[OLD] The Scorpion Mission (#2)

Eighteen

Tyler climbed out of bed and began to wonder how she would get to the cell block. A guard was posted at the entrance at all times. According Malcolm, he could access almost anyone's dream if he'd been in contact with them before, but they had to be asleep. And his ability to put people to sleep was limited by a distance of about fifteen feet.

Keeping as quiet as possible, Tyler crept out of her room and into the hallway. She would have to figure something out. Her pulse raced as she made her way to the cells.

The hall to the cell block branched off of the main corridor. Tyler pressed herself up against the wall and risked a glance around the corner, into the hallway.

The guard sat next to the door to the cell block. Tyler ducked back into the hallway and looked around. In the dim lighting, her gaze found a framed piece of artwork hanging on the wall. Tyler took the painting off the wall and peered around the corner.

The man was looking the other way. Tyler flung the painting into the opposite hallway, across the hall that branched off. It landed on the floor and the glass shattered.

Holding her breath, Tyler sank to the floor and listened as the guard's footsteps approached. He missed her as he turned and walked down the corridor she'd tossed the painting into.

Tyler took her chance and ran over to the cell block door. She tried to keep quiet as she pulled open the door and slipped inside.

The door clicked shut behind her and Tyler walked over to Malcolm's cell, taking small, slow steps.

"Oh good, you're here," Malcolm said. He sat up in his cot.

"I had to distract the guard," Tyler said as she moved to stand in front of him.

"Eh, the guards here are idiots," Malcolm said. "I had to shout at one for about ten minutes before they'd let me convince them I knew where you and your friends were."

"They were probably ignoring you on purpose," Tyler said. "Now let's get this over with."

"Very well," Malcolm said. "Lie down."

Tyler did her best to get comfortable, but the cold, concrete floor of the cell block made it difficult. She was only on the ground for a few seconds before unconsciousness washed over her.

A dark forest surrounded Tyler. She turned in a circle, taking in the eeriness of it.

"This way," Malcolm said. Tyler followed him through the trees and into a clearing. He pointed to a tower sitting right in the center.

"I need something from the top of that tower," Malcolm said. "An object."

Tyler folded her arms. "I don't get it. This is just a dream. Your dream. How does getting an object in here have any effect on real life?"

"We're not in my mind anymore," Malcolm said. "We're in the Dream Realm."

"Still don't know what that is," Tyler muttered.

"I'm not certain how it works, but I think it's an advanced form of teleportation. If we can reach it in the Dream Realm, we can take it back with us to the waking world. Now come on, we don't have all night."

Tyler shot him a glare and walked up to the tower. "Is there a door?" she asked.

"Not that I can find."

"I guess I'll have to make one then," Tyler murmured. She concentrated on the stone wall of the tower and pictured a door appearing. A wooden door shifted into view, and Tyler grabbed the handle and pulled it open.

Tyler screamed when something flew out of the tower. She dropped the the ground and looked up to see a swarm of bats soaring past.

"What was that?" she asked as she pulled herself to her feet. She glanced back at Malcolm.

He shrugged. "This object, it's extremely ancient and powerful. Whoever put it here wanted it to be well guarded."

"Can't I just clear the tower?" Tyler asked.

"I doubt even you have that much control," Malcolm said. "This isn't an ordinary dream."

Tyler narrowed her eyes. "This isn't going to get me killed, is it?"

"I assure you, no physical harm will come to you while you are asleep. It's impossible," Malcolm said. He gestured toward the door. "Shall we?"

Tyler took a shaky breath and forced herself inside the tower. She was greeted by a staircase that spiraled up into the darkness. With a sigh, she began climbing the stairs, vaguely aware of Malcolm behind her.

As they moved higher up the tower, they began encountering obstacles far worse than bats. The stairs randomly caught fire, requiring Tyler to quickly put it out. An axe flew at them from above, and they barely dodged it. The more they faced, the more exhausted Tyler grew.

A large boulder came barreling at them. Tyler made it disappear inches before it reached them. She leaned against the tower wall, pausing to catch her breath.

"It's almost morning," Malcolm said.

"What?" Tyler asked.

"In the real world. You should leave."

"But what about reaching the top?" Tyler looked up. She had no idea how much farther they had to climb, but she sensed it was still quite a ways. She'd tried to light up the inside of the tower, but it was no use. Whoever created this stupid place wanted them in the dark.

"We'll have to continue tomorrow night," Malcolm said.

Tyler awoke on the floor outside Malcolm's cell. Grimacing, she sat up. Her back ached and her muscles were sore. She climbed to her feet, wondering how she would leave. The guard would still be outside the door.

"The guard's asleep," Malcolm said, as if he knew what she were thinking.

Tyler looked over at him. "I thought your powers couldn't reach that far."

"I can't control whether or not someone's asleep from this far away," Malcolm explained. "But I can sense it. Hurry, he could wake up any second."

Cursing herself for making the stupid deal in the first place, Tyler hurried out of the cell block and back to her room. Despite technically having been asleep the whole night, she felt like she could sleep for a week.

She climbed into bed. Maybe she could squeeze in a few minutes of normal sleep before it was time to get up for breakfast.

But just moments after her eyes shut, her alarm went off.