The Steel Tower (Dragons of Midnight Book 2)

by Silver Milan

  “You go here,” he shoved Ariel into one cell. “And you, here.” He forced Michelle into the other.

  He waved at the closed circuit camera embedded in the ceiling near the far end of the corridor, and the doors of the cells sealed, locking with a click.

  Ariel wrapped her hands around the bars. “How long are we going to stay here? What are you going to do with us?”

  Wallace ignored her, turned around, and left. At the far end of the corridor, a steel door sealed with a resounding thud behind him.

  Ariel surveyed the remaining cells to her right. All empty.

  “In a tower full of two hundred apprentices, we’re the only prisoners,” Ariel muttered. She tried to pull at the bars, but couldn’t budge them of course. “Can your falcon fit through these?”

  Michelle shook her head. “No. They’re too close together. How about you, could your lioness break through?”

  Ariel chuckled softly. “Not a chance. I wouldn’t even be able to grip the bars with my paws. Let’s just say, you don’t see many lions escaping their cages in zoos.”

  “What are we going to do?” Michelle said.

  “There’s not much we can do,” Ariel said as she explored her cell. Five feet wide, ten feet deep, with a low ceiling. A worn mattress lay on the floor against the wall opposite the door. A small metal pot rested on the stone beside it.

  “Eww, don’t tell me this is what I think it is,” Michelle said.

  Ariel glanced at her friend in the cell across the way. Michelle was standing before her own mattress, and staring into a pot that was a twin to the one Ariel had.

  Ariel went to her pot and grimaced at the sewage smell emanating from it. “Yup, it’s what you think it is.”

  She considered moving the pot away from the bed, but when she glanced at the mattress and noticed all the box springs sticking out, she decided she’d probably be sleeping on the floor anyway.

  “They don’t treat their prisoners very well, do they?” Michelle said.

  “My guess is they don’t use their dungeons very often,” Ariel told her. “They probably don’t have a need. Like I already said, we’re the only ones here out of a tower of two hundred. Everyone knows not to cross the witches. Everyone except us, apparently.”

  “What do you think they’re going to do to us?” Michelle asked.

  “I don’t know,” Ariel said. “But I’m guessing my time here as an apprentice is over. I’m sure you’ll get off with a light punishment, though, since you didn’t really do anything wrong. They’re only trying to scare you.”

  “You think they’ll get Jett?” Michelle asked.

  “I don’t know,” Ariel said. “They’ll certainly try, especially if they think he’s uncollared.” Ariel didn’t want to say anything more than that, considering that the cells were probably bugged. But she knew Jett was going to come looking for her when she didn’t text him. Probably that night, in fact.

  However, she wouldn’t put it past Savanna or her minions to send a message through the sat-phone to lure Jett to a back alley of some kind in Belgrade, where they’d spring a trap on him.

  Ariel had to find a way to warn him.

  “Maybe we can convince them to give us a phone call,” Michelle said, as if reading her mind.

  “I somehow doubt it, but even if they did, that wouldn’t help me,” Ariel said. She shut her eyes. “I don’t know Jett’s number. I’ve been lazy, relying on my phone’s quick-dial feature. Satellite numbers are long, and I never bothered to memorize it. Who does these days?”

  “So you mean he’s out there, with no way to contact you except through your sat-phone, which is in Savanna’s possession?”

  “That’s right,” Ariel said.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Michelle said.

  Ariel nodded. She sat in a corner, opposite the stinking chamber pot, and folded her legs against her chest. She rested her head on her knees.

  Some time passed. At least an hour, she guessed, and then she heard the far door to the corridor slide open. That was followed by footsteps.

  The guard on duty came into view. He was dressed in black fatigues and slid a small bowl of gruel into Ariel’s cell. He did the same for Michelle.

  “We’re shifters,” Ariel said, picking up the bowl. “We need meat.”

  “This is all you get,” the guard said.

  “I have to use the bathroom,” Ariel said.

  The guard nodded toward the pot in the corner of the cell. “Use that. I’ll change it once a day.”

