Variant

by T. C. Edge

  I nodded. "Ready," I said.

  "Then three, two, one...go!"

  I sprung off towards the stairs, leapfrogging bits of rubble and a couple of old chairs and rushing up the steps. Like in my building, they were switchbacks. I zigzagged up one floor, then another, then another, before coming to a sliding stop. Ahead, the staircase had collapsed, creating a gap of four or five metres across, and two or three up, in order to reach the next level.

  I grunted my annoyance but didn't let it distract me. Instead, I swiftly analysed the distance, turning around to see if I could get a run up and make the leap using my Variant speed. I looked down and noticed that the drop, if I didn't make it, might be enough to snap an ankle if I landed wrong. That would mean plenty of attention and questions from the doctors, enough to perhaps expose me.

  My conclusion was simple enough - it wasn't worth the risk.

  "I'm waiting..."

  The voice came echoing through the building, as I rushed back down to the floor below, and hunted for a staircase on the other side. I paced along the gallery above the foyer, seeing Ford watching me from the centre of the hall. He held a knowing look on his face. I imagine this was a mistake that many people had made before.

  The stairs on the opposite side of the building were intact. It turned out to be a simple case of choosing the wrong side, something anyone might have done. I sped up to the assigned spot on the fifth floor and looked down.

  "All right, come on down then," Ford called. "I'll time you again."

  It gave me a second chance to prove my speed. Counting me down again, I sprinted off, leaping entire legs of the staircase at once, spinning and doing the same again and again until I burst right into the foyer once more. I skidded to a stop ahead of him in what must have been ten seconds flat.

  "Good," he said. "On the second go, at least. The first was...well, it's not going to get you onto the leaderboard, Paige, let's put it that way."

  "Yeah, I chose wrong," I panted. "It was a fifty-fifty shot."

  "Was it?"

  I frowned, and saw that he had other ideas in mind.

  His eyes moved towards the side of the building where the stairs had collapsed between the third and fourth floors. I traced them up and then saw that some of the damage was visible from here, the main foyer walls partially caved in up there, giving a hint of the damage to the stairwell beyond. I hadn't noticed it before. But if I'd scanned properly, I might have.

  "Always check thoroughly for structural problems in buildings like this," he said. "You saw through the broken doors to where the stairs began. If you'd have looked up a couple of levels from here, you'd have noticed possible damage to the stairwell. It would then have been wise to go the other way."

  "But, there's nothing to suggest that the stairs are collapsed," I said, looking at the damaged wall. "I mean, there's some damage you can see from here, sure, but I couldn't possibly know to what extent the stairs would have caved in."

  "That doesn't matter. If you look to the other side, it's obvious that the building is in a better condition, and that the stairs are more likely to be accessible to the top. It's a matter of playing the percentages, Paige. Most people make the same mistake, so it's not just you. There were two things that drew you immediately that way. What were they?"

  I turned and considered why I'd rushed towards the right, without even considering the other side. The structure of the building made it fairly clear that there would be staircases on either side of the foyer. It had a largely symmetrical design, so that was obvious enough.

  "The doors are broken on the right," I said, "so you can see to the stairs." I turned and looked the other way. "It's not so obvious on the left."

  "Good. That's one. Your eye was drawn to the most obvious route, which stopped you from performing any further analysis. What else?"

  I looked up, towards the target destination he'd assigned. It was on the fifth floor gallery, but right in the corner on the right hand side, the same side as the broken stairs.

  "The target was the right hand corner," I said. "So I chose to head for the stairs on the right of the building. The quickest route."

  He nodded. "Again, you selected what you perceived to be the fastest route. The majority always go to the right. Only a few notice the possible damage, and make the decision to take the longer route on the left."

  "And the lesson here is? Always be aware of your surroundings? Don't always seek out the easiest option, but analyse things first before choosing which path to take?"

