Serena let out a resigned sigh, her body sagging further into the couch cushions. She flipped open her phone again, no new messages. The guys had said they would be there ten minutes but that was twenty minutes ago. She groaned and let the phone fall onto the couch as Lizzie McGuire came back on. She watched bored out of her mind as Lizzie went on about a new color of nail polish she had just invented.
It felt like life had ground to a halt after they rescued Caleb and Will. It was crazy to think that less than a week ago, she and her friends had been normal girls. They went to the mall, had sleepovers, and did all the other mindless things kids her age were supposed to do. But in the span of three days, they had received magical superpowers, battled monsters, and rescued Will from an evil prince. It was as if her life had turned into one of VMJ's Corilian Chronicles movies. They also managed to pick up a cute rebel leader along the way.
The only thing was that she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the rebel since they left him at the Lin's. She briefly considered going to see Hay Lin to maybe catch him in passing and at least get to say hi. The problem was she was pretty sure he wouldn't be very receptive to it. He hadn't seemed particularly open to conversation when they brought him to Earth. In fact, he was downright rude to them for most of that trip. Then again, being kicked out of your home and onto another planet would probably make anyone a little crabby. Maybe he would be more approachable after he had a few days to adjust. However, in end it didn't matter because she wasn't exactly sure what she'd say after 'hi'.
Serena had asked Hay Lin about Caleb exactly once, when they were all seated in the cafeteria the next day. She and Irma immediately broke out into devious grins and proceeded to heckle her for the rest of the day. Every little thing she said they would somehow relate back to Caleb. While they were in the locker room after gym, she had offhandedly mentioned that one of her braids had come undone. Irma elbowed Hay Lin and very loudly wondered if Caleb's shaggy hair was long enough to braid. It was a pathetic comparison, and she was clearly reaching for it but there had been other girls in that locker room! They had all looked between the two of them before turning and giggling to themselves. It was so embarrassing! If that little tidbit made it to the Grumper sisters then by the time school let out everyone would know she had a crush on some guy named Caleb. It wouldn't even matter that he didn't go to their school in the first place.
Since then, she had resolutely kept her mouth shut on the subject and let the other girl's ask the questions. Of course, they would still smirk at her briefly before Hay Lin answered them. According to her, Yan Lin had managed to convince her parents that Caleb was a foreign exchange student she had volunteered to host on the condition he would help out in the restaurant. It was slow going trying to get him used to modern technology and mannerisms without tipping off her parents. This was even harder due to the fact that even foreign people already had an inherent grasp on electricity and how it worked. Dinner table conversations were especially awkward since Hay Lin and Yan Lin had to monitor his responses or even answer for him whenever her parents asked a question. They had gotten away with it so far by claiming that English wasn't his first language.
Sometimes Hay Lin would voluntarily give up information like earlier today at lunch. Serena had tried to appear more interested in her mash potatoes than the conversation as Hay Lin told them of her attempts to create a wardrobe for Caleb. They head been sneaking him some of her dad's old clothes, but she was determined to get him out of "old people clothes," as soon as possible. She cheerfully explained all the outfits she had designed for him to blend in with Earth teens. She was even exploring options in different styles although Serena didn't think he would like goth very much.
Her phone suddenly vibrated, snapping her out of her thoughts as she snatched it up and flipped it open. Pressing buttons at the speed of light, a message popped up on her screen.
From Luke: "We're downstairs."
Sent: 3:22pm
She typed out a quick "K" in response before racing out of the living room, taking care to swerve around the glass coffee table. She slid down the hall's hardwood floors before grabbing the corner of the kitchen wall to come to a stop. Bromwell merely raised an eyebrow from his position cutting vegetables for that night's dinner.
"The guys are here. I'll be back around 7pm," she breathed.
"Very well, be safe Ms. Serena," he told her as she grabbed a water bottle off the counter.
"I will!" she called over her shoulder as she ran back down the hallway to the elevator. Slinging her backpack over one shoulder, she kicked her skateboard into her hand and grabbed her helmet off the coat rack as the elevator doors slid open. She stuffed her bottle into a side pocket and when the doors finally opened again, she was greeted with the sight of Luke and Austin leaning against one of the columns in the lobby.
Austin looked up from his phone as the elevator dinged, slipping it into his pocket as she walked over to them. "You ready to go?" He asked, brushing his blond bangs back to put his helmet on.
"Yeah, what took you guys so long?" she replied, setting her skateboard down for a second to buckle her own helmet.
"There was a bunch of people on the sidewalk," Luke answered, pushing off the column. "We couldn't ride for most of the way here."
"Oh. Does that mean we have to walk?" Serena asked dejectedly, kicking her board back into her hand.
"Nah, we can just go up 6th instead of 7th. There shouldn't be a lot off foot traffic right now."
"Sweet."
Austin shot Luke a look over her head but before she could ask what he was grinning for he shouted, "last one there has to pay for snacks!" and bolted for the revolving doors with Luke right behind him.
"No fair!" Serena yelled, startling some people in the lobby before taking off after them. The vending machines at the skatepark were ridiculously priced. It cost like four dollars for a single mini bag of chips.
She made it to the door just a section behind the boys. She glared as Luke turned to blow raspberries at her. With her board under one arm, she pushed against the door, trying in vain to get it to spin faster. Austin grinned rakishly at her before turning as their side of the door met open air. Her side opened up just as they dropped their boards and pushed off. She quickly did the same, kicking furiously to gain speed.
The three of them raced down the sidewalk, weaving around pedestrians, benches, and folded shop signs. Luke had to swerve hard when a woman in a suit suddenly walked out of a store in front of him. She jumped back as he passed, her hand pressed over her earpiece protectively. Serena looked back as she skated by to see her shocked expression morph into disgust. She shook her fist at them, and Serena thought she caught something along the lines "disrespectful punks!" before her voice faded away. She laughed, turning back to her friends, and kicking off again to catch up.
At this point, Austin was about a half a block in front of her with Luke nestled squarely in between them. However, she was gaining ground and lucky for her, Austin was forced to pull up at a red crosswalk. She shifted her foot to the tail of her board as she and Luke rolled to a stop next to him.
"Look who finally decided to catch up," Austin remarked, taking his eyes off the light for a split second to grin at her.
"Oh haha." Serena pushed against his shoulder as he snickered. "I wouldn't be so smug now that you don't have a head start."
"Well, it's a good thing I don't need one," he assured her, swiping his loose bangs across his forehead.
