Dark Arrow Ch. 01-03

He carefully flipped the cover open, careful to avoid making excess noise before slipping through the hole.

1 her heart rate and breathing kicked up a notch as she realized she was alone. For the first time in...

2. Her mind whirled trying to piece together how long exactly it had been. Had it really only been a handful of hours? Had she really only been with Ren for a little over a day?

5 she shuddered as she realized that in the span of less time than it took her to hunt for her week's food she had transitioned from thinking about herself as a loaner with the world as he enemy to thinking of Ren almost as a partner. It was crazy. The man interfered with her job, almost gotten her killed multiple times, attacked her and knocked her senseless, and injected her with nanos without so much as a by your leave. She should hate him. She should be running the other way. She should have killed him when his back was to her. She was so wrapped up in herself recriminations that she didn't notice time passing consciously. In fact she was so wrapped up she wasn't aware if she was still counting or not. A hunter of her caliber though develops a finely tuned sense of time and distance, and can mark their passing without conscious effort.

It was to her consternation then that she found herself quickly scanning the road before hurrying towards the sewer access. She hadn't made a conscious decision to do those things. She hadn't been paying attention to the time the way she should have. Her mind had drifted while she analyzed her response to Ren and this situation. So why had she left the alley exactly on time as if she'd been totally focused? The answer angered her more than anything, but she wasn't foolish enough to discount the truth just to save her pride. Ren had told her... No ORDERED her to do things this way, and like a good little hostage she was doing exactly what her captor told her to do even when he wasn't around. It angered her, and this time she refused to acknowledge the sudden bloom of heat that settled over her as anything other than anger.

It could settle in her core and nether regions until hell froze over, but she'd be damned if she'd admit even to herself that having Ren order her around and following those orders was getting her hot and bothered. She hit the cover at a run, instantly dropping into the hole and pulling the lid closed over her head. As she closed the lid the darkness closed in around her, and she had to fight the urge to burst back out of the slimy, greasy tunnel she found herself in which she knew to stink like the seven hells and be full of toxic gasses back into the bright sunlight and fresh air.

She'd always been a practical woman though, and if it was a choice between filth and keeping her intestines on the inside of her she'd take filth every time. Down she climbed for a surprisingly long time. It seemed that these sewers were further down than she believed. Finally she found the bottom of the ladder and stepped of, gazing back up the hole she'd descended. She calculated roughly that she was a good 20 meters down which was over double what she'd expected. She felt him before he touched her. She'd always blown off ESP claims before but whatever you want to call it she was turning to face him before he even brushed her shoulder.

She stared at his outline for a second letting her eyes fully adjust to the darkness surrounding them. Finally she nodded to him to show she could see him. He inclined his head in return and then motioned for her to follow. Staying close enough to be his shadow they trailed out of the access area, hugging the wall they moved up the main tunnel about 10 meters before reaching a platform area which spanned the tunnel. Climbing the few steps to the platform she was surprised to see a door on the right side of the tunnel. Ren moved over towards it, but held up a hand just before opening it. She stopped and raised an eyebrow in question, but he merely held up a finger for her to wait.

Jerking the door open he slipped inside the brightly lit room airlock, and jerked the door shut behind him. She stood waiting for what felt like hours, though she knew it was less than five minutes, before Ren suddenly opened the doors again and motioned her in. She stepped into the airlock and nearly jumped out of her skin when the scanners kicked in. The flash of the blue lights sweeping over her was expected but blinding and disconcerting after the near total blackness of the tunnels. The decontamination protocols kicked in then, followed by an inanely upbeat chime one might expect from your washing machine rather than a high level sterilization system. The inner door kicked open and she followed Ren into the room.

He reached up and stripped his mask off as they stepped inside.

"You can doff the gear. They have top of the line air scrubbers here, and the decontamination suite does a good enough job to kill the smell." She gladly reached up and pulled off her own mask and goggles before stripping off her gloves. Looking up she saw Ren flop into an overstuffed office chair and kick back, putting his boots up on the control panel that ran along the outside wall of the room. She couldn't stifle the laugh that burst out of her at the scene before her. Ren cocked and Eye at her and she chortled away.

"I'm sorry," She spluttered. "It's just... we're on the run from the police. I've committed a murder the like of which hasn't been seen in terra for going on 50 years. Your safe house or whatever that was got blown to hell and back. You killed six men and from what you said I'm guessing your signature is pretty unique too so that's two murders the police are going to be going nuts over. You said the advocacy is going to be coming in after us as well. But sitting there the way you are just looks so... so... domestic."

She was expecting a glare, or even worse that he'd give her a telling off for that comment. She wouldn't have been surprised if he even threw something at her. What she wasn't expecting was for him to throw back his head and let out a deep, rolling, guffaw of a laugh. The bass notes seemed to reverberate through her, and she clenched her teeth together as felt her reaction. Bloody hell she was going to have to reconsider what those girls said about getting laid on a regular basis. They'd said that long stretched without sex left them hurting for it almost like a drug, and that if the situation was right even someone who would normally repulse them could become desirable.

