The Omega Children - The Return of the Marauders (A young adult fiction best seller): An Action Adventure Mystery

by Shane Mason

  ‘We are all a bit nervy here of late,’ Harshon said.

  Melaleuca scoffed.

  ‘I would say a lot nervy.’

  Harshon beckoned them to speed up.

  ‘Someone has been kidnapping our children.’

  ‘Who would want them?’ Ari asked.

  ‘At first no one minded, just another way to build character,’ Harshon replied, ‘but then a few more went missing and then a whole lot, and then it started to annoy the council. They control the amount and level of discipline and development. We can’t have people charging off doing their own thing.’

  ‘Why are you telling us this?’ Melaleuca asked.

  Harshon stopped, spun around and knelt, gathering them close, searching their faces. She looked as if she wanted to divulge a secret, though as she caught eyes with Melaleuca, she pulled away, an air of resignation about her. She stood.

  ‘Move.’

  ‘What were you going to tell us?’ Melaleuca said

  ‘Just follow.’

  They trod on through the austere corridors following her, intrigued by Harshon’s behaviour and pensive about what was to come.

  Melaleuca called her cousins to her and as they walked, said, ‘I do not know what to expect, but we shall not bend to their ways. From what little we have seen we will do well to follow the advice we have been given and just be ourselves.’

  ‘Is that wise?’ Lexington said. ‘Surely we should gather our facts first.’

  Harshon stopped.

  ‘Well here we are. Master Saurian’s class. It’s for 17-18 year olds. Matron Gertrude said you children were exceptionally bright, so Sah-Task-Master Carrion has put you with the worst, most feared, Discipliner.’

  She knocked on the door and waited, listening to someone heavy walk to it.

  The figure that opened the door blocked it out entirely. A wide man with no neck and no hair stood there. His skin looked scaled and reptilian, and he had cold grey eyes. His head sat like an oversized swollen bump atop his lump of a body.

  ‘Acid,’ he spoke in a deep voice.

  Chapter 22 - Detention

  ‘Acid what?’ Melaleuca asked.

  ‘My skin is like this due to acid. That’s the last question you will ever ask until spoken to.’

  ‘Enjoy,’ Harshon said walking off.

  Master Saurian stepped away from the door revealing a class of smart-dressed, hard-faced boys and girls in their late teens. All of them had Galeslars on their left arms - some short, some long, some decorated with bits of metal and badges, others bare and empty.

  As they moved into the bare classroom a cold welcome greeted them. Four empty desks sat in the front row awaiting them. They sat and the class whispered, ‘Outsiders.’

  ‘Enough,’ Master Saurian said. ‘For the four new ones Gregand, stand and recite the four creeds.’

  He stood, snapping to attention.

  ‘Only the fit survive. Character triumphs over all. Pain and suffering is your friend. A high moral stand is the only right stand.’

  Master Saurian motioned for him to sit.

  ‘Prangard. Explain the first creed.’

  Another boy stood, strong looking with a face full of anger, and said, ‘It means that a person must find ways to overcome the obstacles placed before them, that life, true life swamps those unsuited to survive.’

  And on it went. One by one Master Saurian pulled up male students, getting them to recite creed after creed.

  Quixote sat still at his desk, hands out in front. Melaleuca thought there was no way he would last a day of this. She raised her hand in the air.

  Master Saurian glared at her.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘I have a question.’

  ‘Not allowed.’

  The class looked on shocked.

  ‘Why are none of the girls being asked?’

  One of Master Saurian’s eyes twitched and he snagged up the corner of his mouth in a snarl.

  ‘Because they know their place.’

  ‘And where is that then?’

  Master Saurian stood over her using his wide girth to intimidate her.

  ‘Be quiet. Stop asking questions! Listen to what they say and learn or ELSE.’

  Much to Melaleuca’s surprise, Lexington fluttered her eyelids and raised her hand as well, saying, ‘If I may sir, I see a simple misunderstanding. You see where we are from education is an entirely different matter.’

  Master Saurian half turned his neck-less head toward her. ‘Shut up. It matters not where you are from.’

  ‘I can explain really. Our parents taught us to use imagination. Not this mindless ─ ’

  ‘STOP THAT FILTHY LANGAUGE NOW!’

