Neon Sands Trilogy Boxset: The Neon Series Season One

by Adam J. Smith

  “Unappreciated? I don’t think they quite understand that, sir.”

  “Finally, some respect. You should keep hold of this one, Cal. Forget Annora. There’s still time.”

  “Give it a rest, Kirillion,” said Caia. “Bring us in to the north side.”

  “Whatever you say!” he laughed. “Now, if you’d like to take a look to aft, you’ll see the Ring of Elite just sliding into view. There she goes. Isn’t she a thing of beauty?”

  Kirillion steered the vehicle between the gangways connecting the platform, and Calix blinked at the sheer, glass panels reflecting them back like mirrors. He could see nothing within them. Perhaps they weren’t windows. A ring of striplights cut across the diameter, level to the platform.

  “And to port we have the Stationmaster’s office.” The square building sat on pillars in the centre of the platform, and as they descended towards it, Calix spotted a single man inside with his feet up on the counter and a headset of some sort covering his face. Other than him, the area was deserted.

  They landed with a jolt. He’d been pretty calm up to this point, but now his heart rate began to climb. He still didn’t trust Kirillion, and trusted Caia only slightly more, so the thought that he would soon see Annora didn’t quite seem real. He stared across the platform at a set of double doors lit from the inside. Was she really just the other side of those? he thought. Is this it?

  Kirillion jumped out of the manned drone, and turned on them with his gun.

  The door on Calix’s side rose, and Kirillion said “Out now, and no funny business.”

  “You taking me straight to her, yeah?” He climbed out. A blast of warm air blew down from some invisible source above.

  “I could do, Calix. Wouldn’t you rather… I don’t know… have a wash first? Freshen up?”

  “No.”

  “Okay then,” he laughed, pointing the gun at Calix and ushering him towards the entrance. “Caia – can I trust you to take care of our other guest?”

  “Leave her with me,” she said, walking around the front blades of the large drone.

  Calix looked around to find Elissa staring at him, her face serious. His heart jumped a beat. He didn’t want to split with her, but didn’t want to take her to Annora. He also didn’t know for sure that he would see her again. “Where you going to take her?”

  “I’ll figure something out.”

  “I’ll be fine, Cal,” Elissa said, staying back. She nodded at him. “Go.”

  “Yes, come on, Cal. We can have a nice catch-up on the way.” Kirillion stepped aside, waiting for Calix to walk ahead.

  Okay.

  He heaved, deeply, but it was no use. No amount of controlled breathing could calm his heartbeat, or stop the carousel of his stomach. He walked ahead, looking up at the dark ceiling of the dome apex, and around at the dark nothingness of the donut walls, as distraction; it failed. What does he say? he asked himself. His boots landed on the platform with a hollow thud, just like the lower city bridges between the towers. He’d noticed no such bridges aboveground. Had Annora been down there? How much did she really know about her prison?

  “How are you feeling?”

  He ignored him.

  “Let’s make one thing clear, Calix. You are on the thinnest of ice. Elissa is on the thinnest of ice. If we are going to make an arrangement that works for everybody, there’s going to need to be conversation on both sides of the table. Caia’s failsafe dangles by a thread for her – it’s non-existent for you.”

  “I don’t even know what that is. Whatever deal Caia made with you, it’s nothing to do with me.”

  “Good, good. So we have our first understanding.”

  Calix stepped onto a bridge leading from the platform to the tall, black double doors, with large rectangular windows inset revealing a brightly lit, yellow entranceway beyond. He walked by a raised control panel with a large red circle lit up on it. As Kirillion passed it, he flashed his hand towards it and it turned green.

  The doors ahead began to open.

  “As luck would have it, you could very well be the key that unlocks our Annora. You know, I’m not completely without compassion. I brought the two of you up. You’re like my own children. Sure, it’s a little odd that I should find my surrogate son and surrogate daughter falling in love with each other, but I’ve checked, and you’re definitely not brother and sister.”

