Chapter 11

Alamein and Alzrand

Part 2

[In Previous Chapters: The Crew of the Legacy came into port when they realized a small political dispute was taking place between the twin islands of Alamein and Alzrand. Pirates have been marauding their fishing areas to the south. Captain Amelia has decided to send the cadets into town for supplies before they pave way to the south in search of the pirates. Jim is jealous a boy named Ryan has garnered Alice's attention, insinuating an argument between the three of them whether Ryan has been flirting with her. Meanwhile Raymond and Douglass are still keeping away from each other, unable to let go of their feud involving Anne Marie. As the mysterious Bancroft T. Thatcher prints more lies about the crew in the Galactic Press, Amherst, Amelia's first mate, was given the task of keeping tabs on her by the Admiralty lest she slip up again and lose her rank for good.]

"I guess I shouldn't have started the argument," Jim sighed, rubbing his neck. "I'm just jealous, and it's stupid to be jealous, right?"

"Come on, Jim, this sort of stuff is natural. Every guy gets upset when they think another more attractive man is trying to steal their girlfriend," Ray scoffed.

"So, Ryan is more attractive?" Jim asked hesitantly.

"I don't know, if I were Alice I'd probably go for him."

"Oh, great," Jim's shoulders slumped as Ray smirked and punched his shoulder.

"Lighten up, Hawkins. She's not going to leave you for that bozo anyway. You need to learn to let it go," he poked Jim in the ribs. Jim arched an eyebrow and stopped in the middle of their walk to cross his arms.

"You think you're one to talk? What about you and Doug's ongoing fight?" he demanded. Ray's step faltered as well while he turned back to face Jim.

"That's different!" he bristled.

"How?"

"I didn't ditch my best friend for a relationship! You take the bro code to the grave, and it's obvious that he doesn't care about our friendship anymore!" Ray exploded.

"The only thing obvious to me is that he misses hanging out with you, and you do him. So what if he has a girlfriend? What about your ex-girlfriends? Did he ever get upset when you dated them?"

"That's…that's an unfair question," Ray spluttered.

"Why? Because it's true?" Jim shot back. Ray looked ready to boil before, surprisingly, he released his hot breath of air and slapped his face.

"I guess I just got in too deep and now I can't back out because I've got my dignity to preserve," he groaned. Jim took a step forward as he shoved his hands into his pockets and let the noise of the town crowds wash over him. He glanced to his right to make sure Morph was still close by. The shape shifter darted around them in a wide circle, examining their surroundings with his curious eyes. At last Jim sighed.

"Okay, this is what you and I are going to do. When we get back to the ship we're both going to make this right," he said. Ray looked hesitant but he nodded.

"Fine."

"And you've got to apologize to Anne Marie," Jim added. Ray opened and closed his mouth, searching for the right words. At last he gave Jim a devilish smirk.

"Fine, but you have to apologize to Ryan."

"Deal," Jim swallowed as they shook on it and continued up the street, Morph following after. "So what's next on the list?" Jim and Ray had partnered up after Amherst sent some groups of cadets into town to get their desired supplies. They'd be moving cargo for the remainder of the day before taking off toward the pirate base south of Alamein and Alzrand. They wandered around for some time, getting lost in the crowded streets as they paid vendors to send crates of cargo down to the dock the Legacy was resting on. Several times, Jim had to stop Morph from making off with a piece of fruit or a biscuit. Jim swore that blob was always hungry. They were nearing the bottom of the list when Jim felt a prickle of fear crawl up his spine.

He turned around quick to see only the townsfolk going about their businesses. He shrugged it off and followed his friend as he slipped back into how he might phrase his apology to Ryan.

"Sorry, but I don't trust you with my girlfriend because you're better looking than I am."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your attempt to flirt."

"Sorry, oh wait, I'm not."

Jim rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. Ryan was more attractive. Jim knew he shouldn't be afraid, but why did he feel so protective? Maybe Jim just hadn't been around when Alice interacted with other guys at the Academy and so he didn't understand their acquaintance was natural. The more he thought about it, the more Jim realized the only guys he had seen Alice interact with for extended periods of time were Doug and Ray, and Jim knew his two best friends would never overstep a boundary.

He wanted to bury himself in embarrassment when he thought about how he'd snapped at Ryan. They really were just hanging out and Jim was being ridiculous.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a jerk."

That sounded alright, Jim supposed. He didn't want to be the possessive boyfriend who wouldn't even let his girlfriend enhance her social life. Besides, he reminded himself, she's watched Josephine kiss me. Ryan never did anything other than try to get to know her. I'm an idiot, Jim thought miserably. He had to admit it was an argument that should never have taken place.

He was drawn from his mental abuse when he felt the same prickle of fear attach itself to his spine. Jim spun around again, grabbing Ray's arm to stop him from wandering ahead.

"What?" Ray asked as Jim's eyes darted back and forth on the street.

"Do you feel like someone is following us?" Jim asked, Morph coming to rest on Jim's shoulder.

