Family (Insanity Book 7) (22 page)

Two minutes until the deadline.

But then, a vision of his niece flashed before his eyes. She’d been a victim of one of the attacks in the last months.

The man lost all control on his emotions and whistled.

The police began their moves.

“The hell with deadlines,” the man said under his breath. “All Wonderlanders must die.” Just like Angelo Cardone had been preaching in the Vatican.

Chapter 87

The Tunnels

I transfer the last of the Mushroomers and wait for Constance.

The little stubborn girl insists on jumping herself. “I’m the one who’s supposed to save you all,” she says. “I will jump.”

And she does. Like a smaller version of me. A little superhero with the mind of tens of other little girls — surprisingly surpassing the mind of an adult one.

I try to catch her when she crosses over to my side, but she pulls away. She’s going to be one hell of a determined woman when she grows up.

“And me?” Tom reaches out from the other side.

“I say we leave him,” Constance says.

“I’m not sure,” I say, but already jump over to get him. “Tom.” I engage him, ready to jump back. “You’re a big mystery to me. I hope Lewis was right about giving you such responsibilities.”

We cross over. He pants with satisfaction once we do, but then snakes his way through the Mushroomers so he’ll be closest to the door to the river.

“I hope you can swim,” Constance says.

“Last time I did I was your age, but I think I will manage,” he says.

This leaves just the Dude.

He surprises me and jumps over with the March’s body on his back. That’s some flexible move I’ve not seen before.

“None Fu?” I ask him?

He nods and hands me the March’s body, then jumps back.

“Wait! What are you doing?”

“You need someone to close the door to the asylum behind you,” he says. “You said you don’t want to be the reason the Pillar dies.”

“Yes, but if you do it you will…”

“I was sent to help, Alice,” he says. “I hope I did. It’s your job to get the Mushroomers — most of them — up to the boats.”

He is about to close the door behind him…

“Just cool down…” I say. “Who are you? I need to know who sent you and why you’re doing this?”

He is about to say something, but the sound of the police barging in is deafening. Without my permission, he closes the door and disappears behind it.

Chapter 88

The BBC Report

Breaking News

The international police forces are breaking into the Radcliffe Asylum right now. It’s unlikely that we’ll get clear footage, as we already hear the shots and everything around the asylum is more of a blur. None of our camera men dared enter, since it’s a shoot to kill situation.

From the little we could see outside, it does seem like no one is getting out alive today. This is going to be one of the most remembered moments in the history of mankind.

On the other hand, Pope Angelo Cardone is about to announce something in a few minutes. His followers all over the world are ready for him. Most enthusiastic are the British followers at Oxford, whom he’d addressed earlier. They’re standing in the streets of Oxford, near the asylum, waiting for the pope’s instructions.

It escapes our mind what he could possibly ask of them. But we shall see.

End of News

Chapter 89

The Tunnels

Though I hadn’t ordered the door open yet, Tom did it. He’d found the six spots and pushed them until the door loosened and all hell broke loose.

The water rushing in guarantees killing one third of us, but I have to manage and help out as much as I can.

Surprisingly, many of the Mushroomers know how to swim. Unlike them it takes me some time to adjust the new situation.

The transition from an environment in which one can breathe to one where you need to hold your breath as much as you can, scares me. With the March on my back, I try to cling against the walls of the tunnel until the water stabilizes. It’s as if I’m being shot at by an enormous water-cannon. I’m plastered against the wall for a few seconds then begin swimming with the March on my back.

It’s far from an easy task.

My eyes dart around to make sure most Mushroomers are swimming out. I can’t see Constance, though.

Outside the door, we’re in the river. I can even see some fish before me. The smart Mushroomers paddle up to reach the surface. The others are blacking out or lost in a haze of panic. It’s hard to help enough of them out.

But Constance does.

She is a fierce little, weightless thing.

She pushes the Mushroomers up, making use of their light floating bodies in the water, and pulls them up.

In a glance, I see Tom has reached the surface. I can only see his legs from down here. At least it means the surface isn't that far.

I paddle with all my might, a little weighed down by the March, but I manage. It’s only seconds before I reach the surface.

I take in a long breath and stabilize for a second. The night sky is dark and I can hardly see anything. Tom points out at the small boats spread all over the river. No lights, though, so the police won’t figure them out soon.

I paddle to the nearest, watching Mushroomers crawl up into it.

“Here,” I tell those on the boat. “Take him.”

I pass over the March’s body, though I don’t see who I’m dealing with. I need to go back in to see if someone else needs help.

Down there it’s darker than before. The flashlights a few Mushroomers had held up before aren’t there anymore. The one bonus is that all the doctor’s outfits they picked up on their way out are all white.

One of them has drowned and is dead already. I pull him up though, remembering the Dude’s words. This is war. There will be casualties. It’s a hard truth to stomach, but it’s true.

It also explains why war is utter madness.

Last Mushroomer up. I hang onto the boats edge, panting. “I can’t believe it was so easy,” I wheeze.

“Me neither,” Tom says. “Where is Constance?”

“What? She isn’t up already?”

“The last Mushroomer who saw her, said she was stuck down below. I thought she’d fix it. She always fixes things.”

“Damn you, Tom. Why didn’t you tell me?” I jump back, realizing I might be too late.

Chapter 90

The Vatican

Angelo Cardone was on his way out to meet the people when the phone call came.

“It’s for you,” the man in black said, handing the phone over to Angelo.

“Who is it?” Angelo said.

“It’s me.”

Angelo shrugged and said nothing.

“Are you ready?” the voice said.

“Been ready all day?” Angelo said proudly. “Did you see how I brainwashed the world?”

