The world outside the command quarter looks more dangerous. It happens when Rosharps grant access to a person from sector level. The design of this game plan was pre-decided. When, where and how Rosharps steps in and took over everything after the war. They divided human resources according to their skill and social status. The social balance proposed by Rosharps was the only and best possible solution. It makes survival possible for left over humanity. Intellectualism still have its worth. They were strategically place in every command quarter the created across safe lands.
Once these were enormous cities, where millions of people live. After the war they were dissected into a single command quarters. Minimum four sectors connected to each quarter. Out of which two will serve as food processing, cloths, car, and house hold items plants. The rest of the two must serve as agricultural sectors. They control the MEDIA, INTERNET and all the social influencers. Even the leaders worldwide speak their language one way or another. It rarely happens when any one disagrees with Rosharps decisions and their actions.
Who can better understand this than Jacob? He daily grabs a copy of newspaper from the paper stand across his apartment on the way home after morning jog. His athletic built and tall height was a clear evidence that he is a fitness enthusiast. His thick brown hair looks good on his narrow face, but he was more inspired from his elder brother Jack. He wanted to join U.P.E, but he couldn't make it. His application was rejected after physiological profiling interview. There was four words remark on his application, "Unable to follow instructions." and that was it. Once you failed in profiling interview you can never be a part of U.P.E.
He was working as a data analyst for Rosharp data division. But his rebellious attitude killed that opportunity long ago. However a news agency offered him a part time job, considering his educational aptitude. Since that news agency was also owned by Rosharps, they allowed Jacob maintained his position within Command quarter. Agency gave him a studio apartment in a building. Where most of the residents were working as a part-time employees. Whenever Jacob return from his morning Jog he knocks on Omar's door before entering into his own apartment. Omar, who lived next door, was living in Frankfurt with his parent when the war started. Omar was working for a data company as a data analyst.
One thing that binds these two together was their thoughts about this new world order. They both were unhappy like thousands others. But the only difference between them and these two was that, they both publically argued about it. Whether they were sitting in bar, restaurants sometimes even on work place. Jacob remember the time when people raise their voice for their rights. But gradually those voices fades away, like they never existed. Every one act so comfortable that they haven't got any problem with anything ever. They never thought about those people who were thrown out from these command quarters. U.P.E have authority to do that in the name of contamination act.
Jacob enters into the apartment. It was small, there was a kitchen opposite to main door, and on the left side of the main door there was a bathroom. And rest whatever space remains was bedroom plus drawing dinning in one hall. Jacob keeps it clean and presentable because his allergies he can't stay in dirty spaces. The bed side wall was full of tapped pictures of his school friends and Jack with him. When he visited him three months ago. Jack phoned him at every weekend just to know he was all right. Jacob throw the newspaper on the sofa and grabs the remote controller from the table and switch on television. He always preferred to watch news during the breakfast. It helps him to burn calories, because every day he watch news there was some on it that made him angry. And anger burns calories that's what Jacob think.
On television there was a dark haired newscaster in a dark suit was sitting in front of a large screen. Behind him there was a picture of U.P.E squad standing outside the G.O.R.E building. The newscaster was breaking a story about a security breach in G.O.R.E building last night. U.P.E caught three men that were trying to break in, there was no ID bands on their wrist. They were taken in by U.P.E investigation team for further interrogation.
"Fucking lairs," said Jacob, and switched to another channel. They were also covering the same story, same pictures but with different angles.
Omar opens the door and steps in and lumbers towards the coach and sits on it. Omar was a slow mover. Not because of big body, he was a clumsy person. He spends ten hours a day on a chair and eating everything crispy and crunchy. Jacob look towards Omar, he was sitting there like a pile of fats wrapped inside tee shirt and jeans shorts.
"You should start eating more greens." said Jacob, noticing his belly. "Or perhaps a good twenty five minutes workout session might save you."
"Why should I? I consider myself perfect."
Jacob stands up, go to the kitchen grab two bowls, spoons and a oats meal box from the top shelf. Came back and place it in front of Omar. Omar was watching the news on TV. Jacob opens the fridge grab the milk curtain and came back where he was sitting earlier.
