The Run, Chapter Twenty Three

I stared at Law, my mouth half opened. I probably looked like a fish, but I was too stupefied to notice. Reinforcements? Since when did he have reinforcements? But more importantly: why didn't he mention them sooner?! It would have help me to not panic! I almost had a heart attack!

…Or maybe he thought I would blow up our covers if I knew? After all, I lied as good as if Luffy suddenly said he hated meat. Not very convincing.

The riot over us was still as violent as before. I could hear footsteps, but mostly people screaming. I wondered what was happening up there.

I shook my head to get my thoughts straight. I had to find to a way to get Law free. I continued searching the table to find something, anything, but found none that would help. Irritated, I turned to Law. "How do I get you free, exactly?" "I think there's a key to unlock the chains."

I nodded and looked around. Nope, I didn't see any object that resemble even a bit a key. Maybe the guard at the entrance had it? Or maybe it was the man from earlier. I shivered. "Law…" I said with a hesitant voice. "Who was he, the man who…"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence. Just remembering what he did to him… No Cerys, you can start tearing up again! I hastily make the tears starting to build up disappear with the back of my hand.

"He… It was my old "partner"" He sighed. I nodded in silence. He seemed not inclined to go on with this subject, and I totally approved. I didn't want to talk about it either, especially if the one who beat him up was in the conversation…

I made my thoughts vanish with a move of my hand. What must I do, now? Presumably, the way to free him wasn't here. I had to go up again to find the key. But what would I find there? A battlefield?

Like he guessed my thoughts, Law smiled to comfort me. His smile was full of warmth. A strange sensation spread in my belly. "You should go back up, don't worry about me." I was about to complain, but he interrupted me. "Go find them, they'll know what to do."

This time, I stared at him, question marks in my eyes. "Them? Who are them?" For an answer, he smiled while pointing to the exit. I hesitated a moment before nodding and going towards the stairs, not without giving him one last look. I slowly climbed the steps and once at the door, I took a deep breath. I don't know what I'll find on the other side, but I hope I'll easily find the key and we would quickly get out of this shit hole. I sighed. Like it would be that simple…

I opened the door, and the first thing I noticed was the uproar was even worse here. I heard servants yell and guards fighting. A few gun shots were fired, which gave me shivers down my back.

I took advantage of the chaos to get out of the room and close the door behind me without being noticed. I took two seconds to think. Where should I go? Where was this damn key? With Doflamingo, maybe? Or the other one… Argh, I didn't want to think about neither! Unless I found those "reinforcements", Law said he knew what to do, right? I didn't know who they were, but I trusted Law.

I decided then to go where the noises were the loudest. It must be where "they" were. I turned right while trying to be as small and discreet as possible. It wasn't that hard, since most of the guards passing through were taller than me and too busy fighting/fleeing. I walked around in the hallways full of people who had fun punching each other out.

I walked over a body squirming of pain on the ground, while avoiding another one falling on the floor, and met nose to nose with the guard who was in front of the guest room I was a long while ago now. I froze, and he did the same. He recognized me. Oh no…

I tried to get around him, panicked, but he blocked my path with a sadistic smirk on his lips. He went forwards, I retreated. This little dance went on until my back hit the wall. His smirk still present, he raised his hand to put it around my neck. Terrorized, my body stayed frozen, in the incapacity of moving even my little finger.

Suddenly, I saw an arm appear in my vision and a hand firmly got hold of the guard's wrist. I turned my head, and saw, stupefied, that it was…

"Shachi!"

Law's friend offered me an enormous smile before hitting the guard hard on his nose. Dazzled and blood dripping on his chin, he heavily fell on his butt. I was sure that if we were in a cartoon, little birds would fly around his head.

As suddenly as Shachi's appearance, I heard a "watchaaaa!" echo not too far from us. And I saw at the end of the hallway a far too happy Penguin, enjoying destroying everything on a five meter radius around him. My mouth fell. I was surprised, but most of all confused.

"What are you guys doing here?!" Shachi took a nonchalant expression to answer me. "Oh, nothing much. We were in the area and decided to rescue you two."

…He's making fun of me right? It wasn't funny at all! Here I was panicking to find a way to get Law out of here! And them, they just come to save us like it's nothing!

…Save us?

"Wait, you're the reinforcements?!"

He nodded, proud like a peacock.

…..Did they know how to defend themselves, at the very least. Well, if I could believe Shachi's saving and Penguin thinking he's a ninja further away, I'd say they did. But could they help us for later? I mean, if we survive this, Doflamingo will put us in jail. Besides, it reminds me, what will Law do with the information he wanted to find? He would give them to the police and…? A flash popped in my head. What if the two friends were part of the police forces? No….

Shachi got me out of my daydream by taking my hand and forcing me behind him. "What are you doing?" I yelled so he could hear me even in this cacophony. "I'm bringing you outside, where you'll be safe."

As soon as he said that, I shook out of his hold and stopped sharp. He didn't have any choice but to stop as well and turn to me, misunderstanding visible on his face.

"What? No!" I objected. "Law's still locked up in one of the mansion's room and we have to help him!"

Shachi shook his head. "You have to be first put somewhere safe. Penguin will take care of Law." I crossed my arms and looked at him with a stern face. "I can defend myself, but Law's vulnerable!"

