"Like you... was caught." The man giggled a bit.
"I wasn't caught," Jonas said defensively. "This is part of my plan."
The man burst out in small chuckles. "Nice plan."
"I came here to find someone."
"Of your kind, I suspect." The man rubbed his right arm, showing off his physical similarities.
"No, actually. I was caught so they could bring me to this holding prison. With any luck, I will run into him in the galleys."
"Stupid boy. There no galleys. Think this is like a Parliamentary facility? Toss morsels in. Leave you here to die."
Jonas suddenly realized this man was right. All his plans were off track. He was betting on the fact that he would get to at least have contact with Darden. Then he could plot an escape. If he were bound to this room, then he would surely perish. "When do they come with food?"
The man laughed again. "Hungry already, boy?"
"My name is Jonas. No, I'm not hungry. I'm getting out of here."
Sarcasm flowed through the man's voice. "Two guards deliver food. Both have taser keys for doors. No way will you beat them."
"How do you know? You look like someone who's just given up." Jonas stood up and walked away.
"Given up?" The usually jolly man was enraged. Jonas heard a loud crash against the wall. "Listen, you stupid fool! Don't know the life I had. Morsel a day and roof over your soul is better than being bumped around as a half-breed freak!"
Jonas stood up and walked away from the door. He was not interested in this man's story.
"Where'd you go, boy? Show yourself!" The man was angled in his doorway trying to catch a glimpse of Jonas.
The man rambled on for minutes. Jonas ignored him--until the man started to pique his interest.
"Want help getting out of here? Do you?" he screamed.
Jonas bent towards the door. He saw the man's deranged eyes peering at him.
The man smiled. "Here, boy! Give you solid piece of advice." The man flipped his rags off his back. From shoulder to shoulder and along the length of his spine, the man bore a deep scar that still looked fresh.
Jonas's mouth hung open in horror. The man's back resembled a slab of half-eaten meat. Jonas's first thought was that the poor guy had been attacked by a dracosaur.
"Get good look, boy," the man raged. "Get good look at what happens when you try to get out of here." The man flashed his back for only another second. Then he lifted his rags, revealing scars running in all directions.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Jonas actually felt ashamed for the first time in his life.
"Think they'd let an innocent man free? Way they saw--all of them--their side and yours, my parents committed crimes. I was to pay for it."
"Your parents?" Jonas empathized.
"I am half-breed, stupid child. No one likes my kind." The man sat back down in front of his door. "Amazes me. They were loving folks. Father with the original colony that migrated to Earth. A good group."
Jonas also sat down. His interest was piqued. "What happened?"
"Then came... second wave." The man stared straight through Jonas as he spoke. "Called themselves the Parliamentary Council. Bastards. Promised Mother's people they'd live together in peace."
"Your mother was a Crow?"
"Course. Back then no labels for anyone. Until the Enforcers were formed."
"Stop!" Jonas put up his hand. He knew it was coming. He did not want to hear anything else bad about his father's life.
"Don't want to hear the rest?" The man got his chuckle back.
"Why are you in a Crow holding prison?" Jonas laughed now. "I mean, if the Council was so bad."
"When you different, no one wants you. Crows have nothing to do with half Sapien. Where they are concerned, am just like you." The man rubbed his arm again.
Jonas leaned forward, looking deep into the man's eyes. "If I get out of here... I promise to take you, too."
"One of the Enforcers? Sorry. Cannot myself trust you."
Jonas suddenly remembered he was in an officer's uniform. He attempted to cover the nameplate. "This is not mine."
"Sure." The man chuckled.
"Honest. I stole it." Jonas just realized that he'd just asked a man to trust him and in the next sentence admitted he was a thief. "It's a long story."
"Relax, boy. Know it's not yours."
"How can you tell?" Jonas was glad the man believed him.
"Sleeves folded up, pant cuffs wrapped over your heels." The man chuckled loudly. "Deal."
"Huh?" Jonas became confused by the man's last word. "Deal?"
"You escape... May rescue me." The man raised his unibrow and giggled like before.
