I'm back!
14 reviews for my last chapter? I think I might be dreaming. *pinches self*
okay apparently I'm not... Thank you all so much!
A huge thanks to everyone who has followed/ added this story to their favorites... I'm so thrilled you all like my story! :)
So here's chapter 2... And I fear it may be a bit rushed. Anyway... Enjoy!
CHAPTER 2
NINE
I'M ON MY FEET BEFORE THE MOGS CAN REACH FOR THEIR BLASTERS. I REACH INTO MY POCKET AND PULL OUT MY PIPE STAFF, FLICKING MY WRIST TO EXPAND IT TO IT'S FULL LENGTH.
I really don't feel comfortable fighting without it, and I remember to thank Kiara again for fixing it.
How does one say thank you to a girl? Apart from saying it directly of course.
Do you get them flowers or something?
Wow, of all things to be thinking of in the middle of a battle.
I push the thoughts aside as I quickly reduce the soldiers to piles of ash and turn around.
Most of the Garde with exception of Ella, are on their feet and ready for battle, while everyone else just looks shocked.
I hear a metallic click and see Kiara pull out her sword staff and motion for us to go outside.
I nod and she gives Johnny boy a quick glance before turning back to me, her look enough to communicate what is necessary.
We're gonna check if there are any more of them out there, while John and the rest of the Garde will prepare to leave.
Even if they sent only three soldiers, which seems highly unlikely, we can't stay here much longer. We're still too close to Ashwood for my liking.
We step outside to find the motel completely surrounded by Mogs, and duck back into the room to avoid a round of blaster fire.
How the hell did they know we were here?
"We're surrounded", Kiara informs the others and I nod.
"You guys had better get your asses up and moving before we're sitting ducks. They're closing in", I add and Johnny turns to Eight.
"Teleport to the other rooms with Six and grab our stuff, get them to the clearing before you come back for the others, if we're not already out by then", he tells him and Eight reaches for Six's hand as they turn invisible and teleport away.
"What about Ethan and Zakos?", Mog boy asks and John closes his eyes for a second.
"BK and the Chimaera will get them out", he says and I take my chance to speak.
"There's a rear exit through the stairwell on the left of this floor. Johnny, you and Marina take the others and get out of here", I say and he frowns.
"And what will you be doing then?", he asks and I smirk, knowing fully well what I'm about to say is going to piss him off, but Kiara answers first.
"We'll distract them, lead them to the front while you get out and then I'll teleport us back", she says and I sigh.
"Saying we were going to bash some Mogs heads in and whoop their asses to next saturday would have sounded way better", I tell her and she sighs, shaking her head at me but I can see a small smile forming on her lips.
"Oh come on", she says and together, we run out into the chaos.
XXoOoXx
ADAM
Once Nine and Kiara run out, I turn to John.
"So we head for the stairwell then?", I ask and he nods.
"Stay low, and keep your eyes out for Mogs. Marina, if you could lay down some cover please?", he asks and she nods, focussing her legacy to create a wall of ice that slowly creeps along the banisters to block the Mogs fire.
"It won't hold long!", she warns through gritted teeth and that gets us moving as the ice begins to crack under the heavy blaster fire.
We throw ourselves out into the corridor and start to run towards our exit when suddenly our path is blocked by a whole squadron of soldiers.
"Look out!", John shouts before they begin firing, and we all duck to avoid the blasts as a metallic shield forms around John and blocks most of the fire.
There's no end to the storm of fire blaring around us, and the Garde are too busy deflecting shots with their telekinesis to fight off the soldiers.
That leaves us
"Cool shield", I shout, getting to my feet as John gives me a strained grin before motioning for me to sit down.
I ignore him as I focus on the ground beneath the soldiers, and then all at once, I hear a faint rumbling and they're thrown off their feet and to the ground.
One's legacy never fails to amaze me.
John's shield retracts immediately to a bracelet around his wrist. Well that's handy.
The Garde quickly grab the fallen Mog blasters and reduce the Mogs to ash before they can get back up to their feet.
"Thanks", John says as he hands me two blasters and I nod before turning around to hand one to Rex.
He takes it gratefully and expertly tests it before nodding and we move forward.
Rex's appearance came as a surprise to all of us. He hasn't said much since we've left DC, saying only enough to promise to explain everything at the first available opportunity.
But still, I feel something's off.
He had said we'd never meet as allies again, but apparently things have changed.
Or have they?
By now we've managed to make our way out of the back exit and are nearing the clearing where we had Five's funeral.
I see Six and Eight standing guard over our stuff, Six's chest and our captives, the chimaera at their heels and when they nod, confirming there are no Mogs around, I turn to Rex.
"Did you call them?", I ask him and his eyes widen as he shakes his head.
