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The cemetery was dark and peaceful. There were no guards to be seen and no one would ever notice them while they crossed through it. The alien guards certainly would see no reason to post guards in the cemetery, especially since there was no entrance to the mansion from there--or so they thought. Whitney and Zach quickly headed through the cemetery and paused by the crypt. They knew they would not be seen, but they weren't going to take any unnecessary chances either. They glanced at the hillside not far from them or the castle. The door was not visible to them. Whitney hoped Oscar was right when he told them it was there. Zach looked around the side of the crypt to make certain no one spotted them. He flattened himself against the crept and glanced at her.
�It's hard to see in the windows from here. The mansion is dark inside. I don't think anyone saw us,� he informed her. �Are you sure there's an iron-gate in the hillside?�
Whitney nodded while remaining still. At least she hoped there was. �It's hidden, or so I was told. We need to make a run for the hillside where we won't be seen. We can search for it once we're there.�
Zach nodded. �Give the word.�
Whitney closed her eyes a moment then took a deep breath. She opened her eyes. �Now,� she whispered.
They both ran for the hillside, which was only fifty yards from the crypt. Once they reached the hillside safely, they began to search for the iron-gate. Zach sifted through some ivy and exposed the iron-gate. He looked toward Whitney and smiled cheaply. Whitney looked from the iron-gate to the smile Zach wore. She noticed he had a very appealing smile.
�It's nice having friends who are geographically correct,� he remarked with some humor.
Whitney couldn't help but to smile at his light humor. They needed some laughter to keep from going insane. Whitney moved past Zach, removed her lock picking kit, and swiftly picked the old lock. It didn't take much to spring the latch on the old lock. Zach pulled his sword and insisted on going in first. Whitney followed behind him with her laser gun in hand and prepared to fire. There were no lights for them to see by, so they were basically traveling blindly. An occasional rat could be heard squealing as it scampered past.
�This certainly is a secret passage,� Zach announced gently. �The cobwebs are so thick, I may need to cut my way through.�
They only walked a few minutes when they came to another door. Without a word, Zach threw it open and jumped to the inner tunnel wall. Whitney then jumped out into the corridor with her laser aimed. There was no one around. They were in a well-lit corridor with two doors within it. The door they came from was actually flush with the wall and was undetected once outside of it. They headed toward the door at the other end of the corridor. Her guess was this was the one to the dungeon. They approached the steel door with caution and checked the handle. Whitney thrust it open with just enough force that it wouldn't hit the wall. Both stood on either side of the corridor and looked inside.
Steps led down to the dungeon. They had found what they were looking for, now they only had to hope they could find what they came for. They quickly and quietly headed down the stone steps. Just then they heard footsteps echoing behind them. Both Whitney and Zach spun around to see alien guards within the doorway above them. Before they could even open fire, they heard more footsteps within the dungeon.
Whitney spun around with her laser aimed to see several alien guards behind them also on the steps. It was a trap! They couldn't fight against so many in such a tight space. There was no way they would ever win. Their weapons were removed along with disk Whitney had within her pocket. The guards moved them down the steps to the dungeon. They were forced down a corridor past several cells. Whitney looked into one cell and saw Nadine sitting on a cot with her hands tied behind her back and a gag within her mouth. She knew it had been a trap too, and they didn't want her to alert Whitney. At least she was still alive. Nadine's eyes widened when she saw Whitney was a prisoner.
Both Zach and Whitney were locked in the same cell. It was the only cell that was completely enclosed with only a small barred window on the door. Whitney immediately began to pace after the door was locked. Zach flopped down on the cot and clasped his hands between his knees. Just then they saw Frazer before the cell door. Whitney glared at him. He laughed softly.
�I somehow knew you didn't trust me,� Frazer announced simply, �so I changed our counter attack. We were fortunate to get you so quickly.�
Whitney moved closer to the small barred window. �You pathetic piece of trash. Why, Frazer? Why did you betray us?� Whitney demanded to know.
�Your friend found more profit on the alien side,� Zach remarked simply. �He was a petty thief who saw his opportunity into the big league.�
Frazer laughed with some humor. �You're up on your history,� he informed Zach simply. Frazer then glanced back at Whitney. �Now allow me to give you something to think about, Whitney.� He smiled cheaply and with some small satisfaction. �I killed your first leader when he attempted the first plan for the spaceport. It allowed me to step in and keep your group small and insignificant.�
Whitney's expression suddenly dropped. He certainly had surprised her and, although she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had upset her, she lost her cool. �You bastard!� Whitney attempted to grab him through the small window.
Zach grabbed Whitney around the waist and pulled her back away from the door.
Frazer continued to laugh. �Save your energy, my dear, you'll need it when we have our little victory party--just before I kill you.� Frazer then glared beyond her and to Zach. �Then I'll be back to unmask you.�
�You won't get away with it, Frazer. I owe you for the murder of our leader!� Whitney spat out in anger while still being held around the waist by Zach.
He laughed once more. �We'll see. Any trouble from you and I can arrange for you to watch Nadine die slowly.� Frazer then walked away now satisfied with himself.
Zach released Whitney once Frazer was down the corridor. Whitney approached the door and began to kick it violently until Zach grabbed her around the waist from behind once more and pulled her back.
�Stop it! You're not going to get anywhere that way. You'll be of no use to us injured,� Zach announced sternly. Whitney stopped struggling and cast her back against the wall. �Do you think he�ll actually kill you? You know him. Can�t you play on his emotions?�
Whitney sighed deeply. �Frazer and I only knew each other. We were never intimate.�
Zach takes her hand and placed a small object within it. Whitney stared at the capsule.
�What�s this?� she asked curiously.
�It�s poison,� he replied. �You take it in the event of an emergency. It�ll kill you painlessly within five minutes.�
