Zurkerx- The Empire Shall Grow

by Eric William Haluska

  He sees several folders, a flash drive, and several pens, typical items that an office worker would carry. Just office supplies- wait-

  The officer leans into the screen. He sees five rectangular boxes containing bead-like shapes inside, an odd thing to spot. The officer’s face crinkles as he pulls back.

  Sensing something is wrong, he pulls out a box of blue latex gloves, taking two out. He stretches them a bit, pulling them so they fit on his hands comfortably. He then slips them on. Like suction cups, they stick to his skin, making a loud clapping sound, a sound that makes Aaron’s heart sink, turning him white, as he fears the officer suspects something.

  The officer motions the pale man to walk through the metal detector. Stiff and heavy-footed, Aaron thumps forward, his mind compelling him to move, his eyes staring at the man’s latex blue gloves.

  He stops in the machine, lifting up his arms and spreading his legs. The machine comes to life as the mechanical parts spin around, checking to see if he is hiding anything. This usually only takes several seconds.

  However, it feels like an eternity, one weighing heavily on him. Then he hears a dinging bell sound. The inside lights up green, telling him he’s clear. Somewhat relieved, he walks out.

  But as he walks out, the officer follows him, heading towards his briefcase. The officer grabs it and places it onto a metallic table gently. He delicately opens the briefcase, ready to examine the contents.

  “You know there’s classified-”

  “Quiet! There’s something I want to check.”

  He looks inside and sees five boxes of Smarty Nerds, a sweet and sour candy. Aaron usually brings in some candy to share with his coworkers, a generous act he likes to do.

  “Candy, I see,” the officer says quizzingly.

  “I- I- I always bring some in to share with my co-workers. Can’t be the office jerk now. Ha-ha.”

  The officer focuses his eyes on him, studying Aaron’s trembling facial expressions. He suspects something is wrong. He grabs one of the boxes, pulling it out casually as if to torture the man. Aaron knows that the officer wants him to react recklessly. He wants him to snatch the box from his hand to prove he is indeed hiding something.

  But even if he could stop the search, his body is too stiff to move. Aaron’s face turns white as the officer examines the box. The colorful lime-green box looks like the brand he sees in his grocery store. The brand, the trademark, everything is accurate. He shakes it gently and hears something rattle inside. This sparks his curiosity as he places the box gently on the table.

  Carefully, he opens the box, pointing it away from him. The sound of ripping cardboard makes Aaron cringe a little as he fears the officer has grabbed one of the Plastoffs. The officer reaches into his pocket and pulls out a petri dish and cotton swab. This is his testing kit that helps him pick up explosive materials inside. If the test kit turns green, then there’s no explosive materials. However, if it turns red, then it confirms the presence of explosives.

  The officer turns the box around slowly. He then cautiously inserts the cotton swab into the box, brushing the inside of it gently. After a few seconds, he pulls it out and places it onto the petri dish. He rubs the swab around tenderly as the dish changes color. The officer stares at the dish, somewhat surprised by what he sees. He looks up, facing Aaron.

  “It’s just candy,” he says with a smile. “You don’t mind if I steal a few pieces? Otherwise, you are free to go.”

  “No, no, not at all! Have some, officer!”

  Aaron’s nerve-racked face relaxes a bit as he fretfully laughs. He still can’t believe the petri dish turned green. He’s fortunate that the officer pulled the actual candy, and not one of the bombs. He’s even luckier that the officer won’t test any of the other four boxes in his briefcase. The officer’s ignorant assumption, a rookie mistake, has helped the Gewerksma leap closer to launching the Final Draft.

  The officer shakes a few pieces of the colorful candy into his hand. He quickly shoves them into his mouth, eager to taste them. The sweetness tingles in his mouth as he relishes the sense of pleasure that fills him. Delighted by the treat, he closes the box of candy up, putting it back into the briefcase. He then closes the briefcase and backs away, and heads back to his booth. Aaron quickly runs to his briefcase, turning to face the officer.

