‘How do we get close enough to the GS one hundred to speak to them?’ Laura said.
The meeting with Stephen and the representatives had wrapped up and Bill had ordered the vehicle to drive him and Laura back to their apartment.
It was getting dark when the car pulled up outside a block that overlooked New Belgrave Square. On his first mission to investigate the Indigenes, Bill had been posted to one of the apartments there. Back then the area had suffered with issues ranging from waste to rent-dodging tenants. While the park and the surrounding replica nineteenth-century houses hadn’t changed much, management of the area had improved. He and Laura had looked at several apartments in New London but none overlooked a park—something Laura wanted to be near. They had secured a penthouse apartment on the west side of the park, double in size to his old lookout apartment two blocks down.
‘I thought we’d figure that out over a late dinner,’ said Bill. He grabbed his bag. ‘I’m hoping that if we turn up, they’ll have to see us. Plus, I’ve spoken to Tanya before about ITF matters so it shouldn’t look suspicious.’
‘The last time you met with her, she and the others still looked human. Neither of us has seen them since they ramped up their genetic experiments. We have no idea what the changes have done to them.’
Bill exited the car and Laura did the same. ‘Look, we won’t know how they’ve altered until we see them. But given everything that’s happening, I think we should find out.’
He closed the door and the self-driving car drove off to park in the apartment block’s underground space.
People passed them in the street.
Bill ushered Laura to the main door. ‘Let’s finish this discussion upstairs.’
He had no desire to discuss such sensitive matters in public.
Their block had a set of stairs and no turbo lift. Laura jogged up the five flights of stairs while Bill followed, wishing for an easier way to the top. Just two apartments existed on the top floor and they owned both of them. Laura unlocked the door using her identity chip. Bill followed her inside the double-sized space.
A noise assaulted them. ‘Welcome home, Mr and Mrs Taggart.’
It was the avatar on the Light Box.
Laura thumped him on the arm. ‘I thought you changed that.’
He rubbed the spot where she’d hit him. ‘What, you don’t like your new title?’
‘So, I’m a label now? I’ve lost all my individuality?’
‘Yes. I own you now, Mrs Taggart.’
Laura grinned and thumped him a second time, but the pain was worth it to see his beautiful wife’s smile.
‘The day I lose my individuality will be the day I become just like one of those GS one hundred. That’s not why I agreed to marry you, Mr Taggart.’
‘Then it must have been for my insatiable love-making skills, or my ability to ruin dinner. Or my witty conversations. Take your pick.’
‘Yeah, the last one.’
Laura stepped close enough that he could smell her perfume. He buried his nose in her neck and inhaled. A giggle erupted from her.
‘I love it when you wear that scent,’ he said.
The perfume was an exotic blend of native white and blue flowers from Exilon 5—his first wife Isla’s favourite flower. The scent connected the only two women he’d ever loved.
Bill nuzzled Laura’s neck again. ‘We can skip dinner if you’d like.’
She giggled again and made a half-hearted attempt to pull away. ‘I sense your intentions aren’t honourable.’
‘I hope not.’
‘Normally I would give in to you—you’re an impossible man to refuse—but with this meeting looming over our heads I wouldn’t be able to concentrate.’
Bill kept kissing her neck and worked up to her lips. He pressed his lips to hers until she groaned. ‘When you’re right you’re right. My new wife distracted me.’
‘Ugh.’
Laura twisted again to escape his clutches.
He held on tighter. ‘You don’t like being my wife?’
‘No, I love it. Turns out it’s the same life as before. Go figure. But I’m not used to the “wife” label yet.’
‘But I’m your husband, so I get the same label.’
Laura perked up at that. ‘Yeah, I forgot about that. Hmmm...’ She pointed to the kitchen. ‘Husband, make me something to eat.’
Bill mock-bowed and scurried to the kitchen. It contained an oven they never used, a replicator and a H2O machine.
‘Of course, wife.’
