The Price of Love
Author: Jacklyn C. Reed (jack_b_badd@yahoo.com)
This is the sequel of A Chance Reunion.
Introduction
Twenty-six weeks. A rather short time to be in cryo-sleep, least that’s
how I see it. He’s dropping me off in the Slam in the Nebula Quadrant.
If he only knew, I had heard... He’d probably be throwing a fit. Never
tell a spider where it’s new home will be.
Richard was right. Let your senses start working, let the animal take control,
you’ll stay awake. It gives you a long time to think. Long time to
hone your senses too. Listening to the creaks of the ship as we drift along
our course. The ship is actually a small one, transporting no less than
twenty-five, but no more than thirty.
Humph. Makes me wonder if the devil could look innocent in his suspended
sleep. Maybe to someone else, not me. He’ll always be a devil. Imagine
his brother was Richard’s blue eyed devil, now he’s mine. Almost
ironic I think. Bastard thinks he’ll go after Richard when he gets
me tucked into a cell. What a crock of shit. He won’t find him... not
without me anyway. And with the last two people I care about together...
there’s no way in hell I’d risk getting them caught.
There are civilians on this ship, probably the same people that were calling
me heartless as I was boarding. Ha! What a joke! I have a heart; after all,...
this was all done out of love.
The odd thing however is that there are about two or three guards traveling
on the ship too. How do I know for sure? Simple... I’ve learned to
smell them. The metal on their uniforms and the hospital like stench of
the fabric. With these guards on the ship,... they must be returning to
the Slam. Heh, stupid fucks. Any idiot knows not to open honey in the middle
of bear country. Then again, they probably underestimated me. Probably thought
I hadn’t traveled long enough with Richard to learn anything. Won’t
they be in for a surprise? I’ll have to bide my time until I can figure
out how often guards are sent in and out. Of course, I’d have to get
my timing perfect while the pilot’s still on board if I want to get
away. Humph... maybe I should have gotten him to teach me how to pilot as
well. But like I said..., it’s a long time to keep teaching myself
what he started. He’d probably be proud.
Oh man... this is amusing. I never would have thought I’d be planning
my escape before I even got there. This is too rich. . . . Hmm? What was
that? Footsteps?? Mmm, yes footsteps. Must be time to drop off the civilians.
Footsteps... the crew no doubt coming to greet the waking passengers. If
the bit were not in my mouth, I’d be smiling. That alone would probably
scare the fuck out of them. Yes walk away now thinking you’ll all be
safe. Go off to whatever hellhole you bought a ticket to.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
It won’t be much longer now. We’ll be arriving at the Slam soon.
I can hear the crew moving about. Hmm? What's this? . . . Someone coming
this way? I wonder why. The stench of a GOV uniform. Humph... looks like
they weren’t going to take chances with me. All GOV approved crew most
likely. Wonder why after nearly ten years they’re still after my dad.
Who the hell knows?
All I know is that the GOV is totally corrupt and they’re vengeful
too. Had mom not divorced dad they would have taken everything, not just
dad’s stuff. Fuckers even took the pictures we had of him. Humph, that
only made me learn how to hack so I could try and find him. He’s the
one that found me though. But that’s the past. I can’t think about
the past right now. I have to push dad and Richard to the back of my mind
for now. I have to concentrate on what’s at hand.
I have to keep my senses keen and sharp. Take in a blind survey of the place.
Once the blindfold’s off, I might get a better grasp on my situation.
Probably not a lot but some at least. Hang onto your hats boys. . . . another
bird is about to be thrown into your cage.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Chapter 1
"Move it.," Phil’s voice was cold and harsh. The chains attaching the
ankle cuffs rattled as she walked blindly forward. The air seemed almost
too dry to her, and the smell of disinfectant almost made her sick. It reminded
her of hospitals. Except she was sure this place was much worse. Phil turned
her to the right then pushed her forward. She growled lightly to herself
as she started walking again. She heard footsteps, sounded like three people.
