by HR Moore
A few minutes later, Alexander was standing in front of Austin's desk. Austin pretended to have no idea why he was there, and made a point of not offering Alexander a seat.
'I have something of a sensitive nature to discuss with you,' said Alexander.
Austin raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. 'Oh?' he said. 'How can I help?'
'It would appear as though you have detained one of my students. I would like you to release her into my custody.'
'Which student is that?' he asked casually, lifting a tumbler of honey colored whiskey to his lips.
Alexander looked at him for a few beats before replying. 'I think we both know I'm referring to Anita. She's close to your son, is she not?'
Austin's nostrils flared. 'Tell me, why is it you think I should release someone who tried to steal from my family's vault into your custody?'
'As I said, she's one of my students, which makes me partially responsible for her. I should like to resolve this quietly and as a matter of urgency, so there is no embarrassment for any party.'
'I see. Well I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm yet to finish questioning her, and It's important we conduct a thorough investigation into what happened. I'm intrigued as to why she tried to steal one of my memories, for example.'
'What could Anita possibly want with one of your memories?' Alexander laughed. The laughter didn't reach his eyes.
'I don't know, Alexander. That's what I intend to find out.'
'And when you've found that out? Will you release her into my custody then?'
'That all depends on what I find,' he said. 'I might decide it's best to lock her up for a couple of years instead.'
'I hope that's not the case,' Alexander said, turning to leave. 'Marcus wouldn't be happy.'
Alexander left the castle with mixed emotions. He'd never expected Austin to hand Anita over, and now at least he was unlikely to kill her. But the spiteful look on Austin's face was not something to be taken lightly.
* * * * *
Amber stood over Anita. Her hands and feet were cuffed together and tightly attached to the uncomfortable wooded chair on which she sat. They'd given her no food or anything to drink since they'd tied her up, and after twelve hours of sitting in the same position, her muscles were cramping and her mouth was dry.
'You're quite the troublemaker,' Amber said slowly, threateningly, circling the chair like a shark would its prey. Amber's energy was giddy with anticipation; she would draw this out.
Amber took her time as she walked, high heels clipping menacingly on the slabs of stone. 'And let's not forget that you're quite the manipulator, from what we've seen so far. It would seem you've caught the attention of not only Marcus, but Alexander as well, if our reports are anything to go by. What will Marcus do when he sees pictures of you and Alexander holding hands while walking the streets of Kingdom?'
Anita didn't say anything. What could she say? Deny she was manipulative? Justify the photos? Anita knew Amber would say or do anything to try and elicit a reaction. Amber's powers of manipulation surpassed anything Anita could do…she just had to try and stay calm. One problem at a time.
Even if Marcus saw the photos and freaked out, holding hands with Alexander was a minor offence in comparison to what Amber and Austin were doing to her now. She was sure such innocent pictures wouldn't change his mind about her. He'd said he loved her. It would take more to turn him against her, at least, she hoped it would.
'Not answering, are we?' Amber said, pausing directly behind Anita and bending over to whisper ominously in her ear. 'Don't worry, I wouldn't want you to, not yet anyway. That would be too easy. Tell me, Anita, why were you trying to steal one of Austin's memories?'
Anita kept silent, looking obstinately forwards as Amber circled round into her peripheral vision. Out of nowhere, Amber raised her hand and swiped it as hard as she could across Anita's face, making a slapping noise that reverberated around the hollow room. Anita's head whipped to the side, face throbbing from the impact.
'I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that,' Amber purred, continuing to circle, 'and I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear it was everything I'd hoped it would be.'
'Let's try a different question,' Amber continued. 'What do you hope to achieve through your relationship with Marcus? Was it just about getting access to the vault, or do you have something else planned? Maybe you're working with someone? A group of academics? The Institution?'
