Twelve

Chapter 6: Dark

Overgrowth and vines began to shift. Eight breathed heavily as a small pocket opened. He looked back at Three. "Do not ask me to do that again. No more jumping off cliffs."

"Alright, alright. But we made it, didn't we?" Three asked with a smirk.

"Are you guys alright?" Seven asked. She was still being held by Three with her arms around his neck.

"We should be asking you that. How's your leg?" Eight asked.

"It's not the worst pain I've been in," Seven smiled weakly.

"Can you walk? I don't think we should take the time to wait to get it healed. I'd rather we get as far from the Facility as possible. Who knows what tricks Professor has up his sleeves," Three said.

"Yeah, I think so," Seven nodded. Three gently set Seven down on the soft grass. She took a step forward and nearly crumbled to the ground. She winced in pain. Three steadied her, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows of worry. "I'm fine. Really."

"Yeah, you say that all the time when you aren't. Up we go," Three picked Seven back up.

"Put me down. I don't want to be a burden," Seven blushed slightly.

"You are never a burden. Let's get going," Three looked over at Eight.

"Which way?" Eight asked.

Everywhere they looked were trees. The moon shining overhead filled the forest with strange shadows. A night breeze blew through, giving them a warm feeling of a summer night. It had been the first time in a while they felt fresh air.

"Forward, I guess. We'll look for a path or a river. Or someplace we can camp for the night," Three said.

Eight walked up to a tree and closed his eyes. A warm breeze surrounded him for a moment before he opened his eyes with a smile. He turned back to face his friends. "We should go west. There's a river that leads to a town."

"How did you pick that up? Did the tree tell you?" Three raised an eyebrow.

"It did. You got a problem with my powers?" Eight asked.

"Ladies, you are both beautiful. Let's not fight and just head in the direction the tree said," Seven shook her head. She thought for a moment. "Okay, that was the weirdest thing I've ever said."

Three and Eight began to walk west. Seven blushed. She didn't particularly enjoy being carried. It made her feel like a burden. Three noticed her discomfort and rolled his eyes. "You aren't a burden, so don't even think about that. We will get you all healed up soon enough."

"I hate how you can do that," Seven glared. Three gave her a bright smile. It wasn't often he did that.

Not soon after they started walking, something shot through the trees, just missing Eight and Three. They turned to see the white sphere drones coming through the trees. Some of them sprouted legs and landed. There seemed to be ten of them. Five on the ground and five in the air, alternating as they surrounded the three escapees.

"Damnit. Sorry, Seven. You are going to have to do what you can by yourself," Three said as he gently set her down. Seven winced as weight was applied to her leg, but she stood her ground.

A red spot glowed on each of the sentries. They were going to fire. Eight through up another wall of vines, but it wasn't enough to cover the whole area. Just as the sentries began to fire, someone jumped down from the trees and held up a shield, reflecting the attack, sending it at another flying sentry, destroying it. Another person jumped down from the trees and cut one of the sentries in half with a spear. She landed next to the guy with the shield. Without waiting for another second, the other three jumped into action. Three jumped toward the wall of vines Eight made and waved his hand, sending the vine-like tendrils at one of the sentries. The vine went right through the red spot and out the other side. Seven held up her hand toward one of the sentries and a ray of sickening greenish energy lashes out toward it. Poison dripped from the sentry and it began to shut down. Eight threw his arms out to the sides and the roots from the trees began to uproot and attacked two sentries, crushing them to debris.