Sashataakheru (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wolfanfics) wrote2008-11-07 01:37 am
wolfanfics) wrote2008-11-07 01:37 am
The Glass House: Chapter Twenty Four
Title: The Glass House
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderfulrana_narsilion <3
Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas; implied Tim/Craig, Hamish/Andy (after a fashion. XD)
Word Count: 4,673
Chapter: 24/32 [Previous]
Warnings: language, smut
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Author's Notes II: Er, sorry this took so long to finish. I had to rewrite half of this chapter and then Chassy wanted some playtime. DX
Summary: Andrew questions the voice in his head, Charles and Caleb continue their search while Chas decides to be extra distracting to the detriment of poor Julian.
Chapter Twenty Four
Andrew woke the next morning, clutching the sheets tightly to his chest as if afraid to let them go. They still smelt like Chris. The dark room had a small smattering of sunlight streaming in from a roughly cut window. It was one of the few rooms to have any sort of window, of which Andrew was grateful. He was beginning to hate the caves. They were dark and cold and enclosed, like a tomb.
Stretching stiffly - the bed had not been all that comfortable - Andrew got up and went to check on Chris and Craig. He crept quietly through the caves so as to not alert them to his movements. He peered in and saw them both fast asleep, Chris resting his head against Craig's shoulder, Craig's wings wrapped loosely around them. Andrew resisted the urge to disturb them. He'd leave them alone until the voice told him to act.
'Have faith, my child. You will soon be rewarded. Have patience and wait. The time is not yet right to contact them yet. Go, eat, and explore the caves. You will need this knowledge later on,' the voice chided him, sensing his impatience.
"Exploring caves. How exciting. What else am I to do with my day then?" Andrew said, unimpressed by the voice's commands as he walked away from the cavern where Chris and Craig were.
'Do as we say and you may be granted a night with the winged one. Do not disturb them. Go and prepare the room for tomorrow. You will be allowed to play in there with the winged one if you please us sufficiently today,' the voice said.
"Alright, alright, fine. I'll go and explore the fucking caves. What am I allowed to eat for breakfast then?" Andrew said, getting used to talking aloud to the voice.
'You may have what you wish. There is a small fire pit in the kitchen-like room where you may heat water, should you require it,' the voice said.
"And where may I wash? Or did you not think to provide such facilities? I'm getting sick of being dirty," Andrew said.
'There may be something hidden in the caves. We have not been here for some time. This is why we ask you to explore. We require your eyes to refresh our knowledge of these caves. Will you do this for us?' the voice asked.
"Yeah, alright. We'll go exploring. But we eat first. I'm starving," Andrew said.
'As you wish,' the voice said, displaying unusual deference to the human it commanded completely. Well, almost completely.
Andrew walked back towards the store room where he'd left the food and went through what he'd brought that could suffice for breakfast. He found some bread, and some meat and milk that was packed into an esky. He fished them out and put some water on to boil to make some coffee while he ate the meat and bread, unable to muster the energy to make anything else.
Sufficiently satisfied, he finished his coffee and went exploring, making sure to mark the cave walls with a piece of chalk so he didn't get lost. There were a lot of empty rooms that appeared to have no apparent purpose. Andrew wondered who had made them, for they had clearly been human-made, and why they'd made such an extensive network of caves. He found several dungeons that looked like they had once been used to house prisoners. Had the Army once had soldiers here? There was no trace left of the last occupants.
Andrew wandered further into the caves and discovered what appeared to be a communal shower area, albeit one not enclosed in any sort of room. The shower roses and taps had been anchored into the walls as if there was plumbing behind the solid rock that carried water here. Andrew tentatively approached them, crossing the bone-dry tiles. He tried one of the taps, turning it to see if water might come out of it still. Nothing happened. He tried each of the seven sets of taps to no avail. The final shower yielded results and cold water spluttered down onto the tiles at last. Impressed at this achievement, Andrew tried to see if he could make the water hot.
After several minutes, he had achieved lukewarm water, which he had to admit was better than nothing. He was pleased he'd brought a towel and soap with him in case he happened to find a shower that worked. Resting them on the rocky ledge separating the shower area from the corridor, Andrew stripped off and stood under the water, pleased to be able to get clean at last.
He indulged himself for as long as the warm water lasted before he reluctantly turned the water off and dried himself in the chilly air. Feeling better for being clean, he made a mental note where the showers were before heading off again to explore the rest of the caves.
Two hours later he finally returned to where he'd started, having explored every single inch of the cave complex to the voice's instructions. He peered in at Chris and Craig again, seeing them finally awake though still in the same positions as when he'd seen them last.
He left them to go eat again, managing to cook some semblance of a hot meal over the fire to keep him going all afternoon. He wandered out to the mouth of the cave after that, soaking in some much desired sunshine. He finally had a chance to take in his surroundings. Knowing Chris and Craig were safely locked in their cage, Andrew took a wander around, taking note of the forest in the distance, the directions of the roads and tracks from the mouth of the cave and the small stream he found nearby which appeared to have fish in it. Maybe he'd have a go at catching them later on for a bit of fresh produce, although he didn't have much skill at preparing fish to be cooked.
The sun was fairly warm, Andrew figured it had to be over 25 degrees outside, and there was a warm breeze from the north blowing across the land. It felt hotter than it probably was. Andrew pulled his jumper off and wrapped it around his waist, not needing it outside the caves. He sat by the stream, lost in thought, watching the small river of water trickle by quietly. He balled his jumper into a makeshift pillow and lay back, staring up at the sky.
