Where Secrets Lie

"Alyssa!" Kara yelled. Sweat was beading down her forehead as she was startled from her sleep.

"Kara. It's okay." Amy caressed her forehead gently with a wet towel.

"No, we have to go back and get Alyssa." She tried to move, but her entire body felt sore.

Amy's face became sullen and she frowned. "Alyssa is dead, remember."

Kara shook her head in disbelief. "I saw her. I know I saw her."

"You just had a near-death experience. They say you see the people you love when you are about to die," said Amy, rubbing Kara's shoulder to comfort her.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." She swung her feet around and a shiver ran throughout her body as they hit the cold hardwood floors. "What are you doing here?" She climbed out of bed, despite the pain and headed into the living room.

Amy followed behind her. "I saw Logan dragging you away from the ballroom, and I decided to follow him. I overheard everything. When you got thrown over the balcony, I went to find you and discovered some guy feeding you his blood. I offered him a ride to bring you back here." She smiled. "Why didn't you tell me you had a plan?"

"Because I didn't want you to get hurt," Kara replied, massaging her aching shoulder.

"I can handle myself," protested Amy.

"I see you've recovered. You're only the fourth person to drink my blood," said Alex as he entered the room.

"Well yeah, you and Logan basically threw me to the wolves! And for what? Your little experiment didn't work!" Kara fumed.

"Yet it did." Logan stepped around from behind Alex. "He doesn't remember everything, but−" he paused for a beat, "What is Amy doing here?" he asked, spotting her.

"Never mind that. What are we going to do now?" Kara flopped down on the loveseat.

"All of you are going back in," said Alex, clenching his fists.

"Oh no. I've had enough stabbing today, thank you," said Kara, shaking her head.

"If I may ask, who are you?" Amy addressed Alex.

Alex looked at Kara questioningly. "You can trust her," she said.

"Allow me to introduce myself." He gracefully removed his mask.

"Alex!" The look on Amy's face was twisted in bewilderment.

Kara looked between the two of them, "You know Alexander?"

"This changes everything," Her eyes still wide open in shock.

"Changes what, exactly?" Kara looked concerned.

"Um. You know." She paused to think. "Now that Alexander is back, he can help with this ridiculous merger with the Powell clan. Right?"

Kara sensed that Amy was hiding something, but she decided now was not the time to press it. "Right. Well, I still don't know if I want to go back."

Logan folded his arms, "Kara, they threw Michael in the dungeon. He recognized you so they put him there to keep him quiet."

"What?" Kara's heart tightened. "Okay, this changes things for sure" she rubbed her neck to release the stiffness. "We have the upper hand right now because no one else knows that Alex is alive. So Logan and I will go back to get Michael." She gave him a cold stare. She still couldn't believe he used her as a Trojan Horse. "They are still having the party and won't expect us to make a move. Amy, you drive."

*

*

*

Inside the mansion grounds, Amy pulled the car around to the back of the house. Seeing Amy and Logan, the guards allowed them through the gate without blinking an eye. As soon as the car stopped, Kara and Logan exited.

Kara looked back at Amy. "Stay in the car."

They peeked around the corner as they approached the mansion. Two servants guarded the back entrance to the basement dungeon. Before they had the chance to discuss their plan, Amy walked up behind them, then passed them heading straight for the guards.

"Excuse me, I need to get through here, Elijah's orders." She smiled sweetly at the two men.

They gave her a strange look then started whispering to each other. One of the men finally addressed her, "No one is allowed in, sorry."

Something was not right, and Amy knew it. Before the servants had time to react, Amy took a step back and roundhouse kicked the watchman standing on the right. Shocked by the attack, the servant on the left let down his guard, giving Amy time to smash him in the face with her elbow. Both fell to the ground, unconscious.

Logan and Kara rushed over to her. "Whoa, where did that come from?" Kara asked, mouth gaping.

"My dad made me take self-defense classes when I was a kid. I told you I can take care of myself." Amy gave a cute smirk and a wink.

"Duly noted," said Logan, amused.

They proceeded inside and came to a halt when the hallway split in two.

"Logan, go that way with Amy," Kara said, pointing left, "I'll go this way."

"Okay, be careful," he said.

Kara nodded and sped off. She passed dungeon after dungeon but failed to find Michael. She turned another corner, but this time, she passed a room with a sound spilling from it. She waited a moment to make sure no one was around before opening the door. Michael was chained against the wall, filthy and moaning. The chains rattled as shifted his weight on his feet.

She entered the dungeon just as everyone upstairs at the ball started the countdown. "10-!"

Kara used all of her strength to break the chains, "Michael!"

"9-!"

He looked up at her with a happy look on his face; however, it slowly transformed into one of confusion. "Kara... why are you here?"

"To save you, idiot!" she said with a smile.

"7-!"

"They drained you?! Damnit."

Kara bit her wrist, drawing blood. She placed it over Michael's mouth, and he drank. As her blood hit his tongue, Kara's memories flooded his mind for the first time. He saw everything. The longer he drank, the less he wanted to pull away from her. However, she has suddenly ripped away from him as someone grabbed her from behind.

Still weak, Michael was unable to help as Kara's attacker smashed her head into the brick wall.

Through her hazy vision, Kara caught a glimpse of her attacker. "Alyssa?"

"4, 3-!"

She tried to shake the grogginess out of her head, but her assailant was gone when the fog began to clear. Michael was leaning against the wall in the corner. She quickly got up and walked over to him. "Michael we need to go−"

"Happy New Year!" The crowd inside roared.

Michael pushed himself from the wall, his lips meeting hers, "Happy New Year."