80

by Aaron Denius

  “Why?” I ask as we clear the plants.

  Farouk turns to 13. “You can find your way back?”

  “Yes, sir,” 13 responds, and steps away.

  “13,” I call after him. “Meet me in the front field right after sundown.”

  13 salutes and jogs off. My eyes return to Farouk.

  “Come,” he insists, and heads toward the back walls of the compound.

  I follow without speaking a word. We arrive at a small metal door just big enough to fit Farouk's large frame. He places his hands on a scanner and says his name. “Farouk Ebrahim.”

  The door unlocks, and I realize that none of the doors back at the stadium had this measure of security. I speed up to catch up to him and hear the door slam behind us. We walk in silence toward a lush green hill.

  The vibrant color pulls my eyes to the rest of the scenery. It's miles of open fields. Greens, yellows, and browns. This land looks healthy and directly contrasts the destruction, mess, and death of the city on the other side of the compound. Atom and I focused so much on the pyramid's obscure shape that we never thought to look behind us. To see the beauty around us, all we had to do was turn around.

  When Farouk reaches the top of the hill, he sits. As I reach the crest, I notice a sharp drop, which Farouk has dangled his legs over. I sit and peer over the edge. Below us is a large metal door dug into the hill. The metal is different from that of the one we had previously walked through. It looks denser.

  “What is this?” My curiosity breaks my silence.

  “It leads to the dungeon underneath the compound,” he answers. His gaze is focused beyond what's beneath us.

  “The dungeon I was kept in?” This has to be half a mile from the compound. I was held in one of the first few cells and remember the darkness the dungeon disappeared into, but was it this long?

  “Yes,” Farouk responds with disinterest. “It was created as a backup bunker.”

  The flashback to the dungeon reminds me of the young girl Anna who I met down there. Her life is long gone. She couldn't have been much younger than KJ. Their stories much the same. I wonder if her family has survived.

  “When can I see Pocket?” I have broken my promise to too many people. I will not break my promise to keep her alive.

  “You can go later tonight. She's with Paz in the last scientist's quarter room before the field of plants.” He still won't look at me.

  I turn toward the horizon to see what holds his stare with such strength, and I'm drawn into an enormous sense of calm. Just before the fall of the horizon, a massive flow of water rushes with the grace of the wind.

  “It's the Nile River.” He smiles, knowing that I have finally looked. “Just listen.”

  The sound draws me in like the music Atom and I heard all those days ago in the city. The rhythm of the ebbs and flows rock my mind into a trance, and the heat of the sun hitting the back of my head holds me still. Thoughts drift away from my consciousness, and time slows.

  “I have to go back to Nairobi.” Farouk's words startle me back to reality. I don't know how long I was in this blissful trance, but the sun is much lower in the sky and will disappear soon.

  “What? Why?” I just now register what Farouk said.

  “We left the stadium and everything around it in such a mess. I need to go back to make sure the bunker is still in working order.” He turns to face me.

  “What about Lucie? I thought she was in charge there?” My voice weakens.

  He chuckles. “I saw what you did to her. She's probably so angry that she's turned the whole place to shambles looking for you. It's her that I'm trying to protect the bunker from.”

  I smile. “So, what am I supposed to do?”

  “You lead.” He places his large hand on my shoulder. “Paz will tell you who you need to talk to, but you will be calling the shots.”

  “What?” I'm shocked.

  “It's up to you to stop the Ragnarok.”

  “Why? I can't do that.” I'm so confused. I figured I would be doing whatever he told me.

  “You have to, 80.” He grabs my other shoulder with his left hand and looks me in the eyes. “You are battle-tested. You know this compound. You know how to deal with outsiders. And look at the way those other Integers idolize you. You're a natural leader.”

  I don't know what to say. He believes in me even though I don't believe in myself. I have always admired and respected him. If Paz is my mother figure, he is without a doubt my father. They are my family.

  “What about Paz?” I ask. “Does she know you're leaving?”

