On past and future
By Carla
DISCLAIMER
Challenger, Marguerite, Roxton, Malone and Veronica belong to Telescene, not to me. No infraction to their rights meant, I'm just having a little fun. I own nothing but the story.
Chapter VIII
It was already the morning. Marguerite woke and realized that she was still on the balcony; she had fallen asleep in a chair, looking at the night. She smiled when she noticed that she was actually sleeping cradled in Roxton's arms. She remembered they had been talking like that most of the night. Exhaustion had probably won over them. When she turned to look at his face found him awake and smiling at her.
"You awake?" he asked softly.
"More or less." She responded, yawning.
"Come here." He kissed her lips probingly, and when he found no resistance, he deepened the kiss.
"Mmmhh... so how are you today?" she asked once they broke the kiss.
"A little hangover, but mostly I'm doing alright." He caressed her beautiful face while they talked. They were both smiling like fools, but Roxton assumed it was just the emotion of the previous night finally sinking in. He had bent over to kiss her again when...
"Roxton! Marguerite!" they both jumped out of their chair when they recognized Veronica's voice. They entered the house since Veronica and Challenger were already in the elevator.
"Veronica, what is it?" Roxton asked, genuinely concerned. Marguerite noticed that neither Keith nor Malone were back with the explorers. Veronica and Challenger went right to Challenger's lab, were the young woman was helping Challenger in bandaging his injured hand.
"We ran into the slave traders." Challenger said, examining his bandaged hand. Founding it satisfactory, he went to reload his pistol.
"Where are Keith and Malone?" Marguerite answered, fearing the answer.
"The traders have them." Veronica said.
"I'll get our guns." Roxton offered, as he went for his and Marguerite's weapons.
"Are they injured?" Marguerite asked, concern washing her voice.
"Ned was injured with in the leg by an arrow." Veronica answered, watching Marguerite's reaction and knowing what the heiress wanted to hear.
"Keith?" she asked finally.
"An arrow got him in the side. I'm sorry Marguerite, we should just rush after them, I'm sure they both will be alright." Veronica could see Marguerite's whole expression had gone unreadable, like a porcelain mask. But if her expression said nothing, Veronica could see she had turned a little paler.
"Let's go." Roxton ordered as he marched back in the living room with his rifle and three pistols "Here." He said as he handed Marguerite two of the pistols.
"I'll take you to the point where they captured Ned and Keith and then we'll have to follow their trail. Shouldn't be too hard." Veronica said.
"Then let's get moving." Challenger looked at his friends expectantly.
"You're injured Professor, I'm not sure if you should be going."
"Child, I appreciate your concern, but you'll need as much help as you can to get our friends back."
"Still Professor..."
"Be done with that and let's go!" Marguerite barked to no one in particular. She walked right into the elevator and went down, not even waiting for the others to follow.
Roxton was sure that most of her concern had to do with Keith, but he couldn't blame her. She had never hide from him that Keith was a part of her life she was rather fond of. Now he only hoped she could keep her emotions in check enough time for them to be able to help their friends. When the elevator came up again he entered it alongside Veronica and Challenger, trying to catch up with Marguerite.
Malone could feel the strong pain in his leg killing him. The traders had taken him and Keith to their camp, now they were in a wooden jail, hanging by a tree. He felt like a caged sparrow... he just wanted to fly away. Overall, his injury wasn't that bad. He only had to wait for the others to save the day. But, although he didn't want to admit it, he was rather worried for Keith. The other man was bleeding, he couldn't even stand up and looked quite pale. He had been lucky he got harmed at the leg, that was a normal injury in the dangerous plateau.
"You okay?" he asked finally. He had bandaged his leg with a sleeve from his shirt. Keith had used all of his own shirt to bandage his waist, but blood was still soaking the shirt.
"Are you kidding? I've never felt better in my life!" Keith felt like hell, but he wasn't about to lose his charm in the final moment.
"Seriously Lawrence."
"Okay, seriously. Besides from the fact that I'm bleeding out, I'm doing fine Malone."
"Don't worry, the others will get us out of this mess."
"I know." Keith was laying in the cage, trying not to move so he wouldn't make anything worse than already was. He had had worst injuries, so he was rather calm, nothing he could do anyway. Now, everything depended in the four explorers "So Malone, these people are slave traders, right?"
"Right." Ned had no time to play games with Keith, he was trying to think of a way out.
"Then I guess they will be opening the cage soon enough."
"Excuse me?" Malone turned to face the other man.
