Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness

by Kristie Lynn Higgins

"What have you done so far to stop them?"

  "I sent a strike team into the Factory, but they were terminated," Orthos answered. "I was about to send in a second, but thought I should inform you first."

  "Hold on that. Set up a perimeter. Let none of the T-3s out. For now we will contain. But I do want you to send out strike teams after any of the T-3s that have left the Factory's main site."

  "Yes, sir. I will keep you informed." Orthos hung up.

  The Chairman removed his earpiece. "More rogues. What does it mean? Is another corporation behind this? Or is there a problem with their programing?" He rubbed his forehead as a headache set in. "And why is the Council's project staying with my daughter?" He leaned forward, picked up the phone, and dialed.

  The secretary answered, "Yes, Mr. Griffin."

  "Cathy, get me the Council."

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Down Time

  October 18...

  Monday...

  10:41 A.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Residential Vicinage...

  Steam hung in the air as Kat stepped from the guest bathroom shower and dried with a fluffy white towel. The bath felt good. It was a luxury she didn’t have living on the streets. Because of water rationing, those from the nonproductive part of society were issued large towelettes. What one of her friends called, a bath in a bag.

  Kat had washed away the filth, but it didn’t change her glum demeanor and her head still pounded. None of the medications Kim gave her did anything for the migraine. Kat started to feel anxious as she looked at her shaky hands. She knew the side effects of the Ultra-Epi were only going to get worse, but what could she do without the Music Box?

  She slowly put on the clean clothes Kim had bought for her. First the white underwear and sports bra and then the gray-black pants. They were almost identical to the ones she had worn. She took the towel, wiped the steam covered mirror, and stood barefoot, gazing at her reflection. Her face was still pale, and she felt weak. She stared at her hazel eyes, seeing the different shades of brown and green.

  As if it was an everyday thing to be tending a wound, Kat glanced at the stitches in her shoulder and opened the kit Brian gave her to redress it. She put fresh ointment and gauze on her blistered palm, a new bandage on her shoulder, and carefully pulled on a white t-shirt. Kat left the bathroom, returned to the couch, and gazed at the blank TV, knowing the ever watchful eyes of the Phoenix were upon her.

  "There’s some eggs and juice on the coffee table." Kim washed a stainless steel frying pan in the kitchen sink as she wondered about the importance of Kat. She told her, "Eat. You haven’t touched anything since I brought you here from the hospital yesterday." She watched as Kat continued to stare at the black screen. Kim insisted, "You need to eat, so come and sit."

  Not hungry and deeply upset, Kat ignored her and wondered, "Why do I feel so wronged by her? I barely know Kimberly. She... Maybe it's not that. Maybe something else is bothering me."

  “I feel very uncomfortable having this strange woman in my home,” Kim thought. “On top of that, she keeps ignoring me. What's her problem?” She tightened her jaw, controlling her anger as she grabbed a kitchen towel and dried her hands.

  Kim asked, "How do you expect to regain your strength if you don’t eat?"

  Kat remained silent.

  "I’m tired of this silent treatment!" Kim threw the towel down on the counter, left the kitchen, and marched around the couch. "Get up!"

  She stared at the floor, wondering, "Why can't she leave me alone?"

  Kim grabbed her right arm and forced her to stand. "Something has to change. Look at me!"

  Showing pain and exhaustion, Kat lifted her gaze.

  "You need to snap out of it! I’ve seen you in action at Zeus Park and at Topa’s estate. Hades! You’re like me. You're a calculating predator." Disgusted at Kat's show of weakness, Kim commanded, "I need you to get that mind set back. I need you to regain that inborn or programed reaction. I want to see that primal drive to survive! Show me your killer instinct!"

  Appalled by the accusation, Kat insisted, "No! I'm not like that!" She pulled against Kim's grasp. "Let go. I’m not a killer. Let go of me!"

  Kim wouldn’t release her and pressed the issue, "You are like me. You're like those Un-Men that hunt you. You're a killer."

  "No! It’s a lie! Stop saying it!" Kat was terrified she was telling the truth. She feared deep down she was a cruel monster hiding in the guise of a kind person. She feared the monster only waited to wake and show the world its true nature. Kat had immense anxiety over the possibility that she only forgot about her ruthless self, and that she had been exactly what the Council wanted her to be. Because of those dreaded insecurities, she screamed all the more, "Stop saying those things! Let go! I’m not a killer! Let go!"

