The Return - A Michael Vey Fanfic

Chapter 29

Ethan suddenly shot up out of his sleep and looked up to where Emily was before he fell asleep. Ethan didn't mean to pass out, he had tried to stay up to keep a eye on Emily but that had obviously failed. Now Emily wasn't there, he could tell from the soft, blue glows he and the other four glows were emitting.

"Emily?" Ethan hissed but he could already feel the panic rising in his chest. There's no way they could've already taken her, right? There was no response and Ethan slowly climbed to his feet.

"Emily," he called out again. Ethan began to walk around the dark room but he didn't get very far.

"What are you doing Ethan?" Jacob asked, seemingly just woken up. Ethan couldn't see his brother in the room except by the glow he was emitting.

"Emily," Ethan responded. "I think she's gone. I think they already took her." Ethan tried to hide the dread in his voice though it was near impossible.

"Wait what, no," Jacob said fearfully. "We couldn't have slept for that long. How could she-"

"I don't know but we need to get out of here, Jacob," Ethan said, cutting his brother off. He still couldn't believe he had missed his sister leaving. Of all things!

Ethan began to examine the cell door the best he could in the limited lighting when he hear scuffling across the room.

"You do realize that Emily is probably already dead, right?" Ethan heard Mack say quietly.

"I do, yes, but that's not really the thing I want to hear right now."

"Perhaps it's what you need to hear though."

"No," Ethan responded sharply. "What I need is for my sister to be alive."

The two other glow in figures on the floor began to move and Ethan realized Ryann and Raymond had woke up. McKenna and Ostin were also probably awake though Ethan could only assume they were since they had no glow.

"Ethan... She is right you know," Jacob said softly. "Emily's gone, they probably already executed her."

"Really Jacob? Now you're taking her side?" Ethan was supposed to be the braver one out of him and Jacob and he was, most of the time. Just not when they were talking about the possible death of their sister. Jacob became the braver one at that point because of how reasonable he is.

Ethan heard Mackenzie sigh and get up off the floor. She quietly came across the room the Ethan until she was standing in front of him.

"Look Ethan, I hope Emily is not dead as much as you, and I'm not saying this to hurt you. It's just that when people leave this cell, they usually don't come back."

"Well Emily's going to," Ethan answered defiantly. "Besides, hope is what is the only thing keeping me going at this point."

"Good, I'm not saying hope is a bad thing. I just don't want you freaking out when - if - we find out Emily... "

"Okay, then I won't," Ethan said. If that was all she wanted, that wouldn't be too hard for him. Ethan wasn't very good at reacting to anything in the first place.

"Well we can't really just sit in here and twiddle our thumbs," Raymond interjected. "If there's a chance that Emily is alive, we have to try to save her, right?"

"Except, genius, there's no way out of the cell. We've already tried everything and checked everywhere," Ryann said.

"You say that, but have you really?" Raymond asked and Ethan could only imagine the grin on his face.

"What does that-? Yes we've done everything," Ryann answered, bewildered.

"Well we'll just have to check the liability on that because I found out yesterday - or maybe today - that four of my family members were killed and I am not about to let that happen to Emily!" Raymond declared. He got up and began to pace around the cell. "I mean, there has to be a way out of here. No place is ever completely escape free."

"I'm sorry but do you actually have a plan?" Jacob asked.

"No," Raymond admitted. "But look, we've seven minds in this jail cell right now, one of which belongs to a genius. I think we can come up with something."

"Now, Mackenzie, do Quentin or Tara ever come down here?" Raymond asked.

"No, only Axel, and he always has guards with him."

"Do you think we could get Axel to come down here?"

"No, he only comes to get those who are about to be killed," Ryann said.

"How are you fed?" Jacob asked.

"Through a flap below the door that can be locked from the other side."

"How is the door locked?" Ethan cut in.

"By non-electrical means," Ostin said. "Michael and I already tried that a long time ago."

"And what's the door made of?" Raymond asked.

"Uh... Metal?" Mackenzie answered unsurely.

"Yes but what kind of metal?"

"I don't know, how would I know?"

"I think it's steel," Ethan said. He hit his hand against the door then nodded. "Yeah, it's definitely steel."

"Alright, how about-" Raymond started to say.

"Wait a minute, I think that might work!" Jacob interrupted.

"What will?" Ryann asked.

"The door, the steel. We might be able to use that."

"How?" Mackenzie asked.

Jacob started to answer but the steel door suddenly swung open. Ethan jumped back, pulling Mackenzie with him. There's wasn't much need for it though as it was only Axel at the door.

"What do you want?" Ethan snarled. "Emily isn't here."

"I know she isn't," Axel responded. "I came because I actually rather like you Vey siblings so I thought I would let you know that... That she's gone."

Ethan saw Jacob freeze in reaction to the news, and Ethan felt his muscles seize up as well so he took a moment to breathe.

Eventually, Ethan said, "she... What?"

There was another moment of silence before Axel looked at Ethan and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry but... Emily is dead."