The Torrent (The New Agenda Series Book 4) (17 page)

33

A
beam of light
shot into Ava’s eyes and she tried to move, but something held her down.

“Easy, Mrs. Strader. Take a few breaths,” someone instructed.

“Where am I?” Her voice was dry and cracked.

“You’re in the medical lab inside the Seattle City Center. You’ve been unconscious for quite a while now, but you’re back home.”

“Home.” Ava released a sigh––Grace had done it! It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust and the room to come into focus. A woman wearing a light blue lab coat stood over her, smiling.

“It’s good to have you back, Mrs. Strader,” she said.

A few more medical examiners approached the lounger and stared down at Ava, clapping in celebration of her return. She tried moving her limbs, but they wouldn’t budge. Panic starting building. She needed to get to the council before Faraday went through with Grace’s termination.

“I can’t move my arms or legs,” she said.

“It will take a few hours before your muscles acclimate.”

“I don’t have a few hours. I need to get to my daughter immediately!” she yelled at the team of medics.

“You need to calm down, Mrs. Strader. You’ve been unconscious for over a year. You need to go slowly.” The woman in the lab coat took out her digi-pad and typed away.

A rush of warmth ran through her veins. “What was that?”

“It’s something to settle your nervous system. We don’t want you to go into overdrive.”

“I need to talk to someone from the council. Get President Jordan and bring him here immediately,” Ava ordered.

“Ma’am, President Jordan was killed during an attack upon the city center,” one of the assistants informed her.

The news shocked Ava. Grace hadn’t mentioned that bit of information. What other details had she left out? Ava was about to request another council member, when someone burst into the medical lab and rushed over to the lounger.

“Mrs. Strader! You’re alive. You made it out!”

The young female wore a dark blue uniform and had her black hair pulled into a bun at the nap of her neck. She stood tall and broad, peering down at Ava with her crystal blue eyes. It took Ava a few moments to recognize the Officer: the girl she had trained to do mainframe searches had grown into a fine young woman.

“Blythe,” she whispered.

“Good to have you back,” she said.

Ava tried to maneuver out of the lounger again, but an assistant held her down. “Grace is in trouble. We need to stop Faraday. Can you help me?”

Blythe looked around at the team of medical examiners. “All of you are dismissed,” she commanded.

“But, Officer, we can’t leave Mrs. Strader unattended. She’s going through a very intense transition.”

Blythe towered over the head examiner. “Mrs. Strader is fine. We need to have a few moments of privacy. Wait by the door. If anything goes wrong, I’ll call for you.”

“Will you be okay?” the head medic asked Ava.

“Absolutely. I’m in good hands.”

Once the team exited the room, Blythe pulled up a chair and sat next to Ava. “What do you mean Grace is in trouble? How’d you know that?”

“I saw her inside the mainframe. I had to leave her behind so I could get back here to stop Faraday from going through with her termination. He set her up. He was working with Sullivan, something about a false flag to initiate a war with the natives.”

Blythe’s face tightened and anger flickered in her icy eyes. “I knew that bastard was behind this bullshit. But how’d Grace get to you inside the mainframe? She’s been in lockdown all week.”

“Christian helped her. He was able to manipulate the cell walls and distribute her into the network. She found me and helped me out. She wanted me to get back here to convince the council to hold off on her termination, giving me time to gather evidence against Faraday and Sullivan. Grace thinks he used mercenaries, and if that’s the case, we just need to get access to their internal chips. We can search their recorded conversations.”

“Mrs. Strader …”

“What is it?”

Blythe lowered her head, staring at her boots. “Grace is dead.”

The words shot through Ava’s body like a bullet, ricocheting off every single organ until it exploded into a burst of flames in her heart.
Grace is dead.
How could her daughter be dead when they were just together? She was too late. Sobs raked through her body and poured out into the room. How could Grace be gone forever from this world? She would never hold her daughter again. Never see her smile. No more arguments at the dinner table. No more trips to the city to watch a movie together. No more anything. Grace was gone. Her existence wiped away.

Blythe reached out and held Ava’s limp hand. They both let their tears flow for a few minutes in the silence of the medical lab.

