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CHAPTER EIGHT:
Michael went to the Crashdown, knowing that Isabel was going to meet Max, Maria, and Kyle, there in a little while. When he got there, he found them still waiting for Isabel.
"Isabel's still a no show?" asked Michael.
"Yeah," said Max. "And she should have been here by now."
"Well, when she gets here, I've got an idea to throw at her," said Michael.
"Talking about me?" asked a voice from behind them.
They turned and saw Isabel walk up to them. "What's up?" she asked.
"You're late," said Kyle.
"Yeah, we were kind of worried," said Maria.
"Sorry," said Isabel. "Something came up. How's things?"
"Ava is still unconscious," said Michael. "But I had an idea. Isabel, do you think you could dreamwalk her, and see if you could find out what happened?"
"I don't know, Michael," said Isabel. "Dreamwalking someone who is sleeping is one thing, unconscious is another."
"You did it with Max when he was drugged," said Michael. "You think you could try."
"Well, yeah, I guess so," said Isabel. "Come on. Take me to her."
"We'll all go," said Max.
"Cool," said Isabel.
**
When they got to Michael's apartment, Isabel walked into the bedroom. She found Alex and Liz sitting in chairs looking after Ava, who was still lying unconscious on the bed.
"Isabel," said Alex, getting up from his chair. "Michael asked you?"
"Yeah," she replied. "And I said I would try."
"I'm going to see the others," said Liz.
"I'll stay," said Alex.
"You can go join the others, Alex," said Isabel.
Alex put his hand on Isabel's shoulder, and gently squeezed it. "I'm staying with you," he said.
Isabel looked at him and smiled. "Your so sweet," she said.
"You never did say how things went with Jesse," said Alex.
"Jesse?" asked Isabel. "Oh, him. Sorry, I'm distracted by...the thought of dreamwalking Ava. It went okay. We'll talk about it later."
"Nervous?" asked Alex.
"No," said Isabel. "Well, maybe a little."
"Don't worry," said Alex. "I'll be right here."
He leaned forward and gently kissed Isabel on the cheek. She smiled, and kissed him back on the lips. When she did, Alex slowly pulled away from her. He backed up, and looked at her with a strange expression.
"What's the matter?" asked Isabel.
Alex stared at her, his expression unreadable. He didn't move, didn't speak, and his breath seemed to slow. Though his exterior was absolutely still, his mind was racing, as he processed the information his brain was receiving from his emotions. Finally, he spoke.
"You're not Isabel," said Alex. "I know Isabel's kiss. I...felt it, just now. The flashes I got. You're not Isabel."
Isabel's expression changed from shock, to a sarcastic smirk. "You're not as dumb as you look, Gomer," she said. "Too bad you won't live long enough to profit from your discovery.
"Think again, Lonnie," said Michael.
Lonnie turned, and saw Michael standing in the doorway. Max and the others came up behind him.
"How'd you know?" asked Lonnie, who now changed herself back to her real look.
"I'm suspicious by nature," said Michael. "With our doubles running around, and Isabel delayed in getting to the Crashdown without a satisfactory explanation. I decided to keep an eye on you. Looks like my suspicions paid off."
"Where is Isabel?" asked Max.
Lonnie smiled. "What makes you think I'm going to tell you?" she said. "What makes you think she's still breathin?"
"She'd better be still breathing," said Alex. "Because if she isn't, I'll kill you myself!"
"Oooh, Gomer!" said Lonnie. "I'm shakin!"
"You dreamwalked Ava, didn't you?" asked Liz. "You did something to her?"
"With a little help, yeah," said Lonnie. "She aint wakin up, 'til I go back in and wake her. If her mind aint mush."
"We'll make a deal with you," said Max. "You save Ava, we won't kill you."
Lonnie chuckled. "You think your holding the cards because you got me in this room," she said. "Think again, baby. You see, my man Rath has your precious Isabel. He also knows that if I don't make it back to him by a certain time, he's gonna ice her. Get it?"
"Where is she?" asked Alex.
