by Ray, Joseph
The doors to every stone building opened as people, young and old, quickly swarmed out onto the road. Several young girls ran up to the Commander, pulling rags from pockets and aprons. They pushed and shoved one another with their shoulders, each wishing to be the first to wipe the blood of the Overseer’s shield. One of the young girls, formerly a hostage, dropped down to her knees and began to wipe the blood off his boots with the edges of her blue dress. “Thank you,” she cried. “Thank you so much.”
With his shield cleaned, the Command smiled and nodded to the people before venturing to the grain elevators. He strode around the tall structures, the wings of the black ship drawing his attention. Six men rested on their knees, their hands shackled behind their heads. Several villagers were walking down the ramp that came from the ship’s left side, each with metal shackles around their wrists. The Commander noted that all of them were young women, many with injured faces and torn clothes. One of the blue-cladded Overseers stood over the prisoners, his gun waving over each of their heads. The second soldier followed the last hostage from the ship, nodding to the Commander. Bastiian nodded to his men, his jaw remaining firm as he shoved his anger deep down within. He lifted his wrist, pressing a finger to the last of four buttons on his gantlet.
“This is Commander Dayne,” he proclaimed. “We need a prisoner transport to Weston, as well as a medical team and salvage crew. I have a jump ship out here for evidence lock up, and seven prisoners.”
“It’s good to hear your voice Commander,” a man’s voice replied in his helmet speaker.
“Thank you,” he replied. “Send a message to Earth. I want an I.I.U. Agent out here as quickly as possible.”
“Understood Commander.”
***************
I.I.U. Agent Nathan Calloway brushed his sandy hair to one side as he worked on a metaphorical pile of papers. The inbox at his desk was quickly becoming an untamable beast, growing stronger and wilder by the day. Ever since he’d returned from the President’s office, it seemed that everyone and their brother wanted a piece of his mind. Under normal circumstances, he’d been happy to share his thoughts, but the torrential downpour of requests was quickly making him wish he hadn’t survived the attack on the courtroom.
“I want that office cleared out,” Major David Ballistar ordered. “I want that one and the one next to it vacant in two hours. Do you think you can manage that?”
The two young men next to the Major seemed overwhelmed at the order though both wasted no time pushing into the doorway and starting on their task. Major David Ballistar had recently returned to duty though that duty never seemed to bring him into the office of the Interplanetary Investigative Unit Agency. The man placed his hands to his hips, glaring out at the sea of desks that occupied the middle of the room. Black circles formed under the Major’s eyes, telling Nathan that his friend hadn’t slept much over the last week. Like everyone else, someone shook up the Major and threw him at every problem that was discovered after the Cyber attack on the courtroom. The man grimaced until his eyes caught sight of Calloway.
“Thank God,” he muttered, slowly making his way around the desk. “Didn’t you get my message?”
Nathan looked at the indicator to his message inbox, not wishing to share the number on the screen. He shook his head, turned to the Major, and offered his hand.
“Glad to see ya on your feet,” he offered, completing the handshake. “Let’s just say your message is in there somewhere.”
The Major released his hand, turning to look at the screen on the wall of the Agent’s cubicle. His eyes caught the number of messages that awaited Nathan, a high whistle escaping from his lips.
“Well, that’s that I guess,” he replied. “How you holding up?”
Calloway looked around the room, uncertain of whom was listening to their conversation. He motioned his head to the side, then walked to the hallway. David followed though he struggled to keep up with the Agent. Nathan pressed the elevator, saying nothing as they waited for the lift to arrive. It was a short ride to the roof of the Agency though the lift only reached the top floor. Calloway used his badge to access the maintenance stairwell, walking up the stairs behind the Major to ensure he didn’t fall.
The sun hadn’t reached its peak, but the day was already proving to be a scorcher. The two men, both wearing suits of plain, uninteresting colors, looked out onto the city. A harrier passed them by, giving them both flashbacks of a time they wished to forget. David looked to his leg, still feeling the injuries of the high-caliber bullet of the stolen harrier. Nathan thought to Joseph, his lungs trying to choke him as his words still stuck in his throat.
“I’m sorry to drag you up here,” Nathan started, pushing down the tear in his eye. “This whole Cyber thing. I don’t know. I just don’t know who to trust anymore.”
“Yeah,” David replied. “I know, it just isn’t the same anymore. Every person I see is another potential Cyber. I watched my secretary for an hour yesterday, wondering if she had cybernetics in her brain somewhere.”
“Yeah, me too,” Nathan added. “I saw an old high school friend and tried to remember if he’d survived that car accident from college. I just kept thinking that if he had died, then he was a Cyber and I need to arrest him. I can’t take it. The not knowing that is. They should have tattooed their faces or something, you know? Just some simpler little way of telling who was who.”
The two men stood on the roof, the wind rippling their dress pants and throwing their hair into disarray. Neither knew exactly what to say, but both knew there was no comfort to be found from continuing the discussion of misplaced suspicions.
“So I’m going to get right to it,” David started after the long pause. “I just had an interesting talk with Colonel Gates.”
