet even though the sky was full of creamy pinks and verdant greens, the understated brown of Kiyomizu Dera's stage still stood out from the scenery. Blaze sighed as he and IB floated over the beautiful ancient temple.

"All these years, and it still looks so beautiful." He held IB close. "I always wanted to visit Japan. I'm glad I finally got to make it here with you."

"I'm also glad climate control has made it so we can view the cherry blossoms and the reddish maple leafs at the same time," IB smiled as he kissed Blaze. "Hey, let's go drink from the Otowa Waterfall! We can skip the stream for a lucky love life, we have that already."

"You better believe it!" Blaze nibbled IB's ear gently. They floated down towards the waterfalls; throngs of tourists, mostly local, lined up to sip from the cool waters. "I thought Japan was more touristed than this. Not too many foreign faces."

"Must be a symptom of the global slowdown, and the machinations of the mysterious figure behind our super-powered captives and their teammates..."

Blaze sighed. "I guess we have to get back to work soon."

"We already have our approach down pat," IB smiled as he hugged Blaze from behind. "We can relax a bit."

The Diquis Delta, Costa Rica
Earth

The serenity of the dense jungle weighed heavily on the three young men who floated through the trees. But the quiet, punctuated only by the occasional animal cry, was nothing compared to the heaviness silence among the sphere of light.

Invisible Brainiac toyed with the necklace around his neck. It was a prism, and allowed him to split his light form into seven selves. He always fingered it when he was nervous; it was comforting knowing that he could multiply himself in times of need.

But there were times when throwing extra bodies at a problem didn't help at all.

He looked at Blaze; his lover was far more relaxed. He had history with Tarrin. IB had; they had worked together under Earthgov's Black Ops program long ago. Tarrin and his "twin" Alexandra were the closest people IB had to friends back then. They had often talked about being free. But only IB had taken the chance when it was offered. And so Tarrin and Alexandra had been left behind.

IB was tempted to address the issue now. But as he took in Tarrin's stony face, he decided against it.

He took them below the trees and had his light bubble hover over the ground. The flat bottom of his bubble contrasted with the perfectly spherical stones that littered the forest floor. "These are the Diquis Stone Spheres. Last remnant of the Pre-Columbian civilizations of Costa Rica."

"Though Costa Rica wasn't as lucky as Thailand in escaping colonization, it still values its ancient history," Blaze said cheerily. He wasn't as interested in ancient cultures as IB was, but he did enjoy acting the part of tour guide. "These spheres are known for, well, how perfectly round they are!"

"They're also among the few ancient artifacts in the world which are sort-of mobile; they're not housed in a temple or museum, but several are left right where they were in the jungle. Costa Rica's been leading many global fora on how to preserve such sites."

Tarrin maintained his stony silence.

"Costa Rica has highlighted these sites to push for national pride and identity. They're not as grand as Tikal in Guatemala, but they're very unique on their own," IB added.

Tarrin looked straight ahead, ignoring IB.

"They're just as important to the Costa Ricans as your wats are to the Thais," Blaze lowered his voice for effect.

Tarrin flinched, then continued looking straight ahead.

Kaieteur Falls, Guyana
Earth

"Five times the height of the much more famous Niagara Falls, and twice the height of the also much more famous Victoria Falls."

Invisible Brainiac's tone was thoughtful; he wouldn't be surprised if inter-country rivalry were becoming more pronounced now. Certainly, the numerous holo boards announcing Kaieteur Falls' accolades seemed a bit much. One even showed a recording of Guyana's countrywide celebrations when the Falls had been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2026 - long after Victoria Falls had earned that honor, but way before Niagara had. It had also been Guyana's very first inscription on the List, a fact which seemed to give Guyana both great pride and great relief. Only sixteen other countries had gained their first UNESCO Sites later than Guyana had, and it had been the last to enter the list among the 12 countries of South America.

