by Jake Bible
“So is mine!” Beth replied.
They peeked around the doors at each other then squealed and began undressing, clothes flying every which way.
***
Heather stared at the gaudy dress set out for her. She yanked at the note pinned to it.
“Dear Ms. Walton,” the note began. “The Empress expects you to have breakfast with her in the west atrium dining parlor at seven o’clock. Please be prompt and properly attired. If you shall need any assistance, do not hesitate to ring. Yours Kindly, The Staff.”
Heather wadded up the note and glanced at the bedside clock. Three AM.
“Seven? Jesus,” Heather swore as she pulled at her boots. There was a light knocking at her door. “What?”
Billy peeked his head in, instantly saw the dress and grinned, pulling a suit from behind his back as he came into the room and closed the door behind him. “You’re cursed too, huh?”
“Apparently breakfast is on par with the fucking opera,” Heather snarled. Billy set the suit aside and grabbed onto Heather’s second boot.
“Yeah, I’d forgotten what it was like around here,” Billy said.
“This is all Nat’s doing,” Heather scoffed. “It wasn’t this bad when we used to be here with Al.”
“I think Alex shielded us from a lot of the pomp,” Billy said tossing the boot aside and turning around as Heather unzipped the briefly worn leather outfit. “Probably why he fled as soon as he could.” Billy heard water running and looked over his shoulder to see the bathroom door close. “Well, nice chatting with you.” He sighed and picked up his suit, leaving the bedroom door wide open as he left.
***
Where is he?” Alexander growled at his sister. “You fucking bitch! What have you done to Vas?”
“Manners, Alexander. I’m still your monarch.” Natalya activated a security holo and instantly the image of a bruised and battered Vasily flicked to life. Alex stepped forward, reaching towards the image, his fingers flicking through the empty air.
“Is that Peter?” Alex gasped, seeing the body draped across his brother’s legs. “He’s not breathing, is he?”
Natalya smiled. “No, he’s not. The warden says he passed away several hours ago, but Vas refuses to give him up. I figured, what’s the harm? Let him have his dead boy toy. What’s it really matter?”
“Boy toy?” Alex said, stunned. “Peter and Vas have been together since they were teenagers. He’s family, Nat!”
The Empress’s face contorted with rage. “No, he’s not, Alexander! You are family! Vasily is family! It’s about time you fucking understood that!” She waved her hands and the image changed, split and split again into Melissa and Beth staring at their closet one last time before crawling into bed; Billy sitting in his room alone, one light lit and his nails digging into his flesh as the scabs started to wear off; Heather’s silhouette in the shower as the bathroom filled with steam. “You need to stop looking elsewhere, brother! And start focusing on what is right here!”
“You’re a sick fuck, Nat,” Alexander whispered, collapsing into a chair.
“You’re a fine one to point fingers,” Natalya said waving Alexander away. “I advise you get a little sleep, we have much to talk about over breakfast.”
“I’m not giving you the BTT,” Alexander stated, pushing his fatigued body up from the chair.
“Well, we’ll discuss that in the morning,” Natalya smiled. “I’m sure we have plenty of bargaining room.” The holocam image focused only on Heather this time and Natalya’s smile widened as she watched the emotions play across her brother’s face. “Get some sleep, Alexander. I promise that everyone will be fine tonight. After that…”
Alex turned quickly, his stomach tightening as he bolted from the room, his sister’s quiet laughter following him out the door.
***
Heather let the scalding hot water rush over her as she wretched again and again, black liquid swirling down the drain. She slowly slumped to the bottom of the shower, pulling her knees tightly against her chest.
She could feel something shifting inside her and she knew that whatever it was she stole, it was in her now. There was no denying that anymore.
Instantly she was at attention, realizing she hadn’t seen any of her gear in her room.
She shut the water off, grabbed a towel, wrapping it about her as she searched every corner, closet, dresser and drawer in her bedroom.
Nothing.
