Blood Prize (35 page)

W
olf found it difficult to believe the half-sisters legend, but here they stood, roped together in front of him. Everyone in his business knew of Uta Cel Rău, the infamous SRP commando, but not many knew a twin existed. He didn’t believe the rumours, until now.

“What are you looking at, Wolf?”

“At your beautiful smooth face, Uta.”

She snarled at him and struggled against her captors.

He looked from Uta and began appraising the other sister. Droplets of blood dripped off a recently marked face, but unlike Uta, they appeared to be superficial.

These are impressive looking females; as lithe and as violent as wildcats.

“Ladies, do you know what happens to people who kill SRP soldiers?”

Uta strained forward against her bonds, coughed up a globule of blood and spat it towards his feet.

“Drink that, Wolf.”

“I want to know who you work for and just so you know, I can execute both of you on the spot, if I don’t like your answers.”

“You haven’t got the balls.”

Wolf didn’t have time to respond. His peripheral vision captured movement; a man marched past him and grabbed Uta by the throat.

The Cobra … What’s he doing?

“Wolf, look at her you fool.”

“I’m in charge here, Roberto. You have no authority in this theatre.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve officially taken over and that comes from the top. Any man who defies me will be dealt with accordingly. Even you, Wolf.”

He let go of Uta and moved back towards the agitated Angel.

“Get these women away from him. The scarred one has taken some of the Prize. Look at her body. The process has already begun.”

_____________

Isobel shoved her personal feelings and emotions aside and focused on Tom.

He’s become my best friend and my family and I want more.

She looked down at his sweaty soot-covered face and tried to deny the truth of what she saw.

I couldn’t bear it if he … left me.

Every now and then he opened his eyes and seemed to look at her, which she interpreted as wakefulness, but his eyes seemed dull and vacant.

Isobel sat beside him and stroked his hair, while Vogel poured a measured amount of the Prize for his own deliverance. She could see that only about a third of the substance remained in the canister, yet it continued to glow and flicker.

I can’t remember ever feeling this lost. Perhaps God’s misplaced us down here and we’re too lowly for Him to help us out.

She heard a gurgle coming from Tom’s throat, so she sat behind him and propped his head in her lap. The gurgling quickly became a cough, followed by a gush of green liquid that splattered his chest.

“Vogel, help me.”

Isobel watched in horror, as Tom began to convulse; the wound in his stomach swelling into a fist-sized pyramid that stretched the skin, turning it a deep purple.

She heard Vogel call out and turned to investigate.

“What?”

He looked frightened and shocked and his mouth hung open. He started yelling at her and jabbing his forefinger in Tom’s direction.

“Look. Look at his wound.”

A dark object appeared at the extent of the swollen wound and Tom’s entire body began to vibrate and jerk. Then the object popped out, followed by a wash of green pussy liquid.

She heard Vogel gasp.

“Look … It’s starting over.”

Isobel hung to Tom as tightly as she could, as the process began again. This time the bullet could be seen squeezing from the swollen wound in his shoulder.

Isobel couldn’t stop her tears as the wound shot out the slug and a small piece of jagged bone.

Oh my … Tom, what’s happening?

Within seconds, both of the swollen pyramids began to recede and lose their purple discolouration and within a matter of minutes, she could hardly see the original wound.

She winced when she saw Vogel crawling towards her. When he covered the distance, he grabbed her shoulder and shook her.

“How could this be? He didn’t swallow any of the liquid.”

Isobel didn’t listen. She pulled away from Vogel and looked into Tom’s eyes with excitement, as he began to wake up.

_____________

Bruno Wolf never disregarded his instincts, which continued to deliver the same message.

If I relinquish my authority now … I’m a dead man.

He studied the body language of his new foes, as he considered his next move.

That’s got to be relevant. The Angel calmed down the moment the women moved back.

His wild flickering light receded into a glowing green, yet the look of worry on Costa’s face didn’t alter, suggesting the Angel became agitated and even frightened by the women.

“Costa. Come closer and take care to understand what I’m going to tell you. Your father charged me with succeeding here and that’s what I intend to do. You have no real authority in this place, other than that damn Angel and he doesn’t seem all that happy to be here.”

“That’s betrayal, Wolf. They’ll hunt you down. There’s no way you can succeed on your own.”

“You talk easily enough of betrayal, but we both know who’s been shafted here.”

“So?”

“You can stay, but I deliver the goods and we all win.”

“What if I refuse?”

“Then I’ll do my duty and shoot you. I’ll even throw those devil women at your glowing friend over there and with a bit of luck, he might start working for me. It’s a good plan, don’t you think?”

