"Em!" I said, desperately.
"Got it. Ah... er, you're not going to like this."
"Just tell me," I snapped.
"It's in Dark's personal safe."
Great. I didn't give myself time to think. I ran towards Dark's office, the yelling and screaming fading behind me as I turned into the plush corridor. I could hear Darius in my ear, telling me to forget it.
"What's the code, Em?" I said tersely, ignoring him.
"Standby."
The corridor was empty, office doors standing open where they'd been flung back in everyone's rush to get out. I sprinted to the Chairman's office, pushing through the door and skidding to a stop as I looked around wildly. I saw the desk, the cabinets, the big conference table dominating the room. No sign of any safe.
"Em, where’s the bloody safe?"
"Can't you see it?"
"If I could see it I wouldn't be asking!"
"Is it behind a painting?" came Darius's voice. "That's where they hide them in movies."
The wall was full of old paintings. I ran to each of them in turn, peeking behind the frame. No safe. I was starting to feel desperate, sure I'd be found at any minute. Come on, come on, where is it?
My skittering eyes settled on something I'd overlooked the first time; a built-in cupboard next to Dark's desk. It looked newer than the rest of the room. I grabbed the door and flung it open. A big steel safe stared back at me, a combination pad on the front. I exhaled in relief.
"I've found it. Em, the code?"
"Standby."
"Em, for the love of..."
"Quiet." Her voice was clipped, professional, the way she always sounded when she was immersed in something. "Try 10-10. His birthday."
I tapped it in. I was so tense, I could barely keep my hands from shaking. The keypad glowed red, showing the word 'error'.
"Didn't work."
"Try 27-08. The day he joined the Guild."
Again, I tapped it in. I had to do it twice, my nerves making me hit the wrong numbers. Again, the keypad said 'error'.
"No go, Em," I said through gritted teeth.
"Kaz, leave it, just get out of there," said Darius. He sounded rattled. "We're running out of time."
"Try this one." In contrast, Em sounded more calm then either of us. "31-03. The day he was elected Chairman."
With trembling fingers, I typed it in. The keypad glowed green, and the door swung open. Hardly daring to believe it, I peered inside.
There was a pile of papers and folders, books and box-files, all seemingly arranged haphazardly but for all I knew, they could have been in a very specific order. Knowing Dark, they probably were. I groaned. There was no way I had time to sort through this lot.
But then I spotted a smaller box, covered in velvet, buried beneath a pile of papers. It looked like a ring box. I pulled it out, careful not to dislodge everything. Flipping open the box, I stared at the contents.
It was a large silver ring set with a milky white crystal, its opalesque surface glittering with points of red, blue, green. I gazed into its depths, wondering. Could this really neutralise the Demon Sphere?
"Kaz! Time to go!" barked Darius, shaking me out of my reverie. "I think the Warriors have figured out the demon isn't real."
I lifted the ring out, then put the box back where I'd found it. A casual inspection of the safe wouldn't show anything missing. I slammed the door shut and left everything as it was. Slipping the ring onto my middle finger, I ran out of the office.
As I came out of the corridor, peering cautiously towards the main dome, my heart sank. The demon hologram was still moving around, but Max and the other Warriors were standing back, watching it critically. They appeared to be arguing among themselves, gesticulating at the demon. They certainly weren't treating it as a threat anymore. And as I watched, I saw why.
The hologram was going through the same three movements on a loop. Snarl, raise arm, slash downwards. Snarl, raise arm, slash downwards. On and on. The program had crashed. I moved quietly away; it was time to put the rest of my plan into action.
"Darius, I need you to meet me at the Jump hole," I said softly. "I need you to take the ring."
"What? Why aren't you bringing it back?"
"Because I'm going to turn myself in," I said. "I'm going to say I played the hologram as a practical joke, to get my own back on Dark for throwing me out last time."
Em and Darius both started speaking at once, and I grimaced as their words scorched my ear.
"Are you nuts? Dark will crucify you!"
"That's not the plan, Kaz, get back here now!"
