Chapter 25
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Mabel runs to check the guard. “He’s knocked out,” Mabel informs us as Holliday and I stride through the door and into the little back corridor.
“The two of you are a menace,” she adds and glares at us.
I ignore her as I have more important things to care about. Holliday motions for her to follow him.
The corridor has a number of doors on the right hand side. I can only assume they lead back into the building proper. I pause by each door to see if Saul is behind it. No such luck. At the end of the corridor there is a flight of stairs going down and more emergency exit signs. At the bottom of the stairs there are two men. They look up in surprise as we come down.
“We are expected,” I say and add persuasion into it.
The guards nod stupidly and let us pass with no trouble.
“How..?” Mabel starts to say only to have Holliday grab her arm and shush her.
“Later,” he whispers to her.
I keep moving on, not waiting for them to catch up.
We follow the corridor as it turns into a basement tunnel. Another few minutes of walking brings us to another door. This time it is guarded by 2 men standing on the outside. They look up as we come into view.
“Let them by”, I try my persuasion but it would seem that one of them is more resistant to it, so he stops his friend from letting us pass.
“Who do we have here?” he looks us over and spots Mabel behind Holliday. “Is that Mabel Maybe Baby I see back there?”
“Hi Clint,” Mabel shyly peeks around Holliday but makes no move to go around him. I think she doesn’t want to be in the line of fire if Holliday starts to shoot. smart girl.
“Well girl what did you bring us?” Clint asks.
“I brought them to see Carston.” she says proudly. “The rest of the Kindred, and the keys.”
“Well done Mabel,” the second guard speaks up for the first time. He was the more receptive one of the pair so I turn my gaze on him and push really hard.
“We should go right in.” I say.
“They should go in right away,” he says.
“no need to wait,” I say
“I don’t think we need to wait for permission.” he says.
“Fine,” says Clint at last. He leans over an opens the door for us. We file through.
I stop a few steps in as I take in the scene around me. We are in a waterlogged pumping station. I think. There are huge pipe snaking around the room, a giant tanker in the center, with it’s top cut off so that you can see in side and all around are rows and rows of people cheering at the sight in the tanker.
From our vantage point I can’t really tell what is going on in the tanker only there are sounds of fighting and the awful hiss growl of a monster. Holliday and I exchange looks again. It can’t be the same monster we just fought, can it.
“Mabel, what the hell is this,” Holliday asks her in a accusing tone.
“I don’t know,” she answers, her voice quiver in fear. “I said Swanson had a plan to keep Carston busy, so maybe this is it.” she suggests.
“What is with you people and arenas of death,” I snap at her. “Saul is down there, I know it.”
“It is very historical.” Says Holliday in a conversational tone. “Ancient Romans had gladiatorial sports for centuries.”
“Whatever, I think it is time to end this one before Saul and the rest become the first victims to christen this place. Mabel which one is Carston?”
She looks over the crowd for a second then says.” the one in red, next to Swanson.”
“Holliday, You ready?” I ask, he gives me a nod. “Mabel you had better wait here. We don’t want you to get injured now that we have arrived safely.”
Mabel nods and ducks into a shadowy corner.
“Keep them entertained,” I say and then I am gone.
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