To Run With the Swift

by Gerald N. Lund

  “Rick? Are you there?”

  “Danni! Thank the Lord. Where have you been? Cody and I have been trying to get a response from you for a couple of hours now.”

  “Longer than that,” Cody said. “Where were you?”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m back now.” Then the oddity of their comments hit me. “Wait. Have you two been talking without me?”

  “Yeah, is that a problem?” Rick asked.

  “No.” Sudden wonder came over me. “But that means the pouch is helping you guys, even though I wasn’t part of it.” Then I thought of how Rick had received those two really brilliant ideas just before we went into the library. Could Le Gardien have changed allegiance? Not that I was complaining. If it was functioning again, I would gladly take second place to Rick. “That’s wonderful, guys.” Then I had a thought. “Code? Are you still with Mom and Dad?”

  “No. I’m in the same cell I was before, but Jean-Claude took Mom and Dad somewhere else after he left me here.”

  I felt a lurch in the pit of my stomach. What was Gisela up to now? “Did they say where?”

  “No.”

  “We have to hurry, then,” I said.

  “What happened up there, Danni?” Rick said. “When I finally came to after being slugged, I saw Philippe on the floor with throw-up all over him.”

  “It’s a long story. But one thing’s for sure: Even though Gisela has the pouch, I think it’s still helping us. Which means we’re not alone. So we have got to get out of these cells and find Mom and Dad.”

  “But how?” Cody exclaimed. “I’ve got a guard sitting about twenty feet away. He can see me from where he is.”

  Rick came back in. “We had Doc down the hall from us. I heard him talking on the phone to someone just a few minutes ago. Then he left.”

  I was trying to remember the exact placement of that desk as Rick and I had been taken upstairs. That must be where Doc was now. And as I pictured it in my mind, something else popped up. Niklas had paused momentarily at the desk. My eyes widened. To put the key card back in the drawer. The key card that he had used to open my cell door.

  “I’ve got an idea,” I said, still speaking inside my head. “However, I have to say also that I have no concept of how to actually make it work.”

  “Leave it to the men to figure that out,” Cody said.

  “Yeah, right. But here’s what I’m thinking. When Philippe came and got me and Rick, he used a key card he got from the guard’s desk. Remember, Rick? The guard put it in a drawer. If we could get that, we could get out of these cells.”

  “Great idea. So how do we get it?”

  “I’m still working on that. But here’s the thing. If we can get out, maybe we can get the pouch. We know where it is.”

  “Assuming Gisela hasn’t moved it.”

  I ignored that.

  “And assuming that the guards we saw are all taking a nap,” Rick added.

  “You’re not helping here, Rick.”

  “I understand, but—”

  Lightning flashed again, and a second later a crack of thunder reverberated through the hallway. It made me jump a little, but I quickly recovered. I started to ask Rick to finish his sentence, but then I had an idea. “What we need is some kind of diversion.” Just like the storm had momentarily diverted my attention. “Any bright ideas from the male side of the team on how we do that?”

  There was no answer. I waited, wanting to give them time to think. Finally, Rick spoke. “Whatever we do, we’ve got the problem of the CCTV.”

  “The what?” Cody asked.

  “CCTV. Closed Circuit Television. We’ve not only got cameras in our cells, but I saw several of them in the hallways too, both upstairs and down. Which means they’re going to see any movement we make, even if we do get out of these cells.”

  The silence stretched on for another long minute. I could almost hear them thinking. To my surprise, it was Cody who spoke first. “Hey, you guys. Remember that night on the houseboat when the three of us were up on deck?”

  “The houseboat? You’re thinking of the houseboat?” Was he losing it?

  “Yeah.” His voice lowered a notch. “I asked you what you see when your eyes are closed.”

  “I remember,” I said, a bit tartly. “And what has that got to do with anything?”

  “You thought I was nuts then, too, Danni. But do you remember your answer?”

