Kev, mindful of the sleeping mooseman on his couch, quietly retreated to his bedroom to change out of his wet swimsuit. He slipped into a pair of comfortable jeans and a soft t-shirt, savoring the feeling of dry clothes against his skin. He then grabbed the book Talon had been reading, thinking Talon would appreciate the offer.
Tiptoeing past Horns, Kev made his way out of the apartment and across the hall to Talon's new residence. He knocked softly on the door, then let himself in, assuming Talon wouldn't mind the intrusion.
The apartment was filled with the comforting aroma of cooking food. Sabrina, clad in another oversized t-shirt, was expertly navigating the kitchen, her wheelchair spinning and turning as she prepared their lunch. Talon was nowhere to be seen, but the sound of running water suggested he was in the bathroom.
"Hey, Sabrina," Kev greeted her with a smile, settling onto the couch and opening the book.
"Hey, Kev," Sabrina replied, her voice muffled by the sizzle of something frying in a pan. "Whatcha reading?"
"Talon's been reading it," Kev replied, placing the book on the coffee table. "Seems pretty interesting."
He stepped out onto the balcony, the warm afternoon sun a welcome contrast to the cool air of the apartment. He lit a cigarette, savoring the familiar ritual as he gazed out at the sprawling backyard.
When he returned a few minutes later, Sabrina was setting plates of food on the coffee table. Talon, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt, was lounging on the couch with the book, a contented smile on his face.
"Dig in," Sabrina announced, gesturing towards the plates.
Kev sat down, his eyes widening in surprise at the spread before him. There were sandwiches piled high with deli meats and cheeses, a colorful array of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a bowl of crispy chips.
"Talon must have done a good shopping trip," Kev remarked, impressed by the variety and abundance of food.
The three of them ate in comfortable silence, the only sounds the clinking of glasses and the occasional satisfied sigh. Sabrina, true to her energetic nature, finished her food in record time, her plate left spotless. Talon, despite his usual stoic demeanor, also ate quickly, his hunger evident after a long morning of swimming.
"Brother," Sabrina declared, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "next time you go out to some fancy place for dinner, you better bring me along."
Talon, his gaze fixed on the book in his hands, chuckled softly. "I don't call the shots," he reminded her gently. "Mr. Fang makes the decisions."
Sabrina pouted playfully. "Work your magic, Talon," she urged, batting her eyelashes. "Convince him he needs me. My brilliant brain, my captivating beauty... it would be stupid to leave me behind."
Talon shook his head, a fond smile playing on his lips. "You're incorrigible," he muttered, but Kev could see the amusement in his eyes.
Kev finished the last bite of his sandwich, a satisfied smile on his face. "That was great, Sabrina," he complimented, reaching for a napkin.
"Well, now that we've eaten," Sabrina declared, her voice filled with a restless energy, "let's go on an adventure!"
Talon sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Where do you want to go, Sabrina?" he asked.
"Let's find the IT department!" Sabrina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'm dying to check the internet."
Talon merely shrugged, a resigned smile playing on his beak. "Have fun," he said, his voice a soft rasp.
Sabrina stuck her tongue out at her brother playfully before turning her attention to Kev. "Well, human?" she asked, her voice a mischievous chirp. "You in?"
Kev thought for a moment, recalling Fang's earlier mention of the IT department. "I remember Fang saying Kaiote works somewhere near the perimeter road, where the power grid ends," he mused. "Maybe we could try looking there?"
Sabrina's eyes lit up. "Alright!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. "Let's go on a road trip! We'll just follow the perimeter until we find the building."
Kev glanced at his watch, a smile playing on his lips. "It's only one o'clock," he remarked. "We've got plenty of time to kill before the club opens." He turned to Talon, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hey, Talon," he said, "you have a car here, right? Wanna take a drive around the perimeter road?"
Talon hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "I don't know, Kev," he replied, his voice a low rasp. "I'm not sure we should be venturing too far from the mansion, especially with..." He glanced at Sabrina, then back at Kev.
Sabrina rolled her eyes dramatically. "What are we, prisoners?" she scoffed. "We can't even leave the grounds without an armed escort?"
Kev nodded. "Besides, Talon," he added, "have you even driven around the club yet? It might be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land."
Sabrina jumped in, knowing her brother's personality "Yeah, brother," she chimed in, "how can you call yourself a good bodyguard if you don't even know the club's grounds? I guess you're just not that serious about protecting us."
Talon frowned, his feathers ruffling slightly. Sabrina's words, though playful, had struck a nerve. He reluctantly set his book aside and stood up, his posture rigid.
"What are you two waiting for?" he asked, his voice low. "Let's go."
Kev and Sabrina exchanged a triumphant glance, their plan to get Talon out of his shell seemingly successful. They followed Talon out of the apartment and down the hallway towards the garage.
The elevator ride down to the first floor was filled with a mix of anticipation and nervous energy. Sabrina, her curiosity piqued, peppered Kev with questions about the mansion's hidden passages and secret rooms, while Talon remained stoic, his gaze fixed on the elevator's control panel.
