Chapter Twelve
“Freedom is a choice, and one that must be made daily. Your memories, your decisions, the very thoughts that float through your mind. All a prison for your future.
“Fight against this reality or forever be trapped within.”
–Hades, “Some Philosophical Shit”. 4 Years After.
* * *
“What the hell do you want from me this time?” Leah asked.
Hades beamed. “Haven’t you been following the hot goss around the blood cooler lately? We’re getting together and bringing this little operation to the next level with a whole new government and everything!”
Mother nodded. “This is a necessary next step now that the California basin is firmly under our control. No one understands how the Hunters think better than you, Leah, so your perspective would be invaluable to this end.”
“That so?” She looked around the square of the complex they’d taken as their base of command. The place had been some kind of convention center to the humans, with walls painted in red, blue, and green, and an architecture that folded over itself like it could tip over any second. Why Hades fixated here of all locations was beyond her. Claiming Beverly Hills was hardly a strategic win.
“So what’s the plan then?” Leah asked.
Hades laughed. “Can’t do elections, obviously. Half our crew would forget who they’re choosing or why they’re doing it by the time it came to vote. It’ll only get harder as our population grows.”
“Any transfer of power runs a similar risk,” Mother pointed out. “Each successive regime would have to absorb many responsibilities from their predecessors, and with the threat of hollowing, duties and responsibilities are more likely to be lost in this stage. Coupled with the ongoing war against our living enemies, it would be unwise to adjust any paradigm drastically once it has been set.”
Leah stared dully. “We can’t do voting, and we can’t remove our fearless leaders from power. How very convenient for you both.”
“I have no interest in retaining authority. I would greatly prefer to manage medical needs as they develop, along with furthering my research into HBRS-15.21. Both of these avenues require my constant attendance as is.”
“Can’t say I’m enjoying this all that much either,” Hades said with a frown. “The killing’s been a good ‘ole time, but sitting around listening to everyone’s problems is a real pain in my ass, and I don’t even feel pain in my ass. How’s that for a treat?”
It took another second to catch the implication. Leah blinked. “Are you both suggesting that you want me to play mayor?”
Hades shriveled cheeks spread wide. “Don’t see why not. You’ve led more raids than we can count, and the people love you to death. Leadership is in your bones.”
“What about someone else, like Robert or Mastermind?”
“Hrmph. Mastermind is hard to take seriously because he’s practically the size of a toddler, and Robert spends all day working on the Styx like he’ll become the new Charon for it.” He paused and stroked his rotted chin. “Actually, that’s not a bad nickname. I think I might start calling him that…”
Leah thought through more options. “There’s still Fortunato, or Zeke, or Fran, for that matter. All of them would make great figureheads for you.”
“Leah, oh, Leah. Why are you making this difficult? Just say ‘yes’ already. I’ll still be the general who leads us to battle when shit gets real, and all you need to do is arbitrate the bitching and moaning from our more amnesiac brethren. Maybe we’ll even give you a fancy title, like ‘Head Huntress,’ so everyone knows you’re legit.”
She turned to Mother. “You’re going along with this too?”
“Whether you realize it or not, you have become an icon for most of our community. We have each experienced the threats out there for our kind, from the surviving humans that want to destroy us to the hollowed-classed infected who cannot tell the difference. Your ability to thrive against these foes has made you an almost messianic figure for those you have protected. This decision is not one we have taken thoughtlessly.”
They really mean it, huh? Leah had never considered herself as anything other than a soldier of fortune. She’d only tried so hard because the best killers got the most to eat. Those were the rules of Hunting, and no one had ever questioned them in the field.
“So what do you say?” Hades asked.
“I think…” she started before pausing.
Was Leah really qualified to lead? Sure, they were all just winging it and could rebuild the world in whatever fashion they wanted, but did that give her the right to step in and claim it for herself?
“…this is…” she continued, again weighing the options.
It would be an interesting change of pace. Staying indoors and letting others do the fighting for her, all while she enjoyed some peace and security. Could she let this opportunity slip? Would it be alright to let others stand in defense of her?
“…bullshit.”
They both stood in silence, eyebrows raised against her response.
Leah stared them down. “You want my opinion of how your government should work? Don’t bother with one. You keep doing whatever you feel like, Hades. And Mother can run off to her lab. Once Robert finishes building the Styx we won’t need anyone to manage us, except in the loosest sense of the word. Leave us to sort our own shit, and we’ll figure it out soon enough.”
“Anarchy is hardly a worthwhile basis for society,” Mother said.
But Leah looked to Hades. “What is it that you wanted to call this place? ‘Pandemonium’? That sounds perfectly fine to me.”
“And what role do you imagine yourself having in this new chaotic world?” Mother wondered.
She clenched her fists. “Same as always. A Hunter’s still got to eat, doesn’t she? That won’t change when the humans are defeated.” She beamed. “Hell, you won’t even have to draft a police force. Us Hunters are perfectly suited to handle this community’s issues, so long as you’re willing to pay us for the service. Give us something to eat, and we’ll do anything for you.”
