Gathering Darkness✔️

Chapter 14: Escape

"Kane, get up!"

Kane jerked awake, scrambling to his feet, fear and adrenaline pounding through his system. His vision was blurry and his head hurt. A lot of him hurt. For just a second, one cold-gut second, he forgot where he was and, seeing the horribly familiar purple metal walls around him, the glowing, humming energy field, he thought he was back in the clutches of that huge Elite. But he calmed as he looked across the way and saw Goll in the next cell.

Although he was back in the clutches of that big Elite.

But he wasn't alone this time, and the big bastard seemed busy.

"Yes, Sergeant?" he asked, blinking rapidly, trying to get a handle on the situation.

"Power's getting screwy again, be ready. We might get a chance to escape."

"Got it," he said, finally coming back online. Waking up fast was kind of a prerequisite for going into the military.

Well, and continuing being in the military.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"A few hours. It's almost nightfall again," Goll replied.

"How can you tell?" Lara asked.

Goll shrugged. "I've got a good internal clock. Could be off by about an hour or two, though," he replied.

Kane began to say something, but a low hum rolled through the base and the lights dimmed noticeably. He felt his heart skitter in excitement. This might be his chance to escape. All their chances. It would be a hard fight out, really dangerous, but hopefully the Elites were going to be busy enough dealing with their own problems-

The hum of power suddenly rose in intensity, and then something sparked inside of his cell. He held up one hand, shielding his face, not losing focus on the energy shield. It was a damned good thing, too, because it suddenly snapped out of existence. He flung himself at it, knowing the risk. If the thing turned back on while any part of him was still in the way, he'd lose that part of himself. Well, at least it would be cauterized instantly. Kane felt a hot buzz of energy at his back and felt his right foot twitch briefly.

But no explosion of pain.

He'd made it through. Glancing back, he saw the energy shield had snapped back into place. Looking down, he realized that a little section of the heel of his boot had been chopped off. It was still smoking, the black piece of material on the other side, back in the cell.

"Kane," Goll said, and he looked around, and realized that no one else had gotten out. "Get out of here, find the generator and kill it. Then get to the ranger station."

"No, I'll come back after I've-"

"That's an order! One of us has to get out. If none of us make it, get to the military base, find a way to contact...someone. Go! Now!" he snapped.

Kane hesitated, but only for a few seconds. "Yes, Sergeant," he said, and hurried over to the only other door in the room. It lit up and slid open as he approached. He'd never liked that aspect of this tech, though the ships he traveled on had similar doors...

Focus!

There was a hallway outside of the door. He was at a T junction. Purple metal corridors snaked away to his left and right, and dead ahead. While his mind whirled and he tried to remember the general layout of the base, or what he'd seen of it when they were being walked through it, and tried to determine where his gear might be, because he was going to need it, his decision was made for him. He heard voices coming from the right and saw a shadow of movement ahead of him. Okay then, he was going left, apparently.