"No, now come on. I think the last thing we need is one street over," Ray pointed out, cutting through an alleyway. Jim was about to protest, but shrugged it off. After his incidents with Rob, perhaps he was acting too paranoid. They were halfway down the narrow alley when Jim noticed a rather haggard looking alien man approaching from the opposite way. Jim stopped, pulling Ray up short as the man halted in his advancement as well. The alley walls pressed in on either side of them and Jim tried to maintain his quiet unease of small spaces. There was no room to pass the stranger a few yards in front of them. The man had his head bent down, but raised it a moment later to reveal two shaded eyes from where a hat was pulled low over his forehead. His mouth was obstructed by a red bandana. All in all, his frame was burly, rough, and moreover dangerous. Jim raised his hands, taking a careful step forward so as to approach the stranger and show they just wanted to pass. Morph clung to Jim's shoulder, burrowing into his master's neck as if Jim could protect him.

"Excuse us," Jim grunted, trying to lead the way forward.

Almost at once the man reacted. He pulled his hand up, drawing his bandana away from his carnivorous mouth.

"Gotcha," he sneered removing a fully charged pistol from his deep coat pocket.

"Time to go," Ray choked as he and Jim turned to run in the opposite direction when they spotted three more pirates closing in fast. Ray let out a scream, Morph a shriek, as the pirates took aim. They were trapped and about to be gunned down in a side-street massacre. Jim thought fast, kicking open a wooden door to their right and dragging Ray into the building. The chase was on.

"Why are we being attacked by pirates on a public street?" Ray demanded as Jim tried to bar the door. Morph shifted into a siren and then a flashing light while releasing anxious warbles.

"I don't know, but we've got to get back to the Legacy!" Jim cried as the pirates fired at the doorway. Ray bolted up a rickety stairwell and into a musty looking apartment.

"I trust your judgment now, Jim!" he yelled as Jim took the lead, thankful the apartment was empty.

"Well it's a little late for that!" Jim returned as the door below banged open and footsteps resounded up the stairs. Morph dove into Jim's pocket to seek cover as the young man spun around, spotting a window against the opposite wall. "Quick, the window," he ordered, as Ray reached for the hatch throwing the window wide.

"Are we really going to -?"

"Jump!" Jim gasped as the pirates closed in behind them. He gave Ray a rough shove as both of them leapt out into open air. The pirates fired out after them, narrowly missing their heads as the two boys free fell.

"Agh!" they both yelled, their voices having been cut off when they landed on an awning above a vendor's stand. At once the awning collapsed under their weight, sending fruits and vegetables flying. As Jim tried to untangle himself from the mess, his eyes caught a glint of something across the street. He helped Ray to his feet, sending a hurried apology over his shoulder to the merchant who was furious at the "Ruffians". Panic erupted in the streets as the pirates continued to fire at them. Jim pushed toward what he hoped would be a way to stop the renegades behind them.

"Um, Jim, the docks are that way," Ray pointed.

"We need a faster way to get there," Jim shot back as they finally reached the other side of the street to find two young alien boys on their scooters. They boys tried to scooter away as Jim and Ray came barreling toward them, but Jim jumped in front of them, out of breath.

"Whoa, wait, hi," Jim panted, out of breath. "We're in a tight situation."

"We need your scooters," Ray pleaded. The two boys, who looked to be around the age of twelve, stared back.

"Why would I give you my scooter?" the first boy scoffed. One of the pirates fired a shot over their head that shattered a window of a shop beside them.

"That's why," Ray snapped as the boys abandoned their scooters. Jim, realizing he had probably just robbed two young civilians of their safety, stopped them before they could disappear in the crowd.

"See that cellar? Stay down and don't leave until you know everything is okay. The pirates are after us. We'll get your scooters back to you after we've drawn them away, I promise," Jim announced, putting a hand on the older boy's shoulder. The boy nodded, trusting Jim's judgment and realizing these teenagers were cadets. When Jim was sure the boys were safe, he hopped on the scooter and gunned the engine as another volley just missed Jim's side.

"Can we go now?" Ray complained as Jim took the lead. The scooter was a little short for Jim, perfect size for Ray, but neither of them were worried about that. Jim kicked the solar scooter into gear. It wasn't as fast a solar surfer, but it would do. They wound through the chaos of the streets, attempting to escape, but the pirates were right behind them, some appearing out of nowhere to block their path and cause them to backtrack.

"How many of them are there?" Jim demanded, seeing another pair pushing their way toward them.

Civilians were frantic as merchants attempted to save their products, and others ran for shelter, tripping over each other as they struggled to escape the madness that had become the streets. Robot constables were rolling in, searching for the culprits, but they were unable to push through the frenzy. Some able bodied men and women had picked up their own weapons, but the pirates were few and far between, chasing after moving targets which happened to be Jim and Ray. The police didn't know who they were supposed to be firing at in their scenario.

Meanwhile, Jim was enjoying the wind in his face, perhaps a bit too much, for he went so far as to taunt the pirates behind them.

"Yeehaa! Catch me if you can, slowpokes!" he mocked, glancing over his shoulder when he heard Ray's shout.

"Jim, look out!"

Jim turned around at the last minute to see he was moments away from smashing into a vendor. The alien man held up his hands, preparing for impact.

