"And what happened after that?" the colonel asked while he made more notes in his book. I tried to read what he was writing, but he wrote with strange characters - Korean, perhaps?
"We were hit by Skel in the middle of the night, sir. They must have stuck a bomb or something under the Bushmaster, for we were woken when the bomb blew off the front of the vehicle. The Custodians and Leigh Williams, one of my foragers, were in the Bushmaster, but only King and two Custodians escaped out through the vehicle's rear door. We tried to go to their aid, but the Skel attacked us in waves at that point, and they were cut down. The G-Wagon was hit with a Molotov and I was..."
"Sir," Consultant Singhe said, interrupting me.
"Yes, Consultant?" the colonel asked.
"Everything Mr. Jones has said since he mentioned they arrived at Hamamachi has been a falsehood," she said in a monotone voice.
I looked at her incredulously - I thought she was on my side!
She stared back at me impassively.
The colonel was not impressed. "Care to revise your statement, Mr. Jones? Or would you like me to introduce you to more persuasive methods of making you tell me what happened?"
Chapter Seven
They had trapped me, good and proper. I glanced at the consultant - she had done a right number on me, that's for sure. I turned back to the colonel, and the anger that had burned in my heart against the Custodians ever since King pulled that stunt over in Hamamachi suddenly exploded from me.
I jumped to my feet and slapped the table with my right hand. "Colonel, did you honestly think you could smuggle a nuclear bomb into Hamamachi without them noticing? It was detected as soon as it was unloaded from the stupid trailer! And thanks to you Custodians, the Japanese now have in their possession a nuclear bomb they can use against us. Well done, sir, well done!"
"Are you finished?" the colonel asked emotionlessly.
"No!" I practically shouted back, bashing over my chair and stepping back from the table so I could pace back and forth as I continued venting my anger. "King and the Custodians went mad as soon as the bomb was detected - they opened fire on everyone in the delivery dock. They must have slaughtered over two dozen Japanese Militia and dock workers so that King could stuff around with the bomb, trying to change the timer so it would go off straight away."
The colonel glanced at Consultant Singhe.
"He is telling the truth now, sir," she assured him.
"Mr. Jones, sit down or I will have you restrained," the colonel said.
Still shaking, I righted my chair and sat.
"Continue," the colonel ordered.
"In the crossfire that ensued between the Custodians and the Japanese, I was shot in the head and two of my foragers, Michal Petrovic and Leigh Williams, were killed. But there were too many Militia, and Lieutenant King and his men were killed too."
"There are elements of falsehood in that statement, Ethan Jones," the consultant whispered.
"Look, go ahead and blow the whistle on me if you want, but they'll execute me and my companions if you do," I shot back at her.
"Why?"
"Trust me, they will."
"And the bomb?" the colonel asked anxiously.
"The bomb was disarmed, sir."
"So it is in Hamamachi's possession?"
"Yes sir."
"Tell me how you and your three companions came to be outside Newhome's gates today, three days after the events you have described," the colonel demanded suspiciously.
"We were arrested and thrown into prison in Hamamachi, but Councillor Okada broke us out in the middle of the night and arranged for us to be dropped us off outside Melbourne. But my wound got infected so we had to shack up while I recovered. After that we walked here."
"I see. One last question, Mr. Jones - why did you come back?"
"Because it's our home, sir."
A glance from the colonel at Consultant Singhe confirmed I was telling the truth, so he nodded and began making more notes in his book.
"Tell me why the Custodians will kill you if you tell the whole truth, Ethan," Singhe demanded.
"King tried to change the detonator's timer so the nuke would go off right there and then."
"You already said that."
"What I didn't mention was that my foragers and I didn't just stand there and watch him try to kill us all."
"I see."
"Now you tell me something - why did you tell him I was lying earlier?" I asked.
"Because I saw what he wrote," she whispered, "And he wasn't buying what you were saying. They would have tortured you to get the truth out of you if I didn't stop you."
"Does he believe me now?"
"Yes."
"How come you sided with me anyway?" I asked.
"They tried to brain wash us," she replied. "From the day they captured us, they indoctrinated us 24/7 in their customs and traditions, to serve the chancellor and councillors unquestioningly until the day we die."
"So why didn’t it work on you?" I queried.
"After they caught me I used to skulk around the facility in the air conditioning ducts, and I accidentally witnessed the geneticists dissecting a young boy echolocator – he was alive during the process. Hate doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel about them, Ethan." Her eyes focused on mine. "And Ethan, you have to get out of Newhome, for you could be the only male echolocator left."
"I can’t," I whispered, "I have to find a way to stop Newhome and Hamamachi from destroying each other."
The colonel looked up from his notebook, interrupting us. "Mr. Jones, tell me about this girl from Hamamachi. She says her name is Nanako Jones and claims to be your wife. Yet isn't she the girl who came here two weeks ago as the Japanese emissary’s translator?"
I nodded, and then carefully explained how I came to meet and marry Nanako two years ago, how she brought me back to Newhome after I’d been shot in Hamamachi, and how my father had arranged for her to be deported back to Hamamachi. I told the colonel of the hospital records that proved that what I said was true.
