Part 21 (1/2)
A cold, concrete floor inside a jail cell-sized cage was his new home. The entire room had finally emptied of people, and he was alone. He tipped his head up in an attempt to a.s.sess the extent of his injuries. Every muscle ached with each breath, but he willed himself to draw the next. He could taste blood through lips too swollen to be his own. His limbs were bruised and maybe some were broken. Wounds took longer and longer to heal. This is worse than death.
After the last beating, he'd been thrown behind the thick metal bars. t.i.tanium, of course. Sitting on the floor beyond the cage, and just beyond his reach, was a gla.s.s of water. He scooted painfully to the bars, lugging his dead weight. He couldn't move his lower body, so he pulled himself forward with his hands, dragging his legs behind him like a kite tail.
Am I paralyzed? He forced the terrifying thought from his mind. Zero, the gimpy-legged Halfling. As if he wasn't enough of a misfit already.
At the bars, his head fell forward until it was resting against the cool metal. He could feel the t.i.tanium zapping what strength he had, but the water was so close. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to concentrate on Vegan. He couldn't access her face. Or her laugh. With his eyes closed, all he saw was fist after fist coming at him, paired with the clatter of bones cracking and breaking, and the scent of blood.
A chair sc.r.a.ping the floor drew his attention. He turned his sore neck toward the noise.
Expensive, pointed-toe shoes. Perfectly worn-in jeans. Until the guy squatted - putting himself at Zero's level. If only I could raise my head enough to make out a face. The guy must have been in the chair until he'd come closer, quietly sitting there watching the Halfling suffer. Now he was about five feet away, sitting on his haunches and studying his captive.
”We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Damon Vessler,” the man said, hands planted on his knees. His gaze roamed over Zero. ”Oh dear. It would seem as though my boys got out of hand. I'm terribly sorry.” He smiled as if apologizing for b.u.mping into someone at the grocery store. ”Now” - he tilted back slightly - ”you must be the one they call Zero. I hear you run the network.”
Zero swallowed dry, sandpaper air and glanced at the gla.s.s of water.
”Would you like that?” Vessler pointed. ”Tell you what, share a bit of information with me and I'll give you the water.”
”Give me the water,” Zero rasped. ”And I'll use the gla.s.s to slit your throat.”
Vessler's nostrils flared. ”You're not playing very nice.” He pulled a gold toothpick from his s.h.i.+rt pocket and slid it into his mouth. ”Doesn't Zero mean nothing?” Vessler's eyes flashed. ”One minus one?”
”Yeah,” Zero said in a hoa.r.s.e whisper. ”And you want information from me. What does that make you?” He chuckled, winced. ”Oh, I know. Less than Zero.”
Vessler shoved off the floor. Smooth leather shoes stepped toward the gla.s.s of water. Drawing back, he kicked it at Zero.
Gla.s.s shattered when it hit the bars. He closed his eyes in time to avoid the shards as they flew at him. Water and bits of broken gla.s.s splashed his face.
”What was all that computer equipment doing in your underground s.p.a.ce? Is that where you run the network?” Vessler demanded. ”And what's the network's purpose?”
Zero sucked the bits of water from his lips. ”Computers? Is that what those were? I thought they were just bulky paperweights.”
Vessler erupted. ”Don't play games with me, boy!”
Zero grinned. ”That's Lost Boy.”
Vessler strode to the bars, grabbed Zero's arms, and yanked. Zero's head clanged against the t.i.tanium, sending a shock wave through his already-aching system. Again, he tried to conjure the image of Vegan.
Vessler grabbed him by the throat. ”Tell me what you know.”
Choking, Zero tried to pry his fingers beneath Vessler's powerful hand. Vessler squeezed harder.
Black spots materialized before his eyes. Everything started to fade ... fade ... ”All right,” he said, words barely a whisper. ”I'll tell you.”
Vessler dropped to his knees to look Zero eye to eye. ”What do you know?”
”I know ...” Zero rubbed a hand across his throat. ”I know ...”
Vessler's gaze was wild as he visibly held his breath.
”I know ... zero.” He slid back from the bars before Vessler could grab him.
