Ace

VLADIMIR

               I was still stuck in Tod's trap basement. My knee was still sore. I spent a while wondering if I should call for more reinforcements. If I called an ambulance, they'd suspect me for sure. The SIU would also know where I was and arrest me. I decided to call more reinforcements since the other seven had to go chase after Tod because he escaped with some more of his tricks and games. My watch said they'd be here in an hour. I called Kayli.

               "How'd you get stuck?" I asked her, creating small talk.

               I was walking on the stairs, and suddenly one of the steps broke, and I fell and landed on my back on the concrete floor, paralyzing me from the waist down," she told me.

               "Reinforcements will be here in an hour," I said.

               "What happened to the others?" she asked.

               "That..." I began, "Rustard got away, and they had to go chasing after him. When I see him, the last thing he will feel is a solid bullet going through his head." I assured Kayli.

               "Well, before we get to threats, we must get to him first."

               "No shit, Sherlock. I wish reinforcements would get here so we can return to the temporary HQ," I said impatiently.

               "What if the SIU finds out about THQ?" Kayli asked.

               "They won't. It's just an old shed with a whole spy and military base under it. They'll never suspect," I told her casually.

               "Shush! We're not supposed to even talk about THQ in the U.S.!" she hissed.

               "Sorry," I apologized. "Regarding Ruth, though, how are we supposed to get her?"

               "Look at you getting back on topic so quickly," she said, "Ruth was working at a coffee shop, and then... she just disappeared," she explained.

               "Someone had to have kidnapped her," I assumed.

               "Or she could just be on a vacation," Kayli reasoned.

               "Without telling anyone? I don't think so. Our only options are: One, she got kidnapped. Two, she got fired. Or three, she got another job," I said.

               "So what option are we going with?" Kayli inquired.

               "I don't know, so we'll just dress up as police officers..." I paused, "And figure out what happened to our test subject."