The Wizard never saw it coming. He was too busy staring at the mountain of a man blocking the doorway to even realize that Glinda was saying anything. He had no idea who this man was, but he knew his being there wasn't a good thing. Then one beefy hand gripped his arm and the next thing he knew he was being pulled against the huge body. It took another moment for him to realize the pressure he felt against his temple was the cool tip of the barrel of a gun.

"Don't any of you try anything stupid or he gets it."

His mouth went dry at the statement. The fear in his daughters' eyes didn't do anything to assuage the dread bubbling in his stomach. And he didn't get a chance to try to give them a reassuring look before the man started moving, making him trip over his own feet. If it wasn't for the incredibly strong arm around him he would have fallen.

"Hey!" Gregor growled a warning in his ear.

"He tripped." Ginny spoke as she and the girls stepped outside. "Who could blame him the way you're manhandling him?"

Gregor moved the gun long enough to gesture at her with it. "No one asked you."

"Momsie." Glinda gripped her mother's arm, begging her not to antagonize him.

Elphaba locked eyes with Breena, silently asking her what they should do.

"You." Gregor spoke before the sister's could communicate anything to one another. "The green freak." He gestured with the gun again. "Get over there by yourself."

"She's not a freak!" Glinda snapped.

"It's all right." Elphaba spoke up before she could get too upset.

"I'll call her whatever I damn well please." Gregor taunted Glinda before returning his attention to Elphaba. "Now get moving freak."

Addena put her hand on her sister's shoulder when she saw her clinching her jaw to keep from responding. "Why?"

Gregor frowned at her. "Why what?"

"Why does she have to be by herself?" Breena voiced the question she knew her girlfriend was asking.

"Because I said so!" Gregor yelled.

"What if she doesn't?" Breena persisted.

Gregor chuckled. "Are you kidding me?" He pushed the gun against the Wizard's temple, forcing him to wince.

"I'm going." Elphaba held her hands out in front of her as she moved away from the others.

"Elphie?" Glinda started to follow her.

"Stay where you are!" Gregor stopped her.

"What about the rest of us?" Ginny asked.

"You three aren't a threat." Gregor smirked as he looked at Breena. "And neither are you with that potion in your system."

"Put down the gun and we'll see who's not a threat." Breena growled.

"Only if you get rid of the crutches."

"Bree, don't." Addena begged when her girlfriend started to do what he suggested.

"Yeah Bree," Gregor mocked. "You better listen to Addy."

Breena started toward him. "Don't call her that!"

"Ignore him, Breena." Ginny stepped in front of the witch, whispering, "You need to keep a cool head if you're going to be able to help your father."

Gregor frowned at them. "Why are you whispering to her?"

"Because she's too nice to say she thinks you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny." Breena replied, giving Ginny a nod to let her know she heard her loud and clear.

"What was that?" Gregor pointed the gun at Elphaba. "Are you casting some kind of spell?!"

"She didn't do anything!" Glinda screeched.

"You're hearing things." Addena raised her eyebrows when he leveled her with a glare. "All I'm saying is we all need to calm down."

"You're right." Gregor agreed. "We've come to far for me to lose it now."

"We?" Breena questioned his use of words.

"Do you honestly think I'm here by myself?" He looked at her like she was crazy.

"I hope you brought enough men to handle all the Gale Force guards." Ginny challenged him.

"They've already been dealt with." He smirked again.

"What do you mean?" The thought of his troops being harmed in any way helped the Wizard finally find his voice. "How were they dealt with?"

"You killed them didn't you?" Glinda was appalled.

"No." Gregor shook his head. "I might be a lot of things but I'm not a murderer."

Breena scoffed. "Yeah right."

"I'm not!" He defended himself.

"I was in your little camp remember?" Breena growled.

"Those were Animals, not people." Gregor stated.

"You say that like Animals don't matter." Elphaba sounded disgusted.

Gregor shrugged. "That's because they don't."

