• Chapter 11: Getting Her Back

    Brad began to creep around the building, watching out for anyone that may be passing. Once he reached the corner, he looked around it as cautiously as he could. All he could see was two guards, looking very professional. They wore a suit with a grey tie with a strange design on it. Once Brad saw the ties, he realized they matched the shirts that the people that took Miranda had been wearing. The guards also had sunglasses and earpieces. He knew that it would be a fairly large challenge to get around them, but he also knew it would get worse once he was actually in the building. He took refuge behind the corner until a plan was made. No plan may work for Ralph, but this time, he was in charge.
    After discussion, Ralph walked around back. Brad watched worriedly around the corner, not sure if this would work. His only hope was that Ralph wouldn’t get caught before he made it to the roof.
    Once he saw his teacher’s face show above the building, Brad let out a little sigh of relief. Ralph took the glass object and dropped it, causing a crash loud enough to cause both guards to look. He quickly grabbed his crowbar that made him look like he was getting in through the roof. The attention of both guards was completely captured. They took off; taking different routes to assure the intruder wouldn’t get away. Ralph took off, too, only he jumped down in front of the doors on the sheet Brad was holding out since both men were gone.
    After giving each other a congratulatory high-five, they continued their mission by walking straight through the front door. The only thing Brad wondered was why the front hallways were so blank and empty. There wasn’t a single living soul in sight, and the white walls and plain flooring didn’t help fill the emptiness one bit. He quietly crept around the halls with Ralph, wondering whether or not the silence should be broken since there was no one around to hear them anyways.
    After a long journey of guesses and random turns, he realized it had to be a trick to stop unwanted people from getting in. He stopped for a break, since his legs were becoming heavier with every passing moment. Once he leaned against the wall, he felt his entire weight shift backwards and he realized he was falling. This is either really good or really, really bad. His back made contact with a smooth, slick material and he began to slide down, backwards. The slide made turns, but Brad never knew what to expect, since the scenery around him was completely black. There was absolutely no source of light around him, causing him to panic a little. He knew that the situation couldn’t possibly get any better if he screamed, so he remained completely silent.
    After a short while, he landed at the bottom of the slide with a big thud. He knew his back had to have some skid marks, but he was thankful that his face wouldn’t. As he landed, a somewhat weak member of the group that worked here walked by.
    “What are you doing here?” he questioned.
    “Come here, I’ll tell you,” Brad answered, leading him into the shadows.
    Brad walked around the corner in the strange gray shirt and the jeans, relieved he didn’t have to hide even close to as much as he had not very long ago. I’m glad I had that rope, he thought to himself. He walked around, realizing the group was much larger than he had imagined it.
    Everyone was going every which way, seeming to mind their own business, and every one of them seemed to be busy doing something different. As he looked around, he noticed they all had the same haircut, with the exception of a few girls, and even then all of the girls had the same haircut. There was a man who was in front, watching the orderly chaos of people. He wore the proud look of a leader, so Brad decided it was all right to assume he was. He knew that this was the only man that had information of exactly where Miranda was and exactly what would happen to her.
    Brad crept close enough to the leader to hear his conversation, yet far enough to be behind a corner that would hopefully hide him from all people. In this case, there was a lot to hide from. He strained his ear, trying to catch a glimpse of the plan.
    “Is she ready?” the leader asked. Brad hadn’t realized how tall he was until he had gotten closer.
    “Almost. She’s in the basement, sector 122. The chains have almost been made, but for now there’s only one woman down there with gold earrings on. She’s on watch, and is to press the emergency button, should anything happen,” said a short, bald man who was standing on the right side of the tall man, who made him seem shorter than normal.
    “Excellent. Raise the guard up ten times. All backups should be alert and close at hand. Notify me once the chains are on.”
    Brad turned and raced to find the basement. When he found the stairs that lead down, he flew down them. He looked at every door, searching diligently for sector 122. When he found it, he tried to put on a serious face and make it convincing that he worked there.
    “Can I help you?” the woman asked as he opened the door.
    “Yes, I’m here to relieve you of your duties. He wants to make sure a stronger person is here as the time grows closer, just to make sure nothing happens.”
    After he finished, he looked across the room to find Miranda. She was on her knees, her head down, and hair in her face. Her clothes had been tattered and her hair was in poor condition, signifying the high-stress in the situation. When she looked up, he noticed a large cut on her face. The face he had once seen as youthful and perfect was now in ruins. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this. Her eyes held the look of an emotion he couldn’t recognize at first. She was always so happy and cheery, and now she was the complete opposite. She was sad, hurt, bleeding, stressed and angry. Yes, that’s the feeling he saw in her eyes, anger. She was angry with herself for leaving and disobeying the ones who loved her and was watching out for her. She was angry for getting the world this much closer to ending, with no sight that it would be saved.
    The girl looked at his hand to see the ‘gold’ ring he had gotten from a fair. The fake gold was the perfect tool he could use to get into the rooms he needed in. After a little thought, she answered, “Ok, just press this button if anything happens where you need backup,” she stated, handing him a little button.
    Brad walked slowly over to Miranda, deciding it would be best if he calmed her down as soon as possible so they could leave. “Hey Miranda. We’ve got to get out quick before someone sees her and notices she’s not in here.”
    She spat at him. “I know you’re not who you appear, and I will never listen to you. I know this because they would never forgive me for leaving without permission. If you know me, then what are both you and your father’s name?”
    “My name is Brad, and I don’t know my technical father’s name. I don’t remember him. You and I both know that Ralph adopted me when I was 2 ½. Who would remember their parents’ names? This is fake gold, so you can get out,” he said, showing the ring. “Remember to start at the bottom left chain and work clockwise, Ralph told me it was in the books.”
    Miranda began breaking the chains one by one with her extreme strength. “Quick, grab a hold of my arm!” she shouted as the doorknob began to turn. Brad ran over and got a very tight hold of her arm, pretty sure of what would happen.