by Alessio Cala
"The drink? No, how ridiculous of me to say. More of that and you'd be off in a ditch somewhere dehydrating to death. Hope? No. You lost that some time ago, I can tell. Well what then, a woman?"
Barry opened his eyes without realising. He stared down into the harsh spotlight and his eyes began to sting. Moisture collected in the ducts of his eyes and every time he blinked he saw a silhouetted purple outline of Tracy's face stamp itself wherever he looked.
"No... a woman, really? Huntsman you rascal." The burnt man pushed playfully against Barry's collarbone and smirked. And then his eyes lit up. It was a horrific thing to witness. A genuine eureka moment that sent shivers down Barry's spine.
"Oh my goodness. Of course, how could I be so blind? Zero Two Seven..."
Barry lifted his head, his mind full of hatred. It conjured up things he could have never have imagined under normal circumstances. Evil things. Things that made him sick. He hated this man more than he'd ever hated anyone and he'd hated nobody.
"You don't know how happy it makes me that you are here in front of me today. You see, that boy belongs to me and I have been trying to get him back ever since he left my sight. He is a prophet and a glorious one yet. He will give me exclusive insight into the future. The more he does it and the more he grows, the more descriptive and more detailed his visions become. I will be able to witness the future, fate and destiny and bend it all to my will."
Barry's head slumped to one side and shot up unexpectedly. The whiskey was starting to kick in. His mind throbbed against his skull. He had drunk far too much in one go.
"What's the matter, Huntsman? Don't tell me it's got to your head already? We were just getting started. Ah well... Let's get this over with then, shall we?" The burnt man looked over to one of his onlookers in the shadows.
"The hammer please."
Barry struggled to focus and the sweat dripped down into his eyes. He could just about make out what was happening through the discomfort. A tall lanky teenage boy stepped out from the darkness. In his hands was an offering of a steel claw hammer. The boy appeared frightened himself, as though he'd already seen what was about to follow. It was at that moment that Barry knew he wasn't the first person that had been interrogated in this very room. He began to shake uncontrollably. His jaw tightened. His shoulders knotted close to his neck. Something yanked him and the chair he sat on slid back. Within seconds more onlookers slid a wooden table between Barry and the man. The rope that bound his hands was cut with a blade and a brutish figure clamped his gigantic hands over Barry's wrists. The brute finally came into view, a behemoth as wide as he was tall. Barry tried to struggle but it was as though the rope had never been cut in the first place. The behemoth flared his nostrils like a raging bull and held Barry's right hand flat out onto the table while the others tied his left hand back behind the chair.
The hammer danced up and down in the burnt man's grasp. He juggled it loosely and then his clutch tightened around the wooden grip.
"I imagine you understand how this works? I tried to indulge you for a little while but you obviously couldn't cooperate under such circumstances, and quite frankly, this is much faster. I was planning on sparing you, you know, once I got what I needed. We could have always gone back to our original arrangements and your friends out there were to become my slaves. I think I've changed my– no, you've changed my mind. I think I'll kill them now; but first I'll kill you. They can watch. I want to see their faces so that I can spot which one is the woman. It will be blindingly obvious of course. Terrible things will follow for her but that is just the way it is." He leaned one hand on the table, the other raised over Barry's hand with the hammer firmly in his grasp. He held it there, suspended high in the air, teasing him with what was to come. Barry felt his fingers rattle against the table. He murmured phrases of incomprehensible drivel but the burnt man ignored him.
"Now then... Where is Zero Two Seven?"
Barry stuttered like a broken record player. The valve released and the tears ran freely. Too late. The steel ball of the hammer crashed down onto his little finger. Barry cried out from the pit of his lungs. He felt the bone snap like a twig. He gawked down, his finger now bent out to one side. The burnt man raised the hammer again. Tears streamed and Barry became a sobbing wreck. He stared into the eyes of the burnt man who gazed back with that serpentine stare. The burnt man waved the hammer from above like a musical conductor. He rested it gently atop the next finger over, lining up his aim. He raised the hammer once more, high into the light and tried again, this time more sinister than before.
"Where. Is. Zero. Two. Seven?"
TWENTY-ONE
A desolate field was all that stood between them and the military base. The wind shook tall blades of grass and delicate dandelions that formed a glorious wave across the open landscape. They could see more now, the base was more vivid and clear. Meshed fences pointed with spiralling rolls of deadly barbed wire towered high above the ground. In such short time it had already gained the reputation of 'The Black Site' across the land of Autark. Frank had heard Javier mention it and he had also heard it numerous times uttered throughout the Merribank market without giving it any real thought. What once was a beacon of importation and protection had now succumbed to a prison.
Frank watched behind the comfort of the shaded pine. He could taste the ash against his dry tongue and it triggered a smell of burning in the air. The sun hibernated behind clouds of grey and it was difficult to pinpoint the time of day. He'd watched the single raider standing watch atop the tower for ten whole minutes. The raider held a cigarette in one hand and an AK-47 in the other. Max waited patiently by his side, up on all fours with his head low, also watching. He didn't growl or holler but instead he replicated the calculated vibe of his master. Frank heard the faint sounds of feet grazing over fallen pine needles. He leant against the tree with one hand and looked back into the cover of the forest.
