Indebted

46

Cautiously Atticus moved to step out of his cell. Mindful that the metal globs on the floor that looked cooled would still be molten hot at their core. Atticus held still, reflexively reacting as Damon reached a hand towards Atticus. An extended finger traced a pattern in the air. The moment the finger stopped moving, Atticus felt all the magical binds holding him back fall away. Esti was still dark to him. She was still deeply asleep. Nothing more could Atticus sense.

Atticus kept his bond muted, whatever she was going through would not be helped by him suddenly intruding back into her head and life after so long. He should have gone to her directly. The dragon grunted in Atticus's head. The dragon was well aware that Atticus was lying to himself. In so many different ways right now. Atticus was worried that if Esti was reminded of him, she would reject him. Sever their connection. She was free, out in the world, had been provided for. Esti had only needed Atticus to save her life once; Be her shield at court.

Damon was smiling the perfect smile with eyes that did not match the expression. "I have friends in security here, they can't yet perform miracles..." Joe did not need to be told again and was already jogging down the hallway, towards the unlocked door. Atticus didn't wait. Regardless of the questions he had, escape and getting to Esti was his only goal.

Joe seemed to know his way around the warren of hallways. Each door they came to was open. No one crossed their path as they twisted and turned down hallways and staircases. After what felt like too much time still making their way upwards, they reached a parking garage. A plain Toyota Corolla waiting with Theo at the wheel. A blond haired man who also had an aura that was wrong in some way emerged from the dark shadows, holding the luggage Atticus had been traveling with when he was taken by the council.

Theo popped the trunk, "Thank you Rhys, I hope your mate feels better soon." Theo said to the man, who had already turned around to head back into the parking garage depth. Yelling back over his shoulder. "We're even now Theo, don't call again." Joe and Atticus got into the car. Both aware that Theo seemed to have been bothered by the dismissal from Rhys.

Before the doors had even shut, Theo was driving away as though he was in a rally race. Tires screeching around each turn to make their way up twisting through the ramps of the parking garage. Exploding out onto a city street.

Theo's speed increased with the open sky overhead. Darting and weaving through traffic, racing across town, driving into another parking garage, the car lurching to a full stop at the first available parking spot. Theo and Joe both got out of the car in perfect sync with each other, Joe grabbed the luggage, Theo slammed the trunk down. Walking away and leaving Atticus to rush after them. The keys left on the seat, the doors all unlocked. Drivers side window down.

Theo and Joe walked through the garage taking an unmarked door, leading to a nondescript hallway. Dim lighting with no windows or doors. A service corridor built into a large building. The plain service corridor ended in another flat door that opened to a three way intersection of different styled hallways along with a double elevator bank, stairs, and narrow escalators. To funnel crowds of people where they needed to go.

Atticus followed Joe and Theo to the escalators, going up one floor, turning towards a bright pedway, crossing overtop of traffic to another building. Weaving their way through that building, to another pedway, down through so many hallways and elevators that Atticus wasn't certain where he was anymore. Eventually emerging through one last heavy unmarked door into another parking garage.

Theo took out a new set of keys from his pocket, pressing the lock button once to flash the headlights on another practical, unassuming sedan. Everyone got into the latest ride and this time, Theo drove like he was on his way to church. Slow careful turns, mindfully making his way out of this parking garage. Pausing to look before merging onto the street. Taking signs that led Atticus to deduct that they were heading to the highway. Probably best to get out of town after a jailbreak.