Technocracy

Chapter 1

APRIL 4, 2139, 4:30 AM

Grand City Administration Headquarters

FAUN SQUEEZED RAISA’S hand a little too hard, yanking her into the dark alley behind the Administration Building.

Ouch! she protested.

He glanced at his wife of ten years, her wavy hair, dusky as his own, tucked beneath an equally dark beanie. Sorry, he said. But we must hurry.

It was a cool, spring morning and the event they had feared—the Transition—was underway.

Raisa nodded and helped him load packs into the back of the Sherpa armored vehicle he had acquired in the weeks after he learned of his brother’s plan. As a neuroscientist, Faun blamed himself for not recognizing the signs of his sibling’s descent into madness. Unfortunately, it was the kind of insanity that suited the goals of the Administration, which had covertly overtaken the city government in just a handful of months and placed his brother in its top position.

With his brother appointed as Administrator, no sound mind remained at the helm.

He motioned to the teams pouring from the building. They were laden with equipment, weapons, and every tool they could extract before the Administrator’s forces realized their intentions. They loaded it all into a convoy of trucks borrowed from the Administration’s military depot. Each driver was given a different exit route, urged to hurry from the city and to send confirmation once they reached the rendezvous coordinates.

A handful of soldiers stayed with Faun and Raisa as escorts. Their jeep and Faun’s Sherpa would have to transport whatever supplies remained.

Faun stared up at the row of lit third-floor windows, home to the lab he had shared for more than two decades with research colleague David Reicher. A brilliant engineer, Reicher had helped to develop technologies applicable to healthcare, neuroscience, and data storage. Yet the new Administration had other plans—and applications—for their work. Applications neither man wished to see come to fruition. Not when they might have the power to stop it.

The Administrator’s forces were spread across the city, fulfilling their dark task. In a matter of hours, the majority of the citizens would be changed. Faun hoped the small window of distraction would allow them to get as many people out as possible before the place went on lockdown.

What’s taking him so long? Faun turned his attention from the building to check the lab equipment his team had loaded into the back of the Sherpa.

They had retrieved most of their materials and many of their tools, files, and prototypes now filled the supply trucks exiting the city, but more remained in the building. If they ran out of time, he would order the soldiers to blow the place.

But not until Reicher was out.

He shook his head and gestured toward the third floor. The whole city’s shutting down and the man is still tinkering in his lab.

What about the others? asked Raisa.

I broadcast directions across our frequency and I hope to God they took the warning seriously.

Not all of them have radios. Or scanners for that matter. How do we get word out in time? Raisa pulled her cell phone from her pack and started to make a call.

Faun snatched it from her. No, he said. They’re monitoring cell phones. He turned to the soldiers. Remove your data cards. Destroy your phones. Nothing but radio and line of sight from here. Understood?

Yes, sir, they said, nearly in unison.

Faun pulled the data cards from his and Raisa’s phones and tossed the phones into a trashcan filled with burning debris, grateful their world no longer boasted the technologies of the past. Had the Cataclysm not wiped out their unified network, all data would have been automatically backed up to outside servers. Despite its drawbacks, their current state allowed a man to drop off the grid, taking his data with him.

He stared at the phones melting in the trashcan blaze, then added some cardboard he found stacked outside the building’s rear door. The flames leaped higher, heat grazing his face.

A man emerged from the shadows beyond the trashcan. Dressed in military fatigues, he lacked both shoes and shirt. Homeless, by the look of him. Check him, said Faun.

A soldier stepped forward and passed a rectangular wand over the stranger’s body. The man’s eyes widened, but he submitted to the scan.

Two more people stumbled into the alley from a nearby street. A man and a woman clothed in business attire, eyes-glazed, they pawed at their forearms. Help us, the woman cried.

The soldier scanned the frantic couple and the device’s screen flashed red.

He’s clean, the soldier said, pointing to the homeless man. They’re not. He pulled his 9mm Browning from its holster and fired two rounds. The couple dropped to the pavement, blood seeping from a single hole in each of their foreheads.

Raisa gasped.

You, said Faun to the homeless man. Get in.

The man hesitated.

Faun pointed to the truck. This is your only chance. The city’s going on lockdown. He nodded toward the dead couple. Everyone will be like them by sunrise.

The man gazed down at the couple and then hopped into the back seat of the Sherpa.

A series of black vans sped by, flashing like demons past the alley’s street access.

Faun searched the sky. No drones. Not even a surveillance helicopter.

