The Fox and the Pigeon hole Chapter 19

19. Beginning of the end

Lance is soaring over an enormous city, the winding streets spread out beneath him. Realizing his new found feeling of freedom he climbs higher, higher than the clouds, higher than the mountains. Just as the altitude starts to take its toll there comes a deafening sound from below him. It sounds like a colossal foghorn, and then all is quiet again. He is floating peacefully, surrounded by fluffy white clouds. Gradually the clouds seem to get lighter until they are glowing and look like the red of a setting sun. Looking down he sees a blinding light below him, quite small but extremely bright. The gets bigger and brighter, like it is moving towards him. Soon it is so bright that he has to shield his eyes and stumble backwards through the clouds.

The trumpet sounds again, louder this time and joined by another noise that carries on, a constant drone. Both the light and the noise get more intense, filling up his entire field of vision. Losing all sense of direction Lance feels himself falling, waving his arms frantically, catching himself he sees the light moving, like a factory in the sky, the drone seems to vibrate his very skull as the huge structure explodes through the blanket of clouds. As big as the moon, the circular shaped dome comes rapidly towards him. The light coming from the centre like a beacon blinds Lance as it soars past him. As it disappears through the thick clouds Lance is left in the long trail of thick smoke left its four small jets, emitting blue flames. After a still moment he starts to fall again, feeling more peaceful than he should he breaks through the clouds with a soft thump. Only regaining his fear when the rolling green country below him comes into view. Falling closer and closer to the ground he sees a strange sight, a huge brown circle etched into the landscape as big a mountain. And then the ground is so close and he closes his eyes tight.

“NO!” Lance shouts as he leaps out of a makeshift bed, Dawn jumps up as well

“Lance? What’s wrong?” But Lance just sits down breathing deeply,

“Nothing” He mutters, rolling back onto his bed and falling asleep instantly

~  *  ~

A bright light is beating down on Jackson when he wakes, disorientated he tries to make sense of the surroundings. He is in a small, square room made entirely of rough concrete. The only feature in this lifeless room is a large black screen on the wall opposite. Perhaps a television screen, or are there eyes watching him from the other side. He remembers retreating to his bed after tireless efforts to escape the room where he was held captive, but nothing else. Two flares of light seep out of the walls either side of him, stretching out to encircle his hands and bind him there. “Jackson, you are so insignificant” comes an airy voice from somewhere “and I have other, more important business to attend to. So just tell me who your father is...”

“What?” Jackson’s head still buzzing, “He was...my father” he replies feebly. The man sighs,

“Ah well, I know more about your family than you can imagine. But I am hardly surprised, you are young, stupid, arrogant and a poor excuse for the son of a corporal if ever I saw one. Your father was worse of course” Listening to the monotonous voice practically bullying him while he stood there shackled to a wall. Jackson considers that he might be hours away from death. But this man is unlike any politician or officer he has ever met, he seems to share Jackson’s hate for his father.

“Why am I here?” Sighs Jackson, dispensing with any hopes for talking his way out of the situation.

“You are here to answer my questions truthfully” Replies the voice sharply, “or we may have to... Extract the truth from you” Jacksons unearthly bonds tighten menacingly. “who is your father?” Repeats the voice calmly,

“My father is corporal Thorne” Jackson breaths through gritted teeth.

“and where is he at this current moment in time?” There is a slight sense of tension as Jackson raises his head to stare at the screen. Trying to seem innocent is irritatingly hard when shackled in a prison cell.

“I have no idea... If that’s why I’m here then you’ve wasted your time. He attacked me and jumped out a window, you must know that. He could be dead for all I know”

“Well he isn’t” mutters the voice, “and that’s exactly the problem”

“Who wants my father dead?” Jackson is starting to question the legality of his arrest but is in no position to argue in this state. “Who are you?” He shouts

“I am not your enemy. I just need answers” the voice shouts back, “I will let you go. You have my word. I just need to know that you are not going to be a problem”

“I can assure you I have no intention of being a ... problem”

“Then I only ask one thing of you Jackson” The screen begins to sink into the stone floor, revealing a large, bright room entirely panelled with white tiles. As the screen lowers Jackson holds his breath, who could be behind it. Who could have a with a plot to kill his father.

There stands the last person Jackson could have imagined. Short, innocent, wide eyed. Katie.

“Help me” she cries, her voice back to its usual high melodic tones.

~  *  ~

After his disturbing dream Lance lies in a state of fear and doubt, barely talking to anyone but Dawn. Kurt’s words still reverberate through his head, but he still hasn’t quite grasped the fact that if he was right then he will soon be subject to a dangerous and unknown disease. Not least his imminent death but the sickening revelations about his father plague his thoughts as the small party makes its way through the thin forest. Brought up in oppression and born into a society fuelled by their common hate of the government it is impossible to believe that his own father had been working for them, a strange thought at the back of his mind also troubles him, the concept that hundreds of people have been blaming Pitcairn’s entire population for the crimes of their government. So much new information has been thrust upon him in the last few days that he can barely understand what is happening, gripped by paranoia that nothing he thought was fact is actually true.

Sergeant Hourne is leading him and dawn along with five gunmen from the army, they are mostly friendly and certainly nothing like the government’s officers but an air of gloom is settling over everyone as Pitcairn comes into view. With their black armour and many rifles and knives they are trained killers. After the first revolutions in the mountain villages beyond the forests southern border  the rebel ‘Insurgo’ Army trained for many months. Also with them are two of the large wolfish ‘snow hounds’. After initially being terrified of them Dawn has taken to stroking and petting them constantly, their thick coats are warm and soft but also the piercing and almost understanding looks from their large eyes are comforting, especially now.

Still hardly noticing his surroundings Lance looks around, with a sickening jolt he realizes that he has been here before. It was the same feeling that he had felt when he first saw Suheila. What was it Kurt had said, a drug to see into the future. ‘It might work for a while’. “Sergeant Hourne!” he shouts leaping over a branch to catch up, “Lance?”

“Sergeant, I think you should know. Kurt was telling the truth” he says bluntly “Rafiel must have given me the drug, I know this place. I’ve... been here before. In a dream”

“A dream?” Ponders Hourne, “To be honest Lance, if Raff was going to betray us we’d know by now” He smiles encouragingly but then turns away quickly. “Wha- But he already has. How can you act like its nothing?” Lance is astonished, if Rafiel betrays them now it could mean the end of the entire army. But Hourne just sighs, “Call me Oscar”

“What?! What has that got to do with anything. Look if Rafiel gave me that drug then I’m going to get this disease. And Rafiel is working for the government... so we’re all dead”

“SHH!” Hourne cries quickly as some of the gunmen turn around quickly, but his smile returns and he puts his arm around Lance endearingly. In barely a whisper he says “Just don’t say anything to them” He gestures ahead of him, “We know Rafiel’s plans-“ He continues quickly “Me and Dimitri have been making sure he thinks we trust him completely so nobody can know. During the attack I’ve got a man ‘Marcus’ standing by to,” He coughs loudly, “Take care of him” he adds, with a meaningful look.

“but, why? Why not sooner. I can’t believe it, I won’t. He saved my life for god’s sake”

“I know, I know” He says gravely “I couldn’t accept it either but its true all the same. And we didn’t do it sooner because we couldn’t lose him as a leader, he’s vital to the attack but once we’re inside the city Marcus will make sure he can’t raise the alarm”

“Serg- Oscar. I think you’re insane” Lance says shortly, but he’s smiling in spite of it. Hourne laughs, clapping him on the back and they continue towards the city.

“And listen, about this drug. We’ll get you taken care of. Don’t worry”