OtherWorldpart16a

From her position in the bushes, Maria could see four figures make their way towards the house, splitting up the two boys headed around the perimeter of the fence, while Tess and Isabel headed straight for the guard station. Maria heard the crunching of feet behind her too late. Two arms came around her waist and pulled her from her hiding spot. A hand covered her mouth to stop her from screaming.

Reacting instantly, Maria slammed the heel of her boot into her attackers shin, bit the hand covering her mouth, and mentally screamed out Michael’s name hoping he was close enough to hear her telepathic cry for help. All too late Maria recognised the familiar taste in her mouth. The body pulled away and Maria turned to see him hopping on one foot, cradling his hurt hand and holding the other to what must be an aching head.

Grinning to herself at the sight of Michael hoping around like an over eager easter bunny fresh from the emergency ward, Maria shook her head stiffling laughter.

“Not funny Spaceboy!” Turning her binoculars back to the house, Maria could just make out Isabel and Tess’s figures from inside the guards station, it looked like they were having…coffee?

“Michael, why are Isabel and Tess drinking coffee with the Skins?”

Michael grabbed the binoculars with his good hand, grinning at what he saw.

“They’re using Isabel’s ‘lost and found’ routine”

“Lost and Found?”

“Yeah...you know… ”

Maria did know, it had given them many pork meals in the past. Now she just shook her head sadly. Michael regarded her expression with interest, before taning the binoculars from her.

“Team Jerk-Off is in position it would appear.”

Maria snickered, raising her hand to her eyes to catch a glimpse of the two boys waving frantically at them from the roof above, she glanced at her watch.

“1.04, we need to give the girls at least fifteen more minutes to work their magic, then we’ll make our move.”

Michael nodded, lowering the binoculars and turning towards her, he brushed a finger across her cheek, smoothing away a strand of hair that had fallen from her loose ponytail. Moving closer he whispered into her ear. Caught up in his caress of her face and the feel of his breath against her cheek, his next statment threw her completely.

“It’s still there.”

Maria looked at him like he’d gone crazy.

“What is?”

“I don’t know…something, stopping us, blocking us from our ‘happily ever after’ ending…I can feel it.”

Maria felt angry and fearful all at once.

“Leave it Michael! You don’t want to know.

It must have been the dim light, or a trick of the moon, because Maria could have sworn she saw his eyes fill up, tears threatening to fall, but then he blinked and it was gone. Chiding herself for thinking Michael would ever let his defences get so worn down, Maria glanced at her watch again.

“1.11, we should get a move on” Rising to her feet and moving away from him, she didn't get far before she felt his warm body pressing against hers, his arm slung casually around her waist, pulling her to him as they moved together down the hill.

At the tree by the perimeter of the fence, Michael made a smooth cat like jump up into the tree. Lowering his hand, he pulled her up beside him. 1.15 her watch read. From inside the guard’s station, a green light flickered at the window. Their signal. Maria leapt first, over the fence and into the back yard. Landing on her feet, she darted quickly to the safety of the shadows the house gave in the moonlight.

Michael was soon by her side again and together they stole around to the back door. Using the magic-jimmy, the door swung open, and Michael stood away from it bowing to Maria in a mock courtesy gesture, passing him smoothly and entering the house, she smiled to herself at his actions.

The long hall was darkened, but from behind a door at the far end Maria could make out muffled voices. Making their way down the hall and peering through the keyhole of the Edwardian door, Maria could make out the figures of Liz and Alex, as well as several other people moving around the room.

“Whatever you want you won’t get it, my cousin will be here any minute to save us” Liz’s voice was high pitched and panicky.

The response was a deep laugh that sent shivers down Maria’s spine; Michael lent in closer, leaning over her, placing an ear on the door.

“I’m counting on it little girl, in fact I think she’s arrived ahead of schedule”

Before Maria could react, the door she was leaning on was torn open. Maria went tumbling forward, falling on her hands and knees. She felt the full force of Michael falling on top of her and his elbow jabbed her back, taking the wind from her. As the two of them scrambled to their feet Maria couldn’t help but notice the quizzically look Michael shot her.

Drawing herself up Maria turned to stare at the man in front of her. Necedo was tall and menacing, his dark eyes seemed to bore into her, and unintentionally she stepped back, right into Michael. His hands around her waist steadied her and as his fingers brushed her hand, the fear he was feeling momentarily overtook her.

“I’m here for my humans.” Her voice sounded much more assured than she felt.

“As I can see, we’ve made some interesting discoveries in your absence though.”

From the corner of her eye Maria could see the apologetic looks Alex was sending her. And felt Michael stiffen behind her.

Still standing in the doorway, Maria surveyed her surroundings, aside from Necedo, a young man, no older than fourteen lounged in an armchair, in front of the fireplace two men in dark suits stood with their arms crossed over their chests, and on the other side of the room Liz and Alex were tied together at the wrists sitting unceremoniously on the floor, a bay window overlooking the front yard behind them, Maria could see no obvious means of escape, and panic started to rise within her . The boy on the chair stood and walked towards them.

“Give us the Orb and you can walk out of here. Commando boy here never need know what you really are.”

Maria felt Michael pull away from her a little. Not just physically, the fear that she had felt from him was suddenly gone, along with the heat of his body, he had become a stonewall, it was the scariest thing she had experienced yet.

“Nicholas, that’s enough. Maria knows what she has to do, don’t you Maria?”

All she could do was nod.

TBC