Code Breakers: Beta Read online

  “What’s happening?” Jess said, her voice quiet and shaking.

  Petal patted her head softly. “Just procedure. Everything will be okay. You stay nice and safe there, okay?”

  The girl stared at Petal, her head cocked to one side like a dog trying to listen to their owner. Robertson, standing at the top of the ramp, spoke through his comm. “Vickers, what the hell is going on there?”

  “They’ve gone rogue! Red Widows have hacked into, and assumed control, of the ‘droids. We need to leave now!”

  As Robertson prepared to respond he saw Vickers climbing over the wall of the city, followed by two of his men. Their fatigues were ripped and torn, charred with laser energy. The General hit the ground with a thud. Two of his lieutenants helped him to his feet. Together, they ran for the transporter, ordering the other planes to take to the sky.

  Within seconds, dust billowed up beneath their giant VTOL props as they lifted themselves into the air. The engines to Petal’s transporter kicked into life, and along with Sasha and Robertson, she climbed the ramp into the aircraft. While they seated themselves, Petal remained at the bottom, waiting for the general and his men.

  It was too late. The ‘droids blasted their way through the wall, bore down on the General and his men, cutting them to the ground like rag dolls with a volley of gun blasts.

  “Vickers!” Petal screamed and uselessly held out her hand, willing him to keep going, to reach the rising ramp of the transporter.

  The General spoke in ragged breaths over the comm. “Go! Leave! Head for the Dome. I was wrong. I was so wrong. I’m—”

  A single shot to the head finished him off.

  A ‘droid stood over his dead body, looked up at Petal, and raised its rifle.

  The pilot of the transporter fired up the engines, sending the plane higher. The ‘droid’s shot missed, ricocheted off the thick graphene-steel shell.

  Holding onto a strap at the rear of the plane, Petal looked out onto the scene of the ’droids marching out of the city and gunning down the last of Criborg’s infantry personnel. The ramp slowly rose, but before it could completely seal shut, she saw the clouds of dust from an advancing force in the distance. The Red Widows are on their way. It wouldn’t be long now.

  Before the ‘droids could mobilise and shoot the plans from the sky, the pilots engaged evasive manoeuvres, dropping a billowing cloud of thick black smoke. They gained altitude to get beyond their rifles’ range, and obscured themselves beyond the cloud cover before heading for City Earth.

  Petal slumped to the floor of the hull. It had all gone so bad so quickly. Their entire military squad wiped out by their very own invention. Petal kicked out at the plane and screamed. All her previous hope and confidence drained away in one single frustrated display of fury.

  The others sat shell-shocked. She made her way through the aisle to her seat. She turned to Robertson and Sasha. “I thought you said they were good? Reliable? Their software was okay, you said!”

  Sasha shook his head. “They were. The techs checked them before we set out.”

  “Then how the hell?”

  Gerry stood from his seat, approached Petal.

  “I don’t think Red Widow are as backwards as they make out, technologically speaking.”

  Petal looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s a lot of data flowing out of Darkhan on the Meshwork. It spiked before Vickers spoke. It appears they have some elite level hackers in their ranks.”

  “Or we have a rat on the inside,” Sasha said, wiping her eyes, no doubt full of grief for her general.

  “Like who? We’re all that’s left,” Petal said.

  Gerry shrugged. “It’s no one here. The data clearly came from Darkhan.”

  Petal looked to Robertson. “I assume you’re in control of Criborg’s people now, Doc?”

  He appeared to have aged a decade in the last few minutes. She wondered if he wouldn’t have preferred to stay underground. All those years he had waited and now his compatriots get taken out within minutes. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he crumbled. It appeared his initial reluctance was justified.

  “It, it looks that way,” he said after scanning the transporter.

  “So what’s the plan?” Petal said.

  “Fall back to City Earth, I suppose,” he said, slumping his shoulders. “Regroup. See if we can get support from The Family. Otherwise, we’re on our own.”

