Chapter 4
No longer hidden from view, Hive momentarily turned his attention to Nico. Ghost Rider, taking advantage of the distraction, wrapped his fiery chain around Hive’s knees, pulling him to the ground.
Holding the staff in front of her, a darkness took over Nico’s eyes. As she watched Hive crawl to a standing position from the ground, chains still flaming, reaching toward Daisy, Nico yelled “Vanish!”
Something like a black mist was spread across the hillside, engulfing Hive and when it cleared, he was gone. Daisy and Robbie, who had returned to himself again, turned to look in Nico’s direction.
Daisy clenched and unclenched her fist. It was almost dark out and they had no idea if Hive would show up again or if any more of his minions would come back around. She walked over to Nico.
“Where did he go?” she demanded.
“I- I don’t know.”
Daisy didn’t have time to ask questions. They needed to get out of there and fast. A thick black mist, similar to what made Hive disappear, began forming in front of them.
They all jumped back, waiting to see if Hive returned or not. To their luck, a small blonde emerged from the mist.
“Tandy?” Nico ran over to meet her. Ty stands up from a crouch.
He scans the area. “We better get out of here before we all start forgetting things or something comes out.”
Nico turns back to Daisy, indicating that it’s time to go.
“Robbie, wait.” Daisy turns to Robbie, who was slowly turning to walk away. “Come with us. We can use you to debrief and figure out what to do next.”
Robbie looked back at the kids, standing in a huddle talking quietly. “I can’t. The dimension won’t let me leave, so I’ll stay here and you call me on comms when needed.” He put a hand on her shoulder and turned to walk away.
Daisy walked back to the group. “Let’s go.”
Ty nodded. The four grabbed hands and within a second, they were emerging from the black mist back in the hostel.
Daisy immediately started pacing back and forth. “We have to make sure the Darkhold stays here with Robbie.”
“Calm down, Agent.” Daisy could feel Nico’s eyes roll from behind her.
“Is this a joke to you? If Hive gets the Darkhold, who knows what he’ll do to get back to our dimension.” Daisy was getting angry.
“A joke? To ME? I just saved your ass back there!” Nico threw her arms out.
Daisy plopped on the floor. She was wiped out. Something about this dimension was wearing her down much quicker.
Nico glanced over at Daisy. She didn’t mean to be so harsh. “I just, don’t know what you want us to do now.”
Daisy pulled off her gauntlets with a grimace and set them down next to her. “Let’s get some rest and we can re-evaluate in the morning. Those…things out there can’t get in here, can they?”
Nico shrugged. “Not likely they could even find it up here.” She turned and walked up the stairs, trailed by Ty and Tandy.
Glancing around the entry hall in the hostel, Daisy spotted a couch next to the staircase. She forced her self up from the ground and made her way over. She unzipped the top of her suit, folded it up, and place it on the floor with her gauntlets and shoes.
Daisy knew that Nico wouldn’t be up for what she wanted to do. She had to find a way to get the Darkhold from Nico and go out on her own- it was the only way anything would get done. But first, she need to get some sleep.
—
Daisy woke up a few hours later. It was still dark out, but she could see the grey-tinted sun coming in through the windows. She knew she had to be quick, so she slipped on her shoes and pulled on her suit top, zipping it up. She snagged her gauntlets from the ground, buckling them in as she quietly made her way up the stairs.
This dimension’s version of the hostel was obviously much newer than the one she had first entered. Even with the overgrown plants on the stair railing, the steps were quiet.
Reaching the landing, Daisy looked for the door she thought would be Nico’s. A door on her left was cracked open. Peeking her head around the corner, she could see Ty and Tandy sleeping.
Stepping away from that door, she took an observation of the doors left. There was one directly in front of her, and at least four more down the hall. She decided to try the one right in front of her first. Gently twisting the doorknob, the door slowly inched open.
There was a huge bed in front of her, with a tiny figure on it, with her back to the door. Nico’s room. Well that was easy, Daisy thought.
Before stepping into the room, Daisy looked around for the satchel Nico had stashed the Darkhold in. She spotted it in the corner, next to a shelf. Without making a noise, Daisy crouched on all fours and crawled over the corner. She slid the satchel across the floor where it landed just next to the door.
Not quite as far as she had hoped, but close enough. Starting her crawl back out, Nico started rustling in her bed. Now or never, Daisy thought. While the rustling of the bed sheets continued as Nico turned, Daisy took advantage of the noise and gently quaked the satchel out the door. She quickly stood up, and closed the door behind her, careful not to make any noise.
Slinging the satchel cross-body, Daisy swiftly ran down the stairs and to the French doors. Opening one door, she slid out and into the morning.
—
Taking the same path that she and Nico took the day before, Daisy reached the clearing from last night. Stopping to take a breather, Daisy turned on her comms.
“Robbie? It’s Daisy, are you there?”
She heard static on the other end before a raspy voice responded. “Why are you up so early?”
Daisy chuckled. “I may have done something I probably shouldn’t have. I need you to come meet me in the clearing from yesterday and hurry.”
She heard grumbling, the crinkling of sheets and blankets being tossed aside. “Fine, give me 15 minutes.”
The comms clicked off.
Daisy paced along the grass for what felt like hours before Robbie finally arrived in his charger. Even in this dimension Robbie was never seen without his beloved car.
Raising a curious eyebrow, Daisy walked up to the rolled down window. “Sweet ride. Still does it’s fun tricks even on this side?”
“Si mija,” Robbie patted the steering wheel.
Robbie noticed the satchel slung across Daisy’s shoulder. “I’m assuming what we’re doing has something to do with the mystery item in the bag?” He nodded toward the satchel.
Daisy sighed. “Look, Nico, she- she didn’t want to leave the Darkhold here. She thought we should take it back with us, but it’s safer here than out there.”
Robbie nodded. He knew Daisy was right but given the Hive situation, leaving it there didn’t sound much better.
“Do I want to know what you have planned?”
Daisy glanced around, taking a breath. “No…but I think it’s our only option.”
She paused before continuing. “We have to find Hive and take him out. We did it once in our world and now we have you to do it here.”
Robbie chuckled before unlocking the passenger side door. Daisy got in, tossing the satchel at her feet before the charger revved and took off.