The Twelfth Chapter

    

            Smooth synthwave music loudly vibrated through every part of Gib’s body, coursing through the club and matching the dark blue hues. Overhead tubes of metal and wires scattered and tangled through the metal ceiling, blue and purple silk drapes hung from the walls and the tubes. Hover platforms floated throughout the club, dazzling blues and purples pulsating from the lights. Cybernetic dancers with a plethora of augments sliding and dancing on poles or openly on their own. Walkways and shadowed private lounges sat near the ceiling of wires and tubes, the occasional plume of smoke pooling in the air. Patrons lined the two bars that sat parallel to one another, tubes falling from the ceiling and directly behind the bars, lined with beverages of gleaming and diverse colors. At the center of the club, which was lined in lounges, a pair of stairs wound downwards into a dark pulsating purple mist.

            When Gib first saw the quiet entrance, he had imagined a small club, but what he saw before him was entirely contrary – crowds of people congregated towards the center of the huge room and stages along the sides. It felt like they had gone from one world and into another. The plethora of colors formed pulsing shadows on his features, his eyes glued to the fantastical scene before him. He had been to many clubs before, but this place was entrancing. Gib shook himself from his gaze and looked at Shogo, who appeared to be sharing his shock.

            “Shogo!” Gib shouted, the music thumping so loudly he seemed to be whispering.

            Shogo heard the vibrations of Gib’s shouting voice and looked at him. A fanatical smile crossed her lips, her eyes glowing in the lights.

            “Isn’t this great?!” Shogo excitedly shouted.

            “This is insane!” Gib shouted back.

            Shogo moved with the thumping of the song and moved towards the right bar. Gib infectiously danced after her. Wading through the mass of dancing bodies, they pranced up to the bar. The blackened bar glistened with a polished shine, their reflections glimmering in a dim pink hue as the backdrop behind the drink shelf slowly changed colors. The bartender moved up and down the bar elegantly, their shimmering silver metallic skin shifting in the changing hues. The bartender, however, appeared uninterested in the pair. Shogo leaned up closer on the counter, her purple outfit pressing on her as her elbows touched the polished surface.

            “Excuse me! Can we get a few drinks?!” Shogo shouted trying to gain the bartender’s attention.

            The bartender moved over to them, giving both a quick glance, and nodded.

            “I’ll have-”

            “Whatever they want, it’s on me.” A voice said over the crowded voices.

            Gib followed the voice to a young man, the crowds seeming to peel away around him. The young man dressed entirely in black. His dress shirt buttoned all the way up until the top three, glimpsing at his bare chest. A pair of dark khakis and buckled black shoes complimented his dark upper half, while a singular black band on his left wrist finished his attire. The young man’s black hair combed back allowed Gib to stare deeply into the green eyes that pooled beneath. The young man smiled and Gib felt a strange comfortableness fall over him. Such a feeling reminded Gib of Wyan.

            Shogo turned and followed Gib’s gaze to the young man.

            “Axal?!” Shogo asked and the young man’s smile brightened.

            “Shogo! I knew it was you!” Axal said laughing and the two hugged briefly.

            “Wow, Axal, you look great! I haven’t seen you in forever! Where have you been?!” Shogo asked excitedly.

            “Thank you, you look great as always Shogo! I’ve been around. I moved down here a little while back and this place has kind of become the hang out spot for me.” Axal said while taking glances at Gib and asking: “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, Gib! This is Axal! Axal this is Gib!” Shogo took Gib by the arm slightly and pulled him into the conversation.

            Axal stretched out a hand and Gib shook it.

            “Nice to meet you!” Axal said smiling.

            “Likewise!” Gib said and they released each other’s grip. “How do you know Shogo?”

            “We worked together at the lab.” Shogo explained.

            “That was what, a few years ago now? Feels like ages.” Axal said seeming to reminisce aloud.

Axal’s words trailed, however, as a young woman approached. She wore a deep dark red dress that conformed tightly, yet flexibly, to her figure and stopped at her knees. A set of gleaming purple eyes rested beneath her vibrantly changing black hair, the merging colors of the club clutching her being. She was beautiful Gib concluded. Just like Axal, however, her beauty felt strange. Gib could not understand what it was that reminded him of Wyan, perhaps that was what was making him feel uncomfortable.

