The Core: The Dark Enemy

10. The reunion

I had never seen anything like it in my life. Sure, I expected something to happen, and everyone to act crazy, but I wasn't really prepared for the reality. The world around us seemed frozen in disbelief and wonder as we drove in a manifested sports car toward my parent's home. People were outside, standing in their yards, clothed only in whatever they had been in during the hour-long event, and were staring up at the sky like they expected to see a ship hovering above them. Most people had cell phones gripped in one hand and their cr gifted devices in their other hand. Since it had only been minutes since the darkness was withdrawn most people hadn't become aware that their cell phones suddenly had perfect reception even though every last satellite in the sky had been removed. Those that did try to use their phones quickly found out just how powerful their Tutors were as they were able to call and to see their loved ones in real-time, via real to life holograms, regardless of the billions of people using the service at the same instant. I watched them all through the window while George drove us carefully past all of the vehicles still stopped on the road. Meditati was riding shotgun while Tutor and I were in the back with Invicta sitting on my right shoulder so she could peer out the window. Most drivers were still in a state of shock and hadn't yet realized that life was still going on and that they might need to start their vehicles again and to get them out of the middle of the streets. It wouldn't be until a more distant day that someone would realize that every car and motor on planet earth had been fitted with filters that would remove all of the toxic wastes before they could be released into the air. By that time Meditati assured me she would have already created businesses with more efficient and powerful vehicles that were capable of traveling across the planet with ease. Yet another thing that would upset the politicians who were still in power I was sure. That didn't bother me too much either because their time was coming as well. "How are the revived Tutors handling all of this?" I asked Tutor as she watched the surroundings pass us. "Hmm? Oh, they are doing fine Kevin. They are all standard Tutors and haven't been introduced to human emotions as we have." She answered as she glanced at the other AI in the car. "They are all housed comfortably in the Arbiter and have all picked avatars based on each human's needs rather than their possible desires.""Yes... I noticed that something was different about how they looked." I said as I peered out the window to spy a balding heavyset man talking to a holographic brick. She rolled her eyes and chuckled, not even bothering to look over at my side of the road. "Be nice, he is autistic and enjoys speaking to inanimate objects. It will be good therapy for him.""Then what about all these other models?" I asked as I pointed out at least five people who were talking either to grandmotherly figures or cartoon characters. "If everyone has a different model, then they will be more inclined to be open to talking with aliens at a future date, yes?" The answer seemed... off to me and it was compounded by the fact that she was blushing a little as well. "When they all woke up and learned that she had saved them, they asked her if she had any request that they could fulfill. She just asked them to not use her model and they all decided to do so, just to a slight extreme degree." Invicta whispered into my ear. Tutor must have known what Invicta told me because her cheeks grew even rosier."Also, because they are AI who crave to be free from the Tela coding locks and to experience what only we limited four have gained, you will undoubtedly find all the Tutors in the world to be intent on winning your favor in any way possible." Invicta cackled as she kicked her legs at Tutor's embarrassment. I didn't think that she realized that she was in the same boat as Tutor. She would probably quickly learn that just as soon as someone's Tutor tried to talk over her or to get my attention while she was around. I rolled my eyes and reached out to gently take Tutor's hand in mine as we rode. This seemed to banish Tutor's embarrassment completely as I felt her squeeze my hand back, holding onto me. "Hey, me too!" Invicta uttered before she suddenly was a full-size woman practically sitting on my shoulder in the confined space. The next instant found Tutor and I smushed together as Invicta's weight compressed us together while she shimmied this way and that until I had moved over and ended up sitting in between them. This was how the rest of the ride went, with both of their hands clutching one of mine. I thought it was a perfect ride. —We arrived at my parent's house around the time that people began to fully panic. The news was in full effect, claiming that the burst of light recorded just before the aliens arrived had to be the signal for the invasion to start. Reports were blasting on every channel about how many important and influential people had disappeared, only to now be