Minutes went by as Fox watched Dr. Marx supervise the white-coats on the upper level. Both he and Parris stood a few feet away from Hashimoto on the main level, as he made a speech to the ninjas and the other members of the cult who had gathered on the lower level of the Op-Center. He went on about how within minutes justice would be served, and they would all be set free. He then directed everyone’s attention to a twelve-by-eight-inch flat, high-definition screen located on the wall facing the white-coats.
“We have cameras set up outside the bunker so we can watch as Pandora is launched into the sky. We’re also connected to major broadcasting stations around the world which will relay all the carnage Pandora will bring as it spreads worldwide. This island bunker is our refuge and the world will serve as the execution chamber. We will watch as justice is finally served!” Hashimoto’s last sentence brought thundering roars of approval from his audience.
“We shall leave here as the inheritors of this world! Before you joined The Promise, some of you were future doctors, engineers, and computer specialists who had your futures stolen from you. And then there are the others who had less fortunate upbringings who never would’ve had a chance to escape the shackles that society had tied you down with. But we’re not here to dwell on the past, but on the future. Once we exit this underground refuge, we will all leave with one important commonalty that will unite us-a second chance to prosper in a more forgiving environment. You will be the new inheritors of the earth.”
There were massive cheers and outstretched arms in the air that went on for several seconds until Hashimoto raised both his arms and held them there until the room became quiet again. Hashimoto was about to continue when Marx stepped up to the rail of the upper deck.
“The systems are online,” said Marx as she stood at the rail on the upper level.
Fox looked at Parris, who seemed too choked up to even whisper. She looked through the window to Pandora’s chamber. The cracking sound grew louder and its rich blood-red cloud in the cylinder was reflected in the Op-Center.
“Pandora’s growth is at 100 percent, now at 150 percent, at 200, 400, 800 percent!” called out one of the white-coats. “It’s ready.”
“Release Pandora!” yelled Marx.
The red cloud exploded through the cylinder in a thunderous roar. For about half a minute the cloud shot from Pandora’s Box straight through the tube.
Dr. Marx watched the monitor, marveling at her creation. When the last of it had passed through the cylinder, the control room lost its red glow.
Marx walked slowly and stood between Fox and Parris. For the first time, Fox watched her as she became ecstatic. “Watch as Pandora’s succession begins.”
Fox sweated heavily as he watched the events unfold on the plasma screen. He didn’t bother to wipe off his forehead and he was too distracted to notice the throbbing pain that he felt in his chest, shoulder, and foot.
“Have you ever seen anything like it? It’s so beautiful.” The redness of the sky became denser for a few moments. Fading spots began to appear. A few moments later they became growing dark patches. The white-coats whispered to each other. “Something’s wrong.” Marx was fixated on the screen as she tried to make sense of what she saw.
Hashimoto’s mouth hung open as he stared at the plasma screen. “What’s happening? Why’s the color changing?”
Parris’s jaw dropped as she tried to make sense of everything. She hadn’t succeeded in neutralizing Pandora, this she knew. “Fox, what’s going on? I didn’t do it.”
“I know you didn’t.” A smile slowly appeared on Fox’s face.
Marx spun around in such a rage and shoved both Fox and Parris aside as she made her way over to the white-coats. “You said that the contaminant was removed!”
“It was. There was no trace of it in Pandora’s Box,” said one of the white-coats.
“Then how do you explain that!” She swung her arm in the direction of the screen, where all traces of red had completely evaporated, leaving a gray sky.
“I don’t know, Dr. Marx, I-”
“Shut up!” The other white-coats remained silent as she glared at each of them.
Fox watched her. She’s lost her cool again.
“I can tell you what happened.” Fox then looked down to the audience and raised his voice. “This is your justice, only one you didn’t expect.”
Hashimoto’s eyes widened. “You did this?”
“No, that’s impossible. He was under our supervision the entire time!” yelled Marx.
As Fox watched her, he noticed something snap in her, and she immediately turned to Tanaka. “You were the last person with Fox…and that power outage…I don’t recall seeing you until a few moments after the generator came back on.”
There was silence. Tanaka looked over at Hashimoto, then at Fox, then back at Marx and gave his trademark chuckle. “You’re right. Fox helped me break free from the effects of the Clarity drug, told me what needed to be done and gave me the contaminant. As for the power outage, I was responsible for that, too. It was the only way I could access the ejection cylinder above Pandora’s chamber without being detected.”
