Escape from Harrizel

by C. G. Coppola

  “Oh?”

  “Got zapped,” I rub my finger, thinking of that first—and last—time I tried to touch one.

  “Well,” he sighs, considering the sad fact, “this isn’t their home. They’ve been brought here against their will to survive in an environment not suitable to their longevity. I imagine a zap now or then might be… deserved.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t do it,” we stop at my door.

  “They don’t know that. They only know the environment in which they’ve been presented. They can only trust that everybody’s an enemy. Until you take the time to understand them,” and with this, Sampson scoops a few of the babeebs over his head, placing them gently to hum over mine, “you’ll never see clearly.”

  They vibrate softer than I’d expected. It’s so faint a hum that you’d forget they were there, if not for the giant circle of golden light. Everything nearby brightens and I can see further into the shadows for once. Instinctively, I raise my hand to my head and wait to feel the vibrations in the air. They react to the hairs on my hand as I roll it under, until I have a little ball of smooth, humming vibrations cupped in the center of my palm. Pulling my hand down, I hold it in front of me.

  Like a little sun. A little glowing sphere humming just over my palm. I squint, discovering tiny, oval indentions in long rows, one or two flickering an eye lid open.

  “Have a good night, Fallon,” Sampson bows his head, retreating into the shadows.

  I head inside, latching the door behind me as I head for the bed. I have no idea what time Reid means to swing by, but after a day of ‘Rebuilding,’ I’m in need of rest. I lie down, fold my arms behind my head and stare up at the silvery Gizella branches slithering across the ceiling. I’m not sure how long I’ve been transfixed when his voice startles me.

  “Hey.”

  I spring up, finding Reid in the open doorway to my room. “Hi.”

  “Mind if I…?” he gestures to entering without an invitation, although he’s already halfway in.

  “Of course…” heat spreads throughout me at the suddenly tight proximity. But then I glance at the closed door behind him and realize what he’s done. “How’d you do that?”

  “What?” he looks to the crimson arch, “Oh—a sirolla.”

  I raise a brow.

  He walks to me, presenting a clear tiny sphere, just smaller than a babeeb. “Like a door decoder—can open anyone’s.” It’s pinched between his fingers but I’m focused on him admiring the object. He’s proud of it, and wants me to be too. But then he looks to me and suddenly I’m overheating. We’re too close.

  “So…” I move away, “…that’s how you got into Griffin’s room.”

  “Yeah. I’m surprised that slipped past you.”

  He’s right. If I’d been paying attention, I wouldn’t have missed that. Why wasn’t I paying attention again? I run through the night’s events and my heart skips at the memory of his lips on my neck.

  “Fair enough…” I move around the space, trying to remember why he came over. There were multiple things we were supposed to talk about and now, now I can’t think of any. All I can concentrate on is the heat radiating in this tiny space and how—how terribly delicious his lips look.

  Stop it!

  “You wanted to know about gathering food,” he reminds me, “Pratt will pick you up after Leisure Time starts. We’re out for two hours and that’s it.” He hesitates, “You uh, sure you want to go?”

  “It’s freedom. Besides,” I gesture to the collection of fruits on my food dispenser. “I need to start working off my debt.”

  “It’s paid.”

  “Already?”

  He shrugs. “I know the Boss.”

  “Yeah...” I laugh, “thanks for telling me by the way.”

  “Didn’t think it was important,” he crosses his arms, “besides, my name is Reid. That’s what you asked for. My name.”

  “Knowing you go by Rox is pretty helpful too.”

  “Well… I didn’t tell you because I’ve taken some time off.”

  “A sabbatical?”

  He nods.

  “Why?”

  He rubs the back of his neck, his eyes roaming the floor. “I was seeing someone and it didn’t work out.”

  “Oh,” I pale, suddenly embarrassed to bring it up.

  “Yeah…” Reid turns, equally uncomfortable, “so Tucker’s taken over Rogue Leader. Rogues report to him now.”

  “But he reports to you. Is that right?”

  Reid paces with a half shrug, “I try to stay out of it.”

  “But?”

