SIDE B | CHAPTER 4

April 30th, 2032

The air around here hung closer to the ground. At first I wouldn't have been able to tell you how I was able to ascertain that—but I noticed it as Matt and I continued to walk. It almost felt like the ground was *pulling* the air downward. Gravity felt more dense. I was sure if I attempted to jump I wouldn't get as high as I could before. I wasn't going to attempt because of how sore I was—and my broken arm wasn't doing me any favors. Of course, if I didn't expect something was up with the air around us, I would have certainly noticed it when we breached the outskirts of the...well, calling it a city was too light a term. It really was a kingdom.

Buildings rose high above the horizon point and fractals of light shards hung in the air—I could only guess to their purpose. They looked like luminescent diamonds all jagged and numerous. Their many colors shone brilliant against the humongous castle propped behind it all. Highways and railways swirled the city like a protective guardian. In all essence it looked like a futuristic utopia juxtaposed with medieval grandeur.

"What...is this place?"

Matt stood staring in silence. His fists were gripped tight and he looked like he was locked in a terrible memory. I dared not interrupt. Together we stood there until he finally blinked and turned to me. "This place has grown since I last remember it. It had always been advanced, but this is on a whole 'nother level."

"So, what do you think? Should we carry on?"

He nodded, "I think we should. Nothing good comes from us standing here. Once we enter we're going to need to head to the nearest..." He trailed off.

"Nearest...?"

The word had completely escaped him. A confused and frustrated look crossed his face. He brought a hand up to his forehead and gripped tightly. "Agh, FUCK what was it..."

"You okay?"

"Feels like...like my words are just gone. Like I can't find the name of the place you get treated."

"Hospital? Or, like a...general or urgent care?"

He looks up to me, a dead look in his eyes, and nods slowly. "I don't know what it is, but I can't...say that. What's...wrong with me?"

I didn't know what to say. Anything I could felt like fake encouragement. I didn't know what I'd feel like if I were in his shoes—to not know something so...intense about yourself. It wasn't good, no matter what the end result was, and yet I couldn't find it in me to let the conversation hang.

"I think we both need to get checked out, don't you?"

He took in a deep breath. "Yes, you're right. I shouldn't succumb to my anxieties. Let's get a move on, shall we?"

As we approached what I learned to be London's inner sector, the fractals of light above us began to shift colors. It made the castle even more a daunting threat. It almost looked like a beast hiding in camouflage. Somewhere within that beast resided the biggest threat to this planet. It felt like the fate of everything rested on how these next few days played out. Of course, that was being hopeful that it would take that long. I didn't know if it would go any longer than us walking in and being killed on the spot.

I wondered then how Andrew and Jen were faring. In truth that was going to be the first step—finding some way to get in contact. I wasn't sure if international calling was still possible. If I could find access to a cellphone I could text Jen—I had her number registered by heart, but otherwise I feared nothing short of physically appearing would do it anymore. I felt a horrible darkness in my chest for how she must be dealing with how our conversation ended. It played back in my mind she must think I was dead...and that fact would not set well considering past events.

Finally entering within the city's limits I was surprised to see strangely dressed people with strange headpieces that looked like crowns that swirled around their heads. The first couple looked at the both of us like we were animals let loose from the zoo—and sure, I could concede that compared to them that's probably how we looked.

I don't know what came over me, but I was almost...afraid to make contact with them. I instinctively drew back like I was some other. Matt seemed to notice, because he was the one who stopped and raised his hand. "Hello, I was wondering if you could point us to the nearest..." he trailed off when it came to the word he couldn't say.

"...Hospital. We're looking for the hospital," I added, gripping my arm as if to signal to them the urge.

"Yes, we're in need and are supposed to be meeting with the Queen afterward. We're the Envoys from the States."

As if the man on the right's suspicions were confirmed, his look of tension only solidified. The woman however seemed more resigned to empathy. Her shoulders slackened the slightest bit, "It is...in the middle of the city. They have transport options posted around so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it. I'd be wary of talking to just anyone though until you receive Her blessing, though. Dark times out there."

