by G J Ogden
“Just a second. I’m booking us the Sky Suite,” said Alexis breezily. “It’s six hundred thousand for one night, so it must be good.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” replied Cad, folding his arms. “We’re just about to leave, not head into the spa.”
Alexis completed the booking, tossed the ordering computer onto the table, then downed the rest of her champagne. “It’s on the top floor, well over two kliks up,” said Alexis, ignoring Cad’s grievances. She then slid off the couch and sashayed alongside him. “And it has a private landing pad, so once this is over, we can watch the end of the world in style.”
Cad smiled. “This isn’t the end,” he said, offering Alexis his arm, which she took. “We’re survivors, you and me. No matter what happens, when this is all over, we’ll still be standing tall, together.”
Alexis kissed Cad on the cheek then slipped her arm out from underneath his. “But before that happens, we’ll be lying naked in a half-million-dollar bed, way up in the clouds,” she said, flashing her eyes at Cad then breezing out of the alcove.
26
Hallam hammered his fist on the heavy metal door to the hacker’s mountain lair for the fourth time. This was partly out of frustration from being kept waiting, but also to help keep warm on the freezing mountain top.
“Where the hell is she?” said Hallam, rubbing the tops of his arms in an attempt to warm them up. Snow was gently falling onto his hair and renegade armor, and already the mercenary fighter, parked on the landing pad behind them, was covered in a light dusting of white. “Now I wish I’d worn my power armor,” he added, speaking through chattering teeth. “Who the hell chooses to live up the side of a mountain anyway?”
Dakota also thumped her fist on the door then waited beside Hallam, shivering. “It’s almost a shame that the gravitational anomalies haven’t started to seriously affect Vediovis yet,” she said while hopping up and down on the spot. “If there’s one planet that could do with moving closer to the sun, it’s this one.”
Finally, the heavy thud of a lock or bolt opening resonated through the slab of metal and the door creaked open. Through the gap, Hallam could see a petite-framed young woman, wearing a tank top emblazoned with the words “Welcome to Santa Clara, Murder Capital of the World.” The words threw him completely of guard, and instead of greeting her, he just stood outside the door, looking confused.
“Well, don’t just stand there; come in,” said the woman, energetically beckoning them inside. “Do you know how much it costs to heat this place?”
Hallam glanced at Dakota, who just shrugged, looking as confused as Hallam did. However, Hallam decided that being confused in the warmth of the hacker’s mountain home was preferable to being confused on a snow-covered landing platform. Picking up the two cases of equipment that Dr. Rand had assembled on Vesta, he stepped through the door and out of the cold. Dakota followed swiftly after him, a snow-dusted Bob the bear protruding from her back pocket, with Dr. Rand the last to enter. Unlike Hallam and Dakota, the cold weather did not appear to have fazed the scientist in the slightest.
It was only after Dr. Rand had entered, closing the enormous door behind her, that Hallam noticed the young woman was now the one who appeared to be frozen. However, it wasn’t because of the cold.
“You’re really her, aren’t you?” said the woman, looking genuinely starstruck.
“Dr. Shelby Rand,” the scientist said, offering the young woman her hand with a warm smile. “Pleased to meet you.”
Hallam imagined that in the time before her self-imposed exile, Dr. Rand was used to being treated like a celebrity, and it showed in the easy manner in which she responded to the young woman.
“Wow, this is blowing my mind, I have to admit!” said the hacker, still staring up at the scientist, wide-eyed. Falken grabbed Dr. Rand’s outstretched hand as if she were about to arm wrestle her, then pulled the scientist closer, bumping shoulders with her. “You can call me Falken, by the way, though my actual name is Liz,” the hacker went on to a slightly bemused Dr. Rand. “Falken is a bit more exciting, though, don’t you think? Works better on the Dark BridgeNet than Liz does anyway. A bit more mysterious!”
Dr. Rand continued to smile amiably at the young hacker as she babbled nervously. “Well, yes, Falken does have a certain mystique…” Dr. Rand added, slightly taken aback by the hacker’s instant familiarity with her. Falken then released her hand, and Dr. Rand gestured toward the barren, industrial-looking corridor ahead of them. “Perhaps you can show me around, and we can talk about your message?”
