Beyond the Heavens

The Scape

So that's what Tadeu was talking about, Kim looked around.

On the sides of the road that led to the third base contained enumerated stakes in a row.

The stakes had skulls and hanging aliens bodies.

Over the top of the buildings, armed men were controlling the road.

"So much control... is the second base like that too?" Kim stared Tadeu.

Tadeu shook his head.

"No," he said.

Suddenly an armed couple appeared in front of the car, giving a signal for Tadeu to get out.

Tadeu got out and went to meet them.

He explained who he was and the reason he had gone there.

Then they went to the car, asked Kim to leave and researched on her.

They went to the back seats and saw the conditions of Bruno and the other girl.

One of them spoke to the radio and then gate has been opened.

Kim and Tadeu returned to the car and entered the third base.

When entering they found the place strange.

The houses seemed to be abandoned, the streets were deserted and there were no people, besides one and other armed men around of the houses.

Kim looked around. "

This place is strange. Your---" Tadeu interrupted her.

"The base where I do live is not like this. They say that people from this base live underground..."

So that's where they are ..., thought Kim.

"So where are we going?" she asked.

"The orientation I have is that a woman will appear in front of us...t he Commander of this base, Commander Jussara, is how they call her."

Suddenly two men and a woman appeared and gave Tadeu a stop signal.

Tadeu and Kim got out of the car. "Lieutenant Tadeu of the second base... is it?" a woman asked.

Tadeu nodded.

The woman held out her hand. "Commander Jussara Magalhães" Tadeu returned the greeting.

The woman was a mixed race, with curly hair and was extremely beautiful, she wore a tight black dress and a military overcoat, a pair of gloves and black boots.

"My men have informed me about your condition.There are only three hours to go before sunset, I believe you should take the opportunity to rest... We don't have the best medicine, but we will help in whatever we can."

Suddenly four men appeared with two stretchers.

"With your permission we will take the two wounded inside, we will leave them in the same house as you, I believe that is what you would like."

Tadeu nodded.

"Please. Follow me."

Tadeu and Kim followed her and the two men.

Kim and Tadeu looked at each other simultaneously.

They all went into a house.

"It is not the best, but you guys will be able to stay here until tomorrow," she said introducing the place.

The property was a typical Mozambican house.

"It has two bedrooms, you can stay in the living room... and we will provide medical care too."

"Thanks. But I think it will cost us something, what will you want?" asked Tadeu.

The woman smiled.

"Please come with me," she said. Tadeu looked at Kim as if were saying be careful.

"I'll be right back," he said.

"It's okay," She replied.

Tadeu went with the woman out of the house.

"So---" began Tadeu.

"What do you have?"

Tadeu looked around his body.

"As you can see, we basically have nothing... we are just us."

The woman crossed her arms.

"If you had a way to contact our base, we---"

The woman interrupted him.

"Well, we have not... but what do you have to offer?"

"We have everything a base needs... from armament, supplements... whatever you need..."

"Now we need manpower," she said.

Tadeu frowned.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

The woman started pacing.

"We have few trained men... we need others to protect the base."

"Doesn't your base have civilians. And furthermore... your base seems to be well protected," Tadeu said, looking around.

"Our base has civilians, but the majority is composed of old population and I heard that your base has a refugee camp."

Tsk... how does she knows that?

"Well... it's true, I just don't know if we can send some civilians here."

The woman got close to him and started to caress Tadeu's chest.

"Just claim your base has no space and send them this way," the woman smirked.

Tadeu walked away.

"Okay... done... how many men?"

"Thirty!"

"What... but that is an absurd!"

The woman approached Tadeu again and placed her hand over his shoulder.

"It's deal or deal," she whispered in his ear.

"Alright."

Suddenly the woman kissed him on the lips. The woman walked away.

"And how will I know you are not lying to me?" she asked.

"Pardon?"

"How do I know that all this deal in not a fake one just in order to you get on your base?"

"My word is the guarantee," said Tadeu.

The woman burst out laughing.

"I don't even know you and we don't have diplomatic relations."

"So... what do you want me to do?" "Leave someone as a guarantee." Tadeu smiled sarcastically.

"I can't believe that," he said.

"I can return you guys to the road," the woman pointed to the route of the entrance gate.

Tadeu grabbed the woman by the chin.

"Look dear... I have two injuried people... if I could, you could have me as hostage... but only I know the way to the second base." "Simple... leave the chinese girl... on the day of my payment you come to get her.

Tadeu turned around furious. "Whatever. It's all?"

"It's."

"So we have a deal?" he asked.

"Yeah..." The woman nodded.

"So I hope my injured friends have the best care tonight. Tomorrow we will leave very early."

The woman nodded.

Tadeu started walking and went to meet Kim.

"So---" Tadeu interrupted Kim.

