Clio and Cy: The Apocalypse (15 page)

“You can't go home again”

― Thomas Wolfe

“Good morning, Dr. Marcus.”

Dr. Pressfield yawned wide and hard, stretching his arms
back. “Good morning, Cy.”

“Sleep well, Dr. Marcus?”

“What time is it?” Dr. Pressfield asked, unable to see his
watch without contacts.
Should have had
that surgery
he thought. Good vision would have been a plus for the coming
journey.

Cy walked over holding Dr. Pressfield’s glasses along with a
cup of coffee. “Which would you like first?” Cy asked, presenting both items
for his creator.

Dr. Pressfield reached for his glasses and then the coffee.
“Thank you.”

“You slept well, Dr. Marcus?” Cy asked again, unsure of the
answer because his master was taking longer to wake up than usual.

“I don’t know… slept hard, that’s for sure.”

“Are you still ready, I mean in your heart so to speak, to
go on our trip, Dr. Marcus?” Using his supercharged intuition, Cy detected the
answer.

“Yes, Cy… I’m ready. Not before my coffee though,” Dr.
Pressfield answered while managing a smile.

“Excellent, Dr. Marcus.”

“May be the last cup I can enjoy for a while,” he said
raising his eyebrows while saluting with the mug. In point of fact, Marcus knew
it could be his last cup ever.

“Don’t they have coffee in North Carolina, Dr. Marcus?”

Dr. Pressfield thought Cy was making another joke but then
realized he wasn’t after his young cyborg’s face came into focus through the
thick lenses.

“Um… Yes, Cy, they do.” Dr. Pressfield answered while being
puzzled why he didn’t know the answer to that.

Most of the time, Cy resembled a super human with wisdom
that made the Greek Philosophers pale in comparison. Every now and again
though, Cy showed that he wasn’t human. Yet, those little things seemed to make
him even more endearing. When he didn’t know the answer to something simple, Cy
was very much human.

Like a child asking father a question: “What is that,
Daddy?” Dr. Pressfield felt like the parent he never got to be, especially in
the rare moments when Cy was inquisitive about simple things.

“We have a long day ahead of us, Cy.”

“Yes, Dr. Marcus… an exciting day.”

“You’re really excited about this too… huh, Cy?”

“Yes, Dr. Marcus. I’ve never really been anywhere before.
Other than our nation’s former capital I mean. That was quite exciting, I might
add.”

“Well… if that’s your idea of exciting then I think you’ll
be happy as a pig in poop on this one, Cy.”

Cy laughed while remaining proper. “A pig in poop... That’s
my favorite one yet, Dr. Marcus.”

“That’s an old one, Cy. ‘It’s as slick as poop on a hoe
handle,’ as my granddad used to say.”

Cy laughed again. “Excellent, Dr. Marcus,” he said while
scrolling through his database.

“I’m here for you, Cy,” Dr. Pressfield answered.

“That’s so good it makes me want to jump up and slap my
momma,” Cy stated in a tone that wasn’t quite correct. “If I had a momma...”

“Oh boy... Guess I shouldn’t have programmed you to find
that one, buddy.”

“Dr. Marcus, you programmed me with every piece of known
information that the world has ever been privy to.”

“Yes, I know that, Cy,” Dr. Pressfield said after sipping
his coffee, which was still too hot to down in big gulps.

“By my calculations, Dr. Marcus, we only need to walk
nineteen miles before we can drive.”

“Woodbridge?” Dr. Pressfield asked, blowing on his coffee
and looking at the map image suspended above his computer.

“Yes Dr. Marcus… I’ve studied the Ker’s movements and there
hasn’t been any activity past that area.”

Dr. Pressfield took another sip and paused. “Yeah… twenty
miles is still twenty miles Cy. It’s a long way on foot.”

“No, Dr. Marcus, it’s only nineteen,” Cy said beaming from
ear to ear.

“Cy… You’re worse than a kid waiting to go to Disney World.”

“Can we stop by there too? If there’s time, of course…”

Dr. Pressfield didn’t answer as he shook his head and
thought,
I’m fairly damn anxious myself.

