Rolling over the Holy Log, Bekka found a rectangular indentation. When she pressed on it with her thumb, it clicked, and slid away, revealing a metal cube. Bekka recognized it immediately. It was a data cube, used for storing information. She tossed the cube to Raxel.
“This is odd.” Raxel connected the cube to her dataport. “This is a log, a record of, I don’t know. It might go back hundreds of years, but there are bits missing.”
“We are idiots.” Jad smacked his forehead. “Holy log. Hole-y log. It’s historical records. Not some mystical item.”
“What’s in it?” Bekka asked, excitement returning to her. “Does it say what caused The Greyness?”
“There is more data here than I can process,” Raxel said. “Let me try to pinpoint to the day The Greyness came.”
Raxel’s eye lids flickered and her pupils darted back and forth as if she were reading something.
Bekka tapped her right foot, trying to be patient, but utterly failing. “Well?”
A socket on Raxel’s arm opened and a light within it kicked on, projecting a screen of information onto the floor for Jad and Bekka to see.
It was a list of dates and information. The whole thing was arranged by a timecode, though Bekka did not recognize the numbering system for the years.
“I’ve counted backwards,” Raxel said. “From best I can tell these times and dates are the days and moments leading up to when the dome went grey.”
Most of the data was gibberish, codes and phrases that were either corrupt or so foreign that Bekka couldn’t understand them, but one thing seemed clear. The Greyness happened because the entire city had shifted into some sort of power-saving mode.
“That part.” Bekka tapped a line with her foot. “Can you track what caused that?”
The projections shifted, showing an entirely new list of data.
“Oh hell.” Jad looked away, almost embarrassed. “Can that be right?”
Bekka scanned ahead and found the section that Jad must have read. The log stated that a massive depletion in energy had caused the city to shift into power safe mode, and that the coordinates for the failure in the power system listed the coordinates for House Felton’s tower.
Bekka turned to Jad. “Do you know what caused this?”
“Yes,” Jad said. “But I had no idea. I swear. I didn’t know it had caused The Greyness.”
“Know what?” Bekka asked.
“That date. That time.” Jade pointed to a section. “That’s more than five months before The Greyness kicked in. I had no idea that date had any correlation with The Greyness.”
Bekka looked at the date. Nothing seemed strange about it to her. “What happened on that day?”
“The power plant system,” Jad said. “The one that made our family rich, especially after The Greyness happened. That’s the day the system went online.”
Bekka didn’t need to hear more. Somehow they had tapped into the power system that fed the dome and drained it. House Felton caused The Greyness. House Felton was responsible for Lila’s death.
Bekka’s hand made a cracking sound as her open palm smacked Jad across the cheek. The blow so hard that his head whipped sideways and if it weren’t for Raxel grabbing him, he would have fallen over. “You pureblood elitist scumdiver. Your family is the reason—”
Jad must have realized another blow was on its way, because he stepped backwards, putting Raxel between himself and Bekka. “I get it. You are mad, but I didn’t know about any of this. If I had I would have tried to put an end to it.”
“Why?” Bekka yelled. “Why should I believe you? Why should I do anything but gut you and your whole family?”
“Because the family vault is the only way to access the power station,” Jad said. “If you want to hurt my family, if you want to deal a blow to my father, that’s where you hit him.”
Chapter 6: Power
Jad led Bekka and Raxel to the dark section of the vault. Even with his clearance level, Jad was not able to restore power to the elevator. But with Raxel’s help, they were able to pry open the door and climb the ladder inside the shaft.
Three stories up, they reached the power station. Bekka was ready for a fight. She figured there would be workers, guards, and possibly a security system. Instead, they cracked open the door to the elevator shaft to discover an almost empty room. The space was maybe a quarter of the size of the vault, with low ceilings and nothing along the floors or walls.
In the back corner of the room, the metal plating on the wall had been cut open, revealing a thick high-voltage cable. Patched into the cable was a still shiny splitter, that ran up into the ceiling, disappearing into a tangle of black wires..
