Beneath the Fallen City, Jamie A. Waters [ebook reader .TXT] 📗

tears in Seara’s eyes. He turned to Xantham. “Can you get a lock on this signal and try to figure out where it’s coming from? Once you get it, send the information to Cruncher and tell him to run a search for Observation Room A.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Xantham replied and bent over the computer. He worked diligently for several minutes. “Boss, I think we’ve got a problem.”

“What is it?”

“They know we’re in this part of the tower.”

Seara straightened, her gaze darting around the room. “You have to leave immediately. I can’t let them know about this room. Follow me and remain quiet. I’ll take you to the staff elevator. That will buy you a little bit of time. I’ll help you any way I can, but my usefulness is limited as long as I wear the bracelet.”

Seara led them out of the small room and back toward the front door. She cautiously looked outside before motioning for them to follow her down the cobblestone path. They raced down the hall and around the corner to an obscure door that led to the service elevator.

“We’ll find her, Mistress Rath’Varein,” Carl promised.

Seara blinked the gathering moisture from her eyes. “Thank you, Trader Carl Grayson. Kayla spoke highly of you, and now I see why. I’m sorry I can’t do more. If you’re able to get my daughter out of there, please take her as far away from these towers as you can.”

Carl nodded and stepped inside. When the elevator door closed, Carl opened his commlink and called Cruncher. “Have you learned anything?”

Cruncher replied, “Yeah, actually. It was hit or miss until Xantham sent over that link, but I’ve been able to track the signal and compare it with some floor plans. It looks like the signal is originating from the ninety-second level of your tower. I can give you better directions once you’re there.”

Xantham reached over to program the elevator to take them to Kayla’s floor. “So what’s the plan?”

“We don’t have much time to work out an extensive plan. In many of the common areas, the towers use biometric identification. They’ve probably already flagged Alec’s identity and changed his code. We need to try to stay one step ahead as much as possible. You and Cruncher will need to create a distraction. Veridian and I will go in and grab Kayla. We need to get in and out as quickly as possible.”

“I can create a temporary system shutdown in that area. That will distract them for a few minutes and set the biometrics offline,” Cruncher offered.

“Let’s do it. When we get her out of there, I know a safe place to take her until we can get her out of the towers.” After that, they’d have to play it by ear. It was likely that neither the trader camp nor the towers were going to be safe for any of them.

The elevator door opened, and they stepped outside. Carl plugged in his earpiece. “Which way, Cruncher?”

“Follow the hall down. It looks like it’s the third door on the left.”

There were a few people moving throughout the hallway, but they seemed to be focused on their tasks and paid little attention to the group. This level appeared to be a scientific research area from the number of people wearing lab coats. When they reached the door, Xantham looked at the metal plate on the wall. “I can get us through here, but I’ll need a minute.”

Carl and Veridian pretended to be discussing something on Carl’s commlink while they hid Xantham from view. Xantham crouched down and removed the cover plate. He pulled out the wires and grabbed a tool from his belt. Splicing the wires together, he connected them to his commlink. “Go ahead, Cruncher,” he said when he was ready. “Throw the switch.”

“You’ll have three minutes, starting… now.”

Carl and Veridian slipped inside the door while Xantham leaned casually against the wall to wait.

The room was dark except for the emergency lighting. Carl could see the one-way glass mirror they had observed in the video. Two people were at the far side of the darkened room shouting about the system shutdown and trying to reactivate it. Carl quickly headed toward the room where they were holding Kayla. He whispered to Veridian to keep a lookout and opened the door.

Kayla’s eyes widened when she recognized him. He deactivated her restraints, and she threw her arms around him gratefully. He lifted her off the table and set her down on the floor. “We have to get out of here.” She nodded. He took her hand in his, and they ran out of the room. “We’ve only got another minute. Let’s go.”

The three of them exited the laboratory and met Xantham in the hallway. They fled back toward the service elevator, and Kayla breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind them.