He punched in numbers on the replicator and removed a plate of chicken and rice. Then he replicated a second one and set both down on the kitchen table. Laura stood by the entrance to the kitchen with her arms folded.
‘I’ll need something to wash all that down.’ She nodded at him. ‘Get me something to drink.’
Bill filled two glasses of water from the H2O machine and set them down on the table. ‘Anything else, wife?’
She stared at the glasses. ‘Did I say you could get something for yourself?’
Bill played the submissive role. ‘I’m sorry, wife. I assumed it would be okay, since I’m bigger and stronger than you and I need to keep up my strength.’
Laura lifted a brow. ‘Stronger? Are you sure?’
She sat down at the table and prepared to arm wrestle.
‘Now?’ Bill looked at the plates of food. ‘But I’ve been slaving away in the kitchen all evening.’
‘Yes, now.’
Laura pushed both plates off to one side. Bill grinned and set his elbow on the table.
He gripped her firm hand and steeled his grip against hers, waiting for her command. ‘Ready? Go.’
He pushed against her arm. It felt like an immovable rock.
‘How long are you going to draw out my humiliation?’ he said. ‘You’re emasculating me.’
Laura winked at him. ‘As long as it takes until I’m satisfied.’
Bill’s arm strained against hers but it didn’t budge. ‘Could we hurry this along please? I’m starving.’
Laura sighed. ‘Okay.’
She gave one quick push and his arm yielded with the slightest of pressure. The first time they’d arm wrestled like this was just after Stephen had turned her fully into an Indigene. She’d nearly put his arm through the table. As half-Indigene half-human, her strength was no less impressive.
‘I give in, O mighty wife.’
‘And so you should, husband.’ She stretched across the table and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Did I hurt you?’
Her voice was soft.
‘Only my pride, love.’
They pulled the back the plates and Bill carved off a piece of chicken too big for his mouth and ate it. When he got this hungry, his manners took a back seat.
‘Do you think you’ll get a read on them tonight?’
Laura squirmed in her seat. ‘I’ve no idea. As humans, maybe, but if their experiments succeeded who knows what they can do? Let’s just wait and see.’
She cut a piece of chicken and popped it in her mouth.
‘Anton says the cave they occupy has the highest density of omicron rock on the surface.’ Omicron was mostly found below the surface. ‘Because of its soundproofing ability, the Indigenes have been unable to get a read on their thoughts or activities.’
Laura nodded and cut another piece of chicken. ‘And this new environ they’ve built. What do we know about that?’
‘Only that its location is directly over one of the tranquillity caves. There’s a high concentration of gamma rock.’
‘So, they’re using the gamma rock to amplify something, maybe the power they’re stealing?’
Bill shrugged and raked his fork through his rice. ‘I can’t see what else they’d need it for. But the real question is why steal the power? I mean, they could probably make their own, build their own solar plant. But their actions indicate urgency.’
‘Does the omicron rock also mask the environ?’ said Laura.
‘Anton says the gamma rock concentration is so strong it amplifies anything within a five-mile radius. That covers the environ and the area surrounding their caves.’
‘Do we know what abilities they might have? Are they telepathic? Will they see us coming? How fast are they?’
‘Neither Anton nor Stephen can confirm that. We’re flying blind on this one, I’m afraid. I’m hoping Simon Shaw still recognises me so we can use our prior connection to talk rationally.’
‘So, remind me why you and I volunteered to go alone?’
‘Because, one, I trust you to keep us both safe and pull us out of there if you sense trouble. And two, because it’s Simon.’
Laura stared at her plate. ‘Do you think he’ll remember you?’
Bill shrugged. ‘They have no reason to erase the memories of the GS, like they did the entire Indigene population.’
Laura looked at him. ‘What if Tanya Li comes to meet us instead?’
It had crossed his mind. He had a volatile history with the former chair of the World Government who’d secured Laura safe passage to Exilon 5 when she’d transformed from human to Indigene so fast. But on Exilon 5, Tanya had used Laura to bargain with the Indigenes. What Tanya hadn’t known at the time was Laura and Bill had the protection of the Indigenes.
