by Riker Kane
I gave her everything I had. My muscles contracted and squeezed every last drop out before my fatigue hit me.
Alisa dropped back down to her feet. I rested my forehead against hers as we both caught our breath. Her eyes narrowed as a grin came across her lips.
“I’m with you, Enzo. Until the end.” My lips moved to hers for one last, messy kiss.
The back alleys of Newmire weren’t the most pleasant place to be in. But for a moment, there wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.
41: Journey’s End
It was a sunny afternoon as Jade and I headed to the docks early the next morning. A day off from going into Pandora had me revitalized but the message from Redgrave was more energizing than anything else.
“We’re really doing this, huh?” Jade let out an anxious sigh.
I put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her even though she couldn’t fight her smile. “Redgrave is finished. Our weapons have been tempered with the Potent Mana. Our Recall Boxes have been stabilized for Anarchy. This is what we’ve been waiting for this whole time.”
“It’s strange. To think that we finally made it to our destination. I always knew we would get here but now that it’s here… I’m not sure how to feel.”
“No celebrating yet. The hardest challenge is still ahead of us.”
“Have you spoken to Alisa?”
I nodded. “She seems eager. She said she would be waiting with Redgrave for us. C’mon. Let’s not keep ‘em waiting.”
It wasn’t long until we arrived at the docks. The longshoremen were busy as usual, working the machinery to load and unload all of the ships coming in. There were hundreds of workers out but the area where all of the storage warehouse facilities were was empty.
“We shouldn’t rush into this,” Jade said.
“Huh?”
“I mean, heading into the next zone. Make all of our preparations and triple-check them. Everything has to go right.”
“They make you do that at the District?”
“It’s only common sense. We can’t fail now. Not after we’ve come this far.”
The determined look in Jade’s eyes had never been so clear. I would’ve done this by myself if I had to. But she showed no signs of hesitation.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m sure we’ll…”
I looked toward the other end of the row of buildings and saw a couple of men in suits walking by.
“Hmm…”
“What’s wrong?” Jade asked.
“Saw someone… Hold on a second…” I moved over to the nearest building and pressed my back against it. I slowly turned my head around the corner and saw three suits patrolling the pathway. All of them were wearing shades. And they were carrying weapons in their hands. The silver guns had digital displays along the sides like no handgun I’d ever seen.
“Don’t look like pistols. Jade… You recognize them?”
She moved next to me and checked. “Those definitely aren’t civilian weapons. We have security across the campuses but I never bothered to check what they were carrying. Omegas never did anything to have to be restrained. What are you thinking?”
“Either those guys are with the Legion or we’ve got bigger problems than we realized.”
“Do you think Castleberry is making his move now?”
Jade and I stared at one another. I didn’t know what to tell her. A second of doubt and I realized this shit wasn’t gonna be so simple.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “All we have to do is get to the right warehouse and we teleport to where Redgrave and Alisa are waiting for us. Even if they come chasing after us, they won’t know where we are. There are too many warehouses for them to check.”
“I wouldn’t underestimate Castleberry. This trip to Anarchy might take long. By the time we get back, he’ll be waiting for us—”
“By the time we get back, my father will be with us. As long as we save him that’s all that matters… Right?”
Jade exhaled a deep breath through her nose. It was a big ask of her. Not knowing what was gonna happen next. She was making a sacrifice. For me.
“Jade—”
“Your father is all that matters. We’ll finish this mission no matter what.”
I gave her a nod and looked at my communicator. “I should give Redgrave a head’s up to know Castleberry’s got his goons on the docks. In case anything happens, we need to be ready to get through the Junction as soon as possible.”
“So much for triple-checking to prepare…”
I sent Redgrave and Alisa a message to make sure they were ready. They acknowledged and said they’d be ready to move as soon as we arrived.
I turned back toward the patrolling men in suits, watching them pace back and forth as they searched the nearby buildings.
“Now comes the tricky part… We need to sneak past these guys as quick as possible. They’re gonna chase. We need as much space as we can get.”
“I’ve seen you move on the battlefield. You’re fast enough.”
“Not interested in trying these guys. It’s a few buildings away. Stay low and follow my lead.”
I crouched down as low as I could and waited for my moment. As soon as the guards turned their back, Jade and I darted toward the next row of buildings and hid between them. I looked around the next corner to find even more of the men in suits kicking in the doors of storage warehouses.
“They’re searching every building,” Jade said.
“They won’t find anything. Not if we get to where we’re headed first.”
I sprinted across the next row of buildings and ducked behind cover. There were more of the guards patrolling. If I had any doubts about someone looking for us, now it was obvious.
Jade and I kept moving, working our way across the dozens of buildings to avoid detection.
“Check every warehouse! Make sure you search every corner!” They shouted at one another as they continued their search.
We were moving as fast as we could. Staying quiet and watching our backs made my heart race. The sun shining overhead made my brow sweat more than usual. I was getting closer. Too close. Couldn’t stop.
