by Ramy Vance
Fred tried to make his way through what had become a maze of bodies moving back and forth between tents, some of which were empty and others that were filled with dead bodies covered in microchips. The smell of rot and burning computer processors made it almost too much for even Fred to breathe. Where did the orc say the humans were being held? Fred managed to utter.
Suzuki concentrated as much as he could to pull himself out of the feelings and thoughts that Fred’s mind had descended into. Over there, Suzuki said, mentally pointing to a section of the camp outside of the camp. It must have been past the first ridge of defenses.
The second defense ring was not composed of tents. Instead, there were well-made wooden structures and barracks that stretched out into a somewhat mountainous region. There were fewer orcs and goblins. Instead, it looked like the area was patrolled mostly by ogres. Suzuki figured that was because there was no branding going on. This was just for prisoners. The prisoners were probably kept away from the branding area until they were so broken down they couldn’t resist.
As Suzuki and Fred tried to get their bearings, they could see a line of humans being herded toward a large, stone building. The humans had the same look as the elves and dwarves they had seen before. Dirty and broken, unable to raise their eyes. Completely broken. “Follow them,” Suzuki whispered. “That’s where we’re going to find Beth.”
Fred scampered off to hide in the shadows as ogres patrolled about. Even if there was less going on in this section of the camp, the security was much more intense. If the ogres were only guarding humans, the Dark One must have thought humanity was pretty important.
She’s close, Suzuki thought. He could feel it in Fred’s gut. The imp and he were barely separate from each other at this moment. They both knew what they were here to do, and nothing was going to stop them. They had seen a glimpse of the perversity of the Dark One’s methods. The mission had silently become so much more than rescuing Beth. Once Beth was free, they were going to shut this place down. This was going to be the first step in bringing down the Dark One.
Chapter Nine
Suzuki was trying to come up with a plan, but nothing was clicking. Too many ways to fuck this up…and Beth was only a couple hundred feet away.
A couple hundred feet away!
This was what the last few weeks of his life had been leading up to. He needed a plan, a way to get her out of there.
But nothing was coming to him.
Beth was being kept in a prison that was built directly into a stone mountain. It looked like a stony iceberg had been dropped into the Dark One's camp specifically for the purpose of detaining prisoners. The few guards that Suzuki could see were mostly orcs and ogres. Ogres were the muscle. Orcs were providing the smarts, Suzuki expected.
None of the guards seemed to be too focused on what was going on around them. Suzuki thought that he and Fred could sneak in if a distraction was provided. But the rest of the MERCs were outside the camp. If Fred and Suzuki started the distraction themselves, there was no way that they could avoid getting caught.
It seemed like the only option was to try and infiltrate the orc ranks. So far, Fred pulling his rank as an eldritch creature had worked well enough. Maybe that was something they could continue to use to their advantage.
Fred bristled his scales as he prepared to speak with the orcs standing guard at the foot of the mountain. Suzuki was still getting used to what it felt like to share a body with Fred. He would have preferred to be completely focused on his mission, but the flux of Fred's emotions and the way that Fred was responding to his thoughts was still unnerving.
He felt it intertwined in a way that he didn't think was possible with his familiar.
Suzuki reached out to Fred. So, what do you think we should do? he asked.
Your thoughts are correct, human, Fred replied. If we try to distract any of the orcs ourselves, we will get caught. The best option is to try and pass undetected as one of the Dark One's Lieutenants. We will continue to pose as one of the viceroy's officers.
Are you ready?
As ready as I believe I can be in this situation. Let's go.
Fred took a deep breath, a very human sign of anxiety, and approached the guards. Suzuki felt Fred trying to make himself as physically imposing as possible. It was an odd thing to watch, the imp’s internal insecurities manifesting in how he held himself, being aware of his small stature while also aware that he could kill whoever accosted him. However, given the sheer number of the Dark forces, fighting wasn't an option, and Fred had to rely on other means of intimidation.
