Chapter 14.
Everyday we came back to my house and visited Mary and Renz while Mom was at the Botany Center. We would have dinner with the family once mom was home and Jo and I would go on a walk around Ghalia. I took him to the high school, the botany center, arts & music center, simulation rooms, resorts, and estates block 1. We left Ghalia at the end of the week and Renz and Mom gave me short goodbyes and gave goodbyes to Jo too. Mary gave me a great big, long hug and then gave Jo a kiss on the cheek after she hugged him and ran off behind Renz.
We went on our way to another mission where we were to pair off to disable a great amount of bombs detected in this database plant for the Milky Way. Jo and I chose to pair up and Brainy had us all where special suits. The air is toxic and its the darkest place in the galaxy. The suits were malleable black metal suits with green lights and screens and even helmet. We get in our suits and we go down to the planet and it was completely dark and we switched on our lights and things in the dark quickly crawled out of the light as soon as we turned our lights on. Jo and I made our way to our first bomb and it was in the building complex. We enter and it was almost completely silent except for the random creeks in the floor and growling in the distance.
"Jo, did you hear that?" I ask. As soon as I said it, I was grabbed at the ankles and dragged into the darkness. "Shoot Jo! Shoot!"
He had his mouth dropped and wasn't holding up his gun or anything. I blast the thing with my own gun and fall to the ground, catching my breath.
"What the Grife, Jo! Why didn't you shoot?!"
"It was terrifying!"
"And you don't think I was terrified in its' grasp? Grife Jo!"
We kept moving to the bomb and found it. Jo had the pliers for snipping it and I asked for them. He lost them apparently. Sprocking Sun! I get out my gun and shoot the wire with the laser function and it still worked. We moved on to the next bomb and did the same and went back to the ship.
"What the Sprock was that Jo?!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Forgetting the pliers and not shooting the damn thing that had me? I could've died!"
"But you didn't..."
"Don't be so calm about this!" I shout. Jo tried to touch me but I pulled away. "Don't touch me! I'm mad at you!"
"Sorry I screwed up. But you can't stay mad at me forever," he exclaimed. He looked mad too.
"I can stay mad at you as long as I want to."
The rest of the team came back to the ship and I was still mad at Jo, so I went to go hang out with Brogyn before dinner as we left the planet.
"Why aren't you talking to Jo?" asked Brogyn.
"He totally screwed up the mission. He nearly let a monster take me into the dark and he forgot the pliers so I had to use my gun, which I knew was a dangerous move, but we were desperate."
"Well, that's not exactly his fault."
"Yes it is!"
I was still mad at him at dinner and didn't sit with him and afterward, he tried apologizing to me and I went to bed without him. That evening though, I had this weird dream. I was in the dark and all I saw was this bright green glow. I go towards it and a flash appears and it's Mekt in front of me, but he's shirtless and has a soft smile on. He comes over to hold me and I let it happen. He has me look out this window to show an empire with his logo on everything, but I see my logo too, but in black and dark purple. Then he kisses me and I wake up to my alarm.
I felt weird. Like I was still mad at Jo, but also everything really. I felt hatred and disgust. Something was coming over me and I had no idea what. I went to breakfast and I had no idea who I was sitting next to because my anger inside was taking over and it was all I could focus on. We had another mission this afternoon, but I couldn't think. My mind became black and I was taken up by darkness.
"Tony Veleno, do you have anything else to say before we put you in United Planets High Prison?"
I was in front of the Legion and United Planets Counsel. How'd I get here? Why do I have cuffs on me? Why am I being sent to Prison?
"Then the jury has decided to imprison you for 15 years for deliberately destroying a government facility and the Legion HQ ship. Case Closed."
Prison guards grabbed my arms and started pulling me away. "Wait! Wait! I didn't do that! It wasn't me! I didn't do anything!"
They threw me in my cell and I looked around at the blank room. I was now in a gray prison uniform and I looked in the mirror and I looked pale and dead. That's how I felt. I curled up on the bed and tried to sleep, but all I could do was cry. I was in prison for a crime that I didn't even know if I committed. After many tears, I finally fell asleep and my mind felt overwhelmed by my questions. Closing my eyes made it worse though because I would dream of that empire from the window and Mekt with me in the building. Same dream as the last one I remember when I was mad at Jo. How much time has past because that seems like ages ago and the gap is filled with darkness.
