Thank you so much for your amazing response on the last chapter, I was really nervous it wouldn't go down well! I may do more of this format, I like Vaas but I want to do him justice, it's challenging!
In this chapter, Alice gets high. And she sinks low.
Thank you so, so much for your support, it means the world to me. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and thanks so much for your kind words. Enjoy :)
When she wakes, Alice is still in the dark. Her head feels like a stone, she can hardly move it. The air is sparse. Her temples beat. She's at the bottom of a tank full of water, but that cannot be right, because she'd be dead. She falls back to sleep.
When she wakes again, Alice understands that she is on a stone floor, it is hot, it is nighttime judging from the noises around her. Her hands are tied up tight behind her back, the gun and holster have gone. There's a pulsating pain at the back of her head. Bright geometrical shapes all round. The bag has finally been removed. Alice manages to push herself up, and blinks her eyes open.
She's somewhere she's never been before. There are fires lit around, giving off an orange glow in the blackness of the night. The walls are grey, there are plants growing out of them and piercing through the paving stones. It may be her imagination but it seems as if the plants are waving at her. The place looks like the inside of some sort of temple, far deeper in the jungle than Alice had ever hoped to venture to. She is feeling more awake,and she remembers, shameful, how easy she was to catch.
But who caught her?
Hoyt? This looks nothing like his camp. Plus, his Privateers weren't local people.
Her abductors were more likely to be either another faction of pirates, or the Rakyat, these warriors Vaas and his pirates keep having to clash with. Why would they want her? Because of her link to Vaas? Why not just kill her, then? What are they planning on bargaining her for? Vaas would never agree to whatever deal they have in mind. 'Dont make me choose', he said. He wouldn't give anything up for her. She just hopes he doesn't think she left with the money.
As her eyes search her surrounding, Alice becomes gradually more and more aware of how strange her head feels. That is, the weight of it. It is lighter than normal. She moves it from side to side, looks down. Then she gets it.
Her hair's been chopped off.
Not all of it, but it has been drastically reduced, roughly chopped up to her neck or chin, when it used to graze her waist. It's a messy cut, she can tell, and the rest of her hair is nowhere to be seen. Vaas is going to be upset about this, she thinks. All the bright shapes are flying and coming out of each other, it's like a kaleidoscope. Is something wrong with her brain?
Alice is more puzzled than frightened, and upon hearing footsteps she looks up to see two very big, very muscly, very tattooed men holding AK-47s. They scowl at her, and she just responds with a questioning shrug. Perhaps it was the blow to the head, perhaps she's finally lost her marbles, but Alice does not feel herself. Or rather, she is herself, but a reduced version, a version that has no fear and no survival instinct. A version that sees colour and forgets gravity. Or maybe she's just given up, maybe she's surrendered to the madness of the island, maybe she's at a point where nothing can scare her, and she's got nothing to lose.
"What?" She asks, and her voice breaks into a chuckle.
No. This isn't right. Is... Is she high?!
The two warriors seem unsure, exchange a look.
"Yeah I think you gave me something a bit strong mate," she laughs again. "Oops, hey?"
They walk to her, grab her arms and pull her to her feet.
"Oopsie daisy!"
The smell of them assaults her nose, as they drag her along a stone corridor. Fish fly past them, melt into the walls.
"Wow someone's a sweaty Betty, bloody hell! It's not me is it? You're not nervous are you?"
She is taken up some stairs, her knees hitting each step, but Alice feels no pain either. This being high thing isn't so bad, she thinks, she could get used to this. In fact, she could have done with being like this right about ages ago, when she first got sucked into this mess.
When they reach the top, it's like a King Kong movie set. Stone walls surround them, the jungle around, dark and deep, and the night sky freckled with sparkling stars above their heads. Fires everywhere, and Alice is dragged to the centre of the opening, and they untie her, tie her again, this time with her arms in the air and her feet barely touching the ground. Like Vaas' hostages were! She thinks happily.
The rakyat are all around, armed, staring at her with very hostile looks on their faces. Alice had thought they were all local, the original inhabitants of the island, and is surprised to see that many look foreign. They stare like they hate her. But why? Do they think she killed Tim? She did kill a couple of them when they caught her... Or is it because she is Vaas' girlfriend? She snorts.
Girlfriend.
She can hear them whispering to each other, sounding mean and menacing in the dark. Alice fights against her bindings, without success. She feels like she is surrounded by bees, aggressive bees, bees ready to plunge on her any second.
Suddenly, everything stops. All heads turn to a particular rakyat who has just made an appearance. This rakyat is slim, shorter. It's a woman.
The woman appears from behind the other warriors, walks slowly towards Alice. She walks like a predator. A panther. Her movements are slow, deliberate, sensual. Her bare feet make no sound on the stone ground, her whole body sways with each step. She walks into the firelight.
The woman has dark golden skin, she wears a short skirt opened at the sides, a short top revealing her firm stomach. She is about Alice's height, but the way she holds her head makes her appear the tallest in the temple. Her black hair is shaved at the sides, gathered into a long Mohawk in the centre. The hair falls to her hips, in dreadlocks. There's a dagger in her hand, the blade reflecting light with each slow, catlike step. She walks closer still.
