The Sixth Chapter

Hovercars are something of an old memory for Rhoa. He had been too young to remember the last time he had been in one, remembering and knowing only the darkened stench of the docks. Of course, he would see freighters come and go, their roaring engines so loud and intense that he was required to wear a protective suit, which would shield him only if he were not in its path. He could still remember the scratchy orange suits, the bulging helmet making them feel top heavy. The helmet’s protective darkened glass made visibility a bit harder, but it was hard to miss much with the machines scurrying about. The suit also made it incredibly hard to speak to other workers, so the helmets were equipped with built-in radios. Funny enough one of the other dock workers was called “DJ” because he often played music over them. It was against regulation, but no one seemed to care. He could feel himself smiling, before the seamless pressure of going straight up hit him again.

Kay clutched his arm across the glass holders, of which there was one sitting between them. He looked at her hand, and the glass. Her hand quivered slightly while the glass remained perfectly still; the water clicked as the ice shifted only slightly upon another. It is a nauseating experience seeing the glass and water yet feeling the pressure in his stomach move. He looked out the window, hoping it would calm the turbulence inside himself. The quickly rising dark grey walls of the gaping hole that lead to the other levels, however, gave him no comfort. In the hypnotizing darkness of the void below them he remembered its name. The Ladder.

The Ladder was one of thousands of tunnels that bore through Axiom, carrying cargo and labor to and from various levels and sublevels. Lights speckled the dirt grey walls - buildings, and homes of sublevel inhabitants. The Docks, only one of many.

A bright yellow freighter passed under them, dwarfing their vehicle, and blocking the view momentarily. Thousands fall down The Ladder every year and only a hand full survive. Depending on the fall, you could survive landing on a passing freighter - most of the time you did not. Rhoa stared into the dark below, as the freighter passed beyond. It was said that those who did fall would fall for days if The Ladder had an end.

Rhoa saw someone once, one of the perks working the docks. It was only a second, a glimpse, then it was like nothing was there.

Rhoa looked over at Kay, who no longer clutched at his arm, and said: “Are you alright?”

Kay looked away from the window, the distant violet eyes clearing and becoming present.

“Yeah, I think I’m getting used to it.” Kay responded almost in a whisper.

Kay turned her attention to the front of the vehicle. Bruller sat silently, not even once acknowledging their presence inside the car. Rhoa had insisted that Kay come along for him to follow through with his commitment, and Bruller had accepted. It, however, bothered Rhoa how little Bruller seemed to resist his plea.

Rhoa’s thoughts had made him forget about the dipping pressure, and a grogginess began to settle over him before he asked Kay: “Is this what you want? Truly?”

Kay looked at him, or at least his general direction. “Yes,” Her eyes shifted from the air in front of him to him, “I want to know what happened to them too. They were just as much as my parents as they were yours. No one else came for me but them.”

Rhoa nodded, thinking he could come with something in response, but the words never came.

The car came to a sudden halt, but as before it was as if nothing had occurred inside. The city came into full view, at least the buildings around the hole did. Skyscrapers made of metal and glass, shadowed The Ladder, but as the vehicle slid through them, it came into view. In the sky was the very thing they had not seen in so long: The Sun. Its rays attempted to infiltrate the car, but the tinted windows shielded them. It reflected off the clutching buildings that scrapped for a corner of the closely set machined world, Axiom in its glory. Every piece of Axiom a calculated maze that ran in lines, never an angle or uneven lane of buildings, all to fulfill a singular plan. The streets, so far below, appeared to only have a use in the plan as an image, and those who walked them nothing more than rubbed darkened paint. They were not alone in the sky, vehicles of all shapes and sizes darted in a bizarrely ordered fashion that one could assume were invisible lanes.

Just as quickly as they enjoyed the radiance from the Sun, so too did it fall into shadow. The hovercar swooped through the rising buildings, steadily they grew larger and larger, until finally the shadow became so dark and encompassing that all was night.

“The Living Tower.” Bruller whispered to himself, his gaze becoming transfixed on the building.

