“William, I’m a murderer!” Katie Nightfire exclaims. She had just arrived at the colossal Interlock compound. Directly following an altercation in the desert, Katie journeyed all the way to see William Aris, the superhero known as Interlock. “And that’s not even the most unbelievable thing I have to tell you!”
Interlock: [Visibly disturbed] I can’t imagine you didn’t have a good reason. I would like to hear the details. I have to tell you something existentially important too. Would you like to go first?
Katie: Sure, the other thing is – I saw some kind of vision, I think. It was so strange. A detective-looking guy drove out to where I was stranded in the desert and said “Get in! Interlock needs you! The world needs you!” About a minute or so later, he disappeared!
Interlock: Very interesting… I would like to hear more about how you became stranded in the desert. I am also curious exactly when you had this vision.
Katie: It was roughly 12 hours ago! I drove straight to the airport and came here!
Interlock: This is even freaking me out now. About 12 hours ago, I was sitting on my shrine of contemplation, and I opened my eyes to the realization that I needed your help to save the world!
Katie: That’s what Ban Smith said!
Interlock: Who?
Katie: That’s another weird thing. He said his name was Ban Smith. That’s the name of a character in a story I was reading online called The Conclusion Of Ban Smith In The Rain.
Interlock: So, were you delirious out in the desert? Was it a hallucination?
Katie: I kind of thought so too. But William, where did the jeep come from that I drove all the way to the airport?
Interlock: This is all rather perplexing! Wait, I am still confused why you killed somebody.
Katie: Well, a short version would be that a criminal group tried to steal my motorcycle. I beat up six people, and I think that I killed the last one, who may have been their leader.
Interlock: You “think” you killed someone? You’re not certain? Also, how were you able to defeat so many of them?
Katie: Oh yeah, about that… I sort of keep it a secret from everyone at The Possibly Good Coffee House. I grew up studying all kinds of techniques. I could take on almost anyone. My old instructors can’t even beat me in a sparring match.
Interlock: You have given me a lot of new information to process. I personally feel confident that you are innocent of wrongdoing. It sounds like you were defending yourself from a large group of people. Admittedly, I am not the authority on morality… despite what the tabloids say about me. Your innocence is just my opinion.
Katie: I would love to go with that and feel better about myself too, but it’s just something horrible that I never wanted to do! See, we are alike in that way. We both hate to actually use our powers.
Interlock: If you are concerned about how this would make me feel about you, there is no reason to be. I still love you.
Katie: [Taken aback] William, I’m surprised to hear you say something like that in such a direct way.
William: That brings us to what I need to tell you. The world may end in 48 hours, and I desperately need your help to save it with me.
Katie: Why me?
William: I don’t think I will be successful on this mission unless I have a companion that I can fully trust.
Katie: Ummm…I won’t go as your work companion, but I’ll go as a date.
William: A date?
Katie: If the world is ending in two days, I’m spending them doing what I never got to do in life – go on a date with William Aris.
William: [Heartbroken] It’s almost as if you have absorbed my powers of persuasion. That feels right of me to agree to. Let’s go.
[Interlock dials a number on his cellular device.]
Interlock: Rita, it’s Interlock. I have a request. I know you can’t instantly create an entire suit. Do you have anything available that might fit my partner Katie on a vital mission? Measurements? [Obviously uncomfortable with the question] Let me put her on the phone…
[Hours later inside a government facility, Agent Mann John is briefing Interlock and Nightfire on their “need to know” aspects of the mission.]
Agent John: Obviously the ultimate goal is to get Interlock in the same room to talk to Archaius, the leader of Annihilate. They are said to be in possession of a Beyond Nuclear Device.
Interlock: What exactly does that mean?
Katie: And how much damage to the Earth are we talking about?
Agent John: It means that they have built something that is stronger than a nuclear weapon. We haven’t seen where they keep it, so we don’t know what it looks like. Our scientists however, have studied atmospheric data from when Annihilate tested the device at low power. All of the information suggests that this weapon will destroy the entire Earth at full power!
