Bau led the two out of the room. They were in a place with men and women in various degrees of captivity, everything from behind to an electrical wall to being tied down to a bed. Jules kept his head forward, concentrating on Bau’s back.
Bau went to the elevator but Jason headed to the stairwell. “How many flights?” he asked.
“Fifteen,” said Bau.
“That’s nothing,” and Jason pushed open the door.
Jules paused on the eighth flight, trying to catch his breath. He looked up above them, “Are there cameras here?”
“They went down minutes after you came in,” said Bau, holding himself back from panting.
Jason has made it up the entire way, and stood just inside the stairwell. He peeked through the window. “The kids are at the elevators,” he said.
“I told them to assemble.”
“It seems they’re waiting for the ele–”
A door opened above them. Jules threw himself against the wall, so he couldn’t be seen from above. Chinese voices yelled down, and Bau dashed up the last few flights.
“They’re coming!” he said to Jason, and Bau bolted through the door.
Above, the footfalls were faster. “Dammit!” he said through clenched teeth. Jules sprinted up the stairs. As he got there, three kids stepped out into the hallway, and two men from above came down.
Everyone froze for a minute. Jason reacted first, by summoning the guns and firing them at the two men’s knees. The kids reacted next, one kid throwing a fireball at the two men. They screamed as they tumbled down the stairs, clothes on fire.
Jason looked at the kid, who smiled at Jason and let him into the hallway. Bau was saying something to them, and they all started piling into the stairwell. Jules, panting, ran through and down the hall to their room.
The thumbprint let him into the room as Jason waited. Jules came back out with his utility belt on, sans guns. Jules passed a hand over the empty holsters.
Jason couldn’t give him his guns, as they were attuned to him only. Jason said, “Maybe Bau can find you some pistols.”
“This is China,” said Jules. “Only the military have guns.”
Bau waited at the stairwell, as the last of the kids exited. “We’re going down two floors to assemble and then figure out where the heroes want us,” said Bau. “I’m responsible for you so don’t go too far, or the heroes might think you’re an enemy.”
They went into the stairwell, following the rest of the kids down the stairs. They ignored the charred remains of the two men above them.
