by Terry Schott
“That’s not how it is.”
“Fine.” He reached for his jacket and put it on. “You can get crushed slowly with Thorn. A million people are going to get the quick death in about three hours.” He glanced at her, his eyes dangerous. “Don’t try and disarm this. It will blow quicker if you do.”
“You’re insane.”
His expression softened. “I know it must look that way, Melissa, but I’m not.”
“Killing millions of people is not the Cooper I know. These aren’t the actions of a sane man.”
“What if I’m not killing them?”
“What?”
“What if we go somewhere else when we die?”
“I’ve known you since I was seven and you don’t believe in that stuff. If you’ve suddenly found religion then you definitely know what you’re doing is wrong.”
He shook his head. “Never mind. Let’s get out of here.”
Melissa reached for her gun. “I can’t let you do this—”
Cooper closed the distance between them and struck her hard in the jaw. She fell to the floor. He stood over her, his face grim. After a moment, he bent down to pick up her gun. Releasing the safety, he loaded a bullet into the chamber and pointed it at her.
“Nope.” the old man’s voice sounded from behind. That’s not what I brought her here for.” Cooper turned and looked at him sitting in a chair, his legs propped up on the control board, black combat boots crossed.
“Then why did you bring her here?”
“Not your concern.” The old man winked and pointed at the gun. “Now put the gun down and get about your business.”
Cooper looked at him for a moment and then dropped the gun on the ground. “You better get her out of here, then. Place is going to blow.”
“I know.” The old man sighed and stood up.
Cooper looked at Melissa for a second and then strode off. When he was gone, the old man picked her up, slung her over his shoulder, and summoned a door with his other hand. “That went better than I expected,” he said cheerfully as he stepped into the light.
74
The singing man sat in the back row for the performance. The theatre was so small that he had no difficulty seeing Addisyn, who was sitting in the front row.
It was a beautiful musical. Not one that he had ever heard before, but the theme was recognizable. They were always similar, regardless of the reality in which they were created. He had often wondered why every soul craved the same key ingredients in their entertainment.
The music was above average. Some of the bars caught his attention, which prompted him to place them in his memory for later. Music was different for the singing man than it was for others. He could sense and harness the power in it that seemed to escape most.
He looked at his watch. Ten minutes remained. Addisyn was immersed in the performance, oblivious to everyone around her. The singing man’s eyes shifted right. Lohkam sat a few seats away, his focused on Addisyn.
The singing man knew that this was not the first time Lohkam had been so close to Addisyn. It would be a shame if he attacks her, although tonight would be a good time to do so. I can’t believe that she has so little protection with her.
When the musical finished, the cast came took to the stage for their curtain call as the lights brightened and the audience stood to applaud. A few minutes later, the crowd began to exit the theatre.
Lohkam remained seated, looking at the stage with his fingers steepled and resting on his chin. Addisyn stood by the stage speaking with the stars who had come out to see her. She was a big celebrity and the cast was as excited to meet her as she was to talk with them. Three men remained sitting near the front of the theatre, pretending to be interested in their programs, but every once in a while they would glance up and look at Addisyn.
He will attempt to take her tonight.
Addisyn laughed and said something to the lead male actor, who smiled and touched her arm. She did not notice Lohkam’s men. The singing man shook his head and hummed. A tingling sensation covered his skin, making him invisible to others. He stood and moved to the back of the theatre to observe the scene from a corner.
After another few minutes, Addisyn hugged the actors and walked up the aisle towards the exit at the back door, still unaware of the men sitting in their seats. As she walked past Lohkam, his men stood and followed her from a distance.
Lohkam continued sitting as everyone left the room. His phone chirped, and he stood and left.
The singing man stood in the empty theatre and considered what had just transpired. Then he sighed, dropped his invisibility, and walked towards the stage. I should go backstage and congratulate the cast on a job well done.
***
Lohkam strolled to the curb and waited, pulling the collar of his coat up to keep out the chill. A large black car stopped in front of him. He opened the door and got in.
The girl sat across from him, one man on each side. Her eyes were wide with fear.
“Hello, Addisyn,” Lohkam said. “Thank you for agreeing to drive with us. It’s not every day that I get the chance to meet such a big celebrity.”
Addisyn glared at him.
Lohkam chuckled. “Nothing to say? I’m sure that will change. We will be spending a great deal of time together over the next few months.”
Her eyes flashed with a combination of anger and worry.
“Don’t worry. As long as your parents cooperate with our requests, nothing bad will happen to you. They love their only daughter and will do anything to make certain she is returned to them safe and sound.” He smiled, an expression that always looked cruel coming from him. “I have plans to make before you arrive at your new home.” He opened the door and got out of the car. “When you wake up, please make yourself as comfortable as possible. If you require anything, just let your guards know.”
“Let me go! My dad will kill you when he finds out what you’ve done.”
