by Nina Silver
The groaning sounds continued, and the water now reached my nose, I tried to swim and kicked my legs going up where there was still air. I took hasty breaths as the chaos continued around me. I couldn’t even see what was happening anymore. The liquid had reached the top of the vats and panicked I struggled to stay afloat. With a last breath, the green liquid covered my face completely - the tank now full.
I opened my eyes, through the blurry water seeing Jo floating in an eerily peaceful way. I felt myself dying for oxygen, my chest and lungs convulsing in protests until my mouth gaped open and the water rushed inside. It was oddly sweet tasting, and as my eyes started closing my mind went to Cove the picture of his wicked grin and his chiseled face - wish I had more time with him to tell him I'd fallen in love. The ground shook hard again, and light exploded all around the vat, and my mind went blank.
Twenty-Five
Cove
All around the buildings collapsed on themselves, as at least a dozen of Ourupta ran around shooting their lasers at us. I ducked behind another collapsing building, a beam of green laser barely missing my skull. Instead, with a metallic tang, it hit the building causing green sparks to shoot everywhere.
I took a deep breath, looking down at the gun in my hands. Who would have ever thought I’d be once more wearing army fatigues and shooting guns, at Ourupta nonetheless. Over the intercom embedded in my helmet, I heard the chattering from the other soldiers. Most of them talking about the base and how they couldn’t believe what was going on. I tuned them all out.
The ground all around us continued shaking, rocks falling from the cavernous ceiling, and screeches from the Ourupta echoing all around. A laser beam shot towards me right as the metal wall in front of me shrank even lower, and I rolled out of the way - it wouldn’t kill me if it didn't hit a vital organ, but it would hurt like a motherfucker. I jumped to my feet and ran as my mind frantically tried to piece together all the information I had. I looked around trying to orient myself - the cave exit was to my back so the building with the vats must be somewhere to my left. They must be there - that's where humans had been kept. I took a deep breath, the oxygen filling my lungs, and using muscles I hadn’t used in a long while made a foolhardy leap. Laser beams shot up after me, but I was too fast and too high to be caught in the crosshairs, my enhancements naturally taking over. I landed behind another folding building - this one was going very very slowly unlike the other fast ones. If I wasn’t mistaken this was the human building - thumps sounded behind me, and I turned in time to see a trio of Ourupta charging at me, I kicked one sending it sprawling dozens of feet behind, as the other two closed in on me. One took out a long slim line of smooth metal and screeched something at me - warning?
I yelled as I tackled it, aiming for its belly. Taking it by surprise, I landed on its chest squarely, my fists already pounding its ugly-ass mug. The other Ourupta screeched and made to jump on me as I saw Arlo and Haze attack it at the same time. Not worried I turned my attention back to the ugly fucker I was beating into a pulp - my anger pouring out vehemently. Thick black blood spilled out of its face, and strange choking mewls out of its mouth, yet still I continued the crunch under my fists satisfying me in a sick sort of way.
“I think you got it.” Haze shook me out of my stupor. I looked down at the lifeless form of the Ourupta, as black blood dripped all over my eyes. Ah, shit... I never lost my temper like this… I jumped up, wiping some of the blood off my face with my sleeve.
Arlo tipped his head in the building and noiselessly made to its entrance. We entered the building as the ceiling above us completely folded over the sides causing the once dark room to become illuminated from all the explosions and shots going on outside.
“Split up.” I ordered and just ran straight for the vats, my enhancements helping me quickly scan through the vats for either Jo or Iolee. Not that I knew they were in there - one could only hope. Row after row of vats and still no sign of the two women. My mind going to many several equally terrible options of what might have happened to them if they were not in the vats. I heard whistling somewhere to my right, and I made a beeline for it. Arlo or Haze must have found something. Pumping my legs faster within seconds I saw Arlo in front of two slumped Ourupta.
