That night, I chose to sleep in Barley's room instead of Lumi's.
I could tell I upset her when her dropped eyes and door slowly closed, but I knew I could spend time with her at any chance.
Of course, their parents weren't happy that Barley had defied the rules to jump in the pool. I took the blame, saying that I was the one who made him do it, which wasn't a lie.
To lessen the blow, they got their plate back intact. That did cheer them up just a little, but there were hushed words to their towering son which made him shrink down.
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We stayed up playing war games on a lower volume so the rumbling of explosive deaths didn't wake his youngest sister.
I got to talk to his new friends; Lynal and Joshua, over the headset.
They actually sounded fun. We made jokes with each other, and I answered their curious questions about what I did for work.
We stratigised as a team to try and make it through the onslaught. We groaned and laughed as we were taken out one by one.
I was horrible at these games, but it made me happy. It was the happiest I had been in a long time.
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Barley's arm was thrown over me when I woke up the next morning. His heavy tail hung off the bed, pinning my feet that I wedged out from under him.
I could hear chatter outside the door. Bowls clinked and there was a little laugh.
Wriggling myself free from Barley's dead weight, I crept to the door and slid around it so I didn't disturb the sleeping giant.
"Good morning" Faris leant over from the kitchen bench "cereal?"
Lumi sat there beside him in her pajamas. Her face avoided mine, still sour about being ditched.
Lydia swung her feet from her chair as she ate. Dressed up in a green and white checkered dress, along with frilled white socks and black shoes, she was ready for school.
A pink bag sat beside her that had a tiny plush crocodile hanging off one zipper. It has seen better days. The felt teeth were all wonky, and the green fabric was looking more brown. She had coloured in the white eyes with markers to try and match Barley's.
"Is he awake yet?" Lydia grinned to me as I approached them "Barley walks me to my bus stop every morning, you know!"
"Really?" I lightened up to have her nod back "he does all that?"
"Sometimes he does my hair, but his fingers are too big" she spoke with a pout "they hurt my neck."
"I've taken up braiding" Meena smiled in the kitchen as she got me a bowl and the cereal; a fruit filled wheat one.
Looking over, Lydia's braids were misshapen and wonky. They had kinks where Meena had tried to correct herself. It was passable, but made little Lydia's hair look shabby.
"It was a struggle just to tame it" Faris laughed "the amount of spray! I'm surprised it didn't gas you guys out!"
He waved a hand and Lydia giggled around a mouthful.
I was handed the milk so I could fill my bowl and join them.
"Thank you for having me again" I smiled warmly to both parents "and thank you for bringing me here, Lumi."
She mumbled something, pretending to have her mouth full as well.
"I'd like to spend the day with Lumi, if that's ok?" I decided "is there shopping nearby?"
Her parents exchanged a look, and Lumi noticed. She blushed and dipped her head further.
"Just down the road is a nice place. A few restaurants and some entertainment. Do you like mini golf?"
"Never tried it."
Faris gasped, wagging a finger.
"We have to take you!" he spoke up excitedly "Lumi is quite good with a club."
"Dad" she groaned "don't..."
Lydia grumbled and frowned at me.
"How come you guys get to have all the fun while I have to go to boring school? It's not fair!"
She huffed and folded her arms. Her eyes glistened with tears.
"Hey" I leant towards her "how about we go together after school? We can save all the fun stuff for when you are with us."
She looked skeptical.
"Promise?"
I chuckled and held out my pinky to her.
"I can find you another keychain for your schoolbag if you be good?"
I was going to anyway, but the incentive might be the boost she needed today.
She twined her pinky around mine immediately and grinned at the bribe.
"I want a platypus!" she declared "but I can never find one."
"They aren't popular" Meena leant towards me to drop her voice "it's all brown bears and kangaroos. We couldn't even get a proper Komodo."
I could look for that too. That sounded like a fun challenge.
I could spend some time with Lumi and patch up my mistake. I hurt her by ruining whatever plans she had for us last night.
"Sounds like a day" I smiled to Lumi.
"Day-te?" Lydia grinned widely and giggled at us.
Lumi blushed and I returned to my cereal to hide my smile
"Go get your brother up so he can walk you" Faris took Lydia's empty bowl and lifted her off the tall seat "we've got to catch that bus!"
She rushed down the hall and knocked on his door. With her back turned, I saw she was the only one in the family with a flat platypus tail poking out from the back of her modified dress.
Now that Lydia was gone, I had a clear sight to Lumi.
