Subterranean by Jacob Gralnick Page A

“And?”
    “Nothing. In fact, he warned me that inquiring further would be a mistake.”
    “Sounds like he really wants to hide that place. Even from you.” He leaned on the desk. “Any idea what it is?”
    “No.”
    “So, that’s what you meant when you said he was hiding something?”
    “Yes.”
    “And this… ‘idea’ of yours? I’m guessing it involves me ‘stumbling’ into the restricted area to learn more?”
    “Somewhat.” He picked up a tiny round device and handed it to Flynn. “This is an auto-decryption key. Use it on any door you find in there and it will open.”
    He described the restricted area to them as detailed as he could; a hidden bend near the old storage hangars that lead to a tunnel. He mentioned the few guards that patrolled the area and recommended avoiding them at all costs. It would not be easy to explain should he be spotted, and it would be even more difficult should he try to incapacitate one of them.
    “This sounds dangerous…” Flynn said, wrestling with the uneasy feeling that filled his heart.
    “I assure you it most likely is.”
    “Thanks…” He retorted with a weak grin.
    This was his only chance of getting back to Earth, his only chance of saving his sister. If Tural was hiding even the slightest bit of hope from him, he wanted to know what it was and why. Faced with a situation that promised a dark storm whether it was successful or not, he swallowed his uncertainty and accepted it.
    “Got it, anything else?”
    “No, return to me once you have learned more.” He went back to looking at his research through his lenses. “Now leave me, I am twenty minutes behind schedule.”
    “Right…” Gripping the decryption key in his hand, Flynn beckoned Lisa over to him, who had been distracted by one of the other scientists performing an experiment. He held the round device in his hands like an answer to all of their problems, an object of enormous power, and smiled at her.
    “What’s that?” She asked innocently.
    “Our ticket to Tural’s secrets.”

Chapter 7
    Crossing Boundaries

    Outside, after explaining the plan to Lisa, to which she regarded with anxiety, they made their way as inconspicuously as possible towards the restricted area based on the directions Radovan had given him.
    At the entrance stood two guards with energy rifles, ever ready to defend that point with their lives if need be. Apparently there were half a dozen more inside patrolling the hallways, along with two Subterraneans, probably technicians, that had access to a hidden hangar within. It was one of the few places that had guards stationed within it.
    Whatever was in there must be important.
    “I don’t want to do it.” Lisa’s gut wrenched with anxiety.
    “It’s just a distraction,” he put his hand on her shoulder, “you’ll do fine.”
    “What if they figure out what I’m doing?”
    “They won’t. Besides, it doesn’t have to be long, just a few seconds.”
    Lisa was still apprehensive. “I don’t know…”
    “We need to find out what Tural’s hiding.” He looked into her eyes and smiled warmly. “Then we can finish our stroll through the city.”
    She weakly returned his smile. “…Okay.”
    “Alright,” he pointed at a nearby boulder, “I’ll hide there while you start the distraction.” He slipped away into cover, nodding to Lisa when he was ready.
    Everything inside of her was screaming not to do it, but she did it anyway. She thought of Flynn and somehow walked up to the guards as casually as could be and spoke.
    “Hi, do you know how to get to the hospital? I’m lost.” She hung on the tense seconds of uncertainty that followed.
    At first they seemed startled that someone had actually approached them; most days they probably sit in silence guarding a tunnel that no one ever tries to get into. However, upon fully grasping that one of the weird humans was talking to them, they quickly accommodated her.
    “It is over that way,” the Subterranean