by C. A. Wilke
Chapter 43
Flight
Betrayal is a bitter pill. But betrayal by those held most dear is the bitterest of all.
* * *
Distant voices echoed in the blackness. They were as muffled and indistinct as her own thoughts. She had no comprehension of when or where she was.
Finally, Scarlett was able to focus on one voice and pull herself toward it. The words, and her own thoughts, became clearer. But the clarity only brought her out of her dreams and into a nightmare.
Her eyes fluttered open and vertigo twisted her vision. Her perspective corrected itself once she realized she was lying on her back. A small light overhead shot a blinding beam of white light right into her face. The dull roar of high-altitude air travel pounded in her ears.
Scarlett lifted her hands to find them bound by securecuffs, a set of high-tech metal bands joined by a thick steel rod. She cursed internally. From her briefing with Neil months ago, she knew that a DNA signature was the only way to get them open.
Scarlett pulled herself upright and groaned.
“You’re awake.”
She turned to the voice and found Neil. “You son of a bitch.”
Three more guards in Universal Dynamics uniforms sat in the seats nearest Neil. He turned from them to look at Scarlett. “It’s nice to see you too.”
“Piss off.”
Two of the guards chuckled. Neil just sighed. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Might as well relax, It’ll be another hour before we arrive.”
Scarlett glowered. She pushed until her back was against the fuselage wall. Her hands twisted against the cold metal holding her wrists. With her eyes closed, she took in every sound she could, the creak from the forward cabin door, the changing tone of rushing wind and the cough of the flight attendant in at the back of the craft.
She analyzed each of the three guards. Blondie likes to sneer, probably a mean sonofabitch. Mustache is quiet, reserved. Buzzcut is pretty straight-laced. Maybe former military.
The sound of wind outside the craft changed. It grew louder and more erratic. Another wave of vertigo washed over her accompanied by nausea as she felt her weight against the seat fade. A strange sense of falling came over her. Her instincts told her to grab on to something, anything. The seatbelt still holding her in place did little to ease her anxiety.
She looked around and blinked a few times to get her bearings. We’re in space.
Scarlett cleared her throat. “Where are we going?”
Neil didn’t move. “Derrick wants to see you.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot you’ve switched sides; that you’re working for the man you were supposed to be fucking protecting me from.”
“Actually, that job was protect you or to train you to take care of yourself. Once you were trained, the job was done.” He sat up and shifted in his seat.
The corner of Scarlett’s mouth turned up in a wry smile. “Oh, well. That’s comforting. At least now I know you didn’t betray me until after I left.”
“It’s not like that. And technically speaking, my job has nothing to do with you or Mr. Collier. My job is simply to protect and transport a data core. I had no idea what was on it and didn’t care. I didn’t even know it was the core you were after until we found the unconscious guard.”
“You...” She shook her head back and forth. “You’re so full of shit.”
“I told you. I’m only interested in the job. I keep client confidentiality.”
The lead guard laughed. “Jesus. You two sound like you’re married.”
Scarlett tried not to laugh herself at the absurdity of the situation. “No, not married. We only lived together for eight months and shared a bed.”
All three guards winced.
“What did you expect, Scarlett? That we’d get married? Have little babies?”
Scarlett screamed. “I didn’t expect you to blow up your goddamn house to get away from me!” Her face burned.
“Oh damn.” One of the guards muttered.
The rest of the flight was silent until the captain announced their arrival at the Universal Dynamics Orbital Research Station.
* * *
Dax dozed. An hour earlier, a wave of panic had overtaken him. In a fit, he’d eaten two boxes of granola bars and drank a gallon of water. Now, in a semi-dream state he felt a tingling in his groin. He wasn’t entirely sure what the feeling meant. Whatever it was, it told him to let go. Just let it go.
About to give in to the feeling, a sound caught his attention. Dax wasn’t sure if the sound, a faint tank-tank-tank, was a dream or real. He pulled himself into the waking world and waited to see if it would repeat.
