Dungeon

CHAPTER 11 - DECEPTIVE MASQUERADE

"Gladly, no one in Manhattan drinks way too early, like, just look, at a bar for an important meeting?" Jessica heaved a huge sigh and reclined on the seat of the cab. Bryan didn't know why, but the thought of meeting in a bar had made her sloppy, as if she were disgusted by the mere name of it.

"Chill! A bar is like an awesome place to merge in with the commoners. I don't know who this André is, but he is smart." Jessica looked dumbfounded that he was siding with the place chosen, rolled her eyes, and looked out of the window. Suddenly something struck her that she had to look over deeply.

"Uhm...Bryan? Why are we heading to a station?!" Bryan didn't seem to listen, as he too was surprised to see where they were headed. The driver seemed to guess the air of confusion behind him and pointed to the station ahead of them. "Carrer Major Bar es una famosa estación de Barcelona que fue construida en 2062."

A wave of realization hit Jessica as she felt the need to slap herself for missing out on that detail. "I remember my dad telling me the tale of Carrer Major Bar! It's actually a station that was built back in 2062 by a group of famous historians and architects who built it for the transportation of relic items from the Catholic churches in Spain to Rome for preservation."

Bryan was shocked to see history unravel before him, but something perplexed him. "If so, then why is the station open to the public?" He pointed to the bustle of people boarding the train and others waiting nearby. "We all know that relics from the Catholic Church are worth more than a billion, and there have been numerous thefts regarding the same!"

Jessica gave a sly smile as she remembered asking her father the same question when she was a little girl. "I did mention that it was built by a group of famous historians and architects. The train you see ahead is just a replica, but what if I tell you that there is a mirror image of the train constructed...underground?"

Bryan was shaken to the core, as if someone had just fallen dead beside him. Wow! I shouldn't have skipped my history classes after all! Both of them got out of the cab and into the bustling atmosphere of the station. Carrer Major Bar looked nothing like a place filled with mesmerizing history.

The atmosphere was filled with bustling people hurdling themselves to catch their respective trains. The tile was ornate with mosaic, and the station was covered with wrought iron railings. The air smelt freshly of Valencia oranges, and it looked pretty much like a normal station. Little did they know that a train takes up a journey underground the same time it leaves the station, carrying relics worth billions and trillions.

They rushed to the ticket counter, as it was about to close in another five minutes. The guy inside looked like he was bored with his life and wanted to escape soon. The moment he saw them, his eyes were filled with joy, as if he had just met his long-lost girlfriend. "Yes! At least someone of my own kind!!"

Jessica and Bryan were shocked to find a pure Manhattan civilian before them. "At least we don't have to fumble up Spanish here." Bryan chuckled and shook hands with the guy before him. "Hey pal, we need to get on the third seat here. Tickets for two, please."

The guy was so happy that he didn't leave Bryan's hand for a minute or two. "Yo! You all can call me Rick. But getting on the third seat ain't possible for now as it's closed, but I'd give you a seat right beside the window. You get the best view of Barcelona from there!"

Jessica looked smug and shook her head. "Nah, Rick, we need to get on the third seat and hurry, please." Rick shook his head and slumped back in his seat. "Nah folks! The seat's reserved for Mr. André, and it's exclusively his, and no one can board that one."

Bryan and Jessica were taken aback. Bryan whispered to Jessica in a slow tone, "I thought that it was a con name, but it looks like we have a real guy out here." Jessica nodded her head and pressed on. "Rick, we actually have an invitation from André himself. You can call him up and ask if you want to."