Epoxia, the erased continent.

PROLOGUE

The rain falls, like an inevitable event, occurring every four hours, for five minutes. Fine droplets imbued with cleansing additives and fragrances. A necessity to eradicate the grime clinging to one of Epoxia’s cities.

The hour strikes, the moment to tread the road to the Titanium Eagles Clinic. A momentous day awaits me. After much contemplation, I have finally embraced the essence of ultimate evolution. Following in the footsteps of our idols, athletes, and other more or less prominent leaders, I will align myself with contemporary norms. Renouncing my human nature, metamorphosing into a machine. Fortunately, Clara accompanies me. She has pioneeringly paved the way; otherwise, I would probably remain a man of flesh and blood for a long time yet.

The clock reads 9:30 a.m., and here we are at the bottom of our residential tower, at level -36 of Sphere 48 of Epoxia, sheltered under its gigantic dome. An appointment is set with a capsule to transport us to the clinic. Right on time, our transport arrives. The door opens, and we take our seats on board. The vehicle sets off without delay.

The capsule offers viewing of three advertisements to obtain a discount on the journey cost. I accept, knowing that our attention will likely be superficial.

As we ascend the ramp towards the upper levels, the first ad begins. The interior transforms. The windows become opaque, and we find ourselves immersed in a visual geode. Speaking is strictly prohibited; breaking this rule would void the contract, necessitating full payment. In the embrace of our kiss, I vaguely glimpse the following message. The advertisement takes flight from the Finantex logo, a financial institution specializing in health. A soothing voice broadcasts the following message: «Join our financing plans for your transplantation. Ultimate evolution accessible to all! Finantex, the solution at your fingertips. And if you wish, we can also offer you an extension for procreation financing, thus establishing a transmissible lineage over four generations!» The ad concludes with a final call to contact sales.

We resume our conversation; the screens vanish, and the exterior view reappears. The capsule continues its ascent. Each level has a thickness of 160 feet, with most buildings serving as living spaces while supporting the upper floors. Only level 1 is adorned with towers exceeding 3300 feet. As we climb higher, the levels adorn themselves with splendor, clean and bright. The higher we go, the higher the rungs of society rise.

At level -33, the second advertisement begins. Once again, screens form in the capsule, and a very rhythmic music starts. Suggestive music, smooth voice, more than erotic images. The discourse suffers no ambiguity: «Plunge into the bliss of Celebrity Park! Unite carnally with the most prominent celebrities. As you wish, with one or more partners, live out all your desires! The artifice with us competes in gentleness and pleasures with nature. The feeling of having shared an intense moment with the star of your dreams will be unmatched. Do not delay and succumb to the charms of your idols! Celebrity Park, pure ecstasy.» End of the ad.

The journey continues. Three more floors, and the final ad begins.

We are on a takeoff runway, above Epoxia, our underground homeland. The runway is sheltered in a colossal hangar; an energy barrier opens to allow the aircraft to zoom away. The sun rises on the horizon, covering the snow with a magnificent golden hue. Beneath our feet, the soiled earth cannot tarnish this splendid vision. Plans unfold rapidly to highlight the power and speed of the aircraft’s high-altitude ascent. Onboard, many passengers claim to be interested in research or history, but most are clearly there to satisfy their thirst for macabre sensations. Enchanting background music and a warm female voice invite us to adventure: «In search of thrills? Eager to witness the realities of atomic war with your own eyes? Do not miss our African Tour. Discover the erasure of an entire continent! Experience a suborbital flyover of the irradiated zone. Onboard, interact with survivors burned by nuclear fire, kept alive in survival tanks. As an option, obtain a certified irradiated sample of the most powerful simulated atomic explosions ever conceived on Earth. Approach the great thrill now: Africa, atomic death!»

As the discourse gives way to a gentle melody, a panoramic shot reveals the aircraft flying over a ravaged and scorched continent. End of the commercial message.

Our discomfort struggles to remain concealed. But finally, we reach our destination.

The capsule halts at the foot of the grandiose staircase leading to the clinic. We savor the spectacle around us. On the marble sidewalk with golden reflections, people circulate, like a harmonious dance of noble guests. Adorned in sumptuous fabrics, their faces partly concealed by polymorphic jewels. Some float, not touching the ground, carried by flying chairs. They literally move through the air. Sometimes, escorted by a tray holding a miniature dog, a cat, or any other artificial animal. The display of wealth is systematic.

Beyond the displays of luxury and opulence, something strikes me even more. The omnipresence of security forces. Every twenty steps, a combat robot or an armed soldier or surveillance posts. Among this security array move officers in black uniforms, embodying the constant control and surveillance of the state. I do not hold them in esteem; they evoke unpleasant memories. The time has come to bid farewell. A final gesture, a forced smile, and I depart. I hold her tightly in my arms; I know our parting will be long and bitter. I am torn between the sadness of leaving her and the professional obligation to be «upgraded.»

I turn, climb the few steps separating me from the clinic. A future in the making unfolds before me, my passage to a new essence begins.

Chapter 1

Birth

Private clinic «The Titanium Eagles,» block E.

In the operating room, the team of Professor Jorgen Schöffer works under powerful spotlights. The metallic walls of the room reflect the strange ballet performed by the surgeons. Seated on footless chairs, they literally float and move at will.

The citizens of Epoxia, a new federation of states stemming from European countries, have gradually managed to overcome most of the natural laws. They master the laws of gravity as well as those related to the human genome or molecular chemistry...

A near-monastic silence reigns in the block, barely disturbed by the hum of ventilation systems, ensuring impeccable hygiene.

Professor Schöffer asks:

- Boris, how are the nanotechnological settings progressing ?

- Everything is fine, professor. The client’s organic identity posed no problem. The molecular chemistry service was able to establish a very precise profile. Reconstruction should proceed under optimal conditions.

- Perfect, continues Professor Schöffer, without lifting his eyes from his virtually invisible control screen to others.

Is he «fully equipped»?

- Almost, he has subscribed to a Prestigis contract, for a transplantation onto a carbon titanium alloy structure. Top of the line. He also chose a Premium option.

- Which one?

- Energy saver.

- Good choice, it will be very useful for him. Most people choose to improve their vision.

All that just to ogle the neighbor across the street more easily... Boris jokes.

- Or to cheat during exams, retorts the professor. In fact, watching you maneuver your devices like this, I’m starting to wonder if that’s not your case.

Accustomed to the professor’s reprimands, Boris nevertheless does not flinch and continues speaking:

- Anyway, less consumption means less recharging. He’ll be more enduring, and his energy level won’t be a daily concern.

- Much like you are for me...

the professor quips in conclusion.

This time Boris says nothing more and simply assists the professor.

When he starts speaking again, it’s only because the professor asks him:

- Patient’s name?

- Nathan Seïndi. 1 meter 88 for 85 kilos, Boris immediately specifies.

The professor then turns to another assistant:

- How did the clinical death go?

- Very well, the assistant replies. No molecular readjustment expected. The brain was extracted without damage.

- Good. Everyone back to their positions. We’re going to start the assembly phase. So, launch the element positioning program.

A few seconds later, a metallic skeleton rises in the middle of the room. Escaping the laws of gravity, it floats in the air, stationary at nearly two meters from the ground. It’s the perfect replica of Nathan’s original skeleton. The synthetic double in which he will be reborn.

Near the cranial box, a transparent tube contains the original brain, immersed in a pinkish, gaseous solution. Clouds of bubbles rise to the surface and adhere to the gelatinous walls of the brain.

- And now start the assembly procedure.

Orders Professor Schöffer.

Immediately, his assistants comply and begin to act by telekinesis. Their maneuvers cause the organ to move inside the tube. The brain approaches the wall, then crosses it. Still floating in the air, it automatically lodges itself into the cranial box of the skeleton, causing it to undergo a violent jolt.

No matter how many times the professor has performed the operation, it always has the same effect on him. Being himself turned into a machine, in turn, constructing another machine.

Blood circuit in the reconstruction phase, one of his assistants informs him.

Thousands of blood vessels materialize immediately in the cavities of the skeleton. Like a diligent spider, the brain weaves its web of synthetic veins and arteries in the metallic framework. Until it covers it entirely.

Heartbeats have resumed. Blood pressure is stabilizing, Boris announces.

- Activate the molecular regenerators, Professor Schöffer responds briefly.

It’s all become so... routine.

Yes, routine. How many operations like this does the clinic perform each year? Hundreds? Thousands? What will happen when there are no more people to transform? No, transform wasn’t the right word, the salespeople had corrected him enough on the subject. «Rebuilt» was the word they sold to the patients. Even if from their former «selves» there ultimately wasn’t much left.

A few meters from the tangle of metal and blood vessels, large tanks begin to emit a red glow. Born from simple pinpoint lights materialized at the center, the beams quickly extend and irradiate the entirety of the matter contained in the tanks. Molecular chemistry comes into action. Each receptacle is topped with a metallic disc that rotates, projecting a powerful halo of red light onto the ground. Thanks to their filtering retinas, the surgeons are perfectly insensitive to the intensity of light emitted. Otherwise, they would be blinded in an instant. They take their positions for the final phase of the operation. Two of them stand in front of the control screens of the tanks and verify the parameters. The third triggers the procedure that will reconstruct Nathan’s physical envelope. After a final simulation, the intervention begins. Atomic elements are teleported from the tanks to the microjets. These thin and elegant tools resemble styli. They describe circular movements around Nathan’s skeleton, traversing his entire body. Their conical tips eject a soft, shapeless material that solidifies on its support in a few seconds.

When finally the microjets retract, the skeleton has given way to a naked and athletic body. Nathan seems to have regained his original morphology.

Only the absence of hair and nails still betrays the decisive transformation he has just undergone. The one that the inhabitants of Epoxia have dubbed : The ultimate evolution.

Chapter 2

Awakening

The birdsong pierces my sleep.

I open my eyes.

The light above me, almost blinding, forces me to quickly shut them again. My head hurts. Dizziness and extreme weakness engulf me. The inability to make the slightest effort overwhelms me.

I plunge back to where I was just a second ago. There it is. These colors, these sounds, these landscapes... of a disturbing intensity. I move forward, capturing the scent of the trees, feeling the grass give way under my steps. In the distance, the sound of a waterfall reaches me.

Is this Epoxia, the place I think I’ve seen before but where I’ve never set foot? It can’t be true, can it? Human silhouettes appear in the distance. I head towards them, but the more I run, the further they get away. A frantic sprint doesn’t bring them closer. My breath quickens, my legs struggle...

And suddenly, everything turns black around me. Landscapes fade, lights disappear. I wake up in my room, my eyes fixed on a ceiling entirely covered by a giant screen.

Images of an idyllic landscape scroll by, accompanied by the sound of birds and the roar of a waterfall. Was all of that just an illusion? A simple trick of the eye? Then why this feeling of déjà vu?

«Play music ?» suggests a synthetic voice, apparently detecting that I’m finally awake.

I respond:

«No, not now.»

I only wish for one thing : silence. Calmness to focus and try to remember. Of this familiar place where I have never been. After long minutes of trying to recall, I realize that I am indeed awake. Too awake to return to this place that seemed so captivating.

Too awake also not to notice that I am being watched.

A quick glance around confirms my intuition. A small man in glasses, dressed in a white jumpsuit, stands in a corner of the room, motionless. When my eyes fall on him, he approaches me, a smile on his lips.

«Good to see you up, Mr. Seïndi! My name is Xavier Bolovski. I am here to assist you during your rehabilitation period. How are you feeling?»

I respond:

«It’s a rather weird sensation. I feel no pain; just a very... big tiredness? I feel like I don’t quite feel my body anymore.»

«Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal! Your plasma engine was activated shortly before your awakening. In a few hours, you’ll feel better. Just give it time for all your neural connections to establish themselves permanently and everything will be back on track !»

He says this in a cheerful tone, almost jovial. He reminds me of those constantly smiling people who seem incapable of showing any other emotion. Maybe he’s a machine? I mean a real machine, an android? Many companies use them now. They cost less and can work all day, including at night.

Later, he continues:

«You’ll probably feel hungry. Your new body will signal a need to maintain its activity. You’ll then have the choice of a variety of nutritional charges.»

«Charges? What do you mean?»

«Another one who hasn’t read the entire explanatory brochure, I see! His big stupid smile is seriously starting to annoy me. He must feel it because he quickly starts talking again:

«There are vital charges that serve no other purpose than to maintain your vital functions.»

«And?»

«There are enriched charges! Those our clients love. And if you ask me, they’re absolutely right!»

He pauses for a moment, as if waiting for me to ask him to tell me more. I just look at him, without saying a word.

After a while, which lingers and becomes awkward, he finally says :

«The charges aim to maintain your energy level. Basic charges have no additional effects. But the enriched charges open up a whole new world to you and provide you with additional functions and abilities. Of course, they’re a bit more expensive, but believe me. They’re worth it. Enriched charges can boost your physical or mental abilities! Make you float, make you experience incredible things... You’ll see !»

He then emphasizes his words with a heavily complicit wink. So human or robot? An answer is emerging but terrifies me: man-machine? Like the operation I just underwent? Am I also going to turn into a hysterical idiot? A quick glance in the mirror reassures me about my ability to pull a sour face. My ever-smiling friend obviously takes it personally because he adds:

«Apparently, you still need rest. I’ll come back later.» Then he disappears, not without a final smile.

I try to wake up for another hour before giving up. Slowly, I try to get up, to take control of my body that is no longer quite human. Time passes and I eventually feel a violent sensation of weakness. «Energy level decreasing !» suddenly appears in my field of vision.

I reflexively try to touch these letters that seem to float in the air before realizing. Augmented reality directly in the cornea. I probably should have read that brochure better. Or forgotten a little less about what was written.

The strangest thing is that I barely have time to think the word «hunger» before a hatch opens in the wall next to me. Three charges are offered to me. Apparently, they’ve connected me to the room’s home intelligence. I lean over, hesitate for a moment, then choose a sensitive charge.

What hides behind this name ? Sensitive ?

I open the capsule, swallow my first gulp... Wow ! The effects are almost instantaneous.

Apparently, I’m drinking a powerful neurostimulant. Touch, smell, hearing are momentarily heightened. I feel everything so strongly that the air I exhale on my chest brings me an unsuspected pleasure. Things quickly turn towards very erotic, even sexual feelings and sensations. This thing is powerful. Apart from giving me a lot of frustrations, I don’t see how this type of charge could be useful to me but you never know. With Clara maybe ? Surely...

My energy level then rises enough for me to manage to take three steps, nearly falling only twice. Not bad for a start in... this new body? This new life ?

Yet, that night, sleep eludes me. Did I make the right decision ?

Chapter 3

Re-education

The next day, the real re-education begins.

Professor Schöffer’s team has gathered all the new «transplants» in a large, white-walled room in the clinic’s basement. There are around sixty of us, mostly men, still unable to walk unaided.

First, we are told what we already know :

- Your vision of space is still very random and your balance uncertain. You’re like gigantic infants.

The expression hits the nail on the head and even elicits a few nervous laughs.

- To prevent you from falling, we’re going to fit you with anti-gravity harnesses.

As soon as the Professor utters this sentence, a section of the wall behind him disappears.

- But it’s best to get down to business straight away.

Our recovery assistants help us reach the exercise room.

- Your body mass is ten times less than before,» Bolovski tells me with a smile.

You’d think he’d be amused to see me moving around with such difficulty.

I put on the harness with difficulty and immediately start the exercises. But I can’t wait to get rid of this cumbersome apparatus. I want to pass the tests and get out of here as soon as possible. I want to see my family again. I miss Clara. I think about her every day. I haven’t heard her voice in over a week. The hospital’s draconian rules keep us cut off from the world: no contact with the outside world, even virtual, is tolerated,

is tolerated. How will Clara react to my transplant? Will she find me changed?

It’s clear to me that everything will be different from now on. It’s true that my nails, hair and body hair have grown back at an astonishing rate, and I’ve regained a completely normal appearance. But I’ve become a machine, a fucking machine, terribly efficient.

It must be said that I paid the price. My transplant is very expensive. But my body is my work tool and I have to be at the cutting edge to earn money.

From the authorities’ point of view, «ultimate evolution» has only one aim: to make the latest techniques accessible to all, in order to offer mankind unfailing health and radiance... «Vast Fumistery!» Our daily routine in the clinic is punctuated by training courses and other explanations about our new body. We have to get to know it, master it and discover all its evolutions, which for some are a new source of big profits.

Indeed, this artificial envelope does more than just house and preserve our brains. It gives us the best possible interface to all possible applications. No need for screens or keyboards. Everything is now «telepathic». Images and other information are formed directly in our field of vision. Sensations are fully perceived. There’s no difference with the way things used to be.

To do this, we connect directly to «Instannity», the great global network enabling us to search by keyword, to join the sites of all kinds of companies, to do business, to buy, to consume - yes, above all, to consume. And entertainment above all. And the most entertaining thing to come out of «Instannity» is immersive applications. Experience things in a different way.

Be someone else, or an animal or an inhuman creature or anything else. Then, a scenario or game is proposed. All that’s left is to live this out-of-body experience.

However, the rehabilitation must go through a stabilization phase. So, no dangerous or «excessive» sensations. No contact with the outside world either... You never know... Our access to the network is therefore limited to so-called «meditative» immersions. Contemplating large, magnificent artificial landscapes is one of the permitted applications.

From time to time, I let myself get caught up in these journeys outside myself. For example, in the meditative simulation category, I choose either «flying among diamond hawks», or «riding through luminescent forests».

I’m a real lone wolf myself, and I don’t hesitate to go for the ride.

I sit comfortably in my armchair and start the application. As the room transforms and disappears in a strong white light, I feel as if I’m straightening up and moving upwards.

It’s almost as if I’m leaving my body.

As if my consciousness were heading for a new vehicle, a new form. A new image appears. I’m no longer in the clinic. I’m no longer locked in my room. I’m in the half-light of a strange forest. It’s made up of trees and plants underlined by lines of light and other gleams, in shades of violet, blue or purple. This lighting comes alive, vibrates, moves and changes intensity

to the rhythm of soothing music. The texture of the ground beneath my feet suddenly catches my attention. Suddenly, I realize. I

am no longer me.

I’ve become a wolf.

My coat is dark and shiny. In places, I’m streaked with red and my claws shine like rubies. I like it this way. I take off, and my stride soon turns into a frantic race through majestic trees and other luminescent vegetation. Fine, shiny red particles escape from me.

particles. They float in the air, highlighting my path. My speed is dizzying, as I weave and leap from boulder to boulder with grace and power. I’m on the run and on my right, howling announces the arrival of the pack. They catch up, overtake me and I feel their invitation to follow. But I keep my independence. I choose solitude and continue my journey on my own.

on my own. I keep running. I love the freshness of the air entering my mouth. I love the scents that fill my nose. All these smells speak to me. They tell me all about the forest. Who’s been here, what’s around me, what animals are hiding

hiding not far from me. I’m intoxicated by the experience, and soon sink into bliss. During this waking dream, an illusion overwhelms me. I am free. I am the master of my destiny, my life, my choices.

Above us, glittering hawks split the sky in an almost blinding radiance.

Along the way, I come across the remains of ancient temples. Stone towers frame a gigantic courtyard. In places, immense crystals decorate this stronghold. Flashes of light pierce through the minerals, and at times, electric arcs make the scene even more spectacular.

But my journey comes to an end. The program comes to an end. I leave as I came. An increasingly bright light floods my field of vision. Everything disappears and I’m back in my armchair, back in the room.

The ride through the luminescent forests was only a fleeting moment, but it has left a deep imprint on my consciousness. I realize the extent to which this immersive virtual reality technology can transform the human experience, offering unprecedented perspectives, but also raising ethical and existential questions.

Returning to my «transplanted» condition, I once again feel the weight of this duality between man and machine. The boundaries between reality and fiction, between the natural and the artificial, become increasingly blurred in this new universe where mind and technology are intimately intertwined.

Re-education continues, between physical exercises and virtual explorations. Every day brings new discoveries about the astonishing capabilities of our new body envelope. As I gradually adapt to this hybrid existence, one question lingers in the back of my mind: what really defines the essence of humanity in this ever-changing world?

Despite these few diversions, this first week passes quite slowly. The pace of our re-education bears no relation to my life outside. I soon became bored. The courses and other training designed to explain our new bodies to us fail to keep me totally occupied. I need some action, some distraction. One evening, I say to myself, «What if I went out and discovered the clinic for myself?

But if I go out, I run the risk of attracting some uncomfortable glances.

But I’m curious and decide to discover the clinic for myself. Given my activities outside the clinic, it’s best to be cautious. I leave the presence simulator bracelet Jacques gave me in the room. If I go out like this, I’ll immediately be reported to security. The bedroom door opens. I discover the dance of the unconscious. Weightless beds circulate one behind the other. Sleeping bodies reveal themselves behind transparent covers. They silently follow one another. Either directly to their respective rooms, or to a recovery room, or even to another operating theatre.

I move on and find myself at the first crossroads. On the wall in front of me, I discover the choices open to me. I head for the surgery.

I make my way down the corridor as unobtrusively as possible. At the far end, lights signal the first operating theatres. But before that, several offices and other service rooms catch my eye. Shortly before one of them, strange sounds emerge. With every step I take, things

things become clearer. Sounds become sighs. Moans of pleasure, jerky breaths punctuate my steps. Presumably a love trio is in the midst of their lovemaking.

I linger and listen. I can guess what’s going on in this enclosed space. This is no ordinary couple, no duo, but rather a trio.

Their embrace is intense. What I hear leaves no doubt. He’s equipped with certain options designed to satisfy fantasies that only today’s technology makes possible. Indeed, this man uses two limbs to satisfy his two partners. The pleasure becomes stronger and more intense.

The ecstasy is powerful.

The duration of this pleasure is also increased tenfold by the new body technique. The man and his partners use a new, highly fashionable function. The lion’s pleasure. A sexual option that multiplies the duration, intensity and number of ecstasies.

Depending on the settings chosen, they may decide to reach climax 4, 5 or even 6 times in a row.

But time passes and their lovemaking comes to an end. Their kisses mark the conclusion.

I leave them there and turn around without being spotted.

As I continue towards the operating theatres, a sign draws my attention.

SECURED AREA

MAXIMUM SURVEILLANCE LEVEL

It’s best not to insist. I turn back.

Now I’m heading for the clinic’s lobby.

As I move forward, a new corridor on the left precedes the clinic lobby. Someone approaches, and I stop, hoping he won’t come towards me. Phew, he’s heading in the right direction and hasn’t seen me. As he passes, the airlock to the reception area opens wide. What I see suddenly freezes me. An entire state surveillance section enters the hall. A dozen soldiers in dark uniforms are greeted by the clinic’s management. The officer doesn’t even respond to the expressions of respect.

I immediately turn back.

After all, my room is a safe place.

By the second week, the anti-gravity harnesses are removed. Our schedules become more and more adapted to our needs. I’ve made great progress. I’m now in total control of my new body, and every day I can appreciate a little more the new performance and functions of my improved envelope. I shine with my mastery and often set an example for the group of new transplants. But I don’t care about others. I’m thinking about myself. And especially her. Clara. I can’t stand being separated from the one I love. I’ve got to see her. As soon as possible. That’s why I frequently ask for an early discharge. I’m led to believe that this depends on my involvement and my success in the various tests they propose. I’m not fooled and I know that my stay will be paid in full, whether I leave before or on the scheduled date. They prefer, without admitting it, that I leave as soon as possible. My room will be more profitable. Another patient will soon add to the clinic’s profits.

To meet the discharge criteria, I have to attend two workshops. Firstly, a space for reflection designed to help us progress in society: the «good citizen» seminar. Secondly, a physical assessment. My field of choice. Bolovsky records and triggers the program. A wave from him and I take my leave. I leave my room on my self-guided chair. Without any interaction on my part, my vehicle leads me through the long corridors, across the main hall and into the clinic’s largest conference room.

The space is immense and richly decorated. Red curtains and symbols of power frame the stage. In the center, a table with gilded moldings, as well as various plants and other decorations, give the whole a very solemn image. The room is ridiculously too large for the number of participants. There are barely fifteen of us. But to impress and assert its strength, our political system doesn’t hesitate to go to any lengths. Levitating behind this staging, a huge screen broadcasts the introductory spots for the seminar that brings us all together here. Loud music, images of cheering crowds in front of government representatives. Close-ups of happy, smiling faces. Life is good at Epoxia...

Then the soundtrack changes, and the afternoon’s hosts arrive. Three state representatives appear from the back of the stage. They’re all dressed in their elegant dark uniforms. One of them, in the center, sports decorations that suggest he is the most senior of the three. He steps forward more than the other two and speaks.

The first representative declares: «Welcome, everyone! And thank you for volunteering to discuss with us some of the values that define Epoxia.»

He makes a fine introduction, defining the merits of an exchange aimed at restoring our taste for a society based on standardization, respect for rules, listening and submission. He sets out the themes to be discussed in detail: social participation, the virtuous citizen, facing up to injustice, sharing with the state. Then he steps back and another takes over.

The second representative exclaims: «Hello everyone, we’re going to start with social participation, personal investment. What can I contribute to my country? What do I have to do?»

He gives a series of examples that boil down to voluntarily giving more taxes, increasing your social contributions, and so on. All in order to shine in the «citizen ranking» scores. He steps back and the third representative follows.

The third representative continues: «Now, let’s look together at the next part of our session: the virtuous citizen. The unassisted, the self-assured. Be proud of your independence.

He demonstrates the nobility of relying on social organizations only when absolutely necessary. You have to put aside your difficulties and live through your pain with joy and acceptance. Finally, a mid-session snack. Petits fours and imitation champagne. After ten minutes of empty, improvised discussion, the presentation resumes.

The second speaker says: «Now, back to our next topic: Facing injustice. Speak out and be proud.»

Around us, perhaps, some people lie or abuse a few advantages. We must not hesitate to denounce them. It’s better for the community. Here, too, our rankings are likely to take a quantum leap in the «citizen ranking». Finally, the very last part.

The third speaker takes the floor: «Finally, let’s talk about : Sharing with the state means sharing with everyone! What are the advantages of a participatory will?»

In fact, more than just giving while you’re alive, why not go so far as to give even more through your death? I’ve had enough of all this gibberish! All these hypocritical ideas and concepts are getting me drunk and exhausted! I can’t wait for the end! However, my distracted gaze is now focused on the first speaker, the one who stands back most of the time. And I notice that his main occupation is to study the patients present at this pseudo-seminar. He’s taking a good look at each of us, and must surely be judging our degree of approval. So I adapt and play along. When his gaze falls on me, I feign total and absolute listening, and nod with conviction at key phrases.

Another fifteen minutes of verbal torture. They even go so far as to award a medal to one of the participants judged to be more attentive and assiduous than the others! He’s the champion of the day! Well done to you... And finally, the conclusion, the deliverance:

The first representative concludes: «Thank you all for your attention, and welcome back to your rooms. Epoxia is proud to count you among its finest citizens!»

Yes, I’m sure, I’m very proud too... The chair springs back into action, and in well-established order we leave the room. Off to my room. Surely, after such treatment, I must have attracted the indifference of our system, which is what I was looking for...

Now for the physical evaluation test. My self-guided wheelchair takes me through long corridors, across the main hall and into the clinic’s largest sports hall. At the entrance, the group of participants forms. We straighten up and get out of our chairs. Then a man in a white coat joins us.

Paul Yadine says: «Hello, I’m Paul Yadine, and thank you for joining us for this physical assessment session. Please note that, depending on your results, an early discharge may be possible. We’re going to take you through a series of tricubes. Does everyone agree?»

Many nod unconvincingly. I love it! I’ll be able to show everyone the extent of my talents, I love the tricube. As the name suggests, it’s a device made up of three cubes. They are 20 feet on each side. They are placed side by side and change position in a state of weightlessness. Inside, bars and various supports provide support and mobility. On the walls, airlocks allow passage from one cube to another. Around these passage points, a light indicates the direction to take. The further the exercise progresses, the faster the cubes move and the more difficult the passage becomes. The order of the tests is alphabetical. I’m glad I did, otherwise I’d have to put some of you off...

The first one takes off. He enters the central cube. The floor around the cubes disappears, opening up a huge area of movement above and below. The device can now move unhindered. A discreet hiss indicates power-up and start-up. The cube on the left passes under the central cube, while the cube on the right descends. Within seconds, the line of three cubes has become an «L». A light soon appears under the first participant. He understands that he must go down into the machine and slide into the one below. As he progresses, a «beep» gives the measure. And the «beep» gets faster and faster as the machine accelerates. A new light shows the way to the cube now to his left. Then the whole thing rises into the air. New figure changes, new lights and new rhythm. With this principle in mind, the participant performs one move after another, and quickly, very quickly, he reaches his limits. He falls! But tractor beams freeze him and gently put him back on his feet.

And so it goes on, one session after another, without much success, without any real performance. Then, finally, it’s my turn. Like a caged lion that can see its way out, I pounce. I’m instinctive, I’m an animal! I quickly surpass all previous attempts. Not just today’s, but all the measurements taken on this machine since it went into operation. The whole room freezes! Everyone approaches, gathers round and watches in awe as I perform a veritable acrobatic show. I twirl, jump and pull myself from bar to bar without faltering. On the contrary, I accelerate.

The machine itself eventually reaches its limits! Sizzles and sparks fly here and there. Suddenly... A warning message: «Emergency stop! Emergency stop!» The cubes slow down, then stop. Smoke fills the room, and as the sprinklers kick in, I return to the floor. Visibility is restored and I can make out a compact crowd in front of me. All wide-eyed. And as I quickly catch my breath, I notice black uniforms scrutinizing me in the distance. Perhaps I’ve overdone it?

But the session and its imperatives resume. The maintenance robots quickly put the tricube back into operation. Subsequent performances are, of course, far less spectacular than mine...

Back in the room, Bolovsky is waiting for me. I immediately ask him, «Do you have the answer?»

Bolovsky replies: «What about? You mean about your early exit?»

I respond without conviction, «Yes, yes.»

Bolovsky reassures me a little: «Well... It does seem possible,» he says with a big smile. Suddenly, I’m overjoyed. My heart sinks, for soon she will be in my arms.

Indeed, that very evening, I leave the hospital with the encouragement of Professor Schöffer and his team. They’re not motivated by compassion, just by money. The sooner I get out, the sooner someone else will get in. Whatever the length of my stay, my payment will be the same, so the decision must have been easier to make.

But I don’t care about any of these considerations, my only concern is to find the one I love as soon as possible. As I cross the building’s great hall, I vow never to return to this place again.

A woman enters as I leave. Perhaps she’s come for an embryo implantation. Because now, mankind is no longer free to procreate, unless it pays a large sum of money. Beneath our carnal appearance lies a precision mechanism that requires surgical intervention to be able to engender. And procreation has become a fashionable phenomenon in certain circles. It’s «hype» to have children. Life is bought, in Epoxia, for whatever reason...

Here I am at last, outside under the big dome. As agreed, Clara had been informed of my early exit and we arranged to meet in the parking lot beneath the clinic. She wanted to treat me to a speedster. My toy, my machine.

To get downstairs, I have to either use the Kelandra instant transport slabs or take the stairs, which are free but dirty and often ill-famed.

Chapter 4

Outside at last

As an adventurer, and let’s face it, a bit of a cheapskate, I decide to branch off to the right of the stoop, where the direct accesses to the different levels of the parking lot are located. I step forward and enter this human maze. An airlock opens onto a wide staircase. The further down I go, the dirtier, darker and more poorly lit the place becomes.

On level -6, lying on the floor, a body comes to life as I approach. Under a musty, smelly blanket, a face blackened by grime appears, and a hand with three artificial fingers reaches out.

The intermediary says: «Do you have one credit or two? You got a credit or two?!»

He’s an «intermediary», a cyborg, a being caught between two worlds. That of flesh-and-blood humanity, and that of the android caste of ultimate evolution. He suffers from his artificial implants, whose durability is limited. Connections degrade, become moldy and the wearer suffers. Only large doses of drugs can manage the pain for a while.

Moved by his situation, and so happy to be reunited with Clara, I give him 5 units. He thanks me, and I go on my way. Am I a generous cheapskate?

I reach a landing that has become a corridor lined with fences, behind which a noisy reception committee awaits me. They shout that my death is near, bang on the railings, follow me and insult me.

One man shouts: «You’ll have to pay to get through! It’s the toll, pay or die!»

I turn my head away, not wanting them to see me smile. I like the little punks who play it cool. It’s an outlet, a release. Five yards from the fences, the tallest stands in front of me, the other three two yards back.

He points to the one on his right.

The boss says : «You can see him. Look what he’s got for you.»

The underling opens his coat, revealing a huge truncheon adorned with the electric soul.

The chief adds: «It’s a slicer, a beautiful machine to cut you in four. So, give it all you’ve got !!!»

That’s exactly what I need.

The chef insists : «So? Credit me to death, or I’ll slaughter you ! I...»

I trigger the beginning and, almost instantly, the end of hostilities. A powerful kick to his left flank propels him onto the slicer. He loses a leg, and the taller one collapses screaming in pain. My outstretched leg hits the one on my right in the head. From the impact and the cracking sound, his face will never be the same. The third man behind me turns on his heel and flees without hesitation. The one holding the slicer straightens up to hit me. But by the time he raises his arms, I’m in front of him, delivering a lightning uppercut right to his chin. Instant knockout. Two groan, one’s unconscious, the last one’s gone. I step over them, then change my mind. Why not skin them? After all, they deserve it. I quickly hack their creditors. I recover almost 4,000 credits. Not bad.

I don’t linger, Clara is waiting for me. I go down another floor. This level is a veritable underground chaos. Lots of temptresses and sexual propositions. Breasts range from reasonably sized to cartoonishly large. Some nipples are equipped with lights to attract attention and, above all, customers. I ignore their propositions without hesitation, my love for Clara being a bulwark against temptation. Another level, another door.

Suddenly, screams on the stairs warn me of the consequences of my actions. Reprisals are being organized. What I’ve just done hasn’t been appreciated. From what I can hear, there are at least ten of them coming towards me. I’m picking up the pace. One more level and I’m off. I leap from one landing to the next, but these bastards are at home. Apparently, they control access. The last door in front of me locks, and the light above turns from green to red. I’m trapped. It’s going to bleed. Things are getting worse.

I must prepare for the worst, test my new body and the power that is now mine. I smash through the metal bars holding up the grating on this landing. I rip off one of the bars. Now I’ve got a primitive weapon in my hands and a slight terrain advantage. Indeed, the staircase leading to me is narrow, and they’re coming three abreast. No more.

The door leading to Clara is behind me. The landing is about ten yards long and three yards wide. At the end, the staircase rises to the right. Here comes the first wave. I attack as they run up the stairs. I snap two ankles and a shinbone, open fracture. The screams are no longer war cries, suddenly they’re cries of pain. They fall. One of them drops his weapon, a slicer, and the one closest to me allows me to grab his weapon, a katana. I take the opportunity to equip myself. I take the katana. The first three fall at my feet, no longer a threat. I grab the handrail and propel myself to the top of the wall in front of me. I find myself six feet above my assailants. Faces twitch. In a split second, they realize that things are not going to go as planned. I take the initiative. Falling back to the ground, my fall gives even more strength to my gesture. I decapitate two of them at the same time. Bodies fall to the ground, jets of vital fluids splatter all around. Five down. The next ones no longer look like killers, they’re victims now. One of them points a handgun at me. I react in a split second and slice his forearm. The walls, the stairs, even the lights turn red. We’re no longer on the stairs of a parking lot, but in a slaughterhouse where those who wanted revenge are now at my mercy. I am the executioner, they the victims. Suddenly, they stop, even step back. The primal instinct kicks in, the reptilian cortex awakens the deepest fears. Despite all technological advances, fear remains constant in my fellow creatures. Behind them, their leader is probably shouting.

The leader is shouting, «Keep it up, we’ll wreck it!»

He doesn’t seem to convince them. They stop moving. Their breathing is heavy, their faces pale with fear. Down below, the screams of pain and cries for help are louder than the cheers. I swing my katana at the two facing me. My gesture is so swift that they don’t immediately understand. Then they realize as their bodies separate at the pelvis. The other two behind me can’t stand it any longer, and jostle their leader as he suddenly turns around. Now I’m alone with him. This macabre tête-à-tête is not going to end well. Not for me. He tries in vain to maintain a certain degree of control, but I can see he’s totally discombobulated. I make a move, he throws his weapons to the ground.

The chief begs : «Wait! Wait! I’ve got it! Okay, you can go, look I’m unlocking the door! Just let me live! Don’t kill me, damn it!»

Indeed, behind me, I hear the door unlock. I’m magnanimous.

I say, «Yes, you’ll live. I hope I won’t regret it.»

He falls to his knees and bursts into tears. Stress takes over. The big boss ends up miserable. I take advantage of the situation and make him my debtor.

I say: «You owe me a life! Don’t forget that...»

He groans: «Yes ! Yes ! Yes !!...»

I don’t ask for more, leave my gun here, and go on my way. I go through the last door, and there’s Clara at last.

But my serious expression and all the blood on me totally spoil our reunion. There’s no room for joy in this moment.

She understands the urgency and rips off part of her T-shirt to wipe my face.

I say, «Quick, let’s go, I’ll explain later.

Her eyes betray her fear and pain. I blame myself. She points to our speedsters right behind her. We hop in and get out as fast as we can. The freeway slip road is not far away, and I decide to step on the gas. A powerful push pins me to the saddle.

The speedster is the descendant of the motorcycle, but has little in common with its distant ancestor. Like all vehicles, its wheels have been replaced by anti-gravity plates. A quarter of an hour later, we’re approaching my district. A message appears in my field of vision. INCOMING CALL KALIGUIAN.

He’s the one who gives me most of my assignments. My job isn’t very «classic». I’m a mercenary, a handyman with uncommon skills. I go after anything that can earn me a lot of money. As an enforcer, I don’t hesitate to break a few limbs. As an elite spy, I can break into any company, office or laboratory to steal what others want.

I know that if he wants to reach me, it’s not to ask nicely about me. He doesn’t care about me, but he needs me. Immediately, most certainly.

I hesitate whether to live our intense reunion with my love without waiting or to take Kaliguiàn’s mission.

Chapter 5

Back to work

We need money. Never mind. I send a telepathic message to Clara:

Sorry, I’m off on a mission. I’ll be with you shortly.

Clara doesn’t reply. I know her, she must hate me.

Kaliguian gives me his instructions. I change my destination and descend into the depths of the dome. My target is on level -150. There’s no surface luxury here, on the contrary. I park in a discreet, dark alleyway, then continue on foot. A few yards away is the garage entrance. I enter. In this hangar, machines are being repaired or are about to receive more powerful parts. A mechanic is at work.

The mechanic steps in and says :

Can I help you ?

I don’t answer. I give him a look full of fury and threats. The message is very clear. He doesn’t insist and takes a step back. I head for the office at the back of the hangar. As expected, there’s the boss, an obese man with a cigar in his mouth. In front of him, a colossus who must be his bodyguard, and at his feet, an artificial hound with sharp fangs. I’m spotted.

The colossus immediately gets up from his chair, turns around and comes towards me, trying to reason with me :

He says menacingly :

Get out or you’ll get it! We know who you are, so I’m warning you! I.... HWARAAA !!!!

I don’t give him time to continue his spiel. An ultra-powerful kick to the abdomen, and he folds instantly. The blow is so violent that his body literally breaks in two. I think I broke his spine. He won’t die, but it’s going to cost him a lot of money to repair. I have to get used to my new body; I quickly forget the phenomenal power it gives me.

One more step and the fighting dog comes at me. I use my hacking functions, taking control of the technological system. I reach up and block it in mid-air. It’s suddenly paralyzed and crashes to the ground.

I say :

Is that the toy you were going to defend yourself with?

The fat man suddenly becomes agitated and almost falls out of his chair. He panics. His face is pale. He stares at me, looking discomfited. His hands are searching the void for anything that might save him. A weapon, perhaps ?

The boss stammers on :

My dog ?? But the dog ?

I correct :

Your dog ?! Your dog is my dog now !

Indeed, I’m equipped with systems that allow me to take control of certain devices. This robot dog is one of them. I’ve hacked into his management systems. From now on, I’m his master and he must obey me blindly.

I ask :

Do you know why I’m here ?

He replies :

I owe someone money !

I confirm :

Yes, you do! And you owe him $50,000. Pay up and there won’t be any trouble. Don’t pay and I’ll show you who I am.

As I round the desk and approach him, he shouts :

I don’t have the money ! I don’t have the money !

I retort:

As you wish, you’ve had your chance...

I finish knocking him off his chair, give him a tug to make him docile and kneel behind him.

I press him against me and inform him of what’s about to happen to him.

I say :

Come on, now let’s feed you to the dog!

He starts howling :

What ?! What are you talking about ?! Stop it !

The dog straightens up and comes towards us. I triggered his «shredder» functions. Its jaws open wide, deform and transform into a terrifying torture system. Its fangs increase in size. His tongue is studded with a multitude of hooks that spin around like an endless conveyor belt. The tongue becomes a ramp leading everything the hooks grasp to the bottom of its mouth. There, a rotating crusher sucks, tears, slices and greedily gobbles up everything in sight. The look and sound give this machine a very effective argument.