Anita kept looking forwards, so didn't see that Amber had picked up a whip from the back of the room and was advancing darkly towards her. 'I'll give you one more chance to say something,' said Amber, 'and if you do, I promise to go easy on you. It will ruin my fun, but I like to reward good behavior.'
Anita said nothing. She knew there was nothing she could say that would really help her.
Amber paused for a couple more seconds before raising the whip high into the air, cracking it down onto Anita's unsuspecting legs. It too made a sickening noise on impact that bounced around the empty, grey, windowless room.
Anita let out an involuntary gasp of pain as Amber struck again, this time on her stomach, then a third time across her upper arms. Apart from her cries of pain, Anita uttered not a single sound. She gritted her teeth against the agony, focusing on a small stone on the floor.
She was empty, removed from the skin that sung from the impact of the whip. It was like she was floating above her tied-up form, neither connected to what was happening, nor fully detached. Her energy was the lowest it had ever been…powerless.
* * * * *
The questioning and torture went on for hours. Austin joined Amber for the later stages, waiting for the moment that Anita would break; he was sure she would.
She didn't.
By the end, Amber was furious, having extracted not a single word. Indeed, the only sign that Anita was still alive were the whimpers of pain she uttered at every new injury inflicted.
Anita's body was covered with wounds; the whip had cut her flesh, she had several broken ribs, a black eye was starting to form, but still, she wouldn't talk.
'You're losing your touch, Amber,' Austin taunted. 'I wouldn't have thought this one would be a hard nut to crack.'
Austin's ridicule drove Amber over the edge, and she rained blows down on Anita with such ferocity, that by the time she'd finished, Anita had been knocked unconscious.
'Stupid bitch,' spat Amber, before regaining her composure, turning towards Austin and smoothing down her pencil skirt. 'Can't we just kill her?'
'Alas, no,' replied Austin, sternly, holding Amber's chin, then kissing her, his movements dominant. 'Marcus complicates matters, and Alexander knows we have her. He requested that we release Anita into his custody. Killing her, I am afraid, is off the table.'
'By the Gods, she gets around. We should've tried to recruit her when we had the chance. Manipulation skills like hers are really quite rare, especially for someone with such profound Body abilities.'
'Indeed, but that doesn't solve the problem of what we should do with her, given that killing her isn't an option.'
'Say she confessed to stealing on behalf of some group or other and lock her up for a few years. Marcus and Alexander will move on.'
'A nice idea, but it won't fly. Marcus has never been interested in a girl for longer than a week or two, and I can't recall Alexander ever sticking his neck out for anyone. I don't think this is going to blow over. Locking her up will lead to more problems.'
'Then what? Let her go?'
'Maybe. But I'm going to make Marcus question her first.'
Amber and Austin turned and left the room, closing the heavy grey door behind them. Anita heard the key turn in the lock and the bolt clunk home. No escape through there, she thought, and no escape anywhere else either. There were no windows and only tiny ventilation holes in the wall. Even if she could get out of her cuffs, there was no way to get out of the cell.
* * * * *
Austin climbed the stairs, photos in hand, a
nd knocked lightly on Marcus' door. The door swung open and Marcus looked at Austin with disgust. 'What you do want?' he sneered.
'I want to talk to you about Anita and then I'd like you to question her for us.'
Marcus laughed coldly. 'Why would I do anything to help you after the way you've treated her? You hauled Anita off like some common criminal, ignoring both my wishes and my judgment. I've been trained, just like you have, to identify deception and deceit. I can assure you Anita's shown no signs of either.'
Austin handed Marcus the pictures of Alexander and Anita holding hands in Kingdom. 'No deception or deceit at all?' he asked triumphantly.
Marcus took a long look at the photos before casting them aside. 'All I see is Alexander dragging Anita through the streets of Kingdom, during a visit that happened several months ago, before we were properly seeing each other. Alexander and Anita are friends; she had lessons with him in the Spirit disciplines.
