| STORY 2 Page 30 |
| die, and leave her behind. Instead he would make Alan pay for the pain he had caused all of his family. ~*~*~*~*~ In a different world, in a past where life seemed much simpler, Gabrielle sat by the portal, finding it difficult to stay awake. She felt guilty for yelling at Senbi, but he was so irresponsible at times, that it was difficult for her not to yell at or lecture him. Alone with her thoughts she found she was focusing on Jonathan, and as she thought of him she felt a strange sensation wash over her; a sadness which until a few moments ago was not there. Something wasn't right, and she idly wondered if she should abandon her post and risk going through the portal to find him. As she thought about doing just that, another feeling washed over her, one of deep foreboding, and somehow she knew that she had to stay in her own time for now; that her duty was to make sure no one from the future passed through to change her time, and destroy the lives of those she loved. "Be well Jonathan," she whispered as she shut her eyes, trying to picture him in her mind as she had last seen him. She sent her thoughts through the fabric of time hoping that he would sense her and draw comfort from the knowledge that she was there for him if not in body then in mind. ~*~*~*~*~ Rick knew his wife needed time alone, but unfortunately that was not a luxury any of them could have. After fifteen minutes he walked over to their tent and bent down. When he entered he found her laying on the ground curled up in a ball. He quickly moved beside her and as he lifted her into his arms he felt her shutter then sob against his chest. "I'm here Evelyn," he said. Evelyn clung to him both in sadness and frustration. She felt she had cried all the tears she could, and yet here she was babbling on like a baby. After a few moments she took in a few breaths then lifted her head away from him. "We need to go Rick. I want to find Alan, and I want him to pay for what he has done to my brother, to me, and to Kit," she said as she started to pull away from him. Rick didn't let her go quite yet, and after a moment of resistance she settled down beside him. "Evie, I think it's best if you and the boys go stay with the Med-jai. This man is crazy and I don't want you getting anywhere near him," Rick said. "No, I want to be with you Rick. I know about the scepter, and about the power it possesses. I'm the only one who knows how to destroy it, and I owe it to both of my parents to be the one to see that happen," she said. She was about to say more when Jonathan called out to enter. Having overheard O'Connell, he decided to support Rick this one time. "Evie I think Rick is right. It's clear that Alan isn't thinking like a normal chap with love toward his fellow man. I think that you should stay with Alex and Kit and let Ardeth, me and Rick take care of him once and for all," he said. Evie suddenly pulled away from Rick and stood up hitting her head on the overhead support, which held up the tent. She ignored the pain and starred at both her husband and her brother. "What is this? Both of you know how strongly I feel about stopping Alan from gaining the power of the Scepter, and as well it's destruction. I will not sit around twiddling my thumbs while I wait for word on whether or not you or Rick has succeeded, or have been killed," she said as she stepped out of the tent leaving both men behind. "Alex, Kit. Get the Camels ready. We are going to end this once and for all," she said as she walked toward where the two boys were sitting, fully enraged that her husband and her brother were acting like two overprotective cods. Desiree ([email protected]) March 25, 2003 "We're near the tunnel." Jonathan was looking longingly in the direction of his love, so near, yet so far in the past. "I know..." Ardeth also wanted to be with his loved one. "But we cannot stop, for we must find Alan Skarzinski." The Med-jai despised even his own rationality. Evelyn was about to tell her friend and her brother how sorry she was that they could not be with their loved ones when Rick spotted something in the distance, "What is that?" The alarmed tone in Rick's voice caught the attention of Ardeth who looked fixedly into the distance. "It is the Med-jai! We have caught up to them at last. We can rest with them tonight, and tomorrow they can help us to find Skarzinski. They seem to be making camp, but we must hurry, for it is never wise to approach a Med-jai in the dark hours of the night." "Yeah, I know." Jonathan rubbed his neck in remembrance of a sharp saber of Ardeth's that had once lay there. "I am sorry, Jonathan, but you did, in fact, surprise me!" Ardeth defended himself, but only with a slight grin of amusement on his face. "Yeah, well. We should be able to reach them within the hour, and I'd say that's about when the sun'll go down, so it works out anyway." "God! Another hour!? I'm fucking tired now!" Kit yelled out his grumpy dissatisfaction. "Kit! Watch your language!" Evelyn would not stand for a dirty mouth. "I'd listen to her if I were you- you don't want to mess with her when she's tired. Believe me, you don't." Kit was about to argue again when the truth of Alex's words sunk in. "Another hour of these bloody Brits..." Kit sighed to himself and continued on his camel through the desert, "another hour..." ~*~*~*~*~ "Ardeth! My friend! What took you so long?" A strong-looking man dressed entirely in black robes approached Ardeth with his hand outstretched. "It is a long story, but a story for another night. We are tired." Ardeth took the old Med-jai's hand and shook it warmly. "Of course- there is some ground open over there for you and your friends. Sleep well and we will talk in the morning." The old Med-jai smiled and walked away. Ardeth turned back to his companions, only to see Kit staring intently at a man on the ground several yards away. Rick, Evie, Jon, and Alex followed his gaze. "Kit? What is it?" Evelyn walked to Kit's side. "What's wrong?" "That's him. That's Skarzinski." Evie looked over and saw a haggard looking man slumped in the sand. "What?! Are you sure?" Evie's blood started pumping quicker as Kit started walking towards Alan. "Positive!" Kit shouted out a cry of anger, frustration, and pain as he ran towards Skarzinski and attacked him head on. The adolescent tackled the man and left him sprawling on the ground. "You bastard!" Alan Skarzinski began to stand up after being seized by the boy when another blow hit his other side. Jonathan sat atop the surprised man and started beating him with all his might. Alan managed to scramble out of Jon's grasp and run for dear life towards the sun. "He's headed for the tunnel! Rick! Ardeth! Stop him!" Evelyn started running after her parents' murderer, crying and screaming the whole way. Hearing his wife's call, Rick called to Ardeth to get a horse and help him. The two men clambered onto their steeds and galloped off after Skarzinski who was halfway to the tunnel by then. As the two raced past Evie, Alex ran to his mother and helped her run the rest of the way to the tunnel. "C'mon Mum!" Alex and Evelyn ran as fast as they could through the sand to the tunnel where the slaughterer was hiding. "I'll get you, you sonuvabitch!!!!" Kit was hot on the heels of Alan when Skarzinski suddenly disappeared into a tunnel. "What the fuck?!" Kit had barely any time to think before Jonathan came racing past him and disappeared into the tunnel as well. Kit sighed, "What the fuck" and followed the two men into the passageway. "Shit! They've gone through the tunnel!" Rick cursed. "We must find him! He cannot be allowed into the past!" Ardeth reared his horse on and hurried into the tunnel followed closely by Rick. |