A/N: A shout out to my anonymous reviewer! The big showdown is almost here. ;) Thanks!


Chapter 34

Elphaba had brought the drawing of Foster with her to show Fiyero and the man they had been questioning. The prisoner confirmed that the likeness was that of Rocky. He then was taken back to the Palace. He'd been helpful and hadn't committed any actual crimes – he'd been an unwilling participant and had taken his first opportunity to leave. He wasn't the only one. Schultz and the others had found three more men. They too claimed that they had been left behind to cover the tracks of the group that had moved ahead before meeting them at the next rendezvous. Instead, they had spoken amongst themselves and decided they'd had enough. They were about to leave when the Gale Force showed up, so they ran.

"Ok, Schultz, Fazil, and Chistery – we need to head to Kiamo Ko. While I know that castle, inside and out, no one else here does. I'm not sure that Foster or this Rocky does either. We could be walking into a place full of bodies. The structure is not as sturdy as it once was and parts haven't had roofs in years. However, we can't assume that we aren't walking into a trap. Foster and Rocky picked this place for a reason," Fiyero addressed his troops.

"We need more troops," Schultz said.

"Chistery – how many Monkeys would it take to cover the exterior of the castle?" Fiyero wanted to know.

"We have enough here with a few to spare," Chistery told him.

"Enough to catch any rabbits then," the Captain winked, using the term for suspects who ran from the scene.

"We can't cover the square footage with the ground troops. The Sergeant has a point," Fazil spoke up.

"He is right but with Flying Monkeys outside, they won't be able to get too far. My bigger concern is that they know of the tunnels underneath the castle," Fiyero frowned.

"Tunnels?" Elphaba asked.

"They were meant as escape tunnels for the royal family, should the castle come under attack. Before we abandoned it, my father had the tunnels sealed. He was concerned that it would be a temptation for looters. We weren't supposed to be gone too long but as you can see, it's been far too long," he explained.

"But if Foster and this Rocky found them, they could have reopened them," Fazil figured.

"It's a possibility," the Prince said. Fazil nodded.

"We can't waste any more time. We have no idea what Foster and Rocky are up to," Elphaba was getting antsy.

"Ok, Flying Monkeys and Elphaba, scout ahead. Get to Kiamo Ko. You'll be faster than us anyway," Fiyero nodded. Elphaba gave a tight smile and then took to the sky on her broom. Chistery and his fellow Monkeys did the same.

Fiyero was right. The group arrived quickly, not noticing anyone travelling toward the castle on the ground. Chistery told the other Monkeys to surround the castle while he and Elphaba took a look around for entry points or activity.

"I have a bad feeling," Elphaba admitted to her longtime friend.

"As do I," Chistery agreed. They stayed hidden as much as they could, circling the base of the old building. There were multiple openings where the men they sought could have entered the castle. Not sure which one to pick to try and find the men, they debated for a few moments. Their debate was disrupted by the sounds of screaming. Elphaba and Chistery rushed into the building and tried to trace the sounds. The screams bounced off the walls and made it difficult to determine. The screams were soon drowned out by a roar that made Elphaba stop in her tracks. She could have sworn that was a lion.

To Be Continued…