Tourist Trap

Chapter 27

Michelangelo chuckled. "Relax, I was joking about the cage. I'll be honest, Zeke. Personally I like you. And despite his recent failure, Daedalus is one of my best men and he vouches for you. Nonetheless, we have strict rules of secrecy governing our guild. Anybody who isn't a member that learns of us must be killed." 

"Damn it!" Zeke muttered. "Everybody in this place is trying to beat me up or kill me! I just want to go home where I'm mostly ignored." 

"There is a way out of this predicament," Michelangelo said thoughtfully. "You could join our guild." 

"Me? Become a bandit?" Zeke scratched his head. "Well, I guess, if it will save my life. What do I have to do?" 

"We'll need you to pass a test to prove your worth. I have the perfect test in mind." 

"I'm listening," Zeke said. 

"Later this evening the Gravity ball championship is being held at the stadium in the southwestern quadrant. If you were to steal the trophy and bring it back here you would prove yourself a fine bandit in my book. Not only would you be allowed to leave here alive, but you'd be granted full benefits of membership in the guild. That would include protection from jerks like Trevor Mastodon if he tries to mess with you." 

"Okay," Zeke said taking a deep breath. "I'll do it! Just tell me how to get to this stadium."

* * *

Within an hour Zeke found himself standing outside the stadium, a huge red octagonal building. The game wasn't due to begin until after sunset so there weren't many people in the area, which suited Zeke fine. After all, he stood a better chance at successfully stealing the trophy if there were less witnesses. 

The front entrance was at the top of a long staircase, but as Zeke set foot on the first step it sank beneath his weight and he found himself back on ground level. He tried to climb onto the next step but it, too, sank. 

"What the hell is going on here?" Zeke mumbled to himself. "Maybe if I run up really quickly I can make it to the top before the stairs sink."  

He burst into a run, but was unable to make any upward progress and soon the entire staircase had disappeared into the ground. Zeke scratched his head as he stared at the platform above him. "Now what?" he shrugged. 

He heard somebody whistling from up above him so he decided to call out. "Hello? Anyone there?" 

A minute later a camel in a beige Hawaiian shirt and a cap that read "Janitor" peered over the edge. "What seems to be the problem?" 

"Uh, I seem to be having a spot of difficulty with the stairs. They kind of sank into the ground as I stepped on them. Could you tell me how to get up there?" 

The camel looked at him incredulously. "What, are you a moron? You tried walking up the down stairs!" 

"Huh?" Zeke asked. 

"Jeez, you must be a tourist or something. The up stairs are to the right." 

Zeke looked over where the camel was gesturing but just saw empty space. "Where are these stairs you're talking about?" 

The camel sighed. "Look, you see where that yellow x is? Just step forward and the stairs will lift you up." 

Zeke still didn't see any stairs but walked over to the yellow x and took a step. The ground underneath him elevated and a step formed. He stepped forward again and the ground elevated once more. This continued until he found himself standing at the top of a staircase that previously hadn't been there.