Jim sucked in a sharp breath as, at the last moment, he jerked on the scooter's handles sending him veering in the opposite direction. He had just missed the man's Moonfish stocks. The pirates fired another warning shot causing Ray to swerve to the right to avoid it, nudging a panel of barrels in return and causing the rope to snap.

"Oh come on!" Ray complained as he looked over his shoulder to see the barrels tumbling after him. He twisted his body, yelping as the barrels hit the ground and exploded sending a black liquid splaying out over the street. A captain who had been taking inventory of the barrels, roared insults at Ray. He was demanding young man stop to clean up the mess, when a barrel tipped and drenched him in the oily liquid.

"Sorry!" Ray called back to him, unable to contain his laughter despite the situation. The barrels had provided a temporary shield from the pirates' oncoming firing squad at least. "I'll buy you stain remover!"

As he sped on ahead, he caught sight of Jim being chased down now not only by pirates but robot constables and other law enforcers, attempting to catch the pirates. They were having about as much luck as Jim, however, in navigating the pandemonium.

"'Scuse me, coming through!" Ray cried, charging right toward the line of pirates chasing after Jim, guns drawn. Ray knew he had to act fast. Jim was losing speed and fatigue was setting in. He wasn't flexible enough to dodge all of the shots being fired. Ray let out a scream that mixed with the chaos of the street while he hurled through the group of pirates, splitting them up as half the group were overwhelmed by the constables, and the other half continued to pursue Ray and Jim. "Yeah, how do you like that?" Ray taunted, taking a wide turn as he attempted to catch up to Jim.

"I've got you!"

Ray gasped and ducked to avoid a pirate's sword swiping at his head. He pushed the scooter as fast as it could go, finally neck and neck beside Jim.

"Nice of you to drop in," Jim teased before his expression became panicked. "Go right!" he ordered, turning into another side street with Ray following after seconds away from the pirate pulling the trigger. Ray glanced over his shoulder to see the swashbuckler hadn't followed them. He thought hard about the angle of the street they were in and realized they were parallel with the docks.

"Jim, they're trying to block off our way to the docks!" Ray called over the noise of Armageddon. Jim realized that what Ray said was true as they left the side street, finding the open road once again. A determination flared in the pit of his stomach then as his eyes darted about, searching for an escape. Between the chaos of the streets, and the pirates appearing around every bend, Jim knew it was their only chance. If they could lead them toward the docks, the crew of the Legacy could stop them from harming civilians. For even the robot constables were of no use in the fray. Jim shot Ray a smirk.

"Follow me," he ordered, picking up speed. Jim angled his body so as to appear more aerodynamic as he pressed the scooter to reach maximum speed (which still wasn't as fast as Jim would have liked). The stack of crates with the planks of wood leaning against the side were the perfect half pipe to send them airborne.

"Um, Jim?" Ray panted, trying to dodge pedestrians as he caught up with Jim's scooter. "I don't want to scare you, but we're about to crash!"

"Hang on!" Jim called, ignoring Ray's mortified cry as their scooters raced up the incline and over the tops of the crates. It had the desired effect. Jim held onto his scooter's handle bars so hard his knuckles turned white as they passed right over the heads of the pirates who had been trying to block the street off. The pirates took aim and fired, narrowly missing Jim and Ray. The dark skinned boy did not stop screaming until their scooters hit the ground once more. Although the scooters were meant to hover, they were not designed for solar flight. Thus, when landing, the bed of air the scooters usually rested upon gave out from the momentum. The scooter's bottom hit the ground bouncing Jim back up as his knees locked together, his ankles burning from the shock of the landing.

He slowed enough to regain his composure and double back to make sure Ray was alright. Besides a stream of curses, he seemed to have survived with as much pain as Jim.

"Yeah!" Jim laughed as they sped toward the docks. Here the general hubbub of the town was clearing to be replaced by dockhands and service bots. Jim slowed his scooter as he turned a final corner behind an enormous wall of cargo preparing to be lifted onto a nearby ship. A crane above them had a pulley system and was using the ropes to hold a rather large bundle of crates above their heads. It seemed the workers were on lunch break, for the crane remained motionless. Jim powered down the scooter as Ray turned the corner as well and both of them slumped against the tower of boxes.

"What in Kinapis' name just happened?" Ray wheezed, nursing his ankles.

"I don't know. Whoever they were I think we've lost them," Jim panted, wiping the perspiration from his face and allowing himself to cool down. Morph flew out of Jim's pocket at last to cover both boys in licks, pleased they were still alive and well.

"Okay, Morph," Ray swatted at him, giving the protoplasm a small smile. "Let's find Captain Amelia. We've got to let her know about what's going on."

Jim agreed, taking a step forward and pushing his scooter beside him when Morph let out a shriek and pointed at the sky. Jim and Ray looked up in horror to see that one of the pirates had managed to follow them. He was kneeling on the crates far above their heads and holding out a sword.

