Immortal (26 page)

“Assemble all units in this area. Prepare to
board the skid.”

“Affirmative.” Answered the Guardian, and it
marched off towards the center of the room.

“Amelia?” He asked, as he watched her lean
her back against the wall. Her face was flushed. “You okay?” He
asked. She nodded, and stood erect. She took a step towards
him.

“We’re going back?” She asked. “Through the
tunnel?” He nodded.

“Come on.” He said. “We have to get back over
there quickly.” He turned and walked briskly down the aisle towards
the skid. As he rounded the corner, he saw the Guardians as they
stood on the perimeter platform that surrounded the skid. He ran
the last few steps, stepped to the rear and climbed aboard, just as
the last stack was sat in place by the overheard machine. Amelia
had just rounded the corner of the aisle, as the skid began to
move.

“Run!” Charles yelled to her, and she broke
into a run. Initially she gained on the motion of the skid. She
reached her arm out toward him. He held tightly with one hand and
leaned back towards her, as their finger tips almost touched. Then
the skid gained speed, and his hand pulled away from hers. She
slowed her gait as she realized she could no longer catch the skid
as it continued to accelerate. She gradually came to a stop as she
watched Charles disappear into the tunnel.

“Great.” She said to herself, out of breath
now.

“Stay here!” He yelled back to her. “In case
they come back!”

“And what?” She asked herself. “If they do
come back, what the hell am I going to do?” She turned and began to
walk back to where she had come from. “Ask them to stand here
nicely until the Chancellor returns?” She laughed. “Fat chance of
that happening.” She reached into her tunic and withdrew the weapon
that she carried. She checked its charge, though she already knew
that it would read full. It had never been fired. She was unsure of
what it would do when fired, she realized. Training had indicated
there would be a slight push back from the weapon itself as it
discharged. She had been told that it would emit a bright flash
that could, in some cases, temporarily blind you. And that
depending on what the target was, a loud explosion might be heard
afterwards. She turned the gun around in her hands, and looked its
smooth metallic finish over. She realized that it seemed to be made
of a similar material to that of what the Guardians were made of.
She wondered what the gun might do to a Guardian, if anything, she
thought. She shuddered as she thought of those huge masses of
metal. She just knew that they always seemed to look at her. To
watch her, as they waited for her to make some mistake the
Chancellor did not see.

And Charles, she thought. How cold and
heartless could you be? That dead woman surfaced in her mind. Lady
Mackary of all people. That poor lady. So old and frail, she
thought. She was in desperate need of rejuvenation if anyone was.
And the Premier had only just recently approved to allow her to
have the process done. Now with her specimen damaged, she’d never
live long enough to have the chance. Absentmindedly she touched her
own face, as she subconsciously remembered her own rejuvenation
years ago, and the wrinkles that she remembered from before. The
aches and pains. The failing eyesight. She had been so grateful
once the rejuvenation had occurred, which was why she had agreed to
join the Chancellor as his assistant. Now it all seemed like a
nightmare. Those tiny little babies in the tanks. In her minds eye,
it was as if each of them had looked at her. Directly at her. Had
begged her for help. But what could she do. She couldn’t even make
it to the skid in time to go with Charles. Now here she was, stuck
on this side. Now she waited. And waited for what? In case the
intruders came back this way? Who was she kidding? She wasn’t going
to shoot anybody. Not even one of those stupid Guardians. No matter
how scared of them that she may be.

She casually walked to the far wall, turned
and leaned her back against it, and then slowly slid down until she
sat on the floor, gun still in hand. She noticed to her left, a
large door, even larger than the elevator door. She could see the
seam down the center of the door where it opened. Though she was
slightly curious as to where it may lead, she had no real desire to
find out. She quickly surmised that it may lead to some other
section of this horrid place, and reveal to her some new
nightmarish secret that she never wanted to know. She laid the gun
on the ground, and began to weep. Softly at first, and harder, as
her hands came to her face. How had this all happened to her, she
thought, as suddenly her comm unit vibrated. She quickly sniffed
back her tears, as she reached in her tunic and retrieved the unit.
It was a message from the Premier. She looked in disbelief and
reread the message header again. It was unmistakable. It was from
the Premier himself. She stared in horror at the message itself. It
too, was unmistakable. And unbelievable. Her tears began anew. And
she dropped the device on the ground, and it clattered away. She
shook her head as she cried, as she tried to come to terms with the
message. The Premier had just ordered her to kill Charles.

