Tara The Great [Nuworld 2] by Lorie O'Claire

want them,” Polva’s voice rose in pitch. “Now how are we
    going to get out of here and find those two?”
     
    “I’ve radioed for help. Don’t worry. If they’ve been killed, I’ll get you two more.”
     
    “I don’t want two more. I want them. Someone else can have two more. You
    promised me a child. They are the best there is among these primitive beasts. I want my
    child, then I want my home,” Polva whined worse than a spoiled child.
     
    Tara looked horrified when Darius glanced her way. She didn’t return his gaze but
    instead stared at the pile of rubble, her eyes wide open, not blinking.
     
    “Come on.” Darius moved away from the debris.
     
    Flat panels providing light flickered on and off as Tara and Darius moved in the
    only direction they could go. Once the walls had been a sterilized white. Now, they
    appeared light brown as dirt and small rocks appeared here and there from cracks in
    the seams of the walls. They stopped at each intersection and quickly decided which
    way to continue. There had to be a way back to the large cave that had once been the
    city of Korth.
     
    They hit their third intersection and began hearing voices. Shouts. Yelling and
    confusion. A lot of people were somewhere very close.
     
    “Where are they?” Tara asked.
     
    “This way.” Darius pointed to the hallway on their left.
     
    Parts of the white walls were completely gone. Packed dirt and roots from plants
    looked like guts hanging out of a wounded animal. They stepped over rocks and
    paneling.
     

 
    “Wouldn’t roots indicate we’re close to the surface?” Tara wondered out loud as
    they moved cautiously down the hallway. The lights flickered then went out, forcing
    them to use the light behind them to see what lay ahead. The hallway ended within a
    few more feet and double doors stood in front of them.
     
    “I can see between the doors,” Darius whispered, as he put his face to the wood.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Tara pushed herself around him and looked through the crack at a large, cave-like
    room. Torches and small fires scattered throughout the space. Shadows dancing along
    the rough walls made it difficult to determine how many people were actually in there.
    Voices behind them caused them to turn away from the doors and look back in the
    direction they had just been.
     
    “We’re trapped.” Tara hated that sensation more than anything.
     
    “Wait.” He pushed her up against the half-smooth, half-rough wall. “They won’t be
    able to see us. We didn’t see the doors until we were on top of them. We’re in the dark
    back here.”
     
    “So who exactly did you contact?” It was a female voice.
     
    “Well, I spoke to two of them when you had me handling the communication.
    They’d heard rumors. We’d heard rumors. You said they could help us.” It was Pee-
    coo. The other voice must be Pee-coo-mee.
     
    “I know, I know. But you shouldn’t have called them. Now we really have
    problems.”
     
    “I didn’t know what else to do. They were gone and I was scared.”
     
    The two were walking toward Darius and Tara. Darius walked out into the center
    of the hallway.
     
    Pee-coo-mee stopped suddenly and grabbed Pee-coo. She pulled her gun and
    pointed it straight at Darius.
     
    “Who are you?” she asked, squinting to identify the tall figure.
     
    “Who did you contact?” Darius stepped into the light, blocking Tara, who stood
    behind him.
     
    Pee-coo gasped and Pee-coo-mee’s mouth fell. She still held the gun toward him. “I,
    uh, well I, um, contacted the Runner,” Pee-coo stammered. “Patha.”
     
    “Oh, great.” Tara leaned back against the wall.
     
    “I need your landlink so that I can contact him,” Darius ordered. “How long ago
    did you talk to him?”
     
    “Right after we lost…” Pee-coo hesitated and looked at Pee-coo-mee. “I mean after
    we couldn’t find you.”
     

 
    “We need a landlink,” Tara said to Pee-coo-mee.
     
    “Of course.”