I am soooo sorry it took so long to update this. I am on a roll again and
ready to finish this story. Read on, my friends, it's about to get
interesting.
"Brennan?" Adam yelled as he cradled Brennan's head in his hands. He had to wake Brennan up again to get him to cough. "Brennan," Adam was almost whimpering as the young elemental lay limp in his arms, "Brennan, come on son. Don't give up on me. Wake up now, wake up." Adam took his knuckles and twisted them into Brennan's already mangled chest. He was careful not to apply too much pressure but was cognizant to apply enough for Brennan to feel. It worked. Adam rolled Brennan carefully to his side as he began to cough. "That's it, Brennan. Cough it up." Brennan cried out in between the bursts of coughing. Adam cringed at the froth that escaped Brennan's mouth. He wiped his forehead and noticed again how hot it was.
"Adam?" Brennan choked. "Adam, please - please.." Brennan didn't know what exactly he was begging Adam for. Maybe some relief from all of his pain, maybe pity, maybe an end to his misery - to make him better or just to let him go. Adam was adamant. "Brennan, listen to me now. You have to try and stay awake for me." Adam was cradling Brennan again and rocking him gently in his arms.
Brennan opened his eyes - his now pale, glazed eyes. He directed their stare at Adam and searched his for some form of hope. Brennan wanted to live. He had worked so hard to get this far. He wanted to see the other members of the team again. He wanted to live and make a difference in the world. He wanted to see the monster that had done this to him dead. He wanted to be the one to do it. He wanted so much but it all seemed so far away from him now. He looked at Emma who was seated next to Adam on the cold, wet floor. She was holding his hand and entranced on him. She was giving him strength and managing his pain from her mind. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found her when he did. That day had changed his life. It was the first day he felt like he had purpose, the first day he felt he had family, the first day he felt loved in his whole miserable existence. He cried now for himself. Not because of pain - not really - but because of what he finally found and would not ever be able to enjoy. He was going to die here - here in this cold, dark place at the hands of the monster that had nearly killed him years ago. That bastard was going to win anyway. He sobbed now.
Adam held him even closer and looked at Emma for some direction. He looked back down at Brennan and told him that they were going to get out. He lied to him and told him that he had found a passageway but needed to give Brennan some painkiller in order to move him. Brennan just looked at him and slowly shook his head. He coughed again and watched Emma as Adam injected him with the morphine. "Brennan, try and relax now but try to remain conscious." Adam placed Brennan's head back down onto the floor and covered him as much as he could.
"Alright Emma. I don't lie, so let's find the passage I just told Brennan about."
XXX
"Jesse!" Shalimar yelled. She was dangling from her line at the entrance to a rather large tunnel. Jesse looked over to her and immediately realized what she had found. "Shal, stay there! I'll swing over!" Jesse yelled as he began to rock his way towards Shalimar's position. Shalimar looked out into the sky and noticed the approaching storms. She remembered what Adam and Jacob had talked about regarding the storms and Draper. She knew that the tunnels were going to flood if it began raining hard again. They had to hurry. "Jesse, hurry!" Shalimar yelled again. Jesse worked until he reached her position. He grabbed onto her rope and swung both of them to the side. They reached the entrance to the tunnels with little difficulty and couldn't believe this stroke of luck.
"Good job Shal," Jesse said, "We have to get going. We are almost out of time, here." Jesse warned as he motioned his head towards the building storm clouds. They were noticing electricity snapping in the sky already. They got their gear together and began to progress into the tunnel. Jesse clicked on his flashlight and grabbed Shalimar's hand with his free hand. Shalimar glanced over he shoulder one last time at the retreating light before she turned her head towards the gloomy tunnel. "We're coming, Brennan. We're coming," she whispered.
XXX
Draper was recovering now with the help of Samuel who was seething above his form. Samuel had found Draper lying on the floor of the surveillance room about ten minutes ago. Draper was out cold. Samuel thought about eating him right then and there. What a hero he would have been if he had done so and presented him to the pack. He would then be the alpha for sure. They wouldn't dare try and kill him again or even mock him behind his back. He would be king. But then, Draper began to stir.
