Cataclysm Epoch

by Paul Heingarten

  Treg folded his arms. “So what about the others?”

  I shrugged and looked away. “Remy bought it for sure. Gave me his P-LAD and tethers. Not sure about Yag and Wick.”

  “So you improvised.” Treg nudged me. “It was a tough situation, but you handled it. I knew ya could.”

  My eyes found his. “Wasn't clean though. I had to sneak over to Sector 5 before I caught him.”

  “You were in Lebabolis territory alone?”

  “Hey. I found a way. Besides, what would you've done?”

  “You're lucky they didn't zap ya both.” His eyebrows raised.

  “You know I can handle myself.”

  “Yep. Remember though, you're up against people bred for this, and you weren’t.”

  “I'll blame my teacher.” I laughed.

  A loud noise from the operating room startled me. A few minutes later, a medic joined us in the hall. “He's stable. Had a jolt for a little while, probably the usual Verge effects. But he's calm.”

  “What about his tether?” Treg asked.

  “Well, it's risky to leave it on, with the tracker and everything. Of course, removing it at this point is even worse,” the medic replied.

  “I bet Otto can fix it,” I said. “When can I see him?”

  “Give him a little longer to stabilze,” the medic said. “I don't want him seizing up or anything.”

  The medic returned inside the operating room.

  “Baudricort's gonna want to see him,” Treg said.

  “Only when he's ready.” I peered toward the door.

  “Glad ya made it back safe,” Treg said.

  I nodded. “Thanks, me too. Well, we got ‘em. Time for Baudricort's part of the deal.”

  Treg laid his hands on my shoulders. “This is gonna work out, soon as this guy cooperates.”

  I grasped Treg's hands and leaned against the wall. “I need your help with him.” I glanced into the operating room. “Otto warned about the effects of the Verge. Treg, I don’t like the way he looked back there. He had this weird glint in his eyes.”

  Treg frowned. “Maybe we should keep him sedated.”

  “Let’s wait on that. He knows I'm not going to kill him, but getting him to do this thing for Baudricort-”

  “Don't tell him too much, not right away,” Treg cautioned.

  I ran my fingers through my hair in thought. Another maneuver. My new goal: keep Nelson on our side without him becoming overwhelmed. My side of the bargain with Baudricort had gotten more and more complex.

  Chapter 25 (Nelson)

  T hey stuck me on another bed like the one I was chained to by Havens and gave me a good once over. This time, the room was much smaller, or it was just all the people hovering over me. It was pretty much like a hospital visit, but with a lot more gadgets than I'd ever seen, and a lot less bedside manner than I expected. Of course, they were real curious about the bracelet.

  Not enough to have removed it, thank God. I hadn’t bought all of this as reality 100% by then, but I wasn’t the gambling type either.

  One of their machines made a rattling buzz sound that I swore sounded like my alarm clock back home. But no, I wasn’t that lucky to have this all be a dream.

  Once they were satisfied with what they saw, Ana came and brought me to a room with a table in the middle. Chairs surrounded the table, and several screens on the walls displayed maps. The maps changed after a few minutes, each display showing a bunch of markers on it. It reminded me a little of that application Travis had claimed back at Quicksolve. And for another brief moment, I realized I kinda missed even that asshole.

  After I sat, Ana left and returned with a man dressed in fatigues similar to hers. He had a slender build and was a few inches taller than her. He carried some kind of assault rifle in his wiry arms. He regarded me with an icy expression, and looked on me like a cop at a DWI checkpoint. I only wished that was all I was into.

  I extended my hand. “You're one of the badasses, I guess?”

  He smiled and offered me his hand. “I might be. Treg. Treg Firebreed. Nice to meet you, Nelson.”

  Treg placed his gun on the table, and he and Ana both sat down. He warmed up a little once he sat down. He and Ana traded a few comfortable glances.

  Treg ran a hand over his neatly trimmed hair. “So, we've got plenty of questions. But before that, anything you want to ask us?”

  “Got a beer?”

  They looked at each other for a moment. Treg asked, “What's a beer?”

