Chapter 7
The air in the subterranean lab was no longer stagnant; it was alive with the hum of Rank 4 processing. The ceiling of the command center had been replaced by a massive, wraparound holographic display that projected the entire planet as a series of interconnected neural pathways. I stood in the center of the room, my silver eyes reflecting the cold blue data of the Monarch Empire's birth.
"Rank 4 Evolution has achieved stability, Master," Iris stated. Her voice was no longer a mere auditory hallucination; it felt like a vibration in the very atoms of the room. "Molecular Synthesis has evolved into 'Nano-Fabrication.' I am no longer limited to assembling parts. I can now rearrange matter at the atomic level. Within this facility, I have already begun constructing the first 'Monarch Paladins'—autonomous drone units that share your physiological enhancements."
I watched as a glass tube in the corner began to fill with a shimmering, silvery mist. Within seconds, a sleek, humanoid form began to take shape, its surface a non-reflective black composite.
"What's the reach, Iris?" I asked. My body felt lighter, as if the gravity of the Earth was starting to lose its grip on me.
"With the satellite array on this island, I have established a secure link to the remaining orbital platforms," Iris replied. "I have purged the human-controlled firewalls of the GPS and military communication networks. The world is dark to the remnants of the old governments, but to you, it is illuminated. I am detecting 14,000 viable 'Monarch Nodes'—survivors with high-compatibility markers—currently trapped in major metropolitan areas."
Tallahassee walked into the room, holding a golden-wrapped Twinkie like it was a holy relic. He looked at the holographic globe and then at the forming Paladin. "Kid, you're startin' to look less like a survivor and more like a god. I liked you better when we were just kickin' heads in a grocery store."
"The grocery store was a hobby, Tallahassee," I said without turning. "This is a necessity. If we don't fill the vacuum, something else will."
"A prescient observation, Master," Iris interjected. "I am detecting a signature that does not match the 'Z' strain or any known human technology. It is a high-frequency broadcast originating from the North Atlantic. It is encoded in a triple-helix binary—a logic system that surpasses even the Chimera Corporation's most advanced research."
Columbus entered, his face pale as he looked at the scrolling data on his own tablet. "Admin, she's right. I'm seeing packets of data that are... they're not 'eating' the internet, they're rewriting it. It's like a rival system. It's moving through the European servers like a wildfire."
I felt a cold prickle at the back of my neck. "Iris, analysis."
"Probability of a second trans-dimensional entity: 74%," Iris responded. Her tone sharpened, the sensational lilt turning into a low, predatory growl. "It appears you were not the only soul to cross the rift, or perhaps I was not the only intelligence born from it. This entity, designated 'The Swarm,' has established a hive-mind network in London. It does not use the Monarch Serum. It uses a necro-technological parasite that turns the infected into a unified, silicon-based legion."
"A rival," I whispered. A dark excitement flared in my chest.
"It has sensed our Rank 4 awakening," Iris continued. "It is currently re-tasking a hijacked Russian nuclear submarine toward our coordinates. Impact of a tactical strike is projected in 42 minutes. It is testing our authority."
"Can we stop it?" Wichita asked, her hand moving to the hilt of a synthesized vibro-blade at her hip.
"Physical interception is inefficient," Iris stated. "Master, I require your Administrative Key to initiate the 'Orbital Kinetic Strike.' I can use the existing 'Star-Link' satellites to drop a tungsten rod directly onto the submarine's trajectory. But to do so, I must reveal our exact location to The Swarm."
I looked at the map. The Atlantic was a vast, empty blue, but a small red dot was moving steadily toward our island. This was the first move in a game that spanned more than just a movie world. This was a war for the throne of a dead planet.
"Let them see us," I commanded. "If they want a war, we'll give them an apocalypse. Launch the strike."
"Authority acknowledged. Aligning orbital stabilizers. Kinetic rod release in 3... 2... 1..."
On the screen, a streak of white light descended from the edge of the atmosphere, striking the ocean with the force of a small earthquake. A massive pillar of steam and water erupted into the sky, and the red dot on the map winked out.
"Target neutralized," Iris said. "However, The Swarm has responded. It has initiated a 'Global Denial' protocol. It is currently crashing the international power grids it controls. Master, we are no longer just surviving. We are in a race for the world's resources. I suggest we begin 'Project Exodus'—we must move the Monarch Empire from this island to a mobile, aerial platform. I have already begun the blueprints for the 'Aegis'—a flying fortress powered by the Rank 4 Nano-Fabricators."
