Past Life Present
This takes place shortly before episode
13.
-------------------------
Dressed as Adrian, Cybersix glanced at
her watch as she walked down the street. If she didn't hurry, she'd
be late for classes.
As she passed people by, she noted that most of them seemed either worried, angry, fearful, or pensive. Granted, the events of recent months would make anyone nervous: The Native Indian newsstand vendor she'd bought her papers from had moved away after Jose had attacked the city with the Eye. However, the tension seemed much higher today.
She risked being late by stopping at the newsstand and getting the morning paper.
One glance at the front page byline story
told her everything.
------------------------
"H-He's coming HERE???" Jose squeaked,
knees shaking.
"YES! I've had enough of his meddling, and I want him taken care of!" Von Richter's image glared down from the huge painting/Monitor.
"B-b-but what about Cybersix?"
"FORGET HER FOR NOW!" The image disappeared.
Sylvester had been standing off to the side, behind a curtain. He came out, looking shocked, "Did he say to forget Cybersix for now?" he asked, incredulous
"I'LL ASK THE QUESTIONS AROUND HERE! YOU HEARD HIM! GET MY LATEST PROJECT READY!"
"But that was supposed to be used on Cybersix the next time we saw her!"
"It'll work just as good on HIM!
Maybe better!" Jose started laughing, "At least he won't be able to jump
out of the way like Cybersix! He won't have time to wish he was back
in the jungle, where he belongs!"
---------------------
"Can you imagine him coming HERE?
The nerve of the guy!"
"Ahh, why don't they just leave things the way they are?"
"Uppity, no good, useless-"
The look on Adrian Seidelman's face as he walked in silenced the chatter in the room. Even Lori felt a bit nervous, wondering what had put her Literature teacher into such an ill mood.
He slammed his books on his desk, "The Merchant of Venice, everyone! Act 3, Scene 1. It's on page 387!"
There was instant obedience as bags and books banged loudly, then the sound of turned pages.
"LINE 97! MISS ANDERSON!"
In a shaky voice, Lori started, "He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason?"
"MR. GAINES!"
"Me?" the biggest member of Lori's gang squeaked.
"YES!"
He started, "I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is?"
"Mr. Tomlinson?" Mr. Seidelman grinned wickedly at the middle member of Lori's gang, "Would you please read for us?"
He gulped, then started "If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
"Do they?"
"Huh?"
"Huh WHAT?"
"Uhhh, What sir?"
"Do they, or do they not bleed?"
"Who?" pause, "Sir?"
"Jews. Christians. Whites. Indians. Blacks." He picked up the paper and waved it, "Do they, or do they not bleed?" he brought it down on the desk with a loud slap, eyes boring through the hapless blonde's head.
"uhhhh."
"I see. You don't know," Mr. Seidelman's
voice dripped with sarcasm, "DO see Mr. Amato after biology class this
afternoon, will you Mr. Tomlinson? He WILL be expecting you, since
I'll be seeing him during lunch. He will be more than happy to enlighten
you."
------------------
"Hey, you look awful, buddy!" Lucas sat
down at the patio table they usually used during lunch.
Adrian glanced up at him, "Ahh, I blew my top in class."
'Uh oh." Lucas' eyebrows went up, "That bad?"
"I think I scared them. I don't know if I'll ever get any participation out of them after today. THAT won't go well with my evaluation."
"Hey, it can't be that bad!" He grinned, "Can it?"
Adrian took the paper, opened it, turned it, and dropped it on the table so Lucas could read what he indicated.
"Uh oh. That's bad."
"What IS the matter with everyone?" Adrian exclaimed angrily.
"Whoa! Calm down! I personally support the guy! There'll be trouble because lots of people disagree with him. Violently."
"Well, one of them, Freddie Tomlinson, will be seeing you after class. Would you inform him that indians and blacks bleed red too, like whites?"
"Will do." Lucas said meekly, a bit alarmed at his friend's anger. The last time he'd seen him this stirred up was when that mechanical circus came to town. Which one he had been right about. "I suppose I should stay away from that speech he'll be making in the park?"