“Fuck!” she shouted, hating herself for getting caught up in all the royal drama. It was that drama that forced her to leave in the first place and she felt wave after wave of shame wash over her for letting it happen to her again.
“FUCK!” she shouted once more, punching the wall, leaving a good sized dent.
***
“You’ll need to take your hat off, sir,” a porter said as Styles entered the parlor, having been called to breakfast with everyone else.
He slapped the porter’s hand away quickly. “I ain’t taking off shit.”
“Mr. Styles, it would be a courtesy to me if you would remove your hat,” the Empress glared. “As you can see, we are all properly attired for breakfast.”
Styles looked around the room at the fine dresses the ladies wore and at Billy fighting his tall, starched collar. “With all due respect, Your Majesty,” Styles said, bowing slightly. “I don’t take my hat off. If you would prefer me to dine elsewhere, I would be happy to oblige, but I must insist that my hat stay where it is.”
The Empress looked taken aback and instantly turned to her brother.
“It’s true,” Alexander said around a mouthful of pheasant. “The hat doesn’t come off. Probably better for us all. Old conflict wound up there that isn’t exactly appetizing.”
The Empress and Styles locked eyes.
“Very well,” she conceded finally. “You can keep that thing on, but do not expect to dine with us this evening, Mr. Styles. I have important guests coming and none of them should be forced to tolerate your American affectation.”
Styles tilted his hat and took a seat next to Beth. “Much obliged, ma’am,” he drawled dramatically. Beth had to force herself not to smile.
“So, Heather, dear,” the Empress said, switching the conversation. “What a nice surprise to see you! After the annulment I figured you and Alexander wouldn’t ever cross paths.”
“One could only hope,” Heather smiled. “But life is funny sometimes.”
“Funny, dear?” Natalya asked, lifting a gold dusted scone to her lips and nibbling lightly. “How do you mean?”
God how Heather hated that woman. She never could stand her before she was Empress and all she wanted to do was leap the long table and choke the bitch with her own pastry. “Just that sometimes, no matter what you have planned, life takes you in the direction it wants you to go,” she said, keeping her emotions in check. “Not necessarily the direction you want to go.”
“Well said, dear. Well said,” the Empress nodded, turning to her brother. “Advice you should listen to, Alexander.”
The table grew quiet except for the clinking of silverware and glass.
After a few minutes, the Empress pushed away from the table. “Well, I’m quite full. Don’t want to make a pig of myself.” She smiled at everyone. “If you’ll excuse us, my brother and I have important issues to discuss. I trust him so much that I just couldn’t bear to go through these difficult times without his council. Alex? Shall we?” She put her arm out and Alexander set down the bite he was about to take, stood and escorted the Empress from the room, keeping his eyes averted from the rest. “Feel free to use the stables if you wish. I know how much you love to ride, Heather. Oh, and by the way, my condolences on the annihilation of your comrades. I guess the time of the Americans has come to a close, no?”
Billy clamped down hard on Heather’s leg under the table, knowing the woman was about to lose it on the monarch. “Easy,” he whispered.
Once their footfalls could no longer be hea
rd, Billy let out a long, slow breath. “Holy shit!” he exclaimed. “Is it me or is she even bug fuck crazier than before?”
The table stayed quiet for a moment longer.
“Horses?” Beth asked finally. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
No one answered.
“How about I put it this way,” she said a little louder. “I would like to ride a horse before I die. Which could be tonight, tomorrow, or the next day.”
“The freak’s got a point,” Melissa agreed. “I haven’t been riding in years. Can we?”
Heather didn’t respond and Billy had to nudge her to get her attention.
“Huh? What?” she stuttered. “Yeah, sure, go riding.” She pushed her plate away and stood up. “I, however, am taking a drive. I want to see what's left of the American base. It's a few miles away, but shouldn't take me long to get to. Billy, will you go with the girls?”
