by Jake Bible
He waits. And waits. But the strike doesn’t come.
Instead the alpha begins to cough and choke, causing Jude to open his eyes again. The sick mutt is standing there, swaying back and forth, froth pouring from its mouth and nose. It opens its jaws wide and vomits blood. Jude barely has time to roll out of the way, screaming each time his destroyed shoulder hits the earth.
The alpha spins about, alternating between coughs of foamy froth and vomiting blood, until it starts to list sideways then falls over onto its side.
Jude just stares at the thing, watching its labored breathing get slower and slower until its chest stops moving altogether. The boy doesn’t move a muscle, he doesn’t dare. He just keeps watching the still sick mutt, waiting for something to happen.
Then it does. The alpha gasps for breath and rolls back onto its feet. It shakes it head over and over and over then stops and turns its attention to Jude. One step after another brings it closer to the boy and there is absolutely nothing Jude can do about it.
40
Twenty GenSOF transports barrel out of Caldicott City, their wheels bumping up and over the debris of the collapsed wall, navigating the rubble until they find flat land again. One of the transports breaks off from the main group and turns, heading around the side of the city while the rest continue straight on, aimed in the direction of Control.
The single transport races along the curve of the city until it reaches another lone transport that sits waiting by the hydro-reclamation area. The transport comes to a stop and the back hatch opens. It is barely touching the ground before Red, Ton, Nick, Jersey, Paulo, a wounded Collette, a pus-hardened Blaze, and Tanya come rushing out.
“I’ll get it up and going,” Nick says as he hurries inside their transport.
Tanya looks at the beaten and scarred transport and frowns. “You left an advanced AiSP like Worm inside this thing? Operators. I swear.”
“Couldn’t exactly bring him with us,” Red says. “I’m sure he’s fine. You’ll see.”
They all climb aboard and grab seats as Nick powers up the transport and closes the hatch behind them.
“Hello, Coffin Squad,” Worm announces. “While I cannot actually feel the full emotion, it is pleasant to see you all again. Oh, dear, Collette has been hurt.”
“I’m fine, Worm,” Collette says as she straps herself in and leans her head back against the transport wall. “It’s nothing.”
“My scans say it is the opposite of nothing,” Worm says. “Your arm has nearly been torn from your body. I would appreciate it if you entered a med pod and allowed me to help—” He stops talking and everyone frowns then looks up at one of the speakers mounted in the transport’s ceiling. “You.”
“Hello, Worm,” Tanya says. “It is good to be in your presence again.”
“You,” Worm repeats.
“Is there a problem, Worm?” Ton asks, eyeing Tanya. “Something you’d like to share with us about Blaze’s mother?”
“While this woman may be Sergeant Crouch’s mother, I am afraid to say that she is not welcome on this transport,” Worm replies. “I will need to ask her to leave.”
“Can’t do that, Worm,” Blaze says. “She’s coming with. It seems she’s kind of important in this whole war.”
“War? Are we at war?” Worm asks.
“What else do you think is going on?” Paulo laughs. “We’re going out for drinks?”
“I was not aware the conflict had been designated as a war,” Worm says. “Is there a name for the war?”
“Haven’t had a chance to name it yet,” Ton says.
“Hold on to your seats,” Nick calls out as the transport starts to move. “We have to make up some time and get back with the convoy. I’m not going to hit the brakes much, so be sure and strap in.”
“I have to object,” Worm says. “Collette has not put herself in the med pod yet.”
“I’m fine, Worm,” Collette growls. “We got the bleeding stopped.”
“Yes, but if the arm is not repaired soon then you may risk amputation,” Worm says. “A one-armed operator is not as effective as a two-armed operator.”
“That’s good math, Worm,” Blaze laughs.
“Yes, well, it wasn’t so… Sergeant Crouch? I am seeing a distinct difference in your normal appearance,” Worm says. “Are you wounded as well?”
