Apes Chapter 7

 

7.

Officer Judd strolled into the firing zone where the officers are allowed to train on their weapons skill. It was not all only on the rifles and sidearms but there were the three individual chambers for the physical training. That day was her booked session on the skills of personal combat. She was dressed in her overalls and boots. Once she entered the assigned chamber, she was confronted by her assigned partner with the back to her.

“Hi, Jack. Are we…” Judd stopped when she saw her partner was not the one, she booked?

“Hello, Judd? Are you ready?” It was Officer Bernice stripped down to the basic wear of the inner vest and hip-hugging panty. “I would like to spar with you.”

Judd looked at the bustier figure and took to strip down to her inner wears in the locker rooms. She was not an amateur at personal fighting. She took up her fighting stance with the left leg at the rear while both her arms were held up as if to protect the face. The other had done the same and then the fight began. Judd had swung his left leg in a series of kicks while the other blocked it before Bernice did a body turn to lash out with the right leg. The leg hit the other on the face.

“So, we are down to street level.” Judd rubbed at her sore left cheek. She rushed in with a series of punches before she raised her left knee for a midriff attack. Bernice anticipated that and blocked it but she did not foresee the body turn with the right elbow aimed at her face. Bernice fell back with her the blow. She backed several feet and went in with some of her punches and elbows. It was then an elbow made the hit on the left shoulder and Bernice retreated in defense but Judd went in for the left swing of her arm at the face. Her punch took the other by surprise and Bernice went down. She was not down for good when she lashed out with her left leg to kick at Judd in the right shin. Judd went down face down and landed on the other.

“You bitch!” Judd cursed at the other. She then rolled over and heaved in deep breaths while adjusting her inner vest which had were undone.

“Since when have I become yours?” Bernice rolled onto the other and then laid a kiss on the lips. “I thought you were the bitch.”

“Only when I win and now show me why I need you as one.”

Across the city, Lance listened keenly to every word that his uncle the Doctor was uttering then while he handed out the pieces of fruits to the Doctor. The feeding was part of his act when he was with the Doctor. The later held a bad diet of coffee and snacks. The Doctor had trained Astrid to bring those foods.

“Are you saying the last riot was not in your program? Uncle, the evidence was there. The servants went berserk on the moment.”

“It was but I checked the programs. They were subdued by their violent traits. I tried to get a specimen to check but the Enforcers will not allow me to it. I need your help.”

“I can’t. I am not on the Task Force.” Lance protested and then regretted his action to quit it. He should be handling the investigation but the task of working with the Colonel and Bernice turned him off.

“I will try …Wait, what about Bernice? She is on the Task Force?” Lance turned to the Doctor but he saw the shoulders slumped. “She is not talking to you too on her works.”

“Yes, she won’t talk about her works with me. She won’t even have my servant to her unit. She is not …receptive to them. She blamed them for the death of her mother.”

Bernice’s mother was discovered dead with the ape in the unit but the forensic test showed that she died of a heart attack. Bernice had never accepted the results and accused her father of collaborating on the evidence. Since then she had lived separately from the father. That was over ten years ago.

It was then Lance changed the subject to Doctor Lopez.

“Lopez is a member of Julius's team on other projects. I think it was sanctioned by the Council but he won’t share with me the tests. I suspect that he is programming the servants to be Enforcers. He felt that if an ape can be a servant it can also be trained to enforce the law. The numbers of Enforcers are fewer now since the last revolt of the Blocks.”

The revolt was five years ago when the inhabitants of the units in several blocks decided to fight their neighbors for more rations and space. The isolated event soon erupted into a full-scale riot and then the unlawful took advantage of it. What was a simple altercation with some fistfights then became a war when weapons were distributed? The Enforcers moved in to stop the war and were soon fighting on equal terms in weaponry. The enemies were united under a group who was called the Dark Ones but the leaders were never apprehended. The war lasted over a year and with two-third of the Enforcers lain dead or wounded but they stopped the war. That was not the unfortunate outcome for there were rumors that the weapons distributed were from the Enforcers’ armory. And they were not sonar rifles but the deadly projectile ones. The accusations went out and then it was stopped by the Council who sat on the verdict that the armory was breached and the weapons were stolen but most of the Enforcers did not believe it. It was then the elite sniper team was formed and given the authority to act with needed action that may prevail in the situation. It was a kill squad then.

“I heard the rumors that the new Enforcers were all trained to kill like those snipers. So, are you telling me that the servants will be taking over our other tasks?” Lance sighed. He can’t picture the gorilla handling the dispute of two humans and may conflict with their core program which was not to harm any humans. In the handling of disputes sometimes Lance has to use force to resolve some of the disputes and that involved some harm to the human. He had broken the arms of some perpetrators to stop a fight especially one that deadly and may harm him in the fight.