"For me to know, you to find out," said Lonnie.
Alex grabbed Lonnie by her shirt. "TELL ME!" he yelled.
Michael and Max grabbed Alex and pulled him off of Lonnie, as the latter chuckled at him.
"So dramatic, Gomer," said Lonnie. "I didn't think you cared as much, considering she was meetin with another dude today."
"What other dude?" asked Maria.
"Later," said Alex. "Look, why are you here? Just to tell us that you have Isabel? To kill Ava?"
"No," said Lonnie. "Actually, I'm here to help Ava."
"Help her?" asked Kyle, in disbelief. "You mind rape her, now you want to help her? Your full of it!"
"I did what I had to do," said Lonnie. "To find out what we needed to know from her, and to shut her up to keep her from warning you about us. But I grew up with her. She's pissed me off, but....I've got a soft spot in my heart for her. Besides, we need her. And you."
"For what?" asked Max.
"You'll see," said Lonnie. "Look, you want me to save her, or not?"
Everyone looked at each other, then ultimately at Max. As always, he had to be the one to make a decision, and just like always, he hoped he was making the right one.
"Go ahead," said Max. "But if she dies, you die!"
Lonnie smirked, then looked at Ava. She put her hands on Ava's head, then collapsed unconscious, while her body was laying prone on tope of Ava. The others stood and watched for a long time. The minutes ticked by, as both Ava and Lonnie were unconscious. Finally, after twenty minutes went by, Lonnie and Ava woke up simultaneously.
"What the," said Ava, as she found herself somewhere totally different than where she fell asleep last, and found Lonnie half lying on top of her.
"Hey, sleeping beauty," said Lonnie.
"You," said Ava. "You did...you were in my dream..."
"I know," said Lonnie, caressing Ava's cheek. "I'm sorry, girl. I had to do it. You were shooting your mouth off, and I needed to know what you wouldn't tell me."
Ava pushed Lonnie off of her, then jumped off of the bed and ran over to Max, Michael, Alex, Maria, Liz, and Kyle. Lonnie stood and looked at them.
"So, you standin with them now, huh," said Lonnie.
"Hell yeah," said Ava. "After what you have done, where the hell else would I stand?"
"Look, you guys can hash this out later," said Michael. "Where is Isabel?"
"Fine, here's the deal," said Lonnie. "Max, Michael, and Ava, all come with me. You don't, Isabel dies."
"Where are we going?" asked Max.
"The Dairy Queen," said Lonnie, sarcastically. "What do you care? All you should care about is what happens to Isabel if you don't come."
"I'd bet you and Rath want us dead," said Michael. "So, my guess is that you will kill Isabel whether we come or not."
"Wrong," said Lonnie. "Your deaths are not required, your cooperation is. We want something from you. Rath, me, and a...friend, of ours. You come, you all got a chance to live. You don't come, Isabel is dead for sure."
"What about the others?" asked Max.
"We're not interested in your human cohorts," said Lonnie. "They are not a factor in the equation. Do you agree? Will you come?"
Max and Michael looked at each other, and nodded. Then, Max looked at Ava. She also nodded at him. He then turned and looked at Lonnie. "We'll come with you."
After putting off very vocal protests from Liz and Maria, Max, Michael, and Ava, all followed Lonnie out of the apartment. Max turned and looked at Alex and Kyle pointedly.
"If we don't make it," said Max. "Take care of Liz and Maria."
Alex and Kyle both nodded, then each shook Max's hand. As the aliens walked out, Ava turned and looked at Alex.
"I learned something from Lonnie's dreamwalk of me," she whispered. "She and Rath aint alone in this. Nicholas is helping them."
"What?" asked Alex. "How...."
"No time," said Ava. "Hope we can talk again."
Ava ran out to catch up with the others. Alex, Kyle, Liz, and Maria, were left to absorb Ava's revelation, and worry for their imperiled friends.
End of Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine coming soon.
Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Busy week. Anyhow, I'll try to get the next chapter to you soon. In the meantime, please do keep those reviews coming. Feedback is always helpful.
