Esper Chapter 12: Through the fire and flames

Part 1

Pure determination, sheer grit, and astonishingly sturdy shoulders, despite their height, all enabled the young sleuth, Aran, to force Nicolaus Thompson up the ladder! Blood leaked from Nicolaus’s nose like a broken faucet, running down his hoodie, dripping across the mine’s, already slick, rocky floor. “Thompson, hold on!” The difference in height was troubling, as Aran struggled to push the man, nearly a foot taller, toward the entrance. Finally, after fumbling around in near total darkness, they came upon the boarded up passageway. Aran managed to basically squeeze, the only barely conscious, Nicolaus through a gap. After sliding through as well, Aran pulled their ‘partner’ up and soldiered on!

“…Aran…what happened?” Dazed as he was, Nicolaus’s migraine persisted, impairing both his vision and thoughts. “Did you…see?” Piercing the fog clouding his mind, he desperately wanted to maintain the secrecy of his powers.

“Now’s not the time, partner!” With a massive grin prevalent, not going unmissed by Nicolaus, Aran peered over their shoulder, seeing someone was giving chase! “Shoot!” Two men, moderately sized, wearing non-descript construction garb had climbed through the sealed entrance!

With the moon, high in the night sky, to their backs, the two unprofessional sleuths managed to reach the edge of the quarry! Ambling downhill as the men gained on them, Aran suddenly released Nicolaus! “Sorry, Thompson!” The impaired man staggered with his back landing against a tree down the hill, staying up right only due to his incredibly limited awareness.

“Ow…what?” Deeply confused, Nicolaus had no idea what Aran was doing. (Aran?! Are they…about to ditch me?!) That terrified Nicolaus, unintendedly activating his telekinesis.

“You there! Stop! What did you do back there?!” One man approached, reaching for Aran. With the moonlight silhouetting the sequence of events, a man, over six feet in height, was quickly Judo hip tossed to the ground by a much smaller person! Swiftly, as the other attempted to seize Aran, he too was dispatched! By thrusting their knee into his chin, the man was knocking instantly! Without missing a beat, afterwards, they walked over to the previously hip tossed individual, and struck him, rendering the man unconscious as well.

“That should handle that!” Leaving the shroud of moonlight, Aran returned to Nicolaus’s side and pulled him onto their shoulder. To say Nicolaus was stunned by the display would have been an understatement! Seeming to effortlessly dispatch two grown men, without so much as getting a scrape, baffled him!

“Aran…what was that?” Reaching the van, Aran yanked open the door. A wave of empty energy drink cans was unleashed onto the ground, which the sleuth ignored, aiding Nicolaus into the passenger seat. (How is their van worse than expected?) Scanning the interior, convenience store bags, napkins, and more empty cans littered the floor. Despite his disgust, Nicolaus didn’t fail to notice the figures appearing on the ridge! “Aran, watch out!”

A loud pop rang out across the ridge, followed by the sound of metal clashing with metal! Aran ducked behind the van, readying their gun! “Thompson, get down! Close the door and get down!”

“…” In that minute, Nicolaus was finally lucid. The pain in his head was excruciating, the warm blood running down his nose had gone cold, and the freshly fired hot bullet cut into his thigh. “Fuck! Fuck!”

“You hit him! We’re not supposed to shoot!” One construction worker screamed at the shooter beside him, as another skulked up to the van. Before the stalker could make his move, Aran jumped onto him, locking in a stranglehold, and pointing their gun at the four construction workers descending the hill!

“Partner, are you alright?! Say something!” Nicolaus writhed in the seat, clutching his leg as both his pants and shirt were stained dark red by that point. “…Who are you?! What do you want with us?” Aran may have seemed worried, but that grin held firmly in place!

“Don’t shoot, guys!” Another voice called, though the source remained cloaked in the darkness of night. “If we damage him, we’ll lose a test subject…a valuable one.” At total odds with all that was happening, a jovial and whimsical voice communicated calmly to the men.

“Who are you, answer me!” Growing frustrated, Aran kicked the hostage down to a kneeling position and placed the barrel of their gun to his temple! “Tell me now, otherwise…!” Intentions made clear, three of the four workers slowly backed away. Taking it upon himself, a lone man succeeded in circling Aran and rushed them from the side, tackling the diminutive sleuth with their much larger frame! The man expected to have an advantage, until Aran rolled through, locking in an armbar! The counter maneuver was preformed perfectly, eliciting a smirk, up until Aran was brutally kicked across the face by another man!

