Hey Guys, welcome back! Here's Chapter 21, enjoy!

The Deal

"Where's Alex?" His sister, Rebecca exclaims frantically.

"Maybe we'll know more once we get to the security room." Joe suggests.

They won't find him. The room is a blind spot.

"I think a few of us should get Gary out of here and the others should go look for Alex," Dot recommends.

Let him go, I don't care.

Jetpack Guy and Rookie starts off with Gary and go towards the exit.

"Where's the security room?" Rebecca asks Joe and Dot.

Joe points down to another hallway on the right.

"It's that way!" He remarks.

Let them come. I'm ready.

The trio rushes down the hall and then turns right.

"I hope my brother is okay," Rebecca mutters.

Define okay.

They reach the security room to find it locked.

"Someone's in there," Joe points out.

No duh...why else would it be locked?

Rebecca ties something around the door knob, explosive floss.

Hello there.

"Micheal," Joe states. "Where did you take Alex?'

Micheal shrugs, casually. "His mind is in another world, you could say."

Rebecca gasps as the statement clicks.

"You didn't!" The voice falters.

"I did," he confirms.

"Bring him back!" She demands.

"Can't. Once you've been transferred there's no coming back. It's a one way trip. Believe me I know."

Rebecca collapses to the floor.

"Why? Why did you send him there?" She exclaims.

"It was of his own free will," Micheal explains.

"Oh sure it is," Joe remarks, harshly.

Dot hurries over to the monitors and Micheal doesn't stop him.

"He went after Sarah," Micheal reveals.

"Sarah," Rebecca repeats in a small whisper.

Rebecca glares at Micheal in disgust.

"It was a trap and she was the bait!"

Micheal smiles, "you figured it out before he did."

Rebecca's heart sank, would she ever see Alex again? Joe took a step forward, analyzing the penguin before him.

"You said you've been through the transfer," he recalls. "Well you're back here now which means there is a way to return."

"Wrong," Micheal snaps. "There is no way back."

Rebecca jumps to her feet and the group realizes what he means.

"How long have you been gone?" Rebecca asks, "from your home."

Micheal rubs the back of his neck and sighs.

"Seven years," he answers. "I was eight when the transfer was made. I was the first test subject but I didn't know until Alex showed up at TAG headquarters. Then I started to really question things. I've exhausted every resource to find a way back and Mr. PoodleX450 knows that, but still it's impossible."

Rebecca walks up to Micheal and punches him in the arm.

"And you let Alex go in there, knowing he can't return!" She yells almost to the point of hysteria. "Where is Alex's user then?"

Micheal rubs his sore arm but doesn't answer.

"Tell me!" She screams.

Micheal steps back.

"Sorry...but I won't."

Micheal suddenly disappears, teleporting somewhere else. Rebecca begins to cry. Dot comes over and hugs her.

"It happened again!" She sobs again, "I've lost Alex again!"

Joe walks back over to the monitors, his mind racing for answers. A blind spot...where? He looks up at the cameras, searching for the blind spot.

Alex's user, Marcus, wakes up with a start, still strapped into the machine. The door clicks shut and Micheal enters.

"Why are you doing this?" Marcus demands, a little groggy. "How is this even real?"

"Oh it's very real all right." Micheal confirms, reading his face.

Marcus struggles with the restraints but it's useless.

"What do you want from me?" He exclaims.

Micheal looks up at the ceiling as if trying to remember the reason why himself.

"Nothing, at the moment." Micheal answers.

"Then why are you keeping me here! Take me back!" He requests.

"Right now, the reason you've been transferred is because Alex went after someone who was also transferred." Micheal explains.

"Who's Alex?" He asks.

"He's the one who use to inhabit the body you're in right now."

"So we switched places?"

"Exactly," Micheal confirms.

Marcus starts to think for a moment before talking again.

"There's always a way back," he resolves.

"Oh really?" Micheal exclaims, amused. "And you think that you could find it?"

Alex's user blinks and stares at Micheal, as if trying to find a hidden motive.

"Not if I'm tied up here," he answers.

Micheal nods, "very well. I'll make a deal with you. I'll give you one week to find a way back. I'll give you all my research and TAG's on the project and every resource available."

"One week," Marcus repeats. "And then?"

"If you succeed, I'll let you return back to your world and if you don't...you might as well get used to this world here since you won't be going back."

"What's the catch?"

"There isn't one."

"There always is."

"Not always."

Micheal wraps a band around Marcus's arm.

"I trust you won't do anything stupid," he informs. "Any attempt at escape and the deal is off, cutting your chance to return to your own world."

Micheal releases him from the machine and watches as he looks around the room.

"I'll have someone bring the supplies and research," Micheal answers.

Marcus nods.

"Oh and one more thing, I've taken years to find a way back."

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing much just that if you think you can win this deal, you better be a genius in Science and Technology."

"I have to be smarter that you," Marcus states. "Are you testing me?"

Micheal shrugs, "who knows?"

"All right then. Fine, let's get started," Marcus remarks.

Do you think Alex's user can find a way back to his/our world? Micheal still seems to have his own agenda what could it possibly be? Can Rebecca, Dot, and Joe find Marcus in time? Find out April 27th.

RR:

The Ender Pickaxe: It certainly has been a while, my bad. You can go ahead and save your money on that new rope for now, you'll probably be needing it later.

Rosa Blythe: Don't hurt your brain that last one, you'll figure it out eventually but maybe not in the near future. As for Mr. PoodleX450, he seems to have already had enough of a sneak peak of this world.