Chapter Five

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Priya walked closely beside Zan. She had tried to console him, holding him and crying over his da, while the others collected their things. Zan couldn't help but break into tears in the moment. She was a good girl, Priya. He was glad she was with him.

He thought about how his da never liked him hanging out with her, or any of the street kids. A part of him felt guilty, going against his wishes, but he didn't know what else to do.

Dallos returned after some time with a large case slung over his back, and told them they could set the drone up on the tower.

The large group of kids made their way through Moss Town, along the adjoining tunnels and pathways and further down into the main mid-level of the city, which was collectively known as The Top. The Pipeworks were so far above them now, just a collection of conjoining platforms and pipes. It all looked so small compared to the rest of the city. A huge chasm made up the gap between the Pipeworks and The Top, with many sections falling even further down to the main City. Zan had never been to the City on the ground level, but had heard stories and seen pictures.

They passed the shattered remains of a screen the Mayor used to talk to everyone. Some of them were hung up or attached to something, while others had hovered in the air. These were the ones that would have crashed down when the power cut. So much destruction... so many deaths, Zan thought solemnly.

Large fires burned at various places, lighting more of the surrounding city along with the battery-powered street lamps. The crackling flames were the only constant sounds, replacing the humming of machinery. All around, the city was still too quiet. Some people watched them from their windows, while some camped out in the streets, gathering and talking in hushed voices. Some arguments could be heard, many heated voices, their anger coming from the fear of helplessness and uncertainty. Every face Zan saw was scared and shocked. They passed several more gatherings with Eclipse Guards giving out speeches to calm everyone, but the kids stayed clear of them. Zan's stomach twisted, reminding him of the black armoured guards. Why would the Mayor want to kill da?

Wes and Edrund began a spirited conversation about what they would do if they had free reign of the city, while it was all up and working, and if there were no laws to stop them doing what they wanted.

Smoke rose from a shattered hole in a domed glass building, joining the billowing plumes rising from the various fires they saw.

"Ventilators," Zan muttered.

"What's that?" Marcin asked, walking beside him.

"All the smoke from the fires," Zan said. "The ventilators in the city are off. There's nowhere for the smoke to go, or to recycle the air. Why don't people realise that? We'll suffocate ourselves before our air runs out."

"Scared people are stupid people," Marcin said, shrugging. "I guess the Mayor doesn't want to come out himself to talk to everyone, and he can't talk to them on his screens anymore. People need someone to lead them and tell them what to do."

They walked in silence for a while, until Zan realised that Marcin was looking at him. He had a severe, troubled look, but then his face brightened into a huge smile.

"Remember when we broke into Ando Kenna's house while his family was away," Marcin said. "And we stuck anti-grav nodes on all their cups and books and everything we could find?"

Zan chuckled. "We watched them sitting there and wondering why things were randomly going up and down. And, you laughed so hard that you dropped the controller, and everything stayed floating."

They burst into laughter, keeling over. As he stifled his giggles, Marcin said, "What happened with us?"

Zan shrugged, kicking a rock absently. "I dunno. I think we just went in different directions. Stopped seeing each other so much."

"Right, and nothing to do with you da not liking us?"

Zan paused, and then shrugged again. "He didn't know you, not like I did. I dunno. But, I'm glad we can hang out now, even if it's while the world is falling apart."

Marcin nudged him lightly. "Yeah, we had a lot of fun together."

They came to the edge of the town, where long bridges connected to the next section, another roof of a huge skyscraper. As they crossed in single file, holding on to the rope railings, Marcin pointed ahead of them.

"There's the tower," Marcin said. A tall thin tower reached up over the other buildings. It thinned as it neared the top, and its brown and grey metals gave it a sharply peaked mountain look. Ladders ran up most of the tower at various points.

When they crossed the bridge, Keithan walked close beside Marcin and Zan.

The tall boy hunched, his arms by his side, as if he tried to hide his height.

"You know," Keithan said quietly. "This city can be a scary place. Especially when you ain't got anyone to look out for you. And especially now." He turned to them with sincere eyes and a small smile. "I'm glad I'm with you guys, is all I'm sayin."

Marcin clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm glad we're all together, Keith. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else in this crazy world."

Keithan smiled, though his eyes were sad and tense.

They came to the base of the tower, which seemed to stretch up for miles. Marcin gave them all instructions and words of encouragement, leading the way up the ladders. Dallos made a dismissive comment about him only being there to send out the drone, and patted the case on his back as a reminder.