She glanced to me with the tiniest smile.
Why did it feel like we were about to go on our first date after all?
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"Let's go!" Barley boomed as he left the bathroom in fresh clothes "got all your things, Liddy? Water bottle? Books? Homework? Pencil case? Phone?"
"Yep!" she beamed.
"Alright, she's all ready!"
"Don't forget your tail guard if you are going outside!" Meena called out from the couch where she had a book "you don't want to be scrubbing dirt off yourself again!"
"Mum!" Barley whined in embarrassment as we waited for him "we are going to miss the bus!"
"The sooner you get it on, the sooner you can go" Faris replied with a stern look.
He groaned and stomped his way back into the bathroom to ruffle under the sink, muttering bitterly.
"These are stupid!" he called out.
"They protect you from all the diseases!" Meena replied from over her book.
"A tail guard?" I whispered to Lumi who was smirking.
"A plastic cover that stops all the spit, dirt and gum sticking to him since he can't lift it off the ground. Most larger creatures wear one since it's more sanitary."
"And what about you, young lady?" Faris clicked his fingers to us "got your Bubbles on? You are going into a shopping centre, so you'll need them."
"Dad!" Lumi groaned now, to Barley's delight.
"Suck it" he taunted as he threw them to her "I can't be the only one who suffers."
Lydia took hers to snap them under her wrists. Lumi did the same, grumbling about how large and silly-looking the plastic bubbles were that covered her spurs.
Barley finished heaving up the tail guard, quickly showing his parents with a spin to make sure it was on.
"Ok, we really are going to be late now!" he complained "bye!"
"Thank you for having me!" I blurted when we bustled for the front door.
"Welcome back any time!" Faris replied as the door was slammed shut.
We all ran for the elevator to scan and stab the buttons. Barley jabbed at it repeatedly, muttering for it to go faster.
As soon as the doors opened, we crushed ourselves in and rode it down.
"Honestly, I don't see the resemblance" Barley leant close to the poster to inspect my face.
Lydia grew excited and planted a finger on it.
"Is that you?!"
I nodded, growing bashful.
"You can tell all your friends you had someone famous stay in your house last night" Barley grinned to her.
She nodded, beaming.
"They'll be so jealous!"
Smiling, Barley elbowed me. I shrunk back beside Lumi's side as the door opened once more and we bolted out.
"This way!" Barley pointed to the right.
We followed the wall around, ignoring the doors out to the pool area. There was another door here that was scanned and let us out onto a ramped area.
"Come on, slow poke" Barley grabbed Lydia under one arm to run with her as she squealed out laughter "are you wearing your shorts today?"
"No!" she giggled as her pink undies were flashed "Barley!"
He dropped her down, only so he could pick her up again and throw her up over his broad shoulders in a more decent position.
"Hold on, Kiddo!"
She was delighted by the bumpy ride up high. He charged ahead of us, bolting down the pathway and across the tram tracks to reach a platform in the middle.
Running when the traffic cleared enough, the bus was already pulled into the stop further up. Barley charged for it, pulling off Lydia to hold her at arms length for it.
"We're here!" I heard his voice pant when he lowered her down "sorry! It won't happen again!"
Kissing her quickly, she rushed up the stairs and took a seat. Barley placed his hands on his knees to take a few deep breaths from pushing himself so hard in such a short amount of time.
I saw Lydia take a window seat facing us. With an excited wave to us across the wide double lane, she grinned as the bus peeled away and wedged it's was into the unwilling traffic.
Now Barley was stranded on the other side of the road. He walked to the left where a crowded crossing was, waiting blankly.
"So, what are we doing?" Lumi walked back with me to wait for him on the other side "heading back to grab your money so you can buy things? Or are we just winging it?"
Having money would be good. I could really treat Lumi to a really good day out, as well as grab some clothes that fit me properly. As considerate as these ones were, I was struggling.
"I kind of don't want to spend the whole day with my brother either" she muttered when the crossing turned green "I kind of wanted it to be just us."
"We can't exactly ditch him" I pointed out "he's already out. It would seem rude to tell him to go back home."
Lumi huffed and looked away.
"Hey" I moved so I was looking at her face that turned away from me again "Lume. We can still have a good day together. He'll be doing his own thing. Besides, we do need someone to leave in my place at Paragon."
That made her smile. She rolled her eyes and giggled, trying to stay mad at me.
"We can get those shakes again on our way back" I offered "and with Barley here, we can both get the stuff on the top shelves when we go shopping."
