Gold Sparks

Chapter Twenty-Five

After a few second I pressed my ear against the door, to hear no sound at all. Deciding it was better now than later, I opened the door slowly to examine the area.

Xena was making her way to a small room in the corner of the large garage, the guards all watching her with a Probably around eight vehicles sat inside in rows of two. They were large and black, looking roomy but not super suspicious. A few motorcycles were lined up against the closest wall too. Then there were two giant, menacing vans, with enough room to hold around 10 people in the rear alone.

I breathed and motioned to Seth to follow me towards the van farthest from the room and the guards, but closests to the garage door, just as Xena instructed.

We moved slowly, Seth moving slower in front of me while I watched out from behind us.

We were as silent as we could be, if anything, it would be our heavy breathing that gives us away.

Sooner than expected we made it to the vehicle. First Seth got into the backseat and I got into the front. We buckled ourselves up and I held a tight grip on the steering wheel, ready to go once the doors open.

"Auden?" Seth whispered in my ear, "What about the keys?"

My eyes grew wide and I held back any word that wanted to escape my mouth as a shuffled around trying to find a key. Any minute now, Xena is going to open our exit gate, expecting us to bolt out of here. But instead we'll be stuck here, because we all overlooked the fact that we needed a pair of keys.

While Seth explored the back seats I checked the front. Opening drawers on their own was a challenge because my hands didn't want to stay still. The fact my tight black suit I've been wearing since my first training day was filling with blood from the wound wasn't helping me feel any more at ease. Adrenaline rushed through me, pushing away all feelings of pain involving the hole in my side.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see Seth pointing to the side of the van, his face ashened. Right outside of the door, a guard walked. I would have been frightened, if it wasn't for the soft clang of metal hitting against each other as they swayed at his side.

I motioned for Seth to lift the keys, but he shook his head. I grew confused until he lifted a small piece of paper on the floor, the object shaking uncontrollably. He was too weak, I had to do this myself.

With a deep breath I brought out my hand and focused on the keys, hoping one of them was for this certain van.

Slowly they started to move, shaking slightly but still more stable than if Seth had tried to do it.

I concentrated, just get the keys, get the keys, get the keys.

"Auden! Where are you?"

The voice popped into my mind and broke my concentration, sending the keys crashing to the cement floor. The sound instantly caused the guard to turn and look straight at me.

I just acted with impulse.

I brought out my hands and squeezed my eyes shut hoping, I was doing something.

It was clear I didn't do anything other than knock the glasses off his face. He reached through the window and grabbed my arm, smiling with yellowed teeth. His mouth opened to yell for the others but I stopped him.

"Please! Stop, don't say anything," His mouth shut and he stared at me, a terrified look in his eyes, "We just need the keys, and just let us leave, please!" I whisper-yelled my pleads to the man. I could see the joints in his body move in odd patterns, almost like he was trying to resist what his mind was telling him to do. The veins in his neck and forehead popped, his pale blue eyes became lined with red. Then, as if all his energy was stolen, he slumped. His shoulders dropped as he lowered to the floor to grab the keys. Slowly he picked through them, to then take off one with the number five engraved on the head. He handed it to me, my hand shaking and my head confused.

He just, did it. How much compassion for us did he have?

I mumbled a thank you and put the keys in the ignition, not turning on the engine just yet.

I turned to the man again, "Don't tell anyone, please."

He nodded and melted away, dragging his feet.

I shook my head still confused, what had just happened? I looked to Seth to see him smiling at me, lips tight.

I grew even more muddled but the sound of the door opening stopped my thoughts from wandering. Like lightning I twisted the key into the ignition, starting the engine. The sound attracting the already befuddled guards. Their feet pattered against the cement floor, the noises creating a synthphony of footsteps.

3, the door was almost high enough for us to fit.

2, the guards rounded the corner and saw us and began to yell.

1, finally it was high enough.

0, my foot slammed down on the gas.