by Tate, Pearl
They ignore my sniffles as we move out of the bedroom and into a hall. There are many doors closed on either side, but we pass all of them and walk into what looks like a gigantic living area. The showpiece at the end of the room is a large bird cage. They head right for it.
Mahku uses a key to open it. Shoving me in, I notice it’s about six feet around with a circular stool in the middle about two feet across. Mahku waves at me to sit just as the door clangs shut and the entire contraption raises up like an elevator. I stumble over to it and collapse.
This is good and bad. I see them splitting up in the living area I’m leaving. They are talking about taking their positions.
Mahku continues to watch me as he speaks into his communicator. I can’t catch much of it over the sound of the contraption. The ceilings are high. As I pass through the floor and into the room above, I see I’m entering what looks like a large church.
It has really high ceilings! The full-height, stained glass windows are beautiful. The ornate frescos on the ceiling remind me so much of a catholic church—or Las Vegas. A good fifty feet away, beyond the rows and rows of pews, are what appears to be four sets of double doors.
My bird cage stops with a jerk. Standing, I move to the bars. They’re almost wide enough that I can fit out. Almost. But definitely not with this crazy bomb strapped to me.
The bars are made of something really weird. I couldn’t say if it’s metal or stone, but the domed ceiling is solid so unless I can squeeze out…
Doors crash open and Jenny comes running into the room! “Rachel!”
“Jenny? Is it really you?” My voice catches as I tear up and emotions get the best of me. It feels like forever since I’ve seen my friend and she’s running towards me full speed. The full gravity of the situation crashes down on me. “No! Go back. It isn’t safe!”
But she’s already reached me. I watch feeling sick as she climbs the stairs to the platform this crazy contraption is sitting on. She flings herself at me and we hug through the bars. “What are you doing here! You shouldn’t have come,” I whisper into her hair that is now covering my face.
“Just wait… it gets better.” De-tangling herself from me, I keep a tight hand on her, desperate for the connection. She turns sideways and slides into the cage with me.
“What are you doing?” I try to push her out of the cage. “I’ve got a bomb on me!”
The cage hums to life around us and there’s a slight jerk as it lowers into the floor. Jenny’s face is calm as I pull back in horror. Now we are both going down and right into their clutches!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
- Amari
It’s painful to stand here and observe Rachel confined to the cage without doing anything. As Jenny runs up the aisle lane in the Order's Sanctuary, Devlin and I stand waiting just outside the doors. My racing heart squeezes as I watch.
It’s a tight game we are playing. Half a dozen other males are searching the building for the crew that took Rachel. We know they might detonate the bomb early if we go in too soon to get them. I'm resigned to the fact that I can’t take that chance. I won't go in until I absolutely must without word, they have Mahku in custody.
The other bombs have been deactivated. We can simply hope that those two were the only ones planted under the prison dome. From the teams that shut the bombs off, we learned they have short range triggers. They can activate them before the timer reaches zero. But the person would have to be within a certain range of the explosive device. If they are here, we have to find them. But if we wait too long…
As soon as Jenny slips through the bars, the cage starts to lower and Devlin growls. I endure the same helpless rage. But someone is watching them if they knew to start the descent. We have to give Selas and his team a little more time.
When we hear nothing, and the top drops out of site, we move. Sprinting down towards the presentation display, we stay low to the ground. We can only hope they are keeping eyes on them and don’t see us moving in for a rescue.
When we land on top of the presentation display, the material flexes. We slide off into the personal presentation room. There’s no one else here! The presentation display continues to drop. I realize they plan to take them both to the Order’s evacuation tunnels. We both grab the bars, holding it to the floor we are on now.
Our strength during our rage is too much. It crumbles and stretches under my hands. The gears that move it between floors makes a loud grinding noise as it stutters to a halt.
Rachel is in my arms instantly. I wish I could enjoy the sense of relief at having her here with me, but Devlin and I recognize the danger. He’s holding Jenny, and he looks at Rachel’s back before his eyes flicker to mine.
There’s no time. Thankfully, she’s small. Jenny pulls from Devlin and sprays Rachel down while telling her to hold her arms out. The slippery spray works just as Selas predicted.
Devlin and I start lifting the wires up her body, pulling them away from her and working them up a little at a time. It’s tricky. When we reach her shoulders, Rachel works with us and unwinds it around her neck to lift over her head. After a few twists and turns, we have her body out.
Devlin grabs the females and jumps up to the higher floor, running out with them immediately. I’m relieved they are gone. Now it’s up to me.
I’m flying on autopilot in the other direction. Yanking the cage from where it sank into the floor, I haul it into the personal presentation area. It covers half the floor, but I’ve exposed the shaft it sat in and can see the floor below. I put the wires around my own body and drop down into the hole.
I have to get far enough away it doesn’t hurt the females. Selas calculated that the bomb range would take three to five minutes if you were running. We don’t have that, otherwise it may have been an option to deactivate it. My only hope is to take it in the opposite direction, sparing as many lives as possible from the explosion.