The man, as if taken offense by her answer, placed his arm around her waist and pulled her away.

"Well...he was charming," I said.

"She was right though. People take a real risk on talking to us without a blessing."

"That's an actual thing?"

Matt nodded. "From what I recollect it was an official seal that told others if you were worthy or not of public trust. There's a ceremony held yearly where people went to renew their blessings."

"What would happen if you were denied?"

"I didn't know many people, so my pool of experience is very shallow, but I heard that you were for all intents and purposes exiled. People who lost their blessing were considered unworthy in the eyes of the land. Businesses wouldn't hire unworthies, landlords would terminate leases. They'd have to leave. And if they returned..."

"That's chilling."

"No doubt. I won't lie and say I'm not anxious for that part. I can't imagine that she looks upon my name fondly considering how things have played out."

"I think we're in that same boat. My father being police working for her state and all."

Matt nodded, "Right, well, come on then. Time we open this box."

"Box?"

A slight grin that came out of habit instead of feeling crossed his face. "Time to see if the cat's alive or dead." He started off on the sidewalk. A turquoise light streams through a tube embedded into the ground running the length of the street. Its purpose as foreign to me as the fractals above our heads.

"Ah, right. The thought experiment."

"Figures it fits here, right?"

"Whatever you say. I never was much for those kinds of things. I always preferred practicality to hypothetical."

"You could argue that one leads into another."

"I could. I choose not to."

"To each his own."

We were able to find what the woman regarded as public transportation. Now, in my mind I was thinking it was at the most a bus, maybe a little fancier than normal to fit the environment. In reality, it looked like a fishbowl on wheels. A hard glass exterior made me feel uneasy that this thing would do well in any sort of accident, but with how slowly it drove up it seemed almost impossible like it would have. I looked up to Matt for any kind of clue on what this thing was. He was similarly dumbfounded.

"You ever see anything like this?" I asked.

"Never."

It came to a stop in front of us and a panel on the side slid open. I saw steps leading up to the interior—which I could now see the exterior was fully opaque. Inside I saw the large form of the driver. They looked like a bear stripped of all of their fur. Thick hands gripped the strange controls for the vehicle as the large lopsided head turned to us. He greeted us with a snarl.

"Might as well come on, freeloaders. Already stopped for you."

"Rather rude to assume us freeloaders," I whispered to Matt, but he was thinking on other things. I don't know if he heard me. He stepped forward and grasped the railing on the steps and pulled himself up. I sighed and found myself following him up the stairs.

Inside, I saw that the innards looked like a limousine if you stuck a straw in the side and blew as hard as you could to expand the sides into the globular shape. I saw two more of the intricately dressed people adorned with long purple robes and golden sashes, each with the crown adornment around their heads. Stranger than the sight of the fishbowl or even the garb of the people was that of the endpoint of the crown adornment. They seemed to be plugged into the side of the fishbowl.

Up on top of part of the dip I saw a sign.

"Remember to unplug from the bus before you step up. Globubus is not responsible for injuries relating to user error or failure to protect themselves with reasonable judgment. Speed is clearly posted as 10 kilometer per hour per adjusted plug-in give-or-take road conditions. Thank You."

"So the people who plug in control the speed of the bus," Matt says. "Probably explains why we're freeloaders. No plug for us to contribute."

"Not really our fault though, is it?" I asked.

Matt shrugged as he found a seat across from the two others plugged in. He could have chosen anywhere to sit and of course he chooses to be right near other people. Fantastic.

"What's happened to you two? Seems like you been through a war," One of the guys—one with brown hair running down to his neck asks.

"Feels like it," Matt says. "We're due to meet the queen. Had a little difficulty along the way."

"Sucks," the guy says. "Where you headed now? Not off to see her I hope?"

"Why's that?" He asked back.

"Looking like that I couldn't imagine anything short of you being jailed for an insult on the high order. Don't even have your Re-Cep."

"Afraid I don't know what that is. We're both from the States."

