Will McIntosh - Defenders

Everyone she passed looked at her intently for a moment, then quickly looked away. Fortunately her stitched lip, bandaged cheek, swollen left eye, and bruised forehead would heal. It was probably 50 percent better already.

When they weren’t gaping at her, Lila watched other people’s faces. She was morbidly fascinated by the shift in the default human expression since the defender occupation began. People rarely smiled, and rarely looked angry or even annoyed. They tried to keep their faces flat, emotionless, but undertones of fear and something like sadness, or self-pity, bled through. Back in the days of the Luyten War everyone looked openly afraid, but something about this situation caused people to try to tamp their emotions.

Kai found her in the printer ink aisle, limped over, and dropped four reams of paper in the cart. “You can never have too much paper.”

A defender came around the corner, his arms full of boxes.

“Shit,” Lila whispered.

“Here. People aren’t buying enough of these.” The defender dropped three identical boxes into their cart. According to the box, they were roll sorters. Lila had no idea what they were, but she now owned three.

“That should be enough,” Kai said. “Let’s get to the checkout line before he comes back with more.”

Another defender was patrolling the checkout line. Lila watched as he grabbed some big-ticket electronics at random from a pile and added them to an old woman’s cart. Evidently her cart wasn’t full enough. Lila was about to share a coded snide comment with Kai when a voice trumpeted in her head.

I have information for you.

Lila’s purse slipped from her fingers. She gripped the shopping cart with both hands to stay on her feet.

“You okay? What’s the matter?” Kai asked.

Why would a Luyten speak to her? As far as she knew, no Luyten had communicated with a human being since the invasion of Australia.

There are bathrooms in the back of the store. Beyond them is a fire exit. I’ve disabled the fire alarm.

“I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” She forced a smile, left the line, and headed toward the back of the store.

The exit was at the end of an L-shaped hallway. When she got outside Lila eased the door closed, maintaining her composure despite the presence of the scarlet-colored Luyten, waiting between two Dumpsters. It was in the prone position, three appendages on the floor, three folded.

As she stepped toward it, Lila glanced around to make sure no one was around.

There are no humans nearby, or planning to come back here anytime soon. That much I can tell you.

“I’m not particularly worried about humans. What do you want? I need to get back inside before I’m missed.”

I’ll try to be brief, but it’s important I be clear. The defenders were more rattled by the attacks on their birthing facilities than you know. They’ve decided that, as things stand now, they’re far too outnumbered by humans to maintain control.

“I know. I got their marching orders. They’ve got me spitting out defenders as fast as the facility can create them.” The strangeness of the situation hit Lila anew. A Luyten was talking to her, probably the one that killed her father.

Their plan is to reduce the human population as well.

The Luyten’s words silenced all of her internal chatter. “They’re going to cull us to a manageable number?”

Yes.

“What’s a manageable number?”

Between a quarter and a half billion.

What was the current world population? Lila had no idea.

Two-point-three billion.

“You’re telling me they’re planning to kill off more than three-quarters of the human race?”

Yes. The Luyten sounded almost sad. She wondered if it was telling the truth.

The Luyten stood; it towered over her. Suddenly she wished she’d brought Kai with her. It could kill her in an instant.

I have no reason to hurt you. We’re not like the Defenders. Violence is not our default response.

But lying was, if Five was typical of their species. The Luyten would have much to gain if they could convince humans to go after the defenders in earnest. Much to gain.

Defenders have started clearing out of some heavily populated areas. They’re preparing to use chemical weapons in those areas. You can confirm that.

“All right. I appreciate the warning. I’ll pass it on.” She found herself monitoring her own thoughts as she reeled them out, then monitoring the thoughts of the monitor. It was a maddening loop.

If all we had to offer you was a warning, it wouldn’t do much good. You can’t beat them on your own. It took a step toward her; she tensed, resisting the urge to step back. We have a common enemy. You’ve come up with a brilliant plan to defeat them, but you need our help.

Don’t be shocked. The Luyten interrupted itself as Lila reacted to what the Luyten was suggesting.

“ Holy shit. ” The words just came out. Lila glanced around, relieved that there was still no one around, because she’d just shouted. You’re proposing we ally with you against the defenders? She thought it instead of speaking it. The words were enough to get her killed on the spot, if the wrong ears overheard. “Hold on. What ‘way to defeat them’ are you talking about?” That detail had slipped past while she absorbed the rest.

Restoring serotonin to the defender’s brain physiology. The new defenders will act as unwitting spies; we’ll pass on the defenders’ plans and strategies to your commanders.

Lila had forgotten about her wild idea.

Once the new defenders are in place, humans and Luyten attack simultaneously. We can serve as ground forces. As soon as your commanders know what they want from us, we’ll know, and we’ll follow their orders—

It was insanity. Yet what did the Luyten have to lose by proposing it? And if we did? What would keep you from turning on us once the defenders were gone?

There won’t be many of us left after such a war. And as I said, violence isn’t in our nature; we prefer compromise. Unlike the defenders. Its tone shifted; it whispered into her mind. They’re insane. You made them too quickly.

Lila barked a bitter laugh. “Yes, well, we were in a hurry.”

I know. I’m sorry. We’re sorry.

Lila couldn’t believe she was having this conversation. “Why are you talking to me? Why don’t you talk to the rebels? They’re the ones making the decisions.”

Because we trust you.

She laughed at the absurdity of the statement. “You trust me ? I fucking hate you. I hate you more than I hate the defenders.”

We’re aware of that. More important, so are you.

Lila shook her head. Oliver was right—they were baffling. Their words were clear, but following their logic made your head ache. “I’ll pass this on, but that’s as far as I’m getting involved. I’m a scientist. I have a family. I’m not playing Joan of Arc for you.”

Fair enough. You can go now. That’s all I wanted to tell you.

“I can go now. Thanks—thanks for your permission.” She turned to go, then hesitated. She couldn’t resist asking.

“Are you the one who killed my father?”

Loblolly School , it said. All over soon.

The words chilled her. Barely a day went by when she didn’t hear those words, the twisted attempt to console her with words spit from the hole of a monster coming to tear her to pieces. She looked at the massive thing standing over her.

“You ruined my life.”