“Um, no, don’t think so,” Billy said, looking at Styles. “Styles says he’ll show me around the BTT.” The pilot nodded in agreement. “Plus, there’s something on the aircraft that I could use more than coffee at the moment.”
Heather noticed Billy’s shaking hands and the color of his skin for the first time that morning. “Fine. I'll have some of Gelts's men ride out with them. You get yourself right.” She gripped him on the shoulder and nodded, motioning for the girls to follow. They quickly got up and were out the door, leaving Billy alone with Styles.
Billy clapped his hands together. “So? Ready to start?”
“Fuck you,” Styles said, his mouth full of eggs and caviar. “I’m gonna eat until I bust, drink a full pot of coffee, then have seconds before I’m fucking going anywhere.”
Billy frowned and looked about the parlor, spotting a small couch in the corner. “I’ll be over here. Wake me when your tank is topped off.”
“Will do,” Styles grinned, bits of yellow flying from his lips onto the tablecloth.
***
“I have had Ms. Walton’s possessions removed from her quarters,” the Empress began as she and Alexander strolled from the palace and into one of the many large courtyard gardens. “Are you aware she is carrying LOMSD contraband?”
“I know she and the others are in trouble, but not the specifics,” Alex answered.
“Right,” Natalya responded, not believing a word her brother said. “Well, dear brother, I trust you will help run interference if Ms. Walton should object.”
“I think you know Heather well enough to know that no one can run interference if she is set on making trouble,” Alex laughed.
The Empress stopped and fixed her brother with a cold stare. “I expect you to try, Alexander. For Vasily’s sake, of course.”
“Of course,” Alex replied through gritted teeth.
“Excellent. I have alerted the warden that you will be visiting our brother,” the Empress said, taking the prince by the arm. “After we have a nice relaxing stroll, of course.”
“Of course,” Alex droned.
Chapter Fifteen
It took Heather less than an hour to get to the blast zone. She pulled the helmet of the haz suit on and secured the seal, making sure none of the radiation and fallout from the nuclear detonation would affect her.
Stepping from the skiff, she walked to the edge of what was left of the grand forest that had surrounded the former American base. The trees were scorched and withered, but most were still standing and many even had leaves and needles on them. Heather cautiously left the tree line, watching her footing on the ashy, muddy slope that overlooked the massive crater below.
Miles off was the center of the blast and the resulting hole looked bottomless, but she knew that was more an illusion from the deep black the ground had turned due to the intense heat of the blast.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. All through school as a kid she had heard of how the United States had erupted in internal civil war, resulting in mutual destruction on both sides, leaving the American continent a scorched and uninhabitable wasteland. At no point did she ever think she would witness the same thing now, when the Americans had fought so hard to secure their place in the world.
Why? Why would anyone do that? Was power that important? Were the Americans such a threat to the extremists, the LOM, the whoever-the-fuck really did it all?
Heather looked out into the swirling ash clouds that formed at the edge of the crater, knowing some of that ash used to be human. Used to be American.
***
Melissa pulled on the reins, bringing the stallion up short as she and Beth left the shade of the woods and entered the brilliant green of a large meadow. Melissa hopped down, grabbed a bag from the saddle and swatted the horse gently on its flank, letting the animal know it could wander free in the meadow. Melissa helped Beth down, sending her horse out with the other. The accompanying guards remained mounted on their horses, setting themselves at even intervals around the meadow.
Spreading a blanket, Melissa began to go through the bag the kitchen had prepared for them. “Meat, cheese, fruit, water, wine and bread,” she announced. “How very rustic.”
“Sounds nice,” Beth said. “Simple.”
“You’d know simple,” Melissa joked, but her voice was missing most of the venom it usually had.
“Did you say there was wine?” Beth asked. “Don't they know we're under age?”
“I think the annihilation of our culture might have made them go easy on us,” Melissa countered.
