Chapter Twenty-one: Prison Life

There was a knock on the door of the Glasshouse.

‘Come in Captain’ Celeste said, without looking.

‘You knew I was coming?’ Miles asked, stepping.

‘I’ve been expecting you for days. You weren’t exactly…subtle… about how you feel’ Celeste replied.

‘I wasn’t exactly obvious though’ Miles told her.

‘Obvious enough,’ Celeste said, standing to face him. ‘Well go on, spit it out then’ she added.

‘It’s been more than two weeks. No one has seen hair nor hide of Jason. So it’s-’

‘Time to consider a new chain of command?’ Celeste finished. A slight grin appeared on Miles’ face as the sun appeared from behind a cloud

‘Change isn’t always a bad thing. Jason could be dead for all we know’ Miles said.

‘Or he could still be inside, trying to find out a way out’ Celeste replied.

‘Then why hasn’t he made contact? Sent at least some sort of signal?’ Miles asked.

‘Maybe he can’t. Maybe the Tallentiri are blocking the signal’ Celeste replied, sounding slightly vicious.

‘The point is, it’s time to consider a new chain of command. You did what Jason asked you to; lead us to safety. It’s time for you to make the decisions you need to make, or step aside for someone-’

‘Someone like you?’ Celeste asked. Miles opened his mouth and then closed it again.

‘Don’t think I don’t know what this is about? You want command. The fact remains the Jason placed me in command. Therefore, a new chain of command is ultimately my decision. Case closed’ Celeste told him.

‘Celeste,’ Miles said, looking her in the eye  ‘listen to reason’. But Celeste wasn’t listening. Stabbing pains were shooting across her stomach.

‘Are you alright?’ Miles asked. Celeste guessed the pain was showing on her face.

‘Yeah I’m fine. It’s passing’ Celeste replied.

‘Will you listen to what I’m saying to you?’ Miles asked again.

‘No, but I suspect you’re going to tell me anyway’ Celeste answered.

‘You’re not trained to do this. Make the command decisions. The life and death decisions’ Miles told her, dangerously.

‘You tried this with Jason didn’t you? He refused to step aside so what? Did you kill him?’ Celeste asked.

‘No’ Miles replied without flinching. After she spent a minute watching him she finally spoke.

‘Ok, I believe you. But you should go. I have work to do’ Celeste said.

‘I’m not leaving without an answer’ Miles replied.

‘I’ll think about it, ok? Is that good enough for you?’ Celeste asked.

‘That’s all I ask’ Miles answered.

‘Good. Then out’ Celeste said, staring at the stack of reports on a table.

‘Just don’t think about it too long’ Miles said as he left the Glasshouse.

There was no day in the prison. There was no night either. Just eternal light. The dreams, the nightmares were still present, but Jason was just thankful that he hadn’t a repeat dream to do with Claire, and he hoped it stayed that way. A single, brown talon pushed his food out to him as he entered the mess hall. Jason wasn’t really sure you could call it food though, it was a deep blue paste but so far no one had died of it. Jason took the metal container and sat down with Emilia and Razim.

‘Where’s Claire?’ Jason asked.

‘She hasn’t shown yet, we thought she was still sleeping’ Razim replied. Jason shook his head.

‘She was gone when I woke up’

‘She’ll turn up. Did you hear the news that’s circulating this morning?’ Emilia said.

‘Not again’ Razim said.

‘Six people. Less than yesterday, but still not good’ Emilia replied sadly, prodding her food.

‘Suicides?’ Jason asked. Emilia nodded. Suicides occurred almost daily.

‘I’m surprised the number isn’t higher, I mean for a place like this… you’d expect mass suicides wouldn’t you?’ Razim asked.

‘I think it comes down to how much want to fight and how long they can hold onto hope. The longer they hold on, the longer they live’ Jason said.

‘Yes, well they aren’t happy about it either. They want us alive and apparently one of the six was one of Heath’s lackey’s’ Emilia said. Heath Bell was the most feared person in here. He’d been here almost since the day it was built. He and his followers were hated by everyone, they had a reputation for being ruthless and violent.

‘Which means he’s going to be worse than usual’ Razim replied. Jason ate a spoonful of the blue liquid. It didn’t have a taste or a temperature, it was simply there.

‘Was Claire one of the six?’ Jason asked.

‘Claire wonders off a lot and turns up hours later’ Emilia said.

‘That doesn’t answer the question’ Jason replied.

‘No, she wasn’t one of the six. They were all males today. Happy?’ Emilia answered.

‘Not particularly’ Jason said finishing the liquid. ‘Where does she go?’

‘We don’t know,’ Razim replied.  ‘She disappears then she returns and carves things into the wall’

With that Jason got up and walked away, taking the bowl with him.

‘Where are you going?’ Emilia asked.

‘For a wander’ Jason replied as he left, pushing the bowl into a hatch in the wall.

Jason had barely walked ten seconds when he heard the dull thud of a body hitting metal from up ahead.

