- Where is it? - Ronnie asked.
- 2 stories above us, further into the ship. - Garret said.
And so they went there. This time around, though, security was tighter.
- It all feels... askew. - Ronnie was concerned. Like some people, he could perceive when something did not feel right; when someone was angry, when a situation could take a wrong turn, when tension in a given amount of space is escalating. He was simply waiting for the next fight and not so much looking forward to the destruction of inanimate objects. The interior of the ship was drastically different compared to that of New Hope when it came to the colour palette. The walls, the floor and the ceiling looked like they were made of flesh, as if the Overlord's minions welded and sewed corpses, bones, organs and other remains together. It was yet another grim reminder of the dangers that lay ahead of the newly-found heroes. The uninviting setting also acted as a tool of fear to Ren'ul's subordinates; he led them to believe that the ship really was made of the corpses of his victims and enemies - once again a tactic designed to intimidate both his armies and his adversaries. And it certainly was giving Ronnie goosebumps. He had flashbacks from the fight at the stadium, the spilled blood, the violence and death. His vivid imagination only amplified the memories and that was making Garret feel irritated:
- Now's not the time to be distracted, Ronnie.
He knew he was distracted just by reading his mind. The guards could not see them, because the boys once again used camouflage and walked carefully with their backs against the walls. That way they reached the warehouse, which was void of personnel and full of what looked like a laboratory for biological experiments full of embryos and lots of weapons grade hardware.
- Oh... fantastic. We get to murder infants. - that prospect made Ronnie slightly uncomfortable. Sadly he had no other choice, but there was a positive side. The creatures he fights have no souls; they merely follow orders. They have no unique and interesting thought process, no ideals (except the Overlord), no dreams or ambitions and only reinforce a cult of one personality, one single entity's desire for violence, conquest, destruction and control - an attempt at reshaping the Universe to his liking.
***
Macy was losing her patience. She was trying to distract herself with work at the veterinarian clinic, but it was next to impossible, regardless of the severity of the animals' conditions. The lack of connectivity, the unknown and the silence all wrapped into one were too much for her. She didn't have Ronnie's vivid imagination, but that did not numb the anxiety.
- Alright, what's happened this time, Macy? - her colleague Ginny asked and continued:
- You worry far too much about Ronnie; he's not an infant anymore.
- I know, and neither is he dumb, but... he's naive. He hasn't seen life the way me and Ray have and he's going through... a very tough transition period. - understandably, she avoided everything Ronnie told her about the changes in his body and everything about his task.
- You told me about him wanting to leave university. Why? It can't be because of bad grades, because you said that he was doing well.
- It's... he was getting tired of university and he needed a break.
- But how is he going to get a job without a degree? I mean, he's passive and has no ideas for his future. At this rate he will never get married and have kids.
- I've mentioned that briefly to him, but he doesn't want to listen.
- And he was such a diligent boy...
Ginny shared a lot of similarities with Macy. Like Macy, she was a mother who was obsessed with the ideas of education, children and family or in other words - your average mother who thinks that having a family, children and a steady job should be everyone's number one priority in life. None of the aforementioned things were on Ronnie's mind. Macy would occasionally invite Ginny and four other mothers and discuss parenthood and education - two topics that infuriate Ronnie. Even when he was upstairs in his room, he could vaguely hear the mumble and some key words which only amplified his disgust and anger.
***
Just as the Trinity properly began their assignment, Ren'ul summoned Retion.
- Yes, your...
- Find my son and send him to fight the filth. This is his first task. Don't let him go by himself. Send some Culvyns with him.
The Culvyns were creatures made entirely of very tough crystal chunks. Unlike the Akeruns and Numeksi, the Culvyns vary greatly in size. Naturally, Retion was advised to send the biggest ones that could fit through the hallways of the ship. Before he left, Ren'ul insisted that Gibel and his small troop do not attack immediately, but instead constantly circle around them by using different corridors, wait until they reach a dead end and then attack them.
