~Chapter 26~
When the elevator opened, Michael and Isabel could only stare in surprise. The level looked like a war zone. Dead guards and sparks of electricity popped here and there.
They looked at each other nervously. Isabel went slightly ahead and Michael carrying Victoria, followed. They heard gunfire up ahead. Isabel saw that ahead guards were firing at a set of large closed metal doors. Michael managed to shoot them, as well as Isabel. Isabel's gun clicked empty. She dropped it and Michael threw his to her. They ran up ahead, calling out "Saelar.Liz!"
At the metal doors, marred by countless bullet holes, they heard Liz say deep inside. "It's Michael and Isabel!"
Isabel pounded on the door frantically. "It's us. Hurry! They're coming!" Footsteps and shouting of guards somewhere behind them on the level, echoed down the empty halls.
Victoria began to stir in Michael's arms.
There was movement behind the doors and then one of them was opened. Gabriel stood inside. "Hurry!" He said to Michael and Isabel. He saw Victoria in Michael's arms. "Good, you found her." The two rushed inside. Gabriel slammed the door closed again behind them and slid the massive slide lock into place.
"Where's Saelar?" Michael asked Gabriel.
"He led us down here not too far away. He said he had to go take care of something. Then we found ." Lix explained.
Isabel and Michael didn't have to hear the name, their attention was riveted to where Liz was crouched in the distant part of the room - next to Max on the floor. He was conscious, but he looked very weak.
"Max!" Isabel flew over to her brother. She fell to her knees and hugged him. Tears burned behind her eyes.
"Isabel.I'm so glad to see you." He winced as she hugged him. And then he asked, ".Victoria, where is she?"
"Here." Michael said, as he carried her over to them. He laid her on the floor and stooped next to her.
Max looked up at Michael and said hoarsely, "Michael, thank you. For coming for us.."
Michael and Isabel couldn't take their eyes off Max. He looked really bad - ill. He looked worse than Victoria. What had been done to the two of them?
Michael replied, "Well, we're not out yet -"
"Michael, help me!" Gabriel called. Michael looked back at Gabriel, surprised that the newcomer knew their names. Obviously, Saelar had informed him somewhat.
Michael jumped up and went to where Gabriel was sliding shelves to barricade the door. There was fierce knocking into the door - trying to get the giant doors open from outside of it.
"I thought I would never -" Isabel stopped her sentence, looking at her brother warmly. Max was looking down at Victoria.
"Max.." Came the whisper from slightly parted lips. Her head moved and she stirred.
"Victoria." Max said, scooting over to her. He took her hand. "I'm here."
She blinked, opening her eyes. When she saw him, she immediately struggled to sit up. Max helped her, although he hadn't been sedated as she probably had, he was very weak from .almost being killed. Of course, he wouldn't tell her. But when she looked at him, she knew. Both sitting now, Victoria reached to him and they embraced as fiercely as they could. "You're alive!" She whispered. "So are you." He said, hugging her tighter.
Liz and Isabel watched the exchange, rather surprised at their caring. But at least Isabel knew part of the reason why.
Max stiffened and drew back from her a little. Victoria looked behind her and saw Michael standing there.
She was almost expecting to see an accusatory look. But it was not there. Instead, he looked at her with. love. Tears flowed freely now as she looked at his dear face. How many times over these many weeks had she wished so badly that he could rescue her. Her prince. Foolish girl. She hadn't even told Max that. But here he was. "Oh, Michael." She started to stand and Michael helped pull her up. He looked into her eyes seriously. His eyes sparkled with sentiment and relief. In a gentle gesture, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her brow. Victoria hugged him then. He hugged her back, smoothing his hands down the long hair on her back and waist.
"There's time for reunions later!" Gabriel said, running over to them. We've got to get out of here. That door is going to cave in any minute now."
Max automatically stood, although he was wobbly on his feet. "We have to keep going back there." He pointed to the back of the room where there was another door.
