Uprising

by Justin Kemppainen

  ******

  The hologram cracked the slightest of smiles. "Elliot. You're still alive."

  Elijah cracked his own smile. "So are you."

  "Disappointing," Lange replied.

  "Not terribly. I've been relishing the chance to see you again." Elijah snapped his fingers. "Oh, you meant my survival was disappointing. I see how you could say that, considering it was you who ordered my execution."

  Lange kept his expression even and ignored the question. "I take it that you've returned to exact some kind of revenge, Elliot." He cocked his head. "Or is it Elijah they call you now?" He chuckled. "Elliot Jacob… it's almost a clever combination, although 'Elijah' is a bit too prophetic for my tastes."

  Elijah shrugged. "Since the name was the only thing you ever gave me, I thought it fitting to discard once you betrayed me."

  Lange's expression cracked, and he frowned. "I gave you more than any child has ever been given. I took you in after your mother died. I gave you a place at my right hand in the paradise I created. What more could you have wanted?"

  "All you ever gave me was isolation." Elijah shot back. "Hiding me away to work on your projects. Using my expertise for your ends but keeping me locked up, chained to anonymity." He slowly shook his head. "No, no. The disgrace of an illegitimate son was too much for the mighty Citizen One to bear."

  "You had your usefulness," Lange admitted. "It's a shame your constant, belligerent attitude overshadowed it."

  "Someone had to be your conscience."

  "No, you see, you were wrong then, and you're wrong now!" Lange shouted angrily. "Trying to undermine my authority. Trying to pretend like your pitiful philosophy on humanity meant anything. You were out of control and needed to be stopped! I only did what a reasonable leader would do. "

  Elijah smirked. "Reasonable leader... is that what you are?"

  Lange bared his teeth. "Haven would be nothing without me; just another city full of worthless refugees, spreading their disease and decay."

  Elijah shook his head. "Instead you have bloated aristocrats spewing decadence and perceived superiority."

  "Those fit to rule and live well should be able to do so. Should be encouraged to do so," Lange said.

  "So you make hundreds, thousands suffer so that those 'best fitting' can wallow in their own pleasures?" Elijah scowled.

  Lange scoffed. "You haven't changed at all, Elliot. Even living among that disgusting filth hasn't changed your mind."

  Elijah rolled his eyes. "It's amusing how you call them filth when you treat your own Citizens little better."

  Lange raised his chin, "I only ensure that the best of humanity is treated in the best possible fashion. Anyone with the title of Citizen is overjoyed to be a part of the finest. Yet even the lower rankings understand perfectly that some are still higher than others. If they cannot," Lange shrugged, "then they are re-educated until they can."

  Elijah's eyes widened. "Is that what you call it? Your brainwashing is re-education?" He shook his head. "You've changed, father. I remember when all Citizens were important to you. You devoted yourself to their happiness, their well-being. I always thought it sick and twisted how everyone else fared, but now your own people, too? When did it change? Only the few matter, now? Or is it just you that really matters?"

  "My city would be nothing without me. I am the mind, the heart, and the soul of Haven. What could it be without me?" Conviction dripped from his tone.

  Elijah continued to sadly shake his head. "So you now believe yourself to be their prophet, their God? You really have completely lost your mind, haven't you?"

  Lange glared at his son. "Defiant cur. You never were useful enough to justify my limited patience. Just like your mother."

  "My mother was an amazing woman, and don't you dare speak of her, you bastard!" Elijah snapped.

  Lange laughed. "How ironic, you calling me a bastard." The hologram slowly shook its head. "You know she threatened to reveal you to the world? As though I or anyone else would have cared?"

  Elijah clenched his fists. "Your 'perfect' reputation would have been shattered if anyone had known of your little habits?" He thrust an accusing finger at Lange. "How would it fare if they knew that you had my mother murdered in cold blood?!"

  Lange raised an eyebrow. "Now how did you know…?" Victor stepped out of the elevator and up the ramp. "Ah, I see now. My favorite little traitors have come to see me once more."

  Lange sneered at Victor. "You know, I had you guard him to keep him in control, to watch him. Not become friends." He put on a disgusted face. "Of course… instead of killing him, like I ordered, you spirited him away?" He shook his head. "Absolutely worthless. Tell me, again, why did I ever trust you to do anything correctly?"

  Victor's face remained calm, his icy blue eyes boring into the hologram. "Franklin. It's good to see you again."

  Lange smirked. "Yes, I suppose it would be." He looked back and forth between Victor and Elijah. "Ah, I can see it now." He chuckled. "You informed Elliot about what happened to poor mummy, and now you've come to teach me a lesson."

  Victor opened his mouth to respond, but Elijah cut him off. "No. We've come here to kill you."

  Lange raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He spread his hands out. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, especially after all the work it must have taken for you to come this far. I must say I'm impressed by your resilience, but all you have managed to do is finish what I started." The hologram shrugged. "This has been an amusing diversion, but I'm afraid my attention is required elsewhere. Goodbye, Elliot."

  With a cascade of shimmering lights and colors, the image dispersed and the cylinders descended back into the floor. Elijah scowled and started moving around the table towards the heavy double doors at the other end of the chamber.

  Four panels on both the floor and ceiling on either side of the doorway popped open, and heavy machine guns mounted on tripods swiveled towards Elijah. A mechanical voice said, "Warning. This is a restricted area. Do not attempt to move any closer."

  Elijah chuckled. "Really, Father… so very glib." He cleared his throat and said, in a loud voice, "Execute operation sigma one-nine."

  The weapons appeared to hesitate, then their aims veered off. The defenses retracted, and the panels settled back in place.

  Elijah smiled. "All too easy." He motioned for Victor to come forward. "Let's get this door open. We don't want to keep the good Citizen waiting."