Hey hey! Sorry this chapter is a week late, some unexpected homework pile-age. *grumble* Oh well, at least it's up now! ^^ *sigh* but this is going to be the second last chapter . . . *authoress sobs, and get hit over the head with a giant mallet* OUCH! Ooooooh! Yellow birdies flying around my head *faints*
CHAPTER 11: RESCUE AND REVIVAL
Time was up!
The two humans hopped to their feet restlessly and prepared to go to work.
Just as Kendra was about to reach the door, both of them halted, and noticed for the first time since that two hours of painful silence that Lil Haley was no where to be found. It appears as if she had simply vanished into thin air.
The two panicked a little, feeling a little lost without their only guide to help them with such an important task. But thankfully she stayed long enough to help them with the potion.
Kai grabbed the small flask off the table before following after Kendra and slamming the door close behind him.
***
Haley's eyelids fluttered upon a small pulling sensation.
She had been in this empty abyss for quite a long time now and had not moved a single inch. She was beginning to tire of this realm and drift off to sleep when she felt her whole body jerk. She opened her eyes to find herself drowning in bright blue light. That only lasted a moment before her surroundings returned to its old grey self. A while ago she had run out of memories she could entertain herself with, although perhaps some memories were better left alone.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her left eye a light blazed. It was so intense that she could feel the heat of it burning into her left arm.
Haley turned, and to her biggest astonishment ever she found a younger version of herself staring back at her.
***
Kendra pushed open the door to the lab half-expecting to come face to face with Boris again, just thinking about him made her cringe. The man wasn't exactly a looker, and his all-too-obvious evil intentions in this whole project made him unbearable.
However, just like according to plan he was nowhere to be found in the room. Most of the staff had already gone off to their breaks after a long day's work, only a few people were left doing some final check ups on Haley's condition and the machines. Unfortunately there was still a guard there, but it only just one man.
All the people looked quizzically at her when she came in the room. Besides making a lot of noise over the humming of the equipment, she also pushed a cart that carried plates of drugged food meant for her colleagues to put them to sleep and at the same time concealed Kai who was hidden in a compartment carrying the potion.
"Dinner time everyone!" Kendra announced brightly.
Everyone came over eagerly, including the guard who looked to be a man who was more interested in anything than his job.
"That's real kind of you Kendra," said a man happily looking at the plates of food as a small frown crossed his features, "But are you sure we're allowed to eat in here?"
Kendra leaned in closely, and replied in a mock whisper, "It's okay if the boss doesn't find out."
Everyone tucked in while Kendra leaned back and waited. It took only a few minutes for the drug to kick in. One by one she watched while all her colleagues, including the guard, slowly sink to the floor fast asleep. Guilt nipped at her conscience for tricking her friends this way, but she pushed that aside by convincing herself that there's something more important at hand.
She was slightly startled when she looked down and saw Kai's mop of blue hair emerging from the side of the cart. He didn't say one word to her as he stood up and went to Haley's side. Kendra joined him.
Kai carefully opened the flask, steamed poured from the top giving out a weird herbal smell, while Kendra went to the other side and gently pressed down on Haley's chin opening her mouth. Kai tipped the flask and poured the hot liquid down the girl's throat. The air in the room was thick with tension.
***
Haley was wide-eyed with astonishment. Eventhough in her childhood she had never spent a long time gazing at her own reflection in the mirror because of the Abbey training, she somehow knew that this was her younger self.
The child in front of her broke into a small smile and spoke. "Your friend cares a great deal for you Haley." Her smile grew wider and it seemed as if her eyes were brimming with tears. "You have carried me for all these long years, never having the true intention of rejecting me . . . and for that I thank you."
Haley continued to stare blankly at the little girl, her mind having almost figuring out who this person or thing was. At last she understood.
"But . . . " Haley trailed off having seen the look on the spirit's face that told her not to speak.
"You gave me life, I owe you eternally."
Then it did the last thing Haley had ever expected: the spirit reached over and embraced her. The warmth of its arms seemed to spread throughout her body, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. For the first time in many years Haley felt true comfort that seem to radiate from her soul, she felt safe.