The colonel filled another two pages of his notebook and then snapped it closed with an ominous bang that echoed around the room. He stood, knocked on the door, and an armed Custodian stepped inside.
"Escort Mr. Jones back to his cell, Private," he ordered.
I rose hesitantly to my feet. "What is to become of me - of us - sir?"
"That remains to be seen," he said as the Custodian private bustled me from the room.
* * *
They left me stewing in my own juices for another two hours, worrying about what would happen to Nanako if all this went pear shaped. If they ended up separating us and imprisoning her after I insisted we come back here, I'd be devastated.
After what felt like forever, they brought me back to the same interrogation room. Consultant Singhe was sitting at the table, but Colonel Kim stood at the window, staring through the partially opened venetian blinds.
"Sit, Mr. Jones," he ordered.
I sat.
"When they were interviewed earlier today, your wife and two companions all spun the same fictitious story you tried to sell me. It seems the four of you spent some time making sure you got your stories straight."
I gulped but didn't answer. This wasn't going well.
The colonel continued impassively. "All the same, I believe you care for this town and have its best interests at heart. Based on this belief, I am willing to release you, your wife, and your two companions, on the condition that you do not breathe a word of what happened in Hamamachi to a soul. Rather, should anyone ask what happened, your concocted story will be your response. Is that understood?" He turned to stare at me questioningly.
"I accept your condition, sir - you have my word." I couldn't believe it - he was going to let us go?
Colonel Kim smiled coldly. "Should even one of you tell anyone what actually happened in Hamamachi, I will put all four of you in solitary confinement and leave you there for a minimum of ten years - is that unde
rstood?"
"Yes sir."
The colonel sent a fleeting look at Consultant Singhe, and she nodded, confirming I spoke the truth.
"Let this be the last I hear of you, Mr. Jones," the colonel said and then swept from the room.
"Be careful, Ethan," Consultant Singhe whispered as she stood, "I overheard the colonel talking with the councillors - they suspect Nanako is a spy and have their doubts about you too. They've let you go so they can watch you and see what you get up to. They will bug your phone too, so be careful what you say on it." With that she stood and left the room.
* * *
The others were already outside waiting for me when the Custodians escorted me out of the headquarters.
I rushed straight to Nanako but she met me halfway.
"Are you okay - did they hurt you?" I asked as I took her hands in my mine, well aware of the Custodians reputation for being heavy handed.
"No, no, I'm fine, but what about you?" she asked as she gave me a visual going over.
"I'm good," I assured her.
"We're fine too - you know, just in case you wanted to know," piped up Shorty.
"Come on, let's go home," I said as I rustled Shorty's blond hair.
"For a moment there I thought home was a place we wouldn't be seeing for a few years," David said as we walked briskly from the foreboding grey brick walls of Custodian Headquarters and into an adjoining street.
"I know, right?" Nanako agreed. "I lost track of how long they kept me in my cell after I gave my statement. I thought we were done for."
"Nah, I had them Custodians hanging off my every word. The doofuses bought our story lock, stock, and barrel," Shorty laughed.
"Actually, I cracked," I admitted sheepishly.
Chapter Eight
"You what?" Nanako demanded in shock, pulling me around to face her.
"After all you put us through to stick to our stories no matter what?" Shorty protested.
"There’s no way they would have let us go if you blabbed, Jones, so you're having us on, right?" David asked.
"They used a lie-detector on me," I replied, which was true enough. I would tell Nanako about Consultant Singhe when we were alone. Shorty didn't know about my bio-engineered abnormalities, and David only suspected it. For my sake and theirs, I was gonna keep it that way.
"They didn't use one on me," Nanako said, frowning.
"Nor me - what makes you so special, Jones? Why do you get all the fun?" Shorty pouted.
"And so you told them everything? You stupid idiot, Jones," David said testily.
"Excuse me?" I snapped back at David – he’d never used that tone on me before.
"Well, did you really tell them everything?" he demanded.
"No, not quite. I found that if I told mostly the truth, the lie detector let it pass. So I told them generally what happened, but left out the specifics of what we did."
"So why’d they let us go, if they knew we three were lying?" David demanded.
"It's ‘cause I won them over with my alluring personality," Shorty pointed out.
"Shorty!" David complained.
"They let us go on the condition that if anyone asks what happened, we tell them the fake story we worked out."
"And if we don’t?" Nanako asked - she was well on the way to understanding the way Custodians thought.
"If even one of us tells anyone what really happened, they'll lock all four of us away."
"Well, I’m sure glad we came back, how ‘bout you guys?" Shorty asked, grinning broadly.
"Don’t you ever take anything seriously?" David complained, his nose still out of joint about something.
"Look, one last thing guys," I said, "From here on, let's assume our phones have been bugged, so we have to be careful what we say. Remember why we came back and keep your eyes and ears open. If you see or hear anything suspicious, report it to me immediately. If the Custodians make another move against Hamamachi, we have to find out what it is in time to stop it if needs be. And if Hamamachi makes a move against us, ditto."
"You really think the four of us can make that much of a difference?" David asked doubtfully.