‘I’ve avoided that woman for years and barely spoke to her in the early days as ITF Director. She’s been too busy working with the geneticists.’ Bill shook his head. ‘I can’t see how she’d want to speak to me. I’ve probably surpassed my usefulness to her.’
‘Just in case, we should prepare as if we’re meeting her, not Simon.’
Bill finished his meal and cleared away the dishes as soon as Laura put her knife and fork down. ‘If she doesn’t come, I’ll be interested to see who she sends and how many. Numbers will determine how important she considers us to be.’
‘Or how much of a threat we are.’
‘Let’s get going.’ He grabbed his coat off the chair. ‘I don’t know how long we’re going to be out.’
Laura stood. ‘Unlike you, Bill, I am built for stamina.’
☼
Their vehicle drove him and Laura to a location twenty miles from New London’s city limits and a spot three miles out from the caves. Old access roads resembling dirt tracks marked the spot where Tanya had brought excavation equipment in to begin work on the caves. Those roads had since been dismantled and access blocked by large boulders that formed a ring around the open sides to the mountainous area where the caves existed. The cordoned-off area was a neutral space that ITF law had no jurisdiction over.
Only six cities and few arterial roads had existed when Bill first arrived on Exilon 5. Now, two hundred cities were connected by roads, containing radar, lidar and sonar sensors to facilitate automated cars, and high-speed Maglev trains. Development had been slow at first due to a lack of raw materials. But infrastructure had soon caught up with immigration numbers. Rapid developments and a fast-growing population made it impossible for Bill’s ITF teams to police all neutral grounds.
The vehicle idled by one of the original arterial roads, now decommissioned because it cut through one of the safe hunting zones outlined in the peace treaty. Bill grabbed a torch from the glove box and flicked it on.
‘Use the night vision on the magnification glasses,’ said Laura. ‘If the GS can see as well as the Indigenes, the torch will make us easy targets.’
Bill looked out at the pitch-black landscape he was sure contained predators of all kinds. ‘The range on the glasses is too limited. I need the torch. Unless you want to take the lead?’
Night vision was one of the Indigene traits Laura had retained.
Laura shook her head. ‘Bring the torch.’
They exited the car and Bill took the lead. He slipped the glasses on and flicked on night vision. A few feet of the landscape ahead changed from black to green. Laura trailed behind him as he shone the light at the ground. Cloud dominated the night sky and masked the double moons that might have provided some light. A wolf bayed in the distance. In a panic, Bill waved the torch around. It picked up dozens of shining eyes, watching them.
‘We’re not alone,’ he whispered.
‘I know.’
‘Wolves?’
‘Only one, but the rest are Indigenes. I’m guessing rogue. They’re watching to see what happens.’
‘Are we in any danger?’
Bill flicked off his light and the bright eyes beyond the range of his glasses vanished.
Laura slowed. ‘I don’t know.’
He looked back at her. ‘Can’t you just sense them or something?’
‘I’d rather not. Look, we already know what the Indigenes can do. Let’s assume the worst and keep going. And keep the light off. It’s only attracting them to our location.’
Bill pocketed the torch and relied on the night vision glasses. ‘Indigenes can see in the dark. What difference does a torch make?’
‘They can see the colours that exist in white light. The rainbow acts as a beacon for our location.’ Laura sighed. ‘That’s what I see when you turn it on.’
‘Point made.’
Laura passed him while Bill watched every step he took. They reached the boundary point to the GS land marked by large boulders. Laura scrambled over the top while Bill followed, slower and less sure footed than his wife.
She dropped down the other side on all fours and Bill eased himself to the ground. He landed with a thud and wiped the dust off his trousers.
‘They’re following us,’ she growled.
‘Can we divert them off our scent somehow?’
