The Scorpion Oracle whispers, 'come on, turn the page.'
The light filtering into the cells dims to an orange glow, and the scent of smoke and burning meat starts to carry through the air. The doors to every cell simultaneously grind open, and the guards - those not part of the walls of the dungeons - wait to lead the prisoners down the hall and up a set of stairs worn practically ramp-smooth
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A panic slides into Max's stomach as he realizes this could all be a dream--he could still be on the train or even in the warehouse. That's the only explanation. He failed to stay awake, he fell asleep and now he's going to be caught for real, not just in a dream.
There's a question, though. Perhaps some kind of experiment, if he's already been captured? From the things Walter said, it doesn't sound out of the question that maybe they'd try a drug on him. Maybe he can still get out of this.
"It's a very good read," he says quietly, glancing down at the book that was supposed to save his life. "The Fuhrer writes very well."
Not that Max remembers a word, just burning anger keeping him going. Can he remember the passages? He has to stay on his feet now, and deal with this man's questions--he just has to stay alert until he can get out of this or wake up or whatever.
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Castle could tell that the man wasn't entirely sold on what he was saying. Why pretend to be a Nazi though? Castle had more pressing matters to worry about at the moment than this guy's potential anti-Semitism.
"Listen.. I have no idea... where this is, or how we got here, but we need to get out of here, man. My friend got shot... she's dying-."
He had to stop himself. If he kept thinking about Beckett laying in a pool of blood, he was going to start freaking out and completely shut down.
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"A good review, sir." She offers and nods, dryly amused. The younger man and owner of said book gets a glance before she looks back at Castle. "Wish I could help, but we all want the answers to those questions. Except how we got here in particular. Several of us were kidnapped from the carnival. I don't recognize either of you two, though." She gives the both of them a curious glance.
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"Carnival? What are you talking about?"
Was that part of the sex party? There was no way possibly that he could have been anywhere other than at Montgomery's funeral, however.
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The Major raises an eyebrow and smirks sympathetically at the man's confusion. "Guess that means you're new, huh. Welcome to the strangest place you ever did see." If it was a party, she seemed somewhat bitter and suspicious of it in spite of the description.
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"I don't know where this is, but I need to leave. My friend is dying."
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"There are quite a few of us who found ourselves stranded here. A forest, an old village, a carnival.. like being lost in a Brothers' Grimm story or similar. No one has found a way out yet. And then there's this place. No one I've spoken to knows where it is and we arrived here taken prisoners, but I'd say it's all the same fairytale dream." The Major looks back at the woman who addressed them earlier and narrows her eyes, thinking. Then she looks back at Castle. "My friends call me the Major. I can't help you get home to your friend but I'd advise you to be careful handling the locals." She gestures to the woman before the throne and the other huddled figures with a nod.
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"This is some kind of prison? How did we all get here?"
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He paused.
"Wait, did I somehow transport myself to another dimension?"
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"You catch on fast. That, or you're dreaming. Hallucinating. Perhaps you are a figment of my imagination." She looks at his and shrugs. There are no straight answers to find in the twilight zone, sorry. "I'm called the Major."
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Usually that was followed by "Yes, THAT Richard Castle.", but it didn't seem like it mattered much in whatever place this was."
"And I know I'm real. Pretty sure you are too."
Castle reached out and gently touched her arm. She was definitely solid.
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"Haven't been on the receiving end of any real realistic simulations have you, Mr Castle?" It's less a question, more an assumed statement. "What your body perceives to feel is but a reaction registered by your brain. And the brain can be fooled, - and it's really far easier than most people think. You don't appear to be cyberized so I assume you haven't experienced any of that particular option of deception. Lucky you."
The Major shrugs, as if to say that's just the top of a long list of possible explanations to the hallucination theory. "Then again... different dimension -I suppose why not, yes?"
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But apparently the dream has other ideas. "Your friend is dying?" He scans the crowd, looking for any sign of a wounded woman. There are people here, and lots of them, but no sign of anyone who has been shot. But perhaps she's outside this space...
Max pauses. He's thinking about this dream like it's reality. "Do you have any suggestions?" he asks cautiously. He still doesn't know this isn't a trap. "I don't have any weapons or... dragons." He nods to indicate the other two. He does have a pair of scissors, but he's not going to share that. He needs to have a back-up plan of his own now, especially when Walter isn't here to help him. And he doesn't--can't trust this man.
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"I don't even see an exit..."
Castle had seen the dragons, which he was starting to believe more and more were actual, real dragons. Not only that, the hooded figures across the room were worrying him as well.
"Do those.... creatures look human to you?"
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Jon had been listening to the conversation between the strangely dressed men in silence. Though he understood their words, they did not look like anyone he'd seen in Westeros or the Wall.
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