Broken Ties (Broken Nature Book 2)

by David Meyer

  Quickly, he told her about the sandswarm, about how Cormella had shaped it in her own likeness. And he told her his theory about the satellite dish, about how Cormella had traveled across its bright light.

  “So, she controls a sandswarm now,” he said. “And she wants to kill us. If she gets in here, she’ll desiccate us. We might be able to hide in the compound for a while. But eventually, the Banished will break down the door.”

  “So, we have to keep her out.”

  “Exactly.”

  Lines etched deep in her cheeks, she stared up at the sky, at the twinkling stars. “If that’s true then …” Her mouth twisted, morphing the rest of her face into an excited expression. “Podey,” she said. “I’m going to send some messages to you. Watch for them, okay?”

  Podey shot her a confused look. “Uh, sure.”

  Tablet in hand, she hopped to her feet. Then she broke into a sprint.

  “Where are you going?” Titus took off after her. He chased her all the way to the sparking, electric gate.

  “Hey, Lunit.” She slid to a halt, then twisted toward the western sentinel post. “I need to get outside.”

  Stanner glanced at Titus.

  “You heard her, Private,” he said.

  “Yes, Sir.” Hunching over at the waist, he worked the keyboard. The electronic lock clicked. The metal gate swung wide open.

  “Close it behind me,” Sanza instructed as she hurried outside.

  Stanner gave him a questioning look.

  He shrugged.

  She crossed a short stretch of sand, then stopped. Balancing the tablet in the crook of her left arm, she busily typed away with her right hand.

  “You’re getting good at that,” Titus remarked as the gate closed over.

  “Good at what?” she asked.

  “Typing on the go,” he said, recalling their frenzied escape from Natica.

  “I’ve always been good at it,” she replied, starting a slow walk alongside the enormous, curving wall. “You just didn’t notice.”

  “Well, I’m noticing now.” Hiking alongside her, he watched her work. “What are you doing?”

  “Sending messages over the network. Or at least, that’s what I’m trying to do.” She took a break from typing and waved at the screen. “See?”

  He leaned in for a closer look. A box in the middle of the screen read, Hi Podey. Titus says he notices me. Can’t say I blame him. Please respond.

  He arched an eyebrow. “You took that out of context.”

  “Did I?” She tossed a lock of hair over her shoulder. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Because the message won’t send.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m not connected to the network.”

  “The wall must be blocking you.”

  “The gate, too.”

  She kept walking, kept hitting the Send button. And all the while, she kept a close eye on the network status. But the message refused to send.

  At last, the breach came into view. Still hitting Send every few steps, Sanza walked right up to it. Then her eyes widened slightly. A smile drifted across her lips. “And there it goes,” she whispered.

  Titus glanced over her shoulder. The message was gone. Two seconds later, a new one appeared. He must have a thing for you, it read. Too bad you’re out of his league.

  He rolled his eyes.

  My thoughts, exactly, Sanza typed in response. I’m going to keep sending messages. You do the same. Got it?

  Got it, was Podey’s response.

  Sanza typed out a new message. This time, Titus didn’t bother reading it. Instead, he kept his gaze on the distant hinterlands as he followed her around the wall. Fortunately, there was no sign of Dargon or Cormella.

  They kept going, all the way around, until they’d reached the gate. Sanza tried to send her message one final time before giving up.

  “It checks out,” she said softly.

  Titus signaled to Stanner. As the lock clicked open, he gave Sanza an expectant look. “Oh?”

  She waited until the gate had swung fully open. Then she hit Send. Instantly, the message whisked away from her screen. At the same time, a new message appeared.

  She typed out a quick response. “Remember the machines I showed you before?”

  “The ones hanging from the wall?”

  She nodded. “They’re signal-blockers. That is, they’re engineered to stop all incoming and outgoing transmissions.”

  He mulled that over as he led her back into the fort. “That’s why you couldn’t access the network from outside.”

