Chapter 9
As Dr. Quest and Race boarded the Questor, they rushed to the ship's navigation room, where the computer that linked easily to the Quest Compound's main computer was. Holding his breath, Dr. Quest started the computer up. He sighed in relief as it booted up.
Race watched anxiously as his friend listened to the recordings from the bug. Dr. Quest looked up with a bewildered expression. "What is it, Benton?"
"Mei said the map leads to Mount Olympus."
Race crossed his arms. "How can that be? I thought Atlantis was supposed to have sank into the ocean. Could she be lying to them?"
"Since they're holding Jonny and Jessie too, I doubt it. She seemed to be a very compassionate person. I don't think she'd endanger anyone else willingly."
"So, is there any way at all we can help them?"
The doctor ran his hand through his hair. "While I want to rush to Mount Olympus right away, I think we should wait and see how Hadji does at the temple."
"Think they'll be willing to trust us? I mean these people are obviously very secretive." Race pointed out.
"Given the situation, they really don't have a choice in this. Melana and Anaya must be stopped. That will take priority right now."
~~~~~~~~~~JQ~~~~~~~~~~
Jonny and Jessie sat in the back seat of a black car with Melana and a zinja seated between them as Mei drove with Anaya next to her. "You'd better not have been lying, little sister."
"I don't see how I could afford to with your cruel tactics."
As the group reached their destination, Jonny's eyes widened. "The map's changing."
Melana and Jessie looked over at the map he was holding. The pictures and writing swirled. "It is." The Zin sister gasped.
Once the group had parked and exited their car, Mei looked at the map Jonny held. It's directing us after we reach the top of the mountain ….
Anaya watched them carefully before speaking. "So, where do we go next?"
"The map says to climb the mountain. Then it gives directions for once you reach the top." Mei glanced at Jonny and Jessie. "The climb will be long enough without too many people. Why not release those two?"
Melana sneered at her. "Because they ensure that you behave yourself, little sister. Now, move it. We have a long climb ahead of us."
After hours of climbing, they stopped for the day. Jonny, Jessie and Mei each ate two sandwiches and drank some water before being tied together for the night. Even after Melana and Anaya went to sleep, their zinja watched the captives. Mei sighed as she wracked her brain. At this rate they probably will kill all three of us. I need to help Jonny and Jessie escape.
Jessie looked over at her and whispered. "Any ideas for an escape?"
"All I can think of is to keep an eye out for any opportunity to give you two time to get away. Just promise me you guys will take the chance and not try to save me."
Both teens stared at her. "You can't expect us to just leave you here."
"I've thought this through, Jonny. There's no other way. I'm still injured. Also, instead of chasing the two of you, my sisters will most likely continue on to their goal. If I try to escape, they'll pursue us without a doubt."
Jessie shook her head. "There's got to be another way. Those two will just kill you after they get what they want."
"I know that, Jessie. And I am grateful that you both wanna help me. But, this situation is beyond our control. And once the two of you are free there'll be no way for them to force me to translate the rest of the map."
"It doesn't matter anyway." Jonny said. "We're not leaving you with them. There's gotta be another way."
~~~~~~~~~~JQ~~~~~~~~~~
As they reached the top of Mount Olympus the next afternoon, three of them were hoping for someone to be awaiting them to capture their captors. Mei frowned as they found no one there. There must be some way to stop this. I can't let them get to Atlantis.
Mei led the group to a certain spot and knelt down after checking the map. "It should be here."
As she found an emblem with an Atlantean symbol hidden in the grass, Mei took a deep breath and looked at the map again. The writing on the map swirled and changed before the map began to glow. The girl read the map's instructions and placed the map below the emblem before she rotated the thing towards the setting sun and pressing it into the earth. To the surprise of the entire group there was a blinding flash of light.
"Mei? Mei, are you all right?" Jessie's concerned voice slowly found Mei's ears.
The girl groaned as she sat up. "What happened?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I haven't been awake long."
As she looked around, Mei's eyes widened. "Wh, where are we?"
The landscape around them was completely different. Tall trees surrounded them and a waterfall emptied into a nearby pond. It was as beautiful as it was confusing. The girls stood for a moment, looking about in silent awe until something flew over their heads and cast an enormous shadow over them.
Looking up, Jessie fell back in shock. "Mei, th, that was a griffon!"
Mei tensed as she glanced around nervously. This is bad. A griffon? It couldn't be real …. could it? And where's Jonny? And what about Anaya and Melana? "Jessie, stay down here. I'm gonna climb up the side of the waterfall and see if I can see a city or anything."
"Is that a good idea. You're still healing." The other girl pointed out.
"I'll be careful." Mei replied as she began the climb.