The Ilia's Lovers - Chapter Twenty-Seven

“We are being followed.”

Thalvuten’s voice was the first thing noise Elaine had heard since the shearing tearing noise before they descended into the maintenance passages beneath the city.

Back at Harvard, when Elaine was getting her engineering degree, and Pyri was getting her astronavigation degree, Elaine had spent several weeks working as a part of her work experience in the automated waste system under New York. It was weird how familiar all of this was to her.

“What do we do?” Elaine asked.

“We run. May I carry you, Lady Franklin?”

Lady Franklin. As soon as Elaine was declared an official lover of Dahnus, she was given an official title. It was weird.

“Is that really necessary?”

“If we are to stay ahead of them. They are running.”

Dammit!

Elaine nodded.

Thalvuten lifted her and all three males broke into a run.

Elaine looked over the giant male’s shoulder and into the darkness, as though she could see the people that were after them. She gripped tight as Thalvuten picked up his pace, Zinif and Hadith running also.

“Do not worry, Lady Franklin. Thalvuten’s hearing is much better than most races. I hear nothing yet. They are a good distance behind us. We simply need to keep ahead of them.” Zinif called the words over his shoulder and though it made Elaine relax a little, it didn’t stop her anxiety altogether.

“However, this isn’t going to work for long. We need a way to evade capture and to reach the rendezvous,” Zinif continued.

“Do these things have maintenance break rooms? On Earth our underground waste system has break rooms.”

“Too obvious.”

“There should be accessways to the surface? That’s how we get down to maintain these systems on Earth.”

“If we go up there, we’re likely to be found,” Zinif called back.

“But we could go down,” Hadith said, coming to a stop.

“Down?” Elaine asked. She was being carried bride style by Thalvuten who towered over Hadith, so was looking down at him as he turned.

“This whole city was purpose built. The waste, sewerage and transport systems were all built at the same time. The whole thing was excavated at the same time, built and layered as they went. The waste system is the shallowest. Then the flux, then sewerage. The accessways should take us to all three levels. The flux has a walkway in case it breaks down, so people can still get out while other pods are diverted away.”

“So if we go down, we might be able to get to a station and call a pod?”

Hadith’s eyes widened and he moved closer, getting excited.

“There’s a manual call system for engineers down there. If we can hack it, we can get a pod to take us to our rendezvous.”

Elaine saw Thalvuten and Zinif exchange a look and nod.

“Then that’s what we do,” Zinif said.

“We need to find an accessway and we need to get moving,” Thalvuten said. “Our enemies are catching up.”

It took them a few more minutes to come across one of the hatches leading to the access point.

“Maybe if we leave evidence we went up?” Elaine said as they entered the small room.

It couldn’t have been more than ten by ten. A ladder went up to the street level in one corner of the room, and a few feet away a hatch sat on the floor, leading down.

“It’s too far up. We can’t risk it,” Thalvuten said after looking up for a few seconds.

Zinif dropped to the floor and pulled on the accessway which gave easily.

Elaine looked up again. Something, anything would do. The ladder was damaged a few feet up. A small sharp protrusion glinted meanly in the dim light.

Before anyone could say anything, Elaine climbed up several steps, cut the back of her forearm and smeared some blood on the wall and, coaxing more blood out of the wound, let some drip on the rungs of the ladder.

“My lady,” Thalvuten’s voice was filled with panic.

“Elaine, what did you do?” Hadith said, walking over.

Elaine descended a couple of rungs.

“Help me dress this quickly, before I bleed all over our actual escape route.

Hadith stared at her, his mouth open with shock before he pulled at his top, ripping off a strip and pressing it to her wound.

“Hold this,” he snapped, then tore another strip and wrapped it around her arm, tying it off. He pulled off what was left and helped her clean the blood off her hands.

“We need to go,” Zinif said.

“Come, onto my back,” Thalvuten said. “We cannot have you dropping blood and giving away our actual escape route.

Hadith helped Elaine onto Thalvuten’s back and, with Hadith between Thalvuten and Zinif, they descended the ladder, closing the hatch after them.

The ladder went a hundred feet down through a narrow tunnel. Elaine clung onto Thalvuten’s back as he made short work of it, stepping down two rungs for every one of Hadith’s one. When they reached the bottom, they were in a duplicate of the room above.

“Now we just need to find one of those call button things,” Elaine said as they exited the hatch into the flux tubes.