Serena rolled her eyes but didn't grace him with a response, opting instead to catch her breath as the three of them watched the traffic light like a hawk. They each had one foot braced against the concrete, ready for the first flash of green. The cross traffic light went from green to yellow to red and finally the little red hand was replaced by a green walking figure. They surged forwards and were halfway across the street by the time pedestrians had stepped off the curb.
They started to lose steam about halfway up 6th street. It became less about the race and more about the tricks. They skated in a pack, taking turns to pull ahead and do a quick trick before falling back in line. Austin pushed into a crack in the sidewalk with the nose of his board before popping off into a Chinese Nollie. Luke pushed off twice and did a fakey front side 180, popping off the tail and pivoting on the nose to turn the board. After that Serena pushed forward, curling her front foot around the head of her board, and shoving it 180 degrees as she jumped, landing smoothly back on her board.
That when on for another block or two as they approached the turn onto State St. which would take them straight to the skate park. As they neared the corner, the sidewalks were blissfully empty except for some guy trudging along in front of them. The dude looked like he was trying to touch his ears with his shoulders, he was so hunched over. It would probably be best if they cut the tricks as they passed him. They wouldn't want to give him another reason to be ticked off.
Austin and Luke must have come to the same conclusion because they rolled peacefully around him, giving him a wide berth. Once they passed however, they both made a break for the bench sitting on the corner of State St and 6th. Serena was amazed the thing was still standing. The backrest was partially bowed, and all the paint been scrapped of from past boarders grinding on it.
Sure enough, Austin briefly turned over his shoulder to shout back, "Hey guys, watch this!" before turning and popping onto the seat bench. He popped off again just as he reached the edge, grabbing his board and pulling his knees up to get as much air as possible. As he landed, Luke hit the corner and opted to pop off completely, clearing the bench seat.
Serena pushed off, gaining speed and ready to add her own grind marks to countless others when she caught a glimpse of the grumpy guy's face as she passed. "Caleb?!"
Their eyes met for just a split second right before the front wheels of her board hit a particularly large crack in the concrete. The board jerked to a stop under her, sending her flying. She stumbled through a few steps, pain jolting up her legs but managed to successfully keep her feet. She frantically tried to will away the mortified blush that was no doubt blooming as she turned and picked up her traitorous skateboard. At least she didn't fall flat on her face, all though this was only a minor step up.
Serena laughed awkwardly, brushing imaginary dirt off her pants before daring to raise her head. "Hey Caleb, what's up?" she smiled weakly.
His brows were furrowed as he looked between her and the skateboard under her arm. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered quickly. "It happens all the time. Well not all the time - it actually isn't supposed to happen at all. I'm usually-"
"What are you doing?" he asked, thankfully interrupting her pathetic stammering.
She was starting to wish she actually had fallen on her face. Maybe it would've knocked her out and then she wouldn't be having this disaster of a conversation. "It's called skateboarding," she explained anyways. "It's kind of a sport here on Earth. You ride the board and do tricks and stuff. They even have big competitions for it. Last summer SkaterX came to Heatherfield and they did a bunch of cool shows and..." she petered out when she noticed Caleb was looking at her with one brow raised, less than impressed with her rambling. "Uh," her eyes flickered down to his blue t-shirt. "Hey, nice outfit! Did Hay Lin make those?"
Caleb looked down at his clothes, tugging at the hem of his oversized t shirt. Underneath was a white long sleeved tee paired with cargo shorts and a red baseball cap. He looked like any other teenage Earth boy she might see at school.
"Yeah," he mumbled, glaring down at the shirt like it had personally offended him.
Serena raised an eyebrow, her smile faltering. "Okay...? I uh, haven't seen you lately. Whatcha doing?" she asked desperately.
"The Lin's finally decided I could be let out by myself, so I decided to get a lay of the city. It's a lot bigger than ours," he added as an afterthought, gazing up at the skyscrapers and office buildings that surrounded them.
"Oh, that's cool!" She was willing to take anything she was given at this point. "I know some really nice spots. I can show you around if you-"
"Hey Babe, what's the hold up?!"
Serena turned around to see Luke and Austin come around the corner and pull up on either side of her.
"You okay?" Luke asked, glancing briefly at Caleb.
"Yeah, I just tripped over my board," she assured them. "Guys this is Caleb. He's new in town and is staying with Hay Lin."
"S'up dude," Austin nodded.
Caleb looked him up and down before replying, "Hi."
"So..." Luke drawled, turning back to Serena, and giving her a look like 'what's up with this guy?' "Are you coming or what?"
"Yeah," she replied, dropping her board on the ground before turning back to Caleb. "I'll see you around. Enjoy your walk." She briefly waved goodbye before following the boys as they sped off. After they had passed a few store fronts she risked a glance behind her only to find Caleb staring after them. She whipped her head back around, refusing the urge to see if he was still watching. What a nightmare. He probably thought she was a total weirdo now.
"Whys your face so red?" Austin asked as she drifted in beside him.
"My face isn't red," she protested, pressing her hands against her cheeks only to find that they were hot.
"Yeah, it is," Luke insisted, peering at her from her other side. His eyes narrowed before a megawatt grin slowly stretched across his face. "Are you blushing?"
"No!" She kicked off, pushing ahead as the two of them burst out laughing. She frowned but it quickly melted as an idea came to mind. She smirked before pushing off several times in succession, picking up speed and gaining distance quickly. The boys cried out, but she ignored them as she sped away. It was her turn to laugh, there was no way she was paying for snacks.
—-
Serena made sure to bend her knees as she came out of a grind on the park's stair rail. Landing with minimal impact, she swiveled languidly over to her backpack leaning against the fence. Grass and weeds grew tenaciously in the gap between the concrete and the fence. She really should stop dropping her backpack there, a bug might crawl inside it.
Stepping off her board, she pulled her water bottle out of its side pocket and took a swig. She relaxed against the fence, shifting to keep the wire from digging too painfully into her back as she watched Austin rummage through his own pack. Pulling out a small bag of Chex Mix, he made sure to wave it at Luke who just glared at him as he rolled by.
After she had restarted the race, Luke had been forced to bail in order to avoid a couple of kids riding bikes who had come around a blind corner. His board had kept rolling without him and by the time he caught up to it, she and Austin had already crossed the street. He was forced to wait for the light to turn before he could catch up to them. Of course, they had stopped as soon as they had realized what happened and proceeded to taunt him from across the street. They waited for the yellow light before riding off. At this point all three of them were booking it but Luke was unable to make up the distance. About ten seconds after she and Austin had skated through the park's gate, Luke rolled in, scowling at them as they burst out laughing.
