A/N: HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER. I'D LIKE TO THANK LISA WHO
UNFORTUNATELY WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO REVIEWED CHAPTER FIVE. ANYWAY, IM HOPING
MORE PEOPLE REVIEW THIS TIME BECAUSE LIKE I SAID ON MY OTHER FICS; I WRITE MORE
WHEN MORE PEOPLE REVIEW. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ABANDON THIS OR TAKE THIS OUT-JUST
ABOUT BUT THANKS TO LISA, I WROTE ANOTHER CHAPTER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN. MAYBE I'LL POST UP MORE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED BEFORE. ANYWAY, ENJOY, AND
HOPEFULLY, REVIEW.
~*~
"Your wife?" Isabel asked Khivar in disbelief the minute Tess was out
of the room.
Khivar nodded; a pleased and proud smile on his face. "She's a wonderful
Queen." He declared.
"I bet she is." Isabel said angrily.
"Don't be jealous, Vilandra. Maybe, just maybe, you'll have your
turn." He said, his voice hinting a hidden promise that he refused to
reveal.
"I am not Vilandra and I would
never join sides with you. You're evil." Her voice was cold as ice as she
backed away from him, cringing from his touch.
"Would evil turn a shattered and broken planet into a prosperous flourishing
land? Would evil save the people from oppression, from defeat?" He asked.
"I'm not evil, Vilandra. Even Ava has been proud. Antar lives. Just like
the Royal Four has wanted. Shouldn't you be happy?" He asked.
"Not when it's going to cost my family's lives." She declared.
"Ah, always selfish. My darling Vilandra never changes, not even with the
human half inside you." He smirked. "You and Ava have many things in
common. You both betrayed your family for me."
"And I have always regretted that."
"Have you?" He asked. "Your little betrayal gave you a second
chance in life. You get to live twice. Different each time."
"It doesn't compare. I know now what I did and I would never repeat it. I am
not like her." She declared; her voice laced with venom as she referred to
Tess.
"Oh, but you are. Trust me on that." He spoke up.
"Never!
What do you want from me anyway? You know that I would never help you. If
you're so powerful now, if you're already king, why do we still matter?"
She demanded hatefully. "Are you that insecure that you need to destroy
three insignificant lives that can't even get to Antar and rise up against
you?"
"Oh, you don't matter. Not that much anyway. But I like to clean the mess
I've started. I want a good finish." He replied cryptically.
"So you want to kill us." She stated; her voice betraying her by
showing him that she was afraid.
"Yes and no." He answered as he calmly paced around the room. "I
need Ava. She's always been important to me, and our son." He grinned,
waiting for her reaction, for the shocked looked on Isabel's face. "As for
the rest of you, well, you'll soon find out."
"You're lying." She said trying to convince herself with her words
but the look on Khivar's face told her otherwise.
He was telling the truth. Tess really did betray Max. Betrayed all of them.
Isabel had hoped that she was wrong.
But Tess chose Khivar's side, became his queen and apparently also the mother
to his child. A child that would
follow after his father and would cause the end of them for good.
"And Max's baby?" She managed to choke the words out. She had to
know.
"He's gone. Dead.
A little catch in the deal." Khivar said matter-of- factly, showing no
remorse at all.
Isabel gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.
How could she? How could she destroy her
own child?
It didn't make sense.
"You can always join us. The two most powerful women in Antar by my side.
We would make a wonderful team." He offered slyly.
"I would rather die first."
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Don't say I didn't ask nicely." He said, shaking his
head at her.
He suddenly called for a guard who immediately appeared and dragged Isabel out
of the room and shoved her back in the cell where her brother and Michael laid
on the floor, broken and battered, fighting for their lives as they slipped in
and out of consciousness.
Isabel began to cry as she kneeled towards Max, holding his weak, bleeding body
in her arms, rocking him like a baby, wanting to take all the pain away from
her brother.
He didn't deserve this. Wasn't it enough
that he lost his child and wife whom he both evidently loved? Why did Tess have
to betray him? Why did she have to make them suffer by showing her treachery to
them, by rubbing it in his face?
If Max found out that Tess was alive, then a small spark of hope would live
inside him, only to be quickly diminished by the truth. His wife betrayed him,
not once but twice. She sided with the enemy, played them as pawns, watched as
they were tortured and enjoyed it. Isabel continued to sob, kissing her
brother's hair, praying that they die a quick death already.