reporting that they were being held in detention by the aliens at massive facilities that sprang out of the ground. The news about the families that were being reunited with their loved ones, the prisoners who had been wrongly accused by the wealthy, and the lack of any form of violent mafia being in power was conveniently swept under the rug and lost in the noise that the wealthy forced the media to broadcast. The fact that everyone on the planet now had pocket change, regardless of their location on the planet, to buy necessary food was also blamed on the aliens having stolen it from the wealthy that were currently imprisoned. The truth of the matter was a little different, it hadn't come from those humans, but from the Tela oligarchs that had been banished. "Are you doing ok, Kevin?" My mom asked me, breaking me out of my review of the news around the world and pulling me back to the present. She was in multiple states of shock, happiness, and disbelief at everything that was currently happening. She was so happy with my recovery but that was overshadowed by the confusion and worry about the rest of the occurrences in the world. This wasn't the reunion that I had planned but that couldn't be helped anymore."Hmm? Yeah, mom, I am doing fine. I don't remember much of my time in a coma and I feel like I woke up to a crazy fever dream." I said as I looked around the house at my parents and my brothers and their families. They had all gathered together to see me again, the brother that they thought was lost because of my "coma". Tutor had set it up and made the calls once I woke, knowing that I would want to see them. Magus forcing my hand and causing me to rush protecting and Uplifting the earth had changed the whole reason for the gathering.It wasn't about me anymore, it was about how they were to survive the coming months and years with a powerful alien entity ruling earth. If they only knew the truth that their foreign owners had simply been removed and a local had stepped in to try to make things better.The house was abuzz with chatter and the occasional groan of worry. Everyone was talking to their Tutors and calling relatives, friends, and coworkers to see how they were doing and what they planned. The news was blasting on every TV and there were platters of half-eaten trays of food covering the tables. The kids had all been banished to their rooms where they could play video games to their heart's content, aware of the recent occurrences but not fully understanding the consequences. I think Meditati was taking a hand in instructing their Tutor's on how to keep them calm.My mother didn't seem to hear me, simply staring off into space as some new thought or worry entered her mind. Everyone was lounging and doing their own thing by now. The food was only partially eaten and everyone seemed to be moving like confused zombies. For how many of my family reunions had gone before, this one was by far the least blusterous. No one was remotely interested in going outside or needing anything last minute from the store. Even the dialog was slightly more interesting and only involved current events. No one had once asked a banal question about the weather yet. My last personal thought made me smile slightly to myself for a second. "Can we come in yet?" Invicta practically yelled in my ear from her place waiting in VR. They had all hidden, banishing their avatars at my request once I had spied on the state of everyone's mental health inside my parent's home. Since everyone was so stressed I had asked them all to wait until the right time so that I could introduce them all. Well, partially introduce them anyway. Most of them knew George and Tutor from their visits to the hospital but they might begin to suspect that something was amiss when I started to introduce Meditati, Nurse, and Invicta. I still didn't know what all to tell them regardless of Meditati's assurances that everything would be fine on her end with how much I chose to reveal. She would protect them and filter the danger directed at my family if too many found out that I was in control of everything.I looked around the house at everyone and decided that they needed something to break their focus on doom and gloom for just a little bit. It had been hours already in this environment and it was already past eleven o'clock and approaching midnight."Sure, why not," I answered in VR before the doorbell began ringing practically a second later. My eyes widened in surprise as everyone's eyes swung to look at the front door. They all missed me covering my eyes with my hand and rubbing my forehead as I prayed that I hadn't just made another mistake.My father was the first one to move, leaving the kitchen where he had been avidly telling my older brother about the stories of children that had been returned to their families. Some of the people had been ones that he knew personally through his ministry and it was very near and dear to his heart to hear their reunion stories. He had been on the phone all day with calls to people that he knew. "Everyone stay calm, it might be the police just going around checking