Rebirth (The Forever Gate Book 6)

by Isaac Hooke

  "Sounds... unpleasant," Ari said. "But if it keeps me alive, I guess there's nothing I can do about it. What about exercise? My muscles will atrophy. I'll have to start wearing an exoskeleton again."

  "I'm hoping we won't have you stuck Inside that long, Ari."

  "Trust me," Ari told him. "I'm hoping that, too."

  "By the way, we couldn't find a match for Wraylor's face in the system."

  "Figures," Ari said. On the Inside, you could be whoever you wanted. "Let's get to Red Mesa."

  They joined up with a group of Keepers and Users who were headed to the city. After taking the three portal hops, they emerged to find the city mostly destroyed. The Users who had arrived before them were defending the last transit center, and that was basically the only building in Red Mesa left standing. The rest of the city was a smoking, ruined mess. Most of the enemy army had already retreated, apparently using temporary portals, leaving only scattered pockets of abandoned lightning wielders, just as in Crane.

  "Why is he doing this?" Ari said. "Destroying all these towns. And killing the people? He must know by now that I gave the sedation order. No one's going to wake up on the Outside." She sighed, shaking her head. "Feels like I'm losing control of the Inside. What happened to the utopia we planned, Tanner? Feels like all we have is a war-ravaged hell."

  "Maybe that's exactly what Amoch wants," Tanner said. "By undermining us, making it look like the world is a place of war and suffering and enslavement, he sows the seeds of discontent. Especially if he can promise those who follow him a city free of war. Even though it's his very followers who are causing the strife."

  "We'll have to start clearing away the ruins and placing new houses as soon as possible," Ari said. "I want to show the citizens that we're not going to let their cities fall into disarray."

  "I agree. Let them know we haven't abandoned them."

  Ari tapped her lips. "But back to Amoch... you say he promises a land free of war? I think his main draw is he wants to create a city free of collars. Though I have no idea how he plans to instill order in such a place. Lightning wielders running amok? He'll have to rule with an iron fist."

  "Maybe that's exactly what he plans to do."

  "Why wouldn't he just go about it diplomatically," Ari said. "And petition the Council to start an uncollared city?"

  "Would they really allow that?" Tanner asked. "Would you? Especially after the uncollared community experiments we tried?"

  "No, probably not."

  "Not to mention the fact that we're against creating dictators here," Tanner pressed. "And the only way he'd be able to run such a community would be as a dictator."

  Ari had to wonder if she wasn't a sort of dictator herself: she had great influence over the Council. Maybe too much. It might have been enough for some members of the crew to create these Amoch and Wraylor characters.

  "If all he wanted was power," Ari said. "He could have simply launched a private simulation for himself in his leisure time and presided over a world where he was a king among AIs."

  "But having power over gols and AIs isn't the same as having actual power over real, living and breathing people," Tanner said.

  "I disagree. In here it's all the same to the mind. Ever since we got rid of the computer virus, and eliminated the 'gol mind disease,' the only way I can tell the difference between a gol and a human is by the symbols on the chests of the gols. And the presence of the collars on the humans. The AIs are complex enough to be indistinguishable from actual human beings. No, this Amoch wants something more than power. I think he really believes he's helping humanity. That he's setting these people free."

  "So we have a power-hungry, self-righteous fanatic who thinks he's the savior of humanity on our hands?"

  Ari pressed her lips together. "Sounds about right. Basically the worst kind of fanatic."

  "Why would he want to trap you in the system?" Tanner said.

  "Because he knows it reduces my effectiveness. I can't just jump to any city I want anymore. I have to take the portal hops."

  "But that's about all trapping you here does," Tanner argued. "You can still issue instructions in near real-time to the Children, as long as you have at least one Keeper with you whom you can send out. You're still in command, if by proxy."

  "Very true," Ari said. "But trapping me here also means I'm at his mercy. He knows I'm stuck on the Inside. He could have someone watching and following me at all times. Maybe one of the birds Jeremy was so fond of using as spies." She searched the smoking ruins of the nearby trees but saw no sign of any ravens.

  "Watching you," Tanner said. "Why?"

  "Biding his time," Ari explained. "Waiting for that moment when I prove too much of a thorn in his side, that moment when he finally decides to kill me."

  fifteen

  Ari was surveying the damage to Red Mesa with Tanner and helping the Users flush out the last lightning wielder hold-outs when a new Keeper rushed to join her.

  "What is it now?" Ari asked warily.

  "I have brought a gift," the Keeper said. He placed a small steel ball onto an intact area of cobblestone. The item was quickly absorbed into the stone: a tracker.

