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Chapter 12: Forwarding Pace
Hover cars flew around in lanes produced by the floating Traffic Lane Lights (also called as TLL), almost as if they were missiles on a programmed trajectory. The cars all had Auto Anti Collision Sensors wired across the body plating, therefore the drivers didn't have to worry about crashing into each other in high speed two hundred feet above the ground. After all, frictions were lesser up in the air compared on the ground.
With the blue sky accompanied by large, white, puffy clouds, the passengers had a magnificent view in front of them. There were little amounts of wild, flying vertebrate creatures occupying the sky now, since the majority of them were captured and bred as house pets.
There were many high-rises, most of which were massive and affluent. Over the past few centuries, with more and more technologies being built and more and more techniques been developed, the demands for higher quality and better looking projects appeared. As the workers fine tuned their skills, becoming increasingly comfortable in making new objects with new drafts of models, the outline of the physical appearances of vehicles, buildings, and many other items were more unique and well rendered. Never more could you see any angular houses. Never more could you see any angled surfaces. All exteriors were mostly circular shaped.
The White Apartment where the President of the New World Colony (where many Dome Cities combined together to form one enormous Mega City on one of the few large pieces of habitable continents, United States of America) rose up from the land, towering hundreds of stories high into the air. The tube-like steel structure were reinforced with titanium armor plating to stand guard against any possible threats and attacks. Not only that, the armor hardened the basic foundation of the entire structure. Even the strongest wind couldn't move the building an inch.
The moment that Mak, the Military Action Planner Alpha Officer (MAPA Officer), wearing a large, brown overcoat, entered the vast tower, he was overwhelmed by the alcazar-sized room within. The designs of the columns and the shapes of the rooms were remarkably well done. Though little decorations were present upon the walls of the building, but he could still smell the freshly painted rooms and the newly, superimposed, first-class carpet with small heating devices embedded into it. The reception area was fairly open, with a long counter in front of him that had Day Light Saving Lamps hanging down from the ceilings and the light gray colored areas, both were added together to create this multi-dimensional sensation. There were a few pots of plants positioned in some corners and hallways, giving the whole sector a lax feeling.
Holograms were projected in the air, allowing new visitors to see the newest headlines of the day. Their light blue color with white text was very interesting to see. The sounds were coming from twenty speakers surround-sound systems affixed in the walls.
Though people said that the White Apartment was heavily guarded since the President of the New World Colony was living in the building, but you could barely see any guards patrolling the area. However, there were security cameras that monitored the place twenty-four-seven. As well, there were many hidden Intruder Alarms installed all throughout the first level, then third, then fifth, and it continued like this in an odd number count until hitting to the highest level. Once triggered, the computer would scan any unknown DNA patterns within the building, and then it would enforce a level ten shield barrier to contain any intruders. All of this were directed into a System in the main Security Room.
Perfect, thought Mak, this makes things much easier...
Reaching the lady behind the desk, he smiled warmly, completely betraying his true intention of coming into this place. He took a peek at the name tag on her left breast: Amy Trudent.
"Hi there," he greeted. The lady grinned back. "I have to check the Security Room on Sector G, can you tell me where to go? I'm sorry, but I just got drafted here and I am fairly new."
"Of course. Can you give me your Identification Card, Authorization Card, and your Credit Belt on your left wrist? I need to check your identity." Her young-looking face gleamed softly. Her dark, long hair draped over her head and onto her back. She was Asian, wearing a bright red dress.
Mak's smile widened. Slowly handing her all the necessary items, he waited for the clearance to the locked elevator on his left. She didn't notice, however, that his facial expressions were somewhat dark, almost as if a shadow was resting on his face.
"Oh! Commander! I didn't know that you work here!" she exclaimed once she saw his record. "Please, don't let me hinder you. I'll get you clear the first level right away!" She pressed some keys on her keyboard, and then the locking mechanism clicked open loudly.
