--Chapter 33--
That afternoon in Roswell, Victoria went to the bookstore. She was reading some books intently when the man who she knew was the ex-sheriff, Kyle Valenti's father, passed by. He noticed the books she had in her hands and looked at her curiously before passing on.
Victoria got a call from her cell. She picked it up and Adam was on the other end of the phone. "I need you back here, Victoria, pronto." She hung up the phone and got into the waiting car outside.
-=-=-=-
That night, Max's mom knocked on his door, an envelope in hand. "Max, a messenger delivered this just now. Said it was for you."
Max took the envelope and looked at the typed lettering. His mom looked as if she might be curious as to the content, until Max forces a smile and says, "Thanks, mom." She nods, with a smile, and leaves his room.
The card inside was an invitation and it read:
Maxwell Evans, Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin are cordially invited to the Winthrop Mansion tomorrow at 2 pm sharp. I cannot stress its importance. Come alone.
It was signed, Adam Winthrop.
Max knew the time had come. And to deceive himself into thinking he was not apprehensive would be a lie. Max got up and went into Isabel's room and just handed her the card. She read it and looked up at him, worry in her eyes.
"What about the others?" -Isabel.
"We'll leave them out of this. It's best not to tell them. It's no good to put all of us in danger, especially when all he really wants is us three." -Max.
"But just what are we going to do?" -Isabel.
"You know," Max said, sitting down on the edge of her bed, "I'm supposed to be the 'king' - I'm supposed to take care of everyone. Have the answers. But I just don't---"
Isabel put her hand over her brother's. "Whatever we face, we face it together. Whatever happens."
-=-=-=-=-
the next day. . .
Michael had been tormented all night long. He couldn't sleep. He knew something bad was going to happen and he didn't know how to stop it. He had been half-tempted at first, to take Victoria away from all of it - just get out of there, the two of them. But that wasn't reality. And it seems, she was a big part of the problem! Victoria. He had begun to think of her as HIS Victoria. He cared about her a lot. More than that, he knew. He wanted to protect her. But it was ironic- he wanted to protect *her* - the girl who'd harmed his friends. He didn't know how to absorb it, but he did, somehow. And then the hurt turned to anger. It lay heavy on him and he was confused.
When Max and Isabel had come to his apartment this morning, they'd almost looked defeated. Max had shown him the card from Adam and here they were, outside the Winthrop mansion. They didn't have much of a plan, though. They had powers- but they were by no means invincible. The three of them were no match for all of the reinforcements Adam was sure to have there.
When they pulled up, several men came around and escorted them out of their car, making sure they had no weapons. The men led the way inside the impressive building. On the second floor, in the vast main corridor the three faced a force consisting of Adam, another man slightly behind him to the right who seemed somewhat familiar, and Victoria Winthrop slightly behind and to the left of Adam and at least twenty men and a few women in quasi-soldier's garb- behind Adam and surrounding the space, guns at ease, but ready.
When Victoria saw the three led in facing them, she kept herself expressionless, but she couldn't look at Michael and she couldn't let herself think of him being hurt.
"Welcome, 'guests'." Adam said, with a sweeping gesture. "I know who you three are. Who and *what* you really are. But you see, I am an expansionist by nature, I like to expand my wealth and powers, if you will. And I can do that, with the assistance of your person powers. We could all benefit immensely."
"If you intend to suggest an alliance-" Max started.
Adam cut him off, "That is precisely what I intend to propose. There is no need to have to resort to violence Mr. leader - or should I say 'king'."
Max, Isabel and Michael looked at each other briefly.
"Yes, I know even that. There is not much about you three that I don't know." -Adam.
"What do you want with us?" -Isabel snapped.
"Why you like to get down to business, I see. I'd like for you three to become my guests in truth, to learn more about your powers, and for them to benefit all of us. In your case- dear girl, you'd be my guest again. You did enjoy it the first time didn't you? -Adam.
"You son of---" Max barely held himself in check. "You hurt my sister. You'll never get the chance again. You'll never touch any of us. We want nothing to do with you or your supposed 'alliance'."
"Is that right? Well, we can do this your way, then. Give yourselves over to me or pay the consequences." -Adam demanded.
"Then what are the consequences?" Michael spoke finally, his eyes ablaze with seriousness.
"Then you die a slowly agonizing death, but I'll still have what I want before you die." -Adam.
"That's not going to happen." Michael put his arm out in an outpouring of his power. His direction did not hit the main instigators, because Adam's men blocked Adam and Victoria with themselves. The rest of the men and women aimed their guns at the three.
A hail of gunfire descended upon them, which Max put up a protective force- field in front of them in the nick of time.
