Corruptable

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Headed for Trouble

Sally was overjoyed to see the rest of the group waiting for her in the conservatory. Even with the cut on her arm, they seemed in worse condition than she. Robert was leaning against the back wall covered in mud. To his left was Tom, who was caked in sand from the neck down. To Robert's right was Bill, nursing his elbow with a bruise on his forehead. Abigaile sat beside Nitrokoff on the coffin, its occupant still grumbling beneath. The ambassador was dabbing a handkerchief at the blood dripping from Abigaile's brow. Both were covered in ash. Sally felt both incredibly grateful and sorry for each, but before she could express any of it, Robet almost immediately said,

"Is that... a duck?"

"Well, yes," Sally replied, "he was hurt"

"Poor thing," said Abigaile.

"And you're, what, a vet?" Robert said, holding out his palms.

"Well, no, I just thought--"

"Poultry aside," said the ambassador, standing.

"Actually, that's foul," Abigaile corrected.

"Well, no, is strange, yes, but I think it is cute--"

"Anyway?" Robert said impatiently.

"Yes," Nitrokoff continued, "Anyway, are you finding Pearl?"

"I am, um, did. She told me she thinks one of the grooms wonders around the West Plot, and she told me where to find a lady who knows another groom." She turned to the conservatory window, looking out cautiously.

"But I don't think we should go poking around for the first one just yet."

"Or at all," Robert said, flipping the ring in the air like a coin. "The boys 'n I played a little game o' hide and shriek with the headless hoodlum."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Sally said with a bounce, "that's just four more to go!"

"Saying it out loud makes it that much more depressing," Nitrokoff observed.

"Oh hush with that talk," said Abigaile, "we've already got one down, and we're hot on the trail of another! Where did Pearl say we'd find this woman, Sally?"

"Third floor, corridor of doors," said Sally, "sounds simple enough!"

"Alright," said Robert, "But yer leavin' the duck!"

"I could never!" she rebuked.

"Listen," he said, "I can deal with spooks or deal with injured woodland creatures, but I can't do both." He put his hand up to his cheek and pointed to Abigaile with the other.

"And we've got enough dead weight as it is! Last thing we need is a lame duck! What if we're hidin' from the Sinisters and he decides to start quackin' up a storm?"

"Fine," Sally said, begrudgingly. She held Waddle up and said, "you stay out of trouble, okay, and stay off that leg, alright?"

The duck quacked in reply. As they journeyed down the hall, Sally opened the glass door and set the duck down. He bit her leg one more time and then waddled out into the night. It broke Sally's heart to close the door, but it was true, they couldn't afford to be slowed down any further.

As they traversed the mansion cautiously in search of a staircase, a loud thump made Sally jump. Just behind them, a door had swung open in the hall. Out of it was thrown a cloaked figure and its various belongings.

"Fine!" said a voice, "I didn't want to stay here anyway! I don't need you or your doilies!"

The figure stood and brushed itself off, facing away from them, it's high collar hiding its face.