City of Darkness

by D P Wright

  Doc discarded his robes with similar disgust and they both sat on the floor which had been covered with a thin piece of padded plastic, “My name is Kessler and this is Doctor Galloway.” He took off his near-empty respirator and took long deep breaths of the cool, oxygen rich air. “Thank you for saving us, we owe you our lives.”

  “You were lucky I was working the tunnel close by to hear your voices.” Opek spoke while he pushed Doc’s bloodied clothes down the chute, “I have spares that you can have if needed, ones that do not carry that awful stench.”

  “Thank you.” Doc spoke between long intakes of breath.

  Kessler looked over his new surroundings, “You’re a Tech aren’t you? I’ve seen your kind before working the factories and plants around Midtown.”

  “That’s what we do. We make and fix things that others cannot.” He stood up and went over to a box and produced a couple of hydration pouches and vacs of protein, “Here take this, you look like you could use them.”

  Kessler and Doc drank the water and wolfed down the contents of the vacs. The detective’s hands shook as he squeezed the food supplement into his mouth, his tired and aching body ravenously craving every last drop of the tasteless synthetic paste. Once he was finished, he looked up to see Opek smiling at him and, looking at the empty pouches and vacs at his feet, wiped his mouth and spoke, feeling slightly embarrassed, “I didn’t realise how hungry I was.”

  Opek continued to smile, “Our home is your home.” He turned and walked over to his son, “Bendle, bring over the chem burner and a couple of blankets for our guests,” then began moving around taking various items from the many makeshift shelves that littered the room’s perimeter.

  As the two Techs darted around in a flurry of movement, Kessler sat taking deep breaths, wheezing and coughing as his body took in the oxygen. Doc gasped and winced as he inspected the angry gash on his leg which wept blood onto the clear plastic floor. Soon Opek had finished laying out a seating area. In the centre of the room he placed a pot of water atop the chem burner and lit it with a magma stick, “Please, join us and have a drink. I have ale and hot cha?”

  Kessler sat down and took a cup of ale and eagerly drank it down before asking for another, “That’s good stuff.”

  “Yes, I managed to swipe a couple of barrels from the kitchens before we came down here. Epsom had them all well stocked.”

  “Epsom Energy?”

  “Yes. They run Acheron, well, did run Acheron.”

  Through the dirt and grime Kessler’s eyes glanced Epsom’s lightning bolt symbol above his name tag, “You work for them?”

  “All my life. The Epsom family have been good to us. Provided us with skills and tools, fed us and kept us safe. Isn’t that right, son?

  “Yes, pa.” Bendle smiled and saluted by tapping his oversized hard hat before returning to cleaning his father’s piston wrench.

  Opek spoke with pride as he wiped his grimy name tag on his overalls. “I was sent down here a few years back to repair the generators and to help keep the furnaces running. There was so much work to be done that we ended up staying in Acheron. With the Council’s hunger for energy there was always plenty of work to do.”

  “Working with plasma is a dangerous business.” Kessler spoke as he feverishly gulped down Opek’s booze.

  “Yes, but essential if the city is to keep running, keep providing warmth and light to its citizens.” Kessler nearly choked on his ale as Opek quoted the popular Council mantra. He had not had many dealings with the Techs of Dis. They were never allowed to have much interaction with citizens, but the servants of the Council were always in the background keeping everything running. They were known to be fiercely loyal to their corporate masters. Kessler looked at the beaming face of Opek and thought that he had never seen anybody smile so much. Opek’s continued chatter brought his attention back to what the Tech was saying, “These pipes go far down below our feet where it finds the plasma that drives the turbines and gives us the vast amount of energy we need to power Dis. Unfortunately the heat cools over time making us dig deeper and deeper. Epsom does not look kindly on power failures so we are always digging, always searching for more plasma.” He nodded and stirred the bubbling water, “You’re right though, it’s very dangerous, the machinery has to operate under vast amounts of pressure. There are often accidents, difficulties keeping the furnaces going. I remember, one day there was a terrible explosion. One of the thermal pipelines caught fire and so many were injured, so many killed by the blast.” He again looked over towards his son for a few moments and eventually returned his focus back to Kessler who was staring at the flickering flame of the chem burner. “I’m sorry, I do talk a lot at the best of times.”

