The Sleeping Prison

Chapter 13

Vance held the heavy bag by the strap and it seemed to be like a bolder tied to his shoulder. He was lucky to have this much freedom, but something told him that things would end very bad if he betrayed this trust.
He continued to walk, he saw the police station. It was a building that must have been gorgeous at one point, but since has been worn. It must have been the center of the community, like a town hall. Otherwise why would they make it so extravagant.
He could see the much toned down hospital. It was a sad building, neglected and unloved unlike the station, which had the wear of something that was loved.
Part of Vance was happy to be out of the consistent, repetitive work, but the other part was terrified. If he slipped up once he would be ended, silenced.
He might be silenced for something he already did. He showed mercy, he let that boy and his friends escape. In truth he was sympathetic to them, but jealous of the world they grew up in. That was a cause he would fight for if he had a choice, if they would have him.
Who would have him? Like the few rebel groups left are going to take him in. He's fought, killed, to annihilate them, but he would join a rebel group if he could.
He entered the dark hospital. The place was in short a dump. It smelled of something he couldn't identify, the place was coated in spiders webs hung from every corner. His hands scrambled for the light switch because this place hadn't been renovated. The lights flickered on slowly giving of a sickly yellow light and revealing a long hallway with white walls, the doors were dark brown. He walked to one of the rooms. The bed is at least decently clean, but where to set up?
His footsteps echoed as he headed off to the room that said surgical bay and dropped the bag on the table.
Suddenly there was yelling, screaming, things were breaking and his breath caught. What was going on?
He had to know, he just ran. What if those science experiments got out? Oh, that would be nice.
He opened the door. There was a circle of guards surrounding someone. There was yelling and some of the men were being pushed back from an unseen force.
The crowd cleared and his breath caught. Not again. For a second he thought that the boy being dragged and restrained was his best friend.
Their faces were practically identical. Maybe it was just Vance's bad memory. Maybe what they said about everyone having a clone somewhere is true, but this is wrong.
Vance ran up to the boy. The other soldiers brought him to his knees just like they had done before.
"Marcus?" Vance said in a small voice.
The boys head snapped towards Vance. "How do you know my brothers name?"
His heart skipped a beat. Then he composed himself. He turned to the other guards.
"We found him in the weapons locker trying to light off a bomb." A officer said saluting Vance. I could get used to this.
"I want this one." Vance pointed to his badge. "I have a personal agenda to finish with him."
Vance grabbed the boy's, Marcus's brother, arm.
He struggled.
"If you want to live you'll stop struggling," Vance whispered yelled in the boy's ear.
"You can't do that! We have orders to take him to the police station," one of the soldiers.
"I'm a lieutenant Commander, and I'm giving new orders. Plus, I'm doing your job for you so I wouldn't be too concerned, I mean it took 7 of you to get one lone man. I won't tell your superiors if you don't," he said calmly.
They nodded reluctantly. He dragged the boy to the police station. They weren't far from it. Once inside the boy tensed. Two men sat at desks writing on some papers.
He walked the boy into the cell closest to the door. His shoulders rolled back and he tried to spin around. He pull against the restraints and he kicked his legs. This fight is useless, why couldn't he see that? "Not again, no! Not here!"
What doesn't he want again? What happened to him here? Vance questioned silently. Tears and panic smeared his beautiful face. His eyes whipped over all the cold stone walls and his chest rose and fell rapidly. "Leo?" he whispered as Vance retreated out of the small cell.
He turned his head back to the front of the cell and a new face a mask formed across his face. His eyes went from panicked to cold and angry. He went from a panicked and scared child to a angry tempered man, warrior. "How do you know my brothers name?" he hissed.
Vance felt a urge to prove himself to this boy, his lost friend.
"We were closer than brothers. He was my best friend." His face changed. It almost looked hurt. Did he believe me?
"My brother is dead. He has died when he was two. I was a newborn. Marcus is dead." He seemed so sure.
"He is dead, I watched him die," a memory arose and he cold no longer suppress it. He had to tell someone and his brother deserved to know why and how his brother died. "But first you have to prove me that you are his brother. He told me his little brothers name." He said nothing. "I'm not going to tell some random person about Marcus and betray him without proof."
"How do I know that your not just messing with my head to get info?" He was starting to cave.
"Well I saved you and your friends all those days ago. I could have killed you or captured you. Also, I just saved you from whatever torture the other soldiers had in for you," Vance reasoned. Vance knew this boy was Julian, Marcus's brother.
"Fine, my names Julian. Julian Elliott Blacksteel. What happened to my brother?" Vance knew it.
"He only told me this once so I don't remember all the details. His dad was abusive to him, the man beat his mom and one day he turned on his two year old son, Marcus. You had just been born. You were so small, your mom tried to take you too, but you wouldn't stop crying. They ran to Luna to meet up with the rest of your Mom's family," Vance paused, this is where he entered to story. "I met your brother not long after that, we were neighbors and the same age. We became best friends, and as time passed we became closer than brothers. He told me about you. You look a lot like him." Vance tried not to let the memory control him, to stay strong.
"Yes... I guess that makes sense, my father lied, shocker. Now how did my brother die?" Vance didn't blame him for want to know.
"You need to understand first that Luna accepts nothing, but what they want. Your brother and I were too close... too loyal? Anyways they didn't like that."
"Were you and my brother... like that?" He asked. Vance shook his head.
"We may have been, but that option we never were allowed to explore," Vance said, shook his head again and looked at his feet. "I loved your brother, in what way I'm not sure anymore. I'm broken."
"Oh... I never knew my brother, but I understand not knowing how you love your best friend." Julian was so weak and honest in that statement. Vance ignored the comment.
"Well, we formed secret rondayvoos. Of course, they found out and the murdered him in front of me, forced me to watch helpless. They broke me. Don't let them break you."
"I'm afraid they may just yet, they have my best friend." He looked up with the eyes of the ocean and Vance for a second would do anything for him. "Her and I, we are way closer than subbings, like we should be- be combined on a subatomic level. All I want is her back." His eyes changed and he seemed to lose his last bit of sanity. He went from a suppressed sad to a crazy anger. Anyone who hadn't been able to read emotions like Vance would never have known the change of emotions Julian had. Vance put walls up. "Let me out." Julian said it calmly, but under the calm voice there was desperation.
"And you'll do what?" Vance was slightly amused. This boy was nothing like Marcus. Marcus had a reliable, loyal, quiet nature. Marcus had trusted easily, but Julian was the opposite. Vance wasn't saying Julian was loud or anything but his presence was noticeable.
Julian ran his hands through his hair. Julian's muscles tensed like he was preparing for a fight.
"Julian... you can't get out of this camp alive, at least not without my help," Vance said coolly. Suddenly loving this power.