The World Ahead

by Chucho Jones

  He turned a quick corner jump-crossed a wall and went straight through the alleyway. A PCCP vehicle parked at the other end with its doors open. The two officers were out of the vessel fighting off some scavenging mutants. The Mime saw that this could be their way out. He shot at the officer’s feet to call out their attention away from their vehicle. He ran past them and rolled in and out of the vehicle through the opened doors.

  “Was that a human boy?” Said a female officer with slender bird-like features. The Mime, with his left hand, left another blue disk inside the cockpit. As he rolled out the other side, he gestured his right wrist again.

  BOOM!

  The vehicle exploded almost instantaneously. The drones were destroyed too – they had been caught in the line of fire. The officers got thrown back by the explosion along with the small mob.

  “Aw shit, my neck, my back!” Yelled the male officer with bull-like features. The female officer looked at her partner and grabbed the side of her vest.

  “Let’s call it in. The chaotic rogue was spotted on the south-east side of sector four carrying a human child. I repeat, south-east of sector four. The suspect is carrying a human child. Over,” she said, her head turned and angled over her left shoulder.

  The Mime took haste and scurried through the sewage, he ran for a couple more blocks through the stench and viscosity before he halted. He pushed a few buttons on his right wrist pad. At the distance, a couple of turrets that guarded a bunker door stood down their guard. The man had made it home safe. Oliver kept burning in fever, his skin seemed stretched thin and dry. The chaotic stranger believed it was on account of the alien arm that the boy was attached to. Still, the technology seemed eerily familiar, close to the components in Omnimaiden’s body. F.A.M.I.L.Y.’s main champion. Something could be made of this attachment, the mysterious rogue thought.

  * * *

  Deep heart beats resounded inside Oliver’s head, the familiar echoed muffle queued in as he woke. This time it felt all too real for far too long; he sensed his body stretching out of bound. He tried to emit a sound, but nothing came forth from his vocal chords – he looked around disoriented. He was eager to speak to his mentor Dr. Dickens. As Oliver came to his senses he noticed the alien symbiotic arm still attached to him.

  It was not a seizing flash, it was all real. He began to have fear about the surrounding area, he looked at where he laid, it was a makeshift bed with rags over him as blankets. Oliver took a second look only to see the alien arm had been altered at the hand and elbow. Oliver’s heart beat quickened. For a brief moment, he suddenly thought he may have been experimented on – a rushing sensation made him jump off the bed in a jolt.

  “Who are you? What are you doing to me? Let me go?” said the exalted teen in a variation of high pitches in his voice. He felt awkward and dizzy. The pale man shushed at him as he helped him lay back on the bed. He then grabbed an ocular tool and pointed it at Oliver’s pupils. Quickly he felt relaxed and serene, almost complacent. The light-skinned humanoid helped him sit up and showed him a graph. Oliver took a second look at the room. What once looked like an eerie dark room suddenly began to feel cozy and warm. A peacefully serene contrast to everything he had gone through over the last few days.

  “What did you do to me? What am I looking at?” Oliver asked. The man handed a holographic notepad. Oliver read:

  “This a graphic. Shows what happened to you. Alien arm consumes you. Sucks life out. Take time to look in mirror.”

  Oliver realized his arm had new technology attached. He gradually felt wholesome again. He wobbled off the bed and got on his feet. As he rose he felt stretched, he was still thin framed, but his body had grown taller. He looked at himself on the reflection of a chrome plate on the wall. Suddenly his awkward thin frame and facial baby fat had been outgrown and replaced with a slightly stronger body and hair in certain new areas. He couldn’t help to grin at the site of scattered facial hair. It showed under his nose, chin and sideburns alluding to a developing jawline.

  “I’m all grown up now,” he said to the albino.

  “Psh!” The kidnapper made a noise with his lips as he rolled his eyes and took the pad from Oliver’s hand.

  “Arm drained some life. Aged you two or three years tops, but you still a kid.”

  The boy took some time to look at his upgrades. A spherical vitro-plasma canister with a mercuranium frame rested in the back of his hand. Small mercuranium conductors ran through the side of the forearm ending at three extruding contraptions that lit up a bright green.

  Oliver realized there was a missing battery in an empty slot.

  “You can’ talk, can you? What happened?” Oliver asked. His heart was pounding in his chest. He still felt uneasy about trusting his kidnapper but he had no other choice. The man got closer to the boy and in the dim light, he revealed a gruesome scar across his neck. He then pointed at a holographic screen with random mugshots of various mutants. He took the pad once more and wrote.

  No beacon, no tracking. The only way to be free.

  He swiped his hand across his neck making a slitting gesture as he made a small raspberry sound.

  “I see, you did it yourself to be off the system,” reiterated Oliver and the man nodded.

  “Why go after our transport and yet save me?” Oliver asked with true curiosity. The man sighed as he squinted his eyes. He grabbed the pad once more.

  I was F.A.M.I.L.Y. many bad experiments. I get cash for sabotage. Don’t know who pays. Just work. You are a commodity.

  The man shrugged his shoulders at Oliver. “You’re a mercenary going after a ransom. What exactly do you want with me?” Oliver said with concern as he handed the pad to the man. He feared the man would have a short temper, still, he felt he needed answers.

  The man turned around and sat on a floating chair that faced a holographic display. He began to scroll the screens with his fingers waving his hand in the air against the translucent images. Oliver couldn’t risk taking the chance of this new-found confidence. After all, he was a new man. He grabbed his alien forearm with his hand and aimed at the pale man.

  “Listen, I have the knowledge of the cosmos at my grasp, I’m sure I could rid you pretty well and run. I don’t expect you to understand this, but it is important that I get to my family,” said Oliver in a tone that began to sound a little older, and less like a kid. The man scoffed at the boy. He turned his head slightly towards the boy and launched himself at him. Oliver didn’t flinch, but no energy came out of his arm; the light-skinned stranger grabbed Oliver by the neck and jaw with his right hand and pushed his arm away with the other. The man growled at the kid and forced him back into the makeshift bed. He jabbed his knee on to Oliver’s chest and with his right hand reached his side satchel, Oliver’s heart rushed in beats, he feared the unstable humanoid man could end his journey right then. The man pulled out a dark metal trinket, the orange luminosity from its ridges reminded Oliver to one of Dr. Dicken’s geothermal batteries, except at probably a thousand of a fraction of its original size.

  The man tucked his lips at Oliver as he waved his finger left to right with the battery in hand. He pushed the boy back into the bed and turned back to work. The man’s eyes glowed an indigo sheen, his right arm’s pale skin mirrored the indigo sheen running from his elbow to his fist. He put his arm through the holo-screen in front of him.

  Oliver sat up as he saw that the man had no interest in doing any kind of damage to him. He focused his attention on the gauging numerical dials that showed a number on screen.

  12%

  Oliver realized that percentage belonged to his kidnapper. The obvious thought came to mind.

  “Are you like her?” Oliver asked as his curiosity rose. The man made a disgusted grin and turned his face away, flailing his hands at Oliver, his mouth made a muffled scoffing sound. The Mime took the pad once more.

  I’m not machine, I have nanite blood, enhances body parts, makes me better, only 12% left.

  Oliver read t
he note and remembered the white liquid that Omnimaiden infused into his alien arm.

  “You took the ‘nanites’ from me. that’s why you saved me,” said the boy as his mind pondered why, “that’s how you understood the Quantum Wielder. Am I right?” Oliver asked.

  The man observed the alien arm as if looking for a straight answer then looked at Oliver and with an honest stare, he shrugged his shoulders. As had become their dynamic, the stranger grabbed hold of the pad.

  Only 3%, but brilliant. Learned to fix you.

  Oliver looked at his alien symbiotic arm and took a breath. He looked passed its new details and observed the thing for a moment. His heart rushed at the marvel.

  “I guess it’s pretty amazing how this thing transcends its own knowledge. It’s almost as if it wants to stay alive,” said Oliver in wonder.

