Chapter 17

Your Choice

‘‘Why is it so dark in here?’’

Asked Emily.

‘‘Light is not really a problem for me since I’m a cat. Give me just a moment because something caught my eye.’’

Looking around the room Thora saw the prototypes that the scientist had shown Nick.

She could see in the dark, but that didn’t cover the fact that she didn’t know where they were, thus she wasn’t able to connect the prototype to Nick’s jewel.

They didn’t really look like it as well, Thora should know what the jewel looks like from past experience.

‘‘Come on! Hurry up! We’ve got to find a way to get to Nick. Who knows what type of torture he is going through.’’

‘‘Okay, okay. Let’s move along! Take my hand!’’

Emily firmly grasped Thora’s hand.

Upon getting a hold of her, Thora rushed for the next door in this strange and confusing facility.

Opening it she revealed the wonders of the ‘‘Sanctuary’’.

Little beams of light broke the unforgiving darkness as color spread around. Such a plethora of unique plant life, almost like something from an alien planet, such immense beauty.

Comprehending the view would be hard for a reader who can experience something as good as it is described, Thora and Emily’s reactions help enhance the extraordinary nature of the perfect view.

As they stood there in shock, not a shock of fright but a shock of amazement.

Even knowing that they should move on, even knowing Nick’s life may be at stake, they could not help but stare at the view.

A view so unrealistic in fact, that it wasn’t actually real.

Further down, into the flowery field, we find none other than Nick.

Bob shoved his hand into his pocket and took out the familiar set of pliers.

‘‘Now, I don’t suppose you’ll cooperate right off the bat, but I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, quite literally.’’

Placing the pliers on the field he rolled up the sleeves of his lab coat.

From one of them, he took out what seems to be a switch of some sort. A switch with an antenna with a little crystal attached to it.

‘‘So I think it is time to show my end of the deal, hehe.’’

And so he flipped the switch.

Immediately the crystal lit up and a cage descended from the ceiling.

Two people were tied up in it.

They had blindfolds and their mouths were covered.

One distinct feature you could clearly make out upon seeing them was their ears.

‘‘You may not know who this couple is so let me clear that up for you.’’

He slowly laid Nick on the grass and went to the cage which had now descended to ground level. Or I guess underground level.

He reached his hand into the cage and moved the cloth straining the lady’s mouth. She proceeded to shout:

‘‘THORA, WHERE ARE YOU?’’

Immediately after that, he put the cloth back on. Even so, she continued screaming only for her screams to be silenced by the thick layer of cloth.

‘‘These are your friend Thora’s parents. They kind of came in a five for three deal, a pretty good deal I’d say. And get this, if you do not cooperate they’ll go the way of the dinosaurs.’’

‘‘Y-you piece of-’’

On the other end of the spectrum, Thora had heard that scream.

With a mind full of rage she jumped furiously at her target-Bob.

Emily tried to stop her from revealing their position but her kind words weren’t enough to silence the pure hate emerging from deep within her eyes.

And as Nick was about to finish his sentence he was cut off by Thora’s scream of rage.

She landed a hit on the scientist and sent him flying into a tree when something weird happened.

Upon hitting the tree, it disappeared into shards.

Surprised by that, Thora let her guard down for a second, a second which Bob used.

‘‘It’s time for my second trick.’’

Suddenly, huge vines emerged from the ground, aiming for Thora.

She tried to resist by cutting them, only for more to appear. Swiftly dodging she dashed for the scientist yet again. With her sharp claws, she cut his shoulder.

However, he didn’t seem flustered at all.

The vines finally reached her and hung her upside down.

She continued resisting but she couldn’t get out of the strong grip.

‘‘Haha, you think you can beat me in my own environment, think again! This place is engineered to help me.’’

‘‘How could you?’’

Said Thora in an unusual tone.

‘‘Very simple actually. Do you think I am dumb enough to bring you here and not prepare myself for your potential attack? It was kind of obvious you were going to try and escape.

Now, where is your friend?’’

Emily was tucked tight behind the opened door. She figured it’d be best if she didn’t show herself.

Curled into a ball of fear, she was more stressed out than when the attack on Locu happened. It’s because right now, the things she holds most dear-her friends were at a really high risk. Right here and now she was the only hope left, the only way out of this godforsaken place.

‘‘What should I do? What should I do? If I go in there I am just going to get captured and that will be the end of us. Think Emily, think!’’

‘‘I came alone, Emily was still under anesthesia.’’

Emily’s eyes lit up to the reasonably smart answer.

Bob went to the switch and picked it up again and prepared his response.

‘‘Oh, I did put a higher dose in her bloodstream, hm I figured she wouldn’t be able to wake up soon. Nick, the decision is up to you now. Look how generous of me, giving you options. Anyway, your paralysis will wear out soon, when it does you’ll have to pick between cooperating or fighting me. I’d strongly suggest you cooperate if you don’t want to see your friend and her parents over here dead, but I mean, it’s your choice, isn’t it?’’

…