“No, no, it was my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she responded.
Spurious rose from the ground. “You’re all right, then?” he asked, lending her his hand.
“Yeah, are you?” she responded, brushing off her black dress.
Spurious nodded, shooting a nervous glance over to Varius, who watched quizzically.
“I better be on my way,” Spurious said, looking at Lana one last time. She nodded and walked back into her cubicle.
Spurious turned and continued down the hall, his pace much faster than normal. He could feel the acid turning in his empty stomach. He was no longer paranoid Varius would find out about him and Lana. Unless Varius was a fool, he already knew.
Time: 6:45 a.m. February 18, 2071.
Location: Commons Building, Lunia, Tisaia
Spurious awoke to crackling from his archaic metal radio, another artifact from the old world he bought at his favorite thrift store, The Magician.
“Good morning Tisaian workers. It’s windy outside today with a hint of radiation,” the announcer said. “Today you can expect temperatures ranging from a low of 30 degrees and a high of 55 degrees. The wind will be at 15 mph out of the east. Climatologists estimate a small presence of radioactive particles in the Rohania area. RRAD vehicles have already been deployed to mitigate this threat.”
He rolled over and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Morning was always a difficult time. Even when the blare of the alarm pounded in his ears, shaking sleep was difficult, especially when he only had his cubicle to look forward to. The dark mornings of winter weren’t exactly helping either.
To make things worse, the sky had become considerably grayer and the clouds more dense. State climatologists attributed it to lingering radiation in the atmosphere. That’s where the RRAD vehicles came in. Short for Radiation Removal Atmospheric Device, the machines were designed specifically to safely remove radiation from the air, water and soil in Tisaia. After the nuclear fallout settled from the Biomass Wars, there was a consistent level of smog, dust and smoke lining the atmosphere. For years the sun was blocked, killing any crops that had survived and lowering temperatures worldwide. RRAD was the miracle that not only cleaned the radiation poison from Tisaia’s soil but also the sky above. Without RRAD Biomass would never have been possible.
Spurious pulled the curtain back from his window, revealing the dark courtyard below. Somewhere in the distance he could see a hint of light. It wasn’t clear whether it was artificial or solar, but as it infiltrated his apartment he could tell it wasn’t going to be enough to get ready for the day. He let the curtain go and headed for the bathroom.
“Lights, Anya.”
An immediate orange glow illuminated his apartment. He slugged across the small space and entered the rain room where he sat and huddled on the marble ground, soaking in the warm water and breathing in the steam. He ran his fingers through his wet hair and rubbed the soap out of his burning eyes.
His mind filtered over the previous day’s events—his muscles were tense and his head pounded from the lack of sleep. He pulled his knees up to his stomach and dug his head into his chest, letting the warm water wash over him.
“Anya, did I miss any news yesterday?” he shouted over the noise of the shower.
“Yes, let me retrieve the data,” she responded. Spurious cracked a half smile. He had half expected her to respond by saying the CRK had contacted her, but instead she started rambling off information he had already read in the Lunia Post.
Satisfied, he pulled himself from the warmth of the shower, dried off and headed to his closet. He yawned, desperately wishing he could go back to bed. Sleep seemed more and more like the perfect remedy to clear his mind, but he had no choice but to go back to work.
As he slipped into his coat he remembered he did have an incentive to get his day started after all. Tonight he was going back to Rohania—tonight he was going to tell Lana he loved her.
Time: 10:02 p.m. February 18, 2071.
Location: Commons Building 21, Apt #44. Lunia, Tisaia
A holographic image of Anya appeared on the stand next to the front door. “Where are you heading this late, sir?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
Spurious’ heart stopped in his chest. He swallowed and pulled a black hooded sweatshirt over his head. “I’m heading back to work to finish up mapping the tunnels under a section of Rohania,” he said quickly.
“Sir, my system sensors show your eyes are dilated. This indicates you are not being truthful,” she said without hesitation.
