Chapter 23 – The Rescue

Lewis lifted his head as he heard sounds coming from just outside the door. He looked in the direction he knew the door was in as he heard someone turning the lock. The door was thrown open and Lewis squinted against the bright light coming in from the hallway beyond. He gasped once his eyes adjusted for into the room came Jessie.

She had a panicked look on her face as she felt along the wall for a light switch. She flipped it on and several panel lights brightened the room. As she rushed back to untie his binds, he looked around the room now that he was able to see it. It was rather large, with a bunk bed sitting at the far end a small night stand beside it. At the foot of the bed sat a small desk. The walls were a dull grey and held nothing on them.

Lewis took a deep breath as he felt the gage loosen and drop away from his mouth. He looked over his shoulder to see Jessie struggling to untie his bonds, her hands shaking violently. "You're alive! But how?"

She glanced up at him, panic clearly visible in her eyes as she continued her work. "I'll explain later. I've got to get you out of here."

"Oh, you won't be going anywhere," stated the voice of Ethan Summers from the doorway. The two looked up startled as he entered the room. Jessie stood from her crouching position behind the chair as behind Ethan, to guard pulled in Franny, Cornelius and Wilbur. "These two were trying to get this one out."

"Ah, so now the gangs all here," Ethan commented as the guards held Franny, Cornelius and Wilbur just beside the door. Ethan started to laugh at Jessie's panicked expression. "So you didn't die on the rooftop. Oh well, you shall die now."

With this statement, Ethan pulled a sharp knife from his belt and moved towards Jessie. Lewis looked to his older self and saw him, smiling? Why on earth was he smiling? His answer came when another voice was heard in the room. "I don't think so Summers."

Lewis looked to the scared out of her wits Jessie behind him. How could she be there, when her voice sounded like it had come from behind Ethan? Ethan Summers himself looked just as confused as he was. For he had heard her voice, but had not seen her mouth move. Ethan lowered the knife and began to glance around the room.

"Try over here," came Jessie's stern voice from behind Ethan. With a crackle similar to that of when the invisibility falls away from the time machine, Jessie appeared several feet behind Ethan. Her blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a black pantsuit that clung tightly to her body like a second skin. Her face was full of hatred for the man in front of her as she held a prototype laser gun in her hand, aimed directly at his head.

Everyone in the room looked between the two Jessie's in confusion, all except Cornelius that is. He simply stood there smiling. One hand still holding the laser towards Ethan, she reached down and pushed one of the may buttons on her belt. Another crackling sound emitted from where the second Jessie stood and where she had been, a frighten Carl appeared. Jessie smirked as Ethan looked between Jessie and the golden robot that had taken her appearance moments before.

"Seems as though you have underestimated me yet again Mr. Summers," she stated, still smirking as he looked desperately around the room for some way to escape. He spotted the bunk on the far side and began to smirk at her. "Have you realized what room you are in?"

"Don't try it Summers. I already know that we are standing in my old room," she replied hotly, bringing her other hand up so she could hold the laser with both as she glared at him. His smirk faltered as he stared at the weapon, her fingers tightening around the trigger.

His face contorted in horror as she pulled back on the trigger. A short beam of white light burst from the gun and hit Ethan square in the chest. He dropped to the ground, his knife still held in his limp hand. Without another glance at Ethan, Jessie moved and easily untied Lewis. He however was still staring at the men in black, though they had let go of their captives.

Jessie glanced at them and let out an opps. She reached down and pushed another button on her belt and the way her appearance had been on Carl, the appearance of the men fell away to reveal Lazlo, Gaston and Art. As Wilbur was pulled reluctantly into a fierce hug from his mother, Lewis and Jessie embraced tightly.

When they pulled apart, Lewis was still gaping at Jessie. "How did you survive?"

Jessie shrugged and smiled at him. "I don't know how, but I do know that you can't get rid of me that easily."

Another chuckle joined them as the two embraced once more. They pulled apart to see Cornelius smiling at them as the others walked out the door. "We should get out of here you two. Someone in the area was bound to hear the noise we created."

"Noise?" Lewis asked in confusion as he and Jessie followed his older self out of the room and into a brightly light hallway. Jessie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What? Did you think it was easy to get into this place?"

For Jessie's outfit, think Kim Possible's battle suit in all black.