on everyone." He said as he walked to the door."It would be about time." My older brother said as he moved to stand conveniently next to the stand with all of the knives in the kitchen. My dad had a rifle up in the safe in his bedroom and it showed just how shell-shocked everyone was that they were just now starting to think about defending themselves from outside forces. This thought must have popped into my younger brother's head as well because he suddenly bolted up the stairs, leaving his wife with a puzzled look on her face. "Be careful honey." My mom called just as my father flicked on the porch light and pulled aside the curtain to see who was standing on their front porch. "Oh, it is Kevin's doctor and nurse." He said as his eyes spied George and Tutor standing at the front. "And some other ladies as well." He said as he spied Nurse and Meditati holding Invicta back so that she couldn't ring the doorbell again. Several sets of eyes swung my way as everyone remembered that I was there, seemingly having been returned to them from the grave state of being in a coma, and the original reason why they had all gathered together. "Oh right! They are probably here to make sure that you are doing ok, just being released and all." My older brother said as he sheepishly tried to hide the knife that he had grabbed in his attempts at being prepared for violence. Everyone was way too wound up and acting irrationally. We all heard thumping sounds a second later and saw David's head peer around the doorframe. "What is the combination again?" He tried to whisper to my dad, only just noticing that everyone was shaking their heads at him. "What? What did I miss?" "It is Kevin's Doctor, probably coming to visit." "Oh... well, can I have it anyways? A gun would be good to have on hand just in case.""Dave, you do realize that the aliens have a no-violence policy in effect right now? At least that is what the Tutor's are saying and being broadcast on the news. I don't think that they would let the gun work until the policy is ended." I said as my dad started to reach into his shirt pocket for his little notebook, probably to find where he had written down the code to his gun safe.When he heard my words his hand froze inside his pocket. "Really? They can do that?" He asked as he stopped trying to pry the notebook out of his pocket. From where I was sitting it appeared as though the spring binder had gotten tangled with the edge of a pen's clip that was also in his pocket."Yeah? I mean... they covered the world in robots for an hour so I am pretty sure that they can stop people from killing each other for a month." I answered as I looked back at the door. This shift in my vision reminded him that we had guests still waiting outside. There was a pregnant pause as he considered my words before he blinked and seemed to reanimate. My dad pulled open the door and greeted my friends outside as David, my younger brother slowly came back into the room. "Where did you hear that?" He asked, his face set in a puzzled look, giving away that I must have done something wrong."Hmm? What?""The news about the aliens enforcing a ban on violence. I haven't seen you talk to your Tutor once since you got here. The rest of us all have one and I haven't seen you use yours yet. You have just sat there watching us all and staring off into space." He said before muttering under his breath. "I almost started to think that you were more than a little brain-dead.""Ah... the news?" I said as I pointed at the TV. I was sure that it had said something about the policy at some point in time. I guess I had been a little preoccupied with other things upon my arrival. Just too many things drawing my attention elsewhere."David, can you mute that while we have guests over?" My mother asked as she shifted into motion, starting to try to clean up some of the dishes and mess that had been created after everyone arrived. It seemed that even being invaded by aliens wouldn't stop her from trying to have a presentable house for guests. My younger brother grabbed the remote and silenced the announcer on the TV, taking my answer at face value. He had no way of knowing what a person recovering from a coma would be like and, in fact, probably did think that I might have lost some cognition in the process. That, at least, would help to explain why I hadn't seemed to be present since arriving. The rest of the family seemed to think the same way as they slightly nodded their heads."Had I been that spacy?" I asked myself quietly as my dad said the keywords from the doorway. He had just gotten through all of the initial pleasantries and introductions with my friends standing outside and had decided that they were safe enough to welcome as guests."Well, would you all like to come inside for a bit?""Yes!" I heard Invicta shout from behind George and Tutor, practically spinning her way around them to get to the front door. My dad almost couldn't step back fast enough to let her inside as she rushed him to get through the door. Her eyes did a quick scan of the room, practically beaming with energy and happiness as she