Flames blaze, eating the remains of the building as if enraged, searing hot even though I'm ten yards away. I scrub a hand across my face, smearing soot on my skin. A string of blood dribbles from my lips as I painfully push myself to my feet. The audio enhancers in my ear pick up the sound of approaching footsteps. I adopt a fighting stance the best I can, off-balance and barely functional.
A black-armored figure glides through the smoke, silent and ominous.
"Dabria," I gasp. "You're alive. I thought the explosion might have—"
"Killed me?" Dabria tilts her head, helmet masking her expression. "You should have known better. I taught you how to survive, after all."
"You did. I learned the ultimate lesson after you abandoned us for your own survival."
"If I didn't choose to survive, then I would have died or been enslaved. I wouldn't have been able to plan for this day. The day when I could break you free of the chains that bind you."
I spit a mouthful of blood on the ground, where it sizzles like the anger I feel. "You want me to believe you did all of this to rescue me? You're right: I do know you better than to believe that."
She steps closer, moving with caution. "You would have killed me earlier when you fought my carbon copy. Do you plan on repeating that action?"
My hand drifts to the grip of my inferno blaster, which I thankfully didn't lose in the fall. "I don't have a choice. We're enemies now. You taught me that I'm to show no mercy to the enemy."
"You're bioroid master can't hurt you anymore, Enigma. Let me help you."
She freezes when I pull the blaster and aim it with trembling hands. "You don’t understand. He's not human. He won't just die like he's supposed to."
Dabria motions with her hand. "Not even bioroids are immortal."
A massive figure trudges through the thick smoke—shaggy-haired, bestial. Brutus looks so fierce that I barely recognize him. He drags Kage along the ground with one massive paw. Kage is broken; armor battered, legs useless. His head lolls to one side as if he's barely conscious.
I'm not fooled.
Zen stands in Brutus' shadow, armored in her protective exoskeleton. She taps on the cy-gear gauntlet covering her forearm. "Drones are everywhere, folks. I have them chasing their tails for now, but it's only a matter of time before Cyber Corp cracks my virus and gets them back on track. We have a couple of minutes tops before we have to vanish."
I stare at Zen. "You were in on this all along?"
She smirks. "You thought I was leaving you hanging this whole time? I got skills, babe. I was transmitting back and forth with Dabria using Brutus' system. Cyber Corp must have thought he was just a regular companion model. Never thought to take a close look at all the goodies I installed in his system."
Brutus hurls Kage hard to the broken earth. "Brutus is more than meets the eye."
I stare at Kage. He scrabbles on the ground like a wounded insect, dragging himself on his three remaining arms, ruined legs dragging uselessly. Ripping his helmet off, he directs a venomous gaze at Dabria. Blood streams down his pale face, but a fixed grin creases his cheeks.
"At last. I've been waiting to meet you for a long time, Death Angel."
She steps forward to stand over him. "You've been looking for me for how long? Two years? Three? All that time and effort and yet you've never even laid eyes on me in person until now. Until the end."
He sneers. "The end of what? The Scyther and I are linked, tied together with bonds stronger than love or hate. In life and death, I am her master. If you kill me, she dies. So try if you dare. You'll find out that there is no escape from Cyber Corp."
She drops to one knee, studying him. "I never said anything about killing you."
A voice buzzes in my ear. "White Rabbit."
I gasp, looking around. Nothing is visible except smoke, flames, rubble, and falling ash. "Nox? Are you here too?"
"Remember that v-drive I gave you?"
My fingers drop to the pouch on my waist. "I have it."
"Plug it in now."
I don't bother to argue, pulling the drive out and plugging it into the port behind my ear. "What's going on, Nox?"
"Time to break the shackles. I have to warn you; there will be pain."
"What pain?"
My vision splits when a white-hot dagger slams into the back of my skull. I gasp, falling to my knees and clutching my head as fire blazes across my brain.
Nox's voice is barely audible over the roaring rush of agony. "Hold on, Enigma. This shouldn't take long."
