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Chapter 39

The interior of the Burro was black. The lights were off and the door to the cab was closed. Richard strained to hear the engine and tried to feel the sway of the truck. They were moving but it was almost impossible to tell.

Trying to talk with Wilson proved pointless. He wouldn't reply. It was no surprise when he closed the door.

Richard glanced at his hands. They were difficult to see in the dark. He wished he could make out even a few fingers, just one last look before whatever was coming. His gut told him it was the end, that whoever killed his old body was preparing to finish the job.

The Burro slowed to a stop. The only way he could tell was from the hiss of the airbrakes.

For a moment nothing happened. Then the cab door opened and Wilson hopped through. Richard was sure his captor was wearing something to help him see - his actions sounded confident.

He moved close. His huge hands fumbled with the restraints. They fell to the floor with a clang.

"Where are we?" Richard whispered.

There was no reply. A pair of handcuffs were locked on his wrists with a snap. The sound startled him. Then he was pulled to his feet and manoeuvred out of the Burro – into more blackness.

Wilson led him through the void.

Without light it was hard to tell how long they walked. He stumbled every so often, only to have his cuffs yanked to pull him forward.

A red glow appeared in the murk ahead. Richard focused on it.

As they drew closer the glow grew sharper. The source was at waist height. Wilson tapped something above it when they arrived and the colour shifted to green. A door opened. Richard winced against the light that spilled out.

He was pulled into a simple white room. There was a large round chair in the middle and a pair of tubes on the far wall – one was quite tall.

The giant motioned for him to sit. Richard did as he was told.

Wilson then moved to the larger tube and pushed a button on the face. It flipped open. He stepped in and plugged a Hotwire cable into his neck port. The door closed.

As soon as it clicked shut the other door began to open, revealing a much smaller body inside. It was one Richard recognized but hadn't expected to see again.

"Hello, Dr. Sobel," said Morris. He stepped out of the tube and straightened the sleeves of his coat. His pale face wore a wide smile. "Sorry about the drama this evening, but I had a big task to accomplish in a small window - which left no opportunity for chit chat."

Richard could only stare at him in confusion.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions." Morris checked a large watch on his wrist as he crossed the room. "We've got some time before I take you downstairs, so ask away."

"I don't even know where to begin," Richard whispered.

"Start with the obvious."

"Fine. What do you want with me?"

"Nothing at all." Morris sat beside him. "I was sent to get you. Someone else would like a word."

"Who would that be?"

"All in good time."

Richard looked at the tubes. "How did you hijack that body? Husks are rare, especially a full military one."

Morris grinned. "It was an involved project. Lots of planning, some bribery and promises. The man who pays my wage was intent on getting you in to see him. Wanted lots of spectacle."

"Why not bring me in after you killed Mingle?"

"Wasn't time yet."

"Did you know what was going to happen?"

Morris put a hand on Richard's shoulder. "Let's just say we've been involved right from the beginning."

This made Richard blink in disbelief. Such a revelation was unsettling. "How?"

Morris stood and motioned him to do the same. "I'm not at liberty to say."

Richard followed Morris to a round door set into the wall. It opened when they arrived. Beyond was a black space the size of a large closet. Every surface was polished. They stepped in. As the door slid closed he realized it was an elevator. Morris pushed a single red button and stood back.

The elevator made a grinding sound and then dropped quickly - almost enough to knock them off balance.

"How far does this go?" Richard asked. The speed continued to increase and the room filled with a hum.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Morris. "The man we're going to see likes his privacy."

"What does he want with me?"

Morris smirked. "You've become a fascination to him over the years. How did he put it?... You stand for everything that is wrong with his contributions to the medical industry."

"Are you serious?"

"Why would I joke about something like that?"

The elevator began to slow. Richard's stomach knotted. He had no idea what was waiting for him.