Part Four
Ido was frightened, more frightened than he had ever been on any previous occasion. Not for himself, he couldn't have cared less about what happened to him personally. The injuries he had suffered this night would have driven most men to bed, but Ido felt no pain, no fatigue. His mind was a theater of scenarios that played themselves out over and over again, each time ending in different results. His words and actions in the next few minutes would determine if Karen lived or died.
And Karen was alive, Ido was sure of it. Zambaner might be nothing more than a criminal in an expensive suit but he was no fool. Karen was his bargaining chip, his insurance. Zambaner wouldn't harm her, she was too valuable to him, but any mistake on Ido's part and he might never see Karen again.
He would have to use force, there was no other way. Zambaner would never release her unless Ido paid the money he owed, and right now Ido didn't have two coins to rub together.
A fine rain started to fall as Ido walked toward a iron door. Zambaner lived on the second floor of an old warehouse six blocks north of Tempesto St. The main floor of the building was divided into a reception area and an office. Ido also remembered that there was a stairway at the back of the building leading up to the living quarters, though Ido had never visited there.
Ido reached the door and paused, he shut his eyes and turned his head away. He couldn't do it, he couldn't bring himself to knock on that door and set into motion a series of events that might lead to the death of an innocent girl. How could he live with himself afterwards knowing that the blood of both Karen and her mother were on his hands?
The decision was made for him as the door swung open and he was devoured by a familiar shadow. Ido held his hand against the glare and recognized the imposing figure. It was one of Zambaner's men, the one called Meridian.
The cyborg stared passively at Ido for a moment and then stepped aside, allowing Ido to pass. Ido maintained eye contact with Meridian as he entered the building and glanced around the room. There was a reception desk at which an attractive secretary sat during business hours and a long couch for those unfortunate enough to need Zambaner's assistance. To the left of the desk was a thick wooden door that lead to Zambaner's private office. Ido heard the outer door shut behind him and turned to face Meridian.
""Where's Karen?" said Ido. "If anything has happened to her I'll kill all of you, I swear it."
Meridian leaned against a wall and folded his hands in front of him. He ran his eyes over Ido's body noting the injury to his leg and the filthy clothes. His eyes rested momentarily on the hammer he was holding and then he stared into Ido's desperate face. Meridian was an ex-gladiator and an expert at judging an opponent's combat potential. In Ido he recognized the most serious motivator, fear. Men fought for many reasons, for money, rivalry, or to be the best. But when a man fought out of fear, for himself or someone close to him, that was when an opponent was most dangerous.
"Relax," said Meridian. "The girl is perfectly safe. Mr Zambaner has instructed me to inform you of your options."
"There are no options," said Ido. "If you don't bring Karen here this minute I'll put this hammer through your skull."
Ido held the weapon at waist height and gripped it tightly.
"Before you commit suicide you had better listen to me," said Meridian. "You have three choices. First, if you have the money you can show it to me as proof, then I'll have the girl sent for. Second, you can walk away, forget all about this and Mr Zambaner will accept the girl as payment in full."
"Impossible!" shouted Ido. "I would never do such a thing!"
Meridian waved his hand at him to remain silent.
"Your third choice would be the most foolish. If you try to take the girl by force I'll kill you, and you'll still never see the child again."
"You arrogant bastard," said Ido. "You think you can commit kidnapping and murder and get away with it? There would be a bounty on your head by tomorrow morning."
"I doubt it," said Meridian. "After I had killed you I would return to the clinic and finish the old man. I'll bet that he's the only one who knows you're here, correct?"
Ido remained silent.
"And the girl, she's probably an orphan, a nobody. With the two of you gone there would be no one to remember that she had ever existed."
Ido felt a lump in his throat and his heart started to beat faster. A minute ago his had been the only life at risk, but Zambaner had raised the stakes. If he fought with Zambaner's men and lost then Gonzu would die as well.