  "Yes, exactly. Since you were being timed, and it was a race, you rushed your decision without thinking. I did that on purpose. When in tense situations, where your life is under threat, you will need to think fast, and make the right choices. Everything will happen quickly. Sometimes, choosing whether to go left, or right, will be the difference between life and death."

  I took in the information like a sponge, as Ford turned to the next challenge. I was seeing, now, just how fine a teacher he was. I was being tested, and forced to think on my feet, but was learning a great deal too.

  I thought of how I'd reacted when the Reaper spotted me near the Crossing. I had probably made all sorts of bad decisions then, that I thought were good at the time. Perhaps trying to join those scavengers was foolish, knowing how they'd react. Perhaps running down that quiet alley was only going to drive me into a corner.

  I had to be more mindful, and Ford was helping me see that.

  "OK, more speed challenges," he said. He turned his eyes around the large space. "There are a lot of places to hide here. Overturned tables. Pillars. Some rubble that might conceal you. Finding good cover is essential in a firefight. The stronger, the better, is usually the rule. But it needs to be close enough for you to reach before you're shot as well." He pulled out his gun. "I'm going to shut my eyes, and count to three. I'm expecting you to have concealed yourself fully by then. Then I'll do the same once more, and you have another three seconds to find a different place to seek cover. Each time, I want to open my eyes, and not be able to immediately spot you. If I see you, I shoot you." He clearly saw the look of concern on my face. "Don't worry, this pistol has a stun setting. It won't hurt...too much."

  I drew a breath. "OK," I said nervously. "So, three seconds each time, to find new cover?"

  He nodded. "Brand new cover. No repeats of the same hiding places. I want you to do so ten times in sequence. Ten three second counts. Ten new places to hide." He looked at me through a narrow gaze. "Ready?"

  I nodded, flashing my eyes about. There were a good dozen places to hide, though perhaps not all of them were large enough to properly conceal me. The most obvious starting spot was a pillar about ten metres away. I could get there in no time. That was where I'd start...

  "OK, right. Ready, steady...go!"

  I darted off and behind the pillar, just as Ford shut his eyes and counted down.

  "One, two, three," he said, before opening his eyes back up.

  I made it easily enough. From behind the pillar, I peeked around to look at him. His lips held a wry smile. He knew I'd go here.

  And then, that made me question what else he knew. Was there a specific pattern that most recruits would usually follow? Had these tables and piles of rubble been strategically placed here for this very reason and challenge?

  I couldn't tell, by this point, if I was overthinking things or not. His voice came again, calling into the foyer.

  "One, two, three..."

  I burst off to the nearest cover before his eyes could open, slipping out of sight.

  "Good. So far," he called out, as I crouched behind a table. "We go again." He didn't give me warning anymore. He just started right into it. "One..."

  I was off again, moving behind another overturned table, as he called out, "Two, three..."

  I heard a fizzing gunshot as a little charge came spitting towards my feet, just about missing as I slipped away and out of sight.

  "Close one, Paige." I could hear the joy in hi
s voice. "One..."

  I reacted quicker this time, leaping up and over the table, rushing for a pile of rubble. I had to slide right onto my back to be clear of Ford's view, but just about made it on time once more.

  As he made another of his little comments, I decided not to listen. Instead, I glanced up and scanned the remaining points of cover I hadn't yet used. My mind logged them, determining their positions, their distance from where I was hiding, and their distance from one another. I already knew what the mistake most people made on this challenge was. I wasn't going to screw up this time.

  The next twenty or so seconds moved by in a flash. I leaped and fled from spot to spot, evading Ford each time, never showing myself as he opened his eyes. A couple of times, he caught a hint of a limb disappearing from view, and fired off a shot, but I was always safe by the time it hit.

  I ended the challenge unscathed, and stepped out to find Ford smiling approvingly. He acted the stern teacher, but wasn't about to hide his pleasure when I got something right.

  "Good, Paige, really good," he said. "That was the most important challenge so far, and you aced it. Good job."

  "Thanks."

  "It wasn't just about speed, was it?" he said to me. "It was a puzzle too. You worked that out, didn't you?"

