A wave of power thrust forward from within both of them, blasting their attackers over the side railing and onto the mall's lower level. Flailing, two of their pursuers landed in a decorative fountain. The remaining one wasn't so lucky, instead hitting a plastic "bench, which shattered on impact.
Kyle ran toward Max and Michael. "Where's Liz?" Max asked, his eyes wild.
"I'm pretty sure they all got out into the service corridor through the back of the cafe," Kyle said, keeping his voice low.
Michael used his powers to blow another pair of government men off their feet, sending them crashing back onto the escalator. "They better have gotten out. You should have stayed with them. “
"Somebody had to get out here and warn you," Kyle said.
Amidst the screaming from terrified mall patrons, an amplified voice echoed from the halls. "Drop your weapons and put your hands up!" Kyle saw agents trying to get the door to the Cybernet Cafe open, but they were cautious; because of the blackened glass, they had no way of knowing what might await them inside.
Max grinned, looking almost malicious. "What'll it be… hands up or weapons down?" he asked. "Can't do both. “
Kyle grinned at Max, whose hands were his weapons. Pointing toward a nearby trendy clothing store, Max said, "In there." The front of the establishment was all windows, with fancily dressed mannequins aplenty set in various poses.
The three fugitives ducked into the store, even as clerks and customers dove for cover, some whimpering in fear. "Everybody keep your heads down," Max yelled. "We won't hurt you, but the guys chasing us just might! “
Hiding behind a rack of overpriced sweatshirts, Kyle saw that the police and government agents now stood just outside the clothing store. All the bystanders were out of sight. Though the cops seemed to be debating strategy, Kyle was willing to bet that they couldn't be prepared for what was coming next.
Standing behind the clothing rack near Kyle, Max and Michael put their shoulders together, extended their arms and hands, and unleashed a powerful wave of force. The glass windows at the front of the store exploded, and mannequins, sweaters, pants, and platform boots went flying outward.
Kyle breathed a quiet sigh of relief that the explosive wave only hit their pursuers; none of the customers in the store appeared to have been hurt.
"Let's go," Max said, turning. Kyle could see that sweat had beaded on his friend's forehead. Kyle followed him and Michael toward the employee stockroom in the back of the store, praying it would lead to the same service corridor where Liz, Maria, and Isabel were supposed to have headed.
"Which way?" Maria asked, her voice a plaintive wail.
Liz looked down the hall in both directions, then came to a decision. "That way," she said, pointing to their left. "There's an exit sign. “
Liz was relieved to see Isabel finally come scooting out of the doorway right behind her and Maria.
"Did Kyle make it to Max and Michael?" Liz asked Isabel, feeling a tight knot of fear slowly expanding in her belly.
"I don't know," Isabel said. "By the time I was through making my barricade, I couldn't see out any better than the bad guys could see in. “
"We've got to get to the van either way," Maria said, pulling Liz's arm. "If it isn't already surrounded by MiBs. “
The three girls had run about fifty feet down the corridor, their footfalls echoing like gunshots, when a pair of side doors opened almost immediately in front of them. Two burly agents in dark suits entered the corridor and rushed them. Liz heard a sharp crackle of electricity as the trio collided with the agents, then saw Maria and Isabel falling to the floor like marionettes with their strings cut.
Liz jumped over the body of Maria as it fell, staying just out of the reach of the agent who carried the taser. As the other man knelt to check on the two fallen girls, the taser-toting agent continued to advance on Liz.
"Get down on the ground!" he yelled, pulling his gun with his free hand for emphasis.
Liz's mind whirled. She could run, but he might shoot her. And if he does, what if Max doesn't manage to save me this time? For all she knew, all the others might have already been captured… or worse.
"Get down on the ground!" he yelled again, his gun now leveled directly at her.
Slowly, as if in a dream-state, Liz Parker began to kneel on the cold, unyielding concrete floor.
Isabel moved languidly on the silken sheets, extracting her limbs and stretching. No, not Isabel. Vilandra. Her long, tapered gray fingers were exquisitely formed, fit for royalty, fit for worship.
A pleasant-smelling wind blew in from over the black vastness of the sea, and the room was faintly illuminated by the glow of teke orbs, as well as from the trio of moons that were set like jewels into the dark, cloud-strewn sky. Vilandra tilted her head back and viewed them through the rain-sprinkled skylight. The wet, colored glass fractured the moons' perfect spherical shapes, but somehow augmented their natural beauty.
She heard a sound from the antechamber, then saw a figure illuminated from behind. It was N'Kolus, and he had replaced some of his garments, apparently while she'd dozed.
"You should get some rest," she said to him, low and seductive. "You don't want to be too tired for tomorrow. “
He sat on the bed next to her and caressed her hand with his own. She could see her beautiful reflection in his large, dark eyes. "You have already tired me," he said. "But tomorrow will bring with it a new dawn. “
He leaned over to kiss her, and Vilandra lost herself in the passionate moment with the handsome soldier.
She heard another sound, and she broke their embrace with a start. Another figure was standing in the entrance, holding a chalice before him. "I see I'm interrupting," the person said, and Vilandra recognized the voice as Kivar's.
Vilandra looked toward N'Kolus, who seemed to take Kivar's surprise entrance in stride. "Kivar, I didn't expect you so soon," she said.
"My other engagements this evening are finished," he said, doffing a wet cloak and letting it slip to the ground. "Everything went according to my plans. “
He sat on the edge of the bed and offered her the chalice. "Don't be alarmed, my beautiful Vilandra. I knew of your affair with N'Kolus, and gave him my blessing to continue. Anything to make you happy. “
Vilandra drank deeply from the cup, and smiled at her two lovers. "What will make me happy is for peace to come tomorrow. The truce you promised will lead toward that goal. “
"Yes," Kivar said. "And thank you for allowing us to enter the city unopposed, my exquisite Vilandra. “
"My brother won't approve, but he acts too slowly sometimes," Vilandra said. She was about to say something else, but she found her thoughts were becoming unclear.
"Your brother is past caring what you do, lovely one," Kivar said, caressing her cheek with his hand. "As is Rath. “
Vilandra was about to ask Kivar what he meant, but she wasn't able to speak. She felt weighed down, and as she looked at the two men who had been her lovers, she saw them as if from a distance. Above them, the colors of the skylight became more and more diffuse, and even the ever-constant moons of Antar seemed to dim.
And then, the hues of skylight faded to darkness, and Vilandra was no more.
An eternity of darkness seemed to pass before another voice impinged on her mind. "Isabel? “
With a great effort, Isabel lifted her head. Crouched next to her was Alex Whitman, looking just as he always had: comfortable.
"Isabel, you need to wake up," Alex said. "Lemme sleep," Isabel said, her words thick and slurred. "I'm tired of running. “