The Collector

Party looked at the door he had noticed earlier before the Bryzik had sent him to sleep, now staring at it, he noticed that there didn’t appear to be any method of opening it. It seemed strange to him that his cell had two doors and wondered again what was behind it. Pulling again at the restraints on both his wrists, he huffed with frustration as they held firm. Why did he need to be restrained? Both doors would be locked, it wasn’t as if he was going anywhere. What were they afraid he would do?

The door he had just been staring at began to open slowly. The fact of it making Party nervous; what was going to happen now? He had suffered through a fake interrogation, a truly torturous memory retrieval, sent to sleep then inexplicably woken again. Nothing seemed to make sense to him. What did they want? What did Korse want? Why go to all the trouble of capturing all of them only to allow them to escape and have them rescue an evil android version of himself? Was it really just to turn the Zones against them? Was he going to kill them and have everyone believe that he had turned? But if so, why did he need his memories?

Korse had told him that they would be hated and discredited. He had imagined that the android was going to cause chaos in the Zones by killing or disrupting supply runs, but even Korse had to know that the other Killjoys would stop him. At the very least they would think he'd been brainwashed and would restrain him in some way. It would all be over very quickly.
The answer came to him with a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. The android was genuinely going to pass himself off as Party Poison. It would do all the things he would normally do, contact the people he would normally supply to or trade with. The information would be passed automatically to BLI and all the people who trusted them would be found and exterminated.

That’s what Korse meant when he talked about it causing havoc to the Zones. Their friends would be hunted, starved out and exterminated by BLI on information provided by the android. At some point someone would work out the connection and how BLI were finding them but no one would for a moment suspect an android, they would blame the Killjoys. They would probably be hunted within their own community of Zonerunners. He had to find a way to escape.

Through the door, much to his surprise, stepped Green PD68B, the porno droid he had met earlier before the interrogation.

“Green?” He queried, uncertain as she merely stood in the centre of the room staring unblinking ahead.

He didn’t even know if androids were programmed to blink, if not, maybe the guys would notice? Nobody could spend for than a few seconds in the desert environment without blinking regularly. It simply wasn't possible. It gave him a glimmer of hope.

“Green?” He ventured again, unnerved by her silence.

When they had first met, she had informed him that she was programmed to take care of him, but there was something about her stare and silence that made him wonder if her programming had been changed. He couldn’t help but be acutely aware that if she were to attack him in any way, he was helpless.

The door closed behind her and, without warning, all four walls, floor and ceiling suddenly lit up with a repeating moving hypnotic pattern display of circles moving inside others circles, spiralling to infinity as outer circles shrunk and grew all around them. The entire image was probably only about three feet across in all directions, but the pattern was constantly repeated across all surfaces making it hard for him to get a sense of where walls, floors and ceilings began and ended. Everything seemed to somehow merge, pull apart and turn at the same time, causing an instant and intense sense of nausea and disorientation in Party. It was as if the bed in which he lay was turning and moving back and forth and he repeatedly felt the need to try to stop himself falling as his senses told him he was being tipped over.

Distracted by the intense disorientation, Party was surprised as Green appeared alongside him and fastened a metal band tightly around his head, which covered his eyes. At first relieved that he could no longer see the disturbing patterns, he gasped as something attached itself to his eyelids, and what he soon realised were small clamps pulled the lids open forcefully, holding them wide. Sliding back a panel in the band, Green set a directional spray that would dampen his eyes periodically to prevent them drying.

Now forced to stare at the hypnotic display, Party didn’t even notice the injection he was given until the needle had already pierced the skin of his arm.

“Green, what are you doing? What was that?” His panicked voice called out, receiving no answer, not directly at least.

Green stood once more in the centre of the room and began speaking in a cold echoing, low voice accompanying by a deep thrumming sound that filled the room and vibrated in time with the moving circles.

“Welcome to Better Living Industries. We care about your wellbeing. Gone are the days when negative emotions ruled daily lives. With BLI brand medication, you will live a happier, more productive life. You do not need friends, thoughts, colour or emotions. All you need is BLI to take care of you. Allow us to help you live your life with a smile on your face always. Better Living Industries cares about your wellbeing.”

With only a few seconds pause, Green began again as the thrumming sound grew louder alongside her voice. With each pause and repeat of the statement, the volume increased until within only a few minutes, Party was screaming against the painful deafening roar. The drug she had injected him with made him feel lightheaded and now he was floating and spiralling within a void with waves of noise crashing all around him. The thrumming sound began to change in pitch and speed, increasing slowly at first but quickening with every passing moment until it became a high-pitched screech assaulting his ears. It began to feel as though every cell in his body was being pulled apart and somehow crushed at the same time. Even the sound of his own agonised screams turned back on him, taunting and hurting him.

Party could no longer see the circles but he still felt the twisting and spiralling motion of the bed. He felt as though instead of restraints, it was the unconscionable noise pressing him down and if only it would stop he could move. But if it did stop he would fall. Where would he fall to? Nowhere? To his death?

“Believe in BLI,” Green now began repeating a new statement. “BLI will take care of you. BLI cares about your wellbeing. You can trust BLI.”
“No!” Party screamed, fighting against the drug, as a fine mist was sprayed into his eyes. “I will not… I… I will not trust… No,” he shook his head painfully as the metal band pressed against his skull. “I…”

The noise stopped abruptly and Party’s head fell back onto the pillow, he gasped for breath as his world continued to swirl and weave around him.