  I nodded. "There were only certain sequences that would allow you to realistically cover the ground in that timeframe. At the beginning, with lots of cover to choose from, it was easy. But by the end, when you only had a few left, you needed to make sure they were close enough to one another so you didn't get shot moving between them. I'm guessing most people don't do that, and then caught on the last few?"

  "Exactly that," he said. "And that's where a mind like yours comes in handy. You did the math and passed with flying colours. I couldn't ask for much more than that."

  I felt strangely giddy, though it was only really the start. If I was going to make a good soldier, I felt as though stealth and subterfuge would be where I'd land. And for that, defence was always more important than direct attack. To see and not be seen. To sneak and not get caught. Those, I felt, I could do. Those I might even master.

  We spent another hour before leaving, going over weapons drills and knife-fighting techniques, before finishing with a hunting challenge.

  Setting our pistols to stun, Ford said, "There's only really one rule here - first to hit the other wins. We'll use the first floor only, and I'll give you a head start, since it's your first time. I'll count to ten right here, and then we try to hunt each other down. Have you ever been hit by an immobiliser charge before?"

  I shook my head.

  "Well, it stings," he said. "You'll get used to it here, don't worry. Tonight I'll give you your first taste."

  "Not if I sting you first," I responded, growing in confidence as the night had gone on.

  He raised a smile. It was more than confidence, but fact. He knew he was going to get me first.

  And duly, he did.

  It didn't take long, really, though I put up a decent enough fight. I moved with a similar speed to Ford, but somehow he'd mastered the ability to move in silence. When I rushed off through the maze of rooms and corridors, he seemed to always know where I was headed. And yet, he hardly made a sound when tracking me. For a man of that size, and twice my weight, it was amazing to see how light he was on his feet.

  When he finally caught me - though I imagine he could have done it sooner - the sting rang through my entire body. It came from behind, hitting me square in the back when I didn't even know he was there. I stood, vibrating for a moment, my body going rigid, before crumbling to my knees and dropping to the floor in a state of temporary paralysis.

  A blackness took me briefly, before I opened my eyes to find Ford's warm gaze hovering above me. His lips clung onto a smile, and a fondness that made my heart sing.

  "Ouch," I whispered into the quiet, dilapidated room.

  "Told you," he replied, his voice equally soft.

  A moment took us amid the silence, as we stared at one another in that abandoned hospital. I felt a rare urge to lean in, and kiss him. His eyes suggested a similar desire.

  And then he blinked, and the glaze withdrew. He reached out and pulled me to my feet. The moment sped off, dismissed by the reality of what this relationship was meant to be. He was my guide, my teacher, my conduit to the VLA.

  That was plenty for now, and perhaps ever. Our youthful lust, if that's truly what this was, was not of importance right now.

  19

  With midnight soon approaching, we began for home. The night was bitterly cold and dark, especially here in these abandoned, outer reaches. I shuddered against the chill and pulled my trench coat tight. Ford motioned like he was going to wrap an arm around me for warmth, but decided against it and kept his distance.

  "So, I guess you've earned that info I promised you," he said. I looked at him. I'd half forgotten. "About Mantis."

  "Oh, right, of course."

  He took a breath, and I steadied myself for the reveal, turning my mind away from the thrill of our training that evening, and back towards the main mission at hand. "The other gang is led by a woman named Ursula," he began. "I'm guessing you've heard of her?"

  I nodded, the name causing a shiver to run up my spine. "Who hasn't," I said. "The Witch of the Bends."

  "Yes, a well earned nickname," Ford nodded. "You know where it comes from?"

  "The drugs she manufactures and sells," I said. "They're hallucinogens. Give people the craziest feelings of euphoria. Some users even join her, as if she's bewitched them, taken them under her spell. Or, so I hear."

  "You hear correctly," said Ford. "The drug she manufactures is known as Dazzle on the street. It appears to have some sort of submissive effect on regular users. They often flock to her side and pledge themselves to her, promising to do her bidding. We call them Dazzlers. It's the reason she's got the biggest following in the Bends. By quite a distance, actually."

