S1, 03 Deal With The Devil (FB) (March 13, 2014)

Corresponding text underneath each picture.

**18th DECEMBER 2094: PRESENT DAY**

It began as any other day began. Woken up by the guards at 6:00am, stood in line for the showers, ignored a fight going on nearby that the guards rushed to break up, shoved into place in the cafeteria, ate some slop they called breakfast and then trudged back to my cell where I spent the rest of the day alone and bored.

Or at least, where I’d *normally* spent the rest of the day alone and bored.

But today wasn’t going to be an ordinary day. No, today was going to be a day to remember.

I’d been back in my cell for a few hours, so it was around 11:00am. I was laying on my bed as I so often did, contemplating life and the events in my past that had gotten me here, when suddenly there was a power failure. The room was plunged into darkness and I sat bolt upright in alarm. I waited a few seconds for emergency lighting to kick into action as I would have expected it to, but nothing came. Even the light in the corridor had gone out.

I was about to get up and go to the door to ask the guard what was going on, when there was suddenly a bright light, shining through the bars of my door. It hit me in the face and I turned my face away, blinded. At the same time, I heard the mechanism that was the door lock turning. Most ordinary people, especially the other criminals and scum that were locked up in this place, wouldn’t have been able to hear anything, but my ears were finely tuned to the sound of mechanics, having tinkered with metal and anything that could be made all my life.

Ever since a young boy, I’d always fiddled with things; springs, locks, pistons, cylinders, anything I could get my hands on and as a result, I could create anything out of just about any piece of scrap nowadays. Of course, I wasn’t allowed any scraps here in jail in case I made myself a key and got out (I tried that once. Got to the end of the corridor and a guard stunned me and dragged me straight back.)

I stood up and turned my face back towards the light and squinted into it trying to see what was going on. The light didn’t die down but suddenly there was another person in the room with me, silhouetted against the light.

Figure: “Good evening Tank.”

Chain: “Who, who are you?”

Figure: “My name? Haha. My name does not matter. Not any more, at least.”  He chuckled.

The man sounded like he was from Earth. He sounded, English, maybe? I couldn’t see him though, as much as I squinted into the light and tried to discern his features.

Figure: “No; the question you *should* be asking is, ‘What do you want?’”

Chain: “Fine, what do you want?”

I was shielding my face with my hand but it wasn’t working very well. However, my eyes were adjusting slightly and I could now make out that the man was wearing a suit, a well-tailored one at that.

Figure: “Ooh...”

He sounded disappointed.

Figure: “You’re easier to lead than even I expected! No, neither of these questions matter. Care to take a guess at the question you should be asking?”

I wasn’t in the mood for guessing games.

Chain: “What the hell are you doing in my cell?” I demanded.

Figure: “Nope! Wrong again!”

This guy was really starting to annoy me now. At least my eyes were continuing to adjust. I could now see that he was a middle-aged man with a small, black, chin-strap beard and well groomed, slicked-back hair.

Figure: “Okay, I’ll tell you.” Suddenly his tone changed, dramatically turning from casual playfulness to serious business.

Figure: “You should be asking what my master wants with you.”

Chain: “And who is your master?”

Figure: “That is not your concern right now. For the time being, you do not need to know his name. For now he shall simply remain an anonymous benefactor.”

Chain: “Benefactor? Why what’s he ever done for me?”

Figure: “Not what’s he’s *done* for you… what he’s *going* to do for you.”

This was all sounding very strange to me and I was starting to get a little worried. Yes, I was also beginning to become interested in what the man was saying but at the same time, something wasn’t right.

Chain: “Guards!” I shouted.

Figure: “Oh they can’t hear you. They’re otherwise occupied at this current time. Now do be sensible and listen to what I have to say.”

I thought for a moment before responding.

Chain: “Go on. I’m listening.”

Figure: “My master knows the truth.”

