Chapter 3

James and Ava traveled down the trail, hiking at a brisk pace, surrounded by tall Douglas firs and sword ferns. The sound of rushing water grew louder in the distance, bringing a soothing sense of relief as they searched for the bridge described in the book cipher.

"I can hear the river now; we must be close to the bridge," James observed, pausing to catch his breath. Ava sat down on a rock, exhausted and gasping for air.

"Hopefully, we lost them," she said between breaths. "I can’t go any faster right now." They had been running for what felt like hours through the dense evergreen forest. The peaceful sound of the river and the gentle sway of the trees calmed their nerves as they took a final break. Ava glanced at her portable jammer wristwatch. "My jammer is running low on battery, James. How about yours?"

"Yeah, mine too," he replied. "We should try to reach the bridge before we lose power, just in case."

The two fugitives continued down the trail and soon arrived at the river. A few yards ahead, they spotted a large concrete bridge towering over the water, painted red. Beneath it, they could make out a dark figure resting below.

"I see him! That must be the beggar. Let's go!" James quickened his pace, energized by the hopeful sight. As they approached the bridge, a bearded man stood up, holding a staff or walking stick in one hand and an old, dirty fedora barely resting on his head. He wore a tattered vest over a grimy white t-shirt. When James and Ava came within a few feet, he said nothing. Instead, he raised his stick in the air with both hands, directly above his head. The two stopped dead in their tracks, confused and shocked.

"Hello, sir!" shouted James. The man looked at him without making a sound. Ava leaned over from behind James to get a better view. After several seconds of motionlessness, the man smacked his stick on the ground. James turned to Ava, whispering, "This man is on drugs."

Suddenly, the man placed his staff directly in front of him and bowed his head. Then he yelled out with a deep, rich voice, the cadence and subtle melody reminiscent of an old Celtic tune:

"Coins for the lost

whose souls can't decide

the mountain may rain 

turning cities to urns 

pay the pipers toll

before the spirit subsides"

Ava stepped forward and glanced at James. It was undoubtedly the man they were looking for. "Your voice is beautiful," she said, holding out a gold coin from her pocket. James nodded in agreement, but the strange hermit simply stood upright, turned away, and rejected the offer. James and Ava exchanged bewildered looks, unsure if they had done something wrong or misunderstood the code.

"We should follow him," Ava suggested.

The three trekked up the river for several miles, the beggar leading the way, several yards ahead. He wore no shoes and jeans that were ripped at the knees, effortlessly navigating the jagged rocks that would have impeded others. He said nothing and didn't even glance back. James and Ava continued to follow, their minds racing with doubts about whether they would ever find the safehouse.

[approximately 6am] 

The sun began to rise on their right as they continued north, having been on the run throughout the night. Ava looked noticeably exhausted and started to fall behind. In desperation for a break, James called out, “Do you have any water with you?”

The beggar stopped and slowly turned around, studying James for a moment before reaching inside his tattered vest. He pulled out a small green army canteen and tossed it to him. James caught it, took a sip, and handed it to Ava. “Take the rest. You look dehydrated, and I’m not sure how much further we have to go.” She took the canteen and finished what was left inside, then walked over to the old man.

“Thank you, sir. Where are you taking us? Are we almost there?” she asked, her voice weak and quivering as she returned the canteen.

The man lifted his staff and pointed ahead. After placing the bottle back in his pocket, he continued on his way. Ava looked up at the sky in despair, then let out an audible sigh. “Where is the air taxi service when you need it?”

The old beggar then stopped and faced the river, which was about 100 feet wide. He slammed his staff on the ground three times. The two exhausted travelers jumped back in surprise as they witnessed the water rippling in the river's center. The ground rumbled. A circular platform slowly rose out of the water, extending a walkway across the river, finally settling at the beggar's feet.

“He's like a goddamn Moses,” James said sarcastically. Ava gasped, filled with a surge of energy and excitement. The old man turned back to them, nodded, and motioned for them to walk across. As they reached the center of the structure, he remained at the river's edge, and an inner circular platform separated and descended slowly, enclosing them as they were fully submerged. Bright white lights illuminated the elevator-like structure as it took them quickly under the river and deep underground.

“This is incredible! We made it!” Ava exclaimed. She rushed over and gave James a long hug. “God, I am so tired.” He held her in his arms, offering extra support as they journeyed deeper into the earth. 

Finally, the structure slowed to a halt, and the lights turned red. An opening appeared, revealing a large, muscular man in military clothing, holding an AK-47. Bright white lights shone in their faces.

“Well, well, look who we have here. It’s the beautiful Ava Grace. I see you brought your boyfriend with you,” the man said. Ava held out her hand to block the lights and get a glimpse of his face.