What shouldn't? I want to ask, but I'm too busy trying to hold back from screaming. I hear it anyway, a wail of sheer torture. It takes me a few seconds to realize I'm not the one howling.
It's Kane. He's flat on the ground, writhing in anguish, electric eyes blazing, mouth agape in an unremitting cry of torment. Blood leaks from his eyelids, trickles down his nose. His fingers claw into the ground, leaving furrows across the asphalt as if it was soft earth.
Through blurry vision, I see Specter tottering forward, one hand on his head as if he's also in pain. A stream of blood pours from his nostrils, dripping down his lips. And then I understand. Somehow, he's using his abilities on Kage. Core-jacking Kage's cybernetic neural system, so similar to a synoid. Opening a hole in Kage's defenses so the v-drive can sever the link between Kage and myself. We're caught in a triumvirate of mental connections, a battle of wills between captor, captive, and rescuer. Kage fights with everything he has to resist the takeover. The resulting backlash threatens to tear all of our minds apart.
Gritting my teeth, I focus beyond the pain, beyond the red haze of fire that blazes in my head. I concentrate on pulling away from Kage. In my mind, I see a web of razor wire attached to us, stretched so thin it's practically transparent. Glistening in the dull light, so sharp and dangerous. I just have to cut through it. Sever it and free myself.
Tears stream down Zen's face as she yells at Dabria to stop Specter. Brutus holds Zen back, placidly ignoring her attempts to fight against his hairy arm. His dull eyes fix on me, and I can almost hear his guttural words.
Fight, Enigma. Crush your enemy.
Specter roars, eyes wide, staring somewhere beyond the physical world. I join in, a feral scream ripping from my throat as I pull away from Kage. The world flashes electric-white, an electric storm flickering along with my consciousness, and I feel it. One last sharp stab and then…nothing. It's only when my breath raises a cloud of dust that I realize I've fallen, lying prone on the broken concrete.
Zen rushes forward, dropping down to try to help me up. I wave her back, slowly pushing myself up to a sitting position. My head feels like it's been used as a battering ram, but I don't even concentrate on the pain. I can feel it. The sensation that's been in my head every day since Cyber Corp captured me, the needling feeling like a nest of wasps burrowed in my skull is gone. I glance over at Specter, who leans against a column of a shattered building as if his bones have melted. He gives me a weary nod of confirmation.
"It's done."
Kane lies on his back, his pale face nearly obscured by a mask of blood. Eyes staring sightlessly, body convulsing. His lips tremble, teeth clacking together as if trying to speak. I have to step closer to hear.
"H…how does it…feel, Enigma?"
"How does what feel?"
"F-f-f…freedom." His chest heaves, and soft laughter ripples from his mouth. I can't tell if it's mocking or relieved.
"Crush you," Brutus growls, dropping down on all fours. His massive paw slams into Kane's head, crushing it like an aluminum can. One of his eyes explodes from the socket as his body flies several yards before landing in a flaming pile of debris. I watch as the lights in his ruined head wink out, followed by his remaining eye. His skin blisters and peels as it catches on fire. Somehow, he still seems to stare at me, teeth clenched in a sardonic grin. I can't help but think that it's not over. Kane always has the upper hand. Can I believe that he's actually finished for good?
"We h
ave to go," Dabria says.
She helps me to my feet, throwing my arm over her shoulder. Supporting me. I glance at her, face unreadable behind the heavy black helmet. But see the slightest hint of a smile on her lips.
I feel the tears slide down my cheek. "You did this for me. I…gave up on hope. I thought you abandoned us."
Her hand clutches mine, squeezing hard. "You should have known better, Enigma. I taught you how to fight. How to survive. Let this teach you one last thing. You are my family. As long as you and I draw breath, I'll never leave you behind."
