Venner opens his eyes and his vision burs, the room is spinning, and he feels weightless, and he struggles to sit up. The vertigo is so bad that he falls to the floor. The door opens and Venner rolls over to see a tall blonde woman standing over him. His eyes focused fully and looked at the woman, the very image of her before him made his face grow pale.
He opened his mouth to say something but he only merely gasped. The woman knelt down in front of him, and he could see those iridescent blue irises mirroring back at him, She looked so much like her mother now. "C-Clara?"
"Hi, Dad." She gave him a soft smile and helped him to his feet and once he was standing, he hugged her tightly. "It is so good to see you."
Clara chuckled and gently pulled away from him, "Nice to see you too."
"How did..? I have so many questions." He shook his head in disbelief, still thinking that his very own daughter was a mirage.
"When Mom was killed, some of the guests at my party saw me running away and they protected me. We ended up in Cinders because...well, I'll have to explain that later."
"I'm just so happy you're alive I...I really thought I lost you."
"I am very much alive, and I am really happy to see you too." She smiled. Clara didn't look like the gentle young lady that she used to be, nor did she have the air and grace of such a gentle girl either. Her long blonde hair was no longer curly and bouncy but straight and shaved on the side of her head. Her skin was no longer peachy with pink cheeks, she was now pale, and her cheeks were sunken in.
Their reunion was wonderful, but it was also very bittersweet, Clara was no longer his little girl anymore. He sighed and looked at his daughter, "You've grown up."
"So did you...I mean you got older." She said, making her father chuckle. "Your friends are awake and in the other room and the bot has been confiscated- "
"Don't hurt him." He almost jumped from his own skin upon hearing that they had captured Gideon. Clara looked at her father questioningly, "Why?"
"Its hard to explain but...he is a Tomper that has never killed a human. If you want, I'm sure he can prove that to you. I was wary of him at first but...he was a drafted robot before The Divide. They were never able to reprogram him."
Clara looked a little amazed by this information and knew from the look on his face that he was telling the truth. She always knew when he was being honest. She sighed and tried to think, "You will have a lot of convincing to do with the people here. If you say he is safe, then I'll believe you but its not me who you need to prove that to."
"I understand."
"I'm sure you want to see your group of friends. I'm sorry about the Trip darts. We had to shoot you down because of the Tompers here on this side of the wall." Clara led him out of the room and followed her to where the rest of them were. Fallon looked up and rushed to her feet to hug him, "Oh God, you're okay."
"I'm glad you're okay too, all of you." He enveloped her in a tight hug and smiled seeing that Fallon was awake and well. Clara looked between the two in confusion.
Their conversation was interrupted by a woman coming towards them, she looked at Clara sternly, "There you are, where the hell have you been?" The woman wore a similar suit that Clara had. She had pale skin and dark brown hair and bottomless brown eyes. Clara seemed to back away like a dog that had been scolded, "Sorry, Cassa."
Venner noticed this and turned to her, "She's speaking with her father that she hasn't seen in years." He spoke sternly to her. Cassa gave him a snobby expression, "I believe I was talking to her."
"And I believe that you need to give my daughter and I some time to be with each other."
"You're not my father, who do you think you are?"
Clara could see that the discussion wouldn't end until someone backed down so she stepped in the middle, "What do you need me for Cassa?"
"There's that simpering voice I was waiting for." She gave her a domineering smirk. "We have about fifty Shifting Vests that need repairing, we need all hands on deck. Enough of this family reunion and get a move on." Cassa gave Venner a mean look before walking away. He stood baffled at the display of poor manners, "What on earth was that creeping creature?"
"That is my commander, Cassa Marr."
"Been in the same room with her for two minutes and I already hate her."
Clara giggled, "I'm so happy you're here."
"Me too." He smiled.
"I'll let you get back to your friends, I've got work to do." She smiled.
"Thank you. I'll see you later, maybe you can explain more to me what this rebellion is about."
"Okay." As unwilling she was to leave her father's side, she quietly left them and followed her commander out. Fallon and the others watched as Clara left. Fallon looked at Venner who watched his daughter walk away, "Its so nice to see you happy." She smiles.
"Oh, yes. Very happy. It would be very silly to say but I believe my life is finally complete. I have my daughter, a great friend... and a new family."