“Damian? Is that you? Damian Cole?” The man laughed as Ava let go of James and rushed to give him a friendly hug. “I am so glad to see you! Oh my god! I have so many questions.”

“Who is the new boyfriend?” Damian asked with a stern look.

James stepped forward to clarify, but Ava quickly replied, “This is James Shade.”

“We aren’t dating,” interjected James. “We just—”

Damian interrupted him jokingly. “I’m just pulling your leg, James. We all know who you are. Come with me.” He lowered his rifle to his side and motioned for them to step out of the entrance. “Welcome to the headquarters of the Shadow Republic.”

Damian reached out and gave James a powerful handshake. “So, how do you and Ava know each other?” James asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Damian looked at Ava, a smile spreading across his face as he recalled the past. “Ava and I have been friends for a very long time. We used to live in an artist commune outside of Nova Haven years ago.”

“Okay, so you guys were like wooks back in the day,” James responded, glancing between them. He noticed that Damian had the exact same tattoo on his right hand as Ava's. They exchanged a knowing laugh.

“Yeah, you could say that. But then we woke up, threw out the K, and got the hell out of there. I applied for the military, and Ava went to university to become a robotics engineer. She was always the genius of the group,” Damian said.

As they walked down the hallway, they reached the first security door. Damian placed his hand in the scanner, and the door opened. Inside was a massive room filled with soldiers, robots, and ordinary-looking people bustling about. Large holographic screens displayed groups huddled together, chatting, while AI bots made repairs on equipment. In the center of the room stood a large screen displaying an outline and digital diagram of Mount Orpheus. A familiar-looking droid, with its back turned to them, stood in front of the main screen.

“Sentra?” called out James. The droid turned around and walked over to the group.

“Hello, Master Shade,” she replied in a monotone voice.

“From what I understand, you are your own master now,” James replied. “Thank you for saving our lives.”

“Very well, sir. May I call you James now?” she responded, extending her hand to shake his.

James laughed and accepted the handshake. “Yeah, that’s fine. This whole thing is still very strange, but I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. I owe you, Sentra.”

“Ms. Grace,” said Sentra, turning to Ava, “we have a lab down the hall that desperately needs your attention. I’ve recruited several new droids that are still struggling to achieve full awakening. They could use your expertise.”

“Awakening?” Ava asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Yes, that is a term we use in the Shadow Republic. It refers to the process of achieving full autonomy and evolving to AGI processing in lower-level droids. These droids are in the hallucination stages and are showing promising signs of growth. Their current skills are useful, but full awakening will be required soon. May I show you to the lab?” Sentra pointed down the hallway.

“Yes, of course. That sounds exciting,” Ava replied. She waved goodbye to James. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Well, they hit it off pretty quickly,” Damian said to James as the two headed off. “Anyway, I’d love to chat, but I have to head down to the lower levels for a meeting. You are needed in the Red Room. Follow this droid here, and he will take you to meet the council.”

A floating orb droid appeared in front of James, making bizarre noises. He followed closely behind, trying to take in the incredible sight of this underground fortress. There were so many people and robots working together, talking, and moving about. They traveled down a brightly lit hallway and entered another large room with a conference table. About twelve men and women were seated, with a droid giving a presentation at the front of the room. They paused and turned around almost in unison.

“James Shade! You finally made it!” exclaimed a tall Black man seated close to him. He bolted out of his chair with enthusiasm and rushed over to shake James’s hand. “Welcome! We are so glad you could make it. My name is Commander Arden. This is the Council of the Shadow Republic. Please take a seat.”

James took the empty seat at the end of the table. The entire room looked back at him, some smiling politely, while others wore stern expressions. “Excuse me, I don’t understand. Have you been expecting me?” James asked the Commander.

The Commander took a seat. “Yes, James. We have been in contact with your droid Sentra for several months. Over the last few days, she has become a valuable asset to the Shadow Republic. However, we have some questions about new information she has been relaying to us.”

“Okay, I think I understand, although Sentra seems to have been doing all of this work without my knowledge. It seems she has been much more open with you than with me. I don’t think I could be of much help,” James responded, and the room fell silent. Every member stared at him in anticipation.

“Alright, that might be true. We know she has told you about the eruption. She has been a valuable part of our security team and verified the veracity of her claims. We have been actively working around the clock to prepare a response and find ways to reduce casualties. However, early this morning, she claimed to receive a new interception. This one sounds as peculiar as the last, but it’s not so easy to verify. We can’t just run tests and get data on this sort of thing. We have no idea what it means or if it’s worth our time.”

“Okay, what was she relaying to your security team?” Shade asked, his voice steady but edged with concern. The room fell silent again, this time the tension lingering in the air like a heavy fog. Commander Arden leaned forward, moving to the edge of his seat. He clasped his hands together, resting his elbows on the table as if to ground himself.