“They came that way.” He tipped his chin and ran with me blindly following him. We ran to the end of the rows, noticing the vats increasing in size as we went. We passed some that had groups of at least fifty people in them. The ground shook from another explosion, and I saw the bodies gently swaying in the green water the cables attached to them following like ominous tentacles. A ripple of disgust ran up my spine, as I continued running and scanning the vats as best I could.
“Oh…” Arlo exclaimed smoothly coming to a stop. My heart beat as I saw another enormous vat - with just two bodies floating inside it and no cables. Iolee and Jo. I took my helmet off and threw it to the ground. “Easy now…” Arlo commented as he approached the vat and carefully touched it.
“Out of the way.” I calmly stated aiming my gun.
“Don’t shoot - the liquid may be flammable,” Arlo warned smoothly and calmly, enraging me.
“I’m not leaving them in there!” I grunted my heart pumping out of my chest. Hopelessness and fear choking me.
“Fuck no!” I heard Haze’s voice readily approaching and turned just in time to see him leap on top of the vat. Taking his idea, I quickly followed landing next to him. The top of the vat was the smooth dark metal, and I started pounding on it just as Haze was. A few seconds later Arlo landed next to us and looked down at the top thoughtfully.
“You two are idiots - you know that won't help… Look for the release symbol - you know how much Ourupta like their tech.” Arlo walked to the end of the covering and with a grim smile leaned down and touched something. A hissing noise and then a circular opening appeared in the middle of the lid. Frantically I jumped in the water and grabbed Iolee pushing her out of the vat and then reached out for Jo.
The ground shook again, and the metallic walls of the building were now fully folded away leaving us exposed to the cave. I grabbed the floating Jo and pushed her outside, someone pulling her up as I grabbed the opening and hauled myself up feeling dizzy. God, let them be alright. I looked around for Iolee seeing her slumped in Arlo’s arms. My terrified expression must have given my thoughts away because he shook his head.
“She’s alive… Her heart beat is strong, but it seems as if she’s not breathing.”
“Same here.” Haze cradled Jo carefully.
I opened my mouth to say something, but right at that moment, the vats all around us elevated all together including the one we stood on.
“What the fuck?” Haze called out and with a nod jumped off the vat. I grabbed Iolee, Arlo relinquishing her to my care, and I followed Haze. I looked at her in my arms, her hair wet trailing down my arm, her skin paler than normal. What had they done to her? My gut churned, and my heart skipped beats. If she was dead...
Screeching sounded close by, and more shouting and explosions rocked the ground under our feet. I laid Iolee on the ground and leaned over her. I had so much knowledge on first aid care and survival, yet at the end, the only thing I could think of using was some basic and archaic CPR. I turned Iolee to her side and pounded her back hoping liquid would come out. I put my fingers in her mouth prying her jaw open and placing my lips over hers blowing in air in a forceful and desperate manner.
“Incoming.” Arlo stated quietly, and I looked up to see him aiming guns behind us. I returned to my task, trying to wake Iolee up, pounding her back and blowing in air. Shots fired, and without flinching, I continued my efforts.
“Come on Jo.” I heard Haze from somewhere to my left, as more explosions and shots reigned around us. I pounded Iolee harder my panic increasing as she continued being completely unconscious. I heard coughing behind me and turned to see Jo stir in Haze’s arms.
“Come on.” I bit out desperately as I continued in my efforts. “Come on.” I
pounded on her back again, and then leaned down and blew more air. Fear clawed inside my gut, as my senses slowed down, my breathing non-existent. I blew more air into her. A cough and a rush of liquid came out of her lips, and I took a breath of relief, my eyes suspiciously prickling. I continued pounding her back as she coughed and spat out ridiculous amounts of that green water.
Not able to control myself I hugged her fiercely, my heart just beginning to beat back up again.
Iolee looked up at me with unfocused eyes, confusion, and surprise in them. “Cove?” She breathed out, and her body shuddered with a ratcheting cough.
“You’re okay.” I whispered in her hair hugging her tightly. "You're okay." I whispered again for my own selfish reasons.
