by Bethany Knox
She nodded at Ethan. “I think you’d better answer that.”
He looked into my eyes, his own eyes were bright, shining like jewels, but not hard, theirs was a liquid warmth. “Yes, Claire. You will live for many hundreds of years, or at least we believe you will. Carriers are very, very rare. You know what happened to the last one, before she achieved her full powers?”
I nodded.
“Had she been older, she could not have been killed, which would have been unfortunate. The Medusans would have bred their super-beings, hunted us down like dogs and killed us. But now, we’ve got a chance to pull their teeth and prevent the threat to us, so that you will be able to enjoy a very long and happy life.”
I loved just sitting and listening to the musical sound of his voice. To look at him as he spoke, his face animated, his eyes sparkling, his rich, long dark hair, occasionally he would flick a strand hair out of his eyes. I could have sat there forever, but I saw Megan and Dad standing over me.
“Honey, it’s late, you’ve got a big day tomorrow, don’t you think you should get some sleep?”
“But Dad, I’m ok,” I protested.
“Your father’s right,” Ethan said. “Get some sleep, I’ll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams.”
It was the way he said it. The meaningful look he gave me. My hopes surged, was he going to visit me in my dreams, just like before? I still felt like a little kid being sent off to bed, so the grown-ups could talk, but I didn’t argue, I was thinking that he’d visit me tonight.
“Ok, then. Goodnight, everyone.”
They all wished me goodnight and I went to my room. They’d thought of everything, there was a nightgown for me and I shrugged into it and got into bed.
Two hours later, the Medusans had me.
Chapter 7
It was almost too easy. How they got into the tunnel complex I had no idea, but one moment I was laying in bed, fast asleep, the next I had been bundled into blankets like a heap of laundry and carried swiftly along a tunnel by two men, Medusans.
In the distance, I could hear shouts and screams the complex was under attack. They were using lanterns and I could see the tunnel sides as we rushed along, there was a body lying on the ground, then another, how on earth had they managed to find this place and get in, and how had they managed to kill the Amstrydae? If they were dead, of course, I wasn’t sure, maybe they’d knocked them out in some way. Then we were on the surface and my captors threw me into the trunk of a vehicle, still tightly wrapped in the blankets. My claustrophobia surged inside my mind. It was utterly terrifying. The vehicle started, we were in some kind of a four-wheel drive I thought, like a civilian version of an army jeep, and we bumped and bounced along the island. I was thrown from one side of the trunk to the other, my head kept banging against the metal until I found a way to wedge myself. Finally, we came to a stop, the lid opened and a guy lifted me out and dumped me on the ground.
“Careful with her, she’s valuable,” a voice said, a voice I recognized and knew well. The mad priest, Father Ryan, except that now I knew that he wasn’t a priest. He was the enemy.
They pulled me out of the mass of blankets that enswathed me and I stood up. I was staring into the mad, fanatic eyes of Father Ben Ryan, who I now knew was a Medusan. Next to him was Olivia Constable, smiling contemptuously. Two men stood, one either side of them, both looked like Arabs. I remembered what Megan had told me, that most of them were from the Middle East. They looked to me like a pair of Arab terrorists, which I guess wasn’t far wide of the truth. We were outside the wreckage of a large building.
“Take her inside,” Ryan snapped at them.
The two Medusans pushed me inside, from the look of the place, it had once been the local town hall, but now it was missing half of the roof and one of the side walls. The rest of it looked to be relatively undamaged. They took me through the building and into an annex at the side, without doubt the local police station. I was pushed roughly into a cell, the door banged shut and the key rattled in the lock. Then they went away and I was left alone. There was a steel bed set against one wall with a thin, shabby mattress. I lay down on it and waited, trying to marshal my thoughts into some kind of a plan. I needed to deal with these people and I had only one thing to bargain with. Myself, my femininity, my sex. How could I use it to somehow escape, or was that some stupid silly idea that wasn’t going to happen in the real world, just some schoolgirl fantasy. The trouble was, I wasn’t in school now, from this perspective the old place didn’t seem quite so bad. What had happened to the others, Dad, Megan, Ethan, Ulysses and the other Amstrydae? Had they killed them all? I shuddered at the thought, the idea that the people I loved, Dad who I had just found again, could be dead. And Ethan. But no, they couldn’t be killed. Please, come to me in my dreams once more, Ethan. Tell me what I must do.
The key rattled in the lock and the door swung open. Ryan stood there, lean, fanatic, eyes burning with passionate hate, with determination and what else was that? Oh God, no, not lust, not him. I felt physically sick. He smiled.
“I can tell you’re not impressed by what is in store for you.”
How the hell did he know what I was thinking? Then I remembered, of course, these people could read minds, I’d have to be careful. I said nothing. He had a bundle under his arm and he threw it on the floor.
“You are to wear these clothes, put them on now.”
I realized that I was still wearing only my nightgown. But I was damned if I was going to do what he told me.
“Get out of here, you sick pervert. I’m not wearing your clothes, I want my own stuff.”
His eyes blazed even more fiercely. “Either you put them on or I’ll strip you myself and dress you.”
