The Last City Read online

  The technician collapsed to his side, from the force of the vibration around us. But from his position on the floor, he lifted his gaze to see the initial gray wave remain in place, as the shock wave rolled over the city. It shattered the Central Unit’s wall, before sweeping its immense destructive force to the edge of the city and beyond.

  “It’s holding,” a familiar voice behind us called. But we paid it no mind. Immediately following the wave of destruction, we looked out upon what was left of the city, but all we could see was dust. Above this however, was the layer of gray. It covered the city like a blanket, or a cage.

  I paused the memory. “What is that?” I asked, indicating the gray mass.

  “Our effort to conceal and contain a large portion of the city. It helped us survive,” he said. “To those who had attacked us, all they would have been able detect was our total destruction.”

  “Wait,” I said, confused by his words. “I thought they wanted the Spire? Why then destroy everything?”

  “That wasn’t their intention. The force you felt explode around this building was designed to do just that. Explode around it, leave it untouched, but destroy all else. But we couldn’t let them have the Spire and the CU technology. We sent that layer of gray, our shield, around all that we could, to lead them to believe that they had destroyed everything. It kept us alive. It kept them out.”

  I swallowed hard, and turned back to the memory. I couldn’t process the scene I’d just witnessed. I couldn’t even discuss the information he’d shared. Not another question entered my mind, except the need to know how bad the outcome was.

  Mason took hold of my hand and swiped the memories sideways, moving them forward to what he needed me to see.

  I was standing outside the city, on the other side of the gray shield. There should have been trees and grassy fields, but in its place, were only the blackened, barren ruins of the outside world. The surface and everything that had once lived upon it and beneath it, was stripped of life.

  I paused the memory again, I didn’t need to see anymore. And I turned my face up to Mason’s. But his face was a mask, holding back every thought and emotion that accompanied that day.

  “Keep going,” he whispered, but my hand shook as I resumed the memory.

  I was with three others, all in white suits. Their faces were covered so I couldn’t see if Mason was amongst them, but we traveled around the globe, in an instant, from one place to another, searching for survivors. But there was no life, not even a trace. Just the same dark gray, ashy layer. There wasn’t even an outline of where any city or town may have stood. Nor even a trace of an ocean or a lake, just one great big empty basin after another.

  I paused the images. I couldn’t go on. What I saw and felt through the memories was worse than anything I could have imagined. They’d turned an entire planet to ash. All that remained was the city. Threa.

  “We renamed the city Threa, after we rebuilt it,” Mason responded to my thought. The bitterness in his tone caused his words to sound more like a growl. The anger, the loss, still filled him. I didn’t need to sense his feelings, or hear his thoughts to know that much. “A relic, in honor of the planet they’d incinerated,” he murmured.

  He rose one hand to my face, and with his thumb, he gently wiped away the tears that streamed down my cheeks. Part of the emotion I was feeling had come from the technician’s memories, his feelings flooded me. But some of it was my own. The fact that someone would or even could, do all that I was seeing was incomprehensible.

  “Their memories had to be blocked and altered,” he said, referencing those in the city that had lived. “We had to survive any way we could. We were all that was left.”

  I moved my hand toward the table ready to shut it down. I’d had enough of the destruction for one day, but he stopped me.

  “You should see the rest.”

  I shook my head, I couldn’t experience anymore. Not today.

  “Put your head down,” Mason said. “I can send the memories straight to your mind. They are easier to see this way.”

  I folded my arms, then stretched them out before me on the table, and lay my head in the hollow they made. I felt his hand, soft upon my head, gently stroking my hair, soothing me.

  “Just breathe,” he softly said. “Let me take over your mind.”

  Huh?

  But before I could question, his voice came in soft waves, streaming with thought and emotion, and filling my mind with scenes forming pictures that rolled before my eyes.

  I was inside a room similar to Mason’s. I had no way of telling how much time had passed. Sater had arrived. He was still only partially there, but with him was Aleric. He however, was as solid in appearance as the others in the room. They discussed Mason’s work. He’d developed the Guardian, and they were preparing to install it.

  And the moment they did, a light emanated from within the room. It spread throughout the building, and burst across the cityscape. Mason and his colleagues moved to the window to watch the spreading light, as it replaced the grey shield. It reformed the city wall, and constructed the new ceiling, keeping all locked within its confines.

  “At the same time,” Mason’s voice came to me through the memory. “The Central Unit sent its own shield around the entire planet, strengthened by the Guardian’s programming. But we knew even then, that once they’d detected the shield around the planet, that they would come back.”

  As more people resumed their lives within the city, they were informed of the wall, and of the Guardian.

  And the call for wards had begun.

  The memories jumped forward, and my head was filled with several voices, arguing, fighting. There were people being inserted, and they were not from Threa. The technician whose anger filled me, couldn’t tell where they were from.

  “Aleric confirmed they were from Rathe,” Mason said as he removed his hand from my head. As he did, I felt the memory leaving me. My mind was again my own. “This is where the Guardian began its search for more power, out of our need to be safe.”

  He explained that shortly after, the Guardian expanded its search to Heart. And they sent Haize.