Retrieving his cards, Mak tipped his head slightly. "Thanks for helping me. You don't know what a wonderful job you've done for me." He chuckled as he walked away, infiltrating deeper into the Apartment.
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The elevator ride to Sector G was smooth and quiet. Since the shaft of the elevator was constructed outside the building along one side of the steel wall, the riders could see through the transparent panel in front of them and witness the widespread area of the Central Dome. Occasional stripes of shadow created by the frames of the skyscraper flickered upon the faces of the observers. As the lift rose higher and higher, roads beneath grew smaller along with small dots representing people, transportation and other smaller structures.
Mak sighed as he placed his arms across his chest. If he succeeded in accomplishing his true objective, then his grand plan would continue on without anyone stopping him. Just thinking about his achievement had made his heart beat quickened in double pace. He would love to see all his opponents fell before his feet, looking at him with horrified facial cast.
"Sector G. Sector G. Please watch your feet and have a nice day." A computer voice sounded.
Stepping out of the elevator, he was in a small hallway. He turned right and headed down the corridor. On his left were doors and circular shaped wall. On his right was this huge panel of glass extended around the edifice. The lights weren't on, for the sunlight had already provided enough brightness to light up the whole passageway. But once the sun had settled down, the sensors would detect it and switch on the lighting devices.
Approaching the Security Room, Mak saw a guard sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. A long Pulse Rifle was in his hands. When the officer saw Mak coming, he immediately stood up.
"Hi there, sir." He gave a salute to his superior.
"Good day, soldier. Stand aside and let me in. I have urgent business to attend to."
The man was reluctant to move. He squirmed on the spot, not sure of what to do. "Er... well... sir... you see... the President has told me not to let you into the room. He said that he wants to see you right now."
Mak's eyebrows went up. "Are you telling me that I cannot enter this room, when I am a MAPA Officer?"
"Y... yes. That's correct, sir."
Shaking his head, Mak sighed. "I wish that it doesn't have to come to this."
The guard was confused. "What was that?"
Suddenly, a muffled explosion occurred. Red globs of blood splattered onto the gray wall behind the innocent sentinel. A gun with specially designed silencer was pressing against the stomach of the guard. A gaping hole could be seen clearly. With blood staining and dripping onto his hand, Mak's face was deadpan.
"I... you..."
The wounded man struggled to speak, but only blood came out, choking him. Finally, after a long struggle to stay alive, he slumped against the shoulder of Mak's and then fell onto the ground, dead. Red pools of warm liquid continued to flow from underneath the corpse.
Wiping his hand on a handkerchief, Mak kicked the dead body aside and went into the room. Inside the dark chamber, only a tremendous Super Computer was present. It had many different sized screens, all displaying various kinds of information. Deep rumbling sounds echoed around the walls. After doing a retinal scan, a small keyboard slid out from the hole on the stainless steel table and unfolded itself. Mak smirked to himself. Killing the President would be so easy. All he had to do is to lock up the top sector and suck away the oxygen. After all, each level was designed to have no leakage of air so that when fire broke out, people could readily seal the floor and contain the fire and let it burn itself out.
Furiously typing out lines after lines of codes, he programmed it so that the air would be vacuumed out of the Presidential Sector in ten minutes. That left enough time to say a farewell to the leader of the Colony. Hitting the Enter key, a large-scale timer appeared on the view screen. The red neon numbers changed persistently. Opening another channel on another monitor, he could clearly see the seventy-year-old man dressed in pure white clothes sitting comfortably in the soft leather chair.
Grabbing a microphone from the side, Mak coughed once before talking.
"Hello, Mr. President," he said.
After a long minute, a voice, old and cracked replied: "Who are you? And why is my computer showing an unauthorized person hanging around in the Security Room?"
"No. Not unauthorized. If it was unauthorized, then I couldn't possibly still be around to say a goodbye to you."
In the computer screen, Mak saw the President looking up at the camera.
