[B]24  -  Down Times[/B]


April 20, 2383


Seth opens his mouth to speak, but he finds that he can’t. He feels like the air has been sucked from him.

After a short silence, Tristan speaks again. “Seth, I’m sorry. I was planning to wait to speak to you in person, but someone has , ” she pauses, “I can’t talk to you this way. Can you meet with me?”

He stares into her blue eyes.

“Seth?”

He swallows, finding his voice. “Yes Tristan. My parents …”

“Come to Pegasi 51. I’m going to give you the apartment number and code. [I]Don’t[/I] write them down. You’ll have to remember them, alright?”

He nods. “Yes.”

Tristan recites the number and code, slowly, repeating them twice.

“Hurry, Seth. Please.”

The vid-screen’s strange glow disappears, taking Tristan’s image with it. The room darkens. Only the dim street light from below, coming through the rain-streaked window, remains.

Seth sits, looking at the dark screen, feeling shaken. He closes his eyes, repeating the apartment number and code in his mind … and jumps as Jax lets out a loud snore.

He goes into the bathroom. Turning on the light, he looks into the mirror. It was 3am. He’d had less than three hours sleep and his eyes showed it. He leans to the sink, splashing cold water on his face. The late hour of Tristan’s request to meet with him doesn’t cross his mind. His thoughts are filled with an apartment number, a code, and Tristan’s words … [I]they aren’t dead, they’re flying[/I].

He leaves the bathroom and goes to the closet, putting on his clothes.  He pulls on his jacket and looks back at the dark vid-screen. How did Tristan get through without him accepting the call? And the image, it was different somehow. He pushes the questions from his mind. He’d know soon enough.

Seth opens the door and steps out into the quiet hallway, silently repeating the apartment number and code. He glances at the symbol of the Blood Creed as he approaches the main doors. Looking through them, and the heavy rain, he scans the wet street.

Seth pulls up his jacket collar and steps out, into the cold rain. It falls hard and fast, masking the sounds of the night with a dull roar. He walks quickly.

He had seen Tristan on Pegasi. It made sense that she had an apartment there.  He remembers his first visit, looking out the window at the volcanoes and lava flows. He thinks of his mother … [I]they aren’t dead, they’re flying[/I].

Seth rounds a corner and looks ahead to the gate in the distance. Three large silhouettes stand nearby, their details, lost in the heavy rain. He slows his pace, stepping closer to the wall and into the shadows as he approaches.

A sudden flash of lightening reveals the blue uniforms. They are LED. He thinks of his father … [I]they aren’t dead, they’re flying[/I].

Seth steps from the shadows, walking faster and breathing easier.

Another flash of lightening … a flash of red to his left …

Seth opens his mouth, crying out. “HE …”

He finds that he can’t breathe. A large hand is clamped over his nose and mouth from behind, a large arm, clamped around his arms and chest.

The merc steps from the shadows, standing in front of him and glaring down. His right arm makes a short, piston like motion as he brings his fist to Seth’s stomach.

Seth gasps for breath. He stares past the merc, toward the LED in the distance, his vision blurring. They don’t move. They didn’t see. They didn’t hear.

The merc motions with his head and Seth is dragged backwards, into the shadows. The hand on his face releases its grip enough for him to take in ragged breaths. He prays for another lightening flash … maybe the LED will see. His hopes disappear as he’s dragged around the corner.

Seth blinks the rain from his eyes. He’s still held tight by the man behind him. The merc leans down, bringing his face a few inches from his. Seth tries to focus. The merc’s eyes burn into his. Seth doesn’t see hatred in them now, he sees [I]excitement[/I].

“Nice to see you again dumb ass. I was going to kill you, but now, I just don’t think that’s enough.” The merc gives Seth a toothy grin. “You’re going to spend some time with us.” He pulls something from his pocket.

Seth can’t move his head. He looks down, straining his eyes to see. He catches a glimpse of a gun. No… it’s an auto-syringe.

“Oh yeah, we already have your friend. You can look forward to your happy reunion.”

Seth feels a light pressure on his leg. His world fades into heavy rain … and darkness.

@ Pezz and bluespice

Only asking because it's very good. I was reading from the time you started. I posted a comment but the OP didn't reply so I thought he/she didn't want any side talk .

Anyway. Pezz you must know you're very gifted. I guess you read a lot of science fiction. It's a fantastic story, hope you finish it.

needless to say, u got a huge fan here

maedan,

I saw your previous comments and I was going to respond once I had the first few chapters posted. Then, your comments vanished and figured you’d lost interest.
In any case, I’m happy that you’re enjoying the story. 

I haven’t read a lot of SF, but I’ve seen SF movies and played online SF games. The online games were my inspiration for the setting of the story and I’m taking it from there.

bluespice,

Thanks.

I’ll try not to disappoint. 

I’ll try to have the next chapter ready tomorrow.
These are not good times for Seth.

[B]25  -  Reunion[/B]


April 20, 2383


…

[I]he presses his hands to the glass … the red landscape beyond, shimmers through the heat … he looks at his reflection and sees two figures, standing behind him … Tristan and Jullian …

tiny cracks appear in the thick glass, working their way out from his hands … they spread quickly, in all directions, creating an intricate web …

the window explodes outwards … tiny shards of glass glisten like red diamonds as they fly out into the searing hot sky … a searing, hot wind blows past him …

he turns from the window and sees his mother, standing on the steps … a worried smile comes to her face and a hot, blue wind engulfs her …[/I]

…

Seth opens his eyes and sits up quickly.

He can’t see. A wave of dizziness causes him to fall back again. He feels a lump under his back. He realizes that the lump is his hands. He can’t move them. He rolls onto his side, his head resting on a hard floor. He closes his eyes, trying to concentrate, trying to clear the fog from his head …

…

[I]he’s flying through hot, blue air … he looks down … rivers of lava crisscross in an intricate web … he looks up at dark clouds … a loud rumble … heavy rain starts to fall … he spreads his arms wider, the cold rain, cooling him …

a loud, hissing sound comes from below … he looks down … steam rises from the lava rivers as the cold rain hits them … the steam becomes a thick, damp fog …he flies through it, blinking the rain from his eyes …

the air cools as the fog clears … there are tall, gray buildings in the distance …[/I]

…

Seth opens his eyes, looking across the tops of gray buildings, dark streets crisscrossing around them …

No … he blinks, his eyes focusing. They’re tiles, a dirty, tile floor. His eyes start to slip shut again, but a strong, sour smell brings him back.

Seth sits up slowly in the semi-darkness. He looks at the floor. The pizza he ate at Jullian’s lays in a small pile, the after effects of the sedative.

His hands are tied behind him. His legs are free and he uses them to push himself, sliding along the floor until his back makes contact with a tiled wall. He leans his head back against the dirty tiles, breathing deeply. The air is damp and stale. The only sound is a soft hum from above.

Seth looks up. Large glass globes hang from the tiled ceiling of the large room, perhaps forty in all. Six of them glow with a dull, orange light, providing the room’s only illumination.

He looks across the room. The dirty tile floor stretches into the darkness. To his left he can see a tiled wall in the distance. Low benches run along it as far as he can see. To his right, the tiled floor stretches for about twenty feet … and falls off into darkness.

Seth stands slowly. For the first time, he realizes that his feet are bare. The cold tiles send a shiver up through his, already shaking, legs. He leans back against the wall, and slides along it slowly, moving toward the drop.

He stops about three feet short and looks down, over the ledge. The room’s dim light doesn’t penetrate the darkness below. He looks along the ledge and catches a glint of orange, below.

Seth pushes himself from the wall and walks along the ledge, looking down. The dim light, from the globes above, is reflected in something … something like a long strip of metal. It doesn’t look very far down, perhaps five or six feet below the ledge.

… laughter echoes from somewhere far off …

Seth takes a quick breath. He turns, walking back along the ledge to the wall. He stands with his back against it, listening.

… heavy footsteps on tile floor …

Seth looks across the room. A spot of white light appears, slowly growing brighter.

… the loud, protesting whine of dry, metal hinges …

As the light gets closer, Seth can see a wide passage on the far side of the room. It travels a short distance before turning left. Three large figures come around the corner, carrying lights. He recognizes the merc in the lead.

He glances at the ledge. He had to get away. Anything but this. He would jump into the darkness …

“Hey, Dumb-ass! Good to see you’re awake.”

He can’t make his legs move …

The merc approaches Seth, smiling. His two friends stay by the passage. “You should’a held onto that.” he shines his light on the remains of the pizza, “You won’t be seeing any more food for a [I]long[/I] time.”

Seth closes his eyes, feeling helpless and hopeless. He starts to slide, slowly, down the wall.