He turned to watch Blaze studying an exhibit of a newly-discovered species - the Waterproof Fire Salamander. Its body secreted a special oil that could ignite even under water. Once a rare species, careful management by the government of Guyana had allowed it to flourish. So much so that it was now proudly displayed on the national flag. The discovery of the salamander had been one of the compelling reasons for inscribing the Falls on the list.

"I wish I could do that," Blaze grumbled as he watched a holo of the salamander lighting itself on fire in the Potaro River. IB put an arm around Blaze's waist. "You don't need to, baby," he whispered. "You have more than enough underwater combat training. And you can still heat up the water without generating an open flame."

"Yes, that's right." Blaze's grin matched IB's own. Blaze was always confident, but also a realist. "I won't be completely useless in an underwater fight."

"Will you two stop? Surely you have something else in mind than for me to watch your incessant flirting." IB and Blaze looked at each other in surprise. These were the first words Tarrin had spoken since they had retrieved him from their Easter Island hideaway.

IB shrugged as he leaned against the railing of the deck overlooking the falls. Cold water sprayed gently on his face as he peered over the edge. "I thought the infographics had made it clear, Tarrin. Guyana owes its prosperity to the outside world. It had always been blessed with a wonderful ecology but poor government management; its land area is mostly rainforest, meaning it couldn't rely on sugar, rice or minerals forever."

Blaze perched on the far side of the deck, as far away from the water as he could. He hated getting wet while he was dressed up. "Guyana's fortunes were built on scientific research, eco-tourism, and carefully-controlled exploitation of natural resources." He pointed up the falls, where a new eco-hotel had just been built; the floating building hovered above the area encased in a bubble. No pollutants would leak out, though tourists could admire the beauty as much as they could.

Tarrin stared unflinchingly at them, without even taking a look around. "And all of that is carefully controlled by the government as well. Guyana is protected because of restrictions in the number of tourists who can come in; exploitation of resources is done in partnership with nationals; and exports are controlled."

IB and Blaze looked at each other. This would be one tough cookie to crack.

"So Tarrin, are you telling me that you are in favor of controlled trade? That you do not intend to cause countries to close their borders completely?"

Tarrin nodded.

"Then it looks like not all of you are on the same page." Blaze leaned back with satisfaction. "Your movement, or whatever you call it, is not moving with one step."

Tarrin shook his head. "We come from so many different backgrounds. Is that so hard to believe? At its core, we still believe that uncontrolled openness is disastrous."

"On that we agree," IB stepped forward. "Even when we were both working for Earthgov, we agreed on a lot." He approached slowly; Tarrin had been a reasonably good friend all those years ago.

Tarrin turned around and stared at the falls. The thundering water seemed to drown out the sounds of the rainforest.

Blaze stood up and held IB's hands, as all three of them listened to the waterfalls.

Melnik, Bulgaria
Earth

IB could hear Blaze holding his breath as they hovered over the magnificent clay "peaks"and sand pyramids in the area. Blaze had always been fascinated by Eastern Europe, and IB was only too glad to bring him here.

IB himself was in awe of the town's development. Like many of the other historic towns they had visited on their journey, Melnik looked so very much like it did in the 21st century. The townspeople had been very careful to keep traditional architecture alive through the centuries, and the national government had only been too happy to support that initiative once they realized that tourists loved that.

IB moved closer to Tarrin, who also seemed pleasantly surprised. "Those buildings were cared for very well over the years, Tarrin," IB noted as they passed over large stone buildings. And new ones, like that over there, are all built in the traditional style." IB gestured to a particularly large building that towered over the others. "That's the town hall built in the 28th century."

"Next part's my favorite," Blaze rubbed his hands in glee as they passed over the outskirts of town. "Damianitza Winery has some of the best wines in the world!"

IB winked as they landed. The winery's grounds were vast, and a small section near the main building was filled with tourists from all countries. Most were sipping glasses of some of Bulgaria's richest wines. IB and Blaze quickly snagged three sampler glasses and plopped down to enjoy the view. IB motioned for Tarrin to join them; he hesitated, and sat down warily.