"Try this it is organic, my bother make this fresh in this farm." said Jacob. "You will thank me."
"Dude, look at that, they found three more of them," said Omar.
"What do you mean by THEM?" asked Jacob and poured some milk in his bowl while gazed Omar's face.
"THEM. The Freeland dwellers. Man I tell you, these guys are real bad ass mother fuckas. They never quite, not matter how many U.P.E guard they have," Omar replied.
"They are not dwellers, look at those pictures, focus on their hands," said Jacob. He walked closer to television screen, and circled on the picture with his finger on a man who was in custody on U.P.E.
"Look at his hands, look closely. No sunburns. Look at his neck, no burns. All clean like you and me, that's why they covered their faces. They are citizens of this command quarter."
"They must have done something which cause them their lives," said Omar.
"May be or maybe not, this was just a tail, the question is, where's the elephant?" asked Jacob.
During his last four year of news agency carrier, he is doing much more than writing script and editing social documentaries. Jacob investigated a number of stories related to Rosharps. He published those stories on an ARCANE, which was initially titled as UniWorld. It was Jacob's project to connect all sector across the globe to share data. Which will help to manage production issues and discuss solutions. However he never uploaded it on main comm stream. Because all of services provider one way or another were connected to Rosharps. He later uploaded this project as Arcane on a covert network. Which can be accessed through special protocols coded by Omar.
Jacob was convinced that there has to be a story behind this simple looking arrests. Because G.O.R.E that's the second time in this month they caught people trying to break in.
"I know what you're thinking right now," said Omar.
"Our followers on Arcane trust us, they were expecting some kind info on this news."
There were more than two hundred follower of Jacob's blog on Arcane. But there were some hidden faces who write much better than him. But they never invested their time in investigating the truth. All they do was to write about things that people want to read. Arcane sounds more like a movement against Rosharps Fascism these days. However it helps to grow arcane community day by day.
"I was thinking to ask Zoey about this, she must know something, her dad is working for G.O.R.E," said Jacob.
She was the one Jacob can trust for some inside news. She was with him since the time of his high school. They both went to same college. But Mr. Clifford somehow manage to convince her for degree in international Relations. He secured a government job for her with his influence in Rosharps. Jacob knows that no matter what she do, she was always a rebel deep down like him.
"I don't trust her." said Omar. "She is working for government, and Government is Rosharps. She will betray, I can feel it in my guts."
Jacob knows that, although they were friends for years, but her dad was the only reason he never told her about Arcane.
"It will be causal, don't worry about it," said Jacob.
Meanwhile Jacob and Omar were still have their breakfast, another news flashed on the screen. This time the same newscaster was saying something about Closing G.O.R.E building. Jacob quickly grabs the remote control and turns up the volume.
"It was just in from our field correspondent, that officials at G.O.R.E declared the building contaminated. It will be remain closed till further notice. Furthermore Chief of Security G.O.R.E tower Atlanta Colonel Issac Kolhov issued an order to move all employee to U.P.E medical facility for scanning."
Jacob and Omar look each other, a moment of pause in between them.
"I think elephant you were looking for is inside G.O.R.E tower," said Omar.
"Let's see what's Zoey have to say about this," said Jacob.
Zoey Clifford was a very bright student back in the days. She was very vocal about human right and territorial system. But after spend time in IR academy. The electrifying brunette became more composed, dark tees, leather boots and distressed jeans were long gone. Now she preferred formal suits, mostly in dark colors that makes her look even slimmer then she really was. But still she wears old club master, she daily goes to Kevin's for lunch. She was vegetarian and Kevin's offers best menu.
Jacob was sitting at Kein's for last thirty minutes. Checking his wrist watch after every five minutes. A black bullet proof sedan with government plate on bumper stops in front of Kevin's doors. A guard in black suit. Come out of the front and open the back door. Zoey came out, she looks as ravishing as ever. Jacob have some feelings for her but Zoey was way out of his league, he can't afford her. Zoey enter into the restaurant, surveying around for an empty table. She noticed Jacob sitting on the far corner of the hall. She always felt happy, when she meet Jacob. He was the last guy from college who was still here in command quarter. Others they were transferred to sector long ago. She reach Jacob's table, dragged a chair with a smile on her face and sit across the Jacob.
