by Jaymin Eve
Lallielle was still ahead of me. I heard her gasp and had to prevent myself from colliding with her as she stopped dead. I peered around her shoulder. My brain attempted to process the sensory information from my eyes, but it took me a few minutes to really register what I was seeing.
Brace. My tone was frantic. I need you.
Don’t move. I’ll be right there.
I reached out and stopped Lallielle before she stepped into the room. We both held our breath and waited.
The room of horror, as I had nicknamed it, was impossible to look at, and yet I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene.
“Can you see Josian or the others?” Lallielle whispered.
She had tears trailing down her cheeks, just silent dripping tears that she did nothing to stem. I wanted to join her. I had that huge lump in my throat, burning eyes and gulping sensation that presaged tears, but really it was my pure rage that was keeping them at bay. How could anyone do this? Who was responsible for what we were seeing here? There was no indication at all of anyone in charge, no guards, nothing.
The sound of footsteps had us freezing.
I spun with my energy gathered.
I was pretty sure I knew who was coming but just in case. I relaxed as Brace ran into view. He dashed straight up to me, gathering me close. He must have had no problem with the trapdoor after I had explained it.
“Dammit, Red, your panic and pain is killing me.” He ran one hand up and down my back. The other was around Lallielle’s shoulders. “Calm yourself, baby,” he whispered soothingly in my ear. “We’ll figure out who’s done this and they’ll pay.”
I could hear in his voice and feel through his shirt how rigid he was. His entire body was stone-like, but a stone that was vibrating at an impossible frequency. And I’d thought I was pissed off. Letting us go, he took one hesitant step into the white, sterile room. This impossible room that somehow existed in the middle of a mountain.
“It’s safe; there’s no warding; they didn’t expect anyone to find this place.” He waved us toward him. “And since Abernath’s symbol coats the walls, I can only assume this was the work of Que, but who’s been maintaining it since?”
Brace pointed out the intricate tribal mark that surrounded the entrance. I recognized the pattern from their banner at the gathering.
I gulped as I stepped closer. I didn’t want the darkness there to touch me.
“What was he doing here? Why …?” I trailed off.
Brace shook his head as he stared around. “This is the large-scale version of what was happening on Earth in that warehouse. This is an energy slaughterhouse.”
There were thousands of people. They hung in a type of suspended animation from the ceiling. Each had a slow steady drop of blood falling from a small incision in their neck. The blood landed on the floor, but then somehow was absorbed and white clean floors remained. The blood loss wouldn’t be enough to kill them, but sufficient to keep them weak. I could see no other physical injuries, but small clouds of energy hovered visibly in front of their mouths. The dark, speckled hazes seemed to swell as the victims exhaled and then shrunk back again. And in the center of the ceiling, between all the bodies, a large shifting mass of energy resided.
“How long can they stay alive like this?” I choked out.
Lallielle just stood there, one hand covering her mouth, the other hanging listlessly at her side.
“First Worlders are the strongest of this star-system. I assume that’s why he set it up here.” Brace’s words were harsh. “They regenerate and will last for a long time, but eventually, when the last tether is severed, they’ll become the reanimated that we battled last time.” He shook his head. “The Walkers here will never end; their energy just continues to renew itself. This is where he sent them,” he muttered.
“What?” I said.
“Whenever someone disobeyed or failed Que, they disappeared. He said he was exiling them from Abernath, but they’re here. I recognize many of them.”
I choked back vomit again, that burning sensation rising in my throat. “So they’ve just been stuck hanging like this for hundreds of years.”
Brace’s eyes looked even blacker, if that was possible. “Yes, and the entire time they’ve been conscious and aware of what was happening to them.”
“Where’s Josian?” Lallielle suddenly sprang to life. “Where are Quarn and Fury, Talli and Dune? We have to find them.”
“Wait here,” Brace said and took off.
The bodies were suspended high enough that he could run under them and there was still a small gap. He used the path between them to avoid the small drops of blood. I could hear his footsteps through the cavernous hall and he was back by our sides in moments.
“They’re not here, none of them,” he said, his breathing even and calm. “But there looks to be another passage at the rear of this room. Let’s see what’s down there.”
“What if the ones responsible are there?” I asked.
“I hope they are,” he said darkly, leading us toward the far wall.
I tried not to look up as we walked, instead focusing on my feet, but for some reason my eyes were continually drawn toward the victims.
What a cruel way to be punished. And the First Worlders. I couldn’t imagine … they just hung there until they were sucked dry of all their energy, and then when their last tether was severed they became reanimated. This place was a living tomb.
Finally we made it through. I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding. The bright white light disappeared and we were back in a cave channel. This one was windy, and full of many bends. Still it didn’t take long before we reached a barred door that sealed off the path. It was solid except for three bars that were too high for any of us – even Brace – to see in.
“There’s a small energy field on it, but nowhere near strong enough to contain Josian if he was awake.” Brace laid his hands on the stone. “Stand back.”
“I can’t feel him,” Lallielle gasped out as we moved away from Brace. “And our bond is telling me nothing.”