"I need to talk to you."

For ten minutes Tadeu explained the situation to Kim.

"Do you really agree to stay?"

"What choice do I have?" asked Kim.

Tadeu sat down and rubbed his face.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this situation."

Kim sat down next to him.

"No problem... I know you will come back as I came back for you."

Kim broke into a smile.

"They don't seem to be that b---"

Suddenly a man entered interrupting Tadeu.

"Excuse me... Commander Jussara told me to come and leave you water and food."

Tadeu nodded.

The man put the food and water on a table and left.

Kim got up and went close to the table.

"It came in good time... I'm very thirsty," Kim took a bottle of water, "do you want?" Kim lifted the bottle.

Tadeu raised his hand and Kim threw the bottle to him.

Kim and Tadeu drank the water simultaneously.

Kim turned around and opened a bowl food.

In the bowl contained white rice, stewed meat and salad of cabbage.

"The life here is n---" Suddenly Kim felt dizzy and left one bowl fall.

"Kim..." Tadeu stood up.

Tadeu also felt dizzy.

What..., Tadeu looked at the bottle.

Kim fell and lost consciousness.

"We were poisoned... we have to get out of..." Tadeu fell and lost consciousness.

----------------------------------

Kim regained consciousness and opened her eyes.

Where am I?

Kim looked around, but the place was all dark, except at the bottom of the compartment there was a small light.

"That might be the door," she said.

Kim stood up.

I'm not tied up... I need to get out of here and find Tadeu.

Kim took two steps and tripped over something.

What was that...? She asked herself, terrified.

Kim touched the thing she had tripped over and felt that was someone's leg. She went up and felt that the person was breathing but unconscious. She continued to touch the person and felt it was Tadeu.

"Tadeu!" Kim shaked Tadeu's body, "Tadeu... wake up!"

Kim gave a light slap on Tadeu's face.

Tadeu did not regain consciousness.

"Perhaps…"

Kim crouched down and kissed Tadeu on the lips.

Suddenly Tadeu grabbed her by the wrists.

Kim walked away.

"I see you have regained consciousness... now we can get out of here," She said.

Kim stood up, Tadeu held her tightly by the wrist.

"I can't move my legs," he said.

"W---"

Tadeu interrupted her.

"I believe the drug is still working... I will not to be able to go with you."

Kim sighed, crouched down and stroked his head.

"I'll be back to save you..."

Tadeu sighed with happiness.

"But before you go... I don't know what's going on with this base, I don't know what you'll find out there, so be careful."

"Okay---"

Kim took a step, Tadeu held her by the wrist again.

"Every base has a blocker car, I mean, the large bumpers able of destroying gates... I believe this base besides everything might not be an exception. So get the car, find Bruno and the girl... then rescue me."

"All right."

Kim went towards the door and tried to open it, but the door was locked.

It's locked...

Kim looked through the keyhole of the door and saw two men.

"There are people guarding the door," she said.

"And how are you going to get out?" asked Tadeu.

Kim sighed.

She suddenly started to scream.

"Help! Tadeu let me go! Help!"

Kim was kicking the wall.

She is crazy..., thought Tadeu.

Suddenly the men opened the door.

"What's going on here?"

One of them focused around with the flashlight and saw only Tadeu.

"Just him!"

Tadeu looked at them.

"Where's the other one?" asked the other man, looking around.

Tadeu made a signal.

The men turned to the opposite side, suddenly Kim took the knife from one of the men and cut his neck.

Quickly she grabbed the other one by the collar, tripped him up and covered his mouth with her hand.

"Cooperate with me and I won't kill you," Kim said, pointing at him with the knife.

The man nodded scared.

Tadeu was staring at Kim.

Who is she? He asked himself.

Kim tied the man's hands and put a gag in his mouth.

She took off all his clothes and she put them on.

Kim pulled the gag out of his mouth and pointed the knife at him.

"Now... tell me what this place is... what you were going to do with us?"

"I don't know what they were going to do to you... we just followed orders..." The man said, shivering.

"And why did you drug us?

The man looked away.

Kim pulled on his collar.

"Say it!!"

"I already said were orders."

Kim put the gag back in the man's mouth.

She took the knife and cut off one finger.

The man murmured in pain.

She goes too far..., Tadeu thought.

"Now talk!" Kim removed the gag.

"This base... it's actually a cen---"

Suddenly the man started to have seizures.

"Hey!" Kim started to shake him.

Suddenly Kim saw something coming out of the man's mouth and she focused with the flashlight.

"Wh---" Kim was staring.

Suddenly a small creature came out of the man's mouth and

leaped at Kim's face sticking on her.

Kim made a slight startled sound and fell on the floor.

"Kim!" Tadeu tried to get up and fell.

I'm still under the influence of drugs..., Tadeu hit the floor with the palm of his hand.

