“Wystan now is not the time for fisty-cuffs. We are here to glean information. Leave them with me,” Pratt said. He sprung away from the table and walked all light of foot to where I stood. He looked me up and down. “Oh, I shall enjoy retrieving info from this freak.”
“Not alone. You know what she can do?” Hacket said and pulled him away.
“Of course I do. I saw the footage. Not all the cams were immobilised, Kendra.”
Pratt leant towards me and stroked my face with his cold big-knuckled fingers. I stepped away from him. He smiled and continued to speak in a high and whiney voice that sounded as if he were in a constant state of stifling back tears. “But she wouldn’t use her talent in here. Not with her friends right next to her,” he said and palm-slapped Wirt on the nose.
He staggered backwards, snorted out blood, stared at Pratt and said, “Do it, Adara. Sing!”
Wirt received another clout, this time from the thuggish Agro, Wystan. The blow was fierce and sent him sprawling head first onto the hard stone floor. He lay crumpled on the ground, gasping for air. Wystan kicked him over and put his foot onto his chest. Wirt coughed and spluttered up spittle.
“Leave him be you coward or…”
“Or what? Adara,’ Pratt said, and put his mouth next to my ear, “you’ll sing? I think not.”
I looked at Wirt and my insides churned. I could not use my voice and these filthy Agros new it. I lowered my head, heard Edwena chuckle and Hacket say, “Do what you must, Pratt. Try not to kill anyone - just yet. Keep the songbird alive. Our medics wish to discover what makes her special. They require an intact body before they dissect.”
“Leave Adara be. We kill if harm come to her.”
Marcellus’s voice to my left. I took a step forward and turned to him. He too had moved out of line and was slowly walking towards Hacket. His face scrunched up in pain and his feet shuffling along the floor. He closed his eyes and for a moment I thought he would faint, but he did not. Hacket backed away and Edwena placed herself in front of Marcellus. He stopped. “Will kill all,” he said and slumped against her shoulder.
“Get this creature off me.” She pushed him away and wiped her hands on her skirt as if to remove something unpleasant.
Marcellus toppled forward.
Pratt and Hacket caught him just before his face hit the ground. They hoisted him upright pushed him back into the line and propped his drooping bod against Eadgard’s arm. They took deep breaths and both males smoothed what little hair they had, flat against their bonces.
“Can I get on? Or is someone else going to threaten us with a futile show of violence?”
We did not answer.
“Good,” Hacket said. “Let the boy up Wystan and come with me. You have until this afternoon, Pratt. If by then you have no luck extracting the truth, I will hand them over to Wystan. He has a flair for skin extraction.” He clicked his fingers at named Agro. He withdrew his foot from Wirt and Joined Hackett in walking to the far wall.
They stopped.
Hacket placed his hand upon the surface and an opening appeared. He stepped through, Wystan followed, and the gap disappeared.
Pratt and Edwena ambled over to the table. They resembled one another in sharpness of features and height. She sat on top of the metal counter, and Pratt pulled out a chair.
“Come, Adara, sit if you please,” he said and patted the cushioned seat.
“I would have my friends do the same. As you can see, some are injured.”
“Indeed, they are. I would even go so far as to say, gravely injured. Well, I’m not a Carnie brute. Edwena if you would be so kind?”
She nodded, bot-wriggled off the tabletop and pulled out four more chairs. Arranging them in a circle in front of Pratt, she walked over to Wirt, knelt beside him, and poked him in the ribs. “Get up you snivelling wimp.”
Wirt let out a low grunt and she dug her fingers in again. “Up, or I’ll stand on your chest.”
He eyed her largeness, managed to squiggle himself into a sitting position, paused, breathed deeply, then stood. Edwena pushed him towards the chairs. He tottered forward. “Sit.” He did.
Then the Agro fem walked over to Kendra. “My, what beautiful, thick hair you have,” she said and grabbed her by it. Then she yanked Kendra over to the chair next to Wirt’s and let go. Kendra thunked onto the seat, leaving more than a clump of her locks in Edwena’s hand. “Do I have to lug the rest of you? Or can you manage to sit by yourselves?” she said and flung Kendra’s tresses onto the floor.
