Take Back the Light

Chapter 17

"And the slugs?" Alana asked.

"Gray Enterprise bought out a couple trading stores. Other than that, they've been sending workers out the collect slugs in the last couple weeks. With all the focus on Blakk, nobody's noticed," Sam said. "And my parents are just handing them over to Blakk."

Alana's heart sank. She loved very few things more than seeing slugs in Slugterra, and that love was just amplified with the discovery of her powers. Every time she got thinking too much about the horrors Blakk was subjecting them to, sadness and fury grew up inside her.

"How could they do that?" Eli asked, shaking his head. "Don't they have any clue what Blakk will do to those slugs? To the people they go up against with that new equipment?"

"Not everyone can have parents who were beacons of hope," Sam responded bitterly. "Some of us got stuck with horrible people."

Alana winced- she'd heard those exact words before from an old friend.

"Sorry," Eli said, surprised. Sam sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"No, don't be, that wasn't called for," she said. "It's just upsetting. Because it's true- they know what's happening to the slugs and people because of Blakk. And they don't care."

"When exactly does this all happen?" Trixie asked.

"Two days," Sam responded. "I wish I could've told you guys sooner, but I didn't know until this morning."

"Do you have any more information? Times, places?" Eli asked. Alana could already practically see the gears in his head spinning.

"Not yet," Sam admitted. "Being in the same room as Doctor Blakk... I wasn't eager to speak up too much. He's terrifying. Plans are being finalized tomorrow morning, though, so I'll be able to get them to you then."

"So we could have less than a day to prepare once we get all the details," Trixie said flatly. Sam nodded.

"A day will be enough," Eli said, getting to his feet. "We can't let all that fall into Blakk's hands. Especially the slugs. We'll do our best to figure it out, Sam. I know it was a big risk for you to come out here and warn us. Don't worry- the Shane Gang will take care of it."

Sam got to her feet, too, and it looked almost comical as she looked skeptically down at the Shane.

"I'm not leaving it to just you guys," she protested. "I want to help, too. You're going to need someone who knows their way around Gray Enterprise facilities."

"We appreciate the offer," Trixie said. "But I don't think it'll be necessary. We've done stuff like this before."

"And how did that end?" Sam asked sadly. She glanced down at Alana, who still watched from the bean bag chair. "I heard all about Twist, and I'm sorry all of that happened. And you guys had the right idea with the heists you did with him, but you only made it that far because you had him feeding you information. It obviously didn't work out in your favor, but still- this isn't something you can do alone."

Alana got to her feet, shaking her head. "But if you get caught-"

Sam cut her off.

"You think I don't know what'll happen?"

The room fell silent, and Sam glanced down.

"My parents will disown me. I'll be on Blakk's hit list. I know what I'm risking, but if it even slows Doctor Blakk down a little bit, then I have to do everything I can," she said, her voice powerful with determination.

"You would just... give up living with your family?" Alana asked, appalled. The notion of willingly leaving your home and family bewildered her, and this wasn't the first time she had dealt with a friend ready to ditch everything she knew.