  ‘Which part?’

  ‘The “I” word,’ he replied back. He turned to the black board, and said, ‘Most disgusting students ever. Can’t believe I have been ordered to tolerate you.’

  Ari rose to his feet. ‘The only truly disgusting person here is you and the way you treat people. This is horrid.’

  In one swift move, Master Saurian grabbed Ari by his sackcloth and hauled him off his feet. ‘Look out that window, boy. Beyond that lays the southern wastelands. If I send you there, you never come back.’

  Ari eyeballed him.

  ‘If you are trying to scare me I do not even know what is in this wasteland.’

  ‘And besides you are wrong,’ Lexington said. ‘We are strong. We went through much to be here.’

  ‘And once Ari stopped a charging wild boar,’ Quixote said.

  Ari flicked him.

  ‘Yeah, because you thought it would be a cool idea to try and ride it.’

  Lexington puffed herself up.

  ‘He was only five. The boar charged him and he stood his ground with a stick in his hand to poke it. Funny thing was the boar ran onto the stick pushing Ari over, but managed to stab itself by doing so. So you see he was awfully brave.’

  Master Saurian bent down, straining to do so.

  ‘SHUT UP! Whatever you survived, your pathetic little body will not survive here.’

  Ari reached up and bent Master Saurian’s thumb back, releasing his grip. ‘We decide for ourselves.’

  ‘That shall be smacked out of you.’

  Master Saurian swung at Ari, though he ducked in time, and Master Saurian blinked in surprise.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Master Saurian yelled.

  ‘Getting out of the way.’

  ‘Insolence!’

  He again swung for him, this time with his Galeslar arm and again Ari ducked. He bobbed and weaved as Master Saurian carried on swinging wildly; ploughing forward with all his might, knocking desks and students aside. Ari rolled away from him, dodging behind desks and fallen students.

  Quixote leapt on top of a desk

  ‘Go Ari, go.’

  Fearing Ari could be seriously hurt, Melaleuca jumped up, snapping to attention, just like she had seen the other students do. ‘Master Saurian sir! This is our first day. We have much to learn.’

  Master Saurian turned about incredulous.

  Quixote danced on his desk and yelled, ‘You tell ‘em Mel!’

  Grabbing the chance, Ari tried to sneak past. Without looking Master Saurian swung his Galeslar arm, smacking Ari square in the face and sending him sprawling into the wall.

  Master Saurian smiled, crinkling his scaled face - satisfied.

  Ari sprung to his feet, blood dripping from his nose.

  ‘May I ask a question then…sir.’ He smiled showing off fresh blood stained teeth.

  Quixote threw his arms up.

  ‘Yeehaa! Go Ari, he is still standing.’

  Master Saurian swung his Galeslar arm at Quixote. Lighter and faster, he leapt over Master Saurian’s arm and tried to somersaulted forward, crashing to the floor, though he stood and paused for a performer’s applause.

  Master Saurian charged at Quixote like a stampeding rhino, slamming his foot into the side of his desk, splintering it to piece
s. Quixote leapt backwards, narrowly missing being squashed, as Master Saurian stumbled into the wall. He rose to his feet, fierce anger on his face, ready to explode.

  ‘I think he is going to kill us,’ Quixote said.

  ‘DETENTION!!!’

  Puzzled the cousins looked at him.

  ‘GO TO DETENTION! GET OUT NOW!’

  ‘What’s a detention?’ Quixote asked.

  ‘I don’t……You will….This shall…….’ Master Saurian choked, and then his expression seemed to freeze, as if he had run out of words.

  Melaleuca peered into his eyes, willing to see what lay beyond his tough exterior. Pain shot through her head, as intense images of blood coursed through her. She broke away and felt her gut feelings swirl about, undecided which way to go. She saw inside her, an undiscovered path. A small path that said, if she fought Master Saurian she could easily become tougher than he could ever dream of. But that was not the path her gut feelings willed her to follow. Theirs was the path of play and pretend and imagination. In an instant she blocked the newly discovered path, trusting all their parents had said to them.

