[PSL] Stay the night (for slapthelibrarian)

[cahooted]

[The brutal hit sends him straight down and Flynn wonders if there is a word for an open-hand slap that makes you pirouette on the spot before you crash to the ground. 'Slap' really seems so linguistically inefficient to convey the impact that cracks his skin, making him taste blood in his mouth again. Apparently the Librarian still hasn't learned his lesson, someone above him says in a voice that makes his blood run cold.

It's been a horrid couple of days, ever since the man called Darren Rathmore and his goons got their hands on him so he'd help them uncover Genghis Khan's tomb and the riches therein. Flynn has been in tight spots before but this is different; where Wilde and his lackeys had retained a certain suaveness to their methods, Rathmore was physical and cruel; and Flynn's various attempts to escape or sabotage the artifacts had been met with severe punishment. Now, in the middle of the Mongolian forest, he had tried yet again to spring a defense mechanism, rendering two of Rathmore's men incapacitated.

But two wasn't nearly enough.

When his latest plan fails, Flynn can feel the last bit of hope drain away. He's been dragged through this wasteland on a bare minimum of food and water and he's exhausted, physically and mentally. Everything hurts; he's never been in so much pain before, not even in his final battle with Wilde and he is dangerously close to a breaking point. Part of him just wants Rathmore to get it over with, wants it all to stop. The other part is terrified of exactly that, of more pain, more punishment.

A boot roughly connects with Flynn's side and his face, sending him on his back before it settles on his chest as he sputters, gasping for air.]

I can open it! [Somehow he manages to form the words. His voice comes out hoarse and spent from too much screaming; the boot is making it hard to breathe.] Y-you still need me!

[The boot vanishes and Flynn almost cries in relief, until he is roughly pulled back onto his feet, fingers digging into his hair, yanking his head back.] No, I can open it right now, please!

Comments

[slapthelibrarian]

[ It's been a horrid couple of days for Nicole as well. That Flynn has been captured on her watch is bad enough, but combining that with the stern upbraiding she's received from both Judson and Charlene, everything seems to have gone from bad to worse in not very much time.

But one thing Nicole does not have is the luxury of pity parties, or of time. She's failed to protect Flynn from being kidnapped, and now it's her responsibility to recover him, no matter what the cost. She knows she won't be able to stand it if he dies like she thought Wilde had. Wilde's betrayal was still difficult, of course, but she feels as though she's never really gotten over thinking she witnessed his death.

The same can't happen with Flynn. Nothing is more important now than tracking him down and bringing him back, preferably alive and uninjured. Still, although the man who took Flynn has quite the jump on her, there is one thing working in her favor: a still image taken from the surveillance camera showing Flynn and his captors.

Facial recognition software identified him as Darren Rathmore, someone who might as well be a common thug, except for his interest in legendary antiquities. Naturally, someone like that would require a little assistance, and who better to do that than the Librarian? The thought makes Nicole grind her teeth and clench her fists. It's her fault that Flynn got taken.

She'll go to her grave insisting on that if she has to. And considering the sentiments expressed by Charlene and Judson, she's not very far off the mark. But, regardless of Nicole's personal feelings, tracking Flynn down and recovering him has always been the priority. It's been difficult, of course; she's had to rely on a lot of word-of-mouth and sightings that turn out to be nothing.

Now, however, she has a decent lead on him and where he's going. Of course the end result has always been Genghis Khan's tomb, but the path Rathmore and his men have taken is a winding and convoluted one, designed to throw anyone off who might be following after them.

Thus far, Nicole hasn't dared to get too close. Doing so might accidentally give away her position, thus placing her in peril as well, or it might lead to more harm coming to Flynn. She can't be sure what exactly is happening to him, but reason tells her it can't be good. But the closer Rathmore, his men, and Flynn get to the desired location, the more concerned Nicole gets.

She can't go in guns blazing (theoretically speaking, at least). This operation requires more subtlety and infiltration than a full-on confrontation. Still, as she peers out from her hiding place that's more or less a stand of trees and other foliage native to the area, she finds her resolution to remain in hiding challenged. She can't quite see what's being done to Flynn, but she can hear it well enough, and what's more, she can hear him talking, or rather, pleading with his captors.

It's enough to cause her heart to sink, or to break; she can't quite tell the difference anymore. It's nearly time for her to make her desperate move, but she has to wait just a bit longer until the group has reached the tomb proper. Once they have, she believes they will be sufficiently distracted by their great discovery, at which point she can reach Flynn and rescue him.

But it's nearly impossible for her to wait there in hiding while Flynn gets kicked around by Rathmore and his men. So, throwing caution and her plans somewhat to the winds, she creeps out from the stand of trees, sneaking gradually up on one of the men who appears to have been acting as guard. With her machete unsheathed, she sneaks up behind him and presses the blade against his throat. ]

Quiet, now. It's time for you and I to take a little walk.

[ If her luck holds, he'll act as a shield of sorts, enabling her to get closer and into a position from which she can recover Flynn when the time is right. For now, she has to wait for the exact opportune moment, and hope that her mounting feelings and anger don't get the better of her. ]

[cahooted]

[The whip connects his with back.

The sound reverberates like a gunshot from the trees and arrays of rocks and Flynn yells out in pain. The agony shoots straight into his head and he struggles, uselessly, against the death grip he finds himself in. A second lash hits him and his knees buckle; but Rathmore's goons keep a tight lock on his arms, keeping him upright.

Rathmore lands a third, then moves back around to his front. He roughly grabs Flynn's chin, fixating him with an icy stare.

"Open this tomb and I might reduce the number. Try me again and it will go up."

