Kit's POV

"Kit...."  Cassia's muffled voice called.

"Nnnngh....  Five more minutes...."  I groaned.

"Uhh, no, we have 2 1/2 hours to find Anti!"

My eyes shot open and I flexed my wings out, hitting something.

"OW, KIT!"  Cassia yelped.

I looked over and saw Cassia under my wing again.

I laughed and sat up, furling my wings in.

ilbarker laughed.  "That always seems to happen to you, Cassia."

Cassia stuck her tongue at ilbarker.

I chuckled quietly and stood up, yawning.  "So...2684...."

I went over to the elevator and opened it, looking at the floor numbers.  "...It only goes up to 10."  I said as walked back.

ilbarker looked like she was deep in thought.  "Is it 1 - 10 floors?"

I went back and checked.  "No...it goes to...B26!"

"That seems dangerous, though.  Are there any stairs down?"  Cassia asked.

I went to the stairway and sighed sadly.  "It...It only goes up...."

"Seriously?!"  ilbarker exclaimed.

I nodded as I walked back to them, my wings trailing behind me, more or less exposing my current mood.

"So...we HAVE to use the elevator?"  Cassia asked quietly.

"It looks like it."  I confirmed.

I placed my stick on the ground and it turned into KitKat the kitten.  "Hi, Kit!" She mewed as she changed into her panther form.

What, you thought she couldn't speak?  Only I understand her.

I knelt down in front of her.  "I need you to carry ilbarker.  Can you do that?"

She purred.  "Of course!"

She backed towards the couch and stood almost directly in front of ilbarker, though standing sideways so that her head was facing the same way as ilbarker's.

I smiled and stood back up, looking at ilbarker.  "You ready for this?"

"I said this when you asked if I was ready to be flown up the parkour room.  No."  She replied.

I scoffed and looked at Cassia.  "You grab her legs and I'll grab her arms.  ilbarker, be prepared to wrap your arms around KitKat's neck."

She nodded and tensed slightly as we grabbed her.

"1...2...3...lift!"

ilbarker hissed a bit as we moved her to KitKat's back.  She wrapped her hands around KitKat's neck, taking deep breaths.  "Let's hope that Becca can heal this when we get back cuz I refuse to leave the book just to go to a hospital because of some burns."

I put a finger to her lips.  "Hush, my friend.  I know you like breaking the fourth wall, but we have things to do."

She giggled.  "Sorry."

I sighed and went into the elevator, Cassia and KitKat behind me.

The door closed, and we stood there for a moment, Cassia's hand over the B26 button.

She hesitated before pressing the button.

We all jumped when it started moving down.

The little counter thing on the top started going down.

B1, B2, B3, B4....

"I'm scared...."  ilbarker whispered.

"Pretty sure we all are."  Cassia replies quietly.

"I just hope nothing too scary happens cuz I don't wanna drop ilbarker."  KitKat meowed.

B12, B13, B14....

The area where my wings connected to my back started tingling like they had been "asleep."

I nearly panicked.  "ilbarker, hold onto KitKat tighter!  Don't ask, just trust me!"

Without waiting to see if she'd respond, I grabbed Cassia and pulled her against my body, wrapping my wings tightly around us like a cocoon, blocking out any sight of the elevator.

"Kit, what---"  Cassia started.

The elevator stalled and I slightly tightened my hold on Cassia.

And then the elevator fell down.

We all screamed as the elevator careened downwards and slammed against...something.  It...didn't feel like the bottom of the elevator...more like a segment sticking out or something.

I was breathing quickly, sort of freaking out.

I slowly unfurled my wings and Cassia backed out.

The elevator light was flickering a lot.

KitKat stood against the side of the elevator, careful to not hurt ilbarker.

"What...the...actual...heck...."  ilbarker whispered.

"Is everyone ok?"  I asked.

"Shaken, but fine."  Cassia said...well, shakily.

"Same as her."  ilbarker said.

"I'm just glad I didn't hurt ilbarker.  I'm fine.  Cats always land on their feet."  KitKat purred happily.

"How in the world did you know that was gonna happen, Kit?"  ilbarker asked.