  A moment later a pyramidal pile of escutcheons appeared above the spot. On the shields was embossed a common emblem: a raised hand deflecting a lightning bolt.

  Ari felt one of her eyebrows rise. "You finally made the lightning shields?"

  "We finally made the lightning shields. They deflect flame, too."

  "Now we just have to find a place to try these out," Ari told Tanner as she collected a shield. She turned toward the Keeper. "Distribute these to the others."

  Ari proceeded through the ruins with Tanner. Renna and Jan joined them, and they made an odd quartet: Renna in her skin-tight outfit and cape, Jan in his farmer's clothes, Tanner in a similar outfit, and Ari in loose-fitting black utilities she had procured from a seamstress. The four carried their shields in one hand and their fire swords in the other. All save for Jan, who in place of a sword wore recently refreshed lightning rings.

  When they walked into a deserted square whose buildings were mostly intact, the ambush came.

  Lightning erupted from all sides. Ari, Tanner and Renna ducked behind their shields but Jan proved too slow and was struck.

  "Back to back!" Ari shouted.

  The three survivors pressed their backs to one another and crouched, hiding behind their shields as the lightning came in.

  "You wanted to try these shields out so badly?" Tanner said. "Careful what you wish for..."

  "I'm going to draw the lightning away from you two," Ari said. "When I do it, step into the open and attack."

  "Lightning rod time?" Tanner asked.

  "Lightning rod time." Ari agreed. She focused her attention on the sword, pouring vitra into it.

  She raised the weapon to draw the next electrical strike. To her surprise the incoming tines completely ignored the sword, instead striking the shield and the ground around her.

  "It's not working!" Ari said. "You two try."

  Tanner and Renna attempted the defense in turn. The incoming bolts similarly ignored their uplifted swords.

  "Amoch must have changed something in the system!" Tanner said.

  "Damn it," Ari exclaimed.

  During a break in the attack, Ari peered beyond the edge of her shield and unleashed flame toward one of the rooftops. An attacker toppled over the edge, his body on fire as he struck the cobblestone with a sickly thud.

  Lightning came in a moment later from another position nearby, forcing Ari to duck.

  She heard the eruption of flames behind her as Tanner and Renna similarly attacked targets.

  "There are too many of them!" Tanner said. "We have to retreat!"

  "We stay," Ari returned. "Too dangerous to move. Let them exhaust the charges on their lightning rings."

  "That could be quite a while," Tanner said.

  And so they holed-up there in the center of the square, waiting out thei
r opponents. Ari had the trio edge toward a collapsed fruit stand, which they used for further cover. The lightning attacks continued, but so far the shields held.

  She noticed motion on the rooftops and realized the attackers were leaping from building to building. She thought they were trying to gather in one place, perhaps to combine their attacks.

  She unleashed fire at them, taking down two men before she was forced to duck behind her shield once more.

  She heard a yelp from one of the rooftops and a man plunged to the ground; he clutched a bloody wound in his stomach.

  "Who did that?" Ari said.

  "Wasn't me," Tanner responded.

  "Nor me," Renna said.

  "Looks like we have a white knight helping us," Ari commented.

  Several forks of lightning struck the rooftop area where the dead man had fallen from. A gurgling scream filled the air.

  "I think they got our knight," Tanner said.

  Several moments of quietude passed.

  "You think they gave up and left?" Renna asked.

  "No," Ari said. "They're planning on waiting us out." She lifted her head and shouted: "We're going to stay here all day, assholes!"

  In response, the worst lightning barrage she had experienced yet was thrown from those rooftops. Most of the attackers had gathered in one spot by then, and they concentrated their fire on her. They weren't aiming for the shield. Instead their lighting chewed up the cobblestone in front of her.

  Ari quickly lost her balance and fell into the resultant crater.

  "Ari!" Tanner shouted.

  She narrowly rolled onto her back and deflected the lightning that came in. She curled up her legs, hiding behind the shield—the only object between her and oblivion.

  Tanner attempted to come to her but lightning shot out, pinning him in place behind the fruit stand.

  "Stay there!" Ari told him. She could see the heads of other attackers on the rooftop above him. "They've left a few men behind. They'll strike you in the back the moment you leave cover."

  A yelp arose. One of the attackers fell from the rooftop. An instant later another attacker in the same area was sent flying into the air, his body on fire.

  "Looks like our white knight survived after all," Ari told Tanner.

  Lightning erupted in droves, none of it aimed at the trio.