Mike and Kara jogged up to his position. He noticed Kara's form; it was more pronounced, more disciplined. She had spent so much time with Mike that she was now beginning to move like a soldier, replicating his footing and the way he turned corners with a rifle. She glanced back and waved the others over. Frank looked back up to the watchtower and sighed. "He's the only one."
"What, there are no others?" Kara asked. She seemed surprised and her voice rose unexpectedly.
"Not a single one."
"What about the slaves?"
"I saw some working over the garden but for a place that supposedly holds a few thousand people it seems a little quiet."
"You think they know we're coming?"
"Of course they know," Derek scoffed from behind. Frank turned and frowned at the oaf standing with folded arms. Frank ignored him and made haste to change the subject. He turned to Mike with the map Sam had sketched in his hands.
"How many for the radio tower?"
"Just the one," he replied.
Derek's ears were burning, this was something new, something he knew nothing about. "Hang on a minute. What's this now?"
"We go in, find Barry and try to find a signal on the radio tower."
"I thought the plan was to go in, get Barry and get the fuck out of here."
"It still is, but without outside contact this island could be under raider control for a long time unless we do something about it. One of us just needs to get up there, get on the receiver and call out."
"We're two men and an entire bloody army short as it is and you want to split us up even more?"
"Less of us in there means less chance of detection," added Mike. "We sneak in."
"And how do you suppose we do that? Climb the fence and get pegged up on the barbed wire?"
"No," said Frank, his eye moved right of the watchtower. Over where the field met gravel again, the stones and rock sloped upwards to form higher ground. It was littered with large boulders and the rock overhung the fence's perimeter. "We get in from there," he said finally, pointing a few hundred yards to the small cliff.
> "We've got some rope but maybe not enough to reach down from there," Mike informed him.
"We'll see what we can do." Frank didn't look back. He was here now, nothing would deter him, not even a thousand of Derek's smug remarks. He felt this great aura inside of him that he had never felt so strongly before in his lifetime; a rush of adrenaline that seemed to elate his hands with pins and needles. He clenched his fists tight and opened them wide over and over again.
"You okay, Frank?" a voice startled him from behind, and for a brief moment his heart dropped like a dip in the road. He felt a comforting hand lightly place itself upon his shoulder. It was Kara. She stared him in the eye with a look of concern. She too had never seen him like this. She hadn't known him for long, but she knew him well enough by now.
"I'm fine," he said, trying his best not to look back at her. How could he do this? Take responsibility for the lives of many for the sake of one. He had grown fond of Kara, Mike too, Derek not so much but even so, he didn't know what he would do should worse come to worst. It was best not to think about it. They were here now and there was no one coming to get them, not if he didn't do something. They couldn't hide forever.
They retreated back into the forest and circled round to the incline. He stood back with Annie. The others clung to the large boulders that ran along the cliff's edge in wait of the perfect moment to infiltrate. Her face was still pale, her nose and cheeks red like a cherub. She had the blanket wrapped tightly around her body. "How are we going to find him?" she asked, her throat dry and worn out.
"We're not going to find him."
She looked up suddenly, puzzled by his response. "What do you mean?"
"I and they are going to find him. You are going with
Tracy to take Sam to the harbour."
"What? No–"
"I've already talked Tracy into it."
"Frank."
"Annie, just listen to me. Sam is exactly what they want. We bring him in there and if they do find us then all of this will have been for nothing. You're not well and I need you to be there to get him to safety if things go south, okay?"
"You can't leave me, not again. Please don't leave me, Frank." There was a sharp croak in her voice as she lunged forward and buried her head into his chest. The blanket fell slightly but was quickly caught between them as they embraced.
"I know," he replied. He hated seeing her cry and he too would soon start if she didn't stop. She lifted her head and looked up at him. "What about everything you said before? 'As long as we're together, everything will be okay.' That's what you said."
"I meant it, every word, but this is just the same. We both have a job to do. I'm going to get Barry back." He turned and pointed to the young boy sitting close to Tracy who listened only a few metres away. "And you are going to keep him safe."
"Okay," she nodded, wiping away the few tears that soaked her weary face. "Just promise me you'll meet us there."
"I will meet you there," he said with regret.
Frank hated making empty promises, especially ones that he couldn't guarantee he could keep. How could someone promise such a thing? It was impossible to make that kind of promise but he didn't want to upset her at the risk of changing her mind. He was keeping her and the boy safe, her sister too, and that's all that mattered. Having them absent from the rescue was a gigantic weight lifted from his shoulders. Tracy's guilt and pressure to retrieve Barry only threw that weight back on.
"Head to the harbour," he said.
"Wait. How will I know when you are coming?"
"I'll think of something. If you don't see or hear anything from us in two hours then just go. Get him to Newfoundland and don't come back."
"Frank, no–"
"Just be prepared," he said firmly. "Look... I don't want it to happen either, Annie. We've got to be realistic here. I just don't want you hanging around any longer than you need to be."