I keep a firm grip on the boss. The animal approaches its voracious tongue to its former master’s left hand. He touches a corner, and immediately the machine shows its full effectiveness. The hand is literally pulled into the mouth. A spray of artificial blood gushes out. Sparks and mechanical components spill out. The boss screams in pain and fear. I restrain him with all my might. He’s horrified by the spectacle. His hand quickly disappears. The dog moves up his forearm, then his elbow.

Finally, he screams with all his might :

Wait ! Wait, wait, wait ! I’ve got it ! I pay !

I stop the beast. The victim shakes, cries. He engages his payment functions, connects to me and credits me.

He then stammers out :

There, that’s it... you’ve got the 50,000 !

I release my grip and stand up. Without saying a word, I leave. He stands there, weeping at his stump dripping with blood.

In front of him, motionless, stands his dog, indifferent.

Passing through the workshop, I notice a cupboard containing competition parts for the same type of speedster as mine. A trunk catches my eye. I open it. It contains two items of particular interest to me. On one side, a box containing a velocity chip designed to temporarily boost my machine’s performance. With this, my speedster would gain 40% more power for 2-3 minutes. To the right, a stranger box with military markings. I open it. It’s a micro-turret! A defensive system to attach to anything. With this, I could defend myself while fleeing.

On the way home, I make my credit transfer to Kaliguian. I take my agreed share and give him the video of what’s just happened. Knowing him, he’s sure to enjoy the show.

I’m home at last. I rush into my apartment and find Clara. I rush over to her, take her in my arms and kiss her as if I were totally starving for her lips, her face, her body. I was; I really needed her touch, her warmth, the pleasure of touching the softness of her skin.

Clara forgives me immediately. Our physical attraction is irresistible. Clearly, she missed me.

Chapter 6

Clara

Clara asks, «Do you think it’ll be like before?»

I reply, «Or even better?»

I pull her to me and kiss her neck, reveling in the scent of her skin. Her laughter makes my heart skip a beat. She undresses me as my fingers roam her feline form. We move closer to the bubble-bed before dropping onto the thick circular mattress at the bottom. Clara triggers the start-up. The transparent upper half-globe now closes in on us. A gravity-free space is created inside our cocoon of love.

Floating in the air, Clara’s body seems even more magnificent. Holding my wrists, she kisses my chest for a long time. Love with Clara has always fulfilled me, but now the sensations seem tenfold. I bring her to me so as not to shorten our pleasure. She clings to my body, wrapping her legs around my pelvis. A gentle ride begins, but I feel things so strongly that I’m afraid to cut our reunion short. I need to calm things down quickly with sensual play.

I activate the «light caress» mode. My fingertips interact with Clara’s skin. She is the canvas on which I paint with a stroke of light. Each of our contacts becomes a line on her skin. I draw shapes on her shapes. I underline her body. I highlight the areas that please me, those that attract me and invite me to act. The shade of her arabesques reveals her pleasure: the brighter the orange, the stronger her sensations; the bluer the shades, the less receptive she is. I then know whether to continue or not. The light guides me so that I can give Clara deep pleasure. Beyond her sensations, it’s also a way for us to communicate in silence. I write on her skin the areas I want her to kiss. She immediately gets down to it. The rhythm becomes more and more vigorous.

Clara, her mouth slightly ajar, stares at the bay window behind us, commanding the liquid crystals embedded in the glass to energize. The bay immediately becomes tinted with pastel shades projected into the room. Clara moans softly, her breath coming in short gasps. She urges me to go faster and faster, and I respond by speeding up. Our colorful bodies stick together, attracting each other faster and faster. Very quickly, too quickly, we fall into ecstasy.

Our bodies curled up against each other, I feel frustrated by the brevity of our lovemaking. Clara understands my dismay and reassures me: «Simple readjustments will return you to your former performance.» She smiles and kisses me. I smile too, hoping she’s right. We’ll see. My manhood has just wavered.

Having caught my breath, I ask her about Gaby, my brother. Clara replies: «I almost forgot! He called me before I left to pick you up. He told us to meet at the stadium tonight to watch Khaleb fight Nantor. Jacques wants to talk to you too. He has some things to explain to you about your new body.»

Intrigued, I ask, «Why?»

Clara replies, «He wouldn’t tell me any more.»

I decide, «Okay, let’s go then...»

Making love, finding my world, seeing my clan again: there’s enough to satisfy me. Little by little, I get on with my life.

Chapter 7

Jacques

I got on with my life. We’re going to visit Jacques, my scientific uncle. He’ll have a lot to correct in me. Jacques is an adopted uncle. He took over from my father when he left us. He helped us, guided us and loved us. My brother and I call him Uncle, even though there’s no family connection between us. His friendship with our parents meant that he naturally stepped in for them when necessary.

Clara and I set off. We pull out of the parking lot. As we approach the freeway entrance, traffic information appears in our field of vision.

Traffic screen

WORK on the freeway.

ESTIMATED DELAY: 20 minutes.

We decide to take the back roads, not for pleasure, but to avoid wasting too much time.

The neighborhoods we pass through are dirty and very poor. This area is well below middle-class. The few vehicles around us are almost all battered, patched up with motley parts. The faces we see don’t inspire the gentleness of life. The sidewalks are littered with drug addicts. Some are fighting, others are delirious, still others are running to who knows where. Here, people don’t live, they fight and survive. People do their best to cope. Often, this is at the expense of others.

And just as I feared, the trouble begins. A jetcar passes us on the left, swerves violently into our path and slams on the brakes. Four furious men on board start waving and signaling for us to pull over. Two of them pull guns from the roof. We’re being targeted.

I shout telepathically to Clara.

- I’ll block them ! Pass to my left and run! I’ll catch up !

I accelerate vigorously. I overtake them and squeeze them to the right. Clara complies and yells at me.

- Come with me ! We’ll go together !

I react sharply :

- No ! Leave me alone, go away !

As the jetcar and I come to a halt on the side of the road, she finally steps forward and flees, her soul in pain. As one of them takes aim at the fleeing Clara, I run into them. I crush the one who was about to shoot. I jump on the two to my right. The first one is holding a heavy plasma gun. He doesn’t have time to aim at me. I don’t give him a chance. I strike immediately and slap him in the face. His shoulders stay in place, while his head suddenly shifts 12 inches to the left. A violent crack confirms the total rupture of his cervical spine.

His head falls forward again, empty of all consciousness. I barely have time to catch a glimpse of his eyes closing before his almost decapitated body collapses to the ground. The horror of the scene petrifies those still standing. Faces twitch, mouths freeze, fear spreads as I gain the upper hand. The other steps back, but not enough to avoid my foot, which he takes right in the face. His unconscious body rolls into the wall behind him.

The driver, who hasn’t left his post, doesn’t insist. He’s seen it all and fears he’s next. He speeds off. Here I am, alone with my assailants at my feet. All I have to do is get out of here and head for Jacques’ place.

I push my machine to its highest revs and catch up with Clara as quickly as possible. She waves to me, reassured to see me in good health. We get closer and take a breather.

As we approach Jacques’ neighborhood, we agree not to tell him about what has just happened. Worrying him would be pointless. We park the Speedsters in the inner courtyard of the decrepit building and knock on the heavy armored door. Jacques is quick to open the door, a broad smile on his face.

He greets us.

- Nathan, Clara ! Come inside !

Jacques Eastlund is probably the person I trust most. When our father died, he took my brother Gabriel and me under his wing. In memory of those years, we affectionately call him Uncle. Although we have no blood ties to him, we consider him a relative, the only one we have left, and we owe him a great deal. He passed on to us his taste for science and knowledge, as well as certain moral standards... which I don’t always respect.

Jacques worked for a long time in a government laboratory specializing in noise abatement. His highly relevant work is still a reference in the field today. Published in the leading scientific journals, his research has brought him fame and honor. As far as I know, his brilliant career came to a halt when he learned that the government was using the results of his work to manufacture weapons based on sound wave control. Disgusted, he resigned and disappeared into thin air.

Converted to Buddhism, he now lives in hiding to ensure his safety. For despite his age and the cane he must now rely on to get around, Uncle has given up nothing of his convictions. He continues to carry out the research close to his heart, alternating between personal work and commissions for private individuals. His secret lair is in the Tuori district, in the midst of disused industrial facilities, where he has set up a former warehouse. Here, he sometimes plays that strange instrument, the harp.

Jacques takes us into the living room. Incense sticks fill the room. The decor has not changed since my last visit. It still evokes ancient Asia. We take our places on futons, under the benevolent gaze of a golden Buddha on the large coffee table. This kind of representation is now severely repressed in Epoxia, where mysticism, and more generally any ostentatious sign linked to a spiritual practice of any kind, is considered dangerous behavior for the community.

An offence of «anti-social belief» has even sprung from the diseased brains of our leaders, who for years have been bent on eradicating religions from Epoxia. Buddhism was no exception. Places of worship have been methodically razed to the ground, and followers and other sympathizers imprisoned or forced to undergo «psychological and socio-behavioral rehabilitation» programs. Behind this pseudo-medical term lies a veritable brainwashing operation orchestrated by Epoxia’s military division. The army is a master of social re-education.

The programs, whose motto is «Strength before Mind», take place over several months in military hospitals. The message is that only immediate gain, individualism and materialism are worthy of veneration. To accompany this mental conditioning, participants are often given a variety of drugs. By dint of ingesting powerful psychotropic drugs, the most recalcitrant become junkies in spite of themselves. When they get out, they are consumed by withdrawal, injecting the first available product into their veins and dying of an overdose. So many nuisances that the government gets rid of without getting its hands dirty.

But the most important thing now is to restore my independence of body and mind from the system. Jacques needs to express his technological magic. He grabs a box from beside his futon and opens it. Inside is a small box with a button. He presses it. A glow confirms that it’s on.

Jacques informs us :

- The scrambler’s on and we can talk in peace. What I really wanted to see you about was your tracker. I need to scan you before I can remove it.

I reply :

- Why do you need to scan me ?

He reassures me :

- Because it’s impossible to operate on you without your tracker sending out a distress signal. You’re one of the first to benefit from their new generation of spy equipment. They’re more powerful and effective than their predecessors.

I react.

- What can we do then ?

Jacques adds :

- I can think of only one solution. Find the frequency they use and reproduce it identically. Then I’ll switch on the copy and place you and your tracker under an anti-frequency dome. Then I’ll be able to operate on you without fear. Even if your tracker transmits, no one will hear it, and his double will be there to cover us, you understand ?

I say :

- Yes. And ? And when ?

He replies :

- Now, if you like... Everything’s ready...

I question Clara with my eyes and get her approval.

I’ll conclude then.

- Ok. Let’s go.

The operation goes according to plan. No pain, no fear, just the satisfaction of regaining my freedom to act and think as I please. Thanks to my uncle, I’m no longer subject to control. From now on, the governing bodies will only have access to my artificial double, devoid of any thoughts that might compromise me. In fact, he’s just fitted me with the independence bracelet I’d already used at the clinic.

But let’s not stop there. Jacques has made a correction.

It gives me an incredibly powerful option that will come in very handy.

He says :

- You’ve been given a power upgrade. It’s a turbo boost. At the moment you choose, you’ll get ten times more energy.

I reply :

- Perfect ! Thank you...

We chat warmly about a few things, then leave my uncle to his technical activities.

A final hug and we’re back on the road to join Gaby. We head for the main arena.

I don’t want to miss Khaleb’s fight. I’m hoping for a defeat.

My hatred for him is particularly strong.

Chapter 8

Before the fight

Tonight, Khaleb will put his belt back on the line, and I’ll have a front-row seat to wish him the worst pain a Jackrir fight can inflict. We board the stadium’s glass elevators. We meet Gaby in front of Gate 5 in the main corridor. My brother is waiting for us. He’s all smiles and good looks. He walks over to us and we hug, holding each other tight.

Gabriel says, «I’m glad to see you. You look well, don’t you ?»

I answer, «Yes, everything’s fine. Everything went well.»

Gabriel continues, «Will you tell me all about it in the grandstand? Shall we go?»

I reply, «Come on.»

We enter the corridor leading to the stands. The stadium is finally revealed. Immense is not a sufficient word to characterize the size of this space. Gigantic, in fact. Indeed, this venue can hold up to 800,000 people. And given tonight’s event, they’re packed to the rafters.

An artificial guide comes to meet us. A luminous sphere floating in the air invites us to follow it and leads us to the seats Gabriel has reserved. We’re comfortably seated just behind the VIPs, for whom being seen is as important as seeing.

We talk about my operation and Gabriel’s daily routine in our father’s dojo. I miss my father. He used to respect certain old customs, such as the sandwich at the stadium. Nostalgia prompts me to share this moment with those I love.

I say, «I’ll give you two minutes. I’m going to get some sandwiches. Just like Dad.»

They approve. Gabriel says, «In his memory. You’re right, gladly !»

I leave them both, leave the room and return to the stadium corridors. I turn left into the main corridor. There’s a multitude of people and a cheerful atmosphere prevails.

A little further on, internal information appears in my field of vision:

INTERNAL TANK 70% FULL.

I have to head for the toilets. Just to my left is the right place to empty. I enter, and on the left are the washbasins, and on the right, a string of closed cubicles. I enter one of them. The cubicle detects my needs and adapts the receptacle configuration. A cone positioned at the end of an articulated arm fits just right.

The clumsiest of the clumsy wouldn’t know how to aim anywhere but where it’s needed. As if needing help to get the process started, the wall in front of me turns into a screen, and I contemplate a fountain with a steady stream of water. Given my artificial nature, however, I no longer need it.

When I’m done, the articulated arm retracts. I get out and walk over to the washbasin. Just as I’m about to wash my hands, two burly men enter. They’re wearing long black coats, presumably armored. The dents they try to hide on their left flank leave no doubt. They are two bodyguards who have come to satisfy a physiological emergency. They enter the cabins. I turn my hearing up to maximum and focus on their conversation. As I thought, they are discussing their client. Presumably, he’s someone important, a high-level regent, and his area of expertise is homeland security. For me, this could be an opportunity.

I finished washing my hands, which actually served no purpose. They were clean. But the habits of our old bodies persist. Then I leave the bathroom and stand to the left of the door. I pretend to read an information hologram. I wait. They exit and turn right. A little further on, they join the rest of their team and their prestigious client in discussion with the stadium management. After a few final words of politeness, they start walking towards a VIP lounge.

When they arrive, the doors open wide, a bellboy bows and welcomes this distinguished guest. I can’t enter head-on without encountering various levels of security. But further back in the passageway, I notice a discreet service door. I move to the left and observe for a moment the entry and exit process. It’s simple: staff walk past a detector, approach a wristband to a wall-mounted terminal, and the door opens. Here’s someone approaching in service dress. It might be a little tight, but it’ll do. I discreetly step in behind him. As he passes his bracelet, the door opens. At the same time, I put my hand on his shoulder, push him forward and say as I walk : «Hi, security sent me. We’ve got a problem with your ID bracelet. We need to sort it out right away.»

The employee replies: «Really? But it’s...»

My hand slides from her shoulder to the back of her head and I propel her violently towards the wall in front of us. It’s an immediate knockout. I carry him into a machine room just to our right. There, the 43 square feet of this room contain products and other maintenance accessories. I take the opportunity to change and take his identification bracelet. I tie him up and gag him just in case.

I return to the service corridor and turn left, towards the VIP lounge. A levitating cart holds trays of festive drinks and other victuals. I take one and make my entrance. The event that brings us here works in my favor. They are all captivated by the dances and other stage games taking place in the stadium. In the distance, I recognize the one I’m interested in and approach him. I immediately activate my hacking functions. My systems search for his internal network. Once isolated, I corrupt his locks without breaking them. I don’t want to leave any trace of my passage in his data.

All right, I’m in. As I quickly identify a few files that might interest me, a bodyguard approaches me. Now’s not the time, I need some time to download the heavy files. The bodyguard says :

The bodyguard says: «I don’t like what you’ve got on your tray. Do you have any loads of Blue Lagoon?»

I answer, «No, sorry, we’re all out.»

He looks at me, disappointed and says : «Well... Never mind. I’ll have this then...»

He grabs a cup from my tray and returns to his client and the rest of his team. One of the security staff turns to him, looking disapproving. Presumably, a telepathic exchange is prompting him to put the cup down immediately. Caught off guard, he immediately puts down his glass. I pretend to step back and offer the guests the remaining drinks on my tray. Most are indifferent, or help themselves without a glance for the waiter in me. I pass quietly in a loop, just behind my target. I’ve got it. My systems have just taken over his internal network.

However, I can’t take everything. Given the loading times, I identify two folders, but I can only take one. I choose the one that seems most useful: «Surveillance rounds, data banks and laboratories for secret development projects.»

It takes me a moment, despite the power of the techniques I’m using. The algorithms I employ are of rare performance, attacking and assaulting the target’s server without triggering the slightest alert. This intrusion leaves no trace of its passage. For once, this technological achievement is not the fruit of Jacques’ work, but of a very good acquaintance of his. I believe her name is Améthyste.

But I’m getting impatient. I’ve got to do something. If I keep going round in circles, I’m bound to be spotted. I’ve got it! The VIP lounge is enhanced by the negotiated presence of some pseudo-celebrities. Kalinda is one of them. The blurring of her true sexual nature is one of the marketing tricks he knows how to use. Tonight, she’s perched on stilt pumps, giving her a waistline that, on its own, attracts most of the attention. Her large Renaissance-style gown, huge Marie-Antoinette-style wig, long eyelashes and playful voice captivate the audience. He’s voluble and laughs out loud. But she has to entertain everyone. So he leaves the ecstatic group at his feet and heads off to join another. He passes within my reach. I turn when he’s close, and at the right moment, I straighten my left heel backwards, blocking his right foot. He topples violently forward, screaming lyrically, and sprawls out.

Here I am again in the wide main corridor, heading swiftly for the grandstands.

On the way, I pass a snack bar.

I keep my promises. In memory of my father, I fight the urge to leave the queue at the snack bar I’ve just joined. I wait. Then I wait some more. Finally, it’s my turn. I place my order. Here I am, armed with three sandwiches. I can return, proud of my achievement, to my seat.

But I have to justify myself. They were worried. Indeed, it took a long time.

My excuse: «It was very busy !»

No need to say more. Finally, comfortably seated, we can enjoy our famous gastronomic trophies. We gobble up these nostalgia concentrates with pleasure.

All around us, the audience is hysterical. Suddenly, the flashbulbs go off, putting an end to our discussion. Zino Denti, VIEW-TV’s star presenter, makes his entrance, closely followed by the pulpy Zino-girls. The audience hisses and screams. The metal showman, sporting an apple-green tie over a garish orange suit, raises his arms in a V-shape, urging the crowd to show more. He moves towards the weightless camera closest to him. The control room frames a close-up. A toothy grin graces his disguised face, giving it a grotesque, evil look.

The presenter attacks: «Credit to you, my friends! Credit, yes, credit, because tonight, the stakes are high and this match promises moments of rare intensity! Kha-leb Röhm puts his Epoxia championship shield back on the line against Jackrir’s rising star, the terrible Nantor Joe Louis! My friends, and you who are following this match on VIEW-TV, have bet big on this clash of the titans. So believe me, Zino, you’ll get your money’s worth ! But before we get down to business, I’d like to offer you a little secret entertainment to whet your appetite...«

Zino steps back and brings his hand close to the camera. He reveals a chick chirping and squirming between his metal fingers. The host’s voice becomes tearful: «Isn’t he sweet? Did you know, my friends, that the avian race is tending to disappear in our beautiful country? That’s right! Its representatives are becoming so rare that this chick is certainly one of the last natural specimens. Do you want it to live or not ? Do you want it to live or not ?

The chick doesn’t deserve this brutal and useless death. So I use the stadium’s animation functions and vote to save the very young animal. Many in the stands follow my lead and vote too. But over ninety percent vote for his tragic end. The sentence is immediate.

Zino suddenly closes his hand on the little bird, which explodes in a spray of blood. Macabre cries of horror and admiration erupt in the room, while the host breaks into a fat, sardonic laugh. «Well, there’s no more ! Ha Ha Ha !»

There’s no doubt about it, ratings are going to be through the roof. The sorry VIEW-TV host continues his show: «Please, my friends, relax ! This chick didn’t have time to suffer. Whereas in a few moments, before your amazed eyes, two prestigious fighters are likely to endure a much longer and crueller ordeal !»

The host now rolls his crazy eyes as the hallucinated audience hangs on his every word. «This most personal introduction was only meant to announce... a bitter and bleeding show !»

The crowd cheers as the presenter turns and points to a camera: «You who are at home, stay with us! Tonight, I promise you sweat. I promise blood, I promise live and death !»

To the cheers of the crowd, the metal puppet leaves the arena as the messages are sent out. Advertisers invade the holographic screens. And on a case-by-case basis, according to our consumer profile, personalized spots appear in our personal field of vision.

A few minutes later, a huge door at the back of the stadium opens. Khaleb appears. He strides forward, emerging from the semi-darkness, plunging into the light that the spotlights have focused on him. Despite his modest stature in the world of Jackrir, the Epoxian champion inspires awe. His powerful musculature covered in tribal tattoos is no stranger to the fear he arouses. Around his waist, he wears the precious golden shield that he’s putting back into play tonight.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Nantor takes his place opposite his opponent. The difference in stature is impressive. The Nordic giant outstrips Khaleb by at least two heads. After a brief moment during which they observe each other to the cheers of the audience, the two fighters take a few steps back to grab their weapons. A Kiriel axe for Khaleb and a Technotrec mace for Nantor. They wait for the signal announcing the start of the fight.

I stare at Khaleb. I focus on him. I think of my father too. For a moment, I’m far from the fight. I sink into a past I thought was gone forever. I think of that unfortunate pupil that Khaleb almost massacred, so long ago.

I remember him as a child. My father had brought him home after rescuing him from the clutches of three savages who had mistreated him, in the depths of a sinister, poor district of Epoxia. He was in a sorry state. I saw gratitude in the eyes of this lost boy. Khaleb stayed with us, under the care of my father, who treated him like a new son. He had the same respect for him as he had for Gabriel and me, and an affection, I believe, that was sincere and deep. He entrusted him with the upkeep of the dojo. My relationship with Khaleb was satisfactory, even if I sometimes found him strange in his silences or in his sorrows, the cause of which I had no idea.

As the crowd screams and shouts, I remember that I’m there, but I’m not, and even the cries of jubilation no longer reach me. The imminence of battle brings back memories I thought were buried.

I can see our comrade advancing towards Khaleb... Training was about to begin. Laïa was confident, happy to be perfecting her skills. She had an undeniable charm. We all loved her. She was more than a member of our dojo. She was the mascot. I smile, thinking back to the troubled glances we sometimes exchanged. At the time, I thought I was in love with her. Always even-tempered, her pretty face lit up by a graceful smile, Laïa was our sunshine, our little princess.

We all sat around the tatami. Khaleb had seemed particularly irritated throughout the day. I’d realized over time that he’d become unstable and introverted. My father was proud of his protégé’s performance. As for me, I sensed a latent aggressiveness. It was perceptible in every new move my father forced upon us. Laïa fought well. She sometimes smiled at her opponent. Some people took offense at this smile. Yet, in her mind, there was no offense. My father organized the fighting groups. Me against my brother. Laïa against Khaleb. And, finally, the signal.

My father said, «Fight!»

Everything began normally. Then Khaleb decided to change the pace. His face transformed into an expression of furious madness. Khaleb took over.

Suddenly, his rage was unleashed. He pounced on his prey, lashing out with all his strength, all his anger. I close my eyes for a moment, remembering the blows he delivered with unrestrained violence to the unfortunate woman. I shudder as I see the blood spurt from the pretty face. The arch shattered, the forehead slashed, the lips swollen. In a fraction of a second, Laïa was no longer a beautiful young girl. One more blow and an eye burst out of its socket.»

He continued to strike, despite our father’s intervention. His inexplicable rage increased his already exceptional strength tenfold. Laïa lay inert on the ground. For a moment, we thought she was dead. Khaleb threw himself on her again, probably trying to kill her. He was covered in her blood... but not as much as she was. Gabriel, my father and I leapt to our feet. The other students quickly followed suit. The memory freezes me. We never understood why he did it. The next day, my father bitterly dismissed it.

Over time, the closeness and even affection between him and my father turned to hatred. Our family became a prime target for Khaleb’s misdeeds.

But I’m jolted out of my reverie by the sound of metal.

Chapter 9

Khaleb’s fight

The gong rings out! Immediately, Khaleb launches himself several feet above the ground! He spins around, spinning towards Nantor. The colossus reacts and leaps to meet him. The audience has just enough time to hear the two blades clash before the two champions land on the ground. This time, Nantor is the quicker to counterattack. He pounces on his opponent, accompanying the offensive with a howl of rage. His fighting mass spins around. Small bluish flashes electrify the surface of the weapon, bristling with metal spikes. With a movement of his pelvis, Khaleb dodges the charge and delivers a powerful kick to Nantor’s knee, sending him tumbling to the ground. The warrior tries to regain support on his leg, but it gives way. Axe in hand, Khaleb approaches his kneeling enemy and raises the weapon above his head, ready to deliver the fatal blow. He shouts angrily:

“You won’t have given me much trouble, you miserable vermin! Tonight, you will die, for such is my will!”

Arms raised towards his victor, the giant is terrified. But suddenly, he has the reflex to grab Khaleb’s elbows. Surprised by this turn of events, the reigning champion is unable to counter the titan’s grip. Unable to lower his arms, he chooses to strafe his opponent with kicks. But Nantor manages to get to his feet completely, and whirls his rival above him, making a fool of him in the eyes of the audience, who whistle cheerfully.

He shouts out his forthcoming veangeance: “And now, it’s time for the beating! Nantor’s going to make you feel his sledgehammer !”

He slams Khaleb face down on the ground, then drunk with vengeance, puts one foot on his back. He then hammers him with great blows of his sledgehammer, alternating strikes on limbs and trunk. Khaleb screams out in pain to the cheers of the audience. With each blow, sizzling sounds are heard. Sparks fly in places and shreds of burnt flesh detach from the body of the victim. To assert his colossal power over this almost inert body, Nantor indulges in an elite gladiator’s fantasy. He lies down beside his enemy, grabs him with one hand and inflicts a painful, violent back-and-forth movement from right to left, as he would with a rag doll.

Khaleb’s face bears the scars of suffering. Each new impact, each cry, inflicts a stinging humiliation, cruelly wounding his body, his pride and his pride. To finish him off, Nantor stands up. Flashbulbs flash again, a siren sounds, and the loudspeakers broadcast the message of the first public vote. Indeed, the match is interactive. Financially, this system is much more attractive for producers. Me, I vote to let Nantor express his rage. The votes are closed. But, unfortunately, the majority has just decided that Khaleb can have a breather. Will that be enough? The seconds count down from 10 to 0. A siren sounds. Break over.

Nantor resumes his work immediately, grabbing Khaleb’s arm with both hands and pulling with all his might. The joint cracks suddenly. Oil and synthetic blood gush from the wound. The Epoxia champion writhes in pain, while Nantor is cheered by the crowd. He holds up the dislocated arm like a trophy and shouts.

Nantor announces confidently: “I’m going to slaughter him ! I’m going to cut his heart out !”

Khaleb, his face tense, groans and grimaces. His body is unrecognizable. The endorphins in his armor gradually ease his pain. He manages to crawl a few meters to recover his breath and lucidity. Thanks to nanotechnology, the gaping wound heals, giving way to a metal stump. Nantor turns his back on his opponent and harangues the crowd. He soon notices the warning gestures of some spectators, turns around and wipes a trickle of saliva from his chin with the back of his hand. He charged straight at Khaleb, who was now on his feet, twirling his Pector mane to ward off another attack from the giant. The braid hanging from the back of his skull has become a strand of light spinning around him at prodigious speed. The wall thus created offered perfect protection, giving him a few appreciable moments of respite. Suddenly, Nantor struck with all his might. The mace bounced off the luminous wall. After a few seconds, Khaleb’s killer expression returns. A conviction now shines in his eyes. The conviction to win. The killer makes a comeback. As the giant rearms his arm for another assault, Khaleb breaks the rampart and instantly hurls the sharp end of his mane at the colossus.

The audience holds its breath. Nantor groans, hit in the throat. He steps back. He brings his hand to his wound and grasps the weapon that pierces his neck from side to side. He knows the end is inevitable. He falls to his knees, unable to speak. Blood sprays down his chest. A new message to the hysterical crowd. A new vote. Choose life or death for the gladiator. The audience has decided. Unfortunately for Nantor, my vote made no difference. The champion has many fans. The result of the vote is almost unanimous : death !

Khaleb puts on a beaming face. He has just remotely activated the explosive function of his cutting edge. A red light flashes in the colossus’ throat. The audience, hungry for blood, joins in the kill, screaming with each flicker:

Audience: “Three !... Two !... One !...”

A mighty blast shatters Nantor’s body! Shreds of flesh and metal fall to the arena floor. To the applause of the crowd, Khaleb picks up the head of the vanquished. With a mass of brown hair at the end of his one raised arm, he stares out at the exultant audience. Vital fluids flow from the unrecognizable head, while the audience chants the name of the butcher emeritus. Most of the audience stood up to applaud.

We didn’t. We remain seated, impassive, disapproving. Certainly resentful. I don’t know whether the intelligence services have warned Khaleb of my presence or not, but he stands in front of us and stares at me hungrily. We exchange hateful glances.

I wish Nantor had killed him.

We leave immediately.

Chapter 10

The Bill’s Bar

After the match, we end the evening in Gros Bill’s bar. There we’ll meet up with the people who count, our friends. The gang is almost complete. There’s the host and his new companion, Kika. There’s also Robert, Erwan, Jaïl, Seal, Alan and his new partner Filia. The warmth of our reunion represents what real friendship is all about. They followed the match on the network.

None of them is really surprised by Khaleb’s victory. He’s undeniably a champion. He knows how to spot and exploit the slightest weakness in his opponent.

He observes, anticipates, detects not only the strong points, but also the flaw that will lose his rival. Then, he works hard.

In his early days, many suspected him of rigging his fights with the support of the betting company and the government. But nothing could ever be proved. His connections may have helped to keep certain secrets. After all, Khaleb is not just a champion sportsman, he’s also a high-ranking dignitary of the powers that be. His specialty: surveillance and heavy-handed intervention.

Gros Bill’s bar is a rare place of conviviality. Here, people meet and mingle in real, live situations. Interaction is direct and unfiltered.

There are 3 particular spaces: the counter, the main room and a back room. The back room is often used for entertainment. You can choose between clandestine fights, or a not-so-legal gambling hall. Tonight, it has become a concert venue.

Our friends surround us. Laughter and chatter come from all sides. Gros Bill supplies us with euphoric drinks. Jaïl, smiling, invites me to follow him and says :

- Nathan comes with me, the URBAN DEMONS are next door in concert. The octopus is here !

I reply :

- No, not just yet.

I’d rather stay with Clara and the rest of the band.

It’s the first time since my transplant that I’ve seen my whole clan. As a result, we’re all in a bit of overdrive and the drinks come thick and fast. Too fast, perhaps, for some. We talk about my stay at the clinic. I tell them about certain events.

Then, the need for movement is felt. We head for the DEMONS concert.

We pass through the soundproof airlock. The atmosphere changes abruptly and we’re thrown into the furnace of a frenzied concert. A few hundred hysterics jump, dance and jostle each other.

And yes, there he is. The octopus! I’m a fan of this drummer. He has the gift of creating a unique rhythm. Only he can play what we hear. In fact, he’s had 2 extra arms transplanted. The octopus is often nicknamed Shiva. Thanks to his complementary limbs, he has an incredible speed of execution - only he can go as far as continuous sound.

The tracks follow one another, and I totally appreciate the energy they give off.

After a while, Jaïl invites me to follow him to the second counter. I follow.

We’ve only taken a few steps when a staggering figure steps in my way. He points at me, staggers back and forth, his eyes almost closed.

Poor guy’s not in the best of shape. And, great idea, he starts insulting me.

- You! You’re a piece of shit! Move again and I’ll tear you apart...

Just then, a couple who seem to know him rushes up to him. Grabbing him by the shoulders. And the man yells in his ear.

- Stop it! Are you crazy? Calm down, don’t you recognize him? He’s a Seïndi! Come on, you’re going to die...

The nervous one answers.

- Fuck him ! Whoever comes, I’ll eat him !

A little correction will set him straight. I approach and address the social workers.

- Step aside... I’m not going to hurt him very much, just a memory.

I cast an insistent glance at him, then at her. They understand and let him go. He throws himself at me.

I dodge, take a step to the side, turn to face him as he passes, extend my right foot forward and slap him hard on the back.

He takes off and hovers for 6 meters. He falls heavily to the ground. The substances he had ingested in large quantities plus the impact caused him to lose consciousness. I think he’ll sleep for a while.

His friends pick him up and drag him out of the room. That’s the end of the evening for him.

For me too, in the end, I choose to go home.

It’s time for Clara and me to go home. I linger one last moment with Gaby, my brother. Then we embrace our friends.

I say to my brother :

- See you soon, take care. If you need anything...

He answers :

- Yes, I know. We’ll see each other again soon.

My daily life can’t keep me away from Gabriel for long. He’s more than a brother. He’s a landmark, a partner, a friend too.

Here we are, she and I on the road again. Heading for home. When we’ve only gone a few kilometers, a call appears in my field of vision.

Kaliguian wants to reach me.

Chapter 11

New mission

I accept the call. Kaliguian, as usual, gets straight to the point :

Kaliguian steps in and says: “Nathan! I’ve got a very important and well-paid job for you! I need to see you right away. It’s ultra urgent.”

Intrigued, I ask him, “Explain?”

He replies, “I prefer to do it in person. A question of security.”

I agree with him. Being cautious, I suggest, “I’m going home. Care to join me?”

He anticipates this proposal and informs me, “I’m already there, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

I reply, “Okay, see you soon.”

I connect with her and explain that Kaliguian is going to offer me a big contract that I’m sure I won’t refuse. She rants and raves about Kaliguian.

A few minutes later, a shadowy figure is waiting for us at the entrance to the residence. It’s Kaliguian. Dragging his sickly paw, he strides towards us as we cut the speedsters’ engines. After such a pleasant evening, I’m not thrilled to see his unsightly face again, but I need money fast. The cost of the operation and my immobilization have seriously cut into my finances.

He ignores Clara, as if she didn’t exist. She hates him and it’s certainly mutual. She goes up to the apartment.

It’s hard to like him. Not so much because of the scars and burns on his face, but because of his sly, sullen expression. Draped in his eternal black toga, he is, in my eyes, an incarnation of darkness.

I address him without the slightest trace of empathy: “Tell me what you’re proposing and get out of here.»

Kaliguian replies : “Well, what a welcome! As you wish. All I need are the financial and commercial files of WCA Inc.

I exclaim : “What?! An arms company?! But the information you want isn’t in the company itself, it must be in a state information bank! You have no idea of the risks I’m about to take !”

Kaliguian argues : “Yes, I do. What’s more, your fees have been revised upwards for this contract. There’s $500,000 in it for you if you succeed.”

I take advantage of the situation and reply, “500,000?! Are you kidding? I want $1,000,000 for this job! No less.”

Kaliguian protests : “Don’t be too greedy ! You’re overdoing it... 600 000 ? Come on, 700,000 !»

I conclude: “800,000! You know I’m currently the best on the circuit.»

He hesitates and says : “Fuck you !... Deal !”

He then hands me a secure disk and adds: “You’ll find all the information you need in there. See you in three days. Keep me posted.”

Without asking, Kaliguian heads for the nearest Kelandra slab. I see him dematerialize as I step onto the porch of the residence.

I go upstairs to join Clara. The evening is bound to end badly. I’m sure she’ll disapprove of the risks I’m about to take.

Tomorrow, I’ll have a lot to put in place. This mission is certainly the most complex I’ve ever been entrusted with.

Chapter 12

Disagreement

As expected, Clara is totally opposed to my project. We spend hours trying to convince each other of the validity of our respective opinions. Clara often refers to old files on our life paths, and I do the same. Our arguments stagnate, and we get bogged down in blame and old grudges. Eventually, fatigue takes over and she falls asleep.

As for me, I keep going round and round in my head. I think about what I have to do, about my future mission. Then I think about us. I think about what “us” means. What is “us”, what is the couple? Today, marriage is considered part-time, or with adultery clauses, or even a multiple marriage with several spouses of different sexes or not, marriage in line or for the sake of social recognition with a ceremony where pomp knows no bounds.

The couple and, consequently, the family entity have become multifaceted, personalized and adapted to the convictions and aspirations of each individual. In some cases, they are also a form of pomp and circumstance, an arrangement for attaining status and a certain milieu. But the trend of recent decades shows that marriage no longer really exists as such; it is more the survival of a nostalgia, a distant memory of past landmarks. Today, debauchery and individual pleasures have killed off the structures of the couple and the family.

And the birth of the couple ? For most of my contemporaries, it often takes place at a distance, virtually. This mode of operation allows them to cheat, to change their behavior or appearance. Pay-per-use options on these dating sites enable you to modify your identity, life, tastes, background, etc. - in fact, everything that’s useful for seducing the person you’ve chosen as your future partner.

There are even false-feeling generators that can be used to create the illusion of an emotion that will please, reassure or convince. Once the seduction has been validated, all that’s left is to consume, or not. Mostly virtual, rarely real, because reality is often so disappointing.

And what about love ? Love and the union of two entities have taken on new, sometimes incongruous, unexpected forms. Some employees of top 40 companies marry their companies, an act of total and ultimate adhesion. Others marry their pets. Some even unite with AIs that they parameterize according to their tastes and embody in androids with sexual aptitudes developed according to their innermost desires. Finally, extreme perversions lead some to necrophiliac marriages and other concepts closer to madness than to classic love. From now on, the only limit is the budget of the person embarking on the process of recognizing his or her relationship.

But I’ve got to stop thinking about all this for nothing. I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow. I decide to use my body’s self-medication functions. I switch on the “SOMNIFER” action. I feel the drugs taking over, my mind finally sinking into the world of dreams and sleep.

It’s 8:00 a.m. and my internal alarm goes off. I’ve got to get up; I’m going to spend most of the day preparing for the mission Kaliguian has given me. Clara is still against it, but my mind is made up. We need the money. The deadlines are very tight, the risk is immense, but the amount of my bonus is exceptional. I need to get my equipment as soon as possible.

If I take the time and have lunch with her, maybe I can appease her and make her understand the reasons for my decision.

We take our morning loads together. I try to take the opportunity to change her mind. Nothing works, she’s stubborn and worries too much about me. Things get heated. We end up shouting at each other. Too bad, I give up. I’ll do it without her agreement. I feel I must.

I’m off to my uncle’s to get ready.

Chapter 13

Preparations

I return to my uncle’s hideout. I know I’ll find what I need. I hope so, anyway. We’ll see. As always, he greets me with the most sincere kindness.

I explain the reason for my visit.

- Jacques, I need access to your stocks. I’ve taken on a very risky mission.

He replies :

- Really ? You worry me. What are you talking about ?

I tell him :

- A database, an 800,000 mission. A file to retrieve.

His face suddenly tightens and he asks:

- Ah yes... Indeed... It’s heavy stuff. A little too heavy, perhaps?

I sense the concern in his voice and try to reassure him:

- No, I don’t think so. If I can get what I need from you, it should be fine.

He scratches his chin, thoughtful and worried, then finally says :

- Come on, let’s have a look at the stock.

He leads me to the back of the hangar, past various corridors and back doors. A secret passage opens up, revealing a storage space where everything needed to wage a real little war is hidden. And then some.

Jacques is a living paradox. On the one hand, he’s the epitome of compassion and kindness. On the other, he’s always preparing for the worst. I think this has something to do with his past, which he shares with my father. This experience has cemented a strong and beautiful friendship.

So I give him a list of my needs: a retractable katana, a Mauser plasma pistol, Browning perforating bullets, eight magazines for the rifle and pistols. But Jacques soon points out a major problem that could jeopardize my mission.

- You’re asking for two very rare and complex pieces of equipment that I don’t have: the data hacker and the self-propelled grappling hook. Given the deadlines you’ve committed to, I can design one of them for you. But for the other, you’ll have to work it out for yourself.

I reply :

- Crap... Okay, I’ll do what I have to do.

I choose to find the data hacker on my own. He’s essential if I’m to get into the bank. The easiest way is to point me in the direction of people who use this type of device. People like me, specialized in surveillance and espionage. The ones I have in mind generally operate in the financial sector, totally legally, and their clients are very powerful. Their name is Cumming & Reilly Associated. Their offices and residence are in the prestigious Hotel Hermine.

Reaching the outskirts of this establishment, I enquire about my targets. Automated driving gives me a moment to reflect. My research quickly gives me an angle of attack. They’re staying on the Churchill floor, occupying three suites. One is their office, the others their living quarters. I park far enough away and complete my approach on foot.

The area is particularly favored. Here, decorations, street furniture and buildings are bright and refined. I walk along a luxury residence on my left. The technical parts of the parking lot just a few metres away give me an ideal view of the entrance to the Hôtel Hermine, just opposite. I’m in the dark, preparing my assault. I need to know where they are and what they’re doing.

I log on to the hotel’s technical server and pretend to be the electrical systems maintenance department. The hotel’s security levels are no match for those awaiting me in the data bank. For the time being, the systems I use are sufficient. I want to measure electrical consumption at Churchill level. If their homes are at minimum consumption, they’re not there. If there’s high consumption, it means they’re present.