The merc looks down at him “Still sleepy? Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of time. We’re going to have some fun, but we’ll wait a while. I want you wide awake so that you can [I]appreciate[/I] it.”

The merc’s laughter is echoed by his friends.

“Get up! Time for your happy reunion.”

A large hand takes hold of Seth’s bruised arm, pulling him back to his feet. The words the merc spoke to him in the rain come back to him … [I]we already have your friend[/I].

The merc pulls him toward the back of the room. “You’ve probably been missing your dumb-ass friend that tazered me.” He shines his light into a dark corner. A hooded figure wearing a dirty robe, lays curled up beside a bench.

The merc releases Seth’s arm and moves to the crumpled form, giving it a kick and shouting. “HEY!”

The figure stirs, sitting up slowly, and looking toward Seth.

*drools*
i can't wait

[B]26  -  Darkness[/B]


April 20, 2383


The robed man looks at Seth, his swollen eyes, widening, with a flash of recognition.

Seth looks at the man. He’s never seen him before.

The merc shouts again “GET UP!”

The man’s face is cut and bruised. He stands slowly, wincing with pain, revealing that he has other, unseen injuries.

Seth blinks as he sees the dirty badge, hanging from the man’s robe … Guardians of Mankind.

The merc turns to Seth “Well Dumb-ass? Aren’t you gonna to say hello? He hasn’t even told us his name, [I]yet[/I].”

Seth looks at the merc. His mouth and throat are bone-dry. He manages a raspy reply. “I … I don’t know him.”

The merc steps close to Seth, looking at the floor and shaking his head. Suddenly, he brings his head up and swings his right arm in a wide arc, hitting Seth’s face with the back of his hand.

Seth stumbles, falling backward. He lands hard on his hands, tied behind him, barely avoiding cracking the back of his head on the hard tile floor. Pain shoots up his left arm as his thumb is bent to a strange angle.

The merc walks to Seth’s side, shining his light down into his face “You just made this a lot worse for yourself, Dumb-ass.” He glances at his friends, standing by the passage “We’re going to have something to eat” he gives Seth a toothy grin, “… and drink. Then we’ll be back for some fun. We’ll play the name game.”

The merc turns, walking to the passage. His laughter echoes through the room and his friends join in. They walk to the corner, disappearing around it. The white light fades. Shortly after the sound of whining, metal hinges, it disappears completely.

Seth sits up, trying to block the throbbing pain, coming from his left hand. The room’s corner is dark again, but he can hear the ragged breaths of the man in the robe. He speaks to the darkness. “Who are you?”

… silence … and ragged breaths …

Seth’s voice grows more desperate “Do you know me? Why did you tazer the merc? Why did you help me?”

… silence …

“How long have you been here?”

… silence … then, the sound of the man collapsing to the floor …

Seth lets his chin drop to his chest. He closes his eyes. He’s desperately thirsty. His shoulders ache. The swelling in his left hand has caused the bonds around his wrists to tighten, cutting off the circulation in his right. He leans over slowly, lying on his side. He was so tired. He would sleep for a while … No!

He sits up quickly, shaking his head, trying to clear the last of the sedative’s effects. The mercs would return soon. If he had any chance of escape, it would have to be now, before he was too weak, or hurt.

Seth stands and walks into the darkness toward the, now unseen, passage. After each step, he stops and raises a foot, extending it in front of him and moving it side to side, feeling for obstacles. He finds the wall, and then, the passage. He follows it. Reaching another wall, he turns the corner, heading in the direction of the merc’s exit route.

Seth stops after a few steps. He listens, trying to hear over his own, rapid breaths.

… silence …

He moves on, stopping again as his probing foot makes contact with something. He turns around, walking backwards, slowly. He almost cries out, as his swollen hand makes contact with something hard and metallic.

Seth waits for the wave of pain to pass. He explores with his other hand ,  vertical metal bars. He remembers the sound of the dry hinges.

He puts his back to the wall, near the bars, and slides along it slowly, hoping to feel a switch or panel of some sort, but there’s nothing. He moves to the other side. Nothing there either. He can’t get the gate open. It’s a dead-end.

He heads back along the corridor, toward the dull, orange glow. There are no other exits from the room he woke up in. He only knows of one other escape route … and he doesn’t care for it at all.

…

Seth stands by the wall, looking over the ledge and into the darkness.

He waits for a wave of dizziness to pass, and turns from the ledge. He bends his legs, coming to his knees and then forward, onto his belly, his cheek resting on the cold, tile floor. Using his legs and wriggling his body, he pulls himself back, toward the ledge.

His feet, and then his legs, dangle into the darkness. The metal he had seen looked to be only five or six feet below. He hopes that he won’t have a broken ankle to add to his broken thumb.

Seth takes a deep breath and slides back, dropping down …

His feet make contact after only a short drop. He falls back, landing hard on his bottom, but sparing his injured hand. His legs rest across a raised rail. He feels it with his foot … cold metal. He slides back, making contact with something. He explores with his right hand … another metal rail.

Seth blinks in the darkness, suddenly realizing where he was. He had seen vids of old New York, during the construction of the new, New York. Electric trains used to run beneath the city. He was in an old transit station, and still in New York.

Seth’s pulse quickens. There would be train tunnels. Traveling along them in the dark would be reckless and dangerous, but anything was better than facing the merc again. He takes a breath, readying himself …

… the whine of metal hinges in the distance …

Seth stands quickly, glancing right and left in the darkness. He would pick a direction and run into the tunnel, run as fast as he could. No ,  the mercs were too close. He could already see a dull white light in the room above him. He wouldn’t have a chance. He’d have to wait. Wait for another opportunity.

Seth moves to the ledge, his chin just above it. He bends his legs and makes a feeble attempt at a jump. He can’t get out.

He sits down in the trench, shaking, and waiting, as the footsteps grow close and the white light brightens. He takes advantage of the light, looking left and right along the trench. His heart sinks …

Solid, gray concrete both ways. The tunnels had been walled up.

The merc shines his light down and smiles. Without a word, he jumps into the trench, leans down, and grabs Seth under one arm. He pulls him up, takes hold of a leg with his free hand, and throws him, up onto the ledge.

Seth lies on his stomach, the wind knocked from him. He looks across the room and sees the robed man, being dragged from the corner by one of the other mercs.

…

The name game begins.

Seth finds that the rules are simple … and that they all involve pain.

[B]27  -  Games[/B]


April ??, 2383


…

[I]he’s making love with Jullian … it’s wonderful … her purple hair sparkles, like diamonds … he smells fresh pizza …

a pleasant, female voice comes from a vid-screen in the room … ‘ … and the CMG began the most challenging engineering project attempted by man … a permanent colony on the fiery surface of Pegasi 51 ,  planning had started by the year , ’

he touches Jullian’s nose and sits up on the bed … he looks toward the window … solid, gray concrete blocks the view …he hears voices, coming from another room …

“I’m sorry, I … they’re gone. The apartment on P51, someone searched it thoroughly and found the rest of the records. They’re gone.”

“But, how Naomi?”

he looks back to Jullian … he sees the terror in her face … she stares at the room’s door … a bright, white light …[/I]

…

Seth opens his eyes, blinking as a bright light shines into them …

Strong hands pull him up, into a sit. His head slumps forward. A strong hand grabs his hair, pulling his head back up. A small, white square, floats in front of him. He tries to focus his eyes as they adjust to the bright light. It’s a small piece of paper.

The merc’s voice comes from close behind him. “Alright Dumb-ass. Who’s this?”

There are lines on the paper. Seth tries to focus.

The merc gives his hair a yank. “It was in your jacket. Who is this?”

The lines sharpen; becoming words. He recognizes the note …

-------------------
[B]CARRY MATTICE
54821-548-6557[/B]

[I]Dinner at seven
Jullian[/I]
-------------------

Seth stares at the note for a moment, and gives a raspy reply “Carry … an old family friend.”

“Not her. Who’s Jullian?”

Seth closes his eyes, silent. He sees Jullian’s pretty face. Whatever happened to him, Jullian had to stay safe. The merc releases his hair and reaches down, taking hold of his twisted thumb, and squeezing.

Seth cries out “She’s a friend! From school.”

The merc releases his thumb and laughs “I’m sure you’ll tell us all about her when we play our next game.”

Seth’s head slumps forward.

…

April ??, 2383


Seth gulps the cold water. It hits his dry throat and he chokes, spewing water … hitting the merc, square in the face. He stares at the merc, not breathing.

The merc blinks, wiping the water from his face with the back of a hand. He smiles “Dumb-ass.”

The merc brings the bowl of water back to Seth’s lips. He drinks eagerly.

“You’re not gonna starve to death for at least a couple of weeks.” The merc chuckles “We don’t want you dying of thirst, spoiling all our fun.”

