Part IX

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The world isn't ending
And its love that I'm sending to you
It's the love of a hero
And that's why I fear it won't do

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Philadelphia, PA
Pemberly House

"Whose down there?" the voice asked. Every one stopped barely breathing and keeping deathly still. They heard beyond the silhouette a woman's voice screeching, "Logan I need your help!" The silhouette left and shut the door. Breaths were let out and everyone regained their composure. "What are we going to do?" Izzy screeched. "We are going to get my son back." Rick bit off. "And just how are we suppose to do that?" Izzy's voice taking on a tone as if he were talking to a child. "I don't know yet." was his sheepish reply. Evelyn laid a hand on Rick's forearm rubbing it consolingly. She had no doubt her husband could think of something... or they would do what they always did, walk in guns blazing and pray they never got shot!

"Well are there any uniforms down here?" Jonathan asked. He knew they needed that first and foremost. They all started looking around and Evelyn found the box that contained where the uniforms should have been. She took out the only thing in there which was one uniform and held it above her head. "I'm afraid this is it." she announced. The three men looked at her and then at one another. "Jonathan I believe this is your size." she squinted to see him for it was extremely dark in the basement. "Yes, well what shall I do with it?" Although he could not really see her he knew the look of annoyance was contorting her face. "Right well. What is the plan?" he asked trying to redeem himself.

"Right. Jonathan you take the front of the house. Since you have the uniform you can keep watch out. Um... you..." "Izzy." he supplied. "Yes, Izzy I need you to guard the back and find us a ride when we come out. Evie, I will go through the door up there and distract the man that was up there. You find our son." "I won't fail." she whispered. Even in the darkness he could find her lips. He gave her a kiss pouring all of his love into her and then with quick resolve straightened up. "Let's go." he told them.

Jonathan and Izzy stumbled their way to the basement door that led to the outside. A few times they had to make sure that the other door didn't open and blow their whole cover. Luck was on their side, well for the time being. Jonathan moved to the front and was quickly met by some of his 'peers'. "Who be you sir and what are you doing in General Tep's backyard?" one of the men asked. "I got lost... you know entertaining the bottles..." he gave him a smile. They believed him and walked on, "Whew!" Jonathan whistled and the two men turned around. "Nothing, just glad I found my way out." he announced. They nodded their heads and turned around to continue to walk. Jonathan turned his head and rolled his eyes.

Rick and Evie walked slowly up the stairs. Rick stopped for a moment to listen to any sounds beyond the door. When he heard none he slowly opened it up and when the coast was clear motioned for his wife. "You take the stairs through the kitchen. If you have any trouble call for me." he whispered. She nodded her head. "We will get him back Evie I promise." She gave him a small smile and then slipped back to the kitchen. Now he was on his own and in search of someone who was much bigger than he. There were many rooms in the Pemberly House so this whole endeavor could take some time, but he was close to his son and nothing was going to stand in his way.

The first door he opened yielded nothing. As did the second, third, fourth, and fifth. Where in the world had they gone? Pemberly was big, but it wasn't THAT big. Finally he heard rustling in the floor above him and with the stealth of a predator he moved up the grand staircase to it. He heard sounds all around him and didn't know where to strike first, but when he heard his child's squeal he took off to the last door on the left.

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"Alex!" Evelyn let out in a shocked whisper. She had found him on her first try. The last room on the left was the largest in the house and so it would seem natural for Angelica to choose it. She had cracked the door open and peered inside to see nothing. She heard a noise behind and quickly went inside. Alex who had been sleeping looked up at the new lady. His eyes were bright and big. His blonde hair was just starting to curl behind his ears. Evelyn quickly went to him afraid that he would make a sound and let everyone know where she was.

As soon as she did Alex started to whimper, but stuck his thumb into his mouth and settled down. He knew this person. Although in his mind he didn't know exactly who she was he recognized the soul. Tears were streaming down Evelyn's cheeks. After a year of constant torture of what her son was going through, where he could be she was holding him in his arms. She just held him to her, unable to move for the emotions that she had been holding in for so long were now allowed to escape and did so freely in the form of tears. It wasn't until she heard a sharp sound that brought the situation back to Evie and her maternal instincts knew that the predator was after her son.

She knew of no way out and the only option was to surprise her attacker. She looked around and saw a heavy chair and sword she quickly grabbed it and stood by the door and waited. It seemed like an eternity for the door to open and when it did she struck. Right when the chair went to hit the intruder he stuck his hand above and deftly knocked it out of the way. Evelyn moved back to her son as the huge Negro man stalked toward her. Alex let out a squeal of delight as if he was watching a play. Evelyn didn't dare look at her son for if she stopped this man might get her. "And just who are you miss?" "Evelyn." a woman said from behind the man. The man turned to look at her. "Angelica." Evelyn snarled.

"I see you have found your son. Too bad you won't get to see him for very much longer." her smug smile producing nothing but rage in Evelyn. "What makes you say that?" Angelica just smirked. "Logan, get Alex." she commanded. Logan went for Alex, but Evelyn stopped in front of him. "No." her voice a calm deadly announcement. He laughed at her and started to push her away, but Evelyn brought the sword she had in her hand and swung it at his head. He deftly knocked out of the way, but somewhere inside Evelyn she knew how to use it and quickly brought it up against his face cutting him. The two of them were too engaged to notice what Angelica was taking Alex until they heard a dark menacing voice, "You put him down."

