Finally, the day had come. The Mechanism, the Rift Gates, the Collapse, and the journey to the Third District had led time and the world's fate to this very moment. The energy nodes were restored, and the Energy Disk was connected to the Fracture Machine. Only a few hours remained until the first stage of Project Fracture was complete. The Compound's personnel awoke at dawn. Some hadn't slept all night. The Energy Disk from the Cradle Complex, although intact, needed recalibration for energy flows.
Jonathan woke up a few minutes before his alarm, as if the story told by Morpheus had ended, and his time in the realm of dreams had expired. The strength drained by the emptiness of the Third District returned — or so it seemed to Jonathan. Silence filled the dim room, broken occasionally by distant sounds, most drowned out by the hum of the Father. The Fracture Compound was preparing to receive the energy gathered over the past week by the entire Consolidated Nation.
A signal sounded. The Tech-Covering that shielded the darkness from the light shut down. The time of darkness had ended. Sunlight touched everything it could reach. John got up from his bed and dressed as usual. Yet this morning felt different. It was Jonathan Brooks' last morning in this world. When darkness claimed the land once again, the Wanderer would be far away — beyond the borders of the Consolidated Nation, beyond the edge of their world, beyond the boundaries of reality, that reality which had always been home. But not tonight. A new world awaited the Wanderer, ready to tell him its story. And very soon, a new tale would begin. Just a few hours, and the end would become a beginning.
John looked out at the world beyond his room. No matter how many mornings he had gazed out the window to see the peace held within the Gardens of Eternity, this morning, there was no peace. The Gardens of Eternity had burned. The railway station still operated. Trains arrived, boarding passengers and departing from the Gardens. But passengers no longer saw the labyrinths. The living hedges no longer played with them. Charred branches, marble benches covered in ash and soot — nothing more. Only fragments of memory, never to be restored.
"What a pity," the Wanderer whispered softly. For the last time, on his last day, John looked out the window of his room in the Fracture Tower. Somewhere in the Gardens of Eternity, in a ruined past, a boy played. Instead of the greenery that had always delighted him, there was now a wasteland. Soon enough, the Gardens of Eternity would be just like the Third District — dead, empty. This was how the traveler between worlds would remember the temple of memories. The Gardens of Eternity were gone.
Blue lights illuminated the room. A screen covered the wall, and on the other side was a familiar face — the face John feared he might never see again.
"Hello, little brother," Ioanna's voice filled the room. She looked at her brother, a gentle smile of happiness appearing on her face. Not because her child was soon to be born, but because her closest kin had returned from the abyss.
"Hey," John sat down on the bed.
"I was so scared! Why didn't you tell me?" Ioanna asked tearfully.
"Everything happened too quickly," John seemed to justify himself and his decision.
"How? Why? What happened?" she asked as though she were a guard.
"It's a long story..." John lowered his gaze, "but the main thing is that I came back, right?"
"Yes, but you could have..." Ioanna stopped.
"Exactly," the Wanderer nodded. He could have perished, just as he could perish on his journey. So many things could pull him from the realm of the living, that over the years of preparation, he had grown used to the thought. "And how are you?"
"In a few minutes, we'll start preparing, and we'll see each other on screen," she only looked into her brother's eyes, which had changed. Just a few days ago, there had been light, hope, and faith in them. But now, there was something different, something she couldn't even put into words.
"Tell me," John leaned against the bed, "what would have happened if things had been different?"
"What exactly? Project Fracture?"
"No, a week ago, you went to the Capital, and I to the Third District," the young man mused, "but what if you hadn't been invited at the last moment, and the Machine hadn't been broken?"
"Cristal Lakes?" she smiled slightly, glancing at the clock.
"Exactly! It was supposed to be a break. A farewell..." John spread his hands.
"But fate decided otherwise," his sister held back tears.
"Martha says there is no fate."
"Maybe there isn't," her phone rang. The preparations were beginning.
"Do you have to go?"
"I'm afraid so. And I think you do, too..." Ioanna wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"I wish I could hug you..."
"Oh, how I wish that too," she laughed, not hiding her grief.
"Well then..." The Wanderer rose from the bed and approached the screen. "I'll always remember you, always love you, always think of you."
"As will I! If it's a boy, I'll name him after you," Ioanna could no longer hold back her tears.
"Goodbye, Ioanna!" John could no longer hold back, either.
"Goodbye, John!" She raised her hand, and the screen went dark.
The Wanderer looked around his room one last time, glanced in the mirror, and left his home. The door closed behind him, and the lights went out. There was no longer a resident in that room.
***
Unlike the Wanderers, Martha Crockford had risen even before dawn. Perhaps she hadn't slept at all. Though she had tried to catch a few hours of rest, her mind was still racing. Formulas, calculations... The Machine was ready for launch. Richard still hadn't returned from the capital — there was too much work there. Marcus knew that if Richard got stuck in the Capitol, they wouldn't release him before launch, and there was no time left for his return. The Machine's mother would give life to her child herself.
While the calculations occupied her mind for most of the night, the thoughts of the strange effect wouldn't leave the scientist. How was it possible that the Wanderers had been in the Cradle and then appeared at the Gardens of Eternity? Was this somehow connected to the Machine or the Rift Gates? Just luck? Teleportation? A wormhole? Spatial distortion? There were no answers, and there might never be. Or perhaps, as Darwin believed, fate itself decided to yield in this game. But Eleanor was certain: in the games of fate, victory isn't provided. Nothing is eternal and infinite — everything has an end. And when would that end come? Today? What about the Last Ones? They had restored the Rift Gates for a reason. What would happen when the others learned that the rebuilt Cradle had been destroyed again? No answers.
A knock broke her thoughts. Martha rose from the couch in her office and opened the door.
"Up so early?" Martha asked, letting the Wanderer into her office.
"Couldn't sleep," Samantha replied, approaching the desk and sitting in one of the chairs.
"You're not alone," the Professor took a seat opposite and reached for a pack of cigarettes. "Did something happen?"
"No," Samantha handed her notes to the scientist.
"What's this?" Martha began leafing through the notebook.
"They're unfinished," Samantha adjusted her hair. "I started trying to understand as soon as I was designated as a Wanderer. These are calculations of energy resources for a return."
"Oh," Martha took a deep breath. "The Apparatus isn't designed for a return."
"I know. I only realized that now. Its structure wouldn't allow it to absorb the necessary amount of energy from the Primordial Space for a return."
"And a chain approach wouldn't work either," Martha added. "Most likely, if you reach the Center, the energy core will be worn out."
"And it won't be able to recharge."
"But..."
"For the next ones," Samantha interrupted the professor. "For those who will come after us. If the core architecture is modified, perhaps it could gather the necessary charge for a return."
"That's very..." Professor Crockford set the notes aside. "Encouraging. But I don't think the project will continue."
"Because of the disk?"
"That too. I violated every protocol. I was supposed to report the malfunction and cancel the launch. And I definitely wasn't supposed to send you to the Cradle. I managed to keep this information under wraps, but after your departure, the government will find out."
