“Mr. Clay, I am delighted to meet you,” Prevo finally began. “Just to be clear, I will be filing a grievance with Sol Directorate. I’m sure you understand, but legitimate investigation or not, the presence of a Division 5 field agent conducting operations on Notosian soil is an act of war.” He shook his head and made a “tsk tsk” gesture with his finger.
“Well, sorry about that. We consider the murder of a Directorate board member and several prominent businessmen by your agent here to be equally offensive.” He gestured to Ursza. “Your orders, I presume?”
“Officially? I know nothing about it.”
“Unofficially?”
Prevo smiled and nodded. “I learned of Keraunos some months ago. I’m not so foolish as to believe that Locke would openly deal with a government not on the best of terms with his own, but with careful guidance and the right motivation, he finally saw our point of view. Pity what happened to him.”
Clay felt his muscles beginning to tense up again. He gestured towards one of the empty chairs with the least blood splattered across it. “Do you mind if I sit? Cerberus tortured me to death a few hours ago while I was waiting for you, and I’m afraid it’s not as pleasant as you would think.”
“My apologies, then.” Prevo smiled and gestured for him to sit. “Not to worry, you will be treated humanely and given the best medical care as a state prisoner, and I’m sure we can arrange for some sort of agent exchange with your government once the dust settles.”
“So, she’s been your tool all along,” Clay said, poking a thumb at Ursza. “You used her and Keraunos to stir up the factions and the Syndicates into fighting each other for it until they were sufficiently weakened, at which point your ‘warmaster’ here, whom everyone else thinks is a poor victim, manipulates them all in one place and wipes them out for you. You either have quite a stockpile of Shard, or you’ve got the means to produce it.”
“Actually, no.” Prevo shrugged. “You see, we got her through the withdrawals and broke the addiction cycle, along with help from her Gu’senlin mental and physical disciplines. It was excruciating for her.” He shook his head at the unpleasant memory. “Still, it allowed us to make certain adjustments to her disposition and ensure her unwavering loyalty.”
Clay sneered in disgust wondering how many more puppet masters were controlling that girl’s psyche like a broken marionette? Insanity was inevitable. Hell, she was lucky she was still functioning at all, even as a psychopath. He now recognized the expression on her face. In her madness, they conditioned her the same way they conditioned the yorohito – only she was not an instrument of pleasure but instead one of pain and death. When she tortured or killed, she got the same rush of endorphin-fueled ecstasy the yorohito received.
“So now you’ve had your murder-ninja take out all of the heads of the competition. Very smart, but surely those organizations aren’t just going to curl up and die.”
“Certainly not,” Prevo said, “but Mother Eye and I, with the help of Warmaster Venter here, have spent the last several weeks sowing the seeds of discord between them. This was exacerbated by the bold eliminations of Hoefer, Talbot, and Klein, and now all alliances stand on the brink of collapse. After tonight, they’ll fight among themselves for months accusing each other of planning this strike, after all, they’ve all worked with Hēi Gēzi and her before. It could have been any of them. Meanwhile, my warmaster watches and quickly does away with any strong alliances or the next Omari.” He gestured to the woman’s corpse on the floor and smiled. “No, I think it’s safe to say my control over this world has just become much more secure.”
Clay snorted. “That’s exactly where things start falling apart, in my experience.”
“What experience do you have that compares to a feat like this? I am the only one who has been able to consolidate power on this planet. I am the only one who has been able quell the violence and unrest and end the cycle of fear. This has never been done by one man on any planet. Now, with the factions and the rebels under control, the people can be without fear and at pace at last.”
“You’re not even the real Prevo.” Clay winced as he laughed. “You’re a correction Mother Eye issued six years ago. What actually did happen to your predecessor? You’re starting to believe your own press. Have you been to the underground markets or walked around Harba City lately? The planet’s not as peaceful and you’re not as popular as she makes you out to be. I’m sure finding recruits for a rebellion in those ranks wouldn’t be difficult. Maybe they’ll even get it right next time.”
“Harba City has a very short lifespan. With the hound of Cerberus neutered and the Eyes of Baal plucked out, it is no longer protected. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before things get so bad they’ll beg me to send troops in to restore order and reclaim the district meter by meter. The question is, do I level it with a blunt instrument, or do I simply remove the undesirable elements with a surgeon’s tool? I suppose it would be a waste of good potential resources.” Prevo smiled and regarded Ursza.
“And you still have Keraunos,” Clay said, still fishing. He was beginning to piece the sequence of events in his mind.
“Yes, there’s still Keraunos. Once you so kindly hand over the real cipher that you so cleverly stole from dear Ursza here, that will be our platform to a legacy of greatness, power, and a wealth undreamed of.”
“Well, you see, I can’t do that. I have very strict orders to kill her and retrieve Keraunos for the Sol Directorate, and I hate disappointing my superiors. Maybe I can’t get the datarod, but it’s nice to know you can’t use it either.”
