The Turncoats (The Thirteenth Series #2) (13 page)

Zac took Val’s hand. “We need to leave. Now.” He pulled her along.

The same guard pushed in front of them. “Wait. Sorry, what is your name now? Oh yes, Zac. Let’s have a chat with your precious reject, guard.” He stood in front of Zac, forcing them to stop.

“Look thirty-three twenty-six, I just need to get her back home. We don’t want any trouble.” Zac tried to move around him, but the guard wasn’t going to give in that easily and side stepped.

“What can your precious reject do,
Zac
?”

At this point Val had had enough. She had been called reject five times in as many minutes and her hunter was being bullied by some second rate guard who was particularly ugly in her opinion. Zac was about to start another round of ‘please let us pass’ when Val moved in for the strike. Taking her sword out, she moved swiftly around Zac, pulling him back, as if they were dancing.

“Zac’s reject guard can do this,” she said, slipping the tip of her sword under his chin. As she moved in closer to his face he began to shake with the tazer. She felt the others start to move away from them and she felt empowered. “Then she is going to do this,” she continued, smiling sweetly at him while her knee came up hard into his stomach. He bent over, completely winded by the blow, and dropped to the ground. There was a communal gasp of shock. They had never seen anything like her before and now they had to doubt whether what they had been told about her was true.

“Would anyone else like to chat with the rejects?” Val challenged them as she closed her sword and popped it neatly into her back pocket. There was silence. “No? Then we will be off to catch a few more of those prisoners.” She bowed and kicked the guard, who was now quivering on the ground, with the corner of her shoe. Zac squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back and they headed out, entering the portal together. When they arrived back at her flat they were both standing a little taller.

“Ok. Now you can tell me about this Judge thing you were shouting about.” Val sat on the bed.

Zac looked uncomfortable. “This must be our secret, as you call it. Like your friend Delta,”

“Ex,” Val added.

“Yes ex. When you were fighting with the Bendicks and Wendy created that spell to disguise the witch so no one would recognise her, I had a signal on my watch. It was only for a split second, but I know it can’t be wrong. It was a judge. And if there is a Judge here on Earth, something is really wrong and we need to know about it.” Zac was doing his pacing act.

“So how close would a Judge need to be for you to get a reading?”

“I’m not sure. Their energy is so strong, and it was literally a split second burst.” Zac stopped and slumped down on the bed next to Val. “Do you think I’m crazy?” he looked at her.

“No, I’m just so pleased that you’re a reject like me.” She patted his hand.

“Yes, that is another story, but we have more pressing issues like Excariot and his witch. And how come you didn’t want to wait for me and teleported yourself?”

“Well, on one the hand I was just a little sick and tired of feeling like I have nothing to offer. Wendy does the magic stuff and Wendy works my dellatrax, and I just wanted to get your attention. You’re
my
hunter. We bonded, no one else.” Val was beginning to realise how silly she sounded.

“You must learn that you are more vulnerable when you split your emotions, between what you call ego, jealousy, fear and all the other strange things you humans suffer with. To work well and to receive the desired outcome you must be focused and trust that everything I do is to make our job easier.”

“So we’re a team then?” Val searched Zac’s face for an answer.

“Like you said, we are connected; there is no power stronger than our link. The dellatrax is just a small part of your ability; Wendy is powerful and you should just be happy that you have her.”

“Ah yes, and on the other hand, the dellatrax: I used it! That’s how I got the message about the girl, and that’s why I left in such a hurry. I thought she was in danger.”

“No more than you going in alone. Tell me more while we have a coffee.” Zac patted her on the shoulder. “We must go and see the others.” He stood up and then lurched to the side unexpectedly.

“Zac! What’s wrong?” Val tried to grab him, but he was too heavy. He started to shake violently and then collapsed onto the floor.

“Shane! Jason!” Val screamed at the top of her voice, holding Zac’s head in her lap. “Please help me, Shane!” Val kept screaming until she heard the private door fly open.

