Luke stopped again and tapped at a bare metal wall. Another manhole split open and she squeezed as though without any effort. On the other side, Luke saw that he was still bleeding heavily. “This is the most dangerous part of our journey.” He pointed.
“We have no choice,” Conway said, sprinting ahead, hoping to pass the squeezing wall before they touched. With ominous creaking, the wall pressed in closer and closer until he forced himself through it as if through thick mud, his movement slowing until he popped out the other side. He lost his breath as Conway collapsed on top of him.
They burst into a corridor and raced down it. They turned a corner and ran smack into a mixed troop of humans and robots. Luke crashed to his knees, sliding forward, his weapon blasting left and right and front. Conway too dealt death everywhere she pointed her weapon. With far more agility than Luke had suspected, Luke sailed through the air and landed among the enemies. He became the personification of lightning movement, here now, there now, high now, low now, the only thing marking his progress the collapse of a SEAC soldier or the disintegration of a robot. Sometimes he used their weapons against them, the next second, a SEAC personnel blasted the other because Luke was no longer where she was supposed to be. Four more seconds, Luke stood alone among the bodies and clutter, and then he thudded onto the floor.
He forced his eyes open as Conway picked their way to her. “Lift me,” he said.
Conway shook his head. “You’re not in good shape.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Maya said, rounding the corner. “You seem to have arrived before me. Conway, pull me up and get out of here. I got a fire to light.”
With the smell of charred flesh and burnt metal in his nose, Luke stood with Conway’s help. He swayed for a moment and then he got a hold of her. His shirt had glistening crimson patches on it, showing he was still bleeding but he had a single-minded obsession in his heart to get the passcodes to safety, for the children’s sake. He limped away as Maya went to the thick command module door.
Maya touched the thick doo. “Everything that controls this ship is behind this door. Give me your blaster,” she said, taking Luke’s blaster from him. “The rest of the journey is mine. When I start to attack, run for the loading bay. Hide somewhere until you see your ships come alive. That would be me. Then fly out with immediate effect. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Maya.” Conway saluted and stepped back.
Luke nodded. Maya turned away, the inexorable fire of the blaster cutting into the door, dripping molten metal on the floor. He nodded down the corridor. “Let’s go,” he said to Conaway. They began the long run back to the loading bay, Conway blasting anything that moved. Heavy footsteps came from behind. Luke glanced over his shoulder at the sight of a beast. Its face looked like Maya but was almost twice taller. “That’s Maya's son!"
"James?” Conway said as it went on hands and knees and loped after them.
"Run!"
TO BE CONTINUED!
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MARK OF THE EARTHWALKER: Evolution Protocol Page 12