"Not sure what I can do. I'm not exactly in a position to contribute financially."
"I don’t want your funds, Jett. I want your body."
He raised an eyebrow. "Say again?"
"Your body here on the grounds, Jett. Don't flatter yourself; it's a job offer. Project manager. You just proved you have a way with kids, and you have leadership skills. Might not be military, but you gotta take what you can get."
"You can get androids for security. I already have a job."
"Scab work. I'm talking something worthwhile. It won't pay much more than what you're making now, but every little bit helps. You'll work a full shift, overseeing staff and security. Pretty cush compared to sewer diving."
He folded his arms. "I don't know…"
"What's the problem? I didn't expect you to be so hesitant. This is a step up, Jett. We'll have synthetic security on the grounds, but the Mayor wants a human face stamped on this. Right now, we got no takers. You're a hero from the Pre-Cataclysm era. It makes for good press to have you look after this new project. And I need someone I can trust."
"What makes you so sure you can trust me?"
"I know people, Jett. You're one of the good guys."
"Can I think about it?"
"Yeah, but not too long. The Mayor wants this to be smooth and quick." She glanced at her holoband. "Hold on; I got a call."
She tapped the datacom in her ear. "Agent Banks." The color drained from her face. "It's happening now? Where? Okay, I'm on my way."
Jett gave her a concerned look. "Everything okay?"
"No. Magistrates just came out of Haven Core. They're on their way to the precinct."
"Magistrates?"
"Judge, jury, and executor. When they show up, people die. They call it a Culling. I have to go. Stay away from the precinct, okay?"
"Why would I want to—?"
"Just do it, Jett. I'll get back with you later. I hope."
The last words were muttered under her breath as if to herself instead of Jett. He watched her quickly round the corner, then made himself wait two minutes before heading outside and in the direction of the precinct.
Chapter 17
Vigil stationed himself in the window of a broken skyscraper several blocks away from the scene. He wore the armor and helmet because he wasn't sure what would happen. Ronnie looked afraid when she left the hospital. He knew it took a lot for someone like her to let that show.
Precinct 51 was the RCE headquarters, sitting on the harbor's edge in Brickland. The building was imposing, a hulking slab with no regard for architectural style. It was a structure made to intimidate and imprison. When things went bad in the city, the officers and Agents of the RCE knew if they could make back to 51, they would be safe.
It didn't look safe anymore.
An army of Agents and officers surrounded the building, arranged in protective units. Mech walkers and mini-tanks were on standby, positioned to guard the entrances. Snipers were tactically positioned on nearby rooftops and windows, weapons ready to fire at the first command. The air practically crackled with tension.
Crowds gathered beyond the barricades. The word had spread like a virus, infecting the people, drawing them to the precinct in throngs. Holovisors were removed in exchange for the chance to view something drastically real, something virtual reality couldn't compare with.
News reporter Cam Danvers was on the edge of the security curtail in all her holographic glory. Safe in the studio, she was in no danger should things go south quickly. Her ground crew were all androids and camera drones, recording every inch of the scene.
Good evening. You're with Cam Danvers on another NYN news Fast Break. The mood is grim as reports of a Culling are on the mouths of everyone gathered. Will swift justice be handed out to the Denizens in custody, or is this all a show of force by an RCE department desperate to appear in control? Hold on—we have movement from Haven Core. It looks like this is officially happening. And we are on the scene, giving every bit of it to our viewers.
Vigil zoomed in on the Magistrate's approach. A sleek black vehicle drifted from the sky like an aerodynamic dragonfly, vapor jetting from its thrusters when it landed. The hangar door opened, allowing a slim, blue-haired man to exit, shadowed by three Magistrates—giants in gleaming black armor. Their faces were covered by helmets and enclosed visors illuminated by a single red slash.
Billboards and sides of buildings displayed the feed, making sure everyone saw what was happening. The crowds were transfixed, oblivious to the freezing rain that drizzled on their upturned faces. They watched as the Denizen approached the main entrance of the precinct where Commissioner Miller, Chief Moore, and Agent Banks waited.
