Read Online Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior by Shobha Nihalani - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shobha Nihalani
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them up here before the fire spread. I couldn’t check every part of this building. After the explosion the fire spread so fast that there was nowhere else to go.’ As if on cue, they heard crackling wood, then saw smoke curling in from under the door. There was no time to waste.
‘What’s your name?’ Akash asked. The acrid smell was making it hard to breathe.
‘Chris,’ the boy said, coughing violently, holding a cloth to his face. ‘The fire has blocked all the exits and we are stuck here. Can we go out the same way you came?’
‘Not any more!’ Akash realized that he had managed to make it before the beam fell and crashed through to the lower floor. It would be impossible to make it past. Akash felt like an idiot when he realized he had left his phone back in the office. Jeez, how could anyone have picked him to be one of the Nine? Even he wouldn’t trust himself.
‘Anyone of you got a mobile?’ Akash asked, his eyes tearing up as the smoke curled into the room. The hissing and crackling sounds were getting louder. The fire raged wildly and would reach them any minute. The ache in his shoulder was turning into a stabbing pain.
Each of them pulled out a gadget from their pockets. ‘Doesn’t work,’ Chris said. ‘You got a plan?’
‘Yeah, I got a plan.’ Akash looked at the young frightened faces. He had no plan. For all his superhuman abilities, he was pretty bad with normal human organizational skills. Planning was Tara’s responsibility. ‘Now listen to me, all of you. We have to be strong and we have to be sensible. We will get out of here but first we have to protect ourselves. Take all the towels you can find, wet them and wrap yourselves as much as possible, especially your faces. I’m going to search for a way out.’
Akash stepped out slowly. He scanned the men’s room. The fire had seeped inside from the main entrance and had spread to the front area. He found the fire extinguisher and did his best to beat down the flames. His arm ached like a bitch. Towards the back, he checked each one of the shower cubicles. There were no exit windows or exhaust fans in the wall. Then he found a window in one of the toilets. Great! Couldn’t they have thought of a bigger window? And the worst part—it was ten feet above the ground.
He found a mop in the storeroom. ‘I found a way out. Wait. I will be back. I must first break the glass.’ He raced towards the toilets and wedged the door so it would stay open. Hovering above the window, he struck it a number of times until the glass cracked. He ran back to the storeroom. ‘Okay guys, in here!’
Akash hadn’t realized that Chris had caught sight of him hovering in mid-air. The children rushed inside.
‘Hey Chris, help me here!’ Akash called out, trying to push the locker cabinet and place it beneath the window. The boy gaped for a few seconds. Akash caught the look of awe and realized Chris had discovered his secret. As they pushed the cabinet, Akash looked at him. ‘You have to keep it a secret, okay?’
Chris didn’t reply. ‘Okay?’ Akash repeated. ‘I will explain later.’
‘Okay,’ the boy said reluctantly. ‘But why do you hide it? You’re like Superman!’
‘Shhh!’ Akash kneeled down and faced the boy. ‘Because bad scientists will want to experiment on me and I will not be able to help people again. It is very important that you keep this a secret. Okay?’
Chris’s face fell. His excitement on discovering Akash’s ability trumped his anxiety about the fire. ‘Can I meet you again? What’s your name? I can be your sidekick if there is anyone who needs your help.’
Akash stopped short of rolling his eyes. ‘I own a pub down the road. Ask for John.’
‘Your name is John? But you look Indian.’
‘Chris! We have to get out of here. We will discuss this later. But for now, you have to keep the secret. Okay?’
‘Okay.’
‘Scout’s honour?’
‘Scout’s honour.’
Akash climbed on top of the
‘What’s your name?’ Akash asked. The acrid smell was making it hard to breathe.
‘Chris,’ the boy said, coughing violently, holding a cloth to his face. ‘The fire has blocked all the exits and we are stuck here. Can we go out the same way you came?’
‘Not any more!’ Akash realized that he had managed to make it before the beam fell and crashed through to the lower floor. It would be impossible to make it past. Akash felt like an idiot when he realized he had left his phone back in the office. Jeez, how could anyone have picked him to be one of the Nine? Even he wouldn’t trust himself.
‘Anyone of you got a mobile?’ Akash asked, his eyes tearing up as the smoke curled into the room. The hissing and crackling sounds were getting louder. The fire raged wildly and would reach them any minute. The ache in his shoulder was turning into a stabbing pain.
Each of them pulled out a gadget from their pockets. ‘Doesn’t work,’ Chris said. ‘You got a plan?’
‘Yeah, I got a plan.’ Akash looked at the young frightened faces. He had no plan. For all his superhuman abilities, he was pretty bad with normal human organizational skills. Planning was Tara’s responsibility. ‘Now listen to me, all of you. We have to be strong and we have to be sensible. We will get out of here but first we have to protect ourselves. Take all the towels you can find, wet them and wrap yourselves as much as possible, especially your faces. I’m going to search for a way out.’
Akash stepped out slowly. He scanned the men’s room. The fire had seeped inside from the main entrance and had spread to the front area. He found the fire extinguisher and did his best to beat down the flames. His arm ached like a bitch. Towards the back, he checked each one of the shower cubicles. There were no exit windows or exhaust fans in the wall. Then he found a window in one of the toilets. Great! Couldn’t they have thought of a bigger window? And the worst part—it was ten feet above the ground.
He found a mop in the storeroom. ‘I found a way out. Wait. I will be back. I must first break the glass.’ He raced towards the toilets and wedged the door so it would stay open. Hovering above the window, he struck it a number of times until the glass cracked. He ran back to the storeroom. ‘Okay guys, in here!’
Akash hadn’t realized that Chris had caught sight of him hovering in mid-air. The children rushed inside.
‘Hey Chris, help me here!’ Akash called out, trying to push the locker cabinet and place it beneath the window. The boy gaped for a few seconds. Akash caught the look of awe and realized Chris had discovered his secret. As they pushed the cabinet, Akash looked at him. ‘You have to keep it a secret, okay?’
Chris didn’t reply. ‘Okay?’ Akash repeated. ‘I will explain later.’
‘Okay,’ the boy said reluctantly. ‘But why do you hide it? You’re like Superman!’
‘Shhh!’ Akash kneeled down and faced the boy. ‘Because bad scientists will want to experiment on me and I will not be able to help people again. It is very important that you keep this a secret. Okay?’
Chris’s face fell. His excitement on discovering Akash’s ability trumped his anxiety about the fire. ‘Can I meet you again? What’s your name? I can be your sidekick if there is anyone who needs your help.’
Akash stopped short of rolling his eyes. ‘I own a pub down the road. Ask for John.’
‘Your name is John? But you look Indian.’
‘Chris! We have to get out of here. We will discuss this later. But for now, you have to keep the secret. Okay?’
‘Okay.’
‘Scout’s honour?’
‘Scout’s honour.’
Akash climbed on top of the
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