After [A Journey of the Twins Novel] (37 page)

The large, round lens spun as the machine flew around the room, focusing on different objects. No visible means of flight was evident as it hovered near his hiding spot. The cat remained as still as a statue. The boxes surrounding him saved him from detection, so far. If it flew around the stack, he would be out in the open.

All of a sudden, a crash came from another set of boxes stacked along the opposite wall. The floating camera shot in that direction, away from the cat's hiding place. A couple of smaller boxes, which had been stacked on bigger ones, rolled across the floor. Drizzle raised his head enough to see a huge, rat-like creature slink around the bigger boxes toward the smaller ones.

The floating camera hovered over it, watching. The rat thing looked up, wriggled its nose, and moved on after deeming it was not a food item. One side of the ball opened and a small, jointed robotic arm unfolded from inside. The arm focused on the rat. A bright ray of light shot from its end. Where the creature had been a second ago, nothing but a small pile of ash remained.

Drizzle could hear the whirring of the lens as the floating ball hovered over the pile. When nothing moved, it floated off toward the door Ruben and the strange person had disappeared through.

It put the tip of the arm into the indentation, causing the door open. Again, Drizzle could see what appeared to be medical equipment beyond. This time he noticed something else. Before the door closed, cutting off any further views, he glimpsed the head of a person with strawberry blonde hair lying on a table.

Shyanne.

The big cat waited until he was certain the floating ball was gone before moving out from behind the boxes. He crossed the room and inspected the ash pile. Nothing discernible of the creature remained. He decided it would be too risky to enter the other room alone, especially with the floating orb of death inside. He retraced his steps down the hall with many doors to the big, empty space with the golf cart. Darkness enveloped him as the door closed, but he was already heading toward the stairs leading to the inn. As he neared, a voice came out of the darkness. It was Drayco.

"Did you find her, Drizzle?"

He remained silent.

"Are you sure he's there?” Joseph asked.

"He's there. I ask again, did you find her?"

"Yes. She is in the company of the mercenary leader and a stranger dressed in a cloak that hides all from view."

"Anything else?"

"A strange floating ball that kills with a ray of light protects them."

"What did you say? A ball that floats? Are you mad?” Joseph flicked on the flashlight. The sudden light caused the men to look away until their eyes adjusted to the brightness.

The cat emitted a low, guttural growl at Joseph.

"Enough,” Drayco said. “Anything else?"

"It looks like they have her in a room attached to some kind of medical machines."

"What? We have to get her out of there, now, before they kill her!” Joseph jumped to his feet, dropping the flashlight in his haste to get up, causing it to go out. Both Drayco and the cat could hear him shuffling around in the darkness as he tried to find it.

"Joseph, stop. If they wanted to, they could have killed her a long time ago. They have some reason for needing her and she has to be alive."

Drayco's voice was soft, but firm. He picked up the dropped flashlight, which had rolled to a stop at his feet, turned it on and pointed it toward the distraught man. Joseph held his hand up to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness. Once his vision adjusted, he moved next to the dark man and sat down.

"What do you want to do?” The man had a wild look in his eyes, but he was under control enough to listen to Drayco.

"We need to check out this floating ball first. If it is as deadly as Drizzle says, we need to find a way to take it out. Drizzle, tell me everything you witnessed."

The cat sat on his haunches and told the men all he had heard from Ruben, the Boss, and about the floating orb. When he finished, Drayco leaned back and interlocked his fingers behind his head.

"I wonder what he meant by Shyanne being the solution to his problem?"

"Drayco ... what is all this stuff? The cylinder that shines light ... the flashlight, the box with wheels, the floating ball, the generator, machines. I've never heard of these things.” He shook his head. “I can't help but think they are all creations of demons.” The look on Joseph's face indicated he was on the verge of becoming overwhelmed by all the information he had received.

