Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Ten

It worked perfectly.Almost. There were six guards blocking the exits and another four at the door, checking every angiotensin converting enzyme as they left. Ten total. All in body armor and masks, explaining patiently that there had been a bomb threat and it was important to evacuate as quick as possible. No one questioned why they were fortify with the automatic weapons they kept using to push the crowd along.No one except Dr. Trope, who went up to one of them and tell, Young man, I ask you to keep your weapons away from my students, distracting him good long enough for Miranda and Sibby to get sw all toldowed into the middle of the crowd.Theyd navigated by the first two impel troopers, with however two left when Ariel yelled, Dr. Trope? Dr. Trope? Look, there she is, Miranda Kiss. I told you she crashed the prom. Shes right there in the middle. You have to-Four men with automatic weapons suddenly swiveled and waded into the surge of students. Miranda whispered, Duck, to Si bby and the two of them bobbed beneath the surface of the crowd, crawling back into the Great Hall.Behind her she heard Dr. Trope saying, Where is she? Where did she go? Im not leaving one of my pupils in there. And the storm trooper saying, Please, sir, you need to evacuate. Well find her. Rest assured.Miranda decided that if she got give away of this alive, shed be a lot nicer to Dr. Trope. If.She dragged Sibby over to Old Faithful and said, In there. Now.Why cant I hide in the White House? Why does it have to be in the volcano?I might need part of the White House. Please, merely do it. They wont be able to make you out if they have night goggles.What well-nigh you? Youre wearing white.I match the decorations.Wow, youre significantly good at this. This preparedness stuff. Howd you learn how to-Miranda was wondering the same thing. Wondering why as soon as shed heard the announcement some part of her brain had started measuring her maintain to the exits, looking around for wea pons, watching the door. Her senses going into overdrive was a relief it meant some of her powers were cooperating. except did she have the strength to take on ten armed men? The most shed ever taken on at one time before was three, and they hadnt been toting machine guns. Shed have to be crafty rather than direct. She said to Sibby, Give me your boots.For what?To get rid of some of our competition so we can get out of here.But I really like these-Give them to me. And also a rubber bracelet.Miranda set her trap, and then held her breath as a guard approached. She heard him say into the walkie-talkie, Southwest pillar. Ive got one, and saw the ribbons stir as he used the butt of his gun to push them aside.Heard him say, What the-And fired George Washingtons sugar nose at him with the sling barb shed made out of Sibbys rubber bracelet and a fork. All her target work paid off be driveway it hit him at exactly the right point to send him plunging forward. He went down headfirst just hard enough to be disoriented and docile while she tied his hands and feet with the ribbons from the pillar. Im really sorry, she said, flipping him over to gag him with a piece of dinner roll, then smiled. Oh, hi, Craig. Not your day, is it? I hope your heads feeling better. What? Its not? It will. Try rubbing some insta-hot on your wrists and ankles when they untie you. Bye.Shed just grabbed the boots shed used at the base of the pillar as a decoy when she heard another guard coming fast from her left. She threw a boot at him Frisbee style and heard a pleasing swack as he fell down, too.Two down, eight to go.She was apologizing to the one shed hit with the shoe, who was out cold-it was nice to know ankle boots were good for something-when the walkie-talkie on his blast came to life. Leon, this is the Gardener. Where are you? State your position. Copy?Miranda picked up the unconscious guards walkie-talkie and said into it, I suasion your name was Caleb Reynolds, Deputy. Why the Gardener stuff? Or, as my protagonist likes to call you, Plant Boy.A crackle. Then Deputy Reynoldss voice through the walkie-talkie. Miranda? Is that you? Where are you? Miranda?Right here, she whispered in his ear. Shed snuck up behind him, and now as he turned, her arm came around his neck with the heel of the boot pointed at his throat.What are you stabbing me with? he asked.All you need to know is that its going to cause you a lot of pain and probably a bad infection if you dont start telling me how many people there are here and what their curriculum is.There are ten in here, five more watching the exits outside. But Im on your side.Really, Gardener? Thats not how it looked at the house.You didnt give me a take a chance to talk to the girl.Youre going to have to do better than that. Im