Chapter 8

Chance

- At least they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity -

Thonavar tried to raise his hands but they would not move. He could not remember how long he had been unconscious and a bump on the back on his head was throbbing painfully. Staring down at his hands, he saw that they were bound before him by neon energy rings. He tried to lift his hands but they only seemed to grow heavier by the second. He tasted blood and winced as he tried to move his legs. He was relieved to find that his legs could move freely. Images appeared in his mind, sharpened, refocused and then blurred as he struggled to remember what had happened. He vaguely remembered someone punching him full in the face before he lost consciousness.

"Where am I?" he managed. His mouth felt strange as he spoke those words. He licked his lips and felt stings of pain from numerous small cuts. He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He could not see much but knew that he was seated in a room of some kind. He wondered if he was imagining things for it seemed as though the room was moving.

A light came on and Thonavar turned to find himself face to face with a pocked-faced man. The man breathed heavily and his breath was foul. The man studied Thonavar’s face with a look of twisted excitement. A hairy hand shot out from the dark, grabbing Thonavar’s face by the cheekbones forcing his lips to smash together in an extreme pout. The man’s grip was rough and painful. Thonavar cried out in pain but only a low moan issued forth. Still holding his head in place, Thonavar saw the man pull back his other hand before slapping him hard across the face. Saliva flew from Thonavar’s mouth as the blow landed and he cried out in pain. The man giggled to himself ecstatically.

"Woken up, this one has," said the man, in a cold, raspy voice. "A bit of fun tonight, you think?"

"Aye," said another man, with large forearms, grinning through clenched teeth. His eyes bulged as he too stared Thonavar down. But Thonavar stared back. "And a defiant one too. A treat for the rest of the boys then."

A chill ran down Thonavar’s spine. These were evil men.

He struggled to wrench himself free but his hands remained bound by the neon rings. But before he could say a word, the man with the large forearms struck him full in the face again. Thonavar’s head spun. He had felt the man’s knuckles connect with his cheekbones with crushing force. The pain was raw and intense. But the man struck him again. And again. And again. With unrelenting force. All the while, the men giggled and laughed aloud. The last blow was struck with such force that Thonavar almost passed out again. His head spun but he shook his head, trying to shake of his dizziness. Slowly he managed to regain control.

"A taste of what is to come, my boy," whispered the man in a mocking tone, coming face to face with Thonavar again. The man placed a finger to his lips, his eyes gleaming maniacally. "Now you be quiet now until we get home. Then the real fun will begin."

The light went off and Thonavar heard the men exit, laughing loudly to themselves, leaving him alone. He cursed loudly and tasted blood. Panic threatened to overwhelm him but he tried to remain calm as he considered his options. Be calm.

Suddenly, there was a jerk and it seemed for a moment that the ground beneath his feet moved from under him. His senses tingled. The hair on his arms bristled.

In the dim light emitting from the neon energy rings encircling his wrists, it was then he noticed that a dark figure sat opposite him. His heart started to pound again. He struggled to stand but winced painfully. His faced stinged and his whole body felt sore and ached considerably.

"Show yourself," said Thonavar defiantly. "I know you are there."

The figure rose to its feet and moved to stand directly before Thonavar, before pulling back its hood and revealing its face.

"Felix," whispered Thonavar as he saw the familiar face of Felix Vanyaga. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. But more than that. Hope.

"How are you faring?"

"I am fine," said Thonavar quickly.

“You are hurt."

"I said I am fine."

Felix was silent for a moment before speaking again.

"You have put yourself in a difficult situation boy," said Felix. His face was stern.

"Listen closely. We are now on board a small hovercraft that is moving at considerable speed. We will arrive at the stasis cells in about five minutes."

"I see. So, we are not in a room then but on board a moving vehicle. Stasis cells?"

"As you know, the cells are where the wardens keep their prisoners. Or should I say, victims."

"Victims?"

"I think you already know what will befall you should you arrive at the cells."

Felix paused for a second, allowing Thonavar to digest the information. An image of the pocked-faced man sprang to his mind.

"You will be asked to give your name, your family name and all the details concerning events that have taken place moments ago. Once this is done, you will be forced to confess to a story in favor of the boy called Alexis whom you severely injured. Alexis is at a nearby medical facility. He is currently in a comatose state and undergoing treatment."

"Severely injured? Undergoing treatment?"

Another smalL wave of relief swept over him. “Alexis is alive then. And I am not a murderer.”

"And you think that will help your case?"

"I have done nothing wrong. I am no murderer. I acted to defend myself. You know this."

"It does not matter what you say boy. None of it will help. You will have made a false confession. A false confession to a charge of attempted murder, boy. This will be enough to seal your fate."

"A false confession? Never," said Thonavar, his jaw set and his eyes determined. "Try as they might, I will not give a false account."

