Ash G, Walker and Taylor
Ashley was bossing people around backstage, as usual, thinking over the other day.
Ok, he was going to get them back for that. They should have known they couldn't win against him.
Walker was standing in the wings, watching as the furniture and instruments onstage were checked over one last time by the roadies.
Taylor was onstage messing with some of the instruments, just to make sure the sound was still right.
Isaac, Zac, Miette and the Eye
"Careful Zac," Isaac said, watching Zac on the drums. "Don't break another kick drum."
Zac poked his tongue out at him, Isaac merely grinned.
Meanwhilst, Miette and the Eye were waiting in line to go in.
"Don't you think this is a little foolish?" The Eye asked.
"Why?" Miette asked.
"Lining up when we can just walk in."
"Mmm... y'know... one can get used to just walking in anywhere uninvited. I think it's rather amusing to enter a place the conventional way."
The Eye groaned. Great. He was stuck in a queue with a bunch of Hanson fans.
Taylor and Walker
"Better make sure you don't break your microphone Ike," Taylor grinned, then chuckled, "so you don't end up having to share with me again. That was kinda awkward."
Walker whistled from the side of the stage, to get their attention.
"I think the crowd's about to move in," he nodded toward the audience area, "almost done?"
Isaac, Zac, Miette and the Eye
"Yep," Zac replied. "Mic working Ike?"
"Yah," Isaac answered. "Let's go."
"Oh goody!" Miette beamed. "We're moving in."
The Eye said nothing, but the look on his face clearly, dryly said 'oh joy, oh prosper'.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor followed his brothers from the stage as the roadies made their last adjustments.
"Hey guys," Ashley greeted when he saw them, "everything fine?"
"No broken microphones, and no smashed kick drums. I think we're fine," Taylor grinned.
They waited as they heard the fans filing in.
Isaac, Zac, Miette and the Eye
How had things come to this? Being in the audience of a Hanson concert. Craig felt his life must be an all time low. He scratched absently at the mark Miette had put on him.
"Sooo exciting. I hope they come out soon!" Miette grinned.
Isaac checked his watch.
"Ready?" he asked.
Zac nodded and looked at Taylor.
Taylor, Ash G and Walker
"Good luck guys," Ashley patted Zac on the shoulder.
"Have fun. And make it last. Last concert for the tour," Walker smiled.
Taylor grinned, then headed out onto the stage. He headed straight for his microphone on the far side as some girls started screaming, and looked out into to crowd.
"Hello," he chuckled, squinting at the light in his eyes.
Zac, Isaac, Miette and the Eye
Zac grinned broadly and soon they began their set list, as usual put together at the last minute.
"Okay, it's time," Miette smiled.
"Good," thought the Eye. "It's hot enough in this crowd without having to stand this close to you."
"You get yourself backstage, sweetie," Miette said. "I'm gonna have some fun onstage."
The Eye just shook his head and went through the crowd. Miette created a holographic image of herself just as she turned herself into light. She floated over to the stage, then cloaked herself and she turned human again. Then she walked over to Isaac just as they were preparing to play their last song.
Isaac's back stiffened, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't see anyone there, but he knew just from the feel who it was.
Zac gave Isaac a puzzled look. There was something... odd. A rather unusually high temperature was near Isaac, but he couldn't see what was causing it.
Ash G and Taylor
Apart from Zac, Ashley was the first to notice.
"Umm, guys...? Is there a disturbance happening in the audience?" he said into his head set.
"Not that I can see," came the reply.
"Ok, tune my mic to the guys' earpieces."
He waited for a moment.
"Ike? What's going on?"
Taylor heard Ashley and put his hand to his ear, then glanced across at Ike and Zac.
Isaac, Miette and Zac
"Hey sweetie," Miette whispered into Isaac's ear.
Isaac cleared his throat, them mouthed 'Miette' to Zac. Zac looked confused, not getting it. Isaac chewed his lip and then muttered Miette's named in Dathrian. Hopefully he was right in thinking Sam never taught his children Dathrian.
Zac's eyebrows went right up, then turned quickly back to the audience to distract them so they notice something was up.
Ash G and Taylor
Taylor gulped unnoticeably, wondering what she wanted this time.
He opted to help Zac out, hoping that Isaac would do anything too drastic while onstage.
Meanwhile, Ashley was still clueless.
"Walk?" he called into the head set, "where's Walker? There's something going on."
