Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

Don’t you have a kiss for your dear daddy?” “Where’s Penny?”
    “Ah, the impatience of youth. Children always want their presents right now. Very well, Evie, never let it be said that I am not an indulgent father. You may see your little friend Penny. I’ve been taking ever such good care of her. She always was a little headstrong, but I’ve taken care of that.” He gestured languidly with a huge, fat hand, and a panel in the left wall slid open, revealing two severed heads in glass jars. One was Penny DeCarlo. Evangeline’s hands flew to her mouth to stifle a scream, and only then she realized the heads were still alive. Their eyes were aware and suffering, and their mouths moved to shape words, though nothing could be heard. Penny was pale-skinned, with short dark hair, and would have been beautiful in any other circumstances. The second head was that of an old man, with long white hair and mustaches floating gently in the preservative fluids. Both heads stared sadly at Evangeline, and she made herself lower her hands and swallow her shock. She couldn’t afford to show weakness. Not here. She glared at Gregor. “Oh, they’re very much alive,” Gregor assured her. “The one on the right is Professor Wax. Quite a prominent scientist in his day, now an overqualified paperweight. Valentine gave him to me, already in his glass jar. It seemed a shame not to have a matching pair, and I had to do something to express my displeasure when you defied me… so you could say this is really all your fault. I think they look very smart together. I may start a collection.” “Why can’t I hear them?” Evangeline asked through numbed lips. “Have you cut out their vocal cords too?”
    “Of course not, my dear. Where would be the fun in that? I have to turn the speakers off now and again just to get a little peace and quiet. Though admittedly Penny doesn’t scream nearly as much as she used
    to.” He gestured again, and there was a sudden steady hum as hidden speakers came on line. Penny’s head fixed its sad eyes on Evangeline’s, and the mouth tried to move in a smile.
    “You shouldn’t have come here, Evie. He’s mad. Quite mad.” “I’ve always known that,” said Evangeline. “But I had to come back here to get you. I… I didn’t know…” “Oh, Evie…” Penny’s face screwed up as though it would have liked to cry, but that was no longer possible in the preservative fluids. “Hush, child, hush,” said the white-haired head beside her. “Don’t distress yourself. Don’t give that fat bastard the satisfaction.” “Oh, dear Waxie,” said Penny. “I’d go mad if it weren’t for you. For your comfort.”
    “Aren’t they sweet?” said Gregor. “They’re lovebirds. A meeting of minds, if you like.”
    Wax’s eyes turned to look at Evangeline. “Get Penny out of here if you can. She doesn’t deserve this. I do. I created machines whose only purpose was death and destruction, and saw them used to wipe out a whole world’s population. I never cared about the suffering of my test subjects. I told myself I was defending the Empire from its enemies. But the death of a whole world sickened even me. I deserve to be here. But dear Penny doesn’t belong here in Hell, with Gregor and me. Please. Get her out of here.”
    “I won’t go without you!” Penny protested. “I won’t abandon you.” She turned her eyes back to Evangeline. “Get out of here, Evie. Gregor’s lost all restraint. He doesn’t care about anything now except revenge.” “What else is there worth caring about?” said Gregor. “The rebels are turning my whole world upside down, rewriting history to make themselves out to be virtuous heroes, while they loot the Empire to fund their political fantasies. The barbarians have broken down the gates and stormed the city. What is left now but to take what revenge we can before the final night falls?” “And what revenge do you have in mind for me?” said Evangeline. “I’ve been thinking about that for some time,” said Gregor. “Either you return to me and be my loving, dutiful daughter in all ways, or I’ll make you suffer in ways you never dreamed possible. You’re in my realm now, where the only limits are the limits of my imagination. And when I’ve wrung every last gasp of suffering from you, I’ll hack your pretty head off your pretty shoulders and stick you in a jar next to the others. And maybe I’ll piss in your preservative fluids now and