Chapter Fifteen

Xena fought her way to the door that she thought belonged to the Captain's quarters. She had killed several along the way but had never dropped her guard, her wary eyes staying constantly alert for Callisto. The only thing she could figure was that Callisto had stolen Gabrielle into her cabin so that she could torture her one-on-one and she could enjoy every ounce of pleasure Xena knew she would derive from torturing Gabby.

Reaching Callisto's cabin, Xena kicked the door open so hard that it bounced off of the wall. Her eyes darted quickly around the cabin but froze when they landed on the scene with Gabrielle. There were blood and burn marks all over her beautiful Gabrielle's body, and her breasts, fingers, and hair were gone. The sight tore at her heart and filled her with fear. Though she didn't believe Callisto would kill Gabrielle before she got there, that knowledge of the cruel Piratess did not keep Xena from praying that Gabrielle was totally unconscious and not dead. She advanced further toward the cabin but still did not see the bitch she was eagerly searching for.

Stepping inside the cabin, Xena noticed Gabrielle's green eyes open, and the panicked look she gave her told Xena she was trying to warn her despite her condition. It was enough to let Xena know that Callisto had laid a trap. She danced backwards away from the door, her sword in her hand, waiting for Callisto to make a move.

The door slammed shut just as Xena danced away, and Callisto sneered at the Piratess as she emerged from the shadows behind the door. "I knew you'd come for her," she commented in a low voice that hung somewhere between a hiss and a snarl, "but you're too late. Her beauty's gone now. She still tastes good, though." Her tongue flickered like a snake's as she circled Xena.

Gabrielle would have liked to have turned her head away to keep from seeing Xena's reaction to Callisto's words, but at the same time, she dared not look away. Instead, she strained yet again against her bonds, longing to be able to help her love.

Xena watched Callisto's every move, her sword at the ready, and refused to allow the blonde's words to play with her emotions. "You will pay for what you have done, Callisto. My Gabby will survive, but you won't be here to see it." She raised her sword and came in for a slicing blow, aiming for Callisto's heart but cutting through her shoulder as the blonde side-stepped her.

"It won't be that easy, Xena," Callisto snarled, her back now to her bed where Gabrielle lay, chained and helpless to help her lover. "You want her back, you're going to have to succumb to me." She slashed at Xena, drawing a thin line of blood from her arm, but her second swipe was blocked with Xena's blade.

"I'll never succumb to you, bitch!" Their swords met again in a closer clash, and Xena threw Callisto backward, away from the bed. She knew she could slice the bitch's head off, but she wanted her to suffer and not die quickly. She kept fighting against her, pushing her further and further away from the bed and placing herself between Gabrielle and Callisto at every move.

Callisto was as determined as Xena, and their blades continued to meet evenly. Callisto continued trying to dance her way back toward the bed, but each approach she made was cut off until she heard the door open. With a lightning-fast reflex, Callisto drew a dagger from her belt and threw it toward the door. Celina's head poked in for just a second, but when the catwoman's blue eyes took in the dagger, she quickly reshut the door.

Xena yelled at the door. "CELINA, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY AND THROW THE DOOR OPEN AS YOU MOVE!" She continued to fight Callisto and waited for the door to open. She wanted to drive the bitch out onto the deck and away from Gabrielle so that Celina could get to her. As the door opened, Xena pushed Callisto to the point that she had no choice but to go out the door. They continued their fierce battle on the deck, and Celina slipped past Xena to rush to Gabby's aid.


Katrina had been slowly making her way toward the area she could feel Tom was in. She thought to her beloved, I'm coming, Tom. Can you tell me where you are? She was met with shock waves of pain and knew that he was hurt terribly. She prayed that she would reach him in time.

Morph knew that Katrina must have contacted Tom and found something she did not like from the shift in her fur and her momentarily slowed pace in the fight. Yet another Piratess rushed them, but his face turned as she ran at Katrina. His eyeballs popped out of his head as he made a high-pitched squealing noise. His purple, green, and black tongue shot out of his mouth, giving the Piratess a raspberry and stopping just short of licking her nose. A dozen other similar extensions of his body shot out of his face, each one uglier than the last and all screaming at the Piratess who promptly fainted dead away.

Katrina gasped at Morph's appearance. She had seen him do it a dozen times before, but every time was still as gruesome as the first time. She had to turn her face away to keep from gagging.

