“But there’s one more thing I can do.” Keith nodded his head slowly.
“What’s that?” Lucas asked.
“I want to go to them personally, no weapons,” Keith said.
“That’s not the best strategy.” Lucas said, raising his eyebrows. Keith stared into the distance for several moments in deep thought.
“Maybe not. But for once in a long while an opportunity has presented itself to me,” Keith explained. Lucas sighed loudly, glancing up for a moment.
“You know, I’m not sure what you’re suggesting here. If it’s what I think, it sounds crazy. But, so does the alternative. If we pull Saven away from her again, she’ll just hunt him down, putting everyone at risk. It’s one hell of a tough call.”
“Not for me,” Keith said.
“But, let’s think, it could be you who’s in the most danger when you confront her alone?” Lucas raised his eyebrows.
“I’m willing to risk it for what I have to do.”
Chapter Sixteen
Vala fell down on her knees before collapsing face first into the snow, breathing heavily. She paused for a few moments, but then the tears came. She yearned for Michael—his warmth, his touch, his voice, his smell. Things no one could replace and only she could understand.
She screamed in a haunting voice. She felt extreme, excruciating pain, like ripping an arrowhead back through someone’s heart. Her soul was in agony. The torturous path of sorrow would be resurrected from her hope. Subconsciously, she altered her tears just as she could the color of her skin or hair. Blood red tears soaked the pure white snow beneath her.
She looked up at the heavens, weeping loudly as the sun came up. She rubbed her eyes. Something was slowly falling toward her, eclipsing part of the sun. It looked like an angel. A dark, shining angel with huge wings, slowly drifting towards her.
She stretched out her arms toward it. “H-Help me… please. I can’t do it anymore,” she pleaded.
The figure grew larger and larger until it landed right in front of her. She buried her face in her lap, then looked up, her eyes soaked with red tears. The silhouetted figure slowly held out its arms. It touched her hands, softly pressing its cold, metallic fingers between hers.
She knew it was him.
“Mike?” she whispered, pulling herself toward him, but she collapsed.
Before she could fall, he scooped her up in his arms as the snow fell. He extended his metallic wings, encasing her inside a shard cocoon with him.
“It’s you. W-what have they…done?” she said softly, cupping her hand along his jaw.
Her eyes cleared instantly. She could see him. She ran her fingers across his mask. “One last mission you told me, you told me you had one more,” she said.
Michael touched his metallic forehead to hers, squeezing her tightly. Vala closed her eyes. Then, she let out a long shuddering sigh that seemed to resonate relief from the depths of her soul. They embraced one another without a word, protected inside his wings.
***
A jet rumbled in the distance as they held each other. Michael began to lose consciousness from the lingering sedation.
“No matter what happens next…” Vala said.
Michael opened his mouth, attempting to sound out the words, but he couldn’t.
“…I know, you love me,” she said.
They could see the jet land out in the distance. A male figure exited the rear gate, approaching with his hood over his head. He battled the wind as he trudged through the snow towards them. As he grew closer, Vala stood up to confront him, but Saven pulled at her wrist. The man removed his hood. It was Keith.
“That’s far enough!” Vala yelled. She could see Keith’s breath puff faster and faster in the cold air.
Saven tried to stand. Vala dipped under his arm, helping him to his feet. They hobbled forward slowly towards Keith until they stopped right in front of him.
Keith took his hands out of his pockets.
“Slowly!” Vala yelled. In one hand, Keith held the piece of metal. It was the portrait of Vala that Michael chiseled into his pod. Keith held it out so she could see it. She glanced at Michael then back at Keith.
***
Five months later...
Dr. Amery growled at the TV. A handsome, ethnically ambiguous news anchor smiled out to viewers from a news station. His coiffed dark hair and sharp navy suit were hollywood perfect under the robot-controlled lighting.
“Welcome. My name is Aaron Wallace with a special BBC news report. Sources in the Americas reported that corporate juggernaut SolarSystems has been attacked by what the United States is calling terrorists. However, no causalities have been reported. Sources indicated that the attackers broke in and destroyed archives within the research and development facility. The total cost of this attack has yet to be determined, but Dr. Richard Amery, the company’s founder and CEO suggested his military weapons division took a substantial blow, sending him back to day zero. Amery said the attackers also left a personal message to him, however he would not comment on it specifically. This attack comes only months after Amery’s lead scientist, Keith Sanders strangely disappeared after a weapons test in Alaska. More on this developing story to come.”
Dr. Amery muted the audio, pulling back his hair. Just outside his office voices could be heard. “Sir, we’ll need that letter they left for evidence.” A Federal agent peered around the door at Amery.
“It’s addressed to me, so give me a moment to read it first. Can I have that moment? Please?” Amery said. He sighed loudly.
“Technically I don’t have to, it’s evidence, but I’ll give you a couple of minutes.” The agent said, he exited the room, leaving Amery alone. Amery stared at the yellow envelope for a few seconds, then snatched it off the desk. He read the address line. To: Dr. Richard Amery, architect of the ECHO project. He tore into it, raccoon style.
