Danger Kid

Chapter 22

"Where are we?" I ask Brittany, perplexed. It's a well warranted inquiry, because our setting is not at all what I expected. When Britt said she had a friend, I was expecting some sort of High School buddy or something, maybe someone from a middle class neighborhood, but definitely not this. To say the least, I find myself at a loss for words. (Except for the words I found to ask "Where are we?")

In front of us looms an enormous mansion. It's huge, and when I say huge, I mean whale gorilla monster huge. It is very vogue, embodying every trend available to modern day tycoons, ultra-capitalists and corporate overlords.

The house it's self is designed to look like some fairy tale castle. The house is several stories high, made of brick and covered in ivory. Spires poke up into sky, bent and twirled to look like sea shells. Soft crystalline lights glimmer from hidden spots in the walls, so bright that they are clearly visible in the late afternoon light, even the dark purple ones. There are no windows, probably only cameras allow for any view onto the outside world.

Really, more impressive than the house is the yard. The grass is a genetically modified organism that was only recently invented. It glows with natural purple phosphorescence, and sways with organic movement, probably as a result of its carnivorous plant genes.

Dotting the grass are black marble figures. Gods and ancient athletes, their shining surfaces capture the light of the grass and causes the figures to glow in an almost celestial nature. Between the statues strut elegant peacocks.

The whole thing is surrounded by a massive towering fence. Spikes top it, and signs warn of electric voltage. We're in Brittany's little bug, and she steers it on the road that stretches along the fence. I feel as if we are attempting to enter a battle fortress, and I almost expect a barrage of arrows or boiling cauldrons of oil to come down upon us as we seek entry.

Eventually, undeterred by any sort of defensive procedure, we arrive at a large gate that could probably fit a freeway through it when open. Beside it is a security booth with black one way windows.

Maybe we'll just be shot by good old fashioned guns rather than covered in oil.

Parking by the security booth, Brittany leans out the car door and raps on the window.

A speaker crackles and pops, preparing to address us. I'm expecting it to say something threatening, like "you have ten seconds before we open fire." But again, I am surprised.

"Ms. Brittany," it's a gruff meathead voice, the kind you'd expect from a guard, but it manages somehow to be welcoming, "A pleasure to see you back at the estate. Please, enter."

The gates slide open with a mechanical creaking moan. I realize that I've let my mouth drop.

Brittany looks over at me, happy that she has impressed me. I suddenly try to resist the urge to ogle, and definitely refuse to ask questions, not wanting her to know how bewildered I really am. I yawn dramatically, but she smirks, showing she's not buying it. Eventually we park among a collection of elegant automobiles. Brittany's bug is very out of place, since we are next to various sleek sports cars. Examining them, I realize that they must each cost several million credits.

We exit the bug, but the parking lot is a distance from the main door. A long, cobblestone path leads to the wooden doors that are the mouth to the mansion.

Fine, I won't be a jerk anymore. I'm too desperate for an explanation.

"Brittany, what the heck is going on?"

"We're going to find out where Tag is."

"Thank you, I realize this. But where are we? And how do you have access to a place like this?"