  “Exactly. I only got on it twice. First, at the breach. Second, right here, but only after the gate had swung open.”

  Titus glanced at Stanner. “We’re done, Private,” he said. “Keep up the lookout and let me know if you see anything suspicious.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Stanner hit some keys and the gate returned to the closed position.

  Sanza started for the breach. “As you’ll recall, the machine under the breach suffered extensive damage and we removed it for repairs. That left a hole in our digital defenses, enabling those sandswarms to get into the fort.”

  He hurried to catch up. “So, the sandswarms are digital in nature?”

  She nodded. “It explains how Cormella managed to inhabit one. And it also explains why they never got into Natica before now. The signal-blockers kept them out.”

  “Wow.”

  “It also explains that.” She nodded at the platform, at the scorched satellite dish. “When I first saw it, I wondered why Sorney brought it all the way out here. At first, I thought it was because she needed height to make it work. And she did. But to send a signal outside of the fort, she also needed a clear lane.”

  “In other words, a gap in our digital security.”

  “Right. So, she mounted the dish within the breach, allowing signals to escape our net. From there, she could direct them in pretty much any direction.” Sanza gave Podey a wave, then returned to the wall. Plastering herself against the hard surface, she sank to the sand. “We need a signal-blocker.”

  “What about the old one?”

  “It’s gone. Destroyed when the Lopa twins blew up the junk shed.”

  “So, make a new one.”

  “That won’t be easy. Or quick.”

  He eyed her. “Aren’t you Sanza Curt?”

  She frowned at him.

  “Our best reverse-engineer? The girl who everyone’s supposed to notice?”

  “That’s what they keep telling me.”

  “Then prove it.”

  She placed her tablet in her lap. With a deep breath, she started perusing files. “Podey,” she called out. “Pick the best test wall and take it to Lima. Tell her to start fabricating the concrete. Then get Cutter and every other reverse-engineer you can find. Tell them to meet me here.”

  “I’m on it.” Podey closed her laptop and slid to the edge of the makeshift platform. She descended to the ground, then hurried across the fort.

  Sanza watched her leave. Then she cracked her knuckles. “One signal-blocker coming up.”

  “Sir.” Stanner’s voice ripped across the fort. “You need to see this.”

  Heart pounding, Titus ran back to the gate. A bunch of people were gathered around it. Working his way between them, he looked northeast. Far away, deep in the hinterlands, he saw a tiny blob of blackness. It pulsed with energy, with life.

  Here they come, he thought.

  Chapter 42

  A whirlwind of activity swirled forth. Staying close to the massive wall, Titus watched reverse-engineers hurry past him in either direction. Some, like Cutter, carried tools, spare parts, and laptops. Others, such as Lima Fornade, wielded clanking buckets of awful-smelling slop.

  The tools, parts, and laptops were being used to create a new signal-blocker, one that would coordinate with the others to hopefully protect Natica from Cormella. The slop, meanwhile, was Sanza’s concrete. Hopefully, it would prove strong enough to seal the brea
ch.

  While he understood the basics of what was going on, the specifics went way over his head. Other than his full and unyielding support, he had nothing to offer to the workers and so, he did his best to stay out of their way.

  More than once, he caught sight of Stubbels’ followers. They tended to keep their distance, usually sticking to the darkest shadows.

  He even spotted Stubbels once, standing far away, watching the frenzied work with a keen eye. Or at least, he thought he did. For when he looked again, there was no one there.

  Metal clicked as Lima scaled the ladder. Taking up residence upon the platform, she called out for supplies. Her fellow reverse-engineers, loaded down with thin sheets of metal, tools, and buckets of slop, began climbing up after her.

  Meanwhile, Sanza held her tablet in one hand and clicked away at it with her other one. All the while, she kept up a running dialogue with Cutter and the other reverse-engineers. A new machine, an exact replica of the signal-blockers, slowly took shape.

  Taking his leave, Titus hiked to the gate. The crowd had doubled since his last visit. People stood still and silent, their collective gaze focused on the hinterlands.