Dr. Amery,
By now, you understand I know everything. I’ve had access to your files for weeks. I’ve seen all the sensitive files regarding the ECHO project, and I’m baffled.
I know you used me to run your Star Rust contracts. I know Lucas was the competition and you wanted him gone. That’s why you led me to Alaska. You hoped I would react violently.
Sorry to disappoint.
Unfortunately, that’s only the beginning of your scheme. I know you used Michael. You left my memory inside him to fortify his ambition. You left him to live inside an infinite wheel of torture, giving him just enough hope that his success as a military pawn would someday be rewarded. A reward that would have never come.
So, how could I react nonviolently here? After some thought, I think you value love. I really do. You understand the power that it has to propel people forward. You’ve used it to your advantage. The only difference is, you don’t love people. No. You love wealth.
My mission now is to make all your competitors successful with the knowledge I’ve gained from your research, especially Lucas. You have some exciting projects that I’m sure they’ll love. Things that could improve humanity.
Your bread and butter, your ultra-sensitive solar technology, will now be available for the world to use, not just the US military. Those heavily guarded schematics you gained from Star Rust are now online. I think that will make the world a better place, don’t you agree?
The ECHO project. This was difficult. It’s very personal, as you can imagine. I had a few different ideas, but I think you’ll like the one I’ve chosen. In your files, all the government officials you pitched the ECHO project to were under the impression that Michael was an artificial intelligence unit. That’s clever. Why would you need them to think that, Doctor? Perhaps it was unethical? You even removed his ability to speak, just in case. To clear the air, I’m going to wait until I think you’ve had time to read this letter, then I’m going to forward the ECHO project files to the Department of Defense, as well as the FBI. I’m sure they’ll help you sort it out.
My goal here was not to endanger
your life, but in saying that, consider yourself lucky to be alive. Someone you know taught me how to deal with my anger, with purpose.
I want you to see your toy box burn. I want you to watch the only thing you love fall apart from behind bars, while all your competitors succeed.
Despite what has been done to Mike, you left us enough information to reverse much of it with the right doctors. We’ve already started the process. He’ll never be the same, but none of us will be. What’s important is that we’re together.
I’ll leave you to enjoy the show. I’m sure your stockholders will be in for quite a ride after today.
Sincerely, Vala Thomas Keller.
Amery stood up slowly, his fists shaking. He leaned on his desk, closing his eyes. Amery could hear voices out in the hall, one was particularly loud. “Is Amery still in his office?!”
“Yes, he was a couple minutes ago. Why?” Another voice answered.
“Detain him. Get in there and put him in cuffs! Now!”
Four agents busted into the office, headed for Amery. Amery reached under his desk, he grabbed a pistol, pointing it inside his mouth. “Whoa! No! Don’t!” One of the agents yelled. Amery shook his head side to side. He glanced at the agents in front of him, they begged him to put the gun down. However, one of them, a female was quiet. Her face was emotionless, a cold, blank stare.
BAM! As sudden and loud as the gunshot was, silence blanketed the room and hallway immediately after. Everyone stared in shock. Blood splattered the wall behind Amery. His body fell back against the wall and his head slumped over.
“Dammit!”
“Shot fired!”
Several other agents crammed inside the room to see what happened. “Clear, we’re clear. My god… Get a cleanup crew in here, everyone stay away from that side of the office! What the hell!? What just happened?”
“He said he was going to read the letter, he just told me he needed a minute,” the young male agent said, he appeared shocked. His eyes danced around in confusion.
The female agent continued staring at the body for several seconds, then she slowly backed out of the room and down the hall. She glided out of the building, through the slew of reporters, ignoring them as they badgered her for answers.
“Ma’am, Ma’am, can you comment on what just happened, we think we heard a gunshot?” A tall, lanky male reporter ran her down. He stood in front of her, blocking her path.
“Out. Of. The. Way.” She said, staring a hole through him.
She started down a large flight of stairs that leveled out in an expansive concrete plain. The middle area showcased a giant logo, beautifully crafted in marble that read SolarSystems. Underneath the logo in smaller text read, “The future, now.”
She stared down the logo as she passed by it. She shook her head side to side slowly.
She walked far out into the parking lot and took off her FBI jacket, dropping it on the ground. She got inside a red, solar powered Audi SUV with tinted windows, starting the engine. “We’re clear.” She said. Her hair slowly changed from a jet black to a dirty blonde. Her eyes turned from a dark brown to green. A man in the back seat slowly leaned forward with a baseball cap covering part of his face. “Did, did, h-he read the letter?” The man asked, he struggled with his words.
“Yes baby,” she said softly. She turned around, kissing the man. His face was severely deformed. She smiled at him, staring deep into his eyes with love. He stared back, nodding his head slowly.
“It’s o-over then,” he said.
“It’s over Michael.” Vala murmured.
She accelerated forward through the gate. She glanced through the rear-view mirror at Michael in the back seat. He spun around, staring out towards the Solarsystems’ logo until it disappeared from view. He turned back, exposing his face full of tears. He glared up at her in the mirror and let out a long sigh. He reached his metallic hand forward as it shook, grabbing Vala’s. He squeezed her hand tightly. Tears streamed down her face too, but this time, the tears slid down around a smile.
