"I was thinking about that, actually. How did you plan on creating a planet in the first place?" Seth asks.
Damien sighs. "It was . . . a work in progress."
"You're stupid. Listen. All of your preparations are still there, right? All of the infrastructure and manufacturing? The decoy essence is still there."
"Correct."
"Where is it?" Seth asks.
"Under Paradise."
Seth grins at him.
That's never good. "What?"
"Instead of trying to create a new planet, which I still don't understand, just move everyone underground."
Underground. "Huh. Well, that's . . . a lot simpler than converting the moon into a base."
"Really? The moon?"
"That was one possibility and it didn't sound as stupid as it does when you say it."
"Remind me again why you were put in charge of this project?"
"Since it was my idea." Damien says.
"We should pass a new law that crazy people shouldn't be the head of critical defense systems."
"What do you think about Blice being president?"
"Tough road ahead for him and Isidore, that's for sure." Seth says. "Many citizens won't take too kindly to having an android computer as vice president."
"You think Blice will bring that position back just for Isidore?"
"You know how much Blice is obsessed with him. There's your next hurdle to jump in all of this. What if Blice won't let you upgrade and modify Isidore? Do you actually think that Blice will willingly let Isidore die for W.A.N.D.?"
True. "You have a point."
"I don't know how you are going to make this work. It's tricky business, being a spy for someone then turning on them and going rogue like you're planning on doing. What if someone gets wind of this?"
Damien shakes his head. "They won't. You're the only one other than Blice who knows about W.A.N.D."
"Don't pretend that our dear friend Kazimir Dark isn't still a factor."
Oh yeah. There's him. "Damn it. Why couldn't he just stay in hiding?"
"Because he wants Isidore for some other purpose. I'm sure of it. That man can't be trusted. Besides, he should face justice for slaughtering our T.I.M.E.s like that."
"I know. But we need him alive because he's the only one who knows every in and out of Isidore's body and functions. He's invaluable to us."
"Choose your next steps wisely, Montgomery." Seth warns.
"You know what?" Damien asks.
"What?
"You should stay here with me. Forget about Paradise, forget about the Outlander Force, forget about W.A.N.D."
Seth laughs. "I can't just pretend that the world is a perfect place. Besides, you have to finish W.A.N.D."
"I know." Damien moves closer to Seth and rests his head on his arm. "I miss you, though."
"We'll have plenty of time together after you save Paradise and they finally recognize you as a genuine hero."
"I'll never be a hero, Seth. You're the hero." Damien rolls over and pins him down in the sand. "Do you think we should try again?"
Seth's stone grey eyes meet his. "What are you talking about?"
Damien closes his eyes and touches his lips to Seth's. Even as Damien knows there's nothing here, Seth doesn't push him away. They stay there, breathing awkwardly in each other's faces and the memories fill their minds again. Damien pulls away and stands as the dark clouds build far off on the horizon. The rain won't come. It never does. The clouds and lightning mock them all as the thunder beckons for them, a torturous and cruel siren's song promising relief and deliverance, but never encroaching on the parched earth of the wasteland.
"I should get back to Maria." Seth says, his voice bringing Damien back to the painful truth of it all.
"Sure." Then a dark idea seeps into Damien's thoughts as he looks at Seth still lying on the ground. He glances around at the emptiness and seclusion out here. There's not a soul for miles and the thunder grows louder. Damien reaches into his pocket and twirls the shell casing in his fingers. "Where did you say Maria was?"
"At my home in Paradise."
Blice would let him in. Maybe now Damien wouldn't be forever barred from living in Paradise and he could start his life again with Maria. One more thing. "Seth, where is your key card for the Outlander Force computers?"
"In my jacket pocket. Why? You know you aren't allowed in that room."
Not while Seth is alive. Damien's eyes land on Seth's Glock 17 in its holster on his wheelchair. The thunder could disguise and drown out the sound. One more shot. He could get it right this time, land it where it needs to go . . . straight to Seth's heart.
