by David Meyer
Ahead, she saw the curving street. Normally, the entire road was visible, along with a patch of grass that abutted the dome. But now, she could no longer see the far side of the road, let alone the grass. Instead, she saw only darkness.
Her right arm unfolded. Her hand shifted forward. The tips of her fingers touched the darkness and she felt a smooth, cool boundary.
Icicles formed upon her spine.
Another crunch, the loudest one yet.
The darkness shot forward, gobbling up a foot or two of street in an instant. She reeled back and fell to the cobblestones. Dazed, she glanced up. She saw the curved wall of darkness, shimmering, hovering. Waiting to strike again.
BeBo gripped her armpits, yanked her backward so hard he fell down as well.
Yet another crunch, as the darkness ate up the very cobblestones on which she’d been laying.
Jarven hauled BeBo to his feet. Valhalya and Virdo took Kayden’s hands, propelling her to a standing position. Then the five of them retreated back to Birch Street.
Kayden bent over at the waist, huffing and puffing for air. “It’s moving,” she said. “The dome is contracting.”
A pair of peacekeepers hurried past them. They went straight to the dome, joining the other peacekeepers. Aiming their batons forward, they shot sparks at the darkness.
The next crunch, although just as forceful and dramatic, didn’t happen right away. Indeed, it took nearly twice as long as the last one had taken.
“What happened to Rupert?” Valhalya asked. “He just … disappeared.”
“I don’t know,” Kayden replied, rubbing her aching forehead.
“Well, I do.” BeBo grunted. “He’s gone. Deleted.”
She winced. She hadn’t wanted to say it, but she’d been thinking the same thing. The dome served as a geographical and programming boundary. There was nothing past it. If it contracted, if it swallowed up things, it stood to reason those things no longer existed.
A few lingering people dropped their objects. Turning tail, they sprinted down Birch Street.
Kayden twisted around, watched them run. Just then, a tall, athletic woman tripped on a cobblestone. She managed to keep her footing, but lost her messenger bag, which spilt all over the street. She yelled at the others to wait, but they just kept going.
The woman scowled. Bending down, she quickly scooped together the contents, then slung the bag over her shoulder. Regaining her feet, she jogged after the others.
“That bag’s not going to help her get out of this mess,” Valhalya said, echoing what they were all thinking.
“Why’s this happening?” Virdo asked.
“I don’t know why, but I can bet on the who.” BeBo growled. “Cormella.”
“Looks like she left us one heck of a goodbye present.” Jarven glanced at Kayden. “This is a computer thing, Kay. Your specialty. Any idea what we’re looking at here?”
“A virus. A real one, this time.” She exhaled. “As to what it’s doing, I’m not sure.”
“What’s your best guess?”
She thought it over for a moment. “Given what we know of Cormella, I suspect we’re looking at a total wipe. Most likely, the virus is working from outside to inside.”
Jarven frowned.
“In other words, it’s targeting the code closest to the dome. Once it’s scanned a sufficient amount, it deletes the code. We experience this as the dome shooting forward, gobbling up land and people.”
“So, what are they doing?” Virdo asked, nodding at the peacekeepers.
“Well, they’re a defensive force, designed to protect Luminosity from intrusions and dangers.” Another crunch rang out. The peacekeepers took a collective step backward. “Cormella’s virus must’ve triggered an anti-viral protocol. Without knowing the protocol, I can’t be sure of anything. But one possibility is that they’re attempting to rebuild the missing code from scratch.”
Valhalya made a face. “It doesn’t look like they’re making much progress.”
“Again, this is just a guess. But the virus might be deleting code faster than they can replace it. Effectively, they’ve slowed the virus, but they haven’t stopped it.”
“What about you?” Jarven asked. “Can you stop it?”
“I’ll need my laptop,” she said.
“Where is it?” BeBo asked.
“I had it with me when we stripped down.”
“So, the Jade River roof.” A crunch, slightly louder than the last one. Jarven took another step backward as the ground rumbled underfoot. “That’s pretty far.”
