Page 43 of Shadow's Chosen

Nezka smiled.That's my girl,he thought as he saw her strike one across the throat, sending them reeling and stumbling away. Nezka turned back to those about to lunge at him and moved swiftly. Though there were many, he took them out with ease, breaking their weapons and their bones, until the wind picked up, dissolving the clouds of steam, and he found none left standing near him. He twisted around in time to see the last one fall to the ground from a powerful kick to the face by Elise. The body fell with a thud, and Elise dropped her stance and turned to smile at him.

A strong feeling of pride overtook him, and Nezka moved toward her, grinning back. "You're a quick learner. I like that."

Elise shrugged. "They weren't so bad, honestly."

Nezka couldn't seem to stop himself as he drew close to her and lifted his hand, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, checking for any signs of damage and finding none. She gave him a curious, almost timid sort of look, skin flushing slightly, her smile changing. She cleared her throat and stepped back.

"We should probably get going before..."

Nezka looked around and understood her meaning. Most of the attackers weren't dead, just injured. They would get up, and others might come. The vents down the road had shut off, and the fans were back to their slow turn. They should leave before they started again.

Nezka tapped his ear. "Let's go."

He lifted up the two-wheeler where it had fallen on its side. Some parts were tarnished and banged up somewhat, but it started fine. Elise got on behind him and, with her gun drawn once more, wrapped her arms tightly around him. Her warmth against him was comforting. He bent forward and kicked the two-wheeler into gear, speeding up fast as they turned off down one road, away from the vents.

***

As they neared the bridge, Nezka stopped briefly by a lone section of road beside the river-chasm to get rid of their bag (as it would look too suspicious to have) then to assess the gatehouse from afar. The bridge was long and wide enough for vehicles to pass. Besides broken off pieces of wall and a few burnt out streetlights, the road was clear up to the gatehouse where he could see the first gated doorway into what looked like a mote fortress. The windows were covered by shades made of thin sheets of metal. Some closed off completely, others open enough to see the glow of colorful lights from within. The stone and metal encased walls of the stronghold were blackened in several areas where pipes helped drain out putrid wastewater. From the front, Nezka could see several guards standing above the wide doorway that was meant to allow vehicles to pass underneath the building and on to the other side of the bridge. The guards had guns and long ranged weapons if anyone should be so stupid as to try to pass through without paying their toll. Neither he nor Elise had city credits on them, but Nezka knew they wouldn't ask for money. Perhaps a trade instead. Though they had little to bargain with, Nezka felt confident they could think of something to appease the bridgekeeper, Krow.

Before they went in, regardless, they needed to set up their lie. Nezka had Elise hop off the two-wheeler so that he could take her gun then bind her hands. She still wasn't pleased at having to give her weapon and wrists to him, but she allowed it to happen without complaint. He used the metal coil to tie her and suggested again a gag for added effect, but Elise had different ideas.

"I still look roughed up from the fights despite the healing," she said, touching at the bruised side of her face, now pale green instead of dark blue. "Just imply that the marks were from you to keep me quiet."

Nezka frowned, eyes narrowed on her face. "You'd need something fresher if they are to believe it."

Elise thought it over then looked at him. "Use one of your blades to cut me."

Nezka's frown deepened. Without shifting his eyes away from hers, he took out one of his blades and lifted it to her face. He knew they needed to be convincing, yet he still hesitated. Elise took his hand in both of hers and guided down to her cheek. Unthinking, Nezka cupped the back of her head, trying hard not to pull his bladed hand away from her face while keeping his grip tight to only let the blade nick her ever so slightly and nothing more. She winced, and he almost forced his hand back, but she let the blade make a small slice along her cheek, where tiny rows of blood beaded against her open skin. When he deemed it enough, he pulled the blade away and quickly pocketed it. His hand, cupping her head, brushed at the side of her face gently before falling. He suppressed the urge to wipe away the blood now trickling lightly down her face and took hold of both her shoulders, pinning her with a serious glare.

