Flames (ON HOLD: Sequel to Wings)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

The command centre of the aircraft was unlike anything Sara Worthington had ever seen before. Her eagle eyes scanned the intricate data scrolling by on the numerous screens, positioned evenly around the semi-circular room. Squinting, she struggled to adapt to the multitude of lights. She was overly sensitive to it; the symptoms of a headache had begun pound in her temple like a drumbeat. It was hard to believe that the people miles below them had descended into poverty, selling family members to Calox’s sickening experiments to afford to feed themselves, when there was so much technology in this one command centre.
   “Isn’t it magnificent?” Juliet said with a smile.
Juliet Parks was the founder of a company called Justice. It specialised in machine-based technology, or the development of artificial humans made of steel, wires, and two tiny blue light bulbs. Slowly, these machines had spread throughout the world, and the governments had taken advantage of the fact that they didn’t require wages. Justice paid the politicians directly for accepting the machines into workplaces. Eventually, they had replaced humans completely, making jobs scarce and money a rarity.
   “That’s certainly one word for it.”
The speaker was Juliet’s son, Devin. He had also been experimented on by Calox, along with his twin brother, Callum, who had died at the hands of one of the Justice machines. It was then that Juliet revealed herself and Devin had finally got to meet his real mother. He was put into an orphanage when he was a baby and abandoned, sharing a creased up photograph with Callum until now. Sara and Devin were not the only ones with Juliet. A small group, comprised of six teenagers, had accompanied the pair as they’d climbed onto the aircraft. They had been taken to a separate facility in order to get some rest, leaving Devin to bond with his mother. Sara had only stayed for moral support, and to ensure the safety of her closest friend.
   “Oh, Devin,” Juliet cooed, “I’m sure you’ll get used to things here, in time.”
Devin didn’t respond. He was looking at the streams of data as if he could read them, flicking his eyes back and forth between the screens. His feet seemed to carry him forward, as if he was being pulled towards the hardware by some kind of invisible force. Juliet watched him with interest, focused on his extended fingers followed by rapid tapping on one of the exposed keyboards.
   “What are you doing?” Juliet demanded.
   “You have a glitch,” Devin said absently, without turning to look at her. “I can fix it. Give me some time, and I’ll make your servers more secure.”
Juliet clicked her fingers and one of the many technicians in black body-suits scurried over to her. She tilted her head in the direction of the computer at which Devin was fully concentrated and the technician went over to him, carefully studying what he was doing. The technician looked over his shoulder at Juliet who had crossed her arms tightly across her chest, nodding slightly.
   “Why was this not noticed sooner?” Juliet snapped at the technician.
   “I don’t know, ma’am.” The technician confessed, raising his hands in surrender.
Juliet pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled loudly: “I’ll deal with you later.”
Devin finished his work and turned around as his mother’s harsh tone. He and Sara exchanged a knowing look. She sounded just like the Leader from Calox: cold, callous, and with little regard for human sacrifice. The thought sent shivers down Sara’s spine.
   “It was well hidden.” Devin insisted. “I doubt you’d notice unless you were intentionally looking for it.”
   “And you were looking for it?” Juliet inquired coldly.
Devin shrugged, “So what if I was? I’ve just saved you from a possible cyber-attack.”
Juliet pressed her lips together to form a thin line but did not retaliate. She cleared her throat slightly before taking to the middle of the command centre, where a large, black leather chair was positioned in front of a huge panel of glass. She took the seat, leaving Sara and Devin to stand. She pressed her hands to a touch screen built into the arm of the chair and the large, curved glass panel dissolved. Well, at least, that was what it looked like. Piece by piece, the glass became transparent and showed everything ahead of the aircraft, including the menacing grey factory.
   At first glance, Sara wouldn’t have seen it. Devin, however, gasped in horror as the thick chimneys came into view. It was expertly positioned between three mountains of varying heights. They were nothing compared to the Himalayas but intimidating all the same. Juliet used the touch screen to steer, dragging the small cross representing her vessel between the first two of the mountains. It glided expertly between them, tilting slightly to avoid any scrapes. Then, she flicked the cross up to the top of the screen, where it vanished completely for a moment. The aircraft mimicked her action, lunging vertically, and sent Sara and Devin hurtling to the ground.
