Chapter 37: Escape
Brandan opened his eyes to realize that he was strapped to a table in a dark room. He could hear a quiet hum from somewhere close-by, there didn't appear to be anyone around. Brandan was strapped to a large cement block by both his arms and legs. He struggled to get up but the straps were too tight.
"Damnit," said Brandan, "I've got to get the hell outta here." Brandan closed his eyes and focused on moving the straps, the room started to shake as he focused as hard as he could on getting free. Brandan lost his focus and the cryptic furniture came crashing to the ground. He let out a sigh of frustration as he realized he couldn't get himself free on his own. "Now what do I do? I need to get to a phone." Brandan sat thinking for a few minutes as he thought through the battle from earlier trying to figure out why he couldn't beat them. "What was so different from them?" he asked out loud. Suddenly a female figure walked into the dark room.
"They're vampires, couldn't ya tell?" she said. Brandan looked at the women she was dressed like one of the people that they had seen in the Merovingian's club. She wore a red corset with black mesh stalking, her hair was black with a red flip in the front. "Looks like you got yourself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time." She took a step over to him and looked down at him.
"I guess so?" The women got up on the table straddling him.
"Could be a good thing if you wanted it to be," said the women. She leaned forward and kissed him on the neck then made her way up to his ear. "Do you want it to be?"
"I'm flattered really, but my heart belongs to someone else," Brandan moved his head to the side. "I really need to get out of this mess and save my friends, can you help me free?" he asked. The women sat up looking him in the face still straddling him.
"You're no fun," she said, "I'd never do anything against anyone's will, unless, well, never mind. I'll help you free." The women cut the straps holding him to the table and jumped off of him. Brandan quickly jumped to his feet and searched his character for his phone and pulled it out. He checked the phone trying to determine if they were in the same place or if they'd been taken away from the chateau. "That won't work down here, we're two stories underground."
"Are we still in the chateau?"
"The basement." The women, whom Brandan determined at this point was an exile walked toward him. Even though she had helped him thus far there was still no reason for him to trust her given the circumstances, he wasn't about to let his guard down around her.
"Can you show me how to get out? Do you know where they are holding my friends?"
"Friends?" she asked confused. "I only recall the smaller one they have in the attic, the female got away." Brandan let out a sigh of relief. "But to answer you more relevant question and the important one at hand. Yes I can show you how to get out of here, but no one leaves without his permission."
"Who, the Merovingian, I'd like to see that old man stop me from getting out of here."
"The Merovingian," laughed the exile, "He's not what you've got to worry about down here, I'm talking about Cujo. He's the guardian of the catacombs. I can show you to his arena but then you are at his mercy."
"Then let's go," said Brandan sternly adjusting his jacket. The exile smiled at him as she walked out of the door. Brandan started to follow her, then stopped remembering what she had said about the exiles here. He looked at a nearby wooden table and broke off a part of the leg stuffing the sharp edged stake in his jacket. He then proceeded to walk out the door.
The door led to what seemed to be miles of the underground stone tunnels that made up the underbelly of the chateau. The exile walked ahead of him up the dimly lit hallway seemingly carelessly. Brandan followed her reluctantly remembering the exiles that had attacked him earlier coming from the wall.
"Don't worry, there's no one around right now, they're all asleep... except Cujo," she said seemingly reading his mind.
"That's convenient," Brandan sighed. Brandan and the exile walked through the tunnels and passed several occupied holding cells. The occupants were banging on the doors and wailing, some calling out about their eyes others sounded like they were unable to move their mouths. "Why are these people here?"
"Oh they're just people who made some kind of deal with the Merovingian and didn't keep their side of the bargain," she answered casually, "So he followed through on their contract." They kept moving and eventually came to a set of stairs. "This takes us to the holding spot for most of the important programs." The exile stopped and looked at him causing Brandan to stop walking. "There will be a minimal guard detail up here, just a couple of idiots for the most part but they can be dangerous. After that you will come to the stairs that will take you to the arena. This is as far as I can take you," she explained. "I have to await the One, so that I can fulfill my purpose." Brandan gave her an appreciative nod then walked forward and up the stairs. "Good luck."
Brandan could see the light at the top of the stairs. He ducked down as he got closer to the top to get a look at the top of the stairs, so he could see the challenge awaiting him. Brandan came to the top of the steps and didn't see anything. He listened carefully to his surroundings hoping for some hint that someone was around. He could hear a grinding sound that sounded like stone grinding on metal. He slowly started walking down the hall toward the noise that got louder and louder as he descended deeper into the hall. He came to the cell that the noise was coming from. He looked inside to see the Key Maker sitting at a grinder making his keys.
