by Drew Cordell
“I can appreciate that. Jake told me about that net grenade launcher you used to use to fish,” Marwin said.
“Not so unique, really. Good tech, sure, but it’s not original. You wouldn’t believe the amount of original tech we made back at our shop.” His face seemed to droop, and he quieted. I could see the pain and uncertainty behind his expression.
I prepared to change the subject, but Agatha called out from in front of us. “You’re going to want to take a look at this. I think the weapons lab is somewhere in there.”
13 CRUCIBLE
∆∆∆
I peered out from the side of the boat, trying to see what Agatha was talking about. To my right, the tunnel opened up to a massive cavern which could have been River’s Port, only the buildings stacked together in the center were barren and as lifeless as everything else in the Maze. Natural light from somewhere above illuminated part of the abandoned husk of a city. Much like our River’s Port, this city was denser in the center before flattening out on the outer layers of the circular base. The upper layer of the city was crumbling from time and the elements, withering away and raining down on the city below which faded to darkness as it sprawled away from the scant source of light. It felt like something was watching us, even from here. What happened here?
Christopher began swinging the floodlight on our boat over to scan the distant city, but Violet quickly swatted it away, hissing in a low voice, “There could be people or more of those machines in there.”
“She’s right,” Grez said. “Lights out. Turn off the engines, too.”
Jasper and Bob turned off the boat engines and everything was silent. Sound was amplified in the cavern, and where there had been silence before, now there were fragments of life. The echoes of some sort of communication, high-pitched chirps, rung out and echoed. Swarms of insects droned and chirped in the distance, their calls echoing out and blending together in the massive open space.
“What is that?” Christopher asked.
“Bats and insects,” Jasper said. “We have them in River’s Port, up at the top of the cavern. Makes sense they would live here. If bats are in this cavern, then there are probably fish, too.”
That caught Grez’s attention. There hadn’t been a single fish to catch in the Maze, and the general mood of the party had degraded significantly as we made a visible dent in our preserved rations.
Jennifer spoke up. “We need food no matter what. As of right now, we don’t have enough to make it back from the weapons lab. I’d like to remind you that the majority of the return voyage is through the Maze. That means no fish.”
The big man rubbed the skin between his eyes. “Jasper, have you ever heard anything about this city?”
The man shook his head. “Again, I haven’t heard of anyone thoroughly exploring the Maze and coming back from it. We’d be going in blind.”
“Shine the light; let’s get a better look. If there are more of those monsters, we’ll get out of here and try to find another way in. We need to replenish our food anyway,” Grez said.
Christopher looked uncertain, opened his mouth to say something, then clamped his jaw shut, content with following his orders. He swept the powerful light beam across the water first, using a lattice pattern to search for anomalies in the water. A bright silver fish flipped from the water and into the light from the floodlight before plopping back down. I couldn’t help but smile, hopeful we wouldn’t be facing the danger of hunger on the return journey.
Christopher continued searching the water before moving the beam of light to the city itself. The ruined buildings were plastered with bat droppings. Unpleasant was an understatement. It didn’t look like anyone had lived in these buildings for a long time. Green and yellow plants peppered the cityscape, crawling up the sides of buildings.
Grez frowned. “This looks identical to the layout of River’s Port. How is that possible?”
“Probably the same builder,” Violet suggested.
“Maybe you could fill us in, Marwin? I don’t pretend to think the Harvesters know more about New York’s true history than the Champions,” Grez said.
Marwin looked puzzled for a second but then spoke. “Sure. We don’t believe there was a Great Flood of 2039. The Omniscience Engine kept things from us even though we lived in Olympus. It has always been a gilded cage. We’re still not entirely sure who or what built the network of tunnels that makes up the Undercity, but we don’t think it was the Omniscience Engine. When we were attacked, when the HKs moved into the Undercity, they didn’t seem to know their way around. The Omniscience Engine was able to make a deal with River’s Port, that’s why they were able to infiltrate and destroy the city the way they did.”
Grez looked more puzzled than before. “So you have no idea who built these tunnels? This Maze?”
Marwin frowned. “I don’t know. The Champions didn’t, and we don’t have all the answers. Grez, we need to talk about the Omniscience Engine, and I’d prefer to do that before we arrive at the lab. You saw what happened at River’s Port.”
Grez narrowed his eyes, a hard look forming on his face. “Marwin,” he began, “we’ve discussed this already, and River’s Port changes nothing. They were fools to build the Greater Lifts and give the Omniscience Engine a way to invade them. Like the Champions, our home is well concealed and isolated from the surface. We can live out the rest of our lives without worrying about the Omniscience Engine.”
Marwin shook his head in disbelief. “Ha. You know, I don’t think the Omniscience Engine is going to stop. It has the unbound determination to do whatever it takes to exterminate us. How long do you really think you have until it decides to actively pursue you? I have no doubts it’s coming for the Champions first, but what happens when we’re gone? You think it’s going to just leave you alone while every other pocket of humanity we know of is gone? How realistic is that, Grez?”