I side shuffled to where Marcellus was, all slumped upon Eadgard, and pressed myself against his free arm. Eadgard applied pressure too and together we managed to move Marcellus to the remaining empty chairs.
Edwena walked over to him and dug her fingers into his wound. He screwed up his eyes, let out a hefty grunt and sank to his knees.
“Leave him be.”
“Or what? Stay closed of mouth Auger. You too, Backpacker, or I will do more than harm to you and your friends.”
I looked to Eadgard and he nodded his head.
Edwena smirked, pulled Marcellus up by his wristcuffs and shoved him over to sit next to Wirt. He fell into the chair with a thud and she, not content with causing him one hurt, thrust her fist into his now open wound. His head fell back and he let out a gasp as a fresh trickle of blood oozed from the hole in his chest.
“You,’ she said to Eadgard, “sit. Or should I tickle your friend again?”
Eadgard, tight of lip, stiffened and sat next to Kendra. I stared at Marcellus, at his colourless face and felt a tear in my guts. Edwena folded her arms, stood behind him and glared at me. “You too freak.” Then without any reason that I could see, she shoved Marcellus in the back of the head. He groaned and the wound poured freely.
I plonked myself down next to Eadgard and took a longly look at Marcellus and Kendra. Their colour was not good and Wirt’s left cheek was swollen and bruised. Eadgard too had patches of red and lumps and bumps that were not there before we entered this space. But the worst of it was the look of hopelessness in their eyes, like that of the kiddles in the labs. I closed mine and clenched my teeth so hard my ears hurt. Then I felt a swipe upon the back of my head.
“You’re not here to sleep. Wolfbitch,” Edwena said and thwacked me across the face. My head swam for a sec and my vision swished and swashed until all I could make out were hazy moving shapes.
“Please refrain from harming the girl until I have done,” Pratt said and stood behind my chair.
“Can I have her when you are finished?”
“If there is anything left, of course.”
Edwena moved away and Pratt put his hands on my shoulders. He pressed down with all his spindly might and despite my training, I cried out.
“I want her to tell me what she knows,” he said and pushed down harder. I bit my lip so as not to utter the noise of weakness that hovered in my throat.
Edwena sidled up, bent close and gave me a sharp punch in the stomach. I bent forward and let forth a splat of sick.
“Leave her be!” Eadgard said and shuffled in his chair. “If you need info I am the one to provide it.”
He stood, kicked back his chair, and then lunged towards Pratt, who simply stepped out of the way. The he stuck his foot out so that Eadgard tripped upon it and fell. The thud his face made when it hit the floor was loud and I heard him faintly moan. Blood flowed from his nose and he began to choke.
“Lift him for Mother Nature’s sake, or he will surely die,” Wirt said.
“You Woodsfolk are so soppy,” Edwena said, walked over to Eadgard, and kicked him in the ribs. He coughed and curled his body. She screwed up her eyes, and pointed at Wirt. “Are you to be next?”
“Stop,” I said and stood. “If I have knowledge that you need, I will gladly tell if you will let my friends go.”
“Nay, Adara.”
“Do not worry for me, Wirt.”
“But, ye know nowt.”
“Shsht. I know more of things t
han I let on.”
“Wa? But…”
Pratt smiled. He took me by the elbow and led me to the back of the room. When he believed we were out of earhear, he bent close and whispered, “Who sent you? Who is behind this attack upon the Agro headquarters?”
An attack? His words gave me hope. I had no inkling to be sure of any raid, but knew that I had to rummage through my noggin to come up with something that would satisfy these brutish Agros, and so save my friends from further hurt.
My brain twisted and turned. Fragments of convos scuttled around my head. Words, hints and sly looks all came together and parted, leaving me with nowt but confusion. I turned my face away from Pratt’s acid breath and said, “We came to save our kin.”
He dug his nails onto my flesh. “I repeat; who sent you to ambush from within and distract us so that a raid could take place at our border fence?”
Then I remembered what Audrey said. The things she didn’t say. Kendra too and Eadgard. I remembered the Abbot, the Abbey, and the folk gathered there, come together as one for one purpose. It all made sense. We were not alone. This was goodly news.
