Regona City: The Creed (BK1)

Confrontation

Sahara's thoughts raced. What do I do? She was stuck in the small bathroom with no way out. Her eyes flew up to look for a window. There was none. Her heart sank even further. There were eight guys back there, and she had no clue what they wanted. She didn't even want to start to imagine.

Terrell! the thought raced through her mind. She fumbled with her bracelet. Terrell had showed her how to work the IHM system a while back. If she could reach him, he could maybe find a way to help. A hologram popped up. Sahara put in Terrell's IHM number just as he had taught her.

"Pick up...please pick up," she begged.

"Hey!" The knock on the door made her jump. "You okay in there?"

"I'll be right out!" Sahara yelled in reply. "Come on," she muttered.

"Hello?" Terrell's face swam into focus. He was still wearing the hood, however, he unzipped the jacket a bit to reveal his mouth as he spoke.

Sahara's hand flew to the three small holes in the bracelet from which the sound came to muffle it.

"Sahara?" Terrell peered at her. Judging from the noise, he was still at the moonlight gathering.

"Thank God," Sahara almost sobbed in relief.

"So, found anyone to join yet?" Terrell asked. His voice showed he wasn't expecting an answer.

"Terrell..." Sahara began as she tried not to panic.

"Are you talking to someone in there?" it was Duke's voice.

When Sahara didn't reply, he knocked on the door again. "Hello?"

Terrell's eyes narrowed. "Who's that?"

"Hey," Duke yelled. His knock turned to a bang.

Thinking fast, Sahara got up. She swiped her thumb across the top of the toilet. It flushed and instantly the banging stopped.

"Are you on the toilet?" Terrell's face wrinkled. "Seriously? You decided to IHM me from..."

"I need help," Sahara told him as quietly as she could as not to be heard. She switched the water on so that those outside thought she was washing her hands.

Suspicion returned to Terrell's face. "Where are you?"

The water stopped flowing.

"I...I don't know," Sahara whispered. "I followed these two guys..."

"You what?" Terrell exclaimed, disbelief on his face.

"They said they were interested in joining..."

"And you believed them?"

"I thought..."

There was banging on the door again.

"You planning to come out today?" a voice asked.

Sahara stepped away from the door in panic.

"Where are you," Terrell repeated.

"I told you. I don't know!"

"What does it look like?" The background was changing, showing that Terrell was on the move.

"Um...it's upstairs..." Sahara began. "And there's pool tables."

"Pool tables? What in the name is that?"

Why doesn't he know what pool is! Sahara thought in despair. "Uh...tables with holes in them."

"Holes in them...you sure they're not just broken then?"