Vessler roared and thrust his arm through the bars. Face wedged against the t.i.tanium, he managed to snag Zero's collar and the necklace beneath, using both to drag him back to the bars. After manacling Zero's wrists, Vessler dropped to the floor, pressed his feet against the cage, and jerked Zero's head into the bars again and again.
Slam after slam, Zero felt metal smash his face and collarbone. Finally, Vessler stopped, focusing with terrifying steadiness on the necklace from Vegan. Zero began reconsidering his vow not to bawl, because if Vessler knew how to use the necklace, Vegan could be drawn into this pit as well. Zero couldn't let that happen. He had to protect her.
”What's this?” Vessler asked, back to his sorry-I-b.u.mped-into-you-at-the-grocery-store voice. ”Did your mother make that for you?”
Zero's face, arms, and shoulder hurt so bad he thought every bone must be shattered. But how could he resist such an opportunity? ”News flash, Einstein. We're orphans.” He coughed. Searing pain jolted him with each movement. ”Gotta hand it to you on the beating, though. You're pretty strong. Bet you're taking steroids.” He tsked. ”Nasty thing, those steroids, but I hear all Halfling wannabes do them.”
Vessler shook with anger.
”Hey, I don't blame you. If I was just a human, I'd be upset too. Can't leap, can't fly. No ability to heal yourself. It's okay that you want to be like us. It's just sad that you never will. Sorry, poser.”
Vessler's nostrils flared.
”Poser. You know, someone who poses as something they're not. Halfling wannabe. Or should I just call you Wannaling?”
Vessler's veins began popping from his neck and arms. He grabbed the necklace from Zero's throat and threw it to the floor. ”You know nothing of my plan.”
The pearled amulet broke. Thank the Throne; Zero would rather die than put Vegan in harm's way. ”Really, Vessler? I know you're genetically altering horses.”
”And do you know why?” Vessler dragged the chair over and sat. ”Technology is a dangerous partner. It can let you down if you become too dependent on it.”
Zero glanced behind Vessler, where a line of computers and medical equipment sat at the ready. ”For a guy who doesn't like technology, you certainly have enough of it surrounding you.”
”For a purpose. Technology is destined to implode. And do you know what will matter most when it does?”
”Enlighten me,” Zero said, coughed, then pressed a hand to his ribs to block the pain shooting through them.
”Whoever carries the biggest sticks.”
Zero rolled his eyes. ”Right. And mutant horses can carry really big sticks. Do you want to call the loony bin or should I?” Every inch of him hurt, but if he could keep Vessler talking, maybe he'd reveal his plan.
”The horses will carry my army of Darklings.”
Zero scoffed. ”Darklings? Are you kidding me?” But on the inside, his heart dropped. This is how Nikki fit into Vessler's plan. And the horses made some sense, in a way. But Vessler wasn't telling all his secrets, because horses against tanks ... well, no chance there. His mind went back to the technology statement-how it was destined to implode - and with terrible clarity he saw the other end of Vessler's plan, how the electromagnetic studies the Halflings had uncovered on the Omega computers played into the world domination agenda. All at once, he felt sick and frustrated by his helplessness. Just keep it together, Zero. ”That sounds like a bad sci-fi movie t.i.tle, dude. I think you better lay off the He-Man drugs. They're affecting your brain.”
Before Vessler walked from the room, he ground his heel into the necklace. The bits of gla.s.s crunched until only powder was left.
After he left, Zero tried to reach the dust that remained. Pressing a shattered cheek into the bars, he stretched, but his index finger barely touched the broken leather cord. ”Come on,” he whispered. And tried again. But just like Vegan, the necklace was out of reach.
Finally, he gave up. Hopelessness overtook him. He dropped his head and let the tears fall.
Chapter 22.
When Nikki arrived at the lab, a guy dressed in black pants and a black dress s.h.i.+rt stopped her as soon as she entered the parking area. Big surprise there. The wind hit her from the east, carrying the scent of horse manure. Then she caught a glimpse of the magnificent animals Vegan had talked about. She stopped and stared in awe until her escort shoved her forward, prodding her with something hard.