"And they'll shut down the project."
"Exactly," Martha Crockford lit a cigarette. Her hands trembled slightly. "The Machine would launch only once."
"What about the energy program?"
"We're not in a crisis; one could appear in a decade. And by then..."
"There will be new energy sources," the Wanderer finished for her.
"And the secrets of the universe will remain secrets," the professor exhaled a plume of smoke.
"We'll reach the Center," Samantha tried to sound encouraging, "and send you data through a pulse across the Primordial Space, which you will detect." She struggled to believe it herself.
"That would be nice," Martha put out her cigarette and glanced at the clock.
"Is it time?" Samantha asked, rising and waiting for the Machine's mother.
"Well," Martha followed her to the door, "today, we'll send you off. What remains here is no longer your concern."
"We'll make it," the young woman declared confidently, opening the door.
"You'll make it," the professor repeated as she left her office. The notes remained on the desk.
***
"Don't touch that!" Darwin shouted, swatting John's hand away. "You'll throw it off balance!"
The Wanderer stood in the Hall of the Fracture Machine while Darwin connected a cable to the Translocation Apparatus in Primordial Space. It resembled a metal backpack with various compartments and openings but held the power to shatter reality.
The Machine was already linked to the Prime Reservoir, and final tests were underway. James and Samantha were ready for dispatch; their Apparatus were set to operational mode. Each had a Pulsar tucked in their holster. About five other staff members were working in the hall, though none of them took interest in the Wanderers.
Suddenly, Martha entered the hall, greeting the Wanderers before positioning herself at one of the consoles.
"It's done," Darwin said, disconnecting the cable. "Once you're on the other side, the device will start charging from the micro-fracture. First, it will charge the emergency power source for an emergency fracture, remember what that is?"
"Perfect!" John smiled, eager to begin his journey. "Yes, I remember. If there's an immediate threat to my life, the Apparatus creates a fracture without coordinates, into a random world. This will only work once, and after that, the Apparatus will stop functioning. "
"Exactly. As for standard fractures... In theory, it doesn't matter how far you are from the fracture — the Apparatus should keep charging. But we can't test this in practice, so avoid straying thousands of kilometers. And definitely don't try to go to other planets," Darwin laughed.
"I won't. I promise."
"Good." Darwin stepped back.
John, however, stepped forward and hugged his friend. With him, he could share this embrace. Darwin, resting his hand on John's shoulder and laughing, exclaimed, "Enough!" but was also saying goodbye to his friend. They would never see each other again or spend hours talking together. This was their last touch. In an hour, John would vanish into the fracture, and Darwin would remain here, continuing to work on the project and preparing new implants for future Wanderers. If the project is not shut down after Marta's actions.
"Well, that's it," James placed a hand on Samantha's shoulder. "So begins our journey."
"Sadly, not for all of us," John noted, approaching the pair.
"I think..."
"So do I," John gave Samantha a slight smile. "She would be proud."
The trio hugged one last time. They said their goodbyes, wished each other luck and success. Though none said it aloud, each believed and hoped to meet again. The odds were slim, but they existed, and each of them wished for it.
"Everything is going according to plan," Martha stepped back from the control console.
"As it should," James called out.
"What exactly is the plan?" John turned to the professor.
"The transmission hasn't started yet, but we're ready," Darwin flipped a switch. Behind them, a screen appeared. "The Father has begun drawing energy from the Reservoirs in Districts Nine and Five. It's still in test mode, but as soon as the Archon gives the command, we'll activate the Father at full capacity."
"Only three percent," Martha added.
On the screen, in the Capitol, Ioanna occasionally appeared on camera, though the crowd of Сhairmen and scientists occupied most of the view. The film on Project Fracture, which she had been editing for week, had just concluded, and everyone awaited the moment when Vasily Yakimov would give the order. Ioanna looked distracted, as if searching for someone she couldn't find. The viewers didn't care, but Ioanna couldn't let it go. The camera was controlled by an automated drone. Without Thomas, she had likely resorted to automatic mode, which was inferior to live operator work.
"Well then..." Martha slowly approached the Machine.
Two metal cylinders stood opposite each other, with a five-meter gap between them — where reality would fracture and create a bridge to the next world for each Wanderer. Cables were connected to each cylinder. Inside one of them, an energy disk was already prepared and awaiting its chance to reshape the world. A light vapor rose from above, signaling the cooling systems of the Father in action. High above the dome, its base was visible. The lights glowed, and the Prime Reservoir hummed, absorbing energy.
Martha touched one of the cylinders, resting her palm against it. She had imagined this moment for years. The Machine seemed alive, responding to her touch —or so it felt to Martha herself. She didn't see it as mere machinery, mechanisms, or code. For her, the Fracture Machine was alive. If just yesterday this child was dying, today it was reborn. For Martha, the Machine was her life's purpose, one that should bring revolution to this world.
"Hello," a voice came from behind. "This is Ioanna Averino, reporting live from the Capitol, where in just a few moments, the Archon will address the assembly. All district Сhairmen are present in the Council Hall, each in their place. Every one of them has awaited this grand moment, as we have. Communication with the Fracture Compound in the Seventh District has been established. Unfortunately, due to energy flows and to interference, we can't receive an outgoing signal right now. But as soon as there is enough energy in the Prime Reservoir, the signal will appear. But we know that four Wanderers stand by the Fracture Machine, awaiting their moment. On behalf of the Consolidated Nation, I wish the Wanderers luck on their path, hoping they reach the Center of Primordial Space as swiftly as possible and uncover the secrets of existence. Today, we, the Consolidated Nation, wish you..."
And time stopped. A second became eternity once again. The Wanderers, along with everyone in the Fracture Machine hall, like all the students in the lounge rooms, in their quarters, and every citizen of the Consolidated Nation, saw flames consuming the district Chairmen, guests, and scientists. Tongues of fire moved toward the back of a girl who, having no time to understand, was smiling into the camera. And then everything was engulfed in fire. The signal was lost.
"What happened?" John shouted, looking at Martha as if she had the answer.
Darwin, like the others, rushed to the consoles, as if they could provide the answer.
"That was an explosion," James stepped forward.
Martha stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the interference on the screen.
"John," Samantha touched the Wanderer's hand, but he didn't feel it.
"The signal is lost," Darwin adjusted his glasses, looking up. "The Reservoirs aren't responding. Energy isn't being supplied."
"It's over," Martha was barely standing, her slight swaying becoming more noticeable.
"A system failure?" Samantha ran to Darwin and stared at the console. All nine reservoirs glowed red. The connection was unavailable.
The ground trembled as if a giant had stepped on it. Jessica ran into the Machine hall. Martha had never seen such terror as she saw on her face. Something had happened. Something serious. The consequences would be unimaginable.
"The Capitol is destroyed," Jessica ran up to the professor. "Reports are coming in of explosions in the Council Halls. Every district, every Council Hall... Exploded. Destroyed."
"And I assume the Reservoirs too?" Martha glanced at Darwin and Samantha at the console. "That tremor..."