The woman gave them all a slow and methodical glance, then walked closer to Axal. She whispered something into his left ear before walking to his right side.

“I see.” Axal said with a sly smile. “The real fun is about to begin. Perhaps, you two would like to join us?”

Anxiety swelled within Gib, but a strange curiosity took hold and he nodded in agreement.  Shogo, who appeared just as eager, took Gib’s arm and the pair followed Axal and his friend. They weaved their way through the myriad crowds of cybernetic dancers to the central staircase. The patrons of the surrounding lounges faced away from the staircase, as if ignoring its existence, and few dancers remained close to it; perhaps an unspoken rule kept them away.  Gib felt a dread wash over him as they waited just before the pulsating entrance of the staircase. Shogo gripped Gib’s arm tightly while trying to appear composed. It was rare for her to lose her composure; something had felt off about the whole place.

The woman descended first, the entrance swallowing her whole into the pulsating purple darkness.

Axal turned to the pair, giving them a wink and smiling, before saying: “Not many get a chance to come down to the lower area. Trust me it will be fun!”

Axal then turned and descended into the darkness. Gib shook himself and composed momentarily to look at Shogo.

            “We’ll go in together.” Gib said.

            Shogo nodded, and Gib braced himself. He stepped forward, and Shogo, having recomposed herself, mimicked his movement as they approached the entrance. They stepped down into the darkness of the staircase, the pulsating purple enveloping the metallic walls. They descended the staircase a few more feet, the metal stairs feeling as if they could fall from beneath Gib at any moment. As the pulsating purple lights increased in intensity, they peeled away from the darkness of the staircase and descended into a smaller room than above. The hot air felt its way up from Gib’s legs and onto his face, blasting him with a sweet yet powerful odor. Sweat could easily be disguised in fragrance, yet its presence remained obvious.

            The room was lined in pulsating purple tubing and wires that stretched from the corners to the floor. Gib expected to see consoles or various entertainment modules hovering in corners, but what he saw instead unsettled him. He had heard of “direct” connections, interfaces that connected directly to a network rather than through proxy such as the device on his wrist, but never had he seen them. The pulsating tubes connected to the various gathered people slouched or lounging on love seats and purple pillowed beds. Their lounging, however, was not simply of sitting on linens – but sometimes each other. The patrons devoured one another under the pulsating purple tubes that illuminated their bodies in sweating lust.

            Gib stepped off the final metal stair and onto the polished metal floor, Shogo following behind. Axal waited just a few feet from them at a center point to the contortion of metal and flesh, surrounded by the moans and hot air made Gib feel a bit squeamish. They approached Axal, who said nothing but winked - his companion nowhere to be seen.

            “Where’s your friend?” Gib at first shouted, but then hushed as he realized the quietness of the room. The pulsating music above seemed distant, only the thuds of the bass making any notable sound.

            “She’s gone on ahead. We have something special planned for you guys.” Axal said smiling.

            A wave of dread slammed into Gib’s chest. He turned his head back towards the staircase, and instead of an empty exit, a cyborg, like the door guard, stood in its path. This was a mistake. Why hadn’t Gib questioned Axal’s almost immediate greeting? Why hadn’t Shogo? Gib looked back at Axal, the feeling of comfortableness piercing through his dread as if boring its way into his chest. Gib’s mind swirled, something was very wrong with Axal.

            “Follow me.” Axal said seductively, yet almost as if it was a command.

            Axal turned and walked into an adjacent hallway, Shogo and Gib followed. Gib watched as Shogo took the lead, her fists clenching and biting her lip. Axal lead them further into the belly of the club, passing by doorways – some open and some closed. Gib, though focused on trying to break free of the force driving him forward, managed to see through some of the open doorways. Some seemed to only lead down other hallways, perhaps leading into a maze, and other empty rooms, however - a few rooms were occupied.

