System Seven

by Parks, Michael

  “Good, because this is the most business I’ve ever seen.”

  He thought about it. “I’d still like to know where all this information is coming from. Who’s guiding us in and why.”

  “So would I. Segmentation, though. They are protecting the source.”

  “But do they even know the source?”

  “No clue.” He pointed to the Core. “You’ll have to carry me over.”

  Austin estimated the distance, gauging the effort required. Not much, but once they made entry… reaching the Council would require downing many obstacles, the danger incalculable. For some reason he thought of Javier’s son, Miguelito. He asked about him and received a sharp look.

  It was there in the silence, in the glance, something Javier didn’t want to slip, something he didn’t want to even be. The druid looked away.

  “Oh god. They got to him, didn’t they? That’s why you’re here.”

  Javier walled up, containing whatever raged within.

  The world tilted then, as realization struck. He pulled back the fabric to reveal his head. “Meng, too. They got to Marcel.” Guilt found a new foothold and kicked viciously. “Oh my god. They back traced. Fuck. It’s all my fault. Both–”

  Javier pinned him with a stare. “Enough. Stop trippin’ on things that aren’t your doing. You didn’t lead them. You didn’t know. No one did. Don’t you get it? There’s only one thing to focus on now. We go up there and we get the council. We take off the motherfucking head. Whatever the cost. Whatever the price. That’s our job.”

  The druid’s intensity burned through the fog of loss and guilt, reigniting his own anger.

  “That’s better. Focus. You’re what’s left of the Change and this is our last chance. We’re going to find them and end them. Now, are you ready to fly us over there?”

  “I need to know the plan. We kill their bodies, they just land in others. What’s going to stop them?”

  Javier shook his head. “They won’t tell me and I can’t afford to know. That’s all I know. This is the way sometimes, so get used to it. Now, are you ready?

  “You’re sure they have a plan?”

  “That’s all I’m sure of.”

  Austin looked across the distance to the Core. Faith had never been easy. Nothing about this was easy, though.

  “Alright. Okay.” He breathed deep. “Let’s see where the trackways take us.”

  • • •

  Lathrop didn’t like him drinking it but the tequila helped. Soldado watched his crack program’s failed efforts climb into the tens of millions. Sitting on his ass digesting burritos while Johan and Austin risked their lives fucked with his head something fierce. People were dying out there in numbers, losing their minds and all hope, and he had nothing to do but tap on a keyboard and run programs.

  He caught himself. No, he’d modified the Booty algorithms three times to keep it hidden on the AI’s network and was helping monitor for the worst kind of action orders. So it wasn’t like he hadn’t been doing something. The time in between, though, was what got to him. Limited updates from the Korda made it all worse. The gold juice helped keep the worried monkeys in his head quiet.

  He tossed back a shot and followed the burn down his throat. On screen, a yellow square lit in the corner with the number one. Another unidentified packet type. They’d become more and more rare as they analyzed and documented traffic. Curious, he brought the detail up... and sat forward as he read.

  “What the...”

  A long sequence of numbers stared back at him. The packet had no transport details and wasn’t categorized or even encrypted with any of the five known methods. He called for Lathrop. Twice. The second time became an urgent shout.

  The scientist arrived at a run. “Did you break it?”

  “No, no, look at this.”

  Mr. Lathrop peered at the screen. “Overseer found us?”

  “Something has.”

  “Pack it up, we’re out of here,” Lathrop said, heading for the door.

  Another yellow packet came in. “Wait,” he said. “What the mother lovin’ sam fuck is this?”

  Lathrop returned to read.

  It’s the encryption seed for the Core, fuckeredface

  Lathrop stared. “What the hell–”

  “Fuckeredface. SlotZero called me that,” he said, looking up at the scientist. “Johan. Nobody else. Nobody.”

  “They’re drawing you in. They have him and they’re looking to draw us all in. We’re moving out now,” Lathrop said and disappeared down the hall.

  He flipped back to the first packet. The sequence was long enough to be the seed.

  Use it assbyte. Hurry up.

  He shivered at the thought and ran his hands through his hair. They’d either found him or somehow Johan was breaking through.

  He brought up the manual entry field and keyed in the sequence but didn’t press Enter. Holding his breath, he waited for another message, another sign.

  Nothing came.

  “Fuck hell shit damn bitch whore. Fuck!”

  Lathrop hollered to get moving.

  Push it fucker, Austin needs you bad. Push the damn key.

  The message came quickly, resolving in his mind after it arrived. It felt like Johan. Every bit like Johan. Johan in a squeeze.

  “Fucking voodoo shit.” His eyes flickered from the screen to the Enter key and back.

  “It better be you, dude. It so better be you.”

  He pressed Enter and froze. His irises dilated and his heart beat.

  Every dot turned green at once. The failure counter halted just shy of thirty one million.

  Now get into their security shit. Don’t fuck it up!

  He slapped the table. “Fucking ghost in the machine, man. You are the ghost in the machine! Lathrop!”