"Wait," John stepped between the women. "The Reservoirs didn't manage to transfer the energy. They were fully charged... If they exploded..."
"Arkan is no more," Jessica seemed not to see John.
"Just like every city where a reservoir was installed," Martha added.
"Thousands," James broke the silence.
"That's not even the worst," one of the staff was checking the news on his Pulse.
"What could be worse?"
"Hundreds of Hawks are reported heading toward Arkan from all directions."
"Not to Arkan," Martha, with trembling hands, took out a cigarette only on her third attempt. "To the Compound."
"The Last Ones," Samantha voiced what only four had on their minds.
"Fanatics?" Darwin turned to the Wanderers.
"Not fanatics," John replied with a shake of his head.
"They failed in the Cradle twice and now come for the Fracture Machine," Professor Crockford inhaled tobacco smoke without pause.
"But why blow up the Capitol? Why destroy the Council Halls? Why destroy the Reservoirs?" Darwin was asking question after question.
"In case they fail with the Machine," Martha looked at her child. "If the Machine is destroyed, they'll rebuild their world on the ruins of ours." The authority, like that of the Consolidated Nation, no longer exists. Only a land in flames remains. "Apparently, the Fracture Machine was the backup plan after the Cradle. And the explosion of the Capital is the contingency plan if the Machine fails."
"There will be no energy," John turned around.
"Won't there?" Martha smiled as if she already had a plan. "Smart, very smart."
"It's madness," James held his head.
"Exactly, Mr. Boucher. It's madness," Martha slowly approached Darwin.
"We can't," Darwin shook his head. "It's too dangerous."
"We can," Martha nodded to him. "If they capture the Fracture Machine, they'll execute their plan," she addressed everyone. "Because they'll have the energy. But we have it too. Here and now."
"It's not prepared, not now," Darwin tried to object.
"The Reservoirs managed to transfer five percent of the energy. It's not enough to open a fracture to a neighboring world. Not even one. But it's enough to open a fracture into Primordial Space."
"A crisis," Samantha raised her head, focusing her gaze on the Father.
"Exactly. We'll open a fracture and start charging the Prime Reservoir directly from Primordial Space."
"How long will it take?" John turned to Darwin.
"If we open all the flows and activate the Father at full capacity... we'd need to control the flows to avoid..."
"How long?"
"Two, maybe three hours. Considering we only need to open three fractures, not four."
"They'll be here in two hours," Jessica broke the plan.
"Very well," Martha dropped the cigarette on the floor and crushed it with her foot. "Let them come. We'll put up a fight."
"The Compound wasn't built as a fortress."
"But it is one," Martha smirked. "We have emitters and soldiers. Two hundred cadets, both new and old waves."
"They'll die," Jessica interjected.
"As will we. The project's mission is to send the Wanderers on their journey. Everything else is secondary."
"It's very important," James stood against Martha.
"Is it? They destroyed our country, hundreds of thousands are already dead. They're coming for the Machine. If they get it, our world is done, humanity ends in both the present and the past. But if they don't... they'll purge all dissidents. Only cowards, idiots, and their own will remain. A hundred years, and degradation will end humanity. They've already won, Mr. Boucher."
"Not yet," John clenched his fist. "They killed my sister, they killed my parents, they exterminated millions, and now they absolutely won't win."
"And what do you propose, Mr. Brooks?" Martha seemed to be waiting for his words.
"They need the Machine..."
"Or not," Martha interrupted the young man.
"The priority is the Machine. And they've thrown nearly their entire, if not their entire, army to capture the Compound. We have emitters, we can defend ourselves."
"Or attack," Amanda entered the hall at that moment. Every step was a struggle for her, but she took each one.
"You shouldn't be here," Samantha tried to stop her.
"Each emitter has a focusing sphere. Energy passes through it before an energy field forms around the Compound. It's installed to control energy distribution during controlled collapses."
"And it can be focused..."
"Into a beam," the squad commander Cygnus stopped John. "A super-powerful beam that will obliterate everything in its path."
"But then we'll be left without defenses."
"And will kill hundreds of enemy soldiers. Long-range weaponry. And when they come closer..."
"The soldiers will hold the line," Martha concluded. "But first..." the woman surveyed the hall, looked into each person's eyes, then glanced at the machine. "Begin preparations for the fracture."
Doubting the correctness of their actions, the staff took their places at the consoles. Over the past years, each of them had performed the same actions according to protocols. Everyone knew which switch to flip, which button to press. They all had been preparing for this moment. But no one knew it would come like this.
The lights came on. Energy began flowing from the Father into the Machine through the cables. The energy disks glowed at the heart of the Fracture Machine. The hum started building.
"Synchronization!" Darwin shouted.
"Main flow opening."
"Flow calibration."
"Disabling safety lock."
"Setting... no coordinates required."
"Contact with the energy disk."
"Preparing for fracture."
"Fracture!" Darwin confirmed.
A light flashed in the gap between the cylinders, illuminating each person as if it were alive. Decades and finally Martha saw what Professor Simon Williams had witnessed fifteen years ago. Primordial Space had become accessible. The Machine held the fracture open, and the Father absorbed the energy. Reality was torn apart.
"Charging of the Prime Reservoir has begun," Darwin exhaled.
"This is Primordial Space..." Samantha stepped forward, as if yearning to step into the fracture.
"No," Martha stopped her with a hand. "This light isn't Primordial Space; it's our reality — or rather, the fracture in it. At this moment, Primordial Space lies beyond the light, but when a connection is established, a new reality will be behind it."
"And by stepping through..."
"You'll die now but find yourself in a new world afterward."
The Wanderers' journey was supposed to begin now. But fate played by its own rules. Everyone in the Fracture Compound would have to play this game and lose. But to Martha Crockford, it felt different in that moment. She already had a plan for the next steps. If fate played by its rules, Martha Crockford would play by hers.
"What's next?" John asked the professor.
"Next, Jonathan, we fight. They won't take the Machine! Our mission isn't over yet." She looked at Amanda, the soldier who had lost everything — everything but her life. And as hard as it was to admit, today Martha Crockford would take from Amanda everything she had left. "Announce a full assembly," she ordered, heading toward the exit of the Fracture Machine hall. "We're at war."
Minutes passed one after another as Hawks, armed with weapons, drew closer. The Father gathered energy. The fracture was still open, and the light illuminated Darwin, the last person left in the Fracture Machine hall. The Wanderers, Martha, and the others had left and gathered at the central square of the Compound. Two hundred students crowded around Martha. Each one was afraid, each one talked about the horrors they'd seen on the media, live. Most had already contacted their families. The rest couldn't get through — ither the communication towers had been destroyed or their families...
For those unaware of the true story behind the Third District incident, the thought that the Last Ones were coming to seize the Compound to alter the timeline seemed like a fantasy. A fantasy Martha Crockford was about to reveal as a battle for humanity.
