Interferanze

Who? What? Where? When?


Something was wrong

Nothing feels right

Checklist – two hands, two arms; two eyes that seem to be functioning. Sense of smell? Inhale. Everything here smells clean almost medicinal. That seems normal to.

Head y any and I think I need to go to the bathroom, lets get those legs working. Swing over the bed first one then the other. Huh, I don't remember having blue pyjama bottoms...or any pyjama bottoms for that matter. Can't remember what else I'd wear to bed though.

Maybe I was drunk last night? Though I can't remember being drunk. Maybe I was very drunk. Maybe whenever I drink I lose time, black out for half an hour at a go. Or at least I think I do, can't seem to remember anything about last night or yesterday. Where am I now?

I am lying sprawled across a duvet staring up at a ceiling which I'm pretty sure is not mine because somehow I don’t think I could forget having a mirror right above my bed.

Window, outside seems sunny. Do I usually sleep late? Ok walking now, careful steps, the floor seems slippy; damn near cracked my head open.

Whose idea was it to wash the floor? It certainly wasn't mine. Or was it? Things seem different somehow. My hand is gripping the radiator; my arms seem different, almost as if they aren’t connected with my body. Scars deep and red run from wrist to elbow. I trace the line of one and it’s hardened, old.

Is everything what it seems here?

Aha, bathroom and mirror.

Who the fuck is that?

+++

Ok the main thing is not to panic, we should try that breathing thing again shouldn't we?

In through the nose and out through the nose, whatever you do just don't look in the mirror.

I'm pretty sure that’s not my face - was I always a boy? Huh, can't remember being a girl either though, I can't remember much of anything.

Amnesia, I must have amnesia.

Stairs, bad carpeting, why don't we sit down and try to focus.

What can you remember? Staring down at hands, small pale and calloused hands, nails bitten. My hands? Definitely my hands.

But who am I - mirror time again. Small, pale, big blue eyes, messy hair - think I need a haircut. I don't look entirely well; like I haven't slept in a year and when I do I mustn't sleep through the night. Hair on the back of my neck keeps is sticking up, and my hand comes away with small traces of blood when I try and smooth it down.

When they return my fingers trace the shape of a small circular wound.

Need to find another mirror, back to the bedroom and for the first time I actually look at it. The big mirrored ceiling above the bed - how kinky is that? Or at least it would be if the bedroom didn't have that bright blue wallpaper. It’s a very hard thing to do, to say "sex kitten" and "sad bastard" simultaneously. But somehow I, or persons unknown to me have managed it.

Losing track of yourself - aha! There beside the bed, a small shaving mirror.

Counting steps back out to the bathroom 1, 2, 3 andre. re.

Angling the mirror it appears that there’s a hole in the back of my skull. It looks raw and angry but doesn't feel sore to the touch, trying to push my finger into the hole doesn't seem like a wise i

Maybe I need a band-aid.

*Bang*

What the fuck is that?

*Bang Bang*

Someone is at the door. I can't go down there, what if it’s the person who did this to me?

*Bang Bang Bang*

I'm not here! Shit, my voice won't work why won't my voice work?

"Elijah!"

Fuck, a man's voice - who's Elijah? Am I Elijah? Maybe he's Elijah? Why would he be calling for himself then.... oh god

I really hope I wasn't always this stupid.

It’s the amnesia probably.

"Elijah quit messing about, we're going to be late!"

Okay - stop rocking back and forth and decide on a plan of action. I could stay here until whoever's down *there* goes away.

*Bang Bang Bang* "Elijah!"

Doesn't seem like a viable option though.

So down the stairs we go.

One

Two

Three

Four

See this isn't so bad

Seven

Eight

Nine

Why doesn't the door have one of those keyhole thingies you can look out of?

Ok, latch off - we can do this.

"Elijah." the man turns around to face me and I glimpse a stunning smile before it falls "What the fuck have you done?"

Iago


I’ve seen some pretty stupid things in my time but this really takes the biscuit.

“Elijah… man how did this happen?”

The pix smiles, his eyes wide and bright “Oh.. I fell, you know how it is.” he trailed off rubbing the back of his neck.

He’s lying, were it not for the fact that I could smell it on him, I could tell by looking into his too bright eyes, the way he shifted from foot to foot constantly never meeting my gaze. I hold out my hand to steady him and he shrinks away.

“Elijah.” I whisper softly “why did you do it?”

He focuses on my face briefly before turning away and grimacing “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He’s a mess, I can see the sweat dripping off his face, the fear in his eyes and to top it all off he’s wearing blue pyjama bottoms. Since when does a pleasure pix wear blue pyjama bottoms? “Get in the house now.”

“What?”

“Just get in the fng hng house.” I push him through the door before he can summon up the energy toue. ue.

Inside he collapses against the doorframe; eyeing me warily he says, “What are you going to do with me?”

