...The Ones You Love.
Chapter Four: Now Take My Wife...
Daria, Quinn and Brittany peered round the corner to see City Hall.
"I don't see any guards," whispered Quinn.
Brittany took a quick look around. "They're there all right. I can sense them."
Daria and Quinn gave each other a look. "Look," said Daria. "Let's just find a side door, and sneak in, and see if we can find the others."
"You think this is where Sandi and the others are too?"
"I'd bet on it. We have to get inside."
"Then what?"
"I don't know, Quinn. We're not exactly Delta Force here."
Brittany's eye's narrowed. "We should plant charges around the foundations of the building, make a frontal assault, and detonate the charges. The confusion will help us. Then we can eliminate the guards and execute the leaders."
Daria stared at her. "Brittany, we haven't got any charges, and we are not executing anyone. Okay?"
Brittany glowered at her.
Daria turned back towards City Hall, thinking that this plan was getting worse by the minute.
The guards set Helen roughly down in a chair facing the Mayor's desk. Alexander sat behind it.
"I'm sorry for the rough treatment, Helen, but desperate times and all that..."
Helen brushed herself off, and glowered at him. "Who the hell are you? What have you done with Jake? Do you know how many laws you've broken here?"
Alexander stared at her. "I'll say this for Jake, he's a more patient man than I."
"What did you do to Jake? What happened to him?"
"Relax, Helen. He wasn't your Jake."
Helen frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He was a Jake from an alternate universe."
"That's impossible," Helen scoffed.
"Oh no." Alexander sat back in his chair. "It's quite possible, I assure you. I just needed a Jake to fill the spot while I was waiting for the right time. I obtained that Jake from a universe where he went insane, killed the postman, and took Quinn hostage. Don't worry, you were fine, though."
Helen looked at him, her mouth open in shock. She finally managed to speak: "What happened to Daria and Quinn?"
Alexander thought for a moment. "You really don't want to know."
"You're serious, aren't you? You really believe what you're saying."
Alexander smiled.
"Great. My husband goes crazy, and now I get abducted by another one. What happened to Jake?"
Alexander shrugged. "We sent him back. He'll have to live out the rest of his days in an asylum for screwing up."
Helen leaned forward. "So why am I here?"
"Bait."
"For who?"
"Your husband, if he's alive. Your daughters."
Helen's eyes went wide. "What? I mean, Jake..."
"I was the one who destroyed his offices. The last I saw, he was bleeding to death, and taking a nose-dive off a twelve floor building."
"Oh my God." Helen's eyes filled with tears.
"And I need your daughters."
Helen looked at him. "Leave them alone. If you touch them, I'll..."
Alexander laughed. "Helen, you are in a position unsuitable to making threats. My need for your daughters is one of the main reasons you aren't dead right now."
He smiled at Helen again.
Helen sank back in her chair. There was nothing she could do. Jake might be dead, and Daria and Quinn were in terrible danger. She still had her cell-phone in her pocket. Maybe if she could reach it...
"Excuse me," said Alexander. He reached out and took Helen's cell phone from her pocket. "You might be tempted to use this, and I'd hate to punish you for it. Yet, anyway."
Helen sighed. She was helpless.
"Trent, wake up!"
Trent stirred. That voice seemed familiar. Oh yeah, it was Janey. Probably needed him to run her somewhere. Then the events of the night before went through his mind. He sprang up.
"Janey!"
"I'm here, Trent." Jane was sitting beside him. They were in a small featureless room, a storage room like they would find in any modern office building. Two small couches lined each side of the room.
"Where are we?"
"City Hall, I think." Jane shrugged. "I was peacefully sleeping, and the next thing I know, I'm in a car, tied up and coming here."
Trent rubbed his neck tenderly. "I was knocked out when I got in last night. This is something to do with that stuff at the school, right?"
Jane nodded. "I think so."
"Oh man." Trent's head fell back onto the couch. "What do they want with us?"
"I don't know."
"Shit. I'm sorry, Janey. I should have protected you."
Jane got up, and laid her hand on Trent's shoulder. "It's okay, Trent." She sat beside him. "I'm the one who should be apologizing." She paused. "I am now apologizing."
"For what?"
"That thing with Daria."
"Oh." Trent's voice was soft. He looked down at the floor. "I've been thinking about that, Janey..."
