“This is goodbye,” the man began. “My body no longer belongs to me. I’m not afraid anymore.”
The man’s Odradek began to rotate, but Lou didn’t react in the slightest. This was a recording. It was probably a message meant for EV. So, this was the porter she had been talking about?
“We cannot run away from our destiny and our destiny is extinction. Extinction will open the door to a brand-new world. That’s why I have to take out that city.”
What did he just say? Was he declaring an act of terrorism? Sam sensed someone’s presence appear behind the hologram. The door that led to the basement floor opened. Standing there was EV. Her face was pale as she rushed up the steps toward Sam.
“EV, I believe that what you’re doing is noble,” the porter’s hologram continued to speak. “You think that studying the past will lead to a better future. I used to think so too, back when I was a porter. You know, America was already gone by the time I was born. I don’t really have any memories from when I was kid. Don’t even remember what my parents looked like. All I remember is the face of Fragile’s pop.”
EV stood next to Sam, looking at the man.
“That man took me in and raised me. He told me all about how America used to be. He said America was so free before it all came crumbling down. He told me it had its problems that he wasn’t proud of, but that the spirit of the ancestors who had founded the country still lived on. He told me we should look at the destruction of America as a fresh start. That we would build America again with our own hands. Even after the man died and Fragile took over the organization, that never changed.” The porter fell silent. He was looking up, as though he was searching for something. Sam and EV watched attentively. “But we’re never going to get America back. Bridges’ Chiral Network is only going to build an invisible wall around it. That’s not the real America. Or so Higgs says.”
Sam’s jaw stiffened at the mention of Higgs’s name.
“No matter how much we struggle, while we’re human we’re never going to be able to build a perfect country on this earth. We can spout whatever grand ideas we like, any country we create will be nothing more than a sham. Higgs says that if we really want to make the perfect country, then we have to stop being human. That’s why extinction is coming for us.”
How ridiculous. Sam’s inner voice of reason told him that this man was just rambling to justify his act of terrorism. But there was a part of Sam that couldn’t deny what the madman was saying.
“See you, EV. I’m going to wipe out a colony near Mountain Knot City. It’s okay, I promise you they won’t suffer. The voidout will send them to the other side instantaneously. Then they’ll travel to the land of the dead and finally be released from the curse of being human. It’s all part of the Extinction Entity’s plan.”
The hologram froze like it was stuck in time. EV weakly shook her head and stared at Sam. She looked like she wanted Sam to comfort her, but there was nothing that Sam could do.
Lou cried out, breaking the silence. Lou’s cries didn’t sound as sad as before, but Sam could still feel so much emotion in them that they hurt. Lou’s cries were so full of fear and anger that it was almost like they would shatter the pod. As if in response to Lou’s cries, the image displayed by the hologram began to crumble, decomposing into fine particles.
But then the diffusing particles began to clump back together again. An invisible force was binding them together to create a different image entirely. Over its face was a hood, within it a dully glowing golden mask. There was an Odradek on the figure’s shoulder and a pod on their chest.
It was Higgs. Sam couldn’t see the eyes under the mask, but he just knew that the man’s gaze was right on him. It was such an intense stare that it didn’t seem like it could belong to a hologram. This didn’t appear to be a recording. In fact, to Sam it seemed almost certainly to be some kind of interactively generated image.
“Thank you, Sam, for connecting up the Chiral Network for me.” Higgs bowed his head dramatically.
“It’s simply breathtaking. Now I understand why you were in such a hurry to finish it. I can restore the memories of the past. Color me surprised. I had no idea that was possible.
“The Chiral Network runs through the Beach, and the Beach connects to the realm of the dead and all the lost history found within it. That’s a big deal. At best, I thought it would only be able to piece together and restore digital data.”
It was clear that Higgs was trying to goad Sam with his overdramatic gestures and tone. Sam gritted his teeth and exerted as much self-control as possible. Lou seemed to pick up on his anger and drew into a tight ball.
“Keep it up, Sam. The idea of the UCA coming back doesn’t exactly instill me with joy, but this… this is great. And if I have this, I won’t have to make all that effort to jump through the Beach anymore just to find you, I can just give you another call.”
Higgs reached straight out at Sam. Sam pulled back instinctively, but Higgs’s arms stretched right through the BB pod, piercing through Lou, and into his chest. Sam was frozen stiff and couldn’t move. Higgs broke into a cruel laugh.
“Don’t be scared. I’m just a hologram. Just a virtual image. It’s not like you’re being touched by a person. Guess the Chiral Network is perfect for someone with your condition. Good luck.”
Higgs withdrew his arms but something shone at his fingertips. Sam reasoned in his head that it had to be a trick of the hologram, but soon he couldn’t keep his shaking at bay. Higgs hung the item that had flashed around his own neck. It was a golden accessory—Amelie’s quipu.
Sam was in excruciating pain as he felt like his heart was being crushed in his chest, and he couldn’t make a sound. His head spun and he fell to his knees.
“I’ll be waiting for you on the Beach,” Higgs said as he disappeared. Still on his knees, Sam looked up to see that there was nothing left where the man had just been standing. The pain in his chest had also vanished like it was never really there in the first place.
EV looked at Sam. Her face was drained of color.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Sam nodded and got up.
“How about you? It seems like this place is connected to Higgs now.”
“I’m fine,” EV answered. “Just a little shaken up. I never expected something so terrifying to come through the Chiral Network. But at least that wasn’t all it brought. Now I know that we can restore the past that wasn’t recorded onto media.” She was talking about the recording of the porter. “I had a feeling that he had gotten himself involved in terrorism, but it still hurt to hear it from the horse’s mouth. To be honest with you, Sam, I can’t deny the things that he said, even though I’m certain he was brainwashed by Higgs. But I suppose the important thing is not trying to disprove my friend’s points, but to find a way to overcome them. And that includes all the things that Higgs said, too. We must keep expanding the Chiral Network and identify the EE to do that. I’m not afraid of what that means. Sure, this situation is frightening. But I don’t have time to be scared.”
Sam reassured EV that he understood. The theory of extinction that Higgs whispered into his followers’ ears was a doctrine touted by the Extinction Entity. But Bridges’ idea of America was nothing more than doctrine either. The only way to break free from them both was to give up on being human. Extinction and prolonging life were just opposite sides of the same coin.