All Worlds: Fantasy And Science Fiction Series Starters

by Vangjel Canga

  She seems appalled by the accusation and insists, "No! I'm not like that!" She pulls against my grasp. "Let go. I'm not a killer. Let go of me!"

  I won't release her and press the issue, "You are like me. You're like those Un-Men that hunt you. You're a killer."

  Katharine's view...

  "No! It's a lie! Stop saying it!"

  I'm terrified Kimberly's telling the truth; I fear deep down I'm a cruel monster hiding in the guise of a kind person, and I fear the monster only waits to wake and show the world its true nature. I have immense anxiety over the possibility that I've forgotten about my ruthless self, and that I'm exactly what the Council wants me to be.

  Because of those dreaded insecurities, I scream all the more, "Stop saying those things! Let go! I'm not a killer! Let go!"

  Kimberly's view...

  "For Ares' sake! Accept it. You are."

  I increasingly push with my words. I have to get some emotional reaction from her, hoping it will end her brooding, and so far, all she has been doing is screaming like a toddler who has been told she can't go out and play.

  My voice raises as I tell her, "I need you to draw on that, that murderous instinct of yours." I squeeze her arm. "Show it to me! Let it out! You know you want to, so let it out!"

  Katharine's view...

  "No! Shut up! I'm not a killer!" With my right arm in her grasp, I lift my left fist and strike Kimberly in the cheek, hurting myself in the process. "Crap! Crap!"

  I grab my reinjured shoulder and take a step back after Kimberly releases me. Some of my stitches must have popped, and I seethe in agony for several moments until I realize what I did. I hit someone out of anger. I wanted to hurt Kimberly for reminding me of my own fears. It seems I am a monster.

  I shake my head and take another step back, horrified by my own violent act and start to say, "I'm... I'm..."

  "Hades that hurt!" Kimberly grabs her cheek and rubs it as she asks, "Did you have to hit my face?"

  Ashamed of my savage actions, I close my eyes, wanting to run away. Maybe Kimberly's right, and I feel sick at the thought. Maybe I am a killer.

  I whisper, dying inside, "I'm sorry." I open my eyes, and they burn as if I've been weeping. Wanting to flee the possible truth, I turn, grab a jacket, and rush out of the apartment, shouting, "I'm sorry!"

  Kimberly's view...

  "Wait! Don't go!"

  I start after that woman and look down at my slippers. Great. Just great! I flip them off, and they fly through the air, and then I grab my running shoes, pull them on without untying them, race into the hall, and hear the elevator close.

  "Don't go!"

  I rush to the elevator and watch as the numbers climb. The roof... At least she's not going to run out the front, but I better hurry. I don't want to lose the Key. I run to the stairs, rush up ten flights, and burst through the door, panting.

  Katharine's view...

  I stand at the ledge, leaning on the metal railing surrounding the top. I see Kimberly come out, turn from her, wishing she'd leave me alone, and notice below that a car drives across West 1000 Avenue and honks at a dog that runs in front of it. Still feeling ashamed, I pull the jacket close in the chilly air, babying my hurt shoulder. The cold railing feels nice against my burned hand that's wrapped in gauze. The hand hurts more since hitting Kimberly. I can't blame her if she wants to shoot me again. I can't believe I hit her. She was yelling at me, but she wasn't going to hurt me, so there was no reason to hit her. I just didn't like what she was saying. It hurt so much to hear it that I just had to make her stop.

  Kimberly's view...

  I gasp for air as I lean back against the door, and I manage to question her as if I'm concerned about her, "Why did you come up here? What if one of the Un-Men spots you?"

  I can't have her dying on me until I find out why my mom wanted me to find her. I glare at that strange woman for making me run all the way up here. I also owe her for punching me in the face, but I'll worry about payback later. I need to solve the mystery, so I can use Pale Horse on her.

  "They won't come here," she answers me. "Your apartment has a protective barrier that bio-mechas are unable to cross. Something deep within their programming bars them from entering, so this place is a safe zone until they can get around their programming."