It looked like a subway tunnel, but the walkway was larger, safer. The track ran to Elaine’s left side and seemed to only go in one direction.

“This way,” Zinif said, when they realised there wasn’t a call button directly outside the accessway. They walked down the track until they came to the end of the small building which split the track, so that now there was one either side of them, each going a different direction.

“Up ahead. There,” Thalvuten said, pointing at the end of the platform where a cut away would allow a pod to pull up. Next to it was a small panel.

They ran over to the end of the platform.

“I’ll need a few minutes to get into the system,” Zinif said, taking a knee.

Thalvuten finally let Elaine down and she walked over to a topless Hadith who looked at her with a mixture and annoyance and concern.

“You should not have cut yourself,” he said, keeping his voice low.

A pod passed in the tube beside him, the occupant, a male, frowning at them, no doubt shocked to see such a strange group down in the tunnels.

“I know you’re worried, but it’s a nothing wound. Even if all it does is give them pause and make them split their forces, it helped.”

“I do not like seeing you in pain,” Hadith said, moving closer to her.

Elaine stepped up to him, placing her palms on his chest and looking up into those beautiful eyes while around them, more pods passed, the slight hum and rush of disturbed air adding a sense of movement to this still moment.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she said.

Hadith gave her a sceptical look. Elaine wanted to reassure him further, but doing so would only dredge up bad memories and make Hadith feel even worse.

How could this small cut be painful after everything she had suffered under Castus?

“I’m okay,” she said instead.

“I hear them,” Thalvuten said. “They have opened the hatch.”

“Zinif?”

“I almost have it,” he said, his voice giving away the stress of his concentration.

“I hear more voices,” Thalvuten said, cocking his head to one side and closing his eyes. “I believe…. I believe I hear the Ilan.”

“Dahnus?”

Thalvuten nodded.

“Then we’re okay?” Elaine asked.

“No. Our enemies will catch us if we stay here, before the Ilan does.”

“Then we continue on to the rendezvous,” Zinif said. He hissed and smiled. “I have it. Calling a pod.”

“How long until it gets here?” Elaine asked.

As she spoke, another pod passed, the people inside staring at them in shock.

“Flux pods are usually quick. No more than a metri,” Hadith said.

“They are descending the ladder.” Thalvuten walked forward, standing between Elaine and Hadith and the door to the small access room.

An empty pod entered the chamber and sped away down a tunnel a moment later.

“They are halfway,” Thalvuten said. “And I believe there are less of them than before.”

“Your plan worked,” Hadith said.

“Not for long, if they see us here,” Elaine replied. She was staring past Thalvuten to the building sat on top of the platform. “They’ll know it was a bluff and put all their people on finding us when we exit the flux station.”

A thought occurred to her.

“How many flux stations across this city?” Elaine asked, looking at Hadith.

“Thirty, or something like that. Why?”

Elaine shook her head, focusing on the thought.

“Here,” Zinif said, his voice carrying down the tunnel.

Elaine turned, seeing Hadith do the same and watch a pod pull into the cut away.

“Everyone inside,” Zinif ordered.

Hadith pushed Elaine in front of him. She ran over to the pod, climbing in and making way quickly. Hadith jumped in beside her, then Zinif before Thalvuten.

The pod hatch closed and it shunted onto the track and took off, disappearing into the tunnel just as the door opened, several Amaran males running onto the platform. Elaine got a quick view of them looking around before the tunnel swallowed the pod.

The pod’s AI asked for the destination and Zinif told it where to go as they all settled back in their seats.

Elaine’s heart was racing as adrenaline pumped through her system.

There was no way for them to know they were in this pod. But that didn’t stop her mind from inventing scenarios of being met by their enemies at their destination.

“They were waiting in the flux station for us,” Elaine said after a minute had passed.

Hadith nodded.

“And they couldn’t have known where we were going to crash,” she continued.

“What are you saying, Lady Franklin?” Zinif asked.

“They were waiting for us at the flux station, at the entrance to the stairs leading to the platform. I don’t think that was a coincidence. I think they have people in all the stations.”

Zinif and Thalvuten exchanged a look.

“We will be prepared for them,” he assured her.

Elaine looked out at the well-lit tunnels.

“How long until we reach where we’re going?”

“Three, four metri,” Hadith said.

“Around five minutes,” Thalvuten said.

“How do you know that?” Elaine asked.

“Tessa converted to Earth timings when it was settled. We’ve lived between Earth and galactic standard for seven years,” Zinif explained.

