Alice could not stop glaring at Kat.

“Hey, it worked and you know it,” the young student spoke, discreetly keeping the door partially open and peeking through into the corridor.

Alice’s fiery gaze would not relent, glancing over her shoulder at the other women that had been brought over. The tension had kept them mostly to themselves, with Ms. Dodson not missing the chance to discreetly making sure there were several of them between herself and Alice. Not that the teacher cared much currently; each time she looked at them she could not help but remember the events in the bus and it gnawed at her nervousness.

“Oh shit, they brought Dia.”

“What?”

“Dia, cute nurse, pink uniform? She’s been stuck to Rick like glue whenever she wasn’t working. Or so Tomas won’t shut up about.” Kat rolled her eyes, pointing at the door. “She just went through in a hurry. Someone’s hurt down there for sure.”

Alice’s stomach felt as if it’d been plunged into a bucket of ice.

“We need to help Rick.”

“I don’t think they’re going to carry you away if I slap you,” Kat muttered, rubbing her chin in thought.

“What you did was a stupid idea,” Alice snapped, turning towards the others as she felt her determination swell. Her lips pursed as she grimaced. Clenching her fists, she grabbed Kat’s wrist and yanked, pulling her towards the other women.

This had not gone unnoticed. Heads swiveled to focus on the duo, the fastest of which being Ms. Dodson’s. The older woman stood up, smoothing out her clothes, eyes fierce even if her expression was calm. “Yes?”

“I faced off against a spider the size of a bear. You do not scare me.” The words were harsh and direct, Alice didn’t care to register her reaction, turning to the others. “I cannot, in good faith, forget what happened in the forest.” Her hand moved to point at the door. “But-”

“The forest!?” Ms. Dodson growled, stepping up. “You put our lives at risk. What ‘happened’ was that you took the minimal amount of responsibility for your actions.” Her hands smoothed her white shirt. “And comparing me to some monster, as if I were a thug. The gall of it.”

“Fuck it.” Letting go of Kat, Alice turned and fully faced Ms. Dodson, stepping closer. The gesture alone knocked a peg out of the older woman’s bravado. “You take advantage of people’s kindness, you push to have your way and pretend you’re some sort of saint. You bully others just so you can feel in control. You know what we called you back at the university? The Dementor.”

“Oh shit,” Kat whispered under her breath.

Alice’s jaw tightened, stepping forward. “You were never satisfied with butting into the life of your legally adult nephew, no, you actively sought for an excuse to take control over everyone else’s lives and make them miserable.” She took another step forward, a finger lingering a breath away from pushing against the woman’s chest. Alice’s face was turning grim. “You’re so pathetically petty you made a campaign to fire the coffee providers. I fucking loved that coffee.”

“Wait, that was her?” Someone whispered.

Alice pressed on. “So I will not give you kindness, I will not let you step over me just because you’re a miserable old hag.”

Ms. Dodson blinked, stunned silence lingered on her features as she opened her mouth to speak, but no sounds came out.

Huffing, Alice took the chance, turning towards the other people gathered there. “Rick risked his life to save ours. Without him, most if not all of us would be dead.” Her scowl pierced into each of them. “He needs our help, and I will not stay still with my arms crossed.”

“Ma’am?” The one to raise her hand was May. “Can we even help? We aren’t exactly fighters.”

“Since when should that stop someone from trying?”

Not waiting for a reaction or a response, she turned around and headed straight towards the door. The woman opened it with a swing, only stopping because there was a tall armored woman with blue hair and a sword blocking it. “Ma’am?”

“Out of my way.”

Alice’s bark was authoritative, a harsh retort that bounced off the walls. The blue-haired maiden leapt backwards as if burned, shoulders tense. The teacher did not wait a single second to step forward and out of the room. “Ma’am, it’s dangerous.”

The psychology teacher took only a heartbeat to slow down, finger pointing in the direction they’d taken Rick earlier. “Are there ferals in that direction?”

“No, but-”

“Then do your job and worry about the ferals.” She looked over her shoulder, seeing Kat and May had followed. The others were moving closer, but most of the ones who’d stuck behind were the older women of the group. “We are going to talk to the Baron. If you don’t like that, then stop us.”

The chill in Alice’s voice had a cutting edge to it, and her brows flattened into a single line. They made the maiden flinch and look towards the others present. The psychology teacher and those following her did not care to wait for them to come to a conclusion. Alice could only stomp her way down the corridor and towards the fork at the end.

“To the right,” Kat informed them with a whisper, and there was a giddiness to her voice as she spoke, closely following the teacher.

A uniformed maiden that had been keeping watch over the corridor quickly rushed past them and down the stairs. The woman had moved far faster than Alice and her entourage could stomp their way down the darkened stone stairs, so by the time they’d reached the bottom, they could see her moving into the only cell that was currently laying open.

“Say what you will, Baron Von banana-face knows his prison decor.” Kat whistled appreciatively, following close behind Alice.

“… what do you mean they’re coming!?” A familiar voice called out from inside the cell.

Alice moved further into the cell and froze at the scene currently unfolding.

Rick was pinned against the wall, a massive green woman holding him by the throat with a hand that was wide enough it could have covered most of his chest.

