Frozen Flame

Chapter 57: The Five of Them

Edge of Criminal Corps

Walls stood vast on either side of them, tight as one by one they squeezed through the small opening, breath hot against their skin as muffled grunts spilled from their throat. Sticking into their sides, the walls offered no attempt at comfort, instead deciding to poke hard and sharps knives all through them. An impossible prison of blades.

Jared pushed himself through, finally reaching a small opening in the barred cell. "Remind me why we're going this way again?"

An authoritative voice echoed through the walls behind him. "Because you said you didn't want to be spotted on your way out. So, we're going this way – granted, it's not the easiest way out, but it certainly isn't consumed with a large multitude of people."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I wonder why."

Another voice spoke out, this time from above him. "Are you alright down there?"

He looked up, seeing a blue and pink haired duo hop past, feet skipping from one elongated rock to the next, propelling themselves off the walls and each other with arms outraised, balancing each other. A gold-draped woman stood directly behind them, elegant and graceful as she crossed on the jagged rocks her lackeys had pronounced safe with their quick movements.

Jared sighed. "Yeah, alright... Not as alright as you, though. How many times have you come through here?"

Lucas raised a dark eyebrow, eyes still focused on his steps. "This would be the first... For me and the mistress anyway, Ben's been through here a couple of times."

Ceecee peered down at him from high, enjoying the obvious power difference. "It's your own fault, you know. If you hadn't been so stubborn and just followed us, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

He grunted, desperately trying to pull himself past the small ledge sticking into him. "Kay, I get it, it was the wrong move... But still, at least I'm not as bad as Larcens."

He frowned.

Something was missing.

Perhaps the constant jabbering from a voice behind him?

He groaned. "Guys, I think we lost Larcens."

They paused, poised precariously on small ledges.

Benjamin turned to his companion. "I'm not getting him. I swear, if I have to hear his constant jabbering in my ear whilst I'm trying to concentrate on this, I'm just going to drop him."

Lucas frowned. "You do realise that this is my first time scaling this thing, correct?"

His friend merely bit his lip, staring him down. "Well, you're going to have to deal with it because I'm not strong enough to carry him."

A long pause as they stared at each other for a minute, each trying to convince the other of their difficulties.

Finally, Lucas caved. "Fine, but if we lose Jared, you're going to have to carry him." Turning, he climbed back, bounding from one ledge to the other, disappearing in the shadows and confused cascade of the rocky walls.

Benjamin smiled, continuing on. "Alright. Sure..."

A few seconds passed until Lucas came back, a wearied and blabbering Larcens strapped to his back. "Hurry up, we need to get out before the sweepers come through." He paused, glancing at the sky above him, spotting the speckled glaciers of ice and the reflection of the lights off them. "So, in about an hour."