When we found out where they wanted Jenny to go, Selas knew right away what they planned. They were using one of the many hidden entrances through the Santuary of the Order Temple to get in and out. I’m now taking the most direct route out of the dome underground. It’s the most fortified underground tunnel in the prison.
The Sanctuary of the Order is our oldest and only religion and record keeper. They represent the past, present and future of our race. A select line of our society is bred for the positions in the Order. They hold the highest, most revered positions. Other lines can enter the order if they feel the calling, but it is less common.
This is the only Sanctuary of the Order under the dome. All their representatives were briefed by Selas to be on standby. It was on the top of his list as the most likely place Mahku and his team would make their play for Jenny. Selas’s tactical planning has payed off for us all. I’m relieved he’s been correct because this means what we have planned next should work too.
I reach the end of the corridor still under the dome, running full speed. This door will take me out into the tunnels under the dome and into the wilds. The entrance is wide and locked by two different sensors. Nothing can stop me though when I hit it.
The latch pops easily and I take a moment to shut them as Selas instructed me. It’s not much, but this was built for the Sanctuary representatives as a safe house exit and it’s quite fortified. Any little fire break is better than none.
I take off at high speed with my focus on Rachel. Saving Rachel. Getting as far from Rachel as possible. She’s my everything. Her life now depends on me.
It isn’t a sound that informs me the bomb exploded, it’s the bright flash of light before everything goes dark.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
- Rachel
He tucks me under his arm like a football! He needs to put me down or I’ll throw up again!
Jenny and I are outside almost instantly. Everything is happening so fast. We’re thrown into a shuttle and it takes off before the door is even closed all the way.
“Wait! Where’s Amari?
” Shifting and twisting, I look out all the windows for him. Everyone’s running, hopping into their own shuttles. General bedlam and chaos surround us as we speed away.
Jenny puts a hand on my thigh to get my attention. “He’s getting rid of the bomb.”
“What? Why him?” I vaguely recognize the guy driving the shuttle as the man that talked to Mahku on the video call a day ago. “Is someone disarming it?”
“There wasn’t time.” The passenger speaks up, turning to face us. His frame looks huge in the seat in front. His hair brushes the ceiling and is far from calm. He still sounds pretty worked up.
“Rachel, meet Devlin, my… boyfriend.” He snorts and looks aggravated. “And Selas.” She points at the driver in presence of her.
“Stop! Stop!” Leaning forward, I pound on the back of Selas’s seat with my fists.
The loud bang behind us drowns out my cries as we are shifted and thrown forward from the percussion. Selas slams on the breaks and we slide to a halt, skidding to the side so we’ve half facing the way we came.
I still don’t know how to open these fucking doors. I’m pounding and crying as Devlin opens it for me. Dropping onto my knees, the gravel cuts into my hands and knees before Selas hauls me to my feet. We didn’t get far, maybe a block. The exterior of the building, or what’s left, is still clearly in our line of vision.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Selas is still holding my elbow and I yank it from him with disgust. The entire fucking building has caved in on itself.
“It’s because he went down into the tunnels. It definitely helped contain it.” Devlin’s observation has Jenny shushing him, but I ignore them all.
My legs shake, and I still feel like I’m drugged. Maybe it's all a bad dream and I’m still unconscious? Walking at first but picking up speed, I jog towards the building. We have to get him out.
Maybe he took it down and was on his way back out? The building is long and curves around the dome it sits against like The Great Wall of China. It’s easy to see the back side has collapsed more and the front facade is leaning towards us.
The dust and debris in the air looks odd as it floats up and curves in, separate from the air on the exterior of the dome. It seems to be pulled up, traveling back towards us and over our heads. I’m not the only one running towards the building. I’m stunned at the extent of the damage.
Before I can get too close, strong arms pick me up, turning me away from the building and towards Jenny. Pulling me in she wraps her arms around me. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
I cling to her, my mind muddled. “But it’s not okay!” My wail has her pulling back to examine me. “Amari is in there! Is he even alive?” The thought has me breaking down into fresh sobs as I sink to the ground.
The entire experience has me exhausted.
“He’s alive.” Selas’s confident statement behind me has me swinging towards him hopefully. Drying my tears, I wipe my face and sniff a few times, clearing my throat.
“Have you heard from him? Does he have some kind of communication device on him?”
“He does, but that isn’t why I know.” He leans down and gently pulls my arm around in front of me. “See these? He’s alive. And if he wasn’t blown up and killed from the explosion instantly, then he’s in there. Let’s give him a few minutes.”
I’ll give him all the minutes he needs. I need him. Alive.
I want to talk to him! Finally! Thank him. Kiss him…
He has to be alright. I understand so much more now and there’s no doubt in my mind we’re the perfect couple. Made for each other.
Tears stream down my face again. I can’t seem to help it. Jenny holds me and I’m thankful for her silent support. We stand quietly watching the building.
The occasional shift of stones in the unstable areas causes fresh debris to rain down. The dust puffs up as it settles. Selas walks away to talk to different groups of guys. He seems in charge of organizing the search and rescue of anyone else in the vicinity.
The longer we stand there, the more my heart sinks. Sure, the mating marks are still faint outlines on my arms, but these guys are not entirely sure. What if they fade over the next couple days, similar to the way they showed up?
