Chapter 5

I awoke sitting on the floor, leaning against a standard issue jail cell bed. My arms ached and my head was pounding. All the memories came flooding back almost instantly. My family was killed in front of my eyes. I was in custody of the icy Secretary Delacourt. I was sure to face death row, which was the only solace I found now in my ravaged young life.

A harsh clanging sounded from down the hallway outside my cell. The door opened quietly. After several moments of deliberation, I rose, supporting myself on the bed frame. I heard a sudden crash come from the room beyond. I crawled forward on the floor to the open door, peering cautiously around the corner. There didn't seem to be any Armadyne droids around. Other than a dull beeping sound, the hallway seemed to be deserted. I got to my feet and listened again for the sound. Surely enough, another clang sounded, with more of a thud against stone. A roar of anger sounded shortly thereafter.

Electrified with fear and curiosity, I took my leave of the cell. As I slunk down the hallway, I kept to the wall and low to the ground. Another roar echoed through the hallway and another harsh clang of metal sounded. I looked cautiously around a corner, where a loud growl emanated. It was a guttural sound; one full of anger and pain. I stifled a gasp as I saw something I would have believed impossible, had I not seen it with my own eyes.

Deputy Tweedy stood, glaring down towards the floor, a bloodied katana in his hand. He appeared to be fully healed; he must've slunk away as soon as we reached Elysium to heal himself on a Medbay, the bastard.

On the floor…was Kruger.

My eyes widened as I realized what Tweedy was glaring at. Kruger lay on the floor, beneath the heavy foot of his ex-comrade, who appeared to be hell-bent on gaining revenge. Kruger had such a look of hatred on his battered face that I started to tremble from my hiding place. Tweedy held the end of the long rectangular blade at Kruger's throat. Never before had I seen Kruger so vulnerable; he rightly deserved it, however.

"You know what I'm going to do to your little princess, Kruga?" Tweedy traced the blade along Kruger's face. "I'm gonna cut her up… just like what I'm about to do to you…" Tweedy pressed the blade to Kruger's cheek, and drew out a long slash on both. Kruger didn't flinch at all; one could almost admire his stillness and control. He glowered at Tweedy with eyes as black as voids. "You know, Kruga," Tweedy continued. "I almost died under your tyranny, you miserable fuck. But look at me now!" He leaned down close, baring his teeth at Kruger, who still glowered. "I'm gonna go fuck your little pretty while you bleed out and watch…"

In one surprisingly fluid movement, Tweedy grabbed Kruger by the neck and slammed him against the wall. Kruger's head hit the wall with such impact that cracks appeared behind it. Kruger looked as if he was about to pass out. I believed Kruger was the devil incarnate, and that he could not feel pain, but seeing him here now, I almost felt pity.

"Adios, you filthy bastard."

Tweedy plunged the katana into Kruger's chest, slicing expertly between the ribs. I stifled another shocked gasp, desperately trying to tear my eyes away from the violence. It was like watching a cobra fighting a mongoose; both frighteningly vicious, and willing to fight to the death. The most terrifying thing about this situation was that I found myself silently aching for the cobra to win.

Kruger sputtered violently, blood spewing forth from his lips and running through his beard. I heard the blade clang against the stone wall on the other side of Kruger's body. Tweedy smiled cruelly, Kruger's blood on his face, as he twisted the blade in his commander's chest. "Where is that little princess of yours?"

Tweedy stalked away from Kruger, but not before delivering a vicious hook to his already battered complexion. Kruger slumped forward, grasping the blade's handle as blood poured from his face, pooling on the floor.

My attention turned back to Tweedy, who was approaching my cell. I noticed for the first time that he had some sort of metal apparatus attached to his chest and arms. His strength must have come from that; it would have explained how he cracked the wall with Kruger's skull and dragged him up from the floor so quickly.

I scrambled around the corner where I was hiding, looking around desperately for a hiding place. I shuffled on my knees towards a covered section of the hallway, holding my breath, hoping I would go unnoticed. I held my breath for dreadfully long moments. Tweedy suddenly rounded the corner and roared, "Surprise, bunny!"

As Tweedy opened his mouth, the very blade he had used to lacerate Kruger with moments ago, now protruded from his mouth like a bizarre metal tongue. The blade retracted as quickly as it had appeared and made a cutting motion through the air. It barely made a noise as the blade cut through the tender flesh of Tweedy's exposed neck. The deputy hung in the air for several seconds before his head began to slide off his shoulders. His head hit the ground in front of me with a soft thud.

I sat, petrified beyond my wits as I stared, mouth gaping back at Tweedy's own gaping mouth. Blood seeped out from the head's chubby face, pooling on the floor. I could see my own reflection in the scarlet puddle. I did not recognize the young woman who stared back at me.

"Prick…"

Kruger dropped to his knees just behind his deputy's decapitated body, a bloody katana in his hand. He fell forward, defeated.

What I did next would shock anyone, but it stupefied me most of all.

Against all of my instincts, I crawled forward to the dying cobra's side. I quickly examined Kruger's wounds and injuries. I had not realized the full extent of his injuries. It was a true marvel as to how he was still alive after Tweedy had punished him so harshly, let alone the fact that he was able to decapitate his comrade in one fluid movement. He should have died as soon as the katana punctured his heart.

In my three years on Earth, I had learned how to treat my own injuries and those who came to me for help. I was no doctor, but I could save a life. I did not yet know if the decision to save Kruger's life was the right one.

I leaned down to listen if Kruger was still breathing. I waited a long time before I heard a quick, raspy gasp for air. Without any fight from him, I rolled Kruger onto his side. He was surprisingly light without his armour, or perhaps it was due to the massive amount of blood that he lost. The entry wound where the katana had twisted was gaping. Blood was seeping out slowly, so I knew that no critical artery had been severed. Internal bleeding was obvious and Kruger would die shortly.

Once again, I debated whether or not I should save him. He was a murderer who worked for the scum of Elysium. Then I remembered that he had saved my dignity, and my life, twice, from the same predator.

My pity for him eventually won out over my morals. My family was dead, and I wanted out of Elysium. Kruger was the only one who could get me back to Earth.

I tore off a long piece of the cheap material I wore as a prison jumpsuit. I jammed it up against Kruger's chest wound and wound another around it. He winced, which induced a flinch from me. After he sighed gently and didn't react further, I carried on bandaging him. I rearranged his battered person into recovery position. I had no idea how much longer he would live. I had to hurry.

I took a small knife from Kruger's belt for protection against human security. Leaving him lying in there, I sprinted down the hallway, listening desperately for the recognizable hum of an Elysian Medbay. I had no idea if it would work for Kruger, however. He was a citizen of Earth, technically, but an agent for the Civil Cooperation Bureau. There was a chance one would heal him.

I found one in the jail keeper's office, which was occupied by one guard. The lack of security in this place was ludicrous, but I guess no time is wasted looking after prisoners when there is champagne to drink and candles to smell.

The lone guard was facing away from me, unaware of my presence. I crept up quietly to the glass door, opening it with ease after quickly picking the lock with the knife. I crouched low to the ground, like a predator stalking its prey, hungry for the kill.