The Yuthara Pact

Chapter 2: Meeting Zor (Part 2/2)

When the Cataloger awoke he was looking up at the ceiling above him. He noticed that the young woman he fought was laying close to him, nestling against his body. The cell was purposefully kept cold. She shivered in her sleep next to him, wearing almost nothing. Their combined bodies were the only source of heat. He wondered how long he had been out. His head ached and his mind was numb. He gently shook the woman and sat her up. Their cell was quite small, only made for one person.

"How long have I been unconscious?" the Cataloger asked the woman.

"I... I don't know. About two hours after I woke up from your nerve attack. Your head was bleeding pretty badly, so I did my best to stop the blood flow." She shivered in the cold. The Cataloger rubbed her arms to help get her warm. He hadn't much experience with women, but he felt a keen liking to this one. Not only was she beautiful, with her raven hair and deep blue eyes, but she could also fight. She didn't allow her smaller size or strength to be exploited as a weakness, even in hand-to-hand combat, which must have taken years of training to achieve.

"That means I could have been out for up to three hours. We need to find a way out of this cell. If I had my armor it would be easy, but I don't. I have one way, but it isn't pleasant. I don't want to use it unless it is a last resort."

"I don't see anyway we could get out. The cell doors are pure energy. Nobody has ever escaped from these cells before."

The Cataloger stood, still a little dizzy from his head injuries, and still in pain from his cracked ribs. The woman stood also, keeping close to him for warmth. He walked to the energy barrier for a closer look, and also inspected the walls, ceiling, and floor for anything that could be used. There was nothing in the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of steel. Only a single, small vent was in the room to circulate air, but it wasn't large enough to fit a person into. There was nothing to work with, and no way to escape.

With a deep sigh, the Cataloger sat back on the ground, readying himself for an uncomfortable experience. The woman crouched down, searching his face for answers.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"You'll want to stand back for this," he answered. She obeyed, standing and watching him with a frown, unsure of what was happening.

He grabbed the stump of his severed arm with his only hand. He felt around until he found a specific pressure point beneath the skin and pressed hard. A unseen button clicked in his arm and a small blade shot out from his severed arm. The blade bounced off the floor and he caught it in his right hand. Without hesitating, he slowly sliced into his calf, cutting a long, thin incision down the length of his leg, blood spilling from the new wound. He made two more cuts perpendicular to the first.

"What are you doing!?" asked the woman in shock.

"You'll see."

The Cataloger inserted his fingers deep into the wound. Blood oozed slowly onto the floor, but it seemed much thicker than regular blood, and the color darkened as it pooled. The pain was excruciating, but it was necessary. His fingers deep in his leg, he found what he was searching for. Something clicked in his leg and pressurized air began blew out of the wound, splattering more blood on the floor. Two small latches opened in his leg, revealing a small compartment within. His leg had stopped bleeding, now, for it was mostly mechanical, anyway. The Cataloger reached in and pulled out a short blade, pulsing with energy emitters. The blade was a foot-and-a-half long. He then found another switch in his leg and closed the hatches. The woman watched in amazement as the cuts on his leg healed until they were almost completely unseen. He stood up with the newly acquire blade and walked over to the energy field, giving it another look.