main thoroughfare.
“Kidnappers, thieves, they can go anywhere now,” said Cassander, “any district, at any time. The key is traveling where they don’t want to go. Too much effort to get down here, nothing to steal. So we’re safe, more or less .”
Cassander pumped the brakes and they came to a complete stop. He backed the van up a few meters, and then parked around a corner. He motioned Kayana to be quiet and pressed a few buttons on the dashboard. A small camera extended from the front of the van and displayed what was around the corner. Two creatures twice the size of bears seemed to be locked in a desperate fight. Kayana heard the grunts and growls, but couldn’t quite make out their shapes. After five minutes, the slightly smaller one bit the larger one. Kayana heard a squeal, and the larger one collapsed to the ground.
“Don’t worry,” said Cassander, “they eat fast down here.”
Three minutes later, Cassander drove past the larger creature’s remains and they were going through the tunnels again. He picked up speed, and Kayana could see several smaller creatures getting out of the way of the tires as they moved forward. They came to what looked like an underground river, but from its smell Kayana could tell that it was sewage. Cassander pressed another button, and a protective layer came from the roof and covered the windows. Cassander waited for the layer to snap shut and then proceeded to drive straight into the muck.
“Kidnappers don’t want to go here,” he repeated with a smile. “Breathe through your mouth.”
They traveled like this for half an hour. Cassander was navigating the van with sonar now, moving slowly around the corners. They came up for air and stopped on a bank. Cassander pressed another button and a spray from the roof washed all the detritus from the van. Kayana noticed there was daylight at the end of the tunnel, and Cassander began to drive towards it.
“This is the only good part of this trip,” he said with a smile. “Arrival back in Hellenica.”
They came up through the opening and were surrounded by four thick walls, 100 meters high, with gunmen in the towers pointing at the van. It looks like an Ishtar gate, thought Kayana. The Hellenica I knew never needed gates, let alone an Ishtar gate with gunmen.
Four Spartan mercenaries came up to meet the van. They were four different races, and had probably had been born in four different districts. But they carried all the markings of Spartan guards: wiry, muscular bodies covered in battle scars, scowling faces and untrusting eyes. A guard commanded Cassander to open the window, and Kayana realized how different Cassander looked in comparison to the average Spartan. The man outside the van window was a seasoned warrior who would kill anyone or anything if ordered, but Cassander’s face showed empathy, and he had a soft smile.
“License?”
Cassander held out his hand; they scanned his palm lines until their machine beeped.
“Business?”
“I’m transporting this young woman on orders of Charon,” he said. “We’re taking her to the Academy.”
“Mind if we take her out and ask a few questions?” they asked.
“I don’t,” said Cassander, “but you might. She’s not the type you want to get near; she’s a Horseman. ”
The Spartan mercenary mulled it over. He peered at Kayana from the front of the window, and then spat. He moved away from the van and stopped twenty meters away to make a phone call through his earpiece. He came back to the van and spat again.
“By Charon’s orders, we’ll let the van in,” said the mercenary, “but if you’ve smuggled in any contraband or migrants, intentionally or not , your life is forfeit.”
“I have no hitchhikers,” said Cassander. “Nothing could survive that ride.”
The mercenary gave a nod and the gates started to open. The Hellenica I remember was open and free. A city on a hill perhaps, but welcome to all , thought Kayana, and now they have
“Kidnappers, thieves, they can go anywhere now,” said Cassander, “any district, at any time. The key is traveling where they don’t want to go. Too much effort to get down here, nothing to steal. So we’re safe, more or less .”
Cassander pumped the brakes and they came to a complete stop. He backed the van up a few meters, and then parked around a corner. He motioned Kayana to be quiet and pressed a few buttons on the dashboard. A small camera extended from the front of the van and displayed what was around the corner. Two creatures twice the size of bears seemed to be locked in a desperate fight. Kayana heard the grunts and growls, but couldn’t quite make out their shapes. After five minutes, the slightly smaller one bit the larger one. Kayana heard a squeal, and the larger one collapsed to the ground.
“Don’t worry,” said Cassander, “they eat fast down here.”
Three minutes later, Cassander drove past the larger creature’s remains and they were going through the tunnels again. He picked up speed, and Kayana could see several smaller creatures getting out of the way of the tires as they moved forward. They came to what looked like an underground river, but from its smell Kayana could tell that it was sewage. Cassander pressed another button, and a protective layer came from the roof and covered the windows. Cassander waited for the layer to snap shut and then proceeded to drive straight into the muck.
“Kidnappers don’t want to go here,” he repeated with a smile. “Breathe through your mouth.”
They traveled like this for half an hour. Cassander was navigating the van with sonar now, moving slowly around the corners. They came up for air and stopped on a bank. Cassander pressed another button and a spray from the roof washed all the detritus from the van. Kayana noticed there was daylight at the end of the tunnel, and Cassander began to drive towards it.
“This is the only good part of this trip,” he said with a smile. “Arrival back in Hellenica.”
They came up through the opening and were surrounded by four thick walls, 100 meters high, with gunmen in the towers pointing at the van. It looks like an Ishtar gate, thought Kayana. The Hellenica I knew never needed gates, let alone an Ishtar gate with gunmen.
Four Spartan mercenaries came up to meet the van. They were four different races, and had probably had been born in four different districts. But they carried all the markings of Spartan guards: wiry, muscular bodies covered in battle scars, scowling faces and untrusting eyes. A guard commanded Cassander to open the window, and Kayana realized how different Cassander looked in comparison to the average Spartan. The man outside the van window was a seasoned warrior who would kill anyone or anything if ordered, but Cassander’s face showed empathy, and he had a soft smile.
“License?”
Cassander held out his hand; they scanned his palm lines until their machine beeped.
“Business?”
“I’m transporting this young woman on orders of Charon,” he said. “We’re taking her to the Academy.”
“Mind if we take her out and ask a few questions?” they asked.
“I don’t,” said Cassander, “but you might. She’s not the type you want to get near; she’s a Horseman. ”
The Spartan mercenary mulled it over. He peered at Kayana from the front of the window, and then spat. He moved away from the van and stopped twenty meters away to make a phone call through his earpiece. He came back to the van and spat again.
“By Charon’s orders, we’ll let the van in,” said the mercenary, “but if you’ve smuggled in any contraband or migrants, intentionally or not , your life is forfeit.”
“I have no hitchhikers,” said Cassander. “Nothing could survive that ride.”
The mercenary gave a nod and the gates started to open. The Hellenica I remember was open and free. A city on a hill perhaps, but welcome to all , thought Kayana, and now they have
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