"I know, Trent. I should never have tried to fix you two up. It's just...I didn't want to lose her."
Trent looked at Jane. "Does she feel the same?"
Jane nodded. "But I told her to get lost, basically, cause I didn't want to hurt you. And then you found out anyway. Given how my life usually is, should I have been surprised?"
Trent shrugged. "I was thinking though....I know I was hurt at first...but I think..." He tailed off.
Jane moved closer and put her arm on his shoulder. "What?"
"We wouldn't have worked out."
"Why?"
"I'm a slacker musician, who sleeps all the time, Janey. Daria deserves better than that." He smiled. "You guys, though. You practically are dating. You spend all your time together, you always go out together, and you just click."
"You think so?" Jane looked her brother in the eyes.
"Sure. I think you should go for it."
"But.."
"It'll still hurt a little, but it's for the best, Janey. Daria and you are made for each other."
"Yeah." Jane smiled. "She is great, isn't she? Of course, she can be a huge bitch if she doesn't get her way..."
"See? You are similar."
Jane scowled, and thumped Trent on the arm. Then, impulsively, she hugged him. "Thanks, big brother. But, my mood still could use a little lifting."
"Why?"
Jane glanced around her. "Well, we have been kidnapped, and probably brought here to die."
"Oh, that." Trent thought for a moment. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."
Jane wasn't entirely surprised when he fell asleep not five minutes later.
Horizon's car sped down the streets of Lawndale, Jake Morgendorffer behind the wheel.
"You know speed limits aren't optional, don't you?" Horizon interjected from the back seat.
"I know, I know. I just can't shake the feeling that something bad has happened to Helen and the girls."
Wendy thought for a moment. "What's the bad side?"
"Wendy!"
"I'm sorry! I'm just trying to lighten the mood."
Jake relaxed a little. "Sorry. I need to know what's been going on while I was out."
Horizon looked at him, with a concerned expression. "I think you should still be out. I'm amazed you're up and talking."
"I know."
Horizon and Wendy rushed down the alleyway, more explosions shaking the building.
"What the hell is going on in there?" screamed Wendy.
"I can't see anything past the smoke."
There was a large thump behind them, causing the two women to jump in shock.
"That wasn't an explosion," said Wendy. They moved cautiously towards the source of the noise, a large pile of garbage bags near the end of the alleyway. A prone body was lying face down on the pile. Wendy cautiously turned it over.
It was Jake, his face bleeding and bruised. He had two gunshot wounds, one in his chest, and one in his shoulder, both still bleeding profusely. He was out cold.
Horizon's hands went to her face. "Oh my God." She edged closer and felt for a pulse.
"Is he alive?"
"Barely, I think. He won't be soon." She tore a strip from her suit jacket, and began making a makeshift bandage. Wendy nudged her.
"We have to go."
"Okay. I don't know what moving him will do, but I guess we have no choice."
They grabbed him, and half-carried, half-dragged him to Horizon's car. Wendy jumped in the driver's seat, Horizon in the back with Jake.
They sped off, Wendy checking for any of the mysterious helicopters. "I guess the smoke covered us okay. How is he?"
Horizon finished tying his bandages. "For the moment, fine. If we don't get him to a hospital, I don't know."
Wendy shook her head. "Can't. They'll find us there."
"Where, then? I'm guessing they know where we live."
Wendy thought for a moment. "I know. I have a place I'm sure they won't look."
"If you say so."
Looking through the rear-view mirror, Wendy saw Horizon stroking Jake's face. "He'll be okay." She tried to sound convincing, but she didn't think she was doing a very good job.
"I hope so."
"How long was I unconscious again?" Jake asked.
Wendy looked at her watch. "About 30 hours."
"And of course, as soon as you got up, you insisted on leaving."
Jake shrugged. "So?"
"So?" Horizon frowned. "You should be dead."
"I had no idea you wanted me gone that much."
"You know what I mean."
"I guess rapid healing is part of my gifts."
"Not that rapid." Horizon leaned forward. "Your cuts and scrapes might have gone, but your gunshot wounds aren't totally closed, and your ribs are still cracked."
"Horizon, I don't have a choice."
"Hey, Intern Girl," Wendy turned to face her. "How'd you get to be a first-aid expert anyway?"
