EXPERIMENT

by Cyma Rizwaan Khan

  “So that’s a yes then.”

  “It’s not a yes.”

  “You’ve spent over a year being with Dyer, and I know for a fact that the resistance group not only loves you but you’re Jace’s best friend these days. You can tell yourself that you’re not part of that group all you want, but you are a part of it more than you know.”

  “I just think Jace has some good qualities. I think he will be good, for us. For the people.”

  “So you do believe in the cause then?”

  “I guess.”

  “Tell you what,” Mekha said. “First thing tomorrow, I’ll go talk to my father and cancel your contract.”

  “What? No!”

  “Consider it a parting gift.”

  “This is really confusing.”

  “There’s nothing confusing about this. I’m letting you go, and I will make sure my father is too. Starting tomorrow, you can forget about your past and do whatever you think you need to do for the future.”

  “Mekha…I…”

  “Connor?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t fuck it up.”

  CHAPTER 20

  KRYPTONITE

  Lane woke in his bathroom the next morning with a cramp in his neck so bad it rivaled the stab wounds. He rubbed his arms, that felt almost numb from the cold and when he was finally able to stand he walked back to his room to the sound of Connor knocking. “Lane?” he was yelling. “I’m getting late. I have a meeting with Jace. Do you need a ride?”

  “Yes!” Lane replied. “I’ll be there in a sec!”

  He picked up his phone and saw that Natalie had been calling him. He chose a clean pair of jeans and a shirt to go with it, and by the time he was done putting them on he felt out of breath. He had to sit back down on the bed for a minute to gain his strength. The pain was starting to get worse, so he took the pills Natalie had given him and took them without water. He came back out of his room and saw Connor waiting for him on the breakfast table. He was going through something on his reading device, probably some kind of news feed, because Lane had never seen Connor reading a book. Lane went to the fridge and poured himself some juice.

  “Eat,” Connor said, pointing to the plate of scrambled eggs he had set aside for Lane.

  “I’m getting late.”

  “So eat faster.”

  Lane sat down and took the fork, started washing down the eggs with the juice.

  “You were right,” Connor said, pushing the device aside and picking up the cup of coffee.

  “About what?”

  “Anzoftians are now officially extinct. It’s all over the news.”

  Lane looked up from his food. Even though he knew it was going to happen, it still bothered him. “The virus wiped them out overnight?”

  “It’s been going on for some time,” Connor said. “They just didn’t know it. The virus was completely new, they had no idea how to treat it.”

  “What about the Khaltars?”

  “Their ships are on Anzoft now, making it safe for new settlers.”

  “It means Noah was right.”

  “Noah?”

  “Noah is our field officer,” Lane said. “He was the one who gave us this news in the first place. Makes me wonder what else he’s right about.”

  “Did he really say the Khaltars want our planet?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “What’s Jace doing about it?”

  “He’s developing a new weapons technology,” Lane said. “Something that he’s sure will take down the Khaltars, give us an upper hand.”

  “And he thinks it will work?”

  “He says the Khaltars will have no choice but to leave. That will weaken the Zyre government. Their whole power comes from Khaltar technology and without it, the Zyre will become more helpless than us. We have the element of surprise working in our favor.”

  “And you think you guys have it in you?” Connor asked. “To beat the Khaltars and the Zyre government? You really believe that?”

  “What do you want me to say, Con. Yeah I know it sounds stupid—”

  “I’m not trying to ridicule you here. I just want to know what you think.”

  “You…want my opinion?”

  “Yes.”

  “You really want to know what I think?”

  “Am I speaking in tongues?”

  “It’s just, you’ve never really wanted to know my opinion before.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “I think we can pull this off yeah,” Lane said. “I’m not just saying that because I have to believe in the army that I’m part of, I’m saying that because I’ve seen how they all work, and yes. They’re definitely reliable. If we have the technology, we can take those people down, there’s no question about it.” Lane’s phone rang and it was Major Rick. The Major didn’t like it when people didn’t come on time, and with Lane he always made the calls himself instead of giving it to some assistant. Lane was guessing that may have something to do with Jace. Connor might have asked him to do it, but regardless, he had to get there on time, especially since debrief today would be about what happened in the cell the night before with Parker. He finished the juice in a hurry and stood up, started texting him that he was on his way. “I’m getting late,” he said.

  Connor stared at the half-finished plate of eggs but before he could say anything Lane was out the door.

  *

  The Resistance Hideout,

  Zyron Region-One

  Jace was in his office when Connor went to see him. They hadn’t seen each other in a while, but that was mostly because Connor had been busy with Easton’s work. After Mekha’s text this morning, he knew he was free of it all. He wasn’t sure how to deal with that yet, but he knew he couldn’t waste this opportunity. Something about what Lane had said last night and what went down on Anzoft, had stuck to Connor’s brain. Jace didn’t even know Connor’s reality—he didn’t know about his connection to the riots, and Mekha was right, it was time to correct what he had wronged, time to pick a side.

