“The machines still need a human mind to reach their fullest potential. And now that you’ve done Beatriz’s training, I think you won’t need much convincing. One taste of that power and you’re hooked, right?”
“It’s a powerful machine.”
Alexi laughed. “Never easily impressed, are you? That must be why Don tolerates your messy background, your strange beliefs. You still keep a level head. You’ll do well in the battle. And once we take care of the Mahdi, this should all be over. His men still fight, many of them in Jerusalem, but you know the saying: cut off the head of the snake …”
I kept my face blank. “The Mahdi’s the only resistance left?”
“Pretty much. A few sheepherders here and there. The Amish. Isolated African tribes. No real risks.”
“No countries?”
“Nope. Remember, we already took care of the politics.”
I thought of the meeting of world leaders in Geneva and how they’d agreed to give Don authority, just before the Mahdi attacked. “What if the politics change? What if there’s a new U.S. President who backs out of the UN?”
“Man, you’ve been living under a rock. When’s the last time you connected your precept?”
“Earlier today.”
“Well, let me tell you, just a couple weeks ago, the United States tried to do just that. The President was one of the few Americans who still went back and forth from Babylon—a reward for his loyalty to Don. But I guess when he came back, he started to regret the deal or something. Maybe he missed the power. Whatever the reason, he tried to launch an attack.”
“Where?”
“Here! Can you believe that? It was an assassination attempt, pure and simple. A few thousand men and drones—some rogue holdout group of the ISA and a bunch of ex-Marines. They stormed the palace, climbing the Masada hillside like the Roman soldiers a couple thousand years ago.”
“I didn’t hear anything. What happened?”
Alexi smiled. “There wasn’t much to hear. We killed them in a flash. Literally. Don’s been experimenting for a while with electromagnetic pulses. He used one to blast the whole area around the palace. Everything within five miles was hit, but everything within our walls was safe. All the attackers went down. Weapons, too. Don ordered the drones to go out and dispatch them.”
My mouth had fallen open. Don was winning every battle.
“Scary to think people would be so stupid as to attack Don, isn’t it?” Alexi eyed me knowingly. “You can imagine what happened to the President after that.”
“He was killed?”
“No, no,” Alexi said. “Don wouldn’t do that. He visited Washington in person. He dismantled the shield protecting the city. He had the weapons ready to destroy it, and he explained this to the President, broadcasting it to everyone who wasn’t already in Babylon. The President was groveling, begging for forgiveness. He apologized for America. He admitted the country had fallen from greatness, and it was only Don’s and the UN’s protection that sustained it. Don, of course, responded with grace. He accepted the apology, and he let the man enter Babylon, on two conditions.”
“What’s that?”
“One, he can never leave again. Two, everything the President sees and does in Babylon will be public. Anyone in Babylon can watch it, if they want. You could watch it even now.”
“That’s awful. I’ll pass.”
“Suit yourself. Most people aren’t watching. They’ve got their own desires to enjoy. I know I do.” He paused, licking his lips. “Any other questions? Don told me to make sure you were comfortable.”
“Where’s Naomi?”
“In her room.” His eyes grew distant, absorbed in whatever his precept showed. “Actually, she’s on her way here now. I better go.” Alexi stood, and so did I.
“Why can’t she sync with one of the machines? She’s just as capable as I am, if not more.”
“Don has given her a different role.” Alexi seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “I told you, he doesn’t trust just anyone in his machines.”
But I knew he didn’t trust me. Alexi had made his way to the door. “Why are you going?”
“I came to answer your questions, and I’ve done that. Now the battle calls. You’ll be joining soon.” He opened the door. “Good seeing you. If you have more questions just send me a message.”
I nodded as he walked out.
NAOMI CAME INTO my room without knocking, wearing the baby in a cocoon of cloth wrapped around her torso. The boy was quiet, peering up at her. He seemed too sentient for an infant. I half expected him to say something. Nothing related to Don could surprise me anymore.
“Sorry it took so long,” she said. “Ready to find Ronaldo?”
“How long were you gone?”
She stepped closer. “About an hour. Why? What’s wrong? Your eyes, they look different. Darker.”
“I did the training, and then Alexi showed up.”
“Who’s that?”
“He’s one of Don’s closest advisors. I met him before in Geneva. Smart guy, but weird. He’s always excited about politics and the next big thing. He seems oblivious to what Don is really doing.”
“Most people are.” Naomi walked past me to the balcony outside, and I followed. The fresh air was nice. “What about the training?” she asked.
“Don’s machines are amazing. Total vehicles of destruction.”
“We already knew that.”
“No, we saw it. It’s different being inside one of them. You remember from ISA-7 what it’s like being synced with little drones?”
She nodded.
“Well, I feel like syncing with those drones took up about 10% of my brain. This machine took up all of me…and more.”
“You sound shaken.”
“I think there was something else synced in the machine with me.”
“Another person?”
“No, but kind of like that. Alexi guessed it was machine superintelligence. I doubt that. It was powerful, and it seemed to have personality. Together we could handle the machine. The other presence guided me. We crushed an army of robots. We sliced steel towers in half. But we still couldn’t hold up against the dragon.”
