Andromeda, Cultural Studies ace and PR queen, settled her dark eyes on her friend. “Phoe, if we’d left you to it, you’d have stormed over to Godhand and got yourself thrown in with her. You know as well as we all do that we need to take our time,”

Phoenie slumped, and gripped the remainder of the cane tight in her hand. The descent of serenity stung, but she knew Andromeda was right. Diving into the rapids to save her friends was the worst thing she could do. She focused on her breathing, as PE teacher Master Khandro expected his students to at the beginning of every lesson, counting to four, two, four, two…

Knock!

Knock-knock!

Knock!

Knock-knock-knock-knock!

There was an uncomfortable silence before the eight knocks repeated themselves, and then Theseus pushed himself up and crept towards the door. This time the Veritas code was followed by a muffled voice.

“Dudes, open the door already!”

Satisfied, Theseus unlatched the locks and inched the door open. Phoenie noticed his look of surprise and twisted through the maze of tables to see what had caught the stalwart boy off guard but as she arrived, the door swung open. Joel shuffled into the room, clutching his injured ribs, and was followed by a unlikely menagerie of fellow students: there was Doyle Kennedy, the laid-back stoner who was more interested in fulfilling his libido than studying (no doubt here to impress the girls); Lyra Byrne, the angry pro-environmentalist and surrealist artist (probably wanting to beat someone up); Elone Kent, the Hawk with dyed crimson hair and far too much money (Phoenie had no idea why she was here); and Dante Orpheus (Dante? Did he think saving Katrina would make her fall in love with him and fulfil his delusions of grandeur?!)

“We’re come to save Kaori and the others,” Joel announced.

Theseus slammed the door shut behind them, exchanged a nod with fellow leather-clad warrior Doyle, then returned to his perch.

“Figured you dudes would be up to something,” continued Joel as his motley crew dispersed through the room, “This lot tagged along to help.”

“No ‘effing way are we leaving those four to Wotan,” said Lyra, “I’ll break in there myself if you ain’t got a plan,”

“Please, calm down Ms Byrne,” said Phoenie, raising her hands in case the irate girl decided to disagree with her, “We have been discussing a complex scheme of tactical infiltration that will allow us to release our friends whilst subverting Godhand in the process,”

“Go on, then…”

Phoenie returned to her map. “Well, originally the plan was to infiltrate in pairs with the help of technological resources supplied by Mr Smith. That is, John, not his father: we require the staff her to remain unaware of our activities.”

“Just get to the point already,”

“If you would stop being rude, Ms Byrne, This is an important expla—”

“Basically,” said Theseus, drowning out Phoenie, “We break in, get the girls out, and leave some special explosive packages lying around.”

Chapter 16
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