Chapter 88: The Struggle Within
Two days later, the healthy Downs residents who had no appointments were forced to pack and prepare to leave. Despite losing their homes, they were in good spirits.
Lily was now free to leave the Hotel Prison. However, she chose to remain living in the penthouse. The main difference now was that she could walk freely outside the hotel. Yassme, who had now recovered from the blood transfusion, met Lily in the town square, where she took Lily on a quick tour of the region.
Alex had selected his teams of elite fruit and vegetable pickers. They now had the responsibility of providing food to Downs and the parties heading east and west. Scott was given the responsibility of rounding up the Sapiods and the more intelligent Sapes to help with collecting and transporting food now that there were far more to feed and over much greater distances.
Colin and a team of technicians had begun work on converting some warehouses into the new Economic Institute. Some of the gold collected from the Capital Region would be made into their new currency. This was intended to be only temporary until a digital currency could be restored.
Officially, Eugene was now placed in charge of the Downs enforcers and Miro’s guards, who were now enlisted as enforcers. In reality, his authority was more limited than he knew. Miro had also appointed new commanders; the most senior of them was Cecil. Since the number of former guards outnumbered the Downs enforcers, Cecil, unofficially, was regarded as their leader.
Octavius was several miles away from Downs. The number of Sentray he had managed to control had increased to around a dozen. His role was to provide additional security wherever it might be needed. He was a form of insurance in case the enforcers were to become overwhelmed.
Demadrian was imprisoned in a carriage at the back of the underground Linap’s convoy of vehicles. Most of his memories had returned to him. What he did not know was that while he was unconscious, one of Jennifer’s chips had been planted in his head.
The other Linap were soon going to receive the seaweed treatment. Jennifer wanted all the necessary technology transferred to the laboratory before proceeding. She considered it important that the therapies were applied to the Linap as soon as the seaweed treatment was administered to them. They did not know that the procedure involved planting Jennifer’s chips into their heads and that false memories would be implanted into their minds. L1 Linap did not want to participate. The others tried to encourage her. She responded by disappearing.
Vulay climbed the stairs to the Industrial Zone train station. She walked along the platform as she looked down at all the activity below her. She felt both confused and sad. She looked over the wall. She remembered when the Sentray were lined up to attack. At the time, she believed this was the end. Somehow, she had acceptance in her heart. It was the end of the pain. When the Sentray left, she was full of elation. This was followed by hope. All this ended very quickly. Everywhere she travelled was full of the stench of death. Whatever she recovered from other regions was never enough to make a difference. Every time she returned to Downs, more were sick and more had died. Instead of being immediately torn apart by the Sentray, it was slowly and painfully dying before her.
Even though Jennifer’s technology was no longer in her head, she remained with her. The memories moved in and out of her head. Each time they seemed different. She was no longer sure what was real. The only thing she was sure of was that she had done many awful things. Some days this burden was beyond overwhelming. As she looked down, she could feel that Downs was going to be destroyed. She did not know if she had it in her to fight for them. She had never longed so much for her journey to end.
She stopped walking. She could hear footsteps behind her. She turned around; it was Denise.
‘Are you up here for the view?’ asked Vulay with a half-smile.
‘I just had a feeling you would be here,’ replied Denise as she continued walking towards Vulay.
‘This place filled me with so much emotion,’ said Vulay. ‘Now I come filled with emotion.’
‘I can see it in your face,’ said Denise. ‘I see more pain than hope.’
‘I’ve been in pain a very long time,’ replied Vulay. ‘It used to be easy to hide it. Now, I see no point in continuing that fight.’
‘No,’ said Denise. ‘You’ve got a much bigger fight on your hands. Use your pain to drive you forward.’
‘I love it how you’re always willing to defy the odds,’ said Vulay as she smiled. ‘I don’t have that strength anymore.’
‘You survived, Jennifer,’ said Denise. ‘You’ll help us all survive. You’re the toughest Head Enforcer ever.’
‘I might have broken free from Jennifer, but I feel that was my last stand,’ replied Vulay as she turned to continue walking along the platform.
‘You’ve always been bound by your strong sense of duty and devotion to others,’ said Denise as she began to walk alongside Vulay.
‘Then you’ll understand how the things Jennifer made me do destroyed so much of me inside,’ said Vulay as she continued walking.
‘You think the Downs residents traded their freedom for a cure,’ said Denise.
