by Skyler Grant
"Get up," Ismene demanded. I was trying, I really was trying, but my limbs just weren't working properly.
"Don't kill her. He's going to want the bitch alive," said one of the voices above me. It didn't stop another foot from winding back and kicking into my midsection. I think it broke a rib, it was hard to tell when so much was already broken.
Without the drugs in my system I'm sure I would have lost consciousness. Even with them the world seemed to barely make sense.
I heard the roar of a rifle, but didn't know why. Were they killing me after all? I wasn't ready to die. Not yet. I had more to do. The guard who had kicked me fell onto the floor beside me, half his skull missing, brains oozing out, and I marveled for a moment at the texture brought into such vivid detail.
Then a flash of pink and an arm was pulling me up and to my feet, "Persephone. Are you with me? Damn it. Is she going to be okay, Sparks?"
In an instant the fog in my head faded. The disorientation of moments before was a bit of strangeness. I was keenly aware of my body and I could catalog every single flaw. I stretched and bent, and snapped fractured bones back into their proper places.
No, that wasn't me stretching and bending. That was Ismene. That was my friend doing her damnedest to keep me alive.
Then I was back in control of my own limbs again. "I told you to get everyone away," I said to Diva.
"I'm kind of a shitty second-in-command. You know I don't leave my people behind," Diva said.
"You've got a couple of minutes. Tops," Ismene said.
"Thank you. You saved my life," I said.
The words applied to both conversations. Diva nodded.
"We'll clear the room for you," Diva said.
I shook my head. I had this. I shouldn't be moving at all with my wounds, but I was building a legend. If people had made me Persephone because they wanted to see a victim, they'd picked the wrong girl. It was time to show them instead what they'd really created.
I leaned against my spear, legs shaky as I moved towards the doorway to the office.
Sparks had his tablet open. He tapped into the surveillance systems, "Four guards and the guy in the support suit. One at your ten, two at twelve, one at three as you enter. Support suit is against the back wall unarmed."
I took a moment to visualize the setup and then entered. My spear spun and I buried it to my right, driving it through the guard there. I spun and used his corpse as a shield as the guards ahead opened fire. The body twitched and I retracted the spear, then dove behind a cupboard. The Silversmith was in my hand in an instant and I put a high penetration round through the head of the guard standing alone. The one best positioned to fire at me from this tangle.
Sheathing the gun, I extended the spear once more. With my heightened senses I would hear the click when an ammunition clip ran out, and I just had to wait for my moment. It didn't take long at the rate they were throwing out bullets. I rolled from cover and came to my feet with the two guards positioned one behind the other. I threw the spear.
It required precise accuracy, but I was good even before Ismene had turned me into a full killing machine. I was better now. The spear impaled both at once and sent them sprawling across the room.
That just left Green. He was watching me as I approached, his features not all that different from what they were in the Network. The support suit was different, of course. Station-born, his muscles weren't suited for Earth. With a proper framework though he was able to survive here, thrive even.
It did more than put him on a par with someone born on Earth, it made him far stronger. Green must have got word what was going on, he wasn't in the Network and his eyes tracked me as I stepped towards him.
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Green clapped, slow and exaggerated. "You're so good at murdering pawns. Hard-working men and women just trying to get by."
I wasn't going to let him spin this whole thing around on me. "You abducted one of my team. You tortured her. You have an entire facility here of people you've been forcing to live in terror."
Green gave a smug smile. "Do you know how many people are volunteering for what so horrifies you? Boxing is the future as people choose the world we create for them. If, perhaps, some few suffer for the process, do they not also suffer now?"
"This isn't Philosopher's Square and you don't have time for this," Ismene said.
Of course, she was right. I could already feel my body starting to fade. The rush that been carrying me thus far was starting to recede and I was beginning to feel my wounds. I had a lot of wounds.
"Let them out. All of them," I said.
Green tapped at a panel on his support suit, "Done."
I didn't have to ask if he was telling the truth. I could hear the sliding of glass in the distance followed a moment later by the wrenching sobbing that began. From a thousand throats it was a deafening sound. A chorus.
"Now, before you go and do anything else, I surrender and forfeit my side in our little match. You and your companions are free to depart. I am a senior executive of the SantaFe Corporation and a protected person under the Treaty of Detroit. Any action taken against me will be an act of defiance against the Corporate Council and subject to their response," Green said.
He was trying to talk his way out of it. Of course he was, he was untouchable. In his position and with his authority he was supposed to be above violence. If I did anything against him I'd be as guilty as those who had destroyed Olympus. I didn't know how I felt about that.
Even moments before, I'd have been happy to kill him. When I was riding high on that surge of confidence I wouldn't have doubted the righteousness of ending this man. But now I did.
I felt like there were two sides pulling at me. Alena Polias was the daughter of Olympus and would end this with honor. One crime did not justify another and she believed that, given a choice, people would ultimately choose to do the right thing. They'd seen enough.