Two guards sounded the corner followed by a man in a military uniform. The
two guards stepped to the side and let the General move forward. Phil reached
out and grabbed Jacklyn’s arm. "Stay where you are."
Jacklyn complied and yanked her arm out of his grip. She studied the new
scents silently. The closest to her had on some type of cologne. His scent
was musky, moldy almost. The other two… leather, metal, sweat. Guards
probably. But the closest one…she wasn’t quite sure who he was.
"Take the bit out of her mouth Mr. Johns.," his voice had a slight British
accent to it. Phil complied and slowly undid the knob in the back. Then
he slowly pulled the bit from her mouth. She flexed her jaw a tad, glad
that damned thing was finally gone. "Why not remove the blindfold too?"
"Yes, Sir." Phil pulled the blindfold off. Jacklyn opened her eyes quickly,
which was a mistake. The lights were at a normal level but to her, after
no being able to see for so long, they were almost blinding. The chains
rattled as her hands went to shield her eyes. "Fuck!!," she tilted her head
towards the floor.
The General clasped his hands behind his back. "Greetings Miss Reed." Jacklyn
slowly made herself look up, squinting in the light. Fucking Military, shoulda
figured. She kept a frown on her face, staring at him silently. "I’m
here to discuss a deal with you, Miss Reed. For your cooperation.."
She cut him off smirking, "You’ll give me my freedom right?" The General
had a puzzled look on his face. He nodded slowly to her, "Correct."
She smiled ever so slowly at him. "Well, I know," the smile faded replaced
by anger, "That you and your GOV can go fuck yourself! Do you really think
I’d betray my father? You’re abso-fucking-lutely nuts. So why
don’t you cut the crap and show me to my cell."
The guards behind the General were staring wide eyed at her. The General
had a sour look on his face. "Very well then. Guards!" The guards stepped
up slowly towards her and motioned for her to move. To their shock she did
so without defiance. Phil watched as she disappeared down the hallway.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
The cells and other hallways were lit with barely enough light to see. The
guards had night vision goggles which told Jacklyn it was bound to get darker.
She was stopped in front of a cell as one guard leveled his weapon at her
and the other took the chains off. She stepped into the cell and heard the
door clang behind her and lock. When she looked back the guards were already
gone. She raised a slight brow as she caught a scent. "Who’s there?"
A faint whimper was heard then Jacklyn saw a pair of faint yellow eyes a
few feet away from where she stood. What the hell??
"She’s just a kid." Jacklyn whirled about to meet a pair of translucent
green eyes. She narrowed her own and took slow steps. She felt a wall with
her hands. "Who are you?"
"I’m Rena, but most people around here call me Ren. My cellmate’s
Ashley but we just call her Ash. That over there with you is Sil."
"I see…," the lights soon faded away altogether and Jacklyn frowned.
"Well… I’m Jacklyn. But you can call me Jack if you want. So what
are you in for Ren?"
"I’m an assassin. I killed a few senators on Kneblo."
"Ah. That explains your eyes then. You must be native from there."
Ren laughed a bit. "That I am. How’d you know?"
"Ehh… I read a lot when I was kid."
"Heh. You still look like a kid to me."
Jack smirked a bit. "Yeah, someone told me that not long ago. I had to prove
‘em wrong. So what about Sil. Why do her eyes glow?"
A new voice, much softer than Ren’s rose to Jack’s ears. "Because
they experiment on her."
"Experiment?" Jack raised a brow then glanced over to the pair of faint
yellow eyes.
"Yep. She got sent here two years ago for hacking GOV files. She’s
only fourteen poor thing. She doesn’t talk anymore either.," Ren said
sadly.
Jack felt angrier for hearing that. It made her blood want to boil. "Bastards!
We’re humans just like them. Not fuckin’ lab rats."
Ren laughed a bit. "Oh yeah? Tell that to them."
