"Just let me grab a pen before you start," Alex said touching Isabel's
shoulder as he walked past her towards the junk drawer Maria kept in the
kitchen. "She always has a pen or two in this drawer. and God only knows
what else. I keep waiting to find a human hand or something," he smiled
trying to lighten the mood in the room. He failed miserably. Liz, Max and
Isabel glared at him and visually scolded him for making such a thoughtless
joke while Hope, Maria and Michael were at the mercy of a man known to be
physically abusive.
"Sorry," Alex mumbled and lowered his head. He returned with a pen and sat at the table next to Isabel. "Whenever you're ready," Alex spoke quietly.
Isabel turned her head to look at Max. She met his eyes and stared at him intently as she began to speak. "It's like the time I felt Max when he was taken to the white room."
"What did you feel?" Max said keeping his eyes locked with his sister's. As important as it was to get all they could from Isabel, Max also realized the importance of allowing Isabel to keep some sense of sanity. She nearly lost her entire mental being when Max was taken away. and now Isabel was being forced to live similarly tragic circumstances with Michael being threatened.
"It was a sensation that he was. they took him across a bridge," Isabel said moving her eyes to stare at the wall. Her mind filled with hazy images of the dream she shared with Michael. As soon as his conscious state had begun to falter at the pier, Isabel had been able to enter his mind.
"There are 289 bridges in the greater L.A. area," Alex said shaking his head at his computer screen.
"It was a drawbridge," Isabel said remembering.
"That's gotta help," Alex said typing the preference into his search. "4!" he shouted excitedly.
"Keep going, Is," Max encouraged his sister.
Isabel focused on the textures on the wall and allowed her mind to remember. "A mouse waved at the car," Isabel said.
"Huh?" Max said laughing.
Isabel suddenly realized what she had said. She looked nervously between Max and Alex. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and said in defense, "I don't know! I'm just telling you what I saw!"
"Chuckie Cheese," Liz whispered from where she stood leaning against the doorframe.
"What?" Alex asked even more confused.
"There's a Chuckie Cheese at the corner of Orange and Blakely. just off the Skyway Bridge," she said. Liz smiled widely realizing she'd been able to help. "I bet Chuckie was doing a promotion. They do that a lot."
Max blinked his eyes and shook his head. "How do you know that?"
Liz smiled. "I've taken Hope there a few times while Maria's had out-of- state performances."
"I've got it!" Alex said zooming in on the virtual map he'd pulled up. He breathed excitedly. "We're getting somewhere now. Keep going, Is."
Isabel stared at the wall again and thought.
...................
"You don't know what, Michael?" Jackson demanded.
Michael looked around the room and tried to gather his thoughts. "Who are you?" Michael asked trying to turn the tables.
"You mean, Maria's never mentioned me?" Jackson asked sadly. He shook his head. "You think somebody's your friend and then they go and deny you."
"Where am I?" Michael asked trying to stand. As he lifted his body from the floor, he became lightheaded and sunk back down. He held his throbbing head and squint his eyes.
"Got a headache?" Jackson asked sweetly. "Don't worry. It'll go away."
"Where am I?" Michael asked again with more force.
Jackson sighed and began to walk around the small white room. "Where you are is not important. What matters is why you are here." He stopped walking and looked at Michael. "Do you know why you are here?"
................
"I've got it!" Alex shouted. Everyone gathered around Alex and peered at the computer screen.
"Where is that?" Max asked. He glared at the aerial view of a complex of gray buildings.
"Fort Tynelle. A military base that was closed in the late 80's," Alex explained as he shifted the viewfinder.
"Guess it's not so closed," Isabel commented.
"You see that?" Alex asked pointing to a blurry rise around the complex. "Twelve-foot privacy fencing. My guess is that it's either electrified or armed with guards."
"Or both," Max said.
..............................................................
Michael listened impatiently, but quietly, as Jackson barked out his list of demands. More than anything, he wanted to get through his kidnapper's orientation and find his way to Maria and Hope. As he listened, Jackson's voice faded to a roar of slurred sounds and his mind drifted to Hope. He remembered Hope's bravery in the hospital while her mother fought for her life in the Intensive Care Unit. He remembered the first time he saw her use her powers on the television. He smiled remembering the moment he found out the beautiful little girl was his daughter.
"What are you smiling at?!" Jackson shouted bringing Michael back from his daydream. "Do you think this is funny?"
"I'm just wondering when you'll be finished," Michael shot back.
Jackson looked at Michael with unbelieving eyes. "Trust me... you'll be finished long before me." He glared at Michael and waited for him to grasp his meaning.
............................................................
"Let's go!" Liz called from the car. She blew the horn and tapped her foot madly against the floorboard.
Isabel, Alex and Max came running from the house with their arms loaded. They carried flashlights, a cooler, ropes, a blanket, and other supplies that Alex deemed "a probable necessity."