"What about the girl you killed?"

Addena's head snapped around to look at her sister. "What?"

"What?" Gregor echoed her question.

"Eadlyn told me all about it." Glinda glared at him. "You killed her in cold blood and then ran away."

"It was an accident."

"I'm sure it was." Breena's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"It was!" Gregor tightened his grip on the Wizard. "And I didn't kill any guards. All we did was slip some sleep potion into their breakfast food. They're napping like babies." The hand holding the gun was visibly shaking. "But no one is dead!"

"Why don't you tell us what you want." Addena tried to be the voice of reason again.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gregor waited, sighing when no one answered. "Eadlyn! We want Eadlyn!"

"You'll never get him." The Wizard spoke up again.

"Oh yeah old man?" Gregor pushed the gun harder against his temple. "We'll just see about that."

"You keep saying 'we' but so far you're the only one we've seen." Breena drew his attention again.

"Keep a close eye on him men."

As if on cue Cade's voice could be heard as he lead a small group of Gale Force guards and a still shackled Eadlyn out of a nearby stable.

"How fitting is it that they were keeping him in a stable?" Breena commented. "Since he's such a big Animal lover and all."

"Shut up." Gregor growled at her.

Cade frowned when he noticed them. "What..."

He didn't even get a chance to finish his question before a handful of men came rushing at them from all directions.

Gregor grinned. "I told you I wasn't alone."

The guards reacted, raising their weapons and forming a circle around Cade and Eadlyn as the other men surrounded them.

"Hold steady." Cade encouraged them.

"Call them off." Gregor gave the Wizard a half second to respond before yelling, "I said call them off!"

"No." The Wizard shook his head.

"Do it!!"

"No!" The Wizard stood his ground.

"I said do it!" Gregor moved the gun to point it at Breena.

"Bree." Elphaba instinctively took a half step toward her sister.

"She can't exactly get away can she?" Gregor spoke through clinched teeth.

Addena, Glinda and Ginny wasted no time in moving as one to form a wall in front of the injured witch.

"What are you three doing?" Breena hissed at them. "Move before one of you gets hurt."

"Shut up and stay back there." Addena snapped.

"What is this, the revolt of the blondes?" Gregor grumbled at them. "Too bad there's no one to protect her." He aimed the gun at Elphaba instead.

"Don't give in to him." Elphaba instructed her father.

"Do it!" Gregor fired a shot at Elphaba.

"Elphie!" Glinda's voice was full of concern for her lover.

"Elphaba!" The Wizard called out to his daughter.

"Elly?" Breena nudged her way between Ginny and Addena so she could see what was going on.

"Sir?!" Cade called out to the Wizard.

For her part Elphaba barely flinched as the bullet dug into the ground at her feet. But she did have to swallow hard to wet her dry throat before she spoke again, her eyes on her father. "You can't let Eadlyn get away with what he's done."

"I won't risk your life for his." Was the Wizard's steely response. "Cade! These men are here to rescue Eadlyn!"

"We won't let that happen sir!" Cade replied.

"On the contrary," Gregor mumbled under his breath with a triumphant grin before prodding his hostage. "Finish it."

The Wizard took a deep breath. "I want you to tell your men to drop their weapons and..." He clinched his jaw, hating what he was about to do. "And let him go!"

"But..."

"That's an order!" The Wizard added.

"You heard the man." Eadlyn was all smiles as he held his wrists out toward Cade. "And I wouldn't tempt my friend over there by going against orders if I were you." He nodded toward the others. "He has an itchy trigger finger."

"Sir?" One of the guards turned ever so slightly to give Cade a questioning look.

"What should we do?" Another asked.

"You should do as he said and let me go." Eadlyn suggested.

Cade was too busy weighing his options to answer.

"What's taking so long?!" Gregor asked.

"The captain is having a battle of wills with himself." Eadlyn answered.

"Tell him to let him go." Gregor fired another shot at Elphaba. "Tell him!"

