by Anh Do
A hatchway in the door opened and someone shoved through a box of cereal. No milk or anything, just an unopened box. It fell to the ground and woke Stanley up.
Dry or not, Kelly was hungry, so she opened the cereal and began to eat it.
‘Can you …’ Stanley winced as he sat up, rubbing his neck. ‘Can you hear any thoughts out there?’
Kelly tried to send her perceptions outside the cell. There were a few mundane echoes floating about, bored guards in the halls thinking about the end of their shifts, and that was about it. She felt a little fuzzy still, not as in control as she had been, and the thoughts were not very clear.
Maybe she was just tired.
She passed the cereal to Stanley, and he began to munch on it gloomily.
Where was Minh?
17
Tests of Strength
Minh blinked as his blindfold was ripped off. The first thing he saw was William James on an elevated viewing stand.
Instinctively Minh went to charge, but the collar around his neck buzzed, and a heavy jolt of electricity staggered him. He glared sidelong at Aiken, who held up a remote control. She raised her eyebrow as if to say, Shall I do it again?
‘Welcome, Minotaur,’ said William. ‘I have to say, I’m very curious about how strong you truly are. That’s why I’ve prepared some little tests for you.’
Minh glanced around. He was standing in what looked like a weird obstacle course.
‘Why don’t you start with the dumbbells?’ suggested William.
‘Why don’t …’ Ming screwed up his face at the Collector. It was difficult to think clearly when he was seeing red. ‘Why don’t you go stick your head down the toilet?’
Not exactly his wittiest retort. Nevertheless, William gave an amused titter and nodded at Aiken. She pressed the remote and shocked Minh again.
‘Are you going to calm down and do what your master says?’ asked Aiken.
She released the button, and Minh came up growling. Aiken pointed over at the dumbbells. Growling, Minh tromped over to them.
So you want me to lift these, huh? Fine then.
Minh stooped and picked up the first dumbbell with one hand. It would have been tough for a Olympic weightlifter to get it into the air, yet to him it was nothing. He tossed it away in disgust, as if it were a wooden spoon, and it thunked onto the ground.
‘Ho, ho!’ said William, clapping his hands in delight. ‘Not good enough for the Minotaur?’
Minh moved to the next dumbbell, and hefted it as easily as the first. It was sort of insulting that they had started him off with this ‘challenge’. He raised it above his head with no effort at all.
‘Perhaps we need to make a change,’ said William, and waggled his fingers at the final dumbbell. Immediately, it trebled in size.
Minh tested the weight of the dumbbell still in his hand. Then he suddenly hurled it at the Collector, surged forward and kicked the bigger one savagely, so it went rolling towards the viewing stand.
William flung up a hand and the lesser weight bounced off an invisible barrier, while the greater one crashed into the legs of the stand and sent the whole structure plummeting.
William floated out of the collapsing stand as his falling guards screamed.
‘So it’s going to be like that, is it?’ he said.
Minh fell to the ground, clutching at his crackling collar. ‘I’m not … some … circus animal,’ he growled, through gritted teeth.
‘If you’re not going to obey simple instructions,’ said William, ‘we’ll have to motivate you in other ways.’
Minh could feel the pit of conjured lava radiating heat as if it were real.
‘Start the truck,’ Aiken called.
The truck revved into gear. As the chain tightened, Minh dug his heels into the ground and strained against it. The truck ground to a stop, its wheels spinning in the dirt. The driver switched gears and Minh fell forward a pace, towards the searing lava. Again, he dug in his heels, grunting as he stood against the force of the truck.
There was nothing the driver could do to budge him.
‘Hold,’ shouted Aiken. ‘Bring in the other two. Attach more chains.’
She walked around Minh, holding out the remote so he could see she was ready to press it if he tried anything, while they looped more chains around him.
‘Again!’ shouted Aiken. This time, three trucks started their engines.
