Ominous Order

by Felisha Antonette

  I’m floored by the amount of information he knows. The luxury of having parents around, long enough to explain what the hell is going on in this world.

  Marc’s lips connect with mine, and the instant I relax into his kiss, someone bangs on the door. It flies open no sooner than we pull apart.

  Jord barges into the room and closes the door behind him. “I need to know what’s going on, Kylie,” he whispers harshly. “Luke’s death, you being requested by the Guidance, the two of you. Are you a threefold? Creation, Vojin, and Itteix? Because if you are, you’re a rare commodity, and we can’t put you in jeopardy of being killed without your twin.”

  I stand to my feet and am inclined to deny, but I say, “Yes,” without meaning to. “I mean no,” I say quickly, and that just sounds silly, like I’m trying to cover up my answer with a lie. And I know I am, but I don’t want to come off so suspicious. “I’m sorry.” I throw my hands in my face. “I’ve learned so much about myself over the past day, I’m not sure what’s going on.” Straightening my spine, I shake my head. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m battling either way. You’re not pulling me out of the biggest war I’ll ever see in my life.” I cross the floor and easily find the door without running into him or anything else. I pull the door open, and the hint of light barely brings color or images to the dark room. “So buckle up, Jord. Because this is going to be epic.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The square Jord instructed everyone to meet in is out in the open and thirteen blocks from the Guidance building. It’s noon, judging by the height of the sun, and the sky is clear. I stand on a ledge in front of the biggest screen in the center of Highrum Square where the street roundabouts. The building on the opposite side of the street is made up of reflective silver and has no choice but to mirror me. A cool breeze whips past me, blowing my hair to the left, and carries with it a sweet scent of citrus, likely from the trees on many of the flat roofs of the nearby buildings.

  A mixture of color- and black-eyed Creations look up at me from the ground. They crowd the streets and sidewalks to the point I can’t see the ground. They’re packed between buildings and on the rooftops. I’ve never seen so many Creations in one place, and I’m pleased with this turnout. Hopefully, there will be Creations watching from all over the America, and we can start a revolution against the leaders. United this way, we have a chance to take out the Vojin, the Zombies, and restore order in our land. That is why they Created us, and I’m willing to bet they never thought it would come back to bite them in the butt.

  Ellie kneels beside me, her camera clutched in her hands, aimed up at me. She hands me a small mic I pin to my vest. She points to me, and my face broadcasts over the oversized screen behind me and nearby screens on surrounding buildings, thanks to her hacking techniques.

  “I won’t talk long.” My voice booms through the speakers tacked onto the light poles. I’ve never heard myself so loudly. “We all, likely, have Zombies to kill and colorful babies to avoid.” I suck in a breath and let it slowly blow out before I say, “It’s about to get pretty ugly here. And they,” I jab my finger angrily in the direction of the Guidance building, “know it. Our first priority is making sure the citizens of Highrum and our fellow Creations remain safe. Created we stand as Creations…” As I begin reciting our Creation pledge to our country, every single Creation joins in. “…We brand a nation that will withstand the terror of our enemies who dare raise a threat against our great land!

  “We have a new enemy. This is domestic terrorism we’re facing. It’s time to grab whatever weapon you can get your hands on so you can do exactly what you were created for. I want each of you to split in groups of ten or twenty and tend to any and every human you see. They still need us. Houses are burning down; people are being attacked by Zombies. Get out there and help the people we swore to serve and protect. People of Highrum, it’s our job to protect you. Your Guidance leaders are murdering us to turn our world over to the Vojin. Stand with us! If you can fight, fight with us. Desert Hills Creations, you’re with me. We have the most important job. Cut the camera.” I slice my hand across my neck.

  Ellie lowers her device.

  While Ellie and I are climbing down the ladder, the other Creations are falling out. Their positive chatter carries with the wind, and their eagerness to help is encouraging because I thought I’d have pushback. But the video that played hours ago, the one that showed the execution of Creations, is driving all of us into action.

