Jeremiah Hall

Lieutenant Jeremiah Hall of the La Esperanza City Police Department—although, he might no longer be a police officer for long—pressed a button on the side of his hospital bed to elevate his upper body so he’d have a better view of the TV. He had tried sitting but his muscles weren't up to the task. There was tenderness on his lower back, and a sensation of spikes shooting up his spine flared if he forced himself to get up. He took care that the wires attached to his body wouldn’t get entangled while changing his position.

The XYTV Channel was playing a video of yesterday’s battle between the BID forces from Palomar Node and the Adumbrae Titan that took the form of a building-sized mushroom monster with limbs. The news station had invited an expert to their studio to analyze the video and explain it to the viewers.

‘Professor Ezra Gallagher’ stated the caption, a faculty member of Cresthorne Law at EFU. That alone would barely suffice as credentials to be an expert. However, the anchor explained in his introduction of their guest that Gallagher used to be with the anti-Adumbrae NGO, the Free Will Initiative, and had spent years with its private military arm in missions all over the globe.

Hall was interested in hearing Gallagher’s insights but he had muted the TV out of respect for his visitor. If he wanted to hear an expert’s opinion on what was happening on TV, who better to ask than the giant of a man sitting beside his bed?

“I can’t imagine a news chopper getting close enough to shoot this,” Hall said to him. He would’ve turned his head to show respect in their conversation, but the neck brace he had on prevented him from doing so. The brace elevated and cushioned his neck to protect the wires plugged into the base of his skull. It was probably for a neck injury as well—he suspected that was what caused his coma and paralyzed his body.

“That’s right. Credit to our drone pilots for the amazing angles. Very cinematic, wouldn’t you say?”

“I...yeah, sure. Did you provide XYTV with this?”

“Provide? We had the video uploaded on the BID website. Everyone is free to copy it. Small local news stations, international ones, those online personalities making videos on Snippet, even your grandma could download—oh, your files did say that both your grandparents are dead. I apologize.”

“I don’t mind,” Hall grunted, doubting the sincerity of the apology. Was that a hint that they did a background check on him? “They barely knew how to use the internet. Does the BID normally do this? Share videos of your operations to the public?”

“I hate to use the word ‘propaganda’,” the man replied. As he turned to look at the TV and scratch his chin in thought, the plastic chair beneath him nervously squeaked. “Promotion? Ads? Let’s go with TV promotions of the BID image.”

“Why do you need to promote your image? The Bureau is doing a good job in keeping the country safe from Adumbrae.”

“Thank you for that. It’s nice to have some appreciation around here,” said the BID agent. Hall couldn’t tell if he was sarcastic about it. “And to answer your question, it’s to counter the side effects of doing a good job. If the BID carries out its duty effectively, it’s as if we aren’t even there. The people feel safer—because they are—but they wouldn’t know it’s because of us. What happens then if many people die—?”

“How many?” Hall interrupted.

“Including those killed by the mutating slugs—right, you don’t know about that. So far, about four hundred and fifty people who died yesterday have been identified. A true count may be impossible because many were consumed. I estimate that it’ll reach a couple of thousand, hopefully not three.”

“That many?” gasped Hall, jerking his head in surprise causing his neck brace to rattle.

“Add to that the casualties from the Eve raid, the Adumbrae attack at Serenade Bazaar, which would’ve nearly included you, and another few hundred from the condominium building seeding outbreak that happened after you went into a coma.” The man tapped his foot on the floor. “Supposed seeding outbreak. You’ll know about it in the future.”

“Holy Mother Core…so many…so many innocent lives lost.”

“It might be insensitive of me to say this—yes, it is insensitive to say this, but you should be relieved it’s only that given already four separate incidents here in your city. Remember when tens of thousands died every year because of the spate of those damned Adumbrae cults cropping up? We have progressed far from those times, the last major Adumbrae-related loss of life being that touristy town near Boulder, Colorado that disappeared from the face of this earth a year and a half ago.

“However, your reaction is warranted. If only it’ll stop at that. There’ll be protests about BID incompetence, with politicians jumping in the fray to fuel the fire and farm votes. This is exactly why we decided to disseminate information about yesterday’s Adumbrae extermination. People wouldn’t realize how much death and destruction we have prevented by doing a good job. When something like this happens, people will be out to crucify us even if we’ve done all we could. You’re in the police, you should be able to relate to this.”

