Phoenix's Lies

Higher Than The Midnight Sky

River

The second Mads and Lo vanish into the dark room I feel something inside me tense up, pulling taut as if waiting for something to snap or break after what we've been through. But I don't let it control my thoughts, knowing all too well what could happen if I do. What I might do. If Ari notices anything is different to usual with me she keeps it to herself, despite me catching her watching me out of the corner of her eye. I try to catch it, but she just looks away at the last minute.

Nix on the other hand seems to know what's wrong without me having to say. Not that it surprises me but it's a nice change, not having to explain every thought in my head, every worry. Just knowing someone else cares can be enough. Enough that we don't question why Mads and Lo takes so long to look inside, nor why it feels so wrong to be hidden here down the alleyway when two of us are wanted criminals. Just happy to be together. Just once.

"Are you doing ok over there Riv?" Nix whispers after it's been too long with no word from Mads or Lo. "Reckon the other two are ok?"

"Yeah, Mads and Lo know what they're doing. Just give them time, we're safe enough for now." I look around when I say that, making sure I'm correct in what I'm saying. We seem hidden enough but it's hard to say, given the rain and knowing we're trespassing on Spade territory. A bad idea if we're caught. "Hope it's ok in there,"

"All good, come on in quickly," Lo appears out of nowhere and waves the three of us inside, urging us out of the rain. Hurrying we huddle inside out of the storm we shut the door to a crack and move through the space. Oddly, the inside looks old and musty, smelling faintly of rot and damp water. The walls were grey and old as Lo leads us through the maze of hallways and corridors. All look similarly old and abandoned. Condemned even.

"I thought you said this was a fairly new place, Lo?" I ask as I catch up to her, confusion in my voice. "This place looks like it hasn't been used in decades." More and more of the building comes and goes as Lo takes us back to whatever she and Mads found worth sharing. "Are you sure?"

"Mhmm," Lo turns to me, seeing Nix and Ari following behind. "It has been. The lock work at least. What we're after is further inside. Almost at the heart of this place. The other places are abandoned yeah but to provide a mirror. A smokescreen."

"To make people think there's nothing there, assuming they didn't overlook the lock. They'd go in and see nothing for about so much and then give up, not knowing the aim is closer." I think it over as I speak and see Lo nod out of the corner of my eye. "But why go so far in and go to all that trouble, I just don't get it."

"You will when you see what we found," Lo replies, nodding us forward to somewhere I can see light. Odd since the rest of it is dark, save for the daylight that comes through cracks in the walls. "Come on, not much further now." She urges us forward and into the lit room where I can see Mads looking over something. "We're all here. Come on, we need to be quick and then go back to the cars. Remember don't take anything physical or they'll know we've been in. Just take a photo or commit to memory."

Nix, Ari, and I nod as we split and look around the room. Bookshelves line every wall, high as the ceiling, covered in books I can't read, nor reach. Computers and laptops sit scattered on tables with files locked. It looked to me like a war general's meeting room, mixed with a secret base. Not what I'd expected. Not at all.

"There are more rooms, you know," Mad's voice over my shoulder makes me jump in surprise before he laughs. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you," he looks over to what I've picked up to read. "Yeah, it's the place your mother met with Ivar and the others. Other rooms have different functions but all are linked to the operation of the Spades from here. No doubt there's a similar place somewhere in Russia for the other half."