Letting the World Burn

by Graham Dalton

  I shoved the folder back into the top part of the dresser. I shut it and turned away.

  That night I couldn’t sleep. I wondered if Marie had any involvement with this case. She seemed alright, but maybe her and the other Elites were rotten to the core.

  At two in the morning, I stepped outside on my balcony. I watched the streets below and sighed. They were vacant, empty. The soft breeze slid against my face. After several moments, I turned around and stepped back inside.

  I walked to the liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of rum. For a moment, I froze and wondered if I should take a drink right now. I shouldn't drink, but I was going to anyway. I dropped a few chunks of ice into a rounded glass. I poured the alcohol over the ice. I drank until I couldn't feel my face. The world spun around me when I stood back up. That was good. Maybe now, I could finally get some sleep.

  I stumbled back to the bed. My body fell onto the warm, tender comforter and I could feel myself fade away. My eyes slowly shut. I awoke once daylight struck my eyes.

  A headache pounded in my forehead as I crawled out of bed. I slowly stomped toward the bathroom, swung open my medicine cabinet, and threw back several painkillers. Then I stepped into the kitchen. My body fell into one of the chairs, and I slumped over the table. The headache persisted, thumping harder and harder with every beat. A sickness churned within me.

  There was a knock at the door. I groaned. Slowly, I rose to my feet and walked over. I opened the door and saw Mona standing there before me. It rushed inside and slammed the door behind it.

  I didn't have time for this. I had to meet up with Marie Harper. I had to find Anna.

  “Get out of my apartment,” I groaned as I placed a hand back on the brass knob.

  “No,” Mona said. It placed a hand over mine. I glared at it. It stared back with those big, beautiful blue eyes. “You need to help me.”

  “I don't need to do shit,” I said and opened the door.

  “I escaped yesterday,” it said. “What they did to me...forcing me to get abused, day after day. There has to be something greater, right? I'm not just some guy's toy to be played around with as he sees fit. I'm a person.”

  I rolled my eyes. This again? It was a robot, and that was all it would ever be. I should have just called the cops and had it taken away. This was the last thing that I needed right now. It sure wasn't helping my hangover.

  “You're not a person,” I said. “You are a robot. Do you get that?”

  “I need you to help me hide from them,” it said.

  “They're going to kill me.”

  It rubbed a hand across my back and moaned softly. It stepped toward me. Its hand grazed across my chin as it nibbled softly on my ear. It was just like Alice. I pretended that my wife was here with me, like my wife needed me to help her. I'd do anything to help my wife. No, it wasn't my wife. Still, I felt an urge, a lust to be with it, but I knew that I couldn't. She was just a distraction.

  I shoved my hands into its chest and pushed it out the door. She looked back at me, whimpering, but that wouldn't work on me. I shook my head, and it reached toward me. I stood there and groaned. I stepped forth, shutting the door behind me. It wrapped her arms around my chest, but then I pushed her off yet again.

  “Please, help me,” she said.

  I had enough problems to deal with and didn't have the time to deal with its pleas. I didn't care how many times it insisted. I walked down the hall. It called my name repeatedly from behind me. I kept ignoring it. Still, it kept crying my name.

  “Quincy!” she called. “Quincy! Come back, Quincy I need you! Quincy!”

  I felt a slight urge to turn around, but I couldn't. I kept walking away from here, hearing her voice grow quieter with every step.

  Chapter 13

  Isat in my sedan, listening to some old music. I'd remember how sometimes I'd use it to drown out my own sorrow, my own sadness. Years ago, I could've spent hours listening to this music drone on. I'd forget about my own troubles, my own worries, my own concerns. The music took me away until I was ready to face my own problems again. I thought of those kids on the docks, being shipped out like cargo across the world. A pain struck my heart. I had failed to save them. I grabbed a tight hold of my pant leg, wishing there was something I could do. If I were ever to leave this city, I’d need to take care of those kids first.

