Luca Page 23

  Stumbling forward, his arms reach over the heads of the girls in front. “Thanks.” He bows and rushes away to join Zero on the porch steps.

  What did I tell you? Thinks about no one but himself. The truth is, he can’t help it. Locked inside his own mind, he can’t hear the voices of life all around him. Utterly alone. Utterly selfish. So unlike you and me, Luca. Less than us. Below us.

  Waves rise in Rika’s mind. A tempest blows.

  Staring into Rika’s eyes, Luca shakes her head, eyes moist almost to the point of overflowing.

  Giraffe is a good man, Rika. He helped me when no one else would. He saved me from—

  Zero?

  Yes, Zero and the Superintendent of the Institution.

  Then we’re agreed, Luca. We start with Zero. You’ll see how easy it is. He won’t even make a noise.

  No!

  Rika steps away from the table. “Everyone help yourselves. I have some important work to finish.” She walks briskly to a lone tree in the yard and sits on the grass, back resting against the trunk. Her jaw clenches as her eyelids close.

  Luca turns to follow Rika with her gaze.

  I won’t let you.

  The storm rages out of control in Rika’s mind.

  I’m warning you, Luca. Don’t try to stop me.

  Before Luca takes another bite, a surge of deep sound, like a low frequency whale call, carves a path between her ears. She staggers away from the other girls, drops her bowl and collapses to the ground.

  Zero stops mid-bite and rolls off the porch steps. The spoon slips from his fingers.

  The girls’ laughter turns to screams.

  Luca’s eyes close. The world goes white. A wave of color crashes down, lifting and carrying her away.

  Here we go. I decided to bring you along for the ride. Now just sit back and watch. I want you to see it all.

  A shadowy image floats over Luca. Gazing up, it’s Zero, staring down, a rubber rod in his hand. Jagged smile. Saliva running from the side of his mouth.

  The hand goes back. The smile hardens into a clenched jaw. The rod comes down hard on her forehead. A lightning strike of pain explodes behind her eyes.

  We’re in his mind, Luca. Don’t be fooled. This is who he is. Who he really is.

  Luca raises her hand to ward off another blow. The rod slams into her arm, crushing nerves and flesh. Zero laughs, eyes white and bloodshot.

  No, Rika. He’s different now. He changed when he heard the voices. Everyone changes when they hear the voices. That’s how we can help them.

  The image of Zero vanishes, sucking away all color and sound. In the void that remains, Luca strives to break free.

  Why don’t you understand, Luca? Why can’t you see the truth? They hate us. They put us down. Hurt us. Call us freaks because we hear the voices of life. It’s time we stop hiding in the shadows. Stop letting them hurt us. Show them who we are. Show them our power. We can do things they can’t even imagine. Move between minds. Be one with all around us. If we work together, we can make them fear us. Make the whole world fear us. Make them pay. Starting with Zero.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Luca focuses on a wall surrounding her in the darkness. As Luca probes the wall for a way out, a single dot of light opens up on its surface.

  Let me go, Luca thinks.

  You must stay here until I’m done. Then I’ll let you go.

  Luca pushes on the wall with a storm of thought. A faint crack appears. Throwing herself forward, she slams into it.

  And breaks through.

  At the same instant, the image of a hideous creature from a child’s nightmare scurries away, claws full of black entrails torn from a warm body. In the distance, a primal scream rips through her mind, leaving an afterimage of sound that lingers and then fades.

  Her eyes flutter open.

  Zero is on the ground, limp, white foam streaming from the corners of his mouth. Giraffe hovers over him, hands pulling on his jacket, yelling into his face. The other girls hang back, some screaming, some sobbing.

  No! Not Zero. He helped us leave the Institution. He’s a good man.

  Luca’s lips press together. The muscles in her jaw tighten. Chest hard as concrete, her fingers curl into balls of ice. Fire enflames her cheeks.

  So, Luca, you are capable of feeling anger. I wondered.

  Rika rests against the trunk of the tree, observing the scene, a faint smile on her face.

