Rubberman's Cage

by Joseph Picard

  “You're right...” Six continued pacing for a bit, then put both his hands on the vat, and spread his feet apart. “They tell us to do other things!”

  Lenth didn't understand, but he understood how Six felt about it. “They're not all like that.”

  Six started pacing again, flailing his arms in the air. “Lucky Lenth! Lucky, Lucky Lenth! I guess that makes it all okay then!”

  Lenth watched in silence, and Six eventually settled down, sitting against the vat, just as Lenth had found him. “Think there's anyone we know in this one?” Six said quietly as he patted the vat. “Your Brother, my Brothers? My Manager?”

  “How about the other Managers you've killed?” Lenth asked, without spite in his voice, “or how about those Citizens? Did you understand about death when you killed them?”

  Six looked up at Lenth with weariness showing in his eyes. “They... they were just in the way.”

  “And does that make it all okay?” Lenth yelled, echoing Six.

  “I was bad. Managers and their kind are bad, okay; we're all bad, bad bad. So what now, huh? What are the Providers going to do with me when they get me? Kill me outright? Toss me into the Citizenry? That's what it's for, right? People they don't want get tossed in there and... and whatever.”

  Lenth felt it was likely. Contact had planned to throw him out just for escaping his Unit. “How do you feel, Six?”

  “Oh right! How could I forget! I'm dying! No, I don't feel sick yet, thanks for asking!”

  Lenth sighed. “Yeah, I still feel okay too.”

  “Right.” Six turned his head. “Right, I forgot. How long does Messenger think you have?”

  “He says because I didn't get as much radiation as you that I might be safe. I think he was lying to be nice. It was my head, y'know?”

  Six grunted, and they sat in silence for a while; Six below by his vat, Lenth above in the ceiling. “If I fell asleep, do you think they'd find me here? Or would you just turn me in?”

  “I probably should have turned you in as soon as I saw you.”

  Six grunted again. “So why didn't you?”

  “I don't know. It's been a rough day. Don't we both need a break?”

  Six laughed. “Some nice quiet time before dying! Super!” Six laughed some more, and louder, but the laughter was riddled with sobbing, and shards of screams. “I've seen and caused enough death to know I don't want it! I know it's coming, and I can't do anything about it! Is it going to hurt, Lenth? How much is it going to hurt, Lenth?” Six curled up into a ball, sobbing and ranting to himself, once or twice reaching out to strike the nearby vat.

  Sooner or later, Lenth would have to find a safe way down to Six, and then...then what, hope he'll come along to Contact's office? First thing's first. Getting down. For that matter, would Six just run off as soon as he heard Lenth crawling away? He looked around below for hints of a nearby elevator, or even something to climb down on. Nothing was immediately apparent. Looking around himself in the ceiling was even less fruitful, as it was fairly dark, and littered with structural obstructions.

  Lenth's thinking was disturbed when he heard Six get to his feet in a hurry. Six was looking off to his right, and his stance suggested that he was ready to run.

  “They're here, Lenth.” The lights flickered to a regular level of illumination, showing the aged streaks in the dark metal dominating the room.

  “Please don't start a fight, Six.”

  “Nope!” Six said loudly enough that the gradually approaching Providers could hear him, “I'm not gonna fight. Even ignoring that they probably have big sticks and I have nothing but fists.”

  Lenth could now see the Providers. Four of them surrounded Six, and yes, they had sticks. About the size of the spear that Lenth had been carrying before.

  Six was holding up his hands. “No knives, no nothing. It's okay. I'm...I'm going to behave.”

  One of the Providers struck Six with his stick. Not with a lot of force, but Six screamed anyway, falling to his knees.

  “Shocks?” Six gasped as he tried to stand. “Really? You don't have to use those, I'm giving up, let's just—”

  Two other Providers touched Six with their sticks. He shrieked and collapsed, gasping and whimpering. Lenth could now see some kind of box attached to the sticks, and a bit of small machinery attached to those. These were the 'fancy' sticks Gabe had mentioned needing repairs. They were rather operational now.

