The Tales of Sorath (part eight)
As Bill heard the phone ring he picked it up and answered it as he usually did. "Hello how may I help you." "Which one of you freaks is this?" "I'm sorry you must have the wrong number sir." "No I don't. This is the phone number that is supposed to be used to hire Martin or one of his associates to kill someone." "Who is this?" asked Bill letting a little rage flow into his words. "I am Sergeant Johnson. I want to fight Martin in a one on one duel to the death. No guns, only swords." "I will get him. Hang on one minute." Bill said as he got up. Before he left he pressed the button to trace the call. "Sorath get in here." "What is it?" "It's that Sergeant that held you captive, he wants to speak to you." "What does he want?" He's requesting a duel." "I'll be there in a minute." "He will be here shortly." "You better not be trying any funny shit." "Oh I wouldn't dream of it." Bill said as he pulled up the location and number on the screen in front of him. "Hand me the phone." Sorath said as he walked in.
"Here you go." said Bill as he handed over the phone. "Hello." "There's that smug voice I remember. I want to duel you in a one on one match to the death with swords." "Where?" "In the clearing that your friends escaped from during your last raid." "No. I want a place neither of us have an advantage over the other one. You could set up an ambush and kill us all." "You're smart. How about we both meet in the abandoned lot on 83 street?" "I know where that is so I will see you there. When do we meet?" "Tomorrow night at twenty three hundred hours." "Okay I will see you then." "Farewell freak." said Sergeant Johnson as he hung up. "Looks like I have a duel." Sorath said as he walked into his room to grab his sword.
"I guess that I'm going to have to use you." Johnson said while pulling his saber out of its sheath. "He might try to be honorable about this fight but I will not be." he said as he unlocked his wall safe and pulled out a tiny bottle that held a colorless odorless liquid. "I finally get to use this Aconitum Vamparia extract. It's a good thing I left this out of that raid report. If I had paid for this thing it would have cost me easily a couple grand." he said while putting on thick gloves. "Then again it is very understandable why it would cost so much. There is no cure, it is excruciatingly painful, and it takes less than an hour to kill."he said as he applied it to the rag and carefully ran it up and down the blade to ensure a light, even coating. "He will not survive this encounter, even if I must die with him."
"You're actually going to duel him?" asked Delilah. "Yes I am. That's why I need you to train me in sword fighting." "You're telling me that when you fought me you didn't even have any training." asked Zachary from across the table. "Had you payed attention to his movements and attacks then you would have seen that he was only hacking and slashing with no rhyme or reason. He chose brute force over strategy and planning. However, he cannot do that in an honorable duel against someone who might have had formal training with that sword he has. Isn't that right Delilah." "Don't forget that she can't hear you stupid." said Zachary before he took a bite of his rabbit. "Does your brother have something to tell me?" "He was just trying to confirm with you that, since the sergeant probably had some former sword training, he couldn't fight him like he did with me."
"Yes, that is true." she said after swallowing her small bite of rabbit. "At least he has the correct mindset for this life." "What do you mean by that?" "I am simply saying that not only does he seem to have adapted to your body, as seen earlier in your little match with Sorath, and the diet of your breed, he also seems to be better at judging a persons movements. Since he can judge their movements he can also asses their fighting styles, tell you the best way to counter their attacks, and how to recognize their flaws. In other words he is a much better person suited for this life than you are." she said giving him a cold stare.
"Don't start fighting you two. Delilah, will you train Sorath or not?" Bill asked as he picked his plate up. "Sure, I'll train him. I have some questions that will need to be answered first though. What sword are you planning on using?" "I'm thinking of using something that is able to take a couple of broadside hits without breaking." "Well the it sounds like you're going to be using a double edged sword. I'll grab you one and a saber." "Why are you grabbing a saber?" "There is a high probability that he will be using one in your duel." Delilah said as she stood up. "How do you know that?" asked Zachary as he stood up to put his plate in the sink.
