“I just signed the revival orders. You friends will be awake within the hour. I suggest you collect yourself and head down to the recovery area. You’ll have time to explain yourself to Evans and Franklin before their families arrive.”

  “Thank you, Sir,” Misao said. “For the opportunity…and for my friends.”

  His response wasn’t what she expected.

  “If you are still feeling grateful in a year, then you can thank me.”

  “…I will bear true faith and allegiance to Akropolis; that I take this obligation freely without any reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will faithfully discharge the duties on behalf of the citizens during such time as I hold the office of Councilwoman.”

  It was the end of the oath, streamed across every screen pad and monitor in the city, a short interruption in the lives of its citizens, but no less important for its brevity. After all, Akropolis had not seen a new council member in decades, especially one so young.

  Previous to Misao’s oath, Talbot had announced his retirement, and she wondered what the average citizen’s reaction was to that tidbit of information. He was a hero in the city, whose shadow was long and wide, and standing in it she felt slightly dwarfed and intimidated, but this is what she had wanted all her life. Despite the anxiety she was feeling, concerning the aquifer and the danger posed to it, Misao knew this was where she belonged.

  It had only been seconds since the end of her oath and the drone cameras that recorded every angle were starting to move away and would soon cut off the stream.

  “Citizens,” she found herself blurting out spontaneously, and the cameras snapped back to attention. “I am grateful, and most importantly, honored to be your new councilwoman.”

  The rest of the council members that shared the room with her were suddenly very attentive, all heads turning in her direction. A couple of them appeared slightly perturbed, as if anxious about what she might say, while her mother was almost imperceptibly shaking her head.

  Misao ignored the looks. The city was facing a very real threat to its existence, and while she had initially agreed in her talk with Talbot that they would keep said information from the masses for the time being, she also felt the need to send a unifying message to every citizen of Akropolis, so that when the moment came to finally reveal their danger, perhaps the shock of the blow would be softened.

  “It is my hope and belief that we will work together to further our causes, embolden our dreams, and one day step beyond the Wall to breath the air again without fear. I promise you that no obstacle is too great for us to overcome, no problem too daunting that we cannot solve. We are few, but we are mighty. Akropolis is the center of the world now, and we must carry on as the shining example for the rest of humanity. We will not lie down but stand tall and fight for our right to exist…together…as we always have. Thank you.”

  With that the little lights on top of the drone cameras switched from green to red and she knew that the stream was over.

  Misao’s mother, Councilwoman Egbert, was the first to confront her as she stepped down from the podium that had been placed in the middle of the main council chamber.

  “What the hell was that all about?” she addressed her daughter with an angry whisper. “I almost choked on my tongue.”

  “It felt right,” Misao said, stunned by her mother’s near vehement reaction.

  “It was brash and stupid. Keep your feelings to yourself next time.”

  Before she could respond, Talbot was at her side.

  “It’s ok, Aiko,” he said, placing a soothing hand on the elder woman’s shoulder. “Such patriotism will endear her to the masses, and make it easier for them to swallow bad news when it comes.”

  Misao’s mother, whose lips had become so thin as to be non-existent, gave a curt nod, followed by a deep breath that she blew out forcefully. Her features relaxed slightly and she even managed a brief tick at the left corner of her mouth that might have been construed as an attempt to smile.

  “I apologize, Councilwoman Hideshi,” she said magnanimously. “It has been…a stressful week.”

  It felt strange to be addressed by her grandfather’s name, but all had agreed it would be confusing to have two Egbert’s to call upon in public. What was even stranger was her mother’s temperament, which was a far cry from the almost eerie calm she normally exuded the majority of the time. Misao wondered if there was more than the news about Charlottesville and the aquifer that was weighing on her mother’s mind, and if so, what would it take to affect her to this extent.

  “Misao,” Talbot said, stepping across the space between them and placing a hand on her bicep. “Might I have a word or two with you in private?”

  She looked to her mother, whose face had suddenly become filled with consternation, and opened her mouth to refuse the request or at least postpone it, but she was interrupted before the words could be voiced.

  “It’s ok,” Akio said softly. “Come to dinner tonight and we will celebrate.”

  Her mother glanced at Talbot.

  “I’m sure we will have a lot to talk about.”

  And with that she abruptly turned and walked away.

  Misao watched her go for a moment, a sense of unease growing in her belly.

  “That little speech was impulsive,” Talbot said as they walked side by side towards his private chambers, going slowly as the councilman relied more and more on his cane.

  “I know,” Misao replied, still trying to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

  “I knew you would shake things up a bit for us in the council, but I didn’t expect it so quickly after your appointment.”

  “I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”

  “Not at all,” he said, giving her a sideways glance and a smile. “But I think you gave the rest of the council some palpitations.”

  “It wasn’t my intent to worry them.”

  “I wonder…what was your intent?”

  “I don’t know,” she divulged. “Perhaps to prepare them. Maybe to assuage my own guilt in keeping secrets.”