"Think again, boys!" he let out a vicious cackle and with one swipe of his cutlass, diced the ropes. The load of cargo was free falling. Abandoning the scooters, Jim dove for Ray, tackling the boy to the side right as the falling cargo hit the ground exploding in a mess of fish and splinters of wood, crunching the metal scooters like tin cans. Ray helped Jim up as the two boys took off at a dead run, Morph staying close behind. Jim glanced up and could just see the Legacy's flag rippling in the breeze over the mountains of cargo on the loading dock. He took a right, prepared to see the imperial vessel.

Jim stopped dead.

Ray slid to a halt behind him as Morph once again sought refuge in Jim's pocket.

Two of the brigands stood before them with their pistols cocked, loaded, and aimed inches from Jim and Ray's heads. Jim narrowed his eyes, standing stock still as his assailant smirked.

"Light's out."

And he pulled the trigger.

The world was black and spinning. There was a distinctive ringing sound which resounded throughout the void. It hurt. In fact the more Jim became aware of his surroundings the more he realized all of his muscles ached. He felt as if someone had hit him with a hammer. It hurt to breathe, to move, to stay conscious of what was happening. He wondered if he was dead and if so, why did everything hurt?

"…Wake them…"

Jim grunted, his head lolling as he felt two hands grip his face and pry his eyelids open. A blurry image of a wrinkled alien man swam into view.

"Open your eyes," the man ordered, releasing Jim's lids as the boy let them slip closed once again. Was the man…real? Jim's head felt foggy, unable to hold onto perception. "I said open your eyes!" the man barked.

Something struck the side of Jim's head as his eyes flew open and watered from the now stinging pain radiating across his cheek. He gasped for air when his body shuddered and he automatically curled his limbs closer to himself. The slap had done the job. Jim was beginning to realize he was, in fact, not dead. As Jim's eyes focused on the room around him, he realized he was in some sort of gray warehouse. Three of the brutish pirates loomed over him as Jim rested against a crate. He tried to bring a hand up to rub his head when he realized his wrists were bound together.

"About time you boys joined us," one of the pirates sneered. He was tall, menacing, with bulging arm muscle and tattoos on his shoulders. He was shirtless, showing off his blue gray skin and monstrous feet stuffed into rough leather boots. His head was roundish and small, a shiny bald, his teeth black.

Jim realized this must be the leader of the group, judging by how the other two pirates reacted around him. He also realized this must be the man who had slapped him. Someone made a noise of complaint to Jim's right and he turned his head to see Ray sitting in a similar position with only his hands bound, still trying to fight off the sleep.

"What – What happened?" he rasped. Jim bit the inside of his cheek, wishing the pounding in his head would subside. His body ached all over and chills erupted on his skin. For whatever reason the pirates had refused to bind their legs and Jim thought of this as an advantage. He tried to push himself up when he fell back against the crate, moaning as the pain became torrential.

"Aww, hurts doesn't it?" the lead pirate smirked. "You lads won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Here's the deal." Jim cringed when the man knelt down to their level. Up close he looked more unkempt than Jim had originally given him credit for. And he smelled, like bad B.O. Then again, Jim wasn't sure if there was such a thing as good B.O. "You're going to wait here and in an hour my sponsor is going to come deliver the gold and pick the two of you up."

"So that's why you didn't shoot us?" Jim panted, still weary, but beginning to recover his old strength. "You need us alive."

"Man, if they didn't shoot us, why do I remember them pointing a gun at my head?" Ray whined. The alien pirate smirked and withdrew his pistol making both boys press their backs further into the crate behind them. He tapped the nub on the weapon to draw Jim and Ray's attention there. The boys were all too familiar with that button.

"Stunning mechanism," Jim muttered.

"Can paralyze a limb or two, but usually targets the neurons of one's mind, knocking them out for a good long while," the leader explained. "I've never tried shooting someone in the head before with this wattage. Usually you just wake up after some time, no added consequences, but I suppose when targeting the brain it causes the voltage to diffuse slower throughout the rest of the body." He spoke as if the three of them were chaps discussing the weather.

As he got back to his feet, he turned to his colleagues who were standing behind him, awaiting orders.

"String these two up. Let the Admiral deal with them when he gets here. I want the remainder of these crates packed and well secured by the time you return to the docks with the money," the leader commanded. Jim's ears rang with this information. Had he said 'Admiral'? As one of his cronies moved to a crank with a heavy chain coiled against the far wall, the lead pirate turned toward Jim and Ray with a final malicious grin. "You two are going to make me rich," he sneered, slipping his pistol in his belt and continuing out of the warehouse through the thick silver door close beside the chain pulley the pirate was working on.

Jim could feel the effects of the paralysis wearing off. He gave Ray an indiscriminant nod to let the boy know that they needed to reach that door when opportunity arose. The second pirate, far taller than his colleague, had his attention focused on the enormous hook that was beginning to lower from the ceiling. With a sickening dread, Jim realized they were about to be strung up like slabs of meat. He knew it was time to act. Jim lurched forward right as the taller of the two fiends raised the pistol from his side, pointing it at the two boys.

"Don't try anything, unless you want me to shoot you again," he warned. Jim sat back in defeat as the hook had lowered enough to hit the floor with a small clunk, the chain curling up after it as the second pirate continued to crank.

