by Kyle Perkins
“Don’t touch me for the rest of the week,” she said, then turned away from him.
“Ouch! Okay, I give. I didn’t realize nuclear weapons were on the table,” he laughed, “You made your point.”
“As long as you admit that I won,” she called over her shoulder defiantly.
“You won, you won,” he conceded as his hand found her hip.
“And you call me your girlfriend. Since we’re label people, now.”
“Yes, girlfriend. Whatever you say, girlfriend.”
“Thank you. I like how that sounds.”
“I agree,” he laughed.
“Just shut off the light, dummy.”
***
The next morning, they arrived at the jobsite to find that the mine had been closed off. The lockers had been hauled to the surface, the doors were all popped with the contents out in the open for the world to see. It appeared The Union had been busy.
As they stood and watched miners collecting their things, a guard approached from the side and tapped Alerik on the shoulder.
“Aemon would like a word.”
“What a coincidence. I was just about to request a chat with him, myself. Just give me a second to grab my things,” he frowned before turning to Velar, “Just stay near me. People look angry and confused. You know what that means… They might lash out.”
She nodded and stayed close to him as they walked over to the lockers. She tugged on his sleeve.
“What do you think is going on?” she whispered, “Why’d they shut it down?”
“I’m not sure. After you have your things, head home with the driver. I’ll be there as soon as I finish up here. I don’t like the way this looks,” he said with hesitation in his voice as he grabbed his pickaxe.
Velar grabbed the remainder of her things, then hugged him tightly and forced a tight smile, “Be careful… boyfriend.”
“I promise, girlfriend,” Alerik watched her walk back to the driver and climb into the vehicle. After a moment, they flew off and he felt a small wave of relief. The air at the jobsite was thick with tension, and there were no guarantees that things would stay calm. One misplaced step and the whole place could riot.
“Let’s go see Aemon,” he said to the guard.
The two walked a short distance to the office that was becoming all too familiar to Alerik with every passing day. Again, he wondered about Bragog’s fate. What had happened to him, what was his role in all of this mess? He seemed to be the only member of The Union who seemed to actually care about the people in the settlement.
As they passed through the hall, Alerik’s anxiety intensified. It was odd for Aemon to summon him to the office. He was used to initiating the meetings whenever he had new information to offer. Perhaps they had information for for him, though. After all, they were supposed to be testing that flask. He hoped whatever it was would help with his investigation.
His mind raced with possibilities as he stepped into the office to find Aemon sitting behind his desk, looking dapper as always.
“Alerik, good to see you. Would you mind having a seat?” he gestured towards a chair.
“Yeah sure… So, why was I called in?” he asked as he sat in front of the man, “Is this about what is going on outside?”
“In a way, yes,” Aemon leaned back in his chair, “I just have a couple of questions for you, first. Then we can proceed with any you might have for me, does that sound like a fair deal?”
His condescending tone was almost too much for Alerik to stomach, but he bit his tongue, “Yes, sounds fair.”
“Great!” he clapped his hands together. “So, our driver informs us that you took a bit of detour yesterday, over amongst the trash heaps outside the mines. Care to explain the nature of that detour?”
Alerik had a moment of internal panic and he hoped it didn’t register on his face. “Yeah, back when I was younger, we used to scavenge in those trash heaps. Just part-time work for extra credits. Some days we would find great stuff to sell, other days we wouldn’t find anything. I thought maybe those attackers had done the same and found the flask there. If I were able to find where she found it, I might find other identifying garbage in the same area,” he shrugged, “It was just a shot in the dark.”
Aemon scratched his chin for a moment before responding. “Well, did you find anything?”
“Unfortunately, no. That’s why I didn’t bother mentioning it. There is just too much trash to really link anyone to it,” he sighed, hoping Aemon bought the lie.
“Very well. It was a good try,” he said, his eyes constantly studying Alerik’s face. After a moment, he must’ve been satisfied because he finally spoke. “I suppose you have questions?”
Alerik barked a laugh and leaned forward onto the desk. “Of course I do. What is going on outside? Why were the mines shut down? This is the way these people feed their families!”
“Oh, that? Let me explain. I have devised a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself. We will only shut the mines down for a few days, but we will let everyone think they are closed down for good. Then our best guards, yourself included, will follow these people and see what they do with their time off,” Aemon said with a wicked smile.
“What? Follow them? You’re punishing a lot of people for the actions of a few… how do you even justify that?” Alerik asked, anger etched into his features.
“Yes. Without the hope of a way to feed their families, we will see how strong their resolve is. If they are easily persuaded by a terroristic organization… well, are those the kind of people we want in the settlement, causing trouble for the everyman just trying to live peacefully?”
Alerik indulged a daydream where he swung his pickaxe across the desk and took off Aemon’s head, but it stayed that way. Just a dream. If he actually attempted something like that, the guards would execute him within seconds. He shook his head, “I suppose not, but you are creating dissidence yourself. Of course people will rebel when they can’t feed their families. That is the sign of a failing government.”
