Page 8 of Shadow's Chosen

"Overwhelming," Jerico answered. "Yeah. To think we will be down there by tomorrow morning. Well, okay, judging by the planet's rotation, about twenty-six hours give or take."

"You think we're ready?" Elise asked then looked over at him.

Jerico shrugged. "As ready as we'll ever be. Why? You having second thoughts?"

Elise's gaze fell back to the window. "I...no. I don't know. It's just...different."

"Well, we are about to get the full run down. And we won't be going in alone, remember."

Elise nodded but inside she was uncertain. She just had this strange feeling. Not awful. She wouldn't commit to that. But strange. She’d never felt it before on any mission, but maybe it was because in the past she knew what she was getting herself into. She knew this would be a challenging mission, and that in itself didn't bother her. She was always up for a challenge. Her father had raised her to be prepared for anything—attacks, strandings, storms...everything. And it wasn't like they hadn't been preparing. They had gone through the whole plan over and over while they readied to depart. They had learned the language, they had learned what they needed to about the planet and its people, and they were about to meet the other teams who would be joining them. Sure, there was always the risk of failure or death that put any soldier on edge. But this felt different. Something about the mission made her feel off.

But she'd never backed down before, and she wasn't about to now. She had her team with her. Together, they'd be unstoppable. So, with that thought, she brushed the feeling away like it was a pesky bug and smiled at Jerico.

"I know that smile. You're ready to kick ass." Jerico patted her back then drew her out of the room. "Let's do this."

She followed him across the hall to the elevator and took it down. Just like at the Grayhart facility, they reached the main foyer and found the team waiting for them.

They were not alone.

Elise felt the current of uneasiness in the air as soon as she stepped inside. There were drogin about now, who she could only guess were the city militia or law enforcement. They wore faded black and gray uniforms, the closest to casual wear that wasn't full on armor. They had white armbands with an insignia on each—a shield with a circle in its center. They stood nearby in their own groups, whispering or talking low, their faces turning as they peered over to the far wall.

Her team stood silent, rigid, their eyes drifting over to the same place the drogins’ gaze wandered; over to a different group sitting by a thick glass wall, just below an ad for some kind of bubbly soft-drink, the glow basking them in red.

Elise felt herself stop short as she looked at them. They were definitely not from the city. She was certain. By their strange silvery black armor and the way the others seemed to distance themselves from them, she knew they must be outsiders. And boy, did they look like a gnarly, violent sort. Each one unique but also giving off a similarly wicked sort of vibe. Especially one in the middle to whom they seemed to gravitate closest. A scary son of a bitch if she ever saw one. With his dark purple skin painted or perhaps tattooed with white streaks across his arms and neck and along his face like a skull. Pointed ears, white hair, and—perhaps the most disturbing to her—large wolfish eyes, orange like fire. He studied her team with a sharp interest until Jerico called her name, and his gaze turned to her.

Their eyes locked, and Elise found herself frozen. Just like a deer in the presence of a wolf. He grew still too as he noticed her, and it seemed time stopped briefly as they stared at each other.

“Elise, come," called Adrien in his rough voice, one she knew he only used when he was agitated by something. The purple devil tilted his head, and Elise forced her eyes away, making her legs move till she found herself in the shelter of bodies that were her team. She could never remember freezing like that. But then she'd never encountered anyone who looked like death before either.

The team huddled closer than usual, and Elise could feel the tension in each of them. She felt it too, in herself.

"Who the fuck do you suppose those lot are?" said Reese in a low mutter.

"I don't know, but they don't look friendly," said Amy.

"They look like the type we should be fighting down in the gutter city below," Bruce commented.

"We shouldn't judge," Adrien said, quieting them. "Remember, we are outsiders here too." He didn't sound convincing.

The others didn't comment, and Elise had to keep herself from glancing back toward the far wall. A heat had begun to simmer at her back, along with that telltale uneasy feeling of being watched. When she dared peek back over, she saw the dark alien still watching her. She shuddered and quickly looked away.

From another doorway, Toni and her assistants entered. They went over to the group of armored aliens at the wall and bowed. She began to speak to them, and they seemed to understand. Elise noticed a light blinking in their ears as they turned their heads. Some kind of earpiece that she assumed was a sort of translator.

The group got up, and a set of doors opposite opened, revealing a short tunnelway to another section of the building. The drogin began to move toward it.

