Chereads / Hunt the mate / Chapter 4 - Tick-Tick 4

Chapter 4 - Tick-Tick 4

THE INTRUDERS"So... your foster mother is like the evil-stepmother of Disney?" Mysty puts down Hael on top of the reception's cabinet. Odette handed over a chocolate piece to Hael, after the original plan to offer the whole bar to the child was hijacked by a forceful stare of Liliane demanding her share.In the end, the treat was enjoyed by both Hael and Liliane without any partiality."I don't want to interrupt but if you contact his foster family or police, Chief is surely going to find out," Liliane uttered while tossing the chocolate wrapper in the waste bin behind the cabinet. She turns towards the boys at the reception desk who were occupied, dialing the given number of Hael's foster mother, "We all are going to end in trouble. Don't forget that Hael shares the same brain cell like us. We all have sneaked after the closing hours and someone will not like that very much.""So, we can't keep him here, Loid will find out," Grey points at Hael, halting Newt to dial the number. "His mother will contact Loid and police by noticing his absence for sure.""So what? We drive and deliver him to his house," Odette comments."Hey!" Hael shouts. "I'm not food who you can deliver. I'm an independent citizen of Northpass and bloodline of owls, earning the even freedom as you all. I refuse to go back in a polyethene to my wicked family who won't even sense my absence. It's been already hours and they are not worried at all! I deny any help or aid from you all, adult trespassers.""Must have watch too much Disney's arrogant princesses," Grey rumbles silently at the little attitude."Hey little owl. You go back politely or you and I gonna have some real problem," Liliane exclaimed grimly shooting daggers at the pompous intruder."No! Old wolf," Hael responds while standing up on his feet on the cabinet with the help of his palms against the cabinet pushing him up. "If you don't listen to me, I will rat you to your Chief Blair!"Liliane face cracks off revealing a fresh strained smile, disturbing Hael who still stood up with his command and slams his foot on the cabinet, flashing stubbornness. Without wasting time, Liliane seizes Hael's waist such that his back faced the ceiling with arms forcing the strong muscles to let go and legs straightened up, moving back and forth in the air. All the attempts to escape from the clutches of the fake warm face, ended up draining Hael's energy.Liliane carried the child along with her to the Achieve Section's under-construction BO6 where Grey was slacking off before, followed by the others who choose not to call anyone and carry on with the former plan, the only reason for their intruding after the closing hours- Treasure hunt.Odette asks, "Hael is coming?""Leaves us with no choice. I'll take care of him; you guys focus on the hunt."Odette nods and dashes of with Grey and Mysty to prepare for the treasure hunt, leaving Liliane in an odd situation. For the first time, she felt the presence of a kid as a blessing when Newt shadowed her in silence. The distance between the engaged pair was decent but the tranquility was unpleasant. Even enemies don't devise such bond.If it weren't for the wailing of Hael, then a hefty thorny atmosphere was sure to be formed among the engaged mates who would rather not even greet each other. Just a daily schedule of two partners with no ounce of love for each other."Hey!" Hael yells with defeat. "Let go of me, okay? I can walk!""Oh really?" Liliane mocks. "Then I'll make sure you can't after we reach the torture chamber., worse then your foster family's house."Hael's eyes widen with realization, "You want to cripple me! An evil old wolf!"Liliane returns the question with a wide grin and quickens her pace, scaring Hael whose loud screams echoed throughout the empty halls leading to the room B06. Suddenly-"What?" Liliane shots a question as Hael was no longer in her arm. Newt wraps his arms around Hael who takes comfort in his warmth. He would rather prefer to be carried by the person who disrupted his plan of escape and was eager to call his foster family than be taken by a witch disguised as a wolf, planning to cripple him."That-... That's enough." Newt's soft voice cracks but his expression remained stale as he proposes to continue carrying Hael. Liliane doesn't argue back and forces her legs for motion as her eyes secretly observes the pair of two who she for no reason, doesn't like very much. --"You adults are playing treasure hunt!" Hael's