"Well, when you rock climb, you have to learn to patch people up once in a while." She paused. "Plus, my uncle's a doctor on some big cruise ship. I picked some of it up from him."
"I have a question," said Jake. "What happened to my clothes?"
Horizon flushed bright red. "Um...they were pretty badly beaten up, and I needed to work on the wounds, so..."
"Even my underwear?"
Wendy sniggered loudly. Horizon shot her a look that could have killed small animals. Jake sighed. "Okay, but when we tell this story to our grandkids, let's leave that part out."
Horizon coughed nervously. "I guess it was lucky that Wendy's apartment had so many men's clothes there."
Jake glanced at Wendy. "I don't pay you enough for two apartments. Where was that?"
"We all have our secrets, M."
Jake mumbled something, then pulled the car over. "We're here." He got out and stared up at the offices of Vitale, Horowitz, Riordan, Shrecter, Shrecter, and Shrecter.
"That's a pretty cluttered looking sign," muttered Wendy.
They walked inside, and headed straight for Helen's office. It was empty.
"Shit," said Jake. "Marianne's not even here yet. Let's try Eric."
"Who?"
"Helen's boss. Cause of many an unsatisfying night."
The two women looked mystified. "What?"
Jake shook his head. "Never mind. Office on top floor."
They found Eric's office, and Jake flung the door open. Eric was in, as was Marianne. Eric leapt to his feet., then relaxed. "Thank God, I thought you were one of my brothers."
"What?"
Marianne stood up. "Jake Morgendorffer? What are you doing here?"
"Have you seen Helen?"
Marianne and Eric looked at each other. "No. She's not at home?"
"Shit." Jake sat down. Where the hell could she be?
Wait. I have an idea.
Alexander turned from the security monitor, which was currently showing Daria, Quinn, and Brittany sneaking in through the air ducts, to Helen.
"My compliments, Helen. You have some intelligent progeny. Of course, that's one of the reasons I want them."
Helen glowered at him. "Don't hurt them. I'm warning you."
"I'm not going to hurt them. Physically, anyway."
Helen opened her mouth to curse him, but was cut short by a familiar sound. It was her cell phone. Alexander took it from his pocket and answered it.
"Helen? Is that you? It's me, Jake."
Alexander smiled. All good things...
"Hello, Jake. Helen can't come to the phone right now."
A brief pause. Then: "If you've hurt her..."
"Relax, Jake, she's safe. As are you, apparently. My compliments on your resilience."
"What do you want?"
"You, of course." Alexander waved a hand at one of his guards, who rushed out of the room.
"My father really messed you up, didn't he?"
Alexander gritted his teeth. "He was a great man. You're just too much of a spineless worm to realize it."
"Look, can't we work something out?"
"No. You should have thought of that before you abandoned him. Left him alone, with no heir, no hope, nothing! You pissed away your chance for greatness, Jake. I won't do the same."
"And what do you plan to do to achieve greatness?"
"You've seen our weapon, Jake. You know what it can do. Imagine that on a national scale."
"You're insane."
" I'm a visionary. Soon, this country will be ours, and it will be great again. People like you won't have a place in my world."
"I'll stop you. You gave me these abilities, remember?"
Alexander laughed. "You're nothing. You're a pathetic joke of your father's. Just because you were lucky enough to survive the school incident doesn't mean you're good enough to take me on. Be seeing you, Jake."
He hung the phone up. The guard rushed back into the room. "We have him, sir. He's at her law firm."
Alexander smiled. "Go there. Take him alive." He grabbed Helen roughly, and pushed her towards the guard. "Take her. If he gives you any trouble, use her to persuade him."
The guard nodded, and dragged a protesting Helen from the room. She struggled to no avail, but one thought ran through her head.
He's alive!
Brittany helped Daria down from the air shaft. She brushed herself off, and looked at the other two. "What do you know, they do make air shafts big enough to crawl through. And I thought movies only lied to you."
Quinn ran her fingers through her hair. "God! I bet I look a total mess. My hair is ruined, and my clothes are all dusty!"
"And you want to look your best when you're wandering into certain death."
Quinn scowled. Brittany looked round the nearest corner. "It's all clear."
"Okay." Daria took a deep breath. "Let's go."
"Um, Daria?"
"Yes, Quinn?"
