Protector of Men Ch 13
Zandra stood with both hands on the table, leaning forward. If these people didn't have anything constructive to say…
"What if there was more to your theory?" the lady asked. Zandra had a hard time concentrating on her words because of her extremely strange choice of wardrobe; she was wearing a halter that definitely didn't look comfortable, and excruciatingly tight leather pants. She needed some fashion advice, but this was physics, not Runway 101.
"That's definitely a possibility," Zandra sighed, "Dr. Roberts' work has shown that the holographic theory is plausible."
"What if we told you that we have proof that not only is it a hologram, but an erroneous representation of the world surrounding us?" the man asked. He actually seemed more a boy than a man; he was much thinner and ganglier than the woman, as was he younger. He too wore black, but looked more sedate.
"Then I would ask you how you came up with that proof."
The two nodded at each other. The woman produced a card from her back pocket and handed it to Zandra.
"We can show you, but you have to come willingly. What you'd see would change your life."
"Change my life?" Zandra was skeptical.
"Come Friday at two, no later." the boy said.
"I have class," Zandra replied. The two looked at each other again.
"What you will see is more than what Binns can teach you," the woman said, smiling at Zandra's token reaction of disbelief.
But they left before Zandra could ask.
Shade walked into Zandra's bunk quietly as she slept; it was still early. They had left Zion only two days before, and she had lazed around most of the time. Once Shade had shown Cover the disk that one morning, Purgatory had been a whirlwind of movement. Only hours later they were back in the air, and headed towards broadcast depth. Alias was the only one that had not been especially curious to why they had left in such a hurry, but that was only because she was confident enough to know she would be told. Shade was supposed to stay quiet until Cover explained the mission. He had been ordered to go wake her up – it was time to go in, time to meet the new person.
"Zandra," Shade whispered, putting a gentle hand on her exposed shoulder. She sighed and turned.
"Zandra," he said again, a little louder.
"What," she replied groggily.
"You've got to eat something."
"Why, it's early."
"Because you're going in today."
"What, already?" She began to get up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she lifted. Shade followed her into the mess room while she got out a bowl and spork.
"Two days was definitely not enough rest."
Shade laughed quietly. Zandra poured some slop into her bowl and began to eat, as difficult as it still was. At least she wasn't gagging.
"I can't believe I'm back to eating this crap," she sighed, letting the single-cell flop off her spork with a splash.
"Neither can I."
She ate quickly and silently. After putting away her bowl and spork, she followed Shade back into the main room. Kesia and Cover were waiting for her, and she could hear footsteps in the hallway. That was probably Alias and Trim. Cover motioned for her to sit down in the jacking chair.
"Are you sure that's all he told you?" he asked, while handing Kesia the disk. Zandra nodded. Cover saw Alias and Trim walk in, and he motioned for them to sit in the other chairs. Shade was already laying in one.
"Kesia will call you when you can upload the next step," he told her while he too reclined into a chair, "and I will keep watch."
Zandra smiled at Kesia, who returned it warmly.
"You going to be okay all alone?" Zandra asked.
"Of course," she replied, "I worry more about you."
Zandra shook her head. "No, it shouldn't be much." Kesia then got out of her operating chair and walked over to where Zandra lay. She was quickly strapped in.
"Ready?"
"Ready," Zandra replied, lying not only to Kesia, but to herself. Kesia had struck a chord with her comment, and it made Zandra wonder about the danger she would really face on this trip. Where was she going again?
The needle went in.
Soon enough all of the crew was standing around an old telephone in an empty room. Zandra looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing her favorite pair of jeans with a black tank. Her hair was back, pulled up in a half-ponytail. Everyone looked so different with 'normal' clothes on. Trim looked happier; more at home. Cover looked proud, like he was comfortable and confident now that he was in his medium. Shade looked blank. His brown hair fell neatly into his face, and he wore a slate crew shirt with black slacks… Everyone looked nice. The phone rang, and Cover picked it up. "We're in, you can download the first part."
Zandra felt a rushing of thought; her eyelids fluttered as her mind became jumbled. She couldn't think, she couldn't do anything while the information flooded her mind, but soon it was done. She knew where to go.
Luckily they weren't very far away from their first destination. The disk had been labeled "Slums", so the group had assumed that they should look in the darkest parts first. They had been right.
"We need a car," Zandra said suddenly. Cover flipped open his cellphone.
"Kesia," he asked, "Where's the nearest garage?"
They decided to take two cars, being that there were five of them. It would have been a tough fit into one, and they decided that two would be better - more mobile in case of attack. They headed into one of the shabbier districts of the city.
"What are we looking for?" Asked Trim. He had been placed in the car with Zandra and Cover. Zandra was driving an old corvette, and Alias in the other car was driving an old Mercedes. They had taken the nicest ones they could find. 'They're nice cars, the owners can afford new ones,' Alias had assured Zandra, who was a little less than willing to steal a coppertop's transportation.
"We're looking for 'liberte' street," Zandra replied. She took a sharp right. Minute by minute the streets darkened, the buildings more shabby, the passerby's more ghoulish.
"Is this a whore town?" Trim asked. Cover looked at him.
"What?"
"We're almost there," Zandra called out, breaking the momentary animosity from Cover to Trim.
"Shit," Zandra whispered. The car swerved to the right. Cover instantly turned back to the front. A few feet in front of their speeding car stood an agent, immobile and staring. Zandra slammed on the gas, swerving back to the left in an attempt to miss him. He slammed against the side of the hood, leaving a large dent in their corvette, still bent over their car and still. Oh god, Zandra thought, at least I killed him.
The agent stirred from the top of her hood and began to crawl towards the windshield. They were still moving at forty. The agent wore a look of disgust on his face; his lips were curled up into a sneer that undoubtedly was meant for them.
"Zandra," Cover warned as the agent crept closer, always obstructing Zandra's view of the road. The agent began to reach for his gun. She didn't need to be told what to do – she slammed on her brakes and sent the agent flying forwards. If he wasn't dead before, he definitely was once Zandra had run him over. She didn't like doing it, but reminded herself that it would have killed her had it been given the chance.
Cover pulled out his cellphone again. "Kesia," he said, "Please keep us informed on any agent sightings. Keep a lookout."
Zandra screeched to a halt again. "We're here."
Again she felt the rush of information, the momentary loss of control that meant she was getting the next step in her journey. But as quickly as it started it stopped again. She pulled herself out of the car; Cover and Trim soon followed. Alias and Shade pulled up a moment later.
"An agent already?" asked Alias. Shade looked worried.
"We handled it," replied Cover.
"Where to?" asked Trim. Zandra was eyeing the building in front of them suspiciously. She knew that she had to go in, but what to do once she got in was a mystery to her. Third door, second right, first left, third floor. That's all she knew. It certainly was a suspicious building – an office complex in the ruddiest districts around? Who knew. But she did know that she had to go in alone.
"I have to go in alone," she said, still looking at the building. Cover glared at her.
"Alone? You never mentioned that."
"I didn't know," she replied honestly. Seeing Cover angry was not a fun thing to watch.
"We are staying here until you are safe."
"I'll let Kesia know when I get to the next step."
Cover nodded. The others looked apprehensive; Zandra noticed that Shade was shaking his head, as if telling her not to go. Alias seemed concerned, as well. But she had to go alone, she knew it. It was a daunting task, but altogether unavoidable.
She walked into the building.
