Part 7
A/N: Thank you to all my readers/reviewers so far! You guys are great! Only one thing I gotta point out – I don't mind getting suggestions for what I should do next with my stories. In fact, sometimes I think people have really great ideas and if I like them, I do try to incorporate them! However, I also try very hard to keep fairly true to the original content. I already pushed this story a little bit with the EpiPen thing (I think Benedryl would have been more likely in a real episode) and I'm putting in a little more action/drama than a typical episode, but I won't go too far out of bounds. This is a Disney show, people! Just something to keep in mind before offering up a suggestion for where I should take the story…
Jerry pushes open the door from the wizard world to his lair, heaving a big sigh. Slowly, he makes his way back upstairs, beginning to say "I'm sorry" as he enters the living room. He cuts himself off when he sees that no one is there.
"Justin?" he calls, then when there's no answer, he calls for Theresa, Alex, and Max. "Where is everyone?" he asks, then happens to glance down at the comic book. His eyes open wide as he sees a frame in which Theresa is running, lightning dancing around her feet as she is being chased by a villain wearing purple spandex tights.
"Oh!" Jerry cries, then races back downstairs with the book. He grabs the Undo Dust and pours it on the page. Theresa pops out of the comic, stumbling as she lands on the ground, still trying to run.
"Honey, are you okay?" Jerry asks. She looks around.
"Where are the boys?" she asks.
"They're not here. What happened?"
"Ay, dios mio, they went after Alex," she mutters.
"Theresa, what are you talking about?"
"The Longcapes and that Dr. Evilini – they came and took Alex. The boys wanted to go after her, but I told them no and they put me in that stupid comic book. Jerry, we have to find them!"
"Um, okay, we have to think," Jerry says, then it occurs to him, "Justin's too responsible to just take off blindly. He'll have left us something so we'd know where to look for him."
They start looking around the room when Theresa spots the notepad on the table. "Oh, Jerry, here!" she calls, picking it up and reading the note out loud. "'Dad, tracked Alex into a void pocket. Will leave a trail you can follow so you can get us out. And Mom is in comic book upstairs. She looks really mad so be careful when you let her out.' Ugh, what did he think I'd do? Go on the attack?"
"Well, you are kinda scary when you get mad…" Jerry shrugs.
"Jerry! That's not important right now. You have to go get our kids back!"
"Right. Hey, did I hear you say void pocket?"
"Yeah, right here," she points to the note.
He grabs the note from her. "This is perfect! If we find Alex, we find the other missing kids!"
"What are you talking about? What other missing kids?"
"Sorry, I'll have to explain later. I need to get this information back to WizTech right away! Then they'll have to help us!"
He gives Theresa a little kiss on the cheek and runs back to the door.
"Jerry," Theresa calls right before he steps through. He stops and looks at her expectantly. "Bring our kids back," she says.
"I will," he promises before he disappears through the door.
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Ronald Jr. is dragging Alex back away from the barrier, her hands retied with the orange glowing bindings, but her feet still free so she can walk. Dr. Evilini follows behind, twirling Alex's wand in her fingers.
"Well, that was amusing," she purrs, "But it won't be happening again, and as soon as Ronald Sr. returns, you'll be powerless."
Alex smiles. "He's been gone awhile, hasn't he? Something tells me he lost your little Tranformer thingie."
"Transferminator," Ronald Jr. corrects.
"Transfermerator," Dr. Evilini sighs, "Why can no one say that right?"
"Well, whatever it is," Alex says, "he lost it. My powers are staying right where they belong."
There is a whoosh of air and a doorway suddenly appears in front of them.
"Sorry, Alex," Ronald Jr. grins, "No such luck. Here comes my dad with the Tranfermerator now."
Alex looks worried as Ronald Sr. steps through the door, but she smiles as he stumbles forward, having been pushed from behind. Justin and Max step through the door after him, Justin holding onto his shirt and Max pointing his wand at Sr.'s back. This door slams shut and disappears behind them.
"Justin! Max!" Alex cries out.
"Alex, are you okay?" Justin asks.
