Sinful Surrender

by Houston Havens

  “Then the monstrosity should fit in this duffel bag.”

  The old man dug out a worn satchel and dropped it at Ortello’s feet then eyed them with his eerie stare. “Don’t let it bother you. I was a child when it happened. One of the expendable humans as the UG says. Their scientists exposed me on several occasions to chemical testing. One test removed all pigment from my body, including my eyes.” The old man shot an envious gaze at Nikias’ violet-pink eyes. “Ah, what I’d give to have even his hint of color.” He motioned for them to follow him. “Don’t worry. You shouldn’t need your weapons. I’ll take you in the back way.”

  “Who are you?”

  The man’s grunt said it all—his name didn’t matter anymore. “It’s been years since anyone’s asked.” His brows peaked and after a cavalier shrug, he said, “I’m an old man, ready to die. So, it doesn’t matter what my name is, even if I could remember it. What’s important is I get you through undetected, and you save us all from the tyranny of the government. They’ve not changed one iota from their days in history. If anything, they’ve become worse. So be careful and be prepared.”

  * * * *

  A short time later, the old man stopped as their passageway merged into the main hall area of building five. “Go straight ahead. You’ll see your first red door. There will be cyborgs there, but not to worry. Like the sentinels stationed throughout the aboveground airport, the cyborgs have been temporarily programmed to ignore you.” He winked at Logan. “It’s nice to know people who can help when needed. So say nothing to the cyborgs. Walk past. You’ll see your second red door. Go through it. Tell the humans you’ve come to fix the problem. You’ll see a third red door at the back of the room. You’ll find Fay behind it. Well, that’s about it.” The old man turned away.

  “Wait a minute.” Logan blocked his path, not trusting him. “You’re not going with us?”

  “No, no, no.” He wiggled his finger at him.

  “Why not?”

  “What the fuck is this?” Drakker stepped in front of the old man, stopping his second attempt to retreat. “You’re not going anywhere.” He glanced at Logan. “This could be a setup.”

  “If I’m spotted with you, you’ll be caught.” The old man’s expression looked sincere. “I’m tagged. I’m not allowed out of my hole.” He reached out and touched Drakker’s arm. Drakker pulled away from his grip. “Son, this is just one time you’re going to have to trust your gut and your logic. If I had wanted to capture you boys, I would have done it while you were still in the pressure chamber.”

  Drakker’s gaze fell to the floor, before shooting back to the old man with distrust still lighting his eyes. “Nawh,” he grumbled. “This is way too easy. This is a trap.”

  “Trust me. A lot of strings were pulled to make this situation go this easy. And most of us will die if Fay breaks under torture.” He turned to leave then looked back at Logan. “Just remember, the third red door.”

  “Enter the third red door. Got it.”

  “But do it with caution. As I said, there will be humans in there. Tell them you’ve been sent to repair their antireflective coating to fix their photovoltaic and architectural glass displays. Got that?”

  “Got it. Photovoltaic and architectural glass displays.”

  “Good. If you have to get out for some reason, use the excuse there’s a problem with the substrate on their multiple-junction device, and you’ll have to come back with some copper indium diselenide. These terms will go over their heads; they won’t understand. So don’t worry if it’s factual or makes sense. The important thing for you to remember is, there is a large air vent in the room Fay’s in, use it for your escape.”

  Logan looked at his men before asking the old man, “And what about the others we’ve come for? Where are they?”

  “I have no idea. I’ve not had a mental visit from Fay in days.” The man arched his shoulders. “I assume she knows,” he muttered as he headed back the way they’d come. “Her energy didn’t look good the last time I saw her. I just hope you find her alive. If not, give the substrate excuse, and head back this way. I’ll try to get you out before anyone knows.” He waved his frail hand in the air. “I’m praying you boys are our archangels and save us all. Good luck.” His words faded with him into the darkness of the hall.

  Drakker’s jaw tightened. “Let’s do this.” He took a step out into the hall and turned right, following the directions the old man gave them. They entered the red door and passed the cyborgs without a problem. Without hesitation, they entered the second red door. One of the three men in the room stood. “Glad to see you guys. Are you going to get us up and running soon?”

