Miller Falls' footsteps echo in the empty hall. He walks through the long corridor, nearly at the laboratory. He grips a black bag in his hand and pushes the door open.
"Doc, you in here?"
Miller scans the lab and sees a man crouched near an operating table. The man stands and turns to Miller. It's Doc.
"You have it?"
"Right here."
Miller reaches into the black bag and removes a large object.
A skull.
He tosses the skull at Doc, who barely catches it in his hands.
"Can we not toss skulls in the lab?"
Miller grins.
"Sorry."
He discards the black bag and crosses to Doc.
"So, what's up with needing a gorilla skull anyway?"
"Don't worry about it."
"No problem. I was just "
"We're done here."
Miller shrugs. "Whatever, Collins."
He turns and goes out of the lab. The door slams shut. He looks back briefly, but continues on his way.
Once Miller is gone, Doc...otherwise known as Collins, goes to the door and locks it. He can't be interrupted.
*****
Miller can taste the dirt in his mouth. He rolls onto his side and spits it out. His sense of taste seems to be the only one working properly. He can't hear full sentences...can't see...can't feel anything...
Oh, wait.
There's smell.
He can smell the stench of body odor. Sweat. It makes his stomach turn.
"You okay?"
Miller tries to open his eyes...he can see the faint outline of a man crouched before him.
"What's going on?" Miller croaks.
"The Games."
"The what?"
"You'll see," the man says. A grave, fearful tone. "You'll see. My name's Marley. Try to get up. If you look too weak, they'll feed you to the lions."
Miller uses all of his strength to sit up. "Are you serious?"
"No, but I got you up, didn't I?"
Bastard.
"I guess you did. Where am I?"
"The Coliseum."
"What? That place isn't real."
"Yeah, it is," Marley answers. "And right now, you're in it."
THE SUITE
"Don't move."
Marie freezes when she feels a blunt object pointed in her back. For a split second, she feels fear. But it quickly subsides when she realizes...she recognizes the voice.
"Miller."
She turns and glares at her brother.
"What is wrong with you?" Marie demands.
She shoves him against the wall.
"I should break your arm."
"You could try."
Marie grins. "And I'd win."
"I wanted to see you off," Miller says finally. "Since you'll be gone for God knows how long having adventures in mafia baby-sitting."
"You heard?"
"Graham has a big mouth."
"Of course," Marie says. "I was gonna stop by and see Mom and Dad before I left, but they're on another cruise."
Miller shrugs. "No reason for them to stick around, I guess. We're off leading lives on international intrigue. Just like Alias."
"Except we're the bad guys. So to speak," Marie says.
"Steal from the evil to give to the not-so evil? Fine by me," Miller replies. "Speaking of, do you have any idea what Collins would want with a big-ass gorilla's skull?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing. I should get going. I've got some work to do myself."
"Exciting. Where to?"
"Don't know yet," Miller says. "But I always end up in the weirdest places."
*****
"I thought this place was a myth," Miller says.
He is now able to walk around his cell. There's less pain...he's regaining the full use of all his senses.
"Well now you know it isn't," Marley says.
"I guess."
Miller sits on a cot in the edge of their cell. Glances up at Marley.
"How long have you been in here?"
"Not too long," Marley says. "I haven't fought yet."
"Fought?"
"You know. To the death? That's what usually happened in the Roman Coliseum."
"Yeah, but we're not in Rome."
Miller frowns. Maybe he's wrong.
"We're not in Rome, are we?"
Marley shrugs. "I don't know. You want some coke?"
"What?"
"I've got some coke on me," Marley says. "You want some?"
"No...I'll be fine."
Miller stands and goes to the bars. He runs his fingers along the cold steel. His face remains blank.
"We need to get out of here."
"Only way you're getting out is if you survive a fight."
"Then what happens? They let us leave?"
"No one leaves."
Miller turns back to Marley. "We haven't been formally introduced. My name is 'No One'."
*****
The man known only as Monsieur stands in the control room and watches Miller on an observation screen. He turns to the men who stand with him.
"He's ready for a fight."
"He'll have to wait his turn," one of the men insists.
"I've paid a lot of money!"
"So has everyone else. But you need until the Suite comes back into rotation."
Monsieur glares at the screen. "Fine. I'll wait."
Outside the room, a dark-haired woman spies on the meeting. Upon hearing Miller's name, she realizes what she has to do.
She hurries through the hall and blows down the stairs. Within a few minutes, she is at Miller's cell.
She keeps a safe distance, so as not to appear on the observation screen.
"Miller Falls."
Miller hears his voice called and looks out.
"Who's there?"
"Don't say anything," the woman says. "They'll hear you and realize I'm here."
"What's going..."
"My name is Black," she says. "And I'm here to get you out of here."
TO BE CONTINUED...
STORY BY
IRA MADISON
NEXT ISSUE:
Who is the mysterious lady?
Will Miller have to do battle to survive?
And how did Marley get coke inside the Coliseum?
Find out this and more in...Paper #3: "These Ain't Chains of Love"!