Lewis has a task for them

“For you however,” Lewis went on, appearing to view Shastar and Druuna as his subordinates, “I have another task.”

Druuna was slightly surprised by the fact that Shastar didn’t voice any protests against the way in which Lewis seemed to view it as obvious that they would do whatever he told them to.

“Tell me, have you ever been outside the city?” Lewis asked them, and Druuna could only shake her head as she had little knowledge of the fact that there actually existed a world outside of the city. It was a fact that was rarely spoken about, and from what she’d heard about it, Druuna had understood that the outside world was a hostile wasteland, with the walled city being the last bastion of civilization, however flawed that particular civilization might be.

“No, why?” Shastar asked, appearing a lot less shaken by the question than Druuna.

“There are settlements out there,” Lewis explained, “much smaller than this city, and a lot freer than it too.”

“And?” Shastar asked, with Caliban leaning against the wall and looking suitably interested in the conversation.

“And I have friends out there, friends with the capability to produce more of the cure,” Lewis seemed to have come to the conclusion that the potion that Druuna had injected Shastar with really was the cure, “if only they could get their hands on it.”

“You want us to leave the city and find your friends?” Shastar asked, his tone of voice implying that he hardly thought it an easy task.

“There’s nothing left for you here, or for any one for that matter!” Lewis suggested, “This city’s dying, and we’ll all die with it unless we escape from it.”

“And you’re certain that the cure works?” Druuna was asking this, still fearing that her love would revert back into a mutated blob of rubbery tentacles.

“Quite sure,” Lewis said, “the first test subject was exposed to it three weeks ago, and he’s still healthy, with only one noticeable side-effect.”

“And as far as side-effects go, that one seems pretty sweet,” Caliban cut in, flashing the others a thin, ironic smile.

“Yes, I suppose…” Lewis admitted, “Anyway, the nearest settlement where I have friends is two days march away, I’ll supply you with a map.”

“A map?” Druuna had only seen a few maps in various books, and all those were ancient ones at that. Possession of a map had been deemed sacrilegious a long time ago.

“Yes, it’s been supplied to me by my friends.”

“Who are these friends of yours?” Shastar asked.

“Some of them are exiles from the city, who have managed to escape in the same manner as you will.” Lewis informed them.

“And how was that?”

“The sewers.”

“The sewers? That’s hardly a safe place.” Shastar pointed out.

“No, but it’s better than trying to scale the walls, and there aren’t a lot of guards or priests down there.”

Fifteen minutes later, Druuna and Shastar had been taken to a stockroom, where Shastar had been equipped with a rifle and had received a backpack filled with provisions and various pieces of gear which might come in useful on their journey.

Still slightly stunned by the speed with which this whole situation had developed itself, Druuna could hardly believe that she was on her way to leave the city for the first time in her life.