  "She does?" The news surprised me. "Then how come Mantis is in charge?"

  "Quality over quantity," he explained. "Mantis's Bugs are far more formidable than her Dazzlers. Most of Ursula's followers aren't that effective. She has some potent soldiers, sure, but not enough to match Mantis."

  "And I guess Mantis's link to the Controller also helps," I suggested. "But, this deal between them? It's got something to do with this drug, Dazzle?"

  Ford nodded. "Mantis wants to grow his network," he said. "He wants Ursula to manufacture a strain of the drug where the users might follow him instead."

  I balked at the idea. "But...why would she ever do that?"

  "Territory," he said plainly. "A power sharing deal of some kind. Ursula technically has the biggest network, but she's behind several of the other gang lords in terms of actual power and influence. Mantis could change that, make her number two behind him. She'd never get that on her own."

  "But, why would Mantis need Ursula's drug anyway? He's already the big boss. He has hundreds of soldiers. What does he get out of the deal?"

  "Those with power always want more, Paige. Mantis is highly feared, and people are often frightened to join his gang because of the way it's run. His Bugs are intimidating, and exist within a fiercely competitive hierarchy. This drug would take that fear away for a lot of new recruits, and they'd become submissive enough for him to bionically augment them and add them to his militia, before weaning them off it. It's a good deal for both Mantis and Ursula."

  "And the Controller? He'd allow all that? Sounds like Mantis has bigger things in mind than the Bends."

  Ford shrugged. "That, we don't know. The way Mantis's career trajectory has gone, though, I wouldn't put it past him. He's as ambitious as he is ruthless and bionically augmented. Maybe even enough to challenge the Controller one day."

  I raised my eyes at the notion, fanciful as it sounded. "Yeah, well not if your plan works to capture him, right? So, you've told me what the deal is, and between who. But, how exactly are the VLA manipulati
ng it?"

  "Subtly," Ford said, smiling craftily. "We've been carefully leaking information on both sides, putting things in place, moving pieces around the board. It's all rather complicated really, so I won't bore you with all the details. Suffice it to say, we have some people who work for Ursula, who are helping to manipulate the location and date of the deal..."

  "Spies?" I asked, cutting in. "Aren't they checked to see that they're not Variants?"

  "They're not Variants, Paige."

  My eyes widened in surprise. "Not Variants? Then, who are they?"

  "Snitches," Ford said, his tone smooth. "We have them too, just like Mantis and everyone else. Money buys a lot, you know. Silence. Loyalty even. We have an inside line to Ursula's inner sanctum, and since it's technically her deal, she's the one who gets to determine the location. We're close to figuring where and when it will be. Then, we can make our plan to capture Mantis when he's vulnerable."

  It was elaborate, perhaps, but what did I expect? Getting someone like Mantis didn't involve, as Becca had suggested, just raiding his hideout and taking him in. The VLA didn't have the strength for that, and it would be too big a risk. No, they needed to manufacture their own setting and situation, and had clearly been working on that for quite some time.

  Ford had told me that they needed to be smart, that this wasn't a direct war, or a numbers game for them. Clearly, he was right. They'd worked hard on this, I could see, and I wanted to help do my part.

  "I'll work harder," I said, nodding as we continued on home. "I'll get the anti-ill-tech chip finished as soon as I can."

  Ford lifted a half smile. "Bit of a mouthful, isn't it? Anti-ill-tech chip. Might confuse a few people?"

  "Well, we know what it means, right? Add the chip to any piece of technology, and it can't be traced or scanned as illegal tech. Simple enough."

  "I guess," he grinned. "I just prefer something snappier. Something with meaning. How about the Trojan chip? You know, like the Trojan Horse, sneaking into Troy and opening the gates for the Greek army. It's kinda like what your tech will do - allow us to sneak illegal tech past scanners and surveillance systems."