I rubbed the back of my head.  "I have this area where my wings connect to my back that tingle when something bad is about to happen."

ilbarker mumbled something under her breath.  I swore she said, "#Kissia...."

I took a few deep breaths, not worrying about what ilbarker said.  "Ok...let's get outta this elevator."

The door was slightly opened from the fall.  I grabbed one side and pulled hard.  The doors slid open with a slight screech.

The area it opened into was...dark.  Really dark.

The room was slightly illuminated from the flickering light, but it didn't illuminate anything but the nearby floor.

I walked slowly out of the elevator and looked back, seeing a box next to the elevator.

I opened it and pulled out a flashlight, instantly turning it on.

KitKat and Cassia slowly walked out of the elevator as I shined the light on the elevator.

A small plaque next to the elevator read "B24."

"We're almost there...B24.  Just two more floors."  I said happily.

I turned around and shined the flashlight around the room.

"Oh, God, you gotta be kidding me...."  ilbarker whispered hoarsely.

It looked to be some kind of doctor's office room.  There was a metal table with leather restraints hanging off the ends and a small cart with needles on them.

"Wha...where the heck are we?!"  Cassia exclaimed.

"Th-This was m-my fear.  A d-d-doctor's office...."  ilbarker whispered.

I walked forward and picked up the leather straps, looking at them.  "What...happened?  If...you don't wanna tell, it's fine, but it might help."

ilbarker took a shaky breath.  "I was st-strapped to that table and that bright light was on above me.  It's w-where Dark gave me his de-deal.  A fe-fe-female d-doctor came in and was gonna give me sh-sh-shots.  I broke out and ran.  Dark said when I got out that there was p-poison in them."

"That's horrible...."  Cassia exclaimed quietly.

"Where's the exit?"

ilbarker looked around.  "I think it was on the other side of the table...."

I shined the light on the wall and took a step back.  ilbarker squeaked in fright.

It was a female in some kind of lab coat, but it was torn and bloody.  Her face was distorted, she was breathing heavily, and she was holding a needle with suspiciously-green liquid.

"ilbarker...you must take your shots...."  She groaned freakily.

"Haha, no.  I'm good for the rest of my life."  She snapped.

Her face contorted weirdly, probably an angry face or something, and got on the table.

KitKat growled fiercely and backed up.

Cassia balled her hands into fists and stepped in front of KitKat and ilbarker.

I flexed my wings and shined my light directly into her face.

She hissed and threw the needle point-first at the flashlight.

I used the flashlight to whack the needle to the side of the room.

But that was all the doctor needed.

She jumped on Cassia, knocking her over.

Cassia yelped and began flailing her fists about.

KitKat hissed and backed up again, almost back in the elevator.

I shined the light back on the doctor only to watch in horror as she stabbed Cassia in the arm with another needle.

Cassia yelped again and kicked the doctor off, scrambling to her feet.

I growled and jump-kicked the doctor, knocking her over.

I grabbed a couple of the needles from the cart and stabbed them into the doctor's neck.

She hissed before lying still.

KitKat slowly walked out.

"Cassia...?"  I asked, standing by my friend.

She actually started looking paler than before, but it wasn't too bad.

"I...feel ok...."  She muttered, looking at the spot she had been stabbed in.

KitKat came over and sniffed Cassia's arm before meowing.  "She's poisoned.  I can smell it."

I looked to the doorway the doctor had come from to see some stairs leading downwards.

"Guys, we're almost there!  Look, stairs going down!"  I pointed out.

It would be best not to tell Cassia about the poison or she might panic.

"Am I gonna be ok?"  Cassia asked, fear in her voice.

I nodded.  "Yeah.  When we get back, we can ask Becca to see if you're ok."

We walked somewhat silently down the stairs, the light bouncing as I walked.

We went past a sign that said "B25."

"Please don't let it be hydra, please don't let it be hydra, please don't let it be hydra...."  Cassia mumbled.

We entered a dark room about the size of a classroom, but it was entirely empty besides a sign in the center of the room.

I slowly walked up to it, shining the light on it.

It read, "LOL, BET YOU THOUGHT THE HYDRA WOULD BE HERE. NAH, I AIN'T THAT MEAN.  ANTI'S DOWN BELOW.  OR IS IT ANTI?"