Chapter 12

  It's been 3 days since we last saw Lenny, 2 days since we've seen Jodi and Frankie. Dan seems pretty on edge, he has zero idea what's going on. Maria and I have spent most of the time avoiding each other. When we do catch each others eyes we both look away. Reality, what is real? Where does my mind start and the suits thought stop? Carl is acting up, my suit is rippling. It's Ok Carl, they're working it out. My suit calms.

  “Hey Dan, going to get Edgar some mealworms.” I say.

  “Sounds good Goliath.”

  “I'm going to get you some mealworms buddy.” Edgar lets out a single warble. He's been down, not as cranky. I think he misses Jodi.

  It's a cold blustery day on the Inside virtual world and the real world, a bit more nasty in the real world. I set an avatar on the Inside with a long duster and winter gear, I'm going to take the subway today, I need to be registered on the inside when standing shoulder to shoulder with Others.

  Going down into the subway the warm air pushing up makes the synthetic human condition smell more bearable. Hoping on the 1 line I head south. There is a woman with a stroller across from me, the baby is crying. My stomach turns; when it comes to the Others with their Hosting children something primal deep with-in just want's to fricken take out everyone in the car. I switch to the real world, glancing at the child wearing it's little exoskeleton I flip back to the Inside. There is no point in killing them all; it's only the Hosts who will die, the Others will just reboot in a new Host.

  The mother looks at me; she's defiantly the Other in control of the Host, not letting the Host run their script while she watches. She's been eyeing me up since she entered the train, more interested in me then her crying baby, definitely not the Host running her script as the mother. In that moment she's the most repulsive woman I can even imagine. The train screeching to a stop, I get off before I do something stupid like take out everyone in the train car.

  Like a hungry wolf she gets off at my stop as well, her eyes on me, she's determined to talk to me. The station is packed, there was some sort of accident at the top of the stairs, no ones moving. The frick with this; I press my way to the side, I'm a few feet away from anyone, I risk making myself invisible on the Inside. Looking around I see everyone still has their face shields up, no one can see me.

  Carl hasn't moved, I can feel he's looking on with a great curiosity. There is a loud bang, frick, a couple of them have their face shield open. There is moment towards me, I can't see but someone is pushing through the crowd straight to me. He's only 5 metres away now, frick, it's an Agent. As he gets closer to me more and more of the Others open their face shield. He is suddenly face to face with me; it's Sargent Nelson.

  “Fuck I'm glad to see you, this is about to get really bad Goliath.” He says.

  Fricken hell, there has to be 6 Others down here. One of them is pushing towards him; he knocks a woman into me. Frick. I didn't set my collision to the inside. The baby stops crying; every single person in the station lowers their mask; slowly they all look towards me.

  I pull my machete and start hacking through them all like brush in the jungle. I'm shot repeatedly; my suit moves up to protect my head, Nelson is gone in seconds. One of them shoots my right hand with a revolver, I drop my machete. Putting my shoulder down I just plow through them like when I was playing rugby. I get to the tracks and run into the darkness, my back peppered with gun fire.

  The train approaches the station I'm leaving, only there is no sound of the breaks. It blows past the station, hurtling towards me. I press against the wall as it speeds by me, inches from my chest. I drop in a hidden hatch; this is a Go Room that the Agents use; the last room before then enter Manhattan. Pushing in I slam the door. There is an Agent team there, all three of them have their guns on me.

  “Nelsons gone, there is a collision alert going on, you boys don't want to go out there now.” I say.

  “Ah shit, they got Nelson?” One of them says. They take their guns off me.

  “Yeah. You mind if I wait out the collision alarm for a couple hours here?” I say.

  “Sure thing, with all you've helped Goliath you're always welcome.”

  Better let Dan know what's up:

  -Hey Dan, a collision alarm was set off, I'm weathering out the storm for a couple of hours in a Go Room.- I say.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  -Ouch, collision alarm, sounds like someone out there was careless. Stay safe, let me know if there's anything I can do.- He says.

  The Go Room is pretty standard, a room with lockers, a place to gear up, very old wooden benches, it smells like dirty socks and mold.

  “I didn't catch your names.” I say.

  “I'm Darrell, that's Nick and Gary.”

  “It's a pleasure to meet you.” I say.

  “Your team has quite a reputation Goliath, we hear all kinds of stories... I mean, I'm sure it's all true.”

  “Like what?” I say.

  “I heard... no, it's silly.” Darrell says.

  “Aw come on Darrell, we all have a couple of hours to kill here, spit it out, lets find out what's true and what's bull shit. Unless Goliath objects. He's already been talking, so the rumour that he never speaks is wrong.” Nick says.

  “Wait, I never talk?” I say.

  “Well I heard you never swear.” Gary says.

  “Partially true; the only 'F' word I say is frick.” I say.

  “Why's that?” Nick says.

