A few feet away, her captor stood on knobby, emaciated legs, seething with outrage. It was a five-foot-tall, twisted mockery of a pig, with stitched leathery skin straining across protruding bones and studded with metal ports and tubes. It was currently trying, and failing, to close up a rip in its abdomen where Dreamer’s kick had burst the sutures. Thin red blood poured all over the floor.
Giving up, the creature looked at her. The round, ugly head was bald and crisscrossed with badly stapled wounds in the scalp. One eye hung dead and featureless in its socket. The other was a glass portal with a red light behind it. The pig nose had metal grates within the nostrils. There was no mouth.
“You’re going to regret that,” a crunching voice buzzed out from the speaker in the pig’s nose. “You’ve got no idea who you’re dealing with.”
“Oh, I recognized you the instant your goons put me in front of you, Durdge,” Dreamer said. “It’s kind of funny, actually. You were so proud to have a body made of flesh and blood. I wondered if you were able to feel pain. Well, now you can tell me.”
The shambling horror lashed out with its needle claws, a blow she evaded with a calm movement of her head.
“Enjoy it as much as you can,” Durdge hissed. “You’re only alive now so that he can watch you die.”
Dreamer wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell of rotting flesh. “You’re wasting your time. Healer won’t come. Have you seen him lately?” The corner of her mouth curled up. “He’s entirely given up what he used to be. He’s internalized what you tried to teach him. There’s no way he’d throw away what he’s built just for me.”
Durdge snickered. “You’d think that. But I’ve known him much, much longer than you have. He’ll come charging in, waving his foolish hero complex like a banner.”
All the lights to Dreamer’s left went out, plunging that half of the tunnel into darkness. The two dogs snapped to attention, sniffing the air and heading in that direction.
“You see? There he is now,” Durdge laughed. He gestured to the two dogs. “Calm down. All he did was cut a wire. Bring him here alive. I need to talk to him.”
The dogs started forward, disappearing into the shadows and leaving Dreamer and Durdge alone. A few seconds passed in silence. Dreamer found herself holding her breath.
Then the tunnel erupted in a cacophony of wild barking and snarling. Sounds of teeth snapping and claws scraping on stone echoed in Dreamer’s direction as the two dogs struggled with the unseen interloper. Then came a high-pitched cry, followed by the unmistakable thud of a body hitting the ground. Another pained yelp—a dog came flying back into view. The clone fell to the floor in front of Durdge and lay bleeding from a hole in the side of its neck. The only sound in the cavern now was the calm approach of footsteps.
Durdge took a step back, raising his clawed hands in a defensive position. “No weakling sheep could do that,” he mumbled. Then he raised his voice to call down the tunnel. “Who’s there? Is it Boxer? Or are you Shiver, come for your daughter? Who did cowardly Healer send in his stead?”
The attacker emerged from the darkness, stepping into the weak glow provided by the remaining functioning lights. It was a ram, but one Dreamer did not recognize.
Not the ragged grey coat, or the thick neck and shoulders. Not the stout legs with wide hooves. Certainly not the horns that curved up and out from the temples before sweeping straight forward into dagger points.
The ram’s eyes moved between Dreamer and Durdge. Blood dripped from the horns and from the wounds on the neck and chest inflicted by the two dogs.
“Who are you?” Durdge snapped. “You’re not Shiver.”
The color of the ram’s eyes changed from dark brown to bright green, and the cuts on his chest closed up of their own accord. Dreamer’s fear melted away and she nearly cried with relief.
Durdge took another step back in pure terror, pointing a shaking claw. “You… stay away from me.”
Chapter 29
Healer’s body trembled as he advanced. He could feel the engorged muscles and reinforced joints in his body straining to plunge into action, to rip and pound and impale. But Dreamer was alright, and that gave him the strength to keep it in check for now. “What’s wrong, creature? I’m here. You wanted to talk to me.”
“It’s Durdge!” Dreamer blurted out.