"If I leave now, Dark will launch an investigation," I explained patiently. "That will implicate you two, plus Di, Violet and Henry. I can't have that. The only way to protect you is to take the blame myself. It'll be okay, honest."
"That's is the stupidest idea I've ever heard," growled Darius.
"I'm not arguing, Darius. If you don't come down, I'll just throw the ring through the Jump hole. Please put it somewhere safe."
"Alright, alright, I'm coming."
I didn't want Dark to find the ring on me. I started pulling it off my finger as I slipped into the corridor leading to the Jump wall, and stopped dead. The monkey statue had been moved. It had been placed squarely across the Jump wall, effectively barring it from me.
"What the...? Who put that there?" I spluttered.
"What?" came Darius's voice.
"Someone's pushed the stone monkey across the Jump hole. Let me see if I can move it." I placed both hands against its side, and heaved. It didn't move an inch.
"I'm on the other side, the console won't let me through," came Darius's voice. "It says it's blocked."
"This is ridiculous. How did it get there?"
"Kaz, what are we going to do?" Em's voice. It was a very good question.
I looked up at the stone figure, puzzled. It weighed a ton. Someone would have to be immensely strong to move it.
As if sensing my gaze, it turned its head and looked down at me.
My heart stopped and my throat closed up as I scrambled to back away from it, tripping over my own feet. I hit the floor, the breath knocked from me as I wilted in terror. The stone face stared down impassively.
With a noise like granite slabs smashing together, it moved heavily towards me. It wasn't fast, but it had the unrelenting determination of an iceberg. It towered over me, and raised its sword. I shrieked.
"DARIUS!"
Darius came hurtling through the Jump hole. As the statue started to bring its arm down towards me, he swept his own blade in front of it, parrying the blow just above my head. He grunted with effort; he needed both hands to keep the stone sword from touching me.
"Move, now," he gasped.
I shuffled backwards, my feet pushing against the floor as I struggled to put some distance between me and the statue. Darius took up a position in front of it, his face betraying nothing but courage.
The statue tried to ignore him, to go round him, intent on getting to me. But again and again, Darius put himself between us. He dealt blow after blow to the statue, hitting it so hard that sparks flew from his blade. It made no difference. The statue refused to fight back, it seemed to have no interest in him, but nor would it stop coming towards me. Finally, it simply picked Darius up and threw him down the corridor.
"Darius!"
I saw him start to struggle to his feet. But the statue was right there, in front of me. I was backed up against the wall with nowhere to go.
I launched a flurry of kicks and punches at it, achieving nothing but bloodied knuckles. It raised its sword, and I waited for the blade to fall.
Three sinuous black shapes reared up in front of me. In disbelief, I recognised the Nagas from the Library. Hissing and spitting, they drew themselves up to their full impressive height, their muscular bodies balancing effortlessly on thick coils, their hoods flared wide, weaving hypnotically in front of the statue. One turned its head and gazed at m
e, its golden eyes drilling into my mind.
Vasuki. The name came unbidden on the edge of a thought. This cobra was called Vasuki. It turned back, and for a long moment the three great serpents and the stone statue stared at each other. There was no sound, no conversation, yet there was unmistakably some kind of communication going on. A silent argument. Over me. I couldn't possibly know that, but I felt it.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Darius stand uncertainly, not sure what was happening. He opened his mouth to speak, and in that moment the statue came to a decision. It swung its blade at the Nagas, trying to scythe them down.
The sword met only air, as the serpents curved gracefully away. Then, in perfect synchronisation, all three cobras launched themselves at the statue, their tails whipping them through the air. One wrapped itself round the soldier's sword arm, one round its neck, one around its knees. The statue tried to shake them off, but couldn't. It tottered forward, trying to take a step, and the cobra wrapped round its legs tightened its coils.
In slow motion, like an oak being felled in the forest, Hanuman's soldier toppled to the ground and smashed apart. A great crack zigzagged down the length of its body. The stone sword snapped off in its hand. The head rolled a few feet to the right, before coming to rest, the passionless stone eyes fixed on me. It lay still.
