First
Wave: "The Lost Prophesies"
Chapter Nine – Doodle
Summary:
Max is found, all they need to do now is get him out whilst evading
Government Agents and Evil Aliens
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
"
Stand
up wherever you are, go to the nearest window and yell as loud as you
can, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore."
-
Howard Beale (Peter Finch) in "Network"
After a brief moment of hesitation, both girls nodded.
Michael placed his hand on the scanner, holding his breath as he waited for it to verify his stolen fingerprint as that of Agent Nichols.
Within seconds, but what felt like hours the scanner accepted the print and the door clicked open. It was now or never.
The three rescuers rushed into the room, hoping that the two unknown people inside would be kept off guard long enough for them to disable them.
Maria reached her opponent first, without pausing she lashed out with an upper cut to the Agent's jaw, following it quickly with a sharp kick to his abdomen.
Gasping as the air was knocked out of his lungs the agent staggered back from the force of the kick. Unfortunately years of training assisted him in recovering quickly and within seconds he recovered his balance and reached for his weapon holstered under his left arm.
Maria also had years of training on her side and reacted quickly to his actions, swinging her leg in a high arc she knocked his weapon out of his hand and then using the ridge of her hand crushed his nose.
With blood spewing and his mind befuddled she grabbed him by his shoulders and kneed him in his gut.
Meanwhile Michael had now reached the doctor or agent who had been leaning over Max, reaching him just as he began to turn away from the bed towards the commotion at the doorway.
Michael elbowed him.
Although the blow was slight, the man was already off balance due to his position over the bed and was sent flying into a tray of medical instruments.
The tray went crashing into the nearby wall, all of its instruments spewing over the floor.
Stunned, the man lay prone on the floor, surrounded by the scattered appliances.
Wanting only to disable him, Michael decided on a new tactic, after all, it seemed as if it was the night for learning new tricks.
Pinning him to the floor, Michael placed his hand over the prone mans head and concentrated on forming a connection, his goal…to trigger the bodies natural sleep mechanism, tricking it into a temporary coma thus giving Michael the opportunity to get Max and get out.
Nothing happened. Michael couldn't even form a connection.
Confused, Michael decided to forgo the new tactic and instead use a controlled burst of his energy power to knock the man unconscious. If he controlled it right it would be similar to using a blunt object to disable a person.
Again nothing happened.
Michael didn't have time to waste "guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way." He grasped the man's head firmly between his palms and lifted it up off the floor and down again.
This time it worked, the Doctor's body slumped into unconsciousness.
Picking up the fallen 9mm, Maria used the butt to knock the crouched and gasping agent over the head.
The agent collapsed as he fell unconscious.
Maria discarded the weapon and turned around in time to see Michael standing next to the prone form of the second agent, or doctor if the white coat was anything to go by.
In the meantime Isabel had pulled the IV out of Max's arm and was ripping off the last of the attached electrodes. Max was barely conscious and offered little resistance as Michael and Isabel helped him off the bed and half carried half led him out the room.
"Isabel, try using your powers" demanded Michael as they made their way to the door.
"What?"
"Something's wrong with my powers. When I tried using them on the Lab-Coat-Guy it wouldn't work!"
"But your powers have been fine all night?"
"I know, it doesn't make any sense, I used them only seconds ago to open the door."
Gears clicked in Isabel's head as she recalled the conversation held with Cade only days earlier.
"Depleted Uranium!" She exclaimed.
"Huh?"
"Cade mentioned that the Government developed it some time ago after they captured aliens from the crash, it prevents us from being able to use our powers…I'm guessing it's only in this room, that's why Max was kept in here and also why you couldn't use your powers."
"Interesting" interrupted Maria "could we chat about this after we break out of this place?"
Michael was surprised to find that he had stopped moving and was still standing in the middle of the laboratory they had just rescued Max from.
"Let's go" he said, beginning to make his way to the door again.
Once out of the room, Michael left Isabel to handle Max alone as he led them out of the building.
--
In the van, Liz and Alex cheered as they saw the trio enter the hallway with Max.
--
Isabel found herself being thankful for Max's half-drugged state, because who knew how he would react when he recognized them. He might believe them to be figments of his imagination as he had when she'd dreamwalked him, and when a person was in that kind of psychosis they could probably become very dangerous even if it wasn't in their nature.
Or maybe he would be okay.
Sure.
Who wouldn't be after three years of torture?
Max was strong though, his spirit was a fighter and once he knew that they had tricked him into believing his loved ones were dead, he would begin to fight back.
Isabel believed strongly that the only reason he was in such a state of psychosis was because they had broken him down, and they had accomplished that by making him believe that he had lost everyone else. They needed to control him and they hadn't been able to do that as long as he continued to protect his sister, friend and girlfriend, because Max's love for them was stronger than any weapon forged by man, nature or alien…
Isabel wanted to rip them apart, piece by little piece for destroying the spirit of her brother, for the pain they had caused through physical torture and for the pain they had caused through mental torture.
