THE PLAY
10. THE PLAY
INTERROGATION STARTED AS THEY RECOGNISED AELLA.
“TELL ME EVERYTHING AND I WILL SPARE YOUR LIVES.” AELLA SAID SITTING ON THE CHAIR IN FRONT OF THEM. SHE MOVED HER NECK TO LEFT SIDE AND NODDED. THE WOMAN IN THE BLACK SUIT MOVED AND SAT AHEAD HER WITH A LASER SCREEN AND KEYBOARD.
“BUT WE HAVE TOLD EVERYTHING ALREADY.” THE CAPTIVE CRIED.
“AGAIN”, AELLA SHOUTED.
“THIS IS THE BEGINING OF THE FINAL INTERROGATING SESSION.” THE INVESTIGATOR SAID CLICKING HER FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD.
“ALL THREE OF THE CAPTIVES WILL BE ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS ASKED. IF THEY ARE FOUND TO BE LIYING ABOUT ANYTHING....THE CONSEQUENCES WILL HIM SEVERE.” THE INVESTIGATOR SAID AFTER TAKING A LONG LOOK AT THE CAPTIVES. SHE PRESED A BUTTON AND TWO ROBOTS ENTERED THE ROOM AND STOOD ON THE BOTH SIDE OF THE CAPTIVES FOR THE SECURITY OF THE INVESTIGATOR.
“OKAY. WE WILL BEGIN NOW.” SAYING THIS SHE MOVED CLOSE TO THE CAPTIVE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE.
“NAME..?” SHE ASKED HIM.
“IVAN M. YOSHO.”, HE ANSWERED.
“TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF.” SHE QUESTIONED AGAIN.
“PEOPLE ALSO KNOW ME AS NUCLEAR LION. I’M 39 YEARS OLD AND I WORKED FOR SPECIAL FORCES. AFTER GRADUATION I JOINED ARMED FORCES VIS ENGINEERING WING LATER GOT PROMOTED TO COMMANDER WITH DIRECT FIELD DUTY.” HE TOLD HER. SHE LOOKED AT HER FEET. HE FOLLOWED HER GAZE AND SENSED WHAT SHE INTENDED TO KNOW.
“IT’S RESULT OF THE NUCLEAR WAR OF 2032. I WAS ON FIELD WITH MY COMPANY WHEN THEY SHOT US WITH SEMI-ATOMIC BOMBS. I LOST BOTH OF MY LEGS.” HE PAUSED FOR FEW MOMENTS. “I WAS IN COMA FOR ABOUT THREE MONTS. BUT WHEN I WOKE UP I FOUND MYSELF HALF HUMAN AND HALF ROBOT. THEY NEEDED TEST SUBJECTS FOR THEIR IMPLANTS AND PROSTHETICS. AND WE ALL WERE THEIR TARGETS.” HE ADDED.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW...?” SHE ASKED HIM RECORDING EVERY WORD OF THE CONVERSATION.
“I DON’T WORK FOR ANYONE NOW.” HE SAID CLENCHING HIS FISTS.
“THEN WHAT WAS THAT AT THE LAB...?” SHE INFLICTED HIS ANGER.
“IT WAS OUR SOLE DECISION. MR. ROSS JUST PROVIDED US SUPPLIES. HE WANTED US TO JUST RUIN HIS LAB AND GAIN VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR J95 TECHNOLOGIES. AND WE AGREED, BECAUSE AURTHER WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK AWAY PEACE FROM US. HE LEFT US ALL TO DIE OUT THERE.” HE SAID IN A VERY FURIOUS TONE.
“HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU...?” SHE INQUIRED HIM.
“THREE.”, HE REPLIED. SHE PRESSED A BUTTON AND IVAN STARTED TO JERK IN HIS CHAIR. WITH THE ELECTRIC CURRENT HIS BODY WAS JERKING AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SAY ANYTHING. HE WAS FLUSHED. AGAIN SHE PRESSED A BUTTON AND STOPPED THE CURRENT.
“TAKE HIM AWAY.” AELLA SHOUTED AND THE ROBOTS TOOK HIM OUT WITH HIS CHAIR. THE OTHER TWO CAPTIVES WERE SCARED TO DEATH. THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AS IF THEY WERE BIDING FAREWELL.
THE INVESTIGATOR MOVED AHEAD WITH THE INVESTIGATION. LOOKING AT THE CAPTIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.SHE STARTED.
“NAME...?”
“BEN HAMILTON.”
“TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF.”
“SAME AS CHIEF I MEAN IVAN. HE WAS OUR COMMANDER AT THE FIELD BACK THERE. AND STILL HE IS OUT COMMANER. I ENTERED THE SPECIAL FORCES VIA INTELLEGENCE CELL.”, HE FINISHED VERY SOON.
“HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE...?”
“SIXTY-ONE.”
“AND HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THIS...?”
“YOU CAN GO AND MEET THEM YOURSELF.”
“WHERE...?”
“HAVE YOU HERAD OF VENICE CITY...IN THE NORTH SQUARE OF COUNTRY...?”
“YES.”
“SILVER VALLY...STREET NUMBER 9. GO AND ASK FOR NUCLEAR LION.”
AELLA BLINKED HER EYES AND XI WAS ONLINE. AS PER COMMAND SHE GAVE EVERY NECESSARY INFORMATIN TO AELLA ABOUT THE AREA.
