Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.

It was a tough time racing through the darkness with a mask on his face. Kaail's skin underneath irritated and all he wanted to do was scratch it off. How the pauk can anyone wear this?! Even so, he found some features that he favored more than to relieve the irritation. The mask automatically flashed on his way, showing vision as if he wasn't wearing it at all. Plus, it provided some cover in case someone recognized him and Fi'ka seemed to have gone through a lot of trouble to get it.

He crouched low through the underbrush of the jungle, weaving around with no problem. This is the easy part. He knew it well that he could do it with his eyes closed. The next part would prove more difficult.

He stopped at the edge of the jungle that morphs into the first parts of the city. Even from this view, there were flashing lights going around, cutting through buildings, and searching for something. And then growls and roars, giving commands to others or something of that nature.

Patrols. Great . . . just what I need.

Kaail looked to see if there was another way, hoping to avoid them as much as possible. But going around would take too long and there's no guarantee that he had time to spare. A'stea was dying and he couldn't take chances with it.

A'stea . . . He closed his eyes, reaching for the small, silver bead on his dreadlock. Regret and despair filled him for a moment, replaced with a small bit of warmth from her smile. He couldn't bear thinking that it might be the last time. No . . . I need to get this done.

He waited until the closest patrol marched in the opposite direction before making his move. Kaail crouched low as he scurried to the closest building, darting his head out for a few seconds before jumping to the next one. So far, so good.

But just as he was starting to become confident, he halted right on his heels and hid behind a small table left behind from the markets. From a few meters away, a patrol was gathering around a few Hish that were tied up and forced to kneel on the ground with guns pressed on their temples. He thought that they would be spared since the Hish guards tend to be merciful in saving their own and coming up with excuses. That was before though. The situation was made worse with the presence of an Amengi master watching over. Kaail fought to keep a growl in, locking his jaw or else risk being caught.

"So . . . you'd think you could escape from us?" The master spoke. "You're mistaken."

"We weren't escaping." One Hish spoke shakily but firm enough. "We were only sent to find materials for dinner."

"In the middle of the night? Sounds out of the ordinary." The master flicks his tusks. "I'm sure we can straighten this out if we call your master and—"

"No! Don't!" A female Hish roared this time but lowered her head when she realized she made a mistake. Even Kaail knew well enough that the Amengi are not complete fools, especially the high ranks.

"Oh?" The master stepped closer. "Why shouldn't I?"

The Hish servants lowered their heads in submission. Kaail can see they were hiding something. Not good liars, are you? He jumped when the master slammed a foot on the servant's skill. A faint sound of cracking bones could be heard. It sickened the Hish guards who were watching. Even Kaail understood their reaction. The sound alone made anyone's stomach twist.

The master leaned closer. His mouth inches from the Hish. "I know you're in league with the Rebellion. You're planning to join them, aren't you?"

"I don't . . . know what you're talking about?"

Kaail watched the wheels in the Amengi's eye turn and then a smile. Not a good sign. The master lifted his foot from the servant but commanded a guard to forcibly pull the servant away. The female Hish reacted, hissing while running towards the guards. She didn't get a step in before she was wrapped with a whip, slamming into the ground. The master barely moved, still grinning at the predicament. Kaail watched where his eyes were going and realized what he was looking at.

Earlier behind the servants, a pup that was no older than a teenager shook in absolute terror. He shook as the master stepped closer to him. The other Hish, he assumed were his parents, tried to wrestle out of their prisons . . . but to no avail.

"Hello, little one." The master spoke with a soft tone laced with a hint of animosity. Kaail had seen it all too well in his younger days.

The pup shook, lowering his gaze.

"What are you all up to? It's merely out of curiosity." The master paused. "You reckon where you're going? You can tell me."

The Amengi pressed a hand on the pup, squeezing his fingers around the back of his neck. The pup quivered at the touch, frozen in fear. Kaail can tell he wanted to say something . . . anything as he looked at his parents. They merely exchanged nods and shakes quietly. Anyone would have figured out the meaning behind them but being young and naive, the pup began to stutter.

"I . . . don't know . . . We're only . . ." He swallowed. "We're . . . only going to . . ."

The master stopped him. "I understand. I can see you need some encouragement."

Out of nowhere, he pulled the pup harshly and grabbed his head, raising him a few feet from the ground. Being small, the Amengi's hand clamped down like a giant claw, reaching to pierce his claws into the pup's neck. He shrieked and thrashed to get away, only serving to make the pain worse.

"No! Stop it! Leave him alone!" The female Hish pleaded. The master stopped with a huff and lowered the pup but didn't let go. Instead, he forced the pup to look right at his parents with a grin that made Kaail turn away in disgust.

