Roger’s hand was carefully bandaged with no noticeable traces of blood, as he sat at his desk and waited for Charles to return. He laid his comm unit on the desk, and began to enter a code from the paper that lay beside it. With a final entry into the device, he activated the long range setting. His father had explained that if this setting was ever activated, it would turn on the satellite linkage for the comm system. It was something that as far as he knew, had never been used in his own lifetime. The unit hesitated as it completed the execution of the command, and then displayed the results. Sat Active, read the display. He put it aside and shoved the paper back into the desk drawer. He took a long drink of blue sparkle water, and let out a sigh of relief. He could feel the pain medication began to relax him as it kicked in, but still took two more pills from the bottle, and popped them into his mouth. He took another drink, savored the fizziness of the cool liquid, and swallowed them down. He looked at his poor shredded and bandaged hand. He couldn’t wait to get this over with so that he could have it replaced. He would have to have Charles order the sequence to begin immediately. The door to his office slid open, and Charles pushed the hooded figure inside.
“Hey!” Came the muffled voice from under the hood, as the figure stumbled into the room. “Keep your hands off.”
“Is this the specimen?” Roger asked. Charles nodded as he entered the room, and the door slid shut behind him. “Excellent!” He exclaimed, as a broad smile spread across his face. He stood up from behind his desk. “Take it off.” Charles reached over, grabbed the hood, and removed it from the girl’s head. She shook her tasseled hair out of her face. Roger stepped closer, and placed his hand under her chin, and turned her face towards him. Rebecca tried to pull her face away from him, but Charles had her firmly by the shoulders. Her hands were secured behind her. “It really is amazing, Charles, isn’t it. Looks just like her. A little younger…but just like Vanessa.” He trailed off, and turned her face slightly. “Doesn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You brought it through the emergency access tunnel?” Roger asked, and. Charles’s nodded in reply. “Good.” Roger said as he also nodded. “So….” Roger began, as he stepped back and looked down at a readout on his desk. “Rebecca is it?”
“What?” She spat back at him.
“Is that what you are called? Rebecca?”
“Yeah.” She looked around again. “Where am I?” She asked. He glanced at the readout again, and then turned back to her.
“I believe you might call it…quarantine. Is that right, Charles?”
“Yes, sir.” He said as he nodded.
“Yes, quarantine. How do you feel?” Roger asked her.
“I felt fine before the Guardians controlled me.”
“Yes, very unfortunate. Sorry about that, and all. But we are very short on time.”
“I don’t have the plague?”
“No, no. I’m sure you don’t.” He paused for second, as concern wrinkled his brow.
“It doesn’t have the plague does it, Charles?” Charles raised his eyebrow, and then shook his head. “Good. See, he says you don’t have the plague. Isn’t that good?” He asked, as he tried to sound sweet and helpful.
“Then why am I here?” She asked. “And why are my arms pinned back?”
“We need your help. A secret project really.” He sat back down behind his huge ornate desk.
“My help? For what?”
“Just a little conversation. That’s all. You’ll help us with that, won’t you?”
“Why should I help you?” She asked.
“Why wouldn’t you help us?” She lifted one arm, to show him that she still had her arms pinned behind her. “Ah. I see.” He nodded towards Charles who reached behind her and removed her bindings. She flexed her arms, and rubbed her wrists. “You’ll help us now?” Roger asked, as he did his best to smile friendly at her.
“Go to hell.” She told him. The smiled vanished from Roger’s face. “I’m not helping you do anything.” She said, and spit at him over his desk. The spittle landed on his cheek, and hung there for a moment before it began to run slowly down the side of his face. He sat there, immobile for a moment, before he slowly stood up. He picked up his comm unit, stepped over to her, and handed the unit to Charles.
“Connect with Jonah.” He told Charles. “Video on.” He said as Charles keyed the device, then handed it back towards Roger. “You hold it.” He said. “Oh, Jonah.” There was no response. Roger cleared his throat. “Oh, Jonah!” He called again.
“Roger?” Came Jonah’s voice from the unit.
“Why there you are Jonah. Funny, you know, I’ve looked everywhere for you.” He said exaggeratedly. He laughed. “Why, where on earth are you?” Jonah did not respond. “Jonah?” He smiled into the device, and then slowly the smile faded. “Where are you?” He asked pointedly.
“You know where I am.” Jonah replied with a short answer. Roger laughed again.
“Yes. I suppose I do.” He laughed again. “You know, Jonah,” he began, his voice turning serious, “…this cannot go on. I need you to put a stop to this immediately.”
“I can’t stop this.” He replied.
“Oh, my dear friend, but you can. You most certainly can.” He stepped closer to the comm unit, and his face enlarged in Jonah’s screen. “It’s quite simple actually.” He continued. “All you have to do is activate the return sequence, and boom, you’ll be right back here, and we can put all of this behind us.”
“Return sequence?”
“Yes. A simple thing really. Just push a little button, and then this will all be over.”
“Go to hell.” Jonah replied.
“Now, now. I know we’ve had our little differences. But Jonah, this is important.”
“Exactly, Roger. This is important. And there is nothing you can do or say that will stop me.”
“Really, Jonah?” He said as he pulled back from the comm unit a step. “Nothing?”
“Nothing.” Jonah spat back at him. Roger grabbed a hand full of Rebecca’s hair and yanked her head into the edge of the comm unit’s view. She screamed with pain. “Nothing?” Repeated Roger, as he yanked her head back and forth and made her scream even louder. “Nothing?”
“Vanessa!” Yelled Jonah. Roger yanked her head more, as her screams distorted over the comm device.
“Nothing, Jonah?”
“Damn it! Stop it! Stop it, Roger!” And Roger did stop, but he did not let go. He leaned forward again.
“Oh. You want something from me now?” He asked. “What to do, what to do? Oh, I know! How about a little trade. I’ll stop, and you’ll activate the return sequence.”
“No.” Rebecca screamed, and again Roger yanked her hair. Jonah closed his eyes.
“Roger…” Jonah began. “Please stop it. She hasn’t done anything.” Roger laughed.
“No she hasn’t, has she.” He yanked her hair again, and she screamed. “What a shame that you would put her through this.” He leaned forward again. “Look, I’m not unreasonable, Jonah. No not at all. I just need you to do this one little thing for me, that’s all.” He lifted Rebecca’s head again into view. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, and she desperately tried to get at his hand to stop the painful struggle. “Isn’t she beautiful?” Roger asked. “Just this one little thing. For me. And it will all be over.” The tears ran down Jonah’s face, and his heart ached as he watched as Vanessa was tortured by that bastard.
“Okay.” Jonah said. “Just stop it.” Roger threw her out of view, and she sprawled to the floor. “I’ll do it.”
“Really?” Roger asked, almost surprised. “Just like that?” He said as he looked back at Charles, and then turned back to the comm unit. “I thought sure I would have to kill her.” He laughed. “Excellent! Good choice, Jonah.”
“What do I have to do?” He asked, defeated.
“There is a control room. At the front of the ship? You
can’t really miss it. Has a big red door. Says Control Room on the door. You just walk in there and look for the yellow box on the wall. Open it and hit the big red button inside.” He laughed again. “See how simple it is?” He reached out and kicked Rebecca as she lay on the ground. The dull thud, and muffled scream echoed through the room. “So, get it done.” Jonah had flinched at the sound. He nodded. “And Jonah?”
“Yes.”
“When you get there? Call me back.” He smiled. “I want to watch you do it. You know. Just to make sure.” Roger nodded to Charles, and Charles keyed the device. Suddenly Jonah’s screen went blank. The connection was broken.
Roger stepped over Rebecca, and around to behind his desk. He bent over, and opened the top drawer.
“Oh, Charles.” He said, as he pulled a black revolver from the drawer. “Could you let them know that I need this replaced right away.” He said holding up his damaged hand. “Hurts the like the devil.” He said, as he pointed the gun at Rebecca.
“Wait!” Charles said, as he stepped in front of the shot. A look of confusion crossed Roger’s face.
“What?” he asked. “We don’t need it any more. And Vanessa certainly won’t be needing it.” He laughed. “She’s dead!”
“But the rug, sir.” Charles said, as he pointed to the ornate rug on which she lay.
“Good call, Charles. I love that rug.” He put the gun back into the drawer and closed it. “Very well. Dispose of it somewhere else.”
“But, sir...” He said, as he bent down to help the young girl to her feet. “We may still need her. At least until we’re sure he’s activated the return sequence.” Roger pondered this for a moment.
“Very well. You may be right. Keep it until he’s activated the sequence. And then dispose of it. Now, hurry it up. I need you to get this hand replacement started right away.” He said as he popped two more pills into his mouth and chased them with the blue sparkly water.
Chapter 42
Immortal Page 41