  Luca struggles to her feet and runs to where Zero lies on the ground.

  Rika’s voice booms in Luca’s head.

  At least I let Zero enjoy a minute with the curry. You should have heard the fear in his mind just before I ripped out his insides. He actually thought he was being attacked by a monster.

  You are a monster.

  Folding her arms, Rika relaxes into a sitting position.

  You can’t stop me.

  When Luca gets to Zero, Giraffe is kneeling down beside him, staring down. She can barely see through her tears. Joining him on the ground, she looks into Zero’s eyes. He seems to be staring up through her into the sky. Her fingers go to his neck.

  No pulse.

  “He was just sitting there, talking about how good the curry was.” Giraffe slowly lowers Zero’s head to the ground. “And then his whole body went tense, like he’d been struck by lightning. Then he quit breathing. I tried to help, but his heart stopped.” He falls on top of Zero’s body and breaks into sobs.

  “What happened?” Rika walks close and bends down, her hand gently squeezing Giraffe’s shoulder. “Is your friend all right? Is there anything I can do?”

  Giraffe shakes his head, body trembling. “He’s dead. I don’t understand.”

  “I’m so sorry. I’m told he was a good man.”

  Unable to restrain her own muscles, Luca twists and lunges at Rika, fingers open to rip into her flesh.

  Rika doesn’t resist. Luca pulls her to the ground and begins to pound her with tight fists.

  A look of triumph on her face, Rika laughs.

  Exactly what I wanted. When did you become so easy to manipulate?

  The other girls rush over and surround the two of them, shouting at Luca to stop.

  Giraffe reaches down and pulls Luca off Rika. “What’s going on, Luca? What’s happened to you?” His eyes drift over to Zero, motionless on the ground, and then grow large. “Was it you? Did you . . . kill him?”

  42

  NIGHT WITHOUT DARKNESS

  The woman approaches.

  “I don’t have time to talk.” Mercer stares at a holo of his end-of-the-world facility in Fukushima, Japan.

  A ring of domes form the outside rim of a circle. Long rectangular buildings run from each dome, like the spokes of a wheel, to a square in the center.

  Mercer hears the soft sound of leather on skin.

  The woman stands behind him, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. “Have you seen the latest news on the Mesh?”

  “I make a point of avoiding it.”

  “We’re within a few hours of entering the Cloud. Global auroras are visible as far south as Johannesburg. It’s stunningly beautiful." She stares out the window.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “It seems to have taken the world by surprise.” The woman’s voice comes from the rear of the room. “People are saying it’s the end.”

  “End of what?”

  “Everything.”

  “I fail to understand.” Mercer stares through the darkness at the holo in the center of the room. “News of the approaching Cloud has been on the Mesh for weeks. The people of Earth are being treated to an amazing light show, and they think it’s the end?”

  “The auroras are just a symptom of a larger problem. Extreme ionization in the atmosphere has all but shut down global communications. No one expected it to be the equivalent of a massive solar storm. You can see the Northern Lights in broad daylight.”

  The holo image at the center of the room winks on and off and finally fades
altogether.

  “Come now. It’s early afternoon. The Aurora Borealis can’t be visible.”

  “I suggest you have a look for yourself.” The woman points outside.

  “I will.” Mercer slips his jax out of a pocket, taps the end with his thumb and slides an index finger down its side. The walls go transparent, and the room hangs in the air at the top of the Genesis Corporation building, overlooking Manhattan. Leaning back in his chair, Mercer stares through the roof.

  From horizon to horizon, ribbons of color snake through the sky, like shimmering rivers of living light.

  “I see why it’s gotten the world’s attention.” Mercer's jaw drops open. He soaks in the delicate display of beauty. “How soon until we actually enter the main body of the Cloud?”

  The woman consults the slate in her hand. “Just after sundown here in the City.”

  “Any idea about what, specifically, it will look like?” Mercer reaches for a lemon. “A massive meteor shower?”

  “We can’t be sure, but based on the composition of the particles in the Cloud, it might not get dark tonight.”