  "How do you know that they..." I start, then decide I don't need to know the answer to that, and I don't really care, so I say, "Never mind. You haven't answered my first question. Why did you come up here?"

  That strange woman looks at Zeus Park across the street as if remembering her battle with those robots and answers, "Where else could I go?" She glances at me, but then diverts her eyes from my angry gaze as she insists, "I'm not a killer." She wraps her arms around herself and says in a gentler tone, "I'm not like you."

  I thought as much. She's upset that I forced some sense into her. I'm satisfied with her answer, so I'm about to tell her to come back in with me, but she speaks first and starts in like I asked her about her life story.

  She lifts her gaze to the sky as if searching for something as she tells me, "I think that's what the Council wants." That strange woman turns to me, and I see determination in her face as she states, "And I have defied their wishes. I have worked very hard not to kill anyone, and no one has died by my hand."

  I nearly laugh out loud as I say, "You're joking right? I've seen you with the Un-Men. You're so good at killing them."

  "Un-Men are robots. They're not alive, so it's different when I terminate them," she asserts. "I've killed no one, and I'm not going to start."

  Her perspective infuriates me. She can't honestly believe what she saying. I wanted to go back in, but I can't let this go, so I yell, "For Ares' sake! You won't survive in this world with that kind of attitude. You have to take the shot when you have it."

  "I can't live like that," she tells me as if she's going to cry. I believe she's going to bawl right there, but instead she turns to me with a look of concern and asks, "Do you like what you do?" That strange woman is actually acting like she's concerned about me as she questions me, "Do you enjoy murdering people?"

  "What kind of question is that?" I ask as I walk towards her.

  "An honest one. Isn't that what we're doing right now? Aren't we being honest with each other? Well then... I want to know, are you who you want to be? Are you happy?"

  Honesty? Don't make me laugh. I know you're up to something. I just haven't figure out what your game is, but I'll find out, so for now I'll play along.

  I tell her, "Mine is a necessary job in this world. My happiness has nothing to do with it."

  "Still... You seem... You seem very sad."

  I laugh and then say, "Right, a Closer with emotions. A good one."

  I move beside her and lean on the railing as I consider that she's actually serious about what she's saying. If that's so, I don't understand why that woman resist who she is with such passion. There's no reason why she shouldn't kill. It's kill or be killed, that's life.

  Katharine's view...

  "Aren't we a pair," I tell Kimberly as the full brunt of October's frosty wind whips over me. "I want to express emotions, but can't. You can, but your job forces you to disregard them."

  "Hmm..." she utters as if she didn't hear me or was ignoring my comment. Kimberly glances over the ledge and then asks me, "Are you here to jump?"

  "I was thinking about it, but then they would win."

  "Let's go back inside then," she tells me. "It's cold out here." Kimberly glances down at my reddening bare feet and adds, "And neither of us is dressed for the weather."

  I follow her back to the elevator, and once inside the apartment, we sit at the table. I put on a pair of socks that Kimberly went and got for me.

  "Here, drink this to warm yourself," she tells me as she hands me a cup of chicken noodle soup.

  "Thank you."

  I take a sip, and it
's very good.

  Kimberly's view...

  I notice that strange woman is rubbing her shoulder, so I tell her, "Take your jacket and t-shirt off."

  She looks up from her cup as if I had just asked her to jump off a bridge.

  "Hades..." I utter as I stand. "Don't be such a baby. Let me look at your shoulder."

  She hesitates, but then she lets me look at her wound. I remove her blood spotted bandage.

  "Look at that," I complain. "You did it. You busted a stitch, but I don't think we need to see Brian. I'll butterfly it and put on a fresh bandage."

  I retrieve a first aid kit and bandage the wound. "There."

  She carefully pulls her t-shirt back on, and a few minutes pass as I put the kit back, then I sit and eat my soup.

