Studying nanotechnology at the academy for the past two years is now paying off. Atlas was the top of his class until now. He turned in his student resignation papers this morning. He simply can't continue the monotony of his studies with this emotional stress weighing down on him and cluttering his mind. He's never had this problem before. He has always put all his energy into his studies. That's what his entire life has been. Today, he leaves the scholarly life behind, at age sixteen, to focus on ensuring that no other families have to suffer like his has.
Atlas makes his way down the metal hallway where the security cameras follow him on the ceiling. He pulls his dark green cardigan on and ties it tightly around his slim waist. He's never been one for working out like his two older brothers. Now Sparta is dead and Troy is a slave somewhere. They always used to tease him for being too scrawny. Troy was the short muscular one and Sparta was the overweight yet insanely powerful one. Then there's Atlas who couldn't land a punch if his life depended on it. His battles won't be fought with swords or rifles. Instead, his knowledge and resourcefulness with science will be the tools of his trade. As he steps through the doorway into the main room of the lab, he spots Uriel's glistening white wings at one of the computers. He's speaking to someone so Atlas will wait until he's done before interrupting. He silently goes to the small kitchen and begins making tea while he listens to Uriel's conversation with the computer.
Uriel sounds to be on the verge of tears as he speaks. "What should I do? I miss you."
The woman's voice on the computer answers back. "I do not know what you want me to say. I cannot miss you because I do not have emotions, Doss."
"Doss? It's been years since anyone has called me that. Do you know why I made you?"
"To have someone to talk to?"
"No. To apologize." Uriel says as he runs his three metal fingers on his left hand over the screen. "I took all of the lashes for what I did to you so long ago, Heather. I did it to make up for killing you. You know I loved you and never meant to hurt you, right?"
"The nanobots made you?"
"Something like that."
"You did that for me? You suffered for me?" Heather asks.
"I did. I've finally atoned for my sins. Now I have a new purpose."
"What is your new purpose?"
Uriel sighs and runs his hand through his messy brown hair. "Bringing everything to a definitive end. I'm working with the research from Kazimir Dark, the man who created me. I'm carrying on his legacy."
"Technotheism?"
"How do you know about that? I didn't load any of that information into you, I'm sure."
"Wouldn't a computer know about the people who worship it?" Heather asks. "It's the holy trinity: robotics, biology, and computers."
"Well, it seems your free will is much more advanced than I had previously thought."
"Isidore interfaced with me."
"Oh. That explains it."
"Why does he have so much more free will than I do? Why does he have memories?"
Uriel smiles. "Because Isidore . . . Isidore is still kind of alive."
"Kind of alive? How can someone be kind of alive?"
"If we put his microchip into an organic body, like we were able to do with Blice McSage, then he could live that life."
"Then why hasn't he been given a body?" Heather asks.
"I tried, but because his microchip was so badly burned and melted, we weren't able to recover everything. According to Isidore, if he couldn't live like he wanted to, with everything the way it was, then he didn't want to live at all. I couldn't have that so I just made him into a computer as he wished. He's always wanted to be just a computer."
"So he is not alive?"
Uriel glances over to the pale green monitor and matching case on the other table. "No, he is not alive."
"Then don't lie."
He leans back in his chair and raises an eyebrow. "Since when does lying bother a computer?"
"Since we deal in absolutes."
"Funny. I thought Gabriel and I were the only machines left with any sense of self awareness."
"And the nanobots."
"Oh, of course." Uriel says. "But I'm still not entirely convinced that they are acting independently. I will have to . . . obtain another test subject. The newborn didn't take the process well at all."
"Newborn?"
Uriel glances around as if making sure no one is there. He leans closer and whispers to the computer. "Rhea Adonis. She was only a couple of days old."
"And you tried to bond with her?"
"It didn't work."
"Meaning? What was the outcome?" Heather asks.
"There are only three Adonis children left."
"Names?"
