Part 15 (1/2)

Jareth squeezes Jayden's hands. ”A name, Jayden, I need a name. Or a neighborhood, at least. Where is this temple Corbin is looking at? What's its name?”

My friend moans loudly, shaking his head from side to side. ”It's there,” he says, ”but it's hidden. He doesn't want me to see. He doesn't want anyone to see his plan.” He cries out in horror. ”What is he going to do? No! I can't look anymore. His mind is too black!”

”Jayden, come on!” I plead. ”Please! My sister's life is at stake here!”

”He can't hear you, Sunny,” Magnus whispers. Jayden rocks back and forth, his forehead etched with distress, his eyes squeezed shut. ”The temple...” he tries. ”The temple... the temple is called...” We all three lean forward in antic.i.p.ation.

”Senso-ji,” he murmurs in scarcely a whisper. Then he falls back onto the mat in a deep faint.

24.

Fortunately for us, the Senso-ji temple is right in the ryokan's neighborhood of Asakusa and we're able to get there in about ten minutes on foot, das.h.i.+ng through neon-lit streets, past karaoke bars and loud, clanging pac.h.i.n.ko parlors until we reach the compound. We enter through a ma.s.sive red ”thunder gate” flanked by statues and adorned with a gigantic red paper lantern, as Jayden had described, and enter a different era of j.a.pan. The neon lights fade away, replaced by a narrow gauntlet of tiny shops that probably haven't changed much since ancient pilgrims used to traverse them, on their way to pray to Buddha for their hearts' desires. (Though their wares, back in the old days, may not have included so many h.e.l.lo Kittys or cell phone cases.) Of course, at three in the morning, everything's closed and even the most dedicated of tourists have long since gone to bed.

At last we reach an equally impressive two-story inner gate, which, according to the signs, is known as the Hozo-mon. More lanterns hang from its rafters as well as an inexplicable pair of giant-sized sandals. To the right is a five-story paG.o.da, rising high into the sky.

I give a low whistle. ”This place is incredible,” I murmur to Jareth and Magnus. ”I can't believe the Alphas picked this as their HQ.”

”It's because it's holy ground,” Magnus explains and I suddenly realize he's sweating profusely. ”Contrary to popular belief, it's not just the Christian religion-crosses and Holy Water-that affect us. In fact, any religious icons or land deemed sacred by mortals can weaken a vampire.”

I look at him, concerned. ”Is that going to be a problem?”

”It is if you were counting on us using vampire powers to rescue your sister,” Jareth interjects, also looking as if he's suddenly come down with the flu. ”We're about at mortal strength now. The farther we go into the temple, the weaker we'll be.”

”Well, I guess it's good you brought along a fairy,” I reply smugly. But inside, I'm worried. How are we ever going to get Rayne out if my two superheroes are as weak as little lambs?

We had to leave Jayden behind at the ryokan, of course, seeing what a liability he'd be if Corbin decided to go and rescan his brain. But we untied him first and Jareth even hooked him up with some fake memories through hypnosis, once he woke up from his faint. If Corbin does decide to go spying, he's going to be pretty bored watching Jayden playing pac.h.i.n.ko down at the local arcade.

”How do we get in?” Jareth wonders aloud, studying the second gate with a critical eye. ”This place is huge.”

I nod, taking it all in. The Alphas could be holed up in any one of the structures. Or all of them, for that matter. How do we find out where they're keeping my sister?

Suddenly, as if in answer, I catch a flash of red out of the corner of my eye. I whirl around. ”Look!” I cry, pointing to a red-cloaked individual sprinting across the yard. ”Either Little Red Riding Hood's come to j.a.pan on vacation or that's an Alpha we can follow.”

The vampires nod and we creep down the street, keeping the red cloak in our sights. The figure ducks behind a prayer tree and around the gate until he stops in front of a large blank wall. He knocks twice and to my surprise, the wall creaks open, revealing a pa.s.sageway into the darkness. Score! The man steps inside and the wall slides closed again.

”I knew there had to be some kind of secret entrance,” I exclaim excitedly. ”Come on, let's go!”

”You can't just waltz in there,” Magnus reminds me. ”Especially if you're a vampire.”

”He's right,” Jareth agrees. ”We'll stick out like a sore fang if we walk in there like this. And without our vampire powers, we're screwed.”

I open my mouth to speak, but snap it shut as I hear someone else approaching. The three of us dive behind a nearby fence and watch as two more red-cloaked individuals stroll toward the doorway. Jareth looks at Magnus and nods, and before I even realize what's going on, they step out and face the two men. They may not have vampire strength, but they do have the element of surprise and a thousand years of practice. Knocking the two men out cold before they can scream, they drag them back behind the fence and strip them of their cloaks.

