With a groan, Tran moved back over to Tech.
Andrew bit his tongue, trying not to laugh.
Walker stood up, shaking her head slightly. She made a twisting motion with her hand. A small area a few feet in front of Tech warped as a portal formed.
Andrew had expected to see the dimension through the portal, but instead he saw the other side of the room. The edge of the portal bent the room into a ring shape.
“The Stone of Daring is where you two are going,” Godlin added.
“Right, right. Walker filled me in on everything. We won’t forget.” Tech put a hand on Tran’s back and guided him toward the portal.
“Don’t go under the curtains,” Raptor warned.
“Curtains? Wait, that’s the Labyrinth!” Tran yelped.
Before Tran could leap away, Tech pushed him into the portal. Tran vanished with a popping sound.
Raptor started to laugh, covering her face with both hands. Godlin rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, and Walker coughed softly into her arm, not looking up.
Tech motioned to Andrew. “You’re next.”
Despite the danger of the mission, Andrew felt confident about it. They were going to find the Quester Stone and rescue Christine. He just knew it. Andrew stepped through the portal and vanished with a brief electrical tingle and a popping sound.
The hallway he appeared in was made of white, airy sheets. Tech came out of the portal behind him. Andrew watched as the portal winked out of existence with a pop, the smell of ozone lingering in the air.
“That wasn’t funny, Tech.” Tran said. He shied away from the white curtains that surrounded them. “I don’t know why Rap insisted on this.”
Andrew smiled, unable to help it. “She said you deserved it. What did you do anyway?”
“Oh she did, did she?” Tran huffed at Andrew.
Tech grinned. “He turned her cat pink, but this is my revenge. He replaced my hair gel with honey.”
“It was all temporary!” Tran protested, his eyes widening as he threw his hands up. “And the cat was an accident! She can’t blame me for that.”
Tech laughed, reaching over as if to nudge Tran on the shoulder, but he stopped just short. “Oh, she’s going to get you back good.”
A twitch came from Tran as he wrung his hands.
Andrew started to laugh as well.
A scream reverberated through the labyrinth. Everyone froze in surprise as the scream continued for many long moments. It stopped, leaving silence in its wake.
Tran whispered, “Let’s find Christine and leave as soon as possible.”
The corner of Tech’s eye twitched as he whispered, “Good plan.” He started forward, the others following.
Twisting corridors, lined by thin white sheets, swayed anytime someone passed by. The ghostly whiteness continued on, seemingly forever. Nothing else moved or made a sound. A musty smell hung in the air, reminding Andrew of the linen closet where his parents stored blankets. It would have been a comforting smell, but for the disturbing setting.
Whipping his head around, Tran looked behind them. He whispered, “Where do you suppose she is?”
“Mouse said she was in the City. I think it’s nearby,” Tech replied in a low voice.
“Raptor said Christine might have Arachnid’s Stone,” Andrew whispered.
Tech narrowed his eyes and gave an exaggerated groan. “Of course she forgets to tell me. Oh, no wait, that can’t happen. She just didn’t tell me,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
Andrew felt surprised by Tech’s reaction. He had assumed that the Keepers got along well.
“Hey, she knew we’d figure it out,” Tran whispered with a shrug.
Sighing as his shoulders sagged, Tech’s voice lowered to a hush. “I suppose. I just don’t like it when she leaves out details like that.”
Tran asked Andrew, “What else did she tell you?”
“Just that if Christine doesn’t have it, she’s going back to Arachnid.”
“Ugh, we don’t need that happening. Let’s hope she’s got it,” Tech said. He paused at an intersection and then made the decision to turn left. Tran and Andrew lingered behind him at a slow pace.
“What do you know about this place, Tech?” Andrew asked.
“Not a lot. Raptor, Venom, Godlin, and Walker came here a few years back. Some pretty nasty stuff happened apparently.”
“Wasn’t there a report?” Tran asked.
“Yeah, always is.”