IB offered a glass to him. "Go on. You saw me take it from that table; I didn't put anything in it." Tarrin just stared. IB shrugged and placed the glass beside Tarrin.

Blaze raised his glass, and he and IB toasted. "I don't need to give you the same spiel, Tarrin." IB took a long sip from his glass. "Suffice it to say that without rich investors from other countries like China, poor Bulgaria would never have managed to sustain its wine industry for so long."

IB and Blaze faced the setting sun as they continued sipping from their wine, while Tarrin stewed in his own thoughts.

The Potala Palace, Tibet
Earth

"The world's highest palace," IB smiled as their bubble landed. He gave an involuntary shiver as the snows whipped against the hard light walls. Blaze and Tarrin did the same; rain was common in their native Southeast Asia, but not snow. IB set them down at the foot of the palace, and gazed up the set of stairs to the gem at the top. "It's been lovingly preserved by the Tibetan people as a reminder of their long, hard struggle for independence and freedom."

"Funny of you to take their side," Tarrin snorted as he checked the settings on his transuit. "Your ancestors were all from China."

"So they were," IB's eyes darkened, and Blaze put a calming hand on his shoulder. "They left China for a reason, Tarrin. For better opportunities abroad. Ever heard of the Cultural Revolution? Even up to the mid-20th century, China's rise disturbed its neighbors. Read up on the South China Sea troubles; China's rhetoric forced the countries of Southeast Asia to form a more unified front than they ever thought they could have. You should know. Thailand was one of the first to join the Philippines and Vietnam in supporting their claims over the South China Sea islands over China's." IB turned to face Tarrin, eyes glowing. Tarrin stared calmly back, though he balled both hands into fists.

"Um, maybe we should start heading up to the palace?" Blaze nudged IB gently in the ribs. "Tell us about the return of the Dalai Lama."

IB breathed deep as he removed the hard light bubble and began walking up the steps. "Tibet became a formal protectorate of China since 1644, and was re-forcibly annexed in 1951. The Tibetans always chafed under the strict communist rule of China and the government-sponsored migrations of ethnic Chinese. When China's strong growth faltered in the late 2010's, the growing middle class and the intellectual elite began to speak out against the hawkish military and the communist regime. The Hong Kong protests for free elections gained ground again, and Macau followed suit. Taiwan asserted itself. China's neighbors took the opportunity to consolidate their power - the Philippines and Vietnam convinced the rest of the ASEAN nations to support their protests against China. Japan and India, both with their own territorial disputes with China, followed suit. Forced to face their ever-increasing reliance on trade, China was humbled before the international tribunals."

IB paused for a second as they reached the top of the stairs. The view of the Lhasa Valley below was breathtaking, as was the beautiful lake in front of the palace. And somehow, the rich spiritual traditions of the Buddhist faith made his own soul feel at ease.

They stood at the top of the palace steps as a gentle breeze - filled with snow - blew on them. "Don't you empathize with the Tibetans, Tarrin?" Blaze asked as he held out his hand. Blaze enjoyed snow a lot, despite it being the opposite of his powers. Tarrin shrugged. "They deserve to live their own lives."

"Kind of ironic that their freedom was also because of China's dependence on international trade then," Blaze continued. "China realized it could not afford to hold on to Tibet anymore; certainly not with increasing protests back home. In ceremonies that painted the Chinese government as benevolent, Tibet was allowed its independence, as was Taiwan. Hong Kong, Macau, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang were granted much greater autonomy. And China began to eschew the hawks' chest-thumping in favor of a more nuanced and charming approach to diplomacy."

"Very good," IB smiled at Blaze. "Couldn't have said it before." Blaze smiled happily back at him.

"And Tibet did maintain good relations with China. Again, resources were the key - Tibet has few natural resources, and tourism became even more important after independence. Until now, 45% of its tourists are from China."

Tarrin turned his gaze to the gleaming palace sitting atop the mountains overlooking the prosperous cities down below. He did not flinch even as the wind continued to blow around them.

