Christian and Taylor
Christian leant forward a little in the passenger seat, and pointed ahead of them.
"Is that the airport?" he squinted.
"Yep. We're coming in," the pilot grinned.
"Someone has a car for me, right?"
"Yep. Jesse organized one, parked by the tarmac so you can get going."
"Thanks man."
Taylor looked up suddenly as he heard the motor slowing down. Hugging onto his sister, he pulled her back into a corner with him.
It was only a matter of minutes before the plane touched down with a jump. Taylor hugged onto his sister tighter as the plane slowed, and finally pulled in to park.
As it shut off, Christian and the pilot opened the doors and exited the plane together. A man in black came running out to meet them.
"Yo Christian!" he exclaimed, shaking his hand.
"Hey Jesse. He said you had a car for me."
"Yep, sure man. That black beauty over there," Jesse pointed to the edge of the runway.
Christian grinned.
"Nice. How much do I owe ya?"
"Nothing. My mate stole her. Just bring her back when you're done. She's got Craig's merchandise in the trunk already."
"Speaking of merchandise..." the pilot glanced at Christian.
He rubbed his chin.
"They'll be awake," he nodded to the cargo door, "help me move them."
Avery
"Taylor, they're coming. What do we do?"
Avery let go of her brother and checked again for an escape. She contemplated using telepathy again, but then remembered it didn't work.
Taylor and Christian
"Stay back!" Taylor grabbed onto her and pulled her back as they heard the door unlock.
The cargo door swung open, and a light shone in on them. Taylor put his hand up the shield his eyes, before he felt Avie suddenly pulled out from his arms.
"AVIE!" he yelled, lunging for her.
But by the time he touched her, someone had his arms and was holding him back by the elbows.
The person with the torch shone it in his face.
"Well, well... what do we have here?" came Jesse's voice.
The pilot - who had hold of Taylor - chuckled.
"It's Taylor Hanson," Christian said in a 'duh' tone as he shut the cargo door.
"We don't need him. It's the girl Craig wants."
Avery
"TAYLOR!" Avery screamed but felt a gag go into her mouth.
*Tay, I know you hate this, but I don't want to lose contact with you, and I don't know what's happening. I'll keep you updated. Taylor, I'm so scared for us. I love you.*
Avery was pulled away and thrown into a car, she struggled to pull the gag out of her mouth.
Christian and Taylor
Taylor cringed at the sound of her voice in his head.
"Oh God..."
Christian rolled his eyes as he watched Avery being locked in the car.
"How much crap is in the trunk?" he called out to Jesse.
"Alot."
"Damn," he cursed, "I had him in the trunk before. He'll have to go in the back."
He looked up at the pilot.
"Got anything to restrain him with so I don't wear myself out?"
"When have you ever been worn out?" he snorted, but nodded, "I'll get some ropes. Craig will have something once you get to the base I'm sure."
"That's what I'm counting on. Go on, I'll hold him."
The pilot waited until Christian's mind had a hold on Taylor, then went back to the cockpit of the plane.
He returned with some coils of rope, which Christian quickly grabbed off him and used to tie Taylor up again. Once that was done, he lifted him toward the car, opened the back door, knocked him out again, and placed him inside.
"Thanks for all your help guys," Christian nodded to them, "I'll make sure Craig hears of it. This will mean alot to him."
"No problem," Jesse and the pilot replied, before parting ways.
Christian sighed, then made his way over to the car and got in the driver's side. Ignoring Avery's look, he started the car, backed out, and took off.
Avery
Avery discreetly tried to open the door. Locked. Must have a childlock on, she thought. Damn. But in the back of her mind, she knew it wasn't going to be open anyway.
She turned around and saw Taylor in the backseat, tied up again.
Christian
After another twenty minutes or so of driving, Christian finally pulled into what looked like an old warehouse. He'd already had to knock Taylor out a second time, and now he hoped he wouldn't have to anymore. Didn't particularly want to give him brain damage...