Whether or not Bruller spoke with contempt or wonder, Rhoa could not tell. Like a pillar inside a nest, the Tower gleamed and created a night sky for them. Windows full of light patterned a sea of stars against the blackened shadow of the building. Clouds roiled around the middle, or what he perceived to be the middle, of the tower. Looking down, Rhoa could see the city sleeping in a shroud of fog that spread for miles.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” Rhoa heard himself say, unaware that he was saying it.

“We’re not hard to impress. But, something like this is beyond anything I could have imagined either.” Kay said beside him, smiling at her first comment.

Rhoa smiled, then asked Bruller: “So, where exactly are we going?”

Bruller looked slightly to his right, and for the first time Rhoa noticed that the car had no steering wheel, it was fully automated. Bruller glanced back to the window.

“To the shadow of the tower, close to the base.” Bruller said.

“Is it always this dark? It’s like being back home.” Rhoa asked.

“The darkness that the Tower casts never moves, doesn’t matter what time of day it is. That’s why this area is called the Cities of Stars. Goes for miles and miles.” Bruller said in a trance.

“Never moves? That doesn’t make any sense.” Rhoa said.

“No, it doesn’t.” Bruller said in a voice so devoid of emotion that Rhoa dared not say anything else to him.

The hovercar swooped low, passing between buildings and other vehicles, until it reached a surface road. They hovered over the road, going between switching road lights. Not a single vehicle crossed their path. The further they went, the darker and older the buildings became. There was not a polished sheen to these buildings like the rest, instead they had fallen to dirt and rust, decaying right before their eyes.

“We’re here.” Bruller said suddenly.

The building was smaller than its neighbors, but just as dark and decrepit. It had very few windows, and at the front what looked to be a sliding garage door. Beside the garage was a set of stairs that led into the building with a door that was peculiar – a piece of metal was attached to the side. Rhoa had heard of doors that had these things – “knobs” they called them. The hovercar veered from the road and the garage door slid open. Barely fitting inside, the hovercar set itself down; its headlights beaming upon the wall. Rhoa reached for the door.

“We’re not getting out here.” Bruller said.

The wall in front of them began to move, and so too did the walls beside them. The ceiling, however, remained motionless. They were going down.

An elevator? Rhoa thought.

Rhoa opened his window, and listened to an unsettling stillness, expecting some kind of indication of machinery. He had been around all kinds of Axiom’s technology, but all of them made a sound - the silence frightened him. Panic rose out of the bowels of his quenched courage, Rhoa had only thought this through so far.

Had he screwed up? Rhoa asked himself. Could he really trust Bruller?

 Bruller had said next to nothing once they had gotten into the car. Rhoa’s mind raced and looked for a way out. But they were trapped. If Bruller was not an Agent? Where had he taken them then?

“Where are we?” Rhoa demanded, his voice was calm, but he could not help but feel a lump forming in his throat as he spoke.

Bruller said nothing, the walls still falling around them. The garage door had long disappeared.

“You were expecting a shining building with a red carpet? Well, that is the reception building on the other side of the Tower. Truth is, even that building is lying. No one, except the doctors, works for the Agency – just the building. That building though, has an elevator that leads to the very same thing you are about to see. The only thing different about this one is that it does not lie to you. Welcome to your new home.” Bruller said, and another sliding garage door was in front of them, like it had been there the whole time.

The door slid open, and the hovercar passed through. What seemed like a parking lot came into view, yellow lines spaced several vehicles but were mostly empty. Behind it, a building that looked like the one they had just saw, took up most of the back wall. Instead, however, it appeared much more well-kept. No rust could be seen on its surface, and yet it lacked windows. It is simply a building of metal. Several feet above the building, a large light brightly lit the area in front. Apparently, the light was not large enough. Most of the area was still cloaked in shadow, and for the most part only the entrance and some of the parking lot had any light. Rhoa could barely make out what seemed like sliding doors on the other two walls.

The hovercar slid into a spot and came to a rest, the headlights blinking off. Bruller was the first to exit, and Rhoa and Kay took that as an indicator that they could get out. As Rhoa closed the door, he looked over at Kay who seemed even more deeply disturbed than he felt. Though, he probably looked just as concerned, for when she looked at him her eyes grew wider. Unfortunately, it seemed, they had entered an area that looked just like the place they left. Rhoa expected something to change, but instead that change appeared to only come with a horrific price. He heard about the price, but he was not sure how true it was. Either way, it did not matter. They would find out.