That had to be what was happening her. She couldn't be attracted to this man. Sure he had a good body, but that was to be expected given that he was clearly in a line of work almost identical to hers in physical demands if not in goals. Besides she had been around plenty of men with good bodies before and never had any reaction to them. She wasn't so much reacting to him as she was melting from his mere presence. If not for her cloths she was pretty sure she'd be leaving a puddle where she stood, she could feel herself practically dripping as she stared at him. As she shook those thoughts away she noticed he had quit laughing as was staring thoughtfully at her.

Shit how long have I been standing here staring at him like a moron she wondered. His eyes roved over her, and despite the close humid air in the room a chill swept over her. She had the sudden urge to cover her breasts and crotch to block his view. No matter that she was fully clothed she would swear he could see right through her cloths too. He smiled at her and she shuddered at the knowing confidence and promise in that smile. It was a smile that said, go ahead. Imagine the most erotic thing you can imagine me doing to you. Imagine the most intense pleasure you can. I promise you whatever you can imagine will pale to what I'm going to do to you.

"Well since you find this so domestic why don't you play the part of a good little house bitch and come take my boots off." It was said in a jesting tone, and he immediately laughed afterwards. Even in jest though something about the way he delivered his commands reached her on a primal level. She'd taken two steps forward before she realized she'd done it. She paused for a split second and clenched her first in anger before striding over as if she were examining the control panel he was resting his feet on.

"What is this place for," she asked? When he didn't respond she turned to find that he had sat forward and was staring at her with the most intense look she'd ever seen.

"Are you sure that's the question you want me to answer," He asked softly, "Or would you rather discuss the elephant in the room?"

"I... I don't know what..." She trailed off into silence as he stared at her. She couldn't look away as he slowly rose from the seat and walked over until her was inches from her and bent his head towards her. He stopped centimeters before his lips made contact with hers, and her eyes slid closed as she anticipated him kissing her. Her heart was pounding like she'd never felt before, so much that she half expected it to either explode or pound its way through her ribs and right on out of her chest. She took a deep breath, and instantly regretted it as her whole being was suddenly suffused with his scent. She should have smelled sanitizer, or rubber, or stale air, or plastic, or any one of a hundred scents, but the smell that paralyzed her wasn't any of these.

It was feint and almost musky, she couldn't think of any way to describe it other than that it was Ren. The scent matched the man, and though she couldn't place it she knew the scent just fit him. She trembled in earnest as the heat and scent of him assaulted her in waves, and she waited for him to close that final distance.

"This room is a control and monitoring system. They use it every two years when then have to flush and check the sewer system in this section of the city. In case you're wondering the last check was just over a year ago so there isn't anyone due to be here for a little over six months. The systems here monitor pressure, flow, gas concentrations, stuff like that. The technician that gets to crawl down here has to sit here for four hours or so watching for any alarms so they can take corrective action or shut things down to prevent explosions or other accidents." Her eyes shot open, and her jaw dropped as he backed away from her.

"Wha..."

"Ah!" He interrupted holding up his hand. She stared at him, mouth agape as he smiled. "I asked if this was what you really wanted to talk about. You seemed determined. Now I'm going to catch a few minutes rest. We'll continue the other conversation after we get over the walls. I'd suggest you take the chance to rest too." She inhaled to challenge that, but he turned and caught her eyes with his. "That wasn't really a suggestion little one."

Her jaw snapped shut and she felt a strange twist in her gut as he eyed her. Why did he affect her this way? No. She couldn't just take orders from him. She couldn't let him think she was that weak willed. Who did he think he was? Had he forgotten she was lethal? Had he forgotten that even as well trained as he was she'd still managed to break his ribs with a single kick despite being ambushed? Was he really going to take a nap while she was right there with her weapons available to her? He plunked himself back down in the chair and kicked his feet back up. Pulling the ball cap he'd been wearing since she saw him for the first time on the street saving her mark off he covered his eyes with it and proceeded to ignore her.

She snorted in disgust and glanced at the bag by his feet. She could wait until he fell asleep and then make her move. If she could just get the quiver out she would be home free. She could even leave him alive to repay him for not killing her. As long as she closed the airlock outer door as she left he'd be able to get out after she was gone, and if he woke up while she was passing through the air lock the safety systems would prevent him from opening the door until she'd cleared the outer door and closed it. Moreover he'd have to wait through the protocol before he could follow. She figured she could roughly be at the ladder before he could even start after her, and once she was up he wouldn't risk chasing her... would he?

She shook her head. Even if he did she was smaller and lighter than him and would be carrying less gear if he kept the bag. Well trained he might be but he wouldn't be able to catch her before she hit the wall or on the climb up and over it. Once in the open ground before she hit cover he might have a chance, but if it came to that she could always threaten him with the bow. True he had his pistol and likely a few other weapons on him. She hadn't seen any others, but he just seemed the type to have more weapons than met the eye. Still he seemed to want her alive. She didn't think he'd try and kill her even if she was threatening him.

