Future, Betrayed

by Jacey Holbrand

“I didn’t fuck around,” Dain said. “I love you, Ben. This is not how it appears.”

  “Yeah, that’s what every cheating spouse says.”

  Ben turned away, prepared to march off, but Dain grabbed his arm to halt him. “Please. Listen to me. The night we had our argument, I came here for a beer. A woman came up to solicit me, but I blew her off. She slipped something in my drink because I became immobilized. I couldn’t move.”

  Doubt moved over Ben’s face. “She drugged you?”

  “Yes. It was like all my muscles were paralyzed except for my mind.”

  “But why would she do that? Did she steal credits?”

  Dain shook his head. “It sounds crazy, I know, but she kissed me. Only I don’t think it was an ordinary kiss.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She took my DNA, analyzed it and said I had great genes. Then she put the lottery chip in my arm, saying congrats. That I had just won.”

  Ben looked down at Dain’s arm, to where the bump still resided. “And you did win.”

  “Yes. Somehow, she rigged it, Ben. A goddamn Sector scout. I thought if I could find her, I could … I don’t know. Get her to reverse it or something.” For a long moment they stared at one another. Dain tried to will Ben to believe him. “You know me, Ben. I would never cheat on you.”

  Ben’s shoulder dropped. “I do believe you.”

  Dain pulled him in his arms and squeezed tight. “I love you.”

  Ben hugged him back. “I love you, too. So, what are we gonna do about your win?”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we.” He pulled back. “What’s in your DNA that’s so special that this woman was able to rig a national lottery?”

  Dain took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “To answer that, there’s something about me you should know.”

  “Shit, don’t tell me that,” Ben said, shaking his head. “What?”

  Dain looked around the bar. Too many faces were turned in their direction, listening to their argument. He didn’t want to chance someone might overhear. “Not here. Come on, we need a better secured area. Get your respirator on.”

  Once they both had their masks on, he took hold of Ben’s hand and led him outside, away from the bar.

  Chapter Two

  The monorail train ride back home seemed to take forever as it stopped at every hub to pick up or drop off passengers. Dain kept glancing at Ben out of the corner of his eye. He’d hoped like hell he wouldn’t have to talk about his past, but the little bubble he’d tried living in just popped. As people shifted around, his gaze clashed with a man sitting a few feet back, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. At the next stop, when passengers moved then settled, he looked again. Once more, their gazes met, and Dain could no longer ignore the punch in his gut.

  Casually, he pulled out his comm phone. “We’re being followed,” he typed, since their respirators prevented them from talking.

  Ben glanced down at his pocket and pulled out his comm. A moment later, he sent a return message. “Seriously?”

  “Yes.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Don’t look or be obvious, but there’s a man sitting a little in front of us, black shirt, black pants. Black respirator. He’s watching us.”

  “I see him,” Ben typed. “How can you be sure?”

  “I just know. We can’t go home yet. At the next stop we’re going to wait until the last second and exit off the train. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He put his phone away, and a second later, Ben did the same. Dain reached down and took his husband’s hand, threading their fingers. The train pulled to a stop, the doors swished open, and Dain counted. One, two, three, then he jumped up and dragged Ben along with him. As the doors began to close, they slipped through, onto the platform. Dain turned to see the man who had watched them, staring angrily from the closed-door window. As the train took off, carrying the stranger with it, Dain nudged Ben to follow after him. Down through the platform exit, and onto the Strip.

  Once upon a time, the area had been a hotspot for people wanting to party and have fun. Now only the rich and elite could afford the filtered oxygen-rich casinos, where one could gamble with real gold or dine upon real food. No prepackaged rations in sight. Even the purified water was top-notch.

  Leaving the polluted outside air, Dain led Ben onto the employee conveyer belt, which would take them into the back of the casinos so the wealthy patrons didn’t have to see the menial entranceway for the people who served them. The largest casino, The Summerland, lay at the end, and Dain escorted Ben out of the employee tube and up to the security gate. He scanned his badge under the red barcode, and the laser beam guarding the door died.