The orc guards standing outside of the foot of the mountain were flanked by two ogres, who glared at Fred as he approached. The orcs lazily looked up as if they couldn't be troubled to give Fred any of their attention. "The fuck you want?" one of the orcs growled.
Fred hissed and his eyes narrowed as if he had located prey. "This is the holding area for the humans and elves, am I correct?" he asked.
"Who the fuck is asking?"
"The eldritch lieutenant to the viceroy."
The slovenly gaze of the orcs sharpened. They stared at Fred with what could have been construed as an intelligent curiosity. "What here has caught the attention of the viceroy?" the other orc asked.
"A routine security check. The viceroy has heard that security has gotten lax in the first, second, and third rings. I am here to assess the situation and report back to the viceroy."
"Security is good. You can tell that to the viceroy," the first orc replied.
"If you had been given the specific task to check how secure and safe the defenses were, would you so easily be deterred?"
"Like I said, security is good," he repeated.
Fred sighed and shook his head. He folded his arms as he laid his wings against his back. "Listen, I'm not going to bullshit you. I know how you must feel. I'm not here to tell you how to do your job. I get it, guard detail isn't the most appreciated job. How long have you been on-shift?”
The orcs looked at each other. Suzuki noticed they both looked extremely tired. "’Bout five days," one of the orcs said.
Suzuki could feel Fred’s mind running, putting together the pieces, grabbing from Suzuki's own observations in real-time. The orcs would have been microchipped like the rest of the races in the camp, but it seemed that the microchips worked differently for each race. Unlike the giants, the orcs didn’t seem to have their intelligence or personality destroyed. They were conscious of themselves, more or less. This was probably why they were responsible for a complicated task like guard duty.
Larger creatures such as giants and ogres must have been chipped so that they could provide brute force. The camp couldn't run with only that, though. There had to be some kind of middle ground. That was where creatures such as the orcs and goblins came in. Their microchips must have been specially designed so that they were still capable of being controlled without sacrificing their cognitive abilities.
That also meant that they could be conned.
Fred shook his head, doing the best to mimic what he felt solidarity must look like. "Everyone needs to rest.” Fred sighed. "Even orcs. I've heard from some of the other tribes that the majority of the orcs in this camp feel as if their work is not being appreciated."
One of the orcs nodded in agreement. He leaned against the club he held in a posture that Suzuki had often seen overworked construction workers take. "You can say that again," the orc said.
"Listen, I'm not here to bust your ass. I'm not here to look at what isn't working. All I want to do is take a look at how the prison is running and be able to give the viceroy a good report—and put in a good word for the orcs who are working their asses off."
"All right. What do you need us to do?"
"I need to check all of the cells. See the condition of the prisoners. Also, to see the condition of the guards."
"Well, I'll tell you right now, we're all pretty burned out. Fights keep happening. Especially with some of the new recruit
s."
"Who is in charge here?"
The orc pointed to the mouth of the cave. "Come on, follow me," he said. "I'll introduce you to the boss."
The orc stepped into the mountain and Fred followed him. The tunnel into the mountain was smooth as if it had been carved into the mountain for the express purpose it was being used for. Electric lights were strung along the sides of the wall so that the passageway had the odd look of a black and white Christmas. The hallway continued on until it opened to a cavern with multiple branching passages. There were at least a dozen. "This way," the orc said as he took the path farthest to the left.
The orc continued to guide Fred down the long, stone hallway. There were multiple small rooms on the side of the hall, blocked by gates. Suzuki wondered if these were holding cells. No sound came from them, though. If there were prisoners in the cells, then they were extremely quiet.
As Suzuki walked with Fred down the path, he couldn't help but be reminded of ants. It was almost as if the orcs had burrowed into the mountain with some unconscious need to express their hivemind. This was different than any hive mind that Suzuki had ever read about, however. There was still so much individuality. It made sense, though. For an army as large as the Dark One had created, mindless drones wouldn't ever get the job done.
