A/N: Data here... looks like it's my turn again :) I hope everyone has been enjoying our story - and many thanks to my co-writer 'Heir' for coming up with the plot behind it :)
CHAPTER EIGHT
"I think I'll have a look around," Robert announced. "Vicky, please stay here with your friends... and try to keep out of sight."
"Please be careful," she whispered to him. Robert smiled knowingly at his sister and nodded. As he made his way carefully towards the altar, Vicky led the others to a darkened corner of the cathedral near the main entrance.
"What's your brother doing?" Miley asked Vicky quietly.
"Trying to find the bad guys," Vicky answered with a small smile. The sound of a heavy door opening somewhere in the distance startled them all.
"What was that?!" Jackson gasped.
"It sounds like somebody's coming," Oliver replied, trying to stay calm. The candelit interior of the cathedral was suddenly illuminated by the harsh beam of a flashlight, accompanied by the sound of footsteps.
"Who's there?" a harsh voice called out.
"Just a simple pilgrim, seeking a moment's rest," Robert replied in Maltese. "I was fortunate to find the cathedral open so late."
"You're awfully well-dressed for a 'simple pilgrim'," the other voice said angrily. The sound of a gun being cocked echoed in the darkness. Miley felt Vicky tense beside her.
"Get your hands up!" the angry voice yelled. Robert did so, and calmly allowed himself to be led towards the secret entrance to the catacombs, from which the armed sentry had emerged. Seeing the pale, flickering light emanating from the subterranean passageway below, Robert knew the kidnappers had to be holed up below. Very carefully, he began to slow his pace.
"Keep moving," the sentry growled.
"My shoe is untied," Robert told him. "Mind if I stop a moment to tie it?"
"Fine," the sentry replied after a moment. "Just make it quick." Robert nodded and bent down, pretending to reach for his shoe. Instead, he watched the sentry carefully out of the corner of his eye, waiting for the moment his guard would drop. The instant it did, Robert jumped up and leveled the guard with a thunderous blow to his chin. Wasting no time, Robert quickly grabbed the fallen sentry's gun and ran back to where his sister and the others were hiding.
"Robert! Are you okay?!" Vicky called out in alarm.
"I'm fine," he replied, "but I found the way down into the catacombs. That must be where they're holding your friend." Miley's eyes widened.
"What? Where?!" she gasped. Robert gestured back the way he'd come from. The moment he did so, Miley jumped to her feet and began running towards it as fast as she could.
"Miley, stop!" Vicky called out to her. "You don't know what's down there!" Miley was beyond listening though. Love and concern for Lilly sent her bolting for the secret passageway, with no room in her thoughts for anything else. The others had little choice but to follow her as quickly as they could.
Unfortunately for Miley, the entrance to the secret passageway had somehow been closed, and she had absolutely no way of knowing how to open it. The others caught up to her a few moments later.
"Don't ever do that again, Miles!" Jackson snapped. "You scared us to death!" Miley hung her head.
"I'm sorry," she replied softly. "It's just… Lilly…"
"We know you want to help her," Vicky said, "but you won't do her any good if you get hurt yourself." Miley nodded slowly.
"What happened to the entrance?" Robert called out.
"Looks like it closed somehow," Vicky answered her brother. "Where around here did you see it, bro?" Robert pointed to a darkened part of a nearby wall.
"Sure doesn't look like anything's here now," Jackson said. "Just this stone." He gestured to a dark stone rising out the floor beside the wall.
"Looks like a tombstone," Vicky whispered. "Wait a minute… the symbols on it! I recognize them!"
"You do?" Miley asked incredulously. Vicky nodded.
"I think they're the crests of my family – my mother's and my father's. This one looks like my father's…" She gently touched the image of two hands clasped beneath a black sword, surrounded by three stars. The moment her finger slid against the blade of the sword, the wall beside them began to rumble and shake. Amazingly, the secret entrance they'd been looking for suddenly opened in front of them.
"Whoa!" Oliver gasped. "Way to go, Vicky!"
"Uh, thanks…" she replied, blushing slightly, "but I really didn't…"
"Come on!" Miley shouted. "Let's go!" Jackson grabbed her before she could run of again.
"Together this time," he said firmly. Miley took a deep breath.
"All right," she managed. Jackson smiled, and together they crept through the secret door. A curving stairwell, carved out of stone, led downwards into darkness. At the base of the stairs, a flickering torch illuminated a small open chamber.
"Doesn't look like anyone's here," Robert said quietly.
"I don't know," Miley replied hesitantly. "Something doesn't feel right…" Seconds later, shots rang out, ricocheting off the wall behind them.
"Get down!" Robert shouted.
"Intruders!" Ivan shouted in the distance.
"They're after the girl, you fool!" Maximilian hissed. "Quick, cover our escape!" More gunshots rang out.
"We can't let them get away!" Miley shouted in a panic.
"They won't," Robert promised. "Just wait a few seconds…" Abruptly, the gunfire ceased.
"Now what?" Jackson complained.
"They're reloading," Robert replied. "Come on, now's our chance!" As one, they barreled down the stairs and confronted the would-be gunmen below. Ivan and Ugo were not even able to defend themselves, and soon found themselves at the mercy of the angry group of teenagers (and Robert).