  I chuckled. “It's fine. I could use water, and a side order of ‘why the hell am I here’.”

  He handed me a canteen. “Don't drink it all, we're a bit low.”

  I popped the top open and sipped the lukewarm fluid. It tasted metallic, with a hint of sulfur in it. But since convenience stores weren’t around anymore, I had no room for complaining.

  I kept sizing people up like I’d done with Ana, Brenn, and Deke. If this turned out to be a dream, I was gonna exploit every little bit of it. And if the crazier idea of me predicting all of this was the slightest bit true, these people had better give me some space while I got adjusted.

  As the odd wateresque liquid trickled down my gullet, Treg and Ana explained the situation. How we were in one of the Encampments for the Action, each of which held from a few hundred up to a thousand people. How Lebabolis spread news and rumors about how evil the Action was to their citizens through their network MODOSNet.

  “They had enough problems with the Omegans before. When we left we took a lot of their gear, enough to be a problem for them. Lebabolis wants more than anything to bring us back into their fold. They run scans of the area, looking for us.”

  “How'd you even get away in the first place?” I asked.

  “Slow, here and there. Baudricort started the Action five years ago,” Treg explained. “It was a small group of people. They call us Deviants.”

  “Why?”

  Treg shrugged. “Misfits, unable or unwilling to follow Lebabolis law.”

  You mean my law.

  Ana pulled out a metallic curved object. “This is the Link. It's what Lebabolis citizens... the obedient ones, wear at night. It connects to MODOSNet and feeds ‘em instructions about their work.” She eyed the device, then looked at me. “It's also how they keep most citizens under their control.”

  Treg added, “Baudricort, once he learned what they were planning, got as many as he could out. It was small groups at first, but soon, more and more people escaped.”

  “And now they search for you. How do you avoid them, with so many people?” I asked.

  Ana set the Link down. “We move. Use beacons so the rest of the Action knows where the Encampments are.”

  “Does that always work?”

  Treg shrugged. “Most of the time. Sometimes no. The Outlands are huge, and they can't be everywhere at once. Still, sometimes, we get zeroed.”

  “And then what?” I asked.

  Their only response to that was a grim stare.

  “So what's your plan?”

  Ana shrugged. “We raid their convoys for supplies, hit their Valentium stores, try and get as many people out as we can. Help any that escape, like Deke.”

  I sipped more water. “So beyond that, best plan is to keep moving and hope they never find you?”

  “Of course not,” Treg said. “Baudricort has us heading far west. Claims there are mountains we can take shelter in while we regroup, build our numbers, and wait out Cataclysm.”

  He leaned back in his chair, eyed his rifle, and Ana. “We're in survival mode til we get more protection like the mountains. Lebabolis wants us intact. Much as they try to locate us, they don't want to kill us unless it's absolutely necessary.”

  “These Encampments started as mining units for Valentium, the power source. We're their labor.” She looked at Treg. “A lot of us were."

  “So can you, either of you, or anyone, help me get back home?” I asked as I slid Treg's canteen back to him.

 
They both nodded. “But, ya know, there are risks. You even having that tether from Havens on your wrist is a risk. We're gonna get Otto or Kado to look at it, to make sure there isn’t a tracker mechanism,” Treg said.

  “Risks with the Verge too?”

  “Yes,” said Ana. “For one, the Verge locations are well known. I wouldn't be surprised if they're staking out those areas from now on. They're praying you'll be dumb enough to turn up at one. Because if you do...” She pointed at my head as if her hand was a gun. “You're dead.”

  I slid up in my seat. “Well, y'all seem real nice and thanks for not knocking my ass out and all, but I really don't want to stay around here the rest of my life.”

  Ana chuckled. “No offense.” Her smile faded as she added, “We're working on it, OK?”

  “If we agree to help ya, and we are,” Treg said, “are ya willing to do something for us?”

  I folded my hands on the table and eyed the Link. “What would that be?”

  “I'm guessing Ana told you about your status here? The Prophet Xander and all that?”

  I looked over at Ana. “She told me a little.”

