The War Apiary

Chapter 7 Hero (Heading to top Tier)

Hero gave Feng a hand as she stepped off the carriage onto the platform of ground station Paris. "Thank you," she said in a gravelly voice. She had been crying since finding out the news that the train was destined for Paris and not for Vietnam. The platform was filled with the sound of many surpised disgruntled passangers that also booked tickets to Vietnam but found to have ended up in Paris France.

Hero nodded before picking up her carpet bag and his own small travel bag. "I know someone that we can stay with until we figure out when the next direct train to Vietnam is." He said as both of them made their way towards the end of the platform.

"I didn't intend to be here." She cried. "I am supposed to be in Vietnam with my granddaughter. Who knows what could be happening to her at this moment in time."

Hero placed the bags down on the platform. "Feng, please do calm down." He said. He was equally confused and angry at the outcome of their train ride, more so for her than his own misfortune. "One in such a situation must keep a clear mind and think things through. I know people that can fix this."

She looked at him. Her face at a loss with hope. "Can you?" She asked in a quiet squeaky voice.

He nodded. "But first let us find a place that can accommodate us if the need arises." He picked up the bags again and they left the station. The streets were cobbled with a variety of coloured plastic bottles filled with a substance that set hard when they were laid centuries ago. People rushed to and through. Food and Souvenir stalls lined the street. People bought and sold. Salesmen called out their many bargains, and horses pulled carriages through the crowds.

"Watch your pockets." Hero said to Feng as they brushed through the crowds towards the Tier lift. "There are many a mischief hand here that would find great joy in robbing you of your belongings."

"Where is your friend based?" She asked, taking a glance around her.

"Top tier."

"Really?" She said in surprise as they went along.

They soon arrived at the Tier lift was on its way down and wouldn't take long in arriving.

"Have you been to Paris before?" Hero asked.

Feng shook her head. "I and my husband were due to come here on our honeymoon but life had other plans for us, so we never made it to Paris."

Hero nodded. "If we were not in a hurry I would show you around and take you to the Opera House on top Tier." He said.

The Lift pulled to a stop and the armed Guard opened the metal gate for the passengers to get off and on.

Hero and Feng stepped on. The guard gave them no notice. A small ragged boy pushed his way on before the Guard told him to get off which he did.

"Deserves him right," Feng whispered to Hero. He nodded but said nothing.

Other passengers piled on and soon they were on their way up to the top tier.

"Do you know why they built Paris as they did?" Hero asked Feng as she peered down at the ground as it slowly got further away. The sun had set and the air was cooling down.

"I do not."

Hero smiled. "See the plane that it is built on?"

She nodded.

"Back in whatever year the Rust Wars ended and when Emma Thorning the 1st was pulling the broken world together under the new Queens Concilium System, this whole place was flooded from the ice melts. In answer to the waters, the newly reformed French government wanted to uphold the rich who had funded the reforming of the Country and keep them from the floodwaters of which they did not know how long would last for." The lift swang slightly in the breeze, making Feng's eyes widen with fear.

"With the funding, again from the rich, the government got together the last of the greatest engineers left from before the war and built the Paris we know and have come to love today." Hero finished.

The lift came to a slow steady stop onto a platform of Middle Tier. People pushed and shoved to allow the guard room enough to open the gate before they all poured out. No one was waiting to get on, so the guard stepped back on and closed the gate. He looked at Hero and Feng. "If you are hoping to travel to Top Tier then I will need to see your pass." He said firmly.

Hero knowing quite well that he hadn't brought a pass with him due to not needing it in Vietnam. He fished around in his coat pockets and pretended as if he had mislaid it.

Feng seeing Hero's plight jumped on board with the act. "Honey, have you mislaid that silly thing again?" She asked before turning to the guard. "Parden my husband, He keeps on mislaying things, it's his age you see. One's mind becomes much like the soup they serve down on Ground Tier, you know?"

The guard sighed, knowing too well what the soup was like down on the ground was like. This was his last run before the nightshift began and he wanted to get home to his wife and kids. "Well if you don't tell anyone I will let this time slide, mind though. I will only allow this once." He pulled the lever and the Lift began to raise.

Feng shot Hero a wink while the Guards back was turned, making him smile.

"One can't get tired of such a view, Honey." Feng continued along with the act.

"Indeed my dear. I am glad that our trip to Britannia is all over. Home is where my heart is." He replied.

"Your so funny Sweety." She smiled. "I hope your heart is where it should be, in your chest cavity."

The Gaurd raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The lift arrived at Top Tier docking Station and the Guard opened the metal gate for them to get off. Hero carried the bags and Feng followed him away off the platform. Cast Iron street lights with large white glowing pearl-like bowls as lamps lined the streets of the top tier, casting a warm light everywhere. The sun had set and the night was quickly falling.

"Your acting is impeccable." He said in admiration.

"The old girl still has it I see. Your performance was not half bad either." She replied with a big smile. "So, who is this friend of yours?" She asked.

"Charlotte Ingham. She is one of the raising Actress in the Oprea House here on the top tier." Hero pointed at the largest structure that rose high above any of the houses' roofs.

"Ahh," she smiled. "The old Sidney Oprea House." She said.

Hero looked at her in surprise. "You know of its history?"

She nodded. "The history teacher that we had in second to last year of school never shut up about it. Discovered by the renowned explorer S.S Conealous in the fallout remains of the Australian Empire. He died soon after his arrival back to the QC due to high exposure to radiation. But his discoveries live on with great actors reenacting his mémoire in his great opera house, and it is said that to this day radioactivity can still be found in the base stones of the building. That is all I know of the city of Paris." Feng said softly.

"Very good." Hero stopped in front of a grand house that sat on the edge of the tier. He walked up the door and pushed the doorbell.

"Your friend will get such a surprise," Feng said.

Hero was glad that she was happier now then she was when getting off the train. "Yes." He said. Growing suspicions suggested otherwise.

The door opened inwards and a butler stood and bowed. "Sir Hero Hishi-ammuddin, Lady Ingham has been expecting you."

Hero turned to Feng. He felt guilty for her miss fortune and all the other travellers who booked a place on the same train as himself, all by chance but still a misfortune. The Underground had intervened in his goals of travelling to Vietnam. In what purpose, he did not know.