“This is it?” Bekka’s insides hurt. The grief and pain she had been living with for the past few years could all be attributed to a power cable barely thicker than her arm.
“My sensors indicate that’s it,” Raxel said. “It looks like they are siphoning off between sixty to seventy percent of the power.”
Bekka heard movement, like fabric running over a hard surface. She tried to follow the sound, but it was all around her and yet she couldn’t see it. “What is that?”
“What is what?” Jad asked.
“That sound.”
They were quiet, and waited, but the sound didn’t come again.
Bekka spun, checking the corners. The room was big, but it was so empty that it was impossible for anything to be hidden in it. Other than flat walls, the only visible objects were the high voltage cable and the splitter that ran into the tangle of wires.
The slinking sound came again, and this time Bekka saw movement. What she had thought was a mess of black wires were actually a mutant creature. The tangles bulged and slid down the splitter cable, before dropping to the floor. It rolled about, as if blown by a non-existent wind, and then bit by bit, armored tentacles protruded from the core. It was like watching a ball of yarn sprout legs, but instead of being cute and fluffy, the legs were each capped with teeth and a star-shaped mouth.
Before Bekka had a chance to warn Jad or Raxel, the thing moved, lashing out. It crashed into Raxel. Its teeth tearing into her metal body parts, just as easily as those that were still flesh. Blood and coolant spilled to the floor. Raxel’s body twisted with blue electricity and went limp.
“What in the dome’s name is that?” Jad backed away, moving toward the elevator shaft.
“Must be some sort of security your family placed here to stop anyone who got this far.” Bekka backed away from Raxel and the thing, moving toward Jad. “What weapons do you have on you?”
“Why would I be armed?” Jad asked.
“You were just in a prison interrogating—”
“I don’t have any weapons.” Jad’s spoke in a higher pitched, almost panicked tone. “The way it tore into Raxel. It could kill us in a single strike!”
“It…” Bekka didn’t like when things didn’t have a name and as the saying goes, call a torch a torch. Clearly this thing was some sort of muttblooded mutant. “It’s nasty, but I’ve faced worse. Keep your face toward the mutt and stay behind me.”
“I’m dead weight,” Jad said. “No way I make it out of here alive so let me rush it. You make for the elevator shaft.”
As nervous as she was, Bekka couldn’t help but smile. Jad was cute thinking he could do anything to buy either of them time. She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close. His eyes were wide with shock, and they went even wider when she pressed her lips to his.
The kiss was soft and nice, like coming home.
Bekka reached for his pants, unclasping the belt.
“Woah woah woah…” His cheeks reddened and his hands pushed hers away. “I don’t think now is the time.”
“Always the gentleman.” She kissed him again, this time on the cheek. “But all I want is your belt.”
With a yank, she jerked the metal belt from the loops of his pants. Once free, she wrapped it around her right hand. She flicked her wrist and t
he belt cracked like a whip. It wasn’t much, but at least this wasn’t a fight she would be going into empty handed.
“You can’t be serious.” Jad’s pants sagged and he had to use one hand just to keep them up. “We need to run. You can’t fight it.”
“The moment we run it will be on us.” Bekka sprinted toward the mutt. “Fighting is our only chance.”
The mutt sagged, as if about to fall, but then the tentacles it stood on tightened, flinging itself at Bekka. She wasn’t faster than the mutt, but her eyes gave her a bit of an edge. In slow motion, she watched the tentacles tense and release. She was able to predict the blow and side step it.
“All right, nasty.” Bekka dropped into a ready position. “That the best ya got?”
It lashed out again, and again. On the third time, it caught Bekka in the shoulder, cutting through her clothes and drawing blood.
Like birds caught in some intricate mating dance, they moved across the floor, but no matter how hard the mutt tried, Bekka refused to give up the lead and so with every step she worked harder and harder to position the mutt where she wanted it.
