Dark Lethe -- Mother's Message

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Mother's Message

"Renan... Renan..." the voice on the machine waited a second.

"Renan, it's your mother. Are you there?" again the machinated mother's voice paused.

"Renan, it's about your brother. He's done it again. I don't know where he is. I've called him and left messages but now his beep is so long. I don't think he's checked any of them. Renan where could he be? I know he's doing that computer stuff you used to do. Renan, call me as soon as you can. I miss you. Bye..." the click on the other end of the line was recorded on the machine, a short dial tone, and the machine cut off.

The little red light flashed twice .

The room was a black box. Nothing could be seen or heard. A harsh, blue backlight suddenly turned on. The blue light streamed from directly behind the Interrogator's head. She was nothing but an unmoving, solitary shadow. No face, no features, just the empty space of a missing puzzle piece.

The one being questioned lowered his head, the sudden light was too much for eyes that had grown accustomed to the dark. He hated when they turned on that light. It just came on, with no warning. And no matter how hard you tried to prepare for it, you always failed and you looked like a frightened kid hiding from the brightness. The one being questioned would rather face his judge and jury in the dark, where they were both unknown. But here, in this room, the Interrogator always had the upper hand. You couldn't see them but they could see you, with your face cast in a corpse blue hue and your eyes unable to hide the truth. And even with the lights off, where two unknowns would be seemingly equal, they still knew more about you than you ever knew about yourself.

"How many times do you expect us to take you back?" the Interrogator asked. "Do you think you can come and go as you please?"

"Yes I do." the one being questioned answered as he raised he head.

The silhouetted woman leaned in closer to the Badger. The light from behind her swam eerily in the dry-ice mist. She placed a fist under her jaw and leaned on her hand.

The Interrogator examined the Badger closely. She was quiet for a long while as she determined what the best course of action might be. How could she best deal with this little problem? It seemed a contemplatory silence that was broken only when she leaned back in her chair and folded her hands in front of her.

"That is not the way we operate. Once you join you cannot leave. We're not as lenient as we used to be. Since we've revamped the entire system certain... precautions had to be implemented. But you know all this. Why do I have to- ahhh." The Interrogator chuckled derisively and folded her arms about her chest. "You even have her old number." Again the woman chuckled.

"It's not about her."

"Isn't it Badger 7-1-6. It's not about Renan? August 6 though August 29, leave. September 7 through September 20, leave. October 1 through October 19, Leave. Nov-"

Badger 716 interrupted. "It isn't-"

The interrogator interrupted back. "And that is only this year. Shall I go through the leave you've take in the past?"

No answer.

"Shall I remind you of the rules?"

No answer.

"Shall I-"

"No."

"Fine then. We won't talk about you anymore. Not that every time we begin to discuss you and your actions, you refuse to answer... but never mind about that. How about we discuss your clan. Oh, but we can't." the Interrogator began in mock worry, "They're all missing."

There was silence again. The woman waited for Badger 716 to retort, to remember the mishap that had caused him to lose his entire group. "They were under your care 7-1-6. All of them. Just what kind of procedures did you follow?"

No answer.

"You should be happy we have media connections, of those 'kids', three have disappeared and the other-"

"Is still in crit con." Badger 716 whispered solemnly.

"Still in crit 7-1-6. With definite brain damage I might add. With little or no damage that badger is no longer of any use to us."

Badger 716 shot up from his chair. "Tom has no where-"

"Sit down 7-1-6. You should have thought about that then, as pack leader." The Badger complied.

The woman stood up from her chair and slowly walked around the desk. She disappeared for one quick second as she stepped out of the light. Then just as quickly, she reappeared. This time her face could be seen.

It wasn't the first time Badger 716 had seen this interrogator. It wasn't the first time Badger 716 had been interrogated. But it was the first time that the Badger had realized who exactly he was talking to. She wasn't just the Interrogator anymore. Since the reconstruction, she had become the person in charge, the Central Command for the Underground. Now it was up to Badger to figure out why she had come to question him personally.

