All Light Will Fall (9 page)

“I was thinking the same thing,” Tank agreed.

Since the day we met, Tank and Elric had taken a liking to
me. I didn’t understand it. Most of the time I was aloof and threatening in
conversation. I didn’t like to talk and could care less for silent company.
They followed me anyway. Over time I suppose I had no choice but to accept it.
They were my comrades.

“I’m perfectly well,” I told them.

“Are you sure?” Kitty pressured. She leaned over the dining
table, searching my face. “You look a little unstable.”

Tank yanked her back into her seat. “You sure like to
antagonize her, don’t you?” he said.

Kitty shrugged, tilting her nose in the air. She was such a
child. “Why do you always defend her?” She glanced at me. “There’s nothing
special about her. Nothing that I can see.”

“Don’t be like that, Kitty,” Elric said. He placed an arm
around my shoulder. I didn’t like it. He was too affectionate. “Celeste has
been through a lot. That makes her one of us.”

I shrugged his arm away. “I’m not one of you,” I said. “I’m
better.”

Tank chuckled. Kitty’s face twisted in offense. “See, I told
you. Tank, how can you be friends with an arrogant wench like that?” she
whined.

“You’ve got nerve, Celeste,” Tank said. “It’s more
entertaining than it is a pain in the ass.”

I could sense them coming before the dining hall door
opened. Everyone looked their way. It was Dr. Hailey, followed by her armed subordinates.
She approached the table with a smile. It was a tense smile. She was anxious of
something.

“Good afternoon, Celeste. If you could come with me please.”

I stood up and followed her without sparing a glance at the
table. We ended up leaving Pilot and returning to the humanization facility. I
wanted to turn back. The humanization facility, it was full of horrors. I could
still feel the drilling machines and the sting of steel cutting through my
flesh.

Dr. Hailey led me into a waiting area just outside the
examination room. “Why am I here?” I asked. My voice was thick and the question
came out more like an order.

She lifted her halo-pad. I watched the screen. It was a
recording of me in my quarters, asleep. I glanced up at her in shock. I had
guessed, but I never actually knew if I was being watched. I looked at the
screen again. I watched myself leave the bed. My feet dragged across the floor
to the other side of the room. I looked hypnotized. I was still asleep. Then it
happened. I beat my head into the wall. I did it again and again and never once
woke up.

“It continues for another thirty minutes. That’s why you’re
here. You’ve been taking unapproved dosages of halos. Your case is empty when
it should be more than half full.”

“What of it?”

Dr. Hailey sighed. “It’s called genasis, a form of dementia
caused by Gene-Nome 1.”

I gave her a hard look. “What is Gene-Nome 1? I thought
Proloxy 7...”

“Proloxy 7 is what we used on our ordinary recruits, but
you’re not an ordinary recruit. Are you, Celeste?”

I took a breath. “No... I’m not.”

Dr. Hailey smiled. “So immodest,” she said. “It will take
you far.”

The door suddenly slid open. Another mw and his attendant
entered the room. The man looked familiar. Of course, he was the same man who
shot that woman upon my escape. He was also the same man who flashed light in
my eyes the moment before I entered the humanization chamber.

“Dr. Gerald. We weren’t expecting you here today,” Dr.
Hailey said.

The man ignored her and looked straight at me. His eyes were
gleaming. He looked hungry. “I’ll overlook it this time, Eva,” Dr. Gerald said,
“but don’t ever conduct testing on 2102 behind my back again.”

Dr. Gerald stepped forward. He stopped when Dr. Hailey
grabbed him by the arm. Never before had I seen her look so desperate, so weak.
There was something between them. I could tell. And when I looked at her hand
on him, I saw the silver of her ring flash in the light.

Dr. Gerald ripped his arm away and came to me. He placed his
hands on my shoulders and stared. There was amazement in his eyes and maybe
even a little bit of adoration. He was so close I could feel his breath fanning
over my face. “You are under my care now,” he said. “Dr. Marshall, he couldn’t
tame you. It’s best that you killed him. That way he can remember his mistakes
even beyond the grave.”

