“Rounds," Birdee whispered.
Tern glided into a shadow with Birdee. Gideon and Lena followed suit. Lucius was ahead of them, but she saw him duck into a recess in the wall. A soldier came into view. He looked to where Birdee should have been cuffed to the wall and froze. His hand reached for his insignia. Gideon slipped out of the shadow and hit the soldier on the side of the head, knocking him unconscious.
“Come on, let’s get ya outta here,” Tern said.
They all started running. Lucius led them with confidence. He held up his hand and motioned to a side tunnel. This side tunnel also had cells in the walls above them, irregularly spaced on the rock walls. They stepped further into the cave as a group of three soldiers passed through the main hallway.
“Lena?” A voice echoed from a recessed cell. “Lena, is that you?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Lena felt her heart skip a beat. She knew that voice. She turned her head upward towards the sound of the call. A dirty faced Corgy looked through the bars of his cell. He had been assigned as her tutor at the Defense Training Facility. He had helped her with her assignment researching the children of former resistance leaders. When she looked at him, his smile widened.
“Corgy?” Lena said, looking up. She reached for the bottom of his cell where he knelt down. Her hands could barely touch his cell floor. As soon as she answered, faces filled all the cells that scattered the cave. Lena’s stomach dropped. She recognized those faces from the Defense Training Facility. She turned slowly, her eyes landing on each of the prisoners.
“How many of you are there?” Lena whispered.
“In this part, only about twenty,” Corgy answered. “I figured out that most of us here had parents in the resistance. The Priestess must have thought we were a threat to put us so far down here.”
Lena studied all the faces. Corgy was right. Out of the all children she had researched, a handful of them had joined the Priestess’ Defenses. Corgy was one of them. The Priestess must have linked them with their parents and now they were locked away.
“Hand me the glider, Tern.” Lena said, as she looked for a control panel to open their cells.
Lucius stepped in front of Tern and crossed his arms. “You’re not risking my life for them,” he sneered. “Are you stupid, servant? We’re not prepared for this. There are too many of them. We’ll be butchered and thrown into the river before we even see daylight.”
Another person stepped to the bars. Jenna. She’d been friends with Lucius at the Facility—if you could call anyone who hung around Lucius his friend. Her already skinny frame was sharpened by the lack of food. She had sores on her elbows and wrists.
“Snake,” she hissed, seeing Lucius.
Lucius looked up and raised his eyebrows. “And yet, look who’s in a cage.”
“Get us out of here,” Jenna demanded banging on the bars.
Lena looked to Corgy, then shined her light on the other dirty faces behind the bars. Their cheeks looked hollow and darkness tinted the skin below their eyes.
Gideon put a hand on her back. “We can’t save them right now, Eves. Lucius is right. If we try it without a better plan, we’ll all be butchered.”
Corgy’s face fell, the disappointment etching in every inch of his body. Several of the recruits started to cry as they realized Lena wasn’t there to help them.
Lucius was right. She wasn’t prepared to rescue them. If she tried, they’d surely be caught.
Corgy reached for Lena’s hand. “It’s okay, Lena,” Corgy said. “You know where we are now.” He squeezed it firmly to show her that he would be fine.
It only made the tears run faster down her cheeks. Wiping the wetness away, she turned to Lucius. “Get them a com device,” Lena demanded. “The soldier you knocked out—he must have one. Get it for them.” When neither Lucius nor Gideon moved, Lena took a step towards the main hall. Tern glided in front of her.
“Stay with Birdee, I’ll go get them a device,” he started to hand Birdee to Lena when Gideon came forward.
“I’ll get the device,” he said, running into the main cave.
Lena turned back to Corgy. “I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry.” Tears ran freely down Lena’s cheeks. She didn’t wipe them this time or try to hide the sorrow she felt.
Gideon came back with a com device and handed it to Corgy.
“Do you know how it works?” Lena asked, sniffing.
“I’ll be able to figure it out,” Corgy responded. “Remember, I tutored you,” he said with a sad smirk.
