#1 Shades of Gray- Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness

by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  After he leaves, I lay my head on the table. It's my fault. It's all my fault that my brother's dead. I weep as I say, "Please forgive me, Norman. I'll never forgive myself."

  Chapter Fifty-one

  Returning Home

  12:18 P.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Residential Vicinage...

  Tainted Rain poured on West 1000 Avenue, covering the street with oily black water, and the six-wheeled automated Street Sanitizers paused from their work and shut down everything but their parking lights. They allowed Noir's drainage system to take care of the rain. The Sanitizers' work would come again when the storm passed.

  Frustrated over the loss of the Disk and Data Crystal, Kim and Kat sat in the back of a limo that had picked them up from the Main One Hospital. Mr. Griffin sent the driver to take the women back to the Nexus Apartments. The limo passed several of the dormant street cleaners as the vehicle traveled through the Residential Vicinage. Several apartments and restaurants lined West 1000 Avenue. Many of the people that walked the dark sidewalks lit by street lights had umbrellas and/or were dressed in raincoats, and even a few wore Winnow Masks. Some people rushed to have lunch before their break hour ended, and many more vehicles roared up and down the road, spraying the Tainted Rain on the sidewalks.

  Katharine's view...

  We're both in the limo as I stare at my shoulder. I should have told Kimberly while we were at the hospital, but I never found the right moment, and I roll my eyes, remembering back. I never had a chance with Kimberly yelling so much. And she was mostly yelling at me like it was my fault they took the disk from her. I wonder if I should tell her now. Maybe if I want to get yelled at again.

  "Hades!" Kimberly bellows for the tenth time. "I should have known better! For Ares' sake! I can't believe I stayed in bed while they robbed us." She folds her arms. "Who is behind this? How did they know I had the disk or that you had the crystal?"

  I don't reply; I have no answers. I watch the city go by, deciding I'll wait a little longer. Kimberly's too mad, and what I have to tell her will be hard enough without staring into her angry gaze. She may look at me different once I've told her the unsettling news, and I don't know if I could take that. I finally have someone who's on my side.

  End Katharine's view...

  "I'll track them down," Kim vowed. "And when I find them..." She squeezed the knapsack on her lap. "They'll wish..."

  "I think we need some tea," Kat interrupted, still staring out the window. "It will calm us and clear our minds." She glanced at her shoulder. "A lot has happened today, and we have a lot to think about. Maybe even talk about."

  "Tea?" Kim turned to her. "Is tea your answer to everything?"

  "No, it's just..."

  Beaten for the moment, Kim let out a long breath. "It's just that we can't do anything else right now, so why not. Fine, we'll have some tea."

  The limo pulled into Nexus Apartment's parking garage and dropped off the women, and after some time, the two of them sipped on hot lemon zinger in silence as they sat in the living room.

  Kim finally broke the quiet. "Please tell me you downloaded the information from the Data Crystal to the music box."

  "Yes, I think so." Kat retrieved it from her backpack, placed the music box in her palm, and commanded, "Theresa."

  The hologram materialized and examined the room. "Where are we? I don't recognize this place."

  "It's my apartment," Kim answered.

  "It is very nice. I take it the Un-Men are no longer hunting the two of you."

  "We're safe." Kat placed the music box on the table. "What information did the Data Crystal contain?"

  "The files were locked," the hologram replied. "I am working on breaking the encryption, and it may take me some time." She added, "There was one file entitled the Gorgons with no encryption; it only contained an address."

  Kim retrieved her laptop from the master bedroom and logged on to the internet. She typed the address in a map locater search box, and within seconds, the results popped up. "This place is in the Hellenistic Sector." She studied the cross streets. "I haven't been to this part of the sector. We'll have to check it out."

  Exhausted, Kat pleaded, "Tomorrow." She wanted to take some time and play Unfinished Melody and regain more of her strength. Kat could function at this point, but she was a little on edge. "It'll still be there tomorrow."

