Arcene: The Island

by Al K. Line

  To never come back.

  Where should she start? Where would she be? Cashae was certain Arcene was back in the city — disturbances in The Noise hinted at it but revealed nothing. Should she shout, get her attention? Or was that silly?

  She didn't know, had nothing and nobody to guide her.

  She was alone.

  Creeping around the side of a hulk of a truck, brushing past the trees growing out of the rusted trailer, Cashae nearly dropped down dead as she felt a hand on her shoulder when she emerged from the half-light into the strong afternoon sunshine.

  "Ssh, stay quiet," warned Erato. Talia was next to him. They both looked sorry, but it was too little, too late. Wasn't it?

  "We're sorry," whispered Talia. "You were right, we were wrong. We have to help. But we can never go back now, Cashae. If we help we can never go back."

  "I know, but we have to anyway. I knew once we agreed to try to stop this that we could never return home. It was one crappy plan." She smiled through the tears and her friends laughed.

  "Yeah, I suppose it was. We didn't exactly think it through, did we?"

  "No. But I never thought you would change your minds about helping Arcene, and decide to elope together," accused Cashae.

  "We're sorry, all right? It's just all a bit much. What shall we do?" Talia hugged her friend, then pulled her back into the shelter of the truck and the greenery. "I missed you."

  "Missed you too."

  "Hey, don't forget about me. I want in on this." Erato hugged them both. They were back. A team. Just not Hunters any longer. Friends, with a plan.

  Sort of.

  After whispered conversations, all of them not quite sure why they spoke so quietly but feeling it was the right thing to do until they had a proper goal, they decided they would stick together no matter what. Find Arcene, persuade her to leave, and then take their chances with Vorce and Elder Janean. They would try to convince them they had come back alone to finish the job but had failed, and that they should return to The Island.

  It was a desperate act, and they knew the chances of being believed were slim, but they had to try. They had to attempt to warn everyone else, and tell the truth about The Hunt. Why had nobody ever said anything before?

  Did this explain the occasions when Judges never returned? Had something gone wrong and Vorce knew how they really felt? Eliminated them before they could spread dissent?

  Horror shook Cashae's world as their speculation revealed itself for what it was — the truth. It must be. There was no way that no other person had ever had second doubts once they found out the truth and were confronted with the reality of life and death.

  It was true. Vorce had eliminated anyone he felt would try to stop The Hunt. She knew it, Talia and Erato knew it.

  What now? Try to bluff their way through?

  What should they do? He would know, and he would kill them.

  "We have to warn everyone. Vorce is a disease. He's made us into something we were never meant to be," said Talia.

  "But how?"

  "I don't know. Come on, let's find Arcene."

  Once more, Cashae emerged from the shelter of the truck. This time she had her friends with her.

  Follow that Wire

  After cleaning her face from the congealing slobber of an over-enthusiastic Leel, Arcene stayed put, right there in the middle of the street. It wasn't so much that she didn't have things to do, she certainly did, it was merely that she was exhausted — shutting down the feeds had been one thing, reactivating them another entirely. Arcene was close to the edge, and too much time immersed so deeply in The Noise had serious consequences.

  Her body clock told her she had been doing it for hours, something she hadn't counted on and was a very amateur move. Anything could have happened. Ah, no, she wasn't that silly — she had Leel, and nobody would have got close with her standing her salivating guard.

  She was exhausted though, and sat for a while, resting and recuperating. Hunters would come soon, she was well aware of this, and she had to be prepared. There was no way to know what would happen, or whose side they would all be on. All she could hope for was that Talia and her friends were rather less inclined to kill her than they had been.

  After their conversation, Arcene was sure Talia would try to put an end to the madness. But Vorce, his companion, and Talia's friends, they were all unknowns.

  Woof, woof.

  Leel's hackles were as sharp as knives. She stared down the street as three black-clad figures emerged from an alley.

  "It's okay, Leel. I think." Arcene ignored the odd sensation of being watched remotely and then put it out of her mind. This was her reality, not some show, and she had to remain focused on the here and now.

  She snapped to attention, squared her shoulders, pulled her sword from its scabbard and angled her left leg forward, bending imperceptibly at the knee — a pose she had mastered that gave away nothing.

  "What do you want?" Arcene shouted, as Leel growled and her muscles bunched. "Stay here, Leel. For now. But be alert." Leel glanced quickly at Arcene, moving her head as if nodding, before directing her attention back to the three cautiously approaching figures.

  "We just want to talk. To help," shouted Talia.

  "We already talked," replied Arcene. "There's not a lot else left to say. You should leave, or you should help stop this. The choice is yours."

  They kept walking. The woman, Cashae, looked nervous yet determined at the same time. Arcene liked that. She was overcoming her fears, which showed integrity.

  "We want to help," Cashae stammered. "We were wrong, this is wrong, all of it. You should leave, go home. Let us convince Vorce this needs to stop."

  Leel's head snapped to the right, Arcene turned too. "Here's your chance."

  Vorce emerged from the alley they had come from moments ago. He looked livid, but there was something else. Disappointment.