“The servants can’t be Enforcers. They may get hurt, and in my research, pain may override their program. It’s a natural process of the mind to react with irrational signals when the pain was induced. The servant may lose control of its behavior and react in kind when hurt. “

Lance could only nod then to the findings. He had responded to earlier calls when servants have exerted their anger on its owners. When that happened, the clear call was to terminate the servant. In his findings, he had also discovered that the owners have mistreated the servants and hence the tolerance level was exceeded with the other reacting in anger. There were a few such cases in the city and there were alerts to the public to avoid doing such acts or they will be punished. The general call was; ‘if the servant misbehaves, call us for retrieval and replacement’. It was like replacing faulty parts but no one adhered to that. A servant was still expendable in their mind.

 

 

 

Arthur 11 cHAPTER 16

  

16.

Decurion Percival had his haunting on his mind with witches and demons. He called them that; the minions of Hell. He recalled the one time when he was with the serving another Legion of Rome. He was assigned to check on some villages with the Auxiliaries.  

“The village looked deserted, Leader Aubin,” Percival told the Auxiliaries leader. It was dusk then; they have arrived late after a long ride of three days. Aubin was a formidable fighter and had won the respect of the squad which was a mix of nationalities; five Sarmatians, two Nubians, two Sicilians, and even a Gaul. Aubin was a Sarmartians from Persia.

“Sarmatians, you will take fore. Take five riders with you. Armed yourselves. Be prepared….”

“Yes, Percival.” The Sarmatians warrior replied in unison. Aubin was a veteran of many wars and at his late age, he was still fighting as if he was twenty years ago.

Percival ride ahead with the five others. They have unslung their bow and notched the arrows. He felt the sword at his left side of the belt; the curved scimitar that Aubin had gifted him. His gladius was on the saddle. He reached the wooden gates with the walls that were built to protect the village. The gates were open but there were no sentries. He rode in with the others and saw the village was deserted. The huts were there; the butcher, the grocer, baker, and the stables but the living creatures were not there.

“Percival, there are signs….” Aubin motioned to the piles of bones scattered at the village. “They were fed…on.”

“Syaitan!” The other Persian in the squad who rode in with Percival cursed out. Percival dismounted and then approached the nearby pile of bones. It was not arranged neatly but piled on with no defined design. However, there was no sight of any skulls. He leaned down to examine the bones.

“Watch out!” The warning came too late when Percival felt the impact on his back. He fell forward and into the pile of bones. He rolled to the side on his battle horned instinct but lost his hold on the bow. He rolled on and then crouched up. He saw the other warriors were engaging the enemy.

It was a human or was one with the usual limbs but the figure held four upper limbs and six lower limbs with the frame of the body that reached twice the height of Man. The body frame was covered with the skulls that were implanted on it. It was essentially encased with the skulls like a layer of protection but the skulls were all alive and biting. It was no longer a human but a demon by the looks.

“Drop the bow. Use your swords.” Percival told the warriors when he saw the arrows were ineffective. He drew out the scimitar given to him by Aubin and attacked the skull protected demon. He hit at the left knee to cripple the demon while the others went at it on the chest or upper limbs. He saw then Aubin had charged in with the mount clashing into the demon and toppling it.

The Persian jumped off the horse and swung his scimitar on the face of the demon. He slashed at it cutting at the face and then with one thrust, he had the scimitar into the left eye. He then cut deep down and severed the left side of the jaw before he swung it once more at the neck. There he cut to sever the head.

“It’s still alive,” Aubin called out. The headless demon had retreated and all the skulls on the demons all laughed. “It had cheated death.”

“And it will die.” Percival rushed from behind had charged at the demon. “If the head is not the head, then the heart may be the head.”

Percival had slashed the scimitar across the lower chest. His cut was deep and the demon screamed. He slashed again and again until the demon fell to its knees. He then stepped back and Aubin approached the demon. He raised his scimitar and cut the chest into parts.

“Now it dies.” Aubin voiced out. Galahad had watched the demon twitched and then lay still. It was over.

“Wake, Decurion.” Percival woke up. He must have slept while drinking. He looked up to his fellow rider, Gaheris who had woken him.

“We have words of a coming attack by the barbarians. The Equities are ready. They await your command.”

Percival nodded. He must act his role as the leader.

Warrior and not a drunk with nightmares.

Percival stepped to his mount and stopped. He turned back and saw the familiar face. It was Aubin and he was no older than when they parted.

“Aubin Knur, when did you arrive? I could have had ….”

“There is not much time, Percival. I have come from afar to warn you of the Syaitan. It’s here now.” With that Aubin handed over to Percival the scimitar, he had carried for years. “Use this. It can kill them.”

“Aubin, where…what is this?” Percival held out his arms to hold his friend. “I have still the scimitar you gave me. I will use that. It had killed the demon then.”

“Then let us change swords. You take mine and I will be yours.” Aubin offered the exchange. The scimitars changed hands and then Aubin told Percival of his visit.

“I am here to ride with you. I am with the mercenaries…. The Sarmatians. We will serve your Prime. I will fight with you.” Aubin replied. “But I am older now. I may not fight as good.”

