by Paul Teague
Max hesitated and reconsidered his actions. He had no family, so there was nothing for him to lose – Fortrillium could never do to him what they’d done to Talya Slater. But he was just as bad as Fortrillium. He allowed this to go on, and it was he who presided over the carnage.
It was Max Penner who would dispatch the bots to clear up the corpse of Talya’s daughter – he would flush away her flesh and bones through the Bio-Shredder. There she’d join the hundreds of other innocent victims who’d perished in The Grid, their decomposing flesh the only memorial to the injustice they’d suffered.
It was there in the silence that Max Penner finally understood his own guilt. It had taken a violent attack by Talya Slater to force him to turn his head and confront the truth. It wasn’t Max who sentenced the Justice Seekers or who sent them to their deaths. But it was people just like him who allowed it to continue; by turning away from the horrors and refusing to confront them, he was as guilty as everybody else.
Max’s throbbing hand had served as a constant reminder to him of his complicity. It was as if Talya Slater was goading him into action, urging him from afar not to turn the other cheek.
He’d thought he was done with Talya Slater, but he finally understood she’d done far more than just wound him with the carving knife. In confronting him so violently and directly, she’d forced him to see the truth of the situation. He’d spent his life with his eyes to the ground, never daring to challenge or dissent.
It was time for Max to lift his eyes from the floor and to look bravely ahead. He could do something to help this young girl who was struggling to repel the maniac chasing her with a knife. He could help Talya to save her daughter, and finally do something that might change lives.
Max took a last look at Lucy, then closed down the video feed from The Grid. He opened up a control panel on his screen and keyed in some instructions. In an enclosed area at the centre of The Grid a deactivated bot burst into life. One by one a series of dials illuminated on its side panels. It had received a sequence of remote instructions and was running its tracking software to locate the core of The Grid. When the way finally became clear, this mechanical device was going to perform an operation it had completed many times before, away from the scrutiny of human eyes. It was going to open and close the doorway right at the heart of The Grid.
Slaughtered
Clay had been badly shaken by Grace’s death. He’d been distracted momentarily and had been unable to defend her. After separating from Joe, Ross and Lucy, they’d been hunted by the other creature. It had taunted them, charging and roaring, but not attacking. Not for the first time, Clay had felt the hand of intervention in The Grid. He could tell they were being steered and manoeuvered by their distant opponent.
Miron had been formidable in battle. For a man who was in The Grid for arson, his ability with a scythe had saved their skins several times already.
They’d managed to wound and anger the beast, but it didn’t seem to be intent on killing them, not at that time at least. It drove them deeper into the tunnels; Clay had completely lost all sense of direction – he didn’t know how close he was to Joe’s group.
He’d stayed alert – Schälen and Chris were out there somewhere, both were armed though Chris was unlikely to be able to defend himself. Clay was thankful that if one of the beasts was trailing him at least it meant Chris would be out of harm’s way. Unless he ran into Schälen, of course.
The creature had continued to force Clay and his group up a particularly long passageway. There were no exits – it just seemed to go on and on. It continued to charge at them, waving its tusks and roaring, then waiting further up the tunnel. Then something seemed to change. The monster tensed, its eyes glowed ferociously in the darkness, and bloody saliva dripped from its deadly fangs. It let out a low growl. Clay couldn’t know this was the point at which Reevil96 took over full control of the creature.
It was as if a new monster had just materialized in the labyrinth. Its ferocity and anger were renewed and it prepared to charge once again.
‘Get ready!’ Clay had warned, and Miron and Grace braced themselves to plunge their weapons into the approaching monster. It let out a bestial roar as it charged directly at them.
At that moment, several doorways opened all around them and Clay’s attention was drawn by the sight of Joe in the distance. He began to call out, but the beast had run directly through the middle of the small group, trampling Grace and thrusting Clay and Miron hard against the walls. It flicked Grace’s limp body into the air with its tusks, catching her by the neck and tearing her head from her body. It flicked its head in triumph as Grace’s head rolled off towards Joe, who was in the middle of his own fight in the adjacent tunnel.
