The Regenerates (21 page)

Ven and Coralie turned a bright shade of red and looked at the ground. Even Kayn looked away uncomfortably.

“Alright,” said Doon, stroking his chin. “Let’s make a deal. Help me out with the shop tonight and I’ll give you the map, along with those directions you need. It’s more for the stealing than anything, but I’ll throw in the map since you’re in a bit of a bind.”

Ven could have hugged him.

Doon set them to work right away, arranging the maps in alphabetical order or by location, cleaning the store, greeting customers and rolling up the maps neatly. By the end of their shift, Ven was exhausted but very satisfied.

“Not bad, I must say,” said Doon cheerfully. “Now, as promised, here is the map. Where did you say you needed directions to, again?”

“Hygon Pass,” said Ven.

Doon eyes widened. “You a fan of extreme hiking? Because you’re going to need quite a bit of gear to make it through Ellor Peak and the surrounding mountains. It’s doable, of course, but it can be fatal if you’re not well prepared.”

“It’s just important we get there,” said Kayn.

“I won’t question you further, then. Hand over the map.” Doon took out a long silver pen and began to scribble on the other side of the map. After a few minutes, he handed it back to them.

“We can’t thank you enough,” said Coralie.

“Of course. Just make sure you stock up before you head out. You’re all far too young to die of stupidity.” In a final gesture of kindness, he handed them some money. “Not everyone in Crion is as nice as me, I’m afraid. Make sure you buy the best blaster set you can. Crion is famous for weapons and you’ll need the best out there.”

They thanked him profusely and left the shop.

Ven tucked the map inside his bag. “We did it. We just need to stock up and we can head out.”

“I’m going to be a little sad to leave Crion so soon,” said Coralie as they walked away from Doon’s shop to a quieter street. “It’s so alive and beautiful, the exact opposite of home.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” said Kayn. “Since I wasn’t about to just let you back into Cor, not after what you’ve done.”

Ven rounded on him. “Lay off.”

“What?” said Kayn. “I forgot that we haven’t talked about this yet. I don’t even know why I let her come along. You’re only here because the elders said it’s your sentence, and they had authority over me. Since Cor’s word is law, I have to try my best to not kill you so you get the long, painful punishment you deserve. But she’s still one of the Sentenced, and she isn’t allowed back in Cor. It’s not like she’s any extra help to us, anyway. She shouldn’t even be alive in the first place.”

Before Ven could lunge at him, Coralie walked forward so she was inches from Kayn and looked him in the eye. They backed up into a dark alleyway.

“Try it, then, you filthy little coward,” she jeered. “I dare you. What’s the matter? Are you bitter because I almost killed you at the tunnels?”

Kayn looked down at her, his eyes bloodshot. He reached into his bag. Before he could pull out a weapon, Ven pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Kayn.

“
I
dare you,” said Ven, his voice barely above a whisper. His shoulders seared painfully.

“Don’t be stupid.” Kayn laughed. “If you kill me, then you don’t go home.”

“If Coralie dies, I’d rather not go home at all. Better if you just die right here. It would make us all feel a lot better.”

“Oh, really? What about your mother?”

“You son of a–”

Coralie lunged, knife in hand, and slashed Kayn across the side of his face. Ven staggered. Kayn wheeled around, clutching his cheek. Blood was slowly beginning to flow down in between his fingers.

“Say one more word, and the next time it’ll be your eye,” said Coralie.

“Coralie…” Ven said weakly.

She was shaking, clutching the knife tight in her hand. Kayn once again reached into his bag, but he still wasn’t fast enough.

Coralie rushed at him, baring the knife. Miraculously, she managed to tackle him to the ground and lifted the knife above her, ready to bring it down on his face. Ven leaped into the fray and tried to wrench it out of her hand.

“My, my.”

They turned. A group of people around Kayn’s age had surrounded them, weapons raised. Kayn shoved Coralie off of him and jumped to his feet.

“Do you idiots have any idea what a ruckus you’re making?” said one of the men. He was wearing a dark vest over a white shirt and looked a few years older than Kayn. In his hands, he held a golden revolver.

“While you were making all this noise, we managed to hear something interesting about you being from Cor. I don’t know if you know this already, but illegal entry into Crion is punishable by death. There’s even a reward for turning you in. Except that that’s a little boring. You see, entry into Crion is so coveted that selling illegal entries has become a business for Underworlders like us who fight to get the biggest reward. That’s how many people try to sneak in who don’t have papers. But this is probably one of the first times someone has snuck in from Cor.”