Soldiers join us as we make our way through the rubble. Dabria's squad, moving efficiently in a protective formation around us. I wonder what happened to Agent Rogers and his team. I hope they made it, that they were able to get away. Somehow, I don't think they did. They weren't the type to leave a fight. They were soldiers. Warriors. But for a brief time, we fought side-by-side as teammates. I don't want to have to kill them now that we're on opposite sides.
As we turn around a corner, the dilemma is taken out of my hands. Agent Roger's dead body greets me; eyes still open as if shocked by his last moments. The rest of his squad lie scattered around him; limbs broken, bodies desecrated by stab and bullet wounds.
Kilgore sits nearby, waiting for us. He doesn't even look as if he's broken a sweat after taking out the entire unit. Catching my eye, he grins like a wolf.
"Told you that you were fighting on the wrong side, girl."
I can't take my eyes away from Agent Roger's corpse. "You didn't have to kill them. You could have let them go."
He shrugs indifferently. "No point leaving enemy agents behind. Consider this the price of your freedom." Ignoring me, he looks at Dabria. "You got what you wanted. I'll expect you to give me what I want in return."
"You'll get it," she says.
He nods. "I'm done here, then. You better get to your ship. Reinforcements are minutes away. We'll regroup when the dust settles. I'll send word." Dropping to one knee, he plants a fist against the ground. In a flash of crackling light, he vanishes, leaving only floating sparks to mark his passage.
Specter looks as shocked as I feel, staring in shock at where Kilgore disappeared. "What…what just happened?"
Dabria gives him a meaningful look. "He's an atavist."
"Like us? He has…abilities?"
"Yes. Only he's far more powerful than you or I."
I look at her. "What does he mean by that? What does he want from you?"
Her jaw tightens. "We'll talk about it later. After we get you to safety and remove that device from your skull. Come on."
I take a last look at Agent Rogers. For the first time, I wonder if he had a family. A wife, maybe even children waiting for him at home. Hours away from finding out he'll never come home again. All because he received an impossible assignment.
Consider this the price of your freedom.
I allow Dabria to lead me away from the scene of carnage, pushing the thoughts out of my mind. Because I have no time for regrets or mourning. I have no time for celebration. Because I know that the Collective predicted this moment. They knew this would happen. No matter what I do from this point, I know any success will only lead to bitterness. Because even with Kage dead, they'll be watching. And if I don't betray the people I love, they will strike. I know the actual price of my freedom, and it's far more precious than Agent Rogers and his crew.
I look back at Zen. She hangs on to Brutus' hairy arm; face etched with grief as she passes by the dead bodies. Her eyes meet mine, reflecting the conflict I feel inside. I don't know how much more she can take, but I know I have to protect her. Because this is just the beginning, and if I fail, she dies. I have to make sure that doesn't happen.
No matter what the cost.
Chapter 15: 5P3CT3R
Tonight, I dine with the enemy.
It's been two weeks since the battle with Cyber Corp. Two weeks of running and hiding, dodging heavy surveillance and pursuit by law enforcement. Strangely, the time on the run has been good for me. Unable to focus on the crippling need for hibernation, I start to feel normal again. Like a real person instead of the anxiety-filled, sick individual that crawled out the Deep Sleep pod just a month ago. I still think of Hel every day. Every night I find her in my dreams. But the constant need isn't quite as strong as it was. There are times when I can go for several hours without even thinking about life in Elysia.
I'm surprised by how good that feels.
We're in a dilapidated Japanese diner in Reno, eating Champon ramen bowls and drinking ginger beer. It's a celebration of sorts. Cyber Corp forces have left the region, convinced that we departed from the area. On top of that, Enigma's surgery was a success. The minder was successfully removed from the base of her skull, ending any chance of Cyber Corp tracking her or remotely activating the device. She's now a completely free woman. Or as free as she can be while in Dabria's thrall.
We're in a private dining room, finally able to breathe. To relax, if only for a minute. Dabria has guards on the lookout, to be sure. We have an impossible mission ahead of us. But for now, we eat and drink, releasing the pressures of the past few weeks. Members of Dabria's team dine at nearby tables, talking and laughing, enjoying themselves. I'm surprised by how young most of them are. In any other situation, they could be mistaken for a typical group of young people, instead of seasoned soldiers who have probably charted up dozens of kills between the lot of them.
