by Eliza Green
Marcus ran to the next block over and discovered a vehicle lying idle outside one of the finished houses in the build. These vehicles were identical to the ones the criminals used on Earth. And he knew how to pick their locks. Marcus got inside the vehicle and overrode the commands to recognise his identity chip. The vehicle moved as soon as Marcus gave it a command to follow the route Ollie and Harvey’s vehicle had taken.
It wasn’t long before his car came upon their vehicle. It sat on the side of the road on the approach road to the power base station. Marcus ordered his car to drive past the stationary vehicle to park behind a cluster of rocks tall enough to mask his location. He got out and used a pair of magnification glasses to spy on Harvey and Ollie, who were still in their vehicle. A moment later, they got out and trekked into the flat, stony plain past the fenced-off field of solar panels. They had to be meeting someone.
Marcus stayed behind a cluster of rocks and turned up the magnification on his glasses. A few minutes later, he saw an Indigene dressed in a white cloak dash towards the pair. Except it wasn’t any old Indigene. It looked like one of the GS humans. Ollie shook the freak’s hand, then pointed to the vehicle. The GS human shook his head and pointed towards the power base station in the distance attached to the field. Then both men returned to the vehicle while the freak took off running in a new direction.
The car drove off after the GS human. Marcus returned to his car and followed them past the station to an undulating section of land between it and New London. He kept the car hidden, back from where the hill peaked, and crawled to its brow to watch.
The GS human studied a cable that was part exposed to the elements. Harvey and Ollie stood watch while the GS removed a DPad from his robes and entered commands Marcus couldn’t see. Then he hunkered down and disconnected a secondary cable from a primary cable. Marcus assumed the primary one delivered power from the grid to New London. The GS stood up and handed Ollie money hidden inside his robes. Ollie shook his hand and turned away to count his bills.
Since when were Ollie and Harvey helping the GS humans? Was their speech about fighting the GS humans just a load of bullshit? Marcus made to leave but something new caught his eye. Ollie had just turned his back when Harvey handed something to the GS human, a piece of tech in exchange for what looked like a microdisk. Harvey glanced back at Ollie, who still had his back turned.
A secret deal? For what?
The GS human ran off and the men had a brief conversation. But what interested Marcus most was the disk Harvey hid in his pocket.
Interesting.
Marcus returned to his car and set off before the others reached theirs. He had to be back on site before Ollie or Harvey returned.
The GS humans working with Ollie and Harvey? An interesting turn of events since his and Clement’s role had been to watch the subversive group of super humans. He’d read about the group that included the former board members of the World Government. They had a reputation for being as ruthless as Gaetano Agostini. Maybe Marcus should do his own deal with them.
But what could he offer them? What did they need?
He returned the stolen car to the house one block over, but not before he wiped the car logs. Confident in his abilities to steal, lie and manipulate, he returned to his digging hole and waited for Ollie and Harvey to return to site. Neither man showed up, leaving Marcus to wonder where they’d gone. Whatever was on that disk, Harvey wanted to keep it secret.
7pm came around and, with no sign of Ollie or Harvey, Marcus clocked off. He kneaded his tight, sore muscles on the way back to the house.
Dinner was served at 7.30pm sharp. No do-overs. If you were late, you didn’t eat. Marcus washed as fast as he could.
He joined eleven other men at the dining room table with room for fourteen. Of the twelve, Ollie had picked just three to join the private splinter groups to watch the GS 100. He checked his location card. It indicated no jobs for that evening. But it was early and Ollie could still change his mind.
An older, stern-looking woman carried dishes of food in to the table. Everything had been replicated and there would be no more. Besides Ollie and Harvey, the woman had the only pass code to operate the replicator.
To Marcus’ surprise, Ollie entered the room with Harvey. Both men laughed like they were best friends. But Marcus knew better and he would discover Harvey’s secret.
