Chapter 4, Part I

A scream broke through the dull drone of the medical machinery as a nurse entered the operation room with a tray of surgical equipment. Even after the door swung closed, the stifled sound of shrieks still resounded throughout the medical facility.

This was not unusual in a typical day at Querilon, the medical experimentation facility of the dictator. Condoned by Netopia's leader for its "ethical" practices, Querilon proved a convenient place for unwanted citizens to disappear to. The media shunned it, afraid of what they might see. It was off limits to the public, secluded in a valley-like ghost area[1] almost fifty kilometers from Netopia City. A prison with no rules, a playground with no boundaries, a place of terror and abuse, a point of no return – Querilon was the subject of every successful horror film or terrifying campfire story.

*****

Hesen struggled for breath as he opened his eyes, peering through the room to see which "experiments" lay on their beds moaning and which were suffering the pain of operations. Typically half of the experiments were used on any given day, the rest kept alive on injected nourishment. A wretched existence.

But what did it matter? Hesen did not care that his dead body was suffering; dead bodies were not made to live in. He lived in a redeemed, living form that could not be destroyed or experimented upon. He had the truth, the life, all one could want. And with that thought Hesen began to sing.

The darkness closes in. I cannot hide, cannot run from suffering,

As they persecute me for my life, they ‘twill gain but nothing,

For how can the dead take what is safe? What is locked, in hiding

Held beyond the grasp of those who live, yet while alive are dying,

I have the truth, ‘twill not ere or fade-

A rough hand covered Hesen's mouth, shoving him forcibly back onto his bed. "Keep your dirty little mouth shut, #480!" An infuriated nurse glared with contempt at Hesen's lean body that shook with the signs of abuse. "Your truth is what brought you here – now keep the filthy garbage to yourself!"

Hesen looked up with sadness at the nurse. "You do not understand, for you do not experience what I do-"

"Enough!" The nurse grabbed Hesen's hand, twisting it until it stung. "You have had your peace and quiet long enough! This afternoon, you have an appointment – a cloning appointment."

Hesen froze. "Cloning appointment?"

The nurse laughed, the horrible sound rattling in Hesen's ears. "You have yet to experience the full sufferings and power of modern day medical experimentation. Be forewarned that the process is not what you might call – pleasant. You have until two in the afternoon!"

The patient looked down apprehensively as the nurse left. He had heard of the cloning operations – a painfully slow procedure involving the cloning of each individual organ, as well as the outside body. Many had been blinded, crippled, or even killed in the attempt; more than six from Hesen's ward met their fates before their clones. Of course, the clones did not last much longer, as Hesen had never actually seen one enter the ward alive.

"He gives strength to endure, regardless of the situation." Hesen looked up, gazing around the room. "That is what my father told me before he died. Could He truly give me the strength to live through a cloning operation? Or would it be His will to bring me closer to Him than He ever has before?"

He watched as two nurses pushed in a medical table, bearing a corpse who still had breathed life less than an hour ago. Dead, lost to the devils of Querilon. Never to return, and probably not likely to meet Him in the air either.

But would this be the Hesen wheeled out of an operation one day in the near future? Was there any resemblance at all? No! His would be a triumphant celebration as he left the simulation once and for all to enter the Greater Reality into the arms of the Unseen, not a funeral procession. His would be a-

"QUIET!" The irritated nurse kicked Hesen's bed, cursing Hesen's voice. "I've heard enough of that!"

Hesen stopped thinking aloud, but continued his thoughts to their conclusion. At that time, he was a sickly malnourished experiment in Querilon, likely to die within a month. But when he did die, ah! Then he would be the renewed man of his youth, running into the presence of Him with joy. Just the thought of that joyous union resolved Hesen.

It was worth the suffering.

*****

It had not moved an inch. Reshnu circled the Vehimar again and again, waiting for signs of life or recognition, but not a movement was made. Finally he sat on the ground in bewilderment, keeping a watchful eye on the frozen monster. Had not it followed him when he ventured into the dead forest, popping out from among the trees? Surely it could not have outrun him and sat on the stump in the precise position as before; besides, what possible motive could it have for doing such a thing?

Unless there were more of these creatures in the forest, roaming about frightening and possibly killing anything it could find. But the creatures did not seem to move very quickly, or move at all, to tell the truth. Did they wait until their prey lost interest and caution to strike? They might not strike at all, but such a possibility was unlikely.

Reshnu sighed. It was the first time he ever faced a dilemma without the council and encouragement of his mother. What would she do in a situation like this? Yes, that was it; what would his mother do? Though the question was slightly daunting from the aspect that Reshnu never witnessed his mother face off a Vehimar, he began to think long and hard.

