CHAPTER 5
“MASQUERADE”
FALL
THE DORM
THEO gets ready at his apartment at the Dorm, an old elementary school the Broken have converted into squatters’ lofts. Interspersed with his meager belongings are signs of the building’s former purpose: plastic chairs, a large teacher’s desk housing all his photography equipment, and a blackboard. Time is meaningless now that he’s painted the windows black… which helps both with developing photos and sleeping all day.
He checks himself out in the mirror, his Aura expanding and contracting as he flexes his fists. His new tattoo, a full sleeve down his right arm, is a permanent version of Aria’s stylized club map, in precise, geometric patterns. With Russ’ shoes and necklace added to his uniform of black clothes and camera bandolier, his evolution into one of The Alchemy is complete. Behind him, the shower curtain begins to glow. It’s showtime. He grabs a coffee and steps through the glowing portal—
SUBWAY TUNNEL
—and out through the vinyl curtain in the tunnel leading to the club. SHARON is there to greet him with a trio of air kisses.
All of The Alchemy, except for Minus, had been excited to welcome their newest member. At Aria’s urging, the details of his transformation were kept secret, and chalked up to the Opus itself. That last bit excited Deadalus, his “golden boy” showing that they were all on the verge of something great.
Theo hands Sharon the coffee as she reopens the glowing curtain to let in MANNY, bursting through the portal carrying a towering pallet of beer. He stumbles and and the contents slide off, but a quick-thinking Theo extends his Aura out from his hands and catches the contents near the floor.
MANNY
Good job, hermano! Looks like your training is already paying off.
They set the cases down. Manny pulls a thick gold foil packet of Rust out of his pocket and tosses it to Theo.
MANNY
On the house. You’re familia now. Tonight’s gonna be a big one, I hope you’re ready!
MAGNET SCHOOL - SCULPTURE GARDEN - EARLIER THAT DAY
THEO flies through the air and slams into the wall. He was definitely not ready.
He’s training at the remains of a devastated art museum that they call the Magnet School. A beautiful row of townhouses, half enclosed in a modern steel and glass atrium, it is the epitome of gentrification and co-opting of outsider art. Thematically, it’s the opposite of Werk! — commerce over art, rather than art from commerce.
It did not hold up well when the quake hit, the ferocity and speed of the Breaking in this area causing museum management to abandon everything, artwork included, when they fled. Now it’s a training ground for The Alchemy, a place to cut loose with their powers. Large modern sculptures dot the grounds of the garden, incorporating familiar urban forms like street signs, manhole covers, and gargoyles. Shattered glass litters the floor. A forlorn banner announcing the new street art collection hangs across the foyer.
Theo stands up and dusts himself off, squaring off against MANNY as ARIA looks on. DEADALUS’ Aura is animating a cobblestone statue, lecturing him about his powers while Theo continues his scary game of tag with Manny.
DEADALUS
School is in session! Welcome to the Magnet School. This place holds a place in my heart, one of the places we threw parties before it became this eye sore of a museum.
You’re Chrome now, but you won’t truly be in The Alchemy until you pass through this crucible and test the extent of your powers. For this initiation, you must work your way through three areas of the Magnet School, and (like all capitalist museums) exit through the gift shop. Simply make it past Manny, Aria, and myself and when you cross the threshold of the exit, you will be one of us. You’ll be doing this all while learning, and testing, the three levels of your new abilities. Do this, and the “gift” you receive in the gift shop will be membership into Broken Land’s inner circle.
Theo and Manny square off, Theo eyeing the entrance at the other end of the sculpture garden.
DEADALUS
The first level of Chrome manifestation is the physical. Manny uses it to grow larger, Aria to create multiple arms, and The Serb to duplicate his entire form. This is where you begin.
Imagine your sense of self, the outer edges of your body, and push it outward past your own skin. This is your Aura. It is a magnetic field created by your now-supercharged pineal gland. Channeling your movements through your Aura can make you stronger, faster, and more agile.
