The Gender Game 2 by Bella Forrest (audio ebook reader .TXT) 📕

needed to get out of this place, and I guessed I was going to go down to do it.

I managed to slip the backpack on my back, but it took a lot of bending and straining, as well as a few choice words, before I did so.

The next part was even trickier—grabbing the ladder and maneuvering my body over there wasn’t going to be easy, especially since I had no room to turn around in the vent. I was going to have to grab on with both hands, and then drag my legs over. I also had to hope that I wouldn’t lose my grip and fall.

Taking one last breath, I grabbed the edge of the vent and slid myself over the void. I braced my legs again and reached out with one hand. I was already straining, thanks to the added weight of the backpack.

It only took me a few seconds to find the rung of the ladder again. I gripped it with my hand, and then released the edge of the vent with the other. A moment of weightlessness came over me, reminding me of falling through the air and into The Green, and I panicked, reaching out blindly with my other hand.

There was a second where I was certain I was going to fall, and images of me impacting the unyielding concrete below ran through my imagination. Then my hand found the bar, and I gripped it with all my might. I took a moment to calm myself, sucking air in and out, until I realized I wasn’t going to be calm unless I was fully on the ladder.

With that in mind, I pulled myself over. My hips and stomach were completely over the hole now, and that roiling sensation in my stomach intensified. I wrapped my arm around the rung, hooking it with my elbow. I grabbed my wrist with my other hand, locking myself into place, before I let my legs come out and fall.

There was a brief moment of discomfort as my legs swung over the edge, but as soon as my body impacted the rungs, I planted my feet firmly on one with minimal scrambling. Afterward, I rested my head against the bar I was clinging on to, and took a deep breath.

After a few moments, I began to descend.

The darkness made climbing difficult. I had to go slowly, reaching with each foot and hand, making sure they were firmly settled before I trusted my weight to them.

It came as no surprise to me that I had started talking to myself. It was strange, but the sound of my own voice helped me focus.

“All right, just reach down with your foot until you hit the rung… good, good. Make sure you really wedge it on there—no toes here—the shoes aren’t that good. Great, good job Vi—just keep going and you’ll be down in no time.”

With my little pep talk, I made it down easily. The relief of solid floor beneath my feet poured through me, and I slid down the wall to sit down, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

I rested against the wall for several moments, breathing heavily. As I sat there, my mind once again returned to Viggo. He needed me right now, and I wasn’t moving fast enough. It was enough to spur myself back on my feet. I scooped up the flashlight and looked around. There was an archway to my left, and it led to a catwalk. I had found the maintenance area, which was great, but I needed to make sure I could get back to the other levels.

Stepping through the archway, I walked out on the catwalk, shining my flashlight around. The catwalk ran along the wall, while the other side widened into open space. I pressed my free hand against the wall, resolved to stay as far away from the space as possible.

I moved the flashlight up, and I could see dim lights coming from the area above, but I couldn’t make anything out.

Frowning, I moved slowly, ever cautious of the floor below. After several hundred feet, it ended at a door. Suddenly apprehensive, I pushed it open slowly.

The room was some sort of station, with buttons and panels lit up everywhere. I looked around for a few seconds, and found a water cooler in the back. Grabbing a mug from one of the desks, I filled it up and drank the first and second cups of water, pausing only long enough to fill the mug back up.

Once I had downed as much as I could handle, I went to the opposite door and opened it, finding a hallway with stairs heading up. My legs started to ache just from the sight of it.

Sighing, I gripped the shoulder of my bag tightly and began climbing up. At least I was out of the vent.

30

Violet

Sweat was dripping from me as I reached the top of the staircase. My shoulders ached from the strain of carrying the weight of the egg and the supplies in my bag, and my lower back was no better. I took a small break at the top, setting the bag down and stretching to help relieve the tension.

Truthfully, I was a little apprehensive about opening the door. This level was already different from the other ones, and I wasn’t sure what was waiting on the other side.

Yet Viggo was at the forefront of my mind. I had to be strong enough for him. I couldn’t let him down a second time.

After I had finished stretching, I pulled my gun out of the bag and slipped it in my pocket, taking care to ensure the safety was on, then checked to make sure my flashlight was in the other pocket.

Once I had all of my tools ready and accessible, I slipped the backpack on again, and slowly turned the hand wheel on the hatch.

It swung open after a few turns, and I paused at the threshold, waiting for any signs