  “He was giving up!” Lenth yelled down. “You didn't need to do that!”

  The Providers looked up, finally noticing Lenth.

  “I'm not taking that risk. Who are you?” one of the Providers asked.

  “He's the other escapey-guy. The one that's been hanging out with the Messenger.”

  “Lenth! My name is Lenth! You don't need to hurt Six, he—”

  “He's a killer!” One of the Providers said, giving Six another shock. Six was moving, but not a lot, spread out and defeated. A Provider walked up with some kind of strap and bound Six's wrists behind his back.

  “Let's get him out of here. Lenth, people are probably waiting for you in Contact's office.” They dragged Six to his feet, staggering, and started guiding him away.

  “Yeah..,” Lenth said, “yeah, I'll find my way there.”

  In the ensuring silence, Lenth was left looking down at the compost facility.

  Was Slim in there somewhere? He stared at the tanks. As disgusting as the reality might be, Lenth knew the facts of it all. It was...natural. In was his final role in life. Complete. Not glamourous. Just complete.

  “Slim,” Lenth called out quietly to the vats, knowing the foolishness of it. “I miss you, Slim.” He tried to comfort himself with the idea that Slim wasn't able to suffer any more. He'd never be shocked again, never lie awake with a pulled muscle from work, never get jabbed by the cuff again.

  He'd never have to do a lot of things. But it felt hollow.

  He'd never taste a papaya. He'd never meet Fill, or Gabe, or Messenger, or know what a woman was.

  He'd never do a lot of things.

  It had taken Lenth quite a while to find his way back, although not nearly as much time to randomly stumble across the compost facility in the first place. It had been just a matter of getting to a normal hallway and asking for directions from the first Provider he saw.

  Contact's office had a few Providers milling about, looking moderately busy, and Contact was behind his desk. He perked up a little when he saw Lenth come through the doorway.

  “Lenth! Do you have news from Messenger?”

  “No. I just got back from the compost, where I saw Six get caught.”

  Contact nodded in a knowing fashion. It was a nod that reminded Lenth a little of how Contact bowed to Messenger. “I understand what you did,” Contact said.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Of course. And so wise. It was not Messenger's job to catch Six, and it was not yours, but you provided a distraction so that Providers could catch up to him! With gentle assistance, you helped us do what should fall to us; minding the Subjects.”

  Well. It was daunting how Contact spoke to him now. As if he were as revered as the great and enigmatic Messenger. Greatness by association? And was that really how Contact saw the situation? A representative of Messenger, slowing down the most hated Subject so that he could be caught?

  “So where's Six now?” Lenth asked.

  “We hold him for you and Messenger, he is secure. I put Gabe in charge of it; I hope this is satisfactory. As for what's next—that's what I was hoping you might know.”

  Lenth lowered his head in thought and could feel Contact staring at him expectantly. He had to say something. Something that reflected the wisdom that Contact now assumed from him.

  “Keep holding Six secure until you hear from Messenger or me.”

  “Of course, Lenth.”

  “And don't treat him too rough.”

  Contact cocked his head in surprise. “W...why?”

  “His Manager was
already rough enough on him. It seems to have a lot to do with why he killed him, and why he came out angry.”

  “Are you blaming—?”

  “No,” Lenth said, “not totally, but it's not as simple as some Subject just feeling like killing people.”

  Contact strained to understand, but merely gave a nod. “If you say so, Lenth.”

  Lenth gave Contact a nod in return, and left. He should have asked where Messenger was, even got Contact to call him in the central elevator or something, but he needed to get away from Contact. It was unsettling to be spoken to as some sort of superior. He headed to the central elevator, and lucked out. The elevator was still on the Provider level. The door was closed, so he knocked on it. “Messenger! Are you in there?”

  The little peeking-hatch opened, and Messenger looked out. “Hang on, Lenth.” A few clanks of metal later, Messenger was sliding the door open. “I heard you led the Providers in capturing Six.”

  Lenth laughed. “Is that what Contact told you?”

