The Hidden People

#7 - Rescue

"This is why little kids should be obedient, or else they might die," sneered Henry.

When he had stepped away to get his syringe, Shaley informed the children of the things she had been through, "He's my dad's friend. He had allured me to this place with music. He is planning to keep me prisoned till the town competition gets over. You see, they think I might win, and he does not want his son to lose."

Naomi soothed Shaley. She quietly put on her night vision spectacles and glanced around the room for Alex. She saw it standing behind Henry. It had captured all the surroundings in the recording. It was priming itself to attack Henry. Naomi gathered everyone to the far end of the cage. Alex injected a paralyzing serum in Henry making him fall to the ground. He hurriedly shuffled over to its developer.

"Okay, now what? Shall I call the cops? It's not safe here. There is a verification system installed. According to that, every 5 hours he has to scan his thumb and verify it with his heart impulse. And right now, there is no way he will corporate with us to satisfy the system. He knows that we are here."

Naomi thought for a while as Shaley sat panicked cradling her brother's head, "Did you inform Siola and Felix about this?"

"Yes, and they are down here with us. They are just on the other side of the room. That's like a mile away."

Naomi shifted to Riley and Samuel who were trying to break the lock. Riley looked up, "Little help here?"

Alex pressed his eyebrows together into a worrisome frown, "That's what I'm saying. The verification system will ask for his thumbprint and heart impulse, and that we don't have. I can't even make him have the required heart impulse." He turned to Naomi, "That reminds me, you two have to work on this later on."

Naomi agreed. Luke said, "Tell them to inform the cops and to get to a safe place. Alex, you try to shut the system down. I have a feeling this thing is going to explode on its own if it does not get Henry's heart impulse. Shaley, did you observe anything while you were here? Something that can be helpful right now, to escape this place?"

Alex slithered away as all eyes rested on Shaley, who was a crying mess. She, nevertheless, shook her head in denial. Luke gazed around the room trying to see any way they all could escape. Riley shifted beside Shaley, placing her hand on the crying girl's shoulder, "Hey, don't panic. We all are here for you. We'll get out of here soon. The cops will come and arrest this fool, who trapped you in here. Shaley glanced up silently.

"I guess your brother had also been allured to this place?"

Shaley's breath trembled as she gathered courage, "No, he only followed me while I walked in a trance. He's deaf and has aphasia, you see. He can't speak. So he tried to save me by pulling me home. But, I am responsible for what happened to him. I should've listened to him and gone back home when I felt him tugging on my arm. He was in his right mind when he reached here and Henry attacked him when he saw my brother."

Riley was left speechless. Samuel dropped next to the brunette, "Hey, your brother is fine. Look he's breathing. Henry might just have paralyzed him. Don't worry, everything will be fine soon."

A sudden vibration was felt from underneath. Naomi called out for Alex but there was no response. Luke had tried calling Siola and Felix, but there was no network. They started to panic thinking it was a violent earthquake they were experiencing. But soon, there stood an army of policemen with their guns at ready. Naomi scrambled in front, her gun ready to attack them.

"Guns down right now kids!" commanded the lieutenant.

Everyone dropped their guns on the ground as they saw Siola and Felix appearing from behind the crowd. Shaley cried, "Dad!"

The lieutenant marched up to his daughter. "Look what your friend, Henry has done to poor Sam. He hasn't woken up for 3 days now."

"I never expected this from him. He was a very good friend of mine, Shaley darling. I'm sorry. I should've kept an eye on him ever since you mentioned his previous misbehavior."

The policemen opened the cage letting the panicked children out. Naomi ran to Felix, engulfing him in a bear hug. She whispered, "I thought I was not coming back home."

"This is why I should've gone with Luke and people. You're too much of a scared kitten," Felix teased Naomi making her punch him.