The rest of the group stared at her in silence.
“I agree that this plan has holes.” A’luhr’s eyebrows twisted together. “We cannot guarantee that the captive will be able to keep their hold on the weapons, nor that they will be brought near the queen. It is dangerous, but the only chance we have. So I vote for myself to go.” She stood back as if offering herself to them all.
“A’luhr…” Sarah whispered. She didn’t like the idea of her new ally being subjected to the horrors of the tentacles for her sake, but she had no other ideas to offer.
“What if…” Steven spoke up, his voice getting stronger and more excited with each word. “What if we didn’t need to send any PERSON into the tunnels at all?”
“Explain.” A’luhr tilted her curious head towards him.
“Do you know something we don’t?” Adam asked, crossing his arms.
“I know plenty of things that you don’t,” Steven said with a cocky wink. “But more importantly, I HAVE something you don’t!” He suddenly bolted out of the room, leaving the rest of the group to blink at each other in confusion.
“Ah! I wonder if it’s…!” Zoey started to say, as Steven burst back into the room carrying a large, rectangular case. It was the one he had risked his life to bring to the bunker back on the first day. Sarah seemed to recall him referring to it as his “baby”. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of the admittedly forgotten box.
“This will be our ticket to sending those alien fuckers into the ground that they love so much.” Steven grinned devilishly as he snapped the case open. The eyes of the rest of the group opened wide in surprise.