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“Swindleton?“ Zoe looked in surprise as her colleague emerged from a sleek car. “What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Gravesend’s orders. Trust me, I wouldn’t be wasting my time in this dusty wasteland otherwise.” Swindleton scratched his head in confusion as he peered at the barren landscape. “Huh, this place feels oddly familiar. Have I been here before?”
Zoe gulped, and glanced at the frozen waters of the River Lethe, knowing it must have wiped Swindleton’s memory. But as Gus and the workmen clambered from their trucks, she shook her head, knowing she had to stop them.
“There’s been a mistake...”
”A mistake?“ Swindleton’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “What kind of mistake?”
“You were right all along, Swindleton.” Zoe tried to calm her racing heart as she spoke. “The readings were nothing more than a fluke. There’s no power here.”
Silence descended across the clearing. Swindleton’s eyes widened in disbelief, before he looked at Zoe in bewilderment.
“Are you really telling me we came all this way for nothing?” He broke into a sneering smile of delight. “Mr. Gravesend will have your head for this!”
As Swindleton’s laughter echoed through the Underworld, a wave of relief washed through Zoe.
“You’re right.” She glanced at Swindleton and the workmen, and smiled hopefully. “Perhaps it’s best you turn around, and forget all about this place.”
As the workmen grumbled amongst themselves, Swindleton returned his gaze to Zoe. A long silence fell between them, punctured only by the pounding of Zoe’s heartbeat, as he studied her like a predator to its prey. Her chest tightened as he glanced towards the motel, until his eyes narrowed.
“Is that so...” Swindleton spluttered as a gust of wind coated his pristine white shirt with desert dust, before he nodded to the workmen. “Very well. The sooner I can be out of this dump, the better. Besides, I want to see the look on Mr. Gravesend’s face when he hears of this. I expect it will be quite the show!”
With a final sneer, Swindleton gestured for the workmen to return to their trucks. Relief flooded through Zoe as the engines roared to life once more. A flicker of hope filled her heart, as she realized that, against all odds, her plan had worked. She’d saved the Underworld. And once Chthonic Power Solutions returned to the mortal world, she’d ensure they could never find their way back again.
A shrill trumpeting sound blasted through the air, followed by the joyful tunes of a mariachi band. Zoe drew a startled breath, and looked in horror as Spooks and the specters appeared before her in a puff of smoke.
“Hiya, fleshie!”
“Spooks?” Zoe lowered her voice to a furious whisper as the playful poltergeist approached. “I thought I told you to wait inside?”
“I know, I know, those are your rules. The trouble is, I’ve never been one to follow them!” Spooks cackled, before he studied the newcomers curiously. “Huh, these guys look positively fleshie. And what’s with the weird machines? Ooh, I wonder what happens if I press this button?”
Gus and the workmen yelped in surprise as a drill burst to life. They scrambled to fix it, oblivious to the meddling poltergeist nearby, while Misty peered at the crowd uncertainly.
“Who are these people, sugar? They’re not quite what I was expecting…”
Zoe lowered her voice, until she spoke in a hurried whisper to the specters.
“You have to leave. All of you.” She glanced at the workmen as they struggled to control Spooks’ tinkering to their machines. “These people aren’t who you think they are.”
“You can say that again! The first visitors we’ve had in years, and they’re fleshies!” Spooks blew a raspberry at the newcomers, before a playful gleam filled his eyes. “Well, how about we make ourselves more presentable for our guests? The Ecto-3000 might not be fully operational, but I’ve found another way to ensure no one can ignore us!”
Zoe gasped as the poltergeist summoned a giant vat of custard. “Spooks, no–”
An explosion of custard burst across the clearing, coating the specters from head to toe in its slime. A gasp rippled through the workmen as the group of ghosts appeared before them, while Swindleton yelped at the strange sight.
“What the…” Swindleton’s eyes widened at the sight of the custard-covered specters. “You just appeared from nowhere! And why are you all covered in goo?”
“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about, fleshie. I mean... fellow human.“ Spooks shot Zoe a wink, before he chuckled with delight. “Welcome to the Underworld!”
“The Underworld?“ Swindleton scratched his head in confusion. “I thought this place was deserted?”
“I’ll admit the visitors have been rather sparse for the last few decades, but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost our touch!” Misty approached the workmen, offering them a tray of muffins. “You boys must be hungry after such a long trip?”
As the workmen eagerly eyed the freshly-baked cakes, Swindleton looked at the group in suspicion. “Huh, we rarely get such a warm welcome…”
“But, of course we would welcome you! We don’t often get so many handsome visitors to our town.” Misty fanned herself as the workmen puffed out their chests in a show of bravado. “Now let’s get you settled in, and show you to your rooms.”