   “I’m sorry,” Juliet said sweetly. “That wasn’t intentional.”
   “Of course it wasn’t,” Sara growled sarcastically.
Juliet ignored her, fully focused on navigating the vessel over the top of the third mountain. It was significantly broader than the others and provided the perfect shield for Justice to hide behind. However, just in case anyone dared brave the mountains, heavy gates protected by armed guards marked the entrance. A steel fence ran around the perimeter, topped with barbed wire through which an electrical current was passed. Security was definitely taken seriously. Sara peered out of the glass screen, taking in as much about the facility as she could. More guards patrolled the fence; these were also armed and were equipped with bulky dogs that rippled with muscle. She gulped at the sight, wondering if there were any hybrids mixed with such a creature.
   “You can try and fly in if you wish, Sara.” Juliet said calmly. “However, we have air defences too. There are automatic guns that will shoot down anything that flies too close, including birds.”
Sara ignored Juliet’s taunting. Calox had bonded her DNA with an eagle’s, which had caused her to mutate painfully and grow wings. Throughout this time, she had been kept in an old prison cell and left to lie in her own blood. Despite this, she had grown to love her wings and the eagle from which they came. She tucked them in tightly, feeling their warmth against her bloodied back. She winced as her shoulder seared with pain, reminding her of her wounds from the battle. Unfortunately, she was now with the very woman who’d sent the machines to destroy them. She’d never felt so vulnerable in her life.
   “Descending,” Juliet announced in warning.
The aircraft lurched again, this time in the direction of the ground, as if gravity had suddenly taken effect. Sara gripped the back of the chair with one hand, holding Devin steady with the other. Pain ripped through her shoulder again and Devin gave her a solemn look, but she dismissed it.
   “You need treatment,” he hissed.
   “I’ll be fine,” Sara replied.
Devin shook his head in disbelief but said no more on the matter. He wasn’t sure whether it was her pride or stubbornness but it was really beginning to worry him. The cut on her shoulder, inflicted by one of the Justice machines, could very easily be infected. He knew that she could even bleed to death. It was certainly deep enough.
   His thoughts were interrupted by the mountains looming up all around them. They seemed to consume the aircraft, swallowing it as if it was never even there. Shadows danced across the command centre, emphasising the eerie glowing of the on-board computers. It began to tremble as if affected by an earthquake, humming loudly as it approached the landing pad situated on the roof of the building. Juliet was deep in concentration as she navigated the craft onto the black ‘x’ which was painted there. A thud confirmed their landing.
   “This is Juliet checking in with home base.” Juliet was talking into her wristwatch, communicating with the building she was currently perched on top of. “I’m requesting a team of guards and eight rooms to be fully set up. I’ve brought home some guests.”
   “Copy that, ma’am.” The replying voice was tainted by the crackle of static. “I will set my best men on it immediately.”
   “Thank you, Captain.” She said sweetly.
No one moved for what felt like hours. Time ticked by too slowly for Sara’s liking. She watched through the glass as guards came out of the thick, steel doors directly ahead of the aircraft. They were heavily armed with machine guns and an assortment of blades tucked into various belts and straps. The opened the doors of the aircraft, striding in and bowing respectfully to Juliet. She got out of her chair, nodding her head to them once, before exiting the aircraft. Devin made an attempt to follow her, only to be caught in the bulky arms of one of the guards.
   “Get the girl too, and the six on the lower deck.” Juliet snarled. “Then meet me in the medical suite.”
Inch by inch, the guards went towards Sara. She froze, knowing that she in no fit state to fight. They were armed and she was injured. They had air defences and she had wings. Her odds were pretty slim, so she slumped her shoulders and raised her palms slightly in surrender. One of the guards laughed gruffly, grabbing her by the forearm and dragging her down onto the landing pad.