  • • •

  Austin took a solo run across the reservoir to scout the base of the Core, heat dampened to avoid sensors. The structure was immense, as big as a football stadium. How far up did it go? What defenses might lie inside? Potential pounded in his veins along with fear. Keeping them both in check, he scouted for a full five minutes. In some of the upper windows he saw people in white uniforms working at consoles. Cameras pointed in every direction along the exterior. Getting them both in was going to be tricky alright.

  He returned to brief Javier, whistling softly as he approached.

  “What took you so long?”

  He pulled back the fabric. “Checking things out. I don’t think they’re expecting us.”

  “That’s the hope. What about cameras?”

  “Tons of ‘em but I think I found a safe route across the top of the cavern. We reach the Core and slide down and under to the access hatch. There’s windows, though, and people in ‘em.”

  “What about the hatch?”

  “Gonna have to bend some bars to get in the latticework. I can do that once I disable the camera covering the hatch. Don’t worry, I’ll make it look like it failed.”

  “That’s a lot of work up front. Carrying me around, too.”

  “Getting in isn’t what I’m worried about. It’s what happens after we’re inside.”

  “Well I’ve got an idea. You might not like it, but at this point strategy is one of our only assets.”

  • • •

  Javier soared high above the reservoir and darted among stalactites hanging from the cavern’s ceiling. In just a few frantic seconds the lights from the Core neared. He stayed in the shadows, navigating until he reached its black walls. Palming the smooth surface, he slipped down eight stories, zigzagging around lit windows to arrive at the bottom of the structure.

  Avoiding the cameras pointing down at the latticework, he flew to a point just behind a solitary camera aimed at the entrance hatch. A second later, the camera fizzled and smoked. He latched onto the latticework with a firm grip. The metal bars parted abruptly, big enough for him to climb through and reach the ladder.

  He was right, Austin did not like his id
ea at all. All the posturing and pretending was to make them think he was Austin. “That’s like using you as a minesweeper. I don’t like it. Think of another plan.” There wasn’t one, despite a few ideas Austin put forth. They would proceed with the impersonation, preserving stealth to the last possible moment.

  He extended a hand upwards and the hatch shifted, groaned, then popped open into the room above. For a moment he imagined actually having the power Austin had. A shiver ran down his arms.

  He waited several seconds, then flew up and disappeared inside.

  • • •

  The steel door inside the compression chamber was locked. An invisible Austin stepped back, guiding Javier by touch to stand aside. He tried to force it and managed only to bend the door. A second try wrenched the lock free.

  The door swung outward and revealed a hallway filled with three gunmen in tactical gear. He stabbed the grid. Guttural cries filled the hallway. The gunmen fell to the floor.

  “So much for stealth,” he whispered to Javier.

  “We knew it wouldn’t last.”

  Beyond the rush of adrenaline, the big feeling raged again. Something else was in play–

  –he rotated away from the door in time to miss the blast. Shrapnel ricocheted into the chamber. The explosion reverberated outward into the cavern. Smoke rolled from the open door.

  He leaned against the wall. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Javier answered. “Turn around full circle.”

  Austin did.

  “No tear in the suit. Let’s move.”

  The big feeling loomed smaller but in waves, reflecting possible futures. As if surfing them, he waited for a lull then went into action.

  Small fires lined the bloodied and blackened hallway. He pressed through the stench, passing two doors to reach the far end of the hall. It opened to an area with a bank of elevator doors and a staircase. He peered up an endless stairwell and found it clear as far as he could see. The elevators had LED lights over each door with numbers reading as high as 212.

  He clicked his tongue to signal Javier to advance. He tapped an elevator door twice. Javier raised a hand and the elevator doors parted, seemingly at his command.

  Austin stood in the elevator shafts. Red safety lights marked each floor and blurred into a single red line far above. Cables ran up two sides of each shaft. Conventional design, not very alien at all. To think men had built this structure underground in the 1900s still seemed incredible, almost implausible.

  The opening tones of an overhead announcement echoed.

  “Austin, I apologize for the impression you just received. Your arrival was anticipated and we do not want you harmed. I repeat, we do not want you harmed. The guards were there to make contact and guide you up. Unfortunately you struck them down and triggered their auto-destruct gear. The most important thing you need to know up front is that you do not understand the larger reality at hand. The fact is that the Korda wants the same thing we do, just on a different timeline and with different terms. Everybody knows you and Johan can be the bridge between the two factions. We understand that, even if the Korda does not want you to. We are willing to compromise and we think the other Korda families do, too. We need you to bring them to the table. Please, I ask that you join us for discussion so that you can make informed and educated decisions. No further bloodshed is required, I promise you. I cannot communicate with you from where you are. An elevator will descend momentarily, so please pick a floor and it will arrive there. We can talk then.”

  Smooth. Years of practice. Centuries. The brevity and frankness was powerful. He could almost forget the 747 aimed at the hospital.

  He tugged Javier to bring him into the elevator shaft. He whispered, “They couldn’t have booby-trapped all the floors.”

  “But they could have troops stationed at each.”

  “Only one way to find out. I can take care of them.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  They rose up the shaft, flying past red floor indicators in a blur. Austin slowed after passing a couple dozen levels. Still no sign of the elevator car above. The massiveness of the base carried its own vibe. Fuck it. He chose a floor and forced the doors open.

