The Sentient Corruption (The Sentient Trilogy Book 3)

by Ian Williams

  “I suppose that will be OK. Please don’t waste any more of our time though, Mr. Denehey. When you come back I expect something useful in return.” The Deputy Prime Minister then faced Brigadier Harrington. “Perhaps you could go over your proposed strategy one more time while we wait.”

  Graham took no time to break away from the discussion and went straight into his own. Sean had understood the request, thankfully, and only pretended to be part of the hushed conversation that quickly started. “Why can’t I tell them?” he asked the second him – who had taken a position standing beside Sean.

  “Because they won’t understand what’s really going on. If you tell them like this, you’ll only cause more harm.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. Why can’t I tell them?”

  “Please, just trust me on this. Telling them about Luke and the other good Sentients is too dangerous. They’ll just be seen as a threat. If the military think everyone inside the city has become one of the enemy they’ll simply go in and kill them all. You may as well pull the trigger yourself if that’s the case.”

  “Is that what this is all about then, keeping the Sentients safe?”

  “That’s a part of it, yes. Please, what do I have to do to convince you not to say a word?”

  Graham had only one thing in mind. “I want to know why we have to go into the city.”

  A moment of hesitation followed. The second Graham stared toward the wall of screens as he seemed to consider. He refocused after his decision had finally been made. “Fine,” he said, to Graham’s surprise. “There’s only one way to find out exactly what happened to you during your escape of the Sentient world. We need to speak to Luke. And the only way to reach him is inside that bubble.”

  Graham leant against the table beside him. It was not shock that brought him to a halt, but the realisation that he had felt the same way all along. Admitting to himself that he needed Luke again had been too hard for him to do. The last place he wanted to go was now the one place he needed to.

  “I’m sorry, Graham. I didn’t want to tell you straight away, not until I was sure we could get into the city.”

  “So you’re certain Emma will succeed?”

  “I am now. That diamond on your hand lets me interact with other pieces of tech. I used it to wirelessly hack the Ring’s systems. After getting inside, I found what I needed to make her device work.”

  “You hacked it using the diamond on my hand? Are you the one who made it?” Graham’s words brought a strained look to Sean’s face, who watched the presentation going on behind them.

  The answer came after a short pause. “No. I know what it can do, though. Look, we can’t go into that right now.”

  “OK. So, if we go in there, what comes next?”

  “Then we get you fixed. Remember, I’m part of you, so I know when things are wrong too. I want to be better as much as you do. So, what do you say, will you trust me?”

  Graham looked to Sean for a second of reassurance, then gave his answer. “For now. If we do this, I want one thing in exchange first.”

  “OK, name it.”

  “I want to speak to my family before we go in. They can’t be left worrying about me. I don’t care if I have to lie to them, I want them to feel I’m safe.”

  “You got it. And remember, I won’t have to take over if we work together. Now, get back to the conversation. Just tell them you don’t know much more than what you’ve already told them. They’ll still send you in if they believe you can help bring down the shield from the inside.”

  Not before placing a friendly hand on Sean’s shoulder did Graham walk to the front of the table. The moment he arrived, the others stopped and waited for him to speak. “I’m ready.”

  “Excellent,” Brigadier Harrington said before any of the others could say a word, which the head of MI5 seemed all too ready to do.

  Graham addressed the wall of screens with confidence; he knew why he had to lie this time. “I can’t tell you much more than I have so far. All I can say for certain is that going inside that shield with all guns blazing will result in innocent deaths. I’ve dealt with Isaac before, I know what he’s capable of, I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. The people he has working for him are just as ruthless. But not all of them joined him willingly. For those people the worst thing we can do is burst into the city and start a firefight.”

  “That’s it?” The head of MI5 said, throwing his arms up in response.

  The Deputy Prime Minister’s reply was more controlled, yet contained the same disappointment. “This isn’t quite the important intel’ I was promised. What about these newer relays then? Can you help us shut them down or not? I see from the Brigadier’s report that you have advanced knowledge of this technology.”

  “I do,” Graham answered. “I worked as a technician for Simova, before all of this started.”

  “A technician!” The head of MI5 showed no trust in Graham at all. “And this is why you think you know what is going on inside that force-field? So you worked for Simova, so fucking what?”

  “Please, let’s keep this civil.” The Deputy PM then changed the subject. “Perhaps we could wrap this up a little quicker? There is still a lot to get through.”

  Brigadier Harrington stepped forward again, taking over without pause. “Of course, sir.”

  “So, after you get past the shield, then what?”

  His part now ended in the discussion, Graham was left to watch as the presentation continued. Only now could he see what it entailed. On one of the screens around the edge contained a detailed simulation of the plan to enter the city, with every part played out in computer graphics. The image of the bubble and the Ring above it had been added to with a downward arching line between the Ring and the surface. The path Graham was intent on taking with them appeared to fall directly from the Ring. Nothing explained how that rather large step was to be carried out though.

