Govicide: Comply by Edward Dentzel - HTML preview

CHAPTER 39

 

“You know, Hiss, the World isn’t supposed to be this way.” Locke muttered. They approached the last set of doors.

“I heard Hamilton’s lies. And that is what they are. Lies. There was nothing before the OWG. Nothing but anarchy. Everyone starving and at each other’s throats.”

They reached the doors. Pushing them open, Locke remained alert for an opportunity, some way to disarm Hiss. Nothing presented itself. Hiss had done this before. He didn’t allow Locke to slam the doors on the hand holding the stun gun.

“You have to think about it from my point of view. Look how good I have it. Look at how much control I have. The power I have. One of a few subjects in the World who get to fly. I have an automobile. I live better than just about anyone else except for the Director and the Exalted One. Are you telling me I would live better in some other type of civilization?”

“See, you’re not even a true believer in the OWG, Hiss.”

“I am a total believer in the OWG. The System. And Govicide. And what I know is that in any other type of OWG, I would not have the power I have. That is why I believe it is imperative the OWG provide Goods and Services for everyone.”

“And you didn’t find anything Hamilton said about humans true at all? Don’t you see what’s going on around you? Look at people.” The un-mandated word came out as if he was Hamilton. “Haven’t you seen people on the buses? Heads down, staring at the floor. Not talking to each other like they’re in some kind of trance?” Locke almost spun around but stopped, thinking Hiss might stun him.

“I only give attention to the Masses when I have to. Like when they rip off the OWG.”

“I don’t understand, Hiss. Do you hate the Masses? Is that it?”

“No. Of course not. I pity them. That is why I want to make sure they get everything they need. And at the same time I make sure they do not use their limited intelligence to go behind the OWG’s back.”

“What’s the point, Hiss? What really is the point for providing everything for everyone? Can you tell me? You call it pity. I call it hate. Why would you provide anything to anyone you hate?”

“Michael, someone has to love the OWG, correct?” Hiss answered, poking Locke in the back.

Locke opened his mouth to respond, but he reached the last double doors. He pushed them open.

Ned stood at his post just as before. “Govicide . . . I mean . . . Locke . . . I mean . . .”

Locke realized the moment Ned noticed the stun gun, bowing while keeping his eyes on it.

Hiss whispered like a snake. Locke wrinkled his nose at the Agent’s breath. “Keep things nice. No more of this talk.” Hiss raised his chin and shouted at Ned. “Security Guard, this subject is to never be called Govicide Agent again. He is an Offender sympathizer. The conversation with Hamilton earlier was un-mandated. I want to lock him in one of your cells until I can alert the District and the other Agents in the area about what has happened.”

Ned stepped out in front of his podium, tripping on the edge of the stand.

“You better do as he says, Ned,” Locke added.

The keys jingled. Hands shaking, Ned opened the doors. Locke heard them slam shut behind him a few seconds later. The sound was an exclamation point at the end of an ugly sentence. A few more moments and his fate would be sealed. Still, he had no intention on giving up.

Locke tried to find a way to stall, but he didn’t see an alternative. He remembered an empty cell, two away from Hamilton’s. If Locke managed to get Hamilton involved with this somehow, he might be able to distract Hiss for a second.

Fifty paces separated him from the cell. Locke shifted to the left side of the hallway so he had an angle to see Hamilton’s cell. If he saw movement, he’d get the killer’s attention.

The other choice was to attack Hiss outright. With the Agent six feet behind him, the odds of getting to Hiss before the Agent stunned him were small. But, even if he did, Ned would come running in seconds.

Who would Ned side with? Hiss or Locke?

With their comradeship over the years, Locke hoped Ned would side with him. But, that was folly. Ned had to side with Hiss. A subject had no choice in such matters.

Locke took ten steps while he thought. Ten steps closer to the end of his life.

Something would have to compel Hiss not to take him to the cell.

Another ten steps. Halfway there.