All around Clay and Miron doors opened and exits were closed – it was impossible to chart a path back to Joe. Clay focused on the beast. He was shaken by Grace’s bloody death. They’d need to slaughter this monster before they could help Joe.
‘Go for its eyes!’ Clay shouted to Miron, who was picking up Grace’s abandoned weapon. He nodded. The monster turned and began to run at them. Clay looked deep into its eyes. He waited until he could feel the warmth of its stinking breath on his face then leapt at the approaching creature. As he flew over its head, he saw Miron thrust a spear and a scythe deep into the beast’s eyes. It roared, thrusting its head upwards and pounding Clay’s body against the curved roof of the labyrinth. He raised his arm as high as he could and plunged his weapon deep into its skull. He heard the bones crack as the splash of brains sprayed up over his face. The creature dropped to the ground, dead. Temporarily blinded by the gore, Clay rolled off its back and came to rest at the side of the labyrinth wall.
‘You okay?’ came Miron’s voice.
Clay rubbed his face with his arm, blinking his eyes to remove the remainder of the creature’s guts. It was dead. They were seconds away from Joe – they’d lost him again in the confusion of tunnels. But right in front of them, a new exit had emerged. It was like a gateway to a new world – the dark, labyrinthine tunnel merged seamlessly with a roadway in a city landscape. The Grid was changing again, and it was time to run.
20:47 The Core
It was the last thing Hannah did before she was electro-cuffed and violently removed from the Fortrillium building. She opened an exit to two of the Justice Seekers, giving them access to the city landscape and the chance of immediate refuge from the claustrophobic tunnels. The path opened before them just as they had slaughtered the beast which had been so intent on killing them.
As she was escorted from the room, the remaining Gridders watched her leave, unaware of what she’d done to deserve this unceremonious dismissal. They did not notice her glance in the direction of the man they knew as 97TRaider – it was a momentary look, an assertion that he should not intervene. Instead they continued to work on the plot they’d hatched together. Hannah knew him not by his Gridder name but as Linwood Carley. She hoped it would be his human side that would come to the fore now. Without it, her friends were doomed.
Linwood Carley did not watch his new friend leave the building. Instead, he executed the strategy they’d agreed earlier. He’d lost his brother once, and he knew how hard life could be in The City. He couldn’t save his sibling, but he could help his friend Hannah. He’d do what he could.
When Joe Parsons had recovered from the shock of finding Grace Makins’ head by his feet, he’d been thrown into a rage of revenge. Seeing that his friend Ross was bloodied and weak, he understood the only way he was going to survive was by slaughtering the creature himself.
The beast had set an ambush, but although it was cruel and merciless, it did not possess the intelligence to outwit Joe. It charged him, just scraping its tusk across his stomach. It tore through his overalls, drawing blood, but not cutting through his skin. Joe had slid under its belly, taking the monster completely unawares.
For a moment, it looked around, wondering where Joe had gone. Then it felt his spear thrusting deep
into its heart. It wavered then roared, fiercely trying to locate the predator that had wounded it.
‘Ross!’ Joe shouted. He’d hurt it badly, but not enough to make the beast perish. Fading fast from his own wounds, Ross rallied to slide his weapon across the floor towards Joe.
It was not quite far enough to reach, and Joe emerged from underneath the creature to grasp for the blade. The beast sensed him immediately and turned, its fangs snapping and ready to crush Joe’s bones.
Joe clasped the spear and thrust it into the creature’s throat. A gush of putrid air rushed at him, and he rolled swiftly to the side as the vile creation fell dead at his side.
As Joe began to stand up, he was aware of a light emerging way up in the tunnel in front of him. He struggled to adjust his eyes – some new scenario was being created up ahead, but they’d not completed the Mode yet, this was not supposed to be happening.