"Why do we always get these sorts of jobs anyway?" the pulley pirate complained from his spot at the wall.

"Shut it," the taller ordered as he approached Jim and Ray, still with his weapon drawn. The shorter came up beside him, his own gun trained on them in case they managed to disarm his buddy. Jim was seriously thinking about it. He kept silent as the tall one ordered Jim and Ray to move their wrists together. The ropes around their arms were thick, and tied tight. Jim's fingers were prickling from lack of circulation.

"Yeah, they should be paying you more," Ray snorted sarcastically as he and Jim pressed their wrists close and the taller drew the hook through the loops of both of their bindings. Jim shot Ray a warning look when the shorter feller jabbed his pistol into Ray's neck.

"You know I can take the weapon off of 'stun'," he snapped when his colleague grabbed his arm.

"We need them alive, Earl," he said. Earl scowled, and turned away in a huff. As he took up his place back at the lever, Jim thought hard about what he had learned. Someone wanted them alive. Supposedly the man was an Admiral. Could the man be working in the Navy? Who would pay bounty hunters to capture himself and Raymond? Why not someone like Amelia? Someone of importance?

"So, this Admiral, right?" Jim started, figuring it wouldn't hurt to speak if they weren't in danger of being killed.

"That's all you're going to know," the tall one grunted, keeping his weapon trained on them as Earl began to coil in the chain. Both Jim and Ray could see the links beginning to rise, their arms beginning to lift. Jim braced himself for the pain. It wouldn't be pretty, being held up only by his arms. He clenched his teeth, determined to get some information out of these men before he met with their dreaded 'sponsor'.

"He'd be in the Navy right?" Jim pressed.

"Oh, he's in a navy boy, you've got that right," cackled Earl as his companion shot him a look. "What? I'm not giving away information, Al!"

"Even so," Al grunted, turning back to Jim and Ray who were now a foot off the ground and rising. Jim could feel the numbness creeping into his wrists as his arms burned at the shoulders. "You two will meet him soon."

"Okay, great. Can't wait. Sounds like a nice guy, you know, him stringing us off the ground and having us chased down by a bunch of morons," Ray spat, wriggling his fingers which were now pale from lack of blood circulating through.

"What did he call us -?" Earl began when Ray, again interrupted.

"But if we're going to be here for a while, do you guys mind telling us what's in the boxes?" Jim had to admit, Ray could be clever when he needed to be. He had completely forgotten about the leader's comment on the packaging of the crates earlier. Earl finally finished his job of keeping them propped up off the ground. They were near the ceiling of the warehouse, at least fifteen feet up. If they fell now, they'd break their legs. Jim felt his hope beginning to dwindle as his eyes swept the room. The warehouse was enormous, filled with cargo, some of the boxes stretching high, others smaller and more compact. One wall of the warehouse was rock, a catwalk lining the upper edge of the crude stone. The other walls were smooth silver gray. Jim closed his eyes a moment, thinking about Alzrand's layout. The island was immense, but beyond the town, there was a jagged highland of sorts. It was where the terrain became steep and rough. Jim suspected the warehouse was one built into the side of the elevation.

He knew then that they were still on Alzrand, and the town was north of them. If they managed to escape, all they'd have to do was follow the slope downward back into the urban area. Jim opened his eyes once more, gazing at their surroundings. Besides the main door, guarded by Al and Earl, there was only one other exit Jim could see, and it was a rocky tunnel burrowing deeper into the cliff side.

Al clenched his jaw at Ray's comment before shrugging and sliding off the roof of one of the boxes. Inside there were hundreds of different sized rocks. All of the rocks were a soulless black, and when Al reached forward to grab one, his hand drew back dusted with a dark residue. Jim had never seen anything of the like before. As Al tossed the rock from hand to hand, he stared up at them dangling there.

"Ain't it pretty?" he cooed, holding up a piece as if they could see it better that way. "We're going to be some wealthy pirates when our benefactor sees this."

"You know that's right," Earl tittered as he withdrew a cigar from his pocket. "This is cause for celebration!" Jim watched him light the cigar with an excess match he removed from the same pocket. He took a puff proudly. "If I know one thing, Al, it's that Alzrand's cigars are the best in the galaxy," he teased, coughing a bit as the smoke entered his lungs. Al, who had returned to sealing off the crate and checking the lines, froze. Jim and Ray both watched, unable to comprehend, as his expression filled with fear. He turned slowly around to see his partner leaning against an open crate, balancing the lit cigar above the dark stones. Almost at once he sprang into action.

"Earl, no!"

But it was too late.

A bit of the cinders from the end of the cigar fell, landing amongst the dark rocks. Earl did not seem to understand what had happened until he heard a faint hiss and pop beside him. He looked down, his expression becoming confounded as if he realized what he had done and could not grasp that it was happening. He scrambled back, dropping the cigar and stomping out the remainder of the burning ash. Before the two of them could do any more, the substance ignited. As the rocks began to heat they made crackling and bursting sounds. When the first major rock finally exploded, a small fire roared to life. Jim and Ray were helpless as they watched the scene below them. Jim did not know what the rocks were, but they were clearly flammable, and Earl had not been informed.