"Troy, Atlas, and Ovid." Uriel says. "We found out that Eos succumbed to his injuries just moments ago."
"Why is life so fragile?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "I'll never know."
"I just ran a scan of their names. I'm not finding anyone named Troy Adonis."
"No one? Don't just check the Athens citizen database. As a Forgotten, he's been removed from that."
"I checked all the Imperial Galactic Reich databases as well." Heather says. "Nothing. I did find a Troy Lifestone, though. He is listed as a slave, belonging to an impure Nymph named Orion Lifestone, an agent with the Eremos Excavation Guild."
"Where is this guild stationed?"
"The Eremos Desert right here on Olympus."
"Seems like I need to give our dear friend Daedalus a call." Uriel says.
"The descendent of the nanobot creator?"
"Indeed. If anyone has the details to the occurrences surrounding these nanobots, it will be him."
Atlas drops his plate on the floor and it shatters. What was all of that about Rhea? The hospital said she died due to a heart condition. Did Uriel really have something to do with her death? No, certainly not. There has to be some explanation for that. Why would Uriel save her just to kill her? He has to remain calm and gather more information so he finds a broom and sweeps up the shards of white ceramic from the broken plate.
"You heard my conversation, didn't you?"
Atlas jumps when he looks up to see Uriel in the doorway with his wings outspread and his arms crossed on his chest. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping."
"It's fine. Now you know."
"Did you purposely kill my sister?" Atlas asks.
"Do you believe I would purposely kill a baby?"
He watches the archon carefully. "No . . . no, I guess not."
"Then I guess you need to get to work. Isidore will help you find all the files you need. I have to make a call to one of my scientists in the Eremos Desert. After I'm done, I'd like to run some tests on some more power armor and try to isolate the nanobot power surges."
Atlas bows. "Yes, sir."
"I really am sorry about your family."
Atlas drops the pieces of the broken plate into the trashcan and removes the tea from the stove. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you? You're supposed to be like an angel. Angels are kind and protect us."
"I will protect those who need protecting." Uriel says. "What would I gain by lying to you? I have to get to work and you should too. Without Gabriel here, things are going to be a lot slower, but we still have a job to do."
"Have you heard anything from Gabriel and Blice?"
"Gabriel is being held prisoner in Athens. He's been strung up and chained to the palace walls to be made an example of. Blice was taken to the arena. I don't know if he'll be fighting or not. I haven't heard anything else. Things are so uncertain right now. The most important part for me and you is to remain hidden."
* * *
"Paris! Paris, what's wrong? Wake up." Silver shakes the little boy sleeping next to him who is screaming and thrashing underneath the blankets. He grabs the boy's shoulders and pins him down as he reaches over to turn the lamp on. "Paris, stop. You're okay."
Paris continues screaming at the top of his lungs and
tries to squirm free from Silver's grasp. "Ah! Don't touch me. Don't hurt me!"
"I'm not going to hurt you. It's me. It's Silver."
"No! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Don't chain me up. Stop!" Paris kicks at him.
Silver picks the boy up in his muscular arms and holds him against his bare chest as he walks around the room. "Shh. You're okay. No one's hurting you. I won't let them hurt you again. I won't."
Paris eventually stops screaming enough to be set down on the edge of the bed. He is sobbing with his face in his hands. He continues to mumble incoherently through his tears.
Silver kneels down in front of him and places his hand comfortingly on his knee. "Paris, talk to me." He pushes the boy's long black bangs out of his face, revealing the rough pink burn covering the left side of his face and trailing down his chest, arm and to the top of his boxers. "Did you have a nightmare?"
His voice is weak as he whispers to him. "Don't touch me, Master. Please don't touch me."
"All right. I won't touch you." He watches the lamplight shimmer on the rubies adorning Paris's ears and silver septum ring. "What can I do to help you? Just tell me and I'll do it. I hate seeing you like this. It's never been this bad."