“The dragon?” she asked. “Some other presence?”
“Yeah, what?”
She put her hands on either side of my head and stared into my eyes. I could see the amber flecks in her green irises.
“You can’t let Don meddle with you like that. It could have been a demon. What if you were possessed?”
“I know it sounds crazy. But I wasn’t possessed. Maybe Alexi was on the right track—Don could have coded some of his thinking into the machine.”
She stepped back, hand on her hip, not buying it. I wasn’t sure if the baby at her chest made her look more or less intimidating.
“Seriously,” I said. “I feel totally fine.”
“Feelings are deceptive. Is your precept off now?”
I shook my head. “V, shut down.” The world went bland, but it did feel cleaner. “Happy?”
“No. Not at all. We shouldn’t have tried this. Don’t do it again unless we have another sign, some clear instruction, okay?”
“Okay.” Maybe she was right. Maybe not.
“Come on, let’s go find Ronaldo.”
We ventured down the long hall with black marble floors, walls of glass, and motionless androids lining the way. The windows to our right showed the palace’s courtyards. The windows to the north revealed a steep drop-off and a vast turquoise sea. Naomi’s gaze stayed out over the water for most of the walk.
“I know where we are,” she eventually said.
“Don called it Masada. That’s the Dead Sea, right?”
She nodded. “We’re not far from Jerusalem. Someone should be able to find us here.”
“Ronaldo already did. That doesn’t seem to have helped.”
“We’ll see. He may still be more help than you think. Did he give you any hints about where he is?�
�
We had just turned the corner to the east wing. This hallway looked more middle eastern, with sandstone walls, ornate rugs, and arched windows. There were dozens of doors, and stairs going up and down.
“He just said he was locked up in the east wing.”
“Up it is.”
“It’s just a saying—locked up.”
“You underestimate Ronaldo.” She headed to a flight of narrow stairs at the end of the hall. The androids watched us. They always watched.
After three flights of stairs, we reached the top floor. We were breathing heavily.
“Feeling okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. A little tired.” She glanced down. “Our walk rocked baby boy to sleep.”
“I tried these stairs before, and the androids stopped me. It’s weird they let us pass—like they wanted us to come up here.” I eyed the hall before us nervously. “Something feels different.”
“I sense it, too. But not in a bad way. I almost feel lighter here. Tell me if you see anything.”
We began walking forward. The hall looked more like a prison than anything I’d seen in the palace. There weren’t iron bars or guards, but there also weren’t windows or decorations. Solid metal doors lined the walls, only a few paces apart.
We’d almost reached the end with no sign of Ronaldo. “How are we supposed to know where he is?” I asked.
“You sure there was no trace from his message?”
“No, nothing.”
“I felt my hopes rising as we walked. I’m not afraid here.” She began walking back the other way. “Ronaldo!” she called out. “Ronaldo!”
“You really think—” The sound of sliding metal interrupted me. To our left, a thin sliver of metal had opened on one of the doors. A pair of stunning, bright eyes stared out and met mine. My knees suddenly felt weak.
It wasn’t Ronaldo. Ronaldo didn’t have yellow halos in his eyes.
“Ronaldo!” Naomi shouted up ahead.
I heard metal sliding again. I kept my eyes on Naomi. “They’re watching us.”
She stopped and turned to me. “Who?”
I nodded to the door where the yellow eyes had appeared. It was solid metal again.
“Did you see something?” Naomi asked.
“Yeah, eyes.”
“Whose?”
“I don’t know. They didn’t look human.”
She wrapped her arms over the baby. “Let’s find Ronaldo and get out of here.”
“Good idea, but don’t—”
“Ronaldo!” she called out again, pacing faster. “Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo!”
Metal was sliding open. I felt dozens of eyes following us. I glanced to my right. Eyes like fire. To my left, irises like molten gold.
I caught up to Naomi’s side and grabbed her arm. My hand was shaking. “You have to stop.”
The baby’s eyes opened. He stared at me like he knew me, like he understood. Then he turned his head to the side. I followed his gaze to another door, and it was opening.
A GIANT OF a man stood in the doorway. He had a shaved head and scars on his face. He looked us up and down, then grunted, “Who are you?”
He looked threatening, but at least he had no shadows dancing around him. I put on a confident smile. “We are the guests of President Cristo. He sent us here to talk to a man named Ronaldo.”
The man scratched his head. “I doubt that. If Alexi let you up here, he must want me to take care of you.”
“No, I—”
My voice caught as he pulled a gun and pointed it in my face. “Boss prefers folks alive. But he’s a good boss. Gives me discretion.”
Naomi stepped forward. “How. Dare. You.” Her voice dripped with arrogance. “You treat the mother of the President’s son like this?” She raised her hand and pointed into his face like an indignant queen. “And you would make me speak to you directly?”
She turned slightly, allowing a clear view of her son. I imagined the baby’s big eyes were staring into the man’s.
“No, ma’am, I mean,” the man fumbled. “I’d heard about you, but—” he bowed to a knee. “It’s an honor.”
