~Chapter 20~
Hours went by and Max and Victoria were left in the dark as to what was to become of them.
"What do you want from us!" Max shouted, tired of sitting in that white room day in and out. "I know you can see us!" He shouted to the glass. "What the hell do you want?!"
A voice came through an intercom into their room. "Since you are so eager to learn what you can do for me, then I will oblige you."
Two men came into the white room and to Max. "He will see you now."
They took Max away. This time, Victoria had to wait for him to come back - worrying all the while.
-
When Max came back not too long later, Victoria went to him. He looked a bit shaken, but not hurt.
"Max", Victoria said, coming to him. ".Max what did he say?"
Max didn't look at her. He walked around her and turned to the wall, thinking.
"What is it? You can tell me." Victoria went to him. "In fact, please tell me. Don't try to spare me from anything."
Max sighed and said, ".He wants us to - be together."
"I don't understand." -Victoria.
Max finally turned and looked at her. "He wants us to have sex."
"Why?!" Victoria asked in surprise.
"I don't know." - Max.
"But that's crazy! Max- what did you tell him.?!..." -Victoria.
"I told him no of course." Max said. "But he said he would make sure we did."
"That's not possible." -Victoria.
"Oh, Victoria, I don't know." -Max sighed deeply and slid against the wall to sit. "For whatever crazy reason he wants that to happen is beside the point - I know he's going to make sure whatever he wants gets done."
"I can't do it. To Michael-" Victoria said, as she sat looking at him.
Max laughed, completely devoid of humor, but he smiled at her with some warmth. "Nor I to Liz you know. But look where we are and how absurd it is for us to be even having this discussion."
Victoria nodded.
"You really are loyal." Max said, looking at her seriously now. He was going to say something else when Bryce strode in, several men at his back.
"Well? Are you going to get down to business?" -Bryce.
Max stood up. "I told you NO."
"I really don't know why you two always have to oppose me especially when you should know I will have my way regardless of your pathetic agreeance." -Bryce.
The men came to Max. Max and Victoria fought against them again, but without their powers they were outmatched and outnumbered as usual in this place. They took hold of Max and pushed Victoria back to the floor.
They took Max out. Bryce turned a look back to Victoria. "You two will obey. You will just have to be made to see the consequences of your refusals."
"Max!" Victoria cried out, on the floor when the door slid closed and left her in solitary confinement.
The floor was cold. She wrapped her arms around herself. She tried to use her powers to make contact with Michael, but the metal band around her head somehow prevented her from doing so - and all she was rewarded for her efforts was jolts of pain.'
Max came later. She could not know how many hours had passed. There was no time in this place. No light or day, but this bright light and white walls and cold, white floor. And this agonizing, useless waiting. She knew they hurt him -somehow she just knew.
At her first look at Max, she was appalled. They were alone again. He stumbled over to her, where she had her back against the wall.
"Max. what did they do to you?" She asked, reaching out her arms to him. He sat down next to her and shook his head. His eyes were dark with circles. He was pale and there were marks on him. He looked cold - wearing nothing but the drawstring pants.
Max shook his head. A sob caught in her throat, without tears. She reached to him and inclined his head to her drawn up knees and held him.
"I'm sorry." She said, her head next to his. She kissed his forehead and held him in comfort and attempted to give him warmth.
-
The next time Bryce came, he took Victoria. Max was pacing back and forth. "Why her? Take me again, you son of a bitch!" He screamed to the four walls.
Victoria came back. He went to her and embraced her, his strength still lacking. His bruises showed. He looked into her eyes and she looked rather vague. He sat her down. She leaned against him, so quiet. He didn't have to ask her if she was okay. She wasn't - neither of them was. Bryce's efforts to break them were becoming more fierce.
"A terrible, terrible plan he has for us. Terrible plan." Victoria murmured into Max's shoulder. She wouldn't elaborate. She didn't cry. She just kept her eyes closed.
- - -
Lonnie looked at the both of them, from outside the glass. She frowned.
When Bryce walked up to her, she said, "Ya know Patrick, ya could kill them, but they might not break. Ya should use them against one another. As in, they want to keep each other safe. I think she would be more agreeable to everything if he was. So. use her. The only way to make him agreeable is if ya play that card. Use her." She then asked, "Whatdya think?"
"I think you did good with that observation." -Bryce.
She sidled over to him and fingered his collar. "Ya know I can do a lot more good for you."
- - -
The next time they came - Max went in front of Victoria. "Take me!"