CHAPTER EIGHT:
Michael went to the Crashdown, knowing that Isabel was going to meet Max, Maria, and Kyle, there in a little while. When he got there, he found them still waiting for Isabel.
"Isabel's still a no show?" asked Michael.
"Yeah," said Max. "And she should have been here by now."
"Well, when she gets here, I've got an idea to throw at her," said Michael.
"Talking about me?" asked a voice from behind them.
They turned and saw Isabel walk up to them. "What's up?" she asked.
"You're late," said Kyle.
"Yeah, we were kind of worried," said Maria.
"Sorry," said Isabel. "Something came up. How's things?"
"Ava is still unconscious," said Michael. "But I had an idea. Isabel, do you think you could dreamwalk her, and see if you could find out what happened?"
"I don't know, Michael," said Isabel. "Dreamwalking someone who is sleeping is one thing, unconscious is another."
"You did it with Max when he was drugged," said Michael. "You think you could try."
"Well, yeah, I guess so," said Isabel. "Come on. Take me to her."
"We'll all go," said Max.
"Cool," said Isabel.
**
When they got to Michael's apartment, Isabel walked into the bedroom. She found Alex and Liz sitting in chairs looking after Ava, who was still lying unconscious on the bed.
"Isabel," said Alex, getting up from his chair. "Michael asked you?"
"Yeah," she replied. "And I said I would try."
"I'm going to see the others," said Liz.
"I'll stay," said Alex.
"You can go join the others, Alex," said Isabel.
Alex put his hand on Isabel's shoulder, and gently squeezed it. "I'm staying with you," he said.
Isabel looked at him and smiled. "Your so sweet," she said.
"You never did say how things went with Jesse," said Alex.
"Jesse?" asked Isabel. "Oh, him. Sorry, I'm distracted by...the thought of dreamwalking Ava. It went okay. We'll talk about it later."
"Nervous?" asked Alex.
"No," said Isabel. "Well, maybe a little."
"Don't worry," said Alex. "I'll be right here."
He leaned forward and gently kissed Isabel on the cheek. She smiled, and kissed him back on the lips. When she did, Alex slowly pulled away from her. He backed up, and looked at her with a strange expression.
"What's the matter?" asked Isabel.
Alex stared at her, his expression unreadable. He didn't move, didn't speak, and his breath seemed to slow. Though his exterior was absolutely still, his mind was racing, as he processed the information his brain was receiving from his emotions. Finally, he spoke.
"You're not Isabel," said Alex. "I know Isabel's kiss. I...felt it, just now. The flashes I got. You're not Isabel."
Isabel's expression changed from shock, to a sarcastic smirk. "You're not as dumb as you look, Gomer," she said. "Too bad you won't live long enough to profit from your discovery.
"Think again, Lonnie," said Michael.
Lonnie turned, and saw Michael standing in the doorway. Max and the others came up behind him.
"How'd you know?" asked Lonnie, who now changed herself back to her real look.
"I'm suspicious by nature," said Michael. "With our doubles running around, and Isabel delayed in getting to the Crashdown without a satisfactory explanation. I decided to keep an eye on you. Looks like my suspicions paid off."
"Where is Isabel?" asked Max.
Lonnie smiled. "What makes you think I'm going to tell you?" she said. "What makes you think she's still breathin?"
"She'd better be still breathing," said Alex. "Because if she isn't, I'll kill you myself!"
"Oooh, Gomer!" said Lonnie. "I'm shakin!"
"You dreamwalked Ava, didn't you?" asked Liz. "You did something to her?"
"With a little help, yeah," said Lonnie. "She aint wakin up, 'til I go back in and wake her. If her mind aint mush."
"We'll make a deal with you," said Max. "You save Ava, we won't kill you."
Lonnie chuckled. "You think your holding the cards because you got me in this room," she said. "Think again, baby. You see, my man Rath has your precious Isabel. He also knows that if I don't make it back to him by a certain time, he's gonna ice her. Get it?"
"Where is she?" asked Alex.