Liz rolled her eyes. "We're breaking and entering. We're kidnapping the kidnapped. We're not going camping."
Max dumped his armload in the back of his Durango and walked around to take the passenger's seat. "Just drive," he said. Max leaned across the seat and kissed Liz on the cheek. He whispered, "The blanket is for us... later."
"Max!" Liz exclaimed.
"Um..." Isabel spoke from the back seat. "Maria... Hope... Michael... kidnapped."
Alex snickered and said, "I see you're still having problems with those complete sentences, Isabel."
Isabel wrinkled her nose and frowned. "Can we just go get them now?"
....................
Mildred adjusted her wire-framed glasses and turned away from the two-way mirror to look at Jackson. "Perhaps he'll be more cooperative once he's been assured the girl is okay." She watched Jackson's aggravation build in his eyes before she turned back to look at Michael through the glass.
"Perhaps," Jackson finally said and sighed.
"What do we have to lose?" Mildred asked. "At this point in time, we have no evidence to prove either parent is other worldly."
"What do we have to lose?" Jackson mocked Mildred as he banged his fist against the desk. "Are you kidding me? We have everything to lose. If the father is the alien, the he and the child could combine their power and overtake the facility. or he could lose all self-control upon seeing his daughter and act out against us. or the child could. we have no idea. So, for that reason, we have everything to lose."
Mildred watched the anger escalating in Jackson's facial expressions and carefully worded her reply. "Nothing happened when the child was with her mother."
"That proves nothing!" Jackson snapped. Jackson lowered his head, closed his eyes and mentally counted to ten. "I'm surrounded by optimistic, naive fools," he mumbled. After a moment, Jackson lifted his head, opened his eyes and surrendered to the risky experiment. "Go ahead."
.....................
"Where are you taking me?" Michael demanded as he was ushered through the tiny, lifeless hallway. He watched as the orderly's expression faltered for a second before resuming its unresponsive appearance. Michael immediately picked up on the orderly's fear. He'd seen the same expression from a number of his patients as they refused to accept a negative prognosis. Michael was certain he could use the orderly's fear in his own best interest. "I asked you a question," Michael said reaching out to poke the orderly's shoulder.
The orderly turned suddenly and looked at Michael. "Touch me again and you will be sorry."
Michael smiled inwardly as he carefully calculated the orderly's response. Though the young man verbally challenged him, Michael saw the panic in his posture. The orderly was set to run at a moment's notice.
"Just tell me where we're going," Michael barked.
"You want to see her don't you?" the orderly asked eyeing Michael.
.....................
"We can't just pull into the place," Isabel groaned. The four friends had been arguing consistently for the past half hour over where to park the car and how to approach the complex.
"Look, the longer we wait..." Alex stopped not wanting to finish the thought.
"Max," Liz spoke hoping he would have a plan.
Max simply looked at Liz. He had been the leader for so many years. Right or wrong, he'd always had a plan. But he honestly had no idea what to do. He felt completely lost. Isabel had done her part... she'd connected with Michael and learned where he was. Alex had done his part... he'd sifted through records and files and learned where their friends were being held. Liz had done her part... she'd driven.
Max had no idea where he came in. Still, if he was going to be needed, it wasn't going to be while he was hiding out in the car.
"I've got to get in there," Max whispered.
............................................................................ ..
The orderly used a code and his handprint to open a white door. He then stepped aside and motioned for Michael to enter.
Michael stepped forward and looked inside the room. His heart melted and his chest ached. Hope was curled into a corner of the room hugging her knees.
Michael stepped inside the tiny room and the orderly sealed the door behind him. Michael kept his eyes glued to the child. Hope. his daughter. He took slow, cautious steps towards Hope and stopped in front her. He bent down and warily touched her shoulder.
Hope gasped and looked up. She looked inquisitively at the man and waited for her next phase of torment.
Michael's face fell when he realized Hope was afraid of him. He assumed her extent of psychological torture had exceeded miles beyond what any child could be expected to withstand. "Do you remember me?" he asked quietly.
Hope stared at Michael curiously for a few seconds. Suddenly, her face changed. Her tightened brow loosened and a smile crept across her face. "You're the doctor," she whispered. "You're my mommy's doctor."
Michael smiled to encourage Hope, but inside he was crying. She knew him as nothing more than her mommy's doctor. Hope had no idea that he was her father. Michael continued to smile and comfort Hope, but he mentally chastised himself. "What did you expect?" He thought. "Did you expect this child. this young lady. to come running into your arms? Did you expect her to know you by simply looking into your eyes? Did you expect her to love you? Did you expect her to hold you and call you Daddy? She doesn't know you. She doesn't know you and it's your own fault that she doesn't. You chose to leave. You walked out on Maria and the only good thing you had going in your life. You chose Antar over love. And ultimately, you chose Antar over Hope."