"What exactly are we going to do when we get there?"
Daria thought for a moment. "I have no idea."
"Great, Daria. I'm glad you're the brains of this organization."
Daria tried to ignore her, and sneaked round the corner, her mind working overtime to come up with a suitable plan. Sadly, everything she thought of ended in a fiery bloodbath, with Daria coming out worst. Still, she couldn't do nothing, right? And the thought of saving Jane was revitalizing her a little.
They inched round a few more corners.
"I think the main office is around this bend," whispered Brittany. She took a quick glance round, and then quickly pulled back. "It is. There's lots of guards though."
Quinn looked terrified. "What are we going to do?"
Daria blanked. Brittany smiled. "I know what I'm going to do."
Daria looked at her. "What?" she whispered.
"It's payback time." Brittany was openly grinning now, a grotesque parody of her former bubbly self. "They killed Kevvie."
Daria was getting worried. "No, Brittany, Ms. Li killed Kevin."
Brittany stared straight at her. "And you know what I did to her?"
"I'm scared to ask."
"She paid for that. Oh yes." Brittany's voice was getting louder and louder. "And now, everyone behind that is going to pay."
Daria opened her mouth to say something, but before she could act, Brittany reached behind her jacket. She pulled out two huge pistols. Daria recognized them as Desert Eagles. Daria held her hand out. "Brittany, wait...!"
Too late. Brittany lunged around the corner, and began blazing away. The guards were totally taken by surprise, and ducked for cover. Luckily for them, Brittany's slight frame was not designed to handle two .50 caliber pistols, and all of her shots were going wild. Quinn started screaming. Daria figured they had a couple of seconds, maybe less, until the guards started shooting back. Brittany's guns ran out of ammo, and she screamed in annoyance, and moved to reload them. Daria took her chance, and lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. Brittany hit hard, and went limp, her guns clattering across the floor.
Daria managed to drag her back behind the corner just as a hail of bullets slammed into the wall where they had been. Gritting her teeth, she dragged Brittany's prone form back a couple of feet. Quinn stopped screaming, and knelt down beside them, her face creased with fear.
"What do we do now?"
Daria looked up at her, just as scared. "I don't know. We can't carry Brittany through the air ducts, and we can't leave her here."
The hail of bullets from around the corner continued. Daria got up. Maybe, they could get out one of the side doors. She glanced round the corner at the other end of the corridor. More guards, then a second volley of bullets. Daria ducked round again, and ran back to the others.
"We're penned in. It's only going to take a little while for them to figure out we're unarmed now."
Quinn shivered. "And then?"
Daria didn't say anything. Brittany stirred a little, and moaned. Daria put her hand on her shoulder. "Brittany? Can you walk?"
Brittany stared blankly at the ceiling. Her voice was a distant whisper. "Oh, Daria. I don't really think I want to die."
"That's good, Brittany. I'm glad you decided that before we did something really stupid."
Brittany continued, completely oblivious to the gunfire all around them. "I miss Kevin. I mean, I know we cheated on each other all the time, and sometimes he really annoyed me, but I miss him. It was like we were meant for each other, you know?"
Brittany continued rambling to no-one in particular. Daria put a comforting hand on her hand, and turned to Quinn. Quinn was trembling. "Daria, are we going to die?"
"I don't know, Quinn." Her voice fell to a whisper. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."
Quinn shrugged. "It's okay. I had to try and help the rest of the Fashion Club. Fashion Club solidarity and all that. I just wish I'd made it up with them."
"I thought you were still mad."
Quinn shook her head. "I was going to try and work it out. I mean, they're my friends and all."
Daria thought of Jane, and sighed. Quinn noticed her reaction. "You're thinking about Jane, aren't you?"
Daria nodded.
"Why weren't you guys talking? It was about that guy, wasn't it? Please tell me, I'd hate to die not knowing."
Daria thought for a second. What the hell. "It wasn't a guy, Quinn."
"You said..."
"I said I was in love with someone, and they didn't feel the same. Turns out they did, but we still couldn't get together."
"But what does this have to do with Jane?" Quinn's eyes went wide. "Ohhhh my God! It was Jane! You're in love with her?"
Daria smiled a little sadly. "Still am."
"Ewwwww!" Quinn shook her head. "Sandi was right! She said that anyone with your fashion sense had to be a lesbian."