“I…I will see to that later. For now, I have my duty to perform now.” Percival smiled. “We will drink and eat later. And thank you for the gift.”

Words of farewell were spoken and parties parted.

Lady Igraine turned her sight from the pool of water in the shallow bowl placed on the altar that she had constructed with the old oak tree’s trunk. She had placed scented candles and personal items on it. She reached for the bound skin cover hard spine book on the left of the table. She turned the cover which was covered with the human skin and the pages inside were old parchments handled down the generations. It was not a family heirloom but it had changed hands for several centuries but it served one purpose; witches need for spells.

“When would you stop?” It was her lover, Lord Pendragon. “We have been …”

“Leave me, Utter. I am not in the mood to discuss this.” Igraine dismissed the other. “Through it the moments when we need to like the consummation of our desire. I have my needs and once done, it’s placed aside. For now, I need to see my enemies. The ones who sought me at the village where I had remained hidden until then. The Augustus who had me placed on their leash like a dog. And….”

“Enough of your vengeance, my love. We have to ….” Lord Pendragon pleaded with his love. He reached for her to hold her while he kisses her left shoulder. She smelled well from the morning bath and her dress was one of his favorites. The green dress with the off-shoulder cut and the bodice that was laced with the silky laces to hold them bosom up.

“Leave me, Utter. I have much to work on.” Igraine ignored the other and continue with her peruse of the parchments. She soon found her spell and worked on it. It was a spell to call upon the floating spirits in the area. The wall had been the battlefield for years. Lord Pendragon disgusted with the scene had taken leave of her from the chamber.

“Show me you’re …” Lady Igraine was taken aback by the spirit that appeared before her. It was Gorlois, her previous Lord. He was still in his mail suit and held his sword on the right hand leveled at her. He did not look well, with the mail suit cut in places and there were the open wounds on his body but no blood was seen.

“My love Igraine. I am delighted to see you once more.” Lord Gorlois lowered the sword. “It’s nice of you to call upon my soul.”

“I…. I did not. I was ….” Lady Igraine replied with her hands trembling. “I…”

“And you will never know what you will find then.” The image of Gorlois faded and was replaced by another.

“Who are you?” Lady Igraine uttered in shock. “Where is ….”

“I am Lady Morgause. You may have known me as the sister of the Lakes or perhaps Morgan Le Fay.” The image was that of a lady who was young and beautiful in the silken white gown with her braided long hair reaching her lower spine and her feet were bare. “I am known by many names with whom I may have met.”

“Lady Morgan…. Le Fay….” Lady Igraine recalled the name. She was there at the functions held by Lord Gorlois where she was introduced to one named Morgan. She was an exquisite beauty and mingled well with the other nobles. “You ….”

“I am not Morgan but I had seen your post and seen your betrayal of your Lord. Such an adulterous move. What was it that Lord Pendragon held for you that Gorlois was not able to? Was it age? It does not matter much in the realm of consummation. The nobles do that for the strength of the alliance. You were bargained off by your father to the elderly Lord was one example. Yet, you found yourself …”

“Seduced! I was seduced by him. He came disguise…. like…”

“Yet you know and allowed it to prevail. Such a noble act. What did you do next? Had he killed in battle next so that you could move on? Truly the beauty of a lady can be bewitching.” Lady Morgause snapped back. “Look at me. Am I not a beauty? This body has enticed some men to my wishes. If only they have seen my real look, they will flee for the faraway land.”

Lady Morgause reached for her forehead and then peeled the skin there pulling it down to her chest and over her arms to her legs. What she revealed then was another figure; plain and yet beautiful in her looks. She had one a white short gown that reached just above her knees. She looked like a demure young lady standing there,

“This is me, Lady Igraine. I am not that …. appealing but to some I was. So, tell me, Lady Igraine, which are you? The noble lady that holds her Lord’s arm or the scheming vengeful seductress? When you invoke the spell to call on the floating spirits, you may be treading onto the unknown area. Are you ready for it?”

“I … I am.” Lady Igraine acknowledged it. “I am a …”

“A witch nevertheless. As we are the same, we can be friends. After all, I can help you.” Lady Morgause looked at the other. “Your desires may be the same as mine.”

With that, Lady Morgause approached the other lady.  She reached with her right arm to the laces on the bodice on Lady Igraine’s dress. She pulled at the laces and watched it untangled to reveal the cleavage that had enticed many men. Lady Igraine had reached up with her own hands to hold the other’s arm. Her hold was firm and yet it was not pushing the right hand away. She pulled the hand towards her exposed bosom to caress her in full.

“I…” Lady Morgause hushed the other in the lips with her left hand. The index finger of the lady caressed the lips of Lady Igraine.

“Speak no more. Let it be felt the real desire of yours.” Lady Morgause then leaned over and kissed the lady on the lips. “You want me, and so do I.”

