Steel was hoping that something would appear to prove Tide had been here. Coal was getting impatient. Steel knew that the place was close by, but it had taken days to get here. He spun around.
“The road can’t just end.” He muttered.
“Well, it did.” Coal snapped.
They had travelled along the highway, just inside the trees. No cars passed by, ever. This puzzled Steel, but he had other problems. The road was gone. He felt the tug telling him that the metal was here. But instead the pavement just turned to dirt and gravel and then there were woods. He looked around. The road was empty, as always. The trees went on into darkness.
Suddenly, the ground started to tremble. Rocks bounced off of Steel’s shoes. He backed up behind a tree. Coal, after a moment where the ground shook even more, did the same. The trees at the end of the road started to lift. The entire ground, soil and roots and all, was lifting to open for a door. A giant, secret door in the ground. A giant, secret door in the ground to an equally secret facility.
A car came out. It wasn’t black or white or anything fancy you’d think the government would own. Instead it was an inconspicuous looking pickup truck. It rumbled out of the door and it closed behind the car as it roared away. As soon as the ground stopped shaking, Steel ran to the door. He couldn’t see it now that it was closed. He knew where it was though.
“We have to get in there.” Coal said. “She’s in there, I know it.”
Steel understood Coal’s aggravation. There was no way to open the door from the outside that he could see. They should have run in when the truck was leaving…
Steel got an idea.
“The truck has to come back in right?” he asked.
Coal’s face dawned with understanding. “Yeah, but how do we follow without the driver seeing us?”
“We stop him.” Steel said, pulling out the piece of truck hood.
They ran up the road a ways, till they couldn’t see the end. Steel tore apart the metal into tiny needle shapes. He handed some to Coal and they scattered them across the road. The bits were almost invisible against the tar.
“Should give him a flat tire.” Steel said.
“Should give him four flat tires.” Coal agreed, smiling slightly, evilly.
They walked back to the door.
The car came around midnight. Coal punched Steel awake and he sprang up as headlights approached, slowing down. They shrank back into the shadows as the driver pulled over and got out. He swore loudly and went to get the backup tire from under the front seat. Coal and Steel crept out, around the other side of the car. Steel slowly climbed up into the bed of the pickup. He felt something like lead bars and willed them not to make a sound as he motioned for Coal to get up. He pulled him up just as the driver slammed the door and the truck roared to life.
Steel heard the door creaking open and then they were in. It was like being inside a tunnel. No windows and everything was lit with flickering yellow bulbs.
Another gate opened and then Steel saw the horribly familiar smooth, clean, white walls. He hated this place. Why was here? He needed to get out now.
Tide. He told himself, trying not to freak out. You’re here to save Tide. That’s right. He’ll get Tide then they can leave. The truck hit a speed bump and the lead bars clanked. Then it stopped and Steel heard the driver get out. He cautiously looked over. The man was talking to another guy, waving his arms around. Steel crawled out, sliding over the edge and dropping to the floor.
Coal was already dashing into the hallway out of the garage. Steel followed. He came up behind Coal at an intersection and yanked him back.
“This way.” He pointed to the right. “I can feel her bracelet.”
He couldn’t find it before, it was too small, but now the tug in his chest was back. Coal grudgingly followed him as Steel wound his way through the corridors. A left here, right, straight, left, left, right. Everything looked the same. It was like a labyrinth.
It was pretty easy to avoid the guards and people. It involved a lot of ducking into offices or holding your breathe and hoping they just walk past the corner and don’t see you.
Then they were creeping down a long empty hallway when three men rounded the corner. No doors, no closets to jump into. Just the smooth walls.
“Run!” Steel hissed and turned.
“No.” Coal said. He balled his fists and waited for the guys. “Where is she?” He snarled at the men.
The taller one stepped forward. He spoke in a silky voice, like a snake. “I was wondering when you would come. Yes, clever how you got in, hmm?”
“You knew we were here?” Steel asked.
The man smiled patronizingly at Steel. “Another one? How wonderful. Of course we knew you were here.”
Coal started to heat up. His fists burst into flames. Yelling, he punched at the man.
Fast, faster than Steel could ever hope to be, the man took out some white wrist bands. They were the same material as the cells. He snapped them onto Coal’s hand and the fire went out instantly. Steel cringed as Coal brought his other hand up and the man snapped it to.
Steel leapt at the man, but the other guys tackled him. They wrestled a second pair of the strange bracelets onto his hands as well. They were heavy, like stone.
The tall man smiled coldly, satisfied. “Now, come with me. I’m sure you friend will be delighted to see you.”