There was a loud cranking noise in the far distance, followed by a thud.
"Where the hell are we, how big is this hole?" Brennan questioned out loud.
Suddenly there was a faint scream way off into the distant darkness.
"I don't know" Thorne replied, "but lets go that way," he said pointing into the opposite direction of the scream.
"Finally, we agree on something" Brennan said pulling himself to a stands and wiping the dirt on his hands onto his jeans.
"I must thank Eckhart though for making sure my clothes were grabbed at the hospital, I could not manage walking around here in a hospital gown."
"Trust me, none of us would like to see that" Thorne said.
Brennan shook off his comment and began walking down the tunnel, still clutching his side.
"Are you going to be alright Bren?" Emma asked worriedly.
"I'll manage Em," he said forcing out a grin at her.
The three proceeded down the passageway for what seemed to be well over two hours. It twisted and turned and there were so many branch offs. Thorne had pointed out holes everywhere in the dirt. Some were large and deep, yet others small. They had decided to keep the straight path till the end so they would not get lost and could backtrack, if there was an end Emma had commented. There was no sign of anyone or anything anywhere. They were all baffled. What WAS the point to this?
Brennan was getting slower by the minute walking. He was again so pale and looked worn-out. Emma read Brennan and learned he was so full of pride he did not want Thorne to see he was weak. Thorne, however, had noticed Brennan staggering for over an hour. He was slowing their progress up. He couldn't help feeling a small amount of respect for him.
Finally after letting this go on for around twenty more minutes, Emma had to give in.
"Man, I am beat. Do you guys care if we stop and rest a few?" Emma said stopping and glancing at Thorne and Brennan. She was not lying, she really did want to stop and rest.
"Fine with me, it doesn't appear we are getting anywhere anyway" Thorne said slouching down against the wall.
Brennan just shook his head; it was like he barely had enough energy left in him to respond. Brennan slid down the wall opposite Thorne, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.
Emma slid down next to Brennan rubbing her arms for warmth.
"How are you feeling Bren, you look so tired. How about you take a power nap?" Emma said nudging Brennan's arm with her elbow.
Brennan swallowed hard and opened his eyes and looked at Emma and than to Thorne.
"No Em, I refuse to sleep and leave you alone with that" he said pointed to Thorne. "And I am so sorry it happened once already, I promise you it will never happen again" he added.
"I am a big girl Bren, always looking out for me though, how sweet you are," she said nudging his arm again.
"It sure is cold," she added poking at him one last time.
Brennan caught the hint quickly and slid his arm behind Emma pulling her strongly into his body. Emma appreciated the gesture and wrapped her arms around his chest and snuggled in.
"If only Shal could see this!" she said grinning.
"We wouldn't have to worry about getting out of this hell hole," Brennan said smiling a real smile for once. "Shal would beat the shit out of both of us and bury us in here forever!"
Brennan and Emma both laughed out loud.
"This secret we will keep between us to the grave!" Emma said.
"I appreciate that," Brennan said kissing Emma on the check and tilting his head back again.
In a matter of minutes Brennan was sleeping. Emma felt so safe with Brennan. She let out a slight sigh.
"You really care for him. Why?" Thorne said starring at Emma.
"What do you mean why?" Emma asked somewhat irritated. "Bren is really a great guy".
"HA! He can't fool me. What makes him so great?" Thorne said with a little jealousy in his voice.
"I admit, he can be slightly irrational at times and he is the most stubborn man I have every meet. Once he gets something in his head, you can forget about it!" Emma said giggling.
"But that is part of who he is, and he is sensitive, sincere, thoughtful, strong.. The list goes on and on. You know Thorne, I have used my powers to read you and you're not as big as a monster you make yourself out to be. There are true decent humane feelings bottled up in your soul and I don't know why you keep those hidden."
Thorne smirked at her and shook his head no and yet had no response.
"What is your thing with Brennan anyway?" Emma said bravely. "I mean, besides him escaping Genomex and causing Eckhart to treat you unfairly, you put yourself in that predicament."
Thorne smirked again and glanced over at Brennan to see he was sound a sleep.
"Well since you can read my mind anyway, yes, you are correct. I guess.. maybe I have taken out my frustrations on Brennan a tad too much. I guess I needed someone to hate besides myself for my poor choices in life".
Suddenly there was a loud voice of someone yelling, and it was getting louder and louder. Whoever it was, was getting closer and closer to them. Emma jumped up in panic, waking Brennan up instantly.
"Should we run or stand our ground?" Emma said to Thorne swallowing hard.
"I will leave that decision to you, but please make it quick!" Thorne said starring down the tunnel with his eyes wide open.
