Читать книгу Aqueous Passage - Krystyna Faroe - Страница 4

In the lounge of the Avila Rose the sun seemed to pour in with laser beams of light. Everything was particularly reflective today; even the glass of beer mirrored the images around it. Oak grabbed it; it was damp in his hands. The lounge was hot and the cold beer within the glass had produced condensation on the outside, which felt good on his palm. With the back of his other hand he wiped his brow, dropping it onto the table whilst he stared at the sweat that was left upon it, glistening.

They had travelled above the Aqueous Passage for two days but this was the first day that had been clear and hot. At first he had welcomed the brightness and the heat, now he felt oppressed by it and wanted to hide in a dark cool room. A strange thought for a Woodlander who spent nearly all his time outside in the weather, heat, rain, snow, none of it normally mattered. He put it down to being in a small area, not having the freedom to walk through the forest, the forest that would kindly block the blinding sun and keep them cool under her canopies. He missed Elanclose; his heart ached with how much he missed the forest and his clan.

A large body plopped itself down on the opposite bench causing the table to vibrate slightly in its anchors.

“My you look a picture of joy and rejoicing!”

He looked up at the blue eyes and thick dark hair that was falling onto the face of Denver.

“So glad you could join me. I needed some shade from the sun and your bulk of a body will do nicely.”

A guffaw erupted from Denver as he slapped the table.

“I like this new sense of humour you’ve developed Oak. It makes it a real treat to sit with you these days. It’s as if the goody goody Oak suddenly became dark and more sinister, it certainly makes you more interesting to be with.”

Oak looked away. He couldn’t say anything back as he knew it was true. He had changed and it bothered him how much but what could he do other than accept what fate had handed to him? Experiences change you and he had learned that better than anyone else on the airship. He looked back at the large smiling face before him. For some reason Denver seemed even bigger today in the light of the sun than on the cloudy days that had passed.

“Have you grown or something?”

He looked Denver up and down.

“What mutant food have you eaten to make you so big anyway? And just when will you stop growing?”

Denver broke into a laugh once more. Aviatilians and Citans who sat across the room stopped what they were doing to look at the leader and prisoner that joked with one another like best friends. They shook their heads in puzzlement.

“Jealous are you my little wood dweller. Don’t feel man enough around me?”

This time Oak let out the guffaw and smacked his drink down upon the table so hard it toppled over the brim in waves.

“Don’t you know the saying Denver? It isn’t size that matters…”

“Yes but it was probably a little man that said it!”

“A little man with more to him than anyone knows.” Oak retorted still laughing.

“Are we talking physically or mentally?”

Oaks eyes glinted.

“What do you think?”

“I think boys are proportioned to the bodies they have and mentally, well I admit I have met big, stupid boys.”

Oak laughed again.

“I don’t believe stupid is limited to big, I can attest to knowing one in my own clan.”

Denver nodded in acknowledgement.

“I know who you mean but because he goes against you doesn’t mean he is stupid.”

“No! So Detroit is obviously very smart and that is why he is disloyal to you?”

Oak raised his eyebrows as he caught Denver’s return stare.

“If you want to believe him clever go ahead but then I would have to rethink which one of the two of you is stupid.”

Oak had been taking a sip of his beer when he received this reply and spat it out across the table as he guffawed in response. Denver amused pulled his shirt down and brushed off the foam spots that had landed upon it. Bulging pectoral muscles showed through the tight fabric and Oak felt embarrassed by his admiration of the bulking boy.

Denver gave a smirk.

“Hope you ain’t got the hots for me Oak, I’ll tell you now I don’t veer that way.”

Oak almost coloured but laughed instead.

“Your pectoral muscles may be large but I prefer something that would be soft under my hands. I wouldn’t want to think I was kneading rubber.”

Denver chuckled but gave a wink to Oak anyway just to wind him up; Oak knew it as such and chortled back.

“Had any more images of pretty red?” Denver asked and Oak sensed him mentally kick himself for bringing her up.

“No, thank you very much. I am blissfully unaware of what she is doing.”

Oak saw a shift in Denver’s look and knew exactly what was going through his mind.

“And if it involves Elm, I most definitely do not want to see.”

Denver’s mouth quirked at one side.

“What about the lovely blond, is she in your dreams?”

Oak drifted away at the thought of Willow, her pale face, her long blond hair falling past her delicate shoulders, her blue eyes reflecting the sunlight and he felt his own face soften as a contented smile spread to both sides.

“Oh please!” Denver said in disgust. “That’s just too pathetic.”

“What?” Oak replied trying to look confused at what Denver meant, although he knew why he had made the comment and to his surprise it didn’t bother him.