Meanwhile the Trinity were done wrecking the warehouse and moved on to what looked like a larger warehouse. What they found inside was a tad bit more disturbing and nightmare-inducing. Ronnie's reaction was instant:
- Christ almighty, this is fucked up, man!
It turned out to be a dumping-ground for bodies. Some were skewered, some were hanging by their feet or torsos, some were piled on top of each other. Blood of many colours was dripping from the walls and the ceiling. The grotesque imagery of the dumping-ground did not pull the plug on Garret's sarcasm:
- This looks... pretty much... like a Cannibal Corpse album cover. Or heaven for a grindcore fan.
- For God's sake, Garret! - Ronnie's disgust prompted him to take a few steps away from Garret. Having done so, he tried to figure out why the Overlord would have hundreds of bodies decomposing aboard his own vessel without any obvious purpose.
- Why does he need such a... containment area? If, by any chance, these are victims of his military actions, why does he keep them here? What's the point? - he began cogitating on it.
- That would be a pretty good question, Ronnie, but in this case it's got a gap in it. Look at that corpse over there; the one hanging by its ribcage. Notice anything familiar? - Tyler asked him.
The corpse in question was that of an Akerun.
- It's a lizard, like the ones we fought... back at the stadium.
- Ask yourself this: why would he kill and mutilate his own soldiers?
Ronnie thought for a while and answered:
- Um... betrayal? Disobedience? Lack of general competence? Space gonorrhoea? How should I know?
Tyler didn't know what to say about the space gonorrhoea theory, but he did agree on the rest. Garret added another theory:
- What if this is part of a biological experiment? I mean, we did just trash a lab or whatever.
- Fair point, but none of them seem odd in any way. We don't know if there are major differences in between different representatives of the same species. I will have to agree on another thing with Ronnie, though: I feel that if I stay here long enough, I won't be able to sleep properly. Let's see what else we can destroy.
Garret approached the door and once he opened it, he saw a bunch of Culvyns led by Gibel.
- Oh fuck! - Garret yelped and shut the door.
- What? - Tyler said.
- What do you mean "what"? We've got company! - Ronnie barked and pulled out some pistols. He then changed his mind:
- You know what? I think I should try something...
He pulled out an M32 grenade launcher:
-...a bit more exciting. Open the friggin' door.
Garret did so and Ronnie fired a couple of grenades with the words:
- Sweet freakin' dreams!
Gibel quickly hid behind the Culvyns. The explosions were cushioned by the deaths of several Culvyns and did not injure him at all, except for the shockwave blowing him away. The walls and floor were covered in blue crystal dust and chunks.
- There's no other way out. We have to blast through the corridor and find a way out of here immediately. - said Tyler.
It was far from difficult, because there were only four Culvyns left and Gibel was having a hard time standing up. They were reduced to dust like their peers and t
he Trinity ran past Gibel as he yelled:
- You'll never escape, vermin!
- Who are you to tell us what we can't do? - Tyler said.
- I am Gibel, son of Ren'ul Furot, the almighty, all-powerful and soon to be ruler of the whole Universe and enslave every...
- Yeah, nice bedtime story you got there. - Garret's lack of amusement was followed by a kick to Gibel's skull.
- I'm not gonna listen to that delusional wacko. - Garret added.
- Right, exit! Where do we find an exit? - Ronnie asked.
- Can we try the hangar we landed in? - Tyler asked.
- Absolutely not - there's a whole armada coming from that direction. - said Garret and looked for another exit. That exit was another hangar with a couple of ships in it. On the way there, Tyler had another over-the-top idea. He stuck a couple of C4 charges to the walls.
- What are you doing? - asked Ronnie.
- What does it look like? I'm going to make the corridor collapse. Are you going to help or not?
The answer was obvious. Garret and Ronnie joined in and threw more C4 at the walls and the ceiling.
