The Relics- The Keystone Trilogy - Part 1

by Michael K. Damron

  “You may be able to answer a few questions for us, now,” said Mark.

  “I probably don’t have any secret information about the Searcher division you don’t already know,” said Jack. “I wasn’t with them very long before you decided to abduct me.”

  This time it was Mark laughing at Jack’s words.

  “I’m curious what you were told about the day we defected from the Searcher division and the events leading up to it.”

  “Only that you had some crazy ideas and then convinced the two behind you that those ideas were true. I also know you physically fought off the other Searchers who wouldn’t join you the day you defected and took a bunch of relics with you from the facility.”

  “Ha! Well, the latter half of what you heard is true. We tried to liberate as many relics from the division as possible.”

  While Jack thought about his next words, the room’s cracked door opened with a creak and two more rogues entered. They stood behind Mark, opposite of Freya and Sebastian, forming a kind of semi-circle around the captured Searchers. Their added presence gave Jack an uneasy feeling. Although he remembered John showing everyone a fourth rogue being caught on video, there were now a total of five in the room.

  “Geez, he sure does look like his father’s son, doesn’t he?” one of them said.

  “It’s true. You can see it in many of your facial features,” said Mark, addressing Jack again.

  “I guess,” Jack said coldly.

  “Listen, kid, we’re not the enemy here. And since you’ve likely been misled as to the reason I got out from under the control of Rakiten and the Archon, I’ll share the whole story with you.”

  Jack remained silent, exhaling a deep breath while realizing it had become much more difficult for him to escape his current situation.

  “It begins with the inception of the Allied Earth Bureau,” said Mark. “I’m sure you’ve heard the old stories of how things used to be, before most of the world nations united under a single cause. There was pandemonium, starvation, abhorrent crime. Such massive turmoil existed that, by the time the AEB formed and concocted a halfway decent plan to fix things, the most affected countries turned over control to them with the hope of regaining some semblance of normality once again. The solution was radical: everyone keeps whatever physical assets they own while their digital dollars are stripped, converted to a new, stable currency, and then redistributed evenly to every person of every nation under the AEB’s control. The ultra-wealthy despised the practice, but what other choice did they have, live as a bourgeois member of an unprotected nation in the midst of a class war? If they fled their homes, they would be choosing to leave most of their possessions and assets behind. They had little choice but to participate. Because of the AEB’s program, nearly everyone in the world became more equal than at any other time in history. The mile-high socioeconomic ladder that existed shrunk down to the height of a stepping stool. The multitude of countries that chose to join the AEB received universal healthcare, an appropriate tax system, a one-child policy to deal with environmental impact of overpopulation, a free college education based on individual intelligence and merit, and a remarkable increase in prosperity for all citizens. The remaining countries who didn’t want to be regulated by the AEB, as you may have learned, either destroyed themselves or eventually succumbed to the pressure to join. It’s obvious that some individuals and nations are wealthier than others, but the gap between the rich and the comfortable is still much closer than it used to be.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard it all before, from my parents and my school teachers,” said Jack.

  “Of course you did. But did you also learn of a small group of people in the Allied Earth Bureau with a position and power greater than that of the President?” said Mark.

  “No,” he said, confused. “The President of the AEB has authority above the highest-level rulers of all nations under his or her purview.”

  “That’s the greatest and most widespread lie the leaders of the AEB have propagated—and one I believed until I stumbled on the truth. You see, when the men and women founders of the AEB got together, they weren’t simple commoners from a lower echelon of society; they were powerful, and had more money and wealth than you can imagine. They promised their riches would also be combined and added to what would become the Allied Earth currency, for all to share in, but the redistribution of wealth wasn’t as even as the history books claim it to be. Nine of the founding members, in secret, distributed five percent of all the wealth of the original twenty-seven nations among themselves. In that instant, they became billionaires hundreds of times over, while one of them, considered the most important and powerful of the group, received what would amount to trillions. These nine men and women decided to stay out of the limelight and appoint other people to be the public faces of the AEB. Although their appointees held the common hierarchical titles that still exist to this day, such as President and Magistrate, the founders have always outranked them. Meeting in secret, the nine founders and, to this day, the succeeding members of their bloodlines have shaped every major decision the AEB has ever made. Eight of the nine and their subsequent heirs hold the title of Polemarch, while the wealthiest and most important of the group is known as—”

  “The Archon?” Jack guessed.

  “That’s right,” said Mark, “the Archon.”

  “It’s quite the story. Some of it may even be true, but how do you possibly expect me to trust you?” said Jack.

  “All of what you heard is true! You don’t understand, I’ve seen him.”

  “You’ve actually seen the Archon?” said Jack, curious and incredulous about Mark’s claim.