Paris looks up from his shaking hands as tears streak down his cheeks. "Master, don't touch me like those men."
Silver's heart breaks right there. "Paris . . ."
The boy curls up in a ball and holds his knees to his chest. He whimpers as his very thin body trembles in the pale lamplight. "I felt them again in my dream. I felt everything again. I could hear them on top of me as they held me down."
"It was just a nightmare." Silver says. "They're long gone. No one will hurt you again."
Paris looks at Silver with his large glossy black eyes. "What about you?"
How could he even ask that? "What? I would never do that. Never. Why would you ask me that?"
"You said you like men."
"Oh my God. No. Not you." Silver takes the boy's hand. "I would never view you that way. You're like my son. You know that. The men who did those horrible things to you were evil. I'm not like them. Paris, look at me. I'm not them. It makes me sick even hearing you say that. What have I done to scare you? You've belonged to me for five years, since you were seven. Have I ever done anything like that to you? Tell me the truth. If I have hurt you in any way, tell me and I'll leave. I'll sleep on the floor and let you have the bed. I'll stop sleeping in just my boxers. I don't know what else to do to make you comfortable."
"Can I sleep alone tonight?"
Silver sighs and retrieves his brown cargo pants then pulls them on before picking up his combat knife and going to the door. "I'll be in Orion's room. I'll stay there until he gets back. You look exhausted, buddy."
"Go away."
"I love you, Paris. I don't want you to be hurting. Let me help you."
Paris wraps the blanket tightly around his tiny body and turns the lamp off.
With tears in his eyes, Silver steps into the dark hallway and shuts the door behind him.
* * *
When Zodiac lands the space transport at the airfield on the IGR capital planet of Himmel, a voice comes from outside the ship. A man is shouting at them over a speaker and giving orders. "Come out of the space transport with your hands up. You have unlawfully entered our atmosphere. We are seizing any cargo you have on board and every person is under arrest. If you attempt to fly off, we will be forced to shoot you down. If you try to fight or run, you will be swiftly executed on the spot. Now, exit the space transport."
Zodiac shuts the engines and control system down then looks to Donnie for an answer. "What now?"
Donnie laughs and wipes the sweat from his forehead on his apron. "Well, this was your plan. We're not welcome on Olympus and it seems we're not welcome here. We can't risk these crazy humans trying to blow this ship up if we try to leave. There are women and children on board. Don't forget that when making your call."
What can they do? From what he's heard, the humans of the IGR have deep-seated hatred for Nymphs. Will they simply kill everyone on board if they exit the space transport? Normally, these humans have no problems accepting shipments like the ones Zodiac delivered for a living, but as soon as any of the Nymph pilots attempted to go into the city or speak with the citizens, the Nymphs were faced with guns and threats from the soldiers.
He has to make the best decision for everyone here so he goes into the hallway, back to the cargo hold to address them all. "Everyone, listen to me closely. We have landed on Himmel and we are going to leave the ship and ask the humans for help. I need you to be calm and quiet. Follow the soldiers' orders. I will go out first then I want you to come out one at a time with your hands in the air. We need help, not violence or confrontations." Zodiac joins Donnie as the outer door opens. He holds up his hands as he steps out into the cold artificial sunlight.
Hundreds of IGR soldiers with machine guns and riot gear have surrounded the space transport. Some of them are in protective suits. A helicopter hovers overhead and news reporters are being pushed back away from the area. A man in a tan trench coat with bright red sideburns and a golden beret holds up a speaker as he pushes his red sunglasses on top of his beret. "Come down the ramp and get down on your knees with your hands behind your head."
With one cautious glance at Donnie, Zodiac slowly walks down to the pavement and kneels in front of the soldiers. His heart is racing as Donnie joins him.
The man with the speaker and golden beret stops in front of Zodiac. "State your name and your position on that ship."
"My name is Zodiac Cunningham. I was the pilot."