"Samuel?" Draper said groggily. "Samuel, is that you?" Draper could barely see and he was desperately trying to remember what had just happened.
"Y-Yes sir," Samuel said as he attempted to help Draper get up off of the floor. "It is m-me, sir." Samuel drooled a little and it dripped on Draper's head.
"Samuel! What is the matter with you?" Draper was returning to his old self as he ripped his arm away from Samuel's and heaved himself to his feet. He looked at the now blank screen and at the time. "Samuel, where is Don? Did he find the others?" Draper was desperately clicking through his screens but the electricity in the air was already beginning to interfere with them again. "Well?" Draper yelled as Samuel stood foolishly behind him.
"I - I don't know, sir, he hasn't yet returned." Samuel really didn't know where Don was. The approaching storm was changing him again and he was feeling rather timid. Draper was livid and mad with worry about Eckhart coming. He grabbed Samuel by his throat and breathed his words into Samuel's face. "Samuel, I want you to find the others. Get out there and get the other two. I do not care if you bring them in alive but bring them in in one piece. I do not want them torn apart. You can have them just as you can have the others down in the chambers once I am through with them. But get out there and do not come back until you have them! Do you understand me?" Draper pushed Samuel back and he hit the floor with a thud as Draper screamed his last order.
"Yes!" Samuel cried as he scrambled away from Draper. Samuel was so tired of this treatment but again; this was not the time to take over. He felt different again and did not understand why.
Draper began looking himself over as he tried to recall why he had passed out. He decided he needed to check on his prisoners.
XXX
Adam and Emma were desperately searching every brick on the walls of the chamber. Adam had found one of the tunnel entrances again but it was closed. He was attempting to find some manual release to get it to open.
Brennan lay on the floor counting his own respirations. He was concentrating on breathing trying to remain conscious. He was beginning to hear a familiar roaring in his ears and was trying to place what its source was. He just couldn't figure out what it was. Emma and Adam were off to his right. He could see the beans from their flashlights dashing about. He was so foggy. He was relieved, however, that the pain had subsided. He thought it was a combination of the morphine and the cold. He couldn't feel his extremities really at all anymore and his hip was numb. What still hurt, though, was his chest and each breath he took was like breathing fire. "God, what is that sound?" Brennan asked himself. Then, just as the answer echoed in his mind, the physical reality of the sound hit his body and Emma's and Adam's screams hit his ears - it was WATER!
"Ahhhh!" Brennan screamed as his body suffered the onslaught. Cold, filthy, rank water was dumping from an opening somewhere above his head. "Just like last time," Brennan thought as the water filled the chamber. "Emma! Adam!" Brennan yelled. The IV that was attached to him was ripped from its connections and Brennan's own form was lifted by the surge of water and thrown against a wall.
Adam and Emma clung to each other and tried to make their way across the chamber to locate Brennan again. Emma saw him and reached for his head just as he started to go under. The water was collecting quickly in the chamber and Adam feared that they had run out of time.
Brennan desperately tried to regain his own composure. He reached back for Emma and Adam and clung to them as they clung to him. They were just trying to remain afloat. "It must be storming again outside!" Adam yelled to the other two.
"Adam," Brennan choked. Adam and Emma both looked at each other and then at Brennan.
"Adam, the water will stop. We will be able to float up and get to where the dump is. We just have to keep swimming." It took all of Brennan's strength to communicate that to Adam. Adam nodded his head and agreed with Brennan that they would stay afloat.
"Just don't let go!" Adam yelled to both of them. They were treading water as hard as they could to try and keep Brennan's and their own heads above water.
XXX
Jesse and Shalimar had made their way up the tunnel and found themselves inside a chamber. "Jesse," Shalimar whispered, "it keeps going over here." Shalimar was moving in a constant upwardly direction. Jesse was checking each chamber floor with his flashlight as they went. He knew they would eventually find them. He just hoped that they would be in time.
XXX
"Mr. Eckhart," the pilot yelled to Mason. "We need to put her down soon, sir. This storm is getting pretty bad."
