The Wastelander

by Tipsy Wanderer

  Chimp grabbed her collar and tore, revealing what was beneath. The angry bleeding welt where he’d struck her with his whip only made him more excited.

  Chimp fumbled with her pants, filling Hellflower with rage and embarrassment. She cursed and struggled, but even so, her clothes were tugged down, revealing her firm buttocks. She couldn’t fight him. She was only making the pervert more excited. He couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He needed to feel all the pleasures her body had to offer.

  Moral chastity wasn’t a privilege wastelander women enjoyed, but she could think of nothing worse than becoming a sex slave for this pig and his equally perverse friends. It was a hell she couldn’t endure.

  She would rather die if given a choice. But, she wasn’t given a choice.

  The other two scientists stood nearby, watching expectantly. Hellflower was the most enticing beauty in the whole base. No straight man would give up his chance to have his way with her. After Chimp had his fun, perhaps he would let them have a go. It would be a rare delight.

  No sooner had the thought crossed their minds than the two men screeched and hit the ground, wracked with convulsions. Both of them frothed at the mouth, and their hair stood straight on end as every fiber in their bodies felt like it had been set on fire. Chimp had his pants halfway down his legs when he saw what was happening. “What’s going on?!”

  A guard approached, the electric gun in his hand still crackling with sparks as he pointed it at the lab director. Chimp was shocked at first, and then flew into a rage and began shouting at him, “Which unit are you with! You actually dare –“ The threats died in his throat when he saw the guard’s face clearly. His eyes got so wide that they threatened to roll right out of his head. He stumbled backwards until the bars of the cage wouldn’t let him flee any further.

  A cold grin spread across Cloudhawk’s face. “Surprise, motherfucker.”

  Chimp answered with a high-pitched wail and tried to run.

  “You absolute dick, you think you can run?” Cloudhawk took a large stride forward and buried his knee in the director’s stomach. The lustful man curled up like a broiled shrimp, whimpering as though his organs had been pureed. Cloudhawk gave him a sharp smack for good measure. “I said I was gonna whoop your ass, didn’t I? Fuck, I didn’t think I’d get lucky so soon, but here you are. Die, you sack of shit!”

  Chimp blubbered through a face full of tears, “No-no-no! No, please! I don’t want to die!”

  Cloudhawk was unfazed, however, and raised his hands.

  Hellflower stopped him. “Cloudhawk, hold on.”

  He turned his head to look at her. She was in a tough spot, haggard and messy with most of her clothes ruined but still beautiful. Her unfortunate situation could easily arouse a man’s darker desires.

  “You don’t think we should spare him, do you?” Cloudhawk was surprised by her mercy, but he was resolute. “If I could kill him ten times, it wouldn’t pay back what he’s done to me over the past week. He dies today.” How could Hellflower not want this disgusting man dead?

  “He can still be useful.” She saw Cloudhawk looking back at her with a dumb expression. “So have your eyes had their fill of me? Help get me out of these shackles!”

  Cloudhawk gave Chimp a sharp kick to the ribs. “Keys!”

  Hellflower had nearly lost hope, but Cloudhawk had suddenly appeared just in time. The young man was Roste’s most cherished treasure, whose worth was far beyond her own. She knew Roste had to have stationed any number of guards to watch the boy, including many of his transformed freaks. Given how clever and calculating the Academician was, how could Cloudhawk have gotten free? Something didn’t seem right!

  But, however it happened, Cloudhawk had risked himself to save her. Hellflower was grateful. “Did anyone see you?”

  “The lab’s in chaos, and I’m dressed as a guard. People are running all over and not paying any attention. For now, no one knows where I am.”

  Once her shackles were removed, Hellflower tenderly rubbed her wrists. She searched the unconscious scientists and found a gun and some ammo. Cloudhawk might not have been discovered yet, but they couldn’t take this situation lightly. It wouldn’t be long before someone discovered that there was a problem, and once the old man came for them, things would go from bad to worse.

  Cloudhawk’s daring rescue wasn’t entirely altruistic. “You got a plan? We’ve gotta get outta here!”