  "Umm..." I hear that strange woman pipe up as she stares at her soup, and then she whispers, "Something's wrong with me."

  I could have told her that from the start, but I decide not to say anything about her comment. She must be noticing how weird she is.

  She clears her throat and says in a louder voice as if to get my attention, "I haven't been right inside since Etna Toys."

  "Yeah, I know," I state with a hint of mischief. "You were shot, and now you're having soup with the inflicter of your pain, so of course you're not the same."

  "No. More than that. I think..." she says, then pauses, and looks at me like I'm a bomb she'll set off, and then she says, "I think I need the music box. I need to hear Unfinished Melody."

  "Nice try, but like I said..."

  "I'm serious! What if they did something to me?" She runs her fingers across the table's edge like some kid who's trying to convince their parent to let them have a pony. "No, not what if. What did they do to me? You... You don't understand! It's the only thing that works. Your pain killers have done nothing for my headache, and look at me... The way I'm acting right now. This is not the normal me. I'm not so up tight. I'm not..." She begs me, "Please, let me listen to it."

  "No! Now drop the matter!" I slam my cup down, and some of the soup spills. "All that stuff is all in your mind!"

  That strange woman sulks.

  In a calmer tone, I say, "You should try to get some rest." I stand. "You haven't slept since Brian gave you that sedative. I should know... I heard you tossing and turning on that squeaky couch all night." I take my cup to the kitchen. "Stay here. I'm going out. I shouldn't be long."

  I make my way to the parking garage and slide into my car. I open my glove compartment, take out the music box, then place my fingers over the squares.

  "Mom."

  The sides glow blue under my touch, and the 3-D image of my mom materializes.

  The hologram turns her head side to side as if looking around the car, and then she states, "I detect no surveillance; it is safe to talk. Were you able to accomplish the mission?"

  I pass my hand through the image as I say, "Yes, I have Pandora." I raise the music box, bringing the image closer. "You mentioned she was the Key. The Key to what?"

  "I am sorry, but I was never downloaded with that information. I only know she is the Key."

  "Now what?"

  "This next thing is very important," the hologram says. "If you fail to accomplish it, it could bring disaster."

  I bite my lip with anticipation and then ask, "What is it?"

  "You must give this music box to Katharine. She must have it with her at all times. Do you understand?"

  "You've got to be kidding."

  "No, I am not. Katharine must not reach the Gamma Phase. Do you know what stage she is at?"

  "I have no idea what you're talking about."

  "Has she run into any bio-mechas? Does she know when they are near?"

  "Yes," I reply.

  "That's the Alpha Phase. What about killing them?" the hologram questions. "Can she take them down with one shot?"

  "Yes."

  "This isn't good. Katharine has achieved the Beta Phase. I pray she hasn't accomplished the Gamma."

  "Never mind her. What about my mom? How do I find her killer?"

  "Theresa hid data devices that were designed to be read only by this music box. If you can find them, they may have clues to whoever killed her." The hologram says, "Now give this box to Katharine."

  "Fine. How long am I supposed to baby-sit?"

  "I do not know," the hologram answers. "Stay safe."

  Her image disappears.

  Ten minutes later, I stand and stare at the letter H on my apartment door. Why is it I tell that woman I'm going to do one thing, then the hologram has me do the opposite?

  Sometime later...

  "Welcome back Ms. Griffin," A.C.S. states. "The apartment..."

  "Night mode."

  A.C.S. lowers its volume and states, "Setting lights at fifty percent. Will there be anything else, Ms. Griffin?"

  "No, that's all."

  I look to the living room and see that strange woman's reflection in the TV. She's on the couch covered with a heavy blanket and stares at the coffee table. I shake my head, swallowing my pride, and give in to my mom's wishes. I walk over, set the music box on the coffee table, open the lid, and Unfinished Melody plays.

  "Thank you," that woman says as her eyes grow heavy, and she falls asleep.

  "Don't thank me," I mumble.

