Black Academy

Chapter 20 - Part 2

"Flynn!" yelled Elsa, tightening the other chain. "Again, quick!" One more swift strike, and stone chips erupted in a puff of dust from the table. Flynn swore. "Missed. Do it again!" screamed Elsa. Once more, and three links on the second chain disintegrated. Right. Elsa jumped down from the table in time to punch one of the hooded figures hard as it finally leaped at Flynn. Elsa's fist connected with what must have been a jaw, making a satisfying noise, and the attacker reeled back. 

"Nice timing," said Flynn, who looked embarrassed about ducking. "You too. How'd you get here?" Rapunzel was whirling the polo mallet above her head. "Tell you later. Can we go now?" "Yeah. Back off!" Flynn yelled, as a figure slunk out of the shadows on his left. Caroline was pale and immobile with fury. "You have the blade!" she hissed. "You." "I'm really sorry," said Flynn. "Is that against school rules?" "Don't do the banter thing," moaned Rapunzel. "Let's run. Elsa. Go!" Elsa shoved herself forward between Rapunzel and yet another hoodie, who was stalking murderously towards the Italian. Drawing back her lips, Elsa growled. Funny how naturally that came . . .

Jack and Caroline were still all wrapped up in each other, as if they were fighting some sort of psychic duel. He obviously wasn't concerned with the other Few. He was as motionless and menacing as stone, but his eyes blazed. This could get bad, Elsa knew it in her bones. "Rapunzel! Flynn! Back to the door, come on!" But Rapunzel was hesitant now. "Jack's in trouble." "He can look after himself," yelled Flynn. "Go, Rapunzel!" But Elsa hung back too.

Jack stood deathly quiet, facing down the Few, but now they were regaining their courage, circling him. Elsa started towards him, despite Rapunzel dragging on her arm. "Elsa, come on! Please!" Tyler stood at the far side of the table, sorrow and disappoint in his beautiful eyes. Elsa hesitated, read on his lips the word, Please . . . She didn't answer as they slipped into the archway beneath the writhing snakes. A stone figure flickered out, almost touching her shoulder, and she winced. 

"Elsa!" shouted Tyler again. "Please!" Her lip curled. "Go play with the traffic, Tyler." She shoved Flynn. "Get out of here!" Rapunzel was holding him back. "What about Ja-" "Come on," shouted Flynn. This time he pulled Rapunzel with him. Elsa lingered. Caroline was snarling orders at the hesitant Few as they surrounded Jack. "Leave, Elizabeth," he said, cold as marble. "I'll follow." Stupid to argue. Stupid, too, to feel this terrible fear for him. He knew what he was doing. Didn't he? Reluctantly, she turned on her heel, and ran after Flynn.

Flynn and Rapunzel were both fast runners, but she caught up with them easily. "How did you find me?" "When you didn't come back to the room at the time we agreed, we went looking for you," explained Rapunzel breathlessly. "We looked all over the Academy. Eventually, we went to the Few's common room." "Obviously you weren't there," Flynn added, "but neither were half of the Few. Anaiis was, and Nathan, and a couple more, but they said that Caroline and the others had gone to meet Tyler. That's when we knew you were in trouble."

"And then Jack came in," said Rapunzel. "Yeah. And he knew where they'd take you," spat Flynn. "Funnily enough." The passageway seemed terribly long and winding, snaking uphill at an increasing gradient, but Elsa ran effortlessly; she must be fitter than she thought. "Flynn, that is unfair!" protested Rapunzel breathlessly. "Jack did not know about the --- ceremony!" "He says," muttered Flynn grudgingly. "He only guessed what had happened, Flynn! And he brought us to the Arc, didn't he? Showed us the secret  door?" Panting, she threw Elsa a wicked grin. "So he does have the hots for you! See?" Turning once again to focus on the way ahead, Rapunzel gave a shocked gasp. As she skidded to a halt, Flynn almost fell over her. "What the hell --"

A/N

Sorry for the kinda, cliff hanger. I'm going to leave you guys guess why Rapunzel gasped, and what made Flynn say 'What the hell --'.