Rescues and Reversals - pt 2 by wynter333A on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

It felt like hours later when the questing catgirl finally found a smallish window which let onto what looked like a long-unused back corridor of the sprawling building. Of course, pretty much everything about the place seemed "long-unused"... The lot surrounding the isolated, run-down brick-and-corrugated-metal structure was choked with detritus and debris, and scraggly patches of weed grew everywhere. She wasn't sure what the place had once been used for - aside from some sort of industrial manufacturing, evidently - but it didn't seem to be used for much of anything now. Except as a hide-out for the nefarious kidnapper-agents of some criminal mastermind. And a prison for her brother...

Shaking her head to banish the return of that anxious train of thought, so she could better concentrate on the matter-at-hand and resolve the crisis into which she and her sibling had been drawn, Cody very cautiously pushed the window inward. She cringed in anticipation of some rusty-aged squeal from the thing which would give away her presence...but nothing of the sort happened. Ears flicking in pleased semi-surprise, the courageous catgirl pulled herself up and through the smallish opening, rolling through and dropping somewhat less-than-gracefully to the dusty floor within. Hopping back up and dusting herself off unconsciously, Cody looked around, chose a direction that seemed likely, and began to creep warily through the dim, tomb-like building, tan-furred ears swiveling and cocking to pick up any sound that might give her warning of the captors' presence - or, more importantly, where Bryn might be...

As she moved through the often-grimy, gritty corridors, Cody noted that the place was almost as run-down inside as out. But, there were signs here and there of more-recent use; electricity still flowed to the building, and was in use lighting some area that didn't have exterior windows to reveal that fact. She used this little detail to guide herself, presuming that the villains would be set up in this part of the structure, and that Bryn would probably be in those areas as well. Boxes and crates choked and lined many of the hallways, and more than a few of these didn't look quite so old, dust-coated, or neglected as the place itself. Cody deduced that this place might just be used as a storage place for stolen or smuggled goods - though that was only a theory, of course, unless she could open one of the crates to see what lay within. Not an important enough task to risk, when balanced against the necessity of finding and rescuing Bryn. But still something worth mentally filing away for after that rescue was accomplished, and they summoned the authorities. Maybe they could do more damage to this "Organization's" operations than just get a couple of their operatives sent to jail. The thought brought a smile to the noble-hearted young catgirl's lips.

Cody was jerked harshly from that somewhat idle line of thought, as she heard a cough from a side-corridor, followed by an angry-sounding grumble. Heart leaping into her throat, her sharp catfolk ears estimated that the person would come into range to spot her at any moment! Freezing only for half-a-second, Cody looked around and spotted a likely-looking stack of crates along one side of the joining hallway, and she padded toward it with all due haste, pulse pounding in her ears. She pressed herself against the wall and the side of the crates and crouched down, listening carefully and barely daring to breathe. For all she knew, the unseen person - and there was no doubt in her mind that it was one of the two kidnappers; the larger, "leader" thug, she thought - would tuen the corner and pass her hiding place. Which could turn bad very quickly... Cody had few illusions about her chances in a fight with the two coldly-professional goons.

"So'd he give ya any trouble?" a voice rang out from farther down the corridor to Cody's right...and there was no mistaking that voice at all. It was the "smaller" of the two kidnappers. And he sounded as gruffly smug and cruel as ever.

"Of course he did," came the reply, from the direction where Cody had heard the cough. And that was the other, more vicious kidnapper. The one who had threatened Bryn's life. "But not much. He knows what'll happen to him and his sister if he makes too much of a fuss. Besides, if he just cooperates, they'll both get out of this juuuust fine..."

The other villain barked a sinister, knowing chuckle.

It was terrifying to have the two thugs this close to her, but also oddly reassuring... After all, at least she knew that they hadn't taken Bryn somewhere else while she was off getting herself ready for this desperate gambit. Further evidence that they thought themselves in utter control of the situation, and something else which could work to her benefit. Such confidence was apt to breed mistakes, if someone such as Cody didn't just "go along with the plan"...

As she heard the leader-goons quiet footsteps sweep past, Cody hazarded an wary, almost meek, glance from behind her hiding-place. She saw him go by with brisk, sweeping strides, seeming like a colossal god of death to her in that moment. But one which hadn't noticed her...and Cody dropped back into hiding with a shudder of relief. Closing her eyes to master her speeding heart, the plucky young catgirl braced herself for the next leg of her journey. She had an idea of the direction in which to look for Bryn. Which was an immense help in and of itself. Waiting until she was as sure as she could be that the villains were gone and her path was clear, she finally took a deep breath and stood up, continuing her stealthy journey through the once-more-quiet building...

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On to "Rescues and Reversals", pt3