“Five minutes,” she said, looking out of the window, wondering what would meet them at their destination.

*****

The blood went up. Half of their enemies went up and half went down, but Dahnus wasn’t fooled. The blood was crimson, the human colour. It was too convenient and didn’t go all the way up. There was a small protrusion for Elaine to cut herself but it would have been a stretch for her to reach it and despite what most people thought of humans, their flesh wasn’t that thin. The blood could only have been planted, and while their enemies had hedged their bets, Dahnus was going down, because that’s the way Elaine and Hadith had gone, he would bet his palace on it.

They descended down the ladder to the flux and discussed what to do next. Dahnus took a few steps away, going out onto the platform and watching the pods go by and wondering if any of the people within recognised their Ilan?

Years ago, Hadith studied this system when Dahnus was looking to use it as an example to improve public transport in Corus. It was too difficult. Most of Corus was built on the mountains, the rest, on the hills and plains beneath. To create a public transport system that took in all of the city would be an enormous cost and drilling through the mountains came with risks. To ensure the work was carried out safely would incur additional costs. But Hadith had learned a lot about this system while he was looking into the feasibility of it. So, what brought them down?

At the end of the platform on which the access stood and the walkway which continued on down the tunnels, was a small section where a pod could pull in and an interface.

“This way,” Dahnus said, calling his guards around him. Hemian caught up with him first and they strode down the walkway.

Hadith would have known about this. Which meant they were on their way to the rendezvous and potentially, straight into the arms of their enemies.

Dahnus tapped on his translator.

“Call Danari.”

The connection was made a moment later.

“Dahnus?”

Dahnus pointed at the interface.

“Call a pod,” he instructed to his guards.

It was Hemian who stepped forward and worked on it.

“Get you and your guards to the flux station. Leave Wescin’s forces there in case I’m wrong.”

Dahnus heard Danari relay his instructions, though he couldn’t hear the responses.

“On our way. What’s happening?”

Dahnus filled Danari in on everything, getting into the pod when it arrived.

“I believe they’re in danger.”

“I won’t let anything happen to them, brother. You have my word.” Danari’s voice was quick, her breath heavy as she ran to the destination. “I’m in the station now. We’re going to descend to the platform.”

“We’ll be there in a few metri.”

The light of the tunnel was continuous. Dahnus remembered Hadith telling him about how the smaller lights caused people to have fits, tripping conditions. The lights on this flux were built, recessed into the ceiling, to negate that, and they were on a warmer part of the light spectrum as well, giving a sense of comfort to the passengers instead of the harsh white light which attempted to mimic the sun and only succeeded in looking lifeless and depressing. Dahnus had watched Hadith as he explained it all, loving his mate’s enthusiasm as he explained the whole system and the thought and care that went into designing it.

“They excavated the whole undercity first, before they ever built a single building. They built the whole support system before they laid a single brick, it’s fascinating Dahnus.”

Dahnus vrokked him slow over his desk while Hadith pleaded, Hadith’s long hair wrapped around Dahnus’s fist. He’d fallen deeper in love with his adalan that day. He hadn’t known it was possible to love someone as much as Dahnus loved Hadith, as he was now coming to love Elaine. His heart sat in a vice of fear and desperation, and it was getting tighter with every moment spent in the pod.

Dahnus’s needed them to be safe.

The vrokking first chamber. They’d stripped Elaine of most of her protection, and this was the immediate result. He’d cook every one of them over the fire of public fury he’d raise over this incident and if one of his mates was harmed, he’d vrokking kill every one of them like Vitari and his ilk.

“We’re coming to the station,” Hemian said. He’d been vibrating with frustrated action since they got into the flyers at the palace and left. Dahnus knew he was furious to be taken off Elaine’s security detail.

The pod slowed to a halt on the platform, and they got out, three more pods behind them full of Dahnus’s guards.

A scene of chaos greeted them. The people on the platform had pushed to one end. They were obviously scared, so the fight had to have started down here and, according to the body at the bottom of the stairs, moved up.

“Dahnus, are you here yet? We’re on the upper level.”

Danari was shouting, and though Dahnus couldn’t hear what was happening, he got the impression they were in trouble.

“Zinif and Thalvuten are protecting Hadith and Elaine, they’re hiding in a food stand. Thalvuten’s injured. There are thirteen of them. We’re outnumbered. They’re trying to move forward. Hadith and Elaine are caught between us.

