Stephan took off running down the hall while Zen tried to encourage Rafael. “The gates should stop them for a few minutes. That should be enough to round up the men at least.”

Rafael nodded and snapped out of his trance rushing into his office and pressing a small red button. A longhorn sounded in the caves and Zen ran off to the guest settlements where her family was staying.

She thought of everyone there as her family now. Snarky Marek and silent Val. Serious Kiera and sweet little Edline. She was just getting to know Senka. Then there was the bookworm Marco and of course her brother. And then there was her new boyfriend. Stephan. He had been hurt enough by women. She hoped she didn’t add herself to that list. She hoped they all survived this. The Dons wouldn’t rest until they had gotten what they came for...her. I don’t want to leave my family but if I have to for their safety?

She ran on.

###

Stephan appeared at the guest settlement and slammed the front door open catching Isaias’s attention.

“They let you out early? They told us that at breakfast they would be letting you go,” he said.

“Gather everything we’re being invaded. The Dons have found us.”

Isaias took a step back, surprised. “How? Aren’t we underground?”

“A little snake led them straight to us. We have to leave.”

Isaias narrowed his eyes. “Wait, aren't we going to help fight? These people put their lives in danger because of us!”

“We’ll let Zen decide but gather your things so we’re ready with whatever she decides.”

Isaias nodded and headed for his room grumbling. “And just when I decide to take my boots off.”

Stephan tilted his head confused but walked into the common room where everyone was lounging around reading or playing chess.

“Crew, we are under attack. Check your weapons and pick them up. We are moving out of here.”

“Marek, Val, and Kiera looked up and nodded. They each took out their dimensional pockets and began unloading.

“Woah, what an arsenal,” muttered Senka as he stared at Kiera’s load. She had blazer guns. Explosives, machine guns, The new Ak 47’s and M 15’s as well as all manners of pistols and shotguns.

“I like being prepared,” she said, harnessing the blazer guns and loading the machine guns into her system.

“I thought you were a med droid?”

“I am. I can also kick ass when needed.”

Senka grinned. “May I borrow the sniper rifle?”

“Go ahead. I’m no sharpshooter.”

A low horn sounded through the caves.

On her other side, Marek was suiting up with blaster guns and several pistols as well as a special double-bullet shotgun. He smiled at Val who had several pistols and his own metal staff he had from when he was still part of his clan. It was special and worked with his abilities strengthening them somehow. It was in the metal used. Obtonium. Of course, being under a volcano those abilities were lethal to everyone around him right then.

Marco was holding onto the military-issued rifle of the Guerreros and he had his sword out. It was sheathed to his side. Isaias had his whips and rifle out as well as some explosives tagged to his jacket.

“Where did you get those Isaias? Aren’t they illegal for a Low?” Marco asked.

Isaias grinned. “Only if we get caught with them. I used them in the Hormiguero gang.”

“What are those?” asked Kiera, slapping on her explosives.

“Those are grade-five explosives. I don’t think the Yuka are going to appreciate their cave coming down around them, Isaias,” Marco said standing from the couch.

“I can tone them down. That’s the beauty of these babies Marco. They can be cherry bombs or level five explosives depending on the level I set them to.”

“I still don’t think the Yuka are going to appreciate the holes in their homes.”

“Tough. I ain’t letting one of those pendejos get my sister.”

“I can take care of myself, hermano,” Zen said from the doorway. She walked in getting out her dimensional pocket and strapping on her daggers and double swords as well as her whips and fans. “I’m ready.”

“So am I,” Edline said, running from the room with her saber sheathed to her side and her hair in a ponytail making Zen smile. Stephan walked out loaded with two AK 47’s and a slighter pistol. His real ability lay in his water-bending skills.

“Hold up tiger. You have an important job for us,” he said, hoisting Edline in his arms and carrying her back to the room where he hid her in the vents. He convinced her to hide and protect the base.

“She’s too cute,” Zen said as she gazed up at the vents where Edline lay over one protecting it.