Lena only felt sadness but smiled back at him with as much reassurance as she could muster. “I’ll be in touch, I promise,” Lena said. “I’ll figure out a way to free you.”
Corgy nodded and grasped Lena’s hand once more. “I know you will.”
Lucius looked out into the main tunnel. “Let’s go.”
“If you can, you should deactivate the alarms,” Corgy said, pointing to a control box at the end of the cave.
Gideon examined the box and called Lena over to him. The box opened when she scanned her insignia and a holographic screen appeared. Gideon moved through each screen until he found the alarm and surveillance. He disabled both.
Gideon moved towards the exit, but Lena kept looking through the control screens until she came to the one that supplied the prisoners with food. She reprogrammed it to make sure service bots brought them three meals a day and more blankets. She knew it was less than they deserved. They needed to be rescued. But she hoped it would help until she could come back for them. She closed the screen and shut the control box then turned to leave.
“No,” Jenna screeched, “You can’t leave us here.”
“We’ll come back, Jenna,” Lena said.
“No,” Jenna yelled. “If I’m not getting out, you’re not getting out, either.”
“Shut up,” Lucius demanded, looking at Jenna.
“Guards,” Jenna shrieked.
At her cry, the tunnel was hit with mass hysteria. Some recruits cried out to Lena not to leave them. Their voices sounding full of desperation and panic. Lena heard Corgy shushing the crowd, telling them that it would be better to wait.
Jenna shrieked again. “Guards!” Her high pitched voice ringing over the crowd’s cries.
Lucius cursed. “Let’s go,” he yelled. Lucius didn’t look to see if the others were following as he took off running.
Gideon grabbed Lena’s hand and started pulling her away from the cells. She struggled to get her feet moving. All she could focus on were the people she was leaving behind. Gideon yanked on her arm. It took everything she had to pull away from the prisoners and follow after Lucius.
They raced for the narrow footpath that ran along the underground river. Lena heard the rushing of the waters. As they turned the corner onto the narrow ledge, she bumped into Lucius which caused her to stop.
“Go back,” he cried.
Lena looked past him and saw that the ledge was already filled with soldiers racing towards them. Lena turned around as Lucius reached around her and grabbed Tern by the back of his shirt collar. “Fly above the river, it’ll lead you out,” he instructed.
Tern nodded. He wrapped Birdee even tighter in his arms and flew off the edge of the path and over the river, disappearing into the darkness.
Lucius pushed Lena back the way they had come. Once they were off the ledge and back in the tunnel, they started running at full speed. The width and height of the tunnels fluctuated. Sometimes it was yards wide and sometimes it was only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. Lena looked over her shoulder. Defense soldiers were running after them, commanding them to stop. Lucius pointed at a crevice in the side of the wall.
“Through there,” he yelled, running in front of them. Lucius turned sideways and pushed himself through the opening. Lena fit through without a problem. Gideon’s broad shoulders and chest jammed in the hole. Sucking in his breath, he reached for Lena on the other side. She yanked on his arm, pul
ling him through the small opening and into the circular chamber. The room was small, barely big enough for the three of them.
Lucius maneuvered himself to the opening and pulled something from his pocket. It was a small circular object with a bright blue button on top. He placed it in the opening. “Get back,” he warned. Pushing the button, he squeezed behind Gideon who had pushed Lena against a wall. Lena heard a small pop and the opening was blocked by some kind of hardened substance. Lucius straightened up and pushed Gideon away from him.
“What was that?” Lena asked
“Our back-up plan,” Lucius said.
Lena heard soldiers firing against the other side of it. She looked at Lucius then at Gideon. Gideon didn’t acknowledge Lucius’ save at all.
“Where to now?” Gideon asked.
Lucius pointed up and Lena looked to see what he pointed at. It was dark but she could make out a hole in the cave ceiling.
“Get me up there,” Lucius ordered. Gideon turned to Lena and they put their hands together to lift Lucius into the hole above them. He grabbed onto something and pulled himself up. They heard him climbing.
“There’s a ladder inside,” Lena said, still looking up at Lucius. “I’ll boost you, then you can lift me up,” she said.
