Page 40

“I can break into shit too,” Zee whispered, his voice muffled by the small mouth hole. “I just don’t want to,” he added, eyeing Reynard striding ahead.

“I know,” I told him, soothing his wounded ego.

Another camera blinked at the far end of the corridor. Reynard spotted it, blurred ahead, and ripped it from the wall, leaving it dangling. He opened the next door, and poked his head out, checking the way was clear.

A curl of cold mist rolled through the door, over his polished shoes.

I was beginning to wonder what Zee and I were here for when this was clearly a walk in the park for Reynard.

“Which way?” Reynard asked, as we caught up.

We’d only seen the main entrance area and the factory floor. The refrigerated room we’d entered now was stacked with crates of boxed pies, ready to be shipped out, and we’d come to a crossroads among the crates. “I’m not sure.”

“Let’s split up, we’ll find the animals more quickly,” Reynard whispered.

Zee snorted a laugh and mocked. “Split up.”

“Do you have an opinion?” Reynard asked, turning to face him. Oddly, the mask made no difference to how I read his face.

Zee blinked behind his mask’s eyeholes. “Nope.”

“Clearly, you do.”

I sighed, stuck between them again.

“You’ve never seen a horror movie?” Zee asked.

“What does a movie have to do with this?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just, every time a group splits up, the big bad takes them out one by one.”

“Then you are suggesting my plan is flawed?” Here came Reynard’s haughty voice.

Zee shrugged. “We should stick together. The general might be a few buttplugs short of a sex party, but he’s no pushover.”

“There’s no use in the three of us sticking together when there’s no immediate threat. We’ll find the animals more quickly if we split up.” A snarl simmered under Reynard’s words.

“And I’m telling you, if we split up, bad shit will happen.” Zee cocked a hip. “It’s the rules.”

“This isn’t some fantasy of yours, demon.”

“Obviously, or we’d all be naked. Wanna get neked, daddy?”

Reynard stilled. “Adam, some assistance please, before discussions deteriorate further.”

They both blinked through their masks, asking me to pick the winner. Oh dear. “You both make great points. But as nobody sems to be around, maybe we should split up, then meet back here in a few minutes so we can proceed together. How does that sound?”

“Excellent.” Reynard strode left, heading off toward that closed door.

Zee’s narrowed eyes glared through his hood slits. “You’re such a simp for him. I’m secondhand cringey for you.”

I chuckled. “C’mon, Zee.”

Zee huffed behind me, tagging along as I wove between the crates, hoping for another exit. The thumping sound of the masher grew louder, suggesting we were heading toward the main entrance and the factory floor where the pies were made. A side door beckoned, with a sturdy looking bolt holding it shut.

“I got this.” Zee grabbed the handle and gave the door a firm shove. It didn’t budge. “Wait, I’m warming up.” He gave the bolt another yank. The door still didn’t budge.

“Maybe—”