Authors note- I am sorry this took so long... midterms left my brain fried
so I left what I had written in my dorm room, but I couldn't just leave
Bren in jail for that long so I decide to try and rewrite the chapter.
Brendan sat in the back of the small cage. His back was to the wall and his legs were pulled up to his chest. The only time he moved was when other prisoners tried to remove his shoes or go through his clothes. Dried blood covered his entire front, Harper's and his mixed together until it all blended into one bloodstain over his whole body.
How could he have let Shay down? He hadn't fought to get away from the Niezchiens maybe he could have gotten away and gotten help for Shay. Now Shay was dead, because of him. Someway to help him get over his parents' death, get him killed. Brendan felt tears threaten to come out of his misty eyes but he held them in. Crying was weakness, weaknesses got you killed. He drew his knees closer to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He quietly sniffed hoping none of his fellow prisoners would hear.
Hope was a dangerous word and he couldn't allow himself to hope that things had worked out alright. The prisoners were talking about how the Niezchiens had cleared out over 400 prisoners three nights ago, the same night as the raid. Brendan knew it wasn't the Niezchiens who had killed those prisoners, it was him and the rest of the rebels. Those bunkers hadn't contained Niezchiens, just their fellow prisoners. Revealing this would only make his death at the hand of his follow inmates instead of the Niezhiens. Ether way his death would be painful and soon in coming.
Two guards walked up to the cage. The ten prisoners that were still awake joined Brendan at the back of the cage, leaving four sleeping victims for the Niezchiens to torture. The cage opened but the guard stepped over the sleeping prisoners and moved to the back.
"Him" said the captain pointing directly at Brendan. The other guard grabbed Brendan dragging him through the mass of prisoners that had all managed to move away from him in the two seconds since he had been picked out. He began to struggle to get away but he felt the guards gun press into his back. He straightened and walked calmly out of the cell the guard pushing him with his gun still in the small of Brendan back.
********()***********
Harper tried his best to look like he could take anyone in this dirt covered bar but at barely 5'4'' he knew it was more like anyone in the bar could take him. He still had Isa make shift stitches holding his side together. Where the girl had her medical training he didn't know but she had managed to single handily nurse him back to health. He only hope she could do the same for Brendan when they found him. They would get him out, if Harper had to take on every Niezchien in the camp.
He turned back to the dealer they had found. He claimed he had a soft heart for the rebels and would cut them a deal. More like he had a soft spot for the money he would get from the Niezchiens for turning them in. Harper wasn't an idiot, he knew someone had turned them in and it wasn't any of his dead and dying comrades. So it was Brendan's dealer.
"We need more supplies, same stuff, however much you can give us." Harper said quietly.
"Well I need payment"
"Name your price"
"The Niezchiens have some ground to air rockets that I need to help another revolution along. I'll get you the supplies and when I come back next month you help me get them."
"How am I going to help you do this?"
I need the codes to the plant; I don't have the time to got investigating and find them. But your suck on this planet with nothing but time before you die."
Harper bit his lip and felt his hand forming a fist. How dare he say that, Harper was not going to die on this rock like his parents and cousins. He was getting out of here. That is what he told himself everyday.
"If you help me get them on my ship and get us out this system I might have a job opening on my ship. If you are useful, if not I just dump you back here with some more supplies for your next raid. Ether way you win" The dealer continued.
Harper was fuming but he couldn't pass up the supplies. It was just himself he was trying to get off of earth now. His parents had always been looking for a way to have the whole family escape. Now that it was just him, he could get off earth but it would be without anyone he was close to. Brendan was his only family now and he would never leave, he fought too hard for the revolution to just leave. Running away was what he called it. But a way off earth, was a way off. He better take it and not think too much about it, thinking got you killed.
"Fine, when can I get the supplies for this raid."
"When is the next raid"
"Still deciding, depends on when I get the supplies, how long to build the weapons and form the plans. So it all depends on you" Harper wasn't telling him that so he could go off and tell the Niezchiens.
"Tomorrow, meet me at the docks, number 14, I'll have the shipment for you then." Harper started to get up when the dealer called out "Come alone, and don't think you can stiff me on the other part of the deal. I have some insurance waiting for you"
"I'll be there, tomorrow and a month from now, you don't need any insurance. But if you're so afraid of a little mudfoot go ahead do whatever you need to feel safe." Harper knew that it was a bad idea to egg on his one and only supplier but the guy made him so mad. He knew he had nothing to live for why did this guy have to keep reminding him.
***
Harper stood by the space docks the next morning. The ship in number 14 looked worst than some of the thing Harper had built from the Niezchiens trash. The dealer came out of the side port.
