The Collector (30 page)

“I don’t feel right,” she says as she keels over coughing up blood.

Neil unlatches two wide wooden doors near the shop’s entrance leading out to more cobblestone corridors.

Meanwhile, the door handle jiggles as Slayter pushes on the locked door, soon ramming it with his shoulder.
WHAM! WHAM!
Though the blockade temporarily holds, Slayter is too strong. He rips the door off its hinges with his boot, then uses his weight to clear the tipped toolbox out of the way. He infiltrates the auto-repair shop just in time to see Neil on the motorbike with Inna’s arms wrapped around him,
REVVING
the engine and speeding off.

The tires leave black marks on the floor as Neil peels out of the double doors and speeds through Sector B’s stone corridors. He goes so fast that a vendor wheeling his goods has to leap out of the way to avoid being hit.

Neil skids through the memorial service in the middle of the old town square, then continues north out of the sector towards the mountains housing the remnants of the Strasburg Dam. Sage smiles from the back row of the service, her conscience spared at least another day.

The Victorian vestiges of Sector B shrink in the distance below as Neil zigzags the motorbike high up a series of switchbacks. They reach a locked authorization gate at the facility entrance to the dilapidated Water Plant, the structure barely standing and every window boarded up, while the Strasburg Dam that once fed it is just beyond.

Neil hops off the motorbike and inputs his badge number on the gate’s control panel. ACCESS DENIED. He tries again, but same result. Inna coughs while holding the left side of her chest near her heart, continuing to lose color in her face by the minute. The ghastly sight motivates Neil to continue pushing forward. He pops off the faceplate of the control panel, hoping to short out the wires and open the gate, but the blockade remains shut, blocking the motorbike from getting through.

Neil hurls the faceplate away in frustration. As he watches it bounce down the mountain, his eyes break from it as he spots a pair of dim headlights exiting Sector B. It’s Slayter, hot on their trail, the headlights growing brighter as the utility truck winds up the switchbacks.

“Can you walk?” Neil asks.

Inna coughs again, leaving more blood in her palm, but she nods yes. They slip through the gate and continue on foot as the truck grows louder.

An ominous
stone pillar
stands tall in the middle of a gap between the base of two mountains, the entrance to a valley and the last remnant of the Strasburg Dam. The damaged ruin, along with the rubble at its base – a mixture of cement and rebar reinforcement beams – are all that remain of the once magnificent symbol of the city. Behind it, the valley opens up to an old reservoir, now a disease-infested marshland with small puddles of polluted water scattered throughout the cracked valley floor.

Neil and Inna climb past the dilapidated Water Plant and approach the dam, the ominous Wall just a ways up the mountain behind it at the farthest edge of the city.

Suddenly, they both flinch at the sound of twisted metal as Slayter ignores the authorization gate down below and blasts through the fence with his utility truck, crushing the motorbike along the way.

Neil and Inna reach the stone pillar, two tiny shadows dwarfed by the ancient structure, before Inna unexpectedly collapses. She leans against the pillar’s base gasping for air.

“Something’s wrong with me,” she says, shaking with feverish chills.

“We’re almost there. The Wall’s just up that mountain,” Neil says as he rubs her arms to try to warm her up. “You did the procedure. You got your papers. It’ll be okay.”

Just then it hits her. “But you didn’t,” she realizes. “You didn’t do it. You’re still you. How are you going to get through the gate? They’ll know it’s you.” A coughing fit interrupts her hysteria, blood on her lips.

“Sssshh,” Neil comforts her.

“You can’t get caught, Neil. You have to get through the gate. We have to get through together.”

“For all the things I’ve done, maybe I’m not meant to get out,” Neil considers.

“I’m not going alone,” Inna says forcefully. “There’s nothing worse than being alone.”

They stare each other in the eyes. The red blood on her lips makes her pale skin seem even more ghostly, yet she is still the most beautiful girl in the world – her youthful innocence still percolating beneath her eyes.

Suddenly,
BANG!
A bullet breaks off a stone chunk from the pillar as Slayter trails them just around the bend. He grins, taking aim again.
BANG BANG BANG!
Three more shots.

“Let me close her out, Neil, and I’ll give you a head start,” Slayter taunts maniacally.