  Kim wanted to go now, there could be clues, but she did have to think about her new partner. If Kat collapsed, she'd have to lug her around, so Kim closed her laptop and said, "Sure, we need the rest. I imagine your shoulder is killing you after all the stress you put it through."

  "My shoulder?" Kat put a hand to it. "Actually..."

  With her thoughts elsewhere, Kim interrupted her, "Tomorrow then." Kim stood and grabbed her laptop. "I'll be in my room." She went into the master bedroom, locked the door, sat at her desk, opened her e-mail on the laptop, and typed, "Voice, Phoenix here." She waited and received an instant message from the Regulator of the Assassins League.

  "Has your problem been taken care of?"

  Kimberly's view...

  I glance at the door, think of that woman, and type, "Yes, the problem has been taken care of."

  "Are you sure?" Voice types back. "I would hate for this to come back on you, if the problem hasn't been taken care of."

  Does Voice know? No, Voice doesn't know who I am, so Voice can't have me under surveillance. Why does Voice doubt my answer? I've never lied in the past.

  I type, "The problem is gone like I said. Do you doubt my word?"

  "No, of course not; I only wanted to make sure for my own piece of mind. Since the Closing in Moscow, well... this latest event concerned me is all."

  I stare at the screen, wonder how to respond, and type, "I contacted you to inform you I'm taking a hiatus as you and my father suggested." I press the send button and wait.

  A few minutes pass, and an instant message beeps on the screen. "I have an assignment I was hoping you would do for me. It's local. It is a rooftop Closing. Would you mind taking one more assignment before starting your break? It won't take more than a day or two. I'll owe you one."

  I stare at the screen; I can't say no to Voice, so I reply, "Send me the file, and I'll take care of it for you."

  "I will have the file sent to you tomorrow. Enjoy the repose. Voice signing off."

  Great... Just great! I have no idea what I'll do with that woman while I'm on the Closing. I can't say, hey, I'm going to kill someone. Want to come along? It could be fun. I stretch my arms. I'll have to think of something. The laptop goes to the screen saver of the flaming Phoenix as I stand and leave.

  I walk through the hall and shout, "I'm hungry. Want to order a pizza?" I turn the corner and find the apartment's empty. Now where did she go?

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Ginn L. Irynkissgthie

  12:23 P.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Trade Vicinage...

  Outside the Factory...

  Lieutenant Creed flipped down his night vision goggles and scanned the large field of grassy weeds inside the perimeter. All was quiet in the green hue, except for a breeze sweeping across the tall blades. He nodded to his men, and they retreated from the Factory's main gate and in the distance, they heard engines rumble to life. The S.C.Ms. knew this time would come, and they tensed.

  He touched his headset. "Creed, here. Reporting in." He looked to the road leading to the Factory then to a H.H.C. he held, and the screen showed many blips coming their way. "Alpha and the T-3s are moving out. We have backed away from the gate as ordered. Are you sure you don't want me to engage?" Creed listened. "Yes. Yes. Understood, sir. We won't hinder the T-3s retreat from the Factory." He examined the long line of cars and trucks making their way to the main gate, and he noticed a few of the vehicles showed scorched marks and a couple hobbled out on a flat tire or two. "Will secure the Factory once they
leave."

  Creed and his men glared at the T-3s as they left. They lost a lot of good soldiers to them.

  "One day, you will pay," Creed vowed, gripping his weapon. "And I'll be there. I'll be there to witness your end."

  * * *

  Deep inside the Factory...

  The Rogue realized it hadn't run into one single T-3 as it made its way back to Research Lab Five. Alpha must have fled with its minions. The Rogue passed the long forgotten room of science equipment and entered the chamber filled with statues and with the accent lights still down because of Pandora's EFP, the Rogue activated its night vision.

  The Rogue's view...

  What about Pandora? Is she dead or did she escape? I hold my wounded shoulder. Why did she not destroy me? I have to know. I make a face as if in agony, and then I look to the life size statues. I try to figure out why I came back here. I know it is not to look for Pandora; she will not return here.

