Sanctuary 1 (The Foliage Series Book 3)

by Aline Riva

  Then the door opened and Vice Premier Payton entered the room in a shimmer of silken gown with a waft of sweet perfume. She pushed her blonde hair off her shoulder, walked elegantly over to the seating area, and sat down beside Josh.

  “This discussion is strictly between us,” she informed him, lacing her fingers together as she settled in her seat as the light caught on her diamond rings, “It can go no further.”

  Josh looked at her intently.

  “If this is about the cyborg issue, sorry but we can't back track on the total ban of maintenance. If we allow them back into the city there's going to be fighting on the streets -”

  “And there hasn't already been fighting?” she asked in surprise.

  Josh gave a heavy sighs.

  “I'm trying to keep my job here.”

  Anger flashed in her eyes.

  “Oh yes, your job,” she stated, and the words cut through the silent room like the swish of a sharp knife, “Your job...”

  Josh felt his throat go tight as he summoned the will to breathe and air hit his lungs at last as he broke into a sweat.

  “The others will vote against.”

  “The others can be persuaded. They need to be because you see we have a situation, Premier.”

  Her words gave him a jolt.

  “What situation?” he demanded.

  “Times are changing and there will have to be some kind of compromise if not eventual unity, “ she replied, “And my interest in this subject has just got personal, Josh.”

  Her eyes had turned cold as she glared at him.

  “Personal...what the fuck is this about?” he said, his voice shaking as fear crept cold and tight about his throat and he felt for a moment that the walls of the room might be caving in to crush him with no escape.

  She studied his expression for a moment, and then replied with a cool and collected reply:

  “As you know a certain thirty-six year old Captain of the City Guard was recently attacked and left for dead...While its true he's too horny for his own good, a man boy who needs to grow up and certainly needs keep it in his pants where married women are concerned, but it was no reason to do what you did!”

  His eyes widened in horror as she continued to fix him with an icy glare, “That's right, “ she said, “Captain Kade Silk...my son! He was able to name his attacker. And Captain Bracken's body should be fished out of the shallow filth of the Thames eventually – I had him beaten and killed and he confessed all before he died, because unlike you, I know how to play dirty and get away with it!”

  Josh swallowed hard as he started to tremble. In his mind the old world was dying all over again, his home was burning, the Howlers were coming, his family were being dragged away.... He was losing everything all over again...

  “Wha....what do you want from me?” he whispered.

  Sylvia Payton remained icily calm as she regarded him silently for a moment.

  “My son was saved by illegal cybernetic treatment that I arranged – in your name,” she replied, “In the understanding that you will give him back his position in the City Guard. In fact, he's keen to resume his post as soon as he's healed. He's actually very keen to be your wife's personal guard. I think that's a very, very good idea. Because you wont harm him again. And if you try and harm me, I have others who will expose your guilt, Josh. Now, we are a city that has banned cyborgs and cybernetics and yet we have a cyborg guarding your wife...a cyborg member of the Freedom City Guard. Throws a spanner in the works for the anti cyborg movement, doesn't it? I can see a slow and gradual slide back to compassion for the so called cyborg race...Yes, I see that as a real possibility.”

  Josh swallowed hard again, feeling mildly sick.

  “You're now in my pocket,” she said as she rose from her seat, “And don't try anything else, or you'll end up losing everything – your title, your wife and eventually your life too... Don't play with fire, Josh. Or I'll see to it that you get burned. Very badly burned.”

  Then she turned and walked away, closing the door of the conference room behind her, leaving the Premier of Freedom City a shaking, weeping mess as Josh realised he had just made the biggest mistake of his life – and also his deadliest enemy...

  Far away near the Welsh coast, Flynn stood by the entrance to the motor home, and as the others left, Lynch turned back to him.

  “As soon as we find out what's behind that door, Jekel will get word back to you,” he said, “And if we find Kait, you'll be the first to know. Either we storm out for back up or you drive this vehicle straight in, okay?”

  Flynn nodded as his grip tightened on his gun.

  “Good luck,” he said.

  “You too, my friend,” Lynch replied, and then he led the way out of the clearing, towards a road that seemed to lead to nowhere as it met with the foot of the mountain.

  “Maybe I should have had another power transfusion,” Jekel said nervously, as he looked up at the mountain.

  “You're safer on low than high,” Joy reminded him, “High will -”

  “Drop like a stone, I know,” he replied, and then he watched as Lynch placed the cylinder on the ground in the middle of the road where it seemed to meet with rock face.

  The pulse within danced about like crazy.

  “Get back!” Lynch warned, and as the others stepped clear, the cylinder began to spin, the blue pulse within becoming a blur as the cylinder shattered. And a large, wide doorway shimmered as the shield compromised, they caught a view of hillside and houses distorted as the view shifted, and then the space opened up, and Lynch noted silently it was not wide enough to drive the vehicle through, but a system as weak as this one, he guessed the motor home could most likely smash its way through now the door was compromised...

  As the narrow gap shimmered, Lynch stepped closer and stretched out his hand.

  “No, let me, I have shield system,” Jekel told him, “If there's a bit of a charge there I can take it – you can't.”

