Chapter Eight

The night felt differently from the ones he had spent with his new friends. He had spent five

weeks in hiding. The bulbs went off and on. Then he heard screams from the general room. Max

saw the man he had vowed to kill. His father's brother, they wanted him and he knew it was best

not to resist their arrest. "Don't hurt anyone" He said. "You want me right? Here I am, don't hurt

them please, they are innocent".

Diana ran out to the scene. "Max, what are you doing?" He didn't look at her.

"I think it's time I met my father's family". Max let them lead him out of the restaurant. He knew

he didn't know what he was doing but he was certain he didn't want to endanger anyone's life,

especially those in the hideout. They had expected him to save them and he was doing just that.

The vehicle took the last turning, the mansion looked ancient. He walked behind the man he had

vowed to kill, his uncle. "We met one rather unfortunate circumstances, I'm your Uncle Sam".

Max didn't reply. The field around the mansion was green, the fountain by the garden looked

familiar, and he remembered where he had seen the fountain, his father's old picture. His father

was standing with a younger boy, his brother. "So, what's next?" Max asked.

"Hello, hello" A man in an overpriced suit met them on the way. "Finally a pleasure to meet my

grandson" The man Diana had told him about, Danny Fallaway, Max didn't need anyone to tell

him he was Danny Fallaway, he looked exactly the way his father would have looked if his

father was older. "Exactly the way I imagined you to be, a younger version of Mike". He made to

hug Max but Max shrugged it off. "I'm so sorry for your lose".

"Likewise". Max replied. He wandered how his son's death could mean nothing to him, he

watched the look on his face, now that he looked closer, it was written all over his face that his

grandfather lacked something his father had, Danny lacked warmth. Even when he tried to smile,

to look good, his coldness betrayed his eyes.

"I lost my son, your father a lot of years ago" Danny led the way to the dinning room for dinner.

"I thought you might be hungry, we can eat like the family that we are". He let out a hysteric

laugh. "I know you have heard a lot of terrible things about me, I am the good guy here". Max

fixed his gaze on the meal.

"When do we begin?" Max finally asked.

Danny beckoned on Birdie; he spoke to him in a language Max couldn't place on time. He was

quick with what he said. When Birdie came back with a little girl, Max guessed the girl was his

errand. "Meet my--"

"Grandson" The girl completed. She removed the hood that covered her blond hair. "Give me

your hand". She requested. Max watched as she slowly closed her eyes and he couldn't hear the

incantations she made. Her eyes were still shut. "The double blooded!" The girl dropped Max's

hand. "I see nothing. I can't read him, I am not powerful enough". Danny brought out little

container from his chest pocket, he would have concluded that Danny was sick but he gave the

pills to Kelly.

"You are powerful than you think, read him". Danny commanded. She took Max's hand again.

This time her eyelids shook, she held on to Max's hand for a better grip. She began to bleed from

her nose; the table shook more and more. "You're going to kill her!" Max cried. "You're going to

kill her!" The girl dropped to the floor. Birdie took her away.

"I just confirmed the rumors". Danny smiled "You are as powerful as prophesied, you are just

like me".

"I am nothing like you". Max replied. Even though Max had followed his uncle to his father's

family, it was written all over Danny's face that he didn't trust Max.

Danny laughed out. "You killed your friend, what is his name gain?" Danny pretended to think

be lost in thoughts. "David? He was a nice fellow". He watched Max clench his fist. "You are

just like me" He laughed again. "Do the Kendricks know you are as evil as your grand father? Of

course they don't know"

Danny watched Max leave with Birdie. "Keep close watch at that boy, he is just like his father".

Max lost his sleep, the past few months had been like he had spent hundreds of years already.

He couldn't stop the thoughts that ran through his mind, his parents death, uncle David's death,

the children at the Kendricks' hideout, the prophesies and now he was here with the most

dangerous man on earth. Unfortunately the man was his grandfather. The prophesies and the

rumors had said the same thing, he was the Savior and he was the destroyer also, which ever he

later turned out to be was determined on whatever he chose to be. The little seer at the dinner had

been forced to read him against her wish, it made him wander how many helpless people Danny

had been using against their will. Max tried to hear the conversations around the mansion, but he

was blocked. A magical spell must have been in place to prevent eavesdropping. Just before he

lay down to sleep, Uncle David's cold body flashed through his eyes. Maybe Danny was right,

he was as evil as Danny himself. Max watched the old ceiling, unexpectedly, something about

the place made him doze off.