FML. My next post got deleted when I accidentally closed my browser. Bah!

On the plus side, thanks to Harbinger for the consistent support for this unfinished story!

Robben Island, South Africa
Earth

The three young men stood before the entrance to Robben Island. All was quiet, serene... and most of all, somber.

Tarrin's snort broke the silence. "And what "lessons" do I have to learn here, where the government imprisoned those against apartheid? What would I learn from such scum? Governments aren't to be trusted!"

Ibby fixed him with a flat stare. "You show such contempt for them. But isn't racial segregation what you are fighting for?"

"We would never use such tactics!" Tarrin snarled.

"No, just terrorism. And any deaths resulting from your acts are acceptable collateral damage?" Blaze snarked.

Tarrin's arm shook as he made a fist. "Well... you kidnapped me and my friends! All to take us on this little educational tour of yours!"

A corona of fire surrounded Blaze, and Ibby began to glow. The two lovers looked at one another. "You're absolutely correct, Tarrin..." Ibby said calmly. "We did it because we thought we had no choice, but I agree. This isn't the best way. So I guess that's something we have in common." Without waiting for Tarrin to reply, he walked through the entrance. Blaze and Tarrin followed, wordlessly.

The buildings and installations were well-kept; like all properties under the Earthgov World Heritage Act of 2431, Robben Island had been carefully maintained in the state it had been at the time of its inclusion under said Act. Newer technology had been introduced only to the extent that it was needed to preserve the area, or for visitor amenities such as the toilet. But prison buildings, shrines, monuments and even the lighthouse were kept as they were centuries ago.

Soon, they came to the old prison cells. Ibby wrinkled his nose. "The conditions here are decent..."

Tarrin scoffed. "I still wouldn't want to be imprisoned here. Taking away my freedom..."

"Aren't you trying to take away people's freedom to move freely around the world?" Ibby noted.

"We're doing it because people of different races and nationalities can't coexist!" Tarrin snarled.

Blaze folded his arms across his chest. "What do you call your team? Aren't you all from different countries?"

"Not everyone is like us!" Tarrin snapped.

"No, not everyone is..." Ibby shook his head. "But do you honestly think we can just force people to stay in their homelands? Are we supposed to segregate people based on their ethnicity?"

"I don't see Earthgov offering a better choice..." Tarrin trailed off.

"That's something we will have to work on," Blaze admitted. "Loss of economic opportunities, massive inequality, they are causing widespread unrest."

"But maybe we can take a lesson from how apartheid was ended," Ibby added. "Discriminatory laws were repealed, and negotiations were held. Democratic elections. Everyone had to find common ground and compromise."

Tarrin shook his head. "I wish it would work. I wish I had faith in Earthgov. In people. But the things I've seen..."

Ibby licked his lips, then put a hand on the shoulder of his old teammate. Tarrin made as if to avoid Ibby's hand, but before he could, Ibby went on. "I know it's hard. That's why I left Earth. And I feel like such a coward now. But you stayed. You are braver than I was. And I want you to know, you are not alone."

Tarrin looked at Ibby silently.

The border between the former Dominican Republic and Haiti
Hispaniola
Earth

Tarrin raised an eyebrow at Ibby and Blaze as they landed on the mountains running across the island of Hispaniola. "And what is this place?"

"A long time ago," Ibby began, "the island of Hispaniola was divided between two independent countries. Haiti was the poorer neighbor, a former French colony lying to the west. The Dominican Republic was a former Spanish colony. In the early 21st century, tensions arose between the countries. Haitians flooded into the Dominican Republic for better opportunities, fleeing their homes that had been ravaged by hurricanes. The Dominican government felt threatened and put measures in place to restrict immigration."

"It got ugly for a while," Blaze noted. "Many Dominicans of Haitian descent, such as children of illegal immigrants, were left stateless. Many neighborhoods experienced violence."

"Huh. That was't in the Earthgov briefings..." Tarrin noted. "Hasn't Hispaniola been a relatively prosperous part of the world?"

