Ajax: Relinquished

by Gavin Magson

  “I would tell you to not get distracted but this is going to be the only time any of us will see Zero, so try not to forget this place. Just don’t fall behind.” said Greg as Ajax re-joined the group.

  “Part of me wants nothing more than to live here forever; the other part loathes everything with a passion.” said Ajax.

  “You and me both, pal, you and me both.” uttered Greg.

  They carried on slowly, walking along the wide street lined with beautiful and impressive buildings that dwarfed those he regularly saw in Four. Each and every street was bustling with activity in one form or another, thronged with a press of bodies, but never threatening to overwhelm them. Ajax knew the suits that they wore were expensive, the best David had to offer, yet the clothes on display all around him put everything he had ever seen before to shame.

  He could see the lust, or perhaps hunger, in Aiko's eyes when they passed a shop that sold fine jewellery. Precious stones set in rare metals, spun in hair width strands that the eye could not believe possible. Ajax made sure they did not slow down long enough for her to consider purchasing anything, especially if he would be paying. The smallest trinket from the shop would cost him a mountain of dead, and that was a blood price he was not willing to pay.

  Through the throng of finely dressed citizens, who had more flesh on show than Ajax could comprehend at times, marched four men garbed all in black and carrying automatic rifles far advanced from those he had used or seen in the city below. Complete with matching helmets they appeared the formidable force and oozed professionalism; Ajax knew trouble when he saw it. A tall man at the head of the group held a tablet in his hands; a projection hovered above it with a map of Sector Zero. Ajax assumed the device was leading him to their group.

  When both groups collided the guards blocked their way, three of the men trying to look at ease whilst hovering their fingers above their guns triggers. The fourth man, undoubtedly their leader, drew himself up to his impressive height and spoke.

  “I will need to see proof of passes for each of these citizens. It is a criminal offence to trespass in this sector without one; I’m sure I need not tell you what the punishment is.” the look of disgust was tangible on his face; Ajax knew he would take great pleasure in killing the man, should the opportunity ever arise.

  The chauffeur managed to keep a calm attitude, despite the look of loathing coming from this man. He fumbled in his jacket and produced several clear squares, which he deposited in the guards outstretched hand. Ajax did not understand what the things did, but after a few tense moments of inspecting them they were returned and three hands moved away from primed weapons.

  “You know the time constraints on these?” the chauffeur nodded, “Make sure each of them are out of my sector before the deadline; anyone still here after then will suffer the full penalty.”

  The guard didn't give anyone time to question his words. He turned smartly on his heel and marched away with the three others in tow. Men, women, and children gave the guards a wide berth; no one dared get in their way.

  “Who are those guys?” it was Aiko's turn to be asking the questions.

  “You don't want to know,” said Duke. “Getting to know the Kings Guard is not a wise career move for anyone. They are the elite police force of our city, answerable to only two men; their General, Rickard Knoxx, and our leader. Up here these men can act as judge and jury, so if they sentence you to death it is swiftly executed, without a chance of a retrial.”

  “Scary stuff, they certainly wrote the book on professionalism. Come on, if there is a time limit we had best get to this union before anyone shoots us.” said Ajax. “I want to get some sightseeing in first, after all.”

  Their chauffeur stopped the group outside an extravagant stone building, which was built atop an artificial hill and looked down on the surrounding area. It stood out from the buildings that ringed it, these were all uniform and well-kept, whilst the sand brown walls of the building had been left to weather away. Higher still was set a large clock face, complete with a pair of bells above that.

  Ajax ceased craning his neck in order to look up at the building and started the long climb up its steps. He was cautious not to scuff his polished shoes during the ascent, each step placed carefully to keep his ensemble from being tarnished. His thoughts drifted to Ilya, he wondered how she could possibly be expected to climb so many steps; he had counted past sixty by the time they reached the summit. Ajax turned to look down on those who would readily look down upon him, the sight oddly satisfying.

  Despite the elevation he could not see much more than a few miles, perhaps less, from his vantage point. Even the rooftops were impressive, most bared statues and benches on flat roofs; these people shared nothing in common with the city underneath. Whilst the nearest houses were modestly tall in the distance his view was blocked by gargantuan buildings that ringed an even bigger structure. He could guess that this must be the residence of the cities ruler, a palace of sorts fit for King Diamond.

  “If you waste any more time, Ajax, we will be up against a wall with the firing squad for company.” chided Lev, which earned him a sneer.

  “Fine, I'm coming now. I was just getting a quick look at the sector; it's a good vantage point up here.”

  Lev moved a little closer to the man, bending at the waist to bring his mouth level with Ajax's ear.

  “When a man like yourself concentrates hard on all these buildings, especially from what he described as a good vantage point, those around him would only be reminded about what he does for a living; especially what he has destroyed in the past. Make sure no guards see you, it's not like it is easy to hide what you are, nor what you are capable of. It would not surprise me if Ajax Frost could bring all of Konar to its knees with one fell swoop, given half a chance.”

  Ajax had to admit he was surprised by Lev's observation. He had long since dismissed the man as being slow witted, always reserved with his words, yet he showed good insight into Ajax's inner workings. He had only been looking at the sector, merely admiring the view on display, for a handful of seconds before his mind switched to thinking how he would react if trapped here.