  “Connor, where have you been?” Jace got up to give him a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve just been busy with a few things,” Connor said. “Not anymore.”

  “Well, now that you’re here, I’d like to discuss something with you, if you have time that is.”

  “I left my job,” Connor said.

  “You’re not working for Easton anymore?”

  “Not since this morning.”

  “Is that a good thing? For you, I mean?”

  “We’ll find out soon enough.”

  “Connor I would never push you work for me, but if you’re in need of money or something, I can help. You know that.”

  “I’ll let you know,” Connor said. “But I have a savings fund large enough to support the two of us.”

  “Well then there’s nothing to worry about. This might be a good thing, Connor.”

  “What were you going to tell me?”

  “Actually,” Jace said. “It’s better if I show you.”

  *

  Everyone was staring directly at Lane when Lane walked into the meeting room. It made him uncomfortable but he knew there was no way out of it. He walked up to Major Rick’s desk and the Major dismissed everyone. “Sit down,” he said to Lane, and Lane took the seat across from him. “How’re you doing now, Lane? Natalie told me you weren’t doing so well last night.”

  “Better,” Lane said. Suddenly, the image of Vel’s rotten face came to his mind and he tried to push it away. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, good. I want you to take care of yourself, alright? You’re one of our best soldiers.”

  “Thank you, sir and I will.”

  “Will you tell me what happened?”

  “Well sir,” Lane began, trying to recall the incident. “Shay left me the keys so it was my turn and I had to give him food and water. I tried to give him water and that’s when he grabbed my knife. I had no idea his hands were open, they
should have been handcuffed. I got confused when he lunged at me, and the gun fell from my grip. I tried to reach it, but Parker was attacking me and he stabbed me twice, I blocked one with the arm, and broke away from him long enough to get my hands on the weapon lying on the ground right in front of me.”

  “You shot him.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You could have shot him in the leg or something, you knew we brought him here for intelligence purposes.”

  “Sir, I told you, he just…he took me by surprise. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  “We found a couple of pins in the cell,” Major Rick said. “We think that’s what he used to break out of the cuffs. We’re trying to find out how he might have gotten hold of those pins when the room can only be accessed by one of us.”

  “Sir, I have no idea how that happened.”

  “We’re bringing Shay in for questioning later,” Major Rick said. “If you have something to add, I would like you to do it now.”

  “No sir, I have nothing to add.”

  “Okay Lane,” Major Rick said, leaning back in his chair. “You can go now. I want you to stay close until further notice.”

  *

  Jace gave his hand print to get into the labs and Connor followed him through the automated doors. They snapped shut the minute Connor was out of their reach. Jace kept walking until they came to another door and when that opened, Connor found himself standing in front of a large glass box. It wasn’t so much as a box as it was an entire room made of glass. Connor stared at the weapons device in front of him, the middle of which was glowing blue. “What is that?” he asked Jace.

  “That’s our new weapons technology,” Jace said. “This is what the Professor and Aana have been working on all this time.”

  “What’s the blue stuff?”

  “It’s a highly radioactive form of Aerium. That’s the base of this technology.”

  “Aerium is harmful to Khaltars,” Connor said. “So how are you…?”

  “How am I not melting?” Jace asked. He tapped the glass in front of him. “Protective shield that’s how. This material is Aerium proof. Not a single wave of radiation goes past it. The Professor developed this.”

  “This is your war strategy?” Connor said. “Annihilate the Khaltars, hope the Zyre government crumbles?”

  “You’ve been talking to Lane.”

  “How do you plan to fight them if you can’t survive this radiation?”

  “The Professor is building me a special suit,” Jace said. “Once I have that, I’ll be protected.”

  “You’ll go out wearing that suit, you don’t think your army’s going to notice there’s something wrong with the picture?”

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Jace said, and led the way out the chamber. “I wanted to talk about Lane.”

  “Is he in trouble?”

  “I’m guessing you know about the shooting,” Jace said. “People are speculating that someone gave Parker a chance to escape. Everyone is under investigation until they figure out who it was. And don’t worry Lane’s not in any trouble, but I just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on.”

  “What is going on?”

  “Lane took a shot,” Jace said. “Three shots in fact. Shot the guy in the chest.”

  “So?”

  “So Lane’s a good shot,” Jace said. “It would have been wiser to shoot him in the leg or something, where we could still hold him captive because he was an asset and worth more alive than dead.”

  “The guy stabbed him,” Connor said. “Twice! You really think my brother had the presence of mind to not open fire on him in order to save his own life?”

  “That’s not the only thing,” Jace said. “Lane’s behavior has been erratic, to say the least.”

  “Erratic?”

  Jace stopped walking. “Connor,” he said. “You know I would never do anything to put your brother’s life in jeopardy. I care about him, and about you. I’m just telling you what everyone’s been saying, and I need you to listen to me without getting defensive.”

  Connor calmed down long enough to let Jace speak. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Please. Tell me what you were going to say.”

