Stiletto led the way down the spiral metal stairwell in the middle of the bunker. She didn’t have to switch on her headlight, because the well was lit by an incandescent strip set into the stone wall.
Candle followed, carrying Luma. He talked to her and bounced her in his arms, though keeping her awake had become a losing battle.
At the base of the stairwell, Stiletto stepped onto a dirt floor in front of a pair of metal doors. A video monitor was mounted at eye level on one of the doors, and she activated it by twisting a large knob underneath it.
An adult male Sagran appeared on the screen. Like Luma, he had red, multifaceted eyes and no hair. He wore a sky blue tunic, and his glittering skin was pale green.
“Shhh,” said the Sagran, touching his mouth with the tip of a finger.