"Where's Lilly?" Miley angrily demanded.
"You'll never find her," Ivan growled.
"Wrong answer," Oliver retorted, grabbing Ivan's gun and pointing it at him.
"You're just a child," Ivan muttered. "You won't shoot me."
"Are you willing to be your life on that?" Oliver responded, cocking the weapon.
"Uh, Oliver…" Jackson interrupted. "Maybe you shouldn't…"
"Stay out of it, Jackson!" Oliver snapped. "It's my best friend they've got!"
"You think this is what she'd want?!" Jackson argued.
"She'd probably thank me!" Oliver shouted back. He began to wave the stolen gun back and forth between Ivan and Ugo.
"Wait!" Ugo wailed. "Please, don't shoot me! I'll tell you where she is!"
"I'm listening," Oliver replied, a slight edge to his voice.
"The boss has her!" Ugo wailed. "He's taking her to our secondary hideout!"
"Where is it?" Oliver demanded.
"You'll never know," another voice cut in. Maximilian stepped up behind Oliver and the others, wielding a weapon of his own.
"I'm disappointed in you, Ugo… divulging classified information to a pack of wretched children. It is fortunate I decided to return when I did."
"P-please boss, I…"
"Not another word," Maximilian hissed. "You've become a liability Ugo, and too much is at stake." He whirled around and fired a single quick shot, sending a bullet speeding into his disloyal former lackey's heart. Ugo fell dead in the blink of an eye.
"Now… I think it's time to…" He never got to finish his sentence. Something dark and heavy hurtled towards him, smashing into his face. Momentarily stunned by the gun Oliver had thrown at him, Maximilian fell back. Miley rushed at him and delivered a sharp kick to his knee, dropping him where he stood.
"Now tell us where Lilly is!" Miley shouted, standing over him.
"You are brave, girl," Maximilian muttered. "I admire that… but I've come too far to allow a mere girl to interfere with my plans!" Jumping to his feet, Maximilian made a wild grab for Miley.
"Miley, look out!" Vicky screamed. Thinking only of helping her friend, she rushed forward and pushed Miley out of the way. Maximilian angrily grabbed her instead.
"That was a foolish thing to do," he hissed. "If you're so anxious to help your friend, girl, than you can just take her place!" Pulling Vicky roughly against him, Maximilian retrieved his weapon and pointed it at her head.
"If you ever wish to see this girl alive again, you would be wise not to follow me!" he threatened. Slowly but surely, he began to back out of the chamber, taking Vicky with him as his hostage. The others could only watch helplessly, knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do to stop him.
A few moments later, Maximilian appeared above ground, dragging Vicky to a waiting car. Melita was waiting for him.
"What's going on?" she demanded, noticing Vicky.
"She's an insurance policy," Maximilian replied, "to keep her friends from interfering again. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of room for them both in our new hideout." With Melita's help, Maximilian bound Vicky's hands behind her, then quickly strapped her into the back seat of their car beside Lilly.
"Vicky?" Lilly gasped. "Oh no, they got you too?"
"Lilly, what have they done to you?!" Vicky replied, wincing at her black eye and the long bruise down one of Lilly's cheeks.
"It looks worse than it feels," Lilly told her, struggling to smile. "Where's Miley? Is she okay?!"
"She's all right," Vicky whispered back. "She's with my brother and the others." Despite the seriousness of the situation, Vicky couldn't help but smile a little.
"You really care about her, don't you?" she asked. Lilly hung her head.
"You have no idea…" she said quietly. As they talked, the car sped away, bound for an uncertain future.
Back in the catacombs, Robert, Jackson, Oliver and Miley faced a crisis of their own.
"This is all my fault," Miley sobbed. "If I hadn't been so eager to get Lilly back… if I had just listened…!"
"It is not your fault," Robert replied calmly. "My sister did what she did to save you." He started to rub his temples, his teeth clenched. "God! Was now really the time for one of her stupid moments?!"
"We'll get her back too," Oliver promised. Robert nodded.
"I know," Robert responded. "I think perhaps you should refrain from threatening anyone else with a gun, though."
"Oh, that?" Oliver replied. "That was nothing… just an act. You know, good cop – bad cop?" He gestured to Jackson. Robert just arched an eyebrow.
"O-kay… maybe not," Oliver muttered. "Anyway, how are we gonna find out where they're going now? Vicky was the one who led us here."
"My sister is very smart and clever," Robert said, smiling just a little. "I have no doubt she'll find a way to leave us a clue."
"Maybe someone already did," Jackson answered. He walked over to where Maximilian had been standing and picked up what appeared to be a piece of paper off the ground.
"What is it?" Oliver asked.
"Looks like some kind of note," Jackson responded. "I'm not sure I understand it, though… what is Ġgantija?"
"Let me see," Robert asked. Jackson carefully handed him the note.
"Ġgantija, 12:00," Robert read the note aloud.
"Does that mean anything to you?" Oliver asked him. Robert nodded carefully.
"In fact, it does… I believe I may know where they have taken my sister and your friend."
"Where?" Miley managed, wiping away her tears. Robert looked at her and smiled.
"Gozo."