Subject: [OTL]: HellsX 26 Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 17:13:11 -0700 (PDT) From: D Benway HellsX [26:45] Angels Walk Among Us Produced by Benway. See notes for disclaimers. _______________________________________________________________________________ They were standing in a new observation cell. In this one, windows opened onto the cells on both sides. Frost sat on a motorized platform loaded with computer equipment that could be rotated to face either window. In one cell, Tim lay on the floor. In the other, his girlfriend lay, partly covered by a blanket. Tim was still dressed in a clean orange coverall, but the girl was naked. They were both filthy, and bruised. They stood out under the bright light, against the clean white enameled steel. "Hurt," said Kitty. "The interrogators have been authorized to use Grade IV physical methods," said Frost. "Your ex-partner seems to believe that someone is coming for him." "Wayne?" said Kitty. "It seems that the Captain's appearance disturbed them enough to cancel any plans they may have had," said Frost. "Oh," said Kitty. "I'm certain Wayne is behind it all," said Frost. "Bruce says his own implants are to keep the competition from reading his mind, but I'm sure he has much more to hide. The problem is, he's too damn good at covering his tracks. We believe he's hiding at least one hundred vampires, and keeping them supplied with blood. When we caught him, our Mr. Drake had over four hundred units of unlicensed blood in the trunk of his car." "They kill people?" said Kitty. "They do kill people, but not to harvest blood," said Frost. "One cannot imagine the depth of corruption in this country, when there are people who would volunteer to give their essence to monsters." "Oh," said Kitty. "Watch this," said Frost. In the cell where Stephanie lay, the lights dimmed. Kitty could see the girl in the darkness, rising, painfully slowly from the floor in a daze, barely able to keep herself covered with the blanket. Over the speakers, Kitty could hear Logan chuckling. "Jesus," said the girl. "Oh, Jesus save me!" Jesus did not appear, instead, Logan swirled in on the girl. A hatch opened behind him, and Worthington slipped into the room. "Jesus!" screamed the girl. Frost reached clicked something on the screen and spotlights came up. Logan swirled away to one side, as if cringing, and Worthington, naked but for a silvery silk toga, stepped forward, wings fully unfurled. "Begone," said Worthington. The darkness swirled and hissed, then vanished. Stephanie stared up at Worthington, her mouth agape. She appeared to be missing several teeth. "Are you an angel?" she whispered. Worthington smiled and spread his wings. "Oh thank you, thank you Jesus for sending me an angel," said Stephanie, bursting into tears. "Stephanie," said Worthington. A special sound system broadcast his voice at a slightly lower pitch after a millisecond delay through speakers hidden throughout the cell. "Huh?" said Stephanie. "Stephanie, I have been sent to you by God," said Worthington. "But I've been sent by a very angry God." "Angry?" said Stephanie. "You've been consorting with demons," said Worthington. "No," said Stephanie. "You cannot lie to God, Stephanie," said Worthington. "I've never," said Stephanie. "Never." "But Tim has," said Worthington. "No," said Stephanie. "He never would." "He has," said Worthington. "I know he has, and I know you know he has." "No!" said Stephanie. "No! I don't know. I know I've fucked up, I mean, sorry, sorry, I know I've sinned, but I really-" "You cannot lie to me," said Worthington. "Not lying," said Stephanie. "Never been near demons. Always have a cross. Tim never did anything like that." "Even in moments of carnal sin?" said Worthington. "Did he not bite you in moments of passion?" Stephanie moaned. "Did he not say anything at those times?" said Worthington. "Did he not tell you how he had given his blood so that demons from Hell might live?" "I love Tim," said Stephanie. "It's not a sin when you love someone, is it?" Worthington backhanded her across the bruised side of her face. Stephanie collapsed to the floor with a soft cry. "I was sent by God to destroy you," said Worthington. "I have been your guardian angel since your birth, and I risk his wrath by giving you this one chance to redeem yourself in his eyes." Stephanie