Gene. Sys.

by Garcia, Aaron Denius

  It isn’t until I’m around the fourth floor that I hear noises below me.

  “Hello?” someone yells up. The words echo their way past me.

  I stay as still as possible, hoping the moving chain doesn’t alert them to my location. Shots go off below me, nearly causing me to lose my grip. The bullets ricochet around me and the fear gets my hands moving again.

  My arms burn as I finally reach the ninth floor. I swing myself back and forth, but when I reach the elevator doors, I realize that I don’t have the leverage to be able to pull them open and still balance myself.

  I think for a moment and come up with what could very easily be the stupidest idea I have ever had. I unwrap my chain and, with one hand, I do the best I can to tie the end of my chain to the elevator chain. The shoulder of the hand holding me up aches with pain; sweat drips down my face and stings my eyes.

  After testing the strength of the knot, I wrap my chain around my waist and then the other end back to the elevator chain. Slowly, I lower myself into a horizontal position. When I let go of the elevator chain, my body drops a few inches, forcing a gasp out of my throat.

  Once confident that it will hold, I swing myself back to the elevator door. On the third try, I manage to get my fingertips to latch on to the crack between the doors. It’s all or nothing, so I scream as I use all the strength I can muster to pull the doors apart. I quickly unknot my chain from the center chain and jump onto the ninth floor.

  I jump to my feet the second I land, ready to act, but there is no one around. Behind me, I hear a barrage of bullets ricochet in the elevator shaft. It won’t be long before they realize where I am. I need to act fast.

  I move quickly down the hallway, checking every room I pass. Most of them are filled with debris and dusty office furniture. I get to one that surprises me. It’s clean and filled with makeshift monitors and tablets. The monitors display different parts of the city, but also display a few areas around the compound. I can see that the fighting is still going on at the compound. It’s sad to see them all fighting for something that can’t be changed anymore.

  I continue down the hallway and near the end I hear muffled sounds along with some peculiar beeps. When I poke my head around, I see Fe strapped to a chair. Her head is down and she has a tube and other wires attached to her body. The tube is pumping her blood out and into a pouch that hangs on a stand next to her. The stand is surrounded by machines that are the source of the beeps, they seem like really old medical devices.

  Just as I am about to step in, a man walks towards Fe from the back of the room. It’s Dr. Peters. He checks her pulse and then checks the machines around her.

  “Let her go!” I step through the door.

  Dr. Peters jumps. When he sees me, he grabs a sharp object and holds it to Fe’s throat. “Don’t come closer.”

  I stand my ground but slowly grab hold of my chain. A quick flash of the same situation with Brianna and Dr. Cicca speeds through my head. I can’t let the same thing happen to Fe.

  “What are you doing to her?” I ask, trying to sneak a step closer.

  “You guys are built to be able to withstand the nuclear fallout. It’s built into your DNA. I’m taking her blood to be able to meld her DNA with ours. Hopefully it will give us a chance for survival,” he responds. I notice that the fear in his eyes has less to do with me being here and more to do with the Ragnarok.

  “Who else are you getting the blood for?” I step closer, hoping that the questions will distract him from my advancements.

  “Stay back.” He brings the sharp utensil to the side of Fe’s head. “It’s for Brianna and I.”

  This surprises me. Either they must have been together or Brianna was smarter than I gave her credit for and seduced him. Whichever it was, I can tell that he has affections towards her. I smile.

  “Why are you smiling?” He brings his utensil back to Fe’s neck.

  “She’s dead,” I say flatly. “I killed her.”

  In a brief moment of shock and grief, Dr. Peters lets down his guard and drops his hand. I take advantage and whip my chain at the chair. The end wraps around one of the legs and before Dr. Peters can react, I pull the chair and Fe away from him.

  Dr. Peters now stands completely exposed. He looks around for cover but can’t find any. He throws his sharp utensil at me. “Help!”

  I whip my chain at him, wrapping it around his waist. With my left hand, I pull him hard towards me. As he approaches, I swing with my right fist and connect right between his eyes. I can feel his nose break under my fingers.

  His head falls back and I can tell that I have knocked him unconscious. I hit him a couple more times to make sure and then I let him fall to the ground. I don’t kill him because I want him to experience the Ragnarok.

  I unravel my chain and tend to Fe. “Fe! Wake up. It’s me.”

  Her eyes open slowly and a glimmer shines in her eyes when she recognizes me. She struggles to speak. “Atom.”

  “I’m here.” I rip the tube and wires off of her body. “We have to go.”

  She tries to get herself up from the chair, but can’t. I’m going to have to carry her. I wrap my chain around my shoulder and lift Fe from the chair. If we are attacked, I will have no way to defend us. All I have left now is speed.