Everyone stopped and it was only Evelyn who smiled. Rick. "Logan get him. I can take care of her." Logan nodded and went after Rick. With a quick punch Rick was sprawled on the floor and Angelica was coming after Evelyn with a knife. The fight began and all in the middle of it was Alex, not sure what was going on, but having fun watching from the safety of his crib.

Logan was getting sick of this and with one quick thrust sent Rick back onto the stairs where he was rolling down at an alarming speed. He watched for a moment, blissful at the sight of either a dead man or one that would not be waking for some time. He turned into the room to see Angelica and Evelyn still fighting one another. They were both good, but he knew that Evelyn had something going for her that Angelica would never have, maternal need to protect it's offspring. Still that didn't mean he couldn't help Angelica. He was about to reach for a sword when something hit him across the head. Before everything went black he heard Evelyn call out, "Ardeth."

Evelyn had Angelica pinned in a corner and was about to knock her out when something piercing hit her arm. Angelica had produced another small knife and had cut her arm, deep. Ardeth came quickly to her to subdue Angelica and make sure Evelyn was all right. "Enough!" a voice shouted. They all turned and looked at the man in the door. Ira Tep had the ability to command any room no matter who was in it or how many. Even Alex's demeanor had changed. "What is going on in here?" Everyone stopped trying to kill one another and broke apart. "Ira!" Angelica exclaimed and went to him. "What is going on my love?"

Before anyone could respond though there was a groan from behind Evelyn as Logan stood up. She didn't have time to react to the man who was wielding the sword she had dropped coming straight for her. However with quick reflexes Ardeth quickly brought his own sword and cut the man's throat. "Not this time Loch Na." Those were the last words that Loch Na would ever hear. "I see you have found your son Mrs. O' Connell." Ira said taking attention away from the just slained man.

"Why?" was the only question that Evelyn could think of in her over stimulated brain. "Why don't you answer that love." he inflected onto Angelica. "I needed your son." was all she would give. She really didn't need to know much more than that. Alex was a pawn in a game that had started long ago. When Evelyn was no more than five. Still to have Evelyn know that could mean death for both her and Ira and she would have none of that. "Answer her question." Rick said from the door way. Now it was just one big happy family reunion. "I believe she has answered the question Mr. O' Connell and you will do well yourself to leave her alone." Ira threatened.

That did nothing to stop Rick. This man was apart of it and so was the bitch. He didn't care. They not only took his son away, but now they were threatening his wife. She turned to look at him and he saw a great deal of blood flowing from her shoulder and that only made the rage and utter need to destroy the pair in front of him that more prevalent. He attacked Ira without any warning. Although it did knock Ira off his game for a moment it didn't stop him from coming back and attacking. Evelyn looked off to her husband and in an instant went for her son, but Angelica would have none of that and went to attack her. "Ardeth please." Evelyn begged. Ardeth nodded with understanding and took Alex out of the crib and away from the fighting.

Rick's anger was flowing through his vains and it was all directed at Ira. He not only had stolen his son, but his lover had hurt his wife, he was a British General, and now to top it off he was in uniform. Everything that Rick hated was represented in the man and with those thoughts Rick started to really fight Ira. Meanwhile his wife was in the midst of her own battle where she too was winning and quite angry. Rick had had enough and took the sword he had and plunged it into Ira's gut. Ira looked at him not sure what had just happened, but knew it wasn't good. He held out his hand to Angelica who saw all she had worked for crumbling before her eyes and flew out of the room before Evelyn or Rick could stop her.

Ira turned to look at the couple in front of him. For some reason he felt no animosity toward them. He never really had. It was his love for Angelica and his need to see her happy and content that had colored everything he knew and allowed him to let these things happen. Now she had abandoned him and it no longer was worth the fighting. He closed his eyes and laid himself down letting death cover him in a welcome embrace.

Rick and Evelyn looked at one another. There was no way for them to really assess what had just happened with out all the facts, but what mattered was they were still alive and so was their son. They walked down the stairs to see Ardeth holding Alex and Jonathan coming in the door. "We have to hurry. Angelica came running and screaming outside that someone was killing Ira and now we have many redcoats after us." Rick took Alex from Ardeth and shouted, "Time to run."

They escaped to the back where Izzy was with a carriage that would luckily hide the family. "Go! Go! Go!" Jonathan shouted. Everyone climbed in and Jonathan jumped to the top and pushed Izzy over. "I'm driving." he announced. "I don't think so white boy. It took me a while to find this and you are not driving!" "Would you just hurry!" Rick shouted from the inside. Izzy snapped the reigns and they were off. Just as they pulled from the back of the house they were faced with an angry mob. "The killers are in there." Jonathan pointed to the house. "We are trying to get to the front to tell them that General Ira is in trouble." Jonathan told them. They seemed to believe him for a moment until one had recognized Jonathan and then Izzy and Jonathan looked at one another and it was an all out war to get away.

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End of Part IX

Stay tuned for the conclusion and epilogue in Part X. Thank-you to all who have kept up with this so far. I know it's long, but just one more part and it will be finished. Just thank-you so much. Especially my favorite three. You know who you are. :) Love, Dylan.