Tanrial didn't have much time to react, but when the guy was close enough she kicked him square in the stomach, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps. While he was regaining his balance, she kicked his legs out from under him, causing him to fall.
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Rick instantly dove on the man and tied him up using the rope hooked to his belt. Then he took some duct tape and helped Mike take care of the other one. "Sorry 'bout that, Tanrial" he puffed. "Didn't mean to let 'im get away from me. You all right?"
Tanrial nodded, a little out of breath, "Yeah, I'm fine. He didn't even bother tryin' to fight back. What about you two?"
Mike stood up and rolled up his sleeve, examining a fresh scrape on his elbow. "Took a tumble there, but I'm fine. Rick?"
Rick shrugged. "All good here. So what do we do with these two?"
Mike glanced at the two workers flopped on the landing beside them. "Mm. Might as well just leave 'em. Somebody will come up here eventually, and if not we'll be coming back this way to come out, so it's not like they'll be stuck here when everything blows up."
Tanrial nodded, "Sounds good. Or we could get James and his men to come pick 'em up? If they come down this way or are in the area they could take them out so we don't have to?"
"Yeah, whatever works. I already told James to be on the lookout so he should find these two pretty easily." Mike turned and started down the stairs again. "Let's go, I think we're getting close."
"Why'd you even wanna keep your kids down here anyway?" Tanrial mumbled, following at a close pace, "It's just a little creepy…"
"No kiddin'," Rick said as they went. "Don't they ever get a chance to play outside n' get some fresh air?"
"The living quarters aren't quite like this," Mike said, "There are safety reasons these days, and I think Ryker was doing the best he could, but we all know he's raised them underground mostly so he can control them. As long as he can keep them uninformed about the world and the other people in it, they'll never question him."
Rick narrowed his eyes. "I wonder if this guy still thinks he's doing the right thing. Seems like a difficult lie to tell yourself when you've stooped to weaponizin' children."
"No one ever knows what's going on in these people's heads. They say they're doing it to 'better humanity' or whatever but couldn't just talking with people do that?" She shrugged, "I don't know, seems like something out of a movie."
(It was me that didn't have time tonight, sorry)
Rick frowned. "A movie? What's that?"
"We'll explain later," Mike said, coming to a halt on the next landing. "We're at the home level now. Careful, we don't know what's in there."
(All good ^^)
"Well then let's find out." Tanrial muttered, taking out her weapon as she pushed open the door slowly.
(I think I'll reply in the morning since it's almost midnight but hey howdy hi there XDD)
(Aha, hey, shouldn't you be getting some sleep?)
(I'm guessing you did just that, lol. See you in the morning stupid :)
(haha yeah I pretty much conked out as soon as I wrote that XDD)
Beyond the door lay the familiar painted halls of the children's living quarters. It was dark here, with only the faint glow of the occasional skylight to show the way. It was very quiet, too, almost as if the children were still peacefully asleep, unaware of the chaos around them.
Mike started walking much more cautiously once they started down the hall, and after a few moment a faint and staticky message jumped into Tanrial's mind.
Let's try to only use telepathy until we figure out where everyone is. I don't like how dark it is down here.
(shakes head. Step up your game man ehe, midnight isn't that late)
Tanrial nodded, glancing around the surrounding darkness, squinting at it as if it would help in anyway.
This place is even creepier when it's dark. How can kids even sleep down here? She took a few steps into the room and almost disappeared into the blackness.
(when I was a kid it was a big deal to stay up to midnight, and nowadays I rarely get to sleep before then lol T.T)
(Also unfortunately I won't have time to be on tonight either–you just caught me before I had to go out. Sorryyyy)
Stay close, Mike replied. This feels like a trap to me. They may not even be here right now….
(Is all good. I’m kinda busy for the next couple days and then schools over so das fun. Seeya soon!)
I’m literally only a few feet in front of you! Tanrial replied, But yeah, if they aren’t here then where would they be?
Maybe Ryker moved them to a different level that's more secure, Mike suggested, pausing to listen carefully. But we should still have a look around just in–
A sudden harsh humming noise interrupted him. The hall's emergency lights flared up, bathing them in a red light. The walls were once again covered in the eerie, nightmarish paintings they'd seen on their first visit here, and the twisted images leered at them from all sides. Rick hissed in surprise and drew back, pulling out a gun.
"Not the gun," Mike said aloud, his voice tight. "We can't hurt the kids if they're still here. Somebody's just trying to scare us, so don't let it get to you."
Rick slowly lowered his weapon and returned it to its holster. "I hope you're right," he muttered.
"Who was the one that showed us the paintings last time?" Tanrial narrowed her eyes at the creepy pictures before looking away, "Was it Eric? I can't remember…"
(oops I'm late sry)
"It was Wren, but anybody could flip the switch for the ultraviolet light or whatever." Mike blinked. "Wait. We need to find Wren. She can help us find the others and convince them that we mean no harm."
"Where would she be?" Tanrial frowned a little, "Could she be in the basement or where Ryker is keeping the other children that haven't been 'born' yet?"
By now they were a little farther down the hall and about to reach a larger open space. Mike shook his head. "I don't–"
He didn't get to finish the sentence, because at that moment a slim figure slipped through the wall behind him and took ahold of his shoulders, jerking him backwards into the solid stone as if it didn't exist. Mike barely had time to look surprised before he disappeared.
Rick cursed and glanced around, but nothing else came to attack them. "What the–Tanrial, you still there?"
“Yeah, yeah I’m here,” Tanrial glanced around the area, frowning, “Where the hell did Mike go?”
"He went right through the danged wall! Somethin' dragged him–" Rick turned so that he and Tanrial were back-to-back, glaring at the darkness. "Shoot. Now what do we do?"
(Sorrrrry, I had my last of school today so the next few days I should have more time to be on)
Tanrial frowned a little, "How can someone pass through a wall? Mike doesn't have any powers so it must be one of Ryker's new projects," Carefully, she led them over to the wall and she ran her hand over the surface, "Definitely a solid wall…"
(No worries! ^^)
The silence was heavy. Rick glanced around wordlessly for another minute, then took a deep breath. "Welp…..I'd say whatever happened, they were tryin' to rattle us. I say we keep goin', try to find some kid to talk to. The sooner they realize we're friendly, the sooner they give us Mike back. What do you think?"
(….aaand it turns out I may not have time until pretty late tonight, argh T.T…..)
(It's all good, I'm free all day so I'll be here :)
Tanrial nodded, "Yeah, let's keep going. Let's hope we find Wren soon…" They began to move further into the room, still no sign of whatever it was that took Mike in the silence.
In the dim light, they could see very little of what lay ahead, but the room seemed to be deserted. There were several doorways on either side and a hallway going forward. Rick slowly opened the nearest door and peeked in side, then closed it again. "School rooms, I think. Doesn't look like there's anyone here." He glanced around, restlessly rubbing the back of his neck. "I wish we could just find 'em and get this over with. All this sneakin' around in the dark is giving me the creeps."