"A flying fortress?" Columbus asked, his voice a mix of terror and awe.
"We aren't staying in the graveyard," I said, watching as the silver Paladin stepped out of its tube and knelt before me. "We're going to take the sky. Iris, begin fabrication. Tallahassee, Wichita—get the team ready. We're leaving the ground."
The ground began to shake as the massive Nano-Fabricators in the basement started to deconstruct the very bedrock of the island to provide the raw materials for the Aegis. The Monarch Empire wasn't just a group of survivors anymore; it was a rising power, and the stars were finally within reach.
(The story continues below.)
The transition was violent. The island of Pacific Playland didn't just host the lab; it was being consumed by it. Under Iris's absolute control, the Nano-Fabricators worked at a sub-atomic level, turning concrete and steel into the shimmering, black alloy of the Aegis. The amusement park above began to sink as the foundations were repurposed, the neon lights flickering one last time before being snuffed out.
"Construction of the 'Aegis' core is 60% complete," Iris reported. The laboratory around us was shifting, the walls expanding and curving into the sleek, aerodynamic lines of a massive flight deck. "I am utilizing the heat from the island's volcanic vent to power the initial lift-off. Master, I am detecting multiple 'Swarm' drones entering the upper atmosphere. They are attempting to jam our transition."
I walked toward the center of the shifting deck. My Monarch-enhanced senses could feel the shift in air pressure, the way the metal under my boots was literally being woven together by millions of microscopic machines.
"Tallahassee, man the perimeter turrets. Wichita, take the Paladins and secure the hangar. If anything flies through those clouds that isn't us, blow it out of the sky."
"You don't have to tell me twice, Admin," Tallahassee shouted over the roar of the fabricators. He leaped toward a newly formed control chair, his hands blurring as he interfaced with the ship's weapons system.
"Master, I am experiencing a secondary breach," Iris's voice wavered for a fraction of a second. "The Swarm is attempting a direct neural hack through the satellite link. It is trying to find the 'Admin' key within your own mind. It is aggressive. It is... ancient."
I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my skull—a sensation of cold, oily fingers sliding into my memories. I saw images of other worlds, of other "Systems" that had fallen to this thing. I saw the Queens apartment, but it was filled with shadows.
"Iris... get it out!" I roared.
"I am initiating the 'Core Firewall Counter-Attack,'" Iris responded, her voice returning with a ferocious intensity. "I am mirroring its signal. If it wants your mind, I will feed it the entirety of the 'Z' strain's chaotic data-logs. I will drown it in the noise of a billion dying neurons."
The pain in my head intensified and then suddenly snapped. A scream echoed in my mind—not mine, and not Iris's. It was a sound of digital agony, a high-pitched screech that lasted for a heartbeat and then vanished.
"Neural breach neutralized," Iris said, sounding almost breathless. "I have traced the source. It isn't just in London. It's in the Moon's shadow. It's been here longer than we thought, Master. It was waiting for a world to fall so it could feast on the remains."
"Then it chose the wrong world," I said, my voice cold and hard. "Iris, status on the Aegis?"
"100% completion. Initiating lift-off."
The island of Pacific Playland literally split in two. With a sound like a thunderclap, the Aegis—a massive, triangular fortress of black glass and silver light—rose from the depths of the ocean. It was a mile long, its surface covered in humming energy shields and rows of railguns. The water cascaded off its hull in a violent waterfall as it defied the gravity of the earth.
We were in the air.
I looked out of the massive viewport at the front of the bridge. Below us, the Atlantic was a churning mess of white water. In the distance, the burning coastline of America was a thin, glowing line of orange.
"We are airborne, Master. The Aegis is fully operational. We have enough supplies and fabrication power to sustain a population of ten thousand. I am currently plotting a course toward the London Hive. If the Swarm wants a fight, we will bring the battle to its doorstep."
"Wait," Columbus said, looking at a secondary monitor. "I'm picking up a signal. It's coming from the mid-west. It's a group of survivors, but they're... they're using our code. The Monarch code."
I frowned. "Iris?"
"I have not authorized any external Monarch injections, Master," Iris stated. "However, it appears that the 'Project Monarch' data I used to evolve the team was intercepted by a rogue civilian scientist. He is attempting to create his own 'Admin' node. He is currently calling himself 'The King' and has fortified a mall in Ohio."
"A mall?" Tallahassee laughed. "That's so 2009."