  And Joy held her breath as the willowy man in the elegant suit slid his hand through the misty barrier and then drew it out again. Then he glanced back at the others.

  “We've punched through it – the edges are compromised enough for a large vehicle to smash through and make a bigger hole – might get some dents but my scanner tells me this system is weak, a lot weaker than it looks and by the way, this is like a magic mirror too – we can see in – they can't see out. We can all pass through this with no harm done.”

  And Joy finally breathed, looking to Jekel with admiration in her eyes, a look he missed, as Lynch went through the barrier first and Jekel followed. Joy glanced back at Flynn and gave him a wave, then she too stepped through the misty barrier and into the place known as Sanctuary.

  Chapter 11 : In Ruins

  As they stepped out on to a lush green hillside where below a small town lie in a state of ruin, Joy looked back to see nothing but mountain behind her.

  “And we find our way back how, exactly?”

  Lynch picked up a rock and placed it beside the hidden doorway.

  “To the left not the right or you'll slam into the barrier,” he said, “Simple as that. We can't see out, remember? But those coming in can see the way.”

  As they looked down he slope towards a road that cut through the heart of ruined shops and houses that had seen better days, Lynch noticed the groups of people being moved along by soldiers, heading towards an area where the hillside dipped into a valley and an an old sign read Coal Mine. Further up was a large factory, it looked new, and smoke billowed from two high chimneys.

  “Large military presence - and they've got these people working like slaves,” Lynch murmured, “Does that sound like something your Professor Riley would condone?”

  Jekel shook his head as he looked on in shock.

  “No way.”

  “Then I'm sorry, Jekel,” Lynch replied, “But I think Riley must be dead.”

  Jekel blinked away tears of anger as he looked down at the town below, w
atching as the soldiers stood guard over weak and beaten cyborgs.

  Then a message flashed through into Jekel's head from Vehicle -1.

  Ash – its Flynn. What do you see?

  The message came up as seen and he gave a sigh as he mentally sent back a reply.

  Armed guards cyborg prisoners stay put not sure what's happening next – Ash

  Then as Lynch continued to survey the area with Joy, another message came through as Jekel wished Riley was with him right now to tell him how to turn the damned distracting thing off.

  Vehicle – 1 : When you go in there, when you find out what's going on, do let me know about Kait – and let me know when the times right to come in. Do I go back and get word to Dixon?

  Ash: Not yet wait

  Vehicle-1 : For what?

  Ash: We don't know anything yet. Wait...I'll message you.

  Vehicle -1 : How long? I don't know how long this will take man I can't stand here all day when Kait could be in there. Can you let me know what's going on? I need to know I can't see you guys now only a mist in the middle of the mountain so just keep me informed, do you get that? Its important I need to know what's happening.

  Ash: K.

  Vehicle-1: K?? Is that all you got to say Jekel?

  Ash: Gotta go, k?

  As another message came in Jekel left it, marked it pending and then his focus was back on Lynch as he gave an order.

  “We'll stay close to the treeline,” he said, beckoning to the others as she stepped into the shade of the trees that grew close to the shield's border, “And we make our way down into the alley across that road at the bottom of the hill – head for the houses not the main road... too many soldiers.”

  “Maybe we should go back and fetch Dixon's men?” Jekel suggested.

  Lynch shot him a sour look.

  “We need to know what's happening here before we call in the troops!” he snapped, “I'm the ex General, shut the fuck up or go back and abraca freakin' dabra some card tricks to keep Flynn busy while he waits, okay?”

  Jekel looked hurt at his remark.

  “I can't do that. You need me here, remember?”

  “As long as you follow orders.”

  Determination burned in Jekel's eyes.

  “I'm not afraid to earn my stripes.”

  “And you will,” Lynch promised him, “This is your chance.”

  Then Lynch moved on, hidden by the tree line, as Jekel followed on and Joy did likewise, all the while clutching at her weapon as she guessed she didn't just have to look out for herself in a potential fight now – Jekel was not a trained soldier and this situation was way out of his depth...

  They made their way quickly down the hillside, pausing in the shadow of the cluster of trees that over looked what had once been a main road.

  A truck drove past heading for the mine. Then another truck came the other way, heading from the factory and somewhere beyond the place where the road took a sharp turn past decaying houses. Suddenly the road was empty, and as a line of soldiers marched towards the factory, their backs turned, the coast was clear. Lynch signalled with his weapon and made a dash for it, followed by the others, as they crossed the road and headed for a long, narrow alleyway that ran between rows of old houses. Lynch hurried up the alley clutching his gun in two handed grip, Jekel followed on and Joy ran behind, looking back but seeing no sign of the enemy.

  As they reached the turn in the alley Lynch stopped, his back tight to the wall as he gripped the machine gun so tight his knuckles were visible beneath his leather gloves. He was breathing hard as he looked to the sharp turn.

  “Shoot first ask questions later if it comes to it,” he whispered, “There's alleys run through the whole of the housing area – we could be free to get to the heart of this place or like rats trapped in a maze we just won't know until -”

  He stopped there, catching his breath as he dropped his weapon and raised his hands, looking to the others to do the same as a gun was jabbed to the side of his throat.