"No! No! DO go! Please! I'll try to be there too, but don't wait on me. And Lucas?"
"What?"
"Please listen to him. Will you?
"Sure."
-----------------------
Sylvester ran into the garage, "Our contact
has told us where he's staying! The Meridiana Hilton! Room
1017. Northeast corner of the building. It's a bit high, being
on the 10th floor."
"Bah!" Jose patted the long, round object
under the tarp that was being mounted on the truck, "This thing'll get
him even if he was on the 107th floor!"
-----------------------
Cybersix glanced behind her the moment
Data 7's soft pads hit the floor, "Data 7! How are you, brother?"
She knelt and hugged his neck. He licked her affectionately, and
she laughed softly.
She stroked him for a few moments, then grew serious, "I'm going to need your help." she said, rising, "I HAVE to see someone tonight." she looked grim, "I'm SURE there's going to be trouble!"
The panther gave a low growl and lowered
his head, "I'm with you!"
----------------------
"He'll be safe enough here!" Henrique
insisted.
The young man paced the room, "I don't like this! I don't like this one bit!"
"So, Raoul, you think we should turn tail and run back to the jungle?" a man of native indian descent on the sofa asked, amused.
The old black man sitting next to him shook his head and chuckled, "You'd stand a better chance against the panthers, both animal and human, in the jungle than here in Meridiana."
His partner on the sofa glanced at the old man, "No way, Santos! It took too long to get this opportunity for us to turn back! We MUST press forward! We can't afford to allow ourselves be scared now!"
Raoul waved his hands, "Ahh, there's no stopping you, is there Miguel?"
Henrique glanced at Miguel with admiration, "I'll check on the guards posted downstairs in the lobby. Good night, gentlemen."
"Good night, Detective. I feel we're in good hands." Miguel replied, getting up to get a drink of water from the pitcher on the table.
Another man entered, "I've checked everything. It's safe."
"Thanks D-" Miguel started, only to be interrupted when a window exploded with a crash.
A large black object hit the carpet with a loud thud, unwound, and stood erect, shouting "EVERYONE! OUT!"
"WHAT IS THIS?" the man who had just entered shouted at Cybersix.
She grabbed the round table and lifted it easily.
"Oh NO! It's one of HIS creatures!" Santos shouted, rising from his sofa, shaking.
Cybersix flung the table across the room and through the door, tearing a gaping hole in the wall with a loud crash, "OUT!!" she shouted again.
The jungle scream of a panther came from outside, through the window. Eyes wild, Cybersix grabbed the two men standing and leaped toward the hole in the wall. She flung them down the hall, turned, and saw the other two men running out of the room.
Her sensitive ears picked up an all too familiar voice, screeching a familiar command.
"FIRE!"
"DOWN!" She sprang at them and tackled them, forcing them to the floor beside the table.
The outside wall of the room seemed to fly apart, wood and mortar board spraying through the room. The carpet of the floor suddenly seemed to come alive, as if covering huge grasshoppers. The cieling flew apart at the same time, spackling and mortar board flying everywhere. It seemed as if a tornado was tearing through the room.
As soon as it started, it stopped. There were shouts and gunshots heard outside, followed by the squeal of tires and the roar of a powerful engine.
The two men she had forced to the floor got up and ran down the hall to join their companions. For her part, Cybersix waited until the majority of the large pieces in the room had stopped falling, then got up. Blinking, she stepped into the room and surveyed the devastation.
The room looked as if thirty men with power hammers and sledgehammers had finished eight hours of work on it.
Shaking her head, Cybersix bent down and picked up a large piece of wood with a ragged hole in it. It was twice as wide as her thumb. "What has Jose gotten his hands on now?" she wondered, shuddering at the ravenous ferocity of the new weapon in the clone's arsenal.
Footsteps pounded in the hallway, "IS EVERYONE OKAY?" A booming voice yelled, "YOU TWO WATCH THEM! GET THEM DOWNSTAIRS!" More footsteps, and Henrique entered the room, "Oh my-" he stopped, staring also at the destruction.