He paused, thinking desperately for a new excuse. “Anya, you know I haven’t been sleeping much lately. I’m just tired, and I really don’t want to go back to work.”
Silence filled the room before Anya responded. “My memory shows you have been averaging approximately five hours of sleep per night. This is far less than your normal amount and not enough for you to function properly.”
“Trust me Anya, I know.”
“Very well sir. You can get caught up on sleep tomorrow night. I expect you will be home promptly after work.”
“Yes, promptly,” he responded, closing his flat door behind him, swiftly locking it with one twist of his metal key.
He paused in the hallway, letting his heart rate return to normal. His luck was running out. It was only a matter of time before Anya found out the truth.
Spurious sucked in a deep breath and went over his routine. It was pretty simple after he left the apartment. He always checked the hallway through his peephole to make sure no one was coming, and after making his way through the commons, he would head to Trolley Station #15. The train would take him straight to the last stop on the border of Lunia and Rohania. From there, he would take the same storm drain and sneak through the streets until he arrived at his old flat.
Tonight the station was unusually busy. Several patrons were waiting for the train that wasn’t due for ten minutes. Spurious was surprised that the fear of another attack hadn’t deterred employees and citizens from riding the trolleys. But then again, it hadn’t deterred him either.
He plopped down on a bench far from the view of several Knights patrolling the station and scanned the other passengers to make sure he didn’t know anyone.
Satisfied no one was eyeing him suspiciously, he surveyed the rest of the station, admiring the large rectangular lights that warmed the otherwise cold and dark platform. According to a report he had picked up, it took more Biomass to light the trolley stations in a given day than it did to light the entire SGS building in a year.
Spurious sat listening to the crackling of bugs being zapped by the hot lights as he waited for the train to arrive, clenching his teeth each time a bug met a fiery fate. Most people around him didn’t seem to notice.
A bright beam ripped through the darkness, the shriek of the brakes pulling Spurious from his trance. The doors creaked slowly and opened, several patrons descending from the train. He glanced at the two Knights, who continued to patrol the station before he boarded, reassured he had not drawn their attention.
The doors closed and the engine sparked back to life, moaning as it gained energy. Spurious continued to watch the Knights through the window. The blue glow of their goggles grew faint as the train raced away from the station. He continued to watch nervously even after they disappeared from view. There was something about their robotic appearance that terrified him.
He finally turned and watched the darkness consume the tunnel, his hands folded tightly in his lap to prevent them from shaking. Two of the passengers who had sat next to him had gotten up and moved, while two others across the aisle continued to read their tablets.
Spurious got up from his seat and walked down the aisle, bracing himself on the seats in front of him. He wanted to get away from these people. The only person he wanted to see was Lana.
The train finally slowed and crawled to a stop and he anxiously jumped out of the car and headed for the stairs.
* * *
The cobblestone streets of the East Square in Rohania were empty, save for a homeless man sleeping on a cold park bench. Spurious clung to the shadows, guided only by the sporadic light of street poles that were still in working order.
It was going on one month since he first started seeing Lana, but he knew their affair couldn’t go on forever. So far they hadn’t attracted the attention of anyone besides Ing and potentially Anya. He had been overly cautious, but knew it was only a matter of time before they were caught. The truth sent a chill down his spine. He couldn’t lie to himself anymore. He knew his time with Lana was limited.
The bright moon paved a trail of white light through the dark streets of Rohania. The streets continued to be mostly bare, save for a few drunken citizens stumbling home. Spurious was pretty much alone on this eve, which was the way he liked it. The less people to worry about, the faster he could make his way safely to his destination.
Before he knew it he was only a block away. He ducked into the back alleyway that lined the brick skin of the abandoned structure.
The door to his old apartment building was closed. He slid in checking his watch. It was just before midnight and he was a few minutes early.
