Chapter 102: Additional Information

~ "Oh hey, check it out," said Andrew, looking down at his chair as he passed it. "It has electrodes on it. Guess I did get off easy. What's the plan, Boss? Where are we going?" Takyle paused at the door.

"Good question. We need to get our packs back, but I don't know where they are."

"I think maybe I could get us back to that big room we fell into, but we don't really have a guarantee that our packs are still there," offered Jaden.

"Let's go ask What's-his-face in your cell, Jaden," Takyle decided. "Quickly now children." Jaden pulled open the door and glanced up and down the hallway twice to ensure it was clear, then strode quickly back down to the neighboring cell with Andrew and Takyle behind him. They all slipped into it and the man on the cot jerked his head up to see who was there. He looked incredibly disheartened to find that it was only Team 6. Also more than a little frightened.

"Nice going, guys," said Andrew in a tone of approval. He stepped over to the cot and bent to unfasten the gag, but before he pulled it from the man's mouth he paused.

"Ok now buddy, we have some questions for you. I'm going to take this gag out now, but if you yell or scream I'm just going to have to kill you. Am I perfectly clear?" The man nodded vigorously and Andrew lowered the gag from his mouth. Takyle moved over to stand beside the cot.

"Where are the backpacks that you all took from us back in that big room?"

"They were taken upstairs. Kathleen wanted them searched."

"Where "upstairs"? How do we get there?"

"Go left from this cell and take the first right turn you come to. There's an entrance to the stairs just around that corner. Go up three flights. I honestly don't know what room they've got your stuff in, I swear I don't."

"Very good," Andrew told him. "I hope you haven't lied to us about any of this stuff though..."

"I haven't, I swear I haven't."

"Well then I guess you don't have anything to worry about," Takyle told him cheerfully. Andrew slipped the gag back between the fellow's lips and straightened. He looked from Takyle to Jaden, who was standing at the door, keeping a watch on the hall. Andrew raised an eyebrow.

"Guess we're ready to go then."

Takyle nodded. "Onward and upward."

As they left the cell behind and moved down the hallway, leaving hostile and unknown ground for yet more hostile and unknown ground, Jaden noticed a strange feeling in himself. It wasn't trepidation; that had been a constant undercurrent throughout the entire race. Jaden recognized this new feeling to be a waning of eagerness.

Yes, he wanted to get off this level and, no, of course he didn't want to be caught, but he was terribly tired. His body ached all over, both from the various beatings it had taken and the near constant heightened state of arousal and hyper-awareness that it was being forced to maintain. At this point Jaden almost felt that any sensation at all; sight, sound, touch, even instincts and feelings, were very nearly painful in their vividness. He could feel everything around him and the sensational overload was almost staggering.

He could not shut down though. Of all places, he could not shut down here, where other people were counting on him. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he whipped his head around. It was Andrew. He smiled at Jaden.

"Doin' alright there, Jay?" Jaden nodded quickly and began to turn back to continue on down the hall but Andrew's hand gently restrained him. "Why don't you let me take point?" Andrew asked.

Jaden glanced back at Takyle and she nodded her agreement with a concerned look in her eyes. Gratefully Jaden moved back a spot in the line, giving Andrew the lead while Takyle took up the rear.

"You just chill there for a bit," Andrew counseled him. "We've got this."

Jaden immediately felt the muscles in his shoulders relax. Never in his life had he known anyone who could make him feel as safe as Andrew could with a word. Most of his childhood and adolescent relationships had been marked by their capacity for upheaval, whether good or bad. And the trend had been mainly bad.

As they proceeded on their way Jaden did not completely zone out, but he did have total confidence in Takyle and Andrew to respond to any incidental danger. Slowly his guard relaxed and some of the ache behind his forehead began to fade.

"You're pretty lucky, Jaden," his mind told him.

"Yeah, I know," Jaden told his mind. ~