…

April ??, 2383


There had been more drugs, but not sedatives. He and his companion had been given stimulants in an effort to keep them alert during the games. The robed man sits against a nearby bench. His neck is bent back, his head resting on the seat.

Seth sits against the wall, shivering. He closes his eyes, trying to stop his teeth from chattering. How many days? How many drugs? How many games had they played? He wishes it would end. He wishes that they would finish it.

He hears a voice as dry as sand …

“Why are you so important?”

Seth looks over at the man. He had often heard his companion’s screams, but he was hearing his voice for the first time.

The man is looking at him, his eyes, two dark slits in his swollen face. His lips barely part as he speaks again “Why you?” The man’s head falls back to the bench, silent, his eyes closed.

Seth swallows, finding his voice “… What?”

He waits for a reply … but none comes.

[B]28  -  Companion[/B]


?, 2383


He is naked. He had been for some time. He sometimes found himself trying to remember what it felt like to have fabric on his body. How long had it been?

Seth rolls onto his back, looking up at the dull, orange globes. He found that if he closed his eyes and then opened them, just slightly … they looked like stars. Orange stars in a dark sky.

Soon, it would be light, and time for another game.

…

?, 2383


Seth wakes to the sound of laughter and voices …

“… some interesting hobbies.”

He opens his eyes a little, looking up at the ceiling. There is white light in the room.

… the merc’s voice …

“Come on, De’Zann. Don’t pretend that you care what we use them for.”

… a voice Seth hasn’t heard before … a low, hiss of a voice …

“Of course not. I’m just happy for your business … and the rent.”

… more laughter … the white light fades …

He closes his eyes. The stimulants made it difficult to sleep, but they also dulled the pain.

…

?, 2383


Seth leans against the wall, exhausted by the latest game. His good hand shakes as he brings the bowl of water to his lips. The merc had untied his hands some time ago. His hands were free, though his left hand was useless. No chance of escape or retaliation now. His feet are swollen, bruised, and broken.

He closes his eyes, trying desperately to see Jullian, to see her pretty face. He sees only darkness. He was starting to forget. It felt like he’d been living in the darkness and pain for an eternity, and for all he knew, another eternity awaited.

Seth turns his head, looking toward the dark trench. Lately, he’d thought about ending it himself. He could drag himself to the ledge and drop, headfirst. It was only about five feet down, but if he landed on his head, he might break his neck. He had a clone, ready and waiting.

He lets his chin fall to his chest and closes his eyes. He was afraid. As terrifying as the darkness and the games were, he was more frightened of death.

…

?, 2383


He lies on his back, looking up at the dull, orange stars. He hears a low, shuffling sound, and turns his head. His naked companion sits against the wall, looking at him.

Seth sits up and uses his good hand to drag himself back to the wall. He moves slowly. Although the pain had become routine now, simply part of him, he tries not to agitate his broken feet any more than necessary. He leans back against the wall, only a few inches from his companion.

The man’s eyes haven’t moved. He stares at the floor where Seth had been laying. Seth looks at him, feeling a mix of emotions. This man had saved his life and, at the same time, by firing the tazer, this man was responsible for the merc’s ultimate revenge, the darkness, and the pain.

Seth swallows, finding his voice “Why?”

The man’s head turns. The two dark slits that are his eyes, blink slowly.

Seth takes a breath and raises his voice. “WHY?”

The man’s lips curl up, slowly, into a grotesque smile. A deep cut opens on his lower lip, sending a stream of blood over his swollen chin. His voice is dry. “I was keeping you pure. [I]I had to keep you pure[/I].”

Seth stares at the bloody smile. Pure. A name escapes his lips, even before he remembers another, smiling face. “[I]Carry[/I].”

The man’s eyes widen, revealing two dark orbs, his pupils, dilated by the drugs. He seems to look past Seth, to look through him. “A great, great honor for one. To serve her. To protect someone so important. To keep them [I]pure[/I].”

He stares, quiet for a few moments. His focus returns to Seth and the bloody smile fades. He tilts his head to the side, causing the dark stream flowing over his chin to branch out and change direction. “Where are they? Where are my brothers and sisters?”

He turns from Seth, looking out into the darkness. “She hasn’t come for us, come to save us, come to keep us [I]pure[/I].” A tear falls from one of his dark orbs, crossing his cheek to join the red stream. “Why?”

The man’s head slumps forward. His body shakes as he moans softly. Across the room, a faint, white light grows brighter.

“A great, great honor for one. To serve her. To protect someone so important. To keep them pure.”

The dialogue is incredible. Throughout the story. I know I've said this before, but you're bleeping good.

-

-

how come it says pezz posted but al i see is meadan's post?

Hmmm ,

I can't see my posts either. 

Testing, testing

Well, I can see that one

I'll repost the last part of the story.

-

@ Pezz, why do your posts keep[b] flying [/b]away?? (sorry, just had to do that). I noticed it started soon after my last post. Looks like the spamguard thingy has struck again. You won't be able to submit posts longer than five lines for a while .

Thanks for the info Maedan (and the pun) 

Silly spamguard thingy.

I knew that something was wrong when my third attempt at posting part 29 failed (probably adding to my list of ‘spaming’ offences), but I had no idea why.

It’s not comforting to know that the forumbot regards my story as spam.

In any case, I better end my rant here, I’ve reached my five lines 

Funny. "Forumbot"? Is that what they call it? Who puts that in a Lit section where people are encouraged to post stories, poems, etc? What a joke. You might have to report to Mod about this so you can get on with your story.

[B]29  -  Sleep[/B]


?, 2383


Another game had ended. The white light was gone.

Seth takes in ragged breaths, his heart racing. He turns his head to look at his companion, lying crumpled on the floor a few feet away. The man looks dead, but his chest moves with signs of shallow respiration. It would end for him soon. If the smiling woman was coming to save him, she’d better hurry.

He had forgotten the smiling woman’s name. He was sure that his companion had mentioned it. Did he know her? He couldn’t remember much of anything anymore … except the darkness … and the pain. Even then, he couldn’t remember back, past the last couple of games.

Seth looks up at the orange stars, hoping that his companion will stay with him for a while longer. The man hadn’t spoken another word, but when he was gone, he would truly be alone.

He couldn’t remember the last time that he had slept. He closes his eyes and rolls onto his side, ignoring the pain coming from his useless legs and feet. He pulls his legs up slowly, curling up the best he can.

A deep shiver passes through his body. The darkness behind his closed eyes begins to deepen. He wonders if it’s finally finished. He wonders if he is dying …

…

[I]he walks down a long, blue corridor … he looks left as he walks, looking through the long windows and across the surface of a watery planet … three bright, orange stars shine in the daytime sky … the crystal clear sea is still, looking like glass …

he follows the corridor as it turns left … it is dark, but he sees color and light in the distance … a soft hum … hundreds of multi-colored, neon lights line the corridor’s walls and ceiling …

he comes to a travel gate and looks at the ticket he holds in his bruised and broken hand … there’s a strange symbol on it, written in a dark, dripping liquid … he steps into the gate and a blue light envelopes him … it feels hot … it burns him …

he looks out, across the huge room … a soft sound draws his attention … he turns his head slowly, seeing a huge door to his right … a white-robed figure moves through the open door, disappearing into the darkness beyond …

he walks toward the door … the door moves suddenly, slamming shut, making no sound …

“Seth”

he hears his name, and looks back to the large room … a dark box sits on the floor … he moves closer, looking at the dusty vid-screen … he sits down on the dirty, tiled floor and reaches toward the screen, extending a finger and pressing it into the dust … it is hot … it burns him … he moves his finger, slowly tracing the letter ‘S’ …

the screen glows a cool blue, soothing his pain … he traces an ‘e’ … a dark form starts to appear, behind the dust … he traces a ‘t’ … a woman with dark hair … he traces an ‘h’ …  sparkling, blue eyes …

a beam of white light, bright as the sun, bursts from the screen … he falls backward, blinking, and blinded …[/I]

…

Strong arms pull Seth up, into a sit.

His head falls back and he brings it forward with some difficulty. The entire room is brightly lit. His eyes focus slowly. He sees the merc and his two friends, standing by the passage on the far side of the room. A pair of strong hands holds his shoulders. He turns his head, and finds himself looking at a ghastly face …

The man’s eyes are swollen and dark. His nose is twisted to one side. His face is covered in cuts and burns, dried blood, and dirt. Seth’s eyes widen as he recognizes the man …it was him … his own face, reflected in a dark visor.

His eyes drop, and he sees the badge of the stocky man, squatting beside him. Another mercenary. Seth closes his eyes, trying not to think, trying not to think about what new game might be in store for him.

The mercenary releases one of his battered shoulders, keeping a firm hold on the other.

