by Eliza Green
He unlocked the door and opened it wide enough for Tanya’s chair to fit. One of her assistants joined them in the small space. He closed the door on the remaining Conditioned, who set up a tight perimeter around the enclosure.
‘How much energy is the machine drawing from the city’s feed?’
Tanya slid off the chair to stand. Her naturally short frame looked even smaller with her pronounced spine deformation.
‘Fifteen megawatts of power. Only a fraction of what they use.’
Tanya touched the machine he’d built. Simon still retained the knowledge of a geotechnical engineer and an understanding of the mechanics of soil and rock. The machine build, which he’d started in the caves, had to be finished in the environ when it got too big.
‘If the gamma rock can amplify our stolen power, we shouldn’t need much to attract the Nexus to us.’ Tanya stared at the bright ball of energy at the machine’s centre. ‘We should minimise the amount of power we take. I don’t want Bill Taggart and the ITF checking out this place.’
Tanya had courted him for the genetic trials after Simon had seen District Three. He still believed that his insider knowledge was why Tanya had picked him. Not because of his strong mind.
‘They’re curious about this place,’ said Simon. ‘I can sense their thoughts. Bill Taggart and Laura O’Halloran will visit here soon. I am a point of contact, someone Bill thinks he can trust.’
The only person Simon trusted was himself.
When Tanya nodded, Simon released a quiet breath, grateful her telepathic abilities had diminished. Transcendence wielded a double-edged sword: the rigorous tests and preparations had rendered her telepathy useless. All the Elites were similarly affected.
‘The Elite can no longer read minds’ said Tanya. ‘I must stay with them and gauge their reaction to our experiment. It has been some time since I’ve met with Bill Taggart on ITF matters or the peace treaty. I’m sure my new appearance will come as a shock to him. My weakened state may put his mind at ease that we are not a threat.’ Tanya pulled the loose skin on her arm tight. It crinkled when she released it. ‘How soon before they get here?’
‘They plan to visit here tomorrow morning.’
Tanya nodded. ‘You will meet them and escort them to our home, where I will demonstrate how little they have to fear. The caves will serve as a neutral space. I will tell them about the machine and its basic purpose. That is all. Nothing will interfere with plans for the Elite’s transcendence.’
10
‘How do we get close enough to the GS one hundred to speak to them?’ Laura said.
The meeting with Stephen and the representatives had wrapped up and Bill had ordered the vehicle to drive him and Laura back to their apartment.
It was getting dark when the car pulled up outside a block that overlooked New Belgrave Square. On his first mission to investigate the Indigenes, Bill had been posted to one of the apartments there. Back then the area had suffered with issues ranging from waste to rent-dodging tenants. While the park and the surrounding replica nineteenth-century houses hadn’t changed much, management of the area had improved. He and Laura had looked at several apartments in New London but none overlooked a park—something Laura wanted to be near. They had secured a penthouse apartment on the west side of the park, double in size to his old lookout apartment two blocks down.
‘I thought we’d figure that out over a late dinner,’ said Bill. He grabbed his bag. ‘I’m hoping that if we turn up, they’ll have to see us. Plus, I’ve spoken to Tanya before about ITF matters so it shouldn’t look suspicious.’
‘The last time you met with her, she and the others still looked human. Neither of us has seen them since they ramped up their genetic experiments. We have no idea what the changes have done to them.’
Bill exited the car and Laura did the same. ‘Look, we won’t know how they’ve altered until we see them. But given everything that’s happening, I think we should find out.’
He closed the door and the self-driving car drove off to park in the apartment block’s underground space.
People passed them in the street.
Bill ushered Laura to the main door. ‘Let’s finish this discussion upstairs.’
He had no desire to discuss such sensitive matters in public.
Their block had a set of stairs and no turbo lift. Laura jogged up the five flights of stairs while Bill followed, wishing for an easier way to the top. Just two apartments existed on the top floor and they owned both of them. Laura unlocked the door using her identity chip. Bill followed her inside the double-sized space.