Theo concentrates until the metallic shimmer radiates from his skin and slowly expands.
DEADALUS
Good! All of us in The Alchemy are Chrome, Theo, but each of us has manifested our abilities differently. This is because the Vermillion helps its hosts evolve, to help survive in dangerous environs. Now you will need to figure out what you want, what you really need, so you too can be better. Manny here, for example, is a little guy. But his Aura can grow as big as he wants.
On cue, Manny expands his Aura, creating an exaggerated muscular, equine form around him, with the bent legs and hoofs of a horse, a mane, and a unicorn’s horn. Smaller spikes ripple around the Aura’s perimeter as he breathes. Manny suddenly charges at Theo, fast for his size. Theo barely dodges, and their Auras glance off each other with a strange hum. This continues, Theo learning to control his Aura, barely avoiding his friend.
THEO
You don’t scare me, Manny. You wouldn’t hurt a fly!
On the last charge, Theo maneuvers so the setting sun is in Manny’s eyes, then plants his hands and feet on the ground. Just before impact, he pushes down with his Aura, somersaulting over Manny as he passes underneath. With no warning, the brute smashes headfirst into a large sculpture, shattering it as Theo lands near the museum entrance. Manny emerges from the destruction, embarrassed and angry, his features distorted from their normal cheeriness into a snarl. His Aura starts to widen, pulling the unicorn horn into a pair as his spikes undulate larger and faster The museum’s patio lights flicker and go dark as his field momentarily absorbs their energy.
THEO
Sorry, hermano — my bad! See you on the other side.
Theo waves behind him as he jogs into the museum. Manny shakes it off, as the lights, his Aura, and his expression, all return to normal.
MANNY (to himself)
All good. Light just got in my eyes is all.
THE LOUNGE
The camera flashes a staccato burst of light, as THEO snaps a series of pics of the club around him. It is abuzz with activity, the staff getting ready for the party later that night. The cashier counts the cash drawer, a coat check girl puts tickets on hangers, and bartenders stock the bar. The SERBIAN gives the place the once over, talking to himself elsewhere in the building. Theo takes pictures of all of it, documenting every detail. This place has gone from fly-by-night illegal party to a full-fledged operation.
THE DANCE FLOOR
THEO walks into the main room, the venue looking strange and naked under the bright house lights. It somehow seems both smaller and larger than it does at night. As he goes, he marvels at the size of the speaker stacks, reaching up towards the walkways. Theo pauses under Russ’ old perch, momentarily sad, thinking about the last of many crazy nights he spent with his friend.
On stage, ARIA practices a new routine, training all three ERINS in the moves. Only Eryn (the nice one) defers to Aria’s instruction, with Erin and Eren acting standoffish and rude. Theo snaps a photo, catching Aria’s attention, and she shoots him the universal eye roll of frustration. Theo pushes his Aura downward and deftly leaps onto the stage, meeting her for a quick kiss.
ARIA
Oh, where is that clueless kid asking me for directions on the dance floor? Guess it’s much easier to find me with the lights on, huh?
He looks out onto the room and frames up a photo of her with the massive empty venue as the backdrop.
THEO
How could I miss you?
MAGNET SCHOOL - GREAT HALL
Theo hurls a glass globe at Aria but he misses, again, as she sidesteps easily. She quickly hurles three globes of her own in rapid succession at Theo. He barely ducks behind a hipster mannequin and is showered in glass.
THEO is now in the abandoned great hall of the museum, the glass-enclosed structure straddling the brownstones. Fashion illustrations cover the walls and stylized mannequins clothed in the height of street wear fashion fill the expanse: skaters, rockers, hip-hop icons, and hipsters galore. Above them dangles a sea of hanging lights, each terminating in a glass globe. The duo are playing a serious game of dodgeball using the museum’s supply of extra globes, and ARIA is kicking his ass. One of the mannequins, animated by Deadalus, continues his lecture.
DEADALUS (O.S.)