“Ok, ok, relax everyone.” Lacking all urgency, the source of that airy tone approached the van. Aran was held down in the dirt by two men, arms wrenched behind their back. “Hmm…I think tossing this one is fine, but I’ll need one of you boys to get…”

“Guh…” The van door swung open! With his head spinning and body growing cold, Nicolaus plopped out onto the ground. (Are these guys really Delta Exceed?! Fuck it! I have to do something!) With his telekinesis armed, and a flick of the wrist, Nicolaus cast a stream of azure energy over the men restraining his ‘partner’! The haze wrapped them, and was used to fling the men back into the woods! (Two more…Vernon’s training actually helped. I’ll never tell him that though.) On weak legs, Nicolaus stood, persevering with sheer force of will alone. Wanting at first to simply pull up dirt, Nicolaus cast his telekinesis down. (What? I can…I can feel things.) Via a suddenly extended sixth sense, Nicolaus became deeply aware of the ground beneath him, more so than if he were looking at it with his eyes. So accurate this new sensation was, that every individual pebble, down to their unique shape, and each clump of dirt, down to their composition, flooded Nicolaus’s mind. (Can I…ow…!) The piercing headache reared up again! (Have to do this quick!) Unbeknownst to him, Nicolaus’s eyes flared bright red! The azure haze clasped the pebbles, raising them as the men reached for their guns, and launched the rocks like bullets! Each stone that made contact with tree bark cut, shattered, and splintered wood! If not for the thick clothes they wore, the stones would’ve punctured the men’s bodies, but instead it blasted them back!

The dust cleared, and that jovial voice sang from a person clearly hidden behind a tree. “I see. Years and years, for decades, and I was the one to accomplish this, no one else… Bring him to me!” One last man, dressed in a hefty black jacket, pants, and boots stomped onto the scene. Wider than a fridge, larger than a gorilla, and with a face more weathered than granite, the massive man approached the situation with an aura of triviality.

“You types never get your hands dirty yourselves.” The enormous man said, rubbing one of many scars beneath his short brown hair. “Pal, word of advice. You’re going to want to get down and give up.” He taunted Nicolaus, cracking his neck while doing so. Nicolaus was already at the end of his rope. His legs had given out with only the side of the van supporting him.

“One more…time!” Gathering up more stones, Nicolaus aimed and fired, expecting to easily hit the wildebeest sized man! Every shot missed. In a flash, the man closed the gap between them, grabbed Nicolaus by the face, and slammed him to the ground, concussing the telekinetic computer tech!

“That should do.” He said confidently. “You want I should break this kid's arm? If those powers act up again, he-” Aran cut the dialogue between the two short by ramming their fist into the side of the man’s head, however, he didn’t so much as flitch! “Sorry, little girl. You’re about 100 pounds too light to knoc-” Again, another punch! “Will yo-” Relenting on the punches, Aran moved to try and lock on a rear naked choke! “Enough already!” He thrashed about violently, struggling to dislodge Aran! That movement offered Nicolaus enough space and time to concentrate.

Azure haze swirled across the clearing, spinning upward, tearing up gravel and dirt, like a tornado! Whipping around, and creating a vacuum, the telekinesis sucked in not only the air, but also managed to grip surrounding trees. Finally peaking high in the sky, the energy slammed down, blasting everything in the clearing outward! Several trees toppled, men were sent flying out of sight, and both Dani’s and Aran’s vehicles were sent skidding away!

Silence blanketed the area. Debris continued falling back to earth, seeming at first to only be small rocks or branches, until several whole trees came crashing down as well. That was the last of Nicolaus’s energy; consciousness fading, he could only look to the sky, immobilized.

The crunching of dirt and branches under foot reached Nicolaus’s ears. Someone was nonchalantly strolling up to him! Some insanely tall person, with a pair of wild and uneven pigtails stopped to look down on him. “Very interesting!” Was said just before everything went dark, and Nicolaus drifted off, staring into those deranged eyes shielded behind a pair of glasses.

Part 2

Raquel Childs sat in her police cruiser, silently fuming. Her night was totally ruined, all her plans scuppered by work. “Childs, what’s the matter?” Sitting next to her, chowing down on an ice cream sandwich, was her partner, Tobias Bennet.

“…I had plans, but we got called over to look after Joffe. Could it be any more of a bore?” She exited her side, slamming the door shut!