“When?” Ava choked out.

Blythe looked to the ground. “This morning.”

“You have to get me out of this lounger and take me to see her. Right now.”

“I’ll do my best, but Faraday put her in a quarantined containment area. Nobody gets in without his permission.”

“Then you tell that bastard that Grace’s mother is back and wants to see her dead daughter.”

Blythe jumped to attention and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m going to need your help, Blythe. Can I be sure you’re on my side?”

“Absolutely, Mrs. Strader. Only reason I’m here is because of you. You can trust me. I promise.”

Blythe left the room. The medics returned and began running tests on Ava to check her vitals. She stared into oblivion as they poked around and moved her limbs for reflex response.

Grace couldn’t be gone for good. She had just been with her inside the mainframe, which meant her consciousness was still alive. Ava knew Morray and Dickson had been able to exist inside the mainframe without physical bodies for several years. There was still hope. She could have someone create a new biometric body and upload Grace’s identity matrix into it. The same thing Morray had planned to do with his son, Phoenix. She couldn’t give up. Not yet.

*

Blythe returned to the medical lab. That time she brought Lucas, who was still recovering from the attack. He glided over to Ava’s lounger.

“You don’t know me, Mrs. Strader, but I loved your daughter. She was a huge inspiration for me. Blythe told me you’re going to set the record straight and clear her name. Her innocence isn’t even a question. It’s just a matter of proving Faraday did it.” He started crying and covered his face.

“I can see how much you cared for her.” Ava rubbed his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t believe she’s gone. She was such a strong force. Stubborn as all hell, but that’s what made her so special. Her conviction and commitment. You did a good job raising a strong woman, Mrs. Strader. I can’t imagine how difficult it is coming back to all of this. I’m sorry about …”

Blythe stepped in. “Okay, Officer West, we gotta take care of business now. I’m sure Mrs. Strader appreciates your sentiment.” She escorted Lucas to the door and whispered something that Ava didn’t catch.

Blythe returned. “Prick-ball Faraday agreed to let you see Grace, but we need to go now. Doctors, get a glider chair for Mrs. Strader.”

The head medic shook her head. “She’s not in any condition to go anywhere.”

Ava pushed herself up. “You’re going to get that glider and I’m going to go say goodbye to my daughter. Understand?”

The woman nodded and motioned for one of the assistants to bring over a glider. “Please be careful. Any strenuous exertion could strain your neurological system and cause permanent damage.”

“Least of my concerns,” Ava said.

The assistants set Ava into the glider and Blythe escorted her out of the room to the nearest transporter.

“I know this will be tough, but you need to stay calm. Don’t let Faraday know you’re onto him. No matter how emotional things get. I don’t know how much Grace told you, but he’s moved up the ranks. He’s a hair’s breadth away from becoming President of the Pacific Northwest.”

Blythe and Ava took the transporter to the containment cellblock.

“How is it that psychopaths get into positions of power?” Ava asked.

“That’s why we need people like you, ma’am. To fight back and set things straight. Grace put up a good fight. Now you gotta step in and finish it.”

Ava struggled to lift her hands to wipe away the tears. Blythe leaned down and used her sleeve to dry off the areas she had missed.

The transporter opened to a dark hallway, where Faraday and four guards stood waiting. He looked different, tidier and more polished. Presidential. Ava couldn’t wait to crush his plans.

“Mrs. Strader, welcome home,” Faraday said, extending his hand.

Ava used every ounce of strength to lift up her hand; she didn’t want Faraday to see her as weak.

“I do offer my deepest condolences,” he muttered.

“Can I see my daughter?” Her tongue was like a blade cutting through every syllable.

“Of course. This way.”

Ava and Blythe followed behind Faraday and his entourage of guards to a lone cell at the far end of the dark hallway. He stepped off to the side and the guards made room.

Grace’s body lay in a motionless heap in the corner of the cell.

“We found her like this early this morning,” Faraday said.

“I thought you terminated her.”

“We were scheduled for termination, but we didn’t proceed. She took care of it for us. Electrocuted herself.”

Ava stared at the glass cell, not comprehending how that lifeless body could be her daughter. Her fearless and feisty Grace, who would stand up to anyone for what she believed in. “And you just left her like this?”