"Get water! We've got to put it out!" Al yelled as the fire grew in size, flaring up as it consumed the remainder of the crate, catching onto the second.

"You didn't tell me they were flammable!" Earl shrieked.

"You idiot! Didn't you hear what Granger was saying back on the ship? No, of course not, you never listen!" Al snarled, giving Earl a push when the fire roared forward. Jim could feel the temperature of the warehouse beginning to rise as another stone blew, shattering the larger crate beside it. "Get out!" Al cried, pushing Earl toward the exit that wasn't yet consumed. The fire was spreading rapidly now, stretching toward the ceiling, devouring other crates of the rock in its ascent to power.

"What about them?" Earl cried, pointing to Jim and Ray who were now wiggling, attempting to free their arms.

"Let us down!" Ray demanded. "Set us free! We've got to get out!"

The two boys watched as Al's eyes trained on them and then the door. Jim realized then that they would not have enough time to release them and escape through the exit before the doorway was blocked. Al had already made up his mind.

"Leave them!" he snapped. "I'll take my chances with the captain! It's not worth it!" Yanking open the metal door, he shoved Earl out into the evening light.

"No, stop!" Jim begged as if any amount of pleading would save them. Al gave him one last fearful look before he slammed the door behind him just in time for the fire to scorch the metal walls. A breathlessness settled over Jim then. His arms were numb, he could barely move his fingers. His back ached, and the more he kicked his legs, the more his shoulders strained against his own weight. Smoke was everywhere, curling into his face and lungs making it hard to breathe. Jim's eyes watered as perspiration dotted his brow.

"Jim, what's the plan?" Ray asked, kicking his own feet helplessly causing them to sway. Even if they did manage to get loose they'd never survive the fall. Jim's heart seized up.

"Uh," he stammered, alarmed he had not thought of something yet. "Uh…"

"What's the plan?" Ray compelled, panic entering his eyes. A ringing resounded in Jim's ears. He didn't have one. Captains always had plans. Captains were able to save their friends. In that moment Jim realized that he wasn't a captain. He could never be. He was a cadet about to be roasted like a shish kabob.

His heart felt heavy as the terror consumed him. The fire was climbing. They were losing.

They had already lost.

"You don't have a plan?" Ray's eyebrows rose as he began kicking out again, straining against his binds. "I'm not going to die here!" he yelled, his hip bumping into Jim's pocket and against something squishy. The substance flew out of the safety of Jim's pants, its body wracked with spasms when it realized what was happening.

"Morph?" Jim frowned before breaking into a grin of relief. "Morph!"

"Morph?" Ray echoed, stopping in his struggling.

"Morph, you've got to cut us lose!" Jim ordered, looking at his protoplasmic pet, his body washing with cold relief. There was a way. They had a way.

"We can't, Jim, we'll fall," Ray stammered, but went still when he saw Jim crane his neck, formulating a plan. Just below them, standing a foot to the side, was a taller crate that had not yet been touched by the fire. It would not last that way for long. They would have to be cut loose quick while swinging themselves over far enough to land and climb down before the flames got there first.

"When Morph gets close to cutting us free, swing over to that crate," Jim directed, feeling his hope beginning to rise. They could do this. They had to. Jim spoke Morph's name causing the shape shifter to salute as he switched himself into a small knife and began to saw at their ropes. The ropes were thick, and difficult to cut through as Morph began to tire the closer he got to cutting them free. The friction and back and forth motion was making the poor shifter dizzy. "You can do it!" Jim's voice shook as he watched the fire plow through the crates on the opposite side of the room. It was crawling toward them, slowly, but surely as if it were a starving predator and they were its prey. Morph was losing speed, but Jim could feel the rope loosening around his wrists. Soon gravity would take hold. "Ray, start swinging," Jim ordered as they kicked their legs out, ignoring the strain.

Morph flew back, watching as they began to arc toward the crates. The rope was tearing, the strands pulling free.

"Come on," Jim urged. They had to time it just right. If they swung in the opposite direction as their bonds broke, they'd fall fifteen feet onto a stone floor. Like a pendulum, their bodies moved back toward the crates. Realizing that on their next swing the ropes would tear, Jim tugged as hard as he could despite his weak arms and immovable fingers. With a snap the rope tore free and both he and Ray hit the top of the crate with a crunch, their arms giving out when they tried to use them to push themselves up.

"We're free!" Ray wheezed, attempting to lift his arms to nurse the feeling back into them, but they were prickling and burning with lack of blood flow. It would be a while before either of them regained their strength.

"Not yet," Jim argued, praising Morph and telling him to take refuge back in his pocket. Morph didn't seem to mind that command.

"Um, Jim?" Ray swallowed. Jim turned around right as Ray forced his upper body into Jim's back causing them both to fall from the tall crate landing in a heap on the floor. The fire had reached their box at last, burning up quick.