"Come on guys," he whined.
Austin wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye before straightening up. "You snooze, you lose man." He did his best to stay calm but when his eyes flickered to Serena who was still cracking up, he descended into laughter again.
"You guys suck," Luke told them before stomping over to the vending machine.
"You lost fair and square," Serena managed to force out between giggles.
"Shut up!"
In the present, she and Austin made eye contact across the park and he winked at her. She chuckled under her breath, pulling out her phone to check the time. Flipping her screen up, she saw that she had a message from Will sent about twenty minutes ago.
From Will: "Meet us at shell beach in 30mins for G. practice"
Sent: 5:13pm
"Oh shoot, hey guys!" she called out as she got to her feet, pulling her backpack over her shoulder.
"What?" Luke yelled back from the top of the ramp.
"The girls messaged me, it's an emergency. I've got to go."
"What? But we just got here!" Austin protested as he stepped on his board and rolled over to her.
"Austin, we got here over an hour ago," she reminded him, deadpanning.
"Whatever," he rolled his eyes, pushing off to join Luke.
"Look, I'll catch up with you guys tomorrow at lunch," she promised before jumping on her board and heading for the gateway.
"Okay, see you tomorrow," Luke waved before jumping down the ramp.
"Bye!"
Serena rolled down the sidewalk, banking around the occasional pedestrian as the sun began to set behind the skyscrapers. Luckily, Pier 53 which hosted the skatepark was fairly close to the West bridge. Shell Beach park was about a mile down the road on the other side. The roads were packed with people coming home for the evening. The sound of their impatient horns added to the city's nighttime ambiance. It was funny, most newcomers complained about the traffic noise at night, but she swore she couldn't fall asleep without at least one siren wailing in the background.
With traffic, it took a little over twenty minutes to make the trip and by the time she hit the parking lot the sun was low in the sky. Tucking her board under her arm she had to restrain herself from running down the boardwalk that would take her down to the beach. They were covered in sand and there was no point in wiping out twice today, despite the fact that there was no one around to see it. When she reached the end, she grimaced at the feeling of deep sand under her sneakers as she picked her way down the bank. Walking on soft sand in anything other than bare feet was just wrong.
As she approached the shore, she was surprised by the lack of people around. There were usually always some late swimmers and strollers that stayed for a while after the sun went down. Not that it was a bad thing. No one across the bay would be able to see them so they were safe unless anyone came over the hill on the boardwalk.
Scanning the beach her eyes landed on a rock outcrop that jutted into the water. Next to one of the rocks were five familiar bikes toppled over in the sand. Of course. She wouldn't be surprised if this locale was Irma's idea. Nestled amongst the boulders that littered the rock base was an old sea cave. It wasn't very deep, maybe only the length of her apartment but it was still a popular spot. There were several burnt logs and stones from fire pits just inside. The boulders at the front of the cave meant you couldn't really see inside unless you were right at the entrance. She had to give Irma credit, it was a perfect place to transform and practice their powers.
Dropping her board and bag in the sand by the bikes, she picked her way up to the mouth of the cave. Just a little ways in was Will and the rest of the girls.
"Hey guys," she greeted as she climbed down the rocks, jumping to the sandy cave floor. "What'd I miss?"
"Where have you been?" Cornelia demanded, looking down her nose. "We've been waiting forever."
"Shut up Cornelia, I was skating, so I didn't have my phone on me," she explained, narrowing her eyes. Less than ten seconds in Cornelia's presence and she's already fed up with her attitude. Must be a new record. The other blonde huffed and rolled her eyes. Serena took a deep breath before turning to the others. "So are we practicing in here or out on the beach because I didn't see anyone else when I got here."
"I-I wish I was at home," Taranee whimpered, clutching her shoulders as she shivered. "It would be warmer and-" she shrieked, ducking down and nearly knocking into Serena as a bat flew over her head and out of the cave. "...less bat infested," she finished in a shaky voice.
"I'm starving," Hay Lin announced, completely unbothered by the bat's presence. "I wish I had a big sugary donut."
"I think I've got a granola bar in my backpack," Serena offered, gesturing outside the cave.
Hay Lin clapped her hands delightedly. "Really?"
"Bats are more afraid of us than we are of them, right?" Taranee interjected. She was shaking so hard that it was getting hard to tell if it was from the cold or fear.
"In your case Taranee, I think it may be a tossup," Cornelia smirked.
Serena shot her a dirty look before placing her hands on Taranee's shoulders, gently guiding her away from the cave mouth. "If you stand against the wall, the bats will ignore you and fly right passed," she reassured.
Will sighed. It was getting late and she promised her mom she'd be back by dinner. "Enough about bats and donuts it's time for magic practice. Are you guys ready to jam?" she cheered.
Hay Lin's eyes widened as Will inadvertently pinned down her craving. "Jam donuts!"
Will shushed her and pull the Heart out from under her puffy orange vest. "Guardians unite!" she commanded.
The Heart flashed before floating out of her hand and hovering above their heads. Six balls of pink light emerged from the crystal, flying through the air, and encircling the girls. Serena's vision whited out as the warm light enveloped her, her body curling into a ball. A cool wave flooded through her as she received her powers. When the light faded, her feet gently touched back down on the sand, now clad in the purple boots of her Guardian form.
Hay Lin whooped in excitement and wasted no time in zooming out of the cave to take to the sky. The others followed her to watch as she did a series of flips, steadily climbing in the air. Just when Serena was starting to get concerned that someone might see her, she suddenly dove straight down at breakneck speed. She pulled up at the last second, laughing ecstatically as she skimmed across the surface, leaving a wake behind her.
"Show off," Irma huffed as Hay Lin flew passed them.
That was not how she would have described it, Serena thought as she let out a sigh of relief. She understood that Hay Lin being the Guardian of Air meant she was a natural flier. But that doesn't mean she should attempt death defying stunts just because she can. This was only the third time they had transformed after all.
"You want to go next?" Irma asked Serena, lounging on one of the boulders.
"Nah, I'll go once my heart starts beating at a normal rhythm," she replied, making Irma laugh.
"I guess that means it's your turn Taranee."