The second level of Chrome is one of emotion, of sensation. Expand your Aura further outward to feel the world around you. The perceptions that trip you out on Rust are now permanent and yours to control— seeing in the dark, hearing new sounds, and knowing others are near. Many insects posses this same magnetoreception that allows them to use the Earth’s magnetic field to find their way around.
THEO
How are you so good at this??
ARIA
Played with the girls softball team in college. And sometimes we played softball.
The lights go out. Theo pushes his field away from him, seeing through its eyes, barely able to make out the mannequins in the dark as globes shatter around him. He expands it even further, trying to feel for Aria’s telltale Aura. It’s no use. He doesn’t notice her sneak up behind him and gracefully pirouette a kick into his gut. He doubles over, the wind knocked out of him.
DEADALUS (O.S.)
Aria is also able to expand her Aura out in a web, to sense the emotions of those around her. She can predict people’s movements and influence their feelings. Minus, un-subtle bastard that he is, wields this same power like a blunt instrument, manifesting Chrome chains he uses to control the minds of the Rusted.
Aria continues to ambush Theo in the dark, dancing away from his throws, then popping out around exhibits to peg him with shots that explode off his Aura. It’s frustrating and confusing, but still somehow cute. He hides behind a low wall, trying to tap into the magnetic perception that was now available to him, but he just can’t sense her, just can’t get to the second stage. So he waits, times her throws, and jumps up to lob a wild shot into the darkness. Crash!
ARIA
Ouch!
Direct hit! Deadalus, thinking this wasn’t just dumb luck, is elated, as Theo sprints toward the door.
DEADALUS (O.S.)
Great work Theo! You’re doing it! You’re starting to see the big picture!
BROKEN LAND
THEO takes a wide-angled photo of the busy club. He’s getting some great photos. The party is in full swing, a decadently-themed event with elaborate decor and sensual performances. THE ERINS go-go dance on stage in season-themed folded paper masks: summer sun, fall devil, and winter witch. ARIA hangs above them, a spring nymph. She senses his gaze, and blows him a kiss.
Theo wades into the packed dance floor, capturing it all on film. Sure, DEADALUS is a born performer, and the shots of him are great. But Theo is also drawn to the intricate lighting and great crowd shots. The hanging flashbulbs twinkle like his childhood fireflies, and a powerful spotlight aimed at the rotating mirrored clock sends a million tiny beams out into the haze. The crowd is a source of never-ending photo ops, a sea of black clad revelers of every persuasion, all unified on the dance floor. He stands in the eye of the hurricane, both in it and yet removed, separated from it all by the thin glass of his viewfinder.
Deadalus fires up the full might of the Opus, mixing two familiar songs together. Both Broken Records Theo has heard before, their metallic black halos matching Deadalus’ Aura. Magnetic tapes, realizes Theo. Watercolor sounds tinged with gold stream out of the speakers, in the Pyrite effect Theo now understands. But this time, he’s hit by a wave of nausea. Like his migraines, but different. This was a trainwreck. His vision tunnels, and his Aura flickers like a dying light bulb. He sways dizzily in the center of the dance floor. The song sounds incomplete. Theres a haunting melody, and cool vocals, but it’s missing a proper bass line. The whole crowd is confused at this rare misstep by Deadalus, who slams into a different song, and angrily storms offstage. Theo cradles his head. Ouch.
THE MAGNET SCHOOL - ART GALLERY
THEO runs full speed into a wall that wasn’t there a second ago, and slumps to the floor in pain. He hears Deadalus laugh manically as the walls around him shift and transform in a dizzying use of the DJs powers. For the third part of his crucible, Theo is facing off against DEADALUS himself in the museum’s maze of an art gallery, in a trippy version of hide and seek
When a new passage opens up, Theo stands up and darts through it. The tall white walls are filled with graffiti murals and street art, a stark contrast to the modern gallery setting. Painted faces in the murals speak to him in Deadalus’ voice as he passes.
