The Crystal Bridge

Chapter 18 - Out of the Sandbox

Dr. Stephens imagined he sat before the grim reaper himself, a man who took lives without thought or mercy and gave life just as readily. Vander grinned up at the holo-screen. The light flickered off his face making it appear even more like a skinless skull. I work for a strange man.

“So, our little prodigy is still growing?” Vander glanced through the semi-transparent screen to look Dr. Stephens in the eyes.

Stephens nodded, feeling braver with the barrier between them even though he knew it consisted of nothing but photons. “Yes sir. He appears to be unconsciously reprogramming the system. Hacking in and confusing the AI. I have a team working on an antivirus program that should lock him out.”

“Lock him out? Why would we want that? Sometimes I wonder how you got that PhD, Dr. Stephens.”

Dr. Stephens had heard that sneering joke a thousand times. This time he’d prepared a reply. “The antivirus is only to prevent him from delving into areas besides the BOCS program. I thought we’d allow him to play in the sandbox, but not the beach. I’ve also added extra programs to monitor his development.” Stephens couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice even though he knew it might backfire on him.

Vander fixed an appraising eye on him and didn’t speak for several moments. “Hmm, I may have underestimated you, Dr. Stephens. Not something I do often. Keep an eye on young Dr. Iverson for me. Keep me informed on his progression and let me know if he ever makes it out of the sandbox, so to speak.”

Dr. Stephens slipped quietly out. The praise felt warm and light in his chest, but he wasn’t going to tempt fate by saying anything more. As Stephens turned to close the door, Vander paused on an image of Iverson’s brainwave activity. The evil grin returned. The greenish light cast by the file flickered across the man’s skeletal features and left him with an image that would fill his nightmares for the rest of his life.

***

Rho ran its mental influence through the worlds of reality and felt the welcome terror flow back as their dreams, their nightmares, molded to the dark god’s will. Rho snuffed a weak spark of light out, grinning as death followed. Rho extinguished another, then another, then a hundred at a time.

The god of darkness enjoyed these games. It had forgotten how much pleasure it could derive from them. It pushed again, hard, and felt millions of the sparks of life pulse with terror and despair, desperate to be free of him.

The dark god reached farther into the worlds around it, teaming with life, as it lapped up the terror. Rho licked hungrily at the pain, sorrow, and fear it caused, laughing at the victims, eating at their minds and souls. Bringing pain, death, and shadows to the realms of the living to remind them of its existence.

This allowed Rho momentary es­cape from the dark prison. But, as always, Rho grew bored with the miniscule sparks of life and their inability to challenge the god. Rho allowed the foothold to slip, extinguishing a few thousand more sparks with a quick slash of mental power as it returned to its twisting body in the murky void once more.

***

Feustis held back tears as he felt death roll over the planet he swore to protect. I am failing them.

“No, you are not. You are saving millions, including the three who will save countless more at another time in another place.”

Feustis couldn’t ever tell the two apart by their voice. He glanced up and was surprised to see red robes at his side. Erastin wasn’t usually the most encouraging of the twin gods.

The god smiled and Feustis felt warmth flow through his veins. “We are doing what we can to help you, but you do something far more important than you know.”