Epilogue
“You know, Keith, eventually you’ll have to return to civilization. They’ll wanna know your side of the story.” Lucas clapped him on the shoulder. He stood parallel to Keith as they stared out into a large warehouse from an office. Keith sported a lab coat with a tablet in his hand.
“I’ve got enough work here with you for a lifetime,” Keith said, glancing down at his tablet.
“Well—”
“Not saying I’m staying forever, but I’m not going anywhere for a little while anyway,” Keith interrupted. He had a smirk on his face. Lucas chuckled under his breath.
“So long as you give your two weeks’ notice.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t want to put you in a bad position with trillions of dollars’ worth of technology laying around here.”
“You might. So, any plans when you leave?” Lucas asked.
“Not exactly, but I’m not going to work as much.”
“You’re working much less here than you did at SolarSystems I thought?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah. You’re right, but I’m going to take an ordinary job back home in Minnesota. Something less cutting edge, I think.”
Lucas scratched his chin with his tablet. “You know I’ll support you no matter what you do. You’ve given us a tremendous boost in our research since you’ve been here.”
“Thanks. I wish I would have worked with you from the beginning. I wasn’t in my normal frame of mind when I worked on the ECHO project,” Keith said. Lucas bobbed his head slowly.
“Not to intrude, but what’s giving you such clarity now? You seem like a new man the last few months,” Lucas noted. Keith turned his head and smiled. He paused for several seconds as his thoughts seemed to drift a million miles away.
“That day, out there in the snow with Michael and Vala. I’ve thought about it a lot,” Keith said.
“It’s crossed my mind several times as well,” Lucas replied.
“You know what I keep going back to?” Keith asked.
“Hmm?”
“Every fiber in their bodies, mutated or augmented, was existing for the other. It was that magnetic connection, one that billions of dollars of tech couldn’t even separate. It wasn’t overnight, but I realize that life, life is worth living for that, even for just the chance at it. Whether to fight tooth and nail to get it back, or start all over again from scratch. I know now it’s worth it,” Keith explained. Lucas nodded his head slowly.
“You and I have never discussed our pasts. I like it that way Keith. But, I know what happened to your wife. My view is that while Saven helped you forget, Michael helped you remember. All this obsession with dominance, wealth, and technology, it’s just noise and means little in comparison to what Michael and Vala have, and to what you will have, again.”
Symphony of Descension
Echo Effect
Book 2
Robert D. Armstrong
Book 2
Chapter One
Seven years after Michael and Vala reunited…
“What does it want?” Lucas said, eyes wide, standing in front of a mass of burning debris. Two dozen ex-SEALs and Marines stood on both sides of him. Their laser and plasma weapons were aimed at the middle of the hangar bay, deep inside Lucas’ remote research facility in New Mexico.
“Uh, we’re not sure, sir,” Garza replied.
Lucas stepped forward with his pistol trained on the floating object bobbing up and down. It was a black mass about four meters tall, an oval cocoon with metallic tentacle-like extremities covering its entirety. The black tentacles slithered about the object.
Lucas glared over his shoulder. “I might have lied when I recruited you, Garza. This might not be a gravy gig after all.”
“Yeah, ninth day on the job.” She peered through the smoke with her scoped P19 heavy plasma rifle, gritting her teeth.
“Ahem, so, no demands? No dialog? Nothing?” Lucas scanned his troops.
“No, sir. We showed up and put our rifles on it. By that time, it’d already stopped,” an older man in the ranks said. Lucas shifted his eyes back at the object.
A red electric spark erupted from the top of it. Lucas took a step back. “Whoa!” he yelled. Behind the object, several of Lucas’ reverse engineering projects were in flames. Millions of dollars in research, gone forever.
“Rrr-uhhh. S-Stand by… I am all… nearly… nearly… completed my understanding of the primitive languages on this planet… there. You’re using, English, American,” the garbled voice started like a train’s horn, echoing off the wall as it cleared into an electronic monotone voice that was easily understandable.
Lucas gulped, closing his eyes and reopening them. He tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. “I think you’re in the wrong place. M-maybe there’s some confusion here?” Behind Lucas’ formation of Marines and SEALs was a group of scientists and engineers huddled behind a stack of cargo bins, petrified in fear.
“I can assure you, I’m not confused in the slightest,” a voice emitted from the mass. It sounded deeper this time, more like a male voice with an electronic wheeze every other word.
“Then what do you want?” Lucas asked.
“You call it—M0541. A ship crashed here some time ago, and the relic was on board. We thought it was destroyed until it emitted a signal recently. Give me the device, immediately.” Several electric sparks emitted from the object. They seemed to feed off one another, creating an electric red aura around the object.
“Give me the device immediately,” it repeated with authority.
Lucas backed away slowly. He glared at a Marine on his right. His left eye twitched as he nodded. “We’re ready, sir, just make the call,” the Marine mouthed.
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