“Okay, but like I said before, Talia needs to be here for this conversation,” I answer. At least I know with him around, Talia is not in any danger. But without her around, I definitely am.
“Of course, Talia is central to this matter after all,” he says.
The three of us walk back into the same hallway he brought me through before. The serene atmosphere is comically opposed to the surging chaos enveloping Securus. We settle into his office and he takes a seat at his desk. This time he does not wear the same calculating stare he normally does. Instead, he looks tired.
“I must apologize for Aamon and the overzealous Guards, Talia. I called them off after they displayed that astounding lack of control in the hallway,” he tells her.
“Stop stalling and tell us what’s going on,” Talia demands.
“Aamon has become completely out of control with his desire for power. That situation will be rectified shortly. He was supposed to contain the incident in The Caves. Unfortunately, his escalating failures have only led to this confusing mess we are now faced with,” he says, still not directly answering her question.
“I’m tired of playing games,” I interrupt him. “I’ve learned a lot since that night in The Caves. How about I tell you what we know, then you fill in the blanks? That way we can skip past the lies and cover-ups.”
“Sounds fair,” Mr. Vaden concedes. He leans back in his chair with his stoic façade returning. Even with his deception unraveling in front of him, he no longer looks concerned. The abrupt change confuses me. A second ago he looked broken, now he is impossible to read.
“Kerad and his partner murdered Merrick to hide the tracks and supply room located in The Caves. They lead to another facility called Munitus. Trent instigated the recent viral outbreak using stored pathogens from the Research Labs in order to close The Caves. Electricity and electronic supplies are being siphoned off for some use outside of Securus. I don’t know to what end, but it has to do with something called Caelum. Aamon has been blundering his way through attempts to kill me for the last four days. What I don’t understand, is why you didn’t just kill me in the first place. Why such an elaborate scheme when a simple one would have done?” I ask.
“Well, you have been much busier than we realized. First, I must applaud your stubborn determination. Most others would have relented long ago. To answer your question, at first we thought you had no knowledge of the Soldier Guards or the tracks, so removing you was not deemed necessary. Plus, I’ve always known Talia had an attachment to you, and I didn’t want to cause her any pain. Unfortunately, the further we looked into the event, the more obvious it became that you knew more than we initially believed.
“I was hopeful we could find a less messy solution. So I asked Aamon to handle the situation. Involving him was my mistake. I hoped you could be persuaded to abandon your pursuit, obviously that didn’t happen. An outright reprimand would’ve been too obvious and would’ve given credibility to anything you may have mentioned to any others. The solution needed to be more subtle, without turning you into a martyr. Aamon was far more forceful in his approach than I anticipated. Especially when he infected those he felt failed Leadership with that virus. His intent was to secure The Caves and distract the people with a short lived hardship. It seems your penchant for instigating him has steadily pushed him further and further from reason. On top of that, he didn’t take both of your behavior the night before the detail well, either,” Mr. Vaden confesses.
“Why are we even keeping this secret from the people? What’s so dangerous to demand this kind of secrecy?” Talia asks. By the look in her eyes, she pleads for a redeeming answer.
“I knew you couldn’t be kept from this forever,” Mr. Vaden says, resigning himself to finally revealing the truth. He takes a deep breath and looks Talia in the eyes as he continues. “All of this began long before I was even born. Securus has been under the control of Caelum ever since The Agent became inactive on the surface.”
Inactive? I think to myself. How could that be, I have seen the effects of The Agent for myself. As soon as I think it, the answer becomes obvious. The never ending supply of the virus they keep stored in the Research Labs. They have been infecting people with The Agent for many years in order to control us. The question is why would they do that? By the confused look on Talia’s face, she must be going through the same internal struggle. Mr. Vaden waits for our attention to return before continuing.
“The people of Caelum were the first to emerge from the devastation of The Agent. They saw an opportunity to build a utopian society. Their aim was to make a life for themselves without hardship or suffering at the hands of poverty or war. As they soon discovered, that is an impossible goal. Because of our very nature, there will always be inequalities and divides in our societies. They realized they needed someone to do the distasteful work for them to allow their people to live the lifestyle they so desperately desired. Only then could they get as close to their goal as possible, all the while condemning the rest of us.
“So, before the other colonies could emerge from their underground confines, the leaders of Caelum enlisted the members of Leadership to control their new workforce. The offer was simple. Supply them with the energy and manufactured goods they desired or they would release The Agent into the air filtration systems, killing everyone. How they were able to access our systems without our knowledge is unclear, but they have demonstrated their power in the past and would not hesitate to do so again. The fact that the surface was habitable was too dangerous in their view, so we were forced to perpetuate the deception of The Agent’s continued viability. Unfortunately, even without The Agent, escaping to the surface isn’t an option. Caelum is completely prepared for that as well. Not a single one of us would survive an attempt to flee.
“Munitus is exactly like Securus, happily unaware of the truth. If Caelum were to ever discover the people of Securus have uncovered the truth, they would eliminate us all. All they need to do is push a single button, and we will be no more. That’s why it was so important to contain this. I hold no personal grudge against you, Kagen. My actions were only meant to protect the people of Securus from extinction. Now I see the only way to stop you from leading us to our destruction is to tell you both the truth.”
