A Hero for WondLa

by Tony DiTerlizzi

  CHAPTER 15: BLACKOUT

  Eva Nine followed her sister down the secret passage outside the city. Eva Eight’s light flickered erratically as she moved, creating jumpy elongated shadows. Mysterious mechanical sounds murmured somewhere deep below them.

  “We are here,” Eight said, pointing to a round hatch mounted in the center of the floor. She grabbed a long steel rod leaning against the rough-hewn wall and hooked the rod into a notch in the center of the hatch.

  “What is this place?” Eva asked. The hatch reminded her of the hidden door in the back of the supply room in the Sanctuary.

  “It’s a maintenance passage from when the city was still completely underground.” Eva Eight grunted as she slowly lifted the hatch cover. “I stumbled upon it one night while I was hiding from the night patrol.” She slid the hatch cover off and stood, catching her breath. “Phew! That thing is heavy!” she said. “Go ahead, Nine. Take a look.”

  On hands and knees Eva peered down the open hatch. The sounds she had heard in the passage were certainly coming from what she spied below her.

  Far beneath, Eva saw a vast foundry. She quickly determined it was a manufacturing plant of some sort by the busy crew of laborbots performing various tasks. A great forge belched out vaporous breath and vomited hot liquid metal into labyrinthine molds. Out of these molds came strange mechanical components that were fed on a conveyer belt to a huddle of laborbots. Some laborbots welded while others wove cords, cable, and fiber-optic bundles through the parts.

  Across the plant an impossibly large roll of ply-steel steadily unfurled and fed a parade of pounding presses. These presses formed, trimmed, and stamped the ply-steel into heavy plates and panels, which were then welded together by more laborbots.

  As the welded shells were carried toward a painting room, it dawned on Eva what they were fabricating. “Robots,” she whispered to Eight. “I don’t get it. They are just making giant robots.”

  “Yes, but for what purpose?” Eight asked, her face aglow by the light of the forges below.

  Eva shrugged. “Why don’t we just ask our Omnipods?”

  Eight scoffed. “Don’t bother. Your Omnipod won’t know and wouldn’t tell if it did know, even if you overrode it with a password.”

  “So this is it? This is what Cadmus is hiding?”

  “Don’t you see?” Eight resealed the hatch. “The entire city is rationing its power for this—the manufacturing of these robots. Why?”

  “I don’t know.” Eva stood and dusted off her hands. “And, honestly, I don’t care. I just want to find Rovee and a place where we can all live together.”

  “Fine,” Eight said. “Let us go then. We’ll grab a few things, and—”

  “Halt, civilian!” the firm voice of an authoriton rang out from behind them. A red laser shone brightly on Eva’s face and chest. “You are in breach of statute twelve-thirty-nine, New Attica’s mandatory curfew. Please surrender willingly.”

  Eva Eight grabbed Eva Nine by the hand and wheeled her around. “This way!” she said as they dashed back from where they’d come. At the end of the passageway two more authoritons emerged, each with their arms cocked. Eva froze, blinded by the bright lights in her face.

  “SHOCdarts armed. Apprehension and immobilization to follow,” an authoriton declared. “Please remain stationary.”

  “Go clone yourself!” Eight spat. “Come on, Nine, let’s get out of here.”

  “Subdue humans orderly and carefully via SHOCdarts.”

  Before she could take a step, Eva felt the piercing jolt of several darts go into her leg and hip. She tried to reach down and remove them, but a searing electric charge caused her legs to buckle and give out. I’m falling down . . . down. . . . No, up to the ceiling, her mind whirled. Eva hit the ground, her head spinning from vertigo. Her last thought before she blacked out was how much she hated Hailey for bringing her to this horrendous place.

  “. . . Nine, Eva Nine, wake up,” a voice drifted into Eva’s consciousness. Eva’s eyes fluttered open, and the tired face of Eva Eight came into focus. With her sister’s help Eva slowly sat up.

  They were on a cushioned floor in an artificially lit cell. A simple toilet was mounted on the cell wall next to a pellet and water dispenser. The cylindrical walls seemed to go up forever and appeared to be the source of light. Eva’s ears buzzed from the low hiss of an electric charge coming from all directions.