- Um, I think this is more than enough. What do you guys think? - Garret said.
Tyler threw two more and replied:
- Yup, this should be enough. Now, I think we should take a few steps back... a few hundred steps, of course.
Those few hundred steps took them to the end of the corridor, which was a safe distance. The shockwave blew dust, fumes and debris towards the Trinity. Once the dust settled down, Tyler slightly regretted the idea of mining the corridor. They didn't cough too much, due to the integrated filters in their lungs, noses and throats.
- You? And regrets? Both in the same sentence? That's something I haven't heard in quite a while. Are you dizzy? Have you taken your obligatory dose of beer this morning? - Garret said with a few sporadic chuckles.
- Ha... fucking... ha. Now where was that exit, so we...
- That way! - Ronnie interrupted them and ran towards the hangar. The hangar in question had some turrets, which were a little different in appearance compared to the ones Garret destroyed back in Winchester.
- We could use those turrets long enough for us to escape. - said Ronnie when they reached the hangar.
- How? Do they have any sort of... full auto fire mode? - Garret asked a very good question, the answer to which could mean the difference between a clean evasion or captivity. Ronnie had a different idea:
- The more important question is: should we use one of the ships?
- That could be a bad idea. What if they have a self-destruct system or whatever that can be operated from a distance?
These concerns were valid in their own right, but they had no time to worry, because Ren'ul's armies were coming and they had to think both smart and fast.
- Forget the ships - we have jetpacks and can levitate, remember? - Tyler objected.
- But what if Stromak wants some equipment for research?
- Ronnie, he could probably ask for Neptune to be served to him on a platinum plate, but you know that's impossible and ludicrous, right? Besides, he never mentioned anything related to theft. Now find a way to open those gates!
Ronnie had no intention to argue with Tyler, so instead he searched for the gate switches.
- Try that cabin up there. - Garret suggested and after looking at it oafishly for a good 15 seconds without anything happening, Tyler lost it:
- Come on, it's supposed to be simple! Press something!
- Don't... fucking... PUSH ME! It's not that simple. - Ronnie said.
He scanned the control panel and eventually found the right switch, which was a knob that removed the protective field around the gates themselves. Then he lifted a metal flap and underneath it he found another switch and a button. The switch raised the pressure in a set of hydraulic jacks and the button activated them.
- Got it! Now get in one of those ships! - yelled Ronnie.
- I've told you already, Ronnie - we have our own means of transport!
As Ronnie and Tyler argued, Garret found something intriguing in the cargo area of one of the ships. Inside what looked like a chest he found a smaller one, which contained coloured stones.
- "Hm, this looks interesting. And it could prove useful." - Garret said to himself and took the smaller chest with him. Tyler finally gave in to Ronnie's idea to use a ship to escape. The gravity in the hangar was gradually decreasing; a clear sign of that was the fact that the ships and turrets began to lift off the ground. The Overlord's troops finally reached the hangar. Instead of boarding the ship, Ronnie decided to try and hack into the turrets, so that the troops don't reach the control panel and close the gates. Tyler quickly understood the reasoning behind that idea, but he deemed it far too risky:
- They'll get to us long before the turrets fire at them, mate! Get back here!
- Just a moment. I'll be there shortly. - said Ronnie as he finished attuning the first turret. Gibel showed up and opened fire at Ronnie with a sort of laser rifle.
- Do I need to give you specific orders right now? I want him enchained! Cripple him! - he shouted at two Numeksi and a Zyset. They stormed off with that sole goal. Sadly, their lives ended prematurely while taking fire from the turret Ronnie activated. The turret dealt with the majority of the troops and gave Ronnie enough time to flee. During the attuning, Garret figured out how to turn on the engines of the ship and fly it slowly towards the exit of the hangar. Gibel had to come up with a way to anchor Ronnie down. Luckily there was a crate nearby which contained an experimental gravity-altering cannon.