What if I do walk away, what then? He thought. Nobody had to die, it just meant living with the guilt of your own cowardice, of abandoning a child to a life of abuse. Ido remembered the night he had met Karen and the reason he had taken her in.
No, he couldn't do it. Ido was willing to sacrifice his own life to save Karen and he knew Gonzu would do the same if he were here. But how could he defeat two cyborgs as well trained as Zambaner's men? Ido had already faced a similiar situation earlier this night and was lucky to still be alive.
"Wait a minute." said Ido. "Where's your partner, the one called Lycos?"
Meridian scowled at Ido and put his hands down.
"Mr Lycos won't be joining us for a while."
"Oh really, and why is that?" asked Ido.
"It seems that girl drove a nail into his hand and Lycos had to freeze it to keep the damage from spreading. But don't deceive yourself into thinking that the odds have shifted in your favor. I'm quite capable of killing you by myself."
Ido smiled and breathed deeply
Thank you Karen, he thought. She had disabled one of the cyborgs and his chances of winning had increased immeasurably. And the fact that she had done it all by herself gave him a much needed dose of confidence. But Meridian had said that Lycos wouldn't be joining them for a while, and that meant he could return at any moment. Ido had to strike now, while there was only one of them. If Lycos were to appear Ido wouldn't stand a chance.
"Well?" inquired Meridian. "What will it be? If you have the money then show it to me, otherwise you can say good bye to the girl right now. And don't worry, I'll be sure to give her the message."
"Yeah, I have the money," said Ido resolutely. "It's right here."
With all the strength he could summon Ido raised the hammer over his head and lunged forward. Meridian however, had noticed the change in his demeanor a moment ago and had known that Ido was going to attack him. He sidestepped the intended blow easily and grabbed Ido at his right arm just as the hammer crashed into the floor. Before Ido could react he felt himself flying through the air, and then a rush of pain as his back collided with the heavy wooden desk. Ido rolled over it and fell to the floor. The pain was excruciating, and judging from how easily Meridian had thrown him the cyborg was incredibly strong.
"That was very stupid," said Meridian. "I would have preferred that you walked out of here. I don't enjoy hurting people, but it's what I'm paid to do."
Ido raised his head and peered over the desk at Meridian who was standing several meters away with his arms folded, looking at him. From the corner of his eye he saw the hammer lying on the floor to his left. He had to get to it, it was his only hope.
Ido grabbed the swivel chair by it's legs and rose to his feet. He turned and hurled the chair at Meridian and immediately leaped over the desk, landing near the weapon and grasping it in his right hand. Meridan swatted the chair away with his fist and turned to face Ido.
"Not bad," said Meridian smiling. "I would have done the same thing."
He swung his arm at Ido, forcing him to duck and stumble backwards. Ido fell on his back and swung the hammer at Meridian's legs, catching the cyborg on his right ankle. Meridian stumbled and crashed face first into a steel beam. He swore and pushed himself away just in time to see the hammer swinging into his face. With a loud crack Meridian's skull burst open and his brain split in two.
Ido pulled the hammer away and stepped back, letting what was left of Meridian fall to the floor. The cyborg collapsed on it's knees and fell backward, it's eyes staring up at him.
"My god," said Ido aloud. "I've done it, I've really done it."
Ido felt his legs give way and he dropped to his knees. He was exhausted and there was nothing left inside of him, but he had to continue. Karen was still missing and she must be somewhere nearby. He had to find Zambaner and force him to reveal Karen's whereabouts.
Ido heard the sound of running feet and turned toward the door leading to Zambaner's office. He used the hammer as a crutch to help him rise and ran to the door, breathing loudly through his mouth and nose. He pulled the door back just in time to see another door on the opposite wall slam shut. It was Zambaner, he had been watching the fight and no doubt was disappointed at the outcome.
Ido's throat was dry and his voice was rasped. He tried to shout at the vanished figure but found it was useless. He grabbed the door handle and stepped through onto a small landing with a steep stairway running up a wall on his right. He shifted the hammer to his left hand and grabbed the rail, pulling his weary body up the stairs.