She snorted, grinning at him still trying to make it across in time. Shrugging and nodding, she finally relaxed about the situation.
"Sorry" she mumbled "I just don't want it to be you and him again. I want to spend some time with you too."
She seemed so set on it. It was flattering how flustered she was getting over the issue.
"I'm all yours today" I offered my arm to her that she blinked down at in surprise "you did kidnap me, after all."
Passing her arm through mine, I could feel how hot her skin was.
"Look at you two lovebirds!" Barley jeered when he finally reached us again "so cute. So adorable!"
He grabbed a shoulder each to shake us. Our arms fell into a handhold instead.
"So, how long have you been dating my sister?" barley flicked a covered nail between us. The plastic caps made them seem even sharper than before. It was intimidating, especially when his smile changed as he saw how close we were.
"We aren't dating, you idiot" Lumi grumbled back, loosening her grip "holding hands is perfectly normal."
"Yeah, if you are a kid crossing the road" he snorted.
Our hands fell away from each other. Barley looked satisfied at the result.
"Just head to the car" Lumi huffed to him, getting him to take the lead "we are going to go get Nisha his money and something that doesn't look like a potato sack."
Barley's head reeled back and he gasped. He walked backwards to address us.
"That 'potato sack' is at least one hundred and thirty bucks, thank you" he scoffed "and the pants have got to be about one ten."
"So expensive" I frowned down at the clothing struggling to stay up.
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We squashed into the car to head back the way we had come.
High spirits were dampened by what we knew laid ahead.
If I had been more prepared, we wouldn't be driving back to my nightmare. Lumi wouldn't be stressing about possibly seeing Bruce again, wringing her hands around the wheel.
Barley; well he was just ready to have an excuse to be a bit violent. If he could blow off some steam with his fists, he was a very happy man.
It wouldn't come to that. We would be in and out before we knew it. We could park around the back at the dock to really make our trip as short as possible.
We could miss Bruce's entire office. I'd only have to dodge the other rooms to empty out my own. Then, i'd be free for a few more hours.
Tonight.... did I have to return?
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Not much was spoken between us as we circled the block to round to the open gates of the back dock.
Surprisingly, we weren't the only ones there. Avery was already seated with one of the other bird hybrids that devoured his way through an odd looking fruit. They both stopped when we pulled up and got out of our seats.
"Nisha?" Avery frowned before he could properly see me "oh, Nisha!"
He bolted towards me to grab me into a tight one-armed hug. From the way he has been passively aggressively treating me last night to now, I was more than confused.
"Lumi!" Avery broke from me to head to her next.
"Avery" she chuckled through the hug "you're happy today."
He grinned, turning to the other hybrid who kept his distance.
"You got a car. Now we can go!"
Go? What did he mean?
Barley stepped forth, instantly quietening Avery. Peering to us to see if he was safe, he held out his only hand for a greeting.
Barley used the tips of his fingers to shake the small hand, being very careful not to scratch his skin or move too quickly.
"Are you leaving, Avery?" I frowned to his empty hands.
Where was his luggage? Was he just going to wing it as is in his cast and old clothes?
"Aren't you?" he replied, equally confused.
I turned to Lumi and Barley, guilty for thinking of an escape back to theirs that would put more strain on their already large family.
They were just a pitstop, but I hadn't intended for Avery to be part of the picture.
"What about Tawn?" I looked around for him "what about Alowyn?"
And Loreen? What about Vinnie and Elgress? Orson? Lexus? Falak and Benji?
Would Bruce come to them, demanding where we were? Trying to find where I was hiding now?
"Will you take me with you?" Avery almost whispered.
Lumi's face fell. She hadn't intended on this being a rescue mission. Her day was already planned.
"You don't have your own friends?" Barley asked now "what about him?"
"Don't drive" the other shrugged "don't need to. He's not coming with me."
He spun around, showing off his full set of wings that Avery lacked. Smirking, he knew he was better off than the star in every way possible.
I felt sorry for him, but it wasn't my decision. Lumi and Barley were the ones who lived in the small apartment and had ownership of her car.
"I'm just here to pick up a few things" I grimaced to Avery, whose hopeful face fell instantly "that's all."
"Oh. I get it."
"Besides, someone needs to train up the new star" I shook his shoulder to try and pull some hope back into him. It didn't work.
Walking past him and his friend, I found the small hall that snaked through the back walls and towards the rooms. Lumi and Barley followed, with Avery taking a few steps after us before stopping.