  The pot of water began to bubble loudly prompting Opek to sprinkle some powder into the liquid and immediately the spiced aroma of cha filled the room. Doc hobbled over into the light from where he was attending to his injury and sat down with a sigh, “Proper spiced cha, I never thought I would smell that beautiful scent again,”

  “Epsom are a great believer in providing its employees with the very best. An appreciated worker appreciates great work.” Opek poured the hot liquid into a cup and passed it to Doc. He did the same for himself and his son, “Bendle, your cha is ready.”

  “Tech, I do believe that my love for this delicious drink may just be as strong as your love for Epsom.” Doc eagerly drank.

  Moments passed with the four silently drinking, each breathing in the relaxing spiced fumes. After finishing another cup of ale, Kessler spoke, “Opek, what happened here?”

  Finishing his drink, Opek took off his hard hat, put his hands through his thick grey hair and sighed, “Yes, there’s no getting away from it, no forgetting what has happened.” He filled his cup with more cha before continuing, “In the months that followed another explosion, this time in an exploratory passage, one of our deepest, strange men began to appear in town. It’s very rare to see odd faces this deep in the city as only those licensed by Epsom or us Techs are allowed here, however these men were not citizens of Dis at all.” He sighed again, “They were bigmen like you sirs but…” The Tech took another sip of cha, scrunched up his face and closed his eyes, his smile now gone.

  “Go on, who were they?” Doc urged.

  Kessler leaned forward towards the light, “Sorry that we’re reminding you of these horrors. We’ve seen a few ourselves on our travels.”

  Again moments passed without a word until the quiet was broken by a loud wail and creaking that reverberated around the room.

  “Nothing to worry about, it’s just the sound of the pipes straining under the pressure. They are used to being alive with the buzz of energy from far below but are dead now. Apart from the odd energy cell I can scavenge, we are reduced to burning chem to keep us warm, and, of course, to keep the Seekers away, they so love the dark.” Opek looked up from his drink and spoke, “I’m sorry for my weakness. Talk of what happened here hurts. To not here the buzz of the generators, the hiss of pistons and the chatter of machinery breaks my heart. You asked about what these bigmen were like. Well, I don’t know if they were men at all. They hid in the shadows with their black eyes and pale faces, whispered words in bigmen’s heads, tried to get them to do things for them.”

  “The Malebranche?” Doc had wrapped his hands around his hot drink and breathed in its vapours.

  “Yes, I would later know to call them that. They began to appear soon after the explosion when the town was bustling with gossip and fear. Citizens and Techs had been disappearing. Nobody knew where they were going as, down here, there aren’t many places to disappear to. They just seemed to vanish. These strange men whispered promises of salvation from the troubles ahead. They said they would offer us light in the darkness, warmth and protection. I tried not to listen to them. I said to them that Epsom provide me and my family with all these things but, still, the voices continued. Their solution, this promise of light and warmth, soon appeared. Take a hit of it and all
will be ok, they told us. Most of the bigmen did and, I’m sorry to say some Techs too. I’d never known Techs to partake in chems but some took it, the rest, those who didn’t, just disappeared.” He took his son’s hat off and ruffled his black hair affectionately. “Eventually, those taking it began to not show up for work. Important maintenance wasn’t completed on the furnaces, the pistons finally stopped on the main generator as there was nobody to operate them. Acheron, despite all the dangers and setbacks, had never stopped running to my knowledge but that all changed when those strange bigmen began to appear.” Opek put down his cup and continued, “Techs always turn up for work, sure there was the odd incident, I remember Gibbs had drank too much of his home brew and broke Tech Hector’s fisson belt. He was so mad, but it was soon dealt with by the Watch, both soon friends again.” Opek looked down at his drink, “All gone now, Hector was taken down below and Gibbs was soon chasing that light of theirs.” Opek rubbed his eyes, “People down here were always focused on their work, keeping the energy flowing, that is what Epsom wanted and that is what we did. Now Acheron is quiet, the energy rages above us unharnessed. Soon it will all run dark. Heartbreaking.” He started to sob quietly into his hands but quickly stopped when he saw that Bendle was looking at him. “People just left their posts. Good Techs, I’ve known all my life,” he shook his head and sighed, “a good Tech never leaves his post, rule number one. Isn’t that right son?”