‘No. These Indigenes are doing recon. I sensed them following us as soon as the car left the city borders. They’ve been sent to track us.’
Who controlled these rogue Indigenes? Maybe Stephen could find out.
‘Let’s get this over with.’ Bill set off walking into the neutral ground, home to genetically superior beings. ‘The sooner we meet with them, the sooner we can go home.’
The idea of hostile Indigenes on one side and cannibalistic GS beings on the other terrified him.
Laura marched on ahead and Bill lost sight of her. A mile inside the perimeter he caught up to her again. She’d stopped and was sniffing the air.
‘What can you pick up?’
She glanced at him, looking embarrassed. ‘Nothing. We’re close.’
Bill didn’t buy her act. ‘How far out are they, Laura?’
She pointed into the darkness. ‘A mile in that direction.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’ Even with his torch, he wouldn’t see much. ‘Do they know we’re here?’
Before she could answer, a new voice replied that Bill hadn’t heard in a long time.
‘Yes, we do.’
Four tall, ghostlike figures dressed in white approached them.
Bill tensed while Laura dropped into a half crouch—a hunting stance he’d seen Stephen use before.
‘How did you sneak up on us?’ said a shocked Laura.
The leader stepped closer and Bill barely recognised his former boss, Simon Shaw, in the pale shell before him. ‘We move lighter than air, so you would not have heard our footsteps. We can block our thoughts at will. I sensed Laura was hunting for mine so I made my presence known to her, but omitted my location.’
Bill stared at Simon. ‘You can switch off your thoughts to those around you? Is that one of your abilities?’
Simon smiled and nodded. ‘It’s no different to being human, Bill Taggart. Humans can't communicate using thought alone. Indigenes have that ability. We simply have both abilities and can toggle between the two. Does that interest you?’
‘Yeah, I guess it does. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw you,’ said Bill.
‘I’m still the Simon Shaw you knew, but a better design. My memories are still intact. I remember where I came from.’
‘What happened to the people who disappeared from this location?’
Simon wanted to talk and Bill wanted answers.
‘We took them.’
‘Where?’
‘Back to the caves. We hadn’t eaten in a long time.’
Bill felt Laura shudder beside him. His own stomach swirled at the thought.
He shook off his disgust and said, ‘Why are you stealing power from the grid? What do you need it for?’
‘I will explain, but not here.’ Simon looked around. ‘Tanya wants to see you. I’m to bring you to her.’
Bill glanced at Laura, who looked as surprised as he felt. This was too easy.
But his curiosity won out. ‘Okay, where?’
‘The caves. It’s a ten-minute walk from here at your pace. I will walk with you while the others run ahead and prepare for your arrival.’
‘Prepare?’
The three that had accompanied Simon disappeared in a blurry haze while Simon and Laura matched Bill’s slow pace.
‘Yes. We live in isolation. We don’t get many visitors.’
Bill said, ‘So what’s changed, Simon? Why are we to be your guests of honour tonight?’
‘Tanya wishes to talk to you about the Elite’s changes. They—we—need your help.’
‘Help how?’
‘I’d rather not get into it out here. The caves offer protection from prying minds and you brought company.’
Simon looked around and Bill knew he referred to the Indigenes who followed.
‘They aren’t with us.’
They walked in silence. Bill found it odd to meet Simon in this new guise. His former boss had helped him and Laura out on more than one occasion. He wondered if the morals of the man he once knew still existed.
‘How are you, Simon?’
Simon frowned at him. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because you adopted this way of life very fast. I was too busy with my new position to talk to you about it. My interactions with Tanya were to update her on the treaty, nothing more. I haven’t spoken to you in years and now I want to know how you are.’
‘I’m fine, Bill Taggart. I feel like I have a purpose,’ said Simon.
‘Really?’
Simon’s glare was so fierce, Bill shank back from it. Laura, who watched the ground while she walked, hadn’t noticed it. He hoped she was putting her Indigene abilities to use. No better time to start.
