Author's Notes: I am sorry for the delay, thank you for reviewing my fic.
Yin7: Yes she is and that's not all that's happening.
Chapter XXXVI: Setting the Pieces on the Board
Wednesday Addams
"I have to get out," I told myself as I strained to break free of the tendrils. I am completely entombed in these tentacles and just barely avoided having my mouth and nose sealed shut by one of the suckers. I try to free my arms but every move I make only strengthens their grip on me.
I had often fantasized about my death. I would dream about being burned in a sacrificial bonfire to some dark entity like great-great-great aunt Desdemona did during her coven meeting or being executed by the Inquisition as a martyr for the forces of darkness but being crushed by demonic tendrils is not how I planned to go or at such a young.
It was hard to breathe as the tendrils squeezed my body and there was no room. I tired one last time to free myself but the tendrils pinned my arms legs together. "My fate is…," I began to say until I heard a shot outside. "What was that?" I asked.
"Meep," the welcome sound of Cousin Itt's voice squeaked, "Meep, Meep," it said again.
"Cousin Itt, help me, I'm inside this mess of tentacles," I tell him as I hear another shot and the tentacles loosen and drop me on the ground. "Thank you, I thought I was going to die," I told him as I looked, "we have to find Danny and Plasmius," I tell him looking at the fortress.
"Meep, Meep, Meep," Cousin Itt said looking towards the castle.
"Lead the way," I tell him as I steady myself and follow him to find our friend.
Head Observant
"What happened," one of my brothers said as we looked around and felt like we had been out for centuries.
The last thing I remember was that we in the clock tower discussing the events in Dantea but after that everything is a blur. When I got my bearings again I looked up and saw that we were in our temple. "Clockwork!" I hissed realizing that Master of Time was behind this.
"It seems we were hasty in pronouncing Clockwork defection," another brother pointed as I glared at him. Just because that loose cannon returned does not mean that he has rejoined us and we must still decide what to do about Lilith.
"Let's not be hasty about that conclusion," I tell him waving my hand and brining up an image of Dantea, "But we have more pressing problems at hand," I told them turning towards the wall. "If the demons are gaining strength we must stop them at once," I inform them sternly.
"Yes, but we shouldn't just go in there ready to fight, that would escalate the war and bring about the Final Days faster," a third brother spoke up urgently. "I suggest we send a scout to Dantea to assess the events there and go from there," he said as I nodded in agreement.
"An excellent idea, we shall decide later whom to send for now we have other things to concern ourselves with," I tell my brothers as I turned to face them to discuss what to about Clockwork.
Spritle Racer
I sat in front of my computer searching for anything that I could find about Danielle. Those bruises in the pictures I had seen was real and was concerned about her. Someone had hurt her in past and I wanted that whoever it was wouldn't be allowed in the Academy.
While I was searching there was a knock at my door, "come in," I said as Speed, Sam, Tucker, Connor, and Lucy dressed in some costumes. "If you want to sign up for the Halloween Committee you're too early," I told them as they sat down.
"Sorry about this but we had to make sure Zile couldn't find us," Speed said cautiously, "We have something import to warn you about," he said as I held up a hand.
"Just a second," I said pressing a button activating the soundproofing in the room, "now what is wrong that you have to warn me about?" I asked them as Sam stood up.
"Headmaster, Annalise has alerted in a government agency known as the Guys in White. They hunt ghosts and have been after Danny for years. If they come here and find Danny and Danielle they will be captured and experimented on like some kind of animals," she said worried as I took in this information.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure no harm comes to Danny and Danielle," I told them standing up to show them out. "Use the staff exits to avoid being seen by Annalise," I said pointing the way to the exit but stopped when Sam and Tucker left.
"Sam, Tucker, could I have a word with you," I tell them as they look at me nervously while I showed them back to my office.
"Sure Headmaster, what's up?" Foley asked as they sat back down, "If it's about that comment I wrote about of Aniskov it was…" he began to say as I calmed him down that it was not that incident that I wanted to discuss.
"Then what's wrong Headmaster," Sam asked me nervously as I pulled out Danielle's file.
"It's about Danielle," I said sternly as they swallowed hard at mentioning their friend's name.