  “Thank you, officer!”

  The officer lifts his hand in the air. Aaron grabs his briefcase and speed-walks away. He twirls himself around and heads back, having forgotten his shoes and his watch, which he needs to detonate the Plastoff. He grabs his shoes, hastily putting them on. He then grabs his watch and places it around his wrist. Once again, he takes off.

  “I can’t believe I made it through,” he mumbles.

  He speed-walks down the hallway, heading to his workstation. His workspace is in Rooster C1, one of the command rooms. On a regular day, he would maintain the mainframe, ensuring its security is up to date. But today, he has a different objective. Today, he will fulfill his purpose, serving as the spark that initiates the Final Draft, the liberation of their people.

  He passes several rooms, then he comes to a stop, looking at one of the holographic tablets. It reads Rooster C1: Command Room. The only way he can enter is by inserting his card into it, allowing it to read the specialized chip on the card. He pulls his card out and sticks it in. The screen turns green and the door slides open.

  He walks into the room, heading towards his computer. There are at least fifty other people in the room, most of them monitoring a section of the mainframe. Although the mainframe is monitored in sections, it won’t matter which one he uploads the CBW to since it will spread fast.

  He plops into his seat and slides his briefcase underneath his desk. He turns on his smart computer, which slowly comes to life. He taps the side of it, becoming impatient. Then the login screen pops up. Quickly, he types in his password and hits Enter.

  As he’s logging in, he pops his head around the screen, spotting his supervisor, Chief Officer (CO) Jean Luis talking to two other officers. She is a short, somewhat plump red-headed freckled woman. She was once a kindhearted person, one who respected others, but this made her a prime target for bullies who believed they could take advantage of the generous stocky girl.

  This bullying forced her to develop a thick hide, suppressing her soft side. Her new persona proved victorious as she pushed back, beating the crap out of anyone who dared to whisper something negative about her. She even belittled them, becoming a bully herself, although she did so for primarily self-defense purposes. She would carry this personality with her for the rest of her life, using it to boss around others to accomplish goals. While she gained praise for her hard work and ability to accomplish tasks, she was hated by her co-workers, including Aaron, who hopes she will die by the Plastoff he has brought with him.

  Aaron opens his briefcase and pulls out his flash drive containing the virus. He knows the moment he plugs in the flash drive, the CBW will be unleashed, exposing him. It’ll be like a cancerous system, spreading fast as it destroys everything it touches. Once it has embodied itself, he’ll make his getaway, detonating the Plastoff in hopes that disorder will mask his escape. He wants to witness the Empire’s fall, ushering in a new era for the nation.

  He plugs in the flash drive and almost immediately, a warning message comes up from Novellus Defense, telling him that dangerous malware has infected his computer. But then the message disappears as his computer screen pixelates. He smiles as he sees everyone else’s computers doing the same thing, stirring anguish. The Final Draft has begun.

  ~

  The people within the Tower’s security room panic. Just seconds ago, they received an alert that something has been uploaded into the systems, smashing their firewalls and erasing Novellus Defense. This tells them that it’s a CBW, and a vicious one too.

  Fearing a cyberattack, the security personnel send out an alert, notifying all high-level officials. In seconds, everyone from the Vault to the Mik
tsrod to every military facility is on high alert. Joseph and Scarlet come scrambling into the Vault, wondering what is going on.

  ~

  Marcus is sitting at his desk, examining classified information when a message pops up. Surprised to see this, he opens it and reads the contents. His eyes widen, his mouth drops a little. According to the message, there has been a security breach at the Tower, possibly a cyberattack.

  His stomach turns. He has feared that an attack may be imminent. As he stands up, his personal aid, Sergeant Tim Grosse, comes running in.

  “Supreme Commander! There has been a breach at the-”

  “Tower. Yes, I have just been notified. What do we know?”

  “I’ll never understand-”

  “How I can read minds. Sergeant, the details.”