“Does it have to be that laptop?” Valhalya asked. “What if we found you another one?”
“If push comes to shove, I’ll use anything. But really, I need my laptop. I’ve got proprietary tools on there. Analytical stuff that I developed while researching the Broken. They could prove useful.”
“Fair enough.” Jarven nodded. “Let’s go get it.”
Chapter 39
Dargon and Cormella, Titus thought, his tortured mind lingering on the cliff of despair. Going to kill us all.
The sun had set an hour ago. As nighttime fell, it brought with it a hint of coolness. As a result, he found that his sweat glands were beginning to relax. He could breathe a little easier, too. Unfortunately, however, it didn’t help his thirst.
Lacking water, he was running on fumes. His mouth was bone-dry. His throat was scratchy. He was so thirsty he was starting to hallucinate.
His aching feet begged for a respite. But if he stopped, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get going again. And then who would inform his people? Who would tell them about the unholy alliance that now threatened them?
And so, he pressed on, stumbling forward, tripping over rocks and sand dunes. It was a punishing trek. But the very worst of it came from inside. For deep down, he knew much of what had transpired was his fault.
He had to make this right. He had to bring his people together again. For a united Natica, coupled with the brains of Luminosity, might stand a chance against Dargon and Cormella. A divided fort, on the other hand, would certainly fall.
And so, he hiked onward, through the darkness, guided only by the moon and stars above. There was much to do. He just hoped he was up to the task.
Chapter 40
The great gate of Natica rose before him, still intact, still sparking with electricity. Seeing it standing there, as solid as ever, soothed Titus’ soul. If Natica could survive the Broken, then maybe it could survive the coming ordeal, too.
“Sir.” Private Stanner, holding court at the western sentinel post, snapped to attention. He worked a keyboard. The lock clicked and the metal gate swung open. “I’m glad you made it. I was just about to organize a search party.”
The long hike and even longer day had left Titus weak and hobbled. Still, he did his best to look regal as he limped into the fort. “We have an emergency, Private. First things first. We need to throw open the compound and get everyone out.”
“Already done, Sir.”
“Really?” He frowned. “Then where are—”
Before he could finish the sentence, people appeared. They came from all over, emerging from apartments, sheds, and other structures. They looked somber, dejected.
He peered at the many faces, illuminated by moonlight. He saw Cutter, Lima, and the other relatives. Plus, Private Apion and many of Stubbels’ followers. The two sides continued to keep their distance from each other.
He saw lots of faces. But two of them were missing. “Where’s Sanza?” he asked. “And Podey?”
“They’re working, Sir,” Private Guster replied.
He frowned. “On what?”
Private Burke rubbed his face. He looked haggard and some nasty bruises and welts covered his face. Titus realized that he’d incurred them at the hands of the relatives, when they’d made their escape from Natica. The private’s anger was palpable and he stared daggers at Cutter even as he talked. “They were worried about Dargon. So, they thought up
a way to seal the breach.”
Uncomfortable expressions arose all around him. A few people toed the sand with their sandals.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“We found a couple of dead bodies near the breach, Sir.” Private Koyle Nevins exhaled. “Kids, all of them. They were completely scorched, like they’d caught on fire.”
Titus winced.
“We’ve identified them as Bronf Oaks, Quella Yolanda, Gurdon Botch, Towdy Teller, and Sorney Gale.” He hesitated. “We also found the remains of a laptop and a strange metallic device, mounted within the breach.”
For a moment, Titus forgot the schism in Natica. The device, of course, was the satellite dish. Cormella had used it to beam herself out of Luminosity and straight into that sandswarm. The resulting energy must’ve killed the kids.
But how was any of this possible? After all, Cormella was a Luminite. And the sandswarm was a natural phenomenon. How could a digital being exist in the real world?
He let loose a long breath. Explanations could wait. For now, he needed to figure out how to protect his people.
