by Bob Williams
Kade stalks off and disappears into a small crowd while Ortiz conducts affairs in the interim.
“You and you!” he barks. “Go fetch the prisoner from holding and bring him to the stage.”
“We obey!” they shout in unison, and off they go.
“Prescott, let’s go. Bring the others,” he says to some Freaks.
We march through a sea of Freaks as we make our way away from the entrance to Kade Land and into the lion’s den. I’m worried about Lexi. I don’t know why I’m choosing this moment do it but, I am. But at least if I die tonight she’s not going to be locked in the bathroom with a dead guy. What can I say? I love her. I’ve been conditioned to expect that my love is a death sentence to anyone I care about. Not this time, Lexi. We’re gonna have a nice, long run together.
Not hardly, Prescott. You arrogant bastard.
Bastard? I didn’t think angels could say bad words.
Shut your mouth. You have gambled with your life and lost. I pity you.
We’ll see.
Ortiz isn’t messing around with how quickly he binds our hands behind our backs and rustles us up on to the stage. First he grabs Cole by the neck, walks him across the stage, and positions him under a bank of lights that have been turned on before the dog and pony show arrives. I am momentarily shoved out of the way and Shields is lassoed by Ortiz’s power grip.
Shields, of course, has been shot and looks like it. Her face is sweaty despite the cooler temp, and her skin has gone ashen. Ortiz helps Laura up the stairs by kicking her with a very large boot right in the back. With her hands tied she can’t brace herself, but she’s able to turn just enough that her opposite side, ear, neck, and shoulder take the brunt of the damage. Not her gunshot side. But she cries out in agony.
“No!” Cole screams. “No! Laura!”
“Dammit, you son of a bitch!” she spits. “You and me are gonna meet again, and it’s gonna play out right differently than this. Believe it, asshole!”
Ortiz merely smiles, yokes her by the collar of her shirt, and drags her to her feet and up the steps. She’s a warrior.
“I’m okay, Michael. I’m okay,” she says to him. She is most certainly not okay. Something in my gut tells me Ortiz is totally screwed.
I’m still down on the ground level when a ruckus breaks out behind me. The crowd, which had been steadily growing, I guess by ass-to-mouth communication, parts when two Freaks appear, dragging a man I’ve never seen before by his ankles. I don’t know which one this is, but it’s either Hellwig or Haberman. The larger of the two Freaks that delivers him bends over at the waist, grabs the man by his shirt, and pulls him violently to his feet, then gives him a head-butt for good measure. He probably assumed it didn’t matter what he did, since the Regular was just going to die anyway.
“Hey, hey!” I say. “What the hell, jackass!”
“Shut up, meat!” he grunts. “I’ll need a toothpick to get your guts out of my teeth in a couple hours.”
“Well, that’s unpleasant. You should really take a course on prisoner treatment. You see, you’re not allowed to hurt my feelings while I’m in your custody. Even if you do plan on executing me. Why don’t you go get the manual and I’ll show you the pertinent paragraph.”
The Freak rushes over to me and drives a knee into my solar plexus. I’m fairly certain my pancreas hits my uvula. And, of course, I drop straight to the ground with the taste of blood in my mouth.
Jesus, that really hurt.
You deserved it, says Malcolm.
“Unbelievable,” the prisoner says. “Not only are you a wiseass, you got caught. Malcolm seemed to think much higher of your abilities and importance.”
“Don’t be fooled by it…” I gesture towards him, inviting him to identify himself.
“David. Haberman.”
“Well, David, I’m terrified. It’s how I cope.”
David is about to say something when a devastating bit of feedback comes out of several large speakers. It’s Ortiz.
“EVERYBODY, LISTEN UP! YOUR ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED IN THE YARD IN TEN MINUTES. IF YOU ARE NOT HERE, HE WILL KNOW. THAT IS ALL!”
“I guess it’s getting real,” says Haberman as he is escorted towards the steps to the stage.
“Yes, sir. It’s about to get very real. Right now,” I say.
GOOD VERSUS EVIL
The door of the Hard Rock flies open and out comes Kade. He’s dressed to the nines in black cowboy boots, black jeans, a crimson button-down shirt, and a black leather vest. His long black hair is pulled back tight in a ponytail, and his mustache is screaming to the ladies.