‘Tell me what you were doing’ growled a voice that Jason recognised as Heath’s. As he approached the corner cautiously he could a girl’s voice.

‘It’s none of your business what I’m doing Heath. I want to go for a walk I will’ she said defiantly. As Jason peered around the corner he saw the girl was Claire. Heath’s face was in Claire’s, his brown hair covering his eyes. His right arm was covered entirely in tattoos. Heath slammed his hand against the steel wall next to Claire’s head.

‘How do I know I didn’t kill him’ Heath growled. Jason spotted three of Heath’s lackey’s approach the other end of the corridor. If he was going to do something, he had to do it now. Jason ran down the corridor, jumped and slammed his foot into Heath’s side. Heath stumbled sideways and Claire stepped away from the wall.

‘Jason!’ she said. Heath’s lackey’s ran up the corridor but Heath held up a fist. Jason concluded that Heath must’ve had some military training to know that symbol: stand down.

‘As you can see I’m rather busy to deal with you at the moment, so I’m going to give the chance to walk away with four, unbroken, limbs’ Heath told Jason as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.

‘Not going to happen Heath’ Jason said. Heath’s fist came flying at him. Jason used his left arm to push the punch out of the way as he nearly broke his right fist on Heath’s abs. Jason felt a foot collide with his stomach and push him back and then a fist collide with the side of his head. Jason spun on the spot before falling to the floor.

‘Right. Now where was I?’ Heath said. ‘That’s right. How do I know you didn’t kill him?’

‘He jumped from the top of a watch tower, you really think I’d be stupid enough to climb it just to push someone off?’ Claire replied.

‘Hey,’ Jason said getting to his feet. ‘We’re not done’

‘Are you looking to get your ass kicked? Because I hand will you your ass on a silver platter’ Heath said turning around.

‘Then do it. Because I’m not going anywhere’ Jason challenged.  A crowd was beginning to form around them.

‘You’ve been given a reprieve’ Heath said, pushing Claire into the crowd. Jason spun and flung out his leg, expecting it to collide with Heath’s body. Heath effortlessly pushed Jason leg, spinning him around again before letting Jason collide with his leg on the other side. Jason was hunched over as he felt an elbow hit his back, forcing him down to the floor, out of breath. Jason then felt himself get pulled up. He looked Heath in the face for a moment before their heads collided and Jason found himself on his back, on the floor again.

‘Are we done now?’ Heath asked him. Jason stood up leaning against a wall, there was a stabbing pain in his chest, he suspected at least one rib was broken.

‘No, we’re not’ Jason groaned. Heath shook his head.

‘Do you not know when to stay down?’ Heath asked. Jason saw Heath’s foot come at his stomach but this time Jason was ready. He moved quickly out of the way and heard the full force of Heath’s leg hit the wall. Jason lowered his centre of gravity and swept Heath’s other leg. When Heath hit the floor Jason’s hands closed around Heath’s throat, choking him.

‘Tap out and you can make this stop’ Jason said. He could feel Heath struggling to breathe, he could pass out any second. Suddenly a second person had entered the fight. Another punch to the side of the head and Jason was, again, on the floor. Jason suspected the second person was one of Heath’s lackey’s. Jason was picked up and thrown against the wall, where he was left to collapse on the floor. Jason saw Heath leave through the crowd before Claire, Emilia and Razim surrounded him.

Chapter Twenty: Nightmares and Dreamscapes

A light appeared at the end, or maybe the beginning, of somewhere. Jason simply couldn’t figure out where he was. All around him was blackness, except for a light straight ahead of him. Jason did nothing for a few moments and even though it went against his better judgement, he took a step towards the light. Instantly, another light appeared closer to him on his right. But Jason could tell this wasn’t a new light, it was simply a reflection from a mirror.

‘Oh no’ Jason said as more mirrors lit up around him. All mirrors from large wall mirrors to small hand mirrors, all of them surrounding him in a matter of minutes the blackness had been completely replaced with light and mirrors. Jason began to panic as he took another step and saw his reflection and the light dimmed in this particular wall mirror. His reflection suddenly aimed the service revolver at him and fired. Jason dropped to what he presumed was the floor, which shattered and plunged Jason again into more darkness. Jason closed his eyes, waiting for the end and then…

Drenching cold. Jason’s body went into shock and his eyes were blinded temporarily by the sudden sunlight. As he body recovered, Jason panicked using the buoyancy of the saltwater he’d landed to float as he looked around. There was no land as far as Jason could see and to make matters worse, Jason hated water. He’d been diagnosed as a hydrophobe after he nearly drowned three times. Jason began to breathe raggedly as his fear began to take control.