Tran waited for a moment before asking, “Well, what was in the report?”
“How am I supposed to know?” Tech asked, seeming exasperated.
“Didn’t you read it?” Andrew asked.
“Walker gave me the Cliff Notes version. Besides, weren’t you supposed to read it?” Tech eyed Tran. Tran looked away, pretending not to hear.
It was good seeing Tech and Tran get along well enough to joke with one another. Andrew felt himself grinning. “Okay, Cliff Notes version.”
Tech cleared his throat. “Rule one: Don’t go under the curtains. They will take you to a random part of the dimension, far away from any of your friends.”
“Knew that,” Tran said.
“Andrew doesn’t.”
Shrugging, Tran swept a hand through his hair. His ears turned a little red at the edges.
Andrew walked just behind Tech and Tran, studying his surroundings. The ceiling had sheets that draped like ribbons across it. Lights hidden behind the curtains illuminated the hallways, casting a yellowish tone over everything.
“If you get eaten, try to get eaten whole. It’ll have the same effect as going under a curtain.”
Andrew made a face. “Eaten by what?”
“Anything, I guess. Rule three: There are different areas within the Labyrinth, and the Stone of Daring likes to move around through the dimension. It leaves a trail of sorts, tempting you to follow it. It makes you do increasingly risky things to reach it, drawing you deeper and deeper under its power.”
“And then you become its Quester?”
“Until you die. We think if you die when under the direct influence of a Stone, then the Stone collects the part of you that’s a Quester. I guess, if you’re religious, you can say it’s like your soul, but it’s more like your energy or whatever.” Brushing off the topic with a wave of his hand, Tech continued. “We haven’t figured it all out. We just know, if you drop dead while under its control, then some part of you ends up trapped in that Stone’s dimension.”
Andrew started to respond when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He spun around. “Something’s here!”
“Are you sure?” Tran asked, his eyes darting around.
“Yes, it was right there.” Andrew pointed at the curtain in front of him.
A shadow rose up against the curtain—a silhouette of something on the other side. A blob with spikes paced back and forth. A mouth opened wide, lined with jagged teeth.
“Oh, oh!” Tran yelped.
The shadow melted away. The screaming sound echoed around them again, lasting just as long as it had the first time.
Shuddering, Andrew wrapped his arms around himself and stepped closer to Tech. He watched for the shadow as he waited for the horrible sound to die away.
“Let’s keep moving,” Tech said with a gulp once the screams stopped.
Tran huddled closest to Tech while Andrew stuck behind both of them as they walked on. He glanced back, expecting something to come sneaking up behind them at any moment.
“Any other rules?” Andrew asked, hoping Tech did not have any other rules about dying.
“Something about the way you move through the dimension. If you know of an area, you can get to it. Walker acted like all you had to do was want to go there, but that sounds way too easy.”
The group went around a corner but stopped short at a dead end. They turned around to double back but found another white sheet blocking their path. It had trapped them in a tiny box. The ends of the sheets r
ippled as a slight breeze passed by.
“I guess the only way is under them,” Tran suggested.
“Bad idea, remember?” Tech said.
“Worse than that?” Tran pointed at a curtain. The linens had taken on the shape of a monstrous head, like a deformed dog with spikes sticking out of its face. For a sheet, it had a surprising amount of detail. Its eyes pivoted in their sockets to watch them. The disembodied head lunged at the group.
Everyone jumped trying to get out of the way. They ended up clustered tightly together in one corner.
“We need to get out of here,” Andrew said. “And find Christine.”
“There has to be another way,” Tech muttered.
The floor dropped out from under them.
Chapter Nineteen
Christine sat up with a groan, feeling like a dozen elephants had been tap-dancing in her skull. In her fist, she clutched the three-fingered claw. She wanted to throw the disgusting thing away, but the Keepers needed it.
“Still there?” she thought.
The Stone remained silent, though it had been something of a chatterbox before, promising her eternal pain and suffering.