  “Yes, I was in the same room with him on two separate occasions. The first time being when he and Rakiten implored me to head up the newly minted division they wanted to create. Having an exo already attached to my body, he told me to name my price, saying I would be instrumental in the division’s development. The second time I saw him, after the Searcher division was well under way and I was in charge of training several new recruits . . . was when I accidentally discovered my ability to cognitive link. Without meaning to, I entered Rakiten’s mind as he and the Archon discussed something in another room that wasn’t for my ears. Before he realized I was listening in on his conversation, I learned about things I shouldn’t have: the Archon’s fortune, the power dynamic he has with the AEB, the purpose of the division I helped to create. I acted like I didn’t know anything they talked about after Rakiten severed the link I bridged between our minds, saying it was an accident. I thought he would end me right there because he knew I was lying to him. He and the Archon came to the decision that they’d let me live if I promised to stay silent about what I learned, a decision they now regret, I’m sure.”

  “What is the real purpose of the Searcher division, then?” said Jack.

  “To aid the Archon in becoming a god among men.”

  “What!”

  “He’s using the Searcher division for the purpose of attaining even more power for himself, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. We were pawns in his game—as were you, until recently.”

  “Until you cemented me to the floor with morphacite.”

  “Ha! That’s simply to insure you’ll behave until you’re convinced of what I’m telling you and gain a better understanding of our mission from the two team members we’re still waiting to arrive.”

  “What makes you think I’ll concede to anything another rogue or two has to say? I’ve felt like a prisoner from the moment I was captured. You cut open my forearm, dropped my morphacite-enveloped body to the ground multiple times, and you expect me to trust that you’re not some kind of enemy? I’ve grown close to the Searchers while at the division. They’re good people that I care about. I won’t cooperate if you’re going to put them through what you’ve already put Marcel through,” said Jack, looking at the still-unconscious body beside him.

  “We don’t want to hurt anyone if we don’t have t
o,” said Mark. “Your friends would be safe if they were willing to defect from the Searcher division and join our cause.”

  “Safe like Marcel?” said Jack.

  “No, he was a special case—a lost cause, if you will. However, if your friends could be convinced of the benevolence behind our mission, they’d make great additions. The fewer people doing the Archon’s bidding, the better.”

  “I wouldn’t count on them believing anything you say, either,” said Jack.

  “We’ll see how you feel after talking with some of our other members,” Mark said with a twisted grin.

  John followed close behind Richard and joined the congregation of Searchers in the board room. Alexie positioned herself in front of the large screen closest to the door, preparing to write down all ideas the group could think of for the rescue of Jack and Marcel.

  “Okay, here’s what we know so far,” said Alexie, “Our guys were taken to a remote outpost in Mongolia where their tracking chips, electronics, and all other communication devices were stripped from them. They were then moved someplace else we’re not sure of. What other information do we have?”

  “They were in the Catacombs of Paris, an ancient stone mine that was converted into an underground sepulcher, when the rogues took them,” said John.

  “All right, that’s something that may be important,” she said, writing the fact down on the screen.

  “And there was a loud crashing sound before their body cams went dark,” said John.

  “What else can anyone add?”

  “The chips removed from their arms—don’t they have a memory partition that records a certain number of the citizen’s most recent geographic locations?” said Garnet, twirling a small throwing knife with her right hand as she spoke.

  Many of the surrounding Searchers were astonished to hear such an intelligent insight from Garnet, who typically didn’t have such astute observations.

  “That’s a brilliant thought!” said Richard, mouth still agape.

  “Sheesh, of course it is. You don’t have to sound so surprised,” she said, still playing with her blade.

  “John, the agents you sent to retrieve Jack and Marcel will be bringing back the removed citizen chips and everything else left at the scene, right?” said Richard.

  “Yes, they’ll ship the items to us the moment they make it back to their home base.”

  “And where’s that?” said Alexie.

  “Harbin, China.”

  “Harbin! The stuff wouldn’t be here until tomorrow, at the earliest! We need to get those chips as soon as possible.”

  “We have a warp crystal in the research lab that’ll take us to Harbin,” said Richard. “I remember seeing it a few weeks back.”

  “I’ll go get the crystal we need,” said John. “The rest of you keep brainstorming.”

  “Find Merry, Jodie, or Lucinda and ask them to search for it. They’ll know where to look,” said Richard.

  John stood from his seat and rushed out of the room to obtain the warp crystal. He knew it could be essential in leading to the recovery of the missing Searchers. Silence filled the air after he left.

  “Are we sure John is trustworthy?” said Alexie.

  “Maybe,” said Butch. “I’d like to say so, but I’m just not sure.”

  “Before we came up here together, he seemed sincere about wanting the best for us all. He was torn up by the fact Jack and Marcel were taken on his watch. He even went so far as to call us his family, remember?” said Richard.

  “But in a way, we are a family, aren’t we?” said Bridgett.

  “Yes, as far as I’m concerned,” said Alexie. “I was numb before coming here, after my parents died. This place gave me a new sense of purpose, same as everyone else sitting in this room. We’ve all become stronger by working and training together.”

  Nearly all the Searchers felt the same, signaling their sentiment by nodding their heads. Ferra, however, seemed to remain indifferent.

  “So, is there anything else we need to write down? Something we’ve left out that could help us get Jack and Marcel back?” said Alexie.

  “Anything else would just be speculation, I think,” said Richard. “We’ll know more once we get their citizen chips back in our hands. Until then, I guess we just need to prepare ourselves for a trip to Harbin.”