‘Calm down Jason’ He told him himself, trying to concentrate. ‘This isn’t real, it’s all in your head’ and then he spotted it, a small island in the distance. Jason contemplated everything in his. If he stayed, he’d most likely drown and as much as his fear was keeping him there, he knew he had to get out. Doing his best to keep the water the furthest thought from his mind he began to swim his way toward the island. With every stroke he took, the water grew more violent, to the point where waves picked him up, and dumped him under the water before crashing down on top of him. When Jason back up for air, his fear paralysed him and forced him to watch helplessly as another wall of water picked him, dumped him and then crushed. Then again, and again, and again. The ocean was water boarding him. After the sixth time, it finally stopped, but Jason was weak; his body ached from the abuse it had received and he was breathing out air faster than he could breathe it in. the water around him began to move yet again, this time pulling him into the forming wave, lifting him up into the wall until gravity took a hold and pulled him into the water below and Jason couldn’t help but scream as he fell…

He woke up. He was dry, in a well lit room. All Jason saw in front of him was the blurred vision of his hand and a blank, white wall behind it.

‘He’s back’ said a voice that Jason recognised as Claire’s. Jason groaned as he rolled to face her, his body ached all over.

‘Hurts doesn’t it?’ Claire asked. When Jason nodded she laughed. ‘Yeah, twelve thousand volts will do that to you’ she added.

‘Yeah’ Jason gasped as he tried to sit up.

‘Here, drink. It helps’ Claire said offering him a plastic cup of water, which Jason took graciously.

‘What’s the catch?’ he asked.

‘Nothing. Believe it or not, I actually want you to be somewhat better’ Claire said. Jason thought something was wrong now; Claire would never be this kind to him.

‘Are you alright Claire?’ Jason asked as he drank the water. It did indeed help with the pain.

‘Yeah I’m fine’ Claire replied.

‘Because you don’t sound like your normal self’ Jason said.

‘Maybe being in here has made me want to turn over a new leaf’ Claire responded.

‘That really doesn’t sound like you’ Jason said. And then Jason’s feeling that something was wrong was confirmed; Claire caressed the back of his head, moving her hand down his neck.

‘What are you doing?’ Jason asked her.

‘Relax, I’m not doing anything’ Claire said, her other hand cradling the opposite side of his face and her face was drawing closer to his.

‘Claire, stop. I know where this is going’ Jason told her.

‘We’re not cheating Jase, you and Celeste aren’t even together yet’ Claire said.

‘So not what… ok, kinda what I was talking about, but not exactly. We’re related, Claire’ Jason said, trying to move away from her, but Claire held onto his arm firmly.

‘Not by blood. Besides you didn’t care when you were with Jessica’ Claire said, her face dangerously close to his.

‘Now that, that sounds like you,’ Jason said, pushing her face away, the pain mysteriously vanishing. ‘And, by the way, Jessica and I didn’t know we were related’ Jason said.

‘Oh, enough with the technicalities’ Claire said, and before Jason could get another word in, Claire kissed him…

‘Jason? Can you hear me?’ said a girl who was leaning over him, slapping his face. The room around them was exactly the same as the one he was just in, four white walls.

‘Yeah, how do you know my name?’ Jason groaned, the pain much more intense now.

‘I told them’ Claire’s voice said.

‘Don’t worry Jason, you’re in the real world now’ said a male a voice.

‘How do I know?’ Jason asked, looking around. Claire was leaning against a wall on the opposite of the room. The boy who had spoken was of middle-eastern appearance; brown skin, black hair, dark brown eyes. The girl was a tanned, brunette and green eyes.

‘The pain is much more intense, yes?’ the girl asked. Jason nodded.

‘We know how you feel. We experienced it ourselves. I promise you, you’ll realise this isn’t a dream once your brain sorts itself out. That last dream you had, what happened?’ the boy said.

‘Something I’d rather forget. Who are you?’ Jason asked.

‘My name is Emilia and he’s Razim,’ Razim waved his hand and Emilia spoke. ‘One thing you’ll want to know, you’ve been out nearly two weeks’ she added.

‘What! I have to go, I have to g-oh’ Jason gasped as he tried to stand up.

‘Grab him!’ Emilia said as Razim caught him. ‘You’ll be in pain for the next few hours, you shouldn’t be trying to get up just yet’

‘Then help me!’ Jason told them.

‘Why are you here?’ Claire asked. She’d been silently watching from the corner.

‘I’m here for fun Claire,’ Jason groaned, leaning on Razim. ‘I was captured, why else would I be here?’

‘Jason. Just this once I’m not trying to piss you off, ok?’ Claire asked.

‘I promised Celeste I wouldn’t let anything happen to Sarah. Sarah was captured, so I’m here to break her out, as long with as many people as possible’ Jason told her.

‘You’re in luck. She’s here. But getting her out will difficult, to say the least’ Claire replied.

‘Why?’ Jason asked.

‘They’re conducting experiments on her, that’s why’ Claire retorted.

‘So she’s still alive?’ Jason asked.

‘Not for much longer if you don’t do anything about it’ Claire told him.

‘Then help me, just this once’ Jason said. Claire walked over and pressed her hand into the wall on her right. A patch of the wall glowed before mysteriously dissolving to reveal the corridor beyond.

‘Help him. Show him around. There’s not much time’ Claire said. Razim and Emilia nodded, helping Jason up and walking him out into the semi-dark corridor beyond.