* * *
The telephone on the desk rings and interrupts Blice and Byron's conversation. "I have to take this. Just a second." Blice says then answers the phone. "This is Blice McSage."
"There's no time for a ceremony or any festivities. We need to have you sworn in immediately."
"Who is this?" Blice asks.
"Learn my voice and learn it well. It's me, Agent Monroe."
"Who?"
Monroe sounds agitated. "Head of your Secret Service, remember? Anyway, we are locking down Paradise as we speak. Code black."
"Whoa whoa . . . just calm down. What's going on? Code black? Who is it?"
"The Unified State lost a great man today. There will be a funeral in two days." Monroe says.
"Monroe! Tell me who it is."
"Outlander Force Chief Investigator Seth Thompson. He was shot and killed by Kazimir Dark."
Blice reaches out to steady himself on the wall. No. There's no way Kazimir would do something like that. "Kazimir? Are you sure? Who delivered that report?"
"Seth's partner, Damien Montgomery."
Damien. "Is Damien okay?"
"Montgomery is as good as he can be. He's completely distraught, but he fought for Seth until the end. He took a bullet in his arm himself when he tried to defend Seth. He's at the hospital right now."
Just a few hours ago, they were all together and things were fine. Now one of them is dead and the other is injured. How could Kazimir do this? If he could do this, what else is he capable of? Isidore. "Monroe, have agents go check on Isidore for me. Make sure he's okay."
"Mr. Williams is fine. He is being escorted to the Oval Office right now, sir."
"What about Inquisitor Clara Lifestone?" Blice asks.
"No report, sir."
"I have to go." Blice hangs up the phone and immediately dials Clara's number on his watch. Please answer.
She answers in her usual cheerful manner. "This is Clara Lifestone."
"Clara, it's Blice. Where are you?"
"Almost back at my house. What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Get into the outpost and stay inside. Code black."
"Oh my God. Who?" Clara asks.
"Seth."
Clara is silent.
"Kazimir Dark attacked him and Damien a few miles outside of Rubble City. Damien was injured and he's being worked on right now."
"Tell me Isidore is there with you."
Isidore opens the door and steps into the room. "What's going on?"
"Shh." Byron motions for Isidore to sit next to him.
Blice sighs in relief. "He's here. I don't know what to do, Clara. I'm being sworn in any minute and then everyone is going to want me to do something. What am I supposed to do?"
"Stay calm. That's number one."
The phone on the desk rings again.
"Just a minute, Clara. I'm getting a call." He picks up the phone. "This is Blice McSage."
"Common Ground has bombed the Outlander Force headquarters. Every agent inside was killed." Monroe says. "That's an act of war, sir."
What the hell is going on? "How do we know it's Common Ground?"
"About an hour before Montgomery arrived in Paradise, we received an emergency signal from that general area. One of the agents sounded to be in distress and told Police Chief Andrews that it was a
man in a Common Ground uniform."
Since when do soldiers go off alone? "Just one?"
"That's what the report was, sir. The agents were advised to shelter in place. A convoy of soldiers was sent out there and just now reported in with their findings. The entire place is destroyed. The only evidence they have is that someone used Seth Thompson's key card to gain access to the network from that location. It seems that Kazimir Dark is working with Common Ground to wither down the Unified State's key officials. Dark killed Thompson to acquire his keycard then drove to the Outlander Force headquarters where he stole data from their secured network and demolished the place with everyone still inside."
This isn't fitting together. "Sounds like a terror attack, not a deliberate attempt at inciting war."
"Whatever it was, we need answers. You need to authorize a kill on sight order for Kazimir Dark. I'm on my way upstairs to meet with you in person and I have Inquisitor Clark with me to have you sworn in."
"Okay." Blice hangs up the phone and resumes the call with Clara. "Clara, Damien is the last Outlander Force agent alive."
"No."
"It seems that Kazimir killed Seth to get his key card then went to the headquarters and blew the place up after he stole whatever he needed."
