Part 68: Later That Same Evening
Nepotism is ahead of me when I hit the bottom of the stairs. A heavy metal door painted eggshell white and a meshed window on the top allows a dim view of the inner world. Mephis looks through. “I don’t see anyone,” he whispers harshly. “No guards anywhere.”
Goat and Kara join him, gazing through the window in turn. “No fucking way,” Goat whispers harshly. “They wouldn’t leave the place unattended.”
No one else is interested. The three kids take up strategic places around the room for a maximum firing arc, ready to lay on should anyone attempt entry through either vista. I start pacing. “They wouldn’t leave something this important completely unguarded.” I pause where the little one, Nigel, has taken up position by the north wall. “What would you do?” I ask him.
His eyes widen and his jaw drops open. “Excuse me, sir?” The stone-cold soldier that has been here a minute before is gone, replaced by the quivering jelly left by suggesting he may have an opinion of his own.
I slowly repeat, “What do you think we should do, Nigel?” I glance over at the others for a reaction, and get mostly shock.
“I... I don’t know, sir,” he stammers.
“Filthy, leave him alone,” Nepotism suggests.
“You don’t know?” I ask in shock. “You don’t know. You are ready to plunge into a life-or-death situation without any kind of idea on how to get out?”
“Dr. Filth,” Mephis scolds. “We don’t have time for this.”
I’m undeterred. “You came here totally relying on someone else for your survival? What happens if you’re the only one left alive? What if there is no one else here that can tell you how to save your life?”
“Filthy!” Nepotism snaps. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
I turn on him like a rattlesnake. “Wrong?” I gasp. “What is wrong? Nothing is wrong. I’m doing what we need to do.”
“And what’s that?” Mephis demands.
Goat and Kara watch.
“We’re standing here with our thumbs up our asses. We clearly need some new blood on the case.” I turn back on Nigel. “Tell me, Nigel, what do you think we should do right now?”
He stares in shock for a few seconds before saying, “Uh... Go in there?”
“Did you say, ‘go in there?’” I ask.
He nods dumbly.
“Very good!” I boom. “Let’s go!” I push past Mephis and yank open the heavy metal door.
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