"For this to work, I will have to play your worst enemy. As soon as we enter inside, I will not be able to lift this facade. I will be cruel if I have to be. I will do what I please, and you will have to let me. Do you understand? If you fight me, I will have no choice but to..." He glanced down at the cut on her cheek then back to her gaze. The color of her eyes brightened to an almost golden hue he found to be frustratingly beautiful. "Do you understand?" he said in a low, quiet voice.

Elise nodded her head slowly, her hand coming up to grip at one of his arms, squeezing it gently. "I understand. Do what you have to, just get us past. Whatever it takes."

Nezka flinched at her words. Grimacing, he backed away, releasing her. He couldn't bring himself to look at her in fear she would see his sudden slip of emotion. He returned to the two-wheeler and ordered her to get on. When he felt her hands, now bound, clutching to his backside, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking deep breaths.

"Nezka?" she said from behind him.

Nezka opened his eyes and started the two-wheeler. He drove on until he reached the start of the bridge. From there, he slowed to make sure Elise didn't fall off as she clung to him tightly. As they drove straight on and approached the gatehouse, several men lifted weapons in their direction while another beside the doorway waved at them to halt.

A thin, scruffy looking drogin with markings across his arms came up and whistled softly. "My, oh my, is this a Red Blade I see? A real mean-looking one at that." He laughed, exposing crooked fangs. "Don't see your lot passing by here often." His watery eyes glanced behind Nezka to stare at Elise. "Brought a peace bearin' gift for the ol' Krow man, did yeh?"

"No," Nezka said bluntly. "I'm just here to pass."

The man grunted in surprise. "That so? What do you need to pass through here for? You lot own all the other gateways." He laughed. "Your brothers not letting you in for some reason?"

Nezka smiled. "There have been...problems with defectors and spies. I am ordered to return unnoticed."

The man gestured toward Elise. "Something to do with your cargo, huh?"

"Yes."

The man eyed Elise curiously. "I heard something about one of those...what do you call ‘em? Humans? Heard the thornbacks had one. Then it got snatched up. You the Red Blade I heard about who beat up all of Roni's best fighters and took this woman?"

Nezka shrugged, and the drogin's eyes went wide, then he hissed out another cackle of laughter.

"No shit! So, you want to come on by so no one sees you with your little prize, huh? A gift to your boss, I'll bet. Well, you'll still have to talk to Krow. No one passes without his say. He'll be real excited to see you, though. The Red Blade who could actually fight without a gun at their side." He turned and howled, and those on top of the doorway lowered their guns. The gate blockading the doorway slid back to reveal a short tunnel leading to the other side. If it were in him to risk it, he would have taken that moment to speed on through. But with Elise, he didn't dare. As there were men before them on this part of the bridge, there were surely more on the other side. What's more, there were also several vehicles taking up space inside the tunnel and underbelly of the gatehouse, with groups of people lurking between them. Nezka drove the two-wheeler on through, ignoring the eyes that followed them as he parked against the tunnel wall. He felt Elise's hand tap against his back as if to reassure him before he shut the vehicle down and got off. He took hold of her bindings and didn't so much as look at her as he pulled her not so gently to him, tugging her over to a set of stairs on the side of the tunnelway. They followed the crooked-smiled drogin up the two flights where they were met with another pair of guards. The door before them opened, and they entered the gatehouse.

The first section led into a large red and blue lit room with a bar on one side and a stage on the other. Some sort of club. People lingered in groups, heads turning to watch them pass. At the next door was a small passage that brought them into a smaller red room, with a bar and tables along each side and lounge at the back. The center was a hexagonal ring with a set of stairs leading down to it, fenced in partially by sets of rails. Inside the space, two drogin were tearing each other apart in a brutal one on one fight, blood spraying along the floor. A small group at the back watched as they reclined in leather chairs. Nezka was brought around and stopped before a well-dressed drogin in an officer's uniform with slick gray and black hair.

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