  “Don’t worry, Doc. We’re used to that,” Petal said.

  Chapter 29

  While the transporters headed to the Dome, Gerry scanned the Meshwork, tried to find a trace of the data spike he’d detected earlier, just before the ‘droids went wrong. Whoever had sent the data certainly knew how to cover their tracks.

  All along the route, the data had been scrubbed so there were no hints as to what the information might have contained.

  “Doctor Robertson,” Gerry called over the aisle. “How do you access the ‘droids?”

  The rotund scientist lifted a weary head, raised his greying eyebrows. “They’re on a secure peer-to-peer network with each other. A single ‘droid acts as a router to carry and receive instructions to the others.”

  “Okay, so we need to access that main one and take control, right?”

  Robertson shook his head. “I tried that as soon as I heard Vickers’s message. It appears they’ve been taken offline.”

  “Then how? Oh crap. You didn’t make them autonomous, did you?”

  “That was their strength,” Robertson argued, as if trying to defend their very creation. “Each one was its own distinct artificial intelligence. Each one recognised itself and acted accordingly within a set of parameters, controlled and communicated by the designated router-droid. The idea was that in a war scenario, they’d be able to think for themselves when their instruction criteria changed quickly, or if their connection to their controllers was severed or jammed.”

  “Well, it seems your ‘droids hate us, if this was their decision.”

  “No, they can’t feel.”

  “Whether they can or can’t, it’s clear the software ain’t worth a damn.” Gerry shook his head. How the hell could this guy create something so dangerous and put it into the wild without some kind of safety backup?

  Gabe leaned forward from his seat behind Gerry. “Chill, man. We’ll figure this out. They’ve been hacked once, we can do it again, yeah?”

  “I can’t find them on the network,” Gerry said. “How can we even attempt it if we don’t have a connection with them?”

  “Red Widow do,” Gabe said with a slight grin on his face.

  “Yeah, and? Got a trick up your sleeve, Gabe?”

  “Let’s say I learned some things during my time there, man. Give me access to Omega, and I’ll find ya an access point.”

  “We’re approaching the Dome. Awaiting orders,” the pilot said over the public address.

  Everyone on the plane turned to look at Gerry, waiting, expecting.

  The weight of responsibility threatened to crush him, but he thought about everything he had fought for, bled for, and realised this strange group of people needed someone to help focus them, provide leadership.

  Robertson was among the others looking to Gerry for guidance. Even Enna and Gabe were waiting. It seemed everyone had deferred to him. Looking at Jess, now wrapped in someone’s clean coat, he saw the fear in her eyes.

  She’d barely spoken a word since he took her out of harm’s way in Darkhan. He then thought back to when he found Steven in his old house, looking like some kind of starved fugitive. He had to step up and take responsibility. Even if it was to make sure the kids had at least some kind of future that didn’t involve them being killed or enslaved.

  “Malik, can you square it with security and let us in?” Gerry said.

  “I should be able to. Give me a minute,” the City Earth security officer connected his discrete ear communicator to the City Earth security channel. While he was chatting, Ger
ry addressed Gabe. “Can you work with Alpha and Omega? Let’s see if we can disrupt Red Widow’s tech, or whatever it is that has taken over the ‘droids, and get them back in our control.”

  Gabe grinned and nodded, made his dreads wobble around his old face. He moved up the aisle to join the others. He patted Gerry on the shoulder as he passed. “On it, man,” he said.

  “As for everyone else. Those with military experience or skills please liaise with Cheska over here and form some kind of tactical plan in case we need to fight either Red Widow or The Family. From now on, we’re all one group, one people. We look out for each other. Understand?”

  A group chorus of ‘Yes’ went up, enthusiasm and strength coming back to their faces as Gerry’s plans and leadership started to seep in, his tasks focusing their efforts.

