Chronicle of Nautilus

Chapter 17: The Kidnaping

Just before Tom and Ermac wrecked the city, Claire was in her office looking at the city’s map, considering possible locations for a new temporal prison. The small cells in the main security building were not enough. Now that the reconditioning facilities were destroyed, Landau and Claire decided to use a time-proven solution. They went back to the old Solar system's methods.

The small time perpetrators were to be given metal bracelets that would distinguish them in the public. They would need to report to the security office from time to time. All the dangerous offenders were to be put behind bars.

Claire checked for a place where the future prisoners would be isolated from the city but could still do labor and benefit the community. Her pick would constitute its location for the duration of the whole journey. Landau said, he was not sure if the reconditioning devices should be put to the same use after they were recreated. The prison could become a permanent crime control solution.

After an excruciating investigation, only two possible locations were left - the farming houses on the second floor and the orphanage. She had hard time deciding the final pick. Both places had many advantages and disadvantages when they were compared.

Claire felt tired from all the thinking, she decided to take a break and go for a short walk. She grabbed her jacket and left the room.

******

As she passed through a crowded street that led to the central park, she looked through the windows of shops and restaurants. Each window she peeked into told a different story: in the electronics store, a new model of home entertainment system was being advertised. A clothes shop had two holographic models of a man and a woman wearing fashionable jackets, they were walking in place and greeting each other in intervals of a few seconds. The fruit shop had some simple TV screens that presented the ways in which apples and grapes were grown in the fruit gardens above.  The restaurants were mostly filled with well-dressed people, chatting and enjoying their meal. She walked slowly, looking through the windows and paused.  Claire took a step back and there it was – a familiar face. Glen was smiling through the window; his face was dirty from the cake he was chewing.

Claire shook her head and sighed, she always found the uncivilized behavior of this caveman to be both, shocking and amusing. She walked to the door of the small café, went inside and took a seat at Glen’s table.

“You should get some cake, it’s delicious.” Glen pointed his fork at the last bit left in his plate.

“I think, I am going to pass…” Claire frowned. “Anything else you could recommend?”

“Yeah, go get a cup of their ‘special’ coffee.”

“Ok, hope I won’t choke on it.” Claire stood up and went to the bar to get a cup of coffee.

“See, I’m doing just fine. I think you could learn a lesson here,” The Outsider spoke to Glen, who was watching hopelessly through the eyes of the body that was no in his control. “Why use violence when you can use deception? It makes less noise and gives better results.”

Glen did not reply. He was tired of the pointless conversations that often lead nowhere. The Outsider was talking too much for Glen’s taste.

Glen was more interested into finding a way out. For the last few days his mind was clearer and sharper. He felt there could be escape from the prison he was locked in. If only he could find a way through the invisible barriers put between his mind and body. Glen felt too large to be contained in such a small space.

When Claire returned, Glen had already cleaned himself up. She put a tiny cup of delicious-smelling coffee on the table and gazed deeply into Glen’s eyes, trying to find something.

“What are you looking for?”

“For a spark of intelligence.” Claire knitted her brows. “It’s not there… And yet I had my hopes it would come to you as you grow up.”

“Pft…” Glen snickered, “You should search for some serious manliness there. That’s what comes to men as they age.”

“I see more manliness when I look at the mirror,” Claire snapped back.

They paused and had a few seconds of laugh.

Claire had never liked Glen. That man was a good colleague, but not a friend. She knew only one person who considered Usher to be his friend.  It was Tom. He was the only one who would walk in a jungle with a wild tiger by his side. Glen behaved well in the public places but Claire had seen his true face for far too many times, she knew that he was a cold and violent man.

A month ago they were the only people Tom had trusted. Now only she remained.

“Can we talk about work?” Claire asked.

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Where have you been all this time? Tom was worried about you. You should not write off the amount of time and effort invested into your training. You’re a great asset in our organization. We need people like you.”

“Oh, was he?” Glen replied sarcastically, “Well, I needed to take a small break. Were you and Tom not enough to handle any situation? If you were truly in need of my assistance and I wasn’t there to help, I’m sorry then.”

“Nah, it’s ok, you are useless anyways.” Claire looked seriously at Glen.

The Outsider was caught by the surprise. He did not know how to react. Was this woman testing him?

“So, no harm was done then.” The Outsider smiled to Claire.

She took a sip of coffee and did not say a word. A minute of silence passed.

“Damn it, Claire. Why do you always try to be so clever?”

She took a moment of thought, stood up and walked away. The Outsider tried to chase her and grabbed her by the hand.

“Wait, woman.”

Claire turned to Glen. This man was not the one she knew. Her old colleague did not care about opinions of other people. The air around Usher was different.

“Just let me go.” Claire pushed Glen away and rushed down the street, towards her office.

A sound of explosion echoed from the edge of the city. It came from the direction of the science facilities.

Claire had a bad feeling, she ran forward, looking for a place that had the least obstruction to see where the smoke was coming from.

After a minute, she was already in a small empty street, which had a tunnel vision towards the science facilities.  Far in the horizon one of the structures was covered in smoke.

Claire focused on the sight. Her fears came true, she turned pale. The smoke came from the building where her husband’s office was located.

Another explosion flashed in her eyes, she started feeling sick.

After something hit her back, all her troubles went away. The lights went out and she started falling. Glen grabbed and put her on his shoulder. He walked away as if nothing had happened. He acted so naturally that even if anyone saw him do it, they would not consider his actions out of order.

“No violence, you said,” Glen mocked the Outsider.

“We are currently living in complex and difficult times, aren’t we?” the voice replied.