  Dain took Ben’s hand and hurried him through before the beam could reinstate. He’d once seen the laser drill a hole in a man’s arm instantly. A guard stood in the biodome that vented the poisoned air and allowed them to remove their breathing apparatuses.

  “You’re not scheduled for work today, Lieutenant,” the guard said.

  Ben shot him a surprised look, but Dain shook his head that it wasn’t the time to ask questions.

  “I’m here for an unscheduled inspection,” he replied. “I need you to forward me your logs right now so I may examine them.”

  The guard’s eyes widened. “Yes, sir!”

  “And because this is an unexpected inspection, you know you are forbidden from letting other employees know I’m here, as stated in protocol six thirty-seven, subsection C.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Very well. I’ll be waiting on your logs.”

  Dain gave a nod of his head to Ben, telling him without words to follow, and they proceeded out of the checkpoint.

  “Lieutenant?” Ben asked softly.

  “Yeah. I’m not just a guard.”

  “I gathered that from the exchange. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because it was a need to know basis, and you didn’t need to know.”

  “But I’m your husband,” Ben pointed out sharply.

  “Keep your voice down,” Dain ordered. “We don’t need to bring unwanted attention to you being by my side.”

  “People can see us, Dain. I’m not invisible,” he said sarcastically.

  Dain didn’t say anything. Instead he led them onto a lift, which took them quickly upward where it came to a stop on the security floor. Employees worked with eye comms, watching the numerous monitors to make sure nothing happened through the large casino. Many people nodded at him, standing at attention and deferring to his status. At the end of the hallway, he used his thumbprint to unlock his door and stood back to let Ben enter first. As soon as the door closed behind them, it locked.

  “We can talk in here,” Dain said.

  “What is this?” Ben demanded. “You told me you were just a security man.”

  “I am just a security man,” Dain replied.

  Ben shook his head. “No. That out there was respect and deference. I’ve never heard you say the word ‘Lieutenant’ in our whole relationship. That seems like an important word, Dain!”

  “You’re right. I’m sort of a retired Lieutenant of the New Force Order Police. I once worked for Sector, but I transferred into the private zone when I met you, so we could get married. Officers in Sector aren’t allowed commitment.”

  Ben held up a hand. “Wait. Retired? Officer? What?”

  Dain sighed. “Perhaps you’d like to sit down.”

  “No, I damn well don’t want to sit down! What the fuck, Dain? Who are you?”

  “I’m your husband,” he said softly.

  “Are you? Because I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”

  Dain pulled Ben into his arms, hugging him. Ben stood like a board, stiff and unyielding. “I’m the man that fell instantly in love when you stumbled into me back in Florida. I’m the man who still loves you like crazy.”

  Ben relaxed and his arms crept around his back, hugging him equally a
s tight. “Then tell me everything I don’t understand. Please.”

  “That is everything. My last secret, Ben. I swear it.”

  “But why hide it?”

  “Because it’s the condition I agreed to when I left active duty. The NFOP is the security and enforcer to Sector, and to reach the level I’ve achieved I learned many secrets along the way.” He pulled back, holding Ben’s hands as they stared at one another. “I went to that bar to drown out our fight, which was caused by me not being able to tell you all this. I worked in the Intelligence office in DC, which is part of the Consul branch. Basically, I was in charge of security for the Senate Forum when the Sector Assembly leaders came for session.”

  Ben’s eyebrows raised. “Wow. That’s impressive.”

  “I had worked hard my entire career to reach that level. And the shit that goes on behind the scenes is enough to make you puke. If you think Sector cares at all for those of us down here in the subsectors, then think again.” He shook his head. “The laws passed are for the good of the Consuls and their patricians. It’s no different from when we had an actual government, actually. The rich still control the scientists.”

  “I had no idea,” Ben replied softly. “I always thought we were a more enlightened species after the last world war that almost annihilated mankind.”

