Chromium

Chapter 17.3

First draft.

It wasn't hard to find Fanning. The brig wasn't that big to begin with, and since he was the sole inmate, only the containment field of his cell was powered at the moment. While Dia headed toward his cell, she noticed with puzzlement that Sarah wasn't moving. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. 

Dia halted, "Something wrong?" 

Sarah just shook her head. Dia shrugged and resumed walking towards the cell. Then her eyes fell on Fanning, and she gasped, the breath catching in her throat like tar.

They really did a number on him.

Fanning had lost a lot of weight since Dia had seen him last. His left eye was swollen and the rest of his body bore signs of torture, but he seemed inexplicably cheerful, like he was high on something.

"Here you are." The pirate scoped her out, his mouth twisting into a crooked grin. "I was waiting for you."

Dia instinctively crossed her arms and averted her eyes. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze as if hundreds of worms were crawling under her skin. She now understood why Sarah wanted to keep her distance from him. There was something - a haunted glow in his eyes, a touch of madness - terribly wrong with him. Maybe his personality was warped to begin with, or maybe the long captivity and the torture had pushed him over the edge. Whatever the case, he didn't look sane. 

Dia gave herself a mental shake and forced herself to look at him. "I heard you have something for me."

His grin never faded, "If you're looking for the Greenhouse, then yes. I may know a little something about that place."

Dia's gaze became wary. "How did you know what we are looking for?"

Fanning snorted. "It's pretty obvious. Most of the Umbra's income comes from drug trafficking.  So if someone" Fanning glanced at her, "were to assault the Greenhouse..." He paused, his lips curling into that strange spastic grin.

Although she was rattled, she made herself ignore it. "Where? Where is it, Fanning?"

Fanning shook his head repeatedly. "No. no, not so fast. I don't mind helping you but..." He trailed off and looked expectantly at her.

Dia suddenly seemed tired. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. What do you want in exchange?"

"Isn't that obvious?" He looked at the containment field with loathing. "I want to get out of here."

"That's not impossible," Dia spoke diplomatically. "but you have to help me first. Give me something to work with and I'll make sure you're taken care of."

Fanning looked at her up and down. After a long moment of silent debate, he said, "I don't know where the Greenhouse is located, but I know someone who does."

"Who?" Dia demanded to know.

Fanning leaned forward, his finger tapping on the containment field. "First," He smiled at her. "let me out of here."

Dia bit her lip, frustation warping her features. She swallowed it down and eyed him critically. Fanning was a big guy, and he undoubtedly knew how to fight. Still, she was much stronger than she looked and he wasn't armed.

"Turn off the containment field, Sarah." Dia said softly, without taking her eyes off him.

Sarah hesitated. "...are you sure?"

"Don't worry." Dia stared at him, hard. "I'm sure that he won't do anything stupid. Isn't that right, Fanning?"

Fanning put his hand over his heart and gave them a crooked grin. "Of course. I promise to be on my best behavior."