Something ignited in Grez’s eyes, but his voice was calmer and colder than ever. “I won’t be talked down to in front of my people. It is by my generosity you’re still breathing. This is the last time I’ll say this. The Omniscience Engine is not my enemy. I do not want to live in a world where the Champions of Liberty rule, and I have no interest of ever returning to my life in Olympus.”
Marwin wasn’t relenting. “Then we’re all dead anyway and none of this matters. How could you be so short sighted like your brother?”
Grez lost all semblance of composure at the mention of Colton Adrihel. His face contorted into a distorted mask of rage, almost rendering him unrecognizable as veins in his neck bulged and his face purpled.
“It was all supposed to be mine! Not his. Mine. Do you even know what happened? Of course you don’t. You really think I wanted to leave Olympus? To be exiled by my family? I have made the best of every situation I’ve been forced into. I will never have the option of best choice. Ever. What choice do I have but to lead my people and try to give them and myself the best lives possible?” Spit flung from Grez’s quivering lips as he worked his way through the burning words.
“Dad!” Violet pleaded. Grez wasn’t listening. Maybe he couldn’t. His rage demanded satiation, demanded respect and payment for being drawn out like this. Grez’s body was quivering, and he was yelling obscenities as he thudded across the boat with reckless bounds and wrapped big hands around Marwin’s neck. He lifted the smaller man into the air before choke slamming him to the hull of the boat. Everyone else hesitated, wilting in uncertainty.
Violet rushed forward, gripping her father’s arm and trying to pull it back. She was yelling for him to stop as Marwin’s eyes bulged and his face turned dark. I gritted my teeth, reaching for my gun, but Christopher had already pulled his gun on Mary and me, making very clear he was siding with Grez on this matter, even if that meant Marwin died. We exchanged a hard look and I retracted my hand from the grip of my gun, making it very clear I understood the message. I turned back to yell at Grez who was still wrestling with Marwin on the hull of the boat. I
t was a very one-sided fight, and Marwin was struggling for leverage on the bigger man.
“Dad! Stop, he doesn’t need to die! You had a deal,” Violet screamed, still trying to pry Grez’s hands away from Marwin’s throat. Everyone was yelling now, including me. The words blended together into an indistinguishable roar of noise, so loud that nothing was clear as it reverberated through the open space. If there was someone in the city, they sure as hell knew we were here now. Grez had ruined that for everyone.
Violet shouted something else I couldn’t make out, and Grez turned away from Marwin, releasing his deadly grasp around the man’s neck. He hit Violet. It was a hard, cruel blow. Violet recoiled, and redness blistered across her face as the skin puffed angrily. There was a long, tense silence as everyone witnessed what Grez had done. Violet’s breathing was heavy. Tears welled in her eyes, but she wasn’t crying. There was no fear or shock on her face, only hurt.
Grez’s anger died down as quickly as it had surfaced. There was no anger anymore, only something that resembled disgust and shame, maybe in himself. Marwin’s coughing as he recovered from the vicious attack broke the otherwise ambient silence. Violet’s intervention had probably saved his life when I couldn’t, but I hadn’t heard what she had said to make Grez redirect his fury in its entirety.
Christopher’s jaw was clamped tightly, and it was clear he had no intention of saying anything about what had just happened. Maybe he’d seen this before, or maybe he just didn’t want to intrude on what he perceived to be none of his business.
Grez sighed, somehow finding a solution to the problem that was forgotten by everyone else. “We’re going to search the city before we make our way to the weapons lab. I want a full team of people staying with the boats who will fish and replenish our rations. As soon as we have enough surplus of food to make it back to New York after the weapons lab, we’re planning the rest of the mission. Violet, you and I need to talk alone once we’ve landed in the city.” There wasn’t going to be a public apology for hitting his daughter, that much was clear.
Violet’s face was still swelling, and she turned to face Grez, a glow of defiance present on her sharp features. “I don’t care what you say. I’m helping them. I want a real life where I don’t have to hide. They’re right, Dad. We have no future if the Omniscience Engine still exists.”
Grez was still calm. “Violet, we will discuss this privately.”
“No, Dad, we won’t. We’ll talk about this now. It involves all of us, and it’s not just our decision to make.”
“You’re right. It does involve all of us, and all of us are not here. I’m not going to reconsider now. Until we reach the weapons lab, we don’t have all the information.” There was uncertainty in Grez’s voice now that was missing before.
Christopher exchanged an apologetic look with Mary and me. I was angry, but it helped that he hadn’t turned the safety off on his gun or moved his finger to the trigger. Violet was the closest thing we had to an ally in this messed up situation, but I didn’t consider Christopher my enemy either, only Grez.
Marwin stood and walked over to sit on the bench by Mary and me. I caught his gaze, and the faintest whiff of a smile playing on the corners of his mouth. He gave me a knowing look, like he wanted this to happen, like a plan of his was in the works. I realized he did want this to happen, and he had more control over Grez than anyone realized. He was good at all the politics stuff, and it suited him well. Now, he was putting those talents to use and creating an undertow of influence to help us later if we needed it.
“You know, I like exploring, but I don’t like the looks of this place. I’m pretty good at fishing, too. Bob and I will stay with the boats,” Jasper said.
