Liquid Bank - Chapter 14 - Final Chapter
A Megacosm Novelette
Chapter 2 - Economically Viable
Chapter 6 - The Communication Room
Chapter 14 – Failsafe
Stars shined like jewels in the night sky. Salt-filled water broke against the side of the bank, rising to splash Matthew’s raised arms and stinging his many cuts. Licking away the seawater, Matthew walked forward with the rifle dug in his injured shoulder and aimed high. His left leg ached at the ankle, burning like fire with every step. The right was no better, having to compensate for the injury all night that strained the muscles, yet Matthew limped forward.
Through the mist, further down the gangway, Matthew saw the one called Intruder soaked in his wetsuit as he struggled to push the dolly into a red and white lifeboat that lolled along the crashing waves. The boat was enclosed, resembling a long bullet and a fin that jutted from the top with large windows that looked out to the ocean. The plank to the boat was down, connected to the bank’s gangway by a rope. Yet, Intruder had trouble navigating the peaks and dips of the water as he pushed the dolly across the platform.
Looking to the right, Matthew saw Broden standing several feet away. The splashing of the ocean water fell on him like rain as he held the gun to Simon’s head, who shivered beneath his suit that was dark at the shoulder from water. It took a moment before the leader noticed his approach.
“Good to see you,” Broden said, his red hair dripping with ocean spray that made him lick his lips.
“You too,” Matthew replied and beckoned with one hand.
“Go,” Broden said, shoving Simon in the back.
Hands up and taking a step, Simon glanced over his shoulder, expecting to be shot in the back, but Broden had the gun down, holding it with both hands. He swallowed hard, picking up his pace so that his feet sloshed over the wet gangway. Reaching Matthew, Simon sighed, and allowed himself to smile.
“Thank you, young man,” Simon said, hugging Matthew before leaning back and continuing, “I’ll make sure you’re compensated for this. Well compensated. You can bet on that.”
“You’re welcome,” Matthew replied, before twisting at the hip. The butt of the rifle made a sickening thud as it cracked against Simon’s chin, sending him down to the gangway like a sack full of coins.
Seawater sprayed down, dripping off Matthew’s hair as he looked down at Simon’s unconscious form. “Am I economically viable now?” he said.
Cold, wet hands grabbed the sides of Matthew’s face and forced him to look up.
“Brother,” Broden said and pulled him in. Dropping the rifle that clattered against the stone, Matthew returned the hug, knees wavering. “Easy, easy,” Broden said, pushing Matthew back and looking him up and down, “shite man, we need to get you to a hospital.”
“I’m fine,” Matthew said, waving Broden’s hands off his shoulders.
“That was hairy,” Broden said. “All of our timing was off.”
“Yeah,” Matthew replied, “All went tits up when I fell.”
“Yo’ur leg okay? Saw you limping badly in the generator room. Took one h’ell of a lie to stop the boys from killing you the’re.”
“Sure, and that was smart. The Genny was harder to restart than I expected,” Matthew said, his leg still bent as he stood.
“Finlay was out for blood. I was worried he m’ight succeed,” Broden said.
“Yeah, but I got them all didn't I?” Matthew replied with a grin. “And I see you found the escape boat I marked for you. The last true failsafe for the rich of the Pelagos. Escape. Not so bad an outcome when you say it all out loud.”
“Aye, it was just where you said it was. It didn’t take Conner and Shaw long to find it. And yes, you did get them all. Never trust a thief, I say,” Broden said, mussing Matthew’s hair.
“Easy man, it hurts there too,” Matthew said with a laugh, then his face went cold, “You didn't have to kill Martin though. That wasn’t the plan. No innocents were supposed to die.”
Broden studied the night sky, and then said, “He moved.”
Matthew nodded, “Aye, that he did, but our future goals will be muddy because of it.”
Knee’s bending, Broden looked him in the eyes and asked, “Was the comm system set up?”
“Yes,” Matthew said with a nod, “had to do it with her watching, so it took longer than expected. The system was busted up pretty bad during the fight with Joshua, but the program I entered should have taken over once the emergency power kicked in.”
“You didn't verify?”