Faraday puffed up a bit. “We’ve been in the middle of a war. I’m sorry to say, she wasn’t our number one priority.”

“You bastard,” she shouted, unable to control herself.

“Please don’t take your anger out on me.”

“You’re responsible for her death, you asshole.”

“Grace committed treason against our city; she did this to herself.”

“You don’t get to speak my daughter’s name!” Ava’s voice bounced off the cement walls.

Faraday’s eyes widened. “I know it must be difficult, two losses in one week, but please don’t lash out at me. I’m merely acting upon my duties to maintain peace within the city walls.”

Ava turned the glider around and moved closer to Faraday. “Two losses? What are you talking about?”

“Oh dear, you don’t know? Has nobody told you about General Strader?” Faraday raised his eyes in delight. “He died in the attack. The attack your daughter planned and helped execute.”

Ava went numb. A deafening roar filled her body. Joseph was gone too? Her daughter and her husband were dead? Leaving her alone in the world. What was the point in living another day if she couldn’t be with her family? They were everything. Faraday had done this. He had destroyed everything she loved. The grief shifted to rage and a tidal wave of adrenaline poured into her weak muscles. Her body trembled with enough hate to murder Faraday with her bare hands.

Blythe stood behind the glider, holding Ava’s shoulders to keep her down, but she pulled herself out of the chair and lunged on top of Faraday, bringing them both to the ground. She punched at his face and pounded his chest until the guards yanked her off.

Blythe ran over and helped Ava back into the glider. “Remember our mission. There’s still work to do,” she whispered.

The explosion inside of Ava’s brain smoldered out. Blythe was right. There was still work to do. She would expose Faraday and make him pay. The thought of seeing him contained in one of the cells awaiting his termination gave her enough strength to push away her sadness. Grieving would have to wait.

“Do you want us to put her into containment, sir?” one of the guards asked.

Faraday stood up and brushed himself off. “No, no. Mrs. Strader’s behavior is understandable. She has absolutely nothing left in this world,” he said with a slight grin. “Besides, she’ll be leaving Seattle tomorrow. Once the medics have given the okay, she’ll be flown back down to Ojai.”

“I’m not leaving without my daughter or husband,” she yelled.

“They’ll be shipped down so you can have a proper burial.” Faraday rubbed his hands together. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a war to wrap up.”

On the way back to the medical lab, numbness iced over Ava. Memories of Joseph and Grace danced around in her head too quickly to hold onto. How could she live in a world without them? Her strong facade crumbled all around her. She slumped forward and fell apart in front of Blythe.

“There might be hope for Grace; she’s still inside the mainframe. But Joseph is gone forever. He saved my life and gave me the only thing I always wanted––freedom. He was my first and only love. And I loved him enough to fill our universe and beyond. What am I supposed to do with this love now? It’s suffocating me. This is not the life I imagined coming back to.”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but you’re gonna be okay,” Blythe said.

“I have no reason to live,” Ava cried.

“That’s not true. For one, I’m gonna need your help nailing that prick-hole Faraday to the wall. And the natives need our help. Faraday did a stellar job wiping out a huge chunk of their population, but the ones who survived need help rebuilding. They’re gonna need someone on the Inside fighting for them to keep the city closed.”

Ava remembered what Grace said inside the mainframe:
You can’t help but save the world.

“You’re right, Blythe. I can’t let their deaths be in vain. Who would’ve thought I’d be fighting to keep the walls up?” Ava reached for Blythe’s hand and stretched out her legs, easing herself out of the glider. She stood on her feet for the first time in over a year. “If Faraday’s planning on sending me home tomorrow, we better get to work.”

“Life has a strange way of revealing our destiny,” Blythe said.

Ava remembered Morray and how he tried to make her believe she was destined to be with him. But that wasn’t true. That was never true. She was destined to save others from people like him. The way Joseph had saved her.

