by JM Guillen
The door hissed as it opened, not turning on hinges, but sliding to the side.
We stepped within.
“I’ll leave a stasis trigger by the door.” Wyatt looked at me. Don’t anyone come running over this way, or I’ll have to blow the door to let you out.
Why are you looking at me? I frowned at him.
No reason.
“Toggling my optics,” I said. “Unless you think that Crown activity is dangerous in here?” I remembered some of the signs we had seen back at the PHOENIX station regarding superphysical radiation and mutagenic radionics.
“No, there’s no danger. Optics are a wise idea, Michael. We should all rely on our Crown systems rather than initiating any lights, at least until we get further in.”
The Rationality weave within this laboratory is warped. Anya paused. The axiomatic realmwall is quite thin. She sounded a touch alarmed, but her face didn’t show it. Is that correct?
Indeed. Stone walked past several stainless steel tables, two of them covered with what looked like hastily disassembled computer equipment. Sadhana has several projects in the works, most of which involve stretching Rationality to the point of breaking. You know this of course, you three made the primary incursion at Mojave.
We did know that, now that I thought about it. The entire basis of the dossier had been wide fluctuations in Rationality, picked up on Deep Telemetry.
A thought occurred to me: if Sadhana had the capability to occulate their Irrational bullshit, why hadn’t they done so in the Mojave? That dossier had kicked off a lot of things and given the Facility intel we never would have had otherwise.
This equipment is really next gen stuff. Wyatt looked at one of the paper-thin computer screens, twin to the ones we had seen upstairs. It’s not Facility spec, but it sure beats what you can buy at the mall.
We truly don’t know how much Sadhana technology is of their own design and how much they may have picked up in other topiatic localities. Stone stepped to the far side of the room and tried a door.
It opened easily, revealing a messy office.
Let’s step inside. He smiled, headed in, and took a seat behind the desk that dominated the space.
Is this what we’re looking for? Wyatt surveyed the small office as we stepped inside and took seats.
It’s about as secure as we’re going to get, Stone sent, settling into his chair. No one’s getting inside without a key card and, thanks to your foresight, even if they do, I imagine they’ll be in stasis for at least a while.
A good long while. Wyatt grinned. Unless I let them out.
It’s a fascinating strategy. Stone leaned forward onto the desk. But there are other matters I want to discuss.
Delacruz. I whipped my own chair around backward and then sat. I want you to know that I’m willing to go after her, Demetrius. I simply want to know we’re not winging her extraction.
Because he hates that. Wyatt linked dryly.
I hear what you’re saying. If Stone disapproved of me using his first name, he didn’t show it. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I’d like to link Gideon in on this conversation.
Well, he is Alpha-on-site. I shrugged. I assumed that’s why he had Catalyst geared, because things like this are his call.
That and more. Before I could link anything else, Stone smoothly patched Gideon into our conversation. Alpha DuMarque, do you have a moment?
Only just. Gideon felt frazzled in my mind. Whatever the situation might be back at The Spire, I’d never heard him so worn.
I’ll be brief. Using resources at hand, I have a viable lead on recovering Delacruz.
You do? Gideon sounded wary. Not disbelief, per se, but almost posing an inquiry without actually asking anything.
Indeed. I’m currently in the company of my three extractors, and we agree that we should retrieve her.
We agreed to discuss it, I emphasized.
My hands are kind of tied here, Gideon. Stone turned to me as he linked. I feel as if we can retrieve all known actionables, but of course the Designates have some of this dossier locked under security protocols.
Actionables? Wyatt gave a furtive glance as he linked to me only.
Oh, for the love of God! Gideon’s exasperation bled through. Just ask me.
Do you believe that Designate Taylor would authorize an intel release in this situation? Stone paused and glanced significantly at each of us in turn. If you need to report to him, Gideon, we are safe and secure.
Wyatt glanced at me, and I read everything he thought in that one look, no link required. My Artisan didn’t care for all this secret shit any more than I did.
You know perfectly well that no Designate will authorize a security upgrade mid-dossier. Gideon paused. That’s why you aren’t asking Taylor. You also know that with Catalyst geared, I can make calls onsite, and later it will be my ass on the line and not yours.
I simply need an answer. Stone’s face remained a blank mask as he linked.
That. That was what I hated about Liaisons.
How about this? Irritation seeped like syrup through Gideon’s link. Things are going to absolute hell here, and I need to focus on saving people’s lives. So I’m not making this call. The Designates would never alter an Asset’s status afield. Therefore, these three can never access the security protocols of their dossiers.
Never? Stone frowned as if he didn’t believe Gideon.
The only way they could possibly learn all the facts, Stone, is if you tell them. Now, I am going to officially tell you that if you reveal the intimate details of Dossier I88-1998, specifically what you discovered about the Sadhana Corporation and their exotic technology, you run the risk of violating the principles of intel collusion. An intel upgrade requires Designate action.
Gideon, I—
But Gideon actually cut off Stone’s link, something that I didn’t think possible with a Lattice connection.
I raised an eyebrow at Wyatt; apparently our Catalyst meant business.
