The Chase: Part 5.

Cyrene was shaking with fear. And anger. Definitely anger.

The room was huge. Massive. It was like she was walking into another dimension

The lady was standing outside, almost in caution, but Cyrene went ahead and stepped inside.

Her body convulsed with pain. Spikes of pain shot up her muscles. She suddenly felt someone grab her back. Overcome with pain, she fell limply to the floor.

The lady stifled a scream. She ran to Cyrene's side and lifted her.

'Cyrene! Oh my... freaking hell, who told you to step inside?!?', she said.

'You should have warned her, Alex', said a deep voice, booming through the chambers.

That jarred Cyrene. She looked up to see a dark-skinned man, dressed dapperly in black trousers and a grey shirt. His black shoes reflected the light so much that they almost shone like the bulb.

He simply crooked a finger in their direction and walked in the room. Cyrene watched with bated breath as she waited for him to feel the excruciating pain she had felt moments ago, but he kept walking.

Speechless, Cyrene stayed put on the floor staring at the ceiling.

The lady looked at her with a disapproving look, 'Are you gonna come or not? Cyrene, we don't have time. You're wasting the hours. Hurry up.'. With that, she walked away.

'Ughhhhhhh.', Cyrene groaned and struggled to her feet. Her knees were weak and she could barely walk, but somehow, she made it in. And what she saw left her breathless.

The walls and ceilings were made of grey brick, with a few vines of ivy creeping through. Pillars along the way rose a couple of meters high, with intricate carvings that depicted certain ages of time passed in that very hall. The mere thought of the hall being hundreds of years old made her feel weird.

She saw the man calmly seated on his chair, with a desk in the front. The entire wall behind him with covered with books. He had a pen stand on his desk, a couple of hardbound books, a cup of coffee, and a cell phone. Two chairs were placed in front of his table.

'Sit.', he said, and almost instantly, both of them sat.

'Explain', he said.

'Well, this lady here brought-', Cyrene started.

'Not you, young lady', he gestured towards the lady.

The lady explained everything, from the moment both had met, till the moment Cyrene stepped in like an idiot in the hall without asking.

The man got up and walked towards the doorway.

'Uhh, Zachary, where are you taking us?', asked the lady.

'Alex, when you're in my hall, you listen to me, and you don't question. Ok?', he asked coldly.

'Yes, Zachary. Sorry.', Alex mumbled.

He regarded Cyrene. 'And as for where I'm taking you? I'm taking you to him.', he replied.

Alex's face blanched, 'Oh no Zachary, that isn't necessary... really, I mean, we could settle the whole dispute thing here, there's absolutely no need to-', she hurried.

'I said, we're taking her to him. End of story.', he repeated once again.

Alex slumped in her chair, her face flushed. Cyrene was bewildered.

'Excuse me,', she said, 'But whoever you are, and whatever you want from me, you don't talk to me this way. Neither do you talk to her that way... ok? Also, tell me where we're going now.'

Alex was shocked, and just as she was about to apologize for that comment, the man smiled.

'Fierce spirit. I'm taking you to the head of this place, Ms Jackson. I won't mention who, but it's time you met him.'

With a snap of his fingers, the whole room blacked out.