But it was too late for regrets. She had wanted to do this alone, and now she was going to have to see it through.
She opened her eyes again and looked at Moses, still trying to open it.
“You’re strong, Subjugate-52,” she encouraged him. “You can do this.”
He tugged and tugged but it wouldn’t move.
“Try your feet!” Salvi told him. “Try stomping on the handle.”
Moses looked at her, then glanced around the pipe. He saw a ridge running along the roof, clasped his hands on it, and squeezed around onto his back. He looked at Salvi.
“Please watch your face, Detective.”
Salvi watched as he pulled both feet up as best he could, then stomped back hard on the arm of the hatch. A larger wave of BioLume came for her, but she turned her face in time, felt it caress her ear lobe and jawline; some splashed higher up on her cheekbone. She looked back but the handle hadn’t moved.
“Try again, Subjugate!” she said firmly. “We need to get out of here!”
Moses stomped and stomped again, but it wouldn’t budge. She knew he could do a lot better, but right now he was too serene to tap into his full force.
She had to push him to find it. She had to break his serenity.
She needed him to code blue.
“Try harder!” she barked.
He stomped again and again. Still nothing.
“Subjugate-52, we have to get out of here! Our lives depend on it. You need to open that hatch or you will never become a Serene. Do you understand me?”
He looked at her with a furrowed brow, splashes of red tainting his face.
“Do you want to fail, Subjugate?” she asked. “If you don’t get us out of here, you will fail!”
His halo flickered. Briefly.
It terrified her how easy it was to do. She didn’t know what was causing it. Anger, frustration, hate? All she knew was that there was a chink in Solme’s chain.
But she had to keep going. Right now she needed it to fail.
“The caretaker is going to tell lies about you to Mayor Solme. Do you want that? He’s going to try and take away your Serenity. We must stop him! Use your strength! All of it! Stomp hard, Subjugate! Stomp now!”
Moses gave a pained whine, whether through annoyance or anger, she wasn’t sure. But it was working.
“I know Serenes are not allowed to get angry, but I need you to, Subjugate. Just this once you’re allowed to. I give you permission. Help me and I will make sure you become the Serene you want to be. Now stomp the handle! Stomp it! Get angry!” she shouted.
Moses groaned, his face contorted. He inhaled a deep breath and stomped down on the handle. It moved slightly.
“HARDER, SUBJUGATE!” she yelled.
She could tell that Moses was feeling the pressure and was not sure how to handle it. He’d been trained through torture not to take to violence and aggression any more. He’d had the tweaks, and he was torn. His brain, his emotions, unsure of how to process what was happening. But at the end of the day he was still human. If she pushed hard enough, forced him to react, would he break his Serene shell?
“Come on, Subjugate! Come on!”
She could see his muscles tightening, trying to pool whatever he was feeling into his inner strength. Cramped in the tight space, red light flashing in his face and her yelling at him, Edward Moses was starting to overload. He was starting to lose his serenity. But right now, that is exactly what Salvi needed him to do. It was her only way out.
“HARDER, Subjugate-52!” she pushed, knowing it was a fine line. “Do not fail me! I need you to kick hard for our freedom. Kick hard so we can find the man who is telling lies about you. Kick hard to prove what a good Serene you really are!”
His halo flickered again. She saw Moses suck in a breath as his muscled arms pulled himself up ready to unleash a frenzy of kicking.
“KICK, SUBJUGATE! KICK!”
Waves of BioLume rushed past her, splashing her exposed skin, but she squeezed her eyes and mouth shut, strained hard to keep her ears and nose out of the BioLume waves.
“Again!” she barked. “AGAIN!”
Moses grunted again and again with effort, stomping wildly, his halo flickering ice blue, until eventually they heard the metal groan.
She watched as Moses paused and stared at the handle of the hatch, panting. He moved himself back into position, using his arms to pull the handle of the hatch around. It popped open and fresh air rushed in to greet them.
Salvi’s body slumped in relief.
“Oh, thank god,” she breathed.
