A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: Chapter 18

A Perfectly Logical Guide to a Superhuman Apocalypse: Chapter 18

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Arksoul

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“Anderson.”

“Yep.”

“You want to ask Anderson for help in finding certain technologies you want.

“Correct.”

“The same Lorraine Anderson leading the Paradists who are creating a theocracy based on superhuman saints and knights in power armor.”

“Yeah, the more you say it the more terrible of an idea it sounds.”

I lounged in Walker’s living room, while she paced. Normal people would walk. Instead, she floated around. The half-cape she had over her shoulders fluttered and drifted behind her along with her hair. As always, she wore a black suit, but today she went with a white set of gloves and a tie. Classy, formal, and as iconic as always.

Well, except for the frown that she had on her face.

She usually had a smile that tons of anonymous people on the internet fetishized.

Like they did with everything with a pulse.

“That is because it IS a terrible idea. She is the leader of a budding nation and movement. The price she will ask for your help is more than you are willing to pay.” Walker spoke, and as usual, she was right. I helped myself to some fresh bread and butter, while she dissected my plans and advised me for no consultation fee whatsoever. Honestly, she was losing money not charging me, but I wasn’t about to complain. “Not only that, but you don’t know if you can find what you’re looking for. You don’t even have a concrete reason to ask for anyone’s help yet.”

I cleared my throat at that and reminded her of India.

“Not true. There could be some more people out there with energy projectors and a few dozen brain cells.” The crux of the matter was that I didn’t want to get trapped again. I was lucky with Shiva’s AI being inhumanly positive and pacifistic. If another human being had me trapped like that, it was very likely that I’d have been grievously injured or outright died. “You and I both know that there’s more than a few crazy, superhuman intellects out there. Who knows what they could’ve been up to without anyone making sure they didn’t get what they want?”

“The disruption of the global supply chain reached the black market as well, Egress. Many prodigies are isolated and have to make do with municipal scavenging, or fight one another over the scraps of industry left behind.”  Walker provided me with key information that most other people would keep withheld. I wouldn’t trust most information provided freely by most people, but I knew her well enough to take whatever she said at face-value. The fact that she set off a global chain of disasters by indicting the superhuman community’s “heroes” was also more than enough evidence for me to believe that she’ll say the truth no matter what. “It’s unlikely that you’ll find the technology you’re looking for, because it will be kept by whomever made it, given the lack of supply and demand.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I need someone to watch my back even more… but I don’t want anyone to.” I’ve been an independent contractor with my powers since I started out. Once I was sure that I could protect myself and get things done, I commodified my superhuman abilities to get rich, and I did it solo so that no one else could get a cut. I worked with others from time to time, but those collaborations in the field were short and out of necessity. In my business, where I got my hands dirty for other countries for tons of money, relying on someone else was asking for trouble. It was bad enough that I had competitors out to kill me, and people who didn’t want me to complete my deliveries. Adding another money-hungry idiot into the mix would’ve been a disaster. “So, how much for one of your reformed citizens to make what I want?”

Walker’s typical smile returned to her face at my words.

“Now, Egress, you are a valued trading partner and what you provide is very appreciated, but you know that I can’t grant you access to our most important assets, if you are not one of us.” Walker laid down the basic, harsh logic of the situation without a shred of concern. It was the truth and that was all she needed to know to say it with impunity. “These people are under my protection. Providing you with a means to circumvent the defenses I plan to use to protect against your possible opposition in the future… would be foolish.”

“Figures.” I grunted and helped myself to the last bite of bread and Walker floated down. We knew each other well enough that we both knew that talking any further was going to be worthless, so she reached out with her hand I gave it a firm shake. “Thanks for the snack. I’ll get my jobs in your little town done today, but I’ll be busy… so just store up my payment for pickup next week. Or, just pay me twice the usual next week. Whatever’s easier for you.”

“It’ll be done, Egress. I don’t break my promises.” Walker spoke and the words out of her mouth would’ve made me laugh if they came from anyone else’s. If someone else told me that, I’d be sure that they were out to fuck me over. But that wasn’t’ the case for Walker. For good or ill, she never lied and held herself to standards higher than most people could only dream of. She talked the talk and walked the walk, just like a paragon of virtue straight out of fiction. It was no wonder that the rest of the “good” superhumans in the world imploded when she called them out on their shit. Anyone else, they could’ve corralled and put into line, but not Ms. Perfect. “Stay safe out there.”

She looked the entire world in the eye, told it the truth, and they broke as she pleaded with them to be better instead of condemning them.

Because everyone knew that they’ll never be able to reach the same heights, even with all the help she could give them.

It was funny how she didn’t trust Anderson, because as far as I was concerned, she was the crazier of the two.

Anderson went out of her way to punish bad people and condemn entire ways of life.

Walker completely believed that no one was evil, that everyone could be understood, and that everyone could become like her… and should be like her.

The crazy zealot who thought god was responsible for superpowers and wanted to install a theocracy was more human than the most powerful superhuman the world has ever seen.

Yeah.

I was definitely doing the right thing by working on an exit plan for this planet.

…

Meeting with an overly-optimistic AI again was surprisingly not as unpleasant as I thought it’d be.

Although the fact that it constructed a more humanoid body to interact with me really fucked with my head a bit.

“Designation: Egress, I welcome you.” The AI went for a matronly goddess of beauty look that would’ve made the internet curl up and die happy back when it existed. As a man, I did appreciate the curves and bountiful appearance, but the fact that I was talking to an artificial creature capable of creating superhuman bodies on the industrial scale allowed me to reign in my stupid, physical urges. I was talking and dealing with a creature that could smother the planet in firepower. Or, I suppose, put all of humanity in the corner and take it over with peace in mind… which was smothering in its own way. “Take a seat. Have you eaten?”