The flooring before the altar was their bed for the amorous feels of each other. The scent of the candles accentuated their needs while the floating spirits invoked there; some stayed and some left but with each soul an empty feeling that they had wished they did when they were able to.

 

Apes Chapter 6

Episode 2

6.

Lance snuggled to the warm bodies that were cramped like him inside the train that was traveling at high speed in the subterranean tunnels. The train ran on the tracks build beneath the towering structures. It was built deep below to avoid hitting any supporting structure on the towers. The nearest tunnel to the surface was a hundred feet below and some stood almost three hundred feet deep. The planners of the design had reckoned to go deep instead of above.

“The tunnels will be interlinked to the stations that will be built underground. The stations will have access via tunnels to the inhabited towers.”

It was the fastest way to get across the city and he used that daily when he needed to get to work. He could apply for a vehicle with his rank but he decided to go with the mass. He felt the person on the right nudged him on the shoulder and then the slung bag hit his thigh. He opened his eyes and looked over. It was a lady there like him trying to appear comfortable on the train.

“I am sorry.” The lady smiled at him. She was not a beauty but like many he saw on the train, she was one of the many. “My servant was not feeling well.”

Lance pulled a weak smile on his face and then closed his eyes. It was then the lady he had spoken to cursed out. It was a hangout of the commuters to do that in the city; cursed when you are ignored. He shuffled his body weight to lean onto the left and was given a friendly push. He was to move his body again when he got the buzzing noise inside his jacket. He never wore his uniform off duty and his casual wear then blended with the others; leather jacket over his shirt and jeans with the strapping boots that hid his three-inch dagger.

“I am over it …” Lance looked at the train map. “I shall be over at Station Five.”

He was only five stations away and then a ten-minute walk to reach the office. It was ridiculous to call his office that for it was more of a fortress.

It was a mini fortress.

The city was not exactly comfortable with the dense population but that dense numbers allowed for all variations to live in safety in the numbers. With the dense condition of living and the populated servants, not all of in the city was that fortunate to have servants, and the unfortunate; well they claim what they could. Hence the Enforcers in some parts of the city needed the assurance that they were guarded their properties. The Enforcer office was with a ten upper level and five lower levels, with a protective wall that prevent any armored vehicles from ramming the structure. It held a reinforced umbrella roofing to protect it from dropped vehicles or inhabitants. It was cramped in between a few inhabited structures on what was previously a green park a long time ago.

The Enforcer vehicle sent to pick Lance at the Station when he rode up the escalator to the ground level. The vehicles dropped him at the entrance at the Station. He saw the three-armed Enforcers there with the projectile rifles and armored vests with the machine gun set up at the side. It was as if they were preparing for an attack.

“Officer Lance, you are needed at the Colonel’s office.” The Colonel’s office was on the second level alongside with the other Senior Enforcers. To get to that level, he needed to go past the Front Reception which was also named Hell’s Gate. It was a long ten feet counter raised to the head level and above it was a protective glass with three officers seated behind it. Once you get behind the counter either on the right or the left, you will be faced with the eighty-odd uniformed officers seated behind desks in the three thousand square feet area, squaring off complaints and squabbles. If you faced towards the sidewall of the office, you will notice a dozen officers armed with rifles patrolling the common area, with orders to shoot on any signs of trouble. It was also the area where the first complainants get their reports looked at and processed. There were several side doors which the access to the other sections and the rear were the escalators to other levels.

All of the entrances were reinforced by the double metal doors.

“The Colonel is waiting for you.” Lance nodded to the officer there when he took one of the entrances and then mounted the stairs to the upper levels before he was greeted by the guard there at Level Two.

“Good day, Sir.” Lance took past the guard and towards the familiar door that marked ‘Commanding Officer’. He was familiar with the Colonel’s office with the dark desk that spanned over six feet and the man named the Colonel, and yet he was not holding any military rank. He was called that for he was the commanding officer there. He was a tall man with the thick shoulders and the creased facial expression heightened by the sunken cheeks. He had his hair cropped short and with his uniform on he had the Colonel in the looks.

“You are late, Officer.” Lance was motioned to the seat in front of the desk. He sat there before he looked over to the other two officers there.

“I will be brief.” The Colonel voiced out. “The mayhem with the servants was a disaster that needed to be contained. I will have a task force formed. You will be part of it. All of you here are in the special task force.”

“Officer Lance and Judd, you will head the investigation. Officer Bernice will be the …. terminating force.” The Colonel continued. “I will assume as the Head of the Task Force….”

“No, Sir. I will not be part of this task force. It’s …” Officer Lance cut off the superior officer but he got his rebuttal then.

“Lance, I have no qualms to remove you from this task force but your records spoke well of your handling investigations into the servants. I will advise you…”

“I am sorry, Sir. I am still declining the position within the Special Task Force. May I please be excused?”

“Then if it’s your wish. Officer Judd, you are promoted to Senior Officer and will replace Senior Officer Lance. You will have a partner in your team.” The Colonel looked from Officer Judd towards Lance. “Officer Lance, you re-assigned to General Duties.”