  “Just how I was raised. My father was a minister, he detested the word, he said it was unnecessarily vulgar.”

  “Wait, you have a father? I heard you were grown in a lab like the Hosts, they stitched three of them together to make you.” Gary says.

  “Sounds like you boys have heard a lot.” I say with a chuckle.

  “Yeah, we barely talk to you guys but you're always helping, glad you're on our side.” Nick says. “So I have to ask; does the suit come off?”

  “Now that is an interesting question. Generally, no. We haven't taken them off in three years.” I say.

  They all look at it other, I know the next question but I'm making them ask it.

  “Ok, so how do you drop a deuce?” Nick asks.

  “The suit absorbs it, pure water goes out the soles of my feet.” I say.

  They nod in agreeance like they knew. Gary takes out a flask and passes it around. “Just a bit boys, we still have a mission. You want Goliath?” Gary asks.

  I nod, I take a generous sip that goes straight to my head. Carl is agreeable to the booze, he's doing a soft pulsating ripple all over me.

  “I've never seen that, are you making the suit do that?” Nick asks.

  “I... er... wath the word?” I have trouble coming up with the words.

  “You Ok there Goliath?” Nick asks.

  “Furgot, booze affects me for a long time, goes through body really slow.” I plunk down on the floor.

  “Oh, that was 100 proof moonshine.” Gary says.

  “Oh, frick. Yous going on a mission, this ns't safe for you.” I say.

  “What did you say?”

  Before they can react I snatch the flask and down the rest of it, I need to protect them, they can't drink before their mission.

  “Now you r safe, in the mission.” I grin as my head spin.

  “Ah shit, he's drunk as hell, it's like he instantly absorbed it.” Nice says.

  “Ish all aboot effe... efic... e-fish-an-see.”

  They radio for help or something, I don't know I just sway back and forth like the tide, only not the tide my suit moves with me but in a wave in the desert, I need popcorn. I sit there thinking of this for a long time.

  “Oh, hi, yous look like a Doctor.” I say to ponytail man.

  There is a man with a pony tail, he squints his eyes and looks at my suit moving.

  “What is with the suit?” He asks.

  “Yes.” I proudly proclaim.

  “Why did you bother me? He's just drunk out of his mind, don't let him hold a gun.”

  “Doc Dean, you don't understand, he's Goliath.” Nick says.

  “Why didn't you say so right away? You let him drink? You do know 99% of the alcohol he had will still be in his blood 10 hours from now? How much has he had?” He snaps.

  “Um, about my whole flask.” Nick says.

  “Vodka?” Doc Dean asks.

  “No, moonshine.”

  “Idiot.” Doc says.

  There is talking as things go dark.

  “Help me!” Maria screams.

  My eyes open wide with her scream. What? She's carrying me inside the HQ, we're half way up the staircase, she's carrying me but I'm flopped over her, my head is hitting the stairs and my foot is jammed in the in a railing wrung.

  “Moonshine.” I say.

  “Yes, I'm well aware you're really drunk, they radioed me and I picked you up in Frankies cab. I've never driven before, I hope he can fix it. They aren't back yet, help me some, I can lift you but your damn limbs are too long. Now help!”

  “My foots stuck.” I say, it's twisted and jammed in the railing.

  “Here, let me try...” she swivels around and slips, I fall on her. We both phase though out suits as I lay on her. Her face turns red, she smashes the railing with her hand and shoves me into the wall away from her. “Oh fuck...”

  Looking at my arm it's swirling, like a dance. Maria is laying beside me with no suit, I have both suits on me. My mind drifts.

  I see Carl get stabbed, Gail screams, only it's me. The police come and arrest Carl's brother. Time passes, bits and pieces of her being happy some days, crying others, then she's in a hospital with doctors there she's giving birth. Carl is the father. The child is a girl, I see her life through Gail eyes. Images, snap shots, of her going through being a young child to adult flash by. She graduates University, progresses on to some lab job, all Gail knows is her daughters been promoted a lot.

  Gail is talking to her daughter one day, she suddenly can't talk, sitting in her chair she drops the phone. Paramedics show, she's whisked to the hospital, she can't speak. It's a couple of days later, she can't speak still, her condition is worse. Her daughter is there, talking about DNA markers, her secret project. She takes a clipping of her nail and bags it. She says she got a hold of DNA from Carl and his brother, that she can't tell 100% which of the brothers was her father, that she's close to being able to clone humans, that we would be together again. Gail knows though; she was only ever with Carl, but she is unable to communicate. Gail cry's, but not tears of joy as her daughter thinks.

  I wake, Maria beside me, my mind is all over, I'm dead... I'm alive with a child... it's too much...

  “Help... take her back... my mind can't take two...” I say.

  Maria puts her hand on me, Gail flows off me to surround Maria. She sniffles. “Now you know why you have to stay away from me, we can't keep on the same pattern or you'll... You weren't supposed to know.” She stands and runs up the stairs.