“You did what no one else would have,” I mumble.
“What’s the plan, Krys?” she replies.
“Let’s focus on the pills first, once you’re feeling better, I’ll fill you in.” Our steps align with one another, perfectly in sync, as we stride through the underground tunnel to the bottom Triad building. It’s always been difficult to talk to her. And if things go sour, I’ll never get another chance. “I left the Sphere.” I blurt out.
“What was it like?” she asks, semi-curious.
“Complicated. It’s very different than anything we were taught. There’s good people out there.”
“People?” her tone is surprised.
“Yeah. Most of them are marauders. They’ll do anything to survive.” I hate this. I wish I could just sit down and tell her everything. There’s just not enough time. Unabashedly, I stop and clasp her hand; unintentionally yanking her into my arms. My cheeks flush, turning warm while her breath steams against my neck.
“Leina, I have to tell you just in case.” She stares up at me fondly, listening closely. “You… I’ve… I’m sorry, there’s just so much.” Thoughts and sentences demolish each other, preventing me from expressing what I want to say in such a small amount of time.
For the first time ever, I see her smile. With an amused laugh she shakes her head, grabs the nape of my neck, pulls me close, and presses her lips against mine.
Ecstasy like I’ve never known raptures me, filling my heart with the sweetest jubilation. I wrap my arms around her waist and savor her tender kiss; branding every millisecond into my brain. “I’ve always wanted to try that,” she quips as our lips part. She quickly resyncs her BAND to avoid a warning, then a ponderous look comes across her profile. “I have an idea.”
All light extinguishes simultaneously with a descending hum. “They’ve cut the power.”
“How long do we have?” I ask nervously.
“Not long enough. Take this,” she holds out a thin silver keycard. “This opens the door to my office. You get the pills, I’ll handle the rest.” She gives me another quick kiss and runs in the other direction.
“Where are you going?” I shout.
“No time! Meet me at the gym!” she responds, disappearing around a corner. The euphoria of the kiss disappears, its absence magnifying the terrible anxiety. The soles of my boots slam against the tiles, my wheezing breaths absorbed by the consuming dread blooming in my thoughts. Without warning, the lights flash back on. I round the corner as an intercom booms right above me.
“All IRIS officials report to the Triad for mandatory questioning. We thrive together or die together.”
I have sixty seconds before every Atlas in the city comes pouring in. My lungs burn, begging for relief as I push beyond my limits as I order my body not to stop. Down the lower level, I reach Leina’s office and hold up the keycard to the scanner.
It pings, granting me access. I tear open every drawer for the tiny, black container; stuffing it into my pocket once found. Then piercing sirens blare out, causing severe pain to my ears. The insula-waves. Just like before.
Since my hand was severed, I cannot fully cover my left ear; though it made no difference regardless. Exhaustion encroaches upon my will, weakening my stamina. With an inebriated gait, I stagger to the SIO gym with muddy vision; the insula-waves taking effect.
I collide with the various equipment, knocking down the heighted training tools which make an obnoxious clang. I stumble to my knees, having lost my balance as my perception swirls together. A devastating headache sends cold sweat across my skin. “Leina. Where are you?”
But the high pitched siren overpowers me. I bow to the floor, squeezing the sides of my head as the pain culminates until it’s unbearable. I collapse next to the fallen equipment when a muffled whirling matches the sirens pitch. Boom! A powerful explosion bursts through the wall, flinging debris everywhere.
A few of the chunks hit me, leaving deep purple bruises. Dust fills my nose and lungs, forcing out a cough, my eyes feeling dry and itchy. I have to blink a few times to water them and then stand. The whipping of helicopter blades roar and a bright light shines through the gaping hole. It turns to the side, showing through the clear tint of the window, Leina in the pilot seat.
She stole a helicopter? Frantically, she waves me over. The alarm warbles from high and low, dissipating the insula-waves effect. I brush off the white dust and brick, my head still pounding in pain, and shuffle through the debris; stroking my side from the impact. The polished black craft bobs up and down with Leina constantly looking left to right.
