CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: TUNNELS

Splash!

Jace landed in a shallow pool of water at the bottom of the tunnel shaft. The sound echoed down the dark corridor.

"Okay," he muttered, brushing damp concrete dust from his gloves. "Let’s get back home."

He took a step forward, then froze when a light touch brushed against his arm.

Jace spun around fast, a sharp yelp escaping before he could stop himself.

In the dim glow from the ladder shaft, he saw her, wide, alien eyes staring back at him. The same girl he’d left down here earlier when he went to look for Eva.

He exhaled and forced his shoulders to drop. The tension drained just enough for his breathing to slow.

[Pussy.]

"Fuck off," he muttered under his breath.

The alien girl flinched at his tone. Guilt hit him a second later.

"No—" he said quickly, raising a hand. "I don’t mean you."

[She can’t hear you, Jace.] Zin’s voice was dry. [Now let’s move before someone follows you down here. We can figure out what to do with her once we’re clear.]

Jace glanced back toward the ladder, listening for any sound of pursuit. The helicopter above was still faintly audible, but it was moving away.

"Fine," he said. He motioned for the girl to follow, then started down the tunnel, boots splashing lightly in the shallow water.

.

.

.

.

Jace kept moving through the tunnel, his boots splashing lightly in the shallow water. The alien girl walked close behind. Without warning, she grabbed his arm.

[Jace.]

"Yeah?"

[It seems something is happening to your body.]

Jace slowed, almost stopping, but Zin spoke again before he could say anything.

[Don’t stop. It’s nothing bad. We’ll talk about it once we’re in a safe place.]

He kept walking. The tunnel ahead curved slightly, the dim light from the street level starting to show. It wasn’t far now.

When they reached the ladder, Jace climbed first. His back still ached from the fight, and every pull on the rungs sent a dull throb through his muscles.

At the top, he pushed open the hatch and stepped out into the open air. The night was cool, and the street was empty.

He looked down. The girl was climbing slowly.

"Is she allergic to the sun?" he asked.

[No. Like I told you before, her race is semi-aquatic. She can handle sunlight, but it takes her some time to adjust. It’s easier for her now since it’s night.]

She reached the top, and Jace grabbed her forearm to help her up. She stepped out beside him, looking around quietly. Her hair and clothes were still damp from the tunnel.

Jace spotted his bicycle leaning against a wall a few meters away. The tires were still intact, and the chain was fine. He walked over and pulled it upright.

"Alright," he muttered. "Tell her to sit here." He tapped the rear rack behind the seat. "We’ll ride together."

[Understood.]

The girl hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer. She climbed onto the back of the bike, sitting sideways so she could hold onto the side of the seat for balance.

Jace checked the street again. It was clear. He swung one leg over, set his feet on the pedals, and started moving. The chain clicked softly as the tires rolled over the cracked pavement.

The girl kept her grip light at first, but as the bike picked up speed, she leaned forward slightly to hold onto his waist.

They rode away from the tunnel, keeping to the darker side of the street.

Jace didn’t know exactly where this was going yet, but for now, the goal was simple, get somewhere safe before anyone else found them.

With no reason to rush, Jace took the quiet backstreets.

He knew all the shortcuts, weaving between narrow alleys and side roads.

The girl behind him didn’t say a word, but he could feel her confusion when he suddenly slowed to a stop.

"Zin," he said, keeping his voice low, "let’s say we get back and Eva’s there. How do you suggest we explain this situation?"

[You tell me,] Zin replied. [If you like Eva, or plan to work with her long-term, it’s better to be honest about what matters. You can leave out the part about being an intergalactic species. Instead, say I’m from space, I’m inside the ring, and I’m giving you this information. That sounds much better.]

Jace let out a short laugh. "Not bad. I’ll give you that."

The alien girl tilted her head slightly, watching him.

Her skin gave off a faint glow under the dim streetlights, and her expression was a mix of confusion and curiosity.

She clearly didn’t understand the language he was speaking.

Jace glanced back at her. She looked oddly delicate, despite everything they’d been through. He reached out and rested his hand on her head.

Her skin was smooth and cool to the touch. The long, pale ridges that framed her head were firm, almost like sculpted bone, flowing down like strands of hair but unmoving.

Maybe this was her version of hair.

She blinked at him, still unsure of what the gesture meant, but she didn’t pull away.

Jace kept one hand on the handlebars, about to start pedaling again when he remembered. "Zin, you said something about my body. What was that about?"

[Check your injuries, Jace.]

He frowned but complied. He had taken more than a few hits in that fight. Lifting his shirt, he ran his hands across his torso and arms, checking each spot where he’d felt pain earlier.

He stopped, staring. "Do I have healing abilities?"

[No. Since your physiology hasn’t fully awakened yet, you don’t have ###### energy flowing through your body. You can’t heal yourself... at least, not that fast.]

"Then if it’s not me, what is it?"

[I think our little alien friend here might be the reason.]

Jace glanced over his shoulder at the girl sitting quietly behind him on the bike. "Wouldn’t you know? You have her alien info."

[It seems to be incomplete as well. While I’ve been recovering my past data, some of it is damaged, which means there are gaps. I might be missing certain details about her.]