"Nice ship, were did you get it your friendly neighborhood junk shop"
"Shut up kid. This hunk of junk is going to get you off this planet if you play your cards right. Besides I am borrowing her from a friend."
"And does your friend know that you cart illegal parts in and out of Niezchien territory with his ship"
"She know what I tell her she knows. She is so wrapped around my finger, well I don't expect someone like you to understand the ways of women."
"And you do. So where are my parts"
"You'll get them in a minute first my insurance."
"Fine what is your ever so important insurance"
"This" The dealer reached out and pressed a hypo into Harper's arm. Growing up in the camps you learn many things including needles and hypos only speed up you impending doom. Harper yanked his arm away, as he felt his knees turn to jelly and white dots started to fill his vision.
"What was that?" Harper said as he fought to remain standing.
"A simple control collar of sorts. You'll show up with the code to this spot in a month or I will kill you or more the poison that is now in your system will. Slow acting the side effects will go away shortly and you will only have minor discomfort until three weeks from now. Then you will start getting sick and you won't get better till I give you the other hypo. Or you die two weeks later. Your call really"
"How do I know you have to antidote, or that you really poisoned me" Harper felt his strength starting to return although he had a killer headache.
"Well I guess you will have to just wait and see. You supplies are around the corner." With that he was off. Harper wasn't sure what direction he had gone but Harper whole body still ached from whatever he had given him. He moved around to the other side of the docks and found a large pack cramped with parts for guns, bombs and shrillers. Not as much as last time but it would have to do for tonight's raid. Harper only had a few hours to put together the weapons they would need. Hopefully the Niezchiens would not have enough time to hear of their plans and make a counter plan. That was his hope.
***************()***********
"You're a murder," The Niezchien said as he circled Brendan. Brendan didn't know how long it had been since they had dragged him from the holding cell and to the room he was now in. They had tied him to a chair and beat him all the time repeating you are a murder. We should do to you what you tried to do to us over and over. Brendan just sat there waiting for them to end his life or drag him back to the holding cell. Neither seemed to be on the minds of his guards. So the beatings continued until Brendan could no longer see the punches coming his eyes were so swollen and caked with blood.
***********()*************
"You ready Shay" Isa said as she tried to put a comforting hand on Harper's shoulder.
"As ready as I'll ever be" Harper replied as he shrugged off her hand and shouldered the pack that had once held the supplier's parts, now holding shillers, and two bombs. "We have to get him back, and clear out that god awful place"
"I know Shay, I know. You feeling ok, you look pale"
""I'm fine. I just want tonight to be over with and Brendan to be back here with us" In reality Harper's head was pounding he had just barely finished making the weapons for the raid tonight. It would only be the four of them so it had been fewer weapons and less time. Good thing Harper didn't know for how long he would be able to hold out. Whatever that guy had given him made him feel like crap. Harper just wanted to curl up and sleep for the next month. But he had to rescue Bren and get the code to the missiles.
Max picked that moment to pop his head into the bedroom. "Let's head out"
"Coming" Harper said as he picked himself up off the dirt floor of the hut.
****
There was no snow covering tonight's raid so the four teenagers had to hope that no one would be expecting another attack so soon. Harper started slowly crawling towards the prison on the far end of the camp. When he got there he glanced back at the bushes were he knew Tiff was hiding. Ready to shoot any Niezchiens that came to investigate the noises outside. The prison wasn't heavily guarded, no one every tried to break in or out of jail. If you were captured your were dead. It took longer to plan a raid then for the prison system to kill the person you wanted to rescue. They only knew Brendan was alive because of the flyer posted around the human side of the camp. Brendan picture, all beaten and bloody and one word MURDER. It was an image that Harper had carried in his head for two days every since he saw the first flyer.
Isa crawled next to him and nodded. Harper crawled to the front doors and pulled out a piece of wire going to work. In about ten seconds he had the electronic lock open. He waited hearing nothing continued into the building. Isa followed. Harper went left to where the main computer where located and Isa went right to the holding cells. Harper had only been inside once as a child. When he was whipped for stealing from a Niezchiens trash. He hopes they hadn't changed the layout since then.
Harper heard the shillers start to go off on the other side of the camp. Max was hard at work. Harper press himself behind a control panel as the guards ran by to investigate the noise. After the last one past Harper listened and then moved to front of the control panel. With ease he cracked the codes and started to open all of the cell doors. He spent up a prayer of thanks to his father for making him learn to read English and Niezchien growing up. He could already hear the prisoner proving their own distraction from Isa and Harper actions, buying Harper a little more time with the computer.