  “We’ve been captured,” Eight said as she brought a cup of water to Eva’s lips. “Right now we are in the detainment ward, somewhere below Attican Hall.”

  “How do you know?” asked Eva as she rubbed her leg. It ached where the SHOCdarts had stung her.

  “I came to momentarily when they were bringing us in last night.” Eight took a sip from the cup.

  “How long have we been in here?”

  “My guess—all night and most of the day,” Eight replied. “I’m not sure how long the effects of the SHOCdarts last.”

  “So now what?” Eva looked around the cylindrical cell. It was smaller than her bedroom back in the Sanctuary.

  “Now we wait,” her sister said with a sigh. “Hopefully they’ll just kick us out of the city and that will be the end of it.”

  Eva couldn’t believe that in a day’s time she’d gone from a having a burning desire to be a citizen of New Attica to banishment. As she wondered if Rovender could help her out of this mess, she reached for her Omnipod—but her satchel was gone.

  “Don’t bother,” said Eight. “They’ve confiscated everything.”

  Eva lay back on the cushioned floor and closed her eyes, trying to take her mind off the pain throbbing in her legs. She thought of the Halcyonus living peacefully back in Lacus and how wonderful Hostia and her family had been to her and Muthr. That seemed like such a long time ago, a different life altogether. . . .

  The hiss of an opening in the cell wall stirred Eva from her light sleep. A thin man entered, flanked by two authoritons. He was dressed in a dark uniform, and his head was encircled by a wide white ruff that projected a cone with dozens of holographic newsfeeds around his face. Eva recognized him as the same man from Cadmus’s office. His firm diction carried the weight of authority when he spoke. “I am Marzug, Attican magistrate and counsel to Cadmus Pryde. You are Eva Nine and Eva Eight, originally of HRP Sanctuary five-seven-three. Is this correct?”

  Both girls nodded, saying nothing. Eva Eight stood defiantly and faced Marzug. The authoritons rolled in front of him, brandishing their thick padded arms. Eight said, “Besides roaming about after dark to find shelter, we’ve done no harm. If you let us leave, we’ll be no more trouble.”

  “Not only have you violated our stated curfew, but you’ve removed your trace chips and therefore are deceiving the city’s Centralized Individual Location Assistance, both of which are put in place for your own safety.”

  Eight tried to cut in, “But you don’t—”

  “You show blatant disregard for the few rules we have here, Eva Eight,” the magistrate said, his bony arms crossed. “If it were up to me, you would serve the maximum punishment for your transgressions.”

  “But we—”

  “However,” Marzug continued, “it is not up to me. Cadmus would like to deal with you both personally, so I’m to take you to him immediately. Follow me, please.” The magistrate exited. The click of his heels echoed through the detainment ward as he stepped down off the raised dais that housed their columnar cell. The girls followed him past rows of identical cells, under the watchful eyes of the accompanying authoritons.

  They entered a large formal assembly chamber with a presentation stage centered under a high vaulted ceiling. Rows of seats radiated from the stage, each seat with an occupant. Eva recognized Cadmus’s voice as he addressed the gathering.

  “. . . based on what the Prime Adviser has told me, this could be a considerable gain for our people if we are willing to take the risk. So I will present a detailed course of action to you, my esteemed council mem
bers, for your input, perspective, and wisdom.”

  Marzug pointed to both Evas. “Wait here you two, and don’t make a sound,” he said. With much pomp he walked down the center aisle toward the stage.

  Eight leaned over and whispered, “This is the council that reigns over New Attica. Recognize anyone?”

  Eva studied the aged faces of the people who sat in the circular chamber. “That looks a lot like Albert Einstein.” Eva pointed to a man with a gray bushy mustache and disheveled hair. “And over there I see Mahatma Gandhi. And there . . . Is that Abraham Lincoln?”

  “Yes,” said Eva Eight. “You remember your history well. I also see Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon Bonaparte.”

  Eva wondered how these world leaders from other times could all be sitting here in one room with Cadmus. “Are they clones?” she whispered.

  “Holos,” Eight replied. “This is the famed Chamber of Historic Thought, where Cadmus’s façade continues. It’s just a puppet show to appease the masses.”

