"No!" Biechta gasped, her eyes rounded in surprise and disbelief.

"I promise!" Ashima chuckled.

Rahn listened Ashima kept the females occupied with stories from her home world. She had to hand it to the human, she was good at keeping a level head, and also at keeping the others calm and distracted. Rahn found herself being thankful the small female was with them.

She glanced over to Halan. She was listening to Ashima but she was sitting on her cot with her knees up and her temple pressed to them, her arms surrounding her legs. Rahn knew Biechta was scared and innocent, but it was Halan who she was becoming more worried about. She didn't seem to be handling the separation from her child very well. Knowing both of his parents were abducted had to be hard on the little male. And Halan still worried he might have been taken too.

Guilt was eating away at Rahn. Maybe she should have just knocked out that female that had blocked their path under the stage so at least one of the females could have gotten out. As it was now, she saw no way of getting the females out of their current predicament. Her and Ashima had been insisting the other girls join them for routine exercising and meditation throughout the day, so they wouldn't go completely crazy sitting around in the room all day.

However, after five days Rahn was struggling. Her legs were yearning to run and her fists were itching to punch something.

Ashima abruptly stopped her chatter and the four females looked to the door as they heard the lock unlatch and the metal hinges swing open.

"Ashima. Let's go."

"Ugh. Individual questioning again? What is it they expect to learn differently now?" Halan complained. "Hey guard, how long do you plan on keeping us here. What's the end game?"

He simply stood there with his arms crossed and waited on Ashima but she didn't move. Rahn looked over to notice Ashima was tense and shaking her head.

"No." Ashima said firmly.

"You refuse?" He said, obviously frustrated.

"Send a different guard and I'll happily comply." She said as she stood and crossed her arms, sending a glance at Rahn.

Oh. Rahn gave her a slight nod.

"You're not in a position to make demands, pet."

"She's not going anywhere with you, vanq." Rahn said confidently as the guard, Halan, and Biechta turned to look at her with surprise in their eyes at the use of the insulting term she used. Ashima just looked at her with thankfulness.

"Keep to yourself, female." Qain growled. "Ashima, come or I will make you."

"She said no." Halan stood on the other side of Ashima, glancing at the two. She seemed a bit confused but also ready to join in the fight. Biechta stood as well, drawing what bravery she had.

"Seriously?" Qain scoffed.

"Seriously." Rahn moved in front of Ashima and crossed her arms. She was confident this male was here for personal reasons, he wasn't actually sent to retrieve anyone. Ashima's reaction simply proved this was the male who had attacked her.

"Move out of the way, female." He said, now seething.

Rahn felt the others shift behind her but she didn't flinch at his growling tone. She held his gaze as if daring him to come near.

"Fine. But this isn't over. I'll be back." He said and turned to leave.

"That's right male scum, you're no match for four determined females!" Halan yelled and Rahn let out a sigh.

He turned and practically growled as he lunged for them. Rahn quickly grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him. She applied enough pressure to cause him to kneel in pain. When he fought against her, she tightened her grip and brought him face first onto the floor, pressing her knee firmly into his back as she sat atop him.

"Woah, go Lana! Do you take self defense classes?!" Halan yelled out in excitement.

"...yeah." Rahn replied, glad to be provided with an excuse. "I don't think I can hold him long though." She said as she fought to keep him in place.

"The door..." Biechta said at barely more than a whisper as she pointed at it. The other females' eyes all followed that direction. The door was half open where he had left it.

Before anyone could speak, Halan released the scarf from her hair and began tying it around the male's wrists.

"Good thinking, Halan." Ashima praised.

Rahn held him tight as Halan tied the scarf, appreciating her skills.

"We use these knots at the theater, it should hold." Halan explained. "Assuming my scarf doesn't rip." The four females then raced out into the hallway.

"This way!" Ashima yelled.

"How do you know?" Biechta asked.

"It's the opposite direction to where they take us for questioning." Rahn explained. "Maybe we'll find a way out."

They ran down the hallway, turned a corner and stopped when it ended. "Left or right?" Biechta asked.

"Maybe we should split up." Halan stated.

"What?!" Biechta cried.

"Double our chances of at least one group finding a way out and getting help." Halan explained.

"That does make sense, but I don't know." Ashima looked at Rahn. "What do you think?"

She shook her head. "We're stronger together. Halan's right though, none of us know where we're going. But we need to decide fast."

"Stay together is my vote." Biechta said nervously.

"Me too." Ashima said.

"Ok let's go." Halan said, picking a direction at random and sprinting, the rest of the females following.

They ran down many hallways, glancing in open doors as they went but nothing signaled a way out. They ran into a female at some point but they were easily able to push her into a nearby storage closet and block the door with a chair from the adjoining room.

"How big is this place?" Halan asked, clearly getting tired.

"Big enough." Ashima observed. "We might have to split up after all."

Rahn was calculating in her mind. Drawing a map of where they'd been, looking for patterns in the hallways.

"I'm just glad it was night time when we escaped, or we'd be running into a lot more trouble." Biechta commented, pointing to a nearby skylight.

Rahn stopped abruptly, holding out her arms to stop the others.

"Ow!" Halan held her nose from the impact.

"Be quiet." Rahn whisper-yelled. "Ashima, you should be small enough to fit." Rahn pointed to the skylight.