"Run!" Jim shouted as the flames licked at their back. Jim led the way through the maze of exploding boxes, both he and Ray having to dive out of the way at times as the crates collapsed, or the fire flared higher. It was getting hard to breathe. The smoke was everywhere and it was dark. There was no ventilation in the warehouse, making it near impossible for Jim and Ray to see where they were going beyond that of the flames. Jim was losing his direction. He could no longer remember where the tunnel of rock had appeared to be. They were trapped in the center of the building, far from any of the outer walls.

Ray was losing breath fast, his body sagging besides Jim as the fire closed in around them. The heat was becoming unbearable, scorching the atmosphere as Jim's body sweated in a futile attempt to cool. The temperature was becoming dangerous.

"Jim," Ray coughed. "Jim, we're not going to make it." Jim spun around in a circle, his lungs straining to find clean air. They couldn't die, not now when they had managed to get free. He grabbed Ray's arm to keep him awake. The boy's eyes were wet with tears, his face shining with perspiration. They were dying. One curl of flame came too close to Jim's shirt, singing part of his arm hair and making him draw back. As he jumped away from the fire, his eyes spotted something through the gloom.

It was the hazy image of a catwalk cut into stone.

They were close.

"Keep moving, run!" Jim pleaded, ushering Ray forward as they gathered as much speed as they could despite their bodies' lassitude. At last a draft of cool air reached both of them as they came upon the tunnel. At this point the remainder of the warehouse reverberated with brilliant flashes of orange and red. The fire had reached new heights and the path behind them was overthrown. Jim could see the intensity of the inferno stretching toward them still, beginning to incinerate the edges of the passageway. It was in that moment that Jim came to a most dreadful conclusion. The warren was a gray rock with veins of black spreading throughout the edges like webs. There was an iron rail in front of them, stretching into the gloom. This was no exit tunnel. It was a mine.

A mine filled with the black rocks.

"Run! Run!" he ordered as their legs strained and their lungs filled with the clean air that had to be coming from an outside entrance. The deeper they ran into the hollowed tunnel, the more promising the ore veins became. If they were not being pursued by a raging firestorm Jim would have put his anxieties about this flammable mineral to the forefront of his mind. Yet, as it were, he had little time to worry about such things as they were now reaching the end of the channel and, with a start, both boys could now see that the tunnel was blocked. They had reached the end of the mine.

Jim threw himself against the hard rock, shouting as he pushed against it with his shoulder, his arms still sore. To have come so far only to be trapped yet again was maddening. He slumped against the grit, clenching his teeth, his breathing rough. His lungs remained thick with smoke. He was out of strength to try any longer. The cave rumbled and pebble sized rocks dribbled down on them from the ceiling as the fire tore into another vein, popping more of the dark stones far behind them.

"What are you doing?" Ray panted, as he coughed hard to clear his windpipe.

"What does it look like?" Jim spat, as furious as burning coals.

"There was a draft when we entered the tunnel, Jim, didn't you feel it?" Ray choked, still trying to maintain his breathing.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean there's an exit," Jim argued.

"No, it means there's a trap door," Ray gave him a wicked grin as he reached down for a handle on a soot stained square door built into the floor beside them. It was enormous with wide holes punctured in it for ventilation purposes. Jim stood up straighter, going to help his friend pry it open, realizing he hadn't noticed it because he had been so focused on the walls.

"Ray, you're a genius," he praised, a shiver of reprieve encapsulating him when he realized there was a ladder leading down. What surprised both of them, however, was that they could see all the way to the bottom. Although still gloomy, there was enough natural light coming in from somewhere to illuminate another mineshaft.

"I know," Ray teased as he took the lead, grabbing the ladder and descending it as quick as he could. Jim could see the fire rounding the bend behind him, licking at the walls. As he made for the passage below, he grabbed the trap door and let it slam back into place above them. "Jim!" Ray called when his friend had landed beside them. Jim could not contain his elated feeling when he surveyed their surroundings. The tunnel burrowed still deeper into the mountain behind them, but what held both boys' attentions was the end of the mine which opened into broad day. The evening sun stretched over the opening, spilling into the cavern. They had made it. The ground shook again, this time heavier rocks tumbling around them.

"Careful," Jim warned, pulling Ray back when some landed near their feet. The ceiling was unstable, and the explosions from the fire were shaking the entire mine.

"We've got to go," Ray gasped as they began an all-out sprint for the safety of the open land. Jim could feel the cool air on his face. His arm strength was returning was they piston-ed him forward. His ribs seared, demanding he rest, but he didn't dare slow down. The cavern rumbled as they dodged more falling rocks. The fire was bringing down the warehouse, with Jim and Ray trapped underneath. Almost there, Jim thought as he forced his muscles to react. He could feel the surge of adrenaline still pounding with his heartbeat. Almost…

They were going to make it.

Almost.

They were going to make it.

At that moment, just five yards from their destination, an outburst far louder than any previous detonations cracked above them. Jim and Ray slowed as the stone roof above them ruptured. It started with the dust, then came the pebbles, and then the rocks the size of their heads. The cave was collapsing, and they were still too far in. The moment became paramount as they dodged the boulders now tumbling down in the race against nature to escape the reach of a mountain determined to swallow them whole. Jim kept his head down, powering forward, his longer legs allowing him to pull ahead of Ray. He was about to give up any thought he had in escaping, when his boots came down over grass and the sun shone on his face. Jim lost his footing as he fell forward, landing on his hands and knees when his arms gave out and he tasted the dirt.

