Titus

by Caleb Byrnand

  The sun is setting and the residual light is low. To remain inconspicuous all artificial light sources are confined to the tunnel. Elias climbs the stairs to the crow’s nest, his heavy footsteps announcing his arrival.

  Empty. Alejandro is gone.

  Damn. There was no way he didn’t see Elias give aid to Titus. Now, with his disappearance, the potential for disaster for him or the troop is now increased.

  Elias makes his way back down the ladder, the smell of vegetable soup still permeating the air. Gloria has woken the baby and is playing with him as Elias returns with a full bowl. “Alejandro is gone.”

  Gloria furrows her brow and checks over her shoulder. “All his belongings are still here. You sure he wasn’t in one of the rooms?”

  Matias notices the conversation has elevated from casual to poignant and joins the group to be part of the gossip, “What I miss?”

  Gloria turns her head but doesn’t look at him, still mulling everything over in her head, “Alejandro took off.”

  Matias is quick to put forward an explanation, “He probably went scavenging at that camp of death we passed last night. Probably didn’t tell us so we wouldn’t worry.”

  Gloria buys it. Elias hasn’t.

  If Alejandro is caught then our position will be compromised, and considering the last two interactions I’ve had with their kind, this wouldn’t serve me favourably.

  This is now the defining decision, take the baby and run at the cost of these people’s lives, or find this kid before the Guardians do.

  “I’ll find him.”

  “That’s a lot to ask of you.”

  “You didn’t.” Elias knows there’s a good chance Alejandro won’t be returning. With what he knows and how he behaves, the young man is a liability.

  Elias snaps into work mode and quickly gathers any supplies he thinks he’ll need; knife, gun, water, and compass. He kisses his son on the head and strokes his cheeks.

  Gloria is aware of the risk Elias is taking and is beaming with gratitude. “Thank you.”

  “Seth’s food is in the bag, one bottle every four hours. Hopefully I’ll be back for his fourth feed.” With a sense of urgency he grabs his cold bowl of soup and sculls the lot before scaling the ladder and shutting the heavy hatch.

  “God speed.”

  ❖

  Alejandro is young and brash. Invincible. His family dead and apartment destroyed, these people, these strangers are all he has left. In the first few days it was he they turned to for protection. His position within the troop now threatened by Elias the Brave.

  Elias the Traitor. Alejandro needed some questions answered, and an opportunity to do some scavenging before it’s all gone.

  Moving through the night is slow with zero visibility. Eventually light from the fires burning on the city limits shine the way. He begins to retrace their steps, hiding and ducking in the shadows he weaves his way back to the speedway encampment. The only place was told not to go.

  He sneaks inside through the main entrance and the first thing he sees is a bloodied computer lying face-down in the dirt, followed with distinctive drag marks and handprints etched into the floor’s landscape, but no body. Through the entrance is the open air grounds of the speedway with a wide foot path circling the segmented bleachers. In the centre is the dirt track where he used to watch the racing, now a mess of torched tents, Antarctican shipping crates, and pools of blood.

  He manages to search the crates undisturbed for an hour, but finds nothing but miscellaneous machine parts and unusable or unmovable technology. He is not proud of his scavenging efforts thus far, and now the sun is starting to rise. He needs to move.

  Back to the scene of the crime. Where Elias allegedly killed the Guardian. He looks around and does his best to remember where it happened. It all happened so fast and he was busy crawling away at the time. Just when he is beginning to think he was on to Elias, he sees the body. He approaches it and pokes it with the rifle a few times. Still dead. He kneels down and rolls the body over.

  Yup, that’s him. Damn.

  A deep voice from behind interrupts his investigation and makes him jump out of his skin.

  “Hola.”

