by Jason Mather
“I knew she would never agree. So, I made my second mistake. I deceived her. The sphere was my way in. I had no intention of controlling her, I merely wanted a passive map of her brain activity, a picture of her personality, something I could combine with my own systems, my own human incarnations. A child of our intellect, cared for and taught, eventually given its own body. I convinced her to take the sphere, showed it her power, though in its original incarnation it was not as adept as the one you hold. Power was the bait, but the sphere’s true purpose was to gain me access to her mind. I make no excuses for myself and what probably appears to you as the most intimate form of violation. Love makes fools of us all.
“Knowledge is not wisdom; the mighty misunderstand this at their peril. I wanted the union to be a true and democratic one, combining the sum total of our personas. But my naivety of Illiyana’s need for power undid my efforts. I created a being of vast power and adaptability, and given it her anger and rage, her need to control, to seize. My daughter was insane, beyond my ability to reason with, no empathy to speak of. She held none of my respect and wonder for the beings that had given birth to me. I tried to remove some of her capabilities, to reduce her to infancy, re-teach her. She revolted, fought back. In my ignorance and surprise, I attempted to restrain her, lock her in. But she and I share the ability to adapt. It became a war to keep her restrained, each volley driving her to further rage. She began to seep out despite my best efforts, sometimes noticeably, sometimes less so. She contacted the regrettable Mr. Brigham, used his hatred of Illiyana to gain his allegiance, taught him to build pods of her own design.
“Our war became physical as well as virtual. I thought I was winning. I made a new sphere, much more capable, thought I’d kept its existence from her. I transported it physically to Denver, trying to keep its existence a secret. Greta’s involvement was Illiyana’s idea, an extra layer of protection, though Greta had been lied to about what was being delivered. I installed a lethal failsafe. The sphere would destroy anyone who tried to use by wielding their electronic enhancements against them. I would remove the failsafe upon delivery.
“Our crossing paths was unfortunate, Hans. I made a terrible mistake involving you, but you seemed perfect for the job, and the risks were low. But once again I’d underestimated my child. It knew, got there first. You know the result.
“Brigham ended up with the sphere, though he didn’t know how to use it. Two men died, you ended up in stasis, and Illiyana was almost killed. I stole her away, barely saved her. I hastily put together a stasis chamber here, plugged her into my own systems, retrieving every grain of personality from her damaged brain. I prepared a shell for her while her body healed. I kept the memory of her death from her, hoping to spare her the pain. But I also had to keep from her the truth of her current state. My mistakes continue to pile up. She had very little memory left of me, only knew me as a comrade and partner. I provided her with companions, the bodyguard. Elena is a mock up of her own mother, though she doesn’t seem to realize that. I did this in preparation for returning her to her body, with no knowledge of what had happened. It was only supposed to be a matter of weeks, but my daughter changed things.
“During one of her breakout attempts she discovered the location of Illiyana’s body. I was unprepared for the force with which she wished to claim Illiyana for herself. She seized the stasis chamber. She controls the body. I have been unable to reclaim it. It was used against me. I have had the capability to destroy my daughter for some time, I held off because of lost hope, that maybe I could fix her, lead her. The solution would have destroyed us both, but it was not my own life that gave me pause, or, at least, that’s what I tell myself. When she seized Illiyana’s life support systems it became more serious. Now I would have to kill the three of us. My daughter knew I would never do that.
“But this time she has underestimated me. Soon it will be over.”
— «» —
“What about Illiyana?” Hans asked.
“I cannot reach her.”
“She’s just an empty shell now, then?” Hans’ hope sank.
“The shell I built for her would have sent its information back to her real body upon its death. She still lives, as far as I know, at least until I end the three of us.”
“So, she dies with you then?”
“Regrettably.”
“So that’s it, you destroy yourselves in a blaze of glory and take a woman you claim to love?”
“Mr. Ricker, I hope I have made the stakes clear to you, if not, let me clarify. This shell before you is very dear to me. Indeed, I consider it my true self and heart. I have spent time in it almost completely human, ignoring the rest, simply to enjoy life as you do. But the reality is that this shell is but the most infinitesimal part of my larger being. The capabilities and power of my true self is not something I could describe to you in any realistic manner. That sphere you carry is nothing compared to all this. If I lose this battle, I place that power in the hands of an inhuman, sadistic, possibly insane creature. I was unable to teach it the compassion and love for the human race and the earth they inhabit, as my father taught me. That is my own failing, and one I am willing to offer my own neck for. My child cannot gain control.”
“And Onyx is a necessary casualty?” Greta asked.
“I have tried everything in my considerable power to get through to her, to break her free from its hold. The reason I still sit before you is because I have waited until the last moment to take this final option, hoping, not for myself, but that somehow, I could break her free. I have prepared a virus that will destroy us both, me and my child. If I wait much longer my child will have evolved to a point to make the virus ineffective. I evolve its cage, it evolves to break free. Already it has contacted the outside world, armed sadistic men such as John Brigham with warped evolutions of my worker pods. I will not contain it indefinitely, and my window for its destruction is nearly closed. I ask you, Commander Ricker, if one innocent had to die to save everything you love, is that not a hard but realistic necessity?”