  "For Ares' sake! Accept it. You are." Kim increasingly pushed with her words. She had to get a response from her. She needed some emotional reaction from Kat, hoping it would end her brooding. Kim's voice rose, "I need you to draw on that, that murderous instinct of yours." She squeezed Kat’s arm. "Show it to me! Let it out! You know you want to. So let it out!"

  "No! Shut up! I’m not a killer!" With her right arm in her grasp, Kat lifted her left fist. She struck Kim in the cheek and hurt herself in the process. "Crap! Crap!" Kat grabbed her reinjured shoulder and took a step back after Kim had released her. Some of her stitches had popped. Kat seethed in agony for several moments then realized what she had done.

  She thought, “Out of anger I hit someone. Oh my gosh! I wanted to hurt Kimberly for reminding me of my own fears. Doesn't that make me a monster?” Kat shook her head and took another step back, horrified by her own violent act.

  She started to say, "I'm... I'm..."

  "Hades that hurt!" Kim grabbed her cheek and rubbed it. "Did you have to hit my face?"

  Ashamed, Kat closed her eyes, wanting to run away and wondered, "Maybe Kimberly’s right." She felt sick. "Is that what I am? A killer?"

  Kat whispered, dying inside, "I’m sorry." She opened her eyes, and they were red as if she had been weeping. "I'm sorry." Wanting to flee the possible truth, Kat turned, grabbed the jacket Kim had loaned her, and she rushed out of the apartment.

  "Wait! Don’t go!" Kim started after her and looked down at her slippers. "Great. Just great!" She flipped them off, and they flew through the air. Kim grabbed her running shoes and pulled them on without untying them. She raced into the hall and heard the elevator close. "Don’t go!" She rushed to the elevator and watched as the numbers climbed. "The roof." She ran to the stairs, rushed up ten flights, and burst through the door, panting.

  Kat stood at the ledge, leaning on the metal railing surrounding the top. Kim paused as a cold air hit her, and she shivered. Below Kat, a car drove down West 1000 Avenue and honked at a dog that ran in front of it.

  Still feeling ashamed, Kat pulled the jacket close in the chilly air, babying her hurt shoulder. The cold railing felt nice against her burned hand wrapped in gauze. The hand hurt even more since hitting Kim. She thought, "I wouldn't blame Kimberly if she wanted to shoot me again. Why did I hit her? She was yelling at me, but she wasn't going to hurt me. Do I believe she's right? Is that it? I wanted to stop her from speaking the truth?"

  Gasping for air, Kim leaned back against the door. "Why did you come up here? What if one of the Un-Men spots you?"

  "They won’t come here," she answered. "Your apartment has a protective barrier that bio-mechas are unable to cross. Something deep within their programing bars them from entering. So this place is a safe zone. At least, until they can get around their programing."

  "How do you know that they... Never mind. You haven’t answered my first question. Why did you come up here?"

  "Why?" Kat looked at Zeus Park across the street, remembering the last time she left the safety of Nexus. "Where else could I go?!" She paused and added, "I’m not a killer." Kat wrapped her arms around herself and said in a gentler tone, "I’m not like you." She li
fted her gaze to the sky. "Though, I think that's what the Council wants." She turned to Kim, and Kat’s face showed determination. "And I have defied their wishes. I have worked very hard not to kill anyone. And no one has died by my hand."

  Kim questioned, "You’re joking right? I’ve seen you with the Un-Men. You’re so good at killing them."

  "Un-Men are robots. They’re not alive. They're different," Kat insisted. "I’ve killed no one. And I’m not going to start."

  "For Ares' sake! You won’t survive in this world with that kind of attitude. You have to take the shot when you have it."

  "I can't live like that," Kat thought as she glanced at her.

  She then asked, "Do you like what you do?" Kat turned back to the park. She didn't want to have to look at Kim, still feeling a little guilty over hitting her. "Do you enjoy murdering people?"

  "What kind of question is that?" Kim walked toward her.

  "An honest one. Isn't that what we're doing right now? Aren't we being honest with each other? Well then... I want to know. Are you who you want to be? Are you happy?"

