Titus

by Caleb Byrnand

  It works. Titus lowers his defences and the two become connected. He attempts to disengage the hold over Noah but Dumachus resists. This is purely just a show of strength and an invitation.

  “Come and get me.”

  CHAPTER VI

  Simon

  Simon’s faith has been disturbed. The gloried brothers come to lead our great army to victory are at arms with each other instead. The prophesies are put into doubt and now the core of his beliefs has been put into question. To add to the anxiety, his all-access pass has been revoked.

  Simon enjoyed spending time at the docks; basking in the positive energy, watching a unified crowd have their collective goal realised. Followers and Guardians are still waiting to be deported by the droves, with every launch bay at maximum occupancy. When the returning ships land there’s always a cheer before the people board. However, the Guardians are more reserved. They do communicate with each other, but rarely with people.

  His vantage point is short lived when a security officer begins to move people along. Simon decides to head back to his dormitory. It should be quiet there and it would give him a chance to practice the exercises Sacro issued him with. He approaches the elevator landing, pushes the up button…

  Simon wakes up on the middle of the pathway, surrounded by debris and blood. With no idea where he is or how he got here, he tries to lift his head to look around. The ringing in his ears and double vision are not long sustained and soon cognitive function returns. The ground is littered with unrecognisable body parts and severed limbs, burnt clothing and wall panels, the result of a massive explosion from one of the docking ports. Panic is starting to set in. People aren’t getting up.

  As he sits up he feels a huge pressure build up on a section of his back. He leans to one side and flexes his abdominal muscles. With the pressure and pain increasing he digs deep and bites down hard. A cleaver shaped piece of metal is pushed out of his back and hits the floor. Simon exhales and breathes deep, the rush of endorphins to ease the pain taking effect. As his wound begins to heal he looks for his escape route, a way back to his Master Elder.

  The hallways and thoroughfares are abuzz with activity. People are being evacuated from the docking ring as the dead bodies are removed. Guardians and followers rushing about, stressing hard about the latest developments. Never has there been an attack like this on hallowed ground before. Tensions are high to say the least. Simon manages to duck and weave his way through the burgeoning crowd and reaches the elevator to carry him to level four. He can sense his master’s presence, and assumes he is in the cathedral.

  Level four. The cathedral is wide and deep. Many soft lights suspended from the ceiling bask the followers in a gentle warm glow with the sharp edges from the wall carvings casting deliberate shadows over the already intricate impressions. Rows of empty pews face an empty pulpit. The sound from the damage control upstairs silenced by the thick walls and floors of ice. Kneeling at the base of an altar, deep in meditation, is Elder Sacro. Just where Simon expected his mentor to be. Simon approaches him carefully as to not to disturb him or catch him off guard. He hopes the sound of the closing doors would be enough to announce his presence, but there is no discernible change to Sacro’s manner.

  “Master?” Simon’s voice is delicate, frail. Minus the confidence and entitlement usually evident in his speech. “Sacro?” Sacro lifts his head and opens his eyes, looks up at Simon and gives him a reassuring smile in an attempt to quell his fears.

  “What are you doing down here child? It’s not safe…” Sacro looks over the boy to see that trauma has already befallen the boy; torn burnt clothes, missing hair, dried blood on his skin, one missing shoe. Simon hadn’t even realised. The shock is wearing off and he only now begins to notice his dishevelment.

  “We were attacked. I had to find you and make sure you were alright.”

  “Oh my boy, bless you. I’m fine. You can’t be down here now. Please get to safety, far from here.”

  Simon isn’t leaving until he’s been filled in; until his curiosity is satisfied. “What happened?” The question is to just confirm his suspicions that Titus is back. The growing nagging feeling in the back of his mind is now all he thinks about. He feels rudderless, without navigation. His faith and trust in the word are gone; all he has left is his master’s wisdom. His mentor’s assuring words. His honesty.

