The Pairing

Chapter 11: Nightmares

Tarek had only been to Andor once with Roderick. The trip a warning, his prior Guide had told him.

See this desolation, Tarek. Take it in. These people are not really living, their lives full of despair. Live pure, and accept your privilege, for an impure life will lead to a world such as this.

Back then, he had believed Exemplar's population mirrored Andor's—no one actually living.

Not anymore. This world and its people were lost, completely.

Even before their portal closed in the alley, Tarek shoved Lena into a burned-out building, a rusted vehicle with its front end smashed through the window. He pressed her up against the truck when stray bullets peppered their hiding spot. More shots from ancient guns sliced the air, one whizzing past his ear. They were in the middle of a capital city where the Warden resided. Out of the entire world, this place, with its killing and stealing and raping was the safest to be.

He pushed Lena tighter against the truck as the shots continued to pummel their spot. One Andorian came too close to the shattered window, his toothless sneer and dirty face pointed to Lena. The man lifted his weapon.

Tarek drew his gun faster, his shot hitting the heathen between the eyes. No tasers this trip. His weapon—with soul-stealing bullets that absorbed energy as soon as it broke skin—clicked as it powered up again. If the Warden wanted the man's energy, he'd have to dig the bullet out of his skull.

He kicked the prone body away and grabbed Lena's shoulders. "Stay beside me. Only a few more yards to go." Screams and fighting swallowed his words.

Lena, pale and terrified, kept her focus on him, her gaze not moving from his. "Why... Why would they give us these coordinates? Why wouldn't Mateusz tell us...?" She didn't finish, and he didn't have to explain. She already knew the answer.

As in all other worlds outside of Exemplar, the Warden's home had blocks around it. This location was as close as Mateusz could get them.

"The Warden's place will be safer." At least out of gunshot range. "We can make it."

He didn't convince her, her grip on the rusted truck not easing up.

Tarek leaned in until he blocked out everything from her view. With an unsteady hand, he covered her whitened knuckles while never taking his gaze from hers, giving her as much calm as he could muster as shots and sounds of people dying rendered the air. "Trust me," he whispered in her ear.

Her hold loosened only to palm his humming suit. "We're going to die here, Tarek."

"No. We aren't." He scouted a path as a lull filled the rundown street, only a few cracks of gunfire in the distance. "All right. Let's go."

He jerked her to his side with one hand and lifted his weapon with the other. If anything stood in their path, whether it be an animal or Andorian, he'd end them.

They raced a zigzag pattern, ducking into alleys between dilapidated buildings and piles of garbage when the fighting kicked up again. Neither of them spoke as they sprinted for the doorstep of the only building not in danger of crumbling in on itself. Tarek hauled Lena in front of him, using his back and the door to shield her from all the chaos. He pounded on the dented metal, once, twice.

Nothing.

He tried again.

Death lingered everywhere, the whipping wind saturated with rotting and charred flesh as it swirled around them. Gravel in the air smacked against his neck, his contego suit only reaching his collarbone.

Dammit! Tarek pounded a fourth time, ready to give up the assignment, face the elders with his failure. Finally, the door swung open long enough for them to slip inside.