by Aline Riva
“Yes, I know he can...he said there's stuff I can take to help lessen the damage when the line burns out...it might even protect me from the worst of the damage when thirty percent of the main wiring suffers...”
Joy was still reeling from the shock of his news.
“What stuff?”
“Just Trizinaq and a couple of other meds...”
Joy's eyes widened in horror.
“That was fine when you were in cybernetic shutdown,” she told him, “It was a slow and careful infusion...but you're conscious, you can feel pain now -”
“No, no – he said he can split the dose and give me stuff that speeds it up and helps me absorb it...Three times a week, six hours a session. It's my best option.”
Joy slowly shook her head as she looked at him in alarm.
“What is he thinking?” she exclaimed, “He can't do that! I don't think you understand what it's going to do to you!”
Fear shone in his gaze.
“I don't care what it does as long as I get to live!”
“No,” Joy said again as she blinked away tears as anger rose in her voice, “He can't do this to you... The kind of dose and mixture he's on about is far more toxic than what you had before! I'm not going to let him nuke your body with that poison!”
“But Joy, it's my only hope!” Jekel said in a trembling voice.
Finally Joy gave into to the truth, as much as it hurt to think about it.
“I know,” she replied as she tenderly touched his cheek, brushing away his tears, “I know what it is and what it does but...Oh god, I never thought it would come to this. The treatment could kill you! And...I don't want you to hurt, Ash.... not like that... not the kind of pain that stuff can cause.”
“But I have to do it! And I'm scared,” then a brief flash of panic came to his hazel eyes, “Don't tell Travis...not yet!”
“We have to,” she said gently, suddenly aware that Jekel was trembling, “You won't be able to hide this. We need to think about a public announcement too – you may not be able to make the festival this year.”
“I don't want any of this to be happening, I just want to wake up and find out this is a just bad dream...And I am doing that festival, even if it's my last one!” then he looked at her apologetically, “Some anniversary this has turned out to be!” he said, and broke down again.
As he sobbed again with his face pressed to her shoulder and clung to her tightly, Joy held back her own tears as she drew on every ounce of strength she had ever needed since the old world had ended as she held him tightly and whispered a promise that everything would be okay, as she silently wondered if anything could ever be okay again after this devastating news...
Chapter 2 : The Beast
After Fi went home, Melissa looked down at the left over food on the plates on the table.
“I'd better clear this lot away,” she said, then she looked up at the balcony to the room her mother shared with Ash, and it occurred to her they had been up there a long time...but then again, her mother and Ash were very affectionate and always close, and it was their anniversary...She smiled as she looked down at Travis.
“I think Mum and Dad are busy for a while,” she said, “Be a good boy and stay out here in the garden for a while, yes?”
“Okay,” Travis replied, reaching for his plate he grabbed it.
“I'm not finished yet!” he said.
“That's fine,” Melissa replied, “You enjoy the rest of the food. I'll be back out soon.”
Then she gathered up the other plates and just as she turned around the robotic butler joined them at the table.
“Just in time,” she said, and placed the plates on his tray, as she carried the cups, she followed the robot servant back into the mansion.
Then Travis was left alone in the vast grounds of the house, in the sunshine on the lawn while the hedges and trees that framed it looked every shade of green as the sun shone down on the gardens. As Travis looked about the empty garden, something caught his eye: something moved, scurried into a darkened corner where the trees gave heavy shade.
Travis looked over in surprise, but then the son of Nathan Murdock, who preferred adventure to fear, got up from the table, snatched up the remains of a sandwich and went across the garden, wondering if perhaps an animal had found its way into the mansion grounds. Howlers had never been encountered in Sanctuary due to the shield system, which seemed to have put them off from burrowing too, and in the last few years the Howler population in cyborg valley had been greatly reduced thanks to vigilance and tight security on both sides of the divide, so Travis guessed this was not the start of a Howler attack – also, he had heard stories from his parents about how the ground had shook before the creatures had risen – and here no ground was shaking at all, so he assumed he was safe, and what ever he had spotted was probably hungry, and hoped the sandwich would lure it out.
Travis crept into the shade, but found nothing. Then he sniffed the air and wondered why it smelled so bad. What ever was out here stunk and desperately needed a bath...
Then he looked over to a nearby garden shed, where a patch of blue delphiniums swayed and shuddered as if something had brushed past them. Then as he looked about, he turned sharply as the shed door bumped closed, but did not quite shut...
Travis crept closer, stepping around the blue flowers and making his way up to the shed.
“Hello...” he said carefully, expecting a starving stray cat or dog.
Then he opened the door and the thing in the corner cowered, knees drawn to its chest as it trembled bringing shaking hands together in a pleading motion.
Travis gave a gasp, then he saw the creature was more of a man than a beast and what ever the thing was, it was terrified...and it smelled awful, too.
“It's okay...” he said softly, and tossed over the half eaten sandwich.