  Mercer cocks his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that the sun will drop below the horizon, but the sky will glow with the fire of billions of particles raining down. It will be as light as noon. No darkness for the entire night.”

  “A night without darkness.” Mercer lets the hint of a smile touch his lips. “The perfect introduction to the end of this world and the beginning of a new one."

  43

  SIGNS

  The Divide.

  The army snakes through the minefield in single file behind Jedd and Ricky. They are only two hundred meters from the other side.

  “Looks like we made it. I hope this is the last time we have to do this,” Ricky says. “Three times is enough.”

  “It’s not over yet. Just stay on the path.” Jedd throws a glance backward. “Wish she was with me. Moses better be taking good care of her.”

  “I get it. You love Qaara. Who doesn’t?”

  Jedd looks ahead. “As long as I have her, I don’t need anything else.”

  “But do you?”

  “Do I what?”

  “Do you have her?” Ricky forms a fist for emphasis. “Does she love you back?"

  “The last couple of days have been crazy. Sometimes I get my hopes up. She takes my hand, lays her head on my shoulder. Can’t tell you how great that feels. It’s all I want. All I ever want. When this is all over, I hope we can—”

  To their rear, an explosion shakes the ground. They turn in time to see a small tree-shaped cloud of dust and fire grow out of the ground near the far back of the line.

  The army immediately halts. Jedd fights the temptation to gun his gyropod, move off the line and get away from the explosion. Out of the corner of his eye, Ricky turns his pod and reaches for the throttle.

  “No!” Jedd grabs Ricky’s handlebars. “Stay here! On the line. Remember the talk we had before we started across the minefield? The line is the only place that’s safe.”

  Ricky nods.

  Far back, closer to the explosion, frightened people disregard orders. Shouts and the sounding of horns and radios can’t stem the general chaos. Men and women in green fatigues break ranks and sprint.

  Away from the line.

  “No!” Jedd jumps off his pod, waving his arms. “Stay on the line!”

  But it’s too late.

  On both sides, detonations scatter across the minefield like strings of firecrackers.

  “Move!” Jedd grabs Ricky, turns him around and points at the end of the minefield, just two hundred meters away, where the paved road begins again. “We have to lead them out of here.”

  The sky fills with dust and the gray smoke of burning artillery. The wind picks up, blowing the stench of rubber and diesel to the front of the line.

  Black rain falls.

  As soon as Jedd’s gyropod reaches the pavement, he turns to the side and starts swinging his arms, urging the rest of the line to move forward as quickly as possible. As jeeps and trucks lumber by in the choking dust, he scrutinizes each one for any sign of Qaara or Moses.

  From what he can see, damage is extensive. The minefield is strewn with smoking craters and burning hulks of tanks and trucks.

  If Qaara was in any of them—

  Ricky pulls up next to Jedd.

  “How many casualties would you estimate?” Jedd points at the Divide.

  Ricky stares through bulky field glasses with U.S. Army printed on the side. “Looks like about a fifth of the ragged masses didn’t make it."

  “We told him it was crazy to attempt a crossing.” Jedd spits on the ground. “Told him we couldn’t guarantee anyone’s safety.”

  “I know,” Ricky says. “He’s still not going to be happy."

  A truck pulls up and stops. Jedd stares at the black glass of the cab. The passenger door flies open and a big pair of boots hits the ground.

  Moses.

  He stands next to the truck, holding his long rifle, staring at Jedd, face frozen in the pouring rain. Glancing over his shoulder at the carnage on the minefield, Moses remains motionless for a long time.

  Turning, he walks closer to Jedd, leaning on the barrel of the rifle. Rain soaks his face.

  “Where is she?” Jedd says.

  “Safe.”

  Jedd swings his gaze over the minefield. “Look, Moses, I—”

  Moses raises his hand, palm out. “Not your fault. I understand. Now get up there and lead us to the City.”

  ******

  With the minefield three hours behind them, the rain tapers to a fine mist. The army halts without any word of command. Engines turn off, engulfing the land in eerie silence.

  Jedd lets his gyropod glide to a stop and looks up.