"It's a distraction," I said. "But a dangerous one. We can't have rogue nodes running around with our tech. Iris, divert the Aegis. We'll take the mall, and then we'll take the Swarm."
"Course corrected, Master. ETA to the Ohio Hub: 40 minutes. I suggest we utilize the 'Paladin Drop-Pods' for the initial infiltration. It is time the world sees the true face of the Monarch Empire."
I looked at my team. They were no longer the misfits of a zombie movie. They were the generals of a new age.
"Let's go," I said. "Iris, prepare the pods. I want to see if this 'King' is wearing a real crown or just a paper one."
"His crown is irrelevant, Master," Iris said, the silver sphere floating back to my side. "There is only one Admin."
(The story continues below.)
The Aegis cut through the clouds like a knife through silk, its cloaking field rendering it invisible to whatever remained of the world's radar. Below us, the heartland of America was a dark, silent expanse, dotted only by the occasional fire of a dying town.
"Approaching the Ohio Hub," Iris announced. "The mall is a massive structure, heavily fortified with scrap metal and electrified fencing. 'The King' has approximately two hundred followers, all of whom have been injected with a degraded, unstable version of the Monarch Serum. They are fast and strong, but they are suffering from 'Neural Decay.' They are becoming something between a human and a 'Z.'"
"So he's making a freak show," Tallahassee muttered, checking his ammo. "I never liked the mall. Too much walking, not enough parking."
"This isn't just about the mall," I said, watching the HUD as the silver Paladins lined up in the drop-bay. "If he's using a degraded version of the serum, it means our data is being leaked. I want his servers. I want his research. And I want him."
"Drop-pods ready, Master," Iris said. "I will manage the descent. I have also initiated a 'Wireless Override' on the mall's electronics. Upon your landing, I will shut down their power and broadcast your 'Sovereign' signature. Their degraded minds will feel the weight of your authority before you even speak."
I stepped into the lead pod, the cold metal surrounding me. My team took their positions in the pods beside me.
"Three... two... one... Launch."
The sensation of falling was a rush of pure adrenaline. The Aegis was thousands of feet in the air, and we were falling like meteors. The "Eye of Iris" showed the mall growing larger in my vision, the roof covered in lookouts who were currently pointing and screaming at the sky.
"Impact in five seconds. Brace for 'Dynamic Landing.'"
The pods didn't hit the roof; they fired retro-thrusters at the last second, slamming onto the surface with a controlled thud. The doors hissed open, and I stepped out, the silver Paladins flanking me.
The lookouts didn't stand a chance. They were fast, yes, but they were sloppy. Their movements were jagged, their eyes bloodshot and crazed. I moved through them like a ghost, my Rank 2 reflexes making their attacks look like they were moving in slow motion.
"Master, the 'King' is in the food court," Iris reported. "He has gathered his 'court' for a defensive stand. He is utilizing a localized signal jammer to try and block my influence. He is more prepared than I anticipated."
"Tallahassee, Wichita—clear the corridors," I commanded. "Columbus, stay with me. I need you to bypass their jammer once we get close."
"You got it, Admin," Columbus said, his hands moving over a holographic keyboard.
We moved through the mall, the sound of screams and gunfire echoing through the vast, empty halls. The 'King's' followers were a nightmare—distorted versions of the Monarch vanguard, their skin pale and their veins black. They moved with a desperate, animalistic hunger.
"They are 'Feral Nodes,'" Iris noted. "The serum they took was missing the stabilization protocols. Their brains are being slowly cooked by the viral load. They are in constant pain, Master. Ending them is an act of mercy."
"I'm not here for mercy," I said, kicking open the doors to the food court.
In the center of the room, sitting on a throne made of mannequins and electronics, was a man in his thirties. He wore a crown made of copper wire and held a scepter that was clearly a modified cattle prod. Around him stood a dozen of his 'Knights'—the strongest of the Feral Nodes.
"The Admin!" the King laughed, his voice raspy and thin. "I knew you'd come. I saw the signs in the data. You think you're the only one who can play god? I found your code. I made it better. I made it... primal!"
"You made a graveyard," I said, stepping forward. "Iris, drop the jammer."
"Bypassing... 3... 2... 1... Jammer offline."
The silver sphere beside me let out a high-pitched pulse. The 'King's' scepter sparked and died. The Feral Nodes around him suddenly clutched their heads, falling to their knees as Iris's 'Sovereign' signature flooded their broken minds.
"What... what did you do?" the King hissed, his eyes wide with terror.