DEADALUS
The third level of Chrome is all mental, Theo. It is powerful and rare. Expand your Aura into the real world, affect reality with your will. Sharon, one of the strongest among us, can step through curtains across spacetime, and I can alter the very architecture of matter with a touch.
As if to demonstrate, the architect’s Aura spreads across the gallery walls as telltale overlapping Chrome triangles rearrange the surroundings into a surreal tableau of MC Escher stairs, walkways, and pedestals. Theo ducks around corners, hurdles stairs, and dodges crazy art come to life. But the floor becomes the ceiling and everything becomes a disorienting dream. DEADALUS runs him in circles.
DEADALUS
Find me at the end of the maze, Theo! Or better yet, change your reality. Control it. Step into it!
Abstract spray paint characters grab at Theo as he runs past, headsets for the audio tour taunt him, and gravity changes directions. Deadalus is obviously fucking with him. But the scope of his mentor’s powers are not lost on Theo… this man could remake reality, and it was terrifying. Left unchecked, what could happen if the DJ got mad? Or WENT mad?
DEADALUS
You’re gonna have to be better, Theo. But I believe in you. You’re my golden boy, transmuted by the power of my Opus. You’re the beginning of the next generation of Alchemists! But only if you cross the final threshold.
On cue, the walls peel back in succession to reveal the curtained exit to the gift shop. Standing between it and Theo was a long hallway, which collapses to create a yawning chasm Theo can’t cross. Way too wide to leap, it looks like he’s stuck.
DEADALUS
Spacetime, Theo! If you can’t remake reality, try to step thru it! Use Sharon’s powers, or mine, to exit the maze.
Theo tries, but can’t. He pushes his Aura into the curtains around him to no avail. He just can’t get to the third level. So he does what he always does. He does something stupid. And jumps. There’s no way to he’s going to make it, even with his powers. But he grabs one of the hanging lights and he swings across, like a swashbuckler, and launches himself thru the doorway. He slides to a stop at the real Deadalus’ feet. In the gift shop.
The rest of The Alchemy leap out to surprise Theo in celebration. He made it! He was one of them. Greeted with pats on the back, Aura high fives, and a niiice kiss from Aria, Theo doesn’t see the disappointed look on Deadalus’ face.
Emerging from the crowd of well wishers, Theo is met by The Serbian, standing next to an old barber’s chair. Next to the chair is The Serbian’s tattoo gun and ink.
THE SERBIAN
Good job, you little shit. Aria tell’s me you want a sleeve. Now sit the fuck down and try not to squirm.
Theo smiles nervously as he approaches the chair. Great, he got the angry one. This was gonna hurt like hell.
BACKSTAGE
THEO was a mess. It’s the end of the night, and he slumps backstage, deeply corroded, recovering from that weird migraine. In a daze, he sees DEADALUS and MINUS arguing. Deadalus is still upset about earlier, and is demanding something from Minus. Point made, the DJ does a bump off one of his keys, then fits all three together, like a puzzle ring. He walks to the end of the train car and disappears into the gap between the cars. Minus turns to Theo. His contempt for Theo’s new status as “one in a ‘million,” the first person in forever to go Chrome and avoid Minus’ influence, is obvious.
MINUS
Good news, newbie, you finally have a chance to be useful. Your old boss is having his Halloween party next week, and we’re gonna pay him a little visit.
THE MAGNET SCHOOL
MINUS, MANNY, SHARON, ARIA, and THEO are gathered in the yard of the old museum.
MINUS
Here’s the deal. Cyrus over at GR€€D has something that belongs to us, and we want it back. For you newbies, GR€€D used to be the Business School, the first of the four “Schools of Thought” where Deadalus threw illegal parties. Deadalus was partners with Cyrus before I came along, and let’s just say the split wasn’t amicable. He left an old prototype of the Opus there, Cy turned the place into a bottle club, and we’d generally leave him alone, except to have my people sling a little Rust to adventurous I banker types. But now we think Cy has one of Deadalus’ Broken Records, and the big man wants it back. So we’re gonna get in, grab it, and get out quick. No fuss, no muss.