  I touch ground after Ellie and stand in the middle of our group.

  “What are you thinking, Kylie?” Seits asks. She adjusts her handgun in her holster and looks up at me through her lashes.

  It’s almost unnerving to be the one responsible for making the plan that will undoubtedly put every one of our lives in danger. I tuck my hair behind my ear and clear my throat. “Well, Arletta wants me alive, so I’m going to turn myself in as a distraction for you all to get inside. There’s a tunnel that leads into their bunker beneath the building. Arletta has some massive Creations at her side and guarding the front door. We can take them out, and it may leave her defenseless. I’m going to stop the production of their new Creations. Carden oversees that, I believe. If everyone has left the bunker, that’s where he’ll be, in the baby incubator room.”

  “While you’re there, we’ll track down the members of the Guidance,” Jord says with Seits nodding at his side.

  “And we’ll try to get a hold of the Trade to let them know what’s going on in case they’re unaware of what the Guidance is doing,” Marc says, and Sean bumps Marc’s shoulder with his fist, giving him a nod.

  “For everyone else, you’re our cover. Fight everything that comes our way. Circle the outside of the building and have a Creation on the inside of every entrance. Respond.”

  “We understand,” the group says, nodding or throwing their fists in the air.

  “Fall out!” I pivot and look everyone over. “And thank you. All of you.”

  I amble through the clearing crowd, the embellishments on my legs glistening in the sun. The Itteix illumination is a constant glow on my skin. Though I’ve not slept in days, the boost of energy Danny gave me is pushing me through every breath, step, and minute without a yawn or tired eyes. The only things that bothers me is the constant pain in my side and that I’ve not had a shower. I feel the dirt caked on my skin and staining the clothes I’m aching to get out of.

  My weapons are limited. One knife for this entire mission. Those around me carry rifles and handguns loaded with grenades and extra ammunition. None, though, have the necessary bullets for X-Gen or the Vojin, should they come down and join the battle.

  “Hey!” Ellie runs to my side, blonde hair flapping in the wind until she slows. She furrows her brow and crinkles her nose. “Which group is taking over freeing the captured Creations?”

  I size her up. Her small frame and ambitious attitude remind me of Jesail and Jasmine. I call them over. They hustle to my side, and I introduce the three of them. “We have an alternate mission I’ll accompany you on before I take care of those babies. They’ve captured Creations, and Ellie is going to help us free them.” I look at Ellie. “You know the way, right?”

  She nods eagerly. “Like the back of my hand.”

  Jesail lifts the back of her hand in her sight. I shake my head, still unable to understand how the Creations here have so much time to study the back of their hands.

  “You show us the way, Ellie. We’ll help you find your friend.”

  Ellie jumps on her toes, throwing her fists in the air. She shouts, “Marc!” and runs back to him, telling him our plan.

  “Anything you need us for, Ky, we’re in,” Jasmine says, loading her gun and checking her pockets. “It’s been one hell of a ride, but after seeing those Creations shot down, we’re ready to take out everyone responsible.”

  “I heard something worse went on down at the base after you left. They wiped it out. But we’ll make up for it. Just try not to die
so we can see the other side of this,” I say with a smile. I twist around and walk backwards to speak to everyone behind us who’s with our group. “Highrum Creations, lead the teams to the underground bunker in the Guidance building. We’re throwing a wrench in my mission to free the captured Creations. Everyone knows their part.” I lift my fist and cheer, “Let’s do this!”

  I twist back around and pick up my pace into a run. “Let’s go girls. We’re going straight through the front doors. We still need to cause a distraction for the others to infiltrate the building. Knock out the Creations at the entrance with everything you’ve got. If you can avoid killing them, that would be ideal. We don’t need to sink to their level. Snatch their cuffs and restrain them.”