If you told these three about the source of this technology or any of the data regarding Rebecca Thorne or our suspicions about the Essential Siphon, that would be FAR beyond their security class.
It would. Stone’s eyes narrowed as he thought.
Now, personally, I’m going to say that Bishop, Guthrie, and Petrova are highly trusted Facility operatives and completely capable of exercising restraint with need-to-know information. Were I there, I have no doubt that I would feel completely comfortable releasing this information myself, with the stellar record these three possess.
Stellar, I linked only to Wyatt and Anya. He’s talking about me.
Wyatt rolled his eye to the ceiling.
You would? Stone’s link seemed musing.
I would. In fact, I’m going to patch the details of this conversation to Designate Taylor. I’ll inform him that I recommend these three highly and that I firmly believe that you should share whatever intel is required to—here, Gideon’s link seemed to slow and accentuate the words—bring all actionables home. I will make that request.
That’s not enough. Stone twirled a wrist as he gaped at us as if to say “Can you believe this guy?” We need an answer now.
It is the Catalyst’s opinion that we should release this data. Gideon’s mental speech felt pained and specific, as if he spoke to children. But I will link the Designate. As he is currently onsite in a status four hot zone, he is unlikely to receive this information immediately. The patch will likely be rerouted to Taylor’s Facility Station.
Wait. Status four? I sat up. It had been status two when I had left.
Status four mean things had gotten ugly.
Facilty 21. Anya interrupted. Designate Taylor’s current station is Facility 21.
This message will remain there, in queue. I felt Gideon smile. With the current status of things, he may not receive the request for days.
But we need—Stone stopped in mid-link, as if realizing Gideon’s ploy. We need this decision now.
But Designate support isn’t available in that case… Stone was catching up.
I suppose, I inserted myself, knowing exactly what Gideon’s intentions were. That simply means that you’ll have to make the choice, Stone. It’ll be impossible for the Designates to say we didn’t at least try to ask for support.
Holy hell. Stone shook his head, grinning widely. You’re a dog, DuMarque. I like it.
As an aside, I would like to inform the four of you that, due to the nature of our situation, the Gatekeeper who is currently onsite is going to have a delay in retrieving you.
A delay? My heart sank.
Asset Reicht has never pinpointed an aperture locality below the Seal, and as such his Gatekeeper does not have the data within its system. It will be up to you to contact him or wait for him to reach you. His situation has been quite chaotic.
Fluid? I linked, my head in my hands.
Exactly.
Obviously, Asset Delacruz should still have the coordinates for The Spire in her holotecture. If you did happen to recover her, you could extract yourselves.
Of course.
So. Gideon’s link turned gruff. Now, if we’re done playing protocol grab-ass, I have work to do.
Roger that, Alpha. Stone out. The Liaison severed the link.
What the hell? Wyatt’s link felt more confused than annoyed.
Politics. Anya gazed at Stone, and for the first time since meeting him, I thought that perhaps she gave him a disapproving eye.
Politics. Stone nodded.
He reached inside his coat, disengaging the Façade. Ten thousand tiny mirrors shifted and folded up around him. After a moment, he no longer appeared to be the Sadhana operative.
But, he went on, Gideon has freed us up. You’ve agreed to talk about retrieving Delacruz, and I admire that. But I can now say far more about our mission.
Yeah? I sank back in my seat and waited for the next wave of bullshit. What’s our mission?
I have the most dangerous thing the Facility has ever encountered. Stone’s link felt grave. He set a small item on the desk. In the darkness of the room, it pulsed with a furious, violet intensity.
What the fuck is that? Wyatt leaned closer.
That—Stone leaned back in his chair, his face perplexed—is precisely what the Facility wants to know.
33
A glass and steel canister, approximately three centimeters tall, glinted at us between dark metal bands. Etched into the top band in sterile script lay a tiny legend: SAMPLE 158. A tiny violet mote hung within the glass container, as if suspended by invisible thread. It burned with a vitality and a ferocity that flickered all through the room.
You’re the first Preceptor to get a read on this. Stone spared Anya a lingering glance, his eyes thoughtful. Hell, aside from me, you all are the first Facility Assets to see the damn thing.
This is why extracting you became such a priority. Now that I considered it, I realized that the dossier heavily favored extracting Stone over Delacruz with no explanation. I suppose you’re right; you can’t just patch this back to your handlers.
No, I cannot.
You still haven’t told us what the hell it is. Wyatt scowled. My oculus doesn’t pick up shit.
There’s a reason. Anya’s fingers moved ever slower, then stopped dead still. Your device is excellent at picking up the axiomatic equations of things, Asset Guthrie, the relationships between various factors. She shook her head at him. There are no equations here. No multi-faceted constructions.
So what is it? Stone leaned forward, as eager as Wyatt and myself.
It’s… Anya tossed her hair, as if brushing away a thought. It’s Sound.
“What?” I was so confused by her statement that I spoke aloud.
I’ve sent you a visual overlay of my interface before. Anya turned to me for confirmation.
Right. In the Mojave, outside the silo.