34

B
lythe and Ava
took the transporter to the morgue, where they hoped to find the bodies of the men who had attacked the city center. Faraday was a strategic thinker, but he wasn’t much for the minutiae: like removing the soldiers’ bodies that more than likely contained internal chips in their fingers. Microchips were such an integral part of Insider lifestyle that most people forgot they existed. But Ava would never forget. It was her chip that helped save her people so many years ago, when Joseph had uploaded the footage of Ret-Hav and she shared the truth. Once the residents’ eyes were open––like Ava’s––they couldn’t return to the old ways. They revolted and took down Morray and his system.

Inside the cold stark room, the refrigerated storage units had display panels listing the cabin contents. Ava balanced against Blythe’s shoulder as she reviewed the information, knowing it wasn’t going to be easy when she came across her husband’s name.

“General Joseph Strader,” she whispered, tracing the panel with her fingers.

“Do you wanna open it, so you can say goodbye? I can give you a minute.”

Ava hurt from a place so deep in her soul that words couldn’t formulate. She just nodded and waited until Blythe left the room. As she opened the cabin the only words she could utter were, “Please God, help me.”

The door slowly opened and she held her breath, afraid that breathing would make it hurt more. Joseph’s body was stiff and pallid, his eyes closed in perpetual sleep. How could her truest love be dead? It seemed surreal––as though she were watching a movie. She was incapable of actually being in the moment, because if she lingered in it too long, she’d break down again. And there wasn’t time for that right now. She wanted to hold him, to wake him up, but she knew his lifeless body in her arms would only make it worse. Instead, she ruffled his dark curls, knowing she could mourn her loss after she dealt with Faraday.

“You’ll always be with me, my darling. You saved me. Gave me the best life a woman could ever know. Gave me Grace. Our dear Grace. My only solace is knowing that you’re watching over us.” She closed her eyes, releasing a slow breath. “I don’t know if she’s gone for good, I don’t think she is. Either way, please watch over us like you always have. I’ll make this right. I’ll carry you with me for always. Until we’re together again.”

She kissed the top of Joseph’s head and quickly pressed the button, sending him back into the cabin, knowing it would be the last time she’d ever see her husband. She released one last sob over the unfairness of it all and returned her attention to their mission. The loss would inspire her to fight harder to prove Faraday’s guilt. She straightened herself and promised to stay strong––for Joseph and Grace.

Blythe returned and joined Ava, patting her shoulder. “It’s only flesh. He was so much more than that. He’ll live on through many good soldiers. And you.” She handed Ava a towel to dry off her face.

“You ready to start slicing open some skin?” Blythe grinned, holding up two combat knives.

“I think I’ll just use a laser scalpel.” Ava took the device and went to work on the first body. She found nothing inside the tip of the man’s finger. Blythe worked on the second body, cutting into the rigid finger, but came up empty.

“What’s that about the third one being a charm?” Blythe cut into the man’s finger, but found nothing. “Bullshit,” she said.

Ava moved to the fourth man, who had tattoos covering his entire body, including the private parts.

“That’s commitment,” Blythe said.

Ava took the laser scalpel and sliced a vertical slit along the tip of his finger, careful not to get too close to cause any damage. She pulled back at the first sight of the tiny silver capsule.

“Get me something to pull it out,” she instructed Blythe.

With careful precision Ava used tweezers to remove the chip, then placed it on the piece of cloth Blythe held out.

“Fourth time’s a charm, apparently.” Blythe folded up the cloth and put it into her pocket.

“We need to get to a lab to extract his memory files.”

“Already got a room reserved, Mrs. Strader.”

*

Ava stood behind Blythe, watching her initiate the memory file extraction process. They waited in silence as a hologram materialized and displayed multiple files stored by time code. While Blythe scrolled through the data, Ava turned her back to avoid some of the more disturbing visuals. The tattooed man spent a lot of time over-indulging in booze and seedy women.

“This dude was a sick ink lovin’ shit-bag!” Blythe laughed.

Ava’s eyes glazed over, trying to blur the images. A few files in, they came across the tattooed man sitting at a table inside a cafe.

Blythe slowed down the footage. “He’s actually wearing pants here, so this is probably what we’re looking for.”

“Where is that?” Ava asked.

“Looks like P-town, south of here.”

In the hologram, the door jingled and the man looked up. Faraday walked into the cafe and motioned for him to come over.

