Dragon

[DerVVulfman]

Chapter Two
Q&A

“Thank you for cooperating,” Hunt bellowed over the engines. “Milk and cookies for everyone.”

Lizzie, John and Becky were taken to a conference room, where thirteen more soldiers awaited them. All were the same general ages, also in their mid-20's. Lot of hunks in this room, Becky thought, then chided herself. Shut up, stupid! These creeps just zapped your friends! Be happy with the man you’ve got!

“Please sit down here,” Hunt requested. “I apologize for yelling at you all, but I’ve got my orders from the VSO. Just remember, we have you very covered.”

Lizzie’s eyes rolled at the mention of the VSO. “Oh, fudge 137.”

Hunt added “The general and Dr. Roberts will be here momentarily.”

Becky sat between John Diamond and Corporal Vicar Fricker, who caught her gaze and wiggled his tongue lustfully.

Hrrrrggh! she thought. Great! Another pervert! She looked in another direction. She saw two men enter from a side corridor. First was the General, who looked like Marlon Brando in uniform. Unfortunately, it was the current Brando... in a big uniform. The second was a younger, black man in medical garb. Doctor Roberts, I presume. They both sat down at the head of the table.

“Okay, then,” began the General. His voice denoting a Brooklyn accent.

“Who are you?” Diamond interrupted forcefully.

“Don’t talk over the General,” Hunt warned. “Let’s be nice.”

“All-rightey,” added the General, staring at some notes. “Fox, Rebecca. “Diamond, John. Hardy, Hortense.”

Ten of the men snickered.

“Call me Lizzie,” ordered the blonde prisoner.

“I’ll call you whaddever da hell I want, babydoll,” he rasped.

“Show the General some respect,” Hunt ordered, annoyed.

“Like you’ve been treating us?” Diamond challenged. “This is damn respectful.”

The General continued: “We don’t have time to go into our VSO agenda in detail, and I wouldn’t tell you even if we did. Cutting it to the chase, we detected the nature of your unique talents and decided to incorporate them into our company. We can use you to good effect. The mute one, for instance, has a helluva lot more raw power than a standard-issue flamethrower. Right, Dr. Roberts?

“Most definitely,” he replied. “Just keep her away from the gaseous elements aboard.”

“Yeah. I’ll be sure not to fart when she’s firing. No point in blowing us all up.”

The soldiers laughed. “You’re pretty powerful too, son. You can dehumanize anybody with your touch for long periods. I intend to use that on our enemies, foreign and domestic.”

“Too bad we’re pacifists,” Lizzie said. “We won’t fight your wars for you.”

“The General’s eyes were hidden behind dark glasses. “I call every shot here. Every last one. Everybody does what I say, and the only one I give any latitude here is the doc, ‘cuz he’s clearly smarter than me.” Smoking his cigar, he went on: “You’re not here to fight for me, HH. Your friends are. I need you for communications. You got primo abilities for sifting enemy information. You’re my radio.”

“All right,” Lizzie reasoned, “so how can you tell if my info is the truth?”

The General’s mouth took thirty seconds to close. “Hmmm,” he realized. “Well, we’ll just have to work on that.”

“Why just the three of us?” Diamond asked. “There are others you didn’t take.”

“We know. Rabikes, Christopher. Basically a human helicopter, only not as fast. Easily shot down. Rodriguez, Moulty . . . WHAT THE HELL KIND OF NAME IS THAT?”

WHAT’S YOUR NAME? Becky held up in writing.

“Ah, shut up,” the General said.

“I’m Fricker, baby,” said Fricker -- and licked her ear. She recoiled, revolted.

“So General Ahshutup, why didn’t you take Moulty Rodriguez?” asked Diamond.

“Are you kidding?” the General said. “All he does is spread love.” He spat. “Some power.”

“But love is the greatest power of all,” Lizzie protested. “Right, Johnny?”

“Ho, why don’t you let me handle this, all right?” Diamond asked.

“It’s my job to handle it. I’m the deputy leader. I’m older than you --”

“Only by two minutes. I’m the man here. I’ll lead, thank you.”

“WHAT? You... you... caveman --”

WHY NOT FRED? wrote Becky.

Dr. Roberts answered that one. “We almost did. But in the end, we thought it would be... ridiculous to rely on his... unique tendencies. We like your powers a lot better. All we ask is that you adjust to our way of thinking.” Becky didn’t know if the statement made her sick to her stomach or if it was the gentle lurching she felt from the giant hovercraft.

I DON’T WANT TO HURT ANYBODY, wrote Becky. Hunt snatched it from her hand.

“Didn’t I say that” he asked. “She’s quoting me.

“Rebecca,” spoke the doctor in a too-gentle voice. “Everybody wants to hurt somebody. We’re all going to obey the General. That’s the way we run things here.”

NO.

Roberts looked into her defiant eyes. “You just need more experience.” He was too pleasant.

Diamond had enough. “You’re right, doc. Becky, kill the table.”

That I can do, she thought, and opened wide. Diamond decked a soldier behind him and pulled Lizzie away from the table just before the whole sixty-foot object ignited. The General, Roberts and the rest of the VSO goons shot away from their chairs, half of which caught fire as well. The trio ran like hell.

“Seal us off! Make a wall!” Diamond told Becky. “Ho, get ready to molecularize! Hunt said we landed! It’s now or-”

A powerful burst of smoky-grey extinguishing fluid suddenly hit Becky blowing her halfway down the hall. Covered in the sticky foam, Becky found herself convulsing, unable to breathe. She was too far away from Lizzie and John to escape with.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Roberts told her. He was armed with an extinguisher. Hunt and another VSO soldier accompanied him. “Hunt! Pastula! Get the other two!” He ordered, his voice punctuated by a sudden lurching of the airship. It was lifting off again.

“FIRST PERSON I TOUCH BECOMES HORSE MANURE FOR 38 YEARS!!!” shouted Diamond. “Ho, there’s the exit! Get off!”

Becky, her eyes clouding over, struggled in vain to get to her feet. She looked like a gasping ice sculpture, glistening with chemicals. She couldn’t summon the flame. Roberts stood over her, touching her frozen forehead. If the others tried to help her, they’d get more of the same.

“HO, I SAID LET’S GET OFF!!” Diamond shouted.

“NO! BECKY’S HURT! WE’RE NOT LEAVING WITHOUT-- “

”YES, WE ARE! NO CHOICE! COME ON!!!” He pulled Lizzie through the hallway to the elevator platform they entered from. They were already one mile up.

“Well?” Lizzie said, arms crossed.

“Um...” Diamond gulped. “Parachute, ten minutes?”

“WHAT!? OH, NO YOU DO -- - !!!”

>POP!<

● ● ●

Inside the ship, Becky was quickly losing consciousness. I’m suffocating... John... Lizzie... please... help... Her eyes shut.