by Jake Bible
***
She could sense the Shock troops before they even turned the corner, their BC singing to her. Heather came to a sliding halt and double pumped her legs back the way she had come, hoping she could get some distance between herself and the troops.
“Got her!” a metallic voice rang through the hall and Heather dove to the ground as the first wave of bullets flew over her.
Her momentum keeping her moving, Heather twisted onto her back and took aim, morphing the simple auto-shotguns into an RPG and letting it fly. It took all of the BC mass and she was left empty handed, but the destruction of the three Shock troops was worth it.
Heather was back on her feet and sprinting through the smoldering armor before the explosion stopped ringing in her ears.
***
“Melissa? Maybe you can help Mr. Shaye explain League Day?” Ms. Tinsdale asked.
“Of course, Ms. Tinsdale. I would be happy to,” Melissa Brenton answered, rising from her seat and stepping to the front of the class.
“You can stay seated, Ms. Brenton,” Ms. Tinsdale said slightly annoyed.
“Oh, I don’t mind, Ms. Tinsdale,” Melissa said. “League Day is so very important. I would hate it if the entire class couldn’t hear me.”
Most of the students rolled their eyes as Melissa straightened her skirt and smoothed her blouse. “League Day is the official celebration of the signing of the armistice that ended the Brimstone Wars and created the League of Monarchies across Europe. In addition, it is the day the Americans became Europe’s official peacekeepers, ensuring that each Monarchy could rule without conflict and the citizens of Europe could be satisfied that no Kingdom had military dominance over its people or over another Kingdom. This has been assured in the Articles of Sanctuary. In exchange for this status, and for the sanctuary the articles allow, the Americans shared much of their technology with us, especially biochrome, the result of their pioneering work in the field of genetic metallurgy.”
***
“You know, doing this really doesn’t make me happy,” Mr. Stone said, bringing the red hot spoon to the girl’s eye. “Well, maybe a little.”
Stone plunged the spoon into the side of the socket and twisted. The sizzle of burning flesh was heard for a split second before the kitchen filled with the girl’s screams. The woman and two boys thrashed in their seats, flinging obscenities at Stone. “You Jacks always have had such a rich history of salty language. Maybe that will be your legacy after you are all finally wiped from the planet.”
Stone pulled the spoon from the girl’s eye socket and the eyeball came away with a slight, wet pop. He picked the eye from the spoon, some of the flesh sticking to the still hot metal, and tossed it up and down in his palm. “Such a waste.”
***
“No, Anthony, the answer is not they’re a bunch of wankers!” Melissa snapped, struggling to get her anger under control.
The classroom burst out laughing and Ms. Tinsdale stood up, clapping her hands loudly to get the class’s attention. “You will take this seriously or it will become an overnight assignment,” she barked. “A five page assignment! Am I clear?”
“Yes, Ms. Tinsdale,” the class answered in unison.
Melissa still stood at the front of the class, her cheeks flushed and chest puffed out. Ms. Tinsdale took her by the shoulder and guided her back to her seat next to Anthony’s.
“Thank you, Ms. Brenton.” She strode back to the data screen and tapped at the corner, erasing the words written earlier. A small blue dot began to pulse and Ms. Tinsdale tapped at it. “Okay, since this is proving to be such a chore for all of you, I am going to make this fun. Down the middle. Right side Team A, left side Team B. I ask the question, first team to answer gets a point. Team with the most points get out of takehome for the rest of the week. Ready? First question…”
Melissa casually leaned over and placed her hand on Anthony’s crotch. He looked at her, surprised, and she smiled. Then she squeezed. Hard. He started to cry out, but she squeezed more and put her finger to her lips. “Ever embarrass me like that again and I’ll take these, batter, deep fry and feed them to you bit by bit. Understood?”
Anthony nodded quickly, tears in his eyes. Melissa let go of his crotch and gave it a friendly pat. “Nice equipment, though. I am impressed.”