The Wanderers stood behind her. John still hadn't processed that he was the last member of his family. Everyone else was gone. Ioanna was among the victims. Thousands were dead, and countless more were injured. Smoke was visible in the distance. Arkan was burning. Most likely, the explosion of the Reservoir had completely destroyed the center and damaged the outskirts. Fortunately, the Fracture Compound was far enough from Arkan, so no one there could hear the screams of the burning people or the cries of children who'd lost their families. Only the smell of burning reached the Compound.
"You all saw what happened," Martha stood as if on a tribune. "The Capitol is destroyed, the Council Halls are destroyed. All Government has been annihilated. This is the work of the Last Ones. They aren't fanatics or terrorists. Their goal is not to frighten us or damage our nation; they seek to obliterate it."
"But why?" a student called out. Martha looked at the young man's face, filled with pain. He was likely one of those who hadn't been able to reach his family.
"As we recently discovered, the Rift Gates and the Cradle Complex in the Third District were constructed under the Last Ones' direction. This means they were already in positions of government and part of the scientific alliance. The Rift Gates' purpose was to use the laws of Primordial Space to connect with the past. The point in the timeline was a moment before the Great Consolidation. They intended to change our history in the literal sense. If successful, we would be erased from history, and the Consolidated Nation would cease to exist. But they made a mistake. A collapse occurred." The students listened attentively to Martha Crockford's tale. "And now they're coming for the Fracture Machine. Because it alone can connect with the past. But if they fail, they'll restore their old world here and now. The explosions at the Capitol and the Council Halls are their backup plan. The panic ravaging our country is merely a cover for a massive attack to seize the Compound. The entire future of the Consolidated Nation depends on what we do here and now. The Guards won't come; most likely, their corps in Arkan was wiped out by the Reservoir explosion. The Revel Guards won't arrive in time before the attack. There's probably panic in other cities. Followers of the Last Ones have taken to the streets and are inciting chaos. No one is coming to our aid."
"So what do we do?" a second-year girl raised her hand, as everyone else murmured about what had happened.
"We..." Martha surveyed the students and staff. None of them would survive today, including Martha. "We'll fight. Students of the older wave are more experienced in shooting and will be on the front lines; new wave students will form the second line of defense. You'll protect the Machine Hall. Compound staff will equip you with weapons from the storage, along with protective disks. And be with you. Additionally, we'll deploy the energy field emitters. One of them will shield the Compound with a protective dome, and we'll recalibrate the other three for long-range combat. I need three students capable of operating the emitters and adjusting each one's focus sphere. Raise your hands."
"We can't do it," a young man stepped out from the crowd. "It's suicide. Even if we have the energy field, how long will it last? What happens after it's deactivated? The Capitol and nearby area are destroyed." Babylon Restaurand near capital Hotel was nearby, and it was likely destroyed too, along with its wine cellar. No one would ever taste the Rebirth again.
"You disagree?" Martha approached the student. "I won't blame you. You aren't warriors; you're only students. Anyone who doesn't want to fight, anyone who's afraid or can't do it, step forward. I won't force any of you."
Twelve students, three from the senior class and nine from the new wave stepped out from the crowd, each refusing to defend the Compound. Martha simply spoke a few sentences that convinced five of them to return.
"You may leave, but know that you, like me, are enemies of the Last Ones. If you flee, they will find you and your families and kill you. Given how ruthless they are, before you die, you will witness the deaths of your loved ones. And you will die with that grief. The same fate awaits the rest. Those who do not side with them will be murdered. You are free to go."
Martha looked at the crowd.
"Now, raise your hands. I need three people," Martha watched as seven individuals headed for the complex's exit. "Good. Approach the staff," two young men and a woman stepped toward the men in white coats, and together, they moved toward the complex boundaries to reconfigure the focus sphere. "As for the rest of you... your task is defense. You will be provided with weapons and protective disks, as well as shown where your positions are. Any questions?"
"What if they overwhelm us?" one of the girls asked.
"You can surrender," Martha replied curtly. "Chances are, they'll shoot you quickly. Or hold your ground to the end."
There were no further questions, and, strangely enough, Martha was ready to answer each one. But no one asked anything else. Perhaps they understood the importance of the coming battle, or maybe they simply didn't know what to do next, and Martha Crockford was the one who gave them a purpose. A purpose that was the only one possible that day: to defend the Compound.
The students headed to the weapons storage. Although it was training equipment, it had a lethal fire lock installed. It was simpler to install a lock on Guardians' weapons than to manufacture training rifles. A few staff members were already waiting to remove the lock and provide everything needed to defend the Compound. Each container held twenty protective disks, ready to block enemy fire.
"We'll be with them," James approached the professor. "We'll also hold the line."
"Absolutely not," Martha turned sharply. "You are the core of this project. Your task is to be in the Fracture Machine hall."
"All support is necessary."
"There are only three of you left," Martha lit a cigarette and brought it to her lips. "Once we've accumulated enough energy, we'll open the fracture for each of you. You won't have time to run to the hall. And given the timing," she exhaled smoke into the air, "every second counts. We don't have much time."
"What about them?" John glanced at the back of the last student disappearing from sight.
"They have their own task, and you have yours," Martha dropped the cigarette butt and crushed it underfoot. "According to calculations, they'll be within firing range in forty minutes. We need to get ready."
The woman left the Wanderers, who seemed about to say something. Only moments ago, her hands had been shaking with tension, but now she was as calm as ever. As if she knew the ending of the story of Project Fracture, and that gave her peace. As if she had already won the war or had already accepted defeat.
***
Minutes passed. The Father's hum was steady. Darwin stood by the console in the Fracture Machine hall, checking the data. Everything was stable. Finally, there was stability, or so Darwin thought. He hadn't left the hall and couldn't hear what was happening beyond its doors. Outside, silence reigned — a calm before the storm that would mark a turning point in humanity's story.
Martha smoked by the entrance to the dome, where the Fracture lit up the Machine hall brighter than any spotlight. Several cigarette butts lay on the ground. She was jotting something down on a piece of paper and staring into the distance. The Arkan was still burning, with black clouds of smoke visible from the Compound grounds.
James and Samantha helped the new soldiers gear up: rifles, pistols, and protective disks. The newcomers, though trained in shooting, hadn't yet started the technology course. They had no need to understand how a protective disk worked, how to calibrate it, or restart it if it malfunctioned. Each of them would use it only once.
John took one last walk through the lower floors of the Fracture Tower. The corridors were empty, as were the labs. All personnel had already evacuated the tower. In most offices, the lights were off. Only in the medical wing did light spill into the hallway.
"What are you doing?" John asked Amanda.
"One more," the commander replied to Jessica, who was putting a syringe away in a drawer.
"One more, and your heart won't hold up."
"I still feel the pain."
"You barely survived the Hawk crash," Jessica scolded her patient. "Hello, John," she greeted the Wanderer.
"Injecting stimulants," Amanda answered.
"You're going to fight in that condition?"
"I'll be controlling the energy field around the Compound," Amanda rose from the bed. The stimulants in her blood kept her from feeling the pain of her broken ribs. "If things get desperate, I'll step in to defend the Compound."