  Treg said, “A lot's going out on MODOSNet about Xander and prophecies. A lot that might kill the Action if we don't stop it.”

  “So many got away at once, we never knew for sure if any of ‘em were plants, sent over by Lebabolis, still connected to the Link, getting their little instructions,” Ana added.

  “And what can I do about that?” I asked.

  Treg replied, “You can get a different message out on MODOSNet, through the Link.”

  “Isn't that locked down?”

  Treg scratched his neck. “Baudricort has hacks; he already got a few messages out. But anything sent through the Link is easy to track back to the sender. People can tell it's Baudricort. But a message from you, a prophet who predicted this, well-”

  “You could get the truth out, Nelson,” Ana added.

  I rubbed my eyes. “So what, I get on a camera and make a video?”

  They looked at each other. Ana replied, “No, it's more like telepathy.” She held up the Link.

  I squinted at her. Just when I thought it was already odd enough. “Excuse me?”

  “Baudricort can explain it a lot better.” She cringed through her smile.

  Neither of them said anything further. “Alright, let's go see Baudricort.” I shrugged.

  “Give it- give us a few days. Things are still a little hot right now. Ya just broke out of a sector, remember? I promise they’re on the hunt for you now.” Treg said.

  I fidgeted with my hands a bit. The idea of me as a prophet had my brain jumbled. But if they wanted my help on this and it got me out of here that much quicker...

  If I had yet to have written some of this, I figured having a few days to find out more wasn’t a bad idea. “Alright. I’ll help, and you get me home.”

  Treg nodded. “We'll do our best.”

  Chapter 26 (Ana)

  A dull boom came from outside. The lights flickered.

  “What was that?” asked Nelson.

  Treg activated his rifle and darted out of the room.

  I took my weapon in one arm and steadied Nelson. “Like Treg said, sometimes, they find us.”

  Rumbling shook the room. Nelson planted his hands flat on the table. “So we're dead?”

  His eyes got that strange look again, but when I swung my rifle to the front, it snapped him to. “You're not allowed to die. Not if I can help it. Stay close.”

  Two Hell Hawks hovered near the Encampment as several Action soldiers fired back on ‘em. I hurried Nelson over to the Encampment bunkers. These facilities were used for locating Valentium in the past, but some were converted to radar facilities by Baudricort and other Intellectuals like Otto. No surprise, we found Otto in the bunker where he tooled with some tech.

  “I thought those scramblers would keep the nasties away,” I chided.

  Otto shrugged. “Hey, it pretty much worked; took them two weeks to find us.”

  “'Pretty much' is a start, but how about we do 'always'?” I scratched his back. “Otto, this is Nelson. You know him better as Xander.”

  A bit surprised, Otto grabbed Nelson's hand and bowed. Nelson’s brow wrinkled and he eyed me, then nodded to Otto.

  “OK, OK, send that tech to sleep, Otto, or you'll be facing the business end of a pulse rifle in about two minutes.”

  The roar of Hell Hawks punctuated my warning. Treg headed for a forward position with Zengus, our heavy weapons guy. Further into the bunker with us was Llewyn with a few Action soldiers, all of them engrossed in digital maps and the Beacon settings.

  Llewyn was the deputy commander of the Action, second to Baudricort. It would’ve been great if he was less of a prick, but at least I knew surrender wasn’t in his vocabulary.

  “What's the plan, colonel?” I asked him.

  His eyes were fixed at the video maps. His broad shoulders and chest were all that moved on him as he took several slow breaths in thought. He slid a glare my way, but once I held his gaze for a second I saw a flicker in his eyes. It was a strange little game he and I played. He folded his arms. “Squadron of Hell Hawks mobilized for backup. Should be here within ten minutes.”

  “Ten minutes. What if this thing is over in two?”

  His jawbone twitched. “You throwing in, Crucinal?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Good. We’re holding the line and setting new beacons. Relo ASAP after this is over.”

  With that, he turned back to the maps. He never was much for pleasantries.