He hunted through the files looking through the security camera files for where they were keeping Bren. He choked back a gasp when he saw his cousin. Beaten to a pulp and still in the torture room. It looked like him and Isa would have to carry him back to the camp. There was one more thing that Harper had to find.
He continued to hunt through the computer looking for something about missiles. The shipment list showed them to be stored in the southeast section of the camp, in a large warehouse. Harper committed the location and codes of the missiles to memory and then setup a small bomb next to the computer. Hopefully they would have more important things on their mind than changing the location of the missiles.
Harper ran down the hall to where Isa had finished setting bombs to explode the now empty prisoner cells.
"Shay I haven't seen Bren," Isa said in almost a panic.
"He's still alive, I think. They have him in the torture room. He's been beaten pretty badly though."
"Well let's go get him."
Wasting no time Harper ran down the hall to the room where he remember the whipping he had gotten as a child in. Children were release to their parents and not held in prison. Harper never forgot how lucky he was not to have died in a Niezchien holding cell before he even learned to shave.
Bren was strapped to a chair in the middle of the room. He was covered in so much dried blood Harper didn't think he could have much left inside of him. Isa pulled out her knife and began cutting the straps. When she undid the strap around his chest Harper reached out to catch his cousin before he did a nosedive into the cement floor. Isa undid the binds on Brendan ankles and then gentlely took a hold of them motioning Harper to take Brendan head and arms. The two of them began the slow process of getting him out of the building and back to the hunt.
They got outside and Tiff came running out to them. She grabbed the left side of Bren while Harper moved to the right. They began running back to the woods. Harper waited to hear the sounds of Niezchien gunfire but it never came. They were too busy taking care of the escape prisoners. Most of them didn't seem to care about getting away but causing as much damage to the camp as possible. Explosions and gunfire filled the night air.
**********(Brendan)************
Bright light was streaming through the holes in the thin tin roof when Brendan open his eyes three days later. The sight of Harper made him wonder if he was in heaven until he realized that heaven wouldn't look like his hut in the camps.
"Sleeping Beauty finally awakes!" Harper said with a laugh.
"Your alive," Brendan tried to get up but found his ribs and head preferred him to stay on his bed." Harper was alive. He hadn't killed him. Somehow he had lived. Brendan thanked whatever power had allowed his cousin to live and somehow rescue him too.
"As if there was any doubt. It takes more than a few laser burns to keep Harper down." For all his word Harper was sitting stiffly and while his words where animated his actions weren't
"Whatever you say cos. Just glad to have you back."
*********(Isa)***********
"Come one, I'm fine you don't need to change my bandages I can wash my cuts myself. I'm a big boy" Harper wined. For such a big boy his side had managed to get pretty infected. No matter how many times Isa cleaned the wound and made sure the bandages where as clean as she could get them. Brendan had woken up a week ago and was healing well from his beating but Harper was another concern. He seemed to be running a low fever his whole side was infected.
"You ready to go now," Brendan said as he came in from the bedroom. His face was a network of scabs from the week before. Isa continued finished wrappings some clean cloth around Harper's side. They had washed cut up both Shay's and Brendan's coats from the weeks before. They couldn't wear them outside the large bloodstains would attract too much attention.
"If Isa will finish playing nursemaid. Isa I'm fine it's just a small cut now, you took the stitches out last night and it's fine." Harper said as he slowly got up and put his shirt back on. He picked up the coat we traded some of Brendan alcohol for and headed out the door.
Whatever he said he looked sick. Carrying Brendan home Shay had ripped out all of his stitches and then he had stayed up for two nights with him waiting for him to wake up. He wasn't still fully recovered from the blaster wound but he kept pretending he was. Brendan didn't help just ignoring the growing signs the Shay was not getting better and working with him to continue working towards a free earth. Earth would never be free, just a death trap for future generations.
***
"Shay, Shay, come on Seamus, I need you to wake up. I have so soup I want you to eat. It will help you feel better." Isa shook Shay. Last night at a planing meeting with Bren, Shay had collapsed and Bren had been forced to carry him home when he couldn't get him to regain conscience. It had been almost since they had rescued Brendan from the Niezchien and in the past week Harper had gotten so sick that even Brendan had to admit that he wasn't getting any better from the laser blast. It was such a mystery he had recovered so quickly at first but ever since the raid he had gone quickly down hill.
"How is he doing." Brendan asked. "He had woken for his sleeping position next to Shay. Isa had made him go to bed last night after he had come in. Carrying Shay that far had wore him out and Isa could only deal with one patient at a time. "I shouldn't have taken him last night, but he keep insisting he was fine and we needed to go. He even talked about how he had to go met a guy tomorrow. Get more supplies or something like that."
