ABANDON

Chapter 58 -- Go Back

The air around the Ander's nest was hot and humid. Light flashed above the distant ridge followed by the low rumble of thunder. Jane stood on the metal landing outside the door to the rocket, beside her stood Soon, weapon back in her hands. It was impossible to tell where everyone was and Jane reassured herself that there would be enough time for her to get to the transport.

"Sama's gone!" Soon called out. "Sama where are you?"

Jane's attention was caught by movement, the surface of the rocket across from her looked like a writhing skin composed of Ander clinging onto Ander. A large section peeled back, those Anders at the end hovering one hundred meters above the ground. Then there was a bright flash, electricity arced from the air down to this flap of skin, blasting Anders in all directions. The sound that immediately followed caused Jane and Soon to cower.

"What was that?" Soon hissed.

"The sound was thunder, the flash lightning; we've got to get off this tower."

"Where is Sama?" Soon moaned.

Both women began to descend the stairs, scanning the area, hoping to be seen but it was not Sama's attention they caught, it was theAnders. Great swarms of them moved towards the rocket. There was no fear for them now, the rocket was no longer protected by Seehoiah. At the sight of what was coming to meet them Jane and Soon hesitated, then moved back up the stairs. Jane had to find another way down. The memory of four different escape routes came into Jane's mind in a second, delivered by Seehoiah. "Soon," she called, "This way. "Jane pointed up the stairs.

Up one flight of stairs, they ran across a walkway that connected to the support structure of the adjacent rocket. From there they climbed onto a loading apparatus. The burning building was ahead, and that made Jane think about John. Thinking about John made Jane remember Michael's comm device; where had she put it? She'd been so distracted she couldn't remember.

"Where next Jane?" Soon fixed her eyes on Jane. "What are you looking for?"

"Found it!" Jane took the device from a pocket and shoved it into her ear. "John," Jane waited anxiously.

"Where do we go Jane?" Soon was right next to her, demanding an answer.

"I'm here Jane." There was something incredibly soothing about John's voice. "I can see you and Soon. I'm on the top of the hangar, in the southeast corner under the metal vents."

Jane moved to the edge of the support structure where a service ladder was located, Soon followed. "We're going down. Will you ensure we don't meet any Anders on the way?"

"I will." John answered.

Jane and Soon descended as fast as their muscles allowed them. As they neared the bottom Soon's annoyed voice was a constant presence over the comm. "Where is Sama? What is he doing? Does he expect us to run?"

It was Kill who answered. "He can't hear you. After you left, they were attacked, we lost communication. I don't know where they are."

From around the side of the burning building came a dune buggy at full speed. It took a wide arc circumventing where Jane and Soon were. Then a group of seven armoured vehicles came into view chasing the lone dune buggy. The armoured vehicles were white and had the word Hopehard branded across them. Jane recognized them, she had seen one long ago with Michael, when they had found the door to nowhere. The white vehicles were gaining on the lone dune buggy. Both women watched, so caught up in the scene before them, they were no longer descending. The lone dune buggy spun around and was now heading straight into the armoured vehicles.

"Sama, what are you doing?" Soon breathed.

There was no answer to Soon's inquiry. But the dune buggy sped through causing chaos in the large group as vehicles tried to turn around. As soon as the dune buggy was through it turned around and headed straight for the confused group again, but before it entered it veered off perpendicular.