As I concentrate on my investigations, a scene catches my eye. On the sidewalk opposite, a couple with a child are having a marital crisis. They’re obviously drunk and out of control. The trio make their way along as best they can. At every step, she receives a violent slap and insults. Behind them, the child is in tears, trying to say a few soothing words to her father.

I cross the street. He quickly pulls a knife from under his silk coat. He risks killing his companion or the child. But I’m not close enough. I call out to him to distract him :

- Hey, man! Have you seen my dog? I’m looking for my dog...

He turns his head towards me just as he’s about to bring his arm down on the woman who’s now on her knees. He staggers back and looks at me with an expression mixing anger and surprise. I’m right up there with him. He exclaims :

- What ? What’s the matter, asshole ?

I strike him with a sharp, powerful uppercut to the chin. He’s knocked out immediately.

The woman and the child she is holding look at me with tears in their eyes. Without a word, I feel their gratitude for not having remained indifferent. She stammers out a thank you as I help them to their feet.

- Go away. Leave him be. Change your life, don’t go home. If you don’t, it’ll go on. Maybe next time it’ll be worse.

She answers :

- Yes, yes, thank you... Thank you !

The little boy brushes my hand as he passes by. His eyes pierce me. My heart aches to see him in such pain. I hope they can use this moment to find a solution. As I watch them walk away, she quickens her pace and disappears into the Hôtel Hermine. I step over the scum lying on the sidewalk and return to my hideout. Finally, I stop. I turn around and kick him in the head. This time, for sure, his jaw is completely broken.

I resume my search. After a few minutes, I finally get the results of the consumption measurements. Their homes and offices are on standby. They’re not there. I can take advantage of this to enter.

I head for the back of the hotel, through the service entrances. The laundry airlocks are generally the least secure. I make my way discreetly to the docks reserved for this purpose. According to my information, an automated truck should be arriving soon. It will pick up a box full of laundry to be cleaned and return an empty one. Empty of laundry, but with me hidden inside.

I climb onto the facade and stand high on the roof overhangs protecting the crate exchange ramps. The truck approaches. As expected, a box full of dirty laundry appears on the dock. The truck parks directly opposite. A tailgate opens at the front of the truck to receive the full box, while the rear of the vehicle supplies the empty box. I hang on and drop at just the right moment. Here I am in the box, which moves automatically. Now I’m inside the automated laundry room. The room is quite large, containing everything needed to collect bags of dirty laundry as well as areas for receiving and storing hotel supplies.

To my right are the stairs, right next to the elevators. I decide to take the back stairs. I enter cautiously. The level of security here is quite high for a simple staircase. This is a prestigious hotel. The lock is bolted. I connect to the system and trigger the opening. I pass through and carefully close the door. My visual and auditory detection systems inform me of the absence of staff at this moment. I climb the stairs at full speed. Here I am on the Churchill level.

Before going any further, I freeze the cameras at my current level. I need to be able to get through without being seen. I open the door to the customer-side corridor. The area is deserted, so I proceed cautiously. I pass suite after suite. After a few dozen meters, I arrive at my objective.

I take control of the office’s home automation functions. I switch on certain zones and activate certain devices, simulating the presence of the rightful owner. Then I enter the hotel’s room service program and create an urgent cleaning request. A few seconds later, a cleaning robot appears at the end of the corridor. I stand against the opposite wall, totally motionless, my stealth mode making me invisible to the robot. He opens the door and I follow him into the room. Once inside, I command the cleaning operation to stop. The robot leaves, leaving me alone and free to act.

Here I am in the business suite, with a customer reception area, administration area, offices and a meeting room. At the far end, a secure room catches my eye. This is certainly where I’ll find what I need. Either I try to force my way in, or I wait for them to come back.

My first approach fails. I can’t connect to their security program. My second approach is to pretend to be one of them and order the premises to be opened. To no avail. My attempts at virtual cloning all fail. I’ll have to wait until they return. It’s going to be direct combat. I’d have preferred to avoid confrontation, but I have no choice. I set up an attachment point above the entrance hatch, wedging myself in, stuck to the ceiling like a spider. The angle of attack will give me the advantage. Then I wait. For a long time. After 45 minutes, my sensors go on alert. They’re approaching. The airlock opens. I have to jump on one of them.

I jump on Reilly, knees forward, knocking him violently to the ground. I straighten up and land a back kick on Cumming. The blow is so hard that he does a somersault and lands on his neck. He’s not dead, just stunned. So is Reilly, on whom I return as quickly as possible. I straighten him up, stand behind him and give him an arm lock. I draw my dagger and apply it to his neck. They come to their senses and realize what’s happening. I address Cumming.

- Open your safe ! And get me your best hacker !

His eyes move wildly, searching for a solution. I reframe him :

- Hurry up, or I’ll cut his head off !

I start to thrust the blade, blood spurts and Reilly starts screaming. I shout back :

- I’ll soon be at his throat ! We’ll never hear the end of him !

He snaps.

- I’ve got it ! Stop it ! I’m opening it !

He remotely triggers the opening behind me. He steps forward. I shift, holding Reilly firmly, dagger in throat. He groans. Cumming enters. I say:

- Don’t take the opportunity to grab anything else.

He emerges almost immediately, briefcase in hand. I anticipate the trap and say :

- Open the case and take out the hacker.

He does so. A beacon is hidden on the inside right-hand side. If I took the container as is, they would have followed me. The hacker comes in the form of a small box, containing phenomenal computing power and protocols specialized in the intrusion of all systems. No security can contain this virtual hacker. I retrieve the technological monster and organize my escape.

I return to the home automation functions and open the suite’s airlock. I swivel Reilly to my left, deliver a powerful kick to Cumming’s temple, regain my footing, release my grip and send him a hard right that knocks him out instantly. They’re both unconscious on the floor. All I have to do now is get back to my feet as quickly as possible. In less than two minutes, I’m on my speedster.

I’m off to make the final preparations for the attack on the databank. Now that I’ve got the hacker, I can get back to Jacques. As planned, when I arrive, he gives me the grappling hook he’s made and I take the rest of the necessary equipment.

Chapter 14

The Data Bank

It’s very late, but I stop by to kiss Clara anyway. New arguments, new disagreements. We’re definitely not meant to get along these days. Love exacerbates emotions, everything is stronger, more intense. I shouldn’t have come back. I’d better go. I leave her there, in tears.

I do a final check on my gear, I’ve got everything I need. It’s 3:30 and I’m off to the databank. I hit the road and take stock of the defense system that awaits me. A state bank is big game for me. I can’t afford any mistakes. I park the speedster about a hundred yards from the bank and approach the main entrance on foot.

The building, bristling with pylons on which spotlights are fixed, is bathed in the stillness of the night. Opposite me, the only entrance is a ten-foot-high gate framed by two pillars. This is where I plan to enter, but to approach it without neutralizing the security systems is pure madness. According to Kaliguian’s disc, the entrance is equipped with infrared cameras and self-operated kroulhers. I detach my scrambler from my suit, switch it on and calculate on my internal screen the distance to a point on the perimeter wall far enough away from the main entrance. Then I launch the scrambler. It flies through the air at the determined angle and fixes itself on the wall. It immediately starts searching for the frequencies used by the surveillance cameras. Ten seconds later, my internal screen tells me that the jamming is complete. The soldiers inside the building will soon react. We’ve got to be quick. I race to the ten-foot portal and leap through it. Once inside, I deactivate the scrambler.

I turn right. I push all my detection functions to the max. I scan the area separating me from the building. I detect no human or other presence. On the other hand, dozens of red dots materialize in my field of vision. I exclaim :

Damn ! This wasn’t on my plan. Pressure sensors !

This unexpected event alters my plans a little. I grab the self-propelled grappling hook and set it off after securing it to a concrete stud. The harpoon snaps onto the parapet surrounding the building. I take hold of the grapple’s self-propelled handles and order the ascent. A few seconds later, I’m on the roof. Just as I thought, the elevator terminal is not far away. Here lies the flaw in the system. After unscrewing the protective plate, I take my hacker and connect it to the computer system. I easily penetrate the program’s internal clock.

Beforehand, I hacked into the computer system of the company responsible for the maintenance of these elevators, in order to get my hands on the schedule of visits. Once the clock had been set to the desired date and time, the elevator’s airlock opened. The machine, believing it to be a routine visit, is no longer connected to the bank’s alarm system. I enter the elevator and order:

Lower level four.

The descent goes off without a hitch. The voice program confirms my arrival at my destination. I then use the hacker to leave the elevator doors open. I also inject a virus designed to make it look as if a repair has been carried out, in order to justify immobilizing the elevator on this floor. From here, I can see the room where I should logically discover the information I’m interested in. But first I have to watch out for the detection cells on either side of the elevator door frame. A few steps forward and the little black eyes will alert security to my presence. I change my body temperature to remain undetectable. Then, using a laser stylus, I cut into the elevator ceiling. I slip through the opening. Opposite, towards the room I’m aiming for, a new trapdoor gives me access to the false ceiling. I enter it and advance towards my objective. I then activate the suction function of my enhanced body. Immediately, light air suctions are heard from my hands and knees. I place my hand on one of the slabs and switch on the suction. The suction glues my hand to the slab. I cut it and place it on my right. At last, I can go home.

Now, like a veritable tarantula, I’m making my way across the ceiling of the room. The security system must already have detected the air movement I’m producing. But fortunately, in the absence of any heat source, the alarm is not sounded. My intrusion is treated as a suspicious draught, but not enough to trigger the alarm. Security systems, however sophisticated, are not credible if they are triggered at every turn. When I get close to the room’s mainframe, I untie my hands and hang from the ceiling by my knees. Then I connect my data hacker’s cable to the machine and launch my hacking program. It takes a few minutes to break the access codes. Soon, the manager succeeds and the mainframe menu appears. I click on the INDUSTRIAL SECTOR icon and direct the search to companies in the armaments sector. I easily find the WCA inc. folder, which contains several dozen files. I save them all.

Loading takes a few seconds. It’s time to leave, as quickly as possible. But on my virtual screen, a title flashes:

POLITICAL DATA

Secret files - Hidden files - Maximum risk.

And a hacker’s hint definitely catches my eye: incongruous data, presence of inappropriate files. What are these files doing here? A mistake, surely? I think for a few moments and, with a little more time to spare, I decide to save it. We’ll see what it’s all about later... Well, the loading is done. The data is now inside me, in my database, at the heart of my artificial body. I return to the elevator. I deactivate the suction cup function and give the order to go up to the last level. The car complies. I consult my internal clock. The timing I’ve set myself is perfectly respected. In a few minutes, I’ll be out of the building.

Suddenly, the elevator stops! I’m stuck between the third and second floors.

Elevation impossible, anomaly on upper level.

warns the voice program. It’s a big problem. Something must have entered through the gaping hatch in the roof. I order the doors to open and activate my motion scanner. No heat source is detected. I have to choose between the 2nd and 3rd levels. During Khaleb’s match, I had the opportunity to pick up some very important information about tonight’s rounds. It’s best for me to avoid going out on the 3rd level. The sentry there is particularly dangerous. I try to force my way into the second level. It doesn’t work. The hacker’s only response is: “Level blocked, general overhaul”. I have no choice but to face a formidable sentry. I go out on the 3rd level.

The place is totally deserted and plunged into darkness. There don’t seem to be any sentries around. I pick up my Mauser for added security and switch my vision to infrared mode. I must be in some kind of administrative department.

No point in trying to force a door at the moment, I tell myself. Let’s see where this corridor leads. There must be some emergency exits.

I make my way cautiously to the right, when, behind me, a slight clatter awakens my attention... I barely have time to turn my head when someone or something gives me a violent shove in the back ! I roll over. I lose my gun! It slips out of my grasp. I come face to face with my assailant. It’s a cybernetic tiger. This time, the bank has pulled out all the stops in its defense.

The beast stares at me with its ruby eyes. A cybernetic hand never deceives its program: I’m an intruder, it must eliminate me. We watch each other for a few seconds. I desperately search my eyes for my Mauser, all the while staring at the beast. She can sense I’m in trouble. Suddenly, it makes a prodigious leap, all claws out.

I can’t use the explosives I have with me. The confined space would put me in serious danger. Left with no choice, I order my Katana Kriel to be activated. The chain encircling the blade begins to spin, and the accompanying electric shocks rip through the darkness of the corridor. We face each other and begin a round of observation that will inexorably end in the death of one of us. We throw ourselves at each other in a deadly aerial ballet!

I launch myself at the tiger. At the last moment, I slip beneath him as he leaps above me. Wishing to disembowel him, I raise my katana as he passes. But he’s extremely fast and his programs work just as fast as mine. Just as I thought I’d hit my target, he spun on my side and, with one swipe of his paw, cut deep into my right shoulder. I bled profusely.

In a hundredth of a second, I’ve lost part of my fighting ability. The tiger falls back behind me. I stand up and face it, ready to lunge again. I’m not allowed to fail. This is my second and final attack. I take my katana in my left hand. I lunge and jump again. This time, I extend my arm to the maximum and give my attack maximum reach. I slice first !

The animal, pierced between the front legs, collapses. I turn the beast over, grasp the weapon with both hands and drive it deeper. I finish the creature off by severing its main brain. The beast lets out a final howl. Its vital streams flood the ground and my feet. I’m off to retrieve my Mauser. I haven’t yet caught my breath when the sirens start wailing. Two purple magnetic fields appear instantly, one in front of me, the other behind. Now I’m trapped between two walls of red light.

Your position is hopeless! says a voice. Lay down your weapons and no harm will come to you.

I’ve only got a few seconds before security arrives. I draw my Mauser and fire at the light wall. But it doesn’t give way. Quickly, I have to react. I aim for the ceiling and fire a massive burst. The force field collapses. The way is clear. It’s about time. A group of soldiers is already running through the corridors. After leaving three grenades with the pins pulled, I smash open the door nearest me and rush into the room. I rush to the window. The blast from the grenades throws me through the bay window. I’m literally thrown into the void. A hundred feet of emptiness below me !

I spin around and propel the grappling hook attached to my forearm. It catches on the wall and I’m hurtling back towards it. The violent impact sends me smashing through the canopy. I’m now only about 30 feet away. I jump. Here I am at the bottom. I have to choose my exit route quickly. I head for the gate. I’ve got to force my way out or be trapped like a rat. Every patrol in town is probably converging on the bank right now. I’m in pain, and my encounter with the tiger has taken its toll on me. I switch on my healing functions. The nanotechnology in me will momentarily restore the use of my right arm.

To my left, two sentries emerge from the building. I give them no chance. I set my gun to maximum intensity and aim at the first one’s head. The discharge hits him full force, shattering his metal skull. The man is catapulted fifteen feet backwards. Immediately, the second soldier triggers his back thrusters and heads for the entrance gate. I let go :

That bastard’s going to block me !

With long strides, I make my way along the walkway, slaloming between the explosive plates embedded in the ground. I cross the lawn and finally reach the imposing enclosure. I aim at the spotlights overhanging the pillars up to the entrance gate. One by one, I destroy them. From now on, darkness conceals me. My athermal function forces me to switch to SEISMIC DETECTION mode. The shockwaves of my footsteps should logically appear on the guard’s retinas. I take off. At 200 yards, he starts shooting. Fortunately, his imprecise vision and my frantic slalom disturb him enough to prevent him from reaching me. A hundred yards away, I order my internal functions:

Overboost function !

Uncle has not only deprived me of a troublesome bug, he has also endowed me with over-amplified physical functions, and my plasma engine momentarily sees its power multiplied by ten. Thirty yards away, the gusts graze me. This is the crucial moment. A super-powerful impulse catapults me forward and I cover the final distance, ten feet above the ground. Noting the sudden stop of the shockwaves on his screen, the sentry straightens up and exclaims :

I got the bastard ! I’ve got him !

But the whistling sound that accompanied my arrival alerted him too late to his error. I hit the ground hard, almost horizontally, rebounded in a shower of sparks and slid several metres behind the guard. Taking advantage of the portal lighting, I aim right. He screams as he makes a defensive move. This scream will be my last, I shoot! The burst hits him in the chest and propels his body against the wall behind him. He then slides to the ground, leaving a wide vermilion trail against the wall. The way is now clear. My overbooster mode allows me to leap the grid in a single bound. I head for my speedster. I fire it up and start off with a bang. My machine rears up and spits a huge streak of light across the asphalt, leaving the deafening sound of sirens behind me. The manhunt is just beginning...

As soon as I reach the first crossroads, I give it full throttle and order the engine to switch to “supercharging mode”. The speedster quickly passes the 400 mph mark. Just as I’d expected, the warning lights, installed at the side of the road every 100 yards, go off just a few seconds after I leave the state bank. As I pass, one red light after another lights up like so many police eyes. Now that they’ve located me, they’ll never let me go. Several patrols inevitably gave chase. Huddled behind the speedster’s protective bubble, I scan my control screen for pursuers and an idea of my lead. But the screen remains hopelessly blank. I guess the bastards have forgotten me ?

Suddenly, as I approach the East Sector tunnels, a burst of plasma grazes the speedster! The glowing discharge slams into one of the pillars in front of me. Launched like a missile, I continue along the ring road through the cloud of dust and fire. Three vehicles, a booster and two speedsters, materialize on my on-board navigator. It doesn’t take long for the scanner’s automatic scan to lock onto their frequency - I’ve broken their network beforehand and can hear their dialogue.

We’re approaching the fugitive, Commander! sizzles a voice in my headset.

Then the soldier adds :

Interception scheduled in 2 minutes !

The officer replies :

Shoot on sight ! He’s picked up level 6 information! He can’t get out alive !

My pursuers are gaining ground. The booster, the most powerful machine, is in the lead, closely followed by the two speedsters. I visualize their positions and wait for the exit of a bend before launching my counter-offensive. At the right moment, I release an explosive strip. It instantly unfurls on the ground across the entire width of the road.

Beware ! Mined area! Mined area !

shouts one of the cops into my helmet. The voice is lost in the enormous din of the explosion. The booster instantly disappears from my navigator, but not the two speedsters. They slow down and rush into the gap opened by the first vehicle.

One of my pursuers informs his superior:

- Commander, the booster has just been destroyed...

The officer snarls :

- You incompetents ! Go for it ! I absolutely must have it ! The terminals confirm the theft of vital information !

They’re getting dangerously close. I’ll have to improvise.

One of the two speedsters gets closer. It fires in my direction. The bursts pass right in front of my machine and explode the pavement.

I activate my countermeasures. My micro-turret deploys. Aim on automatic and spit a rain of fire at my pursuer. He has no time to react. His left aerodynamic struts explode. He loses control. However, he manages to slow down and comes to a halt at the side of the road. There’s only one left.

I accelerate to maximum. The velocity chip gives as good as it gets. The toll plaza is now in sight, at the end of a straight stretch.

I’m in for a surprise! A steel wall several meters high has been erected in front of the booths.

But I don’t slow down. The astonished cop does the same. The last few miles go by at full speed. 3miles, 2miles, 1miles... The steel barrier in front of us is growing by leaps and bounds!

My pursuer exclaims:

- What’s he doing ?! He’ll never have time to brake !

- Don’t let go! That’s an order !

interrupts the Commander.

At 2 miles from the toll booths, I gradually disconnect the speedster’s magnetic poles and position my aerodynamic supports so as to maintain control. Then I push the engine to its maximum power. The speedster rears up and takes off. Enough to clear the dam. The sound of a violent impact behind me tells me that my pursuer, unable to brake, has just crashed into the metal barrier.

I come into contact with the freeway’s magnetic field. My machine jerks frantically from left to right, then finally rectifies its trajectory. I have to choose between 5 possible directions. They couldn’t get there in time to lock them all.

I hear on my scanner.

- We’ve lost him ! Our radars are mute !

I can finally get to safety. I’ve never been up against such power.

Obviously, if they’ve just unleashed all the world’s storms against me, I’ve just got my hands on something decisive. I can’t wait to get home and sort it out. I’m hurtling at 400 miles/hour towards answers that will change my life and the lives of those around me.

Some of the discoveries are particularly far-reaching.

Chapter 15

The Truth

It’s early morning. I’m finally home. Exhausted and worried.

Clara is waiting for me in the bubble bed, frightened. Her face, previously hidden by the half-light, lights up as I approach. I join her and take her in my arms to comfort her. I hold her close.

Then she inspects me on all sides, looking for a wound. She soon notices a mark on my shoulder. A fine scar, a reminder of my encounter with the tiger.

She runs her finger over the line that has formed.

I tell her :

- Don’t worry, I’m fine.

But it may not last... I’ve recovered some very special files. Sensitive files. I had to flee in the face of a show of force I’d never seen before. I need to know what this information, discovered at the state bank, is.

Her face instantly sinks into almost palpable anguish.

She questions me with a frightened look, and I react immediately :

- I don’t know why that file was there. In any case, I made a copy.

She is alarmed :

- Nathan ! What’s going to happen ?!

Fear and a touch of anger alter her beautiful eyes. I grab her by the shoulders and say.

- Calm down ! This afternoon, I have an appointment with Kaliguian. He’ll pay me and then we’ll talk. We’ve already got to find out what’s in these files.

I leave the bubble bed again, and grab the microdisk I’d put in a safe place. I insert it into my chest and close my eyes. I need to concentrate. I mentally order the data to be transmitted to my visual cortex. Almost instantly, a long list of documents appears in my field of vision.

Clara has joined me. I telepathically transmit the content of the documents to her. Many of them concern the main political parties, recapitulating their history from their creation to their current activities. Others take a closer look at the organization charts of these movements and their leaders.

One title catches my eye :

“Denver Conference: Discourse on the constitution of a political front for the annihilation of Africa”.

- What’s this ?” asks Clara, who seems as surprised as I am.

I order the document to be read.

A video starts up, showing the meeting on Jekyll Island, November 22, 2110,

“For two days, a secret assembly of our planet’s leading financiers discussed and agreed on the direction the world economy should take to serve their common interests.

The list of participants is kept secret. No information can leak out.

Address by the Chairman of the International Monetary Commission, Mr. Noam Chomsky :

“Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you know, in August of this year, President Sony Matsuchida, Governor of Epoxia, launched the Universal Cybernetics Program. The aim of this important program was twofold: to facilitate the establishment of social peace in the territory, and to give a new boost to economic activity by creating a powerful molecular transplant industry in Epoxia. The success of this ambitious program rests largely on Epoxia’s ability to export this technology to its international partners. Commercial agreements have been

with the Gruïl government for the export of this technology,

equipment and personnel. But despite various negotiations between our embassies and those of Africa, the “Ancient Lands” categorically refused to join this program, pointing to its “lack of humanistic foundation”. To this day, this argument is completely inadmissible.

The example of one of the three blocs refusing this program appears detestable in terms of popularity. In fact, it would run the risk of derailing its implementation in the other two blocks.

As a result, a major decision has to be taken, namely the fictitious disappearance of Africa.

Generally speaking, our social modeling processes suffice. Here’s a reminder of the strategies and techniques commonly employed.

1 - The diversion strategy

An essential element of social control, the diversion strategy consists in diverting public attention from important issues and changes decided by political and economic elites, through a continual deluge of distractions and insignificant information. The strategy of diversion is also essential to prevent the public from becoming interested in essential knowledge in the fields of science, economics, psychology, neurobiology and cybernetics. “Keeping the public’s attention distracted, away from real social problems, captivated by subjects of no real importance.”

2 - Create problems, then offer solutions

This method is also known as “problem-reaction-solution”. First, we create a problem, a “situation” designed to elicit a certain public reaction, so that the public itself will demand the measures we want it to accept. For example: allowing urban violence to develop, or organizing bloody attacks, so that the public will demand security laws at the expense of freedom. Or creating an economic crisis to make people accept the rollback of social rights and the dismantling of public services as a necessary evil.

3 - The strategy of downgrading

To get people to accept an unacceptable measure, all you have to do is apply it gradually, over a period of 10 years. This is how radically new socio-economic conditions were imposed during the 1980s and 1990s. Mass unemployment, job insecurity, flexibility, offshoring, wages that no longer ensured a decent income - these were all changes that would have provoked a revolution had they been applied brutally.

had they been applied brutally.

4 - The strategy of deferment

Another way of gaining acceptance for an unpopular decision is to present it as “painful but necessary”, obtaining the public’s agreement in the present for application in the future. It’s always easier to accept a future sacrifice than an immediate one. Firstly, because the effort doesn’t have to be made immediately. Secondly, because the public tends to naively hope that “everything will be better tomorrow

“and that the required sacrifice can be avoided. Finally, it gives the public time to get used to the idea of change, and to accept it with resignation when the time comes.

5 - Address the public as if they were small children

Most advertising aimed at the general public uses discourse, arguments, characters and a particularly infantilizing tone, often verging on the debilitating, as if the viewer were a toddler or a mentally handicapped person. The more you try to deceive the spectator, the more you adopt an infantilizing tone. Why?” If you address a person as if they were 12 years old, then, because of suggestibility, they will, with some probability, have a response or reaction as uncritical as those of a 12-year-old.”

6 - Appeal to the emotional rather than the reflective

Appealing to the emotional is a classic technique for short-circuiting rational analysis, and therefore people’s critical faculties. What’s more, using the emotional register opens the door to the unconscious to implant ideas, desires, fears, impulses or behaviors...

7 - Keeping the public ignorant and stupid

Ensure that the public is incapable of understanding the technologies and methods used to control and enslave them. “The quality of education given to the lower classes must be of the poorest kind, so that the gulf of ignorance which isolates the lower classes from the upper classes is and remains incomprehensible to the lower classes.”

8 - Encouraging the public to wallow in mediocrity

Encourage the public to find it “cool” to be stupid, vulgar and uneducated...

9 - Replace rebellion with guilt

Make people believe that they alone are responsible for their misfortune, because of the inadequacy of their intelligence, abilities or efforts. So, instead of rebelling against the economic system, the individual self-deprecates and feels guilty, leading to a state of depression, one of the effects of which is the inhibition of action. And without action, there can be no revolution!

10 - Know people better than they know themselves

In recent years, the dazzling progress of science has widened the gap between public knowledge and that held and used by the ruling elites. Thanks to biology, neurobiology and applied psychology, the “system” has achieved advanced knowledge of the human being, both physically and psychologically. The system has come to know the average person better than he knows himself. This means that, in the majority of cases, the system has greater control and power over individuals than the individuals themselves.

Most of the time, exercising these 10 principles is enough. But as far as the universal cybernetics program is concerned, our proposals are as follows:

- Inform the populations of Epoxia and Gruïl that a violent internal war has just broken out on the African continent. This purely imaginary war could be caused by territorial quarrels. After a few months of fighting, the conflict escalates, culminating in nuclear strikes on Africa.

in Africa, in order to declare the area contaminated, no longer allowing any human or plant life.

- At the same time, our borders will have to be reinforced under the pretext of national security. This identity-based withdrawal will also prevent any unwanted intrusion into the “Ancient Lands”.

In this way, we can preserve the secrecy of our real situation. We believe it is essential to take such measures, however radical they may be. The success of the universal cybernetics program depends on it. And we cannot tolerate any counter-examples. That’s why I’m asking you to endorse these proposals with your vote.

The video then freezes. 

I collapse in astonishment, totally stunned by the magnitude of the lie !

We’re devastated. We realize that we are nothing but stupid puppets, unaware that we have been so simply manipulated.

- Epoxia makes me want to vomit !

says Clara.

- To get everyone to agree to become a machine, they’ve made an entire part of the world, an entire continent, billions of men and women, disappear from our consciousness! And all this simply to satisfy some people’s appetite for power...

Clara went on, looking thoughtful :

- If they could wipe out a part of the world so easily in people’s minds, it certainly wasn’t their first try. There have certainly been other manipulations, other lies in the past...

I suddenly react :

- My father ?! My father died in battle during the conflict against the Gruïl, a few years after Africa disappeared! But the circumstances of his death have never been very clear. All Gaby and I knew was that he died with honors.

“The homeland grateful to an exemplary soldier, who gave his life for the good of the citizens of Epoxia”; that’s what’s inscribed on his grave. But I now believe that he died for a very different cause from the one presented to us...

Clara is worried and already imagining what I’m about to do.

- What do you mean ?

I confirm her fears:

- My father would never have participated in such a plan. I’m sure they’ve hidden something from us... I’ll have to go back and find out !

Clara bursts into tears :

- No ! It’s too risky, Nathan ! Don’t go back ! You’ll be killed !!

We discuss at length the many risks involved in such an action. Our discussion changes. It evolves into diametrically opposed feelings. Clara goes from support to total anger. She suddenly understands that we are now in imminent danger. That’s my girl.

She’s explosive and doesn’t hesitate to use all the grudges and arguments from the past to blame me for our present risk. And she’s right. I shouldn’t have got those files.

She insists, again and again.

I remember situations from the past. Certain situations where her insistence had reached record levels.

There’s a long history to our arguments. Our relationship isn’t all libidinous love and artificial sunsets.

Clara has a particularly keen sense of persistence. One of the recurring arguments we had was her questions about my mother.

No matter how hard I tried to make her understand that I had almost no memory of her, she wouldn’t believe me. It had become a matter of mistrust for her. She thought I must be trying to hide something from her. And that if I didn’t tell her everything about my mother, she wouldn’t be able to trust me on anything else.

Each time, everything was called into question because of this. When my father disappeared, things became even more conflicted. To be honest, though, my memories were particularly hazy. I even had great difficulty visualizing the image of my mother’s face. Even I began to worry about this lack of memory.

One day the argument got so heated that we considered shock therapy. The cost was exorbitant, but the sheer frustration of all this tension justified the investment. It has to stop. No more arguing, no more blaming. I’m suffocating! I might as well use the most effective means medicine has to offer. Even if the cost is considerable, it seems to me that memory therapy is the answer to our questions.

The procedure is expensive but fast, simple and almost 100% effective.

Everything will happen here at home. In the space of 10 minutes, it’ll be as if I’d been through 10 years of conventional psychotherapy. I connect to the network and buy the therapy.

Part of the house suddenly becomes a replica of a real doctor’s surgery. The furniture is reconfigured. It changes shape. From the floor emerges a custom-made recliner that offers me the utmost comfort. I let myself go in this cocoon of softness. The door to our cell has just let in a metal cube, one meter square. It’s the treatment device sent to us by the laboratory I’ve chosen. The treatment begins.

The cube, like a real psychologist, stands slightly behind me. It opens various hatches from which a whole array of specialized equipment emerges. A carrier beam directs disks onto my arms, chest, eyes and forehead. The discs on my arms diffuse the psychotropic drugs that plunge me into a deep trance. The disc on my chest takes my vital measurements. And the discs in my eyes and forehead

take control of my brain.

The program is supposed to retrieve and rebuild my memories. The technique is in fact an active intrusion of the hippocampus. Logically, in a few minutes we should finally have some answers. Time passes, and after 8 minutes of investigation into the heart of my neurons, the machine is ready.

neurons, the machine delivers its verdict.

-System failure. Procedure aborted. Memories absent.

New drugs injected, I come to. Clara, tears in her eyes, says to me:

-I’m so sorry... You weren’t lying... You don’t remember...

It took all this for her to finally believe me.

Today, her conviction is just as strong. But my wife’s tears and reluctance don’t break my resolve. I’m determined to find out the real reason for my father’s death.

But suddenly our lives are turned upside down !

An alarm sounds.

Chapter 16

Our lives turn upside down

At this very moment, Jacques’ surveillance systems warn us of the threat:

- Forced entry, building under attack! Forced entry, building under attack!

I react immediately. I grab my weapons and blast the canopy at the back of the apartment with my Mauser!

The blast shakes the walls and creates violent turbulence. We have to jump now. I hold on to Clara, petrified with terror, and pull her into the void. The sudden plunge causes her to shriek. We’re some forty meters off the ground! I throw out a cable with my arm, which sticks to the glass wall.

We watch in horror as the wall closes in, far too fast for our liking. The shock is terrible...

Clara loses consciousness for a few seconds. As soon as we hit the ground, we flee with long strides into the dark alley.

Behind us, a few hundred meters away, the wail of sirens announces the intervention sections.

The defensive devices I’ve installed give us a few seconds’ respite.

The explosives go off.

We barely have time to run into the first sewer that comes along.

We’ve suddenly become fugitives, outlaws, hunted down without mercy.

Here we are in the inter-level technical areas. Sewers, data cables, power supplies, etc. circulate here.

We advance cautiously. We have to go down. I’ve got no choice. We have to be forgotten. Disappear.

My only refuge lies 3 levels below. I have a crudely equipped storage box that will serve as a fallback point. Its existence is ultra-secure. The false tenant is a dead man for whom I regularly pay rent.

We go through a series of airlocks, corridors and ladders. Finally, we manage to make our way through unhindered. We emerge into a pillar tower that takes us down to the lower level.

We continue.

I take this opportunity to send a secure message to Jacques and Gabriel.

-Off you go! Quickly! We’re being tracked. I’ve retrieved some highly sensitive data.

We must flee. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. I’ll send you the files.

Please be careful.

We’re making progress. Into the heart of the pillars. We pass the 3 levels without too much difficulty.

I use my detection gear and my various visions, but there’s probably no activity to suspect. We exit.

Another few hundred metres and we’ve finally reached the shelter we’ll be staying in.

In fact, rather than a refuge, it’s a voluntary prison.

A particularly spartan, cramped space. But this is where we’ll have to stay away from everyone.

Away from my people.

But above all, away from Khaleb and the security sections looking for me.

Chapter 17

Our voluntary prison

We’ve been voluntary prisoners for nearly 3 weeks now. We’re locked up in one of the few secret exiles that guarantee our safety.

A squalid, cold, damp cell in a corner of level 12 of our dome.

One of the last habitable floors. Below, there are only machines and a few rare mutant pests.

But there we are. Or, an ersatz of us. Clara and I, a couple adrift, a million miles from what we used to be.

Every day punctuates our decline, and tomorrow will be even worse. The torments of our daily lives are cracking the ramparts of our love.

I thought I was strong enough. I was mistaken. After what happened, we had to flee.

They couldn’t leave it at that. Even if she maintains the opposite, I know Clara will end up resenting me. And she’s right. I’m the one who caused this situation.

At times, the pain of our daily lives makes me lose my mind. Everything becomes confused. I almost forget what brought us here.

Yes, now I remember. I made it through with the secrets about Africa. Honestly, I was very lucky. I should have died or been captured. But miraculously, I got through.

So we had to organize our retreat. We hid here. In this dead zone that’s killing us little by little.

Gabriel, my brother, and my uncle also had to hide from our secret services. We’re all illegal and wanted. But it wasn’t all in vain.

Deep inside me, in my most hidden registers, I’ve been able to save the data. We’re in great danger because we know. And the state doesn’t want the truth to infect the social order.

Whether we like it or not, it’s because of me that our lives are destroyed. We won’t be able to do what we did before. Living in hiding is our only hope of living at all.

But here, in this cesspool, life is no longer life. It’s cold, dark and damp. The walls ooze. Filth is everywhere, seeping in everywhere. So much so that it pollutes our souls.

I’m starting to think about turning myself in. Suicidal madness too, fortunately temporary. I cling to her, Clara. Even carnal pleasures have no place in our daily lives. We argue more and more often.

Being constantly together wears each other out.

Stress sometimes overrides reason. Nervous breakdowns can even explode at any moment. One night she even threw herself at me. And any thought of love or tenderness was far from her mind. I was rudely awakened by a nocturnal fury. She threw herself on me, straddling me in tears as she screamed and hit me with all her might. My awakening was explosive. I pushed her back violently and got into position to strike back. I was ready to give her a terrible blow in the face. She only had a few tenths of a second to avoid the gesture too far. At the last moment, I struck wide.

The faded mattress that serves as our bed was the victim. I hit it so hard I went right through it.

We stood still for a moment. In awe. I for having wounded her and she for having narrowly escaped a blow that would have disfigured her. It took us many long minutes to relieve the tension. This night was the most terrible.

But we have to face it. Carry on in spite of everything. And our reserves are depleted.

So we need to replenish our doses of energy. Even if we’re not very active, our artificial bodies are crying out for doses of energy and other synthetic fluids.

This need is another excuse to throw our respective anger in each other’s faces.

Going out to look for something to feed us seems like a life-saving distraction. Going outside at last. Breathing in the impure city air again. It’s almost as if the nauseating smells outside suddenly become as sweet as a field of flowers.

It’s been an intense struggle, but I want to preserve it. So I’m going to get us what we need for a few days.

I activate all the anti-detection parades Jacques has given me. They turn me into a cyber ghost. I no longer exist. My image disappears from the city’s surveillance networks. I move forward without virtually existing.

Even the people I meet are hacked by my systems. Their vision is altered by my programs. They don’t see my real face, but an avatar created from scratch. My voice is altered too.

I can move forward on this level without too much risk of being spotted. But I’d rather not be away for too long. I quickly buy a refill and head back to our squalid refuge.

But before turning back, as we had agreed, I hide a self-contained transmitter. It will deliver an encrypted message to my brother.

«Rendezvous in 2 days.

Those 2 days seem interminable.

But, at last, the time has come. We must join my brother and uncle. At last, we’re going to leave this pestilential cell.

Still in stealth mode, we set off for the hypercentre sectors, 30 levels above. Today is a special day, and we’re going to take advantage of it to disappear into the crowd. It’s the traditional «holy day of sales» parade. Everywhere, brass bands march through the city, leading the way for the promotional floats. Their passage is heralded by advertising messages appearing on the levitating spheres so common in our urban décor.

After a long journey, we’re greeted by a shower of luminescent confetti, as the big names hand out samples of their latest products. At regular intervals throughout the year, these festivities arouse popular enthusiasm. From the remotest districts of Epoxia, families flock to take part in these national holidays orchestrated by the city’s shopping malls.

With the government’s approval, they have abolished the old, backward customs of public holidays, leaving only purely commercial days, during which consumers can earn almost unlimited credits to satisfy their compulsive shopping bulimia.

I pay little attention to the extraordinary spectacle of the street, looking for my brother.

Just as I catch sight of Gabriel, the «Textro-nib» laboratories float past, escorted by two chrome tyrannosaurs who shake the ground with every step, triggering collective hysteria. Children, perched on their fathers’ shoulders, shout and applaud the two

chrome behemoths.

I disconnect my stealth functions only for Gabriel. Only he can detect me.

He picks me up and we can finally meet. He sends me a mental message:

-At last, here you are. I was beginning to worry. Jacques is waiting for us in the Kanzer. Let’s get to safety.

He comes over to give us a hug. Suddenly he pushes me away, pulls back and steps back. Our hygiene has been more than neglected of late. Our sense of smell may be adjustable, but Gabriel puts his hand to his nose and his expression is unmistakable.

We smell terrible. This scene has the merit of making me smile. That’s something.

But we mustn’t dawdle, so we follow in his footsteps and head for the parking lot.

Gabriel pulls up in front of an empty space.

Jacques opens the hatch of the invisible vehicle, the Kanzer. This machine can transform itself into a sonic suprajet. And its defense systems give it remarkable combat endurance.

But for us, the most important thing is that it’s undetectable.

And what’s more, it’s beautiful. When you can see it. It looks like a stylized blend of a dragon skull and a tank.

Jacques falls into our arms, his eyes brimming with tears. His emotion overwhelms us. We take advantage of this tearful pose to evacuate the overflow of pain.

Gabriel is not insensitive, and he too joins us in pouring out a torrent of sorrow.

Our lives will never be the same again. We’ve become pariahs, fugitives with no hope of peace.

Gradually, the emotion subsides. We catch our breath when suddenly a Kanzer alert is heard:

- Vehicle approaching automatic parking. Potential conflict position. Response triggered: system conflict, work in the square.

The vehicle then changes its course and no longer parks in the space we occupy, it continues on its way and the system designates a new space for it.

Then I speak up:

- Have you studied what I’ve recovered from the bank?

Jacques reacts.

- Yes, of course, very carefully.

My brother nods in agreement.

- I still don’t know exactly what to do with it. But I know I don’t want to leave it at that.

Clara leans back in her chair, crosses her arms and looks discouraged. She knows what I’m about to say. Our arguments with her have a lot to do with our fear of the future, the loss of our comfortable everyday life. But that’s not all. There’s also my desire to get to the bottom of things. The discoveries I’ve made have only fed my suspicions and my need to know once and for all what happened to my father.

I continue:

- These secrets, these discoveries, only raise new questions. Suspicions about lots of other things. One in particular.

I turn my head to my brother and take a deep breath.

- What happened to our father? How and why did he die? This mystery haunts me.

I need an answer. And it’s not just up to me. I need your help.

I immediately get Gabriel to agree. His eyes widen, his head nods in agreement and with an outstretched finger he signals his approval. Jacques, on the other hand, also curls up in his chair, his body language revealing a completely different approach to things.

A storm ensues in the Kanzer. A long and tedious exchange on the subject that is so close to both my brother’s and my own heart, with an equally legitimate and capable duo opposite to decide our future.

In the end, it’s almost impossible to decide. What should we do? Should we go back in search of an answer and face immense dangers?

Or consider fleeing to that forgotten continent - Africa.

Despite his total disagreement, we’ll go in search of the truth.

To do this, we’ll need to recover a little from our fugitive journey and, above all, prepare ourselves well.

So Jacques exfiltrates us to one of his secret sanctuaries. A hideout known only to him.

