The Sins of Our Fathers

XVI Down the Rabbit Hole

My fingers danced across the keyboard shattering through wall after wall of security. Codes flew across the screen trying to block me to no avail. Determination coursed through me as I hunted through the encrypted files searching for the one that would lead me to Cornelius. Turning the keys into the blade of a sword I cut through layer after layer of security until the computer beeped and welcomed me- or rather Nicholas Shlaköv back.

Smiling I sifted through the files looking for a slight glitch to alert me to a hidden one on the computer. I scrolled through the hard drive of the computer my eyes skimming over the names of each file.

Hazarmaveth.

Dwelling of death. The words seemed to smack me in the face. It seemed a fitting name for a prison that as far as the rest of the world was concerned didn't exist. My finger fell down on the mouse like it was made of lead. A map appeared on the screen divided into Three sections: Cell Blocks A, B, and C. Each one was color coded to show it's occupants priority level.

Pursing my lips I clicked on Cell Block A. Odds were a man who had created a weapon that could end the world was a high level prisoner. The computer zoomed in on the map showing an enlarged version of Block A. A list appears beside it showing the names of all the prisoners and their cell number. Scrolling through to the C's I looked for Collins, but where his name should have been was Lithle Collin.

No, no, no, NO! I panicked I was so sure! He had to be here, it was the only lead I had!

My fingers scrambled across the keys as I searched the other blocks for my target. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I went back to the prison blueprint praying for a hidden room, something, anything.

Falling back against the big leather chair I let the last burst of hope leak from my body. I sat there letting my defeat simmer in total silence for what seemed like an eternity before finally I rose out of the chair and logged out of the computer erasing the traces of my visit.

"Help."

A low moan followed the barely audible cry. I spun around the room looking for the cause of the sound. My eyes shot around the dark room, but found only the desk, and bookshelves that had been there all along. Moving around quietly I made my way in the general direction of the cry, but it had seemed to come from exactly where I was.

Ignoring the burning instinct to run I planted my feet on the ground and listened. For a while there was nothing simply the wind beating against the great window behind me; then a faint groan coming from beneath me.

Dropping to my knees my fingers felt their way across the wooden floor, but the surface was completely normal no handle or ridge alerted me to anything.

Another muffled moan floated up through the floorboards about a foot from my ear- and directly under Nicholas Shlaköv's desk. Smiling wickedly I felt along the wood of the desk until my finger hooked around a small latch that was almost indistinguishable from the rest of the wood.

Turning it I heard the desk release a hiss of air as panel slid back to reveal a glowing keypad. Keying in the password I had used earlier on the computer I watched as the floor beneath the desk opened up as the two halves slid back allowing access to a brightly lit set of stairs.

Taking a deep breath I crawled under the desk and down the stairs. Every part of me screamed that this was a bad idea, but I went on anyways like another girl who crawled down a hole to satisfy her curiosity. But I wasn't chasing a rabbit and I doubted that Wonderland was down there, answers were.

After a few steps I stood up able to stand without fear of bashing my head into the ceiling above. Quickly I descended the stairs watching it grow darker around me with each step until I came to a place where the ground leveled out. No light was visible around me at all leaving me to feel my way along the wall.