“Do with you? What do you mean do with you? For fucks sake Elijah what did you do?”

“Nothing”, he grimaces rubbing the back of his neck again, when he looks at his hand it’s covered in blood “oh god.”

He then promptly faints.

Fucking typical.


The Problem


I lug him up the flight of stairs to his bedroom, which is no easy feat. For someone with delicate little girl bones he sure does weigh a lot. The bedroom is a mess and the bed looks like the scene of some slasher film, blood standing out on the stark white sheets. Jesus Christ, how the hell did he survive this?

*Beep * my pager is going mad; Karl is probably wondering where the fuck we are.

Fuck.

Karl.

He won’t be too happy when he discovers what his favourite pix has gone and done. Elijah is sweating profusely now and shaking. I turn him over to assess the damage.

The chip is definitely gone and more of the hardware than I thought possible. “God mate, you’re one tough little pix.” There’s a hole cut into his neck, which is weeping steadily, how the hell can you fix a hole in someone’s neck? There are tablets on the table, Diazetrim by the looks of it. Well that explains the blanked out stare, Diazetrim is a notorious mind suppressant.

*Beep * fucking pager.

I can’t let Karl see him like this; he’ll go mad, beyond mad. If the pix is lucky enough to last the night he definitely won’t last a meeting with Fuhr Urban.

Time to call in some old friends.


Drug Barons, oh my!


Iago had known Bernard and Henry since he was eight years old when they had teamed up together to sacrifice Nina Henderson’s Barbie doll to Thor, God of Thunder more commonly known as G.I Joe. They had been there for him all during college, his military training; where even there to pick up the pieces after Sue left. Time had been good to Bernie and Henry, who ended up being the largest drug barons in the greater Fe area.

“Mr. Hill’s office, how may I direct your call?” The secretary’s voice was bright, bubbly and immediately grated on Iago’s last nerve.

“Yeah, can I talk to Mr. Hill please?”

“I’m afraid Mr. Hill is unavailable at the moment, may I direct your call to one of our junior partners?”

Iago gritted his teeth, goddamn office politics made sure it was near ssibssible to get either Bernard or y diy directly “Look just tell him its Iago alright?”

“One moment please.”

Tinned elevator music piped down the line, a Hammond organs representation of the Britney Spears classic “Drive me crazy”; Iago closed his eyes and actually longed for the original.

“Iago my boy.”

“Don’t pull that my boy shit, I’m three months older than you.”

“True but ‘mentally’…”

Iago chuckled, “Well you do have me there…Listen, Henry I’ve got a problem.”

“Give me the details.”

“Pix roughly 22 years old, just tore himself from the program.”

“Shit and he’s alive?”

“Just barely, bleeding from the neck orifice, dizziness and by the looks of things amnesia.”

“Does his prime know?”

“Negative, and if he finds out both him and I are up before the firing squad.”

“Fucking hell, I’ve never heard of a pix surviving a tear out.”

“I know, Henry I’m in a lot of trouble.”

“Ok, I’ll call you back in five tes.tes.”

Iago paced the bedroom biting his thumb, the pix was collapsed on the bed, his skin growing paler by the second. ‘It’s insane … why would he do that? Lij of all people? It just doesn’t make any sense.’

Five minutes later the phone rang Iago picked it up on the second ring.

“Here’s what you need to do.”


The plan


The plan was simple: Every morning Henry and Bernard’s cartel made its daily run to the city. The route was an ordinary one and time had taught that the right amount of cash could make an enforcer turn a blind eye. The old estate van they made their run in could easily hide the pix in the back. The pix would be doped up on Quintism – the only drug that would guarantee to numb the pain and hopefully reduce the feeling of loss from the program.

Once the van reached the city limits they would dump the pix by the nearest Mission (who were notoriously light hearted on pix’s) and be on their merry way.

It was a route that had been carried out a million times and a plan that could not go wrong.

So obviously it did.

City Limits


Deb Merchant was by no means a patient person. Once, when she was ten years old she threw her mothers microwave in the lake because it took too long to make her porridge. No, patience as far as Deb was concerned, could go and bugger itself royally.

Which is why being stuck in a three-mile tailback would tend to get on her nerves.

“Fuck fuck fuckkity fuck, bastard fucking cars, oi!” Deb leaned out the windowing straining to see what the hold up was “can we please start fucking moving!”

Beside her Rob laughed quietly to himself “Nothin’ you can do about it, right? So why don’t you chill back and just take in the sights”, he gestured out the window as he spoke.

“Yeah right Rob, what fucking sights … Oh I know – Look over there! It’s a big ass sandy dune”, she spun herself around to look passed Rob out his window, pointing theatrically “and look over there! Another big ass sandy dune!”

Rob glared at her “just relax ok? You’re not making us get there any quicker by yelling.”

