Outlaws (The Slingers Trilogy, Book 2)

Chapter 27

The hangar doors of the Independence Zero opened, like a giant maw waiting to swallow the small cargo ship that had been flown halfway across the system. Gottlieb and Morticia were watching as the Renegade landed, with every single gun in the hangar trained on it, waiting for any sign of suspicious movement. After a few moments of waiting, the ramp of the ship opened, and a girl with red hair and a metal arm walked down, holding a rifle across her chest. The soldiers raised their weapons, but Gottlieb motioned for them to stand down. He walked right up to Lovecraft and looked her in the eyes. They were the same lifeless and motionless eyes that Project EO had whenever he was under his control. The chip had worked. "Excellent work Andress." He said in his soft voice. He motioned his head towards the guards, who were holding manacles. "You're going to go with them now." Andress nodded slowly, like a machine, and walked over, letting herself be handcuffed. Gottlieb shouted to the other soldiers in the hangar. "Search the ship! Find the crew members and the AU Protocols!" The soldiers rushed into the ship, and brought out all the unconscious crew members. The Wavery twins, Mackey, Barton, the Inferno, and Metreo himself. Along with them was a medical bot, and someone who Gottlieb was surprised to see. A man in a dark cloak with an exposed brain was pushed out by the guards. "Get your hands off me!" He shouted, then froze when he saw Gottlieb. "Well, well. If it isn't Hoyo Ramsey. Also known as: The Broker. Take him to the incarceration cells. When he's drained of all useful information, execute him." The Broker was dragged away, screaming and shouting. Then, Gottlieb was presented with a small chest. "We found this in a safe." The guard said. Gottlieb opened it, and a golden glow shone across his face, making his eyes and smile widen. "Congratulations, Director." Morticia said. "You've just regained control."

Her mind drifted. It was everywhere, all over the place. She found herself thinking about so many things at once. It hurt, but she couldn't stop. She just kept walking with the men who had put her in the chains. She felt a sense of worthlessness, like her purpose in this life was coming to an end soon. This feeling of loss of hope triggered something inside her. It wasn't a memory. More like an old wound, something she felt that had cut deep, and would never close. She felt herself flying backwards, to a time long ago, before any of this.

5 years ago...

The medical carrier left the atmosphere of the planet, causing the passengers inside to slightly bounce around a bit. But, from the state of their mental and physical beings, they didn't seem to notice nor care. They were all looking down, with defeat and depression plastered across their faces. Andress had her head bowed, like a widow at a funeral, mourning a loved one, and that's exactly what she was doing. Through her strands of bright red hair, she could see Bunker out of his armour, looking like a small child with his slim frame and matted brown hair. She realized that she had rarely seen him out of his suit. Only her sister had that luxury...her sister. She pushed the thoughts of the smoking wreckage of the tank out of her head, trying to focus and not vomit on the floor of the shuttle. Next to Bunker was Koil, lying on a medical stretcher, strapped down so he wouldn't roll off. When Andress had first seen Koil, she thought she was dreaming, then realized that both of his legs were really gone. Once Bunker had radioed in for a medical transport, she had looked across the field and seen the other tanks. All destroyed. Thousands of them. Thousands of soldiers. Her friends...her sister...gone. It was just them. The three survivors. As Andress felt the shuttle dock against the main mothership, she knew that it was going to be this way forever now...

And just as quickly as she had been flung back, she was thrust back into the present moment. She was being sat down in a cell, the chains still wrapped around her wrists. That memory still rang in her head. But there was something else too...something she felt like she had forgotten. All she recollect was a name. And as she said it out loud in her cell, it felt important. "Nolun..."

It wasn't the blinding light that woke up Nolun first. It was the extreme and piercing pain that crackled through his wrists all the way through his body, making him cry out, his scream echoing throughout the small metal area. After reasserting himself, he looked around, and tried to take in his surroundings. His arms and legs were strapped spread-eagle, and hooked up to some sort of machine which crackled with electricity. The entire room was made out of steel, and had no visible entrance. The only thing he could see was in front of him, which was a large window, with Gottlieb (sporting a visible scar over his left eye, courtesy of Nolun) and a tall, thin woman with piercing eyes. He panted heavily, sweat dripping down his face, as he raised his head and tried to not appear as worse off as he seemed, which was quite a lot. Gottlieb stared at him, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. He pressed a button to activate the intercom. "Hello Nolun. How are we today?" Nolun stared back at Gottlieb, and tried to speak like he wasn't burning from the inside. "I've been better. You guys here for the turndown service or something?" Nolun thought he saw Gottlieb's eye twitch slightly, but he kept going as if Nolun hadn't said anything. "Be witty all you want, Mr. Metreo, but know this. We have your ship, your crew, and the three Dorado Pieces you stole currently in our possession. So I'd say you really aren't in a position to be making jokes." The tall lady stepped forward and spoke into the intercom. Her voice was chilling, and was sharp like a knife. "How did you find the Dorado Pieces, Nolun?" Nolun stared at her, then shrugged as best he could, being tied up. "Dunno. It's like your keys. They're always in the last place you'd look." The lady looked unamused, then motioned to the guard stationed outside. He flipped a switch, and the electricity surged again, making Nolun cry out. As soon as the guard was done, she leaned in again and asked the same question. "Where did you find the Dorado Pieces?" Nolun looked up at her and spoke as clearly as he could. "Go...to...hell..." As Nolun's cries echoed through the cell, Gottlieb smiled. He was going to enjoy every minute of this.