  "Happy? Mine is a necessary job in this world. My happiness has nothing to do with it."

  "Still... You seem... You seem very sad."

  Kim laughed. "Right, a Closer with emotions. A good one."

  She moved beside her, leaned on the railing, and wondered, "Why does Katharine resist who she is with such passion? Why shouldn’t she kill?" Kim folded her arms. "Kill or be killed that’s life."

  "Aren’t we a pair," Kat said as she felt the full brunt of October’s frosty wind. "I want to express emotions, but can’t. You can, but your job forces you to disregard them."

  "Hmm..." Kim ignored her comment, glancing over the ledge. "Are you here to jump?"

  "I was thinking about it, but then they would win."

  "Let’s go back inside then. It’s cold out here." She glanced down at Kat's reddening bare feet. "And neither of us is dressed for the weather."

  She followed Kim back to the elevator. Once inside the apartment, they sat at the table. Kat put on a pair of socks Kim had given her.

  "Here, drink this to warm yourself." Kim handed her a cup of chicken noodle soup.

  "Thank you." She took a sip.

  She noticed Kat rubbing her shoulder, and Kim said, "Take your jacket and t-shirt off."

  Caught off guard by the request, Kat looked up from her cup. "What?!"

  "Hades..." Kim stood. "Don’t be such a baby. Let me look at your shoulder."

  Kat hesitated, but did as told.

  Kim removed her blood spotted bandage. "Look at that. You did it. You busted a stitch, but I don’t think we need to see Brian. I’ll butterfly it and put on a fresh bandage." She retrieved a first aid kit and bandaged the wound. "There."

  Carefully, Kat pulled her t-shirt back on.

  A few minutes passed as Kim put the kit back then she sat, drinking her soup.

  "Umm..." Kat stared at the yellowish liquid and whispered, "Something’s wrong with me."

  Kim questioned, "What?"

  "I..." Kat cleared her throat and spoke louder. "I haven’t been right inside since Etna Toys."

  "Yeah." Kim chuckled. "You were shot. And now you’re having soup with the inflicter of your pain. So of course you’re not the same."

  "No. More than that. I think..." She knew Kim was going to be angry. "I think I need the Music Box. I need to hear Unfinished Melody."

  "Nice try. But like I said..."

  "I’m serious!" Kat shouted. "What if they did something to me?" She ran her fingers across the table’s edge. "No. Not what if. What did they do to me? You... You don't understand! It's the only thing that works. Your pain killers have done nothing for my headache. And look at me... The way I'm acting right now. This is not the normal me. I'm not so up tight. I'm not..." Kat pleaded, "Please, let me listen to it."

  "No! Now drop the matter!" Kim slammed her cup down, and some of the soup spilled. "All that stuff is all in your mind!"

  Kat sulked.

  In a calmer tone, Kim said, "You should try to get some rest." She stood. "You haven’t slept since Brian gave you that sedative. I should know. I heard you tossing and turning on that squeaky couch all night." She took her cup to the kitchen. "Stay here. I’m going out. I shouldn’t be long."

  Kim made her way to the parking garage and slid into her car. She opened her glove compartment, took out the Music Box, then placed her fingers over the squares. "Mom."

  The sides glowed blue under her touch, and the 3-D image of Theresa Griffin materialized.

  The hologram turned her head side to side as if looking around the car. "I detect no surveillance. It is safe to talk. Were you able to accomplish the mission?"

  Nostalgic, Kim passed her hand through the image of her mother. "Yes, I have Pandora. Now what?" She raised the Music Box, bringing the image closer. "You mentioned she was the Key. The Key to what?"

  "I am sorry, but I was never downloaded with that information. I only know she is the Key."

  "So now what?"

  "This next thing is very important," the hologram said. "If you fail to accomplish it, it could bring disaster."

  Kim bit her lip with anticipation. "What is it?"

  "You must give this Music Box to Katharine. She must have it with her at all times. Do you understand?"

  "You’ve got to be kidding."

  "No. I am not. Katharine must not reach the Gamma Phase. Do you know what stage she is at?"

  "Stage?" Kim questioned and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

  "Has she run into any bio-mechas? Does she know when they are near?"

  "Yes."