I woke up to the sound of a horn and the cell doors opened. This must have been recess time. I must have slept through a meal or two. I get up and go out to the balcony and I see the cellmates going down to the base floor. I go down there and it's mainly men and I see the Fatal Five across the room, leaning against the back wall. Empress makes eye contact. I see them approaching now. "Well, if it isn't the little Rat-mouse who locked us up here, locked up herself. Did you just get sick of being a goody good?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" I shout. They had bridged the gap between us and the other prisoners had formed a circle around us now. Mano grabbed me by the front of my prison uniform and held me in the air. I quickly tried to grab his hands to make them release, but my grip just kept slipping of his robot hands.
"How about we finish what we started? Huh, Empress?" said Mano.
"It would be my pleasure," responded Empress, stepping up.
"Now, guys. She's our guest. Do we really treat our guests like that?" I looked towards the crowd and it was Mekt speaking as he stepped forward. Mano lowered me back down to the ground. "Go back to your wall, guys. Aspen, here, is a guest. I will have the privilege of welcoming her."
The other prisoners went back to conversations and broke the circle and the Fatal Five went back to the wall but gave glares to me as they left. "I didn't need your help, Mekt."
"It looked like you did, considering she was about to beat you to death and you can hardly defend yourself without your powers," Mekt exclaim, walking me around. He had a different tone in his voice then he usually did, this one was more strong and defensive.
"Well...thanks then..." I exclaim, not really wanting to thank him. He took me to a corner of the wall that seemed so distant from the rest of the room. He had me lean against the wall and then had his hands pin against the back of the wall and his face was close to mine.
"Been having any pleasant dreams lately?" he asked. He returned to his usually mysterious, flirtatious voice and I found this question very peculiar.
"What do you mean?" I ask. He couldn't possibly know what I have been dreaming.
"Any dreams of me and you, and world dominance?"
"How did you know I have been having those dreams!"
"Who do you think made them?" Mekt asked. He brought his hand up and licked it and brought his hand to my neck. He pulled his hand away and there was a piece of skin, but it had a microchip on it.
"What the hell is that!" I shout, going to feel my neck, but it felt fine.
"This is a microchip I put on you when you were in my cell to visit. It can only be put on and taken off by my saliva and it made you have those dreams, get angry, and even black out while it took over. That's why you're in prison, is because I hacked you."
I tackled him to the ground trying to choke him. "How dare you use me for your own game! I am not just a sprocking pawn! How could you send me to prison like this!"
Guards were running to me as some close by ones pulled me off Mekt. The other guards took him back to his cell. "I sprocking hate your ass, Mekt! I HATE YOU!"
Recess was cut short for me since I caused a scene. I wanted to change and I had two other uniforms. The one I was wearing was the generic prison uniform, but the other two were the female uniforms. These were about mid thigh, tight fit, dresses. They still had the prisoner number and everything, but they had low cut v-necks that showed about half of my cleavage. I changed anyways and made my way down to the dining hall since it was dinner time. Who knew what to expect with the prison food, but it actually wasn't that bad compared to the inedible slop I thought of in my head.
I get a tray and go to sit down in the hall and see Mekt and try to avoid him. I feel a guy grab my butt and I quickly turn and punch him in the face. He just stumbled a little and then puffed up and quickly grabbed me. "Why you little Jart!" he shouted, picking me up and shaking me, holding me by my arms at my side.
"Hey, boys. Put her down. She didn't mean to retaliate. She is just scared in this big prison," exclaimed Mekt, joining our little confrontation. The man slowly let me down and I kind of dust myself on as I tried to go back into the line for food since I dropped mine while being jolted around.
"Wait up," Mekt exclaimed, grabbing my wrist. "Let me walk you through."
We walk up together as the cafeteria goes back to its normal bustle. "Why are you helping me?" I ask.
"Because I want you to help me," he exclaimed, taking my tray for me.
"I'm not going to tell you any Legion secrets, because I don't know any, and even if I did, I still wouldn't tell you," I exclaim. We start walking back to where he was sitting.
"I want you to come with me."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"I'm having a friend come. He's getting me out of here and I want you to come with me," Mekt said, this time we were whispering.
"Again, why are you helping me?"
"Well, if we get out of here, I want you to be my partner in crime. Help me if I help you survive and get out of here."
He was leaning into me, his lips just hovering a little bit away from my ear as he whispered. His hand had moved to my thigh and was slowly moving up, under the dress. I gently push his hand away. "I will think about it."
"Please do," Mekt exclaimed, laying a gentle kiss on my neck. For some reason, Mekt made me feel alot safer in this prison and also gave me shivers with his touch. I think he knew that too and so he was playing that up as much as possible as we ate our food. He would stroke my leg and hold my hand and then suckle my neck gently. We finish our meal and I get up first to go put my tray in the cleaning window.