They took Victoria. He waited for her to come back and he swore they wouldn't take her again.
When she came back in, she stayed on the floor where they put her.
When they turned to go, he jumped them. Max fought them furiously. He did some damage, even in his weakened state. They took him away.
- - - - satan, you know where i lie
gently i go into that good night
all our lives get complicated
search for pleasures overrated
never armed our souls
for what the future would hold
when we were innocent
.
angels lend me your might
forfeit all my lives to get just one right
all those colors long since faded
all our smiles all confiscated
never were we told
we'd be bought and sold
when we were innocent .
this prayer is for me tonight
this far down that line and still ain't got it right
and while confessions not yet stated
our next sin is contemplated
never did we know
what the future would hold
or that we'd be bought and sold
we were innocent
-(by Remy Zero) ===================================== - -
While Max was gone, Lonnie paid Victoria a visit.
"Stupid little queen aren't ya?" She said, as she looked down at Victoria.
Victoria looked up from the floor. "Go away."
"I bet ya can't make me." -Lonnie.
No answer.
"Look, I know the two of ya are estranged - 'cause that life and all. Even though Max doesn't know why - I know that you know that I know. But don't ya care about him a little still?" -Lonnie baited.
"Of course I do." -Victoria.
Lonnie stooped down. "Then why don't ya just give in. Do whatever Bryce wants. Max is gonna keep fighting, especially for you. Do you want him to be killed?"
"He won't kill him. He needs him for his plan." -Victoria argued.
"But what about after" -Lonnie.
"Why are you so happy about it?" -Victoria.
"Because I know I'm gonna get what I want in the end, because Bryce is gonna get what he wants first. It's crazy to refuse." -Lonnie.
"And you're crazy for being our enemy." -Victoria.
"Hey, watch who you call an enemy. You may just be one as well." -Lonnie.
"Never." -Victoria.
"Not so many decades ago-" -Lonnie started.
"Shut up." -Victoria.
Lonnie laughed and stood. "Well, I'll ignore your sarcasm and give ya my advice anyhow. It's simple. If ya don't want Max to suffer anymore - give in. Besides, it shouldn't be all that bad. At least the first part of the plan."
Victoria closed her eyes, and laid her cheek back against the cold floor after Lonnie left.
-
"Stop this righteous refusal!" Bryce said as he stood looking down at him. Max was restrained on a table, though fighting against it. "You can't hold out forever. Do you want me to bring your queen in alongside you?"
"Leave her out of this!" Max yelled.
"But that's not possible. My research can't work without her. If this very complex procedure could be accomplished in a test tube like with humans, then I would have already done so. However that is not the case, so it must be done the old-fashioned way. " -Bryce. He continued, "She's beautiful and you seem to care about her. What is the problem?"
"Why do you want us to do that? Why?!" Max railed.
"She didn't tell you?" Bryce said. He looked down at Max. "Well to conceive a child of course. The conception of the child is part of my plan. From what I've learned, the offspring from the two of you will be superb in every way and even superior to the both of you. The joining should produce a perfect subject for my research."
"Ready to comply now?" -Bryce.
"Noooo!" Max struggled, shaken with rage and surprise.
"Let's loosen you up then." -Bryce said.
The men with the briefcases came to him.
-
"Max!" Victoria was startled awake when the sliding of the door broke the utter silence. He was dropped on the floor and they were gone as usual.
She crawled over to him and saw that he didn't move. He didn't respond to her. She cradled his head in her arms and tried to awaken him. He was alive, but he was unconscious and his forehead was burning up.
Hours upon hours for all she knew - he stayed in a fitful sleep wracked with nightmares. She cried over him for she couldn't help him much.
When he did regain consciousness, Victoria was there looking at him, laying beside him, holding a wet cloth to his forehead. ".he wants .." Max struggled to speak.
"I know." Victoria said, hushing him. "wants to do - -wants a child." Max finished.
"I know.I know." Victoria whispered to him.
Max sat up with her assistance. "We can't let him do that - to put a child in his hands. We can't--"
"I know, Max." They embraced in a hug. "What are we going to do?" Victoria wondered softly aloud.
- The next day:
"That's it." -Bryce said, as he strode into the room. The two instinctively stood, but stood closer and as far against the wall as they could. "You two have had more than an ample amount of time to come to your senses and perform your task. You haven't - not even once and you've been in this facility for more than four days." He strode in anger with several men with him.