'You have done well, dear Andrew. The pretty ones are pleased with you,' the voice said.
"I feel bad that I've taken my friends. Why do they deserve this? You're going to make me hand them over to the Army, aren't you? I'm not sure I can put Craig through that again," Andrew said as he looked for pictures in the clouds.
'We do it for the good of the country. What is one individual to the survival of the entire nation?' the voice said, showing a harshness to its voice Andrew was unfamiliar with.
"But Craig's my friend. I've known him for years. I know what they did to him last time. I can't put him through that again," Andrew said.
'He has wronged you, stolen your human lover from you. Surely this justifies revenge?' the voice said, changing tactics.
"Maybe. Maybe they were just comforting each other while I was sick," Andrew said, not sure what to believe.
'How do you know you can trust them? You can only rely on us and Charles. We're the only ones who will never lie to you,' the voice said, trying again to make Andrew utterly dependant.
"But you're making me hurt my friends. I'm not sure I like you anymore," Andrew said, sounding like a miserable child.
'If you will not obey, we will kill you instead. We will bring you such pain and suffering unlike anything you have ever known before,' the voice hisses angrily, sending a jolt of pain down Andrew's spine.
Andrew laughed darkly, seemingly unimpressed at the voice's efforts. "You won't kill me. Who else will do your bidding? I'm all you've got," Andrew said.
'You grow too confident, child. You must be reminded of your place,' the voice hisses, increasing the jolt of pain throughout his body.
This time, Andrew curls up in pain, gasping, unable to work out how a voice in his head wields such power over his own body. The pain lasts a mere second before receding, leaving him lying on the ground, his body aching.
"Fuck you. I hate it when you do that. Why can't you leave me alone?" Andrew said, trying to catch his breath.
'There is no one else! You will obey us! Now get back inside and prepare for tomorrow! Tomorrow, it all begins!' the voice said, clearly angry and demanding Andrew's obedience.
"Alright, alright, I get it already. Quit yelling in my head, bastards," Andrew said as he got to his feet.
Leaving the peaceful tranquillity of the stream behind, Andrew wandered back to the caves to prepare things for tomorrow, doing as the voice asked him to do.
Caleb and Charles had stopped at a small motel an hour and a half down from where they'd shot the soldiers. They woke the owner and managed to sweet-talk him into a room by offering him three times the normal fee. Clearly he got so little business, he was willing to take anything. Besides, they'd organised their cover story while they were driving, and their uniforms looked real enough that the poor bloke believed them. They crashed after three in the morning, having decided to sleep as long as they desired to steel themselves for a search that could take a long time to finish.
Caleb woke first. He wandered over to the general store and picked up some breakfast. There was nothing like fresh supplies to start the day. He'd save the rest and ration them during the rest of the day. He returned to find Charles just waking up.
"Get up, lazybones. Time to get going," Caleb said.
"Ugh. Is it morning already? Jesus. How long have you been up anyway?" Charles said, sitting up in bed.
"Long enough. It's nearly 10am. Time to get out of here. Those soldiers have just been discovered, so we should make ourselves scarce in case they come this way," Caleb said.
"Have I got time for a shower?" Charles said.
"I want us out of here in half an hour. That's showering, eating, everything. I got us some breakfast. Eat up, mate," Caleb said, handing Charles his breakfast. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Charles unwrapped his breakfast and ate. Caleb perched on the bed beside him. They'd been landed with a double bed and had to share, but neither seemed to care. Caleb tidied up their room while Charles showered.
Charles had convinced Caleb that they should pose as Army officers. Charles had a spare fake ID. He carried many of them depending on the work he had to do for the rebellion. His time in the Army had taught him skills he'd found impossible to forget.
Charles hadn't even wanted to be in the Army, or any of the Armed Forces, but he'd missed the cut-off for optional service by three years and his father shunted him into the Army where he had served two decades earlier. It was hard to refuse him. His father wouldn't have a sissy for a son and determined that the Army would toughen him up like it had toughened him up.
At the time, there had been an invasion looming. Recruits had been trained in their thousands in preparation. The year Charles finished his cadets training, he and his comrades had been shipped off in battle ships to invade New Zealand. They arrived at a point on the west coast of the south island and charged through the enemy forces. Charles, always a coward, watched his friends die around him. He was almost captured, but managed to create enough of a diversion so he could get away.
He fought when he was forced to, and wasted three years there in mindless slaughter. He was always surprised he'd lasted that long. Once the fighting had died down enough, Charles escaped and stowed away on a cargo ship back to Sydney and deserted. He joined the rebellion some time after and they had convinced him to keep his old uniforms and weapons in case they needed a disguise.
Charles had met Andrew back then as well. Andrew had come to the rebellion after his time was up, looking for some way to get back at what they'd done to him. They'd never felt brave enough to speak about their experiences in New Zealand to anyone other than themselves. There was no other way to cope. No one who hadn't been in New Zealand had the capacity to understand just how scarring an experience it had been. Andrew had seen grown men fall to pieces. Charles had witnessed the most barbaric side of humanity he hadn't been sure existed. Both had lost close friends, far too many close friends. Of the original invasion force, barely a third lived to return, and most of those were stuck in mental hospitals or had committed suicide. Veterans knew who had served there just by looking at them. They all had the same horror etched into their eyes that no amount of therapy and drugs could ever remove.
Their friendship had given Charles and Andrew a resilience they hadn't thought they'd find. Charles had been at the point of killing himself, so fed up with life and the memories he had. Andrew had given him an outlet, someone who understood, had been there with him. That had saved him when no one else could. Sometimes they didn't even talk. Sometimes all they did was hold each other close and try and pretend they were normal.
