by C. A. Fraser
“Wren if you are listening to this then you know that I am still alive.” Her father’s voice spoke from the recorder and despite the speaker’s age and poor quality Wren could still her the warmth and strength in his voice. The tears started to cascade down her face as she listened to the recording continue. “First know that I love you and wish that this had never come to pass. It could not be avoided. I will always be sorry for what you have been through and know that I live every day filled with regret for what has happened to this family.” The voice paused briefly.
“However,” her father continued, “These events had to occur in order to ensure the survival of not only humanity but the entire planet. The emergence of the Quantums saved humanity, but we are still marching towards our doom. There is still time to reverse or contain the destruction and that is why I had to leave you.” Stephen’s voice paused again and Wren could hear the almost silent buzz of the speaker while she waited for him to continue.
“Wren I must assume by now Simon and your nanid abilities have begun to emerge. I will not ask your forgiveness for the nanids. It is something that cannot be forgiven. Our family was chosen early in the nanid project to host the technology that had the potential to save us all. The abilities you have were directly inserted by ODIN and give you a chance to divert the coming chaos if you choose. In the end it all comes down to choice, Wren. I made my choice and suffer with it every day. I hope that your and Simon’s burdens will be lighter.” Stephen’s voice sounded tired but Wren could still hear his determination to see his mission through.
“Wren I love you and miss you always. You and Simon are in danger with few you can trust. Stay together, protect one another and trust in SIA. The AI is prepared to protect you at all cost. Give Simon my love. I love you Wren. Goodbye.” Her father’s voice stopped and the recording ended. Wren took a deep breath, sadness and love fighting for equal time within her. She powered down the recorder hoping to keep it functioning so she could replay it again for Simon. She placed the recorder and pictures into the box and sealed it. She had just finished stowing the box in her bag when SIA skimmed into the room. The AI was small with a blue hue and still reminded Wren of a bird when it moved.
“Wren,” the AI spoke quickly communicating through her neural implant. “There is some-” SIA did not finish its sentence. The AI froze in midair not moving. Wren was reminded of a paused video only this was happening right in front of her. She stepped towards SIA when she felt a presence emerging in the room. It was a strange feeling that reminded her of Deja vu. She turned toward her father’s desk and could see a form taking shape in front of it. It was an AI, she was sure of that, but what kind she did not know. It was vaguely human in shape with a faint reddish orange color that looked familiar to Wren.
“Wren Fore?” The entity said. Wren winced in discomfort as the voice overwhelmed her implants. She now knew what she was dealing with. The entity in front of her was a quantum she was sure of it.
“Yes I am Wren Fore.” She replied steeling herself for the overwhelming voice again.
“You are in danger. Where is Simon Fore?” the voice was more restrained this time the quantum obviously detecting her discomfort.
“He is in another part of the house. What is going on?” Wren asked.
“You must leave immediately. Call for Simon.” The Quantum replied. Wren did not hesitate she fled the room to find Simon the quantum floating in her wake.
Simon had slowly made his way through the house searching all the rooms to ensure everything was in order and there were no surprises waiting for them. After finding nothing he made his way out the back door of the home. He needed to check around the home and surrounding area. The sun was higher in the sky now and its light spread across the mountains in the distance. It was a dismal sight in Simon’s opinion. Gone were the large tracks of pine and aspen trees. There were a few that still held on in the high reaches but most were gone unable to withstand the new climate of the area. More drought tolerant evergreens and brush had slowly begun to replace the forests but there were still large swaths with nothing but dry grasses.
Simon shook his head as he slowly began to move away from the back of the house. The house backed up to a canyon where the creek that had once fed the lake had originally flowed. Even with the changes wrought in the area it was an impressive sight and Simon remembered spending parts of his childhood hiking it. As he approached the edge of the canyon Simon could hear a low humming sound. He paused trying to place the sound and stepped up to the edge to look over.
Simon could now see what was making the sound and why it seemed so familiar. There was a small airship hovering in the middle of the canyon. It was about the size of the fighter jets of old but looked nothing like them. It was not built for war but transportation. Like their airship it was a hybrid of the same field technology the transports used and propellers mounted horizontally like the helicopters of the past. They were incredibly agile and able to carry large loads and people from place to place as needed. As Simon observed it the ship turned towards him and he finally understood the threat in front of him. The symbol for Landis Corp. was emblazoned on the side of the ship. It was an outline of Earth with a multi pointed star engulfing it. He had never liked it and thought it looked like a supernova destroying the planet.
Simon slowly stepped back fighting down the urge to turn and run. He looked around trying to see if there were more ships or any other threats but saw nothing. The ship rose slowly above the rim of the canyon and advanced toward him. Simon continued to move back from the canyon keeping the ship centered in his vision. The wind from the propellers was whirling dust around him as he tried to determine what the ships intent was. He was halfway to the house when Landis’ voice spoke through the external speakers of the machine.