  Tim’s eyes widen, still amazed at how his boss can predict what he’ll say.

  “Uh, well, according to what we know so far, it appears someone has uploaded something that our security system can’t stop. The source is Computer 122 within Rooster C1.”

  “And who is sitting at Computer 122?”

  “Security Technician Aaron Ahrima. He has a clean record, sir. I don’t understand why he would do this.”

  “Hmm, he’s up to something,” Marcus says cynically. “Bring up live footage of the Empire! Look for anything unusual!”

  He walks towards the window. His greatest fear may come to fruition: the Gewerksma are launching their attack. Over the last several days, he has heightened security. Yet, none of that matters as the Gewerksma were able to infiltrate, able to bypass their scrutinizing background checks.

  As he gets closer, multiple screens pop up, showing multiple parts of the Empire. Everyone is scrambling at their computers, pulling up live videos. Despite rulings from the Royal Court that upheld the right of privacy residing in Verfa Zurk, the government is still allowed to set up cameras that can monitor public property. These cameras cannot spy on those owning private property, but they can watch other public lands within their domain. It has helped to foil terrorist attacks, but there have been pushes by privacy activists who want the government to reduce its surveillance, who believe that the nation is becoming a police state.

  Marcus’ eyes bounce back and forth, examining multiple screens of the Empire. There’s a lot he needs to examine in such little time. With every second that passes, the risk of an attack grows. The sooner he knows what’s going on, the faster he can formulate a plan to counteract any opposing force. As his eyes glance over each screen, he catches something moving on one of the screens by the Tower.

  “Enlarge the image on Screen L131!”

  Someone enlarges the image. Marcus reaches up and pulls the image down, making it even bigger for himself. He squints and sees there are several individuals with guns crouching down, ready to pounce.

  “As I thought,” he says as his voice trails off. “Initiate Protocol Eighteen! An attack is imminent!”

  The people within pound heavily on their virtual keyboards, sending alerts to every military and government facility within the Empire. The sirens at the fort and others sound loudly, alerting everyone, sending the signal the Gewerksols have been waiting for. Marcus turns away, heading for the elevator at the end of the hall. Tim follows him, trying to keep up with the fast-paced man.

  “Supreme Commander. Where are you going?”

  “To the Phoenix[81]. This time I’m heading out.”

  “Unusual for you to say, sir. Something changed?”

  “I’ve been reflecting on myself since the botched raid. I realize now that I can no longer sit and watch from afar. Our enemy is emboldened because they know leadership hides behind a wall and sends their pawns out. We need to change that and show Zentari that we will not be pushed around!”

  Tim looks at him, astonished by what he’s just heard. The words that have been uttered remind him of a lost man he thought had ceased to exist. It was an individual he admired, one he truly missed. Now he’s back. They enter the elevator.

  “Where’s Gadget?” Marcus asks as he presses one of the buttons.

  “I believe he’s in one of the rooms here, sir.”

  “We need to find him or else we are in grave danger. Find him quickly!”

  Tim nods as he scrambles in his pockets and pulls out his smart tablet. He pulls it open and types up a message, asking for people to find Gadget.

  ~

  Luis is talking when her phone dings. She pulls her phone out and sees a message alerting her about a security breach. As she reads the message, her phone rings.

  “Hello, what is it?” she says, annoyed. What? It can’t be…”

  She looks around the room and her eyes widen.

  “That’s the source? Are you sure? Understood. I will address this.”

  She slips her phone into her pocket and glances over to where Aaron is sitting. Aaron looks away, trying to play dumb.

  “Hey, you!” she yells as she puts her hand on her gun. “What are you doing over there?”

  Aaron continues to look the other way. He knows that he has been compromised, something he was expecting. Two officers run up to him, their guns drawn.

  “Step away from the computer now!”

  They raise their guns and point them at Aaron, ready to shoot. Believing the time to escape is now, he bolts towards the exit. But as the door slides open, something hits him in the back. The sound of gunfire rings in his ears as he falls to the ground. A bullet has struck him in the back, hitting his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. One of the officers runs up to him, apprehending him as he handcuffs him.

