LEGACY CHILD

CHAPTER NINETEEN

As planned, they easily slipped through the fifth squad's security at the High Pass lab. Not long after, in the wake of much hugging and promises to return as soon as they were able, the other scouts drifted away and she, Porter, and Keko were on their own. It didn't take long before they entered the tunnel where Abriel and Porter met for the first time. Then it was on to only Porter knew where.

            It was time to make good on her father's memory—the thought filling Abriel with excitement and fear. Anger too, at how long they'd been denied their birthright of living on the surface. For the first time in her life, she suspected she understood her mother's rage, and why she'd left the Crescent all those years ago. There was so much anger simmering inside her, it couldn't be contained. If she stayed in the Crescent, it threatened to boil over. And if that happened, Abriel wasn't sure she'd be responsible for her own actions.

            "You okay?" Keko sent from where he trotted at Abriel's side. "I know leaving the squad behind was tough."

            "They didn't seem particularly impressed when I told them to trust Meshodi."

            "Yeah, they weren't your great last words, especially since you had trouble believing them yourself. They just want to make sure we're not storming off into a disaster worse than what we left."

            "That's one way to put it." Aloud, she said, "Porter?"

            "What?" he asked from where he walked on ahead, studying the tunnel.

            "If I don't say it later, thanks for taking me to the surface."

            "You're welcome, though you shouldn't have to thank me for what's always been yours. Still, I get the sentiment."

            In the back of her mind, she could feel his warm presence surrounding her. It drew her in and it was all she could do not to throw her arms around him. She might have, if van Andel's needling words weren't echoing in her head. Fall into bed with him, indeed! As if Porter were just some exotic toy she was drawn to against her will! Or like she had no self-control and couldn't help herself. Stupid, irritating caveman! What an asscracker!

            If Meshodi hadn't shot van Andel, I'd have done it myself!

            Because Porter had lost his micro-tablet, he couldn't pinpoint the markers he'd laid on the way down. Instead, Abriel tweaked the optic spheres so they could track their electronic outputs. They would appear as blue blips in a sea of green. When, not if, they stumbled onto the right path, it would be simple to track the rest. Or so she hoped.

            For the next several hours, they walked without finding anything. Porter explained about the holographic projectors and how they'd been used to keep the tunnels to the surface hidden—which enraged her further. It was Keko's duty to report in every time he pinged a fork in the tunnels. If they could see the fork for themselves, no good. But if they couldn't...

            "Another one ahead. To the left," Keko sent. Even he was beginning to sound tired. She didn't blame him. But Porter didn't want to rest until they were through the first hologram.

            Abriel looked at it with her optic spheres, then without. "Looks like a smooth tunnel wall to me."

            "Perfect. Than that means we're in the right place," Porter said. "Come here."

            He took her left hand and pressed it against the stone wall. Abriel's heart sped up at his nearness.

            "Walk and let your hand drag along the wall," he continued, his mouth disturbingly close to her ear. "Don't let go. The holograms are visual, not tactile. You'll be able to feel when the wall ends."