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21. Break out

I stood on the bed for an indefinite time, continuing to look the device on my arm, as to find in it an answer. Leave or stay, once again a choice without a second thought, a choice that should have been examined only on the basis of the facts and had to take into account all the possible implication. Unfortunately I've never been a very rational person.

Leave. Definitively leave. I didn't know if it was the right thing to do; damn, I didn't even know in what to believe anymore! But...I wanted to see him, my Ne'veah, at least for one last time; my questions needed an answer and I wanted to hear them directly from him, and if I had to risk my life...if I had to die...so be it, at least I knew from the beginning that there was no guarantee to return back.

I waited patiently for an indefinite time, hoping that outside began to get dark; only when I really started to get bored I watched the wrist gauntlet, and then my gaze wandered around the room: I needed something to hide it. My attention went to the furs on the bed; I took one short enough to wrap it around my shoulder and hide my arms under it, then I tried to adjust it better around my neck, using the smooth surface of the walls as a kind of mirror: it looked like a long gaudy shawl, but I didn't have nothing better. I checked the map that Dachande had programmed, still hesitant to trust him or not, and memorized as much as possible the route: the place where I stood was vast and complex, but fortunately I just had to follow a long corridor to the right of my room and, after just a couple of turns, reach what I thought was a lift and move downwards. Probably without this information I would never be able to get out of this maze.

I opened my room's door and took a good breath, starting to walk along the corridor. Obviously I wasn't alone, there were few Yautja walking around the base; some of them seemed simply busy with their affairs, but others were clearly guards ready to break your head, wearing their masks and inspecting the area. I tried to go unnoticed, hiding myself in secondary passages, behind columns or equipment full of tubes. More I walked, the more my discomfort grew. I was literally terrorized to be discovered, I could only hope to act undisturbed as long as I could, at least to see how far I could go.

I turned slowly to the right, watching in the meantime the smooth wall surfaces as to find something, anything, that could help me to understand if it was getting dark or it was still too early; this place was so fortified that I couldn't find a single fucking window. I had to continue for several more minutes, and for a moment I almost thought to be lost, until I saw the elevator right in front of me. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby or was using the lift, then I got inside and the doors closed behind me.

I checked again the wrist gauntlet, making sure I was following the right direction, then I looked the number of buttons on the lift and almost I was surprised to be able to understand where was the "down" button; only because one thing is alien does not mean that it is not as many simple. And yet, a thought kept going through my head. Too easy. Surely I wasn't a big threat for them, but I was in their base, and for what little I knew about Yautja this was more than sufficient reason to be cautious even with a simple human; not to mention that for them I was a Bad blood's mate, and, as I have been told many times, the only person who could stop the war...or to initiate could be several explanations about it: Dachande could have allies, maybe he is helping me in some way or the guards were too much sure that I couldn't get out of here; but whatever was the reason, if it could help me to follow my priorities then it was fine.

Once arrived to the ground floor, the map guided me along a series of corridors on the right side of the building, pushing me more and more into its depths. The same scenery of before, too few Yautja around. I was starting to doubt my decision, but if I had to die, here or outside, at least it was me to choose how to do it, and I would have done it looking for what I wanted. I stopped just a moment behind a wall to see two Yautja exit from a door a little further on and waited for their passage, then I walked quickly toward the same door and went in, looking behind just for a moment to make sure no one saw me.

I felt immediately something different as soon as the door closed: it was warmer here, more than usual, and looking around I noticed that the walls were full of tubes pipes, consoles and valves. Hmmm, maybe I was in a sort of engine room? Well, if this meant less Yautja it was better for me. I continued to follow the map, but soon it became almost impossible to hide the gauntlet under the fur: too much warm, and the device that gave me oxygen didn't seem enough to make me breath regularly. I had to get out of here and immediately. I quicken my pace, the exit didn't seem too far from here; maybe it was a kind of emergency exit, in case something happen to machinery.

After a while I turned on the left, arriving in a small room surrounded by other consoles and monitors, and I made just in time to cover my mouth and hide myself in the corridor before a Yautja turned and discovered me. I waited a few seconds to recover from the shock, controlling my breath, before to try to look at him on the sly; he was checking the machines and seemed much focused on his work, and behind him there was another door. I checked the map, cursing silently; I had to pass that fucking door if I wanted to get out of here. The Yautja turned again to make other checks; I could easily ran behind him and reach the door, but it was all too obvious that was a bad idea...the only idea I had. I breathed deeply, ready to do this crazy thing, when a sound of footsteps made me stop. Oh Shit! Someone was coming!