Tom, meanwhile, answered Katrina while fighting to keep his pain from the tone of his mental voice. I . . . We're in the sleeping quarters. Are you all right, love? He was too weak to try to pick up on her well-being.

I am all right, beloved, but I know that you're not. I can not believe that you were so strong to stand up against her! I will kill the bitch as soon as I find her! Hold on! Morph is with me; we will not be long in coming!

Tom was not surprised that his wife had dipped into his mind enough to know what had happened to him. Hurry, sweetheart. There's still two in here, guarding us and keeping . . . keeping Clark down, I believe. I . . . I don't know how badly the others are hurt, but the last time I saw Vang . . . He was not far from . . . He could not bring himself to conclude the thought, and the possibility of losing their old friend again now that they had finally found him after all these years resurged his fear.

Don't say that, Tom! Katrina quickened her pace. She could not bare the thought of losing any of her family. Don't even think it! We'll be there in time to save all of you! She began running to reach where she knew he was but was afraid that she would not make it in time.


Elektra had led the way from the doctor's cabin to the galley, never once slowing nor stilling her pistol or sword. Kitty had quickly lost count on the number of Elektra's own crew that they had killed, but she remembered every one of her allies who she had had to yell at Elektra to stop her from killing. She was still not certain which side the woman was on as they came to a halt in front of the galley door.

Elektra tried the knob only to find it locked. She withdrew a pick from her pocket and had the lock picked in a mere matter of seconds. "Follow me," she told Kitty without looking back at her daughter, but as she opened the door and entered the galley, Kitty was nowhere to be seen.

Harriet paused, her whip held high over Rachel's back, and looked up in surprise at Elektra. "Why aren't you on deck fighting?" the portly cook demanded.

"I could ask you the same thing," Elektra replied in a calm, even voice.

"Well, if you're not going to be fighting, at least sheathe your weapons in here!"

"Not this time," Elektra replied solemnly with a shake of her head. Her pistol raised to point at Harriet's heart even as Kitty, having heard her mother's words, phased up through the floor.

"Elektra, what are you -- ?" Harriet's words broke off as she saw a woman emerge from the floor -- a woman who she recognized as being one of the prisoners. "Shoot them!"

"Kitty -- !" Elektra did not even have time to get her question out before gunfire erupted. Bullets blazed through Kitty's phased body, but each one met its secondary mark in Elektra's. Elektra screamed as the bullets ripped into her body, and Kitty's blood ran cold even as she whirled around and dropped swiftly beside Elektra's crumpled body. She reached out, phasing her mother, and she held her for a moment as the gunfire continued.

"STOP IT!" Rachel screamed, tearing herself away from Harriet's hold. "DON'T YOU IDIOTS GET IT! YOU CAN'T SHOOT HER!"

"Maybe not," the taller woman commented as she finally ceased firing and turned her attention and pistol to the redhead, "but we can shoot you."


As soon as Willow had healed Donkey, Jack asked, "Can you manage to get both of them to safety, or do I need to help?" He was hesitant to leave them, but he knew his help was needed elsewhere.

Willow's eyes turned upward to meet Jack's. "I'll take care of them, Jack. Now I understand why Aphrodite gave me the teleportation spell," she admitted as she got to her feet. "It wasn't only to get you here but also to get them out of here. Be careful."

"Do whatever you need to do to protect them, Willow. I owe you a debt that I can never repay. Thank you again, and if you ever need me, you have but to ask." He looked down at Will and kissed him one last time. "He's my life," he told her simply. "Keep him safe."

Willow nodded in understanding even as her hands gently clasped Will's arms. "Jack, you're one of my oldest friends. I'll do anything to protect your Will for you that I would've done for Tara."

"Thank you, Willow," he said one last time as he headed out the door. His startled eyes could not believe what he now found standing in front of him. Without help from any one, it seemed, Derek and Hansel had finally taken the big step! They were completely enraptured in each other and lost in each other's kisses! Fonzie had his back to them and was continuing to fight off the enemy.

A slight noise made Jack look up. "LOOK OUT FROM ABOVE!" he yelled and whipped his swords out. Something was coming down on top of them! He wasn't sure what it was as she was some one he had not encountered before. She seemed to have as many arms as an octopus, and there was a sword in each hand!

