Carefully they made their way out of the damaged building and out into the streets. Rest had returned after the initial panic, but the atmosphere was still tense. The few people still outside hurried to wherever it was they were going, not paying attention to what was going on around them, trying not to attract attention to themselves. Augur let the way with Doors and Liam following. He selected a route back to the cave that followed out of the way alleys and streets. It would take them a lot longer, but at least they would get there alive. More than once they had to hide when Volunteers rode by looking for yet more suspects. All along Augur kept a worried eye on Liam. The young hybrid got worse by the minute, looking ghastly pale and he was barely able to put one foot in front of the other. About halfway to the cave Doors suddenly called for a rest, as Liam was about to collapse. He carefully lowered Liam to the floor and squatted down next to him.
�He can�t go on like this, Augur,� the older man said as he looked up at Augur. Augur knelt down beside his friend and carefully checked the makeshift bandage. A curse escaped him when he found the wound to be bleeding again.
�He�ll just have to. We have to keep moving, Doors. Even if it means carrying him. It�s too dangerous out here,� he said tersely and for a moment it looked as though Doors would argue with him, but then the older man nodded. They gave Liam a couple more minutes to rest, before howling him to his feet once more. Liam groaned in protest, but both men ignored him as they began to walk.
It took them nearly an hour to reach St. Michael�s Church. Quickly Augur let them around the back to the secret entrance he had constructed there and pressed the button for the elevator. Liam now hung between the two men, only partially conscious.
The elevator brought them to the first of the two steel doors leading to the underground cave and here Augur had the security system scan his DNA. When Doors raised his eyebrows Augur shrugged.
�I had the computer activate the Sanctuary program. I could not risk the place getting broken into while I was gone. Too many sensitive files here,� he explained.
The scan confirmed his identity and both steel doors opened soundlessly. Carefully the two men carried Liam down the two low flights of stairs to lower him onto Augur�s couch. Instantly Doors took control of the situation by helping Liam out of his shirt.
�Do you have a first aid kit around here, Augur?� he asked over his shoulder as he carefully lifted the makeshift bandage from the wound to inspect it closely. It had stopped bleeding for the moment, but he could see that Liam had already lost a great deal of blood. Augur came back with the first aid kit and some water and he winced at the sight of the wound and the blood around it. He watched as Doors softly cleaned the wound and the area directly around it. Quickly Doors bandaged him and pulled the blanket Augur got from the bedroom up to Liam�s chin. Suddenly very tired he got up and walked to the kitchen to wash his hands. When he returned he gratefully excepted the glass of whiskey Augur held out to him. Sighing he seated himself.
�You handled that very well. I wouldn�t have known what to do,� said Augur, breaking the silence and Doors smiled sadly.
�Joshua was rather accident-prone when he was a little boy. I bandaged a lot of scraped knees back then.�
Augur could hear the pain in the other man�s voice and tried to soothe him.
�I�m sure Joshua did not mean the things he said to you.�
�No, he meant them, each and every one. His eyes said it all.�
An uncomfortable silence followed, only punctuated by soft moans from Liam. Doors studied the young man for a moment.
�I have done all I can for him at the moment. He really needs a doctor. Judging by the pain he is in, I think the bullet is still in his shoulder,� he said.
�There�s no exit wound?� asked Augur, feeling slightly sick to his stomach and Doors shook his head, �I�ll see if I can call Dr. Park.�
He picked up his global and opened a connection, but Melissa Park did not answer. Worried Augur looked at Doors.
�I don�t like this one bit. Could she have been arrested too?�
�I don�t know, but it wouldn�t surprise me. And Julienne Belman?�
Augur tried her connection and felt relief was over him when she answered almost immediately.
�Dr. Belman,� she said and the tone of her voice told Augur she was mad, �Oh, hello, Augur. I�m glad to see at least someone I know is still free.�
�They�ve not come after you?�
�They wouldn�t dare. Not with all the research I�ve been doing for the Taelons. But I�m not allowed anywhere near the labs. How are you holding up?�
�I�m fine and so is Jonathan. We�ve escaped arrest. But Liam needs your help. He�s been shot.�
�Shot? How did that happen?�
�There was an attack at the building we were hiding Jonathan in. Liam got hit in the shoulder. Jonathan has cleaned and bandaged the wound, but he�s lost a lot of blood and is in a lot of pain. Jonathan thinks the bullet got stuck. Can you come? I�ve already tried to reach Melissa, but she�s not answering.�
�She was arrested. I�ll come, but we should really take him to a hospital. Your cave is not the most ideal place for a wounded man.�
�I know, but with all the interrogations going on someone is sure to drop his name as leader of the Resistance. If that hasn�t already happened. It�s too dangerous.�
�I understand. I�ll be there in about half an hour.� With those words Dr. Belman closed the connection.