Renaissance

by Caleb Fast

  “No!” Clive cries as he turns to look at the flames. He continues in a softer voice which is full of regret, “I told him to go there,”

  “And you also to him to leave,” Jenessa reminds Clive, trying to console him, “There’s no use in you dying in there too, he chose to risk his life saving those people.”

  Clive lets out an angered sigh as he calms down enough for Jenessa to let him get back to his feet. Clive looks around now that his eyes have adjusted to the room, which is much brighter now that it is being lit by the fire, rather than just a few dozen lights. After a beat, he asks, “Where’d all the guards go?”

  “They fell back right as the control tower blew,” Jenessa informs Clive, “I heard them say something about Richardson’s people destroying it because it was about to be overrun with prisoners.”

  “So, Richardson’s cover must still be intact,” Clive reasons.

  “It would seem so,” Jenessa replies, with a note of skepticism, “Even though his story is obviously false.”

  “As I said, we can trust him,” Clive chides as he looks back up to the burning wreckage above them. After a few beats, Clive asks, “How many people did we lose?”

  “I know of twenty or so of our own, including Dream,” Jenessa replies.

  “And what about the rest of the prisoners?” Clive prods.

  “At least a hundred are dead, and that’s all I’ve seen in here so far,” Jenessa reports.

  “Any idea where the guards fell back to?” Clive asks as he starts toward the nearest partially closed blast door.

  “They probably made for their wing of the complex,” Jenessa responds as she closely follows Clive. After a few moments, several more of Clive’s people form up around them all following Clive.

  “What happened to Yalland?”

  “We got him as he and his people made a break for it, trying to catch up with the other guards.”

  “So, we’ve got Yalland, Triborn, and Koch, that leaves Copen, Jenniston, and however many guards survived.”

  “That’s correct,”

  “Any idea how many guards made it out?” Clive asks as he steps over the dead body of a guard who was killed as he crawled through the blast door. As he steps through, the prison’s emergency lights flicker to life, their dim red hue hardly illuminates the hallway. I guess Richardson managed to get some power back online, Clive reasons, These lights beat nothing.

  “Maybe thirty or so, not including Richardson’s team.”

  “Alright… any idea how many of the other people here are fighters?”

  “No, sir, but I can find out,”

  “Go,” Clive instructs Jenessa, continuing to the crowd, he requests, “Can everyone who knows how to even shoot a gun join Jenessa? We will need everyone we can get.”

  “I was a soldier with the Coalition on Torrin before I defected,” One inmate volunteers.

  “I was one of the best hunters back home,” Another chimes in.

  “It’s been a while, but I used to be quite a good shot myself,” Another announces.

  “Please, everyone who feels like they will be useful to Jenessa, join her in the old meeting hall,” Clive orders before everyone’s volunteering grew too loud for him to continue with further instructions.

  “This way,” Jenessa calls as she raises her hand for everyone to see and quickly peels away from the growing column, making her way off into another direction, with several dozen inmates in tow.

  Once Jenessa is out of sight, Clive continues to the entourage, “Where’s T?”

  “Here,” T calls, raising his had as he works his way toward the front of the group.

  “Go get everyone you can that has even touched a bandage,” Clive starts, worrying about all of the wounded people who are still in the cafeteria, “We need to get everyone up and walking before we make our escape.”

  “You’ve got it, boss,” T replies as he starts ordering people around once they volunteer their medical knowhow. Leading the way back to the cafeteria, T calls, “This way people!”

  “Trix?” Clive calls into the throng of people, knowing she had to be in there somewhere.

  “I’m here,” Clive hears her voice call out inquisitively.

  “You said you were a good mechanic?” Clive starts, once she weaves her way to the front of the crowd. He pauses a moment as he is momentarily rendered speechless by the girl’s beauty once again. Gathering himself, he continues, “I need you to lead a team to those hangars we talked about to get everything back up and running.”

  “What about Dream?” Trix asks.

