Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Ten

It worked perfectly.Almost. There were six guards cave in the exits and another four at the doorsill, checking every whiz as they left. Ten total. all told in body armor and masks, explaining patiently that there had been a bomb workforceace and it was important to evacuate as quickly as possible. No one questioned why they were armed with the automatic weapons they kept using to push the tug along.No one except Dr. Trope, who went up to one of them and say, Young man, I ask you to keep your weapons a means from my students, distracting him just long enough for Miranda and Sibby to pay swallowed into the middle of the crowd.Theyd navigated by the first deuce storm troopers, with only two left when Ariel yelled, Dr. Trope? Dr. Trope? Look, there she is, Miranda Kiss. I told you she crashed the prom. Shes amend there in the middle. You have to-Four men with automatic weapons suddenly swiveled and waded into the draw of students. Miranda whispered, Duck, to Sibby and the two of them bobbed beneath the surface of the crowd, crawling derriere into the Great Hall. shtup her she perceive Dr. Trope reflection, Where is she? Where did she go? Im not leaving one of my pupils in there. And the storm trooper saying, Please, sir, you use up to evacuate. Well find her. Rest assured.Miranda decided that if she got disc everyplace of this alive, shed be a lot nicer to Dr. Trope. If.She dragged Sibby over to Old Faithful and said, In there. Now. wherefore lott I hide in the W urinatee House? Why does it have to be in the volcano?I might need part of the White House. Please, just do it. They wont be able to piddle away you precipitate on if they have night goggles.What about you? Youre wearing white.I disturb the decorations.Wow, youre real(a)ly good at this. This planning flood. Howd you learn how to-Miranda was wondering the manage thing. Wondering why as soon as shed heard the resolve some part of her brain had started measuring her distance to the exits, looking somewhat for weapons, watching the door. Her senses going into overdrive was a relief it meant some of her powers were cooperating. solely did she have the strength to take on ten armed men? The most shed ever taken on at one meter before was three, and they hadnt been toting machine guns. Shed have to be crafty rather than direct. She said to Sibby, curb 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, then held her breath as a guard approached. She heard him say into the walkie- remonstrateie, Southwest pillar. Ive got one, and maxim the ribbons entreat as he utilise the butt of his gun to push them aside. comprehend him say, What the-And fired George Washingtons sugar nose at him with the slingshot shed made out of Sibbys rubber bracelet and a fork. All her target work paying(a) off because it hit him at exactly the right point to shine 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 column as a decoy when she heard another guard coming troubled from her left. She threw a boot at him Frisbee style and heard a real 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 belt came to life. Leon, this is the Gardener. Where atomic number 18 you? State your position. Copy?Miranda picked up the unconscious guards walkie-talkie and s aid into it, I purpose your name was Caleb Reynolds, proxy. Why the Gardener stuff? Or, as my friend 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 fare 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 torture and probably a bad infection if you dont start ordaining me how more people there are here and what their plan 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 chance to talk to the daughter.Youre going to have to do better than that. Im not a cock tape, you cant play me.Do you have any idea what she is? What she is? Not really.His meaning rate sped up now. Shes a real-life flesh-and-blood prophet. The Cumean Sibyl. Shes one of ten people who among 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 organism 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 core group rate speechlessed as he talked. My job was to find out where she was supposed to be picked up, so they could send somebody there with some novelty of hers to show we had her, and get the Overseer to pay up.Miranda didnt like the sound of the patronizechat trinket at all. But you werent going to?Theyre just using this organized religion stuff as a cover for their greed. Its disgusting. Im all set to stop them, and then you- acquire agitated, his heartbeat spiking-you come along in the middle and mares nest it up.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 even 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. small 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 look as long as its close. With you two dressed as agree well be able t o fool them into thinking that youre the Sibyl, use you as a decoy while we sneak her out to safety.Talking quickly, he describe 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 halt talking, bring up 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. regurgitate out a bulletin on your car.I should have thought of that, Miranda said, then took off as he radioed, Man down-m an down.Sibby was frantic when Miranda got back to her. What happened? Did you get shot?No. I got us a trip 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 busy in other parts of the room, saying at one point, No, dont turn on the lights-that will give them an utility At another, heard a grunt 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, calculation them in her hand. A family picture of a man, woman, two small boys, a dog sitting together at the edge of a bobtail with the sun setting behind them. The dog was wearing someones hat, a real full member of the family.A hand came down in look of the picture. Hello, Miranda? I was asking you something?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 course you can.Im not brave like you.Excuse me? The girl who got-how umteen 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, burst out laughing. Gods, no wonder youre so repressed. This had better work or youll have had one seriously dismal life.Thanks.