God in the Details
“I don’t care what the problem is. Just fix it.” He growled at the worker as he watched Mika exit the factory. On his priority list of problems, she was high but hardly made the top ten.
The SG78 cells connected to the intelligence system had failed. Because their limited mastery of gravity power was weak and unreliable, sun was still more than abundant; in fact hellishly so. What was not abundant were the materials and the machinery needed to manufacture the panels. The SG78's weren't the most antique of the remaining cells in use but they were close.
Sun storage had to be prioritized, with survival systems overriding all other nearly equally critical processes. If every human died from lack of breathable air there'd hardly be a point in controlling any of the other groups. So the sun still remained critical. When the power was compromised, it was immediately diverted to only the emergency essentials.
The upshot was that the microchips were not monitoring, delivering, or maintaining anyone. What little power remained was short lived as would the humans be if the intelligence system was off line for very long.
Charles pondered whether expiring or mutating from tainted air was a better or worse choice than being eaten alive by feral birds. Then there was the third option. While only a theory, enough evidence had leaked out of some of the experiments with the Bearers that it was quite likely that given the chance they would fuck weaker beings (including the sick humans used as bait) to death.
Among the many unknowns was exactly what that time frame was. If the Chamber's top scientists knew how long it would take to reverse the repression of whatever 'normal' meant to the creatures he watched from the office window they hadn't informed him. Protocol dictated that there would be ample time to correct inevitable glitches and failsafe procedures in place.
Charles felt a moment of panic as he wondered how long it would take for him to feel anything without the auto-control of the tiny thing under his flesh that wasn't really part of him. He'd spent a lifetime in perfect control. Before the virus his control has come through human will and faith and afterward through a careful cocktail designed to keep him in perfect balance.
Would it take days? Would it take hours? Would he suddenly feel his cock twitch or his balls tighten at the raw sexuality of the beasts he and the Chamber barely controlled?
Looking out over the factory floor, he could tell the Bearers were growing edgy. Their insolent lethargy gained energy. So it was quicker than he imagined and far, far faster than protocol had led him to believe.
He didn’t dare walk out of the office. He knew that the pheromones would already be thick within the factory. Possibly too thick for him to resist.
Failsafe. Failsafe. It had been a while but he recalled the imbedded box on the wall and closed his eyes as he slipped his opticard into the slot. He closed his eyes in tight concentration as he entered his unique code. Inside, there was a safety valve connected to the old sprinkler system. When turned, a gaseous sedative would be released onto the factory floor. Everyone would slip into peaceful slumber. That was the failsafe.
There was one problem with that option. Charles would be trapped inside the office until the sedative dissipated. The only contact he’d have with the worker fixing the SG78 connector panels was an old battery operated 2-way radio. He watched the Bearers closely and thought of Mika.
Why was she acting so nervous? And what’s going on with the animals?
He thumbed the switch on the radio and asked in a hopeful voice, “Are you there?”
The worker immediately answered. Charles was relieved that the old units worked. He couldn't remember testing them for quite some time and made a mental note to add that to the schedule.
"Reading you, Sir. I’ve located two more SG78's but they've been in storage. It’ll take a while to boot them up and install the software. It takes a while for them to absorb enough solar power to even start.”
Charles didn’t have ‘a while’. He bit back a groan and asked, “Have you identified the source of failure in the others? They're checked every twelve hours. What went so dramatically wrong?"
“Sir, the wires were chewed through. It appears that birds tried to nest in it overnight. I think it's what used to call it an 'act of God'.”
Damn birds sent straight from Hell, Charles thought and almost launched into a silent prayer. Old habits, however comforting, are hard to break. He had no time for such indulgence at the moment.
“Can’t you repair the wire? Tape it or something? We need an immediate band-aid until . . .”
“No can do, Sir. The cables are mangled and ripped up. There's not enough duct tape in the station. Looks like a large-beaked bird was at them kind of randomly pulling wires out. As soon as I can haul the two spare units up and get them charging, I'll see if there are spare cables around.
