After so many twists and turns that his head began to spin, Michael finally walked into an opening. He turned off his flashlight because the blue green glow from the wall and the light coming in from a funnel at the top was enough for him to see. It was a small clearing obscured by a few rocks. Walking around them his eyes fearfully scanned the area for Maria.
He froze when he saw her. Not her to be exact but the limp body which had haunted his dreams asleep and awake.
"Maria" he whispered rushing down to her. Breathless he shook her, relieved to hear a moan he wasted no time in breaking off the manacles on her hands.
"Michael" she said her voice tired and faraway. Her eyes grew wide as he lifted her off her feet.
"Michael, it really is you" she said her relief slowly down his runaway heart rate.
"Yeah, we're gonna get you out of here," he said as he walked towards the passageway.
"No," she protested as she broke out of his arms.
"wh-"
"It's a trap"
" We know tha-"
"No, he wanted you to find me" she insisted looking around her with apprehension, "he's here somewhere"
It was the first time Michael had seen her properly, her skirt was torn and wet, blood was dripping from her cut leg and her face. Bruises were everywhere all over her arms, her hair was matted with what he guessed was blood. Anger boiled through him, he was going to kill Khivar. Not slowly, but quick and to the point.
"We'll face him when he appears, let's go," he said grabbing her hand, "can you walk?"
"I'll make it," she said as she limped behind him.
"How did you know?" she whispered.
Michael smiled, she was still Maria, even in a crisis her mouth would still be moving.
"Michelle"
When he said that word he heard her stop.
"So you know," she said.
"Maria could we talk about this later, when we're not running for our lives?"
"okay," she nodded as they resumed their walk.
After a few minutes of silence she said, "how do you know where we're going?"
He stopped and raised his hand and concentrated, the walls suddenly glowed red. "Hansel and Gretel of the 21st Century" he smiled.
She laughed but then groaned as she sank to the ground clutching her stomach Michael turned to her, "what's wrong?"
"We’ll check it out when we get out, " she said as she rose to her feet. Michael looked at her dubiously.
"Let's go," she insisted.
He grabbed her hand, squeezing it a little, "okay".
"What did she say?"
"Who?"
"Michelle"
"She knew who I was"
"I told her about you"
This really wasn't the time to be having a conversation like this but as long as they were having it anyway Michael decided to take advantage of it.
"Thank you" he said.
"why wouldn't I, you are her father and after she noticed that she was a little different…what else could I say" she replied.
"Right."
Silence passed, time passed, " why didn't you tell me?" he said.
"Like you gave me a chance" she replied.
"You could have made me listen" he whispered back.
"Made you listen!" she whispered harshly
Michael heard voices up ahead, they were close.
"We're almost there"
"Made you listen," she continued, "Michael" she pulled him to a stop just before they left the passageway to the clearing where Max and Isabel were still working on the force field.
"Maria-"
"-Michael, I could take you and your new life…but for
you to even think for a moment that I
would jump into bed with anyone let
alone an alien just after you left…that just says it a-"
"Maria!" he shouted.
"Liz!" she said as she pushed past him and into the clearing.
"Stay back" ordered Isabel as she and Max focused their powers to break it down.
"We need to get this down now," said Michael as he joined them.
After that, then he could crawl and beg with Maria.
"What's is it?" she asked.
"a force field we're trying to-"
"you!," he heard Maria gasp. In a blink of an eye, Isabel, Max and Liz collapsed to the ground.
Michael turned around to see Maria backing away from Khivar, he quickly rushed to her side.
"Yes me," he replied as he raised his hand and took aim at them.
"Michael!" Maria screamed suddenly and pushed him out of the way. As Michael hit the ground he saw a green ray hit Maria and fall to the ground. Not wasting a moment he shot a blast in the direction it came from and heard a moan and then an explosion of orange light.
Whoever it was was dead now.
Michael struggled to his feet. Quickly he did a damage check, isabel, max, liz and maria were down. Khivar followed his gaze, "don't worry, they're not dead…yet. But her" he continued as he knelt down beside Maria's still body. Michael watched, his muscles ready for action as he felt for Maria's pulse,"…barely". He watched, his breathing low as Khivar wiped the now dark blonde hair which had covered her face away and he lift her head, "cute isn't she and feisty".
Michael moved forward, then stopped, this was what khivar wanted and to react to attack would be to fall right into his path. He was sick like that, but Michael forced his body to comply. He flinched as Khivar dropped her head to the ground, it landed with a dull thud.
That's it, thought Michael, he is going to fry.
"We had a nice talk while you were gallantly on your way," he said as the two began circling each other. "We got close and she shared her life with me."
"What did you do to her"
"Nothing, we just talked about her life…or maybe I detracted it from her mind whatever, anyway from what I could gather, which wasn't a lot because she is a fighter, while I just thought you were stupid in the military capacity…turns out you're stupid all around."
"and you're still as psycho as ever," he said.
"Shall we?"
"lets," said Michael as he shot a red crackling sphere towards him. Khivar deflected it with his blue force field and stumbled a few steps back.
"not bad," he said, "but not good enough". Two large red spheres shot straight for Michael, he raised up his shield but found himself not stumbling but slamming into the wall and sunk to the ground. Khivar had more power than him that was for sure, his power was fuelled by revenge only. Getting up, Michael aimed more shots at him with more force each time. Like a dance red sphere's sailed across the room, deflected without impact.
This is going nowhere, thought Michael breathlessly. He was holding up but he couldn't hold out much longer. Finally the blow that he'd been expecting, anticipating, steeling himself for came. Air was slammed out of his chest, he heard a dull crack as his body hit the wall and slumped.
"The great second in command," sneered Khivar as he stood over him. Michael's eyes grew wide as the energy ball in his palm grew bigger and bigger.
I have to do something! He panicked inwardly, he couldn't let Khivar kill Max and Isabel, he wouldn't let him have Maria. Okay so by alien power Khivar was more than his match, but hand to hand….maybe he had a chance. With renewed strength, Michael used his feet to trap him and bring him to the ground. Using the wall as a support he pulled himself up.
"I accept" replied Khivar to the unspoken challenge.
"And I will proceed to kick your ass," said Michael, as he attacked him with a barrage of kicks and punches. Some were dodged, but Michael loved the ones which produced that dull thud of bone to bone action. The final blow sent Khivar back to the ground, Michael stood breathless towering over him.
"Okay! You won," panted Khivar as he raised his arms in defeat. Michael stayed alert, waiting for his next move, "You won fair and square" he added, "but-" Michael blinked for a second. His eyes opened. A red mass of burning energy was heading towards him. "I don't play fair," finished Khivar.
Khivar blinked for a second. He opened his eyes. A red mass of burning energy was heading towards him, only he unlike Michael he wasn't prepared.
Michael shielded his eyes as Khivar exploded into ash, falling gently to the ground reminding him of soft snow.