At the top of the stairs Ido was confronted with another door. He pulled at the handle and found it was locked. Ido stepped back and let out a yell as he drove the hammer into where the bolt was usually found. The door flew open and Ido peered inside. It was dark, and there was no sign of Zambaner.
It's a trap, Ido told himself. Zambaner is lying in wait for me.
Ido had never been here before and was unfamiliar with the layout of Zambaner's quarters. However there was no choice, he must go forward. Karen was waiting for him, she was expecting him. He was the one responsible for what had happened to her. Not Gonzu, not Zambaner. All of this was his fault.
Ido hushed his breathing and stepped forward. He wanted to close his eyes, knowing that it would help him adjust to the darkness sooner. He could see shapes, some familiar, some foreign. There were several chairs against a wall and next to them a cabinet, probably for keeping liquor.
Ido felt along a wall and his hand brushed against a row of switches. He toggled them and found they didn't work. Zambaner had cut the power, probably from a main control panel. Zambaner had the advantage and Ido would have to be extremely cautious.
On his left was a hall leading to another part of the flat. Ido walked down the darkened corridor, constantly glancing at the doors on either side. He tried several of them and found they were locked. Zambaner could be hiding in any of these rooms, but to rush in would be foolhardy and a waste of time. The best thing was to let Zambaner come to him.
"Come on," said Ido in a quiet voice. "You know I'm here, and I'm not leaving unless I have Karen with me."
Ido reached the end of the hall and found there was one last door to try. He placed his hand on the knob and paused. It was warm, as if someone had just grabbed it a moment ago.
Ido put his hand down and stepped back. He breathed deeply and shifted the hammer into both hands.
"I know you're in there Zambaner! This is between you and me, Karen has nothing to do with it."
"She has everything to do with it," said a voice from behind him.
Ido felt a dull ache at the small of his back. It spread around his waist and ran up his chest. It was excruciating, almost to the point of causing him to black out. He dropped the hammer and fell forward, lying on his stomach and writhing in pain. As hard as he tried he couldn't cry out, it was if every nerve in his body were telling him to lie still and not to fight it.
Have I been stabbed? he wondered. Am I bleeding?
Ido forced his right arm around his back and felt the area of pain. There was no blood or entry wound. Zambaner had just struck him with something hard, probably a length of pipe or similiar object.
"How do you feel?" said Zambaner. "You think those two clowns that work for me are the scary ones, well I have news for you. I'm the one that scares the hell out of them, and now you know why."
Ido turned over and looked up at him. The pain was starting to subside and he took a deep breath. Zambaner was standing over him, holding a club in his left hand. He smiled and knelt down next to him, so close that Ido could smell his cologne.
"Why Karen?" asked Ido. "She has nothing to do with this. If I owed you money then you should have come after me, there was no reason to involve her."
"Ah, but you don't understand," answered Zambaner. "She's what I wanted from the moment I saw her. A fresh face, someone new. Sure she's a little young now but in a few years she'll be a beauty. And she's full flesh, do you know how high a price she'll bring?"
Ido grabbed Zambaner by the collar of his coat and pulled the man's face close.
"You bastard!" he shouted. "Tell me where she is or I'll break your neck!"
Ido started to twist his coat and Zambaner wrenched his arm away. He pushed Ido back to the floor and placed his foot on Ido's chest, twisting his heel into his ribs.
"Shut the hell up!" sneered Zambaner. "You're in no position to do anything now. The girl is mine to do with as I please."
Zambaner grinned and raised the iron club over his head, preparing to deliver the killing blow.
"Maybe I'll be her first. Think about that in the few seconds you have left."
As the weapon came down at him Ido grabbed Zambaner's leg with both hands and twisted. The man lost his balance and the club missed, smashing into the floor just inches from Ido's head. Zambaner fell backward against a wall, he pushed himself away and pounced on Ido. The two men wrestled on the floor, exchanging punches and each trying to grapple the other around the throat. Finally Ido drove his knee into Zambaner's groin and pushed the man away.