On my way to meet her, I trip over some training machinery but bounce back up with a sliver of consciousness. Muted words fail to reach me as she shouts against the roaring turbines. Once I reach the blast hole, my arm slips as loose steel crumbles, sending me outside onto the ground. Looking back at Leina, I now understand what she’s mouthing. “I can’t wait.”
The wind picks up as the heavy blades spin even faster, shooting her up into the air. She’s leaving me… The chopper soars over the Triad towards the north section where we fought Brutus. I watch four missiles fire downwards, along with a spray of machine gun bullets.
What is she firing at? A choir of explosions propel another giant cloud of smoke and embers into the Sphere sky. With the same explosive speed, it dawns on me. Of course! She’s attacking the other choppers! Brilliant! The north end is responsible for housing Pura’s armored transports, including helicopters.
She fires another barrage, conducting a chorus of fiery combustions; an orange hue reflecting against the shimmering surface of the adjacent buildings. If I’ve never smiled in my life, then this is my first. Suddenly, I realize that I’m out in the open.
Crawling on all fours, I press against the wall and watch in awe at the glorious destruction. Some of the dependents have also left their apartments, looking on as well with shock, horror and amazement. A single black chopper soars up to greet her.
I guess she didn’t hit them all. Hers dodges just in time as the enemy vehicle shoots a missile. It grazes the bottom of the tail and detonates into the northwest Triad building. Climbing higher, the two chase each other around. Volumes of bullets hail up towards the glass and down at the street below.
They twist and turn with graceful agility; waltzing back and forth in a deadly dance. All the while, Atlases and dependents alike stand together mesmerized by the lethal display. In a sudden maneuver, she dives downward at a dangerous speed with the second helicopter following closely.
“Pull up. Leina, pull up.” It continues to dive, getting closer and closer to the streets. Dependents run out of the way in a panic. With masterful control, Leina steers up at an angle, scraping the pavement from the underside with a horrible screeching noise. The other pilot is not so skilled and impacts at full speed.
My clothes ripple from the force of the explosion as she heads for me. I don’t think she’ll have time to stop. Gathering what energy I have left, I run to intercept her. Voices shout underneath the muff of the helicopter as I reach out and jump as hard as I can. I barely grip the landing skid as we ascend.
I force myself up by squeezing the bar with my stump arm, the side door opening automatically so I can get in. Once inside, I plop into the co-pilot seat. “That was amazing!” I shout. Looking over, she points to her head gear.
The dashboard is lit up with an array of colorful lights, buttons and knobs. She hands me a pair of thick headphones with a microphone. I put them over my ears and speak through it. “That was amazing!” I shout again.
She grins, staring straight ahead; gripping the throttle. “Won’t they track you? You can’t steal one of these without them knowing.”
“The keycard you used. That was my BAND’s GPS. I stripped it out when I got back from the fields. Where did you leave it?”
“It’s still in your office.”
“Then that’s where they’ll think I am since I resynced as soon as I got in this thing. But I’
ve only got about five minutes left.”
She takes us up high, circling the inner section of the Priory. “What’s the plan?” she asks.
“Take me to the Cathedral.” Her eyes look over incredulously. “If I can find and destroy the Host Server, every BAND in Pura will turn off like mine.”
There’s a halted silence before she says, “We could just leave?” Like a punch to the gut, all the air is knocked out of me. “I can resync my BAND as long as we need and… we can leave.” The insatiable offer drifts off her lips, tempting me to abandon my quest.
But the image of the emblem stares back at me. “I’d love more than anything to do that, but I’ve made up my mind. No. It’s the Cathedral.”
She steers us up and forward towards the gigantic skyscraper. The bottom three floors are scarred with ugly scorch marks running across the colorless exterior. It looks strangely like a tombstone, which is appropriate considering what we’re doing.