General duties were to handle all the menial and unwanted cases that the other Enforcers were to reject. It was a demotion in rank for a Senior Officer to do such tasks. Lance saluted and left the office but soon he was given the look by the other officers at his new post at the General Area among the eighty officers there. He had sat down to warm his seat when the dossier was handed over.

“Lance, I got a case of a missing chimpanzee. The owner claimed the servant took his personal effects including his keys to the office. He soon reported to us that his office was ransacked and lost several confidential documents from there.” The officer left Lance with the dossier. It contained the report and the ‘docu-vid’ which recorded the theft.

Lance looked at the ‘docu-vid’ that was passed to him on the viewer set on the desk.  The details correspond to the report he had read.

What the report did not say was that the victim was a staff at the Research Centre V.

“Lance, may I speak to you?” The then newly promoted Senior Officer Judd approached Lance at the desk. “I did not plan for this. I was not ….”

“It’s alright. You deserved the promotion. Get your new partner and be on the task.” Lance smiled warmly and then grabbed his jacket to leave.

“Where are you of” Officer Judd asked then.

“Missing servant. I will see you around.” Lance rushed out and then to the assigned vehicle for his task. With his new posting, he was given the same design cruiser without the cannon. He was also without a partner but he has his mini dart on the vambrace and baton.

Soon he was at Research Centre V.

“Doctor Lopez, may I have the details of the files that your servant may have had taken.” Lance glared at the man seated across him. The doctor was about his age with the well-maintained frame but his thick mustache and the thinning hairline misplaced his good looks.

“It were some notes of my research into the behavior of the apes.” The doctor then paused. “Are you by any chance related to Doctor Lanceston?”

“Yes, but my works are not related to him,” Lance replied and was to question further when the doctor then decided to cut short the discussion.

“Just get me back the servant and the files. I will not press charges and also no one is allowed to read those files. Including Doctor Lanceston.”  With that, Lance was dismissed from the office. He learned from his works and in his discussion with Doctor Lanceston, the works at the Research were sacred to individual Researchers or Departments. They all fear their works will be taken over by another and they will lose their stay at the Research House. Every research was closely guarded by the respective staff.

Lance then returned to his vehicle in the front yard and was to drive off when he saw a familiar sight in the nearby corridor. He stopped the vehicle and opened the door. He then called out to the chimpanzee.

“Astrid!” Lance reached out to hold the chimpanzee that had rushed out to greet Lance. The chimpanzee weighed heavily on the Officer and he had known Astrid as a young cub.

“You are getting heavy. Where is the Doctor?” The chimpanzee held onto the officer and sneered at Lance. It was soon distracted when it saw the new batch of gorillas being led off by the guards. The batch of gorillas was brought in by carriage to replace the dead ones shot earlier. For a while, both of them were motionless looking at the new arrivals until the voice of Doctor Lanceston broke their focus.

“Lance, when did you arrive? Why was I not told?” The elderly doctor reached for his nephew on the shoulder. Astrid climbed down and moved out of the way while the two conversed on. “How goes the investigation?”

“What investigation?”

“The shooting of the gorilla? Oh, that one. I am not involved. I am …onto other duties.”

“Bernice vid me that you were in but she voiced her …you know displeasure of your attention to the servants.” Lance gave out a low laugh at the relaying of the doctor and shook his head.

“I think we can have a quick meal and I needed to know more on a Doctor Lopez.” Lance moved to change the subject.

“Lopez, he is an imbecile and in cahoots with Julius. I think they are doing some side research on mine. It won’t be for the betterment of mankind. More of a nasty side to mankind.” By then, Lance had led the doctor towards the cafeteria while Astrid looked at them from a distance. It just stood there in the yard and watched the two humans stepped into the cafeteria. The chimp then turned to go back to the lab. Lance was going to be occupied with his uncle who was always with the grunts and moans of the associates.

Tweet....Tweet.... Its morbid...1st August 2020

It's morbid for the last two weeks.

One, I have a black cat (I am not racist) that came to my house; I re-quote it was a kitten. It came and get fed by my daughter who named it Day Shift for it only appears morning till evening; gets fed and sleep and leave by evening. I guess it's like a one night stand except it's daytime and it happened over two weeks. So that does not mean its a one night stand.

Two, I have stayed in my house (the only one)  I have with my family (the only one where I am legally the father). I did say it was morbid. The morbid one was that I had three pets ( all dogs before and dark in the shade; darned they all looked alik'e with their furs and shades. Coincidence or morbid? I named them Scruffy. I even have my email once before Scruffy@..... and I hardly get a reply for my work applications then until I used my real name.). And they all appeared at my house when they were pups and stayed on they left for the next realm.