Hands-on technical knowhow was way out of Charles league. In the Before times he could hardly change a tire. “Alright! Just get the new ones in place and hurry up, for God’s sake.” There was no point in alarming the man with the enormity of the consequences. The poor schmuck probably already knew any way.
Several Bearers repeatedly glanced toward the office. They couldn’t see him because the window only allowed him to view them. Charles looked toward the optipad blinking, mutely asking him whether he wished to continue. Just as he was about to press 'yes', he glanced back toward the window and jumped in surprise when he spotted a worker headed toward the office.
The man was practically gulping air and clenching his fists in terror at the same time. Charles cringed at the thought of opening the door. When he looked back at the Bearers, many of them had stopped working. They were glancing around, looking for prey.
“No, no, no!” The servant knocked on the door first before pounding on it. Feeling like a trapped mouse with several cats glaring at him, Charles dragged in a deep breath and held it before he yanked the door open. In one swift motion, he grabbed the servant and pulled him inside before slamming the door once again.
“Wha-What’s happening?” Wide-eyed, the servant stared at him as if he’d just awoken from a coma.
“The hygiachip system is down. I need you to listen to me very closely and obey everything I say.” Charles knew it was risky but he needed help getting into a hazmat suit so he would be able to reach the outside. This worker was the key to getting him there.
When he outlined the plan, he had to bark at the man several times to jerk his attention back to what Charles was saying. After he finished speaking, the man dazedly said, “I remember now. Everything. You people…what are you doing?”
“Just relax. What’s your name, Son?”
Jesus, help me sway this man, Charles silently prayed.
“Todd…Todd Dawson. Where’s my wife? I need to see my wife.”
Charles didn’t have time to explain that this man’s wife was now an Amazonian and dwelled in a secret group in Section E-2. When Mika had asked him about other groups, Charles had sent a silent prayer for forgiveness to the Heavens for lying to her. Few people knew about the competitions, raunchy shows, and downright sinful activities. It would remain Charles’ naughty secret because he was often required to attend them.
It was the Chamber's way of keeping him loyal. Long ago, Charles had made an agreement. Sometimes, he felt as if he’d sold his soul to the Devil himself but that was the way life was now. He wanted to remain somewhat organic, free from the clutches of the hygiachip’s control. As a master of his own chip he had retained the most precious of things-a small sense of control. Of course he knew he was watched. Of course he was careful. But it was something, if only a micro-something.
In return, he was given limitless power over E-1 which meant he could also take a lover if he wanted. As a previous priest, he fought that temptation on a daily basis. He knew one day that he would slip. Today would not be that day.
“Todd, Hantera16 took your wife. It collapsed the population, mutated many people. Do you remember the riots? You worked alongside us to burn the dead.” Charles kept his tone as calm as possible because the man looked ready to panic. “I know this is a lot to take in. The Chamber needs your help I need your help again now, too, Todd. Those people out there are mutated. They are called Bearers. They're no longer human. For you and me to remain human, we have to restore the balance. Those creatures won’t hesitate to . . .”
A pounding on the door ripped his focus to the window. A few of the Bearers had a couple of workers trapped and were menacing them. Charles rushed to the optipanel and swiftly hit the continue command.
Back turned, Charles didn't see the ignorant Todd fling open the door as the release sequence began its irreversible course.
Dumbly trying to take in the turn of events, Charles hesitated only a second or two before throwing himself across the room to block the gas that he could see already gently descending in a fog from the ceiling. The reptilian hiss of the chemicals escaping reluctant valves froze him for a moment.
In that surreal fraction of time, loud shouts and the kiss of the gaseous sedative flooded the office. A pantomime of terror played out as a frantic worker managed to stumble through the door and collapse on the floor at Charles feet. It took another precious fragment of time to drag the man fully inside to keep him from blocking the door. Overwhelmed by a cocktail of gas, lethal to humans, the man tore at his clothing as his face twisted.
Charles was amazed at his strength and the violence he was capable of as he threw the worker aside to finally close out the noxious fumes.
