Hours later. . .
"Put Kara there, and Jade there," Sands instructed, pointing to two of the three vacant beds. "You get that one, " he mentioned to Selah with a smug smile. Releasing her, Sands walked between the unconscious women, glancing at each of them. Reaching down, he swept Kara's red hair from her neck, exposing the mark. "I'll be damned," he muttered, then did the same to Jade. Turning to Selah, he saw her take a step back. "Let me see it," he stated, not giving her a chance to dispute the fact. He'd not checked any of the others, assuming that the names on the list were enough to ensure the merit of their identity.
"Well?" he questioned, eyes locked on Selah's.
Moving her hair aside, Selah revealed a matching mark. "Happy now?" she remarked sarcastically. "Of all the stupid things," she muttered under her breath.
"Stupid? I disagree. In fact, my employer has already worked out the details of detaining you indefinitely, and as for your friends. . . well, they shall be very pliable for the journey tomorrow," Sands spoke, smirking at the questioning look on her face.
"What journey?" she asked, fishing for information she knew she'd not get willingly. Concentrating on his thoughts, she could read him like an open book, pulling everything she needed to know in a matter of seconds.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it. The others will be back soon," Sands remarked, walking out the door and leaving her there.
Selah laughed at his misconception. "Worry? He should be the one to worry. . .nerfherder." Shaking her head, she looked across the room to get a feel for it. A dozen beds lined the walls, each having a distinct air about them; clothing strewn throughout. Glancing up, she caught sight of a video camera set up behind an impenetrable surface.
Sitting down on her bed, Selah pulled her legs up beneath her. "Come on, guys. You have to hear me," she whispered softly. The door swung open, briefly startling Selah. In walked a dozen different women, all talking randomly to one another until they stopped short.
"Who are you?" Lies asked, the first one to break the tension.
"Selah," she answered. Surveying the group before her, she could sense the strong bond they had formed while being held in this place. Turning back to her task, she had finally made the connection, learning that the current state they were in was unstable. If only the others wouldn't stare at her like she was some kind of freak.
"I don't think you're a freak," Leelee spoke up. She'd been watching the new girl and was surprised at the extent of her talent. "Dude! How can you control it like that?" she asked, walking nearer.
"What are you talking about?" Selah shot back, not sure who to trust. Before she could insist further, she heard Leelee's voice in her head and just knew. "Do you have the mark?"
"Mark?" Dee inquired, turning circles in the middle of the room.
"When Sands dropped us in here, he seemed interested in this," Selah said, sweeping her hair away from her neck to reveal the mark of infinity. "We, my friends and I, have decided that it's a mark of where we belong. I'm assuming the rest of you have a similar mark."
The others exchanged glances before looking back to Selah. Shaking her head at their indecision, Selah returned to her conversation but once again found reason to break it off. Leelee had since sat down beside her, observing everything she could, making Selah nervous. "Was there something you wanted?" she asked.
"How are you communicating with them? I can pick up on it clearly, but with them unconscious, I just don't understand," Leelee stated, wanting to enhance her technique to that point.
"You're telepathic?" Selah asked, smiling when the younger girl nodded. "Well, even though the body is at rest, the mind is still working and functioning. It's a matter of reaching that plane where the two meet. It also helps when you know them very well," Selah explained.
"That is too cool, Dude!" Leelee exclaimed. "Can I try?"
"Sure, why not?" Selah laughed. It was refreshing to become friends with another of the same talent.
"What do I say?" Leelee inquired, giving her idea a second thought.
"That she needs to wake up, but not let on she's awake," Selah commented, then continued at Leelee's questioning expression. "The camera up there is our new best friend. Unless there is another among you that is telekenitic, Jade and Kara have to take it out."
"There's a couple who are pyrokenitic, but they keep them inhibited so they can control them. That would be Essy and Jen," Leelee told her, then a smile broke out across her face. "Rumor is that Essy, the blonde one with the 'Sith Lords kick ass' on her tee-shirt, nearly barbequed a couple of Sands' men."
"That's where the burns were from, huh?" Selah remarked, glancing across the way to size up the blonde woman.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Essy commented, picking up three small balls. Not knowing why, she found a certain pleasure that came with juggling. "What time is it?"
"About that time again," Gemma replied. "They'll be 'round with the syringes in a bit. They're filling them now."
"Damn," Essy muttered under her breath. "Just when I'm starting to come of it, they jab me some more and take it away!"