Kay joined Rhoa at the right side of the car after retrieving her bag, passing Rhoa’s to him, and as Bruller rounded the front end of the car, they began walking towards the building. Rhoa stopped, and both looked back at Bruller lighting a cigarette, his face momentarily lighting up - his eyes fixed upon them. There was a strangeness to Bruller’s eyes that Rhoa had not noticed before, instead of light blue they were in fact white. The light flickered out and Bruller leaned more comfortably against the car.

“Go, they’re waiting for you.” Bruller said in the darkness, the light above just barely outside the tip of his feet.

Rhoa and Kay’s shadows sprung to life in the light, but the blackened metal floor seemed to suck them away, instead, they lingered in the air as if avoiding the ground.

“You’re not coming?” Kay asked.

“No, my part is done. Go inside.” Bruller said and repeated.

From what little Rhoa knew of Bruller, he had discovered at least that Bruller was not much for conversation. On their ride, however, Bruller seemed uncharacteristically silent even for him. Bruller did not like this place.

Rhoa and Kay turned around and headed for the building. The air smelled of staleness and felt too humid for an area surrounded in nothing but metal. They approached the entrance – a set of metal stairs leading to a single decaying brown door. Rhoa stepped forward, and out of curiosity, ran his right hand over the door.

“Is this real wood?” Rhoa asked, looking back at Kay.

Kay shrugged, and Rhoa looked at the rusting brass doorknob. He took hold of the knob and turned it, feeling the decaying metal slightly churn in his hand. To his surprise, inside appeared to be a reception area, and much better lighting. To their right was a reception desk and a hallway, and to their left a set of grey metallic chairs and another hallway. Overall, it was a small extremely frigid reception area, which made Rhoa wish he had worn something warmer.

Kay entered behind him, and the two looked around at the area in wonder. How could such an area exist inside of such a small building?

Standing in front of them was a man in a pair of black dress pants, a deep brown vest, and underneath a white dress shirt. His brown and grey hair complimented his attire, as well as a neatly trimmed beard; the lines around his brown eyes weathered under what could be years of pressure. With a smile, the man greeted them – which made the weathering even more apparent.

“Welcome to the Agency. I’m Doctor Edward Hedrig, the lead scientist behind our little project here. You were probably expecting someone in a lab coat, but that tends to make people nervous, so I like to wear a vest instead on the initial meeting.” Hedrig said, his voice deep and rasping.

Thanks for telling me, Rhoa thought. Hedrig then reached out to Rhoa with his right hand. Rhoa took the hand, and they shook; the hand coarser than he was expecting.

“You must be Rhoa Feldmar. You look just like your father, but I can see your mother especially. I was expecting you would come and visit us one day, but under better circumstances.” Doctor Hedrig solemnly said.

Before Rhoa could inquire more, they let go and Doctor Hedrig moved to Kay. He extended the same hand to her, and she took it.

“And you must be Kay Merick.” Doctor Hedrig said to Kay’s surprise.

Kay had not introduced herself to anyone yet, but Hedrig appeared to know her. Rhoa was surprised as well, however, he deduced either Bruller had called ahead, or the Agency had collected that information before they arrived – it was their vehicle after all.

“The Feldmars often spoke of you as well, and of how inseparable you two are.” Doctor Hedrig said smiling warmly, his eyes darting to Rhoa.

Hedrig and Kay stopped shaking hands, and Hedrig clasped his hands together.

“I’m sure you two have a lot of questions, but before we answer any of them there’s a little formality that has to be taken care of first. I just need you two to sign some paperwork, which thankfully I only need one signature from both of you.” Doctor Hedrig said, turning, and gestured toward the receptionist desk.

Behind the desk an older man picked up and placed two techpads on the counter. They approached, and Kay and Rhoa looked at one another in hesitation.

“What exactly am I signing?” Rhoa asked.

“Your life away.” The older man behind the desk said with a slight smirk.

Hedrig was less than happy, giving the old man a stern look.

“It’s just a formality. We’ve already compiled some basic information about you, and all you must do is confirm it’s correct. Then that information will be sent into the database as a registered Agent.” Doctor Hedrig said resting his hand on the counter.