Finally, they came to the end of the hall. A large wooden door with a slide for viewing separated the tunnel from the room. The orc knocked on the door twice before the slide opened and a pair of beady eyes looked through the slit. "Who is it?" the voice asked.
The orc cleared his throat, perhaps trying to seem more official than he was. He said, "I have a lieutenant from the viceroy to see the captain."
The slide closed, and after a few seconds, the door opened. The orc motioned for Fred to enter, which he did. The door shut firmly behind him.
The captain's office was far from what Suzuki had expected. The walls had been polished even smoother than those of the rest of the cave. There was a large wooden desk in the middle, the sort of desk that you would find in an office. On top of the desk was a massive computer, complete with a holographic screen. The walls were covered with small television screens which piped in feeds of each individual prison cell.
A large orc sat at the desk. He was covered in ceremonial tattoos and was at least a head taller than the orc that had brought them in. His face was covered in scars, one of his eyes dead and white. He stared at Fred from behind the nearly-transparent holo-screen.
In the corner sat a dwarf. He wore a simple black tunic, and he had a healthy, brown beard. He had a clipboard, and he was furiously taking notes on the prisoners shown on the computer screen.
The orc captain rose from his chair and approached Fred. He raised his right hand and pressed it over the middle of his chest as he slightly bowed his head. "It is a pleasure to meet a Lieutenant of our esteemed Viceroy," the captain said. "I am Ogareth, the captain of this re-integration camp. How can I serve the viceroy?"
Fred spoke before either he or Suzuki thought their response. "Reintegration camp?" Fred asked.
Ogareth raised his eyebrow as his lips turned to a snarl, exposing his large bottom fangs. "Yes, reintegration. Is there—"
"My apologies," Fred countered. "The viceroy rarely uses technical terms. It's usually just theatrical whispers and gestures. You'll forgive my ignorance."
Ogareth chuckled lightly as he relaxed and returned to his seat. He motioned for Fred to take a seat across from his desk. "No, no, that is understandable. I know how the higher-ups can be. Specifically, the viceroy. I'm glad that we don't have to have direct contact with her like those unlucky bastards out in the field."
Fred laughed as well, internally relaxing. He was growing more comfortable with the role that he was playing. Suzuki relaxed as well as he marveled at what the microchips must have been doing to the orcs. The microchips had most definitely turned the orcs into drones… bureaucratic drones.
Listening to the captain talk was like watching a manager at the DMV.
Ogareth cleared his throat, spit out some yellow phlegm on the ground and leaned forward as he folded his hands together in an uncanny middle management position. "So how can I help you?" he asked.
Fred mined Suzuki's memories for a similar position to take, and he thought back to the first time that he had gotten in trouble with his manager at work. He had remembered what his father had told him.
Don't look too submissive.
Cross your legs.
Present yourself as professional as possible.
Fred did just that. "I'm not here to cause any trouble," Fred started. "The viceroy has some general concerns about the security of some of these facilities. How prisoners are treated, whether or not there are any...glaring safety issues. That sort of thing."
"Why would the viceroy be concerned with how the prisoners were treated?" the orc asked.
"Reintegration,” Fred said, feigning boredom. “We’ve been finding that the mental state of prisoners is vital to how well reintegration works."
"Can't say that I really understand that. We’re just here to stomp the shit out of them until they get taken away for the reintegration branding."
"Think of it like this, the more shit you stomp out of them, the more space there is for the programming," Fred said.
Ogareth laughed and smacked his knee with his hand. "If that's the case, then there's going to be a lot of space with this new batch. Come on, I'll give you a tour." The orc stood and walked over to the television screens that the dwarf sat by. "What you wanna check out first?"
Fred looked over the screens, hoping that Suzuki would be able to find Beth in the dizzying array of pixels. There were too many screens, though. The orc didn't make it any easier when he swiped to the right, showing even more screens. He continued to swipe, occasionally stopping for a moment, but eventually continuing on. "There's a lot to choose from," Ogareth said. “And this is one of the smaller facilities too. I can’t imagine what those assholes up North have to deal with. So what's your poison."