He entered the apartment cautiously, lighting a match to shed light on the old room. Quickly he made his way to his old bedroom and lit several candles he had left on the floor. Making his way to the mattress, he organized the pillows and blankets they had bought from a vendor several weeks back. He wanted to make sure it was suitable for Lana when she arrived. His wrist watch chirped as the small hand hit midnight. Where is she, he wondered, starting to worry. After 20 minutes his concern grew.
An hour later Spurious began to doze off on the old, but comfortable, mattress. He awoke in a daze shortly after, realizing Lana was still not there.
Something must have gone wrong. I should have come with her.
Images of Lana being taken by the Knights or worse, raped by Varius, began to play out in his anxious mind. A knot formed in his stomach and a wave of nausea passed over him. The world began to spin; reminding him of all the times he had laid in his bed in the orphanage, wondering why he would never see his parents again.
“Damn it!” he yelled, kicking one of the candles across the room. He watched the wax spread across the wooden floor, contemplating his next move. It was late, but he knew he had to look for her. He couldn’t sit and wait any longer. If she was out there he was going to find her. He blew out the remaining candles, leaving the mess and racing out the door.
* * *
A loud grumble from a vehicle vibrated through the cobblestone streets. Spurious immediately recognized the sound. As he rounded a corner he could see the outline of a massive RRAD truck. The blue glow from the unmanned cockpit appeared ghostly in the darkness. It was the same blue the Knight’s goggles emitted. For a second he forgot about Lana and watched the machine slowly creep down the road on massive caterpillar tracks. Chemicals shot out of the two rotary fans attached to the roof of the truck, filtering radiation out of the air. Another pair of fans swept the streets below the tracks, cleaning the poison from the ground and healing the earth one street at a time.
Spurious pulled himself from the sight of the extraordinary machinery and continued down an alleyway, combing the darkness for any sign of Lana. He peeked inside pubs, and eateries, but to no avail. For hours he followed the glow from the street lights before they flickered and turned off, indicating morning was rapidly approaching. His heart sank as he headed back to Lunia.
She must have been caught. There wasn’t any other explanation. Spurious wasn’t sure which was worse; Lana changing her mind about him or the Justice Knights arresting him and taking him to prison. Either way, his life would be over, but at least he would have something to live for if the situation was the latter of the two. Deep down, somewhere beneath the misery boiling inside his guts, he knew he would see Lana again. He had to believe it, and repeated it over and over in his mind as he made his way back to Lunia.
His eyes finally spotted the copper roofs of the Commons building, and he slipped into his building without being noticed.
The sound of Anya’s familiar voice greeted him as he entered his apartment. “Did you complete your project sir? Would you like me to prepare the rain room?”
Spurious was too fatigued to decipher her words. Was she toying with him? Did she know? There was no way to tell. She didn’t have human emotions—she didn’t frown, sigh or sweat. Her tone never deviated.
Spurious took in a deep breath and trudged through his apartment, leaving his muddy shoes on the rug before flopping down on his mattress. “Yes, the project is now complete. Don’t bother. I think I’d rather go straight to bed.”
But sleep didn't come. Spurious couldn't stop thinking of Lana, and his eyes wouldn't obey. Every time he closed them images of her emerged. The terror deep in his gut began to increase as the horrid images continued. He had lost her, just like he lost his parents.
Chapter 10: The Silo
“Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free.”
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Time: 6:00 a.m. February 21, 2071.
Location: Junkyard. Rohania, Tisaia
Lightning tore through a thick layer of smog lingering above Rohania. A series of thunder claps shook the roof of Squad 19’s shelter. They watched as the brilliant flashes of electricity ripped through the clouds, a mirage of colors flowing like waves across the poisoned skyline.
Obi should have remained inside with his men but he wanted to watch the lighting in solitude while he contemplated their next move. He wasn’t sure if anyone else had survived the attack. And there was no way to know if any survivors would actually head to the pre-arranged rendezvous point, assuming the CRK didn’t already know about it.
