by Steve McHugh
The tenth floor was set up slightly differently, with each of the sets of cells looking across at one another. In between them were dozens of prisoners, who all turned toward us at the sound of the lift arriving.
“Ah, look, my friends,” a man’s voice boomed around us. “We have guests.”
The voice was familiar and I stepped out on to the secure gangway and searched for owner. He was a tall, muscular man with a patch over one eye. He didn’t seem keen to see me.
“Nathan Garrett, how I’ve longed for this day.”
I looked down and my blood froze as the one-eyed man beamed. Helios would finally have a chance to get his revenge.
“Oh, bollocks,” I whispered as the rest of the lift’s occupants joined me on the gangway.
“I assume you and Helios know one another,” Mac suggested.
“You see that eye patch?”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Nate, did you take his eye?” Remy asked.
“Pretty much.”
“Weren’t you shagging his sister too?” Alan piped in.
“How the hell does that help?” I snapped.
“Never said it did, just pointing out he might want to kill you for that too. I didn’t realize we were trying to be useful. We’re stuck on the lowest floor of The Hole with the worst criminals that Avalon’s ever had. Unless you have a mini-nuke in your pocket, I think usefulness is something we’re going to be in short supply of.”
“How many inmates are here?” Mac asked.
“Two hundred and seventeen at last count. That was three years ago. Some of those could have been killed.”
“I doubt very much that by some, you mean all?” Mac said. “I guess we should be grateful for the box we find ourselves in.”
“So we’re safe so long as we stay in here, yes?” Remy asked as he opened the armory and found it empty. “This isn’t looking great. How long before someone figures out we’re not where we’re supposed to be and comes looking?”
Anthony didn’t answer, he was too busy watching the prisoners below as they filed out into the large area between the sets of cells. “We’re going to be killed, aren’t we?”
I glanced out of the window as a loud thud sounded out. “Can you get the lift back down here?” I asked Anthony.
He shook his head. “There’s a service hatch, but it’s quite the climb and there’s no way I could manage it all the way back to the surface. It’s a long climb in almost complete darkness.”
Everyone turned to Remy. “You can see in the dark, yes? Fancy a climb?”
“Sure, why not. It’s not like I like having clean fur anyway.”
“Can you get Remy to that service hatch? Make sure he gets to the top and sees the warden.”
“How certain are you that the warden isn’t involved?” Ellie asked.
“Fair point. Anyone you trust, Anthony?”
“The warden is a good man. I can’t see why he’d be against us. He certainly has no love for Livius.”
“Okay, we’ll go for the warden then. Remy, if you get a hint he’s against us, you do what you need to, to get that lift back down here.”
“And what are you lot going to do?” he asked.
“Stay here and wait,” I told him. “If we go out there, we’re all dead. And I’m not entirely sure how long I have before the venom inside me really kicks in.”
“Right, come on Anthony, you can show me exactly where I can start the really shitty climb.”
I turned back to the glass and was surprised to see that all of the prisoners were standing motionless, staring up at us, while Helios climbed the staircases attached to one set of cells, until he was on the fourth level. There were murmurs below him, although they sounded more like laughter.
“It appears that our new guests don’t wish to come out and see us,” Helios shouted.
“How is he doing that with his voice?” Ellie asked.
I watched Helios as he touched his lapel before he spoke. “Maybe we should bring out our old guests to show how well we play with others.”
“He’s got some sort of amplifier on him.”
“They’re used throughout the prison,” Anthony said as he returned. “They’re small devices, all he’d need was to wear one and he could use all of the speakers on the floor to make it sound like he was everywhere at once.” Anthony walked over to the door and opened a panel, picking out one of the small amplifiers.
“What older guests?” Mac asked.
His question was answered quickly as the crowd parted and two guards were pushed through. They were kicked and spat on by various prisoners until someone forced them both to their knees, and made them look up at us. Two men, both beaten and bloody. Even with the distance between us, I could tell that both looked terrified.
“A lovely guard brought them both to us a few hours ago. We’ve had such fun.”
“Livius,” Anthony whispered. “They were meant to be with him today. Their names are Willis and James.”
“Oh, Nathan,” Helios said. “Have you decided on whether you’d like to come down here and talk to us? It’s been such a long time since we last saw one another. Obviously I don’t see you as well as I used to.” There was enough hatred in that last sentence to fund a war.
I took a step toward Anthony and collapsed to my knees as the venom inside me decided to start its relentless attack on my body. “Damn it,” I snapped.
Ellie was by my side, putting my arm over her shoulder and lifting me to my feet.
“Nathan, I’ll make it easy for you. You come out here and talk to me, and your friends get to live. As do these two guards.”
“Give me the amplifier,” I asked, and Anthony attached it to my lapel.
“Just touch the amplifier when you speak.”
I did as was told. “Give me a minute, Helios.”
“You have sixty seconds. Then someone here will tear off one guard’s head and see how far it can be thrown.”
I removed my hand from my lapel. “I need to go out there.”
“You’ll die,” Mac said.