"No one is safe in this hotel!" Cybersix said authoritatively, "Those men MUST be taken elsewhere!"
"Cybersix?" Henrique asked, obviously surprised.
She spared him a small smile, knowing he was Julian's good friend, "Detective Henrique." she nodded, "Don't you have any other place to keep them?"
Henrique frowned and shook his head, looking distressed, "I-don't think so."
"Well, I do!" she said.
--------------------
Henrique came out of the elevator, "Report!"
he demanded.
"We're still checking the 11th and 12th floors, as well as the roof, Henrique." an officer reported to him, "They are normally assigned to tour groups, but luckily, the last group left this morning."
Miguel put a hand on his friend's shoulder, keeping him from yelling at Henrique, "Detective Henrique, where are we going to stay now?"
"I've received an unusual recommendation. One that I intend to follow up."
"From that woman in black leather?" he asked, puzzled.
"Yes."
"Are you sure you can trust her?" Santos asked nervously.
Henrique smiled, "We have a mutual friend. My instincts tell me to trust her."
"Well, any place is better than running back to the jungle." Miguel declared firmly.
Santos shook his head, "Mama Cornazon didn't raise a coward, did she?"
"Only when she came after me with daddy's
belt!" Miguel Cornazon grinned.
-------------------
"COME ON YOU IDIOTS! SET IT UP!"
Jose screeched at the Fixed Ideas after the truck skidded to a halt.
They piled out, pulled the tarp off, and began to prepare the weapon
for use again, undoing the shipping straps that kept it from sliding off.
"Looks like he might be on the second floor." Sylvester said, noting the rooms with the lights on.
"Bah! We'll tear the whole building apart with-" Jose started, only to note Sylvester staring at him, "WHAT IS IT!?"
"Uhhh." Sylvester pointed.
Jose glanced down. Two bright red dots with a strange, speckly appearance, were dancing on his tie.
Suddenly, one speckly red dot climbed up his tie, up his neck, and settled on the bridge of his glasses. Jose paled when he saw that the light came from a barrel-shaped object that had appeared from a corner of the building they were going to attack.
Equally suddenly, he remembered why the address of this particular townhouse had seemed familiar...
"GET BACK INSIDE!" He screeched, turning white as a sheet, "BACK INSIDE! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!"
"But-" Sylvester started.
He decided to obey when Jose hopped up onto the truck's front seat, totally unaided. He climbed in too, unaware that the two red dots had moved to the rear two of the three axles of the truck.
The drone of two machine guns cut through the night stillness. The bullets shot by the two auto-tracking machine guns cut through the night air and the tires. They popped loudly and deflated, making the truck lurch violently to one side. Unsecured by the shipping straps, the huge object on the truck tore from its moorings on the truck bed, slid off and dropped on its side in the middle of the road.
"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Jose screamed, climbing through the window and jumping onto the back of a passing Fixed Idea.
"WHAT ABOUT OUR MISSION?" Sylvester shouted as he tumbled out of the truck cab.
" LET THE BACKUP FINISH THE MISSION!"
The motley band fled into the park.
------------------
Cybersix and Data-7 watched with amusement
as Von Richter's troops scattered throughout the park, hearing the occasional
Fixed Idea hit the random tree. "Ouch!" she chuckled at one particularly
loud thump that was followed by indistinct shouting, "THAT one must have
been carrying Jose!"
Data 7 growled and looked at the townhouse.
"You're right." She stood up, a pensive look on her face, "If Von Richter's got a backup plan, then Cornazon and his friends are still not safe! Let's go!"
Her brother huffed his agreement. He leaped down to the street and ran around the side, obviously intending to enter through the excape route Dr. Zack had modified to allow him access.
Cybersix leaped onto the wall, ran along the top to the side opposite the library window, and jumped onto the ledge. Leaning down, she peered through the window and noted that the library was full of people: the four that were in the hotel room, Dr. Zack, Henrique, and a uniformed officer.
Something about one of the guests tickled
a memory in the back of her mind, but she couldn't pull it out into full
view. A tad displeased that her memory wasn't helping the situation,
she lightly tapped on the window.
