Jet awoke to the silent stillness of recently fallen snow. Her breath caught as a wave of overwhelming loss overcame her. Try as she might, she couldn’t move her legs. They were cold to the touch and frozen as the icicles outside her window.
I know Nigel will come for me. I just have to be a little patient.
Jet spotted her phone near the nightstand. Other than a crack on the screen, it was in working condition. She checked the battery, less than 10 percent.
Time to send Nigel a quick video.
Jet put the phone in selfie mode and tapped the record button.
“Hey Nige, I hope you get this. An older couple are caring for me. The man’s name is Hans, and he is a doctor. We are in the mountains.”
Jet moved slightly so the camera could take in the majesty of the mountains.
“My legs don’t work, probably because of the knife wound from that crazy bitch cyborg. I have April with me. She’s doing okay. If you get this, please look up Hans and Gretta Gruber. They are up north somewhere.”
Jet pressed the send button. A red warning icon appeared. She recognized it as a low signal indicator.
Damn, only one bar of signal? I’m going to have to try to send it again if I ever get Wi-Fi.
A woman she knew as Gretta entered the room with a tray of food. She noticed the phone and gave Jet a disapproving look. Jet’s stomach clenched at the thought of eating a hot bowl of soup. The winter seemed to be lingering on for a lot longer than the older woman let on. Jet had played along, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw images of April, Nozomi, and even Nigel. These dreams weren’t pleasant, they were dark and foreboding. It was like someone was trying to warn her.
“Good, you’re up. I didn’t want you to sleep the day away again. How are you feeling?” Gretta asked.
“A little . . . off. I can’t explain it, but I’m physically drained. It’s like I’ve been fighting something or someone.”
“It’s probably that game you’ve been playing. I keep saying that it is bad for you, but you young ones won’t listen.”
There’s something about this old woman that’s not right.
“Did I have any visitors?” Jet asked.
The disposition of the woman changed. It was subtle, but she knew her answer wasn’t the truth.
“We had a nurse visit you a short while ago, but that was it.”
The woman looked away. “We will try the radio again once Hans fixes it.”
Jet’s vision blurred as Gretta spoke. She blinked to clear her vision. Instead of the tiny room with snow on the mountain, she saw something far more sinister. She was in a large, open space. It was sunken in and pieces of rubble the size of automobiles were scattered about like toys. A familiar-looking sign with enormous letters appeared on the side of the hill. The word “Hollywood” appeared, but one of the ls was missing. She recognized the Los Angeles skyline in the distance. But instead of smog, black smoke rose from the horizon. Crawling over the wreckage like a spider looking for prey was a grotesque cyborg. It reminded her of the pretty but deadly woman who had attacked her. The same one who tried to take her boyfriend away, Nozomi. Jet slipped behind a wrecked automobile. The spiderlike creature inched closer.
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What the hell is that thing? Am I dreaming?
Jet risked snatching a glimpse of the creature. Its spider arms scaled the rubble with precision. An orange glow emanated from a cyclopean eye. It seemed to be looking for something—or someone. The cybernetic monstrosity crept closer. Jet thought the thing was trying to sniff the air around where she had been a few moments before.
Is this thing hunting me?
“It’s time to change your sheets, my dear,” a woman’s voice said.
Gretta’s face came into view over the creature. It was like Gretta was a giant apparition that only Jet could see. Moments later, Jet was taken out of the simulation.
“I think you’ve had enough time with this machine,” Gretta said as she removed Jet’s VR visor.
“Can I call Nigel?” Jet asked.
“Hans got the power back up, but I’m afraid that the communications systems are down,” the older woman said.
The woman’s eyes darted away as Jet tried making eye contact.
She’s lying.
“It’s time for your exercise, dear,” Gretta said.
Jet hated being in the makeshift hospital bed that the Grubers had set up for her. She longed to be able-bodied again. She was overdue for a long walk and some alone time with Nigel. She had asked Gretta to leave the wheelchair, but she never did. It was almost as if the woman didn’t want to leave her to her own devices.
What are they hiding? Jet thought.
Whatever it was, it must be big. Hans often was on the phone with someone. While she couldn’t hear clearly, she could get the gist of the conversation. She remembered hearing the word “cabal” several times.
“I would like to go outside today,” Jet said.
“It’s cold out, dear, but it has been a long while since you were out, so I don’t see the harm in it,” Gretta said.
“Where’s Hans?” Jet asked as Gretta helped her get into the wheelchair.
“He went into town for some supplies.”
Jet looked around the room. The bed where the cyborg slept was empty.
“Did April go with Hans? I have not seen her in a long time.”
“I don’t know, but I think it’s been a while since I saw her. She’s probably with Hans.”
“Is everything getting back to normal? After the hack, I mean,” Jet said.
“I’m afraid not. The world has fallen into the toilet. Hans is using the barter system to purchase goods.”
“What does he have to trade?”
“Hans keeps a healthy supply of cigarettes and alcohol at the ready. He’s been hoarding that stuff for years. I had always laughed at him for keeping it. I’m not laughing now.”
Jet marveled at the enormity of the Gruber property. It was not a house, but an estate. The property seemed to be wheelchair accessible. Ramps were near stairs, which meant someone had been here with a wheelchair before. Gretta handed Jet a blanket and a thick jacket. After taking a solid minute getting the warm clothes over her thin nightgown, Gretta was pushing her onto the patio. Jet’s breath caught as the icy air bit into her. She gazed upon the frozen garden and the backyard beyond. A giant greenhouse was set several hundred feet back from her position.
“Do you grow food in there?” Jet said, pointing to the enormous glass structure.
“Yes, the greenhouse has been a lifesaver for us, especially since the world has gone mad.”
Jet coughed. Gretta pushed her back into the house.
“We don’t want to have you catch a cold,” Gretta said.
Jet was eager to learn more about the Gruber mansion. She made a mental note to ask April about her experiences. There were gaps in her memory and talking to the cyborg might help her remember.