Chapter 28: Saving Mission
Hilary knew that the only way to find her brother was to find Boris, and to find Boris, she must find the Angelico. Or at least some of its members. On the bus, she took out her mobile phone and dialed Tyson's number. She hoped that he would be able to help her… The discovery didn't shake her as much as she thought. From the first day she saw Dranzer she knew that there was something that made her believe that he was not ordinary. And his gaze, though from far away, she remembered how fiery it was, so much like hers.
"Hello? Tyson? Can you come to meet me at the villa?"
Meanwhile, Salima and Garland were also making their way to thte villa. Salima was convinced that she ought to find something that would help her there, some kind of information. Garland was driving his convertible, the very one Max, Mariam, Tyson, Hilary and her sat on their way back from the trip. They seemed all happy then. Why is life so easy and yet so difficult?
"Hey, Garland!" Salima realized. "What happened to Brooklyn?"
Garland glanced sideways at her with an expression of sorrow on his face.
"He's with Ming Ming," he said, continuing to drive. "I've tried to convince him to help us but he doesn't hear any reason, the faggot. He says that he knows at least where his loyalty lies."
Salima pondered at this. Garland still hadn't given her a proper explanation for his conduct. One thing was sure, she wasn't going to fall for him again.
"Are we there yet?" Salima asked a while later.
Suddenly the villa came into view. Its gate was unlocked and they drove up the alleyway to the front of the villa. However, someone was already there…
"I think they're gone," Tala whispered into Mariah's ears.
They were crouching behind dustbins at the back of a Chinese restaurant. Tala had his arms protectively over Mariah. The girl was still trembling from the run.
-Flash back-
She turned around half in daze. But when she saw who it was, she immediately lost all the effect Tala's eyes had put on her.
"There you are, Mariah. We were looking everywhere for you," Spencer said with a small smile.
"Why, old Tala is with you, the traitor!" a small purple-haired Russian with a stout nose chimed in.
"You're not looking well yourself Ian," Tala smirked back. "Your nose looked like it had grown considerably."
"Why you-!" Ian tried to rush into Tala to punch him but Spencer caught his collar and held him in mid-air.
"Let go of me!" Ian wailed.
"Silence. We're here on business," Bryan said instead of Spencer. He too was a Russian and one of Boris' bodyguards. "Hand over the girl, or else."
"Or else what?" Tala snapped back.
The Russian laughed.
"Why, you have grown a lot more stubborn than while you were serving Balkov," Bryan said. "Let me ask you a question, between friends: did you leave Boris because you were having an eye on Tornatore's son?"
The three laughed hatefully.
Tala could feel anger and spite rushed through his veins. He was being humiliated by his former partners and in front of Mariah, for God's sake! Mariah saw his pale cheeks flushed with ire. She had just known that he had been working for Balkov too. The situation was pretty confusing for the young Chinese.
"What does Mr. Balkov wants with me?" Mariah half murmured, breaking Tala's raging silence.
Spencer looked down at her (yeah, he's pretty tall.)
"Your brother Lee had betrayed Boris by wanting to take the entire world to himself. He and his side-kick, Ray Kon are being hold captives in the Wind Storm resort."
"And he wants you to join them," Ian added nastily.
Mariah gasped.
"But Lee… he would never do that!" she exclaimed.
"Oh but he did," Bryan assured her. "And he is paying for having betrayed us, like that bastard should," he added, eyeing Tala.
"So come with us quietly and sensibly and we wouldn'tt harm you," Spencer said holding out his hand.
Suddenly Tala came between them.
"Over my dead body!" he said.
As quick as a flash, he caught Mariah's hand and started running away. They could hear Spencer's voice yelling, "Catch them!". They passed through the crowds and turned many times. Butt the bodyguards were also swift. Suddenly a bullet scratched Tala's ear. He turned his head and saw that they had their guns out.
"Playing hard are you?" he murmured, then jumped up a grocery store which had a smooth roof. He was afraid at first of having to carry Mariah but to his surprise she leapt at the same time as he did. He had only a brief second to smile at her before the shootings followed them. They jumped from building to building until landing down in this dark alleyway, behind the restaurant.
-End of Flashback-
Mariah slowly gazed up at Tala. He too was looking at her. She felt her heart beating much faster than the time while they were running. Suddenly the back door of the Chinese restaurant swung open. Mariah and Tala sprang apart. Out came Julia and Raul, both deeply wounded.