  His eyes well up. “Not yet. But she will understand. Just like I need you to understand. This is bigger than she and I.”

  “Will I see you again?” I already know the answer, but ask anyway.

  “If you stop the Ragnarok, you will.” He manages a smile, but his eyes tell me differently.

  “Thank you for letting me live.” If it weren't for him, I would have been dead weeks ago.

  “It has been a great pleasure to have had you in my life, kid.” He pulls me in for a big hug as he fights to keep his tears in his eyes.

  I lost that fight moments ago. I hug him back, comforted by the protection of his embrace.

  He pulls away and looks back toward the Nile so that I won't see the tears race down his cheeks. “Do you mind walking to the front of the compound to reenter? I'd like to stay out here a little bit longer before I go see Paz.”

  “Of course.” I stand and place my hand on his shoulder before I walk away. After a few hundred feet, I look back to see his silhouette sitting atop the hill as the last two wisps of daylight leave the sky. My tears are a steady flow down my face. Deep down, I know it is the last time I will ever see him.

  CHAPTER XV

  The light breeze that accompanies the new night dries the tears on my cheeks. The walls of the compound to my left tower over me. I can't believe Atom and I scaled them when we ran off into the city.

  That day bonded him and me together, and that day would split us apart. It's why they sent me to Nairobi. It's what made me appreciate life.

  As I turn the corner, the city intrudes on my view. I see now the distinct line that separates the ruinous congestion from the vibrant fields behind me. A juxtaposition of scenery on which the compound straddles the line.

  The Great Pyramid looms behind the tall buildings of the city. Watching over the land as it has for thousands of years. It has seen the world change before it. What will it see happen next?

  I stop before I reach the corner that will take me to the battered front of the compound. I take a deep breath, appreciating the dusty air, as it might be the last moment of calm that I have for a while.

  My legs carry me around the edge, and I walk with new intent and focus toward the first break in the wall that I can climb over. A couple of drones are lifting a large piece of the border wall into place when they spot me.

  “Stop!” one of them shouts, dropping his side of a concrete slab.

  The other drone stumbles with his half and falls. This pulls the first drone's attention and allows me to jump over and into the open field.

  “I said, stop!” The first drone shouts once more.

  “Let him go. He's one of them.” The second drone overrules the first drone from his seat on the ground.

  I don't look back and take my stride to where I can see 13 waiting for me.

  “You good?” he asks as I get within earshot.

  “Yeah.” I glide past him. “Come with me.”

  I lead him to the pile of rubble that I had met Atom on earlier. I want 13 and Atom to meet each other. Maybe if Atom sees that another one of us has turned and learned to live, he'll be more compassionate toward our need for survival. I'm still holding out hope that I can convince them to abort the Ragnarok. That humans are capable of self-correcting if allowed to do so. 13 and I are perfect examples of that.

  I chuckle when I take a seat at the top, realizing that I've been sitting atop a lot
of mounds today.

  “What's so funny?” 13 sits next to me.

  “Nothing.” I look up at the sky. It's clear, and the mood is nowhere in sight. “What did Farouk talk to you about?”

  “He said that you would be dealing with a lot of things here and that I should take charge of the other Integers.” He looks up at the sky as well, but only for a moment. He seems more intrigued with the compound itself. “I was here for months before they sent me to Nairobi, and I don't remember any of this.”

  “Really?” This surprises me.

  “Yes. It's almost like all the memories I had before I turned are gone. If I even had those memories to begin with.” His eyes dart around, searching for a connection.

  I try to think back as well, but I can't recall a single thing that happened in my life before an outsider shot me while I was protecting Atom. “Maybe we were never intended to have memories. It would make us more compliant to orders if we didn't have previous memories to draw decisions from.”

  “I suppose.” His shoulders drop with disappointment. “So why are we here?”

  “Atom is coming to meet me up here. I want you guys to meet.” I reply.

  “Why?” he asks with a hint of disdain.