"For me to know, you to find out," said Lonnie.
Alex grabbed Lonnie by her shirt. "TELL ME!" he yelled.
Michael and Max grabbed Alex and pulled him off of Lonnie, as the latter chuckled at him.
"So dramatic, Gomer," said Lonnie. "I didn't think you cared as much, considering she was meetin with another dude today."
"What other dude?" asked Maria.
"Later," said Alex. "Look, why are you here? Just to tell us that you have Isabel? To kill Ava?"
"No," said Lonnie. "Actually, I'm here to help Ava."
"Help her?" asked Kyle, in disbelief. "You mind rape her, now you want to help her? Your full of it!"
"I did what I had to do," said Lonnie. "To find out what we needed to know from her, and to shut her up to keep her from warning you about us. But I grew up with her. She's pissed me off, but....I've got a soft spot in my heart for her. Besides, we need her. And you."
"For what?" asked Max.
"You'll see," said Lonnie. "Look, you want me to save her, or not?"
Everyone looked at each other, then ultimately at Max. As always, he had to be the one to make a decision, and just like always, he hoped he was making the right one.
"Go ahead," said Max. "But if she dies, you die!"
Lonnie smirked, then looked at Ava. She put her hands on Ava's head, then collapsed unconscious, while her body was laying prone on tope of Ava. The others stood and watched for a long time. The minutes ticked by, as both Ava and Lonnie were unconscious. Finally, after twenty minutes went by, Lonnie and Ava woke up simultaneously.
"What the," said Ava, as she found herself somewhere totally different than where she fell asleep last, and found Lonnie half lying on top of her.
"Hey, sleeping beauty," said Lonnie.
"You," said Ava. "You did...you were in my dream..."
"I know," said Lonnie, caressing Ava's cheek. "I'm sorry, girl. I had to do it. You were shooting your mouth off, and I needed to know what you wouldn't tell me."
Ava pushed Lonnie off of her, then jumped off of the bed and ran over to Max, Michael, Alex, Maria, Liz, and Kyle. Lonnie stood and looked at them.
"So, you standin with them now, huh," said Lonnie.
"Hell yeah," said Ava. "After what you have done, where the hell else would I stand?"
"Look, you guys can hash this out later," said Michael. "Where is Isabel?"
"Fine, here's the deal," said Lonnie. "Max, Michael, and Ava, all come with me. You don't, Isabel dies."
"Where are we going?" asked Max.
"The Dairy Queen," said Lonnie, sarcastically. "What do you care? All you should care about is what happens to Isabel if you don't come."
"I'd bet you and Rath want us dead," said Michael. "So, my guess is that you will kill Isabel whether we come or not."
"Wrong," said Lonnie. "Your deaths are not required, your cooperation is. We want something from you. Rath, me, and a...friend, of ours. You come, you all got a chance to live. You don't come, Isabel is dead for sure."
"What about the others?" asked Max.
"We're not interested in your human cohorts," said Lonnie. "They are not a factor in the equation. Do you agree? Will you come?"
Max and Michael looked at each other, and nodded. Then, Max looked at Ava. She also nodded at him. He then turned and looked at Lonnie. "We'll come with you."
After putting off very vocal protests from Liz and Maria, Max, Michael, and Ava, all followed Lonnie out of the apartment. Max turned and looked at Alex and Kyle pointedly.
"If we don't make it," said Max. "Take care of Liz and Maria."
Alex and Kyle both nodded, then each shook Max's hand. As the aliens walked out, Ava turned and looked at Alex.
"I learned something from Lonnie's dreamwalk of me," she whispered. "She and Rath aint alone in this. Nicholas is helping them."
"What?" asked Alex. "How...."
"No time," said Ava. "Hope we can talk again."
Ava ran out to catch up with the others. Alex, Kyle, Liz, and Maria, were left to absorb Ava's revelation, and worry for their imperiled friends.
End of Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine coming soon.
Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Busy week. Anyhow, I'll try to get the next chapter to you soon. In the meantime, please do keep those reviews coming. Feedback is always helpful.