Vigil zoomed in on the trio. The Commissioner was a tall, grey-haired man in a stiff black uniform. His face was fixed in a grim frown, but his eyes betrayed his unease. Chief Moore was a bluff, chiseled rock of a man, standing as if unimpressed by the occasion. And Ronnie…she wore a more formal RCE uniform with a black beret on her mane of curly hair. She looked angry more than anything else.
The Denizen and his armored Magistrates stopped at the base of the stairs. The man was tall and slender, his face angular and smooth as marble. The wind tugged at his long black jacket as he fixed the RCE leaders with an imperious gaze. When he spoke, his voice boomed from speakers positioned all across the city.
"I am Justiciar Zeuxis of Haven Core, upholder of law and justice, accorded full authority by the Ruling Order of the United Havens and their districts. I have come to pronounce sentence upon the prisoners, the three exiles you have in your custody. Bring them forth."
Commissioner Miller turned, nodding to the guards by the entrance. The doors opened, and the prisoners were escorted out, surrounded by a ring of armed guards. In their manacles and matching orange jumpsuits, they no longer looked regal or extraordinary. Fear distorted their features the moment they saw Zeuxis, who motioned for the guards to place them on their knees. He turned to the crowds, raising his arms.
"No one is above the law; neither Denizen of our hallowed Havens, nor residents of our outer districts. Lawlessness is a cancer. It destroys all that we work for in a wholesome society. Even worse are those who turn to prey on the young for their twisted pleasure. I am here to demonstrate the righteous anger of the Ruling Order, who do not tolerate such perversions. Lawlessness must be culled in order to preserve the sanctity of our community."
He gestured to the Magistrates. Each one strode over to the disgraced Denizens and placed a large, mechanical hand on their heads. Tears streamed down the Denizen's faces, magnified on screens all around. They were small, weak, pitiful, and alone. A roar of anger rippled through the masses.
Zeuxis stood before them with his hands clasped behind his back. "Ramses, Electra, and Ulysses. The guilt of your actions had been confirmed through surveillance records. There is no plea of innocence in your case. So admit your guilt and beg for mercy. You might receive it. Choose not to confess, and you will be given to the mercy of the mob." He gestured to the gathered crowds, who roared in expectation.
Ramses and Ulysses fell forward, begging for mercy. Electra remained where she was, staring up at Zeuxis with hatred glimmering in her eyes. He returned her murderous glare with a thin-lipped smile before turning again to the gathered throngs.
"Witness the repentance of two of the accused. Their plea is for mercy. Will you give it to them?"
"No mercy!" the crowds screamed. Vigil scanned the faces. All of them were furious, whipped into a fever from the anticipation of violence. Fists thrust in the air, some even wielding bludgeon weapons.
Zeuxis stared heavenward, eyes wide as if enraptured by the fury of the crowd. "And what would you have me do with these fallen angels?"
"Kill them."
"Kill them."
"Kill them!"
Zeuxis closed his eyes, allowing the thunderous chant to wash over him. Finally he gestured, quieting the mob as if clicking a switch. A great calm settled in as he turned to Ramses
and Ulysses, who still sobbed and begged for their lives.
"The people of this mighty city demand your lives. I have promised you mercy. What to do?" Zeuxis made a show of tapping his chin in thought. He brightened, eyes widening as if struck by a random thought.
"I have an idea. I will grant you mercy."
The Denizens looked up, faces flickering between surprise and hope. The gathered crowds roared in outrage but were stopped by Zeuxis' upraised hand.
"I will grant you mercy—by a quick death. Magistrates!"
The mob exploded in bloodthirsty cheers when Ulysses and Ramses were seized by the gleaming automatons. The Magistrates caught the men by their screaming, grimacing heads and yanked with brutal efficiency.
Vigil's stomach clenched when the heads were ripped from the bodies along with most of their backbones. The Magistrates held their grisly trophies aloft, raining blood on the steps of the precinct. Zeuxis gestured like a carnival showman, voice rising to a fanatical shriek.
"Behold the fate of those who dare to stain the honor of Haven Core. Today I give you justice, fair citizens. Today I give you…retribution!"
