Page 21 of Accidentally Abducted
"What is it, officer?" Another voice said.
"I swear I saw someone in the dark," The first voice said.
A shrill sound filled my ears as another cage slid down the ramp and came to a stop against the wall. The metal banged against another cage, setting off a chorus of moans and cries for help.
"There's no one down here, except these losers waiting for sorting," The second voice said. "Come on, we need to return the key."
Key!
I didn't take a moment to plan out my next move. I bolted across the dark room, two steps up the ramp, and reached out towards the guards. They were short, but stocky. Pale blue skin and four eyes that were too slow to see me before I was in front of them.
I managed a hit on the first one before the second one even blinked.
"Emergency!" The second guard shouted, punching a button on his uniform.
I whirled around and punched him square in the jaw.
The guard's slimy skin oozed against my knuckles and he fell limply to the ground.
The button on his uniform beeped loudly, sending out a distress signal.
I crushed the button with my fist, feeling the plastic shatter against my rock-hard skin.
"Please don't kill us!" The first guard said through swollen lips and bleeding gums. One of his yellow fangs fell from his mouth as he spoke.
"Where's the key?" I demanded.
"The key?" He repeated.
I growled and slammed him against the dusty wall. "Tell me where the key is for that cage or I'll kill you right here!"
The guard whimpered, his pores spewing slime that smelled like garbage and vinegar. He pointed to his unconscious partner.
I dropped him and turned to the partner, searching every pocket in his uniform for some sort of key or card that would activate the electronic lock on these cages. My hand closed around a small plastic square, just small enough to miss on the first pass.
Footsteps echoed up the ramp. More guards were coming.
I hissed out a curse and ran back to Lola's cage.
"Got the key!" I said.
It took her a moment to respond. Something in the cage was affecting her translator node. "They swiped it on the left side!" She said, her fingers poking through the small holes.
I pressed the card against the lock, waiting for a beep. It was as if time slowed to a crawling pace.
Guards were almost here.
The lock clicked and the top of the cage slid open automatically.
"Lola!" I reached in and helped her up.
"Zeysor!" She cried, nearly in tears. Her eyes were wide, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "You came back."
"You told me not to see you unless I had good news. I'm sorry, but I don't have good news. It's going to be a fight to get you out of here."
The guards were almost here. I could hear shouting and calls to draw their laser guns.
Lola's blue eyes locked onto mine and she leaned in, kissing me hard.
