"You grew up in the Shuri Forest and you're an actual assassin." Elle played with Urs wings. Her resting skeptical expression exhumed.
"Yes." Nero agreed. "We can help you guys get out of here. I promise, we can."
"I know you can, but why would you? You don't even know me. The other guards are strong. Stronger than me."
"They might be strong but your smarter."
Elle's eyes dropped in disbelief. "But why?"
"I think you and Imani should come with us to New Oania!" Nero's eyes lit up and he stood up. "You guys didn't have anywhere to go anyway. It sounds like you guys are already in the Peace Corps. sights. You'll fit right in."
"Having the Peace Corps. think we're bad and becoming Retainers is completely different. We would be constantly in danger."
"But it would be fun sticking it to them. Toppling the giant that is the Peace Corps. We can help people like you and all sorts of others. They don't get to just do whatever they want. We'l make them bleed."
Frides glanced at Nero suspiciously.
Elle took a second and thought. "If Imani agrees then we'll come with you guys. Its up to her, I guess."
"Yes!" Nero dashed over to Frides and grabs his shoulders. "We've got two new friends."
Frides looks down to Elle. "This is what he's like when he's not sleeping."
"He has to get tired at some point."
"Yeah you're right. That's actually worse believe it or not." Frides prepared her.
Nero looked down at her lap and Urs had rested her head in Elle's lap. "Look, even Urs likes you."
"If we're going to get out of here, you have to listen to the plan."
"You have a plan?" Frides asked surprised and impressed. It was a stark difference to how Nero operated.
"I have to be ready for anything. I had a plan that would work if I had enough people crazy enough to try it."
"See? She is a great addition to the team. And you guys are even into the same stuff."
"What? What stuff?" Frides asked confused and flustered.
"You know? Planning?" Nero answered confused by Frides' sudden behavioral change.
"I call it." Elle straitened up. "Operation Strength in Numbers. They keep Imani in the top floor suite by herself. I don't know why but I've never seen her leave the room but I'm sure they've got her chained down with Glow. Imani is strong so the chains must be strong, too."
"How are we going to get her out then?" Nero asked.
"Well I was hoping for someone strong to break them, maybe the assassin."
"Frides." Nero reminded her.
Elle looked at Frides. "I can break the links. Are you sure it's just a chain."
"What else could it be?" Elle asked.
"She may have agreed to stay in there on her own. I mean how do you know she's chained in there?" Frides asked apologetically.
"Imani would fight until her last breath. That's the kind of person she is."
"I kinda like this Imani!" Nero said to Elle.
"I'm sure she will like you too. She is high strung and reckless like you but really smart." Elle stopped and thought for a second. "I'm sure she's in there. I heard one of the attendants say as much. I didn't get specifics but I know she's there and isn't permitted to leave."
"Okay. How do we get in there?" Frides asked her.
"At night there are two guards that watch the attendants from the top of the crater. Constantly moving and watching that no one leaves the Springs. The other guards surround the Spring by the beach for drunk unruly patrons. If we take them out then we can grab Imani and get out of here."
"Why don't we just ask for her number. Then we can go in there without it looking suspicious."
"A guard would escort us and make escaping more difficult." Frides explained.
"Yes, and we want as much of a head start as possible."
"And what about the Madam and all of the other attendants?"
"What do you mean?"
"Where's the Madam at during all of this?"
"She doesn't leave her office until about thirty minutes or so before the Horseshoe Springs Evening Show." Elle had no clue what made Nero ask about Madam Silvers.
"Oh okay." Nero accepted the information docilely.
O BE CONTINUED...
Thanks for reading!