See Part One For Disclaimers

Rose had returned downstairs dressed in somber earth tones and tennis shoes, her curls pulled back in a ponytail and out of the way. She seemed a bit dazed still, but when Lissa mentioned it, the Healer protested she was fine and that she would meet them outside. Kat had awakened during the commotion, complaining something about a dark, cold place and a dull pain, like a stitch in her side.

Trading looks, they all comforted the little girl as best they could seeing as Alex, Derek and her 'Uncle Phillip' were still missing, Nick even taking time out of his dark thoughts to steer her into the kitchen for cookies and a glass of milk to help her get to sleep.

As Rachel's daughter headed back up to bed, the psychologist turned eyes worried and a bit resigned back to the others. "She knows something's going on. Doesn't she?"

Moira nodded. "She usually does. And that pain in her side...the way Rose collapsed, I'll bet that's coming from her or Phillip."

"Or both." Nick surprised them all with that contribution. "She's a special young lady, Rachel."

"When all of this is over...Rachel, she needs training. Or at least help in blocking all of this out until she's old enough and able to deal with what she's Seeing."

The doctor started to say something but stopped, merely nodding her head, clearly not liking the idea. They left the mother on the verge of tears.

The helicopter was fueled and ready to go and Nick wasted no time in taking off as soon as everyone was aboard. They flew in silence for what seemed like hours, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. It was Nick who finally broke the silence.

"So what do we do went the directions run out? How are we going to find them in the dark?" The pilot muttered under his breath, disgust audible over the noise of the chopper. The directions they had been given offered them a direction, but the details were a little lacking.

The two female Raynes traded pained looks, both wondering that very same thing. "I'm not sure Nick. I could open up and try to find Derek, but..." Her voice shook despite the effort to had it steady, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Lissa knew what the effort to keep her father blocked out of her heart and mind was costing the mage.

She also knew from those words that Moira herself was not completely sure she could keep him out; once those barriers had been dropped they might not go back up again.

"No," Lissa shook her head. As acting precept, her job was to make sure they planned for and made the best of all possible odds for all to survive this thing. She couldn't do that if one of their best fighters was incapacitated. "No, there has to be some other way..."

"I can guide you." They all started, surprised to find Rose sitting quietly in the far corner. They had forgotten she was there. "I'm..." she paused, her sigh heavy and afraid. "...I guess 'locked' with Phillip would be a good term. I would say 'in contact' but that would imply he's conscious which he...he's not." A single tears rolled down her cheek, unnoticed.

"Are you saying..." Lissa tightened her jaw, fiercely telling her own tears and the sudden lump to take a hike. Not now.

"He's alive, Lis. They - they've beaten him and he's unconscious, but alive. I can find him."

Lissa Rayne placed a hand over the younger woman's, looking at her squarely. "You find him Rose - we'll take care of the rest."

The look that passed between those two pairs of eyes did not bode well for the continued good health of those individuals responcible for the savage beating of a priest. The Healer closed her eyes, no longer holding back, the tears flowing freely down her face as she told them, "Left, toward the cliffs. Maybe a mile..."

 

Phillip drifted in and out of consciousness...he couldn't seem to hold on for more than a few seconds at a time. The pain - the pain was intense. It radiated from his ribs, his neck and down the backs of both legs; he couldn't even draw a breath without feeling as if his lungs were on fire.

"Phillip?" The young priest tried to lift his head and the voice said again, "Phillip, can you hear me?" It was a voice he knew, had known through nightmares and terror, a voice now anxious and pleading to be heard.

A voice whose owner Phillip had failed terribly.

"Derek..." he whispered, no more than a croak, moaning with the pain and effort it took to speak. He struggled to hold off the blackness, at least for a few more moments. Long enough to speak his final apologies. "'m sorry...failed..you..."

His joy at finding his godson still alive rapidly turning to fear at the words, Derek stared at Phillip in stunned silence. Never had he even begun to think that Phillip could think such a thing.