            In one of the open rooms, Gib could see a chained up naked woman being domineered by a cyborg. There were similar rooms as they progressed, however, the deeper they went something began to change. Most of the doors were closed, but some remained open. Purple strands of light beamed out of the open doorways, the sound of burning flesh crisply snapping in quiet echoes as they approached. But it was not flesh burning, as Gib approached one of the doors he saw what was happening. A man inside one of the cells moaned in apparent pleasure as his body was covered in wires and tubes, like hooks digging into his flesh; blobs of blood splattered on the floor and running on his legs. The man’s eyes flashed a vibrant orange gleam as if something were changing.

            Gib turned and looked away, yet the horror had only begun. Another room had a female occupant who, like the male, had wires and tubes latched to her body – yet her flesh had started to change. Parts of her skin had become metallic, as if cybernetics were being directly injected into her blood and changing her from the inside out. Several similar rooms along the way showed the progress of the change, the wires and tubes becoming more and more prevalent, as if the room were swallowing their subjects whole.

The flush lights overhead dimmed as they neared the end of the hallway, a group of cyborgs awaiting them; the doors closed and sealed at the end. The dim light hung upon the shoulders of the yellow eyed cyborgs, an uncomfortable eeriness falling over Gib as he peered at the closed doors – dark and almost as if unused.

            The group halted, a little past the group of cyborgs, in front of a dark metal door – large enough to let a few people through at once. The door slid open as Axal approached, and inside was a dark room. It was small compared to the doorway, but large enough for a group of people to stand around. At the center of the room, however, were two beams of light that illuminated two metal circles on the ground.

            “What is this, Axal?” Shogo said straining her voice in a mixture of fear and anger.

            Axal said nothing and walked inside. Shogo and Gib, however, were paralyzed in fear.

            “Inside.” Axal commanded softly.

            The cyborgs behind shoved Gib and Shogo inside the room, a few cyborgs stepping inside after them, and the door closed behind them.

            “Stand here, please.” Axal said, pleasantly commanding them to do as he bid.

            Gib felt his body moving against his will, and he stepped into one of the beams of light. Shogo appeared to be fighting, but eventually her body moved her inside the circle. Suddenly, the metal circle beneath their feet morphed - the outer ring of the circle quickly moving upwards and forming into metal cuffs that attached themselves to Shogo and Gib’s wrists. At their feet, the metal liquified and they sank into the circle. From the light overhead, wires attached themselves to the cuffs and pulled them upwards into the air; the liquified metal still flowing off their feet.

            “What is going on, Axal?!” Shogo screamed; her voice hollowed out inside the dense room.

            Axal walked over to Gib, the ray of light creating a shadow on Axal’s face.

            “Who are you really?” Axal said in a more forceful tone. As the words slipped from Axal’s lips, the forcefulness was literal. The influence from before slammed against Gib’s mind, like a migraine on steroids. Gib closed his eyes, clenching his teeth, as he felt the sensation run through him.

            “My name is Gib Ladley…” Gib said while thrashing about in the cuffs, the words coming out on their own.

            “Your flailing is futile. I will find out what I want to know.” Axal emotionlessly said.

            Axal moved away from Gib and approached Shogo.

            “When I get out of this, I’m going to kick your ass, Axal!” Shogo fiercely roared.

            “There will be no ass kicking today, Shogo. I’m going to ask you a simple question, and you’re going to answer me with a simple answer. Refuse to answer or answer incorrectly, and Gib over there becomes a new member of the flock.” Axal said disquietly, his smirk the only visible piece of his head under the light. “Piefer Genetics. What are the access codes?”

            Shogo laughed, “Which part, asshole?”

            Axal sighed and turned to Gib. The metal liquid on Gib’s feet slowly ascended his legs. He could feel it doing something to his feet, thinking of the people beyond the doors, and screamed in panic.

            “That bitch set me up, didn’t she?” Shogo snarled. “She wanted me to come down here to see you.”

            “You know what part I’m looking for, Shogo.” Axal lightly said. “Just tell me.”

            As Axal spoke, Gib felt another wave slam into his mind.

            “Shogo, please, just tell him!” The pain going straight to Gib’s head.

            A momentary silence filled the room, the mechanite liquid crisply teeming over Gib’s feet.

            “Gib, I can’t. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you with me.” Shogo said regretfully.