'What did you expect me to do,' he smirked, 'fly into a jealous rage because Anita's holding another man's hand? Show me pictures of them kissing, and maybe then you'll get your reaction, but this means nothing at all.'
Marcus was jealous, very jealous, but there would be time for that later. First, he needed to get Anita out of here. 'I'll question her for you, so we can clear this whole thing up and let her go.'
Marcus pushed past his perturbed father and made his way to the dungeons. Austin followed him, trying to keep up while maintaining a dignified pace.
Marcus burst into the dungeon, snapping, 'Where is she,' at Amber. Amber looked to Austin, who was coming down the stairs. Austin nodded.
'Right this way,' said Amber, leading the way down the corridor, unlocking the cell with Anita inside. 'Knock when you want to come out,' she said, standing aside and motioning Marcus through the door.
Marcus saw Anita's slumped form and rushed past Amber, hearing the door shut and lock behind him as he sank to his knees in front of her, lifting her head with his hands.
'By the Gods, what have they done to you?'
She looked at him through her swollen eyes and smiled weakly.
Marcus breathed a sigh of relief; they hadn't broken her spirit. 'I'm so sorry Anita. This is all my fault; I should never have left you alone in the vault.'
'Don't say that…' Her voice was a whisper.
'What were you doing?' he asked softly.
'The cylinders…they're well crafted. The energy equipment at the observatory is made of brass. It needs to be precise. I was going to ask who made them.'
She tried to take a deep breath, but winced at the pain in her chest. 'I was about to pick one up when Amber, Austin and the cronies burst in, saw me reaching for the shelf, and assumed I was trying to steal something. The rest you know.'
'I'm so sorry, Anita,' he repeated. 'I'll get you out of here, I promise. You haven't done anything wrong; they can't keep you here.'
'I'm sure they'll find a way if they want to,' she said in a low, cynical voice.
'I'll find a way,' he whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. 'I have to go, but I promise I'll get you out. I love you.'
'I love you too,' she said, in a voice so small it was barely even a whisper.
CHAPTER 15
Marcus left the castle without stopping to talk to his father. Much as he hated him, it was time to work with Alexander. He did, after all, have power as a ruling Descendant that Marcus did not.
Marcus made his way to the Spirit Temple and rapped on the stone covering Alexander's chambers, not having to wait long for a response. 'Marcus? What are you doing here?' said Alexander, as the stone slid aside.
Marcus stood silently for a moment, not quite believing he was about to say what he was. 'I'm here because I need your help to free Anita. I saw you at the castle earlier. I listened to some of your conversation with Dad. I know you want to free Anita, and I can't do it on my own. You have power that I don't and the only way we'll get her back is if we force Dad's hand.'
'I went to the castle to try and make sure your dad keeps her alive. He and Amber would kill her if they thought they could get away with it.'
'I, uh…' Marcus wasn't sure what to say. His eyes had been opened when he'd seen the state of Anita, so he supposed there was no reason to assume Alexander was wrong. But he couldn't believe his father would murder someone without good reason… 'All I know is that Anita's in a bad way. Amber didn't show her any kindness during the interrogation. She seems to have a couple of broken ribs and wounds everywhere.'
Alexander's hands clenched into fists. 'What are they accusing her of?'
'They think she was trying to steal a brass cylinder of Dad's. It contains some memory. Anita says she wanted to take a closer look at the brass work; she said she noticed it because of her work at the observatory. I'm not sure Dad will buy that though.'
'How do you suggest we go about freeing her if they won't believe her?'
'I think we need to use your power as a Descendant to threaten Dad. The one thing he cares about more than anything is his reputation. If you threaten to embarrass him publicly, then he may opt to let her go.'
Alexander perked up. 'What do you suggest I use to embarrass him?'
'Luckily, I've been researching my family's history. There's a lot I've cross referenced with other sources to get the real story, including what caused Mum and Dad to separate, for example.'
Alexander leaned forward. 'Go on.'
