group
"That's…different. For me it just felt like I was drowning but without the whole terror thing."
A light shiver passed through her. "Anyway. Not a good experience," she said sharply.
group
Eli nodded. "Got that right."
She straightened up proudly. "Anyway. I really should be leaving. Won't be long before the police sends reinforcements."
Griffin leaned against the wall with a sigh. “What did she go to prison for?”
Haile shrugged. "Don't remember which time it was she got caught."
group
Eli nodded, looking over at Ella for help. We need to distract her! He mouthed.
Griffin sighed. “Anything else you know?”
Ella's eyes widened in panic. "Um, wait!" she called. Alice stopped in her tracks without turning around.
"What is it?"
Ella racked her brains for something to say. "What's your singing range?" she blurted. Alice turned to her.
"I'm an alto," she said quizzically.
"We could, um, duet. I sing for the Circus."
Alice walked forward. In an almost unseen movement, she yanked a knife out of her coat and threw it at Ella. It passed right through her nose.
"Your little distraction game is over, hon." She turned on her heels and stalked away.
Griffin sighed. “Anything else you know?”
Haile shook his head. "Nope."
group
Eli looked at Ella before turning invisible and started racing after Alice, careful not to make a noise.
Ana crossed her arms. "I find that hard to believe."
Ella did the ghost equivalent of blushing and glided after Eli, cursing herself.
Haile rolled his eyes dramatically. "What can I say (except you're welcome) to convince you?)
group
Eli stayed behind Alice, careful not to get too close so she wouldn't hear him breathing.
Ana shook her head. "Nothing, really."
Griffin ageeed.
"You haven't proven yourself to be trustworthy." Jace shrugged.
Ella followed Eli, keeping a safe distance.
Alice was walking purposefully. She examined every door she passed, then shook her head and walked away. Finally, she stopped at one. Tried it. It was locked. She kicked it down. It gave way in a cloud of dust; she walked in.
Haile groaned loudly. "Seriously!?"
group
Eli followed Alice inside, ready to reappear and attack at any time.
Alice entered the room, an unreadable smile on her face. She went straight towards the bed and sat on it, distractedly stroking the covers.
"Quite a nice room, isn't it?" she asked Eli smugly.
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Eli flinched, but didn't say a word.
"It was mine. Very welcoming in its time." She stood up and walked over to a discreet door set into the wall. It, too, was locked. "This one led to the lab."
group
Eli nodded along to the conversation, still not talking.
Alice sighed wistfully. "The lab…" She rammed into the hidden door and walked into the following room.
group
Eli shrugged at where he thought Ella was and glided after Alice, looking into the room she had called a lab.
It had relatively clean white-washed walls, rows of steel operating tables, shelves full of threatening tools, vials and pouches and tubes, and cages. Human'sized cages. She walked over to the shelves and picked up a vial.
"These… are singing genes."
group
Eli shivered slightly. I'm so glad I'm already dead. Otherwise I'd be running for my life.
She put it down and fingered a pouch. "That seems to be for flexibility." She walked over to the cages. "Ah, and this is where the finished product was kept."
Ella gagged and backed away slightly.
group
How many people did they do…this to? Eli thought as he moved around the room, observing the vials.
Alice turned to the doorway. "What do you think?"
group
"It's…interesting." Eli whispered, mostly to himself.
"How so?" Alice asked perplexedly.
