I nod.
“Like?” she asks.
“Well, we don’t really know,” I say. “I blacked out and found myself outside when I came to. When I got back to the Archives, the place was a mess. Like someone or something had attacked us. You were hiding and…well, kinda out of it.”
“We needed to sedate the memories so we could get you back,” Landry finishes.
“Mkay,” Kani’s eyebrows could touch the tip of her nose if they drop any further.
“What do you remember? About anything recently? Do you remember Runa?” I ask, trying to prod some of the memories from her without actually bringing up Fenton.
Kani’s face scrunches, “Well, duh. I’m not lobotomized.”
“Then you start us off. What do you remember?”
“Runa’s gone. We’ve been…she’s—” Kani’s eyes go distant as she tries to recall the details.
There’s a moment of awkward silence as we wait.
Landry takes a deep breath, “What about Fenton?”
“What about him?” Kani asks.
We all exchange a significant look. Here we go.
Landry clears his throat as he walks to her and says, “Well, he’s on a mission. We’re not sure when he’s going to be back.”
I shoot a glance at Alina, who pins her lips together in a thin line. She doesn’t approve.
Can’t say I blame her.
“Where in the hell did he go now?” Kani sighs.
“Not sure. We just know it’s important,” Landry says. He turns around and widens his eyes, hinting that we need to play along.
If we lie to her and she finds out what really happened…she’s likely to kill us. It would devastate her all over again. Is this really wise? It seems like a dangerous line to cross.
Instead of playing it out, I stand up and walk to the allayroom for the NeuroWand. My head is pounding now and I know there’s no amount of discussion I can add that will make this situation better.
Everything feels so messed up. Confused and muddled. Wrong.
I know there’s stuff missing from my mind, too, and it worries me. There’s something I’m supposed to be doing and now I’m not sure what the hell it was. Did I have my mind messed with, too? If so, who’s had their fingers in it and why?
“Everything okay?” Alina asks, nodding at the NeuroWand in my hand.
“Yeah, headache. Just gotta get rid of it so I can focus on what to do next,” I say.
“Do you need to lie down?” she asks, nodding toward the bedroom again.
“Yeah, I think laying down is a good idea. Thanks, Alina. Let me know if you need me,” I mutter, taking the NeuroWand and closing the bedroom door behind me.
Something’s not right here. With all of it. Me, Kani—the Archives. I shouldn’t be this confused. Maybe a little sleep will help me regain some focus. Hell, even if all it does is get rid of this thumping headache, I’d be happy.
I hear Alina and Landry continue the conversation with Kani, but I can’t seem to muster the strength to care what’s being said. Or how they’re handling it. White searing light is filtering into my vision, despite the pitch-black room. I flip the NeuroWand to transmit the medicine, rub it across my forehead, and lie down. My back sinks into the comfort of the bed’s embrace and I let go.
My last thoughts before I drift off surround the missing time, all the missing moments before the attack on us. I wish I could remember something; anything. I need to figure out what I was meant to be doing—or where I should be going. I feel like there’s an urgency to it, but I can’t place where. Or why. I know if I can unlock that piece, the rest will come.
The air rushes in and around my body as I fly above the trees. There’s a freeing relief when you’re so far above the fray. Part of me knows this isn’t normal for me, but I feel like I’ve done it a thousand times before. It’s natural. Innate.
I circle the sun and its halo, dancing in the sky as if I own the entirety of the space.
Life is simpler here. It’s beautiful. Even if I know I have to reengage eventually. Part of me wants to stay here, in the air, forever. Letting the pains of humanity flood the world below, leaving me untouched all the way up here. But I know there’s so much more I need to do. More that has to happen before letting go is truly possible.
Deep below the tree line, I sense the girl somewhere buried in the underground. I don’t know why I can sense her, but I can. She’s important, but I can’t place a reason on why. There have been hundreds of girls who have come and gone over the years. But she has power. More than she realizes even. I’m unsure if this is for good or bad. In more ways than one, I feel drawn to her.