Seth opens his eyes. He takes a quick breath as he sees the auto-syringe. More drugs, more games, more pain, more terror. He starts to shake and whimper, bracing himself for the rush of the stimulant …

Instead, he hears a voice from behind the visor.

“It’s alright Seth”

The mercenary lays the auto-syringe on the dirty, tiled floor. He reaches to remove his helmet and visor, revealing an almost bald head.

“It’s alright Seth. It’s Mark.”

[B]30  -  Rescue[/B]


?, 2383


Seth stares at the mercenary, not recognizing him.

“I’m going to get you out of here, Seth.” Mark puts his helmet back on and picks up the auto-syringe. He slips his free hand under Seth’s arm, lifting him up as if he were a child. He’d lost more than forty pounds during his stay in the tunnels.

Seth looks back, across the room.

Mark follows his gaze to the crumpled form of the naked man, lying in a corner. “Just you, Seth. He’s not part of the deal.”

Seth’s eyes widen as he sees the mercenary raise the auto-syringe …

“It’s okay Seth. I’m going to put you to sleep. Part of the deal.”

Seth feels a light pressure on his shoulder. He braces himself for the rush of stimulant … instead; a warm, soothing wave passes through him. He takes a long, slow breath as his pain starts to fade.

Mark carries him toward the passage. Seth’s eyes grow heavy. He sees the disgruntled looks on the other merc’s faces as they pass by them. His eyes close, his head, slumping forward. As he slips into unconsciousness, he hears the sound of rusty, metal hinges …

…

Seth opens his eyes slowly. He takes a quick breath, his muscles tensing ,  bright light, another game. His eyes focus and he looks up, looking for the familiar, orange stars.

“Seth?”

… no stars … cool, white light … a light touch on his hand …

“Seth Tarot?”

He turns his eyes to the voice. A woman, dressed in white, looks down at him.

“You’re in the NYC medical center. Please, just try to relax.”

Seth raises his head, looking around. He’s lying on a soft, cushioned, bed. He looks down at his twisted and broken legs and feet. His pain is gone. He wonders if he’s dreaming. A stocky, balding man, wearing a heavy jacket, stands a few feet from the end of the bed, looking at him.

His head falls back onto the soft cushion. He turns his eyes back to the woman in white. She looks at him with a strange combination of concern and disgust. She turns to the stocky man. Her voice is cold …

“I think it would be best to terminate and clone. We’ve checked. He has insurance.”

Seth’s swollen hand reaches up quickly, grabbing the woman’s arm and giving it a weak squeeze. He opens his mouth, managing to croak out a single word … “No!” His hand drops back to his side.

Mark moves from the end of the bed, coming to Seth’s side and leaning close.

Seth speaks in a dry whisper. “No … no clone … [I]please[/I].”

Mark steps back from the bed, looking to the medic. “No cloning. Fix him up.”

She gives Mark a surprised look. “But sir …”

Mark’s voice is dry and firm. “No cloning.”

The medic turns from Mark, looking back to Seth. “Alright. It will take some time, but we’ll … [I]fix him up[/I].”

Seth looks from the medic to Mark. He doesn’t recognize the stocky man, but he sees his eyes, and trusts him. He lets his eyes slide closed.

…

The next day, he was healing quickly, and starting to remember. It was unusual for patients to stay in the medical facility for more than a brief assessment. He and Mark were alone in the ward.

Seth gives Mark a weak smile. “So, you’re a mercenary.”

Mark raises an eyebrow. “I always have been.”

Seth blinks. “But, didn’t you tell me that you had a restaurant, off world?”

Mark shakes his head. “No, I told you that I had a place of my own, off world.”

Seth looks over at the small vid-screen above the medical ward’s doors. The time was displayed, but not the date. “How did you find me Mark? How long was I in the tunnels?”

Mark leans closer, lowering his voice. “Seth, I don’t want anyone to know that it was me that got you out of there. Alright?”

Seth nods.

Mark pauses a moment. “It’s important that you don’t tell the wrong people about your stay with the Creed. I know it’s asking a lot … but it’s over now. It will not happen again. Any interest that the Creed had in you is finished.” He puts a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “It’s finished, Seth. I guarantee it.”

Seth nods again.

Mark sits back in the chair, smiling. “I was passing through the Brooklyn mall a few days ago. I walked past the restaurant and a girl with purple hair ran up to me and…” He stops speaking as the medic approaches.

She stands by the bed. “Mister Tarot, I wanted to make sure that you were awake. There are some LED officers here to see you.”

Mark stands. “I should be going. I’ll see you tomorrow, Seth.”

Seth opens his mouth to speak, but Mark has already turned, walking away. A girl with purple hair. Memories of Jullian come back to him in a wave, washing over him, leaving him with a sudden, desperate longing for her face and her touch.

The medic activates the bed, bringing Seth to a sitting position. “I’ll bring them in.” She turns, walking along the row of empty beds, and disappearing through the ward’s doors.

…

“Seth Tarot?”

Seth nods to the smaller of the two LED officers, standing by the bed. “Yes.”

“Mister Tarot, we’re here in regard to missing person reports filed by two individuals.” The officer glances at his vid-pad. “According to these reports, you’ve been missing for more than three weeks.”

Seth stares at the officer … [I]more than three weeks[/I].

[B]31  -  Sunshine[/B]


May 14, 2383


More than three weeks. Jullian must think he’s dead and gone. His date of acceptance to the LED, past and gone. His room in the residence building … [I]his room in the residence building[/I] … [I]his mother’s papers[/I] …

“Do you know them?”

Seth blinks “I’m sorry. What was that?”

The officer repeats the question. “Jax Trannis and Jullian Veil. Do you know them?”

Seth smiles “Yes. I know them.”

“They both reported that at the time you went missing, you were having some problems with a mercenary cell. The Blood Creed. Is that true?”

Seth takes a closer look at the officer’s badge; special investigations branch. “Yes.”

“Are the Blood Creed responsible for your disappearance, and your present condition?”

Seth nods. “Yes.”

The officer raises an eyebrow. “I’m surprised that you’re alive, Mister Tarot, very surprised.”

Seth looks down at his legs and feet, protruding from the light blue robe he wears. Broken, twisted, burnt, and cut, twenty hours ago, now, only some dark bruising remained. “It was close. I barely escaped.”

“You [I]escaped[/I] from the Blood Creed? Again Mister Tarot, you surprise me.”

Seth goes to speak, but the officer continues.

“We’ll leave you to heal, Mister Tarot. The medical staff has told me that you’ll be released tomorrow afternoon. I know there are things you’ll need to do, but I want you to come see me at my office. LED headquarters in Brooklyn, at 3pm. Ask for Detective Bresh.” He slips the vid-pad into his pocket “Understood, Mister Tarot?”

Seth looks at the detective’s eyes, trying to read some emotion in them. He sees none. “Yes, alright. Of course, Detective Bresh.”

A thin smile comes to the detective’s face, but no emotion comes with it. “Thank you for your cooperation Mister Tarot. If you don’t mind, we won’t let anyone know that we’ve located you until after our meeting, for your own protection, of course. I suggest that you come straight to my office once you’re released.” He turns and walks from the bed.

The other officer gives Seth a quick nod “Sir.” He turns away, following the detective.

…

May 15, 2383


Seth looks at the vid-sreen above the ward’s doors … 1pm. One hour until his release from the medical center. Mark hadn’t come. He watches the ward’s doors, hoping to see him. He wanted to speak with Mark before he met with the detective.

He was nervous about the meeting. He believed strongly in the LED and the work they did for the Dominion. His father had been with the department. If it hadn’t been for his chance encounter with the Creed, he would be among their ranks.

Mark had saved him from days or weeks more torture and eventually, death. He had been a friend to his mother and father. He had honored his mother’s request and delivered her envelope to him when he turned eighteen.

Seth watches the doors. As Mark had asked, he wouldn’t reveal any details of his stay, or his rescue, to anyone. He thinks, trying to anticipate the detective’s questions, and to come up with some believable answers.

…

The open space and fresh air make Seth feel light-headed. He walks slowly, down the steps of the medical center, and flops down on a nearby bench. He looks up at the clear, New York sky, taking a deep breath, and smiling at the feeling of the sun on his face. It felt like an eternity since he’d last seen the sky. He hopes for a clear night, longing to see the stars again.

After a few minutes, he stands, heading for the nearest travel gate. He had to hurry.

…

Seth approaches the residence building. He looks at his student card, knowing that it’s probably expired and cancelled. Even so, he had to get into the building somehow. His mother’s papers were inside.

Halfway up the stairs, he hears a sound behind him ,  a low chuckle that sends a shiver up his spine. He turns quickly, his head snapping from side to side as he scans the street.

