The Grid 3

by Paul Teague

  Matt nodded.

  ‘I’m still confused about what’s going on here, but I’m grateful for you saving my life. There was no way I was getting out of there alive, I owe you that. I’m not sure about President Delman. I don’t share your view of him but I hear what you say, and I’ll reserve judgement for now. I’ll keep quiet about you being in Sector 1, but if things change and I find out that something else is going on, I can’t guarantee I’ll stick to our agreement. For now, though, thank you. I appreciate that I’m still alive.’

  It was the best Jacob could hope for. He was alone in Sector 1. He’d got plentiful supplies since he was the only one left alive. Power seemed to come from a central system. He was secure there and he understood the tech. There was nothing else he could do, other than to sit, wait, see what the President wanted, and try to keep his family alive. He had an ally, somebody knew he was alive. That was security which he might rely on later.

  He escorted Matt across the Sector 1 grid and took him as far as the exit.

  The two men shook hands and parted. Matt wasn’t at all sure about Jacob’s take on Delman, but he believed him to be a good person. In The City they all had to do things they weren’t comfortable with. You could speak up and take the consequences or you could stay quiet and keep your family safe. Most chose the latter. Matt certainly had. It’s what had kept his boys alive and his wife safe.

  He headed down in the elevator, calmer now but in urgent need of medical attention. He craved rest, he just wanted the torment to stop for a while. The door opened, and as instructed he ran across to the Sector 2 elevator. He waited outside the door until the Transporter area activated. Three armed guards were there. They weren’t Centuria, they seemed defensive rather than hostile.

  Matt held up his hands to show that he was unarmed and not a threat. There was somebody else standing behind the guards, he hadn’t seen him at first. He stepped forward.

  ‘Welcome to The TriPlex. My name is Philip Schaelles.’

  The Address

  Wiz was delighted with his new tech rig. He wished he’d had all of the equipment earlier. It almost made it worthwhile having to dangle from the scaffolding and risk his life in the elevator. He’d finally been able to do what he’d set out to do.

  The tech teams had re-established the signal from the sewers, across The Climbs to the rebel base. The Centuria had located the mast at Harry’s apartment and torn it off the side of the tower block. That was a nuisance, but not an insurmountable problem. They hopped the signal via a nearby high-rise, it was probably better that way. The Centuria would struggle to track the path that had been created across from the other buildings.

  Wiz made a few adjustments and confirmed that everything was in place. He’d got direct access to Matt’s data on the Fortrillium servers and he’d got the feed Delman was using to communicate beyond the walls of The City. He’d been allocated assistants, a tech team of three rebels who knew the equipment well. They were from Silk Road and, like Joe and his family, they’d been sent to The Climbs for one reason or another. Each had a grudge to bear, they were perfect members of a resistance movement. They had specialist tech skills from their former lives on Silk Road, fused with a hatred of Damien Hunter and all things Fortrillium. It was the perfect combination.

  Wiz needed to prioritize. There were people in The Grid depending on him. Dillon was doing well, and he felt relieved that at least he’d managed to keep Joe’s brother alive. He’d accomplished something. He intended to do his best to improve on his results. That was not going to be the only thing he achieved, he was determined about that.

  Talya was ready to make her address. He needed to locate the holographic message from Matt. He got his team to interrogate Matt’s data files. There was a lot of information in there, they would be able to work through it much faster than he could on his own. It was a case of sifting through notes, images and diary entries – it was time-consuming but should be productive too.

  Everything worked better and ran faster in the rebel base. It was a help that Wiz didn’t have to monitor the power levels continually. Eventually he was ready and called Leo over so that he could talk discreetly.

  ‘I want to show Talya this message alone at first. I think she’s going to find it quite a shock.’

  ‘That’s okay, use the briefing room, Wiz. Send your data to console 3c, you’ll be able to access it from there.’

  Talya had been checking in on Dillon. She was quite clearly nervous. Wiz had always known her as confident and assured when he’d seen her taking part in debates and news items on the screens, he wasn’t used to her being like that.

  ‘I want you to see this alone for the first time, Talya. We need to decide if we’re going to show this during your address. It’s explosive stuff, and it may put people in danger.’

  Wiz accompanied Talya to the briefing room and began a replay of Matt’s video message. Talya watched quietly until the end, hanging onto Matt’s every word.

  ‘I’m still alive, Joe, and you need to come to me now ...’

  He spoke his last words and the holographic message ended. There was silence for a moment.

  ‘Do you think it’s a trick, Wiz? Was it recorded before Matt died?’

  Talya was looking for explanations and reasons for it not to be true. The implications were too great. She’d never seen Matt’s final moments, Tom’s body had never been recovered. Could her own husband still be alive?

  ‘I’m sure it’s for real, Talya. I’ve done some checking and this message was placed on Matt’s server area just after he was supposed to have died in The Grid. It makes sense. If Matt had handed Joe his data card it would be the ideal way of getting a message through to him – if Matt could still access Fortrillium, that is.’

  ‘What if Joe hadn’t managed to access the data? It’s a bit of a risk to take, isn’t it?’

