Zero Rogue

by Matthew S. Cox

  A deep resonant thud came from the blast door, and it rumbled downward into the floor. Talis made no move to go for it, pinned to the wall by fear of the laser pistol aimed at her face. Telekinetic force pushed Aaron’s hand aside an instant before he fired. A streak of azure light traced a glowing squiggle in the wall inches from her head, hazed by a puff of smoke.

  “Aaron, one moment, please,” said Archon, as he stepped over the top of the descending door.

  Wind from behind lofted his shoulder-length chestnut hair and set his white and blue ascot aflutter. He had the same tweed coat as he wore last time they’d met.

  Talis shifted, grinning at Archon like long lost family.

  “One moment?” yelled Aaron. “This bitch killed Allison!”

  He screamed with rage, flinging Talis into the air before launching her across the room. Her shriek became an unladylike belch as he accelerated her into a blur. Opposing force slammed into Aaron’s mind. She went from a streak of color to a hanging body in the blink of an eye and retched. Aaron growled and reversed the direction of his push, lining it up with the opposing energy so they combined. Again, Talis streaked into a backward blur, leaving a trail of vomit in the air. Archon broke out in a copious sweat, the red of exertion shone clear on his face.

  Opposing forces equalized. Rather than explode like a water balloon on impact, Talis slowed enough to suffer only a sprained arm when she struck the thermacrete wall.

  “Aaron, you must calm down.” Archon raised a hand, keeping it up until the telekinetic war ceased. “My word, you are powerful. Then again”―he offered a wan smile―“I am but a mere dabbler at telekinetics.”

  “Why the fuck are you protecting her?” Spittle flew from Aaron’s teeth as he panted.

  Archon raised both eyebrows. “You have your revenge now, my boy. There is no need to slay the woman.”

  “Oh, there is every need to.” Aaron raised the E-90 again, triggering another telekinetic back and forth.

  Talis screamed and slid to the floor, ducking the random laser blasts hitting the wall on all sides of her.

  “Anna, would you please de-charge that thing?” said Archon, sounding beleaguered.

  Anna looked at Aaron. Red faced, he stared, daring her to do it. She looked down.

  “She’s Awakened,” said Anna. “How else do you think she was able to force you to kill your wife past your emotional bond?”

  Aaron coughed as though he’d been kicked in the stomach. “W-what? You’re trying to recruit the bitch that killed Allison?”

  “Listen to reason, Aaron.” Archon gestured toward him. “If you kill her, your little ‘revenge quest’ is done and at an end. You would have little left but a hollow shell of a past life forever to lament.” He sauntered closer. “Look at how she’s cowering, weeping, begging… Do you think Allison would approve of slaying a helpless girl?”

  “I’m pretty sure I’d feel rather happy for a few days at least.” Aaron locked eyes with Talis. At the first sign of any manner of an ‘I win’ look, all bets would be off.

  Archon held his hand out, beckoning Talis into a one-armed hug. He patted her on the shoulder. “I’ve made a few adjustments to our friend here.”

  Aaron glared; for once, he didn’t mind his little ‘backlash’ problem.

  A nervous smile danced across Archon’s lips, twitching his goatee. “Would not you find it more fitting for her to remain alive as a loyal underling? She is one of us, Aaron. She is Awakened.”

  “I’m going to put her to sleep.” He raised the gun.

  Archon’s eyebrows flared, his glance shot to Anna.

  Anna put a hand on Aaron’s arm. “Listen to him, please.”

  He met her pleading stare. Was she making her eyes look like Allison’s on purpose, or did he only imagine it? Anna tugged his arm down. Her smile at least seemed genuine. Fear. She’s afraid of Archon… or is she afraid of me?

  Aaron lowered his arm.

  “Surely, you can see the benefit her talents can bring to our organization. The Awakened are too rare to squander the life of one, even if she did cause you great suffering. Think about how she was, Aaron.” He turned a dour frown on Talis. “How do you imagine she feels now?”

