Chaper 11

Chaper 11

Cain and DG walked close to the walls of the broken buildings of Emerald City. Cain walked ahead, scouting for a clearing. This was where things got difficult. No chances were taken unless necessary here.

"All clear." Cain said.

DG was kneeling on the floor, reloading her pistols. "Great."

"Out of curiosity, DG, just how much ammunition did you bring?" Cain asked.

DG looked up, "Enough. You should reload too." She tossed him the bag of ammunition.

Cain looked inside and let out a quiet whistle. "You weren't lying."

"Is that supposed to mean something?" DG asked.

Cain looked at DG, expecting another argument, but he saw she was smirking at him playfully. "Well with all the shots you took earlier, we'll need all the ammo we can get."

"Well then I'll just let them shoot you if you're going to insult my-" Cain pulled DG to her feet and kissed her. He felt her relax in his arms.

"Thanks for the save." Cain said.

"You're welcome. Next time make sure you keep your eyes peeled." DG replied.

"Done. Now lets find Aislynn." Cain said. He stepped out slowly into the street. DG followed him. She held her gun by her side in case she needed it, which she may.

"Any idea where Zero would take her?" DG asked.

"Probably in the prison, or dungeon, here. Somewhere he can keep a close eye on her." Cain explained.

"So where then?"

"City Hall?" Cain asked.

"Sounds good." DG replied.

They walked quietly. Cain would check ahead every time they reached a clearing. DG looked back continuously. Something told her they were being followed. and with Longcoats everywhere throughout the city, word would spread quickly.

"Cain, I think we're being followed." DG whispered.

"What gives you that idea?" he asked.

Something behind DG snapped. She spun around fast enough to see a black uniform move behind the fallen building. She grabbed Cain's arm, stopping him.

"They know we're here." DG said.

Cain cocked his gun. He squeezed DG's hand. He pulled her closer to him, hoping that he could protect her.

"Drop your weapons." a voice called out. It was unknown to DG or Cain.

"You're surrounded. Drop your weapons or we'll open fire." he ordered.

Cain dropped his gun . DG dropped her as well. Longcoats came onto the scene from everywhere. DG was largely understating they were known. Everyone must've known.

The leader, of the sector most likely, stepped into the open. "Well, well. The Queen and the Commander. Zero's expecting you both."

"I bet." DG replied.

The man smiled, "Lets not keep him waiting then."

"DG!" Cain yelled.

Before DG could respond, an agonizing blow to the back of her head. The city around her spun into a whirling blackness, encasing her.

--

A painful throb met DG as she awoke. Her hand touched her head, feeling a slight wetness. With her luck, the blow had broken the skin. DG opened her eyes to gain her bearings. Her eyes opened to a dismal sight. The ceiling was black, or a dark brown. DG sat up to see bars on all sides of her. She was lying on a metal bench with an old mattress. The room reminded her of the Other Side jail rooms.

"DG." DG turned to see Cain in the cell next to her. His face was dirt streaked with a large bruise over his right temple. He sat next to her on his bench. "Are you alright?"

DG nodded, "I think so." She looked at her hand. There was no blood, so that meant her hair was sweaty. Plus and negative, but that didn't matter right now. "What happened?"

"Pistol to the back of the skull. I'd say you were out for about three hours." Cain explained.

"And you?" DG wanted to be sure that bruise was the only thing Cain had gotten.

"Just a bruise." Cain answered.

"So what do we do now?" DG asked.

Cain shook his head, "I'm not sure. I spent the three hours trying to find some kind of exit, but…nothing."

"Do you think they others are well hidden?" DG asked.

"I haven't seen anyone else brought in. They know how to hide." Cain answered. "Right now we need to get out."

DG brought her legs onto the bench to better position herself. She held onto the bar in front of her. "Maybe I can help."

"Possibly. You've got magic, it might help." Cain said.

"Don't even try it." Zero stepped into the light.

DG saw Cain's knuckles turn white quickly. She slowly touched his hand, hoping to keep him calm. But she found it hard herself. This was the man who had taken her daughter several days ago.

"I never would've thought you'd fall into a trap so simple Cain." Zero said. He stepped closer to the cells, "But then, men often do desperate things to protect their family."

"Where's Aislynn?" DG asked.

"The little brat? Don't worry, I haven't harmed her. Not that it will last." Zero explained.

"So why are we here?" Cain asked.

"You, Cain, are going to be the first to witness the fall of the Gale House. Your wife, if going to bring it down." Zero answered.

"The hell I am." DG replied.

Zero smiled at her. "You'd be surprised." He walked out of the dungeon slowly.

DG leaned her head against the bars and sighed. "What now?"

"Same plan. Find a way out and find Aislynn." Cain answered.

DG nodded. She stood from the bench and walked to the door of her cell. She placed her hand on the lock. A strong shock sped through her hand. DG gasped and pulled back quickly.

"What happened?" Cain asked.

"The locks are electrified. I can't touch it." DG answered. She stepped back from the door and sat back down. Her head began throbbing again, only in a different spot.

"You alright?" Cain asked.

"Yeah, just my head." DG answered.

"But you were hit in the back. Not the left temple." Cain said.

Dg thought for a moment. The pain increased. For a moment she thought she felt a presence. Then it all came to her. "It's Aislynn."

"What do you mean?"

"Aislynn's trying to find me. Like the way Az and I can find each other, only Aislynn hasn't had the lessons for it." DG explained.

"Can you find her instead?" Cain asked.

"Maybe. I'll give it a try." DG moved from the bars and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the pain in her head and her daughters image. She felt herself move through the dungeon and up several flights of stairs. Behind black doors she came to a hall of mirrors. In the middle of the hall was a large green orb, marble in the floor. The marble orb raised, beneath it was the little princess.

