Kings and Crowns: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 2)
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Trevor watched her flip through the pages. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? Both of their lives, condensed into one little book.”
She nodded as she turned to the very first entry. “These early ones aren’t very thorough. Whoever had this job before me really slacked off.”
“That’s probably why they got canned. Greene doesn’t put up with slackers. Cosmetic tests may be boring, but I’m thorough as hell with my reports.”
“Keep at it and they’ll promote you soon enough.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Take advantage of the time you have right now. In my position, I get very little free time. There’s always something important going on. You’re single, right?”
Trevor nodded.
“Good. When you move up, you won’t have time for dating, or a family. Your time will be fully dedicated to your subjects.”
“You don’t make it sound very glamorous.”
“It isn’t glamorous. Not even close. It’s interesting, that’s for sure, but it’s also time-consuming and tedious. But when Vince and Saul die, because all test subjects eventually do, I’ll be set for life. Greene will slap a paycheck down and I’ll retire.”
“It’s ridiculous how much he pays everyone in the vitality sector.”
“It’s important to him. It always has been. From what I hear, he’s a bit obsessed with discovering immortality. Living forever. There’s a rumor going around that he’s sterile, so he has no one to carry his legacy. Living for as long as possible is the next best thing. He’s come a long way in achieving that. Three hundred years is a long time to live. People on the outside rarely make it to ninety. Not many people know that.”
“I knew that. That’s why the Hedcrown bloodline has such a quick turnaround. Harry was from the outside.”
“Exactly. And that’s why it’s important to have subjects out there. We get more immediate results than we do in our labs. People die faster. That’s imperative. To Greene, every wasted minute is one step closer to death.”
“That’s grim.”
“It’s also true. It means you don’t waste time slacking off. If you do, death will sneak up and hit you like that.” She snapped her fingers.
“I suppose that’s true.” He looked at the clock. “It’s getting late. You going to bed soon?”
“I’ll try to sleep a little, but safe room beds are never comfortable.”
Trevor chuckled as he scooped the last bits of food from Charlotte’s tray in his mouth. “This meal will knock me right out.”
EIGHT
THE GROUP SLEPT well in the beds Simon provided. It was far better than any night in the snow plains. They all woke up refreshed and energized. As they got dressed, Simon entered with a man by his side.
“Good morning everyone,” Simon said. “I hope the beds were to your liking.”
Vince bowed his head. “They were very comfortable. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Only the best for our new heroes. The rally begins in a few hours. We’ll get out there soon, but first, I brought someone to look at Saul’s wound.” He gestured to the man beside him. “This is Charles. He’ll take care of any medical needs you require.”
Rupert held up Fred. “This falcon is injured. Can you take a look at her as well?”
“Of course,” Charles said. “Falcons are not my expertise, but I’ll see what I can do. First, let me take a look at Saul.” He walked over. “Show me your wound.”
He lifted his shirt and revealed the scar. The red had faded to a normal flesh color.
“How recently did this happen?”
Saul laughed. “You’re not going to believe me, but it was yesterday. I got shot by a gun.”
“Yesterday, huh? So you have healing powers. You’re one of Greene’s vitality subjects.”
“I guess, if that’s what they call us.” He was surprised by how casual he was.
“Any subjects assigned to healing, life extension, or just avoiding death in general, are supervised by Greene’s vitality sector. It’s his most valued sector in the Spire.”
“That’s right,” Simon said. “I’m guessing the two of you are worth a lot to Greene. That’s why turning you into icons is so important. We’re going to twist his work around and have it bite him in the ass.”
Charles examined the wound, pressing gently around the scar. “It looks like it’s healing up well. Do you feel any pain?”
“Occasionally. Just a little.”
“Give it a few more days. I suspect the pain will subside.” He walked over to Fred, who was cradled in Rupert’s arms. “Now let’s take a look at this beauty.” He stretched out her wing to see the wound. “There is a good amount of damage here. She won’t be flying anytime soon. Have her take it easy for a while. Don’t do anything strenuous. It will have to heal on its own.”
“So just wait it out for both of them,” Alan said.
“Essentially, yes. I apologize if this doesn’t satisfy you. We don’t have much equipment down here. Your conditions are not life threatening, and frankly, we’re saving what we have for all of the injured from yesterday’s attack.”
Simon shook his head in shame. “We lost a lot of people yesterday, and countless were injured. Our supplies just can’t keep up. We’ll have to go on another supply raid soon, but until then, we’ll make do with what we have.”
Ella opened her mouth to argue against him, but saw Rupert’s disapproving glare. Instead, she changed the subject. “What do you expect from the rally this morning?”
Simon smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It’s important that we’re all on the same page. It will be fairly simple. I’ve made it easy for you. I will start off by addressing the people with a speech. At that point, Vince and Saul will come up on stage and wave. If you wish to speak, you may, but you don’t have to. My speech covers everything that needs saying. If you do choose to say something, make them words of inspiration. These people need all of the hope they can get.”
“We prefer to stay silent,” Vince said. “At least for now.”
