by C. A. Fraser
Stephen studied the defense turrets scattered around the island’s perimeter next. Fast firing with almost unlimited ammunition, he knew they would serve their purpose well. All AI were on line and prepared. Stephen knew he could proceed any moment, but held back preferring to be sure he had done everything possible to mitigate damage to the island and its new inhabitants. He expanded his focus seeking out the minds of the creatures on the island. Most were well ensconced within the protection of the forest. Those that were not, were well on their way and he knew they would be hidden in the forest before he began his operation. Next he moved to the sea surrounding the island. Any nanid enhanced creature capable of movement was doing so, following an impulse to move to the north end of the island. Stephen felt a small measure of relief when he recognized the octopus he had linked with among those traveling north. It was of no consequence but the human part of him felt a kinship with the creature after so many hours linked together. Stephen felt a flash of satisfaction.
Everything was proceeding as his calculations had predicted and he would trigger the attack soon. He moved to the last piece of his strategy. His link with EA allowed him to connect to the AI moving along the ocean floor in underwater drones. Much like the small submersibles of the past, the machines were solely intended to be underwater and could go to extreme depths. Stephen linked with the AI in each, ensuring they knew their task and would return upon completion. After receiving confirmation from each, Stephen turned and proceeded into the forest. He would take shelter with the ships and seal the underground facility to ensure EA and the nanids production facility was protected as well. Stephen arrived just as the AI were preparing to form the shield. He stepped inside and the hum of the generators cycling on signaled the shield forming. Moments later he and his ships were surrounded by a pale blue bubble sealing them off from the island.
Stephen moved to the middle of the clearing feeling a resigned sadness fall over him. His nanids once again extracting the toll for the necessary destruction he had wrought. His personal ship stood waiting for him when he finally arrived, having stopped to inspect several ships on his way. Stephen climbed aboard and checked its interface with EA and the AI across the island. The interface indicated the same information he received from EA. Everything was prepared and in position. He leaned forward watching the observation panel in the ship cycle through views from all over the island. He issued the silent command to begin, staring at the screen in front of him. Stephen Fore had begun his war against ODIN.
ARES observed the continued operations within the quantum shield from its vessel with in Cheyenne Mountain. The quantum was running at full capacity. It would ensure the shield stayed secure and sealed off any potential vectors of the Leviathan strain from the rest of the world. It was only able to perform base calculations for any military or NDP necessities. The rest was up to the humans. Even without its assistance the humans had proven quite organized and resourceful. In the ruins of a small city below the mountain they established a small community for humans trapped within the shield. This would allow them to be protected but would also allow for observation in case of exposure to the strain. ARES observed another ship coming into the community. It assumed more humans had been found.
The community was over one hundred strong and more were found daily. ARES knew there were some humans still in the area but was surprised at the numbers. Many were wanderers preferring not to stay with the rest of humanity in the few remaining cities. It was sure there were criminals as well and was confident the military would deal with those found to be. Operations within the shield were moving forward smoothly. ARES knew it could not say that for what was occurring outside the shield. Before its connection to the camp outside the shield was severed, several things had come to its attention. There was some sort of upheaval at the NDP. Tim Reed was dead, Curtis Reynolds a spy, and Wren Fore had disappeared. Now its only connection to the outside world was its avatar.
Simon Fore. The man had been a brave fighter and constant companion to Wren Fore. He had also possessed a specialized nanid strain specifically calibrated for ARES use. Initially used to stabilize the man when he was a boy, the nanids activated during the assassination attempt on Stephen Fore years ago. ARES and Simon were forced to merge during the Leviathan’s attack on the Fore’ several months earlier completing the nanids activation as a weapon. During the battle to stop the Leviathan days later Simon had sacrificed himself to ARES allowing his mind to be completely consumed by quantum. ARES turned Simon’s body and the nanids it contained into its avatar. ARES had defeated the Leviathan with the help of Curtis Reynolds. After it had made it look like Simon Fore and his body were destroyed when the Leviathan’s lair was destroyed.
In fact, ARES avatar, had left well before the destruction occurred and immediately evacuated the area that would be contained by the quantum shield. ARES was now using its avatar to keep abreast of the events outside the shield, through its control of the shield it could maintain a connection with the avatar and gather intelligence as needed. This had worked well until the recent events. ARES had changed the avatar’s mission. It was now trying to mitigate the chaos sweeping through the NDP. ARES was confident it would be successful. Even now it could sense the avatar moving to intervene with an unexpected disaster.
