It’s far more menacing than his smile. This is one of the most terrifying encounters I’ve ever had. I look down at the floor with shaky hands. “They didn’t deserve to die,” I mutter weakly.
“Everyone in Pura has a duty and an obligation. If those duties aren’t met, our way of life is threatened.”
“He was abusing his power—” I say with greater volume. We nearly talk over one another.
“—If we allow such behavior to continue, our laws become null and void.”
“—Then he’s the one that should be punished, not me!” The room overflows with silence and I don’t dare look away. Not now. I can’t read him. His face is still emotionless and the seconds pass in agony.
The blackness of his pupils burn through me, making my lungs panic, then he responds, “You’re right.”
“What?” I say in surprise, my heart nearly stopping dead.
“You’re right, Krys. Davus breached protocol and went beyond the necessary corrective route. We’ve been monitoring our sentries carefully for some time and Davus exuded irresponsibility in performing his duties. You see, he was what we would call a sadist. Someone who enjoys inflicting pain and suffering upon other dependents. He was therefore deemed unfit to fulfill his position and sent to Cleansing.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, my eyebrows raised with eagerness. Artemis’s smile returns to full width across his hollow cheeks.
“Well, you see Krys, you’re in quite a predicament. We gathered as a council the day of your incident and have just now come to a conclusion.” He moves up the sleeve on his uniform to reveal his own BAND, a much older version than my own but still functional.
He presses a small white button on the side which lights up, revealing the time. I grip the arms of my chair, wanting to rip them off from the tension while my thoughts race as I grow more impatient.
I want to scream. What are you waiting for? If you’re going to kill me get it over with already!
He slowly presses his fingers over the screen, then carefully places his sleeve back into place. For a moment he examines me, almost as if he’d forgotten I was in the room. Fear switches to annoyance as I sit up straight, trying to pierce the old man’s heart with the power of my stare.
“Terribly sorry,” he says “I’m sure you’re anxious to get back to your quarters. We debated whether or not to send you to Cleansing for your crimes.” The anger flushes away instantly, instead shuddering at the mention of Cleansing.
“We argued for the majority of our session on punishment. However, it was I who suggested something entirely different. In the three hundred years of perfect prosperity that Pura and its dependents have enjoyed, there has never been a dependent, a granger for that matter, who has ever withstood paralysis from their BAND.”
I look down at my forearm now. “That’s impossible.”
“We thought the same, and yet you still did what you did that day.”
Curiosity forces me to ask, “If I’m not being punished, then what do you plan to do?”
“Krys, I’m here to give you an offer.”
I tilt my head slightly, anxious to determine if there is any guile in his words, exposing any hidden agendas. “What kind of offer?”
“We, of the Council of Pura, will pardon your crimes. As well as extend an invitation to ascend from your current position to that of an Atlas.”
Chapter 4 New Life
At 07:30 my alarm goes off. Today is my first day serving as a Selected Intercession Officiator. SIO’s are the highest level of Atlas and are exceeded only by the Council’s personal bodyguards. Two guards for each member.
Within each level are their own set rankings. I don’t know them all. Jathom has told me bits and pieces before, but I’m sure I’ll understand a lot more now. He’s also used to tell me stories about the world before the Nuclear Wars.
According to ancient texts kept in the Cathedral archives, Pura was part of the country formerly known as The United States of America. They had their own unique branch of security known as the FBI.
Pura used every historical record available to emulate their organization as much as possible. This was the pattern used to form the highest rank of Atlas, the SIO’s. My mind automatically resets knowing that a warning could follow soon after. SIO’s deal with persons who have failed to comply with their civic responsibilities.
Noncompliant dependents are very dangerous, so SIO’s are trained in effective forms of restraint, self-defense, and some firearm knowledge.
I splash a handful of water on my face and rinse it with a towel. Small cuts run up and down my neck and cheeks. I’ve never had to shave so closely for my dress code before. I suppose it will take some practice. I look at myself in the mirror and turn my head. Just above my left ear is a long white line.
The scar I got from the Atlases that nearly beat me to death in the fields. I shake my head and clear the thought out. Looking at my BAND, I expect to see a bright red WARNING but it’s clear. As an SIO I’ve been granted lesser restrictions.
We’re permitted ten warnings a day and the vibrations aren’t nearly as discomforting. But punishment for wrongdoing is greater. I peer out of the window pointing towards the south end of the city where the fields are. A mixture of relief and longing wells up inside of me.
I know I won’t be going back ever again. And I won’t miss it. I won’t miss being covered in mud from the mixture of sweat and dust after a grueling work day. I won’t miss the aching muscles or the ‘interviews’ from the sentries when quotas weren’t met.
The only thing I will miss is Maxis and his bizarre sense of humor. “Take care of them,” I say aloud. Hoping my words could somehow reach him.
I close my eyes and I’m thrown back to ten years ago. Sitting alone by my tiller eating a small meal that was sloppily prepared. My face and work clothes were covered in dirt. Maxis sat next to me without being prompted. Maybe because he had seen me wiping away tears all day.
