Smol Women

Chapter Twenty-Six

Marianne and Thomas were dismayed to find that the dungeon was much bigger than they remembered. Cell after cell lined either side of the hallway, and the halls branched out left and right.

"Shit," Marianne muttered. "I don't remember there being this many."

A gasp came from nearby and the pair turned excitedly, expecting to see Gibby or Theodore.

"Soldiers!" It was some random prisoner. "Have you come to free us?"

"Ugh," Marianne let out a disappointed sigh. "No, not you."

Ignoring the desperate pleas of all the prisoners they passed, the two continued on their search for their friends.

The further down the hall they went, the fewer prisoners filled the cells, until eventually they were empty.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Thomas whispered to Marianne, looking around uneasily. "These seem pretty unused."

Marianne nodded determinedly. "Do you think Jason will leave Theodore and Gibby right out in the open? No. He has to know we're coming."

"You're right, he does," a voice echoed down the empty hall, coming from behind them.

Spinning around, the two found themselves staring at Diamond Daisy, whose gun was raised and aimed at them.

"As if we didn't expect you. Why else would we let you walk right in?" Diamond Daisy cackled, with her stupid fucking Australian accent.

"So, Selena—" Thomas began, but Diamond Daisy cut him off.

"—Is in danger, yes. Honestly, I'd give her ten minutes max before Tank and Jason kill her."

"No!" Thomas cried, reaching for his gun.

"Ah, ah, ah," Diamond Daisy chastised. "You'll soon be reunited. Along with that poor German bat from the bus."

Marianne glared daggers at Diamond Daisy, and in an instant, she drew her gun from its holster and fired. Unfortunately, Diamond Daisy was ready, and fired just as fast.

Both women hit their targets, with varying degrees of success.

Diamond Daisy's bullet skimmed Marianne's arm, causing her to yelp in pain. Thankfully it was nothing compared to the gunshot that had hit The Hoff, but it still made her drop her gun.

Marianne's bullet, on the other hand, was fired with precision, and planted itself right on Diamond Daisy's chest, where her heart would be. With a screech of pain, she fell to the ground with a dull thud.

"Gross," Marianne muttered, holding her arm.

Thomas pulled her onward, breaking into a jog. "Can you run? Hurry, c'mon! We need to find Gibby and Theodore and get to Selena before it's too late."

With a determined nod Marianne hurried after him. "I'm fine, it just stings."

Her arm was beginning to bleed, but it wasn't anything life threatening.

"They must be down this way, otherwise Diamond Daisy wouldn't have stopped us," Thomas continued, scanning each cell as they ran past.

Suddenly he skidded to a halt before a cell.

"Thomas!" Theodore gasped from within the cell.

"Marianne!" Gibby echoed. "You're here! But how?"

While Thomas set to work trying to break the lock, Marianne smiled. "As if we wouldn't come. Are you hurt?"

Gibby shook his head, but before he could speak, Thomas let out a frustrated yell.

"The lock won't budge!" he snapped, dropping it in defeat. "Did you see what they did with the key?"

Marianne, Gibby, and Theodore all exchanged a glance, recalling the last time they had been in the dungeon. There was only one person who could open the lock without the key.

"We need Tank," Theodore said gravely.

~~~

"So, he just bit through the lock with his teeth?" Thomas asked, trying to wrap his head around the idea. "Is that physically possible?"

"You were there when he did it," Gibby pointed out.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "I was busy with the fact that I'd been captured by ISIS. Let's not get hung up on that."

Theodore nodded. "Thomas's right. We aren't gonna get out of here without Tank."

"Hey," Gibby piped up. "Where're Selena and Max?"

Thomas's eyes widened and he grabbed his gun. "Selena! She's still in danger!"

Marianne let out a gasp and grabbed her gun. "We'll be back, we promise," she told the two men in the cell.

They nodded determinedly, understanding.

"We'll see you then," Gibby smiled at her.

Theodore nodded and waved them goodbye. "You've got this!"

Saying their quick goodbyes, Marianne and Thomas ran back the way they'd come, past the pleading prisoners. They scrambled up the stairs and ran up about five flights until they reached the top. They had to find Selena and Tank, or they were doomed.