Isaac and Miette
"Well?" Miette mused. "Don't stop playing account of me. Tell you what, I'll let you back stage if it'll make you more comfy."
Giggling quietly, she left the stage.
"Right, well, our last song is..." Isaac began.
Taylor, Ash G and Walker
Taylor watched Isaac for a moment, before turning back to the piano and playing the first notes of the last song. The girls started screaming again when they recognized what it was, and Taylor tried to ignore that fact that Miette was there in order to pull off a better performance.
Walker approached Ashley.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Ah... maybe nothing. Ike just got a little preoccupied with something," Ashley shook his head, "I'm not sure what it was. It's probably nothing to worry about."
Isaac, Zac and Miette
They finished the final song, and said goodbye to the crowd before returning backstage.
"Ike?" Zac asked quietly as they reached the wings.
"Miette's here somewhere," Isaac replied gravely.
Miette giggled loudly for all backstage to hear.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor spun around, hearing the laugh somewhere behind him.
"Miette?" Ashley frowned slightly, "Miette Braddock?"
"What does she want?" Taylor asked, trying to see if he could see her at all.
Miette, Isaac and Zac
Miette uncloaked herself.
"Now really, I don't think it's all polite to talk about someone behind their back when they're in the same room."
"What do you want?" Isaac asked.
Miette beamed.
"So glad you asked! You, of course. And Taylor-sweetie."
"Well, you can't have them," Zac said and started to freeze her.
Miette frowned for a moment, and so did Zac. Miette's body seemed to actively generate heat, Freezing her wasn't as easy as it usually was, although he was making progress until she turned herself into light.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor backed off a little and grabbed onto Ike's arm, as if someone was going to try and pull him away.
Ashley looked between where Miette was a second ago, and Zac.
"Why does she want me?" Taylor stuttered.
The Eye, Miette and Zac
"I believe I can answer that question," the Eye smirked, stepping in, and telepathically blocking all their powers, bar Taylor's and those with shields. "And don't you dare try anything Isaac. You try to use your telekinesis against me and I kill..."
He paused and looked around, then pointed a finger at Zac.
"Him."
"Good," Miette said, turning back to human. "He tried to freeze me."
"Would have succeeded too if it hadn't been for that fact you seem to actively generate heat," Zac muttered.
Mouse
Mouse doubled over slightly as she felt Taylor's fear go sky rocketing.
She looked at Fafnir.
"Go see what's wrong. Be careful."
Gotcha, Pack.
The wolf slunk out to the backstage area.
Leader, what's going on?
Fafnir kept to the shadows.
And who the heck is that bitch? She smells...wrong.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor took a double take and freaked out for a moment, backing away from Craig.
But he kept his hold on Ike's arm.
"And where the heck is Christian when you need him," Ashley murmured under his breath, looking away disbelievingly.
And for that matter, where had Walker gone?
Isaac, the Eye and Miette
"Tell me," Isaac said quietly to the Eye. "If I crush your head, will Zac still die?"
The Eye smirked.
"You can always try and find out."
Miette giggled.
"Boys, boys, 'member, you both belong to me. I don't much like fighting in the... lower ranks."
"Miette -" Isaac began.
Taylor
Taylor gulped and shut his eyes for a moment. This couldn't be happening again. Really.
"Her name's Miette. Ex-girlfriend of Ike's who recently kidnapped him and seems to want to do it again," he began in wolf.
He opened his eyes, looking at the ground.
"She's with the Eye. And they want Ike and... and me as well."
Fafnir
Fafnir snarled silently.
Plans? We can't just let you two go. Could I kill either one of them? Or distract them long enough that you and Ike could disappear?
Miette, Isaac and The Eye
"Anyway, enough dilly dallying," Miette said, and created a holographic cage around Isaac and Taylor. "Very simple boys. The cage can't apply force, so I can't carry you or push you along with it. However, there ware some nice little lasers in there, and I would hate for you guys to get burned if you don't move along. And Ikey-sweetie, please no telekinesis, else I will have to do something distasteful. Like burning you with my lasers."
She paused.
"Or maybe I'll burn Taylor. Save marring your body."
Isaac didn't respond to that.
"Let's go."
And Miette waved a hand at the Eye to start leading the way to their vehicle.
Taylor
Taylor jumped as the cage appeared, then looked around worriedly.
"Fafnir!" he called in wolf, "it's too late. Don't do anything, she'll burn you. Or they'll hurt Zac."