Interlock: Tell us the truth about government intel on this device.
Agent John: I already have on the details I’ve given you. What else would you like to know?
Interlock: Is the government using me in any way to accomplish some agenda, or do they really believe I am their best hope to save the world?
Agent John: I do not know if anyone above me has a hidden agenda, but I do believe the device is real and that Archaius plans to use it at full power.
Katie: Can we have a few minutes to talk just between the two of us?
Agent John: Of course. The room is yours. We have about 30 minutes until we get on the plane.
Katie: William, do you trust Agent John?
William: Trust? Not the word I would use. The truth is, I have already talked to other world leaders on this issue. I believe the threat is real. That’s why I accepted the mission in the first place.
Katie: I surmised as much. There had to be a reason you agreed to a government mission for the first time.
A stealthy government aircraft flies by carrying 20 people, mostly government personnel. The pilot gets on the intercom. “Brace yourselves for a fast landing.” Shortly after returning to the soil, William, Katie, and 12 soldiers get off the aircraft, and it flies away. A soldier named Zen is in charge of the team.
Zen: 6 clicks in this direction. We need to move quickly and quietly.
The group has to venture through some wooded area that is fully unpleasant, yet only moderately dangerous. Katie grabbed Williams’s hand and held it the whole time. Zen stops exactly 1 mile (or maybe it was a kilometer) before they reach the end of the woods.
Zen: Take a final moment of rest before the end of the world. We are almost through the woods. As soon as we clear them, it’s operation “Save 8 billion people.”
Interlock: You are all very brave to come on this mission. Even if we win, it is improbable that we all make it out alive.
[Perry, second in command, speaks up.]
Perry: You don’t have to tell us that. We’re soldiers. We know what this mission is.
Katie: I think you accidentally insulted them, William [laughs].
William: What errr… I’m sorry if I offended anyone.
Katie: [Laughs louder now] I’m just pulling your leg, cupcake.
[Katie leans in and gives him a big hug.]
Zen: Ms. Nightfire, with all due respect, this is the end of the world, and you’re treating it like a date with your boyfriend.
Katie: Mind your beeswax! We all process THE END differently.
Now William is laughing hysterically. Some of the soldiers started laughing at the exchange. Others didn’t.
Zen: Let me ask you both this: what do you fight for?
Katie: I try not to fight. Ideally, I only do it on rare occasions to help people.
Interlock: I have always lived by the mantra: Whenever confronted with choosing good or evil, it probably made sense to choose good.
Zen: I don’t understand either of you. We need to leave before I lose my drive.
On the way out of the woods, Katie notices a few odd areas of foliage that look deliberately altered in some way.
Katie: Everyone stop. I think I see something interesting.
Zen: This better be worthwhile.
Katie: The area over there almost looks like a created path. Don’t you think Archaius is the type of person that would have a more private way of getting in and out of such a huge facility? Y’know, rather than going through the main entrance.
Zen: We should stick to the plan.
Interlock: Zen, what are our calculated chances of success on this mission?
Zen: 22.73%
Interlock: What do you personally believe our chances of success are if we found a secret entrance and could completely avoid the battle to get inside?
Zen: I would say somewhat closer to 50%.
Interlock: I don’t know about all of you, but I like those odds much better.
Katie: How about we head this way for five minutes, and go back to the original plan if it doesn’t look promising.
[Everyone nods in a way to show agreement.]
The path was designed in a magnificent way of using plants and the terrain to hide it. There was just a slightly visible sliver of a clue here or there. It was like one of them old Tomb Rager games where you had to look around the level 50 times until something miniscule stands out to you, revealing a new way. Their ominous trek in the greenery dipped down into a tunnel that led to the basement level of the facility, ending at a large steel door.
Interlock: How can we get inside?
Perry: Ha! This is nothing. [Pulls out a handheld electronic device.]
[The door opens within seconds of Perry attempting to access it.]
Zen: When the fight starts, I want Interlock and Katie with me and Perry at all times. The other 10 of you will have to be able to keep the enemy occupied while we try to move Interlock forward. I know you can do this, team! This is it! Let’s do it for our loved ones!
