Escape Route

Chapter 6

Escape Route

I got to my feet. Dusted myself off. Turned.

Looked at the blocked tunnel. Leading back into the Citadel. Or not leading back into it. Not now.

The tunnel was full. Piled stone. Dirt. Tons upon tons of rubble.

No one was moving this pile of earth. Not any time soon. Certainly not before we could get out of here. 

I nodded. Satisfied. Turned around.

Looked down. A few feet in front of me. Larry lay on the rough floor. Unconscious.

His black uniform was all dirty. Dirt smudged. Blood spattered. 

I considered leaving him here. But that option wouldn’t work. Not for me.

It was a secret Elfain tunnel. Leading out of an Elfain stronghold. I had to assume it led to some kind of Elfain-controlled end point.

I had no idea where this tunnel came out. An encampment. A safehouse. Definitely Elfain controlled. I’d need Larry to get through it.

Then there was the matter of the other members of Larry’s squad. Up ahead. Waiting for us.

They’d more than likely attack me. If I showed up without the Clueless Commander. Ok, not “likely.” Certainly. They’d certainly attack me.

I didn’t like my odds. Not in my current condition. Had to be honest. About survival.  

And the asshat did just risk his life. And the lives of his entire squad. To get me out of there.

The least I could do was carry his sorry carcass down this tunnel. To his men. The very least. I could do the least.

I let out a long-suffering sigh. Squatted down. Gathered him into my arms.

Such a gentle phrase. Gathered him into my arms. But I wasn’t the least bit gentle.

In fact, I’m pretty sure his head hit the rocky floor. More than once. As I jostled him into place. Oh well.

I stood. Hefted him. Strode down the tunnel.

I had to hand it to the Elfain. They were tough creatures. I’d only taken around a dozen steps when Larry began to stir. 

His head began to move with purpose. As if Larry was trying to fight his way back to the land of the conscious. Instead of his head simply lolling. Idiotically.

His eyes fluttered. Until they opened. Slowly. 

“Good morning, bright eyes,” I said. “The world welcomes you back.”

“Spencer? What the hell?”

He must’ve taken quite the hit. To the head. Larry was very careful with his words. Avoiding even the blandest cursing. Most of the time. 

“Bane got to us just before we closed the tunnel,” I answered. “You somehow survived. But not before he conked you out.”

“Shane? Did he make it?”

“If you mean your guy who was with us at the tunnel entrance, then, no. Bane killed him.”

Larry squirmed. Then spasmed. 

“Okay, stop,” he commanded.

I usually chafe at his bossy tone. It’s just so self-righteous. This time I complied. Without my normal reticence.

“Put me down.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. 

“Yes. I’m not going to be carried like an infant. Especially not by you.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed.

I dropped my arms. Let go of Larry. Completely.

His arms weren’t around my neck. For extra support. The dude had been completely out. It wouldn’t have done any good. When I first picked him up.

He should’ve dumped onto the floor. Would serve him right. The self-satisfied prig.

He must’ve improved quite a bit. Larry kicked out his legs. Pulled his torso up. Forward.

Rotated his body. Enough. He landed on his feet.

He staggered. Only a bit. Regained his balance.

He shot me a look. Half disgust. Half triumphant.

“You couldn’t resist, could you?

I shrugged.

“You demanded I put you down. Looks like you’re just fine.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Larry countered. “But I’ll manage. Let’s meet up with the rest of what remains of my men.”

I motioned. For him to lead the way. Realized there was a good chance he couldn’t see me. We were in a dark tunnel. After all.

I could see just fine. Better than most of those I came across. Human. Vampire. Or Elfain. Probably better.

But Larry didn’t have his Owl Eyes. So maybe he couldn’t see too well. In the darkness.

“You okay stumbling around in this dark tunnel?” I asked.

He scoffed. A weird little noise. In his throat.

“Spencer, you lectured Rebecca on how arrogant we Elfain are. But you take your own night vision for granted. Look at the ceiling of the tunnel, where the walls meet it.”

I did as told. There was a continuous line of light. Along the top of each wall. These lines stretched all the way down the tunnel.

I tilted my head. To one side. Scrunched my mouth. In impressed observance.

“It’s not the best lighting,” Larry offered. “But it’ll keep me from stumbling around helplessly.”

“Well, that’s a weight off my mind,” I said.

With the largest heaping of sarcasm I could muster.

Larry nodded. He expected nothing else. Honestly? His reaction was spot-on. After interacting with him over the past two years. I couldn’t see him doing anything else.

He turned. Began walking.

“Uh, Larry,” I said.

Mock-hesitance.

“What?” he responded.

Impatiently.

“That’s the wrong way. Unless you want to see the fallen-in part of the tunnel,” I explained.

“Oh.”

Larry turned around. Staggered past me. Muttered softly. As he walked by.

“I hate you.”

He knew I heard him. Vampire-enhanced hearing. I smiled.

“You say the sweetest things.”

He replied. A fully-felt snort.

We walked down the underground hallway. In silence. Larry had to stop.

Lean against the wall. The rock. Dirt. For support. Every so often.

He’d wave me off. Before I could even offer any help. I’m not sure I would have given any. Truthfully.

His breaks became less frequent. As we walked on. Amazing. These Elfain. Simply amazing.

The tunnel had a few curves. Probably another security measure. The Elfain wouldn’t want access to their Citadel to be too easy. Even within secret escape routes.

Or maybe this tunnel had to come out at a very specific location. So its trajectory had to be influenced. Whatever.

It took us longer than I figured it would. To traverse the tunnel’s length.

We finally came to the end of the tunnel. After several curves. And I don’t know how long plodding along. Larry slowly regained his strength. As we strode along.

Larry’s three remaining Sentinels sat. On crates. In full battle armor. Stupid Owl Eyes and all.

A few halogen lamps. On the floor. Lit the small area.

On the far end of the illuminated circle sat a huge steel wall. A door in the center of the wall. With a combination lock.

One of those mechanical push-button pads. Five numbers. God only knew how many possible combinations. 

“Commander Smithfield,” one of the Sentinels said.

All three stood up. Quickly. Eagerly.

Larry waved. A dismissing motion. They sat down. Slowly.

“Are you okay, sir?” 

“I will be, Gavin, I will be,” Larry answered.

He selected a crate. Sat down. Sighed. Relief.

“So, did you guys come in this way?” I asked. “Stash all this stuff, for a meeting place after the raid?”

I got hard looks. For answer. From all four Elfain. Obvious. Even with the Owl Eyes on three faces.

What should’ve been an uncomfortable pause followed. It wasn’t. Uncomfortable, that is. Not really. I don’t have the capacity to get embarrassed. Not anymore.

Larry sighed.

“All escape routes have emergency provisions at their exit points,” he explained. “These crates have preserved food in them. The barrels in the corner have water. As you can see, there’s lights. And there is an emergency transponder here, somewhere. If the Elfain here, at this door, don’t know the combination and thus cannot get out, they trigger it. A rescue party will be dispatched.”

“Very thorough,” I remarked.

“Yes, we take care of our own,” Larry said.

Throats were cleared. In response to this statement. Pointed clearing of throats.

Larry snapped his head. To his subordinates. A sharp look on his face.

“Is there something you wanted to say?”