… by the corner … a flash of red … a mercenary with a toothy grin …

He stumbles, tripping on the stairs. He falls back, closing his eyes as his elbows make impact with a hard step. He sits up quickly, his heart racing, looking back to the corner, looking up and down the street, back to the corner …

Nothing. No one there.

Seth stands slowly. He takes a deep breath, trying to relax. There was no one there. Just some bad memories from his stay with the Creed, and the drugs. He turns, moving to the doors and raising his pass to the scanner.

To his surprise, the doors slide open.

He walks through the doors and turns, looking at the wall. It was clean, the Blood Creed symbol, washed away without a trace. He continues, turning right into the blue-lit corridor, and on to his room.

Seth touches the pad, entering the room code. The door slides open and he steps inside. Other than, what used to be his and Jax’s beds, the room is completely empty. Seth moves to his closet. He opens the door and looks at the empty shelves.

He sighs and moves to his bed, sitting down and closing his eyes. Anything not removed from student’s residences two weeks after the term, becomes property of the GD. Somehow, he’d have to get his things back.

Seth stands and moves to the door, trying to clear his mind. He had to hurry. He’d just be in time, for his meeting with Detective Bresh.

[B]32  -  Bresh[/B]


May 15, 2383


The young officer smiles “Please follow me, Mister Tarot.”

Seth follows the pretty LED officer. He thinks about Jullian. They follow a long corridor, bustling with activity. He had visited the LED headquarters several weeks ago when he and fellow LED applicants had been given an orientation tour.

They pass a large, glass walled office. A memory flashes back to Seth of the time, ten years ago, when he sat in an office like that, crying.

They come to a door marked SI-4. The officer passes a security card by the scanner and the door slides open, revealing a large room with three desks. Detectives occupy two of them. They glance up from their terminals as Seth follows the officer to an unmarked door on the far side of the room. The door slides open as they approach. The officer steps aside and smiles, motioning Seth inside.

Seth steps into the small office. The sounds of activity in the building disappear as the door closes behind him. It’s dead quiet.

Detective Bresh sits behind a desk. He turns from the terminal. “Mister Tarot. Have a seat.”

Seth sits in one of the two chairs facing the desk.

“Mister Tarot, I know that you were enrolled to join the LED, so I assume you already know that I’m with the special investigations branch.”

Seth nods.

Bresh leans back in his chair. “I’ve been investigating the Blood Creed for three years. Before we begin, I just want to be sure that I’m clear about what happened to you. You were taken by the Blood Creed, you were with them for more than three weeks, and you escaped. Correct?”

Seth feels the emotionless eyes of the detective, watching him closely. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Alright, Mister Tarot.” Bresh turns to the terminal on his desk, touching the screen. “First, I’ll add your record to the others I’ve collected from people who’ve escaped from the Blood Creed.” He looks at the screen for a few moments in silence. “Well, what do you know?” He looks back to Seth and leans forward, across his desk. “There are no other records.”

Seth feels the urge to shift in his chair, but resists it. He looks at the detective, tilting his head slightly.

“The Blood Creed are known to have committed more than three-hundred abductions and murders. No one has ever escaped from them, except to a cloning facility.” Bresh leans back in his chair. “Tell me what happened to you Mister Tarot, from the beginning. How did you get involved with the Blood Creed?”

Seth takes a slow breath. “I was walking into Brooklyn mall and I bumped into a large man, dressed in red. I didn’t even think about it at the time …”

…

Seth tells the detective about his next encounter with the merc, and the unknown wielder of the tazer. He tells him about the symbol he found on the wall of the residence building. He tells him that his plan was to file a report with the LED, but that he went out late, the night before he planned to file it. He tells him that it was raining hard and the merc and one of his friends snuck up and drugged him.

Bresh interrupts. “Where were you going? Late at night, in the rain.”

Seth blinks, silent for a few moments. He suddenly realizes that although the effects that his stay with the Creed had on his body were healed and gone, the effects on his mind were not. There were gaps, nagging gaps in his memory. “I … I don’t remember. I don’t remember much about that day.”

Bresh gives a slight nod.

Seth tells the detective about waking in the darkness. He tells him about the three mercs, the drugs, and the games. He tells him there was another man, imprisoned with him, who is more than likely dead by now.

…

“Part way through a game, the mercs stopped and left quickly. The only thing that I knew for sure about the passage from the room was that it had a metal gate at the end of it. I’d hear it open and close each time the mercs came and went. This time, I didn’t hear it close. It was dark, but I dragged myself into the passage. I found the gate and it was open. I remember seeing light ahead … then, I woke up in the medical center.”

The detective raises an eyebrow. “So you dragged yourself to the medical center?”

While in hospital, Seth had asked the medic how he got there. She had told him that he was found in the street, about four blocks from the medical center. Two NYC maintenance workers had found him and brought him in. Mark had been smart, leaving him there and waiting until the next day to visit.

Seth shakes his head. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

Bresh looks at the terminal. “The medical report says that you were found a few blocks from the hospital. In your condition, you couldn’t have gone very far on your own.” He turns back to Seth. “I haven’t been able to locate the Blood Creed’s base of operations. You may be my best clue yet. We’ve started an extensive search in a ten block area around the place you were found.”

Bresh stands. “I’m sure you want to get home, Mister Tarot. I may be calling on you again.”

Seth stands, both surprised, and relieved that the detective had asked so few questions. He thinks about mentioning that his father was with the force, but decides against it. He feels uncomfortable in the small office, and he longs to see Jullian. “Of course, Detective Bresh.” He hears the door slide open behind him and turns toward it.

“Mister Tarot?”

Seth turns back to the detective.

“The Blood Creed won’t be happy that you escaped. We’ll be watching you for a while … for your own protection.”
   
…

It’s 4:30 in the afternoon when Seth enters the mall.

He takes a deep breath, sure that he can already smell the pizza from the level below. Jullian would almost be finished her shift. He walks down the ramp, past the marketing terminals, and rounds the corner to the restaurant.

Jullian isn’t there. A young man stands behind the counter. Seth has never seen him before. He feels his heart, beating fast. He approaches the counter and asks the young man about Jullian.

The man touches the screen behind him “Night shift. She starts at nine.”

Seth sighs with relief and thanks the man. He’d go to Tokyo, to Jullian’s apartment.

…

Seth stares at the pad on the Tokyo apartment terminal, his mind, drawing a blank. He was sure that he’d known Jullian’s apartment number, and the code. She’d told them to him when they decided that he would move in with her. She’d told him the codes and told him to remember them … that he [I]had[/I] to remember them. No … that wasn’t Jullian. He takes a quick breath as a memory comes back to him …

… waking to a strange, blue light … a face on his vid-screen … Tristan’s face … apartment codes … codes that he had to remember …

Something hits the floor behind him. Seth jumps at the sound, turning quickly. Several containers of soda and two small boxes, bearing the logo of a Tokyo sushi restaurant, lay at the feet of a pretty, purple haired woman.

“[I]Seth[/I]!”

[B]33  -  Home[/B]


May 15, 2383


Seth looks at her eyes, seeing surprise, and a little fear in them. His cuts, bruises, and burns were gone, but it would take time for him to get his weight back. He looked different, his face, very thin.

Jullian’s eyes grow wet. Her voice is a whisper. “[I]Seth[/I].”

He goes to her, stepping around the scattered groceries. Jullian reaches out, and he pulls her into a tight embrace. She hugs him, crying softly and pressing her face against him. He feels her warm tears on his chest, and his own warm tears on his face.

…

They sit on the couch, talking quietly. It was just after dark. Jullian had called the restaurant and cancelled her shift.

He had told her about his abduction in the rain. He had told her that he didn’t remember many details of his stay with the Creed. There was no reason to upset her with any talk about the games. He had told her about waking up in the hospital, the visit from the LED, and his interview with detective Bresh.

Seth shakes his head. “No Jullian, it’s over. They’ve had their revenge. We’re even now.”

She puts a hand on his arm, her eyes, full of concerned. “But Seth, the Blood Creed never …”

He takes her hand. “Jullian, please, trust me. It’s over now for good.”

She seems to take comfort in his words, managing a small smile. She leans over, resting her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I don’t have any pizza here. When you first disappeared, I’d bring a pizza home every night, always hoping …” She pauses taking a slow breath. “Then, after three weeks went by, I thought I’d lost you.”

She turns her head up to Seth and he leans down, giving her a long, warm kiss.

Jullian smiles “How about another soda?”

Seth had savored the first soda. It had been weeks since he’d had something sweet to drink. “I’d love one.”

Jullian walks into the kitchen area. Seth leans back on the couch and looks to the window, and the stars. Something catches his eye on the small shelf to the left. It’s a small, framed hologram. A graduation plaque. [I]His[/I] graduation plaque.

