The Trade

by Barry Hutchison

  ‘No,’ said Van Kleiss, closing his eyes slowly. ‘That was all.’

  ‘OK, well see you around,’ Rex said, sidestepping Biowulf and heading for the door. ‘Or I guess I won’t.’

  ‘How’s the amnesia, Rex?’

  Right by the doorway, Rex stopped. He didn’t turn around.

  ‘Memories still hazy?’ Van Kleiss asked. ‘Still struggling to piece together your past?’

  Rex turned back to face the bed. Van Kleiss had a satisfied smirk on his face. Beside him, the technician and breach were wheeling another bed into position.

  ‘That’s a shame,’ Van Kleiss continued. ‘If only there was someone who knew everything about your history. Someone who knew about your family, even.’ He raised his golden clawed hand and stroked his chin, thoughtfully. ‘Oh, wait,’ he said, ‘there is. Me.’

  Another bout of coughing echoed around the dank stone room. The technician was busily attaching complicated-looking machines to the second bed, but Rex was too fixed on Van Kleiss to notice.

  ‘It’s a shame I’m dying, really,’ the villain said. ‘Because it means all that knowledge about your family will die with me. And do you know what that means, Rex?’

  ‘What?’ Rex spat.

  ‘You’ll never find out what happened to them.’

  Rex threw himself at Van Kleiss, fists raised. Biowulf moved to block him, but Van Kleiss waved his henchman away. ‘Do your worst, Rex,’ he said, calmly. ‘It cannot be any worse than the fate that already awaits me.’

  Rex punched the bed beside Van Kleiss’ head. He wanted to hurt him – badly – but everything the villain had said was true. If he died, then Rex would never find out about his past.

  Still, he knew Van Kleiss and The Pack weren’t to be trusted. His body was still weak and his brain was still fuzzy, but he had a nagging feeling that what he was about to do was crazy.

  ‘OK,’ Rex said, through gritted teeth. ‘What do you need me to do?’

  Van Kleiss had to fight to hold back his smile. ‘A few nanites, that’s all I need,’ he said. ‘Just a few. They should help stabilise my own and allow me to bring them back under control.’

  Rex looked at the bed beside Van Kleiss. ‘And after that, you’re going to tell me about my family.’

  ‘But of course,’ Van Kleiss nodded. ‘A fair trade. You have my word that I will tell you everything.’

  ‘If you don’t, you have my word that I’ll hurt you so bad you’ll wish I’d let you die.’

  Van Kleiss couldn’t contain his smile any longer. ‘Oh Rex,’ he said. ‘I so love our little chats.’

  With a final glance at Biowulf and Breach, Rex slid up onto the bed. The man in the mask hurriedly stuck half a dozen wires to him. They matched the wires that were already attached to Van Kleiss.

  ‘Everything ready?’ Biowulf asked.

  The technician flipped a few switches. Every one of the machines began to emit a low humming sound. ‘Ready,’ he nodded.

  ‘I promise you, you will not regret this, Rex,’ Van Kleiss said. ‘I owe you a great debt.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah,’ Rex said. ‘Just make sure you pay up afterwards.’

  ‘Oh, I will, I will,’ Van Kleiss said. His face darkened and something wicked glinted behind his eyes. ‘Now, you might want to brace yourself, because this is really going to hurt!’

  And with that, the machine screamed into life.

  CHAPTER 15

  REX’S BACK ARCHED AS a shock of agony tore through his central nervous system. His teeth clamped together and his limbs went rigid. It was almost the same feeling as when he’d been hit by the electric shock machine, only much, much worse.

  ‘Wh-what are you d-doing?’ he managed to hiss. It took all his effort to turn his head towards Van Kleiss. The villain’s muscles stood in knots and his face was a bright red. It was clear that he was in as much pain as Rex was, but it didn’t seem to bother him. If anything, the maniac looked like he was enjoying it.

  ‘Y-Yes!’ he cried. ‘More power. More power!’

  The technician cranked up the dial on one of the machines attached to Rex. Another wave of pain washed over him, forcing a cry from his lips. Over it, he heard Van Kleiss’ low, sickening laugh.

  ‘Can you feel it, Rex? Can you feel the nanites being torn from within you?’

  ‘Y-you tricked m-me!’

  ‘You didn’t exactly make it hard!’ Van Kleiss laughed. ‘Full power!’ he demanded.

