Haywire Ranger

Chapter 47: The Lift

*Note: The POV goes back to the standard 3rd person limited focusing on Sky. 😉

"NO!"

Sky's rough cry shook the air and the walls in the arena with a primal rawness. His throat ached as his voice died.

His tears were fast to chase Haywire's descent into the belly of the inner workings beneath the sandy ground of the arena. His knees went weak, shivered, forcing his body to give in to defeat and kneel right where he stood—at the currently unseen border where the ground had opened up like an enormous mouth and swallowed Haywire like a killer whale gulping fish down.

His hopes had sunk, as well.

Then, staring at the sand where the hole used to be a few seconds prior, he yelled unintelligible sounds and punched the ground.

"We have to go," Hazel whispered in defeat as she stood beside him.

"No! I'm not going anywhere without Haywire!" Sky complained as if his life was on the line.

He stood up, his lips trembling, and met Hazel's pitiful, bright eyes.

"Mrs Evergreen is more powerful than us," she said. "We need... a better plan, more people to help us, and... why not? Intel. Because—I don't know about you, but... hell—I didn't know the arena could do that! She owns this place. The entire city, for that matter. God knows what else she can do with her resources."

"No, I can't... I'm not leaving without him." He frantically started to look left and right, searching for a way to go, a button to push, a door to open, anything. Panting and madly running his hands through his crazy, dishevelled hair, he paced up and down while ignoring her presence.

"Sky, stop it," she insisted, putting a hand softly on his shoulder. "We need help."

He pretended not to listen as he rushed to the enormous glass window of the control room. He found the control panel to open the door of the lift that led to it and other floors above it, only available to teachers and staff by means of a numeric code.

"Locked," he whispered. "Lend me your Swiss knife, please."

Once Hazel handed him her knife, he lost not a single second to tinker with it. He took out the buttons and fiddled with the core of the device.

"Will this lift take us down?" Hazel asked.

"I hope so. If not, I'm running after Mrs Evergreen, and I'll force her to free Haywire."

A shrill beep sound echoed in the air roughly ten seconds later.

"Overridden! Yes!" he whisper-yelled with satisfaction.

Sky ran in the second the lift opened its doors. With an open mouth and a look of disbelief, Hazel hurried and entered right before the doors started closing.

"Damn," Sky said with furrowed brows. "It doesn't go down into any basement. Why?"

"Maybe there's another lift somewhere else."

Sky grunted almost noiselessly. "Only one thing left to do, then."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Sky. Running after Mrs Evergreen right now is the craziest thing I've seen you do."

"I'll choke her to death if that's what it takes for her to free him," he whispered darkly. His fists turned white.

With my newfound superstrength, I might be able to do that... even though I've never done such a rash and violent thing. This isn't me. It will never be, regardless of my powers. But I have to push her to free him—free us for good.