  Sacro inhales slowly, choosing his words carefully. “As you are well aware, Titus has returned with malicious intent and your safety, the security of everyone, is now no longer assured.” Maybe too honest. “I want you to take the east passage to sector twelve, understood? I will not have you in harm’s way. Go, now. Just remember the lessons I taught you, and practice.”

  “What about you?”

  “My place is here. To answer for the actions of elders who preceded me.” Sacro is interrupted when the walls and ceiling shake from the spill of another explosion. One much closer than the docking ring. The complementary low audible rumble coupled with the flickering lights is a foreboding scene for the young boy. Sacro turns to Simon, looking upon his student as if it is his last. “You’re a fine pupil, brother Simon. Fear not the burden of great responsibility your future holds. I know you have a strength that can bear it.” Sacro never called him ‘brother’ before. Suddenly the fears and worry is lifted and Simon begins to smile. “Now go!”

  Simon walks towards the exit, opens the door and turns around to wave goodbye when he sees that Sacro has already looked away. Simon may not have got the hang of telekinesis, but his telepathy is excellent, and being able to mask his presence to become invisible is his speciality. He shuts the door and conceals himself, tiptoeing towards a wall cupboard. Sacro doesn’t even flinch. The boy manages to squeeze inside the small cupboard space and leave the door ajar. It doesn’t give him much to work with, but it is enough. One minute later the sound of the door swinging open and shut breaks the silence. He can hear heavy breathing and whispering.

  “My son.”

  CHAPTER VI

  Titus

  “Come and get me.”

  Dumachus releases the hold over Noah and breaks the psychic connection with Titus. Noah falls to the ground, legs and arms sticking out to break his fall. When he gets back to his feet he is covered head to toe in brown disgusting waste juice. Noah looks disgusted with his attire. “Not even you are powerful enough to mask this. Lucky I am wearing several layers of clothes.” He precedes to remove the soiled layer of clothes to reveal an identical attire beneath. Now his affairs are in order, he can address the elephant in the room. “What the fuck was that? How did I end up on the ceiling?”

  “That was Dumachus. He’s here.”

  One of Noah’s eyelids closes slightly as he thinks hard, opening his mouth slightly indicating he’s got a discovery he’s likely to share. “That the other other guy on the cross?”

  “The very same.” Titus starts to walk again, Noah catching up to continue the conversation.

  “How far back do you two go? Before the... you know.”

  “For many years we were agents for the Light, trained from a young age as killers and thieves. We were competitive and brash, and he was my closest and only friend.”

  “So, all the old stories are true then?” Noah is now actually curious. He was agnostic at best, and even then that was being generous.

  “Not all of them.” Titus is done talking. He reaches an outer hatch and pushes it hard enough to break the seal. He slowly lowers it to the ground so he and Noah can free themselves of this structural intestinal tract. Though not before laying the first of many explosive charges. Plan B if things go south.

  Titus forces the hatch closed and the two can breathe deep again. The service room is cramped but the air is clean and surfaces sanitised. Noah is taking his time; having never experiencing such vulnerability or violation he needed a minute to gather himself.

  Titus puts his hand on the door and shuts his eyes, checking to see the coast is clear. He gives Noah the
nod, opens the door and the two enter the passageway.

  No sign of life. Coming or going. Noah begins to relax enough to whisper, “How long were you down here for before your great escape?”

  Titus takes a second to think about it, a lot took place in that short span of time. “Half an hour, give or take.”

  This is news to Noah. “Really not instilling a lot of confidence in me right now.”

  They walk around a corner and a newly constructed wall is in their path. This is news to Titus. “Huh.”

  Noah rolls his eyes and turns around and go back the way they came, “And there goes the last of it.” As Noah walks off Titus places his hand on the wall, the residual energy connected with it, the hands that held it, the mouths that ordered it, a trap…

  They’re here. Titus rushes back and grabs Noah, pulling him into an open room. He puts his finger up to his lips and mouths the word “shoosh”.

  Using his telepathy he messages Noah, “We have company. Headed this way.”

