It was clear Mila wouldn’t be able to fulfil the promise made to Mortimer. Her condition was terrible. With each movement, she suffered more pain.

Wasn’t there something else? Mila tried to recall, and yes, the map. Mortimer had promised to get the map. With her help. That had to wait.

On the bright side, Mila was conscious. Although, she did feel dizzy…

Mila shook her head, trying to clear her mind. It was better not to think about that. She looked at both sides of the corridor. They were filled with rows of cells. When she reached the first one and glanced inside behind the bars, a beaten man in torn clothes looked back at her.

“What the?” He asked in surprise. “Who are you?”

“What is it, Bruno?” Another voice from a further cell joined.

“Some lass has snuck in?” Bruno yelled back. “Hey, help out, will ya’? Open the doors. I got-”

“What?” Another voice called. “Hey, get me out of here!” It demanded.

“Are you not hallucinating?” A third one asked.

“Just wait for your shitty boss to get you out, Bruno!” The fourth voice laughed. “Oh, wait! He doesn't care!”

More voices joined. It took a lot of work to discern who was saying what. Bruno tried to get Mila’s attention again, but she was done with the man.

Truthfully, she was considering letting them go. They could serve a purpose by being a distraction. Mila took unsteady steps forward. “...Andrew?” The words came out too quietly. “Andrew, I was paid to get you out!” She lied while trying to be louder, then waited for an answer.

The rest of the captured criminals kept drowning out the noise. Some wanted to know what the commotion was about. Some asked about the loud screech Mr Crow had made. One voice asked about what he thought was a sound of fire. Another asked about the warden. It was followed by a question if it was smoke they were smelling. All of them tried her to free them.

“What?” Finally, Andrew spoke from a bit further down the corridor. “What do you mean paid? By whom?” An arm sprouted between bars and signalled his whereabouts. “Is it one of… Fuck!”

Feeling relief, Mila stumbled forward. She ignored the increasingly aggravated shouting and stopped in front of Andrew’s cell.

There he was. Andrew in all his glory. He didn’t look much worse than when Mila had him left just half a day ago. He had been given a new set of clothing, however. Something more suited to his situation. A grey outfit consisting of simple pants and a shirt. At least his shoes had not been taken away.

“What the hell? What’s with the mask? Is that blood?” Andrew hissed once he could see Mila. “What happened? What? Are you okay? Damnit, you need a doctor…”

“Hey,” Mila felt even more tired now. She slapped her cheeks and looked around for a solution to the locked cell. “My client paid a lot of money for your life.” After making sure no one could overhear, she leaned closer. “Play along. We might need a distraction from these criminals. Don’t give them information.”

“Not ‘hey’!” Andrew leaned as close as possible, only stopped by the bars. “You need a doctor, Mila. Do you hear me? It’s not the time to play around.” He whispered back.

“Yes, of course.” Mila nodded. “Do you know where the keys are kept?” There was no way she could force the lock open in this state. Not quick enough.

“Mila! For fucks-... Fine. The warden has them.” Andrew looked profoundly unhappy.

“And the warden is…?” Mila swayed, then took a step back and planted her feet to appear tougher than she felt.

“He was patrolling the place, but someone called him out. He left around ten minutes ago.” Andrew explained.

Mila had suspicions about what had happened to the warden. The man had taken care of him. Did he have the keys now? Then they were gone. Mila bit her lip. She couldn’t get them from him. Not as she was now.

Calls from behind made her look back. Several imprisoned wanted to add something. “There is another set of keys!” One voice roused above the others, quieting them as he gave the information. “My big bro told me.” It continued and earned curses for his words as he was wasting time with unnecessary details. “Across the doors leading here, there is a warden's office. There is a spare set of keys.”

That was what she needed. Mila didn’t bother to speak. She knew where it was. It was from where the man had ambushed her.

With heavy steps, Mila began to run. She opened the doors, and a thick wall of smoke greeted her, startling some of the closest prisoners.

The shouting grew louder and more desperate. The demand to be released - more insistent. Now, they feared the fire, and it sent these people into a frenzy.

Mila ducked under the thick cover of smoke. She feared the assassin returning and tried to keep her senses extended. But there was no one. She crossed the hall and entered the corridor from where the man had come.

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The smoke had started to spread here as well. Mila’s mask helped to filter out some of the harmful air, but she felt the lack of oxygen start to impact her performance. Or was it the injuries? At this point, it was hard to say.

Finding the room wasn’t hard either. It was the one with the bunch of brutalised corpses nailed to the walls. Apparently, Mila’s previous opponent was into torture as well. Maybe he was here for information? But on who’s behalf?

It didn’t matter. Mila didn’t have to look for the extra set of keys either. While covered in blood, they were in clear sight, hanging on a belt of one of the deceased people.

It was a relief. After retrieving the keys, Mila rushed back. The area around the stairs was heating up tremendously. The shadowy light of the spreading blaze laughed at Mila’s foolish attempt at winning over the assassin.

The shouting was loud and clear here. Both from the imprisoned and from the guards trying to battle the fire. There were suddenly cheers from below. It seemed someone capable had arrived and helped to contain the fire.

