Shade and Clearwater

Chapter Twenty

 So I went inside myself and found myself standing outside that same old cabin in the woods. I nearly laughed at the oversized chains wrapped around the structure, might have if the situation weren't so serious. I never figured I'd want to open that door again but here I was, and I had to do something before Circe came back. A touch from my finger turned the chains to dust and I went in.

A single candle lit the room. Agent Hughes sat on the edge of his bed, looking disheveled with his striped pajamas and unshaven beard. I noticed he was looking down at something in his hands. "What makes you think I'm going to help you?" he asked without looking up.

"How did you know I was coming?"

He blew out a sigh. "I literally live inside your head."

"So I don't need to waste time explaining," I said, taking a step toward him. I froze when I saw what was in his hand. A photo in a shattered frame. His wife and his little girl. "I... I'm sorry."

He turned accusing eyes on me. "Are you?"

I swallowed hard, nodded. "We weren't trying to kill, just find out how that chip worked. It was your own government that planted the booby trap in your skull."

"To safeguard state secrets, yes."

"Anyway, let's cut the bullshit. That Circe lady's coming back any minute, and when she does, she's going to kill you, and this time you'll be dead for good." Hughes just glared back at me, so I softened my tone. "Look, I just need some perspective."

"About what?"

"Why is Circle so loyal to the Feds when they treat her like a slave? Is there some kind of indoctrination camp?" I needed to know how to get through to her.

Hughes carefully laid aside the photo. "We're not idiots," he said, standing up. "We know the Federation government has its problems. It's just that the alternative is so much worse."

I stared at him. "What alternative?"

Hughes smiled darkly at me. "What you call freedom nearly caused the end of humanity, and maybe all life on the planet."

"What are you talking about?"

"What, your precious mastermind never shared his copious knowledge of history with you?" Hughes laughed humorlessly. "You know he knows everything. Why doesn't he tell you?"

"I... I don't know." Of course I knew Miles wasn't telling me everything. I had figured it was because he knew I might be compromised, and didn't want the enemy to get their grubby mitts on the master plan. But what was so dangerous about knowing about the past?

"That's just it," Hughes answered my thought. "You have no idea what life was like in those early days after the Incident. What was left of the old federal and state governments had completely collapsed. In the ensuing chaos, so many people died, whether it was from violence and fighting or famine from the loss of crops and farmers. And on top of that, whatever had caused the death of the old world had left a lingering sickness that was killing off any survivors. Our only hope was to modify the next generation of humanity to resist its effects."

His words slowly sunk in. "Hold on, you mean the Feds are planning on modifying every single human being? That's insane."

"No," said Hughes, shaking his head. "We already have."

"That's... that's not possible," I said, my mind reeling.

"Oh but it is. We've estimated that the lifespan could exceed eighty years under the right conditions and with the right medical technology and diet. And yet the oldest known human alive is in her early sixties and, as the first generation of modified humans, will not live for much longer. But thanks to the tireless efforts of our scientists, humanity will be restored to its full lifespan, perhaps even enhanced." Seeing my reaction, Hughes smirked. "You see? That is the power of a centralized authority."