"Hey," said Brandan, "I need a key from you, a friend of mine is trapped." The old man looked up from what he was doing and walked over to the bars.
"I have already given the key to your crewmate, she was here several hours ago," The Key Maker reached into his apron and pulled out a key. "This will get you back to your friends, but first you need to find your friend in the upper levels. Once you're reunited it will work for any door," Brandan took the key and looked at it briefly then looked at the key maker. "Now go, quickly. The guards are coming."
"Come on, get outta there," Parker and Colin watched as the two exiles walked down the hall just around a corner from the cell Brandan was standing at. "Come on you've gotta send me in there Parker!" Colin stomped his foot and ran over to the one of the terminals to start prepping it.
"Colin I told you, it's not going to help. If I send anyone else in it would just make it more difficult to get you all out," explained Parker, "The Captain will be fine and looking at Isaiah he's in no immediate danger." Parker looked at the neighbouring monitor. Isaiah was strapped to the floor in the attic. They had watched an exile with long hair take him to the attic and set up a pentagram and burning candles around him. He had been there for an hour and still hadn't waken up. "Just sit tight they'll get through this."
Brandan suddenly heard footsteps from around the corner and put his back to the wall lying in wait. As he sat there two men walked around the corner. One was taller than the other and wore a long black trench coat. The other was dressed in a black suit. The two men walked a few more steps before one of them caught a glimpse of him. Before they could react Brandan jumped into the air, time seemed to slow as he quickly kicked the shorter out of the way and landed. His feet hit the ground and he swung his body around and connected his fist with the taller ones face, throwing two more heavy hits before breaking focus. He looked back and the other one had recovered from his initial attack and was running at him. Brandan bounded into the air and landed behind the exile, he seemingly had incapacitated the other one. He jumped at the other one drop kicking him in the back and pushing his face into the ground. Brandan jumped back and looked at the two of them, he didn't understand why these two were so much easier to knock out then the others. He could see that they were still breathing but decided he didn't have time to waste on them anymore, he had to move onto his next challenge. Then he needed to find Isaiah and get out of the chateau.
Isaiah slowly awoke feeling groggy from whatever they had used to knock him out. His arms were strapped to the floor with leather straps. He looked at his surroundings, his vision still cloudy, he took a deep breath and tried to focus. His vision slowly became clear as he began to grasp the situation. The straps around his hands were pinned to the floor boards and as he tried to move his hands he realized that the floorboards were loose. If he could only move it enough to knock the candle over he could use it to burn the strap off his hand. Isaiah started tugging on the strap and the candle shortly fell, he caught it but burned himself as he used it to burn the strap. The strap let go and Isaiah reached over freeing himself from the other straps and quickly got to his feet.
"Gotta find a phone," he said to himself as he took a step forward. Isaiah could see two large doors only a few meters from him. He started toward them and a tall man with a long black trench with hair to match suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Isaiah jumped back a few feet taken by surprise. "Who're you?" he asked.
"My name, if Vladimir, but you may call me Vlad," said the strange man in a thick Russian accent. "You see my young friend, the Merovingian wants you to stay put for awhile. I'm not allowed to let you leave."
"That's okay," said Isaiah taking up a fighting stance, "You don't have to let me do anything." Isaiah jumped at the man fully focused he extended his foot in a drop kick. Vlad almost casually reached up and grabbed his foot, throwing him against the wall. Caught off guard by the attack Isaiah slowly got to his feet.
"I don't think you're understanding me," laughed Vlad. Isaiah quickly realized he wasn't dealing with the Merovingian's typical goon. Vlad walked toward him and grabbed him by the neck and forced him into the wall. "You're not going anywhere, so why don't you just hang around for awhile." Isaiah discretely reached into his pocket and pulled out a flash grenade he popped the cap with his finger and dropped it.
"I'm not much for wasting time." Isaiah closed his eyes just as the flash went off. Vlad dropped him and staggered back covering his eyes. Isaiah ran at him and focused his hardest seemingly bringing time to a halt. Isaiah uppercut him causing him to bend back, Isaiah took this chance and ran up Vlad's body bracing his foot on his neck and kicking him in the face with the other foot. As Vlad was falling to the ground Isaiah made a mad dash for the door, he kicked it open and ran down a set of steps. Isaiah felt that if he stopped running Vlad would catch him, he came to the end of the steps and ran out into a hallway. He looked around at his surroundings, he started running again choosing to go down the hallway to the left. The large house reminded Isaiah of a museum the decor was expensive and it looked like it hadn't changed in years. Isaiah kept running and turned a right corner, he could hear voices nearby but the hallway was lined with doors and rooms, making it impossible to make a quick diagnosis as to where they were coming from. Isaiah kept running to keep away from Vlad not really sure where he would have to go to find a phone somewhere in the building.