Maddie
"What is taking Vlad so long, he'll miss chance to transfer Abramelin?" I asked myself as I looked at watch. The window in which the spell could be performed and if Vlad misses Abramelin will posses him forever.
Even more important, this is my chance to be rid of this little wretch, I hated her and the fact that Vlad keeps her like a pet. I am only one worthy of Vlad's attentions. He told me so at our wedding.
"Please let me go!" the whelp whined as walked up to her distastefully.
"SHUT UP! YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T KILL YOU MYSELF!" I snapped at her about to slap her in the face until I heard a noise. "What was that?" I asked as I turned around. "I thought Vlad said he took care of them," I asked myself as I walked out of the cell to go see what was causing the noise.
Nana
"This should help calm her," I said brewing a special pot of calming tea. It was an old recipe my master taught me years ago. I thought it would help Danielle deal with her fears. I still couldn't believe that someone would be so cruel as to torture an innocent girl like Danielle and even more shocking was that she called her tormentor 'father' when that man (I am loathe to call that person-that Vlad-a human being) was not her father.
While I was pondering this in my mind Sue and Tobey came in the room, "Nana!" Sue exclaimed a bit worried about something.
"What's wrong Sue," I asked her as they sat down, "How is Danni doing?" I asked her as Sid looked at her nervously like something had happened. "Kong Li didn't take her again?" I asked tensely as Sue reached into her pocket.
"We're not sure, when we went to check on her the room was quiet. We walked in and found no sign of Danielle and no sign of a fight," Tobey explained to me as I took this in, could this be another one of her spirit power or something more sinister.
"Was there any clue as to what happened?" I asked them as Sue placed a note on the table.
"Only this?" she said pointing to the note as I picked it up. It was indeed a curious thing; the envelope seemed to be centuries old but was not decaying. It was sealed with a purple wax seal in the shape of a clock gear with the letters 'CW' engraved on it.
"Very curious," I said feeling the envelope trying to discover its secrets before opening revealing a piece of folded papyrus with ink from China- a curious mixture but what really shocked me was the signature. "It couldn't be," I gasped as I saw the name of a being I had long thought a myth.
"What type of bozo calls themselves zhǔ shí jiān" Tobey asked laughing until I glared at him, "what come on it's a funny name 'king time' what?" he asked as I rolled my eyes.
You would be wise to hold your tongue when talking about the Liang ní shuǐ jiàng," I scolded as he looked at me confused.
"Nana, who is this zhǔ shí jiān?" Sue asked trying piece together the puzzle before her.
"Zhǔ shí jiān is said to be the spirit of time, one of the Great Masons of the Universe. No one has ever seen him but it said he at once young, mature, and old and is indentified by the bān on his face he received during the líng luàn zhàn zhēng which took place at the birth of the Universe," I explained to her.
"Why would someone who controls time be interested in Danielle, even though she's a spirit she's a minor spirit compared to Mr. Punctual," Tobey said as Sue elbowed him.
"As disrespectful to the Mason of Time as Tobey's comment is right. It makes no sense why he would take an interest in Danielle unless," I said as an idea popped in my head. "Unless he is Danielle's bǎo or guardian spirit," I explained. "At any rate, Danielle is safe," I told them as Sue looked at me puzzled.
"It still doesn't make sense," she complained as I nodded but we can never comprehend the Mason or his craft only trust in his plans.
X Racer
"Must be my imagination," I said as searched the hall for the source of the noise but couldn't find anything. Once I was sure that there was nothing outside in the halls I went back to the computer lab to continue my research.
My mind was spinning with the revelation that father send Speed to Lovelock. Did he not know that is one of the worst facilities in the state of Nevada? You would think with the money dad had won from his races he would have been able to send him somewhere nice.
"That's odd," I said noticing the printer was turned on. I know I didn't turn it on when I got here, "Someone must have…," I began to say until I heard a noise outside.
I went to the window and peered through the blinds. Outside were three white cars that looked like they could run circles around Speed's car. The doors swung open and several men all dressed in white suits stepped out from the cars.
They were all the same size and build; I could see themselves talking to each other as they walked towards the front of the building.
"This can't be good," I said as I went to go see who these people were and what they want.