Latxe jabbed and swiped at her tablet. A bridge started materializing across the gap between the balcony and the building across the way. It wasn’t very wide, and didn’t look very secure, just floating like that.

“We can’t go,” protested Maite. “We have to get that zatia.”

“And we will,” replied Latxe. “This will just make him think we left.”

“Ah…” began Maite before Latxe interrupted her.

“We need a good hiding place, away from this room.”

“My room,” said Maite pointing to the door across the way. “Is that far enough?”

“It will have to be,” said Latxe as she ushered them all into the room Maite had been calling home the last few days. In the background, they continued to hear de Lancre’s rampage, as lightning crashed into walls from the floor below.

“Now what?” asked Maite.

“I’m going to bring the building down on him.” She swiped at her tablet. The door open, Maite and Kepa watched as a thin gap appeared around the edge of the room outside, starting at both ends and quickly marching across the perimeter. 

“The nanobots are eating away the entire support of the floor?” Kepa asked, barely containing his amazement.

Latex nodded. “The whole floor will fall in bat… bi…”

Before she could say “hiru” the floor suddenly fell. They could all hear screaming and shouting from below and then a loud thud as the floor smashed into the floor below them.

“Hopefully that takes care of…” began Latxe before lightning burst through the cavernous hole in front of them, arcing and spraying in all directions. The three of them huddled into the back of Maite’s room. 

“We’re trapped!” exclaimed Maite. 

Latxe jabbed at her tablet and in moments an opening appeared in the back of Maite’s room. 

“Let’s go,” said Latxe as she entered the darkness in front of her. “Even if we didn’t get him, he’ll think we escaped across the bridge and hopefully chase us there.”

“We need to get to his suite,” said Maite. “I’m sure that is where he’ll keep the zatia.”

Latxe nodded as she continued to swipe at the tablet. “Which way?”

Maite shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been there…”

“Hold on a moment,” said Latxe as she stared at her tablet, poking at the screen. “Here,” she said, holding it up and displaying a map of the floor. “I assume this large room here is his.”

“How?” began Maite.

“The nanobots. They can do more than build and destroy. I used them to map the floor.”

Kepa shook his head. “Like magic.”

Latxe laughed. “Except, it’s not.”

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.