Michael noticed a bruise on Hope's inner arm. He turned her arm to examine at the mark and detected a small needle mark. "They've been drugging her," Michael thought. "I've got to get her out of here. now." All plans he'd made to go to sleep and talk to Isabel. he decided those plans needed to be broken. Michael knew that the longer he waited, the more likely he was to lose both Hope and Maria.
Hope spoke and broke Michael from his self-imposed reprimand. "Have you seen my mommy? Is she okay?"
"She's fine," Michael smiled. He thought, "What a selfless being. She didn't ask me to save her. She didn't ask me to rescue her from this cold, white room. Instead, she's concerned for her mom's well-being. You did good, Maria. She's perfect."
Michael caressed Hope's small shoulder and said, "I have a secret to tell you."
Hope's smile widened and innocent wonder sparkled in her eyes. "What is it?" she asked.
Michael leaned in to whisper in Hope's ear. "Alex is waiting for us outside."
Hope's eyes grew with excitement and she squeaked. "He is?" she said bouncing and clapping her hands in glee.
"Shhhh," Michael quieted Hope with a finger to his lips. "It's a secret, remember?"
Hope tightened her lips and pretended to zip her lips. She then tossed the imaginary key over her shoulder.
Michael picked Hope up and began carrying her around the room. For the sake of anyone who might be observing him through the two-way mirror on the opposite wall, he pretended he and Hope were having a close father-daughter conversation that entailed pacing the room. He casually made his way towards the locked door. the locked door he was certain was guarded.
"Have you ever read Superman comics?" Michael asked Hope.
"I can't read yet, silly," Hope laughed.
Michael thought for a second and asked another question. "Have you ever seen people that can do. that have powers?" Michael knew his question must be beyond Hope's level of comprehension, but he needed to try to warn her of what was about to happen. He didn't want her to be scared of what she would see.
"Like Sabrina?" Hope asked smiling.
"Who's Sabrina?" Michael asked in reply.
"She's a teenage witch. She can point her finger and do things," Hope explained. "And she can. um. she has a cat. but he's not really a cat. and um."
Michael smiled at Hope's innocence and interrupted her. "Guess what? I have powers just like Sabrina."
"You, too?" Hope asked excitedly.
Michael nodded his head.
"Me, too!" Hope exclaimed. "Mommy tells me not to show people, but watch this," Hope said as she lifted her hand.
"No," Michael nearly shouted as he stilled her hand. Michael's heart tightened when he saw Hope's reaction. "It's okay for me to know, but we don't want the other people here to know," Michael tried to explain. "Okay?"
Hope shook her head in understanding. "Can we go see Alex, now?"
A jealous tinge ached in Michael's heart. He wished he was the one Hope couldn't wait to see. Still, he knew there would be plenty of time for him and Hope to get to know each other. after they escaped. safely.
"We're going right now," Michael said.
....................
"Max, wait," Liz said opening her car door. She took a few quick strides and reached Max just before he stepped out of the woods into the clearing towards the complex.
Max stopped walking and turned around to look at Liz. What he saw made knees weak. In Liz's face, he saw all the fear and worry he saw the day he left her so many years ago. Max knew that since they'd only days ago rekindled their friendship, much less their need for one another's affections. he knew that every word they whispered, every glance they shared, every moment they spent together was precious and vital to the hopes they both held for each other.
Liz stopped in front of Max and could say nothing. Her heart was screaming and fear hung in her throat, but she couldn't muster even the smallest sound. She wanted to tell him. everything. Memories of the last time he left blinded her. She'd had so many regrets. She' had so many things she meant to tell him before he left. Liz knew the danger Max was walking into and she refused to allow those words to go unspoken once again.
Max touched Liz's face and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll be back," he promised.
Liz leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Max's cheek. With her palm, she touched his heart and allowed her hand to drift aimlessly down as she stepped backward. She nodded her head in response to Max's promise. No words were said, but Liz knew Max understood.
...................
"Don't let go of my hand," Michael said as he squeezed Hope's tiny hand.
"Okay," Hope answered.
...................
Max held his distance from the complex behind a large tree. He carefully watched the seemingly deserted buildings and planned his maneuver. He spotted a black bubble near the main gate of the privacy fence and instantly recognized it as a security camera. "That's first to go," he thought as he removed the flashlight from his pocket. He took a deep breath, ran towards the gate, and leaped at the camera. With the butt of the flashlight, he swung a powerful blow that cracked the bubble. He raised his hand to the camera inside and heated the unit to the point of melting.
Max continued to move quickly, knowing that as soon as someone realized the main gate camera was out of commission, then he would be a hunted trespasser. He held his hand over the gate's lock and listened for the latch to release. When it snapped, he pushed the gate just enough for him to slip through, and then he closed the gate.
