It's the weekend and I'm typing at my computer rather then being out and doing something. I really should get a life, but there's so many things I have to do for school. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm complain about it now and again. I'm moving along faster then I expected with my homework, so I might actually get a chance to work on chapter eight sometime in the near future. Not promising anything, but it just might happen.
I want to thank the people that have taken the time to e-mail me. I know I complain about not getting enough e-mail, though I have difficulty trying to find that right balance of having enough, but I do want you guys to know I appreciate what I do get. Constructive criticism is always welcome as are your general ideas on my story. And of course any praise you have is also welcome. You even have your choice of which address to send e-mails to. Mist_dark@hotmail.com or mist_dark@yahoo.ca Isn't that just great? You can send them to one of two addresses, or both if you want to.
As per usual. This story is in no way supposed to reflect anything about Nsync. If you are too young, go away for now and return at a later date. If it's illegal in your area to be reading this I would strongly suggest moving. If homosexual themes offend you, your web searching skills need a lot of work.
That's all I'm going to say for now. Until next time, Rune
CHAPTER SEVEN
Kyle sighed deeply and readjusted his position in the back of the limousine. He looked across at his sister before looking out the window. He and his sister had been following the man that Mara had asked them too for several hours. They'd been on the interstate far longer then he cared for. He was not the type of person that enjoyed traveling long distances in a car, regardless of how comfortable the car was. Conversation was almost non-existent as Erin was often checking up on the man and his friends.
"I still can't believe that she's actually having us follow a man because he spurned her all those years ago," Kyle muttered.
"There's more to it then that," Erin said. She had brought her attention back to the other occupant of the car. "She's got something planned. Something big, this is just a cover."
Kyle arched an eyebrow in his sister's direction. "And exactly how did you find this out?" He tapped his temple. "You didn't..," he left it hanging.
"That's exactly what I did," Erin smiled smugly. "She wouldn't have told us directly and I'm above snooping through files to find what I want." She looked out the window. "I don't know what she's up to Kyle, but it's something big. For some reason it involves the people in the bus up there." She shook her head. "I didn't have the time to go looking for anything too deep, but when everything comes together it's going to be a thing of beauty."
"Think we should back out?" Kyle asked.
"Not a chance," Erin said. "Whatever's going to happen, we want to be on her side. Once she reaches a certain point even the Oracle won't be able to stop her. It's not something I'd like to oppose."
Kyle nodded. "Point made. So I guess we just sit tight for the time being. Make our little reports to her and pretend we don't know anything." He looked out the window for a moment before glancing back at Erin. "You do know what she'll do to us if she figured out you went trotting through her mind. We may be good, but she'd cut through us without any problem."
It was Erin's turn to nod. "I know. It was risky, but it was worse not know anything at all. We'll just have to play it safe."
The siblings lapsed into silence and watched the lights of various cars drive past them. They were absorbed in their own thoughts for almost an hour before Erin broke the silence.
"We'll want to watch her actions for dealings with relics," she said abruptly.
"Pardon?" Kyle was usually good at following his sister's sudden changes in thought, but this one was impossible to follow.
"What she's got planned has something to do with something very old. Very old and very powerful."
"Okay," Lance began. "There's good news and there's bad news." He shuffled the papers in front of him and looked expectantly at the people clustered around the table in front of him.
Josh leaned forward. "Well?"
"Well what?" Lance asked with a perfectly straight face.
"What's the news?" Joey asked in exasperation.
"I'm waiting for your answer first," Lance replied. "I can't go on without it."
"What answer?" Justin asked. Behind him the bodyguards were unsuccessfully controlling their laughter.
"Do you want the good news," Lance started. "Or the bad news first?"
Chris groaned and poked Cody to try to get him to stop laughing. "Stop that," he admonished. "The bad news first."
"If you insist," Lance said. "But don't gripe to me when you decide that you wanted the good news first later. I'm just the messenger and completely at the mercy of the people who I'm giving the message to. It's so very confusing when they get upset when I give them the message in the order they asked."
"Stop," Joey said. "Just tell us."