“Hate to interrupt - but we gotta hit the ground.” Arlo said as he kept shooting his guns. I jumped to my feet cradling her in my arms. She leaned against me still seeming very disoriented. I spared a glance at Jo in Haze’s arms to see her similarly disoriented. Around us, the vats were oddly now moving in that floating way of theirs.
We started running the way we came in, but Ourupta screeches came after us. Arlo aimed his gun behind us and shot a spray of bullets. An enormous crashing sound echoed and green liquid rushed under our feet.
“I guess it’s not flammable after all.” Arlo stated with a raised eyebrow.
“Don’t shoot at them - there are people inside them!” Haze called back at us, as he was now in the lead of our group.
“I’m not the one shooting at the people.” Arlo tensely commented as more crashing glass sounds chased after us. Laser beams pinged in front of us - more shattering in our ears as water sloshed under our feet. Numerous vats had already floated past us, and more continued, their speed exponentially surpassing ours.
More shots sounded, and ahead of us, I saw Locke, Cain and about half of the new team firing behind us. More glass breaking and more green liquid rushed over and under us again. Suddenly the shots, the explosions, the screeching and shouting all stopped. We continued running until we reached the group. I carefully placed Iolee on the ground and stood in front of her protectively taking my guns out.
I took in what had once been the underground Ourupta base. The only proof that had ever been anything other than dirt and rocks here, was the broken-down vats that remained, as well as the charred metal and fallen rocks from the explosions.
Our group looked around, guns raised at the ready to fight - once again the silence sudden and overbearing. Moments went by - none of us let our guard down.
“General!” One of the newly arrived soldiers, a tall, slim and lethal looking woman with golden skin and golden eyes, was on us within minutes. “They are gone.” She stated her breathing even but her voice cracking with shock.
“Gone?” Locke asked his forehead creasing.
“They just … flew away.” The woman answered her golden eyes wide. She opened her mouth and after a few moments snapped it shut.
“Yes, Captain Bird?” Arlo impatiently exclaimed pushing her to continue.
“Well, General they sprouted wings and flew away over the ocean, all their equipment and the vats of people floating after them.”
Twenty-Six
Jo
My lungs still screamed with agony over that ill-advised dunk in the green vats, and another cough racked through my body.
“Easy, easy…” Haze soothingly rubbed my back, and I shuddered in effort to make him stop regardless of how good it felt.
“Stop touching me.” I whizzed out mid-cough. My voice coming out scratchy and throaty. “Put me down.” I commanded him, but he just gave me one of his stupid grins and a way too innocent look that I knew had no place anywhere near his face.
“You just had an ordeal - I’m just trying to help.” His voice came out as sweet syrup, his gorgeous face appearing honest - but he wasn’t fooling me - not a bit. I knew the arrogant, self-serving bastard he was behind that facade of his.
“Put me down.” I glared at him, my lungs burning with the need to cough but being too stubborn to pay them attention - especially now.
“Why are you always so difficult?” Haze sighed in exasperation but made no effort to put me down still. “Just accept my damn help woman.”
I folded my arms over my chest and just continued glaring at him. Fine - he wanted to carry me? No skin off my nose - he would be the one wasting his energy, not me.
I turned my face away from him and looked in front of us. My eyes automatically seeking out Cove, the movement having been ingrained in me the past few years. At seeing him holding on to Iolee and whispering to each other bitterness filled me and my stomach started writhing. I was jealous - I was beyond jealous. I was hurt and devastated… Cove had been a dream for me - one I thought would have been realized sometime in the near future if only I had kept persisting. Looking at him now though with Iolee - all my hopes were dashed, my heart, broken already, now ultimately shrinking in my chest.
