Intentionality (18 page)

Here it is, that long awaited moment. The time Lily and I so meticulously planned together… my departure from the place that has been my home for so many years. As expected we were not discovered in our trip to Deck Zero. Why would anyone look in the cavernous tunnels inhabited solely by the Monos? We moved in the dark, we moved without shoes and barely audible breaths, in stealth and with strength in numbers. The sub will be full. I will be travelling amongst a future government, the main alteration being the significant addition of leading Monos. Of course there are other noticeable modifications; we are a mixed team and by that I mean two classes working co-operatively towards one goal. We are also not to be ruled by one all-powerful entity.

Willem's father and grandfather will remain on The Nest to ensure peaceful negotiations with the new Grand Acer once the takeover has begun.

I am ready to drop neatly into the sub. I have no possessions in tow. Nothing needs to weigh me down or hamper my voyage. I have been outfitted in a practical, black jumpsuit, my hair is neatly tied back, and on my feet are neat running shoes. My only allowance is the ceremonial gift from my sister and of course the necessity of the tracker anklet. I need to be able to flee at a moment's notice. Willem is my guardian, I am to do what he says immediately and in turn he will ensure that I can do my job once inside. I have been trusted with the job of calming and rapidly educating The Grid girls, to maintain trust in their sudden change of circumstance.

We plan to release them, and then nurse them back to health in a secure nursing environment. In order to do this, I need to get as close as I can to their communication centre, access the system that feeds the Ascension test into The Grid girls and then hook myself up instead. We are working on a gut feeling that it may be possible for my ‘twin-to-twin' telepathy and Evo-skills to be manipulated by me, so that I will be able to talk to all of the girls through their brain scanners. Mrs Alder is also developing a healthy computer system virus that will be used to both stabilise and cleanse the girls once they are weaned off their Ascension program.

The sub is cramped and dark because of the deep ocean below, however, most surprising of all is its high standard of comfort. My seat has been reserved next to Willem. I shall take it and watch the rest of the loading operation.

“Do you wish you were back in the land of the uninformed?” Willem enquired.

“No that's never actually crossed my mind, I was always confused as to why we were kept so alone, the reasons that we were given, never really held enough truth for me. All of that brainwashing and regimental routine was completely unnecessary if we were to develop the Evo-skill anyway!”

“Will mate, long time no see!”

A tall blonde man approached, he shook Willem's hand and then hugged him, strongly. They looked at each other knowingly, then began rehearsing the journey plans including emergency procedures.

I know that I should not have listened, but I needed to know what to do in the case of an emergency. Were we talking about illness, a broken limb, lost member of our team or a mass attack? Was a full on attack even possible? I knew we were going to be the hunted, but this new world of ours had always been proud of its peaceful vision towards valuable human life. I began attempting to access Willem's mind and then had a really impossible idea. More like an exploration of the outer limits of reality.

Could I access this man's mind?

Should I access this man's mind?

Would I access this man's mind and find something I did not want to?

As Willem was not making eye contact, even when I stood shoulder to shoulder and neither was he about to introduce me in order to draw me naturally into the conversation, I decided to begin my research in stealth.

The sensation was different to when I talk to my sister or Willem. Rather like listening to yourself talking when you have blocked ears. The sound echoed making the words unclear. His tone was transferred yet not all of the highs and lows of pitch. I have discovered that some words need this to be understood. However as a first attempt not too ineffectual. The main message was that the sub was ready, but plainly ill protected from any attack, as it was built as a showboat to transport girls, who were not being hunted. The engine is slow, the hull flimsy and safety measures non-existent. In conclusion, yes I could and would access the man's brain, no I should not have done, as I suspected there are things I am better off not knowing. We are travelling on this sub, we have no further options open to us and now, as a result of my snooping, I have to enquire further in order to limit my fears along the way. I shall begin with a positive remark and then ease in my admission of spying.

“Willem I have great news. I am able to hone my skills past the circle of Lily and you. I have been able to listen in on a conversation on board.”

“Oh my God Mae, that's awesome. I have been trying for years. That Evo-skill of yours never fails to impress does it. Tell me who have you found out about? Does the Grand Acer have a secondary plan? Has anyone smuggled a chocolate stash on board?”

I giggled aloud remembering that we were, after all, teenagers, amongst this very grown up situation.

“No I am sorry to say that I have turned into a spy of the worst kind. I have just eaves dropped your conversation!”

Not quite so much humour in his eyes this time, but still no anger. I couldn't really have asked for a better response, as I don't really know who that man was.

“As expected with the difficulties of having a first attempt at anything, some of the details were lost as I tried to work out the skills involved. The main problem is hearing the words. Some of the sound is lost and the result of missing words is lots of misunderstandings. However, for me the main issue is that I am now more scared than before, previously I was only reticent about getting from the sub to the communication room, now I will be scared about the whole journey, start to end.”

“I am assuming that you overheard Craig and me talking about the sub being prepared for a journey but not for defence. I can also assume you heard Craig panicking about the lack of facilities in an emergency. Knowing you, you have nurtured this into a huge ball of worry and turned a possible medical emergency into a hole blown out of the back of the sub,” half joked Willem.

“We are definitely in trouble if we can't dock in the usual place. The sub only holds a certain amount of fuel, however there is a Mono dock close by, which will be expecting our arrival anyway. As for the medical emergency, we have the miraculous skills of Nurse Spendlove. The guards on the mainland are on the move that much we know but we are assuming that they are preparing for your arrival. We sent a fake E-mail from the Grand Acer a couple of hours ago, saying that you were on your way. Remember, Natura ordered your delivery. They are expecting you. We do need to make a stop at the Mono dock first to unload everyone. After that detour Craig, as sub driver and myself dressed as a chaperone will take you over to the Intentionality official dock.”

