Dante Book 1 Canto XII Scene I

 Canto XII

The Seventh Circle: Violence I

Scene 1

 

Indeed, it was the mountains they came up once they left the Circle, but like most peaks, it was a place of desolation that life could not exist there with the harsh winds and temperate of the cold and seen was the series of streams that had made its way into the mountain core where the fallen rocks were the sign of the mountain defeat to the water.

“I think we have reached the next circle; Circle Seven,” Virgil spoke to Dante. “It’s another harsh land but one which we have to traverse past.”

“Have you been to the River Trent on the isle?” Virgil asked of Dante. “The river is known for its dramatic flooding after the raging storms and spring snowmelt. The muddy shade of red in the water like here.” The largest known flood was the Candlemas flood of February 1795, which followed eight weeks of harsh winter weather, rivers froze which meant mills were unable to grind corn, and then followed a rapid thaw. Due to the size of the flood and the ice entrained in the flow, nearly every bridge along the Trent was badly damaged or washed away.”

“Why are we talking of a river on the isle?” Dante was baffled.

“Its significance was that the river was ever-changing in its direction; it meanders to the course of nature with the melting glaciers, and its desecration what was in its way. Here this place resembles its fury, ever having its course and even the manmade structures could not hold its might against the river. It will flow to the lower plains with its fury.”

“See those breaks in the mountain there where the river flows through, we will take it to the other side,” Virgil told Dante. They went forward, and at narrow places, Dante had to move the rocks whereas Virgil been of a soul just past it as if it was not there.

“You can float past it?” Dante asked.

“I appear to do so. I was not aware of my form. I was too preoccupied to see that which lies beyond.” Virgil turned to look at Dante. “You are still living and may need to create your path.”

Dante heaved a rock and pushed it aside for the rock weighed more than he could carry.

“Where are we again?” Dante asked.

“I believed it to be the beginning of Circle Seven; the punishment pits of the violent against thy neighbors; the tyrants, the warmongers, and the robbers. See the water in the stream; its shade of red denotes the blood that they have taken in their journey. Their souls are in that stream, wallowing beneath the surface and see the boils on the surface, it's boiling them in it. It boils to their level of the sins they committed.”

“I don’t feel the heat,” Dante said.

“You are the sinner who caused the blood to be here. Maybe as a volunteer of the Army, you may have killed ---- had you ever?” Virgil asked.

“I am afraid not. I will not take another person’s life. I shoot wide and far but never on a living person.” Dante admitted. “I am…”

“A pacifist perhaps or you had not the courage to do it?” Virgil laughed. “You should not have volunteer, Dante.”

“I had my reasons.” Dante defended his choice.

“So do all of us but theirs was to be punished here. Life journey is about choices, and they made theirs as you did.” Virgil smiled. He was to continue when he saw the unique creature that traversed through the rocks.

“Halt the two of you!” Dante and Virgil saw before them a herd of horses but of the upper Man’s form from the neck. They were named Centaurs; fabled creatures in the ancient text and considered as fierce warriors then.  On their upper form, the Centaur held the upper limbs and the head of Man, with its ability to speak. The Centaur held the better of Man’s physique and facial expression with the billowing of their hair to the rear like the mane of the horse.

“I am Chiron, Guardian of the entrance to the Circle. We patrol the mountain and the streams to prevent any souls from going to and from the stream in the Circle.” The one who addressed the two was a fine breed, standing higher than Dante’s height by more than half and his limbs resembled that of the arms of Man, held a bow with an arrow notched on the string.

“State your reason, the lost soul.” Chiron looked at Virgil. You were here and yet you left without our knowledge.”

“I am ---" Dante cut in but was silenced.

“Speak naught here, living soul. I can tell you are not one of us but still breathing. We can tell when we heard you move the rocks when it was the streamflow that may do it. I will not hear you for you are not wanted. Return to your realm now.”

“I ---” Dante tried to explain his journey and an arrow whizzed past his left ear.

“I say to thee silence or my next arrow will sever your vocal cords.” Chiron caution Dante.

“He is not of us. Who am I addressing and with whom does he ride with?” Virgil stepped forth to ask.

“I am Chiron, and he is Nessus, who was sent here when he insulted Deianira.”

