Chronus stared at Maki, unable to speak.
“Isa was the first Elite to do anything different in nearly seventeen generations of Golden Elites. She is the one degenerate Elite that could actually change things for the better, but she can’t do that if Venus is holding her back.”
“Venus would not have allowed Isa to live if Isa was not going to follow the protocol of the Syndicate.”
“They almost had her terminated,” Maki said seriously.
“When?”
“When we were fourteen,” Maki murmured. “Venus was sure that she could not be controlled anymore. So she ordered her execution.”
“I never heard of this.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Maki whispered. “I looked at the school files. Two days before her execution date, Aren was killed.”
That stopped Chronus.
“That subdued all of us,” Maki continued. “But it also changed Isa. She knew that she had to change things from a position of power, not from the position of a rebel. So she played Venus’ game. And just when she was getting strong enough to take on Venus, Colonel Amori came and ripped her apart.” Maki swallowed hard. “But Kailynn is bringing her back. Kailynn is giving her strength that I haven’t seen in her in years.”
“…I’ve noticed, too.”
“So, now is the time to change,” Maki breathed.
Chronus closed his eyes.
“Maki…” He took a deep breath. “What you’re doing…all this…” he motioned to the room, “you’ll be killed.”
“I’ll be killed anyway,” Maki whispered. “I’m a degenerate now. That’s what happens.” He took Chronus’ shoulders when the other Elite looked away. “We’ve talked about the day without Venus for years. We knew that if anyone could find a way to change things, it would be Isa. We wanted this when we were certified Elite prototypes—no emotion, no tears, no weakness, right?” Maki’s hands tightened around Chronus’ shoulders. “Now that I’m degenerate, I see that we need this to happen. The people are disjointed and scared, but no one talks to one another because they are so afraid of what will be overheard, because they are taught not to talk to one another. If we get them talking, Venus holds no power over them.”
“And we shut her down?” Chronus asked.
“Yes,” Maki said. “For Aren, for Isa, and Remus, for the rest of us, and for everyone who will come after us. We need to do this.”
Chronus took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
However, he nodded.
Maki let out a breath of relief and relaxed.
“Thank you, my friend.”
Outside the opening, Umana’s eyes were wide with horror, his hand over his mouth as his stomach turned.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Isa finally came home after a long, exhausting day at the Syndicate. She spent the first part of the morning handling political affairs and the second half of the day building her own central processor for her NCB chair. She had forgotten the harrowing nature of the task.
However, seeing Kailynn’s face, creased with concentration as she worked on exercises to learn how to read and write, the Elite’s worries seemed to disappear.
She walked to Kailynn and leaned down, kissing her cheek.
Kailynn turned to her.
“Long day,” she noted.
“Yes,” Isa agreed with a sigh, tucking a tendril of hair behind Kailynn’s ear.
“Are you alright?” Kailynn asked, turning to face Isa fully. “You weren’t yourself yesterday.”
“I’m alright,” Isa assured. “Just a lot going on at work right now.”
“Rayal said the exact same thing,” Kailynn grumbled.
Isa smiled gently, brushing her fingers over Kailynn’s cheek.
“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, just not tonight. I’m tired.”
The night progressed as usual. Rayal, though, did not join them for dinner, and Tarah was clearly disappointed. She barely spoke at all through dinner.
When they went to bed, Kailynn climbed on top of Isa and kissed her passionately, but the Elite smiled and slowly pulled away from the kiss, her eyes closing.
“I’m sorry…” she whispered. “I’m exhausted.”
“That’s alright,” Kailynn said with a gentle smile. She leaned down and kissed the Elite once more. “I just wanted to kiss you goodnight.”
She took her place next to Isa and closed her eyes.
Two hours later, a beeping woke both of them. Kailynn groaned, confused and unsure what was making the noise. Isa, however, grabbed her phone, bolting upright.
“Elite Isa,” she answered quickly, putting the call on speaker.
“Isa, it’s Remus,” Remus said quickly. “We have an emergency situation. Venus has ordered Maki’s arrest.”
“What?” Isa gasped, her eyes going wide.
“Apparently, the caretaker overheard him discussing plans to shut down Venus,” Remus said. “The data is unclear right now, but she ordered his arrest. As soon as the Officials appeared, he ran.”
Isa was silent, her eyes wide. She stood, grabbing her robe and slipping it on as Kailynn watched, nervous, not entirely understanding what was happening. “Did the caretaker report him?”
“No,” Remus said. “Apparently, Umana called Luska on his private phone. Naturally, the call was monitored. When Umana realized the call was on record, he hung up. There’s no word on his whereabouts, either.”
“And Maki is running?”
“The Officials just called in for a vehicle chase. He put his car on manual and overrode all tracking devices. They’re chasing him.” Remus hesitated. “They think he’s heading to you.”
Isa was pacing next to the bed, her eyes on the floor, thinking.
Kailynn could only watch in silence.
“Let him come,” Isa said. “I want to talk to him.”