  Curtains of color flash and glimmer as though drawn by a massive brush across the canvas of the sky. The sun still hangs high above the horizon.

  “Unbelievable.” Ricky pulls up and kills his engine.

  “What is it?” Jedd says.

  “The Cloud.”

  “How?”

  “Ionization.” Ricky runs his hand through his hair. “Qaara said it would do strange things to the atmosphere the closer it got."

  Jedd surveys the army. Everywhere, eyes gaze heavenward. Heads shake in wonder. Lips hang open. Here and there, hands stretch up.

  In the middle of the mass of vehicles, Jedd spots a transport truck with a large blue dot on the hood. A side door opens.

  Moses steps out, Qaara behind him.

  Together, they work their way through the army vehicles to the place where Jedd and Ricky stand beside their g-pods.

  Jedd can hardly restrain himself from running to throw his arms around Qaara.

  A rough hand comes up onto Jedd’s shoulder. On the other side, Qaara’s fingers find his.

  “So it’s true, Qaara.” Moses gazes to the sky. “Signs appear in the heavens. Exactly as you foretold.”

  “Yes,” Qaara says. “Earth is close to the Cloud. The solar storm has begun. Communications within the City and beyond might be down. Their satellite monitors might not have detected you and your army.” She squeezes Jedd’s hand, a silent confirmation that she is OK. “Your timing is perfect, Moses. You might actually pull off an attack on the City."

  Jedd notes the position of the sun. “We should be within sight of the City in a few hours, sometime after sundown.”

  “We keep pushing.” Moses raises both arms to the army behind him. “Move forward. We attack as soon as the City is in sight." He walks to the truck with the blue dot, leaving Qaara standing next to Jedd.

  “Moses isn’t such a bad guy, once you understand him.” Qaara mounts the gyropod and motions for Jedd to get on behind her.

  Jedd slips his leg over the pod seat. “What did you tell him?”

  “I made a deal.” Qaara presses the button on the glass com of the pod. “I promised him there would be strange li
ghts in the sky in a few hours. He promised to let me stay with you when he saw them. And one other thing.”

  “What?”

  “I told Moses to destroy the smallpox. Told him it would only hurt him.”

  Ricky shakes his head. “He didn’t listen, did he?”

  “No,” Qaara says. “But all the containers were destroyed back in the minefield along with the trucks carrying them. He took it as another sign of my . . . infallibility.”

  “Maybe he’s right,” Jedd says.

  A mass of engines start up behind them. Qaara eases the pod forward, and the army follows.

  “Anything else?” Jedd lets his hands slip down onto her hips.

  “How’d you guess?” Qaara takes her hands off the handlebars and slips them into her pockets, producing a couple of jaxes. "Here’s yours, Ricky.” She tosses it to him, and Ricky grabs it out of the air, eyes wide. “And here's mine. All we have to do is find a Mesh-hub that works, if there are any left, and tell the world what’s coming.”

  44

  THE CORE

  It’s dark outside.

  The girls follow Giraffe and move away from Luca, leaving her sitting on the grass next to Zero’s dead body.

  Once again, Rika leans her back against the trunk, taking on the pose of a casual observer.

  “I didn’t kill Zero.” Luca scans the faces of the group, resting on Rika. “She did!” The muscles in her abdomen tighten. She looks to the other girls. “We have to stop her.”

  “Zero used to beat her at the Institution, didn’t he?” Rika stretches out her legs, relaxing her shoulders into the tree. "He used to beat all of you. I heard it. I saw it.”

  Giraffe looks at the ground.

  Luca’s hands harden into fists. She glares at Rika.

  Rika stands and takes a step forward. “People like Zero don’t understand us. They think we’re freaks because of the voices we hear. They think we're mentally ill. Handicapped. Human waste! So they put us in places like the Institution where they can study and experiment on our brains. They treat us like rats.”

  Luca kneels down and lays a hand on Zero’s forehead. “When I helped Zero hear the voices, his heart changed.” Rivers of tears streak down her cheeks. "He never hurt me or any of us again.”