Deianira was a Calydonian princess in Greek mythology whose name translated as "man-destroyer"^[4] or "destroyer of her husband". She was the wife of Heracles and, in late Classical accounts, his unwitting murderer, killing him with the poisoned shirt of Nessus. The central story about Deianira concerns the Tunic of Nessus.

The wild centaur named Nessus attempted to kidnap or rape Deianira as he was ferrying her across the river Euenos, but she was rescued by Heracles, who shot the centaur with a poisoned arrow. As he lay dying, Nessus persuaded Deianira to take a sample of his blood, telling her that a part of it mixed with olive oil would ensure that Heracles would never again be unfaithful.

The others were named and then Chiron turned to Virgil.

“Have you noticed how the one who walks behind moves what he touches? That is not how the dead goes about.”

“It is true he lives; in his necessity. I alone must lead him through this valley. Fate brings him here, not of curiosity. From Virgil explained on Dante. “But in the name of the Power by which I go, this sunken way across the floor of Hell, assign us one of your troop whom we may follow, that he may guide us to the ford, and there carry across on his back the one I lead, for he is not a spirit to move through the air.”

“How am to know that you had spoken is the truth and not lies of the sinners to gain passage on?” Chiron asked.

“Would a sinner not tremble at your sight, standing high and mighty over them? I am not and he is not of them. We stand by our words to complete the journey we set out to do.” Virgil added to his reasoning. “I doubt you want to have doubted the intention of our creator.”

Chiron took faith in those words and called on Nessus to guide Dante and Virgil.

“Go with them, and guide them, and turn back any others that would contest their passage.” With that Chiron rode off with the others. Nessus turned his body and gallop on while Dante and Virgil followed behind keeping pace.

Along the bank of the scalding purple river in which the shrieking wraiths were boiled and dyed. Some stood up to their lashes in that torrent, and as we passed them the huge Centaur said. “These were the kings of bloodshed and despoilment. Here they pay for their ferocity. That is Alexander. And Dionysius, who brought long years of grief to Sicily. That brow you see with the hair as black as night is Azzolino; and that beside him, the blonde, is Opizzo da Esti, who had his mortal light blown out by his stepson.”

 Virgil turned towards Dante but the other read his mind.

“Let him be the teacher now, and I will listen.”

Further on, the Centaur stopped beside a group of spirits steeped as far as the throat In the race of boiling blood, and there Dante recognized one of the souls.

“That one before God’s altar pierced a heart still honored on the Thames.” (William E. Gladstone (1809-1898) politician and several times Prime Minister. He anchored his conviction, among other things, upon three verses of the twelfth Canto of Hell in which the poet mentions the year 1271 assassination of Henry Duke of Cornwall, nephew of King Richard III. He was stabbed to death in church, during the Elevation, by Guy of Montfort, Duke of Leicester. The horrendous murder caused a widespread outcry at the time and, according to the chronicler of the time Giovanni Villani, the victim’s ripped-out heart was first put, still bleeding, into a golden cup which was hence placed «on a column on top of London bridge over the Thames». Extract https://www.dantepoliglotta.it/introduction-19/?lang=en)

Along the stream of blood, where the level fell to cover only the feet of the damned, and there we crossed the ford to the next level of deeper Hell.

“Just as you see the boiling stream grow shallow along this side,” The Centaur said to them while they rested by the bank, “I would have you know that on the other, the bottom sinks anew. Deep and deeper still until it comes again in a full circle for that is where the tyrant's stew. It is there that Holy Justice spends its wrath on those like Sextus and Pyrrhus through eternity.”

Sextus Roscius was accused of patricide (killing your father). This was the worst crime to commit in Rome and was punishable by death.

A Pyrrhic victory is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. A Pyrrhic victory takes a heavy toll that negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress. The phrase originates from a quote from Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose triumph against the Romans in the Battle of Asculum in 279 BC destroyed much of his forces, but the tactical victory forced the end of his campaign. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory).

“Rinier da Corneto and Rinier Pazzo, those two assassins who for many years stalked the highways, bloody and abhorred.” Nessus then looked away. “They deserved their punishment.”

And with that, he came to the ford in the stream.

“Cross here. The water is shallow here. Go and don’t ever return.” Nessus told Virgil. “It may be myself you may meet and I am not as civil as Chiron.”