Max knelt close to the ground and observed the four gray buildings before him. "Which one?" he thought.
Keeping low to the ground, Max cautiously approached the closest of the four buildings. He stood with his back against the wall and twisted his neck to peer inside. He saw two men dressed in white lab coats walking up the hallway. Quickly, Max jerked his head back and sunk to the ground. Max hid behind the opened door as the two men exited the building. Max grabbed the door and slipped inside unnoticed.
He breathed heavily as he walked down the hallway. The hallway was lined with small rooms with glass windows on each door. He frantically moved up and the hallway looking into each room. With each new empty room he found, his heart grew heavier. He feared the worst.
After searching the vacant building, Max returned to the door he'd used to come in. He needed to search the other buildings. As he pushed through the door, he came face-to-face with the two men in white coats. They were leaned against the building smoking cigarettes.
"What the." the taller man gasped.
The two men shared brief glances before lunging at Max.
Max held his palm out in defense, but before he could emit energy, the two men cowered in defeat.
"Don't hurt us," one man whined.
Max saw the fear in the two men and decided to use their anxiety. "Where are they?" Max demanded.
"Who?" the taller man's voice cracked as he replied.
"You know who," Max shouted. "Where are they?"
The smaller man pointed a shaking finger towards the neighboring building.
"Let's go," Max said motioning for the two men to stand.
"Are you going to kill us?" the smaller man asked.
"Not if you take me to them," Max answered. When he saw a moment of relief in the men's faces, he decided he should keep their fearing for their lives. "But!" Max snarled. "If you try anything funny. you'll wish I did kill you."
...................
Michael stood in front of Hope to protect her from any debris and from the guards Michael was certain stood just outside the door. He held his hand outwards and concentrated all his strength on blasting the steel door. He held his breath and waited as he felt all his energy rush to the tips of his fingers. In an instant, the door blew backwards and Michael released his breath. "This is it," he thought. "No backing out now. I've got to get Hope out of here."
A flustered and confused guard appeared in the doorway. Michael held his hand outward, but the guard dropped to his knees and covered his head with his hands. "This is too easy," Michael thought. "They're afraid of me!"
Michael and Hope rushed through the open door, past the kneeling guard and down a hallway. "Which way?!" Michael thought frantically. He couldn't allow Hope to know he was unsure, so Michael just kept running with Hope in close tow.
Michael felt Hope stumble and he looked backward. He gasped upon seeing the young orderly from earlier holding Hope's ankle. Michael pulled harder on Hope's arm as the orderly grabbed at her leg with his free hand.
"Just keep running." Michael tightened his grip on her hand and dragged her along behind him.
The orderly dropped Hope's ankle and watched as the pair ran closer towards the door.
"One obstacle down," Michael thought.
Michael and Hope turned a corner and Michael spotted a door. "This is just too easy," Michael skeptically thought. He waited for something to go wrong. He thought, "Perhaps the door is locked. Perhaps the door is bolted shut. Perhaps the door is electrified. Perhaps."
His thoughts were interrupted when two armed men emerged from a side hallway and stood between Michael and the door. At the same moment, a screeching alarm sounded throughout the building.
......................
Max heard the alarms sound and broke into a sprint towards the side door where the men were leading him. As he got closer, he saw people through the door's small window. When he reached the door, his breath caught in his throat. He saw Michael and Hope trapped between two rows of armed guards.
When Max turned his attention to the door, the tow men saw their opportunity to flee. They exchanged glances and then took off running away towards another building. ......................
Michael turned around and saw more guards approaching him from behind. He pulled Hope close to his side and lifted his hand towards the guards closest to the door.
As Michael's hand lifted, so did the gun of one of the guards. The guard's trigger finger was faster than Michael's energy. Michael watched the bullet escape the barrel of the gun and cut through the air towards his chest. Everything in his world slowed and Michael stood helplessly watching as the bullet grew closer and closer. In one final attempt to save Hope, he shoved her aside and waited feebly for the bullet to find his body and ensure Hope's precious skin remained unharmed.
.......................
Max gasped as he witnessed his best friend being shot. He yelped as Michael gripped his chest and sank slowly towards the ground.
But what he saw next stilled every muscle in his body and every breath in his lungs.
"No!" Hope yelled and ran towards Michael's limp body.
The guards began approaching the pair.
Hope stood next to Michael's fallen form and held her arms out. One palm faced towards the guards near the door. The other palm faced the guards behind them in the hallway. Hope closed her eyes tightly and screamed. The approaching guards were blasted backwards and fell against the floor and the walls. Hope continued to scream and send energy waves through the air.
Max held his hand over the doorknob and waited to hear the lock unlatch. When it did, he swung open the door and stood backward so as not to be blasted by the energy Hope was still emitting.
"Hope!" Max yelled and waited for her to stop screaming.