Gideon grabbed onto Lena’s shoulders and placed his foot in her hands. Her body swayed under his weight as he grabbed onto the bottom rung and pulled himself up. He secured his legs on the ladder and swung upside down. Grabbing her arms, he pulled her into the tunnel. She reached over him and grabbed onto the bars. Lena started climbing behind Lucius who was now far ahead of them. She heard Gideon grunt as he swung upwards and grabbed the ladder.
After only a few minutes, her arms and legs burned as she scaled the ladder. Her hands cramped. Releasing one rung, Lena shook out her cramping hand. Her foot slipped. Gideon’s arm pressed against her back, steadying her. Lena turned her head, he was barely below her, his arms placed on each side of the ladder.
“Get up here,” Lucius snarled. Lena snapped her head up. Lucius was holding open some type of door. She refocused on Gideon for only a moment before continuing up the ladder. Coming through the door Lucius held, she studied her surroundings. They were in the city square. Right in the open where the crowds had stopped walking and were staring at the three of them coming out of the ground.
The troops who were already in the square started shouting and running towards the three fugitives.
“Run,” Gideon ordered.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Gideon gripped her hand in his and they took off running. The stones under them were cobbled and uneven causing Lena’s ankles to twist at odd angels as they ran.
Gideon pulled Lena around a corner and stopped with a sudden skid of his feet. Lucius ran into them. A gate blocked their path. Lena ran forward and threw herself against it. Gideon joined her. It wouldn’t budge. Gideon interlocked his fingers and positioned them for Lena. She stepped onto his hands and Gideon boosted her over the gate. He and Lucius scaled behind her moments later.
Lucius ran ahead of them. Lena grabbed Gideon’s outstretched hand as they ran after Lucius. It was night. The streets were lit on the corners causing their shadows to dance across the stone buildings. Lucius stopped and pressed himself into an indenture in the building. The lights no longer cast his shadow on the wall.
Gideon and Lena followed suit, finding an alcove just down from where Lucius hid. Gideon’s body shielded her from the ally. A group of soldiers ran past them. Gideon pressed further into her as the soldiers shuffled past their hiding place. Lena let out her breath a little too loudly. Gideon put his hand over her mouth. He leaned forward.
“There’ll be more coming,” he whispered in her ear.
Lena nodded, her cheek brushing against Gideon’s. She bit her lip, trying to keep her ragged breaths from making any noise.
The sound of soldiers’ footsteps began to fade. Gideon peered down the corridor. Placing her hand on his back, she strained to see over his shoulder. The shadowy outline of soldiers disappeared as they turned down a side street. Gideon moved into the alleyway, and Lucius stepped from his hiding place.
A shadow covered them as a soldier stepped around the corner of the ally. He pointed his gun and fired. Lucius cowered, putting his arms over his head. Lena pushed herself against the stone of their hiding place.
It was Gideon who acted first. As soon as the soldier stopped firing, Gideon pulled a stone loose from the ground and threw it at the soldier. It spun in a circle landing in the center of the soldier’s forehead. The unnamed soldier fell unconscious to the ground.
Gideon scowled. He walked over to Lucius and yanked him from his cowering spot on the ground. “Let’s get out of here. Someone will have heard that.”
Gideon started running with Lena at his side. Lucius staggered behind them. They moved so fast the walls looked like a blur to her vision. Gideon pulled her to a stop once more.
A group of soldiers blocked the road in front of them. Lena counted three, until she heard the footfalls behind her. She turned and counted three more. They moved in until they were only a few steps away from Gideon and Lena. Lucius held up his hands in defeat and backed into the stone wall.
Gideon’s strong hand squeezed hers. She turned so her back pressed against Gideon’s back. The soldiers rushed at them. She felt Gideon move first. Lena spun and kicked at the soldier in front of her. Grabbing his arm, she threw him into the wall with such force that he fell to the ground unmoving. She grabbed another soldier and buried her elbow into his temple. Lena heard Gideon groan behind her. She turned to him, but before she could focus on what was happening, a punch caused her to fall back against the wall.