"We are not at our destination yet." Mason replied in his usual calm, monotone voice. "Keep going."
"Brennan?" Adam yelled as he cradled Brennan's head in his hands. He had to wake Brennan up again to get him to cough. "Brennan," Adam was almost whimpering as the young elemental lay limp in his arms, "Brennan, come on son. Don't give up on me. Wake up now, wake up." Adam took his knuckles and twisted them into Brennan's already mangled chest. He was careful not to apply too much pressure but was cognizant to apply enough for Brennan to feel. It worked. Adam rolled Brennan carefully to his side as he began to cough. "That's it, Brennan. Cough it up." Brennan cried out in between the bursts of coughing. Adam cringed at the froth that escaped Brennan's mouth. He wiped his forehead and noticed again how hot it was.
"Adam?" Brennan choked. "Adam, please - please.." Brennan didn't know what exactly he was begging Adam for. Maybe some relief from all of his pain, maybe pity, maybe an end to his misery - to make him better or just to let him go. Adam was adamant. "Brennan, listen to me now. You have to try and stay awake for me." Adam was cradling Brennan again and rocking him gently in his arms.
Brennan opened his eyes - his now pale, glazed eyes. He directed their stare at Adam and searched his for some form of hope. Brennan wanted to live. He had worked so hard to get this far. He wanted to see the other members of the team again. He wanted to live and make a difference in the world. He wanted to see the monster that had done this to him dead. He wanted to be the one to do it. He wanted so much but it all seemed so far away from him now. He looked at Emma who was seated next to Adam on the cold, wet floor. She was holding his hand and entranced on him. She was giving him strength and managing his pain from her mind. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found her when he did. That day had changed his life. It was the first day he felt like he had purpose, the first day he felt he had family, the first day he felt loved in his whole miserable existence. He cried now for himself. Not because of pain - not really - but because of what he finally found and would not ever be able to enjoy. He was going to die here - here in this cold, dark place at the hands of the monster that had nearly killed him years ago. That bastard was going to win anyway. He sobbed now.
Adam held him even closer and looked at Emma for some direction. He looked back down at Brennan and told him that they were going to get out. He lied to him and told him that he had found a passageway but needed to give Brennan some painkiller in order to move him. Brennan just looked at him and slowly shook his head. He coughed again and watched Emma as Adam injected him with the morphine. "Brennan, try and relax now but try to remain conscious." Adam placed Brennan's head back down onto the floor and covered him as much as he could.
"Alright Emma. I don't lie, so let's find the passage I just told Brennan about."
XXX
"Jesse!" Shalimar yelled. She was dangling from her line at the entrance to a rather large tunnel. Jesse looked over to her and immediately realized what she had found. "Shal, stay there! I'll swing over!" Jesse yelled as he began to rock his way towards Shalimar's position. Shalimar looked out into the sky and noticed the approaching storms. She remembered what Adam and Jacob had talked about regarding the storms and Draper. She knew that the tunnels were going to flood if it began raining hard again. They had to hurry. "Jesse, hurry!" Shalimar yelled again. Jesse worked until he reached her position. He grabbed onto her rope and swung both of them to the side. They reached the entrance to the tunnels with little difficulty and couldn't believe this stroke of luck.
"Good job Shal," Jesse said, "We have to get going. We are almost out of time, here." Jesse warned as he motioned his head towards the building storm clouds. They were noticing electricity snapping in the sky already. They got their gear together and began to progress into the tunnel. Jesse clicked on his flashlight and grabbed Shalimar's hand with his free hand. Shalimar glanced over he shoulder one last time at the retreating light before she turned her head towards the gloomy tunnel. "We're coming, Brennan. We're coming," she whispered.
XXX
Draper was recovering now with the help of Samuel who was seething above his form. Samuel had found Draper lying on the floor of the surveillance room about ten minutes ago. Draper was out cold. Samuel thought about eating him right then and there. What a hero he would have been if he had done so and presented him to the pack. He would then be the alpha for sure. They wouldn't dare try and kill him again or even mock him behind his back. He would be king. But then, Draper began to stir.