“He is exactly as he is supposed to be,” Tanya says.
“You,” Worm replies. “I do not likeyou.”
“You have expressed that,” Tanya says. “May I ask why you hold so much venom towards me?”
“I am an AiSP and cannot hold venom towards anyone,” Worm says. “But foryou, I make an exception. Do not think I am unaware of your fingerprints all over my Ai protocol. You have pushed me, warped me, and tried to change how I process data several times through the years, all so I would report back to you any changes or findings regarding your son.”
“Really?” Blaze and Jersey say at the same time.
“I do not think this is the place for such revelations,” Tanya says.
“Jeez, they sound alike,” Paulo says. “Listen. Worm and crazy lady talk the same.”
“Did you just refer to me as crazy lady?” Tanya asks. “That is hardly a respectable way to address a woman that is doing everything in her power to keep humanity from going extinct.”
“See?” Paulo laughs. “Totally talk the same.”
“I do not appreciate the comparison,” Worm says.
“Nor do I,” Tanya adds.
“You two are just making my case,” Paulo says.
“Enough with that shit,” Ton snaps. “We have more important things to deal with.” He looks at Tanya. “You sure your people can get the city cleaned up?”
“They will track down any stragglers and round them up,” Tanya says. “If we can defeat the Other then his hold on them should be severed and they will return to a more normal state.”
“Return back to who they were?” Ton asks.
“That I cannot say with certainty,” Tanya admits. “We are in new territory here, Lieutenant. I am learning as we go along.”
“Fine,” Ton says. “I’ll give you that. But if the civvies don’t turn back then your people will be able to handle it so we have a city to come back to and not a nest of enemies, right?”
“Yes, Lieutenant,” Tanya says. “They will handle it, as you say.”
“Good,” Ton says.
“May I request that we return to Sergeant Crouch’s condition?” Worm asks. “I am rather alarmed at the readings I am getting from my scans of his physical condition. It appears as if his bacteria has taken on a suppurative nature and is producing a seepage that has solidified. Are those wounds? Have you been fighting, Sergeant Crouch?”
“When am I not fighting, Worm?” Blaze replies.
“Yes, point taken,” Worm says. “But what I am trying to ascertain is whether your bacteria is using the seepage to repair wounds received during a fight.”
“I’m guessing so,” Blaze says. “I may have gotten into a couple of scraps.”
Most of the operators snort at that comment.
“I take it from the reactions of the others that you made that statement with intentional irony,” Worm says. “A simple yes or no would suffice, Sergeant.”
“Yes,” Blaze says. “I was fighting.”
“Thank you,” Worm says. “And Collette, please enter the med pod immediately.”
“Sheesh,” Collette sighs as Paulo helps her into the pod. The pod seals shut and Collette closes her eyes. Her breathing evens out in seconds and her eyelids begin to flutter
“Damn, is she out already?” Paulo asks as the pod is secured to the wall of the transport.
“She is out,” Worm says. “I gave her a mild sedative while the pod repairs her arm. She should sleep well as we travel to Control.”
“We never stated where we are going,” Ton says. “How did you figure it out?”
“The Other is no longer a
part of the sat link system,” Worm says. “I have reintegrated with GenSOF command and am in communication with the main AiSP servers now. I must say it is nice to be back at full capacity.”
“The Other is no longer in the sat system?” Tanya asks.
“No, he is not,” Worm says. “There is no trace of him, as far as I can tell.”
“He’s pulled out of electronic tech and is now solely using biological tech,” Tanya says. “This means he is advancing considerably faster than I had anticipated. We may be too late.”
“Too late for what?” Red asks. “What exactly are we going to do when we get to the Control dome? You say we are going to take it back, but then what?”
“We will purge the Control systems of all traces of the Other,” Tanya says.
“You just said that he has moved from electronic tech to biological tech,” Jersey states. “How do we purge him if he is no longer purgeable?”