Suddenly, I feel myself being called back. A muscle memory buried somewhere deep in my mind. He doesn’t have a name, I only know I must answer. If I don’t, unspeakable things will happen.
My body shifts, taking me to where the pull draws me. To where I’m meant to be. The call is powerful and even if I wanted to, I know I couldn’t ignore it.
The structure rising in and out of the ground floods the horizon and I’m soaring towards it. I enter the narrow gate near the upper arch. Darkness surrounds me as I continue my descent into the depths of his lair.
I perch upon the door of the human boy most recently captured. His dark hair is matted to his head in this heat and I find myself wishing I could escape it myself. I’m meant to check on him. Ensure he’s still where he’s meant to be.
My mind relays the information without my own effort, and I’m released from my mission as quickly as it came. Relief foods my body and I retrace my flight and escape the heat as swiftly as I can. I know I’ll be called again. I always am.
But for now, I’ll go see the girl. For some reason, I need to see the girl.
It takes only a few moments and I enter the small cavern system to wait. I go in as far as I dare. The TerraDwellers wouldn’t be happy of my presence if they knew.
I need to see her.
I claw my way deeper, but my powers of flight are diminished the further I go. I can feel myself getting disoriented.
Then, suddenly, miraculously, I’m in her gentle hands.
A dark-haired girl nearby says, “Don’t you even tell me this is the bird you were delirious over when we first got here.”
My eyes pop open and the contentment of being in Runa’s hands dissipates. I shiver, still feeling the immensely powerful urge to remain there forever. Her hands had given off an energy, a power of love and joy. Peace. The sensation was so strong I didn’t even know I could feel those emotions so powerfully.
Now I feel disjointed. As though I was really there, really flying. My mind doesn’t completely feel like my own, as I integrate the dream into the memories I already own.
I’m not sure what to believe anymore. Am I losing my mind?
On the upside, I remember what it was we were looking for and why it was urgent.
The sweaty face of Runa’s brother Baxten lingers in my memory. I’d remember it anywhere. After he’d perished, we’d even looked him up and discovered information about Videus’ Vassalage.
Perhaps the odd dream was an answer to my silent prayers as I fell asleep. That has to be it, right? I wanted to remember what I was doing and why. This is what Kani and I were working on. That’s about the only thing I’m certain of.
I’m not sure why my brain would twist everything around in the way it did, but I’m grateful for the guidance. In a weird, abstract kinda way, it felt natural for me.
The headache I laid down with is thankfully gone and I sit up on the bed, stretching. Landry’s home is silent, except for the rhythmic breathing of someone on the other side of the door.
The rest of them must have gone to sleep, too.
I open the door to find Kani asleep on the sofa. Neither Landry or Alina are in the house, which leads me to believe they’ve gone back to Alina’s. Suits me just fine. I have to collect my thoughts anyway.
Shaking the sensations of the dream is harder than it should be. I pa
ce the floor in front of the kitchen counter. What starts as retracing my steps, or flight as it were, starts to morph into formulating a plan. I don’t remember what happened to us in the Archives, but knowing where we were heading is the next best thing.
“What are you doing?” Kani asks, rolling onto her side.
Startled, I let out a quick gasp.
“Wow, there’s a first,” she laughs. “Never thought I’d ever get a girly squeak outta Traeton Revasco.”
She chuckles, and sits up.
“I remember what we were trying to do at the Archives,” I say, taking a seat across from her.
“Which is?” she asks, flipping her hair behind her back.
“With Runa gone, and Fenton—er, you know. We were there to do the one thing we knew would help everyone. We were searching for more information on the Vassalage. And I think before we got attacked, we’d stumbled on where the Vassalage is located.”
Kani sits up straighter, her eyes wide as she waits for me to continue.
I bite my lip, hoping to hell I’m right.
