by David Meyer
Nearby, BeBo marched proudly along, his entire body hanging out for all to see. Valhalya tried to match his enthusiasm, his devil-may-care attitude, and actually succeeded to some degree. Meanwhile, Jarven led the parade, kicking his legs high as he walked, a black top hat his only indulgence.
It wasn’t every day a parade—let alone one like this—passed through Luminosity. And so, it wasn’t long before lots more people raced onto the street. They took up positions along the edges, their eyes wide enough to be dinner plates.
Kayden shot occasional glimpses at her friends. But most of her looks were reserved for BeBo. She’d seen his body lots of times over the last six months. And yet, she still couldn’t get enough of him.
“They’ve gone nuts,” Dontae Mitchell whispered.
“Virdo said they’d be delirious,” replied Katie Asper, her gaze locked on Jarven.
“Yeah, but this is loco.”
Kayden swiveled his way. She gave him a huge, eerie smile with lots of teeth. “You’re cute,” she said in a singsong voice. “Come join us.”
He froze on the spot.
She gave him a big, flirty wink. Laughing to herself, she turned her attention front and center. Up ahead, she saw more people pile onto the street. One of them was Dr. Fugit, who fixed them with a look of sheer bewilderment.
Whispers of crazy, loony bin, and funny farm filled Kayden’s ears. She was surprised to find that she didn’t care. And that, weirdly enough, was the best part of all. Since the end of Protocol Forty-Eight, she’d tried to be a good leader. To set a good example for all to follow. She’d come to care deeply what people thought of her. So, letting go, not caring about other’s opinions, felt utterly amazing.
And that wasn’t the only thing that felt amazing. Since the end of the protocol, she’d adopted a life of rigor and hard work. She’d woken up early and gone to bed late. She’d spent most of her days puzzling over HXO, trying to understand how it worked. As a result, there’d been little time for recreation, outside of the occasional game of cards with her friends. So, it felt good to blow off some steam, shake things up a bit.
“For a bunch of geniuses, these people sure are dumb,” BeBo whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “Don’t they know the difference between a computer virus and a real one?”
Indeed, she’d had the same observation. With every passing second, Luminites covered up their mouths and noses. “As the herd goes, so goes the sheep,” she said.
“You mean the idiots.”
They drew close to Dr. Fugit and her not-so-merry band of followers. Her lips were tight, her eyes were watchful. Angie and Melody, meanwhile, pulled the collars of their shirts up, covering the lower halves of their faces. Their eyes blinked in rapid succession, astounded by what they saw.
Gordon and Kane conferred for a moment, then took deep breaths. Their lungs full of oxygen, they hurried out into the street.
Seeing them, the crowd uttered a collective gasp. People began to titter with anticipation.
Kayden glanced at Gordon and Kane. She saw their set jaws, their coiled muscles, their cocked fists.
On either side of her, people inched forward, eager to see the coming conflict. Maybe even participate in it. She sensed their adrenaline, their unbridled excitement. Was this how people had been in real life? Ready to gang up on others, to fight at a moment’s notice?
“Don’t let them get close,” she hissed.
BeBo looked at Gordon and Kane, assessing the threat. Then he adopted an enormous smile. “Come here, friends,” he said, throwing his arms out. “Join us. Become one with us.”
The act stopped Gordon dead in his tracks. Slack-jawed, he stared at BeBo.
Kane started to pull up as well. But his feet slipped on a cobblestone. Falling awkwardly, he landed near BeBo’s feet.
A beaming BeBo bent down.
Kane shook his head, dazed.
He reached out …
The crowd inched closer, holding its collective breath.
… and touched Kane’s shoulder.
The man recoiled in fear.
The crowd, reacting to him, shrank back. A gasp of horror rose from both sides of the street.
Kane tried to scramble away.
But BeBo grabbed him, pulled him to his feet. Before the man could escape, he leaned in, gave Kane a big hug.
“Oh, no,” a man said.
“He’s infected,” a woman whispered.