‘That’s exactly what happened, and we couldn’t stop it,’ replied Vulay. ‘What’s your point?’
‘Hamish is now describing it as a treatment,’ said Denise.
‘A mere misuse of words,’ replied Vulay as she kept on walking.
‘I think it means the Downs residents are not completely cured,’ said Denise. ‘I think it means at some point they’re going to need to be treated again.’
‘If you’re right, this is even worse than I thought,’ said Vulay as she stopped and looked at Denise. ‘As long as Hamish controls the supply of the treatment, the Downs residents will only ever have the choice of enslavement or death.’
‘Maybe it’s time to draw on your great detective skills,’ said Denise as she looked at Vulay.
Vulay looked down at the Downs residents in the streets, and then she looked back at Denise.
Meanwhile, at the laboratory, Daily had hooked the mind voice device to a computer. He was using software developed by Yassme to further analyse Orcilla’s thoughts. Yassmay had now joined him.
‘It’s like there’s a battle inside her head,’ said Daily as he looked over to Yassmay. ‘It’s like she’s fighting herself.’
‘Well, it’s one she better win soon,’ replied Yassmay. ‘Commander Cecil has given us two days to clear out of the laboratory.’
‘I thought Yassme was in charge of this area now,’ said Daily.
‘Officially, yes,’ said Yassmay. ‘I’ll go and talk to her. I’ll let her know Orcilla needs more time.’
‘Thanks,’ said Daily as he looked back down at the screen.
It did not take Yassmay long to find her sister. She was still with Lily.
‘Yassme, we need your help,’ called out Yassmay as she ran towards both of them. ‘They’re taking over our laboratory.’
‘It’s not a takeover,’ replied Yassme. ‘I gave them permission to bring their technology in.’
‘They want us out in two days,’ said Yassmay as she reached Yassme and Lily. ‘They want Orcilla moved. If power to her life support machine is cut, she’ll die.’
‘Maybe you need to come to terms with the fact that she’s no longer with us,’ said Lily as she placed her hand on Yassmay’s shoulder.
‘She’s alive,’ said Yassmay as she looked at Yassme. ‘She’s wearing your mind voice device. It’s picking up brain activity.’
‘You used my invention,’ said Yassme, sounding surprised.
‘It was Phillip’s idea,’ replied Yassmay.
‘Yes, isn’t he great!’ said Yassme enthusiastically.
‘I want you to see for yourself,’ said Yassmay as she tugged Yassme’s hand.
‘Mind if I come along too?’ asked Lily.
‘Sure, you’re her aunt,’ said Yassmay.
The three of them walked back to the laboratory. Several vehicles had arrived. Technicians were unloading them.
Yassmay, Yassme, and Lily entered the room Orcilla was in. Daily was still with her.
‘Your mind voice has given us hope,’ said Daily as he looked over at Yassme.
Yassme looked at the reading on the computer. ‘She’s dreaming,’ replied Yassme as she looked up at the others. Yassme turned the speakers up to maximum. They could hear music.
‘Do you recognise it?’ asked Yassme as she turned to the others.
‘I do,’ replied Lily. ‘They played this music at the balls in the Capital Region when I was governor.’
‘Strange dream,’ said Yassmay.
‘Not really,’ replied Lily. ‘This was the most significant night of her life.’
‘Oh no,’ replied Yassmay. ‘She can’t relive that again.’
‘Keeping her on this life support machine is just prolonging her pain,’ said Lily as she clutched Orcilla’s hand.
‘She will fight through this and will come back to us,’ said Yassmay as she clutched Orcilla’s other hand as she leaned forward towards Lily.
‘If we were talking about Orcille, I’d agree,’ said Lily. ‘As Orcilla, she doesn’t have the same strength.’
‘She’s so much more than Orcille,’ replied Yassmay angrily. ‘Orcille was a victim of our father. Orcilla broke away from that. She’s the one who’s truly strong.’
‘I guess we’ll find out in two days,’ said Lily as she bent forward to kiss Orcilla on the head. Lily turned around to leave. ‘Let’s go, Yassme.’
Yassme followed Lily out of the room.
Sapien Loop: End of an Era
Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time is the sequel to the book Sapien Loop: End of an Era. Sapien Loop: End of an Era is available on Amazon, in collection series on my @spectrumecons account, and in individual chapters in my @captainhive account.
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