  “You would think we’d have learned our lessons, but apparently, man is still a greedy fuck. Anyway, I asked to be decommissioned after my trip to Florida and was granted permission as long as I stayed in a Sector-held city. Thank goodness you lived in Las Vegas.”

  “I know you hate the memory of Marcus, but I’m grateful he paid for my trip with him. Otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.”

  Dain gave a brief smile. “Yeah. You’re right. So, when I couldn’t tell you about my background, I went out to get a drink and to think about my situation. That’s when a woman named Cara Mia approached me for solicitation, but I declined. She spiked my drink, kissed me against my will, and took my DNA. Next thing I know, I’ve won the damn Mars lottery.”

  “You saying she rigged the lottery because of you? How could one woman do that?”

  “She couldn’t, but I’m betting the people she works for did.”

  “You think Sector is behind this?”

  Dain nodded.

  “But … but they run the whole damn country, so why would they need to sneak around and do something like this?” Ben asked, confused. “They can just invite anyone to go.”

  “You can’t tell anyone this, but one of things I learned about while in DC is there’s a virus rendering people sterile.”

  “You mean the infertility epidemic? Everyone knows about that.”

  “You only know a part of it. It’s been going on longer than what Sector has reported, and the scientists are desperate to find a cure. This is something their power and influence can’t fix, and if the Consuls lose the faith of their patricians, then they lose their seat in the Senate. Not having a cure could sway people back to the old way of government.”

  Ben frowned. “Are you talking about democracy?”

  “Resisters of Sector are everywhere. Remember, the scientists built their power based on being able to solve human problems.”

  “Of course. Scientific facts for the good of the people. It’s how human beings should be.”

  “Should, could, and would are three different concepts of truth,” Dain replied. “Sector and NFOP came together in a time when change was needed, but the more I stayed there the more I saw how power can corrupt anyone.”

  Ben pulled his hands free and turned, walking over to the bank of windows and looking out. “You know, I’ve never seen the city like this.”

  Dain joined him. Having actual windows was rare, and although he’d seen what Las Vegas looked like many times, he tried to imagine what Ben was experiencing right then. Technology ran everything, from the high-level train platforms to the lighting shields. A biodome existed around every casino, and the pedestrian belts crisscrossed back and forth through the domes. Branching out from the Strip, lay the dirty remains of the working-class poor, those who kept the rich in their lap of luxury. In the far distance he saw the corpse removal team scooping up a body.

  None of it was a pretty picture.

  “It’s ugly,” Ben said.

  “Yep.”

  “Have you been to Mars?”

  “Yes.”

  “So … no dead uncle?”

  “Yeah, I had an uncle who died on Mars, but his death never affected my reasoning of not wanting to go there.”

  Ben took a deep breath. “I keep thinking that if we find that woman who put the chip in you, we can fix this all, but that’s not the case is it?

  “Probably not,” Dain admitted.

  “Then let’s run away. Let’s go somewhere outside a Sector city. To the north maybe.”

  “There’s a tracker in the chip. They’re watching us, Ben. One step out of line could be consequences to you. Or Nate and Ranger.” He shook his head. “I can’t risk it.”

  “We can’t risk it. Don’t forget, we’re a team. But if it’s all rigged, we should tell Nate and Ranger. Do you think he won because he’s connected to you?”

  “Hard to say, but if people are going around looking for specific DNA, it has to be related to Sector’s need to find a cure for the infertility. Unless they’ve got other problems they haven’t told the public about. Stuff that came up after I left.”

  “You mean other diseases.”

  Dain nodded.

  “Do you think Mars is the safer place to be right now?” Ben asked.

  “I don’t know,” Dain admitted. “America settled Mars first, but the rest of the world is jockeying to get up there. So far all they’ve accomplished is arguing. But I think it’s only a matter of time before that turns into a power struggle, too.”

  They both fell silent. Dain wished he could hear Ben’s thoughts.