  Master Saurian signalled to a mousy girl with thin grey hair, and she came as commanded. He wrote a note, and shoved it into her hand, holding his throat unable to talk. She read it, and said to them, ‘Come with me.’

  The cousins followed her out into the corridor only too glad to be out of there.

  The girl marched off not waiting for them.

  ‘You are lucky you were not thrown out the window,’ she said with little emotion. ‘I have seen greater than you fall.’

  ‘I’m Quixote. What’s your name?’ He jogged up beside her.

  ‘Imerelia. What an odd name you have.’

  ‘You saw a teacher throw someone out a window?’ Lexington asked.

  ‘Teacher?’

  ‘A discipliner.’

  ‘Yes. My younger brother, Stantwoine,’ she said, again unaffected.

  ‘Did he die?’ Quixote asked.

  ‘I was told later when they removed his body that he could still move.’

  ‘Body? Didn’t someone take care of him? Infirmary? Medicine? Help him,’ Lexington said.

  Imerelia halted.

  ‘He was done a favour. To grow up weak in this land is to die anyway.’

  ‘If my brother died I’d show a lot more feeling than that,’ Lexington said.

  Imerelia's face softened hearing this, and Lexington reached out touching her. ‘So you do have feelings on this.’

  She brushed Lexington’s hand away.

  ‘What you speak of is weakness.’

  ‘Lex,’ Melaleuca said. ‘Don’t let it get to you. You didn’t know this boy. As Harshon said, people die all the time.’

  Lexington faced her, and Melaleuca saw her words hurt her.

  ‘Lexington. You carry the human soul for all of us, but trust me, switch off, please. Once back at the mansion we will be fine.’

  Imerelia perked up at hearing this.

  ‘Well spoken. Maybe there is hope for you yet.’

  ‘And perhaps,’ Melaleuca said, ‘there is hope for you. See, your eyes are moistening.’

  Imerelia swiped the solitary tear onto her hand, inspected it and glared, shocked at the cousins.

  ‘We were warned you would weaken our resolve. Now follow. Detention should dent your weakness.’

  They descended down four levels into a basement.

  ‘Go in there and report for detention,’ Imerelia said, pointing to a cave entrance.

  Dull, yellow lights shone, and the musty air smelt of dirt. Together they shuffled inside, and another small light spluttered into life revealing an iron barred gate. It creaked and groaned, rising upwards.

  ‘Okay whose next,’ said a hooded, half naked man; a large hairy belly hanging over dirty leather pants.

  ‘ ‘urry up! Youse knows the drill.’

  ‘We don’t. We are the outsiders,’ Ari said.

  ‘Well I'll be. In that case we’s shall go gentle on ya. Right dis way.’

  ‘First-timers,’ the man yelled out as they emerged into a large underground cavern. Many pools of water were spread amongst stalagmites and stalactites. Steam rose off some of them, while others appeared frozen.

  ‘What ja do then, eh?’ he asked happy sounding even though he looked like a medieval executioner.

  ‘They didn’t exactly tell us,’ Lexington said.

  He roared with laughter.

  ‘Dat's what dey all say!’

  The appearance of two dim-witted looking assistants, bearing ropes, worried them. The cousins stepped back toward the iron gate. It rumbled and creaked again, rolling down.

  ‘ ‘ere, wheres you going? Do ya fink Mohg is born a yesterday?’

  ‘Whose Mohg?’

  The man laughed out loud.

  ‘ME!! Now come along, do youse part, come on. COME ON THEN!’

  ‘Run!’ Quixote yelled, tearing off deeper into the cave, his cousins in tow.

  ‘No ways out,’ Mohg yelled. ‘C’mon boys we’s got some fun-runners.’

  Mohg and the two dim-wits legged it after them, though they moved a lot slower.

  The cousins ran deeper and deeper into the cavern passing many pools, metal beds, chains dangling from the ceiling, whips, and grotesque looking weapons leaning against the cavern sides. The cavern narrowed becoming a tunnel for a short distance and then broke into five different tunnels.

  ‘Which one?’ Lexington shouted.

  ‘Who cares, just run!’ Quixote said laughing, bursting forward for the first tunnel he reached.

  ‘Oh shoot,’ Melaleuca said, ‘after him.’