  “Yes, pa!”

  Opek continued, “I’ve seen some terrible things while we have been hiding here, watched others do terrible things.”

  “Lux.” Kessler sighed.

  “That’s what they call it. When the Seekers began to arrive, those not on Lux were all killed. It was all I could do to grab some supplies and take Bendle and hide down here in these tunnels. Nobody knows them better than I do.”

  “More news of people disappearing.” Doc looked at Kessler who nodded.

  “You’ve heard of this happening elsewhere?” Opek rubbed his hands near the flame.

  “I first encountered their work up in District 1. Bodies of Dregs taking Lux were beginning to pile up in the skin labs. In D2 citizens had been going missing for months, whole sectors are now empty. I’ve seen citizens, Dregs, Mutes and even a priest all succumb to Lux. The Malebranche seem to be very persuasive indeed.”

  The flame of the chem burner began to lessen and Opek refilled it with more oil. The Ox-rich controlled atmosphere of the room was cold and the four leaned close to the warmth of the burner.

  They each sat and stared into the dancing flames in silence. Kessler enjoyed the Tech’s ale and eagerly drank down the frothy liquid. It had a thick, smoky, metallic taste that reminded him of the bitter, rancid Midtown air whose harsh conditions he was beginning to miss. This far down city, in this strange place, underground, surrounded by rock, plasma fields and raging electrical storms, he actually missed his rundown apartment in Midtown. He felt light-headed. The room was filled with a haze of smoke from the chem lamps and the heady spices of the cha. His body ached and his eyes stung and he felt the inevitable hunger begin to creep up on him. It slowly clawed its way up his insides, raking across his throat and coiling tightly around him. The itch behind his eyes was almost unbearable. He knew it would only get worse and drank another large gulp of brew trying to forget the horrors for now and looked up to see that Opek’s son had fallen asleep. He was now curled up in a thick blanket. Doc sat resting his head in his hands, the flame of the burner reflected in his spectacles as he slowly drank his cha.

  Opek ended the quiet, “May I ask what you are doing down here? I’ve not seen anyone, much less a bigman from above the Rim, in a long time.” He looked down at his small hands and shook his head, “Long time,” he repeated forlornly.

  “A friend of ours was taken from us by the Seekers and we have been told she was brought to Acheron. We’ve come to get her back.”

  Opek rubbed his beard in thought, “I’ve never heard of anyone returning from down below.” The Tech paused for a moment before continuing, “You must love her very much to risk everything. I’ve never known anyone to be so brave as to walk amongst them like you two did up there. Hiding your scent behind their own. Very impressive indeed.” He shook his head, “But once the Malebranche have you, you never come back. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news after you have travelled so far. The boy and I know more than anyone about the loss you feel, he lost his mother to them, she disappeared soon after the tunnel collapsed many months ago.”

  Kessler looked into Opek’s eyes which shimmered with sadness despite his broad smile, “I’m sorry for your loss but the girl we’re looking for is nothing to me like that. I’m a detective that she hired. My role in this is purely financial, I’m afraid.”

  “And doctor, how do you find yourself on this perilous journey?”

  Doc had his eyes closed. His slender face a garish combination of reds, yellows and oranges from the monster’s gore and dark purple bruising had spread across his cheeks and jaw line. His nose was also bloodied and broken, a far cry from his usual manicured, Hightown finish. Kessler looked at his friend and felt a harsh pang of guilt, “I forced him…” he muttered under his breath.

  Doc spoke, interrupting Kessler, “I have known Kes for a long time, I’m just here to help out a friend.” He looked at the detective, blinked and, with a bloodied hand, adjusted his now bent spectacles. He tried to smile but winced at the pain from his swollen face. He had lost a couple of teeth. It may have been the pain, tiredness or sheer relief to have escaped the Seeker’s clutches but Kessler roared a hearty laugh. He could not remember the last time he had laughed so hard.