Charles went to check on Todd. Todd’s eyes were already rolling back in his head as his body slumped to the floor. Even though he knew it was too late, Charles half-heartedly slapped the man's face and tried to compel him to fight the drugs.
Then the room spun briefly and Charles would remember a moment of indescribable peace before he too passed out.
He came to a short while later. The light dose of sedative that seeped into the office had worn off before the gravity torch had dimmed. The nameless worker was comatose and barely breathing. Todd was moaning; whether in pain or pleasure, Charles couldn't tell. Charles blinked groggily at the ceiling and peeled his tongue off the roof of his mouth as he tried to wake himself up.
The side effects of the sedative left him with a sickening metallic taste in his mouth. He rolled over and wretched. Even at a very low dosage, the potent drug strongly gripped him like an animal trying to crawl its way through his skin. He could smell the chemicals in the air and in the puddle of vomit next to him.
Todd thankfully moaned and then moaned again. He whimpered when he rolled over onto his stomach and was barely able to lift his head up to lose his stomach, too. Charles cringed and looked away.
Calling up strength from the some newly met place in himself, Charles managed to croak out, “Hazmat. I have to get to E1 control.”
Todd’s bleary gaze tried to focus on him; he was clearly trying to fight for his consciousness. Charles knew Todd had received a larger dose, but hoped it wasn’t so large that it disabled him completely. He's a fighter, Charles thought as he managed to get to his hands and knees and began to crawl toward the suit.
With or without the worker’s help, Charles knew he had to get out of this building and help repair the SG78's before the sedative wore off. He wasn't a complete expert on it, but even the servant tech seemed in over his head. Software glitches are one thing, bird attacks are quite another.
He pulled himself to his feet, silently praying that he could get inside the bulky coveralls and secure them by himself.
It took quite a while but at last he triumphed over the horrid garment. Todd appeared better but stared down at the other worker with the kind of expression that tells a horror story in a second's glance. Charles had a bad feeling that the nameless man had drawn his last breath. Every time Charles witnessed a death he became a little envious. There seemed so much more promise in the next life than in what this one had become.
The hazmat's headpiece had been damaged somehow in the melee so Charles had to go with a gas mask that, along with half a dozen others, occupied a metal cupboard in the office. His world was suddenly reduced to his own harsh breathing and very limited viewing space directly in front of him. At least with the hazmat gear, the clear shield in front was large enough for slightly better peripheral vision. These twin round circles of polyvidreo made Charles remember swimming in some murky lake with cheap goggles on. Limited eyesight sucks and only intensifies anxiety when you're already unsure of what awaits you.
He pulled the door open and slid his gloved hand over it as he walked out. Transferring the same gloved hand to the wall on his right, he followed it for four footsteps until he saw the top of the short stairway to the factory floor. Instead of remaining on the metal grated higher platform, he turned and carefully made his way down the steps.
He’d moved about a foot when he realized that he hadn’t seen any fallen Bearers. Where are they? Did they move to the entrance before sedative hit? No! What if they blocked it?
Tinkling laughter sent icy chills down his spine. He looked up to find Eva slinking toward him with three other females behind her. He couldn't think, she gave him no precious seconds to compose himself or plan.
Eva was all over him. His back hit the floor hard. Heated sounds of Bearers mating drifted to his ears. Someone ripped the gas mask off and replaced it with their mouth. Searing arousal flooded Charles as if someone had flipped a switch.
He thrust his fingers into long silky dark hair and groaned in her mouth. Charles was too wrecked to contemplate the whys and hows of exactly what went wrong. In his own panicky state, he’d completely forgotten that the very algae that cleaned the air would also swiftly scrub the sedative away.
In his raw lust-filled state, the fact that he wasn’t affected by the sedative never once occurred to him. Charles Gallagher, once respected priest, frantically helped the Bearers remove his hazmat suit.
Two Bearers fought for his cock before the one kissing him broke away and hissed at them, “He’s mine!”
Eyeing the two gorgeous nude Bearers in front of him, Charles reached out for them but was shoved back to the floor by the one that had kissed him. With his hormones running rampant, Charles welcomed whatever she had in mind.