  Six Guardians march down the hall, coming to a halt when they reach the dead end, stopping just short of the room the two are hiding in. There’s no indication they sense the intruders, but no sign that they plan to leave any time soon. Separated by only a thin wall, they have few options left. Noah silently pulls out a powerful automatic shotgun and points it at the wall, Titus correcting his aim pulling the barrel to the left by a foot.

  “Three, two, one…”

  Noah squeezes the trigger and fires off a dozen shots in under a second, the buck shot hitting four unsuspecting Guardian. Titus smashes through what remains of the wall and grabs the other two Guardians by the neck and squeezes until the cracking of vertebrae is heard. Noah steps through the hole to inspect the damage he inflicted. Four Guardian filled with rapidly healing holes lie on the ground, the clear plasma oozing from their fresh wounds. Noah unholsters his sidearm and fires a single shot into each one of their heads. Bang, bang, bang, bang.

  “We need to move, now! If we can’t go around this wall, then let’s go through it.” Noah gestures to using a small explosive charge which is immediately rejected by Titus. Instead he steps forward, places both hands on the wall and focuses his energy to a single point. The wall begins to buckle and bend, cracks begin to form around his fingertips and scatter outwards like lightning till eventually the wall begins to break apart, crumbling to the ground and exposing the continuing hallway. It bends around a corner leading to another cluster of offices and rooms, ending with an elevator. Not the one to carry them to their goal, but one less step towards reaching it. As they reach the elevator they find that there is no lift button, only a hand scanner just like the one in the hover plane. Noah again puts forward the idea of explosives to solve their issue of access, this time Titus concurs. Noah rummages through his bag and pulls out a door breaching charge; removes the outer plastic film and fixes the charge to the elevator shaft doors. He gives Titus a nod and both men stand against the wall either side of the elevator and wait for it to detonate. Before it ignites a familiar “ding” of the elevator rings out, the seal cracks and door begins to open revealing a dozen Guardian reinforcements.

  Shit.

  Noah is exposed and unprepared for an assault. Fighting in close quarters is undesirable even against a lessor foe, but they are literally backed into a corner. Before anyone has a chance to react to the situation, the breach charge detonates, killing two Guardian and stunning the other unsuspecting ten. Through the smoke Noah tosses in several grenades and recoils back to his corner for protection. A second later they go off with a huge bang, forcing the blood and dismembered flesh out of the lift like a horizontal geyser. The sound of metal cables breaking succumbing to the damage and the weight of the inoperable lift. Titus peeks his head around to see that all unsuspecting twelve are very much dead. His view doesn’t last long as the final cable snaps, plummeting the carriage downwards. It crashes at the bottom in a spectacular demonstration of Newton’s first law. Just to be sure, Noah throws another grenade down. They’re dead. Looking proud of his actions he turns to Titus for some kind of acknowledgement.

  “Still think that was a bad idea?”

  Titus takes a second to let the question sink in, “Is there a word which means both yes and no?”

  “Jein. It’s German.”

  “There’s your answer.”

  Both men lean over into the shaft, the twisted broken metal of the destroyed elevator resting at the base of the large chute. Titus steps out into the centre of the shaft and floats effortless as if he is standing on solid ground. “You coming?” Noah is very hesitant. The freefall he previously experienced has left its mark on him, and he is tentative about repeating that experience.

  Time is not their ally, so Noah looks to Titus as if to say, “Don’t you dare fucking drop me.” He steps out with one foot while the other is on the landing and hand gripping the entrance. Surprised that he can feel an invisible surface under his foot, he steps out with the other foot and hasn’t fallen to his death. His heart rate subsides and he lets go with his hands, now suspended in mid-air.

