The Belly of the Beast

Ch. 71, The Sky

The level before the bottom we stopped, Skull speaking fast and low. "Alright, Z, we've got it from here."

I nodded. We'd agreed in advance that when we got to the second level, the men would take the Eel forward alone, while I'd head back up the structure. We didn't know how long we had once the Eel stepped onto the circle and rendered the other teams useless: we still had to find a person from each team and physically power down their vests while they were incapicatated. Which meant I needed to be as close to the other teams as I could.

Behind me Dagger said, "Who gets him onto the circle?"

"I do." Skull responded. "You hold off anyone with a weapon. Now move."

I pulled myself back up onto the next level. I climbed slower this time, silent, watching for the other teams. I needed to both stay out of reach, and get as close as I could— a dangerous game to play. As I climbed, I glanced down, listening to the crowd cheer and gasp, but whatever was happening down on the bottom level, the Eel hadn't yet stepped onto the circle.

I looked down again, when I heard a creak directly above me.

This time I didn't hesitate. Instead I threw myself forward, leaping over a tangle of wires, and weaving through the maze-like interior of the mountain. Footsteps and voices followed. Someone was chasing me. No, multiples. Before me, the edge of the structure rose.

"Now, Skull! Do it now!" I shouted.

Yelling was a mistake.

Men began to call out from above and below, "She's over here! We've got her!"

Panic rose. Two teams were working together, herding me, from above and below. And there was only so far I could run.

All around me blazing vests closed in, as before me the edge of the platform reared up.

"Now, Skull! NOW!" This time I screamed.

There was nowhere left to run. The edge of the platform rose up, stopping me dead. Men from above, below, behind.
It's okay. My heart pounded like it was anything but. The Eel's going to step on the second circle. He's going to save us. He said he would die to save us, go down in a blaze of glory... he said.... he said...

Nothing happened.

The men came closer, slow at first, then bolder as they saw I was alone and unarmed. I recognized one of them, the one who'd held Xyla over the edge. He came closer, till I could see the white of his eyes, lit yellow from his vest.

"So, the holy and undefeated Z, alone and unprotected. Want to power down, or would you rather go the way of your friend, and see if you can fly?"

"I'm not powering down," I whispered. I can't. Not this time.

"Then I guess we'll have to make you fly."

"You first."

He surged forward the same moment I did. But there were too many of them, and I wasn't Dagger. I fought and struggled until a fist to the stomach bent me double.

I thought it was over, that they would power off our team, but two of the men dragged me to the edge of the platform. Terror rose as the ledge neared.

"Oh come on, Z, you've survived everything else, what's one more jump?" He gripped my hair, painfully yanking my head up, and forced me to look over the platform. A dizzying drop greeted me.

"Please," I choked out, "let me power off."

The men laughed as terror choked my body.

"On three, heave her over!" a man called out. Someone grabbed my legs, another took my hands, swinging me back and forth as I fought.