That was me informed! Brief and to the point, I am still on a need to know basis, however now I know that I can accept voices from other non-Acer brains and therefore, surely I can train myself to send messages out. He swept off to oversee other more pressing concerns.

Craig has returned to the cockpit, he seems to be working through final checks. He has on a microphone and headset and is speaking to someone. I look around to see if we are all accounted for, mentally taking note of seating positions and friendship groups. Who is ally with whom? Who is a protector and who therefore is the protected? I see six Mono guards, tall, healthy, strong looking people. These have not been on The Nest for the whole of their lives. They are darker skinned, taller than the usual, this sort of body definition and colour can only be gained from soaking up the nutrients of the sun. The Resistance have arrived. Each guard seems to be shadowing one of the most important leaders. They are together at the circular table towards the back of the sub, still deep in discussion, no doubt about the finer details of leadership. Not, I suppose tossing coins for the most sought after jobs! Mrs Alder is there, along with Nurse Spendlove and Willem's aunt, Mrs Jones, next to her sits, the Grand Acer and lastly I can see the back of young male whose silhouette I do not recognise. Willem and I are seated further forward. I have noted that our chairs recline, my sister would have been looking from just this viewpoint when she relayed her journey to me.

There is suddenly a jolt and a gush of bubbles escape next to my window. The sub has been released from its mooring. We are plummeting down towards the black of the ocean in the dark of the night; we are not using lights to guide us. I am as usual petrified, a high-pitched screech releases itself involuntarily from my lungs and before I can come to my senses Willem is chuckling by my side.

“You can't pay for that kind of thrill, can you Mae? I forgot to mention that we would be navigating with only our radar. We don't want to be seen. If we travel along the seabed for as long as we can they won't be able to use The Nest sensors to detect us. Remember, The Nest guards don't know about either E-mail. They will take this as an act of defiance and launch an attack.”

My stomach has now regained its rightful place just under my furiously beating heart, thankfully it is no longer blocking my airway!

“You didn't think to tell me, or did you think it would take my mind off other events of peril?” I chastised.

“Oh come on Mae, you have to admit that bit was fun. Just to let you know we will be hours along the bottom so you could get some sleep. I am coming back to be with you just as soon as I have listened to the latest update from Luke.”

“Is that the man over by the table?”

“Yes that's the man with intelligence and anger, all rolled into one pretty large force of nature. He is in charge of The Resistance this side of the electric fence. I have been working with him for a while to make our plans evolve into reality. It is Luke that made this quick response possible and it will be him we rely on to make the right choices if the plan meets with the need for unexpected alterations. Since your visions, he is even more determined to take Intentionality. He will do it with force if necessary to save those who are being overpowered by Natura and her regime.”

As Willem finished his monologue, Luke turned to call him over. My mind began to race in an attempt to place his incredibly recognisable face, although a much older version of the one I expected. Then it came to me in a blast of clarity. I was looking at the man in my dream. His frantic gesturing by the wooded area, as the train flew past had set his face forever in my memory. But I had that dream even before I could communicate to my Evo-gene memory. Willem could clearly tell by my face that some thought had escaped and was running riot with my emotions. He slid his hand into mine and squeezed.

“Mae, Luke is on our side, your side. He won't hurt you. In his mind you and The Grid girls are just as damaged as the Monos. It's Natura and her council that will suffer in this. Our civilisation will not be swapping one cruel leader for another. In fact he won't be leading up the new council at all. He wants to travel when this is all over.”

“No Willem, it's not that I am scared of Luke. It's just that I know him already. When I dreamt of the journey before in my living pod, he was there, begging us to stop, warning us of the danger. Why would he even have cared if he didn't know about The Grid girls?”

“He wouldn't have been warning you to stop because he was worried about you Mae. These mainland Monos are angry. They have been treated like a lower, inferior class for generations. He would have been furious that another group of Acers were bound for the luxury of Intentionality, prioritised because of a genetic fluke. If you are remembering because your Evo-gene has experienced something in the past, then it's possible one of your ancestors did actually see Luke in his earlier angrier, rage against the machine days. Twenty years ago life on the outskirts of Intentionality was torturous. The Monos lived without heat, not enough food and long, monotonous working hours of hard labour. This for a man of Luke's intellect would have been unbearable. ”

A tear dropped from my eye where it had been pooling. It splashed on Willem's hand. He looked directly into my eyes, lifting my chin slightly with his left hand and promised that my solitary struggle was over. I neither needed to feel the burden of guilt nor the hopelessness of my inabilities alone. We were in this together, along with every member of this sub. Willem laid his head on my shoulder and there we drifted off into a half dreamlike state while the sub passed through the uncharted waters of the Polar Ocean.

I have awoken to the very harsh, real sound of the warning alarm booming into every pocket of air in our tiny hull. There is not so much a sense of panic in the room amongst the passengers, more a practical movement of people reacting as they have been trained. I of course have not been trained. I am in a real state of shock. I am no good to anyone and shall remain in my chair until told to do otherwise.

Around the front of the sub I can see the vague shadow of icy water seeping in through a fissure in the bottom of the hull. Some passengers are off balance. We must be leaning slightly to the right. I am observing Mrs Jones who is calmly ordering her guards to the portholes where they can make a true assessment of the damage and lookout for the cause. The Grand Acer is speaking animatedly on the telecom system whilst Willem and Luke can be clearly seen discussing an emergency action plan.

“… incoming to the left, travelling at optimum speed, Ma'am. It appears to be a missile of some sort. I can't see a tracker we may be able to remove ourselves from its path if we dive,” shouted a guard at the front left of the sub.

“Craig, dive, take her down ten metres but steadily, we are taking on water,” came the command from Luke.