Chapter 3 - The Woman in the SignalThey traveled only at night.
During the day, they hid inside abandoned buildings, drainage tunnels, and once, beneath the rusted remains of an overturned train.
Alex learned quickly that survival beside the Vael required a different set of rules.
Kael never slept for more than twenty minutes.
Daren could hear movement hundreds of feet away.
Both could smell arkonite.
And neither trusted fire.
"Too visible," Kael explained.
"What about me?"
"You attract attention."
Alex glared.
"I am literally the least interesting person in this wasteland."
Daren snorted.
"You are wearing prison clothes."
"Fair."
For the first time, one of them almost smiled.
It was strange.
They were supposed to be monsters.
Yet monsters did not usually make jokes.
On the third night, they reached a ruined communications station.
Kael opened a door hidden beneath broken concrete.
Inside was a functioning terminal.
Alex stared.
"You had electricity this whole time?"
"Some of us know how to repair things."
"Could've mentioned that."
Daren sat at the terminal.
"We're not here for electricity."
The screen flickered.
A map appeared.
Dozens of red dots surrounded them.
Alex's stomach tightened.
"What are those?"
"Search units."
"How many?"
Kael counted.
"Twenty-seven."
"Twenty-seven?"
"And that's only within ten miles."
Alex stared at him.
"You said we were safe."
"I said this building was quiet."
"That's not the same thing."
"No."
Daren suddenly stopped moving.
"What?"
He touched the screen.
A signal appeared.
Encrypted.
Then another.
Then another.
Kael leaned closer.
"Impossible."
"What?"
"The broadcast is active."
"What broadcast?"
He looked at Alex.
"Someone is calling us."
The terminal displayed a line of text.
KAEL. DAREN. IF A HUMAN WOMAN IS WITH YOU, DO NOT LET HER REACH THE COAST.
Alex felt the room change.
"Who sent that?"
Kael didn't answer.
Another line appeared.
SHE IS THE KEY.
Alex stepped backward.
"Key to what?"
A third line appeared.
THE ROAR WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO CONTROL HUMANS.
Alex stared.
The screen flashed.
IT WAS DESIGNED TO WAKE THEM.
The terminal exploded.
Kael grabbed Alex and threw her behind a steel table.
Gunfire tore through the building.
Daren returned fire.
"Roof!"
"Three shooters!"
"Six!"
Alex crawled toward the rear door.
A bullet struck the wall beside her.
She screamed.
Kael reached her.
"Stay down."
"Who are they?"
"Human."
That was worse.
The attack ended after four minutes.
Four long minutes.
Daren killed two attackers.
Kael captured one.
The rest escaped.
Their prisoner was a young woman.
Human.
Maybe twenty-five.
Blood ran down the side of her face.
She stared at Alex with pure hatred.
"You have no idea what you are."
Alex swallowed.
"What does that mean?"
The woman laughed weakly.
"Ask your Vael friends."
Kael grabbed her collar.
"Who sent the message?"
She smiled.
"Your own king."
Daren stiffened.
Kael's grip tightened.
"You said he was dead."
"He isn't."
The woman looked at Alex.
"And he wants her."
Alex felt cold.
"Why?"
The woman leaned closer.
"Because your mother found the truth."
Silence.
Alex stared.
"What truth?"
The woman began laughing again.
Then she bit down.
Kael reacted instantly.
He forced her mouth open.
Too late.
Poison.
Her body went limp.
Alex stepped back.
"She knew my mother."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
"You're still hiding something."
"Yes."
"Tell me."
Kael looked at the dead woman.
Then at Daren.
Finally he said:
"Your mother wasn't just a prisoner."
Alex's heart hammered.
"What was she?"
Kael's voice dropped.
"She was the first human ever to survive the Roar without losing consciousness."
Outside, a siren began.
Then another.
The search units had found them.
Kael grabbed his weapon.
"We move now."
Alex stood.
"Where?"
Kael looked east.
"Underground."
Alex stared at him.
"No."
"We have no choice."
"I've spent six years underground."
"This isn't the camp."
"Then what is it?"
Kael's expression darkened.
May you like
"Our city."
And beneath their feet, something enormous began moving.
