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Guest Reviews:
Musicalis: Oh yes, Knowledge is power...but knowing what Radcliff wants and stopping him from getting it are two different things.
CherryChocoholic: hey, I am NOT the one making Emily do anything...Radcliff is...NOT ME. Lay the blame where it belongs, ha ha. yes, Erik did go a good job of kicking daddy dearest to the curb...and he got some Christine lovin' afterwards too! And oh come on...he locked the door! Does Erik get Cherrychocoholic ice cream to celebrate? Shhhh, let the band kids sleep.
Guest 1: yes...they got Amir. lets put all the inhabitant of Summercrest in bubble wrap OK?
syrianlight: Ok...NOT a leader then. Gotcha! Oh lets HOPE Amir does not meet with the same fate as Erik did when hosted by the Radcliff clan! Poor Emily, lets also hope that she can hold on to her mental faculties a bit longer. Erik appreciated the weapons (keeping Blake from getting anything that shots) and Emily loved the roses and ribbons, she is gussying herself up right now in preparation for Amir's triumphant return!
Winslow'sPhoenix: Well...of course they did! it is THEIR spot. At least he locked the door this time. And seriously, what do you have against the stables? Yes bring the Katana sword..."there can be only one", ha ha.
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Oh let's all keep our fingers crossed that Amir is still in once piece...one not scared up or branded piece!
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PhantomFantasy: Hope you enjoyed this story as well. I can see from a few of the reviews you sent that I kind of shocked you. Yes, going as Red Death would have been cool...but he was tying to be less conspicuous this time, ha ha. Thanks again.
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Chapter 49
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Antoinette and Meg did all they could to tend to Peter's wounds and make him comfortable until the doctor arrived. When Blake pushed his way into the study, followed by Dr. Hamilton, everyone present gave a collective sigh of relief.
"Will Peter be all right, doctor?" Meg was quick to ask, wringing her hands with worry as she continued to stare down at her love.
"I will let you know as soon as I have had a chance to examine the young man," Dr. Hamilton assured her with a gentle smile, taking the fretting girl's place next to the settee so that he could have unobstructed access to his patient.
While the doctor performed his duty, Blake and Antoinette came over to stand beside Erik and Christine.
"So what is our plan?" Blake asked determinedly.
"Our plan?" Erik questioned. "This is my battle, not yours."
"I object!" the lawyer argued, a practice he was rather good at. "Radcliff made it my business when he broke into my home and threatened the safety of my wife. I am helping you get your friend back and that is the end of that!"
"I thank you for your offer, Blake, but I would rest easier knowing that you were here at Summercrest," Erik continued in protest. "I need someone here to look after things while I am gone."
"And what makes you think we need looking after?" Antoinette asked, wishing to add her opinion. "I think you underestimate us, Master Erik." She then held up her cane and shook it slightly, as if to remind him of the damage she could inflict with the weapon.
"It is Radcliff I do not wish to underestimate…not you," Erik corrected. "The man is the devil himself and I will not leave this house unprotected."
"Yet you would go off on your own to fight a potential army?" Christine chastised, not liking the odds one bit. "With Blake watching your back at least you might stand a chance in rescuing Amir. I refuse to see you go alone. If you will not take Mr. Calloway with you, then I will insist on accompanying you myself!"
Erik stared at Christine in shock, would she truly do such a thing? The determination in her eyes promised him that she would and while he loved her for her loyalty and devotion, he cursed her stubbornness as well.
"I will not have you put in harm's way, Christine," he assured her. "Especially now that you carry a new life within you. Yet it does not matter anyway, for I have no idea where to even begin looking for Amir."
"I…I think I might know," came the weak voice of Peter from across the room.
All eyes turned to the man as the doctor continued to dress his wounded arm.
"What do you know, boy?" Erik asked, coming to stand at the back of the settee, looking down at his battered stable master.
"On the way back from town, Amir told me that one of his contacts had heard that the old Covington manor had just been rented out," Peter explained, wincing as he spoke. "Amir said he suspected that it was Radcliff who had leased the place, probably planning to use it as some kind of base of operations."
"The Covington manor is nearly five miles from here," Erik quickly estimated, his mind trying to figure things out. "Why would Radcliff choose a location so far away from his intended target?"