After a few minutes to discuss their plan of action, Charles and Caleb set off, stopping first at one of the few petrol stations left. It mainly served the Army, but also served the local farmers. It was one of the few places left they could get supplies. Consultation with Julian had narrowed down the rego of the truck they were looking for, which made things much easier. Now all they had to do was work out where it was heading.
The petrol station was empty bar the attendant inside. Charles led the way, since his ID outranked Caleb's. Charles was glad he'd remembered to bring a spare uniform for Caleb, or their ploy wouldn't have worked.
The attendant was a man of around 50, greying hair and withering looks. He had his feet on the counter as he read the paper. Charles caught the headline on the front page. Government Clamps Down On Rebellion, Destroys Rebel Hideouts. Charles picked up a paper. He figured he'd scan it for news.
"Just the paper, sir?" the attendant said.
"Yeah. I'm also looking for a truck stolen by some mutants a few weeks ago. Word has it they were last seen around here. That's the rego," Charles said, showing him the plate numbers they were looking for.
The man peered at it and thought. "Yeah, I think I saw them last night. Stopped in fast. Filled up and left. Poor bloke looked deranged, but I served him anyway, I didn't want no trouble. 'Sides, he didn't steal anything. Kept muttering to himself. Didn't see anyone with him though. Thought he was alone. Sure he was a mutant? Looked like some sort of mad soldier to me. One of your blokes gone mad, has he?" he said.
"Something like that, sir. Which direction did he head in?" Charles said.
"North east. Only word I could make out that he said was caves. Ain't no caves out that way though. It's all old mining towns and quarries. Nah, for caves you want the coast. Fifty mile north, there's some lovely limestone ones out there. Almost inaccessable. Used to play there when I was a kid. Good for hiding in. Might want to look there. Can't think why you'd go north east. Nowhere to run, not out there. You'd die before you returned to civilisation. Bad, bad things out that way. Nope, no one goes out that way unless they're Armed Forces. Talk said they got special secret bases out there where they keep them mutants and do experiments on them," he said.
"Seen many Army personnel out here then?" Charles said.
"A few, here and there. They're the only ones that go north east. Everyone else don't go that way," the man said. "Will that be all?"
"Yeah, thanks, you've been very helpful. How much for the paper?" Charles said.
"One fifty, but you can have it for nothing. Just be careful out there. Fewer eyes, more trouble. I hope you've got back up if you need it. Never sure what sort of danger you'll find out here," the man said.
Charles fished out some coins and left them on the counter as he left, tipping his hat to him as he went. Caleb followed and they got back in the truck to continue their search.
"So, where we heading?" Caleb said, starting the engine again.
"North east. Andrew's out that way, I just know it," Charles said.
"So you believe him then?" Caleb said.
"I don't see why he'd bother lying to us. We'll ask at the next town to confirm his story. How does that sound?" Charles said.
"Alright. We'll do that. We'll do a proper route after that. Now scan the-"
"Paper for news? Was going to do that anyway," Charles said.
"Good man," Caleb said.
Charles had time to read the front page properly. He wanted to know what the Government were crowing about. Sure enough, the warehouse they were claiming to have destroyed as a major rebel base had been their own hideout. For once they were printing the truth, though no one would really know that. The article also claimed major rebel leaders had been killed in the attack and the rebels had been hopelessly overwhelmed. Nothing like a bit of morning propaganda to brighten the day.
"Says here they arrested six rebel leaders when they attacked our last haven. I don't recall there being any arrests," Charles said.
"There weren't. We all got out. Those that didn't had been killed. There weren't any soldiers left to arrest us. We'd killed them all before we left," Caleb said.
"More lies. Fantastic," Charles said.
"It's the way they work, mate. I thought you'd know that better than anyone," Caleb said.
"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I like it," Charles said.
"So, is there anything else in there worth noting then?" Caleb said.
"Uh," Charles flicked the page to see what else lay inside, "the usual, it seems. Though, wait. There's something here about the labour camps. The ones where they were shunting all the halfwings. Apparently there was a riot at one of them and the guards were killed. No reports as to how many people survived. Surprise, surprise, they're blaming us for it. Well, not us specifically, but the rebellion comprising of mutants, their allies and other traitors to the Crown. You can really feel the love, can't you?" Charles said.
"That wasn't one of ours, was it? I mean, we didn't actually do that one, did we?" Caleb said.
"They've barely begun rounding them up. We haven't had time to consider breaking into camps, starting riots and freeing people. We're far too concerned with the rebellion. If they're being helped, it's not by us," Charles said.
"I'll have to let Julian know. He'll want to know about that riot. I don't know how easily they'll be getting papers up there," Charles said.
"Good idea. Let him know how we're going," Caleb said.
"Will do," Charles said, fishing out their phone.
When Charles rang, Julian was being suitably distracted by a very determined Chas. It took all Julian's powers of persuasion to get Chas to back off so Julian could answer the phone before it hung up. Julian batted him away as he reached for the phone, managing to pick it up on the seventh ring.
"Yeah? Charles, is that you?" Julian said, holding Chas back as he grinned and attempted to suck him off.
"Uh, yeah, Caleb said to call. We're just starting our search for the day. Heard any news?" Charles said.
"Uh, no, not yet, I uh-"
Julian cursed and hissed at Chas to back off. Chas wrestled the phone from Julian. "Chuckie boy! How are we doing? Screwed that little twink yet?"