Michael still held onto Victoria, Liz helped Max and Gabriel and Isabel led the way. Gabriel opened the door cautiously. It was a laboratory type of room. He motioned for them to go in. They all hurried inside and locked the door.
"There's more rooms back there." Max said.
They kept going through two more rooms - locking each behind them as they went.
The last door opened up onto a tiny hallway. There was nowhere else to go.
"What are we going to do now?" Liz asked. Max collapsed in a seating position on the floor. Victoria leaned against Michael for support.
"What about Saelar?" -Isabel asked.
"We can't go back now." -Gabriel.
"But -"Max started. "He can take care of himself." -Victoria assured him.
"Who's the main person who kept you here?" Michael looked down at Victoria.
"Someone named Patrick Bryce." -Victoria.
Gabriel walked out into that tiny little dead-end hallway.
"What does he look like?" -Michael asked.
"Why?" He wouldn't answer. "Young. Maybe mid-twenties. Dark eyes and light brown hair." She replied.
Michael tensed his jaw. He could almost picture him.
"There's an elevator!" Gabriel called from outside the room.
Isabel ran to where he was. Liz and Max and Michael and Victoria followed. He had the elevator door open. A tiny elevator.
"It will only hold 2, I think." -Gabriel observed.
"Let's go." Isabel said.
"Who first?" Liz asked.
"You and Victoria and Isabel." Max answered.
"No." Isabel said. "You're hurt. We came to get you and Victoria. Neither of you are well. You need to go first."
"Go Max." Victoria said, and then, "Remember the king's too important. You have to get out."
Max looked at her in a secret look. And she knew exactly what that look was for. It was a 'well, you're the queen - what are you talking about?'
Victoria looked at Liz. "You and Max."
Liz looked at her than to Max. She took his hand. "We're all going to get out. But somebody has to go first."
Max backed into the elevator with her.
Victoria held onto Michael. She nodded at Max. The elevator closed. It seemed to take forever. The ones left behind momentarily, could only hope that the elevator didn't open onto an ambush.
The elevator came back. "Next." Gabriel said, motioning to Victoria.
Michael pushed her forward. "No, he and Isabel can go. I want to wait with you." -Victoria.
Isabel and Gabriel went into the elevator. It carried them up.
Victoria touched her temple as a voice entered her mind. The first time in months, she had any use of her abilities.
Michael noticed. "What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"It was Saelar. He said to get out. He knew I wasn't out!" She said surprised. "He said he was still on this floor - that he is going to destroy the place."
"That's what he said?" -Michael.
"More or less." -Victoria.
"Get in." Michael said, pushing Victoria into the elevator. He stepped in with her. He pushed the buttons and then slid out just as the door was closing.
"Michael!" Victoria screamed at him. "What are you doing?!" She only saw a sliver of him before the doors closed completely. The elevator went up. She knew what he was doing! Those questions about Bryce. He was going to make sure he was dead. He was going to kill Bryce. Because of what he'd done to her and Max.
When the elevator stopped, the man who she'd heard was called Gabriel - reached a hand to her and pulled her out of the elevator. They were outside in a side entrance of the building somewhere.
"Where's Michael?" several of them asked. Victoria was thinking. She didn't look at anyone or answer them.
Max came to her. "Victoria!"
She looked up at him then. She started to back away as she spoke. "Saelar's going to destroy the place. Michael's going to kill Bryce." "Michael." She didn't continue, but backed back into the elevator. Max reached for her. She pushed the buttons to go back up.
"Victoria.no!" Max yelled at her, his hoarse voice straining.
- -
Max pounded on the closed elevator doors. He pushed the button to try to bring the elevator back down so he could go up.
Liz grabbed his arm and Isabel and Gabriel got in front of him.
"I have to go back and get them!" Max said, desperately.
"Max.Max! You can't!" Isabel shouted at her brother.