  Tanner and Renna used the diversion to strike at the attackers with flames. Ari meanwhile leapt to her feet and rejoined them behind the stand.

  The lightning focused on them a few seconds later.

  "Pinned once more," Tanner said. "So much for your white knight."

  "Don't rule him out yet," Ari said.

  "Who do you think it is?" Renna asked. "Stanson, maybe?"

  "No, he wouldn't come in," Ari said. "I gave him strict orders to remain on the Outside."

  "What about Briar?" Tanner said.

  Ari laughed. "I don't think he has the heart for this sort of work."

  "You would be surprised," Tanner said. "He proved himself when we faced One."

  Lightning struck just above her head, forcing Ari to duck.

  "Well, whoever he is, let's hope he can help us even the odds."

  More screams came, followed by bodies alternately pierced and burning tumbling from the rooftops.

  In moments the square was completely quiet.

  Ari scanned the rooftops but didn't see a soul.

  "Hello!" Ari said. "Show yourself!"

  There was another scream, then a final man was sent flying into the square. His burning body dropped right in front of Ari.

  She heard a thud as someone landed on the cobblestone behind the stand. Then the crunch of boots as the individual approached.

  "What if he's not on our side?" Tanner said.

  "Be ready," Ari told him. She stirred the vitra in her sword.

  A man stepped around the collapsed fruit stand. He had a glowing red fire sword resting over one shoulder and seemed oblivious to the searing heat that was no doubt emanating from the weapon. He wore a leather jerkin clasped over a purple silk shirt with ruffled sleeves—the kind nobles favored. His black pantaloons flared above the ankles where they were tucked into black boots. A red bandanna wrapped his head.

  As for his face, well, he had sharp, intelligent eyes framed by thick brows. A hooked nose bent very slightly over a mustache and goatee. He was attractive in a roguish way. She'd never seen him before.

  "My, but you are a sight for sore eyes," the man said.

  "Who are you?" Ari asked. She kept the tip of her blade pointed at the man. She was more than ready to unleash the pent-up flames.

  The stranger crooked a grin. "I'm Hoodwink, I am."

  epilogue

  In an abandoned corner of Red Mesa, far from any fighting, the ruins of a collapsed building stirred.

  A three-fingered fist punched through the wood. The skin was hued red. The talons black.

  Another hand emerged, and a third. A fourth. The creature hauled itself from the mess, crudely birthing itself into the street.

  It stood and flexed its four upper limbs. It towered over its surroundings.

  It touched its naked torso and its face in a probing, exploratory manner, as if it had forgotten what it felt like to have a body. It examined its hands and appeared momentarily surprised: it had expected a different hue to the skin than red, the color of blood. Though that color was suiting, it supposed.

  It looked at its belt and regarded the four swords scabbarded there. Its gaze moved downward, past the loincloth, and the red legs muscled like a bull, to the feet and the incongruous fur-topped boots it wore. Those boots might have been appropriate in colder weather, but not the current environment. Not that temperature affected the creature in any way.

  It waded through the ruins toward the clear portion of the street, the wood splintering and the stone crumbling underfoot.

  It reviewed its internal instructions: seek out the krub-gols who called themselves Keepers and eliminate them one by one. The instructions were an annoyance, because there was only one being it wished to terminate: the krub-gol known as Ari Flanners. She had bested the creature once, long ago. That was something it could not forgive. It swore that when its task was done it would avenge itself on Ari. The others would die quickly, but hers would be a slow, painful death.

  The creature stepped into the street and made its way toward the flows of vitra it detected. After crossing four avenues it heard the sounds of battle. Swords clanged. Lightning exploded.

  A streak of flame abruptly flew skyward above the rooftops: it was sourced from an adjacent street.

  The creature grinned in sadistic delight. Already it had found a Keeper.

  It withdrew its four swords at the same time in a deadly smooth motion.

  Brute had been reborn.

  The End.

  Or is it?

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  postscript

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  about the author

  USA Today bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.

  acknowledgments

  THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped
smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Noel, Anton, Spencer, Norman, Corey, Erol, Terje, David, Jeremy, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Lezza, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Doug, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Michael, David, Merry, David, Brent, Erin, Paul, Cesar, Jeremy, Hans, Nicole, Dan, Garland, Trudi, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Myles, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Robine, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, Sandy, James, David, Pat, Gary, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Allen, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Nicole, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Lance, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Thomas, Todd, Dave, Dale, Michael, Frank, Josh, Thom, Melissa, Marilynn, Bob, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Bryan, Amy, Steve, and Curtis.