DG's eyes opened. "I found her."

"Where?" Cain asked.

"She below the marble floor in the mirror. It's about five flights above us." DG explained.

Cain watched DG shift into an uneasy state. She ended on such an odd note, like she wasn't finished explaining. "What's wrong?"

"It's a trap." DG said.

"What do you mean?"

"This whole plan was a trap. Aislynn's abduction, the dreams, the city. All this was a plan to bring us here." DG said.

Cain reached through the bars and grabbed DG's arm, "The dream that woke you in Finaqua?"

"Not…entirely." DG replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cain asked.

"Before I woke up in the tent, I had another dream." DG answered.

"And you didn't tell anyone?"

"We weren't exactly in the best position." DG replied. She felt it pointless to argue now. They were already trapped, nothing was going to change that.

"Well we are now kid." Cain said. Dg winced at the tone Cain had used with kid. He was furious. She had known something was wrong and hadn't told him. How else was he supposed to act? He stood and paced throughout his cell. He needed to calm himself. What they really needed was to talk about it, but there was no way he could look at DG without yelling.

DG felt Cain restrain his anger. She turned her back to him and leaned against the bars, "I was standing in the middle of a room of mirrors. I could hear Aislynn call for me, and I went searching for her. I found myself above the maze on a terrace. Behind me were large black doors, and inside was something evil.

"The voice called out for me, but it was then I realized that wasn't Aislynn, but the witch. She lunged at me. I tried to protect myself, projecting a field, but it only helped her. When I grew too weak, the witch…she…grabbed my face. Like the last witch had done to Az."

"Is that where you got the scratch?" Cain asked.

DG felt her cheek. There was a scratch! Right where the witch's nails had dug into her skin. "Yes. But this is the first I've heard of the scratch, right where she held me."

Cain exhaled slowly. "So Zero kidnapped Aislynn, just to bring you here…for the witch?"

"That's the only possibility that makes sense." DG replied. She felt The bars rattle as Cain leaned against the cell bars. "Guess I had add this to the list of things I've screwed up."

"This isn't all your fault. I was the reason Aislynn was kidnapped. At the lake, the guard told me there were missing patrolmen. You were so angry at me, I didn't tell you to stay out of the gardens." Cain explained.

DG smirked sadly, "We're not much of a team anymore, are we?"

"Doesn't seem like it. We can't seem to go a day without an argument." Cain replied.

"I could try to lighten the mood with a lame excuse?" DG offered.

"Go for it."

"I can argue more easily when I get hormonal." DG explained.

Cain knew he shouldn't laugh, but DG was right…it was a lame excuse. But she was right. It was proven fact time after time.

DG smiled. Awkward situation as it was, it was nice to hear him laugh. It had been so long since she had heard him just let go. Then it hit her. Let go! Like she had in the field. If she could concentrate enough magic and then release it on the lock, they could escape.

"That's it!" DG exclaimed. She bolted from the bench and rushed towards the door.

"What?" Cain asked. He turned watching DG.

"I know how to get us out. It just might be dangerous." DG answered.

"What are you planning to do this time?" Cain asked,

"Remember the field? The exact same thing, only focusing on the locks." DG explained.

"Forget it kid. You passed out for hours. It also weakened you. We'll find some other way." Cain replied.

DG shook her head, "We don't have time."

"Deeg no!" Cain called.

DG ignored Cain's plead. She knelt in front of the door and closed her eyes. She began concentrating her magic in her hands. Her hands slowly rose to the lock. As her magic reached the breaking point, DG released it all. The sudden released that swept through her body, should have left her exhausted. But she felt fine, like the magic release was nothing.

DG opened her eyes. The door was ajar in front of her. She pushed it open the rest and stepped out of her cell. Cain was already out of his cell and racing to her.

"Are you alright?" Cain asked.

"Yeah. Fine." Dg looked herself over. There were no new cuts or injuries. Although, she noticed her shoes were glistening red. The ruby slippers were on her feet. "How long have I been wearing these shoes?"

Cain looked at DG's shoes. "I never knew you put them on."

"I didn't." DG replied. Something was going on.

A sudden echo stopped the thought. Cain dragged DG to the side, hiding in the darkness. Several Longcoat's passed through the hallway. The group stopped abruptly, looking into the empty cells.

Cain signaled to DG to be quiet. He stepped out of the darkness slowly. He grabbed the Longcoat's mouth and pulled him back. Cain snapped the mans neck and he crumpled to the floor.

"Alert Zero, the prisoners have escaped!"

A Longcoat's broke away from the group and raced to the stairs. Halfway up the man froze. DG stood on the stairs, her hand extended.

"I don't think so." she said.

Cain burst back out of the dark and swung, knocking the Longcoat backwards. The next Longcoat managed to punch Cain, sending stumbling into the wall.

DG kicked the Longcoat's in font of her down the stairs. She ran down past the fallen Longcoat and ran for the others. She flung and punch and knocked back a Longcoat, only stunning him briefly. The Longcoat struck back, landing a punch to DG's jaw. She stumbled back into the wall and ducked another punch.

The Longcoat withered with his injured hand. Dg kicked high, kicking him across the head.

"We don't have time for this!" DG called.

"Any ideas?" Cain asked. He ducked a Longcoats attempt and punched him in the stomach.

"Always!" DG pulled back and focused. The released her magic throughout the dungeon. All the Longcoats froze in their places.

"Nice work Deeg. Let's go." Cain ran up to her and grabbed her hand. They ran up the stairs of the dungeon.

--

Alright! Yeah, kick butt!