  Arcene watched them turn at the sound of Vorce's footsteps, but not before she noted the shock and the fear bubble to the surface. What was it about this man? How could he have such a hold over them all? He was just one man. Yes, but a man they had all looked to as their absolute ruler since they took their first breath, that's who. He controlled every aspect of their lives and now they had turned against him, if what they said was to be believed.

  What Arcene hadn't expected was for Cashae to speak first.

  "Please, Vorce, we are sorry, but this is wrong. This is not how it seems from the safety of The Island. You cheat. You use cameras not for us to see back home, but so you can easily track Prey and kill them at your leisure. Or pleasure. We don't want to do it. We want to go home."

  "Is that right? You left. You think I do this for fun?" Vorce walked toward them as he spoke. "You think it is for you to decide what is best, what your people need? I DECIDE!"

  "That's enough," warned Erato, taking a single step across the street so he was beside Cashae and Talia.

  Arcene watched them all in profile, certain it would not go well. She ran, knowing it would be too late, trying anyway. How could they not see?

  "You dare warn me!? ME!"

  Cashae must have had faster reflexes than Arcene gave her credit for. She lunged forward as Vorce stabbed out with his short sword and pulled back just as quick.

  Arcene stopped, everything stopped. Everything apart from Leel. The world went into slow motion as Leel darted forward, instinct telling her these were now allies and they were under attack. Arcene opened her mouth to call to her, but knew it was useless and would be a distraction, maybe risk her coming to harm.

  Cashae crumpled, hands clutched at her chest, as Talia and Erato bent to catch her. There was blood everywhere. Her jacket was soaked through.

  Vorce's sword caught the light and sent its bloody warning to all. Talia and Erato stared at their friend, then at Vorce, unbelieving, not understating until now the depth of the darkness in the hearts of evil men, and the things they could do, would do, when their authority and way o
f life became threatened.

  Vorce stepped back, stared at his hand and shook his head as if in regret. Not for the death administered, but for being made to commit the crime because of the disobedience.

  Leel was almost on him, snapping for his throat, but he came to his senses just in time, and as Leel flew through the air to rip the life from him he slammed down the hilt of his sword onto the top of her head.

  She thudded to the ground beside Cashae.

  Arcene arrived and watched pink bubbles form then pop as Cashae tried to breathe. She bore witness as life left Cashae and she returned to The Void. She turned to Leel, knowing Vorce wasn't there.

  He was gone, already running back down the alley.

  "He's a coward."

  "She's dead. He killed her!" shrieked Talia, cradling the limp body of her friend as Erato just stood motionless, in shock, face pale and hands covered in blood.

  "What did you expect?" Arcene bent to Leel, her best friend in the whole wide world. If he had damaged her permanently Arcene would slice bits off him until all that was left was his mouth, screaming for her to stop as she stared with cold eyes at the remains of the man who would harm an innocent animal.

  "Expect? I expected nothing. But this? This is inhuman."

  "You all hunt people for entertainment. Just because you've changed your mind doesn't mean he has."

  "I'll kill him," said Erato. "I'll kill him and we'll go home and tell everyone what kind of man he really is."

  "I think they already know," said Arcene, unable to help herself and smiling, just a little, as hard-headed Leel came back to consciousness and stood, then shook the daze and confusion away.

  "What?"

  "The cameras. They're all back on."

  Almighty Vorce

  Vorce felt like a goddamn coward. Running away. Him! How had it come to this? As soon as the three friends failed to return in a timely manner he knew something was very wrong. He should have seen the signs sooner, should have realized the minute they began to question him about the cameras and the way The Hunt was conducted. Why hadn't he learned his lesson by now?

  He slowed, knowing they wouldn't be chasing after him any time soon. But what about the dog? No, he'd hammered it good. There was no way it would recover easily from such a blow, if at all.

  Vorce continued down the alley and clambered over rubble into a shell of a building. Half of the front was in the street and little remained of the roof. Lost in thought, he made his way to the back rooms, realizing he knew the way, the building more familiar than many others even though he had memorized the whole arena long ago.

  He stared at a partially collapsed interior wall and it came back to him. This was where he had dealt with another insubordinate many years ago. Not the first and certainly not the last. Sometimes they simply didn't understand, lost their nerve or their passion for The Hunt, the reality of the situation overwhelming them and either turning them into cowards or turning them against him and their own people. Their own way of life.

  It was always down to him to deal with it, deal with them somewhere the cameras couldn't see. It wasn't fair. He hadn't invented The Hunt. It was the people, they wanted it. The distraction, a sense of justice and a way to air grievances. But he'd embellished it, turned it into something grander, and as was always the case with such things, not everybody could live with the reality of the life they had chosen.

  Under the pile of rubble would be the remains of a man who had gone against him and the Elders. He'd confided in Vorce that he couldn't go on, that it was wrong and he wanted no part of it. His words were cut off mid-sentence as Vorce delivered the death blow — he would not have the man go back and spread rumors, that wouldn't do at all. It always saddened him, but their way of life had to be protected. The Hunt was all that kept The Island together now, much as he wished it wasn't so.