Three, I have two good friends, and one relative who had their loved ones admitted to the hospitals for various reasons. It's not that they have the COVID but unknown conditions. One was confirmed Stage 4 Cancer and the other two unknown as yet. And one of the two had just cleared a brain surgery while the last was told several diagnoses from cough to influenza and then bacteria infection (the doctors were unsure.)

Four, I am penning a new tale. Why would that be morbid? It's for I am writing a tale that is in feudal Japanese and a lot of writes on samurai but on a different level. It's supernatural by direction. I am swamped inside my mind with Japanese deities and demons and other things Japanese. I won't lament on the mumbling that I could not pen a word for two months after Arthur II but I am resuming. The advice I got from reading a (real) author that writing was to never give up. Even if you can only write a word that day.

Five, I am on a binge watching Grey's Anatomy ( three seasons in one week and twelve more seasons to go. God, I am thinking like a surgeon now.).And after three seasons, I felt sex was 'durty'. Darned, I am a man and sex was never meant to be that 'durty'. It's not 'durty' to watch porn even though you may be stripping every one woman in five you may stare at. (Most of us who are men do that, it's just that in the journey of the lie, none of us admitted that or we won't get laid.

Six, I did cautioned you that it will be morbid. Thank you for reading. Believe me, I was having dreams of Izzie (She was one of the characters in the series) in a surgery.... and guess who was the doctor. That's really destroyed my fantasy on the doctor/nurse. I will be frank. She was doing a boob surgery on me..... that was the scalpel path.

Cheers and it ain;t halloween yet

Lone Ranger Chapter 58

58.

The view from the top is still the best. It would have been better if there was a narrator to explain it all. The blade had taken them from the tunnels to the wide platform jutting out of the pit. She had explained that was one of the few platforms for the dirigibles to land for maintenance. Lance when having understood their whereabouts saw the structures in a different light. They were indeed structures as mentioned before but they were made of a shining material like steel. Each of the structure jutted out in different angles and length were supported by the metal beams that held it to the main structure.

“We have to adapt to when the numbers grew. The current interiors are already overcrowded with the non-reparation of the redeemed souls we are constantly looking for space.” Blade stared at the structures. “The ship is only capable of processing so many and yet we are almost doubled in capacity. She bled with the extra leggings seen here.”

“They don’t look like an army,” Tonto remarked back.

“Those you saw are the discards. During the war, they will be the laborers to carry the pieces of machinery or at worse be the cannon fodder. Am I not right with the term?” Blade laughed and then sighed on her previous plight. She was after all once like them.

“They may be our army.” Blade turned to Lance. “We cannot underestimate their real strength.”

The trio stood there watching the dirigible anchored there. It was a small one at the length of sixty feet and a circumference of fifty feet with the twelve feet by six feet cabin below. It was used to cart the cargoes from the different levels in the pit. The workers there to supervise the unloading while others moved the unloaded into the storage. It was the Lance saw the huge metallic figure standing by the doorway. It had six limbs of four that were on the side of the body's chest. Its head was a rounded cover with a set of the antenna on the top. The lower limbs were powered by the double tracks.

“That was SEL-54 which was our friend until it was disabled. It now stands as a reminder of our better times.” Blade smiled “I used to see it lift four times its weight.”

“Why are we here?” Tonto asked as he was tired of the scenic view with the depressing news on the hopeless situation. Blade did not reply but she motioned to them the descending dirigible. It was a bigger one at twice the length and circumference. It held a wider cabin at over thirty feet with a width of fifteen. It held four gun ports. Lance readied his guns but the gun ports remained close. The craft landed and then its side door opened.

“Good day, Sirs. May we leave now?” It was Falstaff. “Lady Lilith disliked to wait too long like any ladies but they do make us do while they ready themselves.”

Lance laughed hard at that line. Their journey was short in distance but steep downwards they went. Soon they arrived at the platform below. It was not a true platform but more of a balcony with enough space for them to disembark. There was a Nephilim standing there hidden into the side of the pit. It was not seen unless one looked hard at it. Or was looking for it. He saw three of it all there and standing behind the fake structures.

“Those…” Lance voiced out but he held back his words when he saw the lady figure standing at the balcony. “Lady Simmons, I presume.”

The lady dressed in the Sunday outfit with the flared skirt smiled at the one named the Lone Ranger. She even held the small umbrella in her left hand. She swung the umbrella out and pressed the lever to release the canopy.

“I am but I am not the lady expecting you. Lucifer is inside with the others.” Lady Simmons replied. She then led them inside to meet the ones expecting them.

“Welcome in.” The figure was as described before. He was still dressed in the red shaded suit and the darker red sash around the waist. The tall figure held the two-prong trident in its right hand with the length above the tall figure. His scales covered forehead and cheeks to the neck with the two small slits on the protruding snort for the nose. His eyes which were the two blobs below the forehead with the iris in the eyes a vertical oblong design with green shades glared at Lance.

“I like your longhorns. Would it hurt if I break it?” Tonto cut in with his snide remarks. “I always wanted to know that.”