He turned around, just in time to witness the scene before him.

"Jim!" Ray cried, his face morphing into one of distress when he realized that he wouldn't make it out. The entrance of the shaft was caving due to it having no support beams for aide like the remainder of the tunnel.

"Ray!" Jim yelled, his vocal chords straining as he scrambled to his feet, about to reenter the cave when the boulders crashed down and black dust swirled before his eyes. The last he saw, was Ray's mouth moving as he cried out, before the tunnel collapsed, stopping any communication between the two of them. Jim stumbled back, holding up his arms until the avalanche had subdued. When the last pebble bounced into the dirt, Jim lowered his arms, mortified as to what had happened. The dark residue was heavy in the air, clinging to his skin, but only one thought lingered in his mind.

He was alive.

Raymond was gone.

He screamed, unable to contain his wrath, his fear, his pain. Jim ran at the rocks, trying to push them away, but they were far too heavy, and he was unable to dig far. His lungs were straining as his heartbeat slowed. Even Morph was finally brave enough to join his master in an attempt to help save their friend. Tears burned in Jim's eyes, his lips were cracked and dry, his voice hoarse, unable to utter any more sounds. He sank against the rocks in defeat, his body finally giving out. He was weak, powerless, and he had left his friend to die.

No, Jim thought. No, no, no, no.

He was no captain, he was no leader, and no hero. Heroes didn't fail. Captains didn't let their friends get killed.

His chest tightened and Jim wasn't sure if it was because of the smoke, dust, or because of his own helplessness. He coughed, choking, unable to find enough air to breathe despite the winds of the alp dispersing the clouds of dirt.

He had failed.

Raymond was gone.

At that point Morph let out a shriek, spinning around Jim's head, tugging on the strands of his hair. Jim knew what Morph was trying to tell him. He had been around the shape shifter long enough to realize something was terribly wrong. As Morph took cover back in his pocket, Jim reacted. He turned quick to see who was behind him. His blood went cold as the gun pressed into his chest and the mysterious 'sponsor' was finally revealed to him. The man made no sound, gave no indication of hesitation or an attempt at small talk. The moment his gun came into contact with Jim's chest, he shot.

A/N: Oh. My. God.

I'm done.

I can't believe I finished this today. So, I know it's been four months, but, good gracious I've been busy. Got friends, work, and my fantasy book to worry about. But, anyway, I finally had some inspiration to work on this. Wow, I did not expect the second half of this chapter to be this long, sheesh, but at least it will keep you guys entertained for a while (Hopefully…unless you're like me and devour new chapters in thirty minutes leaving yourself feeling sad that you have to wait so long for the next installment).

But alas! I shall conquer this story!

This was my last day off until tomorrow when I have to work every day this week starting off at 8 hours. Ugh. But if I can just push through this week then I'll be able to have some down time, and my birthday is on Sunday, so…cool! (Actually I forgot it was my birthday until I looked at my work schedule. Jeez).

But anyway, back to the story! So, sometimes when I come back to a story (like these) after months of inactivity, I've lost my flow and forget the excitement I once felt in getting closer to epic scenes. I've had these two scenes planned out for a long time, but it took me so long to reach them and actually write them, I was afraid I'd lose the spark that makes up a good action scene.

However, I think I did alright. Not exactly how I imagined it, but I wouldn't let myself rest until I had somewhat captured the scene the way I originally wanted to capture it. It's not too shabby, but there are still some parts that I felt were weak and could be worked on. However, it is currently 11 o'clock and I did not want to spend another hour re-writing crap. I apologize for this, and if you guys spot any mistakes, places where you think I could've done better, please let me know! When this story is finished I'm going to go back and edit all of it up to make it even more presentable.

So, today I had the day off and it was a gorgeous day so I literally just sat in my bedroom with the window open in the sun writing this. It took FOREVER! I told myself I would finish this today, and I met my goal! Though, I did have to tempt myself with chocolate. Every twenty minutes of writing I put into the story, I'd get some chocolate. It worked, for sure. I love chocolate.

Ahem.

Yes, alright, so the story: Who is the Admiral? Does anyone have a guess? And does anyone know why the man needs Jim? Let me know your guesses! Also, what do you guys suppose the black rocks are for? Hehe, you won't know until later. But I bet the biggest thing you guys are all wondering is…'Is Raymond Wesley Peters dead?'

All I can say to that is… :(

Let me know your guesses in the reviews/comments! I hope I entertained you guys well. Also, I saw another writer on fan fiction trying the summary thing in the beginning of each chapter. I think I'm going to start doing that as well because it takes so long for me to upload and you guys probably have forgotten everything that is going on! Yikes!

I'm so sorry to have ruined your lives with this chapter.

Onward, my friends, tis the only way!

Special thanks goes to: PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid, lazyX1000, and ElizabethMartin101!

You guys rock! Keep being cool! Peace, homies!