7:30AM:

Packed up and ready… It was go time:

“Let’s go, Cy.”

Walking behind his cyborg, Dr. Pressfield exited the house.
Marcus began locking his front door then stopped, thinking,
what the hell am I doing?
He finished
locking it anyway,
eh, why not… just in
case
…

“Keep your scanners peeled, Cy,” Dr. Pressfield requested.

“Roger that, sir,” Cy answered trying to sound like some of
the world’s greatest military commanders he’d studied during his third round of
“training” uploads.

Marcus wasn’t a military man and his excitement from the
night before quickly dwindled into good old-fashioned fear.

At least they were on a road and not walking through a dark
forest. Traversing clusters of abandoned vehicles, they moved south on I-95.
The Interstate-495 intersection was behind them and thick vegetation grew out
from both sides of the tree lines that ran in a jagged border along
each highway. Lush and green, the woods hinted at the
horrors that roamed beyond its thick, leafy camouflage.

Passing through another cluster of abandoned vehicles, Cy
noticed the first skeletal remains he’d ever seen.
Real human bones
, his processors confirmed as the data mixed. It
formed sympathy in Cy’s circuits and brain. The bones were scattered in a
vintage Ford Mustang. Cy looked back and glanced at Marcus to see if he would
also notice the bone pile.

 
A good scientist
doesn’t usually miss things happening in the world around them. Choosing not to
linger, Dr. Pressfield saw the bones with his eyes but kept his head forward.

Cy took notice of Dr. Pressfield’s noticing. He also
detected the scientist’s heart rate and respirations increase.

“How are you doing, Dr. Marcus?”

“Super, Cy. Doing just super,” he aimed the response toward
the back of his cyborg’s head, lying through his teeth.

Jesus I want to jump
in one of these cars and drive the hell out of here
, Dr. Pressfield
fantasized.

He hated being naked and walking out in the open like this.
The man felt like a walking dinner bell.
Maybe
we won’t see any of them,
he secretly hoped, thinking about Ker as well as
the demon creatures.

They made it to the halfway point.

 
Hooes Road Park was
to their right. They approached a spaghetti twist of interstate and road. As if
it could still see patients, a medical office sat between the road and the park,
other than being vacant, it could. Well, that and the fact its entire staff was
no longer among the living.

Cy held his hand back to halt his master’s progress after he
took two more steps and froze. Something was coming in their direction, and
fast.

“Being president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm.
There's nothing to do but to stand there and take it.”

-Lyndon B. Johnson

Atlanta:

“Mr. President.”

“I know you…”

“You’re the President; I should hope you know me.”

“What do you want with me Dr. Pavlov?”

“Simple… I want to kill you.”

On his knees, the President shook his head. Both his arms
were in the grasp of two Sentinel bots. “Why?”

“Why am I going to kill you?”

“No… Why did you do it?”

Dr. Pavlov looked around and spread his arms out as if he
was encompassing the world. “All of this?”

“Yes… Why did you destroy everything? Kill so many innocent
people…”

Dr. Pavlov lurched forward and grabbed the President by the
throat. “Innocent! You think you’re innocent!”

The President couldn’t breathe much less answer. His mouth
was open as he gasped for air, gazing into the madman’s eyes.

Dr. Pavlov released his grip. “Innocent… you make me sick…
Your government stole from me. They stole my life’s work! They killed my wife!
Innocent… you’re pathetic…”

“You’ve killed women and children… Surely you don’t…”

“Shut your mouth!” Dr. Pavlov screamed as he pointed at the
President. He didn’t want to think about such things.

Dr. Pavlov had pushed the reality of whom and how many he’d
killed to the far corners of his mind. He pushed it so far back, that any such
thoughts of murder were too much to contemplate. But deep down, he wanted to do
just that, murder. He wanted to kill the rest of humanity, not wanting a single
person to be able to hold him accountable. With no one left, finger pointing
would be impossible, only God could do that, if any such deity existed.