Despite their differences, despite her want to stay on earth and live a normal
life, Max was still her brother and she still loved him.
She heard Michael groan behind her and she looked back, her tears increasing as
she watched him.
He looked nothing like the boy she grew up with. His face was swollen and cut
and bleeding, his arms twisted in an abnormal way and Isabel see that his left
side seemed to sink lower than the other, probably from a broken rib.
"Michael?" She asked, wanting him to answer her, to give her a sign
that he was still breathing, still alive. "Michael?" She repeated as
she crawled towards him, gently laying Max down on the floor.
"I should have told you." He managed to choke out the words, blood gushing
from his mouth. His struggled with ragged breaths as he tried to say more, to
explain it to her. "I'm sorry. Tess…she…tried…protect…Max…us." He
said, gasping for air as he held on to her. "I…promised…not…tell…no
choice."
She shook her head at him, trying to wipe the blood from his eyes so he could
see. "Don't talk." She said, trying to be brave, but she couldn't
help it. She was crying again and she cursed for not being strong enough.
"Michael, it wasn't your fault. She tricked you. All of us. She
lied."
"No!" He protested weakly, his eyes looking up at her pleadingly,
asking her to listen to him, to believe him.
"She tricked you. This was her plan. Hers and Khivar's. I saw her.
Them." Isabel insisted, her anger rushing back to her the minute the thought
of Tess came up.
"Never…Tess wouldn't…do…that…hates…Khivar."
He tried to explain but it seemed useless since he barely made sense.
Still he had to try.
"Shh, Michael. I know enough." She said stroking his hair with her
bloodstained fingers. His blood. His
and Max's. "Save your breath." She whispered.
No matter what their past was, no matter who they were; Vilandra and Rath or
not, this boy was her brother. She didn't care what the prophecies said, what
the book told them. She had grown up with him and they were as good as
siblings, blood or not.
And there was only one thing she knew. Tess hurt them and she was going to make
her pay. Isabel was going to live through this, and she was going to vent out
all her anger on Tess or Ava.
She was going to hunt her down, no matter how long it took. No matter what
others may say.
Tess was going to pay for this.
************************************************************************
Kyle sat quietly, his back pressed against the cool metal wall, as he tried to
listen to whatever it was outside. Unlike Max, Michael and Isabel, he and the
rest of those who were in the same room as him were fine.
"You know something. Start talking." Jim Valenti demanded fiercely.
"I don't know anything." He lied.
"You're lying and I think it's about time you came clean." Maria
declared; her voice filled with so much anger that for a second Kyle was
somewhat afraid of her.
"No."
"Kyle, we are in danger here. Stop Lying!" Liz ordered angrily.
"God dammit, I'm not lying!"
"But you're hiding something." Jim argued.
Kyle sighed, feeling as if this was a losing battle. His father and friends
were on to him, demanding that he tell them whatever it was that he knew. He
frantically searched for some excuse in his head, wishing that Michael was here
to help him out, back him up in their plan.
"Start talking, Kyle. We don't have much time. We don't even know what is
happening to Isabel, Max and Michael." Liz said firmly.
Kyle sighed deeply and began to talk. He had no other choice left. It seemed
that they had already lost. He might as well be honest with them.
************************************************************************
Tess sat quietly, her small delicate hands clasped together as she listened to
the tick tock of the clock in front of her. She looked back at the obviously
unmade bed, shivering at the thought oh Khivar touching her.
She slept with him.
Not once but three times. She cringed, remembering the sickening feeling that crept
up on her whenever the image of Khivar came up. Luckily, he wasn't in the room.
After he was done with her, he had left, without saying another word. He just
smiled at her, an evil sinister smiled that said,I won. You're mine.
Tess felt extremely filthy. Tainted. She
could not have stooped any lower if she tried.
She would never have done it if she had another option. But the choice
between life and death was placed on her conscience and she made a decision.
She wasn't about to regret it now.
You'll be sorry Khivar. Trust me on that,
Tess thought as she sighed, looking at the clock one more time. She was
waiting.
Waiting for what seemed like an eternity.
She heard Lex's cry and she immediately stood up, scooping him from his crib,
gently rocking him.
"It's okay, baby." She whispered, kissing her son's hair. "It's
almost over." The door swooshed open and she heard hasty footsteps
approach her.
Tess waited as the man approached her, her hands slightly shaking; her face
pale. She couldn't stop herself from
trembling.
