24(Track 1: I am Destroyer- Pg. Lost)
The first thing that I noticed when I woke up were noises. I heard it more clearly as I listened harder. The voices. They were my one link left to reality and I had to get to it. Something told me to follow the sounds. I felt like I was floating in nothing, emptiness. That voice was the key.
"I have gone through the records and as far as I can see, this is what has occurred. The United States of America was once a world power in the global layout from what I can find. It was prosperous, was involved in most of the global projects and allied most of the other major countries."
I followed the sound of that one voice, even though I barely recognized it. It was soothing, despite the undercurrent urgency in the tone. Deep, rich, and warm, the voice carried me along to its source. With luck, everything would start to come back.
"This was of course, at least a hundred years ago. As far as I can tell, there were a number of things that made it crumble to where it is now. A solar flare took out the power grid of the United states. Imagine you're a druggy trying to find money for your next fix. You don't want to work but you just need a couple of dollars. Then you notice the power poles. There's that little bit of copper going to the ground, that isn't really important right? So you get the metal, sell it, get some more of your drug and relax. After all there's dozens of poles around and all you have to do is take the copper."
"What does that have to do with anything?" A woman's voice asked.
Strange, this sounded like a meeting. Was I in a hospital or something? Why couldn't I see?
"Well, imagine that over the years, the druggies keep doing this. The electricity grid becomes more fragile and surge events cover more area with each ground wire that is lost. According to records I have from our Canadian friends," there was a short pause, probably someone nodding at a Canadian, "there was a solar flare that knocked out part of Canada and the hasty recovery led them and most of the other countries to bury their electricity wires."
"Still not seeing your point, Diekman," Another, sharper, male voice put in. I could start to see vague, fuzzy shapes. But nothing was focused.
"What I'm trying to say is that there was a solar flare about a hundred years back that made one of the most powerful world forces, the United States, go back to a fourth world country. Without the electricity, they lost most records, communication, food, water, only those who had been preparing for the "end of the world" as we knew it survived pretty much unscathed. The apocalypse people, the crazies of the day were right," the Diekman fellow said.
"This was all a hundred or more years back," A voice said, mockingly, "surely you've got something better than that theory."
"I do, actually," Diekman replied, almost smugly. I sensed a rivalry, "this document is written by one of those people who had prepared and stocked up. Theodore Rickey is his name. He wrote what happened after that onto a disc drive and I have managed to glean information off of it. I'll play you a bit of what he recorded."
There was a pause as Diekman pulled up the video.
I was right, this was a meeting. How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was standing in a hallway. Or was it a hallway? Why was I in a hallway?
"The government moved in," I guessed the young tired voice was that of the aforementioned Theodore Rickey, "shortly after everything crumbled. Planes had dropped out of the sky, cars died, fires started, it was anarchy. Everyone was scared, we needed food and water and there was no way to get it. Not without electricity. So the government took over everything, promising to fix everything and make it better."
Suddenly, my vision was clear and I was standing in the corner of a room. All heads were turned towards what looked like an AI- Artificial Intelligence- standing in the room. I recognized Hikato from where I stood, even though his head was also facing the AI holograph. Japan?! Why was I in Japan?!
But I didn't want to interrupt; what Theodore was saying was interesting.
The holograph of Rickey was skinny, haunted eyes sunken into a head that looked more like a skeleton, matted hair made him look pathetic. This guy was sick, he needed medical attention. Behind him, it looked like he was living in a cave.
"What no one expected was for the government to turn on all those who had prepared for the disaster. We thought that the government would help everybody who needed it, those of us who were ready didn't need assistance. I helped the families that came to my house, I wasn't trying to hurt anybody," his voice rose shrilly, he looked so scared.
The room was silent as he composed himself.
"The military had taken over, they called us sick psychopaths for hoarding food, we became villains. Those of us who had prepared were isolated for the most part, we knew that something bad was coming. We didn't mean to hurt anybody, we merely got ready as we saw the signs around us," the AI buried his hands in his face.
This guy was miserable, anyone could see that. The mood in the room had gone from silent mocking disbelief to somber silence.
"Tanks rolled up to houses, ordering the inhabitants to be prepared to be searched, to not resist. Any food was taken and put into a stockpile for everybody. And you didn't fight back, not when your family was inside. Anyone who did got blown away. I saw two families go that way. Anyone with guns or weapons was taken away and put into a federal prison to await judgment and trial for treason against the United States. Those who were found with food stockpiles were driven out into the radiation zones."
There was a pause in the video and everybody turned to Hikato, "What questions do you have so far?" Hikato asked the five other people gathered there with him.
"Where did the radiation zones come from?" Asked the woman I heard before.
