2400 AD

“We lost 18 Androids,” Terces said, “and one human. Mishak Tshabala-Maine. The death count on the North-east coast of Africa is four and a half million.”

Gideon hung his head. “Our casualties are nothing compared to what happened on the North-east coast of Africa.”

“The extent of the damage?”

Tumelo stood and pointed to certain places on a holographic image spread across the table.

“The tsunami swept across Rabat in Morocco, not as powerful though. We are waiting for the numbers from Denizen 5. Western Sahara, Mauritania, Dakar in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Cote di Ivoire, Ghana, Toga, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea were the worst hit. There is nothing left of Toga, Liberia and Sierra Leone.”

Silence filled the room.

“Do we know why this happened in an area not known to have any seismic activity?” Gideon asked.

“It happened the moment the eldest of the children screamed in the tunnel. The frequency spiked on DeniSat,” Tumelo said. “I can’t help wondering if that has anything to do with it.”

“Those children are more than dangerous,” Nkoni mumbled.

“Speak out, Patrick,” Gideon said.

“Those children. We’re playing with death. They’re playing with death. Their powers are so extraordinary that not even we can comprehend it. If they can do this, we all are in danger. Maybe Suiderland was right. Get rid of them.”

The table sat in shocked silence listening to Nkoni. He looked dead serious about his proposal.

“We don’t kill children, Patrick,” Gideon said.

“Then we’ll all die.”

Gideon asked, “The children are in quarantine?”

Kendall nodded. “They’re being well looked after.”

Nkoni rapped his fingers on the table. “We could have lost more lives out there.” He looked directly at Cleo and Callum. “If stupidity is anything to go by. The next time you get an itch up your arse, Callum, ignore it. You could have died out there.”

Callum smiled. “It was calculated.”

Jack Langley leaped up. “Bullshit! You placed all of our lives in danger, ballsy.”

“Be nice, Jack,” Gideon said. “The point is we’re alive and the kids are safe. Suiderland has more losses. That should mean something.”

Cleo asked, “What are we going to do with the children?”

“We need to educate them to use their minds to simulate for the benefit of mankind.”

“Further proof that we’re in a simulation of a simulation of a simulation into infinity,” Nkoni said.

“That remains to be seen. Personally, I don’t believe that we’re living in a simulation. I do believe that there are people who can create simulations, like we do in our simulation and anti-simulation chamber, but as for our world being a simulation, there is no proof,” Gideon said. “All in all, it was a successful gauntlet. I think we should all get some rest.”

As the team filed out of the War Room, Gideon said, “Callum.”

Callum stopped at the door and turned to face him.

“Stay for a moment.”

Callum’s heart beat a little faster. Those words could mean a rap over the knuckles, or a pleasantry spoken in earnest.

The door closed automatically.

“When I first came here, I was afraid. Just like you. Afraid that they wouldn’t accept me. I accepted that we live in a simulation long before I joined Denizen. I thought I’d come in, join a team and save the world from disaster. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m not going to lie to you and say that you did a good thing tonight. You didn’t. You forgot the rule. No bravery. So if you expected a thank you from any one of the team…”

“I just didn’t want us to fail. Krakat had blown one of our teammates and I had the opportunity to do the same to him. I wasn’t being brave. Just impulsive.”

“I’ve been there. I want you to understand, everything you do and say on a gauntlet has a ripple effect on the rest of the team. Just don’t do it again. Understood?”

“Understood.”

***

Indranil waited outside Callum’s apartment leaning against the wall, hands in his trouser pockets. He had become accustomed to waiting.

“Indranil, what brings you to my humble abode?” Callum said the moment he saw him.

“I am human. I have a need to socialize. Do you not feel this need? In Dilibad most families live on the second floor of their wood homes, sleeping, eating, and socializing on mats in the main room.”

“Interesting. Come inside. Can I offer you a tall glass of water?”

“That would be refreshing indeed.”

Indranil chose to sit cross-legged on the floor. In silence, Callum watched him for several minutes.

“You want to talk about something?”

“I miss Dilibad. You know I had a wife.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Pretty thing. Large dark eyes. Long brown hair. Not tall at all. I bent down to kiss her. I miss her. She got things wrong all the time. She was never specific. There was one incident, when my wife was talking to some girls around our flat who had just started the school year. She asked if they liked their teacher.

“Yes, she is nice.”

“Is she fair?”

“No, she is dark.”

“My wife realized the serious error she had made. She should have been more specific but couldn’t put it into words. She was trying to ask if the teacher treated everyone equally, but these girls thought she was asking about the “beauty” of their teacher.”

“She sounds like she was a wonderful person.”

“Indeed she was.”

“Do you have brothers? Sisters?”

“Once they were all alive. Toba killed them.”

“I am sorry.”

“No need for belated condolences. I am alive, that is all that matters.”

“And your wife?”

“She is also gone.”

Callum was careful not to say sorry again.

“I wish I was gay, like you. I am very sure it would be easy to find a man to love.”

“I don’t know about that. Hundreds of years ago it might have been. In the 20th and 21st centuries there were bars and clubs and discos and gay men were a dime a dozen...”

“A dime a dozen? They paid for them?”

Callum laughed. Indranil knew how to bring out laughter in people.

“Not at all. It’s just a saying. It means...”

“I am kidding, Foreign Legion. I know what it means.”

“You get me all the time.”

“Indeed I do. But please, continue, this is most fascinating.”

“Now of course, there are seedy places in the cities that cater for gay and straight people but it’s not the same. Gay men and women are different. They don’t possess the élan, that panache, verve, brio anymore. It’s like they’re dead.”

“It is the same with the women of today. They no longer have flair, vivacity or elegance. It is such a shame.”

“It’s all about survival, I guess.”

“Still, I wish I can find someone. I need to be touched. Loved. Understood.”

Callum leaned over to hug him but Indranil moved back. “What are you doing?”

“Hug. Can I hug you?”

Indranil stared at him with shifty eyes.

“Just a hug.”

“Yes. I would like that.”