Enemy Mine

Chapter 2

The smell hit me first thing as I dropped into the tunnel. The acrid tang of sour rags, but the scent only lingered a few seconds then got carried off by a fresh supply of oxygen. I felt it move through the passageway somewhere over my head, even after the hive entrance had been sealed by two muscle-bound guys, introduced as Dale and Bo.

Dale insisted on helping me down, copping a feel of my breast then apologizing, all while his friend stifled a laugh. I refrained from decking the guy, since I was on his turf, but my intent must have shown because Christoph got us marching on our way without small talk. Of course, we were walking into a dark, underground maze, so not really an improvement.

Josh usurped the lead and Christoph took up a position behind me, while Dale and Bo hung back a few yards, but I still heard them whispering to each other. Something about my tits.

"Do you ever get lost in here?" I asked, directing my question at either Josh or Christoph. I figured only Christoph would answer, but they both said 'No' simultaneously.

"That's good to know. How many live in the hive?"

"Over four hundred," Christoph said. "But, only one quarter are in residence at once. Most of us live in the cities."

"Dude. It's battle training, remember?" Josh said. "The hive is busier than usual."

"Right, and Austin set up a new obstacle course. It sounds mega harsh."

Oh, lucky me.

The boys went on with their banter about scaling ropes over deadly stalagmites, while I tried not to feel grumpy, but I was tired and hungry, and I couldn't see worth a damn. The only time I got a view of Josh's head happened when we passed a tunnel offshoot where light spilled into our path. Dale and Bo disappeared down one, and their voices rose when they thought they were out of earshot. It sounded like one of them wanted to give me a good fucking. Not very promising.

"How long has this hive been here?" I asked, before depression set in.

"Cecile arrived with the first settlers and began work on the hive while Providence was being built. I don't know the exact date it was finished."

"Wait. Did you say Cecile arrived with the English settlers? That would have been the mid sixteen hundreds."

"Yep." Christoph chuckled, probably in response to the skepticism in my voice. "Demons don't live as long as their queens do, in case you're wondering. The queens have supernatural help."

"Well, that explains everything."

"The hive is also lit by eternal flames," he added. "You'll see more of the lanterns as we get further in."

"So, the lantern doesn't have to be refueled or the wick relit, ever?"

"Hardly ever."

"That sounds like an ever-burning lamp. The scholar Callimachus built a lamp that could hold a flame for a year without intervention. I did a research paper on him."

"Well, these last a lot longer than a year," Christoph said.

We stopped at a three-way intersection where a glass lantern hung from the ceiling, holding the infamous eternal flame. The light shone a little too bright, and I squinted to look at my companions.

"I'll tell Cecile we've got the... We've got Reese," Josh said, glancing sidelong at me.

"Okay. I'll get Reese situated in the west dorm and meet you there. And make sure you tell Cecile there were no gollums in pursuit when we entered the hive." Christoph's furtive glance in my direction looked apologetic, but it vanished quickly.