"Alex?" Hope asked towards the door.
"It's me," Max said stepping into the doorway. "But I can take you to him."
Hope looked away from Max and down at Michael. "They killed him," she whispered as her bottom lip quavered and tears began forming in her eyes.
"Sorry," Alex mumbled and lowered his head. He returned with a pen and sat at the table next to Isabel. "Whenever you're ready," Alex spoke quietly.
Isabel turned her head to look at Max. She met his eyes and stared at him intently as she began to speak. "It's like the time I felt Max when he was taken to the white room."
"What did you feel?" Max said keeping his eyes locked with his sister's. As important as it was to get all they could from Isabel, Max also realized the importance of allowing Isabel to keep some sense of sanity. She nearly lost her entire mental being when Max was taken away. and now Isabel was being forced to live similarly tragic circumstances with Michael being threatened.
"It was a sensation that he was. they took him across a bridge," Isabel said moving her eyes to stare at the wall. Her mind filled with hazy images of the dream she shared with Michael. As soon as his conscious state had begun to falter at the pier, Isabel had been able to enter his mind.
"There are 289 bridges in the greater L.A. area," Alex said shaking his head at his computer screen.
"It was a drawbridge," Isabel said remembering.
"That's gotta help," Alex said typing the preference into his search. "4!" he shouted excitedly.
"Keep going, Is," Max encouraged his sister.
Isabel focused on the textures on the wall and allowed her mind to remember. "A mouse waved at the car," Isabel said.
"Huh?" Max said laughing.
Isabel suddenly realized what she had said. She looked nervously between Max and Alex. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and said in defense, "I don't know! I'm just telling you what I saw!"
"Chuckie Cheese," Liz whispered from where she stood leaning against the doorframe.
"What?" Alex asked even more confused.
"There's a Chuckie Cheese at the corner of Orange and Blakely. just off the Skyway Bridge," she said. Liz smiled widely realizing she'd been able to help. "I bet Chuckie was doing a promotion. They do that a lot."
Max blinked his eyes and shook his head. "How do you know that?"
Liz smiled. "I've taken Hope there a few times while Maria's had out-of- state performances."
"I've got it!" Alex said zooming in on the virtual map he'd pulled up. He breathed excitedly. "We're getting somewhere now. Keep going, Is."
Isabel stared at the wall again and thought.
...................
"You don't know what, Michael?" Jackson demanded.
Michael looked around the room and tried to gather his thoughts. "Who are you?" Michael asked trying to turn the tables.
"You mean, Maria's never mentioned me?" Jackson asked sadly. He shook his head. "You think somebody's your friend and then they go and deny you."
"Where am I?" Michael asked trying to stand. As he lifted his body from the floor, he became lightheaded and sunk back down. He held his throbbing head and squint his eyes.
"Got a headache?" Jackson asked sweetly. "Don't worry. It'll go away."
"Where am I?" Michael asked again with more force.
Jackson sighed and began to walk around the small white room. "Where you are is not important. What matters is why you are here." He stopped walking and looked at Michael. "Do you know why you are here?"
................
"I've got it!" Alex shouted. Everyone gathered around Alex and peered at the computer screen.
"Where is that?" Max asked. He glared at the aerial view of a complex of gray buildings.
"Fort Tynelle. A military base that was closed in the late 80's," Alex explained as he shifted the viewfinder.
"Guess it's not so closed," Isabel commented.
"You see that?" Alex asked pointing to a blurry rise around the complex. "Twelve-foot privacy fencing. My guess is that it's either electrified or armed with guards."
"Or both," Max said.
..............................................................
Michael listened impatiently, but quietly, as Jackson barked out his list of demands. More than anything, he wanted to get through his kidnapper's orientation and find his way to Maria and Hope. As he listened, Jackson's voice faded to a roar of slurred sounds and his mind drifted to Hope. He remembered Hope's bravery in the hospital while her mother fought for her life in the Intensive Care Unit. He remembered the first time he saw her use her powers on the television. He smiled remembering the moment he found out the beautiful little girl was his daughter.
"What are you smiling at?!" Jackson shouted bringing Michael back from his daydream. "Do you think this is funny?"
"I'm just wondering when you'll be finished," Michael shot back.
Jackson looked at Michael with unbelieving eyes. "Trust me... you'll be finished long before me." He glared at Michael and waited for him to grasp his meaning.
............................................................
"Let's go!" Liz called from the car. She blew the horn and tapped her foot madly against the floorboard.
Isabel, Alex and Max came running from the house with their arms loaded. They carried flashlights, a cooler, ropes, a blanket, and other supplies that Alex deemed "a probable necessity."
Liz rolled her eyes. "We're breaking and entering. We're kidnapping the kidnapped. We're not going camping."
