3:53 P.M.

3:53 P.M.

 

“Habara-san, here!” Shiro called.

I ran over to him. He thumped the wall again, and there was a hollow sound.

“Is that…?”

“I think it’s an elevator shaft.”

“Interesting. So there should be a security panel nearby. Narrows down our search radius, at any rate.”

We redoubled our efforts and found the way in soon enough.

We kicked the panel till it gave way.

Peering inside, we found a vertical shaft. What a stroke of luck! If Michimoto Sakiko hadn’t locked us in here, we’d have never found this.

“Bingo!” I said, snapping my fingers.

“Yes!” Shiro said, pumping his fist.

We slipped through the panel and onto the security ladder inside.

Looked to be about 100 meters up. A long climb.

“Didn’t expect to be playing Crazy Climber here,” I muttered.

But that was a sign I’d relaxed a little.

“Just you wait, King of Distortion—Teratsuki Kyoichiro! I’m gonna find you, and knock your damn socks off!”

“Let’s hurry!”

We began clambering up the darkened shaft.