Not another moment passed before Marx pointed her Beretta at Tanaka and fired, striking Tanaka below the left shoulder and flooring him.
Parris was about to rush to his side but was grabbed by the ninjas who held her in place. Tanaka lay on his back, the bullet appearing to have passed right through him. He still breathed.
She’s lost her cool again-a third time on top of that. She’s panicking. Fox faced the young recruits. “Hashimoto’s prophecy has come true! Justice has been served and is currently being served as we speak.”
“You dare to twist my words!” Hashimoto yelled back.
“You speak of execution and here on the floor is one of your brothers. Who’ll be next, the rest of us?” Fox’s intention to start a small commotion was working when the cultists began talking to each other.
“You shut up right now.” Marx walked up to him, raised the gun close enough that he stared down its barrel. “I don’t know how you did it, how you undid the effects of Clarity on Tanaka and Parris.”
As she spoke, she pressed the barrel into the center of his forehead. Fox didn’t show any hint of fear because he knew that’s what she wanted. His life was about to end and he was determined to go out strong.
“The only thing I’ll do now is what should’ve been done a long time ago,” Marx said.
He felt the heat of the barrel burning him as he watched Marx in what was her last moment of humiliation and defeat. Any second now she’d pull the trigger, and then do the same to Parris. But instead she did something Fox hadn’t anticipated-she yanked the weapon away. “No, I won’t do this. I’ll let the ninjas do it instead. My gift to both of you-death by the sword.”
Marx backed away and gave a hand signal. Two of the ninjas stepped aside and the other two jostled Fox and Parris to the top of the stairs at the platform’s edge where they were both forced down on their knees with their backs to the two ninjas. There they both saw their audience. The young people looked confused and scared.
Fox looked at Parris, and she glanced at him, too. “So it ends here, for both of us.” Behind him, he heard the sound of metal being pulled from its sheath. From the shadows cast in front of them, Fox guessed how high the swords were raised above their heads. A loud noise startled them both-it was an alarm.
“There’s been a breach,” yelled one of the white-coats.
“What?” said Marx.
Fox, although his hands were still tied, threw himself into Parris to knock them both down the stairs. As he hit the bottom of the stairs, a surge of pain shot through his dislocated arm and through his ribs, but that was the least of his concerns. All he wanted to know was if the ninjas were after them. When he looked back, they were all staring at the entrance to the Op-Center. The executioners were no different, and they both lowered their swords simultaneously. Then they ran down the stairs, past Fox and Parris, to join the other ninjas.
Parris stayed on the ground as she looked over at Fox. “You had this planned all along? Were you ever going to tell me?”
“I had to improvise.” Fox looked back at her. “I’m just glad that it worked out. The cavalry’s picked up the signal from your phone. Oh yeah, there’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“Stay low. This is going to get ugly.”
Parris’s eyes widened in panic as she looked past Fox. “Look out!”
Fox turned his head the other way and caught a glimpse of Marx aiming her Beretta at both of them. In a spontaneous reflex, Fox pushed hard with his legs to throw himself on top of Parris. But he was too late-the shot had already been fired. Fox didn’t feel anything hit him, and it horrified him. Parris was already on her back, her eyes shut.
“Oh, my God! Parris. Parris!” No, this can’t be happening.
Parris blinked repeatedly before they opened, and she coughed a few times. He stared down into her eyes, his face only inches away from hers.
“I’m all right. I’m not hit,” she muttered.
A huge tension unleashed itself all over his body and he rolled off of Parris. It then occurred to him-Dr. Marx was still armed. When he turned around to look at her, she struggled to maintain her balance. Her legs then buckled under her, and she collapsed to the ground. To Fox’s disbelief, he saw Tanaka on one knee, half conscious, struggling to maintain his own balance when the Sig dropped from his hand. Then he too collapsed.
Parris crawled over and untied Fox’s hands. The first gas canisters fell around them and burst into smoke. Fox again threw himself on top of Parris. Screams erupted from everywhere, but most frantically from the corner where the cultists were. Gunfire soon followed. Fox cried out desperately to the cultists to get on the floor and to lie still. How many of them heard him he didn’t know.
Parris crawled over and held onto Fox tightly, burying her head into his chest.