“Who has become the opportunist now? A civilization that lacks formal structure is the ideal place for your kind to thrive. When resources are inevitably consolidated into the hands of the few, what happens to the needs of the downtrodden? Nothing, for this scenario only leads to an entrenched oligarchy using mercenaries to bludgeon the poor into submission. No, this cannot be considered.”
Hades broke into laughter. First, a small chuckle, but it quickly exploded into a raucous guffaw. Soon, he could not contain himself, his jaw dropped and tongue thrashing about as he howled in exhilaration.
“Yes, that’s perfect!” he roared, his eyes burning like crimson flames. “I knew I was right to call Leah here!”
Mother hardened. “You cannot be serious, Hades.”
“Oh? And why not? You said that any political structure we build runs the risk of collapsing under the weight of hollowing, so what better way to protect ourselves against that than to have no government at all? I’ll still have the final say and make changes as needed, but I sure as fuck won’t be managing everyone’s day-to-day affairs. That can be broken down by whoever is smart and strong enough to seize the moment and solve problems for themselves.”
“Relying on the avarice of others is not a sustainable model.”
“If you say so. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see how shit plays out. For now, this sounds like the best path forward. Plus, Leah’s already agreed on this one. Ain’t that right?”
“That’s the plan.”
He gleamed. “There, looks like you’ve been outvoted today, Mother. I’ll rally everyone together and make the announcement as soon as the Styx is finished.”
And just like that, Pandemonium was born.
* * *
Leah’s truck rolled down the street, with a posse of her guards manning the guns.
Does it ever end? After finally getting her caravan back home, Charon called her through the wire to pass on a message that problems had formed at the gates. Apparently, he was too busy wrapping up a patrol to deal with it himself, and they’d asked to see her specifically.
A sea of desiccated husks bowed out wherever her truck drew near, forming giant rings on even the most densely populated roads. Her little pocket of stability, fighting obstinately against Pandemonium’s endless chaos.
Only in one part of the city did Leah face an obstacle. A crowd had formed along the border to Asphodel, no more than a stone’s throw from the Lodge. Workers had formed en masse, and for once, they seemed disinterested in yielding to the Head Huntress or her entourage. The driver bleated against the horn, but only a handful bothered to make room for them.
“What’s going on?” Leah asked from the back.
Her driver grunted. “Some guy’s on the side of the road, and everyone’s blocked the road to hear him speak.”
I’ll be damned. Leah’s friend in the brown cloak was still where she’d left him, lecturing about his book for the world to hear. But he must’ve gained a following after spending so much time standing in that spot. He’d even gotten a group of diehards of his own, with their outfits colored white. Leah had half a mind to pull over and listen in for herself.
“Want me to ram ‘em out of the way?” the driver asked.
Leah shook her head. “No. We’ll take another path.” Duty still called, and this guy deserved his five minutes of fame.
The truck rolled back and redirected, shifting another couple of blocks before turning for the main gates. It was smooth sailing from there. Her vehicle trudged through the rest of Asphodel with minimal resistance.
The two-story sheet metal wall that defined the Styx’s main gate screeched as her truck drew near. Guards lined the peak, their automatic weapons trained into the world beyond. More lined the path beyond to herald her arrival.
Leah glanced at her destination. All this trouble for that? The party held no more than five, huddled near the admittance station with neither words nor weapons.
While the rest of her men made the obligatory rush into formation, she fitted her golden Head Huntress badge in place, threw her scarf over one shoulder, and calmly strolled into the open. Oh, how she wanted nothing more than to bark some orders and go back home.
But then Leah saw these travelers up close.
All five wore cloaks, with hoods thrown over hardened faces and sleeves that hung loose along the limbs. Only a single strand of rope held the garb in place, tied along the midsection to keep it from falling off. Their skin was smoothed out, looking as fresh and clean as Pandemonium’s aristocracy.
Four wore clothes colored brown, but it was the last guy who stood out the most. His cloak was black, and he stood a full head taller than the others, with a tattoo running along his forehead in the shape of a crown of thorns. He leaned against a bo staff for stability.
That tattoo, though… Leah’s eyes stayed fixed as she studied its intricacies. Had she seen this guy before? She probed the depths of her Rez for an answer.
Nothing. Leah must have been confusing the description fed to her by Liam with some friend of the past.
Leah composed herself. “Gotta say, it isn’t often that I get called down here by name.”
“You are the leader of this city?” one of the brown-cloaked guys asked.
“That’s ‘Lady Leah’ to anyone asking. The real question is who the fuck are you people?”
“We are but simple Beholders for the Lord. My name is Aaron.”
Leah blinked. Seriously? She recognized the description of the black-cloaked fucker at once, but she’d never expected him to just waltz up to the Styx. And with this little backup too?
She turned to the nearest guard. “They armed?”
“No,” he said. “Just the one guy with the stick and crossbow.”
