Soulless (The Immortal Gene Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  SOULLESS

  THE IMMORTAL GENE TRILOGY

  Author: Jacinta Maree

  Book One

  Copyright for Jacinta Maree 2015

  Cover Design by Amygdala designs

  http://www.amygdaladesign.net/

  Cover Art: Thander Lin

  www.thanderlinillustration.com

  Edited by Hot Tree Editing

  http://www.hottreeediting.com/

  Inked Rabbit Publishing

  Melbourne, VIC

  AUS Edition: Sept 2015

  ISBN:978-0-9943839-0-7

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Printed in Australia

  Table of Contents

  Book One:

  CHAPTER ONE:

  CHAPTER TWO:

  CHAPTER THREE:

  CHAPTER FOUR:

  CHAPTER FIVE:

  CHAPTER SIX:

  CHAPTER SEVEN:

  CHAPTER EIGHT:

  CHAPTER NINE:

  CHAPTER TEN:

  CHAPTER ELEVEN:

  CHAPTER TWELVE:

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

  CHAPTER NINETEEN:

  CHAPTER TWENTY:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:

  CHAPTER THIRTY:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT:

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:

  CHAPTER FORTY:

  What did you think?

  Book two coming soon…

  About the author:

  Other titles by Jacinta Maree:

  Welcome to Soulless.

  We are the generation that laughs at death.

  Book One:

  Immortality. What was once a magnificent dream has now become our grim reality. Man no longer fears death; he yearns for it.

  In 2016, children began to have dreams of people they once were. Past friends, family, events… they could remember it all with accurate detail. By 2200, entire generations experienced the same, marking that year as the Return, and it was then we realised that reincarnation was more than a belief. Our souls could never leave this earth, and with every return, our minds began to crowd with memories that no longer belonged to us.

  Every century that passed, the insanity deepened and drove humanity to the verge of extinction. Countless wars devastated society, leaving the planet and civilization in ruins. The advancement humanity once made came to a halt as the will to better the world became the will just to survive it. A decade after the world wars, a powerful group calling themselves the Elite stepped in to rebuild our depleting race.

  During this time, researchers discovered that every soul left a unique mark on the iris, which was carried through

  with the soul’s next body. To bring back order, a new technology capable of tracking the soul imprint was created, allowing our government to tag, track and control us. For the Elite, the system was perfect. Regardless of where they were reborn, they were returned to their former glory and entitlements. For those who broke the law, death was no longer an escape and they were branded as blacklisted and sent to decades of imprisonment.

  To slow the insanity, scientists created a serum called the D400 that repressed the memories and personalities of all previous lives.

  Most of the population survived off small ounces, just enough to suppress violent and paranoid behaviours. Those of the lower classes were left to crumble beneath the disease, becoming crazed husks called drifters. The Elite thought they had cracked the code to our reincarnation problem and a new norm emerged among us. That is, of course, until I was born.

  You see, I was born without a soul imprint. A defect that has restarted century-old wars, but this time nothing can stop the madness from destroying us all.

  CHAPTER ONE:

  The line for food was longer than usual. For six hours, I waited on the outskirts of the city, rocking from foot to foot to lessen the pain in my calves. To my right, I could see the city through the wire fence that pressed us to the side of the warehouse. Across the crumbled towers, the red sunset bathed over the buildings like fire. The orange beams slipped through the cracks in the windows and walls as it set across us. As the sun disappeared behind the slanted towers, it took with it its warmth, sinking the city underneath a spit of rain and southern winds. I crossed my arms to hug warmth back into my body. Behind me, I could hear the impatient calls of those lined up further down. I looked down at my hands to recheck the coupons before quickly re-securing them into my pockets. Behind me, their voices grew louder.

  “When are you going to open the doors?” one man yelled.

  “We’ve been waiting all day. We need our food!” another woman shouted.

  The guards patrolling the fence tightened their grips around their weapons. The sight of guns wasn’t anything new; every single person in line had some type of pistol or knife hidden in their clothes. Some, like the guy down from me, was not so hidden.

  He wore his belt of bullets like a sash with his automatic machine gun resting on the pad of his shoulder. He snarled when he caught my gaze and I quickly looked away.

  There was still some blood on the ground and wall from yesterday’s line up and it smelt of rancid copper. The tension between civilian and police was as tight as a string about to snap. I just wanted to collect my supplies and get out of there. I always felt uncomfortable standing in these type of lines. I hated having people behind me where I couldn’t see them. What was worse was they always pressed right up to my back so every sniffle and cough ran down my neck.

  I jostled on the spot and turned back to check the queue behind me again. The line seemed endless, even disappearing behind the corner. As I glanced down, I accidentally caught sight of someone I recognised. He was my neighbour, Robert, an older man and the type of guy who would sell your kidney if he thought he’d get a free meal out of it. He stood a few meters away but stepped out of line when he spotted me. He must’ve taken the split second eye contact as an invitation as he ran up to join me.