“I did. I’m not impressed. It’s your job.”

“Then why call now if you’re not impressed?”

“You’re my Plan B. I need you to execute the plan we agreed upon.”

“The only plan that’s been in preparation for two hundred years.” Angelo smirked.

“That’s it,” the voice said. “Be careful. It has to work.”

“It will. I pretty much like being a pope. Tons of fun, Mr. Jay.”

Mr. Jay said only one thing before he hung up. “The War has begun.”

Chapter 91

The River

I swim and paddle like a maniac in the dark waters. I’m afraid my panic is what really blinds me, not the dark. The eagerness to find Constance is compromising my inner thought. I shouldn’t be thinking anything yet. But why is it when you have to focus on the here and now, your mind reels with every dark possibility for the future?

I’m already imaging I will not find Constance. I’m imagining I will never see her again. I’m imagining that I will end up crying and cursing myself for letting her go. Just like I let the March go. Just like I let Jack go.

I could have made better choices with each of them, but I messed up.

Sinking deeper into the water, I realize I might have delved in too far. I might not have enough air in my lungs to swim back up.

But I don’t care.

Constance is worth it.

Me saving my loved ones is worth it.

And what’s that happening all around me all of a sudden? Small bubbles slice through the water on my left and right. As if they’re bullets.

Wait, are these bullets?

Who’s shooting at us? Are the Mushroomers safe up there?

My instinct drives me to keep swimming. Constance is a priority.

But I can’t find her. How am I supposed to find her in this black abyss?

The bullets are still slicing through, but I’m not even paying attention. I could get shot any moment now, but it’s Constance who I’m here for.

Suddenly something bumps into me. It freaks me out at first. A large fish? A police officer who’s swum down to get me?

I turn around and realize it’s none of those. It’s Constance. Not breathing. Just floating on her back with her hands sprawled sideways.

No, Constance. You can’t die.

What kind of terrible day is this?

I slap her on the face, but the slaps are a joke of flappy arms and bubbles of me trying to scream. I hold her tight and cry, but I’m unable to cry in the water.

Terrible.

When I come to my senses, I realize I have to pull her up.

I do, paddling as fast as I can with the faint air left in my lungs. If I die today, at least I have to bring her to surface.

My chest feels like it’s dropping to my feet. The muscles on my neck are tense. My back seems to want to pull me down. Everything’s against me, but I’m not giving up, though I’m not sure I can make it.

Another rush of bullets misses us as I’m swimming up.

This is when I realize that Constance has probably been shot. That whatever I do, it might be too late.                

Chapter 92

White Hearts Hospital

Watching Lewis fight like a mighty warrior changed something in Fabiola’s physiology. She suddenly began to feel her wounds heal. That talent from the days in Wonderland seemed to return. But even so, she wasn’t sure how long it’d take.

“Lewis!” she shouted. “Are you all right?”

“He is!” the rabbit shouted back from the stairs below. “There are just too many Reds to kill.”

“You can’t do it all alone.”

“We’ll manage,” the rabbit said. “Just get well soon.”

“I’m starting to heal, but it will take some time.”

“We’ll kill those Reds and come pick you up,” that was Lewis now. “You should see how much of a None Fu warrior I’ve become.”

Fabiola hadn’t heard Lewis as excited as this for many years. That tinge of childishness in a grown man’s body had disappeared for so long. He sounded like a young reader of a fantasy novel by Tolkien, enjoying it so much, thinking he was really fighting in the books.

She took a deep breath, watching her body heal. But as she did, she turned on the TV. News covered the events in the Vatican and the asylum. God, how she’d regret being late and stubborn and hesitant if something happened to the Inklings.

Who was she fooling? She was too late. The police had announced they had control of the asylum, and that everyone inside had been killed.

Fabiola suddenly felt sick. She felt evil. A coward. She should have taken drastic measures much earlier. She didn’t have to wait for Lewis to come and convince her to heal or change her mind.

She was too late.

And if she was to blame anyone, it would be the Pillar, the man who’d hurt her so much she hated herself and the life all around her.

Chapter 93

Outside the asylum

“What do you mean the asylum is empty?” The Interpol officer gritted his teeth, trying to avoid the cameras and lowering his voice. He pulled the other officer with the news to a side, so they could talk in private.

“That’s what our men told me,” the younger officer told his boss. “The asylum is empty. They disappeared like magic.”

“That’s impossible,” the major hissed with veins popping out of his neck. “They’re not Houdini. It’s just impossible. What do you want me to tell the public now?”

“We’ve already told them we’ve caught everyone inside and killed most of the terrorists. We had to. Just to cool things down.”

“It won’t be the first time we lie to the public about our achievements, but that’s not what I’m worried about. I’m going crazy here. How did they vanish?”

“Wait.” the younger officer received a dispatch. He listened carefully then turned back to his superior. “I’ve been told there are couple of rooms that are sealed. It’s possible that they’re crammed in there.”

“Crammed in one room? What kind of room is that?”

“One of them is what is labeled ‘Control Room.’ It seems high tech and has a steel door. They’re trying to break in now.”

“Is that all?”

“A few of our officers by the river on the southern side are reporting strange movements in the dark. They’re shooting at them, but can’t see who they are. They’ve just asked for the proper lights and equipment to investigate.”

The major held his boiling head with both hands. “This is insane. Just find out what’s going on. RIGHT NOW!”

Chapter 94

The River

I reach the surface and hand Constance’s body to someone. I have no idea who. It’s one of the Mushroomers for all I know. In the distance behind me, I can hear the guns shooting at the water. It’s hard to ask what’s happening now, as I need to gulp a few breaths to stable the oxygen in my brain.