The Vanguard Vixen

I'm Friends With the Monster

Lewis and Ali's leave led them underground, into old unused train tunnels. Currently they were following one of those tunnels, specifically the one that led to the western edges of Vanguard, away from the destruction of the dark route.

"Can they fight back?" Lewis asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Ali's reply was a bit late. There were only a few dim lights that worked in the tunnels, and they came once every several feet. They flickered most of the time, as though unsure of whether to provide light that didn't make much of a difference, or just not provide any at all.

"If either the general or Zhirkov is still there and are willing to help, hope exists. " Ali finally replied.

A hissing sound filled the space around them. Lewis raised the M48, ready for anything.

"What was that?" He whispered.

Ali only held a small pistol in his left hand and a flashlight. He pointed the beam behind and ahead of them, but it only illuminated a few feet of the tunnel.

"That Lewis, is one of the monsters I told you about."

Ali looked stopped walking and touched Lewis' shoulder.
"Look man, I apologise for what I said back there. It was totally out of line."

"No. Actually you were a bit right, she isn't human. But she is not a monster, that I couldn't just let you get away with."

Lewis trudged forward cautiously, and Ali paused to rub his aching nose, then followed.

"So what is it that you took from them?" Ali asked. "I mean they sent the air force after you. The Air force!"

Lewis only shook his head.

Another hiss filled the tunnels, and this time it sounded much closer. Less echoes, less distance-more danger. Lewis tried the scope of the M48, but he was still unable to use it's electronic functions.

"We are still not far enough away from the EMP's range of effect Ali. We need to move faster."

Ali stopped Lewis, standing in his way.
"Yes, we need to move faster, but with minimal noise."

"We need this at maximum capacity." Lewis said as he nodded to the gun he held.

"Maximum capacity won't be of much use if we die before we can achieve it. Do you know how far the EMP effect goes?"

Ali continued when Lewis didn't reply.
"I thought so. I know somewhere we can be safe for the night, and get help."

"And you've had us walking for hours. Couldn't we have gone there in the first place?"

Another hiss.

Ali looked around nervously, and nudged Lewis through a tunnel to their left.
"It's not an easy place to get into. Its very...secure. Most people die trying to."

Before Lewis could complain further, Ali shoved him aside and fired a bullet at something behind them.

"Run!"

Lewis only got to hear the pained scream, probably a result of Ali's shot, and when he heard the thundering footsteps following he risked a glance behind as he ran.

It was too dark to make out anything without the aid of light, but he was sure he saw a pair of white glowing eyes.

Perhaps if he had kept his eyes to where he was going, he would have seen Ali veer left, and he wouldn't have continued straight. But once he missed that, Lewis had no chance of avoiding the trap that awaited him at the end of the tunnel.