"You realize you'll die, don't you?" Jessica stood beside the Wanderer. "Your injuries... your body won't withstand it."
"I devised the plan with the emitters," Amanda exhaled. "You've seen what the Third District does to people, John. It did the same to you — I can see it in your eyes."
"They'll be within firing range in fifteen minutes."
"And the emitters aren't working yet," Jessica glanced out the window.
"They're calibrating them," John stepped closer to the commander. "You shouldn't."
"Luckily, it's not up to you," Amanda walked past him, leaving the medical wing.
"And you?" John asked Jessica.
"Martha declined my request, but I'll be near the Machine hall, helping as much as I can," the woman picked up several boxes of medical supplies. "Field medic," she chuckled slightly. "The tower is on the front line. It will likely be damaged or destroyed."
"Good luck," John took a few more boxes.
"You'll need luck more than I will," Jessica turned off the light, and they both headed toward the Fracture Tower exit.
The students were already in their positions. John handed the boxes to Jessica, and she announced over the radio that a field hospital would be set up near one of the dormitories. Although there was little hope it would be used — the Last Ones were ruthless. Even the wounded, they would finish off. Everyone not with them was against them and, therefore, undeserving of life. This was how it had been during the revolution attempt a century ago.
Approaching the hall, the Wanderer saw Professor Crockford taking one of the last cigarettes from her pack. She glanced at him just as the ground trembled. The emitter had been activated. A barely noticeable distortion began appearing high above the Compound, slowly stretching and covering the area meter by meter. The emitter, which was supposed to protect them, had been recalibrated. The energy of the collapse was different: it consumed everything in its path. Even four emitters could hold back the collapse for only an hour. That time would have been enough to halt the spread of the energy wave. But now, the emitter was set not to defend against an all-consuming explosion, but against ordinary human weapons.
"They'll attack soon," Jonathan said, approaching Martha. She put a slip of paper into her coat pocket.
"There it is," the Professor gestured, "their world," she exhaled. "That's what they're fighting for, what they want to bring back."
"Violence? War?" John leaned against the wall.
"No," Martha laughed, "an ideology. One person above others. And each of them thinks the same. Achieving a goal through the destruction of opponents and extermination of the undesirable."
"Doesn't the Tenth District exist for that purpose?"
"The Tenth District is an alternative. Those who disagreed with us, who committed crimes, were sent to the Tenth District. They live there, building their society by their rules. The Tenth District, John, isn't a prison but an alternative. Everything in this world has an alternative, even if the conditions aren't the best."
"Really?"
"The Consolidated Nation has the Last Ones, our society has the Tenth District, war has negotiations, and even the Fracture Machine had the Rift Gates. The difference between us and them is that we try to live with differences, with alternatives. They eliminate them."
"And how do we live with them?" John asked Martha for a cigarette. "Both the Consolidated Nation and the Last Ones want to hold power. What's the alternative to that?"
"It's not about holding power, but why," she replied. "Take you and Darwin: you're free here, in our world. In theirs, you'd be exterminated for sin, for unnatural actions," she glanced at him sideways. "The Consolidated Nation held power so that you could be who you are. An alternative. To them, you're a threat." Martha flicked her cigarette to the ground. John either couldn't or didn't want to count the number of cigarette butts scattered around. "That's the difference between ideologies. War is always fought over ideology. In their world, no one wanted to talk, to try to understand differences, to live and build a life with them. And their world vanished."
"And what about our world? It's also on the brink."
"Our world, John, is falling apart before our eyes. And all because the Last Ones started a war. Without them, our country wouldn't be burning. If they lived in the Tenth District, they would live in peace, and so would we. But they, like everyone from the old world, need more. Power. Absolute power. Because if you have power, you have everything. And if you don't, you have nothing."
The woman entered the hall of the fracture machine, while John stayed outside, watching as the energy field connected to the ground. The Compound was protected.
Professor Martha Crockford walked down the corridor leading to the Fracture. White light reached her. Energy flowed into the Father, striving directly from the Primordial Space. Darwin continued to monitor the flows. The stability that existed continued to amaze him. Everything was going according to plan. Fate seemed to be standing behind him, watching the data. But when Martha entered the hall, Fate stepped away from Darwin. The gods of the Last Ones seemed to have emerged from the Fracture to watch a battle that was destined to be lost. Fate approached its opponent, looked into the Professor's eyes, trying to understand how Martha would attempt to outmaneuver her, the one who rules lives.
"How much longer?" the Professor approached Darwin.
"Not long. Just a bit more, and there will be enough energy," the young man seemed not to pay attention.
"Darwin," Martha addressed him, "I'm afraid I have one last request for you." The woman extended a rolled-up piece of paper.
"What is this?" the young man unfolded the sheet.
"A protocol." Martha walked around the console. "You've worked on the Machine's operating system, created most of the programs and subprograms, as well as the protocols."
"I can't," Darwin inhaled heavily, looking at the notes.
"Usually, protocols take a few days, but this time..."
"Not because of that," Darwin adjusted his glasses. "I can't do it. What you're proposing... I won't be able to do it."
"You can," Martha approached the short young man. "If they succeed, they'll seize the Machine, and if they fail — our world. The Consolidated Nation is no longer destroyed. We are just a fragment that will shatter very soon. There are many such fragments, but they too are dying."
"Martha," Darwin called her by name for the first time, "answer me. Is it worth it? Is this the way out?"
"I'm afraid it's the only way out," the woman took out a cigarette. There was only two left in the pack. "They will come here. It's unknown how long the emitter will last. It's not designed to withstand an attack from the outside. But when they come, they will shoot everyone: all the students, all the staff, you and me. And then they will move on, killing everyone who stands in their way..."
"I can't take responsibility."
"You will, Darwin. When you hear the screams of the others out there, behind the doors, you will think. And when the screams fade, as well as the gunshots, you will take responsibility. Just like I will. Just like everyone else. This is our last shot."
Darwin stood at the console, his thoughts jumping from one side to the other. She was right. No, it's impossible. But what if... Darwin searched for an escape, an alternative to Martha's idea, but couldn't find one. There was no alternative. This was the only way out.
The signal rang out across the hall of the Fracture Machine. There was enough energy to fracture reality and send first of the Wanderers on their journey.
"What do you say, Darwin?" Martha communicated with the Wanderers over the radio to gather at the Machine. "How long will it take to write the protocol?"
"It's simple," Darwin replied as if he had made the decision to fulfill the Professor's last request. "Half an hour at most. I understand there's no need for calibration."
"It just needs to work."
Darwin approached another control console and activated the isolated mode for adjusting the operating system. The Wanderers, along with the other staff, arrived in the hall of the Machine. Only a few minutes remained before the battle began. The students took their places. Jessica laid out all the instruments in the field hospital. Amanda approached the girl who stood at the emitter, ready to attack. The distortion refracted the light. The fracture Compound awaited.
"I'm closing the Fracture," Martha stood at the console where Darwin had previously been and began the closing procedure.
