The Last Librarian

27.| Sneaking Around

Mr. Scott has just finished briefing us for our mission when we hear several Inspectors coming. Reglin glances down the hall, judging where the sounds are coming from and then he quickly hands us each a plastic card.

"If you press that to the lock on your cell door it will disable the security system, locking mechanisms, cameras and all. They won't know anything has been disabled. Now go," he hisses before disappearing further down the hall. Kellan and I hurry back the way we came only fifteen minutes ago, hoping and praying that we don't get caught. Once we reach the end of the hallway Kellan goes one way and I go the other. I'm almost to my cell when Rowan and Marks appear at the end of the hall, glaring at me. I begin playing dumb, looking around the hall, as if I'm lost. When my assigned officers reach me, they're livid.

"Where have you been?" Marks snaps at me. I slowly turn towards him, feeling drowsy. Whatever they put in our food is getting to me, and I don't like that.

"I got lost trying to find my way back to my cell," I lie, staring at the ground. He scoffs.

"I meant before that!" He hisses in response.

"I waited in Dr Yung's office for a while, but you didn't come, and I was hungry, so I found my own way to the cafeteria." Marks is about to lose it on me but Rowan places her hand on his shoulder, telling him to calm down. Then she nods her head towards me, and starts towards my cell. I follow her, and Marks follows me. The whole way down the hall Marks is grumbling inaudible things behind me. Once they've locked me up inside, I can't help but smile. That's three times that I've outsmarted Inspectors. It feels good to know that they're not perfect.

My moment of victory quickly fades away, though, as I remember what we have to do tomorrow. The entire thing is planned out but one wrong move could mean failure for all of us. One mess up, and Uncle Jinx could lose his life. If that happens I'll never forgive myself. I couldn't live with myself. It would be the final nail in my coffin. If something happens to my uncle... I'll let go.
So we can't make a mistake. Everything has got to go as planned. Shutting my eyes, I take in a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the impossible burden that I've been given.
It feels like the weight of the entire world is on my shoulders.

__________________

I've been impatiently watching the clock all morning. When the digital time display in my room finally switches from 11:29 to 11:30 I spring into action, stalking towards the door. I pull the plastic card that Mr. Scott gave me out of my pocket, hoping it will work. My hands are shaking as I slide the card against the cold metal. A loud 'pop' echoes off the walls of my cell, and then there's a metallic whirring sound which quickly fades out. Cautiously, I place my fingers on the door handle, testing that the DNA recognition scanners have been shut off. When I don't get stung by electricity I open the door entirely, peeking into the hall. The coast is clear. There aren't any Inspectors or doctors around, and lunch isn't for another half an hour, so all the prisoners are still locked in their cells.

I shut the door behind me quietly, and start towards the Inquisitor's office, where I'm supposed to meet Kellan in exactly two minutes. The typical noises of the Expound fade away and all I can hear is my heart thumping in my chest, threatening to break free. I keep glancing over my shoulder, expecting Merka, or an Inspector, or somebody to be following me. But there's nobody. Whatever distraction Reglin and the others pulled must've have been pretty good to get all the faculty away from the area we needed to be in. Even the security checkpoints are empty. Honestly, it's a little eerie.

As I near the Inquisitor's office I slow my pace, peering around the corner to see if anybody is there. There's no one, so I continue down the hall. A few moments later I'm joined by Kellan who looks equally queasy about doing this. We stop in front of the door to her office and I turn towards Kellan, shaking. I have to keep it together.