Chapter Twenty-Nine

Zella Mills - Plaza de Vulcan, Naguela

Adrenaline was wearing off. With every step she took down the steps, pain pierced her body, revealing the bumps taken during her exchange with Masha. The urge to collapse was overbearing when she reached the ground floor. She leaned against the stair railing, stealing a moment to breathe.

Raul bore the weight of a lifeless man’s upper body, his arms cradling him by the armpits, while a second individual supported the victim’s legs. They hoisted the lifeless man into the recesses of an open van. “See that he’s handled with care,” Raul said. “I’ll call his people when I return.”

“I’m sorry,” Zella said, stumbling to the center of the room.

Raul pivoted towards her; concern etched on his face. “There you are. I was worried the big one would kill you.” Raul took her by the arm and urged her towards a foldable seat.

“I’ll manage,” Zella grunted, her muscles tensing as she elected to remain upright. Her eyes followed the van as it drove through the vehicle exit. “Did your men take pictures of the immortals? Whoever did, must have leaked them quickly.”

Raul shrugged. His eyes shot over to the Chinese-Xopren, who was placing the EnigmaCore briefcase on top of a work surface. The Xopren lit a cigarette. “It wasn’t any of us,” Raul continued, his eyes back on Zella. “Watts checked us all, thinking we did it. I think he could sense that no cellphone signals had been sent from any of us. I dunno. I’m unsure how his freakish magic works. Whoever leaked pictures must have got them before they ambushed us.”

So many thoughts swirled around her head that it took her a while to remember losing communication with Khloe and Joe. She tapped her earpiece, fiddling with the buttons on the back. “Khloe, Joe, do you copy?”

The Xopren spoke words she didn’t understand. Her eyes followed where he was pointing. Joe’s pickup truck was parking up right outside the entranceway. “Thank god!” she said, jogging her way to the truck. A jolt in her leg reminded her of the beating she’d just taken.

The three of them shared unyielding hugs of relief. They had survived another encounter with the immortals. Once again, it was the threat of their public perception taking a blow that saved them. Zella was certain they wouldn’t get so lucky the next time.

“Which one of you sent out pictures?” Zella asked, pulling away from the group hug. “Genius move. Getting caught here so close after Secada’s death will play into the rumors of their involvement.”

Joe scratched his head. “I wish it was me that thought of that, Z. Truth is, we didn’t even have a chance. The petite, dark-haired one had us held up at gunpoint. Same one who blinded me before they killed my mother.”

Zella rubbed him on the biceps. She didn’t know what made her, it just felt natural to console him. Her nostrils twitched at the tobacco scent on him. “Sorry. I know how it feels. The regret that sweeps over you when you look the murderers in the eye. The guilt you feel over not being prepared for something like that.”

“Yeah,” Joe nodded. “I’m fine though.”

She let him go, noticing Khloe’s eyes on her hand. “If it wasn’t you two who sent the photos, and it wasn’t any of us here, then who could have possibly taken pictures and sent them out that fast?”

They moved out of the way to allow a black sedan passage into the warehouse. Raul carried the briefcase to the trunk, his Xopren ally tailing him the entire way. The sedan's driver extended his arm through the open window, a friendly wave signaling their rendezvous.

“Despite what’s happened here, that tech has to go,” Khloe said under her breath, eyes shifting between Zella and Joe. “We can’t allow them to finish it.”

“I can hear you, you know,” said Raul, approaching them. He had placed the briefcase safely in the trunk. The Xopren gazed down at the briefcase, the trunk door still opened. “Does my technology worry you, Miss…?”

Khloe turned her attention to him. “The name is Khloe, and yes, it does. Artificial Intelligence has no place in global politics.”

“And do those freaks who were just here have a place in it?” Raul replied. Khloe did not answer him. “Let me lay out the importance of what we’re doing.”

Raul’s briefing on the EnigmaCore was so important that he led them into the nearby conference room. Stiff foldable seats aggravated Zella’s back where she had taken a beating upstairs. The Solace collective whispered among themselves as Raul fetched refreshments. Coffee was brought in a flask, allowing them to refill their polystyrene cups at will.

Raul stood beside a whiteboard with a marker in hand. "I grew up homeless,” he said. “My parents were dead by the time I was five years old. Hunger presented me with little choice but to grow up in the streets and learn about the underground economy. I was groomed into smuggling. This upbringing taught me about every type of weapon. Every type of warfare imaginable. All except for the ones the governments keep under wraps. The government’s technology is always decades ahead of what you can get on the streets. And this, my friends, is what determines who dominates the world and the economy. Since their inception in 2023, COG’s goals have been to ensure Western dominance over the world, often using unfair and egregious means. The immortals, of course, have been one of their key means of achieving this. But they alone cannot compare to the power of nukes, bioweapons and economy-crumbling computer viruses.”

Joe Halili covered his mouth to suppress a yawn. “Sorry,” he said, clutching his coffee cup.

“I’ll get to the point,” Raul snarled. “The EnigmaCore is a system that will keep the rest of the world on equal footing with North America and Europe. Because let’s be real, if COG desires it, then any country can get manipulated by proxy wars, weather attacks, political hit jobs and whatever tricks the immortals can pull off. Naguela just had its own president wiped off the chessboard. Watts literally admitted it to us. And that’s why Naguela and Xopren are teaming up to put together the EnigmaCore system.”