  ❖

  Elias makes excellent time getting back to the city, and is clever enough to anticipate where Alejandro would go. The scene of the crime. He hides behind a corner building wall, peering through some missing bricks at Alejandro on his knees inspecting the dead Guardian when two very much alive Guardians approach him. He is too far away to hear what they are saying but he knows it can’t be good. Elias pulls out his gun and rests it on the bricks to steady his shot.

  He’s either going to get us all killed along with him, or it’s this.

  As the head Guardian puts his hand over Alejandro’s head, Elias fires, hitting the young man cleanly in the brain killing him instantly. When Alejandro drops to the ground, Elias runs for his life. A few seconds later his old hiding spot erupts in an explosive wave of brick and mortar. Elias doesn’t stop. He can hear both of them giving chase and gaining on him.

  Elias comes tearing around a corner and comes to a skidding stop in front of another seven-foot clone.

  Wait. That’s… Titus is standing in the middle of the street, as equally surprised to see him as he is.

  Still breathing heavy from the chase Elias manages to say, “I require assistance.”

  Titus takes some amusement in the role reversal, that and getting to question the person who issued him with bad directions. Elias does not look amused with the current predicament.

  Twelve rogue Guardians from the stadium, covered in blood and wrapped with torn cloth, wire and chain, each brandishing a crude weapon in their remaining hand, land on the ground in a formation that circles the pair.

  Titus nods his head and looks to Elias, “I see.”

  Elias looks even more backed into a corner, “No, not them.” A second later the two Guardians that took chase catch up, both coming to a similar skidding halt when they see Titus and the rogues.

  The lead Guardian pulls back his cloak revealing his face. It’s Dumachus, smiling his wide grin.

  “Well, this is interesting.”

  CHAPTER X

  Dumachus

  Jason lands the plane in a vacant lot near the centre of Buenos Aries city. Leaving two Guardians behind to watch the plane, Dumachus and his offsider follow their nose and head deeper into the city. There has been no sign of rogues, missionaries, even people. It feels like a ghost city. Nearly five million people gone in under a week. Well, almost. Someone is scurrying around nearby.

  Kneeling over the dead body of a Guardian is Alejandro, completely unaware that he is being approached, the prey to a predator. Dumachus comes within a few feet of the young man before announcing himself. “Hola.”

  Alejandro spins around, shitting himself. The look of child-like guilt plastered all over his face, loss of all constitution; it is borderline amusing. He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

  “What’s going on here?” Dumachus asks but Alejandro is still silent. Dumachus presses his lips together. There’s easier ways to do this. He pushes his palm over Alejandro’s head and begins to read his mind--images and thoughts that on the forefront of his mind is read first--Elias, suspicions, Titus, the estate…” The connection is severed abruptly and a gunshot rings out. Alejandro falls to the ground, taken the precise knowledge of Titus with him to the grave. “No!” Dumachus spin around and backhands the air in the direction of the gunfire and any remaining wall still standing exploded out. No sign of the shooter. He can’t sense him either.

  Titus. They take off on foot and give chase, and before long they can hear him and catch up.

  Nearly got him. They race around the corner and come to a skidding stop. Now face to face with Elias, Titus, and a dozen rogues.

  “Well, this is interesting.”

  Titus looks just as surprised to see the rogues as he is to see his old friend. Dumachus looks over th
e wayward Guardians he and his troop were tasked to realign. All missing their right hands with iron helmets fused on their skulls. No access to their Atom chips. Have to do this the hard way. He and the Guardian both dump their portals and scanners on the ground. “Looks like we won’t be needing these with you lot.”

  The largest rogue steps forward to speak, “We are the warriors of…”

  Dumachus stops him right there by raising his hand, putting them into a trance-like state. Turning to Elias and shaking his finger at him, in a scolding tone he says, “That was very rude. Killing your own comrade like that, to… protect…” He is having trouble reading his mind so quickly gives up. “That’s a unique talent you have.”

  “So I’m told,” responds Elias.

  Dumachus likes that. He turns to Titus and says, “And you. Surprised me, again! Fancy running into each other like this. It’s as if it’s destiny or something.”