"He requested a formal duel so chances are that he will be using something traditional." "Oh." "Yeah she does that a lot, you should get used to it after a few years." said Jack as he started to wash the dishes. "What do you mean by years?" Zachary asked with a tinge of panic in his voice. "The easiest way of putting it is that since our genetic structure has been altered so has our aging process. Our lifespan is around that of two hundred human years after our transformation." "WHAT?" "I said our lifespan is around two hundred human years after our transformation. Didn't you hear me the first time?" "I can't believe it." said Zachary as he leaned on the wall and sunk to the floor. "Yep you're going to outlive everyone that you know."
After Jack said this Zachary tucked his head in his arms. "You're 'silver lining' approach isn't working here. You should leave before you make things worse." said Bill as he started pushing Jack out the door. "But I'm supposed to wash the dishes." "You can do them later now, out you go." Bill said shoving Jack out the door. "Come on Sorath lets go start training." "Okay." they both said as they walked out the door. "Veronica this is your area of expertise so I'm going to leave." said Bill as he casually walked out. 'Typical.' Veronica thought to herself as she walked over to Zachary.
"Are you okay?" "No." he muttered from underneath his arms. "Why is that always the first question people ask even when they obviously aren't okay? I never understood that." "I thought you were inactive for all these years." "That only meant I wasn't communicating with you or anything, I have always been paying attention." "Umm, am I interrupting something here?" "Not really." "Are you always this bad of a liar?" "Okay good." "Why the hell did she believe that?" "What's going on Zach?" "I was just thinking of my wife and how I will still be alive for so many years after she dies." "You could always opt out." "Will you shut up Eddy." "Only if you give me a different fuckin name." "Deal, Gordon." "I guess that's a little better. Talk more later little Zachy." "Never call me that again." "Fine."
"Don't worry about her. You'll be with her eventually." "I'm not so sure about that." he said as he pulled his muzzle out from under his arms. "By the way you look when you're thinking of her, it looks like nothing can keep you apart. By the way, what did you put in that box you mailed to her?" "A switchblade and a note saying what I've been turned into, that I love her, and to destroy the letter." "Why don't you visit her?" "How the hell could I do that? I'm a completely white, five foot tall, mink weasel hybrid. It's not like I can walk down a street and knock on her door." "Don't you turn black when you get hurt though?" "Yeah, so?"
"Just give yourself a tiny cut or somethin like that and then go visit her." "She lives in my old house in the outskirts of a big city. There's no way I can come in through the door." "Then go through a window." "They all have locks on them." "Didn't you have your keys when you came here, if so you should be able to get in the house without a problem." "But-" "No buts." Veronica said as she drug him outside. "Hold onto me. I'm gonna take you to her so you can say farewell to her." "I don' think this is the right-" "Shut up and grab on before I pick you up like Jack did and fly you there." he said nothing as he hung on when she took off.
"You seem to be getting a little better." Delilah said as she got a drink of water. "Thanks, I guess it's because I have such a good teacher." Sorath said as he wiped the sweat off of his forepaws. "Another round?" Delilah asked as she lifted up her sword and pointed it towards him. "Sure. "He said as he picked up his sword and touched his tip to hers. "I'm glad you decided against that brutish double sided sword."
"This ones lighter and more maneuverable anyway." Sorath said as he broke his tip away from the contact point and initiated the fight. He swung to her right side and she blocked it with the side of her sword. She then backed away and lunged forward. He slid their blades together and swept hers to the side, swinging it at her left hip. As she jumped over his blade she took a swing at his head. He barely dodged by diving to the right, watching as she sliced a hole in the ground were his head had just been. "I thought this was training. You're trying to kill me." "You'll never learn if it isn't realistic."she said with a grin before charging. 'This trick again?' Sorath wondered as he prepared to push away her lunge. Suddenly she changed directions and sliced his left arm just above the elbow.