Stephan grinned. “She’ll get older.”

“Not for a while. She’s only ten.”

Stephan gazed at Edline smiling. “Yeah, she is.” Then he turned to Zen entwining their hands. “Come on. We have some Dons to take care of. Are you sure you want to fight? We can leave and avoid fighting altogether.”

“And leave these poor people? It’s my fault they are even being attacked! I have to at least defend them, Stephan.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

He sighed nodding. “I know...just be careful alright?”

Zen turned to him and caressed his cheek. “I will do what is right Stephan. You know this.”

Stephan held her hand to his lips. “That’s what I’m afraid of Zen.” He kissed her then and it was nothing like her first kiss. This was a fire incarnate. Zen was burning up from the inside. His hands ran up her sides and held her to him. He pushed her up against the wall pinning her. She gasped and he swept in. She moaned and threw her arms around his neck holding him to her. She felt as if there was only them and nothing else mattered right now at this moment. He drew back kissing the corner of her lips and slowly down her neck before reaching her collarbone and going up again.

Zen moaned. “S-Stephan, we have a ten-year-old in the room.”

He kissed her again and she sighed leaning into it. A giggle interrupted them bringing Stephan back to reality. He looked up into the vents to see Edline paying close attention and smiling. He sighed and pressed his lips to Zen’s forehead.

“Sorry, I lost it for a minute thinking of you in their grasp.”

“I’m not in their grasp yet,” she said, kissing him gently. He responded and let her set the pace. She nibbled on his lips and deepened the kiss slowly. He opened his lips slightly giving her the option to plunge in. She took it hesitantly and he took control again. This time a throat-clearing interrupted them. “You should not do that with an impressionable ten-year-old in the vents.”

“Thanks, Marco. We’ll remember,” Stephan sighed while Zen giggled, taking her rubber band from the dresser counter and putting her hair up in a ponytail. She swung her head from side to side watching as her ponytail swished with the movements.

“Perfect,” she said.

###

D’Angelo rolled his eyes as Cecile complained about the dank cave again.

“Porque no escogieron otro lugar? Esto es pesimo!” (Why didn’t you choose another place? This is terrible!)

“Porque no te callas la jodía boca?” (Why don't you shut your damn mouth?) Bernado muttered to his right, scuffling along and smoking a cigar...in a closed cave. He had taken off his mask. All of them had when they had entered far enough.

“Sir we are at the gates. There seems to be a coder on them.” said the soldier.

“Blow them open,” D’Angelo said.

“Yes sir.”

He turned to Cecile.

“Estamos llegando ya mujer! Deja de quejarte tanto!” (We’re almost there. Stop whining so much, woman!) He turned to Bernado. “What do we do with your nephew?”

Bernado sighed. “Kill him. He directly violated an order from several Dons. It is the law.”

D’Angelo grinned. “Very well.”

Don Vasquez stared at his friend. “You have grown cold Bernado. He’s just a boy and you’d get Zen faster if you get him.”

Bernado sighed. “He violated a direct order, Vasquez.”

“Saving his sister! You would have done the same for Rosalinda or Margarita.”

Bernado shrugged and shuffled along with the rest. He continued on his trek down the long cave. There was glowing moss everywhere, on the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling of the cave was covered in it giving it a sickly green glow. They came upon a nature-built bridge that oversaw an underground lake. Large stalagmites were sticking from below the water to meet with their brother stalactites on the roof. The whole picture was beautiful with the water rippling as drops of condensation from the stalactites dripped into it. A little beyond it were massive gates of metal which the men were stacking level four explosives.

“Those should open the doors and hopefully not bring the whole cave down around us,” D’Angelo said, pointing to the explosives.

“Hopefully is not very reassuring, D'Angelo,” Vasquez muttered, clinging to his ecstatic wife.

“Ahorra descarada me las vas a pagar!” (Now you wretched girl, are going to pay!)

“Cecil la necesitamos viva para el cristal,”(Cecile we need her alive for the crystal.) D’Angelo said, walking forward and greeting his lieutenant.