Falken nodded, looking a little embarrassed that they were all still standing in the cold corridor by the door. “You got it. Come this way, and I’ll give you a quick tour!” she said, excitedly skipping ahead of the group. “I’m glad you’re here. I’d hate to have to leave this place. If you can’t fix the anomalies, that is…”
“I’m hoping that you will be able to help me in that endeavor,” Dr. Rand called after the hacker, who was already far ahead of them. “Your ability to circumvent the Consortium media networks could also prove invaluable, but I’m really hoping that you can assist me in completing my work on a Shelby field inverter. I still need a number of control units developing and building.”
“I build stuff all the time,” Falken said, starting to jog backwards up a metal flight of stairs while continuing to smile at Dr. Rand as if she was the only other person in the facility. “It’s mostly gear to help me hack in to systems and steal money, but I do also know a bit about Shelby Drives,” the young woman went on, sounding undaunted by the prospect of helping the famous scientist. “I’m sure I can help you code and build whatever you need.”
Hallam imagined that Falken’s definition of “a bit” differed quite extensively from that of most other people. If anyone else in the galaxy could possibly have built a Shelby Drive from scratch, he guessed it would probably be her.
Dr. Rand and Falken continued to chat as Hallam followed them through the maze-like interior of the structure. His arms were starting to ache and his fingers burned from the effort of hauling the metal cases of equipment through long corridors and up endless flights of stairs. It made him wish more than ever that he’d worn the power armor. Hallam knew he could have offloaded one to Dakota, but his own sense of machismo prevented him from asking for help, especially since Dakota would probably just tease him for not being strong enough to manage on his own. Before his arms gave out completely, Hallam saw that they were finally approaching what looked like a living space, set high up on a large mezzanine. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the climb, then spotted another heavy metal door at the end of a dark, dusty corridor.
“Where does that go?” asked Hallam as Falken jogged up the stairs to the mezzanine level.
Falken leant over the railings of the staircase, balancing so precariously that Hallam thought the hacker would topple over them, head first.
“It’s an old, disused elevator that leads down to the lower tunnels and mines,” said Falken, pushing herself back onto the stairs and ascending them again. “This place used to be part of a minerals and precious metals mine. The other areas were sealed up ages ago, before I took it on. I got it for a steal too. I even paid real money for it.”
Hallam snorted a laugh, finding it amusing that the hacker considered it virtuous that she hadn’t stolen something for a change. He was about to head up the stairs, when he noticed the smashed remains of what looked like a cleaner bot on the opposite side of the stairwell. Hallam thought about asking Falken about this too but was too tired to bother. Instead, he sucked in another deep breath and hauled the cases up to the mezzanine. When he arrived, Dr. Rand was already sat beside Falken at a massive desk, filled with a dozen different kinds of computers, physical screens, and holo screens, plus a chaotic array of part-assembled electronics and devices. Hallam set the cases down then noticed the vast rows of glass-fronted refrigerator cabinets and shelves full of snack foods. His stomach rumbled a
t the sight of some of the sweet and savory treats, even though he normally would avoid such things, and he was also gasping for a drink. Beggars can’t be choosers… he mused, realizing that anything cold and wet was better than nothing.
“Do you mind?” asked Hallam, pointing toward the fridges.
“Sure, knock yourself out,” said Falken without taking her eyes off one of the many screens she was now working on. “And stick a movie on if you like,” she added, pointing to the couch that Dakota had already planted herself on. “There’s just over a million to choose from, so you should find something you like.”
Hallam grabbed a couple of brightly-colored drinks from one of the fridges, plus a large pack of chips and a pack of sweet and salty popcorn. He then wandered over to the couch and tossed the popcorn onto Dakota’s lap.
“Oh, I’ll take the chips, if you don’t mind?” said Dakota, pointing to the other bag Hallam was still juggling.
Hallam scowled, rearranging the drinks and chip packet in his arms before making the exchange. He then held out the orange-colored version of the two sodas.