  “Good to know.” He crossed the threshold into the atrium and saw that the walls on the outside were in fact windows, floor to ceiling. They curved inwards on the inside until he could no longer see around the corner. “I suppose Zi was like a son to you, too?”

  “You all were.” The doors closed quietly behind them. “This way.” Ahead of them, a flight of blue-carpeted steps led up to a second level, while to the side of the steps were separate flights heading down. Kirillion pointed his gun to the right. “Down here.”

  “Is the gun still necessary?”

  “Perhaps not. Are you armed?”

  “Do I look armed?”

  Kirillion nodded towards his bag. “Give that to me.”

  Calix shrugged. “There’s nothing in it.” He handed it over and walked quickly towards the steps. Laughter broke out from the top of the steps and it sounded as though a few people were gathered up there.

  “Quickly,” said Kirillion.

  “You don’t want to introduce me to your friends?”

  “I don’t want to have to explain you.”

  Whatever that means. Inside, it was warm, too warm, and the contrast to the night air was having a drowsing affect on him. He just wanted to get to Annora. With every step, he dared hope more and more that this wasn’t some horrible ruse. Keep talking, he almost said to Kirillion. Everything he said seemed to point towards his desired goal. She is here.

  He didn’t need to ask, though.

  “I’m not exaggerating when I say Annora is the most valuable thing in this city. The information she holds... it could change everything.” Instead of behind, Kirillion now walked besides him as they descended down, and then around, the steps. “We have been immobile for too long. Resting on our laurels. Our crowns declared absolute. History brought us to this point, and only history can break us out of it. There’s far more going on here than you could ever understand. So much at stake.”

  They came to a landing and then turned back on themselves, descending further.

  “She’s still a person. She’s still Annora.” Right? “Or did it change her?”

  “She’s still the same old Annie. But yes, she is changed. She has changed.”

  “How am I a ‘key’?”

  Kirillion placed a hand between his shoulder blades and he shrugged it away.

  “You know how annoying that is?”

  “Force of habit. Like I said, you were all children to me. As for now, well... you get what you want. Spend time with her. Reacquaint yourself. Tell her all your stories, I’m sure they’re fascinating. Just... don’t try anything stupid. Really: I’ll be honest with you.”

  “There’s a first.”

  “You have all the power. I think I just might need you. So whatever we can do to make you and Annora comfortable up here, just let me know.”

  “You could set us free.”

  At the bottom of the steps they turned left, and Calix stared out of the window on the right. The bottom half curved down and dropped beneath the floor. In that curve shone the city.

  “You have never been so free – you just don’t see that yet.”

  Ahead, the corridor stretched around to the right, lit by lights embedded behind folds of wall that down-lit framed photographs or paintings – he couldn’t yet tell – a wall painted cream. More blue carpet rolled out underfoot. She’s walked here, where I’m walking.

  “Okay, here we are.” They stopped next to a door only discernible from the handle poking out of the wall.

  He felt sick.

  This was too good to be true. After everything he’d done, for there t
o only be this door left between him and her – it felt too easy. Surely there must be another mountain of sand to climb, or another nervous voyage trapped inside an underwater vessel unsure if the leaks down the walls would at some point turn into unstoppable torrents. Where were the flying bullets and broken noses? Where was the fight?

  “You going in or what, my boy?”

  Mutants

  “Thank you for helping Calix,” said Elissa. She felt her cheeks turning hot in the currents of warm air, and she was also quite tired. Her whole body felt a little flushed with fever, and it didn’t help that she was on.

  “That remains to be seen.” Caia pushed on the doors and they entered the ring.

  “What did you mean when you said you’ll upload your memories?”

  “At an early age, most people here are fitted with a retinal camera. From the moment I left here, to the moment I returned, I had the ability to record whatever was going on. So I have a few moments saved to memory that would make interesting viewing for the general public.”

  “Oh,” said Elissa. She followed Caia as they turned left. “So… you’re recording now?”

  “Nah. I only record interesting things.” She scoffed. “You hungry? Tired? Dirty? All three?”