Max dumped his armload in the back of his Durango and walked around to take the passenger's seat. "Just drive," he said. Max leaned across the seat and kissed Liz on the cheek. He whispered, "The blanket is for us... later."
"Max!" Liz exclaimed.
"Um..." Isabel spoke from the back seat. "Maria... Hope... Michael... kidnapped."
Alex snickered and said, "I see you're still having problems with those complete sentences, Isabel."
Isabel wrinkled her nose and frowned. "Can we just go get them now?"
....................
Mildred adjusted her wire-framed glasses and turned away from the two-way mirror to look at Jackson. "Perhaps he'll be more cooperative once he's been assured the girl is okay." She watched Jackson's aggravation build in his eyes before she turned back to look at Michael through the glass.
"Perhaps," Jackson finally said and sighed.
"What do we have to lose?" Mildred asked. "At this point in time, we have no evidence to prove either parent is other worldly."
"What do we have to lose?" Jackson mocked Mildred as he banged his fist against the desk. "Are you kidding me? We have everything to lose. If the father is the alien, the he and the child could combine their power and overtake the facility. or he could lose all self-control upon seeing his daughter and act out against us. or the child could. we have no idea. So, for that reason, we have everything to lose."
Mildred watched the anger escalating in Jackson's facial expressions and carefully worded her reply. "Nothing happened when the child was with her mother."
"That proves nothing!" Jackson snapped. Jackson lowered his head, closed his eyes and mentally counted to ten. "I'm surrounded by optimistic, naive fools," he mumbled. After a moment, Jackson lifted his head, opened his eyes and surrendered to the risky experiment. "Go ahead."
.....................
"Where are you taking me?" Michael demanded as he was ushered through the tiny, lifeless hallway. He watched as the orderly's expression faltered for a second before resuming its unresponsive appearance. Michael immediately picked up on the orderly's fear. He'd seen the same expression from a number of his patients as they refused to accept a negative prognosis. Michael was certain he could use the orderly's fear in his own best interest. "I asked you a question," Michael said reaching out to poke the orderly's shoulder.
The orderly turned suddenly and looked at Michael. "Touch me again and you will be sorry."
Michael smiled inwardly as he carefully calculated the orderly's response. Though the young man verbally challenged him, Michael saw the panic in his posture. The orderly was set to run at a moment's notice.
"Just tell me where we're going," Michael barked.
"You want to see her don't you?" the orderly asked eyeing Michael.
.....................
"We can't just pull into the place," Isabel groaned. The four friends had been arguing consistently for the past half hour over where to park the car and how to approach the complex.
"Look, the longer we wait..." Alex stopped not wanting to finish the thought.
"Max," Liz spoke hoping he would have a plan.
Max simply looked at Liz. He had been the leader for so many years. Right or wrong, he'd always had a plan. But he honestly had no idea what to do. He felt completely lost. Isabel had done her part... she'd connected with Michael and learned where he was. Alex had done his part... he'd sifted through records and files and learned where their friends were being held. Liz had done her part... she'd driven.
Max had no idea where he came in. Still, if he was going to be needed, it wasn't going to be while he was hiding out in the car.
"I've got to get in there," Max whispered.
............................................................................ ..
The orderly used a code and his handprint to open a white door. He then stepped aside and motioned for Michael to enter.
Michael stepped forward and looked inside the room. His heart melted and his chest ached. Hope was curled into a corner of the room hugging her knees.
Michael stepped inside the tiny room and the orderly sealed the door behind him. Michael kept his eyes glued to the child. Hope. his daughter. He took slow, cautious steps towards Hope and stopped in front her. He bent down and warily touched her shoulder.
Hope gasped and looked up. She looked inquisitively at the man and waited for her next phase of torment.
Michael's face fell when he realized Hope was afraid of him. He assumed her extent of psychological torture had exceeded miles beyond what any child could be expected to withstand. "Do you remember me?" he asked quietly.
Hope stared at Michael curiously for a few seconds. Suddenly, her face changed. Her tightened brow loosened and a smile crept across her face. "You're the doctor," she whispered. "You're my mommy's doctor."
Michael smiled to encourage Hope, but inside he was crying. She knew him as nothing more than her mommy's doctor. Hope had no idea that he was her father. Michael continued to smile and comfort Hope, but he mentally chastised himself. "What did you expect?" He thought. "Did you expect this child. this young lady. to come running into your arms? Did you expect her to know you by simply looking into your eyes? Did you expect her to love you? Did you expect her to hold you and call you Daddy? She doesn't know you. She doesn't know you and it's your own fault that she doesn't. You chose to leave. You walked out on Maria and the only good thing you had going in your life. You chose Antar over love. And ultimately, you chose Antar over Hope."
Michael noticed a bruise on Hope's inner arm. He turned her arm to examine at the mark and detected a small needle mark. "They've been drugging her," Michael thought. "I've got to get her out of here. now." All plans he'd made to go to sleep and talk to Isabel. he decided those plans needed to be broken. Michael knew that the longer he waited, the more likely he was to lose both Hope and Maria.
Hope spoke and broke Michael from his self-imposed reprimand. "Have you seen my mommy? Is she okay?"
"She's fine," Michael smiled. He thought, "What a selfless being. She didn't ask me to save her. She didn't ask me to rescue her from this cold, white room. Instead, she's concerned for her mom's well-being. You did good, Maria. She's perfect."
Michael caressed Hope's small shoulder and said, "I have a secret to tell you."
Hope's smile widened and innocent wonder sparkled in her eyes. "What is it?" she asked.
Michael leaned in to whisper in Hope's ear. "Alex is waiting for us outside."
Hope's eyes grew with excitement and she squeaked. "He is?" she said bouncing and clapping her hands in glee.
"Shhhh," Michael quieted Hope with a finger to his lips. "It's a secret, remember?"
Hope tightened her lips and pretended to zip her lips. She then tossed the imaginary key over her shoulder.
Michael picked Hope up and began carrying her around the room. For the sake of anyone who might be observing him through the two-way mirror on the opposite wall, he pretended he and Hope were having a close father-daughter conversation that entailed pacing the room. He casually made his way towards the locked door. the locked door he was certain was guarded.
"Have you ever read Superman comics?" Michael asked Hope.
"I can't read yet, silly," Hope laughed.
Michael thought for a second and asked another question. "Have you ever seen people that can do. that have powers?" Michael knew his question must be beyond Hope's level of comprehension, but he needed to try to warn her of what was about to happen. He didn't want her to be scared of what she would see.
"Like Sabrina?" Hope asked smiling.
"Who's Sabrina?" Michael asked in reply.
"She's a teenage witch. She can point her finger and do things," Hope explained. "And she can. um. she has a cat. but he's not really a cat. and um."
Michael smiled at Hope's innocence and interrupted her. "Guess what? I have powers just like Sabrina."
"You, too?" Hope asked excitedly.
Michael nodded his head.
"Me, too!" Hope exclaimed. "Mommy tells me not to show people, but watch this," Hope said as she lifted her hand.
"No," Michael nearly shouted as he stilled her hand. Michael's heart tightened when he saw Hope's reaction. "It's okay for me to know, but we don't want the other people here to know," Michael tried to explain. "Okay?"
Hope shook her head in understanding. "Can we go see Alex, now?"
A jealous tinge ached in Michael's heart. He wished he was the one Hope couldn't wait to see. Still, he knew there would be plenty of time for him and Hope to get to know each other. after they escaped. safely.
"We're going right now," Michael said.
....................
"Max, wait," Liz said opening her car door. She took a few quick strides and reached Max just before he stepped out of the woods into the clearing towards the complex.
Max stopped walking and turned around to look at Liz. What he saw made knees weak. In Liz's face, he saw all the fear and worry he saw the day he left her so many years ago. Max knew that since they'd only days ago rekindled their friendship, much less their need for one another's affections. he knew that every word they whispered, every glance they shared, every moment they spent together was precious and vital to the hopes they both held for each other.
Liz stopped in front of Max and could say nothing. Her heart was screaming and fear hung in her throat, but she couldn't muster even the smallest sound. She wanted to tell him. everything. Memories of the last time he left blinded her. She'd had so many regrets. She' had so many things she meant to tell him before he left. Liz knew the danger Max was walking into and she refused to allow those words to go unspoken once again.
Max touched Liz's face and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll be back," he promised.
Liz leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Max's cheek. With her palm, she touched his heart and allowed her hand to drift aimlessly down as she stepped backward. She nodded her head in response to Max's promise. No words were said, but Liz knew Max understood.
...................
"Don't let go of my hand," Michael said as he squeezed Hope's tiny hand.
"Okay," Hope answered.
...................
Max held his distance from the complex behind a large tree. He carefully watched the seemingly deserted buildings and planned his maneuver. He spotted a black bubble near the main gate of the privacy fence and instantly recognized it as a security camera. "That's first to go," he thought as he removed the flashlight from his pocket. He took a deep breath, ran towards the gate, and leaped at the camera. With the butt of the flashlight, he swung a powerful blow that cracked the bubble. He raised his hand to the camera inside and heated the unit to the point of melting.
Max continued to move quickly, knowing that as soon as someone realized the main gate camera was out of commission, then he would be a hunted trespasser. He held his hand over the gate's lock and listened for the latch to release. When it snapped, he pushed the gate just enough for him to slip through, and then he closed the gate.
Max knelt close to the ground and observed the four gray buildings before him. "Which one?" he thought.