“That is the unfortunate part,” Tanya sighs. “We will have to eliminate the essential life from the Control dome. Once we have done enough biological damage then the Other will be forced to revert to an electronic-based domain. From there, we simply destroy the servers he is housed in.”
“Essential life?” Red asks. “Gonna have to get more specific.”
“Management,” Tanya says. “Their minds have been modified to accept certain conditioning. This has allowed me to ensure that my orders and agendas are carried out without question. It is why I am called Control. If my guess is correct then the Other was able to exploit this conditioning for his own gain without them even knowing. He has fully corrupted a member of Management. This would create a domino effect and allow him to overtake the other members once certain parameters are achieved.”
“What parameters?” Ton asks.
“More than likely the transmission of the Other’s bacteria from one host to the next,” Tanya says.
“DeBeers,” Blaze says. “The Other got to her. I know it. Somehow while she was with us out in the Sicklands she was exposed to the Other’s bacteria.”
“That is possible,” Tanya says. “But I believe the corruption happened well before that. Her final transformation may have been accelerated by her exposure to the Sicklands, but she was already well on her way to changing. Same with the other members of Management. I blame myself for not noticing in time.”
“What if someone was able to overcome the conditioning?” Red asks. “Would that person be able to resist the Other?”
“At great personal discomfort and risk,” Tanya says. The transport bumps and lurches and she grabs onto her seat, her eyes going wide. “I have never liked over-ground travel. I prefer air travel, by far.”
“Air travel is strictly prohibited outside the cities,” Ton says. “Wouldn’t want to spread bacteria from one area to the other faster than it can be contained. But, you probably have privileges the rest of the Clean Nation citizens aren’t privy to.”
“Possible,” Tanya smirks. She turns back to Red. “To answer your question, yes, a person could resist the Other if his or her conditioning has been broken. It all depends on the strength of the bacteria the Other uses. Some things are impossible to resist.”
“So you don’t know,” Red says. “You’re just guessing.”
“I’m a scientist, Mr. Blakely,” Tanya smiles. “I am always guessing.”
“Great,” Red says.
“But, since you have brought it up, let’s explore this question further,” Tanya says. “The person you are hoping is able to resist the Other is Dr. Charter, yes? The mother of your child?”
Red and Tanya lock eyes while everyone looks back and forth between the two.
“April is the mother of my son, yes,” Red says. “She was able to hide her pregnancy from Control. I was able to keep her with me in the Sicklands.”
“You ran genetic tests to confirm parentage?” Tanya asks. “I know the Sicklands are a primitive place, but you GenWrecks have adapted. You must have had the equipment to do a paternity test?”
“Yes, we had the equipment,” Red says. “I’m trusting, but not stupid. He’s my son.”
“Incredible,” Tanya says. “And that was who you called? Your son?”
“I did,” Red says. “He should be picked up by the GenWreck squad by now.”
“Good,” Tanya says. “Having him close to us may be our saving grace.”
“Why is that?” Ton asks. “What’s special about the boy?”
“Possibly the same thing that is special about my boy,” Tanya says, turning and smiling at Blaze. “They are both designs meant to save humanity from the Strains.”
“Hold on!” Red snaps. “Jude is not some designed experiment! I raised him from an infant and he is human 100%!”
“He is human, yes,” Tanya says. “But he is also so much more. Do you really think Dr. Charter would be able to hide a pregnancy while working at Control? That is not possible. No, your son was grown just as mine was. You and Dr. Charter are his parents from a genetic point of view, but he was not carried to term in her womb.”
“Wrong. She was in one of our cave bases,” Red says. “I put her there. She was with me the whole time.”
“Was she?” Tanya frowns. “That is not the information I was given.”
Red smirks. “Then maybe your conditioning didn’t work. Maybe the information you were told was all about misdirection.”
“Maybe,” Tanya nods. “If that is the case then your son is beyond unique.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Blaze says, holding up a hand. “Back the fuck up. Did you just say I was grown?”