  By now, she had recovered her typical poise. “The two of us aren’t strong enough ourselves. We need some help if we want a shot of getting out of here alive.”

  Cloudhawk immediately thought of someone. He grabbed a fistful of Chimp’s clothes and dragged him back to his feet. He gave him another punch to the face before snarling the question at him, “Where’s Hyena?”

  Chimp hesitated, unwilling to answer. However, when Cloudhawk lifted his fist for another punch, he knew he wasn’t going to get away with silence. Quivering, he answered, “Don’t- don’t hit me. H-he’s here, next door!”

  “Hellflower, do you really want to keep him alive?”

  “He may be a piece of shit, but he’s been here a long time. He has people who listen to him, so maybe they’ll listen to us. We can use them to fight the Academician. Maybe, with Hyena’s help, we can actually fight back!”

  She’d nearly been raped by this weasel, but her gaze was calm and steady like nothing had happened. Her mind was already making plans and countermoves. This level of poise was almost unnatural. She was the most mature and composed woman Cloudhawk had ever met, both physically and emotionally.

  She returned the brainwashing syringe to its box and handed it to Cloudhawk. “Take this. Let’s go!”

  With the box in one hand and Chimp in the other, Cloudhawk followed Hellflower down the hall. Although her clothes were in tatters, she was no less threatening. She kicked open the door to the next room and charged in. With her hair flailing, she looked like a Valkyrie.

  Bang-bang-bang!

  She fired several rapid shots, too fast for anyone to strike back. The guards were dead before they hit the ground.

  In the center of the room, submerged in a glass tank floated Hyena. He was motionless but still awake. Hellflower raised her hand and fired a couple rounds into the tank, shattering it. Glass scattered and fluid poured free, followed by a figure coated in bristling black fur that leapt out right after.

  Half man and half beast, Hyena swept past. Neither Hellflower nor Cloudhawk could react before he had them both by the necks. He lifted them off the ground and squeezed as he fixed his murderous green eyes on them. “You two actually came back here to let me go? What makes you think I won’t kill you?”

  Hellflower didn’t seem scared of him or of the threat of having the life choked out of her. She fought out her response through her half-crushed windpipe. “If you kill us, you’re giving up your shot to get out of here. You’ll end up just like the others, a puppet soldier!”

  Hyena’s fierce visage twisted into a snarl.

  He loosened his hands.

  Cloudhawk gasped for breath, acutely aware of how dangerous this guy was.

  Hellflower explained the situation, “The Academician is stronger than either of us could imagine. Fighting alone, we don’t stand a chance, but maybe together, we can put that old man down. I know you aren’t my biggest fan, and I don’t much like you either, but we need to put that aside and come to an accord.”

  Chimp became flustered. “You’re doomed! You can’t fight the Academician. You’ve got to give up this foolish idea.”

  Cloudhawk’s animosity toward Chimp was particularly keen. “Who the fuck asked you to open your whore mouth? Shut the fuck up!”

  Hellflower stood in front of Chimp. “I know you’ve got a lot of people here who listen to you, and I believe you’re an intelligent man. You need to make a choice; you help us, or you die.”

  Chimp gave her a pained look. “Why are you so dead set on fighting the Academician?”

 
Her response was delivered in even tones. “Everyone should be allowed to make a decision based on what he believes. I cannot pledge allegiance to that mad man. I suggest you think carefully before answering.”

  Hyena picked Chimp up in his bone-crushing hands. “But don’t. Waste. My. Time.”

  “Don’t kill me. Don’t kill me!” Chimp’s face was red, and he sputtered in abject fear. Hyena’s twisted half-beast face was so close to his that it scared away any courage he had. “Alright, I promise I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll summon all of my people to the lab. Cloudhawk’s equipment is there too. I’ll take you!”

  He really was a rotten bastard!

  Hyena unceremoniously threw Chimp to the ground with a look of utter disgust.