Kade takes the stage, looking pleased as punch. He strides happily onto the stage to an unbelievable reception. This can’t be good for any of us.
“KADE! KADE! KADE!”
They love him. He takes the microphone off the stand and it begins.
Malcolm.
No!
Dammit, you coward. You can’t stand on the sidelines for this. You have to stand for something!
I cannot interfere.
Riiiiight. What’s four more dead Regulars? You already watched two hundred get slaughtered. Some protectorate you got there.
“Welcome!” says Kade. “Tonight is going to be very special. I know it’s only been a couple of days since our last gathering, but we have with us tonight a few very important guests. One in particular who claims he came here to kill me.” The crowd hisses and boos. “You worthless bastards! I said one of these intruders came here to KILL ME!” The Freaks roar with rage.
Doesn’t take them long to get frothy.
Malcolm doesn’t respond.
“His name is Prescott! I know, I know. The name doesn’t really make me shiver, either.”
“Hey!” I say.
“Shut the fuck up! You will not speak unless you are spoken to. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Great. Do you recall, just mere minutes ago, when you struck me in the face, Mr. Prescott?”
“I feel like I’ve asked you politely not to call me that multiple times now. Why won’t you respect my needs? What is it with you people?”
“Do you recall striking me, Mr. Prescott?” he asks much more pointedly.
I take a deep breath. “Yes, I hit you.”
“Thank you.” He walks over to the group standing off to the side and draws his gun and shoots David Haberman dead. The action is so sudden that no one has time to shield themselves from the dressing of skull, blood, and brain matter that hits them.
“NO!” I scream. Cole and Shields cry out in unison and are wrestled to the stage floor by their captors when they attempt to go to their friend. “Dammit, Kade! What is wrong with you? I’m here. Why not me?”
“In due time. We’re just getting started. Ortiz, dispose of Mr. Haberman.”
Ortiz motions to a couple of Freaks and the two of them pick up the body and throw it off the stage into the Freak-infested sea of insanity and violence. The body is torn apart in seconds and vanishes into the night.
Malcolm...
I am reeling. I am in so far over my head. Now that we’ve arrived at the moment of truth, maybe my arrogance has done me in. This isn’t how I thought this was going to go down. I mean, shit! How was I supposed to know Haberman was even still alive? I never had those guys around in any scenario I planned out for this moment. Okay, I need to get my head back above water. I had to think!
“Thank you, Ortiz.” Kade turns back to his audience. “How about that for a teaser?” The crowd explodes with glee. They want more blood.
“WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!”
Malcolm!
“All right! Let’s move on. Who do we have next? Ortiz?”
Ortiz calmly strides over and stands in front of Michael Cole.
“Let’s go,” he says.
“No,” says Cole. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Ortiz viciously punches him in the face. I swear I hear something break. His nose, maybe. But he t
akes it. He stumbles back but he stays.
Good man, Cole.
Blood flows from his nose and from a cut opened up by the punch, but Cole was a Ranger. Regardless of what he’d been going through since the Descent, the man was a Ranger. He was trained for torture.
“I can do this all night, pretty boy,” says Cole. “Seems like your boss is on a schedule, though, so can you skip to the real shit?”
“Sure thing, pal, right away!” Ortiz brings a knee straight up into Cole’s groin and he doubles over. Ortiz then removes his knife from its sheath and slices Cole’s left ear off with quick and easy precision. My friend screams with a horror I’ve never heard before and will spend the rest of my life trying to forget.
I don’t know exactly why I never had this thought before, but this is war! My mental scope has basically been a kaleidoscope of emotions over the last few days. At first it was just about surviving, then it was deciding that just surviving wasn’t enough, and now, right now, it is taking the first step to victory. Not just fighting back, but winning. The Regulars who are out there fighting need to hear about a win. And not just any win, a big win!
The cylinder has been spun a couple times already and the trigger pulled, but I am still playing. I am still in the game. Now I think it’s time I change the rules. Forget roulette, I’m just going to shove the whole gun up his ass!