‘My purpose is to support the Elite and GS to achieve evolution. We are working to perfect the code that could eliminate disease. That is a decent purpose.’
Bill agreed, but he didn’t buy it. ‘A noble one, if it can be achieved.’
Simon’s reply was clipped. ‘It is within reach.’
The entrance to the caves appeared—a large arch with a door inset back from the stone. The door was closed. Bill tensed at the idea of entering a space no Indigene could read and no human had left.
‘Don’t worry, Bill Taggart, we can control our urges. An earlier genetic experiment messed up our code, starved us to the point where we needed human blood. Now we eat something else.’
‘What?’
Simon left Bill without an answer as a DNA scanner similar to the ones the Indigenes used bathed Simon in a blue light. The door opened and he led Bill and Laura inside the caves. The first corridor was small and hewn roughly from the rock but it led into a large room of contrast. Smooth, rendered walls met the equally smooth, tiled floor. Large lights hung overhead that brightened the space more than the Indigene districts or any space in New London. Bill noted one wall was covered in screens that displayed images of the outside. Two of the tall figures that had accompanied Simon pointed to objects on the black screen that Bill could not see.
The camera footage gave the GS 100 a perfect view of their surroundings. Even if Simon hadn’t detected them, he would have seen them from the moment they climbed over the boundary boulders.
A platform or altar marked the back of the room. A white, privacy screen behind the altar covered a third of the wall space but Bill saw a gap that indicated the space carried on. His suspicions were realised when three figures appeared from behind the wall.
Laura gasped. Bill stared at three bags of skin so old and withered, he couldn’t be sure they contained people.
‘Hello, Bill.’
While she looked nothing like her former human self, Tanya’s voice and gaze were as distinct as ever.
He stepped closer to the frail figure held up by two young males. Her skin was so wrinkled it almost swallowed her appearance.
‘What happened to you, Tanya?’
‘The genetic transformations have weakened my body,’ she said with a smile.
‘Shouldn’t that be the case for Simon too? Yet he looks okay.’
‘The Conditioned have had less aggressive tests to the Elite. Our mortal bodies can take no more experiments.’
‘So what was the point in all of this?’ Bill didn’t understand. ‘Why do you need power from the grid?’
Tanya clasped her hands to the front, an action that reminded Bill of the late Charles Deighton, Tanya’s predecessor. ‘We need it to power a machine that will heal our bodies. We don’t have access to the Nexus like the Indigenes do. But as you see from my appearance, we need it.’
‘The Indigenes heal naturally,’ said Laura. ‘The Nexus just speeds up that process.’
Tanya’s eyes cut to Laura. ‘Our bodies are transforming faster than they can regenerate. That’s why we need a little power, to stop time.’
A plausible excuse, but Bill suspected this was just the beginning of their power drain. ‘I’m afraid I can’t allow it. What you’re siphoning off now interrupts the feed to the city.’
Tanya slid her eyes back to Bill. ‘Do you see Tanya Li through this withered, dead shell? Because I haven’t for some time. We need the power to heal—that is all. If you won’t give us more, then we must make another request.’
‘What?’ Bill feared Tanya’s next words.
‘We want access to the Nexus. We’ve made do with our own version, but the Elite grow weaker by the hour and we need a more stable way to heal. So far we’ve drawn a small quantity of power, which we’ve amplified using the gamma rock. It’s certainly not enough to interfere with the city feed.’
Bill smiled. ‘I’ve known you long enough, Tanya. Do you really expect me to believe you’re using the power just to heal?’
‘Believe what you want, Bill Taggart, but that is the truth,’ said Tanya.
‘I want you to remove your cable from the main feed.’
‘No. Without that power, we will die.’
Bill was no monster. ‘Then I’ll agree to a daily draw of power less than what you’ve taken so far. No more.’
‘I don’t know how much the Elites will need. I can’t agree to a specific number.’
‘Then I’m sorry, Tanya, this arrangement won’t work. The city needs every watt of power with none to spare. If you need power, we can provide you with the materials and labour to create a grid separate to ours.’