Taranee's head whipped around as her eyes widened incredulously. "What? No. Why do I have to..." she faded out at the look on Irma's face and begrudgingly took a step forward. She cupped her shaking hands and a red fireball flickered into being above them. The fireball grew and Taranee tried to juggle it between her hands, but it got too big too fast and she was forced to drop it. It hit the sand and extinguished into a cloud of smoke making her cough before waving it away.
Serena saw Will and Cornelia look at each other concerned. Despite their success during the rescue mission, it seemed like their grasp on their powers hadn't improved. They would have to get better fast if they were going to make battling monsters a regular thing, although she severely hoped not. She sometimes had to make a conscious effort to not think about how dangerous the whole thing was else, or she'd get overwhelmed. The first two nights after the rescue she woken herself up crying from nightmares from the memory of it all. They had been so helpless and vulnerable; it was scary to think how easily they could have been killed.
She took a deep breath to steady herself, although the exhale came out shaky, and faced down the beach. "Hey guys watch this," she requested.
Flapping her wings, she rose a few feet off the air to get some space before extending her arms to the side. Remembering the move she used to fight off the Lurdens in the dungeon, she summoned the shadows. They billowed from her palms, flying around her, and connecting in a ring. She tried to transfer its control to one hand, but it felt her control start to waver. The ring quivered as random plumes began to burst out and whisp away. Panicking, Serena broke the ring and sent whatever darkness remained hurtling into the beach away from them. Like a thick black spear, it gouged a deep line into the sand before dissipating completely.
The girls gawked at the damage before turning to her in shock.
"Uh... tada?" She said hesitantly with a shrug. At least it didn't explode on her or something. Not to mention it could potentially be combat related. She wondered if she could do the same to a group of Lurdens. Or maybe not exactly the same, she didn't want to accidentally cut them in half, that would be gross.
"Oh yeah? Well top this," boasted Irma as she got to her feet, brandishing her arms towards the ocean. "I give you, Cornelia!" Waving her arms, a mass of sea water rose from the surface, coagulating into a ball before forming the shape of Cornelia's head. The rippling of the water created her features which happen to include a very misshapen nose.
"Thanks for the nose," Cornelia sneered, crossing her arms.
"Cornelia with a broken nose," Irma amended as the other girls clapped, ignoring Cornelia's pouting. Serena was actually impressed, that much water had to have been heavy. At least one of them was getting a handle on things.
Unfortunately, she spoke too soon because as Irma dropped her hands to bow for her audience, her control over the water was lost. The mass of water burst from its shape and rained down on them... along with all of the sea life that had been occupying it.
"Move!" Serena shouted as she and the other girls took off running. She darted up the beach as fish, eels and crabs crashed into the sand around her. Suddenly a particularly large fish slammed into her back, landing right on her wings. She stumbled, knees hitting the sand as searing pain flooded her shoulders and chest. She couldn't breathe, it felt like her lungs were locked in a vice. She knelt there for a moment, trying to make the world spin back into focus before getting to her feet wobbly. She turned and made a beeline for the cave but opted to skid for a stop as soon as she hit the line of boulders. Forgoing the cave, she hunkered down at the base of one, curling into a ball and covering her head with her arms. Her wings ached from where they were pressed into the rock but at least they're were protected from further onslaught.
When the sound of falling objects stopped, Serena cracked open her eyes and lifted her head, swiping a wet strand of hair out of her eyes. The beach was covered in flailing sea life. Fish bounced about on the sand, making a desperate attempt to return to water. Lowering her arms, she picked herself up and looked around for the others. She could see Irma still on the ledge she had occupied earlier. Will and Hay Lin were standing at the base of the dunes near the boardwalk breathing heavy while Cornelia emerged from behind some rocks beside her.
Taranee was running wildly around the beach, clutching her face. Was she hurt? Serena wondered, taking a step forward. She was just about to call for the other girls when Taranee turned and started heading in her direction. As she got closer, Serena noticed red covering the left side of her face. For a split second she was afraid that Taranee was bleeding but as she squinted, she realized that a starfish was simply covering her glasses.
Serena let out a wheezy chuckle despite herself and walked out from behind the bolder to stop Taranee before she ran into something. She reached out and grabbed her as she tried to run past. Yanking her back, she smacked her hands away from her face so she could pull off her glasses.
Taranee blinked, blinking rapidly as her world went fuzzy. "What are you doing?"
"You've got a starfish on your face," Serena informed her as she carefully peeled back the legs of the starfish until it detached. Once it was free of the glass she turned and flung it back into the ocean. After handing Taranee her glasses she glanced back at Irma who had climbed down the rock.
"Hey, can you pull them back in or something?" She asked, gesturing to the fish gaping desperately at her feet. "They're all going to die." She felt bad for them, suffocating had to be a horrible way to go.
"Oh great, because round one wasn't good enough," Cornelia griped, pulling seaweed from her hair.
Irma ignored her but looked nervously at the water. After a few seconds she nodded her head and reached out to the minute waves that washed along the shore. She latched onto them and drawing her hand back, tried to coax it forward. At first nothing happened but slowly the waves began to travel up the beach. Serena pulled Taranee into the air with her as the water passed under their feet. Irma manipulated the water to cover half the beach before allowing it to build depth. As the water got deeper Serena could see fish start to wriggle and turn right side up in the water.
After a few moments, Irma began to let the water retreat back into the sea. She made sure to go slow enough so the creatures wouldn't become stranded again. When the water finally reached the shoreline, she let it collapse, bracing herself on her knees as she took a few deep breaths. Looking out across the beach, the sand was clear apart from the occasional stray crab.
"Nice job Irma," Hay Lin praised, giving her a thumbs up as she and Will flew over to meet them.
"Thanks," Irma panted, her chest still heaving from the exertion. "I'm exhausted."
"Yeah," said Will looking at the darkening sky. The sun had completely slipped below the horizon by now, the last rays of daylight creating a belt of orange and pink. "I would say that's enough for one day."
"You think?" asked Cornelia.
The girls laughed as Will summoned forth the heart and released their transformations. Thankfully, returning them to their dry clothes.
Serena rolled her shoulder as they walked back to the cave to retrieve their gear, noticing the distant ache in her shoulder blades from her wings. Hopefully, that would go away soon. Reaching into her backpack pocket, she pulled out the granola bar and tossed it to a very grateful Hay Lin. Tucking her board under her arm, she chatted amiably with the girls as they walked their bikes down the boardwalk to the parking lot. As they mounted their bikes, Serena sat her skateboard down beside Irma's. There was no way she would be able to keep up with them on their bikes, so she had to resort to being towed.