Deb squinted back at him “Dunno if you’ve noticed Rob but I don’t do ‘relaxed’, this whole situation is making me tense, what with ‘it’ in the back.”

Rob turned around glimpsing the dark hair of the pix amongst the tarp. “I feel sorry for ‘im, I mean how desperate would you have to be to do that to yourself?” Shuddering he continued, “I mean he’s Karl Urban’s pix, he’s as good as dead if he ever finds him, that is of course if he manages to last the next few days.”

“I’ve just never been comfortable with the whole ‘pix’ idea, you know?” Deb bit her nail and spat it out the window “and even thinking of Karl makes me shiver.”

“Yeah, me and all…”

Looking ahead Deb tried to count the number of vehicles in front, “Forty – two, forty-three.. What the fuck is that?”

“What the fuck is what?”

“What the fuck is that big black cloud coming towards us!”

Rob’s reply was lost in a maze of smoke and grim, he opened up his mouth to scream only to have it enveloped in ash that coated his mouth, squeezed down his throat, past his lungs until all that was left of him was a charcoal outline.

Deb’s final thought was “Of course I’d die in a fucking traffic jam.”


Karl


Karl Urban did not like to be kept waiting. He liked to think that waiting was something that the lower classes had made up as an excuse for not turning up to meetings on time. The board were meeting in just under thirty minutes and that damned Iago had yet to turn up with the pix. Growling he stalked over to the phone and picked up.

“Yes Sir?” Sophie’s voice was bright and eager, pure Harvard educated.

“Get a team sent over to Iago’s and find out what the delay is.”

“Of course Sir.”

“And Sophie?”

“Yes Sir?”

“Any problems tell them they shoot to kill.”

“Yes Sir”

Pain


Iago couldn’t see; he was bleeding from a cut on his eyebrow that was pouring steadily into his line of vision, colouring everything a deep red. His hands were shackled behind him and his legs were bound at the ankles; biting down on his lip he cursed Elijah.

Karl stalked around him; he was wearing a calf length leather coat that swung around his body every time he turned in the opposite direction. On anyone else it would have been amusing; on Karl the effect was terrifying.

He crouched down coming into Iago’s vision suddenly causing him to start back.

“Sh.. I’m your friend, you just need to tell me what happened.” his hand stroked down Iago’s face before gripping his chin and forcing him to meet his eyes “Where’s the pix Iago? Did you kill him? One of your late night sessions get out of hand, hmm?”

Iago blinked desperately trying to get the blood out of his eyes “I never … not with ‘Lij!”

Karl’s grip on his chin increased causing him to whimper, “Karl please … “

“Karl please…” he mocked back at him, “You pathetic little maggot, you honestly expect me to believe you spent all that time with the pix for nothing? No.. No” he shook his head reaching into his back pocket to withdraw a needle. “What you need Iago baby, is a little incentive – I’m sure with the proper ‘persuasion’ you’ll tell me exactly what you where up to with my pix.”

Lost


Elijah wasn’t sure how long he had wandered; he was thirsty and tired, his bare feet bleeding from cuts sustained in the crash. Crash, that was assuming he was in a crash, as it was he couldn’t remember exactly why he was in the van – then again he still couldn’t remember much about himself at all.

When he came to he was enveloped in blackness so thick he was certain he had gone blind; upon closer inspection it turned out to be thick black dust coating his entire body. When he tried to take a deep breath in he coughed uncontrollably feeling the blackness settle in his lungs and stomach. It wor worse when he tried to talk, all that came out was an expulsion of air, and he hoped it was just a side effect of the dust and not a permanent fixture. He stumbled out of the van and looked at the scene behind him, rows and rows of cars reduced to dust, he tried to call out but once again nothing came out. Shivering he’d wrapped his thin jacket around him and started walking.

Time had lost all meaning; the darkness was so thick Elijah wasn’t sure if he was still walking at times. The stars above seemed to mock him and tiredness overcame him, the temptation to lie down was almost too much to bear.

“It wouldn’t hurt to lie down for a little while”, he argued with himself as he sank into the sand. “Just a little while.”

He was so tired.

And so the pix lay down in the sand, falling asleep almost instantly.

And he dreamed.


Orlando


“There’s someone wandering outside.” Orlando said as he burst into the room and pounced on a sleeping Billy.

“Ooof! Orli, get off.” complained Billy as Orlando tried to extract himself from where he was tangled with him. His eyes narrowed as Orlando moved to settle on the settee’s arm.

“Erugh”, Billy sat up rubbing at his sleep encrusted eyes, trying in vain to focus on the man before him “What did you say?”

Orlando grinned reaching out a hand to rub soothingly up Billy’s thigh, “There’s someone wandering outside, they seem a bit disorientated – keep shuffling ‘round in circles, probably no threat though.”

Billy shook his head trying to clear the fuzz that seemed to have gathered there “We should check it out all the same.”