“Why have you never told me this before,” Talia says with rage in her eyes.
“You have so much of your mother in you,” he says with a mournful longing. “I wanted to tell you, Talia, but what would you have done? I can’t imagine anything stopping you from seeking our freedom. But ultimately, that would’ve led to our demise.”
My mind whirls with thoughts and memories that no longer seem real. Everything has been tarnished. Anything would be better than to know we are being used as slaves for the pleasure of the despicable people of Caelum. Locked up underground and robbed of any free will is far worse than anything else we could have imagined. I almost wish I had been killed while on the detail instead of having to know this. I try to find a hole in his explanation, something to reveal this as another intricate layer of deception.
“Why would they demand this to be kept a secret? If they have the power to kill us, why not simply tell us and coerce our cooperation?” I ask.
“Power and control are very delicate things. If you lord your power over people, they will invariably resist it. But, if you give them the illusion of free will and solidarity with Leadership, they are much easier to pacify. The focus is turned to survival and fellowship rather than bundling their energy into anger and opposition aimed at their oppressors. I know you have read the old world’s history on the internet. Is that not how governments and corporations have operated for centuries? They pretend to be concerned with their workers or subjects and even enlist their opinions. All the while they are secretly steering them toward their own ideals and pursuing their own agenda,” Mr. Vaden answers.
I think of my many internet searches through human history during my spare moments in the infirmary. There are count
less stories of corruption overwhelming the moral judgment of those in power. Every bit of my heart wants to reject Mr. Vaden’s assertion as absurd, but my logic knows better. Considering something as atrocious as what Caelum has done would take a hideous alteration of one’s moral judgment. But this would not be the first time power and fear has led to such a dark path in human history. Another thought springs to mind, lending me hope that this is not the truth.
“If The Agent is inactive, then why do so many people die on the Solar Panel maintenance details?” I ask, mentally willing him to not have a logical answer.
“As a reward for our service, certain members of Leadership are granted access to live in Caelum. Fabricated deaths are a simple way to extract them while simultaneously reinforcing the dangers of leaving the safety of Securus. For my service, I was offered a spot for Talia and myself. I never accepted their offer, knowing what discovering the truth would do to you,” he says to Talia. “You would never have accepted living there while leaving the rest of our people behind. So, I stayed here with you.”
“This can’t be true,” Talia says. Her anger has weakened. She wipes the tears from her eyes.
“I’m afraid it is, Talia. Think about it, isn’t it odd how we are always able to find just the right resources in new areas of The Caves? That’s not an accident. We are given what we need to survive and continue supplying Caelum. Kagen, how else could any portion of the internet be available? Now, you both have an important decision to make,” Mr. Vaden says.
“And what’s that?” I ask, though I do not want to hear the answer.
Even looking at Mr. Vaden is difficult now, knowing the depth of his deceptions. I cannot even imagine how Talia feels, hearing this from her own father. I look behind Mr. Vaden at the Leadership insignia draped on the wall. The symbol has new meaning now. No longer does it symbolize the light rising through the destruction of The Agent. Instead, it merely shows how The Agent was used to enslave the light. How the illusion of democracy has kept us from discovering or questioning our true captors.
“You two still have the power to save our people from their impending doom. Even though Caelum constantly monitors our population and productivity, the daily details are entrusted to the select members of Leadership who are allowed to know of their existence. Since neither our population numbers nor production has been altered, we have not yet attracted additional scrutiny. They are unaware their secret has been discovered.
“The solution is quite simple really. All you have to do is hold this dark secret as I have for these many years. Talia, if you choose to leave to Caelum, that can be arranged, but I doubt you would agree to do so. Assuming you decide to stay, we will set up a timeline for you to succeed me as head of Leadership. Then you can be assured that you will have the authority to do everything possible to improve our lives here. Also, I will not interfere if you choose to be with Kagen. This isn’t an easy path, but you must choose whether you will accept this or if you will continue on your current course and lead Securus to its end.
“You are my daughter and I will not stop you, no matter what you decide. Everything I have ever done has been to keep you safe. You are all I have left in my life. I’ve always been able to take solace in knowing that whatever evil I’ve been forced to accept has always been outweighed by the goodness and light of the one thing in my life I wasn’t forced to corrupt or compromise. That is you, Talia.”
Talia no longer fights her tears. The confusing mix of anger, love, and regret drowns her resolve, throwing her into distress. All I can do is hold her close while she processes the emotions. After that, we both must face the overwhelming weight of the truth.
“How often does Caelum check our population numbers?” I ask, searching for an alternative.
“They have sensors to monitor the biological signatures within Securus. The numbers are checked them daily. They only allow for slight deviations to account for workers in The Caves or those maintaining the Solar Panels,” he answers.
“Then why can’t we sneak out after they do their check? We could keep moving away from here until we’re safe.” I say.
“Because that gun and The Agent are not the only weapons they have at their disposal. Caelum knows a mass exodus would be the first thing the workers would attempt if they found out the truth. That and every other eventuality has been planned for. Caelum cannot risk a revolution. I would welcome any course of action leading to our freedom if there was a reasonable chance of success. But the outcome would be inevitable,” he answers.