"Mak... is that you?" he asked softly.
Laughing, the MAPA Officer answered: "Why, yes. You look surprised. What, you think that just by posting a guard outside can prevent me for hacking into the security systems in this building? How naive."
"I've heard about your demented scheme, Mak. Destroying the Center Com and attack other Colonies? Why? Why would you plan such a crazy act that would surely destroy you and your career?"
Scoffing, Mak placed his hands onto the table. Moving his mouth near the microphone, he said: "Because I want power! That's the only thing that I want right now above all others, power. For years I have seen how you've managed to get all the benefits from the other Dome Cities: recognition, wealth, pride... And what have I got? Only this Alpha rank that is still lingering around even after thirty years of Military service."
"That's not true. We know that you have the potential of becoming a great asset to our City. But... the Beta spot has already being filled. It was only a matter of time-"
"Time that I don't have!" Mak screamed into the mike. Grabbing the stem, he gritted his teeth. "You kept on saying that over and over again, but never have I seen you take any action of fulfilling your promise! You lying bastard, you don't know what you're thinking." Suddenly, he stopped. Taking in a deep breath to recompose himself, he continued: "But no matter. In approximately three minutes, you will die along everyone else on Sector Three-TL-F. Though those untainted souls have nothing to do with this, but in war, casualties are unavoidable."
"Mak! Listen to me, you can't kill me. You can't do this to me. I am the leader god dammit! You stop this nonsense right now, or I'll order the guards to arrest you and put you in jail for the rest of your life!" The President shouted as he shakily got up from his comfy chair. Walking closer toward the camera appended in one of the many corners in the room, he stared daggers into the lens. "I'll press the Intruder Alarm on my wrist if you won't comply."
"Go ahead," Mak grinned evilly. "Try and push the button."
Staring at the maniac through the loupes, the feeble man slowly brought his left wrist to his chest level. Pulling the long sleeve back, he revealed a red flashing button planted into his flesh. He pressed down the button and waited for response. Thirty seconds passed... One minute... Nothing...
"Wh... What happened?"
Cackling, Mak's amoral simper reflected the bright, cerulean colored light coming forth from the monitors. "What's the matter, old man? Can't send for help anymore? Too bad. I've disabled every control in this tower. No one but me can access the commands now. Surprised? I've been training to crack the codes on this terminal for years just for this day."
"You... you bastard..." The elder gasped.
"I've been planning my conquest for years. Spending day and night hiding away from other people to secretly working on my project. I knew that patience would pay off the hard work that I've been doing, and here's the result: getting rid of you, and claiming leadership for myself."
The President smiled grimly. "You won't get it. Never. It isn't that easy to get the Rank. You'll have to get the approval from me personally, through my voice, which I'll never give it to you."
Sighing, Mak shook his head, almost as if the antagonist could see him. "You moron. Has your old age finally gotten into your rotted brain? If that was the case, I wouldn't be devising this cabal from the start."
The eyes in the screen widened with shock. "You... you meant to tell me that you've gotten the Rank already?"
"Check your computer in your limited time, Mr. Ex-President. I now hold all the power within my grasp. You have about one minute left before the air will be sucked out of your room." Seeing the man staggering to the door, Mak pressed a key and the gate clicked shut. "Don't try to escape. You can't win. It's time for your demise."
When the timer hit zero, a hissing sound radiated from the speakers in the Security Room. The air was being sucked out of the President's room. Wavering the skinny arms, the leader slowly suffocated, his lungs aching for oxygen, his face contorted with spasms of pain. Viewing the death of one of the world's biggest leaders, Mak chuckled. He had finally succeeded. Yes... now only the Center Com remained. And once he shattered the multi-layered shields of the Center, he could terminate any communications around the globe, providing his rapidly expanding army the element of surprise, the element of stealth.
Oh yes. Death was definitely a sweet thing to see.
~End Chapter 12~
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