by Jon Chaisson
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Faith
Anton glared at the man on the vidmat screen who’d stopped talking to him ten minutes ago. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here,” he said.
“In time, Governor,” the Vigil said distractedly, shooting a side glance his way as he tapped away at an unseen keyboard. “In time.”
Anton dug his fingernails into his palms. This punk kid from Vigil had not only frozen his link with his Special Forces troops, but had also frozen any other link to the outside. He couldn’t even raise a link to his secretary just outside. Again he thought of reaching out to Shirai, and again decided against it. There was just too much of a chance she could be corrupted, and Goddess knew what would happen then.
“Keep in mind, there are ways we can work around our situation,” the Vigil said. “I’ve already told you what could happen. The choice is yours. What I do suggest, however, is that you tell those people of yours not to advance. I know that was your intent — I only need to ensure you make good on it.”
He glanced at Nandahya. She only shrugged in response. “And once I do that?” he grumbled.
The Vigil smiled at him. “Once you do that, you can give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back for not putting millions of civilians in harm’s way once the Rain clears away, and you end up being one of Bridgetown’s best-loved Governors in the process.”
“Comforting,” he said flatly.
“It had better be comforting,” the kid said gravely. “If I were to let you wreak havoc under an unstable Rain of Light, there’s a good chance you would be looking at a death toll of at least half the city, Governor. Here, let me show you what I’m talking about.” He and Nandahya were both startled by the sudden appearance of a hologram covering the entire desk surface. It was a low-res image of the Bridgetown Sprawl, from the Crest all the way down to Sachers Island and a little beyond. “This is what is happening right now. Here’s the Rain of Light…” Another few keystrokes and a transparent orange haze of clouds covered most of the city. It covered the entirety of the Sprawl, with only the Crest and the upper half of the Mirades Tower reaching above it. “And here’s what’s going to happen, if everything goes as planned. This is sped up, but the Cleansing ritual itself lasts about a half hour.”
Somewhere close to Moulding Warehouse, a tiny pinprick of light flashed on and off. Nandahya pointed out the second flashing point of light closer to the ocean’s edge. After a few moments the cloud-matrix began dissipating, drawn towards the inland light until the sky was once again clear. The two pulses of light slowed until they two finally disappeared.
“Wait for it,” the Vigil said.
Seconds later, the hologram buzzed and twitched, building in intensity until the entire image burst into bright light. And just as quickly as it had appeared, it died away, leaving the hologram city once again in peace.
“What the hell was that?” Anton said, his voice just above a whisper. His heart beat hard and quick in his chest. He’d read and remembered Shirai’s initial report, but until this very moment he hadn’t realized just how right she’d been. What the hell was going on in his city…?
“That is an energy dump,” the Vigil answered with an added level of fascination. “A ritual takes up all the excess energy in the Rain of Light you’re seeing out there, and grounding it. If I’m not mistaken, that’s a Benjamin’s Key they’re using. Quite impressive. I didn’t know they were still around.”
Anton exhaled, dreading his next question. He had to know. “And if things don’t go according to plan?”
“Well…” he paused, frowning deeply.
“What?”
He nodded, tapped again at the unseen keyboard, and looked at him. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He capped his words with the loud solitary clack of a keystroke.
There were no two points of light this time. The clouds remained. Golden arrows, denoting his own forces, moved towards the various parts of the city where action had been reported over the last hour, as well as towards the warehouse. Arrows turned to dots as each point became secure and closed down. Everything seemed to go smoothly through the haze of the clouds.
“So my teams take over,” Anton said. “I don’t see anything happening.”
“That was the first two hours, sir,” he said. “This is what happens ten hours later, when the Rain keeps charging itself up with energy.” The cloud-matrix grew thicker, heavier, until the entirety of the city had become obliterated by an inky darkness. It became a storm cloud of immense size and power, eventually growing higher and higher until even the tip of the Mirades Tower had been swallowed up. He could see the arcs of light again, and other makings of a tremendously violent hurricane. “Ten hours later, Governor. Winds have reached catastrophic speeds just within the area covered by the Rain. Most of the city is now under the throes of the worst natural and supernatural disaster it has ever faced. Buildings are demolished...millions of people die...spirits consume themselves, fueling the Rain more and more...but it gets worse.”
Anton shivered. “Worse?”
“Much worse, sir,” he said. “The energy just keeps building, literally siphoning the life force out of those who’ve survived thus far. Eventually the Tower itself is destroyed. Until…”
Another white flash of light appeared within the darkness and just as quickly, expanded. And, just as quickly, faded into nothingness. This time leaving the entirety of Bridgetown a barren, cratered wasteland.
Anton felt bile rising in his throat.
“That is what happens if you let your teams take over, Governor.” He smiled apologetically. “Believe me when I tell you, sir. I don’t normally agree with everything you say or do, but on this one thing I am on the same side as you. I only wish to serve and protect the citizens of Bridgetown. Let whoever is using the Benjamin’s Key do what they have to do.”
Anton sat silently, staring at the hologram of a decimated city. No one had ever seen such devastation since the nuclear uprisings over three hundred years ago. He had seen data on it himself, and this low-res holo was a far cry from those disquieting files…yet this was his city. He could not let that happen. As much as he hated to admit it, he could not ignore the warnings of Vigil in this instance, jacker punks or not. It had been his plan all along not to move in…but now he had reason to doubt these team leaders.
“So what do I do now?” Anton said, fatigue creeping into his voice.
“Now…” the Vigil said, and paused to think. “Now, we wait.”
Anton groaned. “Wait? We don’t have the damn time to —”
“Yes, Governor,” he growled at him. “We do have time. Have patience.”
He opened his mouth to say something else, thought better of it, and let out a breath of resignation. He glanced at Nandahya but she did not respond, only catching his gaze for a moment, before distractedly looking back down at the screen in front of her.
“Fine,” he said, closing his eyes.