I need you, Malcolm. Step out of the shadows. There is a war going on here, man. Your Points of Light are getting snuffed out while the Protectorate fucks around with the rules. Man, throw the damn rules out and get with it! We have work to do.
Ortiz has the ear in his hand and simply shoves Cole to ground. “Here you go, Boss. Tell him what he needs to hear.” He tosses the ear to Kade, who catches it and immediately erupts into uproarious laughter. He is so predictable.
“Mr. Cole? Can you heeear me?”
Enough of this crap.
“Hey, dipshit!” I yell at the top of my lungs. Both Kade and Ortiz turn to look at me. “Ha! You both looked. What a couple of turds! Hey, would it be okay with you if we skipped the other nine songs and just played the number one hit? I’m bored over here. Here! Rhymes with ear! Hey, Cole! Did you hear that?”
Ortiz practically runs to me and proceeds to wrap his hands around my neck and squeeze. I can feel my eyes bulging out when both of his thumbs push down on my Adam’s apple.
“LET HIM GO!” Says a voice booming over the speakers. “Ortiz, NOW!” Ortiz locks eyes with me for a couple more seconds before he releases his grip on my life. I’m pretty sure his ring size will be forever on my neck. A memento. I cough, wheeze, and heave giant breaths, trying to draw the life force back into my lungs. It seems I struck a nerve.
All right, then, here we are. Get your ass over here!
I will not.
“Bring him to me,” croons Kade. Ortiz grips my arm about as tightly as he had my throat and ushers me to the front of the stage. I am standing under the lights. In Nashville, Tennessee. That used to mean something. Another time, another place. I vow that it will again, someday. Soon. Not just here, but everywhere.
Take it back. Yes. We have to. There’s no other way. I can hear Kade talking, but it sounds more like an echo, to be honest. I can’t hear, I can’t think! I’m so completely fraught with emotion, it’s like I can’t take the first step.
Come on, Prescott! Think!
I am shocked out of my stupor when Kade slips his arm around my shoulder and embraces me. We resemble a married couple standing together waving from the stage during a political rally. What the hell had he been talking about?
“Well, Mr. Prescott? Cat got your tongue? I thought it was your friend Cole here who was hard of hearing.” Kade laughs hysterically at almost everything he said. I wondered if he was always like this. “You acted so cocky a minute ago. What happened? Oh, come on, you don’t think we’re all that different, do you? You don’t”—he made these giant air quotes—“care about these people you’re with. You’re a user just like me! You don’t make it to the top without stepping on a few souls along the way. Isn’t that right, Mr. Prescott?”
Yes. Isn’t that right, Mr. Prescott?
Maybe.
“No! I’m nothing like you,” I yell. “Take off these restraints, and I’ll stand toe to toe with you and kick your ass right here under these lights for all your asshat Freak friends out there to see! Maybe finally you’ll shut your damn mouth, which would be amazing because OH. MY. GOD. I am sooo tired of your bullshit! How you like them apples, Ken?”
“HRAHH!” is, I think, the sound that comes gurgling out of his mouth before he whips me around to face him and proceeds to punch me so many times, so fast, that I can’t see or count what is happening. My vision blurs, my stomach feels desecrated, and my legs turn to mush. I feel damp with blood and I piss myself. The bonus on that is being picked up while still bound and thrown several feet across the stage. When I land, I break my collarbone and dislocate my shoulder. I can’t see it or touch it, but there is a compound fracture in one of my legs.
Please. Help me, Malcolm.
“Do you see what becomes of those who would come into OUR HOUSE with the intent to harm us? THIS MAN! He and his friends drove right up to OUR FRONT DOOR! And announced that they were going to KILL ME! Who do they think they are? WHAT SAY YOU, CHILDREN?”
“KILL THEM! KILL THEM!”
“You’re damn right I’m going to kill them! And I’m going to enjoy this! VERY MUCH! Do you know why we do what we do? Why we kill? Why we pillage? Why we bring death and destruction everywhere we go? Can any of you worthless bags of guts tell me why it is that we perpetrate our extremes upon the Regulars of this land?”
“CHAOS! CHAOS! CHAOS!” they scream.
“YES! For our Lord and Master, Chaos. The Black Hand serves! SAY IT!”
“THE BLACK HAND SERVES!”
