The X-Philes

Chapter 6

The stairway was dimly lit from the hallway at the bottom and Dan's eyes had trouble adjusting. He felt around for a railing but was unable to find one.

"You'd think a top secret villain facility would have more safety precautions," he whispered to Phil, trying to lighten the mood.

"Is that what we're calling this?" Phil asked.

Dan shrugged before realizing Phil probably couldn't see it.

"Besides, they kill people. I doubt they care about OSHA regulations. Whose going to sue them?"

Dan stifled a chuckle.

He ran his hand along the wall to his right until the wall ran out. Dan's hand retracted subconsciously and he faltered in shock. Phil bumped into Dan from behind, knocking him slightly off balance. Dan quickly regained his footing. By now they were close enough to the bottom that they could see, but Dan was so busy concentrating on making sure no one was coming he hadn't even noticed that the wall had run out. He admonished himself. He needed to be aware of all of his surrounding, even the mundane ones.

Dan reached the bottom first and heard footsteps approaching. He grabbed Phil's outstretched hand and twirled him around the bottom under the stairs to the empty space underneath. Their damp bodies pressed together and their hearts beat and lungs breathed as one.

Someone in what looked like an official uniform walked by briskly. Dan took note of the make and model of the standard issue gun the man had holistered to his belt. Out of sight this place was much more official and uptight, not to mention wealthy. That gun wasn't cheap.

Phil's hand twitched in Dan's and Dan realized he'd failed to let go and quickly did. The connection between them broke as Dan started to crawl out from underneath the stairs, checking if the coast was clear.

"I need you to try and find my dad," Dan whispered.

Phil closed his eyes and reached out with his mind.

"Left," was the best he was able to provide from their shelter under the stairs.

They started down the hall to their left.

"Do you think evil villain lairs come with maps?" Phil whispered hopefully.

"What, like 'Prisoner Scientist Lab Here'?" Dan whispered back. "I don't think so."

Phil sighed, the guns in his waistband pressing against his back uncomfortably still.

They continued down the hall past identical looking doors with only number plates differentiating which door led where, which of course, was useless information to outsiders like them.

"Anything?" Dan asked.

Phil shook his head.

Dan let out a breath. "We can't keep going like this. It's going to take all night."

They couldn't stop either, though, so they kept walking as they thought.

The hallway reached an intersection.

Dan paused and waited for Phil's instructions. Whatever psychic signal he was picking up was getting stronger as they got closer, but it was still weak, much as it had been above ground. Phil couldn't help but wonder if not only distance but physical materials impacted however his instincts worked.

"Left," he repeated.

Down the hall the walls shifted textures to a glass. They stopped and looked into the room. Workstations were set up with lab equipment.

"Well, this doesn't look wrong," Dan conceited. Phil still wasn't happy with how much he had to push himself, though. He let his mind wander again, wondering if there was some sort of mental exercise he could practice to heighten his senses. Or drugs. Maybe he needed to go on drugs.