Persephone didn't care. Persephone had been cast into the Underworld and seen such horrors inflicted upon the people there that she was driven to punish the guilty. Without a doubt this man was guilty of oh so very much.
It was impossible to judge the consequences of the act though. I'd almost certainly be judged a criminal. Killing an executive of Green's standing was a massive crime and I'd be doing it live, broadcast to the Network. My team would likely be judged accomplices and share in whatever fate befell me.
It was Masque that finally settled things. Sparks and she had been talking back and forth. Sparks must have been tuning into the chatter on the Network and knew what I was attempting. Masque cleared her throat, then clearly and carefully said, "I implore you my Queen, as your loyal subject, put this wrong to rights."
"You worthless, stupid cunt," Green said, and they were the last words he ever said.
"I find you guilty of crimes against the citizens of the Underworld," I said, as I raised the Silversmith.
I made sure to put the bullet between his eyes. I made sure to watch as his face caved in with the force of the round, watch as the support suit toppled to the ground. I wanted the audience to see this. I wanted everyone to see.
Then I felt my legs going out from me and my vision going black. The candle that burned too brightly was going out. I wondered if this time I would awaken.
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When I came to I was in a bed. Silken sheets and an open window outside showed a beautiful view of mountains and the sea. It was stunning, and of course, I was dressed only in leaves and vines. I felt amazing at least, which meant it was probably all a lie. I stood up cautiously and went to look out the window.
The door cracked open and Columbia peeked in. I wondered if she was on some combat drugs of her own, so quickly did she cross the space and crush me into a hug.
"I'm guessing you don't hate me then," I said, a bit breathless.
"You're right. I would have really hated your plan," Columbia said with a shake of her head. "How do you feel?"
"Good. Really good. Why
am I in the Network?" I asked.
"Your nymph Ismene is looking out for you. You're in bad shape, you're in really bad shape. I wanted to get you into a proper medical facility, but things are a little complicated right now. If you're conscious, it means she got your brain back working at least. It wasn't, for awhile," Columbia said.
My nymph Ismene. That was one way to put it. I knew the answer to the next question before I asked.
"Am I still on camera?" I asked.
"Forever and always," Columbia said, brushing her hair back. "You're the first of a new kind of Hero. Or maybe just a murderer and a psychopath that should be executed. There is a lot of debate going on about that right now."
That was no surprise.
"Do I still have a job?" I asked.
"You murdered a senior executive of SantaFe while a contractor with Liberty and using a Liberty gun. SantaFe responded by bombing several Liberty owned mines and colonies on the surface. That conflict is in the process of escalating and there is talk of officially repealing the Treaty of Detroit," Columbia said.
I'd started a war. I also noticed that she hadn't told me I was fired. Columbia was probably hesitant to say too much, because I was on camera, but then I was always going to be on camera now. This was my life, a permanent broadcast to a viewing audience of thousands. If I really was a new kind of hero it might wind up becoming hers as well.
"That wasn't actually an answer," I said.
Columbia smiled wryly. "I know. We have the full logs of you being you, ever since you slipped into that suit of armor. Ismene provided them to the arbiters."
Well I'd already blown my privacy to hell. What was a bit more? That would have included the attack on Olympus, the valiant last stand of the AIs.
"And?" I asked.
"You were officially stripped of your original identity by the Corporate Council and declared with a new one. Since you assumed the identity of Persephone, you have answered to that name in both worlds and honored an identity focused on growth and nature in one, and death in the other. Arbitration has ruled that the murder was an officially sanctioned mission. That is not to be taken as any sort of recognition of any authority as Queen of the Underworld to punish crimes," Columbia said.
That was a mouthful. It sounded like my mad plan had worked though. Lines were blurring everywhere and people clearly couldn't tell the difference between what was real and what wasn't anymore. I'd decided to erase those lines.
"SantaFe obviously doesn't agree," I said.
"They aren't alone," Columbia said, moving to sit on a couch in one corner of the room. I joined her.
"I know how it feels. I know how I felt after Olympus. That illusion of safety is a hard thing to lose," I said.
"Every major station has rescinded coming of age trips to the surface for the moment," Columbia said.
"If everything I saw about the destruction of Olympus is now on the record, has there been any new leads?" I asked.
"The Collective is demanding answers, Liberty as well. We both took much of the blame for the destruction. The news that the AIs were not behind it means that another Coporation with a station in orbit almost certainly was. That is ten suspects, eleven if you include Liberty."
I gave her a look and Columbia shrugged. "The theory has been floated. Your AIs were apparently locked out of a lot of systems. Who better than Liberty to do that and frame the AIs?"
They would have had the technical expertise, but from all that I'd heard it seemed that the attack on Olympus had meant a hit to their bottom line.
There was a knock on the door and Ismene peeked in. Nymph was right, my friend was now as barely dressed as I was. Her entire frame shimmered and her hair was damp as if she had just stepped out of a shower. "Sorry if I'm interrupting the hot lesbian sex."
"I hadn't got to any propositioning yet," Columbia said, and motioned Ismene inside.