"Hey, guys," Amy spoke up, pulling a cloth napkin from her pocket. "It's Crane's. I snagged it when he wasn't looking."
"Now we're talking," Dee spoke up, taking the napkin. The smile she had faded and her eyes widened in shock. Shivering slightly, Dee saw the monster that Crane had become over time. "We're in deep shit."
"What did you see?" Rita asked, swiping the napkin from her. As the images flashed through her mind, she couldn't help but feel the emptiness that consumed him. "I second that."
"Come on, tell us!" Lisa insisted.
Lies snatched up the napkin, laying it across her palm and bringing her other hand to cover it. "He's an evil man. Crane wants to take our combined talent and harness it for his own personal gain. Tomorrow, he plans on sending us away from here. . ." she trailed off, her eyes widening.
"To some random icy island in the middle of nowhere!" Dee stated. "Now I think snow is pretty, but dammit, I don't like it that much!"
"Lower your voices," Gemma said, raising a hand toward them. "They can hear us."
"And see us," Leelee added, indicating the camera. "We're labrats."
"Not for long," Selah muttered. "You have to take out the camera, Jade."
"If they know we're awake, they'll just drug us again. It has to be executed perfectly," Kara shot back.
"They're awake?" Bri asked, sitting quietly on her bed with the kitten in her lap.
"With more than a little help from Selah," Jade replied softly. "What do we have to work with?"
"You have to be our eyes for now," Kara added quietly.
"I know the way out, if we can get past the locked door," Leelee offered up. "I've been restless lately and use my free time to scan everything I could."
"That won't be a problem," Kara smiled. "I can't lay here much longer, Jade. You know I get antsy."
"They're coming," Amy mentioned. "Roll up them sleeves."
"Bite me," Jen shot back. "Those callous jerks! Why are they doing this?"
"Because they want control. It's as simple as that," Spidey spoke.
"I'd fry them if I could," Essy seethed. She was a Sith Lord, blast it all to hell. Sith don't like to be controlled. They'd much rather exterminate those who opposed them.
"Where is it?" Jade asked. Hearing Selah's unspoken answer, the video camera flew from it's place, electricity sparking from malfunction before it hit the floor hard. Jade sat up slowly, the effects of the drug still lingering faintly.
Kara pushed herself up, to look around. Getting to her feet, she kicked the camera across the floor. "Perverts!" she shouted. Catching the odd gazes from the other women, she regained her composure and smiled.
"She's been tense lately," Selah remarked, ducking Kara's playful swipe at her. "You guys wanna bail, or do you want to stay here with these cretins and be miserable?" she asked, looking over the assembled women.
"I vote go, Dude," Leelee spoke up. "They're up to no good."
"I second that," Gemma added, shaking her head. "Here they come."
"Who?" Jade asked, just as the door opened.
"Come on, girls. Let's get this over with," the first man stated, then stopped quickly. "Where-?" he began before the door shut quickly behind them.
"What were you saying?" Lisa asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"Looks like you're outnumbered," Essy grinned wickedly.
"Don't be silly," the first man replied, smirking back at her. "Security in here is tighter than Fort Knox. They'll send backup if you try anything stupid."
"Really?" Gemma remarked, indicating the camera lying on the floor. "I don't think they'll realize a thing."
"Now, hold on there," the other man stated, holding his hands up in front of him, the syringe in his left hand. "Let's be rational here."
"Rational?" Kara asked, stepping closer. In a matter of moments, the syringe flew from his hand into Kara's. "Were you being rational when you jammed that damn thing in my neck?"
The look on his face was one of shock then utter terror as he realized what was coming next. "You shouldn't be awake," he said, though it wasn't meant for anyone to hear.
"Surprise," Selah shrugged, smiling sweetly back at him.
In a matter of moments, the other man was disarmed by Essy, Dawn and Lisa. Essy held the syringe in her hand, a maniacal smile on her face. "What goes around, comes around," she remarked.
"You don't want to do this," he retorted quickly, feeling a bit conspicuous at that precise moment.
"Think again," Kara shot back, injecting one of them with the serum. When he fell to the floor at her feet, she tossed the syringe at his side. "Take that, jerk."
Essy followed suit, sending the other into a heap on the floor. "They'll be out for a bit, but when they wake up, they'll be happier then they have been in years."
