Chapter 23
Patrice’s order for his Cadets to attack Maddie gave him the opportunity to escape from his inevitable defeat at his brother’s hands. In the following confusion he slipped away with two of his most trusted men and made his way to the bowels of the justice building where Lissa and John were being held prisoner.
“Well Lysette it seems that Dylan has come to rescue you, how romantic a figure he must seem to you right at this moment.”
“Dylan is a man while you are a snake and if he really is here then I hope that he puts you out of your misery for good.”
“Such defiance from someone locked in a cage but then you always did have a rebellious streak just like my brother.”
Dylan ordered his men to take Lysette out of the cage.
“Be careful; hold her tight she is very skilled.”
The two men did as they were ordered and were very careful in their handling of Lissa.
“Make sure that you have her I want to enjoy this.”
With both her hands tied behind her back and Patrice’s men holding her tight Lysette could barely move at all.
“You feeling safe now Patrice?”
Patrice reached down inside his boot and produced a sharp blade which he then ran along Lissa’s neck.
“Do you like the feel of the cold steel Lysette?”
John had been watching from his cage.
“What the hell are you doing? If you hurt her I will kill you myself.”
Lysette did not feel that she needed anyone to defend her.
“Don’t worry John he does not possess the courage to do anything but threaten me and if Dylan is truly here then Patrice is already dead.”
The sharp blade cut much deeper as Patrice sliced across her throat.
“You bastard I will make sure that you die for that.”
Patrice ignored this threat from John as he watched the light dim from Lysette’s eyes and she died in front of him.
“Let her go.”
The two men that were now holding Lysette up did as they were told and she dropped to the floor like a stone.
“Your murderous bastard just let me out of here for a moment and I will tear your head off.”
John’s threats did not even seem to reach Patrice as he left without a backward glance.
“Come on let’s get out of here I need to see the First Minister.”
John was left in his cage helpless to help Lysette who was not moving and he suspected she was already lost to this world anyway.
“Sir the battle is lost there were too many of them and we have been over-run.”
Jarod looked at his son with ill-disguised contempt.
“You could not stop an untrained rabble with disciplined troops at your command, you are a disgrace.”
“We need to authorise the Statepol to finish them off, they are unarmed so it should be easy for them to be wiped out.”
“You bloody fool don’t you see it is too late for that? They have humiliated the Academies and now you want to have them shot by armed police, you never were very bright were you Patrice?”
“No sir I suppose Dylan would understand much better than his older brother your first born.”
The rage was building up within Jarod Holt and if Patrice was not careful he would feel the full wrath of his father.
“Don’t remind me that you are my son especially after such a monumental failure and bring Lysette and the boy here to me now.”
Patrice had not been expecting his father to ask for Lysette.
“I can’t do that Sir.”
“You will bloody well do as you are told or I will have you caged instead.”
There was no way round it so Patrice told his father the truth.
“Lysette is dead I slit her throat before I came here.”
Jarod could no longer contain the rage that had been building up inside of him and reached out for his son. Grabbing him by his lapels and pulling him close to him Jarod spoke in what was almost a whisper.
“You imbecile she was the bridge that would have brought my son back to me.”
Jarod’s fist crashed down on the side of Patrice’s head knocking him onto the hard floor.
“You already have a son here that is loyal to you and yet all you think of is the son that betrayed you.”
Patrice said this through a fog that was beginning to form in his mind from the strength of the blow he received from his father.
“I have only ever had one son and he is not in this room.”
Jarod was ready to go after Patrice again when the Telephone interrupted the one-sided clash.
“Tell the Chancellor that I will be there presently.”
When Jarod put the receiver down and looked up his son had disappeared from the room.
Immediately upon entering the Chancellor’s office her First Minister realised the gravity of his situation.
“They are in the custody of the police and demanding to see me.”
“Then we will see the girl together and detain anyone else that has entered the building.”
“I warned you Jarod and now we have come to this.”
Jarod was not interested in past warnings or recriminations.
“What is done is done, now we deal with the here and now.”
“Have the girl brought to me.”
As they waited for Maddie the Chancellor looked sadly at her First Minister.
“Dylan is with them and inside the building.”
“Unfortunately my son is lost to me and I believe that the actions of today have confirmed that fact to me.”
Jarod was thinking of Dylan’s reaction when he heard of Lysette’s death and he knew that the blame would come his way.
“We have had a good run Jarod but I think it is time for change and it seems that our people also have an appetite for something better.”
