Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Hanna focused on the wall in front of her as she put the phone away and sheathed her blade. She took a deep breath and froze the wall one last time. “One escape trick, coming right up.” Backing up as far as the glass box would let her, Hanna charged forward and leapt into the severely weakened plexiglass wall, smashing it to pieces. She tumbled on the other side, stopping in a three point landing. She stood up, brushing the shattered remains of the wall and bits of ice off her clothes and out of her hair. Without warning, bright lights in the ceiling turned on, lighting up the entire room. 

“Congratulations, birdy,” EDJ’s voice echoed through the room. “You are free of your cage.” 

Hanna winced and blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden lightning change after being shrouded in darkness for so long. “What’s with you and blinding lights?!” Hanna shouted in annoyance. 

“It’s a useful tactic,” EDJ replied, as though the answer was obvious. 

Hanna drew her sword, ready for any guards that might show up, but the room remained empty. “Where are you?!” Hanna demanded. 

“Had you been paying better attention to the gift I sent you,” EDJ started. “You would have seen the tracking app on it.”

Hanna blinked then pulled out the phone. She maneuvered through a few screens before finding the right one, but was still having trouble getting it to work right. “You want me to find you?” she asked dubiously, pushing every button she could think of while trying to get the device to cooperate. How does this thing work?! At least the other tracker only had two buttons! Having a thought, she pulled out the old tracker. Expectedly, the battery was dead so she put the old tracker away. 

“I’m giving you the opportunity to try,” EDJ answered, smugness in his tone as he watched her fumbling with the technology. 

“Ri-ight, like I can believe that.” Hanna frowned and put the phone away, giving up on the tracking application. “Well, maybe I don’t need your help,” Hanna said, taking a step toward the open door. “I’ll find you either way and when I do, I’ll inflict terrible pain on you. You broke the terms of our truce not even two seconds into it! The question is, would you rather have that pain sooner or later?” She walked through the door into an open room with five doors, only one of which was open.

“Bwahahaha!” EDJ cackled evilly. “I fully expect your retribution to be swift and terrible, but only if you can find me. I might be in the same strategy room. I might be in a different one. You’ll never know because you’ll never make it through the next gauntlet of traps.” The open door closed and the one beside it opened. After a few seconds, that door shut and the next one down opened. The doors cycled between open and closed while Hanna stood in the center. 

“We’ll see about that,” Hanna said, watching the doors open and close of their own accord. “You can’t prolong your fate forever. Besides, I got through the last set pretty well before you tricked me.”

“You got lucky,” EDJ said with a sneer. “There’s no secret tunnel this time so you’re going to have to actually get through them all. One of those trap rooms will stop you, I’m banking on it.” 

“High hopes for a coward,” Hanna commented. “You keep hoping these traps will take me down, but your heart knows they won’t.” 

EDJ smirked. If only I had one.

Hanna finally decided on a door and walked up to it, sword still drawn. She waited for it to cycle open again before jumping through it. There was no reason to jump through as the doors were open long enough for someone to walk through without being in a hurry. But as soon as Hanna was on the other side, the door slid shut and did not open again. 

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Hanna started when EDJ didn’t verbally respond to her last comment. “What was it now… Ah, yes, what name do you want placed over your cell door after I capture you?” 

EDJ laughed. “I think you mean ‘if’ you capture me. And in that case, it should say ‘Iul the Magnificent’!” 

So confident, Hanna thought, lips turning up into a determined grin. What a whack job. It won’t be ‘if’ when I get done with you. She looked up at the solid, odd-colored wall In front of her. The room was chilly, not that Hanna noticed, and smelled of peanuts. Walking up to the wall, Hanna slid a finger down the surface and made a face. “I thought you said the wall of frozen peanut butter was hypothetical.” 

“Well, it’s less hypothetical now that it’s sitting in front of you, isn't it?” EDJ said with a laugh. “I bet you wish you knew fire magic right about now.” 

Hanna snorted. “I wouldn’t trade my ice abilities for anything.” Hanna frowned and looked around. “Though it can be a bit annoying sometimes.” There were dispensers in the ceiling, but they were not currently active. With the door shut behind her and only the wall of frozen peanut butter in front of her, Hanna figured the best way out was to find a way to melt it. Hanna walked to a side wall and checked the thermostat. As expected, the room was kept to a frosty level. She turned the temperature as high as it would go. She walked back to the center of the room, crossed her legs, and sat, resting her arms on her knees as she waited. 