  122 Not A Traitor

  Chimp’s cowardice and perversion were secret to no one. It was these fatal weaknesses that Hellflower and Hyena were able to exploit. Indeed, Academician Roste held a high and unshakable position in Blackwater Base, but his subordinates – Chimp, Hellflower, Hyena – also had influence. If the three of them stood together in opposition to Roste, they stood a decent chance.

  The conflict between Hellflower, Cloudhawk, Hyena, and the Academician was intractable. Either he died or they would, and so, no effort was spared or method ignored. If Chimp dared to disobey, things would turn out very poorly for him. He knew this intimately.

  “Let’s go!”

  “Don’t kill me!” The director stumbled along as they shoved him onward. He whined submissively, “I’m begging you, please don’t kill me!”

  As Cloudhawk watched the cowardly man, he could not see him as the least bit reliable. Was there anyone who would listen to this wretch? However, it was their best option, their only option. Perhaps, they could use him to gain control over a few fighters and improve their chances of taking the labs and ultimately, the whole base.

  Hellflower and Hyena had lost their authority when Roste took them in. For Chimp, things were different.

  He was perverted, obscene, and afraid of death, but he had also been with the Academician for several decades. He had clout, especially among those who worked in the labs since he handled most of its business.

  If they could incite a rebellion from within using Chimp’s influence and his people, they might have a way out. Every leader from Blackwater’s opposition faction had been killed by Roste’s ploy. Only Hellflower remained to call for their aid, but all that remained were a few hundred insurgents. That wasn’t enough to take over the base and truly change things, but it was enough for them to fight their way to freedom.

  “You know what you need to say. Don’t make me teach you.” Hellflower pressed a gun to the back of Chimp’s head and shoved him into a small lab.

  “Don’t hold on to the delusion that you can outrun my bullets. Do your job and I’ll forget about what you tried to do to me. If you don’t, even Roste won’t be able to save you from what I’ll do.”

  His whole body trembled, but he managed to nod emphatically.

  “Hey, where’s my shit!” Cloudhawk stomped forward and snarled in Chimp’s face, “Where the fuck did you put it?”

  In the face of the young man’s seething hatred, the older man shrank back. He knew that Cloudhawk – more so than Hyena or even Hellflower – was looking for any excuse to kill him. After all, the boy’s torture had been managed and was orchestrated by the lab director. More than once, Cloudhawk fantasized about what he’d do to him. The kid was young and impulsive, and if it weren’t for Hellflower’s intervention, Chimp would already be dead.

  Cloudhawk found his staff, cloak, book, mask, and demon hunter token in a nearby box. Everything was there! Every item was important, so he was thankful they hadn’t tossed anything out.

  He flung the invisibility cloak over his shoulders, put the mask over his face, and fixed the staff to his waist. Finally, he felt like he could take a breath. At last, he could protect himself.

  Chimp placed an emergency call to his subordinates.

  Over fifty fighters directly under Chimp’s control were summoned. In addition, there were some fifty odd scientists who came as well. The fighters were decent, and their leaders were first-rate, about as skilled as the two men Roste had killed – Black Jackal and Iron Bear.

  Cloudhawk was admittedly confused. How could this cowardly shit have underlings this skilled? What were they thinking? Out in the wastelands, strength equaled respect, and yet, they were willingly allowing themselves to be bossed around by this man?

  When they had all gathered, Chimp’s people stared in wide-eyed surprise. How could they not? They were face to face with Hellflower, Hyena, and Cloudhawk! They knew Hellflower and Hyena were traitors and had presumably been locked away. They knew Cloudhawk had fled the labs right under their noses, but… here they all were!

  Hellflower poked him in the back with the muzzle of her weapon.

  He started to shake. Without giving any verbal commands, he stepped forward to speak.

  His guards looked at him with dumbfounded expressions. The atmosphere was tense, heavy, as they waited for him to explain.

  Chimp pushed his cracked glasses higher on his nose. He was clearly conflicted and uneasy with the situation, his anxious eyes scanning the crowd. And then, he sighed. “Everyone, you can see for yourselves. You can see the situation. I have a very important announcement to make. But before I do, I will ask you right now – are you willing to fight with me?”

  His men exchanged uncertain glances.

  “We’re just awaiting orders!”