A noise assaulted them. ‘Welcome home, Mr and Mrs Taggart.’
It was the avatar on the Light Box.
Laura thumped him on the arm. ‘I thought you changed that.’
He rubbed the spot where she’d hit him. ‘What, you don’t like your new title?’
‘So, I’m a label now? I’ve lost all my individuality?’
‘Yes. I own you now, Mrs Taggart.’
Laura grinned and thumped him a second time, but the pain was worth it to see his beautiful wife’s smile.
‘The day I lose my individuality will be the day I become just like one of those GS one hundred. That’s not why I agreed to marry you, Mr Taggart.’
‘Then it must have been for my insatiable love-making skills, or my ability to ruin dinner. Or my witty conversations. Take your pick.’
‘Yeah, the last one.’
Laura stepped close enough that he could smell her perfume. He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled. A giggle erupted from her.
‘I love it when you wear that scent,’ he said.
The perfume was an exotic blend of native white and blue flowers from Exilon 5—his first wife Isla’s favourite flower. The scent connected the only two women he’d ever loved.
Bill nuzzled Laura’s neck again. ‘We can skip dinner if you’d like.’
She giggled again and made a half-hearted attempt to pull away. ‘I sense your intentions aren’t honourable.’
‘I hope not.’
‘Normally I would give in to you—you’re an impossible man to refuse—but with this meeting looming over our heads I wouldn’t be able to concentrate.’
Bill kept kissing her neck and worked up to her lips. He pressed his lips to hers until she groaned. ‘When you’re right you’re right. My new wife distracted me.’
‘Ugh.’
Laura twisted again to escape his clutches.
He held on tighter. ‘You don’t like being my wife?’
‘No, I love it. Turns out it’s the same life as before. Go figure. But I’m not used to the “wife” label yet.’
‘But I’m your husband, so I get the same label.’
Laura perked up at that. ‘Yeah, I forgot about that. Hmmm...’ She pointed to the kitchen. ‘Husband, make me something to eat.’
Bill mock-bowed and scurried to the kitchen. It contained an oven they never used, a replicator and a H2O machine.
‘Of course, wife.’
He punched in numbers on the replicator and removed a plate of chicken and rice. Then he replicated a second one and set both down on the kitchen table. Laura stood by the entrance to the kitchen with her arms folded.
‘I’ll need something to wash all that down.’ She nodded at him. ‘Get me something to drink.’
Bill filled two glasses of water from the H2O machine and set them down on the table. ‘Anything else, wife?’
She stared at the glasses. ‘Did I say you could get something for yourself?’
Bill played the submissive role. ‘I’m sorry, wife. I assumed it would be okay, since I’m bigger and stronger than you and I need to keep up my strength.’
Laura lifted a brow. ‘Stronger? Are you sure?’
She sat down at the table and prepared to arm wrestle.
‘Now?’ Bill looked at the plates of food. ‘But I’ve been slaving away in the kitchen all evening.’
‘Yes, now.’
Laura pushed both plates off to one side. Bill grinned and set his elbow on the table.
He gripped her firm hand and steeled his grip against hers, waiting for her command. ‘Ready? Go.’
He pushed against her arm. It felt like an immovable rock.
‘How long are you going to draw out my humiliation?’ he said. ‘You’re emasculating me.’
Laura winked at him. ‘As long as it takes until I’m satisfied.’
Bill’s arm strained against hers but it didn’t budge. ‘Could we hurry this along please? I’m starving.’
Laura sighed. ‘Okay.’
She gave one quick push and his arm yielded with the slightest of pressure. The first time they’d arm wrestled like this was just after Stephen had turned her fully into an Indigene. She’d nearly put his arm through the table. As half-Indigene half-human, her strength was no less impressive.
‘I give in, O mighty wife.’
‘And so you should, husband.’ She stretched across the table and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Did I hurt you?’
Her voice was soft.