She nods and starts to walk towards them, but Jr.'s grip on her arm stops her as he yanks her back.
"Hey!" Max warns, pressing the wand into Sr.'s side, who lets out a little yelp.
"Oh please, Dad, they're just kids," Jr. says, annoyed, "And one of them is more or less under our control."
To make his point, he rolls the stinger piece of the bee charm around in his fingers.
"Max," is all Justin says, and immediately Max holds his free hand out to Justin, feeding heat into him without even having to cast the spell anymore. "We figured out how to counter your Breezer," Justin informs them, "Now let Alex go, or I tell Max to fire the wand."
"Oh, what can he do," Dr. Evilini sneers, "If I remember right, little Maxie can hardly cast a simple transformation spell."
"Um, I think that's the point," Alex offers, "Pops, there, could end up shrinking to half his size, or his arms could disappear. You never really know with little Maxie at the wheel."
"Yeah!" Max shouts, then, "Wait. That was not a compliment, was it?"
Justin shakes his head.
"Please," Sr. begs, "I don't want my arms to disappear! Just do as they say!"
"Oh, fine," Ronald Jr. agrees reluctantly, releasing his hold on Alex's arm. As she runs towards her brothers, Jr. raises his wand and shoots a blast of magic towards her back. Justin lets go of Sr., firing his own magic burst from his hand to counter Jr.'s. The powers collide in mid-air, flashing brightly and sending a black cloud racing back towards Justin. Max drops his wand, using one hand to block the cloud and the other to send heat into his brother. Sr. takes that instant to get away, joining his son and Evilini in a face-off with Justin, Max, and Alex.
"You're not as smart as everyone says you are, Justin," Jr. laughs, "Now there's three power-enhanced wizards against a kid who can barely use his magic, a girl with no wand whose hands are tied behind her back, and though you can counter the Breezer, it appears you've picked up a bit of taint. We'll just be taking all of your powers now, thank you."
Max picks up his wand. "Oh no you won't!" he shouts bravely, then whispers to Justin, "I don't think we can stand a chance."
Justin thinks quickly. "Max, put your wand away."
"What? You aren't going down without a fight are you?"
"Just do it. Alex, can you get out of those bindings?"
"Hmm-mm," she says, shaking her head, "I did once already, but Evilini put a lock on it this time."
"Okay, then can you bring your hands to the front?"
"Yeah," she says, stooping down quickly so she can bring her arms up under her legs, stepping over them so she can bring them to the front. Just as she stands back up straight, the evil trio begin firing spells their way. Justin throws out three blasts of magic in a row, intercepting all three of their spells.
"Oh man," Max utters, using both his hands to block the sand as it speeds towards them. He turns quickly back towards a shivering Justin, warming him up yet again.
Justin calls to Alex over his shoulder so he doesn't get distracted. "Alex, I need you to keep me awake," he orders.
"Why would you fall asleep in the middle of a battle?" she asks.
"Because Max won't be able to keep up with the Breezer and all the taint at the same time – some of it's bound to hit me and I need to stay conscious."
"But what about your life span?" she asks, worried.
"I'm just firing magic bursts – nothing big," The trio fire another round and Justin and Max repeat the same process of aiding each other. Justin turns back to Alex. "I'll just lose a few minutes at a time, and besides, Dad said it was reversible. We just have to hang on long enough until he gets here."
She shakes her head. "Justin, this is crazy. You're about to make this a three against one battle, and they weren't kidding about being enhanced – they stole magic from other wizards. They're more powerful than you."
"But I'm faster," Justin says, smiling. "Who was the only wizard to ever play twelve-ball with all twelve balls?"
Alex returns the smile. "You were, and you won." She looks down at her hands and says, "From the taint I now must keep, my brother Justin from falling asleep." A sparkling silver light flows slowly from her hands into Justin's back. "I'm ready," she tells him.
"Max?" Justin asks.
"Born ready!" Max confirms, posing dramatically like an actor in a martial arts film.
"Then let's do this," Justin says, bracing himself for the fight.