We The Forlorn (Book #2) (Completed)

18. Rescue

The feeling of descending underground was strong, even though there were no visual cues to let them know they had passed beneath the surface of the ground. The walls were made of concrete, with no windows, yet Bo still felt the slight change in pressure, and the smell of damp permeated everything just a few steps away from the door.

They couldn't find any switches for the bare bulbs that swung from the ceiling, so they walked down in the light that came through the door. When they reached the bottom, and entered the rooms beneath the building, Adam turned on the flashlight that was attached to his gun. He brought his rifle to his shoulder, pointing it around the room to move the flashlight beam and examine their surroundings.

At first, they only saw large wooden boxes shoved against the walls. Bo peered into their empty interiors as they passed. The flashlight beam passed too quickly for her to really examine them, but she saw they were almost as tall as Adam, and looked deep and wide enough to fit two or more people across. Briefly visible in the quick beams of light were scratches on the interior walls, and the smears of filth and blood splattered on the wood. Bo came to the delayed realization that they were signs of captivity and attempted escapes. She swallowed hard and looked away from the boxes as she imagined the horrors for which they were used.

They quickly moved on from the boxes and further into the room. Here was what they had come to find. Chain-link fences creating cages filled the room with their metallic scent. Bo pushed a hand against her nose as another scent hung heavy and putrid in the air. It took all she had not to vomit, and her eyes watered from the stench of it.

As they approached the cages, it looked, at first, as if they were filled with just rags laying scattered on the concrete floor. But as Adam came closer, shining his light into the nearest cage, the rags began to stir. Eyes and frightened faces appeared from behind lank hair and thin arms as wretchedly thin humans awoke from their slumber. Each cage was filled with girls and women, all of varying ages and appearances. Nothing united them except for the fact that they were obviously starving and covered in wounds and filth.

Bo froze, her blood rushing into her face in waves as she clutched her gun tight enough to turn her knuckles white. She had never seen such deplorable conditions before. The girls and women didn't even show any emotion as the light shone over them. They simply shielded their eyes from the blinding light and started to shuffle toward the back of the cages. This must have been the routine when the Judge wanted a new girl. Bo cursed outloud and turned to Adam.

"Let's get them out of here," she said, slinging her gun over her shoulder so that she could free her hands.

Since they had no keys, it would be difficult to get them out of the cage without risking shooting the locks off. If they had time, Bo might have found materials to pick the locks. But, unfortunately, with every passing second Bo felt the urgency to get back to the airship and away from this cursed place. They couldn't afford time to get the locks off in any other way but with a gun.

Bo pushed Adam's rifle down, so that the light spilled on the floor and the women inside the cages weren't blinded. Then she stepped forward, pressing against the chain-links of the nearest cage.

"We're here to get you all out," she said, seeing the women wince as the sound of even her voice overwhelmed them. They must have been kept in the isolated, silent darkness for a very long time for this to happen. Bo wanted to rip the Judge's head straight off, but she knew that it would be a suicide mission with the militia here to help protect the compound.

Instead, she moved to position the lock. As she worked, she glanced up at the women. "Stand to one side, and as far from the door as you can. The bullet might bounce off the metal."