As they stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, Kev led them towards the west wing, a part of the mansion he had only recently begun feeling comfortable exploring. They passed by several closed doors, each one a mystery waiting to be unveiled. Finally, they reached the entrance to the garage, the same ones that Kev had stumbled upon during his first week, its heavy wooden doors standing slightly ajar.
The garage was a stark contrast to the rest of the mansion, its utilitarian design and exposed pipes a far cry from the opulent chandeliers and plush carpets that adorned the upper floors. Yet, it held a certain charm, a reminder of the building's past.
Fang's collection of classic cars and motorcycles, their chrome gleaming under the fluorescent lights, occupied most of the space. But Talon, his movements purposeful, led them past these gleaming beauties towards the back of the garage.
There, at the end of a row of vintage vehicles, sat a dented, faded van, its paint chipped and one of its hubcaps missing. It was a stark contrast to the surrounding luxury, a testament to Talon's humble beginnings.
Talon pulled a set of keys from his pocket and approached the van. A faint beep sounded, and the sliding side door opened, revealing an automated platform that had been modified to accommodate a wheelchair.
"Well, here's our ride," Talon announced, a hint of pride in his voice.
Sabrina wheeled herself onto the platform with ease. The van's interior was surprisingly spacious, its middle seats removed to create a large, open area for Sabrina's wheelchair.
Kev settled into the passenger seat, a sense of nostalgia washing over him. The van's interior, with its worn upholstery and faded dashboard, reminded him of the beat-up vehicles his friends back on Earth used to drive. It was the first thing he'd encountered in this world that felt like home, nostalgic even.
Talon, having secured Sabrina's wheelchair, climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. The van sputtered to life, its exhaust emitting a cloud of smoke that momentarily obscured their view. He carefully backed out of the garage, maneuvering the vehicle around the mansion's sprawling grounds.
As they passed the loading dock, Kev caught a glimpse of the large, metal doors and the wooden platform that had been the site of his earlier encounter with Lanon. It looked stark and utilitarian in the fading daylight, a stark contrast to the meticulously landscaped gardens and opulent architecture of the mansion.
Talon, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, drove past the club's main entrance and onto the perimeter road. A sign, its bold letters warning of trespassing, marked the boundary between the club's private domain and the sprawling urban jungle beyond.
The road wound its way through a dense forest, the trees casting long shadows in the late afternoon light. Kev, his curiosity piqued, gazed out the window, taking in the unfamiliar scenery.
The sun-drenched road looked remarkably different from the night Perry had driven Fang and Kev down this same path. Memories of that exhilarating ride, the thrill of the chase, and the stolen kisses in the backseat brought a blush to Kev's cheeks.
Unlike Perry's daring maneuvers, Talon drove at a leisurely pace, his sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. The road, well-maintained and lined with towering trees, offered a sense of tranquility that belied the bustling city just beyond the treeline.
Sabrina, her curiosity piqued, leaned forward in her wheelchair, her gaze sweeping across the landscape. "How did we miss it?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration. "If the building has servers, it needs big air conditioners. It must be sucking up a ton of electricity!"
They completed a full loop around the perimeter, the dense foliage occasionally parting to reveal glimpses of the city skyline in the distance. Sabrina, her frustration mounting, turned to Kev and Talon.
"Did either of you see anything?" she demanded, her voice a raspy caw.
Talon shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary," he replied, his gaze still fixed on the road ahead.
Kev hesitated, a memory surfacing from their earlier drive. "Maybe," he said slowly, his brow furrowing in thought. "I saw a well. It looked pretty old, but there were no weeds or plants growing on it. Shouldn't it be overgrown by now?"
Talon's eyes widened in realization. "I saw that too," he admitted, "but I didn't even think about it."
He quickly turned the van around and drove back along the perimeter road. They stopped near the suspected well, its clean stone form peeking out from beneath a layer of fallen leaves, about a hundred feet from the road.
The closer they got, the more apparent it became that the well was not as ancient as it first appeared. The stones surrounding its opening were meticulously placed, their edges too clean, the moss too uniform, with clean edges. It was a clever facade, designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding wilderness.
Talon parked the van and hopped out, quickly assisting Sabrina with the ramp. Together, the three of them cautiously approached the well, their footsteps crunching on the dead leaves. It was much larger up close than they had thought.
Peering over the edge, they saw that the interior was a smooth, concrete tube, its walls devoid of any cracks or imperfections. The well was surprisingly deep, the bottom illuminated by a series of bright lights that cast an eerie glow upwards.
"This is definitely not natural," Kev observed, his voice a hushed whisper.
"It's too perfect," Sabrina agreed, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Someone went to a lot of trouble to make this look old."
Talon, his gaze fixed on the illuminated depths, nodded slowly. "It must lead somewhere," he said, his voice a low rasp. "But where?"
Sabrina leaned forward in her wheelchair, peering into the well's depths. "Do you think there's another wheelchair down there?" she asked, her voice a hopeful chirp. "Maybe a fancy, motorized one with cup holders and a built-in massage chair."
Kev chuckled. "I doubt it," he replied. "This looks more like a secret entrance than a luxury elevator."