“Those are still lives—”

“Each minute the Adumbrae Titan is still walking meant dozens of lives lost. The forces from Palmor took it down in less than ten minutes from first contact. I’d say that is already the best-case scenario. But the public wouldn’t view it that way.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Hall somberly replied.

“The Director decided it’s best not to fight the publicity of this incident. At this point, there’s no way to keep a lid on it. Better if we ride the wave and spread propa—promotions. I meant promotions. So, here we are.” The BID agent gestured at the TV.

Hall found it disconcerting how nonchalantly this man viewed deaths—it could be that emotional disconnection was required to be a BID agent—so he decided to ask something else, “How do you take down an Adumbrae Titan? That bomb that sucks up everything, what is that?”

“Chunkers, that’s what we call them because they take large chunks off the target. I’m not sure if I can provide an adequate explanation of the science behind it, but their purpose is to destroy Adumbrae flesh to expose its nervous system or the equivalent since most Adumbrae don’t have conventional body structures, with as minimal damage to the surroundings as possible.”

“That’s why you want the public to see this?”

“Correct. Next, we deploy the Gooper.”

“Gooper?” Hall incredulously asked.

The agent’s booming laughter reverberated in the small hospital room. “I swear I’m not in charge of the names. There! Those bombs that burst into smoke? It looks like a giant fire extinguisher exploded.”

Hall squinted his eyes at the TV. “It…it melts the flesh?”

“The most powerful corrosive in the BID arsenal. If a human is inside that cloud, he’ll turn to goop in seconds, hence the name. Goopers are used to combat an Adumbrae’s regeneration after the Chunkers have opened them up. And then we’ll drop the—”

“Shockers,” said Hall. “I know those.” The TV screen lit up and the footage cut off.

“And there I was, praising the drone pilot.” The BID agent chuckled. “Maybe we should fire that guy."

Another video was shown. This time, it was shot from a block or two away from the Adumbrae Titan. Its flesh was turning bleach white and hardening. Then it slowly crumbled like a sandcastle in the wind, flooding the streets with waves of white ash. Hall and the BID agent stared at the dying Adumbrae in silence.

“If I become a BID agent,” Hall finally said when the news cut to commercial, “will my—"

“If?”

“Are you going to blackmail me?”

“That is highly confidential and top-secret BID tech allowing you to wake up and move a bit right now, but I’m not blackmailing you. It just looks like it. The BID has no need for reluctant agents. I’m confident you’ll join us.”

A side of Hall’s lips curled in a smirk. The BID did have files on him.

When he was in college, he had tried to apply to be a BID agent. However, life had other plans, pulling him back from his dreams. He settled for joining the police force which required only several months in the academy. He did promise himself he’d try again to join the BID someday. Decades passed, and he was a well-respected lieutenant in the police with an unblemished record. Not an ounce of regret was inside him, but there were days he wondered what could have been.

Fate moved in mysterious ways. Was this the start of a new life Castan talked about? What would he think of this situation? How about Ramello? Hall closed his eyes and nodded. He already knew what the response of those two would be. And it’d be the same as his. The Adumbrae threat never ends, and as long as Hall can move, he’d continue.

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“When I become a BID agent,” Hall said. “Will I be augmented?”

“The works, yes.”

Hall exhaled slowly. “That…that is a lot to take in. But that should explain why you survived the explosion at Eve.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“Pardon?”

“I died at Eve.”

“Why are you saying you died if you’re in front of me? You’re Matt, aren’t you? A different face, but I’m sure you’re Matt. You’re the one I talked to about Mark and Marc’s organization."

“We did talk at Danny’s. I liked the pastrami sandwich there."

"And you were leading the raid. I heard you were in the underground area of the club when the massive explosion happened."

"That was me...but also wasn’t. In fact, I’m…Tim now. Yeah, let’s go with Tim.”

Hall frowned. “I-I don’t understand.”

“Wait, I like Matt better. Let’s go back to Matt.”