My head tilts down as I run out of ways to deny the revolting truth. Talia and I turn silent while we consider his words. Mr. Vaden simply waits.
When Talia is able to speak again, she answers the only way she ever could. “I cannot accept that, father. I will not lead our people deeper into slavery. There has to be a way to liberate them, and I will find it,” she says with surprising strength.
Mr. Vaden does not argue. He only looks at her with proud acceptance. It appears as though he plans on being true to his word. “Then we can only hope you are able to do what I never could. Like I said, I will not resist,” he says, abdicating himself to her.
“If you won’t, I will,” Aamon shouts from the door.
I did not notice Aamon’s presence before he spoke, and judging by Mr. Vaden’s reaction, neither did he. Aamon stands in the doorway with a fierce intensity, flanked by Ardal and Balum. The group would not be intimidating, especially with Balum hobbled, except for Aamon’s weapon.
“We are not going to let you stop us from getting to Caelum,” Ardal barks.
Instinctively, I stand and move to cover Talia. To my surprise, Mr. Vaden comes from behind his desk, standing beside me.
“Aamon, this has gone far enough. You will stop now or not only will you be denied access to Caelum, you will never see anything outside the walls of the Detention Center again,” Mr. Vaden warns.
“I looked up to you. I thought you were strong and courageous enough to do what needed to be done. I guess I was wrong. I was wrong about you both,” Aamon says motioning to Mr. Vaden and Talia with his gun.
During the tense confrontation I feel Talia moving slowly behind me. At first I do not understand what she is doing, until she gently nudges my arm with the assault rifle. She is giving us a chance to fight back.
“Your only way out of this is to give up now, Aamon,” I warn, worried by the disappearance of the sliver of internal conflict that was initially in his eyes. “Your actions have been misguided, but we can work something out.”
“My actions were misguided? I’m not the one trying to kill us all, Kagen. That’s what you are doing. How can you not realize that? I’ll save Securus and reap the rewards I deserve in Caelum,” he says, raising his gun.
My hand locks onto the weapon from Talia. I pull it forward, but before I have a chance to aim, Aamon fires. I hear two shots explode from his gun. One of the bullets sneaks through a gap in my armor. The searing pain of torn flesh in my left shoulder instantly erases any doubt that this time I have been shot.
It’s only my arm, I think to myself while raising the weapon with my right arm. Aamon sees the weapon and jumps behind Balum. I follow Aamon with my rifle and pull the trigger. The flash from my weapon reaches out and finds Balum as its target instead. He collapses to the ground, clutching at his gaping abdominal wound. The blast does not kill him instantly, but with that amount of damage, nothing in Securus can save him. Seeing Balum near death, Ardal immediately lays on the ground in surrender.
With his advantage erased, Aamon runs down the hallway to escape. I sprint after him. Blood pours down my arm as the last shreds of my energy are consumed. We must stop him before he finds a way to communicate to the Soldier Guards or to Caelum itself. My legs do not have the strength to keep up with him, not with the beating I have taken. He is too fast. My effort to position my rifle to fire creates an awkward step, sending me tumbling to the floor. All is lost. Aamon will kill us all in a last attempt
to save himself.
My eyes watch in disbelief as Aamon disappears through the outer door. After everything that has happened, I do not even have the energy to get back up. The physical and mental punishment has finally proven too much. Lying on the floor, staring at the now empty doorway, I lose all hope.
To my astonishment, an instant later, Aamon flies backward into the hallway, crashing against the wall. His gun falls from his hand. When he reaches for the pistol, Arluin appears from the doorway to kicks it out of his reach. Hadwin, still dressed in the Soldier Guard’s armor, kicks Aamon again in the chest, pinning him back against the wall. He then lifts his rifle, placing the weapon directly on Aamon’s forehead. Aamon immediately stops fighting.
“I’m so glad to see you two,” I say.
Their appearance infuses me with enough energy to get up from the floor. As I do, the warm sensation of blood pouring down my arm reminds me of my wound. I need to get my armor off to be able to tend to the wound. My broken body makes the task nearly impossible, so I go back into the office to get Talia’s help.
My heart sinks when I see Talia sitting on the ground, clutching her father. When Aamon shot his gun, I though both bullets were aimed at me. I was wrong. Mr. Vaden’s uniform is stained with his own blood. He has been shot in his upper abdomen and has already become very pale. If the bullet hit a major blood vessel, he does not have much time to live. Mr. Vaden is in much worse shape than I. We need to act fast.
“Arluin, cover Ardal and Aamon. Hadwin, help me get Mr. Vaden to the infirmary now,” I shout, lifting him up so we can move him.
I secure Mr. Vaden’s upper body while Hadwin grabs his legs. Talia opens the doors for us and then immediately returns to her father’s side. As we move, I hear him whispering to her.
“Talia, I’m sorry for what I’ve done. In my desk, there’s a black book with our insignia on the cover. It has all the information you need to keep Securus safe,” he says meekly, through stuttering breaths.
The Death Detail (The Securus Trilogy Book 1) Page 29
