We The Forlorn (Book #2) (Completed)

9. The Lost City

Bo's eyes fluttered shut as she held her breath and hoped against all hope that the patrol wouldn't walk down the road toward the alley.

"Even if there was someone over there, they're gone now," someone said. "We're not supposed to chase anyone down. Just make sure they don't try to leave."

"But what if it was the ones we're supposed to be watching?" the original voice asked. "Shouldn't we follow them, or something?"

"That's not our job," the reply came. "If something happens around the perimeter, and we were wandering through the city trailing someone, we'll be on a one-way-ticket to the cremation office."

"But, with the lieutenant out searching for the Forlorn leader, we should be more-"

"We're not stopping. Get back on your hopper. We need to continue the circuit and make sure it's secure."

A moment passed in silence, but then the hoppers roared into life. With them, Bo let out a deep breath, sagging in relief. It was barely a few seconds later when the sounds of the engines faded into the distance, and Khan crept toward the entrance of the alley. He poked his head out, and then beckoned for Helga and Bo to follow him with the hoppers.

"Close call," he said, taking his hopper and throwing a leg over the seat.

"We're not getting out of the city in the normal ways," Helga said.

"Got an airship?" Bo asked. "We could get to Adam in no time flat if we had one."

"Ha! You think we're made of money?" Khan asked. "Also, notice that there's not a lot of places to hide an unregistered airship in a city."

Bo rolled her eyes. "Well, how are we getting out of here?"

"Could just go back to camp and wait a little bit until they get restless and bored," Khan said. "They're more likely to make mistakes when they've been guarding for a while."

"No. I'm not going to sit around while Adam is out there."

"Well, I don't see how we can get out without being shot or blown up," Khan said.

Helga cut in. "The Lost City."

Khan and Bo turned to look at her.

"What's The Lost City?" Bo asked, while Khan said at the same time, "You really want to go there?"

"I definitely don't want to go there, but it's the only way out of the city that Clayton and his men won't know about."

"Okay, but let's take a moment to explain to the new girl what The Lost City is," Bo said.

"A smuggling ring that runs an underground pub," Khan replied. "They have tunnels that go under almost the entirety of the city that they use to deliver goods to those that the militia has blacklisted. It's a black market, and a place where the rebels gather."

"Then why does Helga not want to go there?"

Khan glanced at Helga, as if looking for her approval. She looked at the horizon, her hand hovering over the key to her hopper. "It's run by a man I once thought I could love. But instead, I tied my horse to the same old love that had hurt me before, and ended up costing this man the girl he really loved."

"I'm sorry," Bo said, but by then Helga had cranked on her hopper and kicked up the stand.

"Let's go," Helga yelled, pulling down her goggles and waving an arm for the others to follow her.

They rode back into the city, heading for the crush of bodies still in the streets and markets. Before they got to the center of the crowd, Helga pulled over to a place where people parked their hoppers. They locked their vehicles up, and then Helga led the way on foot into the crowd.