“It worked for Lassie,” she muttered, looking around for some way to send a message. In the end, all she could think to do was rip off a small portion of her tattered gown and offer it to George. He studied it for a minute, then took it in his jaws.
“Go get Rummel,” she said softly.
George squeaked, then started scrambling back up the pile of rubble before disappearing back through the tiny opening.
“I’ll be damned,” Varga said, staring after the small lizard. “Do you really think that’s going to work? Who is this Lassie of whom you speak?”
“An animal on a television show,” she admitted. “But he was trained to do a lot of different things and I’m sure George is just as smart.”
“I hope so, but I’m not prepared to risk your life on that hope.” With a sigh, he climbed to his feet and went back to the collapsed wall.
They cleared away more stones, and the opening at the top began to increase in size.
“A little more and you’ll be able to fit through,” Varga said with satisfaction.
“If you think I’m going without you, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Sweetheart, I’m afraid this whole place is becoming unstable.” Twice, they had heard the distant rumbling sounds. “I want you safe.”
“I’m not leaving without you. You said you want me to be safe,” she hurried on. “How safe do you think I’d be without you to protect me?”
She gave him her wide-eyed, admiring look, but he only laughed. “I think you’d find a way to manage. But I admit I would prefer to be at your side. Let’s see how much progress we can make.”
He grabbed another boulder, one easily as big as her entire upper body, and tossed it aside. As it landed, there was another distant rumble, but this one didn’t subside. Instead, it grew steadily louder and the stone beneath their feet began to shake. Varga grabbed her and tucked her into a corner, covering her with his body as the world descended into chaos. More rocks fell and dust filled the air as the ground trembled, and then the lights went out.
Varga’s body had been like a stone wall between her and the surrounding chaos, even though she felt him shudder several times as rocks hit his back, but it wasn’t until the lights went out that his breathing changed. He started to pant and she could feel dampness covering his skin. A low moan clawed its way out of his throat, audible even beneath the rumbling of the earth.
“Varga! You’re all right. You’re here with me. We’re safe.” She didn’t care if the words were lies, she just wanted to reach him. Running her hands over the scarred surface of his chest, she pressed small kisses to his skin with every word. “You’re here with me. We’re together. It’s going to be all right.”
Gradually, his breathing slowed. As the rumbling finally came to a halt, he shuddered.
“I do not like the dark,” he said, his voice low and hoarse.
“I don’t either, but at least we’re together in the dark.”
His arms tightened around her and then he threw back his shoulders. Rock clattered to the ground, but she could breathe easier now. A few seconds later, a dim red glow appeared.
“Emergency lights.” The relief in his voice caused her own breath to catch, but she tried for a matter-of-fact tone.
“That will be helpful. Can you see anything? Did whatever that was clear any more of the debris?”
Keeping her cradled against his chest, he rose carefully to his feet, shaking off more of the rock as he moved. “I’m afraid not. On the positive side, most of this area is still clear.”
She followed his gaze, straining to see in the odd red light. “And it looks like there’s more rock between us and the guards.”
His arms tightened in a brief hug. “You are correct, little bird. This end doesn’t seem to have suffered as much damage, but it has eliminated much of the progress we made.”
“I wonder what happened. Did that first blast set off all this?”
He shook his head. “That was an earthquake. Ukhaan told me that he was expanding into a potentially unstable area, but he thought it was worth the risk because of the profit to be made.”
For the first time, she looked in the direction of Ukhaan’s body, but it was no longer visible. The fallen rocks covered it completely.
“He wanted off this planet too much to consider anything else.”
Varga nodded but he was studying the debris keeping them from the next chamber. “We have to get out of here. I just wish I was more confident that my efforts were helping rather than hindering.”
“Maybe we should wait and see if George comes back with Rummel.”
“I don’t think we can take that chance. Go and rest,” he urged her. “I’ll keep digging.”
“Then I’ll help,” she insisted, and together they began again.
Chapter Nine
Varga swore as more rock fell into the place he had just cleared. Next to him, Joan sighed. When he turned to look at her, he could see her shoulders drooping, and even in the dim glow of the emergency lights, her face was pale and tired.
“That’s enough for now,” he said firmly. “We need to rest for a few minutes.”
He was frustrated rather than tired, but he already knew that she would refuse to stop unless he did too. He guided her back into the cell, essentially undamaged by the collapse of the tunnel. Even the water still flowed in the small bathroom. They both drank from the sink, and then he made her sit on the edge of the bed while he gently cleaned
