Chapter 89: Silent Scream
The next morning. Yassme and Yassmay decided they would meet with Orcille. They both went to the laboratory early. They waited in a computer room, watching the cameras, for Orcille to arrive. They did not have to wait long, as Orcille had also decided to arrive early that day. The twins approached Orcille in the second-floor corridor.
‘Great to see you again,’ said Orcille.
‘We have decided we want to leave with you,’ said Yassme.
‘Are you sure?’ asked Orcille.
‘Absolutely,’ replied Yassmay.
‘I’m so glad to hear it,’ said Orcille. ‘We could leave as soon as tomorrow.’
‘Great,’ said Yassmay. ‘We’ll go home and pack.’
‘I’ll meet you on Platform 2 at 10 a.m.,’ said Orcille. The twins left to return home. Orcille went into a computer room.
Orcille wanted to run a few final tests on the sound file he created using the creature’s scream. Orcille played it at maximum volume, but he could not hear it. The frequency of the scream was well beyond the frequency any Linap or Sapien could hear.
Orcille needed to broadcast the scream so that the creatures could hear it and would be drawn towards the Capital Region. Frenzy Media had the tallest and most powerful broadcast tower in Sapey. The radius of the broadcast was still too limited to reach the creatures on the southern coast.
Orcille had another plan. He was going to broadcast the scream from the trains inbound to the Capital Region. From any direction, this would draw the creatures to the Capital Region. This would prevent them from drifting too far off course.
Pardi was still in his office. The effects of the hallucinogens he had taken had mostly worn off. Pardi called the Head Enforcer to congratulate him on how well he handled the situation with Lily. The Head Enforcer was surprised by the praise he gave him but happily accepted it. Pardi told the Head Enforcer that he wanted him and the twelve enforcers who executed Lily to come over to his office that night. He wanted to reward them with a lavish meal. The Head Enforcer was glad to accept on behalf of his team.
Orcille had no problems accessing the communications room in the Carvaress office. He transferred the file directly to the transmission machine. He was able to transmit the scream to the Capital Region Train Station, but no further. Orcille adjusted the setting on the transmission machine to mask its usage.
Next, Orcille needed to access the computers at the train station to enable the scream to be broadcast from the trains.
On arriving at the train station, he became invisible. He waited for someone to leave the communications room at the station. Eventually, an operator did. He followed the operator into the bathroom. He snuck up behind him. He slammed his head several times into the wall, knocking him unconscious. Orcille shoved him into one of the stalls. He shapeshifted into him and went into the communications room.
Orcille looked at the computer. It did not take him long to find the broadcast from the Carvaress office. He sent the broadcast to all the trains on the network. He successfully programmed the scream file to play from only the trains inbound to the Capital Region. He was able to verify this from the control panel. He closed the broadcast file and folder while enabling it to run in the background. Orcille felt confident it would elude detection from any of the station operators. Orcille left the train station to return to Daily’s apartment.
‘Hey, you’re back early today,’ said Daily.
‘We’re leaving the region tomorrow morning,’ said Orcille as he walked into Daily’s bedroom.
Daily followed her in. ‘Wow, so soon,’ said Daily.
‘There’s nothing left for me to do here,’ said Orcille as he pulled a bag out of Daily’s wardrobe. ‘There is a whole load of danger.’
‘This is too crazy,’ said Daily. ‘You expect me to drop my entire life to run off with you. I don’t even know your name.’
Orcille placed the bag on the bed and turned around to face Daily. ‘I’m Yassmeay. Nice to meet you,’ he said as he held his hand out.
Daily shook his hand. ‘Feel more comfortable now?’ asked Orcille.
‘Not really,’ said Daily.
Orcille placed his medication in the bag.
‘What if I refuse to go with you?’ asked Daily firmly.
‘You’ll die,’ replied Orcille.
‘Don’t underestimate me. I have great survival instincts,’ replied Daily confidently.
Orcille spun around and grabbed Daily’s head. ‘Twist, snap, you’re dead,’ he said as he twisted Daily’s head from side-to-side.
‘Oh, come on, that’s not fair,’ said Daily.
Orcille exited the bedroom and walked into the lounge. Daily followed.
‘Life is not fair, and life is unexpected,’ said Orcille. ‘For you, your death will be unexpected. Now go and pack. You’ll never be here again.’
‘Fine,’ said Daily as he re-entered his bedroom to begin packing.
Orcille went to the kitchen to make them a late lunch.
That evening, with the help of caterers, Pardi had prepared a banquet meal for his guests, the enforcers. Pardi invited the Head Enforcer an hour before the others. They met in the room adjacent to the large office, where they were to eat.
‘I would like to apologise to you,’ said Pardi. ‘I was unnecessarily rude.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ said the Head Enforcer. ‘You’ve been under incredible stress.’
