ManaNet

by Hancock, Thomas H.

  The hangar suddenly grew quiet as the machine gun stopped firing.

  “Damn it, out of ammo,” Owen said.

  “Ten more seconds,” Damos replied.

  “Not sure you’re going to get that long,” Owen replied as the guards appeared from behind their cover and began to fire. Bullets clanked off the plane’s front armour, scratching and denting its previously pristine exterior.

  New plan, Damos thought, diverting his course towards the nearest group of guards. They were so focused on the plane that by the time Damos reached then, it was too late. He took the first one out with a blow to the head from his shield. Another turned to fire. Damos blocked the shots with the shield, at the same time grabbing a pistol from the side of the fallen guard. Damos fired into the man’s knee. The guard fell back, tumbling into his comrades.

  Damos wasted no time on the others. He sprinted back, all the while keeping his shield raised. By now one of the other groups had noticed him. They turned and raised their guns in unison. Even with his shield, this was going to be close, and a stray bullet could easily take out a leg.

  The first shot ricocheted off the edge of the shield. The rest were never fired as Owen’s plane lurched forward, smashing into the pile of crates the guards had been hiding behind. Damos gave Owen a quick nod as he passed out of the hangar. He found himself in a curved corridor. Before deciding which direction to try, he turned and dragged the door shut. Holding his hand up to the edge where door met door frame, he dissipated his shield and thought heat. His glove lit up and a moment later the door’s edge began to melt, fusing with the frame.

  “I’m through and the door is sealed,” Damos said.

  “Good, now head to the control room. We’ll retreat for the moment and hang around in the airspace.”

  “Left or right?” Damos asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s a ring, take your pick.”

  “Can’t you pull up some schematics?” Damos asked as he broke into a run.

  “One, ManaCorp don’t really like having their server schematics easily available. Two, I’m flying a plane!”

  I guess I’ll have to find it myself, Damos thought, approaching the closest door. Blade, he thought, before pushing the door open and darting inside. The room turned out to be devoid of people, instead filled with several bunks, each neatly made. Damos shut the door and carried on down the corridor.

  A voice echoed through the station.

  “Warning: two minutes to ManaNet patch application. Please disconnect all external devices and prepare for restart.”

  That can’t be good.

  “Owen, intercom says there’s a patch in two minutes. What does that mean?”

  “Shit, you need to hurry. A patch means they’re updating the ManaNet infrastructure. They’re uploading my algorithm.”

  Before Damos could reply, a clang echoed from behind him.

  The guards must have broken through, Damos thought, quickening his pace down the corridor. As if to confirm his suspicions, a shout quickly followed.

  “Split up, you two with me, the rest go right!” a woman’s voice yelled.

  Three on my tail. Plus an unknown number ahead, Damos thought as he ducked into the next room.

  “What’s all the commotion?” a man asked. He was sat at a desk directly in front of Damos, clearly too concerned with his work to waste time looking around.

  Too bad for him, Damos thought as he grabbed the man’s head and pressed the knife to his throat.

  “Control room. Where?” Damos said. The man mumbled something incomprehensible and gesticulated towards the blade. Damos pulled it away, pressing it to the side of his neck instead.

  “Where?” Damos repeated. The sound of footsteps echoed outside.

  “He’s in here!” the man yelled, tugging himself away from the blade. A moment later the door burst open. Damos whirled around, kicking the door shut with a hook kick while simultaneously tearing the man from the chair and throwing him across the room. The man crashed into a desk, cracking it with his forehead before collapsing limp.

  The door tentatively swung open, but this time Damos was ready. By the time it had fully opened he’d already slunk behind it. When the tip of the first gun appeared, Damos grabbed it and thrust it back. It loosened the bearer’s grip enough for Damos to tear it free and pull it into his own hold.

