Michael squeezed his eyes shut- out of concentration or sheer panic, he did not know which- and felt an immediate surge of power rush through him. It was almost as if a floodgate had opened…

‘Don’t be thinking about floods,’ Michael admonished himself, unsure of the rules of jinxing something.

He tried to envision what was happening in front of him, hoping to get a better understanding of what he could do to help save them from a very bloody death. The splashing sounded as if both Isabel and Maria were trying to swim against the current and a grunting sound off to his right was probably Max precariously balanced against the swift current of water.

A chill ran down Michael’s spine. They would probably freeze to death before the drowned. As he imagined the scene before him, his vision seemed to clear, like a curtain opening, revealing his surroundings as if it were only dusk. He did not question it, he simply took it to his advantage.

Something was happening within him and he wasn’t sure what. His head pounded as he held steadfast, determined not to let his girls go. His mind exploded with a flash of light and when he came to, all was dark once again.

***

One minute Maria was blindly swimming with all her might, and then the next, she landed hard on sand.

She did not move out of sheer terror that the pain would hit her when she did.

The clouds shifted above her, allowing a single ray of moonlight down into the dark world. Maria blinked once, twice… and then let out a deep though audibly silent sigh. She was alive. THEY were alive. They had made it. So far at least.

Maria heard a rustling to her right but she continued to stare up at the rumbling sky. Suddenly Michael peered down at her, his eyes a few inches away from hers full of questions. She smiled reassuringly. She would make it.

She moved her neck to the side, pleasantly surprised to find it to be completely painless. Max and Isabel came into view obviously confused about what had happened as well. Maria tried not to giggle at Michael who was trying to explain what he had done using only hand gestures. Growing impatient with his lack of sign language abilities, Michael, irritated, formed a connection with them showing them everything he saw, felt, and did down in the water.

While he did this extraordinary task which had become commonplace in her life, Maria achingly pushed herself up off the ground, testing her remaining strength. Michael finished his silent thought broadcast leaving very perplexed looks on Max and Isabel’s faces.

As if by an unspoken command, all three aliens turned to look at the shack which was about twenty feet away. Maria wondered if that was just a coincidence. Knowing everything they had been through, she decided to just accept it. She already had a killer headache.

Maria noticed that goosebumps prickled Isabel’s arms. She had been about to make Michael show her as well but she quickly changed her mind. She was freaked out enough, as it was, no need to add to the fire.

It was time to confront that Corey ass anyway.

***

Max peeked through the grimy window first. Obviously this guy didn’t believe in housecleaning. Liz immediately came into view. She was tied to a chair, her brown hair dangling lifelessly around her dropped head.

The most important thing though, was that she was alone in the one-roomed cabin. They needed to act fast.

He signaled for the girls to stay outside the window and for Michael to back him up. This would be so much easier if they knew what they were doing, but he guessed that that was the whole point.

He and Michael tried the door, letting it open with a slight creak of rusty hinges. Liz raised her eyes and met his. Instantly, Max knew it would be all right. It had to be.

***

Watching Max heal Liz’s small scrapes, bruises, and rope burns Michael felt a surge of jealousy. He wanted to be able to help Maria just as easily.

“You’re here a little sooner than I expected,” a gruff voice said from the doorway behind the boys. Michael whipped around to face the enemy and gasped. In his arms were his girls. He held Maria by the hair and Isabel tightly around her throat. “I’m surprised to see Maria alive though… but we’ll soon fix that.”

Michael emitted a low growl but managed to keep himself from lunging at Corey. Liz simply clung to Max dreading the confrontation.

Seemingly without an effort, Corey shoved Isabel to the ground, turning all his attention to Maria in his arms. To Michael’s horror he slowly traced a rough finger down her cheek, following a delicate trail of tears. “By bringing her here, you have condemned her to death….” His finger slipped down past her neck and slid along her side. Maria shifted uncomfortably but did not utter a sound. She remained fixed, only the salty tears betraying her calm exterior. Michael was damn proud of her.

‘Keep it together, sweetie!’ he willed to her.

Corey stopped at the edge of her thin and tattered tank shirt and looked up at his horrified audience.

“She is an innocent in all this.” His hand disappeared under the material, stroking skin that was dangerously close to her breasts. “Innocence like hers turns me on. What about you Michael? Is that what gets you off?” Corey smiled at Michael. Raising his eyebrows, he licked Maria’s cheek enjoying both the taste of her tears and the look on Michael’s face.

It took both Isabel and Max to hold Michael back but it seemed to make him that much more determined.

“What about Liz?!” Max cried out, desperately trying to keep Michael from attacking Corey. They did not have the upper hand at the moment. It would not be a good time. “She’s innocent too but you took her anyway!”

“Hate to break it to you Max, but she’s apart of this. She was called upon by Him just as you three were.”

Corey turned to Michael. “Well let’s get this show on the road, now shall we? Michael say goodbye to your girl. Oh, don’t worry! You’ll be joining her soon.”