  We race down the street back beneath the cloud of smoke now raining ash. It causes a dense film of gray to be cast over the land, making it hard to see. I throw up my fist, and we stop across the street, crouching in the shadows of the building to our right. The other half of our team parted from us. They’ll swarm the building from the rear and sides, and once the two are down in front, they’ll stand guard and keep out anyone coming to stop us.

  As I suspected, two Creations twice my size guard the entrance. In black suits, with an M-4 clutched in their hands, scarves over their mouths, and helmets strapped around their heads, they stand feet apart, scanning the street. Goggles cover their eyes, and their heads slowly turn to the left then the right.

  The second we step out, they’ll shoot us down.

  I look beside me and whisper, “Girls, stay here.” In the shadow, I rise to my feet and step out onto the sidewalk. With my hands raised in the air, I walk into the street. The Creations aim their guns at me. I say, “It’s Kylie Alexander. I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

  The clicking of the guns loading echoes in my ears. My heart is pounding, but I know they won’t shoot me. I take in steady breaths, a part of me wants to charge into action, dive for the first Creation with a jab to his neck, twist him so he’ll take the shots of the second before I drop him to his knees and use his body as leverage to throw a kick in the face of the other Creation, making him hit the ground. But something tells me that just beyond the entry door, there’s another set of Creations standing watch. One of the four is bound to get the jump on me.

  The Creations speak low to each other. I’m just beyond earshot. One nods and leaves the stoop, descending the stairs. “Kylie Alexander,” he says as he approaches, “you are wanted by the Guidance for treason. Please do not resist.”

  I turn my back to him and pull my hands behind me. I want to defend myself, but I remain silent, having nothing to prove to these people. I’ve yet to betray my country or the Guidance. Maybe they’re getting me on conspiracy because they caught my mini speech moments ago. Or possibly, Arletta is lying, making me the enemy because she may be under the impression that I know her secrets.

  A cable tie is strapped around my wrists and zipped tight. The Creation takes me by my shoulder, turns me around, and shoves me forward. “Arletta would like to see you.”

  “Good,” I say evenly. “Because I want to see her too.” I glance over my shoulder to check the Creation’s height once again. I come to his shoulder. We make it to the stairs, and I stall before I ascend them.

  “Move,” he orders.

  The other Creation, still near the door, keeps his gun aimed at me. My breaths quicken as the multiple options to get out of this work through my mind. The doors to his back are tinted too dark to see through.

  I risk it and climb the stairs. I reach the stoop, and the doors are pulled open by two Creations on either side. There’s a second set of doors after the first, which is pulled open by a third set of Creations.

  Okay. So, it’s six of them and one of me. No biggie.

  As I enter through each door, I’m followed by the Creations standing at each entry I pass. I stand in the gold, empty lobby. A Creation stands at the entry of each of the four halls. There are two to my left, one leading to the Guidance meeting room, the other leading to ballrooms. The other two are to my right, one leading to the elevator, the other leading down a hall that leads to the black door I saw Seits exit the day I was looking for Carden. Before I die or leave this building, I plan to find out what’s behind that door.

  Heels slowly clack against the gold-plated floor, approaching slowly. Arletta, dressed in her flowing white suit, comes into my periphery. She says, “You’re back to where you started, Kylie.” As she makes it into clear view, eight feet before me, she smiles. Red-covered lips spreading over white teeth, cheekbones rising high near her gray eyes, lids covered with red eyeshadow. Her arms hang at her sides, sleeves hanging down to her resting hands, finger slightly curled at the hem of her sleeves.

  I’m waiting for her to continue, but she only looks upon me with patience. So I say, “I’m here because I want to be. Not because I have to be.”

  “And for your friends, surrounding this building and hiding across the street.” She nods her head toward the door. “What about them?” Looking to the Creations at my back, she gives them a nod, and they fall out, boots thumping against the ground as they rush from the building. Within seconds, the blast of bullets breaks the silence.