Talon, his curiosity piqued, stepped closer to the edge. "You two wait here," he instructed, his voice a low rasp. "I'm going down to investigate."
Before Kev or Sabrina could protest, Talon spread his powerful wings and leaped into the well. His descent was surprisingly graceful, his wings acting as a parachute to slow his fall.
Kev peered into the well, his eyes straining to make out the details in the dim light. "This is so cool," Sabrina exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "Secret passages and hidden rooms! Just like in a spy movie."
"It has to be the IT department, right?" Kev mused aloud. "That light down there is solid, not firelight. So, it's obviously electric…."
They both leaned over the edge, their eyes searching the depths.
Sabrina, her adventurous spirit ignited, suddenly declared, "I'm going down too!" Before Kev could react, she pushed herself from her wheelchair to the edge of the well.
"Wait, Sabrina!" Kev exclaimed, reaching out to stop her.
But it was too late. With a mischievous grin, Sabrina launched herself into the well, her wings flapping to slow her descent. "Brother is slow," she called up to Kev. "He's probably looking inside every cubby before he'll tell us to come down."
Kev shook his head in disbelief. "That girl is fearless," he muttered to himself, a mixture of amusement and concern swirling within him.
Kev strained his ears, trying to decipher the muffled squawks and caws echoing up from the well. Talon and Sabrina seemed to be engaged in a heated argument, their voices bouncing off the concrete walls, but the exact words were lost in the reverberations.
He decided to wait patiently by the well's edge, hoping they would resolve their disagreement soon. As he stood there, lost in thought, a figure emerged from the trees lining the perimeter of the mansion's grounds.
It was Kaiote, the enigmatic crow woman who headed the club's IT department. She looked tired, her dark feathers slightly ruffled, hidden behind her large hooded sweatshirt, and a perplexed frown marred her usually composed features.
"Kev?" she asked, her voice a raspy caw. "What are you doing out here?"
"Hey Kaiote, good to see you again," Kev said, gesturing towards the well. "We found this... and Talon and Sabrina went down to investigate."
Kaiote yawned, rubbing her eyes with a feathered hand. "Who are Talon and Sabrina?" she inquired, her voice thick with sleep. "I don't see anyone." She pulled a piece of bread from her pocket and took a bite, her movements slow and deliberate.
"Fang's new bodyguard and his sister," Kev clarified.
Kaiote's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Bodyguard?" she echoed, a flicker of interest in her eyes. "Interesting."
Kaiote chuckled dryly, crumbs scattering from her beak. "I thought you were Fang's assistant or something," she said, her voice a raspy caw. "He hired someone else now, too? He should really leave that up to Horns."
Kev nodded slowly. "We were wondering if the IT department is down the well," he admitted, his curiosity piqued.
Kaiote's expression turned guarded. "Yes," she confirmed, her voice a low murmur. "But I'm not really in the mood for any visitors right now..."
Kev's brow furrowed in concern. "I'm sorry, Kaiote," he said, "but Talon and Sabrina are already down there."
Kaiote froze, the tiredness in her body instantly replaced by a palpable fear. Her eyes widened, and she looked at Kev with a mix of disbelief and panic. "Down there? They're... avians?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Before Kev could answer, Kaiote took a deep breath and, without another word, dove headfirst into the well.
Kev watched Kaiote's sudden disappearance, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. The crow woman's reaction had been extreme, her fear palpable. What was it about Talon and Sabrina being avians that had triggered such a visceral response?
He hoped Talon wouldn't overreact if Kaiote burst in on them unexpectedly. The eagleman had already proven his tendency towards impulsive action, and Kev didn't want any more misunderstandings or conflicts. Talon seemed to have a knack for making bad first impressions.
Kev leaned over the well's edge, straining his ears to hear what was happening below. The muffled echoes of raised voices reached him, a chaotic blend of Talon's sharp rasp, Sabrina's indignant cawing, and Kaiote's panicked squawks. It sounded like a full-blown confrontation was brewing in the depths of the IT department.
The echoing yells gradually subsided, replaced by an uneasy silence. Kev wished he could be a fly on the wall, witnessing the unfolding drama in the IT department.
After what felt like an eternity, Talon's silhouette emerged from the well's depths, his powerful wings beating against the air as he ascended towards the surface. He landed gracefully beside Kev, his feathers slightly ruffled and his expression a mix of frustration and amusement.
"What's going on down there?" Kev asked, his voice filled with concern.
Talon let out a long sigh, running a hand through his feathers. "It's... complicated," he admitted, his voice a low rasp. "There should be a rope ladder somewhere in the leaves over there," he said, pointing towards a nearby thicket. "You can use that to come down."
Kev and Talon searched the area, their hands brushing against damp leaves and prickly branches. Finally, Kev spotted the coiled ladder, its rough fibers blending seamlessly with the forest floor. Talon grabbed it and tossed the bundle over the rim of the well, its weight causing the rope to unravel and dangle invitingly in the darkness.
"See you down there," Talon said with a wry smile, before leaping back into the well, his wings outstretched.