  Messenger chuckled. “Well, he made you sound wise, and...”

  “Yeah, yeah, that's me; wise, wise me.”

  “Step into my office, Lenth.”

  Lenth got aboard the elevator, then helped Messenger close the door. He went to the control panel, and sent the elevator up a few dozen metres. “Just so Providers don't listen in. Not that I expect them to, but still.”

  “Top secret Messenger time?”

  Messenger smirked. “I guess so.”

  “So...what were you thinking should be done with Six?”

  Messenger gave a calm smile. “Maybe we need to talk to someone about this.”

  Lenth didn't dare speak his guess, but he couldn't think of anyone other than Actual that Messenger would consult with. Lenth just glanced upwards.

  “Do you want to go?” Messenger asked quietly.

  “To go talk about Six?”

  Messenger just nodded.

  Lenth swallowed hard. “I don't know if I'm ready. There's so much I want to do. Some I can't, some I can. I want to talk with my Brothers, I want to spend time with Carin', I want to see—”

  “Lenth! I didn't ask you if you wanted to die.”

  Lenth took a deep breath and exhaled. “All right. Okay. I'm ready. To see him. Not die.” Lenth remembered the threat of his radiation positioning, and Six's terrified rant was still fresh in Lenth's mind.

  “Good. We have a stop to make first.”

  The elevator stopped at the Citizenry. Messenger looked out the peeking-hatch. “Citizen,” he called out.

  “M—Messenger!” came a voice from the other side, “What...what do you want? Wish? Uh...how can I do for you?”

  Lenth snickered, and whispered, “He's going to hurt himself if he keeps that up.”

  Messenger smirked, and put a finger to his lips, then turned back to the Citizen. “I require the broken communication device, so I may take it to be repaired.”

  “Okay! I'll hurry!” the Citizen said before running off.

  “I was talking to Actual earlier,” Messenger said to Lenth, “he has the replacement already, but he wants the parts of the old one.”

  Lenth leaned against the wall while they waited, and glanced up. “So...who gets to go see him, usually?”

  Messenger blushed a little. “Ehh, one kind of person. People like me.”

  “You...what are you saying?”

  “I'm not saying now, I'm not saying soon, but eventually time forces change. When Actual is done, I'll be Actual; then who's Messenger?”

  “I...I'm not ready for that!”

  “No, you're not. You might never be, but you can learn.”

  “What happened to a Messenger being taken from the Providers, or the Engineers, or whatever?”

  Messenger shrugged. “I could see you in the Engineer crew. For now, live down there, learning about it, and maybe eventually spending some time up top learning about my job. For that matter, you might find reasons to stay on with the Engineers or something.”

  Lenth gave a nervous little smile. “So, you're serious about thinking that I'm not dying.”

  “I'm almost positive. I'm Messenger, after all! Hasn't Contact told you? I know almost everything!”

  “Ha. Then I'd have a lot to learn, then.”

  “Yup.”

  A voice came from outside.

  “I knew it. You're here, you're back, aren't you?” It was Leena. “Lenth? You are in there, aren't you? It sounded like your voice!”

  “Leena!” Lenth called back.

  “Lenth, I brought the communication thing. I...I cleaned it. You remember how it was. A couple of the tinier bits might be missing. Can you come out? I locked the other door. Messenger? I'm not armed or anything, I won't try to get on the elevator, just let me see Lenth, please?”

  Messenger looked to Lenth, and thought about it for a bit before calling out to Leena. “Go stand on the other end of the hall.”

  She obeyed, dashing over and then standing at attention. Messenger unlocked the elevator door. He opened it wide enough for Lenth to get out. “Stay on that end, Citizen. Lenth, proceed as you wish.”

  Lenth smiled a bit and jogged out towards Leena. He heard Messenger collect the communicator behind him, fumbling with a few of the loose pieces.

  “You've been okay?” Lenth asked as he neared Leena, “With Edgar, and everything? I mean...there's peace at least?”

  Leena nodded. “Yeah, yeah. He thinks he's the greatest and whatever, but I think I can keep him in check at least. And you? And Six?”