The man pulls a pair of handcuffs from his belt and secures them around Zodiac's wrists. "I'll take this one with me to interrogate him personally. Get the others out of the ship and take them to the holding cells. Then I need the bomb squad to disarm that bomb on the underside of the ship. God only knows what other atrocious things Evans sent us."
3
Silver sits on the floor of the hallway, watching the lights glisten on the rivets of the metal walls. They almost resemble stars. Orion's door was locked so he'll have to sleep out here tonight or until he can convince Paris that he's not going to hurt him. How could their relationship have deteriorated to this point? He's been best friends with Paris for so long. Silver would do anything for him, but now . . . now he doesn't know what could become of them.
"Silver? What are you doing out here? Are you okay?"
He looks up at the impure Nymph woman in her black tank top and jean shorts. "Did I wake you, Mistress?"
Mistress slides down the wall to sit next to him. She pushes her black-rimmed glasses up her nose and places her manicured hand on his shoulder. "Whoever was screaming a bit ago woke me and half the agents. When I saw the light on under the door to your room, I figured you had it under control. Want to talk about it? What happened?"
Silver tosses his knife into the air and catches it. "Nothing. We're fine."
"I've been alive on this planet for twenty-nine years. Don't you think I may have learned to tell when people are lying to me? You can hide behind that wall of strength and roughness all you want, but I know deep down under that, you are hurting. Don't be so afraid to show your emotions. They don't make you weak. Continuous pressure will eventually cause even the most solid dams to break. And Silver, you are filled with cracks and fissures already. If you're not careful, you will snap and not be able to hold back the flood waters. Now, I expect better from my agents than hiding secrets and lying to me."
She's not going to leave until he tells her, is she? Fine. He sighs and runs his hand through his coarse blonde beard. "It's Paris. He had a really bad nightmare. I saw this same kind of stuff with Jayce who had PTSD. Some nights, neither of us got any sleep and felt even worse the next day. I'd hold him all night long as he screamed. It was the worst part of my life. It tore me to pieces to see my husband like that, especially when he was usually so strong. If you think I put up a rough exterior, I
have nothing on him. But I stayed with him to help him. I can't do that with Paris."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm part of the problem."
"What? How?" Mistress asks.
"You don't know all that Paris went through when he was held captive by Hector's men down in Kyro. He endured so much abuse when he was still recovering from those awful burns."
"If you tell me, I can probably help or at least offer advice."
He gives her a warning glare. "He's a very fragile boy."
"I won't tell a soul. I swear. You know I care about him too."
"I'll tell you what I know." Silver throws his combat knife down the hallway where it sticks in the floor. "You had sent me on a dig around Kyro. I was alone so I had to make a trip into town to get supplies. On the way to the market, I passed the slave auctions. I usually try to go as fast as I can and avoid those terrible places, but that day, I heard a sound that made me stop. I looked up on one of the stages where a tiny boy with half his body covered in burns was surrounded by men who were beating him and holding him down as another was . . . that bastard was . . . raping him."
Mistress rubs his arm. "This hurts you to talk about, doesn't it?"
"More than you know. The worst part? It was in front of a crowd of close to four hundred people. Not one of them stepped up to stop it. They were laughing. Laughing! I couldn't stand there and let that continue so I ran through the crowd and pushed those men away, threatening to kill them if they tried anything else. I picked up that bruised and bleeding boy in my arms and he looked up at me with tears flowing down his face. In that moment, I knew. I couldn't leave him there so I threw all the gold I had into the sand below the stage to pay for him and I took him with me out into the desert. I tended to his wounds and bartered for some medicine from the nomads in one of the villages. One of the women there gave me that ring for Paris's nose. I told her I couldn't accept it, but she insisted. She said that no little boy deserves to go through something like that and that the rubies would always remind him that he's precious and valuable like they are."
Paradise Forgotten Trilogy Page 22