"That is a nice Surprise," said Zoey, "it's good to see you after a long time."
"We met last weekend, remember?" said Jacob.
"Yes that's exactly what I am saying, where were you this whole week?"
Jacob was thing for a suitable answer. He can't tell Zoey about his investigative adventures in old part of city where mostly U.P.E officials were allowed.
"I have some deadlines to meet. Our agency is about to release a new documentary on war hero and their next generation." Jacob replied. Although it was a complete lie but this was the best he came up with.
"So what's brings you this side of the quarter?" asked Zoey, "I don't think you were here for the salad."
"Tell me everything about today's G.O.R.E tower incident right now and I want the truth." This was the question he want to ask in reality, but Jacob knows her for a long time. She was always a tough nut to crack, the best part was she is a trained diplomat. Jacob have to make it sound real. Otherwise she will use will use diplomatic vocabulary to divert his question he about to ask.
"Just here for some interviews for the documentary," he said, "but the road was closed near G.O.R.E Tower."
"Yeah, it was just a routine decontamination, no big deal," she said.
Jacob wasn't very surprised. He expected something like that from her; as a diplomat she must control the flow of information in public.
"Right, but I saw some quarantine sign on the gates, and U.P.E vans were parked outside." he said, but his tonal expression was more like he was asking it.
"You know how U.P.E works, right?," Zoey asked. "All i can tell you is right now is that. They found some radioactive material inside the tower. They were order to evacuate the entire building."
Her phone buzzed. She picked her hazel colored leather bag from the chair next to her. The phone was keep on buzzing and it became loader when she took it out from the bag, she look at the screen.
"It's dad, have to go," she said, "I'll be at Latino Paradise this weekend, come alone don't bring that gorilla with you."
She took off, without listen to Jacob's answer. Jacob thought if they were together right now as a couple, he can't even afford to buy the belt of that hand bag. He poured water into the glass in front of him, water was chilled. That was another benefit living command quarters Jacob thought while drinking it. Everything was set to chilled, the air conditioner, the refrigerator and human emotions as well. He swiped he eyes around every one was acting so normal that nothing has happens three hours ago. Now that's called cold.
Back in the apartment Omar was sitting in front of his laptop. Wearing his thick frame prescription specs. All light were turned to cool mode. The air conditioning of the building was working at fifty percent of its optimal performance. Omar close the curtains of front windows. It was two hours passed noon but inside Omar's apartment it felt like midnight. The door knocked, usually Omar don't take visitors. In other words there was no one else except Jacob who visits his place. And there were two knocks, Omar was sure that it was Jacob, he opened the door.
Jacob entered without saying a word. Omar noticed that there was something Jacob was processing in his head. Jacob dropped his bag-pack near the door and sits on the sofa near the Omar's working desk. After a minute he breaks his silence,
"They are up to something," Jacob said, "something big this time."
"Whoa country boy, did she told you something?" asked Omar.
"Same cover up story like any other government official," said Jacob.
Omar laugh out loud, and sit on the floor near Jacob, Jacob watched him laugh like he cracked some kind of joke.
"What the fuck? Is that sound funny to you," asked Jacob. His brows were drawn down, and voice was thick.
"I told you, she can't be trusted." Omar replied, "She was trained to control people like you and me. You really think that she will give anything classified to a part time media specialist."
He stands up from the floor, and go back to his chair near work desk. He turns towards the laptop and pressed some keys. Then turn the laptop towards Jacob direction.
"Her father was rotated to U.P.E Operations center," said Omar, "it's all over the local comm stream now."
"That's why she was leaved in such a hurry, her dad was calling her, when we were in Kevin's." said Jacob.
"What did she told you about the tower?" asked Omar.