  I turn my head a quarter of the way to the door, to better listen to what’s going on. There are no screams, no other ruckus. Only a constant stream of shots. I breathe, keeping my breaths even, not allowing the turn of events to affect me or my appearance. Turning back to Arletta, I shrug once and say, “Things don’t always go as planned.”

  She laughs once, throwing a cuffed finger over her mouth as she does. “I can attest to that, Kylie.”

  “So what’s next, Arletta? You killed off all my friends. I’m standing before you, restrained. What now?” I keep my tone as even as I can, my facial expression expressionless, and my eyes pinned on her. The Creations stationed around her hold their ground, keeping their attention on me. A chuckle cuts from my throat. “What do you think I’m capable of? All this security.” I shrug. “What do you think I can do to you?” I take a step forward, and the Creations lift their guns, loading them as they aim them at me.

  “I admire you, Kylie.” I hear his voice before I see him. Richard enters from a hall to my left, silently crossing the floor in black socks. Each step is fluid as his arms sway at his sides in his stride. “You face danger with your head held high, alone, as if you have nothing to lose.” He makes it to Arletta’s side. They share a glance and then look back at me. “For all we know, you could be capable of nothing. Then again, you could be capable of everything.” He tips his chin as he shakes his head, saying, “We only wanted for you to stand with us. Give yourself the opportunity to discover who you are in an environment beyond guns and war.” They both clasp their hands in front of their golden belt buckles and gaze upon me.

  I, again, look to my left and right, juggling how I’ll get out of this. The war outside has silenced, but the Creations haven’t returned. The only weapon on my person, my knife, is tucked in a pocket on the front of my vest. Unreachable with my hands behind my back. They either need to take me away or I need to move as quickly as possible to knock down all four of these Creations and not get shot. “I’m not too interested in sitting around and chatting with you people. I know you’re not going to kill me. So let’s get a move on. You’re going to strap me to a chair or something? Examine me? Take my blood?” I cross the floor and the Creations’ barrels stay on me as I make it in front of Arletta and Richard. “You’re wasting my time. I’ve got Creation lives to save.”

  Richard nods. “You want to save your fellow Creations, come with us. Plain and simple. We don’t intend to torture you or hold you against your will, unless you force our hand. You are a unique specimen, and we would like the opportunity to get to know you better.” The corner of his mouth turns down and his left shoulder shrugs. “You could save the Creations.”

  As the words leave his mouth, a line of Creations fall into the lobby, coming from each
hall.

  I back away from Arletta and Richard, keeping my eyes on every single body in the room. The smirk on Richard’s face and smile on Arletta’s are daunting. Their eyes glow with interest, growing wider as I become surrounded by their minions.

  “The least you can do is make this a fair fight and untie my wrists,” I say, seeing their intentions for what they really are. They want me in action.

  Richard throws up his hand, waves it once, and it falls. “Cut her free,” he says.

  A Creation runs behind me, snips the ties, and continues running to the other side of the room. I rub my hands over my wrists, looking the mob over again. I don’t need to fight each of them, I just need to make it to the nearest exit.

  I choose the black door. Worse case, it’s locked and there’s a stairwell beside it that I can escape through which will take me upstairs, maybe to the baby room. I look at the Creations in the opposite direction as I retrieve my knife. With a slight squat to my knees and crouch to my back, I wave them forward, saying, “Alright. Let’s give them a show.”

  They charge for me, all stomping forward at once.

  I twist around on my heels and race the opposite direction, charging for the hall with the black door. With the speed I pick up, I drop to my butt, sliding across the slick gold floor, slicing the left ankles of the Creations I pass.

  I jump to my feet, unable to take the time to check if someone is coming up behind me. Forward is the only way. I throw a punch at the Creation nearing me, jabbing him or her in the throat. They’re each covered head to toe, and every blow hurts me more than it hurts them. I didn’t want to kill them, but my options are limited if I want to make it out of here.

  I adjust my knife clutched in my right hand, mind made up.