The Age Atomic

THIRTY-EIGHT

They stood in the center of the Grand Central concourse, the four of them, as all around, from every door, every window, came the sound of the robots resuming their slow march on the building. Hundreds of perfect machine men, programmed for warfare, commanded by a man who had become like them.

The concourse was cavernous and Rad felt very small indeed. The sound of the chaos outside was an ocean of noise, echoing, reverberating around the hard marble surfaces of the giant room.

They were stuck. Rad sighed and rolled his shoulders.

“New York. Nimrod,” he said. “It’s the only way. Can you do it, Carson?”

The Captain hrmmed and glanced at Kane. “Mr Fortuna, how much functionality does the Skyguard’s suit have remaining?”

Kane looked down at himself, and raised his arms. The suit was really only the inner lining of the Skyguard’s original armor, a tight leathery jumpsuit with slots and catches where the rest of the suit was supposed to fit.

“It’s keeping me alive,” said Kane from behind the plain black faceplate. “The King — James — must have been using it dead, because it’s feeding off my energy now.”

Carson nodded. “And if you breached the suit… for example, near the wrist.” The Captain lifted one hand and flexed it, showing the heel of his palm to Kane.

Kane nodded. “If I breach the suit, then the energy of the Fissure would leak out…”

Carson smiled. “Indeed. A small gap, just so, and you could direct the energy.” The Captain glanced up at the constellations in the ceiling. “And more than that, if you concentrate, feel the power within you, understand how it flows… perhaps you could fly, without the rocket boosters.”

Rad watched the two of them with growing alarm.

“Mr Fortuna,” Carson said. “You are one with the Fissure now. If you concentrate, focus, you can control it. We need your help. Now.”

Kane nodded and took a step back, shaking his arms like he was about to do the clean and jerk. He held his head up and Rad could hear his breathing heavy behind the mask. As he watched, the familiar blue glow of the Fissure began creeping out around Kane’s body, forming a faint but clear aura. Rad glanced down, and saw Kane was floating an inch above the floor.

Carson clapped. “Capital, Mr Fortuna. We need you to hold the robots at bay, for just a short time. I have work to do. Do you understand?”

Kane nodded, and lifted a little further from the floor. Before Rad could say anything, Kane looked down, took a breath, and shot a full six feet in the air. He laughed.

“This is going to take some getting used to.”

Carson waved. “Off you go!”

Rad whistled. “You gotta teach me that trick someday, pal.”

Kane laughed as he bobbed in the air. “Sure thing. Teach you over breakfast tomorrow.” He gave a mock salute, and rose in the air in a graceful curve, so high he almost touched the star field on the ceiling. Then he dived down, and shot out through one of the great arched windows. The glass exploded, and the sound of the robots outside was suddenly so loud that Rad ducked instinctively. Light flashed outside the window: blue and white, the kind that made Rad’s eyes hurt. The power of the Fissure.

“You’ve turned Kane into a weapon?”

Carson nodded, his smile tight. “So long as the Fissure remains within him, yes.”

“And when it isn’t?”

“When it isn’t, he’ll be dead,” said the Captain flatly, before turning to Jennifer. “That silver gun, the one I saw Mr Bradley waving around with such panache but such little effect. If my plan is to succeed, I need to repair it.” He held out his hand.

Jennifer stepped closer to him, ignoring the hand. “Kane will kill my brother.”

The Captain tutted and rubbed his forehead like a particularly exasperated teacher.

“My dear young lady, your brother’s actions have put the city at risk. I fear there is little hope for him now — although believe me, I will do my best.”

“But-”

Carson put his hand on her shoulder. “Trust me, like I trust Kane. Now, if you so please?”

Jennifer and the Captain stood face to face, eye to eye, until Jennifer sighed. “It’s in the ship.”

“Splendid,” said the Captain. “Now, the pair of you, listen. I don’t know how long it will take, but I will need you close at hand.”

Rad sighed. “How long it will take for what?”