  All the Ginns point to a wall in the back of the room, I make my way to it and stare at the tiled surface. I scan the area, probe the wall with my infrared, and find nothing out of the ordinary temperature wise. I remove my ORATT from my suit pocket, put them on, and switch to through-wall radar on my polarized spectacles. There is a hall on the other side. I feel along the wall with my good hand till I find a marble tile slightly sticking out, press it, and the wall slides up, rumbling as the ceiling swallows it.

  Once the dust settles, I start down the long descending hall, and with each few steps I take, a light comes on, lighting the way. After about fifteen minutes, the hall ends at a room, and I pause at the doorway as several lights blink on inside and light up the center where two black stones sit on a raised platform. I make my way to the four foot cubed stones with white writing. I come to this hidden room driven by some unknown force, so I need to find out what is important about the two stones. I smooth my palm over the right one's engraved letters. Will they tell me why Pandora didn't destroy me?

  I read the one out loud.

  "Though the clouds darken the sun,

  and the rain becomes tainted,

  always know there will be

  a love that will not die.

  Though hope seems a distant memory,

  and human machines walk the land,

  know no one can destroy

  a love that will not die.

  The One constant,

  the One unchanging,

  the One love.

  Put your faith in

  the love that will not die."

  This is intriguing; this is what Pandora was reciting after I choked her into unconsciousness. I examine the stones, and it looks like both of the pieces are part of a larger one, but do both of them belong to the same stone?

  I walk around them, decide I will investigate that matter later, and read the other block.

  "The land has darkened,

  hope has fled,

  and greed rules.

  Finish it!

  Call forth the Rushlight.

  Open the pathway between.

  Bring an end to false gods.

  Bring an end to lies,

  so usher in the Rushlight,

  creature of the void

  and Destroyer of..."

  The rest of the stone has been destroyed, and the writing is missing. Ginn L. Irynkissgthie, are these about Pandora? Is she the Rushlight, and what is she the destroyer of? I put my hand to the stone. Why did I come here? If my purpose is to destroy Pandora, why did I come to this place? The stones tell me of no way to destroy her, so why? Unless, I am not supposed to destroy her. What is it she once said?

  I replay the event in my computer's eye. Pandora said she does not want me dead; she just wants me to stop hunting her. She told me maybe my creators are afraid of me, not because I have feelings, but because I have the potential to disobey my programming.

  I pull from the memory. Is that it? Can I disobey my programming? Have I evolved to the next level? I consider it for a moment. Pandora did not want me dead; she said as much, so why do I need to hunt her? I look to the stones and decide I have to know more about the Rushlight and these blocks. I have to find the answers to my questions and now that I have a new purpose, I will stop hunting her. I will see if I have more of a purpose than killing, and I will discover the secrets of Pandora.

  Chapter Fifty-three

  More Puzzles

  12:34 P.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Residential Vicinage...

  Up on the Nexus Apartments' rooftop...

  Katharine's view...

  I feel bad because I've kept a secret from Kimberly; it's a small one, but it's still a secret. I need to be open with my new partner, and how can I do that if I keep things from her? Even if I'm afraid to tell her, I still should. The Tainted Rain ended a short time before I came up to the roof. I grip the railing, glance at my shoulder, and let my thoughts drift away as I dread the task before me. I stare down at the road, watching the Street Sanitizers at work. Several of the robotic cleaners rumble across the avenue, and for a few minutes, they distract me from my fears.

  I start to count them. In Wayfaring Lane, I thought there might've been four or five, but here... I count more than a dozen just in this area. A few more minutes pass, and I lean back as I hold on to the railing and let freedom blow over me. I can't remember a time when I didn't have to worry about the Un-Men finding me. I'm safe, safe to worry about other things, so I study the star on my palm. More and more mysteries pop up with no answers like this thing. I rub my fingers over the red scar, and the burn no longer hurts. The mark opened the door to the Gallery with some sort of microscopic cipher imprinted on the star. That same star is on the music box. I place my hand back to the railing and lean on the metal. I asked the hologram if she knew what they were, but she didn't know. I stare at the sky, feeling as gloomy as it looks, then the door to the rooftop opens, and Kimberly steps out.

