A raw diamond of blackest carbon, yet to be shaped in fires and pressure of untold magnitude slid effortlessly out of my cold, wet but not yet dead hands. This was in response to the presence of the man standing in the doorway, his getup a straight-up legit copy of Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon circa 20th century. All of which would mean nothing to anyone in the HNN (here & now) 24th century, except for yours truly; Sanchur Kol, bounty hunter, babysitter, and part-time fashion photographer.
As the rock hit the floor the man before me who could only be Huxely, burst out in rampant and excessive maniacal laughter. I say excessive because well for villains, it really is all about timing, from the maniacal laughter to the long stare. “After I’m gone your asteroid will be free to live out its miserable existence as one of my satellites” The man speaking paused and gave me an intense stare; his dark green eyes, measuring, calculating, intense. He had a completely bald head and a half-cocked smile. ” and thats how its going to be.” He has to be reading my mind, he’s even got the goatee and bushy eyebrows.
I eyed the man casually for a few seconds and rolled my eyes, hoping to egg him on maybe goad him into sicking some of his hired muscle on me. Nothing. From inside the cell he could easily have pulled Huxley in or pushed my way out the doorway; if it wasn’t for her. Nevermind the two guards, they were easily lightweights not real heavies, probably unemployed laborers or AC (anti-congenator) salesman. I’ll be out before the day is over Huxley. I wanted to punch him in the face so hard it pulled his balls up into that snarky little smile. Oh my god you have no idea how good that would have felt to feel the blood come lose from his face as his nose and checkbones collapsed… ok I got a little distracted there, anyway. Definitely wanted to deck him and beat him senseless, til’ he bled all over the floor but on this ever so rare occasion I had to restrained myself however difficult.
Huxley’s stare ended and he stepped out of the small cell. Then he spun on his heel and again more staring as he stood just outside as the doorway. The door closed from the ceiling and the floor like jaws of a snake slowly closing around its still living prey, leaving only a small one foot diameter hole. I could hear the sound of hin laughing as he walked down the hall, this time more jovial and casual, he muttered something to his goons but I couldn’t make it out. I’m sure it was something like “Did you see his face? OMG so totally owned. He’s never getting out of his own holding cell.”
This here self-proclaimed super villan, with the cape and all this nonsense about keeping me here forever. We’ll see about that won’t we. As I leaned forward and looked out the hole in the door,I took in the reflection on polished metal. The whole room was seamless, smooth and cold, just like Huxley. I gave the wall a small tap, no echo, not a sound of hollowness, solid.
‘For a villian, he’s not half bad. Haven’t seen one of those intense stares with the dramatic pause in a while.’ As I leaned against the wall and slid slowly towards the corner on the perfectly polished metal surface. “Best trap i’ve suckered into in years.”
‘Look, that’s re pore you’ve got going on with your evil twin brother is great but aren’t you going to untie me or am I going to have to dislocate my shoulder again?’ Clairina’s spanish inflections were stronger when she was pissed off and as she struggled with the chords that bound her to what appeared to be a simple wooden chair, possibly even hand made, where literally so awesome. Any other time than now. I bit my lip.
I just stared. How could I not?
‘Ricky!’ She shouted, very audibly in the room. She shoke her curly black hair as she and pulled hard aginst the bonds tying her down to the only piece of furniture in the room.
‘Well your tied down, in a bikini no less and we’re alone probably not even being watched and now you want me to untie you? Major buzz kill.’ Holding back the smile was hard, but I’m sure she missed it.
‘If you arent going to untie me at least losen the ropes.’ dramatic pause and then most annoying voice she could muster, “Ricky, please.”
“I think ill wait a bit,” as I continued leaning against the wall “I’m not noticing any guards. He probably thinks we aren’t getting out of here alive, which he’s partly right.”
“So? Can you at least get me out?” She again twisted and stretched to no avail. “Wait, what do me he’spartly right?” She stopped struggling, finally got her attention.
“Ok so the door is closed and the only air is coming from this hole and soon there isn’t going to be any light and there is no toliet or water.” Again I tapped his fingers on the smooth metal wall. “He let me keep the ingot.” I kicked it on the floor towards Clairina’s feet. “He locks us both in here with no real way out but he locks us both in here.”
Clairina hopped and scooted the chair towards the carbon fiber ingot, attempting to grab it with her toes.
Just as she had knocked the chair on the floor and had the ingot’s sharp side on the chords I added, “and he ties you with nano intellignent friction wire, essentially turning any stress you put on the wire into energy to tighten it but without any way to cut you out.”
The sound of the ingot once again hitting the floor filled the holding cell, it really was more of a room, about 5 by 5 and 7 high.
“Great, so we won’t sufficate right away but we may dehydrate while I’m tied to a chair.”
”Not just any chair with just anyone in it.” I tapped the wall again, just couldn’t get over how well made the metal was. “You my dear Clairina are locked in one of my custom designed cells; it’s not just metal, it’s a biomemetic pourous surface with a liquid and air membrane.”
“And why would you ever build such a thing in your house, let alone build your house on an asteroid in the middle of the belt? Nevermind, all I want to know right now is: a.) how do I get out of this chair because the wires are starting to make it hard to breathe and b.) ” she never got to b. Instead she shreeked in pain as the wire cut into her shoulder.
I leaned down close to her face, “Ah, everyone has their secrets right?” I chuckled, just couldn’t help it and moved the hair away from her face and then slowly said. “You know you really ought to stop taking so many iron pills, the AG works just fine without them.” Then with deliberation, I propped her back up. I could almost spot a tear falling out of her eye onto the floor. It was gone in an instant, absorbed right into the floor.
“Is that really necessary, 240 years and you’re still giving me grief about my weight?” She struggled, I could see her straining not to move and her voice faltered a bit. This time it wasn’t only for dramatic effect; with the bikini on she had blood dripping down her left shoulder and her bare thighs.
“Look, struggle all you want, I don’t mind watching but unless we get an unusually sharp something or other, not least of which a welding laser or I don’t know, the control switch for my unusually strong and durable rope – you’re not getting out.” I made sure to put long dramatic pauses on the end of each sentence, had to play it cool again, I flicked another stray lock of dark black curly hair out of her face. I got up and walked back to the air hole. There really isn’t anyway for both of us to get out alive. You see the only way the holding cell auto-unlocks is if the prisoner dies and well, I’m already dead.
15 minutes earlier…
I awoke to the sound of a slight thud as I landed in the most impenetrable holding cell of my own design. Polished metal from ceiling to floor, exactly high enough, wide enough and with a slight step down that anyone couldnt hurt themselves in it by either falling, hanging or sleeping. Just seconds before I was woken from a semi-sound sleep by not one but two shots to the chest. Of course it wouldn’t kill me but it’s annoying nonetheless, have to fix the holes in the bedsheets. There was the screaming, of course, and then the flailing and fighting. I don’t know why I didn’t put up a fight this time, probably because of her; I did go through all the trouble to rescue her last time so, you know, gotta protect my investment.
At any rate, back to the cell with a thud; based on the impact of my heavy body landing in here, hers wouldn’t be whole lot better. Note to self: add just a thin layer of carpet on the floor, maybe even just a non slip mat to sort of break a fall… slightly. That was, until they brought her in on the chair.