Wild applause and cheering erupted in answer. He soaked in the adoration, a smile tugging at his narrow mouth.
"As for this last apostate, she has chosen purification at your hands. I leave her to your tender mercies. Fear not retribution, for these tin soldiers you call the RCE are forbidden to interfere. Today you are the law. Revel in your power. What is left of her life is now at your mercy. Or lack of."
Spinning on his heels, he abruptly walked away. The Magistrates followed like shadows, heads swiveling, staring down the crowd as if daring them to move. The entire square was silent as Zeuxis and his trio boarded the airship. The door hissed shut, and the ship lifted skyward in a cloud of expelled vapor. It sailed toward the Haven like an angel returning to heaven, leaving the surface world to its darkness and debauchery. Everyone watched until the ship was lost to sight, circling around to a private hangar on the other side of the domed city.
Then things turned ugly.
Electra stood alone, the gruesome remains of her companions discarded on either side of her like raw meat. She turned to the armed guards behind her, pleading. Vigil couldn't hear her voice, but he knew she begged for protection that the RCE was prohibited to supply. The guards ignored her, eyes straight ahead. Vigil looked for Ronnie. She had already turned away, walking up the stairs with frustration stamped on her face. He knew she felt the same way he did.
Conflicted.
The crowd inched closer; slowly at first, but emboldened when they saw the officers ignore Electra's appeals. The boldest in front of the mob wore masks of all sorts—gas masks, hockey masks, ski masks. Some even had replicas of the bestial masks the Denizens wore in their vice den. They approached like zombies; dragging clubs, swinging chains, twirling knives. Electra tottered back and forth; nowhere to run, no escape possible. Finally, she clenched her teeth and ran at the nearest attacker. Wrapping her manacles around his neck, she strangled him with a savage scream.
The counterattack came from all sides. Weapons rose and fell, clubbing her to the ground. Bodies swarmed, fighting to get in a blow. To get their pound of flesh. Vigil felt his muscles tense, his heart thumping with adrenaline.
His visor flickered as a screen opened, revealing Incognito's shadowed profile. "Don't do it, Vigil. I know your heroic nature is at odds with your better judgment, so think of what she was. What she and her perverse little cult did. This is what she deserves. You can do nothing now except expose yourself. She's not worth it."
"What—I'm supposed to just watch a woman be murdered and do nothing about it?"
"Murdered? This isn't murder. It's an execution. It's justice, Vigil."
"This doesn't feel like justice."
"I'm surprised. How did you think this was going to end? You're the architect of this entire stage play. This is your work, Vigil. You made this happen."
Vigil thumped the wall with his fist. "You don't have to sound so pleased, Incognito."
He glanced down. The crowd gave a roar as one of the masked attackers hoisted a pole in the air. Electra's head was attached to the end, lank hair plastered against her crimson-streaked face. The others waved their bloodied weapons in the air, stirring the surrounding crowds with a taste of the kill. Flames licked the remains of her corpse, the result of a firebomb someone brought to the party.
"Look at them," Incognito said. "They're Morlocks savoring the taste of an Eloi. Heathens tearing the wings from an angel. You can't deny the poetic nature of the moment, Vigil. Nothing is celebrated more than a fall from grace."
"I'm not in the celebratory mood."
Vigil stood, staring down at the chaos below. With the execution over, the RCE moved in to reclaim their authority. Loudspeakers blared orders, android peacekeepers took the front lines to control the crowds. The masses pushed back, cursing and hurling projectiles until tear gas and sick bombs were deployed in retaliation. Many in the crowd donned gas masks and continued to fight back. In no time, a full-scale riot ensued. Fire bloomed from overturned vehicles, armored walkers fired rubber bullets, people screamed in pain and rage.
Vigil stared at the Haven. It glowed like a half-risen moon and was just as untouchable. No aid would be coming from its vaunted inhabitants. Silent and aloof, it cast its shimmering reflection across the bay waters, the closest most outsiders would ever get to being touched by its magnificence.
"I bet they're watching. They're enjoying this. Tossing a match on dry grass and watching the fire spread."