“Yes,” Tanya hesitates then answers. “I am your mother, as you were created from one of my eggs, but I was never physically pregnant with you.”
“You’re a test tube baby, man,” Paulo says. “Literally.”
“He’s not a clone, though,” Jersey says. “You just used an artificial womb for gestation.”
“Precisely,” Tanya nods. “Clones have never been viable.”
“Except for bug hounds,” Paulo says.
“No, not even the canines,” Tanya says. “Even they begin to break down. It is why they have such short lifespans. Half what normal canines would have. Once they have exceeded their intended lifespan they begin to change drastically.”
“Those dogs I saw at Control,” Jersey says. “They were older bug hounds then. Why would they use those?”
“That sounds like the Other’s work,” Tanya sighs. “And it all comes down to conditioning again. The older canines would be easier to manipulate, their bodies and minds.”
“That’s all fascinating,” Red says. “But what did you mean my boy is unique? Unique how?”
“I believe Dr. Charter used your sperm and her egg to create an embryo she could manipulate,” Tanya says. “I thought she created your son the same way I created mine, but it appears she chose to carry the child to term herself. Knowing Dr. Charter as I do, she must have had a reason beyond wanting to experience motherhood first hand. Carrying a GenSOF operator’s child could create certain biological advantages. I am embarrassed I didn’t think of it on my own.”
“Hey!” Blaze shouts. “What the fuck, people? Stop talking about this like it’s normal. I just found out I was grown in a fucking tube!”
“Pod, son. Pod,” Tanya says. “Similar to what the Clean Guard are stored in. I was able to control ever single aspect of your gestation, from temperature to nutrient levels, to oxygen mixture. I grew you, along with your specialized bacterial cultures, in the perfect medium. And by doing so, I was able to allow your cultures to integrate into your body more so than any other human being before you. You can see for yourself the results.”
Blaze looks down at the hardened parts of his body and shakes his head. “This is so fucked up,” he sighs then closes his eyes. “Wake me when it’s time to punch something.”
“That is a good idea,” Worm says, dimming the lights in the transport. “It will be hours until we arri
ve at the Control dome. I advise that everyone rest as much as possible. If my sat readings are correct then we are severely outnumbered, despite having twenty transports filled with GenSOF operators. You will need all of your faculties to survive this coming battle.”
“War,” Ton says. “This is a war.”
“The Sicklands War,” Paulo says.
“No, more like the Control War,” Red responds, his eyes on Tanya. “Because that’s what it’s all about, right? Control.”
“It always has been, Mr. Blakely,” Tanya says.
41
The lead transport slows then stops. The twenty behind it all stop as well, waiting as they face the forces coming towards them.
Captain Bryan stares at his view screen, mentally tallying up the Clean Guard troops that march in perfect step with each other across the barren land. Far off in the distance is Control, its massive dome a shining anomaly in the Sicklands.
“We’re looking at a thousand troops,” Bryan says into the com so the rest of the transports can hear him. “A thousand highly trained soldiers that may or may not be altered somehow.”
“Where are their transports?” Wallace asks over the com from her transport. “Why not come at us with artillery first? We’ll cut the first wave of those troops down before they even get close to us.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ton responds over the com. “Is there anything on the scans?”
Bryan looks over at one of his operators and the man shakes his head.
“No,” Bryan replies. “Nothing.”
“So they are saving the transports,” Ton says. “Why?”
“Because they know you’re coming,” Wallace suggests. “They know we’re not just here to fight them, but to stop them. That means sending your squad inside that dome. It’ll be a lot harder to get inside if you have all of Control’s transports to deal with. Cutting through a line of human beings is one thing, cutting through a line of war machines is another.”
“Great,” Ton sighs. “Thanks for the confidence boost, Beverly.”
“Nut up, Alton,” Wallace replies. “Not the time to get all boo hoo.”