Tank-tank-tank.
Dax scrambled for the door. “Hello? Is someone there? Hello?”
A woman’s muffled voice came from the other side. “Dax? Is that you?”
“Scarlett! Thank God!” He leaned back against the door and yelled. Fresh tears streamed down his face. “How did you get out? Did you kill Neil?”
“It’s not Scarlett.”
What?
“It’s Jules, a friend of Scarlett’s.”
His eyes looked up and his head tilted to the side. “A friend? Is she okay? Did she make it out?”
“I was going to ask you that.”
Shit. His heart thudded in his chest. Dax knew he was short on time. But if Scarlett was still alive, her time was even shorter. “Okay, you have to get me out of here.”
“How?”
How-how-how... His mind raced for a moment. His thoughts came to rest on only one solution. Scarlett might be in trouble when she got back. Think about getting her back first.
“Dax? How can I help?”
“Okay, how big is the power outage?” He grabbed a pen and paper to scribble notes. “Just the apartment? The whole building?”
“No, the power’s on out here.”
His head snapped up. “It is?”
“Yes, the lights in your... apartment… are all on.”
Okayokayokay. “There’s an interface panel on the door to the safe room, do you see it?” Dax gasped. The shouting and the thin air was getting to him.
“Let me see. Um... Yeah, I see it but it’s dead.”
“Dead?” Dax’s brow wrinkled. But, that would mean... “Wait, how did you find me?”
“Mickey gave me your address.”
“Mickey.” He whispered to himself. “Is he, um... okay?”
“He’s fine Dax. Shouldn’t we focus on getting you out?”
Memories of Janson flashed through his mind. He couldn’t help the feeling that Jules might not be a ‘friend’ of Scarlett’s. God. If she did something to Mickey, I’ll kill her.
“Uh... yeah. I’ll tell you what. Go down to the street and knock on the window of the car there.” He closed his eyes and sighed. He could not believe he was telling Jules to do this.
“To the Feds?”
“You know about them?”
“Yeah. Mickey told me.”
“Oh.” Dax knew Mickey wouldn’t just tell anyone about the Feds. “Well, go knock on their window and ask for Agent Barnes. Tell them Mr. Lewis needs help.”
There was a long pause. Dax wasn’t sure if she’d left or not. “Hello? You still there?
“Yes. So you want me to go get the Feds? Isn’t there some way to get this open faster than that?”
Pins and needles trickled down his back. Oh shit. “Nope! No other way.”
“Alright. I’ll be right back.”
Dax ran to his desk. He kicked the chair out of the way and climbed underneath. From the back underside of the desk, he pulled a small pistol. He glanced back at the door. If she’s not who she says she is, I’m dead. Well, I’m not going out without a fight. If Agent Barnes isn’t the first one through that door…
Chapter 44
The Station
Our lives are little more than a struggle for survival. In the end, death is inevitable.
* * *
&nb
sp; The shuttle’s docking clamps locked on to the space station with an echoing thud. Distant motors whirred, locking the vessel in place. Scarlett’s ears popped as the cabin air pressurized to match the station’s. Here we go.
The passenger cabin lights flickered on. “Let’s go.” Neil’s voice was cold.
Scarlett did a double-take. A small part of her wanted to laugh. That same small part also refused to admit that she was just another payday for Neil. But that part of her was shrinking rapidly.
Scarlett tried to lean forward but was held in place by restraints. Her hands flew up to the belt. A thick steel rod with a blinking red light connected metal bands wrapped around each wrist.
She cocked her head to the side and looked over at Neil. “A little help?”
Neil responded by reaching over and pressing the button to release the restraint straps holding her to the seat.
The sudden weightlessness washed over Scarlett. She drifted up and out of her seat. A fresh wave of nausea fought against her tenuous resistance to retching. She swallowed hard.
Neil grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled her into the aisle.