"Did anyone think of a plan?" Dawn asked. "How are we going to get out of here? And once we're out, how do we get past the main gate?"
"We need to find where we belong," Leelee stated softly. "What about that place? The one with the faeries?"
"The one from my dream?" Lies questioned, raising a brow. "I don't think it's real."
"It has to be. You aren't the only one to have seen that place in your dreams," Rita mentioned. "What are the odds?"
"But we don't even know where to start or how to get there," Amy spoke up.
"Let's get out of here first, then we'll worry about where to go," Gemma stated, pulling a gun from one of the unconscious men. "Anyone know how to use one of these?"
Jade held out her hand. "I do. I've had shooting lessons," she replied, catching the odd looks from the others. "What? My dad taught me. Said everyone should know how to protect themselves."
"The door's been locked," Bri called out, her hand leaving the door handle.
"Kara," Jade called. "Do your stuff."
"With pleasure," she remarked, concentrating on the tumblers within. In seconds, the lock clicked and the door swung open.
"Incredible, how did you do it?" Spidey asked.
"Kara's good with locks," Selah explained. "It's her talent, among other things."
"Let's go," Jen spoke up, peering out the door and down the hallway. "It's clear."
Moving out the door and down the hall, the women kept quiet, moving without hesitation through the darkened hall toward their only chance at freedom. One by one they moved down the stairs, one step closer to the outside. Clearing the door, they worked their way over the rocky terrain, knowing that every second was precious and they shouldn't dare waste time.
"So far, so good," Amy whispered, sliding down a steep faced stone.
The alarm sounded, causing them to look back.
"You just had to jinx us," Essy spoke up, shaking her head.
"Doesn't matter now," Rita interjected.
"We have to get out of here," Leelee added, glancing behind them then back in front.
"This way," Jen said, leading them on toward the gate.
"They've let the dogs go," Selah spoke up. "I think maybe that the few who can communicate with them, do it."
"They're getting closer," Dee observed, rushing over the rocks and down to the smooth walkway. "Hurry up!" she called. When all the women had finally made it down to the walkway, Dee led the way, the barks of the dogs closing in on them by the second.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Get them back," he commanded to the person on the other end of the line. "What do you mean it's too late? Those dogs will ruin everything!" Crane bellowed over the phone, slamming the receiver down in anger. "Damn them," he muttered beneath his breath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dude! What do we do?" Leelee asked, her voice showing the uneasiness she felt as they reached the main gate.
"There's fifteen of us, maybe we can-" Essy started.
"No, that won't work," Selah interjected. "Those who can speak to them, DO IT!"
"But I. . ." Bri spoke, nervous about the talent she didn't quite understand.
"I don't know," Dawn murmured as she was pushed forward. "What if it doesn't work?"
"It will," Kara replied, glancing at the gate.
"Now!" Gemma shouted, her eyes widening with the sight of the approaching dogs.
'Dogs, stay. . ." Bri spoke with her mind.
'Stay,' Dawn added mentally. 'Good dogs.' The dogs seemed to understand perfectly, sitting down on their hind quarters and waiting to see what they would be told next.
'Now, there's some bad men after us,' Lisa projected her thoughts, a small smile creasing her lips. 'Go get 'em.'
On their feet, the dogs took off like a shot, running back the way they came. When they met the handlers, teeth were bared and barks sounded off loudly, sending the men into a frenzy back toward the house.
"Even if we get passed the gates, they'll still keep coming after us," Lies stated, heatedly.
"I know what to do," Dawn replied, sending out a plea to her friends in the stables. 'We need your help'
"We'll get the gate," Kara offered, glancing at Jade. "Shall we?"
"Let's," Jade replied, standing beside her, both of them applying their 'talent' to the closed gate. As it moved, they could feel a hindrance that was slowing the process. "There's someone on that lever," Jade responded quickly.
"Someone start a fire under that fellow, would you?" Selah spouted off, looking at Essy and Jen. "Come on, you have the ability. . . Use it!"
Essy grinned, the thought of doing bodily harm to one of the enemy pleasing her beyond rational thought. It was all a matter of thought projection, and though she'd not caught on how to control it yet, she found amusement in her mistakes. Cracking her fingers, she set her mind to making a small fire beneath the man, just as Selah had requested.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" A scream sounded through the night air, one of terror and agony. A crashing sound seconds later revealed a man, his pants lit up in flames, busting through the glass window to fall on the ground and roll.
