Planet B

Ch.15

"And that was that," William said. "I've been fighting your invasion ever since. Fat load of good it's done I suppose, given my present situation." William looked back toward Greel and could see the man thinking.

That's right, William thought, keeping thinking about me. Chaim and Luke will come busting through that door and mess your face up royally.

"Who is this Chaim you speak of? Is he a leader of your people?"

William snorted and pain pulsed as he tried to shake his head.

"No. As much as he talks politics, he wouldn't want to lead. Probably wouldn't be very good at it either. He's more like the guy who takes you under his wing, provides a stable role model figure, there for you when things get tough. You know what I mean." He looked right into Greel's eyes, grey like William's. "Or probably not."

Greel chuckled at this and reached back down to the table, grabbing a longer knife. He turned back to William and advanced slowly.

"I have to give you credit, boy, you're holding up rather well. I expected you to crack within the first few days, but here we are, a week into our little sessions and you're as defiant as ever. Unfortunately for you, I now believe you truly don't know anything about how you work. That means I no longer have need of you, alive at least. Your body will be taken back to study. Any last words?"

He pressed the knife against William's neck and William could feel the tip pushing hard against his skin. His mind raced, he had to stall longer, give Chaim and Luke time to reach him.

"Actually, I do," William said, careful to keep his Adam's apple from moving too much given the knife's position. "I have information about –"

William cut off as the door burst open. Two Crytons came in holding a man between them, bloodied but struggling. Chaim. Immediately the knife pressure disappeared and William saw Greel stride purposefully toward his friend. Greel reached out and grabbed Chaim's chin, lifting his head up and looking him over. He looked back over his shoulder at William. William's face told Greel everything.

"This is him, isn't it? This is Chaim." He turned back to his new captive and began circling him, inspecting everything about him, the Crytons having to hold tight against their struggling prisoner. "I've heard a lot about you. Well, not a lot, but enough that I understand who you are, what your purpose for this boy is. It is commendable, taking someone in and raising them as your own. I'm sure the two of you have quite a bond." He stopped in front of Chaim.

William watched as Greel patted Chaim down, pulling out various blades from many different pockets. Once a small pile of metal lay at their feet Greel pulled the last blade out, one of Chaim's specially reinforced ones, and examined it. He looked back to William.

"This is a good blade. I should have been using one of these on you from the beginning." He looked back to Chaim and softly ran the tip in random patterns across his body, not hard enough to cause harm. Sounds still rang from outside, but Greel seemed not to care. As he circled Chaim the older man said nothing, just stared at William, relieved to see him alive but pained that he couldn't save him. Greel stopped behind him, looking over his shoulder at William.

"Tell me, Chaim," he said, his gravelly voice trying hard to say the unusual name, "what is it you expected would happen? Did you think you could just walk in here and take him?"

Chaim said nothing.

"Well you sure took your time," Greel continued. He nearly skipped with glee as he made his way to William. He poked at the various places he'd injured William. "As you can see we found a fun way to occupy ourselves while we waited."

A deep, guttural noise sounded from Chaim and William could see tears in his eyes, but the man didn't move. He knew Greel just wanted to see him struggle. Greel frowned at the restraint and seemingly out of spite cut a long gash on William's right forearm. Not deep, but enough to cause William to cry out.

"No!" Chaim screamed, pulling against the Crytons who held him tight. Greel nearly giggled and this and pranced back over to the man.

"Oh how you care for the boy. It is sweet and it is sad and it sadly will not be the worst pain you feel today."

Chaim raised his chin in defiance but this only encouraged the demented man. He circled around behind Chaim again and whispered loudly in his ear.

"Don't worry, I won't make you watch him suffer. Not for too long anyway."

Greel held the blade up to Chaim's back and looked directly at William.

"Here's something to look forward to," he said, the pushed the blade deep into Chaim's back.

Chaim's eyes widened in pain and his body stiffened as the blade jutted out from his chest. William screamed. Pain flowed through William as he pulled against his bonds but could do nothing. Greel pulled the blade laughing out and stabbed again. And again. William continued to scream and struggle, knowing it would do no good but unable to stop himself. He watched as the life began to drain from Chaim's face. They met eyes and Chaim gave a near imperceptible nod. Greel stuck the blade in the side of Chaim's neck and he fell to the floor, blood pooling beneath him.

William's voice was already ragged and he was panting from his exertion against the restraints. Greel walked toward him, bloodied knife in his hand. William knew his end was now. It seemed the voice was actually right about something.

About everything.

Greel raised the knife.

A hole open in the air, splitting four feet wide and six feet tall. It expanded at an angle through Greel's torso, severing his knife arm as it cut from neck to hip. Greel fell to the ground, screaming as blood poured out of his ruined body. Through the hole two people came, first a woman and then a man. William watched, not really believing what he was seeing, as the woman hit the ground unconscious and the man barely kept his feet, obviously fatigued.

Snarls from the Crytons caught the man's attention and the he turned, spinning his arms in a circle. He thrust his arms toward the Crytons and they slammed together, bones crushing and bodies falling to the ground in awkward angles. He turned toward William, rage in his eyes. When the two met eyes, William saw the man soften. The man's shoulders sagged and he approached William.

"Here," he said, breathless and ragged "let's get those restraints off of you." He laid a hand on William's hand for balance as he reached for the strap and immediately collapsed, falling to the floor. William looked around the room, emotions so varied he wasn't sure what to think. Chaim lay dead not six feet from him. Next to him was Greel, bleeding out and most likely dead already. The Crytons too lay lifeless near the other bodies and the two from the hole in the air were unconscious at his side.

Good. More people for you to let die.