The San Deigo Skyline

The invisible plane reflecting light and clouds like shimmering pools of water flies quietly in the early evening the sky. Devin peers out a passenger window getting a birds-eye view of the downtown area with its piercing architecture of various shapes and sizes and colorized frameworks that change the downtown's kaleidoscope of colors based on the reflection of the sunlight. Devin notices that none of the buildings have windows where the outsider could appear in, they were all reflective outward. Convenient for secrets. People walk the streets below freely and that is a heartwarming sign to him that there is an area in this dystopian existence where people were living life to some degree.

"No one appears to be on a chase after us, so your Oliva friend must be doing her part," Kate said.

"Seems so, hey?" Enrique replies and quickly tilts his head in Devin's direction.

"Don't even say it. You all have said it a 100 times. It's a trap. Actually, it is more than likely that the opposite is true. Bloomfield is expecting I'm too smart to make a overt move like that and it's precisely why I'm making it."

"For all our sakes, I hope your right," Enrique replies, "We're approaching your place now."

Devin gets up out of his seat and enters the cockpit. Kate examines him noticing the renewed adrenaline that has him wide-eyed and scoping out the scene before him. Enrique slows the plan over a row of homes that are all black cubes made of some mysterious black matter. As they approach Devin's home, the black cube domicile sits on a much larger piece of property with a circular drive. The grass is almost luminescent. The shrubbery and trees are perfectly manicured. Not a leaf is out of place.

"These homes...they are very-"

"Minimalist?" Kate interjects.

Devin turns to her and back to the view, "Everyone lives in these cubes? I remember on the new, my home was a mansion."

"Ah, yes, well the wealthier elite can alter the form of the cubes into whatever they want at any time," Enrique explains, "but except for when the elite are entertaining, most seem to keep them in the original state. It is functional for some folks. A bit odd if you ask me, but whatever floats yo piñata!"

"The black matter that makes up the cubes is flexible and transitional," Theresa adds turning to the two of them. It was the first time her and Kate exchanged eye contact since they parted ways at the bunker. She could see the surprise look in Kate's eye at her being a driving force in the cockpit. Theresa clears her throat and does an about face back to the flight controls embarrassed by her sense of shame of having abandoned her there.

"Annnnd," Enrique interjects exaggerating his sound for effect, "that material is easy for our scanners to get a lookie-loo through." Enrique turns back to confirm again that one yellow dot appears in the house. "There's only one person in the home. Assuming that is her, you would be right as to that easy access after all."

"I told you! What luck!"

"Still, a humanoid could be in there. Our scanners aren't as good as picking them up," Theresa turns to Enrique with her brows furrowed and face red.

"Theresa is right, but more than likely even so 'migo, it's you and her. At least for now."

Moments later...

Devin meets Theresa in the back of the plane wearing jumping gear. She makes some final adjustments. Kate looks on clicking her nails with a forefinger.

"Are you ready?" Kate asks.

"Ready as I ever will be I guess."

Theresa interrupts, "You're going to descend right through ceiling. The black material of the cube will allow you to materialize right through the substance since your DNA should already be registered to the home. Homes identify you by your DNA. Let's hope this one is still using original DNA. If there is a problem, page us and we'll send down the ropes and get you out of there." Theresa looks him square in the face while tightening a belt that momentarily almost unbalances him practically throwing him into her own body. "Any questions?"

"Does this outfit come with a diaper because I think I may crap myself before this over."

Theresa steps back and looks at Kate bewildered, and Kate laughs out loud covering her mouth momentarily. She sees Theresa isn't that humored by it, which makes Kate have to resist laughing all the more. Kate walks up to Devin who reaches out his hand and grabs Kates arm.

"If something were to happen down there..."

"In your diaper?"

"No, I'm serious, if something happens to me...

"Could you not with that right now? You are coming back, alright? Let's just be clear about that. Just go and do what you need to do and get back here. Okay?"

"Right, you're right."

"Of course, I am," she replies and reaches into an overhead compartment pulling out a lime green chord. She begins to tie it around Devin's waist.

Theresa looks on. "Men," she says flatly.

"Can't live with me, can't live with me?" Devin asks.

"Something like that," she snickers.

"Funny, we say the same thing about you women," he replies.

Kate comes around the back having finished tying up the chords. "Well, maybe I should loosen these chords a little then, hey Therese?"