Pratt yanked my arm. “Tell me. Speak of what you know.”
“I know nowt.”
He let go my arm and pushed me back towards my friends who sat, heads bent and sickly of face. Eadgard lay on his side and Edwena stood in front of him staring at Pratt. I noticed as we progressed across the room that Eadgard’s bound hands began to move slowly towards the right outside leg pocket of his trousers.
I needed to divert attention from his furtive manoeuvre.
My brain, all fuggy from repeated slaps, could not form a suitable plan. Then I recalled how I had used my voice as a hard thing against the then, Brother Jude.
I halted.
Pratt spun me round and gripped onto my shoulders with white-knuckled fists.
“What now? What deviousness is this? Walk.”
I did not.
“Walk!”
I remained where I was.
With rage in his eyes, he raised both clenched mitts, but before he could plant them on my skull, I said, “I’ll tell you. Come closer so that the others do not hear my shame.”
He lost the tension in his face and hands and bent close. I used the anger, hurt, rage and disgust that I felt, and focused it into a small hard thought. Then I parted my lips ever so slightly and belched out a sound that hit him like a dagger. Pratt shot backwards and crashed onto the ground.
“Pratt!” Edwena screamed. She called his name again, but he did not respond. She raised her foot so as to step over Eadgard and hurry to her pal’s aid, but he halted her progress by rolling onto his stomach and thrusting his Leatherman up. He stabbed deep into her belly. She crumbled to the floor clutching at her flabby tum. He rolled out of the way and I raced to his side. Wirt stumbled over and held out his bound hands. Eadgard lifted the blade and Wirt cut himself free. Then he took the knife and severed our bonds.
“Can ye stand?”
“With your help,” Eadgard said, and both Wirt and I took him under the arms and lifted. We helped him to the chairs and sat him down next to Kendra. She stood shakily and Wirt freed her hands. She turned to Marcellus whose head was slumped upon his chest.
“He has been like that for quite a while, my dears.”
“Cut him free,” I said and squatted before my beloved.
Wirt pushed him forward, slashed open his bindings, and Marcellus fell against my chest. I could not hear him breathe. His hands flopped to his sides and the weight of his body, forced mine back onto the floor. I lay still for a sec, feeling the heaviness of his limbs and torso upon me. His head nestled against my breast as though asleep. I leant towards his cold face and whispered into his ear, “Marcellus? Wake for me. Please, wake.”
Chapter Twelve
Incursion
I would have stayed beneath Marcellus until his hair and flesh and bones became no more than dust. But he was lifted from my embrace and placed upon the ground. Eadgard and Wirt stood over him. I saw my Woodsfolk friend take in a juddery breath.
“He went too quiet. He should have raged,” Wirt said and turned to Kendra. “Ye see that don’t ye?”
Kendra knelt beside Marcellus’s body and closed his eyelids. “He did. Marcellus was a storm.”
I rose slowly and sniffed in hard. Kendra stood beside me and Eadgard swallowed. I looked at Wirt. He lowered his gaze and turned away. His shoulders began to shudder and my knees felt as though they had turned to mush. There was an ache in me that grew inside my blood and belly and lungs. All I wanted to do was to lie next to my love and melt into him. Kendra grasped my fingers. Despite her wounds and pain, she hugged me close until I ceased my blubbering’s.
“They will pay for what they have done,” Eadgard said.
I pulled away from Kendra and wiped my eyes. Wirt came to me all wet of cheek. “Ay, they will pay and no mistake.”
“Is the female dead?” I said and stared down at Edwena’s curled up bod.
“I have not checked, but will right now.”
“I will join you in ascertaining the severity of her wounds.”
“Your company will be most welcome, Kendra.”
They went over to the prone fem and Eadgard put his ear to Edwena’s mouth.
Wirt slow-stepped over to where Pratt lay and prodded him. He did not move. He bent over him, placed his fingers on the side of his neck and looked up. “He yet survives.”
“As does this vicious termagant,” Eadgard said and stood.