“Oh, and I prefer cola too,” she added while flicking through the menu system of Falken’s incredible repository of filmed entertainment, which dated back to the late twentieth century.
Hallam scowled again and swapped the orange soda for the cola. Dakota took it eagerly, winking at him as she did so. “Anything else I can do for you, madam?” Hallam said, putting on a voice like a butler. “Maybe a foot massage? Or would you like me to fan you and feed you grapes?”
Dakota smiled and hooked Hallam down onto the sofa with her outstretched leg. “If you can manage to shut up for an hour or two, you can watch a movie with me if you like.”
Hallam planted himself down on the plush sofa, grateful for the chance to take the weight off his feet. “Are you sure you don’t want to get in a few rounds of sparring? You haven’t hit me with a sucker punch or low-blow for at least a few days,” he said, popping open the bottle of orange soda and taking a hearty gulp. The taste was vile, but it quenched his thirst, and at that moment, that was all he cared about. “Or maybe you can wait for me to grab a shower, so you can whip my ass?”
Dakota shot Hallam a withering look then opened the bag of chips and offered it to Hallam. “I’ll pop you in the mouth right now if you don’t shut up,” she said, waiting for Hallam to grab a handful from the bag. “Besides, I think we’ve earned a little break, don’t you?”
Hallam munched on the chips, which tasted better than the orange soda. They were still something he wouldn’t ordinarily ever choose to eat. Hunger, however, had lowered him to Dakota’s standards when it came to culinary choices.
“This is kinda like a date, then?” said Hallam, cocking an eyebrow at Dakota. She had selected a movie that appeared to involve various fictitious alien creatures wearing monks’ robes and fighting with brightly-colored laser swords.
“Why don’t you ask me?” said Dakota, returning Hallam’s slightly sassy look before taking a long drink of cola.
“Hey, Dak, fancy catching a movie with me sometime?” Hallam said, playing along with the game. “Preferably before all the bridge worlds crumble to dust and the human race becomes extinct?”
Dakota let out a resonant belch, causing Hallam to pull back, partly out of surprise, but also from disgust. The smell of sugary cola mixed with cheese-flavored chips lingered in the air around them.
“Alright then,” said Dakota, pulling Hallam closer and surprising him even more by planting a cola-tasting kiss on his lips. The kiss lingered for longer than Hallam was expecting, but not for as long as he’d wanted, before Dakota drew back, smiling at him. Still in a state of shock, she then started the movie playing, pressed Hallam into the sofa, and nestled up against his shoulder.
They remained this way while the movie went on, though Hallam was too distracted by Dakota’s proximity to pay any attention to the frenetic action on the giant screen. To him, the feel of her warmth and the smell of her hair was more magical than any of the seemingly impossible feats the characters in the movie were performing. He didn’t want to move a muscle for fear of disturbing her and causing her to slide away, despite the fact that his arm felt like a dead weight. Eventually, he felt his eyelids growing heavy, and despite the sounds of fictional laser blasts and swishing laser swords, he found himself dropping off.
Hallam was suddenly woken with a start by the sound of an alarm or buzzer blaring out into the room. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he noticed that the movie was over and that a blank screen now shone back at him. Dakota was still resting on his shoulder, though she too was asleep. The buzzer rang out again, this time also stirring Dakota and causing her to groggily sit up.
“Doc, what’s going on?” said Hallam turning to look over the rear of the sofa to where Dr. Rand and Falken were still working on the computers. Boxes of electronics were also piled up on the desk and floor beside them, with puffs of solder occasionally wisping into the air above their heads.
“Oh, it’s just your friends,” said Falken, jumping up and heading toward the stairs.
“Friends?” said Hallam, pushing himself off the sofa and shaking his numb arm. “What do you mean by that?”
Hallam knew that it took a lot to distract Dr. Rand from her work when she was in the zone, but even she had stopped what she was doing to peer anxiously at Falken for an answer.
“The mercs?” said Falken, as if the answer should have been obvious. “You know, the scary dude with the sword and scars, and the lady who likes watching nineteen-eighties action flicks.” Falken squeezed one eye shut, seemingly deep in thought, then clicked her fingers. “Alexis, I think. The one with the raven skull necklace.”