“Good.” She raised her hand and pointed. Her people flooded forth, forming a ring that locked them on three fronts, their weapons aimed to kill. Aaron kept his cool, but the rest shifted nervously in place. Even the black-cloaked guy clung to his staff like it might make the slightest bit of difference.
Leah grinned. “You gonna make this easy, or are those cloaks of yours about to have a few holes ripped through them?”
Aaron remained still. “There is no need for violence. We do not wish to bring you or your people harm. We come in peace.”
“Peace, huh?” She chuckled. “You know, I’ve been hearing a lot about Beholders lately, and none of it is good.”
“I suppose that many would have differences of opinion about our cause, but that is the world we now live in. Is it not?”
“And what cause is that?” Leah mused.
He didn’t blink. “To find Leah Fenix. We wish to see the unhollowed child, along with her parents, Liam and Evelyn.”
The words cut like a knife, and her chest tightened with a phantom heartbeat. Did that guy just say that shit out loud!? Here? Now? Right out in the fucking open!?
Leah tilted her head, her brow furrowed. “I don’t think I like the way this guy is looking at me. Bring me his head! Gag his friends while you’re at it. I don’t want another word out of them.”
“Wait!” the black-cloaked Beholder jumped in front, his staff tossed to the ground. “Forgive my Brother for speaking without respect, Lady Leah, but you must not harm us.”
She laughed. “And why the fuck not?”
“Because then our congregation will have no choice but to attack. I do not wish to see further bloodshed after how far our pilgrimage has taken us.” He turned to his side. “You are not to speak another word, Brother Aaron.”
Aaron grimaced as though he’d been smacked in the face.
This one’s got more tact. She breathed deep, letting her rage subside a beat. There was no going back now that the beans had been spilled, but she could still fish for information before taking the necessary next steps.
Leah examined her guards. “Everyone, listen up! Here’s how we’re going to play this. The rest of you take a couple steps back, and if a single one of these cloak-wearing fuckers so much as blinks, you’re to put them down on the spot. Got it?”
Her guards nodded and complied, giving them more space.
Leah advanced until no one else could hear, then pointed to the tall one. “You. You’re name is Ezekiel, isn’t it?”
The black-cloak rezzer looked from one end of the firing squad to the other and grit his teeth. “I am.”
“Figured as much. Let’s not play games then, Ezekiel. A couple weeks back, you and your friends went to a place you didn’t belong. A bunker hidden under Cheyenne Mountain. That is correct, yes?”
“We did.”
“Then all that I have to say to you is this: the best thing for you and your little group is to march back home and forget anything ever happened. Can you do that for me?” She could wipe them all out on the road.
Ezekiel’s mouth furled into a thin line. “Forgive me, Lady Leah, but that is not a decision I can make.”
She raised an eyebrow and looked at Aaron. “You’re telling me that this chump is your leader?”
“He cannot make that decision either.”
“So you’ve been sent as an advance party,” she deduced. “To what end, exactly?”
He paused, once again studying his enemies before focusing back on her. “It is as you would guess. Our Father sent us to ascertain whether or not Leah Fenix and her family are located here and to request that they return with us if they were. Those are our only tasks. He does not wish to bring you or your people harm, and he is willing to negotiate with you directly once the rest of our congregation arrives.”
Is that so? “Then you guys aren’t near as bright as I thought you were. So tell me, Brother, why is it that I shouldn’t purge the lot of you before you run off and talk to your Father? Do you really think that your pesky crew of eighty is anywhere near enough to threaten me?”
Ezekiel’s lips twitched ever so slightly into a faint grin. “Do you believe that we have no more than eighty in our ranks?”
Leah blinked, caught off by his sudden bravado.
But before she could probe further, a guard had wandered over, holding his radio out.
“I told you to stay back,” she snapped.
“I’m sorry, my Lady, but you have to hear this.”
Leah pressed the radio to her head and listened. Her eyes widened as the message came through. Without saying a word, she turned around and ran for the gate. Through the Styx, up the nearest tower, and onto the roof where her people kept watch. She yanked a pair of binoculars from the nearest guard and focused on the horizon.
For the second time today, her heart jolted back to life for a beat. There, along the mountains to the northeast, a mass of white had formed. Narrowing it further exposed just how vast this army spread about. Horses, cattle, tents, carts. And cloaked rezzers. Black, brown, and white. So much fucking white! No matter which way she looked, more kept coming.
This shouldn’t have been possible. There were hundreds… No, thousands… All crawling toward Pandemonium like an entire city on the move. Like a nation invading!
Leah swallowed the lump in her throat as another revelation blossomed. She shifted the binoculars into Pandemonium and adjusted the lens.
The crowd of onlookers remained where they’d been left outside the Lodge, mesmerized by the brown-cloaked rezzer on a plywood box as he continued to drone to the masses about his book. She’d never taken the time to look at him up close, but with the aid of her binoculars, getting the exact size and shape of the cloak he wore was child’s play, along with comparing it to what Aaron and the other Beholders wore.
Identical.
Well, shit. This day just got a whole lot more complicated.