"They came from military planes that dropped from the sky, fallen satellites, or nuclear power plants that blew up when the flare melted their controls" Hikato replied. "There were pockets and areas that were decimated because of the nuclear areas. Any other questions?"
No one else asked anything.
Hikato continued the movie.
"This all happened about ten years back," Theodore said, "and rumor had it that the government was taking over everything. Too late, people realized that they were giving up all their rights for survival. Most people didn't care. Those of us who did got sent out to die. Several of the big cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, they survived and were controlled and renamed. Smaller cities were abandoned. They sent the unwanted people there. Like me. No one wanted a computer hacker, not when I could reveal all that was going on. So they did this," he lifted his hands and all his fingers were gone.
Though no one actually said anything, I caught the distinct sound of someone's breath catching in shock.
"I can still do some things but foraging is hard. I'm dying from the radiation I've been exposed to. But I don't want anyone to forget what happened, I don't want this to occur. There is hope, though. Those of us who are still alive are forming a new United States, we're gathering behind the lines of the radiation and trying to stay alive to take back what is ours. The Canadians have promised help and we will take it if we can. I hope we're successful."
The image of Theodore Rickey disappeared and the holograph disintegrated.
"That's the end of the tape," Diekman said. He was a short man, balding brown hair, as a lit cigarette hung from his lips and wisps of smoke rose like tiny flags of emphasis. He was a small man but his presence was unmistakable. "The United States became a place of confusion during this time and when the government took over. The Utopians in power at the time didn't want to "waste a crisis", declared the constitution void and the beloved United States became the despised Allied States of America; the ASA that we fight today. My job has been to try to figure out what to do next with what is going on here but I don't have enough resources. I'm petitioning this assembly to gain more funds to communicate what happened to the United States to the People. Tawny Felis was just one piece of the chess game we're playing, she's a knight and we shouldn't have given her back. Theodore Rickey is another, long dead, knight. The pawns we have used are being taken. We need to make a move before our game is at check mate."
Hikato put up a hand, "Hold on," he said, glancing down at the panel at his chair, "there's some disturbance here that I don't recognize. Just to make sure, everyone is present, please say so."
"Present," said the sharp voiced guy. He was Russian.
"Here," the woman said.
The three other people also alerted to Hikato that they were still there. This was as good a time as any to let him know.
"I'm here," I said, leaving the corner of the room I'd been standing in.
All eyes turned as one towards me. Hikato's mouth dropped open in shock.
Diekman frowned, "How did you get here?" he seemed to be the only one not stunned.
"I'm not sure," I admitted, "I was standing in a hallway somewhere and then I was here," which was weird.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Hikato had found his voice again, "we will resume this meeting at another time, I must talk with Tawny."
One by one, all the people in the chairs flickered and disappeared. Holographs. Interesting.
Hikato made his way over and held out a hand in greeting, "I'm very glad you got here, though last we heard you were still in prison."
I reached forward to take his hand but when I tried to shake it, my hand went through his. I frowned. That was odd. I tried again but my hand passed right through his, "Are you a holograph?" I asked.
Diekman, who'd been studying me intently behind the glasses I just noticed he was wearing, made a sound of surprise, "You're a holograph."
I looked down at my hands, "No I'm not," I said firmly, "I'm real."
"How did you get here then?" Diekman challenged.
I opened my mouth to give a witty retort but I couldn't say. I just stood there, hand still outstretched, gaping like a fish out of water.
"What happened to you?" Hikato asked, "How did you get to a holograph machine?"
I put my head in my hands, "I'm not a holograph," I said, trying to ignore the pounding pain in my head, "I'm standing right here in front of you!"
Diekman and Hikato took a step back, but my head hurt. It hurt like nothing else, not even creating a sync was as bad as this. What was going on?!
"It's alright," Hikato said, but his tone was anything but calming, "you're alright."
"No," I shook my head, trying to remember, "I don't know how I got here!"
"Tawny-"
You're alright, Koll's voice washed over me, soothing and relaxed. Everything else shut out and went dark, I could only hear Koll. Just follow my voice, alright?
I held onto his voice, trying to make sense of everything. My vision was gone again. What was happening to me? Was I unconscious and projecting my consciousness elsewhere?
Let it go, you're alright, Koll repeated, just follow my voice, I'll explain everything.
Diekman and Hikato faded away, the same way they'd faded into focus.
That's it, Koll's voice was a little excited, you're almost here. Just stay calm and keep following my voice.
I felt like I was waking up, my eyes opened and there he was. Standing in front of me, as real as I was. He wore jeans, a faded t-shirt. As he had always been, he was barefoot. His blue eyes and messy long dark hair looked the same as it always did. But his smile was genuine and there was no doubt that he was with me. He still needed to shave.
