The Children of The Resistance (The Mir Chronicles Book 2)

by Leisa Wallace

  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, pulling 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 wi
ll 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.

  “Lena, I think it’s time we get out of this city,” Suki said.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Lena replied.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  They slipped into the streets. Suki leading the way. Tern used the glider to carry Birdee. They heard soldiers beating down the doors of homes the next street over. Patrols and roadblocks covered the streets. Police air-bikes filled the sky, their searchlights scanning the roads. Lena looked back to the safe house where they had left Ollie and Bates. Her shoulders dropped as guilt consumed her. She wanted to go back and get them.

  “They’ll be okay,” Suki assured, reading her thoughts. “They’re sneaky and they’ve been avoiding patrols since they became orphans.”

  Still, as Lena walked forward again, she couldn’t help but feel she was leaving them to die.

  They stopped under an archway covering the road. Lena pushed her back along the stone wall. Gideon next to her. Groups of soldiers were crossing the road in front of them.

  “We need a better cover,” Gideon said, watching the soldiers pass.

  Lena studied the soldiers’ backs. “Well Captain,” she said with half a smile. “The solution is right in front of us.”

  Gideon’s confusion turned into a smile. He raised his eyes at Lena. “Tern, can you get Birdee to the ship unseen?” he asked.

  Tern nodded. “Just Birdee is a much easier task than all of ya,” he answered.

  Gideon nodded. “Go,” he said. Tern didn’t question him as he jumped on the glider with Birdee and rose above them. Lena watched as they disappeared into the sky.

  Lucius had made no noise since following them into the darkened streets. Now he sneered at the group. “You’re going to get us captured,” Lucius snarled.

  “Not if we’re the ones doing the capturing,” Lena answered.

  Suki now grinned. “I like your thinking,” she said. “There’s a group of soldiers coming now.”

  “Everyone disarm someone,” Tarek said, stepping to the side with a formal air. Suki’s grin widened and her eyebrows raised as she looked at him.

  Gideon instructed the group into a formation. Lena and Gideon were sent to one side of the road; Lucius, Suki, and Tarek were sent to the other. As the small band of soldiers passed, Gideon and the others stepped from the shadow. The soldiers had no time to react as the group surrounded and disarmed them.

  “Give us your clothes,” Gideon instructed.

  The soldiers held their hands above their heads. None of them moved.

  “Give them to us conscious, or unconscious. Either way, we’re taking your uniforms.”

  The soldiers looked alarmed but quickly started taking off their clothes. Lena grabbed a shirt from one of the soldiers’ hands and stripped it into rags to gag the soldiers. They used the soldiers’ own cuffs to bind them together, then dressed in the soldiers’ clothes.

  The uniforms didn’t fit exactly as they should. Lena’s was a little too loose on the shoulders, Gideon’s a little too tight around his chest. Still, they looked like they belonged to the Priestess’ Defenses.

  Gideon turned to the Defense soldiers tied together on the ground. “The Priestess doesn’t forgive those who disappoint her. And you have just crossed that line. I suggest you figure out a way to get out of your binds, find new uniforms, and pretend as if nothing happened.”

  The soldiers gave Gideon a hasty nod of agreement.

  Lena, Suki, Tarek and Lucius all fell in line behind Gideon. Grasping guns to their chest as they walked to the edge of the city. They passed several groups of soldiers, but the only reaction they got was the nod of heads.

  As they neared the gates, the guard stepped in front of the gate. Gideon stepped forward to speak. “We’ve been assigned to patrol the lands between here and the forest,” Gideon explained.

  “I was told no one was to pass the gates,” the guard answered.

  Gideon nodded. “I understand. I’ll have General Merak contact you.” He reached for his com device.

  “General Merak gave you this order?” the soldier asked.

  Gideon nodded again.

  “I had heard the General was no longer in command,” the gate guard said.

  Lena’s heart skipped a beat. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to control her anxiety. They were going to get caught. Gideon didn’t falter, he lifted his com towards his mouth.

  The guard stepped to the side. “I must have heard wrong. There is no need to contact him at this busy time. You may pass,” he said, opening the gate. “I’ll relay your orders to the air patrols.” the guard added.

  Gideon ordered the
group through the gates and into formation. Tarek, Lena, and Lucius obeyed with the precision of a soldier. Suki followed their movements with ease. As the gates closed behind them, Gideon ordered them forward, searching the lands as they went.

  Overhead lights shone on them periodically, but all search patrols would have seen was a group of soldiers searching the barren land surrounding the city. Once they reached the trees, they ran to where Druinn and Myri had hidden the ship.

  Gideon opened his arm, beckoning everyone inside before him. Gideon silhouetted the doorway as he scanned the darkened night for soldiers following. When he was satisfied that they were alone, he closed the door and called for Druinn to start the ship.

  “I don’t need to tell you to stay out of sight,” Gideon said.

  “No sir,” Druinn replied. “But if it makes you feel better to say, I don’t mind hearing it.”

  Gideon slapped him on the shoulder as Druinn and Myri climbed into the cockpit .

  Lena surveyed the room. Tern was already there, with Birdee. She lay on a bunk, built in the ships walls.

  “Took ya long enough,” Birdee said, smiling and winking.

  Well, Lena thought she was winking, but her eye was so bruised and swollen it was hard to tell for sure.

  Lucius snorted at the comment as he threw himself on a bunk opposite of Birdee.

  Druinns voice sounded over the speakers. “Buckle up, you never know when you’ll be chased by a group of greedy soldiers controlled by a narcissistic Priestess.” He paused, and Lena heard Myri’s indecipherable whispers over the intercom. Druinn cleared his throat. “Ahhh, sorry Gideon. I didn’t mean to say that about your mother.”

  The room went deathly silent. Everyone looked at Gideon who stood silently in the center of the ship. Lena felt her heart beat once. Then, Gideon started chuckling. His shoulders bouncing up and down before he broke out in laughter. Tarek joined him. Soon the whole group laughed at the irony of the situation. It felt good to laugh. To relieve all the pressure and anxiety that had built up inside of her. Lena looked at the group around them. They had made it. They had rescued Birdee.