by Ed Hurst
Chapter 11
Among those watching from the stands was Jesse. Claxon Brood was assigned to his office as an Assistant Adjutant in Cyber Command Central. Whoever this kid was, he would have been in high demand anywhere as a bona fide expert in AI, portal technology and the new gym machine technology. The boy had visited military facilities several times and had proven his expertise to far older technicians with advanced degrees in various fields of technology. Best of all, he was the one member of The Brotherhood who would actually fall under Jesse’s direct authority.
After previous failures, it was time to try a new tack entirely.
When the cadets were finally given their rank insignia as lieutenants, they were dismissed to meet with their escorts. Some were almost immediately dragged away in vehicles, receiving whatever initial briefing they would get on the journey. Jesse had made special preparations. He managed to reserve a private spot on the balcony of the Officer’s Club just outside the gate.
On their walk over, it was not lost on Jesse the significance of Dax walking to his left and just a half step behind. Whatever his background, the boy had been well groomed for military service, observing the subtle protocols most had long forgotten. They chatted about certain training events and who was still around as instructors and other standard safe topics.
The Officer’s Club was built into the side of a hill. There was a half-circle driveway curving up under the balcony on the second floor. The rear approach to the building was a highly sculpted split stairway with fountains splashing into a pool between. The landing up at the top was an opulent grand entrance with an open patio to one side. As Jesse led Dax up the nearest steps, they were already on the floor level of the balcony. They walked straight through. Jesse signaled to someone behind the bar and asked Dax his preferred beverage.
Then he led Dax out onto the grand balcony. Stopping for a moment at the middle of the railing, he breathed in the fresh breeze and sighed with content. Then he led Dax along the railing off to the right. There was an alcove with temporary dividers giving one table at the corner some privacy. Jesse wore a major’s rank, but insisted Dax be seated first as guest of honor.
“This is your day, Lieutenant. Enjoy it, because after this you won’t have too many moments to relax for quite a while,” the man promised.
Taking his cue, Dax’s face said for just a moment boy-don’t-I-know-it, but then he grinned and responded, “I’m looking forward to it, Sir.” It was a genuine and honest sentiment, while his cynical side watched the major like a hawk.
Their drinks were delivered and the waiter moved one of the dividers to more completely close off the corner as he left. Dax turned to see how the hill sort of wrapped around the building on this end, so that less than a full story below him was a lovely flower garden punctuated with stone terracing. The faint scent was just noticeable on the breeze.
“Can I call you Claxon?” The major seemed normal and paternal enough.
“Actually, Sir, my preferred nickname is Dax.”
“Dax it is,” he said. “I understand your family background is pretty high tech.”
“That’s our job, Sir. My family has been working in artificial intelligence and related research for several generations.” Dax stuck with the theme of The Brotherhood as one big happy family.
“So, you can tell me: How did you stay in touch at the academy? Don’t tell me your high-tech folks wouldn’t find some way around the rule about personal communication devices.” With that, the major pulled out his own.
“Well, Sir, I was quite scrupulous in not using any devices to communicate with my family.” Dax was telling the truth.
“Yes, but if you chose to do so in some kind of emergency, how would you do that?”
What was he getting at? Since it was known that military personal devices could also be used as lie detectors, Dax answered truthfully. Lifting his left arm from his lap, he placed his hand on the table. “Had I truly needed it, Sir, my watch could have connected me. It’s an AI device.”
“Of course! I knew it. Let me show you something.” Jesse stroked his device a few times, then placed it on the small table between them and slid it toward Dax. “I’m going to trust you with something you dare not tell another human soul. That’s your first direct lawful order. I want you to verify this with your own device.”
The display showed an identity data page. The picture was the major’s face, but he was wearing peculiar ritual garments. The plutocrat family was named, one Dax had only seen once. This was confirmed with a long ethnic name that was not on any military documentation. The display indicated it was being forwarded over an encrypted link.
Dax glanced at his watch and AI responded: Confirmed. It also flashed a code indicating the major was carrying some sort of weapon.
Then the man pulled his device back and wiped the screen clear. “I think it’s time for your Brotherhood to join the ranks of the elite.”
Dax hardly felt himself qualified to negotiate on behalf of The Brotherhood even if such a thing was possible. Clearly this man knew almost nothing about the nature of Dax’s “family.” Still, there was nothing to do but play this through and see where it went. “Are you suggesting there’s room for an expansion team, as it were?”
Jesse laughed. “No. Actually I am authorized to offer an alliance. Your people can work with mine. You’ll get all of the special benefits and few of the real hassles. All we really want is some assistance in harnessing some of your technology expertise. It seems no one has really caught onto how it works, and we believe some of our people are better equipped to understand it.”
It had never dawned on Dax before how AI could become a political football, but obviously this was headed in that direction. But it was entirely impossible. The safest thing was to ask one more question. “It occurs to me there would surely be some further stipulations, Sir.”
“Ha!” The major was frankly amused. “You learn quick, boy.”
The major’s face took on a very dark and serious tone. He pointed directly at Dax’s chest from across the table. “You folks have this fellow named Tim who’s been blathering a bit too much about things that we believe are best kept private. There won’t be too much advantage in having all that high technology if you just give all the secrets away to everybody. If you can get this Tim to keep his mouth shut, you’ll retain some value to us.”
Dax went stone cold to the depth of his soul.
While he had told the truth about not communicating with his family, AI wasn’t exactly “family.” The same night Tim woke up to find his mentor murdered, AI had informed Dax, as well, along with all the implications Dax could ask while hiding under his blanket. So it was the major’s plutocrat clan trying to silence Tim, and most likely who was responsible for the murder. All kinds of things fell into place all at once in the back of his mind. This was not going to work. At whatever cost to his own future or even his life, this man was not going to make Dax his double agent. If it meant losing everything he had just gained with his commission as lieutenant, there were too many things to lose.
And this man was trying to kill his brother.
So swiftly even Dax was surprised, he bolted from his seat and jumped the railing of balcony. Landing softly in the thick garden soil, he jumped down the terraces and sprinted out toward the main street.
Jesse might have been older, but men didn’t maintain their military positions by letting themselves go soft. With somewhat more caution, he made his best effort to chase the young man down. As he charged across the driveway after Dax, he pulled out a wireless tazer that could stun even the biggest men from several meters away.
Jesse had the advantage of familiarity with the surroundings. Dax ran blindly, once or twice having to double back seeking another exit. As he dodged around various barriers and buildings, he vaguely remembered that The Brotherhood had planted a portal in this town. “AI, get me out of here!”
Immediately his watch began beeping signals to run left o
r right as needed. It was closer than he expected, but it meant entering a blind alley between two very tall buildings. As he turned into the gap between the buildings he could see to his chagrin the major was only slightly less fleet of foot. There was nothing for it but to let him see and try to follow.
Dax ran straight back into the alley and spotted the alcove, a shallow inset on his right. His watch would activate it when he got close enough. He just barely caught a glimpse of the faint glow of an energy curtain splashed on top of where bricks filled what had once been a doorway. He dodged through and discovered himself inside The Brotherhood’s oldest research station. The portal was the most advanced type used for exploration.
“Portal, admit one!”
Dax turned his body and stood to one side of the portal still glowing and waited.
Jesse saw Dax dive through a solid wall and guessed it was a portal. Having passed through one once before at a demonstration, he braced himself, not knowing whether it would still be open.
For Dax, it wasn’t even like martial arts, but more like soccer. With his back foot he swung in a wide arc rising up to catch the major squarely in the solar plexus. The man collapsed in a heap on the floor just inside the portal, his tazer sliding out of reach.
Dax’s mind worked furiously. He couldn’t count on anyone else being there and had no idea if a stasis field was available, so he shouted again.
“Portal, random exit!”
Then he seized the groaning figure from the floor and shoved him back through the portal. To his deep dismay, the curtain faded the instant the man was through it.
Dax stood in total shock. Whatever else it meant, finding the same time-space coordinates would be nearly impossible. AI might well know where he went, but getting the portal to open on the same place and time was a crapshoot. Previous efforts had been fortunate to get even the same year.
“AI, what happened? Where’d he go?”
Arctic Ocean, 648 BC.
More precision was hardly necessary. It was almost a manic moment as Dax laughed and muttered, “I did say random.” His mind raced as tears leaked out of his eyes. Had he really intended to kill him? His first day in full soldier’s uniform and he had already killed a man.
A dozen justifications fought to the front of awareness, but they didn’t matter. There was nothing he could say to explain this to the authorities. “Why close the portal?”
His injuries were fatal.
So it was the chase and the kick that did it. Tossing him into the ancient frozen wastes was simply disposing of the remains. Dax stood thinking, waiting for his breath to recover. He had committed a crime by the laws, but probably saved The Brotherhood a world of trouble – for now, at least.
“Calculate the probabilities of harm to The Brotherhood from this event.”
Approaching zero.
“Advise me: What is the most morally appropriate course of action for me?”
Report for duty tomorrow morning.
It was a long, painful and fidgety night in the quiet of the old research facility.