“Hey now, don’t take it out on the car!” Tobias scarfed down his snack and rushed in behind the surly detective. They entered a familiar hotel lobby, greeted by another officer. “Tyler, hey. You taking off?”

“I’m really sorry! I have to go and check on my folks.” Exiting through the revolving doors, the officer left without another word.

“How are we stretched this thin?” Raquel called the elevator and waited while checking a message that’d come through on her phone. (Vernon, I’m guessing.) She was wrong. (Dad?)

[Raquel, stop by the clinic tomorrow. Your mother wants me to give you more of your things, and I have them in the back.] Rolling her eyes, she still replied respectfully, not admitting to herself how happy she was to see her father in person.

“Childs, elevator’s here. Come on.” Raquel joined Tobias and they ascended toward the 20th floor of the hotel. “Think I’m going to take a vacation soon. Head to Canada or something. Maybe the Caribbean!”

“What are you saying now?” Raquel responded.

“I’m saying, I think I need a break. These last two months feel like it’s been dragged out across three years, get me?”

“It has. Your kids would probably be happy; Trenton’s weather has been murky.”

“Nah. They’re more inside types, like their mother. The whole family hates leaving the house most of the day, only ol’ papa enjoys the light of the sun on his skin.”

“The sooner this mess wraps up; the sooner we can get back to having lives.”

The elevator arrived on the 20th floor. Raquel exited and peered down the long corridor, seeing only pristine furniture and rugs waiting on the lonely floor. “Man, what’s with this guy? Whose best friend is he where he gets this kind of treatment?”

“Right? Never stayed in a place this luxurious in my life.” Raquel knocked on the door, receiving no answer, just murmuring. “…There’s someone in there with Joffe, right?”

“Pretty sure. I think Paulie.”

“You really know everybody.” She joked, then knocked again to no response, only incoherent muttering and some yelling. “Paulie!” Raquel looked to Tobias for confirmation, then tried the knob. It remained firm, clearly locked. “It’s detectives Bennett and Childs…op-” Mid-Sentence, the sound of heavy glass shattering resounded! Both officers looked at each other as Tobias rushed to open the door and Raquel pulled out her radio! “This is Raquel; we have a problem! Something is going on at Madison Falls hotel! Something with Joffe! We may need backup!” Fiercely pulling at the knob did little for Tobias, aside from chafing his hands! The older man gave in and booted the knob! Successfully dislodging the lock after a kick or two, he attempted to enter the room, but the door was suddenly slammed shut with enough force to blast the man back into the opposite wall! “Tobias!”

“Oh…that hurt…!” The man was rocketed back to the unforgiving wall, crashing to the floor with a thud. “Ow, ow, ow! My back! I’ll be fine, Childs! Can you get the door open?!”

Even with the door’s lock broken, and Raquel using all her weight to slam against it, the metal door held fast! It was like a bolder or supernatural force block the entry way. “Joffe! Paulie! Are you there?! Hello! Hey! Can you hear me?!” Little did Raquel know; she was unlikely to overpower what was on the other side. Amala Singh, using her telekinetic haze, cratered the door, and held officer Paulie in place against the wall. She stared down Liam Joffe with murderous intent.

Part 3

Tracking Liam Joffe’s location was far too simple, due in part to the internet forums Amala frequented. They planned to move, harassing the man and local government, however, the righteous vigilante wanted more. After a day of turmoil and confusion, she needed to steel herself. That once unflinching resolve wavered. With no one by her side, no one at her back, and no one to call on, she moved to realize her undertaking, grim as it was.

Amala floated above the 20th floor of the Maddison Falls hotel, hidden amongst the clouds, equipped with a fresh set of purple sweats and scarf covering the lower half of her face. It only took a minute to spot Joffe through a window, fat form cloaked in an expensive bathroom robe, yelling at some officer in a lavish room. Amala raised her hand, readying telekinesis, yet halted with Calvin Wolf’s inescapable words plaguing her. She’d finally confronted a part of her past, the man she detested, the instrument to the torturous nightmares she’d suffered for so long, and yet, nothing had changed.

Like never before, Amala’s resolve was shaken. (Am I…doing the right thing?) Left paralyzed by indecision, her mind wandered. (So many people…children are being hurt, and all I’m doing is killing abusers and kidnappers. Is this even helping?) The young woman floated idly. (Am I failing you girls…Chelsea?)