Agent Monroe and Inquisitor Clark enter with a group of city officials behind them who fill the room and whisper excitedly among themselves.
"I have to go, Clara. We'll be in touch. Stay safe." Blice ends the call. "Let's get this over with." He goes up to Inquisitor Clark and shakes his hand.
Clark grins and holds up a tattered black book. "You know the oath?"
How could he not? He's been practicing it his entire life. "Yes." Blice takes a deep breath then places his hand on the Bible. "I do solemnly swear to serve and defend the citizens of the Unified State with my life, my power, and my mind to the fullest of my capabilities as president."
Clark nods and turns to Isidore.
Isidore closes his eyes and touches his fingers to the ancient book. "I do solemnly swear to serve and defend the citizens of the Unified State with my life, my power, and my mind to the fullest of my capabilities as vice president."
27
Isidore follows Blice outside and they are immediately bombarded with reporters asking questions and the flash of cameras. They look over to check on each other. Isidore knows that Blice is pretending to be relaxed. While he might look composed on the outside, Blice is freaking out. Sure, he's done this countless times . . . but never as president.
Miss Aveline leans close and whispers to them. "Keep it short and sweet. Make no mention of yesterday's events and don't say anything about Isidore being your vice president. We don't want a riot. Then do what you need to do so we can get the press off of our backs."
Blice steps up to the microphone and everyone focuses on him. "I stand before you today as your new president. As much as I would like for this to be amidst better circumstances, I can assure you that Paradise and the entirety of the Unified State will be in capable hands. As your president, I want to be accessible to the common people of both the wasteland and our walled cities. In the days to come, I will personally keep everyone informed on all the issues that we face together. With your new vice president by my side, I will usher in a new era for the Unified State." Blice turns to Isidore. "Vice President Williams, do you have anything to add?"
Isidore steps forward and as he tries to speak, the crowds grow restless and the insults fill the air.
"Filthy compy!" A man shouts at him.
Someone throws a glass bottle that shatters at Isidore's feet. "Mutant robot!"
"Android slave!"
Isidore looks up at Blice with tears brimming in his eyes as the shouting grows louder and death threats are being screamed.
Blice has had enough of this madness. "Silence!"
The crowds quiet down and simmer in their upheaval.
"I am your president now and this man is my Vice President. Yes, he is a computer. Yes, he is an android. However, you will give him all the respect that he is due. Starting immediately, any use of insults directed at Vice President Williams will be punishable by exile. On top of this, the following list of names are the people who are responsible and hereby found guilty for attacking my vice president and myself and attempting to kill me to remove me from my previous position of Master Director of the Inquisition." He motions for the armed guards who ready their machine guns and spread out through the crowds.
Isidore watches in horror as Blice reads names and people are dragged to the side of the street, pushed to their knees, and shot in the back of their heads. Even some inquisitors are hunted down from inside of buildings and beaten down on the pavement, their blood splattering on their same colored sunglasses. No matter how many citizens scream and cry at the gory spectacle, Blice keeps reading names. Where is justice? Where is the court system? In his new Paradise, Blice is the one and only law.
Finally, the pops of gunfire die down all over Paradise and Blice folds the list up. He puts it in this breast pocket and turns to go back inside as the police and soldiers equipped with teargas and riot shields attempt to suppress the crowd that has quickly turned into a violent mass of profanity and blood.
Something hard hits Isidore in the back and he drops to the pavement as Secret Service agents surround him. From the corner of his eye he sees a live hand grenade roll past his face. Agent Monroe rushes to it and tosses it back out into the street where it detonates in the air, showering down shrapnel on the people. He is helped to his feet and rushed inside.
* * *
Back in the Oval Office, Blice strips off his suit jacket and wipes the sweat from his face. He sits at his desk and takes a handful of pills. What a nice way to greet their new president.
Isidore tosses his tie on the floor. "Compy, huh? They really don't like me."
