The Genesis Code 1: Lambda (44 page)

W-what just happened? I feel strange.

Lambda’s precarious manner also started to show on her face. It caught Zack’s attention rather quickly. Lambda wasn’t prepared for what was to come.

“Lambda, are you all right?” Zack asked, concerned.

Lambda felt another shockwave burst through her. She held her chest, seeming alarmed.

“What’s wrong? You’re acting rather strange,” Zack said, now concerned. He reached out to touch her, but . . .

Lambda slapped his hand away. Perplexed by her actions, she only stared, bewildered by her sudden act. Zack was left utterly perplexed. He didn’t know what to think as he was still reeling on the inside with shock.

Corson stopped dead at the sight. He had a look in his eyes that could evoke terror in the devil.

“I don’t believe it,” he muttered savagely.

Zack turned to Corson, now unsure where to place his bewilderment. “Believe what?”

Corson shook his head, refusing to respond.

Peter stepped forward. His expression was a more apathetic one.

“It would appear that you’re both quite slow,” Peter said with a deep sigh.

Both Zack and Lambda stared confused. Corson only found their confusion insufferable.

“You’ve ruined it,” he said viciously. “It’s a shadow of its former self now.”

Zack didn’t like Corson’s words. “Sorry if you were hoping for a cold-blooded killing machine,” he retorted heatedly.

Corson growled under his breath. “That would be easier to control, I bet.”

Zack snarled. “I doubt it.”
      

Peter strode up, boasting a confident grin. “Look at it this way, Corson. It obviously cares about the boy. That makes things simple, wouldn’t you agree?”

Corson chuckled lightly. “Perhaps you are right, Peter.” He peered darkly at Zack and Lambda. “Humans can be unpredictable, but they all have a weakness that is easy to control.”

Zack shook off a chill. He still managed a hard stare back at Corson “They also shouldn’t be underestimated. You have a habit of doing just that, I’ve seen.”

Corson laughed softly. “Perhaps, but I have a feeling both your tunes will change once things get underway. Either way, your little guardian will be forced to perform when the time comes. I imagine you to be a great motivator, agreed?”

Zack glowered darkly. “Your desire for control and absolute compliance is only going to ruin you and your plans.”

Corson’s eyes blazed widely. “And your attachment to this AI unit will be your end.”

Zack wasn’t given a chance to retort as a tall soldier came out from a squad behind Corson. His strong build and sealed-off face gave him an ominous aura similar to Corson’s.

The dark figure approached Peter and Corson, disregarding everything else in his way.

“Corson! First you leave my squad out of the last mission, and now this?! I wasn’t informed
they
were coming as well!” Krieg said harshly, hinting to both Zack and Cecilia.

Corson eyed the soldier rigidly. “
Your
squad? I do believe Commander Richter is your superior,” he added mockingly. “You’d best run along, or you won’t be part of this at all, Krieg.” Corson’s tone was fierce.

Krieg clenched his fists. “Don’t play games with me, Corson. I will have you know that you are playing with forces you can’t control!”

Corson closed the distance between them instantly, piercing Krieg’s black helmet with his vicious gaze. “Good dogs listen to their master. Now run along before you are removed from this operation.”

Corson held out his hand, gesturing to Zack and Cecilia. “If you are so worried, why don’t you fly with them?”

Krieg’s fists started to shake. “You are having me . . .” he hissed under his breath. “Don’t write me off, Corson! I know damn well what you are doing!”

Corson didn’t flinch, offering a laugh instead. “Good. In that case, there is nothing more to discuss.”

Krieg’s large body began to shake with hate. Zack wondered if his black suit was armored enough to contain the radiating wrath that he was giving off right now.

“You son of a b-”

“That will be all, Krieg,” Peter broke in, his presence overwhelming. The look in his eyes and his puffed-out chest made it look like an elephant was squaring off a charging rhino.

Krieg didn’t ease up, but looked to have no retort for Peter.

Corson picked up where Peter left off. “Enough. Head to your squad. We are moving into the final operation phase.”

Krieg said nothing as he stomped back the way he came. His steps felt like tremors.

Everyone seemed to fall silent.

