"No. The way things are left here is almost like these citizens were forcefully removed. There aren't any emergency alarms or warning messages on the screens, though. This could have been an evacuation, but where did the people go? Millions of people lived down here and there was no sign of anyone above ground."
"I'm calling it in." He typed into the control panel of his exosuit then frowned. "Oh, never mind. I'm not."
"No signal?"
"Nope. Nothing. We're alone down here, Dallis. What do we do now?"
"There's only one thing we can do. We continue with the mission. To the elevators. Come on, Derek."
Once they turned down the side road towards the elevators along the back wall of the massive cavern and the lights scanned over the rough rocks, Lucas stopped. He froze. "Oh my God. Dallis, look."
From floor to ceiling, bloody and broken corpses were piled on top of each other for miles around the outer wall. Men, women, and children had been stacked in sticky swollen masses. The buzzing of flies filled the air as plump white maggots crawled across the lumps of brain matter, severed limbs, and lakes of dark rancid blood.
"What in space?" Dallis covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh, hell. Humans are twisted creatures."
Lucas switched the air ventilator on inside his helmet so he would not have to smell the stench. "Why would they do this? Do you think it was an Azimandian attack?"
"No. I don't think so." Dallis knelt down to scoop up a handful of shell casings. "I think these people were ordered here and they were herded together as their own government mowed them down. These shells have Odyssian manufacturing marks."
"But why? There are children here too. Babies. Women."
"They're barbarians. Humans are always afraid of aliens destroying them, but it far too often turns out that humans are humanity's true worst enemies. It's senseless, but sometimes violence becomes the one choice for people who are backed into a corner with seemingly no way out. This looks to be an act of desperation."
"But who would do something so evil?" Lucas asked with tears in his eyes.
"My money's on those Odyssian soldiers over there with the bullets in their brains and their guns in their hands. Suicide. This is recent. My only guess is that Alphonso Cyrino's death triggered riots and people became targets."
"What do we do? I need to pray for them."
"You can pray. Take some time if it will help you feel better about all of this. I'm sorry, but there's no way to bury them down here. After you're done, we'll carry on with the original plan. At least now their blood won't be on our hands once we blow the planet up. I know it's not better, but it's something. Go ahead, pet. Do what you do best."
The cyborg made a beeping sound as he held up his hands and the lights on his face plates blinked. The dots of light grew brighter until he slammed his hands together. With a smile, he held out his hands where a small metal crucifix rested on his palms. He held it out to Lucas and nodded his head.
"Thank you, Derek." Lucas took the crucifix and held it to his lips. "Thank you."
* * *
"Everybody, put your hands up! Get out of your chairs and over in the corner or I start shooting everyone. Move, now!"
Visht dropped down from his hiding place behind the large Elysian flag that was draped over the wall in the capital building. His combat boots slapped against the black marble floors, echoing around the polished walls and the golden doors that were secured and locked behind him. As Krisharn continued barking orders at the members of Congress, Visht took his assault rifle from his back and aimed it around at the terrified men and women in their pressed suits and slicked-back hair.
Krisharn held up a camera with one hand to film everything as he shoved a pistol into the faces of the front row of congressmen with the other. "Give me your communicators. Throw them all down here on the floor. Do it now! Visht, get filming."
He reached up to his goggles and pressed the button on the side panel to begin recording and broadcasting it across the Elysian internet. With both of their cameras recording, there would be plenty of footage from every angle to stir up fear in the citizens across the country. Visht watched the pile of communicators growing at his father's feet.
Jonathan Brightman stood from behind his desk with the banner of Elysia behind it. His wrinkle-encircled eyes narrowed as he leaned forward with concern written across his face. "What do you want? Don't point those guns at them. They're nothing to you. I'm the one you want, not them. Where is security? Security!"
"They're dead. We killed them." Krisharn grinned darkly when Jonathan reached under his desk to press the silent alarm button. "All of them are dead. No one is going to hear your calls for help."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Why? I'll tell you why. Be sure to get this on camera, Visht." Krisharn stepped up to the front of the large room and spun the pistol in his fingers. "Listen up, Elysia. I am Krisharn X-Azimandia. I came here to put an end to the injustices this Congress and the government in general have been inflicting on the innocent people of this universe. Humans, Biromians, Valmorons, and Azimandians have been used, abused, and neglected by Elysia for centuries. Things were terrible before, with relations between the races deteriorating and this government promoting violence and war as the only solution to territorial boundaries. However, the most disgusting and horrific thing, that even Azimandians can't believe, is the enslavement of your own children."
"We voted. It was seen as being in the best interest of humanity. Everyone must make sacrifices, especially during war."
"Not children. Even Azimandians don't send untrained three-year-olds to die! It's barbaric. It's cruel. Jonathan Brightman, you are single-handedly running the human race into oblivion. Darkshot has been invaded by rogue warbringers, Olonictu is divided, and people are creating unauthorized android children to replace the ones they can't keep or make naturally."
"Are you talking about Rav Tillman's creation?" Jonathan asked. His face contorted as if even the thought of Nemo made him sick.