Stopping the car in the driveway, he got out and slammed the door. Going around the Avery's side, he opened her door, and got her out using his telekinesis. There was no way he was handling a twelve-year- old in this kind of situation. He also got out Taylor out, glad the the building was so isolated, and then began to make his way inside.
He used a key Craig had given him to let himself in, brought the two Hansons inside, and locked the door behind him again.
Making his way down the hallway, he came to a spare room. Shoving the two inside, he closed and locked the door, then went looking for Craig.
Avery
Avery struggled against Christian with all her might. She was relieved but still scared when he put her and Taylor inside a room.
She moved over to Taylor again and slapped him. It had worked last time, who knew, it could work again.
"Tay, please wake up. I'm sorry for hitting you, but I need you now. Don't leave me."
Taylor
Taylor heard her voice distant, but eventually opened his eyes and coughed. Some of the dust on the floor had somehow made it down his throat - probably from when he'd hit the ground.
Still coughing at the tickle in his throat, he crawled up onto his hands and knees.
Finally catching his breath, he looked up at his sister.
"Hey..." he began with a gulp.
He turned onto his back and shut his eyes again, his hands on his head.
"Where are we?"
Avery
"We're in like an old warehouse or something. I haven't checked this room out though, so I don't know if we can get out. Let's do that now. Although I don't think it's going to be easy."
Avery left Taylor's side and felt around in the dark.
"The room's not very big. That's all I can feel."
Taylor
Taylor groaned, knowing he might be concussed. Bad idea to be sleepy in a dark room. Knowing this, he leant forward to untie his ankles again, then stood up.
"Woah..." he murmured, falling backwards, but hitting a wall which kept him straight.
He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling dizzy and sick.
"Can you get this rope off me again Ave?" he called softly.
Avery
Avery ran back to Taylor and tripped over him. She landed on her knees, which were now hurting from the fall.
"Oof. Sorry."
She struggled again against his ropes and got them undone.
"Tay, your wrists are all burnt from the ropes."
Taylor
"I know," Taylor sighed, holding his left wrist, "not like I have a choice in the matter."
He crouched down, holding his head, still feeling dizzy. Then he looked up and felt for his sister's hand.
"Are you ok? Did you hurt yourself?"
Avery
"Yeah, I'm alright. Are you ok?"
Avery hugged her brother again, hoping she wouldn't cry again.
She was scared. And she kinda needed to pee.
Taylor
Taylor fought to keep his eyes open as he looked to the roof, but held onto his sister.
"I... I think I'd better sit down," he said finally.
The dizzy feeling wasn't going away.
Slowly, he slid down the wall into a sitting position, and pulled her with him. As they huddled together, he sighed.
"Avery, listen closely, ok? If I... If I either look like I'm going to fall asleep, or you think I am, I need you to keep me awake ok? Can you do that? If I fall asleep... I think I'm concussed, which means I might go into a coma. So keep me awake, ok?"
Avery
Avie slapped Taylor lightly. "Like this? Sorry."
"I can always scream inside your head too."
She huddled closer to Tay. "Are we gonna die?"
Taylor
"No Avie, we're not gonna die," Taylor sighed, leaning his head against the wall, "and I don't care how you keep me awake, just that you do."
Sniffing a little, he realized his eyes were beginning to adjust to the lack of light, enabling him to see basic outlines of nearby objects. Not that there was much to see... so far only a chair in a corner.
Avery
"Taylor, I can hear something. Can you hear it?"
Avery tried to get closer to her brother, if it was possible.
The Spider
Craig opened the door and stepped inside, light in hand. He surveyed Taylor and Avery and then knelt down by Avery and cupped her chin in his hand.
"So," he said. "You're Avery Hanson. You see this collar, girlie? You are going to help me get it off. If you don't..."
Craig gestured to Taylor, a slight smirk on his face.