  “You look ridiculous, Doc, but I’m glad you’re here with me.”

  “Yes, well, I’m not, I assure you,” he smiled, “besides you have not seen what you look like.”

  The laughter was infectious and Opek began to chuckle. “It’s good to laugh. This causes for some of Acheron’s finest spirits. It tastes slightly of machine oil but warms the heart! I’ve been saving it for a special occasion and I believe this must be it.”

  Kessler’s laughter had developed into a cough. “Now that is the best idea I’ve heard in a while.”

  “And you doctor?”

  “Not my usual tipple, but on this occasion I’ll take you up on the offer.”

  Kessler held out his cup. Doc and Opek stopped laughing suddenly as both stared at the detective’s shaking hand. “It’s ok it will soon pass.” Kessler dropped his cup and rubbed his hand self-consciously. Opek looked at Doc and then returned his attention to the detective but Kessler spoke before the Tech could, “I said it will soon pass,” he picked up his cup and held it out, “now some of that spirit if you would?”

  “I don’t mean to pry but I don’t need to see a shaking hand to tell me you are a user. I can see it in your eyes, Mr Kessler.”

  “Yes I did, I am. But I don’t do Lux. That’s different.”

  Opek spoke slowly as he poured the spirit into Kessler’s cup, “But you are controlled by those that supply your chems and eventually a horrible death follows. Is Lux so much different than any other chem? Sure it is more powerful but the ending is the same. Death.”

  “Don’t compare me to those things above us or the Chaff that chase the light. I’m different.” Kessler was growing irritable, his mind racing, searching for examples to convince himself he was right, “I’m better than that.”

  “I apologise, I don’t mean to offend. I’ve been down here for so long with only my son for company, I forget my manners. I know you are not like them. To come all this way to save someone is proof enough of that.”

  Kessler studied Bethany’s cross which now hung around his neck, “Save the praise, Opek. I’m no saint.” The potent drink was heavy in his stomach and he could feel it work its way through his system, its heady grip tightening around him. The smoky tendrils from the chem lamps flowed and pranced around the room, reminding him how tired he really was. “I’ve done
some things in the past I am not proud of.”

  “No one is perfect in this world, Mr Kessler.” The detective looked back down again at the cross and thought about Bethany. “That’s an interesting necklace you are wearing.” Opek leaned forward to examine it closer and Kessler took it from around his neck and held it up to the light.

  “It was precious to Bethany, the girl who was taken from us. It belonged to her uncle. This cross represented her faith in a man who sacrificed everything so that we could live. I look forward to giving it back to her.”

  “Yes, I am familiar with the Christian faith from what I watch on the infogrammes.” A serious look took hold of Opek’s features, “The Council do not speak favourably of it and I have to admit I tend to agree. What can it offer us when compared to the Council? They feed us and keep us warm, make productive citizens of bigmen and keep us Techs happy with our machines.” Opek looked around at his surroundings, “Well, most of the time.” He chuckled to himself and took a drink.

  “She would say that it offers us hope, hope that there is more to this world than the corporations and the Council, more to Dis than darkness, rain and lack of good air, more than just surviving every single day in this damned place.”

  Opek stared at Kessler, his big blue eyes and toothy smile appearing only to show kindness, “Life is what we make it, I suppose. Although, it’s easy for me to say, I’m only a simple Tech and have only a few simple goals in life. Maintain the machines for Epsom and look after my family. That is all. I do not bother with matters outside of my job and family as most bigmen do not look kindly on us, are uncomfortable being in our company and think that because we’re small we’re not so important.”

  Kessler looked at the Tech and his sleeping son. He was right, they were looked at as servants to be used to service Dis, only there to help maintain the machines. Tools to do a job. Their small size was particularly useful for climbing down the millions of pipes and service ducts throughout the city. It was a dangerous job and many perished while serving their corporate masters. Kessler had never thought about how difficult their lives must be, never looked at their oil-stained smiling faces and thought of them as citizens. They were always just there to serve. “I’m sorry.” Opek just smiled back. A sharp pain fired in Kessler’s head making him wince in agony, reminding him of what he had to do, “Tell me about where they take the lost.”