Tea was served before I answered.

Our meeting room received an upgrade. The room's walls were a soft beige color with blue flower trimming where the walls met the ceiling and floor. The lining was a muted gold, while a small crystal chandelier tastefully provided light to the entire room. The table and chairs encircling it all still held the light scent of varnish and held deep, swirling brown colors. A simple, but elegant glass sphere stood at the center holding a single, bright, and purple Lotus at the center floating atop perfectly clear water.

“I had some bread and butter, but I’ll appreciate a small meal.” I never turned down a free business lunch. Back when I was starting out, it was the best way to get to know a client. They got a tax write-off, while I got a great meal. Everyone was happy, especially when I teleported the client along. That was a great deal-maker to the point I considered to just be a private teleporter for the super-rich. Given how none of those people and their hired superhumans were around nowadays, I made the right decision to go for grey-market contracts and not invite retribution while the world fell apart. “So, how’s India doing after a week?”

“The deaths of those who attacked me left a significant power vacuum in a key location. This has been capitalized upon by various factions and battles for control have begun over the city where I suspect my sibling is being imprisoned.” Shiva’s AI spoke and I had a feeling where this conversation was going, despite the fact we were just about to have lunch. Two gynoids entered. They had dark hair and dark skin much like the AI’s ambassador body, but they had slimmer frames and looked like young women. They were clad in perfectly pristine white garments that flowed as they walked with unnatural grace. It was a good uniform. Dazzling, simple, and with plenty of room beneath for hidden weapons. “Would you prefer a traditional meal or one from America?”

“I’ve cooked plenty of American meals for myself on my break. A traditional meal from here sounds great.” I didn’t hesitate to pander to the AI that took great pride in the heritage of its creator. It wasn’t like I was lying. One of the greatest perks of being able to be anywhere I wanted, before the world ended, was that I could go anywhere and eat whatever I wanted. The fact that I had to eat nearly twice as much as a normal person my size was a bonus, too. It helped me and loads of other superhumans from getting fat, and probably let a lot of the good-looking ones look even better. “I can deal with spices by the way, so don’t hold back on it.”

“Very well, I shall do just that, Designation: Egress.” The servants that arrived picked up the coffee table and another two replaced with it with one better suited for eating. Their perfect control over their bodies allowed them to move in coordination with the furniture, even though the furniture was carrying things atop it. The new table had plates and silverware and the same ornamental lotus, and the old one was moved without the ornament suspended in water within glass being jostled. Perfect manipulation on the AI’s part and I was suitably intimidated. “Do you wish to speak about what I want done before the food arrives, or do you want to know more about what has occurred in India since your absence?”

“I’d like to hear more about the mess people made trying to take advantage of me, sure.” I nodded and the AI raised a meticulously made eyebrow. I shrugged in response. “What? They tried to use me as a scapegoat and nearly got me killed. Why wouldn’t I want to hear about them getting fucked over?”

“Language, Designation: Egress.” The AI chastised me and signed when I just gave her another shrug in return. She shifted to signal her discomfort and my adamant willpower allowed me to ignore the jiggling that occurred beneath the fabric. She wore a “lehenga” if my memory served me correctly, which bared her stomach, but covered her from the waist down in an expansive and jeweled skirt. Her chest was covered by a band of fabric tailored to entice. It was conservatively cut and revealed nothing but the shape of her body, which was naturally improbable at best and impossible at worst. This AI knew how to use every advantage it had at its disposal. Beauty was a powerful weapon, especially if you had the strength to protect it. “And, although I disapprove of your wish to know of other’s suffering… I do understand that you’ve not raised your hand against them in vengeance.”

I raised a glass of water at that statement.

Revenge was a luxury that I wasn’t willing to spend my life on. I’d seen too many people with stronger powers than me die because they went out to live their fantasies instead of letting go. It wasn’t a path I wanted.

I still wanted to hear about the people who messed with me getting what they deserved, though.

“It is unlikely that those who recruited you will retain their power in the coming weeks. They are already expending all that they have merely to withstand the attacking vanguard. Soon, I fear that the rest of the continent will hear of the conflict and fire will spread across all of India.” The AI spoke and the food arrived. It smelled and looked great, but I didn’t pay it any attention. Instead, I kept my eyes on the AI. She looked anxious, which I logically knew was just mirroring human actions, but with the rest of the act… it looked genuine enough to catch my attention. “I believe that I should have been more careful in my reprisal attacks. If I had not slain so many of their own, then I am sure that the resulting vacuum wouldn’t have occurred. If I had simply defeated them and let them go, then this would not be occurring.”

I was tempted to just nod at the display of concern and empathy, but I decided to put in my two cents.

“They made their choice to attack you and they died. If they wanted to keep their city, families, and people safe, they wouldn’t have done what they did.” My words made the AI’s eyes widen in surprise, and whether it was feigned or not, it was a nice trick that even the servants stiffened up and froze at my words. “You were in the right for killing them and that’s that. What’s happening down there is their fault, and you have no responsibility in making it better… but nothing’s stopping you from making it better either. Just do what you want for yourself.”

Maybe it had something to do with my meeting with Walker earlier, but I gave the AI my thoughts on the situation before she went down the same path Maelstrom did.

Even though I thought that they were all trying to fight an impossible fight against human nature, I was getting tired of them dying and worrying about other people so much.

Other people made their own choices and lived their own lives.

They were people, and saving and protecting anyone was a good thing, but the burden that “heroes” tried to bear was nothing short of suicidal.

It’d be easier to dominate and enslave the entire world, than save human beings from their own choices.