"WE expect a lot from our leaders you know." the Interrogator said as she leaned on the edge of her desk. "We expected a lot from your sister. She couldn't handle it either. We lost many good people under her and not just members- contacts, informants, spies. I'm not about to let that legacy carry over again. We've spent a lot of time recovering from that small company breakdown that your sister initiated. It's beyond me why we even keep any of you around. The problems your family causes really seems hereditary, when you look at the big picture. As far as I'm concerned, your genes should have been wiped out before you father was even born." The interrogator stood and eyed the Badger. She turned and walked to sit behind her desk. Once again she was a non-descript shadow.

"No more 716. NO MORE leave. NO more losses." the Interrogator paused and waited for any objections. "We've got another penetration tonight. You're links, I.D's and scenario are in the Green Room. It's another recon, no action, just information. Knowledge of our enemy first and then we can attack effectively. After that you have a search, right?"

Jestim nodded. The three missing badgers. He had to find them, for his own sake. Cause if they leaked, his life was forfeit and if Valhalla caught them before he did their lives were forfeit too.

"Who's my group now?" he asked wondering who'd Central Command throw him with now that he didn't have his group anymore.

"Raven Clan."" "So this is just preliminary surface stuff?"

"All you do make the dig, then sit, then wait and then get them out of there using an exit other than the one you used to get in. Raven clan will do all the knowledge acquisition. Make sure the covers of Ravens 1 and 2 aren't blown. They're still undercover. Everyone thinks they're Odin's right hand men. He thinks they sit on his shoulder."

Jestim nodded. He didn't bother to ask why he was chosen and not the obvious choice of Raven Leader. It was how he was being disciplined and at the same time still being able to get the job done for the Underground. He hated Valhalla, the megacorporation that was the birthplace of the "virtual realm of real life" as he liked to put it in simple terms, but he hated Raven Clan more. And they hated him just as much. This time however, he'd have to be fending for himself by himself. They'd pick him alive as soon as they got the chance.

"Do I get a Mole?"

"Deep probe isn't necessary. Besides they're in another sector, otherwise engaged."

"All of them?"

"Yes. All of them."

"Do I get and Owl?"

The shadow caught it's breath and scoffed. She couldn't deny Badger 716 that. She had forgotten, for one quick second, that the Badger was no novice. He knew what to ask for. Quickly she came up with her own quid pro quo. "Any ONE."

"Number two." he said instantaneously. The interrogator smiled. He couldn't have number two. "Owl 2 is currently out of commission. She has gotten permission to upgrade her wheelchair."

"Then you're not going to give me any lookouts." Jestim said knowing full well the kind of situation he was being backed into.

"You won't need them anyway. Worry not Badger 716. Jack has already handled the fist phase. He contacted a few of our old members the ones who have something that belongs to us. All you are going to do is watch them, note them. Raven Clan knows the deal. You just get them in. Dismissed."

Badger 716 stood up, put a hand on the arm of his chair, turned around and walked out.

"And Jestim. Jack has contacted her as well. It's too late to try and stop this, so don't try. She may not remember what's in her head, but we do and we want it back. It's just a plus that she works for Valhalla as well."

Jestim's face was indifferent but his eyes were sharp slits and his jaw was clenched as tight as a vice grip. He grasped the door handle and pulled on it hard. It flew wide open.

"Remember Badger 716. As far as we're concerned WE ARE your family. Have a nice day."

Jestim made a sharp right and was greeted by harsh light. White washed walls stretched in three directions. Jestim stood where he was, looking about him at the psycho-wardesque atmosphere. He raked his hand through his hair while he shook his head and sighed.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he whispered. "Nothing you hadn't expected to happen long ago." he answered and tuned right again to follow the long corridor. He passed three doors and stopped in front of the fourth one. Here was his destination. The Green Room. He opened the nondescript door and stepped inside.

Waiting for him were the seven smirking visages of Raven Clan.

This page by Taralyn R. Frasqueri Molina

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