'It turns out Dad was having an affair.'
'With who?'
'I'll only tell you that on a need to know basis. It should be enough just to threaten him.'
Alexander nodded. 'What do you want me to do?'
'I'll go back to the castle, tell Dad I think Anita's innocent, and explain the misunderstanding. When he says he thinks I'm naïve and don't know what I'm talking about, I'll tell him that you're willing to blackmail him over the affair if he doesn't let her go. Hopefully that should be enough. If not, then we have to go through with it, and we keep digging up embarrassments until he's willing to set her free.'
'You would do that to your own father?'
'If he keeps Anita locked up, yes. I love her, and she hasn't done anything wrong. It's my fault she was in the vault; I've got to get her out.'
* * * * *
Marcus went back to the castle, stood outside Austin's office, took a deep breath, and knocked sharply, walking in without waiting for an answer. He entered to see Amber and Austin sitting on a sofa drinking whiskey, laughing in a way that made Marcus cold.
'Marcus,' said Austin, surprised that his son, who usually waited obediently at the door, had waltzed straight in. 'Join us for a drink,' he said, recovering.
'No, thank you. I have something I need to talk to you about…privately,' he said, looking Austin straight in the eye.
Amber got up to leave, shooting Austin a knowing look that Marcus chose to ignore.
'Dad, you need to let Anita go. She's done nothing wrong. She was looking at the brass work on those cylinders, nothing more. You must know how rare they are, and she has an interest because of her job at the observatory. If you want to punish anyone, then punish me. I was the one that took her to the vault and then left her alone. If I hadn't, this would never have happened.'
'And why did you leave her alone?' Austin asked.
'Because we bumped into Cleo, and true to form, she was snooping around. I went out to ask for some privacy and walked her to the stairs. She went back upstairs, presumably to where she'd been working. As I was walking back to the vault, I stopped to look at an artefact that caught my eye, and that's when you burst onto the floor.'
His story wasn't entirely accurate, but he didn't want to get Cleo into trouble too. It was best to downplay her presence. Marcus was sure it was all innocent, but Austin would be unlikely to see it that way.
'And you think it's a coincidence that Cleo happened to be at the archives when you took Anita there?'
'Yes. Cleo's at the archives almost ever
y day and has been since before you showed me the vault. I would've been surprised had she not been there. Anyway, it was an impromptu visit by Anita and I, and Anita couldn't have got a message to Cleo to meet her there without me knowing.'
Austin seemed to accept this. 'So you want me to just let her go? You know I can't do that, not when she has such a hold over you. She's using you, Marcus. We have to find out what she's using you for.'
'Why do you see a conspiracy everywhere you look? Can't Anita like me for the same reasons I like her? We have fun together and have a lot in common. Most people either suck up to me or are terrified of me, but Anita's normal; it's refreshing. Unlike you, I don't want people to treat me differently.'
'You're acting like a naïve child. Why can't you trust that I know best?'
'Because you don't always know best, and one day I'll be a ruling Descendant. I can't stay in your shadow forever.'
'You're not even close to being ready to rule,' said Austin. 'You're a lost boy who's been led astray by a girl. You can't even admit you might be wrong when she was caught red handed, stealing from our vault.'
This was the point of no return, but Marcus knew that to get anywhere with his father he had to fight fire with fire, it was the only way to win his respect. 'If you don't let her go, then Alexander will expose details of the affair you were having just before you and Mum separated.'
He said it then stopped dead, the air around them seeming to crackle as Austin took in the words.
'What affair?' he asked.
'Don't play with me, Dad. You know exactly what I'm talking about.'
Austin looked at him, impressed. 'You would do that to your own family? Bring embarrassment down on yourself as well as me?'
'You're trying to play the family card when you locked up Anita, who I love? You ignored my wishes to set her free, beat her up, and then refused to listen to her perfectly reasonable explanation. You can do better than that.'