“We’re on our way. Aldin. Stay down here and keep everyone safe and keep them down here. Everyone else with me.”

Dahnus charged up the stairs, his guards surrounding him.

There were three sets of stairs and a tunnel between them and the firefight. Dahnus took the stairs two at a time and sped up as soon as he hit the top step. Hemian was in front of him by a hair, Elithan tracking his steps at his side. They passed two more bodies, and people huddling in fear on the floor. Dahnus’s guards ushered them back to the platform and they ran, relief when they saw the forces around them, when they saw the Ilan.

Finally, they entered the tunnel, following it’s turns until they reached the final staircase. This one, Dahnus and his people took slowly, watching the scene above them unfold.

The enemy, thirteen Amaran males, were using the gates to the stairs as cover.

Across the vast entrance, Danari and her people using the passenger interfaces. The two groups were taking pot shots. Between them, in a food stand, Thalvuten and Zinif watched the whole thing over the counter, Thalvuten’s horns the most obvious thing in the stand.

Between the two groups, they outnumbered the attacking males.

Dahnus looked at Elithan. With a few nods, they attacked, surging over the rise of the stairs.

*****

Almost as soon as Hadith, Elaine and their guards were out of the pod, they were under attack. Shots were fired at them, causing the crowd on the platform to panic and surge around them.

Hadith pulled Elaine close to him, and together, the four of them followed those in the crowd who were headed to the stairs, leaving the rest behind. They pushed into the thick of the crowd, hiding among them. All Hadith could hope was that no one was injured. Even as the thought occurred to him, he knew it was useless.

“Stairs,” Hadith said.

Thalvuten pulled Elaine into his arms without needing to be told. Carrying her closely to him as they ascended the stairs and ran into the tunnel.

Screams and shouts echoed around them.

“There are gates coming up,” Hadith said. They had to get over them, as they hadn’t been scanned actually entering through the gates at any other station. They quickly ascended the final set of steps until into the station and Zinif jumped the gate, then took Elaine from Thalvuten while Hadith jumped over, followed by Nuulan.

“Hadith.”

Hadith followed the sound of Danari’s voice and saw her and her guards running into the station, passing some of the passengers who’d made it out before them.

“Danari,” Elaine called.

Hadith turned to look at her, and saw several males rising over the stairs, weapons in their hands, a gun pointed right at Elaine.

“Thalvuten,” he called, even as he pulled Elaine to him, putting himself between her and the bullet. It never hit, but behind him, he heard Thalvuten grunt.

“Get them to the food stand,” Thalvuten shouted.

Zinif grabbed them both, using his body to cover them. At the same time, Danari and her security detail took cover behind the ticket stands and started firing, covering their escape.

At the stand, Zinif jumped over the counter and Hadith lifted Elaine over to him before jumping over himself, Thalvuten not joining them until they were safely behind it.

The two forces fired at each other, Danari demanding they surrender, and the males attacking them demanding the same, demanding Danari leave with her forces and let them take care of “the human problem”.

Elaine’s eyes met Hadith’s and he saw fear in them before he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest.

“Never,” Hadith promised her.

“That will never happen,” Danari shouted, her voice as resolute at Hadith’s.

Shouting echoed across the high ceiling, one voice in particular.

“Dahnus,” Hadith said, relief flooding him.

They heard footsteps running. Hadith imagine it was Danari crossing the space to support her brother.

Elaine moved to stand, but Hadith tightened his grip.

“Stay down for now, Lady Frankin,” Zinif said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

The sounds of scruffles rose and fell. Firm voices barked out orders.

“Now we can stand,” Thalvuten said.

Slowly, Hadith and Elaine rose.

The males, all of them, were restrained.

Dahnus saw them at the same time as they saw him and strode towards them. Hadith jumped the counter, taking Elaine from Thalvuten and keeping her close even as they crossed the space to meet Dahnus halfway. He held them both close, Dahnus on one side, Hadith on the other, holding her between them. Their world encompassed in their arms.

“I’m going to find who’s responsible for this and end them,” Dahnus said, his voice a growl.

For the first time, Hadith felt it all. The nerves, the fear, the stress of the last few hours.

They were after Elaine. They hadn’t even cared Hadith was there. They’d come for Elaine. Their mate, their delicate human mate was in more danger than even he’d realised. Though, from the look on Dahnus’s face, this was exactly what he’d expected.