  “Yes, sir.” Logan’s tone was curt. He nodded to his men to take their positions. Ortello headed to the blue box at the back wall on the left. Nikias and Drakker went to the right side of the room. Nikias stopped at the large box midway down the wall. Drakker flipped open the one near the front of the room, while the man followed Logan to the last red door.

  The second Logan reached for the handle the man said, “Ah, you can’t go in there.”

  Logan let out a grumpy huff and hoped the guy couldn’t tell he was acting. He dropped his shoulders with an attitude that said this day was getting worse than it already had been. He flexed his jaw before brashly asking, “Why the fuck not?”

  “The government’s keeping a VIP prisoner in there.”

  “In a maintenance room? They’ve got the first floor of building eight for that.” Logan raked his fingers through his hair trying to give the impression he was annoyed. “So how the fuck am I to get my work done?” Logan frowned then shrugged his shoulders. “Fine. Means I can get home early for a change.” He turned to head back to the front part of the room then stopped. “But you won’t get the optics for your photovoltaic and architectural glass displays fixed until I’m allowed in there.”

  “The prisoner could be here for quite some time, I’m told.”

  Logan heaved his shoulders and started walking to the front. “Sounds like a personal problem.”

  “Can’t you do it another way?” The guy followed on his heels.

  “No.”

  “Come on.”

  “I can’t help you, man.” Logan stopped, turning back to look at the pleading man.

  “We need these photovoltaic screens working.”

  “What do you want me to do, man?” Logan dropped his chin to his chest, and drew a deep breath and exhaled it as loud as he could. “Is the guy in there dangerous?”

  “It’s a woman.”

  “Well, do they have her chained or something?”

  “No, but she doesn’t move much at all. In my opinion, she’s pretty bad off.”

  Logan had to mentally control his speeding breaths, so the man wouldn’t know just how much the news disturbed him. “So she can’t hurt me?”

  “I doubt it. She’s beat up pretty good.”

  Rage tightened Logan’s stomach. He fought the urge to attack the man. Wrath now consumed him. “Well, man, I don’t know what to tell you. The main substrate’s in there. My boys can’t do their jobs to get your antireflection coatings fixed until I replace the copper indium on the multiple-junction. And…I can’t do it until you let me in there. I’ll risk going in with her, if you stay and watch my back while I work, but it’s your call.”

  “Hmm.” The guy looked leery. “I didn’t get word you’d be going in there. I haven’t gotten anyone from security yet giving me word it’s okay to let anyone in.”

  “Look.” Logan forced an easy smile. “If you want to wait to get word from your higher-up, it’s fine by me. But, I’ll be honest with you. My boss won’t send me back this way for another three days. We’ve got problems all over.”

  “Christ no, we can’t wait that long.”

  Logan gave a frustrated grunt. “I don’t know what to tell you, man. Make a decision. I can’t be waiting around here all day.” He headed toward the front again. “Let’s go, guys! This job’s done.
”

  “Okay, okay…don’t get touchy.” He pulled on Logan’s arm then turned and walked back toward the red door. “I’m sure I’ll get an okay from security two seconds after you’re done fixing it. They’re always slow.” He pressed his thumb onto a handheld gel pad. It read his fingerprint before releasing the lock on the door.

  Logan followed the man into the room and saw a short-haired woman he didn’t recognize sitting on a cot. She didn’t even look up when they entered the cell-like enclosure. Damn it, they had the wrong woman, the wrong room, or had the old man tricked him? He looked at the woman again. His heart swelled with sympathy. Poor thing. Her swollen, black and purple features were too distorted from a brutal beating to know who she was. His gut rolled telling him something wasn’t right. He tried to swallow, but his throat was so dry the movement of his Adam’s apple scratched at the tender flesh of his windpipe like sandpaper.

  Logan’s chest cramped with rage as he scanned over the woman’s tiny frame. What kind of man would do this to a woman? Something about the way she sat there reminded him of Fay. Was it Fay? His entire body tensed at the thought. No, it can’t be. His Fay was a fighter. She would have been standing the minute anyone came in. But would she if she were beaten this badly? He couldn’t help but feel for the lady’s plight. Her lack of response told him she was traumatized. She needed someone to save her.