Brandan walked down the steps toward the large arena, a large dirt pit dug out in the middle of the floor. He could see the way out on the other side of the arena, there didn't seem to be anyone around but he felt as though he was being watched. As Brandan set his foot down on the last step a cage gate above the arena slipped open and a large man jumped down on into the arena. Brandan assumed this was Cujo.
"This ends here!" the man called out. The man stayed in the arena but took up a fighting stance waiting for Brandan to take the step in.
"You're right, it does," Brandan whispered to himself. He took off running and bounded into the arena, he ran at Cujo and jumped at him with his feet forward to kick him. Cujo bent over backwards and Brandan flew right over top of him. Brandan hit the ground and turned just in time to take a combo to the face. Cujo hit him three times then grabbed him by the shirt and flipped him over onto the ground. Brandan back flipped away from him in time to avoid a crushing blow to the head. Brandan focused his hardest ran at him bouncing over behind him then dropped to the ground quickly in time to jab Cujo in the back. He grabbed Cujo and tripped him, as he hit the ground he reached into his coat for the stake and brought it down on him. Cujo grabbed his hands and quickly kicked Brandan into the air and got to his feet.
"Is that the best you've got, I'm surprised you've made it this far," Cujo laughed. "Give up you're no match for me!" Brandan took up a fighting stance and beckoned for Cujo to come at him. Cujo smiled and ran at him, just as Cujo got in range of Brandan he did a back flip, the tip of his foot hitting Cujo's chin snapping his neck back. Brandan saw his opening and took it, he took an offensive stance and went in fists flying, hitting Cujo with a combo of punches and jabs for as long as he could hold his focus. Cujo started to recover but before he could Brandan moved quickly as time slowed down, he tripped him quickly flipping him sideways mid-air and punching him away from him.
"No match for you, huh," Brandan taunted. Cujo got to his feet quickly before he could react Brandan was already on him. He hit Cujo as hard as he could and as fast as he could muster hitting Cujo in the face before whirling around and delivering a round house kick to hit him to the ground.
"Not good enough, now I'm mad." Cujo jumped to his feet and put his hands in the air and brought them down to his side. He seemed to be channelling something before Brandan knew it Cujo came flying at him with his fists forward hitting him in the chest and knocking him into the wall. Brandan was down on one knee and looked up as Cujo walked toward him, not sure what he was going to do.
"Man what the hell is that thing? I've never seen that kind of code before," said Parker analyzing the screen. Colin bent over him and looked into the screen then brought his hand down hard on a nearby table.
"Well whatever the hell it is, it's killing him." Colin watched as Brandan's body jolted as he took another harsh attack from the exile. "Isaiah needs to get there fast." The ship communicator started to ring and Parker picked up, it was Tabatha.
"Where the hell have you been?" he asked. He shifted his view screen to home in on her, she was now in the main city not too far from Cho Wei and Thaddeus.
"It's a long story I need an upload of Thaddeus location, I've got the key," she said from the other end. Parker hit a few keys on his keyboard.
"You got it, you're actually not far off, now get over there so they can get out and get to your exit, the captain and Isaiah aren't having much luck," explained Parker.
"Okay." Tabatha hung up her phone and put it back in her jacket pocket. She would take to the roof to get back to the others, they weren't that far away. Tabatha had taken the programmers maintenance line back to the city just as the Key Maker had told her to. She jogged into a nearby apartment complex where she would take the elevator to get to the roof. She stepped into the elevator and hit the button to take her to the roof. The doors closed and she waited patiently feeling guilty at how easy it had been for her to get away while the others were having such difficulty. The elevator doors opened again and she was on the roof, she took to running and jumped to the next building. Thaddeus was close by only two of three jumps away and she'd be there, she dashed across the top of another building and bounded easily to the next. She could see Thaddeus on the next building. "Thaddeus, I've got the key." Thaddeus turned and waved to her beckoning her over to him.
Isaiah took another right, he hadn't seen the Vladimir for about ten minutes so he assumed he wasn't being followed, when he suddenly heard a commotion behind him. Quickly Isaiah slipped into the next available door and quietly closed it. He waited with his ear to the door when he heard something behind him. Isaiah swung around to see a familiar face.