What if he’s alive but trapped under the rubble? What if the building shuffles more and crushes him? What if they can’t find him in time and he dies from lack of water or oxygen or something?
Jenny and Devlin talk quietly next to me but I’m tuning them out. I’m reliving all the time Amari and I spent together. All the time he kept me safe over and over again. Just like now.
Why did he leave me to take off like that? Couldn’t some else have been there to handle that? A bomb expert or something? This place is just so fucked up!
Groups organize in front of us, cordoning off the area. Men in bright jumpers, complete with helmets and lights enter the building. They report back to Selas as they map out the damage. He paces back and forth, shouting instructions.
Jenny throws a blanket around my shoulders and I slump to the ground, determined to wait. If they won’t let me go in, I’ll stay right here. I’m having a hard time concentrating. Whether it’s shock or the after effect of the drugs they gave me earlier, I don’t know.
It’s hard to say how much time passes before someone comes running up with a toolbox. Sitting it down next to me, he begins talking to Devlin. When he opens it, he doesn’t have tools though. He waves a handheld device around Jenny and I realize he’s their version of a medic.
He pokes and prods Jenny next to me as I stare wordlessly at the chaos. I don’t even realize he’s moved onto me until he touches my face, pulling my chin up.
“Look right here for a minute.” My eyes flicker to the device he’s holding. It’s a bit bright since my sensitive eyes are recovering from crying.
“How do you feel?” His question makes me snort and I glance at at him for the first time. His earnest expression has me telling him the truth.
“Like shit.” I rub the blanket over my eyes, wiping up the latest round of tears. “They drugged me after they put that bomb on me and when I woke up, I was in their vehicle and threw up all over the floor. My stomach still hasn’t settled.”
He nods his head seriously. “We should really take you back, so you can get cleaned up. The product they used to get the bomb off is making you cold.”
He’s right. I realize I’m shivering under the blanket they have wrapped around me.
Jenny turns “Let’s go shower. Selas will keep us updated. We can’t do anything here.”
I burst into fresh sobbing. “I feel like I’m giving up on him,” I wail. I don’t want to give up. I want him to know I waited for him.
Maybe I’m just in denial. There isn’t any way he could have lived through that. Maybe a shower would be good, so I can cry and mourn him.
“He wouldn’t want you sitting here uncomfortable. You’ve been through an ordeal.” Selas cuts in quickly. “I promised him that no matter how this ends, I would take care of you.”
That sounds so final. Jenny is shaking her head no at him, so she realizes the way it sounds too. “I don’t like you both out here either. Devlin and Cordon, can you take the ladies back to your living spaces?” He looks back at the demolished building briefly before turning back to us. “Get cleaned up and have a bite to eat. This will take a while.”
No shit. This is a mess that will take weeks to clean up.
Struggling to my feet, Jenny helps me before Devlin steps in, pulling me to my feet. When I almost collapse, Cordon grabs my other arm before yelling at someone else to grab his stuff. It’s only a few feet to the vehicle and again, I’m strapped in and we take off.
The ride is silent, as we all recover, lost in our own thoughts. I can’t stop crying, imagining Amari trapped under rubble, slowly suffocating.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
- Amari
I never lose consciousness. As the bomb explodes, whatever it’s composed
of sparks and ignites. I feel squeezed. The pressure is immense as it ricochets off me and the percussion flashes out. I’m thrown into immediate darkness as the low lighting goes out.
The rumble continues on and on as the damage spreads out around me. Dust and debris rains down on me harder and heavier but I stumble and weave through it. All I can think of is Rachel with her soft skin and small body. I pray that I’ve made it far enough away.
I pick up speed again as I get further from where the explosion started. The bomb continues to compromise the stability of the wall and shoring around me. My eyes are finally adjusted to the lack of light, but the dust makes the visibility poor and my lungs burn. But I keep running, jumping, and scrambling over chunks of the tunnel that are slowly closing in on me.
Selas told me that there was a "good chance" I could withstand the explosion. That the mating rage would make my skin impenetrable, but I was skeptical. It didn’t matter though. I knew if the circumstances called for it, I would die for my mate.
She’s everything to me. My life and future. Until she came into my world, I didn’t realize how lonely I was. Now all I think about is getting back to her.
Body aching and lungs burning, I spot the first exit ladder. I’m running so fast and the dust is so bad, I almost miss it. Jumping up on it, I scale it and throw my shoulder into the hatch, springing it up into the air before me.
When I throw myself outside, I’m confused at first. The dim lighting puzzles me. Then I realize that the opening was hidden in an overhang of the cliff the Sanctuary of the Order backs onto. It’s partially built into the stone mountain here. Crawling further out, I can still feel the thunder of the bomb’s aftermath. My heart roars almost as loudly as I ponder how far Devlin would have had to run to clear the damage.
Did they get out in time? When I glance down at myself, I’m shocked to notice I’m covered in fine black char. I definitely look like I’ve been through an explosion. I can’t even see my skin, let alone the mating marks. The gray uniform Selas gave me to wear has been burned off my body along with my shoes.