  Brigadier Harrington changed the images on his screen with a few swipes of his wrist computer. Evidently the others at the other end of the line were also seeing the same, as demonstrated by their sudden interest in another screen near to them. Each now watched the simulation play out.

  “Have you been able to scan the city?” This time one of the more reserved faces had taken it upon themselves to ask a question. A tanned skinned woman of advanced years looked up from her screen to speak.

  “During the test firing we were given a glimpse of the inside with our scanners, but they only saw a little. For the most part we’ve relied on visuals alone. We have seen some fighting in a few areas. Unfortunately, there is no way of determining the size of the enemy forces or indeed the amount of survivors still alive. The areas we’ve chosen to set down our teams are all in relatively secure positions, with no recent signs of activity. We should be able to get our men inside before the enemy is aware.”

  “Good. Now, how many teams are you proposing to send in?”

  “We will send in an entire Air Troop, that’s four teams of four, each landing on a rooftop and out of harm’s way. Teams will be tasked with different objectives, ranging from sabotaging enemy heavy weapons to destroying strongholds. The first team will secure their building and setup a temporary base of operations.” Brigadier Harrington turned swiftly around to speak to Graham. “That will be your team, Mr. Denehey. I’m sending you in with the very best, led by a Captain Rigs. He will keep you safe while you help them bring down the shield. You will be well protected.”

  “This all sounds excellent, Brigadier,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. “Will you be able to hold the shield open long enough to get everyone inside in one go?”

  “Unfortunately, no. Our lead scientist has told me that her device will still only be able to keep it open for a few minutes each time, enough to send two teams in before shutting it down. Each firing then requires a few minutes for the equipment to cool.”

  “And what about aerial attacks, have you seen anything that could interfere with your tea
m’s entrance?”

  “Nothing so far. If the enemy has that capability, then they haven’t been using it as far as we can see. The Ring’s defensive systems will be online during the operation, just in case. It shouldn’t be a problem, as we foresee a swift entrance and expect to get a strong foothold within an hour of setting down.”

  “What about communication?”

  “While there is a hole in the shield it will be possible, but they will be on their own between drops. Each team is fully aware of the others’ tasks. If one team fails, another will step up and take over. Again we don’t foresee any problem with this. We have some of the highest trained operatives working on the Ring; they will succeed.”

  A round of expressive nods broke out among the faces watching Brigadier Harrington’s highly assured words. His confidence had washed over them all like a gentle current, swaying them toward the same opinion. They all certainly liked to hear of a quick outcome too, even though there was nothing more to this than purely wishful thinking.

  The Deputy Prime Minister was first the break their moment of misplaced pride. “You have whatever you need, Brigadier Harrington. The country is looking to us to end this quickly. After what they’ve faced in the past year-and-a-half that is quite understandable. What is your go time for the incursion?”

  “Current time is 1735 hours,” Brigadier Harrington said after referring to his wrist computer. “We expect to be able to try again at roughly 1900 hours. Teams one and two are on standby and prepared to go on my orders.”

  “What?” Graham spurted out. He clamped a hand to his mouth as all eyes shot to him.

  “Is there a problem?” The head of MI5 said with a slight roll of his eyes.

  “No, sir.” The Brigadier chose not to address the screens and instead turned to Graham. “You have around ninety minutes to get ready, Mr. Denehey. I suggest you decide once and for all exactly how involved you want to be in this. Do whatever you need to reach that state as quickly as you can. If you’re going in, there's no changing your mind at the last moment. Understood?”

  Graham could barely even manage a nod in reply, his mind had faltered temporarily. For the first time he could not deny the reality of his situation. Regardless of how like a nightmare his day had become he was facing a very real dilemma: if he backed out he would remain broken and with a mind split in two, but if he went ahead he would be forced to become a wannabe soldier.

  Neither option was particularly appealing to him.

  One thing he knew for sure he wanted to do, more than anything else at that moment, more so than to take even another breath, was that he wanted to speak to his family, to see their faces again. Maybe seeing them would make his decision easier. Then again, the opposite was also a highly possible outcome. Jane would be able to talk him out of his crazy plan with little more than a handful of words.

  He made a vow not to tell them about it, however much he desperately wanted to. Telling them would end it for him instantly and he had begun to understand his strong opinion on the matter now. He wanted to be right again, to be fixed finally.

  As Brigadier Harrington started again talking to the screens, going over some final details before finishing the conference, Graham spoke for Sean’s benefit only. “Can you reach my family back at the refugee camp?”

  Sean gave a look to the wall of screens one final time, then replied. “Sure, let’s go back to the workshop.”

  Graham rubbed the ridges above his eyes and pulled at the thick beard-hairs on his face in frustration. His days before meeting people like Stephen were so much simpler. Never did he have to worry about such things as evil AIs or being trapped in a virtual world before now. The worst things he had to deal with back then were bills and which school to pick for Alex.

  He missed those days dearly at that moment.

  * * *

  The reflection in the screen Graham focused on had more lines than before. He noticed how the eyes appeared to fall into the skull, and the cheeks, now covered in a mixture of brown and grey whiskers, were sunken. The three months stuck in a coma had added years to his skin.

