The Stronghold

Something's Bugging Me...

"When there's nothing left to save,

'It's like chasing the very last train when it's too late, too late,

'Oh it tears me up, I try to hold on but it hurts too much,

'I try to forgive but it's not enough,

'To make it all okay,

'You can't play on broken strings,

'You can't feel anything, that your heart don't want to feel,

'I can't tell you something that ain't real,

'Well the truth hurts, a lie's worse,

'How can I give anymore?

'When I love you a little less, then before,

'But we're running through the fire,

'When there's nothing left to save,

'It's like chasing the very last train,

'When we both know it's too late, too late..." The song repeated the chorus after that, softer than before. It ended on how it started but with us both singing the two lines, no guitar.

"Let me hold you, for the last time,

'It's the last chance to feel again."

The notes trailed off and I wrapped an arm around Georgina's shoulders. I rested my head on hers and took the microphone from her hands, throwing it back at the machine. They connected with a bang and an explosion of sparks and I felt some self-satisfaction knowing that nobody else could ruin good music. For now.

"I'm going up," I murmured in Georgina's ear. She nodded and I slid off the table, weaving through the still silent crowd to go upstairs. The second I was out of sight I ran, a flash of movement against the dark grey of the stairwell.

I unlocked the door - number 101 - and went to sit on the bed. To my surprise I found someone already sat there.

"Salt, can you teleport or something?" I asked. My brother shook his head and shuffled sideways. I sat beside him, questions burning in my brain.

Don't talk, he said before I opened my mouth. There's someone across the hall, in my room. They've bugged all our hotel rooms.

How do you know? I sent back.

I said something and felt the emotions change in the air. Someone got excited but the other person was tense, anxious. They're waiting for specific information.

Do you know who it is?

I'm not sure. Maybe it's those Gormans you keep thinking about.

Stop rooting about in my head!

Sorry! But when anxiety and fear keeps on coming off you in an overpowering sense it's hard not to want to find out why you're afraid.

Oh. Sorry for snapping, then.

It's okay. Now, what were you going to ask?

Why are you in my room?

I lost my keys.

And you found mine?

It was unlocked.

But... but I locked the door. I definitely locked the door. It was locked when I came up here.

Someone locked me in here.

Yup.

Why?

No idea. What was it you said that made people get all excited?

I... I don't remember. I think I was talking to myself, going over everything that had happened. I mentioned your name once or twice.

My surname, too?

No. Well... yes.

SALT!

I'm sorry! So it probably is these stalker people, then.

Yeah, probably.

Weren't they under witness protection?

Yes.

What for?

Apparently Albin threatened them.

For what?

For witnessing him kill a burglar and for seeing some blueprints. Oh, and the fact that they knew we were going to be split up.

Ah. What blueprints?

I think they said it was for a building of some kind.

So now we need to find that building.

They were lying though.

How can you tell?

They called the tower the Stronghold but said Albin's name. I called the Stronghold the name it was when it was eight.

So?

So they couldn't know that. And anyway, only I call my workers my minions. And the company was made under my rule, Spirit Metal. So they shouldn't know that sort of stuff.

Why were they talking to you then? Why were they lying?

I don't know. Wait, what was that?

I put a hand on Salt's arm and stayed very quiet and very still. There were screams coming from downstairs, and not excited, drunken screams either. These were coming from pretty much everywhere on the ground floor.

What's going on? Salt sent in a panic.

I don't know. Come on. I tugged his sleeve and dragged him out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

You broke their bugging device. They're angry, Salt informed me.

Then let's get out of here.