I'm returned to the labyrinth a few hours early, with a fresh backpack, about eighteen fresh kisses on my lips, and a grin on my face.
"You have a plan," Arthur smiles too the moment he sees me.
"And it's a good one," I say, swinging off my bag, "We are about to become soap."
That goes over as well as I thought it would. Well not really. Lyra won't quit crying and covering her ears saying 'no scary stuff!' So we have to pry her hands off. She compromises by covering her eyes.
"I don't have time to get into full details of my elite team however, we're getting out of here," I say, "Trust me they'll explain who they are and all that fun stuff on the other side. For now what you need to know is—we're faking your deaths, in order to smuggle you out with the dead bodies they use to make soap."
That elicits as many questions as I anticipated, which I answer in short order.
"Are you—sure they'll help us?" Tove asks.
"Do you have a better choice? Yes I trust these guys with my life, but it's not like we have another option," I sigh.
"What about you?" Arthur asks.
"I'm going to find Nemo," I say, "No one left behind. I'll try to get him out. Then join you. Arthur, we found your mom. She knows you're okay, and she's waiting where—we're going to go, it's out by the lakes, bit of a hideout."
"What lakes?" Tove asks.
"Okay there used to be lakes we call it that still," I say.
"Do you promise?" Arthur asks.
"I promise," I smile, "We're going to walk the rest of tomorrow, do it as close to dusk as possible."
"But you'll come?" Lyra asks, tugging on my hand, "Soon."
"Yeah, I'll follow," I say, kneeling to hug her.
We have one last night in the labyrinth, we don't begin to fully believe it. But, we're quietly hopeful. None of us can sleep. The plan is in place.
I have one last story time with Lyra, who curls up under my arm with The Little Prince.
" 'All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night..You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh" ...'," I read. I truly want to see them all again. I don't know if the plan will work. And I don't know if I'll be able to find Nemo.
I kiss the top of Lyra's head. She's asleep. A few more hours of peace.
The door to the safe room creaks open, and we exit. The labyrinth is hot, if deserted. There's been no fire in these corridors. To ensure they dump us, all three will have to 'die' in a short section. We deliberate about the proper one, as we walk.
Eventually we come across a narrow enough passage that seems to have a wall that can rise to block either side. Lex's map showed one about here would be suitable. This seems to be it.
"So? This is it?" Arthur asks.
"Ah, nearly dusk," I say, looking up at the sky, "Take your pills."
"Why?" Lyra asks.
"Because you must be limp. This way when you wake you'll be with friends, skip all the scary stuff," I say. Lex informed me he trusted my acting skills, but not my new friends. If there are any unfriendly guards about, they will need to be totally limp, like dead bodies. This way they will be. It's a sleeping tablet, quite powerful, but nothing dangerous. Lyra can take a half a one, Arthur we are giving a full pill because he's not that little, and at worst he'll sleep a bit longer and have a headache.
Arthur looks into my eyes then back down at the pill. Being psychic, I'm guessing he can tell at least if he thinks I'm lying or not. Mabye not with most people but I tend to look psychics in the eyes.
"When you wake, or if you stir, the code that it's our associates it 'home of the sexual because of the brave'," I say.
"Why?" Arthur asks, raising a hand.
"I think I'm funny," I say.
"No really why?" Tove asks.
"My associates also think I'm funny. Besides. Are you EVER going to forget that? Or would it be said in any other context?" I ask.
"No," Arthur admits.
"Are we like—how much are we staging this?" Tove asks.
"Oh I was going for a lot," I smile, "I have a rubber knife and five packets of pig's blood."
"Ew," Arthur says.
"And I'll be right here watching till it closes, make sure no one else comes upon you," I say. In theory I was just going to pretend to be dead and be awake for that reason, but I'm going on.
"Okay," Tove says.
"Whenever you're ready, one of you charge me and try to pretend to eat me," I say.
"Why?" Arthur asks.
"I'm a dramatic bitch."
Lyra charges me screaming and pretends to bite my pants. I pick her up, and slash the rubber knife over her throat, exploding a packet of pigs blood in my hand. She giggles and I lay her down, face down in the sand.
Arthur leaps on my back which is good. He lets me swing him off though and toss him down. I pretend to stab his chest, exploding more pigs blood as Tove very nearly drags me off.
"You can work with me a little," I growl.
"Sorry! I thought you'd weight more," she says, tugging me anyway. We grapple, rolling around in the sand before smashing some packets of pig's blood.
"Upside down or right side up?" I ask, shoving her a little.
"Face down," she says.
I shift her off, sort of gently, into the sand. Then I staggar back dramatically. I'm sure my friends are grading me on this that's fine. I'd like to see them commit a fake triple homicide for millions of viewers.
