Fourth Vector Ch. 44

This could truly be called the slums of Belfort. Always a wretched area, this neighborhood had seen a recent expansion after Bancroft came to power. Many families that were already struggling under Michael's great uncle found themselves quickly underwater after the proscriptions and industrial conscription that discolored Bancroft's rule. It seemed that even now, Michael couldn't go a single day without seeing the weathered face of a new arrival, someone else who'd finally lost the last bit of luck they had.

For now though, Victor was leading Michael away from the neighborhood, which only made sense. He highly doubted that Victor would have stationed him so close to any headquarters of their organization, especially when it came to Michael's eagerness to join them.

Victor led him through a series of dark alleys and decrepit buildings that at one time housed small businesses. The last one that Michael went through had been a laundromat at one point, it's machines busted and their contents spread across the rough tiled floors.

The laundromat seemed to be their final stopping point though when Victor halted near a wall in the backroom. Michael couldn't help but wonder how close they were to meeting the leader of the whole organization.

"Is he here?" he asked Victor. "Is the leader here?"

Victor only shook his head. He refused to answer the question until he tapped five times on the wall in front of him.

Nothing happened. In fact, nothing happened for nearly a minute, leading Michael to think that perhaps Victor didn't know where he was taking him.

That was when a small hole in the wall suddenly appeared. On closer observation, Michael saw that the hole had always existed at this spot, covered by a thick sheet of drywall so as not to cause attention to discerning eyes.

"Victory has one hundred fathers," said a voice from beyond the wall.

"But defeat is an orphan," replied Victor as naturally as if he was telling the time or the weather.

The bizarre scene in front of Michael was all that was needed. Suddenly, a hand emerged from behind the wall, and Victor took it unquestioningly.

"Wait for the hand to help you," he cautioned Michael before he disappeared. "And watch your step on the way down."

With those words, he disappeared through the hole in the wall. It took nearly thirty seconds before another hand reached out to him. Michael took it without question and found himself being pulled through the wall and down a tall ledge until he was very clearly in some kind of cellar.

He found Victor watching him as soon as he appeared. Victor shook hands with the watchman near the hole, who was now moving the drywall back into place. "Thank you, Linus," he said briefly. "I can't stay to talk. We have a meeting."

"No worries, Victor. Have a safe meeting," said Linus, who went back to his position near the wall. Michael couldn't help but notice that Linus had two assault rifles near his position, no doubt for anyone who tried to get in the hole without the proper authorization.

Victor gestured for Michael to follow him, and they moved to a concrete manhole cover in the center of the room. He removed it and started to work his way down.

"It's only about ten steps until the bottom," he cautioned Michael. "Linus will put the cover back on when you're done. Watch your step, the rails can get slippery this time of year."

Just like with the hole in the wall, Michael followed the instructions exactly until they emerged into the sewers below the city. He could see a small river of foul water running near the center but it was nowhere high enough to reach his feet from the elevated platform that he and Victor were on.

"What was that back there?" he asked Victor finally. "Some kind of ritual? You give a password to get down here?"

"Yes, and if you don't know the password of the day, you'll be met by the business end of his rifle," replied Victor quickly. "It's why I find no reason to blindfold you to get you down here. Not only would Linus stop you but these sewers down here are a natural maze. You have to know where to go to find the inner circle."

That seemed to be the end of that, and Michael got the impression that Victor didn't want to answer any more questions.

Sure enough, Victor wasn't joking about the size of the sewers. Even if Michael wanted to, he couldn't have kept track of how many turns they made. At one point, it even seemed like they were doubling back but that could have been because his sense of direction was thoroughly confused.

Finally, they reached what Victor had been looking for. A small doorway was perched in its own chamber, high enough to avoid the heavy waters of spring. He gave the same number of taps and repeated the password once challenged.