"We really need to keep a rope for when this happened," She mused as she grabbed ahold of the back rail of Irma's bike. It was an awkward position, she had to partially bend over the back wheel and would have to keep an eye on her board the whole time to keep them from colliding.
Traffic had lightened up as they made their way back to the Silver Dragon and twenty minutes of nerve wracking riding later, they pulled up to the Silver Dragon's service entrance. The girls ditched their bikes against the brick wall by the dumpster and went around to the front door. It was after restaurant hours, today was a half day for the staff, but Hay Lin had a key.
"Well, that went... well ...don't you think," Will asked hesitantly as they approached the door.
"I don't know what your definition of 'well' is, but I'd say that anything's better that a rouge Cedric," Serena spoke up.
Irma shuddered. "If I never see that corrupt slinky again it'll be too soon," she agreed.
"You're telling me," Will mumbled and Serena shot her a sympathetic smile. The day after they came back from Meridian, Will had hesitated when they reached her stop as they were walking back from school. They had all seen the way she gripped her backpack like a shield when faced with the alley she used as a shortcut. Taranee immediately stepped up and linked her arm with Will's, breaking her out of her dark thoughts. She promised Will that she would escort her to make sure nothing happened. Hay Lin had also had the brilliant idea of the other girls being on call with them as they walked. That way if anything did decide to jump out and make a second kidnapping attempt, the rest of them would hear it and come running. Will thanked them profusely and they had stuck to that routine for the last few days.
Suddenly Taranee's eyes got wide and she started squirming violently as she tried to pull at her shirt and dress. "I feel something down the back of my neck!" she squeaked.
"Hold still," Serena said as she came up behind Taranee, holding her shoulders to keep her still. Taranee's skin was warm against her hand as she reached down the back of her shirt but then she ran into something wet and cold. It was probably just a piece of seaweed that had fallen into her clothes. She had been out in the middle of the beach unprotected when everything was raining on them. As she pulled it out, Serena wrenched back when instead of a strand of seaweed, a live eel came out of Taranee's shirt. It was slimy and wriggling to the point that it almost came up and bit her hand. Barely suppressing a squeal of disgust, she tossed into down the street just as Taranee turned around.
"What was it?" she asked, looking around for the object only to find nothing in Serena's hand.
From behind Taranee, Serena saw Will shake her head vigorously. "Uh... nothing," she replied quickly, wiping her hands on her pant leg, trying not to grimace at the texture of the slime. "Just a piece of seaweed."
"But why was it moving?" Taranee pushed.
"Uh..." She wasn't sure how to explain that one. Turning to the other girls for help, she made eye contact with Hay Lin and widened her eyes pleadingly.
"Oh," Hay Lin gasped dramatically, turning to the door, and frantically pressing her key into the lock. "You guys have got to come in and see Caleb's new outfit," she insisted and ushered them all inside. As Serena passed, she met her mouthed "thank you" with a wink.
"I made this really cute retro aviator 50's thing," Hay Lin continued as they went to go through the kitchen to her foyer. "He didn't like it but if your five hold him down-"
"Girls? Girls!" Yan Lin burst through the kitchen doors right as they were about to walk in. "I have some terrible news," she said gravely.
Irma looked confused for a moment before snapping her finger. "That eel down Taranee's neck was poisonous?" she guessed.
"Irma!" Serena hissed, making a cutthroat motion rapidly as her eyes darted to Taranee.
"Oops." Irma smacked a hand across her mouth.
Taranee turned slowly to face Serena. "What eel?" she asked in a small voice.
"No eel! There's no eel," Serena assured, waving away the notion while looking pointedly at Irma.
"Caleb is gone," Yan Lin continued. "I'm afraid he may have returned to Meridian."
"What?!" Serena exclaimed along with the other girls as they looked at each other in shock. "That's impossible!" she insisted. "I saw him just a few hours ago. He said he was scoping out the city!"
"You saw Caleb?" Irma smirked while Hay Lin raised an eyebrow curiously. "How did that go?"
"Fine, " Serena said quickly, glancing at the floor. She saw Irma and Hay Lin grin from the corner of her eye but thankfully Taranee spoke up before she either of them could press her for details.
"Why would he go back to Meridian?" she wondered. "I thought Cedric and his guards were still looking for him."
"They most likely are," said Yan Lin. "Phobos is not one to let prisoners get away. He will hunt him down and this time he will not hesitate to execute him."
"Did he leave anything behind?" Will asked. "Maps, or battle plans or something?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted.
Serena and the girls glanced at each other before making a dash for the kitchen and bursting through the doors leading to the Lin's foyer. Will went straight for the basement door, flicking the light on as the rest of them followed her down the stairs. Stacks of boxes and unused furniture lined the walls. Some of the boxes had come open, revealing old pictures, kitchen equipment and traditional Chinese decorations inside. Under a window well facing the sidewalk outside sat the cot Caleb had been sleeping on. Oddly enough, nuts, bolts and other old junk littered the floor around it. Serena couldn't see anything that looked like it belonged to Caleb but there was a foul stench in the air. Her face pinched as she switched to breathing through her mouth and pulled her shirt over her nose.
"What that smell?" Will gagged, grimacing as she waved to try and clear the air in front of her.
"The last time I smelled that my French fries went missing," Irma pointed out.
They followed the rotten garbage like stench and came upon a familiar tiny set of clothes resting on a box near Caleb's cot. A swarm of flies buzzed above them. There was no guessing who they belonged to.
"Blunk," the girls groaned.
"That is disgusting," Serena remarked, pinching her nose through her shirt.
"Why would he come here?" Hay Lin asked. "Caleb doesn't even like him."
"Hey, nobody likes him, but he's got to go somewhere," Taranee reasoned.
"To be honest, I don't think Caleb really likes anybody," Serena sighed, shaking her head sadly.
"Aww don't worry babe, he'll come around," Irma cooed, nudging her side. "Besides, I think I know where to find the little troll. We'll need to be magic pixies again, sorry I meant Guardians," she corrected sarcastically.
Will nodded and pulled out the Heart, it's rippling light bathing the room in a pink glow.
Taranee's shoulder slumped at the sight. "I was really hoping we wouldn't have to do this again tonight," she admitted.
"Forget about it," Irma waved her off. "Where we're going there are no bats, no eels, no crabs," she promised as the light from the Heart grew brighter.