  “Nadia? Is that you? How funny, running into you here.” Robert rubbed his hands together smugly. As always, he wore that ugly custard-yellow jacket and back–to-front green shirt with the tag sticking out the front like a tongue. As he talked, he exhaled into his palms and rubbed them against his pant legs.

  I quickly turned my back on him, “You’re not cutting in,”

  “I’ll just stand behind you. No one will even notice.”

  I turned and shoved him back. “Get back. You’re going to get us both kicked out.” The last thing I wanted was another riot, not now, not when I was so close to the front.

  His eye twitched nervously. “Help me out here, I’ll give you some of my share if you let me in.”

  “I said no! Now, go back to your spot!” People were noticing. My face started heating up. This wasn’t looking good.

  “Fine, fine.” He laughed nervously. “I just wanted to make sure that you and your family knew about the upcoming swee
p. There’s been a tip off about some black-listed scum shacking up near our area. Dangerous stuff.” As he spoke he edged in closer, pressing his body in between mine and the woman waiting behind. I clenched my jaw and quickly spun back. Despite our height differences, I managed to grab him by the collar and jerk his head down to my eye level.

  “Seriously, Robert. Back the fuck up.”

  His eye twitched again, causing his entire neck to jerk. He dropped his voice down into a rough whisper, “Nadia, come on. I’m desperate here. I haven’t gotten to the front of the line for three weeks.” His tone had no hint of desperation in it, but roughened up as though he was going to bully his way in.

  “Tough. I haven’t gotten to the front for the whole month.”

  The woman behind me grabbed Robert’s hoodie and pulled him back. “Ey! What do you think you’re doing? This girl is letting him cut!” A choir of disgruntled voices fired up behind us. I turned back to face a very long and very irritated line of glares and tightened fists directed my way.

  Along the fence, the police slowed when nearing us as I quickly turned and faced the front. Don’t get involved. Don’t get involved. The woman pulled Robert’s hood again, prompting Robert to swing his arm back. “Don’t touch me, you fucking dog.”

  With a swift upwards jab, the woman drove her hidden shiv into the side of Robert’s ribcage. He seized up before collapsing to the ground, gripping the wound. Before anyone else could react, a policeman stepped up and fired, hitting the woman in the chest with his Taser gun. The electric shock jerked her body into a rigid plank before she fell to the ground in a seizure.

  The shot set the rest of the crowd into a panicked scramble. A heavy force crashed forward behind me as the crowd rammed their shoulders into the sealed garage door in their attempt at breaking it down. Heat and panic flared like wild fire as the guards fired into the swarm of bodies scrambling to get to the front. Using my elbows, I wrestled my way in between the gaps when I felt someone drive their fist into the side of my face. My neck was thrown the other way, knocking my senses around. The moment I hesitated someone grabbed my hair and yanked me backward, pulling me out of the crowd. Sharp pain shot up from my roots as I was thrown onto the ground and rolled into the fence. Above my head, loud cracks of gunfire popped as people flailed into epileptic fits. It was sickening how desperate everyone had become; they risked getting electrocuted rather than missing out on food scraps. And despite how hard they threw themselves against the garage, there was barely a dent in the door.

  It was a losing battle and reluctantly I turned away. I went back to Robert’s body and rampaged through his pockets for his coupons. He only had the one stashed in his jacket, and it had expired too. Goddamn asshole! I then turned and fled for home.

  Shit! I can’t believe I’m late, again! I glanced down at my phone to note the time. Ten past six. I’d missed curfew. The roaming police squads were already on route, blasting their warning across the city. “Curfew is in full effect. Anyone caught outside without proper authorization will be arrested and prosecuted.”

  I pressed myself against the walls of the neighbouring buildings, using the low light to hide. We were stationed further out, away from the inner city, keeping to the quieter suburbs where less raids occurred. In the heavier populated zones, it was dangerous. People weren’t exactly kind to one another, and they definitely didn’t trust each other either.

  We elected to stay in an apartment building far on the west of the central capital. The place wasn’t much but it still had sealed windows and a door that could lock, so it was good enough for us. The house was a narrow apartment block that was two-storeys high. I hitched my backpack higher onto my shoulder before making the last hundred-metre dash to my front door.

  Once inside, the first words I heard were from my mother, Lisa. “You’re late, Nadia!”

  I shrugged out of my backpack and dumped it by the foot of the door. Most of the house was still in darkness, the only light came from the kitchen where Lisa was cooking a stew. I placed my knife onto the bench in the hall and slipped out of the sling of my shotgun.

  As I walked into the kitchen, Lisa wiped her hands clean on her top before stepping around the counter. She checked my hands hopefully. “Where are the supplies?”

  “I didn’t get it.” I emptied my pockets and placed the coupons on the table. Lisa twisted her lips to the side, biting back her disappointment.

