Mitchell's Revenge

Anja disembarked from the drone and stood on the arrivals platform looking for Anton Orlov. She knew it was pointless trying to run. The IGM had security everywhere and they would catch her in minutes. She saw security cameras poking their snouts at her from the awning above the platform. They followed her every move.

She finally saw Anton’s blond head through the crush of people in the arrivals hall and began to walk towards him. Her handipak was securely on her back, the straps tight over the bulky ship suit and jacket. Anton smiled when he recognised her. When he got close enough he took hold of her arm and steered her through the crowd.

“We have about an hour’s land travel now,” he said as they exited the spaceport.

He turned her towards a strange looking vehicle which had wheels taller than she was. The tyres consisted of a thick black compound with a deep tread. A ladder extended itself from the side of the vehicle as they approached. She climbed up and sat on a bench seat behind the driver. Her handipak snagged against the support behind her. She wriggled out of the straps and clutched the pack to her lap. Anton followed her up the ladder. He pulled the door closed and sat next to her.

“This is Petr,” he said by way of introduction. “He’s going to drive us home. Let’s go!”

Anja had a panoramic view from where she was sitting. The spaceport was a hub of activity. It was much busier than the port on EQ2. She saw drones and small ships of all shapes and sizes coming in to land and taking off again. The drone she had come in on had already returned to the Zond.

The people on this planet seemed to be very tall and dark. Except for Anton sitting next to her who was blond and slight. Their driver was heavyset and had dark wavy hair and olive skin. He turned and smiled chipped front teeth and gold fillings at Anja. She smiled meekly back at him.

“Welcome to Tarasov,” said Anton. “Mother’s very anxious to meet you. She’s waiting at the homestead.” Anja looked curiously at him.

“What are you going to do with me?” she asked, squaring her shoulders and sitting up as straight as she could.

“Mother will explain everything when we get home,” said Anton. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it here. It’ll be fun for me to have a younger sister!”

“What?” asked Anja. “What do you mean, younger sister?”

“You’ll see,” replied Anton. “Mother will explain it all.”

Anja stared out the window trying hard not to cry. As they left the city of Achernar behind them the way got steadily rougher. They went from a road with a smooth mauve coloured surface to coarse gravel that chewed at the wheels of the land carrier. She understood now why it was built the way it was. The countryside around them was lush with auburn coloured grass.

Anton said nothing more as they travelled. Anja studied the landscape carefully, trying to identify anything that would help her find her way back to the spaceport. The countryside was monotonous, despite its unusual colour. No trees, only grass. As they approached Noo and the Orlov homestead she saw the steam rising from Lake Ladogat in the distance. She wondered what was causing it. Petr turned the vehicle in the direction of the lake.

They were travelling slowly now, nearing the edge of the lake, where she saw people waiting. There was some kind of boom arrangement overhanging the lake with something suspended from the end of it not far from the lake’s surface. As they drew closer she thought it looked like a person, hands bound tightly behind their back and ankles tied together. The steam rising from the lake obscured the details, but it was enough to make her shiver.

“What are they doing?” she asked Anton as they rolled to a stop not far away. He looked pityingly at her.

“You’ll see in a few minutes,” he said. “Father wants to make a lesson for you before you come to the house.”

“Why is there steam coming from the lake?” Anja asked.

“Because the water is boiling, and the air is cool,” he replied. “Whatever you do, don’t argue with father, or mother. You will make things very difficult for yourself if you do.”

Anja drew her arms across her chest and hugged herself to try and stay calm. She didn’t like the look of this at all. The door opened and Anton got out, instructing her to follow him. She left her handipak on the seat and descended the ladder. When she reached the ground he took hold of her arm firmly and propelled her towards a tall slim man with shoulder length dark hair and a scar that ran from his right temple down the side of his face to his throat.

“This is my father, Yuri Orlov,” he said to Anja. He looked at Yuri. “This is Anja Father.”

Anja drew herself up to her full height and looked him squarely in the eyes. She could feel her legs starting to shake, but she stood her ground. His dark eyes stared back at her.

“What are you going to do with me?” she asked. “Why am I here?”

“Direct isn’t she?” Yuri chuckled, looking at Anton. Anton said nothing. He studied the ground at his feet.

“I’m going to give you a little lesson,” said Yuri. “So you will understand what will happen to you if you try to run away. Or if you try to send a message home, or hatch any other harebrained scheme while you live with us. You will do exactly as you are told.”

He turned to a heavyset man standing near the boom controls. He nodded to him. The man began to lower the body tied at the end of the boom towards the lake. As soon as the apparatus began to move the bound young man started to scream. Until now Anja thought he must be dead. She looked from the captive to Yuri Orlov and back again.

“Stop, stop,” the man screamed. “I promise I won’t do it again! Stop!”

His request was ignored. As his toes touched the boiling water of the lake he screamed in agony and jerked his knees up to his chest in an effort to keep his feet out of the water.

“That will only make your death more painful,” said Yuri. “You can’t hold your knees up for long!” He turned to Anja. He looked down at the child who was now frozen with horror.

“This is what will happen to you if you disobey me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes,” she gabbled. “I promise to do what you ask. You can stop now! Don’t hurt him anymore!”

The captive continued to come closer to the water. His feet were now only millimetres away from the heat. He stopped screaming to concentrate his energy on keeping his legs up to his chest.

“Oh no,” Yuri said to Anja. “It’s not quite that simple. This man stole from me. And he needs to be punished. Anyone who works for me knows the consequences. You will do what I say, and you will not cross me.”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” said Anja.

The scream that erupted from the captive as his feet and lower legs began to boil was the most terrifying thing Anja had heard in her short life. She threw herself at Yuri. She fell to her knees in front of him and grabbed at his legs, begging him to stop torturing the young man. Tears poured down her face as her screams for mercy joined those of the captive.

Yuri shoved her roughly away from him and she sprawled on the ground. Then he grabbed her up and stood her facing the captive who was now half immersed in the boiling water. He had stopped screaming and his head lolled forward on his chest.

“Drop him all the way in!” Yuri instructed. Anja closed her eyes as the heavyset man released the line and the young man disappeared into the lake.

“Cut the line,” instructed Yuri. “The lake dwellers can have him now.”

Still holding her by the shoulders, Yuri spun Anja around to face him. Her eyes were clamped shut and tears ran down her cheeks. He shook her gently.

“It’s over now,” he said. “Open your eyes and look at me.” She did as she was told. The pupils of her blue eyes were wide and round with fear as she looked up at him. She glanced at Anton who was still staring at the ground. Her legs had stopped shaking and she felt as if her knees were locked.

“If you behave,” said Yuri, “You will have a good life here with us. Otherwise...” His voice trailed off as he looked back towards the lake. “And if you talk to anyone about your real family, your parents and your brother will join you in Lake Ladogat. Now you will meet your new mother,” he continued. “We go to the homestead. Petr will drive us. Come.”

Anja stumbled after Yuri as he walked towards the land carrier she and Anton had arrived in. Anton took her arm and guided her forward. She looked sideways at him. He shook his head imperceptibly and pressed his lips closed. More tears trickled down her cheeks.