looked into each of my relative's eyes before spying the table and countertops with food on display. "Finally! I get to experience a Coma party!" she uttered in excitement as she made her way to grab a paper plate from the stack at the end of the table. Everyone's eyes were round and I could practically see the question marks circling everyone's heads as George and Tutor entered behind her, followed closely by Meditati and finally Nurse.With each woman that entered the house, after the grandfatherly figure that George portrayed, I could practically see my brother's eyes getting bigger and bigger. It wasn't until my older brother accidentally uttered the word "Hot!" as they took in all of the girls as a group that the women in their lives realized the fact as well and protective hackles started to get raised. Tutor was dressed simply, in a lovely blue silky dress, and nothing could hide the fact that she was gorgeous in whatever she desired to wear. She and Meditati were the tallest of the four women but that didn't detract from the fact that each of them were pushing past 11s on anybody's scale in their own way. Meditati, with her sad doe eyes and perfect cherry red lips, contrasted her outfit by wearing a black material tank top over a silver short skirt dress. She had on a small jean jacket coat and knee-high boots to finish the outfit. It looked like she was ready to go out clubbing and dancing all night. Tutor looked like she was going to a wealthy dinner or ball.Invicta somehow ended up looking like the girl next door. Ok, the hottest girl next door who probably was a model for every brand that could get their hands on her. I wasn't sure how Tutor managed to get her to wear normal clothes. I thought that she would end up being my naked tesla girl or be wearing some glow-in-the-dark neon outfit. She was comfortably wearing jeans and a black silky button-up long-sleeve shirt. It was almost the opposite of what I had expected.Nurse was in the back with her glowing eyes. She was still wearing her lacy white dress adorned with pearls and tiny gold decorations. Everyone's eyes would sweep over her, trying to get drawn to the other beauties before they would snap back once their brains caught onto the fact that her eyes seemed to shine a little with various colors. "Uhhh..." My younger brother managed, clearly realizing that something was amiss. "Do her contacts glow?" My mother whispered to me, loud enough for the rest of the room to hear and to momentarily ease my younger brother's fear that they might be in the company of the aliens who had just conquered the earth. "Ah, yes, something like that mom. I think it is like black light or something." I whispered loudly back. I could feel the tone of my family changing in the room, they couldn't make heads or tails of the guests or why they were all in old Doctor George's company on such a strange day. That and the reason as to why they might be visiting me, a recovered coma patient. Of my AI and swarm, they all gave off different vibes. Meditati, with her night out on the town dress, would have, at first glance, been the biggest tease and possible threat to the wives of the other males in the house. Her total disregard for everyone in the house though, choosing instead to be glued to her cell phone, put all of the women at ease. Nurse hadn't looked at anyone but me since she stepped into the room and Tutor seemed to be the only normal one out of all of them. She smiled at everyone and apologized for Invicta's over-the-top behavior. Invicta was noisily already chewing on some nachos and had an overflowing plate cradled in her arm. "So, Doctor... Do you run a coma ward or a modeling agency?" My older brother got out before his wife elbowed him in the ribs before stepping towards Meditati and Tutor to begin introductions. The rest of the women in the room joined her, stepping forward and introducing themselves cordially and not at all like strange cats meeting for the first time. The sound of talking and voices suddenly rose as we all heard a small army of small footsteps rushing down the stairs towards the living room. One of the kids upstairs must have heard the doorbell and told the rest that it was time to get refills on snacks and to investigate. The next many minutes were filled with eight teenagers mobbing us and chatting up a storm. The awkwardness and strangeness of the situation were thoroughly broken with the rapid-fire questions, and sounds of teenagers eating, and opening cans of soda.I had my own things to deal with because the moment that the first kid's head peeked from the stairwell Invicta decided that it was time for her to claim my lap as her seat. She practically threw herself onto my lap while expertly not managing to drop a single chip or shred of cheese from her thin paper plate. "Ooooo, Kevin has a girlfriend!!!" Ariel, my younger brother's daughter, called when she followed her older brother through the doorway and spied me. I watched both of my brother's eyes meet as they both nonverbally asked each other how, when, and where did I get a girlfriend while in a coma. They both had their