 

Story Write Compilations Volume 2 Stories 19

 My life as a Gladiator

 

Author's Note: The picture says it all. I was watching Spartacus 2012 TV series and this inspires the tale below.

It's crude and erotic plus violent.

 

Contests rules:

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"Behold my new warrior who would-be champion, Marconis." The new master of mine was to announce my arrival at his manor. He presented me to his troupes of Gladiators Familia, which numbered more than twenty-five in his school. The Ianista is my new master who just acquired me from the mines where I just killed three guards and was to be executed. I stepped out to the training yard and was greeted by the assemble of warriors.

 

"Nubian, show this recruit what you learned here." The Ianista point to a dark-skinned warrior who stepped forth to face me. The Nubian threw to me a wooden sword but I choose not to take it. I kicked it away to the cheers of the rest of the warriors. The Nubian on seeing me rejected the wooden sword, he was to take offense by it. He lunged at me with his sword for my head but I had sidestepped and laid my fist to his left ribs. My punch was painful as he drops his sword to clutch his side but I was not to stop with my fist. I lashed out with my leg into his other side of the ribs and followed with a jump to lay my knee on the jaw of his head. He fell backward and I land on my knees next to him to chop my hand on his throat. He was later gasping for his last few drawn breaths before he drew on his last. I had then stood up to the cheers of the warriors.

 

That was three years ago and I am now a favored warrior of the family with over fifty victories in the arena since my elevation to Gladiator. I have beheaded or maim more men in my one year as a Gladiator than in my previous works as a mercenary.  But the last few weeks have been hell to me. I am now more than a warrior, I am also a killer. I have killed some innocents or non-warriors at the request of the Ianista. I have thrown infants off the railings to the hungry dogs or smash the young lady's head's as I impaled myself on their virginity. I once tied a man to the tree trunk and poured honey on his body so that the hungry bear I caught earlier could devour him as well.  There was nothing that I could not do for my master.

 

Tonight is one of them. I creep up the wall and dropped into the garden. Soon I was in the personal chamber of the head of the Manor, and I approached his bed with stealth. He is fast asleep and I am to placed him in the sleep forever. But the instruction was explicit so I had to comply even I may not like it.

 

I took out the ropes to secure the man before he could react to my presence. I was to violate his wife as he watched before I had her hung by the wrists from the overhead beam. I made him watched as I ravaged her in every way I could and even spit my venom into his face. Upon completion of my violation, I then lashed her body with the whip I carried with me and allowed her husband to see her suffered. The torture was to strip her of the flesh from her body and soon killed her. When she had died, I removed her heart and innards to lay it by the tortured husband. It was near dawn when I move to approach the man who is now a broken man after seeing the last few hours of acts done on his wife.

 

"The act was to remind you of the place you are to take before my master. Do as commanded or be faced with another repeat of this action but it may only be your daughter but your mother and her sisters as well." The man's grief was deep but he nodded his understanding. I took my leave of him the same way I came into the chamber. I stopped at the temple to cleanse my soul of the sins I am forced to perform.  After that cleansing, I was back with my family and I released my pent-up frustrations on my fellow brothers in the family.

 

Three weeks ago, I was to find my fortune is soon to changed. My draw in the arena was another champion from another family who is said to win all his last twelve bouts with quick fights. Our bout was an equal one until I took the first slash with my double sword against his sword and shield. The opponent of mine was a different warrior from then; fighting with more vigor and skills never seen yet. I parried all his attacks where mine hits nothing but the shield or space. But a mistake of mine was to be made when I weakly defended his attack, he followed with another attack with his shield. It stuck me on my left knee causing me to fall in the wrong position causing more pain. He scored more hits on me since that attack but I could do little as I find myself limping or crying out in pain.

 

But in our oversight, we made mistakes which I was soon to capitalize on from my opponent. He had come towards me with the lunge, but I parried off his attack and thrust on a new opening for me from below at his lower torso up into his lungs. He did not cry out but his expression tells it well; he is shocked by my move and he knows he has been beaten by the best. When he laid down dead, I cut out his innards to display to the roaring crowd. But I lost too that day when I was never sent to the arena for I have become crippled.

 

I come back to the family to become a peon to the other gladiators. I was asked to bring water and towels for them on their calls. It was not that bad except for some who foresee as their means to let off their frustrations be it by beatings or by the heinous acts of same-sex copulation. What pain I could bear was not compared to the humiliation on my body that was hard to swallow, But the worse was yet to come until saw my Master bring forth his new partner to the arena. he is none other than the man whom I killed his wife sometime back.