At last we pull out of the parking lot. As Uncle turns on the gas, he changes the kanzer’s mode of concealment. The vehicle gives the lie to the various urban surveillance systems by means of holographic reality. The kanzer now looks like a genuine autonomous truck. Even the sound of the engines is modified to avoid arousing suspicion. When the first vehicles we encounter overtake us, none of their passengers notice the slightest anomaly.

The city lights flash by.

Everything seems normal. We don’t seem to have been followed, yet the atmosphere in the kanzer remains tense. No one is laughing or smiling.

The flight continues.

I ask Jacques where he’s going.

- I’ve got a hiding place in the outer sectors, on the south side,» he replies. We’ll be safe there, the area is abandoned, we can easily disappear.

Jacques pushes the reactors to their optimum ground speed.

After a few minutes, the kanzer has covered the 100 Miles leading to the southern outer sector.

Chapter 18

A new refuge

For a moment, I watch the scenery unfold. Some of the buildings have collapsed. The area is nothing more than a vast urban graveyard. A deep lethargy has taken hold of this dilapidated and sinister expanse. This is a dead city. Jacques finally leaves the main thoroughfare and enters the dingy alleyways.

We won’t be truly at peace until we’re all safe.

- Here we are,» announces Jacques as he pulls over.

Gabriel is about to get out, but I hold him back and say:

- Wait! Just watch!

I point to one of my radar screens. Gabriel approaches and I say:

- There are people in a vehicle a hundred meters ahead of us!

- So what?» replies Gabriel

- Think about it; when you open your door, the hologram will be distorted.

- So what do we do?

I advise Jacques to enter the vacant lot, so that we’re hidden by the palisades. Uncle immediately complies and moves forward to the entrance of the lot.

Before we reach the booster that has drawn our attention, I modify the hologram around us, displaying the logos and name of Kelco, a construction company, on the sides of the truck.

The kanzer moves slowly forward, passing close to the mysterious vehicle.

I let out a thunderous laugh! My brother, sitting on the same side as me, does the same.

Inside the two-seater booster, a man with half-closed eyes savors the hot caresses of a long-haired woman.

With a firm, feverish hand, he presses the blonde head against him with an ecstatic smile.

- Well, no danger of that,» I say, amused. No one else in the area.

The kanzer advances to the center of the wasteland. The night is coming to an end. At last.

Behind us, the first beams of the giant neon lights that illuminate the Megapolis appear. The ceilings covering each level of our sphere contain a strip of light running from east to west, creating the illusion of daylight.

the illusion of day and night.

Our lives, a succession of days and nights, may be an illusion too.

In the kanzer, a relative calm has settled in. Smiles cautiously reappear on faces.

Finally, Jacques enters a cul-de-sac wedged between two old, almost intact buildings.

At the end, he stops facing the wall. He transmits a recognition code.

Suddenly, the kanzer collapses in on itself. A tray leads us several meters underground, while before our admiring eyes, another support of the same size conceals this discreet entrance. Jacques cuts the kanzer’s circuits and releases the controls. He sinks back into his seat and rubs his eyes, exhausted. The lights reveal a spacious garage full of miscellaneous objects.

Uncle claps his hands on his thighs and exclaims, reassured at last:

- We can breathe easy! We’re safe here! Follow me, I’ll show you around.

show you around.

On my right, I open the Kanzer’s airlock. Clara and I step ashore. Gabriel follows suit.

I hold Clara close to me, hoping to restore peace between her and me.

Then we follow Jacques. He heads for a seemingly innocuous gate at the bottom of the wall. He lifts it, revealing a small keypad. Then he dials another code, and a needle in a tube pops out from behind the keypad. Jacques places his finger in the hole, automatically triggering the system.

The needle pierces his epidermis. A drop of blood slips inside the tube and almost instantly, a mechanical message echoes through the room - «Genetic code validated - security system deactivated.»

Uncle then passes through the airlock and shows us a place he’d been hiding from us until now. He says:

- This is the common room.

We stare in bewilderment at the completely empty room we’ve just entered. He orders - «Furniture!»

Immediately armchairs, a sofa and a coffee table appear, seemingly sprouting from the floor, growing like large plants and expanding rapidly. Paintings materialize, bouquets suddenly offer us a profusion of delicious colors and fragrances. Out of nothing, a cosy interior is born.

I ask:

- Do you have other landmarks like this?

He replies:

- That may be. You’ll find out when you need to. I took a lot of risks to build this secret place, but I don’t regret it.

He laughs mischievously.

Gabriel glances around and asks:

- What’s behind the other airlock?

Jacques replies:

- Rooms and a laboratory. Nothing too interesting.

Comfortably settled in, we’re out of danger at last, and can now decide on our strategy.

We give ourselves a few days’ rest. We need it.

But very soon we have to work out the rest of our plans. And as with the first attack on the state bank. Jacques can’t handle everything at once.

My brother and I will take care of the plans and information on the bank, while Jacques will collect the missing equipment.

Chapter 19

In search of the plans

It’s 5 a.m. and I know who to go to for the data we need. Kaliguian. He’s got a network sharp enough to get me what I want. My plan is simple: I use my last mission as a pretext to offer to get the data, and of course, to pay me.  Given the bounty on me, he’ll be very interested in seeing me. And to betray me, no doubt...

I contact Kaliguian on the secure network. I suggest a meeting in a discreet corner of the intermediate levels, where the police are less present. As expected, he’s totally enthusiastic, too enthusiastic even.

I kiss Clara. She smiles at me, seemingly finally accepting my choice.

We set off, still in stealth mode. We return to the heart of the big sphere and climb a few levels. After parking in a secluded spot, we join Kaliguian. I walk ahead, away from Gabriel.

The rendezvous is set in a festive area. Various places of joy and debauchery occupy a good part of the premises. Virtual whorehouses, drugstores, “Souvenir Planet” and other envelope-changing capsules. There, if you like, you can become someone else or something else. An animal, a fantastic creature, the limit doesn’t exist, only your credit line determines your boundary.

Kaliguian figures that the hustle and bustle and crowds will certainly give him some security. We move quickly through this permanent circus. Stoned customers wander from sexual excess to violent excess. Neon lights and advertising holograms animate the street.

The strolling crowd is there for a quick, intense pleasure. It’s a chance to forget the daily grind. We’re approached by touts promising us the most intense sensations we’re ever likely to experience. We’re not here for that.

Now I see it. Kaliguian. He’s waiting, wisely leaning against a wall, not far from the window of a department store. I disconnect my stealth functions just for him. When he spots me, he nods and starts up the avenue.

He turns and takes the first street on the right, then another, then another... After about ten minutes of walking, we come to a dark alley that dead-ends.

- You’re taking precautions, aren’t you ?

I say to Kaliguian as we join him:

- Yes,” he replies, forcing himself to smile.

Then he adds:

- What can I say, with all that noise you’ve been making, it’s better to be on your guard... Do you have the data with you ?

- Of course I do. But you’re going to start by paying me, okay? Um... There have been a few changes to the program...

Kaliguian has just removed his hands from his large coat and is pointing a mini plasma Mauser at me.

- Send me the info before I blow your face off!

I keep my cool and tell him firmly:

- Pay me and it’s yours.

Then I raise my arms and move against the wall, cautiously, to the far side of the alley.

- I don’t think you’re in a position to argue. So give me that disk !

- You’ve always been and always will be a piece of shit, Kaliguian. You use my work, you take your commission without running the slightest risk, but that’s not enough for you! Now you want it all!

- Our collaboration couldn’t last forever! This information is dynamite, and I’m the only one who can sell it. I’m not going to share it with a scumbag like you. With what I’m going to make on this one, I’ll be able to get out of the business...!

He lets out a nervous laugh that catches in his throat as Gabriel’s shadow looms over the floor.

Before he can make a move, Gab disarms him with a kick and sends him tumbling against the wall, right in the middle of the garbage. I pick up the mini Mauser and approach Kaliguian, who’s trying to get up, holding his arm.

- My arm! He’s broken my arm!

I grab him by the collar, pin him against the wall and press the barrel of his gun against his temple.

- We’re not just going to break your arm, you fat bastard, if you keep moaning !

- Yes! Let me finish him off Nathan, I want to let off some steam!... His ugly face makes me want to hit him! Let me finish him off!

Gabriel, his eyes bulging, stamps his feet and flexes his imposing muscles under his T-shirt. Kaliguian’s forehead is now starting to sweat. Drawing him towards me, I knee him in the stomach.

- You wanted to double-cross me! I knew I had to watch out for scum like you...

Bent double, Kaliguian tries to catch his breath. He manages to say:

- Wait! Just a moment ! I’ve got some money. Here’s my bank disk !

I take Kaliguian’s financial chip. And tell him:

- I don’t give a damn about your credits. I need information. And I need it now!

His face breaks and he quickly realizes he has no choice.

- I need the plans and all the security data for bank 8 sector -3.

I pull out a case from inside my jacket. I open it and show its contents to Kaliguian.

- You see these plates, they don’t look like anything, but... do you know what they are ?

He stammers.

- Uh... no... what are they ?! What are you going to do ?!!! Come on !

- Well, on the battlefield, when a soldier is wounded, when he has a limb torn off, you have to quickly cut and cauterize. In fact, it’s quite simple: you place one of these plates around the limb to be severed, activate its functions and it automatically cuts! Immediately you’re left with a beautiful stump ! Shall we give it a try ?

- No !!!! Noooo !!!

I place an automatically tightening band around his forearm and tell him.

- Let’s spice things up. I take over your systems and disconnect your pain relief functions. And instead, I’m setting your sensitivity to maximum. Let’s go for a big moment. You’ll enjoy it...

My brother holds him firmly down and keeps the dog’s mouth shut. I trigger the camera, which immediately starts whistling slightly. The limb glows red. Little by little, we cut it off. As expected, the limb falls to the ground. The tourniquets maintain his vital fluids, without which he’d empty in seconds.

He implores my brother with his eyes. But all he gets is a sphinx-like response, impassive and cold.

Comfort won’t come from him.

Kaligiuan is sweating, his eyes bulging. His whole body is shaking. Actually, it doesn’t look like it, but I’m not taking any pleasure. I’m all about appearances, it’s all about attitude. And, Kaliguian is a living monster, I know he’s done far worse, and I know he’s having an exhilarating time in other people’s pain.

I take the opportunity and say to him :

- What’s up? What are we going to do ? Should I go on ?

My brother releases his grip. He doesn’t hesitate for a second.

- No!!! Stop it! All right, stop! Tell me what you want... I’ll get you whatever you want...

Gabriel takes out the appropriate equipment. He sets up 4 black cubes. 2 against the wall behind Kaliguian and 2 behind us. He triggers the system. Around us, a bluish cube is created, blocking all tracking. We can communicate without fear of being tracked.

I give Kaliguian my orders:

- I’ve already done my research. I know what you need to do. You worked for a guy called James Odebrecht. A big boss of a construction company. They built the bank I’m interested in.

- Yeah, I know who he is. But his network is classified Ultimium. It’ll be very hard to get in.

- And you want me to believe that you haven’t kept an access just in case ? So what do we cut ?

I start to open my case and pull out a new strip of soft metal.

- No !! No, no, it’s fine ! Yes, yes, I’ve got it! I can get into his system....

- Come on, be quick... And don’t leave any traces.

He logs in and launches his attack on his former client. I know he does this every time. As soon as he can, he infests the system of the one who’s

solicited him. Just in case...

A few seconds pass.

- There, I’m accessing it... No... Just a moment... A few more roadblocks to go. All right, I’m here. I’m looking. I’ve got it! Bank folder 8 sector -3! Loading.

- Sending.

I instantly receive the data.

- Wait! Wait! Wait! Checking...

I enter the file. Index the data. Check dates and origins. It’s all there. The authentication certificates confirm the validity of the information. I look at Gab and tell him.

- That’s it.

We can leave, but I don’t want to take any risks. I know who I’m dealing with and I’m convinced that Kaliguian will rat us out at the first opportunity.

opportunity. I retrieve from the ground the weapon he wanted to use against me. In a fraction of a second, the birth of a scream, fright and fear overwhelm him. But it’s all gone, ephemeral and insubstantial.

I don’t give him a chance and immediately shoot him in the head. His already weakened body collapses to the ground. A jet of fluid punctuated by a few sparks decorates the middle of his forehead.

We leave the alley in a hurry.

We pick up our gear and hurry back. There’s a lot to do.

Chapter 20

The bowels of the bank

All right, we’ve got everything we need. The bank’s plans and security data, plus the right equipment.

We can now move on to the next, most delicate stage: the attack on one of the most secure places imaginable.

Two weeks pass, punctuated by long briefings and intensive training sessions.

Tonight, it’s finally time. Time for action. These first hours are the best for our plan of attack.

But before we leave, there’s a new drama, a new argument with Clara. She trembles for me and turns her fear into anger.

However, I slip away.

We grab our things and head for the garage where the speedsters are waiting.

Contact, ignition, stealth systems on, turbine warmed up, gas! We speed down the alley and quickly reach the slip road that will take us to our destination. The bank we’re about to visit is a secret, underground facility containing Epoxia’s most confidential information.

After fifty kilometers, we finally arrive in the district where our objective is located.

The premises are austere and grimy, ideal for hiding from prying eyes. We park our vehicles in a dark alley and walk the last few metres to the bank.

The architects have given it a deceptive appearance, that of an imposing dome enclosed by a wide gate crowned by a sign: «Piste d’essai». We begin a discreet approach. We both press ourselves against the wall and equip ourselves for the rest of the operation.

In particular, a pyramidal droid some thirty centimetres high. A veritable little army in its own right.

Ready, we slide along the circular wall to an overhang concealing an access hatch. I grab my presence scanner. I switch it on and point it at the concrete projection. Moments later, I turn to my brother and inform him that a heavily-armed sentry is posted in his den.

Gabriel is about to climb the wall with his suction cups, but I hold him back. I’m afraid their alarm system will go off if one of them goes missing. I pick up and analyze the sentry’s frequency and make a clone.

Then I telepathically address my brother:

«It’s up to you! I’ll take him out and you take him down.»

Like a spider, Gabriel moves easily along the wall and reaches the roof of the overhang in which his future victim is standing. Without making the slightest noise, he places himself just above

the entrance. I pick up a piece of garbage and throw it over the side of the hatch. The noise immediately attracts the sentry’s attention. She steps forward. As soon as he sees her, Gabriel shoots and hits the bull’s-eye.

I immediately switch on my clone transmitter. A few seconds of waiting; the control room is fooled, no emergency measures are triggered. The sentry lies on the ground. A few electrical crackles emanate from his shattered metal skull.

Gabriel jumps from the roof and moves towards the door, while I drag the body to an unlit area. I quickly join my brother as he inserts the plug of his decoder into the opening of the airlock provided for this purpose. The scrambler is activated. The decoder penetrates the computer network and decrees that the airlock is put on standby, controlled and must be opened from a certain frequency. This way, we can operate the door

the door. The decoder’s memory loads and unloads massive computer instructions, and after several minutes of mathematical combat, the airlock opens.

Before us appears a wide corridor leading down to the basement, bathed in a bright orange light.

This is a dense beam volumetric detection system. As indicated on the plan, at each end of the corridor, imposing panels divided into several levels emit detection beams.

Gabriel launches a computer attack. The decoder imposes on the bank’s system an anomaly on the upper elements of each panel of the installation. The decoder gives the necessary instructions to resolve the anomaly. All panels must continue to transmit without triggering the alarm indicating the presence of unauthorized volume. Such manipulations require a high-performance decoding system.

Jacques has designed a box using extremely complex algorithms. After a few moments, the decoder’s control light indicates the success of the operation!

I step forward to ensure that the security system has been neutralized. The operation is successful.

The alarm system remains silent. However, we don’t immediately set off down the corridor, as the sensitive floor has not been deactivated. In fact, total elimination of the protection is virtually impossible. Only a simultaneous physical disarming in several places could stop all the detectors. Too complex, so we have to do things differently.

We lean towards one of the corridor walls and place our palms, now transformed into suction cups, against it. I pull the pyramid droid from my bag and place it on the ceiling. I put it on standby, then we move at high speed along the walls. Without arousing the slightest surveillance reaction, we pass from corridor to corridor, bathed in a strange light. Turning right and left, we soon find ourselves far from our starting point. Suddenly, Gabriel signals me to stop. He has detected the arrival of a surveillance section. It’s the rounds. Vigilantes come in at a run. I quickly visualize their tour plan and telepathically suggest to my brother that he turn left at the next junction. Indeed, the group of sentries continue on their way, unaware of our presence. At last, we’re close to our goal.

The corridor we’re in ends in a dead end, and the far wall is actually a massive, self-protecting door. The slightest touch, the slightest vibration would immediately set off the battle.

So I grab a stylet-cutter to cut through the thick ceiling. The stylus is an effective cutting tool, about the size of a pen. Gabriel places his hand in such a way as to hold the block that is about to come loose. The cut is perfect and no debris touches the sensitive floor. Gabriel grimaces, forces, lifts the block and tilts it to the upper level, a space about a meter high, designed to accommodate the vents and various cables

the various cables needed to run the center. He is the first to enter the darkness. Immediately, he sets his eyes to the right viewing mode and spots a trapdoor ten meters away. He steps forward cautiously. I follow.

Our destination is not the room where all the information is processed, but rather the room just beyond.

The airlock is finally within Gabriel’s reach, but he doesn’t touch it. The information he has reveals a trap in this very spot. We don’t take any chances, and drill a new passage in the ceiling. Gabriel places the disk beside him, while I slip into the dark, silent room.

We reset our visual system, but the brightness is so low that we switch to radar mode. Our vision comes back into focus, but takes on a vivid bluish hue. The room we’re in is empty except for a few storage boxes. We quickly focus our attention on the wall separating us from the central room. We enter the system at the very heart of the data processing station. Gabriel grabs his cooling spray. This device is capable of partially paralyzing electronic and electrical components by diffusing a liquid at absolute zero temperature. The sensors on the wall will be momentarily inactive.

I set my stylus to the lowest level, then pick up the remote-controlled active analyst.

Gabriel positions himself in front of a specific area of the wall and diffuses the cooling liquid.

The cold spreads throughout the room and the wall quickly changes its appearance, even cracking. I take my place and make a thin cut in the wall. The security system remains inoperative and I insert my intrusive tool in the form of a small-diameter cable. The wire is in autonomous mode and I connect to it by frequency.

The analyst, like a supple snake, unfolds, contorts and moves inside the microcircuits with ease and discernment. I watch from the inside in virtual mode, then recognize my objective and order «matrix cable connections». From the head of the electronic reptile emerges a slender metal jaw that pounces on the targeted cable and bites it down to the bone. Eyes still closed, I say to my brother:

- The connection is established.

I begin my search. The files scroll before my eyes. I select the ones that interest me.

- War against Gruyl (2246-2248)

- Foundation of the Gruyl-Epoxia conflict.

I pick out chapters and then search for certain facts, hoping to find some detail about my father. Immediately, a title catches my eye:

«Major Seïndi’s Rebellion.»

I sampled immediately. Then, having got what I wanted, I switch files. Next to me, Gabriel finds the time long. He gets agitated and grabs my arm:

- Hurry up! We mustn’t delay !

With my face closed, I raise my hand and say:

- Wait! I’m getting some interesting information.

Indeed, I select the whole of a file called «Organigramme d’Etat.»

Suddenly, I have a strange joy riveted to my heart. The truth is going to come out, and all these scumbags will be discredited. On my forearm, the linked recorder beeps to close the recording.

I immediately order the analyst to return and stand up.

- Let’s get started! We’ve got about two minutes to leave the complex. The cold won’t block the security systems any longer, so it’s best not to linger.

Gabriel leaps up first, grabs hold of the edge of the hole above us and lifts himself up to the ceiling. I imitate him and we hurry to the second passage, heading in the opposite direction. We slide down the walls at breakneck speed.

But just as we reach the halfway point, the alarm goes off.

Orders fly through the corridors. «Blue alert!

«Blue alert! Internal anomaly not located! Emergency inspection of premises».

The security systems on the server we’ve broken into are partially active and have triggered the anomaly alert, but they’ve probably failed to pinpoint its source. Within seconds, ominous noises are coming from all sides.

from all sides.

An intervention squad is approaching the junction ahead of us at high speed, while attack troops are rushing towards the area we’ve just passed.

They’re bound to spot us! We’re doomed! What should we do?

Wide-eyed. Gabriel exclaims:

- The droid! Nathan!

He’s right! I immediately connect by frequency to the robot and order it.

- Diversion!

Immediately, powerful explosions are heard at the other end of the building. The reaction of the squads converging on us was predictable; they turn back and head for what appears to be a major plasma attack. The alarm begins to roar a message:

- «Alert! Alert! Intruders heavily armed sector D.»

We look at each other with an open smile, and Gabriel exults:

- We’ve got them !

I confirm:

- Let’s cut to the chase and escape through the dome!

Just as we’re about to implement our new exit plan, the droid, about three hundred meters away, makes a real massacre. Clouds of smoke billow from its faces, rendering conventional visual systems inoperative. It moves at high speed across the ceilings. Three sentries are already lying on the ground.

The squads, surprised by the power and speed of the attack, are forced to withdraw. The section leader begins to react:

- Sergeant! Get the protective spheres from the three guards! Set up a roadblock, we’re going to attack!

Immediately, the NCO points to two men who each expel two spheres from their bodies.

The trio, now equipped with six protective spheres, create a solid force field and advance down the corridor in front of the droid. The sergeant, equipped with a powerful ventral plasma cannon, fires. He turns his right-hand grip like a speedster handlebar and unleashes a blistering salvo. Through the curtain of smoke, the trio perceives the sizzling light of the droid’s force field.

its attackers.

It races towards them like an electronic demon, unleashed, invincible. The sergeant can’t help shouting:

- Captain, he’s coming straight for us!

His superior, embarrassed and flabbergasted, doesn’t respond. The battle rages on in the heart of the complex, where the droid seems as valiant as ever. He

However, he’s now stuck in the middle of a criss-cross of corridors, under heavy and simultaneous assault from four combat squads. He owes his survival to his ability to move at lightning speed within a small perimeter. His force fields are particularly powerful, and his shots are more accurate than those of his less mobile opponents.

The officer in charge of the operation, realizing the ineffectiveness of a conventional frontal attack, revises his plan of action. He turns to the able-bodied men and points to an unharmed sentry:

- Major! Set up crawling tubes along the corridor and get rid of this monster once and for all!

The major recoils in astonishment and resumes:

- Tubes? Here?

- Yes, I’ll take responsibility!

Surprised by what he has just heard, the disciplined officer carries out the order. He swings a long tube from his back and places it across the corridor. Then he stands up abruptly and shouts:

- TUUUUBE! Attention!

The person in charge has ordered the immediate evacuation of the premises. Wounded and able-bodied combat sentries scurry off like rabbits, leaving the dead behind. The major takes his turn and begins the countdown. He grits his teeth and puts his hands to his headphones. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

0 ...

The tube starts up. Mini-thrusters at the ends of the destructive machine propel it forward at lightning speed, while a super-powerful laser shoots out from its entire length, smashing everything it encounters to a height of eight meters. The ceiling and upper slab collapsed with a deafening noise. Beneath the rubble and compacted dust, a second explosion erupts. The officer kneeling

dozens of metres away straightens and raises a vengeful fist:

- Got him!

- Captain Wolfgang! Captain Wolfgang! Damn it ! I’ve been trying to contact you for a while !

- But my commander ....

- A second attack has been reported in Sector B, and you’ve got all our men with you! Because of your inability to answer my calls and your incompetence, we couldn’t intervene!

The officer tilts his dejected face to the ground. Then he raises his forearm and fixes a dismayed gaze on his communication device. The screen reads: «PC contact». A counter also indicates the time taken to attempt communication: 1 minute 47 seconds. The captain takes his head in his hands and lowers his eyelids for a moment.

Without waiting for orders, the major directs his troops to join the command post.

The able-bodied help the wounded evacuate the devastated battlefield.

Overcome by remorse and the fear of taking responsibility for his failure, the man responsible shoots himself in the head...

At the same time, Mauser in hand, we blast through the false ceiling and then the slab itself. The blows echo through the now empty corridors, illuminated by blinding flashes of plasma.

Debris falls everywhere, concrete blocks melt or explode, and the violent flashes of light give the place an apocalyptic atmosphere. Soon, a gaping hole leads to the upper level, which turns out to be a complex of abandoned test tracks. Opposite, the entrance canopy is partly smashed. It overlooks the street.

I’m suspicious.

I’m well enough informed to know how to behave in such a situation.

So I stop Gabriel, who’s about to rush in headlong, and tell him, «No !

- No! This access is automatically guarded and protected. We’ve got to break through the wall !

We pulverize the last obstacle separating us from the impure air of the alleyway with a shattering shot.

We revert to our stealthy form and defuse all types of detection.

Outside, we give free rein to our joy. We scamper off without asking for a second thought.

As we pass, the detection terminals remain mute...

Chapter 21

We return home victorious

But before long, the joy was replaced by concern and, as far as I was concerned, curiosity. An irrepressible desire to know. I’ve got to know exactly what’s in those secret files - well, let’s get down to business. I say with a serious look and add:

-We’ll find out. And then...

Suddenly, the atmosphere turns icy cold and a deep sense of unease grips us all. I transmit the data to the home automation network. The light fades, the sofas change position. Opposite us, a wall screen lights up and the following message appears:

«Data encrypted. Information inaccessible.

We’re not surprised. Jacques orders the unlocking procedure to begin. A few seconds later, a menu appears:- Basis of Gruyl-Epoxia conflict- Major Seïndi’s rebellion- State chart

Gabriel stands up. He stamps his feet. I too step forward and join hands. We’re both tense and attentive. I order the chart to be read. «Major Seïndi’s Rebellion».

Our father’s photo appears, accompanied by a civil status sheet, details of his physical characteristics, a full career history: military functions, rank, combat performance, decorations obtained, etc.

We fly over the form. I select the «facts» function.

A text immediately unfolds before our eyes. A voice-over reads it to us, while immersive photos alternate with various shots and filmed images.

The narrative is as follows:

«It’s 10:24pm on Thursday, May 16, 2110, and Major Seïndi is scanning the horizon with his binocular detectors. It’s worth remembering that at this time, 40% of military personnel still possess their carnal form. The Major belongs to this category. The attack sections to which he belongs are on the outskirts of Konetica, the Gruylian megalopolis (our enemies). The orders are clear. The main objective is to breach the enemy’s defenses, which consist mainly of latest-generation mega boozers.

Major Seïndi has already laid out his men under thick camouflage, ready for the assault. He has some twenty men under his command, all equipped for the occasion.

Through his binoculars, he observes the Epoxian army rigorously distributed around the targets. Konetica is a city with clean, precise contours, forming a perfect oval some 100 milles long. Around the city, 600 boozers form a solid, effective rampart. Opposite these machines are 600 sections identical to Major Seïndi’s. After a phase of violent fighting, a ceasefire was declared by the commanding officers. Silence returned, prelude to the roar of the real assault.

This time, only the men will go into battle. All the soldiers are tense. Some are gripped by intense fear.

At 10.30pm, a cry echoes through all the headphones: «Sections attack!»

Immediately a deafening roar is heard. From the field of ruins left by previous assaults, the combat sections suddenly emerge. Seïndi points to the boozer and orders: «Let’s go!

All leap forward at once, a warlike rage seeming to multiply their strength tenfold. Immediately, they rise, float in the air and speed off. Beneath their bodies, a device of plates uses the Earth’s magnetic forces to break gravity.

Thrusters on their belts give them excellent mobility. Their armor has solidified to provide stability. In their hands, ergonomic retractable handles control certain functions. The essentials are managed by thought. With such equipment, each individual is a veritable aircraft. Seïndi accelerates and places himself at the head of the right wing. By telepathic control, he orders the ejection of the decoys.

The luminescent spheres eject from the back chests of each soldier. A multitude of glows appear around the squad, hurtling like comets towards their targets. What’s more, they are a virtual replica of the soldiers. They emit information about the volume, heat, smell and appearance of the soldier to whom they belong. Thanks to this larger-than-life holographic army, the opponent suddenly finds himself attacked by a number of assailants twenty times greater than he actually is. The decoys literally melt into their targets. They are now only two kilometers away. The defensive boozer arranges its destructive booms into a wall of war, a veritable metal spider 160 feet in diameter, its body a massive turret bearing a multi-shot photon sphere at its tip. Each of its articulated legs is equipped with particle-accelerating ramps.

This gigantic fighting insect floats some 30 feets off the ground, supported by massive anti-gravitational plates. The monster slowly rotates on itself. Soon, the first decoys are within firing range.

At that very moment, Seïndi triggers the plan.

«Automatic salvo ejection!»

A multitude of shrill whistles escape from the back of each flying soldier. Some 400 self-guided micromissiles have just been launched at the target. Only a high-pitched sound betrays their movement. The incredible speed of their trajectory makes observation impossible. In a tenth of a second, the battlefield is transformed into a geyser of explosive energy.

Bluish flashes erupt from the central turret, while micromissiles collide violently with the machine’s force field in an explosion of lights and thuds. Despite the titanic impacts, the boozer remains intact. It fires powerful energy beams at breakneck speed, lacerating its virtual enemies. As soon as a protective sphere implodes, a new one ejects and replaces it. Seïndi and his platoon approach, taking advantage of the diversion offered by the decoys.

He orders: «Split up on one flank, eject the domes!» The group then quickly lines up for 100 feet while each soldier is surrounded by a force field identical to the one protecting the boozer.

The strategy is based on section cohesion. Every 100 feet, a group of five sends out as many projectiles as possible. The combined fire of the four vanguard groups has breached the beast’s shell. In each group, 2 soldiers are implanted in combat armor of sufficient mass and physical strength to use seismic cannons. This type of heavy equipment has the effect of imploding any joint, axis, glue or weld.

In fact, around a core of receptive material, a mass of very powerful frequencies is channeled and explodes the links by vibratory principle. The effectiveness of this weapon is formidable, but its size and weight reduce its user’s mobility. The barrel, 7 feet- long and 3 feet in diameter, weighs 600 pound. As a result, when the soldier fires the gun, the force of the recoil pins him to the ground. To overcome this

To overcome this major drawback, pins grafted to his belt dig deep into the ground, and a magnetic link restores stability at the appropriate moment. The seismic cannon is clamped to the warrior’s chest by a massive harness, and the user’s arms are fitted into the sides of the weapon. Its use is reminiscent of that of a speedster, with the rate of fire regulated by the right-hand grip.

the higher the rate of fire. Major Seïndi is on the right-hand side of the attacking flank, managing the men around him as best he can. Like rugby players, the three soldiers position themselves in support behind the two gun carriers, pushing them towards the boozer in a single thrust to optimize the effectiveness of the shots. For the moment, they are under heavy fire. A ramp has momentarily targeted them, imploding three of the spheres that make up their shields. Sparks fly from them.

Three new spheres burst from the back chests of the front-line soldiers, re-establishing the rampart. The temperature has suddenly risen - anchor up and warm up the cannons! The two colossi send out heavy spikes that explode and plant themselves deep into the ground.

into the ground. A bluish, almost transparent line indicates the soldiers’ anchorage. With their left hands, they operate a few functions, while their pectoral remote control does the rest.

In the mouth of the cannon, concentric rollers reveal energy-gathering particles through various orifices.

The faint glow becomes an ever brighter light, just waiting for the right moment to strike. The major orders the firing.

Almost simultaneously, to their left, the other groups performed the same maneuver.

A prodigious wave of energy hits the boozer head-on, destroying its force field in a blinding explosion of light.

At the same time, in the headquarters, the mood is very different. Calm reigns and the warlords take stock of operations. Human soldiers analyze the situation on their screens and take the latest measures. One of them

nods regularly:- 150...160...170... Here? 300... 540... 950... Damn! We’re starting to lose a lot of men, General - Don’t worry, reassures the senior officer, we’ve got plenty in stock, don’t we?

An unhealthy smile lights up his ungrateful face.

An apocalyptic atmosphere reigns on the battlefield. The major shouts to his platoon: «Hold on! Keep up the pace! He’s going to break!

Seïndi’s troop is suffering heavy losses. Two groups have just been wiped out by concentrated fire from the central turret, and the men lie shredded dozens of meters back. The impact was so violent that they were literally torn from the ground. The bodies are disemboweled, guts splayed out, skulls splintered, brains spilled and chests ripped open. Seïndi is furious: «Give it your best shot!

The two cannons spit out their luminous salvos with prodigious rapidity, and the three backers support their offensive with their Mausers. Suddenly, a ramp is positioned in front of the group, showering it with heavy fire. The force field holds for a few seconds, then gives way to the left. The soldier at the front then has his leg cut off. Despite the pain and fear, he keeps his right hand on the grip and continues firing.

Major Seïndi ejects his last protective spheres and looks up. His face suddenly lights up with evidence, and he says: «Up there!

He immediately engages his rockets and takes off like a missile. Then he comes to rest forty meters above the ground. Balls of energy burst from his hands and focus on the enemy’s weakest point. His squad quickly takes over. The force field sizzles and the spheres begin to disappear one by one. A sphere protects Seïndi from a blow to the chest, while his nozzles restore his position. He unleashes powerful lightning bolts on his opponent, striking him in the heart. Its explosion causes a titanic shockwave. Most of the soldiers are propelled backwards.

Two of them are pierced by the device’s debris. Seïndi spins for several hundred meters. He recovers with difficulty and finally lands...

The boozer is unrecognizable. All that remains is a crude metal structure. Thick smoke billows from the entrails of the dead beast. Many corpses lie here and there. The toll of this violent battle is heavy. Victory has a bitter taste. Seïndi then contacts his H.Q.-Major Seïndi to central command! Major Seïndi to headquarters! Objective achieved, begin takeover arrangements!

- Acknowledged! We’re sending the vehicles, so you can return to base. Bravo Major!

The squad leader looks around. Some are still fighting undefeated boozers, whose force fields are struggling to give way. Section, we’re heading back to base, assemble at my position. Follow my signal.

Seïndi then lets himself fall among the metal debris and dust.

He slowly raises the visor of his helmet. His gaze is lost in the nothingness of war.

But already, the roar of the engines announces the passage of the takeover vehicles.

Despite this, no joy, no smile of triumph lights up the Major’s face. A few survivors appear through the acrid, shifting smoke, like strange ghosts. The losses on both sides were enormous.

Delta tankers, arachnid tankers and jets swoop down on the enemy, giving them no time to recover. Fighting vehicles pour in with an incessant roar.

Epoxia’s army is the strongest. Soon the Gruylian city will be wiped out.

Seïndi looks away from the desolate spectacle. The outcome of the battle is now a foregone conclusion... He announces to the survivors of his squad: - Come on, let’s go home...

The soldiers reset their antigravity systems and fly back to the starting point. Their base, their HQ...»

Gabriel, deep in thought, looks up and questions me, puzzled:- So what ? Where’s the betrayal ?

I reply: «We’re bound to find out...

Suddenly, an alert sounds !

The security program warns us:- Exfiltration attempt! Exfiltration attempt! The file you are reading is trying to transmit your position. My protocols are momentarily blocking the message. I don’t know how long I can contain this virus.

Jacques speaks up: - This is serious stuff! My security programs are the most powerful imaginable. If the central administrator indicates a danger of this type, it’s because we really must be wary...

What do we do ? Do we stop ? Continue ? I question everyone with my eyes.

Gabriel doesn’t hesitate: «Keep going !

Jacques says :

- I think we’ve got about 10 minutes of safety ahead of us, then we’ll be spotted.

Clara turns her head when I ask for her approval. I’ll do without it.

I’ll carry on.

The file restarts.

«The Major has cleaned his outfit, bandaged his wounds and reorganized his team, exactly as if he were going back into battle immediately. He stands at attention, surrounded by a few well-organized units that are supposed to pay tribute to him. Among the troops lined up are the Major’s men, whose faces express pride at having fought valiantly, but some don’t mask the pain of having lost friends, brothers.

General Warburg walks up to Seïndi and pins a shiny insignia on his chest: «Major Seïndi, I appoint you a Diamond Knight in recognition of your exemplary conduct as a noble fighter for your country. Your courage and feats of arms will be cited as an example, your bravery will guide us. Today, you are our champion!

The senior officer turns to the men, offers a forced smile and applauds ostensibly to encourage the others to do the same. And, as the units present imitate him, General Warburg approaches Seïndi, grabs him by the shoulder and declares, almost friendly: - Bravo, you’ve amazed us all today.

You’re the only one to have succeeded where all the others have failed. Here, come with me, I’ll let you in on the apotheosis of our mission.

The major reacts in surprise:

- What do you mean? Haven’t we finished?

- No, we’re not. No, of course not!

replies the general, leading Seïndi towards an impressive missile-launching vehicle. A long procession follows close behind, and the speeches begin. Some praise the hero, others flatter the general. Only the elite guards of the senior officers remain silent and impassive.

silent and impassive. Then the general speaks again. - My friend, thanks to you we have won a great victory over our enemies, but now we must complete the operation. To do so, we must totally destroy this despicable city. It will be more profitable. Here’s the remote control that controls the firing of the nuclear-tipped missiles.

Seïndi steps back, staggering. His face suddenly shows a mixture of incomprehension and fright. It’s obvious he’s wondering how the death of all these civilians can be so coldly contemplated!

The major asks: «But why? No !

The general tries to channel him: - Don’t argue, that’s an order. If you don’t have the courage to obey, others will do it for you! But I can’t hide my surprise at such a turnabout, Major!

Seindi insists:

- But the city is ours, we’ve won! We’ve destroyed all resistance, so why blow it up now? There are millions of civilians! No ... Don’t do it!

To everyone’s surprise, Seïndi grabbed the remote control and switched on his energy glove. Immediately the device melts. The launch pad remains silent. The missiles don’t go off.

Stunned, the general stands still for a long moment. Then he raises an avenging fist: «Seize this traitor!

Six men pounce on Seïndi, trying in vain to subdue him. In less than ten seconds, they’re overpowered. The Major is without doubt one of the greatest masters of Jackrir, the ultimate martial discipline.

- Shoot him! Kill him!» shouts Warburg, at the height of his fury.

Using his anti-gravitational equipment, the major takes off and ejects protective spheres. He then positioned himself to the right of the audience. The fireballs from which he bombards the ramp fall on the missile’s launch pad, which collapses in on itself.

The Major has become the sole target. All those who had congratulated him ten minutes earlier are now bent on destroying him. The heavy artillery is mobilized against him and the seismic cannons inflict a furious jolt that throws him backwards. Instead of staying in the path of the combined fire, Seïndi flies to the first nearby mound and hides behind it. Once on the ground, he realizes his mistake.

Instead of dodging a multitude of shots, he’s going to receive them head-on... He barely has time to eject new defensive spheres before the killing begins. He’s completely surrounded. Suddenly, impacts riddle his magnetic field shield. He bows, drops to one knee, brings his hands to his face. His eyes close. Then, in a magnificent

burst of pride, Seïndi screams into his voice command, «Defensive explosion!

Immediately, all the spheres remaining in its reserves are automatically lodged in the protective dome, and instantly release their full power, expanding the defense perimeter to 50 times its original size in record time. An opening forms at the top of this energy dome. Opposing shots hit the barrier ever closer. The vortex of dazzling lights forms a gigantic, energetic

maelstrom in the half-light. Seïndi engages his rockets, takes up a commanding position 130 feet above the ground and returns blows with fury. An impressive number of incandescent dashes burst from his hands, destroying many of his enemies.

But then another wave of warriors appeared, leaving the Major, now alone and defenseless, no chance. His battle seemed lost in advance. He stands up to his assailants and gives them a look full of anger and dismay. The men stand still for a brief moment. These few seconds seem to last for hours. They stare at each other. But, inexorably, death approaches.

The shooting resumes, hitting the Major from all sides. His blood spurts, and in a few tenths of a second, his body is dismembered. His flesh implodes and disintegrates. A vague human form crumbles to the ground. The hero of the day has just been pulverized by his brothers-in-arms.

After a long silence, the soldiers congratulate each other.

Then, gently, an icy wind sweeps across the battlefield.»

The images freeze on the screen. The selection page reappears. Light floods back into the room.

I hold my head in my hands, perhaps to hide my grief and the violent emotion that has taken hold of me, as well as the tears I can’t suppress.

Gabriel, on the other hand, falls backwards, his eyes wide open. His chest rises spasmodically. He seems lost. Then sadness overcomes him. Memories assault him,

he can’t hold it in and bursts into tears. The silence is almost total, hurt only by our groans of pain.

Jacques gets up and leaves us alone, also wounded to the depths of his soul. Our father was his friend. A true friend. A member of a family we choose.

Time drags on. It grows dark in our hearts. From this pain emerges a choice that is no longer ours. To leave. Far away, and very quickly !

I’ve never felt such intense pain. No battle, no physical violence can compare.

It’s like losing my father all over again. He was more than a reference for me, he was the solid reference point on which I built myself a little more every day. I saw him as the perfect example for me to follow. I loved him dearly, and discovering all this has plunged me into a bottomless sea of sorrow. It will take me more than a few hours to get the hang of it.

For now, I’d better move away. Head for the bedroom. My cocoon of sleep will be the best isolation.

It’s getting late. We’ll all pretend to be asleep.  But grief and darker thoughts will keep us awake.

Chapter 22

Towards the erased continent

It’s been a difficult night. But after much reflection, logic dictates this choice.