"If you don't I'm afraid your brother is not going to get any medical attention any time soon."
He stood and nodded to Christian.
"Bring her," he said and walked out of the room towards his workshop.
Avery
Avery felt more tears welling up. She cursed herself for being so scared and being so childish. She clung to Taylor, afraid if she let go, it would be the last time she would ever see her brother.
Taylor and Christian
Taylor tried his best to cling to his sister, but he was both sick, dizzy and shaking, making it easy for Christian to telekinetically lift her from his arms and pull her from the room.
Outside, Christian locked the door again, and followed Craig to his workshop.
Taylor groaned, feeling the wall behind him. The light Craig had shone in his eyes had lost his purple vision, so he was left blinded in the dark again.
And he had to keep himself awake, and eventually figure a way out.
The Spider
Craig stepped inside the workshop. Once they were all inside, he turned to Christian.
"Leave us," he told him.
Craig waited until he heard the sound of the door being closed before he continued.
"You have no idea how horrible it is to be without your power," Craig said. "It's like having your leg cut off. If I don't find a way to get this collar off I'm going to go mad."
He paused and took a long look at Avery.
"As long as you behave yourself you need not fear me, girl. You're of much more use to me alive. Now. Have you learned much about creating objects with telepathic energy?"
Avery
"Well, had I been able to go to camp, I would've learnt more. But I have but not that well." Avery inwardly smacked herself on the head. Why was she being a smartass with these people? It was only going to get her killed. Remembering Taylor was alone, she quickly sent a message to him.
*Tay, don't lose hope. I love you.*
The Spider
Craig smirked at her, then chuckled.
"You have spunk. I like that. I didn't expect you would have had much experience. And as for camp, why, we're going to have our own little camp right here."
It was Craig's policy not to alienate a potential ally. It annoyed him that they were off on the wrong foot, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
He walked to an apparently empty shelf.
"On this shelf are four telepathic objects I have created. Unlike this collar, you have to be sensitive to telepathic energy in order to see and touch them. Don't worry, they won't hurt you. I just want you to reach out with your mind and tell me what you see."
He paused.
"Avery. I know you don't like me. You may even hate and fear me. But right now we both have the same goal. For you to further develop your telepathic abilities."
Christian and Taylor
Taylor groaned as he leant his head against the wall - one hand on his stomach, the other on his forehead.
If only Avie had known that hearing her voice in his head was making him feel worse.
Sighing to himself, he suddenly began to hear footsteps, and got ready to shield his eyes as the door opened.
Christian turned the light on from an outside switch as he came into the room, and closed the door behind him.
"Hello Taylor."
Taylor squinted, the light too bright for his eyes.
"Who are you?" he managed to choke out.
Christian just cocked his head to the side as he made his way over to him, and knelt just before him. He regarded Taylor with interest. He hadn't really paid much attention to his looks, just believed from other people that he looked like him.
"Well, well... No wonder people say I look like you," he murmured, cupping Taylor's chin in his hand.
Taylor gulped looking away as Christian ran his fingers over the moles on his chin and neck, then lifted his left hand to his own. They were practically in the same place.
Noticing Taylor shaking, he let him go. It wasn't long before Taylor's vision cleared enough to see his face.
"You're from the road," he squinted, half whispering.
He slowly reached out a hand to touch Christian's cheek, but quickly withdrew it.
Christian pouted a little, just staring at him.
"What have you done with Avie?" Taylor demanded softly.
"She's with the Spider. They're working on removing his telepathic collar," Christian couldn't help but grin, knowing he'd finally helped Craig by getting Avie to him.
"Why are you working for him?"
"Not for him. With him. He's like a father to me," Christian stood up and looked down on him.
"You don't look so good... which is actually a good thing. Spider's threatening your sister with your health, so if you get better I'll have to keep you sick."
He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged.
"I don't care. Name's Christian by the way. Guess you know I'm telekinetic, so don't even think about trying anything."