Minus passes out the paper masks to the others.
MINUS
Put these on. We wanna blend in for their Masquerade party, and we don’t want any of their nosy photographers—
He looks at Theo.
MINUS
—getting any pics.
They slip on the paper masks, the same ones Eryn made for the last performance. Minus as winter king, Aria as spring nymph, Theo as summer sun, and Manny as fall devil.
Sharon grabs the hanging museum banner, summons a portal, and the others climb through one by one—
GR€€D
—emerging through a curtain into a photo booth. MINUS pushes the kissing occupants out onto the floor as he steps out through a second curtain into the GR€€D foyer. He’s followed by ARIA, THEO and MANNY in turn, the booth camera going off for each one. The quartet march to the interior door as a photo strip slides onto the floor, each photo a different season. They’ve bypassed the bouncers outside, and get hand stamps on their wrists as they enter. “£&₿.” Pounds and Bitcoin. Money-related, naturally.
They follow Minus into the crowded den of opulence. He seems at home here, spreading out throughout the crowded club. It’s small size and focus on bottles and models is a jarring anachronism to Theo, who has experienced good music, real friends, and drug-fueled enlightenment since working here. He peeks behind the bar, scans the DJ’s record crate, and pokes around the curtained—off service station. No sign of the tape.
The others seem to have the same luck. Minus, growing impatient, commands Manny to kill the lights and storms into the tiny DJ booth. Manny expands his Aura, sucking the light out of the room. In the glow of the bottle sparklers, Aria reaches out to nudge the rusted members of the crowd to leave, calmly. The crowd pushes past them towards the exit, leaving only a group of muscular BOUNCERS, two COCKTAIL WAITRESSES, and a very pissed off CYRUS.
Cy gets in Minus’ face, screaming at him, while his pack of bouncers attack the others. Manny fights like a bull in a china shop, smashing things and bouncing a guy off the golden statue. Aria fights like a nimble dancer, dodging and leaping from table to table. Her Aura reaches out like webs from her fingers, allowing her to sense the layout of the room and predict the bottles flying across the melee. Theo is hesitant at first, using his Aura defensively. Aria and Manny each save him before he gets into the swing of things, hurling a bucket of Red Bull cans with his Aura. It hits a bouncer in the head, knocking the guy out.
THEO (chuckling)
That shit IS dangerous.
The service bar’s glowing partition parts as a new portal forms.
SHARON
It’s time! You guys coming, or what?
Cyrus gets the drop on Sharon, surprising her. He yanks her out of the portal and smashes her into the opposite hallway wall, face first, knocking her out. The portal vanishes instantly. Cyrus grabs a champagne bottle and smashes it against the wall, slowly pressing it into Sharon’s neck. Blood wells up in the cut as Cyrus tells them to stay back. Minus sneers, his Aura pulsing. The cocktail waitresses, the matching ERINS, appear out of the darkness behind Cy, wearing the telltale Chrome chokers of Minus’ puppets. They may work here, but they LIVE at Broken Land. They each pin one of Cyrus’ arms back, disarming him, and force him to his knees. The lights sputter back on as Manny’s Aura shrinks. Minus pulls up his mask and leans in toward Cy with a manic look on his face.
MINUS
Thought you could keep using our equipment after we left, asshole? Well it’s gone on long enough. Let’s see if I got this right: you get ahold of one of Deadalus’ special mixes, from Russ I bet. Your DJ puts it on one night for some high rollers, looking for a new thrill. They’ve just bought some new drug from your cocktail waitresses, and you give them the high of a lifetime. But now Russ is dead, you’re attracting unwanted attention to the Rust scene, and we want our fucking tape back! The free ride…
Minus takes off his necklace, slipping the loop of the golden spoon over his middle finger, making the chunky utensil into ornate “brass” knuckles.
