Life-After

by J. A. Laraque

  “Naxum Research…” I gasped. “Your base, where everyone is, it is in Naxum Mountain?”

  “Flag needed a place that was familiar.” Clara responded. “This was the best place for him to continue his research while saving whom he could.”

  Clara’s words froze me in my tracks. I stood frozen staring ahead. In none of my other experiences had Flag ever worked at Naxum Research.

  “He worked at Naxum? I asked. “I thought he was part of Alpha Medical?”

  “He told me he did.” Clara responded. “I took him at his word.”

  We continued on and as we drew closer to the entrance I thought more and more about what I thought I had known of Flag. Everything about him that I believed could have been a lie that much I was willing to accept. It was possible that Flag held information that Richard wanted to keep from me and so he made sure that I would come to distrust and hate him. Either way I would find out soon enough.

  We arrived at the gates of Naxum Research just as the sun was rising behind us. The grounds just outside the blast doors were littered with damaged and destroyed vehicles. The security gates hung in disrepair with many of them lying broken on the ground. Just outside the guard tower a small graveyard with six graves sat in the shadow of the mountain. I could not help but stare at them thinking about the possibility of a second death.

  “You said something to me when I first awoke.” I said. “You said it wasn’t safe, that we had to move. These graves, they were never here when I worked at Naxum.”

  Clara walked over and kneeled down near one of the graves. She closed her eyes and ran her hand across the makeshift cross that had been placed there made from tree branches. I walked up behind her and looked down at the grave. It was then that I could see a name carved into one of the pieces of wood.

  “Who was Renee?” I asked.

  “She was a young woman I helped rescue.” Clara began. “Henry told me when he brought me here that though Richard himself could not reach us he could send his minions to attack.”

  The entrance to Naxum while in disarray was still confined well enough to defend against a forward attack. I took notice that there had been modifications done in an attempt to reinforce the perimeter fence. I had not realized it before but the destroyed vehicles were aliened to serve as a bottle neck for any attacking force.

  “Richard’s minions..?” I asked. “So he’s attacked before?”

  “Yes.” Clara responded. “The attacks only happen when we pulled someone out. When Flag and I retrieved Renee we were attacked by soldiers, at least that what’s I thought they were. They were nothing more than shells. They look like humans, but there were made of energy. Luckily they seem to be forced to act and respond as if human.”

  Clara stood from the grave and began to walk towards the guard tower leading to the entrance of Naxum research. I paid closer attention to my surroundings taking note of shell casings scattered across the ground. Near one of the damaged vehicles was a dried blue liquid-like substance. I knelt down to take a closer look.

  “It’s what our blood looks like now.” Clara said. “Flag told me our bodies went through an energy-to-matter conversion process. This allows us to function as we did when alive. We still have internal organs as we did when alive which is why we breathe and can get tired or hurt. Our blood is a concentrated form of life energy. Flag calls it plasma-based on the theory of ectoplasm.”

  For so long I believed everything that was happening was about me. Seeing the blood of others splattered across the desert I understood that it was not just about my life, but about the souls of all the humans who had died. If anything death was to bring peace, but peace was not what I had found in the afterlife.

  “Renee was killed by Richard’s minions.” I said. “So you can die even in the afterlife.”

  “They attacked us as we were heading here.” Clara replied. “We did everything we could, but they were specifically after her. Their bodies just like our human bodies react the same way to trauma. We were able to use guns against them, but Renee was struck several times by their fire. We killed them, but Renee died before we reached here.”

  I turned to look back towards the grave. It was conceivable that if I was able to feel the warmth of Clara’s skin and the fatigue from stress on the body that I could also die. Richard had a fall back plan.

  “What happens...?” I began to ask.

  “There is no body beneath the ground.” Clara answered. “When we die our bodies return to energy and disappear. Henry believes our life energy returns to our point of entry when we first died. That means it comes under Richard’s control again. We tried to search for her energy signature, but we could not find it. Once we die in here we are lost forever. That’s what I believe.”

  I understood now why we were placed in a replica of Maiden city. It was a place of despair and war. It would cast a gloom over anyone who experienced any time there. While I did not know if it was Richard’s doing that put human souls in an earth like afterlife. I did understand better now what the other Clara told me. Our minds would easily adapt to a world similar to our own and because of our human-like bodies we would be susceptible to human frailties.

  I would have to rely on my training as a soldier once again. Strangely the thought of that brought me some comfort. The familiarity of war and the possibility of death made everything feel real. It was a sad truth but a truth none the less.

  “Make a move and you’re dead!” A voice called out.

  Directly behind me kneeled behind a pile of debris I could see a young man aiming an X21 rifle at me. I took notice of the weapon because it was the last gun designed by the Federation military and as far as I knew none had ever made it to Maiden city.

  His voice was strong and his positioning was perfect. I could only see the top of his head and the rifle. His eyes were locked onto mine ready to kill. Clara ran between us waving him off, but he did not look away. I had seen eyes like his before, in the face of my enemy.

  “Kyle, its David...” Clara shouted.

