Digital Venous

by Richard Gohl

  “No, gas. There was a… conflict. You did something to us, we did something to you, and so on until… yeah, a lot of people were hurt. Killed. Thousands were killed. Down here and my parents too.” Ryan listened, shocked. Kristina continued. “I survived ‘cause I was at school. You believe that? School saved my life! School of Light—they call them that because they’re up on the surface in a transdome—well ventilated… ” She looked at a clock on the wall.

  “Gotta go! Nice chatting, Ryan—come and hang with the ladies. We’re in the room with the lightning bolt on the door…”

  Chapter 24

  Do I Know You?

  “GROW WOOL?” RYAN asked.

  “It’s the medium some of our plants are grown in. Ute’s outside; give us a hand, would you? There’s a lot of it to bring in.” Much of the traffic on the underground streets was made up of small four-wheel battery-powered utilities.

  However, instead of the usual delivery person, three heavily armed women strode through the front door, closing it behind them. Alia, Bes, and Madi. It was like invasion of the amazons. Alia, with a disarming smile, asked: “Is it possible that we can see the children you have here?”

  Ben, no less imposing a figure, said, “I must ask you to leave those weapons outside. Yes, we have children here and they do not need further trauma from the likes of you…” The women put their guns down. Ben continued—he had a way of speaking almost without full stops. “We provide very good care for the children. They are educated, work, and are happy here.”

  “Why haven’t those children been reunited with their parents?” asked Alia.

  Ginny, emerging from a crop room, knew immediately what was going on. Looking over her shoulder, she turned and ran back to the children standing in the middle of the hallway. “Into your rooms—all of you. Do not come out until these people have gone!”

  The women had seen the scared faces of the children and Ben seized the moment.

  “I think you should go. You obviously know nothing about what goes on here. If you did you wouldn’t be talking like this. We help these children, we love them, we give them a home… and we’re not the only house of our kind. There are a number of other places like us operating in this city. Are you even aware of that? And what th…?”

  “We are looking for our own children,” said Madi.

  “And you would point guns at your own children? You don’t deserve children!” hollered Ben.

  Madi had a pistol in the back of her pants and, taking a step past Alia, she pulled it out, saying, “You fuck….” Alia cracked her across the forearm, knocking the weapon to the ground. A moment of quiet followed.

  Bes, doing her best to salvage the situation, stepped in, saying: “Bring them out.”

  Ben remained calm. “I can’t do that—to the children, this just means they’re stolen again. They’re to stay here—government orders.”

  Madi, still angry, yelled, “We don’t have a government!”

  “We have elected leaders who make decisions on our behalf. That’s a government.”

  “Oh, you’re not still hanging onto that old idea, are you?” Madi tried to lighten a heavy situation that she had, once again, created.

  Bes, though not interested in politics, joined in to support her. “Democracy is great but if you want something done you have to do it yourself.”

  “Breaking into peoples’ homes and attacking them?” asked Ben.

  Down the hall, doors again opened and young faces were peering around corners. Ginny, standing just behind Ben, moved back to close doors.

  “Look, if you don’t cooperate, we just do this by force and you risk injury—so bring them out!” said Madi, eyes flickering.

  To Alia, Ben said, “Ask your friends to wait outside so we can wrap up this conversation.”

  Reluctantly, Bes and Madi agreed to wait outside.

  Ben then said, “You send me the name of the parent, the age, sex, and name of the child, and we can see if anything matches up. Case by case.”

  “Okay. Thank you… but as well as that there’s a kid, he could change everything for us. Down here. You have him. Ryan Wing…” Alia studied Ben’s face for a sign of recognition. When there was no denial, she continued, “Maybe you or your wife could bring him to us.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. What’s so important about him?”

  “He’s the son of a Napean Captain and apparently, he’s learned natural telepathy.”

