A Silence Heard (16 page)

I expected to see the ones that were giving the Agros so much grief, but all was quiet, not a sign of skirmish. Not a sign of any one except ourselves.

The sky was clear and the sun brighter than I remembered it could be. I squinted, put my hand over my eyes and wondered how long we had been kept in that frightful place. All secs seemed to have merged into one great glob of hideous time, that I for one wished could be gone over again and put right.

This part of Agro turf I did not recognise. It was less well groomed than the place we’d entered, with not so much in the way of greenery. Concrete paths meandered here and there and led to a variety of oddly shaped buildings. In front of us was a tall pyramid, as grey as the sky before thunder, and opposite, were large oblong box-like structures. Deogol pointed at the triangular-shaped building. “There, that is where they are.”

As Wirt and I took a step towards it, at least, twenty guards appeared from who knows where and encircled the building, weapons held ready. Deogol swiped the screen on the device and I let my gob drop at what I saw. In a flash quicker than a bub’s burp, all the Agros dropped their weapons. They rubbed their hands on their troos, stared at us advancing towards them and fled inside the building.

“Come, let us go and save your friend,” Deogol said and without hesitation strode ‘dult like towards the pyramid.

The other kiddies held hands and marched behind him. A strange sound sprang up from the mouths of the Meeks. It was a word repeated over and over in low gasps, as if coming from the depths of their innards. It was an unpleasant noise, yet full of passion and hope. “Trounce.”

I turned to Kendra and Wirt. “Trounce,” they said.

“Trounce,” said Brennus.

“Trounce,” I said, and with my friends, walked on saying the word loud and clear.

We increased the level the nearer we got to the building. The air filled with the word, “Trounce.” Our hands formed fists and we punched them towards the sky, stamping our feet and crying to the wind, “Trounce, trounce, trounce!”

We stopped at the tall pyramid. There were no discernible doorways that I could see, but Deogol and Esme clearly could for they were busy pressing their hands against the smooth surface.

“Here,” Esme cried to one and all and produced the torn cuff that had once belonged to Oswald. She touched it to the stone and the outline of a door appeared. It opened with a loud hiss and we stepped back. Deogol held the device thingy in front of him and I swear the air around the opening quivered. Just then, two guards fell forward into the light and landed all out of it on the ground.

Behind them - darkness.

“What is this place?” I asked my bro-bro and leant forward to look inside.

“The Alpha Silo House. The most precious of the grain and foodstuffs are held here. Esme helped to design the invisible door. They have secure rooms that I think Stillman and his pod group set up. So we will need their brains to get it open once inside. Esme, can you do lights?”

She walked forward and traced her finger along the inside of the building. Then she pressed firmly and a flood of sharp white light filled the inner chamber. It was enormous. Bigger (if that was possible) than the outside, which was mighty large indeed. Several corrugated metal boxes, the size of ten fallen then neatly stacked trees, dotted the interior and took up all the space.

“All these filled with food?”

“To the brim. And there are more of these storage units around the place. Some hidden, some not,” Esme said and I took in more of this awesome chamber.

It was cut in half horizontally by a metal mezzanine balcony that swept all around the walls, and had, at least, eleven staircases attached to the platform. I turned to Stillman. “I see no other room that Deogol said was contained within.”

He pointed to the tapering roof. “It is cloaked. There is another level that ye cannot see, but it is there. Here, I’ll show it to ye all.” He dug around in his pants pocket, pulled out a long slim, black metal stick and pointed it at the ceiling.

Before our amazed eyes, what was empty space trembled and shook, then became a solid overhead panel. In the middle of it was a square trap door, and to the side of that, a spiral staircase that swirled down behind the central metal box thingy. I whistled and bowed in Stillman’s direction, impressed to the full with his and his pod’s wondrous brainpower.

“They are in there?”

“We believe so, Adara. Just before ye entered our lab again, a message flashed across our screens that all the Agros were to retreat to this place and await backup forces from other Agros across the Briny. Logic dictates that they would have taken Eadgard with them in their withdrawal from a battle they were losing.”

“Then that is where we must go. You will use the thingy that nullifies their weapons?”