‘We are fine with what we have, Bill Taggart. But thank you for your concern. What about access to the Nexus? You haven’t answered my question.’
Bill couldn’t see Stephen and Serena agreeing to it. ‘It’s not my decision, but I highly doubt it. You were responsible for the Indigenes’ creation. You represent everything they despise in humans.’
‘We are no longer human.’ Tanya pointed at Simon. ‘And you gave this Conditioned access to their district.’
He glanced at the altered man stood off to the side. ‘That was different. Simon was human then and a friend once.’
‘He’s still a friend, Bill Taggart,’ said Tanya. ‘That’s why you came here, because you trust him. And we can be friends too, if you drop your prejudices. We wish to live without constant pain. Would you deny us comfort?’
‘Under normal circumstances, no.’
Tanya nodded to Laura. ‘I hear congratulations are in order. You two were recently married.’
Bill nodded.
‘And yet your wife is one of them.’
Laura growled. ‘I am human, Tanya.’
‘As were the Elite and the Conditioned once. And yet you both commit your time to preserve the Indigene way of life. Well, look at me. I’m a new species—we all are—and we demand the ITF’s help.’
‘The difference is the Indigenes have earned our trust,’ said Bill.
Tanya nodded. ‘Then so must we. Tell me what it will take to earn it.’
He could think of nothing. ‘I’ll let you know.’
Movement on one screen caught Bill’s eye. Simon studied the image that showed several figures about a mile out from the cave.
Simon spoke to Tanya. ‘They brought company.’
‘I told you, they’re not with us,’ said Laura.
‘Please leave now,’ said Tanya. ‘Your presence here has drawn too much attention.’
But Bill had more questions. ‘We’d like to come back, to keep in touch with your plans.’
‘Unless you return to grant us access to the Nexus, we have no further business.’ She nodded at the Conditioned pair beside her, who stepped towards Bill and Laura. ‘You know the way out.’
Bill attempted to stall their exit. ‘We really should discuss the peace treaty and the rogue elements attempting to destroy it.’
He didn’t know when he’d speak to Tanya again.
‘The Elite will relinquish all control to you if you’ll grant our request for more power. The Nexus or the power grid, it doesn’t matter.’
The Conditioned pair pushed Bill and Laura towards the exit.
‘Wait! I want your help to maintain the treaty.’
Truth was, the treaty held on by a thread and Bill had no idea how to stop the rogue group activity from breaking it apart.
Tanya held up a hand and the pair stopped pushing. ‘How?’
‘We need your voice of support. If the rogue humans and Indigenes see us working together, they might back off.’
It was worth a shot. The rogue human groups with a loyalty to the old World Government regime would listen.
‘I’ll speak to the other Elite. But to be honest, there is only one thing we need. Grant us our request.’ She nodded to the pair. ‘Please see our guests out.’
‘We know the way out, Tanya.’
Bill and Laura returned to the entrance without assistance. Simon released the door and let them out.
‘Time for you to go,’ said Simon. ‘Unless you’re willing to meet Tanya’s demands, we’re done here.’
‘What’s the power really being used for?’ said Laura.
‘To heal, just as Tanya said. Their bodies are too frail to regenerate on their own.’
‘Nothing else?’ said Laura.
‘I would tell you if there was.’ Simon glanced behind him. ‘I’ll be watching you on the monitors to make sure you clear the area.’
Laura and Bill re-entered the black night. Bill gripped Laura’s hand as she relented to her ability and navigated for both of them. Neither of them spoke until they’d made it over boundary line.
‘Tanya’s reason for the power sounded genuine enough,’ said Bill. ‘What did you make of her?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Please, Laura. I need you to use your ability.’
She shook her head and sighed. ‘I can’t read her. Her mind has transformed beyond her physical body. But I’m certain she’s lying. Whatever their reasons, they need the power for more than its healing properties.’