End of Days: The Hunted

Chapter 19

Shadow came out of the forest, the moon glimmering off of his dark black armor. In front of him was a man. "I see you tracked one of them. Nice job." Saul showed enthusiasm as Shadow pushed the ragged man toward them sitting at the entrance of camp, Safe Haven.

The silent soldier grabbed the man by his hair and then pushed him to Saul, "Well, done. So what do we have here?" said Saul, "Where are the others?"

The man looked confused, "Others? I was by myself. I don't even know what you want from me?"

"I guess we'll have to interrogate you. Is there anywhere we can use for questioning this traitor?" Saul asked the guard.

"In the basement of the mine. You can the room down there. I'll show you the way." said the guard.

"That's efficient. We'll find it ourselves. Thank you, though."

Shadow walked through the entrance holding the traitor and was shocked by what he was seeing. The entire mine was much more extensive than the outside revealed. There columns holding the earthen ceiling up and rows of people walking back and forth shackled to each other. They were here to find something, but what? They didn't even have any tools to use for digging.

As they walked, men and women, young and old, scowled at them. Their faces filthy with dirt, some dried blood and scars. Others limped with broken limbs. One old man was being beaten by a guard for not walking straight, his legs were both broken. A girl dropped down to the man, "Please! Help us!" she cried. She grabbed his hand, her nails were dirty and her face was so beaten.

The man looked at her sorrowful and whispered softly, "We're here to help."

Brute went to the girl, grabbed her by the hair and threw her away, "Such filth!" he exclaimed.

Shadow just looked at him.

"What?" Brute asked sarcastically, "Hey! I've got an idea! Let's have you interrogate the traitor!" He laughed like a hog.

Saul chipped in, "Sounds good, actually. Shadow here is one of the best at questioning terrorists."

"He is?" replied Brute wide-eyed.

"Yep. He's an expert." said Saul patting on Shadow on the back.

The three soldiers and the traitor found their way to the basement. It was even more disgusting than the upper level. Compared to a morgue, dead bodies lay everywhere. Rats as big as small tanks crawled around feasting upon the rotten cadavers.

Brute took a huge sniff of air, "This place is wretched!"

"We'll question him, then get out. Maybe even leave him here when we're done." said Saul.

"How about we let Shadow question him and we hit topside until he's done?"

Saul looked to Shadow, "Sound good?"

He nodded his head in response.

They found the small room and then left Shadow and the traitor behind for the interrogation.

Matt took off the heavy helmet and set it down on the filthy ground as Luke wiped off some of the dirt from his clothes. "So what now?" he asked.

Matt looked around, "Well, there's no one down here. I'm sure we could sneak up behind some guards and grab their gear."

Luke thought about it, "Good thinking. First we should act like we escaped the lines so when they come, we spring on them."

"I like it. Let's do this."

"Get moving!" a guard yelled as the line of Christians slowly went by.

Another guard came by, "These scum! Why'd we get this job? I was hoping to be huntin' them. Not watchin' them."

"Ah shoot! But we gotta do it. Plus the pay's good!" the other guard laughed.

"Hey! See that? Looks like some of 'em are tryna escape!"

"Well, get movin'!"

They ran after the prisoners trying to get away and ended up in the basement.

"Ah darn! Not here! Les hurry and get outta here. I hate it down here." one guard complained.

As they turned around a corner, one guard was suddenly threw to the ground. "What the-!"

Matt smacked the other in the head with a rock as Luke was already carrying the loud one away.

Luke and Matt walked out of the small room of the basement, dressed as the now sound asleep guards. "Ready?" asked Luke.

"You know it. Les do this!" he mimicked the guards.