  I questioned this. I couldn’t understand why they would willingly send someone, only to be in the Guardian’s direct line of insanity.

  “To help others as they were brought over,” he said. “Neither Rathe nor Heart wanted to expose all they could do to the Guardian, and so they let themselves be pulled here. But they also came to watch the events unfold. To monitor not only the Guardian, but also those who’d attacked us, in case the city was attacked again, and taken.

  “If that occurred,” he said with a heavy sigh. “The Heart planned to arrive in force and destroy what was left of us, before the enemy could take the Spire and the Central Unit. And the Rathe would not have stopped them.”

  I was unable to speak. I was sure Mason was listening to my every thought, and I tried through my stunned silence, to keep my thoughts quiet, but I failed. The fact that the Rathe and the Heart were willing to let themselves be brought here and inserted, in an effort to keep their own home-worlds safe, was somewhat understandable in a deranged kind of way. But that they were ready to destroy this world if the technology should be taken, was something I just couldn’t think about.

  My chest constricted into tight little ball. I couldn’t breathe. And as I tried to shut out those thoughts, I rose my watery gaze to Mason. He and Jordan were in just as much danger from those they called enemies, as those they called friends.

  “The Heart,” I started, and then paused to make my question legible in my head before it came out of my mouth. “They would really destroy everything here? They wouldn’t try to help us?”

  “They are helping us, and they will continue to do so, in any battle. But if we lose the city…” and he stopped, swallowing back words even he didn’t want to speak. “They may seem like cold-hearted killers, but after what they’ve lived through, they wil
l do whatever is necessary to save their own.”

  “I need to go,” I quietly told him. I didn’t want to hear anymore, if there even was anymore. But I stood up too fast and my blood drained into my feet. I leaned against the table, needing to steady myself, and I closed my eyes. While waiting for the feeling to pass, I thought only of Jordan. I needed him, his warmth, his strength. And I hoped his afternoon had gone better than mine.

  “Lydia, we will be ok,” Mason tried to reassure me. “No matter what happens.”

  A large part of me wanted to believe that. But it was too optimistic for my mind. Perhaps my ability to get others killed back on Earth, would destroy this entire planet. This was more my way of thinking. My own pessimistic belief that hadn’t claimed my attention for a long time. But as this thought passed through me, Mason grabbed my wrists and pulled me toward him. He wrapped one hand around my back, his other around my head, and held me tight.

  “You have not killed anyone,” he said. His next words however, contained no trace of humor, and I couldn’t tell if he was serious or joking. “You did not, and you will not. Erase that thought from your mind, or I will insert you and erase it for you.”

  15

  Invasion

  It was late afternoon when I finally made it back to Tira-Mi. I ran the distance, every step between the Spire and home. The coarse wind of the desert felt strangely comforting as it blew around me. It’s warm, dusty arms held me close as I pushed my way through it, racing toward the warrior town.

  Home.

  I felt the word whisper around me, as the wind gently whipped my hair away from my face.

  Jordan’s home.

  “My home,” I whispered back, and I refused to let it go. Not for anyone, or anything.

  Once inside I showered and changed, and requested of the silvery panel, a tube of Grid’s blue fluid. Surprisingly, my request worked, and within moments, the muscle ache and the exhaustion were gone.

  I wasn’t sure how much of my visit with Mason, I wanted to discuss with Jordan. I wasn’t even sure how much he already knew or remembered. I had a feeling though, that he knew most of it, Mason or Haize would most likely have shared the information with him. No wonder he was afraid of losing me. The threat was there, always there. Not only from my ward-attacker, but from everyone, those beyond the atmosphere and now apparently also, from those within it.

  I was so deep in thought that I hadn’t noticed the time passing. The night was well upon me when a breeze with a hint of winter’s first bite whipped around my neck and shoulders. The chill brought somewhat of a relief that there were actual seasons on this planet. At least someone had attempted to keep things normal.

  I sighed and blinked away my thoughts, and realized that I was still alone on the bench. He hadn’t returned. I closed my eyes and tried with everything I had to reach him with my mind.

  Where are you?

  But he didn’t respond. He either couldn’t hear me, or he was lost in his work. And I decided not to disturb him. I knew how deep in thought I could get when writing. I had on occasion, back on Earth, lost track of not only hours, but days. And I found myself missing putting pen to paper, or even hand to keyboard. I’d been so absorbed by the need to train, that I hadn’t thought too much about anything else, not even our newspaper. But I promised myself as those first stars appeared in the sky, that I would soon make time.

  With the daylight completely gone, I picked myself up and went straight to bed. I was too drained to eat.

  Upon waking however, I smiled, feeling his arms around me, his hands warm upon my skin. I opened my eyes, but it was still night and so I closed them right away again. Then nestling the curve of my body closer to his, I inhaled his scent, as his breath rolled across my cheek.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “Don’t be. You’re here now.”

  “I didn’t forget about you,” he tried to explain.

  I rolled over in his arms and gently caressed his mouth with my fingers.

  “I know. It’s ok.” I had my memories. I’d mourned my family. I could only imagine the torment he must have felt, bereaved of all that he should have remembered, and yet unable to recall a single moment of the life that now overshadowed his heart.

