Chapter 2

Previous : chapter 1

After making sure that no one followed them, the three young people finished their flight in the ruins of the old industrial area , northwest of the city. They stopped along the remains of an old wall, while Jodie slowly regained her senses. Before them stretched a vast desert terrain , filled with plates and stones piled on top of each other in the middle of a maze of pipes and cables. A loss of sight extended disused factories, warehouses and ruins of abandoned workings .

Pyxis was a new city which was developed exclusively around the industry . By its economic and geographical importance, it became the capital of the European Confederation . Then, when the war broke out, it was completely destroyed by the constant bombardment of the army of Nitai . Five years later, it retained its status as capital but the high command decided to abandon Nitai industrial activity in favor of political and financial activity. The reconstruction was about residential areas and the city center . Older homes in the north quickly became slums and the industrial complex of northwest was completely deserted .

Faïgon watched the young man who had helped them . Despite a run of about ten minutes, it was not even winded. His face looked calm and peaceful. Faïgon wondered for a moment if he was not dealing with a cyborg. He could not afford to trust him :

- Thanks for your help . Fear not, the soldiers did not pursue you here .

He held out his hand and said in a firm tone :

- Okay, now we'll let you , we have stuff to do ! See ya !

The stranger shook his hand . Faïgon then felt a warm trickle down his wrist .

- Damn you're bleeding !

Embarrassed , the young man replied , hesitatingly:

- Uh ... Yes, that's when he shot at us .

Jodie looked Faïgon :

- We can't leave him like that . He must be treated.

Faïgon hesitated a moment, then nodded. After all, he saved them.

- OK , follow us . I 'm Faïgon and this is Jodie .

- Thank you, replied the stranger . My name is Shara .
 

The ground was lit by the distant lights of tall buildings downtown. No lamp did work and the moon was low on the horizon . They walked a good half hour , picking their way among the ruins and debris in the dark. Faïgon seemed perfectly know where he went. Following him , they entered the remains of a large empty warehouse with a whole section of wall had collapsed. In view of the state of disrepair of the other walls, Shara thought that this building is still standing was a miracle . The roof, made ​​of sheet metal, was pierced in several places. Above them, the remains of a metal walkway hung to the ground. On the ground floor, in the back of the room , a small staircase plunged into darkness.

- It descends into a cave with one of the walls collapsed , giving access to underground, explained Faïgon .

Only the weak moonlight pierced the darkness and the small opening in the wall, hidden behind a set of metal pipes, was quite difficult to find. Behind , a corridor sank into the ground. The descent in wet maze was long and painful . It was a succession of curves and straight lines sloping . In some places, the ceiling was completely collapsed and it was necessary to squat or even crawling on the wet ground, to clear a path .

After about twenty minutes of walking, a faint light appeared at the end of a hose . Faïgon turned to Shara :

- We arrive in the most secret underground party.

They then entered a huge room with granite walls that stretched out of sight . All seemed to have been carved into the rock , but traces of picks or shovels had been eroded by moisture. The room was lit by countless dusty bulbs hung haphazardly along the pipes and electric cables that roamed the walls and ceilings. The air was cool and damp in places and could see water seeping walls. Each side of the room, large openings in corridors led bifurcated , not allowing to guess how long they stretched .

Shara was surprised to see that hundreds of people of all ages living there , huddled in tents or on the ground . Underground seemed organized as a gigantic city. Most people seemed poor and miserable , but their attitude, their cleanliness and dress sense left assuming they had not always lived well .

Faïgon beckoned him to follow him and entered a hallway. While walking , he explained that since the invasion by the army of Nitai , all the young men were conscripted .

- In addition , he clarified , the army regularly raids in the slums north of the city. All invalids and beggars are arrested and sent to camps . As for the girls who are not strong enough to join the army , when they are not killed, they are enslaved to the officers. While some preferred to hide here , rather than dwell on the surface .

They progressed in the tortuous corridor exceeding several entries which gave to other corridors. After a few minutes of walking, they entered a large room where there was great agitation. It looked like a market where many young people distributing all kinds of goods and food to the people coming and going between the shelves in a dizzying din. Faïgon to Shara announced they had finally arrived. He pulled the handle and walked in the midst of the general crowd .

In the center of the room, two young men saw Faïgon and rushed to meet :

- What were you doing ? We were looking for you everywhere.

- I'll tell you , proudly replied Faïgon .

A voice came up behind him :

- Yeah, you have to! And with details!

Faïgon turned, surprised. The young woman who came to speak stood behind them, arms crossed. She looked furious .

- Uh ... Shonie ... he stammered , visibly impressed.

- You better have a good explanation for having disappeared like that, and to bring a stranger here !

She nodded in the direction of Shara and five young men immediately circled him. One of them grabbed his right arm. Shara pushed him violently . The five boys came out suddenly of their pockets knives switchblade . The people standing around them parted and , after a brief rumor was silence throughout the room . Jodie rushed :

- No, stop ! He's not dangerous. She turned to Shara : Don't try to resist. Everything will be fine , OK ?

Shara nodded. Jodie then looked Shonie :

- Agree?

Shonie distrusted abroad, but she knew she could trust her friend.

- OK , this is good store your knives .

The five young men obeyed and the crowd resumed his business as if nothing had happened.

Shara was impressed by the authority of this girl. Even Faïgon , which seemed spirited and rebellious, did not discuss her orders. She motioned to follow Jodie and away from the group . Before joining , Faïgon took a glance at the young man :

- Don't worry , we'll explain everything to her!

Shara watched the five guards who had gathered and watched warily. Five men , almost as young as him, who seemed to be frightened , as the poor people he had crossed in the tunnels. They were all afraid of him. He decided to sit on the ground against one of the walls of the room to show them that he would try anything and he was not a threat to them .

Once away , Shonie turned to Jodie :

- So ?

- He saved our lives .

- Yes, Faïgon explained . We went home when four soldiers attacked us. We haven't heard anything, we got caught .

- You, Faïgon , you got caught by the soldiers ? Shonie replied , surprised.

- Yeah , I know, it's stupid . It must be a commando or something like that. I haven't spotted them. And then they never come hanging around usual.

- Yes, it's weird , Shonie replied . Especially at dusk . This is worrisome. If they are not afraid to venture into the streets , they will easily find the underground , especially since they already know about it. And this guy then?

- He arrived and defended us . We wouldn't be released without him, said Jodie .

- I see it , says Shonie looking Faïgon's swollen face .

- You should have seen how he got rid of them! They had no chance !

- This is precisely what worries me . How do you explain that one man can get rid of four commandos ? It smells stunt !

- I thought about it , can you imagine ! But he really hit the soldiers, he was not pretending !

- And he bleeds real blood , Jodie added .

- It looks like blood , corrected Shonie . You know their androids are becoming more sophisticated . It may even be a cyborg, she said pensively .

Then she turned in the direction where was Shara :

- I can't take any chances , sorry.