“Oh be a man will you. Don’t get a dreamy pathetic look over a girl! I thought you were cold, controlled and didn’t feel anything, in fact I think I like that boy much better than the love sick creature before me now.”

Oak smirked.

“You want me to be a cold hearted being that seems neither human nor beast?”

“Yeah!” Denver replied. “That sounds pretty good to me. Do you think you can?”

Both of them were laughing now as they played mentally with each other. Their eyes wrinkled as the smiles grew upward, until they just as suddenly vanished and both stopped smiling. Their eyes immediately swung away to the open doorway as the laughter that had been in them was abruptly gone. They turned back to each other but said nothing but leapt to their feet and almost ran through the arch.

Sprinting down the empty hallway they descended the stairs to the familiar hold where the goods were kept. They slowed as they approached the entrance and quieted their steps. Carefully, slowly and silently they opened the door and slipped through. The hold seemed to be even hotter than the lounge and the hot air felt like it would knock them over. With shallow breaths they moved amongst the tied down cargo and traversed the floor hooks and ropes to a spot where voices could be heard.

“There must be something here Detroit that we can use.”

It was Rancor who was talking, his voice hushed but that made no difference to Oak and Denver; they didn’t need to hear his words, as they read them in his mind.

“I don’t know what you want Rancor. I’m not sure what to look for.” Detroit’s voice wavered slightly, he sounded distressed and fearful, Oak and Denver understood why.

“You find something and you find something now! I’m not toying here, nor is Kisin, he’s given me instructions and they must be followed absolutely, there is no variance with Kisin. There can never be any changes; you follow his orders to the letter.” His breath out sounded like a hiss, Oak could tell he was angry.

“I have to leave this room Detroit. This heat makes the air cloying but that does not bother me as much as your insubordination. Do as you’re told and don’t disobey me or Kisin, you have too much to lose.”

They heard the shuffle of feet moving away becoming quieter as they gathered more distance. A door heaved open with great effort as another gasp escaped Rancor; it was silenced by the closing of the door behind him. The disquiet of his rambling mind left their thoughts as Oak looked at Denver and then toward the hidden area that held Detroit. Detroit’s thoughts were everywhere and in order to get more clarity they needed to stand before him and question him.

Denver had his hand up to wait, as if Oak needed the gesture when the thought had travelled to his mind quicker than his hand could be raised. Oak smiled and Denver smiled back realizing the mutual understanding.

When Denver finally moved away Oak followed him. They slid quietly through the narrow gaps to where Detroit still stood, unmoving and confused.

“Well Detroit what are you up to now?”

Detroit just about jumped out of his shoes he was so surprised by Denver’s sudden appearance.

“Where on earth did you come from? What are you doing here?” Detroit’s face was red from the heat and annoyance, not only because of Denver’s sudden appearance, but because of the pressure his collaborator Rancor had placed upon him.

“Oh you know, just out for a stroll amongst the cargo. This is the only area large enough to do laps and exercise.” He looked around him as if plotting a course. “We just arrived, needed to stretch our legs. You know what it’s like having long legs cramped up for long periods of time, although some of us don’t have legs long enough to worry about.”

His gaze travelled to Oak who gave a disgruntled stare back.

Detroit looked all the more annoyed as he took in the appearance of Oak. “Why is he here? Are you two congenital twins? You are always with one another. Do you sleep in the same bed too?”

Denver gave a short laugh.

“Good one Detroit! But you know very well why…he can’t be trusted.” He leaned toward Detroit. “I have to have him in my sight at all times because he seems to worry the others with his strange ways. As you know, when you’re worried you’re much easier to take advantage of, and we don’t want him having the advantage do we Detroit?”

Detroit grunted back and unwillingly nodded his head in agreement.

“So, what’s happening?”

Detroit looked startled again; he drew in a couple of quick breaths and quickly looked around the cargo hold. Oak could read the concern in his mind at not giving away what he was looking for. His worry was that he might accidentally tell them what Rancor was up to. Until finally he concluded that he would say very few words and not get caught out. Oak smiled to himself, he knew he really didn’t stand a chance with him or Denver.

Denver was patiently smiling at Detroit, all the same knowledge passing through his head. I have this Oak. The message came clearly and Oak gave a quick smile to Denver and quickly hid it before Detroit could notice.

Denver placed his arm around Detroit’s shoulders and slowly started to walk taking him along too. “You look worried my friend, is there anything I can help you with?”

Detroit’s mind was frantically whirling, images flashing, hard to discern, difficult to clarify. Oak followed, carefully linked to Detroit’s mind as Denver worked on loosening the locks on the closed doors and clearing the cluttered hallways that lingered there.