“You gonna pay for this coffee?” the man grunted.

“It’s done. Now come with me.”

“Nah, man. I ain’t goin’ nowhere with you.”

“If you want to discuss the assignment, you will. Otherwise, I’ll go elsewhere. You think I don’t have a bevy of washed up soldiers who’d be interested in work?”

“All right, dude. Take it easy.”

The man followed Faraday out of the cafe to the crowded street and down an alley.

“Where we goin’, man?”

Faraday ignored him and stepped into a building, where they took a rickety elevator to the top floor. They entered a dark stairwell and went up to the roof, then headed over to a parked hovercraft. Faraday climbed inside and the man followed. He plunked down across from President Sullivan and Faraday.

“Good to see you again, Pres.” The burly man slapped Sullivan’s bare knee.

She batted her long eyelashes and smiled sweetly, reaching out to touch his hand.

Faraday cleared his throat and pulled up a hologram of the Seattle City Center. “Your assignment is to break into the center from this point of entry.” He pointed to the top of the center, then opened the image into a new layer, showing the inside of the center. “You’ll need to get to the roof of the Administrative Building, shoot to kill anyone who impedes you getting inside. Only use archaic weaponry. No guns. This is all knives, bows, and spears.”

“Sounding good, so far,” the man said.

Faraday touched the hologram again and zoomed into the top floor of the Administrative Building. “Take the stairs to the main conference room on the top floor. You’ll enter here and start attacking the following people.”

Faraday pulled up images of President Jordan, Councilwoman Conklin, and Councilman Hartman. “Those are your primary targets. If any Officers or guards fight back, feel free to take them out. I don’t have to tell you to stay clear of me and Sullivan.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that one out, genius.”

“You pick your men, don’t care who they are. They just need to be expendable.”

“Hmm, what about me? I ain’t takin’ a gig that ends in death.”

“We’ll protect you afterward. Just make sure you stay alive. I’ll tell everyone you were killed in the attack and get you to a safe location.”

“How am I supposed to get in?” He pointed to the city center.

“With this hovercraft. We’re leaving it with you. But don’t get any ideas. It’s programmed for one course and that’s directly to the center. You’ll use these access codes to get inside.” Faraday showed him the display screen.

“So I just go in, kill these three people, and fly the hell out of there?”

“No, I need to have you arrested for appearances’ sake. When that happens, your job is to say the following script:
‘It was the girl. The one from Inside … Grace … She said it was the only way to keep Shiny Green Mountain closed. To keep peace across our sacred lands …’
If you don’t say these exact words, I cannot help you. You got it?”

“What the hell is Shiny Green Mountain?”

“It’s what the natives call the city center,” Faraday said.

“Okay, I got it. You wanna screw the natives up the ass.”

President Sullivan rubbed the man’s thigh. “Yes, exactly.”

Faraday shut off the hologram. “Are we clear?”

“Clear as the blue in your eyes.” He looked at Sullivan again. “How are you gettin’ back up north?”

“We have arranged transportation,” Faraday said.

“I was talkin’ to the lady.”

Sullivan licked her lips and stood up to leave the hovercraft. “I have a few hours before we depart.”

The man slapped Sullivan’s ass as she stepped onto the roof, giggling.

“Shut it off. I don’t need to see the rest,” Ava said.

“We got them!” Blythe shouted joyfully.

“We sure do. Can you save just this segment onto your digi-pad?”

“Already done.”

“I’ll get a meeting with the council, ASAP. Please invite Lucas. I want him to have some closure.”

*

Getting the council together for a last minute meeting took some finagling on Ava’s part, but she used her return from the mainframe, coupled with the death of her husband and daughter, to her advantage.

She stepped into the conference room standing tall, her body having returned to its full capacity. Blythe and Lucas followed behind, which got some quizzical looks from the members. But they stood up and clapped as Ava took a seat at the table. All except Faraday and Sullivan, who remained seated.

President Sullivan took the floor. “I speak for the entire council when I say how grateful we are to have you back, Mrs. Strader. Although, we wish it could have been under better circumstances. We applaud you for your bravery and commitment to protecting the people.”