Peter shook his head. “That could have been handled better,” he said, seeming unaffected by the encounter.

Corson glanced to Lambda. “He’s the least of my worries.”

Peter caught on. “At least we only have to deal with one of these,” Peter replied in a whisper.

Corson didn’t release Lambda from his sight, watching her intently.

Lambda noticed the leer in her direction, finding it to be quite odd. It almost seemed like Corson was worried.

Little time was wasted from that moment on as Zack, Cecilia, and Lambda were all moved to the designated chopper that would serve as their transport to the Limit Zone. Zack was happy to learn that Cecilia was flying in the same chopper as him. Too bad Corson and his higher-ups were joining them as well.

Zack sat silently between Lambda and Laura. Several men in black armor joined them as well as Nerine, sitting adjacent to Zack with Cecilia. He couldn’t help but feel an odd sense of tension rise among those around him as the helicopter they were in came to life. That didn’t bother him as much as Corson sitting next to his sister.

Way too close . . .
he growled to himself.

Zack felt uneasy as his gaze fell toward a massive door within the hangar. The door made a sudden lurch, and with a deafening hissing sound, it slowly began to slide open. Zack half-expected an army of goblins and orcs to come rushing in behind the giant steel door. Instead, he only felt worse as the helicopter took point, allowing the other eight choppers to follow its lead.

Corson spoke. “Now, you will see a glimpse of what is to come.” He was cryptic, but Zack could hear his tone of unwavering confidence.

Zack was about to give a retort when his attention quickly changed to the scene unfolding to his right. It took a second for him to grasp what he was seeing. He stared with bewilderment as he noticed the floor begin to break away and open from below. The metallic scraping and searing of metal almost made his ears bleed, despite the deafening roar of the helicopter’s engines. His aching ears were the least of his worries.

“The operation is a go. All hail Leader Corson!” came the radical roar of all the members of Stigma throughout the hangar. It was terrifying hearing their wails of approval. The unity in just that one act made Zack wonder if anyone truly doubted Corson, or if they were too afraid to voice their doubts.

The show wasn’t over. Zack continued to gawk in shock as he watched what began to rise from Stigma’s basement, the floor having finished splitting down the middle. At first, he thought it was some kind of new weapon, but as the massive object rose to ground level, he stared at what had to be the largest aircraft plane ever. The gigantic machine was slick and black, oozing with a deadly aura, like a lurking snake. Its hooked wings made it look like some jagged boomerang, and judging from the mere size of the huge vessel, it looked like it could hold an army in it. Zack had never seen a B-52 Bomber up close, let alone a modified one.

Zack’s gaze fell to Corson. “What purpose does that serve?”

Corson ignored Zack as he watched the black bird finish its rise from its metal cage below.

Zack didn’t take kindly to the silence. “What are you using a B-52 for!?”

Corson’s eyes moved back to Zack. “To deliver the future.”

Zack sat rigid and frozen. The words that purred over his ears made him feel like he was locked in a freezer. Corson’s tone was so calm, yet utterly threatening. So much so that he was afraid to say a word.

Lambda eyed Zack with worry. Given the situation, she was unsure of what she could do. Matters had intensified beyond her control and it seemed like things were only falling further and further out of her hands. For Zack’s sake, she wanted to attain some form of resolution from all of this, but nothing she came up with hit the mark. Just seeing his troubled face made it all the more unbearable.

Is there really nothing I can do right now?

She thought tirelessly to find an answer. Blazing through her databanks, she tried to search for something that could be used to aid Zack. What was appropriate in a time of such peril and uncertainty?

Her search came to a screeching halt upon the finding of a single word. Hope.

Hope . . . hope?

Lambda hadn’t learned this concept. Hope wasn’t tangible or physical. It didn’t exist in any corporeal form or have any structure. It was like air. The concept shared an alarming similarity to another human manifestation—love.

Lambda’s face grew hot. Again, something stirred inside of her upon the word simply whispering through her mind. She could feel her chest tighten as the echoing drum beats began to hammer in her chest once more. Lambda was lost for words or reasons to describe what she was experiencing.

Where is this coming from?