"Same old government crap. She said it was just a routine decontamination. The U.P.E found some radioactive material in the building now they are scanning every one bla, bla, and horse shit. Can you imagine a radioactive material inside G.O.R.E tower, what were the cooking inside a thermo bomb? It's a food and medicine research division for god sake. Have some decency in word selection," Jacob replied, his tone was bit loud.
Omar was listened the whole thing. He was observing Jacob's action, he knew when Jacob gets over excited like this on anything. He always ends up in trouble. Last time when he was working on a documentary on old subway trains and tunnels. He almost ends up killing himself. For the first time he confronted Freeland dwellers in those tunnels. They ran after him with all there primitive designed weapons. Thanks to god there was a U.P.E rescue squad was in the block. They shot all the dwellers on the spot and saved his life and put him in decontamination cell for a week.
"Whatever you are thinking right now DON'T count me in," said Omar.
"You are already in, way more than you think, now don't be a pussy." said Jacob, "I just need your high definition camera, and button cam."
"Not a good idea dude, U.P.E is handling this?"
"I am going in tonight, and you are drive me there." said Jacob.
In back of his head Jacob knows that he was about to kick the hornet nest. They can deport him from command quarter, put him behind bars, or worse the will declared him as Freeland's dweller. This is direct a violation of U.P.E protocols. In any of these possible scenario, he will longer have the access to Arcane. He must do this very carefully. The tower was surrounded by U.P.E guards. And there were surveillance drones covering the entire block when he last surveyed it this afternoon. It's not going to be the first time when someone try to violate the rules. It happened almost every week before U.P.E revisited the operational protocols. Rosharps gave them more power and liberty with these protocols over colonists and civilians residing in command quarters. They can even execute if situation became hostile enough. And they killed hundreds of innocent people in last decade to assure their authority.
Back in his in apartment Jacob was getting ready. He thought it might be help full if he wear black. Although drone have infra-red night vision cameras and they definitely track him. But if it will distract man behind the drone, because U.P.E guards wear black, it will sure buy him some time. He turns off the camera charge and picked it up, it was a small camera, fits in his palm easily. He checked the battery, it was full. He checked the memory card it was empty, everything looks good he thought. Now all need is to hide the somewhere in his shirt so it can record all the live action. He has a dark denim shirt. Jack gave him last year on his birthday. It has a double layered collar. Jacob opens his wardrobe and checks the top compartment, the shirt was there. He took it out. It was still in its packaging, Jacob never opened it, because he nine out of ten days he wears tee shirts.
He check the collar it was thick and has double sided layers. He came back to his working desk, and grabbed a crafts blade from the drawer. He removed the button from the collar. Create a small insertion just enough to slide cam bar inside the collar. Camera's body was flexible enough that it curve almost fifty percent of collar's radius. Jacob put it on, button it down; walk into his washroom to see whether it was noticeable or not. It was invisible, like nothing was there, the double collar worked as he expected.
Omar knocked the door and steps in Jacob's apartment, Jacob was still inside his washroom.
"You still got time dude," said Omar, "you have to do this shit, trust me."
Jacob came out of the washroom, straight walked towards his working desk and picked the camera and put it inside front pocket of jeans.
"You know what?" Jacob said, "You are a one big ass sissy." Jacob walked close to the door, "Yeah, thats what you are." and turns the knob and open it.
Omar didn't say a word because he knows now Jacob won't get stopped until he gets what he wants and he just wants to be in trouble tonight.
"Come on hurry up fat ass, I don't wanna be late on my first date with G.O.R.E."
They both went into the elevator, Omar pressed basement button, he was still unsure about what was he doing right now. He never done such a thing, in his entire life time, he always preferred to work on the desk, field job is not his thing. The elevator stops and the door opens. They steps into the main hall of basement. It was dark and smells like sewer. Dim warm light hanging across the hall, ten feet apart from each other. The floor was made of concrete, and it was wet because there was a leak in sewage pipe last week and its still there.
"It smells like a shit down here," said Jacob.
"That's why no used it and I got the best spot for my ruby chariot." said Omar, and point toward his car, it was a small hatchback, in metallic red.
"You gotta be shitting with me," said Jacob, "where is your van?"