"Failed you..." Phillip murmured again, "...'n th' others..."

When he could speak again Derek whispered very quietly, "You did not fail me son. Phillip, do you hear me? Remember that and remember I said so." If anything it was Derek who had failed, failed to keep Phillip and Alex safe from madmen like Victor Arkady. "Hold on, Phillip. Rest; I swear I will get you out of here..."

At those words of assurance, Phillip sighed, allowing the darkness to take him once more and Derek leaned his head back against the cold stone pillar. He refused to allow anything past the surface of the stone facade he had errected, on the off chance Arkady had surveillance cameras set up to watch his torment. And it would be just like Derek's old nemisis to do just that.

So he grieved in silence, wondering just how he was going to fulfill his promise. His left arm ached, his chest felt unnaturally heavy and also ached on that side. He was chained in the dungeon someplace he didn't know, by a madman determined to extract a revenge he had been craving and no doubt working towards for months.

It was hopeless.

Grimly refusing to give in to the despair battering at him, Derek held onto one thought; one hope. He knew Moira and his daughter were near. He had felt the contact when the link between him and his family had been made; had felt it too when Moira had cut herself off from him.

He knew why she had done it and understood the reasons behind the actions. And now he could feel both of their presense, they were close. So very close.

But would they be in time to save them all?

 



Rose's directions led them to a manse that reminded Nick strongly of the Legacy House. Or a dark version thereof, which really didn't surprise him much; the impression the SEAL had gotten of Victor Arkady from their one brief meeting months ago was that the man was obsessed with Derek and the Legacy. Though Nick possessed none of the Gifts that would allow the others to sense evil, as he carefully set the helicopter down on the top of the manse, every ounce of training he had ever received screamed at him that this place was wrong - evil.

//Out of balance.// Rose whispered softly in his mind.

He nodded slowly. "Why aren't we bein' swarmed?" He asked, his eyes warily surveying the roof of the building. "I mean, we're not exactly what you could call quiet."

Moira jumped out of the chopper, not bothering to hide. "A spell that should have masked our arrival. I just hope that Arkady hasn't found or hired a mage with him."

"Consider my fingers mentally crossed. Rose, are you alright? Can you go on?" Lissa asked, glancing at the young witch in concern. The closer she had gotten to their destination, the weaker she had become, swaying as she dropped to the ground. But the girl nodded and Lissa squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "All right. Moi...we need to get past their security, will this spell cover the surveillance cameras?"

"No, but it should cover us long enough to get inside and do that ourselves."

"Damn."

The mage grinned briefly. "Sorry. Can't have everything. Lis, did you...?" Moira began and the smile thinned as her step-daughter pulled the gun from the waistband of her jeans. In that moment Lissa looked much older than her twenty-seven years and quite capable of doing whatever was necessary to make sure each of them got out of this alive.

Nick check the clip in his gun, snapping it back into place and she heard the click as the safety was removed. "Right. Let's move."

Stealthily, the group made their way to the staircase which Rose swore would lead them inside. Nick had taken point and Moira headed up the rear, keeping Lissa and Rose between them should they encounter one or more of Arkady's goons. Moira saw that Lissa had a hold of Rose's hand; no doubt, given Lissa and Phillip's history together, giving the Healer all the support she could.

It took them only a few minutes to find the security room and less than that for Nick and Lissa to deal with the two guards stationed out front. Slipping inside, she and Nick headed straight for the monitors. While the Legacy's head of security did come careful juggling of the surveillance footage and cameras, Lissa scanned the monitors, looking for Derek and the others. One monitor showed Alex in a room by herself, totally naked but otherwise apparently unhurt.

A cold fury began building in Lissa's soul at the sight of her friend shivering in the cold and she vowed silently that if he had lay even one finger on her former roommate she would break it and every other bone in his body.

