The Lostkind Read Free Page B

nodded. "It protects the fiber optic cables from accidents, terrorist attacks…"
    "People are looking deep again. Urban Explorers we can handle. Homeless and runaways populate every level. They're of our world. This is the first time we've had to look outside our own to protect this place."
    Vincent let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "And my office is making the decision."
    "A word from you could have the construction go anywhere." Keeper said. "Anywhere but here."
    Vincent was silent a long moment. "And if I refuse to help?"
    There was the sound of metal rasping on metal, and Vincent spun to see Yasi draw her sword from its scabbard. Fear crossed his face as she looked casually down the edge of it, testing the blade against her thumb.
    "Yasi!" Keeper barked.
    The warrior woman jumped. "What?" She blurted, surprised to see both of them staring at her. "I haven't sharpened this thing in a while, I was checking to see if Toshi had done it…"
    Vincent relaxed by ten degrees, and Keeper almost smirked. "Timing, my dear. Try and pay attention."
    "Yes'm." Yasi said, properly shamed; and she put her sword away.
    "To answer your question Vincent; if you won't help us, then we will have to abandon this place." Keeper said wearily. "There are other places. We speak to them, trade information, share news. The world is old. Everywhere there is a city, there are forgotten places. And where there are such places, there is this. It's the nature of things."
    Silence.
    "Guys..." Vincent said finally. "I... make my living making sure that buildings and bridges and roads are safe and viable and useful... This place is not only dangerous, it's illegal. Technically, you're squatters."
    "Squatting in a place that nobody knows exists." Keeper retorted.
    The silence stretched for a time.
    "Our lives are in your hands, Vincent." The old woman said coolly. Vincent knew that Keeper had likely never asked for help in her life. "If you won't help us, there's nobody else who can. And all this, will be remembered. And being remembered is the worst thing that could happen to us."
    And that was effectively the last word. It felt like the little meeting was coming to an end; and everyone rose to their feet.
    Yasi led him to the edge of her room, and drew back the hanging that served as a door/wall. There was no hallway, no steps. The chamber just stopped at the hanging, the room itself like a cave in a cliff wall. Vincent shook off the sudden vertigo as the air beyond opened for him.
    "We'll take you home now." Archivist said.
    Vincent spun on him. "But... I just got here."
    "It's best that you don't spend too long with us." Yasi said. "There's a reason that your world doesn't know we exist."
    "But I know." Vincent said. "How do you know you can trust me?"
    "You know one way in." Yasi explained. "This time tomorrow, that entrance will be gone. Sealed tight. You can lead the entire City Above to that railway and spend an hour clawing at the floor. You won't find anything, and you'll be locked in a nut-house for your trouble."
    "There are old asylums down here too, Vincent." Keeper put in. "You don't want to be in a place like that, even if the ones up there are cleaner."
    "And that's assuming you'll ever find anyone that believes you anyway." Archivist added. "Come on. I'll go with you."
    Vincent sent Yasi a quick glance, but she was already at the entrance. He watched as she rose from her crouch and launched herself upwards; a standing spring that took her five feet up, to catch the ledge Keeper had dropped from, and from there launched herself at the ropes. Her movements were liquid steel. He followed her, peeking at Archivist out of the corner of his eye. There was no way the old man would be able to handle the climb down...
    No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, when Archivist simply stepped off the edge, flashing his cane out. He caught the rope with the handle and seemed to zip-line down the ropes to the platform.
    Vincent