Jack swung out at Spiral only to be met with one of her swords, but his attack upon her gave the others a chance to run. Once clear, they turned around to see what the disturbance was only to see that Jack was far out-numbered by the swords that were flailing at him. They rushed into the attack, as well.


Kyna Chan and Jack Frost were deep in talk about how they could save Crystal, most especially how best to get her down from the wheel and her limbs untangled from the monstrosity, and Groo was busily protecting them from the Piratesses who tried to attack them when they heard a throat clear and a brunette came into their sight. "My, my," Lilah spoke. "What do we have here? I don't imagine Judson would be too pleased to find a little Elemental and his girlfriend," she smirked at the Japanese woman who she'd fought in the past and who had always come away with the upperhand, "trying to take away one of his prisoners."

"You know who did this?" Jack demanded, flying to face her.

"Know him? Why, I -- " Lilah never had a chance to finish her statement as Jack Frost breathed over her and transformed her instantly into a statue of ice. He started to turn back to Kyna when clapping made him look around him again. He found a blonde man in a Priest's robe smiling at them from a safe distance.

Judson clapped one last time as he calmly returned Jack's and Kyna's gazes. "Thank you for taking care of that little nuisance for me." His brightened smile revealed his pearly white teeth.

"Judson," Kyna hissed, her almond eyes flashing as she recognized the Sataanic Priest instantly.

Groo turned back from just delivering a fatal blow to yet another attacker. "I'll handle him."

"No! Groo, Jack, stay back!" Kyna urgently called out, waving a hand at Groo to emphasize her command for him to stop. "He's going to -- " Her words broke off for a moment as Judson shot over ten feet tall. His skin began to turn into a dark red hide, horns protruded from his head, and he continued to grow. Kyna's voice sounded quite different and very nervous as she concluded, " -- change!"

"I'll handle him," Groo persisted. "You do not have time to fight him, Captain. You are needed with Crystal, but I'll take him."

"Groo, you can not hope to stand a chance!"

"He's not alone, Captain!" another of her men assured Kyna even as Judson completed his transformation. He now stood at a towering twenty feet tall, and the deck creaked underneath his weight, the ship shifting and its wood sounding as though it would give in at any moment. Huge horns that were at least a couple of feet in length each curled out from the top of his massive skull. Every inch of his body held a hundred times the muscle Bob and Groo had ever before witnessed, and fire flickered from his deadly claws. His beady, black eyes peered down at them even as they rushed forward.

Jack tried to stop them, sensing the worst, but his heart and mind were too distracted with fear not only for them but far more for his beloved cousin. He was unable to concentrate to the maximum he needed to, and the Pirates rushed straight through him with a battle cry thundering from their lungs and Kyna screaming at them to halt. Their swords stuck into Judson's feet, but they did no more good than sticking a bull with toothpicks.

Judson's claws swiped at the two Pirates, cutting into their chests and throwing them away from him. Kyna's heart faltered as she realized that his claws had cut into the areas of their hearts, but she could not tell in the darkness and from the distance that she and Jack were at from them if they had met their mark or not. Judson threw them over their heads, and their bodies slammed somewhere beyond them on the deck.

"Jack, do whatever you must, but free Crystal and get her to the ship!" Kyna commanded. "HENRY," she yelled, seeing Beast rushing forward on all fours, "SEE TO BOB AND GROO! LEAVE JUDSON TO ME!"

Her thoughts went to William for just a second, but as Judson stepped forward and the deck quaked beneath her, Kyna pushed her beloved from her mind and began to hurriedly whisper a spell in Arabic. She raced forward, darting in and out of the shapeshifter's feet, and ran on past him to the railing. She ran straight up the railing and used it to launch herself at Judson's back. She landed on the back of his neck even as he was beginning to turn back around.

Her legs wrapped around his neck as she continued chanting, calling upon Aphrodite and Athena to grant her the power of Good. She continued the spell as she climbed up Judson. He tried repeatedly to swat her as though she were but a fly, but each time his hand approached, she flattened against his skull. He struck her but, in so doing, also hit himself.

Kyna continued hurriedly scaling Judson's head until she was on top of him and could see his horns. As her spell finished, blue flames shot from her hands. She grabbed his horns, wrapping them in the flames and causing Judson to bellow in pain.