"Come on my friend! If they capture two young men, I'm guessing it's to sell us to make hard works or something like that. They probably won't let us die from our injuries. They have to get us back in perfect health before selling us, don't you think?"
"Probably." Malone hated to admit that Keith was right "But there's no telling when they will decided to treat our injuries."
"That's not the important thing Malone. They will have to put the cage down and open the door, focus on that."
"Yeah Lawrence, you certainly can take all of them, right?" Malone had to laugh in spite of himself. Keith shared in his laughter, still laying in the cage.
"Well Malone, I guess this is your chance to demonstrate what a big brave man you truly are in that teenager's body."
"Ha ha."
"Right." Keith felt useless, not able to tear the cage into pieces as he would've wanted. He looked at the traders, they were mumbling something, looking at them. Keith was sure they would be tended to in a while. Their best shot was that the others showed up once the cage was down.
"Alright, what's the plan?" Challenger asked while they ducked under some bushes and trees near the traders' camp.
"We have to get them out of that cage, but make it quick, before anyone realizes what's happening." Veronica stated.
"Right. Veronica, can you get over those trees and untie the rope? Then we surround them with the guns..." Roxton asked, thinking of a way out of that mess.
"If she unties the cage it will crash to the floor. Malone maybe will manage not to get hurt during the fall, but Keith won't. Look at him Roxton, he's just laying in there..." Marguerite hadn't been able to take her eyes from her friend since the moment they had reached the camp. She couldn't believe someone so alive was just there, unable to move or fend for himself.
"Once they see Veronica, Malone can help Keith to stand the fall." Roxton hated seeing her so worried, and now more than ever, since he felt absolutely responsible for her well-being "It's the only way, after that we will take them home. Don't worry Marguerite, he's strong, he'll make it." Marguerite was surprised by his final words, so she looked at him straight in the eye. He just smiled and brushed a stray of her off her eyes.
"So, that's the plan." Challenger said, as they nodded and Veronica was about to start her way towards the cage.
"Wait!" Marguerite suddenly exclaimed "Look." They all turned back to the camp and saw some of the traders putting the cage down, nice and easy.
"What's going on?" Roxton asked.
"Of course! They are injured, they can't be sold like that." Veronica clarified to her friends.
"So they're just tending to Keith and Malone's wounds?" Marguerite asked.
"Yes." The blonde beauty answered.
"Then it'll be probably best if we allow them to finish their work before we free our friends."
"I don't know Challenger..." Roxton was trying to decide what to do next.
"What do you mean?"
"The cage is down, they are taking Malone and Lawrence away..."
"They'll probably take them to the healer's tent." Veronica said "They'll be even more secure there."
"We have to do this now. Challenger, you brought those plants with you, right?" Roxton asked, referring to the plants he had searched for with Veronica, Keith and Malone, alleging they had wonderful curative traits.
"Yes."
"That'll have to do. We are not that far from the treehouse anyway."
"I'm with John, let's get them out, now." Marguerite kept looking at Keith as the traders helped him out of the cage.
"Okay, Veronica which one is the leader?" Roxton asked.
"That one." She pointed to the man that she had met before.
"Okay, Marguerite keep your aim to his head."
"My pleasure." She said as she pointed her pistol ready to make a small whole in between the man's eyes.
"Well... I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be." They stepped out of the bushes. Marguerite kept her aim at the leader, Roxton and Challenger were aiming at the rest of the traders, while Veronica handled her knife to be seen by everyone.
Marguerite could hear Roxton tell everyone to put their weapons down and let go of Malone and Keith. Now that she was closer, she could see what Keith's real state was. He was pale and leaving a trace of blood all over the place. She just wanted to go to him and make sure he would be okay.
The slave traders seemed rather scared by the guns pointing at them and dared not make a move, the leader hadn't missed the pistol pointing at him either. Marguerite was just waiting for an excuse to pull the trigger.
Roxton walked towards Malone, still aiming his rifle at everyone.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Better by the moment." Malone's enthusiastic response came as Roxton handed him a pistol.
"Lawrence?" Roxton asked the man that was struggling to keep standing.
"Been better." Keith answered "A *lot* better."
"I can imagine." Roxton saw as Keith almost stumbled back to the floor and reached for him to help steady him. The traders chose that moment to retaliate. Arrows and knifes were flying all through the camp. The explorers ducked were they could, firing the whole time. Roxton was trying to cover for Keith who was obviously in no condition to shoot anyone.