  “A bit of everything.”

  “I’ll take you to a guest lodge and we can pick something up along the way.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Hold on.

  “What kind of things would make interesting viewing for the general public? You mean, like the authority kidnapping a young woman? Killing people?”

  “Well,” said Caia, turning right up a flight of steps. She dropped silent as she looked around at the top of the landing, and when Elissa joined her, she said “This way.”

  The far end of the landing opened up into what looked like a lounge with assorted, comfortable looking chairs and tables. Varieties of plant and tree completely new to her stood guard either side of the entrance; the plants were grass-like and long, the trees spiked and stunted, and she could see more potted plants inside and in the centre of tables.

  As they went through the arch, a few people turned heads to look at them, but not for long. Caia said “Hi” to a woman in a red bodysuit, who said “Hi” back, smiling with blue-lipstick lips. “Nice to have you back. Staying long?”

  “Not if I can help it,” said Caia, walking on.

  They weaved through the seating arrangement to a bar at the far end manned by a well-dressed man in a white shirt and black suit, lapels cut narrow. He wore some kind of cravat around his neck. “Good evening, ladies. What can I get you?”

  “A sandwich for my friend, and I’ll take a shot of Synesty.”

  “Certainly.”

  Caia turned to her. “What about you? I bet you need a drink?”

  “Sure,” she nodded, smiling at the bartender.

  “Two Synesty. And for the sandwich?” he asked.

  “Just make it a selection,” said Caia, turning her back on him. Elissa noticed how Caia scanned the room, eyes darting from face to face as though worried something might happen.

  “Everything okay?” She asked this, and then turned back towards the bartender. He had taken a bottle from one of the glass shelves and was filling up a couple of glasses. Beyond, a mirrored wall doubled the number of glasses and bottles of various shades of alcohol; from clear straight through the rainbow to black.

  How odd she looked, standing there, standing here; she hardly recognised the woman staring back at her. “This is crazy,” she thought, and smiled. Look what you’ve done, Avery. She thought about her neighbour. How he must be busy building the next underwater machine, if he hadn’t got himself killed. Look at where I am. She suddenly wished he was there so they could toast.

  Caia had still not said a word. When she heard the clunk of glass on counter, she span round and grabbed the glass, bringing it straight to her lips. The bartender disappeared through a door.

  “You should take the drink,” she said. “You’ll need it.”

  Elissa picked it up and brought it to her nose. Not much of a smell, but the fumes seemed to clear her sinuses. She sipped at it, and then downed it. “Not quite a scratch on The Crank homebrew, but it’ll do.”

  The bartender returned and Caia tapped the counter. The glasses were quickly refilled. “Your selections will be out momentarily.”

  Caia took her drink and sat down at a nearby table, away from other people, Elissa noted.

  Elissa said “Thanks,” and joined Caia, deciding to wait until she was ready to speak.

  She didn’t have to wait long. “The people of this city do not care about the authority kidnapping or murdering people. They expect it. It’s what the authority does. What they don’t know is how far that deception reaches.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They think they’re isolated. They think the outside is nothing but a wasteland – of course, they’re not entirely wrong about that! – but they’ve been told it’s uninhabitable. That the only living things on the outside are mutants. Dangerous mutants.”

  “I don’t understand. The dome…”

  “The dome shows them nothing. If anyone so much as cares to look outside, they’d see only the plains, perhaps with a few augmented sandstorms and rocks, a bit of lightning. The authority controls what they see. So you see – my memories could be troublesome if they got into the public sphere.”

  Elissa downed half her drink, fearing what might come next. “So… the Liberty Trial winners. What do they do? Are they forced to hide where they came from?” As she said it, she felt her temperature rise and her heartbeat quicken.

  Caia sat back in her seat with the drink in her hand. She looked away. “No. Nothing so trusting. They’re turned into mutants and executed on every channel. Gotta keep the fear stoked.” She finished her drink.

  “No!” said Elissa, wanting to reach out and grab Caia.

