The Shrink Program

Chapter 61

With a sharp clang, the trap door above us burst open

"This looks like the place." Alex's voice observed from above.

"Good." Came a second voice. "Now then, Alexander, go in and investigate."

"Hey!" There came a surprised shout, a second before Alex Floid was shoved through the hole in the ceiling.

Apollo and I watched in silence as the grumpy red-head fell into the room, landing unceremoniously on the floor.

And here I was... worrying that they were about to walk into a trap...

Faceplant more like.

Groaning a nasty word into the floor beneath him, Alex painfully climbed to his hands and knees. Glaring furiously, he twisted to shout up at the hole. "Are you trying to get me killed Asshole?!"

"Is it safe?"

"That's not the point!"

"Glad to hear it!"

"Alan!"

"Geronimo!"

Alex had to dive out of the way, narrowly avoiding being crushed as another red-head jumped through the hole.

With a growl, Alex threw himself to his feet.

"Look where you're going damn it!"

The two teens faced off, physically identical in almost every way.

The only way to tell them apart was that one was noticeably neater than the other and that the colour of their heterochromatic eyes was reversed.

"I did." The second boy protested, holding up an explanatory finger.

"I just missed."

The King and Queen of the hill, Alan and Alex Floid.

I jumped to my feet, anxiously staring at the twins through the glass.

Before I could open my mouth to give them any sort of warning, Alex grabbed his brother by the collar of his neat uniform.

"That was a six-foot drop, Alan! You could have killed me!"

"Pish posh Alexander. " Alan raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Alex's roughness. "You're obviously fine..."

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Don't be sensitive. I'm sure no one else even notices how that name makes you seem like an old man."

"Alan!" His voice came out strangled.

"Whoops." Alan rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly. "That was supposed to be a secret, wasn't it?"

" You-"

"Enough already!" Vain shouted from somewhere above. "In case you might have forgotten again, we are here to save Maddison."

"Right." Both twins said at once, turning to face the room..... finally noticing Apollo and me staring at them in stunned silence.

The four of us just stood, staring at each other in awkward silence.

"Um..." Alan pointed up at the trap door. "Is it okay if we go back out and try that again?

I facepalmed.

Smartest guy on the Hill: Uses his intellect to screw with the rest of us.

Alex groaned, smacking his brother up the back of the head. "No, we can not go back and try again. This isn't one of your damn video games."

Alan sighed, shaking his head with regret. "It's only good manners for a gentleman to make a heroic entrance when coming to rescue a lady."

Alex stared at his brother in disgust.

"You're such a creeper Alan."

Alan stumbled back with the blow.

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

"Vain, Alex's is bullying me!"

"Stop bickering. You're both disgusting and should be shot."

Yep. That's my neighbour.

This spurred even louder protests, as the Twins became lost in their own indignation.

Needless to say, this conversation wasn't going to progress any time soon.
"What was the point of bringing those idiots here again....?" Apollo asked me.
"Something about a trap... "

".... It almost doesn't feel worth the effort anymore... Do you think they'll shut up and go away if I hand you over?"

I sent him a panicked glance.
"Don't just dump them on me! You're the one who got them in the same room together, you get rid of them."

The more the Floid siblings fought, the harder it was getting for me to remember whose side I was supposed to be on...

"Fine." Apollo sighed again, getting to his feet. "They won't shut up until I render them unconscious, so I might as well get it over with."

I'm tempted to wish him Good luck...

"Close the trap door!" Apollo called, and Vain yelped in surprise a moment later.

The trap door was shut, leaving the four of us alone.

"...Hey..." Alan gave the door an indignant glare, as he slowly came to the realisation that he had just been screwed over.

"So you had your guys follow them so that they could trap us all down here..." I crossed my arms to hide the fact my hands were shaking.

Vain was up there.

"But... What are you supposed to do now that you're stuck down here with the both of them...?"

I glance to the side, curious to see Apollo's expression.

Only to find he wasn't there anymore.
"Sh..!?"

My gaze snapped back to Alex, just in time to see Apollo's sharp kick to his stomach.

The unexpected force of the blow sent the taller teen sprawling backwards.

No way.

Apollo pivoted, spinning backwards in a ruthless roundhouse.

Alan barely had time to get his arm up to block, the strength of the smaller boy's kick still sending him falling to the ground.

No. Way.

In less than five seconds, Apollo had crossed the room and laid both brothers flat.

No freaking way.

Trembling, my legs gave way beneath me, and I fell to sit.

He wasn't just a good fighter. He was skilled.

Trained.

I had seen that exact sort of deadly speed and accuracy before.

Used by only one other person.

The Ace of the Hill.

Before I could finish the thought, Apollo spoke.

"The problem isn't what I am going to do now that I am trapped down here with them."

Standing over both the King and Queen of the hill, Apollo sent me a bored look over his shoulder.

"It is what they are going to do trapped down here with me."