He stands and moves to the window, picking up the plaque to confirm its identity. Jullian comes back into the room and he turns to her “My graduation plaque.”

Jullian sits the soda on the low table and smiles, motioning toward the door behind her. “In here.” She turns, walking through the door.

Seth blinks and follows Jullian into the bedroom. Several transport boxes sit stacked in a corner.

Jullian takes his hand, giving it a squeeze. “All your things are here, Seth. When you didn’t come back after a couple of weeks, I knew that you’d lose your residence room. So, with some help from your roommate, I brought everything here.”

Seth turns to her, looking down at her pretty face. Three weeks of darkness and pain had dulled his senses and feelings. Now, a sudden wave of emotion takes his voice away as he opens his mouth to speak, to thank her, to tell her how much he loves her.

Julian reaches up, caressing his thin face in her soft hands and smiling. “I missed you Seth. I missed you so much.”

Seth takes Jullian in his arms, kissing her passionately. They move together, falling back onto the bed …

…

[I]he raises his arms, flying down the ramp … he stops at the bottom, feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder … he looks up into the smiling face of his mother … she takes his hand and they walk to the restaurant …

the mall is empty, but someone is sitting at his favorite table … a man, wearing red, stands behind the counter … he sits down and his mother orders pizza … he looks over to his favorite table … the man sitting there turns to him, his face, swollen, burnt, and bloody …[/I]

…

“Seth!”

He opens his eyes, breathing heavily and sweating.

Jullian sits on the bed beside him, looking down at him “Seth, are you alright?”

“Just a bad dream. I’m alright.”

She leans down, and kisses his forehead before lying back down and snuggling at his side.

…


May 16, 2383


Seth sorts through the transport boxes, finding places for his things. It felt good to be in his own clothes again. He finds his mother’s envelope in one of the boxes. Its contents are intact. He places the envelope at the back of one of the two storage-drawers that Jullian had made his.

He thinks about Tristan. He shakes his head, knowing that there was no chance that he’d remember the apartment information she gave him that night. He remembers what she said about his parents … [I]they aren’t dead, they’re flying[/I]. How would he find her again? How would she find him?

Jullian calls from the main room. “Seth?”

Seth leaves the bedroom, finding Jullian sitting at the vid-screen terminal. She looks over to him. “I got a notice from the LED missing persons department. Guess what?”

He gives her a curious look. “What?”

“You’ve been found.” she smiles, giggling.

Seth laughs and goes to her, planting a kiss on the top of her head. She looks up at him, still smiling. “Oh, in case you’re interested, I knew you’d lose access to your terminal, so I had all your mail forwarded here.”

Seth sits down beside her. “You’re amazing Jullian. Thanks again.” He reaches for the terminal, entering his password.

Jullian stands. “I’ll give you some privacy.”

He takes her arm, pulling her back onto the couch beside him. “You stay right here.” He gives her a smile. “I don’t get much mail, probably just be a dozen notices of eviction from the residence building.”

A list of 81 messages appears on the screen. Seth scrolls through them quickly. Advertisements, a notice of cancellation of his enrollment to the LED, several ‘warning of impending eviction’ notices, several ‘last warning of impending eviction’ notices, several actual eviction notices …

He feels a shiver pass through him as he looks at the header of the next message. It was from Dolly Incorporated. He touches the screen …


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[B]April 21, 2383

Mr. Seth Tarot,

You have recently filed a lawsuit against Dolly Inc.

Before you take these matters further, we feel it only right to inform you that similar suits have been filed in the past, without success, and at great expense.

As you must know, according to our GD charter, citizens who decide to use our cloning technology, do so at their own risk. Dolly Inc. is not to be held responsible for the very small number of accidents that have occurred over the course of millions, and soon to be billions, of successful cloning processes.

Dolly Inc. technology is among the most proven and safe in the Global Dominion.

If you do not withdraw your suit within fourteen days of issue of this note, we will proceed with the filing.

Legal Department
Dolly Incorporated[/B]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jullian turns to him “Seth?”

He stares at the screen in disbelief. “I have to see Carry, right away.”

[B]34  -  Connection[/B]


May 16, 2383


Jullian frowns. “But, I thought you said that you weren’t going to file a lawsuit?”

Seth stares at the screen, shaking his head. “I didn’t file it.”

“But how …”

“I don’t know. I have to speak to Carry.”  He looks to Jullian. “Would you mind if I call her from here?”

Jullian hesitates a moment. “No, I don’t mind.” She reaches past Seth, touching the screen to bring up her personal directory. She touches the screen a second time and stands, moving from the couch as the call connects.

Seth looks back to the screen. He wasn’t sure what he’d say to Carry. He wanted to talk, not to meet. After his strange experience, last visit, he didn’t want to go back to her penthouse if he could avoid it.

A system message appears …

[B]Connection Failed - Unknown Contact Number[/B]

He blinks “Jullian?”

She sits down on the couch and looks at the screen. “She changed her number. It’s not unusual. She usually changes it every couple of weeks.”

“Let me check something.” Seth touches the screen. “My saved messages were transferred when you had my mail forwarded here. I still have Carry’s message with her penthouse number and the entry code.”

“Are you going there?”

He leans over, giving her a kiss and a smile. “I have to. She’s got me in some serious trouble with Dolly Incorporated.”

Julian looks away for a moment, looking like she’s fighting some indecision. She turns back to Seth, her eyes not quite meeting his. “Do you want me to come with you?”

He feels her discomfort. “No Jullian. Thanks for the offer. I’ll speak to Carry.”

Seth regrets his words as he speaks them. He really would like her to come with him, to be with him. He sees the look of relief in her eyes as they meet his.

…

Seth steps from the gate and walks quickly, through the main district of Aquatica. He reaches the apartment terminals, enters Carry’s apartment number, and presses the call icon. There’s no response.

He hesitates. Carry would know who was calling, simply by looking at her screen. Perhaps she was avoiding him. He had the penthouse entry code… No, not yet.

He turns from the terminal. A man, dressed in a light colored suit, stands by the entrance to the apartments. The man turns away quickly, and disappears into the passage.

Seth blinks, feeling uneasy. Detective Bresh said that he would be watched. Perhaps the man was an undercover officer, but he looked familiar somehow.

…

“Hello Jullian.” Seth smiles at the pretty face on the screen of the public call terminal.

“Hi Seth. Where are you?”

“I’m still on Aquatica. Carry doesn’t seem to be home. Had you seen her recently?”

Jullian pauses a moment, thinking. “About a week after you disappeared, I saw her at a Guardian rally in Manhattan, but not since.”

Seth sighs and smiles. “Alright, I think I’ll wait a while. Maybe she’ll show up. I’ll see you at the restaurant later.”

“Seth …” Jullian hesitates, biting her lower lip. “I’ll get in touch with my mother. She’ll know where Carry is. Call me again in about fifteen minutes.”

His smile grows. “Thanks Jullian. I’d like to meet your mother some day.”

“You’ve already met her. Talk to you soon.”

Seth blinks as the screen goes dark. Already met her?

…

“Thank you, sir.”

Seth smiles at the woman behind the counter and picks up his cola, taking it to a table by the windows.

He takes a sip and looks out across the water, letting his mind wander. What had Carry done? She’d shown him some legal documents, but he didn’t agree to help. He didn’t sign anything. Carry knew his parents, and had given him some information about his father that his mother had never mentioned. He had been with the Secret Service Branch. She talked about documents, but he can’t see how the contents of his mother’s envelope have anything to do with the Dolly Factor.

He needed to find Tristan. He didn’t have time to play Carry’s games. If he couldn’t find Carry today, he’d have to go to Dolly Incorporated himself, without really knowing what was going on.

Seth stands from the table. It was time to call Jullian. As he leaves the restaurant, he catches sight of a man in the distance. The man in the light colored suit.

…

“Seth, Carry is dead. She’s perma-dead.”

Seth looks at Jullian’s image in silence.

“About two weeks ago.”

He finds his voice. “But, how?”

Jullian shakes her head. “I don’t know. Come home Seth.”

He nods slowly “Alright Jullian. I won’t be long.”

She manages a small smile. “Please hurry.”

Seth turns from the public call screen, and heads for the apartment terminals. He didn’t want to do this. The penthouse codes he had probably wouldn’t work anyway. But just in case they did, he had to try. Carry was gone. He had to try to find out more. He steps up to the terminal, hesitates a moment, and enters the codes.

…

There is a smell.

Daylight streams through the large windows, overlooking the Aquatica Sea.

Seth walks across the large room. A chair lies on its side. A small shelving unit lays toppled, beside it. He looks at the vid-terminal. An alert blinks on and off, indicating waiting mail and messages.