With that he pushes Flynn forward and into the direction of the tomb. Flynn stumbles, nearly falls, and catches himself on the edge of the stone tablet guarding the entrance. The engraved symbols on top of it dance in front of his eyes, swimming in and out of focus. For a moment he mistakes it for dizziness until he realizes that it's simply tears clouding his vision, making everything blurry. Hot shame flares up and burns his face and his fingers dig into the stone as he desperately tries to fight them back; he is not going to cry in front of this man. He'd really rather die.

In a prideful metaphorical sense, of course.

Resisting the urge to wipe at his face and give his dismay away Flynn stares at the symbols some more, then starts pushing and turning the small indentations in a certain pattern. Some of the begin to glow, allowing themselves to be rearranged with a soft, chiselly rumble.]

'It has been an invariable custom, that all the grand khans, and chiefs of the race of Genghis-khan, should be carried for interment to a certain lofty mountain named Altaï, and in whatever place they may happen to die, although it should be at the distance of a hundred days' journey, they are nevertheless conveyed thither.'

[His voice comes out clipped and hoarse as he recites the words.]

The Travels of Marco Polo. 13th century.

[He tries to focus on that, to keep his mind locked on the puzzle. On the story. On the facts. On the writings of Marco Polo, on the various little facts he knows of the mountain named Altaï – on anything but the emotional response to what is happening right now.

His fingers trace the newly aligned lines forming a path.] And the hundred days' journey... is right here. [He pushes one last symbol and looks up just in time to see one of the rock formations move and give way to a small entrance leading inside.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ For a second, Nicole just freezes. That sound can't be what she thinks it is. She stands there frozen, one hand still pressing the machete blade against the other man's throat. But there it is again, and this time, there's a cry that sounds chilling and strange, but also terribly familiar in the worst way. It's Flynn, and by the sounds of things, he's being hurt.

Her hand shakes even as she keeps the weapon on the man she just snuck up on, and it takes all her willpower not to drop everything, charge out of hiding, and bring down her wrath on whoever happens to be hurting Flynn. It's part of her instinct to rush out there and save him, plan or no plan, but reason also tells her that if she wants to help Flynn, she has to keep her head on straight.

It's difficult when she can hear him making unmistakably pained noises, but she has a plan, and she has to carry it out to the best of her ability. Flynn isn't going to die, not on her watch. She resumes her slow pace, with the blade of her weapon still pressed against the goon's throat. ]

Move.

[ The words are hissed, as she's growing impatient with his too slow, shuffling gait.

They're nearing the group of gathered goons, and Nicole is now close enough to hear the sounds of stone scraping against stone. She figures that's just the sound of Flynn figuring out how to open the tomb, which she considers a good sign. He might be hurt, but clearly he's not hurt to the point of being unable to move.

Hopefully, at least. It galls her to think that maybe Flynn is actually seriously hurt, and the only thing keeping him moving is sheer willpower combined with whatever Rathmore is threatening him with. But if she can just save him, she can take care of his injuries, and ensure that Rathmore and his men never bother them again.

Suddenly, though, she realizes that Flynn is speaking, and she finds herself hanging on his every word. His voice sounds the same as it usually does, but there are definite notes of hurt and emotion contained in it. Her heart constricts as she listens to him reciting, and her free hand clenches into a fist.

He sounds nothing like the man who, just days ago, was cracking jokes and bantering back and forth with her. That realization sends a shiver of anger up Nicole's spine. She forces herself to turn her attentions to her prisoner as a way of distracting herself from what she's hearing in Flynn's voice. ]

By the time this is over, you will all regret messing with him.

[ She has no problems saying that, and no qualms about goading him. How dare they capture her Librarian, the man she's supposed to protect? And how dare she be so remiss as to allow this to happen? It's her fault as surely as if she'd delivered him into their hands. If things should end badly, and Flynn dies because of this, Nicole knows she'll never be able to forgive herself, much less recover ever again. ]

Keep moving, if you want to live.

[ She shoves him forward, noting that Flynn has just managed to open the door to the crypt, and the tomb contained within. It won't be long now, and then Nicole will seize her chance to act.

Until now, all she's been doing is observing, but with the entrance now open, and the pathway clear, Rathmore and his men begin moving into the tomb, presumably forcing Flynn further in with them. It's going to be difficult to escape, when she doesn't know what they're walking into. Schematics of what the tomb might look like are only somewhat helpful.

Nicole knows that this whole rescue caper is going to involve a lot of luck and making it up as she goes along, but if it ends with her saving Flynn, then she'll do whatever is necessary. ]

[cahooted]

[When the secret passage opens Flynn manages to forget everything else for a short while. Despite the pain a wild grin flashes on his face. The Lines of the 100 Years glow softly, illuminating his expression as he stares at the dark entrance in wonder.

He did it! The tomb of Genghis Khan, one of the best guarded secrets in the world and he figured it out! God, why is he with these heartless grunts who do not deserve to share this? Do they not understand how insanely wondrous all of this is?]

Some archaeologists dedicated 40 years to their search for the tomb in vain. It was thought that the Mongols redirected a river over the place to hide the location. Others claimed that the area was trampled by a thousand horses and then replanted with trees to cover any markings, they did not want this site to be discovered by any means. Clearly a misdirection in the writing itself, hints that would let you assume the tomb in a very different geographic area...

[His voice babbles on invariably, some life seeping back into his inflection as he loses himself in the moment.]

According to legends, the funeral escort killed anyone and anything that crossed their path, in order to conceal the location of the burial site. After the tomb was completed, the slaves who built it were massacred. Then the soldiers who killed the slaves were killed. Nobody who knew even a hint of the location was left alive...

[His voice comes to an abrupt stop when he is spun around, yanked back into the real world as he comes face to face with Rathmore.