“That’s your plan, huh?” EDJ asked, watching the feed. “So boring.” 

“If it works, it works,” Hanna said. She pulled out the phone and tried to figure out how to work the tracking app again. Again, she gave up and put the phone away. She grew uncomfortably warm and could feel her energy draining. Cold environments she loved, they reinvigorated her. But warm environments? They sapped the energy right out of her. She closed her eyes and blew out a ring of frosty air around her. She opened an eye and looked at the wall. It did not look like it had changed, but oil and liquidy peanut butter was starting to pool on the floor against the wall. Hanna smiled and closed her eyes, letting out another frosty puff of air to keep herself cool as the temperature in the room rose. She heard the hum of a drone again, but did her best to ignore it.

“You know,” EDJ started, speaking through the little drone that followed her. “To be called a hero, you have to do something worthy of the calling. Like, actually help people?”

“I am helping people by going after you,” Hanna answered, eyes still closed. “You’re the one that tried to melt the ice caps.”

EDJ smiled. “Would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for your meddling.”

Hanna smirked. “I suppose I should be anticipating another trap when I reach you.”

“It’s a distinct possibility,” EDJ answered. “Again, that’s only if you get to me. Quite honestly, I was hoping we could talk.”

Hanna cracked an eye open at the drone floating in front of her. “We’re talking now.”

“It’s not the same as face to face.” The drone’s lens watched her as EDJ spoke. “Harder to read people.” 

“Harder to trick people, you mean,” Hanna said with a frown. She swatted at the drone in an attempt to shoo it away. The drone flew out of reach above her. “Harder to adjust your lies to their reactions,” Hanna continued, closing her eyes again in an attempt to maintain serenity. 

“I don’t need to lie to get people to listen to me,” EDJ answered, the drone flying in circles around her like a vulture. “I only need to tell them what they want to hear. Money helps, of course. You catch more flies with honey, after all.” 

“Your tricks won’t work on me.” Hanna smiled, feeling pretty confident in herself.

“Ah, perhaps I’d stand a better chance if I were blonde...”

Hanna’s eyes snapped open, tone immediately shifting into animosity. “What was that?”

EDJ’s tone was innocent and relaxed. “Oh, nothing. Just bringing up a mutual acquaintance.”

Hanna huffed and closed her eyes again. “Leave Lui out of this,” Hanna said. 

“I never mentioned which acquaintance,” EDJ said, the drone continuing to circle. “But I appreciate you pointing it out.” 

Hanna let out another frosty breath, trying to ignore the drone. Remember what DJ and Lui said, he likes messing with people. Don’t let him get in your head. Don’t let him antagonize you. Just breathe. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seve-

“It makes me curious what lengths you’d go to for him,” EDJ’s voice continued. 

That’s it. Hanna opened her eyes and stood up. “If you are implying something between me and your Other,” Hanna stated in the most business-like tone she could muster as she glared at the drone. “You are completely off base.” 

“Oh, really?” EDJ’s voice sounded surprised. “You seemed pretty upset when I told you I tortured him. I thought for sure I struck a nerve with that one... Do you not care what happens to him then?” 

“Of course I care!” Hanna said, anger flaring. “He’s my friend.” 

“Friend,” EDJ repeated. “I see.” 

Hanna’s brows furrowed and she folded her arms, cheeks flush. “It’s not like that.” Why is it so excruciatingly hot in here?! The wall of peanut butter was glossy and globs started to melt down the surface. 

“You’re a terrible liar.” EDJ laughed. “While this conversation has been eye-opening, it’s far too boring. I’m going to have to edit it all out in post production.”

Hanna blinked. “What?” she asked, taken aback. 

“Say hi to the cameras,” EDJ responded with a grin as he moved the drone in front of Hanna. 

Hanna stuck her tongue out at the drone. EDJ stuck his tongue out back at the screen for no apparent purpose. “You’ve wasted enough time and now you’re going to drown for it. Better move fast.” EDJ flipped a switch on the panel. The dispensers in the ceiling turned on, filling the rest of the room with liquid peanut butter as the wall melted.