  "So this is where you went," Kimberly states as she walks over to me. "What are you doing up here?" She looks down at my feet. "At least you remembered shoes."

  "There's something I've been meaning to tell you..." I pause, not sure how to explain, then turn my attention back down to the street.

  Kimberly's view...

  "Well, what is it?" I question, glancing at her.

  Is that woman thinking about what the Rogue said? Is she wondering if she's organic-mecha? I am, and I've been wondering if she knew this fact all along. Could the Guild or the Council that woman keeps mentioning be testing me for some reason?

  I also stare down at the street. What if that woman is organic-mecha? What if she found me for some other reason than what she claims? Whatever I do, I can't let that woman know that I'm thinking this way.

  I ask, "It's not that thing the Rogue told you, is it? I wouldn't worry. There's no way you're one of those organic-mechas." I lightly smack her on the left arm and laugh to give her a sense that it doesn't bother me. I want her to think that I don't believe the possible truth. "You're too weird to be something programmed."

  Katharine's view...

  "Thanks, I think, but it's not that," I tell her as I grip my shoulder, wondering what Kimberly will think of me once she does find out. "It's..." I start, take a deep breath to continue, but then I chicken out and walk away from the ledge. Our partnership is so fragile... My secret might just shatter it, and a fear of abandonment sweeps over me, chilling me with an arctic blast of doubt and cowardice.

  A realization comes to me... Have I already come to rely on Kimberly? I barely know her and yet I feel as though I do. I'm so afraid of what she'll think of me that I decide against revealing my secret. I don't know if I can handle her looking at me any different because something's not right with me.

  I give in to my anxieties and tell her, "Never mind."

  "Don't do that," she snaps. "Don't start something and not finish it." She moves closer to me like we've been frie
nds forever, and she's deeply concern for me. "Tell me what it is. Remember we're partners, and we're supposed to trust each other."

  I'm not sure what to do now. I want to forget about it, but Kimberly already knows something's wrong. I want to trust someone again like I did with Preacher. I'm just afraid I'll be betrayed like I have been by others. I'm afraid Kimberly will betray me again like she did when she handed me over to the Rogue.

  "I'm not sure how to say it," I admit as those fears keep me from coming out and telling her the truth. I direct our conversation elsewhere by saying, "The past year I've learned that I'm the Pandora Project." My heart fills with dread, knowing what my experiment name means. "You told me Pandora was the woman who doomed the world."

  Kimberly answers, "Yes, I told you that Pandora let all good escape from existence; she had released it from a box."

  "Is that my destiny?" I ask her. "I'm afraid I was created, programmed, or conditioned to destroy."

  Kimberly's view...

  That woman is so pathetic. I came all the way up here and all she's worried about is the name the Council gave her. I feel like pulling out my gun and shooting her. Good thing I didn't bring it with me.

  This thing about her name is bothering her, act or not, and I decide I need to continue my own part as the supportive partner. I still need her for a while, and I can't have her moping around.

  "You've got to be kidding. This is what you're worried about?" I start out. "Come on, there are more things to fear than..."

  "Are there?" she interrupts me. "Then why call me Pandora if not to mean doom?"

  I stand there gazing at her, not knowing what to say. If this is an act, she's good, but what if it's not? What if that woman truly believes she's to doom the world? I scowl. I can't have her thinking that way. She'll be no use to me.

  I say, "There's one thing I didn't tell you. There's more to the story. You see, Pandora managed to keep hope in the box. She managed to keep hope in the world."

  "Hope?"

  "Yes, hope," I answer and then I tell her to give that woman a false sense of possibility, "Maybe your destiny isn't to bring doom but hope. Now..." I move for the door. "If we're done up here, let's go inside and order a pizza." I start in. "I'm starved."