MEMELAND

The sounds came from behind them.

A splash.

Then another.

Then frantic thrashing.

Kai immediately stopped walking.

Eric nearly walked into him.

"What?"

Kai raised a hand.

The sounds continued.

Something was happening back where the patrol guards had been left.

Neither spoke.

For a moment, only the echoes of violent splashing filled the tunnel.

Then—

A scream.

Short.

Sudden.

Cut off almost instantly.

Eric's face paled.

"What was that?"

Kai already knew.

And he wasn't sure he wanted confirmation.

The two slowly moved back toward the direction of the noise.

Carefully.

Quietly.

The closer they got, the stronger the smell became.

Not the pouches.

Something else.

Blood.

They reached a bend in the tunnel.

Kai looked first.

Then immediately wished he hadn't.

The unconscious patrol guards were gone.

Or rather—

Most of them were.

The dark water churned violently.

Something massive moved beneath the surface.

A body floated briefly.

Then disappeared.

The water exploded upward.

A gigantic alligator emerged.

Its jaws snapped shut around an arm.

Bone cracked.

The limb vanished into its mouth.

Kai instinctively stepped back.

The creature disappeared beneath the water again.

More splashing followed.

Then silence.

Complete silence.

For several seconds neither Kai nor Eric moved.

Finally—

Eric glanced around the corner.

A mistake.

A terrible mistake.

The alligator surfaced again.

This time carrying a head.

One of the patrol guards.

The man's face was still recognizable.

For about a second.

Then the jaws closed.

Crunch.

The sound echoed through the tunnel.

Eric immediately turned away.

Vomited.

Then vomited again.

"Oh gods..."

Kai didn't blame him.

Even he felt sick.

Neither spoke for a while.

Eventually the splashing stopped.

The alligator disappeared into the darkness.

Like it had never been there.

Eric wiped his mouth.

"I hate this place."

Kai nodded.

"I miss the forest."

"I miss above ground."

The architect looked at him.

"Do you think there are more?"

Kai looked toward the dark water.

Something moved beneath the surface.

Then vanished.

"Definitely."

The two continued deeper into the sewer.

Neither wanted to remain near the feeding grounds.

The tunnels twisted endlessly.

Left.

Right.

Straight.

Down.

Without Eric's knowledge of the city's layout, Kai would have become lost hours ago.

At one point they crossed a narrow bridge over deeper water.

Eric refused to look down.

Kai understood why.

Minutes passed.

Then more.

Eventually the sewer became quieter.

Too quiet.

Then—

A distant crash.

Kai froze.

Another crash followed.

Metal striking stone.

Then a voice echoed through the tunnels.

A very familiar voice.

"COME HERE YOU COWARDS!"

A loud impact followed.

Then another.

Something screamed.

The voice continued.

"I SWEAR WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE I'M PUNCHING THAT RED-HAIRED WOMAN!"

Kai blinked.

Eric blinked.

The voice came again.

Even louder.

"AND WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DAMN ALLIGATORS?!"

Silence.

Kai slowly turned toward Eric.

Eric slowly turned toward Kai.

Neither needed to say it.

They both knew exactly who that was.

Kai immediately broke into a run.

"Wait!"

Eric shouted.

"I'm not built for running!"

But Kai was already gone.

Far ahead—

The sounds of fighting continued.

And somewhere within the darkness of the sewers—

Andre was still causing problems.