Salvi looked up at Moses’ extended hand.
“May I help you?” he said.
She nodded, and with his help, pulled herself through the hatch of the transfer pipe.
As she stood up, the BioLume sagged her clothes downwards with gravity, molding the clothes to her body like a second skin.
“The electricity is out in here too,” Subjugate-52 noted, looking around the factory. His clothes molded to him like a second skin. His ghostly green neon form made him look like some kind of radioactive creature. His halo, although covered in the BioLume, had thankfully turned back to silver.
It’s a warning sign, she reminded herself. The code blue was a warning to take action before bad things happened. She had time, but not much.
“It’s the caretaker,” she told him. “He doesn’t want us to leave.” She stepped out of the hatch onto the ground floor, and Moses turned to help her. “Thank you,” she said, calmly.
The Subjugate gave a slight bow, red light still flashing in his face, then he moved over to the stairs. He ascended to the observation walkway and toward the hatch that opened onto the glass bridge. Salvi followed, still limping slightly from her tender ankle. She watched as Moses tried to open the door, arms bulging with strain. He grunted and she saw his halo flickering blue, but the door didn’t budge.
Salvi stepped toward him. “Subjugate,” she said calmly, “I don’t think you’re strong enough to open this one.”
Moses released the handle and stepped back from the door, eyeing it. “No. I don’t suppose I am.”
“Come on,” Salvi said, then made her way to the stairs and began to descend again. As she reached the concrete flooring of the ground, she looked around the walls of the factory. Moses moved past her toward another door. But it too was locked.
“The windows!” Salvi said, pointing back up to the observation walkway.
They climbed the stairs again and with each step Salvi gritted her teeth. She could feel her ankle and face swelling further by the minute, as she cradled her fractured forearm.
Moses moved over to one of the windows and examined it.
“They don’t open,” he said.
Salvi looked up and saw a large air vent twirling overhead. Far too high to reach for either of them. She looked back at the windows, like large cruise ship portals dotted along the walls of this level.
“Can we break them?” Salvi asked. “Kick them out, maybe?”
Moses looked from her to the window. For a moment he looked serene, despite that red light flashing in his eyes. Then he stepped back, tensed his body and kicked at the glass.
There was a loud bang, but nothing happened. He tried again.
“Wait!” Salvi moved closer to the window and ran her fingers over it. Her shoulders slumped as she realized it was made of a hardy industrial-strength plastic. There was no way they were going to be able to break through it. It shouldn’t have surprised her. The Solme Complex was effectively a prison after all. It was just a well-camouflaged one.
“We need to find another way,” she said.
“But how?” Moses asked. “There’s no other way out. The caretaker oversees security, and if what you say is true…”
“He doesn’t want to let us out.” Salvi looked around again, still cradling her forearm. “If we can’t get out,” she said, “we need to get someone in. We need to draw attention.”
“How?”
Moses asked.
She looked back at him, glowing bright green from his head to his feet, bright red light splashing his face.
She smiled. “With BioLume.”
Salvi didn’t know how long it had been, but they’d been dancing around in front of the windows, waving their arms toward the residents’ accommodation, for what seemed like an age. Focusing on the few windows that were still lit up, finally they had caught someone’s attention. They’d seen the tiny figure scuttle away, then moments later come back to the window with a second figure, before both then disappearing again.
Now, she focused on the guard running toward the building, heart thumping in her chest, and smiled.
“It’s not him!” she said. “It’s not the caretaker.”
“It’s guard Jones,” Moses said. “Serene-41 is with him.”
They both moved down the stairs again, toward the exit, ready for their freedom.
“Put your hands in the air!” Guard Jones yelled from the other side of the door. “Come out with your hands up!”
Salvi and Moses glanced at each other.
“I’m opening the door!” Jones yelled again. “You stand back, then come out with your hands up! Do you understand?”
“Why is he yelling? Are we in trouble?” Moses asked, brow furrowed, red light still flashing in his face.