  “So this has nothing to do with the helping children or restoring family justice?” “It has everything to do with that…”

  “And I thought you seemed nice,” said Ben, his head inclined toward Alia. “Napeans can use ETP because of their close proximity to a registered transmitter port, or T-dock, as they call it. If this child can access this means of communication, unaided, it means that he could access their whole network for free! We don’t have to hurt anyone to find out what we need.”

  “Telepathy is dangerous. I think you know that better than anyone. Especially for a child.”

  Ben was hinting at what he had heard about a certain group of female activists being the ones responsible for the anxiety bug.

  In defense, Alia continued, “He’d only be using it as a point of access to their network. It could revolutionize what information we have access to down here. It could change everything. Don’t you want to know what’s happening to the climate?”

  “I’m not interested in any of that. I’m a primary producer. I run a business, I have a big family to support, and… you can’t use a child in a political war.”

  “This is not politics. This is survival. He could help our people get what we need: information! We know nothing! It’s getting cooler on the surface, each year. You know what that could mean for us?”

  “What are you so desperate to find out? We’re not Napean. We don’t want to be Napean. So we must make the best of our situation. Causing further damage and reprisals only makes life more desperate. Your acts of sabotage in the past have only brought pain and suffering. That’s terrorism!”

  “What happens if one of your kids gets a serious illness? You can’t help them, and you go to the Napeans. What if they leave or suddenly cut us off completely? They barely need us now. We could find out with access to their information network. Ryan could do this, and in complete safety.”

  He rubbed his colossal beard, gave a great sigh.

  Alia added, “We would like to know what has happened to all the stolen children, too.” Finally Ben responded. “I’ll do what I can to reunite a family, but I will not hand over an innocent child to be used…”

  “We only want information. We’re not interested in violence…”

  “Mmmm… yet you walk in here with guns. Well, I’m the authority here in my house. You want to risk damage to a child, you risk mine first. Don’t try that again.”

  “Okay, Ben, I get it.” Alia allowed a gentle smile. “Can I at least see him and ask if he would be willing to help?”

  “I don’t think so, no. But I’ll talk to him, and you have my word that if he’s interested, I’ll let you know.”

  Alia tried to be measured and calm. “Look, all three of us lost our children—children who would now be between nine and twelve. Can’t you just humor us?”

  “I told you it’s not a zoo. The children here lost their parents during Napean attacks. Aside from Ryan there is only one girl whose parents are unknown.”

  “Could we see her too? How old is she?” asked Alia.

  “Like I said, we don’t know anything about her life prior to here. But I suspect she is only seven…” said Ben.

  “At least put our minds at ease. You keep us in the dark. You keep her in the dark too.”

  “Wait there,” said Ben.

  Ben disappeared for five minutes. Meanwhile Alia spoke to Madi and Bes. Removing belts and weaponry, Alia instructed them they may be allowed in if they stayed totally calm. Ben walked back out into the long hall but stopp
ed when he saw all three of the women standing there. Thinking better of it, he then yelled, “Come!”

  The three women went down into the common room. There, sitting at the table were two children: a boy of eleven and a younger girl, seven or eight. Ben said, “The others weren’t interested. This is Ryan and Rebeka.”

  Ginny spoke to the children. “These three women had their babies stolen. They want to find their children and stop it happening again.”

  “Eventually we will!” said Bes, smiling at the two children.

  The young girl smiled back at Bes. Bes’ eyes began to fog up and with a wobbly voice she asked the girl, “How old are you, Rebeka?”

  “I’m seven. Do you think you’re my mum?” Rebeka asked with a smile. “No,” replied Bes, “but I wish I was. You’re adorable.”

  “She is,” said Ginny. “Smart, responsible, and charming—sky’s the limit for this one.” Madi had been standing back, staring at the boy. Ryan hadn’t thought that any of it would apply to him. He’d just been staring at all the beautiful women; except for Ginny, he’d never seen real women up close before. Their faces were not covered with makeup, and their arms and necks had a fascinating glow. The tallest one, Alia, was light brown, almost like the high Napean sky canopy. The middle one, Madi, had yellowy white hair and really pale skin. Her blue eyes seemed to look into him. The third woman, Bes, a little smaller than the others, had darker skin and eyes, which were made more striking for the dark lines around them.

