WONDER ( Twisted Forbidden Tales ) Book Three

The Tweedle Club Part Three

“You dare to play tricks on us!” I yelled. Boom! My words followed up with a powerful punch to Enzo’s disgustedly handsome face. The sound of bones crushing filled the shocked silence in the room, followed by the smell of blood that carried a scent of something foul. The sound of glass shattering on the floor along with Enzo’s wail as he held his nose in shock, being caught off guard by me.

“What the f**k! Are you Mad!” he whimpered and yelled at me. His eyes filled with killing intent, and he held his nose in disbelief as blood trickled through his fingers. His body shook with rage, but he did not act on it nor retaliate against me. My mad Bandit aura was on full display, making Enzo uneasy and mentally calculating his next steps.

His look did not scare or deter me one bit, for I was the Mad Bandit, it was an eye for an eye. I was in my right to be mad. Letting a loud, eerily yet piercing bout of laughter that froze Enzo in his further retort. I swung at him again, not surprised that he would dodge this time.

“Mad you say! Do you not know my name? I am mad! And as mad as anyone could be. That’s why I’m the Mad Bandit. Didn’t you want to play? I’ll grant your wish now, come play with me!” I yelled and lunged at him again.

“You’re nuts! Nuts, I tell you! Zuri, come help me!” Enzo cringed as he ran toward the bar trying to climb over the bar counter, but it only gave me leverage to grab him and lay down several punches.

“Coming, Brother! Ahhh! Get off me!” Zuri’s scream didn’t pause my hits in the slightest. From the sound of things, Happy seemed to have made his move. The sound of an angry shrieking cat followed by Zuri’s loud painful cries was telling enough of the attack she had received from my ever-growing favorite feline companion.

As expected, as the Tweedles received a much-deserved beating from both Happy and me, Haku was keen to catch on as the fog and scent died down in the spacious lounge, bringing back the awareness of the several unsuspecting people that had been chosen by Enzo and Zuri from the dance club below. They had no clue how lucky they were at that moment. Haku

Enzo panted in agony in my grasp as I slid him across the counter toward the door hidden behind the bar counter. Having long scoped out the place when I first stepped in, they played with their dirty hands. The layout looked slightly different, but the hidden compartments remained the same.

“Open it!” I yelled, throwing him toward the door. Since he wouldn’t help us, I would just help myself. With a shaking hand, Enzo pulled out a chain from around his neck with a key attached. He looked up at me with evil intent, but with one eye swollen and turning color, it was hard to take him seriously. His face was his weakness, but he didn’t know that he knew that.

“Alright, Alright just don’t hit me anymore Mad. I promise I won’t play any games right,” he said as he fumbled with the key as he attempted to unlock it. He was pretending to be scared. This much I knew from the fake tremor of his hand that held the key. I bet by my madness he was planning to escape from me, even if that meant leaving Zuri behind, who was currently still wailing from Happy’s attack.

“Your promise is worthless, Tweedle. I am beyond mad now.” I said in a huff. The cape gave me extra strength, but only for a limited amount of time. I had to use it wisely or dire consequences would ensue, and I had to be clear of this place first, or I’d become their prey once again. It seemed the Tweedle twins were weak without using their magic and drug tricks.

The scent of blood assaulted my nose again. This time it came from Zuri Tweedle. It was symbolic of how Enzo’s blood had a foul sour smell yet hers carried a hint of sickening sweetness. It depicted the true image of who they truly were inside.

They were dwarfs by nature, but on the dark side of things. Most of their tactics were for show, as their fighting skills were just dodge and block, but I would never let my guard down around them, no matter if I had the upper hand or not. They were sadistic in all things and suffering this loss would entice them to get revenge on me in the future. They had lost face tonight and I had put a target on my back, one of many I could name offhand on the Mad Bandit’s enemy list.