I could feel the electricity run down my arms at the buildup of Brace’s power. I pulled Lallielle closer to me. With an echoing crack the door splintered down the center; Brace used both hands to wedge a gap large enough for us to enter.
“I’ll go first. Wait for me to check it out,” he said as he entered the room.
Completely ignoring him, Lallielle and I pushed our way in behind him. With a sigh he held out a hand and helped us through. He leaned down to kiss my cheek.
“Never change, Red,” was all he said before turning away to observe the room.
It was dimly lit. I couldn’t see much, but as we stepped further in Brace shot out a blast of bright light that illuminated the entire area. A crouched person turned to face us. She was surrounded by bodies. And as my eyes adjusted I realized what I was seeing. Josian’s fiery blood-red hair was a splash of color in an otherwise gray room. Beside him were Quarn, Talina, Fury and Dune. I locked eyes with the woman who had been shifting the bodies.
“You’ve got to be effing kidding me,” I said.
Chapter 9
She stood and faced us. Her arrogant features were expressionless and she held a blade in her right hand. Her movements were strong and calm as she stepped free of the bodies. My blood boiled. She showed not one iota of distress that she was currently standing over our unmoving loved ones.
“Well, look who it is,” she finally drawled, her slicked-back black hair framing her bony features. “Abigail the orphan.”
Patricia Olden, a woman who I’d thought we were long ago rid of, the very one who had plunged a knife into my chest, was looking whole and healthy.
I thought it was going to be Brace who moved first, but it was Lallielle. Just like on Earth, she had her fist back, swinging a punch at Olden. But somehow the evil harpy dodged my mother and with quick movements shoved her aside. Lallielle flew into the pile of bodies. I narrowed my eyes. That had
been unnaturally fast and strong.
“She’s all hopped up on energy, right?” I asked.
Brace gave me a quick look out of the corner of his eye, the edge of his mouth just lifting slightly.
“Yes,” Olden answered. “There’s so much free energy, and they don’t mind me borrowing some.”
Lallielle was moving around on the floor, her hands fluttering over Josian. She smiled at me, so I hoped that meant he was okay.
“Who is ‘they’, Olden?” I turned back to her. “Who’s pulling your strings? I thought it was Que.”
She laughed. “Still stupid, I see.”
I’d have been offended except I didn’t give a shit what she thought of me.
“Que was just a lackey like me.” She paused. “Well, maybe with a bit more power, but at the end of the day we all work for someone else.”
“Who?” Brace stepped closer, his fists clenched.
Olden glared at him. “Well, if it isn’t Que’s son. He was so proud when you snapped my neck.” She rubbed at her throat. “We never did get along. Lucky I was more useful to the head honchos alive than dead; bit of energy and here I am to tell this story.”
“She’s stalling us,” I muttered to Brace.
“I know.” He dived across the room and, unlike Lallielle’s attack, his didn’t miss. He scooped Olden up, one hand around her throat as he slammed her against the wall. Her knife fell uselessly to the floor.
“Here we are again.” He grinned up at her. “And this time I’ll break you into so many pieces you won’t be coming back.”
While Brace had her occupied I sprinted to Lallielle.
“Are they okay?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, “I think it’s some type of drug keeping them unconscious.”
What?
“How could any drug work on a Walker?” I checked Talina. Her breathing seemed light but regular. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
“E … En … Energy.”
I turned to face Olden as she spluttered. Brace loosened his grip.
“If you mix energy with regular old Earth kepta it knocks a Walker out for hours. Gives me enough time to prepare them for the room.”
I gasped. Kepta was the drug of choice amongst the gangers of Earth. It was a mist contained in small canisters. If used within a one-hour period, one spray gave a euphoric high, two sprays knocked you unconscious and three was death. A most dangerous but useful drug. And it was easy to store and carry.
“That’s why you were brought in,” I said as dots started to connect in my head. “They needed your gang connections to find the kepta.”
She laughed. “Wrong again. My father created kepta and I’m the one who holds the knowledge of its formula. Gangers are filthy, stupid creatures. I have no use for them.”
She was being awfully chatty. Why was she telling us all this? It almost felt as if she’d been … lonely. She wanted to tell someone what she’d been up to.
“Have you been stuck under here since we found the warehouse on Earth?”
She locked me into her dark evil eyes. “Yes. Once the warehouse was discovered they wanted to shift everything here. Keep it under wraps.”
“What was the point of the Earth one, anyways?” Brace asked.
“They needed me to keep an eye on Abigail until she reached her enlightenment.” Olden tried to swallow around Brace’s hand. The action looked painful. “And then the next part of their plan could work or something.”
“I’m sure she only knows basic information,” Lallielle said. “No one would tell a lackey anything important.”
“Arghhh.”
I jumped as Josian roared to life – literally. And he was not happy. Lallielle dived out of the way as he started thrashing around.
“Josian … Jos!” she shouted. “You’re okay.”
The moment he heard her voice he calmed. The flashing bronze of his eyes dulled as a semblance of humanity bled back into them.