Rhoa and Kay looked at the techpads, and just as Hedrig had said it contained most of their basic information. Date of birth, tech number, residence, etc. Rhoa looked at Kay and hesitated. This was moving more quickly than Rhoa had thought, but he wanted to know what had happened to his parents. As far as he knew, they could have been alive even during their missing period, or even now. He wanted to know why they were gone and what they had been doing. Too much had to be answered, and this was the only way. Rhoa placed his right pointer finger on the pad and signed away. Kay did the same.

“Wonderful! Welcome officially. Now, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have if you would follow me, please.” Doctor Hedrig said and turned from the desk to another hallway to the left of the reception desk.

The walls of the hallway, a painted darker shade of white, could be mistaken for some other material, however, they, just like the rest of the building, are metal. The trim of the walls a light brown, as if attempting to ease nervousness. Luckily, the hallway was large enough to allow three people to walk side by side without much trouble, however, Doctor Hedrig led the way allowing them more room. Every so many feet along both sides of the wall were brown sliding doors but unmarked and thus their secrets hidden.

Rhoa felt a tug on his shirt as they walked, and Kay whispered to him “This place gives me the creeps.”

“Yeah, me too.” Rhoa admittedly said.

“You ever feel like you’ve been someplace or done something that you saw once?” Kay whispered.

“You mean like déjà vu?” Rhoa asked.

“Yeah, but I feel like it’s more than that. Like I’ve been here before, and I can’t remember when.” Kay whispered, tugging on her bag strap.

“Maybe Mom and Dad brought you here once?” Rhoa whispered.

“Why would they do that?” Kay asked, looking questionably at him.

 “I don’t know.” Rhoa said.

To him that seemed to be the most reasonable answer, but why would they have? They never brought him, never spoke of the building, and hardly, if ever, spoke of their work. Rhoa pushed the question to the back of his mind.

They came to a crossroads of hallways, one lead to the right, one to the left, and another straight ahead. Doctor Hedrig paid no attention to the left and right hallways and proceeded straight ahead. Rhoa managed a glance down both hallways, but they both seemed to lead too far down to tell what was at the end of them. Unlike the first hallway, however, these hallways had no other doors. Hedrig lead them a short while longer before coming the end of the hallway. Several doors sat at the end of the hallway, several on the right and several on the left; all of them four paneled glass sliding doors, which allowed him to see through. They appeared to be laboratories, but what they were researching Rhoa could not tell. At the very end of the hallway sat a single grey metal sliding door, and like the others – was not labeled.

“Here we are!” Doctor Hedrig said with glee, his fine clean black shoes clacking away upon the floor.

Doctor Hedrig walked to the side panel of the door, pressing his eye against the panel, and the door opened.

“Welcome, Doctor Edward Hedrig.” The panel said in a mechanical male voice.

“Please, come in! You can set your things down here by the door. Just give me one moment, please.” Doctor Hedrig said entering the room.

They followed him inside and set their bags down by the door. Inside awaited the main laboratory, Rhoa suspects, as its size is larger than the others. Several holo-consoles and tables set themselves around the grey metal walls. At the center of two gathering consoles were holo-projections of what Rhoa could only assume were projects currently being worked on. One appeared to be depicting some sort of substance that looked somewhat grain like, almost like sand, but the projection did not appear to show color in its blue electronic haze. The other projection some form of cellular diagraph Rhoa had no chance of understanding.

The far wall, however, takes Rhoa’s attention - a white tube-like machine rests like a coffin. Multiple tubes and wires splay themselves from its back and into what appears to be a rock face. The entirety of the back wall an ashen rock face, cut down and cleaned into a sheen. Every so often the tubes and wires appeared in the rock, like they had been there as long as the formation. The machine was alone on the far wall, besides a console, a few rolled chairs, and a small white metal desk.

Hedrig pulled off a white lab coat from the wall beside the door, looking rather proper in his true role, and walked to the far machine and console. He picked up a techpad from the small white desk and looked at them: “Please, take a seat, I just need to get set up here and I can answer some of your questions.”

They walked over and sat down in the chairs, and Hedrig taped his fingers upon the pad. The black chairs were comfortable enough, however, nervousness swelled within Rhoa. As Rhoa attempted to suppress his nervousness – Kay looked further distant in her thoughts, her violet eyes looking silently at the tube-like machine.