***
It wasn’t that it was too easy, which it wasn’t, it was just that Heather succeeded at a faster pace than even she could have imagined. She wondered if she wasn’t being set up, but considered what she was after and highly doubted it. Maybe she just got lucky. Or maybe she was just that good.
All those thoughts ran through her mind as she ducked her head, feeling the bullets getting closer and closer to the back of her skull. What she wouldn’t have given for a hunk of biochrome right then, but the LOMSD was too careful, making sure their holding facility was built of good old standard wood and plaster, probably built around a dirty steel frame, but no BC except for the weapons and the armor the guards wore. This insured that the building couldn’t be taken down by Ghosts, which the Americans never confirmed existed, but the LOMSD knew were a part of their military structure.
Of course, the LOMSD had too little intel on the Ghosts’ actual abilities, hence the mistake of even allowing the guards on that level to carry BC.
“Amateurs,” she muttered to herself again.
Heather dashed around the corner and came to a full stop. Seven Shock troops stood before her, their shiny body armor reflecting and warping her image. Behind them were at least two dozen armed guards, riot guns and batons at the ready should she get past the Shock troops.
Well, she had the BC she wished for, all she had to do was take it. And survive.
***
“I’m running out of patience, Allan!” Mr. Stone bellowed, tossing the boy’s sister’s right ear onto the floor after reheating the spoon and burning it from her head. “I need to know who you gave the data to! Tell me, you fucking Jack abomination!” He leaned in close to the mutilated girl. “They don’t really love you,” he whispered as he reached out and snapped her neck.
The mother screamed and Stone lunged at her, his left hand gripping her throat until all that came out of her mouth were weak choking noises. Her eyes bulged in her head and she tried to struggle, but it was already too late. Her face turned a deep red then purple and finally, slowly, she stopped struggling and became still.
The two boys glared at Stone as he withdrew his hand and flexed his fingers.
“Don’t know my own strength sometimes,” Stone muttered. He looked from the dead woman to the boys and shrugged. “Whatcha gonna do?”
Allan and his brother sat there, adolescent fury burning behind their eyes. Stone flipped open a knife and cut the woman loose, knocking her body to the ground, grabbing her chair and turning it about so he could face both boys while sitting, his arms folded across the back of the chair.
“Boys, boys, boys, you hate me. I get that. Hell, I’d hate me if I wasn’t me, but I am me, so I don’t,” Stone said, the knife still in his hand. “I know brothers talk, tell each other things, so one of you is going to tell me what I want to know or I will slice your peach fuzzed scrotums open and let your wet, exposed balls dangle free. Then I’ll take my knife and very carefully shave a slice off of each nut until there’s nothing left. Who’s first?”
“I haven’t had a data assignment in months!” Allan yelled. “There’s nothing to tell!”
“Oooh, that’s disappointing,” Mr. Stone grinned. “For me and for you.”
***
“What was the official date the Brimstone Wars started and which nation or religion struck first?” Ms. Tinsdale called out.
“January 3rd, 2173!” a boy cried out from the left side.
“Israel!” a girl yelled from the right.
The class looked to the board and a hash mark appeared in the right and left sides’ columns.
“Tie!” Ms. Tinsdale said. “Next, question? What year did t
he Indian Hindu Army launch a full scale nuclear offensive against the Pakistani Islamic Brigade?”
“2178!”
“2179!”
“2180!”
“None! The Pakistani Islamic Brigade launched the first strike. India was only able to retaliate because they had twice as many nukes, giving the popular misconception that India was the one that launched the strike simply because they were able to finish it!” Melissa cried, leaping from her seat. A couple of the other girls snickered, but Melissa ignored them. A hash mark was added to the right side’s tally.
“Well done, Melissa,” Ms. Tinsdale praised. “Bonus question: when did the Anglican Church officially enter the Brimstone Wars and why?”
“No fair! Why does she get a bonus question?!?” a pug faced boy yelled. “Because she’s the most annoying?”
“That’s enough, Mr. York!” Ms. Tinsdale scolded. “Melissa? Do you know the answer?”