"Perhaps he did not want to risk you finding out he was in town?" Antoinette suggested.
"Or maybe he chose it because of how remote a location it is," Blake added. "If he were planning something bad, he would not want anyone stumbling on them by accident."
"He would also not want to run the risk of anyone passing by and hearing his victims scream," Erik muttered, giving an involuntary shudder at the memory of how he had been treated during his previous run in with the Radcliff family.
"Oh no, Erik," Christine gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as tears came to her eyes. "He wouldn't…"
"He would indeed," Erik assured her, his eyes ablaze with anger and hatred. "Yet I will not give him the chance!"
"I wish I could go with you," Peter told him sadly.
"You will not be going anywhere but straight to bed for at least a week, young man," Dr. Hamilton stated firmly as he finished with the last of the bandages. "You have several cracked ribs and a pretty serious concussion. I am putting you on strict bed rest with round the clock care."
"I will see that he gets it, sir," Meg was quick to volunteer.
"You have done enough already, Peter," Erik assured him, reaching down and patting his shoulder lightly. "Thanks to you we know who took Amir and where they might be hiding. You rest and let Meg take care of you. You earned it." He then turned to Blake and gave him a determined look. "If you are coming, you best go get your gear, there is no time to lose."
"I will grab my weapons and go saddle the horses," Blake nodded and headed out the door as Erik turned to Antoinette.
"While I know you would do your best to defend Summercrest, I do not feel safe leaving you all here like this." he stated. "I want you to take Christine, Emily, the twins and all those who live on site to Amir's estate and hide out there until I come and get you. Give the rest of the servants a few days off and send them home where they will be safe. Take anything you need to protect yourselves; Mr. Bower knows where the spare weapons are kept."
"I will see to it personally and we will be packed and ready to leave within the hour." Antoinette assured him, hurrying off to begin her job.
Erik then took Christine by the hand and headed out to the foyer. Mr. Bower had anticipated his master's intentions and was already standing by the front door with Erik's jacket and weapons, loaded and ready to go.
"Erik please be careful," Christine begged, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him tightly to her. "I couldn't stand it if you were hurt or if…if…" She found herself unable to finish the sentence, the idea too terrible to comprehend.
"I will be on my guard, nothing will happen," he swore, giving her a reassuring wink. "Besides, for once in my life I have something worth living for, how could I possibly give that up?" He smiled at her as he placed his hand over her stomach, imagining the little baby silently growing inside.
"Your child needs his father, just as I need my husband," Christine assured him. "Please come home safe."
Erik was about to answer her when he heard his name being spoken softly from the stairs to his left. He looked over to see a very tired and frightened looking Emily standing there on the bottom step, grasping the railing as if her life depended on it.
"Erik," she said, her voice hardly above a whisper. "Please bring him back to me. I…I can't lose him again." Her eyes were red and puffy, showing that she had already shed more than her share of tears over Amir's tragic absence. "I just can't."
"I swear you won't lose him," Erik told her, praying his words would prove true. He gestured for her to come closer and she ran into his outstretched arms, sobbing into his chest as he stroked her hair and did his best to comfort her. "I will bring Amir back to you, Emily. I promise."
When she had at last calmed down, Erik knew it was time to leave. He kissed the top of Emily's head and gave her his most confident smile. He then turned to Christine and seeing the worry in her eyes, he pulled her to him for a proper farewell kiss. He knew what he planned to do could easily lead to his death but Amir had risked everything to save him from the hands of the Radcliff family - he would do no less in return. Erik held Christine tightly, savoring the kiss, memorizing every sensation and every curve of her body as it molded to his own. This was what he was now fighting for. This was what he had to live for. There was no way in hell he was going to let the Radcliff family take anything else from him…no, never again!
When the kiss ended, he saw tears streaming down his wife's cheeks and he did his best to give her a reassuring smile as he wiped them away.
"You go to Amir's home like I said," he ordered. "I want to see your smiling face greet me the moment I come to retrieve you, understood?"
"I will be waiting for you, my love," she guaranteed him.