“How does this thing work, exactly?” Zella asked.

Raul wrote the words 4x Quantum Computing on the whiteboard. “This technology utilizes four times quantum computing, based out in the Antartica. The only place that has the cooling necessary to run this kind of technology. They can simply open the door to keep this advanced system cool. Signal towers will be erected in key regions around the world to allow the technology to work. To put it simply, the EnigmaCore can out-think, and out process any other system in existence on this planet. It’s beyond regular AI capabilities. The EnigmaCore will include defensive intelligence, allowing it to research global politics in real time. It can breach systems for intel and come up with detailed calculations on when an attack or strike is likely to occur. It has every type of computer virus, ransomware, malware, and hack readily deployable in its database. We, however, plan to use the viruses for research only.”

Joe snorted. “Sure, buddy.”

Raul continued, ignoring the interruption. “The EnigmaCore will also can command nuclear weapons. Advanced nuclear weapons that are still in development. But there is more work to be done with our Xopren friends to finalize this part of it. All of these capabilities are available at the touch of a finger. Only a select few will be appointed to command the technology. It’s small and sleek enough for them to carry it in their pocket.”

“And what part of this sounds ethical?” Khloe asked. “We know COG is known for its wrongdoing, but how is this fair to the regular citizens in Western civilization who don’t agree with their actions? The regular civilian doesn’t ask to be involved in global warfare.  But here you are, ready to develop something that will throw the world into nuclear tensions the very moment COG gets a whiff of it. You’ve heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis, haven’t you? The world was nearly subjected to nuclear destruction. And now you want that kind of decision making in the hands of a super-AI? You’re insane!” Khloe shot up from her seat with outrage.

“Is it fair that COG wants to keep the rest of the world in disarray for their own wealth and greed?” Raul asked, pointing to her. “COG murders innocent people all over the globe to secure pipelines, distribution and slave labor. The type of slave labor that’s swept under the rug and never mentioned. All so they can keep their own economy booming, while other nations are bled dry. Do you think a poor man in Oshela can be hired for a forty-grand a year job, and happily raise his family while saving up a fortune for his successors? No. Instead, that man gets rounded up and forced to work himself to death so Hubert Quinn can get on national TV alongside the president wearing a diamond-studded watch. And if anyone speaks up or tries to implement a better system, all COG has to do is create an evil campaign, branding them a terrorist. And just like that, they are marked for death at the hands of the mighty immortals. You know it, because every day Solace is referred to as a terrorist group in America.” Raul fixated on Khloe. “Your own country turned on you because you’re on the wrong side of their agenda. Meanwhile, you stand here worried about the innocent Westerners who have a slight chance of being subjected to an attack. It’s not even an absolute. Your bias is clear, because what concern have you ever shown to the innocents murdered and enslaved all around the world to prop up your own civilization?”

Khloe was shaking now. Joe Halili stood to console her. Suddenly aware that she was the only one sitting, Zella got up on her feet too. “This needs regulation,” Zella said. “That amount of power can’t be in any Jane’s hands.”

“That’s right, Zella,” Khloe added. “The way you’re selling this is that a group of renegades with a hatred towards Americans is developing a superior technology, capable of bringing about Armageddon. You speak of my bias, as if they won’t be using it to destroy America’s stake in the global economy. This technology must be brought to the United Nations or some governing body.”

A voice came from behind them. The Chinese-Xopren had entered the room. “The UN has been bought by COG. The UN does what COG wants.”

“Wan tells no lies,” Raul added. “COGs corruption and espionage runs deeper than you can imagine.” Wan walked across the conference room and joined Raul at his side.

“There has to be another way to deal with COG’s reign in the world without resorting to something so inhumane,” Joe said. His head turned to Zella and Khloe. “Our whole organization is about fighting their corruption, ya know?” He faced Raul directly now. “Why don’t you all work with us on a better solution? There’s strength in numbers.”

Wan let out an icy chuckle. “Cute,” he said.

“While I hold nothing but respect and admiration for our immortal-killer here,” said Raul, nodding at Zella, “a series of group meetings and community work isn’t going to do a damn thing to stop them. Unless you plan on wiping out every one of the immortals, Zella, there is nothing Solace can do to loosen COGs hold on the world. The Xoprens have allied with several other nations, and many paramilitaries spread across the globe. We’re building alternate economies and currencies. This is the only way we can fight back.”

A loud bang hit the large windowpane at the side of the room, causing Zella to clutch the handle of her pistol. The driver of the sedan banged his fist against the window to get their attention. When everyone’s eyes were on him, he pointed over to the car. Raul and Wan sprinted from the room to investigate.

The three Solace members remained in the conference room, watching through the window. Raul’s look of horror as he gazed down into the trunk told the entire story.

They rushed from the conference room, re-entering the main floor of the warehouse. Raul stomped over to them in a fit of rage. “What have you done?” he yelled; tears of frustration welled at the corners of his eyes.

Zella threw her hands up. “Calm down! It’s me, Raul. I’ve never stolen from you.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down. It’s gone! The EnigmaCore is gone.”

Zella’s eyes swept over her companions, paying extra attention to Khloe. Their collective astonishment rendered them momentarily speechless, mouths agape in disbelief.