  Eva thought back to the program she’d watched on Hailey’s ship—historical figures brought to life via holograms by another man named Pryde. Is he related to Cadmus?

  “The corruption and her apprentice, Father Pryde,” Marzug said, and gestured to both girls. Cadmus dismissed the magistrate and approached Eva and her sister. His white silken robes billowed as he passed through a hologram of Ch’in Shih Huang Ti.

  “Eva Nine, while I am busy securing a home for you, you’re falling into company with this mischievous one. What are you two up to?” Cadmus put his hands on her shoulders.

  “We were just leaving,” Eight answered, stepping between Cadmus and Eva. “If you just return our belongings, we’ll be on our way.”

  “Leaving?” Cadmus kept his gaze on Eva Nine. “But, Eva Nine, you just arrived. You can’t possibly be bored by my fair city already, can you?”

  “I think she’s seen the real New Attica, in all of its splendor,” Eva Eight retorted, her arms crossed in defiance.

  “Really?” Cadmus continued evenly, though his focus remained on Eva. “So tell me, Eva Nine, what is the real New Attica?”

  Eva shifted in her dress while it turned a sour green. She felt uncomfortable with the presence of the armed authoritons right behind her. And though they were only holograms, even the world leaders caused Eva unease. Cadmus had been amiable so far. He’d even asked his own daughter to show Eva around—though Gen had seemed a bit sheltered. From the recesses of Eva’s mind drifted Arius’s chant:

  Illusion shepherds a flock just as a queen protects her hive.

  Eva asked, “Why is it that there are aliens and other creatures outside but the people here act as if they don’t exist?”

  “Ah! Answer a question with a question. I like that. I like that a lot. And this is quite a conundrum, to be sure.” Cadmus put an arm around Eva and led her to the center of the chamber. Eva glanced back and saw the authoritons preventing Eight from following.

  Cadmus spoke and moved about the stage, so that all eyes were on him. “Eva, as long as there has been civilization, there have been dangers that would infiltrate and upset mankind’s desire for serenity and order—from Neanderthal clans fighting off saber-toothed cats to an ark full of alien life-forms encroaching upon Earth.” The council nodded and murmured in agreement. “The irony is that people are aware that dangers lurk about on the fringe of their happy lives. But people by nature don’t want to confront these threats. In fact, they’d rather not deal with them at all and exist instead in a blissful state of pure innocence.”

  “Perhaps you want them to exist that way,” Eight called out from the back of the chamber.

  “Oh, no, Eva Eight. It is the truth. Go out there and ask anyone on the street. They like life here. They feel safe here. They want nothing bad to happen to them or their children, and they want to enjoy the luxuries of life their predecessors could never afford. I have provided this reality for all, including you.”

  “But bad stuff is out there. You can’t stop it,” said Eva Nine.

  “The truth is always so pure when spoken by a child, is it not?” Cadmus addressed the council. “And you are correct, Eva. Bad things happen whether we like it or not. And so it is my responsibility as leader to take care of my people at any cost.”

  “Yeah, right!” Eight snorted.

  Cadmus stepped off the stage and ushered Eva back to her sister. The council members watched as they walked past them. The holograms were more detailed and lifelike than any others Eva had ever seen. She watched as Albert Einstein, dressed in a collared shirt and casual sweater, lit his pipe with holographic matches that he pulled from his trouser pocket.

  Cadmus addressed Eva Eight. “The truth is that we are running low on resources and the region surrounding us is not viable. It pains me to see my people, my children, be forced to remain in this small space unable to enjoy our Earth’s many splendors. But all of this will soon be remedied. You must have faith in me.”

  “I have faith,” Eight said, pulling Eva back toward her. “But it is a faith in myself to steer my own life and control my own destiny. Not the one that you think Nine and I should have.”

  “And you, Eva Nine?” Cadmus said, looking down at her. “Do you feel the same?”

  Why couldn’t Rovender be here? This is not what I wanted. She looked away from Cadmus and whispered, “Yes.”

  Even though she was no longer looking at him, Eva knew that Cadmus kept his gaze on her.