“The President insists that I speak to this man Ronaldo,” Naomi said with contempt. “Take me to him.”
“I guess that’s alright. If it’s important, you’ll be watched anyway.” The man rose up and lumbered a few steps, to the door directly across the hall. He paused. “Mr. President had me rough him up. That’s what I do, ya know. Ain’t no machine can scare a man like me.”
“He better be hurting,” Naomi said. “You know what this man did?”
The giant nodded slowly. “He’s one of them religious types. Maybe even one of their leaders. I hear we got all but three now. I killed one myself.”
Naomi’s poker face held. “Well done.”
A memory fell into place. A hulking frame standing over Jacques. “Did I hear right that you killed the Frenchman?”
The man grinned. “That one was tough to crack.”
“So I hear,” Naomi said, her voice tight. She pointed to Ronaldo’s door. “What have you squeezed out of this man so far?”
“Oh, I’m just getting started. But he’ll talk. Don’t worry.”
“I never worry,” Naomi said. “We’ll see what we can learn first.”
The man nodded and pulled the door open. Naomi glided past without giving him another glance. I followed after her into a the thin corridor. Each step made me feel like I was being squeezed tighter in a vice. The tight hall opened onto a dark, bare room. Its only light was from a small holograph of Don’s face in a corner. His eyes stared down at us.
“Naomi!” Ronaldo rose to his bare feet. Chains connected the shackles at his wrists to the floor. He looked down at the baby. “Ya boy’s beautiful!”
“Thank you,” she said, concern thick in her voice. “It’s good to see you alive.”
“Just a matter of days.” Ronaldo dipped his head. As Naomi stepped to the side, I saw the bruises and bloody marks on his face. His nose bent sharply to the side.
“Elijah! Good to see ya, mon.”
I stepped closer and I embraced him, gently. “You too,” I said, “but I’m sorry to see you in here.”
“It’s no matter. My soul is free. My God is with me. What more could a man want?”
I smiled. No one could keep this man down. “Maybe some privacy.” I motioned to the holograph of Don. “I assume that’s just a recording?”
“Mon, assume nothin’ about the devil. This is his domain. He watchin’ us, but that don’t bother me, because the Lord is watchin’ too.”
“We came as soon as we got your message,” Naomi said.
“I barely got it off before an android caught me. Now I can’t send a bit of data through these doors. But there’s plenty to keep me busy.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Ya think I don’t have anything to pray about? This ain’t no tropical vacation.”
I suddenly remembered the eyes I’d seen peering through the doors. “Did you see anything strange when you were brought here? Whatever’s in the other cells heard Naomi when she was calling for you.”
Ronaldo shook his head. “What did ya see?”
“Eyes. They were like fire. Yellow and gold.”
Ronaldo and Naomi exchanged a look. “Angels?” Ronaldo asked.
“Maybe, but I’ve seen an angel,” I said, thinking of Michael hammering a hole through rock. “No way they could be kept locked up like this. They’re too strong.”
“This is the devil’s prison, mon.” He looked to Naomi. “What do we know about angels being held up?”
“It’s happened before,” she said. “The angel who visited Daniel told him the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But Michael helped him get out.”
“Then Michael will help again.” Ronaldo sounded certain. “Let’s make the most of this place until then. What can I do for you now?”
“Should
n’t we be asking you that?” I said.
“Sure should,” he said, “it’s a question we should always be askin’ others. But even a jailed man can pray.”
“We have a lot of questions,” Naomi said.
“Let’s hear ’em.” Ronaldo motioned for us to sit. The shackles at his wrists slid slightly, revealing bloody sores underneath.
We sat on the hard floor across from him. “For starters,” Naomi said, “what’s going on outside the palace walls? We’ve had no safe way to get information.”
“It’s not good,” Ronaldo said. “We lost Neo. Don’s huntin’ down anyone who didn’t go to Babylon. Some of them are believers, but some were just too old or too poor to have precepts. If they’ll take a precept after they’re caught, then Don lets them go to Babylon. If not … Well, we don’t know, we’ve never seen one of them again.”
“He’s a murderer.” Naomi stared down at her baby, shaking her head slowly.
“It’s only going to get worse before the Lord comes.”
“So what’s next?” I asked.
“If you don’t know,” Ronaldo said, “then none of us know. Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
“That’s from the Bible?”
Ronaldo nodded. “And here’s another one: the Lord will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
“Sounds pretty harsh,” I said.
“Is it harsh if it’s just?” Naomi replied.
“Not if God’s dealin’ the justice,” Ronaldo said. “Like always, there’s no use guessin’ about the time. What matters is what we do now. We gotta testify. We gotta pray. We gotta fight for Him.”
I remembered my training and Don’s offer. “Don wants me to sync with one of his machines and fight in the battle against the Mahdi. Why do you think he wants that, and should I do it?”
Ronaldo was quiet before answering. “God gave ya a gift, Elijah. I told ya before, ain’t nothin’ the devil wants more than to twist God’s plan. That means he’ll do anything, anything, to make God’s gifts his own. The more special the gift, the more desperate he’ll be to steal it.”
Great White Throne Page 7