The energy began to diminish, and the light started to flicker. A few more seconds — and the Fracture closed. The light of the Primordial Space, or the illusion of reality, disappeared. There was nothing in the gap between the cylinders. Only steam. The cooling systems of the Reservoir continued to operate.
"James, you're first," the Professor addressed the young man.
"Are you sure? Right now?"
At that moment, there was a sound of a blow and a slight rumble. The Hawks of the Last Ones came within shooting distance. The attack on the Compound began. First ten, then fifty, and then a hundred Hawks began bombarding the Compound. The shield absorbed the blows .
"Right now, Mr. Boucher," Martha looked at him. "Synchronization."
"James," Samantha approached him. "Good luck." The girl hugged him, and he hugged her back.
"Setting coordinates."
"See you later," John shook his hand, but James pulled him in and hugged him.
"Good luck to you too."
"Preparing for the fracture."
"We'll meet again," James approached the gap between the cylinders.
"Fracture!" Martha shouted.
And once again, for the second time, reality fractured. The light blinded James, who was so close to it. Martha approached James Boucher and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Good luck, Mr. Boucher. I hope you reach your goal."
"Absolutely," James smiled.
The Wanderer took a few steps and found himself so close to the fracture in reality that the light flowing from outside enveloped his hand. He turned and took one last look at his friends. Long ago, they had stood in the same spot when they were first appointed as Wanderers. Back then, James imagined how he would pass through the fracture and end up in another world, in another universe. And now, he only needed to take a step, and the new world would reveal its story to him. James Boucher took that step and dissolved into the white light of reality. A moment later, the Fracture was closed.
"And the first one has gone," Martha surveyed the remaining wanderers.
"Is the Fracture closed?"
"Not quite," Martha replied to John. "The first fracture was necessary for greater energy. While James's rift was open, Father worked in two streams: one stream kept the rift open, the other extract energy."
"So we can open the next Fracture?"
"Not yet; the cooling system is operational. We need a few minutes."
A shot rang out. A powerful beam, created by the focusing sphere of the emitter, pierced through a dozen hawks. Debris damaged several more Hawks. The soldiers, once students, were fighting. Rifles fired again and again. Energy pulses left the emitter's range and embedded themselves in the Hawks, puncturing their hulls. Hundreds. That's what one of the staff said. There were more. Thousands. And they were all firing at the Compound. Old technology, new technology — everything the Last Ones had was aimed at destroying the dome. Energy shots, bullets, and missiles struck the energy field of the Compound. But no shot could penetrate inside.
No matter how much the Compound's guards shot and destroyed the hawks, more and more kept coming. Increasing numbers of them were coming within firing range. The Fracture Compound was under a massive assault from the Last Ones' forces. Again, a beam pierced several fighters. Explosions and fire fell from the skies into the Gardens of Eternity. But the fire could not destroy them since they were already dead. A shot was fired. Several hawks were destroyed. But the others dodged. A shot — and four of them exploded.
But, as Martha, Amanda, and the others had said, the emitters were not designed for attack. Only defense against collapse. The focusing sphere worked for containment. And such a load led it to destruction and a release of energy outward. "Martha knew," flashed through the young man's mind as he fired. And a moment later, the explosion of the sphere destroyed the emitter and the soldier with it. Parts of his body, torn by the blast, fell onto the lawn. Blood flowed across the grass and then along the concrete slabs leading to the Fracture Machine.
The first victim. The first casualty among all the others. Those who saw his bloodied leg understood that they would meet the same fate. Some of them hesitated, stopping their fire. Others, on the contrary, continued to shoot with even more fervor. A shot — fifty hawks fell. Apparently, the beam hit one of the hawks carrying heavy weaponry.
Martha wished she knew how long the Compound's defense could hold, how many bullets and missiles the energy field could stop. But the emitter protecting them shut down. Distortions began to fade. Bullets, missiles, and energy projectiles rushed toward the Compound.
"Damn!" Amanda shouted and dashed toward the now-inactive emitter. The girl, who was left alone, could only turn around. A projectile struck the position she had been in. Pain pierced her body, followed by emptiness. Amanda ran along the paths leading to the dormitories. It was there, on the roof, that the emitter was located.
Bullets pierced the bodies of soldiers, energy projectiles tore their faces apart. Some were less fortunate. The second line of defense, which was not far from the central square, opened fire as soon as they saw the enemy. Though they hit their targets, the enemy could not be stopped.
"Get out of here!" Amanda waved her hand to Jessica. "There's no one to save here."
Though the stimulants were working, there was no pain, but the stitches on her wound began to come apart. And a trail of blood was left behind Amanda. Already at the dormitory doors, she turned around. The last functioning attack emitter exploded, and fire splashed onto the nearby trees. Following that, several missiles struck the Fracture Tower. The load-bearing walls could not withstand the explosion, and the place where the Wanderers had slept for the last few years began to collapse. The first wave of defense retreated precisely where gravity should have pulled the debris of the Fracture Tower. Glass shards pierced the bodies of soldiers, cutting their necks and severing fingers. Blood sprayed onto the concrete. This did not last long. In a minute, the Fracture Tower collapsed onto those who had survived the first line of defense. Metal and glass reflected the sunlight. The beams fell on the blood flowing from under the debris and reflected again.
"Setting Coordinates," shouted Martha.
"Do you hear what's going on out there?" Samantha asked John.
"Unfortunately," John glanced down the corridor. Outside, screams and explosions could be heard. Apparently, the second line of defense was also under fire.
"Preparing for the Fracture."
"I'm sorry that we're parting this way," John hugged the Wanderer.
"Take care of yourself," Samantha approached the doorway.
"Fracture."
Light illuminated them for the third time. The fracture in reality opened again. The girl, like James, stepped closely to the source of the blinding light. This time, Martha couldn't approach her, give her parting words. Standing at the console, she raised her eyes and said, "Good luck." The girl nodded to her and Jonathan. Taking a step, Samantha Fisher vanished in the light, as if she had never stood there.
"Closing the fracture." And the light disappeared. "Damn, damn!"
"What's going on?" John asked the Professor.
"There's not enough energy to open the next Fracture."
"But you calculated it."
"I know I calculated it," Martha raised her gaze to where the light had once been. "Well, we'll open the fracture not in your path, but to the closest world."
"They're inside," Jessica burst in. "They're on the Compound's territory."
Martha Crockford merely glanced at Darwin. He was already standing and looking at her, waiting for her command. The protocol Professor Crockford had given him was already prepared and implemented into the system of the Fracture Machine.
The army entered the territory. They had no pity for the wounded, for those who still breathed. A soldier approached each person still alive and shot, ensuring he wouldn't breathe the air of their world. A group of people moved toward the hall of the Fracture Machine. They easily bypassed the debris of the Tower. Some of them climbed onto the metal, surveying the territory.