Only her anger kept her from collapsing on the ground and sobbing.
She wanted to cry out in absolute joy at being reunited with her brother again, but she also wanted to scream in terror and heart wrenching pain at what he had been put through.
She could barely look at the empty shell her brother had become because when she did she would not be strong enough to get him out of the facility, so instead she put on her Ice Queen façade, freezing her emotions so that she could do the job she had been tasked with.
She would cry when they got home.
She would plot revenge as she half carried her brother out of the building, because plans of a future payback would keep her focused on the task at hand.
--
Maria kept to the rear of the escaping group, her mind and body alert for any danger that might come up behind them whilst Michael protected their front.
As alert as she was, she couldn't help when her eyes were drawn to the figure of Max being supported by Isabel in front of her.
He looked nothing like the boy she'd heard so much about, in fact, she wondered if they were too late, maybe he was dead already, in mind if not in body?
Maybe all that they had rescued was the shell of what once was Max, a boy who had once been a King, who had risked his life to save a girl in a diner. Who had shaped his life around the protection of his friend and sister. The boy who would risk everything for the people he loved.
What if they had been too late to save that boy?
---
Pulling away from the hug she had just given Mr. Evans, Liz sat down in her seat, a grin of pure joy alighting her face as she waited patiently for Max to come back to her.
It didn't matter in what condition, so long as he was back.
Alex continued to watch his monitor to ensure that nothing happened to the four people fleeing the building, although half his attention remained on Liz and her excitement. He couldn't help it, her joy was contagious as she bounced in her seat and beamed at the occupants of the van.
Their celebration was short lived however as the van door was ripped open to show a figure standing in the now open doorway.
"You should not have come here" he said as he began to climb into the van, apparently unconcerned that he was outnumbered three to one.
Being the closest to the door, Liz did not hesitate as she stood up and kicked the intruder in the chest in one fluid motion.
The man stumbled out of the doorway allowing Liz a few moments to slide it shut, flicking the lock on as she did so.
"Somehow I don't think you were invited either!"
In the meantime Alex was calling out a mayday on his radio, hoping that at least one of the other teams were close by to assist, because they were the ones trained for this type of situation, whereas those who now found themselves in the situation were not.
"Mayday…"
Fortunately, the training Liz had received from Maria had bought them some time, however, Alex was not deluded into believing that she was capable of full on defence combat against many opponents, and he doubted very much that either he or Mr. Evans would be any better, because Liz at least had training, they did not.
Alex wondered if his decision to stay home with his computer instead of go out and train with his sister had been such a good idea after all.
"…we need help, we're under attack…"
---
Michael was torn, there was no way the they would make it to the van on time with Max in the state that he was, and they couldn't leave Isabel alone to handle any problem as well as drag Max out of the building, which meant that one of them had to stay with her and the other would have to make for the van.
"I'll go." Offered Maria
"No, it's too dangerous."
Maria gave him a look of disbelief "and what we're doing now isn't?"
Michael remained unsure.
"We're wasting time, I'll see you back at the van."
Maria sprang into a full sprint, speaking into her headset as she ran "Alex, I'm on my way!"
"Doodle."
Isabel was so startled at the sound of Max's voice that she almost let go of him "what?"
Abruptly he stopped his shuffling movement and looked directly at her for the first time "doodle, shmoodle, woodle!" He shouted whilst at the same time shoving her aside.
He didn't wait to see her ungraceful fall to the floor; instead he took off barrelling past Michael.
"Michael stop him, he'll set off the sensors" shouted Isabel as she got up off the floor.
Still confused at the abrupt change of events, Michael took off after Max, fortunately his friend was not moving very fast, in fact, if anything, Max seemed disorientated, bouncing off the walls of the hallway as he ran from side to side.
Up ahead was the sensor and Max was heading straight for it.
I'm too late thought Michael "Max stop!" He shouted in a fit of panic.
To Michael's surprise, Max stopped dead in his tracks, his head hung low and his now long fringe falling over his eyes, seemingly in a trance.
Cautiously Michael approached Max, prepared to tackle him to the ground if he made any motions to move, but Max remained still.
Michael reached out and laid a hand on his friends shoulder, expecting to be shoved aside like Isabel had been with nothing but a 'doodle, schmoodle, woodle' from Max.
Michael was petrified for his friends state of mind, but he couldn't worry about that now because his first priority was keeping Max alive, and if….when they got out of here, he would then worry about whether his friend had gone completely off his rocker, 'cause it sure as hell looked that way.
Max continued to stand quietly as Isabel reached them.
"He seems okay now, just try to get him walking again whilst I de-activate the sensor" said Michael, acutely aware that they had been in the building far too long, leaving behind them a trail of unconscious bodies which were sure to wake up soon and alert the rest of security, that is if the other guards hadn't already heard the commotion.
