The Apple Alder Tree: Part Three
`Because, young man' Mr. Bell said as he sighed like this should have been obvious `we are the people who have don't it to them'
`Your doing this to them?' Harry said blank faced in shock, Claudia had put a hand up to her mouth in shock as well but Hermione found that this wasn't too surprising to her `you're killing your own people?'
`It totally depends on what your description of dead is' Mr Bell said with a wry smile.
`Like most people its my opinion that being dead is when the body dies' Harry said sarcastically making Mr Bell give a loud throaty laugh.
`Well then I guess they are!' Mr Bell said laughing still, evidently enjoying the conversation.
`Sir, there must be some mistake' Claudia said, her hand still up over her mouth and her eyes were wide in shock.
`I assure you there isn't, Apple don't make mistakes' Mr Bell said kindly, his hand running threw his greasy hair once again.
`Don't you get it' Hermione said rolling her eyes at Claudia's disbelief `he's another psycho who's trying to rule the world or something like that'
`Hermione's right' Harry said taking a step forward towards Mr Bell `he's another psychotic man who I need to take down'
`I don't like the tone of your voice there' Mr Bell said, his voice had dropped and now had an edge to it.
`And I don't like murderers' Harry said, his voice dropping to match Mr. Bells as he tilted his head in towards hers.
`Unfortunately for you the world doesn't care what some strange young man doesn't like' Mr. Bell said with an angry smile as he looked straight into Harry's eyes `the world has always twisted and morphed to what the powerful want…what I want'
`You have no idea what you're starting here' Harry said warningly.
`You should listen to him' Hermione added.
`And what could you three possibly do?' he said giving a little sarcastic laugh as he ran another hand threw his hair.
`Whatever I need to do' Harry said as he withdrew his wand and pointed it at the man who watched Harry's actions with interest `now tell me how your doing this'
`I don't think I will de doing that' Mr Bell said simply as he took a step away casually.
`If you don't seem to understand I'm now in charge here' Harry said warningly as he made an obvious attempt at pointing the wand straight at the mans heart.
`No you're not' Mr Bell said as he withdrew what Hermione knew must be his ipod and pressed a button.
`Great, now we're in for a fight' Harry said bitterly as he waved his wand, producing a red bolt of what looked like lightening coming straight out of the end and crashing towards Mr Bell, but as the light went to hit him the bolt disappeared into a gush of steam. As Harry saw this happen he turned towards Hermione and groaned `I hate this new world… that technology isn't supposed to exist'
About 20 men came rushing from the many elevators around the side of the room, each of the men wearing what was similar to the SWAT outfits she had seen in the movies, just with more futuristic looking devices. Within seconds the three of them were circled, with every gun pointed directly at their chests as the men waited for orders. Hermione quickly followed Harry and Claudia's lead of raising their arms.
`Don't move, either of you!' Harry said forcefully as he dropped his wand to the floor, each of the armed men were perfectly still as they watched the three of them intently.
`I wasn't planning on it!' Hermione said with her hands raised as high as she could as she shifted herself closer towards Harry.
`At last you finally realize who's in charge' Mr Bell said stepping past the circle the men had formed and towards Harry.
`At the moment' Harry said bitterly as he stared back at the man.
`Now what exactly is this little device' Mr Bell said leaning down to pick up Harry's wand. As he held it in front of him he smiled as he twirled it around in his fingers `a device to harness your own power? Impressive'
`Thanks' Harry said with a sarcastic smile as he looked down at him.
`Your welcome' Mr. Bell said laughing as he pocketed the wand.
`You can borrow that for now, but I will be taking it back from you' Harry said through gritted teeth, Hermione could tell that Harry wasn't happy about someone having his wand.
`We'll see about that' Mr Bell said calmly as he walked back and forth in front of the three of them, looking at them closely as if he was weighing up the situation.
`So you killed all those people' Harry said, his voice had returned to his normal happy brisk self as he tried to engage Mr Bell in conversation, obviously trying to gather some information.
`We did' Mr Bell said nodding his head acceptingly.
`I have to admit its amazing that you were able to kill them but have them walk about afterwards' Harry said brightly before he started to shake his head `but why?'