“Simon Fore,” the deep voice of Nathan Landis loudly burst forth. “Tell Wren Fore that she should not have denied me what I asked for, but since she is so fond of reunions I have arranged one for her.” The speaker went silent and then the ship turned and lowered close to the ground. Floating several feet above the ground the side doors of the vessel opened and a dark shape tumbled to the ground in a heap. The ship then lifted and accelerated north away from the house towards the mountains gaining elevation as it went. Simon watched it go and soon it was a small speck flying over the mountains.
Simon turned his attention to whatever had fallen from the vehicle. Adrenaline was ebbing through him and he could feel his pulse quicken. The shape rose up on four limbs and then slowly stood upright. Simon felt alarm and disgust for what stood before him. It looked like a man but was twisted and blackened. The creature was taller than Simon and its dark skin reminded him of the exoskeleton of an ant. Its eyes were human and the face resembled a human but the skin was drawn tight about the muscles and bone which gave it a predatory appearance. The eyes disturbed Simon the most. Grey and flecked with black they seemed to burn with hate. There was only pain and madness in them no trace of humanity remained.
Simon felt the nanids in him reacting to the threat in front of him. His skin began to harden and his frame felt heavier. He crouched defensively and looked to either side trying to decide which option was best to flee with Wren or hold his ground. The beast took a step toward Simon just as the back door of the house slid open and Wren rushed out. She stopped short when she saw the beast in front of Simon. Simon turned knowing that any choice he had was now gone and he would face the beast.
SEVEN
Wren stood at the back of the house trying to process what she was looking at. The creature standing in front of Simon was the stuff of nightmares. Its skin was ink black with a glossy sheen that made it look more like an exoskeleton than skin. She looked at its face and realized this was a human. Even though it was monstrous in appearance it was definitely a human. Thick muscles rippled across its body beneath the skin down its arms and legs. The hands of the man ended in long fingers with sharp claws instead of nails. The face caused a streak of fear t
o rip through her.
It was the face of a predator. Something that would pursue you until you could run no longer and then would toy with you before finally killing you. White teeth gleamed from behind lips that were pulled back in a snarl as if the man were a wolf preparing to fight for its pack. Its forehead was creased with the snarl above very human eyes and a thick mane of hair topped its skull. The eyes shone with madness but there was intelligence in them and Wren wondered how this had happened to this person.
She knew she was looking at an experiment gone wrong. It could not be nanids she thought feeling uncertain even as the thought went through her mind. The beast looked at her then and crouched down as if to spring at her a low growl now emitting from his throat. Wren took a step back without realizing it, startled by its threat.
Her eyes had quickly adjusted to the sunlight and now she was beginning to see the glow of whatever had caused this transformation. It was the same dark red of the AI that had been behind Nathan Landis when he had contacted her. This was the work of something beyond anything she had ever encountered and it was in league with Landis. Wren knew there was no good that would come of this. Her thoughts were interrupted when Simon stepped between her and the beast causing it to focus on him.
Simon was unlike Wren had ever seen him. He had always been tall and muscular and she had seen his nanid enhanced skin react to danger before. This was entirely different. His muscles had grown and his body strained against the shirt he was wearing. His skin had thickened to a point to where it looked as though he was wearing rusted armor. The nanids had pushed him beyond anything prior as if they sensed the need for a stronger response. He glowed with an orange light from the nanids. Wren wanted to tell him to run. To say that they could make it to the transport but knew he would not listen. His choice was set and there would be no turning back.
Her father’s voice echoed through her mind and she knew Simon and her choices would be no easier than Stephens had been. The beast snarled and growled at Simon and slowly began moving forward as if testing its opponents resolve. Wren watched Simon searching for a clue to what he planned but saw nothing. Then the battle started.
The beast sprang toward Simon clawed hands grasping at him. Instead of dodging Simon stepped forward his armored fist swinging towards the beast’s face. They slammed together the beast clawing at Simon’s chest while he pummeled its face and torso.
After Simon landed a blow on the creature’s chin that would have killed a normal person the beast leapt back pausing before renewing its attack. It was bleeding from its nose and Wren suspected it was broken by the angle it was at. The beast resumed its growl lowering its head while it stared at Simon with hate filled eyes. Wren watched in surprise and horror as she realized what it was doing. The blood had stopped coming from the nose and as she watched it began to straighten on its own. The beast was healing almost instantly!
“Simon you have to keep it fighting! It is healing!” She yelled. Simon nodded seeing the beast’s strategy and advanced on it. His shirt was ripped and hung loosely around him. Wren could see claw marks and gouges where the beast had attacked. There was no blood that she could see which meant the nanids had held true and protected him. The wounds were not healing as fast as the beasts though and Wren wondered how long Simon could last. She knew she had to do something to help him.
The opponents began to fight again each trying to gain the advantage while Wren tried to determine some way she could help. She looked at the glow coming from the beast trying to see if there was any clue to stopping it. As she looked at its head she could see the telltale glow of a neural implant. Wren knew she had unwittingly connected to the maintenance systems in D.C. and wondered if she could do the same with a neural implant.
