Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,40
fingers. “Getting them underground could be a challenge, though. The Morass might get in the way.”
“The what?”
He explained it to Alfred, who had a simple solution. “Open up the old hangar all the way to the room and provide more daylight so they can make the journey to the tunnels safely.”
“Say we do that. Once inside, they’d be walking. For a while.”
“You are being difficult. Do you want a new home for your people or not?”
“More than anything. What if this free city is just a tall tale?”
“It’s not,” Alfred replied as the tank lurched into motion.
“How would you know?”
“Because I’ve been there before, and so has Riella. We have a steady business with both Sapphire and the free city in the Marsh. Plus, the Ruby Demesne. We stay out of Diamond and Lazuli, though.”
All the names thrown at Titan made him realize something. “You know the way there.” Which was good news, except for the fact he’d be delaying his visit to the capital. What of his revenge? He should probably learn to cohabit with his limbs properly before tackling that challenge.
Accept me. That’s all you need to do.
He shut his eyes against the alien voice.
“You look awful,” Alfred remarked. “Doesn’t seem like your sojourn home did anything for you.”
“I see your power of insult is still working just fine. It hasn’t been easy.”
“Still whining, too.”
He gave the robot head a rude gesture. “I hate you.”
“An emotion wasted—”
“—because you feel nothing,” Titan finished with a chuckle. “Fuck me, but I missed that acerbic attitude. Lead on, Alfred. Let’s go find this Marsh place.”
Somewhere far from Emerald. Far from the guilt that he didn’t even try to save a princess from an evil queen.
It took seven days of driving—where he saw little alive other than the scurry of shadows and occasional glint of eyes—before he made it to a series of tunnels too wet for his comfort. The lamp on Burton’s front illuminated the wet tunnel walls and the drips coming from the ceiling.
“How safe is this?” he asked.
“Depends on the pressure from above.”
“In other words, this area could flood at any time.”
“Burton is fully submersible.”
“And when was the last time that aspect was tested?”
Because it turned out a few things had busted on Burton. Without hands, Alfred couldn’t affect repairs, and while Titan tried, he wasn’t very good at it.
What if the seal against water had been compromised? He’d drown.
“We need to get above ground,” Titan muttered.
“Don’t be foolish. This is the most direct route to the city. Not dangerous at all.”
“You come this way often?”
“Once a year at least.”
“That’s not often,” he growled as the tank rolled forward.
“More than you have,” Alfred declared.
But Titan didn’t reply, too intent on the water dripping more heavily now, enough to leave rivulets on the window. He noticed the tank moving more rapidly than before.
“Something the matter?” he asked while inwardly wishing for Alfred to say no.
“Sensors show a possibility of stress fractures in the structure.”
“The walls have cracks!” Titan didn’t panic, but he did glare at the head. “I thought you said it was safe.”
“It is…when there are no cracks.”
“We should go back.”
“We stand a better chance going forward.”
“Says you! You’re not the one who will drown.”
“I’m an electronic metal head. Do you really think I want to get wet?”
Good point. Titan clutched the dash with both hands. He couldn’t prevent the tenseness. Couldn’t help but feel slightly helpless.
A part of him knew they’d never make it. So when the tunnel finally collapsed and the water rushed in, he closed his eyes and waited for death.
The wave washed over the tank, and it held.
Holy fuck it held.
It was Alfred who announced it. “The Burton is pressurizing to account for the water outside. You aren’t going to drown.”
“For real?” He pried open an eye, relieved there were no leaks.
“For real,” was the wry reply. “Now buckle in. The current might get rough.”
The current didn’t hit until later that day, and when it did, there was no mistaking it. It was as if the water grabbed them in a fist and hurtled them through the tunnel, slamming them off the sides, flinging Titan around like a side of meat. He wished he’d listened to Alfred about the harness.
He could only imagine poor Alfred. As if being tenderized meat weren’t enough, Titan began noticing signs of water. The beating on Burton took its toll.
Fluid began to fill up inside the tank.
“Fuck.” Titan sloshed in the water. He had to get out. This thing was