The room he led Michael into seemed definitively out of place for the darkness of the sewers. There was light in here, enough light that everything wasn't constantly shrouded in shadows. Several rebels touting assault rifles stood near the door, and they nodded to Victor upon his entry. Most of them were then content to stare at Michael, almost as if they were silently daring him to give them an excuse to use their weapons.

That main room they entered was only one of three. The second room, which was nearly pitch black, contained some kind of table and seating for three people on one side and one on the other. Michael could see into the chamber vaguely and it appeared that three people were now seated on the one side, while no one was seated opposing them.

Michael suspected it was these three that were the inner circle that Victor had kept mentioning.

Instead of going into that room, Victor led him into the third room. This room had some of the light of the entryway but it was surrounded by haphazard seating that was composed of old pieces of furniture. Victor chose a worn out couch to sit on as he waited and he motioned for Michael to do the same.

Then they waited. They waited for nearly an hour before anything happened. Michael could hear the sound of soft whispers in the inner circle room but he couldn't discern what was being said. He wondered if any of their whispers were about him. Surely, that had to be the case, right?

At one point, he even tried to ask Victor about it but the man shushed him and shook his head vigorously enough to dissuade any further attempts.

So Michael waited. He waited and waited further until finally, a door in the far corner opened. It was a door that connected their room to the inner circle and out popped a shadowy figure.

Michael couldn't get a good grasp of the man's features. He purposely stood outside the available light, creating a shadowed effect that only added to his illusion. He waited for several moments to let Michael digest his arrival, and when he finally spoke, there was power behind his tone.

"Victor, welcome," he said, nodding to Michael's companion. "You have done well this evening. Thank you for carrying out the task that I assigned you."

Victor nodded his head. "Of course, H."

Michael wondered why he was being called by a single letter but then he felt the weight of H's stare descend upon him.

"Michael Bainbridge," said the man known as H in a strong tone of voice. "We've been watching you for some time. It was I that instructed Victor to bring you down here tonight. I have to say, I never thought I'd see the day when I had a Bainbridge in my midst."

Michael didn't quite know where to start or what question to answer first. In fact, the first response he had was more of a question than anything else, and it wasn't asked with any of the same reverence that Victor had for H.

"Why am I here?" asked Michael.

He could hear H begin to chuckle. "Why are any of us here? What purpose binds us all into one single group? What is the common factor behind our meeting?" H then leaned in closer to Michael. "To whom do we owe this fate of fortune?"

"Bancroft," whispered Michael. "We're here because of Bancroft."

"Indeed," replied H, straightening his back. "We are here because of the usurper Percival Bancroft. You're a surprise to me, Michael. When Victor first told me about you, I assumed your rage was consumed about the death of your great uncle Charles. Victor has informed me that this isn't the case though."

"My great uncle treated me like I was a mistake that should've never been born," replied Michael. "Why should I care about his passing?"

H turned his head toward Victor. "He cares not about his own lineage? Interesting. Very interesting."

"He's not ready yet," interjected Victor. "He needs more time. He needs--"

H held up his hand, forcing Victor to be silent. "He'll be ready in time. We know now why he fights. We know why he holds such passion. Such a fire will kill him in enough time if not molded by those that have walked the path before him but is that not what a mentor exists for? Is it not our duty to guide this young man on his path of purpose?

Though Michael was far from stupid, H's bombastic speech was starting to lose him. "I'm sorry, I don't follow you," he said while shaking his head. "What are you talking about?"

Michael got the impression that H was smiling from his position behind the shadows. "You will find out more later, Michael. For now, you should be happy that you are here. Few of our numbers reach the spot you are in now. You have bravery and the will to act. Those two traits will carry you very far within our organization. This is a time unlike any other. I believe that Bancroft as never been in a weaker position than he is today. Now is the time to strike. Now is the time to ramp up our quest for vengeance. I need fighters like you, Michael. I need men who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty in the process. If you can show me that you are like me, a child of vengeance and purpose, then we can use you in our organization."

Everything was sounding almost too good to believe. Michael found himself nodding his head with every word that H spoke, but he couldn't help but ask the question at the end of H's speech.