“And we can’t persuade you to partner with us?”
“I quite literally died refusing to deal with Cerberus a few hours ago. Do we want to start that process over?”
Ursza placed the datarod on the table next to Clay as if challenging him. Prevo regarded it and smiled wickedly. “Cerberus? They’re thugs. What could they promise? I can offer you so much more. Do you really want to spend your final years putting your life on the line for Division 5? Allow me to give you options. What would you like? A continent to govern? A people to rule over, guide, and shape into a perfect society? No more orders, no more compromising your morals for your superiors, no more risking your life for a faceless agency. You would command your field operatives to dispense your justice as you see fit. We could even arrange for Warmaster Venter to serve as your aide de camp.
Clay pretended to be considering the offer while he watched Ursza intently for some clue as to what she expected him to do. She stared back stoically, still without recognition. As each minute passed, he was more convinced the girl from the shrine, the one he rescued from Prevo once, the one who left him at the terraforming station, was no longer there behind those cold eyes.
“I never had that craving for power, sir. The only things I might want, you can’t offer me.”
“I’m disappointed.” Prevo frowned. “You seem a pragmatic man. I would have appreciated your counsel as we finally build this world in our image.”
“We succeed if everyone does their part,” Ursza said emotionlessly. Gesturing to the datarod next to him. The words hit him like a brick. His part was to come. Saleh had told him that when she handed him the gun. Ursza was still playing one final game. This was the little job she was doing for Noto Lib. Prevo obviously didn’t know she had just spared Saleh and the rest of Noto Lib.
What was “his part,” though? Keraunos for killing Prevo. They had to be kidding. Slowly, he removed the plaser from his pocket and aimed it squarely at Prevo’s head. The two other guards instantly drew plasrifles and aimed at him. Prevo raised a hand and motioned them back.
“So, she did have one last trick up her sleeve,” Prevo nodded to Ursza in respect. “Pity she was incapapble of doing the deed herself and had to involve you like this.” He calmly looked from Clay to the Tokusha and back to Clay. “Well, you seem in pretty bad shape, but you might be lucky enough to get off one shot after they gun you down.”
“You really want to put her conditioning to the test right now? I bet she can shuriken those two before you hit the floor.”
“No, my friend,” I know her far better than you. “It took all her strength to keep from telling me you had the gun, and that was simply because she enjoys the rush of knowing violence is coming. Right now, she’s eagerly waiting for my order to snap your neck.”
“And you would lose any chance of getting the cipher if she did.”
“Kill him, Clay,” Ursza smiled and whispered.
“I can’t just assassinate a head of state, kid,” Clay protested. “I don’t have orders. It would mean war between Notosia and the Sol Directorate. I’m not going to be responsible for all that death.”
“You owe me! I saved your life!”
“Shall we end this?” Prevo asked sympathetically. “She can’t betray me, but she has no qualms about sending you to your death in a futile attempt. Frankly, I’m surprised she had the fortitude to take it this far. We’ll definitely have to adjust her conditioning tomorrow. If only you hadn’t fragged poor Dr. Talbot for her.” He looked at clay expectantly.
Clay looked at Ursza, confused.
Prevo continued. “Oh, I have no doubt he’s the one who tried to get her addicted again. He wanted her to kill me, I wanted her to hill him. Unfortunately, she was conditioned so thoroughly that she was incapable of harming either of us, otherwise, she would have slit his scrawny throat years ago. I always wondered if she was strong enough to put people in his path who would have no qualms about doing her work for her. You must have been like manna from heaven.”
Clay shrugged and set the plasgun on the table. The two guards lowered theirs in return. “So, I may not have any compelling reason to kill you, and you obviously can’t kill me. That means we’re still at a stalemate unless somebody else has an original, new idea for moving things forward.” He looked from Prevo to Ursza expectantly and caught a streak of light on the horizon outside the window. It straightened out and settled on a beeline course straight for them. He recognized it instantly, grabbed the datarod from the table, and barely had time to shout a reflexive warning before the missile struck the balcony and detonated, collapsing the forcefield with a blast of heat and flame that launched everyone toward the room’s far corner.
Thanks to the heavy table, Prevo, Ursza, and Clay were spared the worst of the blast. The guards standing against the walls were not so lucky. Clay slid on his side along the floor and impacted the wall behind him. His already useless muscles protested as he tried to right himself and get his knees under him. The datarod was still secure in his hand. Ursza was already up and at Prevo’s side, checking him for signs of injury.
In the distance, an aircar sped along the skyline, heading directly for their position. Ursza frantically motioned Prevo to the conference room exit, then nodded to Clay, indicating the aircar was for him. As she and the Chancellor exited the room, the full intent of her plan came into focus. She had known the attack was coming, that was why she meticulously placed the datarod on the table beside him right before the missile hit. Amid the carnage, she had handed him Keraunos, knowing he had already secured the cipher.