Kayn stood rigid, trying to grab his pistol from his satchel. Before he could move a finger, the man kicked him in the stomach so hard he flew back against the wall. The man then placed a metal-gloved hand on Kayn’s head and squeezed. Kayn yelled in pain as an electric shock went through him.

“Not likely, my ignorant friend,” the man said as Kayn crumpled to the ground. “You see, unlike in Cor where your weapons are all knock-offs, we are constantly evolving.” The metal wristplate he was wearing sizzled and sparked.

Ven and Coralie shrank back.

Suddenly, Ven felt a piercing blow to the back of his head and everything went black.

“I
’m telling you, they’re going to fetch a fortune. Cor and Crion have been sworn enemies ever since that scuffle with the last Grand Magistrate.”

“Fine, then. Who’s going to be our primary buyer? Gennus and his guys?”

“No, they’re a bunch of greedy losers.”

“Who, then?”

“We’ll decide later.”

Ven opened his eyes. He could hear faint voices in the distance. A searing pain in the back of his skull alerted him to reality. When his eyes had adjusted to his surroundings, he found himself in a large underground basement. A strange screen with peculiar dials and symbols flickered in the background against a metal wall. Boxes were stacked like bricks, each labeled with numbers. Unfamiliar weapons lay in a pile on one of the chairs by the large, flickering screen.

The basement, or wherever this was, was immense. In the corner, a staircase led up to a second level, where smoking pipes lined the walls. An unpleasant copper smell hung in the air.

He looked around for Kayn and Coralie. When he tried to move his hands, he found them bound behind him. The wire was beginning to cut painfully into his wrists. After glancing around, he saw Coralie beside him. Next to her, Kayn had his back to them and was leaning against the steel wall. Nearby, a group of men and women were huddled together, talking amongst themselves.

“You okay?” Coralie whispered.

“Yeah, you?”

“Fine.”

Coralie looked away, worried. “Ven…they took the dagger.”

“What?” He looked around and sure enough, all of their belongings were gone. Terror filled him. “What if they realize what the dagger is, Coralie? They’ll know who Kayn really is and if they do, it’s the end for us.”

“That’s what you’re worried about? We’re done for whether they find out or not. I could hear them talking earlier; they’re deciding which gangs to sell us off to.”

“I could sort of hear them, too. What are we going to do?” He glanced at Kayn.

“I think he’s trying to pick up a metal pole and impale himself,” said Coralie.

Ven thought Kayn had every right to be suicidal. If these thugs discovered that the dagger was more than just a trinket, it would cause a worldwide scandal. Even if Kayn managed to return home with it after taking it to Roth’s Tomb, Ven thought it would be unwise for him to rule. But his anger for Kayn was so powerful that he almost hoped Kayn would end up destitute.

“We have to get out of here, Coralie.”

“How?”

Ven reluctantly gestured to Kayn. She rolled her eyes.

“Kayn,” said Ven. “Do you have a plan?”

“Actually, yes,” he whispered. There was a scar on his cheek from where Coralie had slashed him. “They’re a bit like you, Ven. They’re stupid.” He shook his sleeve and a small knife popped out. He spun around and turned his back to them once more. Precariously holding the knife with his fingers, he proceeded to hack away at the cord. Holding their breath, Ven and Coralie kept their eyes on the group of people talking. After a minute or so, Kayn was finally free. He kept his hands behind his back.

A petrifying scream rang out from somewhere in the building. The group of people looked around.

“Tell Eaves to keep it down,” said the man wearing the vest to his companions. “They always make so much noise when he reprimands them. Idiots. None of them seem to get that they can’t leave.”

Ven could feel his heart pounding painfully in his chest. Kayn closed his eyes and kept perfectly still.

“Where’s that one from?” said a woman, twiddling a knife in her hands.

“Muran, I think. She won’t fetch too much, but money is money, after all.”

Finally, the group of people turned to the three of them. Out of the corner of his eye, Ven saw Kayn trying to keep his hands hidden.

“We still waiting on these guys?” said the woman. “I’m getting impatient, Cross,” she said to the man with the vest and the golden revolver. “Let’s just have someone contact Gennus. Who cares if he’s cheap?”

