Kings and Crowns: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 2)

by Chris Yee

  Greene nodded. “Yes, it is. Please tell me you have good news.”

  “Let’s all sit down and we can discuss the situation we have here.” They all took a seat except for Greene, who stood near the back with his arms crossed. “I have been looking at your file for some time now. It is a very interesting case. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I suppose it’s because of your draining powers. You see, when the bullet entered your body, it punctured your lung. Without your powers, you would have died within a day. However, you manage to heal yourself and survive. Unfortunately, the rapid healing process managed to push the bullet in even further. It is now completely encased by your lung. You may have bought yourself some time, but it is slowly killing you.”

  “One of the Crown doctors looked at my wound,” Saul said. “He said I’d be fine.”

  “I’m afraid the Crowns medical resources are nowhere near as sophisticated as ours. Our body scanners are top of the line.”

  “Is there a way to treat it?” Greene asked. “Can you remove the bullet?”

  “Not without killing him. I’m afraid it’s just too dangerous to operate. And draining will only worsen the situation.” He paused. “I know it’s hard to hear, but your days are limited. That bullet will slowly dig deeper into your lung and eventually it will kill you.”

  Saul’s eyes filled with tears. “There has to be something you can do.”

  “The best I can do is inject you with one of the formulas we’re testing. Theoretically, it should strengthen the tissue in your lung and slow the process. It’s only a temporary solution, but it should buy you a month or two.”

  “You’re absolutely sure you can’t operate on him?” Greene asked.

  “If I do, he will most likely die on the table.”

  “Very well.” He looked to Saul. “I suggest you take that injection. It will give you time. Perhaps enough to bring Simon down.”

  The tears poured down Saul’s face. He wiped the snot with the back of his hand. “That bastard is going down.”

  As the others gathered around to comfort him, Rupert approached Greene. “I have a quick question for you. Where is Fred, my falcon? They said they were fixing her up. Is she better yet?”

  “They’re still tending to her. Be patient. She’ll be better in no time.”

  “I would like to check in on her. Can I see her?”

  “I’m afraid we have a strict no-visitor policy in our medical sector. You will not be able to see her until she has fully healed.”

  “How long will that be? The nurse told me it would only be a day or two.”

  “It may be longer. We had to reconstruct part of her skeleton. The recovery time is quite long. But don’t worry. She is in good hands.”

  Dr. Brant reached into a drawer and pulled out a syringe. “I have the injection right here. We can do it right now if you want. It’s quick and painless.”

  Saul nodded. “Do it.”

  Dr. Brant stuck the needle in his arm and pushed the fluid in. “This will buy you some time. Use it wisely.”

  “We will make the most of his time,” Greene said. He looked at Saul. “We’ll take you around. You’ll meet as many people as possible. Make the biggest impact that we can with the time you have left. You will make a difference. When your unfortunate end comes, people will know your name. You will be remembered as the hero of the City. The one who saved us all. The one who brought down Simon Hedcrown.”

  With those words, Saul looked back at Greene. And I’m going to take you down too, son of a bitch. He smiled. “Let’s do it.”

  SEVENTEEN

  THEY RETURNED TO the briefing room. The group, along with other Spire employees, filled the seats at the table. Greene stood at the front.

  “One of our undercover agents has reported plans for a second attack.” He pointed to the screen displaying a bird’s eye view of the Spire and its defensive walls. “This is where Simon attacked last time.” He pointed to the gap in the first wall. “It will likely be the target of his next attack. He is going to exploit that weakness while he still can. We’re working on getting it repaired, but it will take some time. In the meantime, we need to protect that opening. We must guard it and make sure no one gets through. I have some men down there right now, but it’s not enough. We need more. They certainly outnumber us, but we have the firepower to hold them off. Our new cannons worked perfectly last time. It scared them away. Next time, they’ll know what they’re up against. They’ll be prepared for our cannons, so we need to increase our firepower. Move more of our cannons to that area. We have extra cannons on the third wall. I would like to move those up. That will scare them away.”

  One of the workers raised her hand. “That will leave the third wall vulnerable.”

  “That is true, but the chances of them making it that far are slim. Even if they do make it through that gap, the second wall is fully intact.”

  “Who else can we send down there?” she asked. Her hand was still raised. “Having more cannons means we need more people to operate them.”

  “As you all know, we have a shortage of troops at the moment. I sent a squad out to the streets to deal with an incident at one of our supply shops, but after Simon’s last attack, I have called them back. They will arrive sometime tomorrow, but until then, we need volunteers. Anyone who wants to protect the Spire, now is a good time for patriotism. Volunteers will fight to protect what we’ve worked so hard to achieve.” He looked to Vince and Saul. “That’s where you two come in. A lot of these volunteers will be ordinary people, not soldiers. You need to inspire them. Remind them what they’re fighting for.”

  “You want us to go down there with them?” Alan asked.

  “Just these two. You three can do what you want. Go down with them or stay up here. It’s up to you. But Vince and Saul need to be down there. Their presence will boost confidence and raise morale.”