“We only want the strongest in our settlement. The people that show they are in this with us, for better or for worse. To be a part of the machine that is rebuilding humanity. Any thoughts or opinions that variate from our ultimate goal, only serves to distract. We can’t have pieces that do not fit in a machine. All it takes is one to make it malfunction,” Aemon said with a certain seriousness in his voice. “They do not deserve to exist.”
Alerik wasn’t buying what the man was selling, but he knew that arguing would do no good. Not with this guy. All he could do was pretend to agree while he formed his own opinion. He also reminded himself that even though The Union seemed completely evil, they weren’t the ones plotting to kill droves of innocent people. Liberty’s Hammer was.
He resolved himself to continuing his work. Not for The Union, but for the people in the settlement. The same people who absolutely hated him at that moment. He hoped that one day they might understand.
“Right… So, what do you need from me exactly?” he asked.
“I want you to return home and think on our conversation. Tomorrow, I will be sending another guard, one of my elites to assist you in the investigation. You will both scour the city to find any information that you can. She will give you the details in the morning when she arrives at your new home,” Aemon stretched and rested his hands behind his head.
“A partner? I don’t need a partner, I have been doing great on my own,” he scoffed. Trying to investigate with a Union lackey up his ass was the last thing he needed.
“The partner is more for us than she is for you. She will report your progress to us,” Aemon said with a smile.
“Oh, so keep tabs on me. Am I now under investigation?”
“None of us are above investigation, even me,” Aemon said as he handed Alerik a keycard. “This will be your pass into any part of the city. You have shown us great promise, so do not let me down. We expect results,” he locked his eyes on Alerik.
Alerik bit his
tongue. “I’ll do what I can.”
He got up from his chair and walked out of the office before Aemon could say anything else to piss him off. He was having a hard time controlling his temper as it was.
***
On the return trip home, Alerik stared daggers at the driver. The lousy snitch. He didn’t bother saying a single word outside of instructing the man where to drive. When they arrived at the apartment, he hopped out and slammed the door behind him without looking back. He had a lot on his mind and things were not getting better. Something big was brewing and in some ways he felt no closer to answers than when he first started.
He sighed heavily as he opened the door to his place. The lights were off, and the room was oddly quiet. Maybe she was taking a nap? Too bad, he thought. He needed someone to talk to, and she had signed up to be his person to talk to. She didn’t need any beauty sleep, anyway.
“Velar! Get your lazy ass up. I’ve got an update,” he called out.
No response.
He frowned and moved towards the light switch, stumbling when his foot caught something on the floor. He wanted to excuse it as an unfamiliarity with the apartment, but deep down he knew it wasn’t that. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. “Velar!” he called, less teasing and more firm this time, “This isn’t funny!”
Finally, he reached the light switch and flipped it on. He scanned the room with his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. It took a moment to process what he was looking at. The apartment had been raided. All the furniture had been overturned, several of the paintings had been torn from the walls, and various household objects were scattered on the floor. His adrenaline spiked and fear gripped his chest. He tried to calm himself before he lost it. There had to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this. Velar would explain. He just needed to talk to her.
He stormed towards the bedroom and a soft melody registered as he neared the doorway. Glancing inside, he realized it was an old record that was playing on a loop.
“Velar!” he shouted this time, growing more panicked by the minute.
Again, no answer.
He began racing through the house, thoroughly searching one room at a time. The bedroom was tossed and the record player was on the floor. The mirror in front of the bed had been shattered. The other rooms were ransacked in a similar fashion. It did not look good.
Alerik started to freak out and he walked back out to the balcony to get some fresh air before the walls closed in on him. He began pacing, millions of terrible images flashing through his mind in an instant. Who did this? Who would take Velar and why? She never hurt anybody. She was only guilty of being associated with him.
He stopped pacing when he noticed Velar’s backpack. She never left anywhere without it. Maybe she dropped it as a way to warn him.
He furiously marched back inside and started punching the walls and smashing things as he moved through the apartment. It wasn’t productive, but he needed to get his anger out somehow.
He kept asking himself how something like this could have happened. Only The Union knew that he wasn’t home at the time, but Velar was working with him and he was working for them. It didn’t make any sense. The shady driver would have been the last one who saw her. Unless, of course, Liberty’s Hammer had been watching them all along, waiting for this opportunity to make a move. Alerik would do anything to get her back. She had just become his priority over everything else.
“Fuck The Union, and Fuck Liberty’s Hammer!” he thought to himself as he paced wildly in the living room. He needed to get out of there, needed to talk to the driver. And after that… he needed a drink.
Liquor loosens lips. He had a thought that maybe someone at their old bar would know something. If that didn’t get him anywhere… well, he’d need to figure something out. He had no idea who to trust and he could hardly ask for anyone’s help when they all were suspects. Regardless, he would get his vengeance, one way or another.
“She’d better be alive,” he thought as he dialed the driver.
After a quick conversation explaining where he wanted to go, Alerik started to make his way out to the balcony, he was still brimming with anger. He noticed a small, haphazard etching in the frame of the door. It was the same symbol he had seen on the flask.
