Survival Island

by Matt Drabble

  His face was momentarily clouded with confusion as he stared down at her now lying on the floor.

  She also recognised the room as Solomon’s office, the room where about a million years ago she’d stood with Caleb, Haynes & Dale Clayton having a fairly pleasant conversation about a business deal.

  Torvan had two other men in the room with him. Both wore shaggy beards and the usual Niner robes.

  “What is this...?” Torvan trailed off.

  “House call.” Morrison beamed as he stepped into the room with his pistol raised up high.

  Walker followed and kept his weapon covering Torvan’s companions while Morrison focussed on Torvan himself.

  “You would... dare...,” Torvan blustered, incandescent with rage.

  “You’d be surprised at what I’d dare, my friend.” Morrison smiled, seemingly having a grand old time. “Who’s he?” he asked Quinn.

  “His name’s Torvan,” she answered dutifully. “He runs the place now, you know, after he murdered his own father.”

  “Well that’s certainly one way to get a promotion.” Morrison laughed.

  Quinn had noted that there was something even more disturbing now about the criminal. Ever since the killing had started, the man had gone from a serious businessman to a kid having fun.

  She started to edge her way away from the centre of the room. The last thing she wanted to be was the centre of anyone’s attention.

  She crawled as slowly as she could manage, not wanting to draw any undue attention to herself, as the two men locked gazes across the room.

  “You would invade this holy land?” Torvan demanded, his voice evening out as he regained a little of his composure.

  Morrison nodded back to Walker and the other man closed the office door, trapping them all inside.

  “I need some answers from you, my giant friend,” Morrison started, ignoring Torvan’s question. “To start with, one of my employees touched base here a few days ago and he hasn’t been seen since. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

  Torvan surprised them all by laughing riotously; it was not a sound that Quinn cared for.

  “Any heathens who set foot upon this holy land would have surely paid the ultimate price, one that the gods demand.”

  “So that’s a yes? A no? A riddle?”

  “The gods speak through me, fool! Their words fly far above the understanding of mortal men such as yourself.”

  “Okay..., I’m still none the wiser.” Morrison shrugged to Walker. “You understand this simpleton?”

  Walker answered by shaking his head dutifully, but Quinn could tell that the man was nervous and it was never good to have a twitchy finger on a trigger.

  “So let’s try this again,” Morrison said with a sigh. “And I’m going to make it real simple so that even you inbred hicks can understand me. The man’s name was Rollins. He came here looking for one of your... monks, I guess. Now, did... you... see...him?” he asked slowly as though speaking to a child.

  “I spilled his blood and offered it up to the gods for their blessing.” Torvan smiled back.

  “You killed Rollins?” Morrison asked, sounding impressed.

  “Easily.”

  “Well, shit. You took one of my men so I guess this is only fair.”

  Morrison punctuated the statement by turning and shooting one of Torvan’s companions in the head. The gunshot boomed loudly and everyone jumped - everyone except Quinn, whose hands had already flown up to her ears in anticipation of what Morrison intended.

  “Come to think of it,” Morrison said, thoughtfully nodding his head, “he was my best man, so he was kind of worth...”

  With that, he shot the other man too.

  ----------

  Caleb had watched the group heading towards the office as Gwendolyn led them up a back staircase. His heart sang out when he spotted Quinn, and he breathed a deep sigh of relief; it was one that was short-lived, however, as he watched her get thrown through a doorway into a room where Torvan was waiting.

  “What is this?” Gwendolyn asked as she watched on. “Who are those men?”

  “They’re the bad guys,” Caleb replied. “Well..., another set of them, I guess.”

  “I wanted to get Torvan alone.”

  “Well, he’s having a party now,” Cooper added unhelpfully. “Maybe we come back another time?”

  “Is there another way into the office?” Caleb asked her, ignoring Cooper’s vote for running away.

  “There’s an opening behind one of the bookcases, at least I think so,” she answered.

  “Show me.”

  She led him stealthily into the room next door and set about delicately feeling the bookcase which mirrored the one in the office. Her hands moved quickly across the shelving.

  “This is a waste of time,” Cooper moaned.

  “I’m not interested in what you think,” Caleb hissed back.

  “She’s looking for some kind of..., Scooby Doo passageway, for Christ’s sake, Caleb. Doesn’t that sound as ridiculous to you as it actually is?”

  Caleb didn’t answer, mainly because he was worried that Cooper was starting to make sense, but his concern was interrupted when Gwendolyn squealed a little as a book moved with a soft click and the whole unit creaked open a crack.

  Cooper opened his mouth to speak, but Caleb slapped a meaty hand over it before he could make a sound. Now that they had a way in, he didn’t want them to give themselves away.

  He removed his hand but placed a finger over his lips in a gesture aimed at Cooper, and for once, the man nodded in compliance.

  Two men had taken Quinn into the room, and Caleb had briefly caught sight of Torvan and maybe two others in the office.

  There were voices from within but he couldn’t make out the words, only muffled sounds. One sound that wasn’t muffled, however, was the gunshot: one that was swiftly followed by a second.

  His first instinct was to burst into the room, terrified that Quinn had been on the receiving end of one of those gunshots, but it was Gwendolyn’s hand that clamped onto his arm and held him firmly. She eased the secret door open a crack more and pointed inside where he could now see two bodies on the ground, both wearing Niner robes.

  ----------

  “Not quite even, but it’s a good start.” Morrison grinned with a scary twinkle in his eye.

  By this time, Quinn had edged her way across the room and was almost at the door. Walker was visibly shaking now and heavy beads of sweat ran down his face as his shaky gun hand switched from the dead men to Torvan.

  “You have only ascended their souls to paradise.” Torvan smiled patiently. “I thank you.”

  “Well you’re very welcome,” Morrison replied. “Now, how about you go fetch me a man called Tunstall, before I send all of you freaks to where I just sent those two?”

  “Brother Tunstall is no longer with us.”

  Morrison sighed heavily and tapped his gun against the side of his head several times.

  “Is it me?” he asked, turning to Quinn who was dismayed that he’d remembered she was still here. “I mean, I thought I was making myself perfectly clear. I shot two guys,” he said, indicating downwards, “but I’m still talking to a brick wall.”

  “You will all die here,” Torvan announced. “Your petty fire is nothing in the face of the Nine Gods. They laugh at your grand plans and will drink of your blood before this night is over.”

  Morrison continued to look directly at her and that was his mistake.

  Torvan moved in the blink of an eye. For such a huge man, he covered the distance between him and Walker in a flash, and suddenly, Walker was being held by the throat in a vicelike grip and lifted up off his feet, acting as a shield between Torvan and Morrison.

  “Put him down, Chuckles,” Morrison said absently.

  Torvan replied by hoisting Walker up even higher, and Quinn heard bones crack under the giant’s hands.

  Walker still held a gun in his hand,
but it may as well have been a bag of candy floss for all the good it was doing him. Likewise, Torvan seemed to have no interest in the weapon for the moment, only using the man as human shield.

  Morrison circled to his left and Torvan matched the movement. Walker’s body had now gone unconscious and limp, but Torvan carried the dead weight effortlessly.

  “If you think that I give a shit about him, you’re sorely mistaken, my friend,” Morrison said.

  “Even a worm like you must have some loyalty?” Torvan growled back. “Disarm or I will snap his neck.”

  “And mine soon after, I’ll wager.”

  “You have no choice here, blasphemer. Throw your weapon aside and maybe I’ll spare your life.”

  “How about a counteroffer?” Morrison asked before opening fire.

  The bullets struck Walker multiple times, peppering his body with bloody holes. Several burst through the now-dead body, striking Torvan.

  Torvan responded by throwing Walker across the room, sending the body crashing into his employer and scattering them both like bowling pins.

  Walker’s gun had fallen from his grasp, and Torvan stooped to pick it up with unbelievable dexterity.

  Quinn rolled towards the door, praying that she would go unnoticed, but her movement caught Torvan’s attention, and like a feral animal, he turned his attention towards her.

  Morrison was pinned under Walker’s body and was struggling to get free, his limbs flailing to get the dead man off him.

  Quinn flinched on the ground as Torvan charged at her, and her back hit the door. With nowhere to go, she was trapped.

  ----------

  CHAPTER 24

  Going out with a bang

  Caleb watched all of this and thought that maybe Torvan and Morrison would kill each other, but that was a childish hope. He couldn’t rely on any type of heavenly intervention despite their current location.

  He wasn’t a religious man but if there was a god up there, given the amount of death on the island he’d obviously taken the week off.

  He was desperately trying to come up with a clever plan, but he just wasn’t built that way. Give him a locked room and he’d batter the door until it gave way or he did.

  He was willing to stay out of the fight right up until Torvan turned his attention to Quinn. At that point, he had little choice but to act and so he did.

  The first thing he did was to give one of his two pistols to Cooper, and to his credit, the man nodded firmly and fell in behind him.

  The bookcase door opened easily as Caleb kicked it, forcing his way into the room and bellowing loudly, figuring a shock and awe approach was his and Quinn’s best chance.

  “EVERYBODY FREEZE!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.

  Torvan was halted in his tracks at the sudden appearance, and more so at the sight of another gun being pointed at his head.

  “Now just hold it there,” he said, speaking slowly and never taking his eyes off Torvan’s.

  There was movement across the room from Morrison but right now he couldn’t afford to look over.

  He stepped in between Torvan and Quinn, holding the gun steady. Without looking down, he offered a hand behind him to Quinn and she took it, pulling herself back to her feet and then fiercely hugging his side.

  “Holy crap, it’s the fuzz.” Morrison laughed. “I thought you were dead, Constable! Man, I really need to start vetting my employees more carefully.”

  Morrison moved away from Walker’s body now and moved to form a triangle with Caleb and Quinn on one side and Torvan on the other. Caleb’s gun was aimed at Torvan while the big man aimed at Morrison and Morrison aimed at Caleb.

  “Stay right there, Morrison,” Caleb ordered.

  “Oh, I don’t think that you’re in any position to be giving orders, Constable. Perhaps you should have brought backup,” Morrison sneered.

  “Funny you should mention that.” Caleb grinned coldly back. “Cooper, point that at Morrison, would you? Cooper?” he asked a second time when the man didn’t appear through the bookcase door. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered to himself.

  “Seems like I’m not the only one with staff problems,” Morrison cackled.

  “He ran off,” a new voice said as Gwendolyn moved cautiously through the doorway and into the room.

  “You trusted Cooper Fox?” Quinn exclaimed.

  “We... shared a moment.” He shrugged. “I thought he was onboard.”

  “Well, now. Isn’t this interesting?” Morrison said, sounding like he was enjoying himself immensely. “And who might you be, my dear?” he asked, addressing Gwendolyn.

  “She is of no concern to you, blasphemer,” Torvan answered.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that,” Morrison said, sounding interested. “I came here for one simple reason..., well maybe two. Everyone can still walk away from this, maybe even a little richer. Listen up, big guy - you give me Tunstall, or even just what he was working on, and I’ll even help you get rid of the constable here.”

  “Dream on, psycho,” Quinn snapped.

  “I just need to find Tunstall, that’s all,” Morrison announced. “Give me that and I can walk away.”

  “There is nothing you can say that would make me betray my people,” Torvan replied.

  “Well, we already know that you and I share a common opinion on our hired help, but I figure that I’ve got enough ammo to find someone that maybe you do care about - perhaps our lovely newcomer over there,” Morrison said, nodding towards Gwendolyn.

  Torvan’s face flashed and Morrison caught it.

  “Ah, so there is someone.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Now we’re getting somewhere.” He grinned. “Everyone’s got their pressure point, Miss Quinn; you just have to know where to press.”

  “You are not an islander. What is it you want with Brother Tunstall?” Torvan demanded.

  “Well if you’re not Tunstall, then it’s really none of your business. I mean, you seem..., you know… all religious and all that. I’m guessing that Brother Tunstall’s side project was a secret.”

  “Brother Tunstall would have no dealings with the likes of you. He was a... good soldier,” he said, trailing off.

  “No..., no that’s not quite right, is it?” Morrison said, nodding. “You killed him, didn’t you?” he stated. “Yeah, you fruitcake, you killed him. I can see it in your eyes. What did he do? Piss you off? You find out what he was growing out back?”

  “Torvan?” Gwendolyn asked confused. “What is he talking about?”

  “I...,” Torvan started but lost his voice, as though he was having difficulty remembering.

  “Torvan, where is Brother Tunstall? Torvan?” she asked, stepping further into the room.

  “Uh-oh, looks like you’re in trouble with the missus now.” Morrison beamed delightedly.

  “Why don’t you shut up?” Caleb ordered. “Can’t you see you’re putting us all at risk here?” But Morrison merely smirked at him.

  “There’s no talking to him,” Quinn confided in Caleb. “Trust me, I’ve tried.”

  “Torvan, what have you done?” Gwendolyn pressed again. “Talk to me, my love,” she said, walking forwards and now standing in the centre of the deadly triangle.

  “Get out of the way,” Caleb whispered under his breath.

  “Torvan?” Gwendolyn tried again, her voice soft and gentle. “You weren’t always this man. You were different; you were once your father’s son.”

  “No.. no... no,” he repeated to himself, shaking his head. “I am the anointed, the chosen vessel of the Nine,” he said firmly as if trying to convince himself. “My father was a coward, unfit to serve the gods. That’s why they stopped talking to him.”

  “From what I understand, they stopped talking to him when you split him in two with an axe.” Morrison chuckled unhelpfully.

  Caleb could feel the room going bad before his eyes. Morrison was slowly swaying from foot to foot, seemingly excited at the prospect of an OK-Corral-style shootout. Gwend
olyn was trying to talk Torvan down off a ledge that he had no intention of stepping away from. The man was a hair’s breadth away from going nuclear. And all the while, Caleb was trying to shield Quinn and get them both out of this madness in one piece.

  “It’s not too late, Torvan. You can still walk away from this,” Gwendolyn continued. “There has been too much bloodshed already, way too much.”

  Caleb and Quinn watched on as the woman placed a hand on the huge man’s face by standing on tiptoes. She gently stroked his cheek with her hand and now stood in front of him. With her other hand, she placed a grip on the arm holding the gun and she started to lower it.

  Torvan seemed to be in a trance now and he allowed her to lower his weapon.

  Caleb held his breath, praying that Gwendolyn was heaven-sent and that she might just be the answer to him and Quinn getting out of here alive. Morrison was a problem for another day.

  “I am the light,” Torvan said in a voice barely above a whisper.

  “No, my love, we are the light,” Gwendolyn said firmly as she continued to hold him.

  Caleb took a slow step backwards. His arm was still behind him, holding onto Quinn, and he moved her with him.

  “Oh, you can’t be serious!” Morrison suddenly exclaimed. “Is this really how things work in the Torvan household? The little lady says jump and you just ask how high? Is this really the monster I’ve been told so much about before me?”

  “Ignore the unbelievers,” Gwendolyn said, holding Torvan’s face firmly and keeping his attention focused solely on her now. “They matter not, not here and not now. This is our land, Torvan; you saw to that. You protected it and us and now is the time to lay down your arms and embrace your victory.”

  If Caleb hadn’t spoken to the woman outside of this room, he would have believed her sincerity, but he had seen the look in her eyes when she’d spoken about making the sacrifice of getting close to Torvan. As convincing as she might be now, he had seen the look of disgust on her face before.

  Caleb had gotten himself and Quinn to the door now. His gun was still aimed at Torvan although Gwendolyn was now between them. But while Morrison still had his gun aimed in Caleb’s direction, his attention had filtered towards Torvan and Gwendolyn.