The panel that served as ODIN’s only point of contact with Stephen Fore was crushed into the metal wall where it had been mounted. It served no purpose for the quantum any longer and could be a point of access if what it suspected about Fore was true. ODIN stepped away from the dead panel moving back to its tower. It was disappointed that Fore had resisted his wife’s attempts to bring him back. The quantum had underestimated the man and now wondered if that had even been Stephen Fore. ODIN knew that it could have been the other quantum using Fore’s body much as ODIN was using Natalie Fore’s. ODIN entered its tower reviewing the interaction repeatedly. The speed at which Fore discovered its subterfuge suggested augmentation of some sort. ODIN marked it for further analysis moving it into its processing priorities.
Having failed with Fore, ODIN moved to its other prey. The hunters it had sent out had not made contact yet. It knew the male it sent to discover the fate of Worth should be close to finding her. The female hunter had a much more difficult assignment. It was pursuing an old trail trying to sift through millions of web interactions to find Wren Fore. ODIN knew it would succeed but would take slightly longer to complete its mission. ODIN turned its mind from Wren Fore and Director Worth, preferring to allow the hunters to complete their task.
It moved its consideration to Curtis Reynolds and Kelly Holt. The release to the remaining authorities in all surviving cities had turned up nothing. It was not surprised by the lack of results. Reynolds was very resourceful with years of security training, so going into hiding would not be difficult for him. ODIN considered its next move. The NDP outside of the shield was on alert for any attempt to access the shield and would detain both Reynolds and Holt if they intercepted them. ODIN was not content to wait for Reynolds to come to it. The information Holt had would be of little use to it months from now. ODIN issued a silent command as Director Worth. Across the country at every NDP facility, except for Cheyenne Mountain, all inactive NDP security drones engaged and began searching for the two fugitives. ODIN sent out a pattern for the drones to follow and they began immediately executing it. The agile machines were blurs across the sky as they began the search. ODIN watched the process for many minutes to ensure the drones were functioning properly. Satisfied the AI were executing its instructions ODIN ceased its direct supervision of the search bringing its attention back to Stephen Fore.
It would need to move against Fore soon or expand its resources. Maintaining the quantum shield was a huge draw on it and sharply impaired its ability to guide humanity and itself safely into the future. The quantum considered its options running the calculations thousands of times with each breath its avatar took. The mind of its avatar allowed for a slight increase in its fre
edom, giving access to senses and experiences it had not possessed prior. ODIN set a thread for the use of humans for its increased processing needs. It was turning its thoughts back to Fore when a surge of energy came across its connection to the quantum shield. The shield was under attack!
ODIN ceased all other functions pulling its resources back to the shield and sealing its chamber. Its avatar slumped to the floor, its mind devoid of it master. ODIN began checking the shield running through its protocol for an attack. It could see the weakness in the energy field from the attack. Using its connection to the shield it adjusted the flow of energy to compensate for the weakness and soon the shield was as strong as before. ODIN began to analyze the attack but was interrupted by another in a different section of the shield. It adjusted the flows once more covering the weakness. Another attack occurred followed by another then nothing. The quantum made the needed adjustments quickly. A flurry of attacks came across the shield and soon ODIN found itself completely consumed trying to keep it intact. The quantum was successful in keeping the shield intact and now was countering the attacks almost as quickly as they occurred. It knew the shield would stand. Its attention focused solely on Stephen Fore and the quantum shield. ODIN missed the report of a radiation monitor triggering somewhere in the Mid Atlantic Ocean.
The military airships moved back and forth in a grid pattern in the distance. Military drones were faint smudges monitoring the ships and protecting them from any potential attack. The Leviathan stood on the roof of one of the abandoned buildings in what was once the city’s downtown. Standing over one thousand feet tall, the building allowed an unimpeded view for miles around. The Leviathan had arrived as dusk was relinquishing control of the sky to the deep night. The dark did not phase it. The Leviathan moved as easily at night as the day. With no hesitation, it entered the building leaving the wolf and the rest of the horde to guard the entrance. There was no one following it but if someone stumbled across this building they were in for a nasty welcome. The Leviathan smiled to itself. Its mother had given it some truly wonderful birthday gifts.
It traversed the many floors of the building overcoming any obstacles easily. The strain was bonded to this body like no other, having grown with it. The strength and agility already exceeded the Leviathan’s first body. It rested knowing there was little to see and anything that it encountered would be sorely outmatched. As dawn approached it rose casually observing all different directions. It did not know exactly what it would see but was patient. As the sky brightened it saw the ships approaching from the south. It surmised their purpose was either search and rescue or seek and destroy. As it observed the ships it became convinced that they were rescuing any remaining humans from the area. It shook its head.