The door shut as soon as she had drug Prevo to the hall outside, leaving Clay for dead. With every ounce of strength and every muscle screaming, he got himself to his feet as the aircar, driven by Tarek Saleh, screamed up to the terrace outside, its door opening, allowing him to climb in.
“Mr. Clay, it’s nice to see you again,” Saleh said as he motioned Clay inside. “I have orders from our friend to get you to the starport and on your way home as soon as possible. I assume you’re okay with this despite the incompleteness of your mission?”
“More than satisfactory, Mr. Saleh, or should I still call you Obryn,” Clay confirmed and collapsed into the passenger seat.
“Obryn’s my real name. I switched it to Tarek Saleh when I became a freedom fighter. It’s hard enough shaking off the stigma of being a primary school teacher.”
Clay smiled, not surprised in the least. As dusk settled and they made their way for the starport, he could see that several city blocks were currently in flames. “What’s happening down there?”
“The first chink in Chancellor Prevo’s armor. By now, the people have learned he’s just made a major move against the syndicates and resistance movements. He doesn’t realize that, despite Mother Eye’s best efforts, many of them are protectorates and sympathizers who hate and fear him more than they do us, however. This is the elastic snapping back. The next few weeks will be very interesting for this world.”
“How so,” Clay asked.
“Our mutual friend has been working for months, setting me up as the heir apparent to pick up all discarded threads. While Prevo and Mother Eye were sowing distrust between the families and the factions, she carefully positioned me to be in the right place and the right time to be the friendly voice of reason and the man who represents strength and honor. Basically, thanks to her, I’m very well-liked by everyone at the moment. I’ll let Prevo’s empire burn tonight. Then I will call for order and begin to unite the remains of the factions under one mission and purpose, then we’ll take down Prevo together.”
“To what end? Are you really prepared to make this a free society? A democracy? A corporatocracy? A communal government? Will they get to choose?”
Saleh regarded Clay for a moment. The only thing people know is what Mother Eye has shown them. Now, I think they’re cynical and distrustful of everything else. Any form of government will be a tough sell to most. We just know it won’t be the whim of one man, and no one will censor it.”
Clay nodded. “Just one problem: I would watch my back if I were you. Ursza might have given you this much, but her mind is gone now, or at least soon will be. Prevo has conditioned her to obey him in all things, and he’s looking for someone to get too popular and powerful. If he begins questioning her about you, she could be compelled to compromise your little agreement, and if he orders her to kill you, she’ll do it with great pleasure.”
“Yes, I know, she warned us. On her advisement, we’ve shuttered all our safe houses and switched camp to new locations she’s not aware of.” Saleh shook his head. “I cannot imagine how difficult it was for her. The Shard was the only thing that allowed her to defy Prevo’s programming, but the withdrawals were nightmarishly painful, and she endured them again and again for months, thanks to that bastard Talbot. She was so careful not to learn or say too much about us, lest she be forced to betray us later. It was almost a disaster when you rescued her from Prevo, and she instinctively came to us, but it let me see firsthand his conditioning and hold over her. I hated to do it, but finally, we had to leave her alone at the terraforming factory, terrified of what would emerge when the screams finally subsided.”
“I recorded the formula with my implant when I was in Talbot’s office. I’ll give it to you. Maybe you can make more. Bring her back.”
“She was already gone, Mr. Clay. The girl who helped us was a temporary aberration, a lapse in judgment. She told me to regard that person as being dead and to make no attempts to help or rescue her, Mr. Clay. I, for one, will respect that, and I definitely won’t allow anyone to endure what I saw that girl go through these last few weeks. If I ever find that formula, I will destroy it, for her sake and the sake of everyone who was ever a slave to that awful drug.”
Clay fought back anger. Whether the pain was gone or not, like the yorohito, he hated leaving her like this.
“You have the data, and you can get to your cipher,” Saleh continued. “You will get Keraunos away from here. She was very insistent on that much.”
“It’s all arranged, yes.”
“Then here is where I leave you.” He handed Clay an identicard. “You have a seat on the Express Shuttle Anago, leaving in one hour from Bay 27. This diplomatic ID will get you to the jump station, but I would ditch it once you arrive. Despite Prevo’s blustering, the station remains neutral territory in this system. The station isn’t directly hooked to Mother Eye and doesn’t answer to Prevo. “You should still be able to use your Girard cover identity to get you onto a ferry and back to Directorate Space.”
“Good enough,” Clay said, extending a hand to Saleh. “Thank you.”
“Good luck, Mr. Clay.”
“To both of us, sir.” The two shook hands and Saleh sped off into the night, back toward the flames of the metroplex.
Clay regarded the identicard and lost himself in the crowd of the starport concourse. He was finally getting off this insane planet.
© 2024 Darrin Snider. All Rights Reserved.