"Remember, I want them alive. barely!" Adam ordered amidst the chaos that was beginning to ensue. Michael and Isabel projected their power against Adam's soldiers. More than a few went down.
Adam was beside Victoria just then. "Use your power to weaken their barrier. Collide it with theirs."
She hesitated. "Do it!" Adam pushed her forward. Victoria raised her arm and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch. Just as she felt a release of power collide into Max Evans', there was an explosion that rocked the foundation of the mansion.
Victoria opened her eyes in surprise. Max was staring right at her. Everyone fell to the floor as fire shot through the room. More explosions were set off in the mansion- from different parts.
Victoria looked around. She or that Max Evans couldn't have been the cause could they? What was happening? And where was Saelar now?
Adam was heading towards one end of the corridor, a group of his men before him, when another explosion flowed through that side, killing many.
Adam hit the floor and was unhurt.
In the chaos, Victoria glimpsed Max, Michael and Isabel dashing away. She didn't move to stop them. She got up herself. Adam motioned to her fervently from the other end of the hall, but she thought of Kyle. Kyle Valenti was still down there. He was trapped here and would die if she didn't get to him. Victoria decided to run in the other direction, to help him instead. She managed to make it over half-way to the secret rooms, when arms came around her and forced her away.
"You can't leave Kyle down there! He'll die." -Victoria.
Two of Adam's men held her tight while she struggled.
"He's nothing. Come on!" Adam growled. Victoria was pulled away and out of the mansion.
After their flight out of the mansion, Victoria sees a car pull up with more of their men and two hostages. Liz Parker and Maria Deluca were inside.
Victoria was forced into the limousine after Adam. Sliding the window down, she saw Maria looking at her from the other automobile. In that instant, Victoria sends Maria a desperate mental message, slamming into Maria's mind, the knowledge of where Kyle was inside the mansion, so hard that Maria's head ached.
The limousine pulled away and speeds after the retreating car ahead, consisting of Michael, Max, and Isabel.
-=-
Just as the car that Maria and Liz are kept in, starts to follow Adam Winthrop's car, Maria sees Jim Valenti and Jesse arrive in Valenti's automobile.
As the car races away too, Maria screams with all her might, telling them where Kyle is trapped inside the mansion.
--End of Chapter 33-
[one more chapter to go before the end, then there will be two sequels and a prequel story to follow as well ( ]
That afternoon in Roswell, Victoria went to the bookstore. She was reading some books intently when the man who she knew was the ex-sheriff, Kyle Valenti's father, passed by. He noticed the books she had in her hands and looked at her curiously before passing on.
Victoria got a call from her cell. She picked it up and Adam was on the other end of the phone. "I need you back here, Victoria, pronto." She hung up the phone and got into the waiting car outside.
-=-=-=-
That night, Max's mom knocked on his door, an envelope in hand. "Max, a messenger delivered this just now. Said it was for you."
Max took the envelope and looked at the typed lettering. His mom looked as if she might be curious as to the content, until Max forces a smile and says, "Thanks, mom." She nods, with a smile, and leaves his room.
The card inside was an invitation and it read:
Maxwell Evans, Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin are cordially invited to the Winthrop Mansion tomorrow at 2 pm sharp. I cannot stress its importance. Come alone.
It was signed, Adam Winthrop.
Max knew the time had come. And to deceive himself into thinking he was not apprehensive would be a lie. Max got up and went into Isabel's room and just handed her the card. She read it and looked up at him, worry in her eyes.
"What about the others?" -Isabel.
"We'll leave them out of this. It's best not to tell them. It's no good to put all of us in danger, especially when all he really wants is us three." -Max.
"But just what are we going to do?" -Isabel.
"You know," Max said, sitting down on the edge of her bed, "I'm supposed to be the 'king' - I'm supposed to take care of everyone. Have the answers. But I just don't---"
Isabel put her hand over her brother's. "Whatever we face, we face it together. Whatever happens."
-=-=-=-=-
the next day. . .
Michael had been tormented all night long. He couldn't sleep. He knew something bad was going to happen and he didn't know how to stop it. He had been half-tempted at first, to take Victoria away from all of it - just get out of there, the two of them. But that wasn't reality. And it seems, she was a big part of the problem! Victoria. He had begun to think of her as HIS Victoria. He cared about her a lot. More than that, he knew. He wanted to protect her. But it was ironic- he wanted to protect *her* - the girl who'd harmed his friends. He didn't know how to absorb it, but he did, somehow. And then the hurt turned to anger. It lay heavy on him and he was confused.