"It's done." He said; his voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded at him, sighing shakily, handing the child over to the man whom she
entrusted her life and her son's as well.
"You know what to do." She said whispered, searching for reassurance in
his eyes. Tess touched her little boy,
pained to see him go.
"Are you sure you'll be safe?" He asked her worriedly.
"It doesn't matter. Get out of here." Her voice was hushed and hasty,
panic filling every word she said.
The man nodded obediently, casting one last worried look at his queen before
slipping out of the room and into the dark treacherous night. Be
safe. Please be safe. She silently prayed.
Tess watched as she saw the beginning sparks of a flame outside the house, smelling
the smoke surround them. She could hear panic outside her door, men running
everywhere.
She nodded, knowing exactly when to move. She dashed out of the room, evading
any men she saw, especially Khivar. She ran to the warehouse, slipping behind
the guards, firing a bullet in the back of their heads.
She could have used her powers, could have easily thrown them across the room
but that wasn't enough. She needed them dead and a bullet seemed to be the
answer.
She unlocked the door, revealing Kyle and Jim Valenti, Maria, Alex and Liz.
"Get out!" She ordered before any of them could utter a word. They
seemed dazed, as if not able to process her words, not able to understand why
she was setting them free.
"Where are Max, Michael and Isabel?" Kyle asked hastily, the only one
understanding what was happening.
"I don't know. I didn't see them." She answered as she began walking
in long strides, searching for a door.
They reached the end of the corridor and found the only door and she yanked it
open with great force, breaking the lock that held it together.
Tess gasped the minute she saw what was inside. Michael and Max were sprawled
on the floor, their bodies still and probably dead. Isabel was in the corner,
looking dazed and partially insane.
Jim and Alex immediately ran to Michael; cautiously lifting his frail body up,
supporting it with their strength while Tess ran to Max; Kyle helping her stand
him up.
The girls took care of Isabel who began weeping again, her cries filled with
anguish. She hadn't seen Tess yet.
They ran to the get away van which was conveniently parked in the middle of the
corn field, behind the warehouse, just a few minutes away; hiding them perfectly.
They slipped in, laying Max and Michael on the floor, while Alex drove; trying
to understand what was going on, but not daring to ask someone for any
explanation. He had faith in Tess. She would explain it to them.
"Tess, what happened?" Kyle asked as they continued to drive further
away from Alamogordo.
"I waited too long. I…I didn't know." She whispered brokenly,
fighting back the tears. She looked at
Max with a guilty expression on her face.
"This wasn't the plan."
"What exactly was the
plan?" Isabel asked dangerously as she sat away from her now new enemy.
"Isabel, I never meant this." Tess tried to explain but she stopped,
from loss of words. Her mind seemed to have malfunctioned, unable to make out
words, to form some sort of reasonable explanation.
Everything had gone horrible wrong.
"No, the plan was to watch all of us being tortured to death and then you
play hero." Isabel growled.
"Isabel."
"If they die, I will kill
you." She threatened gravely. Isabel was so angry, her anger mixed with
worry and fear and hate. She could have easily lunged at Tess, ripped the much
smaller girl into pieces, broken every piece of bone in her body but she
didn't. Not with Max and Michael lying on the floor, barely alive. This simply
was not the best place to do anything rash.
Three hours later, they found a hospital, rushed Max and Michael into the
emergency room and waited.
They knew they were taking a tremendous amount of risk but they had no choice.
Their alien powers could have helped them heal but Max was too weak to even
heal himself. And Tess and Isabel were not capable of healing, not even with
all their power.
They waited in the lobby for what seemed like forever, many of them taking
uncomfortable positions to try to get some rest, some sleep but it didn't come.
Their minds were filled with too much worry to give them enough peace to rest
for a few hours.
Isabel was sitting next to Alex who had his arm supportively around her. She
wasn't talking; wasn't even paying attention to Tess. She just stared at the
bleak, white wall, sighing once in a while, opening her mouth to say something
but always closing it back and then returning to her silent vigil.
Maria and Liz were huddled together, talking in hushed whispers, their eyes
closed, trying desperately to sleep and comfort each other. Still nothing made
sense but at least they were alive and still best friends, still together.
Jim Valenti sat like a worried father, his gaze falling on each of them,
sighing with worry as he waited for the doctor like the rest of them. He had
paced for an hour around the halls nervously, walking up and down, going in and
out of the cafeteria, asking them if they need anything.