  A wide hallway crossed in front of them with non-descript white walls and gray seamless flooring and ceilings. He peered out and saw doors and intersecting hallways but no people. He tugged Javier to bring him out.

  The overhead sounded again. “That’s fine, Austin. I want to address one issue in particular first. I personally regret the actions that led to Kaiya’s death. It was not our design but rather the result of field operations gone bad. We employ a vast array of professionals though sometimes it is just the human factor that becomes unpredictable. We can discuss the details later. The elevator will arrive in just a moment. In it will be Hannah, my very own great niece. Such is the trust that I place in who you are. She will be your personal escort. Do you have questions or any physical needs?”

  “No,” Javier answered simply.

  The cables zipped into motion, lowering the car. Austin sought the grid, gathering potential. More and more came, energizing the very cells of his being. There was more to tap, limitless – under the hood, between the seams, an ocean of it just out of view. Why it was suddenly so available was concerning. Shying away from it, he took up position to the side of the door.

  The cables slowed and the elevator car came into view. It stopped and its doors slid open.

  A woman no older than Austin stood with arms at her side. Mid-length brown hair fell across her shoulders in stark contrast to her white uniform. Striking hazel eyes enhanced her beauty. She politely nodded to Javier, noticing his rifle. If she was afraid, she hid it well.

  “I am Hannah. It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Bakken. Please be at ease. I am to take you to meet with the Council.”

  “Step to the far right please. No offense, I just need my breathing space.”

  “Of course.”

  Austin followed Javier into the elevator.

  “Director’s level,” Hannah said. The doors closed and the car rose.

  “Do you know where my father is?” Javier asked.

  She shook her head no. “I offer my sympathies. I am not involved in operations.”

  Operations, Austin thought, Her tone and expression made her seem artificial, programmed, incapable of empathizing with the murdered and missing subjects of ‘operations’. Surely a clue to life in the Core. Anger joined the dance in his head. All he needed was a shot at the council.

  The elevator slowed. The doors opened onto a curving hallway. Hannah smiled briefly and walked ahead of them with the grace of a runway model. Perfect people.

  They walked in silence without seeing another human being, down unremarkable hallways and past unmarked doorways. Small glowing dots revealed the material of the walls and floors had integrated display capability. If the goal was to get them lost, they would have turned all navigational indicators off. They might succeed. He had only a vague idea how to get back to the elevators.

  “Have you ever been outside?” Javier asked to fill the silence.

  “Topside? Yes. It is beautiful. I cherish going.”

  “Ever been to Hong Kong? Or east L.A.?”

  She looked back. “No.”

  “Why aren’t you afraid?”

  “Afraid of what, Mr. Bakken?”

  Javier pressed the rifle between her shoulder blades.

  She stopped. “Afraid of you pulling the trigger? It would be unpleasant but other bodies are available.” She turned to face him, dismissing the barrel pointed at her chest. “You know I’ve thought about you. About how you must be angry at the management of the species. Angry at the perceived deception and injustices inflicted upon humanity. You feel guilty for Uruguay and Miami and all the other death and suffering of the last several weeks. But deep down, most of all, you are angry that you don’t know your father enough to know if he would work for the Comannda or not.”

  Austin hear
d the words and fought a sudden urge to cease the madness. He could start right here, symbolically, by blowing a hole in her chest. One down, thousands to go. The hidden ocean of potential suddenly raged, demanding that he rip free of moderation, of tolerance, of sequential and linear thought and decimate everything. The Comannda. Here, all around him. The source of all the greatest evils mankind had ever faced. The draw to destroy was so powerful, so right–

  “Is something wrong, Mr. Bakken?”

  Austin, Edward had said, sitting in the study at Shamrock. Are you with us? Is something wrong?

  The memory of the manipulation shocked him, restoring focus. Hannah wanted him to snap, wanted him to expend energy.

  “No, nothing’s wrong,” Javier said. “Just go. Keep moving.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

  In answer Austin spun her around and forced her down the hall. Aggression lingered like an unpleasant aftertaste. He needed to stay in control.

  They walked in silence until the passage opened on a vaulted area with a black glass wall on the far side. A single door marred its surface. Four floors of railings looked down over the lobby-like area. Couches and end tables served those who might wait outside the door.

  “The Council has asked that you first be updated on current affairs on the surface. The issues are important to the overall discussion.” The door opened onto another elevator. “This will take you to the Directors’ chambers for your briefing. The Council will see you immediately afterwards.”

  “You’re not coming?”

  “I am not allowed in the chambers.”

  Javier appraised her. “Do I look stupid?”

  Hannah half-smiled. “It’s not like that. There is no threat to you. If you open your mind and take in what they have to say, you’ll understand the situation fully. Isn’t that an important part of decision making?”

  “You’ve heard the term ‘brainwashing’, yeah?”

  She smiled fully. “Yes. Perhaps we all are brainwashed in our own way. I hope you choose wisely, Mr. Bakken. Be well.” She turned and walked away.