When Max and Isabel had come to his apartment this morning, they'd almost looked defeated. Max had shown him the card from Adam and here they were, outside the Winthrop mansion. They didn't have much of a plan, though. They had powers- but they were by no means invincible. The three of them were no match for all of the reinforcements Adam was sure to have there.
When they pulled up, several men came around and escorted them out of their car, making sure they had no weapons. The men led the way inside the impressive building. On the second floor, in the vast main corridor the three faced a force consisting of Adam, another man slightly behind him to the right who seemed somewhat familiar, and Victoria Winthrop slightly behind and to the left of Adam and at least twenty men and a few women in quasi-soldier's garb- behind Adam and surrounding the space, guns at ease, but ready.
When Victoria saw the three led in facing them, she kept herself expressionless, but she couldn't look at Michael and she couldn't let herself think of him being hurt.
"Welcome, 'guests'." Adam said, with a sweeping gesture. "I know who you three are. Who and *what* you really are. But you see, I am an expansionist by nature, I like to expand my wealth and powers, if you will. And I can do that, with the assistance of your person powers. We could all benefit immensely."
"If you intend to suggest an alliance-" Max started.
Adam cut him off, "That is precisely what I intend to propose. There is no need to have to resort to violence Mr. leader - or should I say 'king'."
Max, Isabel and Michael looked at each other briefly.
"Yes, I know even that. There is not much about you three that I don't know." -Adam.
"What do you want with us?" -Isabel snapped.
"Why you like to get down to business, I see. I'd like for you three to become my guests in truth, to learn more about your powers, and for them to benefit all of us. In your case- dear girl, you'd be my guest again. You did enjoy it the first time didn't you? -Adam.
"You son of---" Max barely held himself in check. "You hurt my sister. You'll never get the chance again. You'll never touch any of us. We want nothing to do with you or your supposed 'alliance'."
"Is that right? Well, we can do this your way, then. Give yourselves over to me or pay the consequences." -Adam demanded.
"Then what are the consequences?" Michael spoke finally, his eyes ablaze with seriousness.
"Then you die a slowly agonizing death, but I'll still have what I want before you die." -Adam.
"That's not going to happen." Michael put his arm out in an outpouring of his power. His direction did not hit the main instigators, because Adam's men blocked Adam and Victoria with themselves. The rest of the men and women aimed their guns at the three.
A hail of gunfire descended upon them, which Max put up a protective force- field in front of them in the nick of time.
"Remember, I want them alive. barely!" Adam ordered amidst the chaos that was beginning to ensue. Michael and Isabel projected their power against Adam's soldiers. More than a few went down.
Adam was beside Victoria just then. "Use your power to weaken their barrier. Collide it with theirs."
She hesitated. "Do it!" Adam pushed her forward. Victoria raised her arm and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch. Just as she felt a release of power collide into Max Evans', there was an explosion that rocked the foundation of the mansion.
Victoria opened her eyes in surprise. Max was staring right at her. Everyone fell to the floor as fire shot through the room. More explosions were set off in the mansion- from different parts.
Victoria looked around. She or that Max Evans couldn't have been the cause could they? What was happening? And where was Saelar now?
Adam was heading towards one end of the corridor, a group of his men before him, when another explosion flowed through that side, killing many.
Adam hit the floor and was unhurt.
In the chaos, Victoria glimpsed Max, Michael and Isabel dashing away. She didn't move to stop them. She got up herself. Adam motioned to her fervently from the other end of the hall, but she thought of Kyle. Kyle Valenti was still down there. He was trapped here and would die if she didn't get to him. Victoria decided to run in the other direction, to help him instead. She managed to make it over half-way to the secret rooms, when arms came around her and forced her away.
"You can't leave Kyle down there! He'll die." -Victoria.
Two of Adam's men held her tight while she struggled.
"He's nothing. Come on!" Adam growled. Victoria was pulled away and out of the mansion.
After their flight out of the mansion, Victoria sees a car pull up with more of their men and two hostages. Liz Parker and Maria Deluca were inside.
Victoria was forced into the limousine after Adam. Sliding the window down, she saw Maria looking at her from the other automobile. In that instant, Victoria sends Maria a desperate mental message, slamming into Maria's mind, the knowledge of where Kyle was inside the mansion, so hard that Maria's head ached.
The limousine pulled away and speeds after the retreating car ahead, consisting of Michael, Max, and Isabel.
-=-
Just as the car that Maria and Liz are kept in, starts to follow Adam Winthrop's car, Maria sees Jim Valenti and Jesse arrive in Valenti's automobile.
As the car races away too, Maria screams with all her might, telling them where Kyle is trapped inside the mansion.
--End of Chapter 33-
[one more chapter to go before the end, then there will be two sequels and a prequel story to follow as well ( ]