“Clever girl…” He said under his breath. She had let him know where to start looking. The small flicker of hope he felt when he saw the symbol soothed his nerves… slightly.
The driver pulled up moments later to collect Alerik, and then they were off. He tapped the driver on the shoulder and asked if he had seen anything suspicious when he dropped Velar off.
“No sir, she was dropped off at approximately 1:09pm. There was not anything notable about the trip. The only verbal exchange was the discussion of her destination,” he said with a creepy, plastic smile.
“Thanks… You’ve been a huge help,” Alerik grunted. He was put off by the man’s demeanor. He seemed devoid of emotion, and lifeless. He wondered what sort of spell The Union had put him under.
The remainder of the ride was silent, and Alerik was thankful for it. He decided that he would follow through with his plan at the bar and try to collect more information, then follow up on the symbol in the morning. He couldn’t risk having the driver take him around looking when he didn’t know who to trust.
And if the bar was a dead end, he could just get blackout drunk.
Because, fuck The Union.
***
The bar was packed with local miners and tensions were perceptibly high when Alerik stepped through the door. A hush fell over the room like a blanket snuffing out a flame. He continued towards the bar at a deliberately slow walk, scanning the patrons as he passed. The air was smoky from their pipes and there was a certain heaviness to the air. He approached the counter and sat on a stool between two men. They turned their backs to him immediately.
“Hey buddy… no offense but, this probably isn’t the safest place for you right now,” anxiety painted the bartender’s face.
“Yeah? Can you tell me where a safe place is in this colony?” Alerik snapped. “Just pour me a shot of that piss you call alcohol. And keep them coming.”
The bartender gave Alerik a dirty look and poured his drink, “Don’t say you weren’t warned asshole,” he mumbled as he set the glass on the bar.
He snatched up the drink and poured it down his throat before tapping the bar for more. “Just open a tab,” he said before swiping some credits for the drinks. It was clear that nobody was going to talk to him. This was pointless.
He needed to think, but his mind was so clouded from the last few days. He was all kinds of fucked up from the anger and shock building inside of him over Velar’s kidnapping. The only way he was going to get a new perspective was to clear his mind entirely. Alcohol was usually good for that. He ordered another shot.
The bar was still quiet aside from a small amount of chatter while he tossed back shot after shot. His vision blurred when he rose from his seat and started lumbering around, mean-mugging everyone. He was no longer concerned for his own health, he couldn’t care less. He just wanted Velar back. He needed her back.
In his increasingly drunken stupor, he decided that it was the best time ever to start asking the locals what they knew – completely disregarding the fact that he had no back up, no weapon, and everybody hated him. He shuffled through the dingy bar and people spit on the floor in front of him, or turned their backs to him as soon as he’d near them. He tried asking about Velar, but they all clammed up. He felt eyes on him the entire time, but thought maybe it was just the liquor.
After most of the bar had effectively iced him out, a couple of men approached him from out of the corner of the room. Both were big guys, both about as tall as Alerik, but both were brawny with severe muscles. Alerik was athletic, but the guys dwarfed him.
“I hear you are questioning people in our bar,” The man in front said. He was the stronger looking of the two. His pale skin told t
hat he was a miner, but likely one of the rock haulers. He looked like he could push the bar over if he wanted to.
“That’s right. Sorry I didn’t get to you yet. You were next in line, sweetheart,” Alerik cracked a cocky grin.
“Take a hint, Union slug. Nobody wants to talk to you. Myself included,” the man moved closer to Alerik.
“Maybe I don’t give a fuck. I thought I made that abundantly clear when I walked in here,” Alerik said as he stepped up to the man to display his lack of fear.
“Huh. I thought maybe you had just gotten lost. It’s probably hard to see with your nose so far up The Union’s ass,” the man sneered. His buddy let out a snicker behind him.
“No, I’m definitely not lost. A little stupid, maybe, but not lost,” Alerik’s grin widened. “I am right where I need to be. Now if you aren’t going to help me, how about you head back to that dark corner where you and your buddy can finish circle jerking each other in peace.”
“I have a better idea. How about we just kick the living shit out of you right here and now?” the man started pulling his shirt off over his head.
As soon as the shirt covered the man’s face, Alerik kicked the man in the balls, causing him to double over in pain. Alerik reached back and delivered a nasty right hook square in his jaw, dropping the man to the ground in a loud thud as his head smacked the floor.
A split second later, the other man rammed Alerik’s midsection with his shoulder, lifting him into the air. He ran through the bar and out the door with his arms hooked under Alerik’s knees. Once they smashed through the door, the man threw Alerik down, slamming him onto his back on the hard pavement. He gasped for breath as the other patrons started pouring out of the bar to gawk at the altercation.
While he was still trying to catch his breath, the man started to circle him. Alerik waited until he saw an opening, then kicked the back of the man’s knee, causing the man to kneel on the ground. Alerik hopped up and grabbed the man’s chin from behind, then immediately began pounding the side of the man’s head with his fist. He stopped when the man’s body went limp.