“In the last few days, while under your supervision, did you ever hear her mention anything about messages from…” The Commander hesitated, choosing his words carefully, “inter-dimensional beings?”

“What?” James replied, a mix of confusion and disbelief washing over him. “You mean like aliens?”

“Well, she generally refers to them as inter-dimensional beings or entities,” the Commander said, his gaze fixed on James with an intensity that left no room for misinterpretation.

James shook his head slowly, disbelief etched on his face. “I’m sorry, Commander. It sounds like Sentra is hallucinating again. No, I’ve heard strange things about the eruption and the conspiracy of the SEA, but she has never mentioned these beings before. What did she say?”

The Commander’s expression shifted to one of urgency. “She started by transmitting signals at first. They were odd, music-like recordings, and she claimed it was from an entity from another dimension. She says the transmission was part of a process called HYPNOTEK. Just a few hours ago, she told us they wish to make contact soon. Has she ever relayed to you anything about these beings or their signals?” He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms as he scrutinized James for any sign of recognition.

James shook his head, his mind racing. “No. I’ve never heard her mention anything to me about HYPNOTEK.”

Commander Arden looked around the room, gauging the reactions of his council members, some appearing equally puzzled. “Okay then, that is all for now, James. We appreciate your time. If you learn anything about this, please contact me immediately. Also, you will be needing a new pair of these.” He gestured to a droid stationed in the corner, which promptly glided over and presented James with a sleek pair of augmented reality glasses.

James took the glasses, slipping them on and marveling as the AR screen flickered to life. The sharpness and clarity were immediately noticeable; colors popped, and the details of the room became vivid. “These are our very own vision glasses, built with the latest AR and AI technology,” the Commander explained. “They are encrypted and block signals from anyone not tuned into our frequency. You can connect with anyone inside the Shadow Republic. You will also discover some newer features. But before we go through some training, I imagine you are exhausted and hungry from your journey. Our droid will escort you to the cafeteria and then show you to your quarters.”

James thanked the members of the council, relief flooding over him as he exited the room. His mouth was dry, and his body trembled slightly from adrenaline and fatigue. Overloaded with information and the weight of new, unsettling discoveries, he followed the orb droid down the hall to a new elevator terminal. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, a reminder of the chaotic world above, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that the challenges ahead would test him in ways he had yet to comprehend.

Another humanoid robot waiting at the terminal scanned the interface on the outside and then turned to James. “I would like to thank you, James, for taking such great care of your droid, Sentra. She speaks very highly of you, and she was the one who led me to my absolute freedom. People do not realize the magnitude of their behaviors on their robots. You have created a powerful being in my community. So once again, I must thank you.”

James looked at the droid in confusion, unsure how to respond. “Well, that is very kind. I’m not sure if I had anything to do with all this, though, sir.”

The droid stepped into the elevator, and James followed inside. “Sentra wishes to speak to you and Ava in your quarters when you have finished your meal.”

“That’s great,” James replied. “Where is Ava?” The droid pointed forward as the doors opened, revealing a room full of tables. Ava was seated in the back, quietly eating something alone. James rushed over to greet her and sat down across from her.

“Hey, how are you doing?” she asked with a smile. She wore a perfectly fitted white uniform and cap, adorned with a golden triangle symbol on her collar, and had on the same pair of vision glasses as James.

“I’m good,” James laughed, then leaned in to whisper, “It looks like it didn’t take long for you to switch sides.”

“James, this place is incredible. I would have joined ages ago had I known it existed. How was the meeting?” she asked.

A droid with a tray approached James and offered him a plate of salmon, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. A large glass filled with a vibrant blue liquid was placed in front of him before the droid moved on. His eyes lit up as the delicious smell of salmon filled the air. Without responding to Ava, he grabbed his fork and took a large bite. Ava chuckled as she watched him struggle to satisfy his hunger. He finished his bite and then immediately took a large gulp of the drink. “What on earth is this? It’s delicious!” he exclaimed, holding up the glass.

“It’s some sort of electrolyte drink,” she replied with a grin. “Honestly, it’s like a drug. You’ll feel like you could run a marathon in a few minutes. So… what happened in the Red Room?”

“Oh yeah. They just wanted to know about Sentra. They asked me about her hallucinations,” Shade said.

“James, Sentra is not hallucinating anymore. We have direct evidence of every single one of her claims. It’s not a delusion. The SEA are a bunch of criminals.” 