Incognito's voice was grim. "Welcome to Neo York."
"Tell me about it." Vigil stood, staring at the explosion of misdirected rage. Threads of rioters stormed from the main mass like tentacles, spreading into the nearby blocks. "This is going to get out of hand, and I don't think the Peacekeepers are enough to contain it. Looks like I have work to do."
"Riot control isn't what Vigil does."
"Vigil does whatever I want him to, Incognito. I'm a citizen of this city, and I can do something to prevent innocent people from being hurt. So that's what I'm going to do."
Incognito gave an exasperated sigh. "At least try to avoid being a special on the evening news."
"I'll deploy the ECMs. Surveillance won't know I'm out there. But the bad guys will."
"Okay. I'll be here for backup. Happy hunting, Vigil."
Chapter 18
Agent Ronnie Banks looked at the live footage of another disaster. Peacekeepers tried to corral the rioters, but every attempt was met with enraged attacks from a mob that still had the taste of blood in their mouths. The pent-up resentment against the RCE had finally exploded. While no one dared to cross the invisible line surrounding the precinct, everything around it was considered fair game. Fire bloomed in buildings, RCE vehicles were overturned, and rioters milled around in complete disregard for any attempts to enforce the emergency curfew.
Commissioner Miller turned from the main console, pointing to the displayed riots in case Ronnie missed it. "Well, Agent Banks. I hope you're happy."
"Happy, sir?"
His face turned scarlet. "This is your doing. I told you to leave the Denizens alone. I told you that, didn't I? But did you listen? Of course not! I should have your gun and badge for this."
Ronnie exchanged a glance with Chief Moore, who raised a bemused eyebrow. "Should, sir?"
"Don't get coy with me, Agent Banks. I'd love to demote you to the worst beat in the Warrens, but the press just loves you right now." Miller gestured to the other screens, where Ronnie's face was featured. "I have to play along. Yeah, I'll play. But don't think I won't forget your insubordination, Ms. Banks."
"Agent Banks, sir."
He grunted. "For now." He gave her a final glare before turning to Chief Moore. "Make sure you keep her on a short leash, Chief. No more press, no more high-profile arrests without my authorization. Now if you excuse me, I have to find a way to stop this insanity."
"You got it, Commissioner."
They waited until Miller stalked out the office and his footsteps faded down the hall before they broke down laughing.
Ronnie mocked the Chief's deep voice. "'You got it, Commissioner.' Man, what a pushover."
Moore shrugged, scratching his thick mustache. "Gotta know how to deal with Miller. He doesn't care if you listen to him or not. It's more important to look like you're listening to him. The appearance of respect when respect is in lieu of, Agent Banks."
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." She planted her fists on her hips and stared at the chaos on the screen. "Look at those idiots. A little blood and the crowd goes wild. They won't be satisfied until HC unleashes their street sweepers and makes wetwork of the entire crowd."
"Don't think we'll be seeing any street sweepers tonight. HC knows what they're doing. You embarrassed them with that arrest. Inciting a riot is their little payback. Nothing to worry about. Peacekeepers are automated, so no one worth a damn gets hurt. The crowds blow off some steam, we drive 'em back to their holes, everyone gets back up tomorrow like nothing happened."
Ronnie kept her eyes on the screen, where a rioter threw a petrol bomb at a Peacekeeper, bathing it with fire. "I wish that was all the payback they wanted."
"You think they'll come gunning for you?"
"Wouldn't be the first time."
Moore shook his head. "You still insisting that Isaac's accident was intentional? C'mon, Banks. The HSSC isn't out to get you. Thought you were over that."
"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean I'm wrong, Chief. But I wasn't referring to me. I did a little research from the last Culling. What was that, four years ago?"
"Yeah, that Yellow King business. Serial killer turned out to be a Denizen, right?"
"Right. He liked to eat parts of his victims."
"Well, he got his in the end. What about it?"
"Same type of execution as Electra. Zeuxis let the crowds tear him apart."
"Yeah, I remember. Not exactly shedding any tears here, Banks."
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