Either the mutt was smart, which was a serious problem, or it was growing bored because right before Bekka shifted to go on the offensive, the tangled mass rolled away, charging toward Jad.
“Oh heck cheese!” Jad tried to run, but his loose pants got the better of him, and he tumbled to the ground.
The mutt leapt.
A bolt of lighting shot from the elevator shaft. It encompassed the mutt, and sent it flailing against the wall.
Standing at the elevator door was Soz, and two armed security guards.
“Enough.” Soz pointed a rifle at Bekka. “Your reign of chaos is over.”
Bekka still held the metal belt, but it was useless against a rifle. Her only weapon at this point was her mouth, and she doubted she could talk her way out of this.
Soz’s finger squeezed the trigger.
The soldiers and Soz must have seen a blur of movement, but Bekka saw it in all its detail. Jad had looked from Bekka to Soz, then, without needing the time to think about it, he attacked. He tripped the closest guard, and barreled his shoulder into Soz’s side.
The rifle fired, but the shot went wide, missing Bekka’s head.
“Sir?” Soz’s voice quivered.
“Drop it, Soz!” Jad attempted to jerk the rifle away from Soz, but the chief of security didn’t loosen his hold.
The second guard lowered his stun gun, pointing it at Jad, while the first had returned to his feet. Both hesitated, unsure about whether they should support their immediate supervisor or the heir to House Felton.
Bekka appreciated the hesitation. She lunged and drove a fist into the first guard’s temple. It was a hard blow. Her hand stung, and the guard crumbled, unconscious. She spun just as the second guard lunged at her with the stunner. She held the metal belt in both hands and spun, twisting it around the man’s wrist. The stunner went off and the guard shot himself.
When she looked again, she was dismayed to see Jad on the ground with Soz kneeling over him. The barrel of the rifle was flush against Jad’s chest.
“Why Soz?” Jad asked. “You knew. You knew about all of this. How could you support it?”
“You ungrateful privileged meatus.” Soz spit in Jad’s face. “You grew up with it all. You don’t know what it’s like out there. I did what I had to do for myself and my family. Principals and morals don’t keep food on the table.”
“And how much worse has it been for those out there since my family started The Greyness?” Jad’s voice was not one of anger, but one of depression.
“My family was cared for, that’s all that matters.” Soz dipped a hand to his belt and pulled out a second blaster. This one he pointed at Bekka. “I see you. Don’t think I don’t. There is no scenario where this doesn’t end with your death.”
“Ain’t the first time I heard that.” Bekka could talk the talk, but at the moment she really was a flitter without any sound. Soz had the upper hand and she had no way to turn it.
“There are two ways this can play out,” Soz said. “A clandestine terrorist group broke into House Felton. They kidnapped the heir and ransacked the vault. Security found them, and killed them all. The question is, did they find the heir alive or dead?”
“My father would—”
“Your father only cares about his bank account,” Soz said. “So either stand with us or die with your muttblood lover.”
Jad tilted his head, to look at Bekka and he gave her a smile.
Bekka rolled her eyes. The foolish idiot. “Agree to whatever Soz wants,” Bekka said. “Your life ain’t worth it. You can do more, if not now then at some point when your father is dead.”
“No,” Jad said. “I’m with you until the end.”
Bekka wasn’t fast enough to cover the distance between her and Soz. Even if she sacrificed herself to save Jad, Soz would have more than enough time to shoot them both. At the moment her only weapon was still the metal belt, and if she didn’t act they would both be dead..
“Fine with me.” Soz glanced up at Bekka and then back down at Jad. “Question is, who should watch who die?”
Bekka heard the sound of fabric sliding. It made her smile. It was their out, but she needed to cause a bit of distraction, luckily for her, she was good at distractions. Looking squarely at Soz, she rubbed her belly. “Before you shoot me, you should know, I’m carrying Jad’s child.”