The two girls leaned back and watched the clouds break up and reform above them for a long while. Finally, Melissa uncorked the wine bottle and took a long swig. She handed the bottle to Beth.
“Um, are you sure?” Beth asked, looking over at Alex's guards. “You don't think they'll tell Heather?”
“You said it yourself earlier,” Melissa grinned, forcing the bottle into Beth’s hands. “You could be dead tonight, tomorrow or the next day. If that isn’t an excuse to start drinking, then I don’t know what is.”
Beth took a cautious sip before Melissa yanked the bottle from her grasp.
“It’s for drinking, not kissing,” Melissa said, chugging a good amount.
Beth reached across and pulled the bottle away playfully, took another drink and handed it back. “I’m glad to have changed clothes,” Beth said. “That corset was cutting off the circulation to my boobs.”
Melissa snorted. “You said boobs.”
“Are you a twelve year-old-boy, Mel?” Beth laughed. “Boobs…”
The girls watched the clouds some more before Beth spoke up. “So what's it like being an active Ghost now?”
Melissa shrugged. “Not much different than before except I know more about how things work. I understand the link between the Americans’ genetics and biochrome.”
“Like how?” Beth asked between sips. “I know I felt something back on the beach, but I had no knowledge of what I was doing. I just did it.”
“Yeah, that must have freaked your shit out...freak,” Melissa laughed.
“Don't call me freak,” Beth smiled.
“Then give me back the bottle,” Mel said, pulling the wine away and drinking deeply. “I guess the hard part is knowing what my talent is, my expertise.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, it's like how Billy can design and build any vehicle needed and Heather can make and use any weapon with just a thought,” Melissa replied. “Every Ghost has a specific talent, but there is no way to predict how it will manifest.”
“Are there any signs? Do you have any feelings one way or another?”
“Sort of. I felt my body come alive last night when we saw all the clothes, but I was so tired and messed up I didn't take the moment to explore the feeling.”
“Um, I think we both felt alive seeing those clothes. That was an impressive collection.”
“No, it was different,” Melissa said taking her time before finishing. “It was almost like I could see the patterns of each piece overlaid with
the actual thing. I saw the stitching, the material thread count, the way each blouse would fit with each skirt or trousers; how each dress would go perfectly with each pair of shoes.”
“Maybe fashion is your talent,” Beth laughed. “You could make sure everyone is their stylish best before they go into mortal combat.”
“Or,” Melissa began. “It could mean that I can translate that talent into building new Shock suits. I could weave BC into uniforms that are as light as organic material, but tough as BC armor.”
Beth rolled over and looked at Melissa. “I wish I could do that.”
Melissa couldn't help but laugh. “I wish I could fucking melt Spiders with my mind! I'll trade ya.”
“I don’t know how I did that. I haven't felt the same since, but I can't quite capture what happened. It's like the power of it is just out of reach.”
“Well keep trying to grasp it...it could...be help...full,” Melissa's words began to slur and she looked in alarm at the wine bottle in her hand. “Ah, shit.”
“What is it?” Beth asked rolling to her side to face Melissa. The movement made her dizzy and the meadow swam about her. “Oh... Damn...”
The last thing the girls heard before losing consciousness was the sound of gunfire and yells of alarm from Gelts's men. Then all went black.
***
The techs in the Shop nodded courteously to the Empress as she and Zverev strode through the many departments until they reached a thick black door in the back. Zverev entered his code on the key pad and thumbed in his biometrics. The door slid back and he ushered the Empress inside.
“So?” Natalya demanded. “Is it what the Three said it would be?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the lead tech, Dr. Stilig responded. “I believe it is.” He gestured to a set of stools set along the wall, but the Empress ignored him, preferring to stand and glare.
“Well? What is it?”
“Nanotech, Your Highness. Very foreign. I have never seen tech like this before,” Dr. Stilig answered, activating a blown up holo of what he was looking at under the microscanner. “I will need a larger sample. There are only small traces. The main containment has been lost.”