Minh wrestled against the force of them, but his heels cut troughs in the dirt as he slid towards the lava. His foot brushed the molten surface, and it seemed to ignite his anger, as if he was filling up with lava himself. He roared as he forced himself back, one step after another, and the truck drivers glanced at each other with worry as the trucks began to slide backwards.
‘Get out of there!’ Aiken shouted to them.
‘Amazing,’ said William, and laughed with delight. ‘Now, what other tests can we concoct for you?
18
Fine Dining
Kelly and Stanley had been locked in the cell for three days. Three days of cereal shoved through the door. Three days of bad sleep and stiff necks, with no explanation of what was happening, and no contact with anyone.
Kelly banged on the door and shouted at the top of her lungs, but no one ever answered. She had rammed her horn into the lock, but it did not sink in far enough to have any effect.
By the second day her body had healed – the stinger bites, the bruise on her head – and yet, strangely, she found herself to be growing weaker. In the core of her, she felt sickened to be contained, as if the dark confinement robbed her of her energy. When she tried to hear thoughts outside the cell, they were a muddy mishmash of half-words and vague echoes. When she dozed, she dreamt of running, but woke without enough power in her legs to stand easily.
She yearned for the light. If she reached her hand through the barred window as far as she could, the very tip of her finger could catch the sun at a certain time of day.
It was like a grain of rice to a starving man.
Stanley grew increasingly worried, fussing over her and telling her to rest.
‘According to some myths, unicorns were literally creatures of the light,’ he said. ‘I have to fear that this waning of your powers is …’ He glanced around the cell, and then shut his mouth.
Who knew if there was a hidden camera?
Finally, on the third day, the door opened. Aiken stood there, flanked by Elites, stingers pointed squarely at the both of them.
‘Just a small charge,’ she said.
Kelly opened her mouth to object, but an Elite fired.
Kelly stirred in her seat. Something restricted her ankles and her hands. There was something good though, too – a ray of warm sunshine fell upon her. It was like a balm to her soul and, while she was not yet returned to full strength, the weakness creeping through her was receding.
Thoughts filtered in, clearer than they had been in days.
I’m gonna kill this guy.
That was Minh, seething like a furnace in the corner of her mind.
I should have listened to my gut and never come here.
That from Stanley, lamenting his lack of caution.
Kelly blinked her eyes open. What she saw in front of her took a moment to make sense of. They had moved her while she was unconscious.
She sat at a large round table of perfectly polished oak, in a well-lit chamber that, from the view through the windows, was far up in the castle.
Before her was a dinner set fit for royals – a matching porcelain plate and bowl inlaid with swallows flitting among trees, and several different sizes of silver knives, forks and spoons laid alongside each other.
In the centre of the table was a grand feast. A full suckling pig, glazed with honey, with a glistening apple in its mouth. Tureens steaming with various coloured soups. Bread still wafting a freshly baked aroma. Curly pastries and platters heaped with multi-coloured cakes.
To one side of her sat Stanley, chai
ned to an antique chair. To her other was Minh, in his bestial guise, held by many chains to a huge metal throne. Around his neck was some kind of collar. He was so angry that his eyes burned like the depths of Hell itself – and yet he did not struggle against his bonds.
Opposite Kelly was William James, grinning from ear to ear. When she saw him, she grunted, and tested her chains, but they held firm. Even so, Aiken, who stood against the wall with her Elites, rested a hand on her rifle, just in case.
The red-haired guy was there with her, although he just stared off at some distant spot on the horizon, apparently completely disinterested in what was going on.
Beyond the Elites, standing in the shadows, was a bespectacled man with a pointed beard who Kelly didn’t recognise.
‘Ah!’ said William, as he saw Kelly wake. ‘The last to join us. Welcome, Ms Swift. My apologies for your internment, I had some things to attend to … but from now on, if you agree to my terms, you will be treated always as respected guests. For a start, I have spared no expense on today’s repast – this food is the finest in all the Kingdom. And this table,’ he gave it a knock, and chuckled, ‘is none other than King Arthur’s himself.’