  I don't get a chance to answer because I spot two figures walking toward us.

  “He's a good guy. You'll like him.” I hear Atom's voice say to the second figure as they reach the pile of rubble.

  I get a better look at the second figure as they step up. His body is the same build as Atoms. Muscular and athletic. He must be another one of the Genesys. His hair is black, and his skin is a shade darker than mine, quite similar to Atom’s. It would be hard to tell them apart if it weren't for their face and eyes. Atom's eyes are rounder, but his face is longer.

  When they reach the top, their eyes focus on 13. I guess neither Atom nor I expected extra company. I put my hand on 13's shoulder. “This is 13.”

  “Hey.” Atom reaches out, and 13 shakes his hand. He motions toward his companion. “This is Cal.”

  “What's up?” the other Genesys smiles. He and Atom take seats next to me. 13 and Cal sit at opposite ends.

  “So, 13, were you at one of the bunkers?” Atom asks. It's a weird way to break the ice.

  “Yeah,” 13 mumbles.

  “He was with me. He had been there since the beginning.” I look at Atom. I'm not sure he would understand how old 13 is.

  “What happened to your eye?” Cal blurts out. Atom gives him a look. “What? I'm curious.”

  I don't mind the question. I have come to appreciate my flaw. I smile. “It's okay. I was shot.”

  “Protecting me,” Atom adds with a smile.

  “What about your scar?” Cal looks directly at 13. When I look at 13, I can tell that he isn't going to be as open about sharing his battle wound.

  “What the hell, Cal?” Atom raises his voice at Cal. He might be a Genesys too, but Atom calls the shots. Atom looks at us. “Sorry about that.”

  Cal stands up and heads down the rubble pile and back to the compound before I can respond.

  “Where are you going?” Atom yells after him, but he's already too far and doesn't respond.

  “Nice friend,” 13 says under his breath.

  I shoot 13 a quick glare and shake my head. He needs to keep his cool.

  “I don't know what's up with him. Sorry about that,” Atom apologizes again.

  “Don't worry about it.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Things have gotten crazy here, haven't they? I saw that Grant is gone.”

  “Things are different. The timetable has moved up, and everyone is stressing out over it.” Atom stares out toward the city.

  “Did they say when they moved the timetable up to?” 13 leans in. I shake my head at him again. I'd rather he not ask those kinds of questions, though I am curious to hear Atom's response.

  “No one has told me an exact date, but I'm sure Rene knows.” Atom seems as disappointed by this answer as I feel.

  “So, he's still planning on setting off the nukes.” I think out loud.

  “He is. I hope it works.” Atom pauses, as if reeling at his own words.

  13 and I stare at him, dumbfounded by what he said. I'm about to lash out at him when he changes the subject. “So, what have they got you guys doing?”

  I stop myself from referencing what he said and realize that I need to keep calm if I hope to change his mind about the Ragnarok. “13 and I have been overseeing the cleanup and reconstruction here at the compound. We also volunteered to patrol the outsiders in the city.”

  I feel 13's eyes on the back of my head. I'm not sure if he can tell that I'm lying, but he is surprised by my answer either way.

  “Why would you volunteer? You're safer here,” Atom presses.

  “To protect you, of course.” 13 can't hide the sarcasm in his voice.

  I'm not sure if he's trying to play along with my lie or if he's showing animosity toward Atom. Either way, I can't risk him saying something detrimental to my plans.

  “That's enough, 13!” I raise my voice at him. “Go back to your bunker. We'll talk later.”

  13 heads down the pile and toward the bunkers, leaving Atom and me alone. The awkward silence we are faced with makes me realize why we each brought a friend. We needed the comfort of someone familiar. The heaviness of the Ragnarok weighs over us. We are both aware of what the different outcomes mean. Earlier today, we enjoyed the fantasy of what our friendship once was, but now reality is ready to slap us both in the face.

  “So it sounds like you agree with what the scientists are doing now.” Pain and fear accompany my words. My death has never felt closer, even though I've been face to face with it many times before.

