Chapter 232: Hector's cooking

But as quickly as he'd spotted it, the figure vanished into the crowd, leaving Zafron to wonder if he'd imagined the whole thing."Zafron?" Sakura's voice broke through his thoughts. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Zafron shook his head, trying to clear the uneasy feeling. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thought I saw... never mind. It's nothing."

But as he turned back to Sakura, forcing a smile onto his face, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The game, whatever it was, had just gotten a lot more complicated.

[Well, my lord,] Calista chimed in, her tone unusually serious, [it seems our little adventure in the Undercity might be taking an unexpected turn. How exciting. And by exciting, I mean potentially lethal.]

'Thanks for the vote of confidence, Calista,' Zafron thought back, his mind racing. 'Let's just hope we're ready for whatever comes next.'

As the sun began to set on another day in the Undercity, Zafron couldn't help but feel that he was standing on the precipice of something big. Whether it was triumph or disaster, only time would tell.

As Zafron and Sakura made their way back down from the rooftop, his mind raced with thoughts of the hooded figure he'd spotted. Hector. The sight of him had sent a jolt of adrenaline through Zafron's system, but he'd kept his cool. No need to alarm Sakura or draw unwanted attention.

They parted ways at the base of the building, Sakura heading off to "take care of some business" while Zafron feigned exhaustion and a need for rest. As soon as she was out of sight, however, he set off in a different direction, his steps purposeful.

[Well, well, my lord. Sneaking off for a clandestine meeting? How very cloak-and-dagger of you. I do hope you've remembered to bring your invisible ink and decoder ring.]

'Very funny, Calista,' Zafron thought back, rolling his eyes. 'I'm just following up on a lead. You know, for our little "project"?'

[Ah yes, Operation Jailbreak. How could I forget? Speaking of which, I've been meaning to share some observations about your new... friend.]

Zafron raised an eyebrow. 'Sakura? What about her?' Searᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

[Well, for starters, she seems to have taken quite a shine to you, my lord. And before you start preening, I don't mean romantically. Although...]

'Although what?' Zafron prompted, curiosity piqued.

[Let's just say I've noticed a certain... softening in her demeanor around you. It's subtle, but it's there. The question is, can we use it to our advantage?]

Zafron frowned, feeling a twinge of discomfort at the idea of manipulating Sakura. 'I don't know, Calista. That feels... wrong.'

[Like you are not contemplating the exact thing I'm heading to. Please, spare me your moral quandaries, my lord. We're trying to escape a magical prison city, not win a congeniality contest. Besides, I'm not suggesting you break her heart. Just... nudge her in a direction that might be mutually beneficial.]

'And what direction might that be?' Zafron asked, his tone skeptical.

[Well, consider this: Sakura clearly has influence here. She's respected, feared even. If we could convince her that there might be something worth exploring beyond the Undercity...]

Zafron nodded slowly, seeing where Calista was going with this. 'You think she might be willing to help us escape?'

[I think she might be more open to the idea than she lets on. Did you see how she reacted when you talked about leaving? There's curiosity there, maybe even longing. We just need to fan those embers.]

'Huh,' Zafron mused, impressed despite himself. 'That's... actually not a bad idea, Calista. When did you get so insightful?'

[My dear lord, I've always been insightful. It's not my fault your slime-addled brain usually fails to appreciate my genius. Now, if you're quite done dawdling, I believe we have a secret meeting to attend?]

Chuckling to himself, Zafron picked up his pace. Before long, he found himself in the familiar alley where Hector had led him before. The trap door was there, innocuous as ever.

Zafron stood on it, jumping up and down a few times. Nothing happened.

[Well, this is anticlimactic,] Calista drawled. [Perhaps you need to say "Open Sesame" or perform an interpretive dance?]

'Not helping, Calista,' Zafron thought, frustration creeping into his mental voice. He was about to give up when suddenly-

CLICK!!

The sound was so soft he almost missed it. But there was no mistaking the slight give of the floor beneath his feet.

[Oh my,] Calista said, her tone a mix of excitement and trepidation. [It seems our little adventure is about to take quite the turn. Do try not to get us killed, won't you, my lord?]

As the trap door began to open beneath him, Zafron felt a rush of anticipation and fear.

'Here goes nothing,' he thought, and fell into the darkness.

The trap door gave way beneath Zafron's feet, plunging him into darkness. He yelped in surprise as he found himself sliding down a twisting tunnel, the smooth surface offering no purchase for his flailing hands. The journey seemed to last both an eternity and mere seconds before he was unceremoniously deposited onto a cold, hard floor.

Groaning, Zafron pushed himself up, brushing off the dirt and grime that clung to his clothes. As he raised his head, he found himself face to face with a familiar and unwelcome sight: ARIA, Hector's robotic assistant, her metallic form looming over him.

Their gazes locked, an unspoken tension crackling between them. Zafron's hand instinctively went to his head, remembering their last encounter and the near-miss with ARIA's energy blast. The robot's optical sensors whirred softly, focusing on him with an intensity that made him distinctly uncomfortable.

Before either could break the stalemate, a familiar figure in a black robe swept into view. Hector, looking even more disheveled than usual, moved about the lab in a frenzy of activity. He muttered under his breath, a stream of technical jargon and half-formed ideas spilling from his lips as he tinkered with various contraptions.

Zafron tore his gaze away from ARIA, taking in the chaos of the lab. It was a far cry from its usual state of organized disorder. Mechanical arms swung wildly overhead, sparks flew from half-assembled devices, and the air hummed with an electric tension that set Zafron's teeth on edge.

"Hector," Zafron called out, stepping carefully around ARIA. "What's going on? Why did you-"

The old man waved him off without even looking up from his work. "Not now, boy. Sit. Corner. Wait."

Frustrated but knowing better than to argue, Zafron retreated to a relatively clear corner of the lab. He absently touched the crystal embedded in his nose mask, the same one Hector had given him, wondering what new madness the eccentric inventor was cooking up.