  “Like she’s getting away with murder.” Aaron snarled.

  “On the contrary. People like her cannot stand not being in control. They adore having power and using that power over others.” He pulled a finger across her jawline. “Is that not right, dear?”

  Talis gazed at the floor with a demure posture.

  Aaron grumbled. “She’s going to betray you as soon as she can.”

  “I rather doubt that.” A sweet smile pursed Archon’s lips as he caressed her cheek. “Since you did force the man to kill his dear wife, I do think you should apologize.”

  “I…” Talis shook where she stood and dropped to her knees. A second later, she burst into tears, wailing as though she had been the one forced to kill someone dear to them. “I’m so sorry, Aaron.” She sobbed. “I had no idea your partner was your wife. I just saw two cops.”

  Talis continued blubbering and wailing, begging Aaron to forgive him as she crawled forward and clasped her arms around his legs.

  Anna couldn’t watch.

  Aaron let his finger off the E-90’s trigger. This isn’t right. Even Talis would have preferred I kill her to this.

  Archon gestured at Talis. Her wailing faded to sniffling and post-crying staccato breath that made her sound like a little girl with a skinned knee. Aaron couldn’t reconcile the proud, arrogant creature he’d so despised for months with the sad wretch in front of him now. He still wanted to kill her, but couldn’t escape the thought even Allison would ask him not to.

  “She did not seek to harm you personally,” said Archon. “She saw two police officers. Departmental policy is not to allow close relatives to serve together, is it not? How could she have known?”

  Aaron scowled. Guilt shifted from Talis to himself for insisting―no, begging―Captain Torres to allow them to ride together. If he had obeyed the rules, Allison would still be alive. He would have killed some other poor slob, and who knows what would have happened to his career, but it wouldn’t be as bad as now. The emotional scar wouldn’t have been anywhere near as deep; he wouldn’t have awakened, and he wouldn’t be caught up in this mess.

  He slouched. Anna squeezed his arm. Defeat saturated his very being, though she looked closer to tears than he felt.

  “Now that this unpleasantness has abated, shall we call it an evening?” Archon’s placating smile still held a trace of unease when he looked at Aaron. “We have much to accomplish. Are you ready?”

  Aaron’s glare bored into Talis, who knelt before him like a conquered peasant, the embodiment of meekness. No trace of victory lurked in her face.

  “I’ll need a moment to think about it.”

  he sudden presence of electronic music made Anna jump. Archon rolled his eyes and let off a belabored sigh. He raised a delaying finger and paced a few meters off to the left with his NetMini held to the side of his head in sound-only mode. Talis crawled away from Aaron and got to her feet, staring at the ground.

  Aaron put a hand on top of Anna’s. “What was that look before?”

  She gazed into the rippling green puddle around her boots. “They didn’t believe you because they couldn’t look into your mind. I’m sorry, Aaron.” Her expression became brittle. “I know what it’s like to have friends turn on you.”

  “Missing? What do you mean missing?” Archon raised his voice. “The bloody thing is over a mile long.”

  Aaron squinted at him. “Oh?”

  Anna fidgeted. “Some of my friends thought me dangerous. Didn’t want me around, thinkin’ I’d bring the CSB down on them. I’d told them I was psionic weeks before, and it didn’t bother them.”

  He glanced at Talis, still with her hands clasped in front of her and eyes downcast. She had the posture of a scolded schoolgirl. Aye, funny thing that.

 
; “You do not just ‘misplace’ corporate samurai or enormous military starships!” yelled Archon. A moment of angry shuddering ended with fingertips pressed to his temples. “Tell Lauren to find him.”

  Anna’s longing glare peeled away from his. She walked over to Archon and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He mumbled into the NetMini a moment longer. When he snapped his arm down, he turned toward her with a basic smile and they shared a dispassionate kiss. Her eyes brimmed with worry and sadness.