Hall clenched his teeth and tightened his core. Ignoring the pain, he forced his body to lean to the right and face the BID agent. There was pain and stiffness despite the medications, but what bothered him was the weakness of his muscles. That should be expected from being in a coma for almost a week.

He finally saw Matt, the BID agent in full. Almost seven feet tall, his knees came up to his wide chest as he hunkered down sitting on a small plastic chair. It wasn’t Hall’s imagination; this Matt did have a different face. More agents stood guard outside the room, standing with their backs to the glass wall.

Hall struggled to ask, “Are you…are you still human?”

“What do you think?”

“How would I know? Why don’t you answer it?”

“Because I don’t know either.”

“Would I still be human after...after the BID's done augmenting me?”

As Matt gave him a smile, his skin that had an odd gloss unnaturally wrinkled as if he was a wax figure. Golden-colored eyes seemed to bore into Hall as pupils rapidly alternated dilating and constricting as if scanning him. Matt then said, “That’s for you to answer.”

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Hedley Kow

Kow stepped to the side of the window as a BID surveillance drone hovered by, its buzzing hum competing with the honking cars on the street below. The evening rush hour was in full swing despite the Adumbrae attack that had just happened yesterday. This area was far from the hospital so people probably felt safe here. The only indication something was different was the drones flying around.

Dozens of those pesky things were deployed by the BID trucks that rolled into the city yesterday night, looking like a disturbed hive disgorging angry bees. Police helicopters patrolled the skies. The National Guard, more of them called by the governor after declaring martial law, had set up multiple checkpoints on all the roads leading to the city.

But Kow, Hedley, and Penemue didn’t need to worry about finding a way out of La Esperanza and onto their next mission. He had already told Euphonia that they were ready, and she was pinpointing their location so Legba could fetch them.

He examined the modified satellite phone Euphonia gave them. Part of the uneasiness he felt was because they didn’t fully understand her power. It seemed she was just gifted in tinkering with machines and gadgets to the point of almost being magic. He just didn’t know when her inventions would work and when they’d fail.

If she could track them with this, would the BID be able as well? He spotted a BID Sentry, a slim plane with a huge dish on top, zipping overhead this morning. A missile heading straight for them was a surprise he didn’t want.

“Don’t worry.” Hedley pranced to him. “Euphonia knows what she’s doing.”

She had correctly guessed what was on his mind even if their thoughts weren’t connected. When merged, they still had separate minds, with only the pilot being fully awake. They used to be one person, despite the passing years since the split, so they could gauge what the other was thinking although their personalities had long since diverged. It was like they were twins.

Just like my twins.

“It’s just that—" Kow turned to Hedley, gazing at the face of his redhead daughter that had died during the riot of a large Adumbrae cult in their town. He couldn’t shake off the eerie feeling of talking to another part of himself in his daughter’s body. Did she have the same feeling too, talking to him who was using the body of his son?

“Is anything wrong?” she asked, raising her brow. Her blue eyes met his.

“Nothing,” He shook his head. “You’re right. We should trust Euphonia.”

“Were you thinking about something else?”

“No, just hoping Legba will get us soon.” To stir clear from his existential musings, he called to the axe lying on the bed of this vacant run-down apartment they had broken into. “Penemue, are you going to tell the others about her?”

“Erind?” Hedley piped up.

“The Adumbrae inside her.”

(No. I don't think so. They’d suspect I’ve been compromised,) Penemue said in their minds. (I don’t want to cause unnecessary worry.)

“That or you just don’t want Satori reading your mind?” Hedley teased him in a sing-song voice.

“No one wants Satori in their minds,” said Kow, referring to one of the original members of their group who checked those who joined if they truly put the Adumbrae inside them to sleep. “But you mentioned that her Adumbrae has some sort of purposes in thought?”

(Yes. That’s what I felt. Maybe I was imagining it? The Adumbrae inside Erind didn’t have the curious innocence we’re familiar with. And Erind’s mind was still separated from it. That’s another thing I don’t want the others to know—)

Kow interjected, “An Adumbrae and a human getting along—”

“—is impossible,” Hedley finished.

(I know, I know,) said Penemue. (But if it was truly the case, then, and I have thought about this, it's better that we leave them be. They seem to be fighting the underlings of the Supplier so it indirectly benefits us if they continue what they’re doing.)