“If he really was trying to shut down Venus, he may mean to kill you,” Remus pointed out.
“You know Maki would never hurt me.”
“…no, he wouldn’t,” Remus agreed.
“I’ll call the Officials now,” Isa said. “Thank you, Remus.”
“I’m on my way over.”
Isa hung up the phone and dialed another number, talking to the Official dispatcher and ordering them to give Maki space and time to get to Anon Tower. When she was met with resistance, she commanded them to do as she bid.
She then called Rayal, asking him for the status on Venus’ orders. Kailynn dressed nervously, watching Isa’s agitated pacing. Rayal explained that Venus had ordered Maki’s arrest on suspicion of treason and degeneration. Isa hesitated, confused.
“Degeneration?”
“That’s what it says,” Rayal said.
“Does she have a location on him?”
“No,” Rayal said. “Two minutes ago she located his car near Grant’s Palace Hotel.”
“How is he avoiding the cameras?” Isa murmured, snatching up the phone from the bed and walking into the living room, Kailynn close behind. “Even on foot, the cameras should be able to find him.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Are all of the Syndicate Elites on notice?”
“Yes.”
“Tell them to stay away from Anon Tower and not to contact him,” Isa ordered, going to the bar and pressing her finger to a sensor under the counter. One metal panel in the bar slid to the side, revealing a control panel for Anon Tower security. “What’s the fastest way from Grant’s Palace to Anon Tower?”
Rayal was silent as he searched the different routes.
The door to the guest hall opened and Tarah walked out, confused by the noise and tension in the living room. She walked over to Kailynn.
“What’s happening?”
“Maki is under arrest,” Kailynn relayed quietly. “He’s running from the Officials.”
“The fastest route on roads is twenty minutes,” Rayal answered. “If he was heading to Anon Tower, he would not have driven so far
away and gone on foot back to you.”
Isa’s face lit up in realization.
“He was never in the car,” she murmured. “Don’t let the Officials open the car. Put them on alert that Maki is armed and dangerous.”
“You just said he wasn’t in the car,” Rayal asked, confused.
“I need to buy time,” Isa said, punching in codes to the security system.
“Isa, everything in Anon Tower just went down,” Rayal gasped.
“That was me,” the Golden Elite assured. “They’ll only be down for a moment. Can you delay the signal to Venus?”
“For one minute, at most,” Rayal said, exasperated.
Isa walked into the kitchen, glancing at the screens on the wall to her right. Her eyes scanned over the various images while Kailynn and Tarah watched from the door.
“He’s in,” Isa murmured. She went back to the bar while Kailynn and Tarah blinked at the Golden Elite in shock.
“Isa, you’re letting him in?” Tarah asked.
“He won’t hurt me,” Isa said strongly, crouching to the control panel again and bringing everything back online. “Rayal, Maki is here. I’m sure Venus has already dispatched Officials and overridden my command to not pursue him. Please get me as much time as possible.”
“Once they are alerted and on their way, I am also coming to Anon Tower,” Rayal said.
Isa disconnected the call and closed the cover to the security control panel.
She turned to Kailynn and Tarah.
“Can you give me some time alone with him?”
Tarah nodded obediently but Kailynn shook her head.
“No, I’m not leaving.”
“Kailynn—”
“You think he won’t hurt you, but how can you be sure?”
“We’ve known each other our entire lives,” Isa reminded her. “I need to hear what he has to say about this.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with him.”
“Come on, Kailynn,” Tarah said, taking her arm carefully and trying to pull her to the guest hall.
“No!”
The door alarm rang and Isa immediately darted to let in Maki.
“I’m sorry, Isa,” Maki said, walking into the living room as Isa followed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Tell me what is going on, Maki,” Isa said, her voice calm. She glanced at the other two in the room. “Please, give us some privacy.”
“It’s fine, they should hear this,” Maki said. He was breathing hard from running and his face betraying his panic. He swallowed hard. “It’s true.”
“Which part is true? Trying to shut her down? Or that you’ve degenerated?”
“Both.”
Isa’s face was controlled and calm, but she did not speak for several long seconds.
“You should have told me,” she said quietly. “Degeneration is something that I can protect you from. Not shutting down Venus.”
“You managed to save Remus from a death sentence,” Maki said quietly. “But that is because he is your Silver Elite. I am expendable. I’m just a Bronze Elite.”
“You should have told me,” Isa said sharply. “Not try to shut her down.”
“I was working on shutting her down before I realized I was degenerate,” Maki said. “I started this when you were in the hospital five years ago.”
Isa stared at him, thinking over the words carefully.
“Explain yourself.”
Maki sighed heavily and lowered his eyes.
“You wanted to shut down Venus when we were in school,” he started.
“I was a child,” Isa said strongly. “She can’t be shut down. It will cripple the planet beyond repair.”
“No, it won’t,” Maki said. “Not if we can transfer power sources to new generators.”
“There is no such system.”
“I made it,” Maki explained. “The Aren System.”