"Oops?" Essy shrugged, though deep down she was loving every minute of it.
"You can't go around burning people for Christ's sake!" Dee shouted.
"By the look of that guy, I can," Essy replied wickedly.
"No," Lies stepped in. "If we are to go, we have to go without injury to others."
"Right. Besides, it's bad karma," Dawn added thoughtfully. Grinning as the sounds of horses filled the area, Dawn could hardly contain her excitement. She loved horses. "They're here!"
"I don't know about this. There aren't enough horses for everyone," Rita mentioned, looking gingerly at the animals standing there in front of them.
"Doesn't matter," Kara put in.
"Everyone up," Jade stated, just before they rose to the backs of the horses. In no time, they were off, galloping through the gate and off into the night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Find them! I don't care how you do it. Chase them on a magic carpet if you have to. I want those women back!" Crane demanded, slamming the receiver back into place. It had been a terrible night so far and the only thing that would make it better again would be the capture of his prized possessions. Getting up from the chair, Crane walked toward Sands, pacing slightly in front of him before turning his anger on his employee. "They rode out of here!"
"They're quite a challenge," Sands replied softly, feeling a bit uneasy with the circumstances.
"I will not rest until I get those women back. . .and neither will you," Crane uttered, pointing a finger straight back at Sands. "I'm a vengeful man, Sands, and I don't make idle threats," he added, before taking few steps away from him. Turning to him once again. "Find them!" he warned, pointing an accusing finger, then returned to his seat, sending Sands on a mission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can't keep riding forever," Kara mentioned softly, catching Jade's attention. "There is no way."
"You're right," Jade agreed.
"How much longer before we get off these horses?" Dee asked, not at all wanting to fall off in an un-Bondgirl like manner.
"Soon," Selah commented without looking at her.
Riding up through the tall grass, Bri motioned to a white sign that read 'Veterinary Hospital'. Halting the horse, she slid down off it's back with a smile. "They'll be safe here," she said, patting the horse as Gemma slid down as well.
"Thanks, big fella," Gemma smiled.
All fifteen of the women dismounted, leaving Dawn behind to thank the horses for their help. When she turned around, she couldn't hide the sadness she felt. "I don't want to leave them," she said softly, patting a grey mare.
"We can't take them with us, Dawn. They'll be fine here. The vet will take good care of them," Kara spoke up.
"She's right. We have to keep moving. It'll only be a matter of time before they catch up," Lies added, glancing back the way they came. "Any ideas?"
"Let's head for town. Maybe we can get transportation," Jade stated cautiously.
"Good idea, Dude," Leelee piped up, grateful to be away from that awful place. All the thoughts and conversations she had stumbled upon while confined in that blasted room, frightened her more than she would let on. She had the suspicion that Crane wouldn't give up on them at all. She felt that he would be coming after them in full force until he finally had everything he wanted no matter the price.
A short time later, the women found themselves on the outskirts of town. Sirens sounded through the streets, each with a hidden agenda. "Those sirens are for us," Amy stated, peeking around the tree in front of her.
"We can't stop now," Spidey shot back, pushing her blonde hair out of her face.
"Right. . . I don't want to go back," Rita added, shivering slightly in the cool breeze.
"Look!" Jen exclaimed, pointing off into the distance where a bus awaited a handful of passengers.
"If we can get on that bus, then we can get out of here," Dee mentioned, her mind already in 'Bond mode'. "What would James do in a situation like this?"
"Sleep with the nearest woman," Leelee laughed and stuck out her tongue.
"Cut it out," Essy managed to say, before ducking quickly behind the nearest tree. Waving the others out of sight, she peered around her hiding place and watched as the local authorities went by, their lights flashing. "We're going to have to be careful now," she said, turning back to look at the others.
"What are we going to do? We can't avoid them," Rita remarked, her voice tinged with fear.
"Where ever that bus stops, we'll just have to split up," Kara spoke up, glancing at Selah and Jade.
"Right," Jade picked up where Kara left off. "They'll be looking for a large group, so as smaller groups we may be able to slip through unnoticed."
"Dude! I say we do it," Leelee piped up, excited to at least now have a plan of direction. Smiling as the others finally conceded to the idea, she caught an odd thought coming from Selah. Glancing her way, she quickly let it drop before she asked; Selah looking straight back at her, shaking her head.