Before Jarod could reply the Chancellor was told Maddie had arrived.
“Bring her in then.”
“Hello young lady I am the Chancellor of Velaria and this is my First Minister.”
No names thought Maddie well that was just fine they could be as formal as they wanted.
“You have some friends of mine held here in the Capital I would like to see them.”
“So you have come here with demands may I know the rest of these demands?”
Jarod was quietly standing back and observing the young girl that had led the Imps against him.
“I would like to see my friends and then have you talk to the real leader of those that now occupy your City.”
Jarod was intrigued by Maddie’s statement.
“And who is this leader?”
“His name is Jerome and he speaks for all of the non-citizens of your country.”
The Chancellor shared a look with her First Minister before asking Maddie what stake she had in all of this.
“If you are not the leader then why are you at the head of an army battling with my Cadets?”
“You took my friends prisoner and you murdered my friend Jasmine. If you continue to act in this way then more of your people will organise against you and they will find a way to defeat you.”
“You say that we murdered this Jasmine but I don’t think that we have any knowledge of that.”
Jarod was quick to correct his Chancellor.
“She was the leader of the Devs and she was shot while trying to escape from Juvinescence.”
“Ah hardly murder then young lady.”
“The shooting of unarmed civilians is murder and if you choose to shoot me and all the people that followed me into the Capital then that will be an act of mass murder on your part.”
“Jarod would you please go and fetch the two young people that Maddison wants to see, I would prefer you handled this personally.”
Jarod was inclined to object but in this case the Chancellors order fitted in well with his plans.
“Of course Chancellor I will be back with them shortly.”
&n
bsp; Once Jarod had left the room Helene felt she could speak more freely.
“I sympathise with your cause Maddison and there will be no shooting here in my City.”
Maddie was relieved to hear this but was not altogether sure the Chancellor was completely in command.
“Have you told that to your First Minister? He is the one that ordered my friend shot and the capture of my other friends.”
“Jarod is a powerful man and has many friends here in the Capital but I can assure you that I am the one that has the final say in all things concerning my City.”
It was interesting thought Maddie that the Chancellor only seemed concerned with her City.
“And what about outside of your City? When was the last time you went outside of the Capital and looked at how the people out there were treated?”
“I will listen to Jerome and his concerns Maddison. You may also want to know that Jarod Holt will no longer hold the office of First Minister after the way that he has handled things recently he no longer has the support of the council.”
Maddie was not interested in the internal politics of this crazy country and thought it would be better for Helene to talk to Jerome.
“I am not from here and I am not planning on staying after John has been released so I think it best that you speak to Jerome about any future changes here.”
A surprised Helene was more than curious concerning Maddie’s motives.
“You risked your life to free inmates from Juvi and then again to enter the Capital. Yet you have no real interest in the future of the country?”
Maddie could understand the question and it was not exactly true that she had no interest in the future of Velaria.
“I care about your people, I have come to know them and they are a courageous people that deserve freedom. You have denied them status in their own country and treated them as if they are sub-human. I don’t understand a society that can do this to their own children and then hide themselves away in a City of wealth like this one.”
Helene was impressed by Maddie’s passion.
“Perhaps you should stay for a while and help us to change things you certainly have the support of the people.”
“I don’t belong here and I have to get home to see my mother.”
Jarod was saddened to see Lysette’s lifeless body on the floor when he reached the cages and disgusted by the actions of his son.
“Get the boy out he is coming with me.”
John was ready to fight but there were too many of them.
“Your name is John I believe; please do not struggle or I will have one of my men take away your consciousness.”
“You had her murdered in front of me by that vicious thug Patrice.”
“I gave no such order I had great respect for Lysette and would never have harmed her. I know in her heart she was always one of us.”
Jarod knew that he had to get out of the City and with many of the Statepol still loyal to him it would be easy enough to affect his escape.
“I am bringing you with me as I want to know more of where you have come from and it is no longer safe for me in the Capital. Your friend Maddison is here with thousands of your rabble and our Chancellor is ready to give into them. If you cause me too much trouble or try to escape then I will have one of my men terminate her life, do you understand?”
John did not know whether Jarod was telling the truth or not but he was not prepared to risk Maddie’s life.
“I will come with you but what of Patrice, what happens to him?”
“He will remain here to face the consequences of his crime and I hope that those consequences are severe.”