"I'm glad you're being so understanding."
Quinn looked at her. "I'm sorry it didn't work out, Daria," she said softly.
"Me too."
Suddenly the shooting stopped. The sudden silence brought Brittany's ranting into sharp relief. "I mean, it was more than sex, wasn't it? The sex was great, and we did it a lot, but there was feelings there, right, and I miss him..."
"Is this how you saw yourself dying?" asked Quinn, her voice shaking.
"Oh yes. I definitely saw myself dying in the company of an embittered fashion princess, and a psychotic ex-cheerleader with a half-assed death wish."
"Sarcastic to the last."
Footsteps began walking down the corridor towards them.
"Daria?"
Daria turned to Quinn.
Quinn bit her lip. "I know we haven't always gotten along, well, we really haven't gotten along at all most of the time, but I guess, well, I don't hate you as much as I used to."
"That's very touching."
"Daria! I mean...I..."
Daria touched Quinn's hand. "I know. I do too."
The footsteps grew louder.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know," said Jake angrily. "But he has Helen, and probably the girls for all I know."
Eric stepped forward. "Um, what's going on?"
Jake looked up. "A man has kidnapped Helen in order to get to me, as part of my father's insane scheme to take over America using wormhole technology."
Wendy rolled her eyes, and Horizon covered her face with her hands.
"I see," said Eric, stepping back nervously.
"I thought we were going to let me do the talking," said Wendy.
"Helen's always said that Jake was a little high-strung," whispered Eric to Marianne. "I think he must have finally gone off the deep end."
Marianne nodded. "We should call security."
"Jake?"
Jake turned to see Horizon looking out the window. "I think we know where Helen is."
Jake and the others rushed to the window. A whisper craft was hovering outside, gun ports open, aimed straight at them. Jake could see inside the craft. Two guards, one passenger. That passenger was Helen, at gunpoint. Jake turned from the window.
"Shit."
Loudspeakers from the craft crackled on. "We only want Jake Morgendorffer. Come out, and we'll let her go."
Wendy raised an eyebrow. "You believe them?"
"I sure as hell don't," muttered Horizon.
Jake looked up, and caught Eric and Marianne's eyes. "Sorry, Eric."
"Mr. Morgendorffer, what's going on?" asked Marianne.
Jake turned towards the window, and walked towards it, stopping at the desk. Wendy and Horizon looked at him.
"Jake, what are you doing?"
Jake turned to Wendy. "Getting on that copter."
Wendy' eyes went wide. "Oh God. You're not going to do what I think, are you? We're ten floors up!"
Jake nodded. Horizon grabbed his shoulders. "Jake, I hate to point this out, but you can't fly!"
"I guess it's time to find out." Jake grabbed the heavy wooden desk, and effortlessly lifted it, to the amazement of Eric and Marianne. He threw it directly at the window, and it smashed through, falling to the ground below. Jake ran towards the new hole, and leapt. He could see the surprise on the pilot's face as he fell onto the cockpit, cracking the glass on the side. The craft veered to the side, sending Jake rolling off. He grabbed the side, and held on for dear life. As it straightened out, he pulled himself up, and smashed his fist though the glass., grabbing the guard with the gun on Helen. He pulled himself in, punching the guard in the jaw. The guard dropped the gun.
Jake followed up, knocking him unconscious. He turned to Helen, who screamed for him to watch out. He turned, saw the pilot raising a gun of his own - lunged at him, the shot went wide. Jake heard a gasp from behind. He turned and saw Helen go limp.
Have to act fast.
He threw the pilot at the controls hard. The pilot hit the console, and the craft lurched and dropped. The pilot struggled to regain control. Jake waited until they were a few feet above the ground, and grabbed Helen, and the other guard. He jumped, and landed on his feet. The whisper craft pulled up, and disappeared around a corner. Jake dropped the guard, and laid Helen down. The bullet had just grazed her skull. She didn't seem to be badly hurt.
Thank God.
He heard footsteps from behind him, and whirled around, adopting a fighting stance. It was Wendy and Horizon, and Eric and Marianne.
"Oh my God!" It was Marianne.
"She's fine," yelled Jake. He lifted Helen in his arms, and walked over to Eric. "Eric, you and Marianne get Helen to a hospital, please."