They pulled a weak Max away from the elevator. He was devoid of strength at last to struggle.
"We'll wait for them." Liz said, reassuringly. "They'll come back out." Liz looked at Isabel and they shared a doubtful look of fear. - -
When the elevator opened again, she found Michael still standing there.
"I knew you were going to come back up!" Michael said. "I had to make sure you got back down there." He went in front of her when she stepped out to him.
"I'm not leaving without you! You can't make me!" -Victoria said, determinedly.
"Can't I?" He said. He pushed her back into the elevator. He was so intense as she looked at him.
She pushed at him with her meager strength. "Don't you dare do this!"
He stilled and she pushed past him.
"Get in the damn elevator, Victoria!" -Michael shouted at her.
"Why are you doing this?!" -Victoria took his arm.
"For you." He said.
"Don't say that. I need you. You'll be killed!" -Victoria.
"You're making yourself upset. Stop it." -Michael ordered.
Victoria clung to him. "I love you Michael Guerin! I always, always have. You don't have to do this."
Michael softened his expression momentarily. He looked at her with his big brown eyes. "I have to protect you." And then, "If you love me, you'll do what I say. Go!" -Michael. He leaned down and kissed her quickly and then pushed her forcefully back. He didn't hesitate. He turned and ran back through the building.
She watched him go. Her eyes were huge and tears spilled down her cheeks. "Here me Saelar! I order you to keep him safe! I don't care that he's not the king. I don't care what you think about us being together, but you'd better bring him safely back to me!!!" She screamed and it echoed in her mind, the waves echoing out almost tangibly. And in that instant, she had a dejavu moment, with the feeling that she had said this before. sometime before.
- -
When the elevator door opened again, the group outside waited expectantly. As soon as they saw Victoria, Max got up and took her as she came from the elevator.
A few moments later, a loud mechanical female voice boomed with a shrill alarm that could be heard everywhere. "Count down to self-destruct. Ten minutes to self-destruct."
.
When the elevator opened, Michael and Isabel could only stare in surprise. The level looked like a war zone. Dead guards and sparks of electricity popped here and there.
They looked at each other nervously. Isabel went slightly ahead and Michael carrying Victoria, followed. They heard gunfire up ahead. Isabel saw that ahead guards were firing at a set of large closed metal doors. Michael managed to shoot them, as well as Isabel. Isabel's gun clicked empty. She dropped it and Michael threw his to her. They ran up ahead, calling out "Saelar.Liz!"
At the metal doors, marred by countless bullet holes, they heard Liz say deep inside. "It's Michael and Isabel!"
Isabel pounded on the door frantically. "It's us. Hurry! They're coming!" Footsteps and shouting of guards somewhere behind them on the level, echoed down the empty halls.
Victoria began to stir in Michael's arms.
There was movement behind the doors and then one of them was opened. Gabriel stood inside. "Hurry!" He said to Michael and Isabel. He saw Victoria in Michael's arms. "Good, you found her." The two rushed inside. Gabriel slammed the door closed again behind them and slid the massive slide lock into place.
"Where's Saelar?" Michael asked Gabriel.
"He led us down here not too far away. He said he had to go take care of something. Then we found ." Lix explained.
Isabel and Michael didn't have to hear the name, their attention was riveted to where Liz was crouched in the distant part of the room - next to Max on the floor. He was conscious, but he looked very weak.
"Max!" Isabel flew over to her brother. She fell to her knees and hugged him. Tears burned behind her eyes.
"Isabel.I'm so glad to see you." He winced as she hugged him. And then he asked, ".Victoria, where is she?"
"Here." Michael said, as he carried her over to them. He laid her on the floor and stooped next to her.
Max looked up at Michael and said hoarsely, "Michael, thank you. For coming for us.."
Michael and Isabel couldn't take their eyes off Max. He looked really bad - ill. He looked worse than Victoria. What had been done to the two of them?
