Blade. Scrapper. Part 6.. Damantha Makarova
command of the ship.»
The mechanic didn’t reply.
«Cipher, patrol around, and keep us updated if you find anything or anyone.» Wolfin nodded to the SS Growler’s Captain.
Cipher nodded in reply and the communication cut off.
Hunter headed out of the bridge after Wolfin, feeling unnerved.
«What, exactly, did Kayla find?» he asked.
«A shard. It looks like the energy crystal from our jetpacks.» Wolfin grimaced again.
They met Laneth almost running from the cargo bay, where she was leaving the INVI-drones to send them off for reconnaissance.
«I’ve activated the drones, they will circle the surroundings to seek out any traces of Serena and Lindon.» she reported.
Wolfin nodded to her, passing the woman.
«Stay on comms.» Hunter said to her. «We’ll call if we find anything.»
«Take some meds with you!» Laneth shouted. «You know how Serena can be…»
Wolfin growled under his breath, stepping into the medical bay for a few moments to pick up some additional capsules and syringes. He too thought that if something happened, medical supplies would be a good thing to have at hand. Grabbing a portable medical scanner, he shoved it to Hunter.
«We need to be prepared…» Wolfin said to the cyborg, picking up a small backpack from the cabinet under the sink. «Get the bandaging spray…»
Within moments they stuffed the backpack with all the needed supplies they might need and left. Hunter kept silent, but knew that he would feel more confident if he were to carry the supplies. Wolfin didn’t mind, too worried for his named daughter.
As soon as Lyssa descended closer to the ground, the two jumped out – cloaked and unseen – and ran off towards where the shard was located by their scanners.
It took them some time to make sure there was no one around, before they headed to what looked like a cave entrance. Wolfin found the shard and kneeled next to it, seeing bits and pieces of the outer layer of the jetpack they were given.
«Shit.» he breathed out, glancing into the cave and seeing what looked like a trail of a harsh tumble.
In the meantime, Hunter took interest in the tracks that Serena and Lindon were following in the first place. Walking up to where they disappeared in the mountainside, he frowned deeper.
«How…» he took a step closer and kneeled, reaching for the end of the track, but his fingers suddenly fell through the rock that he was seeing in front of him. «Wraith!»
Wolfin whipped around and saw the cyborg looking at him some ways away, with his hand disappearing in the solid ground. Frustrated and confused, the Veluthian walked over and studied the side, before taking a cautious step inside.
The illusion parted and he saw a cavern with a big vehicle parked in it, hidden from anyone’s eyes.
«Fuck.» Wolfin growled, stepping up to the vehicle.
He took a few minutes to circle around – with Hunter trailing him behind and looking out for anyone to be there.
«Wisp… come in.» Wolfin contacted the ship.
«This is Wisp, copy.» Kayla responded almost immediately.
«Mark our location, ready some charges to be sent here.»
«What?» Laneth’s voice came in very tense.
«We found the vehicle that was by the outpost. There’s no one here, but… It’s cloaked.»
«Cloaked?» Kayla asked, surprised.
«It’s Terran-made, Wisp. And yes, it’s cloaked.» Hunter said, his voice low and tense.
«The fuck?» Laneth exhaled in shock.
«Falana must have sold the Company our cloaking technology.» Wolfin growled.
«Any signs of Ghost and Phantom?»
«Yeah…» Wolfin nodded to Hunter towards the exit. «We’re on it.»
«Just keep turrets on this location…» Hunter stopped by the car and stuck a tiny grenade to its side, where it won’t be noticed. «I set down a grenade on the vehicle. Have the ship’s AI mark it and when it moves, activate the grenade remotely and blow this thing to hell.»
«Copy.» Kayla fell silent for a few moments while the two men were walking out of the cavern. «Done.»
«Be careful down there…» Laneth pleaded. «If that thing is there, we can’t know who else is…»
«We know who’s here, Shadow.» Wolfin sighed. «The Company people…»
As soon as they exited the cavern, the Veluthian stopped for a split second, thinking something over, but then shook his head and followed Hunter back to where they found the shard.
They walked inside the cave, stepping silently among the steep decline of the tunnel, Wolfin’s frown grew deeper and deeper, understanding that whoever was tumbling there, must have taken quite the damage.
For some time they followed the slope, trying not to slip on the loose rocks and patches of sand, until they reached what could be only described as a hole, leading into the deep dark caverns of the cave system, with a narrow passage way leading away from it.
Wolfin stepped to the edge by this giant hole and saw traces of someone falling into the thick darkness that reigned down in there. Without jetpacks or any special gear it would be hard to get to the bottom of this void.
«If either of them fell, the other would have followed…» Wolfin growled. «We can’t go this way. Too steep… and too high of a fall to get to the slope…»
«We do have climbing claws… we could climb down…»
Wolfin took a bit to consider, then looked at Hunter:
«It would be the shortest way down, yes.»
«So what are you worried about?»
«I’m thinking if your heavy body will be fine climbing down. I’m sure Falana upgraded your claws, but we don’t know if the rocks will hold your weight.» Wolfin shook his head. «So I’m hesitant to let you do this, because I don’t want to get stuck down there, if you fall…»
Hunter pressed his lips together, then grunted:
«You know what? I don’t care! I’m going down, whether you like it or not!» he activated his climbing claws, immediately lowering to the edge.
Wolfin watched the cyborg slowly descending the rocky wall, until he reached the slope. Feeling unnerved, the Veluthian sighed and descended himself, understanding that he was too worried for Serena and Lindon being off comms for so long.
It took them a bit of time to half-walk and half-slide down the rocky ground slope under the hole, until they reached the bottom.
The trail of the tumble took them straight to the cavern wall, where they found a few drops of blood and tracks, belonging to their friends.
«Small… heavier than they should be…» Wolfin examined the tracks cautiously. «She had to carry him out…»
«What did they get into?..» Hunter sighed, watching Wolfin walk off, following the tracks that led deeper into the tunnels.
It was evident that the jetpacks the two had could have been damaged and there was no way for them to get out through the way they got in – especially if one of them was hurt bad enough.
Chapter 5. Cave
Serena slowly came back to her senses – first, feeling the pain all over her body. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw herself lying in the embrace of a man. It took her a moment to realize it was