She nodded and turned to Stone. My interface is constructed of a visual analogy of axiomatic relationships. It appears as hundreds and hundreds of filaments, all coursing together. How they lay against one another indicates to me their relationship to one another.
Of course. Stone nodded his agreement. It’s why our Artisan’s gear is nicknamed the tangler. It binds and weaves them as required.
This—she indicated the violet pulse with a wave of her hand—is the axiomatic equivalent of an essential element. It is the purity of sound, in all of its manifestations. Her fingers twitched. On my interface, no filaments even come near it. I imagine that even when it’s moved, no filaments will touch it.
Sound isn’t a thing. Wyatt shook his head. I mean, sound isn’t an element or anything. It’s just vibration.
My statement stands. She turned to him, a bit bewildered. It is every bandwidth of sound. It is the silence between sounds.
Where did you get it? My hands rested on top of the backrest of my chair, and I set my chin upon them.
That… Stone sent with a wide grin. That is a very long story.
Can it be a short one? Wyatt smiled at the man, but I felt his impatience. If we’re going after Delacruz, mebbe it should be.
Right. He seemed taken aback just for a moment. Come with me.
I felt Stone’s irritation, but he stood nonetheless, pushing his chair back beneath the desk neatly.
In a smooth motion, he scooped up the tiny, violet mote and placed it back in his pocket.
The world grew darker then and not just from lack of light. I hadn’t realized it in the moment that I had been exposed to the tiny spark, but its light felt quite wonderful against my skin. Something primal about it, something difficult to define, delighted me.
Stone led us back into the laboratory and then down a small hallway just to the right of the office.
You may be aware that my dossier’s objective included discovering Sadhana’s supposed conduit technology.
I thought you got inserted before that. I glanced at Wyatt.
Yes. Technically. Stone looked back to me. But once the conduit tech was discovered, my entire mission changed. As I’m certain you can easily surmise, the Facility doesn’t want conduits just being thrown around by anyone.
From nowhere, I suddenly remembered a conversation I had heard between two Sadhana operatives, approximately ten thousand years ago, alone in The Spire:
“The smart money is on our little bird landing and then trying to fly again as soon as possible.” He stopped and looked to the others. “She might have created another weftingway. That’s what I’m looking for.”
Had I shared that detail with anyone at all? No, now that I thought about it, I hadn’t even patched Gideon the details of my little adventures within The Spire.
Weftingway sounded an awful lot like some poetic bullshit term for conduit. I hoped that wouldn’t bite us in the ass.
I’ll be honest with you three: it took me over a month to figure out how to slip past the Seal. Stone raised an eyebrow. Of course, I had to protect my cover, but still, it certainly says something about your quality that you managed the same feat in a few hours.
He’s talking about my quality, I linked to Wyatt and Anya.
Shut it, Hoss. Wyatt felt tired through his link.
Stone took a right turn and came to another door. This one had no glass but instead simply had been painted gunmetal grey with the letters SAD-702 in stark red stenciling.
The short story is, Wyatt, once I slipped past the Seal, it was only a matter of time before I found this. With that, Stone opened the door and gestured us inside.
Wyatt glanced at Anya and me for a moment, but then he stepped within the dark room, followed by the rest of us.
“
Disengage your optics,” Stone warned. “We’re far enough away from the main hallway now, so I can trip the lights.” He smirked. “You’ll want to see this.”
With that, he flicked on the overhead light.
All manner of odd gadgets and warped pieces of metal crowded the room, especially along the north wall. Three different worktables had been set at random around the room; one of them was covered in schemata and scrawled bits of anatomical notes. Four stools gathered around that particular table, two with white lab coats draped across their seats.
In the center of the room sat a scarlet horror.
“What the fuck is that?” I stepped closer, trying to get a feel on the thing. It reminded me of nothing so much as a garish prop in a B-grade horror movie.
“A spider.” Wyatt mused. “It looks kinda like a great, dead spider, legs all catty-wompus.”
Creatures of the class Arachnida possess eight legs. Anya glanced critically at the thing. This device possesses eleven.
Thank you, Crocodile Hunter. Wyatt took a step closer to the device, bringing his fingers up to his oculus to adjust it in some small manner. “This thing is a piece of fuckin’ work.”
“You don’t even know the half of it.” Stone strolled in front of us, somehow eager despite his long, slow steps.
As he paced around the device, I took a moment. Instead of letting my imagination become caught in the wicked scarlet steel legs, I took it all in. The moment that I actually paid attention, the thing reminded me of a warped cousin to the Cradle. An odd table rested at the base of it, similar to the typical stainless steel device. However this particular table had thick leather straps dripping off it in the most obviously horrific positions.
I sucked in my lower lip as I scrutinized it; some wispy memory about Caprice repeatedly shoving me into…
What?
The arachnoid tool arms hunched over the operating table, poised for whatever their nasty work might be.
Something red snagged my eye; I looked down and grimaced.
Even though the stainless steel table had been washed clean, the floor had not. Whoever had been strapped to this monstrosity had done some bleeding.