It started with the hit to Victoria's face from Bryce himself. Then Max stepped in and the men beat him. The two fought with the men. They were both bruised and bleeding.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Max shouted. "I'll do what you want. We'll do it---" They let go of him and he fell to the floor beside her.
"Just go!" He yelled at Bryce. "I'll do it."
"Make sure that you do." -Bryce said as he looked down at the both of them.
He motioned to the men to leave and he proceeded them.
When they were alone, Victoria said quietly in confusion, ".Max."
"He scooted over to her side. "Victoria we have to both make it out of here. alive. Neither of us can take much more. We have to-"
Victoria interrupted in protest. "But---"
"No," Max said, putting a finger to her lips. ".And I can't stand seeing you like this. Maybe I could hold out longer, but you--- I can end this for us." He stroked her long hair tenderly. "But if you tell me no, I won't."
Victoria looked at him. She nodded slightly.
He embraced her in a hug. "They are watching us-" -Victoria said.
"He put his forehead against hers. "Close your eyes. Pretend there is no one else." He kissed her cheek and eyes and lips. He took her hands and intertwined them with his and murmured against her lips. "There is no one else - okay?"
"Okay." She whispered.
A tear slid down her cheek. She wasn't certain if it was from the pain of their beating, or fear from their situation, or hurt because Max hurt - even though she didn't want to feel it, she felt it. Or maybe it was as much, because of their trauma as to their joining. It was in such a cold situation - but it was with Max. And even though she didn't want to, she agreed to do it because of Max. And after a while, the white room did disappear and there was only him and her. A long-ago husband and wife were reunited. Their stars welcomed them behind their closed eyes. They were home, as whether they liked it or not - they were the greatest symbol of their true world - and for a moment they touched the stars of their home. And it was nothing if bittersweet.
-
+
It's the dark night of my soul
And temptation's taking hold
But through the pain and the suffering
Through the heartache and trembling .
I feel loved
I feel loved
.
As the darkness closes in
In my head I hear whispering
Questioning and beckoning
But I'm not taken in
.
I feel loved
I feel loved
.
From the depths of my emptiness
Comes a feeling of inner bliss
I feel wanted, I feel desired
I can feel my soul on fire
.
I feel loved
I feel loved
- (by Depeche Mode)
Hours went by and Max and Victoria were left in the dark as to what was to become of them.
"What do you want from us!" Max shouted, tired of sitting in that white room day in and out. "I know you can see us!" He shouted to the glass. "What the hell do you want?!"
A voice came through an intercom into their room. "Since you are so eager to learn what you can do for me, then I will oblige you."
Two men came into the white room and to Max. "He will see you now."
They took Max away. This time, Victoria had to wait for him to come back - worrying all the while.
-
When Max came back not too long later, Victoria went to him. He looked a bit shaken, but not hurt.
"Max", Victoria said, coming to him. ".Max what did he say?"
Max didn't look at her. He walked around her and turned to the wall, thinking.
"What is it? You can tell me." Victoria went to him. "In fact, please tell me. Don't try to spare me from anything."
Max sighed and said, ".He wants us to - be together."
"I don't understand." -Victoria.
Max finally turned and looked at her. "He wants us to have sex."
"Why?!" Victoria asked in surprise.
"I don't know." - Max.
"But that's crazy! Max- what did you tell him.?!..." -Victoria.
"I told him no of course." Max said. "But he said he would make sure we did."
"That's not possible." -Victoria.
"Oh, Victoria, I don't know." -Max sighed deeply and slid against the wall to sit. "For whatever crazy reason he wants that to happen is beside the point - I know he's going to make sure whatever he wants gets done."
"I can't do it. To Michael-" Victoria said, as she sat looking at him.
Max laughed, completely devoid of humor, but he smiled at her with some warmth. "Nor I to Liz you know. But look where we are and how absurd it is for us to be even having this discussion."
Victoria nodded.
"You really are loyal." Max said, looking at her seriously now. He was going to say something else when Bryce strode in, several men at his back.
"Well? Are you going to get down to business?" -Bryce.
Max stood up. "I told you NO."
"I really don't know why you two always have to oppose me especially when you should know I will have my way regardless of your pathetic agreeance." -Bryce.
The men came to Max. Max and Victoria fought against them again, but without their powers they were outmatched and outnumbered as usual in this place. They took hold of Max and pushed Victoria back to the floor.
They took Max out. Bryce turned a look back to Victoria. "You two will obey. You will just have to be made to see the consequences of your refusals."