“Archbishop Ashton declared war in, um, 2175? Yes, 2175. After Pope Alexander decreed that all Christian sects not beholden to the Catholic Church would be judged as heretical and enemies of God!” Melissa answered.
The class once again watched the board and two more hash marks were logged into the right side’s tally.
“Two points? Booo!” several students hollered.
***
As the bullets came at Heather, time seemed to slow. She knew what she had to do, but fuck if it wouldn’t hurt. Heather positioned her body and braced herself for the impacts.
The bullets, all made of BC, ripped through her flesh, tearing into muscle and sinew. Heather writhed like a dancer, shifting and adjusting her body so the bullets wouldn’t hit bone or vital organs. When she knew she had enough, she succumbed to the force and let her body collapse onto the ground, blood streaming from the wounds.
Heather shivered at the amount of blood and cringed. She knew it would be a while before she could wash it off. She immediately set to work controlling the BC, hoping she could form it into what she needed before shock set in or she bled to death.
***
Mr. Stone slammed the mind spike into Allan’s forehead. The boy tried not to scream, tried to be as strong as his brother had been while Stone carved him up, but the pain was too intense. Allan just couldn’t take it and reared his head back, letting loose with an ear splitting scream.
“Jesus!” Mr. Stone exclaimed. “I haven’t even turned it on.” With that said, Mr. Stone tapped at his wrist display and the mind spike activated. Allan’s scream was cut off and his mouth opened and closed, his lips smacking like a fish gasping for breath. Stone watched the display, but nothing came up. “Fuck! He’s empty!”
Stone slashed Allan’s throat, quickly stepping out of the way of the arterial spray, trying not to trip over the body of the other boy or slip in the blood pooled about him. “Fucking hell!” he screamed. “I fucking hate Americans! Goddamn Jacks and their mother fucking conditioning! FUCK!”
Stone watched the life leave Allan’s eyes and kicked out, knocking the teenager on top of his brother’s corpse. “FUCK!”
“Hey, Stone!” Reginald called from the living room.
“Fucking what, Reggie?” Stone yelled.
Reginald, a tall gaunt man, walked into the kitchen with a holo disc in his hands. He glanced casually at the bodies, not really giving them any thought. “Found this.” He tossed the holo disc to Stone. “Think it may be what we are looking for.”
Stone tapped the disc and a small holographic image of Allan talking with a girl came to life. “What is this? Teen chat?”
“No, just watch,” Reginald said, his eyes twinkling with anticipation. “It’s this morning. Yanked it from the Jacks’ personal security. They had the console hidden behind a painting of dogs. How stupid do they think we are?”
Stone stared at the two teenagers until he thought his patience would finally run out. He scrunched up his face, ready to lay into Reginald, when the boy and girl embraced and they both shook violently, close to seizure. After a minute the two pushed away from each other, embarrassed and confused, then the girl dashed from the holo. The image flickered and went away. Stone smiled. “That’s interesting... Did that look like a data transfer to you, Reginald?”
“Not any data transfer I’ve ever seen, Mr. Stone,” Reginald answered.
“True, but it does fit the profile for data transfer to a Vessel. How fucked up would that be if we actually come across a living, breathing Vessel?”
“Well, Mr. Stone, considering how hard this assignment has been, I’d say that would make sense,” Reginald answered. “How exciting! A mythical Vessel! I wonder if they bleed the same?”
“We may well find out,” Mr. Stone smiled. “Hell, Allan may not have even known! Poor kid… Ahhh, teenage hormones, always a compass for trouble.”
***
“Last question,” Ms. Tinsdale announced. “It’s a tie, so this is for the win.” She looked around the room, trying to build the anticipation. She mostly found bored faces, ready for the school day to be done. She sighed and continued. “It is widely held that the Americans’ neutral involvement in the Brimstone Wars is what finally brought the worldwide conflict to an end. However, many economists believe that the Americans’ introduction of biochrome was even more influential. What made BC so important to bringing peace and stability?” Half the class was no longer paying attention. Ms. Tinsdale waited for an answer, her face showing her growing impatience. “Ms. Laughlin? You haven’t participated at all today. Why do you think BC was so influential?”
