The Rebels

Chapter 6

the rebels

        Ashley looked at the man that tried to save her life. He removed his helmet and placed it beside him. For the first time Ashley saw his face, it was tanned with a larger then average nose and beautiful eyes. He looked back at her with a smile.

        “Messed this up didn't I,” the guard said to Ashley.

         “Huh, what are you talking about,” Ashley responded in a catty tone. “You'd be the only one here if I didn't open my mouth.”

        “Yeah, but I was supposed to keep you safe...”

        “What is this place? What the hell is going on here?” Ashley interrupted.

        “The rebels have taken us prisoner I think,” was the guards response.

        “ No, everything,” she said abruptly. “What was that place we came from. Since when did monsters exist. And what am I doing here, huh?” Ashley had enough of this strange land and she was going to take it out on the guard.

        “They told me a little bit about you, the part about you losing all of your memories. But that was all they said, they didn't tell me you're a newlifer.”

        “What's a newlifer?” She has been wondering this for some time. Ever since she showed up she heard about newlifers But when she asked for newlife in the platform she ended up going to Trulife instead. And Trulife was the company her father started. The boy she saw earlier was called a newlifer. But the laser couldn't have came from him, could it?

        “Do you not know anything about newlifers?”

        “Nothing, never heard of it.”

        “Well you know some of those guys we ran into where the d-nas, right?”

        Ashley responded with a “never.”

        “Well after the ten years of mech and all the robots where destroyed humanity needed help. We where left with just the mechanoids. But unfortunately these guys would be harassed because of their enhancements. Sometimes they where to heavy to even go outside of their work. But then a scientist about 20 years ago or so invented the d-nas treatment. That allowed people to have the incredible powers of mechanoids without all the metal.”

        “What was this d-nas treatment,” Ashley asked.

        “This scientist found a way to make synthetic strands of DNA which was used to mutate humans. He had many different formulas for all sorts of jobs. Sometimes peoples bodies would look normal and sometimes they wouldn't. Originally those winged guys who attacked us earlier where designed for mail delivery and surveillance, but things went horribly wrong a few years ago. Children started having problems with their DNA, they where being born mutants. Trulife grabbed onto that and rode that wave to the top of the world. Eight years ago Trulife took command of the whole world in order to correct the horrible atrocities that have taken place here. We've almost got it under control now though.”

        “Trulife controls the whole earth? What was that place we where in?”

        “That's a Trulife habitat, they're all over the place in the civilized world.” with that as his last statement the older lady from earlier came into the room. She demanded that they stand up and follow her out of the room.

        “So you know nothing of this, why is that I wonder little lady.” the old lady said to Ashley as they walked down a hallway. “I would like to say Trulife has done this to you but you don't come from our world, do you.” the older lady opened a door and directed them both into a small room. “This man works for those who hunt us, did you know that? They want us all dead, and they're getting close. Did you know that?”

        “Uhm, no madame, no I didn't.” Ashley looked over at the guard that just told her a story of what happened to the world when she was asleep. She wasn't to sure if it was the truth anymore.

        “You don't really know what to think, do you. Did you know you could walk through walls?”

        “What? I can't...” she was cut off before she could finish.

        “I know everything you know dear, I was adjusted with the counselor formula years ago. It was the greatest thing that happened in my life,” she said happily.

        “You're a newlifer,” Ashley asked, wondering if it was OK to call her that. She started to accept her situation, without really knowing what happened to bring her here. “Do you know of the place I came from, can you see my home?”

        “Yes, dear. I know everything, The question is how did they get you here?” the old lady commented.

        “Why can't he tell you,” Ashley said while pointing to the guard.

        “He doesn't know. He's just a guard doing what he thinks is right, Actually he might be a good man, if he didn't align himself with murderers,” the older lady laughed as she finished her comment. “Trulife would lead you to believe that human can't live outside of Trulife habitats, but they're wrong. We live here in the old cities, breathing the air and we're fine.”

        “It's not fine out here lady, don't lie to the girl. The air is not suitable in most the world Ashley, some parts aren't that bad in the American sector but the problem has killed most the population in the Eastern Allied sector and the the Asian sector. And before Trulife took over, The American sector was headed that same direction.” the guard was defiant in his interruption of the older lady.

        “That may be so, but America wasn't doing that bad till you took us over. Killed our families and burnt our homes. Your bombing were what released the toxins here, not us!”

        “That...”

        “STOP!!” Ashley couldn't allow this fight to go on any longer. “We're breathing the air just fine right now, so it doesn't matter. But what does matter is what are you going to do to us, are we prisoners?”

        “No, you may leave at any time. We are going to head to Theytan in a hour, you are welcome to come along, but the guard must stay behind.”

        Ashley looked into the eyes of the guard and saw worry in his face. She knew he didn't want her to go, but what was she supposed to do, stay here? Where is here? “He's going with me,” Ashley said pointing at the guard.

        Both the guard and the old woman shouted out in response, neither of them wanted him at Theytan. She was adamit about this and finally the old lady and the guard agreed that he'll go to. Theytan is a legendary town where all enhanced people can live in peace and prosperity. The legends say the pollution never reached Theytan. But according to the guard, Theytan doesn't exist. The Trulife government has searched the entire world in search of this legendary city.

        After the hour had passed a giant rumble shook the ground below them. Rock and stone broke away from the floor and a giant metal drill came out of the ground. This machine was huge, large enough to fit over a hundred people of all shapes and sizes. Ashley watched as all the creatures from the habitat entered the giant drill. First was a group of wall crawlers followed by men with various metal parts. After the bird men and other it was Ashley and the guards turn to enter. They were directed by the older lady who pointed them toward two open tubes.

        “Here you are,” she said pointing to the tubes. These tubes where pretty small and stacked next to each other. Ashley was able to see all of the bodies sleeping in tubes similar to these. “Just crawl right in.”

        Seconds after crawling in the old lady was asking Ashley to crawl back out again.

        “What, no, I thought you where taking us to Theytan,” Ashley asserted.

        “We're there,” the old lady said.

        Ashley looked out of the tube she was in and saw all the men crawling out of the tube and leaving the large drill. Ashley crawled out and noticed she wasn't in the drill anymore. She was somewhere else, in a different machine.

        “What is this?” Ashley asked.

        “What do you mean?”

        “This isn't the drill, what is this.”

        “Oh silly girl, you just don't know much about how this world works, do you. It's OK, we're in Theytan now, you're free to go.” The old lady showed her to the guard and walked off. Ashley and the guard stood there looking into this great city. There was so much life and activity. People were flying around, the buildings where large, and lots of activity on the streets from vendors to friends reuniting with people exiting the drill.