If he could attract Hamilton’s attention, maybe the murderer would get the idea. He’d need to know Locke needed help.

Another ten steps. Locke’s cell was too close.

Then, Hiss offered his own solution. “Let us visit Hamilton’s cell. I want to rub it in a bit. He killed my partner. Now I will get to execute his.”

It made perfect sense. A spineless, shallow male like Hiss didn’t have the courage to confront Hamilton until he knew he could hurt Hamilton back. That was what Hiss’ avoidance of Hamilton had been all about. Hiss said all this time he didn’t want to be in Hamilton’s presence out of respect for his former partner.

But it wasn’t true.

He only wanted to do it if Hiss could prove he was better than Hamilton, that he had gotten the best of Hamilton. All this time, he only wanted to see Hamilton if he could exact revenge on the murderer.

This was Locke’s chance.

When Locke and Hiss arrived outside Hamilton’s cell, Hamilton lay in the same position he’d been in before, on his cot facing the wall.

“Hamilton, get up! Got something I want to show you,” Hiss yelled loud enough to hurt Locke’s ears.

Hamilton jerked in his cot and turned his head.

“Whoa . . . check out your face, Hamilton. Seems my fellow Agents did some plastic surgery.” Hiss laughed.

Locke caught Hamilton’s eye. Hamilton looked at Hiss.

“Good one, Govicide Agent Hiss.” Hamilton rose from his cot as slowly as before. “What’s going on here?”

“This is what is going on.” Hiss reached into his pocket and pulled out the recorder. He pressed the “rewind” and then the “play” button.

“ . . . Because the OWG doesn’t believe in human rights, it exists contrary to human nature.”

Hiss pressed the “Stop” button.

“Hey, that sounds like me,” Hamilton said, laughing then coughing. Blood appeared at the creases of his mouth.

“It is you, Hamilton,” Hiss answered.

Hamilton glanced at Locke. Locke wondered if the murderer thought he was being played. He hoped Hamilton was a better judge of a situation than that.

This is the real thing, Hamilton. Locke wished Hamilton heard his thought.

“You got us on tape? I guess that’s bad news for me and Govicide Agent--”

Hiss interrupted, “He is not to be addressed as a Govicide Agent again!”

“Okay,” Hamilton held his hand up in surrender. “I guess that’s bad news for me and Locke. Well, I’m in here. So, what are you going to do with him?”

“I am going to put him in a cell two doors down. And in a few hours other Agents will come and take him away. They will haul him to the District where I am sure the Director will have some very direct words. After that . . . well . . . ” Hiss pointed to Hamilton’s face, “ . . . you know what will happen.”

“Is this some type of setup? Is that what this is?” Hamilton asked Locke.

Locke’s eyes became large white circles. Here Hiss told the complete truth and Hamilton’s “setup” sirens were going off.

Hamilton continued talking, his voice getting louder and angrier by the second. “So, it wasn’t enough, Locke, that you caught me. It wasn’t enough they’ve ruined my face for life. Not that I have long to live anyway. But, you went and set me up?”

“No. Hamilton, wait . . . “ Locke protested, his emotions walking a narrow ledge.

“You gave me that sob story about your girlcomrade being pregnant. About how you wanted to know all about what it’s like to be an Offender. What it was like before the OWG. The famous person with your last name. And now you’re pulling this? What do you think? That I’m going to tell you even more while you’re sitting a few cells from me? If I get out of here, you are next on my list.”

Hamilton took one quick, crippled step to his cell bars and slapped them. Locke drew back, opening his mouth to answer.

But Hiss spoke first. “A setup? A setup? We already have enough to execute you. We do not need to set you up!”

Locke stole a glimpse of Hiss, face red as blood. Veins stuck out in his neck like the roots of a tree.

Hamilton wiped his mouth on his black jumpsuit sleeve before answering. “Govicide Agent Hiss, you’re right. You got more than enough on me. That’s true. But there is no way you can convince me somehow you outsmarted Locke here. He’s too smart for you. I’ve talked to him a few times. And I know Locke has a brain in there. The only explanation is you two are in on this together somehow. You put this plan together just to humiliate me. And the stun gun is a nice touch.”