Amanda managed to reach the roof. The emitter stood still. The cause of its shutdown was unknown. Step by step, she approached it. The seams split. With every passing minute, she lost more and more blood. The time left in her life was running out. As she got closer to the Emitter, she opened the access panel. Inside, a focusing sphere hovered. A few movements, a few subprograms opened on the console, and the emitter was reconfigured. How long could she survive without medical assistance? This question Amanda posed to herself, to the gods of the Last Ones, to fate, as she watched blood flow from her wound.
A little. The answer was simple. And since it was a little, she had to make the most of the time she had left. Unlike the other emitters used in the attack on enemy forces, Amanda reconfigured the emitter to fire just once. A powerful burst of energy for ten, maybe fifteen seconds. After that, the focusing sphere would not withstand the load and would explode.
"A good enough end," Amanda said, aiming the emitter at the crowd below. Her finger pressed the button. The woman took a breath and accepted the end of her story. With the next move, she activated the Emitter. The energy, focused into a beam, shot towards the enemy. Dozens, hundreds of soldiers burned in pure energy, and it lasted for several seconds. More than half of them were incinerated. Hawks exploded. Those who had just emerged did not have time to understand what was happening before the beam of energy scorched them. Eight seconds passed, and an overload message appeared on the console. But that could not stop Amanda. People who have accepted their death are unstoppable. Ten seconds. The explosion tore her body apart, destroyed the roof, and debris flew downward.
The man walking ahead, the leader of the Last Ones, directed his gaze at the collapsing dormitory. Hundreds of deaths among his comrades seemed to matter little to him. Though he turned around at the moment of Amanda's attack, his face did not contort.
"You?" A girl from the first line of defense, who had survived the bombardment, lay on the grass, blood seeping from a wound through her training suit. A few shards of glass protruded from her leg.
The man lowered his gaze. The girl was gasping, blood flowing from the corners of her mouth. The man merely pointed his gun at her and fired. The energy charge burned part of her face, went through, and scorched the grass. The blood that gushed onto the ground immediately congealed.
"Darwin," Martha called.
"Done, everything is ready." The young man leaned his hands on the console.
"What is the maximum hold time for the Fracture?"
"Wait," Darwin traced his fingers over the console, "four seconds."
The man at the head of the Last Ones approached the central square. A few people from the second wave were already dead. The rest held their rifles at the ready.
"Here are the results," he raised his hands, "this is what awaits you."
"Go to hell," shouted a guy.
"There are more of us, fewer of you. Don't defend what you will never obtain. Surrender now, and you will stay alive. You are just a resource, and that resource is running low. Those who were before you are already dead."
"A guarantee?" A girl from the new wave aimed her gun.
"There is none. It's either trust or death." Two dozen soldiers raised their rifles and aimed at the students.
The girl threw her gun to the ground. A few others followed suit.
"Get on your knees," shouted the man.
"How dare you?" The guy fired a shot. The charge stopped a few centimeters from the man's face and vanished. The protective disk saved him. Then another shot rang out, and the guy fell to the ground. Following that were a series of shots, and those holding weapons fell from the realm of the living.
"This is the future," several enemy soldiers rushed forward and collected weapons from the ground. Those standing knelt, acknowledging the new authority. "You are not worthy of it," a series of shots rang out, and all the students of the new wave died. The army continued toward the Fracture Machine, stepping over the bodies of fallen cadets.
"Do you hear me, John?" Martha approached the Wanderer. "You will only have four seconds to pass through the Fracture. One second longer, and it will destroy you."
"I understand," John stood next to the opening.
"Darwin," Martha approached the young man, who looked into her eyes and saw what would happen next.
"Run the protocol I gave you. As soon as enough energy is accumulated, the Fracture will open."
"Are you sure?" Darwin opened the control panel on the console.
"There's no other way." Martha turned to John. "John, your task is to pass through the Fracture. Everything that remains here is our problem. We will deal with it."
"They will shoot you. They will take the Machine."
"They won't take it; I will destroy it." Martha placed her hands on the Wanderer's shoulders. "You will have four seconds."
"Do you hear?" Jessica addressed everyone.
"They're all dead," Martha replied, looking into the eyes of the Wanderer.
"How can they..." A shot rang out, and an energy charge passed through Jessica's head.
Strangely enough, Martha Crockford always named the protocols. Darwin only had to write them down and implement them into the system of the Machine. But this time was different. Darwin Toapanta named the protocol that the Professor had given him. When the Last Ones entered the hall of the Machine, the young man approached the console. He extended his hand, opened the control panel, initiated the protocol, and stepped back a few paces. And though he had always seen various messages during tests, a new entry lit up on the console: Protocol Black Fracture initiated.
A man entered the Hall of the Machine with several scientists. To his right was Elias Green, or as he had been called for the past week, Thomas Morph. All this time, he had been pretending to be Thomas Morph in order to reach the Capitol and plant a bomb, thanks to Ioanna and the news channel. Unfortunately, he had to kill the real Thomas Morph and steal his identity. Every time Elias spoke, Ioanna was unaware of his plan. Him and his Leader. The Council Hall, the Capitol, everything was supposed to burn. After the explosions in the Capital, Elias felt sorry for Ioanna, but that was her Fate.
"Hello, Martha," the man stepped over Jessica's body.
"Hello, Richard," the woman approached Darwin's console step by step. "Now I see that the mistake was man-made."
"Surprised?"
"More disappointed," the woman stared intently at her colleague. "Why? Why damage the disk?"
"Well..." Richard smiled, "It was necessary to delay the launch. I didn't think you'd make it in time. And yet," the man looked around the hall, "three Wanderers are not here and not among dead bodies. How did you manage to repair the energy disk?"
"I couldn't," Martha pulled out a pack of cigarettes and extracted the last one. "Cradle."
"Well, that means I was right. The collapse was caused from this time."
"Apparently, Eleonor believed differently from you."
"She just wanted to see Simon; she thought that if she restored the Cradle and opened the Rift Gates, Simon would return."
"He didn't return," Martha lit the cigarette.
"Well, we helped her; if the collapse wasn't caused from this time, then we can send the data."
"You couldn't," Martha took a drag.
"And let me guess... the Wanderers went to the Cradle?"
"They did," Professor Crockford took a step, blocking the console.
"And no one died?"
"Died," Martha glanced at John. "Several guards and one Wanderer."
"Well, the Third District took many of us."
"Do you think I will give up the Machine?"
"They will die if you don't."
"That's what you told the others you shot outside."
"They're not important, Martha. Students? They are unnecessary. Scientists? They died in the shelling, but we have enough of our own. And here? In the Hall of the Machine? Only you will do, and maybe a couple of others. But you won't side with us."
"So many deaths, Richard, and for the sake of the Machine? What about your souls? So much sin."
"Our souls are sacrifices for the good of our world. We give our lives for the sake of the old world. It will be reborn. Either here and now, or in the past."
"What was so good about your world that you want to bring it back so badly? I've always been curious."
"Opportunities, freedom, the essence of nature. Just look at the Department of Population Control. What gives you the right to decide who can be a father or mother and who can't?"