"Just never you mind," Devin squints at her and grabs the end chord from her hand and the two women smile.

The Richardson Household

Cindy Richardson finishes taking the last bit of the laundry out of a futuristic dryer. The clothes come out on racks on hangers from a slender, silver machine, and she gently lays them over her arm in a dignified manner almost as if they weren't her own but some senator of a higher office. She leaves the laundry room humming a song softly to herself. Her hair is pulled back revealing some gray streaks on the sides. Her pastel clothes are loose fitting and relaxed as her song. She enters the living room from the kitchen and suddenly stands straighter at the sight of Devin standing in the middle of the living room seemingly waiting for her.

"Oh? Honey, you startled me. What are you doing home so early?" Devin walks toward her embracing her passionately. "Dear, oh? What has gotten into you?"

Devin pulls away wiping his face while keeping a hand on her shoulder, "Sweetheart, I want you to trust me."

"Why of course I trust you!"

"I have to get us out of here, now." Devin takes her hand. She looks around the room to see if there is sign of a threat or a joke.

"Devin, are you secure?" Kate asks through his ear piece.

"Secured."

"What?" Cindy asks confused, "Secured? Who are you talking to?"

"Sit down, I have a lot to tell you."

On the Plane

Enrique and Kate watch in dismay on a portable screen a broadcast playing on a news media channel about the attack on Paradise Island. The title underneath the video reads "The Resistance Found--Richardson's Body Not".

A reporter at the scene is taking up the center screen while another sits at a news desk and remains in a smaller box in the top left corner of the broadcast.

"As you can see, the ruins of this old island is being turn inside out. Nothing is being left undone," informs the reporter as the wind takes his feathered brown hair up in great whiffs and plays with it much to his disliking.

"This is big news, Tom. The first real big compound of the Resistance found in over 4 years!" replies the reporter at the news desk.

"That's right, John! The site of this old battle ground had been the subject of searches sometime within every decade, but nothing ever came up and it is believed that this band of resistors have not been here very long."

"Tom, how many have they captured so far?"

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Well, the Resistors are tied down in a heavy bunker deep underground, so the numbers are unclear, but we have word this is a very large, significant operation. It should be only a matter of moments before that bunker is breached."

Tears stain Kate's cheeks. She wipes them away quickly.

"Once they reach that bunker, it is the end for them," Enrique announces.

"No shit. It could be the end for us all if they get access to everything. I sure hope that Olivia friend of yours has our asses covered."

San Deigo Air Traffic Police Department

Olivia swivels around in her chair quickly covering any view of her monitor with her sheer body weight. She sees who is coming. Sophia is always a busy-body and she isn't going to take chances.

"Olivia!"

"Hi Sophia! How are the kids?"

"Oh, you know, sugar and spice."

"And it ain't all nice!"

"You got that right, girl!"

The two laugh and as Sophia walks on by, Olivia drops her fake smile and returns to her screen staring intensely at her monitor. Her eyes dart over the screen observing where Enrique and his team are. She looks over to her sergeant's office and sees he is preoccupied on the phone.

The Richardson Home

Devin paces slowly in front of Cindy biting a fingernail and sporadically looking at her. Convincing her was a harder puzzle than he imagined but he liked puzzles and even more, he loved her. He wasn't leaving without her. He would drag her kicking and screaming if her had to. Hog tie her. They were getting out of here.

"How do I know you aren't this humanoid you are describing trying to trick me right now?"

"Why would I bother telling you all this then? You just have to trust-" He stops talking suddenly as Kate informs him that he has a guest arriving at the home. "Damn it, we are out of time. Just ask yourself, why would I have abandoned a project I was so passionate about?"

"It's a humanoid. You have got to get out there now!" Kate exclaims and Devin winces at her yelling in his ear. He goes over to help Cindy up, but she rises on her own.

"You started your business in Las Vegas."

"Las Vegas?"

"Yes, you were overwhelmed so you wanted to restart. Start over." A first glimmer of doubt crosses Cindy's face as she says the words aloud and sees how they don't register with the man standing across from her. "Yes, you make a lot of trips out there every month."

A sound like that of plastic wrap stretching, and ripping fills the room. The image of a body on the south wall forms in the wall and a copy of Devin Richardson walks through it. Cindy looks on confused, and she suddenly grabs her head in pain almost buckling over.