"Okay," Lance said. He shuffled the papers a few more times and then after fending off an attack from Justin started reading the paper. "Basically our appointment is cancelled for today," he paused for dramatic effect. "But it's been rescheduled for tomorrow at seven am."
"Ouch," Josh said. "I guess that means that we can't do anything tonight. What's the good news?"
"The good news is that after that appointment we're free for the next three weeks."
"Three weeks?" Joey asked in confusion. "Three weeks in the middle of a tour? How'd we get that?"
Lance flipped through the papers a few times. He did it just for show, everyone knew that he knew the answer, he just liked to draw things out. "Well it appears that one of the halls had a bad luck with a lightening storm and couldn't turn on a light bulb let alone run our equipment. Another place got flooded, the third place is being fumigated and the fourth place burned down, fell over and sank into the swamp." He set the papers down and looked around the table. "So as of ten o'clock tomorrow we are off for three weeks. Any suggestions?"
"We could catch flights home," Joey suggested.
"Problem with that," Josh said. "My family is traveling, Justin's mother is in the midst of an important business deal and as much as she'd like him home, she needs the peace. Lance's parents are visiting relatives. And it goes on like this."
"Okay bad idea," Joey muttered. "Just thought I'd mention it."
Justin leaned back over his chair and looked at the bodyguards who had gotten themselves under control. They had until the blonde asked them a question upside down with the silliest look on his face. "Got any ideas?"
"We don't have ideas," Deana said between giggles. "We're just the hired help."
"Whatever you guys do is fine," Cody said. "We'll stalk you regardless of where you go."
"Huh?" Justin said. He managed to look even more ridiculous with the new expression on his face.
"We have to make sure you guys don't get hurt," Cody explained. "Which means we have to follow you. Your management probably didn't expect this little break. We've been hired to protect you 24/7 for the next several months. That's why we've been rooming with you guys."
"Well that changes things a bit," Chris said.
"How?" Cody asked.
"If you have to watch over us then we should probably do something that would make it easier for you to do that." He looked around the room. "Any suggestions?"
"I've got a cabin in the woods a few hours away from here," Sean suggested.
"You have a cabin?" Lance asked.
"Well I don't," he clarified. "My parents do, but they never use it. And it's not really a cabin. It's more of a house in the middle of the woods. Mom doesn't believe in roughing it unless she does it in comfort."
"Sounds good," Joey said. "Any other possible suggestions?"
The group discussed it for several minutes before deciding on the cabin idea. Sean gave them a quick overview of the cabin and what they would need to bring. There were five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. There was a lake within walking distance and a number of hiking trails. The only downside was that there wasn't really a way to drive to the house. The cars had to be left in a lot half a mile from the cabin.
"Then we'll need to go shopping for food," Lance said. He started making a list of the food he thought they'd need. "And for some clothes as well. I don't think any of us have much in the way of woodsy gear."
"I'd get some sort of bug replant too," Sean suggested. "They aren't always there, but in the evenings there are bugs that could drain a man of his blood in seconds."
"Okay you didn't mention there'd be piranhas," Justin said. "We won't need shot guns to deal with the local bug life, will we?"
"Nope," Sean assured him. "Just don't go out in the woods after dark."
"I'll keep that in mind," he got up to leave. "Does anyone mind if I invite Sheryl?"
"I don't," Sean said. He looked around and everyone else agreed with him. "Seems like you're in the clear on that one."
"Good, I'll give her a call," the blonde said.
"I still can't believe that we're driving to another city just because someone thinks she's here," Lynn muttered.
"Do you have any other ideas on how to catch this woman?" Sam asked. "This is the first thing we've had to go on and I think that this woman can help us figure out what the hell is going on."
"And what if she turns out to be some inhuman creature?" Lynn asked with a fair bit of sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"You're not going to get all Outer-limits on me are you?" Sam said in frustration. Lynn had been less then pleasant the last few days.
His partner sighed. "I'm sorry Sam, I don't know why I've been such a bitch lately. This case is just starting to get to me. I don't like the fact we don't have any solid leads to go on. So far we haven't gotten any closer to solving this case. And so far the only thing we have to work with is a woman that can survive a ten-story fall."