Healer did not look at her, but flicked his ears in acknowledgement. He circled to one side to put himself between Durdge and Dreamer.
“You know, Durdge, my father had a point,” Healer said. “If you want to tangle with a ram, you might think about bringing more than two thugs next time.”
“What… what did you do?” Durdge roared. “You’ve brought ruin to us all!”
Healer cocked an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Durdge pointed a clawed finger. “Yes, you do! Your letters were missing from the jail! You’re hiding them here, aren’t you?”
Healer’s rigid face broke into a smile. “You hear that, Dreamer? Sounds like our friends are giving the pigs some trouble. Did they break out, Durdge? Why don’t you sit down and tell me all about it? Really, every detail.”
Durdge flew at Healer in a rage, claws outstretched. Healer lowered his head and met the charge, taking a grievous wound to his side in exchange for driving his horns into Durdge’s pelvis. The teetering pig folded in half on top of Healer, who pushed forward and smashed his enemy into the stone wall.
Durdge swung wildly with both hands, inflicting a deep cut on Healer’s face and forcing him to back up. The pig tried to dash down the tunnel, but came to a sudden halt.
Next to Dreamer, blocking Durdge’s path back to University, was Caper. Out of the shadows stepped Ledger, Berger, and Tuxer, covered with the signs of a dog battle.
Durdge scrambled the other way down the tunnel. Boxer was there with the shepherd brothers.
“Sorry, freak,” Boxer said in a deadly low growl. “This way’s closed.”
Healer took a moment to mend his wounds while his enemy was distracted. Then he flexed his neck and took a wide stance. “Leave him to me,” he said, glancing at Boxer.
“Oh, he’s all yours.”
Driving in low, Healer knocked Durdge backwards and sent him reeling toward Berger and Tuxer, who shoved the pig back into the fight. Healer leapt in for an attack to the legs while Durdge was still off-balance. But when Durdge fell, he landed sprawled on top of Healer.
In desperation, Durdge wrapped his arms around Healer’s neck and wrenched the ram’s head around, trying to topple Healer onto his side. Healer staggered, pushing up and forward, struggling to keep his hooves under him.
“Four feet on the floor!” Boxer thundered. “Keep your balance! The dog who ends up on his back dies! Don’t forget it!”
But this wasn’t working. Durdge had all the leverage in this position. He was nearly on top of Healer and his weight was preventing the ram from getting himself free. Gradually, Durdge was forcing Healer to the floor.
Healer squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus his strength into resisting the pressing force on his neck and shoulders. Something was shifting inside, as if his thought processes were changing in addition to his physical form. Every time he tried to remember a move Boxer had taught him, visions of his father’s fight in the old house came to him instead.
“I’m not a dog,” Healer growled. Then he powered his front legs, moving his head with Durdge’s weight instead of against it. Surprised at the sudden reversal, Durdge was lifted off his feet, tossed up and over as Healer reared up onto his hind legs. Healer jumped forward to get some distance while Durdge crashed to the ground behind him. The pig let out an angry, metallic squeal, charging in again just as Healer turned around.
Healer rose up on his hind legs a second time, bringing his head back and out of Durdge’s reach as he struck out with his forelegs. A hoof connected with the fleshy nose, which gave way with a crunching sound and a spray of blood.
Durdge’s head sna
pped back and he stumbled, off balance, hands covering his face. Healer dropped to all fours and pressed his advantage, driving in with his horns to worsen the ugly cut Dreamer had made in Durdge’s abdomen. Then his shoulder met Durdge’s thighs and he barreled the pig over and onto the floor. The stapled head bounced off the stone slab.
Healer swatted Durdge’s protesting hands aside. Pinning the pig to to floor with his hooves, Healer struck with his head. A horn slipped beneath ribs, searching for the heart. What it found instead was a bulky processing chip. With an electrical jolt, Durdge’s body went limp and weak at the decisive blow. He lay splayed out, staring at the ram standing on his chest.