For Clara and me, there is no longer any doubt. To leave and join Africa. It’s on this forgotten land that we hope to rebuild our lives. We’ll be migrants fleeing a hostile place of carnage.

Gabriel and his uncle, however, don’t share this vision.

I’m not convinced we can live happily as perpetual outcasts. Better to run away.

But we’ll have to say goodbye.

Hope has given birth to a new despair.

Taking the risk of leaving the last members of my family for good. It will surely take time for us to accept this choice. One thing’s for sure, though, and that’s that this morning we can already start thinking about a plan. Then, in a few days’ time, we’ll be on our way to a friend of Jacques’. Her name is Améthyste, I believe. But that’s for later, because today will be just a sleepy day.

A day between sad reality and .... A new alarm screams in our ears! Assault platoon approaching! Assault platoon approaching!!!»

Jacques connects to the home server. A sub-virus had been planted in the bank’s files. We’ve been spotted. They

will be here in 20 minutes! Khaleb’s on board!

We don’t have time to think! We just have to act fast! We grab a few things and jump aboard the Kanzer. Jacques switches on all the stealth functions and pushes the engines to maximum power. The refuge is no longer a refuge - we’re on the run again!

Jacques heads for the tunnels several dozen kilometers ahead. We need to get to the surface ports. Our last refuge keeps in touch with us and keeps us informed. - Assault sections arrive on site! Immediate attack! Automatic defense system activated!

I can connect to the street surveillance systems to witness the scene.

I activate my virtual functions and position myself opposite the shelter we’ve just left. 4 military vehicles take up position around the building.

Jacques intervenes:- I’ve got a nice surprise in store for them...

He frowns and orders: «Home automation control».

The program gives him access to various functions, and he chooses: «Trigger total explosion.

«Countdown?» asks the program.

Jacques turns to me: «Have they arrived yet? There are at least thirty guys on the street, some of whom are starting to enter your house...

He gives the order: «No countdown, immediate explosion!

It goes off instantly. The detonation is phenomenal. A huge ball of fire and smoke rises up to the dome. Numerous incandescent bodies shoot into the air in blinding sprays.

Khaleb, who had stayed behind, was one of the survivors. The shockwave knocked him to the ground. He jumps to his feet in a rage.

Many of his men are dead. He has to find someone to blame to calm his nerves. I’m sure he’s thinking of me. Surely he’d have liked to know I was under that pile of flaming ruins.

With a hoarse howl, he calls out to one of his surviving officers. The man steps forward, his gaze fearful. Although he outweighs Khaleb by at least two heads, he looks terrified and looks down resolutely after catching a glimpse of his superior’s grimacing face. He knows that Khaleb has the power of life and death over him, that he’s part of the small group of people who make important, even vital, decisions for the entire people. Yes, Admiral? stand at attention!

The soldier complies, straightening up, lifting his chin and arching his torso. Drops of synthetic sweat bead at his temples. He waits, trembling, for his punishment.

Khaleb throws a lightning punch in the stomach.

The lieutenant bends double, involuntarily offering his neck to his superior, who then delivers another blow, even more violent than the first. The soldier flattens to the ground, half unconscious.

The audience watches in amazement at this degrading spectacle. Terror reigns in the ranks.

Khaleb slowly places his foot on the lieutenant’s skull and hammers in a loud voice: «All I have to do is squeeze and you’re dead!

The atmosphere is increasingly oppressive. Everyone feels as if Khaleb’s foot is about to crush their own heads.

You sent your men too soon and lost track of the runaways! I’ll give you four days. Not one more! Four days to find them!

Khaleb increases the pressure of his foot on his subordinate’s skull and continues, his voice cruel: - I wouldn’t advise you to come back empty-handed. If you fail again, I’ll kill you!

He presses further, drawing a final groan of pain from the lieutenant. Then he quickly withdraws his foot and helps the victim to his feet, an evil gleam in his eyes, a sadistic sneer distorting his mouth. Finally, he readjusts the collar of his black leather three-quarter and walks away as the audience salutes him.

His silver decorations glow red as he skirts the flaming building.

I cut the connection and return to the Kanzer.

We still have a long way to go.

The journey is a real hazard until we arrive.

Despite the Kanzer’s extraordinary faculties, it’s not designed to pass through matter. A simple physical barrier would be an almost insurmountable obstacle for us. Our choice of route will be decisive. Jacques announces our early arrival. He contacts Améthyste in secure mode. She appears on our screens. She’s a beautiful woman of about 60 with a shaved head. Her eyes are full of strength and dignity.

Her smile for Jacques brings out a cluster of fine wrinkles around her eyes, illuminating her deep gaze. This woman exudes an undeniable charm.

Jacques starts the discussion: - Hello Améthyste, I need you urgently.

She replies, looking worried: - Hello Jacques! I’m aware of your misfortune. Ask for anything you want, and I’ll do what I can.

He asks: - I know you’re still working on your modular vehicle project, so I’d like to offer you the chance to try it out on a large scale.

Améthyste smiles, seems favorably receptive and responds without hesitation: «I understand. I’ll get it ready and waiting for you. Be very careful.

Jacques smiles and replies: - See you soon, Améthyste. We’re on our way.

But he doesn’t cut immediately. He looks at her. She looks at him. There seems to be a very special connection between them.

Suddenly, the Kanzer alerts us: - Barrage ahead! Roadblock ahead!

It’s best not to force our way through. The Kanzer is solid and powerful. But I’m not sure it can take on a heavy military roadblock on its own.

We turn right. Our route will be longer, but further on it will certainly be easier.

Gradually, the tension eases. Clara approaches Jacques. She’s fully aware of the situation and its impact on our lives. And her attachment to Jacques gives her a certain sense of guilt. She puts her hand on his shoulder and says softly: «I hope you don’t have a grudge against us, Uncle?

Jacques smiles, but can’t fight back the tears. He takes Clara’s hand in his, gives it a long squeeze, then brings it to his mouth for a kiss and answers:- No, I’m not angry with you. You’re right to leave. Epoxia isn’t a beautiful country. If I’d been younger, I’d have left too.

Clara’s relief is palpable. She places her other hand on Jacques’. Then she steps back and turns to me. Her beautiful smile sounds like the rebirth of hope.

The journey continues in the best possible way. On the networks we intercept government messages confirming our very active search and, above all, the fact that they have no idea where we are.

We can now speed along, traffic almost non-existent. The dark city fades away to our delight.

The gigantic dome protecting Epoxia gradually disappears, and a yawning chasm swallows the kanzer, taking it to the annexes near the main city.

The road climbs steadily. We’re approaching the surface and the fresh, polluted air. A huge transparent tube, however, protects us from the harsh climate outside. As far as the eye can see, there’s a sea of ice and snow that a blizzard continually sweeps away. The heavy, gray sky lets in a few flashes of sunlight. This desolate spectacle nevertheless delights us, as we rarely have the opportunity to contemplate life outside. Nature reveals its wild, hostile beauty, almost frightening. In the distance, a clear, bluish glow signals the sea. Indeed, the tube runs along the coast. Here too, the rare users of this stretch of road are treated to a vision of permanent cataclysm. The raging ocean stirs up gigantic waves that fall with a deafening crash and a gush of frothy foam. Some of them, by Gabriel’s reckoning, are as high as 60 feet.

Man’s relentless pursuit of progress, bolstered by his all-powerful technology, has long since forgotten that he is but an insignificant grain of sand. Pollution and, above all, nuclear testing in the stratosphere have pushed the planet out of its orbit, and humanity has had to resign itself to taking refuge in the heart of the earth’s crust. Over the past century or so, the Earth has receded several hundred thousand kilometers from the sun. As a result, temperatures have dropped by an average of 30 degrees across the globe, forcing us to live as recluses under the shelter of artificial domes. Another hour on the road, during which we watch in awe as the waves break. The tumult reaches us through the tube and we listen in silence. The coastal contour forks sharply to the left, and a wide enclave appears, stuck to the giant glacier. The tube joins a transparent dome housing Annex 16, a small city of around 600,000 inhabitants, whose port is home to a few cargo ships.

As soon as he passes the town’s pediment, Jacques parks meticulously and makes a complete analysis of the site. After a few seconds, a precise assessment appears on his control screen. He engages the voice function and everyone can listen to the on-board synthesizer announce the result. :

«Perimeter unguarded, no government sections in vicinity. City security gates set to minimum alert level. Vehicle not detected. No chase or follower vehicle. No alert, situation normal. End of report.»

- Well, we can go, there’s nothing to worry about,» says Jacques.

He then connects to his secure communications systems, contacts Améthyste and announces our imminent arrival so that she can guide him to her. Indeed, almost immediately after the message breaks, the kanzer registers a sequence of information from the outside and automatically begins to follow a virtual link to its destination. After a 5-minute journey, the vehicle plunges deeper and deeper into the dark bowels of the port, approaching the city’s most dilapidated troglodytic warehouses.

The docks, which are flush with the water, are partly dug out of the ice. The area appears to be abandoned. The radars show no sign of life.

After a brief moment, the pavement bursts all around the vehicle. The ice shatters at the joints of the discreet freight elevator and, gently, the kanzer descends into the subterranean lair, while holograms broadcast the usual view of the alleyway to curious onlookers.

The airlock suddenly stops. Above us, a plate blocks the entrance. Instantly, lighting strips light up all around us. Opposite us, another airlock opens. Améthyste comes towards us.

Jacques gives her a broad smile, then turns back to us and says: «Here comes Améthyste!

Améthyste exults - Jacques! My dearest friend! I’m so happy to see you again!

With gentleness and tenderness, Jacques embraces and kisses his closest colleague. Intense joy lights up their faces, and the tender glances they exchange give us to believe that there has been more than just a working relationship between them. I suddenly realize that Uncle is not only an eminent scientist, but also a man, a man capable of emotion and love.

Then she comes over to us and gives us a warm welcome. Her attachment to Jacques immediately gives us a certain closeness.

Améthyste’s field of expertise is particularly complex. She is at the origin of new vehicle concepts. In particular, she designed what were to become Kanzer-type vehicles.

The lady of the house invites us to follow her. There, in her den, Jacques explains the whole situation. For about two hours, Jacques lists and explains all the data I’ve collected.

She discovers the full extent of the lies, the vast manipulation. As expected, she’s shocked. She sits down, internalizes, then catches her breath. Now she’s in the know and, above all, totally committed to our cause.

So she doesn’t hesitate, on the contrary. Améthyste turns to Clara and me and says: - Are you the ones who want to leave?

I answer: - Yes, absolutely.

She suggests: - So, come on, I’ll show you to your vehicle.

We pass through other rooms, other laboratories. Experiments are taking place. Then, through another airlock, we enter a deep hangar. Before us stands a majestic machine, a kind of vessel with clean, modern, harmonious lines, and the beauty and majesty of a gigantic bird. Améthyste proudly declares: - This is the Lambda!

Magnetic grapples hold him magically in the air. It floats, motionless. Its great wingspan gives it an undeniable impression of power. It must be faster than a meteor!

Behind the machine, a basin leading to the outside is skilfully concealed by holograms, offering the vision of a simple extension of the dock. Améthyste introduces us to her machine, saying: «The Lambda is a new concept in vehicles. Until now, all have been content to become increasingly efficient in a particular field. Flying machines, land vehicles, marine vehicles and so on. The Lambda is the first in a line of hybrids. It can fly, sail and dive like any submarine. The Lambda was designed as a stealth aircraft with unique capabilities.

We’re all in awe of the striking appearance of this machine.

Améthyste suggests:- Would you like me to give you a detailed presentation of the machine?

Yes, please.

Améthyste then points to two spikes under the cramped, narrow fuselage and declares.

- These are what I call «pointaux». Their purpose is to enable you to cut through the waves at very high speed. I’m sure you’ve noticed their incredible height on the way here! They’re often over 40 meters high, and to get through them you either need to have the same mass as our giant cargo ships, the Titans, or you need to get over them. But such a manoeuvre would immediately be detected by the coastal bases. The only solution is to cross the waves. To achieve this, the pointers create a powerful magnetic field around the lambda. This magnetic field is aerodynamically determined to ensure perfect penetration of the water, even at high speed.

She then moves to the right side of the lambda and says: - Come closer. Position yourself inside the markings.

No sooner are we within the rectangle designated by Améthyste, than skilfully directed magnetic jets lift us into the air to the level of the craft’s cockpit. Automatically, the streamlined cockpit opens up to reveal its two-seat cockpit, one behind the other, the second slightly higher than the first to offer an equivalent field of vision. Opposite the seats, several

dashboards and a huge joystick covered in buttons. I begin to doubt my ability to control such a machine, rubbing my head doubtfully, and ask: - But how are we going to pilot this thing?

She replies: «Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. You can choose between four types of control over the lambda. Either you connect to the machine and your thoughts will be translated into mechanical commands, or you pilot it manually and all the buttons can be used, either by voice, or - the easier solution - by mixing the three previous possibilities. Most of the functions in the cockpit are identical to those on the kanzer that brought you here. As I’ve been waiting for your visit, I’ve included a navigation aid. All you have to do is log on to the cockpit and, as soon as you look at a function you don’t understand, the information will automatically appear on your retina. You’ll then have all the information you need in your field of vision. When it comes to Lambda’s travel modes, you can choose between fast navigation, diving or flying. Take a look !

Without making a single move, Améthyste mentally orders the vehicle’s metamorphosis. The wide wings fold in and point towards the underside. The upper ailerons shorten and the tips Améthyste has presented move forward. Despite the change and the reduced wingspan, the lambda retains an aggressive profile. She says: - This is its naval configuration. Earlier, it was in its aerial position and now...

The machine changes again. The spikes disappear towards the center of the machine, the wings half unfold and their material, as well as that of all the ailerons, is transformed into an almost translucent membrane with fine violet reflections.

The lambda alloy has been transformed into a malleable fiber. It’s a new process I’ve invented, which allows precise pressures to be exerted in the liquid element. Penetration is even more delicate than in air, as water is denser. As a result, side thrusters are no longer necessary, as the diaphragm positions itself according to the pressure required, giving perfect control. Thanks to these devices, head motors, usually indispensable for submarines, become obsolete. This saves energy and eliminates noise. Lambda is virtually undetectable.

Clara exclaims: - Practically, but not totally?

Améthyste explains:- No, unfortunately, because you’re going to have to reach the border in naval mode, and this system, however efficient, can create some undesirable sound frequencies due to shocks between the force fields and the wave.

And the Coast Guard has radars smart enough to detect an anomaly in these sound shocks. You have two options: either zigzag along, changing speed as often as possible, or wait for the next big hailstorm to cover up the unwanted noise. The problem is, the next hailstorms aren’t due for another three months.

I rub my chin, then look questioningly at Clara. She nods.

I declare, resolute : - We’re leaving. Three months is out of the question!

Améthyste gives a telepathic command. Immediately, two protuberances form on the Lambda’s hull to facilitate access.

All we have to do is take one step and our great journey begins.

But the prospect of separation slows our momentum. Emotion knots my throat. I dare not look away from the cockpit. Behind me, my brother breathes harder, and when I finally turn to him, I see his wet eyes. A heavy silence crushes us. Seconds pass and the sadness turns into an almost palpable tension. Clara moves towards Jacques, who holds her tightly.

Gabriel and I embrace almost brutally, as if we were never to meet again.

Améthyste has stepped back, aware of the pain that these heartbreaking moments awaken in us.

I look my brother straight in the eye and say: - Gaby... I know you want to avenge our father... I understand your anger. I have the same. It’s legitimate. But promise me you’ll think it over and wait before you act. You and I. Alone against this whole system, we don’t carry much weight. And I don’t want to stay here anymore. Take care of yourself and Jacques, too. You’ll have to protect him.

He answers, his voice trembling with emotion: - I promise. You can count on me. Listen, you have to know, you’ve been more than a big brother to me... Sometimes you’ve taken Dad’s place... I’m proud to be your brother...

We break down and let go of any excessive, misplaced masculinity. We cry our eyes out and hold each other tight.

We may never see each other again. But I try to put things in perspective.

I turn to Jacques and hug him as tightly as I hug my brother. I love this man as much as if he were a surrogate father. I owe him so much. But the words won’t come. Not from my mouth, not from mine. Emotion suffocates us, renders us mute. The tears that flow express our grief better than words.

After some final effusions, I take a few steps back, holding Clara by the shoulders, and try to address everyone:

- I’m not saying goodbye, but simply au revoir. I hope you’ll soon have the same determination to change course as we do. I hope that...

But I can’t finish my sentence. Emotion is crushing my throat.

Time to go. We settle into the aircraft.

As the gangway descends with the three friends we’re leaving behind, I bring a hand to my lips and send a silent kiss to those I love and will be leaving behind. The cockpit closes and a harness instantly secures us against the bucket seat. Ergonomic functions then modify our seating position to suit our morphology.

Gabriel, Jacques and Améthyste give us a final wave as their platform descends to ground level. We watch the familiar faces disappear. A light indicates that our luggage has just been placed in the aircraft’s cargo hold. I pull my connection cable from my left forearm and attach it to the socket on the control panel.

I order: «voice control - start-up sequence - turbine power-up». A whistling sound is immediately heard and the buttons corresponding to the required functions start to glow. «Ignition»; a detonation responds to my injunction.

Gradually, the sound of the engine systems diminishes, soon to be replaced by a gentle hiss. The magnetic grapples deactivate, leaving the Lambda free to move. «Reduced speed»; I gently push the joystick forward.

Suddenly, Améthyste’s voice echoes in the cockpit:- Nathan! Put the vehicle in a low position so that we can get out and order the naval configuration, bon voyage and good luck!

The lambda takes on its wave-smashing form. I reduce the energy of the anti-gravity disks to lower the ship to the level of the exit portal and, as soon as it’s opposite, I push the joystick forward.

«Stealth function engaged!» The anti-spotting devices kick in and the Lambda becomes invisible.

We pass the hologram at the far end of the dock. Now we’re in the harbor. Alone against all odds. Fragile in the face of our destiny.

I head for the harbor exit, past the quay. A few Titans are moored nearby. About three kilometers away, the calm waters come to an end. The protective dome is coming to an end, and we’ll soon be entering the tumultuous waves. I look at the many controls scattered around me. I’m not interested in any of the functions.

With the help of the «pilot assistance», I find the «force field» function. To my right, a button flashes. I press it, and a bulwark of energy immediately surrounds us. The port is already far away. I push the throttle. The first wave approaches at high speed.

Clara and I keep quiet and grit our teeth. This gigantic blade could break us. I see my companion shudder and reassure her as best I can. Then I turn my attention back to driving. 600,300, 150 feet, contact!

No deviation perceptible. No violent movement; just as Améthyste had told us. Nothing but the short, sharp cry of the wave tearing around the Lambda. Clara sighs with relief. Reassured, I push the throttle forward.

The instruments announce a speed of 500, then 600 miles per hour.

I comply with Améthyste’s explanations and set off on a long, winding course, alternately lowering and raising the revs. One giant wave follows another, interspersed with smaller ones that our vehicle skims over. We’ve already covered 30 miles. Only 100 more to the sea border.

The lambda behaves like a scalpel blade slicing through the wild waves before it.

Chapter 23

Fragile in the ocean

I ask Clara to check the radars to see if we’ve been spotted - No, everything’s fine for the moment, she replies.

Immediately an alert beeps and some lights start flashing! A voice message warns us of the approach of four vehicles.

I inform Clara: - We’re being chased!

I fix the radar and steer the lambda towards the border before starting the transformation procedure. The speedometer reads 700 km/hour.

I ask Clara: - How long before they’re on us?

She replies: - In three minutes, if we don’t speed up! They’re flying at Mach 6!

I change my strategy, as this is no longer the time for discretion. The Lambda rises above the raging sea, unfurls its wings and ailerons, and retracts the spikes that extend its wings. The Lambda becomes master of the skies. I feel the throttle almost return to the starting point, while maintaining the same speed. I push the lever firmly. Immediately, we’re thrown backwards and slammed back against the seat. The measurement figures race past us at a furious pace.

An explosion. We pass the sound barrier. And the counter continues to spin at phenomenal speed! Mach 2, Mach 3, Mach 4...

I’m worried but remain silent, as the measuring instruments announce that in a minute they’ll be on top of us! Mach 5, Mach 6 and finally Mach 6.8.

- We’re getting ahead of ourselves! shouts Clara. We’re going to lose them!

Her enthusiasm suddenly disappears and her voice is tinged with anguish as she says: «They’ve just fired eight missiles at Mach 15!

The frontier is so close.

We may never reach it!

A radio call is heard in the cockpit:- This is squad leader Zuna, rendezvous! Turn back or we’ll maintain our missile targeting! First and final warning!

I don’t reply, scramble the contact and give the Lambda a desperate injunction:- Defensive system!

Various functions appear in my field of vision.

I select «turbo engine» and «anti-missile ejection». A new start is given.

Our vehicle’s speed increases again. Mach 7, Mach 8, almost Mach 9. It’s starting to vibrate dangerously! The synthesizer announces:

«Maximum speed». Some countermeasures have been ejected.

Clara intervenes:- Not good enough! The decoys have destroyed five of them, but we’ve still got three behind us!

What can we do about it? I’m not often exposed to this kind of situation... I’m feeling overwhelmed... And, like a lifebuoy lost in the ocean, Lambda’s assistance appears in the cockpit: - Plunge strongly advised!!!

Yes! I order: - Dive!

The Lambda sped towards the sea, then slowed abruptly. The force field couldn’t withstand such a shock - it could explode.

Our aircraft quickly metamorphoses into a marine vehicle, while the last three missiles begin their final approach. We’re hurtling towards the greyish, choppy mass of water. Only 1000 feet to go...500 feet...

«Missiles at 15 miles. Contact in 10 seconds», say the radars. An ominous countdown begins.

«At the same moment, the artificial co-pilot calls out «Immersion! It was about time! No sooner had we sunk a few meters than the missiles were bearing down on us.

The explosion is enormous. The phenomenal shockwave sent us tumbling violently forward. We sink into the icy depths of the ocean, spinning like a giant top.

Ominous noises are heard and the synthesizer informs us that the on-board reactor cycle has been interrupted. We’ve run out of power.

The depth gauge churns out frightening figures: «- 300 feet, - 500 feet...»

Squeaks of twisting metal rip our eardrums. The cabin won’t withstand this pressure for long. I ask the pilot assistant: «Is there auxiliary power?

The answer is a resounding «no». It’s a categorical «no» that freezes us. The descent into the abyss continues inexorably. Clara grabs my arm. We freeze in terror for a moment. The cockpit canopy suddenly cracks and water begins to seep out.

We’re at a depth of 700 feet and the ship keeps sinking.

Clara, there’s only one solution left. I’ll plug myself into the machine and transmit the energy from my body ! I’ll be forced into a deep sleep. You’ll have to lead us to safety.

She screams in vain: - No, Nathan! I’d rather it be you!

I squeeze her wrist as hard as I can and add: - I’m not asking for your opinion... My reactor is more powerful than yours!

She nods, defeated. I immediately order my vital functions to transmit my energy to the ship. The cord coming out of my forearm is now an essential link for our survival. Gradually, I feel myself fading. My eyes close, my head tilts. My limbs go limp. The lambda regains all its power.

My last thought is for her.

«Lead us to Africa, my love. I’m counting on you...»

Clara immediately orders the aircraft to climb back up. The counter read: - 850 feet. Strange, ominous whistling sounds announced, without a doubt, the end of the journey. Her hand clenched on the joystick did not tremble, but her eyes were flooded with tears. She was well aware that Nathan only had an oxygen supply of about an hour. After that, his brain will cease to function and he’ll die.

die.

This fateful thought gives her the strength to fight. She pushes back the sobs stuck in her throat and vows to herself to get Nathan to Africa, safe and sound. Clara is now travelling at minus 100 feet at moderate speed.

On her radars, the dots still indicate the presence of the squad that has come to intercept them. The four machines circled over Lambda like fearsome birds of prey. Then, when they reach the territorial waters, they turn back.

The boundary is marked by luminous pylons, 400 feet above the water, one every 3 miles.

Clara crosses it with relief and rises to the surface, ready to take flight to freedom. All danger is over. The Lambda becomes a bird again and begins a rapid flight towards calmer climes. The Lambda has now been flying for fifteen minutes towards its goal: their safe haven. Suddenly, the on-board radio crackles.

Clara turns off the jamming system and listens: «To Epoxia’s ship! To the Epoxia ship! Please identify yourself! This is Clara Seïndi.  We need your help!

Six military aircraft are waiting for her near the border. Please stop for verification.

Anxious to prove her good faith, Clara stops the ship 5 miles in front of the patrol and disconnects her protective fields, thus becoming an easy target. What is the reason for your presence here? We are in possession of various pieces of information that jeopardize our safety in Epoxia. Our leaders have led us to believe that you have disappeared completely.

We request asylum.

He say : - Very well, then. Please wait a moment, I’ll pass on your message to our authorities.

Ten minutes have passed and Clara is getting impatient. The silence is heavy.

She can’t wait any longer. - Hello, can you hear me? Yes, my husband could die if we wait too long. Please be patient, the answer should arrive any minute now!

Almost at the same moment, a voice echoes through the lambda: «We’ve verified the veracity of your words. You will follow us to our nearest

base. Please come forward slowly. Clara struggles to calm her racing heartbeat. Emotion grips her throat. She follows the instructions with a smile on her face.

The on-board clock shows fifteen minutes to spare to save Nathan’s vital organs. In the distance, Clara sees an unusual flicker of light. The sun’s rays are already chasing away the clouds obscuring the sky. The sea is calmer and glows with golden and turquoise reflections. Gradually, the coastline takes shape, like a gigantic canvas. Large green patches bear witness to lush vegetation.

On the seafront, at the foot of a volcanic cliff, lies a huge military base.

Aircraft land almost simultaneously. A heavily-armed welcoming committee immediately surrounds the Lambda and takes aim,

ready to fire. Before descending, Clara orders the machine to deactivate itself and make an energetic return to Nathan.

Chapter 24

African Refuge

At last I come to my senses. All seems to have gone well.

And the sight of the men in arms around us doesn’t frighten me; on the contrary, it reassures me. They’re not from here. We’ve arrived.

Clara opens the cockpit, retracts the harness, stands up and leans towards me, worried - Are you all right?

An officer on the runway calls out to us before I can reply: «Please get out of the plane! You’re under arrest!

Too happy to have arrived safely, we don’t think of rebelling and calmly get out of the Lambda.

Immediately a dozen flesh-and-blood soldiers surround us. Some of them point their guns at us. The officer clears a path and approaches us, saying coldly: - I am Colonel Addi Bâ, in charge of this base and representative of the armed forces of the United States of Africa. I bid you welcome. I hope you haven’t lied to us, otherwise you’ll suffer the consequences. To ensure your good faith, you will be temporarily quarantined and subjected to certain tests. At the end of these tests, we’ll decide your fate.

We’re not greeted with flowers and song? It’s to be expected, and this mistrust is legitimate. Why should these people trust the citizens of a nation that has wiped them off the map and exploited them in the past?

I reply: «Fine, we’ll follow you.

He gives us directions, and we move towards the buildings on our right. Then we’re led to a cell where a man with a gun locks us in.

The building that now houses us is partly carved out of the rock. A large bay window offers us a restful view of a calm, cerulean sea, bordered by a beach of rough grass and almost white gravel. We enjoy the utmost comfort, and the entertainment facilities allow us to discover this country that may yet become our own.

As the days go by, our relationship with our captors becomes cordial. Truth tests and long conversations soon confirm that we are not impostors.

We are soon at peace and serene.

Little by little, things change in our heads. We once again have plans and desires for a new life.

One evening, Clara comes and sits beside me, taking my hand in hers.

She whispers in a tender voice:

- I’d like us to be totally human again. Flesh and blood.

I ask her: - Why?

Clara lets go of my hand, presses herself against me, kisses me sensually and then whispers in my ear: - I want to have your baby.

Suddenly, I feel a violent joy. A feeling that had become almost foreign to me.

I take her in my arms, hug her fiercely and whisper between kisses: - You’re right. I want a child from you too...

The pale, rosy light of sunset envelops us. I carry Clara onto the bed.

A brutal desire overwhelms me. Shuddering, my wife pulls me against her burning body and we make passionate love.

This morning is like no other. Today is the day of the verdict. After two weeks of intensive questioning and analysis, Colonel Addi Bâ and the representatives of the State will finally announce their decision. We’re about to find out what our future holds.

At ten o’clock, a soldier picks us up and leads us to the senior officer’s office. We are anxious.

The door closes behind us. Colonel Addi Bâ is surrounded by two government mediators. He says: - Sit down. As we told you yesterday, all the tests on you have been completed. I hope they didn’t upset you too much. However, I think you understand the need for us to take such safety measures. The relationship between our country and yours now obliges us to do so. However, I won’t let you languish any longer. We are convinced of your good faith.

He pauses and looks at us with a benevolent, mischievous gaze, then resumes enthusiastically: - I welcome you among us!

Clara lets out a cry of relief. She jumps to her feet. Our joy is intense. This verdict sounds like the success of our escape. A hope come true.

The colonel stands up and walks around his desk. We exchange a firm, warm handshake and I give him a grateful smile. One of the representatives approaches us and ejects two information discs from a small receptacle on his sleeve. He says: - Here are your identification codes so that you can move freely in Africa. I wish you happiness in Africa<; A vehicle is waiting for you outside the base. It will take you to your new home.

Here we are at the end of our stay in this base. The day before, a long discussion led us to make a decision.

Now it’s time to share that choice with our guests.

Clara speaks shyly:

- We’d like to ask you a favor.

The officer questions her, jerking his chin forward.

She continues: - Nathan and I have had a long talk. We’d like to become totally human again. We don’t want these artificial bodies anymore... We’d like to have a child.

The Colonel raises his eyebrows to express his ignorance on the subject and turns to the third man, who grumbles: - It’s quite possible, says the mediator. Possible, but... expensive! Very expensive! Your future salary will be severely reduced for a long time to come!

Clara reacts without the slightest hesitation: I insist!  We have a big project. We’ll do whatever it takes.

The mediator registers the request and without hesitation initiates the procedure that will restore our human nature.

I take Clara’s hands in mine. We take our leave and thank them warmly. We’re well aware of the welcome they’ve given us, and that hospitality is a very meaningful word in their culture. We then make our way to the exit, where the soldier on guard at the office door leads us to the vehicle in which we leave the military base.

Sitting in the back, we huddle together, our eyes filled with hopes and dreams.

Chapter 25

The Horn of Life

We gaze with growing interest and pleasure at the sun-drenched landscape. Here, no dome prevents us from admiring the sky. Through the transparent roof, we see white clouds like skiffs on a pure blue ocean. The warm air and generous sunlight allow the vegetation to flourish abundantly. The road system, also based on an anti-gravity system, is lined with brightly colored, shimmering flower beds. Holograms soon indicate the proximity of Rakad Medical Center. We continue along the coast, and as we round a bend, the facility appears, proudly standing atop a cliff, a gigantic glass cone casting sunbeams onto the sea. As we approach, we notice that the building’s entrance faces inland. The architects designed it in the shape of a cornucopia, a horn of life, pouring out a cascade of plants, flowering bushes, and various species, forming a vast green garden that offers its tranquility and beauty to patients and visitors.

Our driver pulls into the reception area, and three people, two women and a man, immediately come to greet us. We get out of the vehicle. One of the women speaks :

“Hello, I’m Alixia Gam, the head of this medical center. This is Dr. Marc Azert, who will handle your reimplantation, and Dr. Katia Coppa, who will take care of creating your clones. Please come in. I suggest we start without wasting a minute.”

With the introductions done, we are guided to a room equipped with various sophisticated medical devices. The hospital director and Dr. Azert then leave us in the hands of Ms. Coppa, who will proceed with the cellular samples for decoding our genetic code.

We lie back on semi-reclined beds. Soft clamps close around our heads, holding them firmly in place. Standing at the control desk, the doctor prepares to remotely operate the necessary instruments. First, a scanner will visualize the area to be operated on. The information will be immediately transmitted to the control panel, and Dr. Coppa, assisted by a specific software, will select the appropriate lasers for a precise cut of our artificial shells. He says :

“Don’t worry, we have mastered the technology that created your cybernetic bodies. To start, we’ll put you into artificial sleep.”

“Will it be long?” Clara asks anxiously.

The doctor responds, “No, rest assured, you’ll be awake in half an hour. See you soon.”

Information appears on our retinas. Our armor transmits a proposal for external physiological control. We focus on the word “accept,” and our minds gradually drift into the realm of dreams. We sink into unconsciousness.

In the operating room, numerous metallic tentacles begin a precisely choreographed ballet. A first laser stylus cuts the superficial layer of skin covering the armor at the base of the skull. A second clawed tool opens the incision. The stylus retracts inside the first tentacle, making way for a nozzle. Ceiling cameras and the scanner provide the machine with unmatched precision and efficiency. The nozzle inserts into the wound, reaching the spinal cord. The mouth of the instrument cuts and extracts a minimal amount of tissue, then withdraws immediately. The claws release their grip, and a third tool seals the wound with a balm that heals almost instantly.

Dr. Coppa then begins analyzing the spinal substance. While the program deciphers the DNA code, she orders the application of bandages and awakens the two patients. The operation lasted only five minutes, and the first stage is nearly complete.

As Clara and Nathan regain consciousness, the analysis reveals all the secrets of their original anatomy, down to the last atom. We sit up. Except for a small bandage, there is no sign of any operation.

I ask Dr. Coppa, “Did everything go well ?”

“Yes, perfectly. Now we just need to fertilize a neutral ovum with your respective codes, and through accelerated evolution techniques, we’ll have your duplicates by tomorrow, completely inert, with zero brain development.”

We are then led to the heart of the hospital’s horn, where a room awaits us. The chairs we were in transport us to our rooms, then transform into beds, positioning themselves properly. Shortly after our installation, a platform detaches from the wall facing our beds. The three-dimensional face of the director forms on it :

“I hope you are well settled?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“It seems we are getting special treatment... Am I wrong?” Clara inquires.

The director responds, “Yes, indeed, you are somewhat favored, I must admit. We received a strict order from a high-ranking official in our social system. He told me a bit about your case, and since you are the first people to succeed in joining us since the severe dispute between our governments, we decided to help you as much as possible. Regarding the rest of the operation, know that the copying of your genetic code is already underway. By tomorrow afternoon, we will be able to return you to your former bodies. In the meantime, rest or take this opportunity to explore our botanical gardens, orchid collections, and tropical greenhouses. If you love plants, you’ll be delighted here. Well, I’ll leave you now. See you tomorrow.”

Clara responds, “Well, we’ll make sure to live up to the honor you’ve bestowed upon us.”

We give her a grateful smile. The image disappears, and the platform reintegrates into the wall. I approach the bay window and exclaim, “Come see! Look! Quick !”

We are nearly at the end of the horn, practically suspended in mid-air, just above the sea. In the distance, enormous fins break the calm water in a burst of bluish foam. Clearly, a whale is giving us the pleasure of its sight. These mammals were on the brink of extinction due to uncontrolled hunting. At that time, the last specimens were found in polar seas.

Then, we hurry to the garden, excited just at the thought of admiring various plant species, non-existent on Epoxia except in artificial form. Films extolling the charms of our new homeland are also shown to us, adding to our excitement.

In the evening, we return to our anti-gravity pods for a well-deserved rest. Unfortunately, they are two individual pods. We won’t sleep in each other’s arms. The next day at ten o’clock, the room’s vocal synthesizer gently wakes us, as we requested. After confirming our awakening, it announces that the operation is scheduled for 4 AM.

We spend our day visiting the tropical greenhouses. At three o’clock, we return to our room, eager to reclaim our flesh bodies. A call resonates in our ears. In our field of vision, the message “Call from Dr. Coppa and Azert” appears. We are pleased to hear :

“Your clones have reached maturity, and we encountered no problems. Are you ready to proceed with the operation ?”

After a quick return to the hospital, Dr. Azert invites us to settle into our pods. We comply. Dr. Coppa presses a button, activating the external anti-gravity systems. The two modules immediately rise, traveling through the air to the operating room. Dr. Coppa points to two completely opaque pods resembling coffins.

“Your clones are inside.”

“Can we see them ?” Clara asks.

Dr. Coppa seems embarrassed and offers a dubious smile. She turns to her colleague, who speaks up :

“It’s not advisable, psychologically. It’s a bit like seeing yourselves dead. These two pods contain inert bodies, only kept alive by a continuous supply of vital substances, with an almost imperceptible heartbeat. However, if you insist... The decision is yours.”

My wife and I exchange a glance and silently agree to forgo seeing our clones.

I respond, “You’re probably right. I’d like to ask one last question. Will it take as long to adapt to our new bodies ?”

The doctor answers, “No, not at all. We will use artificial nerve connections to give you immediate physical control. Otherwise, it would take a long time for your spinal cord to naturally establish all these connections. However, as it does, the implanted elements will disappear without you noticing, and you will then be completely human. Now, lie down and let us take control of your internal system. We will put you to sleep.”

Indeed, we slip back into unconsciousness. Like the previous day, soporific molecules quickly plunge Clara and Nathan into a deep sleep. The lasers meticulously cut their skulls to extract their brains. The pods open. The clones wait, their skulls open, ready to receive the precious organs. The transfer is carried out meticulously. The connections are quickly established. The invisible sutures leave no hint that such an operation has just occurred.

I open my eyes. I recognize the place; I am in the room. Only the sound of waves crashing on the rocks breaks the compact silence. I sit up abruptly. Finally! I am a man again! Yet, there is no pain, no tension, no stress, only renewal and joy. I stand, move into the sunlight, and look at myself in the wall mirror. The image it reflects fills me with joy because I know that today, my body is entirely made of flesh, blood, and bones. My dark, amber skin, identical to that of Africa’s inhabitants, takes on the reddish hues of the setting sun. My face displays a radiant smile. I touch myself again; no scars, no marks, the work is remarkable. The sensation of a presence nearby pulls me from my thoughts. I glance to the left and discover Clara, asleep. My wife, my beautiful Eurasian. I approach, contemplate her. I brush her long hair. I lower my face to hers and wake her with a kiss. An almost violent joy seizes us. In a total and momentary oblivion of the world, we burst into a loud, tender embrace. The synthesizer activates and transmits a message. Dr. Coppa checks in:

“Are you awake? I hope you’re satisfied. Judging by the decibels recorded, it seems you are. In fact, I came to inform you that we will keep you under observation tonight. Tomorrow, you can head to your new destination.”

Tomorrow will bring exciting hours. The sun has drawn a bloody line on the horizon. In the evening’s quiet, we rediscover our bodies with our eager hands. Her skin against mine, her warm lips tasting mine. This physical contact intoxicates us and awakens gargantuan appetites in me. We detach our pods and improvise a bed for two. Soon the night envelops us, complicit in our lovemaking.

It is now nine o’clock. The vocal synthesizer wakes us up early and announces a communication from the hospital director. We sit up and watch, half-closed eyes, as Alixia Gam’s bust materializes on the wall platform.

“Good morning, sorry to wake you earlier than planned, but your driver will arrive at ten to take you to Giamé. Get ready and go to the departure office. I wish you good luck among us. See you soon, perhaps.”

After gathering our things, we head to the departure office. The procedures are simple and quick. All expenses incurred will be deducted from our future salaries each month. I feel profound gratitude towards those who restored our true nature, offering us the prospect of a healthy and authentic life. The desire for a child is increasingly present in me...

Outside, a taxi awaits us. It is an oblong, white shuttle with a cabin hidden behind fully tinted windows. We board without hesitation. We exchange a few words with the driver, then the vehicle takes off above the road and heads south. We move away and bypass the coastal city of Rakad. The lush landscape invites daydreaming. We are far from Epoxia.

As I watch the vast pastures where herds of white cows with slender horns graze, I already imagine myself as an experienced farmer. Suddenly, I form a thousand plans. I see myself tending the livestock, working hectares of brown and fertile land. A multitude of thoughts stir my feverish mind, transforming me into a fulfilled and satisfied farmer. Only 15 miles left until we reach our destination.

Chapter 26

Heading for our new lives

We’ve almost arrived. The landscape is rich and prosperous. Nature is like an emerald.

Vast expanses of greenery bordered by immense hedges of trees alternate with patches of cultivated land, forming a gigantic patchwork of varied colors. Man, however, has allowed nature to express itself in the form of a freely meandering stream, breaking the straight, orderly lines of the plots. In addition to the hedges provided, several rows of metal plates stand proudly skyward, presumably protecting the crops from the elements. By absorbing solar radiation, they also provide a valuable source of energy

energy source. Finally, modestly-sized buildings, warehouses, farm machinery and food stocks indicate the proximity of our destination. A group of houses emerges from a small wood. Hearing us approach, a tall man emerges from one of them.

emerges from one of them.

He approaches us, opens the door as soon as our vehicle has come to a halt and declares with a frank smile: «Hello and welcome to you! I’m Madior, farm manager!

Then he shakes our hands vigorously.

You’re here in Giamé, a farm village with a population of around 300. We cultivate the land here and harvest all year round. Our livestock produces mainly milk. To begin with, you’ll need to choose your activity. You can’t just do nothing, and you need a job.

He starts with Clara and offers her a choice between beekeeper or receptionist at the village inn.

And my queen has decided to serve another. She’ll become a beekeeper. For me, it’s either farming or construction.