"Max!" Victoria cried out, on the floor when the door slid closed and left her in solitary confinement.
The floor was cold. She wrapped her arms around herself. She tried to use her powers to make contact with Michael, but the metal band around her head somehow prevented her from doing so - and all she was rewarded for her efforts was jolts of pain.'
Max came later. She could not know how many hours had passed. There was no time in this place. No light or day, but this bright light and white walls and cold, white floor. And this agonizing, useless waiting. She knew they hurt him -somehow she just knew.
At her first look at Max, she was appalled. They were alone again. He stumbled over to her, where she had her back against the wall.
"Max. what did they do to you?" She asked, reaching out her arms to him. He sat down next to her and shook his head. His eyes were dark with circles. He was pale and there were marks on him. He looked cold - wearing nothing but the drawstring pants.
Max shook his head. A sob caught in her throat, without tears. She reached to him and inclined his head to her drawn up knees and held him.
"I'm sorry." She said, her head next to his. She kissed his forehead and held him in comfort and attempted to give him warmth.
-
The next time Bryce came, he took Victoria. Max was pacing back and forth. "Why her? Take me again, you son of a bitch!" He screamed to the four walls.
Victoria came back. He went to her and embraced her, his strength still lacking. His bruises showed. He looked into her eyes and she looked rather vague. He sat her down. She leaned against him, so quiet. He didn't have to ask her if she was okay. She wasn't - neither of them was. Bryce's efforts to break them were becoming more fierce.
"A terrible, terrible plan he has for us. Terrible plan." Victoria murmured into Max's shoulder. She wouldn't elaborate. She didn't cry. She just kept her eyes closed.
- - -
Lonnie looked at the both of them, from outside the glass. She frowned.
When Bryce walked up to her, she said, "Ya know Patrick, ya could kill them, but they might not break. Ya should use them against one another. As in, they want to keep each other safe. I think she would be more agreeable to everything if he was. So. use her. The only way to make him agreeable is if ya play that card. Use her." She then asked, "Whatdya think?"
"I think you did good with that observation." -Bryce.
She sidled over to him and fingered his collar. "Ya know I can do a lot more good for you."
- - -
The next time they came - Max went in front of Victoria. "Take me!"
They took Victoria. He waited for her to come back and he swore they wouldn't take her again.
When she came back in, she stayed on the floor where they put her.
When they turned to go, he jumped them. Max fought them furiously. He did some damage, even in his weakened state. They took him away.
- - - - satan, you know where i lie
gently i go into that good night
all our lives get complicated
search for pleasures overrated
never armed our souls
for what the future would hold
when we were innocent
.
angels lend me your might
forfeit all my lives to get just one right
all those colors long since faded
all our smiles all confiscated
never were we told
we'd be bought and sold
when we were innocent .
this prayer is for me tonight
this far down that line and still ain't got it right
and while confessions not yet stated
our next sin is contemplated
never did we know
what the future would hold
or that we'd be bought and sold
we were innocent
-(by Remy Zero) ===================================== - -
While Max was gone, Lonnie paid Victoria a visit.
"Stupid little queen aren't ya?" She said, as she looked down at Victoria.
Victoria looked up from the floor. "Go away."
"I bet ya can't make me." -Lonnie.
No answer.
"Look, I know the two of ya are estranged - 'cause that life and all. Even though Max doesn't know why - I know that you know that I know. But don't ya care about him a little still?" -Lonnie baited.
"Of course I do." -Victoria.
Lonnie stooped down. "Then why don't ya just give in. Do whatever Bryce wants. Max is gonna keep fighting, especially for you. Do you want him to be killed?"
"He won't kill him. He needs him for his plan." -Victoria argued.
"But what about after" -Lonnie.
"Why are you so happy about it?" -Victoria.
"Because I know I'm gonna get what I want in the end, because Bryce is gonna get what he wants first. It's crazy to refuse." -Lonnie.
"And you're crazy for being our enemy." -Victoria.
"Hey, watch who you call an enemy. You may just be one as well." -Lonnie.
"Never." -Victoria.
"Not so many decades ago-" -Lonnie started.
"Shut up." -Victoria.
Lonnie laughed and stood. "Well, I'll ignore your sarcasm and give ya my advice anyhow. It's simple. If ya don't want Max to suffer anymore - give in. Besides, it shouldn't be all that bad. At least the first part of the plan."
Victoria closed her eyes, and laid her cheek back against the cold floor after Lonnie left.