She recalled falling into a bright white light, but she could not remember how she had ended up on the ground. Christine stood up, finding herself in a park in the middle of a city. Skyscrapers encircled the park as far as she could see. The sky burned a pale blue, but there was no sun in it.
The buildings of the city had been long abandoned. Massive cracks marred their stone facades and thick, brown vines grew up their walls. They appeared dead, not a leaf on them. More lifeless vines overgrew the park, crisscrossing between tree trunks and snaking along the amber grass. An uneasy stillness rested over the area.
“Andrew?” Christine called out. “Anyone?”
The only response was her own words as they hit the vacant offices and echoed back to her. She started forward, deciding her best hope of finding someone was to enter the city.
“I would not do that, if I was you.” A masculine voice came from behind her.
Christine turned around to find a tall young man with fair skin and light colored hair standing across from her. He wore a white business suit with a black dress shirt and a salmon pink tie fastened around his neck.
“Who are you?” Christine discreetly slipped the three-fingered hand into her pocket.
“I am here to help you.” The young man smiled and motioned for her to follow. “We must leave before they get here.”
The young man struck Christine as quite handsome. She reached out to take his hand, but paused and slowly pulled it back. “They who?”
A wide smile spread across his face, like a grinning crocodile. “The Keepers, of course.”
Christine stepped back. If he was opposed to the Keepers, then she could not trust him. She turned and ran, hoping she had not met another Quester.
Three men dressed in gray jumper suits appeared as they stepped from the city.
“Shoot her,” the young man said.
Two of them raised small hand pistols and fired.
There was a soft sound behind her, like someone tapping on a hollow box. A bit of red caught her eye. On the ground in front of her was a long syringe with fluffy red feathers sticking out the back—a tranquilizer dart.
Christine turned a tight corner to dodge the second dart, but it struck her in the back. It felt like a bee sting, the pain lasting just a moment.
She got a few steps more before the world around her spun. Everything went fuzzy and then black as she collapsed.
* * * * * *
Andrew screamed as he fell through a pitch-black world. He could hear Tech and Tran yelling nearby. Seconds became minutes. He ran out of breath, his throat stripped of feeling. Eventually, he gave up screaming, but his heart continued to pound hard in his chest.
“Tech!” Tran screamed at the top of his lungs. The whirlwind of air rushing by made it hard to hear.
“What?” Tech yelled.
“We’re falling!”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
Tran asked, “What?”
“Nothing!” Tech then muttered, “Alice down the rabbit hole.”
Andrew could not even form a smile. Falling to his death was his worst fear coming true. He would end up as a pancake on the ground, unidentifiable, a John Doe. Could dental records still identify you if they were in a million pieces?
The sound of whooshing air faded. Their descent slowed.
A pinpoint of light appeared below them.
“I see light!” Tran yelled, even though it had become easier to hear. The light grew larger and closer, allowing them to see each other.
“We must be nearing the ground,” Tech said.
Flailing his arms in a fruitless attempt to grab the air, Tran screamed, “That means we’re going to hit!”
The light flashed brightly, interrupting Tech’s response. Andrew threw his arm up to block it, but it blinded him anyway.
When his vision returned, the surface loomed just a few feet below.
With a loud yelp, Tran hit the ground first. Tech ended up just beside him, and Andrew landed on top of Tran with an oomph.
“Gah, get him off me!” Squirming around, Tran tried to get out from under Andrew.
Andrew struggled to pull away, but Tran’s movements inhibited him. He ended up falling next to him in a heap.
Leaping up, Tran dusted himself off. “Sorry.” He looked down at his shoes.
“It’s all right.” Andrew could not blame Tran for his reaction. It had surprised him also. Finally able to move freely, he pushed himself up and stood.
A sunless sky provided the backdrop for hundreds of decaying buildings. Not far from Andrew stood a dead tree, surrounded by dried bushes. Thick, brown vines draped over everything.