“It’s OK!” Salvi called back to the guard. “We just got trapped in here. We’re coming out. We’re unarmed.”
The door opened and Serene-41 stood there shining a bright torch on them. He gasped at the state of their BioLumed bodies, then again at Moses’ flashing chest, and stepped backward.
“On your knees!” Jones yelled at Moses, aiming his taser at him. “On your knees, now, Subjugate!”
Salvi stepped out first with her hands up, glancing back at Moses. “Do as he says, Subjugate-52.”
She limped out into his torchlight and the moment the guard saw she was injured, saw her swollen face, he pulled her out the way and aimed his weapon back at Moses.
“GET ON YOUR KNEES NOW, SUBJUGATE! GET DOWN NOW!”
“I have done nothing wrong,” he said, hands in the air.
Jones fired a quick blast of his taser at Moses. Salvi gasped as the pulse hit and his body locked up.
“No!” Salvi yelled at the guard, knocking his arm down. “He didn’t do anything!”
Moses fell to the ground groaning as Jones turned the weapon to her. “GET ON THE GROUND! KEEP YOUR HANDS HIGH! YOU ARE TRESPASSING! GET DOWN NOW!”
“We’re not the enemy!” she shouted at him. “I’m a cop. You need to let us go!” She moved to light up her badge but it too was back at her apartment.
“GET DOWN NOW!” he screamed, moving up to her and pointing the weapon in her face.
“Look, look you’ve got it wrong!” she told him calmly.
“Tell that to the caretaker! He’s on his way.”
“No!” Salvi said, eyes wide. She glanced at Moses as he pulled himself up from the floor. His halo was no longer sparking blue, it was now pulsing, long and slow. The guard turned back to Moses and saw it too.
“Shit,” he muttered, “code blue,” and blasted him again with the taser. The Subjugate roared in pain, while Serene-41 cried out in anguish. Salvi rammed herself into the guard, but he quickly struck back with an elbow knocking her back.
But that was all the time Moses needed to get to his feet again.
And this time his halo had turned completely ice blue.
The Subjugate growled as he lunged at the guard, knocking him to the ground, hands around his throat.
Serene-41 cried out again, hands to mouth, eyes wide.
“MOSES, NO!” Salvi yelled, and the sound of his name made him look up. “Don’t hurt him, Subjugate-52!” she said, trying to convey calm. “That’s not you any more. That’s not what you do! You’re a Serene. Become the Serene!” she commanded.
Moses looked down at the guard and eased off. Guard Jones saw the opportunity and elbowed him in the face, then shocked him again.
“No!” Salvi screamed. “Stop! He’s my witness!”
But it was useless. Jones was already calling into his comms.
“Caretaker! It’s Subjugate-52! He’s coding blue! I got him! He’s down!”
And Salvi knew then that she had no other choice. She had to call for backup before the caretaker got his hands on them again.
She looked toward the main building, then ran for her life.
Chapter Nineteen
Crucifixion
Salvi ran for the main building, ignoring the pain in her ankle and racking her brain for where the nearest phone might be.
Solme’s office!
She saw a side entrance located beneath the glass bridge from the BioLume factory and raced toward it. She pulled at the doors, but they were locked.
“Shit!” she hissed. She heard footsteps and spun around to see Serene-41 on approach.
“Where are you going?” he asked. “You must not walk around unescorted!”
“Please!” she begged. “I need to get to a phone immediately!”
Serene-41 studied her a moment. “I-I don’t know what’s happening!”
“Serene-41!” she said calmly but firmly. “I’m a detective. You can trust me. Now, please, I need a phone. Urgently.”
“Of course,” he gave a bow. “This way.”
He swiped his pass and began to walk hurriedly down the long-curved corridor to reception, but Salvi stopped him.
“In here!” she called, pointing at the door into Solme’s office. “In here! A phone!”
“But reception is down here,” the Serene pointed.
“No, goddammit!” she yelled. “I need a phone now!”