"Of course not! Adam have some faith-", he starts to say but I cut him off, using his momentary confusion to disarm him.
"Don't lie! You said we'd never speak as allies again Rex. What's changed?", I ask and Rex flinches, about to answer when he's suddenly lifted into the air.
I turn around to see Nine and Kiara, both covered in ash, and am about to tell them my suspicions when I find myself lifted off the ground to float next to Rex.
"Which one of you did it? I knew we couldn't trust you! Mogadorian allies my ass!", Nine snarls as the hold around us tightens and I realise he's reached the same conclusion I have.
I'm about to tell him to put me down, and that it wasn't me when I'm thrown back against a nearby tree.
"Nine!", I hear someone protest, probably Kiara as black spots dance across my vision.
"I ASKED YOU WHICH ONE OF YOU F****** DID THIS?", Nine shouts again and suddenly the hold around me falters.
I can vaguely make out Kiara shoving Nine roughly before grabbing his shoulder.
"NINE! LANGUAGE!", she shouts before turning briefly to the two of us, and seeing that we're OK, turns back to Nine.
"It's not them! It's him!", she shouts at Nine and he turns to her, confusion etched all over his face as she marches past him to where Ethan and Zakos are tied up.
She rips off the tape covering Ethan's mouth and glares at him murderously.
"Where's the tracker?", she demands and Ethan gulps, scared but refusing to answer, but Kiara isn't the least bit fazed.
She turns to Ella, who stands behind Nine and raises her eyebrows.
"His right shoe", she says and Kiara rips it off his feet with her telekinesis and literally rips it apart to reveal a small electronic tracker hidden in the heel.
She shoves the shoe against Nine's chest and he stands there, looking stunned.
"How did you know?", Eight asks and Kiara motions to Ella.
"We have a telepath, and I trust Adam", she says and turns to me as the rest of the Garde slowly process what she's saying.
"You OK?", she asks and I nod, getting to my feet and turning to Rex, who looks uneasy.
"Sorry man", I tell him and he nods as he brushes himself off.
"It's OK. I haven't explained myself, and it's natural for you all to be distrustful", he says and I nod as I turn back to the Garde.
I see Eight, Six and Marina glaring venomously at Ethan while Nine walks toward him, his eyes alight with anger.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now you son of a b****", he growls and Sam steps forward, blaster raised.
"You have ten seconds Ethan", he says and Nine nods approvingly at Sam before turning back as John steps forward, and Ethan starts to speak.
"I have information", he says simply and Kiara smirks.
"Weren't you listening?", she says and gestures to Ella again, "We have a telepath".
At this, Ella closes her eyes and Ethan suddenly looks afraid.
She opens them a second later and looks stunned for a minute before saying softly, "He's talking about something in Five's chest, or rather bag".
Kiara nods at Ella before reaching for Five's duffel bag and opening it.
"A folder", Ella says and Kiara pulls out a thin, cream colored one and holds it up.
"What's so great about this?", she asks and Sam cocks his gun and adjusts his finger on the trigger.
"It was Number Five's assignment", Ella says and suddenly comprehension dawns on her face.
"Oh... oh no", she says and Kiara turns to her.
"What is it?", she asks as Ethan smirks and Ella's face falls.
"It was his test, to prove his loyalty to the Mogadorians. He said he failed, he said he couldn't do it... but he never told me what it was", she says and Ethan smiles.
"We believe that such deals are usually made over blood", Ethan says and I feel a rush of alarm.
He had to kill someone to prove himself. And by the looks of things, it was one of the Garde.
Kiara hesitates before slowly opening the folder to reveal a single picture.
It's outdated, probably taken a few years ago and obviously without the subject knowing, but anyone can easily tell who it is.
Brown hair. Thoughtful Eyes. A small, kind smile.
It's Marina.
I expect someone to say something, to cry out, but nothing happens.
No one has time to react as we hear a loud roar in the distance, and we know we have to get out of here.
XXoOoXx
MARINA
I can't move as the others grab their bags and start to run into the woods. I'm stunned, and a little scared.
Five was supposed to kill me.
He was supposed to, but he didn't. He couldn't.
The Mogadorians want me dead. Specifically me.
Why me?
I'm staring off into space when I feel someone grab my hand and the world falls away below me.
Once the spinning stops I look around to find myself in the middle of the woods, staring into Eight's emerald eyes.
"Marina!", he calls desperately as he shakes me back to reality and I grip his arm to steady myself.
He looks like he's about to say something more when we hear a second roar and we turn to find the other Garde running deeper into the woods.
Eight grabs my hand and we run after them, not stopping until we reach the parking lot where we left our van yesterday.