  Logan bent over and placed the bag he carried on the floor, getting a closer look at her swollen face. It was a disturbing sight. Her face looked like a balloon ready to pop. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut, and her fat lip split wide open, in need of glue. Just knowing some brute had ruthlessly beaten this woman made his stomach roll. What possible crime could this woman have committed to warrant such severe punishment?

  Thunder struck, and Logan thought of Fay being charged with espionage. The feelings made him sick with fear. What kind of torture had the UG put Fay through? Would she be as bad off as this unfortunate woman in front of him? He wanted to escape this room, find his beautiful Fay, and never return to the godforsaken hellhole. But, something inside of him wouldn’t let him walk away from this wounded fragile woman. He couldn’t leave her. He’d have to find a way to help this poor soul without risking Fay and the others’ escape.

  While the Dirt Dweller who’d entered the room with him was busy opening the multiple-junction box for him, Logan cocked his head in hopes of making eye contact with the woman. He wanted to let her know he’d help, but her focus stayed nailed to the floor in front of her. A puffy, reddish-blue mass of flesh surrounded what could have once been gorgeous, violet-sage eyes. The thought shook him to his core. On a closer inspection, he realized the woman he was staring at was Fay.

  He flinched. Someone had beaten his gentle, beautiful, and intelligent Fay to a pulp. Someone was going to pay. Logan yanked the pin on his gauntlet-type leather glove, readying the 400,000 plus volts of energy on the built-in stunner. He wanted to kill the man standing next to him. He wanted to scream with the outrage he felt and blow up the entire Underworld city for what had been done to his Fay.

  “…lazy and incompetent,” the Dirt Dweller muttered. “Most people today are riding the system. Like I said, with my luck security will send the okay twenty minutes after you guys are gone.”

  Logan spun around at the man’s words. Without a second thought, he pressed his gloved fingers into the man’s neck and engaged the stunner, dropping him in an instant. He dragged the guy to Fay’s cot, dropping him there as he squatted in front of her. “Fay?”

  There wasn’t any sign of recognition in her eyes. Logan returned the pin to his stunner and then gripped her shoulders. She winced.

  “Motherfuckers!” He released his hold and turned a gentler tone on her. “My darlin’ Fay, who did this to you?”

  Fay responded by closing her eyes. “Go away,” she whispered. “Don’t see me like this. I’m no good to you now.”

  Panic raced through him, wondering what they might have done to her. “I’m gonna find out, and when I do, I’m coming back to kill the bastard who did this to you.”

  Her lack of response bothered him, but he didn’t have time now to cajole her. He had to save her and then get her to Andonis fast to find out just how much damage they’d done.

  “Ouch! Damn it!” Logan yelled loud enough for the men in the outer room to hear. “Ort—aah, oh Roger, I scorched my hand with the photovoltaic optic fuser. Can you come in here a minute and help me? This guy’s afraid to touch it.”

  Ortello responded, “Sure thing, boss.” When he got to the other side of the room, he jutted his chin at Nikias. “You might as well come help me. You know how he gets when he’s injured.”

  Nikias grumbled unintelligible syllables, not overly loud but enough to be heard. “Man, Roger, when are you gonna learn to handle him on your own.” He leaned back and hollered to Drakker, “The boss is hurt. You know more than us about this part of the photovoltaic optics than we do. Lend us a hand when you finish up there, will ya?”

  Drakker nodded. “Give me a minute.”

  Ortello and Nikias entered the room and right away helped Logan thumb cuff and gag the unconscious man. Ortello took a position by the door while Nikias moved the man off the cot to the far corner of the room. Logan was already yanking at the escape vent.

  “What happened to her?” Nikias’ whispered, but his shock was evident.

  “Someone beat the shit out of her,” he growled through gritted teeth as he corralled his temper. “He’ll soon be a dead man.”

  “Will she be all right?”

  “I can only hope Andonis will tell me there isn’t any permanent damage.” Logan heaved himself up into the vent. “Nikias, be very gentle lifting her up to me.”