  “Where do you think you’re going, huh?” the officer says disparagingly as he handcuffs the pain-riddled man.

  “You wouldn’t want to know,” grunts Aaron in pain.

  “Enlighten us,” says the other officer.

  “I’m just witnessing the fall of a nation.”

  Both men look at the deranged man, his menacing smile creeping them out. He has instilled fear into the room as trepidation spreads across the nation. He hopes this distraction will give his comrades an edge.

  Luis walks to Computer 122 and sees a flash drive in one of the USB ports. She sees that something has been uploaded, possibly the CBW she was told about. The computer screen dissipates as the CBW tears through their system. Fear grips her as she turns towards Aaron, glaring at him.

  “Aaron!” she screams. “What did you do?!”

  Everyone looks at Aaron. Except for a select few, most are unaware that Rubella Typhus has been uploaded, wreaking havoc on their systems. They wonder why Aaron, a man they considered a hard worker, would commit such a treasonous act. They try to hypothesize on his motives, curious if he has disdain for the nation he has seemingly proudly protected.

  “Rubella Typhus has been installed, tearing your cyberworld apart like a swarm of piranhas. It’ll only be a matter of time before there’s nothing left.”

  Luis takes a step back. The name resonates with her, one she was briefed on since the raid on Zok. His words confirm to her that it is, in fact, a CBW. Realizing the danger, she heads to the mainframe to shut it down.

  “Where do you think you’re going?!”

  Aaron wiggles his right hand, recognizing what she’s up to. He stretches his pointer finger, trying to reach the button on his watch. His finger brushes the button, making him more determined. His determination revives a memory of last night when he was given the watch and flash drive. The grin on his face grows as he presses the button on his watch.

  ~

  “You will be revered as a martyr, remembered as the one that brought Paradise to our people, a key player in the Final Draft. Do you understand your purpose; the effect your actions will have?”

  Argus places two things into Aaron’s hands. Aaron looks down and sees a flash drive holding Rubella Typhus, and a smart watch. He looks at them for a moment, comprehending the complexity of the situation.

  “I know,” he says confidently as he
grips both firmly in his hands.

  ~

  Aaron doesn’t hear the explosives going off. He doesn’t hear the screams of others as shrapnel penetrates their fleshy bodies. His body and the bodies of the two officers are mangled, the shrapnel killing them instantly. The explosion pushes Luis forward, her body tumbling across the marble floor before coming to a stop.

  She is dazed, lightheaded as she tries to come to her senses. Her ears are ringing, unable to hear the alarm that sounds. She sees people scrambling, confused as disorder grips the room. The smoke from the explosives triggers the sprinkler system, soaking her, washing the blood away.

  She wonders how Aaron got through security, one of the toughest in Zentari. It concerns her. She needs to act and fast. Slowly, she regains her composure.

  “Officer?”

  She looks around slowly, believing she heard a voice. Then someone shakes her violently.

  “Officer?!”

  Her eyes widen as adrenaline courses through her veins. The sudden rush of energy wakes her from her dazed state and she strikes the person in the face.

  “Why the bloody hell did you slap me??” asks the man with outrage.

  “Instinct, natural self-defense.”

  “What! Eh, that doesn’t matter, something is destroying our system. If we don’t stop it now, we’ll lose everything!”

  Remembering the CBW, she jumps to her feet. She runs to the mainframe, pushing the disgruntled employee out of the way. She pulls out her security card and violently inserts it as a holographic keyboard pops up.

  “Please type in the security code…”

  “Oh, shut up already!”

  Frantically, she types in the security code. Her fingers drag against the hologram, hitting several keys she isn’t supposed to hit. The hologram lights up red.

  “Access denied…”

  “Bitch, not now!”

  Her temper flares up. She doesn’t have time for such crap, especially during this national crisis. Again, she types in the code, going a bit more slowly this time.