"His name's Caleb, and yes, I have. He also shot a couple of soldiers as well. Would it kill you to let me speak to Jules quickly so you can get back to your playtime?" Charles said.
"Alright, alright. Just be quick. He can't start the day without his morning fuck," Chas said. He reluctantly handed the phone back, pouting adorably at Julian in a bid to gain his forgiveness.
"Charles, make it quick. Chas is pulling those puppy eyes of his," Julian said.
"That bastard! Look, we're heading north east. I've got a feeling he's out that way. Bloke at the servo said something about caves or quarries. We'll stop at the next town to see if they kept going and plan a a route from there," Charles said.
"Sounds good. Oh, and mate? Be careful. We think they'll be stepping up regional patrols as well. Don't get your sorry arse caught again, you hear?" Julian said.
"I don't intend to, and I don't think they'll bother arresting us again. I got the feeling they were done with us when they let us go before. But we'll stick to the back route and play it safe," Charles said.
"Good man. Call back later when you've got news. I'll fill you in on the situation fully then," Julian said.
"Alright. I'll let Chassy have his fun then," Charles said.
Chas snatched the phone back again. "Oi, Chuckie, call after ten am next time, will you? He's never happy when his morning fuck gets interrupted."
"I'll keep that in mind, mate," Charles said.
Chas threw the phone away and kissed his Julian. Now that Charles was gone, he could get on with mauling Julian as he desired.
Andrew wanted to be sick as he unpacked, cleaned and set out the instruments of torture he would be forced to use the next day. He hadn't quite registered what he'd brought when the voice had asked him to pack them. Now he saw each individual weapon, and the implied pain they would cause to his friends attacked him and he wanted to throw up. He wasn't sure he could do what the voice wanted him to do.
"This is going to kill me. Kidnapping them is one thing, but this? This is much worse. Why do I have to hurt them? Why can't I just keep them in their cage until the Army comes for them?" Andrew said, not understanding why he needed to be so cruel.
'Because they must fear you. And for that to happen, you must hurt them,' the voice said nastily.
"But they're my friends. I can't hurt them like that," Andrew argued.
'Punish Chris by hurting the winged one. Chris betrayed you, yes?' the voice goads.
"Maybe," Andrew said, not convinced.
'He loves the winged one, not you. Why do you think he clings to him like a vulnerable child? He seeks comfort from him, not you. Pay him back. Make him regret the day he sold his heart to that traitor,' the voice said angrily, sending a blast of pain down Andrew's spine in a bid to scare him into obedience.
Andrew whimpered and fell back, his knees crumbling beneath him. He clutched his head in pain, hating how much control the voice had over his mind and body. "But-but he loves me," Andrew said through gritted teeth.
'Prove it,' the voice said.
Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realised he could think of nothing to prove his case. "I-I can't. All I know is that in my heart, I know he loves me, but that will never be enough for you," he said softly.
'Then do as we say and punish him! That is all that matters!' the voice hissed, another jolt of pain searing through Andrew's body.
Andrew collapsed on the floor, curling up as best he could as the voice flooded his body with pain and his mind with nightmares. His hands clutched his head, unsure how to make the pain stop. The voice was sending him vicious images of pain, torture and suffering, the price of disobedience. There was Craig, in his mind, chained up and helpless as he was beaten and whipped by soldiers, as if the voice was implying what would happen to him if Andrew didn't obey. Andrew began sobbing, feeling helpless and alone, unable to stop the voice taking his mind again.
"Please, stop," Andrew whispered. "I-I promise to obey you."
'Not yet. You have not learned your lesson yet!' the voice said, refusing to give in.
Andrew whimpered again, vague memories floating into his mind of being in this sort of pain before as he lay strapped to something in the darkness, the voice commanding his complete obedience.
'You are weak, child, burdened by feelings and emotions you don't need. Remember, we're the ones who will look after you. Don't trouble yourself with such things. We know best, dear Andrew, remember that. Do as we say and no harm shall come to you. You can make the pain stop, Andrew. Just give in to us and we'll look after everything. You won't go hungry again if you serve us well,' the voice said, trying to coax him into obedience.
"But-but Craig, he-"
'Silence! Hush, dear Andrew. Give in to us and we'll take care of you. No one else can. They are all weak. You don't want to be weak, do you?' the voice said.
"N-no, weak is bad," Andrew forced himself to say.
'We are the only ones who can make you strong. Chris betrayed you. He deserves punishment. You will take them both and hurt Craig. The suffering of his lover shall be Chris' punishment. Before this, you will contact the Army and arrange to hand them over. You may be permitted to play with them while they arrive,' the voice said.
"O-okay, I'll do it. I promise I won't disobey you again. Just make the pain stop, please," Andrew begged, the constant jarring pain wearing him down.
'You are wise after you are foolish. Do not question us again. We will not be so lenient next time,' the voice said, finally relenting on the pain.
Andrew sighed with relief, curling into himself in a bid to rid his body of the pain.
'As punishment for your disobedience, you will not be permitted to play with the winged one tonight. You have not earned it. Finish in here and you will be permitted to rest at last,' the voice said.
"Yes," was all Andrew could bring himself to say.
Finally released from his duties, Andrew sulked off to eat a pathetic meal of dry bread, salty meat, sour cheese and overripe tomato before curling up on his uncomfortable bed to cry himself to sleep, clutching the sheets to his chest to breathe in the desperately faint smell of Chris as if it was the only comfort he had left.
"I'm sorry, Chris. I'm too weak to save you," Andrew breathed, drying his tears on the sheets.