As usual, they all shook their heads and said nothing.
Tess was on the farthest end of the hall, hugging herself tightly as her body
shook from unnoticeable tremors. She didn't know whether they were from worry
or something else.
Kyle was a few feet away from her, seated on a rather comfortable couch
watching her cautiously, maybe from fear that she might run or from the worry
that there was something wrong with her.
She looked uncharacteristically pale, shaking once in a while, taking deep
breaths.
"Tess, sit with me." He said moving over to give her more space
beside him.
She shook her head, another deep breath. "Can't."
"Are you okay?" He asked fearfully, worry and concern marring his
face.
"Kyle, do I look okay? They could die and it's all my fault." She
snapped leaning against the hard wall.
"Hey, stop blaming yourself. Now is not the time. Max needs you."
Kyle stated sincerely.
She shook her head again, her eyebrows creasing into a frown. "He doesn't
need me. Never did." He voice was
tinged with slight bitterness, perhaps even disappointment.
"Tess-"
Suddenly, the emergency room slammed opened and like in the movies, everything
seemed to move in slow motion. The two doctors that emerged spoke but Tess was
too far to hear them and she knew that Max and Michael were okay from the
relieved look on everyone else's face.
************************************************************************
Max woke up, groaning from the pain all over his body and the strange numbness
that also came with it. He opened his eyes, adjusting to the bright light that
seeped through the thin white cotton curtains.
"Max, you're awake." Isabel said, sleepily; relief and worry crossing
her eyes.
"I feel like I've been hit by a truck." He smiled weakly.
"We were so worried." She said starting to tear up again and she
laughed uneasy despite herself.
"Where's Michael?" He asked, looking around worriedly.
"Still out." Isabel answered looking over to her left. Michael's bed
was positioned right next to Max and as expected he was lying there, still
unconscious but breathing on his own, an IV and heart monitor attached to him.
"Is he okay?"
Isabel nodded.
"What happened? How did we get out?" He asked, thoroughly confused.
Isabel sighed, brushed a shaky hand through her blond tresses and looked up at
him apprehensively.
"There's something you should know." She started but before she could
go in, Liz and Maria interrupted and soon after, everyone stormed in to great
him, crowding the relatively large room.
"How are you?" Jim Valenti asked.
"Bad but I think I'll heal fast." Max smiled and so did Jim, knowing
full well what he meant.
"Max, don't, you just came out of surgery." Isabel protested
apprehensively.
"Isabel, I'm not going to sit here for weeks knowing full well that I can
leave right now." Max said, surprising everyone. He was usually the one
who covered up their tracks, who wanted to be cautious.
"But the doctors-"
"We'll take care of it later." He smiled reassuringly and she nodded,
obviously letting him have his way.
"If you say so." She said, leaning back on Alex.
Max nodded, pressed his hand on his chest and waited for his powers to take
effect. It took longer than expected but a few minutes later, somewhat
frustrated, he was able to stand up. No visible marks of injury, except for
relatively small healed scars, on his body.
He ushered them outside, dressed and walked over to Michael and used his
strength to heal his friend.
"Hey, you okay?" Max asked with a small smile as Michael woke up.
"Where are we?" He asked, feeling slightly disoriented and out of
place.
"Hospital. Don't ask. No one told me." Max
said softly. "Get dressed. We're leaving. They're all already heading
out." He said motioning to the door.
"Ok, give me a sec." Michael replied as he swung his leg to the other
side, found his clothes and changed while Max turned his back.
They walked out of their rooms, Max slightly limping and Michael still somewhat
sore.
"So where do we go now?" Michael asked, a million thoughts going
through his head. He needed to find Kyle, get some answers and quick.
It unnerved him to just wake up and not remember anything except for being
dragged into what seemed like a van. After that, everything was a blur.
Max suddenly, stopped dead in his tracks as he and Michael came face to face
with a relatively small blonde looking just as shocked to see them standing.
"Tess." Max could barely breathe as he gasped out her name.
~*~
A.N: I DIDN'T WANT TO DRAG THAT TOO LONG SO I GOT THEM OUT OR RESCUED,
WHICHEVER. AND FACE TO FACE. HOPEFULLY YOU LIKED IT. I WILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING
ELSE IN THE NEXT CHAPTERS (IF I ACTUALLY GET MORE REVIEWS THIS TIME). SO,
REVIEW ALREADY.
SORRY IF IT'S TOO LONG.