Thankfully, his brother’s over-confidence protected them from detection. No monitors had been set up at the Administration Building where Faun, his brother, and their colleagues had worked. No safeguards held them back from extracting their research and equipment from their labs. The challenge would come at the city’s perimeter, where his brother’s paranoia ran wild with imagined threats and the belief that containment was required for order.

At his brother’s command, a forty-foot wall had been constructed around the city to keep enemies out and the populace in. Both the wall and its gates were slated for surveillance cameras and sensors, but the security system had yet to go online. Only raw manpower stood between them and freedom.

However, Faun could not be sure how many military or security force members would align with his cause versus his brother’s new regime.

Those lines would be drawn today.

The soldiers continued to load equipment into the Sherpa, stopping only to note the sputter from the radio on Faun’s belt. Shadow-six, this is Convoy, over.

He keyed the mic. Convoy, this is Six, he said. Report, over.

All teams safely out, but exit routes now closed. Only the East Gate remains. Copy? Over.

I copy. Six out.

Faun glanced at Raisa. We need to get Reicher out now.

He nodded to the soldiers and two of them ran back inside.

Moments later, David Reicher, a lean man in his late forties, raced from the building. He was flanked by the soldiers and accompanied by Franklin, a Ph.D. candidate who had shown great promise in bioengineering and a bent toward pacifism. Franklin, whose dark skin and hair sharply contrasted Reicher’s blond features, didn’t look too happy about finding himself at the start of a civil war.

I need more time, said Reicher.

We don’t have it, Faun said. He respected his colleague and understood the pressure he had placed on him. But if they did not get out of the city now, they might not get out at all.

I can’t leave. Not yet.

Faun noted the growing light in the predawn sky. We can’t wait for you. You need to come with us now.

I just need minutes, maybe an hour, said Reicher. I’ll finish here and then collect my family. We’ll find our way out and trust that you’ll find us.

You could be captured, or more likely, killed. You and your family. Please, David, we need your expertise and we need you.

Reicher nodded to Franklin. Go with them. Your place is with him now.

"But we need you," said Faun. No grad student could replace Reicher’s talent and experience. They needed him if they were to succeed in building a base of operations. Surely Reicher knew that.

Reicher raised his right palm. I swear to you, he’s been an excellent student and will be a valuable asset. I’ve taught him all I can.

What if you can’t get out?

Then send someone to retrieve what I have for you. It will have every data file and no one but you will be able to see or capture it.

The Engram? You’ve finished it?

Reicher smiled. Send someone.

Very well. Faun turned to Franklin. Welcome aboard, he said.

Reicher returned to the building just as a siren screamed throughout the city, resounding like an air raid warning.

Faun motioned to Raisa and Franklin, and the three of them climbed inside the truck.

The soldiers rallied around their vehicle.

A screen on a nearby high rise crackled to life, broadcasting a breaking news alert. A beautiful Asian anchorwoman smiled broadly as if sharing news about an upcoming community event. Instead, she advised a pathogen had been released over Grand City.

The Administration has activated health teams equipped with a vaccine developed in case of such a violent act against our city, she said. All citizens are advised to stay indoors and await the arrival of their area health team. Please shelter in place until you can be inoculated.

What a load of rubbish, mumbled Franklin.

I showered at the shelter, replied the homeless man.

Not you, Franklin said. That. He jutted a finger towards the broadcast.

Faun scowled at the screen, then turned to Raisa. This is my brother’s doing. He wants them so afraid that they’ll take his injection, no questions asked.

Faun? Raisa pointed to the screen, which now displayed his image across its bright surface.

Authorities are looking for this man, the anchorwoman said. He’s a person of interest in what is being called a terrorist act.

Raisa grabbed his arm. They’re calling you a terrorist.

Don’t worry. They’re not looking for me. Not yet. They have to finish their work first.

We better go, she said. Wait, where’s Elena? She was supposed to come.

Faun looked beyond her. She’s here.

An attractive Latina in her early forties came racing toward them with her twenty-year-old daughter, Maura. The young woman’s light skin and pale blonde locks set her apart from her mother, so much so that a stranger might think she was adopted. Faun knew otherwise, having been a part of her young life since the beginning. Maura had her mother’s cheekbones and strong-willed nature. Her hair and skin, those came from her father.

A soldier stopped them for scanning. Once cleared, they were allowed to approach.

Raisa and Faun jumped out of the Sherpa to greet them.

We heard your call come across the radio. Is this really happening? Elena asked.