“Oh yeah?” Nathan said. “How’s the old man doing these days?”
“Watch who you call old. I’m not much younger than he is.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Anyways, it seems that Gates has been meeting with the President off and on for the last week. There’s been some talk about what we’ll do moving forward.”
“Well, that’s good, right? Gates is a good man and the President could really use some decent advice right now, especially when it comes to Cybers. So what are you tip-toeing around?”
“They want you off the Cyber case.”
“What?!”
“I know, I know. That’s what I said too. But the way things are changing around here, it kinda makes sense.”
“What do you mean by things are changing?”
David Ballistar paused at looked up to the sun. It didn’t seem that long ago that he and the Agent were on another roof, fighting for their lives. There hadn’t been a single blip on the radar as to where the Cybers went after the courtroom, only hints and speculations. The unknown was in charge now, forcing people of high authority to make rash decisions, like the one he was about to drop onto Calloway’s lap.
“They’re bringing back the DHS,” David stated.
Nathan offered him a puzzled stare, uncertain of what he was hearing.
“Is that some sort of school?”
David sighed and turned to face his friend. His limp grew worse as he tried to circle, an indication that his therapy wasn’t going as planned. Perhaps if he’d ever shown up to therapy, he’d be further along by now.
“Department of Homeland Security,” he informed Nathan. “Basically, it’s an agency in charge of securing the planet. They’re naming Gates as the head of the department, and he just tagged me as the public relations officer.”
“Public relations?” Nathan laughed. “You heading some big PR stunt for the President?”
“DHS didn’t go over well with the public back in the day,” he replied. “The public hated it from the moment it was born. So, I’m supposed to prevent that same hatred from surfacing. Right now, if the people see you anywhere near a Cyber investigation, they’re going to cry foul. So, I’m controlling your assignm
ents until further notice.”
“Okay,” Nathan started. “Not that I’m against having YOU picking my job for the day, but what authority do you have in this? I don’t work for you, remember?”
David closed his eyes, wishing to end the conversation. It was hard telling people bad news, but telling good friends bad news was somehow worse.
“With the MA program shut down,” he started. “The I.I.U. is the only foothold we have in other systems. If you go on an investigation, run into a Cyber, and some bystander gets shot, they’ll call for your head on a platter. Everyone knows you and Joseph were friends, so everyone is just waiting for you to go on some vigilante rampage, seeking revenge for your dead friend. We can’t have that happen. To answer your other question, they’re merging the I.I.U. with the DHS. So, in a way, I’m sorta your boss now.”
Nathan just looked to his feet as his new boss spoke. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen a friend promoted over him, nor was he stupid enough to believe it’d be the last. This time, however, his pride took a beating at the thought of being passed over. He’d earned the right to be the head of investigations, not some military lawyer by default.
“That’s just wrong,” he muttered. “You got no right.”
“Yeah, I know,” David said. “But that’s how it is, so get used to it. Since that cat is out of the bag, I feel I should warn you about the next step.”
Nathan’s eyes shot up, catching the firm stare of the Major.
“They’re putting together a group to go after the Cybers,” he continued. “I guess it was based off your suggestion to the President the other day. They claim they have a group that is well trained and can handle the fast reflexes and all that crap.”
“Who?”
“You won’t like it.”
“Fucking……who?”
“They’re pulling bounty hunters to hunt the Cybers,” Ballistar answered.
“Hunters?!” Nathan snapped. “You have to be joking? You’re worried about collateral damage and PR from me, and you’re letting them send hunters out there? Stupid, just stupid.”
Nathan turned and stormed to the stairwell, leaving the hopping Major behind. His hand had just reached for the knob when Ballistar yelled out to him.
“I have your next assignment,” he shouted.
Nathan sighed, withdrew his hand from the knob, and slowly turned around. His eyes bore deep into the Major, daring him to piss him off one more time.
“I need you to fly to Eden,” David stated.
“Eden?” he asked. “I’ve never been there. What the hell would they want someone from I.I.U.? Don’t they handle everything themselves?”
“They do,” David started. “But with the whole Cyber thing, I think they’re trying to maintain relations.”
“Relations?” he laughed. “How can they say ‘maintain’ when they never started in the first place?”
“Exactly,” David muttered. “But they made a request. Said they had slavers on their planet and they want an Agent present.”
“Why? That makes no sense at all. They want me to bring them here or to the slavers planet for trial?”
“They didn’t say. Just said they needed an Agent to be on their way today.”
“Well, guess I’ll go see what the big fuss is about then. Always wanted to see this perfect planet.”
**************
Jones sat in the room, waiting for Jana Wilkes to enter and start the meeting. The tall man had been sitting at the table for nearly an hour, silently passing the time with his two new companions. They two sitting on each side of the table were conversing together from the moment they’d met but had offered very little towards Jones other than a typical greeting. He took it as some sign that they snubbed anyone who wasn’t in the field.
