Page 309 of Seer Prophet

In front of us, Chinja, Anale, Poresh, Baleur and Dalejem had gone more or less silent as well. Even Jax and Holo’s footsteps muted as they followed directly in our path.

Stanley, who I’d nearly forgotten was with us, as well as Surli, took up the rear with Mansk and Tenzi. I couldn’t help noticing they moved just as quietly as those in front of us, most of whom were Adhipan-trained.

Terian’s guards continued to walk normally, as did Terian himself, who scarcely seemed to notice the change in the rest of us.

As we reached about two-thirds of the length of the warehouse, the space dramatically opened up. My eyes tilted up with it, following the height of the ceiling, its bare bones and high beams suddenly visible through the bluish glow from the upper windows.

As I focused there, a light ignited against the far wall, right at the wall’s base. Little more than a golden glow at first, it rose as we got closer, then began to spread like liquid flame around the corners of the far end of the warehouse and down its length.

Frowning, I wondered why Terian would wait until we were more than halfway through the structure before he bothered to turn on the lights?

Then the thought died.

Rows of cages appeared on either side of the building in front of us. Seeing the eyes reflecting back at me through the rising golden light, I sucked in a breath.

Next to me, Revik’s light flinched, too.

I couldn’t believe how many of them there were.

What had to be several hundred people were crammed into two, long, old-fashioned-looking cages with what looked like composite steel bars.

The cages stood roughly eight feet tall, the thick metal bars spaced only an inch or two apart and clearly of both organic and dead metals from the dark green sheen. The ends of those bars disappeared into the floor of the warehouse on the lower end, and when I looked down, I saw bare feet below an odd variety of clothing styles that spanned from traditional, Chinese and Indian peasant-type attire to full-fledged business suits and party gowns, as well as a number of outfits that looked more military in origin.

Looking across that span of faces and bodies, I wondered how they slept.

I wondered how long most of them had been locked in these cages.

I wondered how many of them had any idea why they were here.

Glancing over the insignias on a few military uniforms, I tried to decide if they belonged to private sec or the remnants of one of the human militaries.

After a few more seconds, I decided it was probably a mixture of both.

Looking at all of those dirt-smudged faces, including those behind hands that clutched at the thick bars, I could only return their stares at first, paralyzed.

They came from all over the world. Looking at them, it really felt like they represented the survivors. The ordinary people, who weren’t ordinary at all.

The last of their respective races.

Our party had come to a stop on the boathouse floor. Dalejem resumed walking after that initial pause, leading the rest of us forward. We all followed him wordlessly, until our entire group stood between the two rows of cages, looking from one set of faces to another.

I noticed a lot of them were looking at Terian, watching him warily.

I also noticed how quiet they were. Silent, really.

Pretty unusual in a group of people this large, whatever their race.

Even as I thought it, Surli muttered from my right, “Why don’t they speak? Why are none of them talking? Asking for help?” Seeing me look at him, he pursed his lips. “Wouldn’t you ask for help? If you were being held prisoner by this crazy fuck?”

Next to him, Stanley, who seemed to have bonded with Surli during their deployment here together, raised a hand to indicate for him to be quiet.

Glancing at Stanley, I gestured briefly that I agreed with him.

Whatever was going on here, I could feel something was wrong.

I glanced at Revik.

Once I had, my uneasiness turned to fear.

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