Chapter 55
55.1
There was always a good ending to something that started badly. Today had been a nightmare, but a joyful turn was now within sight. All floors were now brightly lit, and crawling with officers. Even if the fugitives survived those shots, there absolutely was no possibility of them escaping.
"What happened upstairs? Are they caught." One officer asked him at the third-floor landing.
"Not yet, but won't be long, just keep an eye." Urich answered.
The only blemish that would sully his reputation for the rest of his career was the fact he'd allowed the humans to jump into his office and subdue him. He should have been more alert; but honestly nobody could have seen the danger coming. Fifteen years he had worked here and nothing of this sort ever happened.
"You think they will want to climb back up?" the young officer in his company mused.
"Even if they are still alive, they wouldn't dare," Urich said. "More likely, however, we will just collect their bodies." If that officer missed, then the Mamazola would finish the job.
Before heading to the basement, Urich dashed to his office. He'd make one quick call to his superiors so the elaborate process of obtaining permission to open the cellar door would begin. That area of the mosque was so holy, only the archbishop of the realm could authorize the unlocking. And even if permission was granted, only high ranking privy council members could come and operate the special keys. His job after this call would be to stand vigil at the door, and see that no miracle happened to allow the fugitives to come out alive.
Urich finished calling and hung up. He nursed his neck wound and felt heroic. His revenge would be done when the bodies of the fugitives were pulled out from the cellar.
He came out of his office and headed for the basement stairs. The young cop was still in his company.
In the basement, a group of officers paced about in high alert.
"No sign of anything around here?" Urich asked casually. Of course nothing would happen, or be seen, until the forbidden door was swung open.
"None yet," the officers answered.
Of all those in here, only he knew where that door was. The way was to head to the basement's north wall—to an area concealed behind movable cabinets and shelving. This area was restricted but today was an emergency. By design, the basement lighting was dim but Urich knew how to go. A black drape, which had a huge red X running across it, concealed an arched entryway. Past the curtain, they walked in a short hallway that at its end was blocked by a white metal door splashed repeatedly with the words: 'Stop- Do not Enter' in black. Officers looked at him with awe, as he produced a bunch of keys to open this. From here another hallway, this one unlit, wound ahead but one office had a good flashlight. After navigating the meandering passageway they finally stopped at the forbidden door: an imposing black brass type, with a skull and crossbones symbol emblazoned.
"We wait here," he said.
Before they'd stood even a minute, a noise erupted that caused Urich's heart to race. Those certainly were banging sounds behind there. One or two war cries pierced through the metal, and then a huge grinding or rolling noise vibrated. Had the fugitives made it to the bottom alive? Where they fighting the Mamazola in his lower chambers? This was strange, totally not possible.
Remembering the Mamazola was not supposed to be seen or heard by uninitiated mortals, he thought to ask the officers to move back a long way. "Gentleman, please."
Hardly had he finished than a thunder boomed inside. A mighty force whacked the door and a big hole was blown open in the metal. Something dark brown burst out and missed him by a millimeter. Its power was so much, and the wind accompanying it so high, the officers fell back with shock; the flashlight tumbled to the floor. In a moment the dark brown thing roared and then rolled back into the cellar. It gathered force and with another thunderclap blew another hole into the cellar's backwall and in a whiff was gone.
Urich only had one second to peer before another high wind lifted and he saw the fugitives being sucked into the hole the Mamazola had left behind. In a moment nothing remained, just a dim silence and two gaping holes…
Chapter 56
56.1
Getting sucked out of a supersonic jet did not feel like that. The horror of plunging in total darkness enveloped Bella and nearly knocked her senseless. She flailed her arms and legs but did not come into contact with anything. It was like there wasn't even a single particle of anything to stop her plunge. Her eyes closed in terror, but even when she fought to open them she didn't see anything, just the falling blackness. Thinking became hard to do. Time lost its meaning and she fell into the same blank helplessness like she did that first time in Ishobad's plane.
Things only got to change when she hit something like a mud storm, and then the motion slowed and she was rolling down a wet slippery slope. A bit of her dizziness lifted and her senses returned. The darkness did not lift, but she felt a movement beside her. That was Ed. They still were together; what a break.
They continued tumbling, then after a long while—one that could have lasted an hour or a whole day—she felt a splash and the rolling ceased.
"Are you hurt?" she said to Ed who piled up beside her.
"I don't know yet, but I don't feel so bad. You?"
"I'm wet, but not in pain," she snorted in relief.
Bella found Ed's back and rubbed it. He didn't yelp in pain so he probably was alright like he said. She wasn't feeling too bad herself, at least for now anyways, and that was good. She breathed in the air—which was warm and humid. A tang of moss hung around, and she heard a slight trickle of liquid somewhere. Could be water, or maybe—she didn't want to imagine because anything else could be toxic. Whatever the trickling fluid was, however, they lay on a film of it, and had to be content with it.
She sensed the environment. Below the liquid hugging them was something soft, hot and slithery, which made Bella feel like she'd been thrown onto a layer of wet soapy towels. She opened her eyes wide, hoping she could glimpse a light from somewhere, but there was none. She couldn't even see herself, not even if she waved a hand in her face. Only the unfathomable darkness stared back at her like a giant blank TV screen. She groped around for objects. Apart from Ed, and the warm wet surface, nothing else was there.
"Where is this; Ed, do you see anything; do you see me?"
"No, I don't."
"Me, neither; Christ, where are we?"
"Perhaps in a giant watery grave." Ed's voice hinted of misdemeanor.
"Don't scare me," she admonished. Ed could be right, though. They could be buried alive in a vast watery tomb, perhaps in an underground pyramid, and there could be no easy escape. The thought was terrible, but she however was able to dismiss it quick. This couldn't be a grave, what with so much going on. There was that tang of living moss. And then there was that constant trickling, and in addition to it, a hiss so discernible—like a gentle breeze blowing at something. No, you could never get those things in a burial chamber.
"I don't believe we are entombed," she voiced her thoughts. "We just must be somewhere enclosed—like an underground."
"That is where they put dead people," Ed deadpanned.
Bella could sense him grinning with mirth as he said that. She wanted to smack him. "Now be serious."
"Yes I am," Ed wouldn't let up. "We were blown by the Mamazola wind, and then we landed in hell."
Bella felt the humor in Ed's voice. He'd decided to make jokes, perhaps at an improper time, but for now she'd let him be. There was no way this could be hell; it just must be a wet cavern of sorts, one likely very deep below ground.
Bella thought about it again. Her theory about their location must be the right one—because the sensations she'd experienced, right from the start of being blown, were those of falling or being sucked downwards, not being carried horizontally, and so this couldn't be anywhere else except underground.
Now that she'd made that conclusion, an enticing idea began to dangle itself before her. Previously Ramzi had spoken of the SOURCE of Qmalian magic as being somewhere under the ground. Could this then be the buried location? Could the Mamazola have accidentally blown them to where they wanted to go?
The idea was too good to believe, but it was worth giving a serious thought to. Perhaps she should use her senses again to explore the surroundings. Now a veritable air of mystic hung around, and the trickle of liquid promised to yield a lot of secrets if properly investigated. Her hopes flew. This certainly should be it! And that low hissing sound was not due to a breeze, but the three legendary Akans working hard to produce the three evil magics. STEALTH, Teleporter and Weakeners...
"I'm positive, Ed." She couldn't wait to let it out. "We have reached our destination."