I coughed up bright blood onto the floor. “If I don’t, they’re going to kill those two guards. Besides, in case you didn’t notice, without my magic I’m already dying.”
“Doesn’t mean you should hurry that along,” Alan pointed out.
“Tick tock, Nathan,” Helios said. The background laughter of a few hundred prisoners, all seemingly eager for my blood, was an unnerving thing to hear.
“Gotta go,” I said. “I’m not planning on killing myself. But I need to do this.” I glanced around the room. “Anyone got a pen?” A year previously I’d learned how to use one of the original twenty-one runes created by the Norse dwarfs before they vanished. Once the rune was drawn onto me, it allowed me to bypass any security stopping my magic. It used a large amount of energy to keep it activated, but I thought that being surrounded by dangerous prisoners was probably as good a time to use it as any.
Everyone looked confused. “No,” they all said almost in unison.
“Well there’s that plan ballsed up then,” I said and then coughed again.
“What are you going to do?” Anthony asked. “None of you can you use your powers.”
“I just need to get down there like this,” I said. “I need for them to see me weak and incapable.”
“And then?” Mac asked.
“Then I thought I’d kill a large chunk of them.”
Alan and Mac laughed.
“Mate, I don’t think killing is on the list of things you’ll be doing today,” Alan told me.
“You look like shite,” Mac followed up with.
“Trust me,” I asked.
Ellie held my gaze and then nodded. She walked over to the door and pulled it open.
“Thank you,” I said and stood up, but staggered forward and was caught by Ellie once again.
“Looks like I’m going with you,” she told me as she as she helped me walk.
“Noooo,” I said, but d
idn’t have the strength to fight.
“If Ellie is going, so am I,” Mac said and lifted my other arm up and over his neck.
“You’re all fucking nuts,” Alan said. My vision was beginning to darken, my original plan lost to the pain that wracked my body. “But if you’re going, then I can hardly stay here and play the big hero while everyone else dies. Besides, if I stay and Remy gets back, I get the feeling he won’t be happy with me. I can’t go back to Fiona and tell her that I let you die.”
So as my body decided it no longer liked being alive, three people I was trying to protect marched me down toward a person who really wanted me dead. I was in no position to argue, I just hoped I could keep conscious long enough to try and stop three hundred prisoners from tearing us limb from limb.
CHAPTER 21
Anthony had used his key on the massive security door below the glass box, allowing us to enter the prison floor. We were immediately catcalled and threatened by everyone until it was a constant din of noise.
“So we get four for the price of one,” Helios shouted as Mac and Ellie carried me further into the throng of prisoners. Alan was somewhere behind us, although I wasn’t able to tell how far behind that might be.
“Let them go,” I called out, motioning toward the two guards.
“We are people of our word, Nathan,” Helios said. “Let the guards go. No one will harm them, or they’ll face me.”
The guards were roughly dragged to their feet and then shoved forward. They both quickly thanked us as they moved as fast as they were able back to Anthony. I glanced over and he nodded toward me before closing the door. I couldn’t exactly blame him for being afraid, and if I was honest I didn’t want him to come with us. He would have broken quickly, and been forced to either hurt us or someone else in return for his life. He’d have regretted his actions afterwards, but he’d have still carried it out. He was an added complication I didn’t need to worry about.
“See, we are not the cruel beasts that those above assume we are,” Helios said. “We have feelings. We’re not uncaring.”
The crowd around us laughed, although it was not full of joy and fun. At least not the type of joy and fun I’d actually want to be a part of.
“Let me go,” I whispered, and both Ellie and Mac did as they were asked. I wobbled slightly, but remained upright. I placed my hands together and without taking my eyes off Helios, I traced the rune on the back of my hand, using the blood on my fingers that I’d acquired thorough my earlier coughing. But there wasn’t enough to even manage a faint outline.
“Shit,” I whispered. I needed a new plan and fast.
“Helios, why don’t you come down here and speak to me?” I demanded.
Helios’s gaze remained transfixed upon me for a moment before he walked off and made his way down the stairs.
It didn’t take long before he stood before me. “You’re sick,” he said. “Your skin is pale and you look like you can barely stand. What’s wrong with you?”
“Jorōgumo venom,” I told him. “Probably not got long left before my body starts to permanently shut down.”
Helios grabbed me by the scruff of my T-shirt and brought me within an inch of his face. “This won’t do,” he whispered. He tore the amplifier from my lapel and then shoved me to the floor.
“That’s enough,” Mac said, stepping toward Helios.
Helios stared at Mac for a second before a broad smile lit up his face. “My fellow prisoners, this is a rare treat. Here, before us, we have a celebrity. The great and wonderful Manannán mac Lir has graced us with his presence.”
“What do you actually want, Helios?” Alan asked.
“Shut up, little man,” Helios snapped. “I’d momentarily forgotten about you when I saw Nathan up there. Good thing you joined him—saved us the trouble of going up there to get you. You’ll get your turn soon enough. I made a deal with that lovely guard fellow to ensure you don’t leave here. If I were you, I’d try and make myself as inconspicuous as possible and drag a few more minutes of life out of your worthless body.”