“Choir boy, you are well-coached by the best but that horn remains here.” Lucifer reached for the two curved longhorns that reached to the back of its head. “It’s one of my nurtured parts. It gave me the impression of being evil.”

Lance took back the command and looked at the assembled. He recognized Vlad there alongside Samael who was killed by Aamon. There was Lady Simmons with another lady dressed in the loose tunic and the wide waist belt that resembled some championship belt. There were also others that Lance could not recognize.

“I am not for words. I have a war coming with the one named the Devil.” Lucifer looked at Lance. “So are you in?”

“I ….: Lance uttered his reply but Tonto made his words clear to the other.

“I am not siding with you, Lucifer. In my world, you are the Devil.” Tonto stepped back to the exit. “I am leaving. And anyone trying to stop can go to Hades ……again.”

Lance looked at Tonto and held out his right arm to hold the later back. Tonto brushed the arm off and turned to the exit when Lucifer voiced out.

“Tonto or should I call you David Woods? That was your name when your father gave you and took you to a new home in England. You were an item in the county you stayed; the heathen kid on the block. You were a novelty then but you have a reputation as a brawler before you repented under devotion to the Creator. Then you migrated to the more colorful version. Your shaman learning did not stray you but enforced your belief.”

“Stop! No matter what you may say I am not joining you.” Tonto snapped hard on the reply.

“Stop? I think not. I am not here to stop your belief. I am asking you to right the mistakes in Hades.” Lucifer pleaded with Tonto. “I need allies like you to fight the Devil.”

“Do you want to know who really the Devil in here? The real power behind the Devil?” Lucifer taunted Lance and Tonto. “If you are the Lone Ranger then you will want to know.”

“I will not be part of this. I am leaving.” With that Tonto left them. He wanted to go back to the plains and find his way back. Lance stood back and glared at Lucifer.

“No, I want to know where my brother is. He matters to me more.” Lance replied. “And right now, you are the only one who knows where he is.”

Lance drew his guns and faced the assembled.

“Tell me or I will shoot.” Lance threatened them.

“Are you willing to shoot your brother?” The figure stepped out from behind Lucifer. “Hello, Lance.”

Lone Ranger Chapter 57

57.

Tonto tossed the wooden stake over to Quasimodo while he held onto the tomahawk. Lance protested and glared at his partner.

“Quit the sniveling. He has the brute strength to use it.” Tonto replied and then stood behind the other. “You have your other magic.”

Lance settled back and thought of his other gifts. He had not used them for some time except the Noir spell. He called on the other spell of this fight the monstrous creature before them.

“Bring forth the blade of Lion of Richard.” The request was made and the new streak of shades that snaked out like the scimitar from the inklings on Lance’s back... Lance held his hands together and the blade of Lion of Richard formed into a sword on his hands.

“I heard of these before at the docks but to see one now completes my day,” Tonto spoke up while he studied the creature that filled the tunnel walls with its monstrous shape. It was not the body that was of concern of his but the six tentacles that were flaunting at them. The body was well rounded; probably puffed up in the constraint of the tunnel with all the exertions of squeezing past. It could be seen the set of eyes on the body frame which resembled large orbs protruded there.

“I counted six tentacles. Don’t they have eight on them?” Tonto asked and was given an annoying lash by the tentacles. Tonto had stepped back and cut with the tomahawk at it. His weapon struck hard and deep causing the creature to retreat its other tentacles. The cut by Tonto had severed off the section of that tentacles and it dropped into the water.

“I did it. By jolly, that will make a good tale to the barmaids.” Tonto shouted out in glee but his joy was short-lived when he saw the severed end bounced back to rejoin the tentacle stem.

“Go for the eyes,” Quasimodo called out. “The other parts will rejoin when cut.”

It was easier said than done for the six tentacles that were able to attack independently at the trio. Quasimodo grabbed the tentacle before him and slammed it to the wall while he used the stake to stab at it and pulled hard with the other hand. He then tossed the severed path back to the other end of the tunnel.

“Crawl! You imbecile for a squid!” Quasimodo shouted out. It was then another tentacle grabbed his legs and then pulled him off his feet. He screamed as another tentacle was seen lashing towards him. His hands reached to protect his face but the blow never came. Instead, pieces of the tentacles fell to his face. He looked up and saw the creature had retreated to the corner. He looked to his savior and saw it was Lance holding the dark scimitar with both his hands.

“Gracias..” Quasimodo replied in his native tongue. “I would have died again if not for you.”

“Kemo-Sabe, we have to attack it. Relentlessly until we kill it.” Tonto told them his strategy and without waiting for the reply, he went at it with the tomahawk.