“Where are Ponder and Mauler?” Healer demanded.
“I… I don’t know. They’re gone.”
To Healer’s surprise, his anger was defused by Durdge’s helpless tone. He looked his lifelong adversary in the eye. “What’s happening to you, Durdge? This is the third body I’ve seen them put your brain into. What’s the end goal? Why do they keep bringing you back?”
“I can’t tell you that,” Durdge mumbled, his voice tinny and weak.
“Why not?”
A shaking hand moved up to tap a claw against the glass eye covering the camera lens in his head. “They’re always watching. They see you now.”
Healer tilted his head. “How about I start pulling wires until the connection goes out?”
“No need. I’m finished here.” Durdge’s breath stopped and the red light in his eye flickered out.
Healer stared into the dark, blank eye for a few seconds. He risked a glance at Dreamer. “He’s…”
Durdge coughed, causing Healer to jump almost a foot in the air. The stapled head lifted and turned to look at the ram with its featureless eyes. “That’s the third time that your face was the last thing they saw before my signal was lost. They will be coming for you.”
Healer shrugged. “That’s nothing new.”
“I will tell you what I know, on one condition. I will ask you to do me one favor once I have told you. You must swear now to honor my request.”
Healer glanced over to Dreamer and Caper, who both nodded. He looked back at the downed pig. “Alright, Durdge. I swear.”
Chapter 30
“The Chugg Corporation has an endgame,” Durdge rasped. “I know very little of it, but this cloning is a big part. I’m a prototype. A guinea pig for whatever new techniques they come up with. I am proof that they can place a living brain into a mechanical or semi-mechanical body. I am also proof that they are not very good at building bodies from scratch just yet. They promised me a perfect body, eventually, for my continued submission to their experiments.”
“What are they going to do with you after you get this perfect body?”
“They never said. I assumed I would continue with my enforcer role.” Durdge was interrupted by a coughing fit that spurted more blood through the grating in his nose. “But it doesn’t matter. I can never go back there now that I’ve broken the connection. They’ll know what I’ve done. But I can’t stand this anymore. Dying and being brought back, again and again, and not just because of you. I’ve died hundreds of seizing, choking deaths in between successful bodies at the Chugg Cybernetics laboratory. I’m sick of it. I want it to end.” He pointed his trembling hand at Healer. “You promised you would do what I asked. Now kill me.”
Healer’s eyes narrowed. “How?”
“Make sure I can never come back. Destroy my brain.” The two enemies looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds. Durdge sighed. “Damn it. Now you pity me. I can see you hesitating. I am begging you. Bring the madness to an end.”
With that, Durdge buried his claws into one of the seams in his head. With the last vestige of his fading strength, he pulled until the metal plates underneath the skin separated and fell apart. The brain, glistening, jellylike, threaded with wires and electrodes, spilled out onto the ground.
Healer reared up onto his hind legs and brought his front hooves down with all of his power.
When the deed was done, he turned and fixed his hard gaze on Caper and Dreamer. “I did him a favor,” he muttered.
Caper nodded. “Yes. He asked you to do that.” But his expression gave away his unease.
The ram scanned the room, using his power to tend to the wounded. Then he approached Dreamer.
“I’m alright,” she said. “They didn’t touch me.”
Boxer nodded to Healer. “Well done. The threat is gone. My boys and I will be happy to get rid of this mess. Congratulations on your horns. They suit you.”
“Thanks, Boxer. And I appreciate the assist. I’m going to get these two out of here.” Healer led Caper and Dreamer back along the darkened tunnel to University.
Dreamer fell into step beside him. “You’ve got to explain to me how this happened.”
“Short version, I had to hear that it was possible. Luckily, I got a visit from someone who told me just that.”
“Really? Who?”
Healer scoffed. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Dreamer stepped in front of him at the bottom of the stairs, blocking his way. “I’ve seen enough crazy things today. Tell me.”
Healer grimaced. “It was my father. I spoke to him.”
