Teen Spy: The Observer

Chapter 36

Kiara is surprised. She had been so focused on Berte that she didn't hear the door opening behind them nor the security guard sneaking up on them.

"Que faites-vous ici?" he says to her as they come face to face.

"We were looking for the bathroom and got lost." Sasha reacts quickly as the other guards apprehend her and Will too.

Kiara doubts Sasha understood the question, but there is a limited amount of question a guard asks to someone who is not where they are supposed to be.

"And didn't see the staff only signs and magically opened keycard doors." The guard says sarcastically, switching languages seamlessly.

"Ohhh, that's what the signs said?" Kiara plays along although.

"Nice try, kid. You're coming with us."

This isn't good.

Kiara glances at Will for directions. His body is rigid, and his hands are fisted. He opens his eyes wide moving them from her to the guards and back. Kiara nods slightly.

As the guard pulls Kiara to the door, she kicks him on the side with the opposite leg. He swiftly blocks the move and with the same hand strikes Kiara in the solar plexus. Pain immediately overtakes Kiara's control, leaving her hunched over and severely without breath.

A soft push from the guard forces her against the wall and he takes advantage of her weakened state to grab both of her hands. Kiara cannot defend herself properly nor liberate herself in that position.

She looks towards Will and Sasha over the guard's shoulder, only to find them in similar positions. Will is pinned down to the floor, while Sasha has her hands behind her back.

Still breathing hard from the pain, Kiara quickly considers her options. Right now, she is outnumbered, bruised and the guards have the upper hand. She'll have to wait for a better opportunity to attempt an escape. She relaxes her posture as much as she is able.

"Move" he instructs sensing her cooperation and securing her hands.

He guides her towards the door he came from, and Kiara lets him. They climb down the stairs on the other side and enter the lab. The workers briefly pause as they walk by glancing curiously at them before resuming their tasks.

Kiara is forced to stop a few feet from Berte and the guard holding her captive clears his throat. Berte abruptly cuts of what he is saying and turns towards them.

"What now?" Berte says in French.

"We found these three lurking upstairs." Kiara's guard says.

"I don't have time for this" Berte says exasperated. "Just lock them away. I'll deal with them later."

"Yes, sir" the guard starts guiding Kiara to the other side of the room.

"Take away their phones and bags" Berte instructs as they pass. "And delete anything that has to do with this lab."

He then returns to the scientist and the guy from the museum, continuing their heated conversation.

Once through the door, Kiara is lead to another set of stairs. They descend two floors, exit to the main hall, and turn left. They continue walking. Meanwhile, Kiara memorizes the path and takes in every detail that she can about the place and about her captors.

The group eventually climbs down two more floors until finally they arrive to a long room filled with prison cells on both sides. The guard pushes Kiara into one of them, making her fall on her knees. He quickly locks the door and leaves with the other two guards after they lock Will in the cell in front of Kiara's and Sasha on the one besides hers.

The cell is six by six feet with three walls and a barred door. There's nothing else inside except her. Kiara sits in the middle of the floor, absent-mindedly rubbing her chest and processing what just happened. They really screwed up. The worst part is nobody knows where they are. So, it is up to them to get out of there.

"Good thing I encoded our phones. They'll have a hard time deleting our evidence." Will comments after their silence becomes oppressing.

Kiara is relieved to hear that. It's one less thing she must worry about.

"Are you alright?" Will asks concerned when he notices her movement.

"Yeah. It hurts a little, but it'll pass in a few minutes"

She sits straighter as the pain soothes, her breath also coming easier.

"Those guys sure knew how to punch where it counts." Will commiserates and then they fall back into silence.

"I want to know how they knew where we were" Sasha says after a while. "You said you disabled the cameras"

"I did, but the security here must have a separate system." Will guesses.

"And you couldn't have thought about that possibility earlier?" Sasha accuses.

Kiara finds it weird not to be in the receiving end of Sasha's anger for once. But she doesn't dwell on it. Ultimately ignores their conversation in favor of finding a way out. She stands up and moves to the door. Giving it a good shove, she tests its sturdiness before inspecting the lock. Its electronic, so there's no way she can pick it.

She moves her hand over the walls, searching for odd bumps or hidden ventilation systems. She also knocks lightly, testing for hollowness or a shift in the wall's materials.

She curses when she finds nothing that'll help them escape and slides down the wall until she sits again.

"I knew this was a bad idea" Sasha moans from her cell, having also checked for escape routes.

"Then why did you agree?" Kiara snaps, feed up with her whining.

"You were going to do it anyways. Someone needed to have your back"

Kiara stares at the wall in the general location where Sasha's voice is coming from.

"Are you kidding me?"

When Sasha doesn't answer, Kiara realize she was serious. She stands up indignantly, her anger rising.

"Kiara..." Will says witnessing Kiara's reaction from his cell and probably wanting to avoid another fight.

Kiara ignores him.

"You've spent the whole trip antagonizing me, belittling me, and making me doubt my place. And now you suddenly decide to let bygones in the past after years and have my back? I don't buy it."

"Well, It's the truth" Sasha snaps back.

"Then why the sudden change of heart?" Kiara says itching for a fight, but this time Sasha stays silent.

"For once just answer the damn question!" Kiara practically shouts in exasperation.

Realizing she is letting her frustration control her, Kiara shakes her head and sighs.

"I deserve that much," she finally says in a gentler voice once she has calmed down.