not a mix tape, you cant play me.Do you have any idea what she is? What she is? Not really.His nerve centre rate sped up now. Shes a real-life flesh-and-blood prophet. The Cumean Sibyl. Shes one of ten people who between them supposedly know and can control the whole future of the world.Wow. I thought she was just an annoying fourteen-year-old with wild hormones. The Sibyl operates through different bodies. Or thats what they think. These people Im working with. Wack jobs. They pretend they want to protect her, keep her prophecies from being exploited by the unscrupulous, but I think theyre actually into extortion. I heard one of them say they could ransom the girl for eight figures. His heart rate slowed as he talked. My job was to find out where she was supposed to be picked up, so they could send someone there with some trinket of hers to show we had her, and get the Overseer to hand up.Miranda didnt like the sound of the word trinket at all. But you werent going to?Theyre just using this religion stuff as a cover for their greed. Its disgusting. Im all set to stop them, and then you-getting agitated, his heartbeat spiking-you come along in the middle and mess it u p.Miranda knew he was genuinely angry. Stop them how?I was supposed to be getting the location of her pickup place from her, right? When you crashed in, I was going to tell her what to say, a place Id picked out with the task force, then when the wackos went there, theyd be picked up by the police. Meanwhile Id get the Sibyl safely to the real rendezvous. But you come in and blow it. Months of police work down the tubes. His heartbeat was slow and redden again.Miranda let him go. Im so sorry, she said.He turned to scowl at her, changing it to a half smile when he saw what she was wearing. Nice look on you. He paused for a second, then said, You know, theres a way we could still make this work. Do you have another outfit like that?My skating uniform? Yeah. But its not the same color. Its more blue.That doesnt matter as long as its close. With you two dressed as twins well be able to fool them into intellection that youre the Sibyl, use you as a decoy while we sneak her out to safet y.Talking quickly, he outlined the rest of his plan. Miranda said, It would be better if we wore the wigs and masks, too. To complete the disguise.Thats right. Perfect. Go toward the employee entrance, the one you used to sneak in. Theres someone guarding the outer door but theres a door on the left that is clear. It goes to an office. Ill deal with these guys and then come-He stop talking, lifted his gun, and fired behind her. Turning, Miranda saw hed shot one of the guards.He saw us together, he told her. I couldnt let one of those bastards get you or tell the others. Ill distract them, keep them over here. You get the Sibyl, change, and wait for me in the office.She was already moving away when she paused and said, How did you find us?His heartbeat slowed. Put out a bulletin on your car.I should have thought of that, Miranda said, then took off as he radioed, Man down-man down.Sibby was frantic when Miranda got back to her. What happened? Did you get shot?No. I got us a ride out of here.How?Miranda explained as they changed, then skirted the edges of the Great Hall toward the directors office. As they moved, she heard Deputy Reynolds barking orders to the guards, keeping them use up in other parts of the room, saying at one point, No, dont turn on the lights-that will give them an advantage At another, heard a croak of pain that sounded like someone being knocked out. She was impressed.They reached the directors office without running into anyone. Sibby sat in the desk chair. Miranda was pacing, walking back and forth to the ticktock of the big clock on the directors mantelpiece, picking up and putting down objects, a crystal bowl, a box of stationery, weighing them in her hand. A family picture of a man, woman, two underage boys, a dog sitting together at the edge of a pier with the sun setting behind them. The dog was wearing someones hat, a real full member of the family.A hand came down in front of the picture. Hello, Miranda? I was asking you someth ing?Miranda put the picture down. Sorry. What?How do you know youre right about him?I just do. Trust me.But if youre wrong-Im not.The clock ticked. Miranda paced. Sibby said, I hate that clock.Tick. Pace. Sibby Im not sure I can do this.Miranda stopped and looked at her. Of social class you can.Im not brave like you.Excuse me? The girl who got-how many guys is it now? Twenty-three?Twenty-four.Twenty-four guys to kiss her? Youre brave. Miranda hesitated. Know how many guys Ive kissed?How many?Three.Sibby gaped at her, bring out out laughing. Gods, no wonder youre so repressed. This had better work or youll have had one seriously sad life.Thanks.