That twenty seconds was enough. Elle had entered the orb room and shut the door behind herself. You turned the handle but the door was locked. "Elle! What are you doing? Let me in! Don't do anything stupid"
"I'm going to help Eric. Don't try and stop me" You heard Elle through the door
"Let me in! Don't be stupid" you rattled the handle and kicked at the door. It wouldn't budge. There was now total silence from the other side.
You kept calling for Elle but got no answer. "Damn it Elle! Let me in!"
After what felt like hours later but was probably only a couple of minutes you heard the door opened. Your beautiful girlfriend was there with a big smile on her face.
"Elle?" you questioned her. Was this Elle or Mr Van der Walt?
"I'm Elle" she answered then wrapped her arms around you and gave you a big squeeze. She certainly sounded like Elle and felt like Elle.
"What happened?"
"I found out what he wanted me to do. I have to take him to bank. He has given me the codes to access some safe deposit boxes. He has promised me the contents. In one of the boxes should be plans for the crystal he was put into. He thinks with those plans we should be able to put his mind into a comatose body"
You looked over to the table where the orb had been. It was no longer there. "What happened to the orb?"
"It's here in my bag. I've wrapped him up so he doesn't shatter if I drop him. Come on, let's get out of here. I've had enough of this place. Take me home"