For a few moments we stared at each other, but this was no stalemate, I knew I had little choice. I picked up the garment, it was a long, black robe, like the ones that Arab women wore and pulled it over my head. It had a built-in hood. It was heavy and stifling, and had lots of material that shrouded my body. I knew that running would be impossible in this crazy dress. Perhaps that was why they wanted me to wear it, a kind of restraint. Then he gave me a strip of black cloth.
“You are to fasten this across the lower part of your face, it is our custom.”
I fixed the veil over me and felt like some Arab woman about to go to the local bazaar. It was horrible, I was no longer Claire Winter but an anonymous heap of black cloth with two eyes peering out.
“Come with me.”
He gripped my wrist and led me out of the cell, through the building into a large room in the wrecked town hall. One wall had partially collapsed and been boarded up, but the rest of it was in use. There was a group of men sitting behind a long table. Ryan pushed me to stand in front of them, I felt as if I was being interviewed for a college faculty. The guy in the middle eyed me coldly. His eyes had the bright, burning gleam of the Medusans, but where they all had some kind of a mad, fanatic gleam, this guy had something else, something more. He was cold, almost a burning cold, where Ryan had fanaticism in his stare this guy had an fifty below zero calculation in his eyes. For a full minute he said nothing. The one sitting next to him leaned over and said something and he nodded.
“You are Claire Winter?”
I almost giggled, his voice was nothing like his formidable appearance. It was high, almost feminine. I decided to say nothing. Then I felt a blow as Ryan slapped me on the back of my head. “You will answer the Grand Master.”
So that’s who he was. The head honcho. My head ached, but I was determined not be cowed by these bullies. Yep, I’d encountered these people all my life, a kind of ‘might is right’ philosophy. If they were bigger and stronger than you they could do anything they wanted, that’s the way they always thought. Well, maybe, maybe not. But I sure as hell wasn’t going to just lie down and surrender.
“No, my name is Britney Spears.”
He looked panic-stricken. “You captured the wrong girl?” he asked Ryan.
“Is that correct?” he said to me.
“If you know already, why ask me?” I replied. I braced myself for another blow on the head, but it didn’t come.
He looked confused for a few moments. Try going to an American school for a while, I thought, that’ll straighten you out.
“Very well. You are to be the bridge between our people and the powers of the Amstrydae. You are The Carrier, as such you will be honored and treasured by us as a very important person. Your function is quite simple, to mate with those of us Medusans who are selected and bear the children that will lead us into a new world order. No one will ever again be able to oppose our strength. We will be masters of the new world.”
Why did it always come down to this, I had seen the films, world domination, the new world order? Jesus, there was always some loony Napoleon wanting to take over the world, give me a break. But even as I was thinking that, trying to keep my spirits up with a brave spin on things, I started to slump as I thought of the horrific future that lay in store for me. To be repeatedly raped by these scum and even worse, bear their horrible children.
“It’s against the law, you know,” I blurted out. It was all I could think of to say. They all looked at me. Eventually the ‘Grand Master’ shrugged. “Not our law.”
He made a note on a piece of paper in front of him and looked up again.
“Your new life begins tomorrow. I will be the first to come to you.”
“No!” I shouted. “Never, you stay away from me, you filthy pervert.”
Hands dragged at me and I was virtually carried back to my cell. All I could think of was the horror and terror of what I would face the next day. After about an hour, the lock rattled and the door opened. A woman came in, dressed identically to me in a long black robe with a black veil over her face. She was carrying a tray of food.
“You should keep your strength up, you need to eat,” she said. She handed me the tray but I refused to take it.
She surprised me by sitting on the bed next to me. “Look, I know it is not easy for you, in your culture there is equality between men and women, is there not?”
“Well of course there is,” I replied. “I mean, this is the twenty first century, what else would there be?”
“Here it is different. Women are just objects, to be used by the men as they wish. We are not free to choose what we do with our lives.”
“But surely, if you have the same powers as the men you can do something about it.”
Hadn’t these people heard of women’s lib?
She shook her head. “No, we do not have powers, thousands of years ago when they were discovered, women were forbidden to have these powers. We are just normal mortals.”
I was thinking rapidly, she seemed sympathetic, could I use that sympathy in some way?
“Why don’t you tell me about these people, your people, the Medusans?”
She seemed happy enough to chat with me and I listened for any sign that I could use her to help me get away, but she was too terrified of the men to even consider it.
“No, no, you must do as they say, it is our place to be obedient. Just go along with them and everything will be ok.”
Like hell it would, but I didn’t want to send any alarm signals to the Medusans so I toned it down. I’d like to have sent the a Cruise Missile though.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, I’ll accept the situation and hope it isn’t too uncomfortable.”
“It won’t be, you’ll see. And you have The Master as your first partner, it is an honor.”