"Humans. I've always had a particular hatred for humans. Particularly military."
"Why not the MERCs?” he asked. “I feel like they're the bigger pain in the ass. The military is easy to track down. Very showy. Picking them off is almost like drowning a baby, if you get my drift. The MERCs are a royal pain in my ass. Just earlier today, I got reports that a handful of those dipshits were trying to make their way down here."
Suzuki's figurative ears perked up. He was glad it was Fred's job to maintain composure right now. "Oh, really?" Fred asked. "How arrogant. What did you do to them?"
"Sent my best chieftain with a raiding party to take care of them. They should be rotting in the fields by now. Ulrag hasn't ever lost a battle. He's a good orc. Glad he came along so willingly."
Fred nodded with approval. "Good riddance. The only good MERC is a dead MERC."
"Never truer words. We don't have any MERCs here, but we got a lot of military. Care to take a look?"
"I'll take the full tour. It would delight me greatly to see the despair on their faces."
"Great. I'll have Ansalm take you. Unfortunately, I'm on paperwork today," Ogareth said.
"Understandable. I'll make sure to mention to the viceroy how hard you've been working.”
"Appreciated. We're all doing our best to serve the Dark One."
Ogareth took a seat at his desk and turned back to his work. Meanwhile, Ansalm had gathered up his notebook and a small knapsack. He strode toward the door and waited there politely until Fred picked up on the hint and followed him.
Ansalm didn't speak as he led Fred down the hallway to the main convergence of tunnels. He looked down at his clipboard and twirled his beard as he sighed heavily. "So human military?" he asked. "That's what you're after?"
Fred nodded as he tried to commit the various branches to memory. Suzuki was doing the same. He didn't want to think about what sneaking back into this place was going to look like, but he knew that i
f they were going to make it work, they couldn't be working blind.
Each turn taken was going to need to be memorized.
The dwarf lowered his clipboard and stared at Fred with his small, brown beetle eyes. "Why the interest in military?" he asked. "We have a ton of humans. Civilians. Villagers. Why are you so keen on military prisoners?"
"Because indoctrinating the ignorant masses is not something that I or the viceroy is concerned with. Sheer numbers may be intimidating, but I am much more interested in the captives who show combat potential."
The dwarf smiled with a crooked, sinister display of teeth. "Good enough for me," he said. "Let me show you the way."
Ansalm walked to the right of the cavern and choose one of the pathways. He briskly walked past Fred, and Fred had to run to catch up with the dwarf. Despite his short legs, Ansalm could move. His walk was practically a jog. Fred opted to fly down the cramped tunnel instead of trying to keep up with the dwarf.
Suzuki was still attempting to keep track of each turn the dwarf took. It gave him time to try to understand what he had witnessed in the captain's quarters. Whatever the microchips were doing to the orcs, it wasn't only making them bureaucratic, but also extremely efficient. His earlier thought of them being something like the DMV had been completely off. The orcs were operating with the seamless fluidity of the Gestapo, and somehow the efficiency was more horrifying than if the Dark One had just been manipulating the orcs through mind control. The casual tone the captain had taken about torture and breaking prisoners was frightening.
Was that what they were doing to Beth? Suzuki didn't want to think about it, but he already knew the answer.
Beth was military.
She was strong.
If there was anyone who the orcs were going to try and break, it was going to be Beth. Suzuki knew it didn't matter, though. He knew that Beth could take it.
Whatever the Dark One's forces were trying to throw at her, she could take it.
Ansalm continued to guide Fred down the winding tunnels, taking turns right and left almost at random. Suzuki could feel himself getting lost. It didn't matter how much he tried to pay attention to what was going on. Right. Left. It didn't matter. He could vaguely tell that they were descending deeper into the mountain, but he had no way of orienting himself.