  “I don't know. This last attack was savage, and from how you described what you experienced, I just don't see any hope for improvement.” Atom sighs his words out. It's as difficult for him to speak his words as it is for me to hear them.

  “But what gives you—I mean the scientists—the right to decide their fate? It's genocide,” I say before I can help it. My emotions are getting the better of me.

  He appears startled, and stares at me as he searches for an answer.

  “I didn't mean to yell.” I take a deep breath “It's been a long and stressful day. I'm sorry.”

  “Yes, it has. Maybe we should call it a night.” He stands and wipes his hands on his pants.

  “There is something I want to talk to you about, but we can do it later.” I still plan to convince him to stop the Ragnarok, but tonight got off to a bad start with Cal and 13, and it doesn't feel like the right time. I get up and head down the rubble pile.

  “Sounds good.” Atom joins me at the bottom.

  I place my hand on his shoulder, and he smiles back at me. We are both changed from what we were before. I don't see us being friends like then, but I'm glad for those memories. Especially since they are the first memories I recall.

  I turn and head toward the barracks. I want to apologize to 13 before I head to the scientists' quarters to see Pocket and Paz. I feel bad sending him away like I did, even if I don't regret it.

  He's chatting with a couple of other Integers near our quarters when I find him. We laugh about the incident on the rubble pile, and I'm grateful that he's brushed it off and understood my frustration. After twenty or so minutes, I dismiss myself to see Pocket.

  “Tell her I say hi,” 13 yells out to me as I'm walking away. It's weird to hear him say that. It was just a few weeks ago that he almost killed her when he found me in KJ's home. He's come a long way.

  The memory of that day, the first day that I met Pocket and the rest of KJ's family, stings my heart. Their smiling faces sitting around the dinner table etched in my mind. The pain my heart feels is so immeasurable that I stop walking to take a few deep breaths.

  When I realize the pain that Pocket must be feeling at having lost her family, my knees buckle, and I stumble to the ground. My hands shake, and my breaths quicken to th
e point of not being able to breathe. Pocket and I are similar in that we have known so little but have lost so much.

  “Are you okay?” A woman's voice speaks up next to me. I must have been struggling so much that I didn't notice she had walked up.

  I steady myself up to my feet, calming my breathing as I do, and I get a good look at her. She's tall, and has a weathered face, but her hair is hard to miss. It's long, with black and white small streaks. It's as if her head couldn't decide which color it preferred better.

  “Yes, sorry,” I stammer.

  “It's quite alright. It looks like you had yourself a little panic attack.” She smiles as she moves her right index finger back and forth in front of my eyes.

  “Huh?” That is the best response I have. I'm too distracted by what she's doing with her hand.

  “You'll be fine. So, you must be 80. Paz has told me about you.” She adjusts my shirt and smiles. “It's great to meet you. My name is Dr. Kivuli.”

  “You know Paz? Can you take me to her?” I catch the rudeness in my voice and correct myself. “Sorry. It's nice to meet you too.”

  “It's quite alright, dear. Yes, Paz and I work together. I do the same thing she does. Come, I'll take you to her.” She turns and walks toward the open wall of the medical bay of the compound.

  She does most of the talking on our walk, which is fine by me; it lets me focus on the path we take to do it again without getting lost. It's nice to have Dr. Kivuli by my side as we walk as well because the few scientists we pass don't give me a second look.

  I only catch a handful of what she says, but it sounds like it's her interpretation of what she believes to have caused my development. Something about new synapses firing and awakening new parts of my brain. She also mentions something about how if there were more time, she would study me to see if it were possible to arouse other parts of the brain in real humans. Those last words hurt, but they bring my focus back to her and what she says next.

  “Paz's room is at the end down there on the right.” She points toward the end of a hallway. “It was great to meet you, 80.”

  “Yes. Same. Thank you.” I peel away to Paz's room, and I feel Dr. Kivuli turn back in the other direction behind me.