"Koll?" It was the first stupid word out of my foolish mouth.
He wrapped his arms around me. He still smelled of minty mouthwash, musk, and sweat. He was warm. I could hear his heart beating. My arms wrapped around him, almost reflexively.
"I've got you," he whispered into my ear, "it's alright."
I was crying, I realized. Sobbing into his shirt. Not my best moment. Couldn't I, for once, avoid crying around him?
"What's going on? How are you here? What happened?" I sounded like a little lost kid, but I didn't actually mind right now. Yes, I minded the crying. But I didn't mind his arms around me.
Koll leaned back and stared me in the eyes, "This is going to be a shock," he said, slowly, "but you've always been tough and hate when people don't tell you things. You'll probably be mad at me for telling, but you need to know the truth. You're dead."
Back in Vigilant
Same day
Mal stared at the wall across from him as he leaned against the Plexiglas window, his brain trying to figure out what had happened. He'd felt Tawny die, he'd felt her last breath leave her. So why was he able to also hear her?
He rubbed at his face with his hand, yelping softly as he remembered the bruises and numerous lacerations on his face. His broken rib was throbbing. Was he losing his mind?
Why had Ancela been watching Tawny? What did he have to do with her?
Nothing made sense anymore. Maybe he was out of his head with grief and pain. It wouldn't be the first time he had lost his mind. . .
The door to Mallagon's cell slid open and Ancela Nastasi walked in.
Mal stared at the man taking note of the man's empty hands, his windblown dark hair, and the slumped shoulders that had straightened since he'd seen him last. Ancela Nastasi stood at the entrance, letting Mal stare.
"What do you want?" Mal asked at last, voice a low snarl, "She's dead, thanks to you."
"I want you to contact whoever your working for, let them know that Tawny's being sent to them," Ancela said, calmly. He let his empty hands clasp behind his back, waiting for Mal's response.
"Unless you missed it," Mal chuckled, struggling to his feet and limping over till he was just out of arm's reach, "I'm still in a cell."
The contrast between the two was visible in both their manners and appearance. Where Ancela had skin that had been sunburned and roughened, Mal's skin seemed to absorb the sunlight and gave him a healthy copper glow. Ancela's hair was streaked with gray, Mal's was deep chestnut. Ancela's eyes were green, Mal's were blue. Where Mal was crippled with grief, Ancela was somehow empowered.
"I'm letting you free, as the new Head of the Chosen," Ancela said.
This was surprising, "So O'cana died then?" There was an underlying satisfaction in that sentence.
Tilting his head slightly, "Sort of," Ancela admitted, "I'm sending her and Tawny to Japan. They're both in cryo right now, you need to alert your contacts that they're coming. They'll need to be taken to a medical facility when they arrive. "
"You've lost me," Mal's arms rested gently over his ribs as he crossed his arms, "what do you mean, they're in cryo? Like, cryogenics, cryo?"
Ancela nodded, glancing around, "Yes, come with me."
"Not on your life," Mal took a step back, "not without a really good reason to trust you. The minute I step out of this cell, you could shoot me with the handgun you have in your back holster."
Ancela's mouth twitched upwards, "Don't trust me, huh? I can see why she liked you."
Mal was lost for words.
"I saw how she reacted after Koll died, I kept an eye on her. You were her favorite companion and obviously, you returned the affection. Luckily for both of you, O'cana didn't see much beyond her own hatred," Ancela explained.
"She saw enough to kill Koll," Mal retorted, finding his train of thought again, "besides what was so important that she required your personal observation? You didn't care about her when we were in Africa."
Ancela's teeth ground together in frustration, "I'll explain but I'm running out of time, either you come with me or you rot in this cell."
Frowning, Mal realized he had a problem. He could trust Ancela or he couldn't. Much as he disliked the man and hated him for shooting Tawny, he knew enough about Ancela to see him as a fellow soldier and his training told him to obey a ranking officer.
Not an ideal situation. A bit too long of a pause...
"She's my daughter," Ancela relented at last.
Mal blinked once, not sure how to react.
"Now are you coming or am I going to have to do the work myself?" Ancela snapped.
"Coming," Mal followed him out of the cell into the hallway at a fast pace that played havoc with Mal's ribs.
"Good, I have a lot to get done before the day is over," Ancela said over his shoulder as he headed towards the control center, "and your assistance as my second in command would be appreciated. The other Chosen trust you and I need their support or we're all dead."
"What exactly do you have in mind, sir?" Mal wondered, burying the information about Tawny's lineage to wonder over when he had the time.
"Treason," Ancela said with relish.
Author's Note:
Yay! Chapter one is up and running! I hope you guys have enjoyed the first chapter so far, I certainly enjoyed writing it!
Will be updating soon!
Ink