***
"Time for bits." A guard standing at the door called to Jonas. "Hey, you. Wake up. Time for bits." The guard was standing in the center of the room, nudging Jonas with his foot.
Jonas shook his head a little, waking himself up. He saw the guard leering over him with a clay dish in his hands. The teen thought about rushing him, but figured he should wait. Now was not the time. He needed a plan. For the moment he would just take the food.
"Come on. Take it." The guard handed the food down to Jonas.
Jonas grabbed the bowl and glanced over at his new friend's cell. He saw the other guard in there doing the same thing. When his friend took the food, the guard delivered a swift kick to the man's side. The man crunched over, dropping his food. Jonas waited for the same. Sure enough... it came. The guard whacked him right in the ribs. The teen dropped his bowl on the ground, shattering the clay pieces.
"Stupid, Sapien." The guard laughed. "Clean up the mess when you're done."
Jonas lay on the floor holding his side. He watched the guards reactivate the doorways. His friend looked at him from across the hall with sadness in his eyes. Jonas looked back with hope in his. He had his plan.
***
Days passed and Jonas's relationship with his friend, Leo, flourished. His birth name was actually Leonodo, but everyone called him Leo. As each day came and went, their plan became more and more sophisticated. They were just waiting for the perfect time to strike. That time was this evening.
Jonas got the guards used to coming into the room to look for him. He would fake sleeping along the far side of the cell. This way he would not be seen from the doorway. The guard would have to come in quite a bit to hand him his food.
Jonas played up the fact that he was a weak little teenager. He took his daily shot to the ribs with pride. The teen rehearsed the best wails and moans.
Once free, Jonas would search for Darden. They would release as many people as possible, and that would create enough of a distraction for them to get to the port. Leo warned him though. They would need to exit via transport. There was no other way to travel on the moon's surface because of the absence of gravity and atmosphere.
Ten
"Hey, Sapien. Time for bits." The guard stood dominantly over Jonas. "Wake up. Time for bits." The guard nudged him with his foot.
Jonas shook his head, pretending to wake up. He opened his eyes and saw the food plate lurking over him. He reached up to grab it. Once the bowl was in his hands, as usual, the guard raised his knee, preparing to deliver a kick. Jonas dropped the bowl and caught the guard's boot with one hand. He snatched a piece of broken plate, from the other day, out of his sleeve. Jonas lunged the makeshift knife directly into the Crow's groin.
The Crow clutched his blaster but the pain was so unbearable that he could not keep his grip on it. Jonas took advantage of the opportunity and snatched the weapon. He forced the guard to the ground. The teen hopped to his feet, ripping the taser key from his captor's sash.
The other guard responded to the sounds of the struggle. He was making his way toward Jonas's cell when Jonas pointed the key at Leo's doorway and set the lock. The guard was so focused on helping his partner that he did not realize Jonas even had the key. The Republican officer walked right into the electric field and danced violently. He w
as thrown onto his back. Leo gladly helped him forfeit his blaster and taser key.
Leo saw Jonas standing over the bleeding guard. "He's about dead. Get his armor off or it will be stained."
"Good idea." Jonas stripped the guard. The man was screaming silently for help. Jonas kicked him in the side. "By the way, your bits were disgusting."
The man held his hand out, pleading to Jonas.
"Stupid Crow."
"No need to get nasty. Or personal," Leo said, dressing in his guard's gear.
"These bastards killed my mother." He kicked the man again. "They killed my father." He kicked the man a third time. "They tried to kill me."
"Put personal feelings aside. Came here for reason." Leo giggled as he tied the sash around his waist.
Jonas completed his outfit. He also tossed his Enforcer's uniform on the naked guard. He dragged him to the corner. "Now they will think you are me." He kicked the man a fourth time. "Stupid Sapien." Mocking the dying man.
Leo stepped out of his cell and started dancing about the hall. His giggle was justified. He started twirling with joy and shaking uncontrollably.
"Hey! Calm down. Calm down, Leo." Jonas ran out to the corridor. "Leo? Leo?" Jonas pressed down on Leo's shoulders. "Relax."