“This may be the last time I see you,” she says somberly. Halfway to the top, three rapid fire thuds sound from below us. “Anti-air missiles!” Leina jerks the lever to the left and then the right. Each explosion sends harsh vibrations throughout the chopper. “We’ll be there in thirty seconds,” she announces.
Another set of missiles fire off, closing the distance in less than five. The force of the nearing blasts, knocks out one of the rear stabilizers. “I’m losing control.” The helicopter began to go into a spin. I look down to see thousands of lights and dozens of military vehicles. We’re so close! “Get into the gunner seat!” she yells out.
“Why?”
“I’m not going to be able to land you on the top.”
Land me? “You’re coming with me.”
“I’m going to land you as close as I can.”
“I’m not leaving you!” We share a look for a fraction of a second.
“Krys, there’s no time to argue! Just get in the seat!”
Throwing off the headphones, I mount the side gun and pull the trigger. The bullets rip through the reinforced glass like strips of paper. We inch closer, only thirty feet away when another thud sounds out. “Go now!” I kick off hard, descending into the lower level of the building. While soaring through the air, I turn my head back just in time to see the missile hit.
Chapter 20 Revelation
Gravity rakes me downwards, the explosive heat singing my back and neck. My balance buckles under the pressure and I topple over from the impact; sliding against the glossy floor. “No!” I watch in abject horror as the helicopter practically disintegrates; shooting red-hot metal out like fireworks.
With gritted teeth, I drag myself over to the edge of the broken glass and steel. The remains of the black aircraft tumble down to the square, the husk clattering with an empty thunk. She couldn’t have been in it when it fell. She must have gotten out.
I won’t let myself believe otherwise, the thought alone threatens to destroy me. I need to stay focused. With surprising resolve I push myself up, the pain surging to my legs and torso. I feel for the SIO pill container and take six of them. They stick to my dry throat for a moment until I can gulp them down.
Taking off my pack, I take out the crackled blueprints; the moisture having evaporated but the ink and writing still faded. Where is the Host Server? The handwritten indentations are completely illegible, though the sketches of the Cathedral are still visible.
I think that it said it was at the top. It’s all I have to go on for now. I put them away but decide to hold onto my Father’s knife. Stealth is the better option then shooting a gun. Limping around the corner, I stare down a long hall with dark yellow lights. Despite the pain, I jog down it while the low light casts imposing shadows on the walls.
This is my first time in the inner Cathedral and it fills me with dread, closed off, the air turning flat and stale. At the other end of the hall is a large set of stairs, beautifully crafted from white marble. Even in such low light, you can almost see them glow in the dark.
Leina only took me up halfway. There’s at least fifty floors left. I tread carefully, climbing the immaculate stairs in hopes of finding some sign of direction towards the Host Server. At the top is a circular room with a long glass tube in the center, branded with the IRIS emblem on the front. I don’t think a dependent has ever been on these levels, since they belong to the Council.
A set of doors open and close, a flickering soft blue light emanating from inside it. It must have been slightly damaged at some point.
Maybe the SIO’s are delayed due to the fire. I approach the elevator with caution, suspicion putting me on edge. The interior is fitted with white beaded pads that are soft to touch. The doors shut, shimmering with a golden gloss, and an electronic voice sounds above me.
“Welcome, please tell me your destination.”
With a hesitant stammer, I reply, “I-I’m looking f-for the Host Server.” The blue light irritates my eyes after staring at it for too long.
The light intensifies and then flashes brightly before dying down to a dull glow. A shift in movement vibrates the elevator, making it buoyant; almost like it’s floating. “Access granted.” What? Why? What’s going on?
“Welcome, esteemed Council Member. Please state your destination.”
Confused, I repeat my request. “Take me to the Host Server.”
A buzzing noise beeps and the voice returns, “Request is invalid. Please state your destination.”
Not valid? Then where am I supposed to go? The Council members will all be on lockdown. What am I supposed to do? Hefty sighs burden me with cumbersome frustration. Holding the hilt of my Father’s knife, I’m tempted to sheath it into my chest and end my intolerable existence.
While handling the weapon with clenching fingers, I’m drawn to a detail in the guard between the blade and the hilt. Prodding it thoroughly, I push the guard which begins to twist; letting out metallic clicks. I turn it a full 180 degrees, placing it in with one last tick.
Pop! The blade suddenly splits in two vertically, the sharp end slipping off; revealing a dark and jagged pattern molded from an obsidian alloy. What is this? It almost looks like a key? Jathom left this to me. Kalen wanted me to have it. It lead me to the bunker and now, it’s brought me here.
A word is etched on each side of the unveiled object. I hold it close to read it clearly. Control Room. I look up to the top part of the elevator and say, “Control room.” The number ‘55’ appears on a black slate above the closed doors. There’s a small bounce before the closed capsule zooms upward; the numbers on the slate changing quickly, climbing higher and higher.
All of a sudden the transport stops in-between floors ‘86’ and ‘87’, throwing me to the side; surrounding me with dense concrete. “Control room,” I say again. “Control room!” No response.
No, not now. Not when I’ve come so far. The blunt end of the knife bounces off of the coated glass as I strike it. When that fails, I search for some kind of switch or failsafe device. Nothing. I pat down the floor, feeling for secret compartment or an exit, all the while sputtering out random thoughts.
“Must be… where would you… come on… come on!” The dim blue light turns off. I spin in the darkness with my arms extended. I need to get out, I need to get out! Full blown panic sets in as I hyperventilate and kick the glass.
“No… no!” I kick and kick and kick again until I hear a clank. Maybe I knocked something loose. With all my remaining strength I force the doors to slowly recede, feeling the veins bulge from my forehead as they resist me. Putting my legs against the wall for extra leverage, I push then rest; repeating this pattern until the sound of scraping reverberates off the walls of the outer shaft.
With one last push, I grunt and exert all my power. The seal cracks just enough for me to slip through. In the tunnel outside is a small platform extending only a few inches, forcing me to hug the wall to keep from falling. I look down past the space between the elevator and the platform, a light mist blocking the bottom from
my view.
A ladder hangs to my left, no more than three or four feet above me. Turning to face the glass, I reach out with my right hand. Even tiptoeing and leaning out, it’s too far. With a mild hop, my fingers graze the bottom step. Just then, the elevator drops down with awesome speed; the wind knocking me back with startling force. The transport falls out of my view within seconds, making a loud whoosh on its way down.
“You can do this, Krys,” I cheer and draw my attention back to the ladder. My arm trembles as I try again to grab on. Still, it’s no good. The only way I’m going to make it is if I jump. Peering down again at the misty void, I mumble. “Not a good idea.”
I psych myself up and wipe my sweaty hand on my pants. “Why did it have to be my hand?” I groan remorsefully, staring at my stump. Shaking out my extremities, I regroup myself and lock onto my target. My lungs tighten up, keeping me from expelling any air as I bend my knees down, extend my arm and push off.
A small part of me can’t help but love the rush as my hand vice grips the thin metal bar, embracing it with wrapped fingers. Panting, I pull up and place my other arm around its edge. With extreme difficulty I scale it high enough to put one foot on the step and allow my body to rest. Each time I inhale and exhale, listening to the sounds of my breathing, I’m taken back to the many memories of Kalen placing his hands on my shoulders.
How I long for his comfort now; desperate more than ever for his council, his presence. The feeling passes after a few seconds as I begin climbing mindlessly. At the top of the next floor, just a few feet away, is an opening.
Almost there, just a few more steps. I pause for a second when I hear stirring coming from below me followed by a loud whoosh rushing upwards. It’s coming back! I scramble up the remaining steps. Only five left… four… It races at me like a bullet. Three… two… “Go-go-go-go!”
It’s inches away. I roll out from the opening to the 87th floor as the elevator barrels upwards, just missing me. My body can’t take much more of this. “Can I go five minutes without something trying to kill me?” After venting my frustration, I get back up to scout out the new area.
Iris Page 26