We managed to get to the last row of buildings where the storage warehouse with the teleporter was. Three suits were on the opposite end.
“Looks like they’re going down the line,” I said. “They won’t find anything but…”
“We have to get into that warehouse on the other side. What do we do?”
We had two options. Wait until they searched the building we were trying to get into. They wouldn’t find anything because Redgrave only activated the teleporter when I gave him the signal. Once they were gone, Jade and I could rush in and disappear before they knew it.
Or we could make a break for it now. They’d see us but we had enough of a jump for them not to be able to follow us through where Redgrave and Alisa were already waiting.
The clock was ticking. The entire docks were flooded. I didn’t know how much time was left. I couldn’t take any more chances.
“Enzo?”
“Hold on.” I raised my communicator up and sent a message to Redgrave. “Activate the teleporter in twenty seconds. That’ll give us enough time for us to get through but not these assholes. We’re going for it… You ready?”
Jade gave me a half-hearted smirk and shrugged. “I don’t think there’s any way I can prepare for this.”
One last deep breath helped me focus. I closed my eyes for a moment then sprinted out toward the warehouse at the end of the row of buildings.
“Hey! You! What are you doing?”
They shouted out as soon as Jade and I shot out from between the buildings. I rushed to the storage warehouse as fast as I could and kicked the door in.
I bounced up and down inside of the dusty warehouse, waiting for the portal to appear while the footsteps outside grew louder and louder.
“They’re in here!”
The blue waves of energy took shape in front of me.
I grabbed Jade’s wrist and jumped with her through the portal as fast as I could. The energy closed behind me and I was back in another warehouse. All of Redgrave’s equipment and machinery was all around me. And Redgrave himself stood next to his workstation along with Alisa.
“It’s good to see you,” I sighed.
“I’m sure it is.”
I spun around after hearing the voice behind me.
And that was it.
The door to the storage warehouse was open. Several men in suits stood guarding it. And in front of them, he was standing there. Castleberry never changed his expression. But I knew how smug he was feeling.
“You’ve led me on quite a chase.” Castleberry pointed his weapon at me. I didn’t know what kinda damage that silver gun of his could do. Didn’t wanna know.
“How’d you get here?” I said.
“Brute force. There are thousands of storage warehouses here on the docks. But you underestimate the LOD. It took some time to search every building but we were able to narrow it down. Even Dr. Redgrave’s deception wasn’t enough. Though I’ll admit, his teleportation technology was a clever ruse. If the doctor is willing to share this technology, he can do his part in the war in Pandora and perhaps find some leniency.”
“He’s already doing his part. Whatever you’ve got planned, back off.”
“I’m afraid not. I told you the penalties for unauthorized ventures into Pandora are severe.”
“This is crazy!” Alisa stepped forward. “We have a chance to end this! Why won’t you let us do it?”
“The LOD is responsible for the safety of all citizens. You can’t blame us for protecting you.”
“Protecting us while pointing your weapons at us,” I said. “The irony…”
“Don’t worry. These weapons aren’t lethal. My intentions are what I’ve stated all along. Now… I suggest you come along willingly and you may be granted some leniency. Trying to resist will only make the penalties more severe.”
The storage warehouse fell silent. The lights were dim. I could still see everything clearly though. Castleberry was blocking the exit with four suits armed with the same weapon as him.
To come all this way and not get the chance to finish it. The Junction Gate standing right next to me. My gauntlets resting right on the workbench.
“Dammit…” I muttered to myself.
I was too damn close. I couldn’t give up. Not now. There had to be a way. All I had to do was get to my gauntlets, activate the gate, and run through. Somehow…
I looked over at Jade. She gave me that focused, green-eyed stare of hers. A subtle nod told me enough.
Alisa looked hesitant. She was doing here best not to shake too much. But she stood her ground.
“Enzo…” Redgrave’s voice was soft behind me. I slowly turned around to see him smiling. “Everything will be all right.”
Despite that smile, there was some resignation in his eyes. If anybody wanted this as bad as I did, it was him.
There was no other choice.
“Come along now.” Castleberry raised his weapon up. “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”
All I had to do was get to the gauntlets. Get to the gauntlets and I could do this.
“Let’s go already!” Castleberry raised his voice.
I immediately sprinted to the side to grab my gauntlets. Jade rushed over to her staff.
“Take them down!” Castleberry shouted.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Blasts of light filled the room and energy shot out from the four guards.
Jade grunted before she could get to her weapon, taking a blast that sent her flying against the wall. She fell to the ground with a thud and stopped moving.
“Watch out—” Alisa rushed forward to block a blast heading right for me and tumbled into a workbench when it collided into her. Her body went limp as she sprawled out on the ground.
I just managed to get to the gauntlets. I slid my hands in. But just before I could clench my fists, I felt it. A sudden stinging pain in the center of my back and spreading through the rest of my body. It made me tumble forward and my knees buckled as I tried to stay on my feet.
“Hit him again!”
