Chapter 4
She went over to the third hallway closest to the kitchen on the left side of the courtyard. She walked in a quick pace over to her dad's room, which was all the way at the end of the hall, and made it. Babylon stood in front of a white door and knocked.
For a moment, she didn't hear any sort of sound that Jack was in there - probably in the back as usual - until she hear something behind the wooden door. She took a step back and watched as the white door open, revealing Jack on the other side of the door; the sound of TV sounded in the background.
A curious look came upon his face. "Babylon, what brings you to my door?"
"Oh, I came here to ask you a question, a personal question really."
At that moment, a look of suspicion came upon his face. "Is this about becoming a Seeker again, 'cause I told you already my answer is no."
"No, no, it's not about that it's about my birthday." Babylon said, hoping that it sounded convincing enough.
For a long moment, Jack said nothing as he looked at her with suspicion, which concerned Babylon that Cypher's idea wouldn't work until she noticed the suspicious look disappeared with a sigh. "Come in."
Jack stepped outside his room and Babylon went in; Babylon looked over at the neatly made, single bed that was in the room while at standing at the bottom of the steps. She then went over to the TV while Jack stepped back into the room and closed the wooden door.
Babylon stood in front of the TV where she saw that the news was on with same lady reporting it, who had short blonde hair and usual wore a dress of solid colors. Nothing that really caught her interest that much except for the attacks on the wall that happened time to time from the Rogues ships that came by.
"So," Jack said. "Did your game with Jason goes as planned?"
She looked at Jack just as he stepped down from the steps, then she returned her attention back to the TV. "Not today. He pulled off one of his tricks during the game like usual, but maybe next time when I find making one of his tricks."
Her dad let out a quick laugh. "Well, that's Jason for you. So what is it about your birthday that you want to talk about?"
Babylon looked over at him. She watched as he went over his bed and laid there letting out a sigh, as he looked at her. She turned her attention to the TV while stepping to the left of the flat screen TV so that her dad could watch it. A weather segment was on. Clear skies for the whole week from the looks of it with temperatures dropping down a few degrees into the sixties.
"Well," Babylon said. "What I've been meaning to ask you is that...well...since it's my birthday and all, I was wondering if you could let me join the Seekers?"
"Babylon, you told me that this was about something personal, not about the Seekers."
"It is," Babylon said, looking over at him with a slight shake of the head. "I mean it's not. What I'm trying to say is that today is my birthday and I'm turning eighteen. Shouldn't I be given the chance to join by them now? I mean, you allowed Saban, Mali, and Avaris join."
"That's them, not you, and what I'm saying is no."
"But why?" Babylon asked with a puzzled look. "I'm not any different from them, well maybe younger, but still."
"First off, you asked me the same question for the past four years and second, you should know by now that it's dangerous just to go up there."
"I know, but-"
"But no," Jack said firmly. "Look, I know how much you want to join them, but you must understand what they do is dangerous, and even though you're older now that doesn't mean it's any safe for you to go out there. It's not the same like the mornings you know. Besides, aren't the mornings enough?"
"Not really," Babylon said with a shrug, as she folded her arms, and turned away from him. She faced the TV instead; a cereal commercial was on. "I mean, I like the mornings and all for me and Senga to watch, which is really helping Senga out with all the progress he's been making. But it's not that I don't like the sunrises or anything, it's just want to see more than the mornings. You know, something different aside from the seven blocks I fly with Senga."
"I understand what you're saying," Jack said, as he let out a tired sigh. "But what I'm saying is no. What they do is dangerous and I don't want to put you in more danger above ground; especially in the condition you're in. You must understand that, but why isn't that you don't want to work underground in the kitchen with Kevin or Mandy in the control room or better yet with your mom in the class room. You know how to work in those things already."
"That's because I know how to do those things unlike what the Seekers do and I have my condition under control after last time."
Babylon knew she wasn't going to get anywhere further than what she had to prove her argument. Probably in the future when the time was better. But it was a future that probably wasn't going to even exist. Then an idea came into mind.
It wasn't an idea she favored most nor hated, but seem like the best option around to promote her argument and a backup plan in case if things didn't go as planned. She looked back at Jack who looked at her with concern. She sighed turning her attention back to the TV and hoped her idea went as planned. "What if I," she said. "...I...never mind."
"What if you what?" Jack said curiously.
"Nothing," Babylon said, as she faced the door to the room and went towards it.
