The Guardians of Gaia

Chapter Nineteen

Marina knocked out Theo with a well-placed punch. The red haired boy went crumbling to the ground. Marina squealed. Faust gaped at her, open-mouthed. His sharp pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light.

"I can't believe that worked!" She cheered. She was dressed in her Marina garb - today's get up consisted of what looked like a full length turquoise and purple wet-suit with the Marina M stitched into the chest. While she dragged Theo into the room by the ankle, just as he had dragged Faust earlier in the day, Faust transformed into Shade and wrapped Marshall up in his sheets. Faust swaddled him like a child, leaving his neck up exposed. Marshall was cradled in Faust's arms like a baby.

"Is he okay?" Marina asked, her voice soft and light.

Faust couldn't speak. The lump in his throat kept him from speaking. "I-I . . . I don't know-." He shuddered. Marina carefully approached Faust and lightly touched Marshall's cold, clammy skin. Her face clouded with worry. He meant to ask Marina what to do next but all that came out was a sob. He dropped to his knees and cried into Marshall's blanket.

"I'm sorry, Faust," Marina said. She rubbed Faust's back and waited for the tears to subside. "Faust, get it together. You need to Shade Up right now. Quick, use the liquid shadows and tie up Theo. Hang him from the ceiling or something. We've got to get going before Beaster and his lackeys realize that we're in here," Marina said.

Faust sniffed. "What are we going to do with Marshall?"

Marina bit her lip.

"How am I going to tell Elena and Duncan that I killed their son?!" Faust screamed.

"Faust, please, stay with me. We've got to rescue Astroman," Marina begged. "Put Marshall down for a moment. Tie up Theo. When he wakes up, he's coming after you, so tie him up well." Marina nudged Faust towards Theo's unconscious body, and he wrenched away from her almost violently.

"Why do we have to rescue your boyfriend? What about mine?"

"FAUST!!" Behind her dark blue eye mask, Faust could see Ophelia's eyes. Dark and almond shaped. They didn't quaver, they didn't tremble with fear or uncertainty. Faust could see himself reflected in her eyes, his lizard-esque self, with a limp Marshall cradled in his arms.

Faust gritted his teeth and gingerly placed Marshall on the bed. He grabbed the other limp brother and wrapped him with more of the liquid shadows, layering them up to create a thick cord of ropes that would restrain Theo. "How did you manage to get here?"

"I grabbed Otto's cape in the scuffle at the Hollis' house. It makes you invisible, y'know. As soon as Theo took you down the driveway, I ran into the house to get the cape. After he knocked out, he opened the car door long enough for me to sneak into the back. After that I just followed him. He was dragging you for a long, long, long time," Marina said with a little smile.

Faust tethered Theo to the high ceiling. "Did you figure out where Astroman is?"

"Yes, now let's go."

"I'm taking Marshall with me."

"You can't carry him around-"

Faust used the liquid shadows to create a sling in which he carried Marshall on his back. The feeling of Marshall's cold cheek on his back made his eyes threaten to over-run with tears but he tried to carry on. He and Marina left the room and hurried down the corridor. "Beaster's designated a room for his elixir of power extraction ceremony. It's on this floor, we've just got to-"

"Surrender, little heroes," a man's voice purred. Marina and Shade turned around, frozen where they stood and stared into the eyes of Beaster, behind him twenty guards armed with guns. "Seize them."