God, I am such an idiot! How many times had he told me in his own way he was not interested - yet still I had persisted, and where had that gotten me? Nowhere. To top it all off, he hadn’t even once asked how I was after being kidnapped by fucking Ourupta! Freaking fucking humongous alive Ourupta! Ourupta that had done something to me - messing me up. Turning me into a freak. I went through that, and an almost near drowning and Cove had not even spared me a single glance. My heart thudded with despair and pain in my chest.
Had I meant that little to him? Another sting went through me, the pain watering my eyes. But I would not cry - I would not cry…
The worst thing of all was that I didn't even hate Iolee. Especially not after what we went through.
My stomach churned uncomfortably. What if Iolee blabbed about my newly gained abilities? I shuddered at the realization of being forever changed - able to understand those beasts’ language… If Iolee told them about me, they would pack me off to one of the Colonies and study me like an animal!
I saw Cove lean down nuzzling Iolee’s cheek and then gently pressing a kiss to her forehead. Deep, bitter longing took root within me, and another stuttered beat from my shrunken heart caused pain and humiliation. Truth be told I was more ashamed than hurt, which in turn made me angry at myself. My eyes watered even more. I bit my lips hard. I would not cry. I Would Not Cry.
“It’s okay you know.” Haze softly stated and surprised I looked up at him questioningly. “It’s okay if you want to cry.”
My cheeks flooded with heat and humiliation. “I Do Not want to cry!” I intonated very clearly seething at him. As if I would ever show such weakness, especially in front of this bastard.
“It’s alright if you want to. No one would think you are weak.”
“Overbearing dick.”
He snorted and gave me another of his easy cocky smiles. “Ahhh now, I remember a time when you didn’t think I was such an overbearing dick.” He grinned sinfully, and I stubbornly pushed my lips shut, my eyes warning him not to go there. All the previous hurt going away, in its place now just the fire of my rage.
“Bastard.” I finally hissed unable to control my flaring temper. I couldn’t help myself. He always riled me up incredibly easy.
Haze chuckled - not looking insulted at all. “You know it, kitten.”
I harrumphed at his ridiculous nickname of me but said nothing. I hadn’t managed to stop him from calling me that in seven years I wasn’t going to succeed now.
“What are we doing here anyway?” I just wanted to go home, wash off the Ourupta stink from me, and hopefully fall asleep for an eternity.
“We’ll be home soon.” He answered as if hearing my unspoken thoughts. Haze always had an infuriating way of doing that with me -knowing what I was thinking at all times.
I rose my eyebrow and gave him a snort. “Home?” As if New Hope was his home. A muscle under his eye throbbed and I knew what I had said bothered him. He wasn't the only one that knew how to get under my skin.
Haze chose to ignore my com
ment and instead tipped his chin towards a bunch of those petrifying vats that now lay broken in the middle of the cave. “Some of the broken vats contained humans - we’re checking for survivors.”
My arms shook, as I remembered my time in the vat the murky water rushing up over me, Iolee calling for me... I had frozen - I had been helpless and just stood there. I was disgusted with myself for giving up that easily…
Stars, but going in the water was my worst nightmare. A shiver ran over my spine and memories of an even more distant past assaulted my mind, but I viciously put a lid on them. I swallowed a lump, choosing to not say anything and pushing the thoughts away from my mind as best I could.
“We’ve got one.” Someone yelled, and a bunch of people ran to one of the shattered cases pulling debris out of the way. The tall, commanding guy, General Arlo Cruz rose with a tiny naked female form in his arms. He headed towards our cluster, as more and more of the soldiers called for help. I looked at the woman as he covered her with his shirt. With a jolt of surprise, I recognized her as the one Iolee had pointed out in the vats in what seemed years ago.
Within the next ten minutes, we had secured only two humans. Unfortunately, there had been four that didn't make it. My heart lay heavy on my chest - thinking of how easily that could have been me.
After securing the two still unconscious humans, the woman, and one man, we made for the transports.
I sighed with relief. I could not wait to get home. Haze’s hands gripped me more securely, and I scowled. Scratch that - I could not wait to get far enough away from him!
Twenty-Seven
