Chapter 21: The Escape
Part 1: Head's Up, Keith's Warning!
"This is Pidge in the cell hall," Pidge still calls through the inner comm. "Calling on Lance."
"This is Lance," Lance replied through the inner comm. "Matt and I are at the Mother's Quarter's, so what's up Pidge?"
"Hunk and I have found Keith," Pidge nearly bragged through the comm link. "And he's defiantly in the cell hold."
"Before we were ambushed," Hunk added.
"Ambushed?" Matt asked through the inner comm. "By what?"
"Not by what, Matt. By who!" Hunk corrected him, "We got attacked by people in black, they're like ninja's that easily blend in the shadows for crying out loud!"
"But luckily they have retreated when Keith got out," Pidge added. "So, there's no harm done, yet."
"Well, lucky for you," Lance replied in irritation. "Matt and I didn't find Keith in here, at Mother's Quarters' like it said it would. But we did find something in it."
"What did you find?" Pidge asked.
"Nothing much," Lance shrugged. "We only just found a crystal ball that is glowing like the Northern Lights. But only has red, black, and purple in it."
"Did it have by any chance have a rose wrapped around it?" a familiar asked through the inner comm.
"Well, hello to you too mullet." Lance smiled as he sneakered, "How are things going since you've been here? Cozy?"
"Don't change the subject, Lance," Keith growled.
Lance jumped a bit as he has sworn that he has hear an actual growl. Like a lion or a bear. But he doesn't know which.
"Just answer the question," Keith tries to stay calm within the inner comm. "It's very important."
Well, Lance thought. If you insist, he sighed. "Yeah," Lance replied through the comm link. "The orb does have a rose wrapped around it, why did you ask mullet?"
"If you drop it or break it fully Lance," Keith began. "I will haunt you for the rest of your life. Figuratively and literally Lance."
"What?" Lance asked as his eyes widened.
"That orb that you are holding right now, is part of my soul, Lance." Keith began, "If it breaks, I truly will die." Lance remains silent for a few ticks as the orb lightly flickers within his hands.
"YOU GOT TO BE QUIZNAKING THE JOKES RIGHT OUT OF ME KEITH!" Lance shouted through the comm link.
"Nope," Keith barked. "I'm dead serious Lance."
"Then give me a good explanation why you have to say that?" Lance demanded. Nearly leaving Matt trembling.
"Fine…" Keith sighed, "It goes like this," then Keith began to tell both sides of the team about what has happened to him and what is the reason that the orb that Lance is holding.
Within the hallways, both teams are running. Making sure that both would be able to make it to the hanger in time. "Okay," Lance shouted through the inner comm. "Let me get this straight, some girl who is a shadow. That has put you under a spell."
"Forced to turn into a galra actually," Matt corrected him.
"Whatever!" Lance shouted, "But this…this orb is your leash?"
"Almost like that," Keith spoke through the inner comm. "But yeah," then both Lance and Matt turned to one corner and kept on running.
"And do you know how to break the spell?" Lance asked, "You know, to be off the leash? Oh…you know what I mean!"
"I have not a clue," Keith replied as everyone is running out of breath.
On the opposite side of the ship, Pidge, Keith, and Hunk are running as fast as they could. But Keith can feel the irritation that is within his ears as they are against his helmet. But he ignored it as he kept on running. "Hey Keith," Hunk spoke.
"Yeah Hunk?" Keith replied.
"What happens if Lance does drop it and breaks it?" Hunk asked.
"After the orb shatters," Keith began. "I will die instantly."
Hunk gulped, "Not good," he muttered.
"But if we get that orb off of this ship," Keith began. "I will live and I won't be tortured by that shadow again."
"Let's get that to a part of the plan," Lance spoke through the inner comm.
Keith nodded.
"Let's get to the lions first," Pidge suggested. "So, we could get to Atlas and get away from here, so we could be safe. Including you Keith."
"Good thinking Pidge," Keith smiled.
"I agree," Lance, Matt, and Hunk nodded.
"See you guys at the hanger," Lance spoke as he and Matt turned off their inner comm.
While Keith Pidge and Hunk are running through the halls, Keith felt a familiar pull from earlier. He went to a dead stop, "Keith?" Pidge asked as she too stopped, "What's wrong?"
"Did Lance drop the orb or something?" Hunk asked, "If he has, I can call him to check."
"No, it's not that," Keith shook his head.
"Then what is it?" Pidge asked.
"I-I sense Black…" Keith answered, "It's waiting for me at a different hanger."
"He wants us to split up?" Hunk asked.
"I think so," Keith shrugged.
"Well then," Pidge spoke. "Will you be okay on your own?"
"Huh?" Hunk jumped.
"Hey, he's been on the ship a lot longer than any of us." Pidge almost throws her arms around, "So he might have known where to go, but without an escort of course."
"Oh," Hunk understood.
"Don't worry guys," Keith spoke. "I'll be fine and yes; I know my way around the ship. And I will be careful." Including that if I ran into any of those so-called Shadow Ninjas. Keith thought as his eyes nearly brought coldness to them. Also, I have some business to attend to as well. Keith slightly.
"Okay," Pidge nodded. "Then we'll stay out of your way because something tells me that you have a bone to pick with."
"You've got that right," Keith nodded as he felt his left ear twitch within his helmet.
"Well, should we know who it is?" Hunk asked.
"Later," Keith nearly growled. "But I'll see you guys at Atlas."
"You got it, Keith," both Pidge and Hunk have brought thumbs up.
"Oh, by the way," Keith spoke. "If I don't get there in time, remind Lance that…"
"I know, I know." Pidge spoke, "You'll haunt him for the rest of his life if he ever drops the ball."
"Great," Keith smiled. "I know I can count on you."
"Good luck Keith," Hunk spoke. "You'll be needing it."
"Thanks, and you too," Keith replied as Pidge and Hunk went one direction and Keith went to the other.
As the paladins and Matt continue running through the halls, hoping that they won't be able to run into something that will ambush them. Within the shadows, someone is lurking and waiting for the right moment to strike a paladin.