He waited expectantly for Kelly’s reaction.
‘Where’s my mum?’ she growled.
William’s eyes flickered. ‘You didn’t really think I’d advertise her location to the world, did you? Do you take me for a fool? No, your mother and Stanley’s beloved are tucked up safe in another place entirely. I’m quite fond of them, actually, and wouldn’t want you to ruin another lovely canvas. You already cost me a lioness. Such a shame we had to put her down.’
Behind him, Kelly thought she saw the red-haired Elite’s eyes narrow for a second.
‘The exhibition was just a trap,’ said Stanley, in a dull tone.
‘Yes. I mean,’ William steepled his fingers, ‘I considered it a long shot, and I still can’t quite believe you fell for it. I suppose I do tend to underestimate the power of emotion.’ He spat out the word as though it was dirty. ‘Now, servants, attend!’
From side passages filed a line of servants in flowing white robes, all young men and women. Each of them was absolutely beautiful, though there was a certain blankness to their expressions. One moved beside each ‘guest’ as well as the Collector himself.
‘Then why come after us in Sector H?’ said Kelly. ‘If you already had your exhibition set up?’
‘I prefer to trade in guarantees,’ said William. ‘Thus I find it prudent to always have a backup plan. Much easier to catch animals in a trap than open fields, don’t you agree?’
‘When I get out of this collar …’ muttered Minh.
‘Yes, yes, I’m sure,’ said William. ‘In the meantime, you must all be hungry. Since you are somewhat restricted, my servants will assist you.’
Kelly’s servant – a young man who couldn’t have been more than eighteen, with hazel eyes and sculpted arms – began to pile food onto her plate. Around the table, the other youths did the same.
Delicately, Kelly’s servant cut her a forkful of pork, and raised it to her mouth.
‘Eat,’ said William eagerly.
What a weirdo, thought Kelly. Still, she wasn’t going to let the situation stop her taking advantage. She had learnt to eat when she could. She bit down and began to chew.
William’s eyes lit up with joy.
I’m just getting my strength back so I can take you down, Kelly thought. I’m not obeying you blindly, monster.
William nodded to his own servant, and she began to cut food for him too. Despite having full use of his hands, he opened his mouth eagerly, and she placed it inside.
‘You see?’ he said, smacking his lips. ‘Living with me is not so bad, is it? You can all get used to this, if you choose. I will keep you in luxurious rooms, even let you visit each other if you like. Servants will attend your every need, and bring you lovely meals four times a day. Everyone always forgets supper, aha.’ He gave Kelly a wink.
‘This is your way of making friends, is it?’ Kelly said, as she bit down hard on another mouthful. She continued to talk as she chewed, not bothering to stop the food spraying out. Let him see how much she respected him. ‘You think this is impressive to us?’
William’s smile quivered at the edges. ‘It’s not so bad, is it, Ms Swift?’ he said. ‘Don’t you like the tasty food? And look how pretty your servant is! I can make him yours exclusively, to do with whatever you like.’
That got a big snort from Minh. Kelly could feel his rage building, and feared it may be close to taking him over.
‘All I ask,’ said William, ‘is that you entertain me from time to time. Mr Armstrong has been obliging me by lifting shipping containers above his head. Perhaps you could run around a lovely race track while he does so?’
They all stared at him with hatred plain in their eyes.
William frowned. ‘Were you not all living in poverty? Are you not now a hundred times elevated in status?’
‘We might not have been rich,’ rumbled Minh, ‘but we were free.’
He wrenched at his chains, and the metal of his chair screeched. Aiken pressed her remote control and he jolted back in his seat, shaking.
William’s expression turned stormy. ‘Such ingratitude!’ he said. ‘You really are the most uncivilised …’
Stanley interrupted with a peal of laughter. He laughed and laughed, rocking until tears streamed down his face.