Lohkam nodded. “I’m sure he will want to.” He shut the door and tapped the roof, watching as the car sped off. He could hear Addisyn’s screams as the car faded into the distance.
75
Brad leaned back in the padded black leather chair and watched the scene play out on the monitor. The surveillance footage showed Cooper enter a room and subdue the guards before moving to a control panel, removing it from the surface. After a few minutes, he replaced the panel, looked up at the camera with a grim expression and left. Brad fast forwarded the footage until a flash of light originated from the panel, followed by static. Brad paused the video and blinked before he looked at the woman sitting across from him.
“I don’t see the problem.”
“This is the third power plant he has destroyed in the past day.”
Brad continued to stare at her.
“Yes. Well,” she stammered. “Millions of citizens are dying as a result of these explosions. He needs to be stopped.”
Brad shook his head and sighed. “That’s Cooper, right?”
“Yes.”
“How does he manage to get around so well when his body is lying comatose? Does he wake up, destroy a plant, and then teleport back to his unconscious state?”
“Of course not,” the president snapped. Her eyes widened as she realized the tone she had just used. She lowered her head. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just . . . the pressure of it all. This situation is perplexing.”
Brad stood and walked to the other side of his desk. He reached down and gently tilted the president’s head up. He smiled and she hesitantly returned the expression. His eyes hardened as he backhanded her, sending her sprawling to the ground.
He waited for her to get up and return to her chair. “I know this is perplexing.” His tone was calm, as if he hadn’t just struck the woman. “The most confusing part is why you feel the need to bring even the simplest issues to me. Really, Tess, I expected you to be able to handle some of the easy stuff.”
“I’m so
rry—”
He hit her again, this time not hard enough to knock her off her chair. She began to cry.
“Stop it.” He waited until she composed herself. “I don’t know how he’s doing it, but the problem is easily solved. Put a bullet in his head.” He paused. “Better yet, do it cleanly. Cover his mouth and nose until he stops breathing. A bit of tape should do the job.”
“Yes, sir.” The president stood and walked to the door.
“Wait.”
She stopped without turning to face him.
“Do it yourself.”
“Pardon?”
“You liked to give the orders when you were in charge. Now it’s time to get your hands dirty. Kill Cooper. Let me know when it’s done.”
The president’s face paled but she nodded and left the room.
Brad returned to the desk and picked up the phone. “The next time you speak to me I want to be told every member of the General’s Hand are dead.” Without waiting for a reply, he hung up and looked back at his monitor.
***
The president stopped in front of the simulation centre and spoke to her guards. “Wait here.” Her voice was calm despite her nervousness. The guards took up positions on either side of the door. She entered the room and walked past the dozens of empty tables before stopping in front of Cooper’s still body. As president, Tess had interacted with him once or twice during his career with the General. He had always been courteous and professional to her.
A tear ran down her cheek as the thick, clear tape peeled off of the roll with a squeaking noise. She raised it to her teeth, ripping first one length off and then another. Her pulse quickened as she looked down at his face, her vision blurring. Grimly, she applied the tape to first his mouth, and then his nose.
Cooper’s body jerked, the muscles of his mouth struggling beneath the tape, his nostrils flared against the clear sticky ribbon as his body tried to suck air in.
Will he wake up? Panic gripped her. Will he kill me?
His body started to thrash and twitch, the sensors monitoring his pulse and vital signs shrieking.
The president watched his body struggle to live. It reached a crescendo of violent movement, then slumped and became still. The beeping of the machine was replaced by a single, flat tone. She reached forward, holding her fingers to his neck.
There was no pulse.
The president swallowed and wiped the tears from her face, then she turned and left.
Cooper’s dead body lay on the table, the ragged edges of the tape curled upwards on his pale cheeks.
76
Danni looked at the phone on the table in front of her, willing it to ring with news.
Trew stalked back and forth, pacing like a wildcat trapped in a small cage. Occasionally he would look at Danni, his eyes blazing.
The office door opened and Brandon entered. Danni and Trew looked at him hopefully but he shook his head.
“No sign of her yet.”
“The first twenty-four hours are the most important,” Trew growled.
“Then we still have twenty.” Brandon squeezed Danni’s shoulder and sat down beside her.
“I will turn this planet inside out to find her.” Trew began pacing again. “I will kill everyone and everything that stands in my way. I will—”
“Trew.” Danni stood and moved to join him, touching his arm. “Please calm down.”
“I will calm down when she is safe. That son of a bitch has no idea what he’s done, but I will show him. There will be no reality safe for him to hide in if he harms our baby girl.”
“We will find her,” Brandon said.
Trew turned to glare at the young man. This wouldn’t be an issue if you’d done your job. You’ve had years, what makes you think you can find him now? He forced himself to take a deep breath as he looked away. Stop it. Calm down. He forced himself to become calm. “I know we will.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to find Lohkam and end this sooner.”
