#us70

“We have a few problems,” she stated. She pointed at the red line just outside of the mountain range. “Shadow People trying to get in,” she said. She moved her hand to the valley. “The Gotoro as another potential enemy.” She straightened, still staring at the map. “And Nox.”

“If we’re gonna come out of this alive,” Shane said, “it’s time we start playing dirty, too.”

“What do you suggest?” Gil asked eagerly.

“We find a way to turn the Gotoro against the Shadow People,” Shane said. “Let them fight it out and close off their tunnel into the valley while we get out and find Nox and Michaels.”

“I don’t know if we’ll want the Gotoros to know that we know about what the Shadow People are doing,” Maru said carefully. “We can’t let anyone know that we know something.”

“We go in the sewers where they’re working and eliminate them,” Sebastian said. “Close it off somehow. Bring them a few steps back. That will at least buy us some time.”

“What if that doesn’t work?” Alex said. “We need back up plans. What do we do if those brutes make it into the valley? Or worse, the Gotoro turn on us? They’re right outside as we speak and they have been for months.” His eyes widened at a realization. “They’ve been trouncing around here, helping themselves to all the valley has to offer. The helicopters have been coming in and out. It could all be a ploy. Who knows what kind of information they have. Searching the valley this whole time, right under our noses.”

“The mines,” John reminded them. “No matter what happens, we can escape through the mines and come out north of the range.”

“And what, then?” Sam said. “We run for the rest of our lives? Hope we stumble across another magical valley?”

“Let’s start with the sewers,” Marlon said. “Close it off, buy us some time. That’s what we need right now. They’re way too close. Let’s do some damage.”

“I’ve got dynamite,” Gil said. “Good chunk of it. We can blow those sewers to bits. If they’re deep enough, we can cause a pretty good cave in.”

“Sounds dangerous,” Abigail muttered. “We could get crushed ourselves.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to get outta there,” he assured her.

“Fine,” Marlon said. “We should get moving now before they get too much closer.”

Maru closed her laptop and sighed. “I’m going to bed,” she yawned. She shuffled over to the couch and collapsed on top of the pillows dramatically.

Marlon, Gil, Alex, Sam, Sebastian, Shane, and Najia packed the vehicles quickly, tossing fruit to one another as they worked for a quick breakfast. Within the hour, they were driving down the tunnel and into the valley, only to be stopped by the Gotoro soldiers. The head soldier of the group swaggered over to Marlon and Gil, who lead their caravan in their trusty Hummer. The soldier leaned his arm on the window as he spoke to them.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Supply run,” Marlon said simply.

The soldier looked passed the Hummer at the two other vehicles behind them, then back to Marlon. “If there’s something you need,” he said, “you can tell us and we’ll get it for you.”

“We’ve got a pregnant woman, you know,” Marlon said. He looked up to the ceiling as if trying to recall a mental list he had created. “She needs some kind of douche.” He looked at the soldier. “You know, the vaginal kind? That’s what it is, right? Summer’s Eve, something-or-other.”

The soldier shifted on his feet and wrinkled his nose.

“I’ve got an order of tampons, too. Boxes of tampons. Hell, we’ll raid any store of all of their tampons, just so I don’t gotta go out there and get them again.”

“Give it a rest, Gramps,” the soldier said. “You’re not leaving this valley. Michaels’s orders.”

Marlon narrowed his eyes at the soldier. “And why’s that?”

“I don’t get the details,” the soldier said. “I just carry out the orders. And my orders were not to let you valley folk leave.” He straightened, his hand on the weapon on his hip. “You need supplies, you bring us a list and we’ll get ‘em.”

“Okay,” Marlon said slowly. “Guess we’ll need to go back and write a list, now, don’t we?” He held his gaze for a moment before waving to the cars behind him. He turned the Hummer around and they made their way back down the tunnel and into town. He slammed the door shut behind him as he climbed out.

“What was that all about?” Shane asked as the rest of them gathered.

“Plan B,” Marlon said. “Michaels isn’t gonna let us leave the valley.”

“Why?” Najia asked.

“Do you think he knows we know?” Alex asked.

“Who knows who knows what who knows,” Sam muttered.

Sebastian turned to Sam and smirked. “I don’t know how I understood that,” he said.

“What do we do now?” Alex asked.

“We leave through the mines,” Gil said.

“Send someone to bring them a grocery list,” Marlon said. “Send them on some useless mission to waste their time. They’ll be suspicious if we don’t come back with a list.”

“A list?” Najia asked.

“Marlon may have told them that Haley needed a douche,” Gil said with a smirk. “A supply run. They’re going out for us as a distraction.”

“Abigail can bring them a list,” Sam said, “while we get out through the mines.”