The Holy Death

Chapter 26

They once more traversed the labyrinth of traps, although in reverse. The gorge, in which Slinky met his demise, was somewhat less stressful to cross. Jeremiah went first, then Scott had the pleasure of forcefully placing Jack on the other side (and by 'forcefully placing', I mean throwing, like a sack of potatoes). Jack made it across, his landing on the other side a bit more violent and painful than he would have preferred, although not painful enough for Scott's tastes. Jeremiah  clapped his large hand around Jack's still somewhat emaciated arm and pulled him up, taking extra care not to be gentle. Scott then scooped Dawn up in his arms and jumped, making it all the way across and landing easily on the other ledge.

"Now are you impressed?" Scott asked

"Hmmm," She purred, "Everything about you impresses me."

"Oh god," Jack whined, "Guys! I've just broken out of a tomb where I've been for the last year. I really don't need to listen to your cutesy love crap!"

Scott put Dawn down. She walked over to Jack and punched him in the jaw. He definitely felt it. "I owed you that, you sick son of a bitch. There? Is that better than cutesy love crap?"

Jack looked down at his feet. "No ma'am."

Jeremiah then dragged him down the hall toward the now snakeless terrarium chamber.

"I gotta say, Dawn," Scott said, "Now that was impressive!"

"You liked that?"

"Oh, did I! Was it fun?"

"Oh, immensely!"

They even made it through the dart chamber. Dawn was very careful and did not get hit. Neither did Scott, nor did Jeremiah. However, Jeremiah was not so cautious with Jack, allowing him to land on the darker tiles, triggering a pneumatically propelled wood dart. He did this a couple times, much to Jack's discomfort. Jack thought it was simply a matter of carelessness, but Jeremiah and Scott knew better. Jeremiah actually has a very subtle but wry sense of humor, once you get to know him.

Finally, they made it out of the underground labyrinth and back into the cemetery. The morning light had just broken and the air was crisp and slightly moist. Since Jeremiah had taken his Indian Chief Classic, they agreed that he was not the one to transport Jack to Ministry.

"Alright," Jack said, "I get to ride in the 'Stang! Look, Scotty, I always questioned your motives, your style, and, hell, everything else about you, but you did have fine tastes in automobiles. So, I take it I get the back seat?"

Scott stepped around to the rear of his car, pulling Jack along with him. "Oh yeah, you get the back seat. The very back seat."

Scott pulled the keys out of his pocket and opened the trunk. "Oh hell. You don't mean what I think you mean, do you?"

"I do. Get in."

"But how am I gonna fit in there?"

"We will make you fit. Now get in!"

Reluctantly, Jack climbed into the trunk, all the time mumbling about how he should have just stayed in his crypt. Since Scott agreed, he didn't say anything, and when Jack was uncomfortably in place, he slammed the trunk lid shut.

*

"So, this is Jack," Kitty Weems said.

"Yeah," Jack replied, as he looked around at the stony, cavernous chamber that made up the primary operating base of the local branch of Ministry. He pulled one of the lab chairs out and took a seat behind an empty lab desk.