The Underground Palace

Chapter Ten - Run

Alex was shocked.  Did he just say brother?  Absurd!  She didn't have any siblings.

'Well,' continued James, 'technically your half brother.'  He then opened his arms, as though he was expecting a hug.  Alex raised her silentium, she didn't have time for jokes.

'Night, night,' she grinned.

'It's me! James Ramsay!' he shouted, but now with desperation. Alex shook her head with disbelief.

'Are you telling me that mum didn't tell you?' he quietly asked. The man, James, looked truly devastated. A little heartbroken. Something tugged at Alex's stomach. James.  The name sounded familiar.  It tugged at her stomach hard, forcing her to take a curious step forward.

'What are you talking about?'

'Please Alex! You have to believe me. Mum has a locket, a locket with both of us inside, haven't you seen it?' he begged. It was true, her mum did have a locket, but it only had a picture of Alex.

'Only I'm inside that locket.' James shook his head and stomped his foot.

'No! She wouldn't do that! What about the carvings? The A and the J on the back, one for Alexandra and one for James?'

'It's my initials. My middle name is Jane.'

'Alex, please! I beg you to believe me! I wouldn't lie to you. You have to get out of here now! It's not safe! Marco will-' The man crumpled to the floor in a deep sleep. Oliver admired his silver rod and pocketed.

'He was wasting our time Alex.' Oliver and  Neo raced forward and ducked through into the cell. Glen had always said she had a gift for reading through lies. And despite the impossibility of it, Alex knew the man was not lying.

'Thomas!' said Neo. Alex's heart sunk a little and she wiped away the forming tears.  No Glen.  Two saved and three to go. Seconds later, Thomas was free from his bounds and stepped out of the cell. He looked at Alex.

'Thank you,' he said. Alex replied with a nod and marched forward.

'Let's go,' she said.

Together they once again set off at a sprint.  She took the corridor on the left, then the one of her right.  Her power was guiding her, tugging at her heart and telling her which way to go.  Years ago Glen had told her her intuitive was better than the average human being.  She had laughed at him.  But he had been right.

Glen, she whispered to herself, where are you?  Minutes after exploring different corridors a scream, one that could shatter a champagne glass, pierced the children's ears. Alex, Oliver, Neo and Thomas halted and turned to each other. Where had the scream come from?

'Please! Stop it!' begged a voice. Alex charged forward, her power telling her that the owner of the voice was only a few corridors away.

Rounding the final corner, the children skidded to halt. More wooden doors were built into the walls, but one of them was wide open. Kirsty was flipping out and screaming for help. Four men had hold of her, one for each limb. At the sound of approaching footsteps, the men looked up and saw three of the Seven Children facing them.

Within a split second of the men twisted Kirsty's arm and pinned it against her back and shoved her body against on of the walls. The three other men charged at Alex, Oliver, Thomas and Neo.

As quick as lightning, Alex had her silver rod out and flicked it at the nearest man. She watched amazed as the man's legs collapsed under him and fell asleep immediately. Neo stepped forward and forcefully shoved his hand out at the two other men and grinned with satisfaction as the men flew into the air and cracked their backs against the stone ceiling. They collapsed to the floor silently, unconscious or dead, it didn't matter.