4522 {The Number Series}

20

"So, Sage, tell us about yourself." Macallister questioned but still managed to sound comforting.

"I don't have anything to say," he admitted. His voice was slightly higher pitched and carried through the tunnels.

"I like birds," Macallister stated. "Now your turn."

Sage thought for sometime. "I like it when it snows."

"Me too," Archer said. "But I like it more when it rains."

"Why would you like rain more?" Sage asked.

"It reminds me of moments I had with someone special."

Memories of us stuck in the greenhouse while we planted plants. It had been raining then on the day we had chosen our own birthdays out of a hat. It had been raining when Archer came to visit me for the last time before we were to never see each other again. He had brought me fruit.

"I like it when it rains too," my voice was soft.

"You know what I don't like?" Sage said.

"What?" Mcallister asked.

"Guns pointed at me," Macallister laughed.

"I wouldn't like that either," he agreed. "Jericho, you can put it down now. I don't think Sage will be going very far without us being able to see him. The tunnel only goes two ways for now."

Jericho lowered her weapon reluctantly. It almost seemed as if she had been hoping she would get to shoot the thirteen year old boy. I shivered. There was something dark about her. I had not liked her the first time we met but that was a different Jericho from the one who stood by me now. With her dressed in the Officer's uniform, it just seemed fitting that she was not on my side. I pushed the feeling away. She was here with me just like Archer and Macallister. We would have to work together.

Our flashlights shined against the round concrete cylinder as we moved along. Symbols were drawn on the walls and I recognized some of them from a special map Marie had shown me. There had been no key signature to tell what each had stood for but I remembered them anyway. One was a circle with a line drawn through the center, another a large star, and a more recent one that had not been on the special map was a strange looking three.

"The Third Party," I stopped to stare at the symbol longer. "They've been here."

"They have been expecting us," Macallister nodded forward. "They have probably put up several between here and their hide out."

"I thought Remi would need to tell us how to get there?" Jericho questioned.

"She will," he smiled. He seemed to always be smiling though our situation was not bright or happy. "They aren't going to put one of these every few feet, or even at every turn, because they want no one else to be able to find them."

We pushed on. I continued to lead.

"What is the Third Party and who are you people?" Sage asked.

"We are your new friends," Archer put his hand on the boys shoulder. "We are the good guys."

"Didn't you cut the power and break into the school?"

"Yes."

"Then how are you good if you are doing bad things?"

"There are something that will have to be done that are not good so we can make things right."

"I don't understand but okay," Sage sighed. Archer was not the best at explaining so I figured I would give it a try.