Immortal (32 page)

“Up and down.” He said, as he smiled. She
nodded, and smiled slightly, but briefly. Ahead, a Guardian turned
the corner and headed towards them. She drew her gun and aimed, and
let her finger find the trigger in one smooth motion. The Guardian
was almost on them.

Roger’s hand was carefully bandaged with no
noticeable traces of blood, as he sat at his desk and waited for
Charles to return. He laid his comm unit on the desk, and began to
enter a code from the paper that lay beside it. With a final entry
into the device, he activated the long range setting. His father
had explained that if this setting was ever activated, it would
turn on the satellite linkage for the comm system. It was something
that as far as he knew, had never been used in his own lifetime.
The unit hesitated as it completed the execution of the command,
and then displayed the results. Sat Active, read the display. He
put it aside and shoved the paper back into the desk drawer. He
took a long drink of blue sparkle water, and let out a sigh of
relief. He could feel the pain medication began to relax him as it
kicked in, but still took two more pills from the bottle, and
popped them into his mouth. He took another drink, savored the
fizziness of the cool liquid, and swallowed them down. He looked at
his poor shredded and bandaged hand. He couldn’t wait to get this
over with so that he could have it replaced. He would have to have
Charles order the sequence to begin immediately. The door to his
office slid open, and Charles pushed the hooded figure inside.

“Hey!” Came the muffled voice from under the
hood, as the figure stumbled into the room. “Keep your hands
off.”

“Is this the specimen?” Roger asked. Charles
nodded as he entered the room, and the door slid shut behind him.
“Excellent!” He exclaimed, as a broad smile spread across his face.
He stood up from behind his desk. “Take it off.” Charles reached
over, grabbed the hood, and removed it from the girl’s head. She
shook her tasseled hair out of her face. Roger stepped closer, and
placed his hand under her chin, and turned her face towards him.
Rebecca tried to pull her face away from him, but Charles had her
firmly by the shoulders. Her hands were secured behind her. “It
really is amazing, Charles, isn’t it. Looks just like her. A little
younger…but just like Vanessa.” He trailed off, and turned her face
slightly. “Doesn’t it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You brought it through the emergency access
tunnel?” Roger asked, and. Charles’s nodded in reply. “Good.” Roger
said as he also nodded. “So….” Roger began, as he stepped back and
looked down at a readout on his desk. “Rebecca is it?”

“What?” She spat back at him.

“Is that what you are called? Rebecca?”

“Yeah.” She looked around again. “Where am
I?” She asked. He glanced at the readout again, and then turned
back to her.

“I believe you might call it…quarantine. Is
that right, Charles?”

“Yes, sir.” He said as he nodded.

“Yes, quarantine. How do you feel?” Roger
asked her.

“I felt fine before the Guardians controlled
me.”

“Yes, very unfortunate. Sorry about that, and
all. But we are very short on time.”

“I don’t have the plague?”

“No, no. I’m sure you don’t.” He paused for
second, as concern wrinkled his brow.

“It doesn’t have the plague does it,
Charles?” Charles raised his eyebrow, and then shook his head.
“Good. See, he says you don’t have the plague. Isn’t that good?” He
asked, as he tried to sound sweet and helpful.

“Then why am I here?” She asked. “And why are
my arms pinned back?”

“We need your help. A secret project really.”
He sat back down behind his huge ornate desk.

“My help? For what?”

“Just a little conversation. That’s all.
You’ll help us with that, won’t you?”

“Why should I help you?” She asked.

“Why wouldn’t you help us?” She lifted one
arm, to show him that she still had her arms pinned behind her.
“Ah. I see.” He nodded towards Charles who reached behind her and
removed her bindings. She flexed her arms, and rubbed her wrists.
“You’ll help us now?” Roger asked, as he did his best to smile
friendly at her.

“Go to hell.” She told him. The smiled
vanished from Roger’s face. “I’m not helping you do anything.” She
said, and spit at him over his desk. The spittle landed on his
cheek, and hung there for a moment before it began to run slowly
down the side of his face. He sat there, immobile for a moment,
before he slowly stood up. He picked up his comm unit, stepped over
to her, and handed the unit to Charles.

“Connect with Jonah.” He told Charles. “Video
on.” He said as Charles keyed the device, then handed it back
towards Roger. “You hold it.” He said. “Oh, Jonah.” There was no
response. Roger cleared his throat. “Oh, Jonah!” He called
again.