“To the ship,” the Captain called over his shoulder as he hobbled away. “Back to the Nimrod.”

Jennifer had been pacing for minutes, walking from one side of the cabin to the other, reaching out and touching the wall as she completed each length, her golden face inclined to the floor. Rad didn’t blame her. He had no idea what was going through her mind, but the situation was tight and her brother — the brother she had been so desperately searching for — was right in the middle of it all.

Rad stood by the door, his arms folded tightly. He breathed out, trying to relax, but his body was reacting to Jennifer’s barely contained frustration.

“Any luck?”

Captain Carson mumbled, bent over the control console, Jennifer’s weapon spread out in little bits in front of him.

“What was the plan, again?” Rad asked. “Because I sure as hell don’t remember you telling us.”

Carson said something unintelligible, and with a sigh and a roll of the eyes, Rad pushed himself off the wall.

“Look-”

The Nimrod rocked, and Jennifer came to a halt. The Captain hissed as a screwdriver rolled to the edge of the console.

Rad looked at the ceiling. “Another earth tremor?”

Carson nodded. Jennifer stomped to the main door and hit the control next to it. The door whined, but remained closed. Jennifer spun around.

“James is in danger.” She advanced on Carson. “Let me out, dammit. We have to talk to him, make him see reason.”

“I’m afraid he is beyond reason,” said Carson, turning back to his work. Rad noticed he had the eye patch flipped up. “I am delighted you chose this particular weapon to steal from the Empire State Building, however. Most opportune.”

Rad looked at Jennifer. “You really think you can talk to him? Get through to him, somehow?”

“Of course,” she said. “He’s still James, whatever you and the Captain might think.”

Rad rubbed his head. “See, thing is, he was planning to turn us both into robots. He even made a start on you and now he’s done it to himself.”

“Maybe that’s the only way to survive,” she said.

“Maybe I’ll take my chances.”

“You ever thought that it’s his fault?” said Jennifer. She jerked her thumb at Carson. “He invented the things in the first place.”

Rad shook his head. “Ancient history. Meanwhile, your brother has sent the works to come get us.”

“Our friendly detective is quite right,” said Carson, face still in his delicate repair work. “James needs the Fissure to continue his work. We all need it to survive, of course. The robots will not stop until they have Kane back.” Carson leaned closer to the console, and Rad heard a sharp click. “Aha!” said the Captain, sitting back to admire his handiwork.

“That’s it,” said Jennifer. She marched to the console, brushing the Captain’s tools off as she searched for the locking mechanism. The Captain made to stop her, but she pushed him clean off the pilot’s chair. He hit the floor awkwardly, his wooden leg unable to provide enough purchase to regain his footing.

“Hey!” Rad rushed forward to help the Captain, but Jennifer pushed him back. She found the switch releasing the lock, and the cabin’s door slid open. She quickly turned and made for the exit, but Rad grabbed her arm, swinging her back around to face him. She struggled, but Rad was stronger.

“You can’t go out there,” said Rad. “At least not until the Captain fills us in on his plan.”

Jennifer screamed, and pulled at her arm. It came free from Rad’s grip but she fell to the floor. As she scrambled to her feet, Rad darted forward, but she kicked out. Rad stepped neatly to one side, avoiding her boot, and grabbed her arm again.

“Get the hell off me!”

Rad gritted his teeth and held firm, but Jennifer didn’t let up. The two struggled in the middle of the flight deck.

The Captain tutted. “Please, Mr Bradley, Ms Jones.”

Rad turned to look at the Captain and felt Jennifer yank herself away. Then all he could see was the barrel of Jennifer’s gun, now pointed right at him. He held up a hand.

“Captain, this is becoming a habit.”

“My dear friend, I really am sorry.”

“No!” Jennifer screamed, and lurched forward. Distracted, Rad tried to dive out of the way, but it was too late. Carson pulled the trigger, and the universe evaporated in a blaze of white and blue light, Jennifer’s cry still ringing in Rad’s ears.