Fear wells up in Flynn and his first instinct is to flinch away. Rathmore fixates him with a hard stare and for a moment he's sure that this is it. This is where Rathmore decides he doesn't need him anymore and Flynn will be another victim, another blood spilled on the grounds of Genghis Khan's resting place. He wants to argue, to tell Rathmore that there's bound to be more puzzles up ahead. He can't kill Flynn now.

But every plead catches in his throat when Rathmore smiles – a cold, inhuman expression – and firmly pats him on the cheek a few times, like a well-meaning parent.

"Attaboy."

The humiliation is like ice water to his face. Somehow, it is worse than every threat, whipping or beating of the last days and Flynn jerks his head away in a sudden fit of enraged disgust. Breathing heavily through his nose he sets his jaw hard, staring at a random spot at the trees up ahead. "Maybe we'll keep you after all."

The idea of staying in Rathmore's possession like some treasure-finding pet makes him nauseous and his hands curl into fists, nails digging into his palms. He hates the idea of another search like this, of being subdued into cooperation. Hates the idea of being put to use, of this being his life from now on. And he hates most the shameful hope in it, the window of opportunity to survive.]

You have no idea what you're getting into here, Rathmore. This isn't just a treasure room, people were massacred to keep the secret of the tomb. Going in there means certain death to all of us.

["Then you better figure out a way. Since I know you're so keen on living."

Flynn's being pushed forward again, towards the dark entrance. Well, when he puts it that way. With a soft exhale he starts walking, on the lookout for more symbols and trap mechanisms.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Back in the shadows, behind the group, Nicole stares at the newly opened entrance, mouth fallen open in awe. But she doesn't allow herself to be distracted for too long, as she still has to keep the man she's subduing in check while also figuring out how and when to surprise Rathmore and free Flynn. Acting at the wrong time will surely start a fight, and with Flynn right in the crosshairs- Well, it's a thought she doesn't want to think about.

A fight is inevitable, but she has to ensure she's in a position to protect Flynn when it does break out. But, once Flynn starts to speak, talking about the tomb itself, and of how difficult it's been to find it, she pauses once more, allowing herself to just listen to him talking, wishing this nightmare was over and she could take him somewhere safe where it would be just the two of them.

But Flynn's monologue is interrupted, as are Nicole's wishful thoughts, and she comes crashing back to reality as Rathmore once again lays hands on him. Rage wells up in her as she listens to his smug, condescending words. Doesn't he know who he's talking to? Flynn Carsen is the Librarian, and a fine one at that. Oh, he's had his rough patches, but in Nicole's opinion, he's risen to the challenge admirably. To hear Rathmore belittling him is almost enough to make Nicole want to charge out there into the middle of the group and take him on then and there.

But wisdom and reason still prevent her from doing something so rash, and when she hears Flynn's next words, she freezes. Massacred? Certain death? Nicole really didn't like the sound of either of those things. It wasn't for herself that she was worried, but for Flynn. He was more important than any of them, and there was no way she was going to just let him go in there and die.

Jabbing the captured guard in the ribs, she shoved him forward again. ]

Keep moving. And don't even think about calling out or doing anything to draw their attention to us. If you do, I'll cut out your tongue.

[ It's muttered quietly, but Nicole means every word of her threat. ]

We're going in there. It won't be long now.

[ She's already figured that the time to act is when they're in the chamber properly, and hopefully Rathmore will be sufficiently distracted by the sight of the tomb that getting the jump on him and his men will give her just enough of an advantage to gain and hold the upper hand.

Now if Flynn can just hold on until then, everything will be fine in the end. She looks again to see if he's still all right and in one piece, and from her vantage point, he seems well enough, other than the injuries given to him by Rathmore.

At least he's walking. That has to be enough for now. ]

[cahooted]

[The dim light of torches illuminates the way as the group makes their way inside until the narrow hallway opens up into an antechamber. A very big antechamber. A very big antechamber with a heap of treasure just... presenting itself.

Flynn slows, mouth dropping, when the rows and rows of jewelry and treasure greet him, glittering in the flickering light. This is it? It's just there, waiting to be picked up? Could he really have been so wrong? In a way, it does make sense. This place was built primarily to prevent the disturbance of Genghis Khan. If ever found what better way to make grave robbers leave early than by putting the treasure before the actual grave itself? Still, something about the display makes him uneasy.

What am I missing?]

I wouldn't do that if I were you. [The goon he addressed shoots him a dirty look but listens, drawing his hand back from a pile of golden coins.

While Rathmore and his men wander around the chamber in a greedy daze, Flynn moves over to a wall of combined writing and old drawings.]

'And you shall see that the eyes of the almighty conqueror will cleanse the man who dares to raise his hand in impudence'... It's a warning. Touching the treasure will trigger... something.

[But what? What is he missing? God, he's so thirsty he can barely think. He presses his hand against his head for a moment, then turns to face Rathmore.] I can't... Can I have some water?

[Apparently not. Rathmore just looks at him, unimpressed, then jerks his head towards the writing. "You figure out a way to remove this treasure safely and I may consider it."

The frustration almost makes him cry like a child, unable to contain itself. Flynn takes a deep breath, then forces his attention back to the wall.]

You know it would be so advantageous for all parties involved if I wasn't about to drop on the spot, right? If I get this wrong...

["I've seen what you can do in peak condition," Rathmore interrupts crudely. "I have a dozen injured men to prove it. I like you better this way."

Well. At least the admission brings some grim satisfaction that he had left some impression on the man.]

Fair enough. Just... give me a minute here. And for the love of God, don't touch anything!