  Kyle stood from behind the debris. His weapon was still trained on me. He wore the uniform of a federation solider. The instinct in me wanted to attack him. I am sure the instinct in him was to do the same.

  “So this is the man who is supposed to save us all?” Kyle asked Clara mockingly. “I highly doubt that.”

  He looked at me with distain as if I had been the cause of all his problems. He slowly lowered his weapon, but he still regarded me as an enemy. The looks in his eyes were confirmation of that. As I walked towards Clara a young woman walked from around the guard tower. She was also carrying a weapon, a small hang gun. Though she was dressed in civilian clothing, blue jeans and a t-shirt, she held her weapon as someone who had been trained.

  “We weren’t sure he was one of us.” The woman said. “They’ve been getting craftier lately.”

  “He isn’t one of us, Kim.” Kyle said. “He knows nothing.”

  Kim was much shorter than Clara. No taller than five-three she was very petite, but did not appear malnourished. The look in her eyes was guarded. She was afraid, but able to keep it contained. She looked as if she had become accustom to battle. I could not help but pity her for that. I watched as she approached Kyle and embraced him. Though I did not know for sure I felt that they were in love.

  “I know your concerns, Kyle.” Clara said. “Maybe David isn’t who will free us, but he needed to be freed just like everyone else.”

  “I didn’t ask for this.” I interjected. “I’m no savior or hero. Whatever Flag and Clara believes it is it is that alone, a belief. If I can help then I will. If I can’t, then I will help you fight until we find the person who can free us all.”

  I walked away from the others heading towards the blast doors. The anger was building up inside of me and I did not want to feel that again. The idea that I was being used by Richard or that I was to be some savior for humanity was a burdened I did not want put upon me. It reminded me to much of my time with
Sara. I wanted to help, to serve, that was all. Saviors are for Gods, and I was no God.

  “Hey, David..!” Kyle called to me.

  Kyle had followed me to the blast doors. Clara and Kim stood near the guard tower talking. He had left his weapon behind and no longer looked at me with hatred. It was surprising to see such a change so quickly.

  “Maybe I was wrong about you.” Kyle began. “You’re right, none of us asked for this. I fought for the Federation. I hated the Alliance. Not because of what they stood for, but because I was told to hate you. Kim lived in Canada. She was not only part of the alliance government, but enacted policies that directly affected my home country. I fell in love with her anyway and I was willing to defect.”

  Kyle just stared at me for a moment. He sighed and turned to look back towards Kim. I was right in my initial assessment. Kyle was in love with her, it was the kind of love I felt for Clara and for Sara as well.

  “They sent someone to kill me.” Kyle continued. “I doubt they cared if they killed a member of the Alliance government in the process. When I reached her apartment she was already dead. I was hit four times before I saw my attacker. I snapped his neck and with the last ounce of strength and made my way to Kim. I had to reach her. I had to tell her I was sorry.”

  The look in his eyes I knew far too well. It was the same look I had. It was the guilt of causing the pain, suffering and death of a loved one. I should have left it at that. I could have nodded and walked away. That was what I should have done.

  “How do you know it was real?” I questioned. “How do you know your love for Kim wasn’t just a lie?”

  The look of pain and regret in Kyle’s eyes changed in an instant to rage and anger. He reared back and clenched his fist. I saw it coming, but did not move. I deserved it. His punch struck me clean in the jaw and my knees buckled. I felt onto my back, my head slammed against the worn asphalt road. I was dazed and could only see a blurred body standing over me looking down.

  “Was that real?” Kyle shouted. “Maybe I was right about you after all. You’re not one of us.”

  He did not say another word. He just turned and walked back towards the guard tower. As I pulled myself up from the ground I saw Clara running towards me. She helped me to my feet and we began to walk towards the blast doors.

  “What did you say to him?” Clara asked.

  “Something stupid...” I responded.

  We continued on through the blast doors into a long corridor. I had entered the facility in the same manner so many times, but that day it felt so strange. Normally the hallway would be guarded by marines. Security lights and cameras would be scanning everyone who had a heartbeat. What I saw, walking towards the elevator with Clara was nothing but emptiness and silence.

  “How many people have you rescued?” I asked.

  “Thirty-three…” Clara replied. “Six were killed. It is not easy to pull someone from the other world. Not everyone felt something was off or missing. Many like you were happy in their afterlife. Kyle believed the death of Kim never happened and that they were able to live on and have children. When I pulled him from that he nearly killed me. We spent the next year trying to rescue his wife.”

  There was so much more than just my story. I never fully contemplated how many human souls were being trapped in a created nightmare. It was estimated that the global war killed over two million people. So many people have died and we did not know how long Richard had been manipulating their afterlife.

  Clara and I entered the elevator. She entered a security code on a small keypad. It was a number I was not familiar with. My security level while high still had its limits. As Clara pushed the button for level twenty-seven it dawned on me that I had never been below level twenty. Below there were the highest levels of military research. Even after the meteor strike we were not allowed down there.

  “What has Flag been doing here?” I asked. “What makes him think anything he does here has any relevance in a created reality?”