“We need to break into the Helix. The Vassalage is a part of the Crematorium. I vaguely remember some information about why Runa may have been given the role she was before she left. They were trying to eliminate her.”
“Wait, what? Are you saying the people who were Cremators are actually marked for death?”
“I didn’t think of it like that,” I say, “but yeah, I think some of them are.”
“Where did you get this information?”
“Well, before, I think it was information we found on the mainframe at the Archives. But I just had a dream about everything, and it sorta reminded me where the Vassalage was. I know it sounds shifty, so I get it if you don’t—I just know what I need to do. Where I need to go.”
I tap my head, still trying to release the dream’s memories enough to be present.
“Look, Trae, I trust you. But if we’re headed to the Helix, we’re gonna need to be sure. And to be honest, if we were both attacked after you found out this little detail, aren’t you at least a little bit concerned this could be why?”
I blink, surprised. The thought hadn’t occurred to me yet.
“You’re right. This could be the reason. Which lends even more credibility, don’t you think?”
“Maybe?” she shrugs.
“Then, let’s be sure. We need to sneak into the Helix, tonight. We’ll have a look around and one way or another, we’ll know for sure. You with me?”
21
Traeton
IF THE CREMATORIUM houses the Vassalage, then that makes life a helluva lot easier.
“All we need to do is blow the Helix up,” I say, pushing back from the holographic screen.
“Suuuuure,” Kani mocks, “once we know it’s truly the Vassalage, something has to be done. But as much as I hate the place, I’m not about to go in there and kill a bunch of innocent people. And what about tonight? How do you propose we go forward? It’s not like we can just waltz in and say, ‘Excuse me, never mind us. We’re just here to hunt for your hidden prison you’ve got buried in the Crematorium.’ We need to have a reason to be there. Hell, for all we know, you’re flagged from the last time you broke in. The moment we get within a meter of the place, alarms are probably going to go off.”
With my middle finger, I tap the space in the center of my forehead.
Think, think.
“Do we have plans or blueprints for the Helix?” I ask. My dream showed me a possible entrance that lead from the top, but the space wasn’t much wider than a single person. It was barely enough for a small bird’s flight to make it in and out of. I shudder at the thought of trying to use that as our path.
“How the hell would I know? I’m not Fenton. Stupid man. I can’t believe he’s not here.” Her words hang in midair and we lock eyes.
“I know, I was just…” I mutter.
“Yeah, well, I have no clue,” Kani recovers, turning her back to me.
“Well, let’s see what we can dig up here. There has to be a weakness in the structure, or a way to get into the Crematorium that doesn’t involve waltzing through the thick of the Helix.”
“And if there’s not?”
“Then we deal with the scenario as it plays out,” I offer, as my fingertips command the search on Landry’s mainframe. He’s always held a fascination for the Helix. Maybe he has details we’re not aware of for the structure?
“Fine by me,” Kani mutters, walking away. “I’m gonna go for a walk. Been cooped up here too long.”
“Don’t go too far,” I say, “we’ll need to head out soon.”
“For phug sake, should I just take one of Landry’s ComLinks so you can stay in touch?” she says, walking back and snatching a ComLink from the desk. She throws her black curtain of hair over her shoulder and places the link against the flesh behind her right ear.
I pause, unsure if it’s wise, considering what happened to Fenton. But I can’t bring myself to say anything. I nod, picking up the other link and doing the same. The electrical tickle of the device connecting to the electrical impulse of my body always makes me want to itch at it. I resist the urge and go back to hunting for something that will give us a more detailed plan.
Kani reaches for her safety blanket of choice, her knives, but her hand hovers over the table where they rest. I pretend not to notice, but we briefly share a glance.
“Not sure why, but I don’t feel right about these today,” Kani says, clutching at the smallest blade and shoving it in her hip holster.
My eyes flick to the ground. I know exactly why, but I can’t bring myself to tell her.
“Be careful,” I offer instead.
