Hidden back of all that was a secret quarter where few were allowed: the science and experimental labs.
Here also, was the supercomputer that ran the establishment.
Traveling through every unit in the Dome's system were tunnels for sewer; with fat electric, and computer cables, strapped to the ceiling. Monstrous station rooms held gigantic boilers, and sent huge pipes, running both hot and cold water, through secondary tunnels.
As with all children, who tag along with their elders, Loni was considered a nuisance in the eyes of Galar. He sought, in any way possible, to rid himself of his pest.
One day, Loni found the entrance of a clean surface drainage tunnel. This led in from the world up top and outside, and the water was suppose to be filtered, and treated before it went into the overall system. Rumor had it that anything from out there was poisonous, contaminated, and deadly.
When it rained out there, the water came in freezing cold, pouring in dangerously swift, so an iron barred grate was used to close it off. But those maintaining it were lax, and only slid a bar across the outside, leaving the padlock hanging open. This way, they could easily access the tunnel to remove the debris that accumulated there.
Curious, Loni crawled into the tunnel, not realizing the grate should not have been left open, leaving the gate swinging. He also, was unaware Galar was following him.
When Loni returned after hours of exploration, he found Galar waiting on the other side of the padlocked grate. Chuckling with delight at his prank, Galar left his unfortunate victim crying, shouting after him to be released.
The next morning, after a freezing night jammed against the grate, while the water battered against his defenseless body, near drowned, the overseers found Loni, and set him free.
Thinking now of that uncomfortable time, Loni realized, that grate, and the drain tunnel could be the answer to his dilemma; his...and Gem's, ultimate salvation. From that upper system, led many a side tunnel, and one fed right out from the sewers of the butchery. And even better, this sewer drain was not controlled by the normal computer system, so maybe...Galar had not electrified it.
****
Enough with this!
Galar was through waiting.
Gem was submissive to his every whim; she never defied, anymore. She wasn't the problem.
It was Scar!
That big baby never leaves my side...never gives us long enough to be alone...to do anything.
He needed time to persuade this girl to fill his real needs. Galar wanted to be intimate with her, without Scar interfering or needing inclusion.
Besides, I need to seal the union, make her truly mine...if nothing else.
Scar is so stupid! He has no desires of his own, no arousal...he doesn't understand. He's like a small child...
In annoyance, Galar grabbed Gem's arm, turned angrily to Scar, and curtly ordered:
"You stay here! Don't follow us, you hear?"
Scar nodded, and returned to grinding the sausage meat, unperturbed.
Galar headed toward the sewer tunnel. He knew the perfect place to have privacy.
Chapter 26
Gem didn't even try to struggle, and after they had entered the reeking sewer passage, Galar allowed her to walk on her own; first beside him; then she followed behind.
Where is he going? What can he possibly want in here?
This sewer passage was different than the others. It did not have the electrical wires above, usually prevalent in most. It was darker, also noisier. Gem could hear rushing water in the distance.
She also felt different in here, more alert, and...she could see and hear better.
The blocking EM frequency does not extend this far!
For almost an hour, Galar led them down. They walked through fetid, stagnant puddles that splashed at their bare ankles, and up the legs of their coveralls. Many times, Galar's crutch slipped on the green slime that covered the floor, lined the walls, and dripped from the roof of the large man-height, round tunnel.
It took all his effort for the man to proceed on his own, let alone, help the woman with him. Gem could easily have run away, but where was there to go? Now, she was curious as to the purpose of the trip, so followed after, docilely.
Wonder where this leads? And...why is he so doggedly determined to take me there? What is at the other end?
After a long valiant struggle down the sloped passage, they finally reached a granite ledge. Here, as was Galar's habit, he began to warn himself.
"Watch out now, we don't want to go over the edge. It drops down hundreds more feet to the pit of Hades, where the Hydra lives. We feed him the remains of the dead, so he won't come up, and eat the rest of us, see?"
Gemma scoffed, nearly laughing.
Hydra! Bet that's just a silly story, told to frighten the men from going down here.
A long time ago, in what seemed like a lifetime past, she had done research on the Greek legend. The Hydra was a many headed, snake-like dragon, purposed to guard the gates of Hell.
Surely, there is no such thing...
If there was...
Now, wouldn't that just fit right into the conditions that exist in this place?
They moved on, sideways to the right, along the precarious shelf, for many yards; then, came to a metal ladder leading upward. Beginning the climb, Galar slung his crutch by a loop, around his neck, and over his back. Gem found the going easier than he.
The rungs of the ladder were dry, and the rust came away in a red powder on your hands. But, moisture hung in the air; the fresh smell of water up above...light, dim at first, yet gradually increasing in brightness.
With each step, Gemma felt stronger, was aware of more, heard better.