“Val what’s wrong?” Shane was calling as he pounded up the stairs.

“It’s Zac. He’s just collapsed. Help him, please Shane,” she pleaded.

“He doesn’t look good. We need to get him to a hospital,” Jason said as he came up behind Shane.

“Not as easy as you would think, son; he’s not human remember.” Shane felt Zac’s wrist for a pulse. Wendy and Fran, who had also arrived in the room, could do nothing but watch Val and Zac’s plight.

“Help me get him up,” Val demanded.

“What are you thinking?” Shane lifted him.

“I have to take him home.” She was already standing with Zac’s limp arm over her shoulder.

“We can’t follow you there, but with Zac like this, who’s going to protect you?”

Shane’s concerns were Val’s too, but she needed speed at this moment, not doubt. “Just help me.”

Shane and Jason helped her to the edge of the portal she had only moments earlier exited. Taking the strain of Zac’s weight, she signalled for them to move back. “I’ve got you,” she whispered in Zac’s ear as they passed through the portal. This time she entered with confidence.

Val, still holding tightly onto Zac’s limp body, landed on top of a group of Collectors. She didn’t care much as they had cushioned his landing. She lowered him gently on to the polished floor.

“You!” she grabbed a Collector, who was struggling to get back to her feet. “Help me now,” she demanded, holding her by the arm. This was clearly not a request and the Collector saw that her only option was to assist.

“Call the Mechanics!” the small woman shouted. The others started to bustle around, passing on the message. She gently put her hand onto Val’s. “Please, Val, you’re hurting me.”

It was the unexpected fact that she knew her name that made Val release her. Slumping down to Zac’s side, she pulled up his head and placed it gently on her lap. She stroked his hair and she whispered into his ear, “Someone’s coming; you’ll be ok. I won’t leave you, you’re my hunter, I need you.”

“Twenty- three thirteen,” a large man called into the crowd.

Val quickly got to her feet. “We’re here, hurry.” She waved her arms frantically, but unnecessarily; now she was standing it became apparent that she was the only person over four feet tall. The Mechanic waded through the Collectors with no regard for their wellbeing. Val watched them disperse, mumbling complaints under their breath. His uniform, like the man Zac had been speaking to earlier, was a different colour: in this case a bright canary yellow with a thick black band around the middle.

“Right, what do we have here?” He leant down with what looked like one of those luminous disco sticks. Gradually he moved over Zac’s lifeless body. Val watched as it flashed all the colours of the rainbow. He tutted a little and then huffed. She had never seen anything so ridiculous in her life.

“Aren’t you going to get him to a hospital or something?” Val asked, agitation in her tone.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t save people here. If they are going to make it then they will; if not, we dispose of them and move on.” He carried on with the light show.

“You can’t be serious! He belongs here. He’s one of your hunters.” At this point Val was considering damage control as her stress levels were beginning to spiral.

“Look, twenty-three thirteen, I just do my job same as everyone else here. He’s not going to die, although there is something wrong. I will take him to his quarters and you can watch over him there, ok?” The Mechanic stood up and, using the light stick in one hand and what looked like a small silver plate resting on his palm, he levitated Zac.

“You do that. There’s someone I need to talk to first,” Val replied. She was going to sort this out. As she walked through the Collectors, forcing them to scatter yet again, a million thoughts were slamming though her head. No one cared about anyone on this planet. They were just employees with no health benefits. She placed her bracelet against the wall and walked into the chaos of the guards and hunters on the other side. She wasn’t sure what she was going to say, but she was going to get to the top and to do that she needed directions. Reaching out she grabbed the first person she could get her hands on: a thin hunter with flaming red hair.

“Oy!” He started to struggle, but thought better of it when he saw who had him, “What do you want reject?” he grunted, distain in his tone.

“The Warden.” she pushed him forward.

“You can’t be serious. He won’t see you without good reason.” Val ignored the certainty in his voice. She wasn’t going to listen to anyone until she had answers.