  ‘What other options did Matt have, Talya? He was arrested by the Centuria without warning. Although he was so young, even then he knew his tech, and Matt wanted to pass the data over into safe hands. If he thought he was about to perish in The Grid, what other choice did he have?’

  ‘And what about this more recent message? Where might it have come from?’

  ‘I just don’t know, Talya, but it makes sense that if Matt were alive and wanted to get a secure message to Joe, that’s where he’d place it. He’d set up a secure area already and had managed to give Joe the key to access it. If you were in a place where you were unable to get a message directly to Joe, what would you do?’

  Talya considered this for a moment. Wiz was right. It was the ideal way to try to get a message to Joe. It was a long shot for Matt, but what other way did he have to communicate with Joe from wherever he was? Talya thought about Tom. Was it possible that he too could still be alive? It seemed incomprehensible. She and Lucy had gone through the grieving and the nagging sense of loss, they’d rebuilt their lives without him. Might he be alive too?

  Talya reined in her thoughts. There was no evidence to suggest that her own husband could be living. She needed to focus on the facts. It seemed to make sense that Matt might be alive. His disappearance had been very similar to that of Joe and Lucy, a sudden interruption to the screen feeds. No evidence of death. And then there was the most recent development, the use of clones of Joe and Lucy in The Grid.

  She’d had to slip off quietly into a room to get to grips with that development. At first she’d thought her daughter was back in The Grid, in much better health, clean, clothed and armed. Joe was the same, he seemed to have had some time to recover from his previous battles, he appeared much stronger and alert. Then Fortrillium began to play a new show reel explaining that these were just clones sent in to trick the Justice Seekers. They looked so real. She could swear she was looking directly at Lucy. After composing herself, she’d checked in on Dillon. She had to remember she was responsible for more than just Lucy. There were Joe and Jena to think about, Max, Mitchell and Hannah. The lives of so many were
hanging in the balance. And now, alongside the resistance, she could finally fight back. It would no longer be with words alone, she would now be able to back things up with force. For the first time in the history of The City, or certainly during her lifetime, they were capable of striking back.

  ‘Let’s use this video, Wiz. The citizens of The Climbs are going to need something more than just hate to get them to take action. We need to give them hope, hope that something else is out there. Let’s get ready for broadcast, I want to do this now.’

  The address was put together at great speed but its impact was dramatic. Talya and Leo wanted the message to be released as soon as it was ready.

  The broadcast area was set up. Wiz’s tech team located several damning images of Damien Hunter from Matt’s files. Wiz prepared the holographic image for replay. They were ready.

  ‘Okay, Talya. Standby, we’re breaking into the screen feeds now. There’ll be a short delay. I’ll give you a signal when you’re on.’

  Leo controlled events with assurance in the makeshift broadcast room. Talya had had enough experience on the end of a TV camera to know exactly what to do. She was calm and ready. She’d rejected writing a script, she wanted her message to be spontaneous and straight from her heart.

  ‘You’re on, Talya!’

  Talya waited a moment, looking at the camera. This was being broadcast across all the screens in The Climbs. It was possibly being seen on some screens on Silk Road, they couldn’t be sure. Thousands would be watching this. How many would it take to begin a revolution? It was in the early hours of the morning – who would even be watching at that time?

  ‘Many of you will know me already. My name is Talya Slater. You will be aware that my daughter is currently fighting for her life in The Grid. You will also know that I was recently made a Law Lord, at President Josh Delman’s request. One of my first duties was to pass sentence over my own daughter. I’m sure you will understand how that felt.’

  Talya paused. The crowds watching the screens throughout The Climbs had fallen silent. Images of Damien Hunter committing atrocities in The Climbs were being shown on a screen behind her. They needed no words, they spoke clearly enough for themselves. Those watching did not know what was going on, but they sensed immediately that it was unauthorized and important. There was a charged atmosphere in The Climbs. Those who were in their apartments felt the sudden change in mood on the streets below, and many looked out of their windows to see what was going on. It was the middle of the night, yet The Climbs was alive with activity.

  ‘We’ve all known loss in The City. The loss of my own daughter to the justice system is just one story. Many of you will have lost family members in The Grid. Others will have disappeared. It’s rumoured they go to a place called The Soak, but even I as a Law Lord was denied access to this facility. People of The City, we’ve been fed nothing but lies!’

  A murmur rippled through the entire city, from one screen audience to the next, along the streets and throughout the tower blocks. Talya had kindled a spark.

  The Centuria became unsettled. Those who were part of the increased street patrols had been drawn to what was happening on the screens, they’d felt the mood beginning to change among the crowds. There was silence, everybody waited for Talya to continue.

  ‘Like you, I have been terrified to raise my voice in The City. Where I saw injustice, I protested meekly, then I was silent. I was scared for my own life, but even more fearful for the life of my daughter. I have been privileged to live a life on Silk Road. My friend, Jena Parsons, was thrown into The Climbs six years ago. She and her family were left to fend for themselves. Jena’s son, Joe, has fought to keep my daughter alive. Jena is now incarcerated in The Grid and her youngest son, Dillon, is safe with me after being hunted like a criminal. He is still a child.’