  A loud thud shook the ceilings. The pale stranger alerted, looked to the direction of the sound, Oliver got up and moved under his bed. The Mime kicked the holo-screen and the room’s lighting changed from a soothing color to an alerting intermittent amber. A thin red laser pried from the corner of the room sinking into the melting ground. An underground latch opened way into a fully armed panic room. The rogue tuck and rolled into the facility. He called out Oliver with a hand gesture as he reached out for a rifle with his other hand. Oliver didn’t hesitate and crawled into the room covering his head with his alien arm. The kid made it just in time before the bed was sliced by the intense red laser.

  Black mechanical tentacles began to break the corner of the room open. A red light glided from side to side in the darkness emitting nothing but an acute humming sound. Two dark metal tentacles broke into the room, the Mime pushed Oliver to safety and shot at the guiding light. A red manta drone crept out of the corner and disposed to attack. Oliver was quickly reminded of the drones in Gorgazon-X’s scrapyard. He tried to shoot at it, but to no avail. For a brief moment, he had forgotten he was presently lacking the power, the growing pains had hit him hard. He couldn’t think straight. A sudden insecurity made him freeze at the site of the scarlet android. The stranger grabbed a knife from his ankle and with a tight grip, the blade began to spark. He threw the knife at the humming eye then pushed a holo-pad on the wall. The panic room closed. The last thing the odd duo saw where tentacles reaching in from the corner as the doors shut.

  “What do we do now? What are those things?”

  The Mime looked at the label of his weapon that read: Enlumacorp. He looked at it, then looked at the boy.

  “Holly hydrogen, your contractors are here to collect me? It’ll be in your best interest to give me that battery,” Oliver said convincingly. The pale stranger scoffed at the boy as he switched a sequence of images on the holo-screen that resembled a numerical pad. The wall behind them opened straight to the sewage. The Mime armed himself as best as he could, grabbed Oliver, and jumped.

  “No wait, I’m not wearing any pants!” the boy shouted before they fell into the city’s sewage.

  6

  Chapter 6

  The sleek PCCP vehicle with atom shaped propellers driven by Connor, ‘The Omnimaiden’ glided swiftly through the Old city’s ruins, chasing after the Red Manta Drones. The cybernetic rogues flew strategically through weak spots of assorted buildings. Crumbling boulders of concrete and metal crumbled before the PCCP IFO. Connor dodged every bit of falling debris; Leon observed her driving then looked ahead. He still felt uneasy about unadjusted flight patterns. His hands gripped the side of his seat tightly. The maiden couldn’t help but notice Leon’s unease.

  “Everything alright Worthington?” She asked.

  “Yeah, yeah, fine and dandy lady. Listen, just straighten up and fly right. Ok?” he said in an almost high pitched tone.

  “Were you not the captain on the battle of Auroville?” She asked with wonder, as she barrel rolled the PCCP IFO out of danger.

  “Yes! I was. I still hate flying, I’ve crashed every time I’ve flown. I don’t want to risk another,” he said, bluntly. The sentiment made his guts feel heavy as lead, yet the way the maiden looked at him, made him keep a straight face.

  “You’re safer than ever Captain, being part machine, makes it organic for me to fly the IFO as if we were one,” she said with a smile. Leon couldn’t help but feel soothed by the synthetic beauty.

  The moment got lost when the dark glider threw a red disc onto the IFO’s windshield and busted it open. Two red manta drones flew to each side of the PCCP IFO. They bashed the doors off the vehicle, little by little the IFO was breaking apart, making it difficult for the maiden to keep a steady flight. Connor toggled the vehicle into assault mode. Leon’s seat turned into a turret with dual laser beams.

  “Shoot them down!” said the beautiful maiden. He turned to the drone to his left and let out a series of forceful blasts. The scarlet robot fell hard into the ground causing a shocking explosion. He couldn’t reach the drone to his right on account of Omnimaiden getting in his way.

  “How am I gonna get that guy?” he asked.

  “Use your joystick,” she replied.

  “My what?” he asked confused. Omnimaiden rolled her eyes and reiterated, “that small lever to your left, controls the turret in front of me. Shoot the red bastard now.”

  Leon was quick to take action, yet he realized a slight change in demeanor on Connor. He vaguely pondered the idea of her reacting to the IFO’s assault mode. He focused back on the battle a little too late. The dark glider was coming fast.