While Hamilton spoke, he limped toward the far side of the cell where Hiss was forced to turn his head to see him. Was this on purpose? Hiss had a hard time keeping his eyes on Hamilton and Locke at the same time.

Did Hamilton have a plan?

But Hamilton couldn’t do anything. He was behind the bars. Locke’s mind struggled to put this puzzling scene together. Did Hamilton believe his own words? Locke watched Hamilton for any telltale signs.

“Locke is too smart for me? Ha!” Hiss let out a barrel laugh. “I caught you and him in the act, Hamilton. I am smarter than both of you!”

Continuing his watch, Locke’s detective skills kicked into motion. Put it together, Michael. Put it together.

Hiss ranted on, “I passed the Govicide test. Not Locke. Did you ever take the Govicide test, Hamilton? Of course not. But you would not have passed it either. I am the one who figured out the relationship between your murders and the moving of the cash from those warehouses. Nobody else. Me! Who is the oldest Agent in Govicide? Me. Because I am smart.”

“That’s not what I’ve heard,” Hamilton answered like he truly didn’t know more than he was letting on.

“What do you know? I am out here. You are in there. Who is smarter than who, Hamilton?” Hiss raged.

Locke had never seen him so hysterical. Hamilton had tapped into something regarding Hiss and his intelligence.

Remaining his calm self, Hamilton spoke, “Where a subject resides is never an indication of what his intelligence is. But, if you are really asking me how I’m sure you’re stupid, I’ll tell you. You’re ex-partner told me. The dead one.”
Locke’s jaw dropped. So did every organ in his body. Like a fever breaking, refreshing beads of sweat surfaced on his arms and neck. Yes, this was a ruse. He and Hamilton were on the same page.

Out of the corner of his eye, Locke saw Hiss moving toward Hamilton. Hamilton stood eight feet in front of Locke, behind the bars. Hiss stood off to Locke’s left, just behind him. To the right ran the long hallway leading to the guard’s stand. On the other side of Hiss was a solid wall.

Hiss crept between Locke and the wall to the left. He still pointed the stun gun at Locke, but his attention focused on Hamilton. As Hiss moved, he got closer and closer to Locke. And Locke was four feet from the wall. Hiss would pass through this tight space if he kept moving straight toward Hamilton.

“What did you say?” Hiss growled.

“Your ex-partner. You know, the one I killed. I can’t even remember his name now. There’s been so many victims.” Hamilton sounded like was reading the OWG Daily. Steady with no emotion.

“His name was William Cardon.” Hiss banged his fist against the wall.

“Oh yeah, right. Billy Cardon. Dead Govicide Agent.” Hamilton cackled, his good eyebrow vibrating up and down. “How could I forget? Well, while I was killing him and he was begging for his life, he yelled I should kill you instead because you were definitely the stupid one.”

“Shut up.” The growling intensified.

“Shut up? Why? You want to hear your partner’s dying words, don’t you?”

Locke reminded himself this was a show and the finale was approaching. His scene was coming soon.

“Shut up! You hear me?” Hiss took a step forward. One more step. Just one more. “Govicide Agent Cardon was a close comrade and the best partner. He did not think that about me. Never. He never said anything like that!”

A half step more.

“I’m telling you, Hiss,” Hamilton twisted the verbal knife by not using the “Govicide Agent” title. “His dying words were that I should kill you instead. In his words, ‘a stupid idiot’.”

It was like a magnet. The two opposite sides attracting one another. On one hand there was Hamilton. No emotion. Controlled. Simple. Deliberating.

On the other was Hiss. Full of emotion. Uncontrolled. Complex. Stumbling.

“You are a liar.” Hiss took the last step.

The stun gun still pointed at Locke, but it was too close.