Inexperienced in zero gravity, her legs flailed about. The nearest guard, Blondie, ducked just in time to avoid her foot.
Neil grabbed her shirt with his other hand and righted Scarlett so she was more or less standing. He shoved her forward. Two of the guards pulled themselves out of the way as she floated down the aisle. She collided with Mustache, sending them both careening.
“Keep her under control.” Neil barked.
Scarlett twisted in the air. Another bout of nausea threatened to make her throw up. A pair of hands seized her legs and stopped her rotation.
Neil angled his chin to her. “But don’t get too close or you’ll end up like the other three, either dead or in the hospital.”
She looked down at Buzzcut holding her feet. The man chuckled. Scarlett almost wanted to laugh at his confidence. As a warning, she curled the corner of her mouth up and forced a smile. Buzzcut shifted his grip to the back of her shirt and held her at arm’s length.
A loud hiss came from the hatch into the research station. A blast of cool air smelling of ozone hit her in the face. The door shifted inward then slid to the side. Scarlett was shoved forward, into the narrow airlock chamber beyond. Neil and the other guards drifted in and closed the hatch.
A few seconds later, the inside door hissed and they entered the station. Scarlett’s handler yanked her to the side, positioning her in front of the rest of the escort party.
A long corridor stretched out in front of her. Another shove pushed her further into the station until she was yanked to a halt. She craned her neck to see what was going on behind her.
Neil stood facing a small control panel with a flat hand scanner when a woman’s voice echoed in the hall. “Welcome aboard the Universal Dynamics Hazelton Orbital Research Station, Mr. Smithson. Station Director Martins wants to see you and Security has been notified of your guest. They are waiting at O-Ring Security Holding.”
Neil placed his hand on a scanner. “Thank you.”
Buzzcut’s occasional shoves propelled her down the corridor until they reached an alcove with an elevator-like hatch. Handcuffed and under the eye of three guards and Neil, she was clearly outmatched. There was no point in struggling.
“Alright.” Neil grabbed onto a handhold mounted to the wall. “Take her to Holding. I have to go see the Station Director. Don’t let her say or do anything. Do whatever you need to do to keep her under control, as long she’s alive when the director sees her.”
“Not a problem.” Blondie leered with a sick pleasure.
Neil boarded as soon as the elevator doors opened and he tapped a panel inside. He told the lift to take him to the executive offices then pointed a finger at the guards. “And don’t let her get too close.”
The door closed and she was alone with the guards. A moment later it opened again to an empty elevator. Buzzcut shoved her into the small space. Scarlett’s face bounced off the back wall. “It’s too bad she resisted.”
The guards boarded the elevator. Buzzcut chuckled. When the doors closed, Blondie braced his foot against them and crushed her against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut.
He held her there for a few seconds, jabbing his elbows into her breast and stomach. Blondie let her go and smiled. “Yeah... too bad she resisted. She had such a pretty face.”
He wrapped a hand around Scarlett’s throat.
She opened her eyes and stared directly into his.
His smile disappeared. Anger flared in his gaze and he slammed her against the wall. “You killed two of my friends. The Director wants you alive. He didn’t say in what condition, but when he’s done with you... you’re mine.”
Blondie’s grip tightened around her throat, cutting off her air. Panic flared at the edges of her mind but she forced it away. Now was her time to move.
Scarlett gurgled.
The guard holding her laughed and turned to his friends. “Looks like the little princess wants to say something.” His grip loosened just enough for her to get a breath.
Scarlett coughed and gasped for air. After a moment, her gaze locked onto his. “Too close.”
She thrust her hands up and brought the bar holding her wrists together into Blondie’s chin. His body went slack. She kicked out, smashing her foot into Mustache’s chin and knocking him out cold. The impact sent Mustache spinning into Buzzcut.
Blondie reached for a black, metal baton strapped to his leg. Scarlett reached him before he could draw the weapon and flung him across the small space.