            Gib looked at her in disbelief. She was willing to throw him away.

            “You bitch!” Axal’s calm demeanor broke, anger creating contours of rage over his expression. He gripped Shogo’s face with his right hand, as if ready to strangle her, “You know better than anyone what they do there, what you protect. Why?! Whatever they pay you can’t be worth the price that it will cost you. Give me the code! Help us set this right!”

            Axal released his grip on her face, waiting for her response. Shogo looked at the cyborg guards, their expressionless faces staring off into nothingness.

            “You’re not any better. That’s not any kind of freedom.” Shogo said.

            Axal followed her gaze to the guards, before returning to her.

            “They were free to choose, and they were gifted with vision beyond your comprehension.” Axal said pridefully.

            “What happened to you, Axal?”

            “I was given a choice, and just like them I was gifted something even I still can’t understand. But I know it will change this world, this mess, and turn it upside. Free us of our congested fevering vision of destitution.” Axal preached.

            “Life isn’t fair, Axal. You know that.” Shogo said.

            “I was shown a way to change that.” Axal whispered.

            Axal’s words rippled through Shogo, and Gib, in a deep chill, as if the words commanded an entirely different and literal presence. Axal reached over to Shogo’s face again, cupping her head between his hands in a light grip.

            “I can show you true vision – what it’s actually like.” Axal said.

            The door slid open suddenly, the guards not moving an inch at the movement. The woman from earlier approached, her red dress appearing darker in the room – no longer vibrantly pulsing against the background.

            “What is it?” Axal asked.

            The woman approached and whispered something into Axal’s right ear.

            “Impossible, they couldn’t have found us that easily.” Axal said, and then looked at Gib. “You.”

            Axal released his grip on Shogo and strutted over to Gib. Gripping the back of Gib’s head - Axal stared into his eyes.

            “Who do you work for?” Axal asked.

            A migraine ripped through Gib’s skull, like needles piercing and probing through every hair fiber. Gib could barely hold himself conscious, believing for a moment that his mind might rupture.

            “Vikal Toros.” Gib could barely speak the words.

            Axal released his grip, and immediately looked at the woman.

            “Take her - our friends have other ways of getting her to talk. Dispose of him.” Axal said looking at the pair.

            Axal then disappeared behind them, and into the darkness of the room. Perhaps, into another hallway, Gib concluded. The woman approached Gib first, and the liquid crept a bit further.

            “Please, let him go. He has nothing to do with this!” Shogo pleaded to the woman.

            The woman ignored her. Her purple eyes transfixed on Gib’s. Gib could feel his consciousness ebbing in and out, as if about to fall into a deep sleep.

            Am I going to die? Gib asked himself. He had never thought about dying before. Maybe, this was not such a bad way to go out. Sleeping, forever. Yet, Gib was not ready – he had so much to do. Wyan appeared in Gib’s thoughts, seeing a passing future that he desired.

            Suddenly, the guards began moving, and the hallway became active. Out of the doorways more of the androids appeared – their fleshy hosts peeling away, pulsing with a bright orange energy that rippled through the newborn material. Modular weapons appeared from the exoskeletons, pistols, and several small arms ready to be used.

            A loud thud echoed from the staircase at the end of the hallway, dust moving from the crevices of the metal ceiling. The partying patrons scrambled down various hallways, disappearing into the maze beyond – but none screamed, and only gathered what they could. The staircase became a bright orange - a completely ablaze android falling through the misty fog and slamming into the floor. It reached forward, its metallic skin burning crisply, before becoming completely still. Footsteps followed the blaze, the fog becoming thicker with the small fire still burning away.

            A mirror was Gib’s first thought. Then, a ghost. The white suit plastered itself against the fog roiling with smoke against the ceiling. A pair of black shining shoes cleared the stairway and stopped beside the charred corpse of the android. The mirror a helmet, a silver helmet – expressionless but vibrantly mirroring the dancing flame on the ground. Beneath the helmet, a pair of black energized pistols gripped tightly by a pair of black leather gloves.

            The woman half-turned to look at the white-clad figure at the end of the hallway. Her eyes grew wide, and only a word dared to follow: “Agent.”