Those were bad news. If the fire didn’t get them, the person might. Mila forced herself to move and was greeted by cheers of her own.

The prisoners immediately saw the keys Mila was holding. They begged and cried for her to release them.

“Shut up.” Mila’s voice chilled the place, giving her ears a momentary respite. “My target first.”

Given the hope, the criminals ceased to shout but kept trying to get her attention to be the first ones out of the cells - of course, after Andrew. Some did question Mila’s friend’s importance but were silenced by the rest with threats and swears.

Andrew’s worried look made Mila feel like shit. This wasn’t the triumphant rescue she had wanted it to be. After finding the keys and opening the cell, he stepped out. His arms twitched as if wanting to hug her, but Mila’s earlier words stopped him.

Mila turned around while trying to recall the building’s plans. It didn’t work out. Everything besides the main goal was a jumbled mess in her mind. “Who knows the way out besides the stairs and the lift?” She asked. “The second floor is in flames.”

The place exploded in answers. It quickly became clear Naran and his people weren’t the only ones who knew the place in and out. Evidently, everyone did.

“You!” Mila pointed at a younger-looking thug with a missing eye. “Speak.”

“There is an exit at the far end of this corridor.” He hurried to explain. “It’s always locked, opened only when they need to throw a corpse out. Then, there are ladders hidden in one of the rooms on the other wing. They lead towards an exit on the first floor. No one guards that place. There is also a secret passage out of here through the warden's office. He smuggles people in and out of there. Usually prisoners or whores.” Then he stopped.

Mila wasn’t going to use the last one. She suspected the assassin had gotten in through there. Now that the man had spoken, she also recalled not to use the ladders. Those actually were guarded, and they passed near an officer's office.

The corpse disposal hole it was. Mila spoke up. “I’ll let you all out.” Andrew looked at her in alarm, clearly unhappy about the thought of freeing criminals. “But you all have to leave at the same time. Are we clear?”

Despite Mila fearing there would be protests, the audience quickly came to the decision to listen to her. Moving together would ensure more of them got away. Or at least that is what the most influential people of the bunch thought.

Mila gave the keys to Andrew and pushed him to move. She wasn’t sure she could get them all free and still have the strength to escape. She leaned against Andrew’s cell and tried to keep her breaths steady.

People started to pass Mila as they were set free. There were one or two thankful phrases thrown her way. They all bunched at the entrance into the corridor, watching the rolling smoke warily. The fires had reached the stairs and climbed up.

“That’s all.” Andrew finally spoke.

Mila opened her eyes to see a rowdy bunch of ruffians trying to squeeze through the door frame all at once. With them out of the way, she moved to the far end of the corridor.

Andrew offered an arm for Mila to lean on. She almost accepted. But in the end, her useless pride got in the way. “I am fine.” She forged on.

“You clearly are not,” Andrew argued. “What’s with the ‘paid’ for getting me out?”

“A misdirection.” Mila kept her words short. They reached the end, where the planned escape route was. Andrew unlocked it and threw the hatch and threw it open.

“That’s higher up than I thought.” He looked at the dark ground. “Oh, hey, buddy!” Mr Crow found them right after the hatch opened and landed on Andrew’s shoulder. “I missed you!”

“No time.” Mila pushed into the hole. “Must move.”

People were running about everywhere. A moment later, there was shouting from the other side of escaping criminals. Someone got caught. At least it took the attention away from this spot.

“It’s the third floor.” Andrew tried to hold her back.

“Not earth.” Mila climbed out and, after grabbing the ledge, lowered herself as far as possible. “You’ll live.” Her fingers were cramping.

“Those are not sentences, Mila.” Andrew protested. “Fuck! Are you dozing off right now?”

“No.” Mila glanced down and let her grip go. There was a spell that made someone lighter. She didn’t have that one on the ready. Mila had to do with grabbing a small protrusion where the second floor was.

The move hurt her hands even more. Mila’s body screamed in pain as her fingers found purchase and didn’t let her fall all the way. She repeated the action. Then again, finally landing on the ground. The impact still left her reeling.

Andrew followed her and was smoother while doing it. “Shit, Mila. You should have let me come first.” He grabbed her shoulder and steadied her.

A few people seemed to notice them, but the screaming on the other side distracted these witnesses for long enough for Mila to start moving.

“Let me carry you.” Andrew offered again.

“No.” Mila struggled to keep her legs moving. “Only Isabel…” She didn’t finish the sentence.

“You are so stupid!” Andrew wasn’t kind with his words. “Isabel can’t always be with you.”

Mila knew that. But she wanted to be back to her girl to the point it hurt. “Run.” The thought of Isabel’s heat gave her body energy.

And they did. Mila led the way while Mr Crow flew a little behind them to make sure they were not followed. They quickly reached the row of buildings and ducked inside the narrow paths with Andrew right behind.

Mr Crow cried out, and Andrew told her they were safe for the moment. Mila didn’t respond. They had to move further.

Mila had to get back before her body switched off.