by Mike Essex
“All we want is to restore order. We told you that a long time ago,” said Corinna.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Even with the machine under their control they weren’t prepared to stop the attacks. They were even worse than my father.
“Whatever you’re planning on doing to us, please let us use this machine to prevent any more damage. You can do what you like to us afterwards,” I explained.
“Emmie, no. You can’t give yourself to them,” said Rex.
“What other choice do we have? I won’t let this country be destroyed,” I said.
“We do not care about the machine. All we want is for the children of Freyja to be destroyed,” said Cleon.
“What?” said Rex.
“Emmie, Will, I’m sorry but we must do what is right,” Corinna stared at me with cold eyes. “Your death will end it all.”
“End what?” I asked.
The machine started to whiz and whir into life. In the darkness I could see small lights turning on around it, illuminating the edge of the chair.
“I’ve got it,” said Jill. “You have to get to the machine quickly.”
“End what?” I repeated with a firm voice.
“The Tethers,” said Corinna. “We have to set the people free.”
“Killing you two will save everyone. It will break the curse,” said Cleon.
“You can’t believe that. It’s preposterous,” said Will.
“We don’t need to believe it,” said Cleon. “It is a fact and you can thank your father for proving it.”
“You’re crazy,” said Will. “Tethers are embedded in the human mind. You sever them and you’ll destroy everyone.”
“Why do you think we funded The Deck for so long? The data helped prove our cause was right. We didn’t want to make the same mistakes as the Separationists. This time there will be no Siege and no Rapture. Only freedom,” explained Cleon.
“When the last children of Freyja and Freyr fall, then the curse will be broken. Tethers will be severed. Order will be restored,” said Corinna.
“That’s not true, the death of the Vanir will set everyone free. That’s what the pastor said,” I explained.
“Nonsense spouted by a moron,” said Cleon. “That’s why we had your father destroy him.”
As Corinna talked I watched a figure appear behind them. They held one hand over their eyes and another palm up the air. I looked at my friends. They had seen it too.
The figure counted down with the fingers on her hands and when she got to one we moved our hands in front of our faces and braced ourselves for the impact.
FIFTY NINE
Through the gaps in my fingers I could see the stray waves of light from the explosion, startling Cleon and Corinna and blinding them temporarily.
“Run!” shouted Jill, as the explosion settled.
We didn’t have to wait for her words, we were already running towards the dim lights in the darkness, racing towards the machine. Cleon and Corinna were Tethered just like everyone else. If we could get to the machine then we had a chance of taking them over.
“How did Jill know we were in trouble?” I asked, panting.
“Rufus,” said Rex. “He must have gone into a Tether event.”
“You’re making a huge mistake,” said Cleon. “You have the chance to save every cursed person on this planet.”
As we reached the machine, the darkness around it was lifted and something triggered. The lights around us flickered into life and the room was filled with light.
“That’s better,” said Cleon.
As the words left his mouth Grace ran into the room with a relentless pace. She dove for Corinna knocking the pistol from her hand.
“Rex, get them in the machine,” shouted Grace.
“No!” said Cleon, reaching for his gun.
Grace turned and kicked her leg out into the air. It connected with his gun, sending it flying across the room towards us. I reached the machine, horrified to find the burnt out bodies of two soldiers, one in each seat. Together with Rex I worked to move the soldiers.
“I can’t let you stop this,” said Grace.
“Very well,” said Cleon, grabbing Vlad’s scythe from the floor.
Corinna pulled a knife from her pocket.
“Don’t underestimate us,” said Corinna.
“I’ve fought much stronger” said Grace, drawing the sword from the holder on her back.
She charged into battle with the two of them, darting the sword between their blades, stopping them whenever they got close to her. Jacobi would have been proud of her.
With the dead soldiers now on the floor, I climbed into the machine.
Rex bound my arms into the machine, as gently as he could and then kissed me for what I suspected might be the last time. I wished it could have been longer. He placed the helmet on my head and kissed it softly.
“You can’t stop this,” said Cleon, swinging the scythe towards Grace.
“I can try,” said Grace, ducking under his blade.
Corinna plunged the knife towards Grace and she backflipped away from it, landing effortlessly on her hands and knees. She kept her hands on the floor and raised her knees to Corinna, kicking her backwards and into her brother.
Rex connected my brother to the machine and placed the helmet on Will’s head. Rex looked defeated but I smiled for him. We could still win, even if it meant giving my life away. I looked at the person he’d become without me and knew he’d be strong enough to survive.
“Ready?” asked Rex.
“Ready,” said my brother and I.
“Do it Jill,” said Rex.
I closed my eyes and braced myself for the shock.
Nothing happened.
Rex shouted out for Jill to turn on the machine but she didn’t reply.
Grace flipped over Cleon’s back and dived down beside Corinna. She pulled her sword down over Corinna’s head and held it by her neck, gripping it rightly. She held her free hand out towards Cleon.
“What did you do to Jill?” demanded Grace.