"And I assure you, that nothing will ever stop me from getting to you," he told her, repeating the words he had already sworn to her in the past. With one last quick kiss he turned and left, unwilling to look back. For if he did, he felt it would be his undoing. Blake had been waiting outside with Phantom and his own horse, saddled and ready to ride. Leaping on the stallion's back, Erik spurred him on and the two men were soon riding off in the direction of the old Covington manor.
Christine stood in the doorway, her arms wrapped around Emily as the two stared after the disappearing men.
"He will be all right, won't he?" Emily asked quietly, her voice small and uncertain.
"Amir will be just fine, he is strong and brave and can take care of himself," she assured her sister-in-law, giving her a gentle hug.
"No, I…I meant Erik," she clarified.
"I hope so," was all Christine could manage to say, the lump in her throat now making it impossible to speak any more.
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Erik and Blake rode hard for as long as the horses could manage and then slowed their pace to give them a rest.
"So what is the plan?" Blake asked as the two horses trotted next to one another.
"First we need to ascertain if Amir is indeed being held there," Erik told him. "No sense in storming the castle if he is not inside. Once we have that information then we can decide the best course of action from there."
"I wish to remind you that while my heart is true and my loyalty is without question, my aim leaves much to be desired," Blake warned him, looking a bit sheepish.
"Duly noted," Erik replied with a slight laugh. "I will do my best to always remain at your side and not stand in front of your weapon."
"That would probably be best." Blake nodded.
They rode on in silent reflection for a bit longer before they decided the horses had rested enough, pushing them forward into a gallop once more.
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The sun was just beginning its descent across the sky when they arrived at Covington manor, keeping a safe distance and hiding in the trees until they decided what to do. The place was a mess, run down and neglected from years of standing vacant. The family that had once lived there had long ago died, leaving no heirs to continue the care for this once grand family home. Erik had often wondered if Summercrest would meet the same fate, with him never finding a wife or bearing any children to carry on after him. Yet now, he knew that even if he were to perish in his rescue attempt this day, his bloodline would live on through the child he and Christine had created in their love for one another. And though this thought warmed his heart greatly, he knew that he did not wish to die, no he wanted to live! Live on for many more years to see his little ones grow and flourish, to spend an endless number of nights wrapped in his wife's arms and to see her loving smile each morning when they awoke. His life had only just begun and he was determined to see that it continued.
"I do not see any signs of life, do you?" Blake asked shading his eyes from the afternoon sun as he scanned for movement.
"We will have to find a way to sneak inside to find out," Erik deduced, tying Phantom to a nearby tree as the two men began to creep closer.
Erik had been inside the Covington manor once before, several years ago, when he had been riding through the area and been caught in a torrential downpour. He had stopped there to take shelter for the night and recalled the layout of the abandoned home quite well, giving him prior knowledge of the best way to enter undetected. Signaling Blake to follow silently behind him, he brought them to the service entrance in the back, always listening for sounds of an ambush. When they arrived at the door, they found it was locked, yet this did not deter Erik. While he was in Persia he had learned many handy skills, one of them being how to circumvent locked doors. Taking out a few specialized tools, he quickly picked the lock, the mechanism giving way to his nefarious abilities. Upon entering they noted that there were signs of habitation, bottles of wine, leftover food and plenty of dirty dishes piled around, showing them that someone had been living here very recently. Now on full alert, the two men began a systematic search of the residence, remaining silent as mice while they strained to catch even the faintest sound of life.
They had just arrived at the stairs, prepared to do a search of the upper levels when there came the faint sound of voices from somewhere below. Erik held his hand up, signaling Blake to stop and they both listened, attempting to discern what direction the sounds had come from. They soon determined the noise had come from a door to the left, apparently leading down to a basement of some sort. Blake pulled out his gun and held it up as they approached the entrance. Yet, when Erik gave him a skeptical look, the young lawyer nodded sheepishly and holstered his weapon. Instead, he took out a knife with which to defend himself, receiving an approving nod from Erik over his choice.
Opening the door as quietly as possible the two men made their way down the steep staircase, the sound of voices getting nearer and nearer with each step they took. At last they ended up on a small landing overlooking a vast basement, only one more flight of stairs separating them from the room. There were several lamps lit but it still took a moment for Erik to locate the source of the voices, mostly due to all the junk and debris that littered the room.