T
om lay on his back floating just above the ground. He drifted slowly through the grassy fields, ablaze with black and yellow daisies, but as his head began to clear, he realised that he still sat in a black hole surrounded by enemies.

“Tom, you’re awake.”

He smiled back at her, a little amused by her announcement.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I think so. Sort of anyway.”

He noticed Vogel bending forward for a closer look. Without his usual hat, Tom could see the man’s bizarre scalp of reddish orange hair, with its prominent patches of black and grey.

“What do you mean, sort of? What I just witnessed is impossible.”

Tom didn’t wish to have this conversation with Vogel. He could never trust a man like him; a man who killed without remorse.

The bastard’s perceptive … I’m different now, although I’m not sure how exactly. I can feel people, even remotely. I can feel and see what they’re thinking. I can also see images … I can see Uta and her auburn-haired sister bound together and I can tell they’ve taken the Prize. I shouldn’t be able to do that. How am I able to do that?

“Fox. Are you listening? What about your wounds? Is there pain?”

“They’re fine. I don’t feel any different than I did before. That is before you shot me.”

“Rubbish, Fox … Projectiles hit us from all directions. You just caught a stray shot.”

“Liar.”

Tom remembered perceiving Vogel’s hatred through the swirling dust and now because of his strange new sense, he could see something far more disturbing.

“You. You did it.”

Vogel turned away from Tom towards the entrance. He could hear people approaching and someone calling Tom’s name.

“Look at me, Vogel. I saw you kill them.”

“What are you talking about? We’re about to be attacked.”

“I can forgive you doing your job, Vogel, no matter how sick it is, but you laughed. Even when my mother’s beautiful innocent face begged you not to kill her, you laughed.”

Tom’s words tore away Vogel’s facade and stripped him bare.

Yes. You enjoyed it, you bastard
.

He confessed to his crimes with a twisted hateful expression; seemingly delighted with his achievement. At least he didn’t need to continue his loathsome charade.

“You’re so clever, aren’t you, Fox?”

Vogel backed away and drew his gun.

“She begged me to spare you.”

He stopped moving and Tom cringed at his evil looking grin.

“Before I shot her, I explained in detail how I intended to murder you. You should have heard her scream.”

Oh God … Oh God.

Tom could feel and empathise with his mother’s terror. The weight of his sadness bore down on him and he bowed his head and cried.

“Don’t worry, Fox. Crying runs in the family. I also made her watch while I killed your father and you should have seen her howl. Now you get to bawl, watching me kill your skinny little girlfriend. Then you’re going to share her fate.”

_____________

Wolf caught up with the Cobra and both arrived at the cavern’s entrance at the same moment.

Once there, Wolf hesitated, as did his companion. Instead of a dark opening in the ground, they found a vortex of shimmering green light. This seemed enough to extinguish any need to be the first inside.

“Call a warning, Wolf?”

“And if they don’t surrender?”

“Then we send in the Angel.”

They agreed without once taking their eyes from the hole. Wolf only took one tentative step forward, before shouting his demands down through the entrance.

“Fox. If you want to live, come out now and bring the Prize.”

He waited several seconds for a reply and when it didn’t arrive he repeated the message.

Nothing. He’s either refusing to heed us, or he’s dead.

Roberto Costa gestured to his Angel and Wolf stiffened with expectation. His mind not wanting to accept an encounter with something so alien. He focused on its movement and his mind continued to reel. The creature didn’t walk like other living things, it hovered and travelled so quickly that he couldn’t discern its movement.

It’s either here, or it’s there, with not even a blur in between.

It occurred to Wolf that the Angel itself didn’t bother him as much as its reason for being here.

How could something so powerful be made subservient to any agency, other than God; especially an organisation as morally corrupt as the Assembly?

Then an explosion of light tore him from his thoughts. The Angel hovered between him and the cavern’s entrance. Its pulsing flashes of light stung his eyes and he retreated several steps.

So far, things haven’t gone so well for me, but at least I’m not having to face what Fox is about to experience.

_____________

Noah lived with the possibility of violent death in every waking moment, which he handled by disciplining and controlling his emotions, yet having to watch while Tom and Isobel waited to die …

I can’t do this.

The priest employed no such discipline. Every time things worsened, he gave a tortured groan and turned away. Noah felt for him.

The bastard’s forced him into a choice that no man should ever have to make.

It didn’t matter that he displayed his grief. He condemned his own soul mate to death as well as his small congregation, yet here he remained, doing his duty.

He’s a great man who deserves better.