"We have to get the hell out of here!" Roxton screamed through the noise of the confrontation.
"I'm open to suggestions." Keith could see the blood coming from his side. Now he was getting scared, he felt weaker by the moment and couldn't think clearly anymore.
"That makes two of us Lawrence!"
"Desperate measures Roxton... damn it!"
"Are you alright?"
"I'm dying man, I'm not alright!"
"You're not dying!"
"Yeah, right. I have an idea. The gunpowder, have any on you?"
"From the guns, sure!"
"A little explosion..."
"Might be enough to scare the hell out of them, sure!"
"I need more than the one I had in my rifle!"
"I have a little gun in my boot... I'm guessing Maggie and the others have extra guns... do I have to do everything myself?"
"Shut up Lawrence!" Roxton kept shooting at the traders "I'm trying to save your ass here."
"Believe me, I'm the last person opposed to that!"
"Never mind. We have to run to the others, I'll help you."
"Okay." Roxton secured Keith with his arm the best he could before running the fastest he could, until he was with his friends.
"Keith!" Marguerite helped Roxton lay Keith on the floor. Roxton decided his jealousy would have to be forgotten for this one. Keith was Marguerite's friend and he was hurt. Roxton would just have to deal with that. He explained the plan and everyone proceeded to set it in motion.
"I was worried about you, you know?" Marguerite whispered to Keith.
"I hoped nothing less."
"You're going to be alright."
"Hardly."
"Keith."
"Doesn't matter right now, let's just get out of here."
The plan worked beautifully. They emptied some of the guns and Veronica made the sparkles with the help of a couple of stones. The explosion made the traders run for shelter. The explorers took this opportunity to flee the place. Roxton and Marguerite were helping Keith, while Malone was helped by Veronica and Challenger.
They were already on the run when one of the traders seemed to realize what was going on and threw one last knife. It went straight to Keith's back.
"Keith! No!" Marguerite took the one trader with one clean shot, but there was no use. Keith was already on the floor, unconscious. Roxton tossed him over his shoulders after he took the knife from Keith's back as smoothly as he could given their current situation.
"Marguerite! Let's go!" he screamed as they restarted their way to the treehouse.
Marguerite followed him like a ghost, all she could see was Keith's unmoving body and hear as his breath grew slower and slower.
By Carla
DISCLAIMER
Challenger, Marguerite, Roxton, Malone and Veronica belong to Telescene, not to me. No infraction to their rights meant, I'm just having a little fun. I own nothing but the story.
Chapter VIII
It was already the morning. Marguerite woke and realized that she was still on the balcony; she had fallen asleep in a chair, looking at the night. She smiled when she noticed that she was actually sleeping cradled in Roxton's arms. She remembered they had been talking like that most of the night. Exhaustion had probably won over them. When she turned to look at his face found him awake and smiling at her.
"You awake?" he asked softly.
"More or less." She responded, yawning.
"Come here." He kissed her lips probingly, and when he found no resistance, he deepened the kiss.
"Mmmhh... so how are you today?" she asked once they broke the kiss.
"A little hangover, but mostly I'm doing alright." He caressed her beautiful face while they talked. They were both smiling like fools, but Roxton assumed it was just the emotion of the previous night finally sinking in. He had bent over to kiss her again when...
"Roxton! Marguerite!" they both jumped out of their chair when they recognized Veronica's voice. They entered the house since Veronica and Challenger were already in the elevator.
"Veronica, what is it?" Roxton asked, genuinely concerned. Marguerite noticed that neither Keith nor Malone were back with the explorers. Veronica and Challenger went right to Challenger's lab, were the young woman was helping Challenger in bandaging his injured hand.
"We ran into the slave traders." Challenger said, examining his bandaged hand. Founding it satisfactory, he went to reload his pistol.
"Where are Keith and Malone?" Marguerite answered, fearing the answer.
"The traders have them." Veronica said.
"I'll get our guns." Roxton offered, as he went for his and Marguerite's weapons.
"Are they injured?" Marguerite asked, concern washing her voice.
"Ned was injured with in the leg by an arrow." Veronica answered, watching Marguerite's reaction and knowing what the heiress wanted to hear.
"Keith?" she asked finally.
"An arrow got him in the side. I'm sorry Marguerite, we should just rush after them, I'm sure they both will be alright." Veronica could see Marguerite's whole expression had gone unreadable, like a porcelain mask. But if her expression said nothing, Veronica could see she had turned a little paler.