“There will be no blame or negative talk,” Danni said. “We focus on the solution and do not spend time on the past, which cannot be changed.”
Trew and Brandon nodded.
“The problem has always been finding them,” Trew said. “There are too many places to hide. I have no idea how we can get around that.”
“I do,” Brandon said. “I should have used this option earlier, but there is a cost.” He looked uncomfortable. “I will use it now.”
Something in the tone of Brandon’s voice troubled Danni. “What are you thinking of doing? This had better not be a repeat of the move you pulled by bringing Cooper here. We don’t want you dying on us again, Brandon.”
Brandon laughed. “You are too clever for your own good sometimes, Danni. Don’t worry, I am calling in a play, but the cost is not my life this time.”
“What kind of play?” Trew asked. “The price must be dear if you haven’t used it already.”
“It’s another summon. I have brought someone to Tygon who will be able to find Addy quickly.”
“Finding her is one thing.” Danni looked doubtful. “I expect Lohkam will have her under heavy guard. Getting her out will be a big challenge as well. Will your friend come to us for help?”
Brandon smiled. “I wouldn’t exactly call this person a friend, but they will do what I have requested. As for coming to us for help, it won’t be necessary.”
“You never give us much information do you, Brandon?”
“Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, Danni. Let’s just sit tight and wait to hear from my contact.”
77
Sparx’s fingers danced over the keyboard in a blur. His gaze remained on the middle of the screen, his peripheral vision watching to make certain that every typed line was flawless. The door opened softly but he noticed it over the loud clacking of the keys.
“What’s up?”
Melissa sat down, taking a moment to watch as he worked. “That’s incredible. Can you even see the lines spraying past you?”
“Of course.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m not sure. Yet.”
Melissa opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it and shook her head.
“Any luck finding Cooper?”
“Yeah.”
Sparx detected trouble in her voice. He stopped typing and swivelled to face her. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s dead.”
Sparx frowned. “When?”
“Sometime yesterday.”
Sparx began typing again. “Tell me.”
“Someone went to his body yesterday in Thorn’s simulation centre. Walked right in and killed him on the table.”
“What about the other one? The Cooper who ported over from Tygon and is blowing up people by the millions.”
“I would assume that killing the original would have taken care of the copy.”
“Wrong.” Sparx summoned a video and pointed to a second screen on his left. “This surveillance footage is less than an hour old.”
Melissa watched as Cooper entered a power generation building.
“They might have eliminated his original body, but he’s still very much alive and continuing his killing spree.”
“He’s insane. I can’t believe the death and destruction that he’s caused. I know he feels justified, but someone needs to shut him down.”
“I’m putting a stop to it.”
“How?”
“Sending orders to remove the quantum cores from all remaining city generators.”
“Who will listen to your orders?”
“No one,” Sparx said, “but they’ll listen to the President. I sent documentation across all channels. In a few hours, Cooper won’t be able to find a power core to detonate.”
“Will that stop him?”
Sparx shrugged. “It’s the best I can do.”
***
Cooper made his way to the central containment unit, killing the guards that stood in his
way and bending down to retrieve an access card from one of the bodies. He entered the quantum reactor and moved to the central panel, reaching behind him for a screwdriver. With practiced movements, he opened it to expose the core.
It was empty.
Cooper sighed and looked at the camera in the far corner. He knew they were not wired for sound, but he shook his head in clear disapproval for whoever would watch the footage later.
He dropped the panel and left the room, considering other options.
“I’m guessing they’ve removed all the cores. I need a new way.”
He entered a vehicle parked in front of the building, looking calmly over his shoulder as he pulled away from the curb to merge with traffic.
Before he had gone two blocks, Cooper knew what his next move would be.
78
Addisyn rolled over in bed and stared at the locked door to her cell. It didn’t look like a prison; most would guess it was simply the bedroom of a wealthy girl. It contained expensive furniture, complete with a computer and television. The bed was lavish and comfortable and the closets were filled with clothes that would appeal to a young girl in her mid-teens. The only abnormal feature was that the door locked from the outside.
Addisyn had been here for three days. She was fed regularly and no one had threatened to harm her.
Other than the guard, no one of importance had visited her.
She heard a sound from the hallway and looked at the clock on the wall. It was mealtime.
Addisyn jumped out of bed and moved to the side of the door, quickly throwing a small white towel onto the ground. She had been standing like this for the past three visits. At first the guard had been wary, but now they appeared comfortable with her standing there. Everyone she had met here seemed bored and used to routine. That’s what she was counting on. The towel on the floor was a new twist.
The door opened and the man, a large muscular guy in a black suit, raised his eyebrow at her and nodded. He stepped into the doorway with her tray of food. The towel on the ground caught his attention and he looked down at it. Addisyn lashed out with her right hand, quickly followed by her left and a jabbing kick with her right foot. She had mastered this martial combination two plays ago in the Game, and it was effective.