Exile: Arc

by Jack Lance

“Ok. It was just a suggestion.” she said, giving up.

  Bailey stared at her a moment then said “No. Yes, maybe it is a good idea. It might be good for the old image, having a secretary take the incoming. Let’s start right now. Next call you pick up, press the red button and say, ‘Colec Import and Export, Secretary speaking’. And then straight away hand over to me.”

  Bailey slid his multi-com across the meridian between his desk and Jayne’s desk and then carried on with his work.

  Jayne did too, waiting for the next call.

  It rang, and Jayne answered: “Colec Import and Export. Secretary speaking… Just one moment please.”

  Bailey smiled as if pleased, and took the phone from her hand.

  “Ah Peta.” he said still beaming at her. “Just the person I wanted to talk with…”

  There were a few more calls then Jayne thought to try her luck one more time.

  “You know,” Jayne began, “I might skip lunch and work through.”

  “You’ve got to have lunch, Wendall.” Bailey shook his head.

  “I had a big breakfast. I’m really not hungry.” she said. “I could practice taking messages. I think I’ve got the hang of answering now.”

  “Yeah. You’re good at it.” Bailey nodded. “I suppose it would be good practice for you. I’ll be taking lunch in an hour so if you change your mind before then just tell me.”

  “Alright.” she said and they continued their work.

  Bailey took a sip from a plastic cup of water he had at his side, and continued making entries in a book with an old pen.

  There was a dim rumble in the room that Jayne ignored at first. There was another and then a third with more force that shuddered the walls and window.

  Bailey put down his pen, watching as a fourth rumbling caused ripples in his cup of water.

  “Wait here.” Bailey said and stood up, leaving the room at a quickened pace.

  Jayne was alone in the room at last, and wasted no time. She took the memory needle from her purse and slid it into the phone. A small spinning clock icon indicated that a backup copy of the phones memory was in progress. She waited until the clock was replaced by a green tick and then unplugged the needle, and inserted it into her own multi-com. She brought up Thom’s number and began downloading the data to his phone.

  Bailey himself had gone down ten floors to a staff cafeteria level that had windows spanning a corner side of the East Syndicate building. There he met Bede, who was standing with a group of other people looking down at the rear of the building.

  There was another intense slam and rumble, and Bailey looked down through the window at a massive gathering of people in the main street just before a tunnel through the metropolis wall.

  Between them was a long line of tanks, with a large steel pole affixed to the top of them. They pulled back into the tunnel and then drove forward again, making the flat end of the pole hit the side of the building.

  “They’re aiming for one of the main supports.” someone said.

  Bede, who Bailey now noticed was crying slightly, turned and buried her head in his chest. She was shivering slightly when she said “God I hate them! I wish… I wish we could leave.”

  “Old Gang.” he mumbled, staring down at the crowd.

  Someone at the armoury floor above had brought a particle beam cannon from a collection of confiscated weapons. A line of white light reached down in front of the window with a faint crackling hiss, and tore through the middle of the crowd, popping and bursting their bodies.

  Phazer fuck em.

  “Was it really worth a hit?” someone said.

  Most of them died instantly, torn to shreds by the searing energy, while the rest ran or crawled away from the bloody mess of flesh and bones, toward the district tunnel.

  None of their leaders had been among them. If there was one thing you could say about Old Gang, they had an abundance of willing cannon fodder, and were experts in utilizing it.

  Mega City B.

  Jayne saw Bailey returning through the offices while she was on the phone to Thom Gubichayan.

  “He’s got a good password system it seems, but no password is that good.” Thom said, as he used a brute-force code cracker on the info he had been sent. “If I can just get near that weird warehouse unit without him around, I’ll bust this wide open.”

  He had transferred the whole bulk of information to a more powerful computer on the breakfast bar, and now typed commands into the holographic dish that floated gaseously over the small cube of hardware. The rest of his gang hovered behind him, watching and waiting for the unlocking of the password. Then it happened the brute-force program found the password and fed it into the data.

  The scrambled data on the screen scrolled away to be replaced by a clear indexing system. It branched off into Business and Personal, Calendar and Diary sections.

  “Jayne, I’m in. Thank you so much.” Thom said and hung up.

  “I love you.” Jayne said, then realized that the line had gone dead.

  Bailey walked back and sat in his chair.

  They sat in silence for a moment as Bailey stared at the desk.

  “There haven’t been many calls.” Jayne said and Bailey nodded slightly.

  Bailey sighed and leaned forward onto the desk. He rubbed his forehead left and right with his fingertips.

  “Oh gosh. This is hopeless.” he muttered, as if to himself, and picked his multi-com up from Jayne’s desk and began dialling a number.

  “Hi, Josep!” Bailey said, changing his demeanour in an instant to one of cheer and hope, seamlessly masking his hatred of the Old Gang leader. “I have good news. I can make the trip to the other city this afternoon. No don’t thank me. Ok, friend. Chow!”

  Bailey hung up and went back to a grim demeanour. He sat with an elbow on the table and the multi-com clutched in his hand.

  “Is everything alright?” Jayne asked, knowing the answer. “What were the noises?”