Roger gently closed the glass top of the case
that occupied the corner of his office. In his hand was the
intricately carved wooden box that had been inside. He strolled
casually across the room, to the large side table, grand in its own
design with inlaid ivory and gold leaf accents. He gently laid the
box down on the table, and opened it with excitement. As the lid
rose up, the inside, lined with crimson velvet lit up his eyes.
Inside, lay an ancient weapon of amazing design. It shined like
well polished silver, with a finish so unmarred and clear that he
could actually see his own reflection. Roger smiled, and exhaled a
breath of pure glee, as he reached inside and pulled the huge
handgun from the box.

“The mighty Desert Eagle.” He said to
himself, as he quickly pulled the slide back, spun around, and
aimed at the map on the wall. Click went the gun as he pulled the
trigger. “Bang!” Yelled Roger, and jerked his hand up as if the gun
had actually fired. He spun again, aimed, and “Bang!” he said. He
spun again, just as a wall panel slid open, and Roger aimed his gun
at his servant that stood in the doorway. Her hands went into the
air, as she dropped the item in her hand and she shrieked. She
turned and ran away. “Bang.” Roger said softly, as he laughed and
lowered the gun. He walked over to the open doorway, and bent down
and picked up the shoulder holster that she had dropped. He carried
it back to the side table, inspected it as he went, and then set it
aside. He laid the gun down, and reached into the box and retrieved
the magazine clips. Three in all, and checked to see that they were
fully loaded. He picked up the gun, slammed one of the clips home,
and activated the slide mechanism. The first bullet was engaged,
slipped into the chamber, and the slide slammed home. He engaged
the safety and again laid the gun down, as he stowed the other two
clips into pockets in the holster. Satisfied, he swung the holster
into the air and attempted to throw his arm through the armhole. He
had misjudged the speed, and fruitlessly missed. He tried again,
and got his hand caught in the strap. He tried a third time and
missed again. “Damn it!” He yelled. “Agnes!” He yelled. “Agnes! Get
in here and help me, damn you!” He missed once again, and threw the
holster to the ground. “Agnes! Where the hell are you?”

The frightened Agnes peeked around the corner
of the still open doorway. Her one hand was visible high in the
air. As she eased completely into the doorway, both hands became
visible, as she held them high over her head.

“Put your hands down, and get over here.” He
said, as he bent over and picked up the holster. “Help me with
this.” He said. She lowered her hands and scurried over, took the
holster from him, and helped him to put it on. She pulled tightly
on the front straps.

“Ouch! Take it easy!” He yelled. She loosened
the front connection, then pulled it tight again, and fastened it
in place. She stepped back, as he moved his arms around to check
the fit. “That’s good.” He said, with a smile on his face. The
expression went back to anger. “Now, get out!” He yelled. Agnes did
not wait for any explanation, as she turned and ran from the room.
He smiled again, and let out a little chuckle as he did. He picked
up the shiny gun, checked the safety again, and then slid it home
in the holster. The gun hung just beneath his left armpit. He spun,
and drew the gun, as he aimed at the map again. “Bang!” he said,
and laughed again. He walked over to the coat tree by the exit of
his office and grabbed his ornate coat from the tree, swung it into
the air, and slid into it one arm at the time. “Some things you
just have to do yourself.” He said, as he picked up his comm unit
and typed a short message, and sent it. “Now, dearest Charles.
Let’s see what you do about that.” He smiled. The device vibrated
in his hand. He jumped, and almost dropped it. He keyed the
device.

“What!” He yelled.