  I run into the hallway, hoping that it’s still empty. Luckily it is. I run down the hallway, every muscle in my body screaming with pain. When I get to the elevator shaft, I realize that the only option I have is the stairs.

  I slowly push the door to the stairs open and look down. About three floors below me are maybe a half dozen outsiders and drones waiting. I look up and see that there are about nine more floors to the top of the building. If they spot me, there is no way that I can outrun them while carrying Fe.

  As quietly as I can, I step into the stairway. I begin my ascent, but the second I am free from the door, it slams behind me.

  “Up there!” I hear an outsider scream. Shots fly by me.

  “Damn it!” I run as fast as my legs will carry me. Fe moans at each hard step I take.

  After about two floors, I look back down and see that my pursuers have gained on me, they have also doubled in number. There is no way I will make it to the top before they catch us. Regardless, I press on, even though my pace has slowed.

  After another floor I hear activity above me and see two drones making their way down towards me. They are only about a floor above. There is no way out.

  I set Fe down on the stairs and unravel my chain. If we are going to die here, I will make sure that I do all I can to make it hell for them to kill us.

  Fe looks at me. “I’m sorry, Atom.”

  “What are you talking about?” I say as I ready myself.

  “I was mad and hurt that you rejected me. I ran off. I wanted to see the pyramid up close because of how you described it.” Tears are streaking down her face. “I wanted to have that connection with you.”

  “I didn’t reject you, Fe.” I look at her. “I had things I needed to deal with and focus on.”

  “I know. I should have trusted you.” She wipes her eyes. “Instead, I got myself captured and dragged here. This is my fault.”

  I want to respond, but I don’t have the time. The two drones from above are only a few steps away. I ready myself. Right before I can do anything, the two drones open fire, deliberately missing Fe and I. I look at their targets and see that they are shooting the outsiders and drones beneath us.

  “Go! Get to the roof!” one of the drones yells.

  It takes me a second, but then I realize that they are on our side. I throw the chain over my shoulder and pick Fe back up. With a new found energy, I run up the stairs.

  “Thank you!” I yell back at the drones.

  As I make my way up, I see that Fe has lost consciousness, she must have lost a lot of blood. “Stay with me, Fe. We are almost there.”

  When I’m a floor away from the top, I see the door being held open by a scientist. I slow do
wn, unsure of who it is. Suddenly it clicks. It’s the scientist who was in the pilot seat of the Fly Ev and I were supposed to take.

  “Hurry!” he yells down at me. “The Ragnarok has started and nuclear weapons are detonating. We only have a few minutes before the one here detonates.”

  Fear fills my heart. I get to the top and the scientist helps me carry Fe to the Fly. When we get there I see Rene sitting in the front passenger seat.

  “Glad to see you,” he says with an immense sense of relief.

  “How did you find us?” I ask as I strap Fe into her seat. The scientist climbs into the pilot’s seat and starts the engines.

  “We flew into the city, saw the rollpods and then saw a steady stream of outsiders running into this building. It made the most sense.” He turns his attention to the scientist. “Get us going, Jose!”

  I buckle in as the Fly lifts off. A few bullets hit the side of the Fly and I see that outsiders and drones have made it to the roof. They are shooting at us. After a couple of moments the shooting stops.

  I look out Fe’s side of the aircraft and see the pyramid as we rise higher.

  “It’s beautiful,” Fe whispers.

  “Yes it is.” I take her hand. “Get some rest.”

  Her grip tightens for a second and then loosens back up when she falls back to sleep. I’m glad that she’s okay.

  As we fly past the compound, I take one last look at where I came to be. Where I was created. It is the complete opposite from the peaceful place I once knew. Gunfire continues to be exchanged between the two sides in a place that is now more rubble than standing structures.

  “Brace yourselves!” Jose shouts.

  I look out the side and see a giant missile making its way towards the city we just left. A few seconds later, the sky around us gets brighter and is soon followed by a giant boom. I try to look back, but the rear of the Fly blocks my view.

  Without warning, the Fly tilts forward and shakes. I see a giant wave of energy race past us. As fast as these aircraft are, the wave was much faster. Luckily, Jose seems to be an expert pilot and he maneuvers us through the turbulence. After a couple of shaky minutes, we are back on a smooth path.

  “Where are we going?” I tap Rene on the shoulder.

  “Johannesburg, South Africa,” he says without looking back at me. I remember reading about South Africa, it’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It’s also on the opposite end of the continent from Egypt.

  “We’ll be there in about an hour,” Jose adds.

  “Get us there faster,” Rene demands.

