"Reunited..." - Chapter Seven

Reunited...

Chapter Seven

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The individuals in the black jumpsuits escorted Prince William across an abandoned stretch of road that ran parallel to the ancient highway. After crossing the frontage road, the group led the prince into one of the nearby buildings. It looked like an ancient hotel of some sort. It had a brick and stone facade. It was in surprisingly good shape for a building of the ancients.

There were similar buildings nearby, and they all looked in usable shape. It looked like this particular area was untouched by the conflicts that destroyed much of the ancient world. The luxury was more evident to the Prince as he entered the lobby of the structure. The opulence of the ancient structure was still intact. It could still be used as a luxury hotel.

The team quickly escorted the Prince into a secure room just off the main lobby. They put him in the room, closed and locked the door, and left him alone. It was a relatively small room with a table and four chairs in the center. Along one wall, there was a mirror. There were cameras in the corners pointed in various directions. It did not appear that there were any section of the room not covered by the cameras. The Prince wondered if they still functioned. He walked around and took a closer look at them.

When he was finished exploring the room, he sat in one of the chairs and waited. He waited. He waited some more. He got up and took a few more laps around the room. He sat again and waited. He had been there for quite a long time and no one had been to see him. He was wondering if they had forgotten him. He checked the door again, and it was still locked. The only thing he could do was wait, and that is what he was doing.

The Prince sat in one of the chairs and put his feet on the table. He closed his eyes and began to drift off. The door suddenly opened, and he nearly fell back. In walked a stunning young woman. She was dressed all in white. Prince William just stared with his mouth agape.

"What brings you to the Forbidden Zone," a sultry voice asked.

"Uuuuummmmm," replied the Prince.

"Do I have to ask a second time?" the voice asked more instantly.

"I am on a mission," replied the Prince suppressing a squeak in his voice. "I came looking for Princess Angelina of Calmondak."

"Trying to rescue a damsel in distress?" the young woman asked with a chuckle.

"Uh," the Prince said turning slightly red. "Something like that."

"How gallant!"

"A prophecy states that if I return her to her family, I will be richly rewarded."

"That sounds like something King Thorbjorn would cook up."

"What?"

"What better way to motivate some lesser member of his court to take on a very dangerous mission than promise them great riches. It seems pretty transparent to me."

"Lesser? I am Prince William Thorbjornson of Lakeland!"

"Billy?" asked the stunning young woman. "It has been a long time."

"What?" asked the stunned Prince. "Who are you?"

"I am your quarry."

"What?"

"I am Angelina. It has not been that many years."

"It is just..." stumbled the Prince. "You look beyond your years."

"What does that mean?" asked the Princess.

"Um -- er," stuttered the Prince. "I know of no fourteen year old as stunning as you."

"Your flattery will not gain you favor with me."

"Huh? I apologize. I meant, it is just that I did not expect you."

"Why is that?"

"Your father made it out that you had been kidnapped."

"My father is often far less than truthful."

"Do you mean to tell me he knows you are here?"

"Certainly not! I came here of my own accord."

"Then what?"

"The Forbidden Zone is not as was described."

"Much of it is desolate."

"With this sparkling jewel in its midst," finished the Princess spanning her arms wide. "The concept of the Forbidden Zone was designed to keep people out that he did not wish to see this place. However, his reasons for keeping people out were different than the ones he stated."

"It is not a place of death?"

"Oh! it certainly is to the uninvited. The desert is a very dangerous place."

"The uninvited?"

"Those that are invited here do not find it so dangerous. In fact, they enjoy the luxuries this ancient city offers."

"I am confused. Why would anyone invite others into some forbidden zone?"

"To these special invited guests, it is not the Forbidden Zone but more of an oasis -- a getaway -- a special place away from it all."

"Who are these special guests?"

"Mostly rich outlanders with whom my father wishes to do business."

"Outlanders?"

"Your father has neglected your education greatly. Outlanders are people who do not live in Morica. They live across the sea."

"Why would your father wish to do business with them?"

"They have more to offer than the Kingdom's of Morica -- that is why."

"Such as?"

"Now you are just playing the fool. It is good that you are dead."

"What? Dead? Wait..."

"You have entered the Forbidden Zone. You are dead. You shall not return home to tell of the things you have learned. You are now far too dangerous."

"But -- I am a Prince..."

"You know of our oasis, our foreign investments, and our new found power base. You know too much."

"That is it? I am simply cast off? So what is to become of me? Are you really going to kill me?"

"I do not see any reason to kill you, but you cannot leave this city. What happens here -- stays here."

"I am a prisoner then."

"That is essentially true. One of the advantages of this place is that you need certain technologies to get -- well -- anywhere."

"You are saying that without my suncar, I would die in the desert."

"Or similar device. At the very least, you would need lots of water."

"And a head start."

"A rather sizeable head start if we decided to go after you. The guards could easily catch up to you if we wished them to."

"So, I am dead to the world, but a prisoner here."

"You have the essence of your situation down pretty well."

"Is there anything that can change that?"

"A shift in the Morica power structure may be of a benefit to you."

"A shift? How do you mean?"

"You could be a valuable -- bargaining chip -- to a few parties."

"I take back what I said."

"What is that?"

"You are not beyond your years in looks -- you are beyond your years in everything."