in the bottle every alarm bell in this facility
would go off,” Torrid said.
“Unfortunately,
yes. I’m well aware of that,” Liam said with a hint of annoyance.
“We
have to hurry,” I threw in.
“Walk
out in front of me,” Liam ordered Torrid. “I’ll step in behind you and block Gorge’s
view.”
Torrid
stepped out with Liam and I close in behind him. The temptation to look back
was hard to fight, but it was important we all walk calmly, slowly as though nothing
was going on.
But
when we reached the door to the stairwell, Liam stopped. “Kama, you head down
with Torrid. Few take the stairs so chances are slim you’ll run into someone,
but once on the ward floor your chances of being seen are greater.” He turned
to Torrid. “Keep your head down, don’t make eye contact and hold your hands
behind your back.”
“Liam,
why are you telling us all this. Where are you…?”
“Listen
to me, Kama. Just strolling into the ward with a large djinn is not going to
pass unnoticed. You have to be convincing. You have to show other Catchers
that this is your prize; that you're bringing in a new Magical One. You also
have to pray no one will recognize him as the Prince. Hold onto his arm and
guide him into the ward, even push him around if you have to. Other Catchers
won’t pay any attention to you if they see you're just doing your job.”
“Once
inside, what do I do? Where do I go?”
“As
you enter the ward you’ll see stairs that go up to the first landing of bottled
djinns. Go up, always keeping Torrid in front of you. When you reach the
landing take a left and follow the row of empty bottles until you reach the
ones that are occupied. This is where you’ll be expected to bottle Torrid,
but…”
“We’ll
start cracking those bottles open instead,” Torrid finished.
“And
what will you be doing?” I glanced down the hall to see Gorge approach the
door where Zanlord was bound.
“I’m
going to see what I can do to stall Gorge for a few minutes. At least give you
guys a chance to make it down there.” He gave my shoulder a gentle yet firm
push. “Hurry! Go!”
He
turned and called out to Gorge in a very relaxed and matter of fact tone.
“Hey, I was wondering when you’d arrived. Can you imagine I had to get stuck
keeping watch with a girl who has to go to the bathroom every two minutes.”
The
last thing I heard as I led Torrid down the steps was Gorge’s derisive
chuckle. Liam’s attempt to stall him and keep him from finding out what had
happened inside that office seemed to be working.
I
followed Liam’s order to a tee and took a firm hold of Torrid as I led him to
the ward, while Torrid did a wonderful job of playing the down and out Magical
One who’d just been caught. He hung his head low, and slumped his shoulders
down in despair while shuffling his feet.
Inside
the ward the Catchers reacted exactly as Liam had predicted. They saw me as
just another Catcher who’d arrived with the spoils for the day. Our feet
clanged loudly on the metal steps as we made our way up to the first landing,
but no one paid any attention.
“This
is almost too easy,” Torrid said.
I
heard the concern in his voice. It echoed my own concerns.
The
row of empty bottles seemed endless and I wondered if we’d make it to the first
occupied ones before the alarm went off.
Just
as I began to see color and movement in the distant bottles, just as we were
about to arrive at the first occupied bottles a hush fell over the ward. A
chill ran up my spine. I knew something had happened.
Ignoring
the sensation, I kept my head high, pushed Torrid along and prayed we’d make
it.
“…who
is…?”
“Don’t
recognize… looks like… could be…”
“…
know what the Prince looks like…?”
“Can’t
be… special housing. He doesn’t belong here.”
The
murmur of speculation and questions sent a shot of adrenaline rushing through
my
would go off,” Torrid said.
“Unfortunately,
yes. I’m well aware of that,” Liam said with a hint of annoyance.
“We
have to hurry,” I threw in.
“Walk
out in front of me,” Liam ordered Torrid. “I’ll step in behind you and block Gorge’s
view.”
Torrid
stepped out with Liam and I close in behind him. The temptation to look back
was hard to fight, but it was important we all walk calmly, slowly as though nothing
was going on.
But
when we reached the door to the stairwell, Liam stopped. “Kama, you head down
with Torrid. Few take the stairs so chances are slim you’ll run into someone,
but once on the ward floor your chances of being seen are greater.” He turned
to Torrid. “Keep your head down, don’t make eye contact and hold your hands
behind your back.”
“Liam,
why are you telling us all this. Where are you…?”
“Listen
to me, Kama. Just strolling into the ward with a large djinn is not going to
pass unnoticed. You have to be convincing. You have to show other Catchers
that this is your prize; that you're bringing in a new Magical One. You also
have to pray no one will recognize him as the Prince. Hold onto his arm and
guide him into the ward, even push him around if you have to. Other Catchers
won’t pay any attention to you if they see you're just doing your job.”
“Once
inside, what do I do? Where do I go?”
“As
you enter the ward you’ll see stairs that go up to the first landing of bottled
djinns. Go up, always keeping Torrid in front of you. When you reach the
landing take a left and follow the row of empty bottles until you reach the
ones that are occupied. This is where you’ll be expected to bottle Torrid,
but…”
“We’ll
start cracking those bottles open instead,” Torrid finished.
“And
what will you be doing?” I glanced down the hall to see Gorge approach the
door where Zanlord was bound.
“I’m
going to see what I can do to stall Gorge for a few minutes. At least give you
guys a chance to make it down there.” He gave my shoulder a gentle yet firm
push. “Hurry! Go!”
He
turned and called out to Gorge in a very relaxed and matter of fact tone.
“Hey, I was wondering when you’d arrived. Can you imagine I had to get stuck
keeping watch with a girl who has to go to the bathroom every two minutes.”
The
last thing I heard as I led Torrid down the steps was Gorge’s derisive
chuckle. Liam’s attempt to stall him and keep him from finding out what had
happened inside that office seemed to be working.
I
followed Liam’s order to a tee and took a firm hold of Torrid as I led him to
the ward, while Torrid did a wonderful job of playing the down and out Magical
One who’d just been caught. He hung his head low, and slumped his shoulders
down in despair while shuffling his feet.
Inside
the ward the Catchers reacted exactly as Liam had predicted. They saw me as
just another Catcher who’d arrived with the spoils for the day. Our feet
clanged loudly on the metal steps as we made our way up to the first landing,
but no one paid any attention.
“This
is almost too easy,” Torrid said.
I
heard the concern in his voice. It echoed my own concerns.
The
row of empty bottles seemed endless and I wondered if we’d make it to the first
occupied ones before the alarm went off.
Just
as I began to see color and movement in the distant bottles, just as we were
about to arrive at the first occupied bottles a hush fell over the ward. A
chill ran up my spine. I knew something had happened.
Ignoring
the sensation, I kept my head high, pushed Torrid along and prayed we’d make
it.
“…who
is…?”
“Don’t
recognize… looks like… could be…”
“…
know what the Prince looks like…?”
“Can’t
be… special housing. He doesn’t belong here.”
The
murmur of speculation and questions sent a shot of adrenaline rushing through
my
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