The Serene cowered at her voice, but did as he was told and swiped his pass. “This is the mayor’s office,” he said. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”
As soon as the door unlocked, Salvi barged her way inside and moved straight to the phone on Solme’s desk. She picked it up and glanced back at the door, but Serene-41 was gone. Salvi turned back to the handset and punched in 9-1-
“Put it down,” she heard Bander’s voice. A chill ran down her spine.
She looked up at the main doorway that led in from reception and saw him standing there with a gun pointed at her. Her gun. She looked back at the phone as Bander stepped inside the office and locked the door behind him. She threw a glance to the side door through which she’d entered.
“Don’t be stupid,” he said, waving the gun. “You know I will.”
“You’re going to anyway, right?” she said. “So what does it matter?”
“Oh, but we’re going to have some fun first.” He smiled. “Put the phone down,” he said. “Now.” He stepped carefully toward her. She looked at the gun and decided not to risk it. Every moment she could stay alive, even if it was fighting him, was worth it. Bander couldn’t possibly kill every witness in here. She placed the handset down.
The second it was down, Bander pulled out his baton with his left hand and smashed the phone several times until it broke apart. Salvi cowered away from the flying pieces.
“Caretaker,” they heard Dr Remmell’s voice sound from the second doorway. They both turned to look at him. “What are you doing?” he asked carefully.
“Controlling the situation,” Bander said quickly. “Subjugate-52’s been on the rampage.”
“No!” she blurted desperately. “Bander tried to kill me!”
“SHUT UP!” Bander yelled. “You’re trespassing!” he looked at Remmell. “She set 52 off.”
“No!” Salvi shook her head, eyes pleading with Remmell’s.
“Alright.” Remmell stepped into the room carefully, hands out placatingly, glancing between the two of them. “Put the gun down, Mr Bander. She’s unarmed. She’s no threat.”
“Don’t tell me how to do my job.” Bander stared at him, panting. “I’m the caretaker and I’m controlling the situation.”
“Dete
ctive Grenville called earlier,” Remmell said carefully. Salvi’s eyes widened at Mitch’s name. “He wants to speak with you,” Remmell said to Bander, then glanced at Salvi again. “He thought Detective Brentt was missing.”
“Bander locked me up with 52!” she blurted.
“SHUT UP!” Bander screamed, then looked back at Remmell. “This bitch snuck in and set off 52. Jones found ’em in the BioLume factory. He’s got 52 there now. Go check, if you don’t believe me!”
“I did, Mr Bander,” Remmell said serenely. “After Grenville’s call, I went to 52’s enclave. His bed had been stuffed with pillows. You’d signed off his injection but Serene-41 said he hadn’t seen 52 receive it.”
“So?” Bander said. “41 wasn’t around. I don’t know how 52 got out but I’ll check the security footage.”
“Erase it, you mean,” Salvi snarled.
Bander turned his murderous eyes toward her.
“It’s over, Mr Bander,” Remmell said. “I don’t know what evidence Grenville has, but it’s over.”
“What’s over?” Bander screwed his face up.
“This. All of it. Put the gun down.”
Bander turned the gun on Remmell. “52 did this. He killed those girls! You know he’s been coding blue. That’s why you didn’t want her to speak with him.”
“Mr Bander,” Remmell said carefully. “I know this wasn’t Subjugate-52. This is my fault, you know. I saw the warning signs. I knew you were escalating but I did nothing to stop you.”
“Escalating?” Bander said, swinging the gun between the two of them. “At your request, Remmell! Go harder, you say! More pain! You’re the one who ordered me to hurt them. You get off on it, don’t you, doctor?”
“No, Mr Bander, I don’t. But I see now that you do. Put the gun down. Let’s talk this over.”
Bander’s chest rose and fell heavily, his body still coursing with adrenaline. “I don’t what you’re talking about, Remmell; you’ve lost your mind. You’re the one who’s spent too much time with these people. Maybe Grenville should be talking to you.”
“What did you do with Detective Brentt’s car?” Remmell asked.
The Subjugate Page 35