Orlando grinned. “I’ll go get Seán and load up the rifles.“ Billy’s hand shot out as he moved to stand.

“No, Seán’s busy at the moment. Go get Vig.”

“You sure? Vig might be pissed if we disturb him.” The uncertainty was evident in the young man’s voice and Billy had to bite back a groan. After four months he was getting mighty sick of the tension between his leader and their newest recruit.

“I’m sure, he’d be fucked off if we went out there without telling him.”

“Ok.” said Orlando as he bounced out of the room.

Billy groaned he never understood where the kid got all his energy. Glancing at his watch he discovered he’d only been asleep for two hours. “I’m never going to sleep properly. God is obviously conspiring against me.,” he thought to himself. Plus now he had to go check out what was in all likely hood, just another damn junkie off his head wandering the desert. The things you had to sacrifice when you were a member of the resistance.

“Ready Billy?” he glanced up and saw Viggo framed in the living room doorway. Viggo’s cool gaze appraised Billy as he stepped in the room, he walked towards him and Billy had to remind himself not to back away.

“You look tired Billy.” he tensed as Viggo put a finger under his chin and looked at him thoughtfully “Not sleeping?”

“Not much no.”

Viggo stepped back assessing him, “You should have come and told me, I could have fixed you up a cure.”

Billy smiled “When we get back maybe.”

A nod “When we get back.”

A cough from the hallway startled Billy and he looked over to see Orlando standing there, rifle strapped to his back and holding two hand guns.

“We ready?”

Viggo walked over to Orli and Billy noticed how the young man tensed almost automatically, Orli handed Viggo a gun and they made their way out the door.


The Desert


The night air was cool on his cheeks as Billy made his way across the sand. About fifty meters in front of him he could make out the vague outline of what seemed to be a bundle of rags. As he watched, the outline shifted and started to shake spasmodically. Before he knew it he was off, running across the desert floor, driven by an intense need to get to the rags. He was aware of Viggo and Orli’s shouts to be careful but to him they sounded muffled like he was listening to them from a great distance. As he got nearer the rags resolved themselves into a shape, it was a boy, a boy who appeared to be in great distress.

“Hey there … calm yourself.” Billy kneeled down beside the boy and putting a hand on his shoulder, turned him round to face him. His breath caught in his throat as he gazed at the vision in front of him. The boy was small, slight with very pale skin and a head of wild hair that seemed to stick up in every possible direction but it was his eyes that really drew Billy. Pure azure eyes, impossibly big in a small delicate pixie face.

The boy reached a trembling hand up to Billy’s face and traced a line down his nose “Billy.” he whispered.

“How does he know you?”

Viggo’s commanding voice startled Billy as he continued to gaze into the pix’s eyes “I have no idea.”

Viggo got down on his haunches and reached towards the boy who automatically shrank back into Billy. “Sshh” Viggo soothed him “I just want to get a look at you.” His hands skimmed the boys’ frame, looking and assessing any damage, they stopped as he reached the back of his neck.

“What is it?”

Viggo frowned “It’s not possible.”

Billy turned to face his leader “What’s not possible Vig?”

“This boy “ Viggo’s voice was full of awe, “This boy is a pleasure pix.”

“But I thought pix’s only existed in Caredela?”

“They do.”

The pix erupted into another fit of the shakes causing both Viggo and Billy to try in vain to hold him still. When the fit was over, the pix collapsed against Billy panting heavily.

“What’s the matter with him?”

“See this hole at the base of his skull?” Billy peered around the pix to look. The hole was roughly the size of a golf ball; its edges rough and jagged, blood was seeping steadily from the cut.

“Jesus Christ! What is that?”

The pix whimpered as Viggo traced the cut with a finger “Hush little one, its where the root programming was torn out. He must’ve been desperate to do it.”

Billy ran his hand soothingly over the pix’s hair in an effort to calm his whimpers. “That explains why there’s not an angry Prime wandering around.”

“No, not yet but I’ll bet they’ll have a search party out soon.” Viggo stood brushing the sand off his jeans. “We should get him back to the enclosure and let Seán have a look at him.”

“Good idea.” Billy tried to stand but the pix’s hands grabbed him closer, he looked up at Viggo who was watching him with a smirk on his lips “How do you suggest we do that?”

I just don’t know what to do with my pix


Getting back to the enclosure was difficult, as Billy had to stop every ten minutes to allow for the pix’s fits. Once inside they lay the young man on the couch, while Viggo went to summon Seán.

“Billy, what’s a pleasure pix?”

“You’ve never heard of one?” Billy’s astonishment was evident in his voice and Orlando had to laugh.

“Nah, course I’ve heard of one – just never understood their function. I mean I know their like whores right?”