  “What about me, sir?” Charlotte asked.

  “You will go down as well. In the absence of a military commander, you will be in charge of our men. Put that military training of yours to use. You will also stay with Vince and Saul.”

  She nodded.

  “The rest of you, go around and recruit any volunteers that are willing to fight for the Spire. If all goes according to plan, there will be no real danger. We just need numbers to keep them at bay. Once the wall is repaired, we will return to our normal procedures. Are there any questions?” There was no response. “Good. Then let’s get to work.”

  Everyone dispersed from the table. Vince and the others gathered near the far side of the room.

  “We’re coming down with you,” Alan said. “Wherever you go, we go.”

  “No,” Vince said. “The three of you will stay up here.”

  “What? Why?”

  “He’s right,” Rupert said. “This is the perfect time for us to look around and get familiar with the Spire without Charlotte watching our backs.”

  Ella looked up at the cameras. “She won’t be watching, but someone will be.”

  “That is true,” Vince said. “You will have to be very careful, but I believe it’s possible to get around unseen. There must be blind spots. Walk around, act normal, and before you do anything suspicious, check for cameras. I want you to explore the area and find anything that may help us in the future. Our focus right now is Simon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare for Greene. We should do our research, so when the time comes, we’ll be ready.”

  “I agree,” Rupert said.

  “Saul and I will follow Greene’s orders. We’ll keep him happy. You explore as much as you can.”

  Charlotte, who had been speaking with Greene, finished up and walked over to the group. “When you’re ready I can take you to the elevators. Will it be all of you?”

  “No,” Rupert said. “The three of us would like to get some rest. This whole process is very draining.”

  Charlotte nodded. “I understand. I’m quite tired myself, but I’ll pull through.�
� She turned to Vince and Saul. “Will you two be okay?”

  “Yes,” Vince said. “We don’t need much sleep.”

  “Ah, that’s right. I forgot that’s one of the benefits of your formula.” She turned back to the others. “If you change your mind, you can take the elevators at the end of the hall and meet us on level one. I can show you back to your rooms if you’d like.”

  Ella held up her hand. “That’s not necessary. We remember the way.”

  “Very well. Vince, Saul, follow me.” They left the briefing room and headed down the long corridor.

  When they entered the elevator, Vince saw a panel of buttons. “Is the Spire really that tall?”

  “That’s right. A hundred and fifty stories. Impressive, huh?” She reached forward to press level one.

  “Very impressive. It doesn’t feel that tall from the inside.”

  She cracked a smile. “Just wait until you see it from the bottom.”

  “So what exactly does Greene want us to do down there?” Saul asked. “I know he wants us to inspire the people, but how do we do that?”

  “Just be available to them. If they want to talk, talk with them. If they ask questions, answer them. It’s as simple as that. They all know who you are. Just being around them will boost morale.”

  “Sounds easy enough,” Vince said.

  Saul looked at him. “It sounds too easy. Shouldn’t we be doing something more important than just sitting around and waiting for Simon to attack us?”

  “What do you suggest?” she asked.

  “We should take the offensive. Attack him first.”

  “He has too many people. Far more than we have. It’s easier to defend than it is to attack.”

  “Then how about a quieter approach? Have someone sneak in and kill him in his sleep.”

  “Greene is already doing that. We have several men undercover as we speak. But Simon is very careful about who he keeps nearby. Only his most trusted followers get to work closely with him.”

  “There has to be something we can do. You were in the surgeon’s office. I’m dying. I don’t have time to wait around for an attack.”

  “The fact is, Greene has thought this out very thoroughly. He has other plans for the future, but right now, we know there’s an attack coming and where it will be. Those people out on the walls need your support, so that is your priority right now, not Simon. Once the wall is repaired, then we can start thinking up ways to take down Simon.”

  “She’s right,” Vince said. “This is our job right now. If Greene wants us to support the people, then that’s what we’ll do.”

  Saul grimaced. “Okay, but after this I’m going to speak with Greene and we’re going to come up with a real plan.

  “Very well,” Charlotte said. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate your input.”

  The elevator beeped and the doors opened up to a lobby area. “How are you doing?” said the secretary as they passed the front desk.

  “We’re wonderful,” Charlotte said. “Thank you. How are you?”

  “Same as usual. Are you going out to join them on the wall?”

  “Yes, we are. Mr. Greene’s orders. We have to prepare for Simon’s next attack.”

  “It’s scary, isn’t it?”

  “It is, but we’ll be okay. We have Vince and Saul here to help us.”

  The secretary jumped from her seat. “Oh my god. It’s Vince and Saul. I can’t believe it. This is so exciting.” She ran over and gave them a hug. “It’s great that you support what we do. There are so many people who despise our work.”

  “Your work here is important,” Saul said. “You improve people’s lives. You save people’s lives. You saved our lives.”

  “Yes, I heard about that. You’ve lived over two hundred years? That’s crazy.”

  “Yes,” Saul said. “Two hundred years. It’s been quite a journey.”

  “And you’ve come all this way just to meet Mr. Greene. That’s amazing.”