  As he approached, people cleared out of his way. Arriving at the gate, he looked through the metal bars. The blob was small, indicating Dargon and Cormella were still far away. But it was definitely larger than it had been an hour ago.

  “They’re a few hours out, Sir.” Stanner appeared at his side. “Half a day, tops.”

  Titus nodded.

  “Pardon me for asking, Sir. But is that enough time?”

  “I don’t know.” Turning away from the gate, he looked at the gathered Naticans. They looked tired, thirsty, and still angry beyond belief.

  Some pushing broke out between the residents, mostly led by Private Apion. A few sharp words were exchanged.

  “Private Apion?” he called out.

  The fray quickly came to an end. The other people backed up as Apion spun around. Looking tough, she glared at him.

  “I need you to do something for me.”

  She frowned.

  “I’m suspending rations,” he said, making sure everyone could hear him. “As of right now, all residents can eat and drink as much as they like. Please relay this to the galley and reservoir workers.”

  Apion licked her lips. In a world where thirst was almost never quenched, the promise of extra water held special allure. “Yes, Sir,” she said.

  He glanced at the other residents. “Feel free to spread the word.”

  Rations had never been suspended before. As such, the people gave Titus a close look, perhaps wondering if this was some sort of trick. But ultimately, their hunger and thirst won out.

  Within three minutes, nearly everyone was gone. Approaching the gate, Titus stared deep into the hinterlands. Ever so slowly, the blob expanded in size.

  Excited shouts and shrieks broke his concentration. Startled, Titus blinked a few times. He looked around, saw the area was still clear. How long had he been standing there? Truly, he had no idea.

  He waved at Stanner, then set off in the direction of the yells. Along the way, he passed by Cutter, who carried a laptop at his side. The reverse-engineer gave him a big thumbs-up.

  Titus kept walking and soon, arrived at the breach. Or rather, the former breach.

  Eyebrows arched, he studied the newly-repaired wall. The material—Sanza concrete, he’d decided to call it—was darker and grainier than Natica concrete. It was roughly applied, too, jutting out in weird places, a far cry from the rest of the neatly polished wall. Still, it looked solid enough. And wasn’t that all that mattered?

  “Not bad, huh?” Sanza joined him out on the sand.

  “How strong is it?” he asked. “Will it stand up under assault?”

  “Of course, it has to dry first. But I’m hopeful.” She shrugged. “Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to put it through its paces.”

  “I see. Is this the reason for all of the yelling? Because you finished the wall?”

  “Nope.” She nodded at the wall’s lower half. “It’s because of that.”

  He followed her gaze to a brand-new signal-blocker. It was mounted beneath the Sanza concrete, in line with the other blockers. “Does it work?” he asked.

  “Cutter’s going outside to test it,” she said. “But I’m feeling pretty good.”

  Barlo arrived with a question for Sanza. While she talked to him, Titus climbed onto a newly-constructed platform, one that ran parallel to the top of the wall.

  Cutter soon appeared, striding quickly across the sand. He held a laptop in one hand, using his free hand to peck away at the keyboard.

  He passed in front of the former breach and stayed there for a full six minutes, trying a variety of angles and positions.

  “No signal,” he announced before moving on.

  Happy shouts filled the air.

  Titus descended to the ground. He hiked over to Sanza, who was busy congratulating her colleagues and shaking everyone’s hand.

  “Nice work,” he said.

  “I know,” she replied.

  “Don’t get cocky.”

  Laughing, she turned back to her colleagues. Meanwhile, he hiked to the gate. He waited for Cutter to return and the gate to close over again. Then he planted himself right in the middle of the giant barrier.

  Staring outward, he watched the blob grow larger and larger. Eventually, it began to separate into smaller blobs. Those blobs firmed up around the edges and he started to see hints of visages in the bright moonlight.

  Naticans, munching rascos and drinking voraciously, gathered around him. They still looked tired and hot, but their moods had definitely improved.