The men sat in the two remaining seats. Ollie lorded over the table of hungry men, who waited for their master to issue a command.
‘Okay, let’s eat!’
Everyone swiped at food like rabid dogs tearing into flesh. Marcus grabbed whatever dish wasn’t being hogged and scooped mashed potato on to his plate. He fought for the bowl of chicken breasts but a younger man also held on to the bowl.
Just like old times in the Deighton mansion. Except in this house, there wasn’t nearly as much shoving and pushing involved.
‘Let go, and I won’t stab my fork into your eye,’ he hissed at the man.
The man’s eyes widened and he let go. Martin Casey may look like a mild-mannered accountant, but Marcus Murphy, with a scar proving his bravery, lived inside him.
He took two chicken breasts—one more than his allowance—and tossed the bowl into the centre of the table. He felt confident. The young man took the remaining tiny and shrivelled breast; it probably looked like the man’s dick and balls.
The woman brought out two plates piled high with food and gave one each to Ollie and Harvey. A pang of jealousy flared in Marcus’ chest. It should be him getting a special plate. Marcus hadn’t travelled to this planet to be a lackey.
Harvey stared at him. ‘You need something, Martin?’
Yeah, what the fuck is on that disk? Does Ollie know you’re a lying motherfucker? Does he know you used to work for the GS humans?
Marcus dropped his eyes to his plate and tore off a piece of chicken. ‘Nope, all good.’
‘Glad to hear,’ said Harvey.
His condescending tone turned the chicken into a lump which Marcus forced down.
He listened to the chatter as he ate, mostly from the men who weren’t doing extracurricular jobs for Ollie. All came from Earth and were people Marcus had once ruled with an iron fist, weak men who would likely squander their second chance through a banal existence. Men who worked nine to five, went home to spend the evening with their boring wives, only to repeat it the next day.
Not Marcus. He would never let a woman tie him down.
Dinner usually ended when the food did. Nobody lingered after the housekeeper cleared the last of the plates and bowls. Marcus retired to his room and lay on his bed to digest his meal, wishing for something better than replicated food.
He picked up the location card and turned it over. No new commands flashed up to indicate more surveillance that night. His thoughts went to Harvey and his mystery disk. Harvey was definitely a Gaetano type, maybe not as intimidating as Gaetano, but no less dangerous.
Not a problem for Marcus. He knew how to spot dangerous men a mile off; he’d worked with enough to know how to handle them. He would make his move against Harvey soon. As soon as he figured out what his move would be. Clement’s offer to get him power became more tempting the longer he lay there.
The card flashed with a red dot and a time, indicating a job in two hours. Marcus sat up slowly, wondering if he’d be paired with Clement again. As much as he hated those freaks, the Indigene had been more company than the people he worked for.
He went downstairs to find the place was quiet. He spotted Harvey outside, sitting on the porch swing chair.
It had been two days since he’d spoken to Harvey without Ollie being present. His desire to learn more about Harvey’s motivations fuelled him as he stepped outside.
The swinging chair creaked with Harvey’s motion. He looked up when Marcus approached.
‘You’re a bit early. Job’s not until later.’
Marcus shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘I fancied a bit of fresh air
.’
Harvey laughed once. ‘And yet you got nothing but fresh air today.’
‘Digging a hole don’t give you much time to enjoy it.’
He leaned against the gable wall.
The swinging stopped and Harvey leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. ‘I heard a rumour from the men that the Indigenes want to switch sides to the human cause. Is that true?’
Clement’s lie. ‘Yeah, as far as I know.’
Harvey appeared to think about that. ‘So tell me about your life on Earth. I don’t think we talked much about it.’
Marcus shrugged. ‘Nothing to tell. You were there.’
‘What were you attempting to achieve with your factions?’
‘The same thing the World Government was: power. The people needed leaders. We assumed that role.’
‘At the expense of common sense? You won’t get respect if you don’t give it.’