"It's been awhile." Persephone was laying on a love seat across from a large television screen. "Last we met I believe was in my husband's club, such an informal introduction." Isaiah looked at her not sure what to do next. "Relax, if I've been you watching you and your friend, Brandan, is it? He's in trouble and could really use your help. But you will never find him without my help." Isaiah looked up at the screen, it was Brandan fighting an exile, it was easy to tell he was losing.
"What do you want?" asked Isaiah obviously on guard. Persephone stood up and took a couple of steps toward him. "Back off." Isaiah took out his handgun and pointed it at her and she stopped.
"I never used to know the answer to that question, but now, it is all that I ever think about."
"How do I get to him?" asked Isaiah getting anxious as the exile picked Brandan up and slammed him to the ground.
"You love someone do you not?" Isaiah was caught off guard by the question not really understanding what it had to do with their current situation. "Yes I can see it in you, but they do not know." Persephone reached out and touched his chest, he backed off now standing with his back to the door. "If you want me to help you, you must kiss me like you are kissing the one you love."
"Or I could shoot you between the eyes, if you don't help me." Isaiah pressed the barrel of his gun to her forehead, she cracked a smile at him.
"Silly boy didn't your mother teach you that you get more favours with sugar then bullets. If you shoot me your friend will die." Isaiah dropped the gun to his side and looked at her. "That's what I thought." Persephone smiled.
"Alright, just get it over with." Isaiah looked at her starting to feel desperate, as he seen Brandan getting beaten on the screen.
"Remember you must make me feel like I'm the one you love." Isaiah motion for her to kiss him wanting to get it over with. Persephone leaned in and kissed him on the lips then quickly pulled back. "That was horrible, looks like your friend will die." She turned away and walked back over to her seat.
"Wait, I'm sorry." Persephone looked at him over her shoulder before turning around and walking over to him. Isaiah took off his glasses and looked at her. She leaned in to kiss him and he put his hand on her face, closing his eyes. Isaiah pictured the one he loved and kissed Persephone passionately. After a several long seconds Isaiah pulled back from the kiss and slid his glasses back on. Persephone stood with her eyes closed for several seconds and bit her bottom lip.
"Yes, that's what I needed," she whispered to herself before opening her eyes and smiling at him, "It is a strong love indeed, but a love such as yours is not widely known about in your society." Persephone took a small purse off of a nearby shelf and took out a key. "Just as I said I will help you get to your friend." She walked over to the door and slid the key in then opened the door.
"What are you doing?" Isaiah was sure she was about to betray him, but as the door opened it was not the hallway he had come from.
"Your friend is down this hallway to the left."
"Thank you," said Isaiah as he went through the doorway. Persephone shut the door behind him. Isaiah took off down the hall and took the left turn he could see the arena where Brandan and Cujo were fighting. Cujo had Brandan pinned to the ground with his foot and was about to snap his arm. "Hang on!" Isaiah focused his hardest and dashed as fast as he could time slowed down to the point that he was sure Cujo couldn't see him. Isaiah connected his fist with Cujo's side instantly freeing Brandan from his grip. Isaiah started a relentless combo swinging and kicking for all he was worth. Isaiah jumped into the air and butterfly kicked Cujo sending him flying into the wall and landed on the ground. He reached down and helped Brandan to his feet. "Now's our chance, go!" The two of them ran back the way Isaiah came before Cujo had any time to recover. They ran through the door that Isaiah had come through and were standing in a corridor when an exile dropped from the ceiling between them.
The exile kicked Isaiah to the ground and raised his fist to hit Brandan. Brandan took the stake he was holding and thrust it into the exile's chest. The exile dropped to the floor shaking violently and then turned to dust.
"What the hell?" said Isaiah confused.
"Never mind, let's get going," Brandan took out the key and turned around, "I hope this works I guess we'll see what he was talking about." Brandan put the key into the door and opened it. It opened up directly to an exit, just in time for him to see Tabatha disappear.
"Man how did they. . ." said Parker confused. Colin pulled the plug from Tabatha's neck and she sat up.
"Never mind that, just send them the signal!" Parker sent the tone and Brandan picked up first since he was injured then Isaiah. Brandan sat up as Colin pulled the plug and put his finger in his mouth.
"Man that guy was tough," he said looking at his finger. There was blood on his fingers and he could taste it in his mouth. "Tabatha, did you get Cho Wei out?" he asked. Tabatha nodded and Brandan let out a sigh of relief. "Good then we at least got the mission done."