"I think that concludes our training for now." Delilah said as she started walking towards the hangar. "No, it doesn't. I'm not finished yet." Sorath said as he faced her. "Fine." Delilah sighed before turning around and walking back towards him "After this round we're done, understood?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah, lets go."Sorath said as he mimicked her actions. Once they were only six feet away from each other they began their match. Sorath's left slice was blocked and countered with a right swing from Delilah. He swung at her legs and, as she backed up to avoid it, he lunged at her. She barely pushed it away with the hilt of her sword before she fell onto her back. She then braced for a blow that never came. "Get up Delilah." Sorath said as he stood there.
"I will never attack someone who is defenseless." "Wow, that's so old fashioned. I thought you took advantage of everything you could." "I do. If you hadn't dropped your sword when you fell I would have won the match." As Delilah picked up her sword she turned around and tried to cut off Sorath's ears. He ducked down and began a slice towards her muzzle before turning it downward at the last second, hitting her right forearm. She dropped her sword in defeat before walking off. "You should be able to beat him now with no problem." she said before she started cleaning her wound.
"This is good." Zach said as Veronica started to land. "Why did you bring that new knife with you Zach?" "This place has a bad problem with thieves and murderers. That and I need something to give me a little cut." He said as he pulled the knife out of its sheath. 'They both did a great job.' Zachary said as he looked at the blade in awe. It was made exactly as he specified, except for a mark on the pommel and a carving of a weasel in the middle of the blade.
"He did the same thing with my scythes blade. He told me that, since we wouldn't be buried in a normal grave, our blades would be used as our grave markers. I guess it makes practical sense when you think about it." "I'll be back in an hour or less, since the color change only lasts until the wound is completely healed."He said as he put the blades point onto his elbow and pushed down lightly, with instant results. As his fur began to change color, starting at his shoulder and spreading over the rest of his body, he handed Veronica a phone. "I told Jack to call this phone once he left for the duel. If he calls, tell me when I get back and I will tell you how to get to the location of the duel." She nodded as his fur finished changing color. He got on all fours and crawled out onto the streets, avoiding the light lamps. Lady luck was on his side, as clouds hid the moon and obscured his shape while he snuck over to his house. He then walked over to his left window, unlocked it, and snuck in. Suddenly the light flipped on, blinding him, and he heard the unmistakeable sound of a pump action shotgun being prepared for firing.
"What the fuck?" "Jump to the left and then hide behind the couch." As Zachary jumped he felt the slug graze his tail. He heard the click clack sound and then did a back flip behind the couch before being shot at again. "Honey, stop, it's me, Zach." "Don't you dare say that you're my husband you freak." she said as she shot the couch again, barely missing him when it burst through the other side of the couch. "I am Zachary though." "Oh yeah, then prove it." "I have the keys to the whole house right here." he said as he threw them over the couch. "That's not enough, anyone could have stolen his keys and made copies."
"Well then how about our first picture together?" he asked holding it up. "But you can't be him, you just can't be, he's dead." she said as she dropped the shotgun and broke down crying. "Don't get up, it's a trick." Without even thinking about it Zach got up and ran to comfort his wife. "It's okay, don't cry. Didn't you get the box I sent you?" "I didn't open it." she cried as she started petting him. "I'll get it for you." Zachary said as he stood up. "Don't leave me." she said as she grabbed him around the waist. "It's okay." he said as he picked her up onto her feet. "We can get it together." he said as he walked to the kitchen with her in his arms.
"It's time for the duel, everyone in the Jeep." yelled Bill. "Why are we taking the Jeep and not the Humvee?" Jack asked as he climbed in. "We're going to be on the civilian roads so we need to at least somewhat fit in." "Move." Delilah said as she put her case in the jeep and then hopped into the seat. "What's in the case?" Sorath asked as he climbed into the drivers seat.
