Instinct: A Chess Team Adventure - By Jeremy Robinson Page 0,116
He’d been shocked over the stitched-up incision more than once.
She’d discovered the cure too late to save him.
FIFTY-FOUR
TRUSTING THAT THE large cave running straight into the core of the mountain was the right choice, Rook and Queen pushed forward through the darkness. An occasional fire pit with glowing embers provided the only light. The hiss of the rain and distant blasts of gunfire faded as they descended into the darkness.
They had passed several large rooms early on, each containing massive amounts of building materials. Spools of rope. Stacks of wooden planks. Everything they saw outside was being stored in the large rooms. They’d passed at least ten chambers on each side so far. Now they approached another pair of rooms, one on each side of the cave. With little light, they couldn’t see what was inside these caves, but the darkness within warned of hidden dangers. They continued past the rooms without inspecting their contents.
The cave air felt cool and moist on their skin, clinging to their exposed bodies and chilling them. Rook shivered. “We need to find some clothes.”
“What, now you don’t like seeing me half naked?”
Rook chuckled. “I can’t see anything. Besides, I—”
Queen came to a quick stop and slapped a hand over Rook’s mouth. An orange glow filled the tunnel far ahead. Voices filtered to them from the shifting light. A group approached.
They crouched low and moved back to the short doorway on the left side of the tunnel, entering its dark interior without hesitation. They stepped back into the darkness, listening as the obscure voices grew louder. Suddenly, Rook tensed.
“Give me the knife,” he whispered.
“Why?”
“Give me the knife.” Rook’s voice chilled the air further. “Now.” He felt the handle bump his arm as Queen handed it to him, holding the blade in her hand. He took it and squeezed the handle.
“What do you hear?”
The voices came louder now, each distinct. At least two female hybrids. Three males. And someone else. “Weston,” Rook growled.
Weston’s voice echoed up the tunnel. “Check all the rooms. I want them found. Start here and work your way through the old and new cities. I want all of them found.”
Rook shook his head. They would be searching this room. Despite his overwhelming desire to see Weston pay for what had happened to Bishop, he would have preferred avoiding this fight, especially with the odds stacked so high against him.
“How do you want to do this?” Queen asked.
“Alone,” Rook said. “It’s a fight we can’t win, but at least one of us can survive. Find King and Pawn. Get the hell out. Complete the mission. They’ll need you, and I need to do this for Bishop. He was my brother.”
The light began spilling into the doorway. Rook looked back and saw Queen’s face, her body crouched, ready to attack. She wasn’t listening. Confident the loud, agitated voices of the hybrids explaining an ongoing attack to Weston would mask his voice, Rook spoke. “And you’re my sister.” Queen looked him in the eyes. “You know how I feel about my sisters, Queen.”
Queen’s jaw flexed as she bit down. Then she slid into the darkness.
He whispered, “Find King. Save Sara. That’s the mission.”
The voices outside rose in volume.
“It was a feeble attack, Father, easily defeated.” The deep voice, clear and close, filled the room. “Their advance was paused. We have them surrounded.”
“And yet we lost three sentries!” Weston’s voice roared in the cave. “They’re nearly on top of us and I promise you there are more. These are not simple soldiers. You would do well to remember that.”
“The Americans were better, and where are they, Father?” The voice of the male hybrid grew arrogant as the group stopped in front of the doorway. The large male confronted Weston. “Two are trapped in Meru and the others are scattered!”
“I killed one by the river!” Lucy said, bouncing in a crouched position.
Weston’s hand appeared on the large male’s shoulder. “Shane, you are my oldest son, my bravest warrior. But you must trust me. You do not know the humans as I do. They outnumber us and have weapons that can destroy us all. Until they are gone from this jungle, we are not safe. Think of your people before you act, Shane, and do not underestimate your adversaries . . . ever.”
As Weston finished speaking, he gave Shane a pat on the shoulder. Then the large male stepped to the side, revealing Weston to Rook . . . and Rook to Weston.