Beneath the Shadowlanders

Chapter Thirty-Four: Abigail

I stay in Terrance's office for the rest of the day "helping" him with paperwork (well, looking over his shoulder while he does paperwork). He lets Dr. Morritz know I won't be coming down to the lab today, which makes him happy enough I'm honestly a little insulted. By the time Terrance suggests that he walk me home, it's already dark.

When we leave the building, we're met with a steady stream of soldiers and scouts with full rucksacks making their way to the surface gates.

"It looks like every soldier in Underland is on their way to the surface," I remark, a little stunned at the sight.

Terrance looks a little nervous as the soldiers stream past by the dozens. I didn't even know there were this many.

"So soon?" he mutters to himself. "It'll be a slaughter..."

"What?"

He turns to me, taking both hands. "We need to go to town hall. Now. They're making a grave mistake."

I nod and we take off running, dodging between carts full of soldiers. It's only a few blocks to the base from here, and we get there in no time. We run up to the gate, which stands wide open to allow the stream of soldiers and empty carts to enter and exit, carrying every man we have up to the surface. Terrance flashes some kind of security badge at the guard window, gesturing that I'm with him. The guards let him through without question and we run into the main building.

He leads me upstairs to an office. He bursts in without even knocking. It takes me a second to realize the office is the General's.

Inside is the General himself, accompanied by the officer I saw in Terrance's office earlier. The General stands when we enter. "Regent! What is the meaning of this?"

Terrance throws up a rushed salute without even slowing his stride. He marches right up to the desk, fire in his eyes. "General, you're making a mistake. Those men are going to die up there, and we'll be left completely unprotected, having angered the entire Shadowlands. This peace is held together by a very thin, very specific treaty, and you're going to tip the balance with this attack. Don't you realize what you're doing? You're going to bring about the extinction of the human race. Don't do this."

The General scoffs. "Regent, the shadows can't kill off an entire army. Somehow, we'll find a way to kill them, and when we do, we'll reclaim the surface as our own, at last. In the meantime, what's a few soldiers in the scheme of all of humanity?"

"What's a few soldiers? Sir, those men and women have families. Families who want to see them come home, and if you make a move like this, they never will." He slams a fist down on the desk. "General, call this off."

"What makes you think you can talk to me like this?" the General demands.

"Because, General," Terrance sneers, "I own all the food. And if you don't call off this attack immediately, I will no longer provide it to you or your army."

"Regent, don't make empty threats," scoffs the General flippantly, plopping back down in his seat. "You defy me and you'll be conscripted."

"You won't conscript me," argues Terrance. "I own all the food. What will the citizens of Underland say when they're starving and they find out it's because you sent away the only person who can feed them?"

"Nothing," he replies. "Because while you may own the company, it does not cease to function if you are no longer present. Your employees will be ordered to continue as usual, and an interim CEO will be appointed in your place. You're not indispensable, Regent. Just useful."