Melinda Metz - The Intruder

"You're going to be okay, Isabel," Alex promised. "I'm right here with you. I'm going to be here the whole time." Alex felt her hand move in his. "Yeah, see, I'm here." He squeezed her hand back. Her fingers felt… different. Alex opened his hand so he could see hers.

Her fingers had always been long and slender, but now they were almost twice as long and as thin as pencils. As Alex watched, one finger was absorbed into the side of her hand.

His breath started coming in harsh pants. Maintain, he ordered himself. This is just Isabel. He closed his hand around hers again and turned back toward her face.

He didn't recognize her. There was nothing that remained of the Isabel he knew. Her head was huge. So were her eyes. And they were completely black.

Alex took the Isabel creature in his arms and began to run toward what he hoped was an exit. Then-in an instant so quick that it seemed like a hallucination-Isabel morphed back into Isabel again.

"Put me down, you big goon," Isabel said, smiling.

Alex set her down. Looking her straight in the eyes, he said, "We've got to get out of here, Izzy." Taking her cue, Isabel grabbed his hand and ran.

Michael had to get out of this cell. Now. Isabel needed him. He'd felt a blast of pain from her that had practically knocked him to the floor.

But Hubba and Bubba, his guards, were still out there. Still two of them. Still one of him. Right now they were sitting in a couple of chairs, facing Cameron's cell. They spent much more time with their eyes on her than on him, for obvious reasons, and they hadn't bothered to flip the chairs back around in his direction.

There's got to be a way to do this, Michael thought. If I surprise them, maybe I can manage to take them both out. Only there was this thing about glass cells. They made it hard to arrange any kind of surprise.

But he had to try. And he could think of only one possible way. He walked over to the wall behind the two guards and leaned on it with his hands pressed against the glass to either side of his waist.

Hubba-or Bubba, he still hadn't decided which was which-turned around. "Miss your girlfriend?" he mouthed.

Michael gave what he hoped was a sheepish grin and stared longingly toward Cameron's empty cell. Hubba-or Bubba-turned back around, and Michael focused his attention on the molecules of glass beneath his hands. He nudged them apart gently, taking his time.

This actually might work, he thought as a hole began to open up underneath both of his hands. It would definitely work if Cameron was over in her cell. Then there would be no chance these two would notice what he was doing.

Where was she, anyway? She didn't seem that sick. Could she and her guard escort have gotten captured by Max and the others? At least Adam knew Cameron, so he could tell everyone that she was on their side.

Michael gave the molecules a few more nudges, and he had his holes. Time to rock and roll. He shoved his hands through and grabbed Hubba and Bubba by the backs of their big necks.

Now would be a good time to connect, he told himself as he felt them turning toward him. He squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn't be distracted by anything they were doing-and the images flooded his brain. He didn't know which came from who, and it didn't matter. He heard two heartbeats join his. That meant he'd have a lot of nice veins to choose from. He selected a good fat one from each head and squeezed. He opened his eyes in time to see the guards slump in their chairs, their heads touching.

"Don't they look sweet asleep like that," he muttered as he blasted a hole in the cell and stepped through. Time to find Isabel.

"Get out of here," Max ordered the red-haired girl. She didn't need to be told twice. She bolted. The feel of power in the room was growing stronger. Adam was clearly about ready to send Max off to heaven with Valenti.

But I'm not like Valenti, Max thought. Adam's not the only one who can use power. He focused on his own power, letting it build inside him.

It's gathering too slowly, he realized. I'm never going to be ready before Adam makes his move.

Max could run, but what good would that do? Adam would be right behind him, and out in the corridor Liz, Maria, and the girl would be in the line of fire.

Think. Be logical, Max ordered himself. You don't need the same amount of power as Adam. You just need enough to knock his power off course. And you already have that.

He did. He could feel it. But he had to use it at exactly the right moment. Too soon or too late, and he was dust.

"Come on, Max. Aren't you even going to try to save yourself?" Adam asked. "You could probably stub my toe with that little ball of power I know you've got over there."

"I told you, I don't use my power to hurt," Max answered. His so-called plan would only work if he just stood there and let Adam fire on him.

Adam shrugged. "Have it your way."

Max felt the power in the room pulse. Not yet, he told himself. Not yet. Then a blast of heat scorched his face.

Now! He focused his ball of power straight out in front of him, willing it through the air. A second later an explosion rocked the room, and the wall behind Max burst into flame.

"I can't stay," Adam said. "I have to spread my love around." He turned toward the door. When he opened it, it began to smoke.

Max reached the door only a few steps after Adam. By then orange flames covered it from top to bottom. He ducked through and saw Adam racing down the corridor with one hand outstretched, brushing against the wall. A trail of fire followed his fingers.

"He's burning the place down!" Maria cried.

"We've got to stop him. Come on!" Liz shouted.

Max grabbed her by the elbow. "He's too strong for us to fight," Max answered. "We've got to get Michael, find Isabel and Alex, and then get out of here while we still can."

"I know where he is," the red-haired girl exclaimed. She took off down the flaming corridor, Max, Liz, and Maria right behind her.

When the corridor branched, the girl went left with no hesitation. At least she seems like she really knows where she's going, Max thought.

Adam had obviously gone left, too. He must have been zigzagging because the walls on both sides were blazing. In places the flames were meeting in the ceiling, forming an arch of fire. And smoke. Max was dragging smoke into his lungs with every breath.

"It's right through this door down here," the girl shouted, her voice husky. She took another left. Immediately the air felt cooler. The fire was spreading in this direction, but slowly.

When they reached the metal door, Max focused on the molecules and slammed them. The door lurched open, and long fingers of flame shot through the opening. Max smelled the scent of his own singed hair as he backed away.

"Where is Michael's cell?" Maria cried.

"You can usually see it from here," the girl answered.

"Is there another way in?" Max asked. "I don't think we can make it through here." Even from a few feet away, the heat was almost unbearable. Max felt as if he were breathing lava instead of air. His throat and lungs and the lining of his nose were getting cooked.

"We'd have to double back and make a circle," the girl answered.

"We don't have time," Liz yelled.

"I'm going through," Maria announced. She pulled off her jacket and wrapped it around her head, then she plunged through the wall of flames.

"I guess it's now or never," Max said. He turned around, grabbed Liz by the back of the head, and planted a firm kiss on her surprised lips. "I love you," he said, looking her in the eyes. Before she could respond, he turned and ran.

Liz was so close behind him that she crashed into him when he came to a stop next to Maria. The red-haired girl was through a second later.