"Samuel?" Draper said groggily. "Samuel, is that you?" Draper could barely see and he was desperately trying to remember what had just happened.
"Y-Yes sir," Samuel said as he attempted to help Draper get up off of the floor. "It is m-me, sir." Samuel drooled a little and it dripped on Draper's head.
"Samuel! What is the matter with you?" Draper was returning to his old self as he ripped his arm away from Samuel's and heaved himself to his feet. He looked at the now blank screen and at the time. "Samuel, where is Don? Did he find the others?" Draper was desperately clicking through his screens but the electricity in the air was already beginning to interfere with them again. "Well?" Draper yelled as Samuel stood foolishly behind him.
"I - I don't know, sir, he hasn't yet returned." Samuel really didn't know where Don was. The approaching storm was changing him again and he was feeling rather timid. Draper was livid and mad with worry about Eckhart coming. He grabbed Samuel by his throat and breathed his words into Samuel's face. "Samuel, I want you to find the others. Get out there and get the other two. I do not care if you bring them in alive but bring them in in one piece. I do not want them torn apart. You can have them just as you can have the others down in the chambers once I am through with them. But get out there and do not come back until you have them! Do you understand me?" Draper pushed Samuel back and he hit the floor with a thud as Draper screamed his last order.
"Yes!" Samuel cried as he scrambled away from Draper. Samuel was so tired of this treatment but again; this was not the time to take over. He felt different again and did not understand why.
Draper began looking himself over as he tried to recall why he had passed out. He decided he needed to check on his prisoners.
XXX
Adam and Emma were desperately searching every brick on the walls of the chamber. Adam had found one of the tunnel entrances again but it was closed. He was attempting to find some manual release to get it to open.
Brennan lay on the floor counting his own respirations. He was concentrating on breathing trying to remain conscious. He was beginning to hear a familiar roaring in his ears and was trying to place what its source was. He just couldn't figure out what it was. Emma and Adam were off to his right. He could see the beans from their flashlights dashing about. He was so foggy. He was relieved, however, that the pain had subsided. He thought it was a combination of the morphine and the cold. He couldn't feel his extremities really at all anymore and his hip was numb. What still hurt, though, was his chest and each breath he took was like breathing fire. "God, what is that sound?" Brennan asked himself. Then, just as the answer echoed in his mind, the physical reality of the sound hit his body and Emma's and Adam's screams hit his ears - it was WATER!
"Ahhhh!" Brennan screamed as his body suffered the onslaught. Cold, filthy, rank water was dumping from an opening somewhere above his head. "Just like last time," Brennan thought as the water filled the chamber. "Emma! Adam!" Brennan yelled. The IV that was attached to him was ripped from its connections and Brennan's own form was lifted by the surge of water and thrown against a wall.
Adam and Emma clung to each other and tried to make their way across the chamber to locate Brennan again. Emma saw him and reached for his head just as he started to go under. The water was collecting quickly in the chamber and Adam feared that they had run out of time.
Brennan desperately tried to regain his own composure. He reached back for Emma and Adam and clung to them as they clung to him. They were just trying to remain afloat. "It must be storming again outside!" Adam yelled to the other two.
"Adam," Brennan choked. Adam and Emma both looked at each other and then at Brennan.
"Adam, the water will stop. We will be able to float up and get to where the dump is. We just have to keep swimming." It took all of Brennan's strength to communicate that to Adam. Adam nodded his head and agreed with Brennan that they would stay afloat.
"Just don't let go!" Adam yelled to both of them. They were treading water as hard as they could to try and keep Brennan's and their own heads above water.
XXX
Jesse and Shalimar had made their way up the tunnel and found themselves inside a chamber. "Jesse," Shalimar whispered, "it keeps going over here." Shalimar was moving in a constant upwardly direction. Jesse was checking each chamber floor with his flashlight as they went. He knew they would eventually find them. He just hoped that they would be in time.
XXX
"Mr. Eckhart," the pilot yelled to Mason. "We need to put her down soon, sir. This storm is getting pretty bad."
"We are not at our destination yet." Mason replied in his usual calm, monotone voice. "Keep going."