Nine shouts something as he, Six, Adam hot wire nearby cars and jump in, revving the engines.
"Get in!", Six shouts and Eight drags me into the car, shutting the door behind me as Ella climbs in from the other side.
Six pulls away as soon as we're all seated and Nine and Adam follow, driving at full speed down the highway.
I swallow down my questions and my unease as Eight wraps an arm around me.
"Hey, it doesn't mean anything", he tells me and I nod.
The Mogs want us all dead. It's not like this should come as much of a shock. But still...
"Yeah I know", I tell him, pushing it to the back of my mind.
It's probably nothing. I'm not going to worry myself to death, and what's more, if it is a threat, I can protect myself now.
My legacy, I finally have some way to show my strength.
I smile up at Eight and he relaxes as he kisses me lightly on the forehead, smiling back before turning back to the road.
"Where are we headed?", he asks Six and she looks into the rearview mirror before answering.
"I don't know. Ella, can you get in touch with the others?", She asks and Ella nods from her seat by the window.
I smile as she closes her eyes and scrunches up her nose in concentration, and imagine her conversation with the others.
I'm so glad she's OK. I was so worried that the Mogs had hurt her, and that they'd brainwashed her I could barely hold back my emotions when she ran to us on the battlefield.
But she's grown a lot in the few weeks she was away. She's more mature, I can see it in her eyes and in the way she speaks, and it fills me with both pride and sadness... a strange combination.
"Nine says to keep driving, he says he wants to get at least a few hours away before we stop. And John agrees... they said no stops for anything but gas", she recites and Six checks her controls.
"We won't need to stop", she says and floors the accelerator.
I'm reminded of my crazy cab ride back in India as Six recklessly swerves between lanes and think to myself that it's about time that someone more sensible learns to drive.
Between Six and Nine, it's a wonder we haven't died in a car crash already.
"Six slow down!", I call and she grimaces as she replies.
"Sorry Mar, but the faster we go the faster we reach our next stop", she says and I sigh, leaning into Eight and closing my eyes.
We stop after five hours of driving and pull over in an empty parking lot, somewhere in West Virginia.
Everyone gets out, unsteady on their feet and after dragging Zakos and Ethan out of the car, we set off towards a nearby hotel.
It's small, shady looking, but it suits our need to remain inconspicuous so we rent rooms and head up.
After throwing our bags into our respective room we head to John's, everyone reaching an unspoken agreement that we need to talk.
About me, I'm sure.
I walk in feeling extremely self conscious and Eight slings an arm around my waist and pulls me to him.
"Relax, everything's going to be OK", he tells me and I nod, my unease returning as everyone turns to John.
He opens his mouth to speak, glancing briefly at me and I suddenly decide I'm not up to discussing this.
"So Five was supposed to kill me. The Mogs want me dead, which isn't any different from what they want for all of us, if I'm not wrong. I don't see why we need to discuss it. It's over, Five's gone, and we're together again", I say and John stops short.
Everyone's eyes flash to me and I register their expressions of surprise at my statement, before Nine speaks.
"Well someone's got it right!", he says looking amused and claps me on the back so hard it knocks the wind out of me.
"Nine!", Eight warns and I hold up a hand to say I'm fine as Nine looks a little sheepish as he smirks.
And then we're all laughing, as if we weren't just discussing a potential death threat, as if we're just a group of regular teenagers.
And it's wonderful.
"So... what now?". Sarah asks and John turns to Kiara expectantly.
"Well you were about to tell us something before we were interrupted...", he says and her grin fades away as she nods.
"Do you guys know about the Phoenix stones?", she asks and most of us nod, with an exception of Rex, Adam and Ella.
Kiara smiles grimly as she explains how the elders used the legendary Phoenix stones to revive Lorien, and how since we're supposed to do the same, we should have them too.
"I initially thought it would be something from our chests", she says looking serious, "but our chest contents disintegrate when we die, so why would they put it there?", she asks and I nod.
I can't believe we never thought about that.
"But what about the antler, and the soil?", Eight asks and she smiles.
"I think those are more like souvenirs, something to help us remember what we're fighting for", she answers. "No, those aren't the Phoenix stones... but I think I might know where and what the real ones are".
We look at her expectantly, and when she doesn't reply immediately, Nine prompts her.
"Aaaand...?", he asks and she turns to him, a small smile playing on her lips.
And in response, she reaches to her neck and taking hold of a black cord that encircles it pulls an object into view.
Her Loric Pendant.
Another cliffie?
Tom, I hope you're happy I've finally explained a part of my theory... ;P
I know you all probably have a lot of questions... please don't hesitate to ask and I promise they will all be answered... in due time :P
So... Review please... And check out my one shot story... Reflections... :)
So until next time...
thesecondgarde