  I'm not doing this for you. I stare at her, considering the past day. If she wasn't the Key, I would have let her die at Etna Toys, and I would be rid of this insanity. It's not too late. I could kill her while she sleeps, but I guess I'll wait. I want to know what she's the Key to.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  The Proposition

  October 19...

  Tuesday...

  1:20 P.M...

  Hellenistic Sector, Industrial Vicinage...

  Kim drove the Corvette into the front parking lot of Etna Toys. The N.C.P.F. had been there earlier and had taped off the front curb where the T-3s killed the two Factory S.C.Ms., and Kim cautiously exited the car, glanced around the deserted area, and grabbed her knapsack. She wore her black work outfit minus the knit mask. No wind rustled the weeds, leaving the parking lot in an eerie quiet, and she quickly entered the front door.

  Kimberly's view...

  Noir Civil Police Force must not have come in here; there's no police tape, but the area's been cleaned of Un-Men and gun shells, so someone else must have cleaned up the mess. After searching the front area, I grab that woman's backpack, Ravlek Vest, and find her empty Beretta underneath one of the boxing machines. I find it odd that they left her things behind like they left them for her.

  Curious about the Un-Men and the Council, I look to the open elevator. That woman said she believed the Council was based here all along, and she said she had been looking for them and the Factory. I step toward the open doors. Maybe they left something behind. I enter the cab, remove my holstered PPK, and press the basement button, and once I reach the basement, light from the elevator breaks the darkness of the hallway as I remove a flashlight from my knapsack. I find a light switch and flip it on, but nothing happens. I search the hallway with my flashlight and find it's empty. A door stands at the opposite end, so I move towards it wary I'm walking into a trap set up for that woman. I make my way to it, open it, and enter the room. I move the beam back and forth and search the mostly empty room, and in the center, I spot a large table. A few abandoned plugs and cables line one of the walls, and I start to leave, thinking there's nothing to find when something catches my eye. I walk to the table, finding a white business envelope with the words For Pandora written on it. I pick it up, contemplate if I should open it, think why not, and open the envelope.

  "Pandora, as one of the members of the Council, I have to say I am very proud of you; even though you did not reach the Gamma and Delta Phases of your metamorphosis, I am still very impressed with you. We had hoped with the training and conditioning you would have accomplished the phases the
past year. You did not, and for that reason, the others are not pleased and wish to terminate you. I have convinced them to delay that. We can still acquire valuable information from you. Be warned though, I cannot hold off your termination indefinitely, and the Council is more resourceful than the Factory. The Life Closers we sent after you were merely tests. They were not a means to destroy you. Increase your skills so when the time comes, you may bar your termination."

  I pause from reading. According to this member, that woman hasn't reached the Gamma and Delta Phases, whatever they might be. My mom was concerned that Pandora may have reached them and bring about some sort of disaster.

  I continue reading, "Argus, poor devil, informed us in the past that you have no memory of who you are, and that is most unfortunate, so I will tell you one thing. The Council did not begin your training or condition you. It was another department in the Sphinx Corporation. I wish I could tell you everything, but..." The line breaks off, and a new line starts. "Remember if you wish to destroy the Rogue, you must reach the Delta Phase; it is called the Knowing, and to achieve the Knowing, you must first reach the Gamma Phase. I wish you long life."

  The letter's signed by Mr. Morta, and I glance over it once more, then place the letter back in its envelope, and put it in that woman's backpack. The corporation my father works for is behind the Pandora Project, so there could be a connection between my mom and that woman, and I also need to find out what the Gamma and the Delta Phases are. Mr. Morta called one of them the Knowing. I can't even fathom what she's supposed to know, so I search the room once more, and head back up.

  Sometime later...

  The elevator doors open to an Un-Man, and I quickly raise my gun, not expecting to be met by one of those robots.

  It's the one called the Rogue, and it lifts its hands as it tells me, "Do not shoot."

  "You again," I state a bit freaked out that it might have followed me here. I keep my gun leveled on it and ask, "What do you want now?"