"A first aid kit, a few syringes, every antivenom we have, some epinephrin, some tranquilizers, a tourniquet, and multiple medications for cardiac problems, since he might put poison on his blade." "Damn." said Jack as he looked at the little case at her feet. "I don't think I'm gonna need any of that since it's supposed to be an honorable duel." "I doubt he has any honor when it comes to fighting you." "He should have some honor." Sorath said as Bill closed his door. "We're all in. Delilah why do you have your twin swords with you?" Bill said as he looked back. "If that sergeant decides to cheat then I will take his head. If he wins without cheating then I will leave him be." "At least I wasn't the only person who was thinking that we should have some insurance in case of foul play." Jack said as he pulled out his fixed blade knife.
It was eleven inches long, one inch wide, and a quarter of an inch thick with a handle that was five inches long, two inches wide, and covered in leather with a ruby for a pommel. "Jack put the knife away." "I don't see you saying anything to Bill for his broadsword." "He's going to make sure nobody interferes with my duel." "We won't" said Delilah. "It's for Veronica and Zachary for the most part." "Okay then." Jack said as he called the phone number that Zachary gave him.
"Hey Veronica, we're heading to the duel right now. Okay then see you there." he said as he closed the phone. "They said they'd meet us there." "Okay then, we should be there in a couple of minutes." Sorath said as he pushed down the gas pedal and held it at the speed limit.
"Where is he?" asked Johnson as he paced back and forth in the old lot. "Don't tell me that bastard chickened out." then he heard the noise of flapping wings to his right so he turned to face it. As he looked he saw Zachary hopping off of Veronica's back. "Hey, white thing. Who are you? The governments files said that only five test subjects survived." "I'm insulted that you don't recognize me sergeant. I was there when the facility was attacked." "Is that you Zachary?" "Yep, it's me Johnson." "That's sergeant to you. What the hell happened to you? Why are you one of those freaks?"
"I let them turn me into one of them so that I didn't have to go back to working for you and so I wasn't branded as a deserter." "If you two are here to kill me then I'm prepared to fight you to the death." Johnson said as he unsheathed his sword slightly. "Put that away. We're only here to watch." "Then why does he have that knife?" "Don't you know about the problem with murderers around here? That's why I have this." Zachary said as he pulled the knife out of its sheath and proceeded to tossing it in the air and catching it. "Looks like they're here." Veronica said looking towards the road.
As Sorath slid out of the Jeep he saw that Johnson was there talking to Veronica and Zachary. "Well at least they're not trying to kill each other." Bill said as he stood up on the other side of the Jeep. "Of course they haven't tried because Johnson knows that Zachary has his knife with him and has many disadvantages when it comes to fighting." Delilah said as she picked up her case and closed the door. "He was stupid enough to try attacking you before Sorath." Jack said as he walked towards Johnson with Sorath in the middle of the group.
"Yeah but that was when I was chained to a table that was buried in concrete. He never tried to attack me head on without some kind of advantage." "Okay then. Good luck." Bill said as he moved over to let Sorath out of the middle. "Nice to see you again Johnson." Sorath said as he pulled out his saber. "Everybody except for Bill stays back at least twenty feet. Bill you make sure nobody interrupts us unless Johnson starts cheating or if he is using something other than a regular saber." Everybody nodded and backed off with Bill being ten feet away from the fight and the rest being twenty feet. "Draw your weapon sergeant."
"Never tell me what to do freak." said Johnson as he slid out his blade. "Last time I checked I was still a Command Sergeant Major. I have never found a file stating my discharge or stating that I was a deserter." Sorath said as he put his blade up, pointing it at the sergeants face. "I see you want to be completely traditional about this." Johnson said as he touched tips and held it still. Sorath was the first to break contact with an attempted slice at Johnson's left calf. Johnson barely had enough time before moved his sword to block Sorath's attack. Sorath quickly followed up with a slice upwards at an angle towards Johnson's left shoulder. Johnson moved his sword up to block it and Sorath was hoping for that. Once their blades made contact he swung with his full power, knocking Johnson back a few inches.