"Cindy?" Devin places a hand on her side trying to help her. As she is able to stand up moments later, she is unable to recognize who he is. She looks back to the other version of him across the room.

"Devin? Wait. Who have I been talking to. I thought you were..."

"It's a set up. Come to me, dear, now. He's here to take you from me." The humanoid reaches out his hand stepping closer.

"Cindy, no. It's the System. Their manipulating you. The brain chip. I'm your real husband. You knew that a minute ago, I saw it in your face. Don't listen to him!"

The humanoid squints and starts to head after the other Richardson. They dance around Cindy and the furniture.

"Cindy, go into the kitchen and call the police right away."

"Cindy, don't. They'll kill us both. Just go to back living room. Go."

The humanoid manages to jump with a supernatural strength landing into Richardson and knocking over a lamp and lampstand with them both. Cindy shouts and runs over to the other side of the room. They wrestle on the floor with loud grunts and groans. Cindy is unsure which one is the real Devin that is winning.

"Cindy go make that call to the police, now!" Cindy walks backward slowly toward kitchen unsure what to do.

"No, Cindy! They'll kill us both!"

San Deigo Police Department

Olivia adjusts her seat and grabs a long series of tissues out of her tissue box. She uses them to wipe sweat off her forehead, back of her neck, upper chest, and cleavage.

"Oh, this little piñata owes me so big. So, big." She puts on a fake smile as a group of co-workers walk by to go have lunch and after they pass, she dumps the wad of used tissue into her trash basket.

"Olivia?" comes a strong voice from behind her that makes her stiffen. She frowns, her eyes momentarily bulge. Then she puts on a fake happy face and turns around.

"Oh, hi Sargent Theo! What can I do for you on this very fine afternoon!"

"I need to see you in my office. Now." Sargant Theo walks toward his office which is only a stone's throw away. Olivia clears her throat and hops up out of her seat trotting into the office like a child caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. She gently shuts the door and takes a seat, settling herself in as a mother hen mustering up her pride and defenses.

Outside the office window, workers pass to and fro doing their regular business as the two converses, and no one pays much mind as Sargant Theo moments later pulls out a laser gun and blast Olivia to bits. All that is left of her is the outline of her head and shoulders on the glass window and specs of flesh and blood.

Theo steps halfway out of his office door and shouts, "Can someone get the cleaning crew in here stat! We need all units sent to the Richardson's home immediately!"

The Richardson Home

Devin and the Humanoid are arm wrestling it over a laser gun while another laser gun sits smashed on the floor near the kitchen boundary line. The two grimace face to face, knuckle to knuckle, arm to arm in the stand off on who is going to get this gun and thus kill the other.

"Devin, you gotta get out of there. Police are approaching from all around," Kate informs.

"I'm .. sort of..in the middle..of something," Devin says to gritted teeth.

"Seems you are all out of aces," the humanoid smirks forcing his words out through exercion.

"I always have something else up my sleeve." Devin sees Cindy is no longer on the phone. As they move around in this tango of revenge, Devin spies a fireplace poker and manages to spin them around so that he can grab it. He takes it with his other hand and stabs it into the humanoid's foot. As the humanoid releases his grip, and hollers with a mechanical scream, Cindy rushes to his side preventing Devin from shooting him. He goes to reach for her arm to get her away from the humanoid, she pulls herself away from him.

"Cindy, we have to get you out of here!"

"Please! Go!" she cries rushing to the humanoid's aide.

Several figures start pressing and forming into the walls around them exposing weapons at alert. Cindy combs her husband's hair back compassionately and looks down at his foot. It is then that she notices the humanoid fluid and mechanical parts exposed in the tear. She looks up toward her real husband who is now exiting into the kitchen.

"Devin!" Cindy exclaims. Devin turns immediately and in panicky surprise. She goes to run to him but is grabbed by the limping humanoid who is reaching for the poker with his other arm. Devin fires with his laser gun around her searing his mechanical head nearly off its body. Cindy, in the meantime, has nearly leaped in fear and shock behind him. The disabled replica of himself lies there with it's neck smoking like a chimney. and eyes bulging out a mix of anger and alarm. Police start popping through the walls and Devin waste no time shooting them down in the legs. Others hearing the gunfire come in firing at will.

Devin grabs ahold of Cindy and they run off to the back living room. There are two ropes hanging from the living room ceiling and Devin shouts "Now! Now!" The two of them grab hold of the bright green ropes and are pulled up and into and through the black goo.