  Bailey’s eyes slid slowly to look at her. He pressed a few more holographic buttons casually, before switching it off and sitting back in his chair.

  “What’s going on, Wendall?” he smiled knowingly.

  “What do you m…”

  “You’ve copied my phone history.” he said flatly. “To a memory needle model number P dash 4482. Would you like to tell me why?”

  Jayne, now a little scared reached into her purse and took the memory needle out onto the desk.

  “I’m sorry.” she said. “It was Thom and the others. They asked me to get it. Take it. I’ll just get my things and go.”

  Bailey watched her stand up, with a genuine look of hurt and concern.

  “I just want to know why you did it. Thom’s an asshole and a scam. That’s why he did it. But you? You don’t seem the type.”

  She stopped and looked at Bailey, then said “He thinks your escaping with Old Gang, and leaving all your friends behind.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly call them my friends.” Bailey chuckled.

  “Nevertheless.” Jayne said, and continued packing things back into her purse.

  Bailey leaned forward and clapped his palms together.

  “What if…” he started. “What if I was planning to escape? What if it had nothing to do with Old Gang, and it was all my own little venture?”

  “I’m not sure why you’re telling me.” she said.

  “What if I could use you? Take you with me?” he said looking at her straight. “Very easily.”

  “Why me?” she said.

  “Why not? I need someone young to watch my back. I was going to use Randall but he’s so apprehensive…”

  Jayne stood thinking about all this, as Bailey went on.

  “Gen Colec. The person who founded this company. He was in on an escape two decades ago. They made a weapon that could take out all electrical equipment, robots and all in a five mile radius. It’s a super weapon for anyone wanting to escape a technocratic nightmare like this prison planet. They buried
it at a point marked on a map that he drew just before he died.”

  “Randall told us about the map. You told the Fincles?” she said.

  “That’s right, they can use it to escape, which would be a good thing for life here on the colony, don’t you think? The only problem is, I’ve had it confirmed that the map isn’t of our own dome but of the dome nearest to the North. It’s a city just like ours, but I have it on good authority that the entire dome is abandoned, with explosion tears in the side. These holes are big enough to drive a truck into, especially one in particular, blasted into a goods door at ground level.”

  “And you plan to go over there and dig this weapon up?” Jayne asked.

  “Today if possible.” he said, and Jayne tensed up. “But realistically. I can’t do it alone.”

  Jayne laughed slightly, and said “You’re asking me to go with you? After I stole from you? Why would I?”

  “I’m getting out of here.” Bailey said leaning toward her slightly. “And if you’ve learned anything about me, then you’ll know that I’m a man who gets things done. Don’t you want to return to a life on the colonies? Can you really see yourself living the rest of your life here? Do you want to die here?”

  Jayne stared wide eyed at him. She realized that he was deliberately pushing sensitive emotional buttons to get her to go along with him, but beyond all that Bailey was right. She didn’t want to go on living in a sealed, sunless colony full of what anyone would deem to be lowlifes.

  “I’ll come along.” she said, placing her purse on the desk. “But as for this escape, you’ll need to convince me that you aren’t going to get me killed like those others.”

  “That plan was their own.” Bailey said. “This is all me. So, are you in, or out?”

  After finalizing Jayne’s inclusion, Bailey’s next port of call was a meeting with his employees in the unit, including Randall who had been positioned on standby at the front office doors.

  He gathered them together in the main office space and stood with Jayne a few feet behind him as he ran down what needed be said.

  “Ok. I’ve told you all for the past few weeks or so that I am going away for a short while. It’s just to recharge my batteries before the Spring rush. Francine will be acting manager in my absence, and Flynn Randall, who most of you will have met by now, will be acting head of security for a trial period. So, keep the home fires burning, and can I have a word with you both?” he pointed to Francine and Randall, and then turned and walked through the office.

  They followed him out onto the gangway in the tall gully housing the office units. He turned to talk to them, out of earshot of the rest of the employees. Randall had noticed Jayne had followed and now stood further along the gangway near the steps to the elevator, waiting for Bailey to finish up his business.

  “Are you sure you two can carry the bag while I’m gone. It will be a good test of you both, and good experience for when I finally hand the company over to you.”

  Francine looked at Randall, whom she didn’t know so well, and said “We can do it!”

  “Randall you know the rules right?” Bailey pointed back at Warehouse B. “Nobody goes in or out of that place. And if anyone from Old Gang comes sniffing around asking for money, you have full permission to show them the door, in whatever creative way you feel best appropriate. Understood everyone?”

  “Yeah, I understand.” Randall said. “Can I have a word in private?”

  “Not really. I’m in a hurry.” Bailey said dismissively, and stepped in the direction of the nearest elevator, while signalling for Jayne to join him.

  Randall put a hand on his shoulder, surprising Bailey slightly, and said “I must insist.”

  Bailey stepped back and squinted at him. “Leave us Francine. Randall, what’s on your mind, friend?”

  After Francine had returned to the Warehouse A unit, Randall said “I take it you’re taking a round trip to the other city?”

  “Well if you’re going to ask questions you know the answers to we’ll be here all day.”

