Chapter 9

Madeline sat at the table with her chained hands resting on the smooth French polished mahogany timber looking at the man seated at the other end of the long twenty seater formal dining table, complete with a wrought iron candelabra centre piece in the middle.

The sun hadn't set yet but the candles were burning. She was wearing the heavily embroidered black satin evening dress that clung to her body trailed behind her as she had been escorted in to the enormous dinning hall. The black slip on sequin shoes she kicked off under the table.

She had left her almost waist length curly dark copper hair hanging loosely down her back; she could not be bothered to go to any trouble for this man.

The gown was elaborate for her taste, but she could see it was expensive and designer made. She was amazed it even fit her, why did he insist she dress up for dinner was beyond her, but she remembered his earlier threat and decided it was wiser to indulge him on this one.

How else was she going to find out his plans for her and find a way to escape him? She almost closed her eyes for a moment as she resigned herself to this charade.

The room felt cold, even though the fire in the huge fire place behind him was roaring with red flames in the background.

He gave her as warm a smile as a face like his could as the meal was served to the table by the chef. "Take of those chains" he addressed the guards who moved forward and did as they were ordered.

She rubbed some of the feeling back into her wrists.

The food looked good, but her principles told her not to eat with a man who wanted to murder her father, and probably her as well.

He began to eat his dinner and indicated for a guard to fill her wine glass, he took note that she was not eating and smiled again.

"He is an excellent chef, I hear you have a French background. The French have a good appreciation for fine food and wine." She could see he was trying to make conversation with her and he had a confused look on his face, she was struggling with her fear of him and need for information, so she just stared back without saying a word…

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Count Egobossler observed his dinner "guest". He was trying to make light conversation, but she was not responsive to him.

Isn't this what women wanted? He thought feeling frustrated with the whole female race. Didn't they want men who would give them, a romantic dinner for two with candle light and good conversation; he had given her a lovely evening gown and nice lingerie.

It was confusing him, what more could she want?

Surly she felt his attraction, and she'd be perfect for him. He tried to reason why she was just staring and looking so …well miserable, was he missing something here?

They had a common interest in music, and she would make a good mother for his children, plus she was absolutely beautiful and had a lovely figure. He was wealthy and could offer her the world if she desired it, as he desired the world and Madeline. Ego wanted to posses this beautiful woman in every way he could.

So why was she looking so unhappy? Count Egobossler tried again.

"My dear, why the unhappy face, I could make you so happy if only you would allow me," he looked at her again, and took in the amazed expression on her face. This was not working out the way he wanted it too.

Women are so complicated, he thought, as he continued to court her…

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Madeline was lost in her thoughts for a moment when he made that last comment, then it was dawning a little on her what he was implicating.

Make her happy, he must be joking! She thought, and Joe's face flashed in her mind.

She suddenly felt a longing for Joe, so strong she wondered if she could somehow send the thought out to him that she was in trouble and needed him to come and rescue her.

But how was he able to do that? She wondered. He was a race car driver, if that. She really didn't know what he did come to think of it.

But she knew that he would not come. How could he know she was missing after the argument they had at his trailer. He may never come near her apartment after the words they said to each other that day.

No! She was on her own here, and had to find her own way out. "I'm not hungry" was all she managed to say as her stomach rumbled.

She watched as he ate his meal and asked the question that had been on her mind, even though the answer frightened her she had to know.

" What do you really want with me? You hated my father and now you seem to be toying with me. What game are you playing here…?" Now she may start to get some answers from him.

She watched him cautiously as he wiped his blue lips with a napkin, keeping those cold grey eyes on her the whole time as if in thought, and then got up and walked slowly to her end of the table with his eyes on her the whole time. He stopped with his hands on the back of her chair.

"Why….. I thought you would have realized my affections for you" he said softy.

Madeline's heart began to pound at this and a sense of panic was setting in. "What?" she said quietly in a disbelieving voice.

"Madeline my darling, don't you see we would be so perfect together. "He had begun to run his fingers in her hair and touch her neck with his fingers.

She sat there frozen in horror.

"I want a lover, and an heir for my Kingdom and I will give you the world my dear if you produce me an heir. You are so very, very desirable, I am a good lover and I will give you great pleasure." He began to run his hands down the front of the bodice of her dress reaching for her breast which bought her out of her frozen state, and made her move quickly defecting his hand to free herself from his touch.

"You're INSANE if you think I would ever let you touch me… you freak." She almost shouted in anger mixed with the horror of what he wanted from her.

Count Egobossler moved quickly and she felt the hard sting and flash of pain as he hit her across the cheek sending her flying to the floor a few feet away from the chair.