"I sold it to a guy, I need money to but some equipment," said Omar and unlock his car with remote key.
"Drones will spot us from miles away," said Jacob. "Don't worry I have a plan, I'll tell you when we get there."
Omar would be the last person on the face of this planet, if Jacob needs a field operations plan. But now he was with him in this car and driving him to the tower. He was little too short on time and new plan, he has to listen what Omar had in his mind. Omar stops the car a block away from the tower, in an ally next to an abandoned soap factory.
"Why we are stopping hear?" asked Jacob.
"Because this factory is the safest way to get inside the G.O.R.E basement." Omar replied.
They parked the car there close to an old rusted truck, the door and full of empty hardly any one came here for years. There was a door adjacent to the old truck where Omar parked his hatchback. They both came out, and sneaked into the factory from back door. They entered into a narrow dark corridor which leads to another door on the end. They walked across the narrow corridor Omar was leading and reach the door end of it. It was rusty, they tried to open it but the hinges were jammed.
"Great it's locked," said Jacob," what now genius?"
"it's not locked, its stuck, we need to push it together," Omar replied, "on my count one, two, three and go."
They pushed it with their shoulders, one of the hinge broke out and the door opened, they both trembled in. It was a large hall, the roof was three stories high. The floor was made of concrete and there were large dark patches of oil everywhere, they can taste the dust in the air. Down the hall there were two large size rusted old burner installed the same they use in early 2020s. Street facing windows were the only source of light in the hall. But these were also painted black. Jacob and Omar looked around and make sure no one else is in this space right now. Because most of the time dwellers used these places to hide. If they somehow managed to get access in command quarter parameters.
Once they make sure that they were alone here Jacob asked, "OK what's next? do I need use some teleportation device or magic lamp that transport me in to the tower?"
"There is a tunnel network beneath this factory. And tower wastage tunnel passes through right under this factory," Omar replied.
"How come you know all this?" asked Jacob.
"I know you will do something shit like this. That why I sneaked into the old data repository of city development authorities. I found the old city sewerage plans." Omar replied.
Minute ago Jacob thought that it was just a wastage of time nothing else. Now he seems more interest in Omar's findings. Because it was far better than his plan. To improvise on spot and sneaked into the tower from back gate or fire exit or any entrance he found there. Omar took Jacob into a small service room behind the burner. There was staircase going into the basement of the factory. Omar pulled out his cell phone, and turned on its flash, it was complete black out down there. They both went down in basement. The basement smells like caustic soda, they came even taste it in their mouths. It was as big as hall above it, there were two trucks parked in, lot of empty old cardboard box everywhere.
"There has to be a manhole around here somewhere," said Omar.
Jacob found it under the stack of boxes, it was big and square, covered with a metal sliding hatch on it. it was big enough for five grown up person can pass through it easily. Jacob grabs the handle on the top of the hatch and pushed it to slide open.
"There you go," said Omar. "This tunnel goes directly into the tower. Walk straight to the east. When you found thermo electric cable fitting around you, it means you are right beneath the tower."
Jacob nodded in confirmation that he got what Omar said. Jacob climb down from the metal ladder into the tunnel. The floor of the tunnel was covered with the layer of water high enough to reach Jacob's ankles. So much for a new skateboard shoes Jacob though when he felt water touch his ankles. Jacob look around there were there passage connected to this tunnel. Omar was sitting on his knees near the edge on manhole.
"Remember you need to look for the cable fitting they might be in yellow or in orange color," said Omar. "And don't get caught."
"if I don't come back later tonight, just inform Jack about me, no one else." said Jacob.
"Don't worry I will."
Jacob moved into the east side passage of the tunnel. The smell of soda slowly fade away as he moves away from the factory. The passage was big, and approximately eight feet high, that was the best guess of Jacob. Half way across the tunnel he found some light fixture on the wall of tunnel. Jacob rattled it, hope it might work. But it didn't. Then he moved to the next one which was fixed few feet away from the first one. He knocked it with his fist, it flickered for a second and then turn on so was the fixture next to it. One by one all the fixture of the chained across the tunnel lit up.
