by Shepp, Roman
“Can you walk much?” Jane asked. Saeed shook his head. Jane helped lift him to his feet, but it took a few tries as the weight was too much for Saeed's tired bones. Tara, bless her, helped too, even though she wasn't able to offer much in the way of brute strength. Her act of helping him did fill Saeed with warmth, though.
“I tried calling for you earlier. I think I was too far away,” she said. “Damn, I had hoped we'd be able to escape this community, but I don't think you're in much shape for that,” Jane said, looking this way and that. Saeed almost cried with the relief that washed over him.
“We'll go back to that tent. It's not perfect, but it'll do for now,” she said. Jane and Tara helped Saeed walk. With every step Saeed felt his strength returning to him. He tried to keep his wheezing grunts to a minimum so he would not alert anyone else that he was free, and the three of them were soon back in Jane's tent.
Saeed fell to the ground. It took him a moment or two to realize there was someone else in the tent.
“Don't worry about him. I had to tie him up so I could come rescue you. Here, have some of this,” Jane said, and handed Saeed some water and food that she had left from earlier. Saeed gladly took it and felt the sweet relief of water. It was as though a monsoon had poured over dry, cracked land, and Saeed felt immediately better. Tara ran up to him and gave him a hug. That made him feel even better than the water did.
“I hated the thought of you in that box. I had to get you out of there,” Jane added. She was standing with her hands on her hips, looking frustrated. “I don't exactly like being here, but I guess there's something to be said for hiding in plain sight. I was glad there was nobody guarding you either. Guess they didn't think anyone would help you escape. Hopefully, that's not the last mistake they'll make.”
“The others?” Saeed asked in a croaking voice. From the way her face fell he knew she didn't have good news.
“After you left the masked man knocked out me and Frank. Tony told Phil and Rosa to rescue us. We didn't make it back into the bunker. Tony and Groot were left in there with that man. I... I don't think he made it,” she said. Saeed's head fell. He had assumed that some of them wouldn't make it, but actually to hear it confirmed was something else.
“And the others? Are they here?”
“We were separated,” Jane said after a moment's hesitation. “Frank and I are here. He's made a deal with Hugo to help him. Typical of him, really. I said I couldn't, so they put me in this tent.”
“We have to keep on fighting. It's what Tony would have wanted us to do,” Saeed said.
“But how? There are only two of us here.”
“Three!” Tara piped up. The two adults looked at her and smiled.
“I've seen some horrible things here, Jane. These people, I'm not sure they realize the magnitude of what they're doing. There are many who are devoted to Hugo and see him as some sort of savior. Others are more pragmatic, but they're too scared to do anything against him. I can't blame them either, not after being put in that box. Have you seen Martha and Belinda?”
“No, but I haven't had a chance to do much exploration. I was just focused on getting you out. It's good to see you again, Saeed. There was a while there when I thought we'd lost everyone.”
“I know how you feel. But we're together again. At least that's something. We found a way through everything else, we can find a way through this. It's just a shame that you got separated from Phil and Rosa. We could have used their help.”
“I know. We definitely can't rely on Frank,” Jane said.
Saeed proceeded to tell her all about the community and everything he had learned. Jane listened intently. The guard long since had given up struggling and seemed resigned to his fate. In time, Jane urged Tara to return to where she was supposed to be sleeping to not give anything away. Tara gave Saeed another hug and then ran out of the tent. Both adults watched her run away.
“I'm glad she's alright,” Jane said.
“I made it my mission to take care of her. I failed with Martha and Belinda. As soon as we were taken back here they were hauled away.”
“How did they get you anyway?”
“We were just walking through the forest and they came out of nowhere. We had no chance to fight back. These people are damaged, Jane. Many of them have been living this way for so long they think they just can walk back into the city and convince everyone that their way of living is the right way. I don't think they quite know how dangerous it is. And the school...I overheard the lessons they're teaching the children. It's like brainwashing. The sooner we do something about it the better.”
“The question is what?” Jane asked. She had a thoughtful look on her face.
“I don't know. We'll have to think about it.”
“I'll think about it. What you need to do right now is rest. You've been through a lot, Saeed. If we're going to accomplish anything here, we're going to need you at your best.”
Saeed tried fighting the exhaustion and stay up with Jane. There still was so much he wanted to talk to her about. It seemed as though they had been separated for far longer than they actually had been. Still, he wanted to know what had happened to the others and how she had come to be here, especially how she ended up being alone with Frank. Saeed didn't think that ever would happen. But all his questions resided in his mind. His eyelids grew heavier and he could feel his body begin embracing the sweet release of sleep. Lying on the ground, he smiled as he was able to stretch out his body to its full length and give in to his dreams. With each deep breath he grew closer and closer to sleep, until the dark cloak slipped over him and offered him a respite from his suffering.