“No, not like whores at all. Though you could be forgiven for thinking that, it’s a myth that the corporations would like you to believe. A pleasure pix is a very advance human, some people believe they have special abilities and that the heads of corporations are somehow draining them of their powers, though we’ve never gotten any concrete proof of that. They’re taken from their mother at a young age, usually round nine or ten; they’re then taken to Caredela to begin their ‘training’. Although, ‘training’ is a very mild word for what these poor bastards go through. First of all they’re fitted with a chip, it slots right into the back of their neck. Right here”, Billy gently brushed aside the pix’s hair to show the wound to Orli.

“What does that do?”

“It basically makes them 100% reliant on their ‘prime’ or ‘master’ if you will. The master is able to trace the pix wherever they are and can feel their emotions and in some cases their very thoughts. Now while some pix’s function is purely sexual some others are relied on for a more emotional connection. Which of course, means that the pix is constantly left sapped of strength and thus, never able to utilise their powers.”

Orlando looked cross-eyed he was concentrating so hard “Does the prime get all the pix’s powers?”

Billy glanced down at the shivering pix lying on the couch, “Yeah, sometimes. Mostlyy’rey’re kept drugged up with Diazetrim so they don’t know what’s going on, just enough to keep them happy and pliant. I’ve never heard of one tearing himself from the program though.”

“Wonder what made him do that? I mean if they’re kept doped up most of the time … what would make him sit up and notice what was going on?”

They looked down at the pix, whimpering, lost in the throes of some nightmare. “I dunno Orli, I have no clue.”

“Let me have a look at him.” both men turned to see Seán striding into the room.

“By all means”, said Billy backing away from the pix.

Seán sat beside the pix gently easing him into a sitting position. The pix whined struggling to get away from Seán.

“Why’s he acting like that?” Orlando questioned, “He’s like a frightened animal!”

“His mind isn’t operating on the same level as ours, he’s had a deeply traumatic experience, it’s a wonder he’s still breathing.” Seán frowned as he lifted the boy’s eyelids up “’Course it doesn’t help that he’s probably drugged up to the gills.”

Just then the pix jerked in Seán’s arms, frenziedly reaching out towards Billy.

“How can he do that?” asked Orli in awe, “He has his eyes closed!”

Billy just shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself in a desperate attempt to stop himself from picking the pix up and running from the room.

“Maybe its his scent, Billy” Seán gestured to him “just sit on the other side of him and try get him to calm down.”

He gingerly sat down beside the pix and placed an arm around his waist. The effect was instantaneous; the pix immediately quieted and nuzzled into Billy’s chest. Seán looked up from his perusal to raise an eyebrow at the embrace, “That’s interesting.” was all he commented.

“Okay, turn him round to face you now.”

Billy gently turned the pix to face him and saw two bright blue eyes blinking into his face. “Billy”, the pix sighed and leaning forward gently licked him behind his right ear. Billy didn’t think how odd the gesture was, he simply leaned toward the pix and reciprocated the action. The boy gave a sigh and wrapping both arms around Billy’s neck fell asleep against his chest.

“Why did you do that?” Orlando whispered.

Looking up Billy could see that the question was on Seán’s lips as well. “I don’t know”, he answered honestly “it just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Seán returned his attention to the pix’s neck producing a magnifying glass from his pocket “Let’s get a closer look then.”

Billy sat on the couch holding the pix while Seán went about his work. It was strange, just yesterday he had never seen a pleasure pix before and almost believed them to be some sort of Urban Legend and here he was cradling one in his arms, wondering why it felt he was born to do it and why it felt like he had always done it.

+++

“Elijah.”

“What?” murmured Billy sleepily.

“His name’s Elijah.”

“It says that on his neck?”

“Well its in code”, Seán brought the magnifier up to the boys neck again “But from what I can gather his name’s Elijah.”

“Elijah, that’s an odd name,” remarked Orli from the floor.

“Aye.”

“And now for the bad news.”

Billy’s head shot up at Seán’s grave tone “Bad news?” he echoed.

“This pix belongs to Karl Urban.”

“Fuck.” replied Orlando and Billy together.

“Exactly”, putting the magnifier in hockeocket Seán rose. The expression on his face was grim. “I should go and let Vig know.”

Orlando and Billy watched as Seán left the room.

“Viggo is not going to be too happy about this.”

“I know” Billy looked down at the pix cradled against his chest “Guess this explains why you were running.”

Elijah finally restful in sleep burrowed closer to Billy and let out a contented sigh.

Viggo


When Viggo was pissed off everyone could sense it and not just everyone in the room; when Viggo was pissed off people in the Northern hemisphere could feel the vibrations in the earth.

“What do you mean Karl Urban’s pix!” Viggo exploded, his blue eyes flashing angrily.

“Exactly what I said, Elijah carries the gold insignia of the house of Urban and considering that only the highest pix’s carry it, and that Karl is the head of the house – it stands to reason that he belongs to him.”

Viggo rounded on Seán “Are you mocking me?”