The statement seems to draw a confused look from the man. "Well, that is not quite what I expected to hear. But I guess...it would make a certain amount of sense. I thought that travel from the States was forbidden, though."

"I guess that's what we're here to assist with," Matt says. "We're envoys for the President."

"Oh," this fact seemed to not settle well with him. "That's...well, that's certainly hard to believe if you don't mind the rudeness."

"We were blasted out of the sky," I said, then I realized how rude back that sounded. "uh, mind my rudeness."

The man laughed. "I guess we're even. And that is quite a tale. You two sound like you have many an exciting. I have to say, I yearned to see the States at least once before I passed, maybe our meeting here is chance. I'm Dinet, how goes two envoys of the sister nation?"

Sister nation, more like abandoned and beaten stepchild.

"I'm Matthew, and this here is Jacob," Matt says.

"Jake," I corrected.

Dinet looked from me to Matt and then took us in together. "Pretty bland sounding names. Guess that's an American thing, huh?" He started chuckling.

"Something like that," Matt answered. "You can see we're standing at a bit of a standstill against understanding a lot of things, mind if we probe your mind?"

I saw the other man sitting near Dinet shift slightly closer to the door uncomfortably. I tried to not let it bother me.

"Fire away, I've got quite some time on here if we don't pick up anymore Re-Ceps."

"I guess my first question is about that. What's a Re-Cep?"

He points to the crown. "Receptor, it dampens and controls your powers in public to prevent accidents. Very strange to hear America doesn't utilize them. I can't even begin to imagine how you all regulate your usage."

Power? These Receptors...there's more on them I need to know. "What kind of powers do citizens have here?" I asked.

"Should be the same as you—telekinesis. Some people report telepathy as I'm sure the popular rumor suggests for you but nobody's ever been able to demonstrate the ability."

I felt the slightest nudge from Matt in my side and I glanced to him to see the slightest shake of his head. I don't know how I knew, but something inside me bid to avoid revealing that I didn't have abilities like he and everybody else here did. I think it would likely cause a scene and that was the last thing we needed.

"What is the common procedure for...those that don't have these powers here? I mean, I'm curious if it compares."

"Without...?" He asked. "...I guess with a place as large as the States it makes sense that some may crop up here and there. I'm not actually sure. I haven't seen anybody like that around here, though."

The bus came to a stop and four people got on in total. First was a woman with neon green hair spiked up and a pair of shades that faded to a normal pair of specs as she entered the fishbowl. Behind her was a man wearing a red version of the garb they all wore, his head was shaved and his eyes looked mean. Behind them both were two people I couldn't make out—they stopped for a seat near the front.

"Ah, excellent. Now we should pick up some speed," Dinet wrapped a hand behind his neck and laid back. "I really hope your meeting with the Queen goes well, so I'm going to recommend before you go you visit the clothier. Set your best step forward and all...although, without a Re-Cep you wouldn't be able to purchase anything...hm." he began tapping his fingers along the seat. "Hm...I wonder. What time were you both going to be meeting up with the queen?"

This statement drew the attention of the newcomers immediately. I was aware of all the eyes on me and had to grip my fist tight behind my back to keep steady. "We're appointed to meet tomorrow at noon."

"Oh, well then that works out. I'm off work at nine tonight. I could meet up with you and assist with your wardrobes?"

"We couldn't ask you to take time off of your own day for that," Matt said.

"Humble tidings be damned," he waved it off. "I really would like for connections to be at their possible strongest. I'll not have you squandering any possible chance for a travel opportunity," he grinned.

"Well, then I'd certainly thank you," Matt said. "Do you have a way for us to meet up? We're headed to the...we're headed to get checked up."

"Oh, well, that shouldn't take too long to get out of. I assume you're headed to New London Hospital? I could arrange for a ride to come get you from there, just...hm..." he reached under the garb and grabbed a small square device. It looked like it had a small "G" on the front. "Just press that when you're out and it'll call up the G."

"What does the G look like?" I asked. "So we know what to look out for?"

Dinet winked, "You won't be able to miss it."