The retreat was hasty and not planned. They drove as fast as they could, backwards through the entrance tunnel, the remainder of Gilly’s army following behind. Xu lay in Gilly’s arms, Dani lay in Scott’s. The buggy was too crowded, the other vehicle were still outside waiting for them.

“Where are Ian and Tristeza?” Alucard asked urgently.

“I don’t know I haven’t seen either of them since me and Ian split up to look for everyone else.” Scott answered dreamily. “They must have got out already.”

Alucard looked unconvinced. They drove along for a few more seconds before shouting “I’ll catch up.” He jumped up from his seat and grabbed a ridge in the roof of the tunnel. He dropped down into the mass of people and barged his way back down into the cave. He ran unimpeded into the village area of the cave looking for her. He searched frantically for ten minutes. He knew she would have been fighting given the choice. He shouted out her name. He didn’t care if anyone heard him. He had to find her. She heard her voice calling back to him from the back of the cave. She sounded different; her voice was quiet and painful. He ran to where her voice had come from and held her in his arms. She was bleeding heavily from her eye socket. Her left eye was gone and there was a cut on the side of her head. It had been done, probably with the same knife stroke that took her eye. Alucard took of his shirt and ripped it into strips. He rolled one into a small ball and carefully covered the empty socket. She winced and cried out with pain. He the wrapped the strips of cloth around her head and tied it tightly. She mouthed her thanks to him and passed out.

Alucard took her in his arms and walked calmly out of the side entrance of the cave. There were no guards out there, only their bodies. He felt reassured that some people had made it out safely. He knew that Alex and Mai had left before the others joined the battle. Knowing that they were safe made him feel better. He assumed that Ian had helped them escape. Searching around the front of the cave he found an abandoned motorbike and laid her across the front. Arranging himself so she was lying in his lap and resting on his arm he started up the bike and rode off towards the medical village. He caught up with the others in their buggies close to the village. They all entered at the same time. Alucard rushed straight up to Derek and handed Tristeza over to him. She was taken straight into a room to be given attention by him and Loki. Alucard barely gave himself time to draw breath he ran for the stairs, he didn’t even look back at the others before disappearing from sight.

“Where’s he going?” asked Dani, Derek had just stepped out of the room. Loki had reassured him that he could take care of Tristeza alone.

“He has gone to check on his son.” Derek said simply. Once Dani and Xu had come to terms with the shock of that statement he continued his explanation. Taka had refused to let him into the room with her. She made it clear that she didn’t want him to be there while his friends were away fighting without him. As a final blow she had refused to accept him as the father unless he went and helped his friends. Seconds later he and Loki had taken off in the buggy and headed straight for the caves. The birth had been easy and both the mother and baby were recovering happily upstairs.

Derek looked puzzled at the apparent unhappiness on he faces of the women at this good news.

Xu nodded towards the room where Tristeza lay. “She’s in love with him, and until two minutes ago I thought he was in love with her, I’m just not sure how she’ll react when she finds out.” Xu said sadly.

Gilly and Ghiaccio crossed to one of the huge cupboards on the wall and started getting out various medicines that Loki had made for their injuries. Scott and Dani were hugging next to the foot of the stairs. Gilly smiled and nudged Ghiaccio to attract his attention to the scene.

“Doctor?” Dani asked happily

“Yes, young lady.” Derek replied.

“Oh, please call me Dani.”

“Ok Dani, how can I help?”

“What room is Mai in?”

“Who?”

The expression on Dani’s face said it all. Gilly dropped the glass holding one of the medicines onto the floor. The breakage went almost unnoticed.

“She was coming here with my little girl.” Scott said, his voice showed his panic.

“I’m sorry no one’s come here but you.” Derek’s face showed the extent of his concern for the lost members of the group.

Gilly crossed quickly to his friend’s side.

“I’m sure they just got lost, they haven’t been here before. Remember?” He said with a cheerful nature he didn’t feel.

“Yeah that’s what it is. I’m sure.” He smiled at Dani; a smile she knew was forced.

“We’ll go and look for them.” Gilly said finally. He caught Xu’s eye. “I’ll be back soon.” He said stroking her face. “I love you, I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

“I know.” She smiled helplessly. “Just make sure your home for dinner. Or I’ll be angry.” She pulled an angry face at him. He smiled and kissed her.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Gilly and Scott walked out quickly.

“Look after everyone for us Doc.” Gilly shouted back.

Alucard joined the conversation late. He had heard the panicked voices and come quickly.

“They shouldn’t be too far away. Ian’s with them.” He said, reassuring everyone. “Now who would like to meet my son?” Dani allowed Xu to persuade her to go upstairs, Xu tried to make her feel as calm as possible as Gilly and Scott grabbed a cloak each as well as their weapons and jumped on a pair of motorbikes that were parked outside.

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Gilly said as he started his engine.

“I hope you’re right.” Scott said, not convinced as he started his.

They sped off the way they had come as the sun began to come up. Their bikes silhouetted against the rising orange sun. Dani watched out of the window with a tear rolling down her cheek at the thought of losing her daughter. Xu stood behind her and put her arms around her. She tried to hide the sadness of Gilly leaving so soon after having rescued her. It didn’t work. She knew her sister, fiancée and niece were in danger. She moved back into the room and sat down on the bed behind her. One hand held her up as she leaned back trying to relax. The other rested on her lap across her stomach.

“You haven’t told him yet have you?” Dani said turning away from the window.

“I didn’t have time. One minute we were escaping. The next he was gone.” A tear ran silently down her cheek as she realised what had happened, as she remembered what had just happened.

“Well that’s not our biggest problem now.” Dani said, her voice was soft and calm though she was just as shocked by them leaving. She was still worried about her husband and her daughter. Xu looked at her puzzled. Dani lead her back to the window.

“We weren’t the only ones who escaped.” Dani said. She pointed down at the ground towards the distance where a crowd of people were making their way towards them. They carried white flags in front of them; most were dressed in white anyway as they trudged slowly over the miles between their cave home and the village which was their goal.

“We have to find space and food for all those people don’t we?” Xu said, her head was clear now knowing what she had to do.

“Yes we do, and we have to get ready to leave when Scott and Gilly get back with the others.”