With that, he turned to leave the room.
"Good morning by the way," he chuckled, before turning the light off and closing the door again.
Taylor groaned, leaning back. That was weird.
Avery
Avery took a deep breath, tempted to refuse, but too afraid of the consequences.
She squinted hard, knowing that her eyesight wouldn't help her, but just as a reflex. "It's..." Avery could feel her mind expanding and she was a little scared of what was happening.
"The first one... it's a bit blurred... it has some sort of handle, and it looks sharp. I don't know what it is, it doesn't look familiar."
The Spider
Craig nodded.
"Good, good," he replied. "What you're seeing is a Gaffrah Blade. You learn to make and wield them as an Intermediate. You must 'hold' them in your hand like so," Craig demonstrated the proper position. "Of course, you must also have a telepathic link with them for you to even pick it up in the first place, let alone do anything with it. Blasted collar."
He glowered at the shelf for a moment, then continued.
"A Gaffrah Blade - these days - is only really used for little mock battles in your Ga'Revali meets. But in a real, life and death battle it can rip your opponants mind into shreads. Next one."
Avery
Avery frowned, but was beginning to get used to it a bit more. Things were still sort of blurred, but they were becoming clearer.
"The second one... it's kinda long, it has handles like scissors, kinda... but the blade is long."
The Spider
"That is a Rakarri Maligo. It is an Advanced level device. It is a surgical tool used to repair telepathic damage done to people's minds," he smiled sinisterly, "such as that done by a Gaffrah Blade."
He unconsciously tugged at the collar.
"And the next one?"
Avery
Avery paused. "It's... it's a box. It looks sort of wooden, almost like oak, but it has some ornate carvings in it... words almost. An incantation perhaps? I can almost touch it."
Avery reached out but pulled her hand back suddenly. "It's hot."
Owen
Owen stood in the background, just watching everything happen. He leaned against the wall with a sel-satisfied smirk. One by one, they would tak all the Hansons down, and their friends. They all thought they were soooo great, well, they would learn, soon enough.
The Spider
"That's my little thunder box. It is my own invention. I haven't even determined it's full capacity as yet, but so far I have..." Craig paused. "Perhaps it would not be wise of me to tell you what it can do. Not yet. And the last one?"
Avery
"It's... spherical. It's an orb of some sort... and it's glowing bright white. It's sort of... as big as a tennis ball."
Avery paused and took a deep breath as though she had more to say, but then stopped, realising she couldn't see anymore.
The Spider
"That is a Parith. In layman's terms a telepathic laser generator. An intermediate level device and the one we shall start with."
Craig stretched his arms over his head and the continued:
"I will add, my dear, that should you think of betraying me, well, this room is being monitored. If anything happens to me that shouldn't, your brother will die. And if I die, you will follow straight after. And then my people have instructions to go after the rest of your family and whoever might be helping them. Now! I want you to reach out to the Parith with your mind - indeed there is no other way. The Parith will resist you, because I was the one you made it, not you. Telepathic objects are very picky about being used by their masters. You must command it. You must tell it that you are in charge. You must not let it push you away."
Avery
Avery took a deep breath and willed the Parith to move. There was really no other choice. If she failed, Taylor would die, and that was not even an option in her book.
The Parith resisted her, and she tried again, using all of the skills she had learnt so far to command it. It wasn't working.
The Spider
Craig watched her, considering.
"I know you're capable, girl. I know you're an intermediate now," he sighed. "Okay, change of plan. Perhaps you need to know how to make one yourself before you can learn to control it. Damn tempermental things. As I said, telepathic objects are awfully picky about being used by their masters. I suppose it's because they're tuned to their creators telepathic DNA. No matter. I'll simply have to teach you how to make one yourself."
He paused and took a breath, thinking.
"It's going to be difficult to instruct you without being about to monitor your progress telepathically. But hey, if I had the use of my telepathic powers, there'd be no need. