Absolute Knowledge Box Set (Books 1-3)

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Absolute Knowledge Box Set (Books 1-3) Page 12

by Drew Cordell


  “He’s got Nanotech! Watch out!” she yelled. She stood and shot at the man with the old submachine gun, killing him just before the huge man with the axe reached her. The man yelled as he swung the axe in a wide arc at Caeldra. She ducked just before the swing and pushed off the crate with her legs, sliding under his feet and out of my line of sight. With her out of range, I fired another six rounds that were absorbed by the man’s armoring. Caeldra continued to shoot at him until her gun was empty. She threw it to the side and flipped out a strange looking knife and held it with a reverse grip.

  I continued to fire at the man, whose armor continued to hold, but he kept his focus on Caeldra. He was swinging the axe with precision and agility despite his massive size. I watched with horror as the axe connected with Caeldra’s stomach and she was flung several feet back. There was no blood, no sickly sinking sound as the axe cut through her stomach, just the distinct sound of metal on metal and an explosion of blue sparks.

  “I’m all right. Keep shooting, Jake!” she screamed through the earpiece as she struggled to gain her feet. The man continued toward her as I continued to shoot at his back and head. I was shocked at the amount of energy his armor had absorbed. After loading a new magazine, I started to advance.

  “Over here!” I yelled at him. The man let out a guttural grunt and turned toward me before charging.

  “Jake, get the hell out of here!” Caeldra yelled.

  I fired my weapon three more times before turning back and sprinting the way we came. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw the man pursuing me was gaining ground and Caeldra was trailing us as fast as she could manage. Adrenaline coursed through my veins—this was real, the axe was real, and my life was in danger. As I neared the vertical vent, I generated the climbing gloves and prepared Artemis to latch to the steel wiring that hung from above. I leaped across the gap and attached to the cable. I continued to swing and was able to brace my impact using my legs to push off the large pipes on the wall. The man behind me wasn’t able to slow himself as he slid awkwardly across the gap and fell about ten feet before catching the pipe and managing to hold on.

  Caeldra stopped at the end of the tunnel and began firing her gun at the man who recoiled against the pipe but managed to hang on. Apparently, she had picked it up before starting after us.

  “Jake, drop down as fast as you can and try to kick him when you land.”

  “Are you crazy?” I yelled.

  “No. I’ll shoot at him while you do it.”

  It was insane, and even more insane that I decided to follow through. Caeldra began firing at him as I dropped at full speed. I landed squarely on the brute’s shoulders, and he was flung down into the darkness below. I slowed my fall and used my mind to cause my carabiner device to pull me back up the wire.

  “Good job!” Caeldra shouted. She was reloading her weapon when I reached the tunnel, and I was relieved to see she wasn’t bleeding from the axe hit.

  “You did great,” she said as she started to raise her hand to pat me on the back, then stopped as she winced in pain.

  “Are you going to be okay?” I asked with concern.

  “Yeah, I’ll live. I’ve been through worse. Let’s go try to find Mikey now.”

  I converted my gloves into a mask and we proceeded down the tunnel to where the other men had been. Caeldra quickly looted their bodies. She tossed me the shotgun and submachine gun and took their Nanotech modules from their coats. She sifted through their packs and pulled out a few items of interest before we continued forward toward Mikey’s distress signal. I wasn’t prepared for what we found.

  A gruesome corpse lay in the middle of the path, the limbs were broken at horrible angles and the floor surrounding him was soaked in blood. White foam spilled from his mouth onto the concrete beside him.

  “Dear God,” Caeldra croaked.

  16 RECOVERY

  ∆∆∆

  I staggered back, and my stomach lurched. I fell to the ground clumsily and struggled to regain my footing, not wanting to look at the body.

  I stayed back as Caeldra confirmed the identity. Mikey’s possessions had been taken, and there was no one else in sight or in the proximity of Artemis’ scanning range.

  “Command, this is Caeldra. Mikey is dead. Harvesters got him. We killed three of them, but this whole area looks to be compromised. Recommend a military sweep and repairs,” Caeldra said, tears glimmering in her eyes, her voice shaking.

  “Acknowledged. Report back to Command immediately.”

  “There was nothing we could have done,” Caeldra said to me.

  Horror dawned on me when I realized how dangerous this really was, how unprepared I was. “He’s dead,” I managed.

  “Come on. We need to get the hell out of here,” Caeldra told me, but my feet may as well have been glued to the floor.

  “Does anyone care that someone just died?” I demanded.

  Caeldra grabbed the collar of my jacket and hurled me against the wall of the small tunnel. Dark spots blurred my eyes as I felt my head slam into the concrete with a dull thud. The light of her flashlight was pointed directly at my masked face, blurring my vision through the glass goggles.

  “Get it together! We can’t freeze up now. We’ll mourn his loss later. Don’t you dare think his death doesn’t matter to me or anyone else,” she shot. It did the trick, and I was pulled back into the grim reality that Caeldra and I were still in danger while we stayed here. I nodded, and we started running back the way we had come. It was easy to notice Caeldra was faltering in her pace.

  We ran back to the central vent and climbed as fast as possible. Caeldra led us through an unfamiliar area until we reached the main entrance of the Guild Hall. Caeldra’s condition was worsening, and her labored breathing was audible through the thick mask she wore.

  After an hour-long session with the Council about Mikey’s death and the increased presence of Harvesters in territory that was previously considered safe, Caeldra and I were dismissed and headed to Leroy to sell the gear we had scavenged from the day.

  “Thanks for trying to save Mikey,” Leroy said grimly.

  “There was nothing we could do. Harvesters got him,” Caeldra replied, her voice dark. “He bit the glass, so I don’t think he suffered for long.”

  Caeldra started to try to take off her backpack and fell to one knee with a soft moan. Leroy and I were helping her up a moment later. Thick beads of perspiration had formed on her head, sliding down her face. Her skin, usually vibrant, was pale and colorless.

  “What happened to her?” Leroy yelled.

  “She got hit in the stomach with a fire axe … she said she was fine, that the Nanotech absorbed it,” I said.

  “Dammit, Caeldra! You should have gone straight to Medbay. I’m calling a stretcher for you,” Leroy said, frustration in his voice. He lifted up her shirt, and I was shocked to see a large purple bruise with stringy yellow accents. Her abdomen was swollen, and dark drops of blood seeped through the wound.

  “The Nanotech saved her life, but she’s not doing well,” Leroy told me before turning to her again. “You’re too tough for your own good sometimes, Caeldra.”

  A few minutes later, two men in blue scrubs approached with a large orange stretcher. After securing Caeldra to it, they began to take her to the Medbay.

  “Jake, put my stuff in my locker and sell everything we got today,” she said through gritted teeth as she was taken away.

  When she was out of sight, I took out the guns and Nanotech patches we had scavenged for Leroy. “Old stuff, but I’ll buy it. I can give you six units for the haul.”

  “Yeah, sure,” I replied.

  “It’s not like this every day. This is probably the hardest first day any Runner has had in a long time. Glad you made it.”

  “Thanks, Leroy. What’s the deal with the Harvesters? The Council didn’t have time for my questions.”

  “Harvesters are savages. They strip pipes and redirect resources from the surface to fuel th
eir excavating activities. Worse, they scrap anything of ours they find and kill anyone unlucky enough to encounter them. They’re called Harvesters because they take the organs of their victims to sell on the black market,” he seethed.

  Leroy took a deep breath and cracked his knuckles, clearly distraught.

  “Got it. Well, I’d better get up to the main hall to wait for Mr. Barton. I’m sorry about Mikey. I really am.”

  “Take it easy, Jake,” he replied as he examined the guns he had just purchased from me, trying to distract himself from the death of a friend. I started to walk away, and Leroy stopped me.

  “Take care of Caeldra. She’s tough as nails but refuses to admit when something is too much for her to handle. Take care of her and she’ll take care of you.”

  I gave him a firm nod and headed off.

  I put all of Caeldra’s belongings in her locker and changed back into my street clothes. It had been a hellish first day as a Runner, and I wanted nothing more than to return to the surface and spend some time with Mary. The day had been so crazy that I hadn’t had a chance to think about the kiss we had shared or our relationship. Thinking about Mary made me realize I still had to talk to Edgar about my father.

  After stashing all of my equipment, I started toward Medbay to check on Caeldra. The attendant at the front desk directed me to exam room three. Caeldra was only wearing her bra and cargo pants, her abdomen wrapped in a thick gauze. She was lying on a bed that was low to the ground in a simple room.

  “Hey, Jake. What are you doing here?” she asked me.

  “Just wanted to check on you and see if you needed anything before I head off.”

  “I’m bruised pretty bad, but nothing is broken. They’ve got me on some painkillers, so I’ll be all right.”

  “Well, let me know if you need anything. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told her as I did my best to keep from looking at the wrapped wound.

  “Thanks for saving my life, Jake.”

  I gave her a smile. “Anytime.”

  We said our goodbyes, and I made my way up to the main level and saw Edgar waiting for me.

  “I’m glad you’re safe,” Edgar said. “It’s always awful to lose people, but you did well.”

  “Caeldra was injured pretty badly,” I replied.

  “She said you saved her life.”

  “I suppose I did. Are you ready to head back up?”

  “Yeah, let’s get going.”

  Trying to keep my voice calm, I said, “I’ve got some questions for you on the way, if that’s all right.”

  “Certainly.”

  We departed the main gate and started walking toward to the surface together.

  “Okay, so I know I’m not allowed to talk about the Guild or what I do, but what should I tell Mary I’ve been doing all day?” I asked.

  “Well, that’s not easy to answer. I won’t lie to you, Jake. Being a part of the Champions is physically and emotionally tolling; you’ll find it hard to maintain relationships with outsiders of the Guild due to obvious reasons. What you tell Mary is your business, but you can never tell her the truth, and eventually … well, eventually the lies will catch up with you or she’ll need to accept she can’t know what you do. It’s not an ideal situation,” Edgar said, frowning.

  “What if we invite her to join the Guild?”

  Edgar’s tone grew grim. “Jake, you need to listen to me very carefully. Those we accept into the Guild are invited because their lives are in danger from the Government and they would be a useful asset. Guild life is a life of danger and deception. You were only admitted because you would have been killed by the Sculptors for reading John Locke’s work. You need to understand that Mary has her life in front of her. You shouldn’t wish this danger on her.”

  “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

  “It’s all right, Jake. You just need to understand that this is your life now. You need to be selfless in decisions that might bring harm to others, especially those you care for.”

  I had no desire to ask him about my father anymore. I felt defeated, childish, and naïve. I would have to ask another time.

  As we neared the entrance to the surface, Edgar changed the appearance of his Nexweave jacket into a cheap hoodie. We climbed the final ladder up to the abandoned building and took our leave back onto the streets of New York. Surprisingly, most of the air in the Undercity was better than the actual streets of the Slums.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll get an early night tonight. Please be at my house by dawn if you’d like to walk together to the Guild Hall tomorrow,” Edgar said.

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks for everything, Edgar.”

  We departed, and I made my way to the grocery store to stock up on some basic food. I decided I’d get enough so I could invite Mary over for dinner, although I wasn’t sure if my flat was presentable. I picked up a loaf of brown bread and a few cans of soup and fruit. Making a decision on a whim, I decided to buy a pack of mint chewing gum. I replaced my bandana on my face as I paid at the console with my vouchers and made my way past the Enforcers that stood guard at the exits. I continued down the street to my flat and knocked on Mary’s door. She looked out the window and let me in.

  “Jake! Where have you been all day?” she asked with a warm smile as she pushed a long lock of hair out of her face.

  “Just running some errands,” I replied. It hurt to lie to her.

  She was wearing a green shirt with khaki shorts and had a faded plastic headband in her hair. It was clear she hadn't gone out all day. Regardless, she was as beautiful as ever.

  “I’ve got something to show you,” she said as she lightly touched my arm.

  Mary walked over and grabbed the sketchbook I had given her from her desk. She pulled it open and showed me an intricate drawing of a tree.

  “Wow!” I said as I smiled. “It’s amazing, Mary.”

  “You think so?” she said, giving me a nervous look.

  “I really do.”

  She ran over and wrapped me in a hug. “It’s such a perfect gift, Jake.” Then, we kissed.

  After a near perfect kiss, I stepped back and smiled at her. This was exactly what I needed to relax from the most demanding and terrifying day of my life.

  “I was going to invite you to dinner if you’d give me the chance to cook for you,” I said.

  “Jake Ashton cooking? I’d pay good money to see that,” she responded with a laugh.

  “Well, it’s canned soup, but I got some decent bread, fruit, and I’ll even throw in a stick of mint gum.”

  “You’ve got yourself a deal, Jake,” she replied as she fought back a laugh.

  Mary and I made our way back to my flat, and I started heating up the soup and slicing the bread. While I could technically afford butter now, I thought it would be best to maintain my current lifestyle to not draw suspicion from Mary. I didn’t want to mess up our relationship or push her away with lies about how I earned my money. If my math was correct, I’d get one-quarter of half our earnings from yesterday, a whopping 750 credits—or triple my normal pay as a Thinker. Of course, I didn’t know exactly how much money I had burned through in CO2 using my CZR-7 either; I supposed I would have to buy a refill when my main tank was empty.

  I snapped out of my thoughts and pulled the old steel pot off the stove and brought it to the table where Mary was sitting. After getting my best two bowls, the bread, and two glasses of drinking water, we were set to have a nice dinner.

  The meal was very simple, but still good. I was thankful Mary didn’t mind I couldn’t actually cook anything myself. We scooped out the soup with thick slices of the brown bread and enjoyed each other’s company. I ended up eating four bowls of soup and about seven slices of bread, something I never did.

  “Hungry there, Jake?” Mary said as she observed me down the fourth bowl of soup.

  “Yeah, I haven’t really eaten all day,” I replied with an embarrassed smile.
It wasn’t really an exaggeration. I had eaten breakfast, but with the hellish day, there was no time to eat lunch. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I started eating.

  I looked down at my father’s watch; it was already approaching nine PM. I wished I had been more talkative and more energetic around Mary. Despite my best efforts, my thoughts continued to wander between my father, the man I had killed, and what my future was going to be like. Why did I have to buy that stupid book?

  “Jake?” Mary asked as she waived her hand in front of my face. “Anyone there?”

  “Huh? Sorry, I was daydreaming,” I said.

  “Well, I suppose I need to get going. It’s almost nine. Thank you for the fabulous meal, Chef Ashton,” she said, laughing.

  “Let me walk you to your flat,” I said as I stood up. Mary started picking up her dishes, and I stopped her. “Please don’t worry about those. I’ll take care of it when I get back.”

  “Thanks, Jake.”

  As I started getting ready to walk her home, she wrapped both arms around my neck and pulled me into a series of deep kisses that started gentle and became more aggressive. My heart felt like it was going to burst in my chest. We continued for a of couple minutes, then I pulled back, hating myself for stopping but knowing it was the right thing to do. When six AM rolled around, I'd have to disappear for the day and wouldn't want to lie to Mary or make her feel like I didn't want to spend time with her.

  “Sorry,” she said, her cheeks rosy. “I got a little carried away there.” She gave me a playful, innocent look, her beautiful eyes glittering in the light from my kitchen.

  “I did too. Don't be sorry,” I said, amazed at what had just happened.

  We readied our bandanas and exited my flat.

  “Are you free tomorrow?” she asked me as we walked.

  “I’m going to be running some more errands across the district I’m afraid,” I said.

  “Oh, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow evening then?” She didn’t do well in hiding the disappointment in her voice.

  “Of course,” I replied as I hugged her good night. I wanted to kiss her again, but exposing our mouths in the smog wasn’t a good idea and would likely ruin the kiss. After she was inside, she waved at me through the window, and I headed back to my flat. Two homeless men in battered coats were fighting over a can of something, and I walked to the side to avoid them. As I was approaching my flat, I saw the huge man in gray again. He was standing at the entrance of a dark alley and waved his arm to motion me over. Despite my intuition screaming for me to run, I walked toward him. The man grabbed my shoulder with a metal grip and ushered me farther into the alleyway so we were concealed by the darkness.

 

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