Machine God: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Final Draft)

Mad-Station

Third day in the medstation, and I was feeling like a soldier on steroids. All blahblah aside, the engineers of the Bulwark did create some fabulous tech. Whatever the nurse treated me with, it worked wonders. Speaking of which, she arrived in my chamber and caught me unstrapping myself.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to contribute to the greater good."

"But your injury...you need to rest."

I ripped the bandaid from my shoulder and showed her the injury.

Hole no more.

The muscle fiber had glued together, just a petty little bruise remained.

"See? You guys have done a good job."

The nurse froze to the spot and didn't quite understand which facial expression to show. I gave her a kiss on the forehead, walked down the corridor and entered the lift. Picked the Sky Garden level and checked the perimeter for familiar faces. If anyone knew where the brunette was, the folks in the Gardens could tell me. The doors slid sideways, I walked onto the rooftop and felt the nighttime air brushing my face. What a welcoming change after the metal-flavored oxygen inside the construct. My lungs filled up with the freshness, my eyes glanced around the rooftops. The usual guards patrolled the fences, dozens of citizens stood around and chatted each other up. When I entered their field of vision, the crowd craned their heads and pierced me. I swear, every single head on the roof turned to my direction.

I walked passed a couple of folks. They whispered and pretended to look away.

I turned to the group that gossiped the loudest.

"Anything I can help you with?"

The young woman with the black hair shook her head.

"Nah, it's okay."

Spoken like a true liar. Still, I ignored her and marched to the next group.

"Anyone know where I can find the brunette scientist from the desert operation?"

The young men and women stared at me and lost their ability to speak. I touched my face and wondered whether something was wrong with it. After an awkward pause that lasted too long, a middle-aged guy said,

"They're at the Molotov."

"Good. Thanks for that."

I marched toward the steel bridge, entered the next rooftop level and entered the makeshift shed that happened to be the hottest bar around the cluster complex. Found the clique at the usual hangout. Hecto, Glitch, that girl Yuki, and Darwin. They licked some cold cream and enjoyed their rainbow colored drinks when I showed up.

"What's up, comrades. Long time no hear and see."

They looked up at me with the passion of sleep-induced desert rats. All I got was a meager 'hello'.

"Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Go ahead," Darwin said.

The heads of the group followed me like sentry guns. I ordered a blue juice, leaned into the torn-apart but soft cushions of the couch, and stretched my legs.

"What a couple of wild days, eh? Anyone know how the new survivors do?"

Glitch was the first to broke the iron curtain.

"They've been treated in the medstations and get assigned to their roles as we speak."

"Sounds good."