Chapter 7

That Night:

Melena crept out of her rom, making sure the three surians where no where to be seen. Quietly, she tiptoed to the holding cell, sending a small smile to Duke.

"I wasn't sure you'd come," he said, putting his hands o the bars.

"I told you that you had to trust me." She pulled a hair pin out o her hair, beginning to pick the lock.

"You just happen to wear hair pins?"

"My teacher always told be that you never know when you need to get a friend out of a holding cell. Unfortunately, hair pins are almost useless against intergalactic holding cells…" she pulled out Duke's saber and lodged it in after the pin. Duke plugged his ears, waiting for the alarm. When none cae, he looked at her curiously. "The pin acted as a key to disable the alarms. The saber picked the lock." She pulled th saber out and handed it to Duke, swinging the door ope. "Freedom, Monsieur L'Orange?"

He walked out. "Many thanks." Duke watched her put the pin back in her hair. "Shall we go get her?"

Melena nodded. "Yeah. She's waiting for you."

"Lead the way."

The human girl nodded again. "She's being held in Dragaunus's personal office." She began to walk in that direction.

When they got to the large office, it was emty of all ducks and other beings. Melena ignored Duke's blunderings and took a vile from the desk, taking a long drink.

"Where's Mel?"

"I don't know…She was here…"

She sighed as nothing happened to her. The liquid in the vile was surely the antidote, wasn't it? It had to be! But she was still human!

"Whare's Mel?" Duke asked again.

"I don't know," Melena answered, on the verge of tears. Everything had gone terribly wrong.

"you said she'd be here! You lied to me! You led me on! I knew I should never have trusted you!"

"I didn't mean to! I really thought she was here!"

"Get out of my face! I don't want to see you again."

Mel was trembling. "Fine, Duke. If that's how you want it." She sent him an icy glare, then turned and walked out.

Duke watched her go with a sigh and quietly tried to find his way out. He would destroy the Saurians, but he had been druged earlier by the Suarians and barely had the strength to walk out, let alone get in to a one-on-three fight. He walked past Dragaunus' throne room, noticing the human girl fiddling with the computer.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a scolding tone.

"I'm gonna make this place self-destrct."

"And you with it?"

"After this failure, the ducks won't want to see me again. Its better this way."

"Look, I know I told you off earlier, but don't go blowing yourself up. You can't! Nosedive thinks you're great, and you can't go hurting him."

"Go," Mel said. "I'll catch up."

Duke sighed and ran off as Mel looked back to the computer, pressing a few more emergency buttons. She took a deep breath and ran.