The group perks up to Zen’s words and enters. They go through three more metallic doors before they get to the main area of the basement. There are five members of Annihilate lounging around, fully unaware. As they see him, Interlock shouts forcefully.
Interlock: ALL OF YOU [POINTS] STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING! TAKE US TO ARCHAIUS! [pauses for one second] DEFEND US IF YOU HAVE TO!
[The Annihilate members stand up, grab their weapons, and motion for the invading group to follow them.]
Zen: Interlock, I was about to chew you out for taking the initiative, but now our army is larger. Good work!
Interlock: Thanks… I guess.
Guards in a distant monitor room notice the intruders in the stairwell. One grabs an audio transmitter.
Annihilate Member Steve: Interlock mode! I repeat: Interlock mode! Interlock is in the building! Red alert!
Steve hits a button that sounds a loud alarm. Annihilate have prepared for the inevitability of Interlock’s arrival. Their helmets have an Interlock mode that renders them unable to hear anything except each other through a built-in communicator.
Interlock’s group come up to the second floor hallway and are being motioned to another stairwell by their persuaded enemies. Several members of Annihilate attack from the other end of the hallway. Interlock yells “STOP!”, but it seems to accomplish nothing. A battle breaks out with Zen, Perry and Katie protecting Interlock and moving him toward the next stairwell. Katie takes down multiple members of Annihilate with her bare hands. Interlock was in complete disbelief of the way he saw her move. He had never seen this side of Katie.
The four of them enter the door to the next stairwell. As they approach the fifth floor, members of Annihilate appear just above them with rocket launchers. They slam into the fifth floor door rather than attempting to go up any further. Annihilate chase them on floor five while firing rockets all over the place. A rocket fires exactly in the direction of interlock and Katie. Interlock puts his arms around Katie and has to think fast about where to move to get out of the way of the blast.
THE READER NOW BECOMES INTERLOCK! You must choose to move to the left or move to the right. If you choose to move to the left, read ENDING 1. Your story ends there. If you choose to move to the right, skip ENDING 1, and read ENDING 2.
MOVE LEFT (ENDING 1):
Interlock jumps into a room to the left. Shrapnel hits him in the head as he and Katie tumble into the room. Rockets still firing, the door caves in.
Katie: Oh God, William! Your head!
William: [Barely still conscious] How bad is it?
Katie: It’s not good! Holy mother of — What is that?!
Interlock: What’s happening?!
Katie: [In absolute terror] There’s something in your head! It looks like TECHNOLOGY!
Interlock: Tech…what…is…
Katie: There’s no way it can be human technology! It looks so disgusting! But I think it’s protecting you, sealing off your brain from harm. It’s probably the only reason you’re not dead!
Interlock: What’s in my head? How did it get there?
Katie: This must have been the source of your powers all along!
Interlock: Katie, I’m scared… And it hurts… And I can’t stay awa-
[William loses consciousness for a time and eventually reawakens.]
Katie: WILLIAM!
William: Katie, I understand now. I have technology from another world. I have so much data. I figured out how to access all of it.
Katie: That’s incredible, but you were out for over an hour. I fear we are out of time to stop Archaius. Plus we are stuck in this room with no exit.
William: Yes, you are right. Even with this knowledge, I can’t stop him in 104 seconds.
Katie: 104 seconds?!
William: I’m so sorry, Katie. This is the end.
[They embrace.]
William: I’ve never loved anyone but you. I regret not spending more time with you.
Katie: I’m not upset about that anymore, because I’m with you now.
They kiss as the world ends. The only sign of human life is the brain of William Aris, protected by a technological implant that is alien to an Earth that no longer exists.
The implant pulls from the Aether and reconstructs William’s body cell for cell. Upon completion, he runs his new fingertips directionally toward his legs and torso, creating a new costume. Black with pink trim and a bit of gold, William Aris is no longer Interlock. He is now INTERLOCK 2!
