>>5843955The lumens wrapped around the railing did not cast even a glimmer of light on the wall that you had assumed was mere meters from the railing, hidden in darkness, but present. Your gaze slowly turns left, and you see the road continue, arching to the left and slowly turning away... and then coming back right again, then left... something which... <span class="mu-i">should</span> have blocked it from your vision as it vanished behind the highway walls. It was then, as your eyes adjusted, that you began to comprehend the support columns that were now ubiquitous, studding each and every segment of the road, supports driven deep into hive walls, straddling exposed griders and sitting atop curled bars that had been peeled back as the wall itself had been stripped away.
“Oh.” You say, no longer quite so intent on resting your chest on the railing. Slowly, you look up, and see thin pinpricks of light in the distance - gaps that shot beams of light from upper levels into the darkness, cutting through it without even giving a glimpse of what was in the darkness below you.
“<span class="mu-i">Yep</span>.” Cad agrees, pointing off the shoulder. “It's something, innit. I wasn't even alive when it collapsed, but apparently it used to be a big junction, so they got the bypass put together real fast.” He gestured to the mess of torn metal that had been fused back into a road on your left. “But we're not going that way, we're taking this down.” He turned away from you.
“Taking what down?” You turn to follow his gesture, and realize that there was something else to the shoulder, hidden from your view behind Cad's vehicle where you thought the railing simply continued. No, instead there was a paired curve of metal... and then a drop. You lean over the railing slightly, and register the skids that lead to a... suspended metal cage. An elevator, you think, from the coil of wire it was connected to. One that, presumably, would go down to the very floor of the hive.
You look at the coil and how it was several times wider than you were tall.
That was a <span class="mu-i">long</span> wire.
“Not too late for second thoughts.” The woman replied airily.
“Of course not.” You reply, absentmindedly, still looking at the elevator with a feeling of concern bubbling up in the pit of your stomach.
“Good, because I want you to take a look at all of the vehicles before we get on the ride.” Cad says, stepping closer. “Don't go too deep and take them apart or anything, just... give them the once over.”
You focus yourself, again. “Yes, sir.” You notice Errat looking suddenly defensive again, and decide to try putting him at ease. “How about yours first? It's the one closest to the... er... elevator.”
Errat looked visibly relieved, and scurried back to his truck as you follow Cad forward to his truck. “Have I done something to offend him?” You ask Cad, lifting up the hood of his truck.