“Where am I? What happened?” He was already on his feet as he asked. “Why is she still alive?” He pulled Lallielle into his arms, his calm growing even further.
Despite his disorientation when he awoke, you could tell he’d still assessed the scene and drawn conclusions.
“Don’t worry; she won’t be for much longer,” Brace said calmly.
“I can tell you things,” Olden said, sounding worried for the first time. “Do you want to know what they’re doing with all this energy? What happens to those subjects after they’ve been drained?”
“The energy is for releasing the Seventine and the drained turn into reanimated,” Brace answered.
Her eyes registered surprise.
“See, I don’t think you can tell us anything important. If I know my father, he didn’t tell you shit, and if he isn’t even the top dog then Lalli is right: you won’t know anything.”
“How much damn energy is needed to release them?” I asked, thinking of the mass back in the other room. And who knew how long this had been going on.
“A lot, baby girl,” Josian said, “the original seven wanted it to be very difficult to release the Seventine; practically impossible. I’m starting to think that the Walkers were right, the level of energy required to lock them away is what caused the originals’ disappearance.”
“If you free me I’ll show you Samuel,” Olden piped up. “And without me you’ll never save him.”
Everyone froze.
Lallielle was the only one whose expression changed. I’m not sure what the others were thinking but that didn’t sound like a bargaining chip to me.
“If you find Sammy and help me save him, I will not kill you.” Brace shocked the hell out of me with those words.
“Brace,” I bit out, “he was the one who facilitated your possession by the Seventine. We owe him nothing.”
Brace’s expression softened. “I understand, Abbs. If someone had taken you from me, I don’t think I’d be so forgiving, but Sammy was my friend for a long time and I know how easy it can be to be manipulated by powerful people. He deserves a chance to explain himself, don’t you think?”
Damn Brace, making me think and feel things I didn’t want to.
“Fine, be the mature grown-up one.” I sniffed. “Just remember a few hours ago you were a tornado ripping pack people to bits.”
Brace grinned at me, and lowered Olden to the ground. Her hands rose to rub at her neck.
“As long as Abby doesn’t get hurt, then the angry Brace stays controlled.” He got in close to Olden’s bony face. “Keep that in mind.”
“If you needed to keep me alive on Earth then why did you stab me?” I was trying to figure out her motivation.
She laughed; it was raspy; Brace had hurt her throat. “I knew that wouldn’t kill you. It was just fun to inflict pain.”
At that moment I may have lost it a little and I may have punched her in the nose.
Brace laughed as he lifted me off her with one hand. With the other he grabbed her arm roughly. “Start moving or I’ll let Red loose on you again.”
We moved back toward the white room, Lallielle looking both nervous and hopeful. This was the closest she’d come to getting her son back.
“I’ll stay here,” Josian said. “I’ll join you after I wake them.” He waved toward the others, who were still unconscious.
We nodded. Lallielle dashed back for one last kiss.
“I love you,” I heard Josian murmur to her as he gently caressed her face.
Lallielle was much more herself as we left that barred room and marched back to the room of horror. Brace still had a firm grip around Olden. I doubted she could outrun anyone here, but he was taking no chances. She’d been partaking of energy for a long time, and I had no idea what the side-effects of that would be.
Nothing was said as Olden pointed toward the far left corner; we just kept moving across. The vacant expressions of the victims haunted me as we continued to pass under them. And then, after many nameless strangers
, I finally saw them; Samuel and Francesca were suspended side by side.
“Frannie as well.” Lalllielle gasped. “But when I asked about her, Lucy said she was happy.”
I think what Lucy had actually said was that Frannie was not unhappy, but still I understood Lallielle’s point. This was far from either.
“She doesn’t know what’s happening. They’re living in dream worlds,” Olden said. “The hovering energy keeps all First Worlders from awareness, which is much better than the Walkers’ experience.” She smirked at me. “We can keep them immobile, but they’re fully sentient during the entire procedure. We’ve found nothing to cloud their minds.”
That was interesting since I knew my dream power could do just that.
“I hope you know that you are going to hell.” I bared my teeth at her.
“You can’t hurt me. You promised.” Her eyes widened.
It was a nice change having some of the power. As a child, I’d spent too many years letting this woman push me around.
I laughed. It echoed around the cavernous hall. “No, I didn’t.”
“Well, you still need me to help save these two. The severing of tethers is generally irreversible. All of these First Worlders will die.”
“The girls from the compound didn’t die on Earth,” I said, my brow furrowed.
“It wasn’t the same process. Earthlings are weak. I was simply draining their energy. That was the only way to get anything from them.”
“How do we save them?” Lallielle asked, her tearful face looking up at her son and sister. “I need you to tell me now.”
Olden did not hesitate, opening her mouth immediately. Why was she so free with this information? It was making me nervous.
“You need to sacrifice someone,” she said.
And there was my answer.
“The tethers which have been severed from these two must be replaced with tethers from another First Worlder, and they must volunteer for the sacrifice. There’s no other way to save them.” She sounded so pleased with herself.