“I just think that we’re looking at this whole Cyber attack from the wrong angle,” Keenan Kohl mumbled, his heavy face shaking as he spoke. “We should be making MORE Cybers, and use them to track down the traitors.”
“They’re not TRAITORS,” Vanessa Clarkston replied, her voice filled with distaste. “They have no control over their actions right now. We should be hacking into the wireless feed and bringing them home.”
Jones sat back in his chair, his long, gray coat too thick for the warm morning. His narrow features focused on the couple, absorbing every thought that transpired. Keenan Kohl was the Cyber historian, requested by Wilkes to find the starting point of the expedition. The short man was heavy, with a ring of gray hair around his head and a matching beard. Vanessa Clarkston was a technician for the MA’s and was tasked with understanding their programs, their logic, and how their systems functioned. The two experts had been chatting relentlessly when Vice President Wilkes stormed through the door.
“Oh, I’m so sorry I’m late,” she moaned, throwing her bag on the corner of the conference table. “I assume everyone has introduced themselves?”
“Oh yes,” Kohl replied. “I’ve been debating with Ms. Clarkston since she arrived. I dare say we’ll pass the time nicely, if nothing else.”
“Good, good,” Jana muttered, tossing her blonde hair with gray streaks over her neck and shoulders. “I’ve been dealing with this whole, Homeland Security mess all morning. You wouldn’t believe all the paperwork one has to sign to simply start up a new program.”
“If I may ask,” Vanessa interrupted. “I believe we are all curious as to why we are here? I’m afraid Mr. Jones has been rather silent, but a smart person would guess this has something to do with the Cyber situation.”
“Yes, well, straight to business then,” Jana replied. “I’ll just pretend you haven’t conversed yet so I know where to begin. This gentleman is Keenan Kohl, the government’s historian for the Cyber program. The lady is Vanessa Clarkston, one of the best technicians from the MA program. The quiet gentleman is Mr. Jones. He will be acting as my representative in this project.”
“And what exactly IS this project?” Keenan asked, looking to everyone one by one.
“Right, the project,” Jana stammered. “I believe you can appreciate when I say this, but what I am about to say must be kept confidential. That means you won’t be calling assistants for information or talking to your families about this. All research must be performed by yourselves, or through our own researchers, whom I will link to your data pads for quick reference.”
Wilkes paused, her eyes focused on the quiet man, Jones, at the end of the table. She’d barely left the President’s harrier when she got the message from the middleman, demanding to be on the task force. Somehow, she knew that he’d been involved with the call to the President though she wasn’t expecting such an obvious show of his hand.
“We are being tasked with finding Gabriel,” she stated.
“Find Gabriel?” Kohl laughed his belly jiggling. “Why would we waste our time on such a project? Historians have been tracking his known movements for centuries, and no one has made any decent discovery in the last two hundred years.”
“That’s true, you do seem worthless,” Jana snapped. “However, no historian has ever gained access to the lab of the first Cybers, have they?”
Kohl and Clarkston drew quiet, both leaning back in their chairs as they contemplated the weight of the VP’s words. The first lab of the Cybers was as much as a mystery as Gabriel himself. Though many pictures were available of the interior of the lab by use of the historical archives, no one had ever known the location.
Keenan Kohl wetted his lips, a bead of perspiration forming on his dark brow. A broad smile formed as his mind stepped through the events that would transpire. Dozens of historians had come before him, but he would be the first to break new ground.
“When do we start?” Vanessa asked, noting the improved atmosphere of the meeting room. “Obviously, we will clear our schedules, but we need time to gather our research tools and personal items.”
“You leave tomorrow,” Wilkes replied. “I will have an itinerary sent to your pads, as well as a list
of items you are permitted to bring. There will, of course, be a non-disclosure agreement that you will all have to sign. I assume that won’t be an issue?”
Keenan and Vanessa both shook their heads, both still pondering the thought of entering the lab.
“Good,” she continued. “Now, I’ll lay out a few ground rules for you. You will receive a military escort wherever you go. At no time will you attempt to leave your escort for any reason. If they say you are to leave or to do anything, you will do so without hesitation. The same goes for Mr. Jones. If he has a question, a request, or gives an order, you will follow it down to the finest detail. This, along with the agreement, is the rules laid out before you. If you break any of these rules then the government will have little option but to remove you from the team. Again, do you understand?”
“Completely,” Keenan replied.
“Good. If you’ll excuse me, I need a word in private with Mr. Jones. Just follow the orders you receive on your pads tonight, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
Keenan and Vanessa exchanged glances, as well as smiles, as they both stood from their chairs. Kohl held the door for the former MA technician, allowing for her to leave the room first. He turned, nodded to VP Wilkes and Jones, and then pulled the door closed behind him.
“You could, at least, come up with a first name,” Wilkes muttered. “They won’t respond well to you if you just maintain the mysterious Mr. Jones facade.”
“Their comfort is the least of my concerns,” Jones replied, leaning back in his seat. “I will say that I am intrigued by this team, though. It’s small, but I believe their expertise will prove useful in finding Gabriel. Wouldn’t you agree?”
