A Silence Heard (7 page)

I vowed to myself that these foul Agros would not do me in. Without a sec’s thought, I gave forth a swift and exact kick to the ‘Untamed’ one’s nadges. He let go and crumpled to the ground clutching his, hopefully, bruised nads. Then I brought both elbows back sharp and quick right into Alfred’s squidgy tum. He also fell, the wind knocked out of him.

With both males incapacitated, I ran faster than I ever had into the main rec area. Breathless and quite overcome with my near death experience, I headed straight to the room Marcellus had been allocated. Not even thinking to knock, I burst in to find said Clonie reclining on a large wooden bed, his eyes closed, his hand stuffing something edible into his mouth.

I did not have to call to him. On hearing my somewhat blustered entrance, he snapped open his eyes, gulped down the grub he was eating, and jumped from the bed. He took me in his arms. I burrowed myself against his chest and felt him hug me close. “Adara, we wait for such occasion. But all not right.”

I lifted my head, sniffed and said between gulps, “Gwydderig and Clydno.”

“Who?”

“Oswald and Alfred.”

“Must use these names. Familiar with these. True names not so much. Not like.”

“Fine, right. Fake names from now on. Oswald and Alfred, they have found us out. They…tried to…”

“Filth, scum. We punish. We make pay with torture, then we kill.”

I felt his bod go stiff, and his left leg shake. I pulled away and took his hands in mine. He bowed his head and I swear I saw a tear plop onto the floor.

“Do not be so dread-filled. They tried to finish me off, but I escaped and as you can see, I am not too badly harmed.”

He raised his head and looked at my throat. He let go my hands and put his finger all gentle-like upon my flesh. “They leave red marks. You in pain here,” he said and stroked the side of my neck.

Despite my fear and panic, I thrilled at his touch. He drew me close. “Will hurt if we kiss?”

“Nope, no, nadder.”

He leant forward and as my heart was about to burst through my ribcage, our attempt at pash was well and truly ended by Wirt barging in. “Marcellus, Kendra said that…Oh, ye are busy. Adara, ye are not too hurt then?”

“Not much physically,” I said and disentangled myself from Marcellus’s embrace.

Eadgard and Kendra entered the room. She opened her arms for me to hurl myself into. “My dear, your neck. What have they done to you? Come and I will soothe your discomfort,” she said and walked towards me.

I stayed her with an air palm. “No time for comfort, Kendra, the Agros are on to us. We are safe for the moment. I have momentarily incapacitated them both. We must be quick. They called me by my true name. Then Gwydderig tried to choke me.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Marcellus and Eadgard raced out. Wirt took my hand. Kendra looked at me and said, “We had best follow, my dear, and please, call those scum by their chosen names. It is best that they do not know how much we know about them.”

With those wise words ringing in my earholes, we quick-stepped into the rec room. A series of muffled grunts, slaps and “Ooff’” noises sounded from within Kendra’s once apartment. We flung open the closed door and strode in.

The sight was goodly indeed. Marcellus had Alfred facedown on the floor, with his knee dug deep into his spine, whilst Eadgard held Oswald, by pinning both his arms behind his back.

“Fools. Imbeciles. You are being monitored. Guards will be here in less than a sec. They will have seen everything.”

“Not so,” Kendra said and held up a small black control box. “I swiped this from your pocket when you were otherwise engaged. I am familiar with such devices and have immobilised your scanners. You are quite without support I am afraid, gentlemen.”

“Witch! Tart! Trollop! Whore!”

“Hold your filthy tongue,” Eadgard said and flung Oswald to the ground. He tried to rise but my Backpacker friend placed a foot upon the back of his neck. “Stay down or I will be forced to harm you.”

“We must leave before they are missed. I suggest we allow Adara to sing to them and escape,” Kendra said.

“Gladly will I render them harmed until we have gone. But you must not be so close.”

“No need Adara to sing. Throat must be sore. We will clock on head and he not wake for long time. Glad to do same to other,” Marcellus said and pushed his knee deeper into Alfred’s spine. He gave out a guttural yell, then lay still.

“No, my dears. Desist with all this violence. We, at least, need Oswald to be mobile. His palm is our key.”

“You will have to cut it off before I will allow you to have free access to this complex.”

“Do not tempt me, chubby male,” Eadgard said and pressed down hard.

A snap, not unlike a twig breaking, filled the room.