When she is almost in front of Alice, the woman stops, holds her gaze.
She has the most beautiful face Alice has ever laid eyes on. Sharp, symmetrical, with full, soft pliable lips and the most insanely green eyes in the world. They're green, but a light, blue shade of it, shining bright in the dark. The woman must know her eyes are her best asset, because they are circled with dark, emphasising their other worldliness. She smiles, showing no teeth. A hand perches itself on her hip, a look of contempt twisting her lovely features.
Alice is transfixed.
Where Alice is all round curves and soft edges, this woman is hard, athletic, oozing danger and leadership. Alice likes to think herself fairly fit, especially since she has started diving, but this woman looks utterly limitless.
The translucent eyes roam her sorry little self, the woman's head tilted to the side in quiet study of her prey.
"I am Citra." Starts the woman. She gestured around her. "And these are the Rakyat. My people."
Damn. Even her voice is magnetic. Everything from the gentle tone to the seductive roll of her tongue. She infuses meaning and layers to her words. 'My people', on her lips, sounds like the sexiest, most heartfelt endearment in the world.
"This is our temple."
Alice nods awkwardly.
"Alice. Hello." She wiggles her body. "This is my temple." She laughs.
"You like jokes?" Smiles Citra.
"Speaking of, I feel funny."
Citra circles her, and the dagger blade reflects the light again.
"We know who you are, traitor." She whispers. "We know what you did."
"I didn't kill-"
"And we know where you came from. The sea." Her white teeth finally show as she chuckles. "Vaas calls you a mermaid."
There is a quiet rumble through the crowd as the Rakyat laugh.
"Why am I here?"
The blade flashes bright as it cuts the air and presses, cold, unforgiving, against Alice's throat.
"Do not speak without permission!" Commands Citra. The blade retracts. "You are here because you are a traitor."
Citra takes a few steps away, seemingly lost in thoughts, and when she speaks again she is addressing the crowd rather than Alice.
"Accross this island, Vaas and his pirates kill and enslave our people. Vaas, my own brother, betrayed our people for drugs, whores and money!"
Citra is irresistible. High pitched, shivering with outrage, her voice as it picks up emotion and momentum makes her sound like she's having sex. She is clenching at her heart, her back bent with the pain the memories bring to her.
"He turned away from our people, spat on his birthright and refused my -our- help. He killed our brothers, he chose Hoyt over his own people." She turns to Alice, points at something on an autel nearby. It is Tim's hat. "And now, little mermaid, you have done the same. You have betrayed your people's trust, you have killed our people, for Vaas."
Her eyes widen, full of disbelief, and their opalescent light burns into Alice's skull.
"Vaas was strong. Powerful." She's purring the words. "He could have become the ultimate warrior, worn the tatau. But he turned against us. He enslaves and murders us. But we will claim our island back! I will lead you to victory! Vaas will be killed and our enslaved brothers and sisters, returned to us. I will cut out his heart, just like he did to us!" She is pointing her blade at Alice.
"But we will not kill you. Not yet," she smiles, plays with the dagger in her hands, sways her way back to Alice.
"Vaas has taken many warriors from us. Dear warriors. And we want them back," she is calm, content. "We will swap you, traitor, for them."
Citra has a devious smile on her beautiful lips. Alice is still struggling to find the will to care.
"We needed to send Vaas a message. We needed him to know. But what could we cut off a mermaid? Her legs?" The blade drags along Alice's thighs. "Her tongue?" The tip inches into Alice's throat, not quite breaking the skin. "Her hair." Finishes Citra.
"Hair grows back," says Alice casually, but she is ignored.
"Vaas will bring six warriors back to us, in exchange for his mermaid."
"I'm sorry but I don't think it's going to work... There's no way Vaas is going to sacrifice six hostages for one person. Have you got anything else you can offer? Maybe a gift basket of drugs and weapons or something?"
Citra does not even smile.
"One more word from you, outsider, and I will cut out your tongue." She turns, walks away. Gets something from one of her warriors' pockets, then walks back to Alice.
Whatever she's got in her hand, it is precious, and likely to slip away, as Citra holds it carefully like it was some new born little bird fallen out of the nest. When she reaches Alice, Citra lifts and open her hand, pursues her gorgeous lips together and blows, like she's blowing a kiss. A sparkling powder flies to Alice's nose and mouth, and she coughs it out. "We like you quiet," whispers Citra, and she could not have sounded sexier.
If this is who Tim was helping, thinks Alice, no wonder he thought he was invicible.
"Take her to the meeting point, wait there." Citra calls out, waving a dismissing hand up. It detaches from her body and returns to slap Alice in the face. The girl wants to let out a startled gasp, but her voice isn't working. The warriors open their arms and fly off, high in the night sky, and when she looks ahead Alice sees Vaas, her Vaas, pole dancing in the centre of the temple. He's really good. When was there ever a temple in an ancient pole?
What?
She's at the back of a van now. It's daylight already. The two guys are there, and there's a driver, behind a grid.