"Aspen, I didn't know you were the tattoo type. Vipor, huh?" Mekt asked. I stopped and looked down at the back of my calf and noticed how visible my tattoo was with this uniform.
"Oh, shush. I got it about 3 months ago when I was visiting Rimbor with...Jo..." I responded, realizing I didn't have Jo with me. That last thing I said to him was that I was going to stay mad at him as long as I wanted. I don't even know if he still loves me after what I had apparently done and yelling at him.
"Well, I think Vipor would be a great name for you if you were to join me."
"I've decided to join you, Mekt," i exclaim. I was in his cell now and he was at his desk, writing something.
"Wonderful," he responded. He got up and came towards me.
"But I have one condition."
"Anything you want, yes," he said.
"You can't ask me to give you information on the Legion and you have to treat me as an equal," I said. I wanted to know I was safe and I wasn't going to become a complete traitor to the Legion.
"Of course. I won't make you do or say anything you don't want to and I promise I won't hurt you," Mekt responded, he grabbed my hand and led me to his desk where I saw multiple blueprints and drawing. "This is the plan so far. My outside helper, who has asked to remain anonymous has been sending letters to me and he is coming at the end of the week. He is going to bust into my cell and when there is a break in, this place locks down like crazy. The cell will be locked, and you and I will be inside and we will get onto his ship portal and head out. The guards and other cell members won't be able to follow us or get into the cell because of the lock down. So, I will let you know when to be here and you have to be here, or we have to leave without you."
Mekt sits down in the chair and pats his lap, insisting I sit there, and I do.
"How long have you been planning this?" I ask.
"I always have plans, even before I get thrown in this place."
I look at Mekt and he catched my eyes and his purple eyes looked up at me as he caressed my cheek. He leaned in and gave me a kiss and then quickly added tongue. I wrapped my arms around his neck and for some reason, I didn't care what was bad and what was good. I just knew that Mekt was who I wanted right now. He was saving me from this hell hole and giving me a chance to actually be somewhere, knowing the Legion probably won't let me back in after committing a crime.
So, we wait a week and we get ready to leave. Mekt had the idea that when I get out, I should change my look a bit. At first, I thought he was saying I was unattractive, but it's more of, it's hard to take a villain seriously if they look innocent and sweet. I go to the hair parlor people and Mekt gives them money so I can get black tips on my hair and get it all changed to a dark red. As for uniform, I had been sketching one out that Mekt liked that was a black strapless corset body and a long purple cape with knee high purple and black boots. And for makeup, I was going to do a more intense eyeliner and a dark red lipstick that matches my hair and purple glitter. Everything looked great and I moved my sketches to Mekt's room and we started to organize so when it was all done, we would be ready to go.
It is the day of and we are in Mekt's room, on his bed just softly talking and holding hands, making sure guards don't get too suspicious. Mekt said that his outside would bust through within the next hour but we have to be ready for it and it will be surprising no matter how much we anticipate it. Apparently, Mekt has done this enough times to know this.
KABOOM!
The wall burst towards us, quickly being turned into confetti and creating a dust. We could hear the sound of the prison sirens going off and I saw the cell be closed off quickly and Mekt grabbed my hand as he pulled me out of the cell wall. We walk over a platform into a ship and the platform quickly closes up after us. I feel the ship under my feet move quickly and we soar out into space and I hear an escape pod leave. I could still hear the prisons alarms distantly as we hit hyper speed. "That must have been my outsider that just used the escape pod. I will have to thank him later," Mekt exclaimed as we walked.
The ship had a black, silver, and purple interior and we were in the cockpit. From what I could see, it was as big as the Legion ship. The pilots and space crew in the cockpit looked like Tarulians with their black scaley complections, bald heads, and bright blue eyes. They were all stationed at chairs and I noticed a big chair in the center if the room, looking out at the galaxy ahead of us. "How about we go get changed and clean up and then we can eat a real meal?" asked Mekt.
He took me by the waist and walked me down the corridor and he walked me into my room. It was dark, but had a giant bed with a walk in closet and bathroom and had a desk and dresser. It was actually really luxurious.
"Pick anything you like, but I would prefer formal for dinner," he exclaimed, leaving me with the glory of thousands of outfits in the closet. First I took a shower and walked in the closet, surprised by the magnitude, and go towards a section of dresses. As I flip through, I find a dress I really like and it is a black dress. It has a corset with a cut down the middle to go down just below my chest and emphasized the cleavage line it made. The bottom was slitted way up the side to my hip and towards the hemline, it faded to a bright red. I added black stilettos and curled my hair, which brought out my black tips.