  But the eyes were the same, they contained the very recognisable essence of the man he had been before his world turned upside down. That quintessential desire to live and to continue doing so had started a fire behind the eyes now, that much was clear to him as he studied his own face.

  A second later and the sight of his slightly aged features was gone, replaced by one he could only have compared to that of pure joy personified. Alex sent her big eyes straight at him, followed by the biggest smile he could ever remember seeing. This close to the screen, her bouncy black hair covered any other faces that might have been there too.

  “Daddy! Are you coming home soon?” she said with a slightly mournful downturn to her lips.

  “Hey honey. I don’t think so, not for a little while anyway.” Graham could not hold back his urge to place a hand on the screen, and positioned it as though stroking his daughter’s cheek. He took it away the moment he realised it was only glass beneath his fingers. “Is your Mum there with you?”

  The next voice contained much more than a mournful tone, but one that bordered on anger instead. “What happened to you, Graham?” Jane said. She appeared from behind Alex a moment later, pushing the frizzy hair aside to let her see.

  “Jane, I’m so sorry I left.”

  “You didn’t just leave, Graham, you disappeared. And without a single word to us first. Elliot is pissed too. He’s tried getting to you since, but no-one is allowed there.”

  Feeling his neck become hot, Graham rubbed the spot as he replied. “It wasn’t my fault, Jane, I promise. You know I’ve been having these blackouts, right?”

  Jane nodded as Alex jumped up onto her lap suddenly.

  “Well, it happened again, just after I fell asleep in the hospital. Next thing I know, I’m waking up in the back of a military truck, with no idea how I got in there. It’s happened since then too.”

  “So why are you still there now? Why haven’t you come back yet?” Jane crossed her arms around Alex to keep her from fidgeting.

  “It’s complicated. I’m with Stephen and Sean. They’re trying to help the military break through the shield above the city.”

  “So? What’s that got to do with you?”

  “Nothing. I’m just here to support them, that’s all. They think they can do it.”

  The lack of reaction in Jane’s face told him all he needed to know about her state of mind. She was someone who made her feelings known rather than bottle them up. Her expressionless stare was a sign of disappointment he had not seen for years. Staying silent had more of an effect on him than if she had burst into tears and slapped the screen in front of her. She had to know he was lying to her again as well.

  “Look, babe, I’ll be safe here until they’re finished,” Graham said, trying to draw a response out of her. Lying straight to her face felt dangerous, like walking too closely to a precipice. If he stepped over the edge he would fall to his death, and place his relationship in jeopardy. Yet telling her about his planned mission into enemy territory was still worse than this.

  “I love you too much to let you make another stupid decision, Graham,” Jane said, seeing a crack in his demeanour as she always did when sensing deception.

  “Please, just trust me on this.” He spoke with force, and he wanted to bring the brewing disagreement to an end before it had a chance to get going. “There’s a lot going on right now. I can’t go into any detail, but I wanted to speak to you all and check you were OK before it begins.”

  “You’re starting to worry me. Please tell me what’s going on?”

  “Are the others there with you?” Graham asked.

  Elliot replied instantly; he had been waiting intently by the side. “We’re all here, G.” He and Ruth – Graham’s sister – stepped into the view, holding each other and with an obvious look of dread upon their faces. Each and every one of them had suffered over the course of the
ir shared nightmare. They had only just gotten used to having him there, before he again left them to fend for themselves.

  Graham coughed back a lump of emotion as his family stared back at him, waiting for more. The tiny screen contained his entire life in the form of the most precious people to him. It had the same raw emotive power of a forgotten photo of a lost loved-one, the kind that brought a flood of memories along with it. “I wanted to say I'm sorry for everything I’ve put you all through,” he began. “I love you all dearly and always will.”

  With a turn of her head up towards her mother, Alex asked; “Why is Daddy talking like that?” she said in response to his sudden change in tone.

  Jane pulled Alex into her chest and rested a hand on the still out of control hair.

  “Leaving you like I did back at Sanctuary was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I did it to save you all, and I would do it again and again if that’s what it takes to keep you safe.”

  “Wait, are you about to do something stupid again, G?” Elliot said with his usual lack of tact.

  For a split second Graham considered telling him, but the moment passed soon enough. Once again his mind focused on the possible cost of the coming mission and he thought better of telling them. Keeping them in the dark was the only way of protecting them from more hurt. He would just have to make sure he returned to them afterwards.

  Thankfully, he had enough confidence in the voice in his head to see this being an achievable goal. He and the other him had their own existence in mind during all decisions – whether Graham was involved in the process or not.

  “Don’t worry, Elliot, or any of you. I’m in control now. I won’t do anything to jeopardise that. But if I succeed, then when I see you next I’ll be myself again, and not the liability I’ve been recently.”

  In the room behind Graham the door swung open with more urgency than he had expected. He ignored who entered, and instead continued to look into his wife’s puffy eyes. His words had imparted the sentiment he intended, that what he chose not to reveal was worth any risk he would take.