The tunnel was illuminated reasonably enough that he can see yellow cables in the far end of the tunnel. He walked pushing his feet through the water. He noticed bullet holes on both side of the walls, and old splatters of blood which were dried to black. Jacob thought this must be from last dwellers breach. U.P.E guards got live subjects for target practicing. But if this shootout was from dweller breach then how come they never sealed this passage. Jacob pulled out the camera from his pocket and took picture of bullet holes and blood splatters on the wall.
As Jacob reached close to the cables he switched on the camera he place in his collar. Few feet away he found a bright light filtering through the hatch on the roof of the tunnel. There was a same metal ladder connected to it just like the one he used to get into the tunnel. In his mind he knew that this must be it. He carefully and slowly climbed on to the ladder. He slides open the hatch just enough to peak into the basement. He surveyed around covering as much area as he could from that small opening. There was no one in the basement it looked unoccupied at the moment.
"Here goes nothing, good luck Jacob", he talk to himself. He slide opens the hatch half away and slowly climb onto the ladder and stepped into the basement. He felt good the moment he finds himself alone in the basement. He closed the hatch and quickly crawled behind the delivery trucks parked in basement. When you were in enemy's territory. The best strategy is to not stay on one place for a long time, keep moving and stay hidden. That's what all he can recall now from all the books he ever read about historic wars. He rolled beneath the truck until he reached beneath the last one in the row. Now he was in position where the whole basement was clearly visible to him.
There was an elevator few feet away right in front of Jacob, and a ramp going towards the first ground floor. It was wide enough that Omar can drive through his ruby. The last thing Jacob wants is too stuck with in the elevator. And when the door open half a dozen semi-automatic guns pointed on his face. He began to crawl towards the ramp he was half out when he heard someone scream. Jacob rolled in back under the truck. He pulled out the camera turned it on and put it on video recording mode. He take his position facing the ramp, and set the camera focused towards the ramp.
The sound grow stronger. It was like someone was in extreme physical pain but it was overlaid by a granting voice same as he was very angry as well. Along with it Jacob can clearly hear marching boots. Six U.P.E guards came down from the Ramp. Two of take position near the ramp. Two near the exit gate of basement and last two were run down to the gate and pulled it open wide. A quarantine van from U.P.E facility came inside in reversed position. The two guards near the door rushes near the back of the van and opened its back door. When they were all set one of them signal someone on the ramp. Jacob recorded everything what he just saw, he was waiting for what was coming down from the ramp.
He saw a men short height, wearing G.O.R.E's lab uniform. His lower half face, neck, most of his uniform and both hands were covered in dried blood. He looks paled like someone just drained his whole blood. He continues to throb with his lower body as he was trying to get lose from the guard who was clutching his neck with some kind of snake catcher stick but a large enough to hold human neck. He was pushing him down from the ramp. Two guards on both side of this man, grabbing each of his arm and they were also dragging him down with their force.
Within seconds Jacob began to sweat, his heart was began to palpitate at high rate. He felt it inside his chest. He never saw anything like that before what he witnessed in last few minute it was terrifying. A small man with physical power equal to three trained guards, together they pushed and drag him down. This assured Jacob that they were doing the things that people talked about on Arcane. As they reached the van the short man managed to free his left arm. He grab the wrist of guard who was holding his right arm and pulled him closer. As he wants to bite him, the guard pulled himself away using his full force. The short man twisted he wrist anti clocked that shoulder joint of guard bust out of flesh. The guard near the van's back door shot two rounds one by one in each knee of that short man. He practically disabled both of his legs.
"That's enough. I need him alive." a voice stops the guard before he puts third round in short man's head;
Jacob looked towards the ramp, but there was one on standing, maybe he was standing at the top edge of the ramp supervising everything. Jacob record everything on his camera what he just saw, but he was still want to see the puppet master, of this show. Jacob felt something was glowing on his shirt, he looked toward his chest it was a pointer dot. The one of guard in front of the gate sitting on his knees locked Jacob in his gun's view finder. Jacob looked at him, and thought in his head,
"The death looked black for sure."