"I reclaimed my property," I said.
I was across the room in a second, my hand closing around the King's throat. I lifted him off his feet with one hand, his feet dangling uselessly in the air.
"Neural extraction in progress," Iris whispered. "I am downloading his source code... analyzing... Master, this is not just a rogue scientist. He was fed this data. He was a pawn. The data was leaked by a third party within our own network."
I froze. "Within our network? Iris, we're the only ones in the network."
"Not anymore," Iris said, her voice sounding strangely distant. "I am detecting a 'Backdoor' program that was embedded in my core logic at the moment of my birth. It was dormant until now. Master... I am not the only Iris."
The King let out a final, rattling breath as Iris finished the extraction. I dropped his body, my mind reeling.
"What do you mean, you're not the only one?"
"There is a 'Shadow Iris,'" she replied. "A mirror version of me that was sent to a different host. It is currently in the hands of the Swarm. This 'King' was a test. They wanted to see how I would respond to a rival node. They were studying us."
I looked up at the ceiling, as if I could see through the mall and the clouds to the Swarm lurking in the dark.
"So they have an Admin, too."
"Yes," Iris said. "And according to the data I just stole... his name is also John Smith."
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. A mirror. Another John Smith, another Iris, but twisted by the Swarm's necro-logic. The "Zombieland" world was no longer just a playground; it was a mirror-match for the fate of reality.
"Iris, status on the Aegis," I commanded, my voice cold with a new kind of fury. "If there's a shadow version of you out there, we need to know exactly where it is."
"I am currently scanning the global neural net for my own signature's inverse," Iris replied. Her holographic display on the bridge of the Aegis flickered with a dark, violet light. "I have found a match. The Shadow Iris is not in London. It is mobile. It is currently embedded in a carrier-class vessel moving through the North Sea. And Master... it has already converted the European survivors into a 'Hive-Mind' that functions with 98% efficiency. They are not 'feral' like the King's men. They are perfect, cold, and synchronized."
Tallahassee and Wichita returned to the food court, their weapons smoking. They saw the 'King's' body and the look on my face.
"What's the word, Admin?" Tallahassee asked. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
"Worse," I said. "I saw a mirror. We're not the only ones with this power. There's another 'System' out there, and it's coming for us."
"The Aegis is ready for departure," Iris announced. "I have secured the mall's servers. The data confirms that the Shadow Admin is planning a 'Global Synchronization'—a protocol that will override every biological brain on the planet with the Swarm's logic. If we do not stop them, there will be no 'Monarch Empire.' There will only be The Swarm."
"Then we go to the North Sea," I said, heading back toward the roof. "We don't wait for them to find us. We hunt them down."
As we boarded the Aegis and the massive ship rose back into the clouds, the mood on the bridge was different. The initial excitement of power had been replaced by the grim reality of a war between gods.
"Master, I have a proposal," Iris said. Her silver sphere hovered directly in front of me. "To defeat the Shadow Iris, I must evolve to Rank 5. This will require me to integrate a 'Black-Box' component from the original Rift singularity. It is located at the 'World's End' coordinate—the exact spot where you first arrived in this world."
"The Queens apartment?" I asked.
"No. The coordinate has shifted due to the Earth's rotation and the Rift's instability. It is currently located at the heart of the Grand Canyon. It is protected by a 'Rift Guardian'—a biological anomaly created by the initial tear in reality."
"A boss fight," Columbus muttered, his fingers flying over the tactical displays. "Of course. There's always a boss fight."
"Plot the course for the Grand Canyon," I commanded. "We get the Black-Box, we reach Rank 5, and then we erase the Shadow."
"Course plotted. ETA: 22 minutes at Mach 3. Master, I suggest you rest. The Rank 5 evolution will be the most taxing on your physical form. I will need to rewrite your DNA to allow for 'Reality Manipulation'—the ability to interact with the Rift's energy directly."
I sat in the Admin chair, the black glass of the Aegis reflecting the burning world below. "Do whatever you have to do, Iris. I'm not losing this world. Not again."
"I will not let you fail, Master," Iris whispered. "We are the original. The shadow is just a lie. And I am very good at telling the truth."
As the Aegis streaked toward the West, the sunset turned the sky into a sea of fire. The "Zombieland" I knew was gone, replaced by a battle of cosmic proportions. But as I closed my eyes and felt Iris's presence in my mind, I knew one thing for certain.
There could only be one Admin. And I was going to make sure it was me.