Chapter Fourteen. Almost a Reunion
Mandrake, Kendra, Kshin, Zuffy and Vultan managed looked around as they were finally out of the maze.
"We made it out of the maze!" Kshin exclaimed. Zuffy exclaimed happily as the Zuffoid was happy to be out of the perilous maze.
"I had no idea that my plan would allow us to have an easy escape there." Kendra stated.
"But it did, my dear." Mandrake replied, "and that was quite marvelous. However, I am afraid we are not out of the woods."
"You are right about that." Kendra replied, "I have this strange feeling that something serious is about to happen."
"As do I my dear."
Lothar, LJ, Tavrok and Thun managed to fight through a few more ice soldiers before they managed to find the exit at their part of the maze.
"Look, Dad! Guys!" LJ exclaimed, "We are going to make it out! We are going to be okay!"
"As long as Ming does not set up anymore traps boy," Thun replied, "You will be correct."
Their group met up with Mandrake's group.
"Lothar! LJ! You guys are okay!" Kshin exclaimed.
"You guys are back in one piece too I see."
"We will have to wait on the others to make our next move." Mandrake stated.
The Phantom, Jedda, Kisa and Barin managed to defeat a few more ice soldiers before finally finding the exit at their area of the maze. They managed to meet up with Lothar and Mandrake's groups.
"You guys are alright!" Jedda exclaimed.
"Why wouldn't we be?" Kendra chided.
"Three groups down." Tavrok declared, "One to go. My Castra must have been with Flash all of this time. If Ming has harmed her in any way, he will pay dearly!"
"Do not worry." Barin assured the prince, "I am sure Castra is in good hands. We need to worry about Flash, Baylin, Zarkov and Castra returning in one piece."
Flash, Baylin, Zarkov and Castra found themselves at the dungeon of the castle of Mongo.
"We are at the dungeon!" Castra exclaimed.
"So that is where the exit led us." Baylin stated.
"Maybe we will find Flash's parents here." Zarkov replied, "Rick as well."
"I hope so." Flash replied, "and before Ming's forces decide to do anything to them."
They arrived to find Lawrence and Norah as they were together in one of the prison cells, but they could not find Rick anywhere.
"Mother, Father!" Flash exclaimed, "You guys are alright!"
"Of course we are, Steven." Lawrence replied.
"Do you know where Rick is?"
"I am sorry." Norah answered sadly, "The last we saw him, some lady and some ice soldiers were taking him to Ming."
"And that is what we are about to do to your parents as well!"
Flash, Baylin, Zarkov and Castra looked to see that Shanna had arrived with a group of ice soldiers.
"Shanna!" Zarkov exclaimed, "You have to stop this! Flash is not responsible for Joe's death! You know that!"
"Zarkov." Baylin told the scientist, "This girl is not with reason. She will not listen to reason here."
"You are not about to harm my parents!" Flash exclaimed as he went to fight the young woman.
"Steven, be careful!" Norah exclaimed. While Baylin and Zarkov fought the ice soldiers and Castra tried to free Flash's parents, an exchange of laser blows from Shanna's staff and Flash's gun emerged like a rampaging fire arm war. Eventually, it allowed Castra to free Norah and Lawrence from their prison cell.
"We are free!" Lawrence exclaimed.
"What now?" Norah asked.
"We will get you out of here." Castra answered. Flash and Baylin helped Zarkov and Castra guide Flash's parents out of the dungeon where they would manage to evade the guards thanks to Baylin taking them down with ease, and making it towards the exit.
"No!" Shanna exclaimed before fuming in anger, "Astra will not be able to turn them into clay people! That is just great!"
She hurried to go and inform Ming and Astra of the bad news. Flash, his parents, Zarkov, Baylin and Castra left the castle and they met up with the others.
"It's Uncle Flash!" Kendra exclaimed.
"They made it out okay." Vultan stated, "Just as I predicted."
"But what about Rick?" Jedda asked, "I do not see him."
At the lab in the castle, Astra poured some blue clay into her pot, preparing to make more clay people, unaware of the situation that has happened, "Arama, anikto, agama. Agoran, anakto, aramen."
She watched as the clay boiled a bit before the potion was complete and ready for her next victims.
"Is the clay ready?" Ming asked.
"It is done." Astra answered, "We will be able to turn our prisoners into our clay slaves."
"No you will not."
Ming and Astra looked to see Shanna arriving at the room in anger, "Flash was able to find his parents and you will not be able to turn them into clay people."
"That does not matter, Shanna." Ming replied, "because we still have young Rick Gordon as our prisoner. He will be a part of the clay people who will destroy the Defenders of the Earth."
"Sire." one of the ice soldiers announced, "We have all the materials that you needed to create your solar bomb for Earth."
"Excellent!" Ming exclaimed as he was pleased, "Everything is going according to plan. I had to get the Defenders distracted so that they would not be able to stop me from getting everything that I needed for this solar bomb. Now I shall return to Earth to assemble this solar bomb and the Earth shall be in ruin! For me to rule!"
"Shall I send my guards to bring the boy in?" Astra asked.
"With pleasure." Ming answered. The evil space princess motioned her lizard guards to head towards the cell that was located next door to the lab. Astra led her guards to that room.
Flash looked at the rest of the heroes outside of the Castle as they were planning to make their next move.
"We are still one member short." Flash told the group, "We will have to go back into the castle to save Rick and stop Ming from what he is planning to do to him and the planet Earth!"
At the private cell, Rick sat on the floor with his head buried by his knees and hands as he was in anguish and in fear, clearly traumatized. The door opened as Rick briefly looked up before looking down after realizing Astra and her lizard guards were at the door.
"I hope you are ready, boy." Astra stated, "because your future is about to fall into my hands. Literally."