THE SECOND CRADLE - BOOK TWO OF THE IRON CRADLE SAGA Chapter 2: CHAPTER TWO- This one's still gurgling

Read chapter 2 of THE SECOND CRADLE - BOOK TWO OF THE IRON CRADLE SAGA by JE PAYNE on NovelPedia.

CHAPTER TWO ROSLYN RESEARCH FACILITY: The Corridor 5 Days Remaining As we moved through the facility and climbed into the next level, the scene was much the same. We found scoring on the walls, broken glass all over the floor, and damage. The Wraiths moved ahead, clearing rooms and corridors, making sure we didn’t walk into a threat. We advanced quietly through the open halls. The only sounds were footsteps crunching on broken glass and debris, and the low hum of Yumi’s shield drones. She could field eight of the little drones now. Four stayed in front of us and four behind as we made our way through the facility. None of us was sure how well they’d hold up against small-arms fire, but it was better than nothing. We finally reached a collapsed section of the interior. The two forward scouts appeared at the end of the corridor near the rubble, and Maddie and Erica jogged up to meet them. “Architect, our scouts can’t get past the debris,” Maddie said. “We don’t know what caused the collapse or what’s on the other side.” “It’s pretty deep, Gavin,” ARi said. “I can see the far side, but even if we tried to dig through, I don’t know how stable it would be without some pretty serious reinforcement." “My guess,” Kyle said as he pulled his hood back and stepped toward the rubble, “is that they did this on purpose. The colonel and his men, I mean. Probably a way to safeguard the cradle chamber from whoever was attacking.” He raised a hand. The rubble on the floor began to fade out and reappear, lining the walls as newly formed structures that braced the end of the corridor. “I can move the debris and reinforce the outside,” Kyle said. “But I can only manipulate earth and stone. ARi, can you phase the other materials and help reinforce the tunnel as we move forward?” Beams of hardened bronze formed along the outside of Kyle’s stone framework. Debris vanished as the two of them worked forward at a steady pace. “Once we’re halfway through, we’ll seal it off as best we can without compromising the surrounding structure,” she said. “It’ll block access back to the cradle chamber, but since you or I can remove the stone barrier, it shouldn’t be an issue.” Tanya started to protest. “If something happens to Kyle or ARi, how are we supposed to get back?” ARi answered before I could. “If something happens to me, getting back to the cradles won’t matter.” Yumi leaned in as she passed Kyle, kissing him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetie. If something happens to you, I’ll be really sad for a while.” “You know,” Kyle said as he strained, moving stone and debris, “that’s not as comforting as you think it is.” We made it through to the other side, and I had the Wraiths hold back. “We’re going to need to make a decision here,” I said as I stretched my aching legs. My whole body had still hurt after coming out of the cradle. But before we had a chance to say or do anything else, the sound of an elevator car descending at the far end of the corridor caught our attention. “Shit,” Tim said. “Gavin, we’re caught out in the open!” ARi stepped into the middle of the corridor. “Everybody, get against the wall!” She lifted her hand, and a projection flared into existence in front of us, recreating the collapsed corridor. “If they look close enough, ARI," I muttered. “They're going to see it’s a projection.” Maddie and Erica ordered the other Wraiths to either side of the corridor and took positions on both sides of ARi themselves. Erica reached over and touched ARi’s hand. “Ward,” she said quietly. “You only need to hold it long enough for us to see if they’re friends or foes. If they’re hostile, we’ll deal with it.” She slid her kris daggers free and cocked back the dart launcher on her wrist. We stayed pressed to the wall, silent and motionless, as the elevator reached the floor. The front doors were partially forced open, and three black-clad soldiers stepped into the corridor. Their armor and uniforms were unlike anything I’d ever seen. The design wasn’t