"Interesting look you're sporting," I said.
"You get a nymph ally. Surprise," Ismene said brightly and then cleared her throat. "You can log out if you want. Do not go getting in any fights for the time being."
"I get in a lot of fights," I said.
"Yeah. Well, stop that," Ismene said.
Columbia leaned over and gave me another hug. "I really am glad you survived. I'll give you a call, if anything changes or if you have a mission. You're totally on the hook for the next party too."
I could imagine.
I nodded to Ismene and the world faded as I logged out of the Network.
I was in unfamiliar surroundings. It was a room almost as nice as the one that I'd just left. I was stretched out on a bed and a fire burned in a fireplace nearby. I couldn't imagine where they'd actually found some real wood to burn.
Diva was asleep in a chair nearby, a rifle slung across her chest. I prodded her with my foot and her eyes snapped open. "What do you want, Ismene?"
"It's Persephone. How much has she been using my body?"
"You're totally pregnant with Hammer's baby," Diva deadpanned and let that thought sink in, before she beamed a grin.
"Good one," I said.
"Yeah, we don't know whose baby it is. There could be so many fathers," Diva said.
This joke was getting old fast. On the plus side, a public execution and turning my team into accomplices seemed to be just what was needed to get Diva to like me.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"Estate of that Lady Penworth chick. They uh, blew up the warehouse. We barely got you out of there. Going on a murder spree kind of made the Lady forgive you, even if she's pissed you didn't let her help," Diva said.
I was surprised Camelot wanted anything to do with me.
"How many of the knights wound up surviving?" I asked.
"Just Giles. When they brought him out his armor was stained top to bottom in blood. He's the Red Knight now, they made him a full-on hero," Diva said.
Giles had helped me to commit a murder, and in a kingdom valuing honor that made him a hero. I didn't know what to make of my sense of right or wrong anymore. I wasn't one to question my decisions, but it was the first time I'd made one quite like this.
"How are the others?" I asked.
"Sparks got some more steel put inside him and Hammer too. Top of the line stuff, the Collective feels they owe you one. It's all been a little crazy," Diva said.
"I guess. Columbia told me a little of what has been going on," I said.
"Columbia doesn't know shit," Diva said with a firm shake of her head. "I know the Corporates are debating back and forth trying to decide what to make of you, but it isn't like that on the streets here.
"I should find out," I said.
"Check your mail first. You have a lot of it and Ismene set some aside she said was important," Diva said.
I brought up my Comm.
An official invitation to the Roma embassy from Inanna. That would have to happen. An invitation from Billy the Kid to rob a bank with him, that might happen. The last one though caused me to gasp.
Didn't make it to the Harrowing of Etrusca. Miss you.
It was the play I'd suggested to Orestes that he take Rena to, back on Olympus. So long ago, it seemed.
There was no answering address. That just made it all the more convincing.
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I didn't want to stay in bed. I'd been there enough.
I wanted to see what had become of the old base and Diva agreed to take me. It was a strange walk, the people on the streets of the Camelot compound gave me space. Unlike last time, everybody seemed to know me. Bows and curtseys were not uncommon as if I were some sort of noble. At least they were friendly.
Things got different when we got onto the real streets. Diva looked far too twitchy as complete strangers would stop to hug me. Family members of the thousands rescued.
I wasn't sure how to handle that. A part of me thrilled at the attention and a part of me just felt guilty at what I'd done.
"Are all of you getting any of this?" I asked.
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"A bit. Not as much as you. These aren't even the worst of it," Diva said, with a shake of her head.
"What is the worst of it?" I asked.
"You declared yourself the Queen of the Underworld acting in defense of one of your subjects. Did you not think there might be others looking to sign up?" Diva asked.
"How many?" I thought to Ismene.
"To date you have roughly three thousand who have sworn fealty to you. You've fifty-eight marriage proposals not including Columbia. Three credible death threats, twenty-seven less credible. A little over eight thousand resumes, not all as crazy as you'd expect," Ismene answered.
Well, you couldn't say I hadn't made an impression.
"Compile a list of the interesting ones for me to review later," I thought
"Which ones?"
"All. Let's keep our options open."
I didn't know what the future held, but it would wait for no one.
What had once been our base was a crater, the ground melted for an entire block. This wasn't just an attack, it was a spectacle.
"What did they use?" I asked.
"Wasn't a bomb. Beam weapon from a massive plane," Diva said. "Columbia slipped us a heads up that they were on the way and we used that escape tunnel we built before they got here."
I was glad I'd made that a priority.
"Do we have another place picked out?" I asked.
"Is the team sticking together? With all that went on, we weren't sure. I've been holding off on the big decisions until you got better," Diva said.
It was a good question. It was a fair question. It seemed they were willing to have me back or Diva wouldn't be holding off at all. I couldn't escape the fact that I'd almost gotten them killed though. The slagged ruins in front of us spoke to just how many enemies I had now. They might be better off without me.
I needed a plan and for that plan I needed information.