“Too little, too late,” it thought. It watched an airship descend out of the sky then rise again. An idea began to form in its mind. It did not know where the source of its prison was but knew that if it followed the military it would eventually find it. A plan began to form as it began to make its way down the tower. As it descended it began using the strain to alter its body. The weight that it had gained, receded leaving it looking withdrawn and emaciated. Several sores appeared and its hair became knotted and dull. Its gray eyes became sunken and its teeth stained dark. By the time it reached the bottom of the stairs, the Leviathan looked as if death were fast approaching. The starving boy began to make his way toward the airships, leaving his horde to hide in the city until night fell.
It drew closer to the ships by midmorning and when one came into view it stumbled and fell grasping for the ship in front of it. In its mind the Leviathan smiled. The emaciated boy lying on the ground caught the crews attention. The ship hung in the air momentarily communicating its intent with its command. Then it lowered to the ground, the energy field technology cushioning the landing. The Leviathan feigned unconsciousness as the crew approached. After checking his vitals which were weak and unstable the crew checked for any obvious wound or infection. Satisfied there were none they quickly bundled the boy into the ship returning to their base in the south. In its mind the Leviathan laughed knowing soon it would have the answers it sought.
Long after their master was gone in the ship, its horde emerged from the building In the deepening night the creatures of the Leviathan began following the direction their master went, hurrying to catch up to it. Slinking along the ground or gliding silently through the air, they made their way with their purpose set and dedication absolute.
EIGHT
Worth resisted the urge to struggle against whoever had pulled her from the craft. The air stung her eyes and she squinted trying to see who had seized her. Through her tears she could see it was a man but little other detail. He sat her down outside the ship moving away from her. Worth stood still as he disappeared into the toxic fog hanging around them. She could breathe but did not know how well her nanids would protect her from lasting damage. He was back before she realized, materializing out of the fog and indifferently handing her a breathing unit. She quickly donned it. The protoplastic sealed around her head and neck. The unit was amazing. It filtered all but needed gases protecting the user from any unwanted contaminants. It also conformed to the users features fitting like a second skin and was utterly clear. You had to be quite close to see if someone was using it.
Worth took a shallow breath knowing there was no need to hesitate, but doing so anyway. Clean air slowly filled her lungs. For the first time since waking she could breathe without effort. Her eyes slowly cleared as well, the sting of the toxins abating. She turned to her rescuer to thank him and froze in shock. Standing before her patiently waiting for her to finish installing the breathing unit was Simon Fore. Candace blinked trying to process what she was observing. The man’s red skin was flawless, the nanids functioning as armor for him as needed. His eyes matched the rest of his body and she wondered if was due to the air in this place. She shook her head trying to bring her mind to bear.
“But you are dead,” she said unable to manage more. Simon took a step toward her and she resisted the urge to pull back.
“I am not dead and I have been sent to aid you,” he replied. Worth knew instantly the man in front of her was not Simon Fore. She stepped back from him. She had heard this entity once before months ago. The body in front of her was indeed Simon Fore’s but the entity occupying his mind was not. Worth steeled herself before continuing, hoping she was right.
“ARES why are you here?” she asked. The quantum stood still regarding her before responding.
“As I said I am here to assist you.”
“Simon Fore did not die at Rocky Flats.” Worth stated staring back at the quantum.
“Simon Fore sacrificed himself that day to stop the Leviathan,” it stated. Worth could sense a deep respect in the quantum’s tone. “He gave up his body to allow me to defeat it. I then took the body and the nanids from the site prior to the explosion.”
“Did Wren Fore or Curtis Reynolds not inform you?” it asked. Worth thought back to the debriefings with Curtis. The man had not indicated that Simon Fore had not been in control of his body during the battle. She had not had a chance to debrief Wren before Tim took her back to Washington D.C. Then the woman had disappeared.
“No they did not,” she replied. “Why did you not allow the body to be destroyed with the other strain?”
“It and the nanids it is home to have not completed their purpose,” ARES said, before moving forward and gently guiding Worth away from the dead ship behind them. “Time is short. We must go.” Worth allowed herself to be directed away from the crash, knowing the death she saw inside the downed craft would follow her no matter the distance. They crossed the small clearing where the ship had crashed in silence. Worth felt tired, the crash and her rescue by the quantum finally taking its toll. She looked up to see one of the NDP security ships used during the Rocky Flats operation.
“That is how ARES got out without anyone knowing,” She thought wearily. They were almost to the sh
ip when she began to hear a low hum in the air around. It seemed familiar but she could not place it. ARES brought them to a halt, its blank red eyes staring up into the yellow fog. After a moment it turned to her gently, pushing her toward the ship.
“Run, Director Worth,” it said its voice flat and emotionless. Before she could move the hum stopped and a craft slowly descended from the fog between them and ARES’ vessel. The craft was familiar to her but she had never seen one used. A solitary insertion vehicle, it was intended for short range missions that required a high level of secrecy. This style of machine had only ever been used by the military. There had been no reason to use them since the global collapse brought on by climate change.
