Chapter 27 - Rescue

Dave - 

I think we finally got them all, we now have a small pile of these talismans that we have gathered from around the entrance of the mountains cave as well as inside, it seems that they are not overly powerful based on the sheer quantity, I mean the phrase quality over quantity must be a phrase for a reason right?

Anyway, after we spent a good half an hour searching the weeds and brush around the entrances of the various caves, as well as any cracks and crevices in the mountain wall we could spot, we think we have finally found them all. Mark says he feels closer, like his memory is more solid, so he has gone ahead a little to confirm the path is now clear in his mind. Before his mind was blurring the closer he seemed to get to the right path, like something was blocking his memories, he could remember everything while we were outside looking at the mountain, but the closer he came to reliving the memories, the blurrier they became. I'm not really sure how to explain what he told me about it, about how it felt, like he knew where he needed to go but the words wouldn't come, but when he was on the right path it messed with him, turned him in circles. We tried to push through it by going the way that confused him the most, but those caves are a labyrinth and we were walking in circles. So we searched and we found and now we are just waiting for him to come back, he shouldn't be long now. I am on edge, I know Ace is not there, so the plan is to capture as many of them as we can and release our people at the same time, they will be able to help us gather the prisoners together. The main reason I am on edge, besides the lack of Ace's presence, is that Mark escaped a little over 2 hours ago now, they must be preparing for an ambush, they would be foolish if they thought we would let them keep our people once one of our own returned to us. The only glimmer of hope I have is that they are relaxed knowing their talismans are going to protect their whereabouts. I mean, they only sent one guard after him, they must feel quite confident in their witch. Thanks to Daisy though we have been able to work a way around the witch and are moments away from thwarting whatever nefarious plan Ace has cooked up, by taking as many of his people as we can.

Author POV:

Mark comes flying out of a cave entrance about 10 metres from the group at the same moment that a loud almost roar like sounds from behind them all. Turning sharply Dave squints his eyes in the direction the sound came from but no other sound comes. Turning back to the group he gives out his orders and the group move into formation behind Mark who is ready to guide them all back to the camp to save his mate.

Another growl rips through the air and Dave who was bringing up the rear decides to check out where the sound is coming from. He has his suspicions as to the owner and wants to keep him away from the rescue attempt for as long as possible. Besides, out of everyone in the group only he has a chance of facing off with Ace and surviving, the others are all lower ranked, though Mark has proved himself as worthy of his mates rank of Delta, but Ace is a born Beta and since that was Dave's status before he was gifted the position of Alpha he knows he can keep him at bay even if he won't kill him.

Dave has no intention of killing Ace, he feels that Jack and Cassie should have a say in Ace's death and he would never begrudge them the opportunity to exact their revenge on the man who tormented Cassie. No, Dave plans on fighting him, he knows he won't have a choice, he will have to fight if he wants to survive, but he only plans on restraining Ace, capturing him as they will the others. 

Mark, who is leading the group into the cave, turns back and makes eye contact with Dave before nodding his head in understanding and disappearing into the caves. Mark knows what to do, and Dave knows that he will do all he can to ensure the mission is successful, the cost would be too much for Mark if he failed. Failure would likely cost him his mate. So, knowing that the group were in good hands, Dave turns away from the cave entrance and moving silently he makes his way towards the now almost constant rumble of growling in the trees.

Mark leads the group through the twists and turns of the cave until they come to the narrow cavern with the hole in the ground that will take him back to his mate. He indicates that he will go first and that the others should follow him. No words are spoken, even the smallest sound echoes terribly in the caves and they want their approach to go unnoticed for as long as possible. Dropping down the tight shaft, Mark lands lightly on the balls of his feet, stands up swiftly and immediately snaps the neck of the guard who until that moment had been dozing off where he sat perched on a boulder. He then looks up at the faces of the others and beckons them with his hand. He then goes to the mouth of the cave and hoping the falling vines will give him enough cover, he peers around the corner to where he knows Maddie's tent was. He hears a frustrated scream and watches as a woman darts into the tent, grinning he realises that Maddie being the stubborn she-wolf that she is has only just admitted to herself that she needs help, which means nobody is aware of his escape yet except the guards who had been watching the exit and had chased after him when he made a run for it. This raised Mark's spirits, if nobody knew he had escaped, they had no idea that they were about to be set upon. The only person who knew was Ace as he seems to have stumbled upon them before they could move. But Mark was not worried, he knew that Dave was the better fighter, he knew that Dave would hold his own. The only worry was the witch, she was obviously working for Ace, but was she working willingly or was she someone who would turn against him the moment she saw the danger she was in?

With the other close on his tail, Mark shoots out from behind the vines and makes his way quickly to where the cages are, his priority being to get the others out so they can help round up the rabble. He skids to a halt at Brian's cage and begins working on the knots binding the cage in place, the rest spread out and start on the cages containing Eric, Keith, Georgina, Tasha, Aria and Harry, but the knots won't loosen on any of the cages. Brian, who rose up at the sight of his mate and the rescue party, places his hand through the bars and points in the direction of the fire pit.

"The fire," Brian said, "I heard them talking, with the fire burning we can't get out, the knots are unbreakable while the fire burns."

"Damn witch," Mark fumes, witchcraft made many nervous, witches were the scary bedtime stories of their childhood, with so few witches left in the world now it was frustrating that someone like Ace had managed to secure the aid of one. Mark turned and watched as the group fought to put the fire out, it was not an out of control fire, it was burning merrily in its pit, but, probably due to the magic it contained, it did not want to go out. Mark joined the others and they all threw dirt onto the flames.

"Wet it," Came Aria's voice, "Wet the dirt then throw it, it will be heavier and even witches fire can't withstand the weight and moisture of mud." Mark found a basket and ran with it to the small stream that was trickling past them all. Scooping water into the bucket he threw it in the direction of the cages and watched as the ground absorbed it, leaving the once dusty surface dark and wet. He repeated the process while the others, including those inside the cages, scraped the wet earth into their hands and tossed it into the fire. Slowly, the flames died down, they were almost out, the prisoners were fighting with the ropes on their cages trying to get out when Maddie appeared followed by at least 15 guards.

"Stop them!" she screeched at the guards, she lunged for Mark, wanting to hurt him the most for his humiliation of her, for rejecting her.