  Titus really does not look happy about running into him, but his whole situation has just gone from bad to the absolute worst in mere seconds. “Turns out it’s a small world after all.”

  “True. We found your cache of weapons. It did take us a couple of goes, but let me save you the trouble… They’re all gone, along with the enthusiastic soldiers you left guarding it for you.”

  “How did you… Noah survived?”

  “I’m disappointed. Once again you abandon a friend during a time of need. He lives, no thanks to you.”

  The head rogue snaps out of his trance and repeats himself, “We are the warriors of…” Dumachus raises his hand again and keeps it raised as to finish his conversation. The rogues fall back into their trance.

  “The worst you two did is set us back a week. Mother will be operational very soon. Most of these demons you unleashed on the remaining population will fall back in line and it will be as if nothing happened, but a few million people slaughtered.”

  The head rogue is now unaffected by Dumachus’s countermeasure and speaks out, “And should our Mother fall and not get up?”

  A rogue behind responds as if in a chant, “Then no longer shall the meek inherit the earth.” More rogues join in and the repeat this line, over and over. Dumachus realises his control over them has diminished. A show of strength then. With his finger pointing he scans the group and picks out one, holds his hand still and focuses his mind… The rogue explodes outwards with such force several others are knocked back. Body parts, synthetic plasma and artificial organs cover the rogues, but it only blends in with their ensemble.

  “To consider that I am meek would be a mistake, and to interrupt me...”

  The head rogue interrupts him, “I am well aware of your abilities great brother, and the threat you pose to our independence.”

  Dumachus is put off, burdened with this chore when Titus is right here. So many hours of rehearsed things to say slipping away. “Looks like this conversation will have to be continued at a later time old friend.”

  “Not if both of you are dead.” All the rogues arc up slightly, tensing before the violence begins.

  Titus is shocked to hear his name added to the rogue’s kill list. “What did I do?”

  Dumachus is wrapping up the conversation and getting ready to throw the second punch. “I’ve seen your rebellion. You are misguided in thinking you stand a chance dismantling the Church. Also thinking you can withstand the strength from us two, together.” He points at another rogue and he too explodes. “With so few?” On cue, another dozen rogues drop in from the sky, bolstering the numbers to that of something formidable.

  The head rogue has some final words, “Even if you survive today, when Mother falls and your proximity of control diminishes, the rest will join us.”

  This is the second time he’s mentioned it. “What makes you think Mother will fall?”

  The head rogue can’t help being smug, “Disorder arises from order, cowardice arises from courage, weakness arises from strength.”

  Titus turns to Elias, “Get ready to run.”

  “Titus. You ready?”

  The standoff has run its course. Just as the rogues shift their weight to start a charge Titus and Dumachus simultaneously punch their fists into their hands in front of their chest, creating a wave of energy that knocks everyone over. Elias runs for his life, shooting a rogue in the head as he makes his escape. The Guardian accompanying Dumachus charges into the rogues like a pig dog, stomping on heads and tearing off limbs until he himself is pulled down and decimated. Both Titus and Dumachus grab a weapon from a recently deceased and allow the mob come to them.

  Flashbacks of the years spent taking beatings--training they called it--where he and Titus would be forced to steal to eat, forced to defend themselves, made to hone their skills and rationalise and compartmentalise their emotions.

  Several rogues rush him, doing their best to throw him off guard, attempting to separate him from Titus and surround him. As he steps to the side the breeze of a metal club blows past his cheek. The ringing sound of blunt metal resonating through the air as he fends off their blows, soon followed with the sound of iron and bone breaking as he takes apart his aggressors one by one. Titus is doing the same. They had the same training. The only difference is that Dumachus is enjoying himself.