  “Enna, any issues with you and The Family we should know about before we go into the Dome?” Gerry asked. Although she was his aunt, and had previously looked out for him, the nature of her relationship with The Family as a whole was always vague and undefined. He wanted to be sure of her motivations and alliances.

  “I’m not going with them, if that’s what you mean,” Enna said. “My place is down here. All the work I did was only partially for them. It allowed me a freedom to work away from their tyranny in return for certain information. But trust me, Gerry. They don’t know everything that I’ve been doing here. They know almost nothing of the servers and my work with the transcendents. I’m not looking to give up that technology.”

  “Probably best you stay out of harm’s way and help Gabe to infiltrate Red Widow’s control over the ‘droids?” Gerry said.

  “I can do that.”

  “Good.”

  “We’ve got clearance, Gerry,” Malik said from further up the aisle. “I’ll send the pilot the info.”

  “Thanks, Malik. Okay, everyone. Here’s the plan as far as I see it. We know for a fact that The Family plan to nuke the place. They’re done with us. Look.” Gerry pointed out of the side window of the transporter. “Even now they’re evacuating the supposedly important people and leaving everyone else to survive on their own. They’ve abandoned the human race. Hell, they don’t even think they’re human anymore.”

  “Bastards,” Petal said. “Utter bastards.”

  “Right,” Gerry said. “The plan is we go in, stay together, and I’ll go meet with this ambassador who’s going to try and convince me and Petal to return with them. But frankly, screw that. We’re not going anywhere. This city was my home, it was the symbol of hope and safety for humankind, and I’m not going to let it go up in smoke. I’ll talk to them. Try to buy some time.

  “Petal. While I’m dealing with The Family, I’d like you and the Doc here to piggyback my connection with their station and get into their computers. Let’s see if we can disrupt their weapons systems, perhaps incapacitate their nuke capability.”

  “Got it,” Petal said. “Just give me the word and I’ll see what I can do.”

  The transporter arced and started its descent approaching the Dome. The city loomed large through the small side windows, glowing with its interior light like some kind of magic orb. The pilot steered the transporter inside, landing it on the runway. When it came to a stop in a designated space, the ramp lowered.

  Outside stood a tall, thin man wearing a light grey suit. He waved at Gerry. From the fashion of his suit, Gerry knew it to be The Family’s so-called ambassador, but he also knew this man was no such thing.

  Chapter 30

  The Family’s representative appeared in his early thirties. His head was entirely bald, and his eyes were small, green, and darting.

  Jachz.

  “Gerry, it’s my pleasure to—”

  “Cut the crap, Jachz” Gerry said as he approached. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Via his AIA Gerry communicated with Petal across their private connection.

  — I’m giving you access to my connection to The Family. Can you and Robertson spoof your way in and see if you can get into their systems while I keep this jerk talking?

  — Sure thing. We’re on it, Petal said.

  Gerry opened a secure port within his direct connection and felt the flow of data immediately. Back in the transporter, Petal and Robertson huddled around the servers. They were using Alpha to crack The Family’s security.

  — Good luck, Gerry said.

  He turned back to Jachz and waited for his reply. All around him small shuttles and evacuation ships headed up and out of the Dome, on their way to the station. He knew one of the shuttles belonged to the new president, and the executives of Cemprom, which made him wonder who would be running the company now, and more importantly: who was in charge of the D-Lottery and the citywide network.

  “Well?” Gerry prompted.

  The man’s shoulders dropped. He stepped closer to Gerry, inspecting him. “Are you hurt?”

  “These days, Jachz, I’m always hurt.”

  “I’m sorry. We recognise what you’ve gone through. This is why I’m here.”

  “Thought you had some kind of bond with me, huh? Trying to get me to see sense, is that it? Well? I’m listening.”

  “As Amma probably explained, we’re leaving Earth for good, Gerry. The directors of The Family have brought forward the plans in light of an attack on our satellite systems and the impending war with those savages.”