"Maybe I will…," her voice trailed off, "maybe I will."
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Even innocent people end up in Slam. It’s sad really. People outside
think we all deserve to be here until we die. They’re wrong. Sil doesn’t
deserve to be here. She’s just a kid for Christ’s sake. Then again
that’s the GOV for you. They don’t care whose life they fuck up.
And Ash… poor girl. She’s about two years younger than me. She
was with her brother when he attacked a GOV building. He was killed and
she sent off here. If people knew the truth about people like Ash and Sil
maybe they’d demand that GOV do things properly. Doubt it would do
any good though, everyone is afraid to stand up to GOV.
Ren and I are alike. We both chose to do what we did. We both knew that
if we got caught we’d be sent here. But Ash and Sil… they had
no clue. Innocents do get caught in the crossfire.
I can’t believe they’re experimenting on people now. That violates
the Croft-Howard Act. I doubt they care though… claiming ‘What’s
the harm of using murderers for experiments when they’ve killed so
many?’ Problem is Sil isn’t a murderer. And it’s just wrong.
We may be murderers and assassins but we are people too. We feel just like
normal people do.
I’ve made up my mind now. I feel so sorry for Sil. She must be so alone
and afraid. I won’t let them hurt her. I won’t let them hurt her
anymore. There has to be a way I can save her…
Chapter 2
Jack crouched a few feet away from the pair of faint yellow eyes. She could
just now make out the girl’s outline. She appeared to be very thin.
Probably not eating enough. “Sil… I’m Jack.,”
she eased herself to a sitting position on the floor. She peered at the
girl’s outline silently. From the way her eyes glowed Jack knew she
could more than likely see in the dark.
“Ya wanna talk?,” Jack sat still where she was watching Sil. She
could tell she was afraid and she didn’t want to scare her anymore.
Sil shook her head no to Jack and wrapped her arms about her legs. Jack
gave a faint smile to her and stood, moving to a cot and plopping down.
She put her hands behind her head as she stared at the ceiling.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
It took about a week before Sil started to talk to Jack. That meant she
was starting to trust her. Jack was grateful for that. If she needed anything
in this place it was friends.
“So what color is your hair? I can’t see it in the dark.”
“… blond. It … it used to be short but it grew out since
I’ve been here.,” Sil tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Jack smiled to her. “Ya know I shaved my head once.”
Sil blinked at her as she sat facing her on the cot. “Really? When..?
Why..?”
Jack smiled even more, she didn’t mind Sil’s questions at all.
They were a welcome distraction in this place. “Well the ship I was
on crashed. We were on a planet that had three suns.”
“Was it hot?” Sil hugged her knees to her chest as she listened.
“Yeah it was. Only eleven of us survived the crash. Out of that eleven
only three of us escaped that planet.”
“Escaped?” Sil had a puzzled look on her face.
“Yeah. There were monsters there…” Jack looked thoughtful
a moment.
“Like the guards here?”
“Oh no. They were aliens. A lot meaner and uglier than the guards here.”
“Ohhh…,” she paused, “… I’m glad you made
it off the planet Miss Jack.,” she smiled, “I like having a friend
again.”
Jack laughed softly and nodded to her. “Yeah… me too kid…
me too.”
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Jack awoke to the sound of footsteps. She sat up slowly on her cot with
a puzzled look on her face. Sil whimpered as she huddled in the corner behind
Jack. “T-they’re coming for me…”
Jack frowned and quickly moved over to Sil, kneeling in front of her. She
put her hands on Sil’s small shoulders. “I won’t let ‘em
take you, Sil. I promise.” Determination glinted in Jack’s blue
eyes. She stood up slowly and turned to face the door, grateful that her
eyes adjusted enough for her to see in the dark.
Two guards stopped in front of their cell. The taller one reached out and
keyed in a code. Jack waited patiently as the door slid open. She put on
her best confused looking face. The taller guard entering the cell only
gave her a glance before his gaze returned to Sil. He began moving toward
Sil slowly. Jack stepped out of his path and glanced to the other guard.
