A voice calling from the other end of the room drew Raj’s attention.

  “Was wondering when you were going to wake up. It's already been three days.”

  Raj turned around and saw the man at a table on the other side of the room. The welding goggles covering his eyes reflected the intense light emitted by the welder in his hands. Raj couldn’t see what he was working on, but the glow of the welder radiated across the room.

  “Who are you?” Raj asked as he crept toward the man.

  “Me?” replied the man without looking up. “I could ask you the same. You've got either a lot of balls or a death wish going into a place like that and expecting to make it out in one piece.”

  “Well I had no choice,” Raj argued. “It was die by your hand, or die by theirs.”

  “How are you so sure I would have killed you?”

  “Wha wha....” Raj stammered.

  He couldn't believe the words coming out of the man’s mouth.

  “You took out a whole group without breaking a sweat, threw me a wrist top with a timer on it, and hinted towards it blowing up! What are you, some kind of juggernaut jokester?”

  The man stopped welding and laughed to himself.

  “I have been called many things during my lifetime, but that one is a first.”

  He lifted the goggles off his face and looked towards Raj.

  “I prefer Robert.”

  Robert pulled a cigarette from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth.

  “Besides,” he added, “I wouldn't blow up that wrist top. That’s how they’ve been keeping tabs on me. Well, at least until now.”

  Raj was at a loss for words. He couldn't decide whether to be mad about what he went through, or to be glad it was over. But before he could say anything, Robert continued.

  “You are free to go. You held up your end of the bargain, and I am grateful for you doing so. Oh, and by the way…”

  Robert picked up the new wrist top from the bench and tossed it to Raj. He caught it and juggled it in his hands until he found a spot to hold it that didn’t have a hot bead of weld.

  Raj still couldn't figure this guy out. Was he an enemy? A friend? Or, perhaps a bit of both. Regardless, Robert intrigued him. Robert could fight and stand up for himself. He was the exact opposite of Raj, who wasn't able to fend for himself in most situations. Raj knew he would have a much easier time surviving if he knew how to fight like Robert. On top of that, Raj felt this strange connection to him. He didn’t know why, but he had the feeling he had been waiting for a very long time for Robert to cross his path. So Raj built up enough courage and spoke.

  “Could you train me to be like you?” he asked. “You know, how to fight and stuff?”

  Robert laughed, taking another drag of his cigarette.

  “You really want to be like me, kid? You’re the first person I’ve heard say that in decades.”

  “So is that a yes?” Raj asked excitedly.

  “Definitely not.”

  Robert stood up and walked across the room towards another table.

  “To know what I know would take years, maybe even decades of training. It’s definitely not something I can teach you in a short time, especially not here.”

  “Well how did you learn it?” Raj asked.

  Robert shrugged.

  “The hard way, mostly. Along with the uncanny gift of being difficult to kill.”

  Robert turned his attention towards a shelf and rummaged through its contents. Raj walked over to him in an attempt to be more persuasive.

  “I'm a quick learner,” he insisted. “And you don't have to teach me everything. The basics will work.”

  Robert chuckled to himself.

  “Well I must admit, kid, you’re stubborn as hell. And you have potential to boot.”

  Robert grabbed a knife off of the shelf as he spun around to face Raj. The event happened so fast, Raj didn’t have time to react to the sharp blade now pressed against his throat. Robert looked Raj dead in the eyes as if studying the contents of his soul. Raj returned the stare, albeit shaken by the knife on his windpipe. He didn’t speak out of fear the knife would slit his throat, but rather left Robert to fill the silence.

  “The first and most important rule is to always expect anything and everything. Instinct can be a much greater asset than even the most thought-out plan.”

  Robert removed the blade from his throat, and Raj pedaled backward to put some distance between the two. Robert once again turned back towards the shelf before continuing.

  “With that being said, a clear and open mind is crucial. It could mean the difference between life and death.”

  Robert placed the knife back on the shelf before picking up a ball and tossing it to Raj.

  “Think fast!”

  Raj put all his focus on catching the ball, failing to notice Robert rushing towards him. By the time he realized his error it was too late. Robert closed the gap and placed one of his legs behind Raj. He then grabbed hold of Raj's shirt and forced him backwards. Raj lost his footing but Robert's firm grip on his clothes kept him from crashing to the floor.

  “Rule number two is to always be aware of what is happening around you.”

  Robert pulled Raj back to his feet before continuing.

  “It is rare that things will happen one at a time because everything is constantly changing. You need to be in harmony with your environment. Be one with the wind blowing in your face, and every single rain drop hitting your skin. Always in the moment.”

  “Wind.... rain...” Raj murmured.

  They were words he had heard before. They sounded magical, almost mesmerizing. But then it hit him where he heard those words before. It was from the old beggar who would sit outside the junkyard at lunch. She always told these elaborate stories of the world outside the walls. Wind, rain, a real sun. Plants and animals. Most people didn’t take her seriously. No one was allowed beyond the wall because no one could survive. Life was only possible within a HIVE.