 

My luck continues getting bad as of last week, I was on the cross in the torture chamber where I have been reduced to a bloody pulp by the whips. My crime was to look at the new master in his eyes when he retires to the Ianista chamber. My punishment was long and painful with nothing from the arsenal of items that were spared from use.

 

"For my dead wife, but thanks to you I found a new love." The man whom I killed his wife now had a change of partners choices, was very dramatic in his revenge. I never knew that the whip can be used besides for lashings can be painful shaft up the rectum.

 

Today, I woke up in my cell with a healer putting the lotion on my wounds. But he is not a healer but a good friend who gave me some good advice. But today he is not here to give me only advice, but a dagger in his healing box. 

 

"Use that and get away. Nothing you may do would matter to this house. But your freedom could harm here. You must leave his house. I would leave a horse for you on the east wall tonight after the third watch. Ride and if you ever come back, come back with an army." The healer left me with the dagger and a promise to bring the horse.

 

On the strike of the third watch, I called out for the guard on complaints of great pain. The unwary guard was irritated by the idea of being awakened at this ungodly hour and more to it by me whom he disliked very much. The guard opened the cell door to attend to me as I slept curled up on the cot.

 

"Up, you lazy fool. A dip into the cold water may do you do." His idea of a dip is a throw into the water trough for the horses. As he crouched down to attend to me, I turned my body and raised my right hand with the dagger to plunged into his neck. It stops his cries and had him gasping for breath. I twisted the dagger into the thorax and sliced it out to the front of his neck; severing his entire thorax from the chest line. I lowered the dead guard onto my cot and covered him with the thick blanket. I took off the guard's waist belt with the short sword and wipe my dagger on the blanket.

 

I made my way out of the cell and into the guard's room. There sleeps two more of my earlier tormentors which I removed with a new opening across their throats. I then picked up their body armor and don it on my body. I picked up an extra sword and lashed it to my back. I made my way out of the dungeon into the main house. I met two more sleeping guards which I was to put to eternal sleep with my dagger. I limped myself to the master's room and slowly opened the door.

 

I see before me the great bed which my master lies in sleep with his new partner in the arms. The Ianista has a different lust for gender than mine. His pet slave, the young lad lies asleep on the floor next to the foot of the bed. I walked up to the sleeping lad and stirred him up.

 

"Stand by the pillar and move not an inch or I shall have you sliced from your toes to your head." He did as he was told and stood by the pillar with his hands cupping his only worthy part of the body. I took up the bed ropes and string up my master and his bed partner. Their drunken stupor made them easy victims to be tied down and later awaken with the washing water from the nearby small tub. The awaken duo was to shout for help but on seeing my weapons at their throat, they ceased all need to call for help.

 

"Masters' if I may be called you last time. Your retribution comes tonight. I would not recount the number of times I have been inflicted with pain or torture on your calls, but I would make sure you do recall this night of the pain I am going to do to you." I looked at both the man who planned and carried out the acts onto others with my help and then bestow the same punishment on me when I am worthless in their eyes. I took the Ianista had him hung over the high beam by his wrist but he hangs over an upturned sword aimed at his bottom torso with his legs spread out. The length of the rope that holds him is then to be held by his new bed partner.

 

"Your revenge is at near for the man who ordered me to rape and murder your mistress." I could see the anger which blazed in the man's eyes, but I held him back from exerting his revenge as yet. "do him slow so he would feel the pain." But I am not without bad intent for the man who gave me shelter and home. I took another length of rope and tied it to the new master around his testicles and penis, to which the other end of the length is tied to the Ianista' waist. I made sure the rope is taut so that any exertion on it would pain the other person'.

 

"Now my trap for the two of you is complete. You may lower him to the sword and impale him but as he moves down, your balls would be pulled along with him. Truly a befitting crime for the two of you, but to encourage your expedition I have decided to place this room on fire. So you either get killed that way or the fire would engulf you both." I threw the bottles of wine and oil all around the chamber and even got the lad to help me with my moving of a heavy chest to block the door. Meantime, he creates a rope for me with the bed sheets so I can be lowered to the ground to escape. Before I took the rope to escape, I gave the two my last smile and lit the fire which soon spread through the chamber. The young lad and I soon lowered ourselves down and I lit the length of cloth to prevent anyone from trying to escape on it. We ran for the wall and climbed over it to the awaiting horse.