"No tell me." Jack said, stopping Babylon right before she took a step on the first stairs. A smile creep onto her face for a second, then was replaced by a look of slight sadness and confusion when she faced Jack. Babylon saw that Jack was sitting up on the bed with a curious look.
"Well," Babylon said as she positioned her right foot up at an angle. She down at her right foot as it moved side to side. "I was thinking if...well...Saban could teach me how to fly longer distances above ground and you teaching me how to be a leader."
Babylon looked up at him and saw that he sat up on his bed. "Babylon didn't you-"
"No, I know what you said, but it's not about being one of them. It's just that the regular seven blocks I fly with Senga don't seem to be enough going back and forth in the morning for a minute or two. And besides that, you said that Senga and I have potential for being a leader for the people underground and seeing that no one is taking a position to learn leadership, why not teach me to be one."
A surprised look flashed across his face. "You really want to learn leadership?"
Babylon nodded with certainty.
Jack said nothing as looked at the TV, then her with a glance, and then back at the TV. He said nothing for a longer moment, which concern her of her idea she presented to him. She just hoped it worked with the leadership part and the flying, which was true in her case. Flying seven blocks for a minute at most didn't seem to be enough.
"I'll think about it." Jack finally said.
"About the flying?" Babylon said.
"I'll think about that," Jack said facing her. "Just give me some time to think about what you said and I'll tell you ok."
Success, probably, but it was a start aside from hearing the casual no from him. Babylon gave him a nod and turned in the direction of the door. She walked over to the door and up the three steps.
"Hang on." Jack said, just as Babylon grabbed the handle to the door. Babylon took her hand off the handle and faced him. She saw that Jack sat leaning over on the edge of his bed, with his arm underneath his searching for something. It made Babylon wonder what he was searching for and once he found whatever underneath the bed, he revealed a revealed a medium size red box with a green bow on top of it - heavy by the looks of it. He placed it onto his lap and looked up at her.
"Come." He patted the empty spot on the left of him.
Babylon stepped down from the three steps and went over to the bed. She sat down in the spot Jack patted and looked at the box he had on his lap that made her curious as to why he pulled it out a red box.
"Now," Jack said. "I was planning on giving you this later at your party, but I thought what the heck since you're here."
"You mean," Babylon said, pointing to mysterious the red box. "This is my present?"
Jack gave her a simple nod while moving the red box off his lap and onto her lap. It felt lighter than she had expected, which seemed strange for box that looked big looking. She lifted the lid off the box and saw that there was green tissue paper inside the box that made her awfully curious as to what was inside. So she dug her hand inside the box to feel what hid inside the mysterious red box.
For a moment, she felt nothing but the green tissue paper until she felt something leather like. She pulled it out to see what it was right away and saw it was a pair of goggles, only brand new looking. It had black leather strap and black lens that were in the shape of a circle with golden rings on the rims of the lens that matched her eye color and were completely different from the worn out one's she wore at the moment.
"Go ahead," Jack said. "Try them on."
Babylon placed the brand new one down at the moment, as she took her worn out goggles off her head, placed those into the box and took out the new one. She placed it on. They fitted perfectly with no discomfort just the way she liked them, but as she lowered them onto her eyes the view of the outside world outside looked normal looking instead of dark.
She noticed Jack reaching over for right lens, which confused her until he turned what seem to be the golden ring on the goggles, and turned it to the right - a click sounded. The lens light up green which surprised her completely. The world outside was now more greener than before, allowing her to her dad and room as she sat in the green world.
Then she lifted them up, saw the world in color, then over her eyes making the world green again, one more time off her eyes, and over her eyes again. She saw Jack green like before.
"Do you like it?" Jack asked.
"Like it?" Babylon said, looking at her dad who looked at her with confusion that came upon his face. "I love it."
"Oh," Jack said surprised while the confusion on his face went away, as he smiled. "Well I had a feeling you would knowing how you like goggles a lot and as you can now see they have night vision when you put them on."
"I can see that, but does it do anything else, I'm just making sure is all?"
"Yeah, the golden ring around the right lens puts it into different modes."
Right ring, Babylon thought. She turned the golden ring to the right - heard a small click and saw that it changed to what seem to be thermal heat. Just to make sure it worked, she warmed up her right hand to a point that it was warmer than normal - which turned completely red from what she saw in the goggles - and she poked Jack lightly on the arm just for the fun of it.