"Hamamachi's still standing today because of us, so yes, I do," I assured him. "Now then, we’ve been through the mill and back in the past few days, so let’s go home and get some rest."
"I’m all for that," said Nanako as she grabbed my hand and pulled me after her. "But first on the menu is a shower - we reek."
After we had gone our separate ways, Nanako tugged on my hand and said, "You’re hiding something."
"Am I that transparent?" I laughed.
"To me you are. Now come on, out with it."
"I lied about the lie detector."
"Ha-ha. Come on, Ethan, this is serious."
"The ‘lie detector’ they used on me was a young woman with the ability to spot lies with 100% accuracy, according to the Custodian colonel who questioned me," I said as I reflected on how beautiful Nanako looked when she frowned
"Hang on - a woman? But you said women aren’t allowed to work in Newhome."
"They’re not," I answered, "But she was no ordinary woman – she was an echolocator like me – and she used it to determine if I was lying or not."
Nanako drew up short and turned me to face her. "You told me they executed echolocators when they found them."
"That’s what I was told. According to her, though, they only execute the males because they can’t control them. The females, on the other hand, they indoctrinate and use as spies and living lie detectors." I didn’t tell her about the boys being dissected or Singhe telling me to flee the town, for I didn’t want to worry her more than she already was.
"And how exactly did she tell you this?"
I told her how the consultant and I had been able to communicate by whispering beneath the colonel’s hearing range, and told her everything else that was said during my interrogation. I concluded saying, "Isn't this great news? They didn't kill all the echolocators they caught – the girls are still alive - I'm not the only one left."
"Ethan, you can't trust her."
"But she helped me," I protested, and considered telling her what Singhe told me about the Custodians suspecting she was a Hamamachi spy and were watching us, but I decided against it. I'd keep a look out for anyone spying on us and would play it by ear.
"Didn’t she tell you they've been indoctrinated by the Custodians ever since they were caught? Ethan, those girls are dangerous – even more than the Custodians are. You have to see that."
"But…"
"You’re too trusting, Ethan, and the proof of that is right here," she said as she tapped the scars on the left side of my head where I'd been shot at point blank rank two years ago.
"Okay, I get the point, I’ll be careful. Though to be honest, I doubt I’ll see her again."
"Good, I'm gonna hold you to that," she said.
We reached our apartment block, took the stairs to the second floor, and made our way to my – to our – small flat. It was hard to get used to the fact I was married now.
"So, you gonna carry me over the threshold?" she asked, grinning. "We kinda didn’t get the chance the other night."
"Surely that’s not a Japanese custom?" I laughed.
"No, but it’s yours, right? Being an Anglo-Saxon Aussie and all." Her grin had changed to a mischievous smirk.
I glanced at my left arm – it still hurt to lift it, so there was no way I could pick her up. "You know I’ve only got one functioning arm, right?"
"So improvise," she suggested, watching me intently.
"Alright - hop on my back."
"You’re gonna piggy-back me over the threshold?" she asked, her dark brown eyes wide open.
"Would you prefer the fireman’s lift?"
"I’ll take option one," she laughed as she climbed onto my back. I could only hold her right leg with my right arm, so she curled her left leg around my waist. I couldn't believe how light she was – if she was even 4
5 kilos I’d be surprised.
"We have a small problem," I admitted.
"Which is?"
"The Hamamachi Militia took my key."
"Couldn’t you have told me that before you made me climb a flight of stairs and get on your back?" she teased.
"Don’t worry, there’s a spare key wedged in the wood above the doorframe. Here, let me grab it." But that, of course, proved to be a pointless exercise as I couldn’t lift my hands above waist level while I was carrying her on my back. All I managed to do was bump her knee and shoulder against the door.
"Doofus! Here, let me get it," she giggled as she reached up and plucked down the key. We proceeded to bump my head and her knees against the door while she fitted the key into the lock, and then we were through.
Home sweet home.
"I'm famished, how about you?" I asked as I headed for the fridge.
"Yeah, we haven't eaten since early this morning - what's with those Custodians anyway," she said.
I pulled out the udon leftovers and a couple of over-ripe bananas. "This is about it."
"It'll do."
We scarfed them down in record time and then she was pulling me towards the shower.
Two hours later, we were dressed in clean clothes and feeling refreshed, the first time since Friday. Nanako had put a clean dressing on my head wound, which was healing nicely after all the medical attention I'd received from Corporal Reina.
Nanako had to wash her pink-and-black wig, so I got a rare opportunity to see her naturally black hair, which she wore in a cute bob-cut - short at the back, long at the front, with the fringe below her eyebrows. And she looked as gorgeous as ever in her over-knee pink and black striped socks and oversized men’s blue and black flannelette shirt, which she wore as a dress.
"You know what?" she asked as she surveyed the flat with a strange gleam in her eyes.
"You're amazing?" I asked, trying with only some success to tear my gaze from the glimpse of her thighs exposed between the long socks and oversized shirt.
"Apart from that."
"Then no, you got me," I laughed.
Forager - the Complete Six Book Series (A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Series) Page 27