Hallam, Dakota, and Dr. Rand all shot to Falken’s side in an instant, causing her to back away nervously.
“The man, is his name Cad Rikkard?” said Dakota, grabbing Falken by the shoulders and forcing the hacker to meet her eyes.
“Yeah, that’s him,” replied Falken, still appearing to be at a loss for why they were all reacting so strangely. “I know you guys have a history, but you sorted it all out, right? The merc took down Doyle to stop him hunting you, and now he’s helping you to fix the bridges. That’s why you’re all here.”
Hallam threw his head back and growled. He couldn’t believe they’d been so foolish. “It’s a setup,” he said, returning his focus to Falken. “Rikkard used you to lure us here.”
Falken shook her head. “No, he’s here to help,” she said, rushing back over to the desk of computers and opening a new window on one of the machines. “Why would he still want to kill you and the other renegades, when it would mean all the planets ended up like Minerva and Vesta?”
Hallam followed the hacker, with Dr. Rand and Dakota close behind, all curious to learn what she was doing on the computer. The scientist then appeared to notice something underneath the desk, which had previously been obscured by Falken’s huge chair.
“This is a command computer from one of the renegade hideouts,” said Dr. Rand, kneeling down and dragging the machine closer so she could get a better look. “Where did you get this?”
“The sword guy brought it here, back when you were all still feuding,” said Falken, again sounding confused as to why she was explaining details she apparently thought should have been obvious.
“You’ve been helping him to track down the Darkspace Renegades all this time?” said Dakota, her hands balling into fists. “You’re the reason he found our hideouts and destroyed them? Do you realize how many people he’s killed thanks to you!”
“He told me that you knew all this,” said Falken, finally starting to show a flicker of unease. “How can you not know?”
Falken then brought up an external camera feed of the landing pad outside. Cad Rikkard was standing in front of the thick metal door with a large container at his side. Behind him, Hallam could see their stolen mercenary fighter, with Alexis Black at its side, and another, identical fighter a short dista
nce behind it.
“You’ve trapped us all, you damn fool,” snarled Dakota, grabbing the hacker by her tank top and dragging her away from the consoles. “He set us all up, and now he’s here to kill us!”
Hallam moved in front of the computer screen and saw that there was an audio connection, as well as a video feed. He enabled it and spoke into the mic on Falken’s desk.
“What do you want, Rikkard?” Hallam growled, causing the mercenary to look around for the source of the sound. Cad Rikkard then spotted the camera and peered directly into its lens.
“Time’s up, Knight,” said the mercenary with a sadistic smile. “Now you’re finally mine.”
27
Hallam cursed then slammed his palms down onto Falken’s desk, causing gadgets and empty soda bottles to roll off onto the floor. Pushing away from the computer, he held the shell-shocked young hacker by the shoulders and waited until her startled eyes met his own.
“The elevator shaft you pointed out to me earlier, does it still work?” Hallam asked. However, the hacker still appeared to be in a daze. “Falken, is there another way out of here?” Hallam repeated, raising his voice almost to a shout.
Dakota stepped in and slapped the hacker across the face. It was so unexpected that it even took Hallam by surprise, but the sharp shock also did the trick of rousing the young woman from her stupor.
“Hey, Falken, is there another way out of this cage or not!?” Dakota yelled at her.
“I cut power to the elevator systems years ago,” said Falken, suddenly coming alive. The hacker then jumped into her high-backed chair and initialized one of the many computers on the desk. “But I can power it back up again. Just give me five…”
With Falken finally mobilized, Hallam kept a wary eye on the security feed from the door to the landing platform. However, Cad Rikkard didn’t appear to be trying to break in to the lair. Instead, he and Alexis were working on the cannister that the mercenary had brought with him. Hallam had no idea what it contained, but he guessed it wasn’t likely to be good. He then searched for Dr. Rand’s shielded cases that he’d hauled inside and quickly dragged them out into the center of the mezzanine, wary of forgetting the vital equipment in the heat of the moment.