  And then I remembered all of the pain that had passed through me earlier in the day, and I couldn’t help the tears that left my eyes and ran down his chest.

  “Shh,” he murmured. “We’ll get through this. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  But my throat had constricted, and I clamped my mouth tightly closed. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I wasn’t crying for me, I was crying for him, for all that he’d lost. And all that may yet be taken from him. For he may still lose that last little piece of him - his home.

  ∞

  The sun was well past rising when we woke and I relished the feeling of his body still wrapped around me. I didn’t want to move. I was content to stay just as we were for the rest of the day.

  But he sighed upon hearing my thoughts, “I need to see Mason today.”

  As much as I wanted to spend the day wrapped up in his warmth, I was relieved to hear him say this. He was dealing with it.

  “He was hoping to see you yesterday.”

  “I know. We spoke briefly last night. I hope he didn’t scare you too much with all that he showed you.”

  “It was hard to watch. Hard to hear. But necessary,” I admitted. And I was grateful that Mason had chosen not to keep me in the dark with all that had happened, and all that may still occur. “Do you want some company today?” I asked, but part of me was hoping he’d say no. As much as I wanted to be there for him, while he came to terms with his memories, I needed to go back to the Arena. After yesterday’s overload, a workout would do me good.

  “Actually, the Arena is where you need to be today,” he grinned.

  “Uh-oh,” I said, feeling somewhat uneasy with the amusement in his eyes. “Why?”

  “On my way home last night, I heard Lena plans to teach Rebecca how to fight.”

  “For goodness sake,” I groaned, and placed my forehead against his chest. I then inhaled long, slow and deep, willing the scent of him to stay with me all through the day.

  And I was sure it would.

  Until I reached the Dome.

  Rebecca, it seemed was enjoying herself, learning how to hit something. And I didn’t need to read everyone’s mind to know what they were thinking. Lena appeared to enjoy watching her, but cut an occasional glance of annoyance in Hammond’s direction. His face was scrunched, and his eyes squinted as though trying not to look, and he jumped as though shocked, each time Rebecca’s fists made contact with the simulation. I was grateful I couldn’t hear his thoughts. It was hard enough watching the pain upon his face, as his body flinched in time with each of her hits.

  Surprisingly though, it was Lena who stopped the action. But I was sure it was only because Hammond annoying her, outweighed her own need to teach Rebecca.

  And once they’d left, I questioned why Rebecca was already training with the simulation.

  “I thought that began with level five.”

  “It does,” Lena responded. “But after seeing your first attempt with the simulation, I figured we would need a head start with her.”

  And then she pointed at me, informing me it was my turn. But it wasn’t the simulation she wanted me to fight. It was Dax. Hand to hand.

  “Here in the dome? Or at the Arena?”

  “Right here. I have an idea.”

  I stood facing Dax, hoping her idea wouldn’t bring Jordan’s wrath down upon her, and she enabled the simulation. One for each of us. Or rather, one… each of us… wore.

  It was Dax inside, and if I focused I could see him. But on the outside, it was the ward. I looked down at my arms and I also looked different, but I had no idea who or what I was. But when Dax looked up at me, he stopped still, stunned.

  “What is
this going to do?” I asked, wondering what could have shocked him.

  “You’ll both be the same level, of course. You’ll just be pleasantly distracted,” she smirked.

  I exhaled away the fear, refusing to let it rise. But it wasn’t seeing the ward’s face that had me on edge, it seemed to be getting easier to confront him each time I saw him, or at least the simulated him. Instead, it was the pain that I knew Dax was about to deliver, and I tried to focus only upon delivering my own.

  But this time he stepped backward, away from the fight. One small step, and then another.

  “Yeah, I can’t do this,” he said, through a stifled groan, while shaking his head.

  “You can and you will,” Lena demanded. “She’s right. If I get taken by the Guardian…”

  “That won’t happen,” he groaned again, this time looking back at her.

  “It very well can, and you know it,” she finished.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, questioning his continued retreat.

  Lena grinned at me. “You look like me now.”

  “Huh?” was all I could say and then wanted to laugh. No wonder he was reacting the way he was. I wouldn’t be able to fight Jordan either.

  “Don’t see my face,” she said to Dax, and gently held his jaw to capture his eyes. She then smiled. “See the monster inside me.”

  As he stared at her, the real her, I watched his face express an array of emotions - disbelief, denial, and a determination to continue his backward movement. While shaking his head at her, I knew they were silently communicating. His hands were up, palm out, refusing to comply. But slowly his gaze turned my way, and he almost squinted as he focused upon seeing me inside the Lena-simulation. Not exactly what Lena had in mind, but I doubted he would be able to fight otherwise.

  “Fine,” he grumbled, staring straight into my eyes. And I watched his face resume its warrior stoniness as he strode toward me exuding serious, determined, unstoppable strength.

  Before I could make a move, he swung his arm up and around to grab my throat, and then kicked my legs out from under me. He freed my neck as my back hit the floor, and before I had time to recover, I felt him on me, grappling me into a choke hold.