'Sleep now. We will take care of everything,' the voice soothed, sending him into a deep sleep.
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderful
rana_narsilion <3Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas; implied Tim/Craig, Hamish/Andy (after a fashion. XD)
Word Count: 4,673
Chapter: 24/32 [Previous]
Warnings: language, smut
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Author's Notes II: Er, sorry this took so long to finish. I had to rewrite half of this chapter and then Chassy wanted some playtime. DX
Summary: Andrew questions the voice in his head, Charles and Caleb continue their search while Chas decides to be extra distracting to the detriment of poor Julian.
Chapter Twenty Four
Andrew woke the next morning, clutching the sheets tightly to his chest as if afraid to let them go. They still smelt like Chris. The dark room had a small smattering of sunlight streaming in from a roughly cut window. It was one of the few rooms to have any sort of window, of which Andrew was grateful. He was beginning to hate the caves. They were dark and cold and enclosed, like a tomb.
Stretching stiffly - the bed had not been all that comfortable - Andrew got up and went to check on Chris and Craig. He crept quietly through the caves so as to not alert them to his movements. He peered in and saw them both fast asleep, Chris resting his head against Craig's shoulder, Craig's wings wrapped loosely around them. Andrew resisted the urge to disturb them. He'd leave them alone until the voice told him to act.
'Have faith, my child. You will soon be rewarded. Have patience and wait. The time is not yet right to contact them yet. Go, eat, and explore the caves. You will need this knowledge later on,' the voice chided him, sensing his impatience.
"Exploring caves. How exciting. What else am I to do with my day then?" Andrew said, unimpressed by the voice's commands as he walked away from the cavern where Chris and Craig were.
'Do as we say and you may be granted a night with the winged one. Do not disturb them. Go and prepare the room for tomorrow. You will be allowed to play in there with the winged one if you please us sufficiently today,' the voice said.
"Alright, alright, fine. I'll go and explore the fucking caves. What am I allowed to eat for breakfast then?" Andrew said, getting used to talking aloud to the voice.
'You may have what you wish. There is a small fire pit in the kitchen-like room where you may heat water, should you require it,' the voice said.
"And where may I wash? Or did you not think to provide such facilities? I'm getting sick of being dirty," Andrew said.
'There may be something hidden in the caves. We have not been here for some time. This is why we ask you to explore. We require your eyes to refresh our knowledge of these caves. Will you do this for us?' the voice asked.
"Yeah, alright. We'll go exploring. But we eat first. I'm starving," Andrew said.
'As you wish,' the voice said, displaying unusual deference to the human it commanded completely. Well, almost completely.
Andrew walked back towards the store room where he'd left the food and went through what he'd brought that could suffice for breakfast. He found some bread, and some meat and milk that was packed into an esky. He fished them out and put some water on to boil to make some coffee while he ate the meat and bread, unable to muster the energy to make anything else.
Sufficiently satisfied, he finished his coffee and went exploring, making sure to mark the cave walls with a piece of chalk so he didn't get lost. There were a lot of empty rooms that appeared to have no apparent purpose. Andrew wondered who had made them, for they had clearly been human-made, and why they'd made such an extensive network of caves. He found several dungeons that looked like they had once been used to house prisoners. Had the Army once had soldiers here? There was no trace left of the last occupants.
Andrew wandered further into the caves and discovered what appeared to be a communal shower area, albeit one not enclosed in any sort of room. The shower roses and taps had been anchored into the walls as if there was plumbing behind the solid rock that carried water here. Andrew tentatively approached them, crossing the bone-dry tiles. He tried one of the taps, turning it to see if water might come out of it still. Nothing happened. He tried each of the seven sets of taps to no avail. The final shower yielded results and cold water spluttered down onto the tiles at last. Impressed at this achievement, Andrew tried to see if he could make the water hot.
After several minutes, he had achieved lukewarm water, which he had to admit was better than nothing. He was pleased he'd brought a towel and soap with him in case he happened to find a shower that worked. Resting them on the rocky ledge separating the shower area from the corridor, Andrew stripped off and stood under the water, pleased to be able to get clean at last.
He indulged himself for as long as the warm water lasted before he reluctantly turned the water off and dried himself in the chilly air. Feeling better for being clean, he made a mental note where the showers were before heading off again to explore the rest of the caves.
Two hours later he finally returned to where he'd started, having explored every single inch of the cave complex to the voice's instructions. He peered in at Chris and Craig again, seeing them finally awake though still in the same positions as when he'd seen them last.
He left them to go eat again, managing to cook some semblance of a hot meal over the fire to keep him going all afternoon. He wandered out to the mouth of the cave after that, soaking in some much desired sunshine. He finally had a chance to take in his surroundings. Knowing Chris and Craig were safely locked in their cage, Andrew took a wander around, taking note of the forest in the distance, the directions of the roads and tracks from the mouth of the cave and the small stream he found nearby which appeared to have fish in it. Maybe he'd have a go at catching them later on for a bit of fresh produce, although he didn't have much skill at preparing fish to be cooked.
The sun was fairly warm, Andrew figured it had to be over 25 degrees outside, and there was a warm breeze from the north blowing across the land. It felt hotter than it probably was. Andrew pulled his jumper off and wrapped it around his waist, not needing it outside the caves. He sat by the stream, lost in thought, watching the small river of water trickle by quietly. He balled his jumper into a makeshift pillow and lay back, staring up at the sky.
'You have done well, dear Andrew. The pretty ones are pleased with you,' the voice said.
