Uhhhh- Me:(Runs and hides behind a wall.) Who wants a bit more of Carter and Sadie?!
Replies:
Undeath9087: Vlad is an asshole and we dislike him- but don't worry I has plans for his fate. And the rescue does not go as well as they'd like.
rage2091: I mean, you are not wrong to be worried, or wrong about them having to make a choice. Hah I am mean at times.
unknownloser097: No! No Sally and Amos aren't in a relationship. You'll learn what's up with Sally in the near future, but there is something. And honestly, I do like the idea him them managing to turn Luke purely because it would fit with what I'm planning for Percy in the KC plotline, because she'd want to save him for a specific reason.
PJ Fan 285: Heh, you may regret that, and thanks for your input!
Guest: See I haven't decided if it would be temporary or not but it does have a very big trigger that causes it.
Guest: The white hair won't be from holding up the sky but it is from the physical, mental and magical strain of something she's going to do.

The lines of magic wove like vines up Carter's combat avatars legs until he was tangled to the waist. They squeezed against his shielding, draining his magic- and he could hear Menshikov's voice forcing it's way into his mind.

"Snake." The voice whispered, "You are a slithering reptile."

Carter forced back his terror as he fought back- he'd been transformed against his will before and it had been terrifying, one of the worst experiences of his life. And this time it felt like it was happening in slow motion. The combat avatar fought to maintain its form, but Menshikov's magic was strong. The glowing white vines kept rising, encircling his chest.

Carter swiped at Menshikov with his Crook. he invisible force hooked him around the neck and lifted him off the ground.

"Do it!" he choked out. "Show me—your power—godling!"

Carter raised his flail. One good hit, and he could smash Vlad Menshikov like a bug.

"Won't matter!" he gasped, clawing at his neck. "Spell will —defeat you anyway. Show us you're—a murderer, Kane!"

That made him hesitate, made him falter- and he could hear Zia screaming from behind him, he managed to turn his head- she was raising her staff- but Desjardin's was quicker- a moment later thick ropes were binding her arms to her side and she was forced to drop her staff.

"CARTER!" and his distraction was just what Menshikov needed- the vines encircled his arms. The combat avatar crumpled to its knees and he dropped Menshikov.

Carter let out a scream as pain wracked his body. His blood turned cold and the avatar's limbs shrank, the hawk's head slowly changing into the head of a serpent. He could feel his heart slowing, his vision darkening. The taste of venom filled his mouth.

Zia cried out. "Stop it! This is too much! You're hurting him please!" And she was crying Carter felt his heart breaking, she was crying for him as she staggered forward, dropping to her knees, desperately trying to free her arms, trying to grab him he was sure.

"On the contrary-" Menshikov spoke up, rubbing his chafed neck."He deserves worse. Chief Lector you saw how this boy threatened you. He wants the pharaoh's throne. He must be destroyed."

"No!" Zia choked the word, "Desjardins please! Please I need him please."

And after an agonizing moment Desjardin's spoke. "Discontinue the spell, Vladimir," he said. "The boy can be contained in more humane ways." and Carter could hear Zia's relieved sharp little gasp.

"Humane, my lord? He's barely human!"

The two magicians locked eyes. And Carter wondered what would happen- would Menshikov follow Desjardin's orders to keep up the act or would he defy the man- Carter almost hoped he did- as painful as his current situation was- well, it could push Desjardins into actually helping them, it could be just what they needed.

Of course, he never got to find out what would have happened because a second later a portal opened under Bes' cage.

Carter had seen plenty of portals, but none like this. The whirlpool opened level with the ground, sucking down a trampoline-size area of red sand, dead fish, old lumber, pottery shards, and one glowing fluorescent cage containing a dwarf god. As the cage entered the vortex, the bars broke into splinters of light. Bes unfroze, found himself halfway submerged in sand, and did some creative cursing.

Then three familiar figures shot straight up out of the portal, suspended horizontally, as if they were running toward the sky. When gravity took over, they waved their arms and fell back into the sand.

Carter felt Menshikov releasing the spell on him- saw the other magicians focus shift to the trio falling down- and he screamed as he felt himself transforming once more, returning to- well, to himself.

And it happened too fast, all of it happened too fast, a red crackling fiery whip shot out from the Russians staff, curling around Percy's waist and yanking her out of the sand towards him even as Bes grabbed Sadie and Walt and tossed them out of the sandy whirlpool.

And Carter could hear Percy's terrifying screams as she tried to get free from the fiery whip- and he could hear the pain in her voice.

And maybe if Bes had been a bit faster things would have been different, but the god dumped Sadie and Walt on the ground and turned to Vlad Menshikov and he planted his feet and ripped off his Hawaiian shirt and shorts like they were made of tissue. His eyes blazed with anger. His Speedo was embroidered with the words Dwarf Pride.

And if Bes had been a few seconds faster then it would be fine- but he was just a second too late. Bes yelled "BOO!"

The sound was like the blast of an H-bomb—or a U-bomb, for Ugly. The ground shook. The river rippled. Carter's avatar collapsed, and Menshikov's spell dissolved with it- the fiery red whip flickered and faded away- and Carter saw Percy try to drop down- screwing her eyes shut- but Menshikov was too close- he lunged for her, grabbing her from behind as the force of- whatever it was that Bes did was called, hit them, and all Carter could see was the flicker of victory on Menshikov's face and the pure terror on Percy's as they disintegrated on the spot.