Chapter Twelve
“I'm going to tell you again. You can be a good person, Quentin. You don't have to give in to these impulses. This world is a blank canvas. You have made mistakes, but there's no legal system here. You don't have to worry about being locked up in a cell. But what you do need to worry about is this eating at your conscience for the rest of your life. You need to start thinking about the person you want to be, the person you were before all this. You've lost a lot. We all have. That doesn't mean we have to lose who we are,” Tony said, a plaintive tone to his voice.
Quentin did not reply. The two of them were walking along the river. Quentin had his hands bound together. Tony was holding his baseball bat. Groot was by his side, growling every so often. Tony was far more trusting than the dog. The air was clear and, as yet, they hadn't run into any more people, which was probably a good thing. Tony had hoped the rehabilitation would have gone easier, but at least Quentin was talking, and he seemed calmer than he had been before. However, it all was speculation on Tony's part as he wasn't a professional at this. For all he knew Quentin merely was biding his time, lulling Tony into a false sense of security so that when Tony eventually did free his hands he would kill Tony without delay.
It was important for Tony didn’t forget he was walking alongside a vicious killer, a man who had shown a great capacity for cruelty and brutality. Tony's mind was alive with all sorts of thoughts. Part of him wondered if he was too weak to live in this world. He was sure that other men would have taken the law into their own hands and killed Quentin, removing this evil from the world. But Quentin was a victim too. If there wasn't a way for Tony to punish Quentin, then there had to be a way for Tony to help him. The huge hulking man cast a long shadow. Tony often found himself glancing at the mask, wondering about the face that laid behind it. There had been a few times when Tony had suggested to Quentin that he could take off the mask but he only had been met with a withering stare. It seemed as though the man was fixated on his mask.
It most likely had something to do with this Carol, someone who had been special to him. Tony had seen firsthand how losing a loved one could affect someone so much. Tony had helped Saeed through his anguish, and he now wanted to help Quentin through his. All the while, however, Tony kept thinking about the comic books he loved so much. In them there was always so much suff
ering that could have been avoided just by killing the arch-villain, but most superheroes never did. Of course, this was for reasons outside the realm of fiction. The companies who published the comic books had to think about sales, and if a character proved popular, it was not a good marketing strategy to kill them off.
That consideration did not apply in real life, but Tony was not about to kill anyone in cold blood, even though this man may have deserved it more than most. Tony had vowed to stay by Quentin's side for as long as it took in the hope of stopping him from hurting anyone else.
For much of their time together Quentin remained silent, but there were moments when he murmured incoherently. Tony wished Quentin would talk properly. Being alone was starting to take its toll, and Tony was beginning to talk to himself under his breath. Quentin did not respond, however, so Tony was left alone with his thoughts. He wondered if Saeed, Jane, and the others had made it to safety. They all had been tasked with going after the other bad people, but he wouldn't have blamed them if they had found some safe place to stay. All he wanted, really, was for them to be happy and safe. That's all he'd wanted for all of them, but that was not what fate held in store for him. His destiny seemed to be tied to Quentin. Tony consoled himself with the thought that at least while he was with the masked man, Quentin wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.
They had been walking for a while when Quentin finally asked Tony where they were going.
“There is a group of people in this forest. Bad people. They want to hurt others and I can't let that happen,” he said. In truth, he had thought of returning to the bunker for some time to rest, but he didn't like the idea of spending his days in that tomb. At least in the open air he could feel free.
“Why can't you let that happen?” Quentin asked.
“Because that's not the type of person I am. I can't just let them get away with all this. From what I know they're planning to go to the city, causing more mayhem and destruction. Do you really think I'm just going to stand by and let that happen?”
“I suppose not. You seem like the type to want to interfere.”
“We all have our purpose in this world. You think you have yours, but at least I'm helping people. I might be the only person who can make a difference here, so I have to try.” Tony said.
“Why don't you just find a quiet place in the world to live out your life? You could hide away instead of running toward these troubles, instead of putting yourself in danger.”
“I spent my entire life hiding. While everyone else was out enjoying life, I was sitting in my apartment, losing myself in fictional worlds. I thought it was a good life. I thought that I was enriching my soul by exposing myself to all these different forms of art, but I only realized how empty it was when I started to help people. This end of the world may have ruined some people's lives, but for me it offered a new beginning. I finally was able to try being the man I always wanted to be. Real life is the only place where I can make a difference, and a difference is what I want to make. It's only when this world ended that I realized my other one was so hollow,” Tony said, a somber reflection on the state of his life as it had been.
“You were right before. You should have stayed in your bubble. When you try making a difference, the only thing that happens is that you get burned.”
“Is that what happened with you? Did you try making a difference?” Tony asked eagerly, trying to get more of an insight into Quentin's past.
He'd only been able to piece together a few fragments of Quentin's life. At some point it seemed that Quentin had given a lot of himself over to something greater. Judging by how he had handled himself in the bunker it wouldn't have been a stretch to think he had been in the army, or at least a cop or something such as that. If Tony could unlock the secrets of Quentin's past, he might be able to save Quentin's future.