“Thank you, I’m pleased you were able to meet with me at such short notice. I understand you’re in the midst of pulling back troops and ending the strikes.”

“It’s been a devastating loss for both parties,” President Sullivan said.

“I’m sure.” Ava tasted bile in her mouth, wanting to spit in the woman’s face. Such unnecessary loss.

“Now, what can we do for you before your departure in the morning?” Sullivan asked.

Ava smiled. “Oh, I’m not leaving.”

President Sullivan glanced at Faraday, who spoke up. “We’ve already made the arrangements. Additionally, we’ve deposited a fair amount of credits into your account on behalf of the West Coast Regions, to cover your loss and suffering.”

“No payout amount will smooth things over, Director.”

“Of course not, but we’ve gone through a lot of trouble to make sure you’ll be comfortable,” he said.

“I’ll do just fine on my own. Anyway, that’s not why I’m here.”

Sullivan shoved Faraday back into his chair. “Well, you must make haste. Our members have important duties they need to attend to.”

One of the younger female members raised a hand. “Actually, I’m in no rush. I’d like to hear what Mrs. Strader has to say. She’s been gone quite a while.”

“Yes, I agree. We owe her that,” another one chimed in.

An older man from one of the coastal regions, who had worked with Ava years ago, stood up. “I’d also like to hear out Mrs. Strader. Please take your time, you have the floor.”

Ava bowed to the group, setting Blythe’s digi-pad on the table. “I have something I’d like to share with the council. If I may?”

The members nodded, giving Ava the approval to proceed. Before she pulled up the footage, Blythe and Lucas stationed themselves by the door, just in case Faraday and Sullivan tried to sneak out early. She pulled up the hologram conversation between Faraday, Sullivan, and the tattooed man. Instead of watching the footage, she watched the reactions of the council members.

After the clip finished, the room remained silent. Dumbfounded, Faraday and Sullivan were incapable of formulating any sort of defense.

“So you see, I’m not going anywhere. I need to stay here to ensure the deaths of my husband, daughter, President Jordan, and council members Conklin and Hartman––along with the thousands of natives who were brutally murdered under Faraday and Sullivan’s directive––are met with justice.”

Councilman Baker of the Arizona Region stood up. “Officers, please detain Director Faraday and President Sullivan. We’ll need the highest level of security possible.”

Faraday and Sullivan didn’t say a word as Blythe and Lucas strapped the metal bands around their wrists. They didn’t bother arguing when the guards came to escort them to their containment cells. It was over.

Councilman Baker greeted Ava, holding out his hand. “We cannot thank you enough for this evidence. The majority of the council couldn’t make sense of the attack. We had a meeting scheduled for this morning to discuss retracting your daughter’s sentence, thus giving us more time to further investigate. But, as you know, it was too late. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m just grateful I was able to clear my daughter’s name.” Ava remained humble, knowing she might need to use this victory in the near future. Leverage was a good thing to have during negotiations.

Baker patted Ava’s arm. “Not even back twenty-four hours and you’ve already changed the state of affairs. Once again, you exposed the truth and convicted the real terrorists. I know you’re going through a huge transition and great loss, but we could use someone like you on the council.” He looked around to the other members. “In fact, I’d like to nominate Mrs. Strader as our newest member.”

“Second that!” many members said simultaneously.

“All in favor?” Baker asked.

Ava waved her hands. “Wait! I haven’t agreed to anything. I just got back home to the most devastating circumstances. I’m not ready to take on this task.”

“I think you’ve just proven that you’re quite capable of anything. And being on the council isn’t new to you. You were one of the founding members. It just so happens we have a few new slots. You were born to do this, Ava.” Baker gave her a welcoming hug.

Ava wondered if working on the council again would be a good thing. It might be a healthy distraction. She’d be able to help the natives get back on their feet. She could work on the servers to track down Grace inside the mainframe. They could start building a new biometric body for Grace and she could bring her home. But the process would take time––weeks, maybe months. Time they didn’t have. Not with Dickson infiltrating the entire mainframe network. Eventually, he’d harness all of the coding and take control of every single server. He’d have power beyond all comprehension. If she didn’t stop him, he’d destroy everything.