All her running, and she couldn’t escape. That arm wrapped across her chest, stiffly holding her in place as she screamed would forever be vividly etched into her soul. Watching the lifeless bodies of her only friends pulled off the ground, carried away by unfamiliar people, all the while, unable to do anything, Amala was lost. No one reached out to help, not a single hand was outstretched to pull the little girl from the well of despair. People yelled, argued, even fought each other, but not for her. Her voice could never overcome her father’s, screaming for justice, wanting retribution, demanding recompense be made! She only wanted someone…to be there for her.

“…Even if the world forsakes them, I won’t. Everything has to happen for a reason, right?” All of it happened in that instant; Amala blasted the large open window! She entered the room, sweeping the shattered glass aside as she eyed the police officer reaching for his gun! Using telekinesis, a purple wave of smoke pressed the cop to the wall like a pancake! “Hold still and you won’t be hurt!” Amala needed to scream through the thick scarf covering her face. She then turned to Joffe, cowering behind a couch. Suddenly, Amala heard voices from the other side of the room, trying to break down the door! The lock exploded, as someone tried to enter the room; though Amala’s mist slammed it back closed, using far too much force, cratering the door into the wall! (Control…must control myself.) Knowing her time was limited, Amala calmed down, then began her questioning.

“Wait! Before you say anything, wait!” Liam Joffe darted from behind his hiding spot, hands up, offering zero hostility. “You killed Omar, right?” Assuming she’d gotten away with that killing, Amala was shocked to hear someone’d connected her to it! “I already know what’s happening. I know what you’re doing, what you’re after. I can work with you! Whatever you need! Names, places, numbers, I’ve got them all!”

“…” Amala was floored. Prepared for a harsh interaction, she was thrown by the man’s pleading. “…I…you…how did you know about what I’m doing?”

“It’s obvious! First Omar, then some of his, mind you, his warehouses, were lit up across the city! The others have realized too!”

“Others…right. I…who are the others?! Names! Now!”

“Right, whatever you want! It’s about the drugs, right?”

“Drugs? No, forget that. I want to know about the human trafficking!”

“…What? Then why me? I…I don’t have anything to do with that.”

“What? Imposs…no, then tell me who does?! Where are the children? Are they still in the city?!”

“S-some are…I assume.”

“…Enough stalling. Arnold Patrick, Keith Lawless, and Howard Tanner, confirm for me those names! You work with them, right?”

“Only by hearsay. I’ve never interacted with those people personally.” Dumbfounded, Amala slowly lost focus. While scrambling through her pockets for Omar Redmond’s stolen phone, the officer pinned with her telekinesis, reached for his firearm.

“Here!” She tossed the device at the man’s feet! “Look at those names! I read through the messages and I know your crimes!”

“Hang on, hang on! We worked together, but…I had nothing to do with human trafficking! We don’t all…work doing the same thing.”

“…” Blood boiling, Amala gripped the obese man up in her telekinetic clutches and swung him over to the side of the room! “You’re…you’re all guilty!” Pressure from the mysterious haze crushing Joffe on all sides wasn’t even the most terrifying thing at that moment. Below him, held up only by that magical mist, was a 20 story drop to the unforgiving earth! “Where are the others?! I’m sure if you know about me…then they’re probably hiding too!”

“I-I-I don’t know! Don’t kill me! I just help move drugs! I have no idea about hu-”

“Shut up! You’re all involved! You’re all just as guilty as each other!” Anger raging, Amala ignored the heat all around growing, and the stream of blood pouring from her nose. “Answer me now, or I’ll break every bone in your body and drop you to the ground like the piece of trash you are!” In her manic state, she’d completely forgotten her other captive as well, the officer!

He drew his gun, and fired toward Amala, just barely missing! She turned, and with eyes glowing a piercing red, attempted to further restrain the officer, only for her purple haze to unexpectedly ignite into a wall of flames! “Help! Someone help!” The officer’s wails matched Joffe’s, as the grip on him burst from mist into a cascade of fire! Just then, the door to the room was rammed open by Raquel Childs!

“Holy…hands up!” She demanded as Amala fell to one knee, her head roaring in sudden and acute pain! The wall of flames dissipated, freeing the officer, however, Joffe’s fate was far worse. He screamed, his clothes still swathed with embers as he plummeted toward the ground below. “Oh no! Joffe! Paulie, are you alright?! What the hell is going on here?!” No amount of training had prepared Raquel for what she was witnessing! “Y-you, don’t move! I-” Before she could finish her sentence, Amala swept a wave of fire in Raquel's direction! To the detective’s credit, she managed to avoid what seemed like certain death beneath a crashing tide of flames, yet the blaze did claim a small part of the arm of her jacket! “Ow! Holy crap!”

