‘GREGOOOOORRRRRR! WE WANT TO SPEAK TO GREGOR YOU BASTARDS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH GREGOR?’

As plans go it didn’t have a lot of steps. Step one involved looking for someone to shout at. Amy stomped out into the corridor, feeling very confident that this plan was going to go well. The corridor was empty which was annoying, and this momentarily dented her confidence, but she was working up a manic, sleep deprived head of steam, and was pretty sure she could push through.

Amy resumed her shouting.

‘Going full caps eh Amy,’ said Baron.

‘Yes,’ replied Amy, ‘Where is everyone? The security in this place is very slack. The Department people would never have let us just wander around like this.’

Janik followed them into the corridor. ‘I feel like you’ve learnt nothing, what’s step two of this plan?’

‘There is no step two as yet,’ Amy said in between shouts.

‘You've learnt nothing,’ repeated Jaink.

‘This does feel like business as usual, but you know, we’re transitioning as a team, growing as people, it takes a minute.’ responded Thomas. He didn’t look very confident. He addressed Baron, ‘Maybe we should also shout.’

‘Oh okay, yes. But awkward,’ said Baron, ’Amy usually does all the shouting.’

Thomas joined Amy in the shouting, and Baron, somewhat half heartedly, also started shouting.

‘LOOK AT US!’ shouted Amy, ‘WE’RE SHOUTING TOGETHER! THIS IS VERY LOUD NOW!’

‘IT IS!’ shouted Thomas, ‘THIS IS GREAT!’

They moved slowly down the stairs, getting progressively louder as they gained confidence. There was no one at the bottom of the stairs, and the corridor was empty. They continued to shout, but even Amy was starting to feel a little foolish. At the end of the corridor, finally, they found a very young looking Monk with long dark hair and bangs wandering towards them with a disrespectful lack of urgency. She looked annoyed.

‘What?’ said the Monk.

‘We want to see Gregor. What have you done with him?’ demanded Thomas.

‘We’ve done nothing with him. He’s resting. Shouldn't you be resting? You look awful.’

Thomas looked around and noticed for the first time how shattered, and quite frankly, how mad they all looked. They had dark black rings under bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, and there was a jerky manic air to their movements. They did not smell good.

‘Don't stonewall us!’ Said Amy, ‘Where is he? Send him to us!’

‘No, take us to him!’ said Thomas.

‘Yes, send him or take us!’ added Amy.

This sounded very confusing even to Amy, so she could only imagine how it sounded to the monk.

‘Alright,’ said the monk.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Amy seemed to stall for a moment. ‘What?’

‘Sure, fine. But you should really let him rest.’

The monk set off back down the corridor. ‘Are you coming?’

They broke into a half trot to catch up with her.

‘Well, that was easy. Maybe we came in a bit hot with all the shouting,’ said Baron.

‘No!’ Amy said, ‘The shouting was excellent. This is very confusing. They don't seem worried about us all.’

Janik was following close behind, ‘Why would they? They apparently can ignore every known physical law of magic. You’re no threat to them at all from their point of view.’

‘Well that’s annoying,’ muttered Amy. She felt a need to reassert her authority. ‘You! Monk! What’s your name!’

‘Barbara.’

‘Barbara? What kind of name is that for a magical monk?’

Barbra just shrugged and continued leading them around corners, up stairs, and around more corners. All the corridors had a slight curve to them and occasionally they would pass a window and catch glimpses of the other towers as they ascended.

‘What kind of monk are you? Why do you have hair?’ asked Thomas.

‘I’m an agent. I usually look after our interests in the outside world so I’m allowed hair. But today I guess I’m just looking after you guys.’

‘Hold on, is that what Gregor and his beefcake mates are? Agents? Are you one of them? But you’re tiny!’ said Amy.

‘I’m a perfectly normal size. In case you haven’t noticed we aren’t exactly reliant on brawn to get what we need.’

‘Then why are Gredor and that lot so beefy?’ asked Amy.

Barbera rolled her eyes, ‘Because they watch too much gym life youtube. We’re here. Be gentle with him, he's still very tired.’

He didn’t look tired. Gregor was sitting up in bed with an IV in his arm shoving handfuls of cashews in his mouth as he watched something on his phone. His bed was one of several arranged around a circular room that must have been near the top of the tower, all unoccupied apart from his. The walls were floor to ceiling glass, and some sections were open to the elements, letting in a salty warm breeze.

He looked up from his phone with a surprisingly disarming smile. ‘Hello!’

Amy was unsure how to proceed. She was really feeling the limitations of a plan with only one step..

‘Gregor, are you okay?’ Thomas asked.

‘Oh yes. Much better thank you.’ He tapped the bad feeding the IV. ‘It’s magic, great stuff. How are you all doing?’

‘They haven’t rested. They are refusing to sleep and keep shouting at people,’ said Barbra.

‘You need to rest!’ admonished Gregor, ‘The things you have been through! It’s too much.’

Amy shuffled awkwardly. It dawned on her that if there was no one to shout at or tackle she wasn’t really sure what to do.

Baron stepped up to the bed. ‘It looks like you really did rescue us, Gregor. Thank you.’

‘They want us to stay here,’ said Baron.

Gregor looked unsettled, ‘I know. They told me.’

Amy joined Baron by the bedside. ‘We can't stay. Our friends and family will already be wondering where we are!’

Thomas and Baron exchanged a look.

‘What?’ demanded Amy.

‘We’re both here,’ said Thomas, ‘We know where you are.’

‘I have other friends!’ said Amy.

Thomas and Bradon exchanged the same look again.

‘Stop making that face at each other! I do! And my Mum will be worried sick!’

‘Your mum is lucky if you call her once a month.’ said Baron.

‘Shut up Baron! What about your family? And what about yours Thomas?’

‘Well I guess neither of us is great at calling family either.’

Any directed her attention back to Gregor, ‘This is completely beside the point! You cannot hold us here like prisoners!’

Bradon leaned in closer to Gregor, pitching his voice so that Barbra couldn’t hear. ‘We need to get out of here Gregor, I don’t think you brought us here for us to be prisoners.’

Gregor didn’t say anything, but he looked in Barbra’s direction.

Amy took the hint, ‘Barb, we need to talk to the old lady monk. Go get her.’

‘I’m not your servant!’ protested Barbra.

‘Please,’ added Gregor, ‘Please ask her to come.’

Barbra scowled like a teen, which she looked like she might be, but turned and left the room.

Amy leaned in closer to Gregor, ‘I don't think we can get out on our own. And it feels like you don't always follow the rules around here Gregor. Your monks are scary, their magic seems so strong. No conditions, no hiding from observations. Can you get us out?’

‘But that’s not quite right, is it Gregor,’ said Janik.

It was Janik and Gregor’s turn to exchange looks now. Something meaningful passed between them.

‘What Janik?’ said Amy ‘What are you talking about? What do you know?’

Suddenly, Gregor grabbed Amy’s hand, startling her.

‘Listen to me, all of you. We don’t have much time. Not everything here is what it looks like.’