  ‘B-but sir,’ the technician stammered, ‘any more and the results could be –’

  Van Kleiss’ face twisted in rage. ‘I said full power!’

  The technician didn’t dare protest again. Instead, he turned the control dial all the way up to one hundred. The machine let out a high whine and a blinding white flash filled Rex’s vision.

  The pain stopped, and for a moment, Rex thought he might be dead. But then his vision began to clear, and he saw Biowulf and Breach standing over him, peering down.

  ‘What did you do?’ he croaked. He’d been weak before he climbed onto the bed, but now it was taking all his effort just to stay awake. ‘W-What did you do to me?’

  ‘Did it work?’ Biowulf asked. He looked from Rex to Van Kleiss and back again. Finally, he turned to the technician.

  ‘I … uh … I believe it may have been at least a partial, uh, partial …’

  ‘Oh, it worked,’ said Van Kleiss. His voice no longer sounded frail and his body looked stronger than ever. ‘I can feel it. I can feel them. All those nanites. Every single one of them.’

  Rex tried to move, but his body was too weak. He felt strange in a way he couldn’t really describe. An itch burned at his left hand, from his wrist all the way to the tips of his fingers.

  ‘But don’t take my word for it,’ Van Kleiss said. ‘Allow me to demonstrate.’

  The villain looked down at his feet. His brow furrowed for a moment, as if he were concentrating. Then, with a clank, a pair of mechanical legs appeared below Van Kleiss’ knees. Rex recognised his Punk Busters right away.

  ‘No!’ he gasped.

  ‘Oh, yes,’ Van Kleiss cackled. He retracted the Punk Busters and out came the Smackhands. He banged the metal fists together and the sound echoed around the castle. ‘I’m going to enjoy playing with these,’ Van Kleiss said. He jumped down from the bed.

  ‘Looking good,’ said Biowulf, nodding his approval.

  ‘Thank you, Biowulf. And thank you,’ he said, turning to the technician. ‘You have done well. The process was a complete success.’

  ‘Yes, uh, well … mostly a success,’ the masked man mumbled.

  Van Kleiss hesitated. ‘Mostly?’

  ‘There’s a chance that something went, uh, went wrong, sir. The machine was never really designed to go all the way up to a hundred. There may be … side effects.’

  ‘What sort of side effects?’ asked Van Kleiss, his voice as cold as ice.

  Rex let out a yelp of shock as Van Kleiss’ golden claw appeared where his left hand had been.

  ‘Those sort of side effects,’ the technician whimpered. ‘You were pulling in his nanites so fast there was no room for yours to adjust. They, uh, they had to go somewhere.’

  ‘And they went into him,’ Biowulf realised.

  ‘I haven’t stolen his nanites, I’ve swapped mine for his,’ Van Kleiss said. ‘No matter.’ He flexed both his machine arms. ‘I’d say I got the better side of the deal. Wouldn’t you, Rex?’

  Rex was still staring at the claw where his hand should have been, barely able to believe what he was seeing. He looked up as Van Kleiss loomed over him.

  ‘These abilities of yours, Rex, they’re really quite remarkable. I mean, don’t get me wrong, these … toys of yours are all well and good, but that’s not why I took your nanites. Do you want to know why I took them, Rex?’

  ‘You’re going to tell me anyway,’ Rex replied.

  ‘I took your nanites because they will let me absorb other nanites.’ His face twisted into a w
icked grin. ‘I’m going to do you a favour, Rex. I’m going to do your job for you. I’m going to travel the world, curing Evos. And with each Evo I cure, the more powerful I will become! Nothing will be able to stop me. Nothing. What do you have to say about that?’

  ‘Sorry,’ Rex shrugged. ‘Wasn’t listening. I was doing something else.’

  ‘Doing what?’

  Rex grinned. ‘This.’

  A thick vine snaked up from the floor at Van Kleiss’ feet and wrapped around his legs. With a sharp yank it pulled him through the floor.

  Rex stumbled down from the bed and turned to face Biowulf and Breach. He raised Van Kleiss’ claw and pointed it at the villains. ‘Now,’ he said, swallowing back the pain. ‘Let’s see what else this thing can do.’

  CHAPTER 16

  DR HOLIDAY PULLED OUT her desk drawers and shook the contents into a plastic bag. Most of the equipment was owned by Providence, but the drawers were where she kept her own personal belongings. When they were empty, she stacked the drawers on top of the desk, picked up the bag, and made for the door.