"I know."
"Thank you, and take Max with you. If it makes any difference..." he glanced over to Tracy then turned back to her and whispered, "your sister scares me a little. I also know she cares a great deal about Barry. If I can't do this then she'll tear through every raider in there just to kill me for herself."
She nodded again obediently and he caught a glimpse of her faint smile beneath the dread. He stroked her cheek softly with an open palm. He didn't like giving anyone orders, especially his wife, but sometimes things needed to be set in stone. He wouldn't put her in that position, not in her condition. She would do what she did best; nurture. He felt safe knowing that Sam was in good hands, the best of hands. There was nobody else more equipped to take him there. He didn't know what to think about leaving Tracy to protect them. His sister in-law was tough but her mind was elsewhere. Ever since Barry went missing she had been acting on impulse. He remembered her blank stare out over the military base from before. When they made their way toward it she had sometimes trailed behind, walking slowly and just staring, exactly as she did right now with the boy beside her. Sam stared up at her with squinted eyes, his mouth open, nostrils flared. He looked mesmerized, confused.
"What are you looking at?" he asked. She looked to him eventually as if her attention was being dragged away from her thoughts. "Uh, what?"
"What are you looking at?"
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking."
"Oh. Are we going away from here?"
"Only for a little while," she reassured him.
"But we are coming back?"
"Hopefully."
"What is it like?"
"Away from here?"
"Yes."
"It's... it's not much different." Her heart sank as she said it. She wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do and she wondered if he could ever adjust to life in the real world. Getting his hopes up now would lead to a whole array of further questioning. She didn't know how long they would be gone for or if they could ever come back to Autark. She looked down at him sitting beside her and saw the disappointment in his eyes. He too now gazed down in the dirt, fiddling with a twig in his hands. Some things were best kept in the dark for the time being.
The rope was tied around one of the boulders near the cliff's edge and given to Tracy. Since she was leaving, it made the most sense for her to support it as the others made their way down into the black site. Kara peered out to the watchtower. The raider turned his back and leant across the railing on the other side. His arms were crossed one over the other and he set the assault rifle down. He dragged a long puff of smoke and hung his head.
"Now," she said abruptly.
Mike took hold of the longer end of the rope. He gave it a quick tug just to check it was tight and turned his back on the edge of the cliff. He took one step down against the cliff face, and then the other. He was now suspended twenty feet over the black site. He peered down over his shoulder and saw the rope dangling over the tall grass below. The rope was maybe halfway between him and the ground. He would have to fall some of the way. He lowered himself one foot at a time down the face of the cliff until there was no more rock to lean on. The rock dipped back inland and the further he shimmied down the rope, the more he saw of the fence beneath the overhang. Reaching the rope's edge, he hung loosely with his arms fully extended and stared down into the tall grass below. He released his grip and fell the rest of the way. He bent his knees as he landed and rolled onto his side. He stretched his body out flat and kept as low to the ground as possible, lying in the cover of the grass, inching over to allow room for the next person. Derek descended next and then Frank. They pushed up against a large set of rocks that curved and backed onto what looked like a canteen shack. Kara was last to climb down, she did just as the others did but when she dropped, she landed awkwardly on her left foot; the right soon followed and sent her plummeting to the ground. She let out a short grunting wince and held onto her ankle.
"Kara," Mike whispered. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, think I twisted my ankle."
His head snapped to the
watchtower. The raider was still facing the other way. He darted out from cover, took hold of Kara's hand and hauled her back onto her feet. He tugged her by her hips and together they fell behind the concealment of rocks.
"Where's the radio tower?" Derek asked.
"By the side of the runway," Mike replied.
"Alright, see you guys later."
"Wait, what? Hold up. We can go together."
"You need to help these guys find the stuttering prick. If I gotta do this I'm gonna do it my way. I'd rather do the tower."
Mike shot a concerned glance at Frank for approval. Frank hesitated. The responsibility now back on him. "You know what you're looking for?" he asked Derek.
"I know what a radio transmitter looks like."
"Okay."
Derek pushed himself away from the rock and made a dash to the rear of the shack. Frank leant out one last time and saw the oaf slithering away in the grass.
"Derek," he called out in whispered tones. The oaf looked back over his shoulder. "Be careful."
Derek nodded and returned to crawling before disappearing off behind the shack. Frank looked back to Mike who continued to watch out for any signs of movement.
"You should have let me go instead."
"I trust you with us more than I trust him. If he doesn't make it, we'll head there straight after." Mike was surprised at his lack of faith but they shared an understanding for the worst case scenario.
The sounds of joyous hollering and chanting rattled them from their gaze. The door to the shack swung back on its hinges. A drunken man stumbled out onto the wooden landing and was caught by the railing. He leant over it haphazardly and laughed hysterically at his own misfortune. Mike led Frank and Kara around the rock formation. They crawled the same way Derek had but this time they moved beneath the wooden structure that held the shack above ground. It was a basic configuration of wooden beams that were buried into the foundation below. They crawled through the dark and damp and when they reached the other side, they kept their eyes peeled for any signs of Barry.