  Having done all they could at the time, the Searchers left the board room and waited until further action was ready to be taken.

  Ferra walked past the doors along the corridor leading to her room when she noticed a hairline stream of light on the floor coming from a crack in Jack’s room door. Curious, she entered to see if anything was amiss on the other side.

  “W-what are you doing in here!” said Alexie, startled while kneeling down at the foot of Jack’s bed.

  “Are you asking yourself that question? You seem awfully caught off guard,” said Ferra.

  “No, I . . . Uh.”

  Alexie knew any story she made up would only make her sound guilty of something; she never was a good liar. She closed the room door and, before speaking, looked at Ferra with a distinct intensity behind her eyes.

  “Can I trust you with a secret?”

  “Depends on what the secret is, I suppose,” said Ferra.

  “I’m serious. It’s about Jack.”

  “Let me ask you something first. Did Jack ever tell you about my time in Sanctuary?”

  Alexie looked confused. “Why would he know about your time there?”

  “He really didn’t tell you?” said Ferra.

  “I really have no clue what he knew about your time in Sanctuary . . . Hey, what the hell!” said Alexie, feeling Ferra link with her mind and cycle through some of her memories. “You can’t just pull a Bridgett and invade a friend’s head like that. Wait. Wait! Since when can you form a cognitive link?”

  Ferra smiled, realizing Jack kept his promise to not tell anyone. “I’ve been able to for quite some time now.”

  “Who else knows about it? Garnet?”

  “Yeah, she knows, as well as Jack and now you. It’s a secret I’d like to keep between us.”

  “Of course,” said Alexie. “I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you want. But why did Jack know about it?”

  “I told him in confidence. He came late at night to see how my sister was doing after that electric blast put her in the medical ward. He seemed nice—genuine. I gave away my ability to perform telepathy and told him Garnet was able to do it as well. My skill with it is stronger than hers, but to be honest, I focus on and connect with my exo a whole lot more than she does.”

  “So why are you and your sister hiding that ability from everyone?”

  “Because there’s hardly anyone I can trust in this world,” said Ferra. “I asked Garnet to keep it a secret so we could talk to one another without anyone knowing, but I only put it that way so she’d agree to the idea.”

  “I just don’t get why you’re so distrusting with everyone, especially after the division saved you from the virtual prison the AEB mandated for all siblings—”

  “It wasn’t a prison!” said Ferra, her voice hoarse as she shouted.

  Alexie was taken off guard by her tone, never before hearing Ferra’s voice be anything but soft when she spoke.

  “I’m sorry,” said Ferra. “You don’t know the whole story—my story. The same one I told Jack when he came to check on Garnet.”

  Taking a place beside her on the bed, Ferra placed her hands on either side of Alexie’s head and showed her the visions of what happened in Sanctuary: the beauty of it, the horror of being ripped from the virtual realm, the struggle of acclimating to the real world, Rakiten and John being close by to oversee the whole process. When it was over, Alexie had tears streaming down her face.

  “I . . . I had no clue.”

  “You and everyone else,” said Ferra. “My sister doesn’t even know the whole story, just you and Jack. I don’t think she could handle it.”

  “I’ll keep it
to myself, I promise,” said Alexie.

  “Thank you. Now that you have a secret of mine, tell me, why were you jumpy when I entered Jack’s room?”

  “Let me show you,” she said, making her way to a canvas bag at the foot of Jack’s bed.

  Fishing inside for a brief time, she was able to locate and pull out the three notebooks he brought with him to the Searcher facility.

  “These are what I was looking for. Jack would want them to be kept away from John. In all honesty, he and I weren’t very trusting of the division after reading through these things.”

  “You felt that way from reading a few notebooks?” said Ferra. “I mean, I’ve been speculating of something malevolent going on behind the scenes from the moment I was brought here. Why else would they risk pulling someone out of Sanctuary? There was a good chance I could have died from shock, yet they still took the gamble. What’s the significance of the notebooks?”

  “They’re another piece that can be added to the puzzle of what this division is really up to. They belonged to James, Jack’s father. When Jack showed me what his dad wrote in them, it was made apparent that the leadership keeps things from us. And you know the discovery John told everyone I made, the one involving morphacite being used as ink in the notebook the rogues dropped in Austria?”

  “Yeah,” said Ferra.

  “The discovery was made by me a long time before that day. I was going through these exact notebooks,” she said, holding them up, “when I accidentally activated one of the sketches on a page and watched it morph into a hidden message. And these messages are even more indicative of something malignant within the division we’re a part of.”

  “So, wait, does that mean the notebook the rogues left behind was also one of James’s?”

  “I believe it is,” said Alexie.

  Ferra stared in disbelief at the pocket-sized tomes in Alexie’s hand. She grabbed one to thumb through.

  “How can you tell the normal pages from the ones where morphacite is used as ink?”

  “Only by contacting your skin with the text and being able to feel a very light tingling sensation. It’s the same feeling you’d have when handling normal morphacite. Then, if you try to move it or form it into anything, it’s only able to shift to a locked secondary state, revealing the hidden message.”