"Well if he makes it through I don't think he will be leaving this bed for a while"
"Noooo" A moan from the bed made them both turn. "I have to go met this guy at dock 14 tomorrow. It's important." Harper managed to say and then fell back on to the blankets out of breath.
"It can't be that important Shay. You need to stay put, get well again." Bren said trying to calm his cousin.
"I'm not going to get well" Isa saw a tear start to fall down Brendan face.
"No you're not. You are not going to die I won't let you. Just like you wouldn't let me die in that prison I am not going to let you die in this bed. You hear me." Isa saw how had Brendan was holding back his tears so she decides to leave the room and let the two continue their conversation.
If Shay gave up on life there was nothing her limited medical training could do for him. Once a person gave up on life they died in the camps. There was no cure when someone gave up hope. Whatever Shay may think about how unimportant he was Brendan would die without him, Tiff, Max and her would lose their clown and source of unending laughs. The last thing Isa heard was Shay in a horse voice say "I won't die if you let me met this guy tomorrow."
************(Harper)*********
The words of the dealer continued to haunt Harper "Minor discomfort for three weeks, then you will get sick and you won't get better till I give you the second hypo." A slow acting poison. That would explain the wound on his side that wouldn't heal and the headaches that had been growing worst and worst. At the beginning of the week he had began getting so weak he could barely get out of bed in the morning. As much as he tried to hide his illness Isa had moved in to the small hut with him and Brendan and seemed more concerned with his health than Brendan. Most of the cuts and bruises had disappeared from Brendan while Harper's side was still red and infected.
The poison had to be affecting the healing rate of his cut. He couldn't tell Bren and Isa both the poisons and the hypo. They would never let him go along with the dealer's plan. Harper didn't know what to do but he knew he didn't have a choice. The next morning he got up. He didn't bother with anything other than putting his jacket over the sweat soaked clothes he had been wearing all week. He didn't care what he looked like he couldn't let Brendan watch him die. He had sold his soul to the dealer. He hadn't meant to but the insurance gave him no choice. He was too weak to come up with another plan so he would have to follow his. Harper hated being under another person's control.
***
The docks were quiet with only a few people around. He met the dealer outside the same hunk of junk ship as before.
"You look good kid. Got the codes." The dealer appeared from the shadows.
"Got the hypo"
"Yeah now give me the codes."
"Can't their in my head. Going to have to give me the hypo so I don't die on you here in the street."
"Fine" The dealer pulled out the hypo and injected Harper. Harper felt the cool liquid flow through his blood. Instantly he started to feel better, no more headache, his head felt like it had lost 5 pounds and he felt like he could finally walk without looking like a drunk.
"That's some pretty good stuff"
"Well that is only the first part of the cure. You get the second part when you met me back here in an hour. Bring your junk we're going on a trip."
"But you said that was the antidote."
"No I said it would make you feel better the second part of the antidote will be given to you when you come back here."
Harper turned and started walking back to the hut. What was he going to tell Brendan?
"Shay" Brendan voice caused Harper to stop mid step. "What are you in to Shay. I didn't see that guy you were talking to but I heard what he said to you. What happen those three days I was in prison."
Harper knew he had been caught but he didn't want to tell Brendan that he had unknowingly traded Brendan freedom for his own. Harper knew when he got on that ship there would be other ways the dealer who keeps him in check, until he dumped him or killed him. He didn't want Brendan to live with that guilt. The same guilt he carried for his parents death and his sisters deaths before that.
"It's not your problem." Harper said dodging Brendan as he grabbed for his arm. "I own him a couple favors and he came for payment."
"Payment, Harper he gave you drugs. You never where into drugs before. Well you were but you weren't this far into it. What did you do?"
"Listen this is my problem. I'll take care of it."
"So you're going to take care of it by running away from all of us"
"Yeah Brendan. I have to." Harper turned and started back towards the hut.
"Am I going to see you again?"
"I don't know. But I hope so." With those words Harper turned walked back to the hut and loaded the pack that once contained weapon parts with the few things he owned in life. Isa walked up behind him as he was packing.
"Don't forget us, ok"
"I never could."
With that Harper left the hut that had been his home for the past two months. So much had happen since his parents died. So much more would happen but he didn't know that as he walked on to the ship that would take him away from his family and friends.
***
"Here you go kid" The dealer said after Harper had been shown his bunk and stored his few items of clothes
"Thanks, ummm..." Harper realized he never knew this man who was taking him away from everything he ever knew.
"Call me Bobby, everyone does."