Seán sighed running his hands through his hair “No love, its just that you never think clearly where the Urban’s are involved. You know that.”

Viggo paced up and down the room, in his heart he knew Seán was right but he couldn’t stop the fear poking at him.

“I was thinking, maybe we could use the Neurotracer on Elijah, see what we can find.” staring at Viggo Seán mentally tried to get him to calm down.

Viggo slowly came to a halt, turning to face Seán “Do you think he can handle it?”

Seán shrugged “Who knows – if he gets too distressed we can just stop it. Look Vig, can you just sit next to me for a minute?”

His mate’s form was tensed as he perched uneasily on the bed beside him; Seán was the only person who ever got to see him like this, see the fear, the insecurities, the rage, all the facets that made Viggo who he was – it was a gift he was absurdly grateful for.

Seán leaned over and took one of Viggo’s hands in his own “The tracer has been removed from the pix, Karl can’t find you..”

“I’m not worried,” replied Viggo defensively “I just think we have to be very careful how we tread. For all we know that pix is a plant.”

“True and I’ll get Orli to reinforce the dampers before we start” Turning to Viggo Seán was startled at how tired and old he looked. “Do you want me to set it up? You can sleep for a couple of hours.”

Viggo smiled at his lover, “I’m fine Seán, I can manage on two hours of sleep a night.”

“You can manage but – “

The feeling of his lover’s lips on his cut off any protests Seán might have voiced. The kiss was loving and chaste – seeking to reassure rather than arouse. When they broke off, Viggo rested his forehead against Seán’s “Tell me we’ll get through this.”

“We’ll get through this love.”

“Thank You.”

Inside the mind of a pix


The Neurotracer was a machine that had been built at the early stages of the corporations. It was originally built for use on spies, to extract information, answer questions and sometimes drive the spy mad, all without the spy’s knowledge. It had stopped being used as the Prime’s invented more creative ways of extracting knowledge, which was how the Resistance got their hands on it. It was a crude machine that had a tendency to induce side effects on its subject’s psyche, but as a means to an end it was their most powerful tool.

“No way.” Billy was fuming, how dare they use such a medieval device on Elijah! He was more than just some spy they had happened to run into. “If you absolutely need to use it, can’t you wait till he’s a bit better? He’s in no fit state to be subjected to that kind of ordeal.”

“Billy if we wait it might be too late and the enforcers will be right on our doorstep. I know you care for Elijah but we have to consider the big picture, for all we know he might be a plant!”

“But-“

Seán held up a hand to cut off Billy’s tirade “Now Viggo’s going to inject him with some triaztem which will cut back on any backlash on the psyche and if there’s any sign of him being in severe stress, we’ll cut the program immediately.” He looked at Billy, the usually amiable Scot was frowning and for the first time he noticed the tired lines around his eyes; was no one in this place sleeping?

“Look I want you to sit next to Elijah while Vig carries out the operation, you’re the only one he seems to trust.”

Why though? The question hung unspoken in the air, Billy couldn’t fathom why the blue-eyed pix seemed drawn to him so much. Viggo entered the room with the tracer, Orli following behind with the screen; as they moved around the room quietly setting everything up, Billy sat down next to Elijah and, taking his hand tried to memorize as much of his face as possible. Dread settled in his stomach like a lead weight and Billy could feel himself start to sweat as Viggo attached the tracer to Elijah’s head.

“Okay Billy?” he looked up into Orlando’s concerned brown eyes. Was he ok? No, definitely not but the best he could do was try and comfort the pix and help him through the ordeal.

“I’ll be fine.” was his response.

Elijah groaned softly, bringing his hand up in an effort to scratch at the back of his neck. Billy caught his hand and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss upon the baby soft flesh. Immediately the pix settled back into a restful sleep.

Finally the equipment was set up and Viggo loaded up the needle with triaztem, handing it to Billy so that he may administer the shot.

He hated to see that pale flesh tainted anymore than it already was. Brushing aside Elijah’s hair he placed the needle by his neck and pushed the plunger. The pix woke up at once and started gasping for air as Billy and Viggo both tried to hold him still. After a few seconds he went still and for a moment Billy was sure he was dead. He put his hand on the pix’s chest to reassure himself, sighing as he felt the steady rise and fall of him breathing in and out.

“He’s out.” Orli announced and Viggo moved forward and turned the tracer on. They all turned their attention toward the screen, which flickered briefly before turning itself on.

Fragments


Time was moving fast … Forward, backwards and sometimes he was sure – sideways.

And he remembered.

When he was six and the men came to his village. He can see his mother arguing with them and gesturing over to him, they made a move towards him and his mother threw herself in front of them. Begging with them not to take him. They pushed her aside and placed him in the truck with the other boys. He remembers being scared.

Being at a counsel meeting with Karl, he was blissed out on Diazetrim at the time and he was fascinated with the colours of the trousers on the Mayor. He remembers reaching out to them, only to be slapped away by Karl.