My instincts felt that what we were looking for was here inside the Tweedle Club and once I found it, Haku, Happy and I would be out of here. Time was ticking how long I had left with my enhanced defenses. Haku should be back soon after leading the innocent bystanders to safety from inside Tweedle’s private lounge.

“Let go! You scraggly fur ball!” Zuri yelled, followed by the sound of a shrieking cat landing on something behind me with the sound of several bottles hitting the floor with a crash. Happy’s angry cat shriek followed by extreme hissing reached my ears. I froze for a moment in worry at the sound. Was he injured? He was just a unique-looking cat after all, but all in all, still at a disadvantage when it came to the Tweedles. Zuri’s heels tapped along the floor in a hurry as she attempted to make her escape from the lounge.

“Not so fast there old hag, want to escape, heh, not on my watch,” Haku said from the doorway as he caught the struggling Zuri in his arms. She hemmed Hawwed, shouted, and kicked but couldn’t break free as I looked at Haku for a moment, and he nodded his head in confirmation that the innocents were safe and sound.

At that moment, our shared contact, it was all took for the ever-slimey Enzo to make a move. Not only had he opened the hidden door, but he also triggered the alarm for the Tweedle Club guards. Flashing lights and the blaring alarm sound brought chaos to the fellow clubbers still dancing the night away within the club below.

Hidden behind what seemed to be a mere graffiti-covered wall behind the bar, the door itself seemed to materialize seamlessly from the textured surface, sliding open with a soft, almost ethereal hum. Its surface bore vibrant colors of the surrounding graffiti, blending effortlessly into the wall's urban artistry.

Beyond the door lies a corridor illuminated by the soft glow of ancient oil lanterns, casting flickering shadows that dance upon the walls. Enzo darted off as fast as his legs could carry him.

“Screw you Mad! Just you wait” he murmured, yelling down the corridor, not looking back.

“Go get him Mad, I got this from here, don’t worry !” Haku yelled as he shoved Zuri Tweedle toward the oncoming footsteps that were approaching the lounge. From the sound of things, there appeared to be about seven guards on the attack, but knowing Haku as the Dark Rabbit, this was nothing compared to our adventures before.

With no further ado, I took off on the chase after Enzo. A warm, golden glow that danced across the chamber's walls guided my way. The air crackled with latent magic, tangible in the swirling mist that enveloped the space.

Floating above me, I spotted an array of glass vials drifting lazily, each containing mysterious substances that glimmer and shift in the lantern light. Some looked to be filled with iridescent liquids that swirled and danced, while others held powders that shimmered like stardust. Their labels are inscribed with cryptic symbols, hinting at their enigmatic contents. As curious as I was, I couldn’t stop. Enzo must be caught to get the information I needed.

Beneath my feet, while running, the floor became a patchwork of puzzle pieces, each tile sliding and shifting with every step. I couldn’t help cursing the Tweedles in my head. Nothing in this hidden room was simple, it was as if the very ground beneath me was alive, rearranging itself in a complex dance, leading me into a labyrinthine chase that would never end if I wasn’t careful.

My bandit’s cape cloak lit up around my form, giving a clear idea of where Enzo was headed. With each stride, the puzzle pieces rearrange, guiding the chase down the correct path straight into a hidden alcove. This pursuit became a whirlwind of motion, the air around me becoming more alive now filled with adrenaline and anticipation.

The hidden alcove leads to a spiral staircase with its wrought-iron railing gleaming with an ethereal glow. A familiar feeling came over me as I descended the stairs. The staircase itself seemed to possess a life of its own, its steps descending with a fluid grace that belied its stationary form. The energy it exuded felt like that person, but he had been long gone for some time now. Shaking my head from my wayward thought, I kept on the chase to catch Enzo.

With each stride, the stairs guided my chase downwards, towards the hidden depths of the Dream Forest. I found myself outside the club, with a secret pathway inside Dream Forest awaited, its ancient trees whispering secrets as the spiral staircase delivered the chase into its embrace. There was no sign of Enzo, but that didn’t mean he hadn't left behind any tracks.