Meanwhile as they dawdled with crazy-Max, the rest of their friends were battling evil aliens.
--
Cade Foster and Jim Valenti made it to the van within seconds of hearing the SOS call, both men had finished their perimeter search and were on their way back to the van when Alex's emergency call came over their headsets.
Cade could make out four Gua, one was prying open the van door, another climbing through a window it had just smashed and a third and fourth still making their way to the vehicle from the opposite direction.
Raising his gun as he ran towards the van, Cade called out "Gua!"
The four men stopped mid task to turn and look at Cade and the Sheriff.
The one who had pried open the van door spoke first "Foster!" He spat in disgust "You've just made my day…I'll become a planetary hero when I haul you in by your feet whilst you beg for your pitiful little life…just like your wife did."
Cade barely kept his anger in control "actually, you piece of alien scum, I'm going to make this your last day!" Cade squeezed the trigger and watched emotionlessly as the alien burst into dust.
This action caused the two Gua who were still making their way to the van to increase their speed. Meanwhile the remaining Gua seemed to quiver in fear, his dark eyes as wide as saucers looked upon Cade with barely concealed awe and fear.
His awe and fear both due to the fact that he was standing in the presence of a human who had thwarted their efforts on earth time and time again, he had overcome every obstacle they had thrown at them and come back stronger, and if he could do all of that alone, then what would he be able to do with the Royal Four fighting with him? Zaan Hu had no doubt that they would all be destroyed if this alliance were ever allowed to happen.
Knowing this, he shakily reached for his transmitter attached to his belt, before changing his mind and sprinting for the brush that surrounded the clearing they were in.
Cade let him go, his attention drawn to the threat of the two remaining Gua who had now reached the clearing, both pointing an unknown device at the humans gathered in the clearing.
"Why don't you follow your friends lead and leave here, because it's the only way you're getting out alive" threatened Cade.
"Zaan Hu is an embarrassment to our kind, we on the other hand do not fear you Foster" growled one of the Gua "where are the Royals?"
"Right here!"
In unison, both Gua turned to find Maria standing behind them, hands on her hips and eyes blazing in fury. Her leg shot out, catching the first Gua off guard and knocking him to the ground, she then swept her leg low over the ground, tripping the second Gua.
By this time, the first one was on his knees, pointing his transmitter at Maria, a look of satisfaction on his face.
A shot ran out, turning him into a million pieces of dust, Maria glanced up in surprise to find the Sheriff's smoking gun pointed in her direction.
Go Sheriff she applauded silently in her mind, before turning back to the last Gua. Using her elbow she hit the sensitive area between his neck and head, immediately knocking him unconscious.
Liz ran to Maria's side "where are the others? Are they okay?" she demanded, her fear for Max, Michael and Isabel evident of her face.
Maria nodded, "they're fine, they should be here any minute now." Giving Liz a brief smile, Maria then made her way to the van to make sure her brother was okay, he was always getting himself into sticky situations that she would then have to rescue him from.
Like that time he went on a blind date with a girl he'd met on the internet, who turned out to be a guy, dressed like a girl who had a fetish for toe-nail clippings.
Yeah…her brother was most definitely an accident waiting to happen. On the plus side, she had some good blackmail material on him and she couldn't wait until Alex had children so that she could tell them that story…amongst others.
Reaching the van Maria took note that her brother was okay before turning to Cade and the Sheriff "we should get the van started, they'll be here any second now."
The Sheriff nodded, opening the driver's door and climbing in beside Phillip Evans who had a few cuts on his face and arms from the shattered window and his battle to keep the Window Shattering Gua out of the vehicle.
"You okay?" Asked Jim as he took in Phillip's preoccupied state.
Phillip cracked a wry smile "just thinking what I would've done all those years ago when I saw Max and Izzy on the side of the road if I'd have known that to keep them safe I'd have to break into government installations and battle evil aliens…"
The Sheriff's eyebrows rose a notch "in other words, if you had known, would you have taken them home with you?"
Phillip nodded.
"And…" prompted the Sheriff.
"I still would've taken them home, they're my kids Jim and I don't care that they've lived two life times, one of which was as Royalty on another planet, or that I have to fight other aliens who want to kill them, or even that I have to fight the Government because they want to experiment on them. I don't care if I have to die just so that they could live one more minute…because they're worth every sacrifice."
Phillip paused, turning to look out the shattered window at the night sky "I just wish I could've protected them from all this, because apart from being alien Royalty, they're also human kids who don't deserve this and sometimes I feel as if I've failed them as a father."
"Those kids love you Phil, and trust me when I tell you this, neither of them would ever have had any semblance of a normal life, a home, a family if it hadn't been for you and Diane."
"I hope you're right."
"I am."
From the back of the van Cade called to the Sheriff "let's get this baby started, we need to be rolling as soon as those kids get here."
--