"Somehow I've got a feeling this is another one of your 'secret spots'," Serena whispered to Irma who just chuckled in response as the light engulfed them.
After they transformed, they followed Irma out of the restaurant to the back alley. She peaked her head out of the service door, and seeing that the coast was clear, ushered them through. They flew for the skyline as quick as possible, hugging the alley walls for cover. Night had fallen while they were in the restaurant which meant the only source of light came from windows and streetlamps below. It was dark enough that anyone looking up would have a hard time identifying them as humans let alone making out their faces.
Irma led them to an alleyway in the shopping district downtown. "Bingo!" she exclaimed as they dived down, landing next to a row of dumpsters behind a fast food joint. Several rats scurried away as they touched down, startling Taranee who reflexively took a step back. Her eyebrows furrowed when she felt something under her shoe and lifted it to reveal an old wad of gum stretching between her sole and the pavement. She groaned in disgust, frantically rubbing her shoe on the ground to scrape off the gum. "Exactly what do you guys have against dry, well-lit places?"
Serena grimaced, checking the ground around her before lifting her own foot just in case. "Treasure!" cheered a raspy voice, interrupting her inspection. Serena's head shot up, stumbling slightly as she put her foot down. She had definitely heard someone speak but there was no one there besides the girls. She jumped when loud bang came from one of the dumpsters and the pile of garbage inside shifted, sending old cans tumbling onto the ground.
"Light please," Will requested.
Taranee flicked her wrist and a fireball materialized in her hand. With a wave, she directed it to hover gently above the dumpster. It's flickering orange light illuminated the alley just as Blunk surfaced from the pile of garbage. His eyes widened when he saw the six of them surrounding him. "Guardians," he gulped.
Hay Lin suddenly gasped. "What is he wearing?" she growled.
Serena glanced at her confused before taking a closer look at Blunk. He was wearing a blue t shirt and red baseball cap. At first, she though he had just dug them out of another dumpster but now that she thought about it, they did look kind of familiar. Searching her memory, the embarrassing incident from earlier flashed across her mind. "Are those Caleb's clothes?" she asked incredulously.
"Ooo sweet, Blunk styling," he replied, grinning smugly as he spun the cap around on his head. He dug through the trash and pulled out a cracked makeup mirror, admiring his scattered reflection.
Serena sighed, rubbing the bride of her nose at his antics. "Focus Blunk," she snapped her fingers in front of his face, breaking his adoring gaze with the mirror. "Caleb is missing, we think he's gone back to Meridian. We need to find a portal."
"No, no portal secret!" he protested, shaking his head rapidly as the girls closed in around him.
Will crossed her arms, looking at him skeptically. "You showed Caleb where it was," she pointed out.
"He pay with tight threads," Blunk countered, tugging at the sleeves of the shirt Caleb gave him.
He started to shift his way towards the wall of the dumpster, but Irma slammed a foot down on the rim before he could make any escape attempt. "How do you know where the portals are anyway?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as if daring him to try her.
He chuckled nervously before resuming his place in the center of the pile. "Blunk always know, Blunk a Passling. Passlings can smell." He explained, pointing to his hoglike nose.
"Boy is that an understatement," Taranee groaned under her breath, swiping her hand in front of her nose.
Serena didn't blame her. Despite his change of clothes, Blunk still smelled like a landfill covered in sewage. Between him and the surrounding garbage it was getting hard to breathe. She tried to keep her mind off the smell to avoid getting sick. Her stomach was already feeling queasy.
"Smelling portals good for smuggling," Blunk continued, looking between the girls suspiciously. "If Blunk show, girls close!"
"We have to close it or evil oozes through," Will snapped, running out of patience.
"It's like putting the cap on the toothpaste," Irma elaborated. Her face went blank as she realized what she said and smacked herself in the forehead. "What am I saying, you've obviously never used toothpaste in your life."
Serena took a deep breath. This was getting them nowhere and the more time they wasted the more likely Caleb could be in trouble. If Blunk accepted payment from Caleb in return for to portal's location, then maybe he would do the same for them. The only trouble was figuring out what the little toad wanted in exchange. "Look," she sighed. "What do you-"
"I can't believe you're wearing those clothes!" Hay Lin burst out, her nostrils flaring as if to blow steam as she hovered over the dumpster.
Serena blinked. That wasn't exactly where she had been going with that.
In spite of the obvious rage radiating off of Hay Lin, Blunk grinned and posed proudly in his new clothes. "Blunk got it going on," he bragged.
"Oh no, Blunk got it coming off. I made those clothes for Caleb," Hay Lin seethed, getting more up in his face with every word. "When I find him, he's going to wish Phobos found him first."
Blunk yelped, scrambling to get away from the furious Air Guardian. He dived back under the trash and reappeared through a rusted out hole in the bottom corner of the dumpster. He took off running down the alley and darted around the corner.
"After him!" Will shouted.
The six of them raced after him by air, gaining height as they whipped around the corner. From above, the tracked him down the block as he jumped over trash cans and ducked under flower boxes. He glanced behind him once and shrieked when he saw that they were still chasing him. He ran straight for a streetlamp, grabbing the pole and slinging himself around the corner. The girls started to gain on him just as he reached an open manhole cover and dove in. The girls pulled up short as blue lightning erupted from the manhole.
Well at least they knew where the portal was now, Serena thought as one by one the girls dived in after him. She braced herself for the all-encompassing squeeze but thankfully it didn't seem to last as long as it had the first time. Emerging on the other side in a shower of sparks, she settled down on the edge of a rocky cliff next to Will. They had landed on the mountain range that surrounded the capital city of Meridian. On the other side of the valley was the castle, sticking out like a stain on the landscape.
"Ugh, why is it always dark here?" Cornelia complained, frowning at the impenetrable black clouds that covered the sky.
"Different time zone," Irma jumped in. "Evil is five hours ahead of us."
"Wait, really?" Serena turned to her surprised. How did she know that? Did Caleb tell her?
Irma winked at her like she knew exactly where her thoughts had gone. Serena whipped around to stare down the cliff as Irma snickered to herself. Why did she always have to do this to her?
"The little green rat is going that way," Hay Lin growled, pointing to Blunk's retreating figure as he ran down the mountainside. "Hey! That's 400 thread silk quit dragging the sleeves!" She jumped off the cliff, diving headfirst down the slope after him. Thanks to her wings, she made up the distance within seconds, shooting passed him and coming to a stop directly in front of the passing. Putting her hands on her hips, she glared daggers at Blunk who skid to a stop just before he ran into her legs. Realizing he was caught; he had the decency to look thoroughly chastised as the other girls landed beside Hay Lin.