"I know," Sam agreed. "But we'll solve this thing. It's just too strange not to. At least the local police have agreed to let us work on this case in their jurisdiction."
The cops lapsed into silence and continued their drive around the city. They stopped once for lunch and again for supper. Night had fallen when they decided to return to the hotel room that they'd rented for the week they'd be here. They were ten minutes away from the hotel when they realized that the street they were on was empty. Completely empty. There shouldn't have been many people on the street at this hour, but there were always a few.
"Where'd everyone go?" Sam asked as they pulled up to a stop sign.
"I don't," Lynn started to say. The rest of her words were cut off when something landed on their hood with enough force to drive the back of the car into the air. She let out a small cry of surprise and grabbed the door to stabilize herself.
"Evening," Katra purred from the hood of their car. She was crouched on the balls of her feet and her head was rested on her folded arms. She was peering through the windshield at them. Her eyes reflected the light like a cat's. "I heard you guys were following me. I don't really like to be followed." She leapt off the car and landed on the street in front of them. She dashed to the far side of the street and disappeared around the corner before either of the cops could react.
"Follow her," Lynn said. She was already starting to reach for her gun.
"Gottcha," Sam said. He sped through the intersection and turned the corner that Katra had just gone around.
The street was deserted except for a man. They couldn't tell how old he was from where he was standing, but they guessed about mid-twenties. His blonde hair was fairly shaggy. He flashed a grin at them and charged them before Sam had pulled the car to a complete stop. He slid to a stop in front of the car and reached underneath with one arm. With an upward heave the view through the windshield suddenly showed the night sky.
"Oh fuck," Lynn cursed. She let her gun fall into her lap and pushed her hands against the roof of the car. Sam's hands were already on the roof when hers touched it.
The car flipped through the air three complete times before landing back on its wheels some distance down the street. Both cops wore shocked looks. Lynn was the first to react. She grabbed her gun from where it'd fallen and left the car.
"Don't move," she shouted at the man. He hadn't left the spot that he'd thrown the car from. He smiled at her and walked toward her as Sam got out of the car. "I said don't move." When the man didn't stop she fired a warning shot into the air. He didn't flinch.
"What are you planning on doing?" Sam asked his partner. He had his gun out and levelled at the advancing man.
"I don't know," Lynn admitted.
"Damn," Sam cursed as his wrist broke. His gun clattered to the ground. He turned around and was face to face with Katra.
She smiled at him. "Didn't think I'd left you did you?" She didn't wait for him to respond. Instead she stepped back from the surprised officer and kicked him in the chest. He staggered backward into the car. "I love my job," she said cheerfully.
Lynn looked over and then quickly back at the man. He was moving faster then he'd been before. She fired a shot at his leg. The shot did what it was supposed to; it just clipped the side of his thigh, enough to take him down. The man kept coming at her. Lynn panicked. She unloaded four more bullets into the man's chest before he closed the distance.
"Bad girl," he admonished as he snatched her gun away from her. He tossed it behind him and backhanded her. She slammed into the ground and slid ten feet. There had been a crack when his hand contacted her cheek. She was pretty sure he'd broken her cheekbone. He cocked his head to one side and looked at her. He watched her stagger to her feet and inch toward the car where a spare gun was kept. When she was five feet away from the car he sighed and stepped between her and the car. He put his foot on the fender and pushed. The car shot fifty feet backward. Its movement was stopped when it ran into a telephone pole.
"That's enough," a woman's voice said.
The clicking of high heels filled the street. Underneath the sharp clicking was the muted sound of a man's shoes. Lynn carefully looked away from the man to see who had appeared. The woman was dressed in a white skirt suit and looked very professional for the section of town she was in. The man was obviously related to her and was dressed in a white business suit.
"Kyle stop Katra from killing that man." She indicated to where Katra was slamming Sam's head into the pavement.
"Why can't we have our fun?" the young man asked her.
"Because Paul," she snapped. "I don't want you to." She turned her gaze to Lynn. "Besides I want to know how much she knows."