Locke knocked it away with his left hand. The gun went flying, while Hiss’ right arm bent behind him at an awkward angle.

Locke threw all of his weight against Hiss. He felt the air rush out of Hiss’ body as he compressed the fat Agent against the wall. But Hiss fought like a mythical Govicide Agent in one of those OWG paintings.

Being shorter, Hiss had leverage against him, and in a few seconds Locke felt himself sliding backwards. If Locke wasn’t careful, he knew he might get into the same situation as in Francoville where Hiss pinned him against the fence.

Locke dug his heels into the floor to combat his backward movement. He heard Ned yelling far behind him. Something about how he would be there in a minute once he got his spare keys.

“Move him over here. I can help you.” Now Hamilton urged Locke on.

“You are dead, Locke. You are dead,” Hiss grunted, trying to get Locke pushed back on his heels.

They struggled. Neither landed a punch because they’d have to let go of the other. As their feet fought for the advantage, the stun gun got kicked one way, then the other.

Out of the corner of Locke’s eye, Hamilton cheered him on. “Locke, get lower. Lower. Bend your knees,” Hamilton urged.

Hiss grunted and shrieked, the two spinning round and round like a carousel. Locke spied the stun gun in the corner opposite Hamilton’s cell. Hamilton couldn’t reach it. Locke realized he’d better wrap this up soon, or Ned would get that gun.

An idea flashed into Locke’s head. He remembered something from an OWG film he saw. A scene where a Govicide Agent fought a Free Enterpriser. In a fight very similar to this, the Agent used the Enterpriser’s weight against himself.

Locke let his legs collapsed and he fell to the ground. In the process, Hiss’ own force pushed him over Locke. He flipped over Locke onto his back.

Hiss released a deafening yell as the floor shook. It sounded like the old Agent broke something. He grabbed his back.

Locke saw Ned unlock the first barred door. He’d be there in less than twenty seconds but he didn’t carry a weapon. If Locke reached the stun gun first, he might win this battle.

For the moment, though, Hiss needed stopped. The Agent pulled out his phone and began to dial.

Grab the gun or stop Hiss from dialing?

The gun—it could stop both Ned and Hiss.

With little time to act, Locke crawled to the stun gun in the far corner. He grabbed it and aimed.

 Headed toward Locke at a full sprint, Ned slowed when he saw the weapon pointed at him. At fifteen feet, he put up his hands.

“I know we’ve been comrades, Ned. But I’ll use this. I won’t hesitate.” Locke promised.

But what was Hiss doing? Locke was surprised he didn’t already hear Hiss alerting Govicide.

When his attention returned to Hiss, he realized why he didn’t hear anything. Hiss landed on his back within arm’s reach of Hamilton. While Locke scrambled to get the stun gun, Hamilton had stretched one arm out and grabbed Hiss’ collar. Knocking the phone out of Hiss’ hand, the killer hooked one arm around Hiss’ neck and squeezed.

Hiss’ tongue hung from his mouth like a tie. His arms grabbed at Hamilton, but it was no use. Hamilton was an expert killer, and being behind those bars allowed him to choke Hiss more easily.

As the life seeped from Hiss, Hamilton pulled tighter. After what felt like an eternity, Hamilton removed his arm from around Hiss’ neck and the dead Agent’s head fell to one side. His body slid down the bars to the cement floor.

Not a sound came from the cell bloc, as if every prisoner held his breath. They pressed themselves against their cell bars, trying to see what just happened.

Hamilton stood, wincing one more time, and rubbed his knee. He leered at Ned and at Locke. “What? You never saw a dead guy before?” Hamilton sat on his cot, landing heavily. “Well, are you going to put the Guard in a cell or not?”

Locke smiled at Hamilton for a second, wondering if this man was as cool and cold as he appeared. “Yeah.”

A minute later, Ned sat in the cell meant for Locke.

“Ned, I still think you’re a good subject . . . I mean . . . person. But what’s going on here is bigger than you’d ever know. Sorry. Yell loud enough in about eight hours and day shift will let you out,” Locke suggested.