  Once I regained my composure, I drove up to the gate that separated the Elites from the Commoners. Jessica stood arguing with a couple of other officers. There appeared to only be half as many troops here as the last time. Jessica glanced at me and forced an overtly-fake smile. She crossed over to my car. I rolled down my window, and she ducked her head in.

  “Hey, Quincy,” she said in a chipper voice. “Going over to the Elites? No problem! We'll open the gate right up for you.”

  “What the hell's your problem?” I snapped at her.

  “Nothing,” she said, her smile fading. “Everything’s fine, Quincy.” She sighed and turned to the men by the gate.

  “Open ‘er up!”

  “Yes, ma'am.”

  As the gate slowly opened, Jessica tilted her head toward me. “Just be careful out there, Quincy.” She backed away.

  “I always am,” I said, as I sped off.

  I drove over to the laboratories. I'd been here once before. Marie's father, Nicholas, once owned these labs, and his father, Robert, was the founder of this facility. From what I knew, Robert was a wealthy man who'd inherited billions from his father's steel company. He was also paranoid about losing that wealth. Rumor had it that fear was his whole motivation for hiring hundreds of the brightest minds to help with this project. He wanted to ensure his family's wealth for generations to come. What better way to do that than to create heirs with so-called ‘superior genetics’?

  I glanced up at the labs. Towering porcelain pillars surrounded the gray-stone complex. Platinum paved sidewalks were lined with golden animal statues. Massive diamonds and jewels jutted out of these golden creatures as their monstrous physiques hunched over the pavement. I'd heard that her father had created these statues as a constant reminder of their family's exorbitant wealth. It was sad and pathetic.

  I parked in a lot beside the building and stepped up onto the platinum pavement. I walked around a corner and up to a pair of white doors.

  I didn't know exactly what I expected to find here. I didn't really have too much of a plan either. All I knew was that I would find my daughter. Then we would run away and leave this city. The two of us would spend our lives in my cabin. We'd just live off the land, and we wouldn't have to deal with the scum of this city. Just the thought of that made my heart flutter with joy.

  I stepped into a lobby. A fair-skinned Commoner greeted me from behind a steel desk. She wore a scarlet dress peppered with sparkling jewels. I was far from a fashion expert, but a dress like that must've cost thousands of dollars. I could tell that she was a Commoner from her wide flaring nostrils. No Elite would have a nose that wasn't perfect. It was in their genes. She was just another Commoner working underneath an Elite.

  I walked up to her and lightly placed my hands on her desk. She looked up at me and grinned.

  “Can I help you, sir?” she asked.

  “I'm here to see Marie,” I said. “The name's Quincy Abrams.”

  She nodded. “She'll be right with you, sir.” She gestured toward a row of red plush seats. “Please take a seat.”

  I nodded and sat down. While I sat for a couple minutes, I watched as the receptionist glanced over to me, grinning lightly.

  I scrunched my brows. “What?” I asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” she said, with the flick of a wrist. "But say, have you heard about the riots in the Commoner areas?”

  There was nothing worse than small talk. It was annoying and purposeless. I supposed that if I was going to investigate the Elites, then I shouldn't burn any bridges. I should act polite and at least try to be pleasant to most of the people I came across. I doubted the receptioni
st knew anything useful, but I sure wouldn't make a friend of Marie by being condescending to her secretary.

  “Yeah,” I said, nodding. “There was a nasty riot at the park the other day. It's brutal stuff.”

  “Oh, for sure! I don't see the point in all that rioting stuff. They're Commoners with inferior genes. They should realize that fighting the system won't do any good.” She laughed. I found it amusing that she was referring to them as having ‘inferior genes’, when she was a Commoner herself. “Do you know how I got here? I did whatever I could to please the Elites, and they rewarded me for it.”