MOVE RIGHT (ENDING 2):
Interlock and Katie manage to reach the room on the right without either of them sustaining any injuries. Members of Annihilate purposely fire rockets upward to cave in the doorway and trap them inside. They look around the room and see no way out. After a futile attempt to clear the rubble from the doorway, they sit down to think.
Interlock: We can’t get through. The world is about to end. I don’t know what to do.
Katie: It’s not your fault. I can’t think of a way out either.
William: Katie, I love you! If this is the end, I want you to know that. And know that I am truly sorry I didn’t spend more time with you.
Katie: Clearly, I am mad at you for that. In a way, I’m not though. I now understand that you are always in these life or death situations. You need to take time off once in a while to rest and relax your mind, so it doesn’t become corrupted! Your judgement is important to the people.
Interlock: You always seem to make better arguments than anyone who petitions my aid. OK, if we don’t die today, I will promise to take some time off and take you out on real dates.
[Katie smiles awkwardly.]
Katie: William, you’ve done it!
William: What?
Katie: You gave me just the motivation I needed. I have an idea!
William: I’m listening!
Katie: Remember that story I told you about the jeep and Ban Smith?
William: Yes, what does that have to do with anything right now?
Katie: I don’t believe it’s a coincidence! You are the only known person with superpowers! I think the hologram or whatever it was came from you!
William: That’s compelling. I don’t remember ever making a hologram or how I would even do it.
Katie: I haven’t even told you my idea yet! Ask it to come out and help us!
William: Sounds a bit ridiculous, but I’ll try any suggestions at this point. BAN SMITH, COME OUT AND HELP US!
[Nothing happens.]
Katie: Mmmm… maybe he pronounced his name more like Bawn Smith. Try one more time.
William: [Feeling absurd] OK! BAWN SMITH, PLEASE COME OUT AND HELP US!
With these words an electric sentry came out of the alien implant in the head of William Aris. Katie and William are both frightened, yet hopeful.
Interlock: Ban Smith, can you help us get out of this room and save the Earth?
Ban Smith: Of course I can! I’m going to walk you through removing three pieces of the rubble to clear the doorway.
Katie: Just three pieces? Hard to believe, but I’m trusting you! Where’s the first piece?
Smith: Over there! This is the only piece that will require both of you. It’s heavy!
Katie and William have to put serious effort into lifting the object. The other two pieces were easy to lift, and the debris collapses on the removal of the last piece, revealing the doorway. They hurry out to a horrible scene. A gruesome battle appears to have ended on this floor and moved elsewhere.
Interlock: Ban, can you lead us safely to Archaius?
Ban Smith: I’m Ban Smith! What do you think? Follow me!
[Ban Smith walks ahead of Interlock and Nightfire.]
Ban Smith: Very quick through the stairwell! We can only go up two floors without being seen. Just move fast and no one gets hurt.
[They dash up two flights and burst through the door!]
Ban Smith: [Moves his arm and hand] this way!
[Further down the hallway, they move around a corner and stop.]
Ban Smith: We have a problem. We are about to have a confrontation with four heavily armed guards. I have a plan, but the success rate is under 100%.
Interlock: How much under?
Ban Smith: We only have a 97% success rate.
Nightfire: [Laughs] 97%? That’s great! That means I’ll have to put some real effort into a fight for once.
Interlock and Ban Smith look at each other in a way that suggests they both think she has gone mad. As the Annihilate members get in range, Katie moves around the corner swiftly and engages. She takes out three of them while the fourth was mowed down by a copy machine controlled by the Electric Sentry/Ban Smith.
Ban Smith: A faster route just opened. Katie, do you feel comfortable using that guard’s rocket launcher laying on the ground?
Nightfire: ABSOLUTELY!
Ban Smith: Steady. Aim right in that square on the ceiling. Slightly to the left. FIRE!
Nightfire blows a hole through the ceiling. They climb all the way up with tedious advice from the Electric Sentry.
Ban Smith: Archaius is on this floor, just ahead. He’s not alone.
Interlock: This battle is for Planet Earth, and everyone in it!