“Roger?” Came Jonah’s voice from the
unit.

“Why there you are Jonah. Funny, you know,
I’ve looked everywhere for you.” He said exaggeratedly. He laughed.
“Why, where on earth are you?” Jonah did not respond. “Jonah?” He
smiled into the device, and then slowly the smile faded. “Where are
you?” He asked pointedly.

“You know where I am.” Jonah replied with a
short answer. Roger laughed again.

“Yes. I suppose I do.” He laughed again. “You
know, Jonah,” he began, his voice turning serious, “…this cannot go
on. I need you to put a stop to this immediately.”

“I can’t stop this.” He replied.

“Oh, my dear friend, but you can. You most
certainly can.” He stepped closer to the comm unit, and his face
enlarged in Jonah’s screen. “It’s quite simple actually.” He
continued. “All you have to do is activate the return sequence, and
boom, you’ll be right back here, and we can put all of this behind
us.”

“Return sequence?”

“Yes. A simple thing really. Just push a
little button, and then this will all be over.”

“Go to hell.” Jonah replied.

“Now, now. I know we’ve had our little
differences. But Jonah, this is important.”

“Exactly, Roger. This is important. And there
is nothing you can do or say that will stop me.”

“Really, Jonah?” He said as he pulled back
from the comm unit a step. “Nothing?”

“Nothing.” Jonah spat back at him. Roger
grabbed a hand full of Rebecca’s hair and yanked her head into the
edge of the comm unit’s view. She screamed with pain. “Nothing?”
Repeated Roger, as he yanked her head back and forth and made her
scream even louder. “Nothing?”

“Vanessa!” Yelled Jonah. Roger yanked her
head more, as her screams distorted over the comm device.

“Nothing, Jonah?”

“Damn it! Stop it! Stop it, Roger!” And Roger
did stop, but he did not let go. He leaned forward again.

“Oh. You want something from me now?” He
asked. “What to do, what to do? Oh, I know! How about a little
trade. I’ll stop, and you’ll activate the return sequence.”

“No.” Rebecca screamed, and again Roger
yanked her hair. Jonah closed his eyes.

“Roger…” Jonah began. “Please stop it. She
hasn’t done anything.” Roger laughed.

“No she hasn’t, has she.” He yanked her hair
again, and she screamed. “What a shame that you would put her
through this.” He leaned forward again. “Look, I’m not
unreasonable, Jonah. No not at all. I just need you to do this one
little thing for me, that’s all.” He lifted Rebecca’s head again
into view. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, and she
desperately tried to get at his hand to stop the painful struggle.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” Roger asked. “Just this one little thing.
For me. And it will all be over.” The tears ran down Jonah’s face,
and his heart ached as he watched as Vanessa was tortured by that
bastard.

“Okay.” Jonah said. “Just stop it.” Roger
threw her out of view, and she sprawled to the floor. “I’ll do
it.”

“Really?” Roger asked, almost surprised.
“Just like that?” He said as he looked back at Charles, and then
turned back to the comm unit. “I thought sure I would have to kill
her.” He laughed. “Excellent! Good choice, Jonah.”

“What do I have to do?” He asked,
defeated.

“There is a control room. At the front of the
ship? You can’t really miss it. Has a big red door. Says Control
Room on the door. You just walk in there and look for the yellow
box on the wall. Open it and hit the big red button inside.” He
laughed again. “See how simple it is?” He reached out and kicked
Rebecca as she lay on the ground. The dull thud, and muffled scream
echoed through the room. “So, get it done.” Jonah had flinched at
the sound. He nodded. “And Jonah?”

“Yes.”

“When you get there? Call me back.” He
smiled. “I want to watch you do it. You know. Just to make sure.”
Roger nodded to Charles, and Charles keyed the device. Suddenly
Jonah’s screen went blank. The connection was broken.

Roger stepped over Rebecca, and around to
behind his desk. He bent over, and opened the top drawer.

“Oh, Charles.” He said, as he pulled a black
revolver from the drawer. “Could you let them know that I need this
replaced right away.” He said holding up his damaged hand. “Hurts
the like the devil.” He said, as he pointed the gun at Rebecca.