Faun nodded.

Lord, help us. Elena glanced at Maura. We heard that all exits have been closed. Is it true? Are we too late?

The East Gate’s still open, said Raisa. It’s our only chance.

What about the Sentinels?

Not there yet, said Faun. My brother needs them to help with his health teams in case anyone resists treatment.

But we have to hurry, Raisa said. She hugged Maura and helped her up into the Sherpa’s back seat. She motioned to Franklin and the homeless man to make room and then nodded to Elena. Let’s go.

Faun stopped her. Give us a minute, he said.

He pulled Elena back toward the building, far enough away that neither Raisa nor Maura could hear their conversation. I need you to do something for me. For us, actually, he said. All of us.

He’s not coming, is he?

You know him. Focused to a fault, but effective in achieving what he sets his mind to do.

The Engram?

Yes. He’s up there loading the data now.

So what do you need me to do?

He needs time, maybe only minutes. I want you to stay behind and retrieve it for me.

Can’t David transport it himself?

The man’s a genius, but he has absolutely no street smarts. And if they catch him, they’ll have the Engram, too. Understood?

Understood, Elena said. She looked back toward the Sherpa. My daughter. Promise me you’ll look after her.

You know I will. We both will.

They finalized the details of her mission and then returned to the Sherpa. Faun got behind the wheel and locked eyes with Raisa.

No, she whispered.

It’s the only way, he said, his voice equally hushed.

At least send some soldiers.

He shook his head. They’d stick out. Elena knows how to blend. She’ll slip right by any sentry. She has to go alone.

They fell silent as Elena approached her daughter’s window. She grasped Maura’s right hand and placed an emerald band in her palm.

Grandma’s ring? Mom, no.

I need you to go with Faun. I have a small task to do and then I promise I’ll head straight out of the city.

How long? Maura asked.

Not long. I’ll be with you soon. Elena peered back at the Administration Building and then kissed Maura’s forehead. And, if not, know that I will always love you.

Maura grabbed her hand. Please, Mom.

Elena rapped twice on the side of the Sherpa and called out to Faun. Go! Get my daughter out of here.

Faun started the engine and drove off. 

No! screamed Maura as her mother’s hand slipped from hers.

Chapter 2

THE ADMINISTRATOR MONITORED the progress of Grand City’s Transition from the safety of his northern outpost.

Although confident in his security forces and assured that the Council supported the operation, he preferred to watch from afar in case he had overlooked a single rogue, or group of traitors, that might defy the sudden shift in governance. One that placed full authority where it belonged: In the hands of those with the scientific knowledge and skill to lead them into the future.

Perched atop a mountain just outside the city limits, the outpost offered a broad view of Grand City below and the arid land southeast of it. If anyone escaped, the desert would be their likely destination. The route to it journeyed through gently sloping foothills, the road paved until you hit the sandy flatlands. All other directions were too difficult to traverse due to the rugged terrain surrounding the city.

Tucked in a canyon, Grand City enjoyed many natural defenses unavailable to their neighbors. His wall simply served as an extra layer of protection.

And control.

But the unexpected could still arise, so he was a man who took precautions. The broadcast about Faun was merely one of them. Today of all days he needed his brother to remain inside the city, and if making everyone believe he was a terrorist accomplished that task, so be it.

Faun’s behavior had grown increasingly erratic. Conflicts arose constantly between them in the lab. Even their political and social views had diverged. For identical twins, no two men could have been more unalike.

Administrator, called one of the men at his command. The soldier pointed toward a congregation of lights in the distance.

He grabbed a set of binoculars, dialed in the focus, and peered into the dim light of dawn. Off in the desert, about fifteen miles out, he saw what looked like a convoy of vehicles gathered together with several others joining them.

As suspected, they had chosen the southeast desert as their escape route. Even he had fleetingly contemplated using it should any of the Council members decide to betray him.

Yet he doubted they would. Not on this day. They needed him for the Transition. Needed him to establish the technological restraints required to subdue the city’s population.

But Faun? There was no telling what his brother might do.

He radioed his security force leader. Captain Mallard, have you located my brother?

White noise hissed over the frequency, then cleared. Faun turned off his tracker, came Mallard’s reply.

So his intentions were clear. Faun had turned against him.

But what about Reicher?

His brother was persuasive, so it was possible he had managed to coax his principal engineer to join the revolt.

And Dr. Reicher?

Still in his lab, said Mallard.

