Chapter Twenty-One

 

Savich awoke in a dark cell. The smell of musty stone and alkaline water hit his nose. He was in a cave. A bright light shone in his eyes.

“What are you doing in these woods, you alien bastard?”

Savich squinted, unable to see beyond the light to the voice’s face.

“Searching for a Resistance outpost to report to my Krinar superior.”

An angry masculine scream echoed in the chamber. “You’re insane! I should let Johnson put a bullet in your brain right now!”

“What have you done with the female?” Savich asked in his calm voice. “Tell me now, and I won’t kill you.”

The voice laughed a sharp laugh.

“You really are crazy.” The light shut off, plunging Savich back in darkness, and then footsteps walked away from him.

He felt around for a wall or bars, and gradually his excellent night vision returned.

He had been attacked on the trail, diverted by a sound in the opposite direction from where Tabby had disappeared into the brush. They plunged a needle into his neck. He cursed himself for being a stupid klapkovic. How many days had he been on planet Earth and already he was forgetting his survival skills?

He put his self-hatred to the back of his mind.

No cage would hold him from getting Tabby back. His only consolation was that he didn’t think these people were her original captors. If he could reason with whoever was in charge, maybe he could strike some sort of bargain. She was innocent. In every way.

He tested the bars. They were embedded in the stone floor. It would take some time, but he could break them. Either with his own brute strength or one of his nanobot tools. He reached in his pocket but found it empty. They had stolen his nanobots.

He might have better luck bargaining if he didn’t try to escape, however. He leaned into the bars and yelled out into the darkness.

“Who’s in charge here? Let me talk to your leader!”

He heard a bark of laughter. Then a mocking voice, “Take me to your leader!” More laughter.

“Shut up, alien fucker!”

“Just let me talk to your superior.” Savich remained calm. “It will only take a few minutes.”

He heard more chuckling from the dark cavern out of his sight. Footsteps retreated.

He gripped the iron bars in anger but breathed deep of the musty air. For Tabby, he would do anything. Even restrain himself. Especially restrain himself.

He examined his small cell; it was simply a hole carved out of the side of a cavernous hallway. There was nothing on the floor by way of mat or straw. Not even a bucket to piss in. Hopefully this meant they weren’t planning on keeping him forever. A huge lock fastened two iron bars to each other, and four hinges angled outward on the other side.

In the hall, he saw more rock floor and wall. An empty sconce was hooked into the stone wall across from his cage.

He heard steps approaching, and the glow of a yellow light bounced gently on the floor approaching his cell.

“Please. Tell me the female is healthy and safe. I need to talk to your superior.”

An old man stopped in front of the cell. Rather than blind Savich with the light, he held it to the side so they could look at one another.

“What do you care about the female?”

“She was held captive by three men in the Kwadacha. In a cabin,” Savich spoke. He debated how much to tell him. “She was chained outside like a dog.”

The man gasped.

“Please tell me you’re treating her with respect and dignity.” Savich took a deep breath. “I’ll kill anyone who doesn’t.”

The man chuckled.

“You’re an interesting specimen.”

Savich growled and grasped the bars.

The man took a step forward. “Your growls don’t frighten me. But yes,” he tipped his head. “The female is quite safe. Fed, warm and in the company of other women.”

“Is she free to go? You can not keep her against her will,” Savich uttered, his voice lowering with each syllable. “She won’t handle it well.”

The man’s face actually softened. “We understand.”

Savich released his grip on the bars. He stepped backward into his cell.

The man approached again. “That’s it?”

Savich folded his arms.

“If I could, I would find the men who held her prisoner and kill them with my bare hands.”

“I see,” the man said and squatted down. “Perhaps we could help each other, then.”

Savich’s ears perked up, and he cocked his head. He squatted on his side of the bars.

“I’m listening.”