***This wasn't as good as my other chapters but tell me what you think. There will be one more chapter. Hopefully I will get that out pretty quickly. Thanks for all your reviews it means a lot.***
Brendan sat in the back of the small cage. His back was to the wall and his legs were pulled up to his chest. The only time he moved was when other prisoners tried to remove his shoes or go through his clothes. Dried blood covered his entire front, Harper's and his mixed together until it all blended into one bloodstain over his whole body.
How could he have let Shay down? He hadn't fought to get away from the Niezchiens maybe he could have gotten away and gotten help for Shay. Now Shay was dead, because of him. Someway to help him get over his parents' death, get him killed. Brendan felt tears threaten to come out of his misty eyes but he held them in. Crying was weakness, weaknesses got you killed. He drew his knees closer to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He quietly sniffed hoping none of his fellow prisoners would hear.
Hope was a dangerous word and he couldn't allow himself to hope that things had worked out alright. The prisoners were talking about how the Niezchiens had cleared out over 400 prisoners three nights ago, the same night as the raid. Brendan knew it wasn't the Niezchiens who had killed those prisoners, it was him and the rest of the rebels. Those bunkers hadn't contained Niezchiens, just their fellow prisoners. Revealing this would only make his death at the hand of his follow inmates instead of the Niezhiens. Ether way his death would be painful and soon in coming.
Two guards walked up to the cage. The ten prisoners that were still awake joined Brendan at the back of the cage, leaving four sleeping victims for the Niezchiens to torture. The cage opened but the guard stepped over the sleeping prisoners and moved to the back.
"Him" said the captain pointing directly at Brendan. The other guard grabbed Brendan dragging him through the mass of prisoners that had all managed to move away from him in the two seconds since he had been picked out. He began to struggle to get away but he felt the guards gun press into his back. He straightened and walked calmly out of the cell the guard pushing him with his gun still in the small of Brendan back.
********()***********
Harper tried his best to look like he could take anyone in this dirt covered bar but at barely 5'4'' he knew it was more like anyone in the bar could take him. He still had Isa make shift stitches holding his side together. Where the girl had her medical training he didn't know but she had managed to single handily nurse him back to health. He only hope she could do the same for Brendan when they found him. They would get him out, if Harper had to take on every Niezchien in the camp.
He turned back to the dealer they had found. He claimed he had a soft heart for the rebels and would cut them a deal. More like he had a soft spot for the money he would get from the Niezchiens for turning them in. Harper wasn't an idiot, he knew someone had turned them in and it wasn't any of his dead and dying comrades. So it was Brendan's dealer.
"We need more supplies, same stuff, however much you can give us." Harper said quietly.
"Well I need payment"
"Name your price"
"The Niezchiens have some ground to air rockets that I need to help another revolution along. I'll get you the supplies and when I come back next month you help me get them."
"How am I going to help you do this?"
I need the codes to the plant; I don't have the time to got investigating and find them. But your suck on this planet with nothing but time before you die."
Harper bit his lip and felt his hand forming a fist. How dare he say that, Harper was not going to die on this rock like his parents and cousins. He was getting out of here. That is what he told himself everyday.
"If you help me get them on my ship and get us out this system I might have a job opening on my ship. If you are useful, if not I just dump you back here with some more supplies for your next raid. Ether way you win" The dealer continued.
Harper was fuming but he couldn't pass up the supplies. It was just himself he was trying to get off of earth now. His parents had always been looking for a way to have the whole family escape. Now that it was just him, he could get off earth but it would be without anyone he was close to. Brendan was his only family now and he would never leave, he fought too hard for the revolution to just leave. Running away was what he called it. But a way off earth, was a way off. He better take it and not think too much about it, thinking got you killed.
"Fine, when can I get the supplies for this raid."
"When is the next raid"
"Still deciding, depends on when I get the supplies, how long to build the weapons and form the plans. So it all depends on you" Harper wasn't telling him that so he could go off and tell the Niezchiens.
"Tomorrow, meet me at the docks, number 14, I'll have the shipment for you then." Harper started to get up when the dealer called out "Come alone, and don't think you can stiff me on the other part of the deal. I have some insurance waiting for you"
"I'll be there, tomorrow and a month from now, you don't need any insurance. But if you're so afraid of a little mudfoot go ahead do whatever you need to feel safe." Harper knew that it was a bad idea to egg on his one and only supplier but the guy made him so mad. He knew he had nothing to live for why did this guy have to keep reminding him.
***
Harper stood by the space docks the next morning. The ship in number 14 looked worst than some of the thing Harper had built from the Niezchiens trash. The dealer came out of the side port.