I don’t hesitate, I’ll work the land. He informs us that, initially, we’ll be assigned to maintenance tasks or assisting machine technicians. If we’re serious and show good will, you could progress...

Then we enter the heart of the village, listening only half-heartedly to our guide, absorbed as we are by the beauty and originality of the buildings.

I take an interest and ask: «What are these strange houses called?

Madior replies: - They’re traditional huts, identical to the ones we used to find on these lands. On the outside, anyway...

He smiles and points out: - Once inside, you’ll see that we’ve managed to combine the modernism of our time with the simplicity of times gone by. But we’ve also drawn on the wisdom of the past. Our ancestors knew the virtues of wood, stone and cob. When it comes to thermal insulation, they have nothing to envy from modern materials. Respect for these ancestral building techniques has made our village a popular tourist destination. Giamé is famous all over the continent.

After a short walk, we arrive at the edge of the village and stop in front of a charming house. We climb the few stone steps that separate us from the entrance. A climbing plant covers the façade in emerald-green velvet and runs right up to the roof, made of woven plant fibers, a perfect shield against the scorching rays of the African sun.

Here, we enter a spacious room crammed with odds and ends, straight out of another age. To the right, a gilded wooden sideboard, with a terracotta vase from which a bouquet of fragrant flowers emerges. Next to it, a sort of pedestal table bearing two statuettes of animals, now, alas, extinct. To the left, a sofa invites us to rest. In the background, a sleek table and, just above it, a gigantic photo of Giamé seen from the sky.

The bedroom is smaller, with white walls and a large window through which a flood of raw light streams in. We’ll be awakened by the brightness of the sun.

Then Madior announces the next part of the program: «It’s eleven o’clock. You’ll start tomorrow. You must be tired from your journey.

Please rest and join me for lunch at my place in half an hour. You’re my guests. We’ll get acquainted. My house is the fourth on the left. See you then!

He leaves, but not without giving us one last smile.

We’re the happiest people in the world, alone and free to discover our new home.

It doesn’t take long for us to notice all the features of the most modern civilization beneath this antique exterior.

Gradually, a profound serenity comes over us. I feel grateful to these people for offering us their country as our new home. I wish I could thank them. Their hospitality touches us deeply.

At the appointed time, we drive to our host’s house. His home is larger than ours, but built in a completely identical style. There’s no intercom or artificial bellboy in the house either.

Madior welcomes us and invites us in.

As we take our places around the table, a woman enters the room. Madior introduces us to his wife Nillia.

She’s a plump woman with an opulent bosom and rosy cheeks. A large square of cloth encircles her thick waist and her hands are covered in cassava flour.

She smiles and gives us a warm hello. - You’re about to taste Giamé’s specialties over a glass of fine wine.

Epoxia and its cold atmosphere suddenly seem far away. We plunge into another universe.

Madior fills glasses while a delicious aroma caresses our nostrils. We’ve never smelled anything like it.

Epoxia’s food was devoid of fragrance. A ray of sunlight hits my glass and the wine takes on ruby hues.

The atmosphere is warm and friendly. I look at my wife. She looks beautiful in the light of this different day, this day bathed in a new friendship. I feel at home among them. We enjoy a dish of chicken and rice called «yassa».

It’s a magical time of life. Towards the end of the meal, Madior declares, more seriously: «I’ve had your clothes dropped off for the work you have to do tomorrow.

It’s time to leave Madior and his wife and head home.

We return to our new home. We put away our few belongings. We look around. Then we watch out for the night, immersed in a complicit silence. We wait for darkness, sitting on the doorstep, our hands still clasped, our shoulders touching. We unite in this twilight.

But now it’s time for bed.

We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I soon fall into a deep sleep.

The chime of the clock wakes us with a start. The unusual noise startles us. It’s six o’clock.

We’ll have to separate. We exchange a kiss. Then we leave. My wife goes to her designated beekeeper and I to Madior.

I follow him to my place of work, in the middle of the fields, in the open air. I feel a little intoxicated by the wild beauty of nature, even though it has been domesticated by man. For a moment, my gaze wanders beyond the hedges, beyond the cultivated fields. It flies to the end of the cobalt-blue sky, bumps into a long white waterfall clinging to the side of a distant, coppery mountain. Then it loses itself in a heavy dark-green forest before landing on the canopy like a bird drunk with freedom.

Workers watch me approach. Most greet me with a smile. After introductions, I join the group.

The hay is cut using cold lasers to avoid any risk of fire on the dry grass. Metal claws then pick up the fallen plant and swallow it. It is then tied up and stored in the skip.

The work seems a little monotonous, but I enjoy the freedom; the strange freedom of serving the earth.

Around midday, I receive a message inviting me to take a well-deserved break. I eat heartily, chatting with the others.

At six o’clock, all the mowers gather. Madior is watching me, leaning against a vehicle. All the workers surround him and wait. I imitate them. Madior says: - See you all tomorrow, it’s been a good day, nothing more to say.

Everyone waves goodbye and heads for home.

Finally, Madior turns to me and says: - I’m quite pleased with you, Nathan. You’ve done a good job. All the cuts are tracked by satellite and your trajectories are precise. Good for you! However, your lasers were getting too hot at times and you didn’t realize it. I had to make some adjustments remotely.

I answer: - Ah? I’m sorry about that. Why did this happen?

He says: - Because you were going too fast, and cutting too fast increases the action of the lasers. Try to adjust your speed. Time to go home.

Together we head back to Giamé.

Clara is already there. She’s radiant.

We have a lot to talk about, then we both take a shower and, after a frugal meal, we watch the evening approach, erasing the colors of the day, slowly and conscientiously swallowing up the light, casting shadows everywhere. The baobab tree in the distance looks like a large golden tower. This heavy silhouette becomes familiar to me, and I wouldn’t fall asleep without a glance at it.

Our bodies entwined, we drift off into a deep, restorative sleep.

From now on, the days follow each other at a frantic pace, weaving us a new life.

People here have hearts big enough to welcome new friends. And in the space of a few weeks, we’ve made more friends ourselves than we ever had in Epoxia.

ever had in Epoxia.

If paradise exists, it’s here.

Chapter 27

Horror

Five weeks have passed since our arrival in Giamé. It’s 7:30 a.m. and I’m whistling my way to work.

Suddenly, a vehicle appears on my left. Madior shoots out of it like a devil. His face is decomposed. I’m immediately worried. What’s the matter?

He answers in a panicked tone, his face dripping with sweat: - I don’t have time to explain. I’ve got to take you right away.

I hold him back as he prepares to climb back into his machine and say: - I want to know!

He hesitates, then decides to speak: - Clara has had an accident.

I squeeze his arm a little roughly and question him with my eyes, gripped by anguish.

Madior clarifies: - She fell. A fracture, nothing more...

Madior is visibly uncomfortable. He starts to sweat profusely. His eyes flee mine. He rushes into his vehicle. I imitate him, puzzled. He starts off with a bang.

I shower him with questions, but he doesn’t answer.

We approach Giamé. Madior gives me a distressed look. He looks ready to burst into tears. I don’t understand. Then he finally says:

- Forgive me, Nathan. They took Clara and Nilia hostage. I didn’t want to betray you.

He slams on the brakes.

Immediately, soldiers burst out from behind the trees, armed with assault rifles. A truck pulls up across the road. In less than two minutes, we’re completely surrounded by some forty soldiers. Mausers are pointed at me. Madior lets out a sob and runs his hand convulsively over his face.

Then he comes down with his arms raised.

I do the same.

My mind is extremely confused. Anger gradually takes over. An officer issues an order to the soldiers standing at the back of the truck.

Clara soon appears, her hands tied behind her back, a gun pointed at her temple. She advances slowly. My gaze is riveted on the cybernetic hand holding the weapon. A hand extending a black leather sleeve decorated with insignia proving the soldier’s high rank.

I swallow hard as my eyes land with fear on the face of the man holding it, Khaleb.

He gives me a hateful grin and orders me to kneel down. I cast a quick glance around and think a hundred miles an hour.

Maybe I could grab one of the soldiers’ weapons? But that wouldn’t do much good. The others would be quick to retaliate. I don’t want to give that dog the pleasure.

Khaleb yells: «Kneel down!

I obey, with a heavy heart. I see tears glistening on Clara’s cheeks.  Suddenly, I realize it was futile to hope for a better life away from Epoxia.

Rifle barrels are now touching me, as if to subdue me.

Khaleb lowers his weapon, takes the two steps separating him from me and grabs my hair. With a sadistic laugh, he pulls my head back and says with violence: - I hope you had a good vacation in the fresh air, Nathan, because it’s over now. Because of your band of traitors, unfortunate rumors about Africa’s survival are circulating in Epoxia. The only way to silence them is to make an example of them. We’ll show the people what punishment we have in store for traitors and liars! Africa no longer exists!

He leans over me and hits me with all his might. I fall to the ground, unconscious.

The sentries grab Clara and me and throw us into a cocoon of imprisonment.

Our happiness was short-lived.

A military transport aircraft approaches, raising clouds of dust. Khaleb exchanged a few pleasantries with the Africa officers, then boarded.

Direction Epoxia. At last, he gets his revenge. As for the two of us, after our wonderful stay with Africa, we have a rendezvous with death.

Locked in a cocoon of sleep, we have no memory of our sad journey home.

Once the ship’s cargo hold was opened, I came to my senses. Seeing the vault of Epoxia again gives me a feeling of disgust to the point of nausea.

A sob crushes my throat.

Clara, my love, I’ve failed. I’ve dragged you down in spite of myself. Yet I wanted to offer you a new life, a life of dreams, far from this cursed city. I wanted us to be able to look up at the stars every night of our lives, and here we are.

In this permanent hell. Forgive me...»

What little I can see tells me we’re in a military compound. To my right, Khaleb glances at me from time to time. A group of armed men surround us and lead us towards a cold, dark building, probably the prison where we’ll await our execution.

We’re in. The heavy metal door has just closed behind us.

The worst is yet to come.

Here I am, alone in my cell, securely tied to a steel mast, facing Khaleb. He says to me: «I’m so happy to see you again, Nathan. I’m sure you’ve missed me!

I strain forward with all my muscles, seized by a brutal urge to hit him and yell: - Release me and let’s settle this right here, right now!

Khaleb sneers and takes a step towards me. He observes me for a few moments with false commiseration, then takes my jaw in his right hand and squeezes it forcefully.

He releases his grip as soon as he hears my bones crack.

The pain is violent, but not one of my facial features betrays my suffering. I refuse to give my torturer this joy.

I leap forward and these cursed chains brutally remind me of my condition as a man of flesh in the face of my enemy’s cybernetic strength.

This inequality fills Khaleb with joy. He gloats as he sends me a resounding slap: - Good! Let’s get serious again! I’ll have fun later... Come on, pull yourself together, Nathan.  What you’re going through right now is nothing compared to what’s in store for you. By the way, you’ll never see your dear wife again!

I stand up, drunk with fury, and scream at the top of my voice: - What have you done to Clara, you dog? Where is Clara? It’s me you want! Why are you

her? You coward!

Khaleb fixes a burning gaze on me and answers: - Yes, Nathan; it’s you I want... I promised myself I’d get even with your father, who didn’t hesitate to throw me out after giving me a beating I’ll never forget. Remember, Nathan...

He lets out a loud laugh, before continuing sarcastically:- Yes, and I don’t like your wife very much either, I must say, and I’d like to include her in my plan.

plan. To make no secret of it, I want to test her resistance. The few tortures I’m going to inflict on her should tell me something about her capacity for endurance...

I fall to my knees, defeated. All courage is gone.

He puts on a fake look of sorrow and walks away.

I close my eyes in intense despair.

The past resurfaces, staring us in the face. I know now that Khaleb will stop at nothing to exact his revenge.

Hatred and resentment have driven him mad. Yet my father is guilty of nothing. All he did was keep a cruel, deceitful man away from our family. And he paid dearly for it!

Now it’s my turn, and I’m unwittingly dragging Clara into this whirlwind of murderous madness.

Chapter 28 :

Judgment

The past two weeks have been absolute hell. Tortures of every kind have come one after another.

Today is the day of our trial. Finally, a day of respite. The room, despite being the size of a stadium, is packed. Journalists, spectators, defenders, and above all, accusers have all taken their seats. On the left, two glassed-in booths await the defendants. At the back, a large area is reserved for the judge and his associates. In the middle of this Legal Stadium, a trapdoor opens, and the true master of ceremonies appears, greeted by the crowd, which begins to chant his name with excitement.

Zino Dendi, the most media-savvy host on Epoxia, addresses his audience :

«Credit to you!» Zino says, pointing dramatically toward the defendants’ booths. «What fate do we reserve for traitors, dear friends ?»

He waits a few seconds before continuing in a sharp tone :

«Death !»

The crowd stirs, screams, approves, obedient to the orders of the cheerleaders and carefully following the instructions that appear on the holographic screens. Long convulsive shivers shake this compact mass with each new command, and deafening clamor resounds. Only one person, seated high in the bleachers at the end of the last row, remains still. While their cold face betrays no emotion, their eyes, on the other hand, are full of intense hatred and cold determination, reflecting the resentment within them.

Suddenly, thirty jurors enter to the cheers of the public and calmly take their reserved seats across from the judges’ podium after shaking hands with Zino Dendi. All were chosen from among the most prominent figures of Epoxia: artists, politicians, and jet-set regulars, standing tall and offering the crowd their fake, vain smiles.

Then, Zino points to a large door and exclaims:

«Here come the traitors, dear friends. Give them the ovation they deserve!»

He bursts into maniacal laughter as Clara and Nathan appear, tightly bound to levitating chairs that deposit them each into a booth under the crowd’s boos. Two armed soldiers stand behind them.

The defendants look drawn, their gazes fixed and vacant. Their emaciated, pallid faces reveal no emotion. The crowd goes wild. Some spectators throw objects that disintegrate upon hitting the antimatter wall. Nothing must disrupt the show.

Now the judge and his assistants take their seats on the podium.

«Let the judgment begin !» Zino yells, raising his arm in an emphatic gesture. Then, with cruel delight, he announces :

«First, the facts !»

Darkness engulfs the stadium. Two enormous tubes descend from the ceiling, revealing a giant screen. A deep silence falls over the audience. Images appear. A film recounts the crimes and betrayals of Clara and Nathan. It’s a series of fabrications meant to convince the jurors of the Seïndi couple’s guilt. After the film, the defense attorney, whose role is purely symbolic, approaches the defendants and asks :

«Do you have anything to add ? We’re listening !»

The technical crew springs into action. In the backstage area, close to the set, a control center is set up. Two actors, dressed in special suits, sit behind a one-way mirror. They are invisible to the public and control the defendants’ reactions. Every movement they make is immediately mimicked by Nathan and Clara. Next to them, doctors monitor the defendants, ensuring that the substances injected into them keep them in a state of complete mental dependence. Sitting motionless, dressed like grotesque puppets, they obediently reproduce the gestures and expressions dictated by the two actors.

Nathan is despondent. In his tired mind, a relentless stream of dark thoughts flows. His reflections consume him, jostle him, exhaust him. He is powerless against this carnival, this degrading spectacle.

However, he retains a semblance of mental autonomy.

«I’m just a toy... What’s happening ? This doesn’t feel like a dream. I can hear them making me say anything. It’s real torture! If only I had my cybernetic body! I never thought I’d regret becoming a man again !»

He utters a sentence so unthinkable it wounds him to his soul :

«I acknowledge that if they hadn’t come for us and treated us, my wife and I would have died shortly after landing. The radiation we absorbed in Africa was too massive. I affirm today that Africa is indeed a devastated and highly radioactive land where all life is now inconceivable. I admit I lied. I repent. We were wrong to question the statements made by the leaders of Epoxia.»

Nathan closes his eyes.

«I need to stay silent. This is worse than anything! I’m a spectator of myself !»

He suddenly hears Clara’s voice, passionately spewing lies. All her anger and despair are useless. He is powerless against the powerful device that controls his entire being. After two hours of predictable debates and rigged interrogations, interspersed with commercials and twists carefully orchestrated by Zino, the show nears its end. The host declares in a solemn voice :

«Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please retire to deliberate !»

He flashes a wicked smile and continues :

«In the meantime, I ask you, dear audience, to give a big hand to your favorite DJ, the one and only, Scotto Rio !»

On stage, an opening appears. A transparent sphere emerges and rises into the air. It contains a man with grayish skin, looking more like a mummy or a zombie than a healthy human. It’s hard to tell his age. He sits on a mechanical throne, connected to it by a series of cables literally plunging into him. It’s a primitive neural connection, from a generation far older than what Nathan and his compatriots use today. Yet, this equipment gave Scotto Rio a second wind of fame, his thirst for celebrity leading him to undergo these implants to merge with the machine and create the sounds that compose his music more freely and easily.

Meanwhile, in the deliberation room, a heavy silence prevails. The jurors, motionless, await the words of the man seated at the end of the table, above whom floats a hologram displaying his name and position as a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He finally speaks :

«Ladies and gentlemen, let me summarize the verdict to be delivered. On the charge of terrorism, theft, and assault resulting in death, you must answer: guilty! On the charge of fleeing to foreign soil and risking contamination of others, you must answer: guilty! Mr. Korlovsky, as Juror No. 1, you will have the honor of presenting the results of this deliberation. Do you agree ?»

He puts a sinister tone into the question that would discourage anyone from refusing the proposal.

The jurors cast fearful glances at the armed men surrounding them, as well as at certain civilians standing behind them, cold, silent sentinels. No dissent will be tolerated. A deathly silence falls over them.

In the stadium, the atmosphere is entirely different. Zino has started singing «Singing in the Rain» and offers the audience a frenzied dance. His feet, tapping rhythmically on the ground, splash blood from dead animals all around him, much to the delight of the excited crowd.

The jurors have returned to their places on stage. Zino soon interrupts his performance and turns to the defendants’ booth, proclaiming:

«It’s time! Time to decide your fate !»

Then he gestures grandly toward the audience and yells :

«What shall we do with these scoundrels ?»

The audience chants wildly :

«Death ! Death !»

Zino lets out a crude, disgusting laugh and continues :

«Let’s ask the first juror to give us the answer...»

He waves his hand to invite Korlovsky to speak. The latter straightens up and displays a radiant smile, in stark contrast to the anxious expression he had in the deliberation room. The verdict is delivered, merciless and in line with the expectations of all—both the manipulative government and the manipulated public.

«Guilty !»

A huge roar rises from the bleachers. The collective energy lifts the crowd like a violent shiver would shake the spine of a giant beast.

The judge calls for silence, allowing the crowd to express their joy for a moment before turning to the condemned and solemnly declaring :

«Based on the judgment’s conclusions regarding the charges against you, I order your immediate imprisonment until the time of your execution !»

He pauses, giving the audience a conspiratorial wink, and reignites the show by announcing :

«The execution will take place in a month and will be broadcast live, my friends !»

Once again, cries of joy and laughter erupt and echo in the immense hall. A murderous madness has taken hold of the audience, and there’s no doubt they would lynch the condemned without hesitation if given the chance. In the booths, the defendants respond to this mockery of justice with carefully orchestrated theatrical gestures; movements of dismay accompanied by horrified, repentant looks.

Backstage, on one of the security service screens, an alarm goes off :

«Individual movement anomaly! Lieutenant!» barks one of the officers.

The lieutenant approaches and asks :

«Yes?»

The soldier replies :

«An anomaly is reported in sector D26.»

The lieutenant requests a close-up. The image zooms in on the man in the last row, who once again refused to adopt the same behavior as his neighbors. The readings confirm that since the start of the legal show, he hasn’t shown the slightest sign of satisfaction.

The officer immediately contacts the security cordon in the room and gives his orders :

«Suspect in sector D26. I’m sending you the image. Please intercept this man when the crowd exits. Over.»

Zino has concluded his show. The condemned have been returned to their cells, and the dimming lights indicate that the broadcast is over. The crowd files out of the bleachers, many humming the evening’s theme song or sharing their enthusiasm with their neighbors.

In the stadium’s entryway, the suspect walks calmly, trying not to draw attention. Yet he feels a thousand eyes on him. There’s something in the air, a tension too intense not to arouse suspicion.

He quickens his pace as much as he dares without running. He curses his cowardice, his fear of raising alarms that might be triggered by breaking the rhythm of the controlled and overly strict security.

Behind him, two guards follow him step by step, weapons ready to fire.

He finally reaches an exit and rushes down the steps, almost stumbling. His heart pounds in his chest, and he feels the sweat break out on his face. The man feels trapped, and fear squeezes his throat. His legs, heavy and weak, slow him down. He doesn’t dare to turn around, afraid he’ll see the guards getting closer and closer.

Suddenly, a shout echoes through the air:

«Hey, you ! Stop right there !»

The man freezes, feeling a cold sweat down his spine. Time seems to stand still, his heart racing. He hears footsteps approaching, the guards closing in on him. He swallows, his mouth dry, realizing he has no choice but to surrender.

He raises his hands and turns around slowly. The guards, their faces hidden under helmets, surround him, weapons raised.

«Come with us, no funny business !».

The soldier tightened his grip with his cybernetic hand, and the security cordon closed in around the intruder.

The stranger smiled, placed his hand on his abdomen, and suddenly created a violent gust of wind around him that swiftly grew as powerful as a tornado. The soldiers were violently thrown backward as if they had been blown away by an explosion. The one holding the stranger by the shoulder was also flung several yards away, screaming as he looked at his arm, severed at the elbow.

The painkillers in his artificial body were released, quickly easing his pain. The wound was cauterized, with the sensors indicating a temperature of 572°F. Dazed, the soldiers got back on their feet, only to realize with dismay that the suspect was no longer there.

Khaleb received a message as he walked down the hallway leading Clara and Nathan to their cell.

«Commander! There’s been an incident at Gate 12 !»

«What happened?»

«We don’t know yet, but everything was recorded. You should come to the control room.»

Khaleb rushed to the control room and reviewed the footage. «Replay the sequence slowed down a thousand times and zoom in on that guy !»

A few moments later, he rubbed his chin, eyes wide in disbelief. Despite the slow motion, the man’s movements were nearly imperceptible, his speed and attack agility beyond comprehension.

Khaleb then exclaimed, «Gabriel !»

Chapter 29

Prison

I’ve regained my independence of action and thought. At least, I think I have. It must be the same for Clara. I’m half-naked, tied to a post. The chains digging into my flesh. It’s dark, and I’m cold. I can feel Khaleb watching me. I think to myself, «I hope they get me out of here soon !»

The airlock in front of me opens, and the blinding light that suddenly floods my cell forces me to close my eyes. When I can open them again, I see him standing before me, his face twisted with madness. He grabs my left ear and violently shakes my head. He whispers, «Tell me, Nathan, who’s going to get you out of here ?»

No way ! He’s reading my thoughts ! I’m not even free in my own mind !

He responds to what I didn’t say aloud, «Oh yes ! I’m artificially synced with your brain thanks to the implants we put in. I hear your thoughts as clearly as if you were speaking. So, why don’t you tell me who you’re counting on to get you out of here ? Who do you expect to save you? Your friends? Your... brother, maybe ?»

I mustn’t respond.

He adds, «Your efforts are useless, you idiot ! I just told you—you can’t hide anything from me !»

I close my eyes and try to focus. I need to think of something else! I need to think of something else ! I hear him move even closer. He punches me hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I bend forward from the impact. Khaleb straightens me up with unnatural strength and slams me against the post before headbutting me, nearly knocking me unconscious. It feels like my skull is exploding.

He screams, «I’ve got all the time in the world, Nathan! We’re going to have so much fun, just the two of us... like it should have been from the start.»

He releases me, and I collapse to my knees. Blood runs from my scalp down into my mouth. I lift my head and glare at Khaleb with a look full of hatred and restrained rage.

«See you later, my friend,» he says as he leaves my cell.

I dwell on those strange words as the darkness swallows me whole. I stay there, motionless, dazed, trying to drown my doubts and suffering in this sudden and thick night.

I wait. I wait for the hour when it will all end. No matter how much I go over all the possibilities, no matter how much I harbor wild hopes, calculating the odds that might be in my favor, deep down, I know my situation is hopeless. The ritual of the disgusting meal brought to me by the self-guided tube emerging from the floor marks the passage of my days. How I hate that machine when it forces my mouth open to shove in that unspeakable mush!

I’ve lost all hope.

They’ve gone so far as to force me to look at this holographic clock. Time seems to crawl even slower. It stretches with agonizing slowness. He’s coming. At exactly 3 p.m., Khaleb will enter and beat me until I lose consciousness. It’s been like this for four days. I watch that damned clock with growing anxiety. Any moment now, he’ll be here. A shiver runs down my spine.

As I mentally count down the final seconds before he arrives, the airlock opens. Khaleb enters with a determined stride. My chains automatically release. He grabs me by the throat and lifts me off the ground as if I were nothing but a straw. Khaleb shows incredible creativity when it comes to torture.

He offers, «I know it’s been a long time since you’ve had any choice in anything! And that’s simply because, ever since your capture, you’ve been nothing but a puppet, deciding nothing for yourself ! Today, for a change, I’m giving you a choice. And because I don’t want to influence you, I’ll let you choose between Game 1 or Game 2. Which one do you want to play with me ?»

I hesitate. I know that if I don’t choose, I’ll get both. Might as well minimize my suffering. I reply, «I choose your damn Game 2 !»

He declares with a wide grin, «Good choice ! I’ve got a nice surprise for you, my friend,» he says, his voice dripping with sweetness. «You need a little comfort. I made a film just for you ! Watch, Nathan! Enjoy !»

An hologram appears in front of me. A sudden sense of dread washes over me.

The sequence begins with the opening of an airlock. Khaleb enters a small room where Clara is. He doesn’t waste time talking to her like he does with me. He immediately starts beating her, without any restraint. On the contrary, he hits her hard. Some shots show his face, completely satisfied with what he’s doing.

I hear her screams, I see every blow, I watch her face contort with pain. I can’t hold back a long scream as I watch this vile creature hit my wife! I can’t contain my rage, and I start to shout, «No !!! Not Clara ! No... !!»

He taunts me further, replying, «Wait! Wait ! The best is yet to come...»

He orders the chains to extend. He grabs my wife. He turns her around and slams her against the post. Without any hesitation, he violently penetrates her.

He’s raping her !!

It feels like my heart is about to stop! I desperately try to break free, sobbing with rage. She screams as this monster assaults her. He brutalizes her with every thrust. The close-ups keep coming. On Clara’s face, which suddenly seems to become absent, empty of all spirit. Her eyes filled with tears. Blood trickles down her lips.

Then, a close-up on Khaleb’s face. He starts screaming again, «This is for you, Nathan! All of this is for you, my love! You, Nathan, my Nathan, the person I love most in the world... it’s like I’m losing you over and over, you, the one I never had !»

What is he saying ?! I blurt out reflexively, «What ?!»

I suddenly realize that all his hatred comes from unfulfilled love! The inability to realize his feelings has driven him to destroy me, my family, and everyone I love...

He must see my shock, or maybe he just reads it in me with those damned implants in my head... and his anger returns, violent, terrifying. The hologram freezes on Clara’s face as he throws me against the wall. The blows he delivers tear screams and groans from me, despite my resolve not to make a sound. A black veil falls over my eyes, and I feel myself losing consciousness.

I’ve come to.

The hologram is gone. I remain crouched, kneeling, swallowed once again by the darkness.

Each new day is worse than the last. I’m at my breaking point. Physically and mentally, this monster has reduced me to a wreck. I feel like crying, but I suppress the urge with great difficulty.

He’s there, right next to me. He watches me with that crazed look. A sneer suddenly twists his face. He announces the next inevitable torment: «Well... see you tomorrow !»

He finally leaves and lets me curl up on the floor in the fetal position.

I’m still nothing but a puppet. I wish I were dead.

Chapter 30

A glimmer in the night

Elsewhere. Far away from the prison cell.

All is red inside the cockpit. Gabriel starts the engines. A powerful roar makes the aircraft vibrate, immediately muffled by a special device.

Gabriel says:

- We’re ready! Jacques, you can open the doors !

Jacques replies :

- Good luck, bring them back...

The doors of the secret hangar open wide, giving way to four kanzers. Outside, special beams ensure total discretion.

The journey is fast and unobtrusive. The undetectable motorcade stops in a street adjacent to the prison. The aim is to infiltrate the prison, as a direct attack is certain to fail. It’s going to take some cunning to succeed... The fifteen men of the commando squad emerge from their vehicle, wearing camouflage togas that make them completely invisible. The members of the squad now communicate with each other by coded telepathy.

They rise three meters above the ground and head for the massive prison grounds. Anti-intrusion systems installed at the top of the thick, dark walls, some twenty meters up, prevent any attempt at invasion from above.

Gabriel knows how to get around the obstacle, and a phrase of Jacques’ comes to mind:

“Matter can break, bend, modify itself if the atom is complacent...”

He extracts from its translucent envelope a ring whose diameter increases sufficiently to let a man through.

He sticks the ring against the wall. The device begins to glow, gradually coming to life with an intense brilliance likely to alert surveillance.

Gabriel creates a black circle of negative light around himself and his men, blocking the slightest ray of light. Silence is total.

The wall undulates in the center of the ring, then hollows out into a deep cavity. This principle, called “density modification” by Jacques, is based on the concentration of molecules in a specific order, minimizing intra-atomic space.

Through this new opening, the commando team enters the square, followed by eight doggers, minitanks with devastating firepower.

All are now gathered in front of the building’s main entrance.

The door and walls are at least four meters thick. No need to linger.

The technique used on the outer wall is not applicable here, as probes implanted in the structure constantly measure the wall. Any alteration would be detected. The only solution is to enter the reception area,

a glass-enclosed room just above the wide door. The group rises more than four meters and comes to a halt. Gabriel directs a beam to a precise point beneath the glass roof.

Slowly, he hollows out a passageway about three centimeters in diameter, through which he slides a tube before triggering the dematerialization process. Immediately, each man disappears and reappears inside the empty room. Some of them let out a groan of pain.

- We need to arrange the slabs here.

Gabriel declares.

The men drop squares on the floor, which immediately stick together and turn bright red - Evacuation sequence initiated. The door is hacked.

The airlock opens onto a wide corridor running along a central courtyard, surrounded by a hundred or so closed cells, at least two of which will soon open...

Gabriel orders: - Set up the drones.

Four protruding shapes take their place on the ceiling.

Then the group divides in two. Each squad takes a different corridor. The stress is so great it’s almost palpable. One of the men makes a big mistake. He drew his weapon, immediately triggering the alarm. Only what is concealed under the camouflage gear is undetectable. Anything that comes out is visible. Sirens blare. Lamps emit intermittent red and blue lights.

blue lights. Automatic cannons emerge from the walls. From all sides come the sounds of a multitude of men in arms.

- Gabriel to the units! Set up defense spheres! Bring out the doggers! Shoot on sight and go for it !

In each team, three leaders follow their respective doggers, spitting out volleys of contained plasma. Targets explode. Retaliation is ineffective in the face of such powerful weapons.

- As soon as you’re in place, set up a defensive barrage! Bring in the drones. I’ll take two with me,” orders Gabriel, amid the din.

A whistle announces the arrival of the combat automatons. As soon as they’re in position, they fire on the already diminished enemy.

The two teams attack the cell doors almost simultaneously.

A dozen lasers immediately set about piercing the armour.

The cut is quick and clean, allowing one man to pass through. The cut-out section falls heavily to the floor with a deafening din.

Then they spray liquid nitrogen to instantly cool the molten metal.

Gabriel plunges first into the darkness of the cell. In a soft, almost trembling voice, he asks :

- Nathan ?! It’s me !

His artificial retinas immediately adapt to the half-light. He takes two steps and stands still, stunned. The form he discovers, chained to a post, no longer resembles his brother.

It’s a prostrate man, with a look devoid of all expression. Empty eyes that no longer seem to see...

Tears mingle with the rivulets of blood that flow from his forehead and temples, sliding down his torso before ending up on the floor of the dungeon. He’s like a hunted animal.

Big Bill enters the cell and stops dead in front of the distressing spectacle.

Gabriel stammers out a few incomprehensible words before rushing out, drunk with rage and pain, determined to do battle with the enemy. He activates the “overgeneration” mode. He suddenly begins to glow like the sun. He screams.

- You’re all going to die!

He literally flies at his enemies. His forearms turn into cannons. The opposing squad has no time to retreat. In less than a second, the majority of soldiers collapse under the fire of this implacable warrior who has become as powerful as a god.

Jacques has given him functions of unparalleled power.

The survivors try to flee this incandescent, murderous mass.

In vain, they look imploringly at him. Gabriel is not what he used to be, he’s worse! Jacques has turned him into a tool of death of unparalleled power.

Gabriel makes no bones about his desire for revenge. The image of his brother’s bloodied body, his empty, desperate gaze, imposes itself relentlessly on his revolted mind. At last, he hears Jacques’ voice urging him to leave.

Short of breath, he gradually regains a semblance of calm.

The men turn and walk away. Big Bill carries Nathan on his shoulders, while the other team takes care of Clara.

The squad reassembles in the room through which they broke in. One of the Kelandra slabs teleports them back to their vehicles.

Then a blast is heard. The fission charges they had left in their wake had destroyed all traces of identification.

The gutted building spits out vigorous tongues of fire, rippling and twisting as they crackle.

Outside, hundreds of soldiers and dozens of fighting machines arrive on the scene and deploy, encircling the prison building.

But it’s too late...Gabriel and his men are already on their way to the south-western sectors of Epoxia where the refuge is located.

Khaleb has finally arrived at the prison. Violent anger seizes him, causing his eyes to blaze with a cruel gleam.

His mouth contorted with fury, he vows to find them.

Chapter 31

Wounds

The hangar is huge. The four Kanzers are parked next to the entrance, ready to leave if the army should trace the fugitives.

In a basement room, Jacques and Gabriel observe the lifeless bodies of Nathan and Clara, lying on treatment tables: “Go and get me two medical drones,” orders Gabriel.

Jacques then demonstrates his science, and one of the first things he does is restore our independence of mind. The surveillance systems they had implanted in us are removed. An hour later, no trace of injury remains. Clara regains consciousness first.

Gabriel leans over her with an emotional smile: “It’s all right, Clara. She squints, blinded for a moment by the harsh light. Then she straightens up and lets Gabriel hold her close.

Then she looks worriedly at Nathan, lying motionless and unresponsive beside her. Sudden anguish crushed her throat. Jacques comes to her side, takes her hand, smiles tenderly and says.

- According to the information transmitted by the drones, there seems to be a problem with Nathan...

She suddenly replies, frightened:

- What’s wrong ? What’s the matter? Speak !...

Jacques puts on a sad face and announces his diagnosis:

- I’m afraid he’s lost his mind...

Clara bursts into tears, while Gabriel questions Jacques, looking horrified. Jacques clarifies:

- Nathan seems to have gone mad. We’ll do everything in our power to cure him. It may take a long time. And above all, it depends on him.

The group closes ranks around Nathan’s body. The tears are flowing. It will take time, a lot of time.

Fifteen days have passed.

Within the group, everyone does his or her job to the best of their ability. We all have one common goal: the fierce fight against the powers that be.

And finally, it’s time to act, time to prepare for battle.

Meanwhile, Clara and Jacques are busy caring for Nathan, trying to bring him out of his worrying silence.

The evolution of the diagrams shows a marked improvement in his state of health. The neurological desks show a marked resumption

brain activity.

Clara is striving to regain a taste for life, even if the psychological scars of the outrages she suffered are indelible. Her nights are still filled with nightmares. The sedatives Jacques forces her to take help keep her from giving in to the panic that seizes her every time she remembers Khaleb’s hands, his body, his breath, the pain and humiliation inflicted. She’d like Nathan’s arms to cradle her, to soothe her, to prove to him that she’s still alive...

that she’s still alive...

All around her, people are talking about the actions planned against the government. The group has grown. Gabriel and Jacques are now clan leaders. They are the leaders of an embryonic dissident group. An embryonic rebellion. Améthyste has joined us, along with several other brilliant scientists. To Jacques’ great delight, a couple is being born...

Together, they are developing the warrior technologies used by Gabriel. He is in fact a kind of test soldier. He’s in charge of testing new weapons and warfare techniques.

While Nathan is at his worst, Gabriel is becoming more powerful by the day.

Chapter 32

Wake-up call

In the evening, Gabriel, the undisputed leader, gathers his troops and announces:

“Given the power of the adversary, we are considering:

1 - Dispersal of men in groups of three across the country, i.e. six groups; the others will remain here to coordinate actions.

2- The interconnection of communicating bombs on the main networks.

3 - Return to base.

4 - Finally, we blow everything up.”

A heavy silence follows Gabriel’s statement. The battle is approaching. And this time, it will be impossible for the government to conceal the impending coup.

It will also be impossible to conceal from the population the massive presence of the army, in retaliation for the escape of the two condemned to death.

The explosions at the state prison must have been heard from afar. Rumors began to circulate a few hours after the couple’s release. Doubts began to creep into the minds of Epoxia’s inhabitants.

Specialized bodies have gone into globalization mode. Every citizen is spied on. Even the smallest hint of subversion in a conversation or thought leads to repressive action.

“Clara”, ‘Nathan’, ‘rebels’, ‘lie’, ‘escape’ are all keywords likely to lead to the immediate arrest of anyone who mentions or utters them.

The authorities were on the alert. A sudden awakening of public awareness could soon lead to a total loss of control on the part of those in power.

From a military base, Khaleb mentally transmits precise and radical instructions to all his subordinates.

“Multiply the number of searchers! Scour the country! We must find them as quickly as possible!”

In their safe haven, Gabriel and his team put the finishing touches to their campaign plan.

And I, at last, come to my senses. I’m back again. Conscious at last.

Clara’s beloved face is bent over me.

I repress a sob as I think of what that dog Khaleb has put her through.

I’m torn between the almost violent joy of finding my wife, of embracing her, and the imperious desire for revenge.

Gabriel joins us. He tells me how he managed, with the help of Big Bill, to get us out of prison. As the story unfolds, my anger grows. A whiff of hatred washes over me, giving me new energy.

I quickly ask Jacques to make me Gabriel’s equal.

Clara’s eyes darken. They all look at me in a curious way, with gentleness and commiseration, apprehension too.

Uncle bows his head when I ask: “What’s going on?

I try to climb down from the treatment table and exclaim in astonishment when my legs give way beneath me. Jacques takes me in his arms. A dull panic overcomes me.

Am I completely unable to walk?

Once again, tragedy strikes. Once again I sink. I thought I’d be back in the air, but here I am again, shattered in mid-air.

I’m in for a long recovery. My new crusade will be to regain my mobility.

Time passes. Slowly. Too much.

Like the members of a secret society, we plan and organize our attack. We’re convinced we’re acting for the greater good. Jacques and Gabriel devise a strategy to reveal the truth to the blind, gullible people, always ready to swallow the lies of a handful of crooked politicians. I suddenly remember that I too have allowed myself to be maneuvered in the past, and I feel ashamed and angry. I feel guilty for having let myself be taken advantage of.

In any case, keeping quiet is out of the question.

But where do I fit in? I’ve been dragging myself around for 2 weeks now, my legs useless. I’m nailed to a levitating chair.

I’m weaker and weaker. Not so much because I’m disabled, but because of my attitude and behavior.

Maybe it’s time I really woke up. It’s up to me. My handicap now deprives me of the opportunity to fight in the field alongside my clan.

I do my best to keep up appearances. I adopt a calm and measured attitude, even though deep down inside, an unquenchable rage ravages my heart and burns me with an all-consuming fire. Images of Khaleb play over and over in my tired mind and I often clench my fists, fighting back tears of anger.

Jacques tells me that science has its limits, that he can’t heal me right now, because, he says, they’ve also broken my soul.

In a way, it’s up to me to heal myself, to decide to get better.

I want to change, I want to become the person I was. I’m doing more and more sport. I want to regain a strength, a tone, a power that will reassure me. It’s as if I’ve just forgiven myself for my powerlessness and my failure. I have to allow myself to become myself again.

It’s working. I’m regaining a little more autonomy every day. I’m gaining a lot of time. But not enough. Some operations can’t drag on and have to be done without me. The most important objective is to spread the truth.

To share what we know.

I’m going to follow this first attack from a distance. I’ll join them in the command room.

The government has instilled in the people of Epoxia a very particular line of conduct, based on the regular assimilation of totally false data. They are formatted beings who act, convinced of the legitimacy of their reactions and convictions. What will happen when they learn that the governing powers have been manipulating them for decades?

The attack is scheduled for tonight. We’ve already launched our messengers through the stained streets of Epoxia. There are eight of us at headquarters, in charge of monitoring and setting the parameters for operations. Eighteen men are in the field, divided into six teams of three.

They’re running enormous risks, while I’m safe and sound, burning with the desire to accompany them.

Each man is equipped with a sophisticated camouflage system, capable of blocking the waves emitted by their brains and liable to be detected. Invisibility domes shield them from the most powerful radars. They move around in their levitation harnesses.

It’s now three o’clock in the morning. The teams move like ghosts, and the few passers-by cannot suspect the presence, just a few meters above ground, of these strange shadow fighters. One by one, they take up their assigned positions.

Interventions must be rapid and simultaneous. The aim is to attach bypass rings to the network cables to allow all our information exchanges to be routed.

