Sacrifice
A Sequel to Quietly into the Night
Conventional Couples
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Eight
"Max, Max, wake up," Isabelle whispered.
"What time is it?" Max groaned rolling over to look at his alarm clock. "Jesus Isabelle, it's 3:00 in the morning. Is anything wrong with Lexie?" he asked coming awake and sitting up.
"No, Lexie's fine, I looked in on her on my way in here. She's sound asleep."
"What is it then?"
"It's Kyle, I heard him again. It was clearer than ever. I was trying to dream walk him, and I think he was trying to talk to me at the same time."
"What did he say? Are they ok?"
"Well," Isabelle hesitated a bit. "He's fine, and Kam is ok," she said.
"Isabelle, what about Liz? Is she alright?"
"He doesn't know Max. Two of Kivar's guards came and took her away. He doesn't know what they wanted. That's another thing Max. He says public opinion is swaying in favor of Kivar. People are showing him more respect because he allowed Liz to live. He thinks the time to act is now. He thinks we should try and get them out of there now, before it's too late."
Max swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed the jeans he had left on the floor and pulled them on. "What else did he say?"
"Not too much. I told him we were working on the translation for the instructions he and Liz left, but we could use some help. He told me that Naloch had given them to Liz."
"Then it's no problem, Naloch can tell Kyle what we need to know and Kyle can tell us."
"Yes it is a problem. Naloch's been missing for several months."
"Damn it!" said Max. "Once, just once, can't things work in our favor?"
"We'll figure it out Max. I'm going to go down stairs and start working again," said Isabelle. "There's no way I'm going to be able to go back to sleep tonight."
"Yeah," sighed Max. "I'll be right down. I just want to go check on Lexie."
A short time later, Max and Isabelle sat in the family room with papers all around them. "Max, I have an idea," said Isabelle. "Can we take the instructions, and scan them in and then run it through the program that Alex created?"
"I don't know, we've tried everything else, why not that?" said Max. "The scanner's upstairs with my desktop. I'll scan it in, save it to a disc and be right down."
While Max was upstairs, Isabelle went over her conversation with Kyle in her mind. I wonder who Saranara is? she thought to herself
"Here it is," said Max, running down the stairs. "Let's try it." He slid the disc into the laptop, pulled up Alex's translation program and opened the document. After a few minutes, the Antarian writing began to change and was replaced.
"Oh God Max, it worked!" cried Isabelle. "We can do it. We can go back and get them."
"Not so fast Isabelle, let's read it and figure out what we have to do," said Max.
Your Highness,
The ORBS in your possession were recalibrated and can no provide you with a way to return to Antar. To activate them, you must first insert the key into one of the orbs. It will only go in half way. Take the second orb and insert the key into it. The orbs will then be joined together. They will take a few moments to charge, after they do, a portal will open. No more than two people at a time are allowed to cross through this portal. The orbs have been calibrated to send you to my family's shop. If I am not there, either my son Jereon, or my daughter Saranara will be there to assist you. Trust them, as you would me, your Highness, they will help you.
Naloch
"Key, what key," said Isabelle rummaging frantically through their box of alien artifacts. "Damn it, what key is he talking about?"
Max picked up the two orbs and began to examine them. In one end of each orb, there was a small opening. "Ok, we're looking for something that will fit in here," he said. "Naloch saw everything in this box at one time or another, so we must have this key. We just have to figure out what it is."
Lexie woke up early and thumped down the steps, and saw her father and her Aunt Isabelle both asleep on the sofa. On the table in front of them were the computer and several other items that were guaranteed to capture the interest of a three year old. Lexie picked up one of the orbs and poked at it experimentally. She traced the design on the top with her finger and tried to stick her finger in the slot on the side of the orb. When that didn't work, she picked up the other orb and examined it. She grabbed the box on the table and dragged it down to the floor and tipped it over. Various books and pictures fell out. She flipped through them and picked up a crayon she found under the table. She thought about coloring the papers, but she remembered that last time she colored on Daddy's stuff, she got a time out. Turning her attention back to the box, she noticed something wedged in a corner. Reaching in as far as her chubby little arms would allow her, she tugged at the shiny object until it came loose in her hand. She looked at it and saw that it had the same design on it as the orb on the table. She traced the design on the shiny thing she had found and then on the orb. She tapped the orb with the shiny thing, but nothing happened. She looked at the orb again and remembered the slot in its side. She pushed the shiny thing into the slot and it went in! Lexie was so excited. She picked up the other orb and pushed it up against the part of the shiny thing that didn't go all the way in. It fit! She clapped her hands with joy. This was much more fun than the puzzles that her Daddy gave her. Suddenly the two orbs began to hum, and a soft light filled the room. Lexie backed away at first, afraid that she had broken her Daddy's things. The light grew stronger and stronger, and Lexie moved closer to it.