Oak watched Detroit gaze surreptitiously at Denver, he glanced away and back again, repeating the movements over and over, trapped but unable to escape the hold his leader had over him. Entering Detroit’s head he could almost feel the increase of his heartbeat, feel the sweat sliding down his temple, sense the drip as it left the side of his jaw. He watched the angle change in his jaw line; it was tight as he desperately moved it from side to side to find temporary release. Detroit’s mind started to wander as Denver’s conversation moved on; words about the city and what they had left behind, they held no obvious meaning, just a story that droned in his ears until they became white noise behind a new voice that reverberated in his head. The voice belonged to Rancor and held foreboding words.

Kisin wants to make good use of your leader. His mind reading skills will be invaluable to him, as will his size and strength. He will be a worthy accomplice to the plans that Kisin has but he must not be aware of this. You must never think of what I have just said.

The grey of Detroit’s mind deepened, shifted to deep tumbled clouds for a moment then a blaze of light tore through everything. Horror overwhelmed Oak; fear that he had revealed what he should not. Oak quickly closed his link to Detroit realizing his panic and not wanting to experience it any further.

He linked with Denver who had already accessed the words himself. He had halted temporarily in his conversation as Rancor’s words had entered his head but saved himself quickly from Detroit being aware by tripping over a rope and cursing his big feet. He stopped and turned to look directly at Detroit. “What are you looking for?”

Detroit’s face showed momentary fear then relief when he realized the question was not about what he had just thought.

“Rancor wants weapons.” He blurted out throwing his gaze violently around the hold. “He thinks there are weapons in this hold and he wants to have control over them.”

His head flew back to Denver realizing he had told him something he should not. Oak sensed him weighing one secret against the other as he decided it was better that he had let the latter one slip.

“Why does Rancor think the Aviatilians have weapons? Has Captain Rumello told him?”

“No! I don’t know. Why are you asking me? I’m only doing what Rancor has told me to do. I don’t know who he talks to and what he talks about. I’m just here to look. I don’t even know what type of weapons I am looking for.”

His eyes scanned the secured mounds, his face twitched at the sight of the many items that he was expected to detach, look through and re-attach with no obvious sign of disturbance. His job seemed colossal.

Oak smiled at Detroit’s distress. He deserved it, he would have liked to have been the one causing it, but Rancor would do, it didn’t matter who it was, just the result. He sensed Denver chiding him for his pettiness and he gave a small smile. They needed to leave and discuss what they had learned.

Denver laid a hand upon Detroit’s shoulder; Detroit’s eyes quickly scanned it with disgust feeling the control that the gesture made in making him the lesser person. “I have to leave Detroit but I wish you luck in your insurmountable task, I do not envy you. Let me know if you find anything.”

He received no response and didn’t wait for one. Oak knew Denver didn’t care whether he told him or not. His long legs swung around as he gave a quick glance to Oak who followed his actions. They both strode through the narrow gaps, deking down a longer tunnel that took them more directly to the door. Oak had a momentary notion of scorn from Detroit until it changed to frustration at the task before him. They passed through the doorway knowing Detroit would be busy for hours.

As the door closed Denver turned to Oak. His brow was furrowed, his eyes serious in his thoughts. “What did you make of that Oak?”

“I’m not quite sure but I know it wasn’t what it seemed to be.”

“Why do you say that?”

“From what I know of Rancor, he is sly, clever and good at keeping secrets. Why would he give one of his biggest secrets to a man that he knows is all brawn and no brains?”

Denver gave a half smirk at the last words. “Because he wants us to know, that’s why.”

Oak’s lips quirked upwards too. “He set us up. There are no weapons; this was done to draw us here, which means he is up to something untoward somewhere else.”

“Of that I have no doubt.” Denver followed the corridor with his eyes but didn’t take his step down it.

“What are you thinking?”

Usually their minds were linked but Oak couldn’t sense anything from Denver and it disturbed him.

Denver’s eyes softened as he looked at him. “No worries! Don’t bother yourself; there is something that I alone have to sort out. You can’t be involved.”

Oak was surprised. When they had decided to become allies there had been open communication between them but now the wall had risen in Denver’s mind and Oak wanted to know why. He bristled as he became irate at the thought he had been a puppet and used.

“You’re wrong. I haven’t used you Oak. You can trust me; we are on the same side but from this you have to be exempt. If it is my downfall, it will not be yours.”

The confusion that passed through Oak’s mind was like wading through sludge. Denver’s laugh brought him to the present and frustrated him all the more.

“What is it that I missed? How can you know more than I? I was there, I read both their minds, you can’t have gathered more information than I did.” Oak was exasperated.

“It’s nothing Oak, let it go.”

“What the hell are you intending to do Denver?” Oak’s voice was no longer controlled and soft, it spiralled into a high tone as he tried to figure out what Denver was proposing to do.

“No worries Oak! Just as I said; no worries!”