Keeping low to the ground, Max cautiously approached the closest of the four buildings. He stood with his back against the wall and twisted his neck to peer inside. He saw two men dressed in white lab coats walking up the hallway. Quickly, Max jerked his head back and sunk to the ground. Max hid behind the opened door as the two men exited the building. Max grabbed the door and slipped inside unnoticed.
He breathed heavily as he walked down the hallway. The hallway was lined with small rooms with glass windows on each door. He frantically moved up and the hallway looking into each room. With each new empty room he found, his heart grew heavier. He feared the worst.
After searching the vacant building, Max returned to the door he'd used to come in. He needed to search the other buildings. As he pushed through the door, he came face-to-face with the two men in white coats. They were leaned against the building smoking cigarettes.
"What the." the taller man gasped.
The two men shared brief glances before lunging at Max.
Max held his palm out in defense, but before he could emit energy, the two men cowered in defeat.
"Don't hurt us," one man whined.
Max saw the fear in the two men and decided to use their anxiety. "Where are they?" Max demanded.
"Who?" the taller man's voice cracked as he replied.
"You know who," Max shouted. "Where are they?"
The smaller man pointed a shaking finger towards the neighboring building.
"Let's go," Max said motioning for the two men to stand.
"Are you going to kill us?" the smaller man asked.
"Not if you take me to them," Max answered. When he saw a moment of relief in the men's faces, he decided he should keep their fearing for their lives. "But!" Max snarled. "If you try anything funny. you'll wish I did kill you."
...................
Michael stood in front of Hope to protect her from any debris and from the guards Michael was certain stood just outside the door. He held his hand outwards and concentrated all his strength on blasting the steel door. He held his breath and waited as he felt all his energy rush to the tips of his fingers. In an instant, the door blew backwards and Michael released his breath. "This is it," he thought. "No backing out now. I've got to get Hope out of here."
A flustered and confused guard appeared in the doorway. Michael held his hand outward, but the guard dropped to his knees and covered his head with his hands. "This is too easy," Michael thought. "They're afraid of me!"
Michael and Hope rushed through the open door, past the kneeling guard and down a hallway. "Which way?!" Michael thought frantically. He couldn't allow Hope to know he was unsure, so Michael just kept running with Hope in close tow.
Michael felt Hope stumble and he looked backward. He gasped upon seeing the young orderly from earlier holding Hope's ankle. Michael pulled harder on Hope's arm as the orderly grabbed at her leg with his free hand.
"Just keep running." Michael tightened his grip on her hand and dragged her along behind him.
The orderly dropped Hope's ankle and watched as the pair ran closer towards the door.
"One obstacle down," Michael thought.
Michael and Hope turned a corner and Michael spotted a door. "This is just too easy," Michael skeptically thought. He waited for something to go wrong. He thought, "Perhaps the door is locked. Perhaps the door is bolted shut. Perhaps the door is electrified. Perhaps."
His thoughts were interrupted when two armed men emerged from a side hallway and stood between Michael and the door. At the same moment, a screeching alarm sounded throughout the building.
......................
Max heard the alarms sound and broke into a sprint towards the side door where the men were leading him. As he got closer, he saw people through the door's small window. When he reached the door, his breath caught in his throat. He saw Michael and Hope trapped between two rows of armed guards.
When Max turned his attention to the door, the tow men saw their opportunity to flee. They exchanged glances and then took off running away towards another building. ......................
Michael turned around and saw more guards approaching him from behind. He pulled Hope close to his side and lifted his hand towards the guards closest to the door.
As Michael's hand lifted, so did the gun of one of the guards. The guard's trigger finger was faster than Michael's energy. Michael watched the bullet escape the barrel of the gun and cut through the air towards his chest. Everything in his world slowed and Michael stood helplessly watching as the bullet grew closer and closer. In one final attempt to save Hope, he shoved her aside and waited feebly for the bullet to find his body and ensure Hope's precious skin remained unharmed.
.......................
Max gasped as he witnessed his best friend being shot. He yelped as Michael gripped his chest and sank slowly towards the ground.
But what he saw next stilled every muscle in his body and every breath in his lungs.
"No!" Hope yelled and ran towards Michael's limp body.
The guards began approaching the pair.
Hope stood next to Michael's fallen form and held her arms out. One palm faced towards the guards near the door. The other palm faced the guards behind them in the hallway. Hope closed her eyes tightly and screamed. The approaching guards were blasted backwards and fell against the floor and the walls. Hope continued to scream and send energy waves through the air.
Max held his hand over the doorknob and waited to hear the lock unlatch. When it did, he swung open the door and stood backward so as not to be blasted by the energy Hope was still emitting.
"Hope!" Max yelled and waited for her to stop screaming.
"Alex?" Hope asked towards the door.
"It's me," Max said stepping into the doorway. "But I can take you to him."
Hope looked away from Max and down at Michael. "They killed him," she whispered as her bottom lip quavered and tears began forming in her eyes.