"How much longer do we have to wait here doing nothing?" asked a large man sitting off to the right, drinking from a half empty bottle of wine.
"We will sit here until Radcliff tells us differently!" came the voice of Max Daae, causing Erik's eyes to narrow in hate at the sound.
As Erik and Blake watched from up above, hidden behind a few crates that sat on the balcony, Max stepped out of the shadows and came forward to chastise the man further.
"I highly doubt that Simon would appreciate you being drunk when he does return," the older man told him, reaching for the bottle in his hand. Yet the hired muscle was too fast and easily pulled it back in time to avoid it being confiscated.
"You might be afraid of the boss but I am not. I will drink as much as I like and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" he drawled, his words slurring slightly. "I mean how hard is it to guard one man who is already tied up anyway?"
"Regardless, you best keep a clear head!" Max admonished, giving a final look of disgust at the half drunk thug before turning away. "I don't like the idea of being left alone with only you to back me up should someone come looking for this poor sod." With that he walked over and kicked at something hidden behind a few boxes.
When Erik heard a low groan from the area Max was now concentrating on, he felt his free hand clench into a fist. Amir! At least he was still alive, yet Erik was unable to see in what condition. With as bad as Peter had looked when he had returned to Summercrest, Erik did not expect that Amir had faired any better…perhaps even worse. Signaling for Blake to follow, Erik began to creep down the stairs, still mostly hidden in the shadows, hoping the two men below would not spot them. When he had made it most of the way down he was at last able to get a clear view of his friend. Amir was laying on his side, his hands bound behind his back and his legs tied together at the ankles. His eyes were shut and though Erik could see several bruises and cuts on his face, he did not seem to be in any mortal danger.
"If you want me to, I'd be happy to do a little more work on the fella," the slovenly brute with the bottle offered. "Might help pass the time, even if there's not any information you want out of him."
"In due time, you will get your chance. For now Radcliff wants him alive," Max told him, declining his proposal. "Besides, don't you think you and your comrades already did enough damage?"
"Why, Max, I didn't know you cared," Amir said with a weak laugh as he opened his swollen eyes and did his best to sit up.
"Silence, dog!" Max spat, once more pulling back his foot and kicking Amir in the leg, causing him to lose his balance and fall back to the floor with a hard thud. "I couldn't care less if you live or die, I am only following orders."
"That's right, you are Radcliff's obedient little pet, aren't you," Amir retorted, taking a deep breath as he fought once more to regain a sitting position. "Willing to do whatever he orders you to."
"I am no man's lap dog!" Max was quick to argue. "I just know that right now Simon's orders are in my best interest as well. If everything goes according to plan, not only will you end up dead but that troublesome little niece of mine as well. Thus leaving the remainder of the Daae fortune to the one who deserves it the most…me!"
Erik was not sure if he had made some sort of noise in protest at Max's sinister statement or possibly a motion that was discernible in the darkness, but at that moment, Amir's gaze fell directly where he and Blake sat crouched on the steps. Erik could tell without a doubt that his friend knew he was there, yet true to form, the Persian did nothing to give away their position.
"So, that's your plan, is it? To get rid of the girl and take her inheritance?" Amir questioned, doing his best to remain calm so as not to tip off Max and the goon to Erik's presence.
"What's left of it," Max laughed. "The ignorant chit already signed away a sizable portion of the money my good-for-nothing brother set aside for her. I could have coerced her into turning over the rest of it to me by now, if I hadn't been forced to give her to Morant's son in marriage. Yet I suppose that no longer matters, for with her death, it all goes to me."
"From what I hear, your first attempt to kill Christine was a miserable failure," Amir pointed out. "What makes you think your second will prove differently?"
"I believe that this time Radcliff is much more motivated to see the job done," Max assured him, crossing his arms and leaning against one of the support posts. "You see, last time it was only about the money. We agreed that he would do away with my brother and his family in exchange for a cut of what I would inherit. And while he did a fine job slitting the throats of my beloved brother and his dear wife, he clearly underestimated their little brat's will to survive. Thus forcing me to spend most of the next decade supporting her at that blasted school. But now…now it is a personal vendetta for Radcliff, so I do not doubt in the least that he will see that things are done properly this time."
