Rick's stomach turned; his son was walking into Blair's path. Quickly he said, "Honey, you stay put, don't go anywhere. Is Ian or any of the kids with you?"
"Ian just got home, Pop….but you have to hurry…he's almost there." She told him, and instantly Rick signaled to the other men to stand by, just as Rudy came into the room..
"I will, Robin…it's going to be all right. Here, you tell your mother what you saw and felt." Rick handed Laurie the phone, quietly saying, "She's having a case of the frights, darlin'….we have to go to the caverns now." She took a deep breath, then said, "I understand, love…be careful..please."
"I will, sweetheart…whatever happens, don't leave the house." He warned, then turned to Barnabas and Quentin.
"Robbie's gone to investigate a break-in at the caverns…we have to get there…A.J., Dad…can you go in through the back side, near the hospital?"
Both men nodded as Father Nick said, "I'll go with you and Barnabas and Quentin..you may need a little extra help." He left the room for a moment, then returned with a small black bag.
"I'll stay here with the girls and Rob….in case Robbie calls here." Rudy offered, and Laurie clasped his hand. "And in case Rob needs help." She added.
"All right, let's go…I'll try to call Robbie while we're on the way." Rick told them, leading the way out of the house. In his thoughts he felt Laurie's words, "Stay safe, darling."
His expression must have given him away, as when he climbed into his truck, Barnabas gave him a faint smile.
"My cousin loves you very much, Rick…..that will help defeat Blair's evil….he cannot control any mind so focused. Just watch who or what may appear out of the dark …"
"I will, Barnabas…but having seen this monster before, I'll be ready." Rick vowed.
As the two carloads drove away, Laurie held on to Rudy as they checked on Rob, who was restlessly tossing in his sleep.
"Oh, Rudy….poor guy…" she whispered, as the good doctor helped her limp into the living room.
"He'll be all right…you're the one needs some rest, Missy. Just close your eyes for a few minutes, Linda and I will get some dinner ready."
Stretching out on the sofa, Laurie closed her eyes as Rudy and Linda went into the kitchen. She was just nodding off when she heard a faint voice, and her eyes flew open.
"Gamez….come to me…."
"No." Laurie grew angry, hearing the strength in Rob's voice as he refused the evil spirit's order. As she sat up, the tribal chief appeared in the doorway, his eyes dazed.
"Rob….go back to bed…I'll get Rudy…" she began, then stopped, as he turned toward her. She wanted to scream, for Rob's face changed in front of her, into Nicolas Blair's!
"Think you can stop me with a paltry cross….no, Mrs. Simon…I can't make Gamez do my will, but I can take you in exchange!" he said, his voice echoing throughout the house. As if looking through a ghost, she saw Rob's body drop to the floor, and she tried to call Rick on her transmitter.
Before Laurie could make a sound, Rudy and Linda came into the room They stopped as Blair flicked his transparent fingers, setting up a ring of fire around Rob, Laurie and himself.
"Don't move, Sis…Rudy!" She managed to shout, then screamed as Blair came at her, grabbing her arm and pulling her off the sofa. "Let go of me, monster!"
"You are powerless to resist me, Mrs. Simon! I'll finish what I started with your great-grandmother!" he laughed, lifting her in his arms and carrying her out of the house, as Rudy and Linda tried to fight their way through the flames. Laurie struggled futilely as he came to Rob's jeep, then dropped her into the back seat. As she tried to crawl away from him, Blair pulled a rope from the trunk, then dragged her to him, tying her arms and legs tightly.
"You won't get away with this.." she cried out, then fell to the floor of the jeep as Blair pushed her down. Pulling a cloth from his pocket, he muffled her voice by stuffing it in her mouth. Blair climbed into the driver's side and started it up as Rudy came rushing out of the house. Blair turned as if to aim a spell at the older man, but Laurie somehow pulled her legs up and kicked at him between the seats, breaking his concentration.
"I'll deal with you later!" He snarled at Rudy, then floored the accelerator and screeched out onto the highway.
