The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

10.3. Run (Liran)

Liran locked eyes with Silas, who was staring him down. He looked absolutely delighted.

Liran studied the man nervously, while the man studied him back. He had only a moment to decide what to do, how to behave, what to say. Silas seemed open, calm and almost pleasant. His smile seemed both devilish and genuine.

"We finally meet," Silas said at last, and jumped off the platform of the ship and onto the sand below.

Two security officers of the Praetoria exited the ship behind him, and jumped to the ground. They carefully aimed their rifles at Liran. Two more entered the mouth of the ship, also pointing their rifles at Liran from above.

"Are you Liran Fawaz?" Silas asked.

"Yes," Liran responded. There was no sense in hiding it. "That is me. I am Liran Fawaz."

The man was dressed in a long, flowing, black outfit. He walked forward and said, "My name is Silas, Brother Silas of The Family. Do you know why I'm here, Liran?" he asked.

Liran licked his lips and looked at Akim, and then down at the ground. "I suppose so," he answered softly.

"You suppose so?" Silas repeated, louder.

"Yes," Liran said, and made eye contact again. "You want to know where Phiona is, right?"

Silas' face broke slowly into a wide grin that spread across like a thin snake. "Oh, this is going to be very interesting!" he said and clasped his hands. The movement caused his jewelry to clink — a long necklace and bracelets on his arms.

Then Silas said, "Yes, Liran, that's exactly right. We can skip all the preliminaries and get straight to the point: do you know where Phiona is?"

"I do," Liran said, staring straight at Silas.

Silas smile became even larger. "Well, well, well," he responded.

"If I tell you, will you let me go, right now?"

Silas frowned, contemplating Liran's offer. "Well, I'm sorry, Liran, that's not going to be possible. You see, I need to ensure that I find Phiona."

Liran nodded. That was just as he thought. He'd need to travel with Silas to find Phiona. At this point, he didn't care, as long as he got out of this alive. He didn't know why he'd protected her even this far. It was strange, he felt somehow protective of her, against his own will.

Finally, Liran said, "So if I showed you, would you let me go?"

"That would be difficult, Liran. There are charges against you."

"I'm innocent!" Liran yelled. "I've never been part of the rebellion! My father brought home Phiona when I was just a little boy. He didn't even know what it was that he'd brought home."

"Then why did you run away with her?"

"Because she manipulated me! She told me she'd keep me safe."

"And did she?"

Liran nodded. "Yes," he admitted. "She told me to run away before the Iddies came. She told me where to go. We stayed for two days in a cave. She told me how to find my way across the mountains and..."

"Yes," Silas prompted.

"She told me where to get a neuroblock installed."

"Yes, yes," Silas responded.

"But I'll give her to you. I just want my name cleared. I want my freedom. I'll give her to you."

Silas took a deep breath, while looking at the ground. After a moment, he looked up and said, "Well, I'm pleasantly surprised, Liran. I have to admit that I thought poorly of you and I didn't expect you to be so cooperative. I'll tell you, I believe what you're saying, but you have a neuroblock installed. You do realise that it's illegal to install a neuroblock, right Liran?"

Liran gulped. He nodded. "Yes, I know," he responded. "I've just been trying to stay alive. Since all of this happened. Since my father brought home Phiona, I've been on the run. I just want it to end. I want a chance at life. I want my name scrubbed from the records."

Silas put his arm around Liran. "Well, that would never be possible, Liran. The Records are sacred, and must not be touched or tampered with in any way.

Liran turned his head away, uncomfortable with the close quarters, but his arms were bound and there were guns pointed at him, so he acquiesced. He had no other option than to cooperate at this point. "I never had a chance! It's not fair. I want a chance without the rebellion attached to my name!"

"Well, let's see what we can do. If you tell me where Phiona is, then maybe I can give you the new chance at life that you desire."

"No," Liran replied. The word sliced through the air like a knife.

Silas looked at Liran, backing away a shoulders width. "No?"

"No 'we'll see.' I need a guarantee."

Silas let go of Liran.

Liran continued, "I'll only tell Akim where Phiona is. Akim and I will go alone. Once Akim has Phiona safely in his hands, then he will communicate that to you, and then he'll let me go."

Silas smiled, although this time Liran was certain he caught a hint of anger behind the smile.

Liran realised he had pushed back to his limit.

"You know, Liran, we have other ways of extracting this information."

"Not reliably," Liran responded. "And not quickly. If you want Phiona in the next twenty-four hours, this is the only way you'll get her."

Silas' face plainly revealed his eagerness to have Phiona.

"Otherwise, I'll fight you — I've had this neuroblock installed for four years. I doubt you'll bypass it easily."

"Take him!" Silas yelled, and turned around. He held out his hand, and the men above on the platform lifted him up onto the deck.

Then the two men grabbed Liran. They checked his body for weapons, then lifted him him into the hands of the other two men, who pulled him up onto the deck. Then they jostled him inside the ship.

Liran was astounded, as they sat him down and buckled him up. He wondered what was going on. His heart was racing. Were they taking him away for an extraction?

He watched as Akim climbed in, and then Silas and Akim had a word near the front of the ship.

Liran couldn't overhear what they were saying.

Then Silas said loudly, "Where do we drop you?"

Liran licked his lips. "Ishwa," he said, trying to project more confidence than he actually felt. 

Silas nodded, and then entered a door, and closed it behind him.

Akim came back to where they'd seated Liran, and buckled up next to him. "It looks like your plan will work," he said quietly.

Liran looked outside as the ship took off. The day was dawning. He could see the ocean in the distance, and said goodbye. He was headed to the middle of the Great Bear Desert. 

He wished he knew what his plan was.