"Nice ship, were did you get it your friendly neighborhood junk shop"
"Shut up kid. This hunk of junk is going to get you off this planet if you play your cards right. Besides I am borrowing her from a friend."
"And does your friend know that you cart illegal parts in and out of Niezchien territory with his ship"
"She know what I tell her she knows. She is so wrapped around my finger, well I don't expect someone like you to understand the ways of women."
"And you do. So where are my parts"
"You'll get them in a minute first my insurance."
"Fine what is your ever so important insurance"
"This" The dealer reached out and pressed a hypo into Harper's arm. Growing up in the camps you learn many things including needles and hypos only speed up you impending doom. Harper yanked his arm away, as he felt his knees turn to jelly and white dots started to fill his vision.
"What was that?" Harper said as he fought to remain standing.
"A simple control collar of sorts. You'll show up with the code to this spot in a month or I will kill you or more the poison that is now in your system will. Slow acting the side effects will go away shortly and you will only have minor discomfort until three weeks from now. Then you will start getting sick and you won't get better till I give you the other hypo. Or you die two weeks later. Your call really"
"How do I know you have to antidote, or that you really poisoned me" Harper felt his strength starting to return although he had a killer headache.
"Well I guess you will have to just wait and see. You supplies are around the corner." With that he was off. Harper wasn't sure what direction he had gone but Harper whole body still ached from whatever he had given him. He moved around to the other side of the docks and found a large pack cramped with parts for guns, bombs and shrillers. Not as much as last time but it would have to do for tonight's raid. Harper only had a few hours to put together the weapons they would need. Hopefully the Niezchiens would not have enough time to hear of their plans and make a counter plan. That was his hope.
***************()***********
"You're a murder," The Niezchien said as he circled Brendan. Brendan didn't know how long it had been since they had dragged him from the holding cell and to the room he was now in. They had tied him to a chair and beat him all the time repeating you are a murder. We should do to you what you tried to do to us over and over. Brendan just sat there waiting for them to end his life or drag him back to the holding cell. Neither seemed to be on the minds of his guards. So the beatings continued until Brendan could no longer see the punches coming his eyes were so swollen and caked with blood.
***********()*************
"You ready Shay" Isa said as she tried to put a comforting hand on Harper's shoulder.
"As ready as I'll ever be" Harper replied as he shrugged off her hand and shouldered the pack that had once held the supplier's parts, now holding shillers, and two bombs. "We have to get him back, and clear out that god awful place"
"I know Shay, I know. You feeling ok, you look pale"
""I'm fine. I just want tonight to be over with and Brendan to be back here with us" In reality Harper's head was pounding he had just barely finished making the weapons for the raid tonight. It would only be the four of them so it had been fewer weapons and less time. Good thing Harper didn't know for how long he would be able to hold out. Whatever that guy had given him made him feel like crap. Harper just wanted to curl up and sleep for the next month. But he had to rescue Bren and get the code to the missiles.
Max picked that moment to pop his head into the bedroom. "Let's head out"
"Coming" Harper said as he picked himself up off the dirt floor of the hut.
****
There was no snow covering tonight's raid so the four teenagers had to hope that no one would be expecting another attack so soon. Harper started slowly crawling towards the prison on the far end of the camp. When he got there he glanced back at the bushes were he knew Tiff was hiding. Ready to shoot any Niezchiens that came to investigate the noises outside. The prison wasn't heavily guarded, no one every tried to break in or out of jail. If you were captured your were dead. It took longer to plan a raid then for the prison system to kill the person you wanted to rescue. They only knew Brendan was alive because of the flyer posted around the human side of the camp. Brendan picture, all beaten and bloody and one word MURDER. It was an image that Harper had carried in his head for two days every since he saw the first flyer.
Isa crawled next to him and nodded. Harper crawled to the front doors and pulled out a piece of wire going to work. In about ten seconds he had the electronic lock open. He waited hearing nothing continued into the building. Isa followed. Harper went left to where the main computer where located and Isa went right to the holding cells. Harper had only been inside once as a child. When he was whipped for stealing from a Niezchiens trash. He hopes they hadn't changed the layout since then.
Harper heard the shillers start to go off on the other side of the camp. Max was hard at work. Harper press himself behind a control panel as the guards ran by to investigate the noise. After the last one past Harper listened and then moved to front of the control panel. With ease he cracked the codes and started to open all of the cell doors. He spent up a prayer of thanks to his father for making him learn to read English and Niezchien growing up. He could already hear the prisoner proving their own distraction from Isa and Harper actions, buying Harper a little more time with the computer.
He hunted through the files looking through the security camera files for where they were keeping Bren. He choked back a gasp when he saw his cousin. Beaten to a pulp and still in the torture room. It looked like him and Isa would have to carry him back to the camp. There was one more thing that Harper had to find.