The memory was quick to return. I remembered his screams as
I bit into his throat. I remembered the taste of blood in my mouth and the beat
of his heart. It was so slow at first and then it was nothing. I felt power in
that moment, so much power.

“You are the beginning, 2102,” Dr. Gerald said. He caressed
my face. “You and I, we’ll make more than history. We’ll make the future of
heaven.”

This man was a savage. He was mad, and when I thought he
couldn’t be any more disturbed, he leaned in and touched me with his lips,
right on the corner of my mouth. I was so angry I could hardly move. I wanted
to rip his throat out.

Dr. Gerald took a step back. He turned to Dr. Hailey. She
looked horrified. Her body went limp. She trembled and the words she tried to
say fell numb on her lips. Dr. Gerald approached her, placing a hand on her
shoulder. “Take good care of her,” he said. Then he left.

There was silence. When Dr. Hailey finally spoke, her voice
was heavy with contempt. “Ms. Sandra, the safety suit please.”

The woman nodded and raised the suit to me. “Please
undress,” Dr. Hailey ordered. She looked down at her halo-pad, typing something
over the screen. When I didn’t move, she gave me an impatient look.

“Aren’t they going to leave?” I ordered.

She looked at her guards. “Why?”

“Because,” I insisted, “they’re men.”

Dr. Hailey raised a brow. “My guards are not to leave my
side.”

“Then they can turn around,” I ordered. “Couldn’t I at least
keep my dignity?”

“Are you human, 2102? No, you’re not. Then you understand,
you have no dignity.”

I glared at her for a moment. My chest was hot and heavy. I
had never been so enraged. This woman did that to me. And she would know it one
day, and one day, she would regret it.

I snatched the suit from the woman and undressed. It was
humiliating. The guards wore helmets, so I couldn’t see their faces. But they
were watching. They were humans after all, sly and shameless.

When I finished, Dr. Hailey smiled. She was satisfied. And I
swore to myself that on the day of her death, I would be there.

Soon enough, I was promoted. Elric was thrilled about his new
black suit. Tank had been rather collected about it. That was the difference
between them. While Elric was vibrant and curious, Tank was cautious and
low-energy. They complimented each other well. Kitty, on the other hand, was
always a nuisance. I had no tolerance for her at all.

“Just wait, Red. Soon I’ll be showing these sorry arsenals
how it’s done,” Elric said. He gave me a wink, and I glared at him in return.
“Even you’ll be in line for a lesson.”

“I have no intention of learning any lesson from you. And
stop calling me, Red,” I hissed.

Tank snickered. “You don’t like it?” Elric asked. “Tank came
up with it. I thought it was kind of endearing.”

“Did he now?” I glanced at the both of them. “Then when we
get in the arena, I’ll be sure to remember.”

“What about me, Tank,” Kitty chimed, “don’t I get a
nickname?”

“What for?” Tank asked.

Kitty pouted. “Fine then. Nicknames are childish anyway.”

“Attention!”

Captain Valler entered the room with pristine military
formation. “Congratulations, arsenals. Now that you’ve become full-fledged
soldiers, it’s time to get those hands a little bloody.”

He lifted a large weapon from one of the tables, fiddling
with the mechanics. “The new laser mr2,” Valler introduced. “Isn’t she a
beauty?”

Valler had a strange enthusiasm for weapons. He treated
every armament and piece of technology like a work of gold.

“This is the Aeromatic Alistair.” Valler drew back the bow’s
metal thrust. “There’s a red blinker on the arrow head set to discharge once
the bow is activated. The energy inside will explode five seconds after being
fired.” Valler handed the bow to a nearby recruit then moved on to the next
device. It was nothing but a thin metal bracelet with a bright lens in the
center.

“These are halo-coms. They’re touch and voice activated. Any
information you may need is stored on this little trinket. Maps, wildlife,
geographic inventory. At times, you will receive notifications from Eden on
recent activity in the area. You can also track and communicate with your team
if need be. At some point and time, you’re bound to get separated.”