"Where the hell are we, how big is this hole?" Brennan questioned out loud.
Suddenly there was a faint scream way off into the distant darkness.
"I don't know" Thorne replied, "but lets go that way," he said pointing into the opposite direction of the scream.
"Finally, we agree on something" Brennan said pulling himself to a stands and wiping the dirt on his hands onto his jeans.
"I must thank Eckhart though for making sure my clothes were grabbed at the hospital, I could not manage walking around here in a hospital gown."
"Trust me, none of us would like to see that" Thorne said.
Brennan shook off his comment and began walking down the tunnel, still clutching his side.
"Are you going to be alright Bren?" Emma asked worriedly.
"I'll manage Em," he said forcing out a grin at her.
The three proceeded down the passageway for what seemed to be well over two hours. It twisted and turned and there were so many branch offs. Thorne had pointed out holes everywhere in the dirt. Some were large and deep, yet others small. They had decided to keep the straight path till the end so they would not get lost and could backtrack, if there was an end Emma had commented. There was no sign of anyone or anything anywhere. They were all baffled. What WAS the point to this?
Brennan was getting slower by the minute walking. He was again so pale and looked worn-out. Emma read Brennan and learned he was so full of pride he did not want Thorne to see he was weak. Thorne, however, had noticed Brennan staggering for over an hour. He was slowing their progress up. He couldn't help feeling a small amount of respect for him.
Finally after letting this go on for around twenty more minutes, Emma had to give in.
"Man, I am beat. Do you guys care if we stop and rest a few?" Emma said stopping and glancing at Thorne and Brennan. She was not lying, she really did want to stop and rest.
"Fine with me, it doesn't appear we are getting anywhere anyway" Thorne said slouching down against the wall.
Brennan just shook his head; it was like he barely had enough energy left in him to respond. Brennan slid down the wall opposite Thorne, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.
Emma slid down next to Brennan rubbing her arms for warmth.
"How are you feeling Bren, you look so tired. How about you take a power nap?" Emma said nudging Brennan's arm with her elbow.
Brennan swallowed hard and opened his eyes and looked at Emma and than to Thorne.
"No Em, I refuse to sleep and leave you alone with that" he said pointed to Thorne. "And I am so sorry it happened once already, I promise you it will never happen again" he added.
"I am a big girl Bren, always looking out for me though, how sweet you are," she said nudging his arm again.
"It sure is cold," she added poking at him one last time.
Brennan caught the hint quickly and slid his arm behind Emma pulling her strongly into his body. Emma appreciated the gesture and wrapped her arms around his chest and snuggled in.
"If only Shal could see this!" she said grinning.
"We wouldn't have to worry about getting out of this hell hole," Brennan said smiling a real smile for once. "Shal would beat the shit out of both of us and bury us in here forever!"
Brennan and Emma both laughed out loud.
"This secret we will keep between us to the grave!" Emma said.
"I appreciate that," Brennan said kissing Emma on the check and tilting his head back again.
In a matter of minutes Brennan was sleeping. Emma felt so safe with Brennan. She let out a slight sigh.
"You really care for him. Why?" Thorne said starring at Emma.
"What do you mean why?" Emma asked somewhat irritated. "Bren is really a great guy".
"HA! He can't fool me. What makes him so great?" Thorne said with a little jealousy in his voice.
"I admit, he can be slightly irrational at times and he is the most stubborn man I have every meet. Once he gets something in his head, you can forget about it!" Emma said giggling.
"But that is part of who he is, and he is sensitive, sincere, thoughtful, strong.. The list goes on and on. You know Thorne, I have used my powers to read you and you're not as big as a monster you make yourself out to be. There are true decent humane feelings bottled up in your soul and I don't know why you keep those hidden."
Thorne smirked at her and shook his head no and yet had no response.
"What is your thing with Brennan anyway?" Emma said bravely. "I mean, besides him escaping Genomex and causing Eckhart to treat you unfairly, you put yourself in that predicament."
Thorne smirked again and glanced over at Brennan to see he was sound a sleep.
"Well since you can read my mind anyway, yes, you are correct. I guess.. maybe I have taken out my frustrations on Brennan a tad too much. I guess I needed someone to hate besides myself for my poor choices in life".
Suddenly there was a loud voice of someone yelling, and it was getting louder and louder. Whoever it was, was getting closer and closer to them. Emma jumped up in panic, waking Brennan up instantly.
"Should we run or stand our ground?" Emma said to Thorne swallowing hard.
"I will leave that decision to you, but please make it quick!" Thorne said starring down the tunnel with his eyes wide open.