Spike and Sean had slowly made their way into the hold. They heard the moans of people and the cries of animals and very carefully made their way even closer. Suddenly, something snarled at them from just ahead in the dark, and they froze. Something was between them and the place they wanted to be. They wondered what it was but did not have long to wait as two jaguars stalked out of the shadows, heading directly toward them.

Spike was not surprised at the appearance of their Goddess. He looked at Her questioningly, wondering what She was wanting to tell them.

Aphrodite felt Spike's questioning eyes upon Her and knew that Sean was trying to see deeper into the darkness in hopes of finding Emma, but She did not call to either of them. Instead, pointing a palm at Spike to quiet him from any attempts to stop Her, She walked closer to the two jaguars. She knelt before them, keeping eye contact with both.

"Sasha, Yasmine, I know you are not happy here. You long for a better life, but your mistress will not leave the ship. These people are here to free their family and friends," She pointed to the people held below them, "as well as your mistress and both of you. They are your friends." Little did the Pirates know that She appeared differently to the jaguars, but they could see that both big cats had bowed their heads in reverence and hear her voice speaking in the feline language. Now, the jaguars parted, allowing the men room to pass.

Spike did not know what Aphrodite had told the cats, but now he was no longer nervous around them. He walked through them as though they were not even there, but something was still not right. He could sense a being who was neither of his current family nor Drusilla. He knew the being was not Drusilla for he could plainly see her carrying on the tortures. He wondered why she had not stopped torching Angel as he knew she could feel him as he had felt her presence before seeing her. Where were they, and who were they? It could only be one person, he knew. It had to be Darla, but where was she?


Sam could not believe the feelings rushing through his body as he felt Paige healing. It had been so long since he had felt so powerful, and yet he did not want to do anything at the moment but heal his daughter. He waited patiently as his energies flowed into Paige and the poison was washed away. He gazed into her face tenderly, wondering how she'd take the news that not only was he their new White Lighter but also her father. His right hand reached out and held hers even as his left hand continued to hold down on her chest, drawing out the poisons.

Paige slowly began to come to as the pain and poison lifted from her body. Her eyes cracked open, and she gazed around her in confusion. As her vision began to refocus, she was surprised to find herself staring into the face of one of her mother's old friends. "S-Sam?"

Brown eyes gazed lovingly down into brown eyes that matched his own. He could see Patty in her, as well, but her eyes were definitely her father's. "Paige, you're going to be okay." His left hand moved from her chest and went to her bonds. "I'll get you down from there in a minute," Sam told Paige as he eyed the locks.


Katrina, if you . . . If you see Lex out there, he needs to . . . to get here. I'm . . . I'm not sure what they're doing to Clark, but he . . . It's as if they're draining his life force away, and the bitch who's doing it is still on him. Cole and Dawson are here, too, and Chong and . . . He had to struggle to think. . . . and that dog and . . . and one of the female Goblins . . .

Morph wished he could hear what Tom was telling Katrina but knew, from the changes that had taken place in his sister-in-law, whatever it was could not possibly be good. Was Tom dying? From Katrina's reactions, he wouldn't be surprised, and the thought of his best friend dying filled him with fear.

The Piratesses were still coming as they ran, and his free hand became a sword as he sliced off another two heads. Wings sprouted from his back, then, and he sheathed one sword and returned his other hand to normal. Lifting off of the deck, Morph grabbed Katrina's shoulders and began to fly her.

"We have to find Lex," Katrina told Morph. "He has to be there for Clark! They're killing him!" She began to sniff, trying to locate Lex and finally saw him just as they were about to go down below deck. He was covered in blood and was still slicing and dicing bitches. She screamed at him, "LEX, FOLLOW US QUICKLY! THEY'RE KILLING CLARK!" She could hear him running behind them, gasping for breath as he ran.

"Hold to me, Katrina," Morph warned Katrina a mere second before his right hand released her. It shot out, stretching over several feet long, and turning into a tentacle. Morph's tentacle wrapped around Lex, and he yanked his friend up over the others' heads and after them.


The tall Piratess' threat that she was going to shoot Rachel tore Kitty's attention away from her mother. "Not this time." Her low whisper was filled with danger, and her brown eyes blazed with fury. "You may have killed my Mother, but you won't kill my best friend!" Her own body went cold as she released her hold on Elektra's bleeding body and launched herself from a handspring into a series of flips. Bullets blazed through her body as though she was but a ghost, but her booted feet delivered a solid blow to the tall woman's jaw.