Eric nodded.
"Quickly." Jake looked around. "He'll be back."
The doors to the main conference room in City Hall swung open, and Daria, Quinn, and Brittany were roughly ushered in. The room had been cleared of all furniture, except for one chair at the end of the room, on which a man sat. Daria didn't recognize him. All around the other walls was a sight that made Daria's heart jump. Practically everyone she knew from school lined the walls, some with their parents, others not. All had guards with guns trained at their heads. Jodie, Mack, Upchuck, the Fashion club - she heard Quinn gasp in shock, and guessed she was thinking the same thing - Trent, and Jane.
Oh God, no. Don't let them hurt her. Any of them.
The man rose from his chair. "Hello, Daria, Quinn. We meet at last."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Alexander. I suppose you could say I'm your uncle."
Daria shook her head. "Neither Mom nor Dad has any brothers."
"In a manner of speaking, anyway. I'm proud to continue the Morgendorffer line." He smiled. "It's kind of like a reunion here, isn't it? I mean, everyone you and your sister gives a damn about is in this room. And Charles Ruttheimer III." He shrugged. "He's only really here because his father was helping us."
Quinn stepped forward. "Where's Mom and Dad?"
Your father should be on his way here. Your charming mother...dead, maybe. I don't care about her."
Quinn gasped. Daria tried to fight the sinking feeling in her stomach. "You're trying to get rid of everyone who knows about that school incident, aren't you? Who do you work for?"
Alexander laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "I don't want them. The parents will forget everything if they are told to. The children know nothing."
Daria's heart sank.
"I want you."
Daria and Quinn glanced at each other. "Why?"
"You are the granddaughters of 'Mad Dog' Morgendorffer."
Quinn thought for a moment. "That evil old drunk guy Dad used to rave about?"
"No!" Alexander's reaction was so explosive, Daria and Quinn even stepped back. "He was a legend. A great man. Something you spoilt little bitches could never understand. But you still have Morgendorffer blood in your veins. You have potential. And I will use that potential. From now on, you will be my daughters."
Shocked, Daria turned to Quinn. Tears were streaming down her face. Daria turned back to Alexander. She had to do something. She glanced at the guards around them. The closest one had a pistol in a shoulder holster. It was open. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now or never.
Here goes.
She reached forward as quickly as she could, and grabbed the pistol. She pulled it out of the holster, and pointed it at Alexander. At once, almost fifty guns were aimed at her head. Alexander was unmoved. "Very good. You do have potential. Except you can't possibly make that shot from that distance, and we both know it."
Daria wavered slightly. He was right. She had another plan, though. She steeled herself, and turned the gun to her own head. There was a collective gasp from the room. Quinn freaked. "Daria! What are you doing?"
Daria stared straight at Alexander, who was frowning. "You want me? Let them go, or I'll shoot myself. Then you'll have nothing." She looked at him. He was simply standing there, doing nothing. "What are you waiting for? I'm capable of it."
He stepped forward. "I know you are. I've seen you kill yourself a hundred different times, in a hundred different ways, for a hundred different reasons. You can do it." The tone of his voice gave her chills. "But if you do, I still have Quinn. I'd rather have you, but she'll do. Despite what you've said in the past, you aren't capable of really harming your sister, are you?"
Daria said nothing, but the gun was shaking in her hands.
Alexander continued, his voice growing harsher. "And if you do, die with the knowledge that you've doomed your friends. I'll kill them, your little friend Jane last. And I'll make her death slow."
Daria glanced to Jane. Her eyes were full of fear. Daria closed her eyes, and dropped the gun. One of the guards scooped it back up.
Alexander smiled. "Good. This is why I wanted them. I'll discard the parents, but I'll keep the children. Think of them as insurance, if you two ever try a stunt like that again." He turned to an older man beside him. "Newton. Load up the transports. We're moving out. With luck, Morgendorffer will join us soon enough. We've spent enough time in the open already."
Newton nodded. "Of course."
Quinn moved to Daria and hugged her. Daria hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Quinn." The guards began to bustle everyone out.
Jake watched as Eric and Marianne loaded Helen into the car. Wendy and Horizon ran up to him, as he lifted the guard off his feet. "Where is Alexander?"
"City Hall."
Jake paused. "That was easy."