Michael replied, "Well, we're not out yet -"
"Michael, help me!" Gabriel called. Michael looked back at Gabriel, surprised that the newcomer knew their names. Obviously, Saelar had informed him somewhat.
Michael jumped up and went to where Gabriel was sliding shelves to barricade the door. There was fierce knocking into the door - trying to get the giant doors open from outside of it.
"I thought I would never -" Isabel stopped her sentence, looking at her brother warmly. Max was looking down at Victoria.
"Max.." Came the whisper from slightly parted lips. Her head moved and she stirred.
"Victoria." Max said, scooting over to her. He took her hand. "I'm here."
She blinked, opening her eyes. When she saw him, she immediately struggled to sit up. Max helped her, although he hadn't been sedated as she probably had, he was very weak from .almost being killed. Of course, he wouldn't tell her. But when she looked at him, she knew. Both sitting now, Victoria reached to him and they embraced as fiercely as they could. "You're alive!" She whispered. "So are you." He said, hugging her tighter.
Liz and Isabel watched the exchange, rather surprised at their caring. But at least Isabel knew part of the reason why.
Max stiffened and drew back from her a little. Victoria looked behind her and saw Michael standing there.
She was almost expecting to see an accusatory look. But it was not there. Instead, he looked at her with. love. Tears flowed freely now as she looked at his dear face. How many times over these many weeks had she wished so badly that he could rescue her. Her prince. Foolish girl. She hadn't even told Max that. But here he was. "Oh, Michael." She started to stand and Michael helped pull her up. He looked into her eyes seriously. His eyes sparkled with sentiment and relief. In a gentle gesture, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her brow. Victoria hugged him then. He hugged her back, smoothing his hands down the long hair on her back and waist.
"There's time for reunions later!" Gabriel said, running over to them. We've got to get out of here. That door is going to cave in any minute now."
Max automatically stood, although he was wobbly on his feet. "We have to keep going back there." He pointed to the back of the room where there was another door.
Michael still held onto Victoria, Liz helped Max and Gabriel and Isabel led the way. Gabriel opened the door cautiously. It was a laboratory type of room. He motioned for them to go in. They all hurried inside and locked the door.
"There's more rooms back there." Max said.
They kept going through two more rooms - locking each behind them as they went.
The last door opened up onto a tiny hallway. There was nowhere else to go.
"What are we going to do now?" Liz asked. Max collapsed in a seating position on the floor. Victoria leaned against Michael for support.
"What about Saelar?" -Isabel asked.
"We can't go back now." -Gabriel.
"But -"Max started. "He can take care of himself." -Victoria assured him.
"Who's the main person who kept you here?" Michael looked down at Victoria.
"Someone named Patrick Bryce." -Victoria.
Gabriel walked out into that tiny little dead-end hallway.
"What does he look like?" -Michael asked.
"Why?" He wouldn't answer. "Young. Maybe mid-twenties. Dark eyes and light brown hair." She replied.
Michael tensed his jaw. He could almost picture him.
"There's an elevator!" Gabriel called from outside the room.
Isabel ran to where he was. Liz and Max and Michael and Victoria followed. He had the elevator door open. A tiny elevator.
"It will only hold 2, I think." -Gabriel observed.
"Let's go." Isabel said.
"Who first?" Liz asked.
"You and Victoria and Isabel." Max answered.
"No." Isabel said. "You're hurt. We came to get you and Victoria. Neither of you are well. You need to go first."
"Go Max." Victoria said, and then, "Remember the king's too important. You have to get out."
Max looked at her in a secret look. And she knew exactly what that look was for. It was a 'well, you're the queen - what are you talking about?'
Victoria looked at Liz. "You and Max."
Liz looked at her than to Max. She took his hand. "We're all going to get out. But somebody has to go first."
Max backed into the elevator with her.