She nods and taps her ear, “If anything comes up, let me know. I’ll come back and we can get started.”
“Alright,” I say, but she’s already out the door.
I start the search, locating a few sketches and diagrams Landry has. They’re not very detailed, but they offer a glimpse into ways to get in. I notice some areas where the information of the Helix is incorrect, as if whoever drew it was given old, outdated schematics. Even I could have given better details than this, if anyone had ever asked.
After what feels like days of searching, it becomes pretty clear there’s no good way to get into the Helix’s Crematorium. It’s heavily fortified, and secured. According to everything I know and the diagrams I could find, there’s only the one way in.
I wonder if the best way in may be by attempting the descent from my dream—assuming the tunnel even exists. I start flicking through images and recon photos of the outside of the building, hunting for the small opening.
The more I think about it, the more idiotic it sounds, to be honest. It was a dream. A really vivid dream, but a dream nonetheless. And I was flying, as if I wasn’t human. Yeah, not strange at all.
Absently, I flick through the photos, not really paying attention. Instead, I’m more in my head, focusing on the location and how it looked in my dream. It felt so real. Everything did.
I rub my temple, realizing the headache has been silently creeping back in. I wish I could figure out what’s causing them, but I’m almost afraid to find out. There are so many things that could go wrong with a person’s brain and body. We’re really such fragile creatures.
My mind flits to my sister Ava and the way her mind deteriorated. What if it runs in the family? What if it’s something more serious?
I shudder, pushing the worry from my mind. No good will come from that line of thought. What matters now, is trying to do as much good as I can while Runa’s still gone.
“Whoa,” I mutter, flipping past a photo, then returning to it.
There, in an image clear as day, is a bird flying toward the Helix. Any other time, I wouldn’t have even cared or noticed it in the picture. They were always around. But this time, it’s the location in which it’s heading that makes me sit upright. The little black dot is on a mission, heading straight toward the Helix—
and the tiny opening on the upper side.
The location looks exactly like it did in my dream.
“Gotcha,” I whisper. “I may be taking crazy leaps, but at least they seem to still pan out.”
Standing up, I walk to Landry’s closet and grab anything resembling climbing equipment. Getting into the Helix from off the ground won’t be easy. Hell, it could be damn near impossible not to be seen. But at least we’ll have equipment—and we’ll be outside and away from the Labots.
Once I feel satisfied I’ve packed as much as I can, I take a moment to call on Kani through the ComLink. Once she accepts the exchange, something inside me clenches.
Should I even be taking her? Could she jeopardize the mission with her scrambled mind?
~Trae, you there?
Why didn’t I think this through? I suppose she’ll have to come with now.
~Yeah, sorry. Was looking for a carabiner.
~So, I assume that means you’re ready, then?
~Should be. Wanna get back here so I can fill you in?
~On my way
She abruptly ends the exchange and opens the door.
“Guess you weren’t that far, eh?” I laugh.
“Nah. I was just sitting on the step outside,” she says. “Couldn’t think of anywhere to go.”
I scratch my head, “Well, you coulda just stayed in here.”
“I suppose,” she mutters, her eyebrows knitting together.
“What’s up?” I ask, taking a seat next to her.
Kani shakes her head and sighs, “I don’t know. I feel off. I know you and Landry said something happened and I needed to have my brain unscrambled or something. But I feel like a whole big piece of me is missing or something. Does that sound stupid?”
“Not at all. Look, maybe it’s best not to go digging through your mind anyway. Whatever happened, it didn’t leave you too well off. It messed with you in a way I’ve never seen.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, her narrow eyes meeting mine.
“Well, I don’t know if incoherent is the word, but close. We couldn’t get anything to make sense. You just kept repeating ‘Gone, gone, gone’ over and over again.”
The Complete Pendomus Chronicles Trilogy: Books 1-3 of the Pendomus Chronicles Dystopian Scifi Boxed Set Series Page 45