The next morning, Birdie came to call him up to the training ground. "He is making you do

this?" Max asked. Birdie ignored him. "You don't have to kill for him. You can use your magic

for good".

Max walked around the mansion. Danny had a guard follow Max everywhere, the guard stayed

few steps away from him. His grandfather was building an army. They wore suits and helmets

that made them unaffected by any magic. He walked past the seer girl, max looked closely at her,

she looked like she hadn't slept for days. The little girl met his gaze too; somehow, he heard a

voice in his head. "He wants to take your powers, you have to run". Max felt fear grip him. "I

thought magic could not be used here, how did you?"

"He will take over the whole world if he gets your magic, you have to save yourself, and you

have to save us all". The next door shut behind her. He needed to get up close to her, she had

been with Danny longer, she had seen lots of visions for him and she definitely knew what no

one else knew. Max wanted to know everything she knew. Diana was right, Danny was a

psychopath, and he was getting power drunk.

Max marked the room the little girl entered. He needed to know more and he knew the little girl

knew more than anyone else, he needed to help her escape too. He stopped two rooms after.

Even if he could escape without his powers, he didn't think he would go without a fight, a bloody

one. The walls were high, fortified; the guards were well armed too. "I need to use the

bathroom". The blocks caught his eyes, they outside walls beamed with strong magic aura, but

the inner walls could be penetrated. "Hello, can you hear me?" He only heard silence. Maybe he

was much more far away from where the girl is. "It's me, Max".

He was about to open the door when he heard the familiar voice of the little girl. "You should

leave".

"How is it that you can hear me? I can hear you too. I tried using magic earlier but I couldn't".

Max asked

"My magic made the blockage, I can remove it too".

Max was silent. "That is why you are so important to Danny?" He asked.

"Yes" she replied "You need to leave this place right now, you don't have much time Max".

"Not until you tell me what Danny is planning to do". It was better he knew what Danny had

done earlier.

"This people are dangerous than you can ever imagine" She sighed. "There are some kids in

Danny's hostage; they were stripped of their magic. Danny took all their powers. If he took

yours, he would be the most powerful man on earth". She suddenly went off.

"What's your name? Are you there?" Max asked

"I have to go, I'm Kelly". Birdie banged at the door. He scanned Max "What took you so long".

Max ignored him. He was getting closer to knowing the whole plan and he wasn't sure what to

do next, or how he could fight the battalion his family's force were building up. He needed t be

closer to Kelly's room. The walls that separated their rooms were a disruption to him hearing all

she had to tell him. That morning, Danny was out. Max was left with the man he had vowed to

kill, his uncle. If he wanted to go on with his plans, he needed to act right away.

Sam gave him an intense look. "You didn't look like you slept at all." Sam asked.

"Rats were running around, I couldn't sleep". Sam only shook his head.

"Can I change my room?" Sam agreed. "Father must not know you had trouble sleeping". He led

the way to the new room. Max asked on his to the new room. "I haven't seen Danny today"

"He went out to take care of some business". His uncle replied.

"I haven't seen the little girl too". Sam told him he knew nothing about the little girl. "You ask

too much questions". Sam held the door knob to the room till it opened wide. His new room was

next to Kelly's. He knew she was not in her room because the guard that stood by her door was

not by the post.

The new room was warm. Max felt like he was being welcomed into the room. He saw a painting

on the wall; his father had the same painting in his study. The table near the bed had a familiar

inscriptions, it was his father's signature. "This room was my father's?" he asked his uncle. He

gave him a nod. "You can always guess". The room smelt like his father. He could tell that he

had practiced so many magic spells in the room. The whole room was like no one ever left.

"There are no rats in here." Sam assured him. His new room was right next to Kelly's. Max

waited till after dinner, he wouldn't want to tip anyone off that he was doing magic.

