Cadence tucked the package inside her coat and turned to Sarah.

"Can you walk?"

"Yes," Sarah answered. "I'm fine. I just want to get out of here."

"Follow me, then," Cadence said, motioning for the students to follow.

She headed for a door tucked away on the side of the toy store where she felt they could escape without the notice of enemy eyes. They stumbled a few times on debris from the explosion, but managed to stay on their feet long enough to reach the outdoors and into the waiting arms of rescue workers.

Cadence summarized what happened to the Paramedic who walked them to an ambulance. He nodded and then explained that they would have to transport Sarah to a hospital to be examined as she was a kidnap victim. Sarah didn't put up much of a fight as she really wasn't sure what had happened to her during her captivity.

"I'll see you soon," Cadence told Sarah as they loaded her onto the ambulance. "Hang in there."
"I will," she replied with a brave smile, "and thanks for coming for me."

"No thanks required, I'm just sorry you had to go through such a terrible experience," Cadence said, "but you're safe now, and I'll see you as soon as I can. For now I need to go find Leo, and then deliver that ridiculous package C-Daddy handed me. I don't understand what's going on with it, but I have a feeling the nonsense will end when get where it to Nick Collins."

"Good luck," Sarah said, "and don't worry about me. I'm stronger than this---we all are."

"We have to go," one of the paramedics said gently. "We'll take care of her, I promise."

Cadence nodded and backed up. The other kids called out their goodbyes as the ambulance pulled away.

Cadence turned to Shanice and Mia as soon as the ambulance was out of sight.

"You two stay here with the authorities," she said. "They will see to it that you get home safely. I'm going back in."

"For Leo?" Shanice asked, although she knew the answer.

"Yes, for Leo,"

"Well, you're not going without us," Shanice said. "We haven't come this far to get left behind now."

"I'm not even sure they will let me back in," Cadence said. "They are evacuating the building."

"They haven't evacuated Leo," Shanice said. "I'm guessing they are holding him hostage inside like Sarah and C-Daddy."

"Which is why I'm going back in," Cadence said. "But I can't put you two into any further danger."

"Danger is already here," Mia said, "and I'm not talking about the after effects of the explosion, either."

"I know what you mean," Cadence said. "The Serpents aren't finished with this fight."

"Yeah," Mia agreed, "and they set on picking us off one at a time just like they did Leo and Sarah."

"And C-Daddy," Shanice added.

"Okay, we can stay together, but only because we don't have time to come up with a better plan,"

Cadence said, "and because I don't want to have to come looking for any of you later."

"Thanks," Mia said sardonically. "We love you, too."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, we're all on edge right now."

"So, where do you think we should we start looking?" Shanice asked, changing the subject and easing the tension.

"Last time we saw Leo, he was taken into custody by the mall security," Cadence said. "I guess we should try and find their office."

"Do you think the security guards are part of the Serpents?" Mia asked.

"That's my guess," Cadence answered. "It would make sense as to how the Serpents have been able to run their organization from here, and how the twins were able hide Sarah and C-Daddy."

"Wait," Mia said, throwing up her hand. "Look who's coming our way."

"It's the janitor who turned off the fountain and cut C-Daddy loose," Cadence said. "I wonder what he wants with us."

"Maybe we should run," Shanice suggested.

"No," Mia said, putting her hand on Shanice 's arm. "He's helped us before. Maybe he will again."

"Let's give him a chance," Cadence said. "He's already spotted us anyway."

The girls agreed, so they stayed where they were until the man approached.

"You ladies look like you could use some help," the man said folding his arms over his chest protectively.
Cadence noticed that he looked younger up close than he had at a distance, and had bright intelligent eyes that he tried to hide behind a veneer of indifference.

"Do you know where my student, Leonardo is?" Cadence asked. "He was taken by security officers not long after you unplugged the fountain."

"I know where everything and everyone is in this place," he answered.

"Can you take us to him?" Cadence asked.

"I can, but you'll have to follow close behind me. There's a whole lot of people that won't want us going back inside."

"But you can do it?"

"I said I could."

"But are you on our side?" Mia asked. "Miss, we don't know if we can trust this guy. For all we know he's just going to lead us into danger."

"You can trust me," the janitor said after a pause. "Yes, I work for the Serpents, but they don't control me as much as they think they do. I promise you, I will take you straight to Leonardo."

"To rescue him, or as captives ourselves?"

"I told you I'm on your side. Now either you believe me or you don't, but you'll have to make a decision quickly, because we're running out of time."

Cadence looked closely into the young man's eyes, hoping that she could read the truth hiding behind the amber. Instead, she found something she had not expected---recognition.

"Who are you?" She asked. "I know you from somewhere. Are you a former student of mine? If so, I'm afraid I don't remember your name."

"I'm Alvin," he replied. "I recognized you as soon as I saw you in the Food Court. I was wondering if you were going to remember me."

"I have a better memory for faces than names," Cadence said. "I'm sorry to meet again under these circumstances, but I can't argue with the fact that I am glad to see you."

"Yeah, likewise, but we can get caught up later. If you're coming with me, we gotta go."

Cadence looked quickly at the girls and got a nod from each. Sometimes a person just has to go with their intuition, and Cadence went with hers.

"Take us to Leo."