“Bull.” Soz clicked off the pistol’s safety.
Bekka shrugged. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
She sprinted left and Soz followed, tracking her with the rifle.
Bekka expected to hear the sound of the gun firing, but instead heard a lashing sound and a scream.
The tentacle mutt had pounced on Soz, knocking him clear off Jad, and was drilling into the security chief. Blue blood speckled the floor.
Jad scrambled to his hands and knees, half-running and half-crawling to get out of the mutt’s range. Shards of Soz’s glass-like hair shattered on the floor and he let out one final gasp that came out more as a gurgle.
Bekka pulled Jad to his feet and they retreated to the corner of the room.
“I should have tried to grab one of the stunners, shouldn’t I have?” Jad asked.
“Too late now. Besides, I had figured out how to deal with the mutt earlier. It’s just going to take a bit of skill.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stay behind me,” Bekka said. “When it’s time, save me.”
“Save you?”
“You’ll know when.” She hoped he would.
The mutt tossed Soz’s limp body aside. It clumped in an unnatural way, twisted and broken. Rising up on its tentacles, the mutt skittered across the floor, swaying left and right as it moved closer and closer to Jad and Bekka.
Bekka waited till she was only a foot from the high voltage cable. She then let out a squeal, trying to make it sound as if she were injured, and mock rolled her ankle.
The mutt must have seen it as an opening because it sprung at her.
Jad screamed a warning, but Bekka was ready.
Bekka whipped the metal belt at the mutt. The creature parried the attack, and wrapped two tentacles around the belt’s tip.
“Here’s to your mother!” Bekka jammed the tail end of the belt into the socket that joined the high voltage cable with the splitter.
White light with a touch of blue blinded Bekka. Even knowing it was coming she was unable to let go of the belt in time. The scent of burnt hair filled the room as electricity tore through her, sending her flying backwards.
Jad was ready, and caught her. He held her to his chest as she continued to twitch.
The mutt wasn’t as lucky. The metal belt held and the arc of electricity running across its body was drowned by flames. A charred smell, like burnt rubber and chemicals filled the air. The mutt shrieked.
Its tentacles flared, sending a sinuous teal smo
ke into the air. The power of the room dimmed, flickering twice before finally cutting out.
By the light of the burning mutt, Jad continued to hold Bekka and even though she had regained control of herself, she let him.
Chapter 8: Light
In the dark, it took Bekka more than thirty quantums to get Raxel up and running again. Once she did, it took them even longer to make their way out of House Felton’s vault. The elevator shafts were all powerless, and so they had to climb their way back to ground level. Thankfully, along the way they met no opposition.
The grandway and lobby of House Felton were also deserted and when they reached the city street they discovered why. The roadways were filled with people and everyone of them was looking up. The Greyness was gone. In its place light, actual light, radiated from the dome.
At first, Bekka thought it must be her imagination, but as she closed her eyes she could feel warmth on her cheeks and skin. She hadn’t felt that kind of warmth since before Lila died.
“I’ll be a stinger’s brunch.” Raxel held her palms up, as if taking a reading with her sensors. “It must have been the splitter. You burned out House Felton’s connection and the dome shifted out of power save mode. You ended The Greyness.”
“And I’ll make sure it stays that way,” Jad said. “House Felton has fallen and it won’t rise again.”
As cheesy as Jad could be, he was kind of cute when he acted all moral and righteous. Bekka smiled. It would be a bit of a challenge and quite fun corrupting him, but he was wrong about one thing. House Felton hadn’t fully fallen yet, but that was alright. One step at the time. Today she would enjoy the light and tomorrow she would kill Jad’s father.
Scott King
Scott King is a writer, photographer, and educator. He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Ocean City, Maryland. He received his undergraduate degree in film from Towson University, and his M.F.A. in film from American University.
King worked as a college professor teaching photography, digital arts, and writing-related classes. He now works full-time as a game photographer and author.
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