As Delilah watched she saw that Johnson had no chance. "I wish Sorath would stop toying around with him." she said as she kept watching. Suddenly she saw a drop of clear liquid fly off of Johnson's sword. She felt for rain but didn't feel a single drop. She turned her attention back to the fight and noticed that Johnson gave Sorath a slight scratch on his right arm. "Sorath!" she yelled. "What is it?" he asked as he took another missed swipe at Johnson's legs. "Is that cut ok?" "What cut?" he asked as he barely avoided a shot to his chest.
"Never mind." "Okay." he said as he took another swipe at Johnson's right calf and grazed it. Johnson then took his opportunity and swung at Sorath's calf, hitting it and going down to the bone. "Michael!!"Yelled Veronica as she tried to get past Bill. "Why can't I stand?" Sorath asked. It suddenly clicked in Delilahs mind. "He's using poison!" Delilah yelled pointing at Johnson. "To late to do anything about it." Johnson said with a smile on his face. Delilah pulled out her swords along with Jack and Bill pulling out theirs, but before any of them took one step a knife hit Johnson in the head and killed him.
As everyone looked to were the knife came from they saw Zachary as he walked to retrieve his knife. "He has a bottle on him." Zachary said as he put his knife back in its sheath and picked the bottle up. "It says Aconitum Vamparia." "Fuck!" said Delilah as she opened her case. "Of all the fuckin poisons he had to choose from he decided to use the one with no cure." she said as she filled up a syringe with mexiletine and got ready to inject it into Sorath's arm. "That much is going to kill him." Zachary said as soon as he saw how much was in the syringe.
"It won't because we have a natural tolerance to most drugs." she said as she injected the drug and injected some coagulant in through the other arm to stop the bleeding. "What do you want me to do?" asked Veronica. "Take Bill and fly him back to the base." Delilah said as she put her case back into the Jeep. "What about me?" asked Jack. "Put Sorath in the back and stay there with him. Zachary, get your ass in the drivers seat." she said as she climbed into the passengers side. "Yes mam."Zachary said as he got in. "Don't worry about any laws, just get us back to the base now." "Then hold on." Zachary said as he floored the gas pedal.
"I hope he's going to be okay."Veronica said as she flew towards the base. "He'll be fine, trust me." Bill said with a slight smile. "How do you know that?" "I've been through a lot with Sorath so I know how much he can handle." "What do you mean by a lot?"
"In all honesty it was only one mission but me and him were the only survivors of that. My team crashed into the heart of the enemies territory and Sorath's team came to rescue us but their helicopter was destroyed so we had to walk for days without any supplies or shelter. All we had was a couple of rifles, two grenades, and a couple yards of wiring that was meant to be used for our radios that were destroyed in the crash."
"How the hell did you survive?" "I'm not going to answer that question." "Why not?" "Because I don't want to bring up the past. What is gone is gone, no use in dwelling on it." Bill said in a depressed tone. "Okay then." she said as she slightly tilted herself to the right.
"You guys doing okay?" Zachary asked as he made a sharp right turn. "Yeah but you need to get rid of those cops tailing us." said Jack. "Horrible pun." said Delilah as she turned towards Zachary and pushed a button beside the stereo. "What's that gonna do?" asked Zachary as he, very quickly, looked over to her. "That just dropped some caltropes. Listen and you'll find out what they do."
As they listened they heard the unmistakeable sound of tires popping. "I guess that got rid of our problem." Zachary said as he swerved around a big rig. "Turn right here." said Delilah. "Okay." Zachary said as he turned and jumped onto a lower freeway. "Why did you tell me to do that again?" "Because it saved us five minutes, now shut up and drive." Delilah said as she checked Sorath's pulse.