“No, I’m not. I feel fine. I am fine.” Kane tried to squirm out of Jarven’s grasp. “I’m just …”
“Relax, Brother.” With subtle movements, BeBo repositioned his arms. “You’re one of us now.”
From her vantage point, Kayden could see the intense pressure he was applying to Kane’s neck. Fortunately, no one else was looking closely.
Kane tried to fight, to get free. But he was no match for BeBo. Within a few seconds, his chin drooped. His arms started to flag. “Please,” he muttered. “Help me …”
His voice stirred a dazed Gordon. Holding his breath, he backed away.
Kane’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. His body went limp and he sagged into BeBo’s arms.
The crowd didn’t make a sound.
“My touch has bound us together.” Turning up the wattage on his crazy smile, BeBo released Kane, allowing the unconscious man to slide to the street. “We are now one.”
Footsteps struck cobblestones as the crowd fell back.
BeBo offered Jarven a little nod. Jarven, in turn, began marching again.
He walked to the next intersection, then took a left. The Skyscraper appeared, rising from the city’s center.
As she followed him, Kayden snuck a glimpse backward. Kane lay in the street, unconscious. The crowd, including Dr. Fugit, eyed him from a distance. Nobody went to help him. Nobody even approached him.
Leaving Kane, the crowd fell in behind her and her friends, trailing them by some fifty feet. They were clearly scared. But they were also riveted.
Tipping her head back, she broke into song. She made it up on the spot, spitting out the lyrics as they occurred to her.
“Hear our hum, for here we come.
“It’s not too much, to feel our touch.
“Enjoy our hug, catch the bug.
“You can’t hide, so join our side.”
Chapter 22
Kayden didn’t know how many people lived in Luminosity. Several thousand, at least. But from the looks of it, they were all there.
People lined either side of the street, all the way to the small park that marked the city’s center. They filled the park as well, with the exception of a wide pathway that led to the Skyscraper. Then, of course, there was everyone else. Thousands of people trailing behind them, none of whom dared come within fifty feet.
As she danced and sang, she shot an occasional glance at her surroundings. Most people were a blur but she managed to key in on a few of them. Chris Abraham, a creepy statistician, ogled Valhalya’s naked figure. Pam Puck, her former colleague on the Steering Committee, toed the ground, looking concerned. Meanwhile, Ramona Wainwright, who specialized in law, stared dumbly at the procession. Then her glazed-over eyes sharpened and she clapped a hand over her nose and mouth.
Kayden twisted in a circle, her bare feet gliding gently over the smooth stones. Despite her best efforts, the exuberance she’d felt a few minutes earlier faded away. She began to feel self-conscious. Very self-conscious.
Self-conscious about her naked body. About her reputation. About the fact that she’d eventually have to explain herself to all of these people.
Stop worrying, she told herself. It’s not even your real body. It’s just an avatar.
Feeling a little better, she marched forward with renewed energy. They reached the park and her toes stepped onto the soft, green grass. Waves of pleasure shot through her.
Was this what real grass had felt like? If so, why had anyone ever worn shoes?
Turning her attention to the Skyscraper, she s
tudied the marble steps leading up to the platform. She scanned the circular colonnade of ornate columns. And she saw the sleek marble that covered much of the building. It practically glowed, thanks to nearby streetlights.
Inside the colonnade, the opaque glass door swung open. Virdo, looking harried, emerged from the interior. Eyes full of confusion, he took in the approaching parade. He scanned it from all angles before his gaze finally settled on Kayden and her friends. He inhaled deeply, drawing in his cheeks.
A couple of people, all from Virdo’s Applied Sciences sector, filtered through the glass door. Joining him at the top of the steps, they gawked at the naked bodies and at the massive crowd that watched their every move.
Virdo waited for them to reach the steps. Then he hiked to the edge of the platform. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.” He said. “We were worried about you.”
“No, you weren’t,” Valhalya muttered under her breath. “But you will be.”
Jarven dialed up a large smile. “Would you care to join us, Brother?” he asked, his loud voice carrying across much of the surrounding area.