My legs acted before my brain; heedless of the noise, I started to run back along the corridor, almost throwing myself in a secondary passage and instinctively pressing my body against the wall to avoid being noticed. Another Yautja passed without detect me, giving me the time to hide myself better. I stood there for an indefinite time, thinking about my next move, but with my surprise the two Yautja left the room, going back to the hallway and almost scaring me to death, with the fear of being identified. I continued to stand still for some minutes, then slowly I went again in that room, opening the last obstacle to my freedom. Only when the door closed behind me I started to run without looking back, eager to get out from here.

The cold night air hit my stomach, making me shiver; I wrapped the fur around my body and looked up, realizing I was on the back side of their base, before starting to run again. The light of two moons guided me inside the forest, but I had to hurry, I didn't know how long it would last; I had only two thoughts in mind: get away from here and find Ne'veah. I just could not imagine the scene; what will happen when I'll be in front of him? Will I find the answers I need? If Sain'ja was right...he didn't need me anymore… he will try to kill me? He? I…

It all happened too fast. Something grabbed me roughly by the calf, pulling me back. My yelp died in my throat when I tripped and my shoulder painfully hit the ground, the pain that reverberated in my limb as I continued to be dragged back. I was raised off the ground upside down, and finally found my lungs again the air they had lost, starting to scream with all the breath in my throat, shaking me like a possessed and hitting the air at random. My free leg kicked something hard and the grip on my leg loosened, making me fall again tumbling to the ground; I turned to look back, and although I could not see anything, it was impossible not to recognize the profile of a Yautja, invisible just two second before.

I heard his furious growls, and fear came right into my bones. In desperation, I began to crawl back as fast as I could, barely holding back sobs; I couldn't see where I was going, and the blade came even before I knew it. My scream echoed through the entire forest, so loudly that my throat burned like hell; I could no longer escape more, my thigh pierced from side to side from a big knife. It hurt, it hurt so much...and while I was crying from the pain, almost about to faint, I felt his hands on my face, taping my mouth, his grip ever closer...ready to take my head off...

A roar rose towards the sky, so loud that the earth seemed to tremble. Something, someone, literally jumped on my assailant, knocking him down with a loud thud. Growls and roars filled my ears, while through my tears I could only see two shadows rush against each other with fury, rolling on the ground like a crazy spinning top. I try to focus my attention to my leg, and the sight of the blood scared me even more, the terror to bleed to death. Slowly my hand reached the knife, but it was enough just a little pressure to send sparks of pain all over my leg. The only thing I could do was to try to stand still as far as possible, using the fur like a bandage and, with terrible pain, press on the wound to stop the blood; I was sobbing and crying, trying desperately to make long breaths and calm down…as someone could remain calm in such a situation!

Suddenly I heard a whine, but it lasted only few seconds; then only a strangled cry…and then nothing more. My body started to shake uncontrollably, hearing the footsteps coming in my direction; I was too much scared, but I couldn't do nothing but look up, while finally the moonlight illuminated the shape in front of me.

Ne'veah.

He was himself...and at the same time he wasn't. Bathed in that light, he was breathing heavily, his body so covered with green and glowing blood that it was impossible to understand if it was his or not, his right hand that held the severed arm of the other Yautja. And his eyes, those eyes that I had always loved, shone like ice under the rays of the sun, so cold to penetrate into your soul. If the god of death had a face, then it was certainly this.

A sudden series of roars filled the air and he turned his head sharply toward the base of the clan, his dread that swayed to the movement. A sort of alarm system, I presumed. Ne'veah quickly bent toward me, and unceremoniously he grabbed my cheeks, forcing me to open my mouth and then placing a finger between my teeth. I barely had the time to realize what was happening that a tremendous pain pervaded my body and instinctively my teeth closed on his finger, crying and screaming. I only saw a sort of syringe and the knife that a few seconds before was in my thigh now was thrown there on the ground.

With the pain that still tormented my body and exhausted by the strong emotions , I was too weak to react, the head that was spinning terribly; and while he took me upon his shoulder and started to run fast in the forest, I stood there with my arms dangling, and only one thought in mind: he was my salvation…or damnation?