The strange being turned its head, saw the food and moved quickly, reaching for it, grabbing it off the floor and eating it fast, then it looked up at Travis with gratitude shining in its dark eyes. Travis looked back at the creature:
It was the size of a human man, but its skin was mottled, its head was hairless and its eyes were black and wide and slightly slanted. Its nose and mouth were human and so were its teeth, he had noticed that as it ate the sandwich. And it was wearing a mis match of dark trousers, black boots and a red t shirt with a red and blue striped jacket. Its hands were also mottled, but human looking.
“What are you?” Travis whispered.
The creature regarded him thoughtfully, losing all fear as he realised the boy would not harm him, so he raised his hand, gesturing to his throat as he shook his head.
“You can't speak?” Travis guessed, and the creature nodded.
“Wait there! You can speak to me...I'll get a pen and some paper!”
Then he hurried from the shed, as the creature gave a sad sigh, watching the door as he hoped when it opened again it would be the kind boy and not another angry mob ready to batter what they didn't understand with sticks and rocks...
After a brief pause the door opened, and the boy returned. He closed the shed door behind him, then paused to open up a window before placing a pen and paper on the floor and sliding it over to him.
“I just told my sister I'm playing outside till it gets dark,” he said, “Don't worry, I wont tell them about you...I can see you're scared...What are you? My name's Travis Jekel, by the way. Nice to meet you.”
And the creatures eyes filled with warmth as he wished he could speak to thank the child for his kindness, then he picked up the pen and with surprising eloquence, began to write in flowing script.
As the skies grew darker, Travis watched as the strange creature finished writing, and then as he was handed the paper, he began to read:
'My name is gone. I think my age is thirty. I am male and - was - a human. I remember only that I survived the Howler virus. The others changed but I did not. I some how became like this and they turned into beasts and rejec
ted me. I have travelled far across the land, hiding as I go. Howlers reject me and people attack me - they hit me and beat me. Once they tried to burn me. So I hide. I will not harm you. I am a person - I just no longer look like one.'
Travis looked up from the paper sympathetically.
“That's sad...But you've come to the right place. My Dad's Ash Jekel the cyborg celebrity and his best friend is a really clever scientist – he saved my Dad's life after he was injured in the battle for Sanctuary. I bet he can help you get your voice back.”
The human-howler hybrid looked at him doubtfully.
“Don't be scared, no one I know would hurt you, they would only want to help. Wait there, I won't be long, Gone...you said your name was Gone?”
And the mutant man made a very human gesture as he face palmed and shook his head.
Travis got it then.
“Oh sorry...you mean your name is gone you can't remember it?”
His eyes widened as if to say, yes, at last, he's got it right...
“I'll give you a name, “ Travis said, “Can't call you shed....But I found you by the delphiniums, so I'll call you Del, okay?”
He smiled as his eyes filled with warmth and he nodded.
“Okay Del, wait there, I'm fetching someone – don't run off...I'm fetching a friend.”
Del shivered as he drew his knees to his chest, his back tightening against the wall.
“Really,” Travis promised him, “It's going to be okay.”
Then he hurried off , leaving the shed and running back towards the house.
As Travis reached the door of his parent's bedroom, he saw it was closed and knocked. His Mother opened it, and he wondered why she looked worried. Then he saw his Dad was lying down on top of the covers of the bed still dressed in his suit, and he looked as if he'd been crying, his eyes were red and puffy and he seemed shaken up.
“Are you okay, Dad?” Travis asked.
Jekel forced a smile for his son.
“Yes I'm okay, Travis...just a bit tired...”
Joy looked down at her son as she wondered if tonight would be the best time to break the news...sooner rather than later seemed the best option.
“Travis,” she said, “We need to talk to you about something -”
“No Mum,” he said quickly, thrusting the paper into her hand, “I've found a person in the shed and he needs help!”
Jekel sat up sharply, the shock of his bad news wearing off for a moment as he sniffed the air.
“What's that awful smell? It's almost like... Howlers!” he exclaimed.
Joy read the note in the unfamiliar handwriting then looked sharply to Jekel.
“Keep Travis up here,” she said, “I can handle this.”
And as she grabbed her son and pulled him inside and handed him over to his father, Jekel clutched at his son protectively as Joy reached behind an elegant wardrobe and pulled out a shotgun.
“No!” Travis yelled as she made for the door, “Mum, he's scared, he won't hurt anyone!”
“I'll be the judge of that,” Joy said, closing the door behind her.
As he heard her yell for security, Jekel sat on the edge of the bed, pulling his son towards him as he spoke words of reassurance.
“Leave it to the grown ups, okay? If somebody needs help I'm sure your Mum will sort this out.”
“He's like a monster but he's not,” Travis said, “He can't talk, but he wrote this down.”
Jekel glanced at the paper, reading it carefully. As he realised the gravity of the situation, he cast the paper aside and looked into his son's eyes.
“It's going to be fine,” he promised him, “I'm sure that poor man will get help. Blake Riley will be very interested in helping him.”
Then he let go of his arm, feeling sure Travis wasn't about to run off into danger as he paused for thought. He knew he had to speak to his son about his situation, and sooner was preferable to later...