They reached the platform that housed the computer stations, surrounded by empty air and a whistling wind. Zan looked over the consoles with Marcin and Edrund, searching for something that felt right. Priya and Gosaline looked out on opposite sides, keeping an eye out. On a wider section just below them, Dallos, San, Wes and Keithan opened the case and began setting up their drone.

After a few minutes, Gosaline started making whimpering, huffing sounds. "Ah, guys. Eclipse are coming."

Zan turned to see the blue and white armoured soldiers rushing through the streets below. His heart pounded as he counted over ten of them.

"Double time, people," Marcin called out, going to one of the consoles and jabbing buttons.

"We need more time," Dallos called out below.

Zan frantically looked over the consoles, reading through the fast streaming data. Just another computer, he told himself, trying to calm his nerves.

"They're coming up the ladders," Wes called out.

Zan flicked switches and delved deeper into the console's network, his hands moving in a blur.

"That all makes sense to you?" Edrund asked beside him.

"It's weird, I know," Zan said, focused on the screen. "But it makes sense once you figure it out." He hid his frown, however, as it looked trickier than he hoped to get into the diagnostics data.

The first Guard reached the level below them. Dallos rushed over as he came up and kicked his helmeted head, knocking him back down several feet to a lower level. Another Guard came up on the other side. Wes turned to him, readying to kick him, but he paused, hopping on the spot with apprehension. The Guard climbed up onto the platform and Wes backed away. As the Guard unslung his rifle, Dallos came from the side and barged into him. They teetered on the edge as the rifle flew through the air. Wes helped Dallos push the Guard and they sent him over the platform, but he spun and managed to hang on the edge.

The console beeped and the screen changed to a series of graphs and level readings. Zan perked up and immediately began saving the data to an internal disk. They could have a good look at the diagnostics later. Behind him, Priya and Gosaline found objects and threw them down onto the Guards.

San called out as a Guard grabbed her from behind. Next to Zan, Marcin turned and looked over the edge. He threw himself down and landed on the Guard and San, separating them and hitting the ground. The Guard scrambled to reach his fallen rifle, but Keithan was closer and scooped it up. He stood there, shaking, pointing the rifle at the Guard stepping towards him.

"Shoot him!" Dallos called out as he worked on the drone.

Keithan aimed the rifle but the Guard rushed into him. They struggled and fought for possession of the rifle, edging towards the end of the platform.

"Keith," San called and reached out to him.

Their struggle caused them to lose their footing, and Keithan and the Guard dropped over the edge, falling hundreds of feet below. San's horrifying screams ignited the air.

Wes came to her, but they were soon surrounded by more Guards. The drone came to life with a loud whirring sound and flashing lights.

Zan turned back to the screen. The disk was almost fifty percent done. Come on, come on. The glass beside him shattered as gunfire exploded around him. He fell to the ground, shards raining over him, and pushed against the metal divider below the glass.

"Get down!" Zan called out to Priya and Gosaline. They ducked and threw themselves behind the far side of the consoles.

More gunfire pinged off the tower and the console unit, popping into a tube and blowing out steam. Zan peeked over the divider and saw an Eclipse Guard on a nearby rooftop, now shooting down at the level below. His friends called out below, but he didn't know if they were getting hit or ducking for cover, or being captured by the Guards.

He ducked back down, squeezing his eyes and trying to calm his pounding heart. This was all going so wrong. The consoled beeped at the fifty percent mark.

The gunfire stopped, and he looked out again. Two Eclipse Guards were on the rooftop now, but they were fighting each other, throwing punches and kicks. One of them didn't wear a helmet. He had a wide face with long blond hair tied back in a tail. He knocked out the other Guard, and then ran to a cord connecting the building to the tower, where he zip-lined down to them.

Zan looked down and saw this new Guard extending a long staff. He darted between the other Guards, smacking into them and knocking a few off in a whirlwind of attacks. The kids helped out, hitting a downed Guard or tripping some up. Gosaline and Priya tore off an extra monitor and dropped it on a Guard rushing towards Wes. On the far side of the platform, the drone lifted off the platform with a buzzing thrum, making its way up towards the far-off roof. A Guard tried to shoot at it but the blond Guard came to him and knocked the rifle away with flurry of swings. Dallos cheered and waved his fists in the air, watching the drone fly off.