  I laughed, too, but for different reasons. Some of these Commoners who worked for the Elites were just like dogs. They were taught obedience, and they were rewarded for obedience. That was the best life that any Commoner could hope to achieve, but it wasn't a bad life. Even though some of these Elite-coddling Commoners were nothing more than glorified slaves.

  But I was no better than her. I'd learned to suck up to the Elites, too, all while swallowing my own morality. I was just their “cleaner,” the guy who dealt with all the shit in this goddamn city. I felt a sickness in my stomach once I realized that. I frowned and turned away from her.

  “Somethin' the matter, hon?” she asked.

  I sighed and turned back to her. “No,” I said.

  “Anyway, I hear those riots have been getting real bad,” she said. The woman stood and leaned over her desk. Her chunky gut protruded over the counter. The Elites made sure she was well-fed. “Every day, there's another riot, another protest. My cousin, Ricky, joined the police force.” She shuddered. “He was a good kid. Got himself killed the other day tryin' to stop a riot though. It just never ends. Those people need to stop protestin' and riotin'. Things are the way they are for a reason. They just gotta suck it up. I did and look where I am! I got a good life, a husband, and a couple kids. Things aren't perfect, but we're a lot better off than most. We're certainly better off than those protesters.” She grunted and shook her head. “Just a waste of breath, they are!”

  I could hear the brisk snapping of high heels against the marble floor. It was relieving. I was certain that those high- heels were Marie heading this way. She could save me from this woman's incessant chatter. I turned my head toward the noise. Marie stepped through a hallway with two armed guards behind her. The woman crossed over to me. She extended a hand. I shook it.

  “Mr. Abrams,” she said. “It's an honor. Right this way, please.”

  She led me through several corridors. We passed a set of sliding doors and stepped into a spacious white room.

  Tubes filled with blue goo lined the room. Fetuses floated inside each tube. A couple scientists stood around at long tables as they typed away on their laptops. Blinding fluorescent lights shined above, bathing the room in a heavenly glow.

  Marie led me forward. We ascended a set of steel staircases at the end of the room. The two of us walked up onto a long balcony. She stepped into a large windowed room, and I followed close behind. The two security guards kept eyeing me closely. They each muttered the occasional grunt. I just ignored them.

  Her office was clinical and sterile. Three stacks of folders lay on her wooden desk with dozens of papers neatly tucked inside them. She crossed over to her black velvet chair and sat. Marie gestured toward the crimson leather chair next to me. I sat down, and she smiled. Marie waved away the guards. They scurried away, leaving the two of us alone.

  “So, who’s the traitor?” I asked.

  “His name is Leon Bishopp,” she said with a sigh. She sat upright. Her body tensed. Just talking about this man made her uncomfortable, but she still locked eyes with me. “He was a scientist here who'd made some tremendous strides in our research. One day, he just snapped. He went crazy, started screaming and causing a scene right in the middle of the labs. He took his laptop, threatened to tell everyone all of our secrets, and stormed off.” She leaned in close to me. “I can't be too specific on this, but he knows some confidential information that could be detrimental to this company’s profits, if in the wrong hands.”

  What kind of secrets could she be talking about? I thought about asking her that question, but I knew she'd either lie or be dodgy. Judging from her mannerisms, I bet she'd lie. She had rehearsed this conversation before. Everything she said sounded so clerical and devoid of emotions.

  “Do you know where he is?” I asked, playing along. I couldn't show too much interest in these secrets. She knew me as a man who only cared about the money, not all the logistics behind everything. This time was different, but she couldn't know that.

  “I can give you the address where he lived,” she said. “But he hasn't been seen in days.” She leaned back, slightly easing her body. “He didn't live too far from your home, actually. He lived at 5372 East Second Street, Apartment 13B. If you would like, I can have some of my men escort you there.”

  I shook my head. “I can escort myself.”

  She smiled pleasantly, but there was something off about her grin. It seemed so forced and plastic, just like the rest of her perfect physique. There was something revolting about just how perfect and flawless she appeared. It made me sick.