‘Only my pride, love.’
They pulled the back the plates and Bill carved off a piece of chicken too big for his mouth and ate it. When he got this hungry, his manners took a back seat.
‘Do you think you’ll get a read on them tonight?’
Laura squirmed in her seat. ‘I’ve no idea. As humans, maybe, but if their experiments succeeded who knows what they can do? Let’s just wait and see.’
She cut a piece of chicken and popped it in her mouth.
‘Anton says the cave they occupy has the highest density of omicron rock on the surface.’ Omicron was mostly found below the surface. ‘Because of its soundproofing ability, the Indigenes have been unable to get a read on their thoughts or activities.’
Laura nodded and cut another piece of chicken. ‘And this new environ they’ve built. What do we know about that?’
‘Only that its location is directly over one of the tranquillity caves. There’s a high concentration of gamma rock.’
‘So, they’re using the gamma rock to amplify something, maybe the power they’re stealing?’
Bill shrugged and raked his fork through his rice. ‘I can’t see what else they’d need it for. But the real question is why steal the power? I mean, they could probably make their own, build their own solar plant. But their actions indicate urgency.’
‘Does the omicron rock also mask the environ?’ said Laura.
‘Anton says the gamma rock concentration is so strong it amplifies anything within a five-mile radius. That covers the environ and the area surrounding their caves.’
‘Do we know what abilities they might have? Are they telepathic? Will they see us coming? How fast are they?’
‘Neither Anton nor Stephen can confirm that. We’re flying blind on this one, I’m afraid. I’m hoping Simon Shaw still recognises me so we can use our prior connection to talk rationally.’
‘So, remind me why you and I volunteered to go alone?’
‘Because, one, I trust you to keep us both safe and pull us out of there if you sense trouble. And two, because it’s Simon.’
Laura stared at her plate. ‘Do you think he’ll remember you?’
Bill shrugged. ‘They have no reason to erase the memories of the GS, like they did the entire Indigene population.’
Laura looked at him. ‘What if Tanya Li comes to meet us instead?’
It had crossed his mind. He had a volatile history with the former chair of the World Government who’d secured Laura safe passage to Exilon 5 when she’d transformed from human to Indigene so fast. But on Exilon 5, Tanya had used Laura to bargain with the Indigenes. What Tanya hadn’t known at the time was Laura and Bill had the protection of the Indigenes.
‘I’ve avoided that woman for years and barely spoke to her in the early days as ITF Director. She’s been too busy working with the geneticists.’ Bill shook his head. ‘I can’t see how she’d want to speak to me. I’ve probably surpassed my usefulness to her.’
‘Just in case, we should prepare as if we’re meeting her, not Simon.’
Bill finished his meal and cleared away the dishes as soon as Laura put her knife and fork down. ‘If she doesn’t come, I’ll be interested to see who she sends and how many. Numbers will determine how important she considers us to be.’
‘Or how much of a threat we are.’
‘Let’s get going.’ He grabbed his coat off the chair. ‘I don’t know how long we’re going to be out.’
Laura stood. ‘Unlike you, Bill, I am built for stamina.’
☼
Their vehicle drove him and Laura to a location twenty miles from New London’s city limits and a spot three miles out from the caves. Old access roads resembling dirt tracks marked the spot where Tanya had brought excavation equipment in to begin work on the caves. Those roads had since been dismantled and access blocked by large boulders that formed a ring around the open sides to the mountainous area where the caves existed. The cordoned-off area was a neutral space that ITF law had no jurisdiction over.
Only six cities and few arterial roads had existed when Bill first arrived on Exilon 5. Now, two hundred cities were connected by roads, containing radar, lidar and sonar sensors to facilitate automated cars, and high-speed Maglev trains. Development had been slow at first due to a lack of raw materials. But infrastructure had soon caught up with immigration numbers. Rapid developments and a fast-growing population made it impossible for Bill’s ITF teams to police all neutral grounds.