"What happened?" Mariah rushed to them
"They have… taken Kevin and…" began Julia, but her voice was failing her.
"What? Where to?"
"We went to see… you but you- you weren't there," Raul said in a feeble voice, clutching his wound. "Whe- when we got back… they were here."
Mariah looked from Raul to Juila. She couldn't believe her ears! Her brother had really betrayed Boris? But why did he have to capture Kevin too?
"It is a purge," Tala said quietly.
Mariah turned to him out of curiosity.
"Boris always washes down your family when you've betrayed him," he explained.
Mariah saw in his eyes that Tala must have suffered the same deed. She was unconsciously reaching out to touch his face when suddenly Julia and Raul exclaimed," What's he doing here?"
"It's okay," Mariah turned and reassured them. She had quite forgotten about the twins and actually about the whole situation. "What should we do now?"
"We can go to the villa and find help there," Tala answered. "I'm sure that no one would want to kill you."
"We… can't make it," Raul eyed his sister.
"Yes, you guys… can go," Julia said. "I guess… (she coughed) we do- don't have any one else to trust."
Tala nodded but Mariah was still looking at the twins.
"They're going to be okay," he whispered in her ears as he ushered her out of the alley. But deep down he knew what they were going to do. It was far better than suffering humiliation…
To Hilary's surprise, when she arrived at the villa there wasn't only Tyson but Emily, Kenny, a blue-haired girl and… Garland?
"What is he doing here?" she immediately pointed out.
"Hey, I'm a good guy now," Garland said immediately.
The blue-haired girl pushed him and said, "He said that he's going to help us. So far he didn't do anything fishy."
Hilary was more afraid of Salima and of Garland. She wouldn't know that it was her if she hadn't spoken.
"What's with your hair?"
"Never mind that, we're in great danger," Emily said.
For the first time, Emily was speaking to them with a frank and honest look on her face. "I've just called the master," she went on. "The jet is already in the Atlantic but after I've told him of the situation as Garland here affirms he said that he'll be here at once."
"What situation?" Hilary asked.
"Answer her, Garland," Emily said grimly.
"Well," the silver-head began, "The situation is rather complicated butt I'll simplify it: Everyone who is dear to you is captured and we've got to save them. This includes however Lee Chow and his family. He, er, betrayed Balkov or something."
Hilary was in a shock. Never did she expect that coming here would bring so much problem.
Before she could speak, there a cab parked att the entrance of thte villa and out came Tala and a pink-haired girl Hilary had never seen.
"What? You've brought Lee Chow's sister with you?" Tyson exclaimed.
So this is Lee Chow's sister. Hilary must admit that she was very beautiful. But if Lee Chow had betrayed Balkov she must be a danger. Both of them looked very tired, as if having ran a mile. After paying the taxi driver, Tala turned to them all.
"I wasn't expecting such a reunion," he said slowly, eyeing Garland. "What is wrong here?"
Garland sighed.
"Okay, I'll explain everything."
After having informed Tala of the situation, the teenagers all sat on the villa's steps (the door was locked) and established a plan. Kenny had taken his laptop and they were all looking up the files about the Wind Storm Dragon Resort. Information from Mariah and Garland was also precious.
"Wait, how are we going to get there?"
As if an answer to Hilary's question, a black jet landed on the villa's lawn.
"This is not the Tornatore's jet…" Emily stated.
A hole under the jet widened and a ladder fell out of it. The teenagers all stood up and watched with distrust the figure coming down the ladder. He had bright green hair tied in a long ponytail on his back.
"Zeo!" Kenny called.
Everyone stared at the newcomer as he advanced to them with a hurried look on his face.
"Hi, everyone! I know you all but you don't know me. However I've worked for master Tornatore for as long as I can remember and I'm here to help," he said rapidly. "Listen we don't have much time. I have just learnt that Boris is attacking the White House today, not on the Election Day as he spread out. I bet he's planning it all along. We must stop him at once. Get on board, we're going to Wind Storm Dragon, as well to help your friends."
Everything happened as Zeo had said and before they knew it they were already speeding towards the resort. Tyson leaned over to Hilary.
"What was that you wanted to tell me?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing."
Hilary gazed out of the window. Her brother's face appeared above the sea. I'm coming to you…