The giant cobras gathered around me, tongues flickering. An incongruous image came into my head. Dogs waiting for a pat.
"Er... thank you," I said, hesitantly.
I sensed Darius staring at us, but I didn't turn away from the Nagas' gaze. Slowly, I reached out a hand to the nearest snake, and touched it gently. It felt warm and smooth, like leather. It seemed to bow its head. Then in a flash, all three were gone, gliding round the corner as if on ice.
"Jesus, what the hell just happened?" asked Darius, stunned. He stared at the broken pieces of statue.
"Kaz? Darius? Are you there?" Em's voice was shrill with fear. In the distance, I could hear voices. They were coming closer.
"No time. Take this," I told him. I pulled the ring off my finger and thrust it into his hand. "Go."
"You're coming too," he insisted, but I shook my head.
"It's the only way. Dark won't rest till he knows who did this. We can't let him investigate or he'll discover the ring is missing. This way we give him someone to blame, and he'll stop looking. Now go."
"But the snakes… and the statue..."
"Go!"
I pushed him towards the Jump hole, taking off my earpiece and throwing it through. He flung me a last despairing look, then turned and followed.
A moment later, I was looking into the furious face of Crepuscular Dark.
Chapter 18
His face was white with anger, his nostrils flared. He stared down at me with utter loathing.
Behind him, the Warriors stood with weapons drawn, peering at me in confusion. Di was off to one side, leaning casually against the corridor wall, and as she caught my eye she smirked. I knew I couldn't expect any help from her. Max stepped forward.
"Kaz, is that you, girl?" He waved at the others to stand down. "It's alright, I know 'er, put 'em away lads. Kaz, did you 'ave somethin' to do with that special effect back there?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.
I looked at Dark and smiled insolently.
"I was trying to teach Mr Dark a lesson. Showing him what it'll be like when the demons take over the world."
Max's face was a mixture of concern and exasperation.
"I'm not sure this is the right way to..."
"How dare you!"
His voice reverberated around the corridor, and everyone fell silent. Dark stalked towards me, his long thin legs giving him the look of a heron picking its way up a riverbank. "How dare you cause such utter panic! In my headquarters!"
"You wouldn't help me find Mum, so I decided to get my own back."
Whispers broke out among the Warriors as I spoke.
"Silence! You have violated our inner sanctum, forced a complete evacuation of the premises, staged a hoax emergency... to get revenge?" His voice quivered with rage.
"Yep. It was quite satisfying, actually. Like therapy." I was trying for a casual tone but I faltered when I saw his face turn a deep puce colour.
"You... you...!" He could barely get the words out, he was so angry. His eyes focused on something over my shoulder, and widened in horror. "My statue! My priceless statue! What did you do?"
"Nothing! It fell over." I looked guiltily at the broken monkey. "It was wobbly."
He thrust his face close to mine, so close I could see the network of little blood vessels in his eyes.
"You think you can come in here and destroy everything I've worked for?" His voice was soft with menace. "You are nothing but a pathetic troublemaker. Just like your mother."
I gaped at the cruelty of it. More whispering broke out behind him. Dark straightened up.
"Quiet!" he barked. "Bring her to my office."
Max spoke up, his face uncertain.
"Mr Chairman sir, no 'arm was done, it was a stupid prank, perhaps we should..."
"How dare you question me!" Flecks of spittle flew out of Dark's mouth. "I will not tolerate insubordination. I said, bring her." Max looked deeply unhappy.
"Sir, she's just a kid..."
Di shoved past him and grabbed my arm.
"It would be my pleasure, Crepuscular," she purred, jerking me forward. Dark turned on his heel and strode towards his office, his assistant scurrying close behind.
"Let me go, you're hurting me," I said, as Di started dragging me after them.
"Shut up, you idiot," she hissed at me. "Listen carefully. If Dark tries his mind-magic on you, you have to resist. Or he'll find out who else is involved. And I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want him finding out about me."