Noah looked over at his friend. Just the slightest extra pressure on the trigger and he could obtain his revenge. Wolf stood out there on the plain at that very moment, right in front of him at the entrance to the cavern. It must have been his private hell to let the man live.

“I wish we could help them, Nico. Maybe we should take out as many as we can and make a final stand.”

“Be patient, Noah, my good friend. We won’t have long to wait. We have to take what’s left of this mess and make it matter for Tom and Isobel.”

Noah turned his head towards the priest. He seemed barely recognisable, covered in so much dirt. The enemy could walk right over him and not be aware of his presence.

“I’ll hold off, Nico. Then we’ll give them hell.”

Noah raised his weapon slightly, turned his head away and spat-out a globule of glutinous sandy saliva.

“I’ve got the recipe right here in my hand, but I’ll leave Wolf for you, my dear friend.”

T
om spread his arms wide in a futile attempt to shield Isobel.

The enemies’ bullets didn’t kill me, but can I be sure about Izzi surviving?

“Leave her alone, Vogel.”

The security chief’s face contorted into a hideous looking scowl.

“This is personal, Fox. I killed your parents, so it’s only fitting that I get to dispose of their offspring.”

Isobel screamed at Vogel from under Tom’s protruding arm.

“You’re such a gutless creep. How many good people have you murdered by sneaking up from behind?”

“Plenty, but not all. I stood eye to eye with your father, when I blew his brains all over the floor.”

Isobel pushed Tom aside; hurling herself so fast and so unexpectedly at Vogel that he didn’t have time to react.

Tom raced to help, but before he covered even half of the distance, Vogel held her face down with his gun at her head.

“Time’s up, Fox. Now you get to watch your girlfriend die.”

_____________

Tom placed his hands over his eyes and retreated several paces from the kaleidoscope of blazing light entering the cavern. For a brief instant, he thought the enemy came in with a powerful searchlight, then he understood.

Utilising a tiny gap between his fingers, he distinguished the shape of an Angel. The creature looked huge in the confines of the cavern.

It’s just hovering; waiting for something and not attacking me. Why?

Slowly Tom’s eyes began adjusting to the brightness. Within seconds, he could see well enough to distinguish two humans climbing down the ladder; a tough looking man with dark hair, followed by a younger leaner man who immediately assumed authority.

“Put down the gun, Frederick. This game is over.”

Vogel began to laugh and Tom thought it sounded desperate; almost hysterical.

“Well if it isn’t the chairman’s brat and his underling in person.”

“I’m not going to ask you again, Vogel.”

“You can ask the same stupid question all day, but I won’t honour it with an answer.”

Wolf strode forward and gestured toward the Angel.

“You don’t seriously believe we came down here to make a deal, Vogel?”

“I don’t care. I’ve tasted the Prize, Wolf. Do you know what that means?”

Wolf turned and nodded to the Cobra.

“Yes, I do. There’s only one agency that can kill you now. Look my friend, here comes your doom.”

Tom witnessed no evidence of any communication between the Cobra and the Angel, yet before Vogel could move, the creature hovered above him.

“Iz. No.”

Tom looked on in horror, as Isobel became engulfed in the same blazing electrical current.

_____________

Tom ran forward trying to rescue Isobel, but the heat drove him back. He could only watch, as the Angel continued his attack.

“Iz …?”

He felt overwhelmed by the Angel’s presence. Thoughts and emotions bombarded him without any normal sequential order, as if a tiny tear opened up in his consciousness, allowing the infinite to break in and rampage through his mind; the past, present and future arriving all at once.

I can’t hang on … I have to let go.

Despite the glare and the dissonance and all of the confused happenings inside the cavern, he connected.

His mouth opened and he cried out; moaning, screaming, shouting, yet he made no sound.

What’s happening to me?

Tom never understood what people meant by spirit, yet without realising how, he opened a doorway and touched its source.

“Oh God …”

This time, in that ecstatic, all-encompassing moment, he threw his head back and cried out with such voluble joy that everyone in the cavern, including the Angel, stiffened into non-action, but the enemy’s surprise didn’t last long.

The Angel screamed back at him with a tortured shriek of hatred that stung his ears and knocked him to the ground. In a flash it hung above him, but instead of attacking, it pulled away, shrieking.

Tom staggered to his feet.

I’m affecting this thing. It seems frightened … Scared of me.

Then he realised that he no longer needed to shield himself from its glare; the creature’s bright pulses diminishing to a meagre radiance and its hovering became uncoordinated and erratic.

Tom began to feel sick in the stomach, but before he could react to this clenching bout of nausea, he felt overwhelmed by a much stronger force. A strange vibrating phenomena, saturated mind and flesh, and wonder began to colour everything he perceived.