“Wait!” Charles said, as he stepped in front
of the shot. A look of confusion crossed Roger’s face.

“What?” he asked. “We don’t need it any more.
And Vanessa certainly won’t be needing it.” He laughed. “She’s
dead!”

“But the rug, sir.” Charles said, as he
pointed to the ornate rug on which she lay.

“Good call, Charles. I love that rug.” He put
the gun back into the drawer and closed it. “Very well. Dispose of
it somewhere else.”

“But, sir...” He said, as he bent down to
help the young girl to her feet. “We may still need her. At least
until we’re sure he’s activated the return sequence.” Roger
pondered this for a moment.

“Very well. You may be right. Keep it until
he’s activated the sequence. And then dispose of it. Now, hurry it
up. I need you to get this hand replacement started right away.” He
said as he popped two more pills into his mouth and chased them
with the blue sparkly water.

“Wait.” Jericho said to Gabrielle. “Look. No
control stick.” He said. She didn’t lower her weapon, but she did
not fire either. The Guardian continued to walk towards them and
did not slow. Suddenly, Jericho put his arm across her chest, and
flattened both of them against the wall, as he made way for the
Guardian to pass. The gleaming metallic Guardian reached them, and
then passed without any hesitation. It had not even seemed to see
them. They looked at one another in disbelief. The Guardian
continued to march down the walkway, turned the corner, and
disappeared from view. She lowered her gun to her side.

“What the heck?” She asked.

“It wasn’t even concerned with the gun.” He
said in disbelief. “Come on.” He said, as he headed up the walkway
towards the front of the ship. He rounded the corner, and could see
the main deck clearly. As they watched, an occasional Guardian
would walk past an open area. “It’s like they are patrolling.” He
said.

“But for what?” She asked. “Not for us.” He
nodded in agreement, and then continued forward. A voice came from
behind them.

“Hey.” Jonah said weakly. They turned and
were shocked at how pale he looked in the sunlight. Pale and cold.
Gabrielle noticed that blood still dripped from his bandage, and
splattered onto his shoe and the white deck.

“You shouldn’t be moving.” She said, as she
stepped towards him. He held up his hand.

“I have to.” He said, as he slumped against
the wall behind him.

“Why?” She asked.

“He has her.”

“Who?”

“Vanessa.”

“That Roger guy?” Asked Jericho. Jonah
nodded.

“He was torturing her.” Jonah said, as tears
welled up into his eyes again.

“I’m sorry.” Said Gabrielle. “What can we
do?” She asked.

“I’m not sure.” He said. “What did you find
out about the Guardians?”

“Not much.” Jericho answered. “Except they
seem to be ignoring us.” Gabrielle nodded her agreement.

“One walked right past us. I even had my gun
aimed at it. It just went right by.”

“Interesting.” Jonah said. “Like they might
be programmed to protect the ship. But not specifically from
humans. They may not even be programmed to know what humans are…”
He said, as he trailed off into thought.

“What about Vanessa?” Gabrielle asked. Jonah
looked up from his thoughts.

“Have you seen anything marked Control Room?”
He asked. They both shook their heads. “It’s supposed to be at the
front of the ship.” He said as he pointed ahead.

“What’s there?” Jericho asked, as he helped
Jonah back to his feet. They walked a few paces in silence.

“Jonah?” Asked Gabrielle.

“The return control.”

“Return?” She asked. Then suddenly the word
sank in. “Return? As in go back?” She stopped, and looked at him
with wonder. “You can’t be serious.” She said.

“That’s what he wants. If I don’t…he’ll kill
her.”

“But, Jonah. Go back?” She asked again.
“They’ll kill us. They’ll kill you. And then they’ll kill her.” She
shook her head.

“Going back is not an option.” Jericho said,
and Jonah nodded, tears in his eyes.

“But what do I do?” He asked softly. “I can’t
be responsible for him killing her.” He sobbed quietly. Suddenly
Gabrielle pulled him to the side of the walkway, as another
Guardian rounded the corner, and then passed them silently. Jonah
watched it go past. Through his tears, he blinked.

“Hey!” Jericho yelled at the Guardian. “Hey,
you!” The Guardian continued to walk away. “Guardian!” He yelled.
It stopped.

“Oh, shit!” Gabrielle said, as she drew her
gun and aimed it. Jericho raised his hand, and signaled her not to
shoot.