  “What are we going to tell Nate and Ranger? I don’t want to lie to my cousin.”

  Dain placed his hands on Ben’s shoulders. “We have to lie to protect them. The only way into Sector now is by playing their game. We’ll keep everything on the up and up by saying I won, and I’m going into testing.”

  “Wait. You? Not us?”

  “I don’t want you anywhere near Sector. I can handle this, but not if I think you’re in danger.”

  “And you think I can handle knowing you might be in danger?” Ben demanded angrily. “This marriage is a two-way street. We’re together in everything.”

  They stared at one another. Dain took a deep breath, knowing Ben was right. “All right. We’ll go together and see what they have to say.”

  Ben relaxed for a moment, then frowned again. “Wait. I just realized you kissed a woman.”

  “Well, we don’t know if it was a woman. A glamor cube can hide gender. I assure you, I didn’t enjoy it.”

  Ben reached up and swiped his hand over Dain’s lips. “Make sure you gargle when we get home.”

  “It’s been a week of teeth brushing since that happened.”

  Ben glared at him. “Be glad I’m not making you scrub your mouth with soap.”

  Dain pulled him in close and kissed him on the mouth, a quick brushing of the lips. “You’re sexy when you’re jealous. And I love you for it.”

  “You’re still gargling.”

  Chapter Three

  The beeping alerting Sven Robinson to an incoming call seemed to grow more incessant with each passing second. He had a good guess as to who was on the other side and why. His secret counterpart on Earth, Doctor O, had been kind enough to apprise him of Sector Main’s message that’d been sent to the Las Vegas headquarters, and he expected Trask to be reaching out right on O’s heels.

  Robinson didn’t have to reread the electronic mail that had come over the secure server to remember what it’d said. Sector Main had received some troubling information. They planned to dispatch two diplomats to Las Vegas and do an audit of all t
he systems.

  Tired of listening to the annoying computer chime, he pushed away from his lab table, went to his computer, and connected to the GIN network. Trask, who appeared to have sprouted a few more grays in his dark hair, appeared on his screen.

  “You need to return to Earth,” Doctor Trask said without preamble and a frantic cast to his gaze. “Sector Main is coming. They want to go through our servers. This cannot be happening. Not now!” Trask’s hand formed a fist and banged the desk so hard a book at the edge bounced and fell to the floor.

  Sven drummed his fingers on his desk and nodded sagely. “I suspected this was coming.”

  “What?” Trask exclaimed. “You don’t seem the least bit surprised. Don’t you realize we need to nip this visit in the bud? You can stop this—”

  “Why would I do that?” Robinson interrupted.

  “Our servers have the names of everyone we’ve experimented on. They’ll charge us with crimes against humanity.”

  Robinson bridged his fingers. “I have spent years here on Mars for this very reason. The people we’ve brought here are the idyllic specimens of acceptable DNA. Earth is a lost cause. Has been for years. But Mars is what I’ve created.”

  “You never planned to return?” Trask asked, seeming shocked at the revelation. “But … the experiments. The farm! These were your projects, not mine!”

  “They are merely the stepping stones to the real salvation of our species,” Robinson said calmly. “When man first arrived on Mars over a hundred years ago, those pioneers couldn’t have imagined how quickly technology could’ve expanded. I’ve created a utopia on Mars where the best of us can thrive. Very soon we’ll have no need for anything on Earth.”

  Trask frowned. “What about me? Do I get to join you?”

  “Eventually,” Robinson promised to shut the other doctor up. How people feared the man was beyond him. He disliked Trask’s weakness of getting wound up and whiny so easily when confronted by his superiors, but for the time being, he still needed the doctor. “Stockton has eluded me, but I believe the implantation took. He might have fled under the protection of Tarak Dev or one of Dev’s resistance groups.” He coughed to get the distaste of saying the word “resistance” out of his mouth. “I can’t wait until the day the resistance here is crushed, and then Mars will be completely mine.”