  “He’s gone, I’m depending on you now,” Clive responds, pushing down the sadness that welled up in his chest as he is reminded that he had lost a dear friend.

  “Gone?” Trix whispers quietly, seemingly to herself, before continuing in a much stronger voice, “I need everyone who has so much as loosened a bolt with me.”

  “Mav, do you know how to get to the hangars?” Clive asks Mav as Trix gathers her team.

  “I trust I can find my way without too much difficulty,” Mav nods after a thoughtful pause.

  “Great,” Clive smiles before continuing in a whisper, “Lead Trix there, and then double back. And please tell me how well she leads her team, it seems like she’s done this before.”

  “Consider it done,” Mav responds. After another beat, he asks, “And then can I get to the tasks we discussed in the meeting?”

  “Absolutely,” Clive replies, “I’ll have your people start collecting everything they think they’ll need,”

  “Marvelous,” Mav exclaims before disappearing into the group of people around Trix.

  “And now I’ll track down Richardson,” Clive says to himself as he continues down the hall, now free of the army of his people.

  “Wait up!” Clive hears Audaz call out from behind him

  “What is it?” Clive asks, alarmed by the fact that Audaz had shouted, she was normally much quieter and more reserved.

  “Let me come with you,” Audaz yells. Clive notes that she has soot all over her face, likely from the fire, and blood is seeping from her ears.

  “No need to shout,” Clive says as he holds his finger to his lips, motioning for silence. Noting Audaz’s confusion, Clive reaches over to one of Audaz’s bleeding ears, and shows her the blood on his hand.

  “I guess I was too close to the explosion,” Audaz says, still louder than necessary, but quitter than she had been moments before. She reaches her own hand up to her other ear and pulls it away bloodied as well.

  “Go to the cafeteria!” Clive instructs as he motions toward the doors T had taken his medical detail through, “You need to get that checked out.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Audaz reassures Clive, before giving him a light shove. With a soft chuckle, she continues, “Let’s go!”

  Clive remains silent, and simply nods. He knew that no one could do anything for Audaz here anyways. He had just been concerned for her safety. There was no knowing what may lie ahead of them.

  “I saw you eying that new girl,” Audaz says matter-of-factly as she elbows Clive in the ribs after they round the first few corners in their search for Richardson.

  “I was not,” Clive lies, keeping his eyes forward in a weak attempt to hide his surprise from Audaz, who, unfortunately, was very good at reading people. He hoped that the red lighting could help in concealing the fact that he was now blushing as well.

  “’I was not,’” Audaz echoes Clive in a mocking tone and an exaggerated imitation of the face he had made when he lied.

  “Fine, I was. You happy?” Clive cedes as he chuckles to himself. He continues, “I feel sorry for whoever ends up marrying you, they won’t be able to hide anything from you.”

  “I know, is it great?” Audaz asks with her cute toothy grin, her teeth stand in contrast against the soot that covers her face.

  Amused, Clive shakes his head as he laughs. Audaz had a gift for seeing the light in things, and she could make people laugh
at the drop of a hat.

  “So?” Audaz prods, her voice now much quieter than it had been, evidently her ears weren’t as bad off as Clive had initially feared.

  “What?” Clive asks innocently.

  “Are you going to ask her out?”

  “Ask her out? Have you seen where we are?”

  “I have, but I also know that we’re going to be free soon.”

  “And?”

  “And that would be your chance to whisk her away. You’re her rescuer!”

  “Her rescuer?”

  “She’s your damsel in distress, you need to make the most of the moment!”

  “And what if I don’t?” Clive asks coyly. He and Audaz round the final corner and come across a security door, which stands between them and the stairwell which would take them to where the control room had been. Clive hoped that he would be able to find Richardson somewhere near there, since that was the last place Clive knew Richardson was.

  “This it?” Audaz asks.

  “Yeah,”

  “How do you know?”

  “I got a floorplan from a guard a while back. I’ve memorized much of the complex.”