She knocked her to the deck and stood on top of her as she whirled to meet the shorter woman, whose gun had finally ran out of bullets. "You . . . " she hissed. Yet instead of cussing her, her words broke off as her hands shot out and into the woman's stomach. She yanked out her entrails and left them hanging out as she unphased the woman. A final blow to the head knocked her to the deck, and the sound of a body hitting the floor was doubled as Elizabeth fainted.

The heels of Kitty's boots ground into the skull of the tall woman as she writhed underneath her, but as the Piratess finally managed to throw her off of her, Kitty kept her balance and agilely leapt to land in front of Harriet. The old, fat cook was trembling, and the layers of her stomach made her look like a giant heap of quivering jelly. "You whipped my friend. I don't know how long you had Ray here or what all you did to her, but you won't be hurting anybody else again." Kitty's gloved hands grabbed the elderly cook's head even as Rachel tripped the tall Piratess who was trying to get to Kitty and caused her to hit the deck again.

"P-P-P-P-P-Pl-Pl-Please d-d-d-d-d-don't -- " The cook's head shook within Kitty's grasp as she stuttered to get her begging words out, but they fell on death ears as Kitty twisted her head and broke her neck. She pushed the cook's body, and Harriet fell to the deck with her last breath even as Kitty turned back to the tall Piratess.

The heel of Rachel's boot pressed against the tall Piratess' throat assured them that she would not be rising again, but Kitty was beyond caring. She wanted these bitches dead, and she wasted no time in drawing her sword and embedding it in the bitch's heart. She stood still for a moment after resheathing her sword, her hand still on the handle of her sword and her eyes a dark storm.

"K-Kitty?" Rachel called. She'd never before seen her childhood friend like this. "Kitty, are you . . . ?"

But another voice called Kitty's name in a weak croak. Kitty's head snapped toward the sound, and she came back to herself as she realized that Elektra was trying to get her attention. "Kitty . . . " A cough sent blood spewing up even as Kitty raced back to her mother's side and took her in her arms.

"Mom -- "

"Kitty . . . I . . . I just . . . "

"Yes?" What was she trying to say, Kitty wondered frantically, and was there any hope left of possibly saving her?

"I . . . love . . . you."

The words brought tears spilling from Kitty's eyes, but before she could answer Elektra, her mother's eyes closed for the final time and her trembling body went still in her arms. Kitty's head lowered, and she bent over her mother as the tears took her over.


Celina had to still herself against the pain and fear that were screaming off of Gabrielle. The blonde's emotions grew even louder with each step the catwoman took, but she forced herself to continue, knowing that it was up to her to heal her friend. "Gabrielle, please . . . " She had to fight to get the words out. "Please, I know it's hard, but . . . I . . . I need you to try to calm yourself. I can not fight your pain, panic, and fear and heal you simultaneously, but I know it's Xena who you are so afraid for. We both know Xena. She'll handle Callisto, and then she'll be back with us."

She had finally made it to Gabrielle's side, and her blue eyes swept the blonde's body. She shuddered at the sight that she was met with. Gabrielle's fingers and hair were completely gone, and her breasts had been transformed into bloody pulps. Burn marks covered practically every inch of the bard's body, and bloody gashes that could have been made from claws or knives were scattered throughout the burns.

"Let me heal you first; then I'll free you." Gabrielle squealed, and Celina understood though the bard could not get her words out for the iron gag Callisto had fastened over her mouth. "Xena can handle Callisto. There are others to help, as well, and you need my help the most right now."

Gabrielle flinched as Celina laid her furry hands on the blonde's body. The catwoman forced herself to ignore the pain her touch brought as she knew that there was no other way. She closed her eyes, and as she began to concentrate, the alien words of the healing spell flowed from her lips. She had to fight to keep her concentration solely on Gabrielle, however, for she could feel Gabby's emotions and the emotions flowing outside. She herself ached to know what was happening to her beloved husband and sister but knew that Gabby had to be her priority.


Lex was stunned that Morph had reached for him, and it took him several seconds to catch his breath. It never ceased to amaze him how strong Morph actually was despite his appearance! Seconds later, they were outside the door of what he figured was the sleeping quarters.