  The rogues are relentless, attacking in waves and always in numbers. If one drops another takes its place. Titus and Dumachus are holding their own but each have sustained injuries. As another wave rush Titus he tries to use his telekinesis to force them back but is equally matched. Dumachus joins in and their combined force flashes over the remaining rogues like a storm, the closest to the epicentre left shredded and burnt.

  Dumachus jumps forward and leads the solo charge, cutting the heads off each and every rogue. Except one. The leader.

  “I repeat, what makes you think Mother will fall?” This time he smashes his hand over his iron helmet and mind rapes him.

  The rogue manages to squeeze out, “We played you. Why do you think we lured you here, the furthest distance from her? She’s in an old missile silo, Australia, right? Since your friend there started us on this journey, we’ve been a step ahead every time, and Mother will fall tonight.” Dumachus is now reaching the peak of his rage. He pushes and bends the iron through the rogue’s skull into his brain, then tears his head off and punches it repeatedly.

  Both he and Titus are a bit puffed from the exertion. Titus grabs his computer and scans his hand, repairing the battle damage.

  Dumachus has come to a realisation, understanding the risk and cost of what the future holds. “If Mother falls, we are all fucked. Yourself and yours truly alike.”

  Titus knows him well enough to pick up on the implications. “Why do I suddenly have this terrible feeling?”

  Dumachus drops his sword and smiles as he slowly approaches him. “Come with me. Clean up the mess you started.” Titus doesn’t say no immediately. “For the greater good, let’s put our differences aside. Accompany me to Australia, just for one night, apparently.”

  “The greater good being the lessor of two evils?”

  For fucks sake! “For the sake of humanity then.”

  “And then?”

  “One problem at a time. We can resume our differences when this is all over if that makes you feel any better.” Titus just stands his ground with no intention of moving. He is going to need more convincing.

  “Take some responsibility then. You may have washed your hands of the Church but you stole the resurrection scrolls which unleashed these creatures. Now you’ve disabled the one thing protecting the world against them, and you are going to help me to make this right.” Dumachus walks back to retrieve his hover plane, expecting Titus to tag along. He must still have some sense of self-duty.

  A few seconds later footsteps can be heard following him.

  Three blocks from where he left Jason, lying in the middle of the road is a Guardian’s lifeless body. Shot twice in the head. One of the two assigned to guard the hover plane. He shoots Titus a look
as if to accuse him of knowledge, but says nothing and continues on.

  He walks around the corner into the empty carpark and stops in his tracks. He looks around dumbstruck for a short spell, mumbling to himself, “I was sure I parked it here.” He spots a Guardian face down in the gutter, head bashed in, but still breathing. He approaches the Guardian and says to Titus, “If this was your little friend’s doing, he’s going to have two inconveniences to answer for. Give me your scanner.” Titus hands him the portal and Dumachus scans the comatose patient and sits back as the nanotech works its magic.

  Titus sits down next to him, “I’ve been meaning to ask, why are the Guardians turning on you?”

  “I may have understated the effectiveness of your recent endeavour in Antarctica. Without Mother the Guardians are prone to revolt.”

  Titus takes a sarcastic self-righteous tone, “Who are we to question the infinite wisdom of the Elders? Using demonic souls, what could go wrong?”

  “Resurrecting a traitor to the cause?”

  Titus laughs for the first time since rebirth, “See my point?”

  The Guardian is starting to come to with every second passing his strength returns. Dumachus hands the portal back to Titus, “Where did you get your hands on this?” Titus doesn’t respond but it’s too late. He visualised the Ceibo tree and estate. One tiny slip and Elias’s location is now public knowledge.

  Dumachus helps the Guardian to his feet and messages him with his mind, “Go north. Find him. Finish him.”

  The Guardian gives him a nod and takes to the sky, blowing up the dust with his take off. Dumachus stops and closes his eyes and begins to retrace and process what he gathered from the rogue leader. Images of torture and death, luring the Guardians to the stadium, killing the pilots and Guardians out front of the hospital.