The guard smiled. "He's waiting for you."
Jake let him drop. He turned to Wendy and Horizon. He opened his mouth to speak, then heard the hum of the whisper craft, as it came back for another approach. "Hide in that alley!" he yelled. "I'm going to City Hall."
The whisper craft came rushing round the corner. Wendy and Horizon ducked into an alley, and it soared past them. Jake leapt up onto a fire escape and rushed up to a nearby roof.
The two women ducked out from behind the alley. "Does he even know where City Hall is?" asked Horizon.
Wendy shrugged. "Come on, Intern Girl."
Jake ran across the rooftop, and leapt to another. He was astounded at how far he could leap, and how fast he could run. He hadn't really had a chance to try out his new abilities, and now he was learning exactly what he could do. He heard the hum of the craft behind him, and the telltale click of the weapons arming themselves. He somersaulted off a building, just as an explosion hit behind him. He landed on his feet, and glanced up. Gas. Tear gas, from the look of things. The craft dived down to street level, behind him. He ran down the street, and ducked into an alley, too wide for the craft to follow. It pulled up to go over. Jake used the chance the try to lose it.
He rushed through as many alleys, and back streets as he could, trying to lose it. He emerged, and looked around. No sign of the whisper craft. One problem, though,
He was lost. He didn't have any idea where City Hall was from here.
As he was thinking, a chunk of the wall beside him blew out. The whisper craft. Jake narrowly dodged another shot, and jumped onto a fire escape. He leapt to another one, and climbed to the roof. The craft bore down on him. He ducked under it, and jumped, grabbing onto the tail. He swung over, and slipped in through the broken cockpit. The pilot turned, and fired,. Jake kicked his hand, making the gun fly out of the window. The pilot swung at him - Jake easily dodged. A return punch caught the pilot on the nose. He slumped back, and the craft instantly plummeted. Jake grabbed the pilot, and leapt from the cockpit.
He hit the ground, and rolled to safety. The whisper craft crashed in the middle of the street, and exploded, sending debris flying everywhere. Jake checked the pilot. He was alive.
Jake stood up and wondered where the hell in Lawndale he was. He had to get to City Hall.
Outside City Hall, the teenagers were being bundled into a number of transport helicopters, and the troops were moving out. Newton walked down the front steps to join Alexander.
"The adults are finished. They won't remember a thing."
"Excellent. Any word from the men we sent to retrieve Morgendorffer?"
Newton shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. Even if he did get free, we have his children. He will find our message, and come to us."
Newton looked at Alexander. "It's too risky! What if someone else finds that message?"
"It can only be accessed by a Morgendorffer. Besides, we concluded that no-one else is watching. You have your orders, Newton."
Newton nodded reluctantly, and walked away.
Aboard one transport, Jane and Daria sat facing each other. Trent was beside Jane, asleep. Jane glanced at Trent. "Sometimes, I think he could sleep during the end of the world."
"I feel like he already is," muttered Daria. "The end of our world, anyway."
"Yeah." Jane glanced down. "I'm sorry, Daria."
"For what?"
"Screwing with your feelings. Screwing with Trent's feelings."
Daria looked to the side. "If I'd been honest in the first place, we wouldn't have any problems. I was just scared."
"Yeah." Jane's voice was quiet. "Me too. Um, thanks for what you did in there."
"I didn't do anything."
"You were going to kill yourself to get us free."
Daria looked at Jane. "I'd do anything for you, Jane. I love you."
Jane smiled sadly. "I love you too. Actually, I kind of spoke to Trent about that. He says he's comfortable with us having a relationship now. So..er...how about it?"
"The famous Lane timing strikes again."
"And yet I still feel like there's something between us."
"Could be these restraints."
Jane looked down. "Oh yeah. How come yours are spiffier than mine?"
Daria shrugged. Jane suddenly looked at her, deadly serious. "Daria?"
"Yeah?"
"In the park..."
"Yes?"
Jane's voice was low. "I should have kissed you."
The two friends looked at each other silently.
In another transport, the former members of the Fashion Club sat in restraints. Stacy was bawling her eyes out. "It was Ted. He told me I should get you back for all the horrible stuff you did to me!"
Sandi scowled. "Stacy, whatever happened to Fashion Club solidarity?"