The vehicle idled by one of the original arterial roads, now decommissioned because it cut through one of the safe hunting zones outlined in the peace treaty. Bill grabbed a torch from the glove box and flicked it on.
‘Use the night vision on the magnification glasses,’ said Laura. ‘If the GS can see as well as the Indigenes, the torch will make us easy targets.’
Bill looked out at the pitch-black landscape he was sure contained predators of all kinds. ‘The range on the glasses is too limited. I need the torch. Unless you want to take the lead?’
Night vision was one of the Indigene traits Laura had retained.
Laura shook her head. ‘Bring the torch.’
They exited the car and Bill took the lead. He slipped the glasses on and flicked on night vision. A few feet of the landscape ahead changed from black to green. Laura trailed behind him as he shone the light at the ground. Cloud dominated the night sky and masked the double moons that might have provided some light. A wolf bayed in the distance. In a panic, Bill waved the torch around. It picked up dozens of shining eyes, watching them.
‘We’re not alone,’ he whispered.
‘I know.’
‘Wolves?’
‘Only one, but the rest are Indigenes. I’m guessing rogue. They’re watching to see what happens.’
‘Are we in any danger?’
Bill flicked off his light and the bright eyes beyond the range of his glasses vanished.
Laura slowed. ‘I don’t know.’
He looked back at her. ‘Can’t you just sense them or something?’
‘I’d rather not. Look, we already know what the Indigenes can do. Let’s assume the worst and keep going. And keep the light off. It’s only attracting them to our location.’
Bill pocketed the torch and relied on the night vision glasses. ‘Indigenes can see in the dark. What difference does a torch make?’
‘They can see the colours that exist in white light. The rainbow acts as a beacon for our location.’ Laura sighed. ‘That’s what I see when you turn it on.’
‘Point made.’
Laura passed him while Bill watched every step he took. They reached the boundary point to the GS land marked by large boulders. Laura scrambled over the top while Bill followed, slower and less sure footed than his wife.
She dropped down the other side on all fours and Bill eased himself to the ground. He landed with a thud and wiped
the dust off his trousers.
‘They’re following us,’ she growled.
‘Can we divert them off our scent somehow?’
‘No. These Indigenes are doing recon. I sensed them following us as soon as the car left the city borders. They’ve been sent to track us.’
Who controlled these rogue Indigenes? Maybe Stephen could find out.
‘Let’s get this over with.’ Bill set off walking into the neutral ground, home to genetically superior beings. ‘The sooner we meet with them, the sooner we can go home.’
The idea of hostile Indigenes on one side and cannibalistic GS beings on the other terrified him.
Laura marched on ahead and Bill lost sight of her. A mile inside the perimeter he caught up to her again. She’d stopped and was sniffing the air.
‘What can you pick up?’
She glanced at him, looking embarrassed. ‘Nothing. We’re close.’
Bill didn’t buy her act. ‘How far out are they, Laura?’
She pointed into the darkness. ‘A mile in that direction.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’ Even with his torch, he wouldn’t see much. ‘Do they know we’re here?’
Before she could answer, a new voice replied that Bill hadn’t heard in a long time.
‘Yes, we do.’
Four tall, ghostlike figures dressed in white approached them.
Bill tensed while Laura dropped into a half crouch—a hunting stance he’d seen Stephen use before.
‘How did you sneak up on us?’ said a shocked Laura.
The leader stepped closer and Bill barely recognised his former boss, Simon Shaw, in the pale shell before him. ‘We move lighter than air, so you would not have heard our footsteps. We can block our thoughts at will. I sensed Laura was hunting for mine so I made my presence known to her, but omitted my location.’
Bill stared at Simon. ‘You can switch off your thoughts to those around you? Is that one of your abilities?’
Simon smiled and nodded. ‘It’s no different to being human, Bill Taggart. Humans can't communicate using thought alone. Indigenes have that ability. We simply have both abilities and can toggle between the two. Does that interest you?’
