The Collector

“Yes, yes!” Doctor Death Defying waved. “Take the van. Usual terms apply!”

Jet grinned, they would do anything for the doctor, but he was always there for them too. It was very much a symbiotic relationship, and they all admired and had a great deal of loyalty and respect for him. But more than that, he was their friend and they counted themselves lucky.

“We’ll bring it back in one piece, don’t worry,” Jet chuckled.

“Yourselves too,” Death Defying replied. “Don’t trust anyone.”

He wouldn’t normally be so direct. It was enough usually to leave the words unsaid – if the van was returned safe, then the implication was that they too would be safe. But there was uncertainty in the air. Both Kobra and Ghoul had been captured. Both men careful, experienced and more than able to handle themselves. Someone had got the better of them and it seemed unlikely that they had both been careless. To the doctor, this spoke volumes. It spoke of carefully laid traps, very probably situations that were not suspicious to them and most disturbing of all the possibility that someone may seem trustworthy or even go unnoticed in a crowd but may be watching them.

Unfortunately, the true situation that they were being lured into traps by two of their oldest and most trusted friends did not even register as a possibility.

As the three headed out, Jet frowned with concern as Party walked slowly and not exactly stooped but certainly not his confident upright self. Jet considered the possibility of asking Party if he was truly able to make the journey but his mind was battling against asking the question. Party didn’t accept illness well and it was his determination to keep going that had caused this particular virus to take such a dangerous hold on him in the first place. There were arguments for both possible outcomes.

“What’s on your mind, Jet?” Party finally asked, surprising the other man with the directness of his question.

“What?” Jet asked dumbfounded.

“You were staring,” Party explained.

Jet snapped to, realising that he had in fact been staring as he considered whether or not to speak. It seemed though, from the tone of the question and brief explanation that Party knew exactly what was on his mind.

“Oh, Party, sorry, I…” Jet didn’t quite know where to go with his reply.

“It’s okay, man, I know you’re worried.” Party offered a faint smile. “I’m still strong enough to fire a gun, and I need those meds. If Ghoul didn’t get there, then Candi still has them.”

Jet nodded, it made sense. Party would only get worse without them and they were only a few hours away.

“Red and I will drive,” Jet announced before looking at Red. “You can drive, can’t you?”

“I guess you’ll find out later, won’t you?” she smirked back, earning a laugh from Jet.

Heading out into the mid-morning sun that was already above 85 degrees, the trio headed toward the van, Party climbing into the back, though the side door.

“Drop me at four and seventeen and then you two go find the car,” Party instructed as they.

“Four and seventeen!” Jet gasped as he slid behind the wheel. “That’s…” he began only to be interrupted.

“Jet!” Party barked. “I don’t think we need to announce where Candi lives, do you?”

“Not with a BLI spy in the van,” Red grumbled as she pulled the door closed behind her.

“Is that an admission?” Party scowled.

“Listen ginger snap, your attitude’s getting old,” Red frowned deeply, looking over her shoulder. “I don’t even have the words to say how much I hate BLI. I don’t think the words even exist! BLI killed my entire family when I was four. They drafted me in to do their marketing videos – a pretty innocent blonde, blue-eyed child to tell the world how fucking amazing they are.”

Red took a deep breath as her thoughts drifted back to her previous existence. Her voice cracked slightly as it rose in pitch and volume as she continued.

“They didn’t even bother to try to erase my memories because I was four and they thought I’d forget, but I didn’t and I never will as long as I live! It took me years to escape. I don’t doubt that you’ve got some sad story too, but at least you’ve still got your brother, so back off, okay!”

Jet turned, first to look at Red, then Party. Her outburst had been heartfelt and emotional, he found it hard to believe it wasn’t real. Besides, since when were even BLI spies capable of that level of emotion?

Party lowered his eyes, then his head and exhaled. Taking a few deep breaths as the van hung in silence, he finally looked up. Red had turned away to stare out of the passenger side window. Jet was still staring; he looked sad. One final deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke quietly. “I guess I’m used to being suspicious and I’m worried…”

“And you’re ill,” Jet added.

Party lowered his head and sighed heavily.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, with genuine regret lacing his words. “I’m sorry I’ve been a dick.”

“I’m sorry I kicked you in the balls,” Red offered in a conciliatory tone.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that too,” he replied with a small laugh. “Let’s go.”

*

Kobra awoke to the smell of food. Real food. He had forgotten what food smelled like but as the aroma drifted toward him it practically pulled him from unconsciousness. Opening his eyes, the memory of the gas pumped into the cell filled his memory and he expected to be in a great deal of pain and discomfort. It was a few moments before he realised that instead of the viewing area floor, he was waking in the bed in the private area at the back of the cell. As he looked to his left, he was surprised to see the broken table had been replaced and the splinted wood cleared away. On top of the table lay a steaming plate of something that was making his mouth water so much he was in danger of dehydrating the rest of his body.

Swinging his legs off the bed, he got to his feet and looked at the plate. It looked like a large portion of chicken with gravy, potatoes and vegetables. Suddenly he couldn’t focus on it, and it was seconds before he realised that his eyes had misted. His stomach growled and churned, begging him to eat but there was another pull – he hated his situation. If he ate, was he giving in? Was he accepting his fate? More than that, was it drugged? Was he going to lose anything of himself? Oh, but he wanted it so badly. He longed to eat with every fibre of his hunger-ravaged body. He hadn’t eaten anything that wasn’t dog food in such a long time. The moistened kibble was disgusting and only marginally better than the recycled rainwater they had started drinking but it kept him alive. It was such a horrible feeling to want something so much but to be afraid of giving in to it. Without even realising it, he had picked up the fork that lay next to it.