“Oops.”

“Eadgard! What have ye done?”

He stepped away from Oswald’s limp body. Marcellus guffawed and yanked a pale Alfred to his feet. “See. That justice. Next, you have some of same,” he said and wrapped his fingers around Alfred’s throat, but Eadgard pulled his hands away. The Agro coughed and rubbed at the reddening welts.

“No, Marcellus. I accidentally crushed Oswald’s windpipe. Although sorry, I do not have feelings of guilt. If you choose to end the life of this Agro, then it will be a premeditated act that deserves disapproval. Besides, he may be of use. No, we will keep this one alive.”

“To use as a hostage. Good thinking. Males the likes of your kind, sicken me more than most. To desire the purity of a vestal without her rightly consent is shameful and cowardly,” Kendra said and promptly spat into his face. He winced but did not wipe it off.

Watching her spittle trickle down his cheek, I felt such a surge of affection for Kendra that I almost let my eyes show it. But I did not. Instead, I wiped them quick and walked over to Oswald’s dead self.

“We still need his hand to free us. We cannot lug his entire carcass about for all to see and hear.”

“Quite so Adara. Left or right Alfred?”

“What?”

“Which hand did Oswald use to open the doors?” Eadgard said.

“I will never tell you.”

“Will,” Marcellus said and thwacked him hard across the face. Alfred slumped to the ground and did not move.

Wirt bent down and put his ear against his mouth. “Living still. Just senseless from the blow.”

“I had hoped to dismember but the one mitt. Now it will have to be both.”

“What? Ye are to hack off his hands?”

“Of course. How else are we to escape?”

Wirt lost all colour to his cheeks and sank down onto the bed. “Gory in the extreme. And…how will ye perform said task?”

“I own a Leatherman.”

“AL? Or ALX?”

“Neither Kendra.”

“Not a TTI?”

“One and the same,” he said and rummaged around in the inside pocket of his right trouser leg. “I keep it in the lead-lined pouch so it cannot be detected.” He handed it to Kendra as if it was a most precious prize; laying the blade across his forearm. She took it and held it before her eyes.

“This is a rare specimen and no mistake,” she said and fondled the thing as though it were the limb of a newborn bub. She pulled out many metal utensils from the scissor-shaped thing and I was super impressed at the gadgets and whatnots that emerged. She stopped, slowly dragged out a fierce double-edged mini saw, and handed it back to him.

“A fitting choice. Diamond-edged,” he said, knelt at Oswald’s side and moved the serrated blade across his wrist.

Wirt put his fingers in his ears and closed his eyes. Marcellus, Kendra and myself looked on, half in wonder and half in disgust, as Eadgard sliced into his flesh. There was a splattering of much blood before he was done, but he was done quicker than I expected. His multi-knife was wondrous indeed.

“I will rinse these paws before we leave. May I suggest that both Adara and Kendra attire themselves appropriately?”

I looked down at my blanket and at Kendra’s flimsy robe, and smiled.

“Goodly advice that I will follow directly.”

“Come, let us to your room and dress. I will bring clothes suitable for flight,” Kendra said and dragged her Synthbag from underneath the bed. Arm in arm we left the gruesome scene to change and make ready for our escape.

Chapter Seven

The Labs

Aptly dressed in pantaloons, shirt and thick wool-like coat, Kendra and I secured our Synthbags across our shoulders, and re-entered the blood-bath room. Alfred was sitting on the bed, a hand over his left eye, whilst Marcellus and Wirt dragged the handless corpse of Oswald into the area of bathing. Eadgard dried the Agros severed mitts and wrapped them in a towel. He looked at us and engaged Kendra in a charm-filled stare.

“Glad to see you both attired in fitting garb. We do not know what to expect when we leave this place of comfort.”

She brushed both hands down the front of her garment slow and sensuous like. Eadgard’s eyes followed where her fingers touched and both exchanged looks of lust. All well and good, but not appropriate in this situation of scare. I felt compelled to end their flirtiness with a loudl “Harumph” closely followed by an obvious cough. Eadgard looked away, rolled his shoulders, made his neck click and turned his attention to the entrance to the bathing area, where Marcellus and Wirt stood.

My sweetie goggle-gaped at me and despite my huffiness at the unsuitable conduct I witnessed; I gave into longing for kissiness. He lowered his lids and spoke in a husky voice, “Prefer to see in dress of blue, but new clothes suit well.” I gave him a soppy grin.