"At one time these things were commonplace. It was called technology. Moving pictures were shown on something called a television, food could be put in a box and heated in minutes, and a person could travel across a vast body of water to another land in hours instead of weeks or months.” A longing filled him as he spoke about the things of the past. “But all that became obsolete after some people created an infection, a virus, that killed a lot of innocent people along with everyone who knew how to build or repair the technology. Life became what it is today thanks to the stupidity of a few idiots trying to look out for our best interest."

"I like the life I lead, or did lead until those mercenaries came to town and wiped it out.” Joseph hung his head, but raised it up after only a few seconds. “And I want to start that life again with Shyanne at my side. Drayco, I hope you won't be upset, but I love your sister."

"I know. I've known long before either of you two did. I saw it in your eyes."

"You're not mad?"

"I can't think of another person I would rather see her with.” Drayco slapped the man on his back, nearly knocking him off the steps. Joseph grinned at the dark twin and slapped his back in return.

"If you two are finished with this manly human ritual, can we get back to helping Shyanne?” Drizzle stared at one man, then the other as he spoke, his tone filled with sarcasm.

"You're right. What do you have in mind?” Drayco asked.

The cat went over what he had planned while he made his way to the big room where the men waited for his return.

"Drizzle, you sly old cat, that is a great plan. Let's move out to this hidden door you spoke of and return our family and friend to us.” The dark man looked at Joseph.

The smile on Joseph's face faded and one of grim determination replaced it.

Drizzle took them to a section of smooth, metal wall a short distance from the golf cart. He inserted a claw into the indentation, which caused the men to jump to either side when the door slid neatly into the wall, exposing the well-lit hall he had described earlier. Nothing moved. The three entered and started toward the door at the far end.

Before they could reach it, the door opened to reveal the floating silver ball. It hovered in the entranceway, the circular lens on the front whirling at a high rate of speed. It zoomed into the hall. The three dove in different directions to avoid the laser bombardment from the exposed robotic arm.

Drayco dove to the left while Joseph rolled beyond the speeding ball to come up behind it. The ball focused its attention on the dark man, the laser coming dangerously close each time it shot forth. He kept moving and managed to stay just ahead of it in the confined hallway, but he was running out of tricks. Joseph held up his sword. He tried to hit the ball; it was too fast. It whipped around and almost sliced him in half. Thankfully, he had rolled out of the way.

Drizzle stood by one of the doors. He inserted a claw to open it. It refused to budge, frozen shut over time. He went from door to door until he found one that opened, and yelled for the humans to follow before he disappeared inside. Drayco fell in behind the cat. Joseph had the ball in the way. He crouched low and waited for it to shoot the laser. After it did, he ran under it and ducked inside the opening. The door started to close behind them at an agonizingly slow pace. The three did not wait for it to shut.

They moved across the dimly lit room quickly, toward another door located off to the side. At one time, it had been a living space. Dust now covered everything. Drizzle was already at the door, inserting his claw. Joseph stood behind him, urging him on.

Drayco kept an eye on the main door, willing it to shut faster. He wished again for his sword, but knew it was gone. He had not seen it since he had killed Viola so many days ago. An inner pang of loss filled him. It was forgotten when the silver ball flew into the room before the outer door closed.

"Get inside now!"

Drizzle was already in the room beyond when Drayco shoved the man next to him through the partially open door. A bright light filled the area where Joseph had been, forcing the dark man to dive out of the way to avoid being severed in half. The door started to close; a black streak marred the smooth surface from side to side. The laser had damaged the indentation on the wall, which explained why the door had reacted the way it did.

Joseph leaned out to help the dark man. He had to pull back inside to avoid being crushed. The doors closed with Drayco still on the same side as the ball, his companions shut away on the other side.

Damn ... now what?

The dark man heard pounding and the muffled voices of his companions while he crouched in the shadows. The only light in the room, a small fluorescent one located near the bed, was not strong enough to reach where Drayco stood. The ball hovered with its lens spinning, as if confused by the noise distracting it.

Maybe I can get out of here before it decides what to do next, or finds me.
He was able to go several paces before having to freeze again.

