Slow and Speedy Win the Fight

93. Silence

Haresa

Sheldon's intuition was sharp as we managed to find a hidden entrance at the booth which to another hidden facility. We had descended down into it and Sheldon was unhappy with the situation as he complained about developing claustrophobia from these underground places.

I couldn't really blame him since I was slowly becoming wary of these missions lately too.

"Basements and more basements," Sheldon muttered as he swiped a cobweb away from his face.

I coughed. This place was dustier than the last place. "I feel like we're going to be trapped down here and be in another feature horror film."

"Was the first one the near-drowning incident?"

"No, the first one was when we crashed a film set years ago."

"Huh," Sheldon said. "I forgot that happened."

"You were more focused as to how I figured out it was you in the hazmat suit."

His eyebrows shot upward. "It was from that time?"

"Yes, but watch where you're going!"

He had nearly walked right into a wall and I pulled him back in an attempt to stop him from hurting himself.

"Oops," he mumbled as he managed to swipe off the last bit of cobweb. "These are a sensory nightmare."

"We have to focus."

The echoes of footsteps reverbed off the walls behind us and it didn't take long for us to pick up the pace.

There wasn't anything unusual with the hallway, only that it was long, and at the end of our destination was a small yet empty-looking room. Only a podium stood in the center with a glass box that covered its top. As we approached it, it looked like there was a small device placed underneath it.

Sheldon immediately took something out from one of his pockets and motioned me not to move. I recognized the lettering as Thai on the bottle and I squinted at it.

"Did you steal talcum powder from the house?"

He glanced away from me as he poured some into the palm of his hand. "Maybe."

The fine powder scattered the moment Sheldon blew on it. I wasn't sure what it was supposed to have achieved but he offered no explanation when I stared at him.

Sheldon pockets the powder. "There could've been lasers here."

"But there isn't and now there's powder on the ground," I said as I pointed at the ground.

"It was already dusty, at least it smells a little better in here now."

My foot kicked forward and Sheldon tried to stop me.

"You can't just act on your own," Sheldon called out. "There might be—"

As I got close enough to the podium, a tile sunk beneath my foot.

Well, shitake mushrooms.

"Great," Sheldon groaned.

The glass top flipped open and a miniature fox statue took its place. Its lower jaw dropped and before I could process what was happening, it emitted a sonic screech.

My ears were in pain. My hands clutched at the sides of my head and I couldn't stand on my feet anymore. I was in a fetal position on the ground and through my watery eyes, I saw Sheldon also had his hands over his ears but he wasn't in as much pain as me and it took me a minute to figure out why.

My super hearing was not a power at this moment but a weakness.

The impact still seemed significant as it made the turtleneck of Sheldon's costume to slip and uncover the bottom half of his face. Sheldon's lips moved and I couldn't hear him but I could read his lips.

The room was a trap.

Carabao entered the room at that moment with Reynard trailing behind him and I attempted to run towards Sheldon. Carabao's eyes met mine and my body slowed down again.

Sheldon fumbled to get something from his pocket and Carabao grabbed his arms before twisting them so they were behind Sheldon's back.

Reynard had a devious smile as he unlatched Sheldon's watch. He dangled it in front of Sheldon's face and was speaking. I couldn't decipher what he was saying but Carabao tied Sheldon up before pushing him to the ground.

Carabao and Reynard slowed back away to the end of the room, a triumphant gleam in Carabao's eyes while Reynard showcased a smirk. My hearing was slowly coming back and I just managed to catch what Reynard said before they left.

"Au revoir."

I let out a sound that only be described as a mix between a scream and a groan but they ignored me. Without a second to spare, Reynard wrapped an arm around Carabao's waist before they blinked out of sight.

"It didn't look like they were using my watch," Sheldon said.

We lost.