-
"Stop this righteous refusal!" Bryce said as he stood looking down at him. Max was restrained on a table, though fighting against it. "You can't hold out forever. Do you want me to bring your queen in alongside you?"
"Leave her out of this!" Max yelled.
"But that's not possible. My research can't work without her. If this very complex procedure could be accomplished in a test tube like with humans, then I would have already done so. However that is not the case, so it must be done the old-fashioned way. " -Bryce. He continued, "She's beautiful and you seem to care about her. What is the problem?"
"Why do you want us to do that? Why?!" Max railed.
"She didn't tell you?" Bryce said. He looked down at Max. "Well to conceive a child of course. The conception of the child is part of my plan. From what I've learned, the offspring from the two of you will be superb in every way and even superior to the both of you. The joining should produce a perfect subject for my research."
"Ready to comply now?" -Bryce.
"Noooo!" Max struggled, shaken with rage and surprise.
"Let's loosen you up then." -Bryce said.
The men with the briefcases came to him.
-
"Max!" Victoria was startled awake when the sliding of the door broke the utter silence. He was dropped on the floor and they were gone as usual.
She crawled over to him and saw that he didn't move. He didn't respond to her. She cradled his head in her arms and tried to awaken him. He was alive, but he was unconscious and his forehead was burning up.
Hours upon hours for all she knew - he stayed in a fitful sleep wracked with nightmares. She cried over him for she couldn't help him much.
When he did regain consciousness, Victoria was there looking at him, laying beside him, holding a wet cloth to his forehead. ".he wants .." Max struggled to speak.
"I know." Victoria said, hushing him. "wants to do - -wants a child." Max finished.
"I know.I know." Victoria whispered to him.
Max sat up with her assistance. "We can't let him do that - to put a child in his hands. We can't--"
"I know, Max." They embraced in a hug. "What are we going to do?" Victoria wondered softly aloud.
- The next day:
"That's it." -Bryce said, as he strode into the room. The two instinctively stood, but stood closer and as far against the wall as they could. "You two have had more than an ample amount of time to come to your senses and perform your task. You haven't - not even once and you've been in this facility for more than four days." He strode in anger with several men with him.
It started with the hit to Victoria's face from Bryce himself. Then Max stepped in and the men beat him. The two fought with the men. They were both bruised and bleeding.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Max shouted. "I'll do what you want. We'll do it---" They let go of him and he fell to the floor beside her.
"Just go!" He yelled at Bryce. "I'll do it."
"Make sure that you do." -Bryce said as he looked down at the both of them.
He motioned to the men to leave and he proceeded them.
When they were alone, Victoria said quietly in confusion, ".Max."
"He scooted over to her side. "Victoria we have to both make it out of here. alive. Neither of us can take much more. We have to-"
Victoria interrupted in protest. "But---"
"No," Max said, putting a finger to her lips. ".And I can't stand seeing you like this. Maybe I could hold out longer, but you--- I can end this for us." He stroked her long hair tenderly. "But if you tell me no, I won't."
Victoria looked at him. She nodded slightly.
He embraced her in a hug. "They are watching us-" -Victoria said.
"He put his forehead against hers. "Close your eyes. Pretend there is no one else." He kissed her cheek and eyes and lips. He took her hands and intertwined them with his and murmured against her lips. "There is no one else - okay?"
"Okay." She whispered.
A tear slid down her cheek. She wasn't certain if it was from the pain of their beating, or fear from their situation, or hurt because Max hurt - even though she didn't want to feel it, she felt it. Or maybe it was as much, because of their trauma as to their joining. It was in such a cold situation - but it was with Max. And even though she didn't want to, she agreed to do it because of Max. And after a while, the white room did disappear and there was only him and her. A long-ago husband and wife were reunited. Their stars welcomed them behind their closed eyes. They were home, as whether they liked it or not - they were the greatest symbol of their true world - and for a moment they touched the stars of their home. And it was nothing if bittersweet.
-
+
It's the dark night of my soul
And temptation's taking hold
But through the pain and the suffering
Through the heartache and trembling .
I feel loved
I feel loved
.
As the darkness closes in
In my head I hear whispering
Questioning and beckoning
But I'm not taken in
.
I feel loved
I feel loved
.
From the depths of my emptiness
Comes a feeling of inner bliss
I feel wanted, I feel desired
I can feel my soul on fire
.
I feel loved
I feel loved
- (by Depeche Mode)