Killing (And Other Games)

(Twenty Six)

(Twenty Six)

When I see Zane waiting at the door with a huge frown on his face, I'm afraid he's found out. I open my mouth to explain, already feeling a little teary, when I spot some random sitting on the couch. He's dressed in a military suit that reminds me of second world war era uniforms. He looks pretty normal so I assume he's a Guide.

"Lawson Bishopson Morgana is dead," Zane states matter-of-factly. Ryker's eyes open so wide it's almost comical.

"Who is he?" I ask quietly.

"The Minister for the Water Sprites." I bite my lip and look over at the man on the couch. He stands up and walks over to us, an air of formality hanging around this whole exchange.

"The Light Minister has called an emergency meeting at the Parliament Dome. You're all required for questioning."

"What?" Ryker hisses. "Why us?"

In a sombre voice that has a hint of edge, the man says, "He was found dead at your stadium." If anything, the sentence sobers me right up.

There's no time to do anything; immediately we are being taken down to the Underworld. I don't know if he means me as well, surely not, but I'm afraid anyway. Whatever we thought this was about, we were wrong. Sloane's death, and this consequent one, is much bigger then we could've expected. Not for the first time recently, I feel completely and utterly out of my depth.

Walking fairly behind the military man, Ryker and Zane talk to each other in hushed voices.

"What are they going to ask us?" Ryker whispers.

"It'll be less asking and more accusing," Zane says, so quietly I have to strain to hear it. "Don't say anything, let me handle it. This could be bad."

"We have nothing to hide." I'm intrigued by the long, piercing look Zane gives Ryker at that comment. It holds so many unspoken conversations in it that I'm sure at that moment Zane and Ryker must be very close.

As we walk around the stadium halls, we come across a group of creatures dressed in human police uniforms. I suppose they stole them which is entirely ironic. They give Zane the filthiest look I've ever seen and they manage to make me feel pretty threatened as well. I stick close to Zane, completely unassured by the police presence.

Through a door of light, we come to a square that looks like a business area. There are dozens of sleek, modern buildings and a very strict feel to the place. In the middle of the square is a lift, sitting there like a strange centerpiece. The only direction it offers is down.

The four of us get into the spacious lift and travel down, the tension malleable. Zane doesn't even bother to give me a reassuring smile or to tell me that everything is going to be alright. He's too worried to lie.

"Through this way," the man announces, pointing down the only place we can go. I stumble in the darkness of the corridor, keeping my hand on the wall. The air feels colder here but also drier, less humid. There's a chilling feel about this place--an irrational fear spreads through me and I grab the nearest person I can find, holding him close.

"Ow," Ryker mutters, shaking me off. We stop in front of what I assume is the door and Zane leans down to me, putting his mouth right next to my ear.

"When we get inside go straight to the left. Don't follow me, don't follow Ryker, don't act like you know us at all. Just go straight to the left and keep your head down."

"I'm afraid," I say, my voice nearly turning into a sob.

"We all are," Zane remarks and the huge door swings open.