Search and Rescue: Chapter 10
Authors note: ooooh we're in the double digits now
(Maria's POV)
"Now if that ain't the strangest sight…" said Philipé.
"We've got two choices," I said being the female, and… well, I'll explain some of the other details of my life some other time, I had analyzed the situation. "We can either go in there," I waved a hand at a cave opening at the bottom of the mountain. "Or we could climb," I stated and pointed to the peak of the mountain.
Just as Philipé said "Cave," Carlos said, "Climb".
Stopping an argument before it started I said calmly. "How about, Carlos, you can climb, and, Philipé, you can go into the cave, both of you have cell phones to contact each other and that 'mountain doesn't look like it'd take more that a couple hours to climb."
"How about you, Maria, where are you going?" Philipé asked the question that I knew both of them were thinking.
"Well, no offense meant, but being claustrophobic, more than anything I think I'll climb," I said.
"Even then you could fall off the mountain to your death," provided Carlos.
"I understand that," I snapped, "But I'd rather fall off a mountain that have one collapse on me." I frowned and crossed my arms across my chest. The boys looked at each other and shrugged. Carlos knowing I could be as stubborn as a mule, didn't question my choice, and after a look at Carlos, Philipé decided against bugging me as well.
(Ali's POV)
After the cutting, I was forced to climb like 10 flights of stairs. And after that I had to walk across floor that burned my feet.
(Maria's POV)
At least an hour of climbing had passed, and now I was afraid to look down. The climbing was fairly simple though, because of the inclined slope, not just a flat face. It was like hiking after we found a footpath. As we 'hiked' the slope got steeper. And after two hours we were on hands and knees to make sure we didn't fall over and go rolling back down the path we'd come up. Carlos told me that we were about 1/3 of the way up the 'mountain'.
It was getting dark.
(Ali's POV)
I'd been whipped, slashed, burned, worn-out, suffocated. All against my free will, but I'd been powerless against the attacks. I'd never before realized how much I relied on my sight. And I was REALLY hungry! Travis told me that soon, we'd be done. And I was so tired I just believed he'd let me go, and I was also hoping this was just a bad dream. He took me to someone who dressed me in a new robe, I'm assuming that it was because the one I'd had on had gotten soiled during what Travis referred too as "the day's work".
(Maria's POV)
¾ of the way up! No calls from Philipé. We were now literally climbing. I was having a hard time seeing where I was putting my hands. I thanked what little night vision I had for the fact that I hadn't yet fallen. Carlos seemed to be having a better time than me.
(Ali's POV)
I heard a door creak open and felt an icy blast of wind. I smelt smoke. I heard chanting.
Miguel/ Travis muttered a strange prayer or something and then carefully removed the contacts so I could see. He was supporting me now, I just wanted to fall over and sleep. But what I saw startled that very thought out of me. I was completely surrounded by and army of robed, hooded people all carrying some kind of weapon.
I was pushed/shoved/carried/dragged to a fire on a plain of snow. The robe I was dressed in was the same, pure color of the snow. Travis held my hands behind my back, and then tied them there. The robed people, those with sharp items, prodded me closer the fire. As the fire roared in my face something cracked. I fought those at my back with my bare hands, feet, I actually did a little damage before someone clubbed me in the back of the head. I blacked out and fell to the ground. Ah, rest were my last thoughts before my vision went black.
(Maria's POV)
We peered had reached the top to find we'd just climbed a plateau of sorts the top was a small flat plain. I looked a little more and gave a strangled gasp. Dozens of black robed figures silhouetted by a bonfire. And on the ground…
(Carlos's POV)
Upon seeing the scene before our eyes I leapt up and pulled a gun from on of my pockets. Then I spotted it, her rather, Ali lying on the snow, looking to all the world dead with blood slowly seeping from wounds on her arms and legs, which also bore scabbed over scratches. Something snapped. I undid the safety from the gun and fired at anyone in my path, I think I actually killed some people before I calmed down enough to start firing to maim and injure, not kill. I had almost reached her, when someone caught her up and pressed a knife to her throat.
(Maria's POV)
I watched in fright, frozen, as Carlos charged through the ranks of black robes making his was to Ali, with a gun nonetheless. Had he been carrying a gun the whole time? I unfroze when someone I knew very well to be Miguel caught Ali up and pressed a knife to her throat. I slinked towards them keeping to the shadows and using a silence only dancers learned. Especially if they'd spent five years under Daina Carpenter's watchful, critiquing eye.
(Brie's POV)
Lucia was keeping things down but was ashen gray.
(Carlos's POV)
"What do you want?" I asked the person.
"Her soul, her life, and oh yeah…you dead." The guy snapped his fingers and two uninjured guards headed toward me. I didn't take karate for one year for nothing it had given me reflexes like a cat. As they charged I dropped to the ground rolling out of the way as they leapt for the spot I'd been. When I jumped back up one guy took a bullet to his arm the other guy one to the leg. They were already tangled up enough so they wouldn't come after me.
(Brie's POV)
Lu was now a gray-white and had stopped talking to us. But she was drinking more often. It didn't make sense.
I wasn't much of a religious person but I began to pray.
(Carlos's POV)
The kidnapper now pressed the knife's sharp edge against Ali's neck so that a single drop of her blood ran down the blade.