She lay there for a few moments reeling in the pain of the slap he gave her, and the stars that filled her eyes as the pain took hold. She put her hands under herself and slowly turned over; the sight she was met with frightened her even more.

The Condor and the Eagle made their way quietly along the corridor of the Castle. The team had split up when they had found the room that contained evidence that Madeline was there.

Her clothes were found in a bedroom, that had made the Condor wonder what was happening to the woman he loved. She was here that was for sure, and if they had done anything to her he would kill every man who dared to lay a hand on her.

So they made their way along the corridor that lead to the main banquet hall of the castle. That's when they heard the voices and Joe recognized Madeline's.

The other voice could not be anyone else's but Count Egobossler.

The Eagle had spotted the high windows that let in light and ventilation, they were open. A nod from the Condor indicated he understood the Eagles thoughts, and they both flew up and entered the room from the top rafters, and stood surveying the room for their next move from the large beams that ran across the top of the high ceiling.

Madeline had turned over slowly to see a white masked man holding a sword to her chest making her almost faint with fright at the intensity that she felt from him.

" You will do EXACTLY what I want you to do, I WILL have you my dear," he shouted at her in a voice that demanded obedience.

" I have ways of getting what I want, and I do what you…Take her to my quarters…" He addressed the two goons standing near by while he still looked at her.

"Don't worry my dear I won't keep you waiting too long" He said in quieter but harsh tone.

Madeline felt like screaming and crying all at once instead she let out a sob. He would have to force her to get anywhere near her, he would probably drug her or worse. Despair filled her as the guards took her arms and almost dragged her to a door on the far side of the room.

It was then that she heard a familiar voice.

"I don't think so you fucking blue bastard!" Shouted the Condor as they both flew down from the rafters at the same time. Then about thirty troops entered the room.

The Eagle drew his sword and met the Count Egobossler's in one swift move. He didn't have to tell the Condor to go after Madeline, as much as Joe wanted the Counts blood he had to find her first before he lost her again.

The last Joe saw of Ken, he was on the long formal banquet table in an emotionally charged duel with Count Egobossler. The melted wax of the candles flying as the Candelabra hit the floor echoing throughout the hall.

"If you want Red Impulse Bossler, I'm Kentaro's son… Captain of Red Impulse" Ken declared as their swords clashed…

The Condor easily mowed down the goons that were in his way as he fought his way to the door that he saw them drag her through. He ran in to find that it had three exist doors, all of them closed.

Which one? He thought wildly. In a second he made a decision and went through a door to the right side of the room.

Madeline's guards had a very tight grip on her arms, and it was one of those times she that she wished she had taken karate lessons, at least something to help her get out of a situation like this.

She took note to do just that… if she ever got out of there alive.

She was taken through so many twists and turns in the corridors that she did not know where she was. Then she saw light up ahead, and a lot more soldiers and sounds of a fight up ahead as the corridor opened out to a much larger room.

The Swallow and the Swan had engaged in combat about twenty of the goons that had come out of the corridor into the large ballroom of the castle; the Owl was backing them up.

Jun had stunned a few of the guards using her arm band stun ray and had looked to the Swallow and the owl for their positions. Jinpei had discharged his "swallow top" at some goons in the far side of the room.

It was then that she noticed more goons coming through the corridor. She took out her Yo-yo "yo-yo snap" she called and threw it to the top of the archway and waited a moment before sending the detonation signal.

The Condor came through a door near by and looked in time to see who was near the entrance to the corridor. "Jun STOP" he called out to her.

Jun through the corner of her eye saw his horror after she detonated the bomb.

"Madeline Run!" he cried out as he saw the bomb explode and the roof came down on top of where she was standing. The Swan realized when it was too late, that Madeline had come into the entrance way and could only watch as the roof caved in.

"Noooo Madellllinnne Noooo" the anguished cry of the Condor echoed throughout the Ballroom.

The Eagle entered the room a moment later" That bastard Egobossler escaped." Ken's anger at his enemies escape was evident in his voice, as he tried to catch his breath.

The Condor was fighting his way to the where the explosion had just happened in a desperate bid that she was still alive.

Jun moved quickly to Joe's side as more explosions could be heard. She didn't need to say anything as she looked in his eyes.

Jinpei filled the Eagle in on what had just happened. He nodded rage filling him and as the team left the Castle.

The Swan, swallow and Owl followed behind them.

There was no one left for them fight, as the Eagle and the Condors rampage continued ahead of them, and Jun's eyes were blinded with tears for the friend she had just killed and the grief that filled her heart.

She wondered if Joe would ever forgive her, and if she would ever forgive herself as they made their way on board the Gatchaspartan.