 

One week later, I woke up at dawn from my sleep in the cave. We have reached the border of my homeland, and soon we would part company. I shook the lad up who slept by my side since we left the familia. He stirred up but he turned to hold me but I pushed him apart. "We are to part company from now. You are a free man now, and you can go home to see your family as I would do. Our union stops here now and we would never meet again. Take the horse and ride with it, as I could walk back to my land."

 

"Is it not that as a free man I can choose my destination? If so I would choose to go where you go." I looked at the lad and smiled. He is a good friend and companion. We would be able to keep each other warm in the coming nights. I held out my hand to him to show him the border of our new home.

 

 

 

 

Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.4 Chapter 14 Finale

 14.

 

A2 had got the call at 0323hrs. It was a backdown call. He called the others to leave. It was a quiet withdrawal, leaving Glenn and the nurse baffled.

“Guess they had enough.” Glenn looked at the nurse.

Outside as the attackers approached the vans, they removed the vests and slung their rifles. They were surprised by the presence of the SWAT Team Leader.

“I am sorry, boys but your failure marked you for dead. The Syndicate sanctioned your termination.” The shots came from the hidden position of the SWAT Team and all were dead with headshots except A2.

“Jack, I never liked you but the Syndicate spared you. As I am now promoted, you will take over as Squad Leader here. Say hello to your new team as of now.”

The watch showed the time at 0400hrs.

As of 0600hrs that morning, the nurse had removed all the bodies with the help of Glenn. That included Charlie and Randy.

Don had taken to the road for an hour seen leaving the city.

Franco Delagi was moved to the recuperating home.

The Doctor was packing the tools of her trade. She had changed into a new scrub; and it was all shade in black. The apron she wore says; Unhappy Mother.

Then the call through.

“Hotel California.”

“Its Jimmy 01. I need to come in. I got a GSW in the arse.”

“Come in. We got your bed here.” The nurse replied. He then looked at Glenn. “Do you want a job? We are hiring new nurses.”

“Can I play this song?”

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year)
You can find it here

 

 

Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.4 Chapter 13

 13.

 

The leader of the Launderette had his team lined up at both sides of the doorway. The clock read at 0231hrs. He tapped his watch to his team. It meant that they are on the clock there.

Two of the team tossed in the smoke grenades.

The laser beams were seen moving in random direction in the Hall, and then the team moved in. The members were highly trained and moved in formation.

“Clear!” The calls went out. The team moved forward and it was then the hidden lift opened up. The roar of the shotgun brought down the member near the lift. He was stunned but not hurt. He was later when the RN P90 shot him with two short bursts on the face.

“Contact on the left. 5 down.” The leader of the attacking team called out. He then felt the shots on the vest and it hurt like Hell then. The bullets from the Tavar were penetrating the vest with every additional shot. On the tenth shot, he fell down clutching the left side of the chest.

“1 down. Find cover.” The second in command called out. He was code named 2.

The attacking team went for cover but 3 and 8 got the bullets on the back of their knees when they turned to leave. It was the shotgun dispersed pellets. Glenn followed through with the double grip on the Taurus at the neck area on 8. He got through on the third shot at the exposed flesh. It was all he needed but he wasted five bullets. He reloaded when the returning fire came at him. He was facing down when he felt the need to turn left. He did and shot the other in the chest with the Taurus. He felt the recoil to the left shoulder.

“Hold your position. I am calling in the airborne.” Number 2 called the shots. He was down to eight if you ignored the one limping. It was a bad start. He heard the chopper sound above the hotel. He looked at his watch. It was 0245hrs. Nine minutes and they were fragged down.

“Launderette Ground, we are rappelling down.” It was Launderette Air, and they arrived by airborne. It was an eight men team. They got by codes of A1 to A8.

“We are on the rooftop now.” A1 called out on the comms. “Moving no----”

A1 went down with the scalpel stuck in his left eye. The poison took effect and hid body went limp. Then the other poison kicked in and his brain was affected. It took seconds.

“A1 down. We got an ---.” It was A3 who assisted A1 and he was hit by the scalpel in the left wrist. “I ---”

The rest of the Airborne took cover. It was not east to make out the person on the rooftop killing them.