Iago and how he would pick him up each morning and take him to kfaskfast. They would stop at “Frank’s Café” and then carry on to the Office. At the Office he would go immeely ely to Karl’s room and wait there for him.

The other boys who were like him, their wit and charm before it was all lost in a haze of drugs. Before they gave themselves over to the world of the Prime’s.

Seeing Karl for the first time. The intense hazel eyes assessing him before asking him “Are you afraid boy?” to which he responded, “You took away all my emotions, how can you expect me to fear you?” He remembered Karl laughed before asking the medic to up his dosage.

Throwing up in the sink after seeing ‘it’, looking at the mirror and wishing he was strong enough to break it, wishing he was strong enough to end himself.

Staying with Karl the first time, can see him leaning over him as he lay on the plush couch. He can see the high forehead, deep eyes and sculpted cheekbones he had come to despise. Can hear Karl whispering in his ear “I’m going to fuck you my little pix and you’re g tog to learn to accept it.” a sharp pain on his stomach then – a knife? That detail is hazy lost in the midst of time. He can feel Karl’s lips on his, can feel the urgent hands on his trousers, can feel the despair set in on his mind as he struggles to get up only to realise he has no control over his limbs. He can still taste the bile in his throat as he gives up and begins to respond automatically to Karl’s attentions.

Playing in a sand pit when he was very young. He can see his mother sitting down with him, reading a book as he builds sandcastles. His mother notices his creation and smiles as she leans down towards him “You’re going to do great things Elijah.”

Seeing the picture Karl showed him of the man. Can see the fair hair, green eyes and high cheekbones. Hears the name Karl says - “Billy”

Standing in front of the mirror, downing the pills before reaching in and yanking it out. Stumbling into the bedroom, there was blood more blood than he thought possible and then…

There was nothing at all.


Billy?


The screen flickered briefly before going black and three shocked faces turned to Billy.

“That was your picture Billy.” Orlando stuttered, “I mean Karl Urban has your picture, why would he have that?”

“I don’t know Orli …” Billy looked helplessly at Viggo and Seán who merely stared back at him. “Unless he knows I’m undercover?”

Viggo shook his head “That doesn’t make sense, the timeline in Elijah’s head indicates that the incident with your picture took place over six months ago. The Urban’s aren’t one to stand on ceremony, if they knew you were a potential threat you would have been dealt with months ago.”

Billy shivered “dealt with” rang hollowly in his head, he’d seen how Karl “dealt” with people and it had taken several litres of Jack Daniels for him to forget it. He blinked slowly trying to come to terms with what he’d seen, poor Elijah to have undergone so much pain at such a young age – but it was the mystery behind his picture that consumed him, could that explains the connection between him and the pix? So many questions and all the answers tied up in a little pleasure pix’s brain.

“Is there anyway we can bring him round?” Billy asked, indicating towards Elijah.

Seán crossed the room from his place next to the screen and crouching down observed the pix “Well not for a few hours and the triaztem has worn off. Then we have to factor in what state his mind was when he removed himself from the system. It could take months to get him back to normal but...” Seán tailed off looking up at Billy “We don’t even know if he’ll survive that long.”

Glancing at the pix nestled by his side Billy whispered, “He will survive. He has to.”

Awake


He awoke in a room with white walls and a faint musty smell. His head was throbbing and as he lifted his right hand (or attempted to lift his hand) the room swayed briefly before his eyes and sparks dotted his vision.

‘Where am I?’

He tried to sit up but found his hands were shaking too much to support him, gritting his teeth he feel back onto his elbows panting harshly. He closed his eyes as the room once again danced before him.

“Hey there, calm yourself.”

There was a man standing over him.

‘How long have you been there?’

The man was smiling at him; he was tall and built with light brown hair that fell down into warm green eyes. ‘Who are you?’ he tried to ask but all that came out was “Wharo…?”, a rough croak, followed by some coughing.

“Relax”, the man said as he leaned over “Just take a few deep breathes in. Here…drink some water.”

He gulped the water down greedily, only stopping when he felt a light tap on his shoulder “Careful now, don’t make yourself sick.”

The older man sat down on the edge of the bed “You gave us all a scare Elijah, we weren’t sure you’d make it.”

He must have looked startled in being addressed in this manner, as the other man laughed and said, “Yes, your name is Elijah”.

‘Elijah’

+++

He lay there staring at the ceiling after Seán had left (the smiling man had finally introduced himself), and thought on the mystery of his name.

Elijah.

Three syllables, sounding vaguely odd to his ears and he couldn’t fathom how he didn’t feel even the slightest twinge of recognition at it.

Elijah.

‘I mean Elijah.. It just sounds weird. I’d have thought my name would’ve been. I dunno, maybe Pete? Yeah, I feel more like a Pete.’

