Hybrid

Chapter 26: Spy-brid

"We have a problem."

I covered my eyes as the blinding light of Totto's armor flooded the cart. "What?"

"A problem." Totto grabbed my hand and pulled me out, growling in a desperate whisper, "We have one."

"What's the problem?" I squinted, my eyes slowly adjusting to Totto in her full armor. "And why are you in your armor?" I glanced around; we were in the truck still, making me wonder how far from the statue we were.

"They ordered from an angel-only restaurant; he wants angels to serve the food. In armor." She quickly yanked Ari out of the cart, Ari hissing in pain. "Sorry."

"So? Why can't we be in the--?"

"Food wasn't ordered, only the waitstaff. We thought we could sneak you in with the carts, but they said they have all the equipment they need so we have to leave them in the trucks."

"Wait, so how are we getting Amy in?" Ari asked, rubbing the wrist Totto had grabbed.

"She's sneaking in as part of the waitstaff." She knocked on the wall behind her, a wall with a closed slide-window. "ETA to the mansion?"

The window slid open. "Three minutes." Someone shouted back before slamming it shut.

"And Ari?" I asked, gesturing to her.

"She'll just have to go in through the front door." Alice shrugged, picking up a sheet of paper from on top of the cart, holding it out to me. "Read this and memorize it."

"What is it?" I took it from her, trying to hold it in an orientation that allowed me to read it in the weirdly lit area I found myself in, the only light source being Totto's glowing armor.

"The rules. He had very specific... instructions." She sounded annoyed. "Oh, crap, I should probably give everyone a heads up." A part of her armor disappeared around her pocket before she pulled the phone Jole gave her out of it. She started texting, the armor disappearing around her hands as she turned her gaze back to me. "Amy! Two minutes! Read! And Ari, get to the mansion!" She said, pointing at her.

I jumped slightly, "Right!" I glanced at Ari, and she nodded before disappearing. I looked down at the page, squinting to read the bullet-pointed demands.

- No demon waitstaff

- The waitstaff shall never be seen out of their armor

- The waitstaff shall never be seen without a tray of food or drink

- The waitstaff shall never offer an angel guest before their demon partner

- The waitstaff will fetch food or drink at the request of a guest

- The waitstaff will never speak out of turn

- The waitstaff will never be seen standing still unless serving a guest

"Is this all for real?" I asked incredulously, looking down the rest of the list.

"Yes--" There was a knock on the wall, "Armor, now." Totto hissed.

I nodded and slipped my armor on, putting the paper on the cart. "O-Okay, so what now?"

"All you have to do is not get caught." She put her hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes and giving me the slightest bit of comfort as my mind raced with everything I could do wrong. "You'll go in, there'll be a brief serving time-- maybe ten or twenty minutes-- and then the ball will start. Once the ball starts, all you have to do is get back to the kitchen. I'll be there. We'll talk once you get to that point, okay? Just focus and it should be fine."