They followed inside, Elise keeping her eyes focused ahead instead of at the group of creepy aliens that lingered behind, knowing if she looked, she'd see Mr. Death watching her again. Her jaw clenched, and her fists tightened, but she refused to meet his glare as they walked past. It occurred to her as they made their way down the tunnel to the next door that the ship they had seen parked at the dock must have belonged to this dark group. What were they doing here? And why? Surely, it wasn't to aid them. They didn't even know who they were.

As the door at the end of the tunnel slid open, Elise and her team stepped into a dimly-lit, dome-shaped amphitheater with a circular dais at the very center. The team of drogin took their seats near the front, and Elise and her team took seats along the back wall, while the dark group of aliens took theirs by the door. As they each settled in, Toni and her assistants waited by one wall until a pair of drogin in formal uniforms similar to a military commander's entered and started for the central dais. One of them, Elise recognized.

"High day to you all," said Councilman Qorey, looking very much the same as he had when they last saw him. "I am Councilman and Official Qorey, and this is Official Oryn. We are city sector officers and heads of security and enforcement." He brought up his hand which was gloved in a sort of strange metal, and, with a quick wave of his fingers, a large holographic image of Irosa appeared above him. "You have all come or been brought here for different reasons, each one connected to a larger goal. Approximately twelve days ago, by Irosa's cycle, a group of explorers from the earthian territories called humans trekked into the lower sectors of the city and have hence disappeared. As most of you from Tyrminis know, for several years we have been battling the various gang lords and their breed, closing off gates, trying to fight their spread. It has been, as you know, a hard fight." Qorey gestured with his gloved hand, and the planet grew until the city came into view above them. "They have taken over nearly a quarter of the east and south sector of the undercity. It is time we took it back." The city came in even closer, focusing on the same section Elise and her team saw back at Grayhart, the area stretching from the first gate where the Grayhart team disappeared to the energy deposit many miles off and past several other gates, bridges, and tunnelways. "It is our hope to not only find the missing explorers but also to retake the undercity and take out the enemies who have stolen it from us. We still start at the edge of this sector." Qorey pointed to the gate. "This is where their territory begins. We will go in as one. Most of you have been hired to merely take out the threats." He looked over to the team of outsiders and bowed his head. "We thank those willing to aid us. You will be well compensated for each mark that you take out. As for the team from Earth, they are here to find and rescue their own. It is our job to help them as well." Qorey waved his hand again, and the gate zoomed in closer, followed by a blue line drawn across the map. From here, he explained their plan. They would go in through the tunneled gateway together and travel straight across, each team taking siege to the sector points and clearing a path for Elise's team. They would search each stronghold for signs of others until they came to the energy deposit, where hopefully, they would find the lost Grayhart team. It sounded simple enough, and Qorey seemed confident that only the gangs would cause trouble. Those living there should stay out of their way.

"We will depart tomorrow morning at dawn," concluded Qorey. "All groups should be ready and waiting at the east dock. Officer Oryn will be there to command you." Qorey waved his hand, and the map returned back to an image of Irosa. Before they rose from their seats, Toni stepped up to the dais, bowed, and spoke quickly to the officials. Qorey gestured with his hand, and Toni slipped away. "Yes, I forgot," he said. " To all who would like to prepare for their mission or who would like to test out our armory, training grounds have been situated on the mid-level common rooms. An assistant will show those who are unfamiliar with our weaponry how to use them properly. It is also a good place to interact and get to know each other before tomorrow. I highly recommend you all visit sometime today. If you have any more questions, you can contact us through your Ulink which can be found in your rooms. Thank you and good luck to you all." With that, Qorey stepped off the dais and headed out of the theater. The drogin began to disperse, a few eyeing them curiously, some nodding their heads. Elise looked around and caught Toni once again speaking to the team of outsiders. Elise couldn't hear the female drogin, but she caught her gesturing to her ear and saw a small triangular device in her hand. The purple alien (their leader, Elise presumed) took it and replaced his earpiece with the device Toni had in hand. Each of her assistants offered up more of the ear devices, and the team took them. She said a few more words then bowed, and the team left.

"Hey, Elise, you coming or what?"

Elise looked up and saw her team already moving out of the theater and Jerico giving her a weird look as she sat alone. She leapt up and followed them out, only to stop at the door where Toni now stood.

"What did you give to them? That other team," she asked as Toni bobbed her head at her. When the drogin gave her a confused look, Elise pointed to her ear.

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