Ash Ketchum: Rise of Galactic

Ch. 44 The Betrayal

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   I awoke buckled tightly to a cot only slightly larger than the one I'd been strapped to in the back of the Galactic truck. There were wires connected to me coming from a white metal box about the size of a deck of cards strapped to my chest. It was a RESAT box, the same device I had pulled off Gary when we'd freed him. The top of the box had a single knob and several flashing red and green diodes registering its power diffusion. It also had a small antenna, which made me believe my suffering was being controlled by remote. I felt dizzy, and my thoughts were blurred, nearly as hazy as my vision. Above me was a large light fixture, and the light from it blinded and hurt my eyes, making me blink as hard as I ever have, which is probably why I didn't notice Serena until she spoke.

  "Ash."

   I squinted, looking up into her face of her. I must be dreaming, I thought.

   She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. "How are you?"

  "What are you doing here? You've got to get out, before they catch you."

  "It's okay," she said, "We're safe."

   My forehead was wet with perspiration. "We're not safe. Pull off these wires. We've got to get out of here."

   Serena just smiled. "Why would I want to escape?"

  "What?"

   Her smile grew. "I want to tell you a secret." She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "The whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing, it's not real. I made it up to get you down here for Dr. Cyrus. I delivered you to him. And in return Dr. Cyrus gave me this beautiful diamond bracelet." She dangled the bracelet in front of my face. "You know how we girls love bling. I just thought you'd like to know that." She stood up and walked out of the room.

   Tears fell down the sides of my face of her. This must be a nightmare, I told myself.

   Ten minutes later someone else walked into the room, stopping at the side of my cot. It was Dr. Cyrus. "Welcome back, Ash," he said.

   I closed my eyes. I didn't want to look at him.

  "You've been crying. So you must have learned the truth about Serena. Unrequited love always hurts. You didn't really think that a girl as beautiful as Serena would be interested in someone as pathetic as you, did you?"

   I said nothing.

  "Not speaking, I see." He slowly exhaled. "No matter." He pulled stool up to the side of my cot and sat down. "Ash the oath breaker. That's what we call you around here. What do you think of that?"

  "I don't care what you call me," I said.

   Cyrus's voice turned more serious. "How did you get down here?"

   I didn't answer.

   He grabbed my face, squeezing my cheeks. "I asked you a question."

  "I walked."

   He let go of me but remained close enough that I could feel his breath of him on my face. His voice of him dropped. I knew Cyrus well enough to that that was his way of him. Most people's voices rise when they're angry. Cyrus's voice softened. "Let's try this one," he said slowly. "Where are your friends, Ash?"

   I didn't answer.

   Cyrus waited nearly a full minute before he said, "Oh please. Don't be so cliché with the 'I'm going to be the hero and protect my friends' routine. We both know that I could throw you in Cell 26, our new and improved Peruvian version of your suite in the academy, and get it out of you."