He turned on his side to face the door, the urge to run gripped him like a vice and he was certain if he was in full possession of his body he would have left the minute Seán had mentioned the ‘Neurotracer’. ‘People going through my memories, I mean there’s some things a person needs to keep private, ya know? Obviously I can’t remember exactly what I’d wanna keep private…but still. It feels wrong.’ Plus Seán had said they didn’t know why he couldn’t talk, why he’d lost his memory was another thing and Seán said they’d explain in time.

Elijah shifted restlessly in bed for some reason he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know why he’d lost his memory.

+++

When Seán returned some time later, it was with a man who Elijah felt an undeniable stab of recognition that even his own name couldn’t produce.

He wet his lips and inhaling deeply said, “Billy.”

Billy’s eyes opened wide as the pix sighed his name “You know me?” he asked stepping up to the bed “How do you know me?”

Elijah searched Billy’s face, a face more familiar than his own and struggled to articulate what he was feeling. ‘I don’t know, I just do and if you think that’s weird well you’re nowhere near as confused as I am. And while we’re at it how do you guys know me? Where am I? Are you sure my name’s not Pete?’ Was what he wanted to say but all that emerged was a dry rasp, followed by a cough. He gave up struggling and looking from Seán to Billy finally settled for shrugging.

Billy looked at Seán, confusion evident in his eyes. His leader shook his head slightly “He’s been through a lot and I think the Diazetrim may have had an adverse effect on his vocal chords.” Leaning forward he gently ruffled the pix’s hair “Give him a few day’s he’s only just woke

Billy sighed and slumped down in a chair by Elijah’s bedside “As soon as you can talk, we’re going to figure this out.”

Elijah could only nod helplessly before closing his eyes.

‘Time, yeah I’m sure it’ll all come back to me in time.’


Bedtime Story


Billy sat by Elijah’s bedside as the boy dozed in a fretful sleep. Every so often he would mumble something incoherently and groan. The pix’s brow was furrowed and his hands clawed at the sheet beneath him. It’d been three hours since the pix had fallen asleep and Billy was impatient for him to awake.

“Hush yourself Lij, there’s no one here to harm you” Billy reached over and pushed some of the hair out of his eyes “We’re all perfectly lovely people, ’course there is Vig and he can get really nasty when there’s no coffee. But who doesn’t? Do you like coffee Elijah? Can pix’s even drink coffee? There’s so much I don’t know about your people, how about mashed potatoes? I love mash, not all mash mind. I loved the kind my mother used to make. No matter how many times I try to make it, it never tastes right. I miss my mother. She died when I was younger, the only family I ever had. Do you miss your mother Elijah? Did you remember her after you left? Or did they wipe your memory? Sometimes when I close my eyes I can still see my mum, not anything concrete – just vague images. The only thing I can remember for certain is her making the Sunday dinner and those fucking mashed potatoes. Stupid really.” Billy rubbed his eyes “Fucking stupid.”

He stopped when he felt a light tap at his elbow. Elijah was sitting up on his elbows, his big blue eyes staring into Billy’s face.

“No’ stupid Billy”, his finger rubbed a light circle on Billy’s arms “Not stupid”, he repeated more firmly.

Leaning over Bill gathered the pix into his chest, hugging him tightly “Thanks Lij.” he whispered into the pix’s hair.


The Hunt


“Gentlemen as of this hour Elijah has been missing for approximately four days”, Karl paused gazing around at the other members of the board “Now as I’m sure you all know, this is not just any ordinary pix. This pix carries highly sensitive knowledge within his neural paths, with the right tools anyone could access it and thus, destroy us.”

A ripple of unease spread through the board and its ten members. “How did this happen Karl?”

Karl’s eyes fell on Harry, the man who had been his best friend since he was a boy, if it had been any other of the counsel who choose to question him they would loose their head within a minute. But as it was Harry…

“From what we can gather, someone managed to hack into the core program creating a moment of awareness in the pix. He then choose to extract himself from the program.”

A gasp this time and it was Craig Parker who spoke up “But…but…I thought that was impossible? Any pix that tried to do it ended up a vegetable. And that’s at best!”

“Elijah was the strongest pix we’ve ever encountered. We’d only just begun to test his capabilities; all evidence points towards him surviving the extraction. He was last detected at the carriageway into Gorgia here”, Karl indicated at the map hanging behind him. “As we all know all cars and people were eliminated once the wave hit, yet the sensor’s pick up a low register of pixel activity in the desert four miles from the ruins of the carriageway.”

Luca Truman piped up “Is it possible it was a Lefen? They have been known to generate a small amount of pixel activity”

“It is possible, of course it is also possible that the pix is disorientated and thus has lowered his outward emissions. I am sending ground troops in to investigate tomorrow at 20.00 hours. Harry, Troy and Cate – I want your groups to be on alert. The rest of you stand by your phones for further instructions.”

“Dismissed.”


tbc