It had to be the city.
Tran whispered as he turned to face Tech, “Where’s Christine?”
“Not sure. And don’t whisper like that; it’s creepy,” he whispered, clearing his throat.
Andrew examined the skyline. “Well, if I was her, I think I would head toward the building that was in the best shape.” He spun around, studying every building. They were all in the same state of decomposition.
“I have to agree. Let’s try that one.” Tech motioned to a building that stood a few stories tall, unlike the monstrous buildings surrounding it. “I’d pick it. It would be easy to scout and to defend from an attack.”
Even though Andrew knew Christine would not think that way, it was a good place to start, considering the other options. Maybe going out into the city would yield a clue.
They made their way to the edge of the park and stopped.
Andrew was reluctant to step over the vines covering the concrete. Something felt off about the pattern they grew in; it felt like a net, and he could not shake the feeling that he stood on the threshold of death.
As Tech stepped forward, Andrew grabbed him by the arm. “Wait, something’s wrong.” A voice nagged at him in the back of his mind, reminding him of the Ligna forest, right before the warrior women attacked him and Raptor.
There was a slight difference. The trees had felt like they were warning him, but here, the roots felt more hostile toward him. He reached out with a foot and touched an exposed root. It filled his mind with knowledge of the plant.
The city was just an image, and the vine an elaborate trap. It originated from a hulking plant hidden behind the fake city, waiting for anyone foolish enough to step a toe into its domain.
Andrew gasped, withdrawing his foot and backpedaling from the edge. “Move away. The city: it’s a decoy for a monster.”
Tran stumbled back and turned away. “Um, I’ve changed my mind. I’m going home.”
Tech grabbed ahold of Tran, spinning him around so they faced each other. “Oh, no, you don’t. Come back here. I can’t do this by myself.”
Stepping back from Tech, Tran said, “You have Andrew with you. You’re not alone
.” He meekly grinned and smoothed his hand down his blue tie. “I have confidence in you.”
Tech narrowed his eyes. “All the confidence in the world, provided I have good backup.”
Tran’s eyes focused behind Tech and widened with terror. Tech knitted his brows at Tran. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Andrew knew why. A tall young man dressed in white had materialized out of thin air behind Tech.
With a quick turn on his heels, Tran bolted deeper into the park, leaving the others behind.
The young man gave a disarming smile to Andrew. Then he reached his hand inside his jacket.
“Tech! Behind you!” Andrew yelled as he saw the muzzle of a gun appear. He did not wait to see what happened next and ran in the same direction as Tran. Reaching the tree, he scurried behind it and crouched beside him.
“Who is that?” Andrew asked, peeking out from behind the tree to watch.
“Venom,” Tran breathed out the name, as if hardly believing it.
Tech did not turn around. He dropped as Venom drew his gun and fired a shot at him. Standing up, Tech knocked his arm into Venom’s, making the former lose his control of the gun.
The gun fell, but Tech caught it by the grip. He pointed it at Venom as he drew a second, silver gun from inside his blazer. He stepped backwards, keeping both guns trained on Venom.
“Where’s the Stone of Power?” Tech demanded.
With a lopsided smirk, Venom stepped forward, but stopped when Tech stiffened. Venom held his hands out wide from his body. “Really, Tech? Do you think I would carry something that valuable with me?”
“I do,” Tech replied. “You’re arrogant enough to think we couldn’t take it from you.”
Venom lowered his hands. “Then you are correct. Come and get it.”
Tech became a blur, darting about in an unpredictable manner and moving faster than any human should have been capable of. Venom dodged two shots and took a third in his arm without a flinch.
“Does Tech being the Keeper of weapons give him super, speedy powers?” Andrew asked, surprised at his cheetah-like agility.
“That speed boost is a Quester Stone, but just a minor one,” Tran said, his voice tense.
A grunt from Tech forced Andrew’s attention back to the fight.
Stone of Power (Keepers of Earth Book 1) Page 24