Page 75 of Shadow's Chosen

"Meg!" Vincent cried as the older woman approached. The group circled around her, patting her on the back and smiling, some even giving her a hug which she shrugged off. Elise looked around and saw Lo gesturing to the fellow soldiers, a few of which understood her sign language.

"What warehouse?" Helen asked. "Where?"

"The one with the ships," Elise said, not having the time to explain. "Follow me!" She’d started down the corridor that her memory told her went toward the warehouse when Vijnn stopped her.

"Not that way," he said. "Follow me."

They all hesitated, some looking at him still with suspicion.

"Can we trust him?" Tom asked.

Elise studied the shark-like man. She did witness him taking out some of the Red Blades which might be a good enough reason to trust him. But deep down, what she really wanted was to believe that Nezka was truly on her side. That, though he betrayed her, he was being true to his word, that he was going to help them escape. And his teammate was a part of that promise too.

"You have a lot of us against just you," Elise said to the corax. "So, if you betray us..."

"I won't. I gave my word to Nezka that I would help," he said. "And I've already called on the other hunters. They are attacking from outside as we speak which means they are distracting the other men and hopefully Pyra herself. We need to move quick if we wanna make it to the ships."

Her team looked to her, waiting for her response. Elise thought back to Nezka allowing her to leave the reactor.

She wanted to trust him again.

"Lead the way," she said.

Vijnn bowed his head then turned, not down the corridor to the control room but instead to the end of the passage where a stairway led downward. Elise looked to the Grayhart team and waved for them to follow.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Vincent said

"I'd say it's better to follow them than trying to find a way out on our own," Meg commented. No one seemed to argue this and so the Grayhart team began to join them.

"We will come too," said one of the drogin. "Better to stay together with larger numbers.

With that settled, Vijnn started down the stair and they all followed. The sounds of gunfire could be heard not far away. Elise assumed it must be the other hunters versus the rest of Pyra's men somewhere near the outside of the deposit. She wondered if Nezka was there and if he was taking Pyra and her Red Blades out. She hoped he was and a part of her wished she could be there with him. Instead, she ran beside Vijnn as they made their way down a different passage. No one met with them which reaffirmed the men were fighting somewhere else.

As they reached the end of the corridor, Vijnn took them up another flight of stairs then down another passage until he stopped at a large metal door. Once everyone had caught up, he started to plug in the code on the pad beside the door to unlock it—only to find it didn't work.

"Shit, what to do we do now?" Reese said.

As if to answer, Lo made her way out of the crowd and came over to the door. She looked up at Vijnn, the short cut hair along her skull standing on end. Vijnn tilted his head at her then moved aside. Lo crouched down then pointed to the ground, making a motion to lift up the door.

"We have to open it together," Elise realized aloud.

"Everyone start lifting. Come on!" Amy shouted.

Where they could make space, they all squeezed into a row along the wide door and, together, with all their strength, attempted to lift the heavy metal slab. The door groaned then slowly started to slide up into the ceiling as they pulled it open. To Elise's surprise, light broke from under the door, spilling onto their feet. But there was no way the lights inside could be on. Pushing concern aside for the moment, she continued to help in forcing the door open. Once there was enough space to pass through, they pushed their way inside.

The warehouse lights weren't on like Elise feared. It was natural light coming from above where the roof was partially opened by what looked to be a ship entrance. Below it sat the actual ships.

Vijnn started for one of them and everyone followed.

"I can't believe we're actually getting out," one of the women cried.

Vijnn ordered them to wait as he climbed his way up to the top of the large blue-gray ship, searching for a hatch. Everyone gathered tightly around, ready to get on board. The sounds of gunfire lessened, and other strange sounds took its place. Elise separated herself from the crowd to check on the door she and Nezka had attempted to enter through the first time. A sharp thud followed by voices could be heard on the other side. Heart dropping to her stomach, Elise turned and rushed back toward the group.

"They are trying to get in—"

Her shout was cut off by the deafening bang of the door being blasted open. Pieces of the metal door cut through the air, lodging themselves into crates and equipment. A few small pieces cut into Elise's arm and leg. She flattened herself on the ground, covering her head as a cloud of debris blew around her. She heard shouts and a few screams as her people, along with the drogin, took cover. As the debris settled, Elise lifted her head and looked around to see Pyra with a band of her troops.

Her eyes, cold with fury, glared down at her. She reminded Elise of the red queen from Alice in Wonderland with her blood red suit of armor and look of murder. Elise half expected her to scream, "off with their heads!" But instead, Pyra hissed down at her and said, "Pick her up and bring her to me."

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