  Talbot brooded over her words.

  “When you are in charge, keeping secrets is part of the deal.”

  “Is it really that necessary?” Misao pressed. “Humanity has grown, evolved past the pettiness. We are one. Maybe it’s time we believed in them as much as they believe in us.”

  Talbot sighed. He seemed to do that a lot these days when he was speaking to her.

  “I wish that were so, Misao. I really do,” he said with the air of sagely wisdom. “But the truth is that people haven’t changed at all. Oh they are a bit safer now; there is no need to struggle to eat or live or to purchase materialistic objects. The betterment of one self and the sanctuary is the driving goal now. They are content. They do not fear death or the passage of time.”

  “But,” and here Talbot held up a finger. “You take one of those things away, and they will revert to their baser selves. You take away the safety of this sanctuary; you give them back fear, and the streets will run with blood.”

  “I think you underestimate our citizens,” Misao responded respectfully.

  “Did you read the weekly report this morning?”

  “No. I…I was a bit nervous about this afternoon. I skipped a few of my routines. I will read it this evening.”

  “Do you recall the fire in the Outer Zone just the other day?”

  Such news stood out amidst the common and boring tidbits of information.

  “Yes,” she replied instantly. “A house wasn’t it?”

  “It was,” Talbot said, pausing for effect. “Unfortunately the findings were that the fire was set deliberately.”

  “Surely not,” she blurted out.

  Misao couldn’t help herself. The idea was preposterous.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “It’s just that…I find it difficult to believe.”

  “Nonetheless, it is true,” he said grimly. “And what is more…the conclusion is that the fire was set to cover up a murder.”

  This stopped Misao in her tracks. She was acutely aware that she wore a dumbfounded look, but couldn’t help herself.

  “M-murder?”

  Talbot nodded.

  “One of our Children of Humanity was the victim.”

  “And the…perpetrator?” Misao asked, not quite ready to use the term ‘murderer’.

  “The spouse…a synthetic.”

  Her mind was reeling.

  “How…how is that possible? The QUBITs...they don’t…I mean…a synthetic has never committed a crime. It’s unheard of. They-they just don’t do it.”

  “Suffice it to say, the rest of us are just as disturbed. We do not know the circumstances as of yet. The ASF is out in force looking for her but they have had some trouble with tracking down her quantum signature.”

  Misao ran a hand through her hair. The thought boggled her mind; a synthetic committing murder. It was unprecedented, and worse, it created a spark of fear deep within her. What would the reaction be if the news spread? How many would share her feelings? And what would come after that fear? Distrust and anger? Violence?

  “Do…” she started to say and had to swallow past the lump in her throat.

  While she was still overwhelmed from the news, the analytical part of her mind was already asserting itself.

  “Do they know where to look? I mean, perhaps she’s masking the signal or disrupting it somehow. There’s several ways to do so but she would need equipment or access to certain devices.”

  “The last reading was from the Waste Belt near Section 14. They have conducted several sweeps but the consensus is that she is long gone.”

  “She?”

  “Yes, one Mia Zhuk, married to Thomas Zhuk.”

  Misao only needed a moment to think about it.

  “I’m going down there.”

  “Excuse me?” Talbot said, surprised for perhaps the first time since she had known him.

  “I’ll have a patrol escort me.”

  “Councilwoman, we have a security force for a reason. They are trained to handle certain situations.”

  “Not like this,” she said.

  “Perhaps not, but they are more qualified than you are.”

  “Qualified perhaps,” Misao said. “But you know I can see things that others overlook. We need to get to her quickly and quietly, and bring her back before anyone else finds out about this.”

  Talbot raised an eyebrow.

  “And why is that?”

  Misao sighed. How quickly she changed tracks when confronted with such stark and stunning news. Was she so naive or just hopeful? She knew that if this were to get out, that a synthetic had murdered a human, there would be chaos. How could she think that the citizens were prepared to handle an even bigger shock like the one concerning the growing fields and the tremors?

  This was Talbot’s purpose in giving her the news. He knew she would arrive at the same conclusion as he. She supposed he must have discussed it with the council already, and though the thought gave her a twinge of resentment, she also realized that she had only just now become a part of the inner circle.

  “For the greater good,” she finally said, hating the words as they came out of her mouth.

  The Veil

  The emergency maintenance crawlspace was obviously made to accommodate someone of larger stature or toting a set of tools alongside. Claire found that she could stop and take breaks sitting up with her back against the wall, which she did frequently, and still have a few inches of space above her head.

  There was no atrophy in her muscles that she could tell, which probably meant there had been some sort of physical therapy applied while she was floating in the Cloud, but she was still weak and exhausted. All her energy had been used up in the escape and chase. Without the adrenaline coursing through her veins she could barely manage crawling two dozen feet before she had to rest.