excited voice rang as he stood up on the empty table and the only furniture in the room. The room BO6 where the girls first met Grey was brighter than the hallways and corridors as the bends of the ceilings were nets and not bricked with cement to ensnare the sinking moonlight from entering the room."Can't we?" Liliane tone was sarcastic earning a frown from Odette who beamed at the sight of Hael. "Is he going to play too?""You said you would take care of him," Mysty reminds. "So, he is in your team.""There are teams?" Liliane inquires. "Enlighten me please.""I have set the traps for Grey-Mysty's team that will follow the red hallway," Odette explains. "Mysty have handled your and Hael's team's orange pathway. Grey have arranged obstacles for my and Newt's team that will walk on green pathway."'Newt and Odette?' Liliane oppressed her desire to ask. It was not jealousy because when there's no love to begin with, there is no space for another emotion.She just sighed anticipating the upcoming drama because Odette's ways around Newt always earns trouble for him. Sounds intended but Odette is the oblivious one whereas Newt is the smart wolf in Liliane's eyes. Seems like their fate is messed up and every conflict between them is pre-planned by someone? God perhaps... or maybe someone else.--"Hey witch!" Hael pouts while distancing himself from Liliane in front of a opened door. There were three doors in the next room B07, each one opening up a dark hallway with colored tiles- Red, orange, and green. These hallways won't cross each other but lead to one room where the treasure awaits. The hallways were half-build with no lightening and welcomes some more doors on each side that opens up to rooms consisting various artifacts. Some rooms were opened for the citizens while other were not stable enough to be introduced like B07 and B06. The treasure hunt involves traps set in the three hallways with clues hidden behind the locked doors of each hallways. The clue will reveal the treasure room which can be entered by the three hallways.The deal is to find which door holds the clue as the lock-pin given to each team will only work once. Sensors are inserted such that if a door is opened, the electronic tabs carried by each team will be aware that which team has not abide by the rules. Therefore, there will be count of opened doors after the hunt is over and the rule-breaker team will be eliminated."What is it, punk." Liliane snorts reaching for Hael who refused to get close. "You see. I can abandon you here in dark and leave quietly." Liliane points at the torch in her hand and as a warning, offs it for shade to enter.Hael squints his eyes as terror filled him and reaches for Liliane after feeling helpless that he just shares the blood of owls not super senses that allows to see clearly in dark. Liliane smirks and puts her palm against Hael's back who clutches down her dress tightly in the dim hall.When Liliane lights the torch again, Hael grunts silently but stays close to Liliane with his grip on Liliane's dress's hem."What is the treasure?" Hael questions as Liliane slows down for him to catch up as he was showing no signs of releasing his grip off her dress. She fell in her own trap by scaring the child."There is no treasure." Hael's brows shot up in puzzlement. "Pardon?""You think that a person who is been working here for forty years would not know what's going on in his territory. He is the descendant of eagle. The treasure of this hunt is your job and the biggest trap is Chief Loid." Liliane's lips turns up with excitement. "It's not treasure hunt. It's tag where you have to reach the treasure room A.K.A safe room where Chief will not think of searching.""Blair is here?""Aye."Author-The Treasure hunt is a tag game with a treasure room as green zone. The three hallways are red zones where Chief can come at any moment. The doors at the either sides of the three hallways can be opened only by a lock pin. Sensors are added which will record the opening of doors. More real traps are set in the hallways by different people such that each team isn't conscious about them. Three clues for the treasure/safe room is within one room of the hallways, each. The team has to complete the hunt within time and assigned hallway. The Objective- Treasure roomThe Hurdle-1. Avoid set traps in the hallways.2. Avoid Chief Loid.3. Choose one door to open.4. Find the clue.5. Enter treasure room safely within time.Penalty- EliminationDefeat- Losing jobEach team have a lock pin, torch, and digital tab.