“Run,” said Theseus. Ignoring the potential danger, he flung himself down the rest of the steps, followed by his two companions. John almost slipped over, but Andromeda managed to catch him and their momentum sent them crashing into Theseus. He would have fallen had he not been so physically strong and not rooted to the spot like petrified tree.

“This is impossible,” he said, throwing his light around the cavern.

“Completely inconceivable,” added John.

“John, what’s going on?” Phoenie whispered.

“Phoenie, I’m—I’m thinking we might have gotten in over our heads.”

“John, what is it?”

“This isn’t good,”

Before he could explain further, the signal exploded in their ears, stunning them. John winced. “They’re jamming us for real this time,”

“Dammit,” said Theseus, his hand shaking as he swept the light over the rows and rows of boxes in front of them. Boxes marked ‘ammunition’ and ‘explosives’ sat next to racks of guns of every type, from the smallest of pistols to the most deadly of rocket launchers, rail guns and plasma cannons. Enough weaponry to take over the town – hell, enough weaponry to level the town.

“They’re not just a cult,” whispered John.

They could hear the crash of boots draw nearer, the clicking of rifles readying to fire.

Theseus shivered. “They’re an army,”

In seconds, with more efficiency than they’d thought possible from the formally bumbling security, they were surrounded. They weren’t ace students or heroes of justice: they were just idiots who’d walked into a blatant trap. There had been times when Theseus had received a beating in a martial arts tournament or street fight that felt better than this, the feeling that they had been totally played like fools.

Defeated, Theseus dropped his torch and raised his hands, joining John and Andromeda in surrender.

***

Phoenie and Lyra threw themselves through another set of double doors and crashed through a thong of Godhand’s underlings before they’d realised what was happening. In a heroic bid to save them, Doyle had put himself between the girls and the Inquisition, though Lyra had been forced to drag Phoenie away. Phoenie hated the idea of leaving any one else behind, especially now John, Theseus and Amanda were…

“Oh, look who we have here,”

Blocking their escape were three figures Phoenie had been hoping to avoid. Astrid sauntered forwards, wagging a patronising finger at them.

“You girls have really gone and done it this time,” she said, mocking them like a mother chastising her miscreant children, “Now we’ve going to have to round you all up and punish your for misbehaving,”

“Get outta our fecking way,” growled Lyra.

Astrid placed her hands on her hips and looked down her nose at them. “I’d rather not, you piece of vagrant trash.”

Phoenie grabbed Lyra’s arm before she could launch an attack. The smaller girl put up a small struggle, but thankfully relented before she threw their chances of escape away.

“I should be thanking you for all this, Rogan,” said Astrid, “After all, it’s thanks to you that this all happened.”

“It’s your fault,” Phoenie snapped back, “You arrested my friends on false charges!”

Astrid stifled a guffaw, while Elizabeth and Vespa giggled among themselves. “I think you’ll find it really is all your fault,” said the blonde leader of the trio, “You’re the one who sent your friend here to ‘investigate’ us. If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t have those weird photographs to prove anything – and I believe those photographs were your idea anyway? So it comes back to you again!”

Phoenie thought for a moment, even though Lyra was tugging at her arm to warn her about the Inquisitors that were coming up behind them – Phoenie knew about all that, but this was more important! There were too many questions that needed answering – immediately.

Chapter 19
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