  “He’s been going on just about every mission and always putting his life in jeopardy,” Jace said. “It’s like he’s trying to prove something I don’t know, but it could be suicidal behavior. Everyone in the group loves him, because he’s so focused, but lately he’s been acting a little strange.”

  “Strange how?”

  “Zoning out in the middle of conversations, stuff like that, which I understand, after everything he’s been through, it’s not abnormal. But I want you to be aware of what’s going on.”

  “I appreciate your letting me know.”

  “Maybe you should take this up with The Professor.”

  “I will,” Connor said, and finally found the nerve to say what was on his mind. “Jace, I want to officially be a part of the resistance.”

  Jace stared at him, surprised. “Look, if its because you lost your job, I can help you I told you before. You don’t have to do that.”

  “Actually,” Connor said. “I quit the job because of this.”

  “Wow,” Jace said, an unbelieving look still plastered on his face. “I don’t know what to say. This is unexpected, after everything.”

  “I understand now that the war isn’t avoidable,” Connor said. “My being in denial isn’t helping anyone. If my brother thinks the cause is worth it, then I believe him.”

  Suddenly, Jace hugged him. “I gather you’re happy to hear that,” Connor said, and Jace laughed and broke away. “Yes,” he said. “I am very happy and I hope you’re not going to regret your decision. But what changed your mind?”

  “I don’t know,” Connor said. “But I figure if the world is about to end, I might as well try to protect it. It’s the least I can do.”

  Jace placed his hand on Connor’s shoulder. “The world isn’t going anywhere,” he said. “We’ll make sure of it.”

  *

  Lane took a peek inside the infirmary. “Natalie?”

  “Hey,” she said, looking up from a book. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Better I guess,” Lane said, closing the door. The image of the rotting face of Vel in his bathroom still haunted him, and a part of him wanted to tell her that he’d spent all night crouched on a bathroom floor being afraid of something that wasn’t actually there, but no matter how much he tried he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Natalie was the one person who treated him like a normal human being, he had no intention of ruining that for a one-time problem.

  “I was calling you last night,” she said.

  “I know, I’m sorry I must have dozed off. Thanks for checking up on me.”

  “Let me take a look at the wounds,” she said, getting up to go over to a cabinet and getting a plastic box, while Lane climbed the table. She brought the box over to the table and Lane unbuttoned his shirt. Natalie took off the tape. “Not bad,” she said. “You took the antibiotics I gave you?”

  “This morning, yeah.”

  “Okay then,” she said, and proceeded to change the dressing from the stuff in the box. “I guess you heard about Anzoft.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Horrible.”

  “The Khaltars got what they wanted.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They were the ones who launched the virus,” Lane said. “I know its not in the news, but we know for a fact that’s what really happened.”

  “You have that kind of intelligence?”

  “Apparently.”

  “Why would the Khaltars want that anyway?”

  “Because Eth’s own sun is dying,” Lane said. “They need to relocate the population of three planets and terraforming is out of the question, it takes too much time.”

  Natalie looked up. “So they’re going to make other species extinct? Just so theirs can live?”

  “Surv
ival I guess,” Lane said.

  “Isn’t coexisting survival too?”

  “It is but the Khaltars must not see it that way.”

  Natalie stuck fresh tape on the wound and replaced the plastic box in the cabinet. She washed her hands at the sink. “Life shouldn’t be this complicated,” she said. “It’s not right. That so many people have to suffer.”

  “The worst part is those bastards didn’t even bat an eye,” Lane said. “An entire species extinct and they’re still the respected ones in Zyron.”

  Natalie wiped her hands with some tissue and tossed the crumpled up paper in the basket. “You’re angry,” she said, walking over to him. “I’ve never heard you cursing in front of me before.”

  “I’m sorry,” Lane said. “Does it bother you?”

  “No,” Natalie said, and she was standing right in front of him. “It doesn’t bother me at all. In fact it kind of feels like you’re being honest around me. How can that be bad?”

  Lane got off the table and started buttoning his shirt, and he was about to say something when he felt Natalie’s arm on his head and she kissed him. Without thinking Lane kissed her back.

  “I’m sorry,” Natalie said. “I shouldn’t have done that. I know your life is complicated right now, I shouldn’t be adding to it.”

  Lane stood silent for a while, and then he went towards the door, locked it, waiting for her to say something. When she just stood there, he walked back to her and started kissing her hard, using his hand to go over her back, pulling her into him. He pushed her against the table, lifted her onto it, still kissing and her fingers were lodged into his hair the entire time. He broke off and looked at her, taking in the expression on her face, the eyes, the slightly flushed color of her skin and without asking she started working at the button on his jeans, unzipping and his hands searched for the edge of her panties under her skirt and he pulled them off and started kissing her again. Her hand reached into his pants and Lane could feel her fingers on his hard cock, and when he entered her she gripped at him, threw her legs around his body and he could feel her breath on his neck. The sounds coming from her were making him harder, and Lane pushed her back on the table, and as she lay back down, Lane pushed harder, all the pent up feelings that he had thought he’d never feel again, came rushing back.