  A few people offered him canteens. He accepted one and took a sip of its warm, life-giving liquid.

  The crowd expanded. A line formed at the gate, stretching from end to end. A second line took shape. Satiated and decked out in fresh cloaks, the silent army watched the hinterlands.

  At long last, Dargon came into view. His face was red and blotchy. Marching at a medium pace, he led his army up to the gate before grinding to a halt.

  “Hello, Brother,” he said.

  Titus ignored him. Instead, he looking around, searching for Cormella. Oddly enough, he didn’t see her.

  “Everybody back,” Dargon shouted. “Way back.”

  His army complied, stepping backward, until they’d traveled about one hundred feet.

  “Look at me.”

  Titus tore his eyes off of the hinterlands. His gaze met that of his brother.

  “Come outside. Fight me to the death.”

  He took another look at the desert. Again, he saw no sign of Cormella. If he threw open the gate, how long would it take for her to arrive? At least a minute or two, he reasoned. More than enough time to step outside and have Stanner close the gate again.

  Dargon went for his sword. He held it aloft, then stabbed in into the ground. The blade sank deep into the sand.

  “Do you want to kill me?” His dark eyes refused to blink. “Well, here’s your chance.”

  Chapter 43

  Amethyst World was, perhaps, the strangest building in all of Luminosity. Its height maxed out at five floors, which was nothing special. But in terms of sheer breadth, it was enormous.

  The unfinished complex covered four city blocks. Numerous skybridges, painted in vibrant colors, connected various buildings together. All in all, it was the largest property by a long shot. And yet, not a single soul lived there.

  Thanks to its size and scope, not to mention its exhilarating attractions, Amethyst World had quickly become Luminosity’s most popular destination. Kayden had toured one of the buildings a few weeks back. Stacked apartments lined the edges, overseeing a vast open-air space. The space, in turn, contained dozens of weird contraptions along with all kinds of vehicular pathways.

  She’d blanked on them at first. But soon enough, she realized they were roller coasters. Along with seven ot
hers, she’d ridden a boat through an artificial canal. A series of fierce waves had proceeded to jolt it, causing her to shriek in fright. At the same time, strange creatures had accosted the hull, bumping it and spraying the passengers with water.

  When the boat had finally returned to its starting point, she’d stepped shakily on to the dock. It took her a few moments to compose herself, a few more to hustle to the next attraction.

  That one, a rickety stagecoach led by horses, had shot into an enclosed desert. Masked men, similar to peacekeepers, had appeared. Riding horses and wearing big hats, they’d shot pistols at Kayden and her fellow riders. Meanwhile, the coach picked up speed, racing frantically over bumpy sand dunes. Eventually, it had leapt over a massive gorge, crashing safely on the opposite side.

  After that, she’d laid down on a sled, alongside a dozen other people. At great speed, they’d shot past armies of snowmen, around snowball fights, and through giant snow castles. She’d emerged from that particular one with a pounding heart and sweaty palms.

  She’d gone on six more rides before calling it quits. As she’d left the building, she’d seen lots of other things. Games to play, cartoons to watch, and food to eat. Amethyst World was, she’d come to realize, an apartment building that doubled as an amusement park. She didn’t know if she’d liked such parks in her old life, but she’d loved this one. She especially liked how it jogged her semantic memories, allowing her to recall the existence of certain animals as well as modes of transportation.

  But that was weeks ago. Now, Amethyst World was more than just an unfinished residence, even more than a giant, mostly-functioning amusement park.

  It was a barrier.

  A set of gigantic buildings that stood between Kayden and her friends and the contracting dome.

  A thunderous crunch rang out. The blackness slid another foot or so forward until it abutted rooftops for two of the four buildings.

  A couple of minutes passed by, feeling like seconds. “What happened?” Valhalya wondered.

  “Amethyst World is big. Lots of data in there.” Jarven itched his arm. “Maybe it’s too much for the virus.”