Chapter Thirteen: Back for more
#11 of Drake's Path
I stood next to Locke and Darrius in a small clearing, waiting for our feline guide to join us. I felt a rush of wind and saw Atty sitting in the branches of a tall elm tree. "So, what brings you back here Drake?"
I cleared my throat and stepped forward. "I have come to ask a favor of you."
She leaned forward, feigning interest. "Oh? Let me guess. You want me to take you back to that icky laboratory, don't you?" She grinned sinisterly, seeing the expression that her perfectly accurate guess had elicited from me. "Well I will, on one condition. You won't infiltrate the lab alone. Let me come with you. I've been through that place and could show you where everything is." She grinned again.
Shocked, I stammered out, "O-Okay, you can come with us."
She giggled and dropped from her perched, walking past me. She waved me forward and our small party set off through the trees in the growing daylight.
After hours of trekking through the sparse underbrush of the forest, we came upon a grove of pine trees that stood separately from the rest of the forest. Atty stopped and turned around with one hand on her hip. "If there are any final preparations you must do, now is the time."
I pulled out the fang blade that I had on my belt and handed it to Locke. "Here, Star told me that this would serve you better than me, and I have Kaldien to aid me."
He slowly took the proffered sword and held it gingerly in his grasp, admiring the weapon with a knowing gaze. He wrapped the chain around his forearm with a skillful flick of his wrist and looked back at me, giving a solemn nod of approval.
Darrius pulled his bow out of the quiver on his back and nodded as well.
I in turn gave the go ahead to Atty and she began to slink through the pines.
We arrived at a chain-link fence with Atty standing next to a padlocked gate. She deftly tapped the lock, causing it to fall to the dirt. The gate swung open on well oiled hinges and we proceeded to the door of the facility.
Atty again worked her magic on this door, and we quickly moved inside, staying as silent and swift as shadows.
We passed door after door, seeing no one in the seemingly endless hallways. Then as we neared another larger hall, we heard footsteps and we pressed ourselves tightly against the wall. I heard Darrius whisper, "Encarn," and then our small party vanished into the shadows, becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye. I patted his head and waited for the people to pass.
We followed Atty into a room farther along this new path and we saw a large room with many cylinders like the one I had been held in. Scientists in lab coats were bustling about to and from different tables staggered around the room. Dispersed amongst them were men in black jackets, and I recognized one of them as Jeremy from before. I looked around the tubes and saw that most of them contained strange looking plants while others were left empty. Then the one in the very middle contained a small wolf with silvery brown fur and wearing only a pair of dark blue slacks.
Locke's eyes grew large and he clenched his teeth at the site of his young friend being experimented on. His voice rang out in shock through the room, drawing all attention to us and bringing the black jackets to the front.
I looked over at Atty and saw a cruel smile spread across her lips, and I drew my sword.
I saw Jeremy's eyes flick from me to Locke, then to the blade clenched in the fox-wolf's paw. His expression turned grim as he realized who I was. He lifted a finger and pointed at me. "Why have you returned? You got your sword and your girl back. What more do you want?"
I motioned toward the wolf in suspended in the cylinder behind him. "He is my objective, and I shall not leave without him."
Jeremy's face hardened. "Roger will not accept another lost subject so I have to reject your attempts. You will not leave without a fight."
Locke leapt over the line of fighters and smashed open the glass holding Sypher. After grabbing the small creature, he spun and repeated his leap back to my side.
I nodded to him and said, "Go! We'll cover your escape."
He saluted me with a grin and ran out the door as the guards closed in on us.
Darrius again spoke in Runic speaking with a power that belied his true age. "Elíar!" A bolt of blue lightning sprang from his outstretched paw and struck the first five of the guards, sending them to the floor.
Atty sprang forward and disarmed three more with deft swipes, then incapacitated them with quick jabs to the head.
Jeremy was left alone with only one other of his men left beside him. He snarled at me in defiance and lowered his weapon, seeing the futility in trying to resist.
Bowing to him respectfully, I resheathed my sword and ran out the door. We flew through the hallways with great speed, dashing for the exit with all of our strength.
We burst into the sunlight and joined up with Locke, who matched our pace with a smile as we left the laboratory behind us.