`Isn't it obvious?' Mr Bell said dramatically as he stared at them, but Hermione couldn't think of a single reason for them to do this `if someone is dead then their last will and testament has to be left to someone'
`But don't they just choose their family and friends over Apple?' Hermione asked quickly, but Harry shot her a knowing look.
`You don't know anything do you?' Mr Bell said with a huge grin.
`So why don't you enlighten us?' Harry said brightly as he slowly lowered his hands from the sky, and Hermione took the lack of gunshots as permission to follow his lead.
`Say the dead persons will is left to their family, but what if the person has no family, say an orphan?' Mr Bell asked, sounding more like a teacher than anything else.
`It would be taken by the Inland Revenue' Hermione answered quickly.
`But what if there was no Inland Revenue?' Mr Bell asked
`Then the banks keep the money' Harry answered coldly, Hermione knew that Harry had worked out what had really been meant by this example.
`But I don't get it' Claudia asked, speaking up for the first time as the shock settled over her `there is an inland revenue and hardly any orphans?'
`He doesn't mean just the example of the orphans' Hermione said, her voice seemed detached as his words had struck fear into her heart.
`He's planning on killing every single man, woman and child on planet Earth' Harry said, his voice sounding full of quiet fury as he said these words `and then they collect by default on every single thing of value in the world'
Claudia threw a hand up I shock again at Harry's words, tears had started to flood down her eyes and Hermione suddenly wished that she could have protected this women from hearing this plan.
`Well done on working that out' Mr Bell said friendly `
`But why have them walk around afterwards?' Harry asked curiously, regaining his voice to his naturally brisk tone.
`Why not?' Mr Bell said simply.
`I guess having ten billion people still able to move around could have it's benefits' Harry said thinking through the idea `you could use them to create power or many other things'
`It's thirty billion people' Mr Bell corrected Harry `but you do get the general idea, although I'd like to add that a completely empty world would have a lot of side effects, would bring on attacks'
`Your going to kill twenty billion people?' Hermione said in shock, the number was so huge that it was way beyond her comprehension even. Twenty billion murders.
`How are you doing this?' Harry said, his voice seemed to be to pitches as he tried to keep it calm but his anger wouldn't allow it.
`Like I'm going to tell you that one' Mr Bell said laughing.
`He wouldn't make much of a Bond villain, would he?' Hermione said annoyed at his lack of an answer which made Harry let out a soft chuckle.
`But he does share one characteristic with them' Harry said confidently `he's going to be taken down'
`Say what you want' Mr Bell said as he turned his back on Harry `but the facts won't change just because of your words'
Hermione looked sideways at Harry, he had a strong look in his eyes as he stared at the man as he walked away, his green eyes sparkling slightly in determination as his brain worked quick on a plan. The man turned back to them and paused.
`Take her with us' Mr Bell said pointing a long thin slimy finger at Claudia `I don't like traitors'
Harry quickly stepped in front of Claudia as the men walked slowly and purposefully towards her, ready to take her away.
`Don`t Mr Bell!' Claudia begged as she fell to her knees, tears running freely down her face `I'm not a traitor!'
`You dare!' Harry said aggressively as the men closed in tightly around him as he stood with his back to her. Hermione watched as a gun was smashed into the side of Harry's head from a man behind him, instantly knocking Harry to his knees as two men grabbed Claudia and started to drag her off.
`Help me!' Claudia screamed in a high pitch voice as she approached the elevator, but another of the men smashed Harry across the face again, the sound of crunching echoing across the room.
`You harm her and I swear on my own soul that I will wipe every single thought of you off of this planet' Harry shouted after him as he walked of through the elevator doors, Claudia screaming in desperation and fear as she was dragged by two men beside him, and all Mr. Bell did was wave as the doors shut behind them. As soon as he was gone all the men fled from the room, leaving the two of them strangely alone.
`What are we going to do?' Hermione asked quickly, running after Harry as he sprinted to the elevator door and ran a hand over the controls, his face barely an inch from the screen.
`Damn!' Harry said hitting his fist against the door in frustration.
`Harry…' Hermione said urgently in desperation.
`I know, Hermione' Harry said running his hand around the edge of the doors quickly `I'm trying'
`It's not that' Hermione said, she was staring across the room.