"And if not? What if I'm not worthy?"

H didn't answer right away. He seemed to consider his response for a moment before anything happened. Slowly, he extended his right leg and then his left. He moved closer to Michael until the light began to hit his figure. Finally, he emerged from the shadows.

What Michael saw first looked like a grizzled old veteran. The most striking thing about H's appearance was that he was missing an eye. Darkly colored skin surrounded the place where an eye should be. A patchwork of scars was left in its place, several running vertically across his face, ending just above his eyebrow.

The rest of him was no less striking. He seemed to be about middle-aged and his temples had just started the graying effect (but it hadn't yet been carried northward to the rest of his scalp). He seemed fit and disciplined in terms of body, further evidence to Michael that he was some kind of army veteran.

Even still, only having one eye didn't mean his gaze was any less serious than a man with two. H's appraising stare at Michael only made him feel more uncomfortable, and he found himself wishing that H would go back into the shadows.

"If you weren't worthy, then you wouldn't be here," said H finally. "Victor places a lot of faith on your abilities. Though he thinks you need more time, we don't have the luxury of time. Events are coming to a head more quickly than anyone imagined. I need leaders who are capable of striking back at the symbols of Bancroft's regime. I need men like you, Michael."

With those words, H pushed out his weathered hand. "Are you with us, Michael? Will you help throw down Bancroft's tyranny and restore Java to some semblance of decency? Will you fight with us? Will you hold our enemies as your own and our allies as your brothers? Will you risk your life for our cause?"

Michael felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. There was only one answer he could give at that moment.

He firmly took H's hand. "I'm with you. I will be all of that and more. Whatever you need me to be, I will be."

H appraised him with his single eye for several moments before letting his hand fall away. "Good. Victor here will give you more instructions as the time comes. I'm expecting great things from you, Michael. Don't let me down."

With those parting words, H fell back into the shadows. A moment later, he was gone, having moved back into the second room with the rest of the inner circle.

Victor made it clear that they weren't to linger in this spot any longer than necessary. He soon gestured to Michael to follow him back to the entrance room, where Michael gave one long look into the room of the inner circle. In there somewhere, he imagined H's eyes still upon him. Just how much did H know?

How long had he been watching Michael personally? He seemed to know things and say things that made Michael think that he'd been perched right behind his back for the last six months, just out of view. Michael hadn't felt like he was being watched during those times, and certainly not by someone of H's profile.

Had all of this surveillance come from Victor? Or were there other members of the inner circle keeping an eye on him?

"You did well to agree to H's question," said Victor as they made their way through the sewer. "You wouldn't have wanted to say no."

"How could I?" said Michael incredulously. "This has been my purpose for the past six months. I never would have said no."

"Saying no would have been very stupid," replied Victor. "And it would have been the end of your life. No matter how seriously we take our security down here, we could never have had risked rumors getting out of our whereabouts, no matter how secure. You would have been killed and your body thrown into that stream of liquid shit over there."

Michael's eyes followed Victor's arms to where he was gesturing. He could see (and smell) the disgusting flow of human excrement as it flowed next to them. He half-wondered just how many bodies were at the end of this small river of waste. How many people had said no?

Victor said nothing further as they made their way to the small cellar that marked the entrance to the sewers. Linus barely registered their arrival, but he moved the drywall piece wordlessly as they scampered back into the laundromat.

The sudden emergence on the street and the smell of air that wasn't tinged with human excrement was pleasing to Michael, but he couldn't help but dwell on his conversation with H. It left so many questions unanswered, and part of him wondered what he'd truly gotten himself into.

For the past six months, he'd been a part-time rebel if nothing more. Was this the opportunity to go full-time? Were the stakes higher now that he was associated with H? Surely, it was, seeing the level of security around the hidden leader. But how would he prove himself to H that he was worthy of such commitment?

Victor waited until they were inside Michael's tiny apartment before speaking again. He latched the door and approached Michael calmly.