We sat together in silence for a while before he said, “I heard about Kalen.” I quickly wiped away another stray tear that escaped down my cheek. Hoping he didn’t notice.
Sniffing and gulping I nodded, “I appreciate the sympathy.”
He smirked, “Sympathy is a luxury we can’t afford, friend. I just wanted you to know… he was a good man.”
I nodded again, staring straight ahead.
“I know…” I replied quietly. He put his arm around me then went back to work. That entire week he risked his life helping me finish my quota. The sentries almost caught him three times but Maxis was clever.
He could talk his way out of almost anything. We once had a wager to see how many of their BANDs he could set off. The top score was seven.
I notice the smile on my face as I stand in front of my window, the transparent reflection looking back at me. “Hopefully that idiot hasn’t gotten himself killed,” I murmur, shaking my head.
The real upside to my reassignment is that I’ll get to see more of Jathom. He’ll monitor me for the first couple weeks until I can patrol by myself or with a partner. This makes me smile and for now I let it be the only thing on my mind while I finish getting ready.
I slip on a pair of very bland grey pants with a matching shirt to complete my uniform. Pressed and folded to perfection, never previously worn, though darker than my workers clothes. I slip on a pair of black boots and black belt with a holster on the left side for my baton and adjustable pouches on all sides.
Standing in front of the mirror I almost don’t recognize myself.
“I hope you’re ready for the rest of your life,” Jathom creeps up behind me.
I turn around with a jolt. “I didn’t even hear you come in.”
“Maybe someday after enough training you’ll be able to do the same to me.” His arms are folded as he walks into the center of the apartment. “I’ll tell you, Krys, I never thought I’d see the day that we would share the same uniform.”
I sigh and look down
, “I don’t feel like myself.” I say, rubbing the material with my fingers.
“You look like me when I was a young man.”
I lift my eyes and grin, “That’s even worse.”
He laughs and pats me on the back. “Come on now. We’ve got a big day ahead of us with lots of new things to learn.”
The trip to the center of Pura is unnerving. Buildings and pedestrians zoom past us as Jathom’s slick black auto flies through the streets. The Triad surrounds the Cathedral, mirroring the IRIS symbol from overhead.
We arrive in front of the Triad at precisely 09:00. Bland white steps lead to the front door where we enter, scanning our BANDs as we pass through.
The atrium is enormous. I can’t help but be amazed. The ceiling is at least one hundred feet up! The entire facility is five miles in diameter, with the three main buildings connecting underground to surround the Cathedral. The central building however is mostly used for things like training, sparring, exams, and Atlas cafeteria.
As we come in, a few loitering SIO’s stop mid conversation to glare at me. I pretend not to notice them. Our steps echo onto the honeycomb patterned tile as we walk past another group of SIO’s.
They make no effort in hiding their disdain for me. One of them sticks out his leg to trip me as I walk by. Seething, I regain my balance and stride towards him like a bullet.
“HEY!” Jathom yells out to me.
I stop dead in my tracks, realizing my arms are raised up and balled into fists. My assailant is a slim young man in his 20’s. Head shaven with dark green eyes. A giant scar runs from the top left side of his forehead, across his nose, down to the right side of his chin.
I’m a few inches taller than him and about fifty pounds heavier. His uniform is the same design as mine but darker. We stare each other down. I feel my heart rate starting to climb, waiting for the confrontation to escalate.
He stands motionless with a sort of twisted grin on his face.
“Krys!” Jathom calls out to me. “You’ll be late.”
I slowly lower my hands and turn around, keeping my eyes on the Atlas. After I take a few steps, the group erupts into laughter behind me. I grind my teeth angrily and force myself not to turn around.
It takes all my willpower to keep myself from sinking my fist into his disgusting face. Surprisingly, humiliation is one of the only emotions that won’t trigger our BANDs.
“Who was that?” I ask earnestly, still feeling the sting of the other SIO’s jeers. Jathom looks ahead.
“That… was Brutus, a very talented, very dangerous SIO. And you would do best to avoid him.”
“I’ve never heard of him before. He didn’t look so tough to me,” I scoff.
“You’ve been a granger all your life, there wasn’t need for you to know him. And how many stripes did you see on his uniform?”
“What?”
Jathom repeats calmly, “On his uniform, how many white stripes did you see on his shoulder?”
I stammer for half a second, trying to remember. I hadn’t noticed in the heat of the moment. “Uh. . . I think I saw three. Why? What does that mean?”
Jathom half-smiles at me. “You see, Krys, within the SIO’s there are several ranks, each with their own respective positions. You for example, are an entry level, third class SIO. That means you deal with lower level cases.”
“Ok, so what does that have to do with him?”
Ignoring my question entirely, he continues. “In order to go up in ranks, there are certain requirements that must be met. That’s why you’ll be training and studying so much for the first few months of your reassignment.”
We go up a flight of stairs and walk through a pair of glass doors. They disappear into the floor as we near them. “But first, we have to get you registered.”
It was frustrating me that he wouldn’t give me a straight answer. I sit down on a chair in the corner of his office. “You never answered my question.”