"Why do Vaas and Citra not have the same voice? I mean, accent?" She asks.
Silence.
"They're siblings, no?" She's sounding like Vaas. The thought makes her smile. She's probably still high as a kite. It's good, it helps her deal.
"Oy?" Presses Alice, but she gets a slap accross the face.
"That's not an answer. You know, it's ok just to say 'I don't know'."
The van drives on.
"I reeeeeaally need a wee. Seriously. Or a number two, I'm not sure."
Silence.
"Número dos."
Still nothing.
"Poooooooo..."
"Shut up!"
Another slap.
"Oh let's stop here!" She shouts, looking out the back window. There are rice fields everywhere and it looks like the postcards.
"Where are my hands?" Alice looks around, panicked. "You cut off my hands?" She bursts out laughing. "Oh no I found them, they're here! You hid them behind my back you twats!"
She cannot stop laughing. She's got to be mad, so, so mad. Is this what it feels like to be Vaas? It's kind of nice, she feels nothing, everything is funny. She cannot see any limits. Still chuckling, Alice starts wiggling in her seat, stretching her arms painfully until she manages to get her tied hands under her bum, then she folds her legs and gets her arms to be in front of her, as opposed to behind her back. A sway in the road and she loses her balance, collapses onto a guy's knees and he shoves her roughly against the back door.
"Silly sausage," mumbles Alice, pulling herself up. She freezes.
The door handle is right there.
Another curve in the road and the van slows down. Alice presses both hands on the handle, hard, and it opens! She flies out!
She doesn't feel the fall, she's probably looking like she's been rubbed against a massive cheese grater but it doesn't feel too bad. She gets to her knees, the trousers are torn. Now she's standing. A warrior is lying face down on the dust road, he isn't moving. She looks back and sees the van breaking hard, the other warrior jumping out. Alice sets off running in the opposite direction, laughing her head off. This is the best day of my life. I can't wait to tell Vaas!
She runs into the jungle, tries stifling her laughter so as not to betray her position. She runs and runs, falls, gets back up and runs again.
Suddenly she's out in the open, and it's a rice field, and she jumps in, water to her knees. She makes to cross it but her arm is yanked back before she has time to get very far. It's ok though, it's not like she has any idea where she was going anyways. It's the warrior that fell with her. He's all bloody and he looks angry. His hand slams accross her face twice and he pulls out his gun and presses it into her temple. Shouts at her.
Alice is being dragged along, her face is burning but the water feels good around her legs. There's a beeping in her ears, it's coming from the ground around them.
Click.
The warrior freezes.
"Who...?" He says, looking at Alice.
Alice jumps, nothing happens.
"It's you!" She tells him.
The warrior looks down to his feet, but it's impossible to see the land mine while standing on it. Neither of them can tell which foot it is that stepped onto the bomb. It's a miracle they even heard it at all. A miracle Alice has run so far into the field without stepping on one bomb.
"You're so fucked, hermano!"
It's Vaas, it's got to be, who else would say that? He's nowhere to be seen though, and the warrior is throwing her an angry look. Did she say that?
Oh god, what if Vaas never existed and I have been Vaas all along?
Alice is sobering up.
Wait a minute, take it easy. Your face is hurting, and your arms and knees, but we'll deal with that later. Firstly, let's deal with this bomb situation. The warrior is on it, he cannot move. Maybe someone can come and help? But how will they find them? They could be both falling asleep and exploding before they even get found.
"Untie me!"
"No way."
"Look, if you untie me I can go and get the driver and someone will come and help. If we stay here we have no garantee that we will be found."
"Just shut up, let me think."
"Well it's simple mate, can you disarm a land mine? I can't. Do you have a phone? I don't. Are willing to rely on your mates finding you here of all places? I'm not."
She reaches to him, his hand on her arm like an iron claw.
"Look me in the eyes. Let me go, I will get them, they will come and help. It's our only chance. I won't leave you here to die, I promise! I don't know what Vaas and Citra told you but I'm not a murderer, I didn't kill Tim."
"You killed our warriors when we came to get you." He is spiteful, but hesitating.
"I had no idea who you were. Imagine yourself in my place, no one told me anything, no one introduced themselves, I just got jumped by ten guys!" She pleads, softens her voice, unleashes her full pitiful-civilised-quiet-compassionate English girl gear on him. "Please, please let me go and get them. I wouldn't have anywhere to run to, I would be found. I'll just go back to the van, tell them where you are. If I do that, will you give me some water to drink? I'm thirsty."
This is better, she realises, let him think she wants something in exchange. He doesn't believe in nobleness of the soul, he doesn't trust her.
"You want water?"
"Please. Water, and no one slaps me again. And you answer my questions. I'll go and get help, ok?"
He's thinking about it. Or maybe he's thinking of his family, his girlfriend. Boyfriend?
"Ok. You get help, I give you water, no one hits you again and I answer your questions."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He lets go of her arm, and Alice steps back, away, leaves the field. She sets off running towards the jungle again, leaving the warrior there. Her smile is mad, like the Cheshire cat's.
Vaas would be proud.
She's free.