The New Humans

Chapter 30

Ash felt something tighten around his neck with so much force that it brought him to his senses. He was back in that underground hideaway with the wooden floor and earthen walls, but he'd been taken into a weapons room. A row of guns leaned against the walls, and there were hand grenades on the ground. There was a rope around his neck, and his hands were tied behind his back.

He raised his eyes; the rope passed over a ceiling beam. Under his feet was a shaky wooden box. If he fell, he would hang himself. Beside him, Rachel, Owen, Herbert and Miriam were in the same condition and were looking around with terror in their eyes.

A man at least six feet tall wearing a black enhancing suit appeared and passed in front of him without even a glance. He was holding the ends of five ropes, the ones with which he could hang Ash and his friends. Ash knew instantly who he was; the man didn't even have to take off the helmet. He had guessed from the way the man had walked past him without deigning to look at him, as if he were an ant.

"Jacob Crane," said Ash.

The man turned and looked at him from behind the full helmet. Then he walked with slow rhythmic steps as if he was passing them in review. Once he had completed this, he returned to stand in front of Ash.

"Who are you?" He had a low firm voice that made Ash's bones rattle. "You're not going to answer?"

"Rike," said Ash. "Tom Rike."

Crane tilted his head, unconvinced. "Your real name."

"That is my real name," said Ash.

With such speed Ash didn't even know it was happening, Crane took a blade from his forearm and made a diagonal cut across Ash's face. The wound burned as if he'd been struck with blazing metal. He made an instinctive movement to pull away, but almost fell from the box that stood between him and hanging.

"No!" screamed Rachel.

Ash turned to her, she was holding back tears.

"I can cut every part of your body until you answer me, but in the end, you will answer me," said Crane. "So, what's your name?"

"Mack," he screamed. "Asher Mack."

"Pleasure to meet you," said Crane.

Ash concentrated and, little by little, he felt less pain. The wound was healing.

Crane watched Ash's face and nodded as if he'd expected that. "You're a Numa. What are you doing here?"

In fact, what was he doing here? He realized the idea of handing Crane over to the IDAN was total insanity.

He shook his head. "I don't know. We just got here by chance. We don't know anything. If you let us go, we won't say a word to anyone."

"Nobody has found this hideaway in fifteen years. Why did you go through the branches of a fallen tree to enter an opening in the ground? And how did you know that the wall in the middle of the tunnel could be opened? Who told you how to get here?"

Ash said nothing.

Crane moved toward Rachel, Owen, Miriam and Herbert. "Maybe one of you would like to answer?"

They too remained silent, terrified looks on their faces. Crane went back to Ash and punched him in the belly with all the force that the enhancing suit gave him. Ash felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He spat out blood and felt the urge to vomit. Crane put his face close to his.

"Leave him alone!" screamed Rachel and unable to hold back further she began to cry.

Crane didn't care of her and continued to talk to Ash.