Ido rolled clear and cursed as his shoulder landed on something hard. It was Zambaner's club. He grabbed it and swung it back over his head, not really sure if Zambaner was where he should be. There was a sickening thud as the weapon hit something soft, it was like a piece of ripe fruit being torn open to reveal the pulp.
Ido crossed his legs and put his hands in his lap. He raised his head and looked at Zambaner's body. The club had struck him in the face and crushed his skull, and with Zambaner dead Ido had no way of finding Karen.
He put his face into his hands and started to sob. It would have been better if Karen had died than to live with the knowledge that she was still alive, but that he would never see her again.
After a moment the light came on, forcing Ido to shield his eyes. Someone was in the building and had restored power, Ido could hear them climbing the back stairs. He reached over to where his hammer lay and put it across his knees. He didn't know who it was and he didn't care. A part of him was gone and he would never be whole again.
Ido could sense a pair of eyes looking at him but he refused to turn around. He continued staring at Zambaner's body, watching the blood pool around his head.
"Son of a bitch!" he heard someone exclaim.
It was then that Ido turned his head. It was Lycos, the one that Karen had injured. Ido rose to his feet and narrowed his eyes, it seemed that he would have to kill one more time.
Lycos made no threatening gesture, instead he looked at Zambaner's body for a moment and then at Ido.
"Well come on," said Ido quietly. "I'm the one that killed your boss and your friend downstairs. If you want me here's your chance."
Lycos held out his palms, a gesture of submission. Ido could see that Lycos' right hand was wrapped in black gauze.
"Hold on," said Lycos, "I don't have a quarrel with you."
"Sure you do," replied Ido. "It's lying right over there."
"I don't have a problem with that," said Lycos. "I never liked Zambaner anyway, he just paid the bills, that's all."
"And what about your friend downstairs? In case you haven't noticed I killed him too."
"Yeah, I realize that, but without Zambaner and Meridian around I have no reason to harm you. I'm strictly a professional and I never let my emotions get in the way of business."
"You're a piece of trash," said Ido. "What else would you call someone who would kidnap an innocent girl."
Ido raised the hammer to chest height, ready to swing it at any moment.
"You got it wrong," said Lycos, shaking his head. "Sure I took the brat."
"Her name's Karen!" shouted Ido.
"Ok, whatever. But it wasn't my idea. Like I said, I just worked for Zambaner, but now that's he's gone I have no grudge against you or the girl."
Ido dropped the hammer to waist height but maintained eye contact with Lycos. If the man decided to attack him he was ready.
"If what you're saying is true, then prove it," said Ido.
"What do you mean?"
"Tell me where she is? Where has Zambaner taken her?"
Lycos shrugged his shoulders and stared at the floor.
"I don't know," he answered.
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"Just that," replied Lycos. "After we returned here I felt my arm start to stiffen up. I figured the girl had damaged something major so I went to have my hand frozen to keep it from spreading. I handed the girl off to Meridian and went to see Zambaner's tech. When I was finished I returned here and found Meridian downstairs. I turned the power back on and went looking for Zambaner and I found you. I have no idea what happened to the girl after I left."
"You're lying, you must know what Zambaner did with her."
"Honest, I have no idea." said Lycos. "The boss could have stashed her in any of a hundred places. He has connections all over town and as many people that owe him favors. I just ensure that people pay their debts on time, Zambaner didn't tell me everything."
Ido knew from the tone of Lycos' voice that he was telling the truth. Karen could be in the outlands by now or as close as a block away, he had no way of knowing.
He shifted the hammer to his right hand and placed the blunt end against the floor, more to steady himself than a sign of resignation.
"Well I guess with Zambaner gone I'll have to find a new line of work," said Lycos wistfully.
Ido glared at him and stepped forward.
"Whatever you do, don't ever let me see your face again."
"I don't know if I can promise you that," replied Lycos.
