'What?' replied Alex.  She turned to her dad who was driving the car. They were at least 30 minutes away from the Underground Palace.  Her dad was staring at the phone shellshocked.

'Alex I thought you were dead,' spoke Glen sadly over the phone.  Alex wiped away her happy tears and shook her head softly smiling.

'No, it's a long story but Marco let me go.  I can't believe you did it, you used your power!'  Over the phone Alex heard some pushing and shoving until-

'Alex!  You need to come back here!'  Alex smiled at the sound of Oliver's voice.

'Coming right back now, Oliver,' replied Richard.  He picked up the radio transmitter installed on the SUV's dashboard and spoke into it, 'Château du Ciel, prepare to turn back to base. We have received confirmation that all Seven Children are safe and sound. Over.'  

An explosion of cheers was heard through the speakers and Alex couldn't help but grin once again. The men and women who had volunteered to join Richard on the rescue mission had followed them and were driving behind them in their own SUVs. Alex turned round and saw them all flash their headlights and beep their horns with delight. Alex turned back round, everything was going to be alright, finally! Richard lightly pressed down on the brakes, preparing to do a U-turn, when suddenly-

Boom!  One of the SUVs behind them exploded.  Then gun shots, hundreds of them filled the night.  Alex screamed and ducked just as a bullet exploded the car's left wing mirror. Richard pressed his foot down flat on the accelerator and the car lurched forward. 

'What's hap-' began Alex, then stopped herself. There was no need to ask her dad what was happening. It was all too clear. Marco had found them.

'How did he find out?' Alex demanded. Richard didn't reply.  He continued to stare straight ahead.  Marco must have positioned scouts all over the place, thought Alex, littered the whole Scottish Highlands with them. And even now, driving closer to the Underground Palace, closing the miles, the Ruler of Evil was going to make sure this time Alex was never going to return home. He had lost six of the Seven Children and no pact was going to save Alex this time. 

'Alex?  Alex what's going on? yelled Susan from the mobile.  Now Susan had joined the reunion and everything was going downhill.

'Mum he knows.  Marco knows we're close by.  He just blew up one of the cars behind us and now we're being shot at.'  She heard her mother swear on the other side.  

'You better bring my daughter back alive Richard!' she yelled in response.  Richard gritted his teeth.

'You can beat on it!' he yelled back.  In the distance Alex saw a car approaching them, then blinked and realised it was more than one car approaching, perhaps three, or seven.  Maybe ten.

'Dad...' whispered Alex.  

'Hold on,' warned Richard and he pressed down hard on the accelerator.  The car flew forward, more than two hundred miles an hour.  If Marco didn't kill them soon, Alex thought, her dad's driving would.

More bullets slammed into the car and Alex screamed and ducked, then realised they weren't causing any damage.  She looked up at her dad.

'Bullet proof?' she asked.

'You betcha,' he answered and suddenly yanked the steering wheel to the left.  The car swung left and broke through a wooden fence.  Bits of wood went flying everywhere.  They were in a field, flying fast over mounds of dirt.  Alex spun round and looked behind them.

'They're following us,' she told her dad.  At least ten SUVs were following them at full speed.  Men were hanging out of the passenger windows with rifles in their hands.  Alex shook her head and turned to her father.

'We're done for, aren't we?' she asked.  The radio on their dashboard crackled into life and laughter echoed.

'Three times I let you go Alexandra and don't count on a fourth,' laughed Marco.  Richard swore aloud.  He must be nearby, using one of the other SUV radios to speak to them.  Marco continued, 'you have a choice, to surrender now and I'll let your father live, or later, after I have plunged my knife through your father's heart.'

'Dad-'

'Don't listen to him!'  Richard stabbed the off button on the radio then started fiddling with the CD player controls.

'This isn't the time to listen to music!' shouted Alex.

Bang!

The car shuddered and a jet of red and white flew out of their exhaust and sailed through the air until it connected with the SUVs following them.  The cars exploded and lit up the dark sky.

'What was that?' exclaimed Alex.

'Think James Bond mixed with magic,' answered Richard with a grin.  Alex grinned back.  Perhaps they still had a chance at survival.

'Alex!  Are you okay?' asked Glen.  Alex looked back down at her phone.  She forgot her family were anxiously waiting on the other end.

'It's not good,' replied Alex.  'Marco's men are everywhere.'

'I can't use my power to get you out of there.  You're moving too fast,' said Glen.  Richard tugged the car to the right and they crashed through another wooden fence.  They were back on the main road.  Alex glanced at a sign showing how many miles away they were to the nearest town.  At least fifty.  Damn it!

Richard slammed his breaks on and swore out loud.  At least twenty SUVs were parked closely together in a line in front of them.  The road ahead was blocked.  Alex twisted around in her seat and looked behind her.  The SUVs that hadn't been bombed had followed them and blocked the road too.  To the left and right of the road was woods.  Richard snatched Alex's phone out of her hands.

'Glen we're now parked.  Save Alex first.'

'On my way,' replied Glen.  He hung up the phone and Richard glanced at his daughter.  She looked petrified.

'Everything is going to be alright,' he said.  Alex shook her head and let tears fall freely.

'No it's not,' she replied.  Ahead, a silhouette appeared through the darkness.  It was Marco.  He was laughing as he stepped forward.  He clapped his hands together and the car's doors unlocked and flew open.  Alex flinched and wiped away her tears.  She took one last look at her father who was trying his best to appear brave and strong and watched him sadly step outside of the car and face Marco.  Shaking from head to toe she stepped outside of the car too.

Immediately the men surrounding them jeered and chanted.  The Ruler of Good surrendering to the Ruler of Evil was a sight.

Alex can you hear me?

Alex body stiffened.  It was Kirsty's voice in her head.

Yes she spoke back.

Good.  We see you.  We're in the woods.  Glen is going to save you.

What about my dad?

We can't.  Your dad's level of power is too powerful.  Glen can't transport him.

I can't leave my dad!

We don't have a choice!  Now don't move.

Alex watched her father turn to her with sadness.  He knew.  He knew only Alex could be saved.

'I love you,' he told her.

'I love you too,' she cried back.  

Marco stepped forward, his smile was as wide as his face.

'And now-' he started then faltered.  Alex felt something appear from nowhere behind her.  She instantly relaxed at the familiar presence of her cousin.  He wrapped his arms around her.  'No!' screamed Marco with fury.  His eyes burned with anger and he lashed his power forward.  But it was too late.  Alex and Glen had already disappeared.

*****

Is this ever going to end you may wonder?  Soon, very soon!

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