Chapter 28

It was a fifteen minute drive to the warehouse, which was apparently owned by them.

"We only made this warehouse a secret two months ago," the man—Jack—said.

Peter and Xavier's mind clicked into a memory from the embassy.

Clearly her GPS is outdated.

As a sign of frustration, they showed Vienne a vexed face.

"What?" she asked.

Enjoying the moment, Jack laughed—but it immediately stopped as the journey ended. "Okay, here's the warehouse, but you have ten minutes to interrogate him," Jack ordered. Asiris nodded back in agreement, as he quickly picked up the prisoner.

The prisoner found himself screaming to a splash of water which went into his eyes.

Then, he saw a person, with a brown cloak but with a white collar.

The memory checked in already as he proclaimed, "It's you. That person who saved me."

Asiris nodded, pulling himself a seat. "Now, we have some questions to ask you."

Expecting to have him cooperating, it took a different turn.

"No; I will not spill any secrets to some Ikes!" he shouted, then spit which let out a spray of water as if he had been storing water in his mouth for that moment.

Wiping himself disgustedly, Asiris said, "I'm not an Ike." He opened his cloak, revealing the white clothing underneath.

"See?"

The prisoner calmed down, with a lower heart rate as he finally began to breathe.

"Oh, sorry," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I'm Dr. Lenz, scientist of the Heather Eye."

Asiris was dumbfounded.

That's why they wanted him so bad, he wondered. My goodness.

"Well, we are trying to look for the Heather Eye to stop the Ikes."

"I knew you guys were doing something good for the world!"

Asiris nodded, but it was much slower due to the surprise. "Now, do you know where it is?" he asked. "No, sadly I don't," Dr. Lenz answered. "But my friend does, but he's all the way in Russia."

"Russia?"

"Yes, he is doing some stuff I wasn't able to see, because I was busy being tortured by these—"

"Shh, don't worry."

The doctor started hyperventilating again, but he calmed down much quicker.

"Now, we need to see him to stop the Ikes, can you help us get to him?"

"Near the Passageway?"

"The Passageway?"

"The place we created to defend our scientific creations, with monsters that will rip you to pieces."

"Really?" he asked. "That means the Heather Eye is there!" Dr. Lenz scoffed. "I doubt it. My friend wouldn't even allow us to bring a serum away from the US, let alone the Eye."

Asiris, disappointed at the sudden discouragement, took a deep breath.

"Well, if you help us get to him, you'll be the hero for the whole world. The kingdom will fund your scientific experiments. And you'll be rich with the whole world knowing what you did."

The persuasion was easy, being that Dr. Lenz was quite terrified in a way he'd do anything to leave him out.

"Fine, but in one condition. I only tell you the location, you transport me back home. Ok?"

"Okay."

They shook hands slowly, then released a lot more quicker.

"I'll try to see if Jack can send someone to get you home okay?" Dr. Lenz nodded, as they both got up, dusted their pants and proceeded towards the door.

The rest of the group waited outside in the surprisingly boiling sun.

"You done now?" Jack asked, whipping his shirt to muster air.

"Yes," Asiris said with a fake smile. "We are." Jack looked at him skeptically, performing a gesticulation. "Let's go!"

The vrooming of the vehicles roared to life, as the orders and shouts reverberated the island.

They got in the cars, putting on their seatbelts before the cars abruptly drove.

Driving on, they came across the steep hill, going around the spheric. Then, they came across a narrow road, which all the cars quickly positioned into a single line. The trees were the first sign of the kingdom of Hemor, but they had to go past it to see the castle.

They saw the castle, as it shined with a shade of gold, outlining towards the gate.

The castle was hundreds of feet upwards, having a lengthy width, supporting the walls of the kingdom.

"Wow," Micah said, amazed, looking at the walls that towered over him.

They made their way into Palace City, to where the generals and servants of the king lived, away from the rest of the citizens.

Series of cars parked by the side of the door, as people came out to meet them. One man—with white hair and no beard, with a cloak that stretched to the ground, starting with a shade of blue that contracted into purple—came by.

"General Visch!" Jack shouted, jumping out the car. The man—General Visch—quickly hugged him.

They both hugged each other so tightly, Peter thought he saw one of their bones.

"How was the island?" he asked, smiling.

"It was quite the trip," Jack responded. "We found Asiris and his group—including the princes."

Soon enough, everyone got quiet as the general slowly walked up to Xavier and Vienne, mistaking their identities.

"I thought you said the king had two boys," he said confusedly.

Jack laughed. "It's those two boys."

The general went to the actual princes, and bowed in respect.

"Welcome to our kingdom, princes of Heatherland! I'm General Van Holm Visch, and I am honored to see you here."

"We are too," Micah said, shaking his hand eagerly. When they were done, Asiris came in quickly with the request.

"Hello, I am Asiris, general of the army of the Heathers. I wish to speak to your king."

General Visch seemed distant to his request, as his expression showed.

"Why?"

"The Ikes want to get the Heather Eye so they can destroy all our kingdoms and the top-earthlings. We need your help to stop them." "You say?" the general asked, concerned. "Yes, but we need to get it so that Prince Micah can release his power to stop them once and for all." The silence was now even quieter. "My lord, and we were never told or accounted for by this," General Visch said, scratching his head.

"Well you have now, but with your help—we have a better chance."

The worry of the General quickly led him to accept his request.

"I'll inform the king about this at once," he said. "While then, let's take you inside a home."