Resist

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Some dialogue are from Chris Colfer's An Author's Odyssey and a certain word is from A Grimm Warning. (Actually, around half of this chapter is from TLOS 5...)

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Feet ran frantically towards the operating room. The Masked Man put down his arm. Bree breathed a sigh of relief. She collected herself and stood up, stubbornly wiping tears from her eyes. She gave Emmerich a quick hug as the Masked Man listened attentively.

As the footsteps came near, all four of them became even tenser. Cornelia, Bree and Emmerich because more people meant that they might be rescued, but it might also mean getting more people in danger. The Masked Man's heart was thumping loudly; if Charlotte Bailey came, his whole plan would be complete.

The door banged open, and Bree and Emmerich watched in amazement as Charlotte, Goldilocks, Jack, Red, and Conner entered the room. Charlotte was pushing Goldilocks in a wheelchair. Cornelia had never seen people like them, but instantly knew some of them were from the Land of Stories. It was the magic in her blood.

Bree's head spun. What was Conner doing here? He should be in the Land of Stories with Alex! And all those fairy tale characters were there too!

"Bree? Emmerich?" Conner asked, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

Bree couldn't think. Suddenly, a lot more people joined the fray. From the looks of it, Goldilocks was about to give birth. And Mrs. Bailey was there too... and she was who the Masked Man wanted.

Guilt punched her in the stomach. Seeing Conner made a dam of emotions break inside of her.

"Conner!" Bree cried. "I didn't know you would be here, too!"

"Bree, what are you guys doing here?" Conner asked, a worried expression on his face. "Is something wrong?"

If you only knew, Bree thought sadly. Then she saw the Masked Man holding his gun and an insane glint in his eye.

I'm sorry Emmerich. I'm sorry Conner.

"I'm so sorry." Tears slipped out of her cheeks rapidly. She didn't even bother to wipe them away. It was all a person could take. "I didn't want to bring him, but I had no choice."

Everybody turned back to look at the Masked Man, pointing the gun at them. Bree could hear their gasps of shock.

"They said you were dead." Conner said stonily. Bree looked up, there was something different in his voice.

"I've lived to seize another day," the Masked Man replied. "Sorry to disappoint you."

Conner looked between the Masked Man and Charlotte nervously. "Mom, this man isn't Dad," he tried to explain. "It's his younger brother, Lloyd. He's a criminal from the fairy-tale world, don't believe a word he-"

"I know who he is, Conner," Charlotte interrupted her son softly. "Your father told me all about him before you were born. I'm sorry you know how about him. Your father never wanted you to find out you were related to such a horrible person."

"You're not the only person he's related to, Conner," Bree couldn't help but say. "Emmerich is the Masked Man's son- he's the child the Masked Man had with Bo Peep!"

Conner's face turned deathly white. It reminded Bree of the face he made when he found out an army was going to attack the Land of Stories back in that cemetery in Germany. But this is no time to reminisce, Bree told herself firmly.

"I guess that makes us cousins," Emmerich said, staring wide-eyed at Conner. The whole ordeal had surprised him as well.

"This has turned into quite the family affair," the Masked Man snarled. "But I'm afraid it won't be remembered as a pleasant reunion."