-------------------
"Well Dinazo, are you STILL worried about
security?" Cornazon laughed at his friend.
"I think we can sleep well tonight!" Dinazo agreed, looking quite relieved.
"That's right!" Henrique spoke into his cellphone, " Send everything you have to spare the northeast corner of the central park! Whatever hit the hotel is lying in the middle of the street now! I want it secured and examined!" He hung up, pushed the antenna down, and stuck it back into his back pocket, "We seem to be okay for now."
Cornazon turned to Dr. Zack, "Well, thank you for letting us stay in your townhouse, Dr. Zacharias! AND for taking care of that threat to us!"
"It is a distinct honor for me to have you here, Mr. Cornazon," Dr. Zack said with pleasure as he turned from the slide-away monitor, "I have followed your struggle for black and native indian rights for a long time, and agree that imitating Dr. Martin Luther King's methods here in South America is the best strategy to follow."
He nodded in response, "Our experiences, and the reactions we're getting, are pretty much mirroring his. I derive a lot of comfort and strength from being able to believe that there is a chance that we may succeed as well as he did."
"I hope that we will outdo the Yanquis in that area."
Cornazon grinned, "As a matter of fact, that particular angle has played rather well on this continent."
Dr. Zack grinned too, then turned thoughtful. He was about to say something, but everyone's attention was pulled to the window when a tapping sound came from it.
"Ah! The heroine of the hour!" Dr. Zack grinned, "House! Open Library window!"
"Easy, Fergas!" Henrique ordered the officer, who had reached for his gun, "She's okay! Stand down!"
Cybersix stepped through the window into the room. She surveyed everyone, and then her eyes turned to the old black man.
They regarded each other for a few long moments.
She started, recognizing him. She held out her left arm and pulled her sleeve up to show him her tattoo.
"Oh my GOD!" Santos breathed after glancing at her arm, "It IS you!"
"Yes." she nodded, lower lip trembling, her eyes glittering.
She suddenly rushed toward him.
POW! Wood splinters flew from the wall.
Henrique turned to see Officer Fergas with his gun drawn, turning to track Cybersix, who would have caught the bullet if she hadn't moved at that instant, "FERGAS!" he yelled.
POW!
The bullet Fergas fired seemed to go through Cybersix in mid dive as she knocked Santos down. There was a roar from the floor below.
POW! POW! POW!
Henrique stared at the three small bullet holes that had suddenly appeared on the side of Fergas' head. The officer had a strange look on his face as he swayed slightly.
"OUT THE WINDOW!" Dr. Zack shouted, waving the pistol he held at the window, "THROW HIM OUT THE WINDOW! NOW!"
Henrique blinked, then grabbed Fergas's body as it keeled over, rushed to the window Cybersix had used to enter, and tossed it through. The body hit the ground with a muffled thud.
Seconds later, it flared a bright green, illuminating the yard.
"Ahhh! I was wondering how Jose found out you were here!" Dr. Zack said, returning his pistol to his shoulder holster.
Data 7 bounded into the room, snarling and looking about.
"Its okay, Data 7!" Dr. Zack told him, "The Techno's gone."
"Makes sense now," Henrique turned from the window, "Where we were hiding Cornazon was on a need-to-know basis, so only I and the assigned police officers knew. Fergas must have phoned his tip in, or probably used a cell phone." He shook his head, "Fergas was on the fast track too. We'd have had the same situation as with the former Chief!"
"By the way, why did you want him thrown out the window?" Dinazo asked Dr. Zack.
"The dissolution process emits huge amounts of beta radiation," Dr. Zack said, "Tears up the lungs for starters. And very likely causes cancers too."
Cornazon and Raoul helped Santos and Cybersix off the floor, "Are you okay, miss?" Cornazon asked her.
"I'm fine. I can't say much for this," she said, ruefully poking a finger through one of the five bullet holes in her velvet and black cape, "How is Santos?"
Both men did a double take, "You know Santos?" Raoul asked, blinking, "But you're a Von Richter creation! Your strength and your tattoo prove it!"