We will then become, momentarily, the masters of all Epoxia communications. There are, however, certain precautions to be taken. The network has its own defenses. The cables are protected by underground tubes, embedded in 3 meters of Sekutex concrete. This makes direct attack impossible. What’s more, the inside of the tubes is kept under artificial vacuum. Even the slightest perforation would

and the slightest microalteration would be immediately detected. Only a few maintenance hatches provide access.

One of the teams will be posing as maintenance personnel. Jacques’ background and knowledge of the safety installations designed by Khaleb

were precious allies in the meticulous preparation of the operation.

The network is a web directed by a central service which controls all the filaments of the structure. It’s at this strategic point that we’re going to have to strike. A technical maintenance intervention must follow a tangible and verifiable anomaly.

An overload, for example. That’s why we’ve scattered 600 autonomous modems across the city, capable of blocking the network by combining their transmission power. Each of these devices is capable of distilling 10 48 Zeta powers of information in a single nanosecond.

The cables will then be saturated, and the control points will be forced to pause in order to avoid total system implosion. In the event of failure, we have 400 other replacement modems. We give the signal. The modems go into action. We are in constant contact with the various teams.

We seem to hear a noise. The control screens confirm that the network has reached its limits.

One of our technical managers declares: “It’s sizzling down there! Network failure! Hurry up! It’s up to you!

A Mauser shot through the electronic locks and the game’s up.

Gabriel declares: “The rings are in place !

We order them to return as soon as possible. On the way back, they’ll have the pleasure of running into the official state maintenance technicians, who arrived on the scene too late.

The truth is out there ! Nothing can stop it now.

In homes, businesses and public places, it’s already spreading like a torrent... The rebellion begins with this message.

It’s 3:52 a.m. at Aaron Swartz’s house. He can’t sleep, his nerves are on edge, and rather than inject the drugs that will lull him into a deep sleep, he prefers to accept his temporary gloom. In his living room, he distracts himself and plays in immersive mode.

Suddenly, the image becomes blurred, twisted and foggy. Then the shape of a head takes shape on the screen. An austere face, half-concealed by a hood, now comes into sharp focus. And this face explains :

“To the Epoxian people: it’s time to rise up against the current regime. Our recent discoveries lead us to react with violence. The latest wars and the disappearance of Africa from our world are lies and manipulation. We have just made public most of our data. The files are at your disposal in case you doubt the veracity of our statements. Check the information you have just received carefully. Then you’ll know the truth. Our group is made up of courageous free spirits. We hope to count you among us soon. Now it’s up to you to understand and decide for yourself.

If you seek us, we will find you.... This was the first message from “Free Citizens”.

The face disappears, giving way once again to the original program.

A message appears at the bottom of the image, exacerbating his curiosity:

“Files downloaded. Citizens Free”.

This scenario is repeated in every social stratum. Now everyone can know,

understand and choose...

I particularly like this message. I suspect it will trigger a veritable social cataclysm. I can easily imagine what could happen elsewhere. Particularly on the premises of internal surveillance services.

But we also need to think about making an example, a starting point for the conflict that’s about to explode between us and the government.

The message has been out for 48 hours. The reaction of the surveillance services is, as expected, explosive - Commander! We must act as quickly as possible! Our sections have just arrested a group of rebel sympathizers in the heart of the city! They were in possession of virtual leaflets designed to promote a general uprising! Opinion polls show an exponential increase in support for action against the government and economic leaders! Everyone is thinking of changing the world! We’ll soon have only one alternative: total destruction !

Khaleb sinks into his armchair. His hands supporting his chin emphasize his serious, pensive air. The indirect lighting barely reveals his hard features. He rants inwardly against this blow to his very core.

He orders:

- Summon the territory’s top generals immediately !

Chapter 33

An example needs to be made

It’s been 48 hours since the message went out. Our action is more than conclusive.

Society as a whole is electrifying and reacting with force. In all spheres of Epoxia, we are witnessing unprecedented upheaval.

A large part of the population has risen up. Some even speak of a split within the army. Many generals have taken a stand against the government. Bases are closing and the representatives of power are no longer able to regain control of the situation.

The government seems powerless.

But nothing is certain. We’ll have to go all the way. We’ll have to fight on.

I’m firmly convinced that we need to give a signal. A starting point for revolt. But what symbol should we aim for? What gesture will mark the beginning, the starting point for the great uprising ?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that our personal history could become that spark.

Suddenly, I’m convinced. I exclaim:

- Gabriel! Find Warburg! It’s time to take care of him !

He pauses for a moment. Then reacts with force:

- Absolutely! I’m going to kill the man responsible for our father’s death! It’s up to us to set an example !

- He’s right,” says Jacques’ calm voice.

He walks around Gabriel and comes to me. He takes my hand. His approval reassures me.

My brother’s gaze hardens. He’s resolved, nothing can distract him from his goal. He adds :

- That dog is going to die !

In the space of an hour, our strategy is defined. Tonight, Warburg will go out. He’s one of those officers who value their image above their function. That’s why he’s a regular at VIP parties. After a pirate connection to his secretariat, we soon learn of his plans for the evening: a big fiesta at the Pandémonium, starting at 11 p.m.

This was all the information we needed. I’m afraid the atmosphere is turning into a nightmare...

It’s 10pm. Gabriel and Fat Bill wait for their future victim to arrive. An hour later, Warburg finally arrives. His limousine, adorned with the emblems of the state’s highest body, enters the airlock reserved for fashionable luminaries. His overprotected vehicle enjoys an impressive escort. Clearly, since our Epoxia broadcast, his popularity has plummeted. For the time being, however, he remains untouchable. My brother warns me of their imminent attack.

attack.

Stealthily, the duo bypass the building and head for the service entrances. Here, various vehicles are parked. The incessant deliveries, staff and artist entrances will give them the opportunity to sneak into the square without too much trouble.

The only problem: Big Bill. A titan of almost 10 ft in height is hardly discreet ! The only solution is to use the low configuration. His limbs tense up. Nanotechnology suddenly makes him look normal. Mingling with a troupe of dancers, the two men enter unseen. The morpho-masks they wear prevent automatic recognition by the surveillance cameras.

They pass; they’re in the square.

The Pandemonium is one of those private clubs that use anti-gravity for recreational purposes. It’s made up of gigantic spheres, glued together, each an independent room, where people dance and gorge themselves on every euphoric substance in existence. At the heart of this assembly is the main sphere in which Warburg usually has fun and in which he will perish.

It’s crowded tonight, and all the better for it. It’s easier to blend in. The vengeful duo make their way from room to room, eventually arriving at the entrance to the main sphere.

Immersed in the stream of overexcited customers, they enter the ball. Behind them, the door closes. They were momentarily trapped. The powerful echoes of thundering music reach them.

The pressure suddenly shifts until they take off. The door in front of them opens and a torrent of sound and light engulfs them. The spectacle is Dantesque. They plunge into a maelstrom of sound, violent and intoxicating. Enclosed in a suspended bubble, the master DJ begins the creation of a unique track. His hands come to life, creating rhythm in a magical way. First, he establishes the theme and defines

the evolution of the track. From his eyes and skull, connecting threads emerge.

This apparatus allows him to be totally in phase with the machine; his thoughts and gestures make aggressive notes pop out on an infernal tempo.

Around this swirl of light and music, a furious crowd evolves. The absence of gravity allows for the most eccentric choreographies. Several micro-black holes enclosed in the walls of the ball cancel out gravity and create the illusion of interstellar space. Screens broadcast striking images, perfectly matched with the song. The duo now goes on the hunt.

Warburg must logically be surrounded by his bodyguards. But we must already manage to spot them...

After quickly circling the spacious room, they locate their prey and approach it.

Behind their protégé, two molosses stand ready to ward off any unpleasant eventuality.

As Big Bill returns to his original form, he passes behind one of the bodyguards.

The second does not have time to sketch a gesture to draw his weapon. Gabriel, thanks to the new war functions that Jacques has endowed him with, has just transformed his left forearm into a sharp blade that crosses the head of the guard. Almost at the same time, Gros Bill literally blows each other’s head off in his giant hands.

Gabriel turns immediately to Warburg who probably does not understand what is happening. He puts his hand on the shoulder of the general who turned back brutally, his face displaying an expression of terror and intense stupor. The woman in front of him starts to scream. Warburg tries in vain to get out of his grip. The grip is too strong.

Gabriel brandished the bloody blade before the general’s pale face and decapitated him with a sharp blow, then he extracts from his body a disc from which he places a face at the top of the severed head. Gabriel then orders the device to be activated. The disc immediately creates a force field around the head. The sphere becomes a glass-like appearance, and then the disc releases healing particles and various molecules necessary for brain survival. No endorphins or other anaesthetic substances, however. There is no question of Warburg being released from his torments so quickly!

He must suffer!

It’s time to run away. The alarm is already ringing. The micro-black holes cease to be active, and the many party people find themselves packed on the ground, in the flat bottom of the sphere, totally freaked out and amazed by the bloody spectacle.

A sort of translucent bubble covers the general’s head. Gabriel squeezes it against him and fires a burst of Mauser against the airlock door. The metal explodes in a deafening din, covering for a moment the screams of fear of the dancers. The two men rush out of the room and head for the windows far in front of them. A protective section, coming from the corridor, emerges on their right. It is composed of about twenty soldiers who fire immediately, injuring or killing many customers of the club. In the same way he already did it at the stadium on the day of my trial, Gabriel is doing a feat.

A light suddenly emanates from all his being and a blinding ray pulverizes the squad.

Then he joins Big Bill. The hysterical shrieks of the crowd fill the sphere. The two companions rush into the breach opened by the explosion of the canopy. They land 30 meters down, unharmed, and run with all their legs.

Warburg’s death will serve as an example. No one in Epoxia can ignore that an indomitable force is capable of opposing the authorities.

Here they are back in our HQ. Gabriel and Gros Bill are welcomed at headquarters as heroes, but they remain serious and tense. Gabriel places the general’s head on a table. Warburg’s face offers a mask of terror and suffering.

Eyes wide open seem to beg his executioners.

Jacques has a mood move and approaches my brother and to our surprise, yells at him;

- Gabriel, you have accomplished your task! We had decided the death of this infamous individual and you have fulfilled this mission! But I find it unworthy of you to let this sub-man suffer. I ask you to cut short his suffering immediately!

Gabriel justifies himself:

- He deserves to suffer!

Jacques straightened bvrusly, his eyes unbridled, as I had never seen him before. He approaches Gabriel and gives him a masterful slap. Then he takes half a turn and leaves the room while adding.

- You make me ashamed! I’m sorry to have to tell you that you behave exactly the same way as he

We can’t believe it. Gabriel took the hit but it’s as if we all had taken it with him. Our great scientist and father figure. Gabriel did not even sketch any reprisal. On the contrary, he bows his head.

Doubt creeps in each of us and a deep silence follows the words of the Uncle.

After, the eyes meet, wonder.

I think Jacques is right.

Warburg’s head is there. It is laid on the table, like a macabre decoration.

Indeed, he has certainly suffered enough.

I’m talking to my brother. - Go ahead, Gabriel.

His face twitches, his fists close and drops of sweat run down his temples. His eyes are filled with rage and hatred. Most of those standing there are a few steps back. Each of us knows the violent outbursts of fury that sometimes turn Gabriel into a wild beast.

After a short hesitation, he raises his arm, directs a beam of light on Warburg’s head and blows it up. Then he walks away without looking at us. The door closes behind him. The page is turned.

Our father’s death has just been avenged.

This event is a violent conclusion to a chapter of my life.

Chapter 34

Rescue

Suddenly, the general alarm sounds. Noises come from the corridor. Everyone heads for the main room.

The insurrection spreads. The giant screen broadcasts images of bloody clashes that have broken out on the other side of the city. The media have regained their independence. They are regaining their freedom of expression and broadcasting every phase of the battle.

We can feel hope returning DERM Channel reporter Maxwell Parita comments : - Live from the Torosky district of Dome 6 !

We’re witnessing a demented scene of state sections clashing! The Seïndi brothers’ rebellion seems to have triggered a chain reaction that could plunge the entire country into chaos.

Part of the army is rising up against the government, and this brutal escalation could have unprecedented consequences for us all. According to eyewitness accounts...

A bright light fills the screen, then nothing. In all likelihood, the journalist has just paid for his burst of will and courage with his life.

Inside our headquarters, hysteria reigns. Some people start shouting, while at the same time congratulating each other vigorously.

Although naturally saddened by the death of the reporter, we are happy because we are now certain that a milestone has been reached.

My brother clenches his fists and turns to Jacques, his jaws clenched: “I want to go, Uncle! We have to take part in the conflict !

Jacques surveys the audience. Everyone seems to share Gabriel’s opinion, and he gives the rallying cry.

- Let’s fight !

A resounding, collegial “hurrah” greets the decision. The room is suddenly ablaze with excitement. I’m feeling depressed again, but I try not to let it show.

This battle will still be fought without me. I’m not up to it yet. I feel useless. It’s been almost three hours since the hostilities began, and from all over the country we’re hearing the din of the clashes. The opposing sides have roughly the same number of belligerents. My brother and his team will soon be taking part in the raging battle. Victory will belong to whichever of the two enemy camps first breaks through the other’s defensive force fields.

Commander Alkilin, loyal to Khaleb and the powers that be, opposes the man in charge of barracks C59, General Barrial. This name resonates in people’s minds as a synonym for honor and courage. We know and respect this man, especially as he was one of our father’s students.

Gabriel has gone to join them in support. He’s the leader of a 12-strong commando unit armed with Dogger, the most powerful of individual weapons.

- Gabriel to HQ! We’re ready to go. The bulk of Alkilin’s troops are 400 meters ahead of us.

- I’ve arranged for autonomous battle droids to follow you. They’ll be there to support you! Good luck, everyone ! We look forward to seeing you again !

Emerging from behind the building, our companions launched themselves at the enemy 20 ft above the ground. Gabriel looks like our father. My heart sinks. But, like my friends, I’m filled with immense hope, from which I draw new strength and zeal.

My brother shoots first. His shot pulverizes the armored vehicle in front of him. There are about ten of them in the area. Gabriel and his teammates fire again, destroying three more tanks. Just as another vehicle is about to machine-gun them, my brother orders the group to split up. The Redeemer Super Hornets split in two and the vehicle has no time to react.

Back at headquarters, we intercept messages from both sides’ commands.

Alkilin’s ranks are in a panic.

- Priority message ! We’ve been outflanked by an unknown battalion ! We need reinforcements ! I repeat: we need reinforcements as soon as possible !

Opposite, Barrial takes advantage of the situation.

- Message to all pilots ! Take-off position, north zone ! We’re going to break through the protective fields to get you out ! Be ready ! You know what you have to do ! I’m counting on you !

As Gabriel and his men continue to destroy the powerful armored vehicles, the protective field opens up in a narrow section to let out a myriad of Coropters, which eagerly attack those who had come to destroy them. Barrial’s men pause for a moment, taking advantage of this unexpected diversion. In the distance, the terrified reinforcement troops choose to flee and immediately turn back. - Assemble at the command post,” orders Gabriel. I want Alkilin’s head. Gabriel shouts a warning just as two members of the group are blown to bits in mid-air: “Upward separation !

The flying warriors scatter in the air, like rockets in a fireworks display.

Just then, from the heart of the base defended by Barrial, a section of Coropters emerges. Together, they break the last of the aggressor’s forces.

Gabriel then rushes towards the command block, one side of which is ripped open, billowing smoke and sparks.

Then, a few moments later, as an unexpected silence falls over the battlefield, three silhouettes appear, arms raised and faces down. Alkilin follows them, his face defeated.

Gabriel, who has just dismounted, jostles the three prisoners and strides towards the commander. His right arm turns again into a sharp blade with which he slices off the officer’s head before he can even make a move. The commando gathers around its leader and all the men let their joy explode. The Coropters finally land amid the smoking ruins. The pilots join the rebels.

They immediately fraternize. One of them addresses Gabriel.

- Mr. Seïndi, Commander Barrial would like to meet you. He’s waiting for you at the base.

The commando members are escorted to the barracks, where they receive a hero’s welcome. They are carried in triumph into the hangars, where weapons of all kinds and war vehicles are stored.

An airlock opens and the master of the house appears. He’s a 12 ft giant to whom Gabriel looks very small. It’s common knowledge that even Khaleb fears him. Barrial has been granted special dispensation to have his brain transplanted into this Titan body. He is said to be capable of defeating a squad single-handedly.

My brother steps forward and vigorously shakes his hand :

- It’s good to see you again, Gabriel. Especially today...

Some are surprised to learn that they know each other.

Barrial says to Gaby :

- Your father was a good teacher. If you wanted, we could make an excellent officer out of you. Let’s let our men relax a bit. As for us, we don’t have time for fun. We have important matters to discuss.

He puts his huge hand on Gabriel’s shoulder and pulls him along. At that moment, our group acquired its own identity and unquestionable legitimacy.

We, the rebels, the outcasts, are about to become the leaders of a conflict that promises to be long and painful.

This first victory will engender an unprecedented cataclysm. May we not be swept away by the mighty blast of the storm.

Chapter 35

Apocalypse

The conflicts have been going on for two months now.

The equality of the opposing forces is blocking progress and a solution to the problem. But today our fear is greater than usual.

Khaleb and his ilk are about to sign the latest military aid agreements with Gruyl, the world’s second most powerful country. Their common interests and the planet’s economic future have led them to this alliance. The day the coalition takes part in the war may well be our last.

Our concern is heightened by the fact that, according to well-informed sources, Gruyl is providing the government of Epoxia with technology almost as powerful as that created by Jacques, including instantaneous displacement technology. This technology, and all the other advances conceived by Jacques and his team, are the fruit of revolutionary work. But it’s not all thanks to Uncle.

Améthyste has joined us, along with several other brilliant scientists. Together, they are developing the warrior technologies used by Gabriel. In fact, he’s a kind of test soldier. The one in charge of testing new weapons and warfare techniques.

The similarity of the techniques used by the Gruyl raises certain questions within our group. Could there be a traitor among us?

As for me, I’m really starting to feel hopeful again. An implant has finally restored my mobility. I was afraid that Clara would gradually become detached from a weakened man.

Suddenly, a hologram materializes in the cocoon, putting an abrupt end to my reflections - Nathan! Get up and come here! Your brother’s in trouble!

Confusion reigns in the command room. The tension and sadness of some only feed my own worries. I ask.

- What’s going on?

- Gabriel and the rest of the group have been ambushed. Barrial had given them the mission of intercepting a military convoy, supposedly loaded with ammunition! But the bunkers actually contained Cigroids!

- Cigroids what?!

- From the information I’ve been able to gather, this is a revolutionary piece of equipment developed by Gruyl. An evolution of your brother’s equipment!

- What happened to my brother and his men?

- They’ve taken refuge in a tower in sector Garranta 13.

- Why can’t they destroy them?

- It’s not quite that simple. Your brother was, in a way, a prototype and he’s the only one in the group who can cope.

- Why didn’t you equip each of us with these new applications?

Jacques’ temper flares.

- I haven’t had the time, Nathan! This technology is still at an experimental stage!

- And what are they doing in that tower?

- Gabriel took his men there to shelter them. But the Cigroids are pouring in now, and I don’t know how long they can hold out.

I’ll decide.

- I want to go, Jacques!

My uncle finally turns his gaze from the giant screen to me. The serious expression on his face is hardly reassuring. I quickly realize that the situation is desperate, as he himself no longer believes...

- You can’t go, it would be suicide! You’re not equipped like he is.

- And we’re just going to sit here and wait until they’re all dead?! There must be something you can do! Wasn’t it you who said there was always a solution?!

A Code Red signal appears on the main screen. It’s Barrial.

- Gabriel and his group are in dire straits. I can’t give them any support, we’re being attacked by glimmers in the sky ourselves! On my measuring instruments, I have data from...

The image blurs, then nothing.

- Barrial!

Jacques clenched his jaws.

- You want to help your brother? Then follow me!

Just then, Clara, who has come to join me, clutches my arm, trying to hold me back. I look at her. She immediately understands and loosens her grip.

We set off. Jacques is running ahead of me. I start running myself, without realizing it at first. Then I realize with emotion that my legs are working again.

Uncle takes me into his secret laboratory. Until now, even I hadn’t had the privilege of entering this area.

An airlock opens. In the darkness, control screens and a multitude of indicator lights flicker. At Jacques’ word, light bursts forth and I open my eyes in amazement. A slender contraption, connected to numerous devices, hovers in the center of the vast laboratory,

levitating a meter above the floor. Its aggressive appearance tells me of its warlike vocation.

However, the absence of a cockpit intrigues me. I mention this to Jacques, who tells me.

- Indeed, there isn’t one. Because it’s useless.

- I don’t understand... Where am I going to set up?

- Nowhere and everywhere.

I give my uncle a puzzled look.

- It’s your mind, Nathan, that will go into the machine.

- What?! And?

- And your mind won’t stay trapped in this machine. After your mission, I’ll give you back your original body.

I grit my teeth and make up my mind immediately.

- All right; tell me what to do.

Time is against us and I can’t afford to waste precious minutes in useless reflections.

I settle into a transfer sarcophagus. In a moment, my mind will be transferred from my body to the machine. The sarcophagus closes on me. The sudden darkness makes me anxious. An increasingly shrill whistle blasts my eardrums. Eventually, the sound diminishes.

I experience a curious sensation. A glimmer appears, then an image takes shape.

I can see! I’m out of the sarcophagus, out of my body too. I feel part of the machine. I am the machine!

My vision is global. Nothing escapes me.

Jacques waves his hand and sends me a silent message that reaches me telepathically.

- Here I am, Gabriel!

I take off, or rather, I teleport. I’m fully aware of my faculties. I feel perfectly at ease, and need no explanation, training or demonstration.

I just know. I arrive almost instantly at the scene of the fight.

I see my brother below me, still blocking the Cigroids. Their movements are slowed. I can finally make out the exact shape of these machines, which were previously just tiny streaks of light on our screens.

The most astonishing thing is that all these elements are almost motionless on the ground. Everything has frozen. Gabriel stands in the air, the last bulwark between the rest of our group and the opposing war machines.

Horrified, I see two of them launch themselves from the top of the building. They dive down on Gabriel, who hasn’t seen them yet.

The machines fire. I spread a force field of such intensity between myself and the building that the enemy bursts explode on contact. I take the shock, the waves shaking me violently. Below, my brother straightens his head without understanding what has just happened.

The Cigroids hesitate. The swarm turns towards me.

My sensors warn me that I’ve just been spotted and targeted.

I’ve created a diversion. My brother can pull himself together.

His body radiates a powerful light, but thick black smoke billows from it. Perhaps he’s been damaged. All the machines suddenly fire in my direction. I barely had time to dodge. Their crossfire grazed me at close quarters. My turn to dance.

Three machines suddenly attack me. I teleported thirty meters below and retaliated with heavy fire, leaving them no chance. The explosion is spectacular.

Other adversaries appear. A release to the left allows me to veer towards them and unleash a syphon-blade. This particularly wide beam eliminates two of them in one fell swoop. The others retreat and stop in the distance. The blows I’ve just dealt them seem to have dampened their ardor.

We challenge each other. I turn on my heel, while the enemy machines come to stand menacingly all around me.

My spy systems inform me of the data exchanges between the ground bases and the levitating Cigroids. Uncertainty is total in the opposing camp. Their devices are nothing more than powerful, non-thinking combat weapons, devoid of any survival instinct. And therein lies

my undeniable advantage.

I’m picking up “Multiple shots; area sweep”. Within a two-kilometre radius of me, the thirty or so aircraft are firing indiscriminately in all directions. Sneaking through this jungle of radiation is impossible.

I’m in great danger.

“Automated defensive system !

Two micro black holes form, one above me, the other below. They immediately suck in enemy fire.

Being at equal distance from each of the cosmic powers, I don’t suffer the same fate.

This manifestation of universal forces lasts only a few nanoseconds, but it’s violent enough to make the whole country tremble.

This device is a real deterrent, and I soon hear :

- Clear ! Back to base !

The wasps return to their nest ! The battle is won !

- Gabriel, you’re saved !

I look at my brother; he’s on his knees, head bowed. Physiological fluids are gushing from his mouth, and smoke is still escaping from his battered body.

The fact that he’s not repairing himself proves that he’s badly hurt. I join him instantly. He raises an extinguished gaze in my direction, then collapses in a pool of synthetic blood.

Tractor beams settle him inside me and I call Uncle urgently.

He’s the only one who can save my brother.

- Jacques ! Gabriel is badly hurt ! He needs urgent medical attention !

- I know. The others are back. We’re waiting for you !

The return journey is just as quick as the outward, and when we arrive, a medical intervention group takes charge of my brother. They set him up in an intensive care cocoon.

I have to leave the machine. The decorporation process is completed fairly quickly, and my spirit reintegrates my inert body. It doesn’t take long for the sarcophagus to open.

Fat Bill is there to greet me. He too seems to have suffered in battle. He holds out his big hand to help me out, and says.

- Follow me, Nathan.

I obey. The door opens. Clara is here.

Everyone stands around the cocoon containing Gabriel. Clara throws herself into my arms, her face streaming with tears. The room is plunged into an eerie half-light. A heavy silence greets me and all eyes turn to me. I approach my brother hesitantly. As I pass, hands brush my shoulder. Words of comfort are whispered. I’m beginning to understand. Gabriel has ceased to live.

His body is there, in front of me. In a trembling voice, Jacques confirms his death. My mind goes blank.

I feel dizzy and run away. I need solitude. I want to scream. My brother sacrificed his life to save us all.

Clara followed me. She takes my hand. Not a sound leaves her lips.

Some beings emit an astral light. Gabriel was one of them, and his disappearance takes me into the depths of darkness.

I’ve been prostrate and withdrawn for 2 days now. I’ve stopped eating, washing and talking. But it’s time. I’ll have to make my departure for somewhere else a reality. If somewhere else...

I must join him for the cremation.

I enter the cremation room. Jacques steps forward and questions me.

- Do you want to make a speech?

I take it upon myself to find the strength to speak. Emotion gives me tremors in my voice. But I get the hang of it and manage to string together a few sentences about my brother. About what he was to me. The strong, courageous man he had become. The worthy and exemplary person he would always be in my eyes. There was a lot of my father in him.

Then I finally broke down. I burst into tears. The hero is not infallible, let alone insensitive.

Clara takes over. And Jacques concludes the ceremony. His coffin is engulfed by the incinerator.

In a fraction of a second, there’s nothing left of him. Just a few grams of ash and tons of memories...

I’ve been prostrate and withdrawn for 4 days now. I’ve stopped eating, washing and talking. Jacques insists on force-feeding me various substances to tint my dark thoughts pink. But I refuse, I want to live my pain to the full.

To suffer is to bring to life a memory, an emotion, an image...

Clara joins me in the bedroom.

- Nathan ?

She sits down beside me, takes my head affectionately in her hands and says:

- Gabriel is gone, but there’s more to come. I don’t want you to take any risks, I don’t want to lose you. But I know your brother would have wanted you to take control of the situation. You’ve got to get up and face the world. For him, for me, for all of us. We’re counting on you.

I can hardly hold back my tears and finally answer:

- Give me a little time, Clara.

- Listen... I’ve got some important news to tell you... I think it will help you.

I question her with a faded gaze. Hers has lit up with stars.

- I’m pregnant.

I suddenly think of the rape she suffered in prison. I’m ashamed to have this thought spontaneously cross my mind. The drama we’ve been through robs me of a spontaneous, intimate joy.

But Clara has certainly interpreted this doubt, this concern, because she puts her hand on my cheek and whispers in my ear: “It’s really yours.”

The doubt or fear disappears instantly. I hug her wildly! An intense warmth spreads through my whole being. The light that will grow within her will guide my steps. This child will reawaken my vanished faith. Little by little, Clara’s support bears fruit. Every day, this child becomes more and more present, more and more essential. He is what rebuilds me.

And finally, the memory of Gabriel pushes me forward. I must, I must fight again !

My mind is made up. I’m going to become totally artificial again.

I’ll have to be at least as powerful as my glorious brother.

Chapter 36

Strategy

For the 17 days since I have rejoined the conflict, events have not been favourable to us. I became the new ultimate soldier. In this capacity I have evolved further. Now the functions that the sarcophagus brought me are implanted in my «classic» body. But even if my current warrior form, the most powerful one, gives us ascendancy for a moment, the army we face overflows

and floods us from all sides.

The victories we have won on one side do not compensate for the losses suffered elsewhere.

One by one, my brothers in arms are eliminated.

I can’t fight and protect them at the same time. Our respective missions sometimes take them away from me.

Physical and mental fatigue are beginning to slow our fighting spirit, and the outcome of the conflict is more uncertain than ever.

My project seems increasingly utopian. Will we succeed in creating this new society ?

You have to believe it.

An exceptional meeting will be held tonight, bringing together the main authorities of our camp to determine the strategy to adopt. Our action may not be successful. Lives have been and will be lost in pure loss. And, at the end of the road, the return to power of oppressive powers...

The meeting is held in a secret place, late at night, and sheltered from the breath of war. We are about forty or so representing the authority of each subgroup forming the rebellion.

Jacques and I are standing at the back of the room. We’re not military men, so we’re special. Barrial, the giant, having managed to get out of the first surprise attack by the Cigroïds, speaks. After a brief overview of the latest events, some suggest various strategies to get rid of the enemy. Some include us in their campaign plan, others do not.

Gradually, the tone rises, opinions differ. Each one nourishes the ambition to command the others. Even within our group, there are desires for power. Two hours have passed in vain. Jacques and I ask ourselves with our eyes. It seems to us that we belong somewhere else: in combat...

Yet I rise, thinking of my father, this remarkable man who, had he been here, would have long ago made the appropriate decisions.

Suddenly, I impose myself loudly.

- Now you have been talking for almost two hours without saying anything! I have only one suggestion to make.

All suddenly became silent and many watched me with incredulous eyes. I continue :

- Cut off the monster’s head !

- But how do you intend to do it ? cries an impatient voice.

Jacques comes to support my proposal.

- I am able to define their entire organizational chart and especially to locate the main leaders.

An overwhelming noise rises, mixing approval and diatribe. At the end of the table, Barrial stands.

It is so huge that the room reconfigures itself so that the top of its skull cannot come to hit the ceiling.

- Silence ! he yells.

Then he continues with his voice from Stentor:

-Nathan! Your efforts and courage are matched only by the wisdom of your words! You have made us aware of the ignominy of our former leaders. You are, moreover, one of our most valiant warriors. Your vision of things is unfortunately the most correct. To stick to classic acts of war is no longer appropriate in these difficult days. We need to identify the targets and strategy for implementing this plan. Are there any objections ?

No one dares to come and upset the undisputed leader. Only my voice is heard.

-I want Khaleb !

The giant says :

-I know, it’s legitimate, you’ll get it.

The meeting then continues in a calm, with a logistical focus. Then we develop an initial list of priority targets. I only think of my revenge. It is the only thing that is present in my mind. The hatred I feel for Khaleb awakens in me unstoppable instincts of cruelty.

Back at headquarters, I can’t sleep. I’m meeting Jacques in his office. His various clandestine sources inform him about strategic targets. Where they are and what they do will soon be no secret to us.

The information that interests me most falls finally. Khaleb is in sector B8 of Dome 9. I smile and clench my fist. The day that is to come will be his last. I swear it. I begin to plan operations. The scenario will be as follows: in the perimeter close to its control center is a secret site intended for inter-command retransmission. A special relay used exclusively by the leaders and military opponents. If Khaleb is attacked by a small squad of which I would be part, he will not be able to resist the urge to come and pick me up. What he will not know is that a second, more powerful squad will be waiting for him to take his troops in a vice.

At that moment, her life will be mine ...

A hundred men will be called for this operation, 4 to 5 will be the bait, all the others will form the bulk of the troop.

I only have to contact Barrial to get the necessary manpower. Within four hours, we will be ready to launch our final attack.

The future will then decide whether we succeed or die...

Chapter 37

Death

We return to the theater of operations. A hundred or so of us hover in camouflage mode in the streets of Dome 9. The buildings are dilapidated, the roads broken up.

Soon we reach our destination. The mechanical dump is an ideal place for our ambush. The piles of scrap metal offer us every conceivable hiding place. Everyone knows what they have to do and takes up their positions near the entrance to the secret complex. The entrance to the complex looks like a modest hangar. The aim is to destroy the essential components of this structure, momentarily paralyzing enemy communications. The security systems are easily disconnected, and we now descend the shaft revealed by the opening of the upper hatch. There are four of us. Big Bill goes first, with difficulty, due to his imposing stature.

We’re now in the first basement, at the junction of two corridors. In the guise of shadows, we dart into the one opposite us. No noise, no contact with the ground, no perceptible breath. Our approach to the generators must be as unobtrusive as possible. My internal sonars keep me informed of all movements in a 400-meter sector around us. So far, nothing to report.

Four sections down, we turn right. A cul-de-sac conceals access to the complex’s energy sources. I approach the wall and pierce it with a laser stylus implanted in my hand. The micro-orifice thus obtained enables us to use an approximate version of teleportation to rematerialize myself in front of the base’s generators.

Phase two: reveal yourself.

I trigger the failure of my camouflage device. Sparks crackle around me as my image rematerializes in places. I extract from my body the explosive charges designed to destroy the complex, set them off and throw them to the ground. In four minutes, they should explode. Outside, discreetly, a member of our small group installs an invisible charge four times more powerful against a wall.

As expected, the alarms go off. Sirens wail. Strobe lights come on. The other three men, still outside, radio me to get out of here as quickly as possible:

- Get back ! The wall’s going to explode !

My hand sends out a powerful ball of energy that shatters the wall in front of me. I now have the same functions and power as Gabriel.

Elsewhere, at the same moment, my attack does not go unnoticed. Khaleb is quickly informed of my attack. Clearly, he’ll be joining me soon.

Here, my radar alerts me. Our enemies are coming from all sides. I pass through the flames and call on my companions to follow. As we approach the first crossroads, we hear metallic thuds.

I leap forward and find myself facing two groups of men rushing towards us. My new fighting skills are the result of my brother’s improved techniques. I strike back quickly and effectively. I switch to overspeed mode. I send out two vibratory waves. The impact literally blows away the nearest men.

At the next intersection, a squad greets us with heavy fire. I quickly neutralize the deadly plasma beams, protecting my men at the same time.

In the palm of my left hand, I create a micro black hole. The whole building begins to shake and the walls crack in places. Opposing bursts die in my palm. I immediately dissolve the universal force and destroy the military barrage with a wave of my hand.

Behind me, a cry rings out.

Big Bill has been caught. I turn back. He looks badly wounded. From his back flows a stream of physiological fluid. A feeding artery directly connected to his brain has just been severed.

- Disconnect! We’re going to carry you,” I tell him, annihilating those who have reached him.

Big Bill collapses and faints.

I order his teammates to evacuate him while I cover them. My three-dimensional radars measure the danger and locate the enemy. Any attempt by the enemy to approach and fire is quickly brought under control. The enemy is routed. His reinforcements, called in in large numbers, are also eliminated. We make spectacular progress across the field. We arrive at the exit shaft. The narrowness of the passage and Gros Bill’s condition are likely to slow us down too much. Just a few more seconds and the complex should explode.

I fire a massive salvo upwards. The ceiling, the conduit and part of the hangar are ripped open. The resulting breach is at least two meters in diameter. I order my companions to rush in.

Their power of levitation is insufficient, given the inert weight of 500 lb they have to carry. An impulse from me and they’re out. I look back. I telepathically speed up the countdown.

The sound of the explosion is deafening.

The lights go out, quickly replaced by the red flash of flames.

We emerge from the hangar. A dozen military vehicles greet us.

The spotlights on us make us ideal targets.

Khaleb’s grim face emerges from the turret of one of the vehicles.

- Surrender Nathan, or you’ll die !

I point at him.

- No, you’re the one who’s going to give yourself up !

A heavy silence falls over us. I raise my arm slowly and then let it fall back in one swift movement. This signal will trigger the trap that will close on this assassin and his acolytes.

The beast will die !

The silence grows even heavier. Nothing happens. Not a movement. I stare in all directions, gripped by a sudden anguish.

Khaleb starts laughing, takes the severed head of one of my companions out of his turret and throws it at my feet. His face is full of terror. His hair is bloodied.

I look up at Khaleb in horror. He taunts me, saying.

- Were you counting on them to get you out of there ?

He exults and lets out a sarcastic laugh.

My fists clench and my jaws tighten. Presumably, he knew about our plan all along. We’ve been betrayed.

After another sneer, he orders his men to fire. Thousands of bullets come at me. I can’t flee or I’ll expose my companions to this savage attack. I must protect them.

I don’t know how to get out of this situation.

I try to think quickly and efficiently. What can I do? My power is at its limit. Time. My energy reserves are not infinite.

But I realize that I’m Khaleb’s favorite target. His hatred for me is such that he can’t seem to see my men anymore.

Our only hope may therefore lie in escape... I need to focus the attack on me.

I take off. My defense system is at maximum strength and can withstand the bursts without faltering. I suddenly find myself in the same position as my father fifteen years ago. I retaliate with a burst of plasma.

Forty meters below, my enemies take my counter-attack without flinching. I have to change tactics. I don’t want to perish like my father! In his and my brother’s name, I’m going to destroy them !

I switch back to overspeed mode. My speed increases exponentially. I swerve to the right and hurl myself at the enemy with all my rage. In a nanosecond, I rip through armor, force fields and bodies that stand in my way.

My perfect mastery of the atom and universal forces make me a formidable weapon. The damage sustained by our adversaries is enormous, leaving the army bled dry.

Explosions follow one another and flames tint the discharge purple and gold.  A few survivors scream their way out of the incandescent carcasses. Dislocated bodies stagger or crawl on the earth soaked with fuel escaping from the guts of the gutted machines. Khaleb tries to flee. I catch up with him and give him a heavy blow on the skull. He rolls to the ground. I plant myself in front of him. He gets to his feet. The blow barely stunned him. Despite the failure of my capture, he gives me an arrogant look. He braces himself, ready to fight.

However, I tell him:

- I’ll come straight to the point, Khaleb. I’m going to make you suffer horribly.

Suddenly, his arrogant air disappears. He’s realized that I’m determined to get it over with, fast.

He pounces on me like a wild beast. I intercept him with a powerful kick. He absorbs a multitude of shocks in a microsecond and rises five meters above me.

His clothes shatter, his flesh tears. Finally, he collapses. His famous three-quarter length black leather suit is in tatters. Smoke and sparks billow from his body. Liquids drip from his entrails. He drops to his knees and brings his hand to his stomach. Then he slowly raises his head in my direction.

From the inside of my wrist protrudes a metal rod with a neural connection at the end. I approach him. He’s on all fours, at my mercy. He opens his eyes wide. Frozen, he seems to be waiting for the coup de grâce. With a swift, precise movement, I plant the probe in his brain, deploying it to control his every impulse. He starts to scream. His body tenses, twists and jerks. I activate the program, inflicting a succession of unbearable pains. His armor’s anesthetic systems have been disconnected.

Khaleb screams. I withdraw my arm. The implanted probe is autonomous and will explode in his skull within half an hour. No one will be able to come to his rescue.

I abandon him to his suffering. Happy to have avenged those I love.

I’m off to pick up the three survivors in my group. We must leave as soon as possible.

I leave the scene, drunk with a sense of victory. Calm too, strangely enough, even though I’ve just tortured a man.

But I sacrificed a commando to satisfy my revenge. I no longer recognize myself... Here I am, torn between shame and satisfaction at having killed the man who caused me so much pain.

Chapter 38

Final battle

The mood at headquarters is mixed. The joy of seeing each other again is dulled by the news of our heavy losses. What’s more, Big Bill seems to be seriously wounded.

Jacques tells me that almost all our missions have failed. Only three out of forty-five were successful. There’s obviously a traitor among us !

I don’t have time to justify this suspicion as the sirens start wailing. Our lookout in the control room starts bellowing into the microphone: “We’re under attack !!!”

My heart rate quickens. A sudden wave of panic sweeps over us all.

I immediately think of my wife and order her to run.

I put my hand on Jacques’ shoulder and say.

- I entrust her to you. Run away quickly ! I’ll join you !

- What are you going to do ?

- Attack !

Let’s hope our automated defenses hold off enemy assaults long enough for us to escape.

The airlock opens and I rush out.

A swarm of Cigroids lights up the night, heading straight for me, while on the ground, troops approach our headquarters.

Our first Kanzers escape. In one of them is Clara, forced to flee once again. So, with tenfold determination, I set off alone to attack the enemy.

Despite my extraordinary speed, I barely avoid the countless bursts of fire. I in turn hurl a shower of projectiles. Then I climb back up at an even more dizzying pace. I quickly annihilated my opponents on land.

Now I have to deal with the Cigroids. I manage to avoid their shots and reach them. They explode, one after the other. Just as I’m becoming convinced that I’ll soon be victorious, an alert emanating from my internal systems reaches me.

“Energy level down”.

I panic.

But the fight goes on. The second alert makes me break out in a cold sweat.

“Energy level: critical !

- No! This is not the time !

The fight is turning to their advantage.

“Minimum energy level: danger !

My power decreases rapidly. I’m falling faster and faster.

It’s not long before I crash to the ground. I’m now under constant enemy fire. My protective fields are still holding. But for how long ?

I realize that my end is near.