  Ariel glanced at it in disgust. “I can’t use that.”

  The guard shrugged. “Then shit your pants.”

  “Cruel bastard,” Michelle muttered across the way.

  “Cruel?” the guard said. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. ‘Sides, we’re only treating you shifters like the animals you are.”

  The guard withdrew a small baton and slid it along the bars as he left, the thud-thud-thud echoing across the corridor, grating at Ariel’s ears. She felt her lioness clawing inside her, wanting to get out, but she restrained it, knowing it would be pointless. She’d only give the man the sick pleasure of watching her caged animal hurl itself at the bars.

  When he was gone, the far door sealed behind him.

  With a sigh, Ariel dug into the soggy oatmeal, alternately slurping the contents directly and shoveling the oatmeal into her mouth with one hand, since no utensils were provided.

  When finished, she set the plate down and slid it back through the bars. Then she lay down on her side on the hard floor and stared into space.

  She thought of the future she could have had, a future that was forever lost to her. She suspected the Wayfarers would Sever her, a process that involved permanently cutting one off from the Strength; and if not, at the very least they’d drastically limit her powers. And when they were done with her, they would return her to the world a broken shell.

  As for Jett, if they managed to capture him, she had no idea what they would do to him. Probably imprison him for a very long time. Maybe even sentence him to death. If he was caught roaming the lands without a collar in North America, his brother the king would have had mercy on him, but out here in the land of the Wayfarers she doubted Jett would receive any lenience.

  She fell in and out of naps, as it was too early to get a full night’s rest. She wasn’t sure how long she lay there. At least a few hours, maybe more.

  She heard a muted growl, followed by a thud. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Had she imagined that…?

  She studied the dim corridor. She guessed it was late evening by that point. Maybe eight o’clock. But she couldn’t tell, given that the light levels hadn’t changed.

  She listened, straining her ears for any other sounds, but was met only with quietude. Yes, she must have imagined the noises.

  Already hearing things. It’s going to be a long incarceration.

  She started to lie back again when then the lock to her cell clicked.

  She glanced across the corridor toward Michelle; her friend was awake and sitting up as well. When Michelle’s cell door clicked in turn, Ariel stood excitedly.

  “Jett,” Ariel said.

  I knew you wouldn’t let me down, my dragon.

  She hurried to the door. Her limbs were stiff, but she hardly noticed. She moved the bars aside and stepped into the dank corridor beyond. Michelle joined her a moment later.

  Together they hurried toward the sealed doorway on the far end of the corridor. Before they could reach it, the door slid aside and a huge grizzly bear lumbered into view.

  She and Michelle froze.

  Ariel raised her hands warily and began backing away. “Easy, big guy.” Her lioness was clawing at her skin, wanting to get out, but this wasn’t a fight she was sure she could win. If Michelle joined in, then maybe, but it would be messy.

  And then the bear transformed into a familiar bearded man.

  “Ked!” Michelle rushed forward and gave the nude man a hug.

&
nbsp; Ariel had to shake off a slight disappointment, as she had truly believed Jett had come to save her. But she wasn’t about to refuse the help of a good friend. Still, she was reluctant to embrace any naked man other than Jett, so when she went to Ked, she patted him on the shoulder instead.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” Ked said. “But I wasn’t sure if there were more guards waiting inside. Let’s go. I don’t know how much time we have before someone checks on them.”

  “What about the camera?” Ariel asked, pointing at the the device in the ceiling just above them.

  “I’ve got a friend among the guards,” Ked said. “He tells me the dungeons operate on a separate feed and aren’t hooked up to the main security cams. They’re for the guys on duty down here alone. But the CCTVs won’t be of much use to them at the moment.”

  “Why?” Michelle said.

  Ked led them past the open door; beside the glass-walled monitor station, the guard on duty lay there with a big red welt on his forehead. He was wearing only underwear and was bound and gagged with duct tape.

  “Oh,” Michelle said.

  Ked slid on a pair of fatigues that were lying in front of the guard. Obviously Ked had stripped him of his uniform before binding him.