He picked up another device. “Moving on, this weapon here is
the Laser Ray Grenade, or lrg for short. When this here button is released,
hundreds of rays shoot out and dissipate anything in their path. Obviously, you
don’t want to be anywhere near the range of this weapon. It has a one hundred
foot radial distance, so take caution.”

An hour passed when Valler stood at the final table. “The
Iron Sling Gun,” he announced. “It’s one of our newest armaments.” The firearm
was a dangerous tool. It was large piece of light weight metal with claw-like
spear heads attached to a sling in the barrel of the gun. “This weapon is ideal
for long distance and close range combat. The spear heads can impale just about
any material.”

Valler continued. “Each weapon contains traces of
umbarra
,
a toxic substance extracted from a fruit found on Niaysia. Meridians are
extremely vulnerable to this poison. Once it enters their system, it
crystalizes their blood. At that point, it’s game over. But do not
misunderstand, these weapons can kill you as well if you are not properly
trained.” Valler crossed his arms, gazing proudly at the group. “That being
said, let’s begin with a little hands on training.”

He led the group into a large training area. Several weapon
rotators lined the length of the hangar. “All the weapons from the display room
are here. There are twenty targets, six recruits to a lane. You will spend ten
hours a day perfecting your skills. Every other day, you will participate in
hand-to-hand combat. Afterwards, you will move to the arena for stimulus
training. Once you’re ready, you will each showcase your skills before the
overseers. If you pass, you will be cleared for departure.” Valler raised a
hand to his forehead and we returned the salute. “Begin!”

I lifted an mr2 Blade Gun from the revolver then found my
own secluded space in the hangar.

“A sword and a gun. Nice choice,” Elric said. He walked over
with a smile, holding the Iron Sling in his hands.

“That weapon doesn’t suit you,” I told him. “You don’t have
the hands for it.”

“Intimidated are we?” Elric scoffed. He propped the gun
between his shoulder and collar bone, closing one eye to peer through the
sight. His forefinger gently stroked the trigger.

“Are you going to fire it or what?” Kitty said. Elric
snapped out of his readiness position. “You look ridiculous. Your hands are too
small for that kind of weapon.” She tapped her chin. “And too pretty.”

“Enough, Kitty,” Tank sighed. He had the new mr2 propped
atop his shoulder, looking ready to use it.

Kitty ignored him, pursing her lips. “I’m just saying. He
needs something more to his character, something with a little more class.”

“It’s not about class, Kitty,” Tank said, “it’s about
survival.”

Kitty took a breath. “Survival,” she repeated. The word hung
heavily in the air. “What about freedom? What about desire?”

Elric shook his head. “Don’t talk about those things here.
Not if you want to get deleted.”

Kitty crossed her arms. “Deleted?” she scoffed. “I can think
of things far worse, like this mission for instance. We’re nothing but cattle
to them, trained for slaughter. I don’t give a flying shit if they hear me or
not. I may be many things, Elric, but I’m not a coward. I refuse to be afraid.”

I was wrong about Kitty. She was a fearless force, and as
she spoke, I actually came to respect her. “She’s right,” I said. They looked
at me in shock. Kitty was especially surprised that I had agreed with her.
“ARTIKA owns all of me. They own my body. They own my name. They even own my
future. But they don’t own my dignity. I think I’ll be keeping that for
myself.”

Tank nodded. Elric grinned, tossing an arm over my shoulder.
“Then that’s what we’ll fight for... our dignity.”

Kitty looked at him and smiled. “Alright then, for our
dignity.” She gave Tank’s arm a tug. “Come on handsome, join our pact,” she
pleaded.

Tank shifted his mr2 and shrugged. “Might as well,” he said
casually. “To our dignity. What about you, Red?”

I looked at them. I never thought about it before, but I was
no longer alone. I was no longer an outcast. I was Celeste. “To our dignity,” I
said.

“We look out for each other from now on,” Elric said. “No
one left behind?”

“That’s right,” Tank agreed.

“You got it,” Kitty chirped.

“You have my word,” I promised.