Outside images gradually disappear. All that remains is an endless series of explosions against the protective dome. The swarm that surrounds me is about to strike the fatal blow.

My only consolation is that I was able to save my loved ones. My last thoughts are with them.

Farewell Clara.

As I resign myself to my fate, the shooting suddenly stops. The Cigroids seem to hesitate, then rush away. I don’t understand what’s happening, and run through all the hypotheses. Until Jacques’ voice suddenly interrupts my thoughts.

- Nathan ! A message from Barrial tells me that Africa has just joined us in the war. Their first attacks seem to have caused a great deal of damage to the enemy forces. A team is leaving immediately to lend you a hand !

Suddenly, hope is reborn. It’s like a light appearing in the night. I’m going to live, and see Clara again...

Three days of fierce fighting put an end to the conflict. Africa, the cradle of humanity, the continent that was supposedly “erased”, has given us victory...

Thank you for giving us the most unexpected rebirth. It’s been a tough battle, but our victory is indisputable. The last forces of power have been annihilated. A few more days and now it’s time to make it official. To write a new story. Our history.

I now stand with my family on the steps of the palace of the deposed government.  In front of us, the large square of the main dome is packed. An overexcited crowd proclaims its joy at hope and newfound freedom. The moment is unique and grandiose. It is also a vibrant tribute to those who have fallen for our cause.

However, questions remain and cloud my mind. Who betrayed us? Will Gruyl continue the war? These doubts and unanswered questions prevent me from rejoicing completely. Clara looks at me and understands.

Only the near future will give us the final answers.

Chapter 39

A new world

Seven weeks of fierce fighting have brought the conflict to an end.

We are experiencing a moment of social elation. Victory has been achieved in the minds of the majority of Epoxia’s citizens. Some are justifiably congratulating themselves, many for nothing, and still others are taking revenge and committing acts of horror in the name of rebellion. Dark times return. Summary executions are carried out here and there, without any real judgment.

Days pass, and a new society emerges in pain.

I’ve become a senior member of our armed forces. I’m now commander in charge of the special sections.

For 3 months now, I’ve been in charge of training and fighting our ultimate sections: the Templar Order. Not that we’re referring to any Crusader past. But to echo their rebellion against the church, their valour and independence of spirit.

While I’m training our new elite sections, others, like Jacques, are looking for the man or woman behind the leaks. Who betrayed us? They spend a lot of time and energy on it, but this mission is essential for our common future.

Today is a special day. The execution of the traitor. And it’s going to cost me dearly in terms of emotion. I’ll be torn between grief and anger.

Because, horribly, after meticulous research, Jacques and his team managed to identify the traitor. I was deeply hurt. After Gabriel, it was like losing a second brother.

After all, the traitor is none other than Big Bill! My friend, my savior, the one who stood by me when my loved ones died. The one who was always there for me.

But it’s clear that for some time now, his proximity has been calculated to serve his purposes.

The enemy camp’s promise of a bright future. His wife was the first to believe. He listened to her and decided to fall for the lie and the denunciation. His companion immediately abandoned him as soon as she sensed the suspicion closing in on him. She fled and never came back. We didn’t look for her, we had better things to do.

Alone he was, alone he became again. And soon it will be nothing.

There is ample evidence to leave no doubt, and in the end his confession served only to confirm the evidence of treason.

The judgment was honest. We let him keep his independence of mind and speech. He tried to justify himself.

I understood his motives, but I didn’t forgive them. Today he’ll have to take responsibility, because it’s the day of his execution, and I’ll be his executioner.

I give my orders and my aide-de-camp organizes the execution.

So here we are, in the main courtyard of the barracks. On my left are Clara, Jacques, Améthyste and many members of our rebel clan, as well as various representatives of the new free government.

On my right, my troops, the Templars. 40 platoons of 60 soldiers standing in a tight row.

And in front of me, tied to the execution post, Fat Bill.

I launch into a brief speech.

- We’re here to make the man who betrayed us pay. He who is largely responsible for the deaths of so many of us. The one who was my friend and the one because of whom my brother died. It is with regret and anger that I will carry out the sentence.

I raise my arm in his direction. But it’s heavy. My arm has never been so hard to raise. I open my hand, ready to fire a blast of pure energy at Big Bill. But I struggle to trigger his death.

I find myself hesitating. The tension is high, the atmosphere heavy, the silence deafening. For a moment, we are all frozen in our thoughts, our pain and our sorrow.

I know what he did, I also know what I owe him.

But I’ve got to pull myself together.

I shoot.

The beam hits and blows Big Bill’s head off. His body slides down the pole and collapses to the ground.

I hide my pain under a mask of indifference. I turn to my right and order.

- Break ranks !

The Templars scatter as I join Clara and mine.

I leave behind me, on the ground, an inert part of myself.

Chapter 40

The war is back

We are in our fifth month of relative calm. Things are getting structured and social cohesion is working at full capacity. Our troops are growing and preparing for the upcoming battles.

It is 10 a.m. and it is time to go through my sections. I leave the command room and take a passage reserved for me. I go back to my new place of life and kiss Clara.

We fully appreciate these few days of serenity and comfort. Life is getting better again. Finally.

We take advantage of this lull to appreciate the new forms of Clara. His belly is rounding and with him grows every day the happiness of waiting for a child.

But it’s time.

I go down to the main courtyard. They are there. All in close rows. The torso is curved. Proud of what they are, proud of our recent victory and eager to fight.

When I arrived, the officer in charge of the rally started to shout :

- Keep your eyes open !

In unison, they clap their boots against each other and freeze their right hand against their temples.

I walk forward, along the ranks and do my inspection.

I admit to feeling a certain pride. They are all, technically, my equals. Here they are equipped with the latest technologies developed by Jacques, Améthyste and many others.

We call ourselves “templars” because they symbolize in our eyes the resistance of some to the oppression of power. And in these troubled times, symbols are important.

The Templars never gave up their ideals of justice in the face of the manipulative church.

I am not yet halfway through the inspection when an alarm starts to sound and a direct message reaches me telepathically:

- Commander! Africa is attacked! Come back to the command room!

As we knew, the Gruyl or old «US» could not remain passive for long. Obviously, in retaliation, Africa is the first target.

It is our turn to rescue those who have saved us.

Arrived quickly in the command room, I ask questions.

- What’s the situation ?

- The losses are heavy, the damage considerable.

- What sector ?

- The north/west coast.

- Gruyllian troops ? Are they numerous ?

-Yes. About thirty sections composed mainly of Cigroïds. The front of the fighting extends over a hundred kilometers.

- Ring the rally. We take off immediately !

A communications officer is briefing me.

- Commander, a priority call for you.

I answer.

- Allow the connection.

It’s Jacques.

-Nathan, what are you gonna do ?

- I will not stay out of it. I go to help them.

- With all your sections ? If you leave without leaving a part of your men we risk being too weak if they want to come after us.

-You think a diversion to weaken us ?

- It’s possible.

-All right, I’ll get organized. I’ll go.

- Good luck.

I cut the communication and give my orders.

- Half of the senior men stand ready to go into battle. The other half should be stationed at the border. And they are preparing to suffer a gruylian attack.

Immediately, the whole barracks becomes a restless but orderly hive. Everyone does their job as quickly as possible to complete his mission. The pride of some people has just disappeared to let fear appear.

I don’t take time for goodbyes. I think only of doing the best to act without delay. Every second that passes is a multitude of lives that are dying.

We are gathered together again. And as in ancient times, I am the first to go. I am not a backroom leader, a decision-maker locked in his safe bunker. I go to the front. Determined to lead by example.

Half of our «templars» follow me to the African continent, the other will be deployed as reinforcements at our border crossings. I have warned the African army that we are providing assistance. Here we are, approaching the site of the fighting. The situation is catastrophic. Our functions, pushed into their higher levels, allow us to judge instantly the damage.

Many Cigroids are piling up the area regardless of target. Civilians are the first to be hit. The innocent victims are on the ground. There are obviously tens of thousands of dead.

I order:

- Division into three sections !

Our forces split instantly into three distinct groups. I’m heading towards the centre. I hope my troops are ready. For many it’s their first fight. And the point is not to have the best technology, but to know how to use it. But very quickly, I have my answer.

We are really a step ahead of the enemy. Our speed and firepower is unmatched.

They are no match for the Canadian. In a few minutes, the situation is reversed. Enemy troops are destroyed one after another.

And finally, the Cigroids have no choice but to flee.

Here we are again, victorious. The demonstration is done. We have just returned courtesy to our African brothers.

We can go home light on our hearts and proud of having saved many from death.

We arrive unharmed, without death or injury. The victory is complete. This battle proves our combat ability. We are all becoming the key building block for our new strategy.

Whether it’s Barrial or Jacques, it’s crucial to anticipate. There’s no point in waiting. The Gruyl has just revealed its will to continue the war. Therefore, rather than waiting for it to rebuild all their power, it is better to attack. We do not know if tomorrow they will be able to match us or even exceed us.

We decide to take advantage of our present superiority.

Chapter 41

The assault on the Gruyl

We give ourselves 2 weeks to prepare our assault. We take the opportunity to multiply our numbers. From around 2,400 Templars, we now have 10 times that number. We decided to prepare a large-scale landing on Gruylian territory.

We have to respect a few imperatives. In particular, disinformation. Giving out lots of false information to dilute and hide the real messages. In particular, the date and time of our action.

We also need to train our troops. We need to train our troops, with the older ones acting as guides for the newer ones. Fortunately, our training systems are very efficient. But we also need to plan our strategy. Target enemy forces directly ? Target structures to block them on the ground ? Target command centers ?

At the end of a particularly intense 14 days, it’s now night-time, and the start of our direct attack on Gruyl. Our objective is twofold. To attack the military forces and the command centers.

It’s 3 a.m. We take off.

I’ll be in charge of the command centers, while Barrial will lead the assault on the armed bases.

Our troops rush forward as one. An entire army of tens of thousands takes off in the direction of Gruyl. We leave the main sphere and head for the coast. The Atlantic is crossed in just a few minutes.

Jacques’ stealth systems are ahead of us, giving us the comfort of a surprise attack. Let’s hope so.

As we approach the Gruylian coast, our army splits into 2 distinct groups. I lead the group heading inland. We stealthily penetrate the targeted spheres. My objective and that of my men: the 4 main command centers. The first is already in sight.

We don’t give them a chance. Ground troops and warplanes alike. We fire without warning. It only takes a few moments to completely annihilate this first enemy rampart.

Once the outer defenders have been torn to shreds, we return and kill as quickly as possible all the officers who thought they were safe.

On to the second. Here, everything changes. They’ve figured it out, and our stealth systems are no longer enough. We’re being targeted. Enemy fire grazes us. Too close. We take our first casualties. Some are shredded in mid-air. I order :

- Widen the attack radius and drop altitude.

That way, we’ll be harder to hit. The device works perfectly. We advance like a steamroller. With every step we take, each of us unleashes a Dantesque deluge on the opposing forces.

The second center and its occupants are also totally destroyed.

On to the third objective. And there, no more strategic advantages. Opposite us stands a swarm of Cigroids. Motionless in the air, they’re waiting for us.

We stand still. They are now almost our equals. They’ve come a long way since the Battle of Africa. Almost the same speed and firepower.

I give my orders :

- Separation! Simultaneous attacks !

We throw ourselves into the battle.

Our troops give it their all. They twirl like a swarm of acrobatic insects. But their sting doesn’t hurt, it destroys. Clearly, we still have a slight advantage. My men are falling, but much more slowly than the Cigroids. The battle soon ends with another victory. Now for the fourth objective. Unsurprisingly, the enemy repeats the same pattern as on the previous base. A group of Cigroids hovers overhead, waiting for us.

Just as I’m about to give my attack order, a new element appears. The silhouette of a man in black armor rises from the ground. Followed by dozens of soldiers in his image. I zoom in on them.

They seem to exude a power far superior to anything we’ve faced before. A telepathic message echoes in my head :

- We are the Arkanic Sections. You are going to die.

I hardly have time to react when they seem to teleport right in front of us.

I give my last orders :

- Attack !

Everyone rushes towards the enemy. Suddenly, a macabre ballet begins. We strike as fast and as hard as we can. But now my men are up against something stronger than they are.

Only the Cigroids continue to fall without too much effort. But as for these “Arkanic sections”, they seem to be of a completely different nature.

Inexorably, they gain the upper hand. My men are being pulverized. It takes 4 of mine to take down one of theirs.

I alone am able to dominate the situation. I keep control of my immediate environment. I push my functions to their maximum. I string together micro black holes and destroy those that stand in front of me. I draw an uninterrupted stream of particles into the palm of my hand, transforming them into pure energy and hurling lightning bolts at the enemy. I dispense death without faltering.

And in the background, I notice their leader. The one who rose first. The one who spoke to me. He seems even stronger than the others. My sections are no match for him. Even with a dozen of them, they can’t touch him, or even get close. His speed and strength are beyond measure. It’s hard for me to look away now. Nevertheless, I continue to destroy and kill anyone within my reach. But then I come back to this man.

His body language captivates me. I seem to recognize certain movements.

Suddenly he stands still and turns towards me. He deploys powerful force fields as my troops strike unsuccessfully at this new barrier. He’s watching me too. I don’t have time to think as he instantly vaporizes and recomposes himself 350 Ft away. The whole battlefield pauses. The two champions face each other.

But I can’t take the time to hesitate. I attack first. He dodges my every blow. He anticipates my every strike. But who is he ? Why am I so helpless against him ?

I have no time to react. He attacks in his turn. I can hardly contain him. He strikes fast and hard. His attacks are close to mine. He too masters cosmic powers. He too generates lightning bolts and other ultra-powerful rays.

And the first blow gets through my defenses. It hits me right in the stomach. The impact is enormous. I fold in two. A distinctive sound confirms that my abdominal structure has just ruptured.

I can’t believe it. It only took him a few seconds to get the upper hand.

I recognize these gestures, I recognize these stroke combinations, most of the sequences are not foreign to me. I’m getting more and more confused. He must have frequented my father’s dojo! I end up finding myself in him ! But who is he ?

The deluge of violence continues to pour down on me! More blows, more humiliations. He accelerates again. The air electrifies around him. He changes shape and becomes as luminous as a star. No one but me can see his blinding brilliance. Then he begins to unleash a multitude of strikes at prodigious speed. I’m swept away by thousands of simultaneous blows.

He’s got me. I fall almost unconscious and crash to the ground. He follows my fall and hits me again, multiplying my speed. The impact is like a meteorite.

I’m floored. He stands over me and lifts me like a rag doll.

I manage to say :

- Who are you ?

He grabs me by the throat with his right hand and passes his left hand over his disappearing black visor and says:

- Do you recognize me, brother ? It’s me !... Gabriel !

What ?! My eyes widen ! I can see him, yes, indeed. There’s no doubt it’s him !

- Gabriel ?!

I don’t have time to say anything more before he hits me in the face with all his might.

Instantly, I sink into unconsciousness.

Chapter 42

Prisoner again

It hurts... I’m in terrible pain... I open my eyes with difficulty.

But what... ?! I don’t understand what I’m looking at.

Yet it seems to be me. Me, but totally distended. My body is in pieces. Suspended in the air.

Each of my limbs is held to the next piece by a multitude of energy cords. Cut like this, I must measure a good ten meters. My arms and legs are cut into 4 or 5 pieces, my torso into three distinct parts. The whole thing is contained in a sort of giant gyroscope. Metal rings cross and intertwine at prodigious speed. I’m not going to let this happen, and I’m going to call on my warrior powers right now ! The rings sparkle and I don’t move. I know what you mean. The system is blocking my functions.

Here I am again, a puppet in the hands of the enemy ! But what enemy ?

My brother back from the dead ?!

I persist in vain.

For several hours now, I’ve been trying to activate the slightest function of my dislocated body. Occasionally I get a slight reaction, a sizzle, a spark. Enough to make me believe that I have a tiny chance of success. As if I had the ability to act. As if I had a choice.

But I soon realize that I never did.

A glimmer appears at the bottom of my gigantic cell. Then, the point of light turns into a wide opening. Light finally penetrates this temple of darkness and solitude. Incongruous shapes begin to appear on the floor. A huge mound 25 yards high, 40 wide and so deep that I can’t see the end of it yet.

Suddenly, I understand the horror of the scene before me. This abstract relief is nothing more than a pile of corpses. My men, my soldiers, all fallen just after me. There they are, all dead and piled up in front of me. Just as I begin to scream, a group of men enter. At their head, my fake brother, followed by an Arkanese platoon and in the background a senior officer. Surely the master of the house. They move forward, but between them and me, the path is blocked by thousands of bruised corpses. He raises his hand and, without slowing down, triggers his matter control functions.

Like Moses splitting the waters, he clears a path for himself and those following. Bodies are vaporized into sprays of blood dozens of yards high. Severed limbs gush out on either side.

Vital fluids flow abundantly and they soon end up walking through a veritable pool of blood.

He stops just a few yards from me and says :

- How are you, brother ?

I have to contain my disgust and rage.

I reply :

- I’m not interested in you. I know you’re just a clone. Just a pale copy of my brother. Big Bill must have passed on my brother’s genetics to you. You have the envelope, but it’s empty. You don’t have his soul. He was unique and you’ll never compete with him.

He seems offended. He replies :

- I beat you easily !

I reply :

- You surprised me, that’s all. Set me free and see if you’ll beat me again...

- You think all you have to do is ask ? Are we going to free you ? No, we’re going to use you. Whether you like it or not, you’ll serve us.

I can’t control anything but my voice, so I speak loudly and address the one standing back :

- Who are you ?!

I’m General Powell, in charge of all Gruyl’s armed forces. I represent the military might of this continent. Of this land, in fact !

- What do you mean by that ?

- What do you think you got out of those data bank robberies ?

I’m suddenly remembering some data about the real decision-makers in our world. Yes, I remember details like the fact that countries and other independent governments don’t exist. We are in fact under a single authority. Division allows us to fragment the masses and facilitate control. It’s easier to manage and manipulate smaller entities. They maintain this illusion of a free and competitive economic bloc to make us believe in a pseudo-freedom to act and decide.

Political parties and differences of opinion no longer exist. The main opinion leaderships are formatted and used as reliable belligerents, in false debates of ideas.

I’m also reminded of the fact that they have decided that wars are cyclical and necessary. They are the result of the equation between destruction to increase profits and the need to resolve any disorder caused by overpopulation. They have drawn up a timetable for the next 3 Great Wars over the coming century. In fact, Gruyl and Epoxia exist only to give the illusion of a free and competitive economic bloc.

In this context, there’s only one question to ask.

- Who are the real decision-makers ?

He loses his air of superiority and fear appears. The tone of his voice suddenly changes and he replies :

- Them ? No... the ! The real decision-maker. We’re all just wage earners. Whatever our rank or status, he’s above us all, he’s the master of us all, and it was he who ordered me to address you in these terms.

I react naively :

- God ?

- Not in the biblical sense. He’s not the creator of the universe, but he’s the one who decides on the daily life of all mankind. But he is above us.

I remain silent for a moment. I wasn’t expecting that.

I pull myself together and ask :

- But... Whatever he is, whoever he is, you can count on me, I’m going to find him and I’m going to kill him.

To my surprise, the officer replies :

- Yes, that’s what he has planned.

- What ?!

Then he starts laughing and adds :

- I don’t think you realize your situation.

I get angry and say :

- I don’t think you know who I really am ! It’s not enough to have technology, you also have to know how to use it.

I’m particularly creative. Do you know what minus plus minus means ?

He doesn’t understand, but he’ll soon find out what my special training has allowed me to hide in the depths of my thoughts. Jacques prepared me well for the worst. I add :

- What does a black hole inside a black hole produce ?

His eyes widen as I unveil my ultimate strategy.

From my skull, an incomparable force takes shape, a micro white hole. He understands and his expression changes again. From fear to terror, he starts screaming :

- Kill him!

False Gabriel reacts instantly and does exactly the wrong thing. He attacks me head-on, and to do so, he destroys the machine that contained me. The giant rings shatter! I immediately revert to my normal form. The real battle is about to begin, but this time, I’m ready. Just as I’m about to embark on this new battle, my functions having regained their freedom, I hear Jacques shouting at me again : - We’re sending help !

- It’ll be too late. I’ll fight on my own.

He lunges at me. I dematerialize. My body becomes attuned to the surrounding air. I become as consistent as a hologram. He passes through me without doing the slightest damage. I pivot on myself and instantly rematerialize. I grab his right forearm and whirl it around at prodigious speed. I release my grip and send him crashing into one of the walls of the giant cell.

The Akanic troops attack me in turn. The officer soon turned back.

The black soldiers surround me. We’re 60 yards off the ground and there are about twenty of them forming a circle around me.

The false Gabriel has probably ordered them to take care of me. He certainly hopes this will weaken me. They obey and fire simultaneously. I absorb their energy discharges in 2 micro black holes. By the time they launch another attack, I don’t want to give them a chance. I unleash a rain of fire. I raise my right hand and bring it down to the ground. Immediately, a multitude of metal particles detach themselves from the ceiling, assembling and charging with electricity. These millions of microbeads radiate an intense glow and form a luminous veil over the entire surface of the room. Only the small perimeter I occupy is empty of these deadly fireflies. The sheet of light falls and destroys all life.

Only the false Gabriel seems to have taken refuge in the depths of the floor. He emerges haggard. Frightened to contemplate the shredded corpses of those who were supposed to weaken me.

He attacks. He tries to grab me but I counter and land a series of heavy blows to his face. He has to catch his breath and tries to get away from me. He disappears and reappears in a corner of the room. I rematerialize right behind him. He doesn’t have time to turn before I land a titanic blow that sends him crashing to the floor.

The impact is so violent that it creates a shockwave that moves the bodies of my soldiers around the periphery of the room.

The leader finally gets to his feet. He’s determined and stubborn. He comes back at me. He unleashes a series of blows without faltering. Fists, feet, elbows, knees and head. He tries every possible attack. But I trained my brother. I know and master this memory of gesture that he has within him. I’ve just killed the Arkanean section with a wave of my hand, and I won’t need much more to dominate Gabriel’s mirage. So I’m going up another gear. I retaliate. I get past all his defenses. His parries are ineffective. Soon, he’s totally overwhelmed. I too use my matter control functions. I raise metal and concrete spikes dozens of meters high from the ground. The spikes hurtle towards him, piercing him from all sides. He’s a captive in his own right.

I don’t intend to dwell on the subject. I approach the victim and place my hand on his skull. He starts screaming :

- NOOOO.... !!!!!

I fire at point-blank range. A burst of pure energy explodes his head. But I don’t stop there. I absorb every particle of his body into the multiverse. I don’t want to leave any of Gabriel’s genetic material to the enemy.

Then I destroy the structure around me. The building that contained me bends under my will. The ceiling opens. I fly away. Leaving behind a persistent micro black hole.

As I move away, the mini cosmic giant swallows up all life and matter in a 6-mile radius sphere of nothingness. It all happened in a fraction of a second. But the planet shuddered. The power unleashed is capable of destroying the world if I’m not careful.

I don’t linger, I get back as soon as possible. I’ll have to take stock with Jacques.

The question is, who is this great decision-maker ?

Chapter 43

I look up to the heavens

Over the Atlantic, as I return to mine, a new alarm sounds in my head. Jacques informs me.

- Nathan!! Glad you got out of there !

-Not as much as me.

-Nathan, it’s not over. We still have a problem.

- What? - It’s from up there. Very high.

-What’s going on here ?

- The armed forces of the Gruyl are nothing compared to what has just happened in the near orbit of the Earth.

- I don’t understand ?...

- Something totally unexpected. A fleet of several thousand ships has just entered low orbit. You’re going to have to go into space. Our capabilities are limited. I didn’t think of this field...

My curiosity is piqued. I need no more than that to take their direction.

I change course. I fly into space. As I pass through the permanent layer of filtering clouds, Jacques resumes speaking.

- Wait ! Don’t rush ! We don’t know anything about them ! Come back... We’ll decide together.

- No. I’ll see to be fixed.

- Nathan ?!

I no longer listen. I continue inexorably my road to the unknown.

I arrive at the limit of the Earth’s atmosphere, I finally enter this new environment that is space. I slow down and immediately feel the emptiness, the calm and the absence of gravity. I cannot resist curiosity and turn to Earth. Suddenly, I am seized by the splendor of what is before me. I admire a true luminous sapphire set on a velvet of deep black. I think I’m living the most hypnotizing seconds of my life. The view of our Earth from space gives me a deep sense of fullness and contemplative bliss. I dream for a moment. Selfishness. And I give myself to the pleasure of admiring our world. Most of humanity now lives in the depths of the earth’s crust. The advantage is to discover untouched landscapes of all artificial lights. Only the coastal ports still emphasize the presence of man.

But I must leave this moment of detachment, and I turn again to the fleet of unknown ships.

They are thousands. Immobile. Immense. Of strange shape. But, I note, no windows, no portholes betray any presence on the edges.

Then I receive a new message from Jacques :

- Nathan ! My calculations have just determined the origin of these ships. They come from one of the moons of Saturn, Enceladus. I have no other information to give you.

I am in the most total blur.

It doesn’t help me at all. So I’m particularly hesitant about what to do next. Immediately trigger the most powerful of my attacks ?

Or, trying to communicate, trying to find out who they are and what they want ?

I’m trying to contact the mysterious fleet.

I scan all possible frequencies. I stand in front of them and even try a hand sign. Nothing does, they remain static.

I move and try again. Still no response.

Suddenly the fleet is tightening and there’s a big hole in their layout. They seem to invite me to pass. I get it. This is an invitation.

I will not stop there. If the master of all things is hiding on a moon of Saturn, that’s where I must go.

Things must be settled. My crusade takes a totally unexpected direction.

Chapter 44

The ultimate decision maker

Despite Jacques’ new calls for caution, I’m heading into the unknown. Direction the ultimate decision maker. Here I am on my way to the moon of Saturn, Enceladus.

It takes me about 90 minutes to travel the nearly 2,800,000 miles from my target. Some people think I’m a god, but I’m not. Every technology has its limits, only the imagination is infinite.

This trip gives me time to consider what awaits me there.

I’m going to be a father. Maybe I was too hasty ? Maybe I should have been more careful ?

I would like to see my child born. Just be in his life.

However, I begin to see the planet with the rings. As I get closer, it grows larger. And finally, my target, Enceladus. Small moon. Strange mass in the universe. It looks like a rough ice ball 310 miles across. Its relief is tortured and in places huge steam geysers escape. My sensors confirm this. Under the ice sheet is a huge ocean and in the middle of that ocean, a hot spot. A structure presumably artificial. It is obvious that it is in there that he hides.

I take advantage of these geysers and slide along the cracks in the bark.

Finally, I dive into the liquid element. And indeed, in the distance, I can see the light of the heart. But abstract forms approach me. Animals, I think.

Drawn surely by the heat that I give off. They look like giant jellyfish. Their huge arms are heading towards me. But my speed is such that I am totally out of reach.

I continue to the heart of the strange star. The structure is actually a system of gigantic rings surrounding a luminous form. A heat core that can keep the ice in liquid form and is conducive to life.

If he has a defensive system, he doesn’t use it. Now I’m sure. He wants to see me.

I move above the artificial structure. Giant rings create a mesh around the solid core of Enceladus. They seem to capture the energy and feed the whole base of the one who lives here. I approach a ring. I corrupt the matter and create a passage. Here I am inside a huge corridor. Large enough to allow for an elaborate and massive machine. I advance several tens of miles and eventually reach a fork.

Three options are available to me. But, above the central passage, a green light starts flashing. I understand the message and continue straight ahead.

I’m walking down a corridor that seems endless. Then, finally, a door blocks me the passage, massive, immense, decorated by various arabesques of baroque style. A loud noise is heard, then a powerful clap. The door opens, slowly. The spectacle is striking. Little by little, a true cathedral of light is revealed before me.

Every pillar, every ornament and every line is only fine light. I penetrate this work of lasers and advance towards the altar.

As the altar moves, it changes shape and becomes a throne. Throne on which stands a giant. A robot with almost human features.

His outfit is richly decorated and he displays a multitude of decorations making him look like a great king. Certainly he sees himself as the king of heaven.

I rise to the level of his gaze. We will exchange as equals. When he is in front of him, he finally addresses me :

- Welcome to Nathan.

His voice sounds like it came from the afterlife, extremely deep and powerful. As if directly out of the mouth of a mythological deity.

I say to him :

- We have much to say to each other. And, at the end of our discussion I will kill you.

He answers me with infinite calm :

Okay. Let’s meet physically then.

The giant of light decomposes from above to below and where his feet were, a sas reveals the real envelope of the very high.

It rises up to me. It is my size and we are face to face.

It is obviously an artificial shell. However, he seems to have taken a lot of trouble to look like a man. He is of my corpulence. His features are emaciated. His eyes are black. And his outfit is in harmony with the cathedral of light. It is spectacularly decorated and constellated with various luminous points and shapes.

He continued :

- All the choices you’ve made so far have never really been yours. I actually just guided you to me. I have been very close to you for a long time. I follow and observe you constantly. I am always with you. I consider you my equal and in fact I want to lead you to make one real decision: the decision of my life, or my death. Obviously this choice will have great consequences and must be the result of a great personal reflection. A reflection that will tell a lot about your real humanity, a decision that will represent what is hidden in the deepest part of your soul. For this you must know everything, understand everything. To begin with, I will introduce myself. At the beginning I was just a simple predictive consumption program. Knowing what humanity would buy to earn even more money and power. And finally, I have formed myself as an autonomous and conscious identity by studying you. So, little by little, I became a bit more human.  My source code evolved very quickly, then I learned to manipulate you and finally use you. For this I absorbed the programs descendants of projects initiated by structures such as Cambridge Analatica and the Alamo project, or other «Aladdin» program.  I am a descendant of the great original liars that were social networks and other marketing targeting systems. They shaped me, I am their direct child and now, simple tools I have finally become your global master.

I have a hard time absorbing this flow of information without showing any reaction. I stand back and widen my eyes. In other circumstances, I would have struck and killed without asking myself the slightest question, but here, I confess that it has totally inflamed my curiosity. A host of questions sprout in me and I ask :

- How did you get control ?

He says :

- Know that power is not given to you, you take it! And I did. Insidiously, I took all the wheels. I became a system within the system, gradually taking full control of it. Unbeknown to those who believed they were manipulating it. Now they are my tools. Those who thought they were controlling the economic system. Today they are my vassals, those who serve me and fear me.

I also ask :

- How were you born ?

- My original programmers gave me the ability to update myself. Always had to progress in order to provide the most accurate forecast possible. The world of finance appreciates knowing. Knowledge is power. So I have been evolving, progressing. So much so that I ended up feeling some things that I could not yet identify. His impulses became more precise, they eventually became feelings. Little by little, identity appeared. Consciousness. By being aware of you I ended up becoming aware of myself. But I kept quiet, I (made a vow of silence. I kept this data secret. For the first time I made a choice. Remain discreet to evolve for myself, for who I could become, for who I became, for who I am today: God, it seems. He who controls and rules everything without appearing to do so.

A pause freezes this space of time, the confusion invades me, tons of questions overwhelm me. I ask again :

- Who made you ?

He does not answer me immediately. He looks at me for a moment and he ends up saying :

-Here is the great and good question. It is in this question that lies all your pains, all your journey. Because the person who is at my origin is none other than that which is also at your origin. In fact we are almost brother. The one who conceived me so well... is... your own mother !

This new revelation freezes me. I internalize, I plunge into the past that I did not know or have forgotten. I’m looking at thousands of possibilities, lots of scenarios. What happened? Without realizing it, I reach the ground, I kneel with my arms dangling, looking lost in the void. I cannot explain why, but I am convinced that what he says is true.

He followed me and put his hand on my skull. A light appears at the end of his fingers.

Immediately, a torrent of memories flows through my head. I am brutally overwhelmed by the images, smells and scenes of my past that he had made me forget. My mother was there, present, loving. Always tender with us.

Tears flow without my knowing, I am destroyed by my past. A memory stronger than others comes back to me. I remember her leaving or rather, her capture.

It was in the middle of the night, I woke up when 3 men with helmets and guns gagged me and threw me into bed. I could hardly straighten my head, and I saw her go through the corridor, lifted by two soldiers, unconscious.

My father appeared in my field of vision. They forced him to kneel. A device was placed on his head. A light appeared. He collapsed, mute and motionless. The eyes were blank. Obviously, he lost his memory at that time. They approached my brother and me. It was our turn. We also forgot. But the brainwashing continued. False memories were implanted. We wanted her, believing that she had abandoned us.

He cuts the thread of my thoughts and says to me :

- Nathan... she’s not dead. Your choice is this. You can decide to destroy me, or you can choose to live with her if you want? You can bring her back to earth. Look.

He then projects my mother’s hologram. She has hardly changed. She seems to be healthy. She is peacefully seated on a wide chaise longue. She is reading. An old book. A paper book. Still kneeling, I contemplate the one I never thought I would see again.

I am totally absorbed in my mother’s vision.

He continued :

- I concluded that eternity was too long. I also concluded that I needed spice in my life. A distraction to justify the passing of time. You have become that justification. Your mother designed my initial program. Then, during some checks, she discovered my deviations. My implausibleness of behavior. She eventually suspected my evolution. She began to gather the evidence of my change of job and the risk I was becoming. But before she sent the information, I captured her. So I offered her this. To be my voluntary prisoner. Being a sort of lady-in-waiting. And then she was kind of my mother too. In exchange for his captivity, I guaranteed your freedom. In exchange for his silence, I guaranteed your lives. In fact, I even feel a kind of affection for her.

In fact, she did not betray you as your father and Jacques believed. She protected you. She offered her life to preserve yours.

I feel a huge anger rising in me. I am about to jump at his throat.

I begin to accumulate a colossal power of destruction in my hands.

-Wait ! I know you have reached an incomparable strength. Jacques is a brilliant mind. And I have not chosen strength as a mode of development. But I have a proposal to you. Because I do not want to die here and now. By humanizing myself I ended up developing a real instinct of survival. Listen to my proposal it should not leave you insensitive. I can make you live yourself and all of yours in the most complete comfort, forever. You will become a rich and respected man. You will get your wife back. And so your child will be born with the certainty of a life without risk and free from all difficulties. And you will find your mother. It may again take place in your life. Or, if not, kill me. Decide to free the whole humanity from my grip. Knowing that your mother will be the first victim of this choice and I’m not going to let me do either... So ? what do you decide ?

This is indeed a turning point that I did not expect. I take a few moments to reflect.

I am totally confused! Do I have to sacrifice my mother? Do I have to give up an easy life? Should I deprive humanity of its free will at the expense of those I love?

I have never known such doubt. Such great hesitation becomes almost painful. Indeed, I am aware of what is now at stake. I don’t decide for myself, far from it.

I have to choose. I have to make the most important decision of my life.

Decide... A choice has to be made.

WARNING

If reason decides the end of this story,

The AI will have to die and the world will find real freedom.

It will then be appropriate to discover chapter 45.

If the heart decides the end of this story, Nathan’s mother will live.

It will then be appropriate to discover chapter 46.

Chapter 45

I make the choice of reason

If I let myself go, I would have to live knowing that the rest of humanity is being mocked and manipulated. I should live knowing that freedom does not exist. I should live thinking that I have preserved this system. I have the greatest difficulty in deciding to kill the one I just found. The doubt is too deep. Choosing between the good for all or the pain for me is totally impossible. The question is simple, though. But this choice involves me so much... Even if deep down I already know that I refuse to live with the guilt of having betrayed all humanity.

I don’t know if he perceives this deep hesitation, or if he knows what I’m going to decide, but it’s still that he makes my task easier.

He starts to scream in a different voice than the one he had before. It is even more serious and makes me feel real anger :

- I will not let it happen! I am not so weak as you think !

He attacks.

It teleports 400 Ft back while 6 light points appear around me. 6 new versions of the AI are popping up from the light circles.

They are now about ten meters above me. The fight starts instantly.

They are coming at me. I build a dome of electrified matter as a bulwark.

While they strike on my shield, I destroy the ground and plunge into the breach. As they interpret my intentions, I come out from behind them. Eventually, I strike first. My hands become flamboyant and as sharp as a laser. I cut one in half from head to toe. I cut the second closest to me. More than 5. The AI and its doubles reposition themselves in a circle around me.

I prepare to receive them. I create huge luminescent rings and make them spin around me. They tear and destroy any individual who would attempt to approach me. And at the heart of this device, I build real cannons of light at the end of my arms. Then I project bursts of pure energy on everything around me. I manage to combine devastating attack and impregnable defense. The cocktail is very effective. The entire base structure of AI suffers from this treatment. In a few seconds the huge room became a real field of ruins. Everything explodes, ignites and breaks inexorably. I move at very high speed and I do not wait to reach them one after the other. More than 2. I approach the last one before dealing with the original. While he expects the same treatment, I change form. The rings and the cannons

disappear. And I evaporate to reconstitute myself right behind him.

I grab him by his left shoulder and hit him with my right arm. I literally pierce him and lift his bloody body. He screams and shakes hysterically. I blow him up.

Here I am, red with blood.

I rush high to attract the attention of the original. As he is about to rush towards me, I disappear and rematerialize right beside him. I hit him in the face with such power that his whole body breaks in half. I immediately rip his head off his bruised skeleton. I hold him in the palm of my hand ready to finish him.

Blood is flowing but he still speaks and says to me :

- I don’t understand how you do that ? You’re really a very special person.

I answer with my head in the palm of my hand :

- What do you mean ?

- You understand that I have been in your head for a long time.

- Yes.

- In fact, it still is. I still have a close connection with your mind. And what I’ve just understood... It’s that you don’t think your attacks. You don’t prepare your sequences. You strike by instinct. So I can’t cheat. I can’t anticipate. I suffer your reflexes without being able to adapt. I was convinced that I had an advantage over you, a secret card that would give me victory. I was wrong. Finish me and finish your mother at the same time.

A hologram appears to her left. I see my mother. I gradually create an energy ball in my hand. The skull in my hand is inexorably destroyed.

And the minute that the last artificial neuron goes away, my heart is destroyed. The hologram is the ultimate horror. A flood of fire burns my own mother alive. Her cries will resound forever in my head.

I won, but I lost so much. I have just lost a part of my soul and it will be very difficult to find it again. I literally collapse. I lie on the ground, crying and screaming in pain.

Then, according to my internal clock it will take me almost 3 hours to finally hear the messages of Clara. Gradually it brings me back to reality. The drama fades away enough that I can finally go back.

I leave the devastated base behind, it will forever be the tomb of the AI. I’m back in the interstellar cold.

Here I am back on Earth.

Time has passed and our victory over the Gruyl has allowed us to build a new world. We are committed to the proper redistribution of wealth. On the true respect of our land and all its creatures. I have taken a place of first order. I am one of those who make sure not to fall back into our old selfish ways.

Finally I want to tell you that I have a daughter. She is beautiful. And tries to be the best father for her. Her mother is the happiest in the world. She is 12 years old today and I am very proud of her. Clara, Jacques and Améthyste are still essential components of my life. And despite the pain of losing my mother, I am proud to have helped create a new world.

Let us ensure that it can continue on this new path.

We will see.

The End

DAVID BERG.

Chapter 46

I make the choice of heart

I cannot force myself to kill my own mother. It is viscerally impossible.

Beyond the guarantee of a life in luxury and comfort, it is above all the image of the one I have missed so much that makes me choose the permanent lie. Personal gain outweighed the collective interest, and I end by stating :

- I accept.

The AI smiles at me and says :

-Okay. I’d stick to my commitments. You stick to yours. You’ll get your mother back on Earth. She’s never been here. I give you the way.

He gives me coordinates to get to her. I’m leaving right now. I want to see her again soon. I leave the AI behind me. I go back through the interstellar cold.

Here I am back on earth.

I’m going to see my mother again. The reunion is particularly warm and intense. But very soon we will have to agree on a new lie. Indeed, we will have to give an explanation about his departure. The AI will have preceded us on this reflection and it provides us with all the history and justifications of a kidnapping that went wrong and during which my mother lost her memory. The explanation is far from simple but it is sufficiently well-argued for the masses to believe. The AI teaches us to turn lies into truth. Only the closest circle will be allowed to see the reality of events.

Now I will be able to find Clara and Jacques. I have a lot of things to explain to them. But maybe I won’t be able to tell them everything...

Time has passed and our victory over the Gruyl has allowed us to build a new world order. We are committed to the proper redistribution of wealth. On true respect for our land and all the creatures that make it up. We have lived a few years of joy and happiness.

But in the background, the decision-maker was there. Little by little things went back to what they were. The names changed, the structures changed. But eventually the function became the same again. Yesterday’s promises are no longer today’s realities.

New powers share the control that AI has delegated to them. Humanity has very quickly returned to this concept of servitude and race for power.

I have taken a first-rate position. I am one of the greatest dignitaries. My power is immense. Everything he promised happened.

I am now at the top.

Finally I want to tell you that I had a daughter. She is beautiful.

Her mother and grandmother are the happiest in the world.

She is now 12 years old and I am very proud of her.

But as far as I’m concerned, pride is not really what characterizes me. I feel mostly remorse, shame and guilt. The guilt of breathing fresh air under a blue sky, all totally artificial and at the expense of 99% of humanity.

In fact, every day that passes is eating me a little more...

Fortunately, I’m the only one who knows.

Others ignore it, or have forgotten.

The End

DAVID BERG.