Eight of Hearts: The Rift Blade - Book 1

Chapter 30

The English gentleman looked around furtively as he slipped Jonas a red marker as well. "I've only a moment; take this," he said, his voice calm, but urgent.

"How did you get here?" Jonas asked.

But Cecil slipped away. "Someone comes," he said before disappearing completely.

The door down the hallway opened again, and the hallway was filled with light and the sound of cackling.

"Kee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"

The warden strolled past, ignoring Jonas as he belted out his deranged merriment. Jonas listened until the warden's laughter faded to silence once more.

Isaac pressed his face into the bars of his cell, meeting Jonas's gaze with a serious expression. "You know, I try not to judge people on first impressions, but I'm pretty sure he's a bad guy."

Kaya opened her eyes to see Stink-bug kneeling over her. She accepted the hand he offered, pulling herself to her feet in a rush that left her momentarily dizzy.

"We need to go," she said.

Stink-bug put his hand on her shoulder to help steady her. "I know," he said, "we're ready."

They started down the hallway in the direction of the gateway. Kaya led the way, despite Stink-bug's longer stride. She pushed herself, eager to rescue Pahana and be united properly. She had so many new stories to tell him, and so many knew things to teach him. Her time with the Lost had been wonderful, but she had refused herself the luxury of enjoying it. Not when she knew her brother was frightened and alone. Once he was safe, she could share those experiences with him. They could even go home once they decided they were ready to. The Lost had the same technology to jump between worlds that the HDSF did, and could go anywhere they wanted, provided they had the coordinates or tracking code.

The wrist-mounted warp devices always set off a massive energy signal that could be picked up on their sensors. This allowed them to track where the HDSF was active, and coordinate their rescue missions. Everyone here owed the same debt to their founder and leader, Peter Thompson.

But the energy cost to use the warp drives was too high to waste on every instance. And they couldn't track anything in a pocket dimension, which made tracking the prison down completely impossible. That same limitation had protected their own base from being discovered in turn. But that would all change now that her vision was being fulfilled.

"What about the new recruits?" she asked as they walked.

Stink-bug didn't answer, but he didn't need to. They rounded the bend and found the two people in question arguing.

"He said 'combat', not 'death'!" James was saying.

"I can't believe you agreed to this without more information!" Tobias snapped.

"Come on, it's not like we're alone this time. We've been through much worse!"

"I know!" Tobias yelled. "I am tired! I am hungry! I just want a tiny break before throwing ourselves back into danger we don't even understand!"

James floundered as he searched for a good response, then he noticed Kaya and Stink-bug watching them. "Kaya, tell Tobias we're going to be fine."

Kaya ignored James's request and addressed both of them: "I have a message from Isaac Matthews."

"Oh crap," Tobias said, sagging visibly. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"Isaac said to tell you that 'the others are waiting in HDSF custody to be rescued', and 'you should hurry before they brainwash somebody'."