Another flash of electricity slashed across the sky, the yellow glow so intense it remained frozen in Obi’s vision for several moments. The glare slowly faded and disappeared as he walked back inside.
The soldiers sat huddled around a small fire, warming their hands in silence. Obi was worried. And he didn’t like to worry, but he had never seen his squad so distraught. He knew how important morale was in a military unit, especially after a battle.
“Listen up,” Obi said, limping over to them. “I’m going to leave this one up to you. We got out safe, and we’re all together now. I figure we have three options ahead of us.”
The soldiers stared up at their commander, ready to fulfill any request he would ask of them.
“Option one is head to the rendezvous position now. I’m sure you’re all aware this could be a trap and the CRK could be waiting for us.”
Ajax’s lips quivered as if he wanted to respond, but he remained silent.
“Option two is head to Rohania and find a safe house, recruit some new TDU members, and meet up at the rendezvous point. If the Knights are waiting for us, we would have a fighting chance with more men. And that brings me to option three.” Obi paused again. “You have all fought valiantly with me for years now. And I won’t be ashamed or judge any of you if you want out. This is your pass out of the TDU. If you want to disappear into Rohania, you won’t be considered a deserter.”
None of his men said a word until he had finished. Creo was the first to rise, resting his rifle against a chair.
“There’s really just one option. I joined the TDU because I believed we could restore equality in Tisaia. I believed immigrants have a right to the same benefits as those born within the Tisaian walls. Even more importantly, I joined the TDU because I believe Biomass is a human right and should be shared with other countries. I don’t want to give up now. I’m still willing to give my life for this cause.” Creo sat back down, tears swelling in his eyes.
“We lost so many brothers and sisters, and killed so many innocents over the years, but we must continue to fight. We must head to the checkpoint and pray there are others waiting for us. If they are not, and instead the CRK is waiting with the
ir guns, then at least we’ll all die honorable deaths,” he said, grabbing his rifle and raising it into the air.
Ajax put an arm around Creo’s shoulder. “He is right; we don’t have any other choice. Life in Rohania is a worst fate to me than dying in battle. I’d rather take my chances at the rendezvous point than give up now.”
“And you Nathar, what do you think?” Obi asked.
“You know I’m in this to the end, brother,” he said, laughing.
Obi smiled. “Then I believe we have some work to do.” He coughed and sat down on an old folding chair.
“Here is what I have in mind. I have a contact in Rohania. He knows TDU sympathizers in Lunia, many of which work for the State. Ajax and I will meet with him and see if he can put us in contact with someone who has access to the tunnels leading to the CRK headquarters. This was always my plan, but Commander Heri never bought it. He said it was too risky. Maybe he was right, but we don’t have any other choice now.”
“What about us?” Nathar asked.
“I want you and Creo to travel to the Boondocks and recruit several more TDU members. We’ll meet back here in 48 hours before heading to the rendezvous point. Any questions?”
The three soldiers shook their heads simultaneously.
“Let’s move out. Be careful, men,” Obi said, grabbing his rifle and following Ajax out into the muddy junkyard. He froze as a crack of lightning broke through the silence of the night like a gunshot, and he was reminded of the fragility of their cause. Squad 19 fighting against an entire army wasn’t the type of odds Obi would ever gamble on, but his squad hadn’t survived this long just by getting lucky.
Obi jogged to catch up to Ajax, cracking a smirk. If anyone could take down the CRK, it was Squad 19.
Time: 11:00 p.m. February 21, 2071.
Location: TDU Headquarters Pantry, Tunnels. Tisaia
The view from the hideaway was much clearer than days before, when a smoky haze still lingered in the ruined headquarters. Ran crouched in the corner of the small room, his eyes glued to the small hole he had used to watch the slaughter. The Knights appeared to be gone, but the destruction and stench of death remained.
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