Rex dropped to the floor gripping tightly on his chest and gasping for air.
“No!” I shouted out.
Rex breathed furiously, trapped in a Tether event with his brother.
“You’re killing him!” I shouted. “He’s only got one lung. He can’t take it.”
“Then it’ll be even easier to kill him,” said Cleon.
“You dare,” said Grace, drawing blood from Corinna’s neck.
Cleon didn’t feel the pain, too close to his sister to trigger a Tether event. He didn’t even seem to care that she was dying.
“No-one has to die,” I said. “We can stop this if you use the machine.”
“The machine is useless now,” said Cleon.
“No, it isn’t. We can use it to break and create Tethers, we’ve done it before. You know it’s true you’ve seen the data,” I explained.
“Too risky,” said Corinna, the sword cutting into her with every word.
“You’re a scientist Cleon, do you really want to put an important decision in the hands of fate? If you kill us and the Tethers don’t fall then you’ve thrown away your only chance to stop this. Keep us alive and we can save anyone whose twin dies,” I said.
Cleon looked at his sister, trapped beneath Grace’s sword. She had tears running down her face.
“I’m sorry but it won’t work. Only a child of Freyja together with a child of Freyr could do such a thing. The two of you are incompatible,” said Cleon.
“Then find a child of Freyr. It’s not too late,” I begged.
“Sorry but you killed the last one,” he replied.
Rex started to cough up blood and thrash violently. He reached an arm towards me, his fingers outstretched towards mine. I held out my arm unable to reach him from the machine. His eyes rolled backwards and he collapsed onto the floor.
“Nooo!” I screamed.
SIXTY
Grace p
ulled the sword towards her, cutting through Corinna’s neck. I thrashed at my binds trying to get free but Rex had tied them tightly. I could only watch as Grace thrust the sword backwards and in one swift motion cleaved Corinna’s head from her shoulders.
“Tethers will be severed,” said Cleon as the Tether event kicked in. He reached for his neck and then in an instant dropped to the floor.
Grace got to her feet and ran towards me.
She undid the binds on my arms and once they were free I threw the helmet from my head. I ran towards Rex and checked his pulse. He was breathing faintly but his pulse was weak. Grace undid the binds from Will and then came back to me.
“Go check on Jill. I’ve got this,” I said, and Grace ran from the room.
I pushed down on Rex’s chest repeatedly and then placed my lips onto his, breathing the air he needed into him.
“Come on Rex. You can survive this,” I said.
I leant back, pushing down on this chest again and again.
“Please. I need you,” I said, the tears running down my face.
I hit Rex’s chest with my fists in frustration and kissed his lips again. This couldn’t be our last kiss. I wouldn’t let it be.
Will arrived next to me, two exposed cables in his hands that trailed back to the machine. Before I could ask what he was planning he placed the cables onto Rex’s chest, shocking him violently.
“Again,” I said, hoping the machine could finally be useful.
His chest showed two dark marks from where we’d burnt his skin, and red bruises from where I’d tried to restart his lung. It’d all be worth it if he survived. Will placed the cables against Rex’s chest again and Rex was shocked upright from the impact. He fell back down again to the floor motionless.
With a cough and a splutter Rex jumped to life. His eyes opened wide and he screamed loud as the pain registered in his mind. He looked around the room, his eyes reaching mine.
“You saved me,” he said, placing a hand on my face.
“It was my turn,” I replied.
I looked at Cleon’s dead body and waited for him to come back to life with deathly orange eyes. Thankfully that didn’t happen. He and his sister were gone, although I knew there were many more of the Vanir in the base and beyond.
“Emmie? Emmie?” said Grace over the intercom.
“He’s ok,” I replied. “How are Jill and Rufus?”
“They’re good. A couple of soldiers had them but they’re gone now,” said Grace.
I gripped Rex tightly and then when I knew I couldn’t wait any longer I walked away from him and back to the machine. As I sat back in the seat I saw the face of someone I never thought I’d see again.
He strode into the room like he owned the place.
“Hello Ms Keyes,”
“Tobias?” I replied.
“Are you ready for a little experiment?” he said.
SIXTY ONE
The monster from my mind had broken free and was now back in his own body.
“That’s impossible,” I said.
He held his hands against his face and waited. To my amazement nothing happened.
“See, no Skin 2.0. I’m the real deal,” he said.
“But how?” I asked.
“It seems your father had a thing for trophies, so he kept my body here as a twisted souvenir. Perhaps he wasn’t done experimenting on me. Who knows?” he said.
His face looked pristine. He didn’t look like someone who had been dead for years.
“How did you get back to your body?” I asked.
“When you broke free from the machine I was left behind, free to move through the mainframe, exploring all the systems your father had built. One of those systems led me back to my body where I waited for this day,” he said.
“He’s not lying,” said Jill, now walking beside him. “His body was on ice, so I set him free.”
“Why would you do that?” I asked.