“Chopper, this is A2. Can we have the search light on here?”

The helicopter flew back. It turned on the search light on the rooftop at about fifty feet above the rooftop. It lasted a few seconds before it blew up hit by the arrow with the explosive tip. It does not take a huge explosive when the impact was on fuel tanks. The helicopter went down over the cemetery.

“Damn you!’ A5 stood and leveled the rifle across the area in front of him. He was hit by the next arrow in the chest and there was not much to pick up on his remains.

“All members stand down. A2 called out.” Then A2 counted his losses. He was down to five members. He had known of one named Tiffany there. She was a fighter.

“Tiffany--- or shall I call you Keiko Sinada for old time sake. You will challenge us with your fighting skills. We won’t use our guns. Only daggers. Like old times.” A2 was the one that use to spar with Tiffany then. “I am stepping out.”

A2 stepped out and dropped the Colt 14 with the belt holstering the handgun. He also dropped off his armored vest.

“像旧时一样”. (English translated ‘Like old times’.). The challenge was offered. “They are all trained by me in the old school. 他们都是我在老学校训练的”

The other seven did the same and stood there with the daggers. It looked like the Commando knives but it was wider at the blade.

“Katsu Matsada, I accept your challenge.” The doctor appeared out of the cover. She had removed the vest and the crossbow. She held in her hands was the double short swords.

“We will fight the old way.” The doctor told the other. Two of the attackers rushed at her. One came in with the low strike at her legs and the other was aiming for her head. It was a good move and the doctor stepped aside to the left to avoid the low attacker and with the twist of her body she swung her left sword downwards to cut the lower attacker in the right side of the neck. In the same move, she turned her body face up over to the left side to avoid the swinging upper attack and her right arm went out from below to embed the right-handed sword into the throat of the attacker. She then did a body turn to straighten up. It was then another one had charged into her from the right and caused her to bend backwards avoiding the dagger and her left sword went for the belly.

“You still have it in you, Sister.” Stanley complimented her. “Your acrobats moves are as smooth as before.”

“Thank you, Katsu-san, I still do my callisthenics daily. Even at my age now.” The doctor told Stanley.

“We are still the same despite our age. I will fight you now.” Katsu rushed at her with great strides. Both she and him were trained by the same master although they held an age difference of ten years. The years of training and sparring made them a formidable pair then when they learned ‘tantojutsu’ the short blade fighting technique.

“In the art of assassination, the weapon must be concealed or you will not get to the target.” The Master of the art told Keiko then. “Get in close for the dagger is short but deadly. The areas to hut are covered but vulnerable on the kill.”

It was how Keiko had to wrestle Katsu many times that most others thought they were like lovers but Keiko had liked someone from the outside. It caused her banishment and soon her isolation to the faraway land. She learned to be a surgeon and knew her skills well.

Katsu had applied the low strike with the focus on right wrist of Keiko. He reached out with his left hand to grab her right wrist and moved in with the right hand holding his dagger at Keiko’s chest. Keiko felt her right hand was trapped and she moved her body to the right to avoid the oncoming strike by Katsu. When she moved, her left arm went down in a striking move to deflect the attacking dagger. She knew that given the strength of her opponent, she was not able to push him off, so she struck with her left leg on the inner step of Katsu’s right leg. It unbalanced him and he fell. She then moved back while she tossed the right hand kaiken at the fallen adversary. The blade struck at Katsu in the back of the area below the neck. He reached for it but she was already making her next move.

The revolver was effective at the shorter range. She aimed at the face and gave Katsu a new nose opening.

“Master!” The other six attackers saw their leader was down and rushed to their discarded guns. Keiko was doing the same for her scalpels. She may not make it in time.

A series of shots rang out and Keiko was still unhurt. She looked up and saw the seven attackers were dead on the rooftop. She looked over and saw the shooter who saved her.

“Don 54, thank you.” The doctor looked at the one she had treated the leg wound. Don limped over and pulled the doctor up. Keiko stood just below the other lady’s jaw and she had to look up.

“I was knocked out like a date rape; which hardly happens to me. And I heard the shooting and explosions, but I could not move.” Don looked at the doctor.

“You were sedated for your safety.” The doctor replied. “The Hotel was under attack.”

