5 | The Outline

In total, the factory was ten stories tall. LUCAS saw that for each floor was a large expanded space where most of the production would happen, and the rest of the space was occupied with hallways and smaller rooms that extended out like veins. The top four floors lacked the larger, more open space and looked to be entirely filled with the small rooms and hallways. Looking at the schematic projected...it looked like a labyrinth.

"That...is a mess," Roshe called out—the first to break the silence.

"While large, it's not unexpected," Gavin said, his arms were crossed. "Higher floors are almost certainly administrative. It'll be the hardest getting up there. I wouldn't be surprised if those highest floors are locked and barricaded something fierce."

Laven stroked her chin, "So, in order to begin our plan we need a general frame of which to build from. I think an offensive is much too risky considering the total space of the building."

"Seems to be so, but we knew that before even seeing the map," Roshe agreed.

"So, stealth seems to be the plan. We have to install someone, maybe two. Two sounds better," Gavin mused. "Three might be too many—I'm sure they're keeping a close eye on every new recruit."

The way he said recruit was with obvious sarcasm laced deep within.

"What about the boy?" Blaise said, almost a note of interest in his voice.

Gavin stared at him, and when he thought that he was going to object, a slight smirk appeared on his face. "I think that's actually a good idea."

LUCAS shifted uneasily, Blaise held him still. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"To get inside we'd probably have to stage you out, maybe you and Laven. She's resourceful in a pinch. Roshe, you're at your best when you're prepared, but your improvisational skills leave much to be desired."

Roshe didn't react. Gavin expected some sort of comeback, but it played to the truth that Roshe accepted it.

"So, we just get ourselves captured, that the simple of the short?"

The others stared at him, confused at his word choice, but the message shot clear. "Step one," Bambo nodded. "But before we do anything we'd need to make sure everyone involved is up to the task...is capable."

Capable, meaning LUCAS. He thought on it...what use could he have once he were inside? He was sure he would be taken in—his look was that of a young teenage kid. But thinking of what he could actually do on the inside...that's where the doubt filled in.

"He'll be fine," Gavin said, and brought LUCAS out of his thoughts immediately. His didn't seem to be the only surprised look at Gavin's outburst.

"If you're sure. You'll have eyes on them, right?" Roshe asked.

"Of course, what do you take me for?" Gavin shook his head, the grin still shining on his face.

"Well then, let's plan this thing through," Roshe continued.

~...~

While LUCAS was still uncertain of his own ability to see the plan through, the plan they came up with did sound solid on paper. When all was said and done, the team broke up and began preparing their own parts of it. Gavin noticed that LUCAS looked like he had just conscripted himself to war without participating in basic for even a second.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he said, bringing him aside where they wouldn't be heard as easily. "Your end of it is simple. You can largely leave it to Laven to do the hard parts."

He nodded, but he still thought to the fragment of ICARUS hidden somewhere within that building.

"There's still the matter of—"

"Yeah," Gavin nodded, cutting him off before he could say it. His eyes darted to the others, signaling to LUCAS how close they were and who could overhear.

He got the message and nodded himself. "Right. I guess I'm just nervous about actually doing what's expected of me."

Gavin smiled smally, "I get it. I think when you're in deep you'll find a confidence deep in you that you didn't ever expect you had. At least, that's what it felt like for me."

"You've been undercover before?"

"Yeah, in the world I came from. I had to pretend I was working for a bunch of people who would go on to create a virus that nearly destroyed the world. Talk about stressful, right?"

"How did you manage it? Like...how did the stress not get to you?"

"You know, I am not fully sure," Gavin said. "I think because something deep in me knew that I wanted to do my job right more than I wanted to make it out alive. The job I was doing of course needed me to stay alive, but I wasn't thinking of my own survival. I thought about what I was doing for those I could help."

LUCAS nodded, and then thought of the other players of the Roulette Game. If he could ensure that they were able to lead peaceful lives...he was sure he could control his internals. "Thank you, Gavin. I'm not fully sure I can do what needs to be done, but I'll try."