  “But lately he’s been begging me to resume my post.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know…” he shrugs, “they miss me? Probably has to do with the pills and list.”

  “So why don’t you go back?”

  He shakes his head, gnawing on the tip of his thumb again.

  “Okay…” I sit on the bed, folding my legs. “What about that guy earlier? The King. What was his deal?”

  “He uh…” Reid blushes, looking away, “he thinks you’re my new girl.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Since Ansley, I haven’t really—I mean, I don’t ever talk to anyone outside Pratt and the Rogues. You’re the first…” he exhales, nervously laughing, “…girl I’ve actually been seen talking to. Guess he sort of assumed.”

  “Okay…” I race through what he’s telling me, “but even if he thinks that, does it really merit an escort? I mean, I’m not in any danger, am I?”

  He bites the tip of his thumb.

  “Reid?”

  “No one’s coming near you,” he sits on the bed, “and look, sorry for this mess. It’s my fault. I should’ve been smarter being around you.”

  Being around me? It was just the few times in the trenches and Auditorium. Is that all it takes? It has to be something else. “Maybe it was the scapegoat thing?”

  “Maybe,” he blushes again, “but seriously, you’re good. Mantis or any of the Kings come within feet of you, I’ll know.”

  “Then what?”

  He shrugs. “I’ll take care of them.”

  “And…” I make sure I understand this correctly, “this is all because you’re Rox? Because they’ve seen you with me a total of three times? This makes me your girlfriend?”

  “Yeah,” he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Stupid, I know.”

  A minute passes. I stare at the ground, trying to figure out the next thing to say. I’m sure it should be about the pills or the list earlier. Even about gathering, but I keep coming back to the same question I want answered more. “Why weren’t you?”

  “What?”

  “Smarter with me?”

  “Jesus, Fallon,” he laughs, ducking his head between his shoulders. He waits a moment, “What do you want me to say?”

  We both sit in silence and I figure he’s not going to answer.

  “No one’s going to bother you, okay? It’s kind of a good thing he thinks you’re my…” Reid clears his throat, “…it’s protection.”

  “Reid.”

  “What?”

  “Look at me.”

  And when he does, I melt all over again. I have to keep my strength if we’re going to have this conversation. “Was the scapegoat thing for real?”

  He nods. “But…”

  “But?”

  Running his hands through his hair, he focuses on the ground again. “But normally I jet into the Maze.”

  I’m not sure where to go at this point. Following Reid’s lead, I look to the black stone floor, trying to figure out the next thing to say. And like him, I have nothing. Just the silence sits between us, palpable and intense.

  “Fallon?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t hit me, okay?”

  “Hit you? Why would I—” but when I look up, his lips are on mine. I’m ablaze, fire erupting in the pit of my belly. My heart almost stops at the taste of him, his intoxicating sce
nt sending me higher and higher and it’s on me, like his mouth, which presses gently against mine, as if I were something precious to him, something afraid he might break.

  Sliding his hands up my neck, he pulls me closer and deepens the kiss, opening my mouth with his. His tongue slips in, finding mine and my body sings at their meeting. Palms flat against his chest, I push back, inhaling the crisp air of the room. But he’s on me before I can breathe a full gulp, holding me to him. With his tongue exploring my mouth, my insides blaze to an unimaginable heat, especially as he starts leaning me back.

  Pratt flies through the door.

  Reid withdraws with an exasperated grunt, dropping his hands from me. He runs them up his face and through his hair as Pratt stands in front of him, panting. “I’m so sorry Reid,” she glances my way, “so sorry but you have to come now. Right now.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Snatching turned into a Clan fight.”

  “Vic?”

  “Raj.”

  Reid is on his feet, flying after Pratt. I’m behind him the next instant. He turns sharply. “You stay here.”

  “What’s going on? What happened to Raj?” I try to follow but he blocks the door with his body. “Is she okay?”

  “I’m serious. STAY HERE!” he barks, jetting out after Pratt.

  I give it only a second’s consideration before flying down the stairs after them.

  Chapter Twelve: Snatchings

  It’s a blood bath.