“I know that. The Delagi was downstairs. Was it the old man here?” Don asked.

“Youi know the rules. No names. You can go back to your room or leave. The doors are opened.” The doctor told Don. “I need to go and see my patients.”

“You can forget the Chief. She is dead. The old man I think is still sedated.” Don told the doctor. “And I am leaving. I don’t want to be in any dispute here when they do raid this place.”

“Thanks, Don. And do take the lift at the other end. It will take you down. The main lift is damaged.” The doctor told Don. “And your subscription is on hold but you can come in anytime.”

“The heck I will. Do you know the time now?” Don asked.

“0330hrs. Why?” The doctor asked.

“I hate to tell you this but I don’t wake up that early since I left the Army. Now I may not get back to sleep until tonight.” Don had limped away to the entrance to go down. The doctor followed suit.

Meanwhile downstairs at the Ground Floor, Glenn was still at it with the nurse with speaker playing the sog that he liked.

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year)
You can find it here

 

 

Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.4 Chapter 12

 12.

 

It was 0159hrs when the doctor lifted the last of the stitch line off Charlie. She smiled for with her efficiency in surgical touches, she had done the task most surgeons will find difficulty in doing. Charlie was shot in the chest but it missed his heart. It was to the upper left near the shoulder.

Charlie will live on.

It was then the doctor saw the amber light was turned on. It meant the Hotel was under lockdown once more. She pulled off the surgical gloves and walked to the nearby console. She called up the screen and voiced out the command code.

“Tiffany Twisted.” That was the code to lift the lockdown at Hotel California.

“Code not recognized. Lockdown to proceed.” The song was played then.

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year)
You can find it here

“Fuck you. It was my song. Work on my code or I will----” The doctor tried several times but it won’t worked. She knew that it was to end. The Syndicate had deserted her.

“Nurse, can you hear me?” The doctor called the nurse.

“Yes, Doctor. I am at the Ground Floor. I am clearing the bodies.”

“We are in lockdown? And my code won’t reverse it.” The doctor told the nurse. “It’s a Total Lockdown. Danny Delagi threatened the Hotel and that triggered the new lockdown. We are all trapped here until the lockdown is lifted.”

“Or we die here. That lockdown will bring about the Syndicate Terminators. They will kill even my son here.” The doctor was upset.

“Doctor, you said so yourself, you don’t have any sons.”: The nurse recalled the Doctor’s words. “How---”

“Don’t play with my emotions, Nurse. Charlie is my son. I am his birth mother while Robert belongs to the other lady. Anyone who wants to kill my son will have go through me.” The doctor was upset. “Join me here in the Third Level. It’s time they know why I am named Tiffany Twisted.”

“Can I play too, Doctor?” The nurse asked.

“Yes, you can. Just be nice to the others.” The doctor replied to the nurse.

“Yes, Doctor.” The nurse smiled.

Glenn heard it all, and looked at the nurse.

“I am okay. You will be too if you find cover. I will suggest you take the hidden lift. That was added on recently and the remote is here.”

“What about you?” Glenn asked the nurse.

“I got my task here. The lift can take only two persons. You decide then.” The nurse told him. It was not a hard choice.

“Randy, let’s go.” Glenn called but Danny beat him to it. He shot Randy in the beck and then aimed his rifle at Glenn.

“I heard it all. If you move, I will shoot both of you. I heard your conversation.” Danny glared at Glenn. It was then the nurse tossed the remote into the chute. It went down to the incinerator. Danny open fire but both Glenn and the nurse had ducked behind the dead bodies on the cage. Glenn had the shotgun slung over his back had it aimed at Danny’s direction and fired it. The bullet from the shotgun was the ball shot type and the dispersion of the small balls hit Danny on the chest. He went down still firing the automatic from the wall to the ceiling.

Glenn rushed over to check on Randy. He was dead from the point blank shot by Danny. He looked at Danny who was still breathing. The latter tried to reach for the rifle when the nurse stepped on the throat of Danny’s.

“You are dead.” The nurse stepped down hard on the throat. The sound of the choke and then the breakage of the bones could be heard.

“I will suggest we move. The Syndicate will be here soon.” The nurse called out. “They don’t take prisoner.”

“We can take the guns here.” Glenn told the nurse.

“It won’t penetrate their armor. You need armor piercing rounds. I got it upstairs.”

