Resistance (Earth Evolution Series Book 2) by KD Jones Page A

security was worrisome. It led to questions of whether humans were selling information or if his people were involved. Not every Drastan was happy about their presence on Earth.
    He turned to look down at Maggie’s mother. “We’ll find her.”
    Mrs. James nodded, wiping her tears away. “I know you will. I also know how much Kyle cares about Rachel. He’ll protect her. I know he will.”
    Liam nodded as she turned to leave. Yeah, Kyle would give his life to protect Rachel. He just hoped they could find them both before it came to that.
    *****
    “How long have we been walking?” Rachel asked.
    Kyle looked down at her strained face. She had surprised him with how strong she was emotionally, mentally, and physically. She hadn’t complained — not once. This was the first time that she actually asked about the time. She was about to fall down from exhaustion. He was too. He would heal much faster if he could get a little rest.
    “Three hours. I think we can rest for a little bit. Let me find a good location that might provide cover.” He scanned the area off to the right side of the tunnel tracks and saw benches that were bolted down. They could lie on those, but wouldn’t have any cover. He almost missed a door because it was blocked.
    “Is that another control room?”
    “I’m not sure. The lettering looks different. The other one said Engineering . This one looks like it says Employees Only .” Rachel walked with Kyle and helped him move metal pieces that had fallen in front of the door.
    He shoved the door open and used his penlight to search for a light switch. He turned it on and it flickered before it gave out a steady low light. They walked inside.
    Rachel looked around. She saw more benches and also lockers. “It’s a locker room.”
    “What is that?”
    “Usually employees and change into their work clothes and leave their personal possessions inside the lockers. There might be…” Rachel walked through an open doorway on the other side of the room and turned on another light switch. “Yes!”
    Kyle followed her. “What is it?”
    “A bathroom with shower stalls.” She walked into one of the stalls and turned the tap. The faucet made a chugging sound, and then brown water came out in spurts. “There’s cold water but the hot doesn’t work.”
    “Why is it brown?” Kyle asked, looking at the water in disgust.
    “It’s not been used in a while. From what Maggie says the water comes from a deep wells underneath the subway. I’ll let it run for a bit to see if it will run clear.”
    “The other tribes I’ve seen don’t have rooms like this to bathe in.”
    “It’s the location the tribes chose to live in. We’re kind of deep inside the subway station, which isn’t convenient for the tribes who have to search for food and trade with one another. Probably when the subway station had to send workers out this far to work on the system, they provided lockers and showers for them.”
    “If the hot water isn’t working, then that explains the lack of heat in this area,” Kyle commented, going back to the locker room.
    “Yeah, that’s probably why no one stayed in this area. No heat.” She walked over to a locker and opened it. It wasn’t locked but it was empty inside.
    “What are you doing?” Kyle asked, watching her.
    “I am looking for something we can use. Maybe clothes, towels, food if we’re lucky. I’m hungry.”
    “I have a few ration bars with me,” Kyle offered, moving to a locker to open it up. He found nothing.
    “Well, that’s something. And now we have water to drink. So we’ll be okay for a while.” She frowned when she found a locked locker. “Damn it!”
    “Here, let me at it.” Kyle gently moved her out of the way so that he could examine the crude lock.
    “How’s your head?” she asked.
    “Better. I don’t feel like I am walking around with weights on top of my head.” He punched the side of the locker, denting the metal and breaking the lock.