The sun outside the window was going down towards the west, Max looked out of the window,

the air cooled his nerves. A fire fly flew towards the window but when he looked closer, he saw

that the fly was not the regular fire fly. Its wings were like that of a butterfly's, it was red like

fire but its eyes glowed like a mini bulb. The fly landed on his right arm. Surprisingly, the fly

was cold. The fly flew inside through the widow. The fly flapped its wings when it landed on the

study table near the wardrobe. It flapped its wings at intervals. Max looked around the table, the

fly was definitely trying to tell him something. He tried to listen to the sound the fly made but he

realized it could be showing him something. Max moved the pen case on the table, it made a

click sound. The table moved slightly, it opened a dark tunnel. He followed the fly into the dark,

its wings glowed brighter. Max was not sure where he the fly was leading him to, but he was

sure it had something to do with the Magoon's plans. The tunnel smelled of rotten metals. Some

miles into the tunnels, he felt water under his feet. The fire fly disappeared into the deep

darkness. The tunnel opened a second later; he stepped out of the tunnel into the pentagon room.

He coughed out the dust that rushed into his nose. The room was empty and the fire fly was out

of sight, the tunnel door closed behind him. He walked around the room; there was no door, no

window. He looked around for a clue, for an opening. He stopped at the center of the room. He

saw a four entangled triangle painting on the tied floor, Max stood by it. The fly was back from

nowhere, this time the glow had stopped. It bit his index finger until his blood dropped on the

floor. The walls shook like it was going to collapse then it stopped as if nothing ever happened.

Max waited to see another opening or a bigger fly come out of the air. He saw a man's back

view, "Hello". The man didn't move an inch. He was jolted when he heard the familiar soft

voice. "Max?" It was his mother's

"Mom, Dad?" He ran to hug his mother but he couldn't get through the invincible barricade.

"You cannot come over here sweetie; we are on the other side already". Dorothy smiled. "We

knew you'd one day get here. You are not here by accident darling. Your father planned it all".

"He is planning something big. Danny is planning something very dangerous". Max said. "His

armies, his powers, I'm afraid I cannot do what is required of me".

"The future of the magic world depends on you Max, you need to be strong" His father

continued. "War is won if you attack when least expected. There is the blueprint of this place at

the edge of the bed, you have to take it and get out of here"

"Go back to the restaurant, you don't have much time. Danny is running faster". His mother said.

"We will be in touch". A mild wind started to blow up the dust, the firefly was back by his side.

Max watched his parents disappear into the wind. Somehow, Max found his way back into his

room. He checked the edge of the bed, there was a scroll hidden inside a drawer. The blueprint

was covered with a transparent plastic. He hid it in his inner pocket. He needed to get out of

there but he wasn't leaving without Kelly.

Kelly looked pale as always. She looked up only when Danny mentioned her name. He bragged

about her "She is the most powerful seer in the world". Her mother had come from the

generation of seers and according to the stories; she was born on a full moon day. She was the

second seer born on a full moon; she was the most powerful seer on earth. Danny had found her

in a dump hill; her mother had died during childbirth. When her father knew she was a girl, he

knew she was going to be a seer too. Her father had left her to cry on her own. He had left her to

die in the cold. He didn't want another witch under his roof "I was lucky to find her. I thought I

was bringing home an ordinary orphan but I was bringing in a great asset. Max knew it would be

difficult to convince Kelly to come with him, she'd feel indebted to him but he'd try anyways.

That night, he waited up till he heard Kelly enter her room. He could her Danny's loud laughter;

he had walked her to her room himself. He waited a little longer to make sure Danny was no

longer nearby. "Kelly?" He called her with his mind. There was no response from Kelly for a

while longer than a minute. He was just about to try again. "Max? You are putting us in grave

danger"

"We have to leave this place right away". He waited for her reply "Say something. Why is it

taking you longer than usual to reply?" He asked.

"I don't know, the blockage is getting stronger than it was" Kelly replied.

"Do you think he knows already?" Kelly told him Danny was just being too careful about Max.

"He had heard about how powerful you are, he doesn't like taking chances".

Max told her about his parents' appearance, about the blue print and the urgent need to leave

the mansion. "I can't leave, ever"

"Why?"