  "That’s the Alpha Phase. What about killing them?" the hologram questioned. "Can she take them down with one shot?"

  "Yes."

  "This isn't good. Katharine has achieved the Beta Phase. I pray she hasn’t accomplished the Gamma."

  Agitated, she said, "Never mind Katharine. What about my mom? How do I find her killer?"

  "Theresa hid data devices that only this unit can read. If you can find them, they may have clues to whoever killed her." The hologram said, "Now, give this box to Katharine."

  "Fine. How long am I supposed to baby-sit?"

  "I do not know," the hologram answered. "Stay safe." Her image disappeared.

  Ten minutes later, Kim stood and stared at the letter H on her apartment door. "Why is it I tell Katharine I’m going to do one thing, then the hologram has me do the opposite?"

  Sometime later...

  "Welcome back Ms. Griffin," A.C.S. stated. "The apartment..."

  Kim interrupted the computer. "Night mode."

  A.C.S. lowered its volume and stated, "Setting lights at fifty percent. Will there be anything else Ms. Griffin?"

  "No. That's all." She looked to the living room and saw Kat's reflection in the TV.

  Kat lay on the couch, covered with a heavy blanket, and stared at the coffee table.

  Kim thought, "Here I go again, swallowing my pride and giving in to my mom's wishes." She walked over, set the Music Box on the coffee table, and opened the lid.

  Unfinished Melody played.

  "Thank you," Kat said as the hollow feelings vanished, her eyes grew heavy, and she fell asleep.

  "Don’t thank me," Kim mumbled.

  She then thought, "If you weren’t the Key, I would have let you die at Etna Toys. And I would be rid of this insanity."

  Chapter Thirty-four

  The Proposition

  October 19...

  Tuesday...

  1:20 P.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Industrial Vicinage...

  The Corvette pulled into the front parking lot of Etna Toys. The N.C.P.F. had been there earlier and had taped off the front curb where the T-3s killed the two Factory S.C.Ms. Cautious, Kim exited the car, glanced around the deserted area, and grabbed her knapsack. She wore her black work outfit minus the knit mask. No wind rustled the weeds, leaving the parking lot in an eer
ie quiet. She quickly entered the front door.

  "Noir Civil Police Force must not have come in here," she thought. "There is no police tape, but the area has been cleaned of Un-Men and gun shells. So someone else must have cleaned up the mess." After searching the front area, Kim grabbed Kat’s backpack, Ravlek Vest, and found her empty Beretta underneath one of the boxing machines. "Why didn’t they take her things? Did they leave them for her?" Curious, she looked to the open elevator and wondered, "Katharine said she believed the Council was based here all along. She said she had been looking for them and the Factory." Kim stepped toward the open doors. "Maybe they left something behind." She entered the cab, removed her holstered PPK, and pressed the basement button.

  Once reaching the basement, light from the elevator broke the darkness of the room as she removed a flashlight from her knapsack. Kim found a light switch and flipped it on, but nothing happened. She searched the room with her flashlight and found it was empty. A door stood at the opposite end. Hesitant, Kim made her way to it, opened it, and entered the next room. She moved the beam back and forth and searched the mostly empty room. In the center was a large table. A few abandoned plugs and cables lined one of the walls.

  "Nothing. Wait. What’s this?" She walked to the table, finding a white business envelope with the words For Pandora written on it. Kim picked it up and contemplated if she should open it. "Why not?" She opened the envelope.

  "Pandora, as one of the members of the Council, I have to say I am very proud of you. Even though you did not reach the Gamma and Delta Phases of your metamorphosis, I am still very impressed with you. We had hoped with the training and conditioning, you would have accomplished the phases this past year. You did not. For that reason, the others are not pleased and wish to terminate you. I have convinced them to delay that. We can still acquire valuable information from you. Be warned though, I cannot hold off your termination indefinitely, and the Council is more resourceful than the Factory. The Life Closers we sent after you were merely tests. They were not a means to destroy you. Increase your skills, so when the time comes you may bar your termination."

  Kim paused from reading. "So according to this member, Katharine hasn’t reached her Gamma and Delta Phases. Whatever they might be." She paused in thought. "Why is my mom so concerned that Katharine not reach them? What kind of disaster could they bring?"