"How will she get up there?" Biechta whispered.

"Easy." Halan stepped forward. "Lana, you seem fit. Think you can be a base?"

Rahn nodded, smirking a touch. Halan and Rahn helped Ashima out of her formal gown, leaving her in just her slip and underwear before Rahn bent into a squat position and Halan climbed onto her shoulders.

"Just like my childhood days!" Halan laughed. "Who knew me wearing a pants suit instead of a gown would have been such a useful choice!"

"Focus." Rahn scolded Halan. "Biechta, help Ashima up."

"Wha... I... I'll try."

Ashima positioned Biechta in front of the other two females and instructed her to place one knee on the ground, the other at a ninety degree angle. She used Biechta's knee to then climb onto her shoulders.

"I don't know if I can stand with you like this."

"You have to try, Bi. You can do this. Use the wall for support."

"Good idea." Biechta breathed out. She stood and then Rahn moved to position herself in front of the other two females.

"Alright try to hold as still as possible." Ashima said before breathing in deeply and grasping onto Halan's arms, hoisting herself up onto Halan's shoulders.

"Ugh it's not coming off." Ashima complained as she struggled to pull off the cover. "Wait.. I think I've got it." A few seconds later she had the cover off and was positioning herself to stand on Halan's shoulders for an added boost in height.

"Do you think you can climb all the way up there?" Biechta asked, holding her arms out in case Ashima fell.

"I have no choice. I'll do it." Ashima said confidently. She was always pretty fit, but she had been working on her strength and stamina ever since her last kidnapping. She had no idea she'd have to call on those skills so soon.

"Ok get ready, I'm going to stand."

"Hurry." Rahn grunted out through her breath as she put all of her strength into holding the two females up.

"She's in!" Halan whisper yelled. "Ok Rahn, hold steady, I'm going to replace the cover."

"Ashima. Good luck. And if I don't make it, tell my boy..." Halan choked back tears.

"I know, Halan. But you'll make it. Stay brave."

Halan nodded and moved to stand on Rahn's shoulders so she could reach the skylight opening, replacing it to where they could no longer see Ashima.

"I pray she makes it alright." Biechta said as she kept an eye on the hallway.

"Come on, we have to keep moving." Rahn instructed and the other two followed her.



~~~~~~~~~



Dom had been going down hallways, ducking in and out of empty rooms for what felt like hours. In reality it was probably not quite an hour. He had only run into a few other Qarthans, quickly knocking them out and locking them in whatever empty room he could find. He had been lucky so far but he knew they would likely be discovered any minute. That or he'd run into a larger group. He was running out of time.

He turned a corner and quickly ducked into a door as he heard footsteps running the hallway in his direction. Another empty office. He watched through a crack on the door as the steps got closer. Were they running because someone had alerted them to an intruder? He held his breath.

Three females ran by in a hurry but Dom reached out and grabbed the last one, covering her mouth so she wouldn't scream.

The second one turned and opened her mouth to scream but the first female quickly covered her mouth as well.

"I'm a friend." Dom said "don't scream or we'll get caught."

Rahn nodded at Halan and Biechta, who then nodded in response and were quickly released. Biechta quickly took steps away from Dom, to stand behind Rahn and Halan.

"How did you find us?"

"No time." Dom shook his head. "Let's go." The three females followed him down the hallway. "Where are the others?" He asked as they went.

"Ashima is climbing up a skylight as we speak. We have no idea about the others. We haven't seen or heard of them since we were taken." Rahn answered.

Dom nodded.

"Why are you wearing a mask?" Halan asked. "Who are you?"

"We can ask questions later." Rahn cut Halan off. "Let's just get out of here."

"Okay." Halan agreed.

"There's an exit not far from here." Dom said as he ran. A few moments later they turned a corner and came to an elevator. "Take this, you'll make it to the surface." He told Rahn.

Halan wasted no time pressing the button and eagerly tapped her feet on the floor in anticipation.

"You're not staying down here." Rahn whispered to him. She was glad she'd had the foresight to accidentally lose her earpiece in the scuffle with the male guard who had threatened Ashima.

"I have to find the others." He whispered in return.

"I'm staying with you."

"No. Get the females to safety and make sure Ashima makes it out of that skylight."

"We don't have time to argue about this." Rahn said as she glanced around the corner, keeping an eye out for trouble.

"Exactly." Dom said as the elevator doors opened. "Get going."

"No. Come with us and we'll alert the guard, they'll find the others."

"I can't do that."

"Then neither can I." Rahn said firmly and the two stared at each other for a long moment.

"Lana, what are you doing? Let's go!" Halan spoke from the elevator, where she was holding the door open.

"She's coming." Dom said as he grabbed Rahn's arm and pulled her into the elevator.

"Don't." Rahn said through gritted teeth. "I'm not leaving you down here."

"Yes. You are." Dom said as he leaned in and pushed the button for the surface before he pushed Rahn down to the corner of the floor before stepping out of the elevator and letting the door close, whispering an "I'm sorry" as he saw her rushing to get up before the doors closed on her. He heard her fist hit the door just before he heard the elevator begin moving.

He turned and continued running down the hallway in search of the three brothers. He didn't make it far before pain erupted in the back of his head and his vision faded to black.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note:

Ahhhh! I'd love to hear your thoughts on everything so far! Let me know!

And what do you think will happen next?