"True. But I think Santos knows me too, don't you?" she asked him, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Angel." he looked her up and
down, "My! Have you grown! And so beautiful too!"
------------------
"-and so helpful too!" Santos recounted,
"Although sometimes her eagerness caused a bit of a problem. For
instance-"
"OH NO! You're not going to tell THAT one, are you??" Cybersix gasped, blushing.
"We were bringing the boats in." he continued, heedless of Cybersix's embarassment, "We had a great catch, and really needed some help to beach the boats, so Juanito tossed her the line to Elio's boat. She pulled a bit too eagerly and broke the rope!"
"Didn't know your own strength, eh?" Dr. Zack chuckled, lighting his pipe.
"He replaced the rope, of course. Which was a mistake." Santos glanced at her, grinning.
She moaned and covered her face with her hands.
"Why was that?" Cornazon asked.
"Because the next catch was a good one too, so we needed help to beach the boats again. She wanted to help, and Elio, God bless his soul, just could never say 'no' to his little girl, so he tossed her the rope to his boat again. Only this time, when she pulled on it, she tore the gunwhale off the bow, sinking her papa's boat in two feet of water!"
"That was SO embarassing!" Cybersix shook her head, hands still covering her face.
Everyone laughed except Santos, who was looking at Cybersix, "Well, he couldn't go out for the next few days, until he had repaired his boat of course," Santos continued, a bit more quietly this time, "He never did make it back out to sea."
"He couldn't repair the boat?" Dinazo asked.
"Cybersix. Are you okay?" Raoul asked suddenly.
She nodded, but a tear rolled out from under her hands onto her chin as her shoulders shook.
Santos sighed, put his arm around her heaving shoulders, and pulled her close to him, "I'm sorry about Elio. We all were. He was a good man. A real saint. We thought you were dead, killed by those men Von Richter had sent."
"I-I was playing on the beach when I heard the gunshots." she said, wiping at her red eyes, "I came running and saw him-" She swallowed hard, "I knew that if I'd stayed, they'd just come back and kill you and the others, so I left." she finished defensively.
"Remember Margarite?" Santos asked her.
She nodded, "She always had her eye on Papa." she said, smiling with a hint of fondness, "He would have been a good catch," She laughed, "She fed me sweets to convince him she'd be a good mother! How is she doing?"
"She's doing fine. She overheard those men and Elio talking."
Cybersix paled, "She did?"
"Elio had claimed to have sexually abused you, then sold you off to a pimp from Meridiana to buy his boat after he tired of you."
"He did nothing of-" Cybersix protested, stopping when Santos raised a hand.
"I know. We all knew it was a lie. Margarite said they got really angry with him and shot him after hearing that. She thinks he provoked them deliberately to get rid of them before you came." Santos sighed, "We know he loved you dearly, and would never have done anything like that to you. He was a good man. Brave too in his effort to save you from them."
Cornazon sighed also, "A lot of good, brave men have died resisting Von Richter's rule in the Amazon. I would have been next tonight, if it wasn't for you."
"Even though Meridiana has been in the dark about the source of its troubles, we jungle natives knew." Dinazo said, "We always knew. We also knew one of his creatures was fighting him, for Meridiana would have fallen months earlier."
Cornazon reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and their eyes locked, "Now we know who's standing between Meridiana and the madman. It makes my goal of racial reconciliation and cooperation even more important than ever."
Cybersix smiled lopsidedly, "That's wonderful, but what does that have to do with me and Von Richter?"
"Elio saw past your skin color, Cybersix. He saw past your origins. Past your master. He saw someone who needed help, and gave it, even when it cost him his life. Judging by what you've done here, Cybersix, and if it means anything to you, by rescuing you, Elio did more to liberate the Amazon than any other man who's died at Von Richter's hands. If one man, putting his prejudices aside, has done so much, then what could a united continent do?"
"I never forgot Papa." she whispered, "I never forgot any of you. I couldn't help Papa then, but I can help others now. No child should ever lose their parents and feel the pain or loss I've felt all these years. Not if I can help it."
"I was Elio's best friend," Santos said, "He would have been very proud at what you've been doing here in Meridiana."