She began to concentrate on making a connection when the beast landed a blow to Simon’s stomach that caused him to stumble back struggling for breath. The beast then followed with a kick to his chest that sent him sprawling to the ground several feet away. Anger bloomed in her at the sight of her companion hurt and trying to raise himself up to protect her. She turned to the beast and focused all her will on connecting to its implants as it moved toward Simon.
Wren felt a sensation move through her as if she was moving out of her body and with a lurch felt the link to the beast connect. She could feel its anger and madness seething through its mind. There was only one thing it was meant for and that was to kill her and Simon. There was nothing else. She felt as though it would overwhelm her and it took all her control to keep from severing the connection immediately. The beast was striding toward Simon the growl issuing from it once more. Wren did not hesitate any longer and issued a command to the beast’s implant while speaking.
“Stop.” She said, the command going directly into the beast’s mind. It shook its head and froze looking around for the source of the command. She could feel the beast struggling against the order trying to understand what was causing it. Wren could feel the mind of the beast seething looking for this new intruder. It spun and looked at her and she could see it understood she was the source.
She focused on it and sent a new signal. Pain. She wanted the beast to feel the pain it was inflicting on Simon. The monster howled and fell to the ground writhing from the sensations Wren was causing the implant to instill in it.
Wren saw Simon take advantage of the beast’s distraction and rose his strength returning. Before he could turn to the beast the quantum came up behind him and puts it ethereal hands on either side of his head. Wren had forgotten about the quantum completely when the battle ensued and now could not understand it actions. She knew Simon could not see the quantum but he instantly went rigid and Wren knew the Quantum was connecting to him. Simon was shaking from the connection and Wren watched as the quantum began to enter him through his implant until it had disappeared.
Simon went still with his eyes closed and then Wren saw the most startling change in Simon she had ever witnessed. His skin healed instantly losing the armored look and pulling tight against his frame. It appeared metallic and shone a rust red. Wren knew that if she touched him the skin would be hard as steel. Then he opened his eyes. Wren gasped with shock and almost lost connection with the beast. His entire eye was the color of his skin. There was no difference from skin to eye as if the nanids had encased Simon all in metal. For the first time Wren wondered if Simon was even in control of himself now or if she was looking at the quantum.
A sudden movement from the beast pulled her attention back. It had struggled up and was stumbling toward her with death in its eyes. She could feel its intent through the implant. She had caused it pain and now it would kill her.
The renewed Simon hit it in the side with his shoulder before it could get close to her. As Wren watched Simon knocked it back toward the canyon. She could see the orange glow of the nanids on Simon’s skin but could also see an orange haze around him as if he was giving off a gas or mist. Wren could see it clinging to the beast while it struggled with Simon. The sound of its claws raking across Simon’s metallic skin filled the air. As she watched more of the mist settled on the beast and she could see the skin beneath begin to writhe as though it was being attacked by the mist.
The beast howled and her connection to it sent waves of pain and confusion through her. Wren realized the quantum was using Simon to produce nanids and then disperse them through the metal skin so they could attack the beast’s infection directly on a cellular level. She shook her head as the beast’s pain shocked her to the core. Through the emotions and rage she felt something familiar in its madness and suddenly she knew who the beast was.
Wren watched in horror as Simon knocked the beast to the ground and stepped forward to deliver the final blow to the beast. Its’ skin was now a patchwork of orange and black where the nanids waged an unseen war with Nathan Landis’s new nanotech. She raced toward the two combatants sending the command to freeze over her connection to the beast hoping it would work.
“Simon stop!” she screame
d. “That is Curtis Reynolds!” Simon stopped stepping back from the struggling creature and regarded her with unblinking eyes.
“Come no closer, Wren Fore.” He said holding up his hand. It was Simon’s voice she heard but Wren knew she was talking to the quantum inside Simon.
“The nanids I released are not inherently dangerous but I do not want to risk exposure unnecessarily.” Wren stopped short recognizing the truth in its words.
“We have to help him. He is our friend. Do you understand?” she said to the quantum feeling overwhelmed at talking to this strange entity in Simon’s body.
“Only time will tell if the nanids can purge him of this infection.” It replied turning back to the creature writhing on the ground. Without warning the beast rolled to its feet a scream of pain and fear tearing out of it as it ran towards the canyon. Wren tried to use the connection to stop it but the pain had driven it past normal thought. The wild and feral thing buried deep inside all humans was fully in command, fleeing on instinct alone.
Curtis had just made the edge of the canyon and freedom when a NDP security airship swung in front of him bringing him to a halt. A security officer fired a neural net which contained him and administered a shock rendering him unconscious immediately. Wren felt relief flood through her as the connection severed freeing her from Curtis’ pain. She sank to her knees as Simon stood over her protectively and NDP airships surrounded them.
