Meanwhile it was very dark on Mongo already and the Gordons had finally reached Morduk's village. It could barely be called a village. There were only a handful of huts and the only person they had come across was Morduk himself. He was a different species entirely with his lizard body but he spoke broken English and a mongonian dialect both Flash and Dale understood more or less.

„Despite the circumstances, I have been looking forward to finally meeting your wife and son," Dale told him over a very simple dinner that nevertheless tasted delicious to the very hungry and exhausted family. „It's a pity they are not here today."

„Not many seem to be left here," Flash commented. He'd been here before and the village had been much more lively and had included several more huts.

„Most got taken by Ming's forces and the rest of us is fighting for survival every day," Morduk answered. „Everyone has to work together to keep our little community going. I'm sorry you can't meet everyone. But for the safety for the people, it's best they don't know you're here. We will leave for Ming City very early tomorrow."

„Ming City?" April asked in surprise, looking up from her plate. „But isn't that extremely dangerous?"

„It's the only place where you'll get a ship these days," Morduk replied. „The rebels might have other options but I do not know where they are or how to contact them. If you prefer to seek them out, I must tell you you're on your own."

„That's too risky," Dale immediately said. „Ming surely already knows we're here. We can't waste time looking for the rebels. We need to get Rick and April to safety."

The three adults kept discussing the best way to handle this. Rick yawned. It had been an exhausting day. While April listened in excitement, Rick looked around the hut. It was dirty and smelly and consisted mostly of a fireplace, a bunch of beds and a table with selfmade stools all around. A lof of different tools hung in the wall. It was so different from how Rick grew up. He assumed Ming was doing this to the people, having them live like this while he himself lived a life in luxury.

„It's time to go to bed, Rick," his mother interrupted his thoughts. She had gotten up already. She and April would share one of the beds while Rick was to bunk with Flash in the other. Morduk would sleep in the third bed.

„Get some rest, son," his father told him. „And don't worry. By this time tomorrow we'll be home safely."

While the Gordons were trying to get some sleep, Amy sat on the bus, having spend the last of her money on the expensive ticket as well as some food and a bottle of water. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep. Washington was all she could remember even though she had been told that she and her mother had been moved around quite a lot when she was little. But she couldn't remember. She only remembered her mother from her very vivid dreams. „You have to be strong," Cathleen had told her the day she had brought her to a sleepover. And that was when she had never returned. Amy had stayed with her friend's family for a while until the police couldn't find her mother and she had been placed in foster care.

„Why did you leave me?" she asked her mother once again in her dreams. They were as vivid as ever. She saw herself sitting in the bus, eyes closed. Cathleen was sitting next to her, her dark curls framing her pale face, her red lips smiling sadly. She didn't answer the question.

„Don't trust anyone," she said instead.

„What do you mean?" Amy asked. In her dream, she openend her eyes and sat up, looking directly at her mother. It felt even more real than usual.

„Your powers will grow stronger every day now," Cathleen said, ignoring Amy's questions once again. „It's time now to follow your destiny, daughter."

„I don't understand," Amy said, confused. „What are you talking about? Why am I having these powers?"

But Cathleen was gone. Amy awoke in a panic. She was drenched in sweat. The bus was dark and next to her, the seat was empty. Outside, she could see the lights of other cars and a nearby city in the darkness. Sinking back into her seat, she felt like crying. These dreams felt so real and everytime they ended, she felt like losing her mother all over again.

In the morning, they were woken up by Morduk. They hadn't heard him getting up. He seemed in a hurry.

„We have to go," he insisted. „It's already getting late."

„Well, can we eat some breakfast first?" Dale asked, sitting up. „It's going to be a long walk."

„It won't be," Morduk insisted, holding up the door. „Please, you must hurry. I can't get the other villagers involved."

„I understand, old friend," Flash said. „We're very thankful for what you've done for us."

There was still some food on the table and they helped themselves while they were dressing in their winter gear again. When they finally walked out of the door, the freezing cold hit them – as well as a bright beam from above. Panicking, they looked up, only to see a Mingship hovering just above Morduk's hut.

„You – Morduk, you sold us out!" Flash cried, horrified. He tried to move, tried to do something, but he couldn't. He was frozen solid on the spot.

„Why?!" Dale screamed at their former friend and ally.

Morduk looked away. „I'm sorry, I... had no choice," he said. „I had to radio this in tonight. A lot has changed since we've last met, Flash Gordon. Most of us were killed for standing up to Ming. My wife has been taken and I have no idea where she is. And my young son has to work as a slave in the ice mines day and night. I just... had to try to get them back... I'm very thankful for you saving my life when we first met, Flash. But... if I have to chose, I will always chose my family."

„Yeah?! And what about my family!?" Flash hissed. There was no telling what Ming would do to them all!

„I'm sorry," Morduk said.

„Dad, what's happening!?" Rick cried when suddenly, they were lifted into the air and transported higher and higher. He felt sick when he looked down. The huts were tiny spots in the snow now while the dangerous ship above them came closer and closer.

„It's a transport beam," Dale explained. „It does no harm, it just brings us up to the ship." No, she thought. The real harm would come to them in Ming City!

„Don't worry, kids," Flash said once they were onboard the ship. They still could not move at all. „We'll think of something."

In the spaceship, the trip back to Ming City didn't take very long. But they were made to wait in the ship forever, standing motionless in the dark space, not knowing what was to come. For the first time, April was starting to get really, really scared. Both Flash and Dale tried her best to keep them calm but April realized that her parents barely stayed calm themselves. Somehow, that made her even more scared.

After what seemed hours, the door was opened. Suddenly, Dale, Rick and April were able to move. Ice robots showed up and pointed laser guns at them.

„Move," a very tall ice robot commanded. „You'll be spending some time in the ice cells for now. Our Emperor wants a word with Flash Gordon first."

„Dad!" Rick cried when he realized that Flash was not coming with them.

„Rick, keep calm and move," Dale instructed. „We'll think of something."

Flash was now brought out of the ship as well. He too could move now but he was held by two ice robots. Apparently they did not trust him enough to walk on his own, despite of him having laser guns pointed at him as well.

Dale and the kids were moved inside and kept being dragged along an icy white corridor. It was cold here too but not as cold as outside in the snow. Suddenly, there was a lot of noise and shouting outside. The ice robots stopped in confusion but never once lowered their weapons. Dale kept thinking that she probably could have taken out at least one of them but Rick and April weren't trained and she decided not to risk it.

„What's going on?" April asked, looking back over her shoulders. Her long, blonde hair looked messy after their short night in the hut.
There were gunshots and then suddenly, the noise of the spaceship starting was heard. The ice robots looked as confused as their prisoners. But Dale suddenly smiled.

„Flash Gordon escaped!" The tall ice robot came in, glaring at them. „But never mind, we'll get him. Bring the prisoners in the cell. I'll have to tell Emperor Ming about what happened. He might want to wait until Flash Gordon is captured again. Or maybe he'll want to talk to the wife instead."

Dale's smile vanished. She did not want to face Ming alone. She knew her husband was an excellent pilot and would most likely not be captured again once he was flying a spaceship. But the question was, would he be able to get help in time?

Note: From my recent rewatch, I remembered scenes with random ice robots being able to talk now and then (other than Garax). Some even had a different design. So I've decided instead of having Garax in every scene, giving orders, that Ming was several ice robots – some are like Garax and in command, some are bigger and can talk and care good for dealing with prisoners, and then there are the regular ones who can't talk and care mostly just a mindless army of slaves, doing Ming's bidding.