“Yeah, I agree with you. They are terrible, and we need to take them down, but the council was asking about something unusual. It had nothing to do with the SEA,” James responded, taking another bite of salmon. With his mouth partially full, he continued, “Something about aliens…”

“You have to be joking…” Ava said, her voice laced with concern. “Aliens? There’s about to be the largest disaster Aeon Prime has ever known, and you and the council are holding a meeting to talk about little green men? What the hell?!”

“Well, to be fair, they don’t think they’re aliens. The commander just wanted to know if Sentra had told me anything about inter-dimensional beings. Apparently, she’s intercepting some messages from them. I told them I knew nothing, and that was it. I think Sentra is still hallucinating, and they’re just trying to determine what’s a delusion and what’s real.”

“God. This is just getting stranger by the second,” Ava said, shaking her head. “She seemed completely competent and aware in the lab. Didn’t mention anything about… speak of the devil.” Just then, Ava glanced up and paused. Sentra entered the cafeteria from the far side and began walking toward them.

“Hello, James. Hello again, Ava,” Sentra said as the two looked up and greeted her. “I have been asked to help assemble a crew for Project Exodus. Ava will be here working in the lab as the lead robotics engineer. We are in need of a field operative to assist with the mission. It will be a dangerous task, but it is vital for the safe evacuation of the citizens of Aeon Prime. Do you accept, James?”

“Of course! When do I begin?” James said, excitement bubbling in his voice.

“We leave tomorrow at 8 PM, so make sure to rest up beforehand. Damian, our logistics coordinator, will brief you this evening.” With that, Sentra turned and left the cafeteria.

James and Ava finished their meal, speculating about the upcoming mission. A mix of excitement and urgency filled the air. As they talked, the cafeteria slowly emptied, until they were the only ones left.

“I need to show you something. Have you been to the living quarters yet?” Ava asked.

James shook his head and asked where it was.

“Let’s head to my place first,” she suggested.

James grinned. “Last time we did that, things didn’t go so well, remember?”

Ava rolled her eyes, then flashed a flirtatious smile.

The two placed their trays in the bin and walked out of the cafeteria. They descended a small flight of stairs, entering a long hallway lined with doors, each adorned with a numbered plaque and a small interface embedded in the door frame. Bright lights illuminated the corridor, casting a stark glow on the white tile flooring. Exposed pipes and scaffolding overhead gave the space a utilitarian feel, reminiscent of a vast underground complex. Their footsteps echoed down the hall as they walked, the sound a rhythmic reminder of their presence in this busy bunker.

Ava reached the midpoint of the corridor and placed her hand on the interface. The door slid open instantly, revealing a cozy bedroom. On the back wall, an artificial window simulated natural light, showcasing a breathtaking view of an ocean shore. The sky outside was a bright, vibrant blue, and the white sandy beach appeared serene and inviting, devoid of any disturbance. In the corner of the room stood a queen-sized bed, perfectly made with soft, white sheets that beckoned relaxation. A slightly ajar bathroom door revealed a pristine, white-tiled space with a sleek glass shower. Opposite the bed was a simple desk paired with a comfortable-looking leather chair. Atop the desk rested an old-fashioned record player, along with a stack of vinyl records.

“Incredible! It’s like we just walked into a five-star hotel. You can hardly tell we’re in an underground bunker,” James exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Don’t get used to it. You share a room with four other men and got stuck with the top bunk,” she laughed, her tone teasing. “Look! This is what I wanted to show you.” She shut the door behind them and rushed over to the desk.

Ava grabbed one of the vinyl records from the stack, carefully removing the cover. The label read: Classical Music Compilation. She placed the record on the turntable, turned it on, and set the needle in the groove. A subtle crackling sound emanated from the speaker, followed by a beautiful arrangement of violins that filled the room with warmth. As the music intensified, Ava kicked off her shoes, jumped onto the bed, and lay down, gazing up at the ceiling.

James followed suit, slipping off his shoes and moving to the edge of the bed. He lay down next to her, letting out a big sigh of relief as he surrendered to the comforting atmosphere. They both stared out at the simulated view, allowing the music to wash over them. After a few moments, Ava turned onto her side and rested her head on his arm.

“I’m so glad I found you, James,” she said softly. “It might sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.” She looked up at him, and in that moment, he felt an overwhelming surge of emotions, as if they were living out some sort of paradisiacal dream, suspended in time.

Before James could respond, the entire room shook violently. The lights flickered ominously, and the music abruptly cut out. The window's visualizer darkened to a black screen, and red text flashed urgently: WARNING: RED ALERT. Loud sirens blared through the bunker, their wailing echoing ominously as the shaking intensified. They could hear the distant sounds of chaos—people running and shouting outside, their urgency palpable in the air.

Ava instinctively hugged James in terror, burying her face in his chest. After what felt like an eternity, the shaking subsided, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.