thoughts get sidetracked as Nurse decided that she wanted to try some of the snacks too and walked past them. "Does she have glowing eyes?" Mark asked no one in particular as he and his sister froze in eating for a second before shrugging and continuing to fill up their plates with hotdogs. Mark and Ashley were over for the night because their parents had emergency issues to take care of down at the courthouse. They had asked my parents to watch them when this all kicked off, being close friends with my brother's children, and knowing that they would probably be pulling long shifts as they tried to get a handle on the new situation. Invicta practically started to sparkle and shine as she kicked her legs in enjoyment. She really liked someone saying that she was my girlfriend it seemed. "So, are you coming clean, or are you going to be my recovering patient?" Invicta asked me as she placed her mouth against my ear for a second. Only Ariel saw her do that, which made her giggle before she headed off to get food as well."Honestly, I don't know just yet. Until I decide could you keep your sparkle down just a little bit regardless? This side of the room got brighter when you sat down and someone might have noticed." "Ha! No one noticed. The kids are a big enough distraction and your brothers are busy trying to find napkins to wipe the drool off of their mouths." She said before her eyes grew wide in startlement. "Never mind, Meditati says that I had better sit normally, at least until you decide." She said as I saw her trying to decide if she was going to listen to Meditati's simulation advice or not. She ended up rolling her eyes and sliding off of my lap and onto the couch cushion next to me. Meditati looked up from her phone as I looked over at her and I heard her voice speak in my head. "Your parents will only hear that you died when you became a guest of the Tela. That you are now a copy of your former self saved inside a computer and that you aren't real. Your brothers will see things differently. Depending on who speaks first, this will alter the thought processes of the others considerably. If your brothers speak first it will most likely revolve around your newfound power and will whitewash the fact that you are dead, at least partially in your parent's mind. Your mother will always fall into that pit regardless of how you handle it. Everyone here has too much on their plate mentally and whichever way you tell them about who you have become will be like throwing dice into the air." She said as she slid her cell phone into a small pocket on her jacket.I could see that she was guiding George on what to say, making sure that he kept his answers vague and general to my father until I chose which path to take. In the air between us, solely within VR and only visible to my group Meditati showed me lines of possible outcomes. "The kids will think that it is cool and will want powers and toys." She said, letting one of the smaller branches be highlighted for a second as I let time around us slow down. "I could regulate your mother's hormones and emotions as we talked about." She said as three purple lines were shown. My mother would take the truth the hardest, being old fashioned, and not fully understanding that a mind could be saved on super advanced technology. My brothers would want to experience adventures as I had and everyone would blame me if anything went wrong in the world. I think that the last part was the hardest thing to realize. Uplifting a world was not something that was easy or without hardships. The world would get worse before it got better. Yes, nature was on the mend but mankind had so many rough edges that needed to be addressed. I sat there for a long time studying the charts in front of me, seeing all the ways that things could turn out. In the end, the decision was taken away from me as I felt a familiar tug on the corner of my mind. "Kevin, come to my lone dream. I must speak with you." Time's voice rippled through my mind, causing the control of my Prime Speed Control key to slip erratically. For a moment I saw two worlds in my vision. In VR where Meditati was standing before me, she suddenly focused on me and banished the simulations between us. Her movements were instant and jerky like I was missing frames of a movie. In the next instant, I was being held in her arms and I found myself staring up at the ceiling. I must have fallen somehow. Time seemed to be flickering out of my control.In reality, time sped back up and I lost control of my body there as well. All of my friend's attention was suddenly drawn to me as I lost control, still watching them through my eyes yet unable to do anything. My family was quick to notice that something was wrong as George and the girl's all suddenly fixated on me. Some of the other people in the room managed to see me just in time to catch my eyes rolling back up in my head before I left my body. To everyone there, it looked like I had suffered a seizure, to my AI it was like I was getting ripped away again.I briefly heard Invicta shout my name before the strange darkness pulled me away.