[To his surprise and relief Rathmore complies, turning his attention back to the riches laid out before them, undoubtedly calculating ways how best to retrieve them all. His men are obviously distracted, too, moving away and giving Flynn a much needed break to collect himself.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ The treasure chamber is impressive. Even Nicole has to admit that much. Granted, she's never really felt the lure of treasure the same way others do, but she can at least marvel at the fact that she is seeing something no one else has seen for a very long time. At least, she imagines that the last people to see this chamber were the ones who constructed it. She's no historian, and she's certainly not on par with Flynn, but it's not difficult to believe that they're all the first people to lay eyes on this treasure since it was brought here.

Still pressing the machete blade against the captured guard, she keeps her eyes trained on Flynn. Clearly he's thinking, trying to work out what exactly the puzzle is here. He has a brilliant mind, when he's not spouting silly sayings, so she has no doubt that he'll be able to work it out. But the question is, does she want him to do that? If he does, and Rathmore gets what he wants, then he'll most likely kill Flynn, and whoever else gets in the way.

If only she could get Flynn's attention, so that he'd know she's there, waiting and biding her time for the opportune moment. But how best to do that when he's distracted by the treasure and the threat Rathmore represents?

She shoves the guard forward again, deciding she needs to change position so that maybe Flynn can spot her, but no one else can. While she's moving on the perimeter of the room, she overhears Flynn asking for water. Again, she feels her heart clench up inside, because of course Rathmore would be so heartless as to deny him water. Such a simple request, but easily withheld. When this is over, she's going to personally make sure he has all the water and comforts that he needs.

Finally coming to a stop behind a conveniently placed stalagmite, she decides the first order of business is to dispatch the guard she's captured. He could jeopardize this entire operation, and she cannot afford any mistakes. She shoves him down to the ground, not an easy task given his bulk, but she manages to force him into a sitting position. Removing the hair band holding her ponytail in place, she puts it around his wrists, hoping that'll at least keep him semi-immobile.

But that's not sufficient as he still has use of his legs, so Nicole raises her trusty machete and swiftly and almost silently brings it down on the back of his head. It's not going to kill him, just knock him out for a little while. Now that he's out of the equation, Nicole peers around the stalagmite hoping to catch a glimpse of Flynn. As luck would have it, this rock formation is placed directly across from where Flynn is standing in front of the wall. Nicole looks quickly to see where Rathmore and his goons are, and they're all bunched up in front of a sizeable pile of treasure.

Typical. The lure of treasure has proven too strong for them, but if they had any sense at all, they wouldn't gather in one place looking at the same thing. That just means they're either vulnerable for attack, or not monitoring their surroundings. It's the perfect opportunity for Nicole, and she seizes her chance. For one brief second, she sticks her head out from behind the stalagmite and waves three times, hoping the movement will catch Flynn's eye. It's risky, but she can also see Rathmore out of the corner of her eye. He isn't looking, and neither is Flynn, but if she can just cause enough movement to draw his attention, then at least that's one objective she can cross off her list. ]

[cahooted]

[The observant type, Nicole had once called him and it may very well be what saves both their hides right now. Flynn allows himself a moment of weakness, dropping his head and rubbing at his face when he notices the movement from the corner of his eye. He stops and frowns, looking over and lowering his hands.

When he sees Nicole he freezes for a split second. His lips part, eyes widening and he blinks rapidly, as if trying to make sure he's not imagining her.

Then his entire face lights up with undiluted joy and he beams at her.

Rathmore had lied to him; telling him they had staged his death. Nobody will come looking for you. He hadn't wanted to believe it, of course, but as the days had dragged on pain and exhaustion had started wearing down on his mind, slowly draining him of hope and putting the idea in his head that maybe, maybe it was the truth after all. Maybe Rathmore had convinced them and nobody was coming, the Library already sending out invitation letters to the next viable candidates.

But here was Nicole, tracking him all the way across the globe into the middle of the Mongolian forest and she was here. She had found him. She was here.

Flynn glances over at Rathmore with a keen gaze and newfound energy, trying to figure out a way to work with her here.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Thank goodness for Flynn's powers of observation, because without them, Nicole would have moved on to another tactic in order to get his attention, and in doing so, she might have possibly drawn Rathmore's gaze as well. But luckily for them, the treasure is doing a great job of keeping Rathmore occupied.

Taking advantage of this, Nicole returns Flynn's beam of joy, but it's tempered by the fact that she can now get a clearer view of his injuries. Still, now that he's aware that she's there with him, it somehow spurs her on to move forward with her plan. She can't let him down, not now.

Verbal communication with Flynn isn't possible, because the last thing she wants is to be discovered. But she can at least communicate with looks and gestures, so she gives the tiniest wave in the direction of the nearest goon, as if indicating her plan to take out the stragglers who aren't enamored by the treasure. If she can gradually take them out one at a time while Flynn works on deciphering what he needs to decipher, then the odds against them are lessened when a real fight actually breaks out.

She may very well know how to kill a man fifty-seven different ways, but there are only two of them, and she'd rather not lose Flynn after only just finding him again. In what looks like a bizarre attempt at charades, Nicole fixes Flynn with a pointed look, gesturing again to the nearest man, and then to her machete, and finally to the wall with the writing and symbols on it.

She hopes the message is clear: "You find a way to disarm any traps while I pick them off one at a time." ]

[cahooted]

[Flynn in turn scrunches up his face in a series of grimaces, trying to soundlessly argue and clarify points. He nods, though, quite happy with the idea of her picking off the people who have made his life so utterly miserable these past couple of days.

He follows her gaze to the guy nearby, then he makes a small gesture with his hand. "I'll distract them for you." He's been silent for too long anyway; he doesn't want Rathmore to get suspicious and look over to see what he's doing so his voice peeps up again.]

Ah, so. Somewhere on the ground of this chamber must be a symbol. Very small, very inconspicuous. Looks like an inverted V. If we find it and I can figure out a way to cover it we should be able to grab whatever treasure we want without any issue.