“HM. WHAT ABOUT THE REMAINING PEOPLE THERE...? HOW DO YOU ALL SURVIVE WITHOUT HAVING ANY BACKUP...?”
“WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE.”
“WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE...?”
“PEOPLE IN NEED.”
“LIKE MR. ROSS...?”
“EXECTLY! WE USE THAT MONEY TO GROW FOR OUR SELVES. WE DON’T HAVE FAMILIES BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR LOVED ONES.”
“GROW...?”
“WE GROW OUR OWN CEREALS.”
“BUT IT’S BANNED. NOBODY IN THIS COUNTRY GROW THEIR OWN CEREALS. IT’S AGAINST THE LAW.”
“WHEN THEY SSTARTED THE POLICY OF PACKED FOOD AND CAPSULATED FOOD, WE WERE SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS ABOUT TO DO SOME SHIT. AND IT HAPPENED.”
“I DON’T WANT TO KNOW MORE.” SHE SAID. SHE LOOKED AT THE OTHER CAPTIVE AND NODDED.
“I’M SATH WILL.”, HE SAID WITH A HOARSE VOICE. HE CLEARED HIS THROAT.
“AHEM. SORRY. I’M SATH WILL. I’M 37 YEARS OLD AND I ENGAGED SPECIAL FORCES VIA RECOMMENDATION.”
“WHO’S RECOMMENDATION...?”
“LATE SIR ERIC SMITH, FORMER MISINTER OF DEFENSE.”
“WHAT IS HIS RELATION WITH YOU...?”
“NO ANY REALTION.”
“THEN WHY RECOMENDATION...?”
“I SAVED HIS LIFE WHEN HE WAS ON FIELD DURING C-H WAR IN ITALIAN STATE OF SOUTHERN SQUARE.”
“YOU FROM ITALIAN STATE...?”
HE NODDED IN A YES.
“WHAT WILL YOU ALL ARE DOING AFTER YOU GET RELEASED FROM HERE...?”
“WE DON’T KNOW. BEN REPLIED.
“DO YOU WORK FOR ANY ORGANISATION...?”
“WE WORK FOR OUR OWN SAKE WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.” SATH REPLIED LOOKING AT AELLA.
“WHAT IF YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO WORK FOR AN AGNECY WHICH WILL PAY FOR YOUR WORK...?” SHE THREW THE BAIT.
BOTH THE COMPANIONS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER IN DISBELIEF.
“BUT WHY WOULD SOMEONE HIRE US...?” SATH ASKED.
“THAT DEPENDS”
“ON WHAT...?”
“WHO IS GOING TO HIRE YOU...?”
“YOU SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT IT TO IVAN.” SAYING THIS BEN LOOKED AT HIS WRISTS. THEY WERE BLEEDING THROUGH THE SMALL CUTS IN THE SKIN. HE WAS IN PAIN AND ABOUT TO CRY. AELLA WAS WATCHING HIM AND SHE COULD TELL THAT THEY WERE NOT IN A GOOD SHAPE.
“HOW IS YOUR LEG...?” AELLA ASKED FROM BHIND THE INVESTIGATOR.
“PAINFUL.”
AELLA NODDED.
“THAT’S IT FOR TODAY.” SAYING THIS SHE STOOD UP AND MOVED HER BACK TO LEAVE THE ROOM BUT SHE STOPPED.
“BRING IVAN.” SHE SAID TO THE INVESTIGATOR WHO COMMANDED HER ROBOTS TO BRING HIM.
HE WAS DRENCHING IN SWEAT WHEN HE CAME IN.
“ARE YOU OKAY...? IVAN...?” BEN ASKED HIM STRUGGLING WITH HIS TIES.
“I’M ALRIGHT.” IVAN REPLIED. HE LOOKED TOWARD AELLA.
THE ROBOT MOVED AHEAD AND OPENED HIS TIES. HE WAS FREE TO MOVE. SATH AND BEN WERE SURPRISED AT THIS. THEY BOTH WERE ALSO UNTIED AND WERE ASKED TO STAND UP. IVAN MOVED TOWARD AELLA BUT THE INVESTIGATOR STOPPED HIM.
“THANK YOU AELLA.”
“WHY ARE YOU THANKING HER IVAN...? SHE IS THE ONE WHO...” BEFORE SATH COULD SAY ANYTHING, IVAN STOPPED HIM BY LOOKING AT HIM IN HIS EYES.
“SHE IS THE ONE WHO SAVED US FROM EVERYTHING.”
THEN HE MOVED TOWARD AELLA AND BOWED TO HER. BOTH SATH AND BEN FOLLOWED HIM.
“WE ARE READY TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOU.” AELLA NODDED.
WITH THIS ALL THE THREE LADIES CAME OUT OF THE INVESTIGATION ROOM. THEY MOVED TO THE CHANGING ROOM AND CAME BACK TO THEIR NORMAL.
“HOW WAS IT AELLA...?” A3 ASKED AELLA WHEN SHE LOOKED AT HER. “HOW WAS I AT PLAYING IT...?” SHE REPEATED.
AELLA SMILED AT HER AND TOOK HER HAND IN HER OWN.
“YOU WERE BRILLIANT.”