A dark red spot appeared on her dad's arm for second then disappeared. She cooled her hand back to the normal temperature it once was. She turned the ring again, heard another click which made the thermal go away and returned back to normal. It looked the same as before when she first placed it on, so she turned the ring again, heard another click, and saw that it returned back to the night vision.
"Is that all there is on here?" Babylon asked, as she turned it back to normal.
Jack gave her a nod. "At the moment, but right now you get to have the first one that's been made by James. A several more things will be added onto it once he gets the system right on the others. For right now, he wants you to test them out to see how they handle when one uses them until there upgrades."
The first from James who was a man that was old as Jack and use to own a black market for weapons in Retro before it went down in the great battle. It wasn't bad invention from him knowing that he worked in the weaponry room with six others and Crystal's dad that made a lot of great inventions for the underground community.
"But," Babylon said, as she looked at the box that contained her old goggles. "Do I have to wear these instead of my old ones? I mean, these look great and all, but what about my old ones still?"
"If these don't work with the systems, then no. But for now, just wear the new one so James can know what to do since it's still a work in progress."
"Oh." Babylon said lowly, as she starred at her old ones for a moment, and then at her dad with a smile. "And, will I be able to use them above ground in the mornings?"
"Yes," Jack said.
"Ok then," She said lifting up the goggles onto her head. "And thank James for the goggles, they're pretty cool I'll have to admit."
Jack gave her a simple nod with a smile as he looked back at the TV that; Babylon placed the lid over the red box she had and looked at the news that went on to see if something interesting came on. It talked about things that went on in Skiris that went on as usual, none of which didn't interest her. Then just as she was about to get up and leave, a breaking news alert appeared.
The woman appeared on the wall and Babylon listened to what the woman had to say.
"This just in, there has been breech within the walls of Skiris. Fifteen Rogue are on the loose within the wall of Skiris. Here to tell us more on this issue are the Castien soldiers live at a press conference."
The woman disappeared right away and a live video feed of a crowd of people appeared. The people were standing with microphones, notepads, cameras, and things of the press all pointed towards a balcony where a Castien soldiers were lined up side by side. They wore black helmets, bullet proof vests, shoulder pads - such to things to protect them against Rogues - wore black cargo pants with many pockets on them, held HK416 assault rifles that had scopes attached to them, and had swords that were like the one Saban had on, attached to their side of their waist.
Their leader Shiba, stood in front of the Castiens that were lined up behind him while he stood behind a podium. He dressed the same like the other soldiers, only he didn't wear the helmet, revealing his slick black hair combed back and had a well-trimmed beard.
Babylon knew him from the news mostly and mainly appeared when something major happened in Skiris or something bad outside the wall when Rogues or the leader of the rogues Krubota - the worst Legend that Shama told her about when she was young as six - attacked the wall around Skiris and the world. Spoke for the leader in Skiris, which rarely appeared on TV for some reason that confused Babylon somewhat that he did that.
"Everyone," Shiba said. "I'm here today to announce a major issue. An hour ago, we found out that fifteen Rogues are on the loose within the walls of Skiris. From what we know so far, fourteen of the Rogues have lived in the northern and western region of the state. The one remaining has killed one of my men and now poses himself as a soldier just like my men that stand behind me."
Shiba paused for a quick moment, then resumed. "We believe that these fifteen will be heading towards the four wall along, with Rogue soldier helping them along the way. Be aware that these Rogues are dangerous and on the run in any of the four regions of the state as I speak."
Shiba paused, took a breath and let it out. "Please be advice to not make contact with them if you see them, but report them immediately to the authorities if you see them. A curfew will be instated immediately today at seven o'clock tonight. Anyone found outside their homes after that will be detained and interrogated until further notice."
Shiba said nothing after that while everyone shouted questions of all sorts, all of which didn't make any sense with everyone talking over each other pointing their mics' eagerly towards Shiba who stood there looking at everyone. The soldiers behind turned to the left and walked off the podium. Shiba did the same not long after that and disappeared from the room full of people. The same woman reappeared on the TV.
"As just as we heard, be advised of these Rogues."
The woman disappeared once again and was replaced by fifteen faces of wanted men and women. There were eight men and seven women lined up side by side in three rows of five. Some of the men and women had grim looks. Others were terrified. Typical for a Rogue.