  “Captain watch out!” She yelled as the dark prowler approached, at the nick of time, Leon crouched in between his legs as much as he could. The intense heat of molten metal drew out even more sweat. The scoundrel’s heart pounded. He wondered if these wounds would affect his acting partner.

  The cool breeze neutralized the heat. The glider had cut the turret and the roof of the IFO in a single stroke. Leon quickly turned to the maiden.

  “Are you ok?” He asked concerned. He saw a slight glimmer in Connor’s eyes. Maybe from withstanding the pain.

  “Yes,” she replied smoothly. She had shown concern in regard to the turrets Leon quickly realized.

  “Don’t worry about that, I’m a terrible shot anyway,” he said cheerfully - hoping to bring up their morale.

  He looked down to the side and realized the IFO was packed with a handsome number of blue disks. Like the ones the Mime had carried to sabotage F.A.M.I.L.Y.’s IFO carrier. He reached out with his hand and grabbed a bunch. He held tightly to his scorched lucky bat.

  “Hey, sweet bolts, you think you can hold me with that tentacle thing? like with the kid?” he said assuredly. The maiden had no time to hesitate, the vulture-like glider was fast gaining on them, getting ready for a second blow. She grabbed hold of Leon with her hand across his chest.

  He stood up on his seat facing the back of the IFO, the raspy breeze felt strong against his standing body, but the maiden had a strong grasp. Again, just at the right moment, Leon threw a disk and smashed it away with his mighty quebracho club.

  The thing went directly towards the dark prowler, forcing it to yield for survival. As the attacker slid away, a red manta drone got caught in the fire. The scarlet android got shocked and crashed into the broken roads of the old city.

  Leon sure couldn’t shoot a haystack if his life depended on it, but he could swing a bat and aim for a star. The maiden was wowed at the scoundrel’s athletic display. Two more drones chased behind them, the dark prowler turned around for yet another round of attacks. Leon shook his head and saw his playground. Two on front and one coming from the back.

  “Ten and One o’clock. Watch my six ladies,” he said with suave gusto. He dropped yet another shocking grenade and swung at a drone.

  “One strike,” he said as he dropped another disk and took a second swing. “Two strikes,” he continued. The disks flew directly to each respective drone. Both got shocked and spun out of control as they crashed into each other. The explosion forced Leon back into his seat. The ma
iden took strong control of the vessel and dodged the imminent attack from the prowler as it swiftly glided by with its menacing edges.

  The maiden took a quick turn where she spotted a crew of drones circling part of an exposed sewage pipe among the debris on the ground. She focused on the visual details. The assorted holographic screens showed several close-ups of the action in different angles. Leon figured that the maiden was using the IFO to manifest some of her broken powers.

  “Master Hawke is down there, there’s enough evidence to point him out. We need to distract them,” she said to the scoundrel in a reassuring tone. Leon nodded and grabbed a hold of his bat. He swung once more, this time he missed the disk. An acute ruckus shook the IFO. Connor got shocked by the vessels as they dropped in altitude fast. Leon saw the menacing glider shoot from underneath the vessel. The PCCP IFO was done for. The maiden reacted quickly and embraced the controls with one hand and held Leon to his seat with the other. They fell fast and hard into the ground causing a wake of destruction at their landing path.

  The glider descended with great dexterity to the ground. The diamond shaped menace gracefully turned to a form fitted female silhouette; the dangerous stranger approached calmly followed by an escort of drones. Leon turned quickly to the PCCP IFO’s crashing point.

  “Gear girl, are you alright? Connor, say something!” he yelled at the PCCP IFO.

  The maiden was nowhere in sight. He tried to get up but the pain was too much. His chest was crushed by the maiden’s overgrown protective hand. He tried to push through the pain and get to his feet, but a flaccid limb prevented him from the action.

  “What the fun…AHHHH! he yelled as the excruciating pain overcame him. “I can’t feel my leg,” he affirmed as he felt a harsh pain. A warm numbing sensation ran from his left knee up to his obliques, he became speechless for a few seconds. He had not felt such pain since his first alien encounter, his sight blurred. He looked over for Omnimaiden at the IFO’s crash site to no avail.