"Resist? What are you talking about? What the hell is mind-magic?"
"Just think about something else. Anything else. Don't let him break through."
I had no idea what she meant, though I had a nasty feeling I was going to find out. We passed the hologram in the dome again, the demon going through the same three moves. Snarl, raise arm, slash downwards. A tall black man in army fatigues was looking at it thoughtfully. I recognised him from the council meeting; Aloysius, Lucian's boyfriend. The man who'd created the bug. He turned as we passed, and I felt the weight of his stare.
"Does he know you gave us the program?" I muttered to Di.
"He does now."
Dark was seated behind his desk when Di threw me into his room. She was enjoying her role just a bit too much, I thought resentfully, rubbing my arm where she'd been gripping it. She pushed me into a chair opposite Dark, and stood to one side. The Chairman seemed a lot calmer than he had five minutes earlier. Time to apologise and get out of here. I tried to look contrite.
"It was just a joke, Mr Dark," I said. "I shouldn't have done it, but I was angry. I'm sorry."
Dark steepled his fingers together and stared at me, his pale eyes almost colourless.
"Do you take me for a fool?" he said softly.
"I don't know what..."
"Do you honestly think I believe you were working alone? Who helped you?"
I made sure my eyes stayed on his, didn't slide towards Di.
"It was just a joke, no-one helped me."
He nodded, once.
"We shall see. Benedict, check the safe."
I kept my face immobile, but inside I was groaning. Did I put everything back where it was? Would he check the ring box? I tried to look bored and unconcerned as I heard Benedict tap in the code. The door swung open. There was a long pause.
"Nothing's been moved, Sir," he said. Dark gestured towards me.
"Search her."
I shot to my feet.
"If you think Renfield over there is putting his hands on me, you have another think coming," I warned. Dark frowned.
"Ren...? Ah." He nodded. "A reference to Dracula. Is that how you think of me
, Miss Deva?"
"Cold, dead, inhuman? Nah. Can't think why I would." I smiled nastily but he was unmoved.
"Dracula was said to be able to influence minds, Miss Deva. Do you want to see how similar I really am?" Dark didn't move but his eyes seemed to grow bigger. "Sit down."
"Stop ordering me around," I started, but the words felt heavy in my mouth. My legs buckled beneath me, and I sank back into the chair. Dark gave a cold little smile.
"Don't fight it," he said. "Relax."
His gaze held mine, and suddenly I felt pressure around my head. Light at first, but then somehow pushing into my skull. Questing, searching. Strange, but not unpleasant.
"Tell me who helped you, Miss Deva." His half-heard words washed over me, numbing me, lulling me. I felt a bone-deep drowsiness, a willingness to let him in. His pale eyes darkened and he seemed to be burrowing into my brain, gently, painlessly, looking for my memories, picking through them like shells on a shore...
No.
Not a sound passed my lips but the single thought bulleted through my mind like a punch. It was as if my other self had grabbed me by the throat and shaken me out of my stupor.
With a start, everything around me came back into focus. I saw Dark still staring at me, but his words now had no power. His mind was still inside mine, but it swirled uselessly, its potency gone.
And in among those tendrils, I caught some of his feelings. It was a jumble: anger and frustration uppermost, closely followed by a sense of superiority. Suspicion of those around him, distrust of their motives. A deep dislike for me. The man was a bundle of neuroses.
And something else, something hidden under other, stronger emotions. Something I had to coax out.
Fear. But of what, I had no idea.
I revelled in my power, not understanding how I was doing this, but viciously exhilarated that I could. I wanted to see what else I could do, I wanted to burrow into every last corner of his mind, I wanted to... Enough.
It was Mum's voice, the one she used when I was doing something stupid. I blinked.
I realised I was violating Dark the way he'd violated me, and a sense of shame washed over me. I was no better than he was.
I let his thoughts withdraw from my mind, unsure whether he'd felt my counter-attack or not. I sat quietly, and waited for him to speak. He leaned back and glared at me.
Daughter of Kali- Awakening Page 17