"And that's why we came here to Meridiana, because we wanted to tell the people that the jungle natives also were suffering under the same human monster who was destroying this city." Cornazon continued, "Only by City and Jungle working together will he be defeated."
Henrique walked in, putting away his cell phone, "I just got off the line from the mayor. I'm afraid that alliance between City and Jungle is going to have to wait."
"What?" Dinazo protested as they all rose from their chairs.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cornazon, but the mayor has called off your rally. 'Too dangerous.' he said."
"But that-that thing outside!" Cybersix waved, "Jose can't do anything without it now!"
"Are you SURE he doesn't have anything else?" Henrique asked, "More importantly, can you convince the mayor of that?"
She sighed, resigned. So did the others.
"What WAS it, by the way?" Dr. Zack asked.
"A 40 millimeter aircraft cannon, stolen from the United States Air Force several months ago. It can spit out 2000 rounds a minute."
Dr. Zack nodded, "Meant for air-to-air combat against another fighter jet, not a hotel room." he said, noting Cybersix's grimace.
"Please," Cornazon turned to Henrique, "Perhaps if I talked to him for a few minutes, perhaps he would-"
"He's not in a very good mood to talk, Mr. Cornazon." Henrique sighed, "Not after talking with the surviving family members."
"Surviving!?" Cybersix gasped, shocked.
"You mean-" Cornazon paled.
"There was a cleaning crew on the 12th
floor when Jose attacked. There are five children in Meridiana who
won't see their mothers alive ever again."
--------------------
"I SENT YOU TO ELIMINATE A MERE HUMAN,
AND YOU'VE STILL FAILED!" Von Richter's voice boomed throughout the
mansion as his image shouted at Jose, who shook like a leaf in front of
the screen.
"B-But Father, Cyb-" Jose stammered.
"-WAS NO WHERE NEARBY, ACCORDING TO MY SOURCES! YOU'VE FAILED ME AGAIN!"
Highly irritated, the image flickered and disappered, shrinking to a bright dot at the very center of the screen.
"GGGGRRRRR!" Jose pulled at his hair in
frustration, hopping up and down.
--------------------
Von Richter sat in front of the console
for a long time, thinking.
Jose. Data 7. Terra. The Giant Mollusk. The Goblins. The Bird. The Eye. Elaine. Grizelda.
All sent against the renegade cyber.
All Failures.
Von Richter sighed, "I guess, if I want something DONE, I'll have to go there and DO IT MYSELF!"
He turned to a techno, "I still have that observatory several miles outside of Meridiana, don't I?"
"Yes sir!"
He waved at the creatures floating in the growth tubes round him before turning to the console, "I want these moved there!" he ordered.
"M-Moved?"
"Yes. They're giving me problems, and I don't want to be away from them too long!" He started typing some commands into his computer console.
"We're going to Meridiana?"
"Yes! Now get going and leave me!"
Fixed Ideas and techos ran about, beginning to prepare the tubes for shipment, while Von Richter continued to enter orders and monitor the progress of the creation blindly following his commands.
"Hah! So that fool Zacharias thinks
I didn't know what sustenance was capable of, does he? Well, we'll
see about THAT!" he thought as he watched the countdown of the small
prototype reach zero.
--------------------
The bell on the ancient teletype rang
five times, irritating the US Air Force officer assigned to Space Command,
who was eating his lunch. Groaning, he put his sandwich down and
walked over to the teletype to look at the three lines it printed out,
"Vela
3B reports a five kit event in the South Atlantic, 400 klicks off the Argentine
coast? Damn, why the hell do we bother keeping 70's crap like this
running?"
Shaking his head, the officer tore the
sheet off the teletype, went back to his desk, and pulled out a form,
"That's too low a yield to be technically possible, and not even close
to anyone remotely even thinking of joining The Club. I'll report
this as a glitch, and maybe they'll finally shoot the old nag and put it
out of our misery!"
--------------------
"Sometimes, the difference between a villian
and a hero might be a noble cause under attack by a deadly enemy."
Ptah Aegyptus