"I feel bad that I've taken my friends. Why do they deserve this? You're going to make me hand them over to the Army, aren't you? I'm not sure I can put Craig through that again," Andrew said as he looked for pictures in the clouds.
'We do it for the good of the country. What is one individual to the survival of the entire nation?' the voice said, showing a harshness to its voice Andrew was unfamiliar with.
"But Craig's my friend. I've known him for years. I know what they did to him last time. I can't put him through that again," Andrew said.
'He has wronged you, stolen your human lover from you. Surely this justifies revenge?' the voice said, changing tactics.
"Maybe. Maybe they were just comforting each other while I was sick," Andrew said, not sure what to believe.
'How do you know you can trust them? You can only rely on us and Charles. We're the only ones who will never lie to you,' the voice said, trying again to make Andrew utterly dependant.
"But you're making me hurt my friends. I'm not sure I like you anymore," Andrew said, sounding like a miserable child.
'If you will not obey, we will kill you instead. We will bring you such pain and suffering unlike anything you have ever known before,' the voice hisses angrily, sending a jolt of pain down Andrew's spine.
Andrew laughed darkly, seemingly unimpressed at the voice's efforts. "You won't kill me. Who else will do your bidding? I'm all you've got," Andrew said.
'You grow too confident, child. You must be reminded of your place,' the voice hisses, increasing the jolt of pain throughout his body.
This time, Andrew curls up in pain, gasping, unable to work out how a voice in his head wields such power over his own body. The pain lasts a mere second before receding, leaving him lying on the ground, his body aching.
"Fuck you. I hate it when you do that. Why can't you leave me alone?" Andrew said, trying to catch his breath.
'There is no one else! You will obey us! Now get back inside and prepare for tomorrow! Tomorrow, it all begins!' the voice said, clearly angry and demanding Andrew's obedience.
"Alright, alright, I get it already. Quit yelling in my head, bastards," Andrew said as he got to his feet.
Leaving the peaceful tranquillity of the stream behind, Andrew wandered back to the caves to prepare things for tomorrow, doing as the voice asked him to do.
Caleb and Charles had stopped at a small motel an hour and a half down from where they'd shot the soldiers. They woke the owner and managed to sweet-talk him into a room by offering him three times the normal fee. Clearly he got so little business, he was willing to take anything. Besides, they'd organised their cover story while they were driving, and their uniforms looked real enough that the poor bloke believed them. They crashed after three in the morning, having decided to sleep as long as they desired to steel themselves for a search that could take a long time to finish.
Caleb woke first. He wandered over to the general store and picked up some breakfast. There was nothing like fresh supplies to start the day. He'd save the rest and ration them during the rest of the day. He returned to find Charles just waking up.
"Get up, lazybones. Time to get going," Caleb said.
"Ugh. Is it morning already? Jesus. How long have you been up anyway?" Charles said, sitting up in bed.
"Long enough. It's nearly 10am. Time to get out of here. Those soldiers have just been discovered, so we should make ourselves scarce in case they come this way," Caleb said.
"Have I got time for a shower?" Charles said.
"I want us out of here in half an hour. That's showering, eating, everything. I got us some breakfast. Eat up, mate," Caleb said, handing Charles his breakfast. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Charles unwrapped his breakfast and ate. Caleb perched on the bed beside him. They'd been landed with a double bed and had to share, but neither seemed to care. Caleb tidied up their room while Charles showered.
Charles had convinced Caleb that they should pose as Army officers. Charles had a spare fake ID. He carried many of them depending on the work he had to do for the rebellion. His time in the Army had taught him skills he'd found impossible to forget.
Charles hadn't even wanted to be in the Army, or any of the Armed Forces, but he'd missed the cut-off for optional service by three years and his father shunted him into the Army where he had served two decades earlier. It was hard to refuse him. His father wouldn't have a sissy for a son and determined that the Army would toughen him up like it had toughened him up.
At the time, there had been an invasion looming. Recruits had been trained in their thousands in preparation. The year Charles finished his cadets training, he and his comrades had been shipped off in battle ships to invade New Zealand. They arrived at a point on the west coast of the south island and charged through the enemy forces. Charles, always a coward, watched his friends die around him. He was almost captured, but managed to create enough of a diversion so he could get away.
He fought when he was forced to, and wasted three years there in mindless slaughter. He was always surprised he'd lasted that long. Once the fighting had died down enough, Charles escaped and stowed away on a cargo ship back to Sydney and deserted. He joined the rebellion some time after and they had convinced him to keep his old uniforms and weapons in case they needed a disguise.
Charles had met Andrew back then as well. Andrew had come to the rebellion after his time was up, looking for some way to get back at what they'd done to him. They'd never felt brave enough to speak about their experiences in New Zealand to anyone other than themselves. There was no other way to cope. No one who hadn't been in New Zealand had the capacity to understand just how scarring an experience it had been. Andrew had seen grown men fall to pieces. Charles had witnessed the most barbaric side of humanity he hadn't been sure existed. Both had lost close friends, far too many close friends. Of the original invasion force, barely a third lived to return, and most of those were stuck in mental hospitals or had committed suicide. Veterans knew who had served there just by looking at them. They all had the same horror etched into their eyes that no amount of therapy and drugs could ever remove.
Their friendship had given Charles and Andrew a resilience they hadn't thought they'd find. Charles had been at the point of killing himself, so fed up with life and the memories he had. Andrew had given him an outlet, someone who understood, had been there with him. That had saved him when no one else could. Sometimes they didn't even talk. Sometimes all they did was hold each other close and try and pretend they were normal.
