Spy School Goes to Trial

Chapter 20 - Rescue

Warehouse
Somewhere in Washington D.C.
May 30
1330 Hours

The foot seemed to come out of nowhere, and hit me square on the chin, knocking me backwards so hard I tumbled out of the witness box to the ground. Ashley had been a gymnast and good enough that she only missed the cut for the Olympic team. Somewhere along the line she turned evil, mostly because she blamed a judge for saying she missed her landing. Soon after missing out, she joined SPYDER, and they invented a special way of fighting that used her strengths as a gymnast combined with karate. It was incredibly difficult to fight against, so that even Erica found it challenging.

I really didn't stand a chance.

Before I could get back onto my feet, she pounced, wrapping her hands around my neck trying to choke the life out of me. I had been strangled before by Dane, who was three times the size as Ashley. Even though she was nowhere near as strong as him, this was still an unpleasant experience. I felt like my head was about to pop.

"Hey! Get off my boyfriend!"

 Ashley loosened her grip on my neck, and we both forgot we were in the middle of a fight. She squinted and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I shrugged my shoulders, and we blinked at each other. At the same time, we turned our heads slowly to where the words had originated.

 I really shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, I don't know anyone else that would have called me their boyfriend at that moment, but I was still surprised. My confusion quickly morphed into a wide smile. Erica Hale stood on the far side of the warehouse. Her ice blue eyes were replaced with glowing white hot rage.

Ashley seemed taken aback, and turned to look at me. All the panic in my face had been replaced by a goofy grin.

"You're in trouble now," I told her. She seemed to agree, and sprang to her feet. She was faced with two choices: fight Erica, who seemed ready to throw her off the building, or run. 

She chose to run. 

"What are you grinning about," Erica asked as she helped me get back up. I could see the corners of her mouth twitch as if she was trying to suppress a smile, but she was off again, chasing after Ashley. "Don't just stand around. Go get Murray!"

"Oh right!"

My senses returned to me and I ran to where I last saw him. Unfortunately, he wasn't cowering under the judge's bench anymore, apparently realizing his best course of action was to flee.

I looked around to where he might have snuck out. Mike, Chip, and Jawa were taking turns trying to jump up on Dane in order to subdue him. Dane was flicking them off him like they were gnats. Warren was stumbling around with blood dripping down his nose, where Zoe had punched him. The guards Erica had dealt with were unconscious on the floor, so they wouldn't have been any help to Murray. I tried to clear my mind and think like him. He always tried to find the path of least resistance.

My thoughts were interrupted by a crash as plates of bacon spilled onto the floor. Apparently, Erica hadn't thrown Ashley off the building, but into the buffet table. I noticed two feet near the collapsed table, as if someone had been hiding under it. They were trying to crawl away. I could tell it was Murray because he was still wearing his ridiculous robe. I leapt over the judge's bench, slipping in the process and nearly faceplanting, and ran after him.

As I ran towards Ashley's prone unconscious body, I saw Joshua attack Erica from behind, but she dodged it easily. He seemed even more flustered than when he was ranting about me. I was close enough to hear their conversation, and I couldn't help myself but slow down and listen, knowing I probably shouldn't.