WARNING: If it is illegal for you to be reading these stories or you find them disgusting or immoral, please refrain from reading further. Must be 18+ to read! Any characters, places, or people depicted in this story is entirely in the fantasy and imagination of the writer and in no way reflects his/her personal morals or beliefs when relating to relationships between minors and adults. Any people, places, or actions depicted in this story that reflect real life events or situations is entirely by accident or coincidence.

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Chapter Seventeen

 

Have you ever been woken from a deep dreamless sleep by a voice in your head? 3:33am. "Henry, you and Travis need to flee now! Come to the water level!!! NOW!!!" The voice sounded very urgent. I turned to wake Travis, but he was already getting up and pulling on his clothes. I jumped up and did the same. We ran from our quarters toward the lift and just as we approached, the lights went out. Apparently, Robert just cut the power which meant our game of cat and mouse was over. We jumped in the lift as soon as the doors opened and punched Level 35, the emergency power took us up a level and we jumped out and ran for the water room. Nearly everybody was here; some on this side of the river, some already on the other.

"Over here!" Tarka yelled. We undressed and swam across to the island.

"Bo's council have made a decision" Tarka said, "the one he jokingly referred to as `Loki' said that the day of reckoning is at hand."

"I had to cut the power" Robert said, "we've been played the entire time; the Cabal was using us as a way of contacting the Nordics. They have a small army on the way down to secure any escape route we might have. We intercepted a message telling Gregor and Vasily to go ahead and release cyanide into the vent system on the upper levels. They won't do it here yet; they want to come here."

"Yes, but we'll be gone" Tarka said, "Bo is taking us with him."

"Where, if I may ask?" I said.

"Lot's of different names" he said, "does Agartha ring a bell? Shambala? Atlantis? And more importantly, does it matter at this point?"

"I guess not" I muttered, astounded.

"Good, now go to the foyer, Bo is waiting" he ordered. We ran toward the center of the island and climbed down the ladder, Kaz and the others hot on our tails.

"Henry, Travis, Kazymir, Vadym come, this way" Bo said pointing at the center shimmering blue doorway, "Astrid will guide you on the other side."

As I stepped over the threshold, I felt like I was floating and twisting for a moment, then suddenly I was on solid ground again, Travis came through so quickly behind me, he almost knocked me over. A female version of Bo grabbed my arm and steadied me.

"I am Astrid" she said, "as soon as the others arrive, follow me."

Kaz and Vadym came out seconds later, Astrid bid us to come behind her. On the way, she spoke to another woman, "Frida, wait for the next group." Frida nodded and walked toward the portal. We followed Astrid through what appeared to be a cave until we began to see light. We stepped out in to a softly lit jungle-like place.

"Come, others of your group are over here" Astrid said. We entered a building and were greeted by Sean, Miles and Prajna.

"The others are scattered about, exploring" Sean said.

"How many are here already?" I asked

"Now that you lot have arrived, we're only lacking Robert, the otters and Michael and Faraji" he replied, "the other bears are helping guard our friends, I hope we reached Michael and Faraji in time since they didn't show up with you."

About that time Frida arrived with the badly battered Noah, Johnny and Faraji.

"Where is Michael?" I asked.

"Helping Colin and Prajna to free the hatch, Loki is going to seal the entrance to the foyer" he replied, "they should be here directly."

"Bjorn is organizing a party to free the newest ones before they can be assimilated into that diseased system" Astrid spat.

"The bulls?" I asked quietly.

"Aye, and the ones mixed with kangaroo" Sean said, "that's why we had differing information, they actually have two groups ready. And Henry," Sean said, "one of them is Daniel Spaulding." I lifted an eyebrow at that name. Daniel Spaulding had claimed to have worked at Rudloe Manor; supposedly reverse engineering a UFO that had crashed in Rendlesham in 1980. He was considered a crackpot and had disappeared about a month before I was transformed.

"If they are releasing poison, won't they kill their new creations?" I asked.

"No" Sean answered, "they are still in the upper training levels. The Nordics have a threshold on one of those levels."

"Michael, my God, are you okay?" I yelled, as the remainder of our group came in with Loki.

"I will be" he said, "there's no going back that way. The foyer now has a solid granite ceiling from the top of the doorways up to the hatch. Even if they manage to get the hatch opened, all they'll find is stone."

"Have the others left yet?" Loki asked Astrid.

"They are about to go out now" she answered.

"I'm going with them" he said and ran out the door.

"Raiding party" Astrid said, "they will bring back the others like you. Best to go now while their army is trying to blast through a blast door designed to withstand more than they are capable of throwing at it. The 3 meters of granite was overkill, but...that's Loki. Until they come back, Frida and I will show you to your quarters."