  I thought quickly. “Yeah. I said that if your eyes are closed, you can’t see anything.”

  “Exactly. So, let’s close their eyes.”

  “Like ...” My mind was suddenly racing.

  “Like turn off the CCTVs?” he finished for me.

  Rick was on that like a buzzard on roadkill. “Cody, you didn’t happen to see any kind of room that housed electronic stuff when you came in last night, did you?”

  “Not last night. But as they took me back to my cell a little while ago, I was watching more carefully where I was going.”

  “Good job,” I said. “And?”

  “We passed a large kitchen area—you know, stoves, sinks, a large walk-in cooler, that kind of stuff.”

  “Okay,” I said, not sure why we needed to know that. But Cody always focused on anything related to food. “If we get hungry, we’ll keep that in mind,” I said dryly, hoping he would hear the smile in my voice.

  “And—” he added with obvious irritation—“just beyond the kitchen there was a door in the hall with a little sign on it in German.”

  Come on, Code. You’re killing us here. But I bit my tongue and only said, “And how is your German nowadays?”

  “I recognized two words,” Cody fired right back. “Electronische and mechanische. Maybe you’re smart enough to figure out what those mean.”

  “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I just keep thinking of Mom and Dad. We’ve got to hurry.”

  “That’s probably where the CCTV central recording equipment is kept,” Rick said. “If we could get in there, then we can blind them. Way to go, Code.”

  “Yeah, Code. Way to go. Sorry for dissing you.”

  “It’s all right.” He paused briefly. “I’m used to it.” Then he went on bitterly, “But that doesn’t do us any good unless we can get out of our cells.”

  “And we need to do it before Doc returns,” Rick pointed out.

  Silence. That was the issue, and there didn’t seem to be an answer for that.

  It wasn’t two minutes later that Rick came in again. “Okay, I’ve got it,” he said.

  “Good,” I said. “What?”

  “Cody, you’re the man. They won’t be nearly as suspicious of you as they will of me and Danni. So, let me ask you both a question. What do you not see when your eyes are open?”

  “What?” we both said at once.

  “You heard me.”

  “I have no idea what you’re saying,” I said.

  “Think about that first night in the attic. When you and Cody hid in the fort.”

  “Omigosh!” I cried.

  “You don’t see someone who’s invisible,” Cody blurted.

  “Exactly!” Rick said. “Can you do that, Danni?” he asked. “Can you make us invisible?”

  That knocked me back a minute. Could I? I knew the answer immediately. “No, only Cody.” How did I know that? I don’t know, but I did.

  “Cool,” Cody chortled. “I am the man,” he crowed.

  “Yes, you are,” I said. “So here’s how I see it unfolding.”

  “All right,” Cody said. “The guard’s reading a book or something. He’s not looking at me at the moment. Are we ready?”

  “We are,” I said. “Go for it.”

  “Wait a sec,” Cody exclaimed. “How will I know if I’m invisible? When it happened before, you and I could see each other, and we could also see ourselves. W
e didn’t realize we were invisible until afterwards. So how will I know when I am now?”

  “It’s pretty simple, really. When the guard goes ballistic, you can assume you’re invisible.”

  “Okay, then,” he said. “Start the incantations or whatever it is you have to do.”

  I actually laughed. “Incantations? You have definitely been reading too much Harry Potter. All I can do is try to focus my mind and will something to happen. And Rick, you need to try that too. You seem to have some influence with the pouch now too and—”

  Rick broke in. “Somehow, Code, once you’re invisible, you’ve got to turn off that CCTV camera in your cell. They won’t see you, but they’ll see what the guard is doing.”

  “How do I do that?”

  My mind was racing. “If the pouch can make you invisible, it’s going to have to blot out the camera, too.”

  Long silence. Then, “And how will I know if it did?”

  Rick had the answer for that. “You won’t. But if it doesn’t, we’ll know in about five seconds.”