I stumble around the corner then sit down to pretend to cry. I have my axe still but left my bag. I need nothing else in it.
They should be asleep by now. I take from my pocket Lex's last gift. Mirrored contacts. He insisted if I'm confronting Nemo I need to wear them, as he could be dangerous. I consented. Nemo knows me enough to just read my mind, and I don't want him making a snap decision and mind controlling me.
The wall grinds up, not long after dusk. I wait and hear the floor shift. What I previously took to merely be the gas turning on. Is in fact the floor dropping away to allow the bodies to be collected. That'll probably be a pretty painful fall, however, it's better than you know, staying here.
I stand up and continue on. I hear the roar of the flames behind me. They're gone. Now I just need to finish my game.
There's no way Nemo didn't head for level 5. He lost us. Game over, he'll start again and try to find us, or hope to encounter whoever lived. It makes most sense to win again and go out. He can see where everyone is from the penthouses. And this is now the quickest way to get up there.
The center of the labyrinth isn't as grand as I supposed. It's just even higher walls, in a circle. And a small, lonely steel door.
I approach, slowly. If I'm wrong and Nemo didn't make it here, then, I'll still have to fight whoever is inside waiting. Another contestant could have made it. None had when I last was up there, and Nemo and we were the only ones close enough. But. I sigh, placing my hand on the door knob. Here goes nothing.
The door slowly creaks open, leading to a sand pit. Not unlike the rest of the maze, except here the circular walls are lined with armed guards, watching, prepared to swoop in and collect the victor, and prevent any foul play. There are cameras on all sides.
And in the center stands, a bit worse for the wear, Nemo. His backpack is discarded by the door he entered from, and he's holding his sword in his hand.
"Fancy seeing you here," I say, like the born idiot I am.
He stares at me, face twitching with recognition that I'm wearing mirrored contacts, "Your boyfriend's been generous."
"Look, we need to talk, and I don't want to slit my own throat if you don't like what I'm saying. Also yeah he's protective of me around other psychics. So, let's start. I don't need to fight you," I say, our voices are low enough that the guards above won't hear. As I take another step closer it's clear his eyes are red rimmed, from crying—? And his face is set with hate.
"We don't have anything to say, unless you'd feel better having some pathetic last words your lover will never get to hear," he snarls.
"What?" I back up, drawing my axe just in time to block a blow from his sword. I'm the bigger man, but he's much, much more well trained. He bounces back casually.
"You're about to die, what part of that is confusing to you?" Nemo asks, holding out his hand.
"I figured it out. I know you're not a contestant. You gave us a fake name, you got entered under a fake name, as you fully know I'm not really meant to be here either," I say.
He charges me again, I only just redirect his blow, he twists his blade nearly making a killing strike to my belly. I trip out of the way in time, retreating across the sand. In the distance I can hear the crowd roaring.
"What is your real name?" I ask.
He actually laughs, "Espen Sergetta. Shame you can't give my cousin Alexander my regards."
"What—?" I ask, as the horrible truth dawns on me. "I was right, you were here for Arthur. But not to hunt him."
"He was my son," he says, his voice burning in hate.
""Oh god," I say, as horror fills me. "You—you never killed yourself."
"After the war, I was committed to an institution," he says, voice terribly cold.
"That was over two hundred years ago," I say.
"Very good. Two hundred years. Two hundred years of being strapped to a bed with mirrors in front of my face, so I wouldn't hurt anyone. Drugged out of my mind. I saved England, controlled over two hundred men at once. Prevented Nuclear war. And what was my thanks?" He hate burns in his voice.
"A straight jacket," I breath.
"In the comfort of my own home of course. Couldn't have anyone know what became of the golden boy. My sister didn't fear me. Jacquette told them to let me up sometimes. If they were kind to me I wasn't dangerous. Few nurses would take the risk. After all how could they know I was stable? Because if I was not then I'd kill thousands so it was no choice whatsoever," Espen spits.
"Arthur's mother took pity on you," I realize, my stomach sick.
"I was locked up in a room. I could have the jacket off and move about. Everyone else was too scared to come in. She'd bring me clean clothes each day. She wasn't too scared to talk to me," he says, his voice breaking. And, aside from the fact that he's actively trying to kill me, I feel bad. He's a centuries old being of course everyone is afraid of him.
"She's alive—Espen listen to me she's still alive," I say, urgently.
"One day she stopped coming. My father said she was ill. Then he said she's refused to come too," he says, there are tears in his eyes, "She was having my child. And he sold her to that place. I know she died there Nyx—,"
"No—we paid them to say that. You were just too late we were trying to find Arthur, your father regretted what he'd done he wanted them back," I say, backing away as he circles me.
"You're lying. You think I'll let you live," he nearly laughs.