"Can't believe it. Am free. Am free. Haven't left room in six revolutions." Leo's giggle trickled into tears.
"We aren't out of here yet. Let's stick to the plan, okay?" Jonas tugged on his friend. He motioned for Leo to follow him down the hall. "We need to find Darden."
The two cautiously glided down the corridor. Jonas quietly called out for his friend. With every cell they passed, he hoped one would give him a response. As they made their way, Leo noticed symbols on each door. Jonas could not comprehend them. Leo briefly explained that each design represented the order of entry into the cell. The other symbol next to it stood for the crime. Jonas looked over at Leo wishing he could help him read one in particular. The first symbol was similar to a number. It was three tally marks followed by a crescent moon. The one next to it was of a stick figure with curving legs.
Jonas tapped his fingers up against them. "What's that say?" In a whisper.
Giggling, Leo answered, "Three half moons time. Tried to retreat in battle."
Jonas quickly picked up on the language. After all, the Parliamentary number system was more advanced but had the same foundations. It took him a moment to understand the picture. The more he studied it, he could identify a man running from a battle.
While passing each holding area, Jonas was able to notice the symbols. He came across one that had one tally mark and a full circle. He explained his guess to Leo and found that he was correct. The symbol meant that the prisoner had been there only one full moon ago. Not a very long time.
"Hey, Leo?"
"Yes, boy?"
Tapping on the full circle. "Is this the shortest amount of time symbolized?"
"Yes. That person was here since last full moon." Leo chuckled a bit.
All the cackling was starting to get on Jonas's nerves. However, Leo was someone he needed. "That would mean that Darden's cell would probably have the same number. He was captured not even a full round ago."
"Only a round, then assume that doesn't have number yet."
Jonas realized that the cell they were looking for would not have anything labeled on it yet. They had already searched over half the corridor. It would not be long now.
"Darden?" He whispered.
"Who calls?" A sad voice slipped into the halls.
"Darden?" Jonas broke his whisper.
"Who calls?" the monotone voice repeated.
Jonas pinpointed the voice. He angled himself in the doorway until he spotted Darden lying in the corner of his room. He whipped out his taser key and powered down the entrance. Jonas readied his blaster in his other hand because he did not want to be turned in again. As he stepped closer to Darden, all the thoughts he had of killing this man returned. He had to focus on why he was here. He did not risk the lives of himself and his friends to interrogate a dead man. He would restrain himself and use the blaster only as a bargaining tool.
"Hello, Darden." Jonas stood over the man with his weapon aimed right for the Crow's face.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Leo warned sarcastically.
"Shut up, Leo!" Jonas kept his eyes trained on Darden.
Darden turned over to discover who was standing over him. When he saw it was Jonas, his face filled with confusion. "Not you."
"Why not me? Friend." Jonas shoved the weapon against Darden's head.
"Kill me if you want. I don't regret what I did. If I had my way I would kill you myself." Darden sat up, ignoring the blaster in his cheek. "You are just like he was."
"Like who?" Jonas asked.
"I am going up before Emperor Pernius for trial tomorrow. He will be pleased to know that you have come to him. Then I will be set free." Darden erected his posture with dignity. He swatted the blaster from his face.
"Like who?" Jonas demanded.
"To think I was going to risk everything for you. A Sapien." If Darden had any fear of Jonas, he did not exhibit it. All the nervous energy transferred into Jonas.
The teen began second-guessing himself for coming to Cordova. "I need to know who, who I am just like?" He cocked the trigger on his blaster. "Why did you hand me over after your friends mentioned my father's name?"
"You really want to know?" Darden stared right into the blaster. "Just like your father. Evil."
Jonas stepped back, extending his arm, ready to blow off Darden's head off. "Evil? I will show you evil!"
"Easy, boy," Leo cautioned from his spot by the door. He then stepped in and put his hand on Jonas's shoulder. "Let's go, boy."
Jonas shrugged the half-breed off.