  The buildings would need some serious fire power to bring down, so it would not be easy to barricade the streets to slow down the enemy, or to pen them in. Plenty of the buildings were houses and could offer furniture, yet there was nothing like bringing several dozen tonnes down on someone to stop them in their tracks.

  There was plenty of cover on offer; if he could get his hands on schematics he could navigate entire streets by rooftop. Under cover of night no one would know of his presence. He remembered the tablet the Kings Guard used to find them; perhaps it was capable of tracking their implants? Removing that might help go undetected, since it was the only method of tracking him that Ajax was aware of. There would be an awful lot of planning required in order to infiltrate Zero. Judging from what he had seen so far it would not be impossible to tackle this sector, just suicide if caught. It was the unknown that could trip up any kind of an assault.

  Below him the streets were awash with activity, yet the inhabitants did not look as hectic or busy as those in the city. He did not see any vendors struggling to carry their wares, and those that sold from open fronts didn’t cry out to the crowd for their attention. It was all strangely muted, far too civilised for his liking.

  It was sweltering in his suit, Ajax could already feel the sweat that ran down his back and caused the shirt to cling to his damp skin. He regretted that David did not make the suit from a lighter material, or at least from something that allowed more air through. He watched as people drifted around the elevated buildings circumference, most not even looking up at its impressive sight. Perhaps, like he had with Four, they had got used to the wondrous sights their sector had to offer. Once one was bored of such splendour he had to wonder what could possibly be next for them.

  The first row of buildings opposite him offered a variety of foodstuffs; customers would take their
purchases across to rows of benches to bask in the sun. There was no poverty here, every person wore their wealth for all to see. Ajax noticed no one lay frozen to death in the streets, or scavenging discarded food as a means to survive. It looked like such an easy life; he only envied them more.

  Ajax turned to follow the retreating figure of Lev. It was a good thing that the weather was regulated in this sector, the buildings doors were taller than most houses and would take an age to close, by the look of things it was still done by hand. Half of the floor would be flooded if the weather matched what he had been experiencing in Sector Four.

  Ajax found himself thinking of the building as more of a temple, despite what he had been told about the stance on those who believed in a deity. Its high ceiling was crossed with wooden beams, which he thought strange considering the obvious abundance of more lavish building materials. When they caught up with Duke, Greg, and Aiko, they were being escorted by two men, donned head to toe in white robes, to the front of the building.

  The five of them passed row after row of exquisite hand carved benches, each unique in their designs and seemingly formed from a single block of stone. Those benches to their right already seated at least a hundred people, all excitedly talking simultaneously to form a loud hum, no single voice detectable above the din.

  All were empty on the left, not a single seat was occupied as they were ushered to sit on the front bench. Ajax finally realised that they were the only people Ilya had invited to her own union. He had never heard her mention childhood friends, or acquaintances outside of the crew; now he knew why. One of the robed men whispered something to Duke, who simply nodded before the man left.

  In the centre of the room, across from their bench, was a raised pool filled with crystal clear water, with a similarly robed man stood in front of it. He held a sceptre loosely in his left hand and watched the distant front doors with a fixated, almost annoyed, expression on his face. Obviously this was not the man's first union, he gave out an air of someone who just wanted it to be over as soon as.

  In the background gentle music began to play, the noise soft and soothing. It reverberated around the giant hall without any visible source to Ajax, emanating from all directions. He tried to focus his hearing to pinpoint where the music came from and only became annoyed when he could not locate its origin.

  Duke left his seat quietly and disappeared around one of the tall pillars. Ajax watched him open a simple wooden door he had not noticed until now, set back within the rear wall almost out of reach of any light. He nudged Greg next to him gently in order to get the man's attention.

  “Where is the captain going? He didn't even say anything about what that man was whispering to him.”

  “I think Ilya has asked him to give her away to Henry, it's something that her father should do, but that is kind of impossible if you don’t know who, or where, he is. Duke is the closest thing she has to one now, so it seems a logical guess.” said Greg.

  “I really should have read up on unions, it didn't even occur to me that the bride would be given away by her father. If you’re right it's a nice thing she's done, asking Duke to give her away; I'm sure he is very proud of that honour.”

  The music’s tempo gradually started to increase, the change barely evident, and it was difficult to notice immediately. Across the central divide the hundred plus guests of Henry Steel started to quieten, their mixture of voices that filled the hall with an annoying buzz finally died down for the first time since the group entered the building. Henry stood up from his position on the bench, standing next to the robed figure at the front. Ajax had not noticed the man was already here, but he could not understand how he had missed him.

  Steel wore a suit befitting a man of his wealth, expertly tailored so that it was little more than a second skin. He wore them with such familiarity that the sight only empathised the power such a man could command, his mere presence would have been enough to silence his guests.

