Forlot: Return of the Monster Protector - Book Eleven

Chapter Forty-Three

Even though that I really was uncomfortable doing it - do not think dirty - I had no choice but to go with him.

I followed the evil scientist down the long hall, passed some rooms that were unsurprisingly locked up, and kept quiet. I was following him willingly. Without a fight. And I had to for the sake of my parents.

I knew exactly where they were at. Well, I did not know which room. My recent vision showed me. Showed that my mother and father were alive, for they were hooked up to black wires.

Where did those wires lead to? My vision was unable to allow me to see that part. But whatever the wires were connected to was keeping my parents alive.

My vision also revealed that they were sleeping. Their eyes were closed, and they were floating. Floating in green liquid. Inside two tubes.

Was Dr. Maxwell doing some experiment on them? Why did he even have them? Was it because of me? Was it revenge against me for what Gretel, Hansel, Nigel, and I had done to him in book four?

Those were not the only questions that I had for this so-called "doctor."

I clutched my crossbow tightly. Each time that he and I took a step, my muscles tensed. I was on high alert, and there was not one part of my body that was unaware of that.

All the while that I was in my thoughts, Dr. Maxwell was chatting away. It was difficult to not be distracted by him. His tone was disturbing and made me rethink about seeing my parents and getting them back.

Dr. Maxwell went on and on and on. I swear that the guy would not shut up! He had such a huge ego, and you could easily spot it within a couple of minutes of interacting with him.

First, he talked about how incredibly smart he was and how he was always one step ahead. Do you get what I mean when I say that he had a big ego? I am positive that he had not forgotten when some of the other characters from books one to three thwarted his plan into kidnapping me and Nigel's mother, Laura.

Oh, no.

I became shocked.

Me coming to a place that was now owned by Dr. Maxwell was not the best idea. Heck, it was a good idea in the beginning!

Gosh. How could I completely forget that Dr. Maxwell has it out for me? That he desired to kidnap me? To take me from my sister and the others who loved me. For what? To force me to be his daughter?

I knew all about his real daughter. Eleanor. She told me when she and I first met.

As Dr. Maxwell was complimenting the construction and design of the Zeolex building, I mentioned Eleanor to him. To this day, I do not know why. Probably because I wanted to see him ticked.

"Me being here must be weird for you," I said. My voice echoed off the walls. "Especially after what you tried to put me through. When you discovered that you lost your actual daughter."

He immediately stopped in his tracks and shifted his body a little so he could get a good look at me.

"I must have heard you wrong, Margie," he said. "Did you say that...my daughter is lost?"

"Yes. Yes, I did. And do not say that she is not because I am not your daughter and never will be."

"So...what you are implying is...Eleanor is dead. Eleanor is the name of my daughter."

"Goodness, no. To you, she is lost because you will never see her again. It was revealed to me, Eleanor, and many others by Dr. O'Fallon - you should be familiar with him - that he 'kidnapped' Eleanor in order to protect her from you. And would you like to know what he referred to you as?"

At this point, I was ticking the scientist off. His face was as red as a tomato, and he gritted his teeth.

You would think that I shut my mouth right then and there. Nope.

Sometimes, I wonder about my "smart" decisions.

"This next part did not come from me, Maxwell. It came from Dr. O'Fallon. He called you a psychopath who is a lost cause to save."

Dr. Maxwell let out a cry of rage and raised his hand high into the air. He was getting ready to slap me.

I let out a yelp and held my hands in front of my face. I shut my eyes tight and prepared for the pain that I would induce. I waited. And waited. And waited.

Then Dr. Maxwell said, "Open your eyes. I am not going to slap you."

"How do I know that you are not lying to me?"

"I would never slap you, Margie. I...I do not know what got over me. Now...let us go to the lab where your mom and dad are. We are almost there."

I heard the shifting of shoes and footsteps. The footsteps sounded farther and farther.

I guess that...he was telling the truth.

I opened my eyes and lowered my hands. I still had my crossbow, and Dr. Maxwell was quite aways from me. I ran up to him, catching up to him, and he opened a door.

"Ladies first," Dr. Maxwell insisted.

I was nervous to go into the lab, but I had to if I wanted to see my parents. Scarlett and I had not seen them in such a long time.

I entered with him on my tail and surveyed the laboratory.

It was a large lab. The walls were blue, and the floor was a dark blue. There were tables, chairs, liquids, small tubes...

...and much larger tubes with people floating inside them. My parents, a few other teenagers and adults...

...and Eleanor.

No. A bunch of girls who looked exactly like Eleanor.