Neil and Inna take cover on the opposite side of the pillar.

“This never would’ve happened if you didn’t try to save me,” Inna shouts at Neil. “I told you I didn’t need saving.”

“I won’t let him Collect you,” Neil reassures her. “However this ends, Inna, just know…I didn’t save you. You saved me.”

Tears well up in her eyes. “That sounds like goodbye,” she says.

“You said there’s nothing worse than being alone. I disagree,” Neil counters. “There’s nothing worse than not having loved. We both have that.”

Blood seeps out from the holes left by the three-pronged needle device on the left side of Inna’s chest. “You’re making my heart bleed.”

“Get to the Wall.” Neil hands over her ID and travel visa. “We’ll find a way to be together, I promise.”

Her eyes beg, but she caves, climbing up the final mountain path just before the Wall.

Neil watches her go, then looks to his stomach. Blood soaks through his clothes, shot from one of Slayter’s three rounds.

******

SectorLink Savings

I never understood why people still owned cars. They’re expensive and it takes forever to get anywhere with all this traffic. While I prefer my motorbike, the SectorLink does a pretty good job connecting all the Sectors, don’t you think? Did you know all citizens qualify for a discounted monthly pass if you forfeit some of your rations? They call this being a Donor and will even mark your status in your profile in the identity database!

-Quado

24

T
he memorial service in the old town square of Sector B comes to a close. From afar, none of the mourners can see the violence that is currently taking place up in their sacred sanctuary. Sage crosses her heart toward the distant dam, then turns to leave with the rest of the black market inhabitants to their next location. Sector B is once again abandoned.

Slayter reaches the ancient stone pillar, gun drawn, rounding the backside expecting to see Neil, but nothing. He’s gone.

Just then, Neil leaps out from up above, hidden high in the rubble. He tackles Slayter and knocks his gun away. It turns into a brawl as Slayter wrenches Neil into a headlock.

Meanwhile, Inna makes it to the top of the mountain before falling to one knee, vomiting, the Wall only a couple hundred meters away. She wills herself up before glancing back to the fight down in the ruins below. She’s torn…helpless...freedom in one direction and love in the other.

Neil is outsized and overpowered. His arms flail in the headlock, grasping for anything within reach. He steals Slayter’s shock baton and smashes him with it to break free, but Slayter barely loses a step. He charges forward and plows Neil into the stone pillar, the force of impact knocking pieces from the cement structure loose. He does it again,
RRRRAM
, the impact unknowingly exposing a section of
reinforcement
rebar
protruding from the pillar.

Neil crawls for the gun at the base of the final mountain, but Slayter presses his boot to the back of Neil’s head, submerging his face into one of the polluted puddles. Slayter laughs, then lets his boot up, allowing Neil to gasp for air before forcing his head down again.

Slayter retrieves his shock baton and activates the taser, sparks jumping node to node. He prods the tip into the water with Neil’s head still submerged, shocking his entire face.

Slayter kicks at Neil to toy with him. He does it again, then flips him to his back, exposing the bullet wound on Neil’s stomach. Without mercy, Slayter shoves the baton inside Neil’s wound,
ZAPPING
him once more, his body convulsing uncontrollably. Neil writhes in agony. Slayter rears back, ready to do it again, planning to shove the baton deeper inside Neil’s torso when suddenly,
BLAM!

Inna holds Slayter’s gun at the base of the mountain. Her hands shake as she falls to her knees, while Slayter drops the shock baton, then looks to his chest where she shot him. Suddenly, his stunned daze morphs into a maniacal smile as he reveals the bullet-proof vest all Collectors wear beneath his black combat uniform.

“Compassion,” Slayter taunts, keeping his attention on Inna. “Look what compassion got you, Neil.”

Inna
FIRES
again, missing, then
CLICK
,
CLICK
, out of ammo. She throws the gun at him, then looks to her own chest. Blood continues to trickle out from the three needle holes.

“It’s black or white. You can either live, or you can die,” Slayter continues as he stalks towards Inna.

Suddenly Neil’s voice calls out. Deep. Steadfast. Valiant in his final attempt. “You don’t get a choice.”