I sit in a booth with Enigma, Dabria, Zen, and Keno, who has found acceptance with Dabria and her people. He and the remaining members of his crew have completely assimilated with Dabria's team, accepted into the close-knit family that Dabria heads with a combination of tough love and military discipline.
I recognize it as the irresistible pull of Dabria's presence, the charisma she exudes like pheromones from her pores. She's a natural leader, the kind of person that commands attention with every movement, every word. She has a way of making even the most ridiculous statements sound perfectly rational. Under her spell, Keno sits beside Enigma, who led a raid with Cyber Corp and killed members of his crew just weeks ago. Now he laughs at something she says, any animosity put behind them. They're on the same side now.
I'm the only one out of place.
It should be easy to slide into Dabria's surrogate family. I know myself better than anyone else, so I recognize the void where a family should be. Dead parents, no siblings, only friends are in Immersion, and most of them are digital. People like me are starving for connection. For a second of eye contact without judgment, but with understanding. Moments of close contact in the comfort of unspoken words.
But I know better than to expect that with Dabria or her people. I'm a tool in her hand, valuable for as long as I'm useful. She smiles, looking relaxed and comfortable for the first time since I've known her. But her eye is watchful, ever alert when she looks at me. I will never gain her trust, not after what I've shown her. So she'll use me. She'll allow me to pit my abilities against her enemies, never minding the thirty-six hours of recovery when I barely knew who or where I was, brain a foggy wilderness of hallucinations and unrepressed memories. If I died from the encounter, she'd feel regret. But only because I didn't last long enough to help bring her master plan to realization.
"You're a hard man to read."
I look up. Enigma gazes at me from across the table, gray eyes intent as if trying to decipher my secrets. With street clothes on and her silver hair pulled back, she looks younger than before. Maybe the lack of stress has something to do with it as well. It's strange to be here, so close to her. Everything that's happened to me started in a similar situation, only she was the hunter and I was her prey. Now, I don't know what we are. Friends? Allies? Teammates?
It could be just forbidden hope on my part, but I can't shake the feeling that she's hiding something. Occasionally I see the dart of her eyes, the compression of her lips as if trying to hold back words. I don't know why that makes her feel like a kindred spirit,
but somehow I feel a closeness to her that I can't define. Conversation flows around us, but it almost feels as if we're alone. Enigma leans in closer.
"I never thanked you for what you did."
I study my bowl of ramen, suddenly uncomfortable. "I barely did anything. It was a group effort. Dabria was the mastermind."
"You risked your life. You could have died doing what you did to Kane. I don't know how Dabria convinced you but…" Her eyes glisten with emotion. "I appreciate it."
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. How Dabria convinced me, I want to scream, is by taking everything I love and threatening to destroy it.
But I don't tell Enigma that. I can't. Because she's looking at me in a way that people never look at me. With gratitude. With admiration. And I don't want to spoil that. I want to savor it for a little while longer before it's spoiled forever. Before she finds out what I am.
I glance in the darkened corner of the room, where a massive shape and the glint of coal-black eyes are barely visible. Zen's monstrous teddy bear protector, Brutus. He's always watching. And right now, his unsettling stare is directed right at me. As if he can read my mind. As if he knows.
That's stupid. He's just a robot.
Dabria activates the window shutters, opening them to an expansive view of the landscape outside. Red-orange sky and desert wilderness as far as the eye can see. And in the distance, a glistening half-circle of light. It looks like the sun setting, but it's an energy shield. The dome that protects Los Nuevos, the City of Innovation. The technological wonder of the world, where Jude Maximillian's global-dominating corporation creates synthetic humanoids along with every other tool and device integral to human existence. Including Elysia.
Syn City- Reality Bytes Page 17
