Time is Running Out

Chapter 35

Rachel, Gemma and Xana walked out of the hotel confidently, though in truth they were all frightened and scared.

Well... Rachel and Gemma were afraid, anyway. Xana... She looked fearless.

They had all changed and washed in their rooms. That was because they didn't know when they would be back. Xana had forced Gemma and Rachel to hide two daggers each on themselves.

Rachel's red hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her green eyes sparkled with fear. She wore a dark-turquoise long-sleeve and a pair of blue jeans that were rather thick, though Xana had told them to wear dark clothes. Her slightly sun-tanned face was so clean that every single splatter of freckles she had earned in the summer was visible.

Gemma's oak-brown hair was also in a long ponytail, but a lot messier than Rachel's. She wore a black shirt like Xana said to, long-sleeved, and ripped jeans that were greenish-blue. Black sneakers fit snug on her feet.

Xana's pale-blonde hair was framing her face in loose strands. She had tried to dye it black again, but she didn't have enough dye so only the ends of her hair were black. She wore a frown on her pale face, and her ash-coloured eyes shone with calm. She wore a black dress shirt that was threatening for some reason and a black leather jacket, a weird combination. Xana didn't seem to feel the lack of heat from the winter sun. She wore black ripped jeans and black combat boots. A leather black belt hung around her slim waist. Washing at the hotel had only made Xana's scars show more clearly; there was a long white one down the right side of her cheek, many small pink ones all around her body, one that cut across her left eyebrow... But Rachel thought that the scars only made Xana more "magnificent". A revolver was hidden in an inside pocket of her jacket. Hidden daggers were all over her and a long black sword hung in a sheath at the belt.

Downstairs, they had bought a smart watch for Alden, so that he could call them if he needed to. "But", Gemma had pointed out, "you also have Joy's."

Now, Gemma, Rachel and Xana discussed as they walked.

"But where would Emma be?" asked Rachel.

Gemma rolled her eyes. "Nitwit," she mumbled. "Of course the dungeon under Mayrs' and Squares'!" she said.

"What did you call me?" gasped Rachel.

"Nitwit, nitwit, nitty-witty nitwit," said Gemma in a sing-song voice.

"Gemma!" cried poor Rachel.

Gemma merely smiled, and Xana snorted to herself.
✴✴✴

"Here we are," breathed Rachel.

"Mayrs' and Squares'." Gemma nodded.

"Let's just go in," Xana said.

"No!" cried Rachel and Gemma, barring Xana's way.

"Well, why?" asked an annoyed Xana.

"Because the guy in the shop might recognize us!" cried Gemma.

"Right. You came to rescue us before," Xana sighed. "Well, how do we go in, then? Unless you want me to go alone."

"No!" said the two again.

Xana rolled her eyes. "Tell me what we do then! If you are so 'smart'!"

"How about," said Gemma impatiently, "You go in first, ask the hat guy for a really complicated hat, he goes into the storeroom, you open the door as a signal and we go in. Then we all go into the tunnel, and there we are?"

"Fine," said Xana.

"Ok," added Rachel.

Xana went inside the shop.