She flipped through the television channels most of which were news broadcasts about her, Derek (aka the Prime Oracle) and the attempt on her life.

Sighing she turned the TV off and looked out the window.

"It's only a few more days Wayde."

Wayde turned as Derek walked into her room. He carried a large teddy bear with a big blue ribbon.

"What's that?" she demanded.

Derek smiled, he handed the bear to her.

"One of yet another get well presents from the public."

"Get well presents?"

Derek laughed as he pulled up a chair beside her.

"You should see my home Wayde! That's where they're sending all of the gifts. The foyer is filled with flowers, chocolates, teddy bears and cards."

"I don't deserve any of them." Wayde said, and settled the bear on the floor.

Derek shook her head. "Yes you do. Wayde, you're almost royalty now. The public, they love you."

"They don't even know me."

"The public only bases it on looks and attitudes and thankfully they like what they see."

Wayde pulled her hand away. "You make me sound like a piece of meat Derek."

Derek sighed. "I'm sorry Wayde, I didn't mean it the way it came out."

Wayde crossed her arms. "Where are my friends?"

Derek leaned back in his chair. "They're safe."

Wayde turned her head. "Where are they? And how long was I unconscious for? No one will tell me!"

Derek stared at Wayde. She may look tough as nails, but underneath he could almost pick up the sense of fear.

"They haven't slid yet. If that's what you were wondering."

"How long?"

Derek brushed a hand on his pant leg. "One day."

Wayde pushed her covers off.

Derek stood up. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get to my friends."

Derek shook his head. "I'm sorry Wayde, I can't let you do that."

"Dame it!" Wayde shouted. "Let me GO Derek! This is kidnapping!"

Derek pushed her back onto the bed. "Lie down Wayde, you're too weak to go anywhere."

"No thanks to you!" She snapped back.

Derek stood up impatiently. "I'm not letting you go Wayde. Get used to it!"

He then stormed out of her room slamming the door behind him.

***************

Derek handed the notes to his secretary. "Anything else Thomas?"

His secretary shook his head.

"Good."

The phone rang and Thomas reached over. "Prime Oracle office. How may I help you?"

Derek stood up and looked out the tall office windows.

"Yes sir. One moment, Sire. The President is on the phone."

Derek nodded his head. "Yes Mr. President."

Derek hung up the phone. "I think I'd better talk to Wayde, get the car ready Thomas."

"Sire."

Derek left the office and quickly climbed into his limo.

************

Wayde walked down the hallway with the aid of a cane. She hatted it, but for some reason she was still too weak to do very much activity.

"Miss Wells!"

Wayde turned and saw one of her 'guards' running down the hall. "The Prime Oracle is returning home in a few minuets, he's requested you meet him in the sitting room."

Wayde shook her head. "I'm going to get something to eat from the kitchen."

"Miss Wells, we can get the cook to prepare exactly what you want."

Wayde threw her cane to the ground. "I DON'T want exactly what I want! I want to go to a kitchen without a clue as to what I want! Understand! I hate this place!"

The bodyguard looked like he didn't know what to do. He reached down to pick up her cane.

"Leave it! Just go away." Wayde told him.

The bodyguard bowed and walked back down the hall.

Wayde sat down with her back against the wall. "I hate this place."

**********

Derek arrived home and knew Wayde wasn't waiting for him in the sitting room. He knew she was in the north wing hallway.

Handing his coat and scarf to a servant he headed up the stairs and down to the north wing.

"Wayde."

He heard a sigh. "What do you want Derek?"

"You know what I want." Derek said.

He came and crouched down beside her.

"I have some important news."

Wayde looked up. "What?"

Derek readied himself. "Your friends are leaving tonight. The portal will open in less then four hours."

Wayde closed her eyes. "You're not letting me go are you?"

Derek was about to reach out to Wayde but stopped.

Wayde opened her eyes and turned her head. Very quietly she said, "I hate you."

"Wayde-"

Wayde stood up and shook off Derek's hand as he tried to help her.

