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Confident in Wager's ability to manage the database part of their search, Co
They moved with rapid strides further down the hallway, keeping their gazes averted from the rapidly swirling kaleidoscopic floor. Light poured in from the skylights above and a clear door at the end of the hall provided a sunlit view of the far edge of the meditation courtyard.
As they reached a doorway, Co
The man nodded and stepped into the doorless room with glaive drawn and at the ready. Co
It was a dark space, not unusual since it was unoccupied, but odd in that the lighting did not illuminate when he entered. It was only the light spilling in from the hallway that enabled him to see.
The center of the room was empty, but tiered metal carts on wheels lined the walls. There was a medicinal smell in the air and as he spotted a heavy bolted metal door in the wall, his hackles rose. There was a thick viewing window built into the upper part of the massive barrier, but whether that was for someone to see in or someone to see out, he didn't know. Either way, that door was a serious deterrent and meant that whatever it guarded was important.
"What the hell have you got in there?" he wondered aloud.
Co
One of the many command overrides he inputted caused the panel to beep rapidly and then the room slowly brightened.
"Yes!" He gri
The sharp hiss of releasing hydraulic pressure had him rocking back on the heels of his boots. Somehow he'd managed to get the door open, too, which made things all the easier.
What happened next would forever be ingrained on Co
His glaive at the ready, Co
Co
"Fuck!" he grunted as he crashed to the stone with bone-jarring force.
The thing was on top of him, a not-inconsiderable male filled with unexplained ferocity. It was snarling and grappling like a rabid beast. Co
Deep inside Co
"Captain!"
Co
"What the fuck was that?" Trent cried, standing just above Co
"Hell if I know." Co
It wore only loose white pants that were stained and torn. On the back of its hand was a seared brand-"HB-12." A quick look at the cell from which it escaped revealed a thick metal interior liberally gouged.
"Your room is definitely more interesting than mine," Trent said. The levity of his statement was ruined by the crack in his voice.
Co
Most everyone would say that leading a revolt went against his easygoing nature, and they'd be right. Hell, he still had trouble believing he'd taken this step. But there were too many goddamn questions and all the answers he had were lies. Yeah, he was a man who liked things painfully simple-wine, women, and kicking ass, as he used to say-but he had no qualms about stepping up to the plate and swinging when necessary.
It was his job to protect others, both Dreamers and the gentler Guardians. There were thousands of his people, all were divided into certain specialties. Each Guardian had their strengths. Some were tender and offered comfort to Dreamers who grieved. Others were playful and filled in dreams of sports heroes or baby showers. There were Sensuals and Healers, Nurturers and Challengers. Co
"There's no way to pretend that the Temple wasn't breached now," the corporal pointed out.
"Nope," Co
Wager came ru
"Fuck if I know." Co
"Yeah," Wager agreed. "It stinks. It's also probably what set off that alarm on the console. My guess is reinforcements are on their way now, so we better get out of here."
"Did we get anything useful out of the database?" Co
"I downloaded what I could. It would take eons to get all of it, but I tried to focus on files that sounded the most intriguing."