"Cade, do as he says! Please!" The Wizard fought to keep the tremor out of his voice as his daughters glared at Gregor. If looks could kill he wouldn't be a problem anymore. But they wouldn't risk using their magic as long as Gregor was holding a gun on him. And he couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to either of them. "He's shooting at Elphaba, Cade! Let him go!!"

Cade's decision had been made for him. "Put your weapons down."

"Sir?" One of the guards asked.

"You heard me!" Cade commanded as he threw his own side arm on the ground. "Drop your weapons!"

The guards complied. The other men barely waited for their guns to hit the ground before picking them up and shepherding their new prisoners together.

"Come on, Captain." Eadlyn rattled the chains on his arms. "I know you have the key."

"Get moving." Another man prodded Cade in the back with his rifle.

"Don't touch me." Cade growled as he pulled the key out of his pocket.

"Or you'll do what?" The man poked him again.

"Stop that." Eadlyn gave him a look. "If you accidently shoot him at this range the bullet could go through him and hit me. And that wouldn't make me very happy."

The man hung his head, muttering, "Sorry sir," before taking a couple of steps away.

Eadlyn shook his head. "Good help is so hard to find."

"There's nothing good about any of you." Cade growled as he unlocked the cuffs.

"Good is overrated if you ask me." Eadlyn rubbed his wrists where the shackles had been.

Cade watched him with a disgusted expression. "You're free. Why don't you just go?"

"Because I have some unfinished business. Starting with this." Eadlyn threw a right hook, letting his fist connect with Cade's chin.

The blow took Cade by surprise, lifting him off his feet for a moment before he landed painfully on his back.

Eadlyn grinned down at him. "I've been wanting to do that since you took me into custody you smug bastard." He nodded toward the man he had reprimanded. "Bring him along. I'd hate for him to miss what I have planned for his friends."

The man complied, dragging a still stunned Cade to his feet and frog marching him over to the others.

"It's good to see you Gregor." Eadlyn spoke as he walked toward them. "I knew Mason was full of it when he said you were dead."

Gregor shrugged as he finally moved the gun from the Wizard's head, giving him a shove in Elphaba's general direction. "He wasn't far off." He pointed at the bandage on his head. "I got shot in that stupid camp."

"Is that why you didn't show up at the cave?" Eadlyn motioned for a couple of his men to keep an eye on the Wizard and Elphaba.

Gregor nodded. "I was pretty out of it for a couple of days."

"I guess I can forgive you for taking so long to come get me then." Eadlyn beamed at him. "Come here you."

Breena rolled her eyes as they hugged. "Get a room."

"Well, well, well. Look who's still with us. What's with the crutches? Don't tell me my men were too much for you."

"Leave her alone." Addena chastised him.

"Ah, my lovely bride to be." Eadlyn walked over to her, cupping her cheek. "I'm glad to see nothing happened to you."

"Get your hands off her!" Breena reached for his arm but Glinda beat her to it.

"Don't touch her!" The petite blonde shoved his hand away.

"And Glinda." Eadlyn gave her an appreciative once over. "Nice to see you haven't lost any of that fire."

"Don't even look at her!" Elphaba started toward them only to be stop when one of the men guarding her stepped in her path.

"Now, now Elphaba. Don't do anything stupid." Eadlyn cautioned her as he discreetly nodded at another of his men. "Sorry Breena, but I'm afraid it's time for you to join them."

Before Breena could react a man grabbed her by the back of her shirt, forcing her to lose her crutches as he drug her to her father and sister.

"Stop that!" The Wizard snapped as he shoved the man aside to help Breena regain her balance.

"Are you all right?" Elphaba helped too.

"Better than he'll be when I get done with him." Breena glared at Eadlyn.

Gregor stepped up close to Eadlyn. "Why are you still playing with these people? Don't you think we should be getting out of here?"

"In good time." Eadlyn assured him. "I want to take the Uplands with us."