"Rudy, call A.J. and Rick…tell them Blair's got Sis!" Linda called out, as she saw the flames disappear from around her. Instantly she made her way to Rob's side, as he began to stir.
"No….oh, no….he's got Light…he's going to use her to kill Rick and Barnabas and Quentin, then everyone here!" he cried out.
Linda helped him sit up as Rudy came back into the house, saying, "I got through to Oscar and A.J., Linny…they'll be waiting for Blair…Missy'll be all right."
"Rudy, you don't understand…Blair is more powerful then before…he has that I Ching stone…..it amplifies his will and if he has it when Rick and the others get there…" Rob shook his head as Linda blurted out in horror, "he'll be able to control them? No!"
As Rudy tried to reach his friends again, Rick, Father Nick and the two Collins men drove up to the rear of the medical center at the Cultural Center. As he reached the edge of the construction zone, something caught Rick's eye, and he screeched to a halt.
"Robbie!" He yelled, and instantly Barnabas and Quentin got out of the truck as Rick jumped from his seat and ran to the entrance of the caverns. In front of the workman's barriers, his son lay face down on the ground. Robbie stirred as Rick reached him, calling his name again.
"Robbie! Oh thank God…" Rick said aloud as he felt for a pulse and saw it was strong. Gently turning him over, the older Simon breathed a sigh of relief as Robbie's eyes flickered open.
"Pop? Oh…what happened?" he groaned, then full awareness came to him as Barnabas knelt next to him, and carefully helped him sit up. "Easy, my boy…."
"Son…who did this to you?" Rick asked, then turned purple with rage as his son's eyes reflected his thoughts.
"Pop….it was that horrible Blair…he was dragging Mom into the caves…I saw him and pulled my gun…only he waved his fingers at me and I hit the ground… Pop….we have to find her…she was so upset and he was hurting her…" Robbie blurted out, shaking.
"We will, Robbie..I promise." Rick vowed angrily. Father Nick came up to them just then, and Rick asked, "Father, could you stay with Robbie until A.J. and Oscar come this way?"
"I will, Rick…he's in no shape to go with you. I'll take him to the …." The old priest began, only for Robbie to interrupt him.
"No, Father…I'm okay now….please let me stay to make sure Mom's all right?" he pleaded. Father Nick hesitated, then nodded.
"He'll be safe with me, Rick….you'd better hurry. I'll wait for Oscar and A.J. here."
Stopping to embrace Robbie, Rick led the way through the entrance of the cave, followed by a determined Quentin and Barnabas. As they wound their way through the crumbling passages of the Elders caverns, a deep sense of foreboding clutched at Rick's heart, and he couldn't shake the feeling of doom approaching. "I wish Father had come." He thought, knowing the older man was safer waiting with Robbie at the entrance of the caves. The only thing making him feel better was the feel of the old crucifix Father Nick had pressed into his hand.
"This may be the only weapon you can use against Blair, son….hold on to it at all costs." Nick had warned.
Just then a faint beeping stopped him in his tracks, as he approached the entrance to where he had found Rob under the rubble.
"Hold on, Barnabas…Quentin…"he called softly, stopping where afternoon light filtered through a crack in the cave wall. Hitting his transmitter, he faintly heard Rudy's voice.
"Rick? Can you hear me?"
"I got you, Rudy….have you heard from Dad and A.J?" he asked, then nearly choked as the older man said, "Yes, Robbie and Nick just met up with them, but something terrible's happened. Blair tried to take over Rob again, and when he resisted, Blair kidnapped Laurie…he's threatening to sacrifice her to lure Barnabas and Quentin and you into a trap! He has a piece of the I Ching stone…if he has it when he finds you, he can force you to bend to his will, and kill you!"
"No…." Rick couldn't speak, he was so afraid of what the evil spirit could do to his wife. Immediately he "called out" to Laurie, and to his relief she responded.
"Rick….darling…it's a trap….don't come…please", she begged. At once he tried to placate her.