  “Let’s get this over with.” Noah immediately regrets his wording when Titus removes the invisible platform and he free falls. They’re making excellent time, but Noah’s heart is in his mouth: figuratively, but fast approaching literally. Shards of metal ideal for staking a person are positioned along Noah’s path of descent. He screams a long obscenity and shuts his eyes. “…uuuuuuuck!” He’s not dead. Noah opens his eyes, finding himself a few feet from the closest shard, but face to face with basement level four. Titus floats down to Noah’s level, gives him a quick look with the essence of a grin and blows the elevator doors off its rails.

  No point in going in quiet anymore. The way is clear for now. He pulls a sheet white Noah onto the hallway so his feet can touch the ground. Noah isn’t happy with him, shaking from the adrenaline and shock, but musters the focus to walk in a relatively straight line.

  “You’re quite a literal person aren’t you? Let’s get this over with doesn’t mean try and give me a heart attack.”

  “I thought it would be easier considering you jumped out of plane earlier.”

  “I was ready the first time.” The colour is starting to return to his skin and he’s walking slightly less rigidly. A metallic noise from the elevator shaft grabs their attention. For a second both thought that there may have been a survivor in the wreckage. Elevator doors from level two begin crashing down the shaft, impaling themselves on the metal stakes.

  Noah hits Titus in the arm and holds out his hand, “C4. Now.” Titus shrugs his shoulders. “Where the hell is it?”

  “All gone.” Titus has been laying charges the whole way, perhaps more concentrated than intended. “We should run. The cathedral is not far.”

  Titus runs at incredible speed, one that even surprises him. Reaching the large cathedral doors in mere seconds, he wrenches it open. Rather than waiting for Noah to catch up he holds out his hand and pulls Noah through the air towards him. He breaks the connection and catches Noah’s flying body with one arm and pushes the heavy door shut with the other. As Noah catches his breath Titus grabs an iron candelabra and bends it around the door handles, locking them inside.

  Noah tries to silence his heavy breathing as they wait and listen. “Did they sense us?”

  The thunderous clap of a heavy book dropping squarely on hard wood floor echoes through the hall. Noah spins around raising his gun, but Titus hasn’t moved. He knows who’s there.

  “My son.”

  CHAPTER VI

  Simon

  I picked the worst spot. He has nearly zero visibility and no idea who else is in the room. When Sacro leaned to his left his face appears through a clearing of pews.

  “I am pleased to see that you have returned.”

  Titus. Must be. Sacro’s expression turns from pleased to shocked when he sees what he is carrying.

  “Don’t do this. It will only make matters worse.”

/>   “For whom?” speaks an American voice. An American?

  “Everyone. Due to a blanket of ash in the atmosphere the earth is experiencing the onset of the new ice age. We have the means to amend this, but not if you succeed tonight.”

  Sacro’s eyes slowly trace upwards as if someone is approaching him. A hand is thrust over his forehead. Another voice now. Titus’s. “You’re lying. Your people will manage to clear the skies and purify the water without it. You will only lose the means to control us.”

  Elder moves his hand behind him and slowly removes

  a ceremonial blade when a gunshot rings out, and Sacro’s head is violently knocked out of view. Simon flinches and bumps his head. His heart stops beating.

  I just gave myself away. Forever has past and no noise. I’m done for. The longest three seconds of his life.

  “What did you do that for?” questions Titus.

  “Your eyes were closed and he pulled a knife.”

  “It wasn’t intended for me.”

  As Simon exhales and begins to breathe normally again, a huge force blows the doors open also slams the cupboard door completely closed. The now pitch blackness is accompanied with the sound of violence, gunshots and shock waves. Simon holds his hands over his ears to block the noise. Frozen with fear.

  He’s not sure how long it lasted. Not sure who won. He can’t hear anything, so he carefully opens the cupboard door slowly. The cathedral is destroyed. The entrance has caved in, there are the dead bodies of Guardians everywhere. Where’s Sacro?

  Simon walks out and finds Elder Sacro lying on his side, knees together and tucked in. He kneels down next to him, staring at the entry hole in his head, waiting for it to heal. It never does. He stays with the body and lies on the ground facing his old mentor. Moving right now isn’t really an option.