“When we got back in here I saw that his chamber was showing signs of life for the first time ever. It was a longshot but I figured if I woke him up then we’d have a chance of saving you.”
“You can’t be considering trusting him?” said Rex, lying weakly on the floor.
“I already do,” I said.
“What?” said Rex in disbelief.
“Without Tobias I’d be a wreck. He saved me in the machine,” I said.
“And I’m here to save you again,” he started to walk towards the machine.
“What are you doing?” said Rex. “His goons carved me up.”
“For that I am sorry,” said Tobias. “It was an acceptable risk at the time.”
Rex used what little energy he had to reach for his gun as Tobias walked closer to me.
“Don’t you dare touch her,” said Rex.
“If I don’t then she’ll be trapped in that machine forever. Is that what you want?” said Tobias.
“Of course not!” said Rex.
“Then let me do this,” replied Tobias.
I looked at Tobias as he reached for me.
“You’ve done enough Ms Keyes. Let me bear the weight from here,” he said.
“You’re going to power the machine?” I asked.
“Of course. Just like old times,” explained Tobias.
He took my arm and led me out of the machine. I let him take the seat.
“Are you all crazy? He tried to kill everyone on the planet,” said Rex.
“Yes that is true. I wanted to destroy the Tethers and I still do,” he explained.
“What?” I said. “Despite all of this you haven’t changed?”
“Oh I have changed,” said Tobias. “There is a new solution now.”
“And what is that?” I asked.
“I am the last descendent of Freyr. I can do anything,” said Tobias.
Although I didn’t want to believe it his words made sense. Like Will and I he had also survived the death of his twin.
I saw that Will hadn’t moved out of his seat; despite me being free.
“What are you doing Will? Tobias can control the machine on his own,” I said.
“Actually he can’t,” said Will. “You saw what happened before. He needs me.”
Will placed the helmet on his head and tied one of the binds to his arm. He motioned towards the other bind.
“You heard what Cleon and Corinna said. A child of Freyr and a child of Freyja can break the Tethers together,” said Will.
“Then take me, I don’t want to lose you,” I said.
“And I don’t want to lose you,” he replied. “I can do this, I’m the capstone, remember?”
“He’s right,” said Tobias. “I tried to do this with you and it only created destruction. Both you and I have the power to destroy Tethers but only Will has the power to merge them together. You and I are just two forces of destruction Emmie.”
“I need you to do this for me sis,” said Will. “It’ll save you from the Vanir and protect everyone.”
“Will you keep him safe?” I asked Tobias.
“Yes,” he replied. “I will carry the burden. He will feel nothing.”
Rex fixed the binds in place around Tobias.
“I’ll be watching you. If you hurt anyone then I will shut you down forever,” said Rex.
“So be it,” said Tobias. “But I think you’ll have more fun if you concentrate on living your own life. Just a thought.”
I fixed Will’s final bind in place and stepped away from his machine.
There was nothing I could say to make him change his mind. I didn’t have a choice.
This is how our world was saved. Not through choice but through compliance.
SIXTY TWO
I sat next to Will as the machine powered on, gripping tightly on his hand. If this really was the end then I wanted to face it head on with him.
Rex sat by my side, resting a hand on my shoulder. Grace and Rufus watched as Jill activated the machines from the control room. She counted do
wn to the final moment of activation.
“Three,” said Jill.
I held my brother’s hand tightly.
“Two,” Will and I said together.
“One,” he said the word and then a flash of light washed over me as I heard the sounds of Tobias screaming. Then suddenly, he fell silent.
The light faded away and then instead of darkness I saw the town of Smyth West unfold before my eyes. I stood in the middle of the street with Will in front of me and we watched as the buildings from the town we called home were reconstructed around us.
“Will?” I said.
He seemed oblivious to my presence.
“You shouldn’t be here,” said Tobias, his voice booming around me.
“What is this place?” I asked.
“Home,” said Tobias. “But, better.”
The buildings continued to be rebuilt higher and stronger than I ever remembered them. What had once been destruction and decay was now replaced with greenery and grandeur. This was Smyth West as I had never seen it, Smyth West before the Siege.
“How are you doing this?” I asked.
“From memory. This was my home once as well,” said Tobias.
I tried to walk towards Will and continued to call his name but he didn’t respond. As I got next to him I tried to touch his face but my hand passed right through him.
“This is his world now,” said Tobias.
The buildings stopped growing and the sky turned to a beautiful blue, a bright sky shining down and illuminating the vibrant grass.
The image flickered and I felt myself being dragged away from Will again to where I’d started. It flickered again and I saw people surrounding Will.
Grace and R&R stood next to my brother. They were laughing about a joke I couldn’t hear. A new figure emerged and I saw myself talking to Will, engaging in the group.
“Is that me?” I said.
“Yes,” said Tobias. “To Will, she’s as real as you are.”
“But why?” I asked.
“This is Will’s world now. He won’t feel any pain here and for him it will be just like real life. He can live the life he was meant to have before the Siege,” explained Tobias.