  “I don’t know about this. My albinism might scare her. They beat her, and I touch her, she might think I’m about to do the same. She might scream.”

  “Get Drakker in here.”

  Nikias leaned out the door. “Hey, man, we need your help. Now!”

  “I’m coming. But I need someone to hold—F this. Sir! Yeah, you. Can you come help me a minute? Okay, this is simple. I want you to keep your finger pressed on this switch. Can you do it?”

  There was a mumble that sounded like a yes.

  “Good.” Drakker’s voice boomed out again. His footsteps became louder as he headed toward the back room. “Now under no circumstances are you to let go. If you do, you’ll get the shock of your life. Might even stop your heart.”

  There was some alarmed mumbling.

  “You’ll be fine. Trust me.” The sound of a cord scratching across the floor could be heard in the back room, drawing a smile to Ortello’s face. Drakker’s voice once again told the others he was buying them time. “Now you. I need you to hold the other end of this wire. Come on, suck it up, and find your balls. Look what your buddy’s doing for me, and your job ain’t half as risky as his.” After a few anxious words from the other man, Drakker appeared at the red door and said back over his shoulder. “Okay, in a moment we’re gonna throw a switch, and then I’ll turn it off. When we do that, I’ll let you know when you’re clear to release the button and the wire. Hey, you…yeah you, holding the end of the wire. Be sure not to let it touch the ground once you hear me flick the switch, or we’ll all be dead.”

  At the sound of the man cussing, Drakker entered the room and clapped his ring against the back of the metal door and shouted, “It’s on.”

  “What the fuck!” he yelled on seeing Fay and rushed to her side. “I’ll kill them.” He huffed, twisting around to leave.

  Ortello restrained him. “They’re not the ones who did it.”

  Logan warned in a heavy whisper. “I feel the same as you, bro. Trust me, revenge for our woman will come, but later. We have the others to save.”

  Nikias took hold of Drakker’s shoulders and squeezed. “Don’t lose it now, man. We got to get them all out of here. Later, I’ll help you get your justice. For now, I need your help. I’m afraid
my touch will send Fay into a screaming panic. She knows you and will recognize your touch. Help me get her up to Logan.”

  “Yeah,” Drakker muttered before shouting to the men in the outer room. “Hold tight, guys. I need a minute.” He turned back to Fay and said in a hushed tone. “Ma chérie?”

  Her lashed fluttered in response.

  “Fay? I’m not going to hurt you, babe. We need to escape, so you must remain quiet. I’m here to help you get out.”

  “Leave me,” she whispered to him. Her tear-filled eyes refused to make contact with any of them.

  “No f’ing way.”

  “Broken ribs.”

  “This is going to be painful then, but I’ll be as careful with you as I can. I’m going to lift you up to Logan.” As a test, he touched her arm. When she didn’t react, he circled his arms around her hips to avoid touching her ribs as he lifted her up. “Don’t scream, my love.”

  A soft groan was all that came out of her as Logan seized her just under her armpits and interlocked his fingers, clamping his hold above her breasts. Her tiny, bruised limbs lay limp over his arms as he pulled her up into the overhead vent. His heart wept silent tears when he felt her frail, cold arms circle around his neck in a life-locking hold. Logan pressed his hand against her upper shoulder to hold her closer to him, and whispered into her ear, “I love you, Fay.”

  Her words were breathy, laced in pain. “It’s too late.”

  “It’s never too late to declare one’s love or trust. I’ll never doubt you again, and I’ll prove it if you’ll just help me find the others, and get us out of here.”

  Her lips quivered as she spoke. “Reto thinks he’s so damn smart!”

  “Ssssh.” He pressed his finger to her discolored lips, hushing her. “Do you know where Arlo and the others are?”

  “If nothing else, I’m still a mind traveler. I can find them.”

  “Can you move with those broken ribs?”

  “Do politicians lie?” She released her hold on him and moved onto all fours.

  He could see she was bravely fighting the pain. Though he hated to do it, Logan looked down at Ortello and mouthed. “Let’s go.”