‘That is true, but I don’t want to make excuses,’ said Pardi.
‘That’s just one of the reasons why you’re so successful, sir,’ said the Head Enforcer.
‘I say let’s drink to our success,’ said Pardi.
The Head Enforcer’s drink was laced with hallucinogenic drugs. It was not long before the Head Enforcer had become disoriented. Two Carvaress employees attended to the Head Enforcer while Pardi went into the large office to greet the enforcers who were arriving.
The twelve enforcers sat in a row on just one side of the table. Pardi walked around to the other side of the table.
‘This is all for you,’ said Pardi as his gaze moved along the row of enforcers. ‘The twelve courageous enforcers who showed all of Sapia what happens when you spread dangerous and malicious lies.’
‘I loved it how she pretended to turn into some freak,’ said one of the enforcers.
‘Pretending that pathetic magic trick made her a superior species,’ said another enforcer, laughing.
‘I got a rush from blowing a huge hole in that ugly head of hers,’ said another as they all began to laugh.
The enforcers greedily filled their plates with the food. Pardi stood back and watched them enjoy themselves. They were so self-absorbed and greedy that they did not care that Pardi was not eating with them. They did not even question why their boss was not at the table with them.
After they finished the main course, cakes and desserts were brought out. They were placed in front of them. The enforcers dug in as greedily as they did with the main course.
‘Great food, Mr. Carvaress,’ called out one of the enforcers. ‘I can barely move. I’m so full.’
‘Excuse me,’ called out another enforcer.
‘Yes,’ replied Pardi.
‘I actually can’t seem to move,’ said the enforcer as he could barely lift his spoon.
Several other enforcers began making the same complaint.
‘It’s okay,’ said Pardi calmly. ‘You ate too much rich food too quickly. Your bodies can’t handle it.’
The enforcers began to quieten down. Pardi exited the office. He soon returned with the Head Enforcer. He was staggering a little but seemed to be in good spirits. Pardi took him to the opposite side of the room, where he faced his twelve enforcers.
Pardi whispered into the Head Enforcer’s ear, ‘Do you like my personal shooting range?’
The Head Enforcer looked straight at the twelve enforcers sitting at the table. He did not see the enforcers. Instead, he saw twelve targets.
‘No, I do not,’ said the Head Enforcer. ‘The targets are too near. That’s not a challenge.’
‘I try to keep things simple for my security team,’ said Pardi.
‘Security are not enforcers and never will be,’ said the Head Enforcer in a raised but slurred voice.
‘Still, I would love for you to show us how it’s done,’ said Pardi.
The Head Enforcer pulled out his gun. He aimed at the enforcer, who was sitting on the far left of the table.
‘Hey boss, this isn’t funny,’ yelled out the enforcer he was aiming at.
‘Firing a weapon is never funny,’ shouted back the Head Enforcer.
The enforcer chuckled nervously. The Head Enforcer shot him in the head.
The enforcers began to panic. They still could not move from their seats.
‘Good shot, sir,’ said Pardi. ‘I bet you couldn’t repeat that for the other eleven targets.’
‘Hundred transport tokens I can,’ said the Head Enforcer confidently but still slightly slurred.
‘Deal,’ said Pardi.
The Head Enforcer, working from left to right, shot seven enforcers in a row.
‘I’m out,’ said the Head Enforcer.
‘Four left. I guess you lose,’ said Pardi.
‘I lose when I miss,’ said the Head Enforcer angrily.
‘Sure, take out the remaining targets then,’ said Pardi.
Pardi walked towards the dead enforcer on the far left. He picked up his gun.
The four remaining enforcers were crying out for the Head Enforcer to stop. Two were slumped forward on the table, and the other two were leaned back in their chairs.
‘One of your enforcers left his gun behind. You could use this to finish your targets,’ said Pardi as he handed the gun to the Head Enforcer.
‘This greatly disappoints me,’ said the Head Enforcer. ‘A good enforcer never leaves his gun lying around.’
The Head Enforcer aimed at the next enforcer. He shot him in the top of the head. Then he shot the remaining three enforcers.
‘That’s how you do it,’ shouted the Head Enforcer.
‘I am impressed,’ said Pardi. ‘I’ll transfer the tokens to you immediately.’
‘Hahahaha,’ laughed the Head Enforcer.
‘Something funny?’ asked Pardi.
‘As Head Enforcer, all my travel is free. I don’t need travel tokens.’
‘No problem. I’ll transfer unprogrammed tokens to you instead,’ said Pardi.
The Head Enforcer walked over to the table. ‘There is a lot of dessert left. Someone spilt the red sauce.’ He dipped his finger in a large patch of blood on the tablecloth. He rubbed it on his tongue. ‘Ugh, I clearly did not miss much!’ he exclaimed in disgust.
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