The class watched Beth Laughlin as she looked up from the book she was reading, sunlight from the windows playing across her face, the face of the girl in Allan’s holo. Her clothes were out of date and she looked like she could use a good makeover. Some of the others giggled at the puzzled look on her face. “I’m sorry, Ms Tinsdale, what was the question?”
Ms. Tinsdale sighed. “Never mind, Ms. Laughlin. Go back to your book. Let us know when you want to participate.”
Beth shrunk into herself, trying to disappear from the class. Melissa looked at her and mouthed the word ‘freak’. Beth frowned and brought her book up to cover her face. Some of the kids laughed cruelly.
“Okay, class, that’s enough. Leave Ms. Laughlin be…”
Chapter Two
Two of the Shock troops approached Heather’s body, weapons ready, one behind and covering the other.
“She appears to be neutralized,” one said over his com.
“Careful,” the other responded. “Ghosts are tricky.”
“When have you dealt with a Ghost?” the first asked gruffly.
No sooner had he said that than Heather’s eyes flicked open. Even with their Shock suits’ tech, neither of the troopers even registered the thin line of BC filament that flicked out from Heather’s hands, wrapping about their legs. Both troopers began to scream as their BC suits were ripped off their bodies without the proper disengaging procedure, their jack points torn right from their skin and grafted bone.
Heather’s wounds sealed as she got to her feet, unseen microscopic BC sutures repairing the damage. She’d hurt for a while, but the BC would have her fixed up in no time. The rest of the BC Heather ripped from the Shock troops’ suits morphed and melded onto her body becoming an active array of various weapons and blades.
None of the guards moved; some forgot to breath.
“You’re all going to die,” Heather grinned. “You realize that, right?”
Half of the unarmored guards turned and bolted, leaving the others shaking in their fear.
Heather struck so fast that when the holos were reviewed she was nothing but a blur. And for those in the hall that could track her, it was the last thing they saw.
***
“Thank you for joining us, Ms. Laughlin,” said Mr. Weber, one of the younger teachers at Gramercy. “We haven’t inconvenienced you by starting class already, have we?”
Beth didn’t respond, just kept her head d
own and took the first open seat at one of the science lab tables.
“Great,” muttered Melissa, looking at Beth sideways as she sat down. “I get the freak.”
Beth didn’t respond, just looked at the desk’s surface.
Melissa’s hand shot up immediately.
“Yes, Ms. Brenton?” Mr. Weber asked wearily. “Let me guess, you want to move. Unfortunately, the class is full and I don’t feel like rearranging everyone to suit your wants. Can you tough it out for us?”
The class snickered while Melissa lowered her hand.
“Well, as I was saying before Ms. Laughlin and Ms. Brenton decided to hijack the class with their engaging personalities, your biochrome projects are due today. Please set them out and have them ready as I walk around the room. Summaries and findings should also be ready to hand in and I will collect those as I assess your project. But, before you do, since Ms. Laughlin decided that being on time wasn’t a good idea, maybe she could read what is on the data screen?”
Beth blanched then sighed and silently read over the words at the front of the class.
“Anytime now, Ms. Laughlin,” Mr. Weber said. “I know other teachers have given you an easy time since you are fairly new to Gramercy, but in this class I expect participation. At least if you want to pass.”
“Biochrome: a combination of recycled metals combined into one malleable metal alloy,” Beth began, uncertainty making her voice waver slightly. “Biochrome is the only material that has been fused with organic DNA which allows each individual molecule to be programmed in order to create one cohesive, solid state product, free of moving parts or separate micro-processors. It is a product of the science known as genetic metallurgy.”
Mr. Weber smiled at Beth. “Very good. Now would you care to continue?”
“Biochrome is now the world’s most used material and makes up nearly 85% of all finished goods,” Beth said. “Some consider the material to be a living, breathing entity, responding to touch-.”
“That’s enough, Ms. Laughlin,” Mr. Weber interrupted. “We can do without the commentary.”
