The Vanished

"C'mon, Isabel," Maria shouted. "He doesn't want to be smushed, either!"

"What is it?" Max asked.

"If you can open that hole again, I could activate a chemical weapon and aim it out the hole into the cavern," Mr. Manes said. "That should take care of DuPris."

"Not a bad plan," Michael said. "Maybe even a decent plan. But I'll be the one to activate that canister, not you. I'm not going to risk you killing us all."

The Major swallowed hard. "The weapon is keyed to my DNA," he told Michael. "It won't function for anyone but me."

Another forceful crunch rocked the ship as DuPris squeezed it like a lemon from the outside. Isabel noticed with alarm that the ceiling was now pressing down against Max's head.

"He's already tried to kill us once with the gas that comes out of that thing," Isabel yelled.

"I didn't know you were in the caverns," Mr. Manes protested. "Those weren't set for you-I placed them around DuPris's cave so that he couldn't escape…"

The Major's voice trailed off, and he paused a moment before speaking again. "Wait a minute," he said. "If those weapons worked on you… and all this talk about 'linking up'…"

"So you've figured us out," Isabel said. "Good for you. But I know the truth about you, too, Mr. Clean Slate. At least we don't go rounding people up in order to lock them away… or kill them!"

The Major blinked at Isabel, looking confused. "What do you mean?" he asked. "It has never been Clean Slate's agenda to-"

The ship quaked again, knocking them all to the floor. Isabel gasped as Max got back on his feet. He could no longer stand upright. There were now less than five feet between the floor and the ceiling.

At that moment panic overtook Isabel's indignation. If they trusted the Major, they could die. But if they didn't trust him, they'd definitely die.

Once again the ship let out a metallic squeal as DuPris compressed it further. Isabel was thrown onto Adam, and she didn't bother getting up again. There was no place for her to go. The walls around them were so close now, it was painful just to be in the ship. There was no time left.

"Let's just do it!" Isabel shouted.

Max handed the canister to Major Manes, and all Isabel could do now was hope that they'd made the right decision.

Quickly Isabel grabbed Michael's leg, and Adam grabbed Max's arm. Maria and Liz were already co

Mr. Manes thrust the tip of the weapon through the hole and squirted a long stream of chemicals into the cavern outside.

He pulled the spent canister back in just as the group could hold the hole open no longer.

Isabel slumped against Adam, feeling more drained than she'd ever felt before. They were in here. The chemicals and DuPris were out there.

Now all they could do was wait.

And hope.

Max waited. He waited for the crunch of the ship that would let them know they hadn't been successful in neutralizing DuPris. The final crunch that would end their lives.

Then a thought struck him-a disturbing thought. Something none of them had even considered.

DuPris had opened the wall of the ship and jammed them inside. If the chemical killed DuPris and the walls stopped closing in, who would let them out?

Panic started to squeeze Max's heart the same way DuPris had crushed the ship-in sudden, painful jolts.

But then, miraculously, the walls of the ship began to fade.

Max climbed onto his knees, peering at the wall closest to him. It definitely seemed less substantial than it had a moment before. It was becoming transparent!

It was dissolving.

In less than a minute the ship had melted away, leaving Max, Liz, Isabel, Michael, Maria, Adam, and the Major lying on the slick floor of the cavern.

"The gas!" Isabel cried, sitting up. "Is it still in the air?"

"Don't worry," Mr. Manes said. "I only used a minuscule amount. It should have dissipated by now."

Max took a deep breath and glanced quickly around the cave.

DuPris was nowhere to be seen. He had vanished.

Taking the ship with him.

Max's first reaction was disbelief. DuPris was unbelievably strong. He had survived the chemicals and managed to transport himself away with the ship. How were they ever supposed to fight someone that powerful?

A cold wash of disappointment flooded Max. Without the ship, their chance at saving Alex had vanished, too.

DuPris could have transported himself-and the ship-to anywhere on earth. Maybe DuPris was even strong enough to teleport someplace off the planet… like the moon.

Alex was trapped until they found DuPris again or until the collective consciousness recovered their strength enough to open another wormhole. But by that time Alex could already be dead.

"What do we do now?" Maria asked Max.

He was the one who always got asked questions like that. He was the one his friends turned to. "I have no idea," he admitted, forcing himself to look at her as he answered.

"What does that do?" Adam asked.

At first Max thought Adam was talking to him. Then he realized Adam's question was for Mr. Manes.

Max turned toward the Major. He had a shiny, copper-colored ball in his hand. As Max watched, he gently placed it on the floor of the cave.

"The orb, that is, this little ball here, has the ability to store and magnify power used in its presence," Mr. Manes explained. "More specifically, power thrown off by that stone DuPris had in his possession."

Mr. Manes swallowed. He now had Max's full attention, and Max was sure that all his friends were listening as intently as he was.

"It might have stored up enough power now to bring Alex home," the Major said.

Max blinked at Alex's father. The Major knew where Alex was. That surprised Max so much, he was left speechless.

"How do you turn it on?" Liz asked, pointing at the ball. "Or use it. Whatever."

"Like this," Mr. Manes replied. With a flick of his wrist he set the ball spi

After the initial force to get it started, Max noticed that the ball spun faster and faster under its own power, seemingly in defiance of several basic laws of physics.

Max couldn't take his eyes off the spi

Then it began to throw off sparks.

Dazzling lights surrounded the ball, also whirling in some intricate dance of their own. With the brilliant satellites swirling around it, the ball reminded Max of an atom and its electrons. Or the planets revolving around a star.

Something began to form in the air over the gyrating orb. A whirling haze of molecules.

Max squinted, trying to bring the fuzzy shape into focus.

It was an image.

An image of Alex.

Max felt Liz take his hand, and he gave her hand a soft squeeze in response. He couldn't stop staring at the image sharpening over the spi

The image was growing stronger-clearer-with every passing second. And it wasn't just a hologram. Those were physical, solid molecules gathering above the ball. It wasn't merely made of light.

The ball-whatever it was-was bringing Alex back.

Excitement rose in Max's throat like a bird trapped in a chimney. It was going to work! Alex was coming home!

But then the ball began to slow down.

Mr. Manes let out a pained growl from deep in his chest as the ball developed a wobble. The image of Alex began to fade.

"No!" Max shouted. "Don't let it stop. Co

Max was already holding hands with Liz, so he reached out with his free hand and clamped onto Isabel's arm. In less than a second all six of them had once again formed their thrilling, essential union.