by Paul Deaver
The sky filled with enemy aircraft. Enforcers and Javelins were everywhere. Hopefully, we were out of range of the larger ships, but the Javelins were closing in fast. I took aim and began picking off targets.
"Robert, there's too many of them. Unless you've got something up your sleeve, this is it."
Javelins sprayed us with machine gun fire, but the rounds weren't carrying enough velocity at this range to penetrate the skin of the Odyssey. We didn't have long until they were close enough to tear us apart.
"I'm going to transition the Odyssey."
"Are you sure you can do that? It took John a long time before he learned to transition this ship."
"I have to try."
The bullets bouncing off of the fuselage were hitting harder with each passing second. Rather than ignoring the sensation, I focused on it. I closed my eyes and tried to spread my perception to the ship around me, as if it was an extension of my body. I imagined that each round that impacted was actually hitting me. While I felt fear just before my last transition, that emotion was curiously absent. It was as if I was outside the ship looking in.
I saw Hazel sitting with me in the Odyssey. Her actions were deliberate and precise. Even with the odds stacked against her, she was confident and unwilling to concede. The goodness inside Hazel exuded a warm glow that lent me strength. I always felt a bond between us, but now I saw something more.
It was as if I was allowed a glimpse of a simple truth that surrounds us, but that we're too close to comprehend. I realized in that moment that we're more than individuals scattered about the universe. Somehow, each one of us is interconnected. I felt calm in a way I had never known before. There was a certain comfort in knowing that we're never alone.
The sky suddenly vanished, and we were speeding through the bottom level of the parking garage. We were moving too fast, and only had a few hundred feet to decelerate. Reflexively, I grabbed the cyclic and collective, saying, "I have the controls." I rolled the Odyssey on its side and used a burst from the bottom thrusters to arrest our forward velocity. Then I leveled the aircraft and brought the ship to a hover right next to the bunker entrance.
Let's call it two good landings for the day.
Chapter 15
In the aftermath of the battle, the Patriarch released an announcement. Although it wasn't common knowledge that the portal had been destroyed, or had even existed, he couldn't hide the fact that his ships shot up half of the city when Hazel rescued me from the audience chamber. The announcement was preceded by the usual bell tones, then Rexxor appeared on screen, sitting at his throne.
"I am sad to say that despite the great lengths the Family goes to ensure our security, a terrorist cell conducted an attack on the Capitol last night. Were it not for the quick response of Harmony Guards, the damage could have been much worse. Although we apprehended some of those responsible, others are still at large.
"These subversive radicals wish to destroy the great society we have built together. I call on you now to deny these rebels sanctuary and assist in driving them from the shadows. You must remain vigilant and note any unusual behavior. These rebels could be among the people you work with, your neighbors, or even your oldest friends. You must not hesitate to report them when you discover their charade.
"As always, you can count on the Family to take care of you. There is nothing more important to me than the welfare of my Children, and I won't rest until this threat is eliminated. Father knows best."
So, I was a rebel now, and the Patriarch was calling on his citizens to turn in anyone who had ever helped me or questioned his authority. Well, I had a message of my own. He already had the world watching—why not give them a show?
When Finn upgraded my DigiCom, he had loaded a variety of specialized programs, including one which seemed fitting for this occasion. Just before Rexxor completed his transmission, I hijacked the signal and replaced his video with one of my own. The Patriarch should have known as well as anyone that there was no such thing as privacy in the world he built.
With the features Finn added to my Digicom, it was easy to access the footage from the audience chamber the previous night. The same camera Rexxor used to broadcast his messages to the world captured the true nature of the self-proclaimed Savior of Humanity. I played a short video clip on a loop. It showed the Patriarch towering over the small figure of Finn. He turned his back to the boy, then spun around with a baton in his hand. Rexxor crushed the boy's skull and sent blood splattering all over the giant black flag that hung in the background. The boy's tiny body crumpled to the floor.
At the start of the third replay, I recited my heartfelt message. "Friends, my name is Robert Stone. You may not know me, but as you can see, you know even less about the man who would call himself your Father. When you look behind the curtain, you reveal something less than a man. For what kind of man would strike down an innocent child? He claims to know what's best, but how could someone capable of such an atrocious act possibly have your best interest in mind? The food, shelter, and other things he gives you aren't acts of charity, but displays of control. You rely on him to provide all of the basic necessities, and he provides only enough to keep you pacified in order to secure his power.