"I'm not lying—I would let you see it in my mind but I don't like where you're at mentally right now no offense—," I begin.
"He sold her to a brothel. And my little boy to this—hell hole," he says, shaking with anger or sadness.
"You faked your death and came to find him. To die with him," I realize, slowly, "You never planned on getting out alive. But your sister bought you."
"No one knows my face. You didn't know who I was that night at the casino neither did Alexander. But I knew you. By then my father would let me out. Take me to fine parties where your stupid boyfriend and his stupid followers would be. He hadn't given up hope I'd finally marry, and have a legitimate child," disgust drips from every word.
"How did you find out?" It's not important but I wanted to know.
"I kept asking for her. My father said she wanted to leave. Jacquette admitted all she knew was that Liza had been moved. She had no idea—she said that she'd gotten pregnant, she didn't know it was my child. When I told her she agreed to help. She's been, indispensable in all this. Even if she didn't want me to do it," he says.
"Liza is alive—I promise you. Lex was hired to find Arthur—your father knew he wasn't getting you back but he couldn't trust anyone, another psychic? And his slutty people who can go anywhere? It was easy, Lex found Liza probably a few months before you did. Arthur was already gone, I was the scheme to come and find him, that's why I'm here! We're both here to protect him, right now Lex and the others are getting him out," I plead.
"My father wants him dead. You think I'd believe you? He's been gone since this morning. Don't you think I can feel my own son?" Espen snarls, hate bubbling his voice. "I've felt him from the moment he stepped in this place."
"Shit," I wince, "Would you—believe he's in a deep but totally safe sleep to get him out with the dead bodies? Which sounds awful as it's your kid but he's completely fine? And I would let you see in my mind to know that but again, not really liking where you're at right now how about we compromise and we go and find him together and then if I'm lying you get to kill me?"
"I have my truth. I knew from when you returned Alexander had been hired by my father which is why he didn't tell you the scheme, fearing I was another agent he'd have no idea who I am, more than likely. We've met, more than once but without the mask he'd not recognize me, and I'm supposed to be dead," he says, "And there's no way my father hired you to bring back a bastard alive."
"He did," I sigh, "I would never have agreed to kill a kid."
"Then why did the guard I strangled at the gate think that he's dead?"
"Because I pretended to kill him I just said that—wait there weren't guards at that door?" I frown.
"Because I strangled the man. Well. He strangled himself," he laughs, a little, "It's addictive you know. Alexander wouldn't he doesn't even try. Once you do. It's beautiful. All of their minds. You don't—yours is like that. It's simple. Pure. Clean, we feel this constant hum. Sometimes its the only way you can get away."
"You did it to Arthur's mother," I say, quietly. I know. I let Lex hypnotize me. It's admittedly hot since I'm in love with him. He'll just enter my mind. It's why I don't care about staring into their eyes, it's satisfying for them to do it and I don't really care.
"She knew it was a relief," he says, softly.
"She's alive—I realize I—personally helped fake the death of the two people you care about so sorry—did not mean to do that," I say, holding up my hands, "I have helped you—if I had any ill intent towards Arthur why did I keep him alive this long? Or come here? Look I'm trying to help you."
"You stole half his life," he snarls.
"He's going to live for maybe thousands of years that's like a lot—also do you seriously want to have lived this long? It's probably half why you went insane," I say, exasperated, "I didn't know it would hurt him like that—and it was going to happen to him anyway he was already here. We were trying to get to him before that."
"And you still took it from him, my beautiful boy," he says.
"And what do you plan on doing here? Killing me? What good does that do you?" I sigh.
"I'm not just killing you," he says.
I look into his eyes. Then at his bag.
The bag he never took off.
The bag he wouldn't let any of us go in. The kids were in all our packs not that. And he never got anything useful out of either. He wouldn't even let Lyra ride on it.
I dive but he blocks me easily, sword arm out, blocking me swiftly from getting anywhere near it.
"It's a bomb, isn't it?" I ask.
"There is—oil and gas—running under this whole arena. They always wanted it set on fire," Espen laughs, "So now you die with them. You could have just let me kill you."
"No," I shake my head.
"You killed him. You chose this fate," he says.
"I care about him. And I know you do too, but you need to listen to me," I say. He's not okay right now. My brain is still foggy, and Lex is admittedly a baby compared to this creature before me. But I can still calm him. Without giving him my mind. At this point he'd probably destroy it even though the truth he wants is there. "I know what Liza felt okay? That's me too. You know I care about Lex. You know I showed no fear with Arthur. But you can't do this. you don't get to play you're not the God of Death. ' But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world'."
"What?" He shakes his head.