“I will.” Deogol marched towards the spiral stairs like a trained Backpacker. The other Meeks followed and I would have to, but Kendra held up a hand to stop me. Wirt and Brennus saw her gesture and came over.

“This may not go well, my dears. We do not know what or who is up there. We have only these Meeks word for it. One Meek has already betrayed us to them. It could be a trap.”

Her words brought back Deogol’s lapse. I looked to where he stood at the bottom of the staircase and he turned around. I swear I saw a narrowing of his eyes as he glanced in my direction.

“Ye talk some sense. Sorry a thousand times, Adara, but Kendra may be right.”

“I may not yet be a ‘dult, but I’m no dunce, Brennus. Kendra makes a goodly point. We must be ready for anything,” I said and strode towards the Meeks. Doubt took hold of my eyes and water brimmed around them. I did not want the kiddles to see the plops of tears that were about to drip-drop down my face and so expose my mistrust about my bro-bro. More so now, what with their pally looks to me and hints at who knows what. I brushed my hand across my eyes and my bro hurried towards me.

“Where are the others?”

“Behind me, I think. We had a quickly chit-chat about strategy.”

“Come up with anything of use?”

“Nah. Just to do whatever we can.”

“Not such a bad plan at that, Sis.”

I looked at his smirking face and could not at that moment believe that behind his ruddy cheeks and those big blue eyes, lay a mind ready to double-cross his big sis. The one and only sib that but a few moons ago, had shown him how to throw a lefty punch.

Then, like a slash across my cheek, I remembered the cryptic words Ryce said, “Meeks are fashioned, not miracles.” I shook my head to dispel the dead Carnie’s lies. I would not let his contrived utterances turn me against my bro. I smiled and ruffled Deogol’s thick fair hair. He brushed my hand away and let his forehead wrinkle. He stared over my shoulder, raised one eyebrow and went back to the Meeks.

Another cryptic face gesture that sent a wave of unease through my bod. I turned to see Wirt, Kendra and Brennus approach. They stood next to me. Stillman waved to us to join him. He held up his clever stick device, pointed one end to the trap door and pressed something or other.

There came a noise, not unlike that of a bub expressing digested food from its rear, and I half expected to be covered with said plop, but instead, a light shone into our faces.

“Stay where you are, or we shoot,” a male voice said all shaky with fright.

“Take your best shot, cowards,” Deogol said and aimed the square block Esme had called a ‘stingbangbang’ at the entrance. A low hum came from it, then a loud shriek from more than one guard, and down came a whole pile of Agro weapons.

Esme picked one up. “It makes them glow all hot. The filthy males cannot hold onto them.”

“But we can. And with this,” Deogol said and held up the stingbangbang device, “we can change the setting to our own specifications.” He waved his hands across the fallen weaponry. “Arm yourselves and let us advance!”

The Meeks grabbed a gun each. Brennus and Kendra took the only two remaining ones. I looked at Wirt who shrugged his shoulders and said, “I’ll stay with Brennus. Ye with Kendra?”

“Only thing to do. Wait, though.” I took off my Synthbag, poked around, took out my two remaining vombombs and gave one to Wirt. “At least we can take a couple down.” He took it from me then touched my hand with a tenderness that I had forgot he owned.

“Keep behind, we do nae know what awaits us up there,” Brennus said.

Kendra gave me a wink and Wirt and I pushed through the huddled together Meeks.

“Fire and thwack at anything that moves, my dear, it is our only chance,” Kendra said.

Wirt joined Brennus on the first rung of the staircase. They paused, raised their weapons and ran straight up. I turned to Deogol, he put his hand on my arm and squeezed.

“Keep to the rear. Keep as safe as you can bro.”

He nodded and let me go. Then Kendra and I sped after Wirt and Brennus up the spiral staircase.

Chapter Fifteen

A Bloody Battle Ensues

Young ‘uns are slithery folk.

Before we reached the top of the stairs, the Meeks had managed to wriggle their way up and past us. We older types could do nowt except follow their lead. I was impressed with their vigour and bravery to be sure. The staircase wound round and round, and as we neared the top, I confess to feeling somewhat dizzy. I did not look down in case I felt the wobbles and continued on up.

