“Vielleicht,” the agent answered with a smile.
Laura glared even harder at the agent. This leader had many surprises. “What language are you speaking?”
“Sie sollten intelligent genug, um das herauszufinden, auf eigene Faust,” she replied. Laura continued to glare hard at the agent before turning away angrily. “Vielleicht solltest du fragen Sie Ihren Freunden,” the SSAWPS agent said. Laura whirled around.
“What is your name?” she questioned. “Do not lie.”
The agent smiled. “Sie sind wirklich anspruchsvoll sind Sie nicht? Fein. Mein Name ist Ashlynn.”
“Ashlynn…” Laura repeated, moving away. “You speak English.”
“Vielleicht,” Ashlynn replied, still smiling. Laura wanted to wipe that smile off of the agent’s face, but she knew it would be easier to get information out of her if she tried a softer tactic.
“Who do you work for?” Laura questioned. She already knew, but she was testing the truthfulness of the agent.
“Ich dachte, Sie waren schlau genug, um das herauszufinden…?” Ashlynn asked, looking confused yet sounding sarcastic.
“Speak English,” Laura demanded.
“SSAWPS,” Ashlynn said simply. “Who do you work for?”
Surprised by the question, it took Laura a few seconds to answer. “That’s classified,” she said sternly.
“You’re no fun,” Ashlynn pouted.
Now Laura was thoroughly confused. SSAWPS agents never acted like this. Suddenly, there was a commotion down the tunnel, and the agents started running that direction. “What is going on?!” Laura demanded.
“Sounds like a party,” Ashlynn said, grinning. Then there was a loud pop and smoke started filling the tunnel, blinding everyone, including Laura.
“Secure the prisoner!” Laura shouted, searching through the darkness.
“Laura, where are you?” came Kalyia’s voice.
“Here!” Laura shouted, with a little more force than intended. Who could blame her? She was angry. “Never mind! Everyone stop walking! Sit down where you are standing until the smoke dissipates!” she commanded. Then she sat down herself. She started saying all the names of everyone in her group, and each was answered with a solidified, “Here!” until she came to Imraan. “Imraan!” she called. There was no answer. “Imraan!” she shouted, a little more forcefully. Still no answer.
“Imraan?” Kalyia’s voice asked into the darkness. There was silence.
Laura swallowed her panic. “We will find him once the smoke clears,” she said, trying to reassure herself as well as the group.
But when the smoke cleared, Imraan was nowhere to be seen. The group gathered together and Laura commanded them to keep moving. But as they were walking, one of her agents came up to her with a piece of paper in his hand. “Laura,” he said.
“What?” Laura questioned, turning.
“Look,” he said, handing her the paper.
She took it from him and read it.
Having fun?
Thanks for your time.
See you later, love.
Ashlynn
Laura crumpled the paper angrily. She would get Imraan back, no matter what. “Move out!” she commanded.
***************
“Thanks, Samantha,” Rebecca said as her blonde-haired friend worked on the knots.
"No problem," Sam answered. "Too bad I couldn't have been there to see Laura's face when she read the paper."
"Paper?" Rebecca questioned. "What paper?"
Sam yanked hard on a loop. "It's nothing. You know, your friend is really good at tying knots." She made a face as she tried to slide the knot through. It wouldn't budge.
"What paper, Sam?" Rebecca demanded.
Sam shrugged. "I just thought...you know how the SSAWPS likes to brag, and I thought it would be funny."
Rebecca sighed, annoyed. "What did it say?"
Sam stopped thinking. "Um...something along the lines of, 'Thanks for your time. See you later'. I made sure to sign it as Ashlynn."
Rebecca felt like face-palming herself, but her arms were still tied tightly behind her back. "Just...don't do anything like that again without asking, okay?"
"Fine," Sam said, holding her hands up. "Whatever." She went back to trying to untie the knots. Finally, she stepped back, sighing and running her hands through her hair.
"What?" Rebecca asked, trying not to pull on the knot, just in case she accidentally made it worse.
"I admit it. Your friend is smarter than me," Sam replied, shaking her head.
"Don't tell me..."
"No, I can get you out," Sam interrupted. "But it won't be possible unless..."
"Unless what?" Rebecca asked impatiently.
"Unless I break your thumb," Sam responded.
****************
"Are you sure this will work?" Conner asked.
Tyler looked at him skeptically. "Of course it will."
"I'm just not sure it's a good idea," Conner said dismissively.
"Why not? The SSAWPS has been bothering the POAF for eons. They wouldn't suspect it to be a trick. Besides, they believe the SSAWPS will find them at any time anyway."
"I have a question," Armaan stated. "If they think we are part of the SSAWPS and are against us, then why are you still planning a way to set up the poles for the magnetic field? I mean, why are you still helping them if they are your enemy?"
Tyler shook his head. "They aren't our enemy. This is just a misunderstanding, that's all."
"A misunderstanding that put us in a jail cell," Conner murmured.
"So let me get this straight,"Armaan remarked. "Conner sneaks into the electrical system and activates the alarm system separately, then I use this," --he holds up a smoke bomb-- "in the south wing. Then while the guards leave to go stop the 'infiltration', you go into the north wing and save the girls?"
"Something like that," Tyler answers.
"Why can't you hot-wire the system while I go save the girls?" Conner questions.
"Because I'm better at picking locks than you are," Tyler responded.
"You want to bet?" Conner challenged. "Clearly I'm better because I can conceal knives...while you can't."
"Guys. Stop fighting," Armaan interrupted. "The girls know Tyler better, and Conner is better at the systems. Now can we please get this over with?"
"Fine," Conner agreed. Then he headed towards the electrical system in the basement, and the three of them went their separate ways.
****************