Chapter 181
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Eden led the four heroes to a secluded building. It made sense that the refugees would have to hide from sight. Eden said that once she gave the right password, they would be admitted to the secret basement. Data contemplated his earlier fears, perhaps Andy was right and Eden didn't fully realize the misanthropic implications of the word Huyhnhnm. Still Adilyn had a bad feeling about this. Data could tell that there were a number of addicts around, trying to avoid being seen. It was possible that they were just afraid of Wanda and her friends, but they also might be desperate enough to attack anyway, thus Eden hurried them to the location. When they got there Eden said the password, and someone presented himself. He was cleaner than others they had seen, presented himself like a police officer. But this was not a legitimate cop, it was Jackson. In life Jackson had been a dirty cop, a child molestor, now he ran this territory. The addicts soon presented themselves, Jackson provided them with drugs, they avoidd withdrawel temporarily, and in return they did whatever he said. Eden went over to Jackson, and kissed him. It was clear that this was not a horrible mistake, she had set them up to be murdered.
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Andy: Is any of what you told us true?
Eden: When I said that my mother raped me, it ws more like I had to get her very drunk before she'd have sex with me.
Andy: Why the hell would you want that?
Eden: Because after that, she was so ashamed that she let me get away with murder. I'm from the slouching towards Bethlehem world. After Febuary 4th, some of us were excited about the end. We wanted the world to die, when president Mason sent those missles to destroy the asteroid, we protested.
Data: So when you said that you were a Huyhnhnm, you understood what it meant?
Eden: Yeah. We hated people, still do actually. I murdered my own mother for fun. They actually offered to spare my life, if I worked on an Ark. I refused, I wanted us all dead. The day of my execution, the news reported that the issles had failed, ELE was still coming. I was excited, I enjoyed seeing other people so shocked and hopeless. I walked to the electric chair elated.
Wanda: That doesn't explain why you want us dead.
Eden: I assumed that my execution would be the end, that I would cease to exist.
Jackson: I thought the same. I always figured that if I was careful, I could do what I wanted to those little whores.
Data: Clearly you were incorrect in your assumptions.
Jackson: Yeah, all we can do now is make the best of our life in Hell.
Adilyn: You mean selling children?
Jackson: Yeah, kidnapping children is a suprisingly lucrative business.
Eden: And people protecting those children hurts the bottom line. Besides, when I was a Huyhnhnm, we were anti-natalist.
Andy: What does that mean?
Data: Anti-natalists believe it is morally wrong to bring new life into the world. It usually gains some popularity in worlds where over population is a major problem. In her world, where the asteroid was coming and limited spaces on the Arks...
Andy: I get it.
Eden: Yeah, we really hated those who would bring a child into the world, hated the kids who could take space. Now, I just hate children altogether.
Jackson: As do I. I gave those little whores special treatment, and they turned me in.
Data: I fail to see how your attitudes are logical.
Andy: They ain't logical Data. They just want to blame others for their punishment, I've seen it in hundreds, maybe thousands of punks over the years.
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Jackson decided he'd had enough. He signaled his people to attack, and the battle began.