“Thanks for not shooting me, Locke.” Ned responded, shrugging. Hands shaking.

“Keep your eyes open. See the Symbols.” Locke told him before hustling back to Hamilton’s cell. The serial killer still sat on his cot.

“For a second there, I wasn’t sure where you were going with all that. How did you know it would work?” Locke asked.

“We Free Enterprisers do our own psychological work as well. You don’t think I killed all those Agents by just showing up, did you? I knew what made all my victims tick. Part of the work.”

This man on the other side of these bars wasn’t only a killer, but a student. A teacher. A scholar.

“So, how’d you realize you weren’t being set up?”

Hamilton laughed and stretched his arms. “Well first, not even one of those OWG actors could perform like you did when we talked before. But, I’m wondering how you didn’t know they put the listening device in my cell. I wonder where they put it . . .” Hamilton mused, surveying his cell.

“Hamilton, I think they set me up from the beginning. If this hadn’t happened I think they would’ve done something else. All in an effort to show the Masses that even their best and brightest, me--a guy who got promoted out of the Director’s kindness—couldn’t be as smart and loyal to the OWG as Govicide Agents who passed the tests. When this gets out, they’re going to use my disloyalty to clamp even harder on the Masses.”

Hamilton closed his eyes and grimaced. “We have to fight them, Locke.”

“I know. But what can I do?” Locke grabbed the bars.

Hamilton raised his head and then rubbed his good eye. “Here’s what you’re going to do. They won’t know about all of this for what? Seven, eight hours? Take Hiss’ keys. His phone. The stun gun. His car. Grab Jade and anything you can. Water, food, whatever you might need. Write this address down.”

Locke bent over and took pen and small notebook out of Hiss’ jacket. “Remember, that thing could still be recording.”

“Right. I’ll write it down for you.” Hamilton hobbled to the bars.

Locke handed him a pen and scrap of paper from Hiss’ jacket. A few seconds later, Locke read the address. 1000 Smith Street, Ocean City.

“What is it?”

“It’s an oasis. Stay there until somebody shows up.” Hamilton pointed at the address.

“A what?”

“It’s a place Free Enterprisers like me go when the OWG gets too much for us. It’s a place where we get replenished. You’ll see what I mean when you get there.”

“Then what?” Locke pushed the piece of paper into his pants pocket.

“Eventually someone will stop by. You might be there a day. A week. Maybe longer. But eventually somebody will come. They’ll help you. And don’t drive the car right to the address. Park a good distance away and walk.”

Locke’s foot rubbed against Hiss’ body. “You didn’t have to kill him. I think he hurt his back. He wasn’t a threat anymore. I could’ve put him in the cell with the Guard.”

“I didn’t do that for you. I did it for me.” The tip of Hamilton’s thumb bounced off his chest.

“What do you mean?”

“Govicide Agent Alex Hiss should have been my first kill. Our analysis showed he might be the Agent the Director put on the case to figure out where the cash went. Two years ago, I showed up where Hiss was supposed to be. Somehow I got mixed up and followed his partner instead. One thing led to another and I had to kill Cardon anyway. Luckily, everything still worked out, I guess. But my reputation was tainted when everyone found out I killed the wrong guy. They--”

Locke interrupted, “Who’s they?”

“Whoever meets you at the oasis will tell you. I can’t tell you in case you and Jade get caught.”

“Okay,” he frowned. “I guess that’s good enough for now.”

“But, as I was saying, they almost didn’t let me go on mission number two. So, Hiss should’ve died two years ago. These last two years were a gift from me to him.”

“I guess even experts like you mess up once in a while,” Locke smiled.

“And smart subjects like you get caught by guys like Hiss once in a while.” Hamilton playfully punched Locke on his shoulder.

“Can I let you out?” Locke wanted Hamilton to come along. What a great journey it would be. All the stories Hamilton could tell. Everything Locke could learn.