Whispers ran rampant. People stood up on their tiptoes, watching everything with nervous excitement.
“Actually, I’d rather you joined us.” Virdo turned toward his colleagues. “Please escort the infected to the jail. Place them in individual cells until we can figure out how to treat them.”
The colleagues nodded and started down the steps.
“Don’t do it,” a woman shouted.
“She’s right,” a guy yelled, hands cupped around his mouth. “Get back.”
Screams and shrieks rang out, coming together to form a deafening roar. The colleagues, caught by surprise, halted in mid-step.
The crowd went ballistic. The noise grew so loud that Kayden had to stop herself from clutching her ears.
The colleagues exchanged worried looks, then glanced at Virdo. But his gaze was elsewhere, locked on the restless, nervous crowd. His brow knitted into a tight knot, then went smooth.
“It’s okay,” he said. “They’re not contagious.”
“Yes, they are,” a woman yelled.
A series of supportive shouts rang out.
“Get out of there,” someone shrieked.
“Don’t let them touch you!” a man called out.
Virdo’s eyes widened as he realized what had happened. He tried to back away, which only added to the crowd’s excitement.
Unfortunately for him, Jarven had already scaled the steps. Grinning wickedly, he wrapped his arms around the man, hugging him tightly.
The crowd uttered a distressed moan. Virdo’s colleagues started toward him, but hundreds of strangled screams made them think twice. Switching gears, they scurried away.
A sickly rumble ran through the crowd as Jarven shifted his grip on Virdo. Adopting BeBo’s technique, he maneuvered his arms, now coated with sweat, around the guy’s neck. He seemed to embrace the man, all while secretly cutting off his air supply.
“Relax,” he said. “Just let go.”
Terror streaked through the crowd. And yet, people remained absolutely still.
Virdo clawed at Jarven’s arms. Aided by the slippery perspiration, he managed to get loose. Turning tail, he raced into the colonnade. Then he threw open the glass door and vanished into the Skyscraper.
Jarven raised his hands high. “My touch has bound us together,” he announced. “We are now one.”
Kayden had gone still for this most recent development. Now, that it was over, she started to twirl and sing again. A portion of the crowd shifted away in response, offering her plenty of space.
She took advantage of the freedom, jolting about, gyrating her hips, moving in tune with a song only she could hear. Meanwhile, her gaze shot to the colonnade, to the glass door. They’d managed to turn the tables on Virdo. But he was still out there.
And so was Cormella.
Chapter 23
Glancing over his shoulder, Titus stared across the hinterlands. In the distance, he saw little dots, which he took to be ruins. The largest dot, he knew, was Natica.
His legs felt rubbery and his breath came out in short, wheezing gasps. The sun, now directly overhead, stole what little remained of his saliva.
Still, it could’ve been worse. He’d expected a difficult trek up the mountainside. But the old road, what remained of it anyway, was fairly manageable.
A couple of times, he halted for a short water break. While sipping from the canteen, he would sneak quick looks behind him. He kept expecting to see Stubbels hot on their trail. But to his relief, the man had yet to make an appearance.
Even better, the peak was in sight. What would they find up there? The relatives, of course. But what else? Was the Shell still there? Had it survived centuries of neglect?
He licked his lips, tasting sand and dry salt. Peering ahead, he saw a couple of large boulders at the peak. The old road cut between them, then vanished from sight. But at the moment, he wasn’t looking at the road. All he could see were little patches of shade thrown off by the gigantic rocks.
“We’ll rest there,” he croaked, nodding at the boulders.
Sanza, looking faint, picked up the pace. Reaching the boulders first, she immediately took refuge in the shade. Her shoulders sagged as she reached for a canteen. Then she froze. Eyes wide, she stared at the part of the road only she could see.
Titus was next to reach the boulders. He, too, took a bit of shade to call his own. Uncorking a canteen, he drank a few sips of water. The warm liquid felt wonderful in his mouth. He swallowed it slowly, letting it ease down his sore throat. Feeling refreshed, he looked ahead as well.