That hit me like a rock. My arm dropped and I was once again blinded by the light. How could he know? How much did he know? Did this man’s mysterious master have the answers I’d been searching for, for my entire life? To make sure he was on about the same ‘truth’ I was thinking of, I played dumb.

Chain: “The truth about what?”

Figure: “About your past. Your bloody history. The events that got you thrown in here. He knows what really happened and he’s willing to share that information with you.”

I had to take a moment. I sat back down on the bed and stared at the ground, lost in thought. How could this man know? *Did* he know, or was this all a set-up? That was a distinct possibility, but if he did really know what happened that night, I couldn’t risk letting that information slip away. I **HAD** to know. I **HAD** to know the truth!

Chain: “What does he want in return?”

Figure: “Merely your services.”

Chain: “Services doing what?”

I wasn’t stupid. I wasn’t about to leap into something I did know all the details about.

Figure: “My master and yourself have a common cause. Or rather, a common foe. The Galactic Imperium.”

I nodded.

Figure: “My master has need for certain individuals high up in the GI to, how shall I put this, drop off the radar. Permanently.”

I shook my head.

Chain: “I’m no murderer. And if your master really does knows the truth, then he should know that.”

Figure:” But you kill. You are a killer. What is the difference between being a killer and being a murderer?”

That made me think. What was the difference? *Was* there a difference? And if so, which one was I?

Chain: “A murdered kills in cold blood. A killer is anyone who has *had* to kill, whether it be in self-defence or because there was no other option and it was the lesser of two evils.”

Figure: “Mmm… so which are you Frank?”

Another blow! I felt like I’d been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer! I’d not heard that name in nearly a year, not being used on me anyway. How did this guy know my real name? Of course, it just acted as proof that this guy’s master potentially did know as much as this man was saying he did. I looked back up at the guy in the light, managing to look just by squinting now.

Chain: “A killer. If I kill, it’s because I have to; because there is no other choice.”

Figure: “There is always a choice, Frank. But let’s not digress any further. If you won’t kill my master’s targets then I’m afraid he won’t be interested in helping you out.”

The figure started to turn to leave.

Chain: “WAIT!” I cried out and leapt up. The figure stopped and turned back again.

Figure: “Yes?”

Chain: “Your master, I will offer him my services to do anything else. But I won’t kill in cold blood.”

The man didn’t respond for a few seconds.

Figure: “You are *exactly* as my master said you would be.” He marvelled. “Of course, my master knows everything and so knew that you would react this way. He does have a second offer.”

Chain: “Yes?”

Figure: “He will break you out of this place on the condition that you work for him. You do anything he asks, go anywhere he demands, fetch anything he desires. Most of the work will be against the GI, sometimes the Aurellians too. It will involve fighting but if you feel confident that you can pull it off without killing anyone and affecting your morals, then that’s fine. In return, he will tell you everything he knows.”

I thought it all through. That sounded like quite a commitment. Doing absolutely everything this mysterious man wanted. But on the other hand, I hated the GI for what they’d done and would do anything to get back at them. And of course, I *HAD* to know the truth.

Chain: “Alright, tell your master he’s got himself a deal.” The man smiled.

Figure: “He will be most pleased.”

    The figure bowed his head and turned to leave.

Chain: “How will he get me out of here?”

Figure: “When the opportunity arises, you will know it.”

    And with that, there was another blindingly bright flash of white light and I faced the opposite direction. I heard the lock again and moments later the light vanished as quickly as it had appeared. I turned back around and the man was gone. I realised that the usual lighting was back on too.

I walked to the door and looked both ways up the corridor. There were no guards in sight. I turned to look back into my room but something caught my eye.

On the floor by my feet way a tiny piece of scrap metal, no bigger than my thumbnail and a piece of wire. I picked them up and smiled to myself.

Freedom… here I come!

As my series is going to be jumping around though time, I will include a date on each episode and add it to the timeline at the end of each episode so that you can follow it.

TIMELINE