By now, Thomas and Ellie and five others were already at Kairos. They’ll meet up with Quinlan and his men who were bringing the weapons later. Quinlan was attacking the front gates while Thomas and Ellie would go secretly inside through the hidden passages of the palace, evading the guards.
We leaked the false information to the Corps about the headquarters of the Defiers where an army was guarding the Prince. Olfren was already in place in our pretend base with what men we had. Nigel hacked into the moving holograms and broadcast the Prince telling the entire Empire that the Defiers had taken him prisoner and read the list of demands. The plan worked when the Emperor deployed the Corps a day ago. By then the negotiations for the Prince’s release was probably still going on. What was left for tomorrow night was the simultaneous attack of our squad and Quinlan’s while most of the Corps was away thinking they were facing a battle somewhere else.
“Get ready, we’re almost there,” Nigel announced coming out from the cockpit.
The shuttle slowly descended and finally landed on the docks. The engine gave one last rattle before shutting down. I looked at the men with me, nodded and signaled them to be prepared, and they in return stared with unwavering courage on their faces, at the same time with a small trace of fright in their eyes.
The shuttle doors opened and four Corps boarded to inspect the ship and the cargo. The fishes were inside long wooden crates and there were fifteen of them. Hidden under the fishes were the weapons and explosives, if were found would be the end for us.
One of the Corps commanded all the crates to be opened. We obliged immediately using a crowbar. The Corps examined inside each crate, one of them stirred the contents using the crowbar he took from Devon. I held my breath, I knew the weapons were deep beneath the crates but I was still nervous.
After they were done and declared everything was clear, they disembarked the shuttle, leaving us to unload the crates. Once the crates were in the storage area, one of our men stood as look out in the entrance door while we took out the weapons and explosives concealed inside black bags each wrapped in plastic buried deep in the crates. When the bags were retrieved, we removed the wet plastics and watch vigilantly over our surroundings before leaving and when it was clear of the Corps, we came out bringing the bags with us.
We left the docks and blended with the crowd outside the streets. The citizens of the city were serious and unwelcoming making the cold night gloomier. Men and women wearing dark colored clothes and coats crowded the sidewalk barely letting us pass through the incoming wave. We proceeded to the congested sky station and rode the sky train, a public transport taking us to where we needed to be. The rails were above the ground, passing in between the elevated highway. The train was full of passengers and we stood in silence holding the suspended handles supporting ourselves from the immense speed.
We got off when we arrived at our stop, the suburban part of the city. Heading on foot to an apartment owned by one of our supporters, a Beta, and because of supporters like them, it was possible for us to stay hidden in the city, away from the watchful eyes of the Corps. The small apartment was old and cramped, it was a five story building and the residences were mostly poor Omegas loitering in the hallways.
The landlord took us to an empty room, hardly accommodating five of us. He also informed that our companions were already in the other room, waiting for our arrival. I thanked him before he left. We had to make due of the limited space and I wasn’t bothered by it, I was more annoyed sharing it with Devon but this wasn’t the right time for petty grievances.
The next day, before we left the apartment, I gathered the whole squad and reviewed our plan of attack inside our room. The original agreed upon time was midnight but at the last minute, I made changes to attack an hour earlier ahead of schedule. There were a few unfriendly reactions especially from Devon.
“What are you doing changing the plan all of a sudden? It could get us all killed,” Devon said, his voice rose with a hint of anger.
“I’m giving more time for Thomas and Quinlan,” I replied. It wasn’t the only reason, it was more for Ellie but I couldn’t tell the squad that, it would look more like a personal motive and made me appear weak. I knew it wasn’t fair risking my squad over something like this. To soothe my conscience, I told myself that securing the Emperor was more important than destroying the facility so this had to be done.
“You’re aware all the Protectors in the city would be on us, right?” Devon said grimly.
I nodded. “Yes, then Thomas and Quinlan would have less to worry about,” I answered.
This was my sacrifice for Ellie’s sake. If I couldn’t protect her where she was, I could do this for her instead. There would be less danger on her side once the Protectors respond first to the attack on the facility.
“How do you know the Protectors would go to the facility when the alarms are raised? For all we know, they could go to the palace protecting the Emperor instead,” Nigel whispered careful no one heard him.
“I don’t. It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” I whispered back.
Devon was giving me the cold stare. His questioning my authority in front of the men was getting on my nerves. They had no choice though but to obey since I was their appointed commander.
Early evening came and four from our squad should be on their way and take their positions outside the Numen facility while the six of us met up with an Omega who calls himself Roy. He worked there for nearly ten years and had been a supporter of the Defiers ever since. He and his companions provided janitorial services at the facility during closing hours.
The plan was they’d sneak us inside the facility and we’d wait until the right hour when the outside team would plant explosives and blow up a part of the wall for the distraction and for our escape after we destroy the database system.
Eight large metal cleaning carts were loaded behind a large truck. The shelves inside the cart were removed to accommodate a grown man. We hid inside, one person a cart hardly fitting in the small space with my knees and back bent and head tilted forward in a very uncomfortable position. The engine was turned on and the truck began to slowly move.