"You realize I don't need her alive," he said in a wicked voice.
(Maria's POV)
I was now across the fire from Miguel, Ali, and Carlos. From what I could see through the leaping flames things didn't look good.
I let out a shriek, I knew I sounded like a madwoman, but that was the idea. Miguel, surprised, loosed his grip on the knife and the shifting winds wriggled it free. Now Miguel was at loss, if he moved to get the knife Carlos would shoot him. So he positioned Ali in front of him any bullet would have to go through her first. His back was open. Carlos don't do anything rash I prayed.
As Miguel reached for his knife. Carlos grabbed his arm and executed a move that flipped Ali out of Miguel's arms and into his. Now was the time to strike. Carlos shot five bullets at the man, and he dodged them all. All of a sudden I remembered the prophecy "But only she can beat the daemon turning his own fires against him, with a pattern old as time itself." The word stave came to memory. But how's she supposed to fight him half dead? Hoping…pleading I wouldn't kill her (I had a plan) I picked up a jug of gasoline that lay at my feet, and threw it onto the already blazing bonfire, true to my theory, the bonfire flared up for an instant, spraying sparks everywhere. I watched the light of a spark of fire play at the base of her skull where an ugly bruise was forming. Her eyes shot open. And I threw a stave that I tore out of the hands of an injured black robed man. As it flew past the bonfire a spark landed on it and it caught fire, she grabbed the fiberglass handle the only part that wasn't burning.
Miguel seeing what was happening, in an attempt to blind her threw snow into her face. A loose stone scraped under her eye. This act did nothing to discourage Ali.
(Ali's POV)
What I strange sensation, I could've sworn that I'd never come out of the wonderful dream land that had held me captive only moments, before, I still feel weak. Finding a staff of fire at my side I grasped onto it. Upon realizing what I'd jut done I almost let go of it, but it didn't burn so my grip held tight. There in my line of vision stands he who had wronged me thrice, body, heart, and mind. I feel strength flow into my body, just enough to get what I need to do done, I tore from the arms that contained me, lunging at him who had caused me so much pain. I slashed at him with the fire-staff in my right hand. It connected with his arm, he yelped in pain. Minutes later I felt a gash open on my shoulder blade. I returned the blow, and my feet were knocked out from under me. With a sudden idea, I let him take swipes at me with his knife backing me up to the edge. The moment a felt snow begin to shift I performed the standing aerial that had taken me so long to learn at that practice so long ago. Taking a chance, I used the fire staff to buckle his locked knees and over the edge he went. But I wasn't so confident that I'd killed him, he'd probably be back again, just for now I'd be left alone from him. Worn to the brink of exhaustion, I collapsed into the snow.
(Maria's POV)
Gosh to think I'd trusted, Pablo, he was the cause of all this frustration, and hassle. ARGH!
(Carlos's POV)
Her figure looked almost peaceful as it lay there in the snow, all those in black robes that were able to move had fled the area. Maria came out from behind the fire, her eyes holding a gaze of pure hatred, I assumed it was at me, and I took a step back.
"Shh, it's ok," she said.
Strangly enough that soft tone that she was using banished any fear of her even with the fury in her eyes. But I stopped her as she moved towards Alicia. She consented and backed away into the shadows.
Ali continued to lay there in the snow, unaware of anything around her. I hoped she wasn't dead but…I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. It was another one, in a flash I turned around but he already had his gun out not pointing at me but at her. I was still holding my gun and in one fluid movement I brought up the gun and shot the man three times, I finished and was breathing raggedly, I came close to letting her get killed…again.
(Ali's POV)
I finally found strength to open my eyes, my memory was strangely blank, I remembered how I got here, and that guard that had knocked me out, and then rage, and now I'm here, but I can't remember anything other than rage, between the blackout and now. I turned my head.
"Carlos?"
He stood motionless his back to me, gun in hand, he appeared to be staring at the dead man in black that lay on the ground before him.
Frightened, I dragged myself to my knees, and then to my feet. Upright, I swayed. "Please…are you all right?"
He turned. "You-you're alive. I thought…"
I staggered over to him. "I hurt too much to be dead." Every word of that was true, I ached from dozens of bruises, scratches, and numerous other wounds, not to mention I was still really hungry.
Dropping the gun, Carlos swept me up in a hug. Pulling away I tried to get a proper look at him. I hadn't really realized till now how much I'd missed him. Our eyes met for a breathless moment. Then he kissed my forehead, and I collapsed against him.
With a strangled laugh he scooped me up in his arms, carrying me over near the fire. There he sat down, and I lay my head against his shoulder.
"God," he whispered, smoothing stray hairs away from my face. "Ali, I thought I'd lost you," He'd never called me by my nickname before, always Alicia.
On top of my recent experiences, it was too much. I buried my face in his shirt so he wouldn't see the tears that trickled from my eyes. He seemed content to simply wrap his arms around me. Maria observed us, head cocked to one side. Noticing her I gave a small smile.
Author's note: oooooh fun alright I don't know when i'll be updating again but is there a Juliette Fletcher that reads this? please tell me if you do. Allright all don't forget to wish your dad's a happy father's day! TTFN