  Another pause from Talya. She’d learned many tricks during her time making appearances on the screens. She wanted what she was saying to have time to percolate. It was important that her words created an impact. The Centuria teams began to seek guidance from their command centres. They could sense that the mood was beginning to change.

  ‘We are all mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children. Whichever side of the gates we live on, we are all trying to survive and protect those we love. But we do it in fear. It does not matter if you live on Silk Road or in The Climbs, we all live in fear for our lives. We dare not speak openly for fear of punishment. We dare not protest for fear of repercussions. The shadow of fear was cast over our lives a hundred years ago and it has stayed with us ever since.’

  People watching in the crowds began to shout out in agreement.

  ‘That’s right, Talya!’

  ‘Yes! Keep talking, Talya!’

  The calls were tentative at first, then they became more frequent and confident. The Centuria quietly and unobtrusively began to form offensive positions around the gathering crowds. Many people were running down the staircases in their tower blocks, anxious to see for themselves what was being said.

  ‘You will have heard about an explosion in The Climbs today. The news reports are claiming it was an accident. The truth is it was caused by a resistance group which has been operating in The Climbs secretly for many years. I am with that group now and I have agreed to be their spokesperson. The explosion was caused by their soldiers rescuing two young people who had been trying to save my daughter and Joe Parsons from their fate in The Grid. They were trying to do what any of you with loved ones would do if they had been thrown into that terrible place.’

  The mood of the crowds had changed from interest, to surprise, then on to acknowledgement and finally to increasing anger. The Centuria sensed it, fingers tightened on triggers. Their instructions were not to fire unless it became absolutely necessary.

  ‘Many of you will remember that I lost my husband, Tom, six years ago. I lost a husband and my daughter lost her father. He’d been working with Matt Parsons, who we all believed had perished in The Grid. Today I have been handed this holographic message from Matt which was sent securely to his son.’

  Wiz played Matt’s message. The holographic projection was placed just to the right of Talya. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought about Tom and the possibility he was alive. Everything was seen by the people watching the screens.

  ‘I believe we have been lied to. If this message is true, Matt Parsons is still alive and he is safe somewhere outside The City’s walls. That means there is life beyond these walls and we are being held in a prison which is run by Fortrillium.’

  Talya steeled herself. She had to take care, she was rousing the crowds to action. The Centuria were often innocent too, their hands had been forced in different ways. She didn’t want a bloodbath on her hands.

  ‘I have no doubt that, as I have been speaking, the Centuria in your streets and in your squares have become increasingly restless. Many of them will be gripping their weapons right now, wondering what is going to happen next.’

  The crowds looked around, suddenly becoming aware of the armed presence on the streets. There was a growing sense of unease. Revolution had consequences after all.

  ‘Two of the Centuria have helped to rescue my friends. One of their own friends, also a Centuria, is currently incarcerated in The Grid where she may perish alongside all of the other Justice Seekers. It will be hard for many of you to sympathise, but the Centuria are people just like us. They also live in the shadow of fear, but I have learned today that the Centuria can be compassionate human beings too.’

  Had Talya been addressing the crowds directly, she would have sensed confusion. The message she had seemed to be giving was changing. They’d assumed Fortrillium was their enemy.

  ‘We have been lied to and our families have lived in fear and danger for a hundred years. We came here to escape the plague, but we became prisoners of a different scourge – the disease of fear. I do not know what lies ahead, but I know there has never been a better moment to seize the opportunity for change. That t
ime is now. Centuria, I ask you to lay down your weapons. Citizens of The City, I ask you to reclaim this city.’

  Talya had not been certain of what she was going to say, but as she had worked through her address, the enemy had become clear to her. She had known it all along, but she had always hoped a deal might be forged.

  ‘The enemy here is Damien Hunter, Fortrillium’s head. You have seen the images behind me. They were gathered by my husband, Tom, and his friend, Matt Parsons, before they disappeared. They had discovered what Damien Hunter was doing and had collected the evidence. You can see with your own eyes who has been holding us to ransom. I urge you to reclaim our city and reclaim justice. There has never been a better time to take action. If we fail now, we may never get our chance again. Stand together citizens of The City, it is time to banish the fear!’

  Talya finished her message and the screens went blank before the Justice Trial feed reappeared. There was a tense silence. Somewhere in The Climbs a man and a woman emerged from the crowd and walked up to a group of Centuria. Weapons were lifted, aimed directly at them. They continued to move forward.

  They were the parents of a man called Chris. He’d been taken away from them and placed in the Institute. He’d later appeared in The Grid, dazed and confused by what was happening to him. Lucy Slater had cared for their son and shown him kindness and compassion. The Justice Seekers had fought to protect him and keep him alive. Their son had been so moved by Lucy Slater’s kindness that he’d repaid the debt by saving her from Schälen. He’d died, not as a victim but as a warrior, surrounded by a group of supposed villains he would have been proud to call his friends.

  Lucy Slater’s mother had just spoken. She had asked for their help. They were going to give it.