  Ariel couldn’t help but admire the muscular striations in Ked’s butt as he pulled on the clothing; she had seen him naked during the obstacle course runs, but never really up close like this. He was just as ripped as Jett. Very fit for a man his age.

  When Ked had the uniform on, he removed the RFID ring from the man’s finger and slid it onto his own.

  The trio then took the stone steps to the first floor of the dungeons and passed another duct-taped guard near a similar monitor station.

  “You’ve been busy,” Ariel commented.

  “Quite,” Ked said.

  “By the way, what time is it?” Ariel asked him.

  “Nine thirty,” Ked said.

  “We have to look for Jett!” Ariel said. “He might be coming to find me.”

  “We’ll look for him when we’re outside the walls,” Ked said.

  “But he might be here already!” Ariel said.

  “We’re going straight to the parking garage,” Ked said. “Too risky otherwise. As I told you, you’re safe now, but once we move to the upper levels, you’ll show up on the main security cams.”

  “Then we’ll find hoodies, disguise our faces,” Ariel said.

  “And then what?” Ked said. “Listen, we can’t risk staying here. How long until these guards are discovered? Could be minutes. You’re useless to Jett if you’re caught. And then I’ll be in prison with you, and you’ll have no one to get you out in time to warn him.”

  She sighed, dropping her gaze. “You’re right. I’m just worried about him.”

  Ked rested a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get to him in time. But for now let’s worry about ourselves.”

  They reached steps leading up to the basement proper. Lying on the floor beside the steps were a pair of hoodies. He gave one each to Ariel and Michelle.

  “So you got us hoodies after all,” Ariel said.

  “There are a few security cams on the way to the parking garage,” Jett said.

  Ariel shrugged on the sweatshirt and lifted the hood, pulling it down to hide half her face. Michelle did likewise.

  “Check the pockets,” Ked said.

  They did, and Ariel and Michelle both found RFID rings.

  “Where’d you get these?” Michelle asked.

  “Let’s just say I have contacts in Tower Requisitions,” Ked said.

  “You’re well connected aren’t you?” Ariel slid on her ring. “Friends in the guards, requisitions…”

  “We bears usually are,” Ked said. He glanced in turn between Ariel and Michelle. “The RFIDs have your new identities. You’re now Ima Birdie and Mary Poppins.”

  “Nice names,” Michelle said.

  “My friend has an odd sense of humor,” Ked said. “Like most bears do.” He turned toward the stairs. “Wait here.”

  Ked climbed the staircase and vanished past the door at the top. He reappeared a moment later and beckoned for Ariel and Michelle to follow.

  The walls, floor and ceiling of the basement proper were made of bare cement that formed a rectangular-shaped passage. Ked led them through the corridor, which proved empty at that hour.

  “It’s not common knowledge, but the cams here and on the main floors also contain RFID scanners,” Ked said. “Make sure you don’t look straight at them when you pass, otherwise the facial recognition algos will notice your face doesn’t match the records cross-referenced by the RFIDs you’re wearing.”

  Listening to Ked’s advice, Ariel pulled her hood low whenever she passed underneath a camera. Ked also shielded his face near the cams: he would place a hand on his forehead and move his fingers as if rubbing his temples.

  In a few minutes Ked was leading them upstairs to the parking garage. Once more he went first, moving at a crouch. He peered through the small glass pane in the door that led to the garage, and when he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he waved Ariel and Michelle to his side.

  “Stay low,” he said.

  He quietly opened the door and entered the parking garage at a crouch. He held the door open for Ariel and Michelle, who hurried inside, keeping low.

  Ked slowly sealed the door, flinching slightly when it clicked closed. Then he moved to the edge of a parked car nearby and peered past. Overhead, the lights flickered distractingly.

  “What do you see?” Ariel asked.

  “Two guards,” he said softly. “I’m going to change back into my clothes.”

  Staying down, he moved to the rear of the car, a white Maserati convertible—likely belonging to one of the Wayfarers. There on the concrete floor he had stowed jeans, a short-sleeved dress shirt, and boots and socks.

