Sacrifice
A Sequel to Quietly into the Night
Conventional Couples
Rating: PG-13

Chapter Thirteen

Antar – Royal Palace

The door to the room where Liz was being held banged open and Kivar strode inside. "Very clever Elizabeth. However did you manage it?"
"Manage what, to not kill myself at the thought of marrying you? Simple, you removed all the sharp objects from the room before you locked me in," Liz said in a sarcastic voice.
"I'm so glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor, during your incarceration. I am referring to your son."
"Kam, what about him? What have you done to him?" cried Liz. "I swear to you, if you've harmed one hair on his head, I will kill you with my bare hands."
"Please, spare me your false histrionics, Elizabeth. They are becoming quite boring. You know that your brat has somehow managed to escape the palace, along with that half-wit lackey that has fawned over you these three years past."

Liz allowed herself a secret smile before she replied. "He couldn't have been too much of a half-wit if he and Kam managed to escape Kivar."
"How did they get out?" he demanded.
"Gee, you know, I don't think I can help you with that, since I was locked in this room. They certainly didn't stop here and clear their plans with me."
"I've had just about enough of your insolence," said Kivar. "Do not think that your behavior, and your role in this will be ignored. He walked through the door and slammed it. As the door slammed a burst of pain radiated up Liz's arm. It started from the security bracelet Kivar placed on her arm three years ago, and went up her arm and coursed through her body. She bit her lip to help choke back the screams of pain. After several minutes, the pain subsided, and she heard Kivar's voice echo through the room. "You will answer my questions Elizabeth, or you will continue to suffer."

Antar – Capitol City-

"What!" cried the girl. "How can you know this?"
Max and Michael looked at each other. Neither of them recognized the Antarian warrior that stood before them. His hair was as blond as the child that accompanied him and his eyes were a vivid green. Max was certain that this wasn't Kyle, for he was taller and broader than his friend, and his eyes revealed great suffering.
"What king?" said Max. "Kivar is the ruler here. That is known to all."
"You are wrong," said Saranara. "This is not the king. He is just a common thief. What makes you think that these two are King Zan and General Rath?"
"It's quite simple," said the man looking at the two intruders. "This one," he said pointing to Max, "Is wearing a wedding ring that matches the one worn by Queen Elizabeth. And his ring," he said pointing to Michael, "Matches the one worn by the one and only Maria DeLuca Guerin." As he spoke, his hair darkened, as did his eyes, but they retained a portion of their lost look."
"Kyle!" shouted Max and Michael in unison. Both men restored their appearances and they reached out to hug their friend. Before they could, however, Kyle stepped aside to reveal the small boy that was hiding behind him. He passed his hand over the boy's head and his hair turned from blond to the dark brown hair shared by Lexie and Liz.

Max Evans looked upon his son and was instantly filled with love for the small boy. He knelt down in front of his son. "Hi Kam," he said. "Do you know who I am?"
"No," said the child.
"I'm your Daddy," he said gently. "Did your mommy tell you about me?"
"Yeah, she said you had to go live in another place with Lexie to keep her safe."
"That's right," said Max. "But now I'm here to bring you and your mother home." He stood up and turned towards Kyle. "Where is Liz? Will she be coming here too?"
"Uh, yeah, Max, about that," said Kyle. "We need to talk, but now isn't the time, and this isn't the place. Kam said his sister and Isabelle were here. Where are they?"

Saranara stepped forward. "We don't know Kyle. Jereon hid them down in the tunnels when Lexie told us the guardsmen were returning. We went back down as soon as the guardsmen left, but the were gone."
"Gone, what do you mean, gone?" asked Michael
"Just what I said General," she answered. "They disappeared. When Jereon went back down into the tunnel to retrieve them, they were gone, as was my father."
"What?" asked Kyle. "Saranara, your father has been missing for months."
"Jereon found him down in the tunnel when he went to hide Lexie and Isabelle. He was unconscious, but Jereon couldn't spare any time to check him."
"Where is this Jereon?" asked Max. "I want to speak with him."
"When we couldn't find Isabelle and Lexie, he went through the tunnels to see if he could find them. I went out into the city to where the tunnel emerges, but there was no sign of them."

"Saranara," a voice called from the other room.
"That is Jereon," she said. "Jereon, do not come out here. You are supposed to be injured."
"Why is he supposed to be injured?" asked Max.
"Kivar's guardsmen," said the girl bitterly. "They came here looking for our Father, and they beat Jereon when he couldn't give them what they wanted."
"It looks like they did a number on you as well," said Michael, noting the bruise on her face. "But what did you mean when you said he was supposed to be injured?"
"Saranara, were you able to find a healer?" asked Kyle, his eyes widening. At Max and Michael's confused look, he explained further. "Max the gift of healing you have is very special on Antar. Not many people have it, and those that did, were always held in the highest esteem. The royal family was always blessed with at least one healer each generation. When Kivar took over, he began to persecute those with healing powers, until they were forced underground. There hasn't been a true healer here in Capitol City in many years." HE turned back to Saranara, "Were you able to locate one?"
"No," she said. "I left Lexie with Jereon, and showed her where to hide, in case the guardsmen came back, and I went in search of a healer. I was unable to find anybody to help me. When I came back, I found that Jereon had been healed. It was amazing, he showed no sign of any of the injuries."
"Lexie," said Max softly. "She did it, didn't she?"
"Yes Majesty, she did," replied Saranara. "And she was quite concerned that she did so without your permission. Apparently you have taught her well to safeguard her powers."

"Liz knew," said Kyle. "That's why she did it."
"What? What did Liz know?" asked Max.
"Liz knew what powers and abilities the babies were going to have, at least after Kam was born, she was able to tell me a lot of what he would be able to do, and she's been right with each one. She must have known that Lexie would be able to heal, and she knew what Kivar's people would do to her if they ever got their hands on her."
"So she made sure to send her back with me," continued Max. "My God, the things she had done to protect our children. It's incredible." Kyle said nothing for a moment and then reminded the others that Jereon was in the back room waiting.

Saranara closed the curtains indicating that the shop was closed and led the others into the storeroom. Kyle started to make the introductions when Kam interrupted.
"I can do it Unca Kyle. That's my Daddy, and that's Unca Michael," he said. "Your Unca Kyle, and I'm Kam, and that's your friend Serena, and he's her brother Jeremy."
"Kam, that was really good," said Max, but this is Saranara and Jereon, not Serena and Jeremy."
"I know that, but that's what Lexie calls them," answered the little boy.
"It's true Majesty," said Jereon. "The young Lexie had trouble with our names, and shortened them. A nick name I believe she said."

"Serena," said Max thoughtfully looking at his two friends. "You don't suppose that this is the same Serena I told Liz about when I traveled back in time?"
"I don't know," said Kyle, "But we don't have time for this now. Max, there's something I haven't told you yet, and we still have to find Isabelle and Lexie."
"What haven't you told me? Is Liz alright?"
"Um, Saranara, do you think you could find something for Kam to do out front?"
"Of course Kyle," she said. "I am sure Kam would love to help me in the store for a while. Wouldn't you Kam?"
"Ok," he said. "Can I have something to eat?"
"I believe we can find something for you young Kam," said Saranara.
"Kam, I want you to listen to Saranara," said Max. He hugged the boy tightly and at the same time, passed his hand over his head and changed his hair back to the light blond color it was when he entered the store.

After making sure that Kam couldn't hear their conversation, Kyle turned to Max. He explained how for the past three years, he and Liz had tricked Kivar into believing that Liz hated Kyle. Kyle explained that Kivar thought that the best punishment would be for them to have to live together.
"He really thought he was torturing Liz by making her stay with the man who betrayed her husband," he said. "Kivar would allow me some freedom. I was able to leave the suite we had and roam around the palace, but I wasn't able to leave. Liz and Kam were not allowed to leave the suite. This is the first time Kam has ever been out of the palace since he was born."
"How did you get out then?"
"When we first arrived here, I was training with some of the palace guards, and one of them showed me one of the tunnels used by an old spy network to infiltrate the palace. I used that to get in and out of town and communicate with Naloch."
"Why didn't you Liz and Kam just escape that way then?" demanded Max.
"When Kivar first took us to the palace, he fitted Liz with some type of security bracelet. It set off the alarm every time she tried to leave the suite. He threatened Kam with it as well, but he never got around to doing it."

"So all this time, you could have left, and been free, and you didn't," said Max.
"I couldn't," said Kyle. "I gave my word. I promised to protect Liz with my life," he said looking at Michael.
"So why now? Why did you and Kam leave now, what about Liz?"

"Kivar allowed Liz and Kam to live, and that helped to make him look good in the eyes of the people," said Kyle. "The other day, two guardsmen came and took Liz from the suite. I tried to contact her, but she kept blocking me out. Several hours ago, she let me in and told me what Kivar wanted. He said that to solidify his position in the eyes of the people, he was going to marry Liz, and if she didn't agree, he would kill Kam."
"That bastard!" said Max.
"Liz begged me to get Kam out of there. Max, I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave her there, but I didn't want to put Kam at risk either. I was going to bring Kam here because he told me that Lexie and Isabelle were here. I thought Isabelle could watch them both, and maybe even go back home, and I could go back for Liz. I swear that I was going to go back for Liz," said Kyle.

"God Kyle, don't you think I know that you wouldn't just abandon Liz," said Max. "You gave up three years of your life to protect my wife and my son. I can never repay you for what you did. You and Michael are the best friends anybody could ever have. I don't know what I'd do without you." The three men looked at each other for a moment when Kyle said, "Are we supposed to hug now, cause I have to tell you that I'm thinking I don't think so in a big way!" Silence filled the room for a moment then Michael laughed first, followed by Max and Kyle. Jereon looked on in confusion, he had known Kyle for three years and never once seen him laugh so freely.

"Jereon," said Max, turning towards the Antarian. "Your sister said that Lexie told you the guards were coming back. How did she know this?"
"I don't know Majesty," he began when Max interrupted.
"Please, I'm just Max, and I'm nobody's king."
"Your sister said the same thing, but I have never met anybody more like a princess in my entire life," said Jereon. "But if it pleases you, Max it shall be. I do not know how Lexie knew that the guardsmen were returning. We were down in the tunnel at that time, and couldn't see the outside at all, but she knew. She was able to describe their uniforms quite well. Her warning gave Saranara and I enough time to hide them in the tunnel with my father, and prepare for the return of the guardsmen."
"What did the guardsmen do when they saw that you were healed?" asked Michael.
Jereon looked down at the ground for a moment and then looked his king directly in the eye. "They didn't know," he said. "Saranara modified their minds. They think they saw me battered and bleeding, the way they left me. Please Majesty; do not punish her for that. She had no choice."
"Why would I punish her for protecting you, and don't call me Majesty," said Max.
"Mind modification violates the laws enacted by both the royal family and Kivar," said Jereon. "Your family knew the dangers of mind modification. Those with such ability had to register their gifts with palace, and if they were found to use their powers in a way to harm others or benefit themselves, they could be stripped of their powers. Kivar takes anyone with that power away from their family and if they refuse to join his army, he has them killed."
"What is to prevent someone from simply modifying Kivar's memories and escaping?" asked Max.
"When they join the army, they are fitted with a special kind of blocking device that prevents them from using their powers on any of Kivar's people. If they refuse to join the army, they are killed instantly and don't have a chance to escape."

Max and Michael looked at Jereon, with expressions of shock and horror on their faces. "Well, as I said, I'm nobody's king, and even if I were, Saranara did what she did to save your life," said Max. "What we need to do now is make some plans, and try and track down Isabelle and Lexie. Once their safe, we need to go after Liz. Does that work for everyone?" he asked looking at the small group. They all nodded, and Kyle stepped away to bring Saranara and Kam back with the rest of them. Once they were all together, Jereon led them down the tunnel to where Lexie and Isabelle had hid. They searched the small room and found nothing. Jereon led them down the dark tunnel until they came to another small chamber. This chamber had three more tunnels branching off of it.
"I made it this far," said Jereon, and went back. I wasn't sure which way to go, and I wanted to let Saranara know that I was going to be gone for a while."
"Daddy, Lexie went that way," said Kam, pointing towards the tunnel on the left.
"How do you know that Kaminator?" asked Kyle. "Is she playing the game with you right now?"
"No, but she did go that way, I just know it," insisted the boy. "I want to go that way and find Lexie. She said she'd give me a cookie, and I want to give her the Betchie bear that Mommy made!" he said stamping his foot on the ground. Max looked puzzled but scooped the boy up in his arms. "Ok Kam, if it's that important, we can go down this tunnel first."

They started down the tunnel, occasionally scraping against the sides of the narrow passageway. After they had gone approximately a quarter of a mile, Jereon stopped, his light shining on a shiny object on the ground. He reached down and picked it up, examined it and passed it to Max.
"That's Isabelle's bracelet," he said. "Great job Kam, you were right, they went down this way."