I didn’t know if I could hold this position for much longer. I was sweating and my body started cramping up and whenever the truck turned or hit a pothole, it wasn’t helping at all and the smell of the strong cleaning chemicals was making me nauseous.
Finally after a while of travelling, we stopped and I tried to hear what was going on outside. There was the muffled voice of Roy talking to someone, probably the guard. Then Roy laughed loudly and it was the only clear sound. The truck moved, then not long after it stopped again, and the engine was turned off. The metal doors at the back opened, and the cart I was in moved.
The wheels of the cart squeaked as it was pushed forward. I was struggling inside, sweating now profusely. The cart stopped and I heard an elevator bell and the sound of a door sliding open, and then the cart was pushed forward. We were descending and the elevator stopped and then another sound of door sliding. The cart was pushed again for a while then halted.
At last there was a knock on the metal door of the cart which was the signal everything was clear. I quickly burst out, rolling onto the cold concrete floor, and then I knelt gasping for fresh air. I slowly stood up and stretched until my neck and back felt relieved. The others were coming down taking turns on the elevator and I wasn’t the only one suffering inside the tight cart as the others groaned coming out. Those who were able to stand took the firearms out from the other cart. Nigel was the last and he grabbed his gun and the black bag containing the explosives.
When I looked around, Roy and his men had brought us to the facility’s underground plumbing access. It had large pipes and tubes running along the concrete walls and a low buzzing sound was heard, I assumed it was the power supply.
“You’re safe, nobody comes down here,” Roy said to me. “Take the stairs when you go up, they don’t use it often,” he added.
“Good luck boys,” he said rolling his cart towards the elevator and the others with him followed.
Time went by and we remained silent. Some of the men were sitting down while others stood waiting. Staying down here doing nothing and right under the enemy, with the possibility that anytime they could come and catch us was nerve racking. Each minute of anticipation was a heavy pounding on my chest. We knew what to do but nothing could prepare us for the unexpected that was to come out there.
I was leaning on the wall. Turning my head to the right, I noticed Devon standing not far glaring at my direction. I fixed my eyes on him. I had no clue the reason for his contempt for me and it was getting annoying.
“Tell me Curtis, what happens after this?” he asked, in an unwelcoming voice.
I wasn’t in the mood for his small chat. Why was he even trying? “You know what the plan is,” I said dryly, trying to dismiss him.
He scoffed. “I mean, after we destroy the Numen system, it’ll erase all the matches then everybody is free to choose… so are you still committed to her after this?” he asked using a provocative tone.
I quickly stood up straight, not liking the sound of his voice. I faced him directly while he continued to lean on the wall on his side, crossing his arms indifferent to my reaction.
“Of course I am,” I snapped.
He sighed heavily. “I left my life behind the moment I received the letter with my match because I never believed in it, to be compelled to a life with someone you aren’t even sure you’ll love. Would you’ve done the same? Sparing yourself and your mate’s life?” He was now threatening.
“What do you think I’m doing? I’m fighting to end all that,” I declared harshly.
He shook his head. “No… The noble thing you could have done before was leave her and let her be when you knew she was your match. I doubt you even wanted to be with her, a Beta, when you found out. Would you leave her now if it was the right thing to do after this is all over?”
My anger grew, it was almost blinding. The way he roused my temper while staying unaffected to it, I could have exploded but Nigel who was standing behind me, put his hand on my shoulder and brought me back to my senses.
“This isn’t the time for this,” he said almost in a reprimanding manner.
I calmed down and noticed the men were staring at us after hearing our brief heated exchange. This shouldn’t have happen, not like this and most especially not now when we were about to face what might be our last time here. I leaned back on the wall letting myself drown with my anger for Devon.
I would never leave Ellie, why would he think that. He might have left his mate behind but for me it was never a choice. I wanted to tell him if I didn’t took the chance, I would’ve never met Ellie, in a way I was grateful for the system it gave me her, it was what I truly believed. Whatever happened to Devon that made him so miserable, it was of his own doing.
Suddenly a loud explosion was heard from outside, it was the signal. Everybody became alert holding their weapons closer.
I stared at them. “Ready?” I said, trying not to falter.
They nodded their heads silently, showing their steadfastness. I felt bad where I was sending these men with their conviction. We might not get away from here alive but they knew the risk when they came here, I just hope our sacrifices wouldn’t be in vain.
“Let’s go!” I commanded leading the squad up the stairs to the sixth floor where the main system was and the alarms noisily rang over us.
***
Bullets were flying, whizzing pass. We were trapped in the white corridor leading to the room of the main database. We lost one man along the way, shot down when the guards realized we were infiltrating from within. Loud explosions could still be heard from outside. By the sound of it, our men were using the rocket launchers trying to create chaos.
We were outnumbered hiding behind a wall on a doorway, taking cover while firing at the guards through the hallway preventing them from advancing towards us. All the while we were unable to move with their constant firing and if we kept this up, we’d run out of bullets soon.
