Our nine heroes and heroines stood in front of the rundown pawn shop in the shady side of Pam Lous, a town in Daehanminguk, that Britney had led them to based on the insignia they found at the crime scene. They asked how she knew the sign and where to go multiple times on the way there, but she managed to weave her way out of telling them the truth every time.
Britney looked to the guys and said, "So, who wants to go first?" and they all backed away because everyone knows not to knock on the door of a gang's headquar- and Michael knocked on the door. What's wrong with him? I don't know, and that's a lot coming from the author. Just saying.
Oh yea! One more thing you should know about this world is that not everyone is a magician, some people are just ordinary people and this specific gang just happens to be one of the "normal" ones, so they got lucky. Anyway, after Michael knocked on the door, a man opened the door and asked, "무엇을 원하세요? (1)" Michael gave him a blank stare and said, "I'm sorry. Wrong person. Bye." and let me tell you, this kid was shaking in his shoes as he said this. It almost makes me feel bad for him. Almost*.
Britney walked to the man and told him how they knew that his gang were behind the attacks. Upon hearing this, the man grunted as he opened the door for Britney and the others. The shop had a strange smell, but it was one that Britney smelled for the first time at the wrong age. There was mold on the walls and cracks in the ceiling. The only light in the shop was the sunlight radiating from the windows in the front of the shop that were facing the street. The man led them to a door in the back of the shop. He opened the door and signaled for them to go inside and up the stairs to find who they were looking for, the head of the gang, a monster named Python.
They walked up the stairs to the second floor and to a second door. Everyone, including Britney, held their breath as they opened the door. Standing in front of a desk was a huge dark figure who is radiating a dark aura around itself. They turned around and faced the children and asked them in a voice a scary as their appearance , "누구십니까? (2)" Before the group could turn around and leave, the door slammed shut behind them. They were stuck inside.
Britney stood her ground, looked the dark figure in their eyes and told them that she needed to talk to Python. She added how she would do some pretty gory stuff to the figure if they didn't let her through. Everyone's fear shifted from the figure to Britney. Michael reached his hand out to calm her down, but right before he could touch her, laughter filled the room. A short, beautiful woman emerged from the dark figure dying of laughter.
The atmosphere went from dark and scary to confusion as who the lady was. She looked at Britney and then at the rest of our heroes. She then picked something off her desk and threw it at them. Britney stared at it as it flew and suddenly yelled, " It's a bomb!" Rebecca surrounded the projectile with a barrier, while everyone else disabled the large body guard that scared the crap out of them earlier, and cornered the woman into a corner all before the bomb could go off in its little bubble.
Britney walked up to the woman and said, "Judging by that, I guess you already know why we're here, Python." Brandon looked to her and asked if this really was the person who bombed the school. I mean he's half right, 'cause her gang's insignia was found at the crime scene, but it couldn't have been her 'cause she's, you know, alive. Which means that she either sucks at being a suicide bomber or she knows why the whole thing happened. The first makes no sense, so the second option is the one that Louis remarked.
Python sarcastically added how the first option may change if they keep their weapons on her throat, which signalled everyone to back up so she could talk. After they did, she explained how the police already came over and apprehended the guy behind the attacks. Apparently, one of her underlings lied to two of her newcomers and convinced them to go through with it.
If they wanted to find the real mastermind, the only person that could give them answers is locked up. Britney thanked Python and left with everyone else, but Python simply warned her. The person behind this was worse than she is.
At a cafe, they all shifted their questions from who was behind the gang to how do they get into the most impenetrable prison on the planet. As they all sat there, Louis remarked how much easier it would be if they could just ask someone who's already behind bars for help. Halley then looked at her brother, but he just dismissed the idea. She pleaded with him until Rebecca asked what they were talking about. Brandon then conceded and Halley said, "Let's go visit our dad."
*****
The prison that Louis was referring to is called Quod Tergora Inpenetrabiles Decipula (3), and it's named after the spell used to make it, one that made the prison unescapable. It was made to hold the most dangerous prisoners in world, magicians. Halley and Brandon know all about this establishment since their dad, Jebediah, was serving his life sentence there for manslaughter and attempted murder. And he was their ticket in.
Halley's plan was to cast a spell that allowed Kylian to speak, so when he switches bodies with Jebediah, he can go to the gang member and find out the information they need. One problem. The guards are bound to notice the change in his presence and personality, so Kylian had a short amount of time to get what they came for. And so they split themselves into three groups: Halley, Michael, Kylian; Kiara, Rebecca, Britney; Brandon, Louis, William. Once the bodies were switched, Halley would leave for a little with Jebediah in Kylian's body and bring him back when Kylian in Jebediah's body gives the signal, while the others do reconnaissance with the guards.
Rebecca, Michael, Louis, and Kylian were the only ones in the group considering how awe-struck by the prison. The enormous walls that surrounded the prison on all sides seemed to stretch on for miles and there was no in or out except for the one entrance in the front of the metal box. Upon entering, the inside of the facility was a giant empty white space.
Just white. White floors, ceilings, and the only thing anyone could see, a white reception desk. Britney, Rebecca, and Kiara walked in first and got a chance to speak with the warden. William and his group got a chance to interview 2 guards for a "popular' internet show, and finally Michael, Halley, and Kylian went to visit Halley's father. And let's just say, this could've gone a lot* worse.
Translation Notes:
1. 무엇을 원하세요? = What do you want?
2. 누구십니까? = Who are you?
3. Quod Tergora Inpenetrabiles Decipula= The Impenetrable Cage