Free Crystal Horizon: A Short Prequel to Crystal Deception by Doug J. Cooper Page B

she touched an opponent’s head or torso with the tip of
the baton, their suit would glow, confirming their “death.”
    I’m not sure splitting up was such a good idea , she
thought as the branch she was in channeled up a level. She quickened her pace,
anxious to rejoin Sid so they could protect each other. At the next corner, the
tube continued up yet another level.
    Cheryl looked back the way she’d come, hesitated, and
decided to keep going forward. A movement through slits in the tube wall attracted
her attention. Peering through a narrow gap, she looked into a largish open chamber
that served as an intersection for several passageways.
    Her senses on edge, she watched as the two members of the
red team swam into hiding places among the obstacles scattered around the walls
of the chamber. Nice place for an ambush .
    She studied the different features of the intersection so
she’d recognize it if she ever made it to that location. A flash down a tube on
the far side of the open space lifted her gaze. Something yellow was advancing
toward the chamber. Squinting, she studied the object and felt her pulse
quicken. The color was more gold than yellow. Sid’s swimming into the trap!
    Cheryl controlled her breathing and willed her heartbeat to
slow. With confident, focused movements, she kicked and pulled herself deeper
into the maze. A fork came into view and she swam left. After another turn, the
passage brightened from light coming up through a hole in the tube floor.
    Edging up to the lip of the hole, she peered into an open
area. The chamber! The red team members were barely visible in the
recesses bracketing the tube where Sid would emerge. From her vantage point at
the top of the compartment, she couldn’t see her partner. Using her memory of
his position and progress in the tube, she made a guess as to when he would
appear.
    The challengers, focused on the tube holding Sid, had their
backs to her. Pulling herself through the hole and into the chamber, she
positioned her feet against the edge of the opening and drew herself into a
tight ball.
    Her instincts told her it was time to go. With her arms
pressed against her sides, she extended her legs and pushed as hard as she
could, flying into the top of the chamber. The resistance from the water slowed
her to a drift before she’d traveled three body lengths.
    Dammit. Stroking and kicking, she descended behind
the red team, watching to see if her flailing limbs attracted their attention. When
she was level with them, she turned and approached cautiously, studying their
backs for any sign that would indicate awareness of her presence.
    She’d made it most of the way across the chamber when Sid
poked his head out of the tube. The two reds attacked. Cheryl felt a moment of
relief when Sid somehow broke into the open chamber without being eliminated
from the challenge.
     Swimming forward with her baton out in front of her, she watched
for an opening that would let her engage the opponents and help Sid. He had the
two reds on the defensive and, as she approached, she sought a pattern in his
actions so she could time her strike. The water provided so much resistance to
movement that the fight played out in a slow motion dance. Punch. Kick.
Block. Block.
    Trying to catch Sid’s eye, she sidled up behind the nearest red.
She chose to act and, snapping her arm out, touched the opponent on the side of
his torso. His suit glowed, and as he turned his head to glimpse his
vanquisher, he dropped his hands and disengaged. The glow of light caused the other
red to lose his concentration for a brief instant, and Sid used the opening to eliminate
him from the game.
    Swimming over to Cheryl, Sid gave her a one-armed hug. As
they rotated together in a circle and looked into the tubes, he leaned his hood
against hers and yelled, “Nice work, partner. This is a good spot. Let’s hang out
here and wait for our prey.”
    Over the next hour, they ambushed the orange, green, and