He continued to hunt through the computer looking for something about missiles. The shipment list showed them to be stored in the southeast section of the camp, in a large warehouse. Harper committed the location and codes of the missiles to memory and then setup a small bomb next to the computer. Hopefully they would have more important things on their mind than changing the location of the missiles.
Harper ran down the hall to where Isa had finished setting bombs to explode the now empty prisoner cells.
"Shay I haven't seen Bren," Isa said in almost a panic.
"He's still alive, I think. They have him in the torture room. He's been beaten pretty badly though."
"Well let's go get him."
Wasting no time Harper ran down the hall to the room where he remember the whipping he had gotten as a child in. Children were release to their parents and not held in prison. Harper never forgot how lucky he was not to have died in a Niezchien holding cell before he even learned to shave.
Bren was strapped to a chair in the middle of the room. He was covered in so much dried blood Harper didn't think he could have much left inside of him. Isa pulled out her knife and began cutting the straps. When she undid the strap around his chest Harper reached out to catch his cousin before he did a nosedive into the cement floor. Isa undid the binds on Brendan ankles and then gentlely took a hold of them motioning Harper to take Brendan head and arms. The two of them began the slow process of getting him out of the building and back to the hunt.
They got outside and Tiff came running out to them. She grabbed the left side of Bren while Harper moved to the right. They began running back to the woods. Harper waited to hear the sounds of Niezchien gunfire but it never came. They were too busy taking care of the escape prisoners. Most of them didn't seem to care about getting away but causing as much damage to the camp as possible. Explosions and gunfire filled the night air.
**********(Brendan)************
Bright light was streaming through the holes in the thin tin roof when Brendan open his eyes three days later. The sight of Harper made him wonder if he was in heaven until he realized that heaven wouldn't look like his hut in the camps.
"Sleeping Beauty finally awakes!" Harper said with a laugh.
"Your alive," Brendan tried to get up but found his ribs and head preferred him to stay on his bed." Harper was alive. He hadn't killed him. Somehow he had lived. Brendan thanked whatever power had allowed his cousin to live and somehow rescue him too.
"As if there was any doubt. It takes more than a few laser burns to keep Harper down." For all his word Harper was sitting stiffly and while his words where animated his actions weren't
"Whatever you say cos. Just glad to have you back."
*********(Isa)***********
"Come one, I'm fine you don't need to change my bandages I can wash my cuts myself. I'm a big boy" Harper wined. For such a big boy his side had managed to get pretty infected. No matter how many times Isa cleaned the wound and made sure the bandages where as clean as she could get them. Brendan had woken up a week ago and was healing well from his beating but Harper was another concern. He seemed to be running a low fever his whole side was infected.
"You ready to go now," Brendan said as he came in from the bedroom. His face was a network of scabs from the week before. Isa continued finished wrappings some clean cloth around Harper's side. They had washed cut up both Shay's and Brendan's coats from the weeks before. They couldn't wear them outside the large bloodstains would attract too much attention.
"If Isa will finish playing nursemaid. Isa I'm fine it's just a small cut now, you took the stitches out last night and it's fine." Harper said as he slowly got up and put his shirt back on. He picked up the coat we traded some of Brendan alcohol for and headed out the door.
Whatever he said he looked sick. Carrying Brendan home Shay had ripped out all of his stitches and then he had stayed up for two nights with him waiting for him to wake up. He wasn't still fully recovered from the blaster wound but he kept pretending he was. Brendan didn't help just ignoring the growing signs the Shay was not getting better and working with him to continue working towards a free earth. Earth would never be free, just a death trap for future generations.
***
"Shay, Shay, come on Seamus, I need you to wake up. I have so soup I want you to eat. It will help you feel better." Isa shook Shay. Last night at a planing meeting with Bren, Shay had collapsed and Bren had been forced to carry him home when he couldn't get him to regain conscience. It had been almost since they had rescued Brendan from the Niezchien and in the past week Harper had gotten so sick that even Brendan had to admit that he wasn't getting any better from the laser blast. It was such a mystery he had recovered so quickly at first but ever since the raid he had gone quickly down hill.
"How is he doing." Brendan asked. "He had woken for his sleeping position next to Shay. Isa had made him go to bed last night after he had come in. Carrying Shay that far had wore him out and Isa could only deal with one patient at a time. "I shouldn't have taken him last night, but he keep insisting he was fine and we needed to go. He even talked about how he had to go met a guy tomorrow. Get more supplies or something like that."
