Karl laughed uncomfortably, but
I'm certain he was secretly relieved I didn't want to feed off
him.
“Come on.” He tugged on my collar. “We need to keep going. We need to save Toby." Toby.His name hit me hard and somehow made me focus. Thinking about the dead pod person behind
me, I saw the bullet hole in his forehead and the blue veins chewing through his flesh. I would not let that happen tomy Toby. I fought against the pain and darkness settling over my brain. I took one step, then another. I had to keep going.
Coming slowly around the end of the machinery, I spotted the door that had been blown open by Jared's commandos. Black scorch marks were heavy on the walls and floor, but the debris had at least been removed. Peering inside, I saw the chair I had been chained to. Bits of the device they used on me were still scattered on the floor, as was the body of one of the Maryuts. The captive Seekers had to be here. It made sense they would keep the original genetic material on site in case of emergency. As I turned away, my vision blurred. Slapping my hand to the wall for support, I did my best to remain upright.
Sliding along the wall, I limped past similar doors. I could hear the clamor of activity ahead of us. The troops were mobilizing. I knew we were in a bad place. Out in the open and severely wounded, it wouldn't require much to take me down. Holding my damaged arm across my body, I moved as quickly as I could toward an adjoining hallway. Each step brought another shock of pain through my body. Stepping inside I realized it simply wasn't possible to hide. The trail of blood was pretty much a dead giveaway. Stealth was no use here. I had to stop them now. It was the endgame.
I could hear the heavy footfalls of Trolls. They were getting closer, and there were a lot of them. Hitting the first door, I grabbed the handle and rested my forehead against the cool metal surface. I shook the handle but it was locked. Despair started to set in. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball on the floor and cry. I could hear the buzz of electricity behind the heavy door, and something more. Life. I could feel Toby. I had found him by accident. “Karl,” I moaned. I felt his hand on the side of my face trying to comfort me. “Come on, Rose. Keep going. We're almost there."
"We are there,” I corrected him. “Unlock this door." Karl understood. “On it.” He moved down the wall and perched just above the handle. Working his tiny hands over it, I watched him snap a single, slender claw from his index finger and slide it into the lock like a pick. “Give me a minute,” he grunted.
An angry roar turned my head toward the mouth of the hall. “We don't have a minute,” I urged him as four Trolls stared me down.
Shielding Karl behind me, I turned and lifted my Beretta. I fired, hitting one of the Trolls, but couldn't control the recoil. As the barrel lifted, my second shot hit the concrete above their heads. The Trolls, trailed by the one I had apparently hit in the stomach, charged. Each was carrying a melee weapon ranging from axes to heavy broadswords.
I somehow managed to dodge the first Troll's attack, but caught the brunt of the second one, knocking the pistol out of my hand. Grabbing the nearest Troll's jutting teeth, I swung him into the others. The
“Come on.” He tugged on my collar. “We need to keep going. We need to save Toby." Toby.His name hit me hard and somehow made me focus. Thinking about the dead pod person behind
me, I saw the bullet hole in his forehead and the blue veins chewing through his flesh. I would not let that happen tomy Toby. I fought against the pain and darkness settling over my brain. I took one step, then another. I had to keep going.
Coming slowly around the end of the machinery, I spotted the door that had been blown open by Jared's commandos. Black scorch marks were heavy on the walls and floor, but the debris had at least been removed. Peering inside, I saw the chair I had been chained to. Bits of the device they used on me were still scattered on the floor, as was the body of one of the Maryuts. The captive Seekers had to be here. It made sense they would keep the original genetic material on site in case of emergency. As I turned away, my vision blurred. Slapping my hand to the wall for support, I did my best to remain upright.
Sliding along the wall, I limped past similar doors. I could hear the clamor of activity ahead of us. The troops were mobilizing. I knew we were in a bad place. Out in the open and severely wounded, it wouldn't require much to take me down. Holding my damaged arm across my body, I moved as quickly as I could toward an adjoining hallway. Each step brought another shock of pain through my body. Stepping inside I realized it simply wasn't possible to hide. The trail of blood was pretty much a dead giveaway. Stealth was no use here. I had to stop them now. It was the endgame.
I could hear the heavy footfalls of Trolls. They were getting closer, and there were a lot of them. Hitting the first door, I grabbed the handle and rested my forehead against the cool metal surface. I shook the handle but it was locked. Despair started to set in. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball on the floor and cry. I could hear the buzz of electricity behind the heavy door, and something more. Life. I could feel Toby. I had found him by accident. “Karl,” I moaned. I felt his hand on the side of my face trying to comfort me. “Come on, Rose. Keep going. We're almost there."
"We are there,” I corrected him. “Unlock this door." Karl understood. “On it.” He moved down the wall and perched just above the handle. Working his tiny hands over it, I watched him snap a single, slender claw from his index finger and slide it into the lock like a pick. “Give me a minute,” he grunted.
An angry roar turned my head toward the mouth of the hall. “We don't have a minute,” I urged him as four Trolls stared me down.
Shielding Karl behind me, I turned and lifted my Beretta. I fired, hitting one of the Trolls, but couldn't control the recoil. As the barrel lifted, my second shot hit the concrete above their heads. The Trolls, trailed by the one I had apparently hit in the stomach, charged. Each was carrying a melee weapon ranging from axes to heavy broadswords.
I somehow managed to dodge the first Troll's attack, but caught the brunt of the second one, knocking the pistol out of my hand. Grabbing the nearest Troll's jutting teeth, I swung him into the others. The