  I sit quietly and look out my window for the next forty-five minutes. My mind thinks about 80 and what he did. I also think about how I set 80’s actions in motion by showing him the value of life. I’m not sure if I regret telling him or not. I think about all the drones and scientists who gave their lives for us to succeed. I think about the other Genesys. Did they all reach their bunkers?

  My stomach churns and my heart aches as I remember what happened to Cal. Did he survive? I want to know, but I will have no way of finding out until after the two years we have to spend in the bunker.

  Finally, I think about Ev. She must hate me. I betrayed her to go save Fe. She and I were in this from the beginning, we were the first created and we were supposed to be in the same bunker. Instead, she will now have to spend the next two years in a bunker with Sil—if they even make it there safely. My heart yearns for her and I find myself missing her.

  “Go! Go! Go!” Rene yells, scaring me out of my thoughts.

  “What is it?” I look around and see the cloud trail of a nuclear missile coming towards us. When I look down, I see a city with lush green foliage surrounding a large amount of glass and steel buildings. From up here, the city looks to be in great shape. A direct contrast to the city we just left.

  “Get us down! Fast!” Rene shouts at Jose.

  Jose changes the course of the Fly to the ground. He keeps the craft going at its top speed. “Buckle up and hold on tight. This will not be a smooth landing.”

  The ground gets closer and closer. We are heading towards an open field that ends at a small mountain. I do my best to hold myself in my seat and use one of my hands to try to secure Fe even more.

  My body gets thrown forward as the Fly hits the ground. The Fly bounces a few times and then begins to spin as we quickly approach the mountain. Parts of the Fly tear off and a small fire starts on the control panel. A few moments later, the Fly comes to a stop. We are a few hundred feet from the mountain and I can see the outline of a steel door.

  “Get out!” Rene yells back. His face is covered in blood.

  I unbuckle Fe and do as he says. I pull Fe out and quickly check her vitals, she’s breathing and her heart is still beating. She’s just unconscious and somehow stayed that way throughout the crash.

  “What about Jose?” I say as I pick Fe up in my arms.

  Rene runs over to me. “He’s gone.”

  We look back at the city and see that the nuclear missile is making its descent. Rene runs towards the steel door and I run after him, carrying Fe.

  “Hurry!” Rene shouts. It seems as though it was directed at himself more than it was to me. He reaches the steel door, opens it and runs in.

  When I get to the door, he steps back out. I look at him. “What do I do?”

  “Put her in her hyperbaric chamber. It will heal her as she sleeps.” He pushes me in.

  I run in and lay Fe on the bed of the chamber and seal the top. Instantly the hyperbaric chamber jumps to life. Vitals and other information get displayed on the glass of the chamber.

  I run back out to Rene just as the missile hits the city. A bright flash spreads out from the city and a giant cloud rises to the sky. The boom that follows shakes the ground I’m standing on.

  “Come on.” I grab Rene’s arm.

  “I love you, Atom. You are my legacy.” He brushes my hand away and pushes me into the bunker.

  I run back towards him but he slams the steel door in my face. I try the handle but it won’t budge. Above it is a digital display, counting down from two years. I look out the small window in the door and I see Rene standing a few feet away from the door.

  “What are you doing?!” I scream.

  A few hundred feet in front of him I see a giant wall of fire making its way towards us. It engulfs the Fly with ease.

  “Get back here! Don’t!” I kick and punch the door. Tears running down my face. “Dad!”

  He looks back at me as the wall of fire takes him away from my life. A few seconds later, the wall of fire hits the door and all I see is the yellow, orange and red of the flames that are the end of the world. This is why I was created.

  EPILOGUE

  For two weeks I mourn. I cry for my father. I cry for Ev and the other Genesys. I cry for 80 and Grant and anyone else who once was.

  I check out the window in the door from time to time, but all I see is a darkness cast by the grey clouds that have not left since the explosion.

  The only thing that seems to brighten the darkness is Fe. I check on her to make sure she is fine and every time I do I smile. She looks angelic as she sleeps. At the risk of the relationship I might have lost with Ev, I am glad I went back for Fe. The Genesys are my responsibility and I need to lead them to E.D.E.N.

  After doing one last check around the bunker, I climb into my hyperbaric chamber. I grab the lid and slide it over my body. The lid hisses and seals into place. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.

  *****

  I dream of standing alone in a vast, white abyss. It’s cold and the ground feels hard and slick like ice. The sky is also white and the only reason I can tell that there is a difference between the ground and sky is because I see a figure out in the distance. I run towards the figure and as I get closer I can tell that it’s a girl. Her hair reaches down to the small of her back. She is thin and fairly tall. Her back is to me so I reach out to touch her. Right before I do, sh
e turns. It’s Ev.