"How do we sneak on the bus without being noticed?" Bri asked, cuddling the kitten inside her jacket.
"Go three at a time," Selah offered.
"It'll have to be between passes from the local authorities," Kara added.
They paired off in three's, each trio nervously awaiting their time to sneak aboard the buss. The first group to go was led by Essy, sneaking through the shadows and sprinting across the street. Once they boarded, the next trio led by Lies, followed the same pattern. Soon all but the last trio was aboard the bus, ready and anxious to be out of there.
Just as they started out, they were brought to an abrupt halt. Backing up into the shadows, the trio watched with shock filling their bodies as a police car rolled to a stop in front of the parked bus. The officers both getting out, their keen eyes surveyed everything in their path sending the trio of women further into the shadows.
"Blast it!" Jade muttered beneath her breath, looking over the game-board that their journey had now become. "I'm open to ideas now."
"I'm lost to rational thought," Selah gaped.
"Only thing I can think of isn't practical," Kara put in, shrugging her shoulders.
"What is it?" Selah asked.
"Steal a car," Kara laughed.
"Come on, you guys. This is serious," Jade interjected, biting her lower lip. "What if we go that way," she started, pointing toward the other direction then continuing, "and sneak in from behind, using the shadows as camouflage?"
"Fine, but you better put your hair down, Jade. You're mark is showing and that's the first thing they'll be looking for," Selah stated, glancing toward the bus. "We better hurry, it won't be there much longer."
Moving quietly down the sidewalk, doing their best not to attract attention, they crossed the street a block away, watching their final destination with anticipation. Walking toward the bus, each watching the authorities and hoping that they would go unnoticed, they stopped suddenly, turning around to make idle conversation with one another when the gaze of the policemen fell upon them.
"They're coming this way," Kara whispered, watching them close the distance between them. "What do we do?"
"Relax," Jade insisted quietly.
"Relax? Are you crazy?" Selah shot back, her voice barely a whisper but the fear showing easily. It was no big secret that she had the sneaky suspicion they would certainly be caught. Wringing her hands together uneasily, she couldn't bear to raise her eyes to the impending doom that closed in on them with each passing second. Suddenly, as though a shot had been fired, her head shot up, catching a glimpse of one talking on their radio and the other looking over their little group. With a careful nod and a tip of his hat, he followed his partner back to the car, their pace nothing short of a flat run, Selah's eyes watching their retreat with disbelief. "Well, I'll be. What do you make of that?"
"Essy or Jen," Jade remarked without a thought.
"What makes you say that?" Kara asked.
"Look," she replied, pointing over the adjacent building to a cloud of smoke towering above the city.
Dark, thick smoke covered the blue sky, clouds of noxious air floating as if it had some hidden agenda. A loud explosion caused Selah to jump, her nerves already shot with all the latest excitement.
"They really should control that," Kara mentioned, shaking her head.
"Come on, you guys!" Gemma yelled from her open window, snapping them back to the situation at hand.
Boarding the bus, they took a seat and waited with baited breath until the bus pulled away from the curb. As it moved along the highway, the end destination unknown, it carried along the miles the hopes and dreams of fifteen different women, all wanting to find where they belonged. While half of them fell asleep from fatigue, the others talked amongst themselves, each helping to discern a plan to get to that intangible place held within a mere dream waiting to become reality.
Selah slouched in the seat, making herself as comfortable as possible while lightly drumming her fingers on her leg in boredom. She had a job to do, and now she only waited to do it. With Leelee sitting beside her, there was little she could do without the other girl realizing what she was doing. There wasn't time nor the proper etiquette to follow for this sort of thing. When Jade and Kara mentioned it, all she could do was laugh, but after a while, it finally hit her just what they were after.
Sitting with a pad of paper in her lap and a purple pencil in her hand, she waited. What she was about to do, most people frowned upon, but it was necessary all the same. Concentration was a must when tapping into those who were asleep and extracting details of dreams. It was a simple trick, one she'd learned to do when younger to help escape her humdrum life that was forced upon her. Many times in her youth, she'd wished to escape to a happy place where nothing could ever hurt her again, only to be brought back to the agonizing reality that there wasn't such a place except in dreams.
The pencil moved slowly, though her eyes were closed, moving with ease across the paper. Stroke by stroke, an image emerged, bold and beautiful for the world to see. When one image ended and another appeared, she flipped the paper with little effort, continuing on toward what she hoped would be the answer to all their troubles.