Far away from The City’s walls, Reevil96 was pounding his desk with his fist. He’d been so busy attacking the remaining Justice Seekers that he’d missed being outflanked by Hannah James. She’d created new areas in The Grid, offering a temporary release from the death trap. Although the four creatures of the labyrinth were dead, he would still draw blood on that day.
The killer, Schälen, was about to finish Lucy Slater. His knife was hovering above her head, and he was ready to plunge it deep into her neck, slaughtering her mercilessly as Joe Parsons had just done with the last creature.
Before he could strike, a figure emerged from the darkness, clutching a sharp blade. The Justice Seeker known on the screens as Rampage ran the steel weapon across Schälen’s throat: he looked up at his killer and then his limp body slumped on the floor. He’d been finished by the man from the Institute, Chris, who’d found the bravery at the last moment to repay his debt to Lucy.
As Schälen’s heart gave its final beat, Chris rushed up to Lucy and a new doorway opened to her side. Before them was a city landscape and a road lined by tower blocks. Further ahead Lucy could see Joe, Clay and Miron. Ross joined them, limping badly, but steadied by Joe.
She grabbed Chris’s hand and began to run up to her friends. She stopped suddenly, allowing Chris to walk on, and returned to Schälen’s dead body. She’d remembered the WristCom. Lucy wrestled it off his wrist – his flesh was still warm, and she expected him to lunge at her one final time before he went to burn in hell. She held the WristCom firmly in her hand.
Linwood and Hannah had succeeded in bringing them all together again, but the threat of The Grid was not yet over.
Joe rushed up to Lucy, elated to see she was still alive, but anxious to assess the state of the bloody wounds across her body. She moved the WristCom into a pocket in her overalls and embraced him.
Alerted to the sudden crisis, Damien Hunter had demanded the public feed be shut down immediately. The watching crowds in The Climbs and those viewing from the security of their homes on Silk Road were confronted with black screens. Damien Hunter sensed that something was going on; this was Delman making his final play, he was certain. If this was Catharsis at last, he would be reunited with his wife and children soon. He would need to be ready to strike.
As the new tunnels and pathways opened up around them, a bot which had been concealed at the core of The Grid was released from the four walls which had been containing it. It moved purposefully towards a water butt on The City’s street and released an activation signal, pre-programmed by a Fortrillium operative called Max Penner. A doorway opened as if from nowhere – the water butt was just a pixelated disguise for the secret entrance which marked the very centre of The Grid. Within the doorway was an elevator, in which was placed a single red button.
Joe saw it first, then Lucy, and they ran towards it. As they did, their bodies were momentarily scanned by some hidden, electronic device. They’d thought in panic it was about to kill them. They were permitted to pass. More pressing though was the weapon fire to the side of them. Clay, Ross, Chris and Miron began to run towards them but were forced to take cover from the bullets.
Reevil96 had taken control of the gameplay once again. He’d positioned deadly snipers in the tower block windows surrounding the square, but he’d been too slow to stop Joe and Lucy. He was desperately trying to re-pixelate the water butt, but the bot had initiated a maintenance mode, and there was nothing he could do to override it.
They stood in the doorway to the elevator, shouting across to Clay.
‘Run, take your chance!’ he cried to them.
Joe looked at Lucy – they couldn’t leave their friends behind at the mercy of The Grid.
There was more weapon fire, and Clay ducked down. It was impossible for any of them to move. Reevil96 had positioned more snipers where they could shoot at Joe and Lucy in the doorway, and they ducked in, frustrated by the helplessness of it all.
Among the bullets and gunfire, a holographic image appeared. They’d seen this before – it usually marked the beginning of a new Mode. But it was not Damien Hunter; this time it was the form of President Delman.
‘If you exit The Grid, the consequences for you will be severe,’ he began.
‘It is forbidden for anyone to leave The Grid by any other route than The Justice Walk. If you take that exit, the penalties will be extreme.’
He looked rattled. Joe had never seen him like that – he always looked so commanding on the screens.
‘You have one chance to walk away from this.’