“…” Everything had gone awry! Her thoughts fuzzy, confused, and with no answers, Amala wrapped herself in her powers, hoping to fly off, yet it only managed to scorch her! “No! Ouch! Stop!” With no other options, she dashed through the still settling flames and out of the door into the hall!

Still healing on the floor, Tobias locked eyes with Amala for a second before she turned on a dime and fled down the corridor toward the stairs! “Hey, stop!” The old man was unprepared, unable to reach his taser in time, as Amala escaped just beyond its range! “Childs! Paulie! Are you two okay?!” Tobias pushed himself up off the floor and ambled toward Joffe’s room only to be knocked aside as Raquel hastily dashed by!

“Call for backup! Joffe flew out of the window! Paulie needs help!” She hollered back while giving chase to the fleeing Amala!

Part 4

Amala yanked her scarf down as the blood soaked accessory became a breathing hindrance! She sprinted harder than she’d ever done in her whole life down the stairwell of the Maddison Falls hotel! Each step, her head quaked, her lungs burned, and, even focused, she couldn’t grip a thing with her powers! Her telekinesis remained in the form of flames, all tinted with an amethyst hue. Her trump card, the power she’d relied on, trusted, even that abandoned her! (No! No! No! What do I do?! What do I do?!) The young woman was on the verge of a heart attack and tears as a voice called down to her!

“Stop running! You’re with Beset’s sword, right?!” The detective Raquel Childs was only a few floors above her, still brushing the embers off her jacket, but pursuing with fervor! “It doesn’t matter who you are, but running is only going to make things worse!” Hearing that terrified Amala! She jumped down the next flight of stairs, hoping to lengthen the distance, only to miss a step and be sent crashing shoulder first into a brick wall! She gave up on descending the stairwell and ducked onto one of the open floors instead!

The fire alarms for the building blared as she continued down toward the other end of the hall! Out of the corner of her eye, Amala noticed she’d only descended a few floors, meaning she was trapped if caught! (What do I do?!) She repeated to herself again and again! (Why are my powers suddenly making flames?! What the heck is happening?!) Frantically scanning her mind, trying to figure out the reason, nothing came! (Figure something out!)

Though warm blood caked the lower half of Amala’s face, the smell of burning carpet and vinyl above overwhelmed the ironized stench. Her shoulder, head, and chest all ached in pain, yet her mind was seeking an escape route! Despite all that, Amala didn’t miss the explosive sound of the door down the hall being blasted open! Like a madwoman, Raquel sprinted after the exhausted Amala! Nearly out of both physical and mental energy, Amala attempted to cast back flames to slow her pursuer. Unfortunately, the haze was weak, and only formed a fireball which swallowed up a portion of the corridor!

Even worse for Amala, Raquel was both prepared and skilled beyond all expectations. She planted her boot on a table to the side of the hall, then launched herself onto the opposite wall and leapt over the blaze! She landed beyond the fire and tackled Amala mid run, sending her to the ground! Planting her knee in the small of Amala’s back, Raquel pinned the much smaller criminal woman to the ground! “I told…you to stop running!” Raquel barred Amala’s arm, holding her down as Amala lay, weary and defeated. Raquel winced as the fire from earlier had in fact burned her hands, but she remained strong. “Who are you?! Are you with Beset’s sword?!”

“…” Her mind was totally blank. Amala was caught, and she couldn’t think of what to do. No plan, she just laid, unmoving, not struggling.

“Not talking, huh? What you did, you could’ve killed that officer! You killed Liam Joffe! I don’t care what kind of…weapons or…freaking whatever you’re trying to pull, but it won’t work now!” She pulled her radio up and called for Tobias. “Bennett, are you alright? How’s Paulie?”

“This is Bennett, officer Paulie is alright! He’ll make it! And the fire seems to be…calming down too. What about you? Are you alright?!” Hearing the old detective speak from the other side of the radio, Amala heard that the officer she attacked had survived. That reeled her back to reality, and her dire situation. Again, desperately thinking only of finding an escape route, any attempt to calm down and think was usurped by dread!

“Good to hear. I’ve apprehended the suspect!” With one final panic fueled grasp at freedom, Amala blasted herself and Raquel upward off the ground, crashing them both into the ceiling! The collision slammed Amala into Raquel, separating them, and crashing both back down to the floor, dazed. “…You…stop…” Raquel was concussed by the attack, only catching a glimpse of Amala as she rose back to her feet.