I can’t stop … I can’t stop this. It’s … happening.

Then the seemingly impossible occurred. The infinite universe downloaded itself into the finite of his being, like all of the oceans spilling into a single drop.

The Angel feels this too … He’s desperate … Panicked.

It backed as far away from Tom as possible, before it began lurching around the cave, jerking and bucking; its screeches forcing all of the other occupants of the cavern to the ground. Tom could see them writhing in the dust; hands clamped over their ears in a desperate attempt to keep the screams from bursting their eardrums, but he didn’t feel their pain.

The Angel retreated and appeared next to the steel ladder at the cavern’s entrance.

Yes … I can see you now.

He recognised a human inside its failing light.

It’s confused. It’s never been threatened before and it wants to escape. No … Wait … Fear is driving it … It comes.

Tom saw the creature’s eyes widen and focus on him. Then it gave another ear shattering shriek and attacked.

Pain surged through Tom’s body, as the pulsing current tossed him against the cavern’s rear wall. He didn’t fall. He remained pinned, suspended twice his height from the ground.

He’ll hit me with everything he’s got now; his deathblow.

The pressure holding him against the wall increased and the Angel screeched, as bolts of blue and white electrical current pulsed around it. Then all of the flashes of current came together, into one stream of brilliant light.

Hang on … Survive this … You can do it.

A force within his mind rebelled; rejecting his thought.

No … Don’t succumb to fear. Courage. Let go … Surrender fully to the joy you’re experiencing.

The light struck Tom and engulfed him, but rather than struggle, he allowed the Angel full access to his being.

“Iz?”

Through his agony, he looked down at Isobel. She lay in the foetal position with her arms tightly wrapped around her knees.

She’s alive … Just.

_____________

Wolf looked around for a possible means of escape, as he backed away from the rampaging Angel, but there didn’t appear to be anywhere to go. After several steps, he collided with a figure of flesh and blood and realised he held the Cobra with a forearm jammed against his throat.

“Costa. Control this thing. Or we’ll be killed.”

“I can’t … It’s not responding to my commands.”

Wolf realised the searing pain could prove fatal if he didn’t do something.

Move. Only indecisive fools fall victim to collateral damage.

He felt almost overwhelmed by the violence raging around him, yet he didn’t panic.

Assess … Evaluate.

He held the Cobra in front of him as a shield, as he gauged the environment.

Vogel and the girl are down. They look dead.

He spotted another glowing light, despite the glare emanating from the Angel.

The Prize … It’s close.

He wasted no further time on thought. He bent over as low as he could and darted to retrieve the canister.

Dive …

His body struck the ground as a bolt of crackling light blasted the air above him. Somehow Fox continued to survive and seemed to be returning the Angel’s fire, which detonated into ear shattering blasts somewhere between them.

Of course … Fox must have used the Prize.

Wolf jumped to his feet and ran forward. He bent to retrieve it, but the cavern exploded with light and noise; the concussion driving him face first into the black soil of the cave.

He looked up through his fingers as another blast echoed around the wall.

This’s it. I have to move or I’m dead.

He tried to rise; the whine of the battling current changing; a buzzing drone escalating to a pitch that assaulted the mind.

Oh no …

The sound and light retreated from the Angel; sucked into a whirling vortex of dazzling colour before it disappeared with a pop, into a spinning dot of black.

Wolf noticed the black disk begin to crackle as he ran towards the entrance. Before he got there, it exploded, blasting the Angel and himself into the wall beside the steel stairs and all went blank.

He couldn’t be sure how long he lay unconscious, but when he looked back down the length of the cavern he could see that no-one remained on their feet.

As he dragged himself up into a standing position, he spotted the Cobra. He remained alive; barely.

Wolf knew an opportunity when he saw it. He grabbed the man’s smoking arm and lifted him up.

If I escape with the Prize and save Costa, I’ve got a much greater chance of survival.

He saw a flicker of light as he dragged Costa and the canister towards the surface. He didn’t look back.

_____________

Tom sat on the soot covered floor and watched as Wolf struggled to carry the smoking body of his companion up the ladder. Then, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes, the Angel began to pulse. It turned towards Tom and attempted to scream, but it emitted nothing more than a tortured croak.

Tom perceived the dying creature beneath the light. It no longer hovered and its brightness continued to fade as he watched.

It attempted one last screech, then it turned and followed Wolf up the ladder, using the feet and hands of a man; the fraud exposed for all to see.

The cavern fell into darkness, yet Tom could still see the body that lay in the centre of the cavern.

“Iz?”