Joe and Lucy looked at each other. To the side of Delman’s image, a circle of light appeared. There were five figures in overalls standing in a circle, their faces obscured.
‘Take your chance, Joe!’ shouted Clay from behind his cover. ‘Go now!’
Joe looked at Lucy – they had to see what lay beyond the mysterious exit. Their friends were trapped, and they were on their own. But if President Delman wanted them away from there, they had to be getting near the truth. It was what they’d been fighting for all along. They had to complete their deadly journey. As Joe and Lucy stepped inside the elevator doors, he called out to Clay.
‘Take care, Clay. Stay alive!’
Clay waved to him. A spray of bullets was unleashed immediately and he ducked down once again. Hesitating, Lucy took the WristCom from her pocket and threw it as hard as she could towards the other Justice Seekers.
‘Take this, Clay,’ she shouted over the sound of weapons firing. ‘It might help you!’
The last thing Joe saw as the doors closed was the haunted faces of the five figures who were standing beyond the doorway. A group of new Justice Seekers were entering The Grid. Three of the faces were unknown to him, but he was in no doubt about the identity of two of them.
With a bloodied and swollen face, barely able to stand up, he just had time to look into the terrified eyes of his friend Mitchell. Standing next to him, bruised and battered, was his mother.
Unknown to Joe, the man standing next to her was the very person who’d made this exit possible. Max Penner stood fearful but proud, grateful that before he died he’d seen Talya Slater’s daughter make her way to safety.
Next to Max Penner, with her back to Joe and Lucy, stood Hannah James, dazed at the speed with which she’d been apprehended by the Centuria and thrown into The Grid.
Forming the final part of the circle was Julia Levett, a former member of the Centuria, who’d been thrown into The Grid for treason, charged with aiding and abetting the conspiracy that was threatening to challenge the rule of Fortrillium.
The very people who’d fought to keep Joe and Lucy alive were now at the mercy of The Grid. Their shackles were released, the bullets fired, and they ran into the ruins of The City to seek protection alongside Clay and the remainder of the Justice Seekers.
As Joe hesitantly pressed the red button in the elevator, he had no idea what hazards awaited the people who’d fought so hard to protect him. Their lives hung in the balance, but Joe and Lucy had no choice. If they were to reveal the secrets of their fathers’ death
s they had no other option than to press on.
At that very moment, Joe’s brother and his friend were also caught in an elevator. Dillon was seconds from death, while Wiz could only stand there listening to the sound of a heavy steel cable as it hurtled down the shaft towards them.
There were just two people in The City who could watch over them now. One was a Gridder by the name of 97TRaider, who’d become caught up in these events because of a friendship with a new recruit, by the name of Hannah James.
Elsewhere, hidden within the dark shadows of The Climbs, a new leader was about to emerge. She had the influence and power to galvanize the residents of The City, qualities she’d need in abundance in the forthcoming struggle against two enemies who would fight to their last breath to preserve what was theirs.
The elevator reached its destination. It seemed to take forever for the journey downwards to end. Joe looked at Lucy as the doors slid slowly open. Had they stepped into more danger? Would they have been better fighting for their lives with their friends inside The Grid? It was too late now. The decision had been made. The doors opened onto a hi-tech, modern passageway. A group of people was waiting to meet them.
Joe and Lucy stood still. They looked around attempting to determine if they were in peril or not.
A dark-haired man stepped forward, and Joe recognized him immediately. He was older, his hair greyer and he’d grown a beard. He stepped forward and wrapped his strong arms around his son.
‘It’s good to see you, Joe. What took you so long?’
Preview extracts from The Grid Trilogy Part 3: Catharsis
Before The Plague
The young doctor studied the viral modelling data on his computer screen, desperately trying to figure out why his attempts at creating a cure had accelerated the death toll. The information didn’t make sense. It was supposed to save lives, not take them. They had created two new strains of the disease, and the virus had mutated with a devastating impact. The deployment of a cure had just made the situation worse.