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V’Sen nodded to a pair of his soldiers. They took off in the direction I’d just come from.
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to put you back in the cells,” V’Sen said.
“I’m not going back in the cells,” I snapped. “There aren’t even any cells for me to go back to. They were destroyed by the digger.”
That caught his attention.
“There’s a digger in the cells too?” V’Sen said.
That meant there had to be more of them. It made sense. The Changelings knew the rough area where the base was, but not its precise location. They must have sent multiple diggers, certain one would break through the base’s defenses. Once the tunnel was dug, the Changeling soldiers could flood the base and take the Yayora by surprise.
It was a disaster.
“Give me a blaster,” I said. “More than one if you can spare it. And some grenades. I’ll fight alongside you. But my goal is to find and protect Maddy. That’s what matters most to me. Tell me where she is.”
V’Sen didn’t respond right away. He considered the situation. With how easily the Changelings had blasted through their defenses, they needed all the help they could get.
He handed me his pistol but gave me none of their grenades.
“We need to return to command for new orders,” V’Sen said. “The first thing the Changelings did when they breached our walls was take down our communication systems. I sent a messenger to command but he hasn’t returned.”
It wasn’t in the Changelings’ nature to take prisoners.
I hustled down the hallways and paused at each intersection. I peered around the corners before continuing.
The Yayora soldiers were well-trained. They kept a close eye on their rear as we bolted down the hallways one after another.
The lights blinked off and immediately switched to red. They flashed.
“Self-destruct sequence initiated,” Computer said. “T-Minus ten minutes.”
“Um… Is this something we should be worried about?” I said.
V’Sen didn’t answer me.
Dust continued to fall in some areas, forming a shroud that made attacking difficult. But it was also an advantage. The Changelings would find it just as hard to see as we did.
The reassuring echoing tap of our footsteps off the nearby walls faded as the hallway expanded. It was difficult to see much further than two yards out but already I could tell this was a much larger room than the regular hallways.
V’Sen approached a nondescript door.
“They should be in here,” he said.
I reached for the handle. V’Sen raised a hand and shook his head. He knocked on the door in a strange and unusual rhythm.
Probably a way for people on either side to know we were one of their own.
No response came.
V’Sen repeated his secret knock.
And again, there was no response.
He glanced at me with hard eyes. He didn’t need to give me an order. It was clear from his expression that it was not what he’d been hoping for.
He reached for the handle. He pressed it but it wouldn’t open. He tried again.
No good.