"I didn't know it had gotten that bad. Someone let the fact that you're an android go public. Now all the Bible lovers want you dead for being created instead of born. Apparently they're angry because people have been playing God."
"I've read the Bible." Isidore whispers.
"I didn't mean anything by that."
Isidore paces back and forth in front of the windows.
"What's wrong?" Blice asks.
"What's wrong? I almost died and everyone in the world hates me. What do you think is wrong?"
"Hey, calm down."
"No!" Isidore screams. "I won't calm down. You dragged me into this and now I can't leave your side without someone trying to kill me. And now you expect me to stay here, locked up and away from the one thing in my life that means anything to me."
"Clara?"
Isidore sighs and slams his fists on the wall then tears at his hair as he screams in frustration to a degree that Blice has never seen before. This is beyond anything he even imagined he would be capable of feeling. Isidore turns around and points at Blice. "You leave me alone. I don't want to hear your voice. I can't do this anymore."
Blice reaches out to his friend. "Niko, please."
"Go away. Punish me or whatever you need to do. I'm through. Hell, beat me until you kill me and do me a favor. I can't live like this. Being your little submissive slave isn't living and I will fight you over it. I don't give a damn anymore. So here." Isidore pulls out his Colt .45 revolver and slides it across the desk to Blice. "Instead of torturing me for the rest of my life, just end me now if I displease you so much. If you need to treat me so horribly, then your life will be easier without me as a constant burden."
What has gotten into him? This isn't the Isidore Blice has known. This isn't his Niko. He goes over everything in his mind. What could he do to get him back to normal? Then it hits him. Clara. Blice fishes in his pocket. "I want you to have this." Blice holds out his hand and opens it, revealing Leena's ring. "Take it. Without Leena's magic, it's just a really expensive ring."
"What do you want me to do with it?" Isidore asks as he wipes the tears from his eyes.<
br />
"What do men usually do with rings?"
Isidore still looks confused. "I . . . don't know. Sell them?"
Blice takes Isidore's hands and turns him to face him. "Niko, how do you feel about Clara? Do you love her? I want you to tell me your true and authentic feelings, not what you think you need to tell me or what I may have programmed you to feel."
Isidore looks into Blice's eyes. "I do. I love her with all of my heart."
"When you think you're ready, you can ask her."
"Ask her what?"
"To marry you."
"Are you serious?" Isidore asks. The slight appearance of a smile makes Blice happy.
"Yes. We will have to do it in secret because so many people in Paradise still object to you having any rights at all and I don't want something bad to happen to you or Clara. So, just let me know if you want to. You don't have to, of course. It's just an option now."
Isidore takes the ring and slips it in his pocket.
"Make me proud. Do it romantically. This world needs more romance."
"You know I'm not the most romantically inclined person. But what computer is?"
Blice pats him on the shoulder. "You'll do fine."
"Thank you, Blice. I'm sorry for yelling at you." Isidore looks out the window and his smile fades. "I can't do this. What if she rejects me?"
"Trust me, she won't. I know Clara. She loves you. I've never seen her so happy then when she's with you."
"Nope. I can't do it." Isidore places the ring on the desk.
Blice laughs at him and picks up the phone then calls someone. If Isidore is going to be this stubborn, then he'll give him a small push. "Hello, Agent Monroe? Inquisitor Clara Lifestone is as of this moment under arrest. Have her brought to me immediately."
"What are you doing?" Isidore asks as the terror rings out in his voice.
"Learn to swim, buddy."
* * *
"What is the meaning of this? How dare you have me manhandled by these goons of yours? I've done nothing wrong." Clara stops and looks around the room at the candles and fragrant tiny pink roses and a white lace dress draped over the back of a chair. "Blice . . . what's going on?"
"I will step out of the room and you need to change into that dress. It should fit. I found one of your shirts in my dresser before they burned my house down. Okay, well I stole it after that one night . . . um . . . so I knew what size to get. Hey, this is getting awkward."
Paradise of Lead Trilogy Page 47