See that he stays there, he said. Send a team to the Administration Building and secure it.

The fact that Reicher was still in place gave him assurance that, unlike his brother, his old friend remained loyal. Having a security team lock down the building simply guaranteed that loyalty.

But what precautions could he take against his own flesh and blood?

He peered again through the binoculars, straining for any sign of Faun. Whatever his brother was up to, he must be ready to squash it before it gained momentum.

REICHER DOWNLOADED the last of the data and held the now complete Engram in his left hand. About the size of a matchbox, the device contained years of collected information, most of it unknown to the Administration. Its contents offered an edge in what was sure to be a war for their survival.

He startled at the sound of footsteps behind him.

He turned to see Elena Juarez standing in the doorway, a sidearm gripped in her right hand. About finished? she asked. Sun’s almost up.

Reicher wasn’t entirely surprised she was the one Faun had chosen. After all, no one would suspect his former lover. Anyone who caught her image on a security feed would merely think he was having an affair.

Faun was clever.

Still the move made him uncomfortable. Elena, standing in his lab, after decades of silence. He cleared his throat before answering. Did he send you—or, did you volunteer?

I’m not doing this for you, she said. I’m doing it for the people, for the Resistance.

So that was it. She was responding to duty, not concern for his safety.

Doubts he had harbored for years about having married another woman melted away. He had made the right choice. Elena had left him without warning, giving a half-hearted goodbye before disappearing altogether. It took nearly two years for his heart to heal enough to make a commitment to another woman. One loyal to him.

He shook the thought. The past was past and right now he needed to focus on ensuring the future.

The Resistance? he said. There’ll be no Resistance unless I finish this thing in time.

And get it safely to Faun, Elena said.

So, that’s the only reason you’re here? He had to offer her at least an opportunity to express something, anything that suggested their time together had meaning.

She sighed and stepped inside the room. I’m to transport the Engram. Your job is to get yourself and your family out of here safely.  She paused, and for a moment their eyes met. I want you to survive, David.

He quelled his emotions, trying his best to stay focused on the mission.

Hold out your hand, he said. He lifted the Engram to show her his intentions.

She holstered her weapon and complied, presenting her left hand, palm up.

He placed the device in the center of her outstretched hand and pointed to a small button on the Engram’s surface.

Keep this in your hand and if at any time it looks like you may be compromised, press this button. It will activate the Engram.

And then what?

Then it will dissolve and bond with your tissue, allowing you to conceal and carry the data. No one will be able to detect it, he said. That is, no one but Faun.

Bond with my tissue? Elena’s eyes widened. How exactly do we retrieve it?

An alarm sounded and his lab lights flashed.

No time, he said. Get to Faun. He knows what to do.

Elena darted to the door and peered down the hall. The sound of footsteps echoed from the stairwell. No doubt soldiers or security force members sent to ensure his loyalty during the Transition.

Hurry, Elena said, drawing her weapon. She stepped into the hall and motioned for him to follow.

Too late. He spotted the first squad of security personnel as they burst from the stairwell door and entered the third floor hallway.

Elena tossed him the Engram. Head for the roof, she said. There’s a pilot waiting to take you and your family out of the city.

He hesitated.

Faun’s orders, she said. Go.

He clutched the Engram and watched in disbelief as Elena raised her weapon above her head in surrender and turned to face the approaching security team. She was sacrificing herself to buy time for his escape.

His heart ached. No, he reminded himself. It’s not so you can get out. She’s safeguarding the Engram’s escape.

Elena looked back over her right shoulder. Go! she shouted.

He turned and ran, nearly slipping on the tiled floor as he raced down the hall and into the secondary stairwell that led to the building’s rooftop.

The pop-pop-pop of gunfire echoed behind him. He lunged up the steps, shoving aside thoughts of what was happening to Elena.

On the roof, he spotted the helicopter, raced toward it, and leapt inside. He stared at the ground below as the pilot lifted the craft from the building. He didn’t want to leave Elena behind. But he knew he had to get his family out.

More importantly, he had to get the Engram out of the city.

Three minutes later the helicopter landed in front of his home. The morning sun shone brightly on its manicured lawn.

Dirt and debris flew in Reicher’s face as he exited the craft and sped across the grass toward his front door. It opened before he reached it.

His wife appeared in the doorway and called out to him. David, is it happening?

Yes, he said, gasping for breath. He had run more in the past eight minutes than he had in the last decade, and his lungs groaned at the effort.

God, help us, she said.

He