"You said you can't see the future when you look at me, Derek. But I can tell you this, if you don't let me go, I'll never forgive you."

Wayde picked up her cane and slowly walked down the hallway back to her bedroom.

*************

Wayde stood ramrod straight as Derek joined her in the limo.

"I'm not a monster Wayde. I'm letting you say good bye to your friends."

Wayde shook her head. "I don't care Derek, I really don't care anymore."

Wayde let her hand dig into the handle of her cane. She'd thought for two hours, of any way to escape from Derek.

He was letting her say good bye, but without the timer.

The limo slowly pulled away from the curb.

**************

"Wayde!"

Wayde gave a cry of joy as her three friends rushed towards her.

Quinn wrapped his arms around her. "Are you alright?"

Wayde nodded her head.

The guards and Derek left them all in the small police room.

Wayde turned around. "We only have about five minuets to talk guys."

Rimbrant smiled, "You look good girl, for someone who got shot!"

Wayde nodded her head. "What about you…how have you been treated?"

The three shook their heads.

"It doesn't matter now." Quinn said.

Wayde nodded her head. "He won't let me go."

"We heard Miss Wells." The Prof. said.

Wayde gave a wobbly smile. "I can't think of anything to do…I can't think of a way to escape. I'm sorry."

Quinn pulled her forward and hugged her again. "You did the best you could Wayde. Anyone else would have collapsed under the stress."

Wayde pulled back. She stood tall, "If you ever do get back to Earth. Give this to my mother."

She handed Quinn a small red book. "It's my diary, she'd want to have it."

Quinn took it but shook his head. "We can still get out of this."

"How?"

Quinn pulled out the timer from his jacket.

Rimbrant smiled. "We gave the police the wrong timer." "What?" Wayde asked.

Quinn smiled. "Don't you remember the almost duplicate world we were on, the one with the fake timer for the portal? Well the Prof. still had it so, presto. Less then one minuet guys."

Wayde smiled. "You guys...are amazing! You kept this from me the whole time, on purpose."

Her three friends grinned form ear to ear.

The Prof. pointed the timer. "Well here we go boys and girls."

The timer worked and the portal opened.

The Prof. jumped forward and disappeared into the portal. The doors burst open, Derek appeared with his guards.

"Go!" Quinn yelled.

Rimbrant had already been moving and jumped into the portal.

Quinn pushed Wayde forward but a guard jumped him and Wayde and Quinn fell to the floor.

"No!" Wayde shouted. "Dame it! Let go!"

Derek reached forward and pulled her up.

Wayde took her cane and whipped it around slamming it into his side.

Derek groaned and slipped to the floor.

Wayde was grabbed by another guard and held down.

"Quinn!" Wayde looked over and saw Quinn pressed down on the ground with four bodyguards on top of him.

Suddenly the portal burst.

Wayde and Quinn both stopped struggling.

Wayde went limp with fear. "God no."

The guard set her down on her feet.

Derek stood up. "Look what happened Wayde. I told you, this is foretold."

Wayde turned around and resisted the urge to beat him with her cane.

Instead she walked over to where Quinn was.

"Let him go." She said.

"I'm sorry Miss…"

Derek raised a hand. "Let her captain."

The bodyguards released Quinn.

Wayde knelt and held Quinn's bleeding head in her lap.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

Quinn shook his head. "No, are you?"

Wayde shook her head. "No. We're stuck here Quinn."

Derek reached down and pulled her up by the arm.

"He need medical attention Wayde."

Wayde turned her head. "You aren't just going to leave him here to rot?"

Derek frowned. "I'm not a monster Wayde. No matter how much you try and make me one."

"You kept me form my family, my future and my friends. You kidnapped me, held me prisoner and invaded me mind once. If that's not a monster…then I don't know what is!"

Derek shook his head. "You've had too much excitement tonight, we're going back home."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Wayde, I'm warning you."

Wayde raised her fist and slammed it into Derek's jaw.

"Get away from me you psychotic bastard!"

Wayde gulped back tears, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry!

Copyright 2000, Charmeye Thyme.