"Poor guy" Lumi muttered when we started squeezing away from him "whose going to get him?"
"He has Adrian" I smiled hopefully "and he drives. He can be here to get him out in no time. They've always been close."
Lumi agreed. Barley ignored our chatter to try and force himself along the narrow walls, grunting.
Pulling out at the other side, I checked the empty hall for anyone that could ruin my plan.
"You work here?" Barley's head tilted up to the towering roof and along the doors gleaming with stars "sweet."
"Not so sweet when you live here too" Lumi scowled when we started our cautious scurry towards my door.
"Live? Here?" Barley muttered, thinking "is that even legal?"
"No" both Lumi and I grumbled.
We reached the door. I ushered both of them inside before me, quickly closing and locking it.
"Right, are we running away or are we coming back tonight?" Lumi asked when I powered over to the cupboard.
Guilt tugged at my gut again.
"What do you guys think I should do?"
Lumi was over by my bedside table where my phone was, picking it up.
"I say leave this dump. But then again, anything to do with Bruce and Paragon pisses me off."
Barley was at my hammock, plucking the side with a nail.
"It's not much better than what we had back then" he looked around "it's practically empty. Smells like a closet."
"Looks like one too" I smirked, tugging out a green bag and uncrumpling it "so, fuck it then?"
Lumi and Barley shrugged at each other, agreeing.
"I'm up for a jail break" Barley grinned.
"Mum and Dad love having you around. They won't mind a few days until you get another job."
Cringing under the shirt I was folding, I glanced to her.
"I was kind of thinking of just.....leaving. For good."
She was confused. Suddenly, her face changed as it clicked.
"Where will you go like that?" Lumi whimpered.
Barley looked between her and me, trying to figure out the train of thought for himself.
"Are you going to try and rough it out there wild?" he scoffed and laughed "last time I checked, you aren't exactly a native species. How are you suppose to live in concrete and farmlands? Don't you live in jungles and shit?"
Snorting at his blatant questions, I wagged a finger to him.
"Says the giant swamp lizard living in a skyscraper."
"Touche" he chuckled.
Folding up more clothing, Lumi came over to hold the bag for me as she dropped my phone and it's charger in.
"You won't stay for a while?" she almost whispered "I think it's the first time we've been together outside of this place."
Softly smiling back, I nodded to her.
"Obviously it will take a while. I'd like to spend more time together, if you'll have me?"
Lumi grinned, looking down as she blushed.
I heard gagging and saw Barley facing us, a finger pointed down his open mouth.
"I better not hear you two going at it" he gagged "disgusting."
"What the fuck!" Lumi snarled to her brother "you're the only disgusting one here, you pervert!"
"Yeah, yeah" he waved her aside, coming over to shove her further into the closet so he could take the bag instead "I'm not the one who likes all the soppy romance shit with all the loud noises."
Barley hung his tongue out, making kissing noises and wet sex sounds. With Lumi trapped beside me, she couldn't escape, no matter how hard she shoved him and whined.
I laughed at her while still pulling down my preferred shirts. She turned on me to shove me too, laughing nervously and through embarrassment.
"Anything we are missing, Chalky?" Barley looked around the cupboard, barely missing banging his head "got your cash? Toothbrush?"
Pushing the shirt I held into the bag, I paused.
There was something else....
"Look, it's going to sound stupid, but I want to rip up those contracts and anything else Bruce has made up for the others here. I don't know if he has copies, but we need to fuck him up while we are here."
Lumi was instantly worried.
"Have you even been into his office? Do you know where to look? I thought we were just going to be in and out?"
I grimaced, realising that I probably was one of the only people who had been in the office the least. I was really dragging out this visit and making it more dangerous than it needed to be.
We could just leave it and get out of here, or we could do what was right and try and dig up some dirt on Bruce before disappearing.
Bruce didn't really pick on me. He had a thing for Tawn especially. He liked the danger, I think?
We could grab him and get him to show us where they were. He'd know for sure.
"Tawn can tell us" I grinned.
"The red-faced snake guy from the poster?" Barley lifted his head to flicker out his tongue "I mean, place reeks of scalies. I can't pick him out of it without knowing what he smells like."
Looking to Lumi, she was trying not to laugh.
"He's like a glorified blood-hound" she shrugged.
Barley took this as a compliment, unblocking the closet so we could shuffle out.
"What about the little bird guy? He know where they are?"
I turned in the direction he'd be, unsure.
Bruce did like to hover around Avery and get close with him, but I hadn't ever seen him dragged off to his office. He was special, but not that special.
We'd have to go in blind. For all I knew, Tawn had already done a runner on all of us.
Typical. And he hadn't even let us know either.
"We'll film it" I decided "we need proof that they existed before we destroy them."
"And just in case Bruce finds us" Lumi whimpered.
He'd be violent for sure. He might even break my arm. Lumi wouldn't stand a chance against him. Barley would have to be our muscle.
"If he does, it'll stack up against him" I swallowed down my nervousness choking me "it'll be good."
The only time I wanted to be beaten, I guess.
I had to snort at how absurd it was.
"I'll finish up here" I told them "go grab Avery. We could use another set of eyes to look."
And someone else to throw in the path of danger if Bruce did come charging. Better Avery than Lumi. He wasn't going anywhere anyway with a broken arm. He'd have to rough it out a little longer until someone came to bust him out.
Lumi nodded and rushed off. Barley lingered, frowning at me.
"You sure you want to do this? It's not exactly going to be easy to find something we don't even know looks like. It could be on a stick in his pocket or in a file on a computer for all we know."
"We'll find something" I vowed "we have to. I'm not leaving without ruining his life."
Barley grinned, holding out his fist for me to bump.
"I'll go make sure Halloumi isn't lost" he jerked a thumb.
"Meet me outside this room" I told him as he moved from me "be quick."
He nodded, disappearing.
Rushing for the bedside table, I started frantically stuffing all my money down the sides of my clothing. Returning to the cupboard, I dumped in a few pairs of pants. Bolting for the bathroom, I only snatched up my toothbrush.
Tying the bulging bag tightly, I was ready.
It was time to make things right for once.
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"We shouldn't be doing this without Tawn" Avery panicked when he followed us marching our way towards the office "what if we don't find anything? We are supposed to leave together."
"Says who?" I scoffed back "if we split up, it'll be easier."
He grumbled, pushing up beside me.
We passed the stage where Luke and Levi were sitting with their backs to us. It looked like they were having a discussion as they waited for someone.
Surely, it wouldn't be Tawn? Maybe they were wondering where he was as well?
"See, that's what I said, but Balae says we have to stick together" Avery continued on as we kept going "she says we work well as a team."
I paused for a moment, looking Avery over.
"And you believe the words of a bird with a shoe for a face?"
He dropped his eyes, uncomfortable.
Barley let out a laugh. Lumi scowled at my rudeness.
Avery didn't fight me. See? I didn't think he believed her either. We were better doing our own thing, as we had always done.
Starting up again, he was by my side.
"I think we should listen to her."
I sighed.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to be the only one left here" he almost whimpered.
Stopping again, Avery wasn't looking at me out of the fact he was trying to keep his glistening eyes from my sight.
"It wouldn't be for long. You can call Adrian now! Have him drop by!"
I grinned, trying to get him excited about the fact. He wasn't buying the act.
"It's not the point" he muttered, glancing to me "it's the fact you both decided to leave me behind in the first place."
I sighed again. I didn't have time for this shit. I just wanted to get to that office without being dragged to a halt every few meters.
Avery was clingy. He was damn annoying. We'd all be caught if he kept doing this.
"It was a spur of the moment thing for me too" I brushed him off "look, are we going to do this or not?"
"We are... I just...."
"Good" I ignored the rest and marched onwards "knew I could count on you."
Avery let the others pass, falling to the back of the group glumly.
"That was really mean, Nish" Lumi whispered to me "what's gotten into you?"
"I'm nervous" I admitted "the more time we spend out here, the more time he has to find us. He could even be in there right now, waiting behind that desk. We don't have time for Avery."
Lumi looked back to him, then to me.
"He's pouring his heart out to you and you are just shitting on it."
Glancing too, I saw how dejected he was as he shuffled along.
Grumbling, I realized I might have taken it out on him a little too hard.
"I'll say sorry after all this."
Lumi raised a brow at me.
"And a... hug?" I offered, puzzled at what she wanted me to say.
"How about a lift? He can stay with us where it is safe until Adrian drops by to pick him up" Lumi fed me the answer.
Duh. That was so obvious.
Scowling, I rounded the corner to the hall that we gathered together in.
"Got your phone ready?" I asked Barley who was already pulling it out.
Fiddling with the settings, he aimed it ahead to make sure the focus was adjusted.
"Good to go."
"Ok, we are looking for anything important. Even if it isn't the contracts, we can still make use with it."
Avery peered up at me worryingly.
"I should go ahead. I can get Bruce to leave his office if he's still in there."
He looked to each other, deciding.
"It's a good idea" Barley spoke up "don't want to be running in there blind."
"He'll follow Avery too" Lumi agreed "he won't follow you."
That hurt. Feeling the sting, Lumi grimaced at me and mouthed her sorries.
I saw a little smile from Avery in response.
So he had his purpose. At least it made him feel useful.
Before he could charge off, I heard movement powering in our direction. Snatching onto Avery's arm, I barged into the door behind us that led to the toilets.
Frowning to the others, we closed the door and waited around it for whatever was prowling the area.
It was cold in here and smelled like cheap liquid soap that was borderline the stench of old yogurt.
"Who is i....?"
I heard the footsteps running above us. They stomped across to where the door of the office must have been, paused, then began to rush closer.
We pressed our backs to the tiles. Lumi even held her hand on the door, just in case Bruce tried to push it in.
"Fucking snake" I heard him mutter as he approached the bathroom, taking a breath "where do you think you are sneaking off to?!
"The bar" I heard Tawn's voice reply simply.
I locked eyes with Avery.
He was here after all.
"We have to rescue him too" he whispered to me.
"Look, if we are going to get into that office, it has to be now" Lumi pointed to the roof "he's distracted."
Avery begged me silently with his mournful eyes. Still, he had no say in our plan.
"Let's go" I urged Barley "make sure you are filming, and don't make a noise."
Pushing carefully out of the door, I saw a sliver of Bruce's back turned to us. I didn't dare lean out further to see where Tawn was.
Lumi followed, sticking close to my back. Avery squeezed in behind her and Barley came up the rear, making sure to keep his phone steady.
"He leaves his office unlocked" I told them "he's been drunk enough times to get into the habit of not locking himself out anymore."
"So smart" Lumi muttered sarcastically.
We trudged up to the door and pushed it open. Instantly, I was met with the massive monitor scoping out all the usual meeting places.
One was showing Bruce and Tawn right now. Outside, the back of an old car was carefully reversing into place.
Once Bruce was done with Tawn, we would be out of time.
"Avery; desk" I pointed "Barley; guard the door. Lumi, check the booze cupboard. I'll try and find any hidden areas."
Everyone was off. Instantly, Avery was having trouble opening the desk drawer.
"It's locked" he told me.
"Barley, think you can break it open?" I grinned to him.
He lowered the phone, grimacing.
"If there's nothing here, you'll get done for damaging property."
"And it won't come to that" I reassured him as I tapped my foot along the floor "a good pull should pop it out."
He hurried over to grab the drawer and brace the desk. Giving it a good yank, the desk scraped.
We all froze, listening for Bruce.
I turned to the monitors, seeing he was preoccupied with broken glass on the floor.
Outside, Luke and Levi paced the gate, waiting for Tawn, who remained seated.
Nodding to him, Barley heaved again, this time tearing the drawer open and almost spilling the papers everywhere.
It was filled. Avery scooped out the lot to spread on the desk. Barley helped, filming each one.
"Nothing over here but alcohol" Lumi announced "not even the little draws have anything useful. Just corkscrews and trash."
So that was useless. I gestured for her to join the others at the desk while I kept testing the floor.
Bruce wouldn't be this smart, would he? Hiding something somewhere so cliche? What else; the walls?
Actually, that wasn't a bad idea.
Abandoning the floor, I hurried to where Lumi was. I knew the cupboard was no good, but maybe the walls around it were?
Resting my ear to the coldness, I rapped my knuckles across it.
It was dense and solid. Tapping and inching along, it all sounded the same.
I moved closer to the cupboard instead of away from it. Humouring my hunch, I knocked right along the side.
Instantly, it sounded different. There was a thud and dull echo.
"Here!" I pointed "help me move this!"
Barley took point again while Lumi and Avery scoured the papers. Checking the cameras, I saw Bruce was missing from the bar. Tawn was smirking, watching the hall.
"He's coming!" I hissed to the others "hide!"
Avery and Lumi scraped up the papers to shove in the drawer. Ducking under the desk, Lumi cradled it tightly.
Barley ran for the door to wedge himself behind it. He even clutched onto his tail to stop it from poking out.
I stood there stupidly, looking for anything else to hide behind.
Pressing myself to the wall beside the alcohol, I knew i'd still be seen, but there was nowhere else to go.
We heard the feet stomping their way up towards us. I held my breath when Bruce opened the door and entered the office.
Barley held onto the door to give himself cover behind it.
Grumbling to himself, Bruce slid to the left and stood before the wall there. Bashing his fist onto it sharply, a small opening popped open to display a single dustpan and brush.
Swiping it down, he stomped back for the door that Barley let go so Bruce could swing it shut.
None of us moved as we listened to the footsteps circle around the corner and trudge below us.
I peeled my head out, seeing Bruce reappear on the edge of the bar. Looking across, the door to outside burst open and Tawn emerged.
The gutteral scream from Bruce sounded like it was from this room itself. He charged across the glass, dropping the dustpan and brush so he could barge through the tunnel towards the door Tawn had been at.
He was making a run for it. In thongs.
"Barley, help me" I grunted as I tried to move the cabinet.
He charged into it to shake the glass. It didn't budge. Barging his shoulder in again, the glasses rattled once more.
"Look for a switch" he huffed, giving up "there's no way that bastard is moving this every time he needs to get behind it."
"Check the walls" I told him "start knocking on them. He won't hear it from outside."
Barley nodded, gesturing for Lumi to help. She handed over the drawer to Avery who riffled through it on the desk.
I dropped to my knees to scan up along the undersides of the wood. Running my fingers along the shelving, I was coming up with nothing.
Barley and Lumi were popping open all sorts of hidden openings in the wall. Some were small, and others tall. Each one held different types of junk that had no importance to us.
"Anything yet?" I called to Avery.
"Nothing" he groaned "just ticket sales and doctors fees at the moment. Nothing serious to use against him."
Blowing out my breath, I could feel our precious time slipping away.
"Keep looking" I demanded "there has to be something."
He nodded, still flipping frantically.
Feeling the sides of the cupboard, my fingers hit a divit. My heart skipped a beat when I returned to it, pressing it in.
There was a click as something inside was released. All eyes were on me when I carefully pulled open the cupboard.
More rows of alcohol met me. These ones were much more fancy. The edges glisten like crystal itself. Matching glasses were lined up under them like trophies. There were even silver tongs and some sort of circular press for making ice balls. t
Certificates of authentication were laid gently in another drawer under the glasses, but the illusive contracts remained hidden.
"There's nothing here!" Avery whined when he flipped up the last few sheets "it's all shit!"
Slamming the drawer down on the table, I saw new sheets slide across the floor.
"What about the underneath?" I suggested.
We all gave up our posts to circle the table. Barley wrapped his massive hands around the edge to flip it onto its side.
The wood crashed noisily on the floor. Lumi let out a squeal in fright before clamping her hands over her mouth.
I checked the monitor to see if Bruce was returning, only to find him beating the shit out of Tawn.
He was distracted for now. We had to keep moving if we wanted to get out alive.
I could hear the distant wailing and screams of Tawn from outside. Surely it would be gaining attention from others inside?
Luke and Levi didn't intervene. If fact, it looked like Luke was filming the whole thing while Levi watched from out a window.
"Here!" Avery tapped on the bottom of the desk next to where the drawer had been "it's only held on with these little bits."
The tiniest tabs held the bottom in place. Sliding them across, we were washed in more paperwork.
"Holy fuck!" Avery gasped as he grabbed on "this is it! We found them!"
"Let me see" Lumi spoke up before taking the one he held to read it over "no way...."
Barley got in with his phone. Lumi did the same, photographing each one for proof that they existed.
"It seems like forever ago I signed this" Avery picked up another to gaze at it "I barely remember it."
He dug through the others to find mine and hand it to me.
Sure enough, my strange handprint was there, right beside a loopy signature that resembled childish scribble.
Avery flipped his around to show us. His own hand was there, more bird-like than human. It didn't even have five fingers, like mine.
"Tawn is here too" he showed it off "stamped and signed."
His looked the most human of us. His also was more smeared, like it had been a fight to get him to do it.
"We were tricked into signing these" Avery explained "I was told that I'd be able to go home. I could tell my parents all about my fun new place if I signed it. I couldn't read the fine print. Bruce wouldn't explain it to me either. He said it didn't mean anything."
"He did the same for me" I nodded "he folded it up so I didn't see it. The line is still here."
I showed Barley as I ran finger along the fold and demonstrated how he had hidden the conditions from me.
"He told me that I'd be better off here. There would be food and a place to sleep. He didn't say that is all there would be."
Avery agreed, making a noise of disgust.
"There's others here too" he pulled more towards himself "I think these are past stars who did the same thing. There's all sorts of prints and signatures here."
Picking up one closest to me, I instantly handed it to Avery, feeling my gut drop.
"He's got one made up for Alowyn" I whispered.
Avery scanned the paper with misery across his shocked face. It was drawn up the same as ours. All it was missing was his mark.
"He gets to cut his wings too" Avery stabbed a bit in the fine print "hang on..."
He pulled up his own to compare them, growling as he found the same sentence.
"That arsehole wrote it down!" he cried out "he made himself allowed to do it! I can't believe it..."
His arm fell. His wide eyes just stared at the papers.
"What about you?"
I scanned down to where Avery was pointing on his, trying to find it.
"Oh, here it is!" I gasped when it started to list off obligations "uh.... i think it's wrong.... It says here if give him 'bushmeat' if I ever went wild. All my parts are already gone."
"Mine says something similar" Avery spoke up, dragging Tawn's towards him "says it here too. He gets the skin and meat."
"Wait...." Lumi let out a little laugh of disbelief "he gets to skin you guys?"
Avery looked to me, shrugging.
"Probably not him. Maybe the doctor?"
"Maybe someone else" I frowned as I remembered how my ears and tail had been cut off for aesthetics. The father I had been caught for hadn't done that. Someone on the outside had.
The doctor wouldn't be the butcher.
"If you go fully wild, you are considered an entire animal. It's a loophole, it it would be technically legal if people didn't know where the meat was from" Barley muttered as he skimmed over Avery's contract he handed over.
"The thing is, we became more human being here" I chuckled "so, he'd never get to do this part of the contract anyway."
There was a unsure whine from Barley as he turned back to the papers.
"Maybe that's why he kept you guys here? If you escaped and tried to go home, it'd be free pickings."
"Not just for Bruce" Lumi muttered sadly "there's all sorts of exotic hybrids here that someone would be glad to bag for themselves."
She looked to her brother who grimaced at us.
"Take your photos and let's destroy these quickly" I ordered.
Everyone agreed. Now that we knew what awaited us if we defied Bruce or started to revert, getting out of here could no longer be put aside for another day.
Turning to the monitors, Tawn was out of sight. The old car was gone, and Bruce was standing out on the road screaming and jumping around.
I saw my bag light up from the screen on my vibrating phone. I decided to ignore it for now, choosing to open the bag so the contracts could be torn up over it.
We couldn't have Bruce gluing the pieces back together. Every part of these contracts was leaving this office.
"It's sick how many he has" Lumi wrinkled her nose when she helped shred them up.
"I never knew it was so detailed" Avery added, still in shock "do you think he sold them? My wings? They were put into trash bags."
Laying a hand on his shoulder, I just gave it a little squeeze for comfort.
"I don't know, but we can't let it happen to your friend."
He nodded, wiping his eyes.
"How will I know he'll be ok if I leave? Bruce could cut them off at any time. He'd never see his sister or brother again. They'll die without him."
Avery's lip quivered. He stifled a sob, helping decimate the last of the contracts with more force.
"We'll figure something out" I vowed "we always do."
"Because we work well as a team?" Avery gave a small smile.
I pretended to be doubtful, seeing his smile grow wider.
"How about we get out of here?"
"Hang on" Barley lifted a finger as he stopped recording "souvenir."
Seeing him march over to the cabinet, we groaned at what he was about to do.
"Just leave it!" Lumi grumbled "you don't even drink!"
"Yeah, but it has to taste good, right?" he beamed from the hidden rows of expensive liquor "I'm taking this one."
One of the bottles that shone like crystal. Even the contents inside were glowing gold, accentuated with gold flakes in the stopper.
"Just hurry up" Lumi urged when he slipped his nails into two glasses to latch onto them "we really should get out of here!"
"He's coming back" Avery pointed to the monitor to where Bruce was heading toward the gates to kick them "have we got everything?"
"Got the evidence" Barley smiled and held up his phone around his cradled loot.
"Got the contracts" I held up the bag.
"I'm taking the drawer" Lumi dove for it still on the table "who knows what kinds of illegal transactions we can find in here?"
She wanted to be helpful. It was all junk, but she looked so hopeful.
"Let's go then" Avery decided.
I let him take the lead, thankful for his help. We really were all in this together, whether we liked it or not.
The silly shoebill has been right all along. The contracts only proved that we had to look out for each other, now that we were made aware of new dangers of trying to chase our past lives.
Tonight was going to be a little bit brighter for us, and a lot darker for Paragon without it's shining stars.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
