Chapter Eight

Bianca sat in the middle of the hotel room floor, her tools and other supplies strewn around her and took a sip of her coffee. Smiling, she looked up at the sleeping figure lying on one of the beds. Larry had insisted on staying up all night with her and helping her, but she had insisted that he rest and forego his own cup of java. Both of them were worried sick about Balki, but Bianca was better at covering up her worry by diving into her work. At least with Larry asleep, he couldn't see the stray tears that cascaded down her cheek ever so often as she thought about being betrayed by Max, the kidnapping, being worried about Balki and her own twinge of guilt. Surely there was something she could've done differently to keep Larry and Balki out of danger.

"Grandfather, if you can hear me now, you have to help me. I've put innocent lives in danger because of my stupidity. Now Larry and Balki are separated and it's all my fault for trusting that creep Max. I just don't know what to do and I don't know if I can recreate this machine in time to save Balki. Just please tell me what to do or give me a sign," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks once more.

"Bianca?" Larry mumbled, stirring.

"Everything's fine, Larry. Go back to sleep," she sniffed.

Larry looked at her before climbing off the bed and sitting across from her. "No, everything's not alright. You're crying. And who were you talking to?"

Bianca smiled through her tears. "My grandfather, may he rest in peace. If ever I needed his wisdom, it's now."

"I'm sorry about your grandfather, but it's nice that you still talk to him," Larry replied, rolling the screwdriver back and forth in his hands. "A couple of months ago, Balki's grandmother, Yaya Biki passed away on her way here to America to see Balki. He tried to pretend he wasn't sad, but I told him it would help if he talked to her and told her goodbye. If you, uh, don't mind me asking, how long has your grandfather–"

"Fourteen years," Bianca interrupted. "You see, my grandfather and I had this amazing connection; it defied all logic. He was an inventor and a tech geek like me and he taught me everything I know. When I was five, I remember he told me 'Bianca, you and I have a bond like no other; you know it and I know it. If ever you should need me, no matter when or where, all you have to do is think of that bond and our love and we can communicate as if we were in the same room.'"

"Wow. And did it work?"

Bianca smiled and wiped away a tear. "Yeah, it did. I've been talking to my grandfather ever since. Of course now that he's gone, we can't have conversations, but I can still hear him occasionally or can feel him around me. Maybe you and Balki have that bond."

Larry stared down at the screwdriver sheepishly. "I just hope he's okay. I know Balki can take care of himself, but I just hate not knowing if he thinks we abandoned him; that I've abandoned him."

"Then try it. If you truly love Balki more than you love yourself, just close your eyes and concentrate. Focus all of your love and energy on Balki and maybe, perhaps, your bond is as strong as mine and Grandfather's."

Larry looked at her hopefully. "I guess I could give it a try."

Bianca stood up and walked towards the door. "You talk to Balki and I'll go get some more of those free cookies and coffee in the lobby."

As soon as Bianca left, tears formed once again in the corner of her eyes. "Please Grandfather. Let Larry connect with Balki the way we do. That's all I ask."

"Balki?"

Balki tried to raise his head up to look around, but it felt as if it were filled with rocks. His throat was parched and he felt cold sweat drip down his neck. He tried to remember what happened after Max, Lylo and Urpos took him out of the apartment, but the fog in his brain was too thick.

"Balki, can you hear me buddy?"

"Hoh?" he mumbled, knowing he heard that voice somewhere before. Licking his lips, he spoke in a hoarse voice. "Who dat?"

"It's me, Balki; it's Larry! Are you hurt? Are–are you alright?"

"Cousin? Is that really you or is it just a collage?" he asked, forcing himself to look up and around.

"I'm sorry, Balki. I'm still with Bianca. We're trying to get back to Chicago to save you, buddy, I promise. Bianca is trying to build a new time machine so we can get back. Balki, listen to me; it's going to be alright. Just stay strong," Larry's voice told him, his voice cracking.

Suddenly, Balki remembered that Max had shoved him in a taxi and they drove to an abandoned cottage-like house before one of Max's friends hit him over the head with something. When Balki came to, he was tied to yet another metal chair and forced to drink some nasty liquid that tasted like pepper juice and liquidized sulfur. He tried to remember what he heard before he felt the world spin around him and passed out again. He felt it was something important…

"Balki, are you still there?" Cousin Larry's voice cried out desperately. "Balki, please talk to me."

"I'm trying to remember, Cousin, but I have a headache the size of a Texan."

"What are you trying to remember? Is it important? If it is, you need to remember. Focus and remember."

"The machine. Where is the machine?" Balki asked slowly.

"Bianca took a sledgehammer to it last night. She's building another one so Max can't control it with her iPad device."

"I hope Urpos wasn't still inside. That would have been–Urpos!" Balki cried, his voice sounding back to normal and excited again. "Cousin, I remember!"

"Sssh, keep your voice down! You don't want Max to hear you!" Larry scolded.

"Sorry, Cousin," he said, his voice an octave lower.

"No, Balki, I mean don't talk so loud. What about Urpos?"

"Before I pass out from whatever Max gave me to drink, he says, 'Urpos, I'm going to make the time machine appear and I want you to get inside and go back to where Bianca and Larry are. Find them and bring Bianca to me,'" Balki told him, imitating Max's cold and harsh voice.

"But Bianca destroyed the machine, so there's no way he could have gotten–unless he showed up while we were at the hardware store! Oh my Lord, I've got to warn Bianca!" Larry panicked.

"Now, Cousin, don't lose your mind. Bianca is there with you and she–"

"No, she's not! She left to get some food from the lobby! Balki, I have to find her before Urpos does! Thank you, Balki and I promise, buddy; we're going to come back for you. I just hope we come back alive!"

Balki could feel sleep drifting back, but he didn't want to lose Larry. "Cousin, wait. Don't go. Promise that you'll keep…an eye on Cupydon. I don't know where…he is…"