[It is the most blatant lie. There is no symbol and he has no idea yet how to counter the warning. Still, it's having the desired effect: Prompted by greed and the promise of a quick solution, Rathmore barks out a few orders and they start spreading out, heads and eyes cast downward on the dusty floor in a search for something that doesn't exist.

Flynn grins, then makes an inviting hand gesture at Nicole, as if handing her a present and say "Enjoy."

He knows he will.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Oh, she knows what he's doing. Even without words, he still has to argue. She shakes her head once, expression dropping into an unmistakable frown. "Stick to the plan", her look seems to say. Well, that, and "Don't get yourself killed."

But he's smart enough, and his next move has her nodding in approval even as she slips out from behind the safety of the pillar and over to another one a few paces away. It's not time to act just yet; she has to wait a few more seconds until Rathmore and his men move away from where they've been congregated and begin to spread out in compliance with Flynn's latest announcement.

She hopes this doesn't backfire terribly on both of them, but they've had ample time to get used to how the other works. They don't even need words to talk anymore.

Flynn's gesture and grin gets a smile out of Nicole. She tips her head at him, as if to say she'll enjoy this very much indeed. The look she gives him might as well be saying, "Enjoy the show." And with that, she silently but quickly approaches the man she's been watching, tapping him on the shoulder. He turns halfway, expression morphing into one of shock mixed with anger, but that's all the time he has before the butt of her machete strikes him on the head.

Luckily she's had practice with that move; anyone who gets a blow from her machete isn't likely to wake up for several long hours. But she doesn't have time to turn and look at Flynn; there are still too many men milling about, and she's not certain how long Flynn can keep stalling for time. Still, even with time mostly against them, she's thoroughly enjoying this. Perhaps it's merely her sociopathic tendencies once more at work. ]

[cahooted]

[Flynn isn't a fan of violence, he wouldn't say; but he can't deny that this is immensely satisfying. He tries not to get too distracted by Nicole's work and keeps babbling to himself and to Rathmore, making up ancient prophecies from the wall. Still, his gaze his drawn back towards the served justice from time to time and it's a struggle to keep the smile out of his voice.

At the same time he splits his attention, trying to figure out what kind of traps really lurk in here and how to disable them – or spring them, should the need for more drastic action arise.

He's not a vengeful man but if there is someone he'd love to spring the wrath of Genghis Khan on, it's definitely Rathmore. It's not a pleasant feeling but it's there; he'd felt it before when vanquishing Wilde, the desire to strike back and stop the evil he's facing for good.]

And watch your footing, might be on top of a spring trap tile. [If he can maybe make them even more careful and fixated on the ground that should reduce the risk of Nicole getting noticed even further.

He moves closer to the wall, removing some dust to take a closer look at the inscriptions underneath. Cleansing, again. What sort of cleansing? What is he missing here? Something tells him that it's obvious, that he's working in the wrong direction. If only he wasn't so thirsty. If only he had...]

Water.

[It's out before he can stop himself, lost in thought and Rathmore raises his head. "I told you, first you will provide us with what we need to--" His eyes fall on one of the unconscious guards and his voice trails off with a surprised snarl.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ It's immensely satisfying for Nicole, too. Knowing that these are the men who've been beating up and mistreating Flynn for goodness knows how long, it really feels good to be taking them out one by one. And although it might be that she has a bit of the upper hand, it seems to her that none of them are particularly bright.

She takes out another one with a well placed blow, and he drops like a rock. Except rocks don't typically grunt and moan. This would go a lot better if her quarry fell silently, but even the best plans don't go 100% smoothly. As she moves about the chamber, she keeps one ear open for things Flynn is saying. Of course, she figures a good deal of it is bluffing, but he does have several valid points.

In case there are spring loaded traps in the floor, Nicole begins making a more concerted effort to step carefully so as not to set off some hidden trap of death. She's just a few steps behind another one of Rathmore's men, and she's nearly about to clobber him, when she hears Flynn say just one word: water.

Pausing, she hears Rathmore begin to speak again, intending to reprimand the Librarian, and she moves to finish the job she started. But suddenly, there's silence, and a snarl, and Nicole turns slightly to see Rathmore looking right at her.

He snaps his fingers, and one of his goons steps forward, looming over her with a menacing look on his face. "Well, what do we have here? Someone attempting to reclaim the Librarian? I do have to applaud you on your skill in tracking him this far, but you've reached the end of the line. The Librarian has his uses, but you, my dear, do not. Grab her and tie her up. I was just thinking what this place really could use is a sacrifice. And since he is too useful, she'll have to do."

Nicole raises her machete, bracing herself for the inevitable attempt to attack and subdue her. If they want to get her, they'll have to take her down first. She does manage to shoot Flynn a quick look, as if telling him without words to keep working while she handles the unexpected hiccup she's found herself confronted with. ]

[cahooted]

[Oh no. Flynn freezes, his expression betraying open dismay at his mistake. He should have known that would prompt a reaction from Rathmore, should have known it would him make look up. Nicole had been doing so good there, taking out goon after goon and he went and messed it up.

Sacrifice.

The word sends a paralyzing terror up his spine. If his moment of carelessness leads to Nicole's capture or worse – death – he will never forgive himself.

He wants to rush over and help her defend herself against the superior numbers but he can barely keep on his feet as it is. He doubts he could run even if he wanted to; and if he could he'd probably be too weak to even knock one of these bulky guys over. Would just... run into him and drop to the ground.]

Leave her alone, Rathmore! Don't– don't hurt her.

[Flynn tries to take in everything at once; the number of goons, where they are situated, Rathmore who threatens to sacrifice Nicole which sends a new white hot rage through him unlike anything he has felt these past couple of days, the new information he just figured out and the different ways he could put that information to use.

