Blood Rebel [COMPLETED]

Chapter Ten - Unwelcome Visitors and Disturbing Revelations

“But Hector...”

“For Blood’s sake Selene, get out!”  He shouted, exasperated, and Selene turned and ran from the house, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The front door slammed behind her.

But she stopped on the porch, leaning against one of the white columns.  

Why do I need to leave? What’s going on here?

Just then she heard footsteps inside the house, and she ran down the steps, down to the basement entrance, where she hid in the shadows as the guards exited the house above.

“What does Hector Stanley want with that prisoner?”

“No idea. Don’t ask questions. It’s beyond our remit.”

“Did you see the girl, Selene?”

“Yeh.  I wanted to ask for an autograph, but it didn’t seem like the right moment.”

"I've seen her dance."

“Wish I could afford one like her.”

“I'll bet she tastes sweet as hell.”

The two guards plodded down the steps and walked to the black van, parked just outside. They got in and drove round the corner, where they would wait for Professor Andrews somewhere inconspicuous.

Selene could feel her heart drumming a rapid tattoo. She held her breath until the guards had left, and then let herself in the basement door. She ran through the house and unlocked a door that led to the back garden. She crept up the stairs and round to the side of the house.

The window of Hector’s study was open; it was still hot and stifling and she knew he liked to let the night air in. She crawled along the ground until she was directly beneath the window, and then, grasping the window ledge with both hands, she pulled herself up slowly until her eyes and nose were above it. 

Inside, she could see Hector and Professor Andrews sitting the prisoner in a chair. His head, still covered with the black cloth, sagged into his chest.  

He must be drugged.

“Did you run tests?” Hector asked.

“We tried. We ran some, but they didn’t show anything unusual. Whatever it is, it’s not biological.”

“Where did he come from?”

“We don’t know. He won’t tell us anything. We don’t even know his name.”

“You’ve had him for a week, and you know nothing?” Hector’s voice was laden with disbelief. 

“We know this,” he said, moving towards the prisoner and grabbing his arm. He pulled up his sleeve and raised the inside of his wrist so Hector could see it. The prisoner’s arm had no resistance to it, as though it had no strength. Selene could just about make out some kind of black mark on the inner wrist.

Professor Andrews did the same with the other arm, and there too was an identical black mark. 

Hector moved closer, and knelt down, so he could easily inspect them. 

“It’s not possible,” he said.

“And yet there it is: the tattoo.”

“No one escapes from Epershand. The security is tighter than even that at Central Control.”

“Well, you know how you can find out.”

“I won’t do it.” 

“Hector, we have to know who this man is. And these marks are all we have to go on.”