Jade sat quietly, watching Selah do her thing. As long as she knew her, it never ceased to amaze her just what Selah could do. Now, surrounded by others who also were different than most, she could see each of them shining in their own way, working together as a team and finally escaping the confines of this ordinary world. Knowing she didn't belong here for a while now, her life was changed by that accidental twist of fate that brought the three of them together. Since that time, the world made sense and they had all found a certain peace that they would now fight to protect. She could only hope the others were as close.
Letting her head fall back, she waited patiently to see the drawings that would soon be finished. Glancing at Kara, Jade watched as she collected the finished pieces, Kara's eyes raking over the images and trying to make sense of it all. Reaching out, she took a few of them, setting them down in her lap without looking. When Bri moved beside her in sleep, the kitten quietly mewing for attention, Jade sat up straight and brought her attention where it should be. Looking down at the pictures Selah drew, all she could do was stare; everything within the image contained within a perfect circle. Pulling the next one from beneath it, there was the face of a man she'd met long ago. All this time she'd thought she had dreamt it, and here he was, large as life within another's mind.
"I've met this man," she whispered to Kara.
Kara's head shot up. "Are you sure?" she asked quickly. "Okay, stupid question," she remarked, glancing back to Selah who was still working busily. "Where?"
"That's not important," she retorted, shaking her head. "Don't you see?"
"See what?" Dee asked from the seat in front of them. Turning around, she looked from one woman to the other. "What's going on?"
"It's real," Kara uttered, her expression going blank.
"Yes," Jade answered.
"What are you two going on about?" Gem asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"The place is real," Kara replied, a smile forming on her lips. "Which means there has to be a way to get there."
"Really?" Dee asked, excitement filling her voice. "You're saying we actually have a destination now?"
"Depends," Kara answered.
"On what?" Gemma asked.
"On whether or not Selah can get a map out of all of this," Jade replied, her attention on Selah's pencil.
"Is what she's doing safe?" Jen asked, jumping into the middle of things. She'd been sitting behind them, headphones on her head as she drummed her fingers to the beat. Tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear, she leaned against the back of Jade's seat, looking on and trying to catch up.
"It's perfectly safe," Kara said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Look," Dee said as she pointed toward the current drawing.
There on Selah's lap, the pencil flew along it's own course, plotting out their journey easily. The lead pencil moved gracefully along the paper, showing different markers along the way that the group would be able to follow to their destiny. Flipping the page, Selah continued, oblivious to it being snatched up by Jade.
"This is it," she remarked, running a finger along the line. "This is where we have to go."
"How do you even know it's there?" Jen asked.
"We just know," Kara answered, not wanting to go through the whole thing again.
"Yeah," Leelee piped up. Silent during the discussion, she followed every word they said. She knew exactly what Selah was doing and where the images were coming from. She couldn't say the same about the others, though. They seemed oblivious to the idea that some of the group was sleeping.
"What is that place?" Dee asked, looking at the drawing in Jade's hands.
"The Labyrinth," Jade and Kara replied in unison.
~~~~~~
Somewhere off in the distance, the silence was broken as a single shout echoed in the still air. "ALLIE!" the voice bellowed, looking out over the vastness of his kingdom. "Where is she?" he muttered, turning on his heel and walking toward the door. Without warning, he was blind-sided as Allie ran through the door and into his chest.
"Hiya, Jareth," she said, grinning slightly with a shrug of the shoulders. "What's up?"
"It's time," Jareth stated, crossing his arms across his chest.
Allie gasped. "More? When? How many?" she rattled off excitedly with a huge grin, but broke it off at Jareth's look.
"Yes, there are more. When this batch arrives, there will be more still," Jareth answered, turning away from her. Producing a perfect crystal upon his fingertips, Jareth peered deep into the depths, swirling images taking up residence in the small orb. "They're being pursued by a powerful man."
"Can't you do something?" Allie asked.
Jareth shook his head, rubbing a tired hand over age worn eyes. "No. They must make the journey on their own. I can not interfere." Jareth looked up to the others that had filtered into the throne room of the castle, each with a special interest in the Labyrinth.
~~~~~~~~~
"Selah, that's enough," Jade spoke, reaching out to touch her shoulder. When Selah looked back at her, dropping her pencil in her lap, Jade smiled. "We got it."