"Let's go." Roxton ordered as he marched back in the living room with his rifle and three pistols "Here." He said as he handed Marguerite two of the pistols.
"I'll take you to the point where they captured Ned and Keith and then we'll have to follow their trail. Shouldn't be too hard." Veronica said.
"Then let's get moving." Challenger looked at his friends expectantly.
"You're injured Professor, I'm not sure if you should be going."
"Child, I appreciate your concern, but you'll need as much help as you can to get our friends back."
"Still Professor..."
"Be done with that and let's go!" Marguerite barked to no one in particular. She walked right into the elevator and went down, not even waiting for the others to follow.
Roxton was sure that most of her concern had to do with Keith, but he couldn't blame her. She had never hide from him that Keith was a part of her life she was rather fond of. Now he only hoped she could keep her emotions in check enough time for them to be able to help their friends. When the elevator came up again he entered it alongside Veronica and Challenger, trying to catch up with Marguerite.
Malone could feel the strong pain in his leg killing him. The traders had taken him and Keith to their camp, now they were in a wooden jail, hanging by a tree. He felt like a caged sparrow... he just wanted to fly away. Overall, his injury wasn't that bad. He only had to wait for the others to save the day. But, although he didn't want to admit it, he was rather worried for Keith. The other man was bleeding, he couldn't even stand up and looked quite pale. He had been lucky he got harmed at the leg, that was a normal injury in the dangerous plateau.
"You okay?" he asked finally. He had bandaged his leg with a sleeve from his shirt. Keith had used all of his own shirt to bandage his waist, but blood was still soaking the shirt.
"Are you kidding? I've never felt better in my life!" Keith felt like hell, but he wasn't about to lose his charm in the final moment.
"Seriously Lawrence."
"Okay, seriously. Besides from the fact that I'm bleeding out, I'm doing fine Malone."
"Don't worry, the others will get us out of this mess."
"I know." Keith was laying in the cage, trying not to move so he wouldn't make anything worse than already was. He had had worst injuries, so he was rather calm, nothing he could do anyway. Now, everything depended in the four explorers "So Malone, these people are slave traders, right?"
"Right." Ned had no time to play games with Keith, he was trying to think of a way out.
"Then I guess they will be opening the cage soon enough."
"Excuse me?" Malone turned to face the other man.
"Come on my friend! If they capture two young men, I'm guessing it's to sell us to make hard works or something like that. They probably won't let us die from our injuries. They have to get us back in perfect health before selling us, don't you think?"
"Probably." Malone hated to admit that Keith was right "But there's no telling when they will decided to treat our injuries."
"That's not the important thing Malone. They will have to put the cage down and open the door, focus on that."
"Yeah Lawrence, you certainly can take all of them, right?" Malone had to laugh in spite of himself. Keith shared in his laughter, still laying in the cage.
"Well Malone, I guess this is your chance to demonstrate what a big brave man you truly are in that teenager's body."
"Ha ha."
"Right." Keith felt useless, not able to tear the cage into pieces as he would've wanted. He looked at the traders, they were mumbling something, looking at them. Keith was sure they would be tended to in a while. Their best shot was that the others showed up once the cage was down.
"Alright, what's the plan?" Challenger asked while they ducked under some bushes and trees near the traders' camp.
"We have to get them out of that cage, but make it quick, before anyone realizes what's happening." Veronica stated.
"Right. Veronica, can you get over those trees and untie the rope? Then we surround them with the guns..." Roxton asked, thinking of a way out of that mess.
"If she unties the cage it will crash to the floor. Malone maybe will manage not to get hurt during the fall, but Keith won't. Look at him Roxton, he's just laying in there..." Marguerite hadn't been able to take her eyes from her friend since the moment they had reached the camp. She couldn't believe someone so alive was just there, unable to move or fend for himself.
"Once they see Veronica, Malone can help Keith to stand the fall." Roxton hated seeing her so worried, and now more than ever, since he felt absolutely responsible for her well-being "It's the only way, after that we will take them home. Don't worry Marguerite, he's strong, he'll make it." Marguerite was surprised by his final words, so she looked at him straight in the eye. He just smiled and brushed a stray of her off her eyes.
"So, that's the plan." Challenger said, as they nodded and Veronica was about to start her way towards the cage.
"Wait!" Marguerite suddenly exclaimed "Look." They all turned back to the camp and saw some of the traders putting the cage down, nice and easy.
"What's going on?" Roxton asked.
"Of course! They are injured, they can't be sold like that." Veronica clarified to her friends.