She turned to see Buzzcut recovering from his collision with Mustache. He shoved his unconscious friend out of the way with his baton. Buzzcut braced against the wall and launched himself at her.
Shit! Scarlett kicked out again. The heel of her foot shattered his nose and knocked him out. Buzzcut’s blood splattered across the elevator walls. His unconscious body spun in the air and bounced off the wall in slow motion. His blood began to drift toward the floor of the cabin as the gravity began taking hold.
“You bitch!” Baton in hand, Blondie turned and sneered at her. “Fuck the director. You’re not worth the trouble.”
Blondie launched himself at her, his eyes blazing with rage.
Scarlett kicked off the wall. She felt the snap of bones cracking as Blondie’s baton slammed into her ribs. She turned and found herself behind her opponent.
The guard tried to twist around to face her, but Scarlett flung her arms over his head. She wedged her knee against his back and yanked the bar on her cuffs back hard against his throat.
Blondie’s trachea crunched. With his airway destroyed, he began to suffocate. His arms flung about, beating Scarlett’s leg mercilessly.
Scarlett screamed through clenched teeth each time the baton struck her. Blondie’s throat made a short gurgle sound. The blows to her legs grew weaker and weaker until they stopped all together. Scarlett released the dead man and shoved him away.
Blondie’s lifeless body floated across the cabin and bumped against the far wall. All three limp bodies lowered to the floor as the gravity increased. Scarlett’s shoes touched the metal surface and she hunched over. “Son-of-a-bitch. Screw this zero-g shit.”
The control panel near the door indicated the elevator was nearing the ring. Scarlett tapped the display. “Stop elevator.”
An unnervingly calm woman’s voice replied. “I’m sorry, once in transit, the system cannot stop unless there is an emergency. Do you want to notify command of an emergency?”
Panic flashed through Scarlett’s mind. In a split second, she saw the alarms going off and the dozens of guards coming for her. She saw the docks being locked down, preventing any escape. And she saw Neil, standing casually as the elevator door opened, waiting for her.
“No. No, there’s no emergency. Just... Just keep going.”
Scarlett hoped there were not more guards waiting. No matter wh
at, she would have to wait and start the elevator back as quickly as she could.
She turned and finally noticed the large window. She’d been so busy dealing with the guards she hadn’t even looked outside. The view astonished her. She stared at the deep black of open space and the blanket of stars. More stars than she’d ever thought possible dotted the void.
Cutting right through the black was the massive outer ring of the station, curving from one side to the other. Small windows dotted its surface. To one side, she could see another spoke reach out from the central axis to the main body of the station as well as elevators traveling its length. A white sliver of the moon peeked in from the leading edge of the window as the station rotated.
Finally, the lift slowed. Gravity was nearly Earth-normal, easing her anxiety. Beautiful, but I’ll be glad when I get back on solid ground.
The elevator stopped and dinged. Scarlett’s eyes stayed transfixed as the doors opened. She turned and reached over to tap the control panel when her heart stopped. Any hope she had of escaping evaporated.
Outside the elevator stood Neil. He looked down and grimaced, shaking his head. “I warned them. Oh well.”
He looked back up at her. “Really?”
Scarlett flung herself at him. She watched as his thumb twitched and pressed a button on a small object in his hand.
The tingle started in her wrists and shot down her arms. In mid-air, her muscles refused to budge. She felt herself falling, and she hit the floor with a thud.
Electrical fire ripped through her body, replacing the tingle with searing pain. Every muscle convulsed and spasmed. Scarlett tried to scream, but the sounds were caught in her throat as just a gurgle.
The drool sizzled on the side of her face. All sense of panic disappeared. Her emotions faded. There was only the pain.
Then everything went black.
Chapter 45
A Cell
Hope is dying a thousand deaths and believing you’ll come back.
* * *
Images flashed through Scarlett’s mind as she drifted in the black of unconsciousness. Neil’s stoic expression of indifference... Derrick’s face twisted in anger...