"If you see something these fifteen or suspicious happening, report it right away to the authorities before curfew."
The woman disappeared once again and was replaced by a commercial.
Seven o'clock, Babylon thought. It really did seem like a good time for a curfew to be instated in the state of Skiris with loose Rogues running to wall. Especially that one who killed a soldier, which was surprising enough to hear that one was dead instead of killing the Rogue, but she knew that a Rogue was capable of killing anyone. After all, what good was a Rogue without a cold heart?
Now it was just a matter of time before the Rogues ended up dead in the middle of a street or some alley where nobody would care about them. Not even one little bit. Babylon looked at Jack. She saw that he had a concern look on his face which concerned her a little of what he was thinking.
A knock sounded at the door. Babylon watched her dad stand up from the bed and head over to the door. Jack went up the three concrete steps, opened the door, and revealed Kevin standing on the other side looking at Jack with a surprised look, and then over at Babylon who noticed him wearing a bracelet just like hers on his left wrist.
"There you are," Kevin said. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Come on or we're going to be late for the shipment."
Shipment, Babylon thought. She completely forgot about the second shipment of food they were going to receive in Skiris that now with a curfew. She moved the red box off her lap and placed onto the bed as she stood up. Babylon went over to the door and up the three steps.
"Come on," Kevin said.
Then just as she was about to step out the door, her dad grabbed her left arm that caused her to stop right in front of the door. Babylon looked at him right away slightly confused, as she saw the same concern on his face.
"Be careful out there." Jack said.
Babylon knew what he meant, as she gave him a quick nod and Jack released his grip. She went over to Kevin's side and they made their way down the hall. Kevin asked a question just as they made it out to the courtyard.
"What was that all about?"
"Something bad," She replied. "But we really need to hurry now before curfew sets in over there."
"Curfew?"
"I'll tell you more about it when we get to the loading station."
Kevin gave her a quick nod and she followed him over to the kitchen where the two chefs, Senga, and the Seekers – who each had AK-47's with scopes attached to them with their guns around their shoulders and wore bracelets - all of whom wore just like the one Babylon and Senga wore - as they all sat at a table near the entrance. They all got up once Kevin gave them a nod and followed him out the section.
They went through a series of hallways far from their section and made it over to the loading station. A metal door just like the one they had at their entrance's section, sealed the way into the area, while a camera was attached to the upper right corner near the door. Five clicks sounded at the door and slid open to the right, revealing a set of door bar doors ahead of them.
Kevin and the rest followed in shortly after the door was slid open midway.
He opened the two bar doors that led to the room and they made their way inside. There inside the loading station, long bright white lights hung from the ceiling above the four big trucks parked side by side horizontally in front of them with the name Rogers - a food market that was on the other side of the wall - printed in big red letters with white outlining them on both sides of the truck, and had signal jammers hidden inside the back of the trucks.
On both sides on the far left and right side of the room, were four yellow forklifts parked against the wall and were big enough to go through the hallways and their section for restocking food and other necessities for their section. Kevin, Cypher, Astrid, and one of the chefs went over to the trucks that stood ahead of them while Babylon and Senga followed behind Kevin to the truck closest to the right wall, and the rest of the Seekers standing by the entrance with cautious looks.
Babylon followed Senga to the passenger side of the truck while Kevin went to the driver side. Senga stepped up onto the first step to the truck, grabbed the handle, and opened it all the way. Her brother went in first. Babylon stepped up onto single step and leaned over.
She looked under the seat. There underneath hid a large metal black box. Just what she was looking for. She reached for it with one hand, slid it in front of her, and lifted the lid to check the usual ten magazines for guns they had hidden in parts of the truck that they really didn't use. Babylon heard the door on the driver side close.
"Babylon," Kevin said. "What's going on?"
"Rogues," Babylon said looking up at him for a quick second, then the box as she placed the lid back onto the box and slid it back underneath the seat. She stood up properly and stepped into the truck.
"Rogues?" Senga said while her sister sat aside him closing the door.
"Yeah," Babylon said looking at Senga who looked at her confused, then Kevin who had the same look, and then the large dark rectangular entrance that was ahead of them that was sealed still with the gateway. "I don't know how, but fifteen managed to live inside the state until now and are the loose."
"How is that even possible?" Senga asked, while Kevin started the truck, causing the headlights to their truck turn on and light into the darkness - the others did the same.