Her head hit the stone with a loud crack. Her eyes went black and she stumbled on her feet. She heard Gideon in front of her. She blinked her eyes until she could see clearly again.
Gideon had grabbed the soldier’s gun. He rammed the butt of it into the soldier’s stomach, then face. Lena readied herself for another attack, but it was not necessary. Six soldiers lay unmoving on the ground. Lucius lowered his hands and stepped away from the wall.
They moved with catlike movements to the safe house. The back of her head throbbed. Gideon was certain they were no longer being followed, but still moved with caution. Lena jumped at every shadow. Only Gideon’s steady hand kept her calm. Before they could knock on the Zoons’ door, it opened and a pair of arms wrapped around her in a captive embrace.
“You made it,” Suki said. “Tern just got here. When you weren’t with him, I thought for sure you’d been captured.”
“If you don’t move and let us inside, we will be captured,” Lucius snarled.
Spinning towards Lucius, Suki pointed her gun at his face.
“You!” Suki sneered, recognizing Lucius from the Genosee Consulate.
“He’s with us,” Lena said as she walked into the safe house and collapsed into a chair.
***
Lena woke to the sound of a cry. Her eyes flew open to see Birdee sitting on the edge of the bed. Darkness gathered around them. Gideon had insisted that Birdee rest before continuing on to Druinn and Myri. Lena had volunteered to sit with her as she slept. Lena remembered closing her eyes and leaning her head against the headrest of the chair. She must have fallen asleep. Peeling the tangled blankets from her legs, she turned on the soft light. Birdee was gasping for air as she tore at the blankets around her.
“Birdee,” Lena said. She tried to make her voice as calm as she could. Birdee scooted to the back of her bed. The fear in her face was obvious as she cringed away from the shadows dancing across the walls. Her terror turned into deep coughs. Her lungs rattled with each breath. She hunched over and clutched her sides. Suki came to the doorway.
“Go get Tern,” Lena instructed, not daring to move.
Suki nodded and took off running. Lena held her hand out to Birdee trying to calm her. Birdee cringed away from the movement. Lena stopped. She didn’t know
what to do.
Tern ran into the room and skidded to a halt. Studying Birdee, he slowly moved forward and sat next to her on the bed. He signaled to Lena to turn the lights brighter. Gently he lifted Birdee into a sitting position and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her.
“Shhhh,” he whispered.
A sob rose up in Birdee’s throat.
“Shhhh. Yer okay.”
Her eyes seemed to clear as she listened to him speak. “Tern?” she said.
“Yeah, it’s me Birdee. Yer safe now. I’m here.”
Birdee moved slowly, her eyes focusing on Suki, and then Lena. “It wasn’t a dream?” Birdee asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” Tern said. “Yer here, yer safe.”
“I though’ it was a dream,” Birdee cried.
Tern whispered in Birdee’s ear. The more he spoke, the more she leaned into him. Her tears wet his shoulder.
“Ya came fer me. Ya saved me.” Birdee let out a sob so deep and full of relief that Lena started crying at the sound. Then Birdee turned to Lena and back to Tern again. “How’d ya find each other?”
Before they could answer, Tarek knocked at the door and stepped through. “They’re checking every house,” he said. He held a cup of steaming liquid cradled in both hands. He handed it to Birdee. “This should help the pain for now,” he said.
Tern put his hands around Birdee’s, and helped her lift the cup to her lips.
Suki walked to the window. Sweeping the curtains to the side a crack, she peaked outside. “I can see them coming down the street,” she said. “We need to leave, now.”
Tarek nodded in agreement. “Druinn and Myri are waiting for us. Tern, can you carry Birdee on the glider?” Tarek asked.
“Yeah,” he said. He whispered something into Birdee’s ear. She grabbed his hand, pulling him closer as if she was afraid to lose him. Standing, he gently pulled his hand away. “I’ll be right back. I promise,” Tern said.
Birdee nodded, but looked scared as she watched him leave.
The Mir Chronicles- The Complete Series Page 40