“Run to Sanza,” he instructed Burke. “Tell her another sandswarm is coming this way. We need to stop it at the wall.”
The private stiffened up. “Yes, Sir,” he said, hustling toward the breach.
Titus took another look at the Naticans. He saw their anger, their barely-repressed rage. And so, he hiked to the western sentinel post. A torch, flickering gently, hung just inside the doorframe. He grabbed it, returned outside, and tossed the torch on top of the building. Leaping up, he grabbed hold of the rooftop. His muscles strained as he pulled himself onto it.
Picking up the torch, he faced the crowd. “Dargon is coming,” he said. “And he’s not alone.”
More residents poured forth into the night. Trekking across the fort, they joined the burgeoning crowd, causing it to double in size.
“I don’t really know how to explain this,” he continued. “But a Luminite—Cormella Dodge—has gone rogue. She used our kids to build a machine. And she used that machine to transport herself into a sandswarm.”
Eyes grew wide. All of Natica knew about Cormella, about her crimes against Luminosity.
“How’s that possible?” Cutter called out.
“It’s not.” Yerdon’s voice sounded hollow. He had to lean on Lima for support.
“I know it sounds crazy,” Titus said. “But I saw her. I watched her twist the sandswarm into her own image.”
People fell silent.
“Not only that, but Dargon met her. He talked to her in the hinterlands. They made a pact.”
Barlo Erma, a reverse-engineer, licked his lips. “What kind of pact?”
“A death pact.” He paused. “Unfortunately, they share a similar goal … the end of the human race.”
Facial expressions morphed all around him as people digested this piece of news. Some people were clearly frightened, others looked defiant. Nearly everyone was exhausted.
The crowd parted ways as Stubbels stepped forward. Cloth bandages covered at least a quarter of his body. But his eyes continued to glitter with ferocious intensity. “Does that include the Luminites?”
Titus nodded.
“Most likely, that’s her primary concern. We should strike a deal with her. Offer her Luminosity in exchange for our lives.”
The crowd exploded with a weird mixture of whispers and shouts. It took a few moments for Cutter to make himself heard above the fray.
“Typical Stubbels,” he spat. “Always willing to sell out a friend.”
“Kayden and her Luminites are no friends of mine,” he retorted. “What have they done for us? Nothing, that’s what. Nothing, but be a burden.”
“They’re trying to end the Broken,” Lima said.
“Yeah?” He looked around at the dusty, bleak landscape. “So, what’s the hold-up?”
The whispers turned furious.
Titus lifted the torch above his head. His other hand waved at the air, calling for silence.
“We’re not abandoning Luminosity,” he said. “Now, here’s the—”
“That’s not your decision to make,” Stubbels retorted.
“Yes, it is.”
Approaching the sentinel post, Stubbels leapt up. His fingers curled around the edge. Kicking his legs against the wall, he propelled himself onto the roof.
“Nobody cares what you think, Titus.” Stubbels turned toward the crowd. “I say we go out to meet Cormella, offer her terms. Actually, why even bother with that? Why don’t we destroy Miot, once and for all? Then she’ll leave us alone.”
“She won’t,” Titus said.
“Sure, she will. She doesn’t care about us. Her gripe is with the Luminites.”
“I was there. I heard her.” He stared out at the crowd. “She intends to kill us all.”
“I’ll change her mind.”
“You won’t.”
Stubbels looked at the crowd. “I say we call for a vote.”
“There won’t be a vote. As Natica’s rightful king, this is my call.” He glared at the man. “Now, get off my roof.”
Stubbels gnashed his teeth. Eyes glittering, he stalked toward Titus.
A hush of anticipation ran through the crowd.
Titus’ adrenaline went into overdrive.
Stubbels swung a sudden haymaker.
Titus dodged it, then decked him.
The man never saw it coming. One second, he was in mid-punch. The next, he lay flat on his back, hands clutching his bleeding mouth.
“Lucky shot,” he sputtered, climbing back to his feet.
