Creepers

33

A sign indicated DO NOT DISTURB.

Tod twisted the doorknob and pushed. "Locked."

"I'm not surprised." Balenger worked to keep the conversation alive.

"Tell me about it."

"Cora and Rick couldn't find a key for it or for a handful of other rooms. The missing keys must belong to the few doors that are locked."

"Well, in case you wonder why you and your friends are still alive, one reason is you're going to do the heavy lifting while we take it easy."

"But that's not the only reason," Mack said, looking at Cora.

"Plus, the old man's gonna help us get into the vault," JD said. "Put him down on the floor."

Balenger and Vinnie obeyed, making the professor as comfortable as possible. Balenger felt relieved to be able to stand on his own. He wished his hands were free to massage his arms.

"Now get that door open." Tod switched on a flashlight.

"How?"

Tod aimed the pistol. His flashlight made Balenger squint. "I really hate it when you disagree with me."

"Rick. Vinnie. Give me a hand."

Rick's nose, caked with dried blood, was twice its normal size. He and Vinnie joined Balenger in front of the door.

Although his wrists were taped together, Vinnie managed to twist the knob and test the door. No result. "I'll keep the knob turned while you try to force the door open."

Mack laughed. "Sounds even. They work while you stand there."

Balenger and Rick pounded their shoulders against the door. The wall shook. They stepped back and charged, crashing. The door didn't budge.

"Feels like it has a metal core." Balenger's shoulder pulsed.

"I don't care if it's kryptonite. Get it open."

"My turn to keep the knob turned," Rick said, shoving Vinnie out of the way.

Vinnie joined Balenger. They stepped back and charged, hitting the door with their full weight.

"We could ram it all day," Balenger said. "It isn't going to budge."

"Well, you'd better think of how to open it," Tod said, "because I'm getting impatient, and when I'm impatient-"

"The crowbar."

"Ah. The crowbar."

"It's the only way. Or maybe the hammer."

"The hammer," Mack said. "Maybe you'd like some knives to cut through the wall. Or the gun to shoot the lock."

"I don't think that would do any good."

"Glad to hear that," JD said. "For a second there, it sounded like you wanted us to give you weapons."

"Just a crowbar if you want to get this door open."

"Oh, we want to get the door open. Definitely. Who's got the crowbar?"

"Me," Mack said. His shaved head cast a reflection from Balenger's headlamp.

"Get it out."

"You bet."

Mack pulled the crowbar from his knapsack. "Now you guys wouldn't be thinking of trying to use this against us, would you?"

"We just want to do what you say."

" 'Cause if you do try to use this crowbar against us, you know what'll happen, don't you?"

"Yes."

"No, I don't think you do," JD said. "I think I should demonstrate."

JD approached the group. Suddenly, he used one hand to grab Rick behind the neck and shoved his other hand under Rick's belt at his spine.

"Hey, what are you-"

But JD was already running, pushing Rick toward the balustrade.

"No!" Balenger shouted.

This time, when JD reached the edge, he didn't shove Rick the other way to safety. Instead, he increased speed, abruptly stopped, and hurtled Rick over the balustrade.