"There never was any," shot back Quinn. "You always tried to put me down, and Stacy."
"Kuh-winn, that's not...wait, what are we doing?"
Quinn blinked. "I guess old habits are coming back." She looked down. "Um. I'm really sorry about ignoring you guys for so long. It was just, after all that happened, it hurt..."
Sandi looked away guiltily. Quinn continued. "I mean, we fought and stuff, but we were friends, right?"
Sandi nodded. "Yeah. I missed you, Quinn. I'm sorry for everything I did."
"That was beautiful," blubbed Stacy. "Oh Quinn, Sandi, I'm so sorry!"
Sandi looked at Quinn. "Thanks for, like, coming to rescue us."
"That's okay. We're friends, right?"
Sandi smiled. Quinn smiled back. Stacy kept bawling.
Sandi looked at Quinn, and her face became serious. "Quinn? Do you think we're really going to...?"
"I don't know, Sandi. I'm just scared."
"Me too."
Quinn smiled a little. "I'm just glad we're together for this."
Tiffany looked up. "Arrre weee at the mallll yet?"
"What's going on, Jodie?"
Jodie shook her head. "I don't know, Mack. I don't understand anything."
Mack slumped back against the transport's side. Upchuck was beside them, looking terrified, and for once, speechless. Brittany was there too. She'd stopped ranting, and now she had a blank expression, full of despair. Mack couldn't actually remember seeing her blink since they'd been in City Hall. "I mean, I always thought Daria's dad was kind of clueless. That's how she described him."
"I know, Mack. I guess we'll find out." Jodie looked at him. "Sorry."
"What for?"
"Breaking up with you so badly."
"That's okay."
"No, it isn't. You've been good to me, Mack, and I should have been a little nicer."
"It's okay."
Jodie saw that Mack wasn't in the mood to talk, and dropped it. She decided on a new topic. "Mack? Are you scared?"
"Terrified."
Wendy's car pulled up beside Jake. "Hop in!"
"Wendy? How did you find me?"
Wendy glanced at the flaming wreckage. "You ask the dumbest questions sometimes, M."
Jake got in the back. "City Hall."
Horizon glanced at Wendy. "Okay, he didn't know where it was. You were right."
The car pulled up in front of City Hall. Jake, followed by the two women, rushed inside. It was deserted. Jake checked all the offices as he ran through the corridors. Nothing. They reached the main conference room, and flung the door open. There was a handful of people inside. Jake ran in. He saw the Landons, and the Ruttheimers, and a little brown haired kid who looked kind of familiar. "Andrew!" He rushed up to Andrew Landon. "Where is everyone?"
Andrew looked at him. "Jake Morgendorffer? What are you doing here? Where is who?"
"The kids! They were here!"
"I told you the Morgendorffers were head cases," muttered Michelle Landon, and they left. Jake looked around. The Ruttheimers had gone too, and that little brown haired kid. Where had he seen him before?
Horizon put her hand on his shoulder. "Jake?"
"They're gone, Horizon. My girls are gone, and I don't know where." Jake noticed a small black box lying in the center of the floor. He walked over to it, and picked it up. Immediately, a life-sized hologram of Alexander flashed into existence before him.
"Hello Jake. I can only assume you were lucky enough to defeat those two men I sent to retrieve you. If Helen was unlucky enough to be killed, my condolences. If she survived, my even bigger condolences."
"Anyway, I'm with your two charming daughters. They'll be useful for my purposes in the future, and we'll be able to achieve a lot as one big happy family. A more secure one than you were ever able to provide."
"Only one thing remains to do before I can be content. Namely, kill you. I know you, you can't just sit back, knowing your daughters are with me. Directions are enclosed. Be seeing you, Jake."
The hologram fizzled, and vanished. Jake turned to the door, and began walking out. The two women followed.
"Jake, you aren't thinking of going, are you?"
"Horizon, I don't have a choice."
"Jake, this is bloody stupid."
They reached the front steps. Jake stopped short. A tall, well-built man in his thirties was leaning against Wendy's car, smiling. He was handsome, and wearing an impeccably tailored suit. He looked like an actor, to be honest. Jake looked at him. "Who are you?"
The man smiled, revealing a set of perfect white teeth. "Hello, Jake. Let's just say we have similar objectives. I'm here to help you."
To Be Continued...