"I don't know," Babylon said, looking at her brother. "But what I do know is that they won't last long with the Castiens searching for them and we know how that's going to go down."
"True," Senga said in a low tone.
"And what about the curfew?" Kevin said.
"It's at seven o'clock," Babylon said, looking over at him. "Shiba instated it not too long ago and whoever is found outside in the state after that time, will be taken away somewhere by the Castiens."
"Then we must not waste any time." Kevin said.
Kevin pressed his hand against the steering wheel and sounded the horn to the truck that lasted for a second. Bright orange lights attached to the two corners of the tunnel lit up while spinning around. A siren sounded in the room not long after that, with the sound of gears metal turning as the gateway raised up from the ground and into the wall that it was attach to underneath.
Kevin turned on the radio just as the gateway lifted all the way - nothing but low static came on - and he drove off into the darkness first. The others followed not far behind them.
The headlights lit up the brick tunnel as Kevin drove. Babylon lowered the window down. The wall aside the right side of the truck passed by with a quick blur with the wind blowing at her. It reminded her of flying through the buildings with the adrenaline coursing through her and the wind blowing through her hair. Only this time is was in the shipping truck. She looked at Senga and saw that he had his head rested against the back of the seat with a smile.
Babylon leaned against the door and felt as the air blew at her. It felt cool and refreshing, all which she liked. She looked at the rear view mirror that was on the side of her door and saw the bright head lights of the truck that drove behind them, which made her feel as if it blinded her. So she turned her attention back to the dark road ahead, as she blinked several time to get her vision back, and resumed watching the truck drive.
It was still dark with no sign of light anywhere to be seen except for the headlights that lit the way ahead of them. It kept her full attention as Kevin drove in the tunnel, as he drove straight all the way through the dark tunnel for a several miles. She listened to the radio, waited for something to come on but nothing ever did. Then after several more miles, she started to notice some sound coming from the radio after at least watching the truck drive through the tunnel for an hour.
The further he drove, the static on the radio went away more till it was replaced by rock music completely that Babylon didn't care for much when none of it sounded good except for the old music that was played a century or two ago at most. Babylon sensed the truck as it started to drive up a steep slope and that's when two orange lights lit up attached to both sides of the wall several feet from them, spun around like the lights on a police car while the ceiling above them slid back quickly.
A bright white light appeared on the other side within seconds after that and once the truck got to the top, she saw the abandoned steel mill they usual came in and out of. She looked up at the ceiling where she saw the large metal chains hanging from many wires attached to the hook, some attached to large metal wells that were tilted on their side as they hung, and some didn't.
The ceiling had rusty colored metal beams connected to each one in rows while the roof of ceiling had large patches of openings here and there with light from outside shining through them. The shattered windows near the top had light shining through them also with a few pigeons perched on the edge of them.
She looked at the machinery around the place as the truck made a turn to the left. She saw several more large metal wells around the place laying on their side and metal pillars on both sides of the building with machinery that didn't work anymore, that hid underneath a blanket covered in dust.
Then she looked at the brick wall, saw that it had a greyish black look to it just like the buildings in Retro, but didn't have any dangerous fumes that lingered around in the air. Babylon poked her head out of the window to see the world a little better, but she pushed herself out a little more with her hands on the edge of the door to get a better view and looked at the truck that drove behind them with half of her body sticking out.
She noticed that the wall they came through was closed, but also noticed Saban in the truck a little till she felt something on the rim of her pants, which yanked her away from the window, and placed her back onto the seat. She looked at Kevin with confusion for a moment who looked at her with a mix of confusion and concern.
Babylon looked away from him and at Senga instead. He still had his eyes closed with his arms folded onto his chest, but as she poked him in the arm, he slowly opened his eyes as he looked at her all tired eyed for a moment, but ended up closing them with a tired sigh.
She looked back out the window after that when she looked at the world outside that fascinated her more ways than one when she watched several pigeons fly around the abandoned building. After that they flew out the out of the shattered windows and disappeared into the natural light that was outside. It made her miss her wings a little even though it hadn't been that long ever since she burned them away, but still missed them; just made her wish she could use them in Skiris without being killed in plain sight.
Then she turned her attention to the dull grey door that was up ahead. It was closed till she saw it rise and coiled up like a snake, only flat above the entrance. A brighter, natural light appeared on the other side that they drove towards and became closer by the second until they made it and entered Skiris.