  “You’ve really got nothing better to read in your down time?” Audaz teases as she peers through the small window in the door. She tests the handle, and sighs when it doesn’t budge.

  “Something like that,” Clive laughs as he starts to turn around, hoping to find something to pry the door open with.

  “Don’t move,” Clive hears a voice warn. He freezes and sees Audaz do the same out of the corner of his eye.

  “We got them,” Another voice says into their comm unit, which chirps once they finish. The voice pauses a few moments, as the person on the other end responds, but then they continue, “You two, come with us.”

  “We were just making our way back to our cells,” Clive lies, hoping these guards weren’t as good at reading people as Audaz was.

  “Shut up,” The first voice seethes before pulling a hood over Clive’s head, and turning him around.

  “Really? We can’t see anything anyways,” Clive complains as his hands are cuffed together. Clive hears another set of cuffs close nearby, likely around Audaz’s wrists as well.

  “Quiet,” A more familiar voice warns. Clive thinks a moment before realizing that it was Phelix’s voice. After a moment, he feels a key getting pressed against his palm, and he closes his fist around it. Phelix continues her charade, “The Major said we’d find you here,”

  “Who, me?” Clive asks, playing along.

  “Yes,” Phelix responds, likely relieved by the fact that Clive knew what was going on.

  “Why would he know I would be here, I just got turned around in the dark.”

  “You are Clive Ranger. You’re the one who caused all of this.”

  “Me?”

  “He’s a nobody,” Clive hears Audaz add, she evidently had also caught onto the ruse.

  “Silence,” Phelix shouts, followed by a smack, and a cry of pain from Audaz.

  “Hey, it’s me you want,” Clive protests.

  “Very well,” Phelix agrees before punching Clive in the face, much harder than need be. Clive stumbles to the ground but is quickly hoisted back up by the other guards.

  “Can we just kill them now?” One of the guards asks Phelix, who evidently was heading up their little band.

  “No, the Major wants them alive,” Phelix quickly responds.

  “Can we hurt his little lady friend?” Another guard asks as Audaz lets out a quick scream.

  “No, she may know something,” Phelix snaps.

  “Fine,” The guard mutters.

  Clive decides to remain silent for the rest of their journey, and fortunately, so does everyone else. Which was likely much easier for Phelix, who needed to maintain her cover. They walk for just a few minutes before Clive finds himself being halted, before hearing a quick knock on a door.

  “Open up, we’re here,” Phelix barks into her comm unit in the most menacing voice she can muster.

  The door squeals open as someone forces it open, and Clive is silently ushered in.

  “Here he is, Major,” Phelix reports.

  “About time,” Richardson snarls, “I told you to work quickly.”

  “Yes, Major,” Phelix replies.

  “Were you seen?” Richardson inquires.

  “No, Major,” One of the guards replies.

  “Good,” Richardson says. As he finishes, Clive hears two gunshots ring out, followed by the sound of two bodies hitting the floor.

  “Are you alright?” Richardson asks Clive as he pulls of his hood.

  “Yeah,” Clive nods. He unlocks his cuffs, and then Audaz’s with the key Phelix had given him.

  “I’m sorry I hit you,” Phelix apologizes to Clive, turning to Audaz, she continues, “And I’m sorry I slapped you,”

  “You packed quite the punch,” Clive compliments her as he rubs his chin, which is still sore from where she had hit him.

  “Sorry,” Phelix repeats sheepishly, “I had to sell the part,”

  “You did a great job,” Clive congratulates her, continuing to Richardson, he inquires, “Who’s plan was that? It worked great.”

  “That would be Phelix,” Richardson says as he motions toward the beaming Phelix, “She says she read about a similar ruse in one of her books.”

  “Very nice,” Clive says nodding.

  “Thank you,” Phelix says, clearly still proud of her plan that went on without a hitch.

  “Where’s the rest of your team?” Clive asks Richardson.