MINUS
…is…
Minus pummels Cy with the metal covered fist, repeatedly, as Aria and Theo stare in shock.
MINUS
…over!
Even after the beating, Cy is defiant, spitting blood but refusing to talk. So Minus takes out a small vial and fills a glass eye dropper with viscous red fluid. As the Erins hold Cy’s eye open, Minus drips it into Cyrus’ eye. The club owner doubles over in pain, screaming, eye smoking. Aria looks sick to her stomach, and Theo lunges in to stop the madness. Manny calmly holds him back. This was way more than he signed up for. Cy is now subdued and whimpering.
MINUS
Now let’s try that again. Where is the tape?
Cyrus tells him Russ must have left it at Greed by accident. They didn’t even know what they had, they never use that stupid reel to reel player. But then Russ came by a few months ago, asking for it back. Saying he needed some insurance, because things were about to get real. He seemed scared. He kept ranting about a lab, and the whole thing was fucked up. That’s all Cyrus knew.
MINUS
But you didn’t give it to him, did you? You realized what you had, and started using it. I should have known when the rich kids started showing up at Broken Land. WHERE THE FUCK IS IT?
Minus pulls the vial out again, and Cy flinches, pointing to the Bull. Manny walks over, grabs the head, and tilts it back like a Pez dispenser. Sitting in a hollowed out cavity was a single, red reel to reel tape, glowing with a magnetic aura. He tosses it to Minus, who tucks the tape under his arm.
MINUS
Great. Now it’s time to cauterize this whole fucking disaster like I should’ve before.
Minus takes a bottle of Bacardi 151 from behind the bar and pours it over the DJ booth and the curtains surrounding it. He lifts a burning bottle sparkler off a table, and in one fluid motion, sets the curtains alight. They burst into flame, causing the fire alarm to blare.
MINUS
Naughty boy! Looks like someone didn’t pay for the fireproofing.
The fire spreads quickly across the booth, slowly melting the proto-Opus: mixer, tape deck, and triangular speakers. Minus slips a gold foil packet in Cyrus’ suit pocket.
MINUS
Here’s something for the pain.
Sirens sound in the distance.
MINUS (to ARIA and THEO)
We need to go! You two, take Sharon to the hospital, get her stitched up.
ARIA
You aren’t coming?
MINUS
I have more important things to do.
Minus gestures, and the Erins fish the keys to Cy’s Range Rover out of his suit pocket and leave with Minus and Manny. As they pass the Bull statue, Minus gives it a second glance.
MINUS
Sorry, Cy, but you had this coming. You mess with the bull, you get the horns. And speaking of, I think this would make a great souvenir. Manny?
Manny grabs the bull by the horns and rips the statue’s head off. Minus, Manny and the Erins strut through the smoke and out the front door with their prizes, leaving Theo and Aria, still in shock, to care for Sharon.
AIR TRAM STATION
Having left Sharon safely at the emergency room, THEO and ARIA wait for the air tram to New Brooklyn. They’re upset. They argue. Theo knows he’s been played, but he isn’t sure exactly who is involved, and isn’t even sure Aria isn’t in on it. Aria is freaked out— she’s a lover, not a fighter, and this violence is abhorrent to her. She’s not even capable of going back to New Brooklyn now, she says she’s gonna stay at a friend’s on the island. She needs a break: from the club, the insanity, and even Theo. She might do her performance at the Winter party, because everyone is counting on her. But then she’s out for good.
But Theo needs to figure out what the hell’s going on. Russ was scared of something he had discovered, like he was in danger. Does that mean he didn’t kill himself?
Aria knows Russ was searching for something. They used to explore the world together, looking for more Vermillion, remember? But she can’t help Theo now on some wild goose chase.
THEO
Fine, I’ll do it alone.
As the tram lurches out of the station, Theo steps on board the empty car and is lifted slowly up towards New Brooklyn, leaving Aria behind.