He had to step back to save being hit by the lasers.
Mouse
Mouse put her hands over her stomach and winced as the babies screamed.
^^^NO!^^^
"Calm down, calm down...Bets. Go."
Damn scientists. She shouldn't be stuck here unable to help because she was pregnant!
Fafnir whined deep in his throat.
I CAN'T do NOTHING!
The wolf readied himself for a spring, keeping himself silent in order to catch them unawares. He was close enough to maybe take out the female.
Bets circled around so she was in way of the exit.
Ready when you are, my mate. She told Fafnir.
I can't fail again. Not again.
Taylor and Ash G
"Fafnir, NO!" Taylor exclaimed in wolf, probably a little louder than he should have.
"If you do, she'll kill you! And Bets. Jane needs you, so I will not have you endangering yourself!"
He stopped himself, noticing the strange look he was getting from a couple of people.
"Please, go... Go back to her," he ended.
Ashley looked around, trying to spot the wolves.
Bets and Fafnir
Bets and Fafnir growled.
As you say, Alpha...
The two wolves slunk backwards out of range.
They watched with gleaming, angry eyes as the scene played out.
Mouse is *really* not going to be happy. Bets said thoughtfully.
Fafnir was snarling death threats quietly under his breath.
Miette, The Eye and Isaac
Miette and the Eye moved Isaac and Taylor out of the door. Miette created a holographic barred wall behind them so they couldn't be followed, knowing when they were out of range it would disappear. She change the colours of the cages around Isaac and Taylor so that it wouldn't be noticed by any bystanders.
"What do you want, Miette?" Isaac asked.
"I thought I told you that, sweetie."
"But... why?"
"Let's just say, I have plans."
"Get in," the Eye said coldly, as they stopped at the van.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor flinched visibly as the words left Craig's mouth. He got into the van silently, trying to pull Isaac with him.
Meanwhile, Ashley was fuming.
"Where the heck is Walker?" he demanded into the head set, "we have a situation here..."
Isaac, Miette and the Eye
Isaac followed Taylor into the car, and Miette followed Isaac.
"Now, be a good driver and get going," she demanded.
The Eye said nothing, just closed the door. For all her threats, he knew she wouldn't kill anyone. And none of her little cultists were around. What with Taylor in his custody now, this was the time to act.
Taylor
Taylor took hold of Isaac's hand, as he backed off into the window. He closed his eyes, trying to stop himself shaking.
This is just what his father had been afraid of. Craig coming back for him. What did he want now? And would he even think about letting him go afterwards?
The Eye and Miette
They were travelling for an hour or so. Miette was chattign away about stupid little stuff. Occassioanlly she would ask one of them a question, but soon went back to chatting about what she wanted to chat about.
"I say," she said. "This isn't the way. Have you gotten yourself lost there, sweetie?"
The Eye didn't answer.
Taylor and Walker
Taylor still had hold of Isaac's hand.
He looked up at that particular comment, and out the window. Where the heck were they going?
By now, Walker had been contacted and told. And from there, all other aliens in the tour group were notified.
Isaac, Miette and the Eye
"You sure I can't crush his head?" Isaac asked Miette. "He's obviously betrayed you."
"He can't betray me," Miette replied coldly. "I own him."
And on that she turned herself into light, then slipped into the front and blinded the Eye.
"Bitch!" The Eye cried as he lost control of the van, his hands flying to his face.
Isaac grabbed hold of the van telekinetically.
"Did I say you could do that?" Miette growled, changing into human again.
Isaac wasn't sure if she was talking to him or to the Eye.
Taylor
"Oh $#!+," Taylor cussed, jumping.
He closed his eyes, wishing with everything that he had that he wasn't right there right then.
Miette, Isaac and the Eye
The Eye flung his arms out wildly for Miette.
"I'll kill you! I made you! If it weren't for me you'd -"
"Oh, shove it out your ear," Miette snarled. "Ikey, be a dear and stop the car."
Isaac stopped the car. But more out of concern for his own safety than Miette's wishes. Then the Eye latched on to the mind of the driver of a nearby car and had them ram into the van. The van started rolling down the hill, Isaac doing his best to get control, only to get knocked unconscious by a nice, heavy box that had been lying in the van.
Taylor
"IKE?!" Taylor exclaimed, grabbing onto his brother so he didn't hit anything else unnecessarily.
He held his head into his chest so it wouldn't get hit as they rolled, then curled in on himself.