Narrowing her eyes, Kendra used her foot to push Edwena onto her back. She gave her a kick in the ribs, and when the Agro fems eyes flickered opened, bent down and said, “Offspring of a rabid wolf, you do not deserve to live when one as fine and goodly as Marcellus does not.” She placed the heel of her shoe upon Edwena’s neck. “You will never hurt another.” She was about to smash down upon her windpipe, when Eadgard grabbed her arm and dragged her away. Although she struggled for a sec, he held on and she sank into his chest.
He spoke softly, “We are not murderers. Leave such cowardly actions to those who own the word ‘weakling’.”
Kendra pulled away from him, looked at Marcellus’s still form and closed her eyes. “He was good and true. You will be missed Marcellus.”
I stifled a sob.
“There is too much sorrow. I am without action so deep the pain flows.”
Eadgard took my hand and pressed it between his own. “If we had time to mourn our friend we would, but all is chaos and we must flee.”
His words were prudent and had a sobering effect upon all in the room. I let his hand go, and pushed my hurt to a place of safe keeping. “I have news to tell that you may not have overheard.”
“Speak Adara.”
“Not so close to ears that will use what they hear against us.” I beckoned my friends to follow me to the far corner of the room. We huddled together. I kept my voice low and my eyes on Edwena. “These Agros are at war. Outside an attack on this place is occurring. Pratt believed we were sent to distract them, whilst who-knows-who began a raid.”
“Ah, so it begins.”
“Wha begins?’ Wirt said.
Eadgard winked and Kendra’s face darkened. “Too quick. Too soon. We are not ready yet.”
“What? You know something of what transpires?”
“I do Adara. We are indeed a diversion my dears. Do not look so aghast. We are bound to one another in many ways. All for different reasons, all for one purpose.”
“Which is?” I said, my hackles rising.
“To end the Agro stronghold. Without are Ladies, Woodsfolk, Monks, Clonies, Backpackers and Techs, all come to defeat the Agros and end their dominance over this land.”
“Your part in all of this was crucial.”
“Was this my true mission, Eadgard?”
He did not to reply.
The sound of a hoarse chuckle caused us to turn. It came from Edwena. She was propped up on one elbow and g
ave us a most unpleasant sneer-lip look. “You will never end our reign. You are too weak. And as for your ‘mission’, that is over.”
Wirt lurched forward, but was stopped from doing who-knows-what to Edwena by Eadgard. He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from the snickering Agro.
“Do not listen to this excuse for a fem. Do not allow her to rankle you. We are many, many and tough.”
“Really? How tough will you be in but a few weeks, when all your rations are gone?”
“What? Answer. Tell us what you know.”
Silence.
Eadgard let Wirt go and went over to Edwena. He took out his Leatherman and pointed it at her cheek. “Say what you mean or I will hurt you badly.”
She shuffled herself into a sitting position and scratched at some dried blood on her chin. “We have been starving one and all for a reason. We have stolen the Meeks, for a reason.”
“Which is?’ Eadgard said and pressed the blade against her jaw. Edwena yawned, pushed his hand away and smoothed down her rumpled hair.
“Figure it out yourselves. It’s quite obvious.”
Kendra snorted and joined Eadgard. She prodded Edwena’s side with her foot. The fem grimaced and held her hand against her ribs.
“She’s right it is obvious. These Agros do not have the brainpower to keep the labs running by themselves. They need the Meeks to serve them.”
“But for what purpose?”
“My guess, Adara, is to clone others similar to the Meeks. I am sure the Agros do not like waiting for nature to produce such prizes. Think on it. Why would not the Agros want a subservient race of intelligent beings that would keep them in all things tech, and the rest without.”
Edwena sighed and blinked a slow blink. “There is some truth in what you say. Do not underestimate the ingenuity of our people. Especially when our survival is at risk. We have been a long time preparing.”
“Preparing for what?”
She smirked. “Ah, now, Adara, that would be telling.”
I was about to wipe the smugness from her face when there came a muffled boom from outside. The ground began to shake and we all squatted down right quick. Edwena lost her balance, fell sideways and lay still. Another blast of sound and room shake made my stomach clench. Eadgard rose and raced to the far corner. He pressed his ear to the wall, but staggered back as a louder bang let loose around us. “We must leave.”
A Silence Heard Page 10