"Oh?" said Felix, noting the defiant expression on Thonavar's face. "Understand that Alexis' family will be seeking revenge, boy. There will be a baying for blood to be spilled. Your blood. If not, your family’s blood. You would be foolish to even think you would have any ability at all to resist the techniques of the wardens. For the wardens, above all, specialise in the craft of extracting information, and to that very end, they possess all manner and method for doing exactly so. Methods involving inflicting indescribable pain and suffering on their victims."

There was a hint of exasperation in Felix’s voice but Thonvar shook his head.

"Never. I will not give in."

"Then you are a fool," said Felix, his tone angry. There was a moment of silence.

"I can say this for certain", said Felix, his face expressionless. "You will surely be broken by them boy. There is little you can do once in their grasps. They even have the power to force you to confess by threatening the lives of your family."

Upon hearing these words, Thonavar's face became grim and the fire in his eyes disappeared. My family. Mother and father!

"What about mother and father? Have you told them? Are they safe?"

Thonavar’s mind raced and questions surfaced from every corner of his mind.

"One step at a time."

"But I just need to know…".

"One step at a time," repeated Felix, in hushed tones. "I am trying to help you boy. Trust me."

Thonavar did not reply immediately. He felt helpless. Perhaps I am a fool. I got myself into this situation. And now I do not know how to get out of it.

"What must I do?"

"We cannot allow you to reach the stasis cells," said Felix quickly. "You must escape before that. But you do not have much time. We are fast approaching the cell facilities. So, we must make haste."

At this point, Felix rose to his feet and with one fluid motion, a hand emerged from within its robes, striking the neon energy rings encircling Thonavar's wrists which fizzled violently before dissipating in small bursts of electrical energy. Thonavar stared in amazement. As Felix struck downward, Thonavar just made out the glint of something sharp emerge from Felix’s right sleeve before making contact with the neon rings.

"How...," began Thonavar but Felix cut him off with a wave of his hand and a stern look.

Felix placed his hand on Thonavar's shoulder.

"Time is of the essence. Questions will be answered later."

His gaze strayed to the back of the room. Sounds of laughter could be heard from the next compartment.

"Now, it is important that you listen very carefully," said Felix in his deep voice. "In but a few moments, we will be reaching the gates of the stasis cell facilities. Before that, we will be passing a four-way street junction in thirty-five seconds, starting from now", said Felix, speaking slowly and articulating each instruction carefully. Thonavar was strangely aware of the precious seconds that ticked by.

"You will find an exit at the back of the hovercraft," said Felix, gesturing to the back. But Thonavar could see nothing yet. Felix helped Thonavar to his feet and half-dragged the stumbling boy toward the darker end of the room before giving the wall a push. The wall suddenly caved backwards, flinging open to greet the starry night skies above. Felix was right. The wall was a door. They were on board a hovercraft vehicle moving at speed and Thonavar could see the street pavements zipping quickly beneath him.

"Jump off at the junction and take the street to your right. Continue going right for a while until the street becomes familiar to you. You will know it for if you follow the street down a little while, you will find yourself near the marketplace. Take the small streets behind the marketplace and head east till you reach a large building that resembles a fortress. The old citadel. You will recognise it. I will meet you at the statue of the weeping woman on the Avenue of Kings. Do you understand boy?"

"I do. I know the marketplace well. The citadel bridges city below with city middle. The Avenue of Kings I have visited once a long time ago. With my mother and father. It was the day of the Jubilee…".

"And the statue of the weeping woman?"

"Yes. I shall look out for it."

Thonavar’s mind was a jumble of thoughts and a sense of the surreal gripped him as he watched the pavements below him go by.

"Good. Now ready yourself boy!" said Felix and he hauled Thonavar to his feet. However, Thonavar's mind was spinning. He had stood up too fast and blood had rushed to his brain causing him to feel very dizzy.

"Do you understand boy? Do as I say."

Thonavar nodded, trying to shake off his dizziness. But he understood clearly.

"Why are you helping me?" he looked up Felix, his face a puzzle. Felix paused, as if considering something.

"It would grieve me to see you locked up in a stasis cell for the rest of your life", said Felix, barely visible in the moonlight. "And besides, I promised to help you in your quest did I not? But now, it is up to you. Destiny awaits."

Destiny awaits.

And with that, he hurled Thonavar out of the moving hovercraft and into the night. Thonavar landed hard on his heels and a pain shot up his leg. He spun around to see the large vehicle hovering away. There was no sign of the dark-cloaked figure of Felix. He was on his own. With a rush, the instructions he received sprang to mind. Panic and a sense of urgency kicked in. But he calmed himself with deep breaths.

Move, he told himself. And, moving slowly, he broke into a jog and then a slow run. And then, opening his stride, he ran. His footsteps echoed across the moonlit pavements and streets. His shadow grew long and then short and then long again as the moon stared down at him with a baleful gaze.

He could see the dark marketplace just ahead of him.