"Ike... Ike... come on man..."
Miette and The Eye
"Damn it!" Miette exclaimed.
Then the Eye grabbed Miette around the throat and started to choke her as the van got lodged in some trees. She turned to light, and watched wondering, as the Eye clambered into the back.
"You're coming with me," he informed Taylor coldly, grabbing at his arm with surprising accuracy for a blind man.
Taylor
"NO!" Taylor exclaimed, trying to lunge for Isaac.
"IKE! No, let me go! Let me GO!"
His eyes began to well up as he was almost hysterical.
Miette and the Eye
Miette turned back to human.
"Stop it," she growled.
"Or you'll what?" The Eye asked, pulling Taylor roughly to his feet. "You'll kill me? C'mon, Miette, we both know you've done a lot of threatening, but you've never killed anyone, and you're not going to."
Miette created a holgraphic wall between them. Even if Eye could see it, he would still back able to touch it, and it would stop him.
"Take it down," The Eye snarled, "or I'll kill your little boyfriend - if he's not already dead."
Taylor
Taylor still tried to pull away from him.
"No, don't don't don't... I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Just please, please, please don't, hurt us," he almost whimpered.
He looked back at Isaac, hoping to God that he'd wake up before anyone had the chance to leave.
The Eye and Miette
"Stop whining you big baby," the Eye snarled. "Miette, take it down."
Miette glowered at him.
"I'll kill him. Put it down."
Reluctantly, Miette took down the hologram. The Eye hauled Taylor out of the mangled van and started pulling him up the side of the road. How the heck was he able to do that blind? Vindictively, Miette hit the back of his shoes with lasers.
Taylor
Taylor stumbled slightly as Craig pulled him along, and he knew he was shaking.
"What do you... what do you want?" he stuttered, hoping the question wouldn't get him in trouble and actually give him some direction.
He glanced back at the van.
The Eye and Miette
The Eye didn't answer. Then he stopped, dove into Miette's mind and knocked her unconscious. It was the only thing he could do quickly enough before she would react to feeling him in her mind. He pushed Taylor up the hill and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. By feel, the Eye made a quick phone call and arranged for them to be picked up.
Taylor
Taylor collapsed to the ground when they made it to the top, and looked around worriedly. It was too dark to see practically anything but headlights.
He rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the tears welled there.
Then he pulled his knees in to his chest and rocked back and forth.
The Eye
A car pulled up along side them. The Eye felt for the back door, shoved Taylor in, then followed.
"Let's move it," the Eye said.
Taylor
Taylor moved across to the other side, as far away from Craig as he could be.
"You... you're just gonna leave him there?" he stuttered, now more worried for Ike than anything else.
The Eye
"Of course I am. You really think I'm so stupid as to bring a telekinetic I can't control with me?" the Eye sneered. "Miette will wake up soon enough. If he's not already dead, I'm sure she'll do something."
He snorted.
"She's so besotted, it's ridiculas."
Taylor
Tears began to well in Taylor's eyes again, picturing Isaac unconscious and possibly in a coma... or worse.
He looked out the window for a moment, before resting a foot on the seat, wrapping his arms around it and hiding his face.
The Eye and Miette
Miette soon woke up.
"Jerk," she muttered, then walked over to Isaac and checked his palse. "Oh good. Still going strong. Don't worry, sweetie, we're going to get out of this."
She pulled her phone out and made a call to her cultists.
"Such a baby," the Eye thought to himself.
They soon arrived at the airport. A healer met them there and restored the Eye's sight. He smiled to himself, thinking how clever he was by going into Taylor's mind during his blindness and using his eyes to see what he was doing. And all without even having to touch his mind.
Taylor
Taylor had looked up when he'd they were at an airport. Where the heck were they going?
"Umm... Craig?" he began, his stance showing how afraid he was of even being yelled at, "where... where are we going?"
He gulped slightly.
The Eye
"The plane ready?" The Eye asked the healer.
"Yes sir."
"Good."
The Eye pulled Taylor along as he followed the healer to the plane. He didn't answer him until they were aboard.
"Australia, Taylor. We're going to Australia."
Taylor
"Aus... Australia?" Taylor raised his eyebrows as he choked it out.
"We're going to Australia?"
He looked out the window nervously, not even trying to stop his knee bouncing.
"What the heck is in Australia?"
The Eye
A smile crossed the Eye's face.
"You'll soon find out," he replied.
And he settled back for the trip.