"And just how does he hope to achieve this goal? Erik Morant is fully aware of your involvement in the death of Christine's parents and is not about to let you or Radcliff anywhere near her. So I would suspect that killing her off might prove harder than you think." Amir was doing his best to keep the man talking and focused on him, allowing Erik time to implement whatever strategy he had in mind.
"By using you as bait of course," Max said, giving a laugh that sent shivers down Erik's spine.
Erik felt the blood drain from his face as he contemplated Max's words. Had he just fallen into some kind of trap? Was this Radcliff's plan all along?
"What do you mean?" Amir asked through narrowed eyes, hating the idea that he was being used as an unwilling participant in the downfall of his friend.
"Simon knows about Christine being with child," Max informed him. "He also knows that both you and Erik were behind the death of his son William and the theft of his grandchildren." When he saw Amir's eyes grow wide with surprise, he gave a dark chuckle. "Oh yes, he figured it all out when the spy he planted at Summercrest came back and told him he saw Erik's sister alive and well. From there it was not hard to deduce that the two children running around were none other than William's offspring. So not only will he get his revenge on Erik by killing his wife and unborn child, he will do away with Morant's sister and take back his son's children as well."
"NO!" Amir roared, twisting against his bonds as he fought to free himself. "Only a coward such as you would throw in with scum like Radcliff and dare to kill a pregnant woman and a helpless girl. Filth such as you does not deserve to live! Erik will see you all dead and in the ground before he allows you to touch his family!"
"Oh I don't think so. You see, Morant has no idea where you are being held and while he is out searching the countryside for your worthless hide, Radcliff will have already done away with everyone at Summercrest." Max informed him with an evil smile.
"Rot in hell you mangy bastard!" Amir spat, his hands aching to get free so he could wrap them around Max's neck.
"I have just about had enough of your mouth!" Max's face grew cold and angry at Amir's insult. "Radcliff said to keep you alive for a bit longer just in case we needed some leverage but if you happened to get shot while trying to escape, how can he blame me?" With that Max pushed himself off the beam and took a few steps towards Amir, standing over him ominously. He removed his revolver and aimed it at the Persian's chest, ready to pull the trigger and end the man's life. "If I were you, I would start praying to whatever god you believe in, because you and him are about to come face to face."
Erik could see that things were about to go very badly for his friend. And while he wished to fire his own gun at the man threatening Amir, he was afraid that since Max was standing directly in front of him, the bullet might end up striking the Persian as well. He had to think of something fast or it would be too late. That is when he looked over at Blake, who still held the knife in his hand…
Amir fought back the natural fear that arose within him and looked Max straight in the eye, prepared for whatever came next. However when he heard the report of the gun, he couldn't help but flinch as he expected to feel the hot searing pain of a bullet entering his chest. But instead, he watched as Max stiffened, his own face contorting in agony as he cried out and dropped his gun. Falling to his knees, his hands reached around to his back, as if he were trying to seize something just out of his grasp. Doing his best to discern what had just happened Amir watched as Erik and Blake emerged from the shadows and walked towards him. It was then that he noticed the goon who had been drinking off to his left was slumped over the crate he had been sitting on, his bottle of wine having fallen to the floor and spilling out onto the dusty wood.
"Nice shot, Blake," Erik muttered, reaching out and taking back his gun from the somewhat dazed lawyer. For the bullet he had fired struck the man almost directly between the eyes, killing him instantly.
"Not really," Blake confessed, his voice just as shaky as his hand. "I had been aiming for his leg, intending to only wound him."
"I see," Erik nodded, beginning to understand exactly how bad a shot his friend really was. "Well…good job anyway."
Daae was still writhing in agony and Amir soon found out why. Just before Max had went to pull the trigger, Erik had reached out and grabbed the blade that Blake had been holding and threw it with deadly aim at the man's back. When Erik stepped forward and pulled the knife that was deeply embedded in Max's back, he let out a cry of pain and fell forward onto the ground, his coat already soaked through with blood. With little care, Erik reached out and rolled the man over, watching him squirm as his open wound hit the floor beneath him.
"You don't have long, Max," Erik told him, knowing he was losing far too much blood to survive. "Now would be a good time to redeem yourself before you leave this world. Tell me where Radcliff is and what he has planned and maybe you can die with a clean conscience."