  Shield, he thought before firing a couple of shots and charging out of the door. His shield smashed into the closest guard and the unarmed man toppled to the floor. His two comrades leapt back and raised their guns. At such close range they couldn’t miss, but the only target they could hit was the shield. Damos swung his gun around and pointed it at the closest guard.

  “Where is the control room?” he asked as the pair of guards lowered their weapons.

  One of them opened his mouth to speak, but the woman, clearly the more senior of the two, subtly shook her head.

  I don’t have time for this, Damos thought, pointing the gun at the woman’s knee and pulling the trigger. She let out a cry of pain and collapsed to the floor. Damos kicked her gun out of her hands before pointing his own weapon at the only remaining guard.

  “Where!” Damos yelled.

  “Q-q-quarter way around the ring,” the guard stammered.

  “Show me.”

  “Warning: one minute to ManaNet patch application. Please disconnect all external devices and prepare for restart.”

  “Now!” Damos cried. The guard turned and ran down the corridor. Damos followed, keeping his gun pointed at the man’s back.

  “In here,” the man said, skidding to a stop outside. Seeing the keypad beside the door, Damos pointed the gun at the man’s head.

  “Enter,” Damos said. He could see the panic in the man’s eyes as he lurched for the door, fear driving him to open it as fast as possible. As soon it opened, Damos pushed the man through and followed him inside.

  “Warning: thirty seconds to ManaNet patch application. All external ports now closed.”

  Damos reached into his pocket and retrieved Owen’s drive, then looked up to see the entire console covered by a translucent barrier. Damos walked up and pressed on it but it was solid to touch.

  “Deactivate it,” Damos said.

  “I… I can’t. It’s controlled by the central system.”

  “Then how do I plug this in?” Damos asked, thrusting the drive in front of the man’s face.

  “You can’t, not until the patch is complete.”

  Damos felt anger rise inside of him. His fist leapt up towards the man’s face before he caught himself.

  “Owen, the console in the control room is shielded.”

  “That’s not the only thing,” came Owen’s reply. “A shield’s appeared around the entire server station. We can’t get through.”

  “What do we do?”

  “Abort. By the time the shield drops it’ll likely be too late. We’ll have to come up with another plan.”

  “Can’t we blow it from the inside? Just bring the whole thing down.” Damos said.

  “Not with you in there. I’m not losing anyone else.”

  “How do I get out?” Damos asked.

  “The stations all have emergency escape pods which will parachute to the ground.”

  “Emergency pods, now,” Damos said, raising his gun once more.

  “Two doors down,” the guard stammered.

  “Lead the way,” Damos said, grabbing the man’s jacket and pushing him to the door. The pair exited into the corridor.

  “Patch application underway,” came the announcer’s voice. Damos ignored it. The sound of rapid footfalls echoed down the corridor.

  It must be the other team, Damos thought. A moment later his suspicions were confirmed as four guards appeared around the bend. They stopped as soon as they saw him, raising their weapons in unison.

  “Put them down or I’ll shoot him,” Damos said, pushing his gun to the captive guard’s head. The other security team paused for a moment before
tentatively lowering their weapons.

  “The escape pods,” Damos whispered to the guard. He began to shuffle down the corridor towards the closest door. The other guards all watched, their hands twitching with uncertainty.

  “If this is the wrong room, I swear I’ll shoot.”

  The guard shook his head, clearly too scared to speak. He opened the door and tried to pull away but Damos kept a tight grip.

  “You’re coming too,” he said, dragging the guard in with him. After making sure the door was shut, Damos turned and surveyed the room. It was lined with cylindrical pods, a small release lever inside each.

  Shock, Damos thought, causing mana to shoot from his glove into the man. The man’s body shook for a second before he collapsed. Damos gently lowered him to the floor, blocking the door with his body while being careful not to make any loud noises. He turned and dashed into the closest pod. A door slid across automatically once he was inside, sealing him in. A set of straps contracted around his body, holding him tight, and a pair of cushions inflated to hold his head still. Reaching out with one hand, he could just about reach the release lever.