"But," the man interjected.
"But nothing," she snapped back.
Lynn tore her eyes from the woman to see where Kyle had gone. He was standing between Sam and Katra. The blonde woman was hunched down in a feral pose with fear clearly displayed in her eyes. Mingled with the fear was anger. She was afraid of Kyle for some reason, but was angry with him at the same time.
"Pay attention to me human," the woman said.
"Why?" Lynn spat. "Are you worth my attention?"
"More then you'll ever realize." The woman stared directly into Lynn's eyes and the officer felt like she was looking directly into her soul. "I have a few questions to ask you."
"I won't answer them," Lynn told her defiantly.
"But you already have," the woman told her. "You already know far too much about forces you can't hope to understand. At the moment you lack the knowledge to be a hindrance to our cause, but you will gain that knowledge in the future. Or rather you would."
"You're going to kill me?" Lynn asked with a smirk.
"Worse," the woman smiled at her. The smile sent shivers up Lynn's back.
Lynn was going to reply when pain slashed through her head. Her vision blurred for a moment and she dropped to her knees in agony. Her blurred vision was replaced by redness and she felt blood trickle down from her nose. The agony continued, it felt like someone was raking claws through her brain. Several times she tried to summon the will to scream, but the pain was too intense. She couldn't even whimper. She had no idea what was happening to Sam or what else was happening in the street. All she knew was that her head felt like it was going to explode. As a defence her mind blocked off the pain and she retreated into herself.
Sam watched with a mixture of fascination and horror. He didn't do anything the entire time Lynn was writhing on the street. He wanted to, but he couldn't make himself move. All he could do was watch. When she stopped twitching he found he could speak.
"What did you do?" He said lowly. He knew he was going to die and he intended to take one of these people with him.
"I crushed her mind," the woman said smugly. "It's amazing how frail the mind truly is."
"Gonna do that to me too?" He asked as harshly as he had before. He was trying to stall for enough time to fully form his plan.
"No," she told him. "I thought Kyle would like the pleasure of removing you as a potential annoyance."
"I would love to Erin," Kyle told her. "Are you afraid human?"
"No," Sam said truthfully. He was mad, but not afraid.
He felt the thrill of fear dance along his skin. It felt like a jolt of static. It centred in his palms for a second before dissipating. He broke out in a cold sweat and his pulse began racing.
"How about now?" Kyle asked him as calmly as before. "Or are you feeling sad?"
Abruptly the feeling of fear vanished from him. It was instantly replaced by a depression stronger then anything he'd felt before. Even during his suicidal years as a teen he hadn't felt this low. All he could think about was wallowing in a self-pity that had no cause.
"Or is it anger?"
Fury started to well up inside Sam. The adrenaline that always accompanies blind rage started to prep his system to lash out at the nearest object. He didn't know what he was mad at, just that he wanted to hurt something. Hurt anything. His muscles tightened and loosened themselves involuntary. He had completely forgotten about his broken wrist. He took a step toward Kyle and fear washed over him. In an instant his fury was replaced by mind-numbing fear. He gasped and stepped back. The second he did that the depression returned. He slumped to his knees fully aware of the hopelessness of his situation. Peacefulness replaced the depression and was in turn replaced by total confusion. Emotions changed inside him so rapidly he couldn't keep up with them. His mind started to rebel and his body started to ignore the mind's messages to respond to the stimuli. Sam collapsed in a heap staring vacantly ahead of him.
Erin walked to Kyle's side. She looked once at Sam and then back over at Lynn. Without saying a word she started walking down the street, Kyle was half a step behind her. Halfway down she turned and looked at Katra and Paul.
{Return to Mara. We do not need your services at this time.}
Both Paul and Katra's heads shot up as her words echoed through their minds. Neither one of them moved as they watched the retreating backs of the siblings turn the corner.
TBC
So? What did you think? Let me know. I got this one done a touch faster then I thought I would. No complaints, just a bit surprised. Anyway the addresses are above and you can e-mail me if you want to. And I'd really like it if you did.
Rune