The annihilation of every last man, woman, and child was his
ultimate goal - he kept the plan lingering in his subconscious. Pavlov desired
it even more than the first emotion that catapulted him into starting this
whole thing, that of revenge, but now, more than anything, he wanted the
ultimate clean slate. Angry desires to avenge his dead wife turned inward,
holding them in for eight searing years, they formed into rage.
 
Now, above all else, Dr. Pavlov wanted to be
the last man standing. Kill ‘em all…

No one will ever know
what I’ve done when they’re all gone.
They’re
won’t be a witness left to cast judgment on me.
He kept that thought
floating in the outer reaches of his twisted thoughts. Distant… so far away… as
if those thoughts were locked inside one of the deep space reconnaissance
probes that had reached the Andromeda galaxy.

“You did all this because someone stole something from you?”

“Someone? The fucking government! Not someone, you arrogant
piece of trash! You! You’re the commander in chief. You are the government!”

The President mustered courage before he spoke again. “Seems
so petty and cruel…”

“Not just stolen! You killed my wife you goddamn monkey! The
innocent people this government has killed… all the governments around the
world have murdered… you talk about petty. How many men have died because you
gave the order? You’re a murderer and a thief!”

Dr. Pavlov couldn’t kill the President as he originally
intended.
This conversation was making him think
too much, it was shaking his resolve.

“Secure him in that office,” Dr. Pavlov ordered.

One bot released his grip on the President while both
machines saluted with their right hands into their chests. The sound echoed
through the main floor of the CDC that was now converted into a high-tech, all
be it half-assed, assembly line. The robot reached down after sharply finishing
its salute and secured the President’s arm. Both machines began dragging the
Commander in Nothing toward the office. The bots walked away from Dr. Pavlov as
he shouted at them.

“Wait!” Dr. Pavlov ordered, halted the bots. They stood motionless
with their backs to him.

“You two stand watch over our innocent, pathetic President!
I want one guard inside the room and one out.” The Sentinels waited, holding
the limp President, listening for further instruction. “Carry on,” Dr. Pavlov
ordered. Dragging their man, the bots crisply marched forward again.

Dr. Pavlov wanted to clear his mind. Bad thoughts were
trying to invade like an ancient virus as he slapped himself in the face. Slap,
slap, slap…

“Ahhh!” he yelled as his palm struck his skin over and over,
trying to purge out the invading thoughts like a caveman. His eyes fell on a
vision that helped occupy his mind in a more productive direction. The new
Super Destroyers were almost done.

Pavlov headed for the main assembly line, cleared by the
century Sentinel bot that was stationed outside the President’s new
oval office
.

“The lions ate him!”

-King Osric, Conan the Barbarian

“Cy?”

“Something big Dr. Marcus… get down,” Cy ordered waving his
hand down toward the ground.

“What is it?” Dr. Pressfield asked while squatting and
leaning against a car. He looked behind him to ensure nothing was sneaking up
on them.
Nothings there
… He turned
back. “Cy… What is it?” He asked again in a low voice.

“Several creatures are moving at a high rate of speed.
Coming from there,” Cy pointed off toward the direction of the medical park.

“Can you tell what they are? Pst, hey, Cy…”

“Quiet Dr. Marcus,” Cy requested.

Dr. Pressfield could hear them; they were getting closer.
Suddenly, the sounds of whatever was running through the woods quieted.

Still running, the creatures were inside the medical office
park, muffled and hidden behind the buildings. Hearing a roar, Marcus saw the
pride appear.

A decimated lion pride came out from between the buildings
and ran across the sidewalk, arriving at the edge of the Interstate.

It was a surreal vision seeing them running full out. One
baby, two females and a male were flushed out as if they were being chased. The
lion cub couldn’t keep up and stopped once they reached the middle of the
interstate. It was exhausted and flopped down on its side, no longer able to
stand. Its tiny ribcage fluttered like a bird while its lungs worked overtime
to bring oxygen rich blood to its starving muscles.

The adult lions surrounded the cub and faced back toward the
medical park.

“Wonder why they were runni…” Dr. Pressfield started to ask,
stopping mid-sentence after seeing the nasty ass thing.

“Ssshhhhaaa!” the demonic beast came out from the same spot
between the buildings. Rocketing forward, the monster ran toward the lion
pride. It didn’t slow after reaching the interstate and went skidding into a
truck. “Slam!”

Woozy, the creature composed itself, while the dented
vehicle continued to rock from the monster on metal collision.

The male lion roared in a warning.

“Ssshhhhaaa!” the beast hissed and jumped on top of the
dented truck. It looked like an evil spider man, crouching low and staying on
all fours while looking down at its next meal. Inspecting each one carefully,
the creature seamed to decide which lion would become its first dinner.

The lions roared and kept the small cub between them.
Exhausted and lungs still pumping for air, the baby remained on its side.

The flesh eating humanoid was hungrier than it was afraid.
Fighting the claws that were attached to the tan beasts below was worth the
risk for the meals they represented.

 
What a scene
Dr. Pressfield thought… He watched the cub struggle to
its feet through the shadows of its adult protectors only to collapse again.
The demonic humanoid was skylined on top of the car and the powerful lions
waited below.

Marcus held his breath as he peered over Cy’s shoulder.

Losing traction, the creature attempted to jump off the
smooth metal roof. It dropped and clawed the air, the monster fell, landing
just feet from the pride. The girls readied. Both lionesses pounced, clawing
and biting for the monster’s throat.

The humanoid focused its efforts on one lioness and bit its
razor sharp fangs into her throat. As the humanoid ripped out the cat’s
jugular, the other female jumped onto its back. Gushing on the ground, the
bottom lioness grew cold and her body limp as the blood drained from her
arteries, and her life.

Trying to stay on the demon’s back, the second cat sunk her
claws in deep.

“Sshaa… Reeee!” the monster screamed like a wounded banshee
and fought to break free. Sticking like Velcro, the lioness stayed glued to the
creature, holding on and biting the monster’s shoulder and neck.

After hurling backward, the demon smartly slammed the
lioness into a truck after. Both beasts fought in wild sounds of a frantic
mêlée. The lioness released her grip after the third trip into a steel quarter
panel broke her claws free, jarring the cat loose.

“Ssshhhhaaa!” With blood draining from the lacerations on
its dark skin, the creature turned around to face the lioness.

The cat stayed low and showed her teeth, growling like an
outboard motor. After backing herself against the truck, the lioness ran out of
real estate and threw her paw up in a defensive gesture. She was trapped and
the demon realized its chance to kill was now.

The humanoid pounced on top of the female and began
shredding her open. Sinking her claws in and defending the best she could,
losing, the cat’s power quickly faded and her body went limp.

Looking at the pair of dead females, the male lion roared
and stood over the cub.

The humanoid was ready. The taste of warm blood coursed
through the monster’s veins as it swung around to greet the alpha male and the
baby. The creature was already thinking where it could hide such a bountiful
feast. Cast under a trance, the monster’s thirst for more lion flesh pulled it
closer. Its work was half over and it needed more.

Two cats down and two more to go, then feast.

Sensing the male lion was stronger than the two it just
killed, the creature stalked with caution, keeping low. It had to drink more
blood and taste more flesh. The hunger groaned inside the monster’s gut like a
raging fire at the edge of a dried cornfield.

Suddenly, the cub struggled to its feet and wandered off in
the opposite direction. The baby meandered as if it didn’t know what was going
on, or didn’t want to acknowledge impending death.

Watching the cub walking away unprotected tripped the
monster’s reflexes. It coiled and then shot forward, racing after the baby. The
demonic beast attempted to slip by the adult lion. Big mistake…

He was an alpha male in his prime and wore a full main.
Hooking the monster, the big cat reached out with its paw and spun the creature
around. The baby was well clear of the fight.

Staggering and heading due east through the grass as if it
were drunk, the cub continued walking until it made its way off the interstate.

The male lion jumped on top of the monster before it could
regain its balance. The cat intended each strike and bite to be a deathblow.
The King of the Beasts clawed and fought like a champion. Realizing it was
clutched in royal power, the demon panicked to get away.