‘What is it?!’ demanded William. ‘What’s so damned funny?’
‘You really believe it, don’t you?’ said Stanley. ‘You really are mad. You think anyone, anyone, could possibly be grateful to be treated this way? That you are being charming right now? It’s so pathetic, it’s almost pitiable. Almost!’
William’s face twisted in rage. He rose suddenly, his own chair crashing down behind him. He made a grasping motion at Stanley, and a chain wound around the archaeologist’s neck. Stanley’s laugh turned into a strangled choke.
‘You forget yourself, Stanley Solomon,’ said William. ‘There is nothing about you that is special. You’re not some mythical creature reborn. And I have a new Chief Archaeologist in Professor Crickshaw, so not even your knowledge is valuable anymore.’
William nodded at the man with the pointy beard, who stepped forward out of the shadows. When Stanley saw him, his expression turned angry, but he still couldn’t speak.
‘It has been too long, Stanley,’ said Crickshaw, with a tight smile. ‘You may come to regret discrediting my work.’
William grinned maniacally, smacking his lips with relish. ‘You thought I would forget about your betrayal, Stanley? That you would not be punished for it? Maybe I’ll turn you into a painting and hang you beside your wife. Or maybe I’ll simply end you.’
Stanley’s eyes rolled to Kelly, but she could only watch in horror as his face reddened.
William glanced between them. ‘Maybe you should take some time to think about this, Ms Swift,’ he said. ‘Refuse me again, and it will be your beloved mentor who pays the price.’ He gave a disgusted wave, and the chain around Stanley’s throat released. Stanley gasped in air.
‘Take them back to their cell,’ snapped William.
Hands clamped down on Kelly’s shoulders, and someone started undoing her ankle chains.
Great, came a thought by her feet. She glanced down, and saw the red-haired Elite was the one unclasping her from the chair. Now it’s up to me, I guess.
She frowned, but then she was being hauled up and pushed off down the corridor. Behind her, she heard Minh roar, followed by the crackle of his collar.
19
Good Cause
Stanley sat on the bed rubbing his neck while Minh pounded against the door.
‘Stop that,’ said Kelly. ‘Haven’t you been zapped enough times for one day? Can you calm down, please?’
Minh turned to stare at her. He seemed so bestial, she wondered how much of him was even still present.
�
�Are you looking in here?’ he asked, his eyes narrowing as he placed a thick finger on his forehead.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I’m just asking you nicely.’
Minh seemed surprised by this. As he blinked at her, he began to reduce in size. He sank to the ground, as if his exertions were catching up with him. When he raised his face, his eyes were back to normal.
‘Sorry,’ he mumbled. ‘Mighta lost it for a bit there. Man, I’ve never been changed for so long.’ He looked at his hands. ‘Hey! They didn’t factor this in!’ He shook off his chains and stood up, unbound. He and Kelly shared a look of hope. Minh flexed his fingers and glanced around.
‘That said, I’m not sure how it helps, exactly.’
Kelly heard a strange whisper in the corner of her mind, from somewhere outside. She went over to the window.
‘That weird Elite is out there,’ she muttered.
‘What weird Elite?’ asked Minh, as he joined her.
‘He sort of … I think he tried to help me in the fight?’
As they watched, the Elite took off his oversized jacket and dumped it on the ground. Underneath, he wore a sleeveless shirt – and there was something odd about his shoulders.
‘Is that …?’ said Minh. ‘Are they …?’
Even as they watched, tiny bumps on the Elite’s shoulders unfurled and began to grow.
‘You’re kidding me,’ said Minh.
Stanley rose from the bed. ‘What’s going on out there?’
‘“Until he has good cause to shed his skin …”’ murmured Kelly, in wonder.
The Elite leapt from the ground and shot up towards them. He landed with a thump against the wall, grabbing onto the window bars to hold himself in place.