The Lands of the Rising Sun

Rewards

The door to the cell swung open slamming into the wall. The noise startled Chucky. The guards drew their rifles to him. "No wait!" I yelled. Chucky screamed and slammed his head into the wall, which knocked him out. "What the hell?" the guard said. "Don't question it," Black Jack said. "The Mayor's son is ready for you." I stretched with a large yawn. A folded assortment of clothes smacked me in the face. "Put this on, we can't have you looking like that in front of the Mayor's son." I had almost forgotten Snake and I were in our Alemmani "disguise." I threw the shirt over my head and slipped the pants on, a bit tighter of a fit than I was accustomed too. "Don't the Mayor's son got a name or like a title or somethin', I mean ain't you tired of callin' him the Mayor's son?"

"If he wishes for you to know his name then he will tell you."

"Man, you are just the worst..."

"Yeah, well hurry up let's go."

The other guards slapped handcuffs on Ug'vesh who had continued his devious gaze at me again. I walked over to Chucky and shook him. "C'mon get up, Chucky." Chucky was out cold. "Leave him, lets go." I turned my head, "Ain't you got any patience? You actin' like you got somethin' else to do today."

"Let's fuckin' go," he persisted. I lifted Chucky's limp body, slung him on my shoulder and followed behind Snake and Black Jack. We were led back down the hallway to the middle corridor and across to a conference room. The room was filled with benches leading up to two podiums on each side. Ug'vesh stood with two guards on each side of him at the left podium. The flags of Thirty fell between the windows lining the room. Bouncing sunlight illuminated the crisp white walls of the room. Emotionless blue suited men stood in line as tight as their red ties. We were led to the other podium and sat on the bench behind it.

Two guards accompanied a man from the back door up the platform to the podium in front of us. He walked with an even pace except every third step he paused and continued his stride. He was dressed in the same manner as his escorts with a stern emotionless face. "Please, have a seat... each of you," the man said. He talked with misplaced emphasis. The guards commanded we follow orders with a glance of their eyes. We were in no position to argue so we obliged. The man gazed at Ug'vesh then turned to us. "If the man you brought me here... today is the man we are... looking for, then you are entitled... to a reward."

"And what might that be?" I asked. "First... we must see if the man is who... you say he is."

"I am, Ug'vesh." The attention shifted. "Everyone we have, questioned so far has said the same, why is that?

"You can not know," Ug'vesh said. The man folded his arms behind him jumped off the platform walking to Ug'vesh he motioned for him to stand and he did. "We don't have to be, enemies you know?"

"We must."

"Perhaps if, we met with your leader then we-"

"You are meeting with him now."

"Why are you fighting, us?"

"Power."

"Power? If its power, you wanted then we should... be friends, I happen to be a powerful man."

"You have what we need."

"And what exactly is, that?"

"Power."

The man's confident glee drooped to a bothered frown. "If you aren't the leader... then, we must have you executed."

"I am Ug'vesh, Alemmani leader, who you are?" The man was caught off-guard by the question. "I am the son of our leader... our Mayor... that was executed by you... or by whoever you say you are, we all watched, as you or whoever held his head up on the gate wall as you retreated... You might've killed my father but you, did not take Thirty."