The ball started to make a faster whirring sound and a yellow beam shot from the lens, lighting up the corner near the black-streaked door. It began to pan around the room. It had almost reached Drayco when the inner door opened. Drizzle darted into the room, followed closely by Joseph, sword in hand.

"Drayco! Nothing's in there but a dead end. We have to go back the way we came."

The floating ball spun toward the swift-moving cat. The laser lit up the room. Thankfully, the ray hit empty space. Drizzle was already beyond where it had aimed.

Drayco took advantage of the distraction and grabbed the blanket off the bed. He threw it over the ball, effectively blinding it before he ran past to the exit. They left while the ball crashed around the room, shooting the laser in all directions.

"Where do we go?” Joseph asked.

"Drizzle ... open another door ... now! We have to get out of sight before it frees itself."

The cat padded to the door closest to the generator room and tried it. It slid open without any difficulty. They ducked inside, and within seconds of the door sliding shut, the silver ball emerged. It paused, turning first one way, then the other, its camera lens spinning in a wild fashion. After a moment, it glided down the hall toward the large, vacant room with the golf cart, pausing at each door to scan for sounds before starting toward the opposite end.

"Drayco ... wha—” Joseph stood to one side, his sword held ready.

The dark twin held a finger to his lips, indicating the need for silence. The whirring sound made by the floating lens was getting closer. He hugged the wall and held his breath. Joseph held his, as well. Drizzle crouched close to him, watching the door.

The whirring noise held steady in front of their door. It became softer as the ball moved on. It had lost track of them and decided to check the generator room. With the robotic arm, it opened the entranceway and was gone.

Drayco stayed where he was until he was positive it was truly gone. He relaxed against the wall, letting his breath out. Joseph did the same.

"Boy, that was close. I thought you were a goner when that door shut before you could get through."

"You and me both,” Drayco responded.

"What do you want to do now? That thing knows we're here and has probably gone to alert its masters."

"We get Shyanne,” the cat answered as he moved to open the door.

"I'm afraid Drizzle's right. We can't wait and give them a chance to set up a defense. But we do need to make some kind of plan. The one we discussed earlier is now null and void."

Joseph put his sword away. He looked at the dark man, then the big cat. “What do you propose?"

"We need to get past the floating sentry. That is where you come in, Drizzle. You're the quickest at getting through the doors, and the fastest runner.” The cat nodded his head in agreement. “You can draw it away so Joseph and I can get into that room and free Shyanne."

"What about Ruben and this mysterious person?” Joseph asked.

"If they get in the way, we take care of them. Shyanne is the important issue here. I won't tolerate her being in their hands anymore."

"Let's go then."

Drizzle opened the door to the hall and looked out. “All clear."

The three walked to the door that lead into the generator room and listened. The whirring sound caused by the flying ball was not heard so Drizzle inserted his claw and opened it. The cat was though the door in an instant. The two men hung back in case the generator disguised the floating ball's noise. Before the door could shut and lock them out, they flung themselves inside, rolling on the ground to either side. The ball was nowhere in sight.

Joseph stood up and glanced toward the center of the room. What he saw made his eyes open wide and his jaw drop. The huge generator with its rolling belts and humming motor stood before him. He moved next to Drayco, unable, or unwilling, to take his eyes off the machinery the entire time.

"What is that?"

"It's a generator, a source of power,” Drayco said as he rose to his feet. He was near the stack of boxes Drizzle had hidden behind earlier. “I'm assuming that's what is keeping this facility going. It's old, though, even for my time."

"This place is full of so many strange surprises. Some I like, while others are demon possessed.” Joseph looked up just to make sure the floating ball was not hovering overhead. “I wish we had more time to check it out."

"Shyanne comes first."

"Agreed."

Joseph moved around the boxes and started toward the generator to see what else was in the room. A whirring noise different from the humming of the machine overpowered the lesser noise. He dove behind the boxes, pulling the dark man down with him.