Titus delivered an uppercut to his belly. The devastating impact drove the wind right out of him and he keeled over at the waist.
Wasting no time, Titus rocked him with another uppercut, this time to his chin. Stubbels’ head flew backward. He lost his balance and fell off of the roof. He landed with a soft thud, the impact driving some grains of sand into the air.
Titus hiked to the edge of the roof. For a long moment, he stared down at the sprawled-out Stubbels. Then he glanced at the man’s supporters. A few of them, especially Apion, looked uneasy. But nobody else came forward to challenge him.
“I haven’t been a good leader.” He exhaled as his adrenaline began to fade. “I got so caught up in my vendetta that I failed to notice this place was falling apart.”
He swept his gaze across the crowd. People stared back at him, watching his every move.
“The hatred you feel for each other … it’s my fault.” He lowered the torch. “I created this rift. But now, I’m ending it.”
Cutter laughed harshly.
Titus, along with everyone else, looked at him.
“You can’t just make this go away.” Cutter nodded at Apion. “I mean, she killed Renda in cold blood.”
“They hounded us,” Lima added. “Murdered us.”
Apion glared at them. “You killed our people, too, you know.”
“Only because they tried to kill us first.”
Titus exhaled. “Those deaths don’t matter right now.”
Lima gave him a disgusted look. “How can you say that?”
“Because I don’t have a choice. Dargon and Cormella want to end us. If we don’t get past our differences, they’ll succeed.” He paused, giving that time to sink in. “Kill each other tomorrow, if you want. But tonight, we stand together.”
Staring at the faces, he still saw plenty of anger. But he also saw resignation. The relatives weren’t happy about it. Neither were Stubbels’ followers.
But for the moment, they were willing to work together.
Chapter 41
“I heard parts of your speech.” Sanza didn’t bother to look up from her tablet. “Not bad. A little long-winded for my taste. But for you, not bad at all.”
He fought back the urge to smile. “Is that a compliment I hear?”
“I like to think of it as more of a veiled insult.”
He chuckled as he p
assed over the sand. Moments earlier, he’d been in the compound’s communications room. He’d tried to reach Luminosity, to tell them about Cormella. Unfortunately, no one had answered.
He arrived at the breach. Sanza sat beneath it, her back up against the still-intact lower wall. Her legs extended outward and were crossed at the ankles.
Above, Podey stood on the makeshift platform. She stared intently at a laptop. Her back was to the charred remains of the satellite dish, which had been removed from the wall. Fortunately, the kids’ bodies were gone, presumably taken away to be fully cremated. But the smell of their burnt flesh lingered on.
Titus halted next to Sanza. Peering down, he studied her screen. To him, it was meaningless, nothing but a blur of numbers and funny-sounding words.
“Did Burke tell you about the sandswarm?” he asked.
She nodded without looking up.
“Can you keep it from getting past the wall?”
She frowned. “Can we talk about this later? I’m trying to fix the breach.”
He frowned. “With what? I thought the formula for Natica concrete was lost.”
“It is. But we’ve attempted to duplicate it lots of times. In the process, we’ve discovered a way to make simple, basic concrete. It isn’t nearly as strong as Natica concrete, but it might just hold off the Banished.”
“If it’s so simple, why do you need that?” he asked, nodding at the tablet.
“I had an idea about how to reinforce the basic formula. It’s nothing crazy. Just lacing the stuff with pieces of scrap metal. Really, it’s something I thought of a long time ago. I just never bothered to test it.” She paused. “I’m using our modeling program to try different variations.”
“What about her?” he asked, glancing at Podey.
“She’s modeling attacks on my test walls, so we can see which one is the strongest.”
He shook his head. “That’s all well and good. But right now, the sandswarm is our priority.”
She shot him an upturned eyebrow. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Didn’t you listen to my speech?”
“I was trying to ignore it. But you’re just so loud.”
He exhaled. “Cormella inhabited a sandswarm. I don’t fully understand it. But I definitely saw it.”