  “Is that how you see the rest of the citizens that you’re abandoning here?” Gerry said.

  Jachz shook his head. “No, of course not, it’s the plan, it’s…” He stopped, seemingly unable to communicate his thoughts, or work out a way of spinning the truth like a politician. “It’s complicated, Gerry. Not every human on this planet are equal, but that’s beside the point.”

  “It’s not though, Jachz,” Gerry said. “From where I’m standing, that is the very point. It’s the damned Family who want to force inequality on life, elevate themselves above all others. That’s what’s got us all in this mess.”

  Jachz didn’t argue the point. He couldn’t, Gerry thought. He had no idea, being an AI.

  “We’ll provide safe evacuation for you and all of your friends if you come with us,” Jachz said. “You can all have a new life, safe from the rogues and fanatics; safe from further struggles. You could all be a part of our next step in evolution. You, Gerry, are already a step further than anyone else here, why not come with us and finish the process?”

  “But you see,” Gerry said. “despite what you think about my evolution and my friends here, we are the rogues. And from where I’m standing you lot up there are the fanatics.”

  “I can understand how you could come to that conclusion, but what we both have in common is that we are both part of the branch of human development.”

  He was getting into his stride now. Gerry wondered if Amma or Nolan wrote this speech. Were they seeing through his eyes right now? Controlling everything he was saying? Intrigued to see where he was going, Gerry remained silent and let him continue, all the time buying more precious seconds for Petal and the Doc.

  “When humankind split from the apes, it asserted its domination,” Jachz said. “It colonised the majority of the planet and shaped it in its own image. And for hundreds of thousands of years Homo sapiens ruled the top of the food chain, but if you look back into evolution you’ll see that it’s a continuum. Always changing, always moving forwards, the species adapting to their surroundings and then becoming more efficient.”

  “But what The Family are suggesting is the very opposite of adapting to their surroundings. They want to destroy it.”

  “Gerry, Earth is dead. Its time is over. There are other surroundings, other frontiers to explore and adapt to. Think on everything you have seen. Is any of that worth saving? There are few animals left in the world. The climate grows ever more brutal. It’s our destiny to leave this place and to start new. We have a chance to do it right this time. And you and I can be part of that. Wouldn’t you want to be pivotal in build
ing a new life, a new race?”

  “At the expense of everything else? If you and the others hiding up there want to colonise some other planet and experiment on people you can still do that without destroying everything here. Don’t you realise how mad that is? There’s so few of us left down here, and you’d still want to take all that away?”

  Gerry dipped into the traffic stream within his AIA, monitored Petal’s progress. A string of code flowed across his bridged connection from the Alpha server. It was different to what he’d used before. It wasn’t Helix++, C, or any other language, but some kind of machine language, a highly advanced version of assembly code, and it was coming directly from Alpha.

  While Jachz continued his speech, Gerry messaged Petal.

  — Petal, how are you getting on?

  — We’ve found a way in, Petal said. It’s complex as hell though, but Alpha’s doing stuff I’ve never seen before.

  — Have you found their weapons control libraries?

  — Working on it, Gez.

  Jachz pointed to a single large shuttle waiting on the landing zone. “That ship is the last one off, Gerry. Please, come with me. Your perspectives will change once you see where we’re heading.”

  “I suggest you go back empty-handed, Jachz, and tell The Family they can go screw themselves. I’m human, and I choose to stay that way. If your species want a war for supremacy then you’ve got one!”

  Gerry turned his back and headed back to the transporter, his heart raced and his hands shook with anger and violence. As he approached the ramp he sent a coded message to Amma who he could tell was monitoring the whole conversation via Jachz: “I will not rest until I have neutralised your threat to this planet and its people, no matter how advanced or evolved you think you are.” He blocked the incoming channel, not caring for her response and manipulation. They had already made it clear they didn’t even consider themselves as part of the human race anymore.