Chapter 9

Maggie turned on her bed, and looked at the sleeping face of Quentin.

It surprised her that she had done this. She had meant only to talk to him, and so did he. But the shock of learning about Elsa had somehow pushed them into each other's arms.

Would she regret it later? Perhaps...

And yet, she did find him attractive...

Of course, given the kind of tomcat that he was, she'd better not put much hopes in him. He was good for a one-night-stand, no more.


Burke had entered the labyrinth, and Edmund was trying to hold him off. He could not, of course. He might have Nicholas' power, but was still untrained. But he had to last long enough for Elsa to reach Amy...

Frances could not help thinking that if Elsa died, they would be safe...

She was ashamed to think like that... It was almost how Roxanne thought..

Barnabas was torn. He had to deliver Elsa to Amy, as he had promised Edmund... but if he fought with Burke, he might delay him long enough...


Edmund was tired. He knew that he could not hold forever against the onslaught that Burke sent to him. He just did not have the power nor the skill.

But he could delay Burke...

He did not have time to worry if Burke would kill him after he got through, or would be in too much of a hurry to claim Elsa to waste time finishing him off.


Amy trembled. Burke had entered the labyrinth ad Edmund would not hold forever. And the first shot was about to be fired in the egg, and once it was, it would be all over... And while Vassily would lose in the end, he would remain in power long enough to help Burke.

If only the head died... but it clung to life. Its eyes were covered by a milky film, its lips were pulled back, showing the teeth in a grimace. It did not move.

But if you looked closely, some of the muscles still twitched.

Not enough time... not enough time.

The Tower of Destruction loomed large among her cards. The Wheel had turned, and turned against them... there seemed no way out.

Unless she Made Time.

She had not tried it before. And she would rather be cautious about such tings.

But it was not the time to be cautious. I she failed in this she would not get another chance. Neither would she have a chance if Burke was not stopped. She could not fight on two fronts at once, so one front would be Stopped in Time.

She laid down the Tower and the Wheel together, to represent what was happening on the egg. Then she took the Hanged Man to represent the Suspension of Time and laid it on top of them. She then slashed her arm and let the blood flow over it, binding the cards to the will.

"As the Hanged Man is held waiting for release or punishment, then let the Destruction and the Turn of the Wheel be held waiting for either fulfillment or defeat."

She put all her will into it. All the power that she could gather in herself she sent to the Hanged Man card.

A convulsion took hold of her. And then a draining of her strength. She collapsed and lost consciousness for a few moments.

She came to with Barnabas standing over her, And Elsa, with Frances behind her.

"Did I do it?" she asked.

"Did what?" Barnabas asked.

"Stop time." she got up and touched her cards. "Yes. I did.. They are Frozen in time. Northing will happen to them until we are done with Burke.

"They?" Barnabas asked, alarmed.

"George and the others in the egg. Don't worry. I have taken care of it. As I said, nothing will happen to them now. But if you want to make sure...

She put her hand over Barnabas' eyes, letting him share in her vision.

And Barnabas did see them. George, Derek, and Patterson, with guns, facing Howard and the children he led. He saw Roxanne, caught in the crossfire. He saw Nicholas, wondering which side he should choose. He saw Kira, dancing over their heads and filling them with madness. He saw Vassily, ready to reclaim what was his.

And he saw that they were not moving, that no shot would be fired till after Burke had been faced and dealt with.

"Edmund will not withstand much longer." she then said to him. "You must go to him and aid him.. You too." she said to Frances. "You must buy time for me and Elsa."


Edmund would not let go. He was beaten. He could not keep Burke from forcing his way in. If he kept struggling like this, Burke might well decide to kill him, while if he let go, Burke might spare him...

But he had promised Amy that he would hold on.

Grinding his teeth, he gathered all the strength that he had stolen from Nicholas. And some strength that he did not know he had...

It was his last task. The only thing he had to do.

Blood ran from his mouth, from biting his lips in the effort, but he did not notice it. Cold sweat bathed him, and he shivered, but he did not relent.

He would fight Burke. He would keep him away. He had promised Amy and Dr. Blair... He was Quentin Collins's son. He could not do otherwise.


Amy laid down the Ace of Wands. A card of strength. Not the strength of destruction, but that of growth. She no longer had to worry about Vassily and Kira. Nicholas' will had been weakened by drink and self-doubt. Only Burke remained. And to face him, he would need all of them. Edmund, Barnabas, Roxanne, and Frances. Between the four of them they would form the fist that would beat him back. Yes. four fingers of her hand, and the thumb, Elsa, hidden from view. Let the four be the hand that held the wand that would bar Burke's way.


Edmund had fallen to his knees. But he was still alive, and he still had strength left.

"Why don't you give up and save yourself?' Burke asked him. "Do you think that whoever sent you to do this is worth it? You are only a child. You know that you have lost. Why throw your life away?

Edmund wanted to answer him that he had not lost, and that it was worth it to stop the man who had imprisoned Dr. Blair in his glass cage. But he could not find the breath for it.

"Yes Burke, it is worth it.:" he heard someone say. He then saw Barnabas, Frances, and Roxanne. "And the four of us will stop you."

'You?" Burke laughed. "You think that you can stop me?"

"Yes, Burke, we will."