“Who’s here?” Will’s mother said.

“Can’t say for sure,” Credic had begun to remove his own tin of binders.

“Is it Murden?” The words burst from Bet’s mouth. Credic looked quickly to her, surprised she had interrupted.

“No,” he said. “At least that’s not who contacted me.”

“Who was it?” Irene Gladmen was getting irritated. Hubrin, her toad, shifted its weight in anticipation.

“Someone connected with the Emperor.”

“Did they tell you why they wanted them?” Irene pointed toward Will, Bet and Ezra.

“No. I never asked and I never do. But isn’t it obvious?”

“What?” Will said.

“They’re on to your little smuggling ring. Will here is only a way back to you. You and Jim, that is.”

Will watched as his mother’s face fell. Credic was right. Or at least she believed he was.

“Why didn’t the pocket work? What’s going on?” Will said.

Credic scowled. “They’ve got Rizzets out there.”

“Rizzets?” Will turned to Ezra for clarification.

“Strange Links,” Ezra said. “No real powers of their own, but they have the ability to keep other Links from using theirs.”

“Nasty little things.” Credic wandered the room with Greggin at his heals. Over and over he’d extend his hand and and the shaggy dog would attempt to set a pocket near the wall. Each and every one snapped and shriveled away. Everyone watched him silently, and finally, he turned back to the group. “There’s several,” he said. “There would have to be to keep the whole house blocked.”

“Would any of their abilities work?” Will said.

“Nothing works,” Ezra said. “Passive or feeding.”

The next voice they heard caused Will to literally jump from fright. It wasn’t one of their own, and it came from the opposite side of the wall.

“We know you’re in there,” The voice called loudly. “This doesn’t have to get messy. Surrender and no one get’s hurt.”

“Can they use their abilities?” Will said in a sharp whisper.

“No,” his mother answered. “But they’ll choose a spot to remove the Rizzets. They’ll know where they can attack from. We won’t.”

Credic seemed to have come unhinged. He went to his table and forcefully shoved it away a few feet. He then paced to the kitchen and removed a small hand axe.

“What are you doing?” Irene said.

Credic didn’t answer. He instead fell to his knees by the exposed floor that had once been covered by the table and brought the axe down hard against it.

“Dad, what are you doing?” Irene practically yelled.

Credic turned to her with anger in his eyes and snapped, “There’s another way out, understand? You think I’d live in a house with no doors or windows and not have some sort of backup plan?”

“You have two minutes to surrender.” The voice rattled again from outside the walls.

Credic began again to hack away at his flooring, but this time no one interrupted.

“There’s a hatch down here. A way out,” he said. “I just…” He hit the axe to the ground and chips of wood flooring scattered into the air. “Have to… get it clear.”

“Hurry,” Will’s mother said. “You know they’ll send a Darkhand in first to see what’s happening before they attack.”

“Stand around me,” Credic said. “Get Hubrin over here. All alone he can block most of their vision.”

The four of them did as they were told. They packed together tightly in front of Credic. Will thought he could see Bet’s eyes watering as she stood with her face only inches from the toad’s enormous mouth. Moments later, the chopping sounds vanished, and Will heard the squeak of a trapdoor being raised.

“Time to go,” Credic said. “Who’s coming with me? Hubris won’t fit. So we at least have to leave someone behind. When they do send a Darkhand in here, and your right, they will, they’re gonna reevaluate after seeing him. That’ll buy us a bit more time.”

The group stood awkwardly silent for a moment.

“Come on now, no time to freeze,” Credic said. “I say Will and I go with Swoop and Greggin. If we can draw the Rizzets away. We can give everyone a fighting chance.”

Who goes down with Credic?

Will

Will and Bet

Everyone but Hubrin

This Poll is Closed