  Heads began to turn as a petite figure, dressed in a soft yellow gown embedded with shimmering diamonds that glinted in the light, stepped through the temples doors. Beside her was a rather less impressive Duke, who looked far more nervous than the bride he escorted arm in arm. Ajax could not budge his eyes from Ilya, with the soft sunlight streaming through behind her she almost looked ethereal. The scene slowed down for him, her graceful and confident walk played out at a tenth of the speed. He wanted nothing more than for Ilya to turn and run; it was all he wanted in that moment, but it did not happen.

  He knew that Ilya had a natural beauty, even her hard life could not hide that from the outside world, something about her just shone with no need to try and emphasise it with makeup, or jewellery. It was no wonder that a man like Henry, both rich and powerful, had snapped her from under Ajax. He was loath to admit it, but if he had at least made his feelings known to her before Henry then Ajax might not be the one powerless to do nothing but watch the union unfold. He truly wished that last night was not a dream, but he was certain that it was a fabrication of his blind love for the woman who would never be his.

  Ilya stopped at Henry's side and Duke shook the mayor’s hand before returning to his seat. The couple faced each other in front of the robed man, whose lips moved but no sound came out. Ajax could not hear a word being uttered in front of him, his mind shut out the words he did not want to witness. Ajax watched on hopelessly as the pair became man and wife; Ilya was lost to him forever.

  Despite the multitude of thoughts and emotions running through his mind Ajax had, so far, done a good job of hiding his conflicts from the other guests. After the union they had walked out of the temple, being careful on its steep steps, and crossed the street to enter another grand building. Zero's inhabitants had shown some interest in the procession, with a handful of onlookers clapping, yet Ajax had seen the same glossy boredom on the face of every citizen; even a high profile union could bore these people.

  The guests were seated at tables fashioned from the strangest material Ajax had ever seen. Its surface did not appear solid, despite being so to the touch; it seemed to him as if swirling clouds were somehow trapped beneath its surface, constantly swirling away from his fingers as they traced across the surface. He had asked a passing waiter what the material was, yet his brain failed to take in the explanation and had to accept he could but marvel at it.

  Toasts were called for, Henry gave a lengthy speech about how Ilya had made him the happiest man alive; even without a fully operational memory Ajax could recognise it for the overused cliché that it was. Food arrived soon after, it's aroma heady and appearance perplexing, carried out by yet more serving staff. Ajax mulled over whether the servers would live in Zero, for they could not possibly have the same riches as its inhabitants. Perhaps they were permitted to commute to Zero from the city, no doubt for a handsome fee, yet return once their services were no longer required.

  He tried to find enthusiasm for the rich food intricately laid out in a violent display of colour, yet despite the rumbling from his empty stomach he could not face a single mouthful. Ajax sat at the table watching Ilya constantly, trying to memorise how she looked in that moment. The dress, once you became accustom to its shimmer, accentuated her narrow frame and highlighted a femininity otherwise unnoticed until now. The tension he had first seen in her back in the restaurant had returned, though those around her showed no signs of noticing. More than once one of the crew tried to engage Ajax in conversation, which quickly died off from his one worded answers.

  It had not lasted long enough for him, eventually the meal ended and what he had been dreading came all too soon. A handful of people stood on the landing platform, all in the shadow of a sleek spacecraft that cut an impressive figure, one all too familiar to Ajax. Wind whipped at the couple as they shook hands and exchanged words with the remaining guests. He could hardly hear what the crew spoke about with her, or Henry, their words carried away on the wind until it was Ajax's time to say goodbye.

  Ilya's h
and was colder than ice, it almost hurt to feel her fingers against his palm; all Ilya could do was apologise and look sheepish. He gave her a long hug, because it felt right.

  “I'm proud of you, Ilya, you look so beautiful it makes me want to steal you all to myself. I hope you enjoy yourself out there, just don't do anything stupid that might get you hurt.”

  “Thanks, Ajax, I shall make sure not to do anything foolish or dangerous; I will especially avoid causing the desolation and destruction of any large buildings, such as skyscrapers.” Ilya chuckled at the stunned expression that spread across Ajax's face, lifting away the worry that weighed her down.

  “How did you hear about that?”

  “Let's just say a woman in such a powerful position as my own gets to hear a lot of things. Just make sure you are the one who takes care, I expect to see you intact when I return. Any extra scars and I shall have to find a fitting punishment for you.”

  Ilya saw the look of sorrow flash across his face, no matter how hard he tried it was impossible to fight the urge to reflect his feelings. Ajax knew all too well that this was the last time he would see the woman; he was a man of his words and would not go against the promise he made Henry, no matter how much it tore him apart to do so.

  Ilya took a step back and extended her hand once more to shake his. She looked so different from the moment before, all serious and elegant; not a hint of the woman he had lost remained. On contact Ajax could feel something was different, as she pulled her hand away he made sure to slide the paper into his jackets pocket. Ilya moved in to kiss him gently on the cheek and pulled away, stepping right to talk with Aiko. Henry filled the space Ilya had inhabited, all charm and sophisticated, drawing himself up to his full height.

  “I hope you haven't forgotten our little arrangement, Mr Frost.” said the suave Henry, shaking Ajax's hand in a vice like grip. Ajax replied by squeezing harder, watching the look of pain in the man's eyes as bones began to stress. He almost held on a moment too long before releasing, any longer and the mayor would have cried out.