A Malevolent Manner (Patrick Pierce #1) Page 8

“You poisoned me! I thought you said I was just drugged!” exclaimed Pierce with rising anger and frustration.

  “Do not be offended, it’s not personal,” replied Mr. Drummond. “I assure you it is standard procedure.”

  “Well so is this!” With one swift motion he punched Drummond in face, immediately breaking his nose and releasing a flow of blood.

  Before he could move away, the two guards by the door were behind him with each grabbing an arm. Instinctively he began trying to counter the restraint, struggling back and forth. Finally realizing the uselessness of struggling he relaxed.

  “Sorry,” Pierce said in mock sincerity, “but that’s also standard procedure when someone poisons you.”

  Drummond removed a blood soaked handkerchief from his face and moved towards Pierce and his two captors. Muttering an incomprehensible insult he wound up to deliver a back-handed slap. However before it could land, a strong hand from behind stopped it in midair.

  “That is quite enough,” growled Tiberius, slowly letting go of Mr. Drummond’s hand after the smaller man started to wince in pain. He then turned his attention to Pierce. “We will now depart for the Manor, you can either come peacefully, drugged up, or kicking and screaming. The choice is yours.”

  Suddenly ashamed of his violent strike and realizing the hopelessness of the situation, Pierce knew there was only one choice.

  “I will come peacefully of course,” Pierce allowed after a brief moment, knowing it was the best option. Making the decision for himself made Pierce feel as though he still had a bit of control over the situation. However the little voice inside his head told him he’d lost control the moment the letter had appeared at his desk.

  “Very well follow me.”

  Tiberius went to the two doors behind the table and chose the one on the right; the one Mr. Drummond had appeared from earlier. He opened it and entered. Pierce was next in line and followed him into a long dark corridor, followed immediately by the two guards and finally Mr. Drummond.

  Although the corridor was not terribly long, Pierce was confused as to how it could fit over the three stores below them. From the outside, the building that housed the bookstore, butcher, and convenience store did not look to be this long or large. When they reached the door at the end of the corridor, Pierce began to feel a strange and fearful sense of foreboding. Despite the home invasion, the incredible proposal, and the subsequent drugging, the situation was becoming as dark as the corridor.

  This suspicion proved correct immediately after Tiberius opened the door. The only option that would have made physical sense would have been a fire escape leading down to the street. After all, they said a car was waiting to take them to the Manor. Instead, peeking over Tiberius’ shoulder, Pierce could clearly see a large circular stone room, illuminated by torches.

  “What did you poison me with?” Pierce mumbled as he rubbed his eyes, unable to process what the opened door had produced. “This isn’t possible.”

  Tiberius ignored him and crossed the threshold without any apparent trepidation. Pierce could find no such confidence, his feet were like stones and he was stuck in place. Even if he wanted to move forward, his brain was too busy trying to make sense of the situation to order any movement. This was impossible. The building was too small. Who builds round rooms? Who uses torches?

  The noise of throat clearing from behind him made Pierce shake his head clear. Up ahead, Tiberius was looking back at him and waiting. Although he still felt a sense of foreboding, the look on Tiberius was not menacing. In fact he looked like he understood the swirl of thoughts and emotions flooding in Pierces’ mind.

  “Well I’d rather walk into this on my own steam, than dragged in drugged.”

  With a deliberate step, Pierce crossed the threshold. The moment was anticlimactic. There was no feeling of his body tingling, no sudden head pain, not even a pushing or pulling sensation. Getting off an escalator felt more bizarre.

  Before he could fully appreciate his surroundings Pierce was moving quickly behind the departing figure of Tiberius. The group moved together across the flagstone floor to a circular staircase. At the top they went through another door that in turn led to another corridor. This corridor was a complete opposite to the one they had just exited. Rather than an oak paneled hallway, this one was made entirely of stone and lined with numerous doors. The flicker of the torches along the corridor produced shadows on the doors, giving them a lifelike character with menacing expressions.

  The corridor led out to a small landing. This appeared to be the crossroads of a larger floor. Behind them was the torch lit corridor filled with doors. To the left and right were a pair of staircases and in front lay another long corridor.

  “Where… I mean… We can’t possibly… I…” stuttered Pierce, unable to form coherent thoughts or speech.

  Without a response from any of his companions, the group continued forward through the next corridor. Pierce felt like he was no longer walking. He was floating in place and the building was moving around him. Nothing was making any sense.

  The next corridor was stone like the previous one, however this one had no doors along it. At first Pierce thought it was lined with mirrors, but with a second glance he realized they were windows. This wasn’t a corridor at all, but a long covered bridge. They were quickly through it and into a slightly larger hallway in a completely different building.

  “Good night Tiberius,” called Mr. Drummond as he went to the first door on the right.

  Tiberius merely nodded without looking back. Pierce did look back, but all he saw were his two guards. They continued down stairs, through hallways and across galleries. Upon reaching an enormous hall, Pierce finally had to stop and try to organize his thoughts. Although not scientifically inclined, he had the distinct impression they had all just defied the laws of physics. His mind struggled with the Sisyphean task of understanding what the hell was going on. Just when he felt he was coming to terms with everything, something new toppled him backwards in confusion.

  “Wait a second, where are we?”

  “Ravenwood Manor.”

  “But… But we didn’t take the car?”

  “No.”

  “Why not”

  “Ravenwood is not really accessible by car.”

  “So its more accessible by a hallway.”

  “So it would seem.”

  “What?! Where are we really?”

  “This will be hard to explain and I’m not the one to do it. I suggest you follow me to your room. After some rest you will be better prepared to understand the situation.”

  “What if I don’t want to? Will your goons continue to force me?”

  “Goons? Oh you mean Morgan and Dufresne. They left us some time ago.”

  Shocked Pierce spun around to see no one behind him.

  “You’re free to try and find your own way,” then motioning around the large hall, “but as you can see there is a distinct possibility of getting lost.”

  Pierce followed Tiberius’ hand as it swept the hall and understood. There were two large staircases leading up to galleries full of doors and hallways. On the level under the galleries were more doors and two large corridors. However his gaze finally fell upon the largest door he had ever seen. It wasn’t so much a door as a gate. Constructed of what appeared to be wood and iron, he figured it would take ten men to open it. But more importantly it was probably the front door, and a way out.

  “Lead on then,” uttered Pierce.

  An equally disorienting tour finally led them to a large dark door. A brass plate with the name Commandant Pierce embossed upon it was on the door.

  “These are your rooms. You should have everything you need within. If you require anything there are multiple bell pulls that will bring a staff member to you.”

  “Anitdote?” Pierce asked hopefully as he rubbed his shaking hands together.

  “Sorry?”

  “Can you have someone bring up the antidote for the poison Drummond ga
ve me?” Pierce elaborated with a stronger voice. He couldn’t tell if he was reacting to the shock of his new circumstances or from the poison, so he wanted to eliminate one of the possibilities.

  “Yes, the poison,” Tiberius allowed slowly, the hint of a smile breaking out across his face. “The truth is that there was no poison. It was Drummound’s little trick to push you in the right direction. I apologize if it caused you any additional anxiety. Good night.”

  With a quick bow Tiberius turned then retreated back down the corridor, vanishing around the corner. Stifling a string of curse, Pierce instead took a deep breath and the opened the door to enter, not feeling any less anxious.