Respect was for weaker men. ‘Better to just show them their purpose. The people in those neighbourhoods were weak and pathetic.’
Harvey leaned back and crossed his legs. ‘Yet, they now thrive under their own steam and you’ve been exiled here. That didn’t work out too well, now did it?’
Marcus clenched his fists. Fuck Harvey. What he did on Earth mattered.
‘Those Indigene freaks ruined everything. We were outnumbered.’
Harvey laughed. ‘You were always outnumbered. A few Indigenes didn’t tip the scale. Your days were numbered. You want to know what I think?’ Marcus didn’t. ‘You were a bunch of children fighting in a grown-up war. You all wanted the same toys in the playground, pushing and shoving each other to get them. All that got you was a bunch of cranky, gun-happy morons who shot anyone who got in their way.’
‘It was more complicated than that.’
‘No, it wasn’t. I used to work in your line of business.’
‘What happened to that?’
Harvey shrugged. ‘Didn’t like the hours.’ He changed the subject. ‘You fought like a school-kid bully over chicken earlier. If you don’t grow up you won’t last long here. The power here is different to that on Earth.’
‘Don’t seem like much has changed.’
A small cluster of people fought for power like the factions, except the factions had had the good sense to wait for the right moment to make their move
‘Of course it has.’ Harvey cursed. ‘Shifting power away from the Indigenes by targeting their peace treaty will cause ripples in the International Task Force. And while Bill Taggart scrapes around to save his precious deal, he won’t notice when we slip in and take control of their operations.’
‘What, like a takeover of their headquarters?’
‘More subtle than that. Ollie says they monitor chat over interstellar wave, so we send them bad intel, create diversions where we can. They’ll lose control of policing and the trust of the people. That’s when we offer the people an alternative, a better, more secure way of living.’
‘What, like an army?’
‘More like a security firm that offers protection.’
Marcus liked the idea but he refused to tell Harvey. Instead, he shrugged. ‘Why weren’t you changed, you know, with the rest of ‘em who came here? You had connections there, yeah?’
Harvey stared up at the double moons that gave off an odd, blue illumination. ‘They didn’t deem me important enough.’
‘So this is revenge to get back at the GS humans because they rejected you?’
Harvey flinched. ‘The GS humans are not as important as they think they are, or as infallible. The day we erase those mutations from this planet will be a good day for everyone.’
19
Stephen’s visit to District Eight left him with an unsettled feeling. Things were bad there. Whether Gabriel wanted it or not, Stephen would find a way to help him. How did his own district stack up against the animosity he’d felt in Gabriel’s? He hoped Anton and Arianna could find out.
Serena had retired for the evening, but sleep would not come for Stephen. He walked the tunnels like Elise used to do; it made him feel more connected to the former elder. His charges were nowhere to be seen. Not surprising since they’d given him and Serena a wide berth ever since the GS humans built their environ three months ago. Their murky, yellow-grey auras indicated their unrest and disappointment at Stephen and Serena’s inaction against the GS.
What could he do? He didn’t know what abilities the GS had. To go in guns blazing would be a bad idea. So far the GS hadn’t done anything, but that didn’t matter to some.
Stephen encountered three Indigenes older than him on his walk through the tunnels. He sensed an edge to their moods, as though they expected everything to fall apart. He greeted them with a nod and kept walking. He hated not knowing what was coming. His envisioning ability usually gave him some indication. How had he coped before that ability manifested? Maybe Anton and Arianna could get a clearer view on the situation.
He sensed his two friends in a distant part of the district but couldn’t get a read on them. Not unusual since Serena had taught Anton and Arianna how to mask their feelings from others, including their auras from Stephen. It had frustrated him that he could neither feel nor see his friends’ moods. But his lack of foresight irritated him more.
What blocked his ability, kept his visions too far out of reach? It had to be the GS 100. Nothing had changed as dramatically as they had. Yet the others still had their abilities, including Serena.
