Aekira-Chapter 3

“Alright, Mr. Hortz. I’ve got an offer for you. If you swear upon the thing most precious to you that you will leave all the rebels alone, I will cooperate with you,” I say, crossing my arms over my slim chest.

“And what position are you in to be making deals with me?” he asks in reply with a smile that sends shivers down my spine.

“In order for your plan to take over the world to work, you need my cooperation. In order to get my cooperation, you need to agree to my terms. Now, do you accept or decline my offer?”

The Man begins to laugh. When he finally stops, he looks at me with something like admiration. “I’m very impressed. Most people in your situation wouldn’t be so bold. How about this…”

He grabs both my wrists and slams me against the wall, pinning me against it. “Here’s my deal. You swear to cooperate, or all your little rebel friends will be publicly executed right in front of your eyes. Then, if you still refuse to cooperate, I’ll kill your two friends Ed and Addison. Yes, I know about them. It’s handy when I have your phone. I know everyone you care for.”

I glare at him, wishing that I could just sink into the wall to escape this horrible man. “What’ll you do when you run out of people to kill, Eugene?”

This seems to finally put Mister Master of Evil Plans at a stopping point. I smirk. “What? You run out of ideas, bub? No more plans to make me cooperate? I would have expected more from The Man himself. I guess I overestimated you.”

“No, you underestimated me. I don’t need you to cooperate at all. I can force you to do what I wish. Actually, all I need to do is have my scientists remove the supercomputer from inside of you.”

My heart literally stops. I feel all the blood drain from my face. “No…it won’t work if you do that…”

“And why not? It is just a computer after all.”

“Wrong. It was made to function like a normal human brain. Without the necessary nutrients from my blood, it cannot survive. It was created to be powered by me. If it is disconnected from me, it will die.”

The Man scowls at me. He leans in closer. “I will find a way to make you cooperate, mark my words.”

I look up into his cold grey eyes. “Just try me, Eugene.”

Something seems almost non-human about the way his eyes seem to flash golden. He lets go of my wrists and walks toward the door, checking his watch. “By the way, there is something really interesting that I want you to see on Channel 205. The TV is over there in the living room. The remote is on the couch.”

The change of subject and mood surprises me. He smiles and leaves through the front door. When he is gone, I rush into the living room and turn on the TV. I rush through the channels until I find Channel 205.

“Addison…Ed…” I whisper. Channel 205 is connected to the security cameras. This one shows a small cell somewhere in the building containing two teenagers and an older gentleman I realize is my father, my real father.

All three of them look up at me and break out into looks of surprise. Ed stands up and gets closer to the screen. “Aekira is that you?”

My father, William Holsting, does a double take. “Did you say that her name is Aekira?”

“Yeah, I’m Aekira. It’s nice to finally meet you, father.”

He smiles and tears fill his eyes. “You remember. Where are you? How are you coming over the screen like that?”

“I…I got kidnapped, again…” I reply with a rush of embarrassment. I turn to my friends. “Ed, Addison, are you guys okay?”

“Besides being super confused, yeah, we’re alright. But what about you? You look awful,” Ed says with concern. “Are they hurting you?”

“I guess you could say that…Look, whatever happens, I need you guys to try your best to get out of here,” I tell them. An idea forms in my mind. “I have an idea. It might not work, but I’m going to try and open the cell door. Which cell are you guys in?”

“Cell 205. In the Lower Precinct. But, how are you going to open the door? Are you in the control room or something?” Addison asks in confusion. Man, she really plays too many video games.

My father answers her question. “With her mind, of course.”

I nod. “There are things that I just found out about myself that you both should know. Once you get out of there, my father will explain.”

“But, what about you?” Ed asks. He gets up close to the screen.

“I love you, Ed. Trust me when I say that we will all get out of here alive.”

I switch the TV off and settle down on the couch. Alright, computer brain, time to free my friends. I take a deep breath and sink into my own thoughts. I can see the entire electrical system running through the building. I feel free and alive like never before.

I focus my energy along the wires leading to the Lower Precinct. I zoom past cell after cell after cell until I reach 205. I groan as a block stops me from opening the door. I need the code. Time for an alternative solution.

I turn my energy to the control center. Somewhere in there is a button that will open all the cell doors in case of emergency, all prisons have one. Nope, not over here…Aha!

I adjust the electrical impulses so that it makes it seem like someone pressed the button. A siren immediately begins wailing as the cell doors open. I quickly silence it by cutting off it’s electricity. That just gave me an idea.


Ed, Addison, and William race out of the cell and into the corridor. Other prisoners mill about confused. Ed clears his throat loudly. “If you want to get out of here, follow us!”

Then, suddenly, the lights go out. A few people begin to panic. William shouts above the chaos, “listen, all of you. Grab hands and form a line behind me.”

“Who said that? I can’t see anything!” someone cries.

The old man looks up at the ceiling. “Hey, Aekira, could you give us just a tiny bit of light?”

A single light bulb flickers on. Ed and Addison exchange confused and amazed looks. William doesn’t waste any time at all. “Alright, let’s go people! We need to stick together if we want to get out of here!”

All the prisoners gather together and link hands in a line. Ed and Addison end up together in the middle of the line with strangers on either side. Ed smiles at Addison. “We’re really getting out of here, all of us.”


I lead the chain of people through the building by flashing lights in the direction I want them to go. It's a slow progress, but we are getting there. I am careful to steer them clear of any guards. If someone starts heading their way, I lead them into a room where they can hide. I feel powerful. I can do anything.

When the group of escapees finally reach the exit, I force the automatic doors to open. The people all run gratefully into the sunlit street. I reach out my energy to the billboard across the street. I make my image appear upon it. “Listen up, all of you. You may not know me, but I am the one who helped you all escape. My name is Aekira. I ask you all to find your families and friends and go into hiding.”

“Aekira! What do you mean?” Ed calls out from amongst the crowd. “Get out of there!”

“Ed, there is still something that I can do here. Please, get your family and find Max. Max will help you find somewhere safe. You, too, Addison.”

William steps up to the billboard. “Be careful, Aekira. I hope you know what you are doing.”

“Stay safe, father. I hope we meet in person sometime soon.”