  Nevertheless, Raj always found her stories fascinating. Just the thought of a whole world out there, let alone a survivable world. The woman always talked about it as if she had been there. Raj believed there had to be some grain of truth to them, but most thought her stories were merely to score money for food. But now Raj knew it must be true. A man so young looking as Robert had spoken of those things as if they were known to all.

  “You're.... you’re from out there, aren’t you?” Raj murmured.

  Robert was taken aback by the question.

  “Yes, yes I am.”

  Robert gazed across the room. He hadn’t even been in the HIVE for two weeks, but he already missed the tranquility of his old life. He would give anything to be back around a campfire cooking a fresh kill.

  “So it's true, there really is life out there!” Raj exclaimed. “Oh, how I’ve imagined exploring beyond the wall. It must be fascinating! Tell me, Robert. How is it?”

  Robert still gazed off into the far corner of the room.

  “As dangerous as they say, but more beautiful than you can ever imagine,” he answered.

  “I knew it! It’s always been my dream to go outside the HIVE.”

  He started to dance around in joy but then stopped to face Robert.

  “Have you told anyone about this yet? You can show them the world isn’t a wasteland anymore, and then we'll be free to go back out there!”

  Robert snapped out of his gaze and looked at Raj.

  “You’re a bright kid,” he said, “but you've still got a lot to learn.”

  Robert extinguished his cigarette in a nearby ashtray.

  “Lesson’s over, kid. See ya later.”

  Robert turned around and went back to looking through the contents of the shelf. Raj grew flustered, but wasn't going to give up that easy.

  “Well tell me what it is I should know.”

  Robert didn’t bother glancing around at Raj.

  “Maybe some other time, kid.”

  This frustrated Raj even more.

  “But how—”

  “Don’t make me kick you out, Bernard,” said Robert, cutting him off mid-sentence.

  ‘Bernard?’ thought Raj. ‘How could he mix up my name that badly?’

  But he realized he’d never told Robert his name. Raj walked towards the exit and stopped before passing through the doors.

  “The name is Raj by the way.”

  With no response from Robert, he continued on his way out. He approached the doors to the outside as they swooshed open. As Raj crossed the threshold, he realized he was inside an abandoned building. File cabinets and desks were upended, their contents strewn across the floor. A stale air with an old and almost foul smell hung with the darkness in the room. It was as if a storm had rushed through the area and no one came back to clean it up.

  The doors behind him hissed to a close, and Raj turned around to see nothing. The doors there moments before were replaced by a wall with the same disheveled facade as the rest of the room. But then Raj caught a whiff of fresh air coming from one of the broken windows. He followed it through the corridor of cubicles until he was face to face with the broken window. Raj gasped as he looked down upon the HIVE below. The lights of all the zones shined brightly under the night's sky. He could even see the Phoenix Tower off in the distance. The colored streaks which ran up its sides reflected light like a beacon for all those who could see it. It was a wonderful view. Raj strained to look past the reaches of the HIVE, but his vision past the wall was obscured by some kind of haze. He yearned to know what it was like beyond the walls.

  His thoughts were interrupted by a rustling behind him. Raj turned around in time to see a larger figure coming in his direction. Taking a cue from Robert, he ducked out of the way and towards the middle of the room. It was a boy about Raj’s age, with a heavy build.

  “C’mere!” the figure yelled, turning around to barrel towards Raj.

  Raj dodged him again, this time throwing in a punch that glanced the figure’s face. Pain seared through his arm, reminding him of his current condition. But even a half-strength punch was enough to illicit a reaction from his foe.

  “Yeaooww!” yelled the figure as he stumbled around. “That’s it, you’re toast!”

  Raj didn't stick around. He darted off in the opposite direction, sprinting through the cubicles until he found a door with an exit sign above it. He ripped it open to find two more men and a woman on the opposite side. Raj nearly tripped as he backpedaled away from the door.

  “Ah, what have we got here?” one of them asked.

  They poured into the room towards Raj. The one chasing Raj closed in from behind and joined the others to form a circle.

  “Found him up here alone. I think he’s what the Major is looking for.”

  They circled Raj like sharks. He thought about yelling for Robert but knew his attempts would be futile. He tried to remember back to how Robert handled the situation the first night he met him. After all, the situation was quite similar. Raj took a deep breath and tried his best to sound confident.

  “Leave me alone, o-or you’ll be sorry!”

  They all chuckled.

  “Got a feisty one here!”

  One of them lunged towards Raj, but Raj ducked his advance. Another closed in on him, and Raj threw a defensive punch with his uninjured arm. She dodged the punch, allowing her to land a direct hit to Raj’s ribcage. The fierce blow knocked the wind out of him, causing Raj to fall to the floor in a struggle for air. The sounds of laughter echoed in the background. All he could focus on was the pain reverberating through his chest.

  Suddenly he felt the sharp impact of a foot to his back. Raj arched backwards in agony as he fell to the floor.

  “HELP! ROBERT!”