More shots followed at Castleberry’s command. And again the pain shot through me. I gritted my teeth and tried to push myself up but it was no use. My body wouldn’t listen as I fell on my stomach.
The gauntlets slipped from my hands. I pressed my palms against the ground and tried to push myself up.
I turned my head to the side to see Alisa unconscious a few feet away from me. Across from her, Jade looked just as lifeless.
I rolled over on my back and looked up at the lights. But Castleberry’s ugly mug came into view.
“This is for your own good, Mr. Drake.”
My head dropped to the side. Redgrave stood next to his workstation as the guards turned him around and placed him in cuffs. They spun him around and he looked right at me.
I’d seen guys lose fights. I’d seen guys cry after getting knocked out. I’d seen people at their lowest.
But they were younger. Kids with a bright future still ahead of them.
Redgrave… He was an old man hiding the hurt I knew he felt. It was the last thing I wanted to see.
Castleberry made sure it was though. Another blast sent more of the pain coursing through my veins until everything went black.
42: What Really Matters
The lights above had a blue tint. Bright but not blinding. Couldn’t have been fluorescent bulbs. The walls were made of silver tiles with a dull shine like they’d just been installed. The ground was polished and black. Marble or granite like you would find in a rich man’s mansion. It was only the size of my bedroom, but the entire room was fancier than anything I’d ever been in.
Off to the side, there was a small bathroom with a toilet, a shower, a sink, and all the toiletries I could ever need. I sat on the edge of the bed. It was softer than my one at home. I was a prisoner. There wasn’t any doubt about that. But they were trying not to make me feel like it with how comfortable my surroundings were.
At the center of the room was a small table with a couple of bottles of water on it.
The steel door with red lights lining it looked too heavy to punch through. Even if it wasn’t locked, there were probably some assholes on the other side waiting to fuck me up. No point in taking any chances.
My communicator was gone. Same for my phone. So I just sat there. My eyes closed, all I could do was lament everything that happened. One moment I’m just a few steps away from getting to Anarchy. The next, I’m waking up in some cell that was too comfortable to be Heaven.
I was still alive. I knew that much. Didn’t know how much longer that would be.
I wasn’t sure how much time had gone by. I just sat and waited until something happened.
The steel door suddenly clicked. Green lights outlined it and it slid open. A couple of guys in black uniforms stepped inside. I’d seen the LOD logo before. An omega symbol stitched onto the left side of their chest. The guys had some sticks up their asses. The silver pistol-like weapons on their hips were enough to make anybody think twice about making fun of their posture.
Another man walked in. Now this guy wasn’t like the others. His black suit was tailored to perfection. Every crease. Every line. He looked like he was made of money. That wasn’t even mentioning the slicked-back black hair and the goatee that some barber probably spent more than a few minutes shaping up.
His leather loafers clicked against the floor as he stepped forward. He turned to the two men in uniform and nodded to send them away. The door slid closed with a thud and the man in the suit stood with his chest out and his hands behind his back.
I ignored his cold, focused stare, my thoughts still on trying to figure a way out.
“There’s no way out,” he said suddenly. His tone was clear and measured to make sure I’d heard him correctly. I sensed some sorta politician vibe from him. Wouldn�
�t surprise me if he was one.
He glanced at the table. “You should drink some water.”
“…Not thirsty.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re thirsty or not. You were unconscious for several hours. It’s better to prevent dehydration than to deal with it when it’s already too late.”
“That’s funny coming from someone in the Legion. You guys sit back and let everything in Pandora come to you. So much for initiative.”
He didn’t take his eyes off me. A subtle smirk formed on the corner of his lips but not because he was in a good mood.
“If you don’t mind…” He grabbed one of the water bottles and helped himself. The room was silent so I could listen to him gulping the entire thing down. He let out a satisfied sigh right after he was finished. “Much better. Now… I suppose you have a lot of questions. You deserve answers. I’ll give them to you in the order you want them.”
I had no reason to trust him. Not with the way he was staring at me. This was some stupid game. I didn’t have much of a choice but to play it though.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Thomas Higashi. I’m a lead scientist and former personnel director working with the Legion Omega Defense.”
“Thomas Higashi…” I looked at the walls. “And I suppose we’re in some Legion building.”
“We’re currently in the Vegas District, in the southern part of Nevada.”
“Three-hundred miles away…”
“The Vegas District is the newest LOD facility. This is the first time I’ve ever visited. Every District is self-sufficient. But given the circumstances, I thought it was only appropriate I come and speak to you personally… Enzo.”
I didn’t look at him. I just stayed staring at the floor. So many damn thoughts were running through my head, it was hard to wrangle which one I wanted to focus on. Everything from slugging this prick in the mouth to asking him to just shoot me was an option.
I chose to stay silent.
“We’ve gone over the preliminary data of your ‘unauthorized’ ventures into Pandora. Quite impressive. You’ve made more progress than a low-level Omega would in such a short time span. Usually it takes a few more weeks to get anywhere near getting a Gold ranking. You did it in what looks like half the time.”