"It's all right, sweetheart….I love you….Are you okay?"
He felt her reaching out to him, "I'm all right…just don't look at him." She warned.
"What is it, Rick?" Barnabas was next to him, and hurriedly he told them about Laurie's warning and the fact that Blair was in a somewhat solid form. To his surprise, both older men were relieved about the evil spirit's presence.
"Now we can defeat him, Rick." Quentin grinned, a defiant look on his face. "I'm sorry Laurie's in the middle of this…but we won't let him hurt her. Blair's expending so much energy remaining corpeal that he can be stopped now!"
"He's right, if you distract him, Blair can be lured into using up all his power before he can stop us." Barnabas told him, then he pulled out a familiar object from his pockets.
"Here, ..you can run interference for us, use this to pin Blair's spirit while we free Laurie. Then we'll hold him off until he's done for."
"I've got this one, Barnabas, Father gave it to me just before we split up." Rick explained. Quentin suddenly stiffened as the faint sound of voices echoed in the corridor. "He's threatening Laurie…you take that way, Barnabas and I will take the other…Hurry!"
Rick didn't have to be told twice, he turned and headed for the passage to the room Rob had been trapped in for a short time. When he came to the entrance, he saw lights flickering from the dim room, then his wife's "voice" warned him…"Rick, don't come any closer……"
Knowing Laurie was trying to protect him, Rick flattened himself against the cave wall and started to slide forward, only to hear another voice, this time behind him.
"Listen to her, my son…"
Whirling around, Rick saw a man's figure materialize, then realized it was the same face he'd seen the year before…"
"Grandfather Gene?" he whispered, and the former sheriff nodded.
"Wait, my son…Blair knows where you are…. Wait until Collins makes his appearance…then save Laurie….otherwise you are all dead."
Before he could say anything, Rick saw Gene Adams vanish. At once he "called" to Laurie, "I'm coming around the other way, darlin'….just hold on."
"I love you…" came her thoughts to him, and silently he inched around the passageway, then came to another entrance. Peering in, he caught sight of his wife, and he was filled with anger.
In front of him Laurie was chained to a crumbling wooden post, and she was staring with horror as the almost transparent Blair stood in front of her, a ornate dagger in his hand.
"Just a few more moments, Mrs. Simon…..your husband will come rushing into this room, a room holding all the power I need to turn him into my slave!" he smirked, turning to look at the spot Rick had just occupied.
"It will be so easy ….he'll kill you himself, then your beloved cousins, and the Collins family will be destroyed, once and for all!"
Laurie gave a muffled cry through the scarf in her mouth, and Blair thrust his face against hers. "I'll make it quick, my dear…." He gloated. "I promised to initiate you once, now I'm the last you'll ever know…"
Blair's hand suddenly snaked down to her blouse, and Laurie tried to jerk away from him as he ripped the buttons off one by one. Enraged, Rick started forward, as Blair raised his dagger to slice the rest of her clothes from her body. He stopped as Quentin came out of the opposite entrance, firing his gun. The first shot knocked the weapon from Blair's hand, then the second hit the chains holding Laurie fast, severing one of the links. Using what was left of her strength, Laurie threw herself away from the post, and it completely broke in half, causing her to hit the floor.
Instead of giving ground, Blair smiled at the younger Collins.
"Ah, Quentin, I hoped you would come…you and I have unfinished business…don't we?"
His gaze caught Quentin unaware, and he turned his head away, saying, "The only unfinished business we have is destroying you!"
"No, Collins….it is you who will be doing my will, eliminating what's left of your family. Now, look at me, Collins." Blair's voice was commanding, and Rick blinked for a moment, mesmerized. His voice…it was drawing him in …
"Rick." The whisper was in back of him, breaking the spell he was falling under.
Startled, Rick turned around, and saw A.J. in the faint light.
"A.J.? How did you…."
"Followed your transmitter until it stopped working, then I heard Blair's voice." His brother murmured, then added, concerned, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but he isn't…look, when I move, get Laurie away from here…." Rick turned back to the scene enfolding in front of them.