"I'm sick, Danny holds my treatments". He told her he didn't understand, they were both losing

connection.

Kelly had a rare genetic disease since she was five years old. Danny had had his scientists work

on a permanent cure for her illness. They'd been lucky to find a drug that helped reduce the

effect of the disease on her. Danny had known she would one day ask for freedom and he had

held on to the drug as leverage. The illness explained Kelly's paleness. "We can steal the drug;

have someone make the exact type. My mother's family has this big facility, they have good

doctors too."

"I owe Danny my life, you can't save me Max, but you can save the rest". He was losing the

connection

"Who are the rest?" He asked hurriedly.

"The kids Danny stripped off their powers". She was starting to break off. "I will distract Danny.

The connection went off, Kelly went off the grid.

There were several others somewhere in the house, others magicians like him whose powers had

been taken away by the man he had to kill. He tried to talk to Kelly again, he needed to act fast.

He couldn't use his magical senses here. The blockage was stronger than he could penetrate. His

father's words came back to him. "You are stronger than you think". He tried again and over

again, it took him all the strengths in him. Finally, he saw through the walls. Kelly was right, he

saw the kids, ten of them. All chained up in the basement, he saw the guard that always followed

Danny; he was locking up the cage. He kept the key inside the left side of his pocket. He had to

find a way to get to the basement of the house. Max sneaked out of his room, the hallway was

empty. He found a door down the hall; the blue print would lead them out of the house. His mind

trailed back to Kelly, he wandered where she would be at the moment. She had promised to

distract Danny for them to have an easy passage out of the mansion.

Max saw some guards run past him; some security protocols had been breeched. He guessed it

was Kelly, whatever she was doing to distract the guards, it was working. He saw the guard with

the key. "Hey!" Max called out to him. "There is something you should see over here". He took

the small bronze statue of King David on the table. "It is right here behind you. Max hit him with

the heavy statue until he became unconscious. Max stripped him of his uniform he needed a

disguise to get through to the basement. He ran through the hallway. The basement was darker

than he had thought it would be. He found a light switch by the wall. He saw the fear on all the

faces. "I'm here to rescue you. I am not one of them. He opened up the cells. Six young boys and

girls, the oldest was about his age and the youngest was about five years old. They all looked

week and sick, he wandered how fast they would be able to run out of there. "Get the boy!" The

guard was awake. "Follow me" Max called out from behind him. The five year old ran slower

than the rest. Max carried him on his back, they had to run faster, the guards could be nearer than

they thought. The tunnel reeked so bad, flickers of light came from the light he had seen inside

the guard's suit. A guard was closing on them, he shot at him, Max groaned. The bullet hit him

on his left shoulder. There was a ladder that led to the metal covering at the end of the tunnel.

The oldest girl took the boy from Max's hand, blood gushed out of his wound. He climbed up to

open the tunnel last; one of the boys helped him up against the ladder. The guards were just right

behind them, they were closing in on them than he bargained for. The oldest boy struggled with

the metal cover that led out of the tunnel. The metal was heavy to push but finally, they pushed

the metal cover wide open. The red haired boy was almost at out, the guards were coming closer.

"Hurry" He pulled the boy by his hand. Max banged the tunnel to his face. The two guards shot

at them. "Hurry, run!" He let the teenagers run ahead of him, he was bleeding so bad Max knew

they wouldn't shoot at him again, Danny needed him alive. He created a shield around them, the

bullets dropped when they hit the shield. There was a maze farm ahead of them; they hid behind

the far house. "You are bleeding". The blond boy held Max's shoulder with his shirt; he was

loosing a lot of blood.

"What way?" The blond boy asked. The little girl pointed to the west. A chopper sounded from

afar. Max felt his heart fall out of its place, Danny had found them, and he had thought he had

failed until he saw the Kendricks' symbol on the chopper. Diana was flying the helicopter, he

was glad Diana had found him, found them. "Wait, they are with me". The chopper took off. The

five year old sat on his lap; his mind went back to Kelly. He was going to back to the facility to

do what his parents had told him to do, to prepare for war, to stop Danny from his deadly plans

and to save Kelly.