Smoking Power

Chapter 40

Charles quickly completes the basic security. With the help of Alfred telling him the right password and which order to do the tests in, we're crouched over in the specimen sector hall in no time.

"Silence from here on out." Clarence whispers so quietly that if it weren't for my earpiece, I wouldn't of heard him. Silently we all nod, eager to not get noticed by anyone until we actually have Clark.

If we were on edge before while doing our crazy ninja crawl, as Declan referred to it, we're hanging over a cliff now. Crouching down to the point where I'm worried about my back snapping in half, I can tell that all of our breaths are loud enough to be almost echoing down the corridor walls.

Pushing thoughts of how nervous and likely we are to be seen, I try my best to focus on my surroundings. Unlike the rest of the building, there's only one corridor here. Closed doors, sealed with random security tests, align both sides. In all there must be twelve doors, six on each side, along the twenty metre long passageway.

I shiver at the thought of how many victims were alive while Gareth poked, prodded and experimented on it until his greedy little heart was content. It's sick and now it's Clark that's being poked and prodded. I glare at the door opposite me, trying to take out some of my anger. Gareth has done enough damage in this world and it's time to put an end to it, whatever the cost.

"Security cameras show that there's some action happening in two doors down to your right, guys. The door to your left is empty though and you only need the same, quick password to get in, just incase you need a place to hide." Alfred says seriously, any signs of the happy joking attitude that he normally carries in his voice long gone.

Charles doesn't take any chances. Without waiting for anyone to emerge from the room two doors down, he turns to the empty room and speedily types in the four numbered password. As soon as the door's open, he steps in, motioning us to follow him through. Before Declan makes it past the barrier to safety, a horrible ear piercing scream erupts from the room, two doors down.

These screams aren't any where near as bad as the hogmer screams that we heard earlier. These ones are more human like. Yet they sound awfully familiar to me. With my heart thumping rapidly in my chest, I realise that these screams are the same ones that awoke me in the dungeon.

Declan listens to the sound for a second or two before lunging into the safety of the empty room. I know that Amber isn't far behind him but as I see the door crack open, I can't move. I'm captivated by the sound of it, and deep curiosity as to what's causing it, is running in my veins.

The door creaks further another inch. Three more and I'll be able to see in. Two more, my heart's pounding now. One more, light's streaming through the crack. Half an inch further, the anticipation's killing me. Somehow the underlying threat of being spotted by whoever's pushing the door open seems to slip my mind. I just need to see what's happening- see who it is.

Quarter of an inch left and . . . wham!! Bang!!

My perfectly lit vision darkens. A door quietly clicks shut behind me. I'm no longer out in the corridor, about to see who's screaming, who's being tortured. I'm now in a dark, cold room.

I blink and rub my forehead from where it had collided with the wall. I turn around to try to figure out what's just happened. "Are ya crazy?! Ya were almost spotted right then!" Amber whisper-yells at me incredulously while retracting her arm from where it had latched on to my jumper. She must of pulled me back at the last moment.

I stupidly blink again. And again. Angry Amber is a scary sight and right now, all her anger vibes are directed at me. Hopeless I look up at our companions for support, for help. They look back at me with mixtures of sympathy, concern, confusion, and annoyance. Thankfully none of them look as annoyed as Amber, but unfortunately none of them are exactly jumping to my rescue either.