Yuck. It was like saying I was going to roll in horse manure. But I smiled, before I realized that in these veils she couldn’t see my face.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Yeah, right. If I could get out of here I would be. I already had one clue to use in my favor, they rated women as pretty weak and second rate. Might they underestimate me? If so, it might give me a slight edge, always assuming that I ever got a chance to use it. That was not looking too good. If only Ethan was here, he would know what to do, he’d show me the way out. If. The woman got up and left. I lay back down and tried to think of any way out of this. But I couldn’t, I was one person, a teenage girl surrounded by powerful people who wanted to kidnap and rape me. Well, they had achieved the first bit, I was well and truly kidnapped. There had to be a way of avoiding the second part! But how? I knew one thing for sure, I was not giving in easily. Someone was going to get an almighty kick in the nuts when they came for me the next day. I began to doze, I still hadn’t had much sleep and I felt very tired. I lost consciousness.
“Claire, you must listen to me, Claire, can you hear me?”
He was suddenly standing in front of me, but how could he have got into the cell? I realized it was a dream, he wasn’t really here, but at least I could see him.
“Ethan, thank God you’re here, what happened?”
“They took us by surprise, it was a suicide attack, they broke through into the tunnels and while we were dealing with them, they smashed through the rear entrance and took you. It is our fault, we should have protected you better.”
“Lie next to me Ethan, let me feel your body pressing against me, I’m so alone here.”
As I said it, I removed the stupid veil and pulled off the black robe so that I was only wearing my nightgown. Nothing he hadn’t seen before, I mused, at least, in a previous dream like this one.
“When are they planning to start the first, er, session with you?”
“You mean rape?” I said tartly, then regretted it. He was so warm and comforting next to me, even if he wasn’t really there.
“I’m sorry, I know it must be terrible for you,” he replied.
“Yeah, it is. It’s tomorrow, I don’t know when. You have to stop them.”
“Right, we are doing our best. Don’t give up hope, we are going to do everything possible to get you away from them.”
“Is Dad ok, and Megan? All the others?”
“Of course, they don’t have the power to kill us. Not yet, anyway.”
I shivered as he said that. Of course, that’s why they wanted me.
“Don’t leave me, stay a little longer.”
“I can’t, Claire, there is a lot to do, to prepare. Be brave.”
He slipped away, his form just evaporated, but my hopes soared. They knew where I was and were going to try and get me out. Please God, get me away from these certifiable lunatics.
I awoke to an empty cell. I guessed it was evening, there was no way to know in this dark place, there were no clocks and I didn’t have a watch, but I formed a rough idea of the time. When would they come for me? Probably in the middle of the night when the Medusans were asleep and when their guard was lowest. I lay thinking about what was to come, what I would need to do. The hours passed slowly and the small sounds that I heard from outside the cell gradually faded to silence, it must be the night then. I tried to count the seconds, the minutes, the hours, but I couldn’t be sure if I got it right.
I heard footsteps someone was coming. Was it Ethan? I held my breath, felt the beginnings of hope and joy, but when the key turned in the lock, the Grand Master stood there. He was accompanied by a servant clad in a long, plain woolen robe, his head covered in a monkish type hood, the lackey waited by the cell door. The Grand Master stood looking at me coldly for a few moments, I knew he was picturing my naked flesh, savoring the meal to come.
“I couldn’t wait, my dear. I have come now to begin the task you are here to fulfill.”
“Well I’m quite happy to wait, so get out of here,” I hissed at him.
But it was only pride that made me say it, I knew that I was utterly powerless. The guy totally ignored me and started to remove his own garments.
“You may remove your nightgown,” he said.
“No way, go away, leave me alone.” I looked up wildly. Was this w
hen he would call the servant to come and hold me down while he ripped off my clothes? But the servant had disappeared. Weird. The guy had stripped down to his underpants, my stomach churned to look at his disgusting, flabby body. Yuck, I was going to be sick.
“Hatim, hold the girl while I take off her clothes,” he said.
The servant was back, dark and ominous in his robe. I flinched as he came towards me and stretched out his right hand. He brought his left hand out from behind his back it was holding a rock. Was he going to knock me unconscious with it before they raped me? Maybe that would be better. But what happened next was much better than that. He brought down the rock and smashed it hard on the Grand Master’s head. He dropped to the floor, unconscious. I looked at the servant, what the hell was going on here? Did he want me for himself? He pulled his hood back and revealed his face. God bless America and God bless Ethan, he was here, he’d come for me. I jumped up and flung my arms around him.
“Ethan, my darling, thank God you’ve come. Don’t ever leave again, please.”
“Claire, you need to get a grip. We are not out of here yet. We’re going to use their own tactics, in about fifteen minutes,” he checked his watch. “Ten minutes now. Our people are going to stage an invasion of their quarters. They will cause total chaos. In all the confusion, I am going to spirit you out of a side tunnel that not all of them know about. Are you ready to run when I say?”
I nodded.
“You’d better put that robe and veil back on, just in case anyone sees us leaving here.”
I quickly put on the black robe and veil, I was ready to do anything he told me, provided he would be with me. I gripped his hand, refusing to let it go. The minutes ticked past and then it was time to go. We left, the servant, minus his robe, was lying on the floor. He looked dead. Then Ethan looked at his watch again. “About now, be ready.”
There was an eruption of shouting, a bell started to clang and women screamed. Good, they were getting a taste of their own medicine.