  In the Southeast corner of the Courtyard, most are still on their feet. They jab knives and throw bloodied knuckles, flying over others who try to drag themselves away while some remain motionless, drowning in a pool of their own blood. Reid soars into the violent mob, a long rod gripped in his right hand. He leads a host of thirteen behind him, already swinging as his two friends from the other night keep to his back. The rest follow as they immerse themselves into the riot with fresh, feral energy.

  It’s not letting up. If anything, it’s gotten worse with Reid’s entrance. A terrifying knot in my stomach uncoils. He’s in the pit of it. I can’t see him. He’s lost inside the tight center, hidden behind flying fists and weapons.

  “Rox!” Blondie points to the South Wall, just off the edge of the fight. I follow his signal, finding Raj a ways back.

  My heart clenches.

  She’s on her knees and held by two giant captors who watch the scene with an eerie sense of enjoyment. They have her arms outstretched, gripping her with huge, tightened mitts. They must be squeezing her, twisting her. Something. Her eyes are shut but her mouth hangs open. In pain? A scream? The knot in my stomach grows and I can’t help what I’m about to do.

  I fly past Pratt and into the violent crowd.

  Get to Raj.

  I trip over some unconscious leg, stumbling at first, my palms catching the sticky red film of the ground to steady myself. I wipe them on my pants and push through the tangled nest of bloodied bodies as red rains around me.

  My heart’s pounding with adrenaline and I’m almost to Raj when something knocks me in the back of the head. Hard. I go down quickly, hitting the checkered stone with the side of my face that knocks the world out with a black flash.

  Fallon!

  It’s an echo, from far away. And I’m not sure I really hear it. But it seeps into my subconscious, keeping me awake.

  Fallon!

  I open my eyes and see Raj. She’s crying out in panic, in terror at everything around her. That’s when the sound returns. And I’m still here, in the middle of it. Someone grabs my elbow, but releases me just as quickly. I’m on my knees, pulling myself to my feet and slipping in the red film as Raj’s face comes in and out of view. They’re pulling her back, dragging her by her arms and she’s sobbing.

  “Raj!” I fly for her as the world stops shaking.

  But then someone grabs me with both arms and lifts. The ground leaves me and suddenly I’m being crushed in the air. Kicking furiously, I slam my heels back as hard as possible. I make contact with a knee and the arms go limp around me.

  Hitting the ground, I start to run when I’m grabbed again. He swings me back and I bend my elbow, knocking it across his face, jamming it into his nose. He curses, releasing me to hold his face instead. It’s only a second, but I jet away, sliding through the red film toward Raj. I have to get to her. I have to save her. She can’t go. Not like Hinson.

  But before I’m able to reach her, Blondie and the bronze haired Rogue work on taking down her captors. Distracted by their own fights, both assailants break their clutch on Raj and I rush forward, racing at the opportunity to pull her free.

  “Fallon!” she cries, terror piercing her voice.

  She trembles as I grip her, dragging her back from the fight. Tears stream down her face as I search for our exit, any clear place that can get us away from here. Suddenly, she begins to seizure in my arms, her body tightening into a numb, lifeless state. Heavy at the new unbalance, she slips through my hands but I catch her in time as we both slide to the sticky red ground.

  “Raj?” I try, knowing she can’t answer. Sweeping my hand under her neck and shoulders, I lay her down as gently as possible, staring into her eyes that, like Hinson, exude unimaginable fear.

  “Raj?”

  And then, like last time, the semi-reflective cords appear. The battle instantly freezes, all movement halting. The silent audience parts as the taunting, carefully treaded scrape-scrape-scrape of talon on marble approaches in its place. I don’t need to look up. There’s nothing there I want to hold onto, nothing worth paying any attention to. Right now Raj lays in my arms, paralyzed in terror. That’s all that matters.

  “Move.” He hisses under his breath.

  Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of him. They look to me with such desperation, such pleading. Don’t let me go. Don’t let me go…

  I squeeze her hand—it’s all I can do.

  “Now,” he follows up his threat.