Hamilton shook his head. “Nope. Can’t do it. Enough Agents are going to be trying to

track you as it is. I leave here, and you can double that number. And I’ve told you, Locke. I have to take my medicine. That’s the way it works. In our world, I would be expected to pay a penalty. So I have to pay the penalty here, too. Just because they are two different worlds doesn’t mean anything. I’ll be fine.”

Locke gazed down the hall, which seemed longer than before. He knew he’d soon walk it without the person who opened his mind to new possibilities. Hamilton had become a comrade. No, more than that. He was that un-mandated word:

Friend.

They’d been enemies two weeks ago, but truth had a way of changing people.

“I guess that’s it.” Locke stuck his hand between the bars. Hamilton grabbed it and shook it firmly. No sign that the torture had diminished his strength at all. And his hands were rough as if he’d been using tools.

“I envy you, Locke. You are about to embark on a trip, literally and figuratively, that I’m not sure anyone has experienced. From believing in the OWG to believing in something else. It’s going to take time. I’ve given you a taste of what is out there. Remember when I told you about the Pyramids at our first meeting?”

“Yeah, I do. Been thinking about them ever since.” How long ago had that been now? It felt like years. Like he’d been a child when Hamilton said it.

“That word made you think, did it? Good.”

“And when I saw some bills of cash with a Pyramid on them, I wondered if it was all related.”

“Hmmm . . . kind of a coincidence.” Hamilton tapped his lips. “The Pyramids make a good analogy for us, to what we believe. They were built over two thousand years ago. Actually, the people who built them lived in a very small version of the OWG. Anyway, the Pyramids symbolize to us how an idea can exist, then get covered up over time. Nobody remembers how the Pyramids were built. The physical plans have been lost. But somewhere . . . in here . . . ” Hamilton pointed to his head.“ . . . those plans still exist. We just have to find them. The building plans for the Pyramids are no different than what we believe about how this Earth should be. Those ideas for humankind, “plans” if you will, have been covered up by the OWG through various means. But that doesn’t mean the ideas are dead. You’re finding them, even though you’ve been in the OWG your entire life. And what you’re finding out is that those plans have always been alive up there.” Hamilton pointed to Locke’s head. “The OWG hasn’t killed those ideas in you. We are all born—even citizens of the OWG--knowing what freedom is. Even if at this moment freedom doesn’t run the World, the plans for it are still in our brilliant minds just waiting to be unleashed. Those plans in your head, in my head, can build a new Pyramid, a new civilization. And if you have begun to discover the plans within yourself, there is at least a chance that all the other people within the OWG can do the same.”

“What’s freedom? I’ve never heard that word.” Tears formed moats around his eyes.

“Freedom is the opposite of the OWG. A place where every person chooses his own path. No threats of torture. A place where Goods and Services are plentiful but no one is a slave to another to make it happen. Everyone deals with each other by choice, not by force. Every person gets to keep what he produces. No one owes anything to anyone, especially the government. Oh . . .” Hamilton smirked, “ . . . and no sex credits.”

“Really?” The tears flowed. “That could happen on this . . . Earth?”

“It could . . .”

It was a shame this man would die, Locke thought as the tears glazed his eyes. This man would endure torture, probing, and drugging until the OWG squeezed all it could out of him, and then it would kill him. Maybe in secret. Probably in public.

“Michael, I’ll be fine. You should go.”

“Yeah. I better,” Locke said. “Thanks.”

The men shook hands again. Locke stuffed the stun gun in a pocket then snatched Hiss’ automobile keys and phone. Irony filled Locke as he felt Hiss’ still-warm body. In death it would soon be very much like his personality in life: Stiff and cold.

In a blur, he was sitting in Hiss’ automobile, after finding it on a side street. Locke turned the key and pulled out, not looking back.

He was done with the System.

Done with the OWG.

And done with Govicide.

 

THE END

 

Michael Locke will be back in GOVICIDE: Survive