Chapter 6 - The Price of KnowingAlex could not move.
Her mother's last words repeated in her mind.
They were running from us.
It made no sense.
Humans were prisoners.
Humans were hunted.
Humans were starved.
Why would the Vael fear them?
Kael fired first.
The room erupted.
They ran.
Daren pulled a panel from the wall.
A maintenance shaft opened.
"Inside!"
Alex crawled through.
Kael followed.
Daren came last.
The commander shouted behind them.
"You cannot outrun the truth!"
The hatch slammed shut.
They descended.
For several minutes nobody spoke.
Finally Alex asked:
"What was my mother?"
Kael breathed heavily.
"A scientist."
"Human?"
"Yes."
"Then what did she discover?"
"The first underground cities."
Alex stared.
"Humans built them?"
"Thousands of years ago."
Daren shook his head.
"Not humans."
Kael glared at him.
"Don't."
"We're out of time."
Alex looked between them.
"What is he talking about?"
Daren answered.
"Your species may not have originated on the surface."
Silence.
Alex laughed.
It was too absurd.
"You expect me to believe humans are aliens now?"
"No."
Daren looked at her.
"I expect you to believe the Earth has more than one history."
They reached a chamber filled with ancient carvings.
Alex approached the nearest wall.
It depicted humans standing before a massive machine.
Behind them were creatures resembling the Vael.
But smaller.
Different.
The next carving showed the machine activating.
The next showed humans screaming.
The final image showed a group escaping underground.
Alex whispered:
"The Vael."
Kael nodded.
"They were not our prisoners."
"They were refugees."
"Yes."
Alex looked at him.
"From humans?"
"From what humans became."
Before she could ask more, a gunshot cracked.
Daren dropped.
Alex screamed.
Kael fired toward the shadows.
A sniper.
Human.
More shots.
Kael dragged Daren behind cover.
Blood soaked Daren's armor.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Can you move?"
"Ask me in ten seconds."
Alex crawled toward him.
"You'll survive."
Daren smiled weakly.
"That's optimistic."
Another bullet struck the stone.
Kael looked at Alex.
"We have to go."
"Daren?"
"We can't carry him."
Alex shook her head.
"No."
Daren grabbed her wrist.
"Listen."
She knelt beside him.
"If Kael tells you to leave me..."
"No."
"You leave."
"No."
Daren smiled.
"You're starting to sound like him."
Kael's face tightened.
"Daren."
"Go."
Alex refused.
Then Daren pressed something into her palm.
A small metal key.
"What is this?"
"Your mother's."
Kael stared.
"Where did you get that?"
Daren's smile disappeared.
"She gave it to me."
Alex looked at him.
"When?"
Daren coughed.
"Six years ago."
Alex's heart stopped.
"My mother met you?"
Daren nodded.
"She wasn't captured."
"Then where is she?"
Daren looked toward the eastern tunnel.
"She went to the coast."
"Why?"
He stared at Alex.
"To build the weapon that can kill the Roar."
His eyes closed.
"And she said only her daughter could finish it."
A distant voice echoed through the tunnels.
"Found them."
Kael grabbed Alex.
They ran.
Leaving Daren behind.
May you like
But as they disappeared into darkness, Alex heard three gunshots.
Then silence.