"No, I won't …" Quentin was losing the battle, his eyes riveted to Blairs'. His hand wavered, then started to lower the gun he held on Blair. "That's it, Collins…you belong to me now…take your gun, and kill Mrs. Simon…do it!"
Incredibly Rick saw Quentin's hand shaking, then it began to point the gun towards Laurie. From behind his cousin, Barnabas appeared. He mouthed across the room towards Rick's hiding place…" Now!"
At once Rick came at Blair, catching him by surprise by pushing the old crucifix against him. He howled in shock, then stumbled back, breaking his hold on Quentin. Rick pursued him across the room, pinning him against the cavern wall.
Quentin shook his head, as if dazed, then pulled his own cross from his pocket and held it to the disappearing spirit, making him fade almost to nothing..
Suddenly Rick saw the warlock's hand creep into his pocket, and he pulled his own gun then fired it into Blair. Catching his fingers as they started to pull out something, there was an explosion, then Blair disintegrated into a pile of burning ash.
The cave started to shake as Barnabas threw his cross on top of the flaming debris, and Rick quickly turned and saw A.J. picking Laurie up from the ground. He went to her side and pulled the gag from her mouth as his brother untangled her from the chains.
"Rick…A.J.." She choked, trying to catch her breath. "Just breathe, sweetheart." Rick said, starting to untie her wrists.
"You heard me." Laurie said, leaning against him.
"Yes, darlin'…you're safe now. We'll have you free in a moment, …", Rick began, then Quentin interrupted him.
"No time…take Laurie and get out of here, guys…the caves about to collapse.." he hollered.
Lifting his wife up, Rick carried her out of the room and down the passageway toward the outer cavern, only for the walls to start crumbling.
"Look out!" Barnabas called from in back of him, then a light appeared up ahead.
"Rick? A.J.?" Oscar's voice carried down the hall, and Rick quickly responded.
"We're coming, the cave's about to collapse, just keep that light steady…"
"Just head towards us, Rick…..did you find Laurie?" Oscar called out, and Rick told him loudly, "Yes….and Blair's been destroyed!"
"Thank God!" Laurie murmured against him, and Rick ducked his head over her as another pile of rocks and debris came down, just missing them. Just then the light at the end of the passage brightened, then Oscar and Father Nick were helping guide them out of the caverns. Coughing at the last gust of dirt and gas belching out of the caves, Rick, A.J. and Laurie made it to the construction zone just outside the hospital. Carefully lowering her the ground, Rick sank down next to his wife and finished untying her. At once Oscar and Father Nick came over and took turns hugging them as Robbie helped first Barnabas then Quentin to sit down. Fatigue and exhaustion had taken hold of them, and Rick saw Laurie get teary at the sight of her son supporting the aging cousins.
"Rick….that horrible Blair hurt Robbie, I thought he'd kill him." She sniffed, and he tried to comfort her, saying, "He's okay, sweetheart…we all are." Looking over at a dusty and worn-out A.J., he met his gaze and added, "Thanks to A.J..."
"Father, help me take them to the ER…" Robbie asked, and the old priest paused to embrace a shaking Laurie then helped the weary Collins's across the courtyard.
"Come on, honey….I want Doc to look at you too.." Oscar said, after a moment, seeing her torn clothes and the bruises and scratches on her face. Laurie shook her head, clinging to Rick.
"I'm all right, Dad…just ….I was so scared … I want to go home…"
"I know, Laurie…but …Son…" Oscar looked at Rick, who settled the matter by getting a hand up from his father-in-law, then lifting Laurie up.
"Come on, darlin'…I promise not to leave you…" he said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her cheek.
"Yes, love, but…please don't let go.", she whispered, allowing him to lead the way.
Oscar just shook his head as A.J. grinned.
"Sorry, Dad…but Rick has better ways to persuade Sis."
"I should have known." The older man chuckled. "Come on, A.J., I think both of us can use a cup of coffee."
"Amen to that." A.J. sighed.