“Owhkaaay,” Hedley said, “I’ll keep mum about it. But I do want to see Erind’s friend again. She’s so pretty!”

“I’m sure we’ll eventually meet them,” Kow said. “If they become our business then, so be it. For now, our business in this city is over.”

"This place is crawling with BID. I hate it here."

(If only we stopped the Bridging.)

Kow’s eyes narrowed. Penemue had used the word ‘we’ instead of ‘you’, but he was sure the former school teacher was specifically blaming him for all the deaths caused by the Manifested Adumbrae. Veneer was part of his wardrobe, hence he was the one piloting the body during the Bridging. They had already argued about this yesterday and he didn’t want to start another altercation right now.

He replayed in his head the events that transpired to convince himself he made the right choice even if the holier-than-thou Penemue disagreed. Using Veneer, he easily took out the fake Adumbrae guarding it—probably members of a criminal organization under the influence of the Supplier—and had the choice of either trying to stop the Cocoon from Bridging or letting it connect and cutting it off afterward.

The first choice carried the risk of getting himself sucked into the Cocoon. If that happened, he’d just contribute to its growth and no one would be there to stop it. The second choice was safer—he’d let the Bridge finish then immediately cut it off to make sure the Manifested was as weak an Adumbrae as possible, before fleeing far away from it. And he masterfully carried out the second option. It only took the BID a few minutes to bring down the Manifested that came out.

Yes, many people did die.

But the alternative was so much worse.

“I’m sooo bored,” Hedley said. She had noticed Kow’s troubled expression and probably wanted to break the tension.

Kow checked Euphonia’s phone again. “Just wait a bit more.”

“You know what’ll be funny?” she said. “What if the old man gets the wrong door in this apartment building? Imagine a random guy going out for the day and ending up—” The sound of a bell ringing made her stop. She threw her hands up. “Finally! I’m getting tired of this place. I want to sleep in a nicer place tonight.”

The old PVC door of the room had transformed into an even older wooden one. Cracked in several places, rotting with age, and covered with dust, it looked like the door of a long-forgotten cabin in the woods.

Hedley picked Penemue up from the bed. Kow opened the door for her. She carefully maneuvered the large unwieldy axe into the door without damaging its sides. Then he followed her through.

They exited on the rooftop of a building.

Surrounding them were much taller buildings, their sides plastered by towering billboards replaying blindingly bright commercials. Neon lights wherever Kow faced assaulted the senses. Drones also flew everywhere, but they weren’t BID drones. These projected 3D ads around them. A city of information overload, at least in the middle of it.

There was no time difference between here and La Esperanza, but this place looked as if it was daytime from all the lights.

The three of them walked—two of them, to be more accurate, with Hedley lazily dragging Penemue—to the edge of the roof where two persons were waiting for them.

A small hunched-over old man, just a head taller than Hedley Kow, perched on top of the parapet. He carefully balanced his frail body as the humid night breeze blew, causing the tattered cloak draped over his back to flutter. His shriveled hand was extended to the side, gnarled fingers grasped the handle of a golden bell that seemed to give off its own light, more beautiful than any of the neon signs and the holographic ads around them.

Legba stopped ringing the bell.

Kow looked over his shoulder. The ancient oaken door closed and turned back to the original door to this rooftop.

The willowy woman beside the old man did a little twirl as she turned to face them. Her appearance couldn’t be any further than the sinister Legba. With mismatched flip-flops, rugged jeans, and checkered long sleeves, she looked like a random person mistakenly running into their meeting.

She was about to speak when the wind blew her frizzy long hair into her mouth. She spat out the hair and exaggeratedly gagged, her circular glasses falling off.

Kow turned to Hedley and shrugged. She rolled her eyes in answer. They were already used to this crazy woman’s antics.

“Fucking bull—sorry about that, guys!” she said in a jolly voice as she adjusted her glasses. Those were likely fake as she had bionic eyes. Two mechanical arms came out of the backpack she wore, pulling her hair back. Two more arms emerged to tie up her wild mane with a frayed polka-dotted ribbon. She spread her arms, the four mechanical arms following suit, and bowed. “Euphonia welcomes you to my domain! Las Vegas, the land of bioaugmentronics!