  “Fair enough,” he said at last. “This paranoia has occurred in the past with some of the other Sanctuary-borns. We could certainly remedy it here, but I will not keep either of you against your will.” He gestured to the magistrate. “Please retrieve their confiscated property, Marzug. Thank you.”

  “Of course, Father Pryde.” Marzug swept from the chamber.

  “Well, Eva Eight, I am sorry it did not work out for you here. Perhaps you will find it more agreeable with Eva Nine’s friend Hailey Turner and his vagabond gang,” Cadmus said, shaking Eight’s hand in farewell. “And, Eva Nine, my Gen had taken a real liking to you. It’s too bad she won’t be able to say good-bye.” Cadmus reached out for Eva’s hand and noticed the glyph, the circle within the circle, on her forearm.

  Eva quickly pushed her sleeve down to conceal Arius’s symbol.

  Cadmus appeared thoughtful for a beat. “I’ve an idea. How about I leave you both with a lasting act of my generosity? I’d like you to clean up and dine in one of the guest rooms here in the hall while I arrange for a small shipment of supplies that you can take with you.”

  “It’s okay. We can manage,” said Eight. “We just want our belongings back.”

  “No, really, I insist,” said Cadmus, summoning an autoserver. “It will not take long at all, I assure you. I’ll send it up with your belongings, and my escort here will see that you exit the city safely.”

  Eva shared the apprehension that she could hear in her sister’s tone. Regardless, there seemed no other way out of the situation. She thought of Rovender going through Besteel’s old belongings looking for items that might be of help to them. “Okay,” Eva said to Cadmus. “We’ll wait.”

  “Very good! This one is smart, Eight. You would do well to follow her lead.” Cadmus grinned. “Now if you’ll excuse me, the city needs its leader, so I must say farewell. Till morrow’s destiny.”

  CHAPTER 16: PUZZLE

  I don’t know why you agreed to this, Nine. He’s up to something. I know it,” Eva Eight murmured as they followed the autoserver to the guest suites on the upper floors of Attican Hall.

  Eva was still sorting out everything that Cadmus had said about taking care of his people. “Let’s just forget what he says and see what he does,” she whispered back.

  “Well, what we need to do is get out of here. And the sooner the better,” said Eight.

  “Your room is here.” The autoserver extended an arm from its cylindrical body and typed in a code on the pad next to the door. The do
or slid open, and the robot led them in.

  “Welcome to the suites at Attican Hall. You are in unit number thirty-nine-seventy-three on the thirty-ninth floor,” the bodiless voice of the room greeted the arrivals. The sitting room had an airy feel to it because of a window that constituted the outer wall. Outside, the atmospheric membrane projected an azure cloudless sky. “If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask. There are call buttons located in every room for your convenience, or simply address the room directly. Thank you.”

  The autoserver opened the drapes and powered up the holographic music player. At the far end of the room, a life-size hologram of a lean man in a dark suit sat at an ornate grand piano. He adjusted his pince-nez spectacles and smoothed his thin mustache. He spoke with a foreign accent, “I am Igor Stravinsky, and I’d like to play for you one of my compositions, ‘The Rite of Spring.’” An adventurous melody came from his piano over the room’s speakers.

  “Feel free to use any and all conveniences while you await your personal items,” the autoserver said as it rolled past the hologram and fluffed pillows on the ornate couch.

  As Stravinsky’s melody filled the room, Eva explored the stylish suite. From the sitting room a small dining area led to a kitchen stocked full of bar and pellet dispensers. Beyond, a large cushy bed, covered in a heaping arrangement of multicolored pillows, dominated the bedroom, and a spacious washroom held an enormous Roman-style soaking tub.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you?” asked the autoserver.

  “No, thank you,” Eva said. She caught herself in a floor-length mirror as her Emote-Attire shifted from an icy blue to a lovely shade of lilac.

  “Till morrow’s destiny.” The autoserver disappeared through a small access hatch in the bedroom wall.

  Eva joined her sister back in the main sitting room.

  “Look at all those people.” Eight leaned her head against the large window and gazed at the bustling metropolis below. “They are all robots under his command—each and every one of them. They have no desire to leave the safety of this place nor have a yearning to find the truth.”