  Ariel and Michelle stood watch while Ked changed out of the guard uniform. He shoved the unused fatigues behind the car, and slid on the RFID ring he had stashed with his clothes, tossing the other one.

  “Well, let’s go introduce ourselves,” Ked said, starting to rise.

  “Wait!” Ariel hissed. She pulled him back down. “You’re just going to walk right up to them and ask for a ride?”

  “That’s right,” Ked said. “I’ve watched them arrange rides for people who missed the earlier shuttles to Belgrade. Trust me, this will work.”

  “But our faces won’t match our RFIDs!” Ariel said.

  “According to my insider, they usually don’t pull the photos,” Ked said. “Because half the time, the mug shots in the records look nothing like the people they’re supposed to represent anyway. Have you ever worked security at an airport? Same thing. You’d be surprised at how different people can look after only six months. Anyway, my friends in Requisitions assured me they chose mug shots of apprentices whose features at least remotely matched yours.”

  “Not really all that reassuring, actually…” Michelle said.

  Before Ariel could stop him, Ked stood up.

  Ariel glanced at Michelle. “Well, here goes nothing.”

  22

  Ariel stepped out from behind the vehicle with Michelle and walked alongside Ked toward the guards. The two men on duty were chatting quietly, and only noticed the trio when they were thirty feet away. The pair immediately stood up straighter.

  “You there, where did you come from?” one of the guards challenged. He stroked the stock of the automatic rifle he held in a subtly sexual manner, leering slightly as he ran his eyes over Ariel. The other guard was unarmed—the bone gauntlets he wore were the only weapons he needed. Both men wore the usual headsets, and also the glasses with small metal attachments on the right lenses.

  “We came from upstairs, of course,” Ked said. “Looks like we missed the shuttles to the city?”

  Ariel was content to let Ked take charge for the time being. He knew how best to deal with these men, given his relationship with his inside
r. For all Ariel knew, one of these two was Ked’s contact.

  “That’s close enough,” the armed guard said when the party was seven feet away. “Rings out.”

  Ariel and the others extended their hands.

  The guard held up a small RFID reader and approached. He moved from person to person.

  “I didn’t hear the elevator ding,” the guard said.

  Ked shrugged. “We took the stairs.”

  “Really?” the guard said dryly. “From the twelfth floor?” That must be where the replacement RFIDs indicated they dormed.

  “We’re fitness geeks,” Ked said.

  The guard frowned when the reader passed over Ariel. “Just a second.”

  He went to a small glass-walled booth nearby and picked up a phone.

  Ariel held her breath as the guard talked quietly on the phone. He spoke too softly even for her enhanced hearing, and she couldn’t pick out any of the words.

  The tense moments ticked past. The guard kept a suspicious eye on her and the others the whole time. Finally he nodded, then hung up the phone. He leaned out of the booth to tell his friend: “Guess you’re all alone tonight, bro.”

  “Good thing I queued a couple of movies in my phone,” the witch said.

  The first guard secured his rifle inside a locker in the booth, and then attached a pistol and holster combination to his belt. Then he walked toward the shifters. He had keys in hand. “I have permission to drive you lucky bastards to the city. Let’s go.”

  They weaved between the different pillars and vehicles of the underground parking lot, which was half empty tonight.

  The guard pressed a button on the key fob and the lights of a dark red SUV lit up ahead.

  Ked exchanged a look with Ariel and then glanced over his shoulder toward the witch guard they had left behind. Ariel followed his gaze. The witch was currently concealed from view by a long concrete wall. Ked checked the ceiling next, and she knew he was searching for nearby security cameras. Ariel didn’t spot any.

  When Ked looked back at the man who was leading them to the SUV, she knew immediately that he intended to jump him.

  When Ked made his move, Ariel was right there beside him. Together they pounced on the man; Ked slammed him in the face with a fist, knocking him down. When he landed, Ariel wrapped one hand under his jaw, pressed the other into his head, keeping his mouth sealed tight as Ked wrapped it with duct tape from his pocket.