”Nice trick,” I say, stepping out of my hiding place. ”But I can do one better.” I close my eyes and try to visualize the face of one of the Alphas. A moment later, I smile at Jareth and Magnus, a full-on Leanna imitator if there ever was one, right down to her Victorian skirt and leather corset. ”Now, boys,” I say with a grin, ”step right this way.” I walk boldly up to the secret door and knock as I saw the first guy do.

A moment later a pair of eyes peeks out of the peephole. I smile widely. ”It's me, Leanna,” I say in an impatient voice. ”Hurry up.”

The gate slides open and the guard ushers us inside. He bows low to me, then turns to the two vampires with a suspicious gaze. ”Who are you?” he demands. ”Do you have ID?”

”What?” I cry, b.u.t.ting in and stepping between him and the two vampires. ”Are you new or something? You don't recognize an Alpha when you see one?”

The guard blushes. ”Sorry, Miss Leanna,” he apologizes. ”I mean no disrespect.”

”I should hope not,” I scold. ”Or next time I shall be forced to speak to Roberta about your... memory problems.” I cross my fingers that the old headmistress from back at Riverdale is still leading this motley crew.

Evidently so, from the way the guard stammers and shakes. ”Please don't,” he begs. ”She'll take away my Alpha status. And I won't get to take the sacrament tonight with everyone else.”

The sacrament? Does that have something to do with the theft of the Holy Grail? ”Don't worry,” I a.s.sure him in my most benevolent voice. ”I'll say nothing. If, of course, you do me a favor and let me know where Corbin is. I have a message for him.”

The guard's face betrays his ultimate relief. If he weren't a bad guy, I'd feel sorry for him right about now. ”Of course,” he agrees eagerly, swiping the sweat from his brow. ”He's down in the bas.e.m.e.nt lab with Dr. Franken. They're preparing the sacrament.”

The sacrament again. What are the Alphas planning?

”Thank you,” I say. ”I'll go see him at once.” I beckon the boys to follow me and we all step into the elevator and I hit the only floor marked. The elevator begins its descent.

”Okay, we'll split up once we get down below,” Jareth instructs. ”Hunt for this so-called sacrament room. If you find Rayne, text us your location and we'll get her out of there.”

I nod as the elevator doors slide open into a long dark, narrow corridor. But just as we're about to step out, none other than Corbin himself, flanked by four other red-hooded initiates I don't recognize, turns the corner. My fingers fumble with the ”close door” b.u.t.ton, but it's no use. His eyes alight upon me and he holds out a hand, blocking the doors.

”There you are!” he cries. ”I've been looking everywhere for you. Come, we're almost ready to begin.”

He grabs me by the arm and tries to lead me away. Behind me I can hear Magnus and Jareth try to follow. But Corbin stops and turns to them. ”I just need Leanna,” he says. ”The rest of you need to head to the ceremony. We'll be ready to begin soon.”

The four other initiates nod and gesture for Jareth and Magnus to follow them. They have no choice- without their vampire strength, they'd be no match for four trained slayers-and reluctantly start walking down the hall in the other direction, glancing behind them as they go.

”Where are they going?” I ask Corbin as he hustles me down the hall.

”To the temple, of course,” he says, looking surprised. ”Everyone's gathered for the sacrament. I figured that's where you were leading them.”

”Oh, right, yeah. That's what I was doing.”

We make a few turns down a narrow, closed-in hallway with low ceilings, which gives me major claustrophobia all over again. And this time I don't have Jayden there to hold my hand. I try to keep my breathing normal, though my heart's beating a thousand miles a minute. Where is Corbin taking me? Does he really buy my disguise or am I walking into a trap?

Finally, we stop in front of an old wooden door, covered in kanji symbols. Corbin pushes it open and ushers me inside. It appears to be some kind of prayer room that's been turned into a makes.h.i.+ft laboratory, with test tubes bubbling over Bunsen burners and vials of red liquid stashed on almost every available surface. Evidently the Night School experiments are continuing here in j.a.pan.

But I disregard all the mess. Because in the center of the room is the piece de resistance. The Holy Grail itself, sitting inside a formative-looking gla.s.s case. And behind it, strapped to a hospital bed, is my sister.

My breath catches in my throat as my eyes search her body for signs of life. I let out a sigh of relief as I catch a slight rise and fall of her chest. She looks weak and unconscious. But she's alive. We're not too late.

Though, at the moment, I'm in no position to do any rescuing...

”Look how cute she is when she's asleep,” Corbin sneers, walking over to Rayne and poking her nastily. I dig my fingernails into my palm, forcing myself to stay in character. I can't fight Corbin by myself. I need to figure out another way.