“Good. I will explore,” Grez declared before turning to face us. “You three are welcome to do what you please as long as you help. Either you stay on the boats, or you come exploring.”
“I’m going to stay and do some fishing. I don’t feel too well,” Marwin said. There was no anger in his tone, just a matter-of-fact explanation of why he wouldn’t be exploring the imposing ruins.
I exchanged a glance with Mary. “We’re going to explore,” she answered for me. Being on the boat for so long had taken its toll. I longed to put my feet on solid ground.
We made our way across the waterway, cautious and slow as we approached the ghost of a city. The more I thought about it, the stranger it became. Was it here before the Maze or built after? A shiver worked its way down my spine. If that mechanical monster had been guarding the Maze and wasn’t simply a monstrosity unleashed in the Maze by a crazed creator, then it was logical that there would be more of the things lurking in a place like this.
It reminded me of the maze games I used to play as a young kid for hours at a time. I would play them on my mom’s datapad while she did thought collection sessions at a Collection Parlor. That was back in the days when Enforcers acted as babysitters for the children in the Collection Parlors while their parents worked. The goal of the game started simple: move your avatar through a maze and find the center. Something good always waited at the center of the maze games, usually words of encouragement along with the revelation that the player discovered a new Paragon Thought.
As the mazes got harder, there were traps along the way. Eventually, reaching the center became the easiest part of the game as the evil forces of Treason and Laziness fought to foil the player. These character traits were personalized with ugly avatars, and from a very young age, kids were exposed to the importance of Absolute Knowledge and the duty of all civilians to contribute to the project. Treason and Laziness wanted the player to reach the center of the maze, wanted them to think that the hardest part was over, to let their guard down. Even when they weren’t visible, their mischief and influence was felt in the game. Treason would leave behind traps for the player to fall into, incorrect thought, and the opportunity to rebel against the great country of New York for short term gain. Laziness would offer the opportunity for players to not contribute their thoughts to the Absolute Knowledge project in exchange for small prizes.
I could almost feel the presence of invisible forces nudging us forward into the center of the city. “The hardest part is over.” “There is nothing to worry about.” “It’s easy going from here,” the voices said. It wasn’t Laziness and Treason waiting for us in the city, but something else. I wanted to believe I was just imagining it, but I couldn’t. Not completely at least.
As the boats docked, I swallowed my dread and followed the others onto the platform, staring into the impossibly large and empty ruins of what must have once been a great city.
14 SKELETON
∆∆∆
“Just so you aren’t tempted to leave without us, we’ll be taking the majority of the remaining rations and the navigational gear with us,” Grez said, nodding to Agatha and Gerald who set to work on removing their equipment from the sides of the boat, a much faster process now that both watercraft were slid onto their bellies on a sandy beachfront littered with fish and bat bones, and the broken remnants of old boats.
“Look, Grez, you need to leave a rifle or two for us. If something attacks us while you’re in the city, we need to be able to defend ourselves. We can’t lose these boats. I’ll return it with all the ammo once you’re back,” Marwin said.
Grez nodded. “That I can agree to.” He took a weapon off the side of Gerald’s pack, giving it to Marwin after checking that the magazine was full. It was a carbine with selective fire settings and a cheap holosight. Regardless, it was a huge improvement over the pathetic handgun on Marwin’s belt. Gerald pulled a couple extra magazines from his pack for the weapon, tossing them to Marwin.
“That’ll have to do. Thanks.”
“Don’t make me regret this, and try not to need it,” Grez said, fixing Marwin with a flat look.
We spent the next several minutes putting on our armor. It was a lot colder here with the open ceiling, and I opted to dress in layers, securing the chain armor over
my hoodie then pulling on my heavy jacket and backpack when I was good to go. There weren’t enough gloves to go around, so I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jacket for the time being. After days of sitting around, the armor felt heavy and clunky, but I was thankful to have it and was certain I would get used to it as we progressed through the city.
As the boats moved away from the docks, the emptiness of the city grew. The bats chirped overhead, unseen in the massive cavern. Mary and I each carried a flashlight while the others had lights attached to their rifles and handguns. Despite not using a firearm, Violet didn’t need to use a flashlight. As it turned out, each of her Nanodrones had a powerful diode. She had three of her drones circle around her to light her surroundings, periodically sending them racing off to check out something of interest in the distance.
The ground was cracked and uneven, littered with rubble, debris, and ancient garbage. I tried pulling a flap of my jacket over my face to block some of the smell, but the cloth was too short and I didn’t want to cut up any of my other clothes.
Grez and Violet made their way to one of the busted buildings near the docks, their footfall crunching over broken, dusty glass and crumbling concrete. The sound faded into the background as they walked into the darkness. I had no intention of walking off with Mary alone, not with the pitiful guns we wielded.
No one had blamed Marwin for wanting to stay behind on the boats while we explored, but I was starting to wish I had stayed as well despite how good it felt to walk on something that didn’t sway unevenly. The unease of being in the city outweighed the comfort of being on mostly solid ground again, and I found myself gravitating toward Mary and the others, unwilling to stray too far from the group.
