Chapter 11
Stephanie awoke sometime later. Something tasted funny. Probably because there was a sweat sock that had been ducked taped inside her mouth. Her hands had also been taped behind her back. But she listened carefully and heard footsteps above her. Stephanie struggled to get up, but finally she was able to walk over to the set of doors. Then she pressed her ear to it and listened harder.
The footsteps grew louder and she backed away from the door. Hăkon entered the room and closed the doors behind him. They locked automatically and now Stephanie was alone with him.
Sportacus and his father moved the dirt aside and found a set of steel doors. They opened them and found nothing but more dirt. Sportacus was getting frustrated. They were so close he could feel it. Then his father said,
"Look over there." Sportacus followed his gaze and noticed another pile of dirt a few feet away. Quickly, they moved the mound of dirt and this time discovered another set of steel doors. There was a chain through the handles and padlock. The chain and padlock were rusty as if they had been out in the elements too long. But Sportacus looked closer at the door. There was a rusty outline of where the chains once stood and it was obvious that someone had moved them recently. Carefully he pulled the chain and realized that whoever had chained the doors shut had done it from the inside because they were loose enough to fit a slim person's shoulders through. This must be the place that Stephanie was.
Sportacus used his hands to break the rusty chain. His father helped him pull the doors back quietly. Then the two descended down a dark staircase. At the bottom there was a tunnel that split in three ways. Since there were only two of them they would have to be careful. Sportacus took the one to the left and Number Nine took the one in the middle.
Þórir slowly walked down the dark path. It stunk of wet soil and decay. No one had used this passageway for a long time. All the same he had to investigate it thoroughly. Soon he reached another set of doors. These weren't padlocked and he opened them carefully.
Inside the room, he found old rotting furniture and twelve inches of dust. Looking for any signs of life, he stepped on something and broke it. Slowly, Þórir picked up the broken object from beneath his feet. It was picture of two men. Then he recognized who the older of the two were. Quickly, he ran back down the tunnel.
Sportacus' tunnel met with a dead end and he headed back toward the entrance. Stephanie had to be in the other tunnels. He hoped that his father had more luck and he hoped it wasn't too late.
Once at the beginning of the three-way split, Number Nine showed him the picture. Sportacus recognized who it was immediately and the two raced down the last tunnel. Hang on Stephanie we're almost there, Sportacus said to himself.
Hăkon pulled a gun out from behind his back. Stephanie's eyes went wide with fear. He smiled and said,
"I will not fail. You're fiancé will be too late to stop me. I will fulfill my destiny and be welcomed by Odin in Valhalla." Stephanie shook her head. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Then he placed the gun against her temple.
Sportacus and his father saw a light toward the end of the tunnel. They quickened pace and reached the set of doors. But would they be in time to save Stephanie?
To Be Continued…