“You have two options. You can show me where he is or I’ll use my magical powers on you. I will make your eyeballs swell until they explode in your head.” She pulled him to a standstill, pressing her face close to his. “So, what do you choose?”

“You can’t do that,” he responded nervously.

“Try me.” Val invited, breathed heavily into his face. ‘
Fake it till you make it
‘ better work, Wendy, she thought.

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said, turning and beginning to walk away, clearly expecting her to follow him. Unwilling to release his arm, Val lurched after him. They walked for what seemed like an eternity, up and down corridors of prisoners in boxes. He stopped and pointed at a wall. Then, pulling himself free, he stalked off, indignation in every line of his body.

“Bye and thanks,” Val called out. She looked at the huge wall in front of her. Was this the right place? For all she knew this could be the men’s toilets and he had just gotten some serious revenge on her. This was actually much scarier then she thought it would be. She placed her bracelet on the wall: nothing. She swiped her bracelet again, still nothing. What now? Then, when she was on the point of walking away and finding someone else to guide her, a crease of light appeared and the door opened slightly. She pushed it gently, then stepped inside. The Warden, his back to her, was looking over his balcony onto the madness below.

“Yes, Val?” he asked without turning.

Val straightened, an instinctive response to his undoubted authority, almost as she would have done when going into the headmaster’s office. “It’s my hunter, he’s hurt and no one will help us, I don’t understand,” she gabbled, shaking with fear. She placed her hands together so that the tremor wouldn’t be visible.

“We have too many people here to care for the individual; we would have to dedicate far too many resources; it would not be productive.” He talked in an even, almost bored tone and still didn’t turn to acknowledge her.

“All these people put their lives on the line for you and you just let them die?” Val launched her challenge, trying to sound as calm as possible.

“Enough time has been wasted on this useless conversation!” he snapped. “I humour you because you are different, but it’s your fault that your hunter has been poisoned, Val. Go home and deal with your mess and do not come to me again with trivia.” At last he turned, his expression one of extreme annoyance. He raised his hand and, before another word could escape her lips, she was gone.

Val landed on her feet, taking a step to bring herself to a halt. If front of her Shane and the others were standing around the bed. Her arrival drew their attention.

“Hey are you ok?” Shane reached out.

“Zac is sick and they won’t help me.” Her eyes started to fill up.

“He’ll be ok,” said Wendy moving to one side so that Val could see Zac. He was awake.

“Oh!” Val threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, tears pouring down her face. “The Warden told me this was my fault, that you have been poisoned.”

Zac lifted his head slightly. “It seems that your food is not very good for me,” he said feebly, then lowered his head again.

She was horrified. She had never even thought about it. Poor Zac had consumed every take-away available on Earth, mixed with ten gallons of coffee. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know I was hurting you. How long will it take for you to get better?”

“The man who delivered him said it would take about three days for him to make a complete recovery,” Fran tried to be reassuring. “And can I please add ‘how big was that man’!”

Wendy nodded in agreement.

“The Mechanic delivered him here?” asked Val.

“Yes. Literally you went through and he was back; took about thirty seconds,” Jason said. “You’ve only been gone for about five minutes.”

“But I met with the Warden; I must have been in Alchany for at least a half an hour.”

“You did what?” A weak voice spoke up.

“I went to see the Warden about making you better.”

“Oh, we are in so much trouble now.” Zac shook his head and sighed. “You must understand something, all of you. I was created to do a job. I’m not your friend or your brother or sister; I’m a hunter. Look at your animals. They do their job for the collective group, but if one falls behind they carry on and another in the pack takes their place. You must not worry about me and you must never go to the Warden about me again.” Zac turned over, facing away from Val, and pulled the covers around him.

“But let me explain I...” She felt a hand on her shoulder. Shane shook his head signalling for them all to leave. Val stood up. “I’ll come back soon,” she whispered to Zac’s back. They headed down to the shop in silence.

“Give him some time to rest; he will see things differently tomorrow, Shane advised.

As they trooped back into the shop, Val saw a young woman standing on the other side of the counter.