Even with the situation and my temper tantrum, he stayed perfectly calm, which, I have to admit, pissed me off a little. "You can defend yourself, really? From cruel guards full of muscles? For a sadistic billionaire who doesn't feel any remorse for his victims? From a bullet?"

Slowly, my arms heavily fell on my sides. He was right. I could defend myself from a guy from school a little bit too touchy, but not from bloodthirsty machines. It enraged me to admit it, but I was just a dead weight for the two men. I would only be a distraction and nuisance, since they would be obligated to protect me.

Gently, Shachi showed me his hand so I would take it. Without much conviction, I put mine in his and he dragged me behind. With a heavy heart and sadness in my stomach, I followed along.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Law waited patiently. Well, patiently… He didn't really have a choice in the matter. During long minutes, he only heard the chaos raging above his head. As time passed, he started to get more and more worried for Cerys. He knew she was strong, mentally and physically, but he also knew that pink flamingo's bodyguards. They were heartless, no pity. They had ice instead of hearts, no positive feelings. Only anger, rage and sadism animated them. Law hated them, but he especially hated himself for letting Cerys follow him. He should have taken care of all this on his own. At least, he would be the only one caught right now. Now, they were both in this situation, and he blamed himself so much. Yes, Law could feel remorse sometimes. Not often, but sometimes.

Breaking the dungeon's silence, the door opened. For a second, he could hear more clearly the battle taking place up there. Then, the sounds disappeared. Slowly, like torture, footsteps echoed in the room. They went down the stairs. Tac. Tac. Tac. A figure appeared in front of him. Tall and slim. Law grit his teeth. It was certainly not his friend. No, it was…

"Hello, partner."

Law glared at him, but still smirked maliciously. "You came to hide like a coward, is that right?" He mockingly said. His face red from anger, the man kicked his jaw, hard. Law felt something snap. He knew it was a bad idea to make him mad, but he couldn't help it.

While he was a bit out of it, Doflamingo's man took out his handcuffs from his jacket and put them on Law's wrists before taking off the chains still keeping him prisoner. Too weak to do anything, Law didn't have the energy to even try to escape. The man violently grabbed his arm and forced him on his feet. He than proceeded to drag him behind. Law had difficulty following, especially climbing the stairs. Everywhere hurt, each of his articulations ached with pain. Just being on his feet was torture. But his aggressor didn't leave him a choice, and he had to follow, even if he didn't want to.

He opened the door in one go and Law had to close his eyes to protect them. The light's rays were two strong for his poor eyes, having spend the last few hours in almost complete darkness. Suddenly, he felt the man's hand forcing him to advance. The force made him fall and he couldn't stop it. He hardly fell on the floor. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored them. Instead, he stared at his "partner". He looked back with a sadistic, even deranged face.

"Why should I bother myself with a death weight?" He asked, like the teacher had any answer to give him. He took out a gun from his jacket and pointed it at Law. "Doflamingo asked me to bring you back alive. But accident happen, no?"

He let out a maniac, disgusting laugh and Law grit his teeth. Would he die in the hands of such an individual? Not if he could help it. He fought against his own body. For it to move, to do something. And it was with great efforts that he was able to get back on his feet. The man watched with a sarcastic smirk. Then, a death expression on his face, he put his finger on the trigger. "Goodbye, partner."

Just as he pulled the trigger, a kamikaze cry echoed in the mansion. As if time slowed down, Law saw something violently hit the man who wanted to kill him. Not expecting that at all, said man fell down on his back. The bullet changed its course because of the impact and hit the wall instead. This little deviation was the reason Law was still alive. The bullet grazed his left ear, taking a bit of skin with him, and almost killing him.

Surprised by the intervention, the brunet noticed it was his friend Penguin who saved him. Relieved, he felt his strength leaving him again. "Who, easy there my friend." Shachi appeared in his back, preventing him from hurting his butt like the rest of his body. He offered him a comforting smile. Law sighed in relief.

"You look like you've seen better days." Law let out a laugh, but winced once he did. He really needed a doctor. But before that…

"Cerys…" He whimpered. His friend reassured him. "Don't worry, she's safe now."

xXxXxXxXxXx

I nervously bit down my nails. They were taking their time! Shachi left me in this car - his I suppose – while saying he was going back inside to get Law, and that it wouldn't take long. I thing we don't have the same definition of the word "long"… Or, something happened. Or I wasn't the most patient person in the world. But who would be, in this kind of situation?!

I let out a frustrated sigh and decided instead to count how many people were coming out of the mansion to change my mind of these thoughts. We never know, maybe it's like counting sheep…

Let's see… A young woman and a man were fleeing, hand in hand. Two. An old bony man seemed like he would collapse any minute now. Three. An woman dressed like a policewoman. It made me notice, I was surrounded by police cars. So maybe Shachi and Penguin were really… Four. A young woman scared with long blond hair. Fi….

Roxanne? Yes, it was her! She seemed completely terrorized. And she was running towards the forest. I bit my lip and hesitated. On one side, Shachi made me promise to stay in the car, saying it was too dangerous outside. But my heart was screaming at me to go to her and help. She probably didn't understand what was going on. And I kind of considered her my friend…

Ignoring the mental image of Law yelling in my face for taking such risks, I opened the car door and ran myself into the forest.