He turns from the screen, looking around the room. Why was everything still here? Jullian said that Carry had died two weeks ago. Why had nobody come to clean out the penthouse? And the smell …

He hesitates a moment before moving to the door, leading to the room where he last spoke to Carry. He touches the pad and the door slides open. It’s dark, but the light from the main room streams in. The smell almost overpowers him.

The room is burnt and scorched. Charred paper and ash form a thick carpet on the floor. Metallic shelving units remain on the walls, their contents reduced to small, dark piles.

Seth steps into the room. He walks slowly, his steps causing small clouds of ash to take to the air. A few steps in, he looks to the back of the room. The safe is open, its contents burnt. He turns back, leaving the room and coughing as he feels the ash in his nose and throat. He touches the pad, closing the door. He needed to get out, needed to get some fresh air.

Seth walks quickly to the penthouse gate, leaving dark, sooty footprints on the rich, blue carpeting. He stops suddenly, staring at a nearby wall.
 
There is a small, crudely painted symbol in a rusty brown. [I]The Blood Creed[/I].

[B]35  -  Burnt[/B]


May 16, 2383


“Why? Why didn’t Carry have a clone?”

Seth stands by the apartment window, looking out across Tokyo. His voice sounds distant. “Because she wanted to … stay pure.” He turns to Jullian, seeing her expression of sadness and confusion.

“Seth, please tell me. [I]Please[/I], tell me what’s going on.”

He walks to the couch and sits close to her. He takes her hand and she gives a little squeeze.

Seth starts from the beginning. He tells her what he remembers about the time before his mother’s death, about his mother’s envelope and the schematics and code inside.

Jullian interrupts. “That was the code you showed Trinn in the restaurant?”

Seth nods. He tells her about the unusual streak of cloning accidents, Carry’s information that his father had evidence against Dolly Inc that he had passed to his mother, Carry’s evidence that the cloning process was contaminating the human gene pool, and the Dolly Factor.

Jullian looks down, sitting in silence, trying to work through the pieces of Seth’s story.

“Now, any information Carry had about Dolly Incorporated and my parents is burnt and gone.”

She looks up. “[I]Burnt[/I]? What do you mean?”

“After I spoke to you, I tried Carry’s penthouse code, and went inside. Her records room was burnt. Everything in it was destroyed.”

Jullian shakes her head slowly. “Why would someone do that?”

He decides not to mention the Blood Creed symbol. “I don’t know why. It’s strange that the penthouse hadn’t been cleaned up, considering that Carry died two weeks ago.”

“Something’s wrong Seth.” She glances at the vid-screen, biting her lower lip. “I have to go to work soon. Would you like to speak to my mother?”

Seth tilts his head. “You said I’d met her.”

Jullian gives him a small smile. “You saw her when we were walking in Brooklyn. Remember Sylvian? I’ll set up a meeting for you.”

…

Seth stands outside of the Guardian’s headquarters, his second trip to Aquatica that day. The building’s architecture matched that of the other structures of Aquatica, flowing, like water. He imagined that it was probably built shortly after the colonization. It was a huge building, but not at all imposing.

He enters, and is greeted by a young man wearing the traditional, white robe.

…

The office is small and blue in color. No desk, just four chairs and a vid-terminal on a low pedestal. Jullian must have inherited her father’s looks. Sylvian shared none of Jullian’s features, except, perhaps her eyes.

Seth hands Sylvian a small piece of paper with Carry’s penthouse codes written on it.

Sylvian looks at the paper. “I’m sure that Carry’s penthouse was cleaned out the day that we confirmed she was dead.” She turns to the vid-terminal, entering the codes. “Well, I see what the problem is. This isn’t Carry’s penthouse.”

Seth blinks, shifting in his chair. “I’ve been there twice. The first time was at Carry’s invitation. We spoke there.”

She looks at him for a few moments and turns back to the screen. “All I can tell you is that this penthouse isn’t registered to anyone.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t understand.”

Sylvian blanks out the screen, turning to him. “You mentioned that the penthouse was burnt?”

Seth nods “The records room. All Carry’s records were destroyed.”

She leans closer to him. “What kinds of records, Seth?”

“There were literally hundreds …”

Sylvian raises a brow.

“… the only ones I was shown were the research on Dolly Incorporated, and the Dolly factor.”

He’s surprised by the blank look in her eyes. Carry had told him that very few people knew of the Dolly factor. Sylvian was rank six. He’d assumed that she would be one of those few.

She sits back. “Seth, would you mind if I held onto these apartment codes. I’d like to look into this, for Carry’s sake.”

“I don’t mind. Perhaps you could do me a favor in return.”

Sylvian gives him a pleasant smile. “What can the Guardians do for you?”

“Well, it’s about a lawsuit …

…

Seth looks at the brightly colored menu, above the restaurant counter. “One large order of sushi please, to go.”

The woman turns, and disappears behind a dark blue curtain. She returns with a box containing a dozen small, colorful lumps. Seth looks at them in silence for a few moments before realizing that she’s waiting for his approval. Well, it looked like sushi. He hoped that Jullian would like it.

“Oh, yes. Those are fine. Thank you.”

Seth pays for the sushi and leaves the restaurant, heading for Aquatica’s travel gates. He keeps a careful watch as he walks. No sign of the man in the light colored suit. He reaches the travel terminals and pulls out his UC card. Fast footsteps approach from behind him, and a familiar voice …

“Mister Tarot.”

Seth turns, finding himself looking at a large, blue vest. He looks up into the eyes of an equally large, LED officer. The officer steps back and Detective Bresh steps from behind him.

“Mister Tarot, I need you to come to my office. An urgent matter.”

Seth takes a long, slow breath. “Yes, of course.”

Bresh looks at the box, tucked under Seth’s arm. “I see you like sushi. Never cared for it myself.”

Seth sighs.

…

The office is dead quiet.

Bresh sits back in his chair, looking across the desk. “Mister Tarot, I told you that we’d be watching you for your own protection. What were you doing on Aquatica?”

Seth looks for any sign of emotion or intent in the detective’s eyes, but as usual, he finds none. “I was visiting a member of the Guardians, a relative of a friend of mine.”

Bresh shakes his head. “No, it’s your first trip there, earlier today that I’m interested in. Your visit to the apartment complex.”

[B]36  -  Justice[/B]


May 16, 2383


Seth hesitates.

Bresh raises an eyebrow. “You entered the apartment complex earlier today, correct?”

“Well, yes, I …”

Bresh interrupts. “Let me tell you what we know about your visit. Then you can fill in the details.” He turns to the screen, his voice a droning monotone. “You visited a penthouse. The penthouse code is unregistered and it has no registered owner. You were inside for less than five minutes. Your entrance and exit wasn’t logged in the local system.”

“After some deep system tracking, officers entered the penthouse approximately an hour after you’d left. They noted a strong, burnt smell, a few signs of disturbance in the main room, and a set of dark footprints leading from a side room to the penthouse’s travel gate. The side room had been ‘burnt out’. Some evidence of a flash-burn device was found. There was a symbol on the wall near the penthouse gate, a Blood Creed symbol.” He turns back to Seth.

Seth shifts in his chair. “Yes, I was there, but …”

Bresh interrupts again. “Mister Tarot, before you say anything, I want you to know that I’m going to be holding you here for a while.”

Seth blinks. “Why?”

The detective leans closer to Seth, lowering his voice. “Because, you know what, Mister Tarot? I believe that five minutes is plenty of time to flash-burn a room and paint a symbol on a wall.”

Seth shakes his head, stunned by the accusation.

Bresh leans back in his chair. “Now, is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

Seth speaks slowly, trying to sound calm in spite of the tightness in his stomach. “I was visiting an old friend of my mother’s, concerning some legal matters. She had sent me the codes for the penthouse, some time ago. I arrived, and there was no one there. The side room was already burnt. I went into the burnt room and came back out. They’re my footprints. I left quickly. I noticed the symbol on my way out.”

“You saw the Blood Creed symbol?” Bresh raises a brow.

“Yes, I saw it.”

Bresh shakes his head. “I’m [I]disappointed[/I], Mister Tarot. After your previous encounter with the Creed, and with you knowing how dedicated I am to stopping them, I’m disappointed you didn’t come straight to me. Instead, you went visiting, and food shopping.”

Seth takes a nervous glance at the sushi box in his lap. “It’s for my girlfriend.”

Bresh leans forward quickly, raising his voice, causing Seth to sit back in his chair. “Mister Tarot, I want you to know something. I don’t trust you. The story of your abduction and subsequent escape from the Creed just doesn’t fit. Now we have you visiting a burnt-out, unregistered penthouse where a Creed symbol is found.”

Bresh stands. He touches a pad on the desk console and speaks toward it. “Officer Ganther, you can come into my office now.” He looks at Seth. “I think it might be in your best interest to just keep quiet for now. No need to dig the hole any deeper. I’ll have more information in a few hours. Then we’ll talk again, after you’ve had a chance to retain some legal representation.”