  “Six is caught. Haven't decided what to do with him yet.”

  Leena flushed crimson. “Bring him here and let me mash his head in!”

  Lenth smiled and held her. “Oh, it's messy complicated. And he's dying anyway, if that makes you feel better.”

  She backed away, less angry, but still tense. “Not a lot better. What's killing him? Some kind of giant metre-long spike being slowly driven into his face?”

  “Leena!” Lenth held back a laugh, but not his smile.

  “I'm not kidding! Much. What is it then?”

  “To keep it simple, he's poisoned. The kind of thing they can't fix.”

  “Well, good,” she said, “will he suffer?”

  “Actually, yeah, it sounds like it, quite a bit. I'm not sure what it'll end up like, but it could easily take weeks.”

  “Well, good. He deserves it.”

  Lenth's first reaction was to criticize her nasty attitude to Six suffering, but she had good enough reasons. “Overall...how are you doing?”

  “It's...it's all right. Lots of people are happy enough to be all right at this time, y'know? He did a lot of damage.”

  Lenth held her again, and this time, she held him back.

  “I have a stupid question, Leena. If you could change something about what Citizenry is like...well, what would you change?”

  Leena looked over Lenth's shoulder to the open gap in the elevator door. “A lot, I guess. Nothing I can wrap up in a little package. I don't know. It just feels like things are wrong. Like they've always been wrong.”

  Lenth let go and gently backed away. “They are, and they have been, and not just in Citizenry.”

  “You're going?”

  Lenth nodded. “I have a pile of junk to deliver, I guess.”

  Leena's face melted to a hollow stunned look. “Deliver? You...”

  Lenth glanced up.

  “What are you now?” she asked in nearly a whisper, “Are you a...”

  “No. I'm not sure what I am right now, or what I'll become.”

  Lenth could see her attitude change. Fear? No...Reverence? Maybe a little. “Don't look at me like that.”

  Leena pointed a finger towards the elevator. “If you're going to be a...then one day you'll be...” Her now-timid finger pointed up.

  It hit him now. Actual. He could end up on the path to being Actual. The unseen revered source of the things that no one can grow, or make, or fix. The vital t
hing which he grew up ignorant of, and could have died having no idea it even existed. From knowing nothing, to knowing everything.

  He put his hands on Leena's shoulders. “When you put it like that...it's a little scary.” He looked into her eyes. They were wide and ready to overflow.

  “Don't forget all of us down here, okay? When you're everything.”

  “It's not going to happen for a long time. If it even ever does.”

  “Don't forget.”

  “Never.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Big Room of the Enemy

  “Girlfriend?” Messenger asked after the elevator got underway.

  “Huh?”

  “Girlfriend. Female you have a romantic relationship with. Generally exclusively.”

  “Leena?”

  “If that was Leena, sure, yes, Leena.”

  “No, I...she's very nice.”

  “You're new at this females thing, I forgot.”

  Lenth just stood and thought about it for a bit. Yes, Leena was very nice. “I think I have a different favourite.”

  Messenger laughed. “Oh! Then I got the wrong idea! You're a real ladies' man!”

  “You confuse me sometimes.”

  The elevator finally came to rest at the top. The peak of everything. Messenger got on the elevator's communication device. “We're here. Yeah. Oh, good idea. Hang on.” he hung up and put the device away.

  “What's wrong?”

  “Actual wants us to check out the exterior of the elevator and make sure Six didn't somehow hitch a ride before he unlocks the door.”

  “It that really—”

  “Six did practically the same thing to get to the reactor level. Yes, he's locked up. As far as we know, but…”

  “All right. Better safe than sorry.”

  Messenger headed up the ladder, followed by Lenth. They walked around the top of the elevator, peeking over the edge, finding nothing unexpected.

  “Stay up here, Lenth, I'm going to look underneath.” Messenger went down the shaft's ladder and was back in a few moments. “Okay we're clear.” They went back into the elevator, where Messenger called Actual again and repeated himself. “We're all clear. Yeah.”