Chapter 6

Stephanie began to wonder where her husband was. He had been gone for hours. Saving someone shouldn't have taken this long. Þórir sat down next to the mess of a person, known as his daughter-in-law.

"Allt vilja vera ágætur. ÉG vilja finna hann." (Everything will be all right. I will find him.) He patted her knee. Stephanie wrapped her arms around him and said,

"Þakka Odin fyrir þú. Þóknast flýtir, ÉG þörf hann." (Thank Odin for you. Please hurry I need him.) Number Nine nodded and went off in the direction his son was last spotted.

Robbie and Hăkon went back to the hole. The sun was setting as they pulled Sportacus' lifeless body from the hole.

"Boy you really did a number on him." Hăkon said.

"Well I just wanted to be sure." Robbie answered. The two nasty pieces of work carried Sportacus back to Robbie's lair. He was heavier than they expected and they dropped him once or twicealong the way. When they reached the lair, Robbie opened the lid and the two dropped him down the tube. Sportacus banged his head, shoulders, and knees as he tumbled and then he landed awkwardly when the tube shot him to the ground. Something in his arm cracked.

Robbie and Hăkon came down and lifted him into a cage. They were exhausted. Robbie collapsed in his big fuzzy orange chair.

"Well step one is finished. Tomorrow begins step two." Hăkon said excitedly. Robbie only nodded. He fingered the ring in his pocket. This changed everything. Something inside Robbie kept telling him that he couldn't go through with it. It was only fun to hurt Sportacus when it was only him getting hurt. Now it wasn't going to be fun anymore.

Amanda led Stephanie back to the Mayor's house. Neither one spoke. It wasn't obvious that they didn't know what to say. Bessie took Stephanie upstairs to her old room. Amanda sat downstairs, trying to figure out what to do, that's when Þórir walked in.

He had a defeated look on his face. Amanda could tell that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

"No luck, huh?" Amanda asked. Number Nine just shook his head.

"I know he wouldn't leave Stephanie but I don't want to believe that something bad has happened." He answered. The two sat in silence for a long time. Then Bessie walked into the room.

"Stephanie wants to see you, Þórir." She tried to sound calm. The hero gave her a look.

"Oh, Odin in Valhalla, what am I going to tell her?" He moaned. No one in the room could give him an answer.

Robbie decided not to tell his partner in crime about Sportacus being married. He figured it would only make the situation worse. It was obvious that it was Stephanie whom he had married and he didn't want to mess her up more than she already was. What it wrong with you? Something inside his head screamed. You're a villain. There is no room for softness. Quickly he silenced these thoughts. They were right. What was wrong with him?

Þórir walked slowly up the stairs. He had no idea how to tell the distraught girl that he couldn't find her husband. No one should have to deal with this. It was too much for anyone to bear but he couldn't hide the truth either. Knocking on the door, he tried to regain his composure. Stephanie told him to enter. Here goes nothing, he thought.

Walking into the room he noticed something different about Stephanie, she had stopped crying. No longer did she tremble or look weak.

"Give it to me straight. Where is he?" She commanded. Her reaction took Number Nine by surprise.

"I didn't find him but I'm not giving up." He told her slowly.

"Then I will help you. I can't be like this anymore. If my husband needs me I have to be strong. Take me with you." Stephanie told him.

"Its late. Why don't you try to get some sleep?" Þórir suggested.

"I can't fall sleep. I'm afraid that I won't wake up. Now take me with you. My husband needs me and I have to stop being so weak." She remained firm. Number Nine nodded.

"Then that is what we'll do." He said.

To Be Continued…