Fallon couldn't help but hug his arm seeing the joy he was feeling, "I'm happy for you."
"Did you meet her? you know, while I was out?" He asked. Fallon gave him an unsatisfied look and shook her head.
"I don't think she likes me very much." She told him.
"Why do you say that?" He asked. Fallon shook her head and shrugged, she didn't want to put a damper on his reunion with his daughter. "Maybe it's just me. I'm sure we will have enough time to get to know each other."
"I'm sure she will like you in time," Venner looked down at the floor, blushing. "Who wouldn't."
"Cheeky." Fallon bumps shoulders with him, playfully.
Suddenly a tall, muscular man came up to them. His head was shaved into a thick, black mow hawk. his tan skin shining with a layer of sweat from the smoldering fires above ground. Tattoos decorated his massive arms and like every one else, he wore the same black mirrored suit.
"Good afternoon." He spoke with a low brassy voice. "I'm Rion Marr. Its nice to meet you all." He turned to see the now aged Venner in front of him. "I'm happy that Clara and you are reunited. She talked fondly of you."
"As she should." He said simply, giving him a sharp glare.
"If you all could come with me, I'll give you the tour and explain everything."
Everyone went to stand until Rion shot a bullet towards Gideon.
"Whoa, Whoa! He's a friend. Trust us." Venner defended.
"What do you mean, friend?" He asked defensively, holding his pistol towards the robot.
"Trust us, he's the creation of the late Nova Grim. He's even got his brand engraved on his head." Fallon reassured him.
"Its still a killer."
"Check his records, he hasn't harmed a soul."
"How?" He asked, lowering his gun.
"We don't know, we thought that you could help us finding that out so we can use it against the Tompers."
It took a moment for Rion to respond, "All of you with me, that stays here until I can trust it."
Gideon lowered his head in submission, sitting himself down with Faris sitting at his feet. Rion gave the Tomper one last evil look before shuffling everyone down the hall.
"Welcome The Vision Keepers."
"What is that exactly? And how do you have a gun? They're outlawed in Elysium" Fallon asked him. Rion looked at her and held up the pistol, "We scavenge for a lot of things other than food, Ma'am."
"The Visiojn Keepers is an underground, organized rebellion against the Tomper Police. We do a number of things to help rebuild society. Some of us go out on recon missions, rescue missions, humanitarian efforts, scavenging for supplies and so on and so forth. That's our technological department." He pointed to the organized group of people on their screens and fixing Shifting Vests. Clara waved to Venner and he smiled back.
"This is the Mess Hall. Everyone eats, we make sure no one goes hungry. All food is grown and raised in our self sustaining farm and greenhouse, all clean, non diseased food."
The mess hall was massive, long white tables and dark blue flags hanging down from the ceiling. Everyone dressed in their Shifting Vests, sitting down and conversing with each other.
He turned many corners and dipped into different rooms, showing them the residential rooms for the citizens they have saved. He had finally opened the doors to the training room for the Shifters. Thousands of people fighting and tumbling about, appearing and reappearing in another part of the room.
"Yeah, this room needs a lot of explanation." Fallon spoke up.
"How are they making themselves disappear?" Venner asked.
"They're not disappearing. They're hiding in your blind spots."
"I'm sorry, Blind spots?" Fallon asked confused.
"Look at Venner for a moment." Rion told her. Fallon obeyed and looked at him. "Then take a look at me." She shifted her gaze back to Rion. "When your eyes shift to different people or objects in the room, that split second when you shift and refocus your gaze on something else is where they are hiding. We also hide in Peripheral vision as well. Where ever you're not paying attention is where we are."
"Brilliant." Leo expressed. "You're only visible when you want to be."
"Exactly."
"How do you do that, If I may ask?" Fira asked curiously.
"That's the vests they have on, each vest is equipped with delicate software that recognizes your face and x-rays the retinas, recalibrating each time someone switches gaze."
"Who came up with this genius idea?" Fallon spoke up.
"My father, he was a scientist who created the mathematical equation we program into each vest."
"That is rather sophisticated technology, hard to believe you required it with limited supplies since Cinders is in ruins." Venner convicted.
"I think it's time to show you all where you'll be staying for the remainder of your time here." Rion stared Venner down like a lion challenging another for dominance. They all followed him down another hallway so they could get familiar with their new home.
(REVISED)