Matthew looked around at his various bleeding injuries, “I was sort of busy cleaning up brother but if it worked, the Mega's should be talking to Plutus and his friend Tykhe for hours. Plenty of time to get away.”
“Good job man, I knew you were perfect for this job,” Broden replied with a grin. “They said I needed a team, but I tol em we only needed one Matthew.”
“But you just had to send Joshua to the comm room, didn’t you?” Matthew asked with a sigh.
Broden flinched back, “You said you could ta’ke him killer.”
“Aye, good test against a former amateur champ,” Matthew said, rubbing his jaw, and the two shared a laugh. “Nearly derailed the entire job that one. And he killed poor Roland before I could stop him, my timing was just off. I’d be dead too…if it wasn’t for her.”
“Who was that chippy?” Broden asked in a flat tone, and Matthew looked up into Broden’s eyes.
“Just a passenger,” Matthew replied.
Broden shoulders straightened, “You didn’t kill her then?”
“I needed her help,” Matthew answered, glancing at his ankle, “we wouldn’t be here without her.”
“That’s not what I asked. Where is she now?”
Matthew stood up as straight as he could. “Safe,” he replied.
“You know the praeterminds are going to rip her mind to shreds for clues. She saw the whole thing. They’ll get both of our faces and put pieces together,” Broden replied.
“I’m willing to take my chances,” Matthew said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Waves crashed against the side of the bank as the two stared at each other until Broden broke into laughter, “I’ve seen that look in you ey’es before, so I know there is no use arguing with you now. C’mon, Intruder can’t push tha thing on his own.”
Matthew limped behind Broden, glancing back at the bank entrance that spilled pale yellow light onto the gangway.
As Matthew reached the dolly, he shouted at Intruder over the breaking waves, “Which one is the bag with the jewels?”
Intruder pointed and Matthew unzipped the bag, digging out a small black box.
“Pen, paper,” Matthew said, motioning to Intruder who glanced at Broden before digging in his backpack to retrieve the items.
Taking the pen, Matthew quickly wrote on the paper as the mist began to soak the parchment. Limping off the platform, he walked several feet down the gangway and put the box down atop the paper, next to the bank exterior wall where erosive seawater found it hard to reach.
Broden waited by the entrance of the lifeboat that bobbed up and down from the waves, watching Matthew as he limped past him. As the platform door rose, he laughed, “You’re too soft for your own good, lad,” then he grabbed the back of Matthew’s neck and brought him in close, “I told you that you wouldn’t regret this job din’ I? And we’ll show those fat cats what fore once we get those hard drives to the right bidder. We’re about to rock the world.”
“Rock the world?” Matthew replied with a wan grin. “I’ll feel better when I’m sitting on a beach, earning fifty percent with my lil girl.”
“Die hard? Really?” Broden’s head went back as he bellowed a laugh, “You're such a nerd, brother.”
Inside the lifeboat, Intruder used a finger to wipe his sodden glasses and asked, “fifty percent? What about me?”
Matthew and Broden stared at him as the door closed behind them with a thunk. The propellers began to whirl on the lifeboat, churning the ocean as it moved slowly away from the boat with subdued chugs.
From the light of the bank a frail shadow dipped its head out and watched as the candy-striped lifeboat became a dot along the horizon. It slinked out along the gangway, staying close to the bank wall until it reached a small black box half illuminated by the moon.
Bending over, Meagan picked up the object, glancing at the lifeboat before opening it. Inside was a ring shining with exquisite diamonds along the band and a large square clear stone in the middle that gleamed in the starlight.
“Wow,” she whispered, then look at the paper.
Scrawled in fading black ink were the words, “May all your dreams come true.”
Several more shadows made their way from the rotunda as more guests began to awaken from their tranquilizers. Meagan held the cross around her neck with one hand that had crumpled the note as she watched the lifeboat disappear into the mist beyond. A wave broke against the bank wall, raining down into her hair that mingled with tears in her eyes.
“So long, tyro,” she said. “Thank you.”
Novelette
“Writing a novelette allows the writer to create all that supporting information to back up a short story. Whether a short story is meant as a scene in a larger story, or simply as a story by itself, it will always be taking part in a larger world.” -ThisIsWriting
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Plot:
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