The Underground Palace

Chapter Fifteen - Fear

'This is it,' said Alex. This was really it. They had finally arrived at the Underground Palace. It was dark, cold and a thick layer of fog hide almost everything from sight, everything looked exactly the same as Alex and Oliver last remembered it – spooky.

'It can't be this easy,' insisted Thomas. He stood staring ahead at little Benjamin's door just a few meters away. 'Marco made a mistake last time.  He underestimated us.  Surely he would have increased security?'

'Only one way to find out,' replied Neo.  He stepped forward and admired Benjamin's doorway.  So young the boy had been when his power was torn from him.  

'If one of us dies, what happens to the power of the Seven Children?  Do we become just six children or the Six Children?' asked Oliver timidly.  Neo laughed and smiled sadly at Oliver.

'Lets hope we never find out.'

'What's your gut telling you about this, Alex?  Since you're the one with sixth sense and all?' asked Kirsty.  Alex shivered in the coldness and shrugged her shoulders.

'I don't know.  I kind of have a bad feeling, but I did too last time I guess?'

'Well that's just great...' mumbled Thomas to himself.

'Okay, well there's no point standing here freezing our asses off,' said Neo.  He moved forward and focused his attention on the small white lily that purred and reached out to scan him.  It was a beautiful sight to watch.  Alex took a moment to think and analyse what her gut feeling was telling her.  She did have a bad feeling about this, she had a bad feeling last time, but something about last time felt different.  Last time she also felt hope.  This time she felt despair.  Marco had sworn to kill her if she returned.    

'Lets do this,' confidently spoke Alex.  She stepped forward and took a deep breath.  

***

In a room, not far from where Glen was kept locked in his cell, Marco stood watching the Seven Children nervously enter his palace on a large television screen as big as a small home.

How foolish the children were to believe Marco would make the same mistake twice!  Marco may have made a mistake underestimating the children once but he would not make the same mistake again.  They had humiliated him.  For years, Marco had spent a fortune tracking these children and abducting them from their homes, only for them to escape from one of the grandest and deadly palaces in the world!

It was ironic though, even the Ruler of Good couldn't keep the kids under control too, including his own daughter.  It was very convenient that the children were making their way back to Marco, the alternative would have been very expensive, time consuming and deadly.  The Seven Children were full of surprises.

Marco stood on a high platform that overlooked his control room.  Hundreds of men filled the room, standing, watching and waiting for Marco's orders.

'Wait for my orders,' he commanded.  The men didn't respond, they continued to stand at attention waiting.  No, Marco laughed to himself, to ruin the children's adventures now would be too cruel.  Raise their hopes, then shatter their dreams.

***

Ten minutes had passed and the children couldn't shrug off the idea they were being followed or watched.  Not a single guard had come their way and the children felt like they were piece in one of Marco's deadly games.  

'He's playing us,' spat Thomas.  Alex winced and glanced at petrified Oliver.

'We're closer to Glen and Holly than the exit.  No turning back now,'  said Alex.  So the children kept running with one eye in front of them and the other behind.