His question was met with a stony silence. There was definitely something to Quentin's past that was informing the present, and Tony hoped that the more time they spent together the more chance there was of Quentin revealing more about his past.
The two of them continued along the river when they suddenly heard cries for help. Coming down the river were two figures, arms flailing about wildly. Their blood-curdling screams were being engulfed by the foamy, rushing current. It was almost a miracle they had survived this long without being dashed against rocks or the riverbank.
“Oh my God,” Tony said, rushing to the riverbank.
He leaned over, searching for a branch or anything to extend across the river so they could latch onto it. There wasn't much time to think. The two people were coming at him quickly. There weren't any branches long enough. Desperately, Tony tried thinking of how he was going to rescue them. He ended up running back down the river to give himself more time before they passed him, but still nothing presented itself.
“There has to be something,” Tony said. Then he looked at Quentin. There was no way he was going to save these people without Quentin's help, but if he misjudged Quentin, he might be signing his own death warrant.
“I need your help. I can't do this without you,” he said. Groot gave a warning growl, but Tony didn't pay attention. Even Quentin backed away, as though he wasn't sure what Quentin would do once he was free.
“Those people need our help,” Tony said desperately, “and I'm not going to stand by and watch them drown.” He freed Quentin's hands and turned his back on the masked man, moving toward the river, dropping his bat. Groot walked to the bat, standing guard over Tony's prized possession. Tony got in the river and reached out a hand.
“Hold me. I'll grab them. Don't let go,” he said. Quentin looked puzzled but held Tony's hand. Tony leaned into the river. The water came up to the middle of his chest. He looked up at the people coming down the river and shouted to them.
“Grab onto my hand!” he shouted, trying to adjust his position so he was in their direct line.
Trying to save these two proved a good distraction, for he still was fearful about having let Quentin free. The foamy water rushed and gushed around him. Deep below he even could feel fish wriggling against his legs. The two came toward him. For a split-second Tony thought he would miss them, and he would have to run back down the river for another chance, but at the last second, he grabbed one woman’s hand and swung her around. The two of them were holding each other tightly, so by grabbing one he had saved them both.
“Pull!” he yelled, straining.
His muscles felt as though they were being torn apart. Quentin dragged Tony back. The man’s strength was unbelievable. As soon as they were close enough Quentin let go of Tony and reached for the others. Tony clung onto the river bank and pulled himself up, his arms shaking as a result of the rescue effort. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Quentin help them up, and then he realized who they were.
“Martha? Belinda? What the hell are you doing here?” he said.
The two women clambered out of the river, sopping wet. They had hacking coughs and looked much the worse for wear. As soon as they realized it was Quentin who had saved them they backed up, almost falling in to the river again. Tony had to placate them.
“It's okay. You don't have anything to fear. We've...we've worked some things out,” Tony said, looking toward Quentin, hoping that he wasn't telling a lie.
For a moment Quentin was still. Tony glanced toward the baseball bat, wondering if he could get to it before Quentin got to him. Even so, it wasn't a guarantee that Tony could escape with his life or protect the others. Then Quentin nodded and turned his back on them, moving away. Martha and Belinda breathed a sigh of relief, as did Tony. He helped them up and let them relax for a few moments, stunned to see them.
“What are you doing here? Where are Saeed and Tara?” he asked.
Martha and Belinda looked spent. The two of them leaned on each other for support, gathering their strength and their breath before they spoke. Martha gave Tony an apologetic look. Tony's gaze moved between them and Quentin, wanting to make sure
the masked man wasn't going to do anything rash. He waited patiently for Martha to answer.
“We left the bunker and were making our way through the forest when we caught by one of Hugo's patrols. We were taken back to the community. We were put in boxes. I don't know what they did with Saeed and Tara, but then one night Saeed rescued us, or at least he tried. They put him in one of the boxes,” Martha said, her voice trembling.
“Boxes? What boxes?”
“It's what we use for punishment. We had to think of a way to deter people from committing crimes, although we rarely used it ourselves. We preferred talking to people and reminding them that what they did was wrong. Hugo doesn't seem to have the same restraint. Saeed must still be in there now. It's so horrible.”
“But how did you end up in the river?”
“After Saeed came for us we were taken away. Hugo told us we clearly didn't want to be a part of the community any longer, so we didn't have to be. He threw us into the river, leaving us for dead. I assume he thought we would drown sooner or later, and we almost did, if we hadn't run into you.”
“So, Saeed and Tara are safe? What about Jane and the others? Did you run into them?”
Martha shook her head. “No. The four of us left the bunker as soon as we were outside. We thought we'd be safe. Saeed protected us. He's a good man.”
“I'm glad to hear it. I hate thinking about him in that box, though. We have to go save him.”
“You don't want to go back there. There are more people than we remembered, some terrible and cruel people. You need to stay away. It's better for everyone if we just stay away. Hugo won't stop until he gets what he wants. It makes me so sad to see the community turned to this evil purpose, but there's nothing short of an army that can stop them.”