He smiled again. "I'm sure you will."

"And..." LUCAS began. Gavin cocked an eyebrow. "I don't think you'll have to worry about Roshe. I think he's a known factor—we can plan around him if things get...wiry. But...Blaise. I don't know about him. He gives me...concern."

Gavin placed his hand on LUCAS's shoulder. "Don't concern yourself over him. I've got eyes on everyone." And that was all he said.

LUCAS was left to his own while he went to prepare himself. They still had a few hours time before the plan would be put into motion—at least, the part where he would willingly get kidnapped. He took a few steps toward the entrance and found himself staring up at the sky outside the tent. He needed a walk to clear his head. Troubling thoughts still had the tendency to float to the surface. If he were a full machine, these thoughts wouldn't be troubling. They would just be data. And if he were a true machine he could just suspend the thoughts like they were nothing, but he was not a true machine. He was not a true human, he was simply, existent. I exist, but I do not carry a soul. I am, but I am not.

An antinomy, he had previously thought. Something aware of being, but something that knows down to the finest micron exactly how that being should operate. At least, in theory. There was an inhibitor preventing him from fully realizing his full potential, and now what would he be? What could he do now that he could not before? He looked down at his hands and felt no different. Maybe it had not prevented anything at all? Then what of the purpose...?

Too many troubling thoughts. Too many...

He continued walking through a path of people. Small children, young men, and even younger women. He almost got overwhelmed staring at them as he walked past. He took in every face, every smile, frown, even the small child who had the beginnings of tears forming in their eyes after falling down. In them all he saw lives that were trying to carry forward. People trying to live throughout all of the uncertainty. Even if they didn't know where their next meal would come from or if they'd even live another day, they kept moving forward. He knew deep down he would have to keep moving forward, too. Keep searching for the answers to the questions that lie deep within him. Even if it didn't make sense to—to admit so was to give up on hope entirely.

And as an antinomy, hope was all that he lived on.

He made his way out toward the edge of the outpost. Staring out at the wild desert beyond he felt...a sort of peace within himself. LUCAS looked down at his hands and closed his eyes, doing nothing but breathing. He felt the panging power source from the Kosunaga building, but he was sure he felt more, now. He could see the map of the building inside his mind—mapped out on a 3D plane. He could chart a course from the very entrance up to the very top. He wondered why Blaise hadn't taken the time to use these 3D versions of the maps. Maybe it was due to not being used to his systems, but maybe it's because he didn't know they were there.

He did say he was familiar with similar architecture, but that didn't mean he knew everything about it. Either way, it would be incredibly helpful navigating his way through the building when the time came for it.

The plan was fine for the goal of releasing the prisoners held within. Sound, even. LUCAS was not worried about pulling this part of it off. It was, instead, where the plan diverged and he was supposed to break from Laven. She looked to be adept at adapting to changes within the plan. He didn't yet know how he was going to be able to separate with her so he could continue on his portion of the mission without her knowing, or caring to continue alongside him.

Anything too obvious would bring suspicion onto him, maybe even curiosity. It could lead to the discovery on her end of the fragment. And like Roshe, he thought that if she was given knowledge of the existence of the fragment, she would similarly take it for her own purposes. It was a puzzling conundrum, and unfortunately, one he would not be able to plan for. He would not know how to handle it until he were behind those walls—until he was dead center in the fray.

He took in a deep breath and let it out, slowly.

Staring out at the horizon he saw the sun paint itself in a sudden arc where he could see the faint trails of where it crossed the skies. The sun of old's light would never have been able to be traced so simply—such was not so now. Humans still wouldn't be able to see it with the naked eye, but LUCAS could easily. The arcs faded like comet tails, streaking their cries across the canvas.

LUCAS settled his thoughts and he turned back toward the outpost. His doubts had been settled as well as he thought they would. Anything else would lead to retreads of the same thoughts—the same doubts. He had to strike while the iron was hot—lest he be sunk forever into himself.

He marched back toward the guild, his head up toward the sky...and toward whatever the next day will hold.