  At one point she considered curling up in a ball and taking a nap, but the fear of capture propelled her further. She told herself she could rest if she found an alcove or a branching tunnel, or even water. Though her stomach rumbled periodically, she was near feverish with thirst, and all she could think about was drinking until her belly was full and distended.

  It didn’t help that she was covered in sweat and dust. In the confines of the crawlspace she smelled like a sewer plant. If someone stumbled upon her out of the blue they would no doubt have gagged and lost their lunch.

  Priorities: water first, then rest…maybe a shower.

  The last thought made her laugh a bit. It sounded faint and wheezy but it was good to know she was still capable of it.

  Sitting there, panting and daydreaming about the cool cascade of water over her body and down her throat, Claire suddenly noticed the sweat on her skin cooling. It took her a few moments to realize that it wasn’t the natural process of her body conserving water but an actual current of air that was flowing over her skin.

  Her eyes snapped open as her head turned towards the source. The paltry glow cast by the LED lights that were strung along with the cables only illuminated a few yards at a time, but now that her breathing was shallow and quiet, she could also hear a faint humming sound, as well as feel the vibration through the floor and walls of the tunnel. There had to be an air filtration system close by, meaning that there were most likely connecting tunnels, as well as additional rooms.

  This spurred Claire on. She resumed her trek and sure enough, about fifty feet ahead, the tunnel had its first branch crossing the one she traveled, heading both left and right. Not only that, but there was one heading straight down, a set of rungs swallowed by darkness after only a few feet. She didn’t like the idea of descending in total darkness, but the noise from below was louder and the air against her body was almost like a constant updraft.

  It seemed she had little choice if she wanted to find the source. She grasped the rungs and gave them a little yank. They appeared sturdy and immovable. She didn’t want to have one of them break on her, since she was certain that she didn’t have the strength to catch herself.

  Taking a deep breath, Claire crawled the rest of the way into the vertical opening and began to ease herself down by hand and foot, taking her time, feeling each rung beneath her before she allowed her body to follow.

  The darkness was uncomfortable, but she herself felt less nervous and exposed than she did on the upper level. She believed, and was most likely correct, that no one would think to follow her here.

  Every few minutes she gave herself a break, hooking her arms in the rungs and locking her knees to take the pressure off her quads. She didn’t know what kind of progress she was making but she had taken over a dozen breaks before she began to wonder how much further down she could possibly go.

  Another ten breaks and she began to feel a panic start to creep in. Her legs and arms were beginning to go numb with the strain. She could feel a knot forming on her right thigh that would cramp up sooner rather than later. Reaching a hand down, she would massage it every minute or so, and thankfully after doing this for awhile it began to loosen.

  And still it went. Down and down without an end in sight. She started to daydream as she descended, wondering whether it was day or night in Akropolis, if Quentin was starting to look for her or just content to wait for her call. Did she love him? She wasn’t sure. It was enough to know that she wanted to be near him, even if they didn’t speak; just comfortable in each other’s presence. Maybe that was love.

  Claire slapped herself hard across the face, the pain chasing away the edge of sleep that almost enfolded her. She switched hands on the rungs and slapped the other side of her face.

  Along with the pain came fear. She had been only seconds away from falling asleep. Her body would have slumped, perhaps one of her legs catching on a rung, snapping instantly and dangling her upside down. How would she have gone on from there?

  Awake and alert again, Claire continued.

  Time began to lose meaning for her, but at some point she became aware of a faint glow all around her. When she realized it for what it was, she looked down past her shoulder. Below, strands of LED lights showed the end of the vertical passage.

  She began to laugh.

  A few minutes later and her wobbly legs were able to finally stand solidly. The arches of her feet were so sore that she had to sit down and massage them, crying with a mixture of pain and relief.

  Down here she could feel that the draft was much more powerful, not to mention she could hear the rumbling of a large machine. She crawled on hands and knees toward the sound, and after a few dozen yards she finally came face to face with the source, a giant industrial fan that took up the entire crawlspace in front of her.

  “Shit,” she muttered vehemently.

  Up close, the wind whipped her hair all around her head. The noise was almost deafening. She considered turning back, but knew she’d never make it.

  She wanted to cry again, but before despair could sink in, she spied something and leaned forward, peering closer between the fan blades. The darkness beyond was complete, except that darkness seemed to move or vibrate in some way. Claire leaned even closer and began to blink rapidly. After a few seconds of this she was certain her first guess was correct.

  There was a giant hose behind the fan, possibly coming directly from the air filtration system. If that were so, that meant she only had to get past the fan and kick out the hose from its housing and she could escape the tunnel into whatever room was housing the air system beyond.

  It was a safer bet than she could have expected. Maintenance rooms weren’t exactly manned or guarded.

  Claire looked around her tight confines. If she had a pair of scissors or a knife she could cut the cables running overhead in the rack and throw them into the fan, but-

  The rack.

  The cables sat in a lattice metal rack that was held in place by thin bars with tiny screws. She got a good grip on the underside of it with both hands and started to yank on it repeatedly.

 

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