Cossmass Turn 16

Temple of Raman Ran (Third Level)

"Oh sugar," said Diane, two guards searching the rooms. She tightened her grip on Hamdija in case the jumpy man were to attempt to make a break for it. She glanced around the room, was there any way that they could hide four people here? If not they might have another fight on their hands and her shoulder was still sore from last time. She hated to imagine the alarm that the sound of Rex's gun would raise if he fired it.

Rex stared hard at Hamdija's eyes, then stood up and holstered his gun.

"Hamdija, you able to help? The second one guard steps in, we cover his mouth and knock him down, then Morton says 'Clear'. When the other guard passes in front of the door, I step after him, he'll be expecting a figure to go after him and he won't realize until I knock him down."

He stands on one side of the entrance and signals Hamdija and Diane to stand on the other side and Nick to join him. "Morton, hide in the shadows!"

Nick leaned against the wall opposite Rex and whispered, "What if there are more than two of them? These nooks are on both sides of the--" He was cut of by a shout from one of the soldiers outside.

"There! Halt!" A brief pause then, "The ... fifth one the right."

Another voice, the commanding voice from behind the spotlight. "We know you're in there, lady. Come out with your hands up. Or we shot the prisoner we do have."

Nick had stepped away from the entrance at the sound of the first voice, and he had been closer to the entrance than Diane. He leaned toward Rex and Diane and whispered, "I thought we were on their left?"

Rex nodded and listened intently, drawing his handgun, the previous plan forgotten.

"Lady?" whispered Diane, "It could be Kara." Diane moved to the door and flattened herself against the inside of it. She hesitated, sticking her head out could mean trouble but what choice was there. They couldn't do anything if they didn't know what was going on and if it was Kara she wasn't about to let her be captured.

Rex caught Diane's intention and put an arm in front of her, preventing her from sticking her head out to look, unless she pushed against him. He wondered, 'what is it between these two?'

He muttered, "Let them take her. Be burdened. If they turn we take them from behind, if they don't previous plan."

"No way!" hissed Diane, "She's a friend. We can't just leave her to be captured!"

Rex waited, still listening.

"After her!" the commander snapped. Boots began tramping up the corridor, running. Diane and Rex saw two gaurds running past, their SMG's in their hands as the advanced to the alcove on the opposite side of the passage. Neither of them appeared to even glance at this side of the passage.

After some more shouts and threats their prey stepped out and was brought back towards the others. As they passed them Kara's tired but defiant profile stared down the men she was marching toward.

"Well, my dear. A lucky escape for you. But not for you're comrades if they aren't found soon. Where are they? We will find them eventually, you know." Smug, superior and slimy.

Diane hated the man instantly. She resisted the urge to stick her head out just so she could put a face to the smug sneering voice.

"What do you want with us? We never did anything to you." Kara's voice was strong, but she hesitated slightly before answering. "I don't know, I ... I couldn't keep up."

"Really. Okay, check the other branches. They didn't come this way. You see, my dear, if they had come this way they would have run straight into the guard post up ahead, and I'd have heard all about it. You aren't a very good liar, my child."

"But..." she tried to say. The voices stopped and the bootsteps retreated back down the passage.

Looking at each other in the shadows they could see Morton's head slumpped forward on his chest which was slowly rising and falling in sleep.

Diane kicked him in the side out of frustration. He grunted somnolently, but didn't awaken.