Without a backwards glance, Katrina jumped into the sleeping quarters. Quickly surveying her surroundings, she saw that Tom was chained to a cot, totally naked with blood pouring out where his nose, eyes, and toenails used to be. She had to advert her eyes so as not to throw up. She had seen many horrible things in her time, but nothing had prepared her for the shape her beloved was now in.

The sight of Tom's condition had also frozen Morph. His heart cried for his dearest friend in all the world, and the tears threatened to reach his eyes. Dear Gods, what bitch had done this to Tom! She would pay! He didn't care what it took; if Katrina didn't reach her first, he'd make her pay!

Katrina's eyes glanced around the room, seeing that three hung from the walls but only one of them seemed to be alive and alert while two others who she recognized as Cole and Dawson were chained to cots. Cole was completely naked, and she had to advert her eyes away from him to keep from seeing the cock ring that had been cruelly forced upon his swollen penis.

Morph forced his eyes away from Tom. Knowing that he could not help him, he turned to Katrina and was about to speak her name when she moved.

Although others needed her help, Katrina could do nothing but go to Tom first, and in getting closer to Tom, she spotted Vang, who was stretched out on the floor and covered in blood. She knelt down between the two of them but knew that she could not help Vang until she had helped Tom. She prayed that another healer would come soon as she didn't think she could hold out to do all the healing that was needed in the room. She closed her eyes and began to chant, drawing the pain from her beloved into her own body and never realizing that tears were trailing down her face.

Tom knew he had to remain silent or he would risk causing Katrina to lose her concentration. He reached silently out for his wife, his hand feeling blindly around in the air before finding her furry face. He did not need to see her to know that she was crying, and his right thumb wiped the tears from her left eye away as they fell.


"Here. Put this on, mon ami," Remy told the naked man he had just released from his chains.

Autolycus accepted the coat thankfully as he did not want to be naked in front of strangers or Paige. He slipped into the coat and then headed over to see what the healer's problem was. "I can get those open very easily," Autolycus told him.

"Thank you," Sam replied and stepped back, allowing the black-haired man access to the locks.

As Autolycus advanced on Paige, he was relieved to see that she appeared completely well again and was not surprised that she had passed back out.

"If you need any help, let me know," Remy told the mustached man even as he peered anxiously out the door to see if any one was heading in their direction.

It only took Autolycus seconds to get the locks off, and as Paige slumped forward, Sam scooped her up. "I'll take her to safety, and then I'll return."

"Be careful," Remy called to him. "We'll be on deck." He then proceeded to look into the cabinets and under the bed for weapons for Autolycus, who, for the first time, did not bother to seek out any booty. Finally locating a sword that looked like it hadn't been used in a long time, he picked it up and handed it to Autolycus. "Wrap dat belt around you, an' it'll keep de coat on securely. We gotta get out dere an' help de others."

Autolycus wrapped the belt around himself and tied it into a knot even as he watched the man carrying Paige disappear into blue lights. He took the offered sword with a murmur of gratitude, then followed Remy out onto the deck.


Lex took in the situation. Clark was laying on a cot with a dark-skinned bitch straddling him and cutting him with what appeared to be a green stone. He could see right through Clark's skin to his bones, veins, and blood. His first reaction was to lop the bitch's head off, which he did immediately. Then he grabbed the kryptonite, snatching it away from Clark and looking for something to put it in.

Lex tried putting the kryptonite in various containers he found around the room, but nothing seemed strong enough to hold it as the rock continued to glow and Clark continued to tremble. At last, Lex turned to Morph. "Morph, take this far away and destroy it! It must not get back anywhere near Clark, or it will kill him!"

Morph didn't ask why the stone would kill Clark. He didn't understand how such a small rock could do such extensive damage, but he had seen Clark and knew, even now, that the younger man was fighting to hang on to his very life. He took the necklace from Lex but had to ask him, "Any idea how to destroy it?" How did one destroy a rock?

"Maybe you smash it with a bigger rock and then bury the remains?" Lex offered. "Other than that, I don't know, but it must be destroyed."

Morph nodded solemnly. "I'll find a way," he assured him. "You take care of Clark and," his worried eyes darted to Tom and Katrina, "keep them safe for me." He still had his wings and took again to the air, flying out of the sleeping quarters and heading for the deck.