He smiled at Ido and folded his arms.
"Maybe I'll become a Hunter Warrior, I hear the pay is good."
***
Gonzu sat on the stairs to the clinic watching people hurry to their next destination or simply out for a stroll to take advantage of the warm midday sun. Several children ran by, laughing and kicking a ball in front of them. The last child was a little girl with brown hair, she had to run twice as fast to keep up with the others.
He smiled, it was good to see children laughing, especially in these hard times. The sun bore heavily on his leathered face and Gonzu put his hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow. He felt the heavy bandage wrapped around his head and scratched the wound beneath it. The itching was unbearable and he wanted to rip the bandage off, but Ido had told him to keep it on for another day or two. Gonzu remembered when Ido had first dressed the wound, that was two weeks ago. He also recalled how Ido had told him that the cut would leave a permanent scar, but Gonzu had laughed and replied that there were so many lines on his face already that one more didn't matter.
Gonzu was thirsty and wanted nothing more than to go inside and pour himself a glass of cold water, but he felt obligated to see his friend off. Ido would have things to say, that was the kind of man he was.
Behind him the door opened and Ido stepped out into the sun. He walked down the stairs past Gonzu without saying a word. Gonzu frowned and laced his fingers together into a single fist. Ido's sullen mood was understandable, but it was intolerable as well.
"When are you coming back?" asked Gonzu.
Ido stopped and the supplies in his back pack jangled a curious music.
"I don't know," he answered. "I'm not even sure if I'll be coming back."
"Folks around here need you," said Gonzu. "Without you a lot of them wouldn't be alive now."
"Maybe, maybe not," answered Ido. "Who's to say? But isn't it about time that I was concerned with my own happiness? There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"No, I understand completely. The problem is that in your case helping the less fortunate is what makes you happy, isn't it?"
Ido was silent for a moment. He looked at Gonzu and then kicked a small stone into the street.
"I need some time to myself, that's all. I have to get away from the city, away from people. It seems that everywhere I turn I'm reminded of her."
"Stop it!" said Gonzu. "It's not your fault, how many times do I have to tell you that? We searched for weeks but there's no sign of her. Karen may be alive, or maybe not. But there's no point in agonizing over what you don't know."
"That's why I'm leaving Gonzu. I know I'll never forget Karen, but maybe I'll find something out there to help take my mind off her, if just for a little while."
"Where are you going Ido?"
"West I figure. I've never been to that part of the outlands, it's largely unexplored and I'm curious about what's out there. There's probably nothing but sand and rock, but who knows? Sometimes the most interesting things will turn up where you least expect them."
Ido waved to his friend and started to walk away. Gally appeared next to Gonzu and jumped into the old man's lap. He settled down on Gonzu's legs and stared at the big man shrinking into the distance. Eventually Ido was swallowed up by the people around him and disappeared.
Gonzu laid his hand on Gally's neck and absently stroked his fur.
"He'll be back," said Gonzu reassuringly. "This is Ido's home now, and it's where his memories are."
***
Karen pushed her back against the huge conduit and let out a heavy sigh. It felt good to take a break from all that walking. She had been strolling the streets for hours and not once had she found any takers. Of course a few men had looked her way, how could they not? But she had to make some money soon, the thought of returning home to her boyfriend without any money was unthinkable. Her jaw still ached from the last beating he had given her.
Maybe I'm losing my touch, she thought. Karen pulled out a tiny compact and looked at her reflection. She smiled, she was still beautiful, though it was the kind of made up beauty that appealed to men. Karen much preferred the way she looked without make up. Then she would look her age, a healthy eighteen years. With the mascara and lipstick applied she could easily pass for twenty five.
She put the compact away and closed her eyes. It was at moments like this that she let her mind drift back to another time. For her memories were an escape, real or invented it didn't matter. She put her hand to her left cheek and brushed her fingers against her earring. It was identical to the other, both made from a tarnished necklace she'd had since childhood. Several years ago she had taken the necklace to a jeweller who had cut it in two and made a pair of earrings. She remembered the man that had given her the necklace. He was kind and gentle, the only man that had ever given her something and not asked for anything in return.
