The Rise of the Cyborgs

Chapter 62/Traitor's gate

A/N - I think what makes me a reader of science fiction is you get these recurring thoughts after reading work which resonates. Memories of episodes returning unbidden.  Most other fiction slips away but for me, science fiction needs to be savoured. It's why I like wattpad so much. I love it when you're wanting a live book in progress. Eagerly waiting for the next chapters. Weirdly I had the same feelings about the rise of the cyborgs. So a new chapter. Yeah, No I'm not restarting the trilogy yet, it's day will come.

At the sound of footsteps approaching the cage, Duane Sat up in his chair in the institutional cell. Traitors gate was cold and the execution ring colder. It was the sound of mechanical keys which made him sat up. It was too late for breakfast and too early for the medium meal that they called lunch. The heavy prison door swung open grinding on its hinges it is it did. The squeaking always grated on his nerves. There beyond framed by cold steel, stood his one and only daughter Ellen.

He looked up at the woman for whom he had felt every emotion possible.. From disbelief anger the driven dripping dreams of vivid revenge. He now felt precisely nothing. The parents love finally squeezed out by the heavy anvil of betrayal. He could hardly move and it was only for the real sake of his dead departed wife that Duane spoke at all.

"Ellen," He said in acknowledgement.

"Traitor," said Ellen. By custom, all the guards used the name Traitor as a name. Like Doctor or President. Duane was now referred to by his nearly ceremonial position as traitor.

"How are the kids?" Duane asked realising again how unlikely it was he would ever see their faces again. He looked up into Ellen's and there was something about it that reminded him so much about his own sweet wife's pose.

"Good. given they are now branded as traitor born at school." Ellen said. "Callum told me he wants to be an Administrator when he grows up. I told him to aim higher."

" I'm still not sure what brought you here to listen to these final words." Duane began lightly.

Ellen stood up "Forget you're well-versed rhetorics." She said looking up to the windows high above him.

He took a deep breath. Perhaps it was time for the truth. 

"Believe me" he began "I do so very much forgive you. And I am dearly sorry for all the things I have said. But these are times of parting and the reason for that parting is not of our concern."

"Only a man would say having a treacherous slut for a partner can be ignored," Ellen said raising her voice.

"There is something very important I have to tell you" Duane began, "I believe the real reason I am to die is that I became too close to the real problem. You see it's been plaguing me all these months. Little events, all these tiny strange things that seem to have no reason no rhyme no purpose but there is the show of a plan. Being left in here I've been able to think this all through."

"Reall What plan is that?"

"To be honest I don't know the detail. But what has become abundantly clear, to me, is there is some force out there. Some person or persons who mean us harm. And to engage in that harm they are using and unstinted use of our internet." Duane said looking up earnestly. "I spoke to all these people at a rally for that fool. And I discovered that a number were not there because they wanted to be. Someone was blackmailing them. Somebody had coerced them into attending the valley. It seems familiar because governments all over the world of use that as a way of starting espionage. But the weird thing was it made no sense. Normally spying operations target fundable individuals who fit the right profile and have the right access. In fact I know the large group was being approached not because they were the right people but because they all had small minor deficiencies which could be used as an opening."

"Huh," Ellen said sitting down on the steel chair cantilevered out of the cold wall. She looked, if concernedned then engaged. 

"Somebody is blackmailing this population on an industrial scale. Of that I am certain. Huge numbers many many people .Whoever is doing this must have a huge bureaucracy tracking all these details. They are working slowly, carefully, methodically forcing everyone in this country to their will. What they are working to I don't know".

Ellen smiled.

The confusion was written over Duane's face.

Ellen lend over "I do" she whispered, "I do because we're working together."

Confusion change the consternation "not you as well Daughter?"

Ellen shrugged. "For giving me everything I want. Why Not? Yes, I'm working with them but I would've worked with them anyway, after seeing what you and that idiot of a husband had done to me, to your children. It's all over you see they've practically won already, just you haven't noticed yet. Oh, don't look so sad. you see by sacrificing you I get what I want."

Ellen moved back and pulled a pretend frown. " Know just that your grandchildren are going to be fine. everyone else well that's a different matter. You see you spent all that time thinking about the party, thinking about the people , But so little time thinking about the people that really mattered, your family, your wife , your daughters, even your own father God bless him. What is coming isn't going to be pretty but at least I've got my priorities right unlike you. From now on the family is coming first. Fuck the rest of them, they are mindless trolls anyway."

Ellen stood up.

"So long traitor," Ellen said loudly and spat in Duane's face. It was ritual but she did like she meant it. She knocked on the metal door and it Swan open almost immediately.

She looked is the guard as she emerged.

"He is a raving mad man. How long has he been like this? I can't get any sense out of him. This should be reported to the medical officer. He's clearly defective. "

"That won't stop the execution." the guard said. 

Ellen frowned "who said I wanted it stopped?"  with that she moved off down the corridor

"Ellen! Ellen!" Duane shouted from the cell. His voice rang from the metal bars in the traitors block around him.

Then he stopped and you could hear the rhythmic sound of guards beating him with battons.

Ellen ignored everything and walked purposefully through death-row. She never looked back and she knew she would never see him alive again. While she walked a single tear escaped down her face.