John was as satisfied as he could be in the circumstances and went willingly with Jarod and his men but not before looking down at Lysette’s body.
“She was the most courageous of us all.”
Jarod ignored what he considered the boy’s oversentimentality.
“It has been quite some time how long before he comes back with my friends?”
Helene was wondering the same thing and sent someone to check on why there was such a delay.
“The girl is dead and the boy is gone Chancellor.”
“And where is the First Minister?”
“He was not there Chancellor.”
Maddie was in shock and could not believe what she was hearing.
“Maddison I am sorry about what has happened to your friends but we still need to resolve the present situation.”
The present situation what on earth was the woman talking about?
“Lissa is dead and John is missing that is my present situation.”
“You say your care about the people of my country then please act like it and help me help them.”
Maddie knew that she had to think about George, Lana and Dylan, oh god how was she going to tell Dylan about Lissa?
“You need to bring Dylan and Jerome in now.”
The Chancellor had them brought to them.
“Dylan I am so sorry but I have something terrible to tell you.”
“No don’t I won’t hear it and certainly not from you.”
Maddie went silent and looked to the Chancellor.
“Dylan Lysette has been killed and there is nothing more to be done about it.”
My god that was blunt thought Maddie.
“You this is your doing.”
Dylan ran at Maddie with deadly intent.
“Stop him.”
The Chancellors words carried the weight of her office.
Jerome was the closest to Maddie and placed himself between Dylan and Maddie.
“Get out of my way if you want to live.”
Jerome remained exactly where he was and readied himself for Dylan’s onslaught.
“Aaargh you bastards.”
The Lektro from the Chancellors guard struck Dylan from behind before he could reach Jerome.
“You did not need to do that.”
Maddie was not sure this was true but she hated seeing Dylan treated this way.
“He had to be stopped young lady and from what I could see it was entirely necessary.
“Dylan if you attempt anything like that in my presence again I will have you caged.”
Dylan was recovering quickly from the charge of the Lektro but he did not want anyone else in the room to be aware of this fact.
“There will not always be someone to protect you from me Maddie.”
“I am sorry about Lissa and I would do anything to change what has happened.”
The look she received back from Dylan told Maddie that her words had no meaning for him.
The Chancellor received a call and ordered her guards to keep an eye on Dylan while she answered the phone.
“Really have him brought to me.”
The Chancellors chief of police entered the room with Patrice trailing behind him.
“Patrice has placed him-self in my custody and asked me to bring him to you as he wishes to report a crime.
“Come closer Patrice I would like to hear what you have to say.”
Patrice approached the Chancellor with all eyes in the room upon him.
“I have come before you to report the murder of a prisoner while in my care.”
Dylan was quick to interrupt his brother.
“What do you know of Lissa’s death?”
“It was our father he killed Lysette in revenge for you entering the City, I tried to stop him and I received this for my efforts.”
Patrice pointed to where Jarod had struck him.
“John what happened to John?”
Maddie sounded desperate as she asked her question.
“He was shot trying to escape?”
It was Impossible and Maddie refused to believe this it did not help that Patrice showed no emotion as he gave her this news.
“You are lying why would he try to escape?”
“I have no reason to lie and I have no idea why he attempted to escape.”
It
was true thought Maddie he had no reason to lie and if John was alive where was he?
The chancellor asked Patrice a direct question, one that she desperately wanted to have an answer to.
“Where is your father now Patrice? If you know then you must tell me.”
“I have no knowledge of where my father is I have not seen him since his blow knocked me unconscious.”
Jerome had been studying Patrice and being a practiced liar himself could see that there were holes in his story.
“The death of John is tragic Maddison but we need to think of our people out there on the streets, think of Lana.”
Jerome wanted to take the attention away from Patrice and for Maddie to accept that John was really dead.
“I want his story checked before I believe that John has been killed.”
That was fine thought Jerome.
“I will talk with the Chancellor and we will get to the truth of this but right now we need to take care of our people.”
Maddie could see that Jerome was right and knew that she had a responsibility to those she had led into the Capital.”
“There are many out there that need medical attention Chancellor and as a gesture of good will I think that you should arrange they get it.”
“It is done Maddison and as Jerome has said we will find out what happened to your friend but for now I think that you should take some time. I will arrange a room for you while we talk and as for you Dylan I do not want to have you caged so I will accept your word that you will not attack Maddison while she is my guest.”
Dylan had fully recovered now and had contemplated the idea of snapping Maddie’s neck but had calculated that he would be stopped before he could reach her.