The Meeks stopped ‘bruptly before a square hatch. It was open and a small metal ladder hung down. It grew quiet, except for the sound of heavy breathing. I wondered why the kiddles paused so rigid-like and pushed my way through Brennus and Wirt.

“What gives, bro?”

Deogol shrugged, grabbed onto a rung of the ladder and climbed up it and through the opening. The Meeks followed all quick-like and I thought it best if I did too. The kiddles blocked the inside of the entrance, so I could not see past their squished together bods. I stood on tiptoe upon the upper rung, and peered over their heads.

Before my eyes was a three-sided room. It was black and dimly lit by strips of white light that slashed across the walls and ceiling giving the place a look of menace. Facing us, were Agro guards. They stood in a line brandishing metal bars and wooden sticks. The Meeks, small soldiers holding big guns, looked like effigies of their future selves, all grown up, but with the faces of bubs. I almost smiled, and would have if it were not for the sight of Eadgard.

Stepping off the ladder, I eased my way through the Meeks and saw through a gap in the line of guards, the figure of my friend kneeling on the floor in the middle of the room. The guards parted and stood against either wall. I felt Wirt’s hand on my shoulder. He leant forward and I did too.

Eadgard’s head was bent and his hands were tied behind his back. His trusty Leatherman poised at his neck, held by Hacket, who, on seeing us, smiled.

“Filthy Agro scum,” Kendra said and squidged past us and into the room.

Hacket grabbed onto Eadgard's hair and pulled back his head.

“One more step and I will cut his throat.”

Our friend’s face was bloody and bruised, his right eye swollen and puffy. I clenched my fists and almost let rip a sound of fury, despite my lethargy doubts about my vocal strength. But I held back. The space was small and I could not be sure that if I did sing, the noise would not ricochet off the triangular walls and tapered ceiling. I cursed under my breath instead and clutched onto the vombomb.

“We have weapons bigger and more powerful than that simple knife. We will fire and kill you all before you have a chance to use it,” Deogol said.

“Such large words from so small a frame. Empty, though, I fear. You may destroy us all in a flash, but I will have cut deep into this Backpacker’s flesh. A slash is as quick as the pressing of a button.”

Deogol raised the gun, but Kendra reached out and slapped it down.

“Lower your weapon, little one. The life of this trusted male is of utmost importance to me…to us all.”

My bro did as Kendra said and held the gun by his side. She stepped forward, stood before Hacket and Eadgard, and held out her hand. “Now you give me that knife and we shall talk.”

He shook his head and pressed the blade closer to Eadgard’s neck.

“Give you the only thing that stands between those guards death and mine? I think not,” he said and dragged Eadgard back by the hair. He let out a faint cry and Kendra darted forward. At the same time, I thrust myself to the front of the Meeks and threw my grenade. It hit Hacket square on the chest, giving Kendra enough time to snatch the blade from his hand. Hacket looked to me, clutched his belly, then sank to the floor and spewed out the contents of his stomach.

A roar swished through the chamber and the Agro guards hurtled towards the Meeks. They waved their makeshift weapons in the air, hacking and carving at nowt but empty space. The Meeks stood transfixed by their flamboyant gesturing, and it was indeed a distraction, for I, Kendra, Wirt and Brennus, stood dumbfounded by their play-acting. I tore my gaze away from the charade and saw two guards grab onto Eadgard.

I tried to alert the others to Eadgard’s fate. I tried to yell at the Meeks to move, but the guards fell upon them, slashing into sinew and bone before the young ‘uns had the wits to open fire. My friends dived in and began to wrestle with the Agro guards. I looked for Eadgard amongst the mayhem and caught sight of his limp body being dragged out of the hatch and down the steps.

Then I summoned up what little strength I had left, and blundered into the fight. I thwacked a guard that was about to brain my bro. Deogol nodded his head. A look of mean filled his eyes and he let out a mighty yell, “Now!”

As one, the Meeks raised their stolen weapons and opened fire.

A series of orange pulsating lights emerged from every gun. They shot around the room, then targeted each and every Agro guard. Said scum watched helpless as the beams of light struck their chests with a loud bang and exploded. The guards threw away their weapons, and slapped at their on fire clothes. I had to duck sharpish to avoid being injured by the flying lumps of metal and wood.