"Either you tell me what you know . . ." He nodded at one of the guards, a signal for something. Kaail knew well enough what would happen. "Or this will happen."

The guard aimed at the female Hish and shot her with a plasma blast. Her head exploded into chunks of flesh and green blood. The pup cried in agony as the headless corpse dropped the cold ground, twitching a few times.

"You bastards!" The male servant roared and spread his mandibles as if reaching for the master, wishing to rip him apart. The master merely chuckled.

"I wonder what will happen next." He turned the pup to look at him again. "I know you were going to join the Rebellion. Tell me where they are located or who is involved . . . and I'll spare your lives."

"That's all bull c'jit!" The male Hish roar and Kaail can sense anger taking hold. "You have nothing but empty promises. You'll only kill us in the end!"

It was silent and Kaail could see the hesitation in the guards. They feel the same . . . but won't do anything about it.

The master turned the pup and looked at him for a split second before bobbing his head as if he was done. "Then I guess you're right."

In a split second, the Amengi stabbed his hand deep into the pup's lower stomach, twisting it to let the green blood pour. The pup opened his mouth but couldn't scream, blinded by pain. The horrified male Hish could only watch as the master scrambled his hand inside the pup, pulling bits of organs in the process before snapping his spine in half. It wouldn't be long before the master aimed his small gun at the last Hish and blew his mouth wide open. Only hanging mandibles were left as the body dropped to the ground.

"Everyone listen!" The anger of the Amengi was evident now. "Fan out and search for more! Anyone who's walking around is to be shot without question! And if anyone shows mercy . . ." He moved to the closest guard, hissing at the Hish. "You will suffer the same fate."

The Hish guards nodded without hesitation and spread apart, moving to search every part in the city. The master looked at the pup's corpse once more before spitting on it and then left. Kaail had seen vulgar behavior but this opened his eyes to the reality of their world. The Amengi would not think twice about killing, rather enjoyed inflicting pain. It boiled the acid in his stomach, burning him with rage.

With the guards spread out, it was made harder for Kaail to move about. Hish can see in the dark but not well enough to see everything. Pauk. If only I had something to give me an advantage . . .

A thought came to him. Fi'ka said something about the mask and gauntlet being useful. He looks to the metal gauntlet and sees that there were some buttons on it. When he pressed one of them, symbols of the language popped up in red. It stunned him a little but then his mask began to do the same thing until his vision changed. Everything was blue with some spots of yellow, orange and red. What is this?

Kaail hid again when he heard footsteps coming. At first, he didn't see anything until a blob came into his view. There was more red, orange, and yellow color in the shape of a Hish, walking along with a gun in his hand. Is this . . . heat vision? It has to be.

Kaail opened his mouth underneath his mask. So this is what A'stea and the others are hiding. It was a clever idea that allowed him to see who was coming from miles away. He watched as the guard walked away to search in another section. Out of curiosity, Kaail pressed the gauntlet again and the vision changed back to normal. He realized that the gauntlet was the controller of the mask, an invention that he never thought could be possible but might be the thing to get him through undetected.

He moved as soon as it was clear, weaving through tight spaces and dark alleys. When his heat vision detected a patrol, he avoided them easily. But on the way, he passed by bodies and bodies of Hish that had been executed. Their bodies left on the streets with organs and broken limbs sticking out like sticks. The foul smell hit him hard, almost making him gag.

Finally, he made it to the other side at the last buildings standing between him and open freedom to the mountain. But another obstacle stood in his way. From a few feet away, a line of Hish guards stood in waiting, searching for anything in the darkness. The heat vision showed him that there must be a dozen if not more. He thought about going around but he was so close. He looked up to the clouded-covered mountain and thought of A'stea. I have no choice. I'll have to risk it.

With a deep breath, Kaail moved out of the cover of the building and walked up in the guard's vision. On cue, they pointed their guns and spears at him. "Who are you? State your business."

He raised his hands but didn't stop. The guards tensed even more as their fingers grazed the triggers, not out of eagerness but uncertainty. The lead guard that spoke earlier growled. "Stop right there. Who are you and what do you want?"

Kaail sighed. "I have to pass."

"That's not going to happen. We are ordered to shoot anyone that's not obeying curfew. If you don't stop . . ." He pulls a handgun and aims. "We will kill you."

Kaail stops right there but removes his mask, showing his face. In an instant, the guards gasped and stepped back in shock. The disbelief was clear on their faces that even a blind person could see.

"The Great . . . White Warrior."

Kaail grumbled. "As I said before, I need to pass . . . regardless if I get your permission or not."