“Take the right, demon. I will take the center.” Lance rushed into action. He swung his scimitar without any planned swings. He managed to sever two tentacles before he went for what he thought was the mouth. Tonto had hacked at the left tentacles while the demon went into a berserk rage with the stake. His rage earned him a respite when he found the opening to stab the stake into the left eye. He held hard and pushed it in harder. Tonto was not far behind with his tomahawk hacking away. He cut off another tentacle and then moved in for the center. Five of the tentacles were cut and they were attacking the head. The creature with its left eye blinded had retreated further and then it stopped. It was quivering in its body and then it let off what may appear to be a squeal before it went into a hasty retreat. It slides back in haste and soon was splattered into parts. It was then Lance saw the cause of the death of the creature.

“You can’t fight a squid. You just splattered them across the area with this.” The figure was dressed in a wet suit with a face visor and donned one a breathing apparatus. It was the weapon held by the figure that intrigues them. It had a serrated extended blade and was powered by a small engine attached to the back.

“My name is Blade. I am good at it. Lilith knew you are here and sent me.” The figure removed the visor and revealed the face. It was a lady with crisscrossed marks on her face. She saw them looking and then explained.

“My husband did it to me. And with Lilith’s help, I did him worse.” The lady named Blade explained it all.

“I am Blade as you knew now. I work for Lilith in return for the little killings I do here. I loved to kill those who hurt women.  In my time-honored life, I was a housewife but here I am Blade. I have been watching you since you came into the Pit. You may want to know more of here with your whirlwind of escapes and numerous attempts to kill you.”

“Stop, Blade. They must not….” Quasimodo cut in but Blade stopped him.

“They ought to know if they are to survive and above all restore Hades to its rightful place.” Blade glared at Quasimodo. “Lone Ranger, we are in Hades but it’s not what you think. It’s beyond your feeble mind to imagine where we are. Hades is not another dimension as you may have been told.”

“Hades is a ship.  A huge ship that sails not on the sea but in the void of what we termed as space.” Blade smiled. “It’s a construct that huge like the lands you rode but it served one purpose. It was the home of the original demons or shall we say the fallen Angels. It was written in Revelation 12:4; a third of the stars being swept from Heaven, and approximate that a third of the Angels; to be exact in numbers 7,405,926 demons was among them.”

“We were banished here. There were the seven princely Angels which guided us led by one named Lucifer. The later was a fine leader until he disappeared one era and was not seen until now. We believed he went back to the main star but there was no way of knowing. Another came to take over his rank and soon made Hades to what it's today.”

“How can it be? We rode the harsh lands and then the descent into the pit.” Lance started his protest.

“And how did you arrive here? Through a deep sleep or was it a transporter that sent you here.” Blade asked him and he recalled none of it. All he remembered was the riding with Tonto. It was like a missing part of reality.

“The harsh terrain was the accumulation of the space dust from the fragmented meteors. Did you see any vegetation there? Sparse or barely sums it all. The pit you descended was true but it was a major vent structure in the ship where the multi structures were built on. The carriage you rode was real and so were the steam engines. The tracks that your carriage went over were magnetic thus keeping you from falling over. The dirigibles were real unfortunately for the impression of reality.” Blade let out a snigger. “Just like my marriage life. A farce to please the general crowd but none saw the real side.”

“We are re-living an antique age with the new leader. All of Hades was changed to suit his desire for the new world. He wants us to live like that and all of us are to do so without objections. Our advanced skills were all taken away and forbidden to use the advanced tools known to us before. Our unique materials were withdrawn and the tools are broken. We were forced to be what the previous generations were then. We were subdued to be his subject.”

“Then tell me of Charon and his boat?” Lance asked.

“Not all he had done was to be antique but he did retain Charon in a façade of illusion for the new ones. Not the gold though. He needed that for some of the recalcitrant souls only sees the gold from the real goal. The souls you saw coming here were the rejects of the Main Star here. Those sent here are the ones that failed the test of ‘lifetime journey’. Man is given a reprieve after the fall of the Fallen Angels.”

“Spare me your biblical thoughts, lady.” Tonto hit back. “I know myself well.”

“And why did you become the rider with the one named Kemo-Sabe? You could save the lost souls with your upbringing and yet you were called to the new role.” Blade corrected him. “We are all lost souls here.”

“A lifetime journey was the Creator’s choice for those who were destined to join the Stars. After the induction by the Fallen Angels, the Creator was …how will it be placed? Disappointment to the Creator perhaps. There’s one, the passage to the Stars had to undergo one journey through a lifetime.  If you ever notice in the lifetime journey the choice was always there. Born of innocence and death with knowledge but of what knowledge determined the next part of the journey. Those who are here have failed. And those who constantly failed here remain for eternity.”

“You mean there is redemption in Hades?” Lance asked.

“An outlaw sent to prison has the choice to reform so why not here?” Blade asked. “We are after all misled souls.”

“And what have the new leader differed in here by withholding their redemption?” Tonto asked in a meek voice.

“The souls are accumulated here to form an army to take on the other Stars. Lucifer intends to stop it.”

“And how can we trust you? You are one of Lilith.”

“And Lilith is with Lucifer. You may one to know that this is the real waste tunnels. And the smell here is …” The drop of the visor displayed the needed reply.