RAVEN FYRE

Chapter 14

"Hhhhmm." Raven eyed the wires more closely before tracing them back to where WarFairy was working.

"Huh?"

"Uhh," was all that she could muster as various bad-endings played out in her mind.

WarFairy fished out a multi-tool from her belt and got to work on some screws. "Raven? Is there something I should know?"

Raven began to wonder if WarFairy would be offended should she decided to take a few steps back and away from the explosives. "Mmm."

WarFairy struggled to pull and hold some wires aside as she aimed her multi tool at an exposed screw. "Known you long enough to know what that means. Spit it out."

Ell got closer to them. "We're running out of time. Are those--"

Raven threw a hand up at Ell. "Just ... work very carefully, babe."

"I'm moments from ripping through this old--"

"No!" They both yelled.

"Shit! You scared m--"

The girls were interrupted by the sound of a body tumbling down the stairs. Soon, the soft thuds in the gloom came to a stop. A second later, a strange huffing growl came through alone before it was joined by others. The girls could hear the scratches of multiple, unidentified, snarling beasts racing down the stairs.

Raven looked back to signal WarFairy but she was already fast at work. WarFairy let a couple of screws hit the soft ground before holding out a loose panel at Raven who snatched the piece of tin metal, and gently set it on the ground.

WarFairy pulled out her special wires and hooked her tablet up to the panel. "D'you think they heard us?"

Another gust of wind swept past them. The air smelled like the inside of an old, rusty drainage pipe. The dust that came through with it was unbearable. Raven didn't like the fact that she could taste, not only the tunnel, but whatever was in the air being pumped out of the base.

Just as the air made its way up the staircase, a handful of them began to growl. The taps became scratches as they all picked up the pace at the same time.

"Hurr--"

Raven was cut off by a beep, her dusted eyes snapped to the old explosives. The loud clanking noise of a door unlocking broke the silence of that fateful moment two seconds later.

"Get in. It's open."

Raven pulled the door open the rest of the way. The hinges let out a piercing screech against her efforts. Eyes wide, she shouldered her weapon, and went in to check the room.

"Clear. Get in here, quick."

WarFairy tucked her wires into a pouch on her thigh and strolled on through with a brisk pace. Ell rushed in behind her.

WarFairy flashed her light to the left, and after locating a red button on the wall, punched it. The door screeched again really loud as it closed automatically.

Ell walked deeper into the empty room. "Damn that was loud."

"Nice work. That was almost in the nick of time."

"I don't get paid the big bucks for 'nick of time' work. I got us through in 'good time'."

"That's right. You did. Because you are the best, babe."

"Thanks. I work har-. Oh. You were being sarcastic."

Raven smiled at her. "Maybe."

"What do we do about a couple of blast doors?" Ell asked, standing between a dusty computer and the doors.