Finally Kim managed to get the creature out of her face and threw it against the wall.

"What is this thing ?!" Kim was getting up.

The little creature was climbing the wall. Kim threw a knife at the creature and killed it.

Kim pulled the creature off the ground with the knife and looked around it.

"What is it?"

"It's a level three parasite... they put on humans control them…," Tadeu said.

Kim threw the creature to the ground and went towards the man who carried the parasite.

"He died," said Tadeu.

"No..." Kim said, kicking the wall, "something is wrong with this base

..." Kim looked around, "Tadeu... I'll be back to get you," Kim ran out of the room.

Kim got out and got across a completely white corridor, with countless lamps that emanated white light.

What place is this? Are we in the underground like as Tadeu said?

Kim continued to walk, reached a door and saw a panel at left.

"This door... opens with a fingerprint ..."

Kim sighed.

I have to go back to the room.

Kim was returning to the room upon entering, suddenly a knife was thrown at her. Kim grabbed the knife and looked around.

"Tadeu?"

Tadeu was sitting looking at her.

"I thought you were one of this base's men," he said.

Kim broke into a smile.

"It seems that we are underground, as you said... still I don't know where the exit is... the doors of this base are controlled by fingerprint, they use their hands," Kim raised his hand.

Kim went towards one of the men who were on the floor and cut off one hand.

Tadeu frowned.

"Next time I'll be back to take you."

Kim ran out.

Kim reached the door and put the hand on the panel. The door was opened.

When the door was opened, Kim got across a corridor with numerous doors on the sides and noticed that at the end of the corridor had an exit sign that led to a stairway to the outside.

This might be the way out.

Kim started running towards the stairs, until she saw a strange glass door.

Kim stopped and put the hand on the panel.

The door opened and suddenly the lights started to light on.

"But what---"

Kim was horrified by what she had seen.

The place where she had entered appeared to be a large warehouse, there were countless rows of people who were hanging.

Kim looked around.

"What place is this? What is that base?"

Kim continued to walk around.

"Could it be that Bruno and the girl are here... but why are all these people here?"

Kim continued to walk until she saw a room with numerous computers and went there.

"Let me see," Kim sat down.

Kim were typing on one of the computers.

Cyborgs... halfs... what is this? --- And those files... this one was

the last... Bruno...? Is he here?

Kim continued to type on the computer.

"Row 10B…"

And the girl is here? --- let me see... Error.... Let me see

details... died by infected wound...

"She died," Kim relaxed against the seat.

Most importantly... I should know what this base is...

Kim got up and started looking for something in the room.

"I found…"

Kim took a pen drive. Went back to the computer, inserted the pen drive and started copying data.

"What is this?" Kim clicked somewhere.

Jussara Magalhães... regenerative skills, see in infrared... so she is not human... what is this? Miguel... he is the subcommander of this base... camouflage skills, has hypnotic acid... he is also not human.

Kim continued to click on the files.

"Basically on this base there is no one hundred percent human... besides... why does this base exist?" Kim looked again around the room.

Kim clicked somewhere and made Bruno get down. Kim went towards him.

Kim released him and looked around his body.

His condition is worse...

Kim held one of his arms and the arm was totally covered with scales.

"Bruno!" Kim started to give light slaps on the face Bruno's face, "Bruno!"

Bruno regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

Kim got scared at what she saw.

"Bruno... your eye."

One of Bruno's eyes was completely orange.

"Who is... what happened to my eye?" he asked.

"Calm down... it's me Kim. You…"

How am I going to say this...

"Where am I?" Bruno looked around, "what are those

bodies?" Bruno looked up.

Kim placed her hands on Bruno face.

"Bruno... hear my voice... stay with me. We need to leave this place, but first we need to save Tadeu. Do you know I am Kim?

Bruno nodded.

Kim stood up and looked around.

We should save everyone... but in our currently condition... will not help...

"Let's go!" Kim held Bruno by the hand and helped him to get up.

"Follow me!"

Kim ran towards the room where Tadeu was.

Kim and Bruno entered the room. Kim went towards Tadeu.

"Bruno!"

"Tadeu!" said Bruno.

Kim looked at Bruno.

"Can you carry him?"

Bruno nodded, went towards Tadeu and carried him on his back.

Everyone ran out.

Tadeu looked at Bruno's arms.

His condition has worsened.

"Am I not heavy?" asked Tadeu.

Bruno sighed.

"No."

Finally the three of them reached the stairway that led to the top.

"This is the way out," said Kim.

They were leaving the underground when Tadeu interrupted them.

"And the girl?"

Kim stopped.

"She died... infected, her wound got infected."

"I understand," Said Tadeu.

Finally the three reached the door and Kim placed the hand on the

panel. The door opened.

They faced the outside. The place was completely dark.