Travis and I followed Astrid on a steep trail up the side of a mountain. Carved into the rock was a beautiful little abode, the balcony on the front of the flat looked over the valley below. Astrid left us and went to guide her next group; we explored our surroundings. On the wall next to the balcony doors was a switch with a white circle on one side and an outlined circle on the other. I flipped the switch to see what would happen and the glass in the doors and windows slowly went from clear to black. When I switched it back, they went to clear again.

"The central sun never sets here, it's kind of like a natural Dyson sphere" Travis said, "hence the apartment built into the rock and black out windows so people can sleep; imitation of night."

"Speaking of...what time is it?" I asked.

"It was about 3:30 when they woke us up, so it should be...what?...about 5am now?" Travis said.

"I think we should try to rest a while then, before they come back with the new ones" I said.

Travis went in the bedroom and turned on a lamp and I set the glass to black out mode. Once we were in bed, he turned the lamp off and we passed out again.

 

The raiding party met at the threshold in the cave where one of them called Fell entered a code and changed the opening point of the corridor. Loki stepped up and stuck his head through, taking a peek to make sure nobody was watching this door. Satisfied the coast was clear they went through; entering into a storeroom on Level 10. Quietly they moved through the storeroom into the hallway. There were at least a dozen hospital rooms with observation windows on each. The bulls were almost through their training so once they heard the story, they were willing to help. The kangaroos were still physically weak; all having only just completed the process of transformation. The bulls were enlisted to each carry a kangaroo as they made their way back to the portal. They were almost back to the storeroom when a guard came from a side hallway and pulled a pistol on them. They froze for a moment. The guard reached for his radio to call for backup and didn't know what hit him when Loki's weapon shot a blue ray of light at him causing him to go rigid and fall to the floor. The party continued to the storeroom and through to Agartha; Fell sealed the entrance after everyone was clear. The kangaroos were taken to a medical ward where they could be looked after until they were strong enough to get around on their own. The bulls, who were already paired, were given quarters.

 

Black room with only pinpoints of red lights visible. Panic levels rising; gasping for breath. How did I end up back here again? Trying to move but my arm is pinned down. Oh God, what will they do to me? Trying to scream but nothing comes out...gasping. Wait...a voice is calling me in the distance. I feel movement; my arm is freed. I sit up and try to run but someone or something grabs me and holds me in place.

"Henry! Henry! Dammit Henry wake up!!" Travis yells as he fumbles for the lamp. *Click* The lamp illuminates the room and the memories flood back into my mind; I realize where I am. It was just a dream. I try to break free but Travis is holding me to him tightly.

"It's okay Travis, I'm back" I say.

"You scared the shit out of me" he says, "I was afraid you would hurt yourself. We'll obviously have to rig up some kind of night light if we end up staying here."

"I'm sorry, I just...it was like...I was back in that room again...pinned down...no sound...no light..." I stammered.

"I've had that dream before" he said, kissing me on the forehead. My adrenaline rush had me smelling like an overheated dog. "I need a shower, then I want to see what is to become of us."

"I'll come in with you" he said.

"I wish I'd had time to bring my music with me, it calms me a lot" I said.

"Maybe later" Travis said "after the retribution."

We jumped into the shower and got cleaned up, after which we realized that we had no clothes. It occurred to me; we didn't have any since we got here. I went back into the bedroom and started opening drawers and Travis looked in the closet.

"Over here" he said, holding out something that looked like a karate Gi. Not much choice here so we pulled on the pants, tied the waist, then the jacket. In the floor of the closet were two pairs of sandals which actually fit us; seems the Nordics were well prepared. I walked into the living area and flipped the glass control to let in the sunlight and immediately jumped back from the door. Standing on our balcony was a creature who had to be 2m tall, not counting the horns coming out of his head. His long golden mane fell between his eyes. When it saw the glass go transparent a smile appeared on his face. I cautiously opened the door.

"Henry!" the blondes told me you were here" he said.

"Daniel? Is that you?" I asked bewildered.

"Yes, silly" he said.

"It's just...you're so different" I said "like a Highland bull."

"Said the wolf, with the dog backing him up" Daniel joked.

"Point taken, mate" I said with a laugh.

"They've already put me to work, seems I know enough to go into training to be a mechanic" he said jovially, "wait `til you see what I'm working on."

"Travis and I were just about to go down and see what's going on" I said.

"Mind if I go along? My mate Gilles is still sleeping" he said, "our quarters are just up the hill there."

"Sure, oh and forgive me, this is my fiancé, Travis" I said, "Travis, meet Daniel Spaulding."

"Good to meet you" they said, shaking hands.

"Fiancé, huh?" Travis flashed to me, smiling.

"As soon as we find a way. I guarantee it." I flicked back.

We followed Daniel down the trail to the village, eager to see what fate would hold for us next.

 

Lambodara 11/8/20

lambodara@protonmail.com

As always, all comments and feedback are cherished. 😉 Sorry for the slow progress, life is kicking my ass right now.