  Joy placed her gun on the ground and raised her hands, thinking of the communications device in her pocket – as long as she had that link to Murdock, all was not lost...

  “Come with us, and do not resist,” said the soldier who had his gun to the throat of Lynch, “If you run, we will shot to kill.”

  Lynch glared at him, showing no fear.

  “Take me to your fucking leader, then,” was all he said.

  As the soldiers led them away at gun point out of the alley and through the town square towards a large house that looked like an old Victorian mansion, Lynch glanced at Jekel.

  “Was this Riley's place?” he said in a low voice.

  “No...he said it was big, white mansion overlooking the sea...”

  “Then you need to find it,” Lynch murmured, “Time for some abracadabra, Mister Jekel...”

  He caught his breath, glancing to Joy, who looked back at him wishing the words in her heart had been spoken because he still didn't know she wanted to give him another chance, and he had never needed to take it this far, to play the hero when he stood no chance of coming out of this alive...

  “Activate,” he whispered, and suddenly she wasn't looking into his eyes any more, because he was invisible and slipped away from the group.

  As they reached the door to the house and it was opened, the man who had Lynch at gunpoint barked an order to fetch Leather, and a serving girl hurried off with a look of fear in her eyes. Then they were ushered inside and the door closed behind them.

  “Sir...” said one of the other soldiers, “There's one missing...”

  “What?” replied his superior, and then he looked to Joy and Lynch, seeing the tall, slender fellow in the suit had some how slipped away despite the heavy armed guard.

  He looked to the two men who stood at the rear.

  “Find him!” he ordered.

  As they left, a door opened further down the hallway and Byron Leather stepped out. His boots were heavy on the bare, dusty boards and his blackened eyes sent a chill down Joy's spine as Lynch simply fixed him with a stare of unwavering ice.

  “General Lynch, “ he said mockingly, “What an honour. Where is the rest of your army?”

  “We came alone.”

  As Leather struck him with the back of his hand the blow drew blood but Lynch showed no emotion as his face began to bruise and scarlet trickled from his split lip.

  “It's like this,” Leather said, “The idiot up on the hill thinks I run this town with compassion. He never checks because he's too wrapped up in his little bubble of luxury. I'm building an army. A cyborg army to show the organics they have something to fear. Either you'll join me when we take Freedom City, or you'll die. But first, and you'll tell me where your army is, or I'll torture the truth out of you,” he glanced to the armed men who stood over them, “Take him to the cellar,” he said, “And take her up top to the tower...I have a lady she may like to befriend. How nice, I'll have two of you to play with now...”

  Lynch was led away in silence as Joy took his lead and did not struggle as she was lead in the opposite direction, as she thought of Jekel and hoped he would relay the message safely to Flynn...if his damaged battery lasted out that long in stealth mode...

  Jekel was running. He took to the hill past the house and ran on, then across a country road and through woodland, all the while his battery was blinking, warning a power drain was imminent because stealth mode had taken vital energy... as he passed security guards who lined the gateway and one turned his head, feeling as if a sharp breeze had suddenly passed by, Jekel leapt front gate and hurled himself over the other side, leaning hard but feeling not pain thanks to the living metal injected into bones that otherwise would have cracked.

  Another message came through from Vehicle -1. Jekel sent it to pending. He ran on, the shield still up, leaving nothing behind but rapid imprints of his shoes in the dry grass that sprang back to life as he let off the pressure, as the ghostly footfalls continued acros
s the landscape. Then he came to the top of a slope and launched himself over it, landing hard. As the grass gave into a human sized imprint but the shield stayed good he looked up, breathing a relieved sigh to see a white mansion house standing amid a large area of private land, as a short distance from it stood a tall, white tower – he guessed by the sleek, futuristic unfamiliar structure of it that the design was not of this world, and he thought again of all the tales of aliens his best friend had once told him, about proof for their existence – he had disbelieved it all until the truth had become apparent...now as keen as he was to find him and seek help, he was just as keen to ask questions, because he had many...

  Jekel was slightly breathless as he walked unseen up the driveway and past guards who stood on duty, then he made his way through an open door and into a marble floored room where the décor was palatial, all gold and white with fine furnishing s and silken drapes at the windows.

  “Max,” called a young woman, “Hurry up, it's almost time for tea!”

  And for a moment Jekel stood still, hidden by his stealth mode, and as he saw the young man with fair hair like his father take the hand of a young woman who wore a silken dress and a diamond necklace he smiled, feeling a surge of fondness and hope for the future, too – he recognised them. They didn't look like the frightened kids he had pulled out of school before the old world had ended and Riley had driven them away, this was Riley's son and the little girl who had tagged along...And by the way they linked hands as they went out into a manicured garden to enjoy tea on the lawn served by a robotic butler, it looked as if the two of them had grown up together an fallen in love along the way... knowing that gave him hope for the future, to know that love could survive. It also gave him hope that Riley was definitely still about, because who else could have built the butler?

  “I'll be out soon, guys,” came a familiar voice from the sweeping staircase, “I just need to go to the study...have a few loose ends to tidy...”