"And what happened to those children in the old world? Those who were abandoned by their own parents?"
"They had a life."
"Suffering."
"You destroyed the institutions of society. You ruined them, wiped them off the face of the earth. Abominations like him," Richard pointed at the Wanderer, "live and desecrate this land."
"And you speak of freedom?"
"Only man deserves freedom. A strong man. And who is he?"
"What makes you think he isn't strong? A weak person wouldn't create a collapse to stop you."
"Was it you?" Richard laughed. "And what is it like to live with the blood of millions on your hands?"
"And what is it like for you?" Martha exhaled smoke into Richard's face. "How many died because of you?"
"They weren't worthy. They were nobody. Just like most of you. You have no faith. You didn't believe in us, and look where we are. On the brink of the rebirth of our world."
"We don't believe, we know, Richard."
"And yet, you've made so many mistakes. Your world wasn't capable of existence."
"It was for seven centuries. And after the project, it could have been for another seven." Martha shook off the ash and glanced at the console. Just a minute left.
"The Machine will belong to us. Whether you stand with us or not. And if you think about blowing it up, we are many, we are everywhere. We will rebuild it, restore it. And we will go back seven centuries."
"Richard, your world perished because you wanted it to. War after war, famine, epidemics. And no one cared. Thousands died. Millions didn't care about them."
"That's natural selection. Those who died of hunger couldn't eat. Those who died in war were the worst soldiers."
"And the one who started a nuclear war? Was he the worst leader?"
"He was the strongest."
"The death of millions is strength? You see? John is very strong." Martha smirked.
"Step away from the console, or they will all die."
Jonathan Brooks stood next to the opening. Prime Reservoir had gathered enough energy and was ready to open a fracture to another universe. Darwin watched him, realizing that only a few seconds remained until the opening. The young man understood how this would all end. Once the fracture opened, everyone in the Machine room would be under fire. A memory of the broken Martha flashed in his mind. Once the screams and gunfire subsided, he would change his perspective. Hearing Richard Robinson's words, Darwin understood that the Black Fracture was the only option. The old world seemed unimaginable, and Darwin Toapanta was ready for the consequences, however brief they might be. The young man removed his glasses and set them on the console.
"I told you to step away from the console, Martha," Richard pressed the gun's barrel against the woman. She merely turned and glanced at the Wanderer, then looked back at the console.
"John," Martha shouted, "now!"
In an instant, light burst from the Fracture in reality behind the Wanderer. Four seconds remained, and the countdown began.
"Shoot them all!" Richard fired at Martha's abdomen. Gunshots rang out immediately after.
John rushed toward the Fracture. An energy projectile hit the Wanderer's back, but the energy field protected him. One step, and the Wanderer was at the fracture. Another, and the light enveloped him. The third one and Jonathan Brooks, the last of the Wanderers, disappeared into the light of the shattered reality.
When the gunfire ceased, Richard Robinson looked around the room. Darwin Toapanta, like the other scientists, lay on the floor, his body riddled with bullets and energy projectiles. Elias Green grabbed Darwin by the legs and dragged his body toward the other staff members of the Fracture Compound. His eyes were open.
Richard Robinson shoved Martha Crockford, and her body fell to the floor. He made a few futile movements. The console was locked.
"Did you really think that the lock would stop me? In the games of fate, victory isn't provided." Richard began to maneuver around the lock program. Elias Green and the other Last Ones followed him. Each approached a free console, trying to hack the lock, but none succeeded. Even Richard, who had worked in the Compound for years, couldn't unlock the console. He could only watch as data streamed. But it didn't last long — laughter echoed behind him.
"What have you done?" Richard turned to Martha.
"You still don't understand," she said, raising the remnants of her cigarette and lighting it again. Blood flowed, and she pressed her hand against the wound. "You thought so long about the rebirth of the old world that you forgot how our world operates."
"You've lost, Martha," Richard punched her in the face, and the woman merely smirked.
"I'll wait, Richard."
"You'll bleed out."
"I know," the woman smiled, "I want to see the moment you understand. I want to die seeing the realization that your world cannot be reborn."
"The Fracture," the man turned and stared at the light. "It's not closed!"
"And the connection is severed!" Martha laughed. "John had only four seconds to get through, and now it's Primordial Space."
"Professor," Elias called out, "the Prime Reservoir is gaining energy."
"And in large amounts," Martha finished. "Thank you, Darwin." The woman glanced at Toapanta's body and smiled slightly.
"It's easy to stop this. Switch to manual control!" Richard Robinson ordered.
"Is it?" The woman seemed to relish the moment.
"What have you done?" Richard struck Martha again.
"I excluded the Machine from the process," Professor Crockford extinguished her cigarette. "The essence of the protocol that Darwin called the Black Fracture is that the Machine is beyond our control. The Fracture is open, the safety mechanisms are off, and the Father is receiving all the energy he can hold. The Fracture won't close while the Father is extracting energy."
"You couldn't have," Richard sank to his knees before her.
"The explosion in the Cradle was just a small flash that triggered an explosion of Primordial Space energy, causing the collapse."
"No!"
"The Father's explosion, with the Fracture open," Martha glanced at the Reservoir, "will be many times more powerful than the bang in the Cradle."
"Professor Robinson," Thomas addressed him, "energy levels are critical."
"Evacuate!" Richard declared. "Take any Hawk and evacuate!" The Last Ones started to flee. "And you," the man aimed his gun at Martha.
"No one will escape," Martha laughed.
Elias Green ran for the exit. He understood that he wouldn't be saved. So an idea came to his mind. To escape to a place where the collapse wouldn't reach him.
"Eleanor sent me something," the woman began to scream, and the madness lurking in her mind revealed itself to Richard. There were no more cages or keys. Martha Crockford's madness was unleashed. "There is nothing eternal and infinite. Everything has an end!" An alarm rang out, signaling a critical energy level in the Prime Reservoir. The room turned red. Energy strands began to appear near the Fracture Machine, as well as around the Prime Reservoir. There was too much energy. It enveloped the Compound. Threads permeated the entire territory of the Fracture Compound.
"You killed them all!" Richard pressed his finger to the trigger of the gun.
"Better this way than life in your world," overloads began to destroy the energy nodes, sparks blinded them both. The siren wailed. The security system was disabled by the Black Fracture protocol. And there were no more emitters. "And in the games of fate..." Martha laughed again. "I won!"
At that moment, a brightest light engulfed them. The explosion of the Prime Reservoir triggered an explosion of Primordial Space energy. The collapse that no one could imagine was born in a wave of light that spread. Those Last Ones running from the Fracture Machine couldn't reach the Hawks in time. They felt no sensation as the light consumed them. In an instant, the light reached what was left of the Arkan. Another moment, and Revel vanished. The dome that had protected them for centuries fell with a single touch of the collapse's energy. The collapse caught up with all existence in their world. And there were no more the Last Ones, no more Consolidated Nation, no more Project Fracture. The blue sky of that day vanished, along with the stars it concealed. The infinite dance of worlds lost one participant.