"Whew. I didn't know how much more I could have done," Selah remarked, sitting back in the seat and breathing deep. "Did you tell the others?"
"Not yet. They're still asleep," Kara put in.
"Get a map," Dee spoke up, turning around in the seat and facing backwards. "Do we even know which state it's in?"
"It's not clear," Kara mentioned, looking at it from across the isle.
"Hey, from this view, it looks like. . ." Jen spoke up, sitting on her knees and looking over the back of Jade's seat.
"What?" Selah asked, glancing over her shoulder at the red head.
"Well," Jen began, craning her neck to the left then continuing, "it looks like one of those crystals that Essy was juggling earlier."
"That may well be, but how is that going to help us?" Gemma inquired, trying to get her own look at the supposed map. "Hey. . ."
"Gemma?" Jade looked up, trying to read the look on the other woman's face. "What do you see?"
Gemma reached over the seat, propping herself up while running a finger along a line on the paper to stop quickly. "That's not too far from here."
"Are you feeling alright?" Dee looked at her, arching a brow and turning her attention back to the map to see if she could see what Gemma did. "Holy crap! She's right," Dee added, her eyes catching the familiar lay of the land. "Turn it upside down, Jade."
Jade flipped the map over, seeing what the others saw. "Wake the others," she said, her eyes never leaving the paper. She'd been close to there when she was little and though she wanted to run off into the hills after the pretty firefly, her parents relented in bringing her back. Even then, the connection was there. "Has anyone been near there before?" she asked nonchalantly.
"I have," Amy spoke up, her voice still showing the subtle hints of sleep. "My family and I camped out on the ridge of the canyon about twenty miles north. It's such beautiful country."
As some of the others came forth with their stories, Jade sat quietly. With each and every instance, they mentioned feeling connected to the land in some way and yet couldn't explain it. The few that hadn't been there was now excited to make the journey and find their home where everything would make sense and nobody would be chasing them.
Lies reached down and picked up the pencil that Selah dropped as it rolled across the floor. The instant her fingers touched it, images flew through her mind, the very same images Selah drew on her papers. Each a vivid picture of what the others saw, complete right down to the unknown man that Jade recognized. Next, visions of trails and elements that appeared and disappeared sought precedence over the rest, as though trying to draw her near. When the images stopped, Lies just sat there, stunned with the thought that her dreams weren't crazy after all.
When the bus stopped, the group disembarked and tried to get their bearings. Plotting a plan of attack, they each knew that smaller groups were necessary to keep from drawing attention to themselves and eventually being caught. Breaking off into smaller groups, they had a destination now, and getting there was going to be a difficult situation. By now, Crane had each and every office authority out looking for his 'girls'.
*************
Essy led her group through the open, eyes carefully trained on the boat docked at the pier. As soon as they were away from this place, they could find a more suitable transportation. Sending Gemma on ahead, she signaled Dee to take the rear. All they had to do was reach the rendezvous point and meet up with the others.
Moving down the pier, Gemma kept her senses open as she jumped aboard the boat. Glancing around she waved the others on, keeping a watchful eye trained behind them. "Come on!" she called, once they got closer. "Dawn, get the rope."
Dawn grabbed the rope, untying the knot when a shot rang out, ricocheting off the post at her right. Jumping back, she looked back the way they came to see a group of men, each moving towards them hastily. Flipping the rope into the back of the boat, she quickly pounced, falling into the back just as Rita started the motor and pulled away from the pier.
"Keep down!" Essy shouted, preparing to do battle. Summoning up her concentration, she let her thoughts go, setting small fires around the men, intending to stop them in their tracks.
Dee pulled the flare gun from the small compartment off the side of the control panel. Taking a stance, she aimed the pistol back toward the men.
"You can't shoot them!" Rita shrieked, a bullet buzzing past her to rip through the canopy. Ducking, she wasn't enjoying herself one bit.
"I'm not going to," Dee replied, steadying her hand. Pulling the trigger, she sent a flare straight toward a stack of barrels just behind the men. The second the flare ignited, the barrels exploded, men flying forwards out of sheer force. "Yes! Eat your heart out, James Bond!"
"We can't stay on this boat for long. They'll be looking for us after that," Gemma stated, indicating the black smoke rising from the burning debris.
As the boat moved down the channel toward the bay, they could hear the sirens of the local fire department rushing to put out the fire. It was only a matter of time now, before the authorities realized what happened and would track them down.
*****