  “I’m out,” Damos said to Owen as he pulled it.

  * * * *

  Owen saw the pod drop away from the station. It passed through the barrier without a problem, disappearing into the clouds below. Owen instantly turned the jet into a dive, chasing after it. He felt his body pull up from the chair as they dropped, only the straps holding him in place. He glanced across at Lily to see how she was dealing with the situation. Her eyes were focused dead ahead and her hands were clamped over the armrests like she was doing her best not to be sick.

  They entered the clouds close to where the pod had fallen through. Although he knew there was little chance they’d be able to catch it up, Owen didn’t want to risk hitting it by mistake. The plane shook and jerked as it fought its way through the clouds, throwing Owen and Lily this way and that. Owen battled with the controls, doing his best to keep their flight straight. After several seconds they cleared the clouds. Owen let his arms relax as the controls stopped trying to pull away from him. He leaned forwards and peered down. Far below them he could see a circular parachute heading down into a lush forest.

  “Oh no,” he said without really thinking.

  “What? Is he still there?” Lily replied.

  “Yeah, I can see him. It’s where he’s going to land that’s the problem.”

  “Why? Where’s he going to land?”

  “The Colonies.”

  Chapter 22 - Horror

  11:01, The Colonies, Rete Forest

  The pod landed with a thud. Damos felt himself tip before the pod came to rest on its side. The pressure around his head eased and he felt the restraints unlock. The opening of the pod door was accompanied by a faint hiss. Fresh air rushed to meet him, bringing with it the smell of pine.

  Damos reached up and grasped either side of the opening, pulling himself upright. He was surrounded by trees on all sides, huge conifers which stood stalwart in defiance against the sun’s light.

  “Owen, I’ve landed,” Damos said. No reply came, only static. Damos reached up and pulled the earpiece from his ear. It looked fine.

  The impact must have broken something inside, Damos thought. Before he could investigate further, he heard a twig snap nearby. Instinct kicked in and he swung his gun around, pointing it at the noise. When he looked up he saw a panicked man with his hands in the air.

  “Where am I?” Damos asked.

  “Please, put your weapon down,” the man replied. “I won’t hurt you.”

  “Tell me where I am. Then I’ll put the gun down.”

  “You’re in Rete forest, just outside the Colonies.”

  The Colonies? That’s where Lily is from, which means he’s a Freeloader.

  “Keep your hands up,” Damos said.

  “Please, you said you’d put it down,” the man replied.

  “Not now I know I’m in the Colonies.”

  “You said you’d put it down,” the man repeated. Damos felt the gun jerk downwards. He tried to resist, but by that point his grip had loosened enough for the gun to tear itself free. It floated a short distance in front of him. With an awful cracking sound, it snapped itself in two.

  “That’s better. Now, tell me where you came from,” the man said.

  “Why should I?” Damo replied.

  “Because I could snap you in two with a thought.”

  Shit. He’d have killed me already if he was being controlled, but it won’t take long.

  “I came from the server station above. You’re in danger.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  “The head of ManaCorp is going use ManaNet to take control the world’s Freelo- Gifteds.”

  “That’s not possible.”

  “I’ve seen him do it.”

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “You don’t have to, just let me leave.”

  “Okay, say I do believe you. What should I do to stop this?”

  “I don’t know, but my friends flying above will. They’ll have been following me.”

  “The only place they’ll be able to land is in the middle of the Colonies. I can take you there, but be warned; one step out of line and I’ll snap your neck.”

  “Noted,” Damos said, stepping out of the pod to follow the man.

  * * * *

  “There. It’s the only clear space,” Owen said, pointing at a small circular clearing. He steered the plane down and prepared to land. Lily sat up and peered out the window.

  That’s the central hub of the Colonies. I’m home.