She was a loving, caring person, always putting him before herself. He had the largest portions in meals, the biggest bedroom in the house, and a loving hug every night. She loved him more than Reshnu had ever experienced love before; just the thought of his mother flooded his heart with homesickness. But how did love apply here?

"I am doing this for Lova", said Reshnu aloud to himself. "He saved my life, and I want to know what he said in court so I can tell everybody in the world!" If Lova saved his mother, would she have abandoned all to find out the message he bore? Reshnu did not doubt it for a moment.

Slowly, he crept around the statue, watching its face warily. The same smile was painted on the mouth; the same large pale eyes gazed into the distance. Everything was the same – but the eyes had moved! He was sure of it – those eyes had been looking straight ahead before, at the entrance of the forest. Now they looked to the left, in his direction.

Reshnu ran into the forest without further hesitation, his heart beating violently inside his chest. He should have left earlier, or thought somewhere safe inside the forest where no evil statue could watch him. Glancing anxiously over his shoulder, he looked at the clearing he had just left.

The stump was vacant.

*****

Gerate walked secretively in the shadow of the large freighter, followed by Desidu and the ever-quiet Sahure. Barely a word he had spoken the entire flight, except to ask a question about the landing. A strange comrade; but Gerate passed the silence off as mere nervousness. Now he waited patiently for Gerate's next move, gazing at the aircraft with disinterest.

Peering out from behind the wheel, the copilot watched as a weary guard tapped his foot to keep awake. He was a bit awkwardly placed; they could not sneak around without raising the alarm. Desidu tapped Gerate on the shoulder. "Guard to our right, Gerate. He is armed, though."

"No worries; I have him." Slowly, Gerate crept forward with knife in hand, eyes set on the inconveniently placed guard. To him, the guard was a mere obstacle to be pushed over, as insignificant as a boulder blocking a pathway. There was a gasp, the sound of something hitting the ground; and the trio moved on, taking cover behind a truck.

To Desidu's relief, Sahure seemed disinterested in the death of the guard – some newer recruits had qualms about the killings. Maybe he did not even notice – the hacker seemed almost in another world, or another mission, constantly looking around for someone, or something.

"Looking for someone?" Sahure swerved around, face somewhat flustered and alarmed.

"Oh, no, not at all. I was just admiring the vast array of aircraft in this landing field. There are so – many."

Desidu nodded slightly, turning back to his leader. Odd; he showed no interest before in the aircraft. A faint wave of doubt crept over Desidu's mind, but he brushed it off as a mere fancy. Who could the hacker be waiting for in a government landing space; guards to take him away in chains?

Gerate turned around, whispering to his comrades. "Do you see that door over there, where the four guards are stationed?"

"Yes, I see it – the one with the railed ramp?" Desidu turned to Sahure, who again was looking across the landing field. "Do you see it?"

Sahure jumped. "See what?" His face was a flushed red. Of course, it could be the cold night air, but still…

"The guarded door over there, with the ramp."

"Yes, what of it?" Sahure moved in closer to Gerate, who began to whisper instructions.

"We need to get from here to the door, silence the guards, and get inside the maintenance garage. Desidu, I think we will need to distract the guards for a moment, so I will-"

"I will do it." Both turned in surprise to Sahure, who typically refrained from giving his own comments in any sort of decision. He continued on. "I can run out there and give a whoop or something, so that everyone is distracted. Then you can run to the door, take care of the guards, and get inside."

"But what about you, Sahure – you will be captured!"

"It is worth a chance, possibly our only one. I'll do it!" With a sudden leap, Sahure hurdled himself from the hiding of the truck into the open and ran into the middle of the airfield. A guard shouted as the hacker bowled him to the ground and climbed to the top of a speeder. Screaming, he waved his hands in the air and leapt in the air. "I AM HERE! CAPTURE ME!"

The airfield definitely was distracted. While shouting commands and other less profitable phrases, every guard dropped his work and chased the hacker, who began to run across the airstrip away from the building.

Gerate grabbed Desidu by the shoulder. "Run, before it dies down!" Together, the two rebels dashed across the field, darted up the ramp and slammed the door behind them, unnoticed in the commotion.

It was not long before Sahure was captured and brought to be examined by military questioners. But they were not surprised at the arrival. Indeed they had been expecting it several hours beforehand, as had the hacker himself. A meeting had been arranged, one to which Sahure had proved a little late.

Little did Gerate and Desidu know the truth behind their valiant friend who sacrificed his freedom for their sake.

Sahure was a traitor.

---

[1] Portion of land mass that has been desolated by radioactive fumes seeping from the planet’s core. Though such areas typically are safe for human inhabitation after about thirty years, no vegetation will grow in the soil and the government is beginning to ban human occupancy from such areas without explicit permission.