“Very well. Your presence will be enough to set off the crowd. I’m sure of it. There are a few last minute things I must deal with. I will come back to get you when it’s time. In the meantime, relax. I’m sure you’ve all been through a lot.”
He left the room, and Charles followed him out. Rupert held Fred up. “You hear that, girl? Relax. Let that wing heal.”
She chirped in agreement.
Alan leaned back, kicked his legs up, and folded his arms behind his head. “If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s relaxing. It sounds like Vince and Saul have all the work.”
“You need to be vigilant as well,” Vince said. “Simon seems confident that people will accept us, but we have no idea how they’ll react. If something goes wrong, we need to be ready. The minute we lose our status as ‘The Heroes from Rodin,’ we become expendable. Simon will get rid of us. A man like him knows his goals, and if we challenge that in any way, he’ll cut us loose.”
Ella nodded. “It’s clear, to him we’re just tools. Just like all the people that charge to their death for him.”
“It’s true,” Rupert said. “He is a man with good intentions, but his judgment is clouded.” He glanced at Ella. “You need to keep those kinds of thoughts to yourself. At least for now. They could get us into trouble.”
“Yes,” she responded. “I understand how fragile the situation is.”
“It’s both fragile and crucial,” Vince said. “Let’s try to make it through this rally and see where it goes from there. If everything goes well, we’ll be in a very good position.”
“You guys will do fine,” Alan said, still propped up on his bed. “You don’t even have to talk. Just wave and let Simon do his thing.”
“Even so,” Vince said, “it’s good to expect the worst. Things always go wrong when you least expect it.”
NINE
THEY FOLLOWED SIMON into the courtyard, behind the stage. They could hear the rumblin
gs of a large crowd on the other side.
Alan peered up at the tall buildings and open sky. “I thought the rally would be underground.”
“No,” Simon said. “This event is out in the open. We don’t want to hide our heroes from Greene, we want to show them off.” The crowd began to chant Simon’s name. “I guess it’s time. Stay down here. I’ll call you up when the time is right. The rest of you stay put and enjoy the show.” When he climbed up on stage, the crowd broke out in wild cheers. He raised his arms up and accepted the roar of the crowd.
Vince looked up at the giant monitors hanging from above, showing close-ups of Simon’s face as he walked around.
“Their technology,” Ella said, gazing up in awe. “It’s amazing.”
When the roar finally softened, Simon cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. It is a fine morning.” His voice was amplified from large boxes hanging above the stage. “I would like to begin with a moment of silence for those that we lost yesterday. Please join me as we commemorate their sacrifice.” He bowed his head. The people in the crowd did the same. “Thank you. Their loss was not without purpose. Thanks to their valiant efforts, we have broken through the first wall!” He threw his arms up in triumph. The crowd cheered.
“The wall has not fallen in over a hundred years. They said it was impossible. They said our efforts were hopeless. But yesterday, we proved them wrong. We’ve destroyed their first wall, damaged the second, and the third is within reach! Greene can hide in the Spire, but soon he will have to answer for his crimes. We will break in, free our loved ones, and stop Greene’s reign!” The crowd cheered even louder.
Vince watched the charisma ooze from his skin. He had complete control of his audience.
“But our small victory does not mean we’re done. It means the very opposite. We must fight harder while our enemy is hurt. Attack again while his defenses are scattered. It will be swift. It will be strong. It will strike fear into Greene’s soul! I assure you all, victory is close. I can see it, and I know you can too. Now we just have to take it!”
The crowd broke out screaming. “Hedcrown! Hedcrown! Hedcrown!” Simon paced around with his arms up as the people called his name.
Alan stared at the close-up on the monitor. “Man, they really love this guy. They’d do anything for him.”
Ella looked over. “That’s the problem. With the right leader they could do so much, but instead, they follow a man who promises false hope.”
When the crowd was quiet again, Simon continued. “I would now like to introduce you to two very important people. They joined our cause just yesterday. Vince, Saul, please come up on stage.”
Vince and Saul stepped up. From here they could see the massive crowd. It was even larger than it sounded. Saul leaned over to Vince. “There are so many of them,” he whispered.
“No need to whisper,” Simon chuckled. “They can’t hear you. I’ve got the microphone. Of course, when I’m done I’ll hand it over if you want to say something.” He raised the microphone back up to his lips. “These two gentlemen are very important. They come from—”
The hanging monitors cut to static. Simon stopped to see what was wrong. A curious mumble hummed from the crowd. Simon began to walk off stage, but the monitors flashed back on. They no longer displayed images of the stage. Instead, a close-up of a well-groomed man appeared. He wore a fitted suit with matching pants. His smile was both charming and infectious. The crowd heckled and yelled at his appearance.
“Greetings citizens,” he said in a cheery voice, “This is Victor Greene, here to bring you some important news. I am proud to announce that, for the very first time in City history, we have visitors from the outside. This is a big event. It is something that will go down in the history books.”
The crowd’s disapproval grew louder. The monitor switched to the image of Vince and Saul standing on the stage, and then back to Greene.
