Weapons Master Galactic Gladia - Anna Hackett Page 0,43
“Bellamy?”
“Yeah.” She tugged on her new hair.
“I thought they killed you.”
She grabbed the man’s hand. “Nope. Killed a few of those nasty masks myself when they tried.” She glanced at Maxon. “I’m House of Rone now.”
Hern looked at Maxon and Zaden. “Cyborgs?”
“Yes. We’re taking the arena down. Tonight.”
There were gasps from the other prisoners.
“Our friends are springing people from the cells right now. I need you guys to go when you get the chance. Get out of here.”
“What are you going to do?” Hern asked.
“Do you know where they keep the mag-tech?”
Hern’s eyes widened even further. “No. They keep it protected and never talk about it.”
“We’re going to find and destroy it.”
A grin brightened the older man’s crusty face. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”
A young woman pushed forward, grease streaked on her cheek. “I see lots of Edull guards around the ventilation room. They never let me in, and they are very protective of it.”
Bellamy’s pulse leaped. She shared a glance with Maxon.
“Thank you,” she said. “We’ll check it out. Get out when you can.”
“Take care, Bellamy.” Hern glanced at Maxon. “Although, it appears you have help. Keep an eye on her, cyborg. She’s fearless.”
“I know,” Maxon replied.
“Come on.” Bellamy led Maxon and Zaden through a door.
They moved down a narrow tunnel and she felt the vibrations of the bots racing around the track above. As they moved lower, the temperature increased.
“The ventilation room is down here.” She turned a corner. Two Edull flanked a curved door.
“Hey,” one rasped. “This is a restricted area. No guests.”
“I’m so sorry.” Bellamy made her voice breathy and high-pitched. “We’re lost.”
The other Edull stepped forward, a staff clutched in his hand. “You need—”
Maxon and Zaden attacked.
They were swift and deadly, and seconds later, both Edull lay slumped on the floor against the wall.
Nice. Bellamy hacked the electronic lock and the door opened.
It uncovered a circular, open elevator. They stepped onto the platform and she touched the controls.
The floor jolted and they started downward. Once the elevator stopped, she saw a huge, cavernous area ahead.
A few steps down led to the main floor.
Four enormous fans were embedded horizontally into the floor. They were spinning, sending air gusting up. They provided ventilation for the arena.
“Zaden, detect anything?” Maxon asked.
“No, but there are energy readings disturbing my scans,” the young cyborg replied.
“Mine, too.” Maxon didn’t sound happy.
They walked up to the railings circling the closest fan.
Air rushed up and when Bellamy looked down, she saw the fan spinning so quickly it blurred. “Let’s search for the mag-tech.”
They fanned out, exploring the space.
“I’m not detecting any strong magnetic fields,” Zaden said with a frown.
Damn. “It’s got to be here somewhere. Keep looking.”
As she searched, the whoosh of the fans echoed in her ears.
More minutes ticked by, and then Maxon grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. “It’s not here.”
“Dammit.” She wanted to punch something.
Suddenly, shouts echoed through the space.
Zaden tensed. “Several Edull just entered the room.”
“Drak,” Maxon muttered.
Laser fire winged past them, and they all ducked. Maxon pulled a weapon and returned fire.
Edull were running in their direction.
More shouts. Bellamy spun and saw another door on the far side of the fans. It was open, and more Edull guards were pouring in.
Shit, they were trapped in the middle.
There was more laser fire and Maxon grunted.
Her pulse spiked. “Are you hit?”
“Just a small burn.”
The three of them hunkered down behind the railing of a fan. Zaden closed his eyes. The railings started to vibrate, the metal floor shook.
What the hell?
Zaden moved his hand and one of the fans ripped free, rising up into the air.
“Oh, my God,” she breathed.
“Go,” Zaden said. “Get out. I’ll keep them busy, and then I’ll find you.”
Maxon nodded.
The fan flew through the air and crashed into one group of the Edull.
Maxon grabbed Bellamy’s hand and they sprinted across the space, circling around another fan.
They raced out of the vent room door, and into a dark corridor.
“We need to—” Her words were cut off as electricity hit her.
Pain, like being burned alive, hit Bellamy.
She tried to scream but her throat wouldn’t work. She saw Maxon go down to his knees, electricity all over him, his eyes rolling back in his head.
Her body twitched, and she collapsed beside him.
Fuck. It hurt so bad.
A pair of black boots appeared in her line of sight, black robes brushing the tops of them. Her stomach dropped.
Vossol crouched, his breathing rasping through the valve in his red mask.
“So, we meet again. You just won’t die.”
Bellamy was certain the