He looks back at Nicole briefly, unable to hide his fear but at the same signaling that the gears in his head are working. He's already on to something – he just needs a little more time.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ This situation is not nearly as bad as it could be. They could be in the Antarctic, and the Serpent Brotherhood could be there, and- Nicole forces herself to stop thinking about that. It would do no good to relive what part of her still thought of as the worst day of her life. She has to stay focused and in the moment, or this situation will end very badly for both of them.

The word 'sacrifice' sends a shiver up her spine as well, but no sign of fear shows on her face. Why let Rathmore know he's gotten to her? He hasn't, not that much. But she will not be giving him the pleasure of knowing anything about her internal thoughts.

But Flynn's outburst both pleases her and frustrates her; the last thing he needs to be doing is drawing more attention to himself. He's the important one here; she's merely the Guardian, the one who has to protect the Librarian at any cost. If Flynn dies, then that'll be the second time she's failed. And at that point, Nicole would resign, and never dare to do anything involving protecting another person again.

Rathmore's man is still advancing, and he has a very nasty smile on his face as if he's relishing the idea of seeing her dead. ]

Could you not look so happy about the idea of killing me?

[ Nicole shoots those words at him, knowing from the look Flynn gave her that he's already got the beginnings of a plan forming. Now it's her job to just stall, and try to give him the time he needs to do whatever he's thinking of. ]

Really, how impolite of you. You could at least try and look as though you're taking this seriously. It's only my life on the line, after all.

[ The goon lunges forward, surprisingly agile for a man of his size, and he tries to grab at Nicole. She's faster than he is, though, and she manages to side-step him. ]

That was close, but not close enough!

[ If she can just keep two steps ahead of him, they could easily go about this merry dance for a long time. Not that she wants to; she just needs to keep him busy while Flynn works things out. ]

[cahooted]

[Rathmore sneers at Nicole's retorts but his face falls slowly over time when she again and again manages to avert the attack of his lackey. Clearly he underestimated her; and he really doesn't like when things don't go his way. "You're good. But that won't help you. Get her!" he eventually snarls, sending them all to circle and surround her to lunge at her at once. What is fighting honor among thieves, obviously?

He draws his knife, eyes gleaming with bloodlust and violence in his heart as he approaches. "I'll be happy to slit your throat myself."

Meanwhile Flynn recites the warning in his head. 'And you shall see that the eyes of the almighty conqueror will cleanse the man who dares to raise his hand in impudence'... Raise his hands, who raises his hands in impudence... Cleansing... Then the words hit him and he spins around in terror, almost falling over, just in time to see the men grab Nicole and Rathmore raising his weapon.]

No! Rathmore, don't!

[He immediately starts walking (or rather stumbling) towards the group, bringing up his hands in a pleading manner. He needs to spring the trap. If he can spring the trap it might give Nicole the advantage she needs, her opening to get them out of here.

... It might also kill them all on the spot, of course, but desperate times, desperate measures? Flynn is sure she'd agree. Worse, he's sure she'd smile and thoroughly enjoy this ridiculously dangerous plan that's forming in his head. Maybe not all parts of it. He's gonna ask her later about it. If there is a later.

For now, Flynn needs to time this. They need to be in the right spot. And he really needs Rathmore or his men not to murder her.]

Please, I-I'll do whatever you want, just... please.

[The begging immediately takes the desired effect. It was to be expected, really; Rathmore has been working on him for days, trying to break Flynn, to get him to comply, and now he steps away from Nicole to eye him curiously, lowering the knife. It's not enough, Flynn needs him to come over. How can he make him come over, to fully step away from Nicole for just a second and approach Flynn?

What would give him the biggest triumph?

With his mouth going dry Flynn draws in a shaky breath, then drops to his knees. It's pathetic, he knows; but he doesn't care, he can do pathetic. Especially with Nicole's life on the line.]

This is what you want, isn't it? Alright. I'll go with you. I'll make you rich! [He spreads his arms, then lets them fall back down at his sides. His fingers brush a little gold coin on the ground and he moves his hand on top of it to shield it from view. Keeping his eyes fixed on Rathmore, his voice becomes more and more agitated and pitiful.]

I'll take you to El Dorado a-and, and the Secret City of Paititi, and I'll find you the... the Treasure of the Knights Templar a-and the Oak Island Money Pit.

[Come on, I know you. You're not gonna just watch me break from over there. Come on!]

I'll do all that! I'll do anything! What do you want? What do you want me to do? You want me to kiss your boots? I'll kiss your boots, just, stop! Please, please just stop!

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Nicole knows better than to show fear, but her heart is pounding in her chest. Rathmore's threat to slit her throat makes her blood run cold but she squares her shoulders and does her best to just stand tall. This is not the worst situation she's ever been in, anyway.

When Flynn begins to beg, at first, Nicole's reaction is to frown and to communicate with words to stop. Her life isn't worth him humiliating himself, or making himself Rathmore's slave forever. ]

Flynn, what are you doing?

[ She manages to get just that out before Rathmore presses the blade of his knife against her exposed throat. The gasp she lets out is involuntary, as is the quiet whimper of pain. So much for not showing weakness. ]

Flynn, don't-!

[ Rathmore glares at her, pressing the knife down harder, this time drawing more than just a drop of her blood. Whatever Flynn is planning, Nicole hopes it isn't something designed to take him out in the process. The world needs the Librarian, and she does not want to witness another one's death.

Never mind that she might not live to see it if Rathmore keeps up the pressure with his knife. As she watches, she sees Rathmore pause to consider Flynn's desperate words, and the next thing she knows, he's forcing her to move forward, blade still against her bare skin. A fine sight they must make, with her trying to avoid contact from the knife and him walking forward to meet Flynn where he is.

She has confidence in Flynn, even though she hasn't the slightest clue what he's doing. Hopefully this all ends well, and they can live to tell the tale. ]

[cahooted]

[Nicole's whimper cuts into his heart, turning his desperation real and he holds up the hand that isn't covering the coin.]

No, please! Don't hurt her. I won't try to run anymore, I'll do whatever you want.

[Rathmore is clearly enjoying the show and Flynn should have calculated the risk, the possibility that he would bring Nicole along now that he can see how much she means to him. That... complicates things. That wasn't really what he was going for here and he curses inwardly. Good job, now he's put her even more into harms way instead of getting her out of it. Or has he? At the very least the goons are hanging back, so maybe Flynn can still spin this in their favor.

Flynn isn't the best actor but after the past week it's easy to give a convincing impression. After all, the desperate edge in his voice is as genuine as the hurt. He's just utilizing them. They're here anyway – might as well get something out of it now. They can take care of the rest later.

"Look at your mighty Librarian." Rathmore's voice is rough and low, close to Nicole's ear and Flynn clenches his teeth because how dare he. "Too bad you got here so early, girl, what do you think he'll be like after another week with me? Another month?"

Despite the act, the words sting and Flynn has a hard time to keep the shame from choking him. When he can feel the exhausted tears coming back he allows them. It's okay, it's just an act, nothing more. Just utilizing them. He turns his gaze to Nicole, her face swimming in and out of vision.]

I'm sorry. I just... I can't do this anymore. [His voice breaks which elicits a nasty chuckle from Rathmore.] I love you. Hold your breath.

[Rathmore's cruel smirk stops, then turns into a confused scowl when the incongruity of his last sentence catches up with him. "What?" Flynn looks back at him and his expression changes, the pathetic grimace turning into a grim determination.]

Catch.

[He scoops the coin up with his thumb, flicking it up in the air and directly at Rathmore's face. The man curses, squeezing his eyes shut in irritated surprise when the heavy gold piece hits him straight in the eye. Involuntarily, he loosens his grip on Nicole and gives her an opening as he brings up his hands to snatch the coin in between his fingers.

Immediately, a low rumble fills the antechamber and suddenly, with the force and precision of the universe's biggest Super Soaker, an immense gush of water breaks out from the wall and straight at Rathmore's position.]

[slapthelibrarian]

[ Flynn's desperate begging has Nicole torn. On the one hand, she wants him to stop, because she really is less important, especially in the eyes of people like Judson and Charlene. Guardians can and have been replaced; Librarians have too, but they shouldn't need to be, unless it is completely unavoidable. But then, on the other hand, she wants to live, so that she and Flynn can keep working together. That's not possible if she's dead.

She tenses when Rathmore leans in and whispers in her ear. The urge to shove him away from her is strong, but she pushes that thought away as quickly as it came. The point here is drawing his attention away from Flynn, who's been through enough already. ]

You know nothing of the Librarian if you think he'll break that easily.

[ She doesn't even bother whispering, because she wants Flynn to know he has her full confidence. ]

You will not live another week, or if you're very lucky, you'll go to jail and never walk free again.

[ Looking back at Flynn, her heart clenches when she realizes those are tears covering his cheeks. When this is over, if they both survive, she'll make sure he never has to cry like that again. Momentary panic sets in when she hears his admission of not being able to do this anymore, and she shoots him a worried look. His declaration of his feelings for her has her heart skipping a beat, but it's short-lived, because Rathmore's grip on her loosens, and she seizes her chance, jabbing him fiercely in the ribs as she tries to put as much distance between them as possible.

The bulk of the sudden rush of water strikes Rathmore, but Nicole finds herself drenched in it as well. For a second, it feels as though she's somehow swimming through a river standing up, but as quickly as it's started, it's over. Thinking quickly, Nicole whips out her machete again and goes after Rathmore, only to find that the rushing water has swept him and his goons back out of the chamber and into the entrance where they came from.

Finding herself alone in the treasure chamber with Flynn, Nicole turns to face him before running over to where he's standing and giving him what is quite possibly the gentlest slap she's ever given. ]

Flynn Carsen, that was the most ridiculous stunt I've ever seen.

[ She tries to frown, but she can't quite manage it as relief floods through her. Rathmore and his men are probably still floundering around in the adjacent chamber, but she figures they won't be going anywhere quickly. Still, they can't just leave them there and allow them to escape. ]

Come on, Librarian, we have some men we need to see.

[ And when that's over, they can do whatever Flynn wants to do. If Nicole knows him at all, she guesses he'll want to take a proper look at the chamber. But now that it'll be officially property of the Library, there's plenty of time for that. Patching up and recovery needs to happen first, and Nicole intends to ensure that Flynn gets all the rest and recovery time he needs. ]

[cahooted]

[They're close enough that Flynn gets his fair share of a shower, too, and he presses himself against the ground so he won't be swept away with Rathmore and the others. If they can't fight the current he wouldn't even be able to try, too exhausted to even move his arms.

When the sound of the roaring water dies down he sits up and looks at her, laughing wildly in relief when he sees she's okay.]

It was thought that the Mongols redirected a river over the place to hide the location. [He grins as he recites his story again, struggling to get to his feet, eyes sparkling.]

But they didn't build it over the place. [He gestures to the spot where the water had churned from the wall.] Around it!

[Another laugh and somehow he manages to push himself to his feet when Nicole slaps him – lightly, gently almost – and he reaches out to steady himself on her shoulder for a moment. His eyes quickly dart over her face, her neck, checking for injuries, to see if she was alright, if the knife had cut deep enough to inflict serious damage.