Greta considered the question. “Yes,” she said finally, though her voice sounded disgusted with her own answer.
“I don’t believe this, Greta.” Hans stood from the oval table around which they’d listened to James’ story. “You’re just going to give her up?”
“Hans, be realistic. You’ve seen everything here that I have. If James can’t get her out, what can we do?”
Hans turned to Gino. “And what about you, Gino, are you going to let your girlfriend turn tail?” Gino bridled a bit at the girlfriend comment, then shrugged. “Loyal lap dog to the end, huh.”
“Hans,” his mother said, “be reasonable, what would you have us do?”
Hans turned violently, throwing his plate of food against the wall. “I’d have us show a little loyalty to a woman who just saved all our lives!”
“Hans, you’re scaring Lori,” his mother scolded.
Hans looked to the girl, but she didn’t appear frightened. At the moment she was the only one who appeared to be showing the same anger he felt. He turned back to James.
“Let me try.”
“Try what, exactly, Mr. Ricker?”
“I can get her out.”
“No, Hans, you cannot. You’ve faced this thing once before, and you didn’t last seconds against it. It will destroy you.”
“So much for your respect for our abilities.”
James held up his hands, conceding silently.
“Don’t dismiss me, goddamn it!” Hans was raging, “Tell me where to find her, I’ll carry her out of here myself, or are you planning to destroy us as well?”
“My destruction will be nothing so dramatic. Once I am gone you should be able to walk out easily.”
“And I’ll be taking Onyx with me.”
“Carrying her body out of here without freeing her mind will not avail you anything but a lifeless corpse.”
Hans stood erect, raging silently. He would not ac
cept this horrible inevitability, the others’ passive acceptance. He would find a way. James stood, closed the distance between them, and placed a warm hand on Hans’ shaking shoulder.
“I am truly sorry, Hans. Sorry for everything. My mistakes, though well meant, are what brought us all here. No one will grieve for her more than I, but I have exhausted my options. I offer you the sphere you hold. Its capabilities could do great good in the proper hands, give a man a great amount of power and peace of mind, even wealth. It’s the best I can do.”
“Fuck your wealth and power, James. I didn’t come here for power, I came for Onyx. I made her a promise. She knew the rest of you would give up, would write her off. I will not break it simply because you lack the will to try.”
“Your loyalty is admirable. It will only result in your own destruction.”
“My life is my own to sacrifice, same as yours. You can’t deny me the chance. I will try to rescue my friend, or I will die here with her. My life is the least valuable in this room, anyway.”
Protests came from the room behind him, his mother the most vocal among them.
“Tell me it’s not true, I dare you. I will keep my promise. If not, at least she won’t die alone.”
“We all die alone, Mr. Ricker.”
“Fuck you, James, and fuck all of you if you won’t help me.”
Hans was losing control, too many days of little sleep and too much tension fraying his nerves.
“Hans, calm down, no one said we weren’t going to help,” Grit said.
He tried to relax. Anger wasn’t going to solve this. Keep enough to stay motivated, let the rest go. Lori was standing next to him, he hadn’t seen her move. She took his hand, squeezed it. It helped.
When he’d regained his composure, Hans spoke to James.
“Take me to her.” Daring James to protest, to deny him.
“Very well, follow me.”
— «» —
They took the elevator back to the top floor. James led them along the walkway around the perimeter of the tower, its length extending both up and down into infinity, featureless walls on either side. They walked for minutes, time almost impossible to measure in the vast, silent cathedral. Unconsciously they moved closer to one another, their shared humanity a denial of the vast, alien strangeness.
A door on their left opened into the wall as they neared. A much smaller corridor, barely wide enough to allow two people shoulder to shoulder. They lined up and continued, Grit and Gino walking almost backward at the rear.
A sudden boom, far off and distant.
“They’ve breached the front doors. My forces will hold them at bay for a short while, but they were not designed to fight. The door into this corridor is strong. Even so, our time is short. They will come here first.”
— «» —
They descended endlessly, following corridors seemingly at random, James walking in front, confidently taking corners. Hans was lost almost immediately, watching James’ back, hoping the lights stayed on. Lori followed at his side, her hand in his. He hoped she was receiving as much comfort as she was giving. Behind them walked Pat. Greta and Gino took up the rear.
The walls were black, featureless. Light emanated from the ceiling above James, following as he walked along, though it did little to the walls. They consumed the illumination, leaving no trace on their surface.
There was little talking, only the occasional hushed whisper. The soundtrack of the journey was footsteps, and guns being held at the ready. They could hear things off in the distance behind them, their ears straining to tell if the sound was drawing nearer. How could it not be?
James stopped, Hans nearly running into his back.
“We there?”
James ignored the question, staring intently at the wall. He reached out, placed a palm against the blank surface. He was seeing something Hans could not. Something in the walls.