(That worked?! Then…) Amala cloaked herself once more in the amethyst haze! Though it was warm, it didn’t burn her! (Good!) She looked toward a window at the end of the hall and using what little energy she could muster, dove! Amala launched through the window, and using her telekinesis propelled herself off, escaping from the scene!

Part 5

Raquel Childs sat on a couch, slightly concussed, while being attended to by a paramedic. A massive outpouring of police, medical personnel, and fire fighters, filed into the Maddison Falls lobby. “That’s enough, I’m fine.” Raquel pushed the flashlight held by the EMT out of her face. “Where’s detective Bennett?”

“We’re checking on him as well. The detective seems to have hurt his back and leg, but aside from that, he’ll be fine.” Forcing her light back into Raquel’s eye, the EMT stubbornly tried to continue her work. Raquel acquiesced with a sigh, spotting a familiar face approaching. “Sir, this area is off limits!”

“It’s fine. What are you doing here, Pontz?” It was Horatio Pontz. Brown hair cut neatly, black suit fitted perfectly, shoes unnaturally clean, standing out amongst the crowd for being too plain.

“Childs it would seem something has happened.” His droning tone bothered Raquel more with the head trauma she’d received.

“Ugh. Pontz, listen…” She shewed away the EMT again. “We’ve just been through a lot and I’m not exactly sure why you’re even here…”

“I got a call that…something was happening, and it’s my job to watch you all.”

“Well, you did a great job so far!” With her thumbs placed to her temples, Raquel groaned. “Sorry. I’m frustrated.” The disheveled detective stood up and discarded her burnt jacket. “That woman burned my jacket with whatever that was. I was pursuing a suspect and…well…” Reluctant to even explain, Raquel stalled. “…I don’t know. It’s like she threw a fireball at me or something.”

“Oh?” For what seemed like the breath of a gnat, Raquel could have sworn, Pontz expressed surprise. “Allow me…?” He grabbed Raquel’s jacket sleeve and examined it. “Hmmm…”

“What?”

“Detective Childs…I’d like to make a request?”

“Ok…? What?”

“Please, relinquish your jacket to me.”

“…Why?” Questioning his motives, Raquel did her best, and failed, at holding back a look of disgust.

“It will aid in my investigation.”

“…” Curious, Raquel’s suspicion and gut demanded she remain wary. “Pontz, what is this organization you’re working with? What are you investigating in the department?”

“Sadly…I cannot divulge that information. It is, after all, on a need to know basis. Now, onto the matter of this jacket…”

“If I said ‘no’, you’d just put in a formal request for it, right?” He nodded, mirroring a vulture that’d found prey. “Take it! I’m fighting off a migraine right now, and am not in the frame of mind to argue.”

“I appreciate your willingness to aid in this matter.” Raquel watched as he folded her jacket, regardless of the singed sleeve, meticulously. “I do have one last question, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Shoot…”

“Which floor did you encounter this person on?”

“...” Ever suspicious, Raquel watched her words carefully, knowing that prying information out of the tight-lipped man was more difficult than forcing open a magically caved in door. “We started on the 20th and moved down to the 15th.”

“And from there?”

“...They escaped. Seems you’re more interested in the incident, than us at the station.”

“Well…our investigation runs very deep. For now, I’d advise you to continue your checkup. Be well, detective.” Slinking away back into the crowd, the suspicious man left Raquel with only more questions.

(...Where exactly are you going?) Her curiosity winning out over a pounding headache, Raquel pursued Pontz. He glided through the crowd of firefighters and emergency responders on his way to the elevator. Two men, officers entered the elevator alongside him. (Who were those guys? I’ve never seen them before.) Raquel saw they were headed up, and she assumed their destination to be the 15th floor. She hopped onto the next elevator over and set herself to go to the 14th. Feeling sore, and a bit queasy from the rapid accent, Raquel almost doubled over and vomited in the elevator. (Moving this soon was a mistake, but I have to know what’s going on.) She thought, just as the door opened up. She rushed out, and ran for the stairwell. Dashing up the flight of stairs, she made it to the 15th floor, and peered out, spotting Pontz and the officers. Remaining hidden, she noted them using an odd instrument that seemed to resonate whenever it was cast over the burnt portions of the floor. (Who exactly are you, Horatio Pontz…?)

End of Chapter 12