And Carter could hear Sadie's screaming over his own- over the sudden roaring in his ears as Zia let out a horrified cry.

"Percy! You killed her!"

"No!" Bes looked horrified, "No- she wasn't- he wasn't supposed to grab her-"

"Is she dead?" Carter's voice was frantic as he scrambled to his feet, and a part of him, a dark hidden deep part wanted to punch the god, wanted to scream and beat him, Percy was gone. His sister was gone-

"No!" Bes shook his head quickly, "No, no I just scared them back home, Menshikov dragged her with them- she'll probably be knocked out from it but she'll be fine- she's a tough one- we can save her-"

"Save her?!" Carter yelled the words, "Save her? Menshikov has her and who knows what he wants from her!"

"I-" Sadie's voice was shaking- Walt's arms were wrapped around her, she had tears pouring down her cheeks, "I don't think they want to harm her- they want her for something but- but we can save her-"

"Where would they go- where-"

"The First Nome." Zia said quickly, "They would return to the First Nome but-" she had a look on her face, pained, almost guilty, "We- if we go after her-"

"You won't have time to wake Ra." And if Zia sounded guilty for pointing out that fact then there weren't words for how thick the guilt in Bes' voice was. And Carter pushed down his anger at the god.

It wasn't his fault- as much as Carter would love to blame him, it wasn't his fault. He'd been trying to protect them. It had just been truly, truly horrible luck that had led to Percy being captured.

"We spoke to Bast." Walt spoke up- drawing Carter's gaze, "Apophis wants her- I don't know why and Bast didn't seem to either but- if he wants her and if you're right and Menshikov is working for him then she should be safe for now. We stand a better chance of saving her once we've got Ra right?"

And Carter met Sadie's gaze- he could see his own feelings reflected back in her eyes- the pain, the fear for their baby sister.

It felt like the worst of betrayals to even consider leaving Percy in the hands of their enemy- but the others had good points- they wouldn't have time to save the world and rescue Percy. And Carter knew that Percy would be annoyed at them for even considering abandoning their plan to save her- she'd complain that she could handle herself. That it wasn't the first time Desjardin's had had her.

But this time it was Menshikov too. That made Carter's skin crawl.

Still, he knew that they didn't really have a choice. If they tried to storm the First Nome- nothing good would come of it. They had to stop Apophis first, it was the only way.

His chest felt tight as he swallowed hard. "Did-" he took a deep breath, forcing his voice not to crack, forcing himself not to break down in tears as a voice in the back of his mind whispered that he was failing his little sister, "Did you get the scroll?" because if she hadn't if she hadn't got the scroll then Carter thought he might just tear the world apart at the unfairness of everything.

But sure enough Sadie pulled all three scrolls out of her bag- as if he should have ever doubted her.

"We-" Sadie looked like she was having as much trouble containing her emotions as he was, "We need to get to the Great Pyramid. Please tell me you guys have a car."

"We can get a truck." Bes spoke up.

And soon enough they managed to get to the truck- Bes had made a deal with some Bedouins who were happy enough to drive them to Cairo, and once they were all piled into the back of the truck.

It was crowded and uncomfortable- Bes did offer to keep watch while they slept- Zia and Walt had taken him up on that offer but Carter and Sadie hadn't, they sat side by side- and Carter silently shifted so that his hand rested over Sadie's, which was resting on her lap- and she squeezed his hand tightly, giving him a sidelong glance- and her eyes were as red as he was sure his own were as she shuffled closer and tilted her head so that it was resting on his shoulder.

And that was a sign if there ever was one because Sadie wasn't that type of person, it was so rare for her to seek comfort, especially from him, and he felt his eyes burning again as she spoke.

"We're doing the right thing." Her voice was very faint, "We- we're doing the right thing Carter. You know that right?" she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than she was trying to convince him.

"I know." Carter closed his eyes- if only to try and stop the tears from falling, "I know Sadie. It's what Percy would tell us to do."

"Desjardins sort of likes her." Sadie whispered the words, "He- he saved her before right. Percy- I know Percy seemed to think he wasn't all bad right?"

"Yeah." Carter managed a nod- though it was hard. Because it wasn't just Desjardins who had her. If it was he wouldn't feel half so worried. And- he was smart enough to know that Menshikov was playing the other Magician. "And they need her for something. They- she'll be safe. She has to be."

"Wish I knew what they want from her." Sadie scowled slightly as she said that, "I keep trying to figure out what it could be. She- I know she's special- the whole- you know-"

"Yeah, yeah I know." Carter pursed his lips at that, "But that doesn't explain what the embodiment of evil wants with her." he let out a shaky laugh, "The gods only know that Percy's not got an evil bone in her body. Violent yes, but evil-"

"I dunno." Sadie let out a damp little laugh, "You weren't saying that when she set up that prank right before your date with Zia to the movies-"

"Oh gods-" Carter found himself laughing too, despite everything, "Okay- maybe there's a little bit of evil there. Who puts glitter in shampoo?"

"Percy does."

"It took me a week to get it all out of my hair. The initiates found it hilarious."

"That's because it was hilarious." Sadie exhaled, "She's going to be fine Carter. We're going to do this for her."

But Sadie's words didn't make the heavy silence that descended on them any easier to cope with- but despite the tension and Carter's best efforts, he slowly found himself drifting off to sleep.