“Thanks,” she said breathlessly.

Xantham scanned her up and down with his eyes. “Damn! If that’s how they dress the prisoners in these towers, maybe I should become a guard.”

She rolled her eyes at him while he grinned. Veridian gave her a hug. “I’m sorry I left you, Kayla. I don’t know what got into me.”

“I don’t think you had a choice, V. It was probably Alec. I think he must have influenced you and sent you away.”

Veridian frowned, looking affronted. “That bastard.”

“I’m not sure about that,” she admitted. “There’s something about him. I get the feeling he has his own agenda in this.”

She turned to Carl, her green eyes softening with emotion. “I know what you risked by doing this. You didn’t have to do it. Thank you.”

He smiled at her. “I’m starting to get used to bailing you out of trouble.”

Kayla laughed and threw her arms around him. Relieved she was all right, Carl slipped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. He held her close and inhaled deeply, her alluring scent surrounding him and dissipating his fear.

She pulled back slightly to look up at him. “Then I’ll just have to keep thanking you.” Standing on her toes, she pulled him down toward her and kissed him.

“Now why don’t I get that kind of thank you?” Xantham complained.

Kayla broke the kiss and turned to Xantham. Her eyes twinkled as she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about. I could definitely get into this whole damsel rescuing thing.”

She laughed, and Carl shook his head in amusement. He pulled off his jacket and slipped it over Kayla’s shoulders. “Keep this on,” he instructed. “It’s not much better, but walking around in an evening dress is going to draw quite a bit of attention.”

She slipped her arms through the jacket. “Where are we going?”

“We’re stopping at the level where my family’s quarters are located. Xantham and Veridian are going to wait there. I’m taking you to a friend. You’ll be safe there until we can figure out how to get you out of here.”

The elevator stopped, and Carl turned to Xantham and Veridian. “Go back to my quarters and wipe your system files on your commlinks and terminals. They’re going to launch an investigation and that’s the first place they’ll look.”

Xantham nodded. “We’re on it.”

Veridian gave Kayla another hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

She kissed his cheek. “Take care of yourself, V.”

The door closed, and Carl programmed several floors into the controls. At Kayla’s questioning look, he said, “I don’t want them tracing us. When we get out, try to keep your head down as much as possible.”

She nodded, and when the door opened for a third time, they stepped out. He took her hand and led her down a crowded hallway. They walked for nearly ten minutes before they came to a less congested area. Carl turned a corner and walked a few doors down before pressing a button. The door slid open, and Kayla recognized one of the trader recruits from last night.

“Carl? It’s good to see you, my friend!” Rand shook Carl’s hand and clapped him on the back. “I didn’t think you’d be here for another day or two.”

Carl glanced around to make sure the corridor was still empty. “May we come in?”

“Of course,” Rand replied, and then noticed Kayla. His expression changed to one of surprised confusion when he recognized her. He stepped back and said more formally, “My apologies, Mistress Rath’Varein. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“Thanks, but you should probably call me Kayla, especially since I’m appearing on your doorstep like this.”

Carl led her inside. “We have a little problem and need your help.”

Rand closed the door behind them. “What’s wrong, Carl?”

“I’m sorry to put you in this position, but I needed someone I could trust.” He explained the situation, and Rand’s eyes widened as he listened. He turned to Kayla with a combination of shock and horror on his face.

“They’ve been doing this for that long?”

Carl nodded grimly. “I need to get Kayla out of the towers, but I need time to figure out how to do that. They’re going to suspect me, so I can’t take her back to my family’s quarters.”

“She can stay here,” Rand offered.

Kayla shook her head. “Carl, I’m not leaving the towers. Not yet anyway.”

He turned to look at her in exasperation. “Kayla, you can’t stay here. They’re going to keep looking for you until they find you.”

Stubbornly, she insisted, “No. I’m going to put a stop to this. Running away won’t fix anything. It’s my fault this happened in the first place.”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t step foot