  “He is a great man. It was certainly worth the journey. The city is an amazing place.”

  “I’ve lived here my whole life. I can’t imagine what it’s like outside. I hear awful things.”

  Saul gave a strange look. “Awful? It’s not awful. Just different.”

  “Sorry Judith,” Charlotte said. “We’re in a hurry. No time to chat.”

  “No worries. It was a pleasure meeting you two.”

  She waved, and they waved back.

  “You see?” Charlotte said. “These people are curious about the outside world. They’re excited to meet you and hear your stories. Just a simple conversation can lift their spirits.”

  They stepped outside, into the sunlight. Saul took a deep breath in. “Finally, some fresh air.” In front of them stood the third wall. They walked across the grassy field towards the gate on the far side of the wall.

  Before they reached it, Charlotte stopped. “Wait,” she said. She turned around and pointed up. “Now isn’t that a beauty?”

  They turned around and looked up at the Spire, towering over them. It stuck up from the ground and pierced the sky. The sun glared off of the windows, creating a halo effect. “How high up were we?” Vince asked.

  “We were near the top. Level one hundred and forty-nine, right under Greene. Like I said, the vitality sector is very important to him. He occupies the top floor, and can visit the vitality labs whenever he wants.”

  “I have to admit,” Saul said, “it is beautiful.”

  Vince gazed up with him. “It sure is.”

  “It takes my breath away every time,” Charlotte said. She looked up one more time and then continued walking. “As much as I would like to stay here, people are waiting for us on the first wall.”

  EIGHTEEN

  ELLA, ALAN, AND Rupert returned to their bedroom after parting with Vince and Saul. They sat on their beds and rested their feet. Ella stood up. “Are you ready? Let’s do some exploring.”

  “Where should we start?” Alan asked.

  “Let’s go back to the medical sector,” Rupert said. “I want to find Fred.”

  “They said they’re working on her, right?”

  “They did. I just want to check in on her. Greene said they have a strict no-visitor policy, but it doesn’t hurt to try.”

  “I agree,” Ella said. “We should find Fred to make sure she’s okay. She’s with strangers, and she’s far from home. She might be scared.”

  Alan nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” He walked out the door and glanced down the hall in both directions. “Do either of you remember the way?”

  “Not exactly,” Ella said, “but it’s on this floor. I know that.”

  “That doesn’t help much. These floors are humungous. I don’t know how anyone finds anything around here.”

  Rupert pointed down the hall. “There’s a map on the wall over there.”

  They walked over and examined the map. It had a large display of lines twisting and turning and crossing each other. They tilted their head to get a different perspective.

  “There’s no structure to it at all,” Alan said. “It’s just chaos. There are so many hallways with no pattern. How are we going to find the medical sector with this?”

  Rupert picked a direction and started walking. “I guess we’ll just have to wander around. We’re bound to find it eventually.”

  “There has to be a better way,” Alan said as he trotted to catch up with him. “It could take ages.”

  “Asking someone is not going to help. They’re not going to tell us how to get into a restricted area.”

  “Hey,” Ella called from behind them. “I think it’s this way. I remember this hallway.”

  “They all look the same,” Alan said. “It’s impossible to tell where we’ve been and where we haven’t.”

  She pointed. “That’s the monitor room Charlotte showed us. It’s this way. I’m positive.”

  Alan shrugged. “As long as one of us knows where we’re going.”

  �
��I really think I do.” She looked at another map on the wall. “Yes, we go down this hallway and take a left. Then all we have to do is go straight until we hit the medical sector.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Ella has always had a good sense of direction,” Rupert said. “If anyone can navigate this maze, it’s her.”

  “I don’t doubt her. I’m just getting frustrated. These last few days have been long.”

  “They certainly have,” Rupert said. “Hopefully, we can fit in some time to rest.”

  Ella looked back. “I get a feeling we won’t have much time to rest.”

  “Vince and Saul certainly won’t,” Alan said. “Those two are superstars around here. Greene has a lot of plans for them.”

  “I feel bad for Saul,” Ella said. “Of all the people that deserve to die, he’s not one of them.”

  “Simon and Greene,” Rupert said, “they’re both very different people, but I would fit both of them into that category. People that deserve to die.”

  “Saul is a good guy. It’s no wonder Vince gets along with him.”

  “They’ve been best friends since they were kids. Nothing can break that bond. Not even two hundred years of separation. I can tell Vince really cares about him.”

  “Everyone they’ve known has passed away. They’ve only got each other. I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”

  “They have us too,” Alan said.

  “But eventually, we’ll just be memories to them. Friends from the past as they move on to something else.”

  “You make it sound like living forever is a bad thing.”

  “Do you think it’s a good thing?” Rupert asked. “Could you really stand living forever with things constantly changing around you? The people, the places, everything you know just fading away. It would be a lonely life.”

  “But they don’t have to live forever.”

  “If you were given that power, even if you wanted to stop, could you? All of us are afraid of death, but we don’t have a choice.”

  “They have more of that formula around here somewhere. You could probably get your hands on some.”