Alan bowed and took a step back.
“You said you’d let them all go,” I said. “It’s me you hate. These people have done nothing to you.”
“I lied. I agreed to kill Alan. You are just a garnish on the top. But Mac and this woman, they entered here of their own free will. It’s just their tough luck really. None of you are leaving.”
I got back to my feet, ignoring the fact that my guts felt like they were on fire.
“Going to die on your feet?” Helios asked with a laugh. “Don’t worry about that, you’ll soon be back on your knees, begging for death. I’m going to take special care of you myself. The venom will hurry my timetable, but there’s still enough time for me to enjoy myself.”
“Let them go, or I’ll kill you,” I said.
Helios stared at me and then burst into laughter, along with most of the prisoners around us. “You can barely stand; you look like if I hit you, I’d break you in two. Exactly what do you think is going to happen that makes you believe you can win?”
“Because I kicked your ass last time, I’m happy to do it again.”
Helios punched me full in the mouth, sending me sprawling back to the ground. Mac stepped in front of me, only inches away from Helios.
“You want to have a go, Irish boy?” Helios asked.
Mac moved much quicker than I could follow, and Helios was knocked down. “Sure, why the hell not?” Mac snarled.
Helios shook his head and returned to a standing position. “You always were more brawn than brains. Someone kill him.”
Mac spun to fight whoever wanted a piece of him, but he couldn’t be everywhere at once. Alan and Ellie were too far away to help, and I was never going to get to my feet in time to stop the prisoner stepping toward Mac, taking his attention as another stepped behind him. The attack was fast, but as the prisoner moved away from Mac, I saw the blood that covered his lower back. He’d been stabbed repeatedly. He dropped to his knees as Helios stood above him.
Ellie darted forward, but someone caught her in the jaw with a punch that sent her back into Alan, and they both tumbled to the ground.
“Bye, Mac. You always were an annoying little prick.” A prisoner passed Helios a blade and with one quick slice, he cut through Mac’s throat, and then kicked him back to the ground.
Roars of cheers erupted from the prison floor, many people stamping on the ground and banging against the metal bars. I moved over to Mac and he blinked, while blood continued to flow out of the wound in his throat. I tore off my T-shirt and pressed it to his neck. “It’s okay, we’ll get you out of here, and we’ll get you help. You’ll be fine.”
Ellie was by my side a second later, her jaw already red from the blow she’d received.
“Keep pressure,” I told her. “Don’t let go, no matter what happens.” I coughed, as the fire inside me moved up to my chest.
Alan was being held by two prisoners, who’d forced him to his knees, holding his arms behind him.
“Just you left, Nathan,” Helios said.
I dipped my fingers into Mac’s blood, which was pooling on the floor and quickly drew the rune on the back of my hand.
“Those who touched my friends are going to die,” I said. “I want to know who they were.”
“Come on lads, don’t be shy,” someone shouted from the crowd.
A large man stepped forward. “How’d the punch taste, girl?” he asked Ellie. “I’ve got a lot more for you.”
Ellie ignored him and continued to deal with a dying Mac, while I stood up. “And the one who stabbed Mac?”
Another man stepped toward me; one of his hands was covered in blood. “What are you going to do about it?”
Everyone laughed. Everyone except Helios.
“Why aren’t you on the floor in pain anymore?” Helios demanded to know.
I ignored Helios, he would have his turn. Instead, I walked around Mac toward the knife wielder
. No one moved, and no one spoke. I felt every eye on me as unknown to all, my magic coursed through my body once more. The venom all but forgotten, replaced by the rage that filled my body instead.
I stopped in front of the man who’d stabbed Mac and raised my hand, showing the newly created blade of fire. He went from transfixed to terrified in an instant as it dawned on him what was about to happen. I plunged the blade into his throat and twisted it. The heat from the blade cauterized the wound, and he fell to the ground beside me.
I turned back to the rest of the prisoners. My speech came out raw and full of rage, “Run.”
Those closest to me very quickly realized that having a fully powered and exceptionally pissed off sorcerer standing next to them was a very good way to a short life expectancy. Unfortunately those who turned and ran did so right into the prisoners behind who were unaware that I’d just killed one of their comrades. The stampede was short and bloody, and it left several prisoners lying on the floor in pain as their allies used their bodies as a stepping board to safety.
Two prisoners thought they could try their luck, but blasts of hardened air to their legs very quickly ended that dream, along with any hopes that they’d be walking again soon.
“Alan, I need you over here,” I shouted.
Alan rushed over, careful to avoid the prisoners who were just trying to get away. “What’s up, boss man?”
“You’re useless to me in here.”
“Thanks for the pep talk.”
“I need you to take over from Ellie. Keep pressure on the wound.”
He did as was asked without complaint. “Holy shit, this guy is still alive. Can’t you cauterize the wound?”
“If I use fire magic on him, it’ll make things a lot worse. And I sort of need my magic to make sure we don’t all die. Mac’s harder to kill than me, so long as we get him to the ocean he’ll be okay.”
“What do I do?” Ellie asked.
“You still got your strength, yes?”