Then he did something that floored her. He reached behind his back and drew out a Kbar knife and the pistol he'd used before, and laid them on the panel beside him. She stared, flabbergasted, and finally shook her head and looked around the room. It was basically a concrete cubicle with the panel on the one wall, a couch on the other, and a small cooler which she assumed was meant to keep any food or drinks the poor schmuck that drew duty down here dared to bring with them for their four hours in hell. She wondered over to the couch and sank down, staring back at Ren still in shock at his presumption that she wouldn't attack him while his guard was down.

Her pride and to a degree her common sense told her she had to take the opportunity. After all there was no telling what he planned to do to her once they were out of the city. Besides he was practically daring her to attack him by placing his gun and knife nearly out of reach and leaving her bow so tantalizingly within her reach. However, he had been in her position once too. He had knocked her unconscious, and she had been completely helpless for a length of time she was still unclear of though she doubted it was over a day. He knew she was an assassin. He had fought her before, and while he had come out the victor it had impressed him enough not to want her at full strength when she woke up that first time.

Logic and self-preservation would have dictated that he either dumb her off with the police or kill her. Yet he hadn't killed her. He had saved her life, and had paid for it by having his place blown up and getting shot at. Now he was preparing to leave the city and live outdoors for the next few months at least to let the hubbub around the firefight die down. He was even taking her with him out of the city. While she wouldn't have to live outside the walls for long, since the police wouldn't stay in the southern outskirts any longer than they absolutely had to, she could still appreciate what he was going to be forced to do. He was taking her over the wall in an area where he probably thought she wasn't familiar with.

He had no way of knowing she'd spent months living in the woods around the city hunting and fishing after her father died. Or that he one pervious encounter with a man had sent her scurrying back to the solitude and comfort of those woods. She was probably the only one in terra who could claim a true knowledge of the woods and wildlife that surrounded them.

Those few who liked to consider themselves outdoors people flew their expensive hover cars out to the area they wanted to be it. They brought climate control clothing, Personal screens designed to repel insects, snakes, and any other unwanted creepy crawlies. They spent a few hours at most some fishing, though they never caught anything, some tramping through the woods looking for game that scattered at the first sound of their cars and wouldn't been seen again for hours or days.

No Ren struck her as a true outdoorsman. Someone who had no problem living with nature, much like herself, but she doubted even he had the experience she had outside the walls. She shook her head. He'd once held her life in his hands and he had let her live. She would return the favor this time. If he turned on her after they climbed the wall she'd deal with it then, and if he ended up killing her at least she'd die with a clear conscious. So she leaned back to wait as she indulged in the chance to ogle Ren without being observed.

She couldn't get his stark green eyes out of her mind, and the shock of black hair and strong chin completed the picture perfectly to her. She almost wanted to shudder just staring at him. Ren was dangerous with a capital D to her. Not only was he physically dangerous, but he spoke to her body and inner desire like no one ever had. There was a darkness about him that called to her in a way she didn't understand, and if she were honest with herself that scared her more than anything else. She danced a fine line with the darkness in her own soul; she wasn't sure what it would do to her to be drawn into someone else's darkness by her hormones. She closed her eyes and tried to work her way through the tangled web of emotions and complications she'd been hiding from all day.

She started as she felt a light touch on her arm. Her eyes snapped open and focused instantly on Ren's features bent over her. She shot upright, shocked that she'd actually dosed off.

"Take it easy," He murmured. "You were tired, it's natural. You had enough adrenaline running through you to take down a horse for the last three days and you've only slept when I knocked your ass out. I laid up here as much to give us time to rest as I did because it will be easier to avoid detection crossing the wall at night. You're no good to me if we cross that wall and you're too tired and shaky to get down safely or if you can't cross the open ground quick and clean. I need you alert for us to get out of this thing safely." She stared at him in awe. He was deathly serious. He had taken her mental and physical status into consideration and made his plans around them. More over despite what she had taken as him discounting her skills by leaving himself open to attack it seemed he was considering her a partner rather than a prisoner. She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat, and nodded.

"Ok, I take it it's time to go?" It wasn't really a question. She'd hazard a guess she'd been out for a good two hours and they'd been down here an hour or so before she dosed off. Her guess was confirmed when he nodded and indicated the watch on his wrist. Sun down was just hitting, and it would be fully dark by the time they made their way back to the surface. She nodded and rose without a word, donning her gloves and mask before she pulled on her goggles. He stood up and stretched before affixing his gear as well. Erillia eyed the door, contemplating the time the exit protocol would take. She'd take a wild stab and say around 2 minutes if she was pressed, but depending on the level of protection for those exiting that could be off be several minutes. He chuckled behind his mask as he stepped up behind her.

"Wondering if you could make a run for it?" He asked pulling his masked down. She couldn't help the snort that escaped her. She pulled her own mask down so she could reply.

"No, though I probably should be," She muttered. "I was just trying to guess the time it would take to get through the protocol and out the far door. Force of habit I suppose, always planning for my escape route. Knowing how long it will take to get from one point to another and how long it will take any pursuit to reach the same point. You always have to be one step ahead when you're in this line of work." He grunted in agreement.

"Three minutes. What was your guess?" He said softly. She turned to stare at him, surprised he wasn't trying to push her on the running away angle.