"Exactly," Ibby smiled.

Tarrin shook his head. But he also laughed a little. "Okay, I see where this is going..."

"Remember we talked about coming here for Hispaniola Day? You loved Hispaniolan Creole food..."

"A mixture of French, Spanish and African influences," Blaze said, mimicking Ibby's voice. "You talked about it so many times, Ibby."

Ibby stuck his tongue out at Blaze.

Tarrin folded his arms as he surveyed the mountains. Homes and restaurants and resorts dotted the landscape. The residents were a mix of light-skinned and dark-skinned. It was hard to picture Hispaniola as anything but the prosperous tourist destination it was today.

"Okay," Tarrin sighed. "Tell me about Hispaniola's history."

"Over a nice meal?" Ibby laughed. He took off, Blaze and Tarrin following. "I read about this place..."

Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
Earth

Blaze knuckled his back as he walked along the bridge leading to the Las Lajas Sanctuary. "Mmmm. I'm glad we were able to sneak off here alone. I'm glad we got through to Tarrin."

"We got him to think, at least," Ibby sighed. "He got me to think, too. It wasn't right to keep them tied up like that."

"Well, they're shielded now, but they do have freedom to walk around our little lair," Blaze laughed. "Now be a good boyfriend and take a holo of me."

Ibby rolled his eyes as Blaze posed in front of the church. The building itself was beautiful, but its setting was what made it really stand out. Built right inside a canyon, the Gothic-style building was like shining marble in a forest of trees.

"They say the Virgin Mary appeared to a deaf-mute woman here, in the middle of a storm. The woman was cured," Ibby narrated as they walked into the chapel.

"Mmmm," Blaze grunted. Ibby rolled his eyes. Blaze shrugged in mock surprise. "Hey, if I didn't react at all you would just repeat yourself over and over," he pointed out. "So I grunt."

Ibby laughed as they approached the altar. "Have you been thinking about our wedding? Where do you want to have it?"

"Not in a church," Blaze laughed.

"A beach, maybe?" Ibby grinned.

"Let's see. What's important is I'm getting married to you."

"Cheesy." Ibby held Blaze's hand as they walked through the church.

The Summer Palace, China
Earth

"Man, these dumplings are the best." Ibby smacked his lips as he dipped a juicy pork dumpling in black vinegar mixed with fiery chili garlic. Blaze laughed. "I know dimsum is the only Chinese food you don't get tired off."

"Sweet and sour pork is good too. And lemon chicken," Ibby noted.

"So now that we're done eating, is it time to go and grab Alexandra?"

Ibby winced. "She's going to be a tough nut to crack." He looked down at his feet, dangling over the azure waters of the Summer Palace's lake. The Summer Palace was China's most well-preserved example of a royal park and garden; for centuries, the Chinese had prized it as a reminder of the glorious dynasties of the past. Ibby's apprehension at dealing with Alexandra kept him from fully enjoying it, though. "She hates me. It will be very awkward to speak with her again. And she was always more... vehement... than Tarrin ever was."

Blaze pursed his lips. "We have to do it sooner or later..."

Ibby sighed. "I know. But...let's just enjoy the beauty here for a few more minutes, okay?"

Blaze sat down beside Ibby as they admired the beautiful buildings rising in the distance.

Hey IB, really glad you're carrying on with this story as I love it!

There's a really sweet and gentle element of characterisation between you and Blaze mixed with the fantastically researched history of the various beauty spots you've chosen to visit, and all the while underpinned by the sinister divisiveness of the opponents you're facing. Very relevant given the increasingly xenophobic distrusting politics that are on the rise.

Splendid stuff, more, more, more!

Hi Harbi, thank you so much! Besides Blaze I think you're the only one reading this. I appreciate it A LOT.

After all the nastiness in Philippine politics, and the increasing rise of populism and xenophobia abroad, I was driven to continue this story.

Thanks again for all your support and I hope you enjoy reading about these spots as much as I enjoyed researching them