  “Everything has its laws.” Clara answered. “You were trained using virtual reality. It was a computer simulation. It was created to simulate the real world and so you were able to do pretty much whatever one could do in the real world.”

  I understood what she was getting at. She mentioned the attackers Richard sent were able to be killed using weapons they found. That meant that anyone who interacted within the world would be subject to laws of the real world. Maybe that was why Richard could never travel there. It would be because he was not human and therefore could not exist in a reality created for humans.

  “So, Flag is looking for a backdoor.” I said. “If Richard can send beings to this place then Flag should be able to send someone to Richard.”

  “That’s exactly correct.” Clara replied. “Anything created here can be used here. Flag has created weapons and equipment we have used against the attackers. He also discovered we can open a tear in this reality and cross into other ones. That’s how I was able to find you, David. Flag now believes he has a way to travel to where Richard is.”

  The elevator came to a stop. Clara stared at me for a moment as the elevator doors opened. There was a look of concern on her face. She was worried about me, but I could not tell why. It was obvious she still loved me and after what happened after she retrieved me she had every right to be afraid. However, it was not that. I felt there was something she did not tell me. Something she withheld and was about to be revealed.

  Clara exited the elevator and we proceeded down another long hallway that led to a massive room. As we continued walking I could see a large capsule in the center of the room and several computer control stations surrounding it. My eyes widened as I recognized the design. It was the same as under Alpha Medical. Just below the large capsule was a smaller one. It was the glass coffin-shaped capsule that Flag had placed me in. Directly above it was a large diamond-shaped crystal. I could not help but stare at it in disbelief.

  “So you have seen this before.”

  Flag’s voice was the same that I remembered. There was no emotion in it. He spoke like a scientist talking to himself. Dressed in a white Naxum Research lab coat Flag looked the same way he did when he stood over me accusing me of being a traitor. My hands balled into a fist. I could feel the anger building up inside of me regardless of what Clara had said about him being there to help.

  “Is it ready, Henry?” Clara asked. “Will this tell us if he is the one?”

  Flag walked past Clara not giving her as much as a glance. He approached me looking me up and down as if I was a sample in a Petri dish. Flag stopped directly in front of me looking into my eyes. A smile came across his face. He looked like a man who had been searching for something all his life and had finally found it.

  “There’s no need.” Henry said with absolution in his voice. “He is the one. This is definitely Alexander Zavior’s son.”

  17

  “What do you know about my father?” I shouted. “Tell me!”

  My body was on fire. The energy was overloading inside me. I grabbed Flag by his collar and lifted him into the air. I slammed his back against the glass of the large standing capsule. Flag’s expression did not change in the least. He just stared into my eyes smiling at me. Clara ran to my side trying to pull me off of Flag, but I did not budge. I did not even acknowledge her presence.

  “What do you know about your father?” Flag asked calmly.

  I wanted to shout at him that he was killed by the Federation, but I did not know if that was true. Deep inside, a part of me wanted to call my father a coward for abandoning me, but I did not know what was true. I lowered Flag to the ground returning him to his feet. I turned back towards Clara uncertain what to say or even what to think. I was lost and she could see it. Flag sighed and slowly walked over near one of the computer consoles.

  “I don’t know anything anymore.” I whispered. “I don’t what is the truth.”

  “I am sure the entity we have come to call Richard has shown you
much.” Flag began. “It is possible my story is yet another theater of the mind that Richard played out for me. Nevertheless my research here has proven that at least some of my theories are correct. I am sure you are under the assumption this all has to do with the theory of life energy and while you are partly correct that is only half of the story.”

  Clara rubbed her hand up and down my shoulder. I could remember that feeling from whenever I was stressed. While it did calm me it was Flag’s calm demeanor that continued to garner my attention. Something inside of me did not want to trust him, but I knew that was exactly what Richard would want. Once again I could do nothing but stand and listen to yet another version of history.

  “My father studied with a man from India named Kanak Sarin. They had both been involved in the study of life energy. Kanak’s research was further ahead of my father’s and so he became sort of an assistant to him. Over time Kanak became frustrated in his lack of progress and began experimenting on himself. It was at that time my father distanced himself from Kanak and began working for what was the United States government.

  My father’s original focus was on creating an Einstein-Rosen bridge, or as you might know it as, a wormhole. As the Alliance military grained more strength and the global war was at its height the military were exploring all options regarding weaponry and resource control. I will spare you the details, but by the time I had finished college my father had identified twelve points across the planet were a wormhole could be opened.”

  There were names that matched those that I had heard before, but never was there talk about a wormhole. I could not help but wonder if Flag did have information that was unique and useful. I did not understand yet how what he had said tied into my father or me, but he had calmed me, slightly.

  “My father from birth had trained me to be his successor.” Flag continued. “This was not unusual, but what was unusual was the fact that I was happy to do it. I was just as intrigued in wormholes and the theory of life energy as he was. I had joined the Alliance military as a scientific analyst and was grated limited information on my father’s project. Meanwhile my father was about to make his greatest breakthrough.