AIR TRAM
THEO rides the tram across the East River, pacing the empty car and talking to himself. Was Russ killed? Could it have been Minus? Theo just saw the violence he was capable of, and there was definitely something off about that suicide note. Hell, didn’t Aria say other members of the Tribe had gone missing before? What does Deadalus know? What is his ultimate plan? Theo pulls out the worn Polaroid of him and Russ. “L.A.B.” Like A Boss. Life’s a Bitch. Lazy & Brilliant. All stuff Russ would say, like he was obsessed. He must have seen something about a lab in a vision, and was trying to figure it out. Something that got him killed.
Theo thinks about his dream the night he got his powers. About the Mayan temple and the sacrifice, and the dark tomb in the back of the pyramid. He’s knocked out of his reverie as the tram lurches to a stop halfway across the river. Janky piece of shit. He walks to the back of the car and looks toward Manhattan, toward Aria. It’s a straight view from up here down 14th street, all the way to the Meatpacking District and GR€€D. Hanging on to a strap in the ceiling, he’s at eye level with the club stamp on his wrist. At his tattoo. He stares in shock.
He rushes to the other end of the car and looks out over New Brooklyn. He stretches his arm out so a reflection of the tattoo overlaps his view of the city, pulls out Russ’ old IR pen, and starts drawing on the glass.
THEO
If my tattoo is a map of the club, why does it also line up with New Brooklyn? The Gates are the DJ booth and Russ’ light booth. They line up along the subway tunnel itself. The Breaking Memorials form a triangle, like the club’s speaker stacks. And Broken Land is right in the middle, at the center of the dance floor. And all the places they’ve partied are the four edges of the club: Werk! is the bar, Magnet School is the stage, the Dorm are the entrance…
Theo draws the map of the club over the corresponding buildings as he works it out, making a glowing red version of his tattoo on the glass. He turns around and goes to the other end of the cable car.
THEO (getting louder)
Deadalus, you crazy bastard. You designed the club to be a microcosm of the city. And they both look like that temple from my vision. They’re all related. Which means GR€€D should have a corresponding part at the club. There’s a part of Broken Land we don’t know about, behind the DJ booth, past the train cars—
Theo looks at his wrist, the £&₿ hand stamp still on it.
THEO
— caled the Lab! Russ’ visions were trying to point him to the Lab. I need to get back there and shed some light on this whole fucked up place.
RUSS’ Journal
This place is fucking rad! All the EDM festivals can’t hold a candle to Broken Land, and now I’m a part of it. Imagine, a skinny, gay Asian kid in The Alchemy. So much has happened this year, I’ve gotta start a journal just to keep it all straight.
The last twelve months have been a blur — bitchin’ warehouse parties all over Brooklyn, that crazy earthquake, the new club, and then me entering the black, right on the dance floor, staring at the lights of the disco wall. Aria says that makes me the purest of all of them, having a mystical event tied to the club itself.
Joining the inner circle at Broken Land is a big deal— there are only seven members of The Alchemy at any one time. Deadalus and his sacred numbers, lol. And that actually seems to break down into two 3 person cliques, with me the new guy as the seventh: Deadalus, Minus and Manny on one side, and Sharon, the Serb, and Aria on the other, with each side having powers that are level 1, 2 and 3. Yin and Yang, male and female energy. So of course little ole me is in between.
Since becoming an Alchemist, I’ve been having these crazy visions, of other places, and things that might come true. But it’s all in symbols, and codes, and metaphors, so I’m trying to figure it all out. Maybe it’s cuz of all of Deadalus’ talk about our co-evolution with the insects, but my dreams are filled with ants, spiders, wasps, butterflies, beetles, and scorpions. And now they’ve been joined by a moth. A moth that likes flying high and is drawn to the light.
And there’s one more. I can’t make them out, but I keep seeing a benevolent force rising up from the ground in a synchronized dance of lights. Fireflies maybe?
Whatever, all I know is I’ve got these amazing powers, everyone has been super nice to me, and I can’t wait to the next party. I think I’ve finally found a home.