“While the grown ups are helping your friend, I need to talk to you, son. This is scary...I'm scared too but we can get through this and I don't want you to worry too much...but I'm not well. I found out today the power line inside my head is burning out. I have to have some treatment to make me better... it is serious and Blake has to give me some medication that might make me very sick before I recover.”
Tears stung at his eyes as Travis looked to his father.
“You're not going to die, are you?”
“No!” Jekel vowed as he hugged his son, “Not if I can help it...I'm tougher than you think and I've got everything to live for!”
Joy led the way as the guards ran to catch up.
Suddenly she had slid back into battle mode as she thought of the thing that had been in contact with her precious son, as she wondered what it was and the word Howler ran through her mind as sure as she recalled every Howler encounter she had ever lived through in the old days.
She kicked open the shed door, keeping the creature in the sights of her weapon.
“Don't move!” she yelled.
Then she watched as the strangely mutated man cowered fearfully, trembling as he looked at her pleading silently for mercy. Joy stared at him, then she addressed security.
“Fetch Riley,” she said to the guards who flanked her, “This man needs help...”
Then as they hurried off, Joy lowered her weapon, still staring at the sight of the terrified, almost alien looking creature. He looked back at her blinking sadly, still silently pleading for kindness.
“You poor bastard...” she said in a hushed voice.
Next morning as the broadcast began, Lynch had just stepped into the closed bar and Flynn looked up from arranging beer glasses and shook his head.
“Here we go again,” he said, “More drivel from the Premier of Freedom City!”
What's this about?” asked Elise as she joined them.
“What ever he's got to say it won't be worth listening to,” Kait remarked as she pulled up a bar stool and looked at the grainy image on the screen, “I miss the old days,” she added, “We're back to old fashioned TV with bad reception...you'd think they'd bring back digital.”
“In time,” Flynn told his wife, “It all takes time, Kait.”
Then as the Premier was introduced and he looked into the camera, he started to speak:
“This broadcast goes out to Cyborg Valley. The Circle have voted on a decision and we now await your response... We propose to remove our troops from your streets and relax border controls attached to the Valley. This will of course not affect our current ban on cyborgs entering Freedom – the ban remains in place for their safety as well as the peace of mind of our population, not to mention the threat of terrorist organisations who have made it clear cyborgs will not be tolerated in Freedom. In time this problem will be addressed but until then, our gates remain closed to the people of Cyborg Valley. But the offer is on the table – we will withdraw our troops from your streets and relax your border controls indefinitely – in exchange for General Felix Lynch, who has been found guilty in his absence of charges of terrorism. Give us Lynch, and the Valley gets its liberty. That is all we ask.”
Then the broadcast ended, as Lynch stared in disbelief at the static snow that covered the screen. Flynn went over and turned off the set.
“As if you'd take that bait!”
Then Lynch felt a small hand in his and looked down to see his daughter looking up at him.
“They're not going to take you, are they, Dad?” she said in a frightened voice.
Lynch forced a smile.
“Fi, I'm sure these people just need to come to an understanding about the matter -don't upset yourself, I can handle this. Now would you please go upstairs and play? The grown ups need to have a discussion.”
She hurried off, and as she left the room Elise looked to Lynch in alarm.
“What discussion, Felix? There's nothing to discuss! They passed a death sentence in your absence!”
“And I'm sure that would be negot
iable. They just want to make an example of me – probably to curb their own home grown End Cyborg Life terrorists. I won't let them get the better of me.”
There was a look in his eyes that struck fear into Elise, that deep fear that had been rooted back in the days when he struggled to survive after his conversion – it was the fear of losing him...
“You can't seriously expect to hand yourself over and trust them if they promise a deal?”
“I'll negotiate a lesser charge. And I'll do it with Riley at my side. It's worth it, Elise – the people get the Valley back, Fi gets to grow up in a free land -”
“That's what they want you to fall for!”
“I hate to say this but she might be right,” Flynn added.
But firm resolve was set in the eyes of General Lynch, it was a look that he had worn through conflicts and battles of the past and now, the warrior in his soul was rising up again, ready to take on a final fight.
“I'm negotiating from the Valley with Riley,” he repeated as he placed his hands on her shoulders and Elise looked at him pleadingly, “They won't execute me. We'll negotiate a short sentence and that will be the end of it.”
“And what if you're wrong?” she asked in a hushed voice.
Sadness shaded his gaze.
“They will never let go of this,” he told her, “And they're offering us liberty. I can't turn my back on the future of the Valley and all its people. Have some faith in me, Frankie. I know what I'm doing.”
“Maybe you should think about the future of your family!” she said angrily.
Elise turned away, heading for the back door where the now refurbished motor home was parked – these days, Lynch used it for private space for the pair of them away from Fi's prying eyes – while they lived over the bar, the motor home had also been used for trips around the bay and for romantic getaways like in the old days, while Flynn and Kait minded Fi. But now Elise made her way back to the vehicle and closed the door loudly behind her so she could sit alone and weep in privacy as she dreaded the outcome of a decision she knew Felix would not be swayed from making.