  Caia leaned in and put her finger to Elissa’s lips. “Keep… it… down.” She looked around. There were no turned heads.

  All Elissa wanted to do was stand and shout at Caia. At everyone in the room. She didn’t know where to look – fearing that she’d see a face with a grin on it and walk over to it and smack it off.

  “I feel sick.”

  Caia stood, lifting Elissa up from the armpit. “Let me take you to your room.”

  She felt heavy. Even with Caia’s help, the floor was a force pushing up against her every step. “Is there a bathroom?”

  Caia turned them about into a different direction, and before she knew it, she was lead into a starched white, tiled room that was way too bright for her to take right then. She stumbled over to a cubicle and threw open the door, and knelt, and was sick into the toilet. Caia’s hands felt warm on her neck as she held her hair out of her face.

  Every time she thought of Leora, or Deo, or the girls; she vomited. Of Jasper and his family; she vomited. Of Markus and his two sons, Bobby and Kris; she vomited. Pretty soon there was nothing left but bile and saliva, streaks of dribbling fluid, like thick spider’s webs, trailing from her mouth as she panted.

  “I wish I could say it wasn’t as bad as it sounded,” said Caia. “But I can’t. This place only cares about itself. From the top to the bottom; everyone in it – out for themselves. And this ring, up here, is the worst. The black heart of the city. I’ve heard them cheer. I’ve seen the hands clap, clap, clapping; skin red and raw from the excitement. They’ll watch your trials and watch your liberty day celebrations and laugh as the victor is crowned and then they’ll take an intermission. Go fuck. Go get high. Go sit quietly in a corner and stare at the wall until they hear the calling klaxon of the soldiers returning from their latest, greatest hunt. The dome gates open. The transportation van rolls in. The guards all step out and surround the van, holding their guns. The show presenters introduce the scenario so everyone in the city knows just how... it... is, out there in the dangerous, dangerous world. They’ll let the mutants out. Only th
ey’re not mutants. They’re augmented trial winners. The city sees the threat that supposedly still exists, but up here, they don’t bother with any of that bullshit. They stand on tiptoes with their hands poised to clap, waiting for that first bullet. I’m sorry, Elissa.” Caia stroked the top of her head. “I’m sorry.”

  Elissa’s tears fell from her cheeks and plinked into the toilet bowl.

  Home

  He knocked.

  Kirillion had walked away and left him alone. When he looked around and saw that bastard’s back disappear around the corner, he felt a sudden urge to race after him; he didn’t really know why. Reassurance, perhaps. Kirillion was his only anchor in these strange clouds.

  The door handle turned.

  Fuck Kirillion.

  The door swung inwards, and the first thing he noticed was a bare, white arm with a large, almost black, rectangular slice taken out of it. He followed the arm up the shoulder; draped across her skin was a narrow band of white, soft-looking material that made up the strap of a gown. Falling across her shoulder; her hair had grown out and looked combed and darker than he could ever remember it being. In the crawler, she’d had it almost like dreadlocks – it was just easier that way – here it was long and fell across her breast. Her face was as sweet as it ever had been; he felt like he’d arrived home upon landing on her lips and her rounded cheeks and the curve of her nose and the depth of her deep, brown eyes. Those eyes swelled with tears.

  He felt his stupid face contort as he tried to smile but at the same time feeling the sting of his own tears at the back of his throat. He could do nothing to stop them, twisted face be damned.

  She leaped at him. Her arms clamped around his neck and her hands pressed against the back of his head, her fingers in his dirty hair. He held her tight around her waist and she jumped and he discovered she was so light he could just hold her against him as she wrapped her legs around. Her tears soaked his shoulder. Her hair tickled his face and caught in his beard as she pulled away from the pit of his neck and looked at him and then kissed him; everything mixed up in that kiss: tears and the dirt from his cheeks and the hair from them both but her lips were there, smiling against his. The kiss stopped but the lips stayed, just face pressed to face. Teeth touching teeth. Her ribs wracking against his as she sobbed. Her body in his.