"I swear if those clothes have so much as one rip in them, I will boot you back to Phobos's dungeon myself," Hay Lin threatened. Blunk whimpered, curling into himself to make him seem smaller.
It was almost funny. But then again Serena knew that if she dared crack a smile, Hay Lin's anger would turn on her as well. Plus, she knew how much effort went into making those clothes. She had a few Hay Lin originals in her closet from various costume parties throughout the years. She could understand that Hay Lin would be upset that all her hard work wasn't being appreciated.
"Speaking of clothes," Will continued, looking at the city below. "The wings are kind of obvious, don't you think?"
"If we're going to be running around the set of Lord of the Rings, we're going to need some sort of disguise," Irma agreed.
"Oh yeah, and where are you planning to get one?" Cornelia inquired. "This place doesn't exactly have a mall."
"Well not necessarily," Taranee spoke up, pushing her glasses higher on her nose. "Cities are based around the principle that crops and other food are being brought in to be sold to the people. Haven't you guys ever heard of a farmer's market?"
"Which means there are bound to be plenty of shops or markets around here," Irma finished. "Besides," she shrugged, "we could always steal stuff from a clothesline if we have to."
"Um, I'm pretty sure that only happens in movies," Serena pointed out.
"If you haven't noticed babe, our lives are a movie," Irma rebutted.
"Let's just go look," Will sighed, running a hand over her face. "Blunk do you know of any place that might sell clothes?"
"Oh yes!" Blunk perked up, dashing away from Hay Lin to beam up at Will. "Blunk know lots of places, Blunk popular businessman."
"Sure," Will drawled.
They followed Blunk down the rest of the mountain. Near the base, a dirt road snaked up a pass, turned into cobblestone as they entered the city. Tall, whitewashed buildings surrounded them on either side. The walls were crisscrossed with dark wooden beams that looked like something out of a history book. Most houses had several floors and a store sign hanging above the front door. And yet, they all appeared to be closed. Some of the windows on the lower floors were even boarded up. It was a big difference compared to Heatherfield where even in the middle of the night there were neon lights and billboards and tons of people still out and about. It was so quiet here, like the whole city was holding its breath.
It didn't help the fact that enormous thorn covered vines stretched across each of the buildings. They looked exactly like the ones from the swamp and like those, they all lead directly to the castle. It reminded Serena of Sleeping Beauty and the thick forest of thorns that surrounded the princess's castle.
To make things worse, it started to rain. Lightning arched across the sky, and from atop a nearby chimney, a blood chilling screech echoed through the night. The girls stopped in their tracks as a large creature lifted its head, its long beak lined with jagged teeth. Stretching out its massive wings, the membranes caught the wind and it lifted into the sky. It shrieked in outrage at being disturbed before gliding away and disappearing behind a pointed rooftop. It took a moment for Serena's brain to catch up with what she was seeing. After a few seconds she realized the creature looked like one of those flying dinosaurs from science class.
"This place is not right," Irma mumbled beside her. Serena nodded wordlessly.
After a few more minutes of walking through empty streets, muddy water splashing up on their tights, they turned a corner onto a town square and Blunk lit up. "Yes! Still open!" he cried, dashing over to a corner shop. The girls hurried after him, not wanting to be caught in the open by themselves. Soaking wet, they huddled together under the shops hinged wooden awning.
Clutching her shoulders desperately to control her shivering, Serena peered into the shop. It seemed to consist of just one room from what she could tell. Lining the walls were wooden shelves filled with ceramic pots, jars, and scrolls. Bundles of dried plants hung from the rafters and wooden barrels sat stacked in a corner. Next to one of the shelves were several dark brown capes hanging on pegs.
Suddenly a tall, heavily built man stood up from underneath the counter. Dusting off his hands, he narrowed his eyes when he noticed the girls. "What do you want," he asked gruffly, crossing his arms. He towered over them even with the extra height from their Guardian forms. His arms were thicker than Serena's head and his bushy beard did nothing to disguise his scowl.
No one answered him immediately. Serena's eyes darted to the other girls. She didn't want to say anything, he looked like he could snap her spine in half with one hand! Will was the leader so she should be the one to talk to him. She reached around Irma and pinched Will's side.
"Ugh!" Will jumped. "Um... can we have those capes over there?" she asked in a small voice, pointing hesitantly to them. "Please?"
The shopkeeper turned to look where she was pointing before scanning the six of them suspiciously. "35 pence," he demanded shortly.
"Uh..." Will looked at the other girls for help. Serena shrugged, it's not like they had a clue how the money system here worked. Even if they did, they didn't have any money or any way to carry it. The Guardian outfits didn't come with pockets. A grievous error on the Heart's part if you asked her.
Will gulped and turned back to the shopkeeper. "We don't exactly have any money," she admitted sheepishly.
"No money, no cloaks," he snapped.
Blunk pushed his way to the front, pulling a used and battered tea bag from his pocket and slapping it on the counter. "Candy on string. Trade?" He offered.
The clerk regarded the crumpled tea bag and looked back at the passing, not even dignifying him with a response.
Not one to be put off, Blunk shrugged and popped the tea bag in his mouth, chewing contently while the girls grimaced behind him. He ate the thing paper, string, and all!
"No trades," the clerk said resolutely. "I already got stuck today with a cart load of wet firewood I can't burn." He gestured to a stack of wood leaning against the store front next to the girls.
Will drifted over to the pile. She contemplated it for a moment before suddenly snapped her fingers. "Will you give us the cloaks if we dry it out for you?" she asked, giving Taranee a knowing look.
"What are you the sun?" The clerk snorted dismissively.
Will turned to Taranee who winked in response and extended her hand over the firewood. She summoned an intense heat but kept it concentrated to just the air around her hand, creating a dim orange glow. The heat sunk into the wood, instantly evaporating the water, and dispelling it in a burst of steam.
The shopkeeper gaped as he tentatively lifted a log, staring at the dried wood in awe. "I-I also have some wet laundry," he said quickly, his tone suddenly much more friendly.