"Please…please I don't want…to die!" Max begged, gasping for air as his lungs slowly filled with blood.
"You should have thought about that before you threw in with the likes of Simon Radcliff," Erik told him, kneeling down beside the desperate man. "The blade hit an artery; there is nothing I can do to save you now, even if I wanted to. For once in your miserable life, do the right thing and help me protect Christine from that bastard. She in innocent in all this and you know it!"
"All I wanted…was the money…" he mumbled as his eyes began to glass over.
"All the money in the world will not buy back your life, Max," Erik assured him, reaching down and grabbing the man by the collar as he pulled him forward, their faces only inches apart. "Tell me where Radcliff is right now!" At first Erik did not think he would say, that Max would take any knowledge he had to the grave. But suddenly, as if he finally found a sense of ethics, Max began to sob.
"I never started out to hurt anyone…it…it just all got out of control... Radcliff convinced me it was the best thing to do…he said he would take care of everything…and…I would be rich…so rich…" Max blubbered. He then focused on Erik, reaching up as he grabbed his shirt, smearing his own blood across the white cloth. "Simon…he went to kill everyone…he took a bunch of men with him…he is going to burn Summercrest to the ground and take the little boy. If you hurry…maybe you can save them…save Christine. She…she does not deserve to die like that. I…I am so sorry…tell her I am sorry." And with that last confession, his face seemed to relax and his eyes shut. When Erik felt his body go limp, he knew that Maximillian Daae would speak no more. Lowering him back to the ground, he stood up and turned to his still bound friend.
"Please forgive me, Erik," Amir begged him as he took the knife and began to cut the ropes around his legs. "I never meant to be the reason you were forced to leave Summercrest unprotected."
"You weren't," Erik assured him, next cutting the bonds around his hands and then helping him to his feet. "No one is to blame but Radcliff himself. And don't worry, I told Antoinette to take Christine, Emily and the children to your place and hide them there till we returned. They would have left within the hour, so Radcliff could burn the empty place to the ground for all I care, as long as they are safe!"
"But Erik," Amir argued, doing his best to stand up straight, yet the pain in his side from the beating he took was keeping him slightly bent. "Radcliff left quite some time ago. He could have been hiding outside Summercrest all along, just waiting to strike the moment you left!"
Erik's felt his blood turn to ice at the thought of his beloved Christine at the mercy of that snake. If Max spoke true, he had every intention of killing her and their unborn child just to spite him for taking the life of his own son. He couldn't let that happen! He had to stop him at all costs.
"Can you ride?" Erik asked, looking at the way Amir was favoring his side, yet doing his best to appear ready for action.
"To save Emily… I could fly," he assured his friend. But when he took a step forward and stumbled, grabbing onto Erik for support, there was some doubt.
"I will see to Amir," Blake offered, coming forward and allowing the man to lean on him. "You get back to Summercrest as fast as you can. We will find a horse for Amir and follow as quickly as possible."
Erik looked from Blake to Amir, wanting to argue but knowing it was the only way. He could not waste a moment and it was more than obvious that his Persian friend would only slow him down.
"Go," Amir urged, understanding Erik's hesitation. "Save the women we love and the children. They come first."
Erik reached out and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze as if to tell him everything would be all right. He only wished he believed it himself. Without another word, Erik bounded up the stairs and ran to where he had left Phantom. Swinging himself into the saddle, he dug his heels into his stallion's flanks and pointed him towards Summercrest.
"I know you are tired boy," Erik told his trusted Arabian as they rode. "But right now I need you to give me all you've got."
He might already be too late but he was not about to give up hope. Not when Christine's life hung in the balance.
"Hold on, my little daisy," he whispered to himself as he urged his horse on. "Please hold on."
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Yes, don't let go! Hold on till he gets there Christine...assuming they are all not already at Amir's place safe and sound and Simon has been foiled by Erik's masterful plan. Raise your hand if you think THAT will happen...*no hands go up* Yah, that is what I thought as well...
Poor Amir, he is all bruised up...i think he needs some TLC...now...who could give it to him? Who could it be...? hee hee
Ok readers...Max is dead. One down...three to go!