Zan looked across to a nearby rooftop and froze when he saw more soldiers coming. Not Eclipse Guards, but the black armoured guards. The ones that killed his da. They moved over the rooftops like ghostly shadows.

Sorrow gripped Zan, his chest tightening and taking his breath. Their red eyes brought back horrifying memories. Then he saw one of them had spiked shoulder pads and a red armband... the same one from his house. A paralysing fear held him in place.

Someone called out, but sounds faded away for Zan, except for the pounding in his ears. Marcin came up and barged into him, throwing them both to the ground as gunfire exploded all around them. Marcin rolled, too close to the edge, and flipped over. He reached out and managed to hold onto the edge as Zan scrambled towards him.

The console behind Zan beeped frantically and he saw a large disk pop out. The disk was ready, but Marcin needed him. Zan turned back, shuddering at seeing Marcin's hanging form, hundreds of feet of air below him, but he willed himself to focus and stuck his arm out.

"I got you," Zan said, pulling him up. "Come on."

Marcin pushed himself up and Zan dropped them both back against the consoles.

Zan huffed and caught his breath, grimacing. His weakness and hesitation almost got Marcin killed.

"Come on," Marcin said, getting up.

Zan realised that Wes and Edrund were up on their level, and Priya and Gosaline stood near them. Marcin helped Zan up and then grabbed the disk from the console.

"Let's go, over here." Marcin flicked a switch on the console and led them around the other side of the tower, to where a metal bridge began extending until it connected to the next building, stretching around sixty feet.

"Go, go," Marcin called out, waving for them to cross.

As the kids crossed the bridge, Zan turned and saw more Eclipse Guards climbing up to their level. One of them jerked back, disappearing, and soon after the blond Guard popped his head up.

Marcin was the last to step on to the bridge. "Zan, come on," he said, and began running down to the end. The blond Guard finished the final pursuer with a spin kick and came to Zan.

Zan tensed, holding his hands up defensively, but the man simply patted him on the shoulder and ran past. Zan tried to call out but it was too late, he was already on the bridge.

Two more Guards came up the ladders – the black armoured guards – and Zan froze a moment, before bursting into action.

He stepped onto the bridge and typed a command into the small panel on the side, and then stomped on the controls. Sparks flew and the bridge shuddered

Zan considered warning the blond Guard of what was about to happen, but didn't care if he survived this or not.

The black guards came to the bridge, raising their rifles.

Zan threw himself down and held on to the edges of the bridge as it broke away from the tower. Cables and wires fell apart in a shower of sparks. The end of the bridge lurched and fell away. Zan closed his eyes as the wind whipped over him. The other end held strong, with the bridge falling down and slamming into the building.

The jolt shook Zan's bones, almost throwing him off. He looked up, and saw the blond Guard holding on. Across the chasm, the black guards watched them from the tower.

Zan pressed his legs against the sides of the bridge and pushed himself up, switching from pulling with his arms and pushing with his legs. His muscles burned and sweat dripped from him by the time he reached the top, where Marcin helped him up.

The kids gathered around Zan as he dropped to his knees, huffing and panting.

"You're crazy," the blond Guard said, breathing heavily. "You know that, kid?"

Zan steadied his breath and looked up. "I get that a lot."

"Where's Dallos? And San?" Edrund asked.

Zan saw they were missing from the group.

Marcin shook his head. "I don't know. I lost sight of them."

"I think they went down the ladders," Wes said. "But I'm not sure."

Gosaline began to whimper quietly and Priya held her.

Zan turned back to the tower, seeing the black guards had disappeared

"They'll be on us again soon," the man said. "I know a place. Somewhere you can read that disk. Must be important to risk your lives for it."

"We don't need your help," Edrund said.

"I'm not going to hurt you," the Guard said, holding his hands up. "I should have proved that already."

"Who are you?" Zan asked, still on his knees. "What do you want?"

"My name is Ryker. I was just passing through and saw you. Despite my appearances, I'm not with the Mayor. Well, I was. But not anymore. You don't have to be afraid."

"And we don't have to listen to you either," Edrund said.

"He's right," Zan said, rising to his feet. "Look, thank you for helping us. You saved us. But we don't need any more help from you."

"I think you do," the man, Ryker, said. "Unless you know anywhere else you can read that disk."

They kids shared looks. Marcin sighed and said, "I say we trust him, for now."

Zan looked away and shook his head, but eventually shrugged his acceptance.

It might not have been ideal, but they had to put their trust in this Eclipse Guard, for now.


(2822 words)

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