"You deserve to die just like my son did. They were almost there. Almost to Strom and your father cut them down!" Darden nodded his head up and down rapidly. "That's right. Your father killed an innocent child because he was different."
"You're crazy." A deranged look came over Jonas's face as he tightened his grip on the weapon.
"No. Your father was crazy. That's why the Council let him go." Darden smiled.
Tears began to fill the curves in Jonas's eyelids. His lips quivered. "That's not true. What do you know about Strom?"
"Your father broke code and murdered most of his own men so they wouldn't talk. Your father was known for killing anyone who got in his way. Including my ten year old son."
"He was a hero." The weapon started to tremble in his hand. Jonas cried, "A hero!" Jonas trembled as his blood began to boil. "Tell me about Strom!"
"I'm sorry. He was an evil man, making his way up the ranks. Did he ever tell you about the time he wiped out a whole family of Crows? He also wiped out the team that was with him. His own kind." Darden studied Jonas's reactions. "It's a wonder they didn't assassinate him sooner."
"Strom!" Jonas was coming to the realization that these stories sounded more and more logical. How many missions did he remember his father coming back the sole survivor? The teen stood with the blaster, ready to take off Darden's head. How he wanted to call him a liar. How he wanted to stick the weapon in this man's deceitful mouth and put his brains on the wall. Instead, he just dropped the weapon to the floor, staring pitifully at the man who had lost his boy at the hands of his 'War Hero Father'.
Darden did not hesitate. He scooped up the blaster and quickly aimed it at Jonas's face.
Jonas wanted to die. His image of his father had always been his strength.
"Duck." Darden pushed Jonas aside with his left foot and unloaded the blaster towards the door. Two guards went down in a matter of seconds.
Leo sprang back in surprise. "My Gods! Didn't see them." He ripped his weapon from his sash and ran back to guard the door. "Are no more."
"There will be." Darden joined Leo at the exit. "Come on, kid."
Jonas remained on the floor where Darden nudged him.
&n
bsp; "Jonas, let's go," Darden yelled.
Leo remembered the rest of the plan. He pulled out his taser key and powered down all the electrical fields. He woke prisoners up, banged on the walls and whatever else he could do to create total chaos. "You free! Run to main port."
"Jonas!" Darden noticed that the young Sapien still had not moved. Jonas stayed there, hoping someone would come along and put him out of his misery. Darden went over to him and grabbed his arm. "Today. We will make the world a better place. Besides... your friends need you." Darden gestured to all the inmates running around without direction.
Jonas related 'friends' to his cousin and Liotta. He had to get them off Cordova. They came here for him. Hopefully Carlen was putting the rest of the plan into action.
He grabbed Darden's hand. "I'm fine." He approached the dead guards and stole both of their blasters. "Let's get outta here."
Leo ran over to Jonas with smirk that could slice through metal. "Isn't it glorious?" He roared with laughter.
The corridor was flooded with inmates. They were a combination of Crows, Sapiens and half-breeds. Jonas noticed they were all helping each other with one common goal--survival. He moved to the front of the group and whistled as loud as possible. Everyone quieted down suddenly. "Follow me to freedom."
Everyone cheered and pushed through to the prison entrance, which led to the main port.
The prisoners forced the doors open. Jonas, Darden and Leo stayed back a bit in case the guards were waiting. Blasters from the other side tore through the crazed inmates. The survivors continued being cut down by the guards one by one.
Jonas pointed his weapon at a post that sat high above the entrance. The guards were firing down on the prisoners. Darden noticed it. They both aimed their blasters at the lookout. Jonas squeezed the cold steel trigger, taking the guards by surprise.
Leo let out a number of hoots as he charged the Crows protecting the transport. Jonas could not believe the half-breed's fighting ability. He was glad that he had befriended him. Leo took all three guards out and turned back to Jonas. "Get that Crow. Let's go!" Leo chuckled at his poetic ability.
Jonas grabbed Darden's elbow and pulled him from the others. Darden resisted and shook his head. "We can't leave yet."
Center Moon - The Stone Of Cordova Page 10