Karen remembered vividly the night she had been taken from him. It had been the beginning of a nightmare, one that she was still living. A terrible man had given her to a woman named Celeste. He had told Celeste to keep Karen until he returned for her, but he never came. Instead Celeste had kept Karen in a house full of other young women, most of them in their late teens and early twenties. Being a child of ten, Celeste put Karen to work, mostly cleaning and cooking chores. Whenever Karen failed to do her work to Celeste's satisfaction the madame had hit her. It became such a common occurance that Karen became immune to pain, staring blankly up at Celeste as the woman struck her face and arms.
The older girls felt sorry for Karen and had taken her under their wing. She was a little sister of sorts and during the day several of the girls would take her shopping or just for a walk, any activity was an excuse to be away from the house for a few hours. But at night men would visit and then there would be crude language and drinking. The older girls played their parts well, laughing and smiling at the right time. But when they looked away their faces revealed a sadness that tugged on Karen's heart.
The years passed and Karen turned fourteen. She had become a beauty, so much so that the men that came to see the other girls would stare at her. It made her feel uneasy, and she would avoid their eyes and hurry past them into the kitchen. Then came that terrible night when Celeste had grabbed Karen by the arm and pulled her along a hallway toward a room Karen had previously been forbidden to enter. The other girls had protested, but Celeste had struck several of them and that silenced the rest. Celeste had pushed Karen into the room where a large man sat on a bed, leering at her. That was Karen's first sexual experience and it was horrible. After that Karen took her place with the other girls, she would smile politely at the men and tell them the things they wanted to hear, and afterward she would lie beneath them with her mind shut tight.
Two years passed and then came another turning point in her life. One day Karen heard angry voices in the house and left her room to investigate. She had found one of the customers, a regular, beating one of the girls. Karen had struck the man with a lamp and killed him. Celeste had disposed of the body, but had been so incensed by Karen's actions that she hired two men to beat Karen as a lesson to the rest of the young women. However the beating had been severe and had resulted in both her arms being crushed.
Karen cried for weeks when she saw the ugly artificial limbs in place of her slender arms. She had even contemplated suicide, but gradually she grew to accept her new self. She had even had them painted, a delicate pattern of red and gold that ran from her shoulders to her fingertips.
But the change was not accepted by Celeste who noticed that fewer and fewer men were asking for her. Eventually Celeste had sent Karen away with nothing more in her possession than a few hundred chips and the clothes on her back.
Since then Karen had lived a life of brief relationships with several men. Each time she thought she had found happiness the men would reveal their true motive and use her. Karen was unsure if she had ever experienced love. Yes she felt an affection, but it was more of an assurance, a feeling of being wanted. Love was when you were willing to give your life for another, and she had never felt that way about anyone.
No, she thought. That's not true. There was one man, the one that had given her the necklace many years ago. She couldn't recall his name, but his face was etched in her momory. What would he think if he saw her now, would he even recognize her? He would probably look the same, but Karen was now an adult. Her hair was a shade lighter and there were these arms. Would he be ashamed of her, or would he embrace her in his arms and forgive her for what she had become?
Karen reached into her belt and pulled out a thin cigarette case. Smoking was one of the two vices she allowed herself, the other being a glass of scotch now and then. She flipped the case open and pulled out a long cigarette, the extra length ones that were popular among women these days. She put it to her mouth and lit it, drawing the smoke deep into her lungs.
She blew a thin wisp of smoke into the air and sighed. She would allow herself another few minutes and then she would have to continue her nightly walk through the streets.
Karen brought the cigarette to her lips when she heard a sound coming from the shadows around her. She wasn't alone, there was someone out there, someone who wanted to remain hidden from sight.
Karen looked into the black but could see nothing.
"Who's there?"
Index