  Ryan’s serious eyes analyzed each woman, one after the other. They were beautiful and scary. He couldn’t help staring, but kept noticing them looking back at him with their intense faces. He huddled in a little closer to Ben.

  There was a pause in the proceedings as those in the room noticed Madi move closer to the boy. Ben leaned forward watching her closely. Madi’s face grew into an almost horrified expression. She took another slow step forward, her head bending down more to look at Ryan. She said in a quiet voice, “I know your mother…”

  Ginny, who had already seen quite enough of Madi, stepped in front of her. “And who might that be?”

  Madi suddenly stood upright, taken aback. “Me.”

  Chapter 25

  Dugouts and Dreams

  WHEN EVERYBODY REALLY looked at the two—Ryan and Madi—the resemblance was clear. The dates matched. It was a miracle, a first; a Napean boy reunited with his mother. What was not understood, however, was that their resemblance would become increasingly less obvious. Ryan had already begun N.E.T. His body was undergoing cellular change. His wavy hair would, in coming years, go straight and black, and his eyes had already darkened, from green to dark. He was becoming a Napean.

  As Ryan went off with Ben “for a talk,” Ginny broke the news to the women about Ryan’s health. “You won’t be needing to feed him,” she said. Madi threw her head, inhaling sharply. The other two women looked at her concerned.

  “So it’s true,” Madi said, disgusted. “They fuckin’ poisoned him.”

  “I beg your pardon?” said Ginny.

  Madi replied, “They converted him into a fu...” Madi tried to regulate her language a little. “… They turned him into a robot.”

  Ginny gave an uncomfortable laugh and, shaking her head said, “I think that if that’s the way you feel… Ryan should be staying here where he will get the support he needs. It may be that later on we can…”

  Alia broke in, “She’s in shock, that’s all. He will get all the love and support that is long overdue.”

  “Yes, well, it’s not that he’s hasn’t been loved. He’s a very special fellow. His father’s done a wonderful job. He loves working, and he’s very intelligent—not so very strong, though. Wonderful mind—loves talking. Has no experience of people, yet somehow managed to completely charm all the girls here.” On hearing this Madi smiled bashfully. She could never take a compliment; this praise wasn’t about her, yet somehow she was getting the credit.

  It was agreed that Ryan would stay at the foster home for another few days, before embarking on a trial stay with his mum. After a week, Ben and Ginny would go to Madi, Alia, and Bes’s house, south of the Stirling gate, and bring him home. Ryan would come back for three days, at which point he could make a decision on where he wanted to live.

  A spare room in the underground dugout was quickly made available to Ryan. On the first afternoon of his arrival, Ryan went for a rest. An hour later, Madi, still awestruck by all that had had happened, pinched herself to see if she was dreaming. Her son had been found? He was asleep in the spare room? She went to check on him again. His door was ajar; he was lying on his back she could see his little face. His curly hair had been cut quite short and it framed his boyish features like a fringe of leaves. She felt like Peter Pan was visiting. His father would have been so proud—if I knew who he was... she thought. Madi had never known who Ryan’s real father was. In the twenty-third century this was quite normal. In the real world people had children for many different reasons, and being in a married relationship wasn’t one of them—bringing new life into the world was magical but being human was still a challenge.

  Like being snapped out of a dream, Madi saw that Ryan’s face was not a sleeping face but something else. He was asleep but not asleep, eyes quivering as if in REM sleep, yet more animated. He’s having a fit! she thought. Madi ran to get Alia and together they stood over him. They said his name quietly, agreeing that he was “fitting,” but then began to notice his variety of movements: his head would quiver as if he were trying to see something, and then there would be some slow nodding and even head shaking. So it was not epilepsy. These were the physical signs of someone engaged in telepathy.