  White Knight’s face filled the view screen before her. His eyes went briefly to the bag. ‘You’re not seriously going through with this?’ he asked. ‘What about all your work?’

  ‘I’ll keep working,’ Holiday said. ‘Just not here. And not for you.’

  ‘What you do here is important,’ White Knight reminded her.

  ‘And what about Rex? Isn’t he important? After everything he’s done, you really expect me just to abandon him?’

  The door to the lab slid open and Agent Six strode in. Dr Holiday gripped her bag tighter. ‘Don’t even think about trying to stop me, Six,’ she warned.

  ‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ Six told her. ‘I just came to tell White Knight something.’

  ‘Oh?’ said White Knight. ‘And what’s that?’

  Six turned to the screen. ‘I quit.’

  ‘What? But you can’t quit!’ White Knight gasped.

  ‘I can’t leave Rex out there alone, either,’ Six replied. Even without looking, he could picture the smile on Holiday’s face. ‘So it doesn’t look like I have a lot of choice.’

  White Knight stared at them both in turn. ‘What? But …’ He gave a loud sigh of irritation. ‘Very well. Gather a team. Take the Keep. Go to Silicon Valley. See what you can find.’

  ‘And tanks,’ Six suggested. ‘We’ll need tanks.’

  ‘Very well,’ White Knight said. ‘Just be quick.’

  The screen went dark. ‘Thank you, Six,’ said Dr Holiday.

  ‘Don’t mention it. Now let’s move.’ He made for the door. Dr Holiday dropped her back and hurried after him.

  ‘Do you really think we’ll need tanks?’ she asked.

  ‘You can never have too many tanks,’ Six replied, before the door swished closed behind them.

  With a whine of engines, the Keep touched down in a wide plaza right in the heart of Silicon Valley. The landing ramp folded out from within the aircraft. Agent Six and a platoon of Agents marched down it.

  ‘Spread out,’ Six ordered. ‘Look for signs of Rex.’

  ‘What sort of signs, sir?’ an Agent asked.

  Six thought back to all of Rex’s previous missions. ‘Needless destruction. Reckless endangerment. Sarcastic backchat. The usual.’

  As the Agents scattered, Dr Holiday joined Six on the ramp. She had a scanning device in her hand and was studying its screen closely.

  ‘Anything?’ asked Six.

  Dr Holiday shook her head. ‘Nothing yet. No Evo activity detected at all.’ She looked up at Six, her face suddenly pale. ‘What if we’re too late? What if we don’t find him?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Six told her. His eyes were fixed on a swirling circle of red that had just opened up further along the plaza. ‘I think we just did.’

  A flailing figure fell through the portal and landed awkwardly on the ground. Rex’s face was bruised and bleeding, and his clothes were torn. He raised his head and looked up at the Keep through swollen eyes.

  ‘Rex!’ Dr Holiday yelped. She hurried down the ramp and across the plaza. She was almost at Rex’s side when a Smackhand appeared through the portal. It slammed down onto Rex’s back, driving him hard against the concrete.

  The portal widened and Van Kleiss stepped through. Dr Holiday’s eyes were drawn to the mechanical arms the villain wielded. Only then did she spot the golden claw where Rex’s own left hand should have been.

  ‘What did you do to him?’ Holiday demanded.

  ‘Nothing, Doctor,’ Van Kleiss replied. He caught Rex by one leg and hoisted him higher into the air. ‘At least, nothing compared to what I’m about to do.’

  ‘What you’re about to do is put the kid down and surrender quietly,’ Agent Six said, stepping in front of Dr Holiday.

  ‘Oh? And why would I do that?’

  ‘Because I’m asking you nicely,’ said Six.

  Van Kleiss laughed. ‘In that case, I don’t think I’ll bother.’

  With a snink, Agent Six’s swords slid down his sleeves and into his hands. ‘You know,’ he began, ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’

  ‘Nice swords,’ Van Kleiss said. He released his grip on Rex as the Smackhands pulled back into his body. The Big Freakin’ Sword clanked out in their place. ‘But mine’s bigger than yours.’

  Agent Six shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’

  There was a loud rumbling sound and five Providence tanks rolled out from within the Keep. Van Kleiss looked around. The Providence Agents stood in a circle around him. Every one of them had their weapon trained on him, their fingers poised on their triggers.