The man named Cross narrowed his eyes and looked down at Kayn. Without warning, he reached down and seized him by the collar of his shirt. The broken cord binding his wrists fell to the ground.

“Oh, please. I don’t have time for this,” said Cross, rolling his eyes. In a swift movement, Kayn reached for Cross’ side pocket, grabbed Cross’ dagger from its sheath and drove it into his stomach. Cross’ eyes opened wide for a moment, but to Ven’s surprise, he began to laugh. He grabbed Kayn’s wrist and began to twist it back hard. With his other hand, he opened his jacket to reveal bronze chain armor underneath his clothing.

“Just take him to Eaves,” said Cross. “Tell him he can make as much noise as he wants. This one is getting on my nerves.”

Two of the other men dragged Kayn away and out of sight. Then Cross turned to Ven and Coralie.

“So, are we going to have the same problem?” He pulled Ven to his feet, and then Coralie. “Hmm, your friend is a moron,” he said, after seeing that their hands were still bound. “I hope you’re not too attached to that girly face of his, because it’s not going to look too spectacular once Eaves is through with him.”

“Where’s all our stuff?” said Coralie.

Cross around. “It’s not really your stuff anymore, now, is it?”

“You have to give our things back,” said Ven. “They’re important.”

“They shouldn’t be. You’re going to die, anyway. Why does it matter?”

“Humor us,” said Coralie. “It’s a sentiment. If we’re going to die anyway, then it shouldn’t matter.”

Cross smiled. “Alright, then. Since you’re so sweet, and since you haven’t given me a hard time so far, I don’t see why not.”

The two men who had taken Kayn away returned with the screaming woman. Ven began to feel sick. Her face was horribly disfigured and burnt, and she was near unconsciousness.

“Eaves, you animal,” Cross laughed. The others joined him. He pulled out his golden revolver, aimed it at the woman’s head and fired. Ven looked away and closed his eyes. “No problem. She wasn’t worth much, anyway. Shame, all she wanted to do was move to the city.”

Cross’ companions dragged away the woman’s corpse.

Ven suddenly felt fear for Kayn. While he hated Kayn, he wouldn’t wish such a horrible fate on anyone.
We have to get out of here…We have to get out…

“Rom, give girly here back her stuff. It’s supposed to be a
sentiment.
”

They jeered. One of the women scooped up Coralie’s bag from behind a cabinet and tossed it to her. Ven frowned. They had only given back one of their bags.

Before Coralie could ask for the other, the door behind them burst open. Three heavily armed people stormed inside as Cross wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Gennus, you got our message, it seems.”

Gennus was the most monstrous human being Ven had ever seen. He slapped a massive hand on Cross’ back. “You weren’t trying to find a different buyer were you, Cross? When I heard you had snagged a bunch from Cor I was ecstatic.” He looked down at Ven and Coralie. “Hold on, you said there were three of them.”

“There are. Eaves is having a chat with one of them upstairs.”

“How is good old Eaves these days?” said Gennus. “Still mutilating everyone before he gives them to buyers? You know it doesn’t look good when you can’t make out their faces anymore.”

“So, pay up. They’re right here,” said Cross.

“Tell Eaves to bring the other one down first.”

Rolling his eyes once more, Cross motioned to one of the others to fetch Kayn. Moments later, Cross’ companion returned.

“He’s gone, and Eaves is…dead.”

“What did you say?”

Ven and Coralie looked at each other. Ven bent down and tried to open the bag in front of them with his teeth. When he got it open, all he could find was his wallet, the map and a few miscellaneous items, but no dagger. He wished more than anything that he had ignored his conscience and taken the Vigor when he had had the chance.

He turned to Coralie and shook his head. So Kayn had abandoned them. How had he managed to get the dagger?

Cross looked down at them. “Quite the friend you’ve got there. He’s gone and left you two behind. No problem. Two from Cor is still worth more than five from Muran. Hurry up, Gennus.”

“Wait,” said Ven, frantic. “He hasn’t abandoned us. He’s gone to get help.” He held his breath, unsure if his lie would work. But it was worth a try.

Cross raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“You know I’m right. He’s stronger than you think. He managed to kill one of your best men. He’s on his way to call some friends of ours, and you don’t want to mess with them.”