In seconds, her clothing was in a pile beside them. One long bare leg passed his vision before her pussy hovered over his face. Charles grabbed her hips and pulled her towards him. Before he managed to lick her glistening clit, a hot wet mouth engulfed his cock.
He gasped and twisted underneath them. Scalding lust like he’d never experienced scorched through his blood. A tongue slithered down his cock while fingernails grazed his balls. His fingers found the Bearers wet slit while she growled from above him, “Lick my pussy and fuck my ass, little human.”
Her hips curled, sliding her slit over his lips and nudging his nose with her clit. Charles was more than happy to do her bidding. He shoved his tongue into her and opened his mouth wide in a gasp when the creature at his cock sucked ferociously at him.
Fingernails raked across his chest before teeth drove into his stomach. He didn’t care if they devoured him. He feasted on the pussy hovering above him while his fingers eagerly rimmed her asshole. More fingers pulled at his hair, gripped his ass, and dragged across his balls.
Teeth grazed his shaft. Charles moaned loudly when his cock jerked, sending cum over his lower stomach. Like vultures to a kill, the Bearers eagerly licked it up. A hot pussy replaced the mouth at his cock. Still rock hard, Charles moaned loudly as the hot wet walls of the creatures pussy immediately sucked tightly at his cock.
His fingers dug into the ass of the one sitting on his face. She begged him, “I want you to fist fuck me, devour me, and then fuck me some more. Come on, little human, show us what you’ve got.”
Charles’ hips curled uselessly underneath the one that rode him. His head painfully hit the floor when the creature above him suddenly climaxed. The feel of her pussy convulsing above his tongue while a hot clenching glove embraced his cock was too much.
After abstaining for way too long, he exploded again. He vaguely wondered if he’d ever be the same again before teeth found his nipple. The creature moved off his face but bent down to lick her own essence from him. With a heated growl, he opened his mouth so she could taste herself on his tongue.
The one he’d fucked moved away but was replaced by the biter. She slid her pussy over his cock and purred, “Plant a babe in me, you sick fuck.”
She speared herself on him with a long wail but was shoved aside by the one that had ridden his face. Her pussy was still pulsing when she lowered herself on him. The other one faced her, placing her ass directly above his face. Charles licked her asshole while fingerfucking her.
Her fingernails drove into his stomach as she pressed herself onto him. For a moment, Charles thought he would surely suffocate. He slid his thumb up her ass and pinched her taint hard while repeatedly pistoning into her.
“Oooh, little boy…yeah! Fuck those holes. Work that taint.”
Charles fucked the creature as hard as he could. She suddenly slid off his face and thrust a nipple into his mouth, “Suck this for me. Maybe one day I’ll let you suck my mother’s milk.”
He sucked it hard and pinched her other nipple. By her movements, she was rubbing her clit hard. He bit her nipple and pulled while twisting the other one. She wailed, “I need someone to fuck my pussy . . . now!”
She was suddenly jerked off him from behind. His previous face rider was all that remained. Her firm breasts jiggled with every motion. He reached up and squeezed. She curled her hips, rocked from side to side, and fucked him hard. Even though her tight wet pussy felt wonderful, Charles was already growing soft. As if sensing he was spent, the creature suddenly shoved her finger up his ass.
Charles gasped and exploded inside her. She grinned and dismounted him but didn’t leave. Instead, she bent to lick his cock and balls completely clean. Before abandoning him, she lowered her mouth and said, “You’re a marked little human now. Don’t you ever forget it.”
Dazed, he realized it was Eva. When she gazed down at him, her silvery eyes were shot through with a vivid green. This one had just found the male with which she wanted to mate. Charles managed to mutter, “No, Eva. Find a Bearer. Human’s cannot impregnate you.”
She simply grinned down at him as she stood to leave. He was exhausted. The sounds around him were of skin slapping skin, pussies queefing, and females urging their males to plant a babe.
