We kept walking, but John was a bit slow and we stopped numerous times along the way. Boris kept offering to carry him, but John refused. After what it seemed like walking for hours, we approached the south side of the Triangle compound. I told Boris and John to follow me west to the river. Boris said, “Lina, where is this hidden path?”
I said, “There is a small hill near the river. We have to climb it to reach the path. It’s not steep. General John can do it.”
Boris sighed and said, “Can you?”
I looked back at him and said, “I’m fine Boris. I really am.”
He had a look of disapproval on his face and said, “You need to sleep when we reach Red. I will make you rest first if you like it or not.”
John laughed and said, “Finally someone that can break your stubbornness.”
I squinted my eyes and stared at them. Boris said, “She needs discipline.”
John laughed and said, “I agree.”
I sighed and said, “Let’s go!”
Boris laughed loudly and started walking behind me. I didn’t know why he was laughing, but I guess his scary serious demeanour is rubbing off of him. I was a little content of this situation, but I will continue playing this game if it will loosen him up a bit.
After a few yards, we reached a small hill. Boris said, “The path is past this hill?”
I said, “Yes, I will go first.”
He said, “No you’re not. I will carry you on my back. General John, can you go up?”
John said, “Yes. It’s not steep.”
I looked at Boris and gave him an upset look. He said, “You can fight it all you want, but I won’t allow you to do anything stupid from now on. That’s an order.”
I sat on the ground, folded my arms and said, “You didn’t leave any room for argument Boris! And YOU know my answer!”
Boris said, “Lina!”
John said, “If it was up to me, I will smack both of you and lock you in a room all day to argue like children. Now stop it and let’s go.”
I got up and headed to the hill. I climbed on it slowly and Boris was right behind me. It seemed physically demanding and I was breathing really hard. Boris said, “Why are you slowing down?” I lowered my head and I felt dizzy. I felt Boris was next to me and said, “Get on my back. You can’t climb anymore.” I nodded and climbed on his back. John helped him to position my feet. John said, “She is getting weaker. I can’t believe she had the strength to walk this far.”
Boris felt I was secure enough on his back and said, “She is very weak, but strong willed. This will of hers will not last long.”
I said, “I’m here. Hello! Talk about me like I’m invisible why don’t you?”
Boris ignored my plea and kept climbing up. He reached the top edge and raised himself up. I got off his back and sat on the ground. He went back to the edge and lowered his arm for John to grab it. He pulled John up and they both laid on the ground to catch their breaths. Boris looked at me and said, “We go down this path?”
I nodded and said, “This path will lead you all the way to the Red compound. From the back though.”
He got up and said, “We should keep going then. How long is the path?”
I felt dizzy and lowered my head, I tried to breath and said, “About fifteen minutes.”
Boris rushed near me and said, “You can’t anymore. Listen to me.” I nodded and didn’t say a word. I climbed on Boris’s back and he continued walking. John walked next to him and they didn’t talk.
We got close to the Red compound’s fences. Boris said, “We need to walk around to the main gate.” After five minutes, we reached the main gate, and Boris tapped several times on the panel. A security guard came on the screen and said, “General Boris. I will open the gate. Who is with you?”
Boris said, “Colonel Lina Ard and General John Myr. They have been exiled from the Intelligence compound. They seek refuge here and I authorized it.”
The security guard said, “Colonel Lina Ard has been manually placed in the system as extremely dangerous by you. Can you explain?”
Boris said, “Explain to you?”
The security guard said, “Explain to the entire compound.”
Boris angrily said, “She is not dangerous. I put her in the system as that so Intelligence and Triangle will not suspect why I brought her here in the first place. It’s only a cover up.”
The security guard said, “We will let you in, but you take full responsibility of her and watch her 24/7.”
Boris said, “Who is in charge here again?”
The security guard said, “You sir, but we are ordered by you to take extra percussions.”
Boris yelled, “Just open the gate!”
The gate opened and we went through. Boris cursed under his breath and whispered, “Idiots. All mindless drones!”
I giggled and said, “Don’t get mad. He was just following your orders.”
Boris sighed and walked to the main entrance. The security guards standing there rushed to John and grabbed him. They carried him inside. He said, “They will take care of him from now on.”
I squeezed Boris’s neck and said, “What happens now?”
He said, “Are you trying to suffocate me? Is it your revenge for saving your life multiple times over the last five days?”
I said, “It has been five days?”
He said, “Five days that felt like five years.”
I let go of his neck and lowered my body to get off his back. He turned around and looked at me and said, “You need to rest. We can implement your plan once you are better. We can’t do anything now.”
I nodded in agreement and walked in the entrance. Boris placed his arm on my shoulder and said, “You need to sleep. I will take you to my apartment. No one can bother you there.”
We walked slowly down a hallway and reached a glass door. Boris swung it open and went through. It was a vegetable and fruit garden with a thin pathway in the middle of it. I looked up and saw the blue sky. The garden was surrounded by buildings. He said, “We are self-sufficient. We grow our own food here.”
I said, “This compound doesn’t get their supply from the Triangle compound?”
He shook his head and said, “Not everything.”
He motioned for me to walk and said, “The far off building to the right are the living space areas. That’s where a small portion of us live. Majority are families though, and live in the east side of the compound. There are several small buildings and a couple of stores that house supplies there.”
I said, “It’s like a little city.”
He chuckled and said, “A tiny city. 283 people.”
I said, “Why such a low number?”
He said, “Not many people want to defend anymore. They find it to be a pointless life. Most people have stayed in Triangle or went to Intelligence.”
I nodded and kept walking. We reached the living space areas building, and Boris tapped on a panel. The panel flashed and the door opened. I went into a dark hallway. He said, “We have limited energy in these areas during the day. We try to preserve solar power as much as we can.”
I walked next to Boris and reached a door. He opened it and it was a flight of stairs up. I walked slowly and he kept looking at me. He said, “What’s wrong?”
I said, “Nothing.”
He stopped and said, “Lina. You can’t go back.”
I said, “I just need something from my room. That’s all.”
He stared and said, “What is it?”
I said, “I have a metal box. It’s under my bed cushion.”
He nodded his head and didn’t say anything. He kept walking up and I followed.
We reached the end of the stairs and we went through a door way. I saw a long hallway with several doors on each side. It was dim, but not like downstairs. We almost reached the end and Boris said, “Here it is.”
He tapped on the panel at the side of the door and placed his hand in the slot. It flashed and the door opened. I walked in first and the apartment was small, clean and barely had any furniture. I said, “Are you moving out?”
He laughed and said, “You can tell I barely live here. I hardly even sleep here.”
I looked at him and said, “Where do you sleep then?”
He said, “Anywhere else. My office, security headquarters, the lab. Just anywhere.”
I looked at him then walked over to the bed and laid on it. I was very tired. He said, “I will go get you some stuff and food. Sorry I don’t have food in the refrigerator.” He opened it to make sure and grabbed a moldy green tomato. He said, “I don’t think you want that.”
He walked near the door entrance and said, “Lina just rest. I will come back soon with everything. Just stay put.”
I was too tired to speak. So I nodded and closed my eyes.