  Archon kissed her again, with no more intensity than the first time, and patted her on the back. “Come on, luv. There’s been a complication. Mamoru’s gone missing.”

  He strode into the hallway beyond the blast door, with Talis following. Her demureness had faded; she strutted at his side as though she owned the world. Aaron narrowed his eyes. There you are. Some of you’s still alive in there.

  Anna’s sad face lessened when she made eye contact with Aaron. “Coming?”

  “Anna…” Aaron trotted up to her, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I’m starting to get a bit worried about you.”

  “Me? You’re worried about me? I’m not the one with suicidal visions of revenge.” Her tone came off accusatory, though her grin took the sting from it.

  “You said you’ve had friends turn on you. Do you think they might’ve been influenced?”

  “Influenced?” She blinked. “Who would bother?”

  Aaron nodded in the direction of Archon. “He completely reprogrammed that bitch. This isn’t the same woman I’ve been after. I don’t even recognize her.”

  “You…” Anna’s face flushed. “You’re saying he’s…”

  He leaned close enough to kiss her cheek, whispering, “I saw that kiss. He looked like an irritated executive making nice with a wife he’s cheating on.”

  She fumed, though her eyes welled with tears. “He’s busy, Aaron. That’s what it is. He’s busy, and he’s gotten bad news. Someone’s stolen the Angel.”

  “The little girl?” Aaron raised an eyebrow.

  “No, twat. Not a metaphorical angel, a starship named Angel.” She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “James found me in the gutters of London and saved my life. I’ve no reason whatsoever to believe he’s done anything to me other than help, and I’ll not tolerate another word to the contrary. Besides, what would it have accomplished?”

  Rage simmered in her sapphire eyes, tempered with doubt. At any second, she looked as if she could burst into sobs or go off on a lightning-tossing bender. He suppressed the urge to reach up and caress her cheek. Forty some yards away, Talis waved to them from the side of a sleek, luxury hovercar, beckoning them to follow.

  He narrowed his eyes at Archon’s back. “What could he have done, indeed.”

  Anna gave him a light shove in the gut. “You’re turning into a paranoid bastard, Aaron. James is on our side. I owe him everything I have, and I do love him… even if he is a bit of a twit sometimes.”

  “Are you sure you’re all right? You’ve got such a sad look.”

  Anna looked down. “Not you too.”

  “Me too?”

  “Althea said the same thing; said I was ‘sad inside.’” She clenched her fists.

  “The girl is an empath, no?” Aaron tried to summon a smile but couldn’t find it. “She would know.”

  “I had a shitty childhood. Of course I’m not well adjusted.”

  She walked off toward the car, boots echoing in the hollow space like the ticking of some great clock counting down.

  Aaron thumbed Allison’s nameplate. Still cold.

  “Are you with us?” she asked, without looking back.

  With us or against us, aye? Aaron thought back to his meeting with Mikhail. Anna paused halfway to the car to smirk at him. A momentary glance flitted between her and Talis, settling on Archon as he climbed into the driver’s seat. Anna looked angry, wounded, and pleading all at once. A feeling he had not let in for months clutched his heart. The dread glimmering at the edges of her eyes lessened as he moved toward her.

  Aaron jogged up to her side. “You’re right. Division Zero can’t be trusted. When they figure out they can’t contain me, I’ll either wind up dead or in a plain white box. I’m on board. Where do I sign?”

  She let out a breath she’d been holding, allowing a flimsy smile. “We’ve got all the paperwork at the old plant. Health plan’s a bit wonky, though. The doctor we wanted didn’t take the job.”

  “I’ll try not to get dead then.” He winked.

  Anna exhaled a chuckle tinted with sadness, and headed for the car.