"The Family controls every aspect of your life, and if you desire anything beyond the Patriarch's design, he dismisses or destroys you. He'd rather strike you down like this little boy than allow you the freedom to choose what's best for yourself.
"If all men are equal, why should anyone have complete domination over your existence? Rexxor has no authority over us, and we owe no obedience to him. You may choose to remain a comfortable slave, or reclaim the right to choose your own destiny. Search your heart and find the truth in my words."
---
Anson, Glinda, and Hazel were quietly gathered around a counter in the bunker's kitchen. I walked into the room and took a seat on a tall metal stool.
Anson said, "You have a way with words, Robert."
"What good are words? In the end, I doubt they'll change anything. Memories are short, and I'm sure the Family will discredit or put some kind of spin on the video. Besides, nothing I say will bring Finn back. Words won't bring back my mom."
"No, they may not bring Finn back, but something remembered is never lost. The Patriarch may have taken his life, but a piece of him will always live in my heart, and in my mind. Perhaps his final stand will inspire others to wake up."
"Maybe...." There was nothing else to say. I just wanted to be alone. I slid off of the stool and wandered through the bunker corridors. When I found myself at the entrance, I knew where I wanted to go.
I walked up the stairs to the Odyssey and climbed inside. I buried my head in my hands, but soon heard a noise behind me. Looking up, I saw Hazel slip into the back seat. She kept quiet and left me to my thoughts.
Maybe I didn't actually want to be alone. We were both suffering, and her presence made me feel a little better. People shouldn't have to be alone in times of hardship.
Finally, I broke the silence. "I wish you could have known my mom."
"Me too."
I shut my eyes and thought of my mother lying in her hospital bed, alone. That was all wrong. There was no reason she should spend her final moments like that. I had to be there for her.
I sobbed quietly in my hands. If Hazel noticed, she didn't say anything. Suddenly, the thrusters kicked on. I looked up, and we were outside. What were we doing outside?
We were no longer in a ruined city. There were trees below us, blanketed in darkness, and street lamps shedding light on footpaths that cut through the vegetation. Tall buildings lined the horizon. This skyline was unmistakable. I'd seen this before.
"Hazel, bring us up a little."
"Okay."
There was a large grassy area with baseball fields beside us, and a reservoir to the south.
"Wait... I know where we are."
"That makes one of us."
"Hazel, quick. Orient the ship to the ea
st."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just need to see something"
It only took a few moments to pick out the building I was looking for in the sensors. Which room would it be? I scanned each row of windows, searching for any indication of what I hoped to find. I almost passed by it, when a light turned on in one of the rooms.
Could it be? I zoomed in to get a better look. My dad was standing next to my mother's hospital bed. I had rarely known my dad to cry, but tears were dripping down his cheek. He ran his fingers through her short hair, then gave my mom a kiss on the forehead. She didn't move. My dad turned off the lamp and walked into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.
"Hazel, you have the controls."
"I have the controls."
Closing my eyes, I visualized myself in that hospital room. A weightless sensation passed through me, and with a soft pop, I was standing next to my mother's bed. She laid motionless under a thin white sheet. Was I too late?
Then I noticed her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths, and the monitors showed a pulse. I lowered a guardrail to sit on the edge of the bed, but a small object was digging into my thigh. Reaching into my pocket, I found the vial of serum that Glinda gave me before the battle. I never had the chance to drink it before Hazel and I rushed to intercept the enemy ships.
I popped the cap off and raised the vial to my mother's lips. The serum had a sweet aroma, and she licked her lips after I poured the medicine in her mouth. Then I took my mother's hand and waited.
The color slowly returned to her skin and her breathing slowed to a normal rhythm. My mother's eyelids fluttered, then opened. She searched the room and her eyes came to rest on me.
"I'm so glad it was you. I knew you would come back."
I smiled and said, "Everything is going to be okay."
"That's good." She closed her eyes, and her face was serene.
Then I noticed my dad's cellphone charging on an end table, next to the bed. I reached for it and typed four simple words which changed my life forever: "Mom's suffering is over."
The deadliest forces in the universe are determined to kill a woman without a name.
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Inmate AC2187 was condemned to die on an asteroid mine beyond the outer rim of colonized space. Her family was murdered, her identity erased, and every remnant of her former life was stripped away.
Now A.C. must escape on a stolen spaceship and pull together an unlikely crew of misfits before the next attempt on her life succeeds. Though survival isn't enough. A.C. Must discover who betrayed her and exact revenge or she'll be running for the rest of her life.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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