which was covered with scorch marks. She realised it was a chimney of sorts—a way out.
She tried the door; it opened. The sound of whirring fans and machinery came to her, and her skin prickled at the blast of heat. The chimney stretched at least fifty metres up through the plant. At the top was another grill. A kind of filter, she supposed.
After less than a minute, sweat poured out of every inch of her skin. The grill beneath her feet shook and rumbled. From somewhere in the depths, a great beast of a machine belched forth a huge billowing flame.
Sasha leapt back through the open door as the fire rushed upwards, burning the edges of the chimney, filling it with smoke. She scrambled backwards and slammed the door with her feet before turning over on to her stomach and coughing out the smoke.
That couldn’t be the only way!
But she knew it was. Even if the trap could be removed from Malik’s leg, there’s no way they could get through the plant the way they came. Especially now everyone was on alert and looking for her. She considered the possibility of going back the way the guards were taking her. Back towards ‘the Engineer’. If he were the head honcho, he’d have some form of communication outside of the plant. He had to have means of sending information to the ronin and the assassins.
She formulated the plan in her head: dress like them, find the Engineer, and call for help. But it was risking Malik’s life. All that could take time, even if she did manage to pull it off before she got caught.
Malik’s scream came down the tunnel like an injured wild animal.
Sasha got to her feet and sprinted back to him. It was at least a good sign he had regained consciousness.
He was writhing on his side when she got to him. His fist was still bleeding from earlier, and his face was pale, glossy, covered in sweat and tears. He clawed at the metallic floor, doing anything to distract from the pain. He reminded her of a trapped rabbit she saw on the surface of Wake Island. Caught in their traps, the rabbit had screamed and thrashed until it ran out of energy and life.
“Malik, I’m here,” she said, feeling lame and useless. What was the point of her being there if she couldn’t get him free? Still, she thought that she could at least reassure him. “I think I’ve found a potential way out... but it’s not very safe.” That was a huge understatement.
“Just go,” Malik said between gritted teeth as he turned over and sat up, holding his leg out straight. “Leave me, get out, and get help.”
“I’m not leaving you behind,” Sasha said, holding his head in her hands. “I left you last time; I’m not doing it again. There’s got to be a way out of this.” She bent to the trap, trying again to undo the mechanism. It was futile. Whoever had designed it knew what they were doing; there was no going back.
Malik choked back a yelp of pain. Between gasping breaths he said, “There... is... a way.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. “The leg,” he said. “The jaws are... nearly... through the bone.” He shut his eyes tight. “Finish it. Cut through the leg.”
The thought made her shiver. The pain must already be excruciating.
“I can’t,” Sasha said. “I can’t do that... The shock would probably kill you.” She knew it wouldn’t. The injuries he’d suffered on the battlefield were far worse. It was more the fear of her failing him rather than him dying of the injury. She could only find one way out—the chimney. She would have to help him get up the ladder. What if she couldn’t do it? They’d burn to a crisp. It would be her fault.
But then it would be her fault, too, if she left him here to die a slow, agonising death. She heard the first attempts on the door. A clanging metal sound as someone attempted the handle to no avail. Then came the thuds as they pushed against it, followed by raised voices.
“Please!” Malik begged, his face ever paler. “Just... do
She tried the door; it opened. The sound of whirring fans and machinery came to her, and her skin prickled at the blast of heat. The chimney stretched at least fifty metres up through the plant. At the top was another grill. A kind of filter, she supposed.
After less than a minute, sweat poured out of every inch of her skin. The grill beneath her feet shook and rumbled. From somewhere in the depths, a great beast of a machine belched forth a huge billowing flame.
Sasha leapt back through the open door as the fire rushed upwards, burning the edges of the chimney, filling it with smoke. She scrambled backwards and slammed the door with her feet before turning over on to her stomach and coughing out the smoke.
That couldn’t be the only way!
But she knew it was. Even if the trap could be removed from Malik’s leg, there’s no way they could get through the plant the way they came. Especially now everyone was on alert and looking for her. She considered the possibility of going back the way the guards were taking her. Back towards ‘the Engineer’. If he were the head honcho, he’d have some form of communication outside of the plant. He had to have means of sending information to the ronin and the assassins.
She formulated the plan in her head: dress like them, find the Engineer, and call for help. But it was risking Malik’s life. All that could take time, even if she did manage to pull it off before she got caught.
Malik’s scream came down the tunnel like an injured wild animal.
Sasha got to her feet and sprinted back to him. It was at least a good sign he had regained consciousness.
He was writhing on his side when she got to him. His fist was still bleeding from earlier, and his face was pale, glossy, covered in sweat and tears. He clawed at the metallic floor, doing anything to distract from the pain. He reminded her of a trapped rabbit she saw on the surface of Wake Island. Caught in their traps, the rabbit had screamed and thrashed until it ran out of energy and life.
“Malik, I’m here,” she said, feeling lame and useless. What was the point of her being there if she couldn’t get him free? Still, she thought that she could at least reassure him. “I think I’ve found a potential way out... but it’s not very safe.” That was a huge understatement.
“Just go,” Malik said between gritted teeth as he turned over and sat up, holding his leg out straight. “Leave me, get out, and get help.”
“I’m not leaving you behind,” Sasha said, holding his head in her hands. “I left you last time; I’m not doing it again. There’s got to be a way out of this.” She bent to the trap, trying again to undo the mechanism. It was futile. Whoever had designed it knew what they were doing; there was no going back.
Malik choked back a yelp of pain. Between gasping breaths he said, “There... is... a way.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. “The leg,” he said. “The jaws are... nearly... through the bone.” He shut his eyes tight. “Finish it. Cut through the leg.”
The thought made her shiver. The pain must already be excruciating.
“I can’t,” Sasha said. “I can’t do that... The shock would probably kill you.” She knew it wouldn’t. The injuries he’d suffered on the battlefield were far worse. It was more the fear of her failing him rather than him dying of the injury. She could only find one way out—the chimney. She would have to help him get up the ladder. What if she couldn’t do it? They’d burn to a crisp. It would be her fault.
But then it would be her fault, too, if she left him here to die a slow, agonising death. She heard the first attempts on the door. A clanging metal sound as someone attempted the handle to no avail. Then came the thuds as they pushed against it, followed by raised voices.
“Please!” Malik begged, his face ever paler. “Just... do
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