This time, Kendra cleared her throat.

“Ye’d think with all that is occurring, yer minds would focus more on our mission instead of pash,” Wirt said. He folded his arms, shook his head all slow-like and added a tut–tut by way of emphasising his point.

Although peeved at his calling me to shame, I acknowledged his intent to bring me back to the here and now. So, attempted to free my mind from thoughts of romance. “I will do my utmost to secure our escape should I be called to do so.”

“If ye keep focus.”

“I can and will, Wirt.” I said, but an image of Marcellus with his arms around me filled my noggin. Here we go again, Aamlet syndrome.

Eadgard said and pointed at the still living Agro. “Time to end matters of the personal nature. Let us depart. Marcellus, would you be so kind as to take charge of Alfred and see that he does not cause danger to our escape?”

“Yes, will do most gladly,” he said and without a glance in my direction, marched over to the bed where the Agro sat all cringy-like.

“I shall help ye. In case yer mind wanders off to other things,” Wirt said and gave me a raised eyebrow stare. Not being used to such hostility from my best-as friend, I returned his gesture with slit eyes. Then felt a sudden surge of guilt and attempted to rectify my mean by shrugging to suggest it was of no matter and we were still close.

Marcellus cleared his throat. “Assistance gratefully accepted.”

He yanked Alfred from the bed, pulled his hand away from his bruised eye and pushed him forward. Wirt followed him out of the room, as did Eadgard, carrying Oswald’s hands. He signalled for Kendra and myself to leave. We did most gladly, for I was sick of the stench of fresh blood that filled the place.

The entrance room did not look the same as before. It appeared garish and vulgar and I was keen to be free of it. Eadgard walked to the where we’d entered. He slid his hand across the wall, feeling for something that could be the switch to open it, and turned to Alfred.

“Are we to expect guards or personnel behind these walls?”

Alfred gave a nose sigh and looked to the ceiling. “And I should tell you because?”

Wirt stepped in front of him and leant close to his smirking face. “If ye do not, Marcellus will extract your nads with his teeth.”

“Not with teeth. With thumb and forefinger,” Marcellus said and mimed the action for all to see.

“You really are quite a violent lot.” Alfred shrugged. “No, guards are not required at the entrance to the ‘Play Area’.”

Eadgard looked at the smugmush as if he were a bark beetle. “I see. Notwithstanding, I would ask all to make ready for some kind of attack. Just in case this Agro is not being altogether honest.”

We braced ourselves by standing straight and sticking out our chests. Eadgard unwrapped one of Oswald’s severed hands and pressed it against the wall. Nowt. He took the other and did the same. Nowt. “Alfred, why is this not working?”

“How should I know?” he said and mock-yawned.

Marcellus gave him a fist to the kidneys and he doubled up in pain.

“Give right answer, or we tear off more than nads.”

Alfred sucked in air and gulped. “Not in the… right, place.”

“Show me where the right place is.”

He did not move. Marcellus pushed the Agro, who stumbled then stood by the wall and pointed at a hard to see bump level with Eadgard’s chin. He blinked and sought out more air. “There. Press the middle of his palm onto that.”

Eadgard shoved him out of the way and into Marcellus chest. He pushed him forward, grabbed his right arm and Wirt gripped onto the other. Alfred struggled to free himself, but my pals just held on harder until he stopped.

Lifting Oswald’s dismembered paw against the indent, Eadgard stepped back. The wall gasped open to reveal a dimly lit white tunnel. He placed the hand back into the towel and entered. “Kendra, Adara, follow me. Stay close behind.”

Kendra nudged me and we both stepped into the corridor. I heard Alfred say, “Must you be so rough?” and over my shoulder saw Marcellus and Wirt push Alfred so hard that he fell. Wirt kicked his butt and he stood. Too quickly, for he banged his head on the ceiling. Which was so low that Marcellus had to hunch himself up to avoid an injury to his noggin.

As we moved, bright lights came on making me squint. I walked all nervous-like down the passageway, not knowing whether Alfred was truth telling about their being no guards. I could not help but look left and right in case an invisible opening appeared in the wall, and Agro scum jumped out.

The corridor came to an end and Eadgard halted in front of a black wall. We gathered around him and he pulled Alfred forward. “Where does this lead?”