“Sir. I am back in New Sebastian.” Said
Charles. Anger flared in Roger’s face. “I have an additional squad
of Guardians with me.” He continued. “And the Defensive Squad has
been activated, sir.”

“Have they been found yet?” Roger asked, with
sarcasm.

“No, sir. Not yet.”

“Then what are you wasting time talking to me
for. Get them!” he yelled.

“Yes, sir.” Charles replied calmly. “Sir?” He
asked.

“What!” Yelled Roger, angrily.

“Have you made the announcement yet, sir?”
Charles asked.

“Announcement?” He asked. “What announcement?
What the hell are you talking about, Chancellor?”

“The announcement, sir.” He replied. “The
announcement required when the Defensive Squad has been
activated.”

“Damn!” Roger said to himself, as a look of
concern crossed his face. No he had not made the announcement,
because he had been too preoccupied with the preparation of his
weapon. He wondered how long the squad had been activated now, or
more importantly if they had run into any citizens yet. He keyed
the device again. “I am making it right now.” He said. “Now you
worry about your part, and get them.” He said angrily, and briskly
walked back to his desk. “Do I have to do everything around here?”
He asked himself. He opened the drawer of the huge desk, removed
the box inside, and then lifted the lid of the false bottom. A
panel glowed faintly within. He placed his palm on it, and with a
click it opened, and revealed a series of small envelopes. He
flipped through them quickly, but did not find the one he wanted.
He started over. This time, in the middle, he found what he sought.
He removed the envelope, and tore off the edge of the envelope,
blew into it to open it up, and dumped the contents into his hand.
A tiny black square chip lay there. He tossed it into the air,
caught it, and then inserted it into the side of his comm unit. A
password menu appeared, and he typed several commands.

“Voice recognition activated.” The device
indicated.

“Premier. Level one. Guardian Defense Squad
Activation.”

“Confirmed.” The device replied. He removed
the chip, and tossed it back into the hidden compartment. He
quickly closed the hidden panel, returned the box, and shut the
drawer. He slipped his comm unit back into his tunic. “Now. Let’s
get this show on the road.” He said, and headed towards the exit of
his office.

Vanessa had not said a word to Jonah as they
prepared to leave the apartment, but he could feel her contention
just the same. It was the lack of words itself, that made the
feeling of anxiety in him stronger. But regardless, he could not
turn away from what he now knew. And though he felt the anxiety, he
also felt a sense of duty to help Gabrielle and Jericho, and to
bring a stop to the atrocities that continued to happen right
beneath the noses of the citizens of New Sebastian.

“Jonah!” Called Jericho.

“Yeah.” Jonah replied, as he walked over to
where Jericho stood in front of the video wall.

“Why is the wall red?” Jericho asked. Jonah
now noticed that the entire wall was red, as a yellow bar severed
the middle of the screen. Black letters scrolled past. The words,
remain calm, slid across horizontally.

“Sound on.” He said.

“…inside your homes. Do not, we repeat, do
not leave your homes for any reason.” A shrill sound echoed from
the wall, and then the voice began again. “The Guardian Defense
System has been activated. You are in no immediate danger. Please
remain calm. Please stay inside your homes. Do not, we repeat, do
not leave your homes for any reason.” Again the shrill sound
echoed.

“Sound off.” Jonah said, as he rushed to the
patio again. Jericho followed and they looked over the balcony into
the street below. They watched as a group of Guardians marched up
the street. A lone man came out from the building across street.
Jonah recognized him as his neighbor from across the way. They
watched as he approached the Guardian group, which came to a halt.
The man appeared to speak to the Guardian in the front, as his
hands made gestures, when suddenly the Guardian brought up its
control stick and touched the man. He fell in place, and was silent
and still. They Guardians began to march away, and completely
ignored the fallen man.

“They’re different.” Jericho said quietly, as
he pulled back from the balcony.

“Different how?” Asked Jonah, as he watched
them march past below.

“I’m not sure.” He said. “I can just feel
it.”

“They look the same.” Said Jonah as he
watched them march to the end of the block and turn the corner. He
pulled back from the railing. “What’s different about them?” He
asked.