"We are finally out..." said Kim. Tadeu looked around.

"We need to get out of this place... but in this darkness... I can't know where the exit is," He said.

"Fortunately, I got the map of this place and I know where to find it the car we are looking for... You stay here." Kim ran out and went somewhere.

Kim reached a door and typed a few numbers on the panel. The door opened and Kim entered the room.

Kim looked around.

The lights here don't have a sensor... where are the switches?

Kim placed her hand on the wall and searched for switches.

"Ah... the flashlight."

Kim took the flashlight out of her pocket, lit it and started focusing on the place.

The place was a large and extensive car park, it contained countless cars, most of them were down.

Kim continued to look around for the car she was looking for, then she saw two strange trucks.

"What are these trucks?"

The trucks were quite large, they seemed to be in use for transportation of goods.

Kim ignored the cars and continued to walk.

---

Bruno looked around.

"Something is strange," he murmured.

"What's it?" asked Tadeu.

"I feel the presence of someone---" Bruno paused, "not just that... I hear footsteps," He said.

Tadeu looked around.

"I don't hear anything ...it's impossible to see anything in this darkness."

---

Kim continued to walk until she found the car.

"Finally…"

Kim went to the car and got in. Kim looked around.

Where's this car's key... there's no place to insert the key? Perhaps... Kim saw a panel and placed her hand on it. The car started.

Kim sighed with relief.

"Now--"

Kim heard a strange noise.

What was this?

Kim took the flashlight and focused on the window. Kim screamed frightened.

Kim saw an alien drooling as it scraped the glass with the claws.

Why has an alien here...?

Suddenly the alien started hitting the window with its tail trying to break it.

Kim tried desperately finding the car's keys .

"I have to get out of he---"

Kim managed to start the car and started driving.

Suddenly the alien came in front of her and she passed over him.

"He doesn't die," Kim saw the alien in the rearview mirror .

Kim was driving the car towards the exit at high speed.

---

Suddenly Bruno jumped, Tadeu fell off his back and rolled in the floor.

"Wh---"

Bruno interrupted Tadeu.

"Stay where you are!" he shouted.

Tadeu stared at Bruno and saw that he had stopped an alien's attack with his hand.

"W...Why has an alien on this base?" he asked.

Bruno broke the alien's hand. The alien screamed in pain and at the same time it threw his tail to Bruno's legs.

Bruno jumped back. Again the alien threw his tail to Bruno's face and Bruno somersaulted backwards.

Bruno turned back and looked at Tadeu.

I am without weapons... I am not in a position to fight...

Suddenly the alien grabbed Bruno by the neck with his tail taking him off the ground.

"Damn..."

"Bruno!" Tadeu tried to get up and fell to the ground, "s**t!"

I am still under the influence of the drug ..

Bruno tried to release himself.

"T...try to r..un aw...way," Bruno said.

I can see the exit..but ..

Kim looked at the security panel from afar.

"Screw this!"

Kim destroyed the park gate and got outside.

He's still behind me.

The alien was running after Kim.

Kim was driving at high speed towards the place where Bruno and Tadeu were.

What ... another alien?

Kim saw an alien and her companions from afar.

Kim opened the car's door then kicked it breaking.

"Hold my hand!" Kim handed her arm to Tadeu.

Tadeu held her hand and Kim pulled him into the car.

Kim drifted, hit the creature with the rear of the car and Bruno fell into the trunk.

Kim continued at high speed towards the base's exit.

Bruno knelt and started to take a deep breath.

A little more... I think I would have died.

Bruno looked up.

"s**t!"

The aliens were running after the car.

"KIM... DOESN'T THIS CAR HAVE WEPONS?" asked Bruno.

Kim started messing around somewhere.

"THERE ARE NO WEAPONS!!" she answered.

Tadeu looked at the controls.

How is it possible for such a car to have no weapons....has it been removed? he asked himself.

Tadeu looked in the rearview mirror and saw the aliens.

They will not give up even after we leave the base..., Tadeu looked at the sky, maybe if we take it until the sun rises...

Suddenly the aliens started to throw scales.

"HOLD ON!" shouted Kim.

Kim dodged the scales.

"I SEE THE WAY OUT! HOLD ON!"

Kim hit the brakes and destroyed the gate. Finally they left the third base.

Bruno looked back and saw the aliens standing inside the base.

They will not follow us..., he through.

Kim and Tadeu looked in the rearview mirror.

"They stayed behind..." said Tadeu.

"The most important thing is that we managed to get out of that base," said Kim.

Suddenly they both heard a noise coming from behind, they looked back and saw Bruno lying down.

"BRUNO!" Tadeu shouted, "Kim st---"

Kim interrupted Tadeu.

"We can't stop... the sun didn't rise completely... we need to get there as soon as possible to let him be treated."

Tadeu sighed.