“These two gentlemen, Vince Vigo and Saul Shepherd, are part of our research program. Volunteers from our vitality sector. Outliving their natural lifespan by over a hundred years, these two are shining examples of successful research subjects. They have come all this way to promote our thriving research program.”
A roar of hate scattered amongst the people. They began throwing things on stage.
“With role model subjects like Vince and Saul, we are excited to pursue more opportunities, discover new possibilities, and make the world a better place. I would like to thank Vince and Saul for their participation and willingness to cooperate, and I personally welcome them to come visit us at the Spire. They have journeyed a long way, so be sure to welcome our new visitors. They are the pride of the Spire. This is Victor Greene. Have a wonderful day.” The monitor cut to static and back to the stage.
Simon turned his back to the audience. “No! That bastard ruined everything!”
The crowd booed and hissed at the stage. Rocks and garbage came flying up. From the middle of the crowd, a voice screamed, “Get them! Kill them!” The people in front started climbing the stage.
“Come on!” Alan yelled. “What are you guys waiting for? Let’s get out of here!”
Vince and Saul did not react. They stared at each other, frozen in place.
Alan threw his arms up. “What are they doing? We have to leave!”
Ella ran up and dashed to the center. She grabbed their arms and pulled them out of their daze. They ran off stage with the others as the ravenous mob followed. Ella led them down the street and around the corner. The steady roar grew as the mob got closer.
“What do we do?” Alan said. The desperation in his voice was palpable. “There’s no way we can outrun them, and there’s nowhere to go.”
They all looked at each other with defeated eyes. They gathered close and joined hands, bracing themselves for impact. They closed their eyes as the mob washed over them.
Vince crouched as a man dove over him and toppled onto the pavement. A sea of arms pushed them together and pulled them apart. Vince struggled to keep hold of Rupert. A lady slammed into his shoulder and pulled him away.
“Saul!” he yelled. “Ella!” His voice was lost in the noise of the crowd.
They held him in place and tackled him to the ground. His heart raced as they struck his face and body. He closed his eyes and tried to focus. Control his breathing. Overcome the chaos. When he opened his eyes, a sack was pulled over his head and tightened. He could no longer see as they dragged him away. A sharp pinch shot pain up his arm. He grew nauseous and dizzy. His eyes began to drift. As he sunk into unconsciousness, the crowd disappeared.
An unknown voice whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry, buddy. I’ve got you.”
TEN
VINCE AWOKE IN a groggy state. His eyes fluttered, stinging with dryness. He was lying in bed, his head propped up by a pile of pillows. The walls were white and bare, and the checkered tile floor was spotless. To his side were machines stacked on top of each other, blinking and beeping with a rhythmic beat. Wires twisted out and attached to his arms, head, and chest. He pulled them off and tried to stand up. The machines blared a loud constant beep. He played with the buttons until the piercing sound stopped.
A young lady walked in holding a clipboard. “No, Mr. Vigo. You can’t leave just yet. We have to keep an eye on you until the sedative wears off. Get back in bed.”
“Where am I? Where are my friends?”
“Don’t worry about your friends. They’re all safe and sound. They’re getting full body scans so we can treat any injuries from the rally. The Spire’s treatment centers are the best in the City, so don’t worry, you’re all in good hands. My name is Margie, and I will be administering your body scan.”
“The Spire? How did we get here? That mob, they had us.”
The lady flashed a welcoming grin. “Fortunately for you, Mr. Greene has people undercover in the Crowns. They extracted all of you safely.”
“But why? Why would Greene want to save us?”
Vince gave her a funny look. Did she know they were here to stop Greene? “Can I see my friends?”
“Not until we scan you. It is important that both you and Mr. Shepherd are at your healthiest.” She turned the machines back on and placed the wires back on his skin. “Just sit back and I’ll come get you when we’re ready. And don’t go messing with these machines again.” She left the room and shut the door.
Vince peered out the window to a magnificent view of the City. He was dozens of floors up, at least, and could see the twisting maze of buildings fade into the distance. To the left, he saw the wall surrounding the City, and the gap they had entered from. Past the wall was the vast ocean. They had come a long way.
He was enjoying the view when the lady popped in. “Okay, Mr. Vigo. Come with me.”
He followed her across the hall to another room. There was a large tube-shaped machine standing upright, slightly bigger than the size of a person.
She looked at her clipboard and scribbled some notes. “Please remove your clothes and step into the scanner.”
Vince hesitated, staring at the contraption.
“I assure you, it won’t hurt. You won’t feel a thing.”
He did as she said and removed his clothes. When he stepped inside, he saw glowing lights at his feet, around the edge of the tube.
“Please stand with your legs apart and your arms stretched out to the sides.”
He followed her instructions.
“Now, stand still for a moment.”
As he held his pose, a low hum grew louder. The lights at his feet grew brighter and spun around the outer edge. When they reached their full speed, they lifted up from the ground and slowly moved up his body. At the peak of the cycle, they stopped spinning and lowered back to the ground.