“Where to begin…” Doctor Hedrig hummed looking up from the pad.

Rhoa gulped the lump forming in his throat in anticipation. Kay, however, appeared unphased, as if in a trance. Hedrig cleared his throat, as if signaling the start of his speech.

“I know you two must be nervous. The machine beside us is what we have used to initiate the members of the Agency and give them the splendorous powers you know them to have. It is called the Somnium, as it has been called since the start of the Agency. This particular machine, however, is typically just a research device. This procedure is typically done in the reception building, so the situation is a bit irregular. However, rest assured, the machine is still quite capable of fulfilling its sister machine’s role.” Doctor Hedrig explained, using a soft methodical voice.

“What’s all the tubing and wiring going to?” Rhoa asked inquisitively, albeit nervously.

There were few times Rhoa saw something other than metal, so the curious rock formation must have a purpose.

“Ah, the rock. It is the main power source for this building, a deposit of Fedium. We use it to power the machine as well.” Doctor Hedrig said with confidence.

Rhoa had heard of Fedium, its preciousness almost mythical, however, it was still odd that a separate deposit of Fedium be there when an entire grid could be powered by it – especially in raw form; The rock itself is not dangerous, however the raw Fedium at its core could be.

“So, how does this work? Is there some kind of serum we take alongside the machine? Rhoa asked, his nervousness swelling to peak levels, his ears almost bright red.

Doctor Hedrig did not respond immediately, taking a moment.

“You won’t believe me when I tell you how this works, so I’ll ask that you prepare yourself.” Hedrig gave both Rhoa and Kay a glance before proceeding. “You’ll have to strip naked, as the machine will destroy any clothes you’re wearing, and the machine will break you down.”

“What do you mean?” Rhoa asked quietly.

“It will destroy your physical body, but your soul will remain intact. We will assemble enough energy to reconstruct your body in the image that your soul will produce. In the process, it will give you an ability – a power that typical humans are not capable of.” Doctor Hedrig said.

“I’m not sure I understand, my soul?” Rhoa asked jokingly.

Doctor Hedrig nodded.

“That is somehow going to give me superhuman abilities?” Rhoa asked seriously.

Again, Doctor Hedrig nodded.

“By completely destroying my body, essentially killing me, and bringing me back?” Rhoa asked, his voice starting to crack.

“Yes.” Doctor Hedrig said.

Hedrig placed his hands together over top of the techpad, his weathered brown eyes appearing to show no emotion.

“I’ll be as straight forward with you as I can be, we’ve harnessed the Soul with this machine. It is real. We’ve mapped it enough to conclude its existence, but it’s exclusive to this device. It’s not an organ, it’s not physical in any manner, it’s exactly as you might think it to be – ethereal. However, it is there. This process proves that. What you need to realize, just as we have, is that even without your physical body –your soul is you. It is the DNA that is you, who you are, your memories, everything.” Doctor Hedrig said.

Rhoa could not believe what he was hearing. Was it possible? Could the soul really exist? Rhoa had never been one to ask if he even had such a thing, or if such a thing existed. Not in a place like Axiom, nor in a place like The Docks. Rhoa looked at Kay.

“Are you alright Kay?” Rhoa asked.

Kay looked away from the Somnium, her violet eyes hazy and unclear, and looked at Rhoa.

“Yea, I’m alright.” Kay said, her voice without a ting of emotion.

“What do you think?” Rhoa asked.

“I’m not sure,” Kay said, pausing, before continuing, “this is the price, I guess.”

Rhoa said nothing, feeling as if he could be swallowed whole in fear, his entire body aching in terror.

 “This is why people are hesitant on joining the Agency, and often wish to back out. However, like them, you have already signed a contract to go through with the procedure. You, unfortunately, cannot back out at this point. I wish it were as simple as injecting someone with a vial, believe me when I say we have tried, but it simply does not work. Not nearly as well as the Somnium machine.” Doctor Hedrig said.

“And if I said I didn’t wish to go through with it?” Rhoa asked hesitantly.

“Then I would have to force you into the machine. I wouldn’t want to have to do that, but that’s how the Agency remains the way it does.” Doctor Hedrig said methodically.