"And others. There are over four thousand android children being made with the Genesis Sequence as I speak. The technology for that process has been given to the rich citizens of Darkshot by my own spies so they can at least help the grieving parents whose children were ripped from their arms by your military. Those children will need to be protected and provided for, just like normal children."
A female voice spoke over the sobbing of the terrified members of Congress. "That's right."
Everyone turned to look at the dark-skinned woman with the raspberry red hair who dropped into the room from an air duct. She fixed her blue silk kimono and drew a laser pistol from her hip as her pink heels clicked against the polished marble.
She walked up to stand next to Krisharn. "I am Camille Cyrino, the new leader of Odyssia."
"You're a part of this too?" Jonathan asked.
"Of course I am. Back to the important matters. I want everyone watching this to know a few things. We are members of the Red Sand Rebels, a group of renegades who fight for those who need to be fought for. We protect those who can't protect themselves. We look to a brighter future for all races, living together in harmony, and without the threat of our children being slaughtered for nothing. After this war is over, a new government of Elysia will be established under President Tobias Desruisseaux. The first law he will create will be an extension of the Darkshot Cybernetic and Artificial Intelligence Protection Act. Under this law, children created with the Genesis Sequence, like Nemo Tillman, will be granted equal rights as any human or alien race. Tampering with their AI or their recorded memories will be equal to a charge of capital murder and punishable by life in prison or the death penalty. Children, no matter how they were created, deserve to be protected at all costs. Go ahead and get this moving, Krisharn."
The massive warbringer pointed his pistol at the computer against the wall. "Show me the votes."
"What?" Jonathan Brightman looked up from where he was cowering behind his des
k. "What are you talking about?"
"Show me the voting results for the law that let the Elysian military take children from their homes and shove them out to die on the battlefields. Show me! I want names!"
Jonathan crawled over and brought up the list on the monitor. "Here. Here are the votes with names."
"Keep your gun on them while I read this, Visht. Shoot anyone who moves." He stared up at the names with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. I was going to only kill the ones of you who voted for such a heinous law. But now I see that it was unanimous. So be it. You all die. First, I want you, Jonathan, to look into the camera here and tell your military to go directly to Odyssia. Do it."
"No way in hell."
"Do it!" Krisharn slammed his pistol into Jonathan's face. "Now!"
Jonathan Brightman stumbled backwards, holding his hand against the deep gash on the side of his cheek. With fear blazing in his eyes, he robotically turned to the camera in Krisharn's hand, cleared his throat, then addressed his generals. "This is President Brightman. As of this moment, all military personnel are to cease engagements on the main planet and instead deploy immediately to Odyssia. Warp speed is authorized. You will-"
"That's enough." Krisharn interrupted him then pressed the send button. "Done. Let's get this purge started."
Visht flinched when the first shot echoed in the room, joined by frightened screams as the man in the navy blue suit slumped over his desk. Everyone backed away as the rivers of blood cascaded down the legs of the wooden desk and spread out across the floor. He clenched his eyes closed as more shots rang out. The rapidity of the assault rifle mixed with the whining buzz of lasers from Camille's pistol for minutes until the screaming and begging for life died away.
"Don't. Not yet. He's mine."
Visht opened his eyes to see the blond Frenchman in the long purple jacket throw the heavy golden doors open. "Tobias Desruisseaux?"
"The same. Stand aside, warbringers. I want to do this one." Tobias strutted up to stand in front of the blubbering president. He took the laser pistol from Camille and pressed the barrel against Jonathan's sweat-slicked forehead. "This is for my daughter."
President Brightman's begging was cut off as a red laser beam bored a hole through his brain. His body fell lifeless to the floor where hundreds more were scattered in puddles of blood and blackened marks from the lasers.
Tobias fell to his knees, breathing heavily. He stayed there with the gun in his hands as a veil of silent death fell over the room.
Camille helped Tobias to his feet then pointed towards the back doors. "Now that it's done, we need to get moving before someone sends reinforcements."
"Not yet." Visht readied the assault rifle and held it up, aiming at his father's heart. "Leah told me to do what I knew was right, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. Krisharn, I can't let you become warlord. I know that things won't change. You'll start another war with Elysia. You'll still promote enslavement and abuse of young boys. You'll keep women beaten down so they can't have a say. I have to put an end to that."
"Son, I wasn't-"
Before Visht could change his mind, he squeezed the trigger, sending a volley of bullets ripping through his father's chest.
* * *
Lucas removed his helmet before punching the button on his arm to open his exosuit. As the sensors disconnected and the latches hissed open, his crippled legs caused him to fall forward.
"I've got you, pet." Dallis caught him then carried him over to the sleeping bag and gently laid him down beside the lantern. "I know you hate it when I try to help you, but this may be the last time I get to."
"Thanks, Dallis." Lucas leaned back against the wall of the square containment room of Reactor One. The darkness was calming to his nerves, despite the knowledge that his life was nearly over. He listened to the continuous yet oddly comforting crackle of the Geiger counter as Derek fell asleep in the corner by the steam valves and Dallis sat on the other sleeping bag next to him.
"So, pet, you tired?"
Exhausted. "Kind of. Not really, though. I'm more defeated and ready to give up than anything."