"What?" Ginny's mouth popped open.

"You've got to be kidding." Gregor had a similar reaction.

"Far from it." Eadlyn went back to alternately staring between Addena and Glinda. "Addy here is going to be my bride. And Glinda..." He smirked. "Let's just say she's going to see to my needs."

"You're insane." Ginny scoffed. "They're never going to go with you willingly."

"They will if I have you to lord over their heads." Eadlyn nodded triumphantly. "I've seen what they'll do to keep their beloved momsie safe."

"We won't let you get away with this." Elphaba hissed.

"I thought you might say something like that." Eadlyn gestured with his hand as he paced away from the blondes, a couple of his men instantly moving into place to train their guns on them. "That's why I'm going to have to kill you." He raised his voice when everyone reacted at once. "I can't have you following us! It would ruin all my fun!"

"Eadlyn," Gregor took him by the arm, pulling him aside. "Don't you think you're playing with fire here?"

Eadlyn furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, that's the Wicked Witch of the West over there."

"And?"

"And she could turn you into a toad in the blink of an eye!"

"I don't think so." Eadlyn chuckled. "Because she knows if she uses her magic someone else will pay. And you wouldn't want that to happen, would you Elphaba?"

The green witch glared darts at him.

"Of course the Uplands will have to watch them die, otherwise they might think one of them will come along to save them." Eadlyn continued to verbalize his plans. "You have no idea how sickening it was to watch Glinda mooning over Elphaba in that cave when she thought she was dead. It made me want to throw up."

"You won't get away with this." Breena threatened.

"Maybe if you still had your powers I would be intimidated, but you don't." Eadlyn smiled. "Just think of yourself as a Horse. You have a bum leg and we're going to have to put you down." He looked at the men guarding the witches and the Wizard. "Shoot them."

"NO!" Addena screamed.

"Agito!"

The spell hit Eadlyn in the chest, knocking him off his feet and throwing him several feet away. He laid still for a moment before slowly propping himself up on his elbows. "Who did that?"

"I did!" Glinda declared.

"Right." Eadlyn doubted her as he started to climb to his feet.

"Agito!" The blonde repeated the spell, knocking him down again.

"You can do magic too?!" Gregor looked at her in awe.

"Of course I can." Glinda smiled smugly. "And so can my mother and my sister."

"What the hell are you doing Glinda?" Addena asked.

"I'm showing him what he's getting himself into."

"No, what you're doing is forcing me to have a change of heart." Eadlyn disagreed as he started to stand again. "Shoot her Gregor."

"What?" His friend looked at him in disbelief.

"I said shoot her!" Eadlyn repeated himself. "She's more trouble than she's worth. And I can more than entertain myself with Addy and her mother."

"I..." Gregor's voice shook.

"Just do it!" Eadlyn snapped at him.

Gregor swallowed hard as he raised the gun in his hand to point it at Glinda.

"No!" Elphaba and Addena's voices merged but Eadlyn's men moved in to keep them under control.

"Conicio!" Elphaba tossed the one in front of her aside.

"Get out of my way!" Addena decked the one holding her back.

But before either of them could make a move to get to Glinda the gun in Gregor's hand suddenly exploded. He screamed in agony, clutching what was left of his hand to his body as he sank to his knees.

"What the hell just happened?!" One of the other men shouted.

"I don't know but I'm not sticking around to find out!" Another replied.

"Stay where you are!" Eadlyn commanded. "I was trying to be fair. I really was." He had a pronounced limp as he walked back toward them. "But I can see that's not going to be possible. Kill them all!"

"What?" One of his men questioned.

"I said to kill them all! How hard is that to understand?!" Eadlyn was livid as he ripped the gun from one of his men's hands. "Like this!" He pointed the gun at Addena. "Now shoot them!"

"Abeo!"

"Contego!"

Those were the only words that could be heard as shots were fired and all hell broke loose.