Her pretty face turned bright red and she laughed out loud, causing him to grit his teeth and push past her.
“Just like I said. You don’t believe it.”
Still laughing, she ran to catch up to him on the stairs. “No, you don’t understand! I do believe you! I’m happy for you! I prayed for you to get another chance to talk to him.”
Healer hesitated, looking hard at her. “Really?”
“I’ll explain when we get to the clinic. We both can. OK?”
“You’re coming back with me?”
She glanced back at Caper. “What, you think any classes are going to happen today?”
The owl and the ram both laughed.
“Fair point,” Healer said. “Let me check in with Swifter and then we’re out of here. You heard Durdge. They’ll be coming for us. We’re locking the place down for the night. But just for one night. Ponder and Mauler are out there somewhere. We have work to do.”
Chapter 31
Healer and Dreamer kept a wary eye to the east as they emerged from Whole Hogs early the next morning. No one had come for them, but they had no intention of letting their guard down.
“I’ll be leaving soon,” Healer said. “I’m going to search for Ponder and Mauler. Can I convince you to hunker down here for a while longer?”
“No, I should go back to the school eventually,” Dreamer mused. “I left something there.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“My orchid.”
“What?”
“You were busy last night with patrolling the place. I didn’t get a chance to explain why I believed you about seeing your father.”
“That’s right.” Healer took a seat on his porch, but did not take his eyes off the plains.
Dreamer sat next to him. “I went home to see my dad right after that whole prisoner exchange episode last year. While you were sleeping off that tranquilizer. My dad gave me an orchid as a present for studying theology. He said there was a rumor that Arghast would speak through orchids if you’re in darkness… if he favors you.”
“If we hadn’t seen some of the things we have, I’d think you were talking crazy right now.”
“I didn’t believe it myself, but eventually curiosity got the best of me. I tried it. And Healer, it worked. I talked to him two or three times over this last year. I vented all my frustrations to him. You’re not the only one who feels like the sky is going to fall, you know. And I talked to him about you. He made me realize how much I missed you.”
Healer hung his head, focusing on her words.
“I was worried about you,” she continued, “praying that you wouldn’t be consumed by anger. So I asked Arghast to grant you some peace by giving you a minute
with Old-Timer. He said he would make it happen when it was most needed. At the time, I thought he meant for me to use my power to let you see your father in some sense. But that wasn’t the case. Arghast brought the two of you together to get us out of a situation only a ram could have survived. Do you believe me?”
“Yes, I do,” Healer answered. “There’s no other way to explain the vision I experienced. My father confessed that he had been lying to me all along… that he’d told me I would never have horns due to his own fear of what would happen if I did. He admitted that I was born a ram and I had the choice to become one. I’ve chosen to fight. I’m hoping this clinic is the only thing it will cost me.” He thought for a minute. “How is old Shiver, anyway?”
“The same. Doing his work and keeping his head down.”
“I’m going to need his help.”
Dreamer’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Healer stood. “The Megatropolis knows there’s another ram running around now. They’ve got to know Durdge is dead. That’s not going to go unpunished. They’ll be coming my way soon, maybe as soon as they’ve recovered from whatever Ponder and Mauler did to them. Our friends gave themselves up for a false peace that didn’t even stand for a year. It’s time we found them and put an end to this once and for all.”
“I hate it… but you’re right. What do you want from my dad though?”
“Training. If I’m going to take the fight to the pigs, I plan to be prepared this time. He can have our advanced mental treatment as payment, if he wants.”
“He won’t train you. He’ll try anything to change your mind.”
“I know. That doesn’t matter. It’s happening.”
Chapter 32
“It’s not happening,” Shiver said. He planted himself in his favorite cushion on the floor, signaling he was ready to end this discussion.
“I knew you’d say that,” Dreamer replied, shifting nervously in the doorway of their home. “But I hope you’ll reconsider. Healer has changed. He needs your skill set. And I think you could really benefit from his too.”
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