Jathom sits across from me at his desk, looking through his drawers for something. “I know,” he chirps nonchalantly.
I roll my eyes and rub the bridge of my nose with my fingers. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Without missing a beat he replies, “You know it.”
I let out a chuckle. I see him smile too out of the corner of my eye. He goes through almost every drawer in his desk before pulling out a small rectangular screen and places it in front of me.
“Fill this out and then you’ll report to your trainer Atlas, Leina.”
“What? I thought you were supposed to show me around?”
His smile fades.
“You said I’d be with you for my first few weeks until I get my partner.”
“No, I said that you would come to me on a weekly basis to report your progress as you begin to train. You need to learn to listen better.” He sits back further in his chair. I let myself be angry for just a moment then I instinctively pull out of it.
“Krys, you have to understand that everything works through protocol. I’ll see you as often as I will be permitted, but if they suspect that our visits are anything more than work-related that would be trouble for both of us.”
I just nod my head and say, “Some occupation.”
“Hey! You’re lucky to be alive right now.” The seriousness of his voice puts me in my place. “You don’t seem to understand what you’ve been given. No one in the entire history of Pura has ever been pardoned from Cleansing. So you need to put that attitude in check, Krys, or else you’re going to suffer.”
He grabs the pad from his desk and hands it to me. I reach for it, sheepishly avoiding his eyes. I yank it but he holds his grip. Our eyes lock and he adds with a somber tone, “Make sure you dot the I’s and cross the T’s.”
We’ve never been good at heart to hearts. But this was his way of saying he cares. “I will.”
He releases the pad and I begin to fill out the forms. It requires scanning my BAND and fingerprints, a mandatory volunteer contract, and ends with a clause for execution should any laws be violated. I shut down the pad an hour later and return it to him.
“You’re free to go now.” I stand up and move toward the exit. As I scan my BAND to open the door, Jathom calls me. I tilt my head back to see him and he’s smiling, “I want you to know that since Kalen… you’ve been like an offspring to me. . .”
For a second it’s like my life-giver’s hands are on my shoulders. I swallow and choke out, “I know.”
Both of our BANDs sound simultaneously, flashing that familiar red strobe. He gestures towards the door and I leave to find my trainer. Down a long and windowless corridor, I enter the SIO training section. The tunnels provide additional security along with convenience as each building connects to each other, wrapping around the Cathedral.
I exit the tunnel and walk up another long set of stairs to another hallway full of Atlases and Triad workers coming and going, talking loudly to one another. I see one poor woman being berated by a short pudgy man with huge glasses on.
I think about saying something but Jathom’s words are still fresh in my mind. It’s never been easy for me to admit when I’m wrong. He has stuck his neck out for me so many times, even when he didn’t have to. I still don’t understand why.
Another sudden discomfort surges throughout my body, breaking my concentration and my BAND issues a second warning for the day. The vibrations are not nearly as harsh compared to my granger restrictions. I almost didn’t feel it.
Now I’m beginning to understand. It’s no wonder Atlases don’t think the same way as other workers. Grangers are considered a higher risk since we… they work outside the city limits. I see now. If beating a granger within an inch of their life means faster food production, then why not?
Whatever it takes to keep warnings at a minimum with the maximum benefit. I take a deep breath to calm myself. How cushy everything is compared to before. Though if I exceed my ten warnings, my punishment as an IRIS official will be far more seve
re. So, I guess in the long run it evens itself out.
I push my way through the crowded hall of dark gray uniforms until I find myself looking around and around in circles. A woman approaches me out of the corner of my eye. She must have noticed that I have no idea where I am.
“You look like you’re in the wrong part of the building.” She’s a foot shorter than I am with long blonde hair resting on her shoulders.
She wears the same pressed uniform, but fitted for a female. She’s attractive, which isn’t a problem for me until I see her eyes. Her deep sea-green eyes are so calming you could almost swim in them. My face turns red while my mouth hangs open.
“Are you lost?”
“What? Oh! Um, yeah, I kind of got turned around. I’m looking for my trainer, SIO Lei—”
“—SIO Leina, second class, that’s me.”
I close my mouth immediately and lower my head slightly to examine her, then remark, “You’re my trainer?” My tone doesn’t sit right as her face scrunches into a scowl. The panic in my head matches my verbal stumbling.
“Well, not that… you’re not capable of training me. I mean, I am a rather large male and you’re a somewhat petite female. I mean, not somewhat petite, you’re actually quite little. But that doesn’t mean you’re weak either, but… uh… I mean…” I’m burning down fast.
She stares back at me with those eyes. Peering down into the depths of my very soul. Reading my every thought. I stick my hand out quickly.
“Krys. My name is Krys. SIO, Third Class.”
She stands with her hands on her hips. “I know who you are. And you’re late. Follow me and we’ll get you started,” she replies callously.
I retract my hand immediately and follow her down into a locker room. Still upset for acting so stupid, I enter with my head hanging down. What is wrong with me? What is it about this woman that has me all shook up?
We stop in front of locker 316. “This is where you’ll leave your uniform and effects for combat training. Any questions so far?”
Iris Page 4