  The plane slowed to a stop above the gap in the foliage. The sky disappeared as the plane lowered itself to the ground. Layers upon layers of leaves filled Lily’s view, until eventually they dropped below the canopy and the Colonies became properly visible.

  Wooden huts littered her view, both on the ground and held suspended in trees. Lights flickered from within many, illuminated by either fire or mana depending on the occupant. Winding staircases led up to the higher ones, coiling around the trees like vines. Stony paths joined the houses on the ground, while wooden rope bridges served the same purpose above. All around Gifteds were going about their daily lives. As the plane lowered, a crowd began to form near the clearing which formed the centre of the community.

  “This is bad,” Owen said as the crowd grew. “It won’t take long for the patch to be applied, and then all these Gifteds are going to be under his control.”

  “He can’t control me. It may be the same for some of them.”

  “Your fuzzer’s preventing his control, that’s all. Will any of them have fuzzers?”

  “No, but we could get them some.”

  “That’s an awful lot of fuzzers. And besides, by the time we got to Plexus they’d already be under his control.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “I’m really not sure, but we can deal with that later. We need to find Damos and get the hell out of here. Once we’re clear we can come up with a new plan.”

  The plane set down with a small jolt as the sound of the engines died away. Owen tried to get up. His face contorted with pain and he slumped back into the seat.

  “My leg’s still giving me problems. Can you go talk to them, see if you can find out where Damos is?”

  “How long do I have?” Lily asked as she stood.

  “I don’t know. The quicker the better.”

  Let’s hope Damos is close then.

  Lily heard the back door begin to open as she left the cockpit and passed through the hold. As more of the outside was revealed, Lily saw the crowd back away, leaving only a few men and woman stood around the plane. Their hands were raised, ready to strike.

  “Wait, it’s me,” Lily shouted as she reached the door. The crowd went silent. She felt confused, as if she almost recognised the people outside but couldn’t quite put her finger on who they were. After a moment it cleared, and she knew that at leas
t some people had recognised her.

  “Lily, you’re back!” one of the crowd exclaimed. He lowered his hands and stepped up to the plane as Lily walked down the ramp.

  “Zak, it’s good to see you too, but I don’t have time for pleasantries. An escape pod landed near here a couple of minutes ago. Do you have any idea where it might have landed?”

  “We saw something odd drop out the clouds a short while back. Pretty sure it landed near here. Rithers went to investigate, he should be back soon. What’s the rush? What’s happening?”

  If it were me, would I rather know or not?

  “Come on Lils, you can tell me,” Zak said, sensing her uncertainty.

  “Fine, but only you,” Lily whispered, leading Zak away from the plane.

  “Everything’s okay, nothing to worry about,” Zak shouted back to the crowd. The Gifteds slowly started to disperse, but Lily knew they weren’t so sure.

  “Okay, what’s up?” Zak said once they were near the edge of the clearing.

  “I don’t want you to panic, but everyone here is about to become slave to the CEO of ManaCorp.”

  “Sounds like you’ve been taken in by those ManaCorp bashing preachers.”

  “I’m serious. He’s a Gifted with the power to control other Gifteds, and he’s found a way to extend his power using ManaNet. Soon there won’t be any Gifteds left with free will.”

  “Why would he do this?”

  “I don’t know why, just that it’s going to happen imminently.”

  “This all sounds pretty far-fetched.”

  “Fine, don’t believe me. Just help me find my friend and we’ll leave.”

  Lily looked up at Zak for a reply, but none came. He was stood stock still, as if frozen in time. Lily took a step back and looked around. The whole place had frozen, everyone stood like statues. She was distracted by a knocking sound. She looked up to see Owen bashing on the plane’s windscreen, gesturing for her to get inside. She turned to run and felt someone grab her arm. Zak was holding her. He fixed her with a vacant stare.

  “You can’t escape. I am everywhere,” he said.

  “Everything they see, I see,” shouted a nearby woman.

  “Everything they hear, I hear,” said another one.