"You have many questions about what you witnessed tonight, don't you?"

Michael scoffed. "That seems to be an accurate guess. I could ask questions for the next hour and still not get to the bottom of them."

"Your questions won't be answered tonight," replied Victor. "Maybe in time, they will be, but you need to understand that you're now part of something greater than yourself. You have H's attention now."

"What does H stand for?" interrupted Michael. "What's it a code for?"

Victor gave him a knowing look. "You think I would tell you that honestly?"

Michael shrugged. "If we're now part of this same organization, why not?"

"You have a long way to go before you reach my level," said Victor. "Maybe then you'll be told. I'll leave you with this. The letter H is just the start of his last name. Don't ask any more questions than that if you know what's good for you."

Victor's tone toward the end of his statement went to something that was ominous enough to serve as a final warning. Michael let the subject drop. He knew he wasn't going to get any serious answers tonight."

"Rest up and wait for my next arrival," said Victor as he headed toward the door. "I'll be in contact with you at some point in the next three days. Get some sleep, Michael. You're going to need it."

Victor opened the door to walk out but he paused for a moment and looked back at Michael. "For the record, I do believe that your lady friend would have been proud of your actions today. You made a serious step forward today, Michael. You should be proud."

The sudden memory of Jade put a lump in Michael's throat. He nodded his head but said nothing more. It was all the impetus that Victor needed to finally close the door, leaving Michael alone.

Michael exhaled at the sudden loneliness and looked around his apartment. He kicked off most of his clothes save for those that he usually slept in, and then he turned off the light and climbed into bed.

Sleep was not forthcoming that night. His mind was still processing the sights and sounds of the sewers. Just when he thought he'd come up with his thousandth question regarding the events of the night, his mind turned to Jade.

How he wished she was in this bed with him right now. Not even so much for a sexual purpose but just so he could hold her. He wanted to feel her heart beating with his hand. He wanted to kiss those lips that he would never kiss again.

He wanted all of that and more. He pined for a future that would never happen. Even many months removed from her death, he still missed her company like her death just happened the day before.

At that moment, Michael did the only thing that felt truly right.

He wept until he fell asleep sometime later.

*****

Kat was exhausted.

It had been another full day of chasing John around the Castle, and it was only minutes ago that she put him in his crib for the evening, getting her first break of the day.

The toddler was just becoming more of a handful by the day. John was now at an age when he'd truly developed a personality, and his penchant for mischief was getting more advanced all the time. Quite often, she would have to raise her voice to get him not to do something, and he would simply look back at her and smile a devilish grin before doing what she'd just told him not to do.

Watching over a rambunctious boy like John was a full-time job, and there were many nights when she closed the door to his room that she breathed a sigh of relief at finally getting some time to herself.

Tonight though would be different than most nights. She had one more task she had to perform before she could allow herself to unwind, and that's how she found herself outside of Evelyn's door a moment later.

Jack's grandmother opened the door and didn't seem one bit surprised to see her. "I was wondering what time you would show up today."

Kat gave her an odd look. "How did you know I was coming today?"

"It's the day before you leave," replied Evelyn nonchalantly. "The fleet is ready, the army is loaded onto their transports, and I know Jack is itching to get moving to Zarah. I had a feeling you'd be stopping by soon."

Evelyn gestured for Kat to come into her room. The older woman was enjoying a cup of tea as she sat on a couch near a record player that was putting out a soft tune. Kat took a seat next to the older woman and turned toward her.

"I feel like now that it's finally here, the day before we leave, there is still so much to do," said Kat with a small exhale. "I've never been busier but I still can't seem to catch up with everything that I want to do."

Evelyn smiled fondly. "Such is life with a little boy attached to your hip. I remember when Jack's father was that age. He wouldn't let me get more than five feet away from him, and if I did, he would scream his little heart off until I returned to his immediate proximity. It was a lovely time, but a frustrating one at that."