  He prayed Robert would hear him and come to his rescue, but his cries for help went unanswered. The one Raj had punched closed in with revenge in his eyes. He raised his foot high above the ground, and Raj had no choice but to close his eyes and brace for impact.

  “ENOUGH!”

  The voice cut sharp through the air, and they all fell silent. Raj heard the footsteps coming closer. The voice spoke again.

  “Get up,” it commanded.

  Raj loosened up and opened his eyes. Standing before him was something unexpected. It was a gorgeous young woman who also looked to be around Raj’s age. Black boots adorned her feet, and dark cargo pants hung from her waist. Her dirty blonde hair was tied into a ponytail behind her tight black shirt. Raj obliged her as quickly as possible, struggling through the pain to get back on his feet.

  “Name?” she prompted.

  “Uhhh Raj,” he replied, taken aback by her commanding presence and beauty.

  “Age?”

  “Twenty?” he guessed.

  “Well, Uhhhhraj,” she said, “what is it you are doing up here?”

  Raj looked around thinking of a quick excuse. Even if he told them the truth, it was a fat chance in them believing him. Raj took a breath and continued.

  “It’s just Raj. And I was up here to look at the beautiful view. You can see the whole world from here.”

  Raj pointed to the window he was looking out of just moments before. He expected her to look towards the window but she did not. Her eyes remained glued to his shining wrist, almost transfixed by it.

  “Right.” She nodded. “And where did you get that?”

  Raj’s heart felt ready to burst from his chest. He looked down at the wrist top and examined it for the first time since he got it back. It had a shiny metallic band and body. The interface was still in pristine condition, and despite the welds Robert made, it looked seamless.

  “This old thing?” he asked. “I found it with some junk and cleaned it up to look nice.”

  Raj’s glance met hers, and it felt like she could see right through his lie. They held the glance for what seemed like an eternity.

  “Ok. Stay out of trouble,” she said as she turned away. “Let’s go, squad, he’s not what we’re looking for.”

  They all turned and filed in behind her. Although Raj was happy to skip another confrontation, it felt too easy. On top of that, they were just as mysterious as Robert. Maybe they were allies. They might even be sworn enemies. Whatever the truth may be, his curiosity drew him to them.

  “Who are you guys?”

  The leader turned around to face him.

  “You wanna know who we are?” she asked.

  She walked over and bumped her wrist top to his.

  “We’ll have a meeting soon. Expect to have some info forwarded to you.”

  She turned back around and disappeared through the doorway with the others. Raj sighed and pressed himself up against the wall. He stared into the darkness of the room, trying to replay in his head what had happened.

  “This is what you get when you want to be adventurous.”

  Chapter 10: Old World Blues

  Several weeks passed since Robert had last heard from Marcella. He spent most of the time taking stock of supplies, creating a system to generate and store hydrogen for his motorcycle, and cutting his beard and hair to a more manageable length. The rare downtime from his chores was spent reading the book he found at Phoenix Manor. Robert thought it was a good read.

  It was about an elf wrongfully put in the prison of a mythical land. The elf needed to break out, but found the prison to be inescapable. But one day, the elf realized the only way to get out unscathed was through the most obvious place: the front gate. All the elf needed to do was create a distraction and find the key. So the elf waited until the gatekeeper was on the other side of the jail and broke into his office. It was there he found a spare key wedged in between the pages of a book. The elf then put together a plan and slipped out by the skin of his teeth.

  But even a good read wasn’t enough to keep Robert’s mind off his mission on the train. Who was this Russian agent? What was his business inside the HIVE? And the most important question – why didn’t Marcella flinch at such a high-profile security breach? The unsettling feeling that Marcella had something to do with this put finding an alternate route out of the HIVE higher on Robert’s priority list. Even without the possibility of a Russian collusion, Robert didn’t trust his blood ties with Marcella would keep him safe. She was still a business woman and a politician. And if there was one thing Robert knew, it was business and political deals were neither exclusive nor transparent.

  With little ideas, Robert headed out to check his original escape route. It was located in the sewers on the northwestern fringe of Zone 2. Luckily, Robert did not have to navigate miles of tunnels like he had on his last go-round. With his clearance restrictions lifted, he no longer needed to worry about getting caught in Zone 2.

  BING BONG

  “You have now reached the end of the line at Pearson Park. Please exit the monorail.”

  The car doors slid open, and all the people inside the train filed onto the platform and down the stairs to street level. Robert stood up from his seated position and stretched his arms and legs out wide.

  “It would be nice to actually ride inside the train one of these days,” he thought, “but it isn’t worth using my ID chip. For all I know, Marcella could be using that to track me too. The last thing I want is her wondering why I’m snooping around Zone 2.”

  He waited for everyone to leave the train before he jumped onto the platform and walked down the stairs. The city in this part looked very similar to how it did in the past, and it wasn’t long before Robert found a familiar alleyway with an entrance close to his tunnel. Robert lifted the cap and lowered himself into the sewer. To his surprise, waist-deep water greeted him at the bottom.

  “Well that’s not good,” he thought.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19