He fights the urge to just draw her in right now, wrapping his arms around her. The need to touch her, to feel that she really was here is almost too much but she's right; they need to get a move on. First things first.]

After you, Guardian.

[slapthelibrarian]

Oh, and by the way, you were brilliant.

[ Nicole comments as she leads the way out of the treasure chamber and into the adjoining entrance chamber that's now just the slightest bit damp. She's unable to keep a smirk off her face as she watches Rathmore and his goons clumsily standing up, their clothes and hair absolutely drenched. ]

There was the slightest moment when I wondered if you really had a plan, but of course you're the Librarian: resourceful, clever, and very good at thinking on the fly.

[ That is to say that although she had a flicker of doubt, the fact is that she knows what Flynn is capable of, and she wasn't ever really all that concerned. ]

I'm impressed at how you worked out that bit about the river.

[ She can't help putting in one more compliment. It's deserved, as far as she is concerned. ]

Now, what should we do with them?

[cahooted]

[After days of awful treatment and hurtful remarks Nicole's words are like a warm blanket and Flynn could kiss her. Will, too, as soon as he gets the opportunity. Buy her dinner and roses and a present and rub her back and do just about anything in return for her rescue of him.

Stumbling after her he struggles with his footing on the now slippery floor and eventually reaches out again to steady himself on her shoulder.]

Well, me personally, I liked the part where you rammed the hilt in between that goon's neck and skull...

[Leaning slightly on her for support he follows her outside. The action in the chamber had used up what little energy reserves he had and with the adrenaline levels dropping again it's hard to keep upright.

He really hopes Nicole came by car.

Looking at the pitiful collection of sputtering, injured men outside he suddenly feels tired. Part of him imagines picking up Rathmore's whip and giving him a taste of his own medicine but Flynn knows it wouldn't bring him any joy. He does, however note with grim satisfaction that Rathmore is limping, clutching his arm – broken from the forceful impact, most likely – and blood is gushing from his nose. Flynn hopes it hurts.]

I'm sure local law enforcement would love to have a little chat. They are very fond of people coming into their country with illegal weapons, you know...

[slapthelibrarian]

[ When Flynn leans against her, she doesn't protest, or move too much. He doesn't need to say that he's tired, or hurt, because she can tell just from looking at him, even if she hadn't been there to witness some of Rathmore's rough treatment.

Once they've turned over Rathmore and his men to law enforcement, she intends to get Flynn safely to a hotel where she can take care of him properly. ]

That was good, wasn't it? It was also incredibly satisfying. If only we had the time, or else I would teach them never to mess with the Librarian again. Still, we need to take care of you now, and they'll learn their lesson soon enough.

[ She's fairly confident that the local law enforcement will punish them severely for the trouble they've caused. There's also the little matter of them causing considerable damage to the local flora and fauna, another thing that the locals here do not look kindly on. ]

It's a good thing I have their number right here. One call from me, and they'll have them in custody in no time.

[ Having said that, she proceeds to dial the number on her satellite phone, and after a brief conversation, she hangs up. ]

They're on their way as we speak. Now that you've discovered this place, it was only a matter of describing the major landmarks, and the person I spoke with knew right where to go.

[ It's impressive, considering that no one knew of this location before Rathmore forced Flynn to find it. ]

Why don't you and I get comfortable over there while we wait for law enforcement to arrive? Actually, you have a seat on those flat rocks over there, and I'll tie them up so they can't go anywhere.

The last thing we need is them escaping.

[ Never mind that none of the men look like they're in any sort of condition to try and run, but Nicole's not about to take any chances. They need to pay for what they've done, and she intends to see to it that they do just that. ]

[cahooted]

Do you have all law enforcement on speed dial? [Flynn wouldn't be surprised, honestly.]

Can they bring a car? You know how much I enjoy traversing hostile environments with you but if you tell me we have to walk all the way back to the city, I will literally cry. It won't be pretty.

[For now he lets himself be guided and sits on the rocks without complaint. They're still a little warm from the midday sun and that's nice – in the penumbra of the forest, the wet clothes are starting to feel clam and chilly.]

Tie them up. That's a good idea. [Knowing they're rendered immobile would actually do wonders for his peace of mind. Nicole's presence does, too; with her Rathmore and his goons are not so intimidating anymore and her being here gives him a sense of security he'd missed dearly over the past couple of days.

He watches her going over there and tightly securing the criminals with thick rope.]

You know, maybe I could have a look at the chamber in the meantime... [The real chamber, he means. If it is even here. The river trap was helpful but surprisingly non-lethal for a tomb of this significance. Maybe the real traps lay further ahead?

The more he thinks about it, the more his head is spinning.

It's also really nice to sit, he has to admit.]

[slapthelibrarian]

Well, of course. [ Honestly, Flynn, what sort of Guardian do you take her for? Always be prepared. That would be her motto if she actually had one. ]

They could, but it would be pointless as I already have one waiting for us. How do you think I got here? Private helicopter? [ She supposes it's not an impossibility, but she's only the Guardian, not the Librarian. Besides, Charlene doesn't believe in unnecessary expenses, no matter who they're for. ]

Still, I would never make you walk after what you've been through.

[ She smirks just a bit as a thought occurs to her. ]

Although I suppose I could manage carrying you bridal-style if you wanted. [ What? She has to have a little fun at his expense sometimes. ]

Someone needs to stand guard over them, in case they get any bright ideas about attempting to escape. And I can't very well let you go inspect the chamber unguarded. We are not going to have a repeat situation on our hands.

[ She ponders this dilemma for a few seconds. ]

Perhaps the law enforcement officers won't have a problem standing guard for a little while so that you can go look over the chamber and I can watch you.

[ It's only after she says it that there's quite possibly an unintentional double meaning in her words, but she doesn't bother correcting it. ]