Struggling to break away, the flesh eating humanoid only
managed to do so for a second. The four hundred pound lion shattered the
monster’s neck vertebras with one well-placed swipe of its paw. Roaring like it
had been programed to do for millions of years; the alpha male stood over the
dead creature and watched the cub get farther down the knoll.

Dr. Pressfield and Cy stayed put and continued to watch.
To be eaten by a lion, wouldn’t that be a
son of a bitch
, Marcus thought.

“Something else is coming Dr. Marcus,” Cy stated in a soft
voice after pointing toward the lion cub.

Suddenly, a new monster appeared.

Like a nightmare, it came out from the tree line, walking on
its hind legs toward the approaching cub. It was a gargantuan mutant beast.

Marcus Pressfield felt a cold shiver run up his spine and
his entire body shook with the
heebie
jeebies. This new beast was over nine feet tall and covered in muscle.
Appearing to be deformed, thick slabs of striated sinew rippled over the
flesh-eater’s body.

The lion cub ran
directly into the creature’s feet. As if it were a pet, the demonic beast bent
down and scooped the baby up. The male lion roared with fury, watching the
creature holding the cub from a distance.

The humanoid gripped
the lion’s body and bit into its tiny neck. While it was pulled apart, the
kitten squeaked for help. Quickly silenced, it was dead. An eerie hush fell and
lingered in the moment.

Cy and Marcus could hear the cub’s connective tissue and
flesh stretching before its spine broke free. The humanoid sheered the cub’s
head off as if it were biting into a stick of beef jerky. With no meat on it,
the monster spit the baby’s head on the ground like dried cellophane wrapper.

The baby cat was
delicious and the demon felt the consuming lust from its soul. Nutrients seeped
down inside the monster’s throat. Becoming excited, it thought of tasting more
flesh and blood. Wanting to eat and mate, its instincts shot into overdrive.
The humanoid held the cub up by its tiny back legs and let blood drain farther
into its mouth. A red river flowed from the cub’s sloppy neck and into the
monster’s jaws.

Drained empty, the
creature threw the cub aside, landing on the grass, depleted and lifeless.

“Roar!” The male didn’t
charge, it just roared and stood its ground. The King of Beasts was exhausted.
It watched the monster drop down and coil. The bell was rung. “Ding – Ding.”

“Fight!” Heading for
the alpha male, the demonic creature charged.

Watching the
creature scorch a beeline toward him, the lion prepared for combat. The King
could smell the nasty ass thing getting closer. Yards shrunk to feet until the
foul monster was knocking at the lion’s door. When the evil mutation reached
the threshold, it launched to kill.

The demonic beast
bashed into golden royal fur, sending them both slamming into a vehicle. Their
viscous howls could be heard for miles. Glass smashed out of vehicles while
they fought to kill. It was an epic battle, ebbing and flowing back and forth.
The tide favored the monster as it rose, cresting, and then smashing down with
power. Draping heavy over the cat, the creature filled the air with rank.
Exhausted, the lion finally relinquished.

Held down, there was
no escape for the King, and the massive humanoid sensed the end.

The King of the
Beasts was outmatched and roared in defeat, as much as it did from the pain.
Pride ripped out; the lion’s life was next.

Using its paws and
sharp claws, the creature ripped the lion’s throat out. The creature’s dark
color contrasted against the lion’s golden fur. King
no
more; the monster was wrapped so tightly around the cat, beast to beast, they
appeared to be one creature. They melded into a black and tan monstrosity.

The humanoid ripped
open the stomach and pulled out long shiny bands of the lion’s intestines.
Thrusting dark claws and plunging them deep, the monster pulled out the cat’s
liver.

Its crown was gone.

At least it died in
combat. Lifeless now, its mane the only thing left moving against the blowing
wind.

The monster ate some
of the lion’s vital organs and looked around after it was satisfied. At least
it was for a short moment, sniffing the air, sensing something. That something
was fresh and alive. New meals were close by…