The Baron was on a chair, blood oozing from his lips. Kneeling at his side was Dia, the nurse’s hands glowed as she pressed them against the Baron’s shoulders. Her eyes tried to focus on her patient, but they kept drifting to Rick. On the other side of the Baron was the Baroness, arms crossed, her gaze hardened, hiding a glare she was aiming at the wheezing man.

There were two other maidens, standing at either side of the entrance. One wielded a long glaive, the other a short sword and shield.

“What is going on here!?” Alice spoke with a shrill edge to her voice, her whole body had frozen for a split second before she regained her composure. Her glare focused on the green skinned woman. “What are you doing to Rick!?” She summoned every ounce of anger she could into those words.

The green woman blinked, turning to look at the Baron with hesitation.

“Do not let him go,” the man spoke with a glower, the order clear, the hatred all too thick. The glare was gone the instant he’d turned towards Alice, a plastic smile spreading on his features. “I’m sure things can be talked over in more calm circumstances. Please go back to your room while this is being resolved.”

“Get out of here!” Rick cried out, grunting as the green hand on his throat tightened. The man was fighting to pry the meaty fingers loose, to no effect.

The two guards at the door had moved to block their path, putting themselves in the way. Alice had moved forward to get a better look around; she was sure Rick had come here for Monica, but where was the feline? The confusion welled within her, but it did not have the time to coalesce as Kat had very quickly used the guard’s focus on Alice and the other women to push herself between them and into the cell.

Both guards hesitated.

The Baron made a dismissive gesture with his head, focusing on the young woman with that fake smile. “Miss Garcia, if I remember correctly?” His expression flattened, losing the anger and faux smile.

“I prefer Kat, personally.” She was slowly approaching the man, eyes mirthful. Alice noticed the young woman was paying very close attention to the Baron and Baroness, as if looking for something.

“Catherine, then.” He allowed only the slightest frown to appear. “We are currently busy, as you should be able to tell.”

Kat took a step closer, eyes glancing at Rick and then at the chains at the center of the room. “Just to play a game of… tag!”

She jumped forward, hands reaching out towards the man, the move catching even Alice by surprise. At the Baron’s side, Dia had reacted, turning to face the young woman. With a frown, she moved one of her hands began to rise from his chest and towards Kat. The glow had moved from white to a dull grey, something about it felt unnerving, almost dangerous.

“Dia, don’t!”

Rick’s voice called out, and the nurse hesitated, the glow vanishing. The split second was enough for Kat’s inertia to carry over and knock the man from the chair. A shriek of pain followed, his hands flailing and throwing Kat off of him as she jumped off almost immediately after.

“ENOUGH!” He roared, coughing and rolling to stand up. “Nurse, pin her down.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Dia moved, grimacing as she jumped Kat before she could stand back up. The pink-haired maiden moved with practiced ease, her hands grasping Kat’s right wrist and pulling it behind her back. The nurse’s expression was pained as she kept the young woman firmly against the floor.

“Kinky,” Kat spoke with a smirk.

Alice noticed how the young woman kept her left hand under her gut rather than struggle.

“I’m sorry,” the nurse muttered under her breath.

“Shut up,” the Baron’s voice proclaimed, glaring at Dia before glancing at the others. “I will not stand for this. I tried playing nice, no more.” Dusting himself off, only coughing lightly, he growled. “Kill the two traitors.”

The proclamation made Alice and the women behind her gasped.

“DON’T!” The Baroness barked the order fast enough that no one had had the chance to move. “They’re pure-blooded, do not kill them, if the court finds out…”

The Baron grunted. “They won’t, I have witnesses, I was attacked.” He gestured towards Alice and the others. “It’s within my right as Lord of this land.”

“Please.” The woman leaned forward, reaching out to grasp the man’s hand between her own, her expression grim. “Let us talk… privately.”

Yanking his hand from her grasp, the man shot her a glare. “Very well.” His focus turned away. “Leave these two here, lock the door.”

Alice did not hesitate, turning to May and the others. “Run, warn the others!” Following this proclamation, she pushed towards the two guards that had been blocking her path.

“Do not harm them.” The Baroness barked the order.

The one with the sword had merely pulled Alice into the cell and pinned her against the wall while the other pursued the ones that’d left running. Shrieks quickly filled the air, and Alice winced. She could only watch as the green woman tossed Rick into the far end of the cell and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Dia caressed the back of Kat’s head with a hand that glowed white, and the young woman slumped, unconscious. A complicated look crossed Dia’s face as she looked at Rick, biting her lower lip in hesitation. The young teacher was still recovering from being launched like a rag doll, coughing as he sat up against the wall.

“Move it, girl,” the Baroness commanded the nurse with a harsh retort.

“Yes, Lady,” Dia sighed, turning to follow.

The Baron paused as he looked at Alice. “On second thought.” He glanced over his shoulder at Dia and the green-skinned woman. “Bring this one to my private quarters.” He did not see the wide-eyed expression of the Baroness, nor did he seem to care. No, he looked at Alice and grinned.

“I think our last conversation was cut too short,” he proclaimed. “Take this one to my study. I’ll… have a talk with her tomorrow.”

Cold dread ran down Alice’s spine.