`What is it?' Harry said angrily as he spun to look at what she was staring at.
`That's not good' Harry said softly taking her hand in his as she watched in fear as one after the other dead bodies came stumbling through the door, each and every one of them as blank as the one's she had already seen.
She couldn't count how many were in the room now, but guessed that it was probably in the dozens, and when the last had entered the elevator doors ad slammed shut after them, and they walked aimlessly and seemingly not dangerously around the room.
`That's really not good' Harry said watching them with interest `but there's nothing we can do about them just yet'
With one last look towards the walking dead Harry turned back towards the door, still running his hands over it, Hermione realized he was now aiming for the corners.
`Harry!' Hermione squealed slightly as another of the doors sounded, this time next to them and she dreaded the idea of any more of them coming in. Harry stopped what he was doing again and stared at the door, but as it opened Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.
`What is going on here?' Mr Andrews said as he walked through the room towards them, looking all about the room at the walking dead `Where did these come from?'
`I'm guessing their from Space Station Aguilera, the first three' Harry said brightly as he walked over and shook the Doctors hand.
`But…how…?' the Doctor stuttered out as he looked around at them, Hermione could tell that he was doing a quick count of the extra dead he had just discovered.
`That's not what's important' Harry said urgently `we need your authorization to get out of here, now'
`My authorization?' The doctor said in shock again, it was obvious that he was having a hard time dealing with these new developments.
`To use the elevators, I need to get to the For Anglia and quickly' Harry said urgently as he grabbed the doctor and forcefully pulled him towards the doors.
`Back to the Anglia?' Hermione asked as she took the mans other arm to steady him, Harry was being a little rough in his urgency and Hermione didn't want him to be held.
`Yeah' Harry answered `I need another wand, won't be the same as my real one but its better than…'
Harry stopped speaking as the Doctor pulled himself out of his grip and spun round to face Harry, bumping hard against one of the dead and almost falling down.
`I need to tell you something' the doctor said having now regained his train of thoughts and seemed desperate to tell Harry something.
`When we get down stairs' Harry said determinedly trying to take the mans arm again, but it was quickly pulled from his grip.
`No…' he said panting slightly, Hermione thought it was probably in excitement.
`Go on then, but make it quick!' Harry said staring at the man angrily.
`I found the link!' The doctor said, a smile breaking across his face as he said the words `It was right in front of me the whole time, I cant believe I hadn't spotted it earlier'
`We can listen to your reflections on it later' Harry said urgently but with a smile across his face. The doctor stopped to regain his breathe for a moment as the smile seemed stuck to his face, a new twinkle appearing in his eye.
`The link is…' he started, but as soon as the words were spoken a red mist of blood came flooding up from the mans neck as he was pulled violently backwards and behind the walking dead.
Before Hermione knew what had happened Harry had grabbed her arm and spun her around in a circle, Harry checking as quick as he could for any of them that was too close. Hermione felt like her heart had stopped, a man she had been talking to just seconds ago was now dead, killed in front of her eyes, and what was now in front of her eyes were dozens, perhaps a hundred dead bodies all walking slowly towards them. Her heart refused to stop pounding as Harry pulled her backwards past the lumbering dead and into a corner.
`What are we going to do?' Hermione asked quickly as Harry stepped in front of her, holding her hand to let her know he was watching out for her but with his eyes on the dead stalking towards her.
`I don't know' Harry said steely, the dead was getting so close that Hermione could see that their eyes were blank and staring of into the distance as their bodies shuffled towards them, barely metres away from
Hermione shuddered as images of what happened to Doctor Andrews flooded through her brain, the man replaced by either her or Harry in her minds eye. Harry pressed in closer to her, trying to gain an extra couple of inches away from them as he spoke softly to her.
`We're in a lot of trouble'
*
Hey, hope you enjoyed that chapter, seeing as hardly anyone reviewed last time I'm guessing the last one wasn't such a hit? I know not much happened but I needed things to be set up properly, especially as we're now ready for a fight for not only the duos life, but the life of every person on planet Earth! Hope you enjoyed that chapter, and like the way things are going.
Jms Granger.
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