  It takes everything I have not to launch myself at him, inflicting all the pain I can before meeting an inevitable, untimely demise. That’s not the way this is supposed to end, though. Not here in this dark bloodied mess, with all these people witnessing. Not in front of Raj.

  Laying her down fully, like a lamb to the slaughter, I slowly rise to a stand.

  Tetlak looms three feet above, his yellow eyes narrowed into slits, watching me. Waiting. I don’t move. My powder blue slippers remain cemented to the red checkered floor, to Raj’s side and there’s nothing that’s going to change that. A sharp growl escapes, billowing his whiskers with salty heat. The scent wafts toward me but I remain motionless. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it will end this way. Tonight. Right now.

  Tetlak lets another growl escape—a final warning. Move or be moved. The broken, bleeding faces stand stunned, paralyzed. They’re consumed by the unfamiliar scene playing before them. They’ve never seen something like this. Not yet, at least. A showdown they all thought impossible. But it’s not for them—not for any of them. It’s for Raj at my feet. It’s for Hinson.

  I hold eyes with Tetlak and shake my head.

  He jets toward me with a fierce launch over Raj. I don’t have time to react. Reid is between us in an instant, his body an impregnable wall against the malignant reptile hovering above. Tetlak stops at the change in target, glancing at Reid, then at me.

  A familiar voice interjects.

  “I believe you have what you’ve come for, Tetlak,” Sampson’s morose words break the silence with surprising courage. “Let it be the end, then?”

  Tetlak draws back, whipping around to Sampson. But he doesn’t budge. Not even a flinch. Sampson’s face remains indissoluble, overcome in a sheet of sadness.

  “We’ve been over this,” Tetlak hisses, “know your place.”

  “And know yours,” Sampson tosses back as easily, though still deeply saddened, “you’ve assisted in a disturbance but your services are no longer required,” his words are out before I know what he’
s said. We all stand in awe, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Waiting for Sampson’s immediate demise.

  Tetlak’s back tightens, but nothing more. The two stand staring at each other, sharing some unfunny inside joke. Tetlak growls again and again, Sampson refusing to flinch. He remains stoic, unconvinced to fear the reptilian monster glowering down. Then, as if Sampson couldn’t push it any farther, adds a concluding. “Thanks again for your help.”

  This has to be it.

  Sampson’s death.

  But nothing’s happening. Tetlak’s eyes narrow further, annoyed heat trickling down his whiskers and onto his clutched talons. They’re grasping something. The cord. It’s wrapped around his wrist, sliding through his scaly fingers, his talons, and down to the ground around Raj. He tugs with the clenched fist and her paralyzed body starts to move. Turning, he tugs Raj behind him and through the parting crowd, disappearing with her into the evibola across the way.

  Sampson approaches Reid quickly. “If we don’t disperse now, he’ll return with Norpe and Yerza. Maybe Beshib.”

  Reid nods, whispering in a voice I can barely hear. “We’ll clear out but I have to talk to Tucker and the RCs.”

  “All?”

  Reid nods then hesitates, “At least Tucker. The others will have to know at some point too,” he takes a heavy, exhausted breath, “…was hoping we’d have more time. More information for them.”

  “They’ll want to hear from you.”

  Reid nods again.

  “Tonight?” Sampson asks.

  Reid shifts his weight. “Tomorrow. Camp. Tucker first, then the others. We’ll regroup in my bunk for tonight.”

  “Better make it mine,” Sampson says.

  Reid nods. Spinning, he addresses the silently stunned mob, “No need to further debase the Kings tonight… they’ve done that enough themselves,” he twirls his finger in the air, ordering. “Rogues head out.”

  “So soon?” a voice asks. It belongs to a pair of blazing blue eyes attached to a husky body with copper hair and a devilish grin. Mantis stands next to him, his dark spheres smiling at me. “I thought the fun was only beginning?”

  “Hasn’t even started,” Reid offers a wink, motioning for the bodies on the ground to be taken care of. He whistles a three toned note and the two that fought Raj’s captors surround me, the bronze- haired man residing on my left and Blondie on my right. I watch Reid take off to join Sampson along with Clark and Vix, who have also appeared.