"So they're just tending to Keith and Malone's wounds?" Marguerite asked.
"Yes." The blonde beauty answered.
"Then it'll be probably best if we allow them to finish their work before we free our friends."
"I don't know Challenger..." Roxton was trying to decide what to do next.
"What do you mean?"
"The cage is down, they are taking Malone and Lawrence away..."
"They'll probably take them to the healer's tent." Veronica said "They'll be even more secure there."
"We have to do this now. Challenger, you brought those plants with you, right?" Roxton asked, referring to the plants he had searched for with Veronica, Keith and Malone, alleging they had wonderful curative traits.
"Yes."
"That'll have to do. We are not that far from the treehouse anyway."
"I'm with John, let's get them out, now." Marguerite kept looking at Keith as the traders helped him out of the cage.
"Okay, Veronica which one is the leader?" Roxton asked.
"That one." She pointed to the man that she had met before.
"Okay, Marguerite keep your aim to his head."
"My pleasure." She said as she pointed her pistol ready to make a small whole in between the man's eyes.
"Well... I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be." They stepped out of the bushes. Marguerite kept her aim at the leader, Roxton and Challenger were aiming at the rest of the traders, while Veronica handled her knife to be seen by everyone.
Marguerite could hear Roxton tell everyone to put their weapons down and let go of Malone and Keith. Now that she was closer, she could see what Keith's real state was. He was pale and leaving a trace of blood all over the place. She just wanted to go to him and make sure he would be okay.
The slave traders seemed rather scared by the guns pointing at them and dared not make a move, the leader hadn't missed the pistol pointing at him either. Marguerite was just waiting for an excuse to pull the trigger.
Roxton walked towards Malone, still aiming his rifle at everyone.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Better by the moment." Malone's enthusiastic response came as Roxton handed him a pistol.
"Lawrence?" Roxton asked the man that was struggling to keep standing.
"Been better." Keith answered "A *lot* better."
"I can imagine." Roxton saw as Keith almost stumbled back to the floor and reached for him to help steady him. The traders chose that moment to retaliate. Arrows and knifes were flying all through the camp. The explorers ducked were they could, firing the whole time. Roxton was trying to cover for Keith who was obviously in no condition to shoot anyone.
"We have to get the hell out of here!" Roxton screamed through the noise of the confrontation.
"I'm open to suggestions." Keith could see the blood coming from his side. Now he was getting scared, he felt weaker by the moment and couldn't think clearly anymore.
"That makes two of us Lawrence!"
"Desperate measures Roxton... damn it!"
"Are you alright?"
"I'm dying man, I'm not alright!"
"You're not dying!"
"Yeah, right. I have an idea. The gunpowder, have any on you?"
"From the guns, sure!"
"A little explosion..."
"Might be enough to scare the hell out of them, sure!"
"I need more than the one I had in my rifle!"
"I have a little gun in my boot... I'm guessing Maggie and the others have extra guns... do I have to do everything myself?"
"Shut up Lawrence!" Roxton kept shooting at the traders "I'm trying to save your ass here."
"Believe me, I'm the last person opposed to that!"
"Never mind. We have to run to the others, I'll help you."
"Okay." Roxton secured Keith with his arm the best he could before running the fastest he could, until he was with his friends.
"Keith!" Marguerite helped Roxton lay Keith on the floor. Roxton decided his jealousy would have to be forgotten for this one. Keith was Marguerite's friend and he was hurt. Roxton would just have to deal with that. He explained the plan and everyone proceeded to set it in motion.
"I was worried about you, you know?" Marguerite whispered to Keith.
"I hoped nothing less."
"You're going to be alright."
"Hardly."
"Keith."
"Doesn't matter right now, let's just get out of here."
The plan worked beautifully. They emptied some of the guns and Veronica made the sparkles with the help of a couple of stones. The explosion made the traders run for shelter. The explorers took this opportunity to flee the place. Roxton and Marguerite were helping Keith, while Malone was helped by Veronica and Challenger.
They were already on the run when one of the traders seemed to realize what was going on and threw one last knife. It went straight to Keith's back.
"Keith! No!" Marguerite took the one trader with one clean shot, but there was no use. Keith was already on the floor, unconscious. Roxton tossed him over his shoulders after he took the knife from Keith's back as smoothly as he could given their current situation.
"Marguerite! Let's go!" he screamed as they restarted their way to the treehouse.
Marguerite followed him like a ghost, all she could see was Keith's unmoving body and hear as his breath grew slower and slower.