  ‘Now, we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way,’ Six said. ‘Either one suits me fine.’ He turned just slightly and whispered to Holiday. ‘When this kicks off, get Rex into the Keep and get out of here.’

  ‘Understood.’

  Six turned his attention back to Van Kleiss. ‘So, what’s it to be?’

  Van Kleiss flicked his wrist. The blade of the Big Freakin’ Sword began to spin like a buzz-saw. ‘I think,’ he grinned, ‘we’ll try the hard way.’

  CHAPTER 17

  A PROVIDENCE TANK EXPLODED as a blast from the Slam Cannon hit it head on. Van Kleiss took aim at another of the vehicles.

  ‘You know, I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in a long time,’ he said, before another cannon blast reduced the second tank to a ball of flame.

  ‘Take him down!’ Agent Six bellowed. The sound of machine-gun fire ripped through the air as every one of the Agents opened fire.

  Van Kleiss spun, the Slam Cannon already transforming into the Boogie Pack. The bullets whistled harmlessly beneath him as he launched himself into the air.

  On the ground below, Providence Agents began to fall, struck by the bullets intended for Van Kleiss. ‘Too easy,’ the villain crowed.

  A fast-moving shape in a dark green suit landed on his back. ‘Don’t speak too soon,’ said Agent Six. He jammed a sword into the Boogie Pack’s turbine engines. The spinning turbine blades stopped instantly. Van Kleiss cried out in shock as they began to plunge towards the ground.

  A split-second before they hit, Van Kleiss’ legs morphed into the Punk Busters. The ground cracked into a wide spiderweb pattern as the mechanical feet slammed down.

  The sudden landing jarred Agent Six and sent him sprawling. He threw himself over Rex, shielding him from what was about to happen next.

  ‘Now!’ he barked into his communicator. There was a sound like thunder as one of the remaining tanks opened fire. A rocket streaked across the plaza towards Van Kleiss.

  A Punk Buster lifted at the last possible moment, delivering a powerful kick to the underside of the missile. It flipped upwards, end over end, before exploding in a fiery blast.

  Van Kleiss stepped from the smoke and fixed his gaze on the tank that had attacked him. ‘Now you’ve gone and made me mad,’ he growled. Blinded by anger, he charged at the tank, leaving Age
nt Six free to drag Rex to safety.

  Dr Holiday hurried over to help Six carry Rex to the Keep. As they walked, Agent Six contacted White Knight and Providence HQ. ‘Requesting back-up,’ he said. ‘Van Kleiss is on the rampage and we have a lot of Agents down.’

  ‘Can’t you deal with it, Agent Six?’ White Knight asked.

  ‘Negative, sir,’ Six replied. He looked down at Rex, who was now only barely conscious. ‘I’ve got more important things to worry about.’

  ‘I got a bad feeling about this,’ said Bobo. He was standing beside Rex’s bed, cautiously prodding at the golden claw on the boy’s hand. ‘It ain’t right, I tells ya.’

  ‘I’ll second that,’ Agent Six nodded. He watched Dr Holiday as she ran more tests. From the look on her face, he could tell she wasn’t making much progress. ‘Problems?’ he asked.

  ‘One or two,’ Holiday admitted. ‘I don’t understand, it’s like Rex and Van Kleiss swapped nanites, but I don’t even know if that’s possible.’

  ‘I give you Exhibit A,’ said Bobo, pointing to the claw. ‘Let’s go with “it’s possible”. What we gonna do about it?’

  ‘Honestly? I have no idea,’ said Holiday. ‘Van Kleiss’ nanites appear to be dangerously weakened, and without the soil he – I mean, Rex – is powerless.’

  ‘So, what are you saying?’ asked Six.

  ‘I’m saying that if we try to help him, there’s a good chance Rex won’t survive.’

  ‘What kinda villain has power over soil, anyhow?’ grunted Bobo. ‘I mean, talk about lame.’

  An urgent crackle from the lab’s communicator interrupted them. ‘Van Kleiss has overpowered remaining Agents,’ hissed a voice through the static. In the background, there was the unmistakeable sound of screaming. ‘He’s found an Evo and absorbed its nanites. Something’s happening to him. Something –’

  There was a sudden cry from the speaker, and then the communicator fell silent again.

  Bobo winced. ‘You don’t think he heard me call him lame, do ya?’