After a few minutes to discuss their plan of action, Charles and Caleb set off, stopping first at one of the few petrol stations left. It mainly served the Army, but also served the local farmers. It was one of the few places left they could get supplies. Consultation with Julian had narrowed down the rego of the truck they were looking for, which made things much easier. Now all they had to do was work out where it was heading.
The petrol station was empty bar the attendant inside. Charles led the way, since his ID outranked Caleb's. Charles was glad he'd remembered to bring a spare uniform for Caleb, or their ploy wouldn't have worked.
The attendant was a man of around 50, greying hair and withering looks. He had his feet on the counter as he read the paper. Charles caught the headline on the front page. Government Clamps Down On Rebellion, Destroys Rebel Hideouts. Charles picked up a paper. He figured he'd scan it for news.
"Just the paper, sir?" the attendant said.
"Yeah. I'm also looking for a truck stolen by some mutants a few weeks ago. Word has it they were last seen around here. That's the rego," Charles said, showing him the plate numbers they were looking for.
The man peered at it and thought. "Yeah, I think I saw them last night. Stopped in fast. Filled up and left. Poor bloke looked deranged, but I served him anyway, I didn't want no trouble. 'Sides, he didn't steal anything. Kept muttering to himself. Didn't see anyone with him though. Thought he was alone. Sure he was a mutant? Looked like some sort of mad soldier to me. One of your blokes gone mad, has he?" he said.
"Something like that, sir. Which direction did he head in?" Charles said.
"North east. Only word I could make out that he said was caves. Ain't no caves out that way though. It's all old mining towns and quarries. Nah, for caves you want the coast. Fifty mile north, there's some lovely limestone ones out there. Almost inaccessable. Used to play there when I was a kid. Good for hiding in. Might want to look there. Can't think why you'd go north east. Nowhere to run, not out there. You'd die before you returned to civilisation. Bad, bad things out that way. Nope, no one goes out that way unless they're Armed Forces. Talk said they got special secret bases out there where they keep them mutants and do experiments on them," he said.
"Seen many Army personnel out here then?" Charles said.
"A few, here and there. They're the only ones that go north east. Everyone else don't go that way," the man said. "Will that be all?"
"Yeah, thanks, you've been very helpful. How much for the paper?" Charles said.
"One fifty, but you can have it for nothing. Just be careful out there. Fewer eyes, more trouble. I hope you've got back up if you need it. Never sure what sort of danger you'll find out here," the man said.
Charles fished out some coins and left them on the counter as he left, tipping his hat to him as he went. Caleb followed and they got back in the truck to continue their search.
"So, where we heading?" Caleb said, starting the engine again.
"North east. Andrew's out that way, I just know it," Charles said.
"So you believe him then?" Caleb said.
"I don't see why he'd bother lying to us. We'll ask at the next town to confirm his story. How does that sound?" Charles said.
"Alright. We'll do that. We'll do a proper route after that. Now scan the-"
"Paper for news? Was going to do that anyway," Charles said.
"Good man," Caleb said.
Charles had time to read the front page properly. He wanted to know what the Government were crowing about. Sure enough, the warehouse they were claiming to have destroyed as a major rebel base had been their own hideout. For once they were printing the truth, though no one would really know that. The article also claimed major rebel leaders had been killed in the attack and the rebels had been hopelessly overwhelmed. Nothing like a bit of morning propaganda to brighten the day.
"Says here they arrested six rebel leaders when they attacked our last haven. I don't recall there being any arrests," Charles said.
"There weren't. We all got out. Those that didn't had been killed. There weren't any soldiers left to arrest us. We'd killed them all before we left," Caleb said.
"More lies. Fantastic," Charles said.
"It's the way they work, mate. I thought you'd know that better than anyone," Caleb said.
"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I like it," Charles said.
"So, is there anything else in there worth noting then?" Caleb said.
"Uh," Charles flicked the page to see what else lay inside, "the usual, it seems. Though, wait. There's something here about the labour camps. The ones where they were shunting all the halfwings. Apparently there was a riot at one of them and the guards were killed. No reports as to how many people survived. Surprise, surprise, they're blaming us for it. Well, not us specifically, but the rebellion comprising of mutants, their allies and other traitors to the Crown. You can really feel the love, can't you?" Charles said.
"That wasn't one of ours, was it? I mean, we didn't actually do that one, did we?" Caleb said.
"They've barely begun rounding them up. We haven't had time to consider breaking into camps, starting riots and freeing people. We're far too concerned with the rebellion. If they're being helped, it's not by us," Charles said.
"I'll have to let Julian know. He'll want to know about that riot. I don't know how easily they'll be getting papers up there," Charles said.
"Good idea. Let him know how we're going," Caleb said.
"Will do," Charles said, fishing out their phone.
When Charles rang, Julian was being suitably distracted by a very determined Chas. It took all Julian's powers of persuasion to get Chas to back off so Julian could answer the phone before it hung up. Julian batted him away as he reached for the phone, managing to pick it up on the seventh ring.
"Yeah? Charles, is that you?" Julian said, holding Chas back as he grinned and attempted to suck him off.
"Uh, yeah, Caleb said to call. We're just starting our search for the day. Heard any news?" Charles said.
"Uh, no, not yet, I uh-"
Julian cursed and hissed at Chas to back off. Chas wrestled the phone from Julian. "Chuckie boy! How are we doing? Screwed that little twink yet?"
"His name's Caleb, and yes, I have. He also shot a couple of soldiers as well. Would it kill you to let me speak to Jules quickly so you can get back to your playtime?" Charles said.