“Go! We’ll cover you!” Devon shouted facing me, hiding behind the wall from across where I was.
Whatever grievances we had, it disappeared at that moment. “Nigel,” I called him to follow.
Devon rapidly increased fire at the guards and the other men with us did the same, showering them with what bullets were left inside the cartridge while Nigel and I ran keeping our heads down towards the end of the hallway until we reached a large metal double door at the center of a dead end wall.
We crouched beside the door and Nigel placed a card on the access console that we took from a lifeless officer we shot when we emerged from the stairs. The door slid open and we hurriedly entered with our weapons raised. We shot the men who were inside attempting to take out their weapons except for one who quickly raised his hands to surrender then I took out his weapon from his side waist.
“Where’s the chief programmer?” I asked threatening while pointing my weapon at him.
He glanced at a door towards another room. Nigel saw it and hurriedly placed again the card on the console. The door opened and Nigel entered inside a room with dark colored walls. I hit the man hard on the head using the blunt side of my weapon and he passed out immediately on the floor then I followed Nigel. I entered and he was pointing his gun at the chief programmer who was standing with his hands up.
“He’s clear,” Nigel declared.
“I got it,” I said to Nigel.
I pointed my weapon at the programmer relieving Nigel who went inside a large glass room full of data storages more than six feet tall with blinking white and blue lights on black surfaces. This was where all the names of the citizens of the Empire were stored, categorized by station and matched. Who we were to spend our lives with until our last breath was decided by a machine, a random calculation as simple as it sounds, or sometimes a glitch like what I had with Ellie. Purely accidental, an unforeseen miscalculation that rarely ever happens but it did.
Nigel was now placing the explosives on the data storages. I glimpsed at the computer where the chief programmer was standing beside. There were three wide flat screens on the table with buttons, numbers and words and I couldn’t make out what it said. I kept pointing the weapon at him, keeping my eyes on him except when I briefly glanced at Nigel’s direction silently wishing he’d hurry up.
“I recognize you,” the chief programmer said still raising his hands. “You’re the Elite who joined the Defiers, the one who was matched with the Beta,” he added.
“Keep your mouth shut,” I commanded sharply.
He scoffed. “You have no idea do you?” he said with a look of self-content.
I didn’t say anything back to him. He might be trying to distract me while he planned to escape.
He sneered and the wrinkles below his eyes were enhanced. “I’ve been chief programmer for a very long time. Committed to what I’m doing and all these years I’ve learned my job doesn’t give me the pleasure to be bias unlike you people out there. I learned to cater to all needs regardless of station as long as, you know, they have the money up for it,” he paused and continued, “Of course when I say not bias, I mean everybody including Defiers…”
He got my full attention as my arms unconsciously relaxed, stunned by his words.
“What do you mean?” I asked, squinting my eyes trying to understand.
He gave a sinister laugh shaking his head then glared and his hands slowly were down. “The glitch, it does happen, the system did matched an Elite with a Beta… once. Then after that, your friends found a way around it, making it seem it was the system’s doing. They bought a match, a Beta with an Elite and then I disguised it as an actual glitch. They paid a fortune for it but I guess the first time didn’t work for them as they’d hoped, so they came back the second time after they gathered the money to pay my price, an
d you standing here meant they got what they paid for.”
“The first time?” I asked, aghast.
He nodded. “Yes, you’re not the first.”
“Stop this nonsense!” I said angrily quickly raising my weapon and pointed it back at him. He was now terrified by my reaction and slowly raised his hands again.
“Whoa! Hey, I’m only trying to tell you what your friends did,” he said defensively not wearing a smile anymore and continued, “If you don’t believe me, ask your leader, the woman with the cold face, she was here, she was the one who paid me.”
I paused unable to fully sink in what he told me. “Do you know why?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Beats me, I’m only the programmer.”
By then it was all too unbelievable. The Defiers bribing a chief programmer, it was what only corrupt Elites would do. If it were true then my match wasn’t a random glitch after all, it was a conscious act. The fact I was matched with Ellie didn’t trouble me, it was the way they did it but why? I suddenly felt dizzy, what was the reason for all this then? Was I deceived into believing we were fighting for a great cause? I left my life behind as an Elite for this but now my beliefs were shaken.
“Done! Curtis let’s go,” Nigel shouted urgently breaking my thoughts.
“Alright,” I said nodding at him then I faced the chief programmer and said firmly, “Move!” Gesturing the weapon I was holding towards the door.
Nigel left the room first then I followed behind the programmer.
“We have about four minutes,” Nigel announced.
We walked fast through the hallway until we reached Devon who was still holding off the incoming guards.
“Don’t shoot. We have your chief programmer,” I shouted walking towards them.
Immediately the guards ceased fire when they saw the programmer approaching with a gun pointed at his back. I commanded the guards to drop their weapons and they did, and Nigel opened the nearest door to a room. We pushed the guards and the chief programmer inside and closed it.
The Prevalence: Sequel and Final Book of The Premortals (The Premortals Series 2) Page 21