"Well if he makes it through I don't think he will be leaving this bed for a while"
"Noooo" A moan from the bed made them both turn. "I have to go met this guy at dock 14 tomorrow. It's important." Harper managed to say and then fell back on to the blankets out of breath.
"It can't be that important Shay. You need to stay put, get well again." Bren said trying to calm his cousin.
"I'm not going to get well" Isa saw a tear start to fall down Brendan face.
"No you're not. You are not going to die I won't let you. Just like you wouldn't let me die in that prison I am not going to let you die in this bed. You hear me." Isa saw how had Brendan was holding back his tears so she decides to leave the room and let the two continue their conversation.
If Shay gave up on life there was nothing her limited medical training could do for him. Once a person gave up on life they died in the camps. There was no cure when someone gave up hope. Whatever Shay may think about how unimportant he was Brendan would die without him, Tiff, Max and her would lose their clown and source of unending laughs. The last thing Isa heard was Shay in a horse voice say "I won't die if you let me met this guy tomorrow."
************(Harper)*********
The words of the dealer continued to haunt Harper "Minor discomfort for three weeks, then you will get sick and you won't get better till I give you the second hypo." A slow acting poison. That would explain the wound on his side that wouldn't heal and the headaches that had been growing worst and worst. At the beginning of the week he had began getting so weak he could barely get out of bed in the morning. As much as he tried to hide his illness Isa had moved in to the small hut with him and Brendan and seemed more concerned with his health than Brendan. Most of the cuts and bruises had disappeared from Brendan while Harper's side was still red and infected.
The poison had to be affecting the healing rate of his cut. He couldn't tell Bren and Isa both the poisons and the hypo. They would never let him go along with the dealer's plan. Harper didn't know what to do but he knew he didn't have a choice. The next morning he got up. He didn't bother with anything other than putting his jacket over the sweat soaked clothes he had been wearing all week. He didn't care what he looked like he couldn't let Brendan watch him die. He had sold his soul to the dealer. He hadn't meant to but the insurance gave him no choice. He was too weak to come up with another plan so he would have to follow his. Harper hated being under another person's control.
***
The docks were quiet with only a few people around. He met the dealer outside the same hunk of junk ship as before.
"You look good kid. Got the codes." The dealer appeared from the shadows.
"Got the hypo"
"Yeah now give me the codes."
"Can't their in my head. Going to have to give me the hypo so I don't die on you here in the street."
"Fine" The dealer pulled out the hypo and injected Harper. Harper felt the cool liquid flow through his blood. Instantly he started to feel better, no more headache, his head felt like it had lost 5 pounds and he felt like he could finally walk without looking like a drunk.
"That's some pretty good stuff"
"Well that is only the first part of the cure. You get the second part when you met me back here in an hour. Bring your junk we're going on a trip."
"But you said that was the antidote."
"No I said it would make you feel better the second part of the antidote will be given to you when you come back here."
Harper turned and started walking back to the hut. What was he going to tell Brendan?
"Shay" Brendan voice caused Harper to stop mid step. "What are you in to Shay. I didn't see that guy you were talking to but I heard what he said to you. What happen those three days I was in prison."
Harper knew he had been caught but he didn't want to tell Brendan that he had unknowingly traded Brendan freedom for his own. Harper knew when he got on that ship there would be other ways the dealer who keeps him in check, until he dumped him or killed him. He didn't want Brendan to live with that guilt. The same guilt he carried for his parents death and his sisters deaths before that.
"It's not your problem." Harper said dodging Brendan as he grabbed for his arm. "I own him a couple favors and he came for payment."
"Payment, Harper he gave you drugs. You never where into drugs before. Well you were but you weren't this far into it. What did you do?"
"Listen this is my problem. I'll take care of it."
"So you're going to take care of it by running away from all of us"
"Yeah Brendan. I have to." Harper turned and started back towards the hut.
"Am I going to see you again?"
"I don't know. But I hope so." With those words Harper turned walked back to the hut and loaded the pack that once contained weapon parts with the few things he owned in life. Isa walked up behind him as he was packing.
"Don't forget us, ok"
"I never could."
With that Harper left the hut that had been his home for the past two months. So much had happen since his parents died. So much more would happen but he didn't know that as he walked on to the ship that would take him away from his family and friends.
***
"Here you go kid" The dealer said after Harper had been shown his bunk and stored his few items of clothes
"Thanks, ummm..." Harper realized he never knew this man who was taking him away from everything he ever knew.
"Call me Bobby, everyone does."
***This wasn't as good as my other chapters but tell me what you think. There will be one more chapter. Hopefully I will get that out pretty quickly. Thanks for all your reviews it means a lot.***