  Ryan had been looking to talk to his father but, not being able to make contact, had become distracted by new things that he was beginning to see. It felt like he was in a room. That is, he sensed there were walls, though he couldn’t see any. It was dark but light enough to see that the floor was shaped like a hexagon. On each side of the hexagon there was a darkened patch big enough for him to walk through, though he didn’t dare. Dad had warned him that he must only imagine what he wanted to say or what he was thinking to his dad, and that talking to other people or walking to other places was very dangerous. But now Ryan found himself standing there waiting. He was frightened, but standing there doing nothing made him feel worse, so he moved toward one side. There he heard a distinct wind sound blowing into the darkness. Then he woke up. Madi and Alia were standing by his bed, looking very serious.

  “Ohhh, hi,” said Ryan, rubbing his hand through his hair.

  “Sorry, but we were worried about you,” said Madi, stroking his head. “You okay?” asked Alia.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You didn’t look like you were asleep,” said Madi.

  “No, I wasn’t. I told Ben and Ginny; it’s something Dad taught me—thinking…thinking really, really carefully…”

  “Ahhh,” they said, looking at each other nodding. “And what do you do that for?” Madi asked, knowing full well what was going on.

  Chapter 26

  Your Father

  “YOU’RE GOING TO need some food, mate.” Madi had decided that Ryan’s Napeanism was just a fad. “Here, try this beautiful sweet corn!” she said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

  “I can’t. I really don’t want to.”

  “Have a drink first,” she cajoled.

  Ryan swallowed some water. “Ow! It’s cold!” he said. “It’s supposed to be, dummy.”

  “I’m not a dummy!”

  ‘I know. Sorry, darling—you’re very clever! And not only that, but in actual fact you’re a human being and human beings need to eat. If you can eat, you’ll be a lot healthier.”

  “But I am healthy!”

  “You’re a real person now. Napeans didn’t have food anymore so they took medicine instead. We do have food, and that makes us stronger!”

  “But then I’ll die,” said Ryan indignantly. “Everyo
ne must die, darling—”

  “Dad won’t. He was born in 2130.”

  “Everything comes to an end. It’s the cycle of life.”

  “You don’t know. Napeans live forever,” Ryan said.

  “Hey. Don’t get upset with me! Just try it.” The sweet corn was a hot and little wisps of steam disappeared into the air. “Doesn’t that look yum? Huh? Go on, try it.”

  Ryan picked up the corn cob and his little teeth bit out half a dozen kernels. He chewed quickly and then swallowed. Madi smiled and said, “Well done,” rubbing his back profusely. But she celebrated too soon. Ryan’s face seemed to grow dark with fear, his hand went up to his mouth, and again he began to choke. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tried and tried again to get the food down, but it was hopeless. The yellow pulp was coughed up and into the sink.

  “See?” he said, crying. “I told you I couldn’t.”

  “Too fast, too fast…” said Madi. “No one can eat that fast! You need to slow down just a little!”

  “I can’t!”

  Alia walked in. She had heard some of what was going on. Madi was still adamant. “Okay, this time you need to chew! And chew and chew… so it just slides down.”

  Alia, very quietly, said to Madi, “Why don’t you let it go until we all eat together later?

  Let him build up more of an appetite. He’s all het up.” Madi was exhausted too. She nodded and said to Ryan, “Why don’t you go and play the bow and arrow game? The one you like…”

  “Can you play with me?”

  “Of course! I’ll come and play with you in a few minutes.” Alia and Madi discussed the Napean versus food dilemma.

  Madi confirmed. “I looked it up, and there’s nothing to suggest it wouldn’t work.”

  “Nothing to suggest it would either.”

  “But he ate back at Ben and Ginny’s.”

  “Hardly anything, though,” said Alia. “But it’s a start!”

  Later Madi went in to play with Ryan. She said to him, “Soon you’ll be working with all the other children. Real kids don’t sit around playing games all day—they like to do things…” Ryan nodded. He took a few shots at the screen with the bow and arrow. Miss. Miss. Bullseye!