Serena frowned at his sudden change in attitude. She knew where this was going. She'd played this game one to many times in class whenever she brought out a pack of gum. Suddenly every kid around her was making offers for trades, various amounts of money or half-baked promises for 'just one piece'. The problem was that the shopkeeper had the metaphorical pack of gum in this situation. If they let him, he could run them into the dirt with chores before he gave up the cloaks.
"Hold on a second," she spoke up, pulling her shoulders back as she met the clerk's eyes head on. He raised an eyebrow at her little display and she quickly deflated an inch. "W-we dried the wood, so can we have the cloaks now please?" she asked sweetly.
The clerk bristled. "Why I- I never said that I would give you the cloaks in return for drying the wood," he replied, crossing his arms smugly.
Serena's polite smile dropped. This is exactly what she suspected would happen. However, there was no way she was going to let him wring them for all they're worth. "Fine," she growled. "Name your price. You've got the Guardians of the Veil at your service for one, and I mean ONE task only."
The clerk startled, backing further into his shop as he looked them over. His eyes bulged out of his head as he took in the iridescent wings on their backs. "You- you're the Guardians of the Veil?" he asked softly.
Serena glanced apprehensively at Will. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best idea. She didn't think to consider whether or not he was loyal to Phobos. Even if he wasn't there was still the chance that he could still raise the alarm out of fear for himself. They had a lot to lose but also a lot to gain. They needed to find Caleb no matter what, he was their only tie to the rebellion and without him they wouldn't be able to do their jobs as Guardians.
Will seemed to be thinking along the same lines because she nodded reassuringly at Serena before placing her hand over her chest. Drawing it away, the Heart of Kandrakar materialized against her palm, casting its pink light on the clerk's astonished face.
"I can't believe it." He checked both ways down the street before leaning over the counter. "Are you with the rebellion?" he whispered.
"Yes!" Serena nodded quickly. "One of our fellow rebels is missing, we're trying to find him before he gets captured."
"Then you'll need these." The clerk backed away and lifted the cloaks off their pegs before handing them to Will. "I stand with the rebellion, Phobos has ruled in tyranny for too long. I hope you find your friend," he said, smiling for the first time.
"Thank you. We will find some way to repay you," she promised as she passed the cloaks around.
"Taking down Phobos is payment enough," the clerk assured Will. "Good luck."
The girls thanked him again profusely before drawing the hoods over their heads and hurrying down the street. Serena wrapped the cloak around her shoulders, making sure to fold her wings down against her back. The fabric was thick and soft to the touch. It felt more like a blanket than a piece of clothing. Immediately, warmth bloomed under the cloak, releasing the numbness that had started to settle against her skin. Despite being made of untreated fabric, the cloaks actually kept most of the rain off. Serena pulled the edges of her cloak across her stomach, wrapping it around her. She always hated the fact that umbrellas and raincoats did little to keep her legs dry. She hated getting wet, the water droplets always itched as they slid down her skin.
"So, what now?" Cornelia asked as they took shelter under a bridge connecting the upper floors of two buildings across each other.
"We find Caleb, we bring him back to Earth and we lock him in the basement until he explains why he ditched his clothes," Hay Lin demanded, pounding her fist into her palm.
Irma raised an eyebrow, slowly turning to make eye contact with Serena who shook her head minutely. Hay Lin shifted and Serena froze, thinking she had seen their silent exchange. Thankfully, she seemed preoccupied with glaring daggers into the air in front of her. They weren't kidding when they said a good man going to war was scary. Hay Lin rarely ever got truly angry so seeing her so worked up was always a shock to the system.
"Or..." Will drawled, "we could just ask him why he left in the first place. He might need our help; he could be in trouble."
"Oh, he will be," Hay Lin swore, grinding her fist.
"Um, newsflash!" Cornelia interjected. "We're in a strange, magical city overrun by monsters. How are we supposed to find Caleb if we can't even walk around without fear of being arrested?"
"Ask someone for directions to Rebel HQ?" Irma suggested with a shrug.
"Okay, but who are you planning on asking?" Serena retorted, gesturing to the empty street.
"Blunk do you know where the rebel's hideout is?" Will asked the soaked Passling at their feet. I bet he wished he were wearing his old clothes now, Serena thought, her lips twitching. At least his smelly orange tunic had a hood.
"Blunk not know. Hideout secret, big secret," he told them. "Rebels not know either."
"The rebels don't know where their own hideout is?" Cornelia arched her brow skeptically.
"Not new ones," he explained. "Keep away spies."
"Great," Serena sighed. "So even if we somehow managed to find a rebel, there's no guarantee they'd be able to help us." As much as it inconvenienced them, she had to admit the rebel's philosophy made sense. They couldn't just take anyone into their ranks or Phobos would know where their hideout was within a week. It was smart but it also put her and the others at a disadvantage.
"We can't ask just anyone in their street," Will concluded, "they could be in league with prince power mad."
Taranee rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "The shop keeper was sympathetic, he might know something," she suggested.
"Good idea Taranee." Will stuck a handout to test the rain, before stepping out from under the bridge. "Let's hurry up and get back to the shop before someone-"
"What are you doing over there?!"
Serena and the others whipped around to see a rough looking humanoid with grey skin stomping towards them. He wore a metal helmet and crisscrossing leather straps across his chest. A misshapen sword riddled with holes was clenched tightly in his fist. His belt buckle boasted a familiar crest of two oppositely orientated triangles separated by a gold circle. Not good.
"Run!" Will shouted. The six off them took off down the street, ignoring the guard's call for them to stop. The cloaks weighed them down and kept them from simply flying away but they couldn't just ditch them. The guard would raise an alarm that the Guardians were here, alerting every one of Phobos' cronies and making their job that much harder.
Serena risked a quick glance back at the guard. They had managed to gain some distance thanks to the element of surprise, but he was still on their tail. With those long legs he would bridge the gap and be right on top of them in no time.
She was starting to run out of breath so she scanned the rows of buildings for anything they could use to slow him down. They were coming up on several carts parked next to what looked like a stable, but they would take too long to set up. On the other side of the street was a stack of barrels but she had no idea how heavy they would be. Besides, it would only slow him down, they needed to lose him entirely.
Around an upcoming bend, her eyes caught a break in the long line of uninterrupted buildings. From what she could see, the road branching off looked a lot smaller than the street they were currently on. An alley way, perfect. She glanced back at the guard one more time before calling to the other girls. "This way!" She felt the others put on a burst of speed as they raced around the bend, heading straight for the mouth of the alley. As they whipped around its corner, she really hoped it wasn't a dead end or they were screwed.