  “Some are holed up with Jenniston,” Richardson starts, pointing toward a map of the prison, he continues, “We have a private channel they can’t listen in on. Others are helping your team that’s going to repair those old vehicles.”

  “How are you going to get your people away from Jenniston?” Clive inquires.

  “We won’t need to, we’ve maintained our cover.”

  “And what if it gets blown?”

  “We have… contingencies set in place,” Richardson offers as he places some explosives on top of his map with a smile.

  “Ah,” Clive says simply as he nods. He had underestimated Richardson’s resourcefulness.

  “And I provided your people with all of the charges I could as well.”

  “Oh, well, thank you,” Clive responds, surprised by how competent Richardson and his team were.

  “Now, we have to get back to Jenniston,” Richardson starts as one of his people step up to the table with the map and place a large bag onto it.

  “This bag has everything you’ll need,” The guard starts as he unzips the bag and begins pulling out items, pausing each time in order to provide information, “These tablets have all the data you’ll need on the prison… These sidearms are the best we got—please make sure you’re shooting at the right people… Some guard uniforms, so you can sneak around as a last resort… and of course, some demolition equipment.”

  “Thank you,” Clive says as the guard repacks the bag and hands it off to him. He hands an additional bag to Audaz.

  “Godspeed,” The guard says before exiting the room.

  “Can we have the room?” Clive asks Audaz.

  “Sure…” Audaz replies slowly, clearly aware of the fact that there was tension in the air.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about the executions?” Clive demands the moment Audaz leaves the room.

  “I truly though they were bluffing!” Richardson responds, visibly distraught.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about it at the very least?” Clive repeats.

  “I’m sorry, I truly didn’t expect them to follow through with it, especially since Triborn was out of the picture.”

  “We both know that Jenniston would never let something like that just drop, especially with her protégé going missing like he did.”

  “I see that now,” Richardson chokes.

  “Clive, please,” Phelix interjects, seeing that Richard
son was heartbroken.

  “Under normal circumstances, I would have informed you,” Richardson says once he had somewhat recovered, “I value life as much as you do,”

  “I see,” Clive says nodding. Richardson truly did seem remorseful, which coincided with the Richardson Clive had first met and entrusted. Not telling him about the executions seemed to simply be a lapse in judgement, nothing more. After a beat, he continues with his own apology, “I’m sorry as well. I should have trusted you.”

  “You trusted me enough to follow through with Phelix’s plan,” Richardson offers optimistically.

  “Very true,” Clive chuckles, “And it was an effective way to take out more of Jenniston’s people.”

  “I always make the most of every opportunity,” Phelix cuts in as she hands one of the guard’s weapons to Clive.

  “We both do,” Richardson adds as he and Phelix share an awkward moment, staring into each other’s eyes.

  “I’ll leave you two to it then,” Clive teases as he pretends to make for the door.

  “Wait,” Richardson says, snapping his attention away from Phelix.

  “What?” Clive asks.

  “I saw the way you were looking at Trix earlier,” Richardson starts.

  “Ok, did everyone see that?” Clive asks incredulously as he blushes once again, “I didn’t think I was that easy to read.”

  “It was pretty obvious,” Phelix pipes in.

  “Thanks,” Clive moans sarcastically as he rolls his eyes and starts heading for the door once again, hoping to make a hasty retreat.

  “Clive,” Richardson says as he takes a hold of Clive’s shoulder.

  “What?” Clive asks, slightly unnerved by Richardson’s grabbing his shoulder. After all this time in the prison, Clive had grown paranoid of anyone touching him.

  “I pulled this box of belongings form storage,” Richardson starts as he presents Clive with the sealed box which has a list of its contents on its top and sides, “It’s all of Miss Callaghan’s belongings that they took when they brought her here. I figured it would mean more to her if you were the one who retuned it.”

  “Thanks,” Clive says, thinking back to what Audaz had said about him being Trix’s rescuer. Giving her a piece of her old life would undoubtedly do wonders for the relationship he secretly wanted to start with her.