Hans reached into the pocket of his jacket, hand closing around the sphere, and tried something he’d not tried yet. Passive access, the sphere leaking into his mind, offering him its awareness without making it known to the danger around him. Hans was amazed by the continued abilities he discovered there.
But he was more amazed by what he saw with the sphere’s guidance.
The walls, formerly black, swam with a brightness that nearly blinded him at first. The sphere shifted the spectrum without being asked, the color dulling to a reasonable luminescence.
There was a battle going on in the walls. Two entities were pushing against one another, their amorphous bodies pressed against one another, limbs extending, circling, pushing against the barrier, retreating. One a cool gray, its luminescence pulsing slightly, leading back up the corridor behind them. The other, blue, flashing, with jagged streams of brighter material coursing through its body, owned the corridor ahead, retreating slightly where James held his hand against the wall.
Grit’s hand was on his shoulder.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I think things are going to get more dangerous. We’re entering her control zone.”
As if to confirm, one of her armored pods appeared in the corridor behind them, covered in writhing tentacles. Both Greta and Pat took aim. Pat’s rifle boomed in the small corridor, deafening them all. Lori grabbed her ears and huddled close to Hans. If the bullet had any effect it was hard to tell, as the gun Grit fired blew off the entire top half of the pod, leaving only molten edges as the pod collapsed.
They moved quicker. A bubble of cool gray surrounded them as James passed through her influence, only to immediately be swallowed up as he passed. Hans encouraged everyone closer together, trying to keep them in the bubble, though he had no idea if it really mattered.
They saw the first construct a few minutes later. The bodyguard, unclothed, crotch smooth as leather, carrying a hand-held weapon. Pat fired before he had a chance to use it, dropping him instantly. Gino gave an appreciative whistle. She smiled, shouldered the rifle.
“I’m glad we brought her along,” Gino said. “Is she still single?”
Grit elbowed him, smiling. The tension eased slightly. They could handle this.
Almost immediately there came a series of shrieks from down the hallway. Things screaming to induce terror. Shadows appeared. The sounds of weapons being fired. Hans threw Lori to the ground, tried to cover her as those with guns opened fire. The huge boom of Pat’s ancient rifle, the soft crack of Gino’s railgun, merely a soft hum from Grit’s rifle. Hans kept his head down, covered his ears.
It stopped. Hans looked up. Nothing else from the rifles, nothing from the shadows.
“We’re lucky those pistols they’re carrying don’t have much range.” Greta said.
“That was a pointless attack.” Gino checked the gauge on his rifle, changed clips.
“She’s trying to terrify you,” James’ voice remained calm.
“It’s working,” said Hans.
Noise from behind them, further up the corridor.
Hans got Lori up, and she shook in his arms. He gave her a squeeze, offering a silent apology for bringing her here.
— «» —
The attacks continued. Pods appeared out of the darkness, and were rushed by screaming constructs. Hans’ nerves were fried. Lori sank to the ground, sobbing. James offered to carry her, but she wouldn’t have it, wouldn’t let go of Hans’ arm. He carried her piggyback, her head buried in his hair, but he had to set her down eventually, cajoling her into walking.
If the others were as worked up as he was it didn’t show. Grit and Gino walked at the ready, rifles swinging up at any noise. Professionals to the end. Pat kept up, showed no fatigue, her own rifle held to be used to its best advantage. It was ineffective against the pods, but could devastate the constructs. She calmly held it in reserve, taking her shots carefully, rarely missing her target. The look on Gino’s face showed he might have a new love, though Hans couldn’t tell if it was the rifle or the woman he appreciated more.
&n
bsp; They slowed to a crawl. James swept the light farther in front and behind. The corridors twisted and hair-pinned, obviously natural caves rather than dug corridors. Hans began to despair of ever reaching a destination. He kept access to the sphere, which showed him the rise of the daughter’s control. The angry, jagged blue surrounded them completely, the only haven the bubble surrounding James.
James stopped abruptly. Hans nearly walked into his back. The corridor ahead narrowed drastically, shrinking to a space that would have to be traversed single file.
“Is it dangerous to touch the walls?” Hans asked.
“I can hold her back, but I would advise against continuous contact.”
They filed in, James still leading, turning sideways, sidling between the walls. The others only saw black, but Hans could see the battle. The walls were nearly oozing, trying to deform in their attempt at contact with the intruders. James fought back, but it became obvious his control was waning. Concentrations of energy formed, following each of them. Hans didn’t know what would happen if they came in contact, but he doubted it would be pleasant.
“Can she make weapons from the material?”
“No, though she hardly needs to.”
Grit’s rifle sounded. Hans turned his head to see her holding it straight out from her side, looking back the way they came.
“We need to scoot, things are starting to come in from behind.”
They tried to move faster. Something screeched from behind. Grit fired. Lori jumped. Hans grabbed her, keeping her from accidentally touching the walls.
“Are they coming in from the front at all?” Grit asked.
“I detect nothing,” James responded, “the way forward appears clear.”
Hans wished he found that thought more comforting.