“Eat, Kobra,” a voice called from the next cell.

“Ghoul?” He shouted back. “You’re awake?”

“No,” his friend called back. “This is a recording.”

Ghoul heard Kobra chuckle lightly, it was a daft question.

“Out front,” Ghoul shouted.

Picking up the plate, Kobra walked into the viewing area to see Ghoul sitting on the floor cross-legged and half way through a bowl of pasta.

“Oh, pasta,” Kobra commented as he took his place on the floor near Ghoul.

“I’d give you some, but…” Ghoul tapped on the wall with his fork.

“No, you wouldn’t,” Kobra grinned.

Ghoul shrugged, offering a wide smile in reply. “No, you’re right, I wouldn’t. What have you got?”

Kobra lowered his plate. “Chicken,” he smiled.

“Well,” Ghoul shrugged, loading up his fork. “As prisons go, it could be worse.”

“I’m glad to hear your settling in,” a female voice reached them from the door.

Ghoul closed his eyes and allowed his head to tip to the side as he exhaled heavily. For the briefest of moments, he had relaxed for the first time since arriving. Just sitting with Kobra and having something to eat, apart from the cells it had felt like it could have been years ago. So long ago before the Helium Wars; when the world was still alive but didn’t know it.

“Why can’t you just leave us alone?” he finally asked. “You hurt us, drug us and lock us up. The very least you could do is stay the hell away from us,” he yelled, dropping the bowl the short distance to the floor and pushing himself to his feet.

Evelyn walked slowly and gracefully into the room almost appearing to glide. Keeping her eyes fixed on Ghoul as she approached, she watched as he walked to the Perspex door. Glancing up, Kobra was eating and, as curious he was as to what was going to happen, he hadn’t stopped. It was as if the pull of his body’s needs had taken over and nothing was going to stop him, short of an attack.

“Do you like the food?” she asked, ignoring his anger.

“What do you want from us?” Ghoul asked bitterly.

“All of you? This,” she waved her arms to indicate the room. “You’re exhibits, nothing more.”

“And me?” Ghoul took a deep breath as he considered her behaviour towards him in the car.

“I think I made myself quite clear on that front,” she replied, her voice, considering the topic, strangely cold.

“What would you be prepared to do in return?” he asked carefully.

Kobra narrowed his eyes as he looked up at his friend; what was he doing?

Evelyn smiled her amusement in response; was he trying to negotiate? Did he not realise he had nothing to bargain with?

“Why would you assume I’d be prepared to offer you anything?” she asked with a light laugh.

“Look, BLI…” he began. “The Crows are after us. They’re not going to let you keep us. The moment we go on display, they’ll be here shutting you down and taking us to have our memories erased. You won’t have anything.”

“What is your bargain?” she asked with curiosity.

“Let Kobra go. I’ll stay,” he took another deep breath as he paused to gather himself, but Kobra was already on his feet protesting.

“Ghoul, I’m not leaving you here with her!”

Ghoul turned a wretched expression towards Kobra. It spoke volumes; more than any words could. In that moment, Kobra knew what he and Jet meant to him, but most of all Party. The idea that to save the others from captivity, he would willingly give himself to this woman was such an extreme sacrifice that Kobra’s eyes misted.

“But what about…?” he began only to stop himself before he uttered his brother’s name.

Ghoul’s face seemed to crumple under the burden of realising that Kobra knew and appeared unimaginably sad at the effect he knew it would have on Party.

“This is all very sweet and touching,” Evelyn sighed. “But the truth is, Ghoul, you have no bargaining power. BLI know you’re here, it’s all sanctioned. They don’t care how you’re brought to heel, just as long as you are.”

“Then what do you want?” Ghoul spat the words as if they had left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Ghoul, I will have you, believe me,” she smirked. “But that’s not why I came.”

Walking slowly over to a small display case, she ran her hand along the top. Within it lay one green and one red gun, with two remaining empty stands.

“I thought you’d like to know that in a few hours, there’ll be another gun in this case. A yellow one.”

Ghoul’s jaw dropped open as he and Kobra both rushed forward.

“No,” Kobra shook his head in alarm. “You don’t have Party. No way!”

A smile began to form on her face slowly.

“I have been reliably informed that he is approaching Candi Crush’s apartment as we speak. It won’t be long before he’s in that cell right there,” she laughed, indicating the cell next to Ghoul’s. “And Jet won’t be far behind, I’m certain. I’m beginning to feel a little disappointed. I never expected it would be this easy to trap you all. Are you certain your reputation is deserved?”

“No, please,” Ghoul begged. “I’ll do anything, just let him go… and Kobra and Jet. Please!”

“You will anyway,” she smiled confidently as she turned to leave.

“You’ll never get anything from me!” Ghoul screamed, slamming a fist onto the Perspex.

Her light laughter filtered back to them as she closed the doors behind her. Turning his back to the wall, Ghoul placed his palms over his face and shook his head.

“She’s gonna get is all, Kobra,” he lowered his hands and stared bleakly at his friend in the next cell. “We won’t get out of here.”

“We will,” Kobra was snatching at his breaths now, trying to remain calm. “Remember, we said we would. We promised each other.”

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

Notes