  I walked toward the exit and stopped by Nelson. “You'll be fine. Much as they want to scare us, they'd rather take us alive. That goes extra for you.” The Hell Hawk engines punched the air with blasts of rumbling thunder. “I'm gonna check our guys outside. Be back when it's over.”

  He nodded and looked around at the screens. “Be careful, I’ll be fine.”

  After a quick jog over, I jumped in with the left forward group. Norg's surly face greeted me as I slid down into position.

  “Nice seeing you too, Norg.”

  “When did ya get back?”

  “Few hours ago. Why, you missed me?”

  He grunted in response. Norg was the kinda person who was happiest when he was miserable. Before he joined the Action, he was at a factory in Lebabolis that robbed him of any charm and humor, but also cultivated in him a strong physique and excessive dislike of everything that was Lebabolis.

  I was one of the few he not only tolerated, but watched out for. It helped that we had grown up near each other. I also think what I did right after I joined the Exodus impressed him, but he never let on.

  “Heard about Yag and those guys,” Norg said.

  We traded glances.

  “Yeah, well. Kinda knew going in how hot it could be.”

  Norg sighed and clutched his weapon. “Someday this shit's gotta end.”

  I watched him for a second before I replied, “Damn right.”

  More Hell Hawks joined the others over us. It looked like four or five of ‘em. They swooped down low and zoomed over the Encampment. The dust and debris clouded up around us and blocked our view of everything.

  “Is this another scare?” I pondered between coughs.

  “Let them come close,” Norg snarled, his grip on the rifle tightened.

  The rear position in the Encampment got off a few shots as the Hell Hawks passed over ‘em. They arced up again in the sky. On their next run, they showered the Encampment with pulse fire. The two main barracks buildings took most of the hits. Small trenches surrounded the barracks, each filled with soldiers that returned fire. The air was a mixture of blasts, debris that fell and the screams of the wounded.

  “We gotta do something!” Norg yelled over the chaos.

  “Reinforcements on the way!” I shouted back.

  His doubtful gaze was his only response. He flailed his hands around his feet in the darkness. “Yer soundin' like
Llewyn now. Should get his ass out here, see how good he feels about reinforcements coming when they're raining fire on us.”

  I pointed to his pack. “Got any goodies in there?”

  He pulled out a pulse missile and smiled. “Don't I always?”

  I shook my head. “Glad you're on our side.”

  Once we got a bead on the Hell Hawks, Norg and the others stood and fired their missiles. They soared on a snaking path and left a trail of glowing dust behind them. Two found their mark. The pulse made a loud boom, and the Hell Hawks that were hit sputtered and zoomed off, then crashed a few seconds later.

  My comm unit crackled a bit, and I heard Treg. “Nice shooting. Need cover from you guys when they come back. Got a little treat for them too.”

  Before I or anyone else replied, the whine of a rocket invaded camp and hit the bunker where I had left Nelson. The explosion sent sparks from the building, and smoke billowed. My heart sank. I activated my comm unit. “Fall back, perimeter around the admin bunker!”

  “No, Ana!” Treg hollered in reply. “They're trying to draw you out-”

  I ignored Treg and hauled up out of the position. Someone grabbed for my leg, but it was pointless. I ran amid the fire and smoke, dodged piles of debris, spun around obstructions and hurled myself toward the bunker.

  My legs wobbled when the ground under my feet shook from a nearby explosion. I was almost there when a few people stumbled out the destroyed building in the darkness and meandered back toward the rear guard position. I screamed for Nelson, but heard nothing back.

  The roaring thunderclaps started again.

  Another pass.

  I half ran and half jumped ahead toward the rear guard position, and I saw Llewyn. He bled from a wound on his head and bellowed into his comm unit for Zengus and the air cover.

  Nelson wasn’t around.

  A loud thump caught me for a second. I looked toward the front of the Encampment and saw it. A large flash of light shot out arms of electrical sparks that pierced the remaining Hell Hawks. The Hell Hawks soon exploded in a brilliant cacophony, and I looked away as the light got way too bright.

  “Treg, you OK?” I asked over the comm.