//Channel that, kiddo. We'll get him - we're not leaving until we do.//

"Lis." Nick's quiet voice directed her attention back to the screens, and dispite Moira's cautioning, Lissa's rage was on the verge of exploding. One of the other cameras showed a type of cellar room made up like a dungeon out of a bad horror film. The walls were made of stone, there were cages and bars to cells and chains hanging from studs in the stone. Torches had been lit giving her enough light to see Derek and Phillip, both hanging from those chains.

Her father was undoubtably alive and fuming, although he seemed perfectly in control to any who didn't know him well, but it was Phillip's condition that set her blood to boiling.

Shackled to the wall from the heavy iron manakles chained to each wrist, Phillip simply hung there, his head resting on his chest. There were bruises, some larger than her spread hand all over his body, one eye was blackened and swollen shut. Rose had said he was unconscious but he almost looked to be dead.

As she thought that, Derek's head snapped up and he looked directly into the camera.

"He knows we're here." Lissa said, realizing the other mage had felt their presence.

"I know." Moira glanced back from the doorway where she was covering the corridor. "It's okay to send, I haven't sensed any other mages around."

"What if they're shielding?"

"I doubt anyone Arkady would hire could build a shield I couldn't break through. The quality he would attract wouldn't be content to stay under his thumb for very long."

"And Arkady hardly seems the type to tolerate any vying for his power." Nick nodded her point.

"Right."

"So why didn't Derek just blast his way out of here?" Nick wanted to know.

Moira's mouth was a grim line as she thought about that. "I don't know. But that is a good question... Maybe afraid of Arkady hurting the others?"

"According to this, Alex is being held in a room on the second level. Can you two go free her while I finish with this?" He asked, turning his grim attention back to the control panel. "The sooner we're outta here the better I'll feel. I hate to be the one to say this but this place gives me the creeps."

"No problem. And I agree with you by the way, the sooner we leave the better. But I'd rather Rose stay here." Moira eyed the young woman uncertainly. Rose hadn't moved an inch since they had reached the control room and now her eyes were closed and she almost seemed to be glowing slightly.

"I'll go with you..." Lissa began but Moira shook her head.

"No Nick needs you to watch the halway. I won't be gone but a few minutes."

"What about backup for you?" Lissa countered, not liking the idea of Moira going out on her own.

"Here, take this." Nick handed her his secondary weapon, a smaller .38.

"Thanks. And if anybody gets in my way they get knocked into a wall. Deal?"

The Legacy's acting precept nodded, still not thrilled but satisfied Moira would bring them both back safely. "Just protect Xan, Moi. If they've hurt her..."

She checked to make sure the safety was off. "I'll make sure they're in no position to do it again. Permanently. Fair?"

"Fair enough."

Lissa watched as, after checking the halway, Moira headed out the door.

Turning her own attention back to the matter at hand it was then Lissa saw the video tape. It had one word neatly labeled on it's side...'priest'. Her blood ran cold as, not knowing exactly why, she slipped it out of it's box, popping it into the VCR resting on the shelf above the surveillance screens. With a growing sense of dread, she hit 'play'.

Meanwhile, Nick had finished looping the video footage, feeding it back into the database so that all Arkady would see should he check the monitors would be a replay of the same.

Nothing.

No helicopter, no Legacy members running loose about his complex, nothing whatsoever out of the ordinary.

Grinning smugly, the ex-SEAL soon lost that grin at the sound now filling the control room. It was the sound of metal hitting flesh; the muffled grunts and moans of someone enduring a severe and violent beating. His head jerked up at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Why'r you doin' this?" Phillip pleaded. "Wha' is 't tha' you want?"

"What the hell?"

"A tape, Nick. The sick bastard made a tape of these men beating Phillip."

Unable to take his eyes off of the scene unfolding, Nick swore "Sonofabitch!" as, on the tape, Arkady left the room, Phillip's attackers working him over until he lay broken and bleeding, curled up around himself. The last one to leave delivered another kick as he left the room.

