The Extinction Trials(83)

“Integral as in…”

“The mesh is the answer to the oldest question in human existence: what is our future?”

When Owen said nothing, Darius moved to the door and swung it open. “Would you like to see The Colony?”

Owen followed the man into the hall, where he glanced back and forth, searching for any clues about where Maya and Cara could be.

“They were taken to another entry terminal,” Darius said. “We have… different plans for them.”

Without another word, he marched to the doorway at the end of the hall where he brought up his forearm and began tapping on the interface there. The door slid into the wall, revealing what looked like a plush auto car beyond.

They got inside and Owen felt the pull of inertia. The trip was short, but Owen wasn’t sure how fast the car could move. He had been hoping to get some sense of how far The Colony was from the entrance they’d found in the woods. His mind was still focused on finding Maya and Cara and escaping.

But there was another question that had been weighing on his mind since he reached the airlock.

“Is my mother here?”

Darius stared at the floor. “No.”

“Is she alive? Does ARC have her? Or The Alliance?”

“I don’t know that either. I’m sorry, Owen.”

“What about Maya’s family?”

“Same answer. They’re not here and we don’t know where they are.”

Silence stretched out until the door to the car opened, revealing what looked like a park with walking trails lined with shrubs and trees that stood several times Owen’s height. Above was a blue and white sky with a hazy yellow-orange sun. What Owen didn’t see revealed what this place was: there were no birds, no bugs, and no breeze.

“We’re still underground, aren’t we?” Owen asked.

“Yes. And quite a bit farther underground.”

Darius exited the car and led Owen down a path. They passed adults sitting on benches made of wood and steel. Children played on the grass pitches, throwing balls and playing tag. At a gazebo nearby, a group of teenagers was discussing a book called Star Watch.

Owen couldn’t help but pause and study the faces of the group. One of the teenage girls had her hands out, speaking excitedly, describing the book. “Yes, we all love a happy ending.” She rolled her eyes.

Before, Owen would’ve assumed that she loved the book. But now, based on her body language and expression, he knew instinctively that she was being sarcastic.

Owen then realized that Darius was watching him.

“What you’re feeling now, it’s just the start,” he said.

“Start of what?” Owen asked.

“Your new life.”

Darius resumed walking along the path, his head bowed, studying his feet as they walked. “What do you think caused the Fall?”

“You. Genesis. The Union.”

“Why do you think that?”

“It’s true, isn’t it? You released the Genesis Virus?”

“Yes.”

“And that caused the Fall.”

Darius cocked his head, studying Owen. “I was asking about the root cause. Why do you think we created the Genesis Virus?”

“You tell me.”

“If you answer me, it helps us both.”

“How?”

“It lets me know where you stand.” Darius held up a hand. “I’ll know soon, either way. It’s better if you tell me.”

“What do you mean, you’ll know soon?”

“That presence you feel. It’s the mesh. It’s mapping your brain. When it’s done, the mesh will know your thoughts.”

Owen stopped on the path.

Darius smiled. “Don’t be concerned. A guy like you has nothing to worry about.”

“What does ‘a guy like me’ mean?”

“Someone whose thoughts are pure. A truly kind and decent human being. Someone who has dedicated their life to serving others.”

“What happens when someone thinks something you don’t like?”

“That depends on what those thoughts are. We have very advanced technology in The Colony—the ability to model brain activity, to predict behavioral outcomes. If we identify brain wiring that could be dangerous to the greater good, we… fix it. Similar to the way we fixed your brain abnormality. That’s how we see it. Those who might disrupt the greater good have no place here, Owen. But you do. You know first-hand the difference the mesh makes. Look at what it has given you. You see, where before you were blind. And you have a role to play here.”

“What role is that?”

“Think about it. There may be others like you out there—waiting in Extinction Trials stations, waiting for someone to carry them out of those burning buildings.”

“You want me to be an agent—like Alister.”

“That’s your future. It’s what you were put here to do. Who knows, you might even find your mother out there. Right now, as we speak, she might be confined to a chamber in an ARC station like the one you woke up in, the power slowly draining away, her time slipping away as she waits for help that might never come. But you could save her. In fact, it might be your only chance to save her.”

Those words—and the possibility of rescuing his mother—tugged at Owen like an ocean current carrying him out to sea, a force of nature almost impossible to resist. But he wanted to know more first.