“Gerard?” Green began, taking a step closer.
“Go away,” he mumbled, still lightheaded and nauseous.
“It’s a very simple question, Gerard.” She replied coldly. “Don’t you want to see your brother again? Don't you want to see Mikey?”
“You don’t have him,” he growled with intense effort. “I don’t believe you.”
“No, Gerard, he’s not here, but you are. Don’t you want to see him again?”
“You think I'm going to give him up to you?” He shook his head lightly. “Never!”

Green laughed; it was full of condescension and mockery.

“No, Gerard, that’s not what we expect from you.”
“Then what…?”

The noise began again, filling his body with vibrations that made him feel that he might shatter at any moment. As the sound’s volume and intensity built once more, Party gritted his teeth as the pain grew, tearing at him like a thousand knives.

“What do you want from me?!” He screamed loudly in a broken, shattered voice.
“Believe in BLI,” Green now began repeating again. “BLI will take care of you. BLI cares about your wellbeing. You can trust BLI.”

After what felt an eternity, the noise changed to a high, siren-like ‘wah-wah’ sound and once again, Green’s statement changed. Delivered in the same cold metallic voice, now she merely repeated:

“You can trust BLI.”

Involuntary tears rolled down Party's cheeks in response to desperation and pain and he writhed against the restraints to no avail.

“No, no, no…” he whispered.

Exhausted, weak and in agony, Party tried hard to gather himself, to pull himself from the trance-like state the display and sounds were dragging him into, but the drug was clouding his ability to think clearly. It felt like it might be a losing battle but he clung on with grim determination. Another fine mist was sprayed into his eyes and the overwhelming feeling of distance from his own body led him to realise that there may also be a drug in the liquid being sprayed into his eyes.

It was possible that he lost consciousness at this point and was now dreaming but he couldn’t be certain. Nothing felt real and yet, he knew it had to be. Or, perhaps that was the other way around. Everything felt real but, perhaps it wasn't? He wasn’t certain any more.

Korse was standing over him, smiling, laughing, taunting him. Mikey… no Kobra was there too, shaking his head in disappointment. He looked sad, let down. Ghoul… Frankie, dear Frankie touched his face, caressing his cheek before slapping him angrily. Jet stood back, his arms folded, refusing even to look at him.

“No,” he whispered, “don’t. I can’t, I won’t give in.”
“Oh, but you already have, Gerard,” Korse laughed. “You’re well on the way to betraying everyone who relies on you.”

*

Ghoul parked the trans am in the underground garage beneath the shop where the deliveries arrived and switched off the engine, relieved to have arrived in one piece. He handed realised how tired he was until that last ten minutes and Red’s suggestion of music had been sheer genius. Not only had it kept them awake, but it had buoyed them, and they needed that.
The elevator opened and a tall, gangly woman with long straight brown hair and a long flowing orange dress with bright pink embroidery rushed forward to greet them.

“Oh! Guys!” She called cheerfully. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Hey, Kami,” Jet grinned. Despite being weary and fit to drop, Kami’s enthusiasm was enough to lift all their spirits. There was simply something about her that radiated warmth and happiness.
“Come on,” she ushered them into the room which was filled with bolts of material of all colours and fabrics. “I have some food for you, won’t take a minute to prepare. Are you hungry?” She asked with a giggle.
“Kami,”Jet chuckled in response. “'Do you really need the answer to that?”
“No, but I do need to know who this charming young lady is.”

She reached back behind Ghoul and pulled Red forward. Red looked with uncertainty towards Kobra and he gave a reassuring nod.

“My, my,” Kami turned Red around, stroking her hair as she did so - Red receiving another urgent nod from Kobra as a signal to accept the strange intrusion. “I’m Kami Kazee, my dear. Who might you be?”
“My name’s Little Red.” She smiled, still excited to say the words: “I’m Jet’s sister.”
“Jet’s sister?” She beamed. “Welcome to the family, my lovely!”
“Oh!” Red raised her eyebrows. “You’re related?”
“Kami’s family with everyone,” Ghoul stepped forward and pulled Kami close for a big hug, chuckling quietly to himself as she stroked his hair.
“You have beautiful hair, Ghoul, you really need to look after it better you know?”
“How, Kami?” Ghoul pulled back, grinning. “We live in the desert with barely any water and no supplies.”
“Well now, look at Jet and that fine mane of his,” Kami moved over to caress his curls. “He manages just fine.”
“Don’t worry, Kami, I’ll teach him,” Jet smiled broadly.
“Where’s Party?” She frowned turning her eyes to look at Kobra and seeing the deep pain in his eyes as she asked the question.
“It’s a long story, but BLI have got him,” Jet replied. “We need to rest a bit before going in to rescue him. Can we sleep on your floor?”
“You can have anything you want, Jet,” Kami frowned deeper. “I don’t want you sleeping on the floor though, that won’t help at all. We’ll lay out some bolts of fabric and cushions. It’ll be the best night’s sleep you've ever had. And I’ll get some food ready for you. If you’re going in there, you’re going in prepared.”

She reached across to Kobra and squeezed his hand.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” she nodded. “He’s strong.”

Turning to Ghoul, she tipped her head to the right and offered a sympathetic smile before planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Come through and make yourselves at home. I’m going to look after you, don’t worry.”
“Thanks, Kami,” Jet gave her a brief hug before she led the way through to her living quarters.
“She’s a bit eccentric,” Kobra explained quietly to Red as they followed.
“I gathered,” Red raised an eyebrow, “but she seems nice.”
“She’s lovely,” Kobra nodded with a smile.

Notes

Hey lovely readers! I hope you like this instalment. It was fun to write - perhaps I'm a bit evil? Haha! Anyhoo, as ever, thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!

Sas xx