“AGAIN!” booms Kade.
“THE BLACK HAND SERVES!”
“This one. This… Prescott. He thinks he hurts now. He believes he understands hurt… but he doesn’t even know the beginning of the pain he will endure here tonight. His death will be our gift to Chaos, and the end of his miserable life.”
“Malcolm… please,” is all I can muster. I don’t care if they hear me.
“Shut up, Regular! My children! Our master, the divine Chaos, came to me from his realm and foretold that this man, Prescott, would bring our rule to an end. He told me I must find him and kill him! Little did I know he would deliver himself TO ME!”
He’s standing over me talking, then kicks me for good measure.
I summon all the strength I can and push myself up to a sitting position. I can barely see through two swollen eyes, but I find Shields and Cole. Cole is on the ground, still smarting from having his ear cut off and, surprisingly, Shields is at his side. The guards have completely forgotten about them and fallen under the spell of Kade. I reach for them with my good—well, maybe decent—arm. I meet Shields’ eyes and we see defeat in each other’s faces. She begins to weep. I already am.
“Get up! Get. Up!” Kade is angry, furious even, but he’s just tripped the NOS on his rage and is making himself break. “You cannot be allowed to come into my house and threaten me! I am the one true disciple of the demon Chaos. Chaos, born of the Neverrealm, demon warrior of The Eighty-Eight! The true minister of death and destruction. The one whose essence makes us all part of his plan. For he is the most worthy of our actions. He… is… Agh… Ruz… Ha…”
No, no, no, no.
Kade’s eyes turn the same glowing red that I saw in The 88 three days ago, his demeanor becomes much less animated, which is more unsettling than anything. He brings his hand up to his face and looks at it, front and back. IT turns and looks around the stage area, taking in the scene. IT looks out into the crowd of ravenous Freaks. IT smiles. IT needs no microphone. IT speaks. Its voice… its voice is a horrifying low bass.
Chaos.
“My children! It is I, your lord commander, Chaos
! I have come to congratulate you on this glorious day. This man is no regular human. He would destroy us all. However, my faithful disciple Kendrick Kade has led you to victory. Glory to the Eighty-Eight! The Neverrealm comes closer to this world each day. There is no need for delay. Prescott, whose own family blood started the Descent, breath deep now, for it will be your last.”
I realize now. I did gamble with other people’s lives, and I lost. We all lost. I’m sorry, Em. I’m so sorry.
I have my orders…
Chaos walks confidently across the stage towards me. I don’t know why, but as he comes closer my vision gets clearer. Almost crystal clear. And the fog is lifting from my head. Which means I can feel the pain exponentially more. It feels like the shock of the trauma is wearing off and I am feeling the truth of the matter. Chaos bends over and grabs me by my shirt and tie and easily lifts me into the air. He turns again and faces the crowd. With my thought process extremely clear now, I’m beginning think about how much more pain I’m about to be in, and of course, dying.
Then I see it.
Ortiz, along with about three hundred Freaks, have dropped to their knees in reverence for Chaos. Chaos himself is only paying attention to Chaos, so none of them see a tiny light about the size of a pinhead wafting in on the evening breeze. Granted, Cole and Shields don’t initially see it, either. But it’s there all the same.
You son of a bitch. If I could kiss you, I would.
We’ll talk later. There’s work to be done.
Fair enough.
Chaos, still holding me up in the air for the Freak brigade, lets his other hand fall to his side. As he speaks, each fingernail grows about a foot in length. If I didn’t know Malcolm is coming I’d probably piss myself.
“IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT I—”
“Excuse me!” I say. “Excuse me! Hey, dipshit. Yeah, you. Do you have any idea what a tie like this costs? No? Neither did your boyfriend. Frankly I’m starting to think none of you Freaks have any kind of fashion sense. Chaos, seriously, couldn’t you pick a lieutenant that looks a little better? Kade came out to kill me tonight all in black with a red shirt. Lame! He would probably call it crimson or some shit, but really, I know. It was red. And who does a ponytail and Fu Manchu? Remember Commander USA? Yeah, yeah, you know. He did Kung Fu Theatre, Saturday mornings on the USA Network. When it was first getting—”