"The little prince. I saw you watching when I read it to them. You'd read it too. Lex, always liked that line. Because of course if you let us in, you know our minds. We're something special to you. And you've chosen to leave those minds undamaged so you're tamed. You're afraid of staying that way you don't want to need anyone else. And you've probably been in —a lot of awful people's—heads. But not us, some of us are still worth it," I say, backing forward, "Please. Trust me long enough to let me prove to you that Arthur and Liza are both still alive."
He lunges, sword in hand. I block him with the axe and we grapple. But he's going for my face. Trying to take out the contacts? He'll take out my eyes first.
We roll over, losing both our weapons as he tries to tear off my face. I feel blood rush down my cheek as his fingers rip at my skin. I'm only just saving my eyes.
We hear a sharp whistle.
One of the guards has hopped into the arena. The others open fire. I wince at the sound, recoiling away though there's nowhere to run. But they simply shoot each other.
The guard who leapt in, lifts the bag, "I got the gist you're fighting over this." Lex tugs off the hood but not the mirrored googgles. It doesn't matter. I knew him before he even spoken.
"It's a bomb," I cry, struggling to stand.
Espen climbs to his feet, moving forward.
Lex levels the gun at him.
"We have minutes before the guards come. Now. I'm going to help you, and you don't even have to trust me," Lex says.
And then, he shoots us both.
I hope that man knows how much I trust him. He opens fire on me and I stand there, like 'huh odd twist to the caper but all right'.
I realize just before I pass out it was a stun dart. And we're about to be taken out in the soap trucks.
I black out before I even hit the sand. And I come to in a helicopter, lying uncerimoniously on the floor.
Lex is sitting above me, still in the guard uniform, mirrored glasses instead of goggles, glove in his mouth as he types on a tablet.
"That was good," I say, sitting up on my elbows. Next to me Espen is bound, with a blindfold over his eyes. We're the only ones in the chopper. He's clearly still out.
"If he moves there's syringes in the box, we're keeping him out," Lex says, lowering the tablet, "you angry with me?"
"No. I needed the back up there," I say, crawling up to sit next to him, "Where are we going?"
"Lakes. I'm messaging his sister now to come please pick his hyper-ass up," Lex scoffs, "She can deal with him I don't do half unhinged psychics. She's thanking me and offering payment for sedating him before mass homicide occurred. Apparently regular homicide would have been fine."
"Where are the others?" I ask.
"At the house, coming to with awful headaches. Arthur and his mum are happily reunited. Joyce and Liam both bonded to Tove already, they had her background ready for her and I've got a doctor checking everyone over after the ordeal. Lyra's a house favorite ten people are informing me she's not going anywhere, so," Lex shrugs.
"Thank you," I say, "How much of that did you hear? Back there?"
"None of it. I saw you lunge for the bag guessed it was important. When negotiations went south I jumped in," he shrugs.
"How'd you get to the guards?" I ask.
"Went and joined them suiting up, got eye contact before we even got out there," he says, "It wasn't too bad. Why? You worried about me?"
"Little bit," I say, bumping foreheads with him, "How'd you recognize he's Espen?"
"I guessed after I heard him speak when I jumped down—we've spoken, a few times, that plus terribly scary psychic," he shrugs, "Interestingly now I have two members of the Seretta family for ransom. Jacquette wants them both and is assuring me they and Arthur's mum will be in fine hands. What was he doing with the bombs? Just mad?"
"Hm, pretty much. I get the idea the games weren't his favorite thing after playing three times, and thinking his son had died in there," I say, "Which after playing—I'd tend to agree with. I didn't want to die in a massive explosion but, it's pretty horrendous to be honest. The cannibal hoards really ruined the mood."
"After watching the love of my life almost get eaten by cannibal hoards, I tend to agree with you. You see after a rogue psychic infiltrated the guards, and then escaped the arena after 'killing' the contestants, as well as repeated footage of a contestant going mad and murdering a sweet child—public outcry plus the fact that the body disposal company mysteriously no longer wants to service the arena—means the games are closed down, until further notice. And Jacquette assures me that after this the Seretta family won't be funding it either," Lex explains.
"So, we successfully saved Arthur, and inadvertently Espen, and we got the games shut down for good, while reuniting this split family and rescuing a few participants?" I frown, "Did we do a good deed?"
"Oh hell—I mean we did make money I made a killing on bets AND the ransoms but—overall yes, I think we actually did," Lex says.
"Hm, that's not like us," I say, bumping my forehead with his.
"No," he kisses me quickly, "We'll have to do better next time. We've got a reputation to uphold."
"Best thieves in the New Order."
"Damn straight."The End
YOU ARE READING
Game of Ash and Bone
Science FictionIn a dystopian future the unlucky are brought back from the dead to compete in the deadly labyrinth for a chance at redemption. The Game of Ash and Bone rarely has a good outcome, with most contestants falling to fellow players, or the monsters that...