As Gabrielle and Jericho approached the entrance to the factory, those ahead of them, one by one, placed their hands into the scanners, and continued forward. Above them on the catwalk, the Guardians stood silent and motionless, seemingly unconcerned with the tide of humans that passed beneath them into the building. If Jericho had not been so engrossed with the feelings he experienced, the warmth in his heart, the tingle in his hand that held tightly to Gabrielle, he might have noticed the slight almost indistinct movement of one of the Guardian’s heads, as he continued to move with the sea of people. He possibly would have seen the slight tilt of the head, but he would not have known that the Guardian was in fact focused on him and him alone. He could not have known that behind the dark eyes set into the metallic face, that the optical circuits of the Guardian had zoomed in and focused on him. Nor could he have known that the images were being digitized into a constant flow of data, which was modulated and broadcast to an unknown receiver, where it was then instantly demodulated and recompiled, producing a stream of recognizable images. Images of him. Even as he placed his own hand into the scanner, he barely noticed that the green light remained lit as he did so. He was still in conversation with Gabrielle, and oblivious to the discreet observation that occurred. And neither could he realize, as he passed through the factory doors, said goodbye to Gabrielle, and began to make his way to his station, that each Guardian he passed in route, also focused their vision on him, and also silently beamed their data stream out to be collected and recompiled as well.
His thoughts remained on Gabrielle as he turned one corner, and then another in the maze of hallways that led to his station. But as he negotiated the final few turns, he did begin to realize that it seemed there were more Guardians present than usual. At first he thought that maybe it was just his imagination, but as he continued down the hallway, he began to notice that through each doorway he passed he saw a Guardian within. He knew that each station area had a Guardian, but he had never really noticed their presence in the stations as he had passed them before. And once again he began to wonder if it had always been like this, and if he simply had not noticed. That possibly since his interrogation, he was hypersensitive to their presence. And why did they seem to be looking at him? He wondered. Every doorway he passed, their blank expressionless metallic faces seemed to be turned directly at him. Their vast dark and empty eyes appeared to look right at him. He picked up his pace, turned the final corner, and glanced behind him as he entered the doorway of his station area, and then he walked directly into the Guardian.
It was like hitting a brick wall, as he abruptly came to a stop. His body slammed into the immovable metallic body that towered over him. He began to lose his balance, and fell backwards, as the Guardian’s hand shot out and caught his shoulder. Even as he fell, Jericho tried to leap away from the metallic hand as it firmly grabbed him, and stopped his fall. He tried to wrench his shoulder loose, in a panicked moment of pure fear. The primal urge of survival sent his heart into a hammering stampede, as he was able to jerk himself loose. He bounced off of the doorway frame, but was able to regain his balance. He backed away from the Guardian with his back against the wall of the room, and edged his way further into the room towards his station. He watched cautiously as the Guardian returned the hand that had held Jericho’s shoulder to its side, and then remained motionless. Jericho reached his station. His heart still pounded in his chest. His breathing was still rapid. And he continued to watch the Guardian for a moment, and half expected it to approach him. It stood there motionless. As his heart beat began to relax, he turned to his station and activated the controls and began to work. As the hours passed by, he glanced less and less at the Guardian, which remained motionless and silent. By the time the mid-day meal came, he had mostly forgotten his fear from earlier. Mostly, but not completely.
At the mid-day meal break, Gabrielle had made it to the meal room before Jericho, but not by much. She was only a few people ahead of him in line, but far enough away to make conversation impossible. She entered the room and made her way to the serving wall, as Jericho approached the entrance. He watched the two Guardians standing on either side of the entrance. His skin crawled as he thought that the one to his right stared at him. Its deep set shiny black eyes unmoving against the sea of grey that made up its face, with only the reflection of the overhead lights to be seen as a slight sparkle in those dead eyes. A shiver ran up his spine, as he passed into the room, glad to finally be away from it. From his place in the meal line, he saw Gabrielle pull her tray from the serving wall, and as she exited the line, she gave him a little smile and nodded her head towards the far side of the room where they normally sat. He smiled and nodded back, and moved forward as the line continued to move. Step by step as he came closer to the serving wall, he noticed the location and position of the four Guardians within the room, and try as he might, he could not shake the feeling that each of them was looking at him.
“I’ve got to get over this.” He whispered to himself, shook his head, and stepped up to the serving wall. Seconds later, tray in hand, he exited the line and headed for the table where Gabrielle sat. As he made his way across the room, but he could not shake the feeling that the Guardians watched him. As if their dark eyes bore holes into the back of his head, as they watched his every move. He picked up his pace, and when he reached the table, he sat with his back against the wall. At least if they are going to watch me, he thought, then I will watch them too. He began to eat.