started to sob. "You have but one chance," said Worthington. "Confess your sins before me. Tell me everything." "I slept with Tim," said Stephanie. "The other men here, I tried to fight them-" "The monsters," said Worthington. "Yes," said Stephanie. "They were monsters. They hurt me-" "I was referring to the monsters Tim knows," said Worthington. "He doesn't, he doesn't," she sobbed. "He doesn't. Sometimes I dream of them coming for me, fucking me, but it's only dreams, it's only play." "This is not a game," said Worthington. Frost clicked on something, and the lights in the cell changed. Most of the white spots went out, red and blue ones came up. Tiny magnetic clamps disengaged, and Worthington's toga fell to the floor. "I'm going to have to punish you, Stephanie," said Worthington. Stephanie, on her knees, gazed up at him, her face entirely blank. "Punish?" she whispered. "Open your mouth," said Worthington. Stephanie began to scream. Frost cut off the speakers. Kitty watched as force was used, and was used for some time. Frost was leaning back in her chair, eyes rolled back up in her head, occasionally muttering and cursing. Kitty looked back over her shoulder. Tim was pacing, with a limp this time, back and forth, no more than ten feet from his whore. He was lost in thought. "Monster," muttered Kitty. "Quiet," snapped Frost. The punishment continued. Eventually, Kitty heard Frost click something again, and watched as Worthington rendered Stephanie unconscious. "Well, that was a complete waste of my time," said Frost. "What did you think of it all?" "Could've used the guards," said Kitty. "I'm afraid that, as a Jew, you have no idea how primitive the theology of the lower orders can be," said Frost. "The guards alone could not provide enough stress. We needed to push her to the limit, to the point where she would reach for anything to escape. That's what we've done, and we've found that she knows nothing." "Let me see him," said Kitty. "Tell him nothing about what you've just seen," said Frost. In the hallway, Worthington was leaning against the wall, hyperventilating. He was covered in blood, fresh human blood, still glistening, not even clotted. "Lick me," said Worthington, staring at Kitty through half-closed eyes. She backed away, towards Tim's cell. The door opened and she almost fell inside. "Kitty," said Tim. "You've got to call my Dad, you've got to get us out of here." "Can't," said Kitty. "You're a prisoner here, too?" he said. "Had blood in your car," she said. "I was delivering a package for a friend," he said. "I had no idea what was in it." "Seen your girlfriend," she said. "Steph?" he said. "You've seen Steph? Is she OK?" "Fine," she said. "Thank God," he said. "Thank God. I've been thinking about her, all the time. She doesn't deserve to be here." "Getting what you deserved," she said. "You're part of this, aren't you?" he said. "You're one of them." "I'm good," she said. "I'll say anything you want me to," he said. "I'll say I put the blood there. I'll do a deal. Just let her go." "No deals," she said. "What do you want me to do?" he said. "Tell the truth," she said. "I am telling the truth," he said. "Not like last time," she said. "So it's all that bullshit again?" he said. "Truth," she hissed. "Perjurer," he said. "Rapist," she said. "You started it," he said. "No," she said. "You kissed me," he said. "Didn't want to," she said. "The way you were hanging on to me?" he said. "Hug," she said. "When my first coach hugged me like that, he stuck his hand down my underpants," he said. "So did you." He was looking at her the same way he did at the meeting with the judge. "This hand," she said, taking his right hand in her own. "What about it?" he said. "Touched me," she said. "I don't recall," he said. She bent his fingers back, through 180 degrees. He screamed and collapsed, rolling into ball. "Out!" said her master, over the speaker. "Master," she said, as Frost upon her return. "The blood," said Frost. "That was an unacceptable risk." "Didn't want it," said Kitty. "Was it your intention to inflict that injury?" said Frost. "Improvised," said Kitty. Frost stared at her, silent, for over a minute. "Master," whispered Kitty. "I believe that I have misjudged you, Katherine," said Frost. "Good work. Very good work." "Thank you," said Kitty. "Oh thank you, my master." [Next: School Night]