"Alright, alright. Just be quick. He can't start the day without his morning fuck," Chas said. He reluctantly handed the phone back, pouting adorably at Julian in a bid to gain his forgiveness.
"Charles, make it quick. Chas is pulling those puppy eyes of his," Julian said.
"That bastard! Look, we're heading north east. I've got a feeling he's out that way. Bloke at the servo said something about caves or quarries. We'll stop at the next town to see if they kept going and plan a a route from there," Charles said.
"Sounds good. Oh, and mate? Be careful. We think they'll be stepping up regional patrols as well. Don't get your sorry arse caught again, you hear?" Julian said.
"I don't intend to, and I don't think they'll bother arresting us again. I got the feeling they were done with us when they let us go before. But we'll stick to the back route and play it safe," Charles said.
"Good man. Call back later when you've got news. I'll fill you in on the situation fully then," Julian said.
"Alright. I'll let Chassy have his fun then," Charles said.
Chas snatched the phone back again. "Oi, Chuckie, call after ten am next time, will you? He's never happy when his morning fuck gets interrupted."
"I'll keep that in mind, mate," Charles said.
Chas threw the phone away and kissed his Julian. Now that Charles was gone, he could get on with mauling Julian as he desired.
Andrew wanted to be sick as he unpacked, cleaned and set out the instruments of torture he would be forced to use the next day. He hadn't quite registered what he'd brought when the voice had asked him to pack them. Now he saw each individual weapon, and the implied pain they would cause to his friends attacked him and he wanted to throw up. He wasn't sure he could do what the voice wanted him to do.
"This is going to kill me. Kidnapping them is one thing, but this? This is much worse. Why do I have to hurt them? Why can't I just keep them in their cage until the Army comes for them?" Andrew said, not understanding why he needed to be so cruel.
'Because they must fear you. And for that to happen, you must hurt them,' the voice said nastily.
"But they're my friends. I can't hurt them like that," Andrew argued.
'Punish Chris by hurting the winged one. Chris betrayed you, yes?' the voice goads.
"Maybe," Andrew said, not convinced.
'He loves the winged one, not you. Why do you think he clings to him like a vulnerable child? He seeks comfort from him, not you. Pay him back. Make him regret the day he sold his heart to that traitor,' the voice said angrily, sending a blast of pain down Andrew's spine in a bid to scare him into obedience.
Andrew whimpered and fell back, his knees crumbling beneath him. He clutched his head in pain, hating how much control the voice had over his mind and body. "But-but he loves me," Andrew said through gritted teeth.
'Prove it,' the voice said.
Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realised he could think of nothing to prove his case. "I-I can't. All I know is that in my heart, I know he loves me, but that will never be enough for you," he said softly.
'Then do as we say and punish him! That is all that matters!' the voice hissed, another jolt of pain searing through Andrew's body.
Andrew collapsed on the floor, curling up as best he could as the voice flooded his body with pain and his mind with nightmares. His hands clutched his head, unsure how to make the pain stop. The voice was sending him vicious images of pain, torture and suffering, the price of disobedience. There was Craig, in his mind, chained up and helpless as he was beaten and whipped by soldiers, as if the voice was implying what would happen to him if Andrew didn't obey. Andrew began sobbing, feeling helpless and alone, unable to stop the voice taking his mind again.
"Please, stop," Andrew whispered. "I-I promise to obey you."
'Not yet. You have not learned your lesson yet!' the voice said, refusing to give in.
Andrew whimpered again, vague memories floating into his mind of being in this sort of pain before as he lay strapped to something in the darkness, the voice commanding his complete obedience.
'You are weak, child, burdened by feelings and emotions you don't need. Remember, we're the ones who will look after you. Don't trouble yourself with such things. We know best, dear Andrew, remember that. Do as we say and no harm shall come to you. You can make the pain stop, Andrew. Just give in to us and we'll look after everything. You won't go hungry again if you serve us well,' the voice said, trying to coax him into obedience.
"But-but Craig, he-"
'Silence! Hush, dear Andrew. Give in to us and we'll take care of you. No one else can. They are all weak. You don't want to be weak, do you?' the voice said.
"N-no, weak is bad," Andrew forced himself to say.
'We are the only ones who can make you strong. Chris betrayed you. He deserves punishment. You will take them both and hurt Craig. The suffering of his lover shall be Chris' punishment. Before this, you will contact the Army and arrange to hand them over. You may be permitted to play with them while they arrive,' the voice said.
"O-okay, I'll do it. I promise I won't disobey you again. Just make the pain stop, please," Andrew begged, the constant jarring pain wearing him down.
'You are wise after you are foolish. Do not question us again. We will not be so lenient next time,' the voice said, finally relenting on the pain.
Andrew sighed with relief, curling into himself in a bid to rid his body of the pain.
'As punishment for your disobedience, you will not be permitted to play with the winged one tonight. You have not earned it. Finish in here and you will be permitted to rest at last,' the voice said.
"Yes," was all Andrew could bring himself to say.
Finally released from his duties, Andrew sulked off to eat a pathetic meal of dry bread, salty meat, sour cheese and overripe tomato before curling up on his uncomfortable bed to cry himself to sleep, clutching the sheets to his chest to breathe in the desperately faint smell of Chris as if it was the only comfort he had left.
"I'm sorry, Chris. I'm too weak to save you," Andrew breathed, drying his tears on the sheets.
'Sleep now. We will take care of everything,' the voice soothed, sending him into a deep sleep.