"That's an awful way to feel."
"It's true, though. What's the point in trying to feel better about things when I know I'm going to die within the next couple of days? Why trick myself into feeling happy or important? It's over, Dallis. We're going to die and our lives will be meaningless. Nothing matters anymore."
Dallis pulled the tab off of a can of beans and began eating them with his fingers. "But that's not true, not for you, anyway. I know what Leah called to talk to you about."
"You . . . you do?"
"Yes, I do."
Lucas glared at him in the lantern light. "So what? Are you going to call her back and make me leave once they get the ship running again? You want me to give up on this suicide mission so I can travel across the galaxies to find my daughter and her mother?"
"Not at all."
"Huh?"
"Ruth and your daughter are long gone by now. Rav was only able to find Nemo due to luck and the kind hearts of people like you who decided to put the work in to do the right thing. I want you to do what you think you need to do for your daughter. If that is leaving to dedicate the rest of your life to finding her, then you do that. Say the word and I'll get you off this planet before we blow these reactors. But if you feel that ending this war is the best way to provide a better future for your daughter, then you stay here and you do what you feel is right. I'm not going to tell you one way or another what you should do. I'm not you, pet. That decision falls squarely on your shoulders. Think it over. Get some rest. Look at it again tomorrow. We still have time to get you out."
Lucas held his arms around himself. "Thanks, Dallis. That doesn't mean I'm not terrified."
"I know that. It's expected for you to be afraid of dying a painful death. Most people are. But it's what you accomplish through dying that matters."
"So what now?"
"We wait. We spend the last few hours of our lives being together and talking. You can't focus on what's going to happen. Worrying will only make the experience worse when it finally does come. Focus instead on imagining a brighter future for your family. Hey, if you want, I'll even pray with you. Would you like that?" The Biromian placed his arm around Lucas's back and pulled him close to his side. He gently stroked his faded blue hair. "I'm always here for you, pet."
Chapter 10
Warm sunlight danced across Ben's skin. The sounds of crickets chirping and birds singing stirred him awake against the soft ground around him. His long eyelashes fluttered with the light as he slowly opened his grey eyes to stare up at a pale blue sky with thin wispy clouds high up in the atmosphere. The fragrance of primroses greeted him, tingling inside his nose with an intoxicating honey-like sweetness.
A haze of pink glowed in the corners of his eyes. His body ached. The irritated skin around his lips itched from where the duct tape had been ripped off recently. Ben's bare back and legs were tickled by the green grass below him. With a groan, he spread out his arms and took a deep breath of the sweet scent. "Why am I naked? Where am I?"
Pink flowers. He sat up to look around him at the acres of bright pink blossoms that swayed silently in the breeze. Around the edges stood lines of candles as if they were forming a barrier to protect the place. Glass sculptures twisted above the fields. Ben instantly knew where he was. The hallowed Flower Fields.
Wherever an Elysian pink primrose was, a child soldier had been buried there. Millions of flowers stretched out to the horizons. The area had normally been silent, eerily devoid of life, but now it was vibrant and alive with an unknown energy.
His fingers grazed across a thin black sheet rolled up next to him, so he instantly wrapped it around his waist and tied it in a knot. Bits of memory crept back into his mind. With the bruises around his wrists and the sticky residue of duct tape stuck to the back of his neck, he put the pieces together. His uncle had betrayed him, at
tacked him, then somehow sent him all the way here, just to leave him naked in the Flower Fields. But why?
Ben looked over his shoulder when he heard footsteps. What he saw took his breath away. Nearly fifty children, all under the age of fifteen, had gathered around him. They looked at him with wide questioning eyes as they held out tiny offerings to him. Candies, shiny pebbles, drawings on wrinkled construction paper, little carvings of animals made from the wax that dripped off the candles. The children all knelt down to place the gifts at Ben's knees.
"Hello." He smiled at them, clutching the knot around his hips to make sure it was securely in place. "I'm Ben. Who are all of you?"
"We live here. They left us."
"Soldiers left us."
"I'm hungry."
"There's food, but we don't know how to make a fire to cook it."
Ben listened to their situation as they continued to tell him various things they needed help with. "Okay, okay. I hear you. I'll help. It's gonna be all right." He spotted the flash of blue in the middle of the crowd. "Biromian boy, come here."
The sea parted to let the young boy shakily shuffle forward. His four golden eyes were already brimming with tears and he kept his head down as if he was afraid he was in trouble. His blue skin was splotchy with lighter areas, but he did not seem to be in distress or pain. The boy's thin black lips quivered as he knelt down in front of Ben.
"Don't be afraid. I'm a good guy. I'm not going to hurt any of you." Ben ran his fingers through the boy's short black hair. "Tell me something. Are you Baban? Baban Zimnark?"
The boy nodded his head and held out the golden pendant around his neck. He slid the cover off to show the digital screen where information flashed across the black surface.
Baban Zimnark. Age: 4.
Ben could not contain his excitement. "It's you! It's really you. You're safe!"
"You know me?"
"I know your father. Dallis Zimnark? I know him."
The Genesis Sequence Books 6-10 Page 60