interested in my words, so I go on.
“We weren’t given food on a regular basis. Was it like that in Lesser 3?”
He nods again. “Once a month. They brought boxes to our doors.”
“No, it wasn’t like that in 4. We lined up for miles, and before everyone could reach the front, they ran out. Some people left with nothing.”
His gaze flies to mine and his eyes hold the horror I felt living through that.
We walk a few minutes in silence before I speak again. “Where do you think they’re taking the Lessers?”
“I don’t know.” His frown is back. “Wherever it is, they’re shipping them out by the hundreds.”
“Do you think they’re sending them in place of the Lesser prisoners?”
He considers it before shrugging. “I couldn’t say, but why so many?”
Silence wraps around us once again, but it’s not uncomfortable like it has been. A small piece of the old Fischer is back, the one that returned with his smile topside.
After what feels like all day but is probably only an hour, we agree to stop and figure out where we are.
“We’ve passed a few ladders,” Isabel says. “All of them lead up, but who knows where? We don’t want to pop up in the middle of a busy street.”
She’s right. Getting out of this drainage system won’t be easy.
“There’s no way to know where we are,” Fischer says. “We’re going to have to take a chance.”
Those are exactly the words I don’t want to hear. Thoughts of getting caught and sent away or killed are just too much. I want to be free—free to find Guard Nev. Free to warn the people of what’s coming. Free to live.
Today is not the day for freedom, though. It’s the day for chances. I point. “There’s a ladder.”
Fischer and Isabel spin to look over their shoulders, and Fischer nods. “Then that’s our way out.”
15
Isabel insists on going first and attempting to remove the cover to the street.
“Only move it an inch or two,” Fischer says. “Don’t draw any attention to yourself.”
Isabel gives her signature grin. “This ain’t the first time I’ve been in trouble, Mr. Medic. I sneaked in and out of every type of place you can imagine before I ended up demoted.”
Fischer chuckles and shakes his head in the dim light of the tunnels. “You got it. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Isabel puts her hands on the nearest rung and takes her first step.
“If staying hidden is your goal, I wouldn’t take that route,” a deep voice says.
We spin at the voice, sloshing water into the air.
Three men—maybe Fischer’s age, maybe a little older—stand at the entrance to a different tunnel. They’re dressed in rough, homespun clothes like almost everyone else, but they’re here. In this tunnel.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“No one to be afraid of, unless you mean us harm.” The one speaking is tall, with dark hair and even darker eyes. The other two haven’t spoken a word, but they’re taller than the first guy, and bigger all around.
“We don’t mean you any harm.” Fischer’s voice is his typical soft and melodic voice.
He’s coming back, slowly but surely.
“We’re trying to get out of here.” Staying calm is best, but their presence puts a damper on my good feelings.
“Like I said, if you want to get caught, be my guest.” He gestures toward the ladder Isabel still stands on.
I look to Fischer for instruction. We don’t know these guys from any other Lesser we’d meet on the street. They could have been sent to trap us. They could want to rob us and kill us.
Or, they might want to help us.
“Then how do we get out?” I ask.
“We can show you, for a price.”
“We don’t have anything to give,” Fischer says. “We don’t even have food or water.”
The speaker smirks and shakes his head. “What we’re wanting isn’t something you have, anyway. We want you to bring back a few things from up there.”
I frown and glance to Fischer and Isabel again.
“What do you
“We weren’t given food on a regular basis. Was it like that in Lesser 3?”
He nods again. “Once a month. They brought boxes to our doors.”
“No, it wasn’t like that in 4. We lined up for miles, and before everyone could reach the front, they ran out. Some people left with nothing.”
His gaze flies to mine and his eyes hold the horror I felt living through that.
We walk a few minutes in silence before I speak again. “Where do you think they’re taking the Lessers?”
“I don’t know.” His frown is back. “Wherever it is, they’re shipping them out by the hundreds.”
“Do you think they’re sending them in place of the Lesser prisoners?”
He considers it before shrugging. “I couldn’t say, but why so many?”
Silence wraps around us once again, but it’s not uncomfortable like it has been. A small piece of the old Fischer is back, the one that returned with his smile topside.
After what feels like all day but is probably only an hour, we agree to stop and figure out where we are.
“We’ve passed a few ladders,” Isabel says. “All of them lead up, but who knows where? We don’t want to pop up in the middle of a busy street.”
She’s right. Getting out of this drainage system won’t be easy.
“There’s no way to know where we are,” Fischer says. “We’re going to have to take a chance.”
Those are exactly the words I don’t want to hear. Thoughts of getting caught and sent away or killed are just too much. I want to be free—free to find Guard Nev. Free to warn the people of what’s coming. Free to live.
Today is not the day for freedom, though. It’s the day for chances. I point. “There’s a ladder.”
Fischer and Isabel spin to look over their shoulders, and Fischer nods. “Then that’s our way out.”
15
Isabel insists on going first and attempting to remove the cover to the street.
“Only move it an inch or two,” Fischer says. “Don’t draw any attention to yourself.”
Isabel gives her signature grin. “This ain’t the first time I’ve been in trouble, Mr. Medic. I sneaked in and out of every type of place you can imagine before I ended up demoted.”
Fischer chuckles and shakes his head in the dim light of the tunnels. “You got it. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Isabel puts her hands on the nearest rung and takes her first step.
“If staying hidden is your goal, I wouldn’t take that route,” a deep voice says.
We spin at the voice, sloshing water into the air.
Three men—maybe Fischer’s age, maybe a little older—stand at the entrance to a different tunnel. They’re dressed in rough, homespun clothes like almost everyone else, but they’re here. In this tunnel.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“No one to be afraid of, unless you mean us harm.” The one speaking is tall, with dark hair and even darker eyes. The other two haven’t spoken a word, but they’re taller than the first guy, and bigger all around.
“We don’t mean you any harm.” Fischer’s voice is his typical soft and melodic voice.
He’s coming back, slowly but surely.
“We’re trying to get out of here.” Staying calm is best, but their presence puts a damper on my good feelings.
“Like I said, if you want to get caught, be my guest.” He gestures toward the ladder Isabel still stands on.
I look to Fischer for instruction. We don’t know these guys from any other Lesser we’d meet on the street. They could have been sent to trap us. They could want to rob us and kill us.
Or, they might want to help us.
“Then how do we get out?” I ask.
“We can show you, for a price.”
“We don’t have anything to give,” Fischer says. “We don’t even have food or water.”
The speaker smirks and shakes his head. “What we’re wanting isn’t something you have, anyway. We want you to bring back a few things from up there.”
I frown and glance to Fischer and Isabel again.
“What do you
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