He was standing at the front of the cell with his arms crossed. Oh how
stupid can these guys be?
Jack seized the moment and moved behind the tall guard. She reached out
quickly and pulled his gun from the holster at his side. “Sil, on the
ground!!”
Sil complied quickly, curling into a ball on the ground. The guard had whirled
around to face Jack now. She just grinned at him. “May flights of devils
wing you to your rest.,” with that Jack pulled the trigger. Blood spurted
on the back wall and the guard fell with a thud by Sil. Sil yelped and squeezed
her eyes shut. Jack grimaced and stumbled forward with a jolt. Blood…
her blood. She went to turn but stopped when she felt the gun press into
the back of her skull.
“Don’t even think about it bitch.” The guard yanked the second
gun away from her, strapping it to his side. “You’re coming with
me. Out the door… Move it!”
Jack turned slowly towards the door, the guard staying behind her all the
while. Once they were outside the cell he pressed a button and let the door
of the cell slide shut. He raised the gun and hit her forcefully on the
back of the head, sending her to the ground. He pressed the COM button on
the same console. “Send a team down here. One of the bitches just killed
Parker.”
Jack shook her head as she got on her knees. Her right shoulder was throbbing
and her head was spinning. The guard looked back to her and glared. He stepped
toward her and slammed his booted foot into her back. Jack’s eyes widened
as she lurched forward to the floor gasping for breath. Jack could hear
people shouting but she couldn’t make out the words or who was saying
them. She pushed herself up slightly with shaky arms as she coughed a bit.
She turned her head slightly and she could see Sil. She was holding onto
the bars at the front of the cell and was looking out at her screaming something.
What was she saying?
The hard kick to her gut sent her tumbling over to land on her back. She
coughed a tad more as she tried to catch her breath. More kicks were given
to her sides as she winced, clenching her jaw shut. She wasn’t going
to give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry out in pain.
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
When she woke a flood a light greeted her. She winced from it and groaned
as the pain from the beating came back to the forefront. She squinted her
eyes in the light, trying to see where she was. A short chubby man with
a round face leaned over her. “Well I see you have awoke Ms. Reed.”
He had a cheery look about him even though he was frowning at her.
“Unfortunately…,” she muttered.
“I am Doctor Svenstein. I was informed that you killed a guard who
was coming to retrieve your cellmate.”
“Can’t get nothin’ past you can they?,” her tone was
sarcastic.
“Why did you attack and kill that guard Ms. Reed?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “’Cause he was goin’ to take
Sil away and hurt her. I ain’t about to let anyone hurt her again.”
“Very intresting. And why is that Ms. Reed?”
She was getting tired of the ‘Ms. Reed’ crap and his questions.
“Because Mr. Svenstein it’s not fuckin’ right to
experiment on humans. She’s just a kid for Christ’s sake! You
and I both know experimenting on humans violates the Croft-Howard Act.”
The doctor had a surprised look on his face. He chuckled and then smiled
pleasantly at her. “My, my, smart one aren’t you? But you see…
People don’t care about what happens to criminals like you.”
Jack felt her temper flaring. She didn’t like this man one bit. “Isn’t
it hard to get your experiments done when she’s fighting against you
all the time? Wouldn’t it be easier, and to your convenience, if you
had someone who was willing to cooperate?”
The doctor looked stunned and in shock. She’d hit it right on the head.
She just grinned at him. “What do you say, Doc? Exchange an unwilling
subject for a willing one?”
The doctor just stared at her in disbelief for a few moments. It seemed
to take him a few minutes to find his words. “… You would do that
for someone you hardly know?”
“All she did was hack into something. She should have ended up in Juvie
but the fuckin’ GOV sent her here instead. But to answer your question…
Yes… I would.”
Chapter 3-6