Nightfire: Ban, I have one question. Why are you a character in a story I read?
Electric Sentry: I am not actually Ban Smith. You were barely awake when you saw me in the desert. Your subconscious was still considering the story you recently read – The Conclusion Of Ban Smith In The Rain.
Interlock: I’ve never read the story though.
Electric Sentry: You two haven’t noticed that you are not seeing the same thing when you look at me. Katie sees me how she imagined Ban when she read the story. William sees me how he pictured me in his mind when Katie spoke of our encounter in the desert.
Interlock: I wondered why you look so disproportionately bizarre! I guess it’s my own fault.
Nightfire: Really? He just looks like a stereotypically cool noir detective to me.
Interlock: We probably shouldn’t spare any more time. Are you both ready?
Nightfire: Yes, love.
They enter a large room with 10 armed guards and Archaius sitting in a wheelchair. Completely unmoving, Annihilate’s leader wears a helmet in Interlock Mode, and the vision is off. Archaius cannot see or hear Interlock.
Interlock: ALL OF YOU, PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN!
[No response. They hear voices and some commotion far away.]
Interlock: Zen and Perry! Katie, we don’t have to beat them all! We just have to survive till the cavalry shows up! Don’t worry how many you take down! Stay alive!
Dodging, fists flying, ricocheting bullets – the battle becomes fierce. Katie takes down two members of Annihilate on her own. Even Interlock wins a fist fight, which is rare to see him participate in at all. He probably only won because of his protective suit.
[Zen and Perry arrive with one member of Annihilate that is still acting under Interlock’s commands.]
Zen: Less than 10 standing? That’s it?
Perry: Seems so.
[Zen and Perry high five as the trio enters the battle.]
Catastrophe unfolds in the early morning, long before the rising sun. Annihilate are defeated. Zen rips off Archaius’ helmet.
Interlock: DO EVERYTHING I TELL YOU! STOP THE WEAPON! NEVER CAUSE HARM TO HUMANS AGAIN!
Archaius reaches into his pocket and grabs his usual personal device. He inputs a number of codes as everyone watches in anticipation.
Archaius: I have stopped the weapon as you requested.
[Interlock, Nightfire, Zen and Perry all take a huge sigh of relief.]
Interlock: I have already neutralized you as a threat. I try not to use my power excessively, yet I must know the answer to this question! Why did you want to destroy everything? Even YOU would have died!
Archaius: I hate ALL THAT IS! I am part of the abomination too!
Interlock: What fosters this hatred?
Archaius: Now that you ask, I suppose I don’t know the answer. Honestly, I hate your question. It is a fragment of ALL THAT IS!
Everyone is surprised that someone could talk back to Interlock in this way. It became clear that Archaius has an exceptionally strong will.
Interlock: I am sorry that you do not love people or things… or art… or ideas…or the night sky… or conversations… or spending time with others… or a great meal after a long day… or running into an old friend that you haven’t seen in many years… or finding something cool you used to own for only a couple bucks…
Archaius: Hmmm like when you’re at a secondhand store or a garage sale or something?
Interlock: Yes, that’s exactly what I mean!
Archaius: Wow, I don’t know if I hate that. I need to think about it.
Zen: Extraction teams are on their way. If any members of Annihilate are still in the building and don’t know the battle is over – I feel bad for them.
Interlock: Archaius, I want to inform you that I will be publicly against the death penalty for you. For attempting to destroy the world and everyone in it, I believe your punishment should be to live!
Archaius: NO! HOW CRUEL! I HATE YOU!
Zen: Interlock, what was that gross creature that was protecting you in battle, and where did it go?
Interlock: Gross creature?
[Interlock and Nightfire look around the room and then look at each other. There is no sign of the sentry.]
Feelings of guilt would soon disappear from Nightfire’s conscience. Thousands of miles away, the leader of Desert Metal is recuperating and planning revenge. Ludwig Sebond has already learned all information publicly available on Kathryn Nightfire. From these revelations, he is no longer interested in finding her. His new target is the one she loves – INTERLOCK!
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