  They ran like mad screaming to each other.

  ‘One of them has to be a way out?’ Lexington said.

  ‘Pretend,’ Melaleuca said.

  ‘How? This is real. And we don’t have ─ ’

  ‘Start thinking, imagining. Okay!’

  Running, Ari shouted, ‘How about we charge back the way we came. I attack. Quixote distracts and divides them, and you girls find the switch for the gate.’

  ‘Or find an air hole to climb out,’ Melaleuca said.

  ‘Ohhh, ah, um,’ Lexington started, sounding useless without information to go on.

  The tunnel started darkening, and up ahead Quixote disappeared into the darkness.

  ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Lexington yelled unsure. ‘Find an aquifer or underground creek and swim out.’

  Behind them they heard Mohg and the dim-wits shuffling fast after them.

  Ari took up the lead, though fleeing into pitch black darkness disoriented him. They could feel the tunnel get larger as the sounds they made travelled further. He stumbled forward, his legs hitting something soft. Quixote let out a cry. Melaleuca and Lexington then crashed into Ari’s prostrate body.

  Ari groped for Quixote and whacked him.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Ari asked.

  ‘I didn’t want to smack my head on something, so I crawled.’

  High above, a cover squeaked open, revealing a square grate. Daylight flooded in illuminating the large cavern they stood in, showing it only had one entrance.

  Mohg appeared at the entrance.

  ‘Boo,’ he said grinning. ‘No wheres to run. Only ‘ere to stay. Okay boys let em ‘ave it.’

  Mohg’s two dim-witted cronies appeared holding hoses. With bony, protruding eyebrows, they smiled; drooling at Mohg’s command, clearly unintelligent. They turned their hoses on full bore, and rushing water gushed out smacking into Melaleuca’s and Lexington’s face.

  Ari and Quixote dived to one side, rolling away. They sprung to their feet in time to see the girls sprawling in the mud, sliding backwards, only stopping when the pressure pinned them against the wall.

  Ari charged at the dim-wits letting forth a roaring sound to give him more courage. Mohg screamed with delight, slapping his belly with laughter. The dim-wits turned both their hoses onto Ari, knocking him clear off his feet. Lexington, da
zed, clawed at the cavern’s rocky wall trying to stand up. Melaleuca shook her head trying to clear her now red eyes. She squinted through them, watching Ari take another watery pasting. Quixote pushed his body hard against a dark area of the wall, moving cat-like around the outside. Melaleuca knew she had to distract the dim-wits from discovering him.

  ‘AAAAAAAHHHH!’ Melaleuca screamed, and ran splodging through the mud.

  They turned the hose on Melaleuca again. Ari caught his balance, stood, and charged again.

  ‘Both of them, watch, c'mon,’ Mohg yelled.

  Quixote crept ever closer.

  ‘ ‘Ere. Where’d da little one go.’

  Lexington stood, bedraggled, holding the cavern wall. Seeing the other two providing distraction for Quixote, and Mohg searching for him, she stretched her arms out and made a soft growling noise, trying to look threatening.

  ‘Get ‘er,’ Mohg yelled.

  Again a torrent of water threw Lexington against the wall. She fell and the stream of water ripped away some of the side. She threw her arms up to protect herself and saw colours flash in the wall, but then disappeared as more water hit it.

  ‘Eh. What’s dat?’ Mohg said, spying something out of the corner of his eye. He swivelled his head, staring into the darkness.

  ‘Ahhh, fink I wouldn't see ya. I lives in darkness, I can see in darkness.’ He grabbed one of the dim-wits by the scuff of his neck and turned him to face Quixote. ‘Let em ‘ave it. ‘Let em all ‘ave it.’

  The hoses danced between them, spraying watery machine-gun bullets. Again and again the cousins launched themselves at their attackers only to have their frontal assaults devastated.

  Minutes later Mohg called a halt to the hoses.

  ‘ ‘ow was dat for ya first time?’ Mohg asked with a genuine concern.

  Like mud creatures rising from a muddy earth-womb, the four of them shloped their bodies up out of the muddy cavern floor.

  ‘Is everyone okay?’ Ari asked, first to his feet.