Cecile growled. “Porque! Si tenemos el cristal, no la necesitamos más!” (Why? If we have the crystal, then we don’t need her anymore!)

“El cristal no funciona sin su guardiana. Armida me lo explico,” (The crystal doesn’t work without its guardian. Armida explained it to me)Bernado said, hoping to spare Zen’s life from Cecile’s grasp.

“Entonces porque no escogemos otra guardiana?” (Then why don’t we choose another guardian?)

“El cristal decide su guardián. Se lo he explicado varias veces. El cristal escoge las guardianias basadas en algo. No sé lo que es porque Armida no lo explico.” The crystal decides on its guardian. I’ve explained it various times. It chooses its guardians based on something. I don’t know what since Armida did not explain that.)

“Asi que si matamos a Zen perdemos el cristal,” (So if we kill Zen we lose the crystal.) D’Angelo said grinning.

Bernado nodded. “Si, perdemos el poder del cristal posiblemente para siempre.” (Yes. We lose its power possibly forever.)

Cecile growled. “No! Tiene que ver una forma de que el cristal funcione sin esa descarada! Necesita morir por lo que iso ha Mariposa!” (No, there has to be a way for the crystal to function without that wretched girl! She needs to die for what she did to Mariposa!)

“Tu dices sanar a nuestra nieta de la enfermedad,” (You mean cure our granddaughter from her illness?) Vasquez said angrily. “Nos iso un favor!” (She did us a favor!)

“Se robo la juventud de mi nieta!” (She stole the youth of my grandchild!)

“Que juventud! La restauro a la vida! Le quito unos años nada más. Mariposa puede vivir feliz sin vivir hasta los doscientos Cecile. ¿Quién sabe si vivirá hasta los cien? Solamente se que esta viva gracias a esa niña que tu estas tan empeña de matar.” (What youth? Her life was restored! A few years were taken only. Mariposa doesn’t need to live 200 hundred years heck she might not live a hundred! I only know that she's alive thanks to that girl you are so obsessed with killing.)

“Ai ati no te importa nuestra nieta!” (Ha. You don’t care about your granddaughter!)

“Quien se robo el cristal desde el principio?” (Who stole the crystal from the beginning?)

“Bernado.”

“Bernado y yo! Así que no vengas a decir que no quiero a mi nieta cuando puse todo a riesgo para ella. Las cosas no funcionaron como quisiera pero Mariposa está viva por Dios Cecile! Deja a la niña quieta y vamonos pa casa. Mariposa nos necesita!” (Bernado and me! So don’t you dare say I don’t care about my granddaughter when I put everything at risk for her. Things didn’t turn out as I wanted but Mariposa is alive. For God's sake Cecile! Leave the girl in peace and let's go home. Mariposa needs us.)

“Yo quiero el cristal! No! venganza yo quiero venganza!” (I want the crystal! No! I want vengeance. I want vengence!)

“Ya lo dijiste Cecile, para que ocultarlo. Tu quieres el maldito cristal como todo el mundo!” ( You’ve already said it, why hide it, Cecile? You want the damn crystal like everyone else!) Vasquez turned around and began to trek up the cave.

“Para nondes te vas, Kiko!” (Where are you going?)

“No voy a matar gente inocente para un maldito cristal. Aya ustedes y su conciencia.” (I won’t kill innocents for a damn crystal. I leave you to your consciousness)

Cecile gasped as Vasquez told his men to stand down and leave the cave.

“¡No me puedes hacer esto Kiko!” (You can’t do this to me, Kiko!)

“Si lo puedo hacer. Yo soy el Don Cecile no tu. Vamos muchachos!” (Yes I can do it. I am the Don Cecile, not you. Let’s go boys!) Half of the men cleared out of the cave confused. They trailed after their Don like lost puppies. D’Angelo glared as half his manpower was taken away then shrugged. He still had Bernado’s Guerrero’s and his Pinguinos. The two dons watched the fireworks.