Stephen passed through the core of District Three, normally a hotbed of activity ranging from Evolver classes to a social space for older Indigenes. But that evening, it was unoccupied. The sound of his footsteps echoing from the rough, stone floor to the rounded ceiling made him shiver. He quickened his step when it felt like unseen eyes watched him.
He entered a tunnel that would lead him to the Council Chambers where he would soon meet Anton and Arianna. His stride, normally long and even, became short and fast. These days he couldn’t switch off his cluttered mind. It had been over a month since he’d used the Nexus to heal, but he never had the time.
The chambers came into view and he entered through the already open door. Anton and Arianna waited with Serena.
He frowned at his mate. ‘I thought you’d gone to bed.’
‘Arianna came to get me.’ Serena laced her fingers through his. ‘I want to be of use.’
So did he. Stephen kept his gaze low as Serena pulled him farther inside the room. His lack of envisioning skill made him feel obsolete. Auras were all he had left and Anton and Arianna had none to help him understand their mood. He loved Serena, but by passing her mind tricks on to his friends, she had emasculated him.
Stephen pulled his fingers out of hers and pressed them to his head.
‘Are you okay?’ said Serena.
He kept his thoughts private. ‘Nothing, I’m just tired.’
He sounded like Pierre, who used to keep things from Elise. He shook the comparison from his head and engaged with the others.
‘What did you discover?’
Serena closed the door.
‘It’s not good,’ said Anton.
He paced while Arianna kept still, except for her eyes, which tracked him around the room. She had to feel Anton’s anxiousness. That’s how it was for empaths. They felt everything. Too intensely, according to Arianna.
‘The younger Indigenes take their guidance from those older than them and younger than us. When the GS humans came into being, the young wanted to see what the new species looked like. But their peers talked them out of it, said they would see them soon enough when they came to this district to kill everyone.’
‘That’s a pack of lies,’ said Stephen.
‘It is, but it’s the lies they’ve been told.’
‘And they told you this, willingly?’
Anton stopped pacing. ‘No. I read fragments of their thoughts. Arianna sensed their mood, which they really couldn’t hide from her anyway. They’re too y
oung and unpractised at hiding much from an empath. On the walk here, Arianna and I pieced together the knowledge we both had and came up with this.’
Stephen preferred cold, hard facts, not guesswork. ‘So this might not be a true account of what happened?’
‘We both know how to read the Indigenes. Arianna and I are in tune with each other’s thoughts.’ Anton stared at Stephen. ‘If you could stop acting like a control freak for two seconds, I’ll tell you what else we learned.’
Stephen matched his friend’s stare. ‘Go ahead.’
Anton rolled his eyes. ‘As I was saying, the young are being fed lies about the GS humans’ intentions. They allow the older ones to control them.’
‘What about the Indigenes taking control, Anton?’ said Serena. ‘What are their reasons?’
‘Initially, it was to stop the young from acting out, from doing something stupid. So they scared them into behaving themselves. Their curiosity about the new species was getting out of control.’
Stephen looked away. It was his job to control his charges.
‘And now they trust the older Indigenes, not me.’
‘Exactly.’
Arianna continued. ‘While we questioned the young and got nothing from them, one let his thoughts slip through. Their peers have been going out on nightly vigils to watch the GS humans. They saw a group of humans doing the same thing. They watched the group for a few weeks before approaching them. Naturally, trust issues and hostility presented on both sides, but when they realised their issues were the same, some of the older ones joined them.’
‘This is how the groups came to be?’ said Stephen.
‘I believe so,’ said Arianna.
‘You saw all that in this young Indigene’s mind?’ said Serena.
Arianna nodded. ‘He witnessed it when he followed the older ones to the surface. It was his memory of the event.’
Anton paced again. ‘The older ones meet regularly with the humans to discuss mutual goals. One of those goals is to weaken the hold the GS humans have on this planet.’