- "Father would be so proud of me, if this works." - he said to himself and primed the cannon. Ronnie was running towards the ship and just as he was about to jump in the back of the ship, Gibel fired the cannon and almost instantaneously Ronnie was engulfed by an almost completely transparent orb. He was stuck and couldn't get out of it. None of his weapons could punch a hole through the orb.
- Ronnie can't get out of there! - Tyler yelled.
- Why?
- He's... I don't know exactly why. He's stuck in a ball made of... something. That fucker's son shot at him with some kind of bazooka.
- Back to base, Hexer. - Stromak interfered through the intercom.
- Ronnie's still in there! - Garret objected.
- There's nothing you can do about it. Save yourselves, otherwise you'll be caught too. We'll figure out a way to rescue him. - Sable said.
- You're forcing us to leave him in the hands of fate. Not cool, mate. - Tyler said.
- That's an order, soldier, not a recommendation! Now return to base! - Stromak growled.
With that Garret and Tyler left. Ronnie could not believe his eyes.
- Hey! Don't leave me here! Guys? Guys!
He received no answer.
- Tyler, turn that coffin around and drag me out of here! Tyler, you fucker, I know you can hear me! Once I get out of here, I'll dissect you in public!
Garret stared at Tyler.
- There's nothing we can do, mate. He hates me already, but... just fly us home. We'll think of something as soon as possible and bust him out of there.
The gates of the hangar closed. Ronnie was officially left behind.
Chapter XII
Veering off the beaten path
- What do we tell his parents, Tyler?
- No matter what we tell them, they will be shattered. I guarantee you, mate. Once we're done talking to Stromak, we will do whatever he wants us to do and then suggest a rescue mission, so we can get Ronnie back before... whatever shit happens to him. I have a suggestion.
- What is it?
- Let's not think about this for a while. We saw a lot of nasty stuff today. A good night's sleep should enable us to sober up our thinking.
- Agreed - we'll get some sleep, when we go back home and then think about it.
***
- Don't utter a single syllable.
- I warned you about it, but, as expecte
d, you did not listen to me, Stromak.
- He is an Immortal now... mostly. He will survive there and find his way out, provided he isn't completely incompetent and mentally drained by that point.
- He's not the Ankonian we knew, Stromak. He has yet to uncover his true potential, is not yet developed as a warrior and is captured by the Overlord. It won't happen. The remaining Immortals need to go there with more firepower and rescue him immediately.
- Nonsense! Your idea is insane!
- So was yours. Or do you have a short memory span yet again?
- This conversation is over, Sable. Leave my sight, so I can find a new task for the remaining two Immortals, until I think of a plan for our prisoner of war.
- He will be furious if he comes back.
- He is under my direct control. His only rights are to obey and execute my orders. Like you said: he's not the Ankonian who terrorized his foes merely with his presence. This one is not even a shadow of his predecessor. Now leave.
- Your persistence...
- I'm not listening anymore, Sable.
***
- Ashlynn, you've been very silent. Why?
- I don't get it, Abi. It's so strange. Am I losing my mind?
- You talking about that night? Oh, don't think too much, Ash, it's unhealthy. You need to lighten up a little. - said Abigail.
- Yeah, loose some steam, girl! - added Zoey.
After checking her Messenger, Sharon declared:
- And I've got just the right way for all of us to relax. There's going to be a party tonight.
- Where and when? - asked Zoey.
- I said it: tonight!
- I mean the hour, bitch!
- 2300, at Clyde's place. He told me to bring as many people as possible, as much booze as possible and that he's got his hands on a really powerful sound system. Oh, and also he miiiight... find all of us some loco weed!
- What's that? - asked Ashlynn.
- It's Maui wowie. - said Abigail.
- Reefer, Panama red. - added Zoey.
- Sinsemila. - said Abigail.
- Haven't you heard of hashish? You know, the phrase "get dat 'erb"? - said Zoey.
The Immortal Trinity: Inheritance Page 17