Inside the Sleeper Plane

Devin and Cindy are holding hands in the passenger seats talking about intimate memories and times gone by. Their cheeks are flushed with health and emotion. Kate walks by and heads up to the cockpit and that reminds Devin that he had wanted to check in about the compound, so he momentarily excuses himself from Cindy and joins the others. When he hears the news, he is saddened but not all that surprised. Together, the crew wonder how alone they truly are now.

"Well amigo," Enrique sighs, "you got your wife back. It was a close call, but you did it."

"We did it," he corrected him, "I couldn't have done it without all of you."

Everyone remains in a moment of respectful silence.

"And be sure to thank Olivia too."

"Yeah, I will. I can't seem to connect with her just right yet. Probably the area we are in."

"So what now? I mean, I hate to be the kill joy of the operation," Theresa interjected, " and remind you of any obligation you may have..., but you did say you would help us take down Bloomfield and the System once we got your wife back."

"Yes, I did. That's up to Kate. What about getting your father out of the warehouse and offline?"

Kate bows her head briefly and just then Mrs. Richardson had come up behind her listening in and leans on the door frame.

"I appreciate the offering, remembering my father. I think we..." She stops and swallows hard. She looks up to the ceiling trying to get the words out. Clearing her throat, she looks back at the crew, "I know what my dad would want. We are exposed. We have to make our last shot on taking down the System. That should be our main objective now." Cindy pressing her lips together rubbed Kate's back and Kate closed her eyes trying to phase out her own feelings for the sake of the cause.

"Cindy, you mentioned that the humanoid makes a lot of trips out to Las Vegas."

"Oh, yes. Yes, I did? Yes, I did! I mean, he does!" Kate looks over at her wondering how she had forgotten. Was it the trauma or something else?

"Then, that's where I think we should go. I believe that is probably where we will find Bloomfield and the lot of them," Devin replies.

"Ah, now you are speaking my language! Viva Las Vegas baby!" exclaims Enrique pumping his fist.

"This isn't exactly a pleasure trip," Kate interjects.

"Still, come on. It's Vegas. I know someone who can hook us up with info and chips we need too!"

"Please tell me you are not referring to Buddy?" asks Theresa.

"Don't be hating on Buddy. He's got the connections and that's what we will be needing."

"Well, he and his tribe need to learn to keep their hands to themselves. They are a bunch of pervs down there!" Kate exclaims.

"Hey, if you lived in the desert, you'd be a little frisky too."

"You men are all alike," Kate replies.

"Anyone have any better ideas, I'm all ears!" Enrique says raising his hands.

"You aren't all ears. You are all ass," says Theresa and the cabin blew up with laughter.

"Oh, some co-pilot you are. When I cook my next Mexican special, we'll see if you get invited."

"If I want burnt Mexican, I can cook it myself," she snickers.

"Oh, I see, Oh I see," Enrique lifts his chin slightly but his eyes squint masking a defeated look.

Theresa pushes him in the shoulder smiling. He smiles and she pushes him again, and he looks at her smiling which gave him a smirk. He knew she rarely joked around. She knew she went over the line and was trying to make up for it.

"I'm gonna put mamma's black magic on you, I'm tella ya. You just watch yourself, you hear?" he snickers, "now, let's go play the slots and roll some heads. Viva Las Vegas!" He starts putting in the coordinates into the flight controls.

Cindy laughs softly with others taking it all in.

Behind Cindy's Eyes

The scene of the entire cockpit from Cindy's perspective is displayed almost similar to a holographic image in what appears to be a throne room. The walls of the large, empty throne room are made of slick, wet gray stone and the ceiling and floor are black marble. On a black marble throne sits an entity of silver watching the scene with much interest. The material of its body moves like thick, water. A digit droid that is small, boxed and rhythmically glows sky blue stands by its feet on a path of luminescent white outlined on the floor.

"So, they are coming to me. You have done well." The digit bot glows in and out in a more rapid succession for a period of time and then stops. It is a form of digital communication that isn't heard with human ears. "We will wait to use her in that manner when they are closer. Let me know when they are just outside Vegas city limits." The digital bot abruptly turns about and travels down the white line speedily. The holographic image closes and the silver being puts its elbows up on the arm rests of the throne. It brings its hands together and interlaces its fingers in a praying fashion while it contemplates next steps.