  In the back room, surrounded by defunct technology he had picked clean for the best components long ago, Vorce settled himself and calmed his mind.

  He should have waited for Elder Janean, but once he understood what the others were up to he had rushed on ahead, agreeing to meet up in a few hours. He was glad he had. It would give him time to deal with the rest of them, and that damn girl and her dog too, if it still lived. Janean was getting too old for this now and could no longer keep up. She would have to retire; another would readily take her place.

  How strange for it all to have come full circle like this. To be back where he had wanted to be, but led by those under his rule, and by Arcene.

  What was her game? What did she have to gain by returning rather than leaving and making a run for it? She probably could have got away too, he hated to admit, if she'd just kept on going. She was the first to make it through the fence, and she could have escaped with her life.

  So what was her plan? And why had the others returned? Did they want to warn her? Ally with her? Or simply try to return home?

  "Oh, no! She wouldn't, would she?" Vorce's heart fluttered as panic washed over him before subsiding. No, it was silly, the last place Arcene would go was back to The Island. And besides, there was no way any of them would ever get back without him. He knew the codes for the locks and...

  Ugh, if she can disable cameras, digital equipment and more, then maybe she can get through the key locks. Why would she though? There was nothing for her there and she would be ripped to pieces before she knew it. Maybe, maybe not. If Talia and Erato were with her maybe things would be different.

  He couldn't take that risk. He had to get them, now, just to be sure.

  It would be better if Janean was with him. She was a good fighter, excellent in fact, and although not so great at covering ground, she was a sight to behold with a sword. Like a blur — all blade and no mercy. He'd witnessed her death blows many times, seen how she fought like a thing possessed when the Judge was out of action and it was her that put down The Prey, signaling the end of another successful Hunt.

  Maybe she was there now, at the remains of the tower, waiting for him? Maybe, or maybe she was still huffing and puffing her way back into the city.

  There was no time, he had to eliminate them all, and now. Just in case. If she was there, great. If not he would carry on alone.

  Vorce moved silently, no need to declare his presence. He made his way through narrow alleys and avoided the worst of the debris as he approached the old clock tower. A once magnificent structure that could be seen from any point in the city until the skyscrapers grew taller and the sunlight never reached the streets. Now it was little but a hollow, red brick obelisk, the clock face and upper stories long since fallen.

  He turned the corner and walked across the wide plaza that once gave a little breathing space in the overcrowded city, but was now covered in the half-destroyed building and all manner of junk, some of it placed by him over the years for dramatic effect. The things he'd done for his people, to give them the spectacle they craved, and what thanks did he get?

  Elder Janean was nowhere to be seen, and he had no time to wait like a nervous boy on a first date. He had to go. She would have to find him, or he would return once his work was done. Either way, he had to finish this, and fast.

  With sudden urgency, Vorce turned and, once clear of the chaos, eased into a steady jog and headed back to the main street to pick up the trail of Arcene and the traitors he once thought of as family.

  If they wanted a fight he would give them one. They'd seen nothing yet.

  They were gone.

  Vorce stood over the body of Cashae, feeling no regret. She had disappointed him, insulted The Island and their traditions, and had dared to interfere with what kept them together. There was no dog, no Arcene, Talia, or Erato. So the animal lived then? No matter, he would deal with them all.

  Vorce turned and looked back at the room it all started in, where they sat aghast as Arcene killed the feeds. Just as well, he supposed, as he smiled thinking about what he would do to them.

  He turned and headed in the only dire
ction he could think of, although how they would know where to go he had no idea.

  There was no doubt it would be Arcene. She had way too much going on that he couldn't fathom, and he didn't like it one bit. If anyone could find the way from the mainland back to The Island it would be her.

  "Damn her."

  Vorce kicked the corpse in a rare act of frustration, then left.

  Seven stories up in a cramped room there was a slight whirr as a camera zoomed.

  Too Old for this

  "He killed her, he killed her," Talia repeated over and over.

  Arcene's eyes widened as she turned to Erato, questioning if Talia was about to lose it entirely. She kept the lead, marching them through the streets and to a destination she had not really taken enough notice of, or thought deeply enough about before.

  She was following the cable, and now she understood the way The Hunt worked she suspected that when it met the fence there would be some kind of access and exit point. It made more sense than trying to go to the gap she had created and then skirting back around the perimeter, wasting a lot of valuable time.

  That was the idea anyway. All she could do was hope her gut instinct was right.

  Erato nodded, saying Talia would be all right, that she was just shocked, not "in shock." He put his arm around her and whispered in her ear, trying to calm her, forcing her to keep going, to walk fast through the crippled city, ignore the devastation and the stink. To trust him, trust Arcene. To hold it together and do it for their friend, for their community. For themselves.

  Arcene faced front, not wishing to interfere, and checked on Leel again. She seemed absolutely fine, if rather embarrassed by the whole affair. Leel was unused to losing fights — Arcene couldn't think of many encounters where she hadn't come out victorious. But Leel was ever the optimist and accepted her new situation and their new companions — she trusted Arcene, and if she now believed they were friends then she would allow them to tag along.