Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Ellie “It’s an anti-energy gun,” Viskra finally confided. He had been trying to protect Ellie, so that she knew nothing of it and could be released if necessary, but there really was no need. Ellie had informed him at length that sociopaths do not release their victims unless they are of use. Viskra would always be of use. Ellie would not.

She had been teaching him the psychology of the sociopath until finally he understood why telling her made no difference to her survival.

Even though she could do nothing about it, she felt that she wanted to know what he was up to, what he was helping Steve and Brian to destroy.

“I don’t know its purpose. I was building an anti-matter ray when I was abducted.”

, thought Ellie.

“He’s never alluded to any idea of what the matter would be?”

“Never. Just wanted me to change the anti-matter ray to anti-energy.”

“You’ve actually got an anti-matter ray?” she demanded loudly. “Well get us the fuck out of here then!”

“Then my father is dead. Besides, that was deconstructed weeks ago for parts for the anti-energy ray,” he sighed, becoming ever wearier with each word.

“Then reconstruct it!” bellowed Ellie, hands balled into fists, ready to thump the naïve idiot the other side of the wall who she believed may well cause the destruction of the multiverse.

“This is partly why I didn’t tell you. You really do have to trust me. We discussed the walls already.” He was referring to their previous conversation about walls having ears.

“So what does he want specifically with an anti-energy ray?” Ellie wondered again. It was pitch black again, this time with little illumination from the cloudy sky. It looked like a storm was coming.

“Like he would tell me?” Viskra’s voice was honest, sweet, pleading.

“The astral plane is made of energy, maybe he wants to destroy that. People use it to communicate,” she mused.

“You mean a plane of pure energy the exact copy and size of the entire multiverse? Get real. This is to remove the energy from something directly in front of you, something he can’t shoot.”

“He did say the Spectrals were evil, maybe he’s trying to kill them,” she postulated, changing position on the hard floor.

“Perhaps.” His reply was lifeless, beaten. He no longer cared.

“What are you doing Viskra, what are you doing?” it was barely more than a whisper but the acoustics of the stone chamber amplified the sound and sent it through the wall just the same.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Ellie.”