Victoria held onto Michael. She nodded at Max. The elevator closed. It seemed to take forever. The ones left behind momentarily, could only hope that the elevator didn't open onto an ambush.
The elevator came back. "Next." Gabriel said, motioning to Victoria.
Michael pushed her forward. "No, he and Isabel can go. I want to wait with you." -Victoria.
Isabel and Gabriel went into the elevator. It carried them up.
Victoria touched her temple as a voice entered her mind. The first time in months, she had any use of her abilities.
Michael noticed. "What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"It was Saelar. He said to get out. He knew I wasn't out!" She said surprised. "He said he was still on this floor - that he is going to destroy the place."
"That's what he said?" -Michael.
"More or less." -Victoria.
"Get in." Michael said, pushing Victoria into the elevator. He stepped in with her. He pushed the buttons and then slid out just as the door was closing.
"Michael!" Victoria screamed at him. "What are you doing?!" She only saw a sliver of him before the doors closed completely. The elevator went up. She knew what he was doing! Those questions about Bryce. He was going to make sure he was dead. He was going to kill Bryce. Because of what he'd done to her and Max.
When the elevator stopped, the man who she'd heard was called Gabriel - reached a hand to her and pulled her out of the elevator. They were outside in a side entrance of the building somewhere.
"Where's Michael?" several of them asked. Victoria was thinking. She didn't look at anyone or answer them.
Max came to her. "Victoria!"
She looked up at him then. She started to back away as she spoke. "Saelar's going to destroy the place. Michael's going to kill Bryce." "Michael." She didn't continue, but backed back into the elevator. Max reached for her. She pushed the buttons to go back up.
"Victoria.no!" Max yelled at her, his hoarse voice straining.
- -
Max pounded on the closed elevator doors. He pushed the button to try to bring the elevator back down so he could go up.
Liz grabbed his arm and Isabel and Gabriel got in front of him.
"I have to go back and get them!" Max said, desperately.
"Max.Max! You can't!" Isabel shouted at her brother.
They pulled a weak Max away from the elevator. He was devoid of strength at last to struggle.
"We'll wait for them." Liz said, reassuringly. "They'll come back out." Liz looked at Isabel and they shared a doubtful look of fear. - -
When the elevator opened again, she found Michael still standing there.
"I knew you were going to come back up!" Michael said. "I had to make sure you got back down there." He went in front of her when she stepped out to him.
"I'm not leaving without you! You can't make me!" -Victoria said, determinedly.
"Can't I?" He said. He pushed her back into the elevator. He was so intense as she looked at him.
She pushed at him with her meager strength. "Don't you dare do this!"
He stilled and she pushed past him.
"Get in the damn elevator, Victoria!" -Michael shouted at her.
"Why are you doing this?!" -Victoria took his arm.
"For you." He said.
"Don't say that. I need you. You'll be killed!" -Victoria.
"You're making yourself upset. Stop it." -Michael ordered.
Victoria clung to him. "I love you Michael Guerin! I always, always have. You don't have to do this."
Michael softened his expression momentarily. He looked at her with his big brown eyes. "I have to protect you." And then, "If you love me, you'll do what I say. Go!" -Michael. He leaned down and kissed her quickly and then pushed her forcefully back. He didn't hesitate. He turned and ran back through the building.
She watched him go. Her eyes were huge and tears spilled down her cheeks. "Here me Saelar! I order you to keep him safe! I don't care that he's not the king. I don't care what you think about us being together, but you'd better bring him safely back to me!!!" She screamed and it echoed in her mind, the waves echoing out almost tangibly. And in that instant, she had a dejavu moment, with the feeling that she had said this before. sometime before.
- -
When the elevator door opened again, the group outside waited expectantly. As soon as they saw Victoria, Max got up and took her as she came from the elevator.
A few moments later, a loud mechanical female voice boomed with a shrill alarm that could be heard everywhere. "Count down to self-destruct. Ten minutes to self-destruct."
.