Isa was about to speak again when the name caused her to stop. She stared at Maki in surprise, unable to form a response. Maki nodded knowingly.
“Isa, I have always stood beside you, and I’ve always believed in what you could do, and everything you can accomplish. I know that you can change the planet for the better. I know that you can lead the people through this change.”
Isa opened her mouth once more and then stopped, closing her eyes and shaking her head.
“No…I can’t.”
“Maybe not before,” Maki admitted. He took a step closer, looking at her with a small smile. “But you can.”
Isa’s brow furrowed as she looked at Maki, trying to figure out the hidden meaning. When the gears in her mind clicked, her eyes shot wide and she covered her mouth, turning away from Maki and walking around him, thinking.
“Isa, you have to believe me,” he started. “It’s possible.”
“Why would you do this?” Isa whispered. “Why would you not tell me that you were doing something that would force me to make this decision? You should have consulted me first.”
“I wasn’t sure it was even possible,” Maki said, walking to her as she leaned on the bar, her eyes distantly staring at the counter in thought. “You were in the hospital, and Dr. Arre explained everything to us about what happened with Colonel Amori. When I realized what he had done to you, I understood that Venus is the source of this planet’s power, but it is also the biggest threat. All it would take would be someone figuring out how to shut her down or weaponize her, and the entire Altereye System would be doomed. You managed to fend off one person who tried, but he found a way to weaponize your NCB chair and almost kill you.”
Isa rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes.
“Venus has to fall,” Maki near-growled. “For the good of the people, for you and Kailynn, and for all of us who wish we weren’t forbidden from being with someone.”
Isa’s eyes turned to Kailynn, who was standing in shock to the side of the room, unable to process the situation unfolding before her.
Isa turned back to Maki.
“I was worried about you two for a long time,” she murmured. Maki lowered his eyes.
“There’s no reason to be worried,” he said. “Nothing ever happened between us.”
“Did he know?” Isa pressed.
“He found out yesterday,” Maki said, his voice quiet and filled with pain. “He had nothing to do with my actions. They were all mine.”
Isa cupped her hands over her nose and mouth, leaning on the bar as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“I can’t go against the arrest order,” she whispered. “Had you not run from the Officials, I could have the treason charges dropped. But you confirmed your own guilt by running.”
“I know,” Maki said. “And while the Officials were driving after my programmed car, I hacked and broadcast their radio communications. By the end of day tomorrow, it will be viral that one of the Syndicate Elites wanted to shut down Venus.”
“Maki, how could you?” Isa snapped, standing straight. “You are forcing me to deal with this on top of Gihron?”
“I’m forcing you to be who you are,” Maki said. He glanced at Kailynn. “You already have the support you needed here, but now, I’m pushing you. You said that you would change everything for the better, then you would find a way to operate the planet without Venus. I’m helping you achieve that goal. You made a promise to us, and you made a promise to Aren.”
Isa shook her head, closing her eyes.
“Maki…”
The Bronze Elite walked forward and placed his hands on Isa’s shoulders.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You were made to do this. You were the one to break the mold of Elites. You are the one that needs to make this transition. You know no one else will.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, hugging her tightly.
Isa hugged him back, but pulled away when she felt him drop something into her robe pocket.
Maki nodded to her.
“I believe in you.”
“It’s either Remus or the Officials,” Maki said. “There is something I need you to do for me, Isa.”
Isa stared at Maki, feeling worry settle into her gut.
“Yes, I have put you in a very difficult position, but I am also going to give you a means to contain it until you are ready to use it to your advantage.”
He walked to the bar and opened a drawer, reaching into the back as Isa darted to stop him.
“Maki, no.”
“It’s going to happen eventually,” Maki said, pulling out the gun that he knew was in the drawer. “I’m not as strong as you. You know I would fail the degeneration tests and I would become a lab rat for months before they finally killed me. They can extract a lot of information from me while I’m alive.”
Isa made a grab for the gun as Kailynn started forward, terrified that Maki would turn the weapon on Isa.
Maki moved the gun away for a moment before turning it around in his hand and holding it out for Isa.
She grabbed it quickly and backed away from Maki.
“I don’t want to be tortured, Isa,” Maki said. “And you need to be the leader of the planet and protect its people from the degenerate Elite that wants to shut down Venus.” Maki took a step toward Isa. “You don’t have much time.”
“I won’t do it,” Isa said, shaking her head. “I won’t kill you.”
“Why not?” Maki took another step forward. “I’m very dangerous. I’m a degenerate, and I have information on how to shut down Venus.”
“Because I’m not a murderer,” Isa said coldly.
Maki let out a broken chuckle.
“Oh, right,” he looked at Isa with a twisted smile, “I forgot.”
Isa ground her teeth together, her hand tightening on the gun.
“You better hurry,” he said. “The Elites might know about you and Kailynn, but the Officials do not.”
Isa quickly turned to look at Kailynn, as if it just occurred to her that her relationship with Kailynn was forbidden.
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