She held a hand to her chest and tried to breathe deeply in order to calm the hammering within her. She was so flustered, but couldn’t truly understand the reason for it.

She gazed toward Zack, his head slumped down, hiding his face behind an open palm. Her chest began to beat rapidly once more. She almost felt dizzy as her gaze moved down to his free hand, placed weakly beside her. At that point, she couldn’t explain her actions. On impulse, she reached out and placed her hand over Zack’s. The action alone almost made her face explode as she remained completely frozen, unsure of how to proceed.

Zack ceased holding his face and quickly saw what was unfolding before him. He looked up at Lambda, peering deeply into her eyes. The look on his face seemed so mystified.

Lambda opened her mouth to speak, but no words could form. Every action she made couldn’t be quantified or observed in a sensible way. She was a bundle of nerves, fueled by raw impulse. Nothing within her programming could make sense of her actions. She could only try and say something, anything to explain her odd behavior.

Zack didn’t let her. In no words, he turned Lambda’s hand over and held it tightly. With a simple nod, he smiled majestically.

Lambda’s face flushed a sudden shade of pink. She averted her eyes, but didn’t take her hand away. She felt that what was happening had to continue. She couldn’t explain what she was feeling, but her actions appeared to make Zack feel better.

But . . . I don’t understand. We are still in this terrible situation. How can he smile?

The answer came to her upon gazing at Zack’s uplifted face once more. He stared straight ahead with strong eyes. She could see renewed faith and a refueled spirit within his demeanor. She knew, without thinking, that this was hope. Yet she still couldn’t fully comprehend her own deduction.

This is hope?

Lambda was confused at first, but something just told her to stop thinking about it. What she felt at that moment was true and powerful. She felt a spark, a connection to Zack that she hadn’t noticed before. Now, she was starting to see just how important he was to her. She didn’t want to just protect him, she wanted to be with him. That much she knew for a fact. The only thing that made her pause was whether or not Zack felt the same.

The pilot up front turned to Corson. “I have received word from Commander Peter, Leader. Python is forty-five percent primed for takeoff. ETA puts us less than two hours ahead of them.”

Corson replied promptly. “Very well. Alert the other Vipers and prepare for the final launch sequence. We don’t want to keep our audience waiting,” he announced proudly.

Zack found Corson’s tone worrisome as he noted the choppers taking to the air. Zack had never experienced flying in a helicopter before, but what followed wasn’t exactly normal.

Harnesses sprung from the seats and latched everyone in the chopper firmly. They were so tight that Zack almost forgot to breathe. The helicopter gave a sudden lurch, pressing Zack firmly back in his seat. The chopper was now barreling down the long tunnel at a rather alarming speed.

“Why are we moving at this speed?!” exclaimed Zack, now utterly perplexed.

Corson chuckled as he relaxed his shoulders, easing himself calmly into his seat.

“It’s necessary for wormhole hopping over vast distances.”

Zack’s eyes grew with alarm. “Wait, what?!”

Corson eyes sparked with delight. “Don’t blink.”

Zack didn’t get a chance to respond as a slit burst open at the end of the dark tunnel. Zack recognized the swirling chaos. But he wasn’t ready for the intensity in which they were going to hit the wormhole, or what he would see when they reached their final destination.

[22]

Inverse

[January 7th - Babel HQ - Private Network Server - Night]

A round table, lit at twelve points with vibrant, white light, hummed with hypnotic vibrations. Sounds made by the pillars of light echoed and bounced off the dark walls of the ominous room of black metal as the lights extended into eternity.

A sudden hiss broke the soft echoes as a light cloud of smoke began to appear from each of the twelve lit points. Seconds later, in rhythmic succession, large chairs appeared around the round table, latching to their positions loudly. The table began to light up as the center piece produced a red sphere and slowly rose from the center of the table. The large ball then burst, displaying a sea of grids and small monitor screens. It swayed and loomed above the round table eerily, lighting the dark room a bright crimson.

A voice spoke from the darkness, hidden behind the shadows of one of the twelve chairs.

“These meetings are becoming too frequent, Simon. We may have our duties to Babel, but we have our own countries to attend to as well. We can’t be catering to your every whim just because you can’t control a-”