“You have it Chancellor and now I want to join the rest of the Imps and get away from the politicos in this room.”
Helene had always thought Dylan astute and now she was Impressed that he recognised Jerome as a political animal in the same way that she had as soon as he started to talk.
“I accuse Patrice of Murder and would like to have him detained while he awaits trial.”
Jerome’s voice barely registered with the grieving Dylan as he left the Chancellors office.
“Do you have any evidence of Patrice’s crime?”
“Over two dozen witnesses will testify to him giving the order for a young girl to be Lektroed to death.”
Helene knew that she would have to give concessions to Jerome and it seemed a small thing to have Patrice caged for the time being.
“Take him away and we will deal with him later.”
Maddie was taken to a large office with a smaller room that could be used as a living space and left there. John was all that she could think of, how could she tell his parents what had happened to him and what the hell was she thinking trying to change the order of things in a world that she had no place in?
It had been hours since Maddie had been escorted to the room and she must have fallen asleep only to be woken by Jerome’s voice.
“Maddie wake up, wake up I have something to tell you.”
Rubbing the sleep from her tired eyes Maddie faced Jerome.
“I am awake tell me what you have to say.”
“I am sorry to say Maddison that John was killed while trying to escape we have found the shooter and he verifies Patrice’s account of what happened.”
If not for her great sense of loss Maddie might have known that Jerome was lying to her to further his own agenda.
“There is no doubt that John is gone.”
Maddie could not bring herself to say the word dead.
“There is no doubt Maddison and I think that you should seriously think about leaving here as soon as you can, Dylan has disappeared and I fear for your life.”
Chapter 24
It was time to leave that was clear but had she done enough? Maddie had long known how to find her way back the thing she was not sure of was had she eased the suffering of the people of Velaria?
There was only one way to find out and that was to call the number that she had seen in the paper that morning in Tumbledown cottage.
“223344 Tumbledown I want to come home.”
At first there was silence until Maddie heard a familiar voice.
“That is lovely dear I will send Mr Didcot be outside the back of the Justice building presently.”
Maddie was in awe at how easy that had gone and could only hope that leaving Justice would be just as easy.
“Can you tell me how to get out the back please?”
Why not just ask thought Maddie after all she was not a prisoner and there was no reason why anyone should stop her.
“Hello Maddie you made it all the way to the Capital I see.”
It was Henry the old man from Dylan’s camp who pulled up in a battered old jeep.
“You are Mrs Didcot’s husband, why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
Henry smiled as he gestured her into the jeep.
“Not allowed I’m afraid it’s against the rules and yes I am indeed Mrs Didcot’s husband.”
The drive out of the Capital did not seem to take as long as it should have and Maddie could not understand why.
“How did we get out of the City so quickly?”
Henry had a sparkle in his eye as he answered glibly.
“I know all of the shortcuts Maddie and we will be back at Tumbledown shortly.”
“John tried to find his way back but he said that Tumbledown was gone.”
A saddened look from Henry signalled to Maddie that he did not want to talk of John.
“I would have liked to say goodbye to Lana I will miss her.”
“You have done more than enough for the people of Velaria and her life will be all the better for knowing you.”
Maddie was not convinced that she had made anything better and did not want to think about it anymore.
“When we go back how long will I have been gone for?”
Henry had always been Impressed by Maddie but the fact that she was aware that time worked differently in both places really bowled him over.
“You will have been gone for a couple of days and that is all.”
“I will make my way straight to my mother and when they find me I will tell them that I know nothing of what has happened to John.”
Maddie could not face John’s parents and could not give them answers anyway.
“I think that is best Maddie.”
The walk through the back garden of Tumbledown was short and Maddie had to stop herself from looking back.
“Hello dear I am so pleased that you made it back so many others don’t you know.”
Maddie thought of Jasmine and John as Mrs Didcot greeted her.
“I know, I know only too well.”
The couple looked at Maddie and said in unison.
“It is time to leave now Maddie and now that you are back Tumbledown will no longer exist as a gateway so there is no way for you to return to Velaria. We would both like to thank you for releasing us from our duties as guardians.”
Maddie did not understand or care what the Didcot’s were talking about all she wanted to do was be on her way to see her mother.
“Goodbye Henry.”
Maddie left the Cottage by the front entrance as she had entered it and knew that she would never be the same again.
The End
Tumbledown Page 23