The SVE Club

21. The Truth

    After putting the flaming broom out with a fire extinguisher, Midas found his team members more or less in heaps on the ground.

    Rachel was spotted sitting against the wall Red Phoenix had pinned her to earlier, sound asleep. When woken, she tried to convince Midas and Willow that she had merely been resting, but then sighed and admitted that the super had knocked her out cold only minutes into their fight.

    "I still managed to sock him a few times. He was going easy on me," she said with a cough as Willow helped her to her feet. "Do you think that means he likes me?" Although shaky, she was able to stand and walk on her own.

    Next, Willow led the way to an old supply closet.

    "Taro? Are you okay in there?" Willow called, knocking on the door.

    "It smells like cat pee in here. So, no. I'm not okay," was Taro's frantic reply.

    Willow pulled desperately on the door handle. "Masquerade lured him in there and shut the door. I've tried everything, but the door's stuck somehow."

    Rachel spoke up. "It must have been the Conjoiner girl. I saw her run by me when I was going in and out. She probably did that weird Conjoiner thing and sealed the door shut."

    "If that's the case, it could be hours before the bond wears off," Midas said.

"We don't have that kind of time!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Taro?" Midas shouted. "Stand away from the door."

Taro muttered something about the closet being as small as a lunchbox.

"Ready?" Midas called.

"Go for it," Taro answered.

Midas channeled his power as gently as he could towards the doorknob, which blew off the door with a ping! The door swung open to reveal a very grumpy looking Taro.

"I've decided that I hate Biotacs and Conjoiners," he said bitterly, joining his team in the hallway.

"Did anyone see where Sam went?" Midas asked. "And Evan and Nate?"

"We're right here."

Evan and Nate walked haggardly towards the others.

"What happened to you guys?" Rachel asked.

"We got our butts handed to us, that's what," Nate said testily, rubbing his shoulder. "The guy pinned my arm under a shelf and hung Evan on the door by his hood."

"How did you guys get out?" Taro interrogated, a bit miffed that they had managed to escape on their own, but he had not.

Evan rolled his eyes. "After he left, I just unzipped my jacket and fell right out. I don't think that guy was very bright, you know?"

"Has anyone seen Sam?" Midas asked again.

Everyone went silent, exchanging expressions of concern. Where was their sidekick?

Finally, Rachel said, "Last I saw, she was going straight down the other hall. They sent the Conjoiner after her."

"We have to find her," Midas said. "There's no way she could have stood up to Bondette."

He led the group at a fast pace, Rachel directing him where to turn.

"Sam! Sam, are you over here?" Evan shouted.

"Guys?" Sam shouted desperately. "Guys, help!"

The SVE club broke into a run towards Sam's voice. When they found her, they nearly tripped over her; she was sitting in the middle of the hallway. She was seated in an odd position, her left hand planted firmly on the floor.