He looked to his left and saw Todd being fucked by one female while another slapped his face with her breasts. Todd chased her nipples, tongue hanging out and a wide grin on his face. Charles had never seen the worker happier. To his astonishment, his cock began to harden once again.
He ignored the tightening in his balls and turned his head to look to his left. A massive male Bearer was holding a female down by the nape of the neck. Bent over an algae table, the female gasped as the male slammed his cock into her. Charles joined her in gasping. The male Bearer’s cock had to be over a foot long and at least as big around as Charles’ forearm.
Holy Mother of Glory! How does she stand that!?
The female Bearer was whimpering with every deep thrust and hiking her ass backward into the male. She didn’t seem to mind that Charles shamelessly watched. He glanced upward and locked gazes with the male.
“Like what you see, little human? Maybe you’d like your ass fucked after I get through with her.”
Charles jerked his gaze away from the male and struggled to stand. His hazmat suit lay crumpled at his feet. Even though it was an arduous struggle, he managed to suit up before sliding the gas mask over his head. He knew he’d have to tolerate the heat beating on his bare head where the mask didn’t cover but it couldn’t be helped now.
On rubbery knees, he moved as quickly as his spent body and the suit allowed. The journey to the exit seemed like it took forever. He actually welcomed the blast of hot air before freezing when he saw a dead chicken with its head ripped off. Rodent-sized grasshoppers with pinchers feasted on the carcass. Fearing they would tear a whole in his suit, he hurried to place some distance between them.
Sweat was already rolling down his back and prickling in his hair. He hurried to reach the worker at E1 control, praying that the man was still working on the SG78 panel. He had a sinking feeling that without control from the hygiachip, the man had vacated the job to run free.
Even if Charles perished in the heat, he had to get those SG78 panels working. Mika would surely find him and knew that she was next in line to control these Bearer heathens. He climbed the ladder to the top of the factory and spotted the two SG78 panels still covered up in their shrink wrapped shrouds. The worker was nowhere in sight.
Charles pushed himself even though the heat was sapping his strength by the minute. Not only that, the dry air still held enough residual contamination that Charles was sure he wouldn’t be able to escape slight mutation. His head was exposed and he wasn't entirely certain that the suit was buttoned up and secured as per protocol.
Silently praying for whatever higher powers might exist to protect him and Mika after him if it came to that, Charles knelt and started removing the first panel.
He battled hard in his mind, repressing as much of his debauchery as he could. It was difficult to forget the look on Eva's face and her glowing beryl eyes.
He was on the last bolt when he spotted the spotted robin’s egg. It must have slid underneath the panel. He bent down to get a closer look. The little round orb jerked and a crack appeared. Dread slithered into his gut. Young birds called for their mother. Young birds were hungry. This young bird had a meal right in front of it.
Charles’ heart lurched when the baby bird’s beak broke through the shell. Silently cursing the bulky gloves, he twisted the bolt faster. He almost sprawled backward when the bolt was finally free of its housing. He turned and placed it aside. When he turned back, a tiny head had pushed free.
He had no idea if the baby bird could see but was scared that it would bite him if he tried to grab the egg. Not willing to investigate if he could even free it without alerting the mother, Charles quickly maneuvered the new panel in place and started bolting it down.
He didn’t tighten any of the bolts. Instead, he quickly moved to the wiring and began connecting them. Because he had limited sight, he had to turn his head constantly to track the bird’s movement. Luckily, it seemed trapped in the little space. As long as it stayed there, Charles thought he just might have a chance of connecting the panel and escaping without harm.
He had completed one side of the wiring when a series of screeches made him freeze. The tiny horror had found its voice. Cursing into the mask and almost hyperventilating, Charles moved to the other strip of wiring.
Before he could secure the first one, something slammed into his back and thumped onto the roof. Charles could only think of one thing to do. Standing, he turned and hobbled toward the edge. Placing his right foot on the top rung, he gripped the metal sides of the ladder just as sharp claws dug into his head.
He jerked backward and fell. The gas mask muffled his scream. No one was around to see him hit the ground.