SEVEN: LOCKED IN

Akin was snapped out of his momentary paralysis as he was unceremoniously tossed onto the cold hard stone floor. Scrambling to his feet, he was hit by a wave of fear he had never felt before, a Street Lord had gotten his claws on him! He is never getting out of this unless he escapes from whoever he is sold to– a near-impossible task.

The Street Lord watched with relish as the ‘rat’ he just captured trembled uncontrollably with fear and he couldn't hold back a small chuckle. Their reputation is just that fearsome and he thrives on that fear to take advantage of his prey even in his dealings with his clients from the City. And just his luck one of them coming over for today's clubbing will pay him handsomely for the boy. Chuckling darkly as he gave Akin another once over he left the room without bothering to put any restraint on him save for the door he secured with a hook at the spot meant for a padlock since he couldn't get a hold of one at the moment. He had that much faith in the effect fear had on people, the boy wouldn't even cry out talk less of screaming considering the fact that he was sneaking around a moment ago.

With the Street Lord leaving the room and closing the door behind him, Akin forced himself to calm down and pressed down on his racing heart. While the Street Lords are more ruthless and thorough, he has to calm down and think with a clear mind if he's to find an opportunity or opening to exploit to get out of here. After calming himself, somewhat since he was still trembling with fear, he looked around the room he's in and realized it was mostly empty save for some crates of empty beer bottles, turning to the only window in the room he realized the Street Lord had been meticulous enough to put him in one of the few rooms on the ground floor of the tower with burglarproof and an intact glass window that is locked. He turned his attention to the door and realized that it has open holes in place of the door's lock and knob. Peeping through the hole he saw the hook put in place to secure the door within his fingers' reach. His emotions went on a rollercoaster ride from excited and hopeful to despair and hopelessness when he realised that sadly, his fingers couldn't pass through any of the holes on the door to reach the hook. Sliding down the door with his back against it, he hit his buttocks on the floor as he tasted the feeling of despair– one he hadn't felt since he left home years ago.

While Akin was wallowing in his despair, softly hitting his head against the door rhythmically, he caught the sound of a door opening far down the hallway of the room he was in and the muffled mumblings of women. Wait, women! Jumping to his feet excitedly he started rapping his knuckles against the door unhurriedly. Yes, he is currently in the very building the women are moving food into! To avoid any unforeseen circumstances that would put them in trouble with Skull they would check a room they believed was empty if weird sounds were coming from within. Clinking the bottles together, knocking on the wall, and rapping his fists against the door, his efforts paid off when one of the women moving the coolers of food asked her daughter to check if a rat or some chicken had gotten into the other room. As the girl approached the door, Akin waited with baited breath as he peeped through the hole while making sure his eyes wouldn't be seen awaiting the moment he would rush out of the room.

Mary was walking to the door absent-mindedly, she was thinking of the spicy Jollof rice she would get to eat later tonight as the caterers are allowed to take home a portion of the food. She planned to just take a quick peek into the room to see what had gotten into it and let the adults deal with it. If it's not a cat then she's running away, she is scared of rodents and chickens and can't deal with them. She got to the door and tried pulling it open only to realize it's been hooked. Weird she thought to herself, she was sure this particular door was ajar before, did one of the Lords keep a chicken inside, pulling out the hook she pulled open the door or tried to when it was pushed open forcefully from within making her lose balance and something brushed past her so fast she couldn't even catch a glimpse of it. Startled, she screamed.

Akin ran out of the long hallway into an ante-room, the front door was just ahead and there was a stairway to his right and two doors to his left where the drinks to be used tonight were being stored. He made for the main entrance to exit the building but had to double back to the stairs when the woman sorting the drinks in the room next to the main entrance started opening the door that was ajar– and afforded him the chance to catch glimpses of what's going on within– widely, in a bid to come out and check on the still screaming girl.

Akin cursed his luck as he made his way up the stairs. He had planned on abandoning his crazy idea of stealing from the Lion's den after breaking out of the room he was locked in but now leaving the building was impossible at least through the main entrance. He would see if he can find an empty unoccupied room on the first floor where he can hide till things cool off a bit – who knows, he might even find one with an open window from where he can climb out.

After walking around a bend he came to another hallway with a path on his left and right lined with rooms on both sides. He headed right and passed by an alcove housing the stairs to the second floor but he ignored it and continued ahead scanning the doors for clues on which room wasn't in use when suddenly a door ahead of him opened and the Street Lord who captured him came out with a cigarette dangling between his lips. For a moment, they both stood still staring dumbly into each other's eyes. Akin was the first to come out of shock and he turned around fleeing back the way he just came from.

The Street Lord realising his quarry had somehow escaped and his now fleeing before him yelled out ‘STOP!’

Akin reflexively ducked into the alcove housing the stairs to the second floor and ascended it without thinking, at the end of the flight of stairs was a hallway similar to the one he was coming from and another alcove directly in front of him housing the stairs to the third floor. Akin cursed as he ascended that too, he didn't have the time to hide. On getting to the third floor, he crossed the hallway to climb up the stairs to the fourth floor only this time, someone is climbing down that stairs. For a moment, both sides paused and appraised each other. The man descending the stairs eyed the young boy before him calmly before asking in a soft voice ‘Who are you?’