  At that moment, I almost looked up at my camera, but I caught myself. Pulling the blanket more tightly around me, I closed my eyes, trying to look miserable and defeated. I think I was successful.

  “Omigosh!” Cody yelled inside our heads. “He’s looking this way. He’s staring at me.” He gave a little yelp of joy. “It’s working. He looks like he just saw a ghost. Okay, here he comes. He’s got his Taser out.”

  “Be careful, Code,” I whispered.

  “Shh!” A moment passed, taking only an eternity to do so, then we heard, “He’s opening the door. Man, is he juiced. Okay, he’s in.”

  “Then get out of there!” I yelled. “Lock him in.”

  “Hold on. Slight change of plans.”

  No, Code! Don’t say that.

  “Okay,” Cody yelled in pure exuberance. “Bad guy down.”

  “What?”

  “He bent over to look under my cot. His rear end was too good of a target. I kicked him hard and sent him crashing headfirst into the edge of the cot. He’s out cold. I have his key card, but he’s lying on his pistol.” I felt him grunt. “I’ll try to roll him over.”

  “Forget the pistol,” Rick shouted. “Get out of there.”

  I held my breath, then let it out in a huge whoosh when I next heard, “Okay. I’m out. He’s locked in.” Pause. “No one else is around. I think I’m okay.”

  “Unless someone is watching the CCTV monitor of your cell,” I cried.

  “Not likely,” Rick said. “Alarms would be going off by now if they were seeing all this.”

  “Then get here as fast as you can, Cody. But if you see anyone, make sure you don’t make any noise as you pass each other. Oh, and put that key card in your pocket. If they see a card floating mysteriously in midair, they’re gonna freak out.”

  “Right.” I could tell he was breathing hard. “Okay, I’m on my way.”

  “You’re amazing, Code.”

  “Yeah, yeah. You’re just saying that ’cause it’s true.”

  Everything went silent for almost a minute, then, “Hey, Rick.”

  “Yeah, Bud?”

  “I’m coming up on that mechanical room,” he cut in. “Do you want me to do something?”

  “No, come and get us first,” I cried.

  “Danni’s right,” Rick said. “They can’t see you. But the instant you take out the system, everything is going to break loose. So come get us first, before Doc comes back. Then on the way back we’ll have you take it out. Oh, see if the door’s open.”

  “Already did. It’s not.”

  I wanted to scream at him. He was so matter-of-fact. So maddeningly calm. “We’ll worry about that later, Cody. Move it. Hurry! I want you back in that cell with the guard out of there before he wakes up again.”

  “What? I’m not going back in there.”

  “Yes, you are. When that guard wakes up, he’s going to sound the alarm. Everyone will come running. And that’s important. I need the upstairs cleared out so I can get in and out of the library without being seen. Remember, I’m not invisible.”

  Rick cleared his throat. “I’ve got a better idea.”

  “Shoot.”

  “On his way back, Code slips in and destroys the CCTV system. That will wake everybody up, I promise you that. Cody stays hidden in the mechanical room. They find the guard and learn that Cody’s gone. Big search ensues, starting in the basement. But the longer Cody stays hidden, the more time it buys you.”

  “Wow! You’re on a roll, Rick.”

  “No need for sarcasm.”

  “I wasn’t being sarcastic.”

  “I like it,” Cody sang out. “Twist their tails a little. That’ll get them.”

  “Have you reached the stairs yet?” Rick asked.

  “Just barely. I see a door ahead. It has bars on it.”

  “That’s us. Hurry.”

  The next minute or two passed swiftly—like it took only about a hundred years. I was listening intently for any sounds. I heard what sounded like a drawer opening down the hallway. A moment later, Cody’s voice sounded in my mind. “All right, I’ve got the second card. Coming to you now.”

  Careful not to look up at the camera, I tossed the blanket aside, got to my feet, and stretched. Then, trying to look dazed, I started pacing slowly. “Okay, Code,” I said in my head, “I’ll be at the cell door. If I keep my back to the camera, they can’t see beyond me.”

