Chapter 10: Reloading, Part 1

Alex's eyes fluttered open. Her head was still on Jack's chest, but her hip leaned against him and one of her legs was draped between his. Jack was stroking her hair all the way down her back, combing his fingers through the wavy burgundy tendrils. It sent stems of pleasant tingles down her neck and spine.

She rolled on to her side. "Did you unbraid my hair?" she asked, running her hands through it.

"No, it must a just fallen out overnight," he said, giving her a sly smile, that twang showing its ugly head in his voice again.

"It's kind of hot in here now, don't you think?"

"Oh, good it wasn't just me. I'm baking to death." He undid a few ties and pushed the poles up to their maximum height.

Alex put her sunglasses on and peaked out from under the tarp.

"Wow," she said in awe.

The sun was up behind the clouds. Steam rose from the water making the air humid. A small waterfall trickled from the east into the pond they were surrounded by. To the north, stood a rock wall and to the south, short skeletons of dried evergreen trees covered in white powdery snow. The water from the waterfall hit a flat rock shelf, pooled, and then streamed into their little pond. A small creek wound downstream to the southwest.

"What's that white stuff?" Alex asked.

Jack peered out of the tent, shielding his eyes. He smiled slightly, as if proud of himself. "That's snow, it's like rain but colder," he answered, tying down the tarp to the cleats on the boat.

"Hey the water's warm," she said, hovering her hand above the steaming water. "Do you think it's poisonous?"

"To drink, yes. To your skin, probably not, just a little sulfur. At worst you would get a rash."

Alex raised her eyebrows. "I thought all the water on the surface was acidic?"

"That's just the news again," Jack said with a wave of his hand. "They don't want people to get the idea that the surface might actually be livable someday. Most of the water has cleared up over the last century or so, but in some places it's still very toxic, so I wouldn't go jumping around in just any old lake you find."

"What about this lake? Do you think if we hurry, we can bathe before we soak up too much UV radiation?"

"You girls and your bathing." Jack shrugged. "I don't really think that is a good idea. We need to keep moving. If the security company sent Alphas out to the farmhouse, they are sure to keep chasing us."

Alex knew the Alphas weren't sent by the security company for the building. They were sent by her husband to find her. It would take time for more Alphas to reach the surface, but Jack was right, they needed to keep moving. "Fine then, no bath for me, or you. Which way do we go now?"

"See that waterfall over there? Behind it there is a cave that will lead us through this mountain range. I've only been through it once before, but I'm pretty sure it's shorter than my usual way around using that stream over there. It ends up winding back the way we came, just more south."

Jack paddled them over to the trickling waterfall. Alex caught the edge and pulled them closer. A spider as large as her hand crawled up the rock. Its thick furry legs pulled it up and its large fangs dripped with white saliva. Alex screamed and backed away, tripping on the front bench and landing in the middle of the boat.

Jack leaned around to see what had spooked her. He flicked a fireball nonchalantly. It hit the spider and sent it flying backwards. The spider smashed against the rock wall and splattered, leaving green ooze running down the wall which fed the leftover flames.

"A little jumpy?" he asked as Alex recovered from her fall.

"I hate spiders, especially big ones," she admitted, shaking the invisible creepy crawlies off of her.

Jack tied a line to secure the boat around the rock. "I'm sure it is just as afraid of you, as you are of it."

"I doubt that. I am much more afraid of it," Alex said, heaving her bag over her shoulders.

Jack followed suit, taking the extra bag over his left shoulder. He stepped off the boat and on to the platform, then turned, offering his hand. Alex stood gingerly, grabbed his hand for support, and leapt off the boat on to dry land.

"Don't think you needed to put that much effort into it, sweet cheeks."

Alex frowned in reply and shot him a nasty look.

"Alright, alright. Shall we?" Jack gestured a hand towards the waterfall.

Alex nodded and took the lead. She sidestepped the trickling waterfall over the rock cave entrance. Just a few meters in, complete and utter darkness enveloped them. Jack flicked out a small fireball to light the path. The smell of damp dirt and mold filled the tunnel. The musty air made it hard to breath. Alex pulled her scarf around her mouth, trying to lessen the suffocating feeling.

Jack's fireball hovered over her right shoulder, lighting the path as they trekked through the tunnels. The trail branched off into various paths, but each time Jack told her to go as straight as possible. Otherwise, the only sounds that filled the cave for the next couple hours were that of the loose rock skittering from the path at their feet.

Crack.

Alex's ear twitched. She slowed her pace to a halt, scanning the large empty cavern that had just come before them.

"What?" he whispered, his lips just centimeters from her ear.

"Shhh." She strained for the source of the sound while checking every crevice, both lit and unlit, with her hybrid eyes.

"Two heartbeats. They sound large, like a human," she whispered.

"You can hear heartbeats? That's pretty stellar," he said quietly. "Can you figure out where they're at?"

"Sort of to the right-ish." Alex grasped the knife at her belt, the leather fingerless gloves gripping fully to its hilt. "Should we keep moving?"

"Not unless you want to turn around. If the Alphas had thermal imaging on us overnight they'll be on their way. They won't be able to detect us now, but they'll know where we entered the cave. The more we push forward, the better chance we have at staying ahead of them."

"So I guess forward it is. We can take down two easily. They're probably just mutants, right?"

"Living in a cave in the middle of the surface? They're either mutants or some very desperate humans."

Alex nodded. She started forward with determined movement, knife at the ready. She kept her eyes straight ahead, checking the right side with her peripheral vision. If they jumped out at her, she would be ready, and if they didn't, then no harm done. Jack followed a few steps behind, giving her enough space to react.

The source of the two heartbeats didn't move. Jack and Alex passed by as if the figures were just part of the surrounding stone.

Once they reached the other side of the open cavern, Alex let out a breath. "Looks like they don't want any trouble. Good for them."

They made their way through more caves for the next few hours, winding up and down the rock paths.

At a relatively level and open part of one tunnel, Alex slowed to a stop and stretched her arms over her head. "I think I need to take a little break. Lunch?"

Jack looked around and shrugged. "Sure." He let the heavy pack of supplies fall to the ground, then rummaged through it for a couple of cans of food. He held an unlabeled can to his ear and tapped on it, then handed Alex one. "Pears, maybe?"

Alex accepted and shook it a little herself before pulling the quick tab on the top. She smiled and nodded. "Yep." She flipped out her knife and cut the pears up while they still sat in their can, then she put the can to her lips and slurped up the sweet fruit chunks.

Jack chuckled. "I don't think I have ever seen a lady eat like that."

Alex wiped the dribble of pear juice off her chin. "Like what? Isn't that how you're supposed to eat them? Have you ever tried eating pears with a spoon? It borders on impossible."

Jack laughed again. "I guess it does." He scooped out a pile of green beans from his can with two finger and shoved them in his mouth.