Chapter Twelve

It was seven more hours of excruciating blackness before they saw a literal light at the end of the tunnel.  Moods immediately lifted as renewed energy filled their bodies.  Legs that only moments earlier felt weak to the point of barely able to support their torso suddenly experienced a surge of renewed vigor as they practically raced each other to the opening.

Kendra was the first to reach the exterior of the tunnel.  Although her first instinct was to race into the sunlight and pay homage to its brilliance while filling her lungs with fresh air, she knew better.  Stopping just inside the opening, she flattened her body into the shadows while she visually inspected the area for cyborgs, aliens, or even humans who could prove dangerous.  Prior to going into the earth’s core, she would have been cautious around a stranger, but not be prepared to kill or be killed.  Her exposure to the dark side of humanity caused a considerable change in he