  I made one slow circle of the cell, then stopped at the door, grasped the bars, and looked out. I was confident I was a picture of forlorn surrender. I had barely gotten there when there was a soft scrape of shoes on cement. “Oooooh,” an eerie voice said in my head, “I am the ghost of Christmas Past. Why did you break my new air rifle when I was six years old?”

  I stifled a laugh, keeping my back to the camera. “You are a nutcase, Bro.”

  “Guilty as charged. That’s why you love me.”

  “True. Now get that door open.”

  He laughed. A card appeared out of nowhere and floated through the bars into my hand. “Here’s yours. I’ve still got mine.”

  Keeping my movements slow, I carefully took the card and slid it into my pocket. “Perfect, Cody. Now get the heck out of here.”

  “You can thank me later,” he said dryly, but I heard his footsteps moving away.

  It was another couple of minutes before Cody spoke again. “Okay, I’m at the mechanical room. Any ideas how I get through a locked door?”

  “Open the lock. You can do it.”

  “Oh, really? So I’m a wizard now?”

  “Think of Le Gardien. Close your eyes and concentrate. You can do it.” I had fingers on both of my hands crossed as I spoke calmly and confidently to him. I should have been hyperventilating about now because I was alternating between panting frantically with excitement and holding my breath in fear. At the moment, it was the latter.

  “Omigosh!” Cody yelled, startling me. “That is seriously wicked.”

  “Did it work?”

  “Yes, I’m in. Okay, Rick. There’s all kinds of stuff in here. What am I looking for?”

  “The CCTV system will have all the cable feeds from the cameras coming out of the ceiling into the back of it. So, lots of cables. Do you see something like—”

  “Got it. Want me to rip the cables out?”

  “Yes. And smash the box, too, if you can. Is there a place to hide in there?”

  “Of course. It’s no sweat when you’re invisible. See ya.”

  Not even thirty seconds later, a Klaxon alarm started blasting and an electronic voice calmly announced, first in German and then in English, “Attention! Attention! Security breach. Monitoring system down. Attention! Attention!” and it started all over again.

  “Okay,” I
cried. “Here I go.”

  “No, Danni,” Rick shouted. “Not yet. One of the first things they’re gonna do is see if we are still in our cells. Sit tight for a minute.”

  I went rigid. He was right. Again! Where was my head? I had all these great ideas but kept missing the real essentials.

  “Someone’s coming,” Rick hissed about a minute later.

  I hurriedly moved to the cot and lay down as the sound of running footsteps grew louder very rapidly. A moment later, Niklas and Doc came running up to my cell door. I sat up, feigning surprise.

  Doc stepped forward and shook my cell door hard. It rattled loudly but didn’t give way. Without a word, they disappeared again. I heard them do the same with Rick’s door; then they raced away again.

  “Thank you, Rick. Glad someone’s thinking.”

  “You’re doing great, Danni.”

  “Unlike our little experience with El Cobra,” I said, “this time it’s much more complex. I think Le Gardien has decided it’s going to take all of us working together to make it work. And I’m very grateful for that.”

  “Can’t argue with that.”

  I was already to his door and looking at him. “Wish me luck, Ramirez.”

  “I can do more than that,” came his soft reply. “You sure you don’t want me to come along?”

  “If you were invisible, yes. But for now, I think it’s best if we have only one visible person out there wandering around. I’ll call you if that changes.”

  He touched my hand briefly. “Take care, Danni.”

  “I will. Thanks.” And a moment later I was out the door and running hard down the corridor toward the stairs.

  CHAPTER 33

  I stopped at the top of the narrow set of stairs that led up from the basement. I could still hear people yelling from down below, but things seemed very quiet upstairs. That didn’t reduce my anxiety much. I knew the whole house would be on the alert and that there was a good chance someone was left upstairs to watch things. So I stopped, leaning a little forward, straining to hear anything close around me. Nothing.