Meanwhile, Cooper sat in the passenger seat of the armored vehicle had taken the second turning leaving the Hotel. He saw the two dark vans that went by him in the opposite direction. He knew who was inside, there was no names of them there was known for they were all masked but their reputation was whispered in the corridors.

“Launderette: Syndicate killer squad. It makes no difference to what they wore for no one survives their incursion.  Cooper disliked walking from a gun fight but he had his orders. He knew the Syndicate ruled the city there. If he disobeyed them, he was finished. He would end up in the unnamed burial spot.

“James, we are going back. That was the Commissioner.” Cooper told the officer. “And call me Captain Cooper from now.”

That was a command.

It was 0212hrs when the vans arrived at the Hotel. The road to it was deserted. It was an ungodly hour to be seen there, more so when there was the cemetery at the rear. The dark vans had its passenger disembarked. There were twelve of them, and they all carried the Colt 14 with the laser beam on the top rail of the rifle. They had on full body armor on the chest down to the shins with the hoods over their face leaving the eyes and mouth exposed. The gun on their belt was the Magnum .375.

“It’s a laundry.” A term they all knew. It was their task.

“We are here. Lift the Lockdown now.” The call was made by the leader to the command center.

“10-4, Boys. Do your laundry now. We will be watching you. And don’t forget it’s Tiffany you are dealing with. She is ---”

“Old and should had retired.” The leader remarked. “Keep the camera running. The Elders will want to see this.”

The cameras in the Hotel were activated and seen remotely by the Command Center.

“You are cleared. Find the rats.”

Unknown to the Command Center, the rats were at their holes. The nurse donned on the body vest while Glenn was admiring the line up of guns.

“The vest we have is reinforced with Teflon inside of the fabric. It will stop some shots but not all. When it does, you shoot fast and precise.” The nurse told Glenn while he buckled on the Magnum Taurus. “This is the Raging Bull, modified to hold the black tip ammo. Each clip is eight rounds on these models. Fire with both hands or lose your fingers. It got a strong recoil.”

“What were you, Nurse? I mean your understanding…” Glenn asked.

“Sergeant at Arms, Special Forces, and then killer of sorts. I have been to places where your mama will utter prayers if you are there. I have taken down many scums in my days.”

“And you save them now.” Glenn smiled while he buckled on the belt with the Taurus.

“Redemption is a beast.” The nurse replied while he picked up the IWI Tavor Tar -21 Bullpupm rifle. “My version of the Pit Bull. Short and deadly. Fires the 5.56; my own with the black tip on it. It fires ---”

“Thirty rounds. I know. I was with the Army for stint. We were Recce units.” Glenn smiled. “I liked that but I prefer the FN P90. Its more to my style.”

The FN P90 fires the 5.7. I have ---” The nurse looked for the gun but Glenn has it.

“I got it. And the clips. I make sure I fired close up that they can smell by breath.” Glenn chuckled. “Any ammo for my Remington?”

“The 870 you are holding. Top shelf may have some 12-gauge cartridges there.” The nurse told Glenn.

“Why was I not invited?” It was the Doctor. She was still in her scrubs with the apron on. It was bloodied on the fabric.

“Your weapons, Doctor.” The nurse handed to the chest vest with the twelve scalpels at the pockets. She took the vest and wore that. he later handed her the belt with the eight more scalpels on it.

“I doubt you could penetrate their armor with that.” Glenn commented.

“Not if you know where to stick it.” The Doctor said to Glenn. “Each scalpel is weight to give me the throw I needed and the edges are all coated with poison named ricin for effectiveness, and tetrodotoxin for the sudden stop. Mine are added with enhancement to be deadly on contact. On the for the duller edge, I have my twin daggers. Its called ‘kaiken’ and in used by the women warriors for generations. I had practiced with it since I was five.”

“I am older now but my training had not aged.” The doctor smiled. The nurse heard the metal gates lifting.

“It’s time for the registration of our guests. Or be a dear, and hand me the short stub revolver. It was from my husband on our wedding night. He told me it was for my personal protection. I should had known it was not protection from his. I was a mother giving birth to Charlie Sang.”

The short stub .38 revolver with the five rounds went into her apron pocket.

“And my crossbow please.  Give me one of those explosive arrows. I am going to bring down a chopper.”