  “I thought you’d ask me to come along with you. You said you needed backup.” Randall said without emotion.

  “And why would I ask you? You made it clear you were playing it squeaky clean from now on. I need someone willing to break a few rules. Someone a bit less honest.”

  Randall looked at Bailey grimly and then sarcastically said “Really?”

  “I’m afraid so, friend. I have someone more flexible lined up for the gig. You know her. Wendall Jayne.”

  Randall stammered a moment then said “There must be some mistake. She’s a painter not a fighter.”

  “But I don’t need a fighter, do I Randall?” he said stepping toward Randall. “I need a pair of eyes to watch my back.”

  Randall looked down at Bailey, thinking about the warning he’d been given the first day he started in the Beldin combat leagues. ‘Be careful with the small ones.’ he’d been told.

  “So be it.” Randall said, then turned and walked back to the office.

  He watched through the blinds as Bailey turned and strode away with Wendall Jayne toward the block elevator. Once out of sight he walked through the office past the others that worked there to the main office at the back and walked up to one of the windows at it's side. He looked down over the workings of the warehouse and sighed as he slowly tried to figure out what he ought to do.

  After a while he took his phone in hand, and called Thom Gubichayan’s number.

  “Thom?” he said looking around at the other workers, who were chatting happily amongst each other on the other side of the floorspace. “I’ve got some bad news on the Aaron Bailey front.”

  Thom listened, then slammed his phone onto the table and screamed “No!”

  He stood straight, thinking beside the bar. The rest of the gang were playing frizball at the far side of the hall. He considered asking them for help, but stealth would be the best approach to this, he decided.

  He picked up the multi-com and dialled Jayne’s number.

  “Jayne?” he said quietly. “Where are you?”

  “I’m doing something, Thom.” she said. “Something that will give you all the time you need to search Bailey’s business, and that warehouse you mentioned.”

  “I don’t need your help, Jayne. Now where are you?”

  “I’m in the ladies toilet. Old Gang Central. I’m guessing you already know why.”

  “Don’t do this Jayne. Please, I don’t want to lose you.” Thom said, shaking a little.

  There was a pause and then Jayne said “Don’t worry about me. Bye gorgeous.”

  Jayne hung up, and Thom shouted out in frustration and threw the phone across the hall. It hit the ball court and smashed apart between his friends. They stood panting and looked at Thom, then carried on playing their game.

  Thom stood for a moment, staring ahead to consider the next move, given this unexpected eventuality.

  He decided something and jumped down from the higher step in the kitchen and then ran to the door and out. The rest of the gang paid no attention.

  He ran through the dogs and out of the gate, then along the street to the stairs leading up to the tram. One was leaving as he made it to the platform so jumped off onto a thin metal footing at the back. He grabbed a tight hold of the bars there and then curled up in the narrow space before the rear door.

  He stayed as small as possible as the slipstream gushed by on either side. After eleven stations he was three districts away from Old Gang Central, that itself had no rail connection. He leaped onto the platform as the train moved off and landed clumsily amongst a group of couples and their children.

  Stepping back from them he said “Blade on. Pass Aquinas.”

  “Aquinas?” one of the fathers said. “You should be more careful shouting your password.”

  “Hey screw you, pal.” Thom said and as they all gasped at his rudeness he turned and leaped over the fencing at the side of the platform.

  Thom dropp
ed down from the rail station, landing hard on the highway below that ran in the direction of the old city center to the north. He looked over his shoulder at the traffic as they all honked and swerved slightly to miss him, then immediately began skating toward the nearest highway tunnel.

  He used a few of the slower cars to accelerate then let go before they could complain, and flew at great speeds along each highway and junction. He passed through each slummy district faster than was safe, but Thom was still a way out, and already felt he had no chance of catching up with them.

  Bailey and Jayne walked outside he dome behind Josep and Nash Fincle. They pointed at Dane who was coordinating a group of mechanics around two large motorbikes. Jayne watched them as they wheeled them into the narrow cable car.

  “I can’t ride a motorcycle.” Jayne said pointing at them.

  “Ah it’s easy.” Josep said, and threw her a metal headband, used to implant skills directly into the brain.

  She caught it and said “No way. Ah-ah. I’m not getting lobotomized.”

  “I swear it’s perfectly safe.” Nash said over his shoulder.

  “I thought you were with me.” Bailey said, looking a little hurt.

  Jayne looked at him for a moment as they stood atop the huge cliff with the curve of the other dome towering in the distance, then put the headset on and pressed the button to begin it. She had a strange sensation like her body was burning from the shoulders down, and then a splitting headache for a few moments. A cool euphoria followed as she staggered a little to the side. Bailey and Nash caught her and waited for her to regain balance.

  Bailey waited until she looked up with slightly bloodshot eyes, then said “Good to go?”

  “Er… yeah.” she said and they walked along the cliff top to the cable car.

  “Take this, Bailey.” Nash said handing him a wrist band. “It’s just like the radar equipment. It’s hooked to the sensors we fired onto the dome. If those things start moving it will go off, and should give you time to get safe.”

  Jayne only caught the tail end of what was said and asked “Safe?”