  Aaron let the cold nametag slip from his fingers into his pocket and grasped the door handle. Talis peered over the front seat with a demure smile for a second before facing forward. He bowed his head and let a long, silent sigh out his nostrils. It would only take a second to rip the E-90 out of his jacket and end Talis. Archon couldn’t possibly react in time to stop him. Anna needed him. He couldn’t put a finger on why he believed that, but the gnawing feeling wouldn’t leave him alone. That little girl saw the same things he had in her: sorrow, resignation, vulnerability, a person forced to be someone they weren’t. If he killed Talis, he might be killing Anna too. He couldn’t leave her with Archon.

  Something wrong? asked Anna in his mind. Are you coming?

  He pulled the car door open and got in. “Yeah.”

  Worry glimmered in her sapphire eyes. “I’m not sure I like that look.”

  Aaron bowed his head and tried to let go of vengeance, for her sake. Even if she didn’t know it. Even if he couldn’t have her. “I’m just peachy. This thing wif Talis ain’t exactly the kinda thing I kin just drop.”

  Talis shrank in on herself.

  Anna put a hand on his leg. “Archon knows what he’s doing. He will protect us all.”

  Will he? Aaron glanced at her and put his hand on hers. “Aye. Let’s go.”

  The car rose into the air and steered north. Going with ‘The Awakened’ could end wrong in a thousand different ways, but at least he felt as though he might do some good for Anna. He didn’t trust Archon whatsoever, something about the man struck him as off. Mikhail’s words rattled around Aaron’s head. Could he trust his old mentor to get Division Zero back on his side? Aaron closed his eyes and let out an inaudible sigh.

  Nothing for it but to try. Oy, Allie, could really use a hint about now.

  Thanks for reading book 5 of The Awakened series!

  I’d like to thank the team at Curiosity Quills Press for making this book (and the Awakened Series) a reality. More specifically:

  Mark Woodring – for being the editor every writer longs to work with.

  Eugene Teplitsky – for the beautiful cover.

  The Awakened series is set in the Divergent Fates universe. Other novels also in this world include:

  The Division Zero Series

  Virtual Immortality

  The Daughter of Mars Series

  The Harmony Paradox

  For more information, visit:

  http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/books/

  Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew Cox has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

  Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.

  He is also fond of cats.

  Now that you have completed this book, we hope you will leave a review so that other readers may benefit from your perspective. Authors like Matthew S. Cox live and die by your reviews, after all
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  Division Zero, by Matthew S. Cox

  (https://curiosityquills.com/kindle/division-zero/)

  Most cops get to deal with living criminals, but Agent Kirsten Wren isn’t most cops. She works for Division Zero, the police who investigate psionic crimes. Her gift of being an Astral Sensitive ensures she gets all the “strange” cases no one else can deal with. Isolated and alone, even among other psionics, she tries to hold on to the belief that no one is beyond redemption as she pursues a killer desperate to claim at least one more innocent soul – that might just be hers.

  Pop Travel, by Tara Tyler

  (https://curiosityquills.com/kindle/pop-travel/)

  In 2080, technology has gone too far for J. L. Cooper. He avoids pop travel teleportation, until he stumbles onto a video of a pop traveler who turns to dust. Sparking a series of murders and threats to his brother, Cooper wants to pass off the evidence but knows he’s being watched. And who would believe him?

  With help from the neurotic genius “Creator” of pop travel and a beautiful Southern charmer, Cooper must expose the deadly glitch and shut it down or die trying. No problem.

  Shadow of a Dead Star, by Michael Shean

  (https://curiosityquills.com/kindle/shadow-dead-star/)

  As an agent of the Industrial Security Bureau, it is Thomas Walken’s duty to keep the city of Seattle free of black-market technology. But when a trio of living sex-dolls he has recently intercepted are stolen from custody, Walken finds himself seeking a great deal more than just contraband. He will be forced to use his skills and preternatural instincts to try and keep his career, his freedom, and his life.

  The Actuator: Fractured Earth, by James Wymore and Aiden James

  (https://curiosityquills.com/kindle/the-actuator-fractured-earth/)