He's mine. Nick made a special note of him should they run across them before they got out of here. Lissa took the tape, stowing it away in her backpack for later evidence, the dark look on her face challenging that sentiment.

"Not if I find him first, Nick."

"How did you know?"

"You're an open book, brother." Lissa stated grimly.

"I'm angry."

"I know. Moira's found Alex." she told him, watching the monitor as she covered the reseracher with her jacket and led the way down the hall.

Nick leaned over her shoulder. "Looks like she found someone else, too." He indicated the two unconscious bodies littering the floor to Alex's prison room.

Lissa's jaw tightened in satisfaction. Moira had kept her promise.

"It's time. Let's go get my father."

 

 

It had been child's play to find Alex; a simple sending had shown her were to look, another had told Moira which door her friend was behind.

A sudden scream sent Moira's reactions into high gear. Holstering the gun, the mage raised hands that glowed a pure white and blasted the door off it's hinges. The scene that greeted her wasn't one she was likely to forget.

Holding a rickety wooden chair, Alex stood naked in one corner, attempting to fend off two of Arkady's goons. One already had his belt undone, anticipating his victory while the other stood off to the side, watching and waiting. At the sudden explosion, both men whirled in surprise and disbelief.

"Moira!"

The disbelief gave way to anger at the chance of being deprived of their sport and the one waiting launched himself at her as the other went again for Alex. Not wasting any time, Moira lashed out with a kick to the gut and another to the chin of the one coming at her, safely taking him out of the fight. She rounded on the other one.

"Come on." She taunted, beckoning the man closer. "Come on, let's she what you've got."

Moira toyed with him; effortlessly ducking his clumsy punches, spinning away from his kicks and rushes, often sending her opponent sprawling as she did so. After a few such passes and her fury at seeing Alex cornered and in danger had cooled, Moira knocked him to the ground one final time, preparing to put him out when Alex stopped her.

"Wait." Still trembling in reaction, Alex walked up clamly and kicked him hard in the groin. Looking down at the man who was now sweating and clutching himself, Alex announced in a voice that shook, "And I am neither a chick nor a dish!"

With that mysterious statement, Moira knocked him unconscious with the hilt of her dagger. Replacing the dagger in it's sheath at her belt, she smiled approvingly. "Feel better?"

"No." Alex took a deep breath looking at her friend ruefully. "But I'm getting there."

They shared a cold, understanding smile and Moira hugged her tightly before pulling away. "Same here. Help me with this jerk and we'll get you dressed..."

But Alex shook her head vehemently. "I can't..." She told her. "I can't wear those."

Understanding, Moira merely nodded. Shrugging off her jacket, she handed it to Alex who gratefully put it on. The short black leather reached only as far as the waist but at least it was something. "Okay, let's see what we can find on this level."

Again Moira drew the gun, leading the way. Down the corridor they found an empty room which looked as if it might have belonged to one of Arkady's 'women' at one time. Rumaging through the dresser drawers however, all they could find were a pair of skimpy underwear.

Probably all he'll let them wear, Moira thought cynically. Gratefully Alex put them on.

//Moira - we've found dad and Phillip. They're in some type of cellar dungeon.// Hard on the heels of Lissa's sending came directions, a mental map of the location.

//I have Alex, Lis. Tell Nick and the other's we'll meet you there.//

"Lissa?" Alex hazarded a guess.

"Yeah, they've found Derek and Phillip..."

"Phillip!" At the mention of the priest's name Alex stopped dead in her tracks. How could she have forgotten him? "Oh my God...Moira, he's been hurt. They taunted me with it...there...there were screams earlier..."

Moira tightened her jaw grimly. "I know, Alex. Rose is with us."

"Rose? She's here?" Alex looked stunned. "Then she must know..."

Moira nodded again, picking up her pace. "Let's get down there. I want to get my hands on Arkady while there's still something left of him to get a hold of."

Continued

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