"But . . ." The leading guard spoke. "We can't let you. We're ordered to kill anyone who's outside curfew." He pointed his gun and aimed for Kaail's chest.

"You don't understand." Kaail began to sound like he was begging. "I have to get through to the mountain. There's someone who needs my help . . . someone that I cannot afford to lose. And you don't have to listen to those bastards who don't give a c'jit about you."

His heart hammered in his chest. Fear began to seep into his muscles, almost making them ache in pain. But he would do anything to get through. Each moment he lost was one he couldn't afford to. He imagined that every second, A'stea was in pain and close to death. The twin suns were almost gone so he knew time was running out.

"Please . . ." In a brazen act and one no one saw coming . . . not even himself . . . Kaail kneeled before them. He watched as the guards looked down at him wide-eyed, seeing the Great White Warrior showing submission.

"I need to pass. I have to."

Kaail lowered his head and waited painfully. As much as he wanted to get this over with by killing them quickly, he knew it would be wrong. The Hish were only following orders and they had no choice. After a minute had passed, he heard the guns click off. Slowly, he looked up and saw the guards were moving to the side with the leader standing in front of him.

"I never thought I would see the warrior himself bowing to us. Why are you so eager to defy the masters when they can dispose of you at any moment?"

Kaail got to his feet slowly. Determination settled in his heart. "Because I have something worth protecting now. I'd rather risk death than be without her." He stepped closer. "And neither Hish nor Amengi will stop me."

He waited, seeing what the leading guard would decide. A stare off ensured before the guard sighed. "You really mean that?"

Kaail didn't answer and just stared more. Eventually, the guard stepped back and turned to the side, ordering the others to do the same to create a clear path for him. Kaail didn't move but looked back and forth between the opening and the guard. This is my chance.

He started to walk to the opening but stopped when he heard the leading guard whisper. "Are you with the Rebellion?"

He turned his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.

"We heard rumors that the Great White Warrior was involved. Some thought it far fetched but seeing you here means that there's some merit to them."

Kaail clicked his mandibles. He wasn't hesitant to answer, knowing without a doubt where his allegiances lie. "It's true."

"Then . . ." The guard asked hesitantly. "Do you believe that we can be free?"

Kaail could tell the spark in the guard's eyes. As much as they feared the masters, he could see the resolve in them, even if it was very little.

I want them to be free . . . to make their own decisions . . . and not have to go through the same thing I have.

A'stea's words echoed in his mind, remembering her story and the pain she saw in her eyes. If we can be free . . . no more fear.

Kaail raised his chest in pride. "I firmly believe."

He raised his hand and pressed it on the guard's shoulder, shaking it gently. He could see the male Hish thinking for a moment, considering his options. He could refuse and kill him right then and there. For some reason or another, he understood. The power of the Amengi is not one to underestimate. The guard took a moment before he did the same in greeting. The understanding between them was absolute. He nodded to the guard and lets go, taking off through the line of guards and into the open air.

It wasn't long before he made it to the base of the mountain. There was a small path that wrapped around the base of the mountain and then led up to the top. From his view, it was higher than expected and the thick clouds didn't make it any better.

Still, he wasn't about to back down. He closed his eyes and thought about A'stea one last time, remembering the honey scent she carried. His heart fluttered at that moment. The desire to see her again . . . alive and well . . . was worth anything else in the entire universe.

Kaail sighed deeply and smiled. "Hold on, A'stea."

With one step, he made the first step of a long journey to the top with a grueling night awaiting him.

Hi everyone!

The cruelty of the Amengi never ceases and the pressure from the Rebellion is starting to rattle the masters, enough that they would kill even pups to show that they are the rulers. It sickens Kaail and myself to see this too often. But could this be enough to make others rise?

I mean . . . the guards could see how determined Kaail is to defy the masters and do what he needs to do, even going down on his knees and begging to cross. My heart flew to him as this shows how much he cares for A'stea to save her life. And it might be what they need to bring others around and fight for their freedom, showing his conviction to fight for what is right.

But will it be enough? Or will the masters bring more suffering than ever before?

For now, we need to pray that Kaail makes it back to A'stea with the last ingredient before it's too late. But what darkness is in store for him in the mountain?

Find out when Chapter 46 comes tomorrow!

Thank you for the reviews (Anonymous-E, HuntressQueen22, IanAlphaAxel, and NeverNeverLady)! They are very important for me and I hope I see more readers posting as well. All opinions are welcomed. I hope you keep on reading! ;)

And thank you for your support. :)

And yes! it does sound like I'm a hero in the last chapter lol

Happy Hunting! :))))