"Death Row 03 - The Avenger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Black Jaid)

Xavier nodded. Within seconds he indicated that the coast was clear and again the trio found themselves walking down yet another drafty, dark, earthen corridor. Nellie held the torch up high, her eyes rounding a bit when she was able to make out a small amount of light just up ahead.

This is it, she told herself. We are almost within the heart of the Xibalba…



Chapter 40


And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

* * * * *

She could take the suspense no longer. Since the moment she had first heard of Nellie’s disappearance, Nicoletta had spent more time worrying than she cared to contemplate—all tortured thoughts, no action, and she was sicker than she didn’t know what of it.

For years, ever since beloved Sinead’s death, Nicoletta had assumed the role of Nellie’s mother. She was the one who had held Nellie tight during the countless eves of nightmares. She had pushed Abdul into letting Nellie pursue a career in lieu of marriage when he had wanted to do anything but. She had been responsible for Nellie then, and she was still responsible for her now.

Quickly throwing on some of Abdul’s clothes—a black silk tunic and black silk pants—she tied the bottom of her husband’s body dйcor off at the waist so they wouldn’t fall down around her ankles while making good on her escape attempt. That accomplished, she wound her long raven tresses into a bun and secured it at the nape of her neck. Her heart was beating so rapidly she felt as though she might faint.

She just had to get to the Outside. Had to. She had overheard some of the murmured above table talk before being sent to her room. She understood the Hierarchy believed Nellie to still be within the Belizean sector, though somewhere within the Underground catacombs.

Nicoletta would find her. Were it possible, if Nellie was indeed still alive, she vowed to herself that she would find her. Nellie would hide from her father, but she would willingly go to her stepmother.

She could not stomach the thought that the daughter of her heart, Sinead’s own flesh and blood, might be out there somewhere needing her. Outlaws dwelled within the catacombs. Sub-humans and predatorial insects swarmed around the encampments, unwittingly sealing in the bandits from biosphere interference and sealing out the Hierarchy from the catacombs.

But Nicoletta had a plan. She blew out a breath as she stared at her reflection in the image map. For once her sharp mind might come in handy rather than getting her caged for leading her into trouble.

She closed her dark eyes briefly, the giddy thought of leaving her husband and his world behind tainted by the smallest amount of guilt and sorrow. Guilt because she realized in his own twisted way Abdul needed her. Sorrow because she would have wished things could have been different between them.

But that wasn’t meant to be. There had always been a longing, a hunger, between Master Kan and her, but so too was there too much proverbial water under the bridge. He was responsible for Sinead’s death—for her best friend’s cold-blooded murder. How could she ever forgive him for that?

Nicoletta’s nostrils flared. She couldn’t. And because she couldn’t, she realized their destinies would never merge as one.

Stop this! she told herself, her jaw clenching. You have been caged more times than you can count, your best friend who was like a sister to you was murdered at his hands…there is no reason to feel guilt over running! Go to Nellie—find your daughter!

Nicoletta’s gaze slowly lifted to the trapdoor above the image map, the same trapdoor she had known about since visiting this sector seven years past. She had sworn to herself that if ever Abdul should bring her back to Altun Ha, and they were to stay in the same suite they had taken up temporary residence in seven years ago, this time she would get up her courage and run.

And that, she reminded herself, forcing thoughts of Abdul at bay, was precisely what she was about to do. Only instead of running blindly, she now knew where it was she would be running to…

She swallowed roughly. The Outside.

* * * * *

“Drop your weapons and place your hands above your heads. Do it now or die!”

Nellie chewed on her bottom lip as she, Kerick and Xavier were swarmed by armed Xibalbian women. One minute there had been nothing but dimly lit passageways hidden deep within the earth’s belly. A moment later, the ground had opened up, swallowed them whole, and they had been spat out into this…incredibly unbelievable place.

This world, a world of female warrior scientists, was far more advanced in terms of technology than anything Nellie had ever bore witness to in the biospheres. The biospheres were composed of black diamonds imported from planet Kalast. She couldn’t begin to imagine what the transparent, silvery walls surrounding her were composed of. They were entirely see-through, allowing one to observe what was housed within each of the chambers lining the walls.

From their current position Nellie could only see two chambers, both laboratories. One, a droid laboratory where very human-looking females were being grown as if from embryos. That was enough to make her jaw drop a little. Droids were manufactured, not grown like humans. Two, an experimental laboratory where sub-humans quite advanced with infection were caged.