Rhoa hunched over in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees, and looked at the machine - its coffin shape sculpted by white metal, a single viewport allowing a glimpse into the white mesh interior.

“My parents?” Rhoa asked and looked at Hedrig, gesturing to the machine.

“Went through the same procedure, yes.” Doctor Hedrig nodded.

Rhoa again turned his attention to Kay. She had turned her attention away from them and back to the Somnium. Rhoa did not know what was going on with Kay, or what she was thinking, but she was acting as if she was hypnotized by the Somnium. They were both nervous, that much Rhoa understood, and perhaps that had something to do with it. Rhoa pressed his hands together until his knuckles were white.

“Will we look the same?” Rhoa asked.

“Well, your parents would be the example. The soul still has a self-image that is preserved, so yes it will put you back together based on that self-image. That is not to say that it can’t change some things. I have seen people regrow legs, arms, and I have seen people come out completely different than before. It’s all based on what you believe yourself to be.” Doctor Hedrig said.

“That’s good.” Rhoa said somewhat relieved.

            Rhoa uncoupled his hands, and stood from the chair, then walked up to the Somnium – his features reflecting off the white metal.

            “Okay, I’m ready.” Rhoa said sighing, releasing some of the pent of fear.

            What choice did he have?

Hedrig stood and pressed upon the pad. “Wonderful! I have just let the team know we’re ready to begin. They’ll be in a moment, first you’ll need to re-”

“I’m going first.” Kay said suddenly and pushed herself up from her chair.

Kay walked in front of the Somnium and began removing her boots.

 “What?! Why?!” Rhoa asked nearly falling backwards from the sudden announcement.

“You don’t know why?” Kay asked quietly. “After everything we’ve been through, and you’re asking me why?”

Rhoa watched her undress, removing her shirt and revealing her purple undergarments.

“I didn’t want to remember either, Rhoa, about everything, but we can’t keep living that lie. If this is our chance to start again, to finally leave the Docks, then I’m taking it. No more hiding, no more augments, no more implants, no more hoping your worth something.” Kay said.

Kay stood in front of the Somnium, the cold air coiling around her. She turned her head right slightly, looking at Rhoa.

In the presence of the Somnium, Rhoa remembered. The scars were not obvious, the augments hidden, but Rhoa could see them clearly against the radiant white of the Somnium. Each scar had its own tale of pain, each completely different from the other, each enabling Kay to continue her work at the Docks forever. Her violet eyes saw him, but looked through him, seeing only the machine. In those eyes, Rhoa remembered. He remembered too much, remembered a life so buried in the dark that everything was routine. His back tingled, and he remembered.

The door slid open behind them, and a team of five people marched in. They took up spots at some of the consoles facing the machine, while another approached Hedrig. Her polished black shoes clicking upon the grey flooring, wearing a set of black cargo pants, a white dress shirt and a lab coat overtop. Her blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, dark shadows beneath a pair of green eyes and black rimmed glasses.

“So, this is them?” The unknown woman asked Hedrig, her voice cool and calculating.

Hedrig simply nodded.

“Well, at least she’s ready to go.” The woman said looking at Kay.

 The woman looked at Rhoa and approached.

“You must be Rhoa. I’m Doctor Emily Hedrig.” Emily said and extended a hand.

Rhoa shook her hand, but his eyes darted between Edward and her. She could not be much older than Rhoa.

“He’s my dad.” Emily said, and Rhoa felt a bit embarrassed. “And this must be Kay Merick.”

Kay acknowledged Emily’s presence by giving her a quick glance but said nothing.

 “Okay, Kay, if you would please finish undressing and enter the Somnium – we can begin.” Emily said and walked behind the monitoring console beside the machine.

Rhoa and Edward followed her, and Kay took off what remained of her clothing, her scarred body now on full display. The scars were everywhere and ran deep, but Rhoa was compelled to look at her, everything Kay was. Kay approached the machine, and Emily pressed upon the console. The door slowly opened, a light steam billowing from the hatch. Kay stepped up and into the machine, the white padding burying her, and the door sealed shut.

As Kay entered, Rhoa pressed his hands together behind his back nervously. He remembered what Kay asked him back at the Docks, her bag ready for their departure. He remembered he was the one who wanted this.