  She then stepped closer and lifted my chin to inspect the bruise on my face. “You can try again tomorrow. They’ll have to open it soon.”

  “Or maybe they’ve just run out of fresh produce?” I suggested irritably before jerking my chin away from her. “It’s been weeks. We’re going to starve if this keeps going. Where’s Roman?”

  “He’s out collecting the rations from the administrator. We should be getting some bandages, pain killers and new light bulbs for the den tonight.” She turned back to the pot and continued to stir. “That reminds me. You’re due for a reassessment tomorrow. Doctor Phillips called in to make sure you’ll keep your appointment. Have you spoken to him yet?”

  I took a seat and clasped my hands, purposely ignoring the question. “Is Annie home?”

  “She’s asleep. Haven’t heard a peep in hours.” She sighed with noted relief. “We were starting to think we would have to send her in for more sessions with the technician.”

  “She’s not one of them. There could be hundreds of reasons why she’s having vivid nightmares. It doesn’t mean she’s blacklisted. I can tell.”

  Lisa scoffed mockingly, “And you’ve dealt with a blacklisted before, Nadia?”

  “I know my own sister.” In a different breath, I lowered my head and pushed away from the counter. Lisa was never going to listen. She had already pinched her face into that look of superiority, where nothing I said could ever dismount her off her high horse. “Whatever, I’m going to bed.”

  Upstairs I stopped by Annie’s room and peeked in. She was stretched out on her back while cocooned in her bed sheets with her pillow kicked across the room. I noticed she was missing one of her socks as her long legs stuck out the end of her mattress. It was always the left sock too. I turned to walk away when Annie’s sleepy voice called out, “Nadia?”

  I stepped back to catch her peeking up at me through the crack in her eyelid. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “Did you get the milk?”

  I drew in a shaking breath. “No. Not tonight.”

  “Tomorrow then?”

  “Maybe. I’ll try.”

  “‘Kay.” Annie mumbled her goodnights before she turned over. Moments later, she fell back asleep as her gentle breaths shot through her nose like a whistle. I smiled and quietly took my leave to my own room.

  It must’ve been hitting on midnight when I was awoken by muffled screaming. It only took a second to recognise the shrieks before I scrambled out of bed. My room was closer to hers so her screams were like wine glasses smashing against concrete floor.

  “Annie? Annie!” I jumped onto her bed and pinned her down before she could throw herself from the mattress. “Shh! Shh! It’s okay. Come on, wake up! It isn’t real, Annie.”

  Her body thrashed against my arms. I couldn’t keep her down as she bucked and screamed beneath me. She was getting stronger, or perhaps the nightmares were worse than before. Her voice was a shrilling crack amongst the still of the neighbourhood. It rolled down the streets in chilling ripples but even so, no one would come out to investigate.

  Over my shoulder, I heard the door kick open followed by our father’s voice. “Not again.”

  I didn’t look back at him as he neared. “It’s fine. I have her under control.”

  “Just move, Nadia!” Roman quickly pushed me off. I shuffled back as he held Annie down. Her screams climbed her throat like some sort of alien digging under her skin. I cupped my hand to my mouth, but I dared not look away. Roman continued to shake her, rough enough that her head flopped.

  “Snap
out of it! Wake up!”

  Suddenly, Annie’s eyes snapped back and she inhaled a long, gasping breath. It took her only a few seconds to register where she was. When reality finally kicked in, Annie curled into Roman’s chest and cried. He looked back at me briefly, exhaustion set on his face. Even without speaking, I could understand. This wasn’t looking good for Annie.

  “This can’t go on.” Lisa’s voice came in from the door way. Her body stood by the frame, arms cross but not a toe over the threshold. “They’re getting worse. I can’t get a single good night’s rest here.” She threw her hands up in frustration. “If she’s one of them, we have to hand her over. We have to take her back.”

  “You can’t-” I jumped up as Roman held his hand up to shush me.

  “I’ll take her to get checked at the technician’s tomorrow. It’s the only way.” He eased Annie back onto her bed before rising to a stand. She tried to pull him in but Roman shook his arm free from her hold.

  “Daddy, I’m scared,” she called out.

  He patted her on the head gently. “It’s okay. We’ll get you fixed up tomorrow.”

  I glanced up to catch Annie’s eyes shift onto me. Her cheeks were blotched pink and her toasted hair darkened under the sleek of her sweat.

  “Nadia?” Her voice begged as she reached out. I immediately scooted over and took her into my arms. She was definitely burning up and covered in sweat; her clothes clung to her like a tongue to an ice post.

  “It’s okay, Annie.” I tried my best to sooth her. Roman joined Lisa at the door where they exchanged harsh sounded whispers, as they did after every one of Annie’s episodes. I turned her head toward my shoulder and whispered into Annie’s ear to block the noise. “Let’s wash you up and then I’ll read you your favourite book, okay?” She nodded as I hoisted her up and took her to the bathroom.

  CHAPTER TWO: