“Yes, queen, but first—Max has been a clever dog. He found footage for us to watch.” I wave an arm at Maximus. It’s only right he gets some kudos.
Max nods, looking extremely pleased with himself. He gets a kick out of being the person with the answers, which is fair, because I’m usually the person with the questions.
As he loads the page again, everyone gathers around. Theo sucks in a breath, grabs my hand and then we watch as little-Ludo moves along in a world of gray static and silence.
He walks fast, down the side of Defectivum, then turns the corner.
“One sec,” Max says.
Bringing up the next lot of screens, the building site is visible. There is a truck just outside the gate, and several people moving around it. Pity there’s no sound.
“Can you zoom in?” Theo asks, a quiver in her voice.
Max does as she commands, and the picture gets pixilated, but we can still see enough. Ludo approaches the gate and he’s confronted by three guards. The janitor pushes past, takes a swing at one of the men, then runs towards the opening.
Until he’s struck down by a gun stock to the back of the head.
“No!” Theo grips my fingers tightly.
Ludo’s body is dragged into the compound, then once again the gates roll shut. The room goes silent. The kind of silence where you know that everyone internally is saying ‘oh shit’.
“So, they have him,” Theo says eventually. “And he’s hurt.”
“But we’ll get him back,” I say, squeezing her shoulder.
I know she’s hurting, she fucking loves that mountain man.
Max nods in agreement. “Yeah, Sparkles. Whoever has my Bull is going to end up sliced and diced by my canines.” He bares his teeth to emphasize the point.
I like it.
Those Conclave bastards don’t realize they haven't just caught a janitor; they've basically enraged an army of magical beasts who refuse to lose one of their own.
“Enough talk, let’s go," Theo says, her voice is all business as she moves to the back of the basement.
“Yes,pulu. But…”
“But nothing, Alexis.”
“I’m sorry, my love, but youallneed to be in uniform and in class on time this morning,” Alexis says very boringly.
“Fuck that,” Max growls.
Agreed.
The professor sighs. “Just take a moment to consider the scrutiny you are under; especially Theo and Cosmo. If you want to keepthemsafe, weneedto not cause suspicion.”
Eh, OK.
Priority numero uno is always Tee-Tee’s safety.
Cosmo frowns then nods. “Fair. So in that case, we’ve got one hour until we transform into model students.”
“Then hurry up,” Tee snaps, turning and heading towards the tunnel. “I’m going, with or without you.”
We move fast. Alexis casts some globe light spells, I follow suit, but make mine lilac in honor of my Tee.
“Left up ahead, then straight again,” Max says, using his Hellhound senses.
