Dust in the Wind

Chapter 11 - Midnight Trails

Felicia clasped the handgun to her waist before readjusting the rifle across her back. She leaned against the alley wall, tapping her foot impatiently as she awaited the arrival of Aminia. Despite the sun having set hours earlier,  the city of Arion was still brightly lit, light streaming out from windows and flooding the streets. Her nerves were gnawing at her stomach, Felicia could feel it twisting uncertainly. Feeling like a cornered rabbit she spun around, raising her fists as she heard the crunch of boots as they came in contact with a loose piece of garbage. Aminia raised her hands to ward off an attack, a grin dominating her face, 'Calm down, it's just me.'

      Felicia lowered her hands, feeling some of the tension loosen, 'Alright, let's go.'

The pair darted from shadow to shadow, twitching at the slightest sound that permeated the air. Felicia clenched her teeth, forcing her eyes to stay ahead instead of scanning the alleyway they scuttled down. Their movements were silent, each foot placed quickly and carefully over rough pavement as they neared the large gateway that led to the stables, a compound that sat surrounding by its own walls outside the city to deter thieves. One way in and out from the city.

      The pair came to a halt across the large gap that separated the towering skyscrapers of Arion and the stables. Max's brother-in-law stood by the closed gate, leaning against the wall casually, eyes roaming the darkness, searching.

      Aminia peered over Felicia's shoulder eagerly, a grin spread over her features, 'We're actually going to do this! It's so exciting!'

      Felicia's hand snapped up without her consent, covering her friend's gas mask, 'Quiet will you? Who knows who's watching the streets.'

      Aminia tore Felicia's hand off her face, glaring at her as she muttered, 'So? It's not like they know what I'm talking about.'

      'That's beside the point, now follow me.'

Without another word Felicia stepped out of the shadow of the alley, keeping her head low as she walked towards the man leaning against the wall. Her eyes scanned the dimly lit chasm with Aminia hot on her heels. The man straightened up to greet them, shaking Felicia's hand as if everything was completely normal, his green eyes were alight with curiosity, obviously wanting to ask why they had called him out so late at night wanting a way out of the city. He shook their hands without a word though, if Max told him not to ask what was going on and just give them what they wanted, he'd trust his brother-in-law's judgement and keep his mouth shut. They exchanged polite pleasantries before he led the pair to the door beside the gate which employees of the stable used to enter.

      Aminia couldn't help a small chuckle as she compared the size of the gate to that of the door, it looked like the door to a child's doll house in comparison. Felicia raised an eyebrow at her friend as the man unlocked the door before ushering them inside. They were greeted by a narrow hallway lit by florescent lights bolted into the ceiling, the odd one flickering occasionally and making their shadows dance.

Felicia had only been to the stables a few times, mostly as a Guardian trainee  being saddled with the job of returning the horses after the full-fledged Guardians had returned when stable hands had been too busy. Occasionally one of them had ruffled her hair as she took the reins of the  horses. Walking out into the large spaces dotted with training tracks, sheds and stables Felicia felt like a trainee again, nerves beginning to gnaw at her insides as they were led past darkened stables in which horses slept, their black shapes twitching occasionally. Aminia gasped beside her, freezing on the spot. The other two turned to see what had caught her attention, the man leading them smirking as he caught side of the monstrous creature that slumbered undisturbed in the middle of a field adjoining the equally large stables.