Jack Strong and the Red Giant

Chapter 29: Incarceration

Padget banged on the door of his cell like it was a big bass drum.

"Let me out!" he yelled. "Let me out! I DEMAND to speak to your commanding officer. Do you know WHO I AM? As soon as my FATHER hears of this there will be hell to pay. I'm warning you..."

The door whooshed upwards like a guillotine in reverse. Padget toppled forwards into a dimly-lit corridor. He landed in a large, red puddle. Blood? The thought made him think of Grunt again: that horrible hole in his skull, the sound his head made as it thudded against the floor, his lifeless eyes...

"Essscaping already?"

Padget looked-up to see a dark silhouette standing over him; black, silky armour obscuring his face. He was holding what looked like some kind of laser rifle. It was pointed at his chest.

"What? What do you want?" asked Padget, sounding far less brave and heroic than he'd intended.

"Sssecretsss. Paldovia'sss."

"But I don't know any, I... I swear. Please, you've got to believe me. Just let me g-go."

"I believe," the voice hissed.

"You... you do?"

"That you're lying!" screeched the voice. "Ssseize him!"

The darkness shifted as several large shadows stomped out of the gloom, their thick, clawed hands grasping Padget by his armpits.

Padget let out a low-pitched whine as he was dragged back into his cold, draughty cell and then dumped unceremoniously onto the floor. He turned around to protest, only for a boot to the ribs to kick it out of him.

"You never did know when to ssstay quiet," hissed the voice from earlier.

"Xy-xylem?" spluttered Padget.

"Who elssse?" The black mask folded away to reveal Xylem's lobster-like face, his pincers curled-up into a wicked snarl.

"What... what do you want?" asked Padget, desperately trying to stop his voice from shaking.

"I've already told you," he said, his yellow eyes looking even more predatory than ever. "I want your sssecretsss. All of them. Now."

"But... I don't know any. Please!"

"Look at you," he rasped. "Begging, pleading. Like a worm. And you know what happensss to wormsss, don't you?"

"N-no."

"We eat them!" he screeched, baring his razor-sharp teeth. "Ssslowly and without mercccy. Now give me your sssecretsss! I won't asssk again."

"But I've already said, I don't..."

"Sssilenccce! Enough liesss..."

"I'm... I'm not lying. I don't know anything about my planet, I haven't even left my p-palace."

"That'sss what they all sssay," cackled Xylem. "Until they don't. Lassst chanccce."

"I..."

"Too late," he hissed, grasping Padget by the throat. "You're going to wish you told me now. You're going to wish you told me lotsss of thingsss. The Grusssissslug. Now!"