Remember Me (ONC2020) ✔

Chapter 21

Runan stood among the fifty other Lower Caldozzans in the tunnel to the royal residence. Artificial lights hummed overhead, allowing them to see each other without opening the door. A low voice buzzed in the back of his mind, and he rubbed the tender area of his head where he'd agreed to be chipped days ago for the good of their people. He and his Upper partner, Quino, had trained together in Lower Caldozza to get the Uppers used to the more powerful bodies and improve their coordination. They also practiced switching between controllers of the body, so they'd have the skills of those experienced in hard physical labour and the minds which understood the Upper Caldozzan landscape and technology.

Tunia stood on a crate and cleared her throat. The way she commanded the room's attention meant Messita was back in charge.

"Our first team has disabled the security and is slowly sedating and isolating the guard population. We need you to help them and report when this is done."

Runan breathed out a sigh of relief. Solara had left with that first team despite his protests they fight together. She'd argued they wouldn't be as effective together with him more concerned with her safety than the mission, and she was right.

The tunnel opened, and forty men ran into the royal residence, half targeting the servants' quarters and the others heading for the main building. Runan stayed with the ten people left, among them Kendros and Mr. Benito, a friend and client of Solara's who could take our guards with his bare hands.

Thirty long minutes passed before Messita called Runan forward.

"Ru, we will not stoop to their level and sentence deaths. The queen will be apprehended and stand trial for what she's done to these people. Eighty percent of the population want justice, and we'll prove we are fair leaders, true to our word."

Runan nodded and gave his sister a hug, careful to be gentler than he was with her true body. Having her at their fingertips had made the past two weeks bearable though it could turn in a heartbeat. In her own body, Messita stood a fighting chance, but in this one, commanding from the tunnel with a few trusted guards was best.

"Ready?" Messita asked and Runan nodded. She opened the tunnel doors to a calm mountainous plateau.

You know the route and the dangers. Keep us alive. My son is counting on it, Quino piped in.

I'll treat your life as my own.

With the royal guards subdued and security disabled, Runan's team took the pods up to the royal residence, following Messita's instructions to reach the private chambers. As they approached, an enormous ball of energy swallowed the pod to their left. The air exploded in shards of metal, oil, blood and flesh.

Give me the controls.

Runan loosened the control of his body, and Quino manoeuvred the ship out of the line of fire and under the building. He hovered there to relay a message to Messita. The attackers had looked like Lower Caldozzans. Quino muttered about traitors under his breath.

"I'll send reinforcements from the other sections that don't seem to be compromised," she replied.

The pods had no weapons as they were only for transport. Runan had a rifle, and Quino had brought an energy blaster, but they would harm the body of an ally with the mind of an enemy.

We'll stun them and get their minds right after this. I'll dock us close to an entrance and let you handle how to get in.

Runan's vision and senses sharpened as the top of the pod opened underneath the building. They were five meters from the edge with plenty of metal beams to scale to reach it. Standing on the seat, he tested the strength of one of the cars then clipped a lead on his harness to the rails. After pulling himself up, he scaled across the underbelly of the queen's balcony, the wind making his body shudder and sweat slowly lining his hands. He moved the clip along until he reached the end. Zipped in his pocket was a compact mirror which he held out to assess the danger.