The minute that Sean had gotten past the cats, he gained a better view of the prisoners. His emerald eyes searched frantically for one, and he finally found her at the back of the cage. She was doing something to hurt herself, and the only thing he could see was that she was shocking herself.

Sean almost screamed out Emma's name but was stopped by the knowledge that she could not see him. "We have tae get tae Em! She must see me or she'll end up killin' herself!" Sean indicated his long lost love.

Spike's black eyes followed Sean's pointing finger to a golden-haired woman dressed in dingy white clothes who was sitting in the back of the cage and allowing the collar to shock her over and over again. "Careful," Spike warned, knowing how desperately Sean wanted to reach his beloved but also knowing that it was not safe for his friend to try to do so yet. "Something is not right!" he explained, keeping his voice to a low whisper and hoping Sean would lower his. "Dru shouldn't be ignoring us. She knows we're here. Look for Darla."

Spike's eyes traveled around the cage and to the ones hanging on the wall. A brunette boy and a leather-clad, blonde girl hung beside Angel. He had no idea who the boy was, but he had seen the girl before around Tortuga and knew her as a friend of one of Kyna's friends. The sight the three were in made him ache even more to get his hands around Drusilla's neck. Angel and the boy had had their clothes completely torn off, and there were burn marks and scratches covering every inch of their bodies. Wooden rings that he recognized as cock rings had been shoved down onto their members, forcing them to stand erect against their will. He could tell that Darla, Drusilla, or both had fed upon the girl, but he could no more understand why she was allowing herself to be continuously shocked than he could Sean's Emma.

"I've got to get to Angel," Spike whispered to Sean, giving himself a mental shake. "He's the most powerful if he can only recover, and we're going to need help."

The blonde man's words made Kurt want to speak up even more, but he knew he could not. He had seen Lorne quickly cover the Princess' mouth with his hand when the two men had entered, and he knew that, no matter how much they would like to, they were all helpless to aid their rescuers.

Drusilla could hear Spike and the Irish man whispering to each other, and she turned toward them at last. The light of the torch's flickering flame danced in her wickedly-gleaming eyes. "No one's ignoring you, my sweet William. I knew you'd come." She began to advance toward them.

Aphrodite was having difficulty concentrating, but She knew that Spike and Sean had just walked into a trap. Still, with all the pain that She could feel from others of Her people, it took nearly everything She could do to call out a warning. "WATCH OUT!" She yelled at the men even as Darla sprang from the shadows of the staircase, her fingernails slashing out at Spike. In the same moment that Aphrodite warned them, She fell forward, but the jaguars rushed to Her side and kept Her from hitting the deck.


Judson shook his head vigorously, but the Sorceress clung stubbornly to his horns. He could feel one beginning to break, and he shook even harder. This time, Kyna was forced from her position, but even as she fell, she refused to relinquish her hold on his horns. Her body dropped down in front of his eyes, and he grabbed her. His fingers wrapped tightly around her neck and shoulders, and he began to squeeze her with all that he had.

Kyna fought to hold on and whispered fervent prayers to Zeus, Aphrodite, and Athena. She prayed harder but silently as she felt her oxygen being cut off, but when blood rushed into her vision, her thoughts changed, going instead to her beloved William. Would she ever see him again? What was Drusilla doing to him? She should have been there with him when he faced off against the bitch who had haunted them both over the centuries, but she knew she would not make it and what was about to befall her instead.

"KYNA!" She could vaguely hear her name being shouted from bellow, and Hank's, Phong's, and Remy's voices floated around her dazed mind. She felt Judson stomping on something and heard Phong's scream followed by Hank's. Explosions rattled Judson's back, and she knew it had to be Gambit flinging cards. Still, the only thought her mind could cling to was William, and her beloved was the last thing on her mind when Judson's force finally popped her head off of her neck.

With a grunt of satisfaction, Judson tossed Kyna's body to the deck. As he turned around to face the man who was throwing explosives into him, his foot ground Phong's body even more into the deck. The blue bundle of fur called the Beast had managed to fall away from him, but he had the old Sprite firmly trapped underneath his foot. His searching eyes finally saw the French man who had attacked his back -- just as Gambit threw an entire pack of cards at him. The explosions rattled Judson, but he shook them off and began to head after LeBeau.

To Be Continued . . .