Seth hears the office door slide open behind him, bringing the sounds of the office beyond, into the silent room. He looks into the detective’s dead eyes. “Detective Bresh, what exactly am I charged with?”

“Suspicion of conspiracy to obstruct justice, Mister Tarot.” Bresh sits down and turns away, looking at the screen. 

Officer Ganther takes Seth’s arm, guiding him up from the chair and out of the office.

…

The holding cell was small, but comfortable; a bed, small bathroom with a sink and toilet, and a vid-screen in the wall showing the Dominion news broadcasts. A large, clear window in the door looks out across a white hallway. He knew that Demorgan’s Castle, the Dominion’s prison planet, had no such amenities. He sits on the bed, staring at the screen, not quite able to believe the situation he’d found himself in.

Seth shakes his head and lies back on the bed, looking up at the white ceiling. He tries to relax. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He wasn’t involved in any ‘conspiracy’. He had lied to Detective Bresh though, lied to protect Mark. There might be a price to be paid for that.

He turns his head to the vid-screen and then, to the door. A line of young officers files past the window. They look into the holding cell as they pass. Seth sits up quickly, jumping from the bed and moving to the door as he sees a familiar face looking in at him.

Jax gives Seth a curious look, and a grin.

Seth smiles “Jax!” He realizes that he hears no sound coming from beyond the window. It’s soundproofed. A small com pad is built into the door below the window, but there’s no way to activate it from inside the cell.

Jax glances up the line of officers and looks back to Seth. He brings his face closer to the window and slowly mouths the words, ‘I’ll … be …back’.

Seth nods and moves back to the bed as the officers continue to file by. He lies back, and waits.

…

“Seth.”

Seth sits up, hearing a soft, but familiar voice. Jax is back at the window, looking rather nervous. He no longer wears his LED uniform, instead, a familiar dark jacket.

Seth moves to the door. “Hello Jax.”

Jax puts a finger to his lips. “Shhhhh!”

Seth realizes his voice is being sent through the com, and out into the hallway. He whispers, “It’s good to see you, Jax.”

Jax smiles, speaking softly. “You too, buddy. Jullian let me know you were back and healthy.” He narrows his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“A misunderstanding about my abduction by the Creed.” Seth manages a small grin. “I’ll get it straightened out.”

Jax glances up and down the hallway. “Well, if you say so, buddy. I can’t hang around. I’m not supposed to be here. As soon as you get out of there, we have to get together. Jullian has my number.”

Seth nods. “Alright Jax. I’ll see you soon. Please, let Jullian know where I am, and that I’m just fine.”

“Will do, buddy.”

Jax turns away and disappears down the hallway. Seth sighs and moves back to the bed, thinking about Jullian, and how much he wished he were with her.

“Seth.” Jax was back at the door.

Seth returns to the window.

Jax glances up the corridor. “Almost forgot, in case we don’t get a chance to talk for a while. I was on a training exercise on Pegasi 51 a couple of weeks ago, and I met someone who was looking for you.” He shrugs. “Don’t know how she knew who I was. Never seen her before. She took off without telling me her name. If she finds you,” Jax’s evil grin appears, “you can introduce me. She’s hot. Those deep, blue eyes.”

[B]37  -  Ashes[/B]


May 16, 2383


Seth stares up at the white ceiling of the cell. So, Tristan was still looking for him or, at least, she had been two weeks ago. Jax had seen her on Pegasi. That’s where he’d seen her too. It seemed so long ago.

The lights in the cell dim suddenly and the vid-screen goes dark. Seth sits up on the bed, looking toward the door. Through the window, he sees the lights are still bright in the hallway beyond. He lies back again, realizing that it must be the signal for bedtime.

He thinks about Jullian. He feels tired and drained, but his mind buzzes. Sleep seems far away …

…

[I]he sits up from the bed …  it’s dark … a strong, burnt smell fills the cell …a strange, blue light comes from the screen, mounted in the wall …

he moves to the door and takes hold of the bars … the loud squeal of rusty hinges echoes through the hallway beyond as he pulls the gate open … he steps into the blue hallway … ahead, it turns left …

the man who was his companion in the Creed’s tunnels stands by the corner, his dark eyes, wide in his bruised and swollen face … the man disappears around the corner …

he follows … the burnt smell grows stronger, and the smell of paper … ahead, the man stands by a large door with a crudely painted symbol… the man raises a hand to the door, slowly pushing it open … the man’s hand makes a sizzling sound as it burns … he steps past the man, through the door …

the room is burnt out … he wades through waist high ashes … he looks up … three, dull orange moons glow in the distance …

he stops suddenly, plunging his hand and arm down, into the ashes … a cloud of ash rises and he holds his breath, blinking it from his eyes … he pulls his arm up… in his hand is a small, white square … a small, square piece of paper, pristine and unsoiled … he stares at the paper as the ash cloud settles … there are words …

CARRY MATTICE
54821-548-6557

Dinner at seven
Jullian

a dark, red stain appears in the center of the paper … it grows slowly, washing over the words …[/I]

…


May 17, 2383

Seth wakes to the sound of the cell’s door sliding opening. He lifts his head to see a large figure, filling the cell’s doorway.

Officer Ganther steps in “Mister Tarot.”

Seth sits up, swinging his legs over the bedside. He wipes the small beads of sweat from his forehead.

“Detective Bresh is ready to talk to you.”

He follows the officer.

…

The office door slides shut. Bresh looks across the desk at Seth.

“Mister Tarot.”

Seth blinks as he catches a rare glimpse of emotion in the detective’s eyes; disappointment.

Bresh turns to the screen. “We have the results of some tests. The ash and flash-burn traces are at least two weeks old. The Creed symbol has been there at least that long. The footprints were yours, but they were quite recent.” Bresh touches the screen, bringing up more information. “There were two small flecks of blood found on the carpet in the main room. They were matched as belonging to Carry Mattice, who has been declared perma-dead. They’ve been there for at least two weeks.”

He turns to Seth. “Carry Mattice’s body was found eighteen days ago, in a deserted part of the northern sector of Aquatica. She was cut up pretty badly.”

Seth stares at the office floor, remembering Carry, and her plea for help against Dolly Incorporated. He looks up as he feels the detective’s gaze.

“I suppose that this, Carry Mattice, was the old friend of your mother’s you were visiting?”

Seth nods. “Yes.”

“So your mother’s old friend had some dealings with the Blood Creed, leading to her death. You’ve had some dealings with the Blood Creed, and you just happen to visit an unregistered penthouse to visit this old friend concerning some ‘legal advice’.”

The detective turns his head up, staring at the ceiling for a few moments. Seth shifts in his chair as Bresh looks back to him “Quite a coincidence Mister Tarot.” He stands from his chair. “Of course, I can’t hold you here on a coincidence, can I? You may go, Mister Tarot, until we meet again.”

Bresh touches the desk’s com pad. “Ganther …”

Seth takes a breath. “Detective Bresh, I don’t believe that Carry had any dealings with the Blood Creed.”

Bresh glances at Seth. “Hold on Ganther.” He sits back in his chair.

“Detective, I don’t remember a lot of what happened while the Creed held me prisoner. From time to time, memories come back …” Seth swallows. “When I was captured, I had a piece of paper with me. It had Carry Mattice’s name and com number on it. I remember them asking about her. I told them she was a friend. I think that’s what led them to her.”

Bresh is silent for a few moments “Her com number? That wouldn’t explain how they would get the access codes to an unregistered penthouse though, would it?”

Seth shakes his head slowly. “I’d written the access code on the back of the note.”

“If it was you the Creed had a problem with, why would they murder Carry Mattice?”

“I don’t know.”

Bresh stands. “In any case Mister Tarot, I expect you to pass on any more of these [I]returning memories[/I] you might have.” He fixes Seth in his expressionless gaze. “Your friend is perma-dead, let’s stop this here.”

…

Seth follows the large officer through the LED headquarters. He glances around, thinking he might see Jax. They reach the exit doors. Seth moves to the doors quickly, seeing the bright sun of a Brooklyn morning beyond them.

“Mister Tarot.”

He stops, turning back to the sound of Officer Ganther’s voice. Ganther steps into a door on the right of the long entrance hallway. He emerges a few seconds later, carrying a brightly colored box.

He hands the box to Seth “Your sushi.”

Just a note to anyone who was reading the story and is wondering what happened.

The chapters are long and the forum's spam filter decides to hold on to them from time to time. I posted a new chapter, back in December that still hasn't shown up.

In any case I'll continue the story when / if the problem gets sorted.


Pezz

The spambot is jealous of your undeniable skill .