“So let’s say this is a cool story,” he said. “Again, what’s my deal?”
“Your deal, dearest Jamie, is that you are a prototype. Ten were brought to term. Born as normal humans but with a key difference - each acts as a natural incubator for the Jewel within, to determine the viability of the new species. When the incubation concludes, the original personality is exterminated and the newly designed species emerges in totality. Consume every cell, rewrite the genome. An infancy unaware of any past life and acting only for the interests of the Chancellory. A new being of staggering power, fully capable of remaking mankind on a planetary scale.”
Jamie tried to resist. “No, no, no. You’re whacked. Did you really think I’d believe any of this crap?”
“Tonight?” Lydia shook her head. “I was skeptical. Now, if the Mentor had worked as programmed, you would have been resigned to this concept years ago. Again, I do apologize for the design flaw.”
“OK. You’re so creative, Lydia, that I have already figured out the end to this story. Before long, the Jewel is going to rewrite me slam out of the picture. I’ll be dead, but something else that looks like me will be walking around instead. Right?”
“In simplest terms, yes. Humans always like to oversimplify. The final stage of the incubation began at 1:56 a.m., which was precisely 90 seconds before you broke into the general store. That dizziness you experienced - remember?”
His stomach twisted. The details were so precise. He wanted to resist, but he felt the barriers falling. She had an answer for everything.
If I’m supposed to become this incredible new … thing … then why are people trying to kill me?”
“Tricky, that. I cannot speak to their precise motivation, as I have only had your point of view through which to observe. My suspicion is that some of these observers have changed their opinion about this mission and no longer believe your rebirth should be made viable.”
“Observers?”
“Yes. The team that escaped through the interdimensional fold with you. Engineers, guardians, some of their children. You see, in the years after the Chancellory began to collapse, factions of Chancellors turned against each other - the unrest and division I mentioned earlier. There was an insurgency called The United Green. Word of the Jewel program reached the leaders of the Green, who called for its destruction. They considered the program an abomination to humanity. They wanted more rational biological methods to be employed to preserve Chancellors.
“Rather than allow the prototypes to be destroyed, observer teams were dispatched to various folds, where they disappeared. They planned to live there until incubation concluded. Fifteen Standard Years. Their allies on the other side would send a Caryllan pulse through each of the folds, timed for simultaneous incision. The pulse serves two purposes: One, to triangulate the exact position of the fold’s entry rift; two, to launch the concluding stage of incubation. The Jewels are made of Caryllan energy, thus acting as receivers for the pulse. Triangulation would not be possible were you already dead. Your observers would be stranded here, perhaps forever. Hence, why the attempt on your life did not occur until after the pulse arrived.”
Jamie fought his bindings. “Don’t you even dare say it.”
Lydia laid on her side, her lips only inches from Jamie and her perfume enveloping him in a cloud that was equal parts toxic and soothing. Jamie’s breaths and the pace of his heartbeat quickened. He vowed to fight her, to fight them all as long he could. They might kill him, but they weren’t going to make him believe any of this madness.
“When you are reborn, you will pass through the fold and you will join with the other hybrids. Then you will clear a path for the birth of the new species. At least, that was the plan fifteen years ago. Like you, I will not be around to see its conclusion.”
Jamie closed his eyes. “You are fragging with my head. I almost started to believe this shit. I’m supposed to be a …”
“Berserker. Named after the fierce warriors of Norse legend. A Berserker could be programmed to a level of destruction befitting the fury of its handler. If necessary, it might eliminate whole cities, whole regions. In theory, whole worlds.” Even this thought caused Lydia to pause. “You can understand why some might not wish you to survive the rebirth.”
Lydia again kissed Jamie on the cheek.
“The Chancellors brought to this world the greatest secret in a universe of secrets. Big enough to die for. Big enough to kill for. Today is your endgame. This was ordained decades ago and far away. In a few hours, your destiny will be complete, as will mine. You will cease to exist, but you will reshape a galaxy.”
Jamie shut down. He didn’t notice moments later when a door opened and footsteps descended wooden stairs. The sack came off his head for real, the cellar where he lay bathed in fluorescent light. Jamie reflexively turned away, the light blinding him at first. He remained numb even as Walt Huggins sat him up, removed the gag and handed him a bottle of water. Walt didn’t stick around long enough to be thanked.
Jamie searched his mind for anything to place him in the real world, not the fantasy he was force-fed. His wrists bound together, he did his best to gulp, not caring how much dribbled down his chest. He finished the bottle on his second try, dropped it aside and took stock of where he was.
The basement was empty except for a workbench, a pegboard decorated in hand tools, and a padlocked door. Jamie tested the binding cords but didn’t need long to realize these knots were tied by an expert.