Slayter turns just as Neil charges, slamming him into the stone pillar, the exposed rebar piercing completely through Slayter’s chest, bullet-proof armor and all. Slayter’s eyes grow wide, looking like they want to say something, but then gloss over.

Neil pushes himself away from Slayter, the tip of the rebar going so far as to stab even himself in the upper chest as well.

“Neil!” Inna shouts.

Neil stumbles over, but fights to stagger his way to Inna. He drapes her arm over his shoulder and struggles to lift her. “We gotta keep moving,” he tells her.

They make it only a few steps up the final mountain when they both collapse, side by side, barely able to breathe. Her body shakes again, coughing. It takes every bit of energy for him to caress her face.

“I’m feeling…dizzy,” Inna whispers, winded.

“We’re going to make it.” His eyes flutter, fighting to stay open.

“Let’s just rest a moment,” she suggests.

They stare into each others’ eyes. For all they have been through and the current state of their health, they are still somehow able to smile. Neil takes her hand.

“Inna, could you…could you sing your song one more time?” he requests.

Inna weakly sings the
melody
. Although it’s interrupted by her coughs, her angelic voice is still a thing of beauty and comfort. Neil attempts to join in, struggling together.

As they sing, Neil extends his thumb, index, and pinky fingers. She returns it, her hand intertwining with his – an expression of love – a beautiful moment exhausting their last ounce of energy.

Soon Neil stops, his eyes shutting and voice ceasing, and within moments so does Inna’s, leaving the two motionless bodies with their fingers intertwined alone on the side of the mountain.

The dawn light creeps in from over the horizon, shining on Neil and Inna, still side by side with their fingers connected.

Just then, Neil’s eyes open. He touches Inna’s face, but she doesn’t move.

“Inna...Inna!”

Finally she awakens, her brief disorientation replaced with a smile. They’re alive.

As they crawl to the top of the final mountain, Inna wipes the blood from their bodies to clean themselves up as best as she can.

Two Patrolling Guards work the ledge on top of the Wall at Gate #5, while a Gate Control Guard mans the gate itself. A fourth guard, Check-In Guard, exits from a booth as Neil and Inna approach. To Neil’s surprise, it’s Zack. He can’t tell if Zack recognizes him or not, so he remains stoic, not wanting to draw extra attention from the other guards.

Inna goes first through the checkpoint. Zack reviews her ID and travel visa, then uses his device to run her sample on the kiosk database. Compared to every test Neil’s ever witnessed, this one seems to take forever. The database cycles through thousands of profiles on the screen, pausing on Inna’s before it switches over to SOPHIE GARRET, finding a match – exactly what the transfusion intended.

Zack returns Inna’s papers while Gate Control Guard cranks a shaft to lift the gate and allow Inna through.

Zack’s eyes turn to Neil as he takes his papers, still giving no indication if he remembers who Neil is. As he moves to take Neil’s sample, Neil protests. Zack insists and runs it against the database.

Everyone stares at Neil as the database initiates its search – Zack, Inna, even the three other guards. All eyes on him. Neil secretly motions for Inna to go, but she refuses. He gestures again, but she shakes her head and stands firm. She’s not going on without him. Suddenly Zack’s hand lands on Neil’s shoulder to interrupt, directing him to proceed. Neil hides his shock. Inna too.

Neil moves through the gate towards freedom when Zack calls out for him to wait. Neil tenses – to run or not to run – already halfway through the Wall, the decision life or death. Debating harshly in his mind, he chooses to wait while Zack catches up and simply returns his travel papers. Simultaneously, the kiosk database locks onto Neil’s profile, BREACH OF CONTRACT still in red, just as Zack places his hand on Neil’s shoulder and gives a thumbs up. He winks.

Neil joins Inna overlooking in wonder at their new surroundings, the horseshoe Wall in the distance behind them. He takes Inna’s hand and holds it tight. While they are unsure if what they are looking at is better or worse from what they just escaped inside the city, they know at least they are free from the shackles of the Agency. Each of them smiles while the sun warms their faces, filling them with hope for a life with the freedom to love.

******

A Storm In The Distance

There’s not really a storm coming (we can only wish!), but I did hear rumors of a Water War erupting in one of the cities to the north. I can’t even imagine that happening to us again, I read about it in the library and it seemed intense.