Haley hugged back, but instantly her arms started slipping away. She felt a floating sensation as she was slowly torn away from the spirit that was now glowing in an awesome globe of light. Haley watched, as the globe seemed to engulf its form, the light twisted and spanned out. Haley squinted her eyes, in its depth she saw the truly majestic and beautiful form of the dragon bit-beast Draco.
But a glance was all she ever got to see as her vision blurred and faded into blackness.
***
Unknowingly Kai had slipped one of his hands around one of Haley's and was squeezing very hard. In his mind he thought over and over again what he would do to Lil Haley if the potion failed to work.
Suddenly he felt small movement under his tight hold and stepped away, surprised. Kendra's eyes darted to the heart monitor that had started to beep. Both of them leant in closer to the girl's body, waiting for the first breath to come.
Haley's eyes snapped open and she took a large and choked breath, scaring both of them out of their wits. She sat straight up on the bed and started panting heavily, blinking rapidly trying to properly see what was in front of her. It felt good to be alive again.
"Haley?" A quiet, but familiar voice rang out to her left.
She turned her head and tried to focus on the speaker. She blinked the bluriness away and found herself gazing into the reddish-brown eyes of her best friend. Feelings overwhelmed her and she found herself crumbling under all the suppressed emotions she had been keeping all those years. Twin droplets of tears made their way down her cheeks as she flung herself at him, wrapping both arms around his neck.
Kai was completely thrown off balance, but managed at the last moment to keep upright. Her hug was almost strangling, but nevertheless he hugged her back. His stone-cold mask fell away as a truly relieved smile graced his lips.
"Kai! I'm not angry anymore! Now I understand . . . " Haley cried happily, her tears dampening his white scarf. Kai didn't reply, but she didn't expect him to anyway.
Haley then noticed the presence of someone else in the room. She pulled herself away, seeing a strange red-haired woman. Haley took a good look at the woman's face, somehow getting the idea that she knew her from before.
"Do I know you?" she asked, not noticing the how forward she sounded.
The woman seemed to argue with herself for a moment before her face lit up with a warm smile. "Well . . . I work here, so maybe you've seen me around." Her smile faltered slightly almost as if she's about to cry.
Haley continued to survey her face, there was definitely something else. But shoved any further thoughts to the back of her mind. Right now they needed t leave this place.
Haley looked at her own body and found herself still hooked up to the machines. She hastily pulled them out, ignoring the pain. She hopped off the bed, stumbling from the weakness of her legs. Kai caught her before she completely fell and both him and Kendra helped her to the door.
Half way through the maze of tunnels, the alarms sounded and shouting was to be heard echoing all the way down the halls. The group picked up their pace.
Finally, freedom was just up ahead. Two guards jumped out in front of them, but in their haste, the three ran right pass them, pushing the two into the stone walls forcefully.
When the night air was felt on their faces, they knew they were finally free. Kendra bid farewell to the teenagers then, saying a somewhat tearful goodbye, telling them she could do nothing but bear the wrath of Boris.
Both Kai and Haley simply nodded before turning away from the dark Abbey.
It was finally over.
***
The crowd cheered and gasped in the BioVolt Stadium. It was the first session of the World Championship finals. Kai had already lost against the mighty Walborg bit-beast possessed by the Demolition Boys team.
Haley watched the entire round in the shadows. She felt bad for Kai, but she knew it was a needed lesson to lower his ego enough to be friends with the rest of his teammates. And wasn't that better?
She smiled to herself.
Her butler had called to inform her on her cell phone that Boris had sent people to come to the mansion to get her, more than once. That was expected after all, it's also why she decided to leave Russia for good knowing Boris wouldn't stop searching for her to get Draco back. What better way to escape him than return to mountains where he would never bother to look.
She turned to leave.
She wasn't about to go down and talk to Kai when her enemies were down there as well. Though there's always tomorrow morning when her plane is scheduled to leave. It's not going to be an easy goodbye, but at least the hardest part of her journey was over at last.
_________________________________________________________
So, yeah, the story is almost over. On one hand I'm kinda happy cuz I can be under less pressure when writing my other fics, on the other hand this is almost ending. And oooooooh! A lollipop!
*Ahem!* next chapter is the epilogue and some author notes.
So come back in a week and hopefully *crosses fingers* I can get it done by then.
^__^