14

THE HOUSE OF MAZES

At night, the house was extremely dark and it was impossible to see what was in front of you. Valkyrie hit her leg on a leg rest and cursed. She continued running though, because if she stopped, it would be the last thing she ever did.

Tunica was in front leading them through the dark, trying to find Mikhail's lab. This is where he kept his potions and did his own experiments. Tunica knew where it was but it needed a key to be opened. A key that only Mikhail had. And Mikhail was a vampire so it would be interesting to see how they'd get in. Skulduggery threw fire balls at the vampires now and then, and then continued running. Black Jack ran beside Valkyrie, almost like a body guard. She would have found that flattering if she wasn't running for her life.

Tunica skidded to a stop and opened up a covered security system that hung from the wall.

"Damn it!" she shouted out.

"What?" asked Jack.

"Who ever the hell did this knew about the security system. They've dismantled it," said Tunica.

"So put it back together," said Valkyrie.

"It's not that easy. Besides, the Cleavers wouldn't get here in time anyway," she said. "There's another way to keep the vampires at bay but it's further up. Let's go."

Skulduggery threw two more fireballs, set the expensive mat in this foyer on fire and they ran, following Tunica.

Tunica skidded to a stop again. They were now in the guest lounge were clients sat and had tea. She knocked over a flower vase and underneath it were keys with numbers on it.

"Hurry up," said Skulduggery.

"Working on it," she said.

It beeped a happy tone and she smiled. "Yes! Now head for the foyer were there're no doors."

They ran for it when the vampires burst in and roared. Tunica and Skulduggery stood tall and threw more fireballs at them.

"Jack, go. Take Valkyrie and go! We'll catch up," shouted Skulduggery.

Jack grabbed her and ran for the door. "Let go of me! Skulduggery!" shouted out Valkyrie. She didn't want to leave him there.

And then, a steal door began to close them into the tea room. Valkyrie protest even more. Jack turned around and shouted to them to hurry up as he put Valkyrie down. She tried to bolt for them but Jack held her collar tight.

"Skulduggery go!" shouted Tunica as a vampire tore at Skulduggery's shirt. He yelled in pain. "I'm not leaving you alone with these beasts."

She grabbed him by the collar and said, "I'm not giving you the choice."

And she threw him under the closing doors. He jumped up but it was too late. The door shut.

"No! Tunica!" he shouted as he banged the door.

"Go," she said, "Mikhail's lab is just ahead. Go!"

And then, there was silence on the other side. Skulduggery looked at the door, and then turned to Valkyrie and Jack. "Let's go."

Mikhail's lab looked massive on the outside and the door was locked tight. Jack was about to blow it open with a small bomb when Skulduggery stopped him. He kicked open the door with one blow and the door went flying. Valkyrie could see now why people got so worried when Skulduggery got upset.

The inside of the lab was just as big as the outside showed it to be. It had gizmos and gadgets everywhere. Bottles were scattered on the tables, many either empty or broken. Jack saw a light switch and flicked it on. The lights came on and in the wall was a cabinet. Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery. He was silent and his head was a bit low. Jack opened the cabinet and inside was a bunch of bottles, all sealed and labelled.

"This must be Mikhail's special types of potions and elixirs. If there is a cure, we'll find it here," he picked up a few and examined the labels. Valkyrie and Skulduggery grabbed a few and looked over them.

"Found it," said Skulduggery. "The only thing that will cure vampire venom is more of it. The question now is, how do we get it to them?"

They thought. Then Valkyrie had an idea.

"Why not put it in the sprinkler system?" she said.

"You really do watch too much TV…" said Skulduggery.

"But she's right. That may be the only way. The sprinkler system is in this room," said Jack as he looked around. He then smiled, he had found it. He opened the lid and put the liquid in it.

"All we need to do now is turn it on," said Jack.

"Well, turn it on!" said Valkyrie.

He hesitated. "The tap to the sprinkler isn't here."

"Where is it then?" said Skulduggery.

"…In the main hall where the sixteen doors are"

"Oh boy."

"Why can't we activate the sprinklers the old fashioned way then?" suggested Valkyrie. "Would it turn on the sprinklers through the entire house?"

"It would but we need to find one of the systems. It could be anywhere," said Jack.

"Then let's start looking," said Skulduggery.

They left Mikhail's lab and looked for a smoke detector. Valkyrie found it hard to see anything in the dark. She grabbed a chair to stand on and looked on the walls. Skulduggery traced his hand over the wall and when he hit something, he stopped. He felt it and then realized it wasn't what he was looking for. Jack looked on the floor. He said he was looking for hidden systems that Angel had installed when Valkyrie asked. Valkyrie finally saw something and signalled to them to come. Skulduggery and Jack looked at it careful and gave her the thumbs up. Skulduggery clicked his fingers and summoned flame. He put his hand over the system and it began to beep.

"Cover your mouths! Don't inhale the venom!" shouted Jack. He and Valkyrie covered their mouths and the room became wet. Skulduggery looked around, the drops falling off his skull and hat. It then, after a minute or so, stopped. Jack and Valkyrie removed their hands from their mouths and followed Skulduggery out of the room.

They walked up to the steal door. It began to move up. Inside were the lifeless bodies of their peers. Tunica was nowhere in sight. Jack ran to Tanith and Strike.

"They're still alive," said Jack feeling on their necks for a pulse. "Just unconscious."

Skulduggery and Valkyrie checked the others and at the corner of Valkyrie's eye, she saw Tunica on the floor, covered in blood.

"Skulduggery!" she shouted and he looked at Tunica.

He ran up to Tunica and checked for a pulse. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her left arm bared torn tissue and was covered with blood. Her leg had another cut and a strike of blood ran down her cheek. She had a cut under her right eye.

"Ow," she managed to saw and her eyes closed.

Angel moved and got up.

"Are you alright?" asked Skulduggery.

Angel opened his eyes and looked at him. "Fine, but upset. Heads are going to roll!"

"My friend, heads already have," said Jack, his arms folded.