CHAPTER 13 : ANOTHER DAY IN HELL
Dax woke to the smell of a burning cigar. The smell was awful and he tried to open his eyes and stand but realized he was chained to the bed.
“ Ah frag “ he muttered. His head still swaying with the possibly the worst hangover he ever had.
“ Just relax boyo. I ain’t gonna hurt ya. Just restraining you until I get plenty of the right answers.” The smoker said.
Dax squinted in the half gloom trying to focus on the man talking.
“ Where is Ren? “ Dax asked, trying to wrestle with the chains and began coughing up blood.
“ Alive. You better relax, otherwise the toxins will kick in and melt your insides.” He warned , taking a long drag and blowing the smoke at Dax.
“ Tell me….are you really the brother of Jester ? Or were you playing everyone around you for fools so you can make some easy creds? Tell me…..how did you meet my brother and why are you lot here now? “
Dax managed a half smile. “ I don’t need to lie about anything. You knew my brother and you know Grimskull. You brother is working for him to keep me from killing Rodrigo or at least that’s what I think. “
King Ace stood and walked around the tiny room. Smoking and thinking.
“ Kill the Arbitrator eh. Vengeance for the loss of yer bruv. Sounds simple to me lad. Thing is…I don’t think you or my shite head brother know what’s going on down here or outside the walls. Do you? “
Ace said, slamming his boot near the headrest of Dax’s bed.
Dax shook his head blinked and was at loss for words.
“ Every Orlock from Coffin Heights to the shores of Down Town is proclaiming you a hero. “The Stranger” they call you – the right hand of death- going to right the wrongs of the past. What a joke. Your just Old Grimskull’s gunman. You have not the slightest clue what the old meatheads even up to. You see, without you ol’ Grim will have to do his own dirty work and the Guild will have his head right away. Grim wants to rule the Underhive like he did in the old days- ‘cept this time he wants the Orman out of the picture.” Ace looked into Dax’s eyes.
“ The Orman? “ he repeated, half confused half worried. Dax quickly recalled the name. Andre Orman. Frag.
“I have fought and bled for years to scratch out my kingdom down here and began doing so out in the waste lands as well. I have made many enemies and been outlawed so bad I could never pay it off. The Orman is worried I will unite the Ash Waste Tribes and destroy his business and sway over the Guild and the Houses. He knows that I have absorbed many of the down hive gangs under the Black Hearts banner. His spies are all around and I can’t help but wonder that my brother brought you here to kill me or to convince me to stop.”
He snarled at Dax and unsheathed a long serrated dagger. He ran it under his chin and nicked his skin gently until a small amount of blood ran free.
“ I swear on my brothers grave I know nothing of your plans. All I know is that Grimskull wants me to stay away from Rodrigo and continue working for him. I have no intention to rally our brother Orlocks to help me. I just need my gang.” Dax said matter of factly.
“ I am an Orlock and I bow to no man- especially a fat Pike from Tianos Hive. I have fought on countless worlds and on numerous star ships- but Necromunda is my home. I grow tired of seeing our House kin pay in blood and cred to someone not even from our own Hive. I offer you a place alongside me Dax - I feel it in my soul, you will be a major part of the things to come and I want you on the right side. “
King Ace took out a key from inside his coat and let Dax free.
“ I understand what you want of me but I need to finish my own business with Rodrigo first. “ Dax sat up and reached out his closed fist to King Ace’s own. They hit fists and nodded to each other.
“ I’ll get you what you need boyo, just you be ready when I call for you.”
* * *
Auto gun fire peppered against the crumbling rockrete wall that Colt was crouching behind. He was positive there was at least three shooters but had no clue how large their posse was. No words were exchanged as he fired back. His lasgun shrieking as he shot wildly at his attackers.
Colt was only a dome away from Dead Mans Hole and he was pinned down. He wasn’t sure if he was tailed by some of the Shadows gangers or if it was someone else. All he knew was that he was alone in this fight and he needed to make it home in one piece. He had enough juice for another hour of lasgun use and then he would have to rely on his shotgun after that.
He rolled onto his knees and chanced a brief glance of the terrain in front of him, hoping to catch a glimpse of what he was up against. He peered over the rubble and scanned left to right very slowly. He wasn’t sure how many there were but he knew they had to be heavy into bionics. House Van Saar maybe? Retaliation for Creed Hex no doubt. If that was the case he did not want to be in prolonged gun battle with tekked out gangers.
They began shooting again. This time he definitely heard a plasma rifle discharge. It was time he made his move. Colt pulled two flash/bang grenades from his belt and lobbed them over in their direction and counted to four before he stood up and fired 4 shots in a row. The light blinded everything in the area for a few seconds and the explosion made his ears wail.
He sprinted to his left heading towards an old vent stack he remembered would take him home. All the while the gangers gave him chase. Bullets whipped by his head and bounced off the girders and metal railings as he fled to safety. He turned only once to fire his shotgun twice- scatter shot making them jump for cover or hit the deck.
It was then he realized they were not Van Saars. He wasn’t sure what they were, but they were heavily armed and looked almost half cyborg. He sealed the vent behind him using a melta charge and then ran as fast he could down the service tunnel. He had to get word back to his people that they were being hunted.
* * *
“ Tell me again Mr. Deevo. Where do you think the Stranger might be headed? “ The Dark One asked as he produced yet another scalpel from his tool roll.
The old journalist was a bloody mess and his breathing was heavy. Much of his face was lacerated beyond a simple skin job. His jaw was broken and then reset just so he could speak. He was not sure how long he had been tortured but he knew that he could no longer move his legs or his right arm.
He knew it didn’t matter what he said, he would probably die any way. He had so far given his interrogator anything of value other than the places the Stranger had already been. He was severely dehydrated so when he did speak the words came out short and muffled.
“ Down hive.” He managed to say.
The Dark One sliced into his eyelid, Rex’s blood squirting like a fountain. “ WHERE DOWN HIVE ! WHERE !” screaming into his face and digging the scalpel into his eye socket.
Rex whimpered and moaned in pain. His body was so exhausted he could not even thrash about. He just cried and repeated himself.
“ Down hive……down….all the way down…no where else to go…”
The Dark One pulled the blade from Rex’s eye and walked towards the hanging glow lamp. He placed the tools he had used to get his answers back into his roll.
Rex readied himself for the gunshot he knew was coming.
“ Thank you for your time Mr. Deevo. Pleasure was all mine. “ The Dark One turned out the lamp and Rex heard a door shut.
Rex started crying, not knowing where he was, slowly bleeding to death in the dark.
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