  “Good, very good.” Standing amongst the crowd, many thoughts flit through Chimp’s mind. The Academician’s image seemed to hover just behind his eyes. Despite how precarious the situation seemed, his face was resolute. “Twenty years ago, I was a Seeker scientist like many of you. We were betrayed from within, and a death squad from the Elysian lands came. They wiped us out. Thousands of us were killed. It was genocide. By some stroke of luck, I survived and became a refugee. Then, the Academician found me out in the wastes and brought me to Blackwater Base.”

  Hellflower and Hyena watched nearby. Their faces hardened with every word. Where was he going with this?

  Hellflower’s finger tightened on the trigger, and her gun inched forward. Chimp trembled again, but his voice remained steady. “Everyone, I’ve been here for a long time. I’ve watched as everything has changed. Every day, the Academician is becoming more and more dictatorial. He doesn’t allow anyone to breathe a word of opposition. Using whatever brutal methods he pleases, Roste will go at any time of day or night to capture innocents and use them for his sordid experiments. All resources are directed to this research. All other options are rejected. You’ll note that after years, the population of this base has not increased and, in fact, has been reduced. Many of our most excellent scientists have left since we’ve gotten in bed with the Dark Atom, and that’s a slippery slope.”

  This was more like it. Hyena and Hellflower became less on edge.

  But then, trembling even more acutely, his voice suddenly raised an octave. “But, I still believe the Academician is right! I trust in his vision, in his greatness! Not everyone will understand what he is doing, but all he does is in the best interest of humanity! Although he has never formally accepted me, for years, I have looked up to that man as the greatest teacher that has ever lived!”

  “Chimp! Do you want to die?!”

  “Hahahaha! Want to die? Yes, I do! Are you afraid of death?” The lab director spun around and glared at them through bloodshot eyes. His face was full of anger and reprimand. “Hellflower, you have always worked toward your own selfish ends, and in spite of the consequences, you conspired to steal the result of the Academician’s decades of hard work! Hyena, you once begged the Academician to save your life, but now you betray him? Ever since he elevated you to your position, he never once mistreated you and yet, this is how you repay him. Do you think you’re worthy of his brilliance?!”

  Cloudhawk was stunned into
silence. Hellflower and Hyena were no better off. Chimp’s reversal was so entirely unexpected that they weren’t sure how to react.

  “I can’t fight like you, Hyena! I’m not as talented as you, Hellflower! Neither of you has ever looked at me with anything other than contempt, like garbage! But you know what? I find you repulsive too. I could murder. I could rape. I could perform all evil deeds under the sun and live in shameless depravity. But, there is one thing I will never do. I am not a traitor!”

  Bang!

  A bullet tore a hole in Chimp’s chest.

  “Tell the Academician… that Chimp never betrayed him!” Chimp swayed unsteadily and looked down at the gushing hole in his chest. All of his strength left him all at once, but he stayed on his feet. The anxious, weak man seemed to summon all the strength of a lifetime to let loose a final scream, “Brothers, avenge me!!”

  Hyena, roaring like a feral beast, lunged forward and nearly twisted Chimp’s head from his body. The frail man’s neck spun around a hundred and eighty degrees like a lump of fresh dough until he was looking straight back behind him.

  When Chimp hit the ground, his eyes were wide. He knew that these were his last moments, a realization that made him deeply afraid. But, he didn’t regret what he did. His last hope… his last wish… his last desire was that his bones might adorn the Academician’s neck.

  “Chimp, boss!”

  “Kill them! Avenge Chimp!”

  The director’s men were loyal and seeing him die instead of betraying his leader set their blood to boiling. Dozens of guns were leveled at the murderers and fired. In an instant, the whole room was filled with a deafening cacophony of gunfire, a deadly tempest of bullets.

  The three offenders dove for cover.

  Hyena was almost mad with anger while Hellflower was at a loss. Never in their wildest dreams did they think Chimp would get one up on them like this. Cloudhawk looked at Chimp, who was lying on the ground and unable to breathe. He was just as angry and surprised as the others but also puzzled.