"Daddy, Daddy!" she shouted. "Look what I did. It's so pretty," she cried, clapping her hands in glee. Max woke to hear his daughter calling him. He looked around, disoriented.
"Lexie NO!" he shouted. "Get away from it."
Lexie turned to him, afraid, and backed away. She tripped over the box, and fell towards the orbs. The light grew stronger and enveloped her, and with a flash, she disappeared.
"Lexie, Lexie, oh my God, Alexandra!" Max shouted. Isabelle woke up to the sound of Max shouting. She jumped up from the couch.
"Max, what's the matter? What's wrong with Lexie?"
"She's gone," he said dully. "She figured out how to make the orbs work, and she vanished. My God Isabelle, she's on Antar!
Isabelle rushed over to the orbs; their light was greatly diminished. She pulled them apart, and a small metal disc fell out. She picked it up and handed it to Max. "Lexie figured out what the key was."
"Liz's necklace," he said. "Remember, River Dog saw it and took her to the cave. I had forgotten about it. I didn't even see it when we looked in the box."
"Well we have it, and we have to use it again. We have to go get her," said Isabelle.
"You call Michael, and tell him what happened," commanded Max. "I'm going now. I can't leave her alone there." He inserted Liz's pendent into one side of the orb, and fitted the other orb to the other end of the pendent and the orbs again began to hum and glow. Isabelle picked up the phone and called Michael. When he answered, she briefly explained what happened.
"I think their ready Isabelle," said Max. "I want you to stay here and show Michael how to use them. Call Mom and Dad, and Liz's parents. Tell them, I don't know, just tell them something."
"Max, don't. Wait for Michael, he won't be long."
"I can't wait, you know that."
"Max, you could be signing your own death warrant if you go back. We don't know anything about these people."
"I have to go Isabelle, you and Michael can follow me after he gets here." He hugged Isabelle tightly for a moment and released her. In that instant, Isabelle shoved him so that he lost his balance and fell against the sofa. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped into the portal of light created by the orbs. There was a flash, and she disappeared.
Michael woke up Maria and explained what happened. She kissed him deeply and begged him to be careful.
"I hate leaving you like this," he said.
"You have to," she said. "I know it and you know it, but you have to go anyhow. I only wish I could too."
"You can't leave the baby, it's too soon Maria, don't even think about it."
"Well, thinking about it is all I can do," said Maria. "I'd only slow you down at this point. But be careful Space Boy. I need you hear to drive off all the potential boyfriends with a shotgun. I can't do it, I hate guns."
"I'll be back soon, and I'll have Liz and Kyle with me."
"Michael, I love you, watch out for yourself, and watch out for Liz too."
"I will," said Michael. A door slammed downstairs and he heard Jim and Amy calling to them.
"We're up here," he said. "Max must have had Isabelle call them so you wouldn't be alone. I love you Maria, I'll be back soon," he said. He kissed his wife, and then went over to the cradle at the foot of the bed and pressed a kiss to his daughter's small hand. "Don't you dare do any growing up before I get back jelly bean. Daddy loves you."
He stood up and walked out of the room with just one look back at Maria who waited until he was down stairs before she allowed the tears to fall. Downstairs Jim and Amy greeted Michael with strained smiles. "Michael, be careful," said Jim. "I will Jim, and when we come back, Kyle will be with us."
"I know it Son, I know it," said Jim "Now you better get over to Max's house, he's a basket case right now."
"Max? I thought he left already?"
"It seems as though Isabelle had other ideas, she shoved him out of the way and jumped through the portal. Max is just waiting on you."
"Damn," Michael muttered. "Take care of them for me. I've got to get over there."
He ran out of the house, jumped on his motorcycle and roared off down the street.
Antar
Liz sat in the luxuriously appointed room and waited. She approximated that she had been left here about two hours ago. Just when she thought she would scream, a door opened and in walked Kivar.
"Elizabeth, you are looking well," he said. Liz said nothing at all, but fixed her steely gaze on him. "And your young son, how is he?" Again Liz said nothing.
"Really Elizabeth, I have no time to waste on such childish games. I would expect better of a queen. Fine, you do not wish to talk, then you will listen. I have decided that we shall wed. The people still think very highly of you, and I chose to use that to my advantage. By marrying you, I will benefit in many ways. It will reflect well upon me if I make you my wife. Also, I need sons. You have already proven to be fertile," he said the word with disdain. "Have you not?"
"The hell I will!" shouted Liz. "I won't marry you and have children with you. I'd rather die first!"
"Not you my dear, you son. He will die," Kivar said right before he walked out the door.'