Sorcha The Alien Book One

Chapter Seventeen

I peep around a corner and my head snaps back, my heart roaring like a lion. Two entra stand by a screen beside the north quadrant elevator. One of only four that travels the base from head to toe. The only way we can make it to Sask before the base exits lockdown and Shazna contacts Fendan to request his aide, his fleet. I hold up two fingers to communicate my findings to Daeanal and Emerlit.

Daeanal's hands fly through the air as they flit through a series of complicated gestures. A sign langue, but not one even I can translate. Did Sask not know this language or is Daeanal making it up as he goes along? Emerlit and I stare with a frown at this language neither of us seem to understand.

"What?" I mouth silently.

Daeanal groans, he glances to Emerlit, and she shrugs. He groans again and steps around us. Our hands wave and our heads shake, but Daeanal ignores our silent protests and continues towards the entra.

"Trying to fix the lift?" Daeanal says.

"Yeah," one answers, as he manipulates a circular device that looks, to my eye, identical to the explosive.

"Having some trouble?" Daeanal continues.

"Yeah." The other entra sighs. "I've never known anything like it, even the code breaker can't find the code. I'm telling you, whoever conceived of this ... they're a genius."

"Thank you." Daeanal beams and Emerlit silently slaps her palm against her forehead.

The entra turn in slow motion and stare up at Daeanal. He tops them both by at least half a foot. Maybe they'll back down, maybe they'll concede. For a moment the trio remain locked in an angsty stare. My breath stills as I watch. Time stands to attention and then jumps into action as one entra throws a punch at Daeanal, whilst the other mutters urgently into a communicator. A complicated stream of words that names us and our location.

A fist strikes Daeanal, a crushing blow to his stomach, but he barely reacts to the assault, he barely seems to notice it. He wrestles with one entra as Emerlit slides into action, barging against the second, who's device clatters on the shiny floor. Emerlit crushes it under her boot, and they fall in a tangle, swapping blows as they go down and merge with the fight beside them.

Daeanal rams his fist into his opponent's head, and they drop unconscious by his feet. He pulls the entra off Emerlit, who is curled upon the floor in the foetal position. There's a crash as the entra drops to the floor beside their comrade and Daeanal holds out his hand to Emerlit.

"You're not a skilled fighter," Daeanal says with disapproval as Emerlit rises to her feet. "I'm beginning to wonder just how you got your promotion."

Emerlit shakes away his hand. "Will you just call the lift," she snaps as her shaking finger points to the screen.

My body shakes, my hands dance by my sides. A series of booms shudders towards us. The feet of many entra, out of sight but louder with every passing moment. The call for backup went through. I can't be returned to Shazna.

"Hurry up." I stare down the corridor.

"I'm going as fast as I can," Daeanal's voice raises an octave.

The lift doors open and I'm the first in, closely followed by Emerlit. The gap remains, the doors do not close. Daeanal does not appear. But down the corridor a group of Entra sprint towards us.

"Daeanal, hurry!" I shout.

Daeanal strolls around the corner brandishing the code breaker. "See, Emerlit. It's significantly smaller than the explosive."

"Oh my God! The doors!" I scream.

Daeanal stands by the screen upon the wall as I stand by the open door, paralysed with fear. The boom of feet bounces around my mind, crashing against my skull and drowning out every other sound. The individual faces of each entra take shape, their black eyes hold no kindness, their mouths set in determination for our capture. One breaks free from the group, sprinting faster, their arm reaches out, into the lift.