  Marie reached into her desk and fished out a key card that she placed down on it. “That’s the key card to get into his apartment.” I grabbed the card and slid it into my right pocket. “Now, Quincy, do you have any questions for me?”

  “Can you tell me anything more about Leon?”

  “There's not much to tell,” she said, shrugging. “He was an incredibly plain man who kept to himself.” She paused. “He's from a long line of scientists and doctors. His family has worked for my family for a few generations now. That's really it. He's worked here for five years now, and before that incident, I’d barely heard the man speak.”

  I nodded. “When was the date of the incident?

  “One week ago. So, that would've been July 19th.”

  “Good,” I said, rising to my feet. “I think I'm done here, then.”

  She rose, too, and walked over to me. The woman placed a hand on my shoulder. “You have no idea how well- compensated you will be. I'll make sure that you'll never have to work another case again.”

  I didn't care about the money, but I had to keep playing along. I turned to her and nodded. “Good,” I said. “I would expect nothing less.”

  She led me out onto the walkway overlooking the lab below. Her two guards stood beside the door and then followed us. Marie leaned over the railing, gazing down at the scientists below.

  “I have no respect for insubordination,” she said. “People like Leon are unforgivable. After all I’ve given him, this is how that feeble-minded Commoner chooses to behave.” I turned to her and saw how ugly her face was when she contorted her mouth into a bitter, twisted frown. Then, she sighed and smiled again.

  For just a moment, I was able to get a glimpse past this woman's perfect outer shell. I’m sure most of the Elites are like this. They were like the pleasure-bots, not even real people. I couldn't believe that I was once their obedient dog, but those days were gone.

  Finding Leon was my next objective. If he knew some dark secrets that could threaten the company, then perhaps those secrets could help me find my daughter. There was a chance. I knew that much. I still kept wondering what secrets she was talking about. I knew I wouldn't find those secrets by just standing around.

  She turned to the guards and smiled. “Jason, Irving, please, escort Quincy to the lobby. He has a lot of work to do.” She turned to me, retaining that plastic smile. “Thank you again, Quincy. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  Chapter 14

  Idrove to 5372 East Second Street, Apartment 13B, and stared up at the high-rise brick buildings. I sighed, and I hopped out of my car and walked up the set of stone steps. I walked into the lobby where an elderly woman stared at me from beyond a circular brown desk. Her eyes were mismatched, one brown and one blue. Deep wrinkled trenches had been engraved into her pinki
sh skin. Her puffy white hair fell to her shoulders.

  “What do you want?” she snapped in a distinct British accent. “Haven't seen you 'round here, before.”

  “It's none of your business,” I grunted as I walked past her. I stepped up toward the elevator and pressed a large round button. A ding sounded. I waited.

  “You one of Leon's friends?” she asked.

  I turned around, confused by her sudden inquiry. “Leon's friends?” I repeated.

  “Yeah,” she said, nodding. The woman's long, gnarled fingers scrubbed against her jagged chin. “It feels like he's always got a different friend every week. They come and go. shifty lot, they are!” I usually didn't partake in idle gossip, but she might know something.

  “What do you know about his friends?”

  “Not much,” she said. “But they're all shifty! I don't trust those guys...not one bit.”

  A soft ring sounded behind me. I turned around and watched the brass elevator doors pull apart. This woman wasn't going to tell me too much aside from idle gossip. I figured that she was just a waste of time.

  “I don't have time for this,” I said while stepping into the elevator.

  The doors closed behind me, and I rode the mechanism up to the thirteenth floor. I stepped outside and walked through the narrow quiet halls.

  He was a middle-class Commoner, just like me. We'd only been able to obtain our decent societal standing by sucking up to Elites. I was never proud of what I'd done to get my social standing, but I did what I had to.

  I stepped up to the apartment door and slid in the key card. I opened the door and stepped inside. The whole apartment was immaculate.