"Please, let me explain" Michael begged. He knew this was probably be the last time his uncle would ever talk to him, but he had to save Elizabeth. "I needed the money, and Roberta said it was risk free, and that the woman would go back into her family when it was over. I believed her Uncle Luke, but it turns out she will never release Elizabeth. She will kill her, plain and simple. And I have the feeling it's gonna happen soon. "
"And why didn't you want me to talk to Lucky?" Luke asked, his heart breaking. The man he loved like a son was now a traitor. Everything Luke taught him about being a Spencer was over taken by his Quartermaine genes.
"You can tell him and he can kill me after we got her out of there" Michael answered. "He will be too emotional and he will mess things up. It's you and me Uncle Luke, we'll get her out of there, hopefully without any problems. I'm on watch tomorrow night. With Natty. She will be easy to take care of, Ralph and Roberta aren't suppose to be there. I'll act like she took me by surprise and knocked me unconscious, and you can wait for her outside of the building."
"I'm trusting you on this one Michael. Even though I'm not sure I should, you are my only chance of getting her out. When she is safely back with us, you and I are gonna have a little talk"
"I plan on it Uncle Luke" Michael answered. "Be there at 9 tomorrow night and bring old clothes. If, by a mistake Natty isn't mobilized, she's gonna run after Elizabeth. As soon as she's out, put her in a big trench coat so she can blend in the crowd easily. 9 o'clock, not sooner, not later, cause she will be on her own"
***************
Lucky came back minutes later and found Luke thinking. He smiled and wrapped his arms around his father's shoulders. "We'll find her dad" Lucky said confidently. "I know we will."
"Can you do something for me?" Luke asked suddenly
"Name it, what's on your mind?"
"I need you to sing a song. I want to record it. If we get close to Elizabeth again, and we are able to let her have the tape, somehow, she'll know we are still looking for her, and not giving up." "That's a good idea dad, but what are the chances---"
"No questions Cowboy, just do it"
***************
Michael was walking down the street, thinking about the strange conversation he had with his uncle. Luke had called him back and told him to go to the corner, and to give money to the homeless man. There would be something in the man's hat, and Michael would have to take it to Elizabeth. When Michael asked why such precaution, Luke answered.
"If one of your friends see you with me, they might get suspicious and not wait for tomorrow night to kill her. They might be watching you"
"You are paranoid, Uncle Luke" Michael answered him with a laugh
"Maybe," Luke agreed quietly. "But Paranoia kept me alive all these years. I saw things where there weren't any, but sometimes, it saved our lives. So do as I say. Give the man a dollar, and take what's not money"
So here he was, only feet away from the homeless man. He slid a dollar inside the hat and took the little box. When Michael looked at the man's face, he saw his uncle smiling at him and Luke winked. "Already made 10 bucks waiting for you. Go on" Luke whispered to his nephew and Michael continued to walk.
When Michael arrived at the building, Ralph was playing cards with Natty. "What are you both doing here?" He asked casually. "I thought it was your day off, Natty?"
"It was, but Roberta called me and told me to come in anyway" Natty answered with a shrug. Michael walked to the room where Elizabeth spent the last couple of months and went to her.
"Hey, how are you holding up" He asked gently and Elizabeth looked like he was an angel sent from above.
"I'm ok, now that you are here. Natty didn't stop but come in here only to taunt me, you know? And Ralph looks at me like I'm an all you can eat buffet."
"I have something for you" Michael took the box from his pocket and gave it to her, and he watched as she slowly revealed the cassette. "It's from Luke. I brought a walkman, so they don't hear what he's telling you"
"Thank you" Elizabeth said with tears in her eyes. Finally she would be able to hear Luke, her surrogate father's voice. When she pushed play, she realized it wasn't Luke's talking, but a guitar sound filled the air, and Lucky's voice filled her heart.
"The visions around you Bring tears to your eyes And all that surrounds you Are secrets and lies I'll be your strength I'll give you hope Keeping your faith when it's gone The one you should call I'm standing here all alone And I will take You in my arms And hold you right Where you belong Till the day my life is through This I promise you I've loved you forever In lifetimes before And I promise you never Will you hurt anymore I give you my word I give you my heart This is a battle we won And with this vow Forever has begun Just close your eyes With each loving day And know this feeling Won't go away Till the day my life is through This I promise you Every word is true This I promise you"
Michael looked at Elizabeth as tears poured down her cheek and she was slowly rocking herself. She finally looked at him and smiled, before handing him the walkman back. "Thank you" She whispered.
"Elizabeth, we move tomorrow night. You'll be with them tomorrow night, this I can promise you. You will have to do everything I tell you to though, OK?"
"I'll even sleep with Ralph if you ask me to" she answered quickly, even if the only thought of it made her sick.
"I wouldn't ask that of you" He answered as the door opened. Elizabeth quickly wiped her tears away and looked up. She saw Roberta, Ralph and Natty looked back at them.
"I guess you want to know why we are all here" Roberta said cruelly. "Because tonight I'm joining Tom, and you all are coming with me."
"What do you mean?" Natty asked
"This building will blow up in 2 minutes" Roberta answered with a smile
"NO" Elizabeth shouted and got up, before she tried running for the door, only to be stopped by Ralph. "You are all insane! You are gonna die!"
"I'm not" Natty said and she walked out quickly, leaving Elizabeth behind.
Roberta looked at the door where Natty just left and shrugged. "As long as she stays" she said, meaning Elizabeth.
No one saw Michael pick up a chair and lift it over Roberta's head until it was falling. "I'm not dying in here" Michael said, and hit his boss as hard as he could, and smiled when the thought that popped into his head was how the chair didn't break like in movies.
Ralph left Elizabeth and ran for Michael. His army training was still deeply in him, knowing everyone should die with their commander.
"MICHAEL" Elizabeth yelled when she saw her jailer jumped on her new found friend.
"GO ELIZABETH" Michael answered as his body hit the floor with Ralph pinning him down. He knew he would never be able to go out in time now. "Tell Luke I'm sorry and tell my mom I love her" he added as she saw her hesitate. "GO RUN, IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME, BUT YOU ARE FREE! "
Elizabeth ran out of the building and across the street. She only had time to turn around before she heard a loud sound and the building started to fall down, making an early grave for the people inside.
‘MICHAEL!" She screamed desperately before her world went black
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