Dorothy

Chapter 17

     Auden's arms had started to tremble under Dorothy's weight. As they rounded a corner he stumbled. Thayer grasped his shoulders before he could fall. "May I?" he asked softly. Auden extended his quivering arms and tried to hide a scowl as Thayer's flexed easily as he took Dorothy again. 

     Thayer took the lead as they headed toward the door, with Auden at his heels and Connel, wide-eyed, behind them. One more turn and the door came into view... with eight guards milling about next to it. They ducked back behind the corner. "They must have figured out we're here," Auden whispered. 

     "You think?" Thayer answered. Auden glanced back at Connel, who was positively trembling by now. 

     Thayer laid Dorothy down on the ground as gently as he could considering it was marble. She didn't make any movement to indicate her change of surroundings. "What are you doing?" Auden hissed. 

     "I can get this, just wait here. And Auden," his voice dropped, "please don't let Connel see." His eyes implored Auden to understand, and Auden was pretty sure he did. He nodded. Thayer turned and bounded away. 

     "Where's he going?" Connel asked, craning his neck after his brother. 

     "He's going to get us out of here." Auden placed a hand on Connel's shoulder and guided him turn around and crouch down on the floor. There were yells and violent sounds of a fight around the corner. A canine yelp hit Auden's ears. 

     "What's he doing?" Connel's voice shook as he asked. He tried to turn around, but Auden kept his hand around him and pushed him back. 

     "Your brother may not be the same person you remember him as, but he is a good one. Remember that."

     "Why is he with you? A shell. Why is he helping an Earthen? What, in all the stars, is going on?"

     Auden tried to control his voice, but it came out just a tad quicker when he spoke. "Dorothy is trying to get off Luna. We're trying to help her. Along with an android and a cyborg doctor who are off on their own mission at the moment. We may seem a gang of misfits to you, but we're a team. Did you know that your brother can't manipulate people any more. He lost his gift. He's as much a misfit as the rest of us. But right now, he's saving your life, so I wouldn't be so quick to discount us." 

     Connel looked like he wanted to say more, but just then Thayer came around the corner. Auden couldn't help thinking that he looked terrible. A long cut made its way from his eye to his chin, his other eye was already half closed, and there were various wounds and gashes across his arms and chest. Thayer must have seen their reaction because he growled a bit in his throat. "You should see the other guy," he murmured. He swooped up Dorothy and motioned with his head for them to follow. 

     Thayer hadn't been wrong though, Auden thought. As they crossed to the door he stepped over the guard's bodies. Some, Auden was pretty sure, were just unconscious, but others hadn't been so lucky. Some heads were at odd angles, and blood from the throat area didn't leave much room for doubt. Auden wasn't honestly sure what the point had been in 'covering' Connel's eyes. The boy looked horrified. Auden drifted closer to him. "Remember what I said." Connel swallowed hard and nodded. Thayer seemed to be eyeing them suspiciously, so Auden quickly caught up to him. 

     They paused at the doorway. Thayer sniffed. "I think we're the first ones here. See those bushes over there? We need to run for them and take cover. If the others don't get here soon, they'll pick up our bioelectricity anyway, but at least they won't see us right away. Ready? Go!"

     They broke away from the door and made a mad dash to the bushes.  Auden was glad to feel his thin legs pumping beneath him. They had improved in the short days since Dorothy had released him. They crouched beneath the bushes and waited for the others.