He saw a sizable hunk of flat land, surrounded by a U-shaped wall of boulders. A metal gate, similar to the one back at Natica, connected to either end of the wall.
He glanced at Sanza, saw she was gawking. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The relatives,” she said, her voice raspy from dehydration. “They’re not here.”
Indeed, she was right. They’d climbed all the way to the peak, only to find it vacant.
Scouting around for an answer, he spotted a box-shaped building. It stood on the opposite end of the space, abutting the boulders.
The Shell, he thought.
Stanner, Lork, and Podey arrived on the scene. They quickly scanned the area, then took refuge in the shadows. Leaning against the boulders, they helped themselves to water and rascos.
Recorking his canteen, Titus hiked to the metal gate. He grabbed a metal bar and gave it a good yank. But the gate refused to budge.
His hands met his hips. Since the gate was similar to that of Natica, he assumed it employed an electronic lock. Without maintenance, that lock should’ve gone off-line long ago. So, why wouldn’t the gate open?
He took another look at it. Although similar in design to Natica’s gate, it was much shorter. Eyeballing it, he estimated the height at twenty to thirty feet tall.
He grabbed the bar again. This time, he shook it. It felt quite sturdy.
Lifting a sandaled foot, he placed it on top of the bar. Then he hauled himself upward. The gate barely wobbled and so he kept climbing. At the top, he crossed over to the other side, then lowered himself to the ground.
He glanced over his shoulder, taking in the area. The coast remained clear. Swiveling to his friends, he held up his forefinger. “One at a time,” he mouthed.
Podey took a moment to shift the items inside of her cloak. Then she swung a foot onto one of the lower bars. Silently, she started to climb.
Hiking to a nearby boulder, Titus holed up in a dark shadow. Podey and the others soon joined him.
“Stay here,” he whispered. “I’m going in.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Sir?” Lork took a second to size up the building. “The relatives might’ve set traps.”
“Good call. Come with me, Private. Two sets of eyes are better than one.” He glanced at the others. “Stay here. Keep a lookout for Stub
bels.”
“What if you need help, Sir?” Stanner asked.
“I’ll whistle,” he replied.
“Better make it loud.” Sanza looked around. “I doubt the acoustics are good up here.”
He cocked his head skyward. Gusts of wind swirled noisily above the peak.
He gave her a nod of understanding, then slipped out of the shadow. Sidling along the boulders, he hurried forward. The enormous rocks curved around and before long, he came upon the building.
Up close, he gave it a swift inspection. The walls appeared stable. He saw no crumbling, no major cracks.
With Lork at his heels, he hiked around the side, all the way to the front edge. Peeking out, he saw a few faint footprints. They led to the door, then disappeared.
He walked to the door. It was made of metal and looked to be in good shape.
Lork reached for the knob.
“Careful,” Titus said.
Lork exhaled, then positioned himself behind the wall. Steeling himself, he grabbed the knob. He gave it a little twist and cracked the door open. There was no fire, no explosion.
Titus perked his ears, listening for voices or footsteps. Hearing nothing, he nodded at Lork.
The private started to push the door. But the hinges creaked lightly and he halted. His eyes went to Titus.
Titus listened carefully, but all he heard was the sound of wind passing overhead. He took a deep breath, then gave Lork another nod.
Returning to his task, the private opened the door another few inches. Titus slid through the gap and entered the structure.
Lork followed him inside, then shut the door. In an instant, the wind vanished. The private’s hands dove into his cloak and came out holding his sword.
His blade still sheathed, Titus turned around. A torch, burning brightly, had been mounted on the right-side wall. As such, he could see a short hallway, which opened up to a circular room.
A torch lay on the room’s floor. It shone flickering light upon strange, silver machinery. Oddly enough, the machines whirred and buzzed softly, emitting occasional flashes of light. How was that possible? After all, no one had lived there for centuries.
Other sounds—voices, very soft ones—rose above the whirring and buzzing. He strained to hear the words, but couldn’t quite catch them. However, he did recognize a few of the speakers. Cutter, for one. Yerdon, for another.