“I love you.” Gabrielle said, as she placed her hand on his arm. She smiled. He smiled back.
“I love you too!” He said, and took another bite, but left his eyes on the closest Guardian. Had it moved? He thought to himself. Wasn’t it turned slightly the other way when I came out of the line?
“It was amazing this morning.” She said.
“It was.” He answered and then took a sip of red liquid. Even as he drank, he quickly surveyed the positions of the other Guardians. Had they all moved? He thought..
“I wonder what happened.” Gabrielle said, as she took a bite of her own food.
“Happened?” He asked, certain now that the Guardian farthest away had definitely been turned away from him when he had left the line. He remembered distinctly not being concerned about that one, as it did not face him like the other three did. But now it faced directly towards him. It even seemed closer than it had been.
“Yeah. You know. With the wall?” She said, as someone passed by their table, and temporarily blocked his view of the closest Guardian. Jericho, moved his head to the side to look around, but the Guardian did not seem to have moved. He shook his head and muttered to himself again.
“Gotta get over this.” He said quietly.
“What?” Gabrielle asked.
“Nothing.” He said. He put down his wafer, and turned away from his constant observation of the Guardian’s, and directed his full attention on her. “I’m sorry.” He said. “What were you asking.”
“About the wall. This morning? I wonder what happened?” She asked.
“I don’t know. The break has been there for a while.” He said. “I mean, I don’t know exactly how long. I just found it a few weeks ago.”
“Are you sure there aren’t any others?” She asked.
“Like I said this morning, ever since I found that one, I’ve looked and looked, but haven’t found another.”
“Do you think they fixed it?” She asked. “You know. The Guardians?”
“Maybe.” He said. “It looked like it had been melted back together.” He heard loud voices near the serving wall, and turned in that direction. “I guess they could have done it.” He said. The voices became louder, as she too turned to see what was happening.
A man stood at the exit of the serving wall line and held empty tray. He appeared to try to get back through the stream of people as they exited the line. They dodged him as they carefully balanced their full trays.
“It’s empty.” He yelled, and began to push his way into the tide of bodies. “Get out of the way!” He yelled, as he knocked over a young lady. Her tray flipped upside down as she fell, and her meal landed on the floor with a crash.
“Hey!” She yelled from the ground as she tried to get up, just as someone behind her fell over her and dropped their tray as well. The man still fought his way back into the exit line, as people began to fall in every direction. Trays flew, and grey mush was dumped left and right. The man turned his tray flat against his chest like a shield as he began to push harder against the never ending exit flow of people. He never saw the Guardian reach out and touch him with its control stick. Instantly he convulsed and dropped towards the ground. He turned as his hand still clutched the tray. It suddenly swung around in a full arc, as it was propelled by his own falling weight. The tray struck a glancing blow against the control stick, which was deflected upward, and slammed into the Guardian. Sparks flew as the tip made contact with the metallic body, and smoke began to flow out from the neck area of the Guardian.
Bolts of blue light began to flash across the Guardian’s body, as the smoke sent an acrid smell into the meal room. People throughout the room began to scream, and rush towards the exit. Those that had been in line, began to jump the line, and run for the exit. The ones closest to the entrance began to try and stop the tide of people that still streamed into the building, as they tried desperately to get back out. One of the other three Guardians had approached the smoking Guardian and appeared to observing the situation, but had not yet intervened. The control stick continued to arc against the metallic body, and the smoke had now turned into flames. The flow of bodies that came out of the exit line had increased with the panic, and in a frantic push, several slammed against the now smoldering Guardian, and instantly began to convulse as they were drawn into the power of the control stick. As Jericho watched in amazement, a man dove over the crowd, and landed against the Guardian’s sparking chest and knocked it over. Its great weight crashed to the floor, and crushed one poor unsuspecting person. Many others that had come in contact with it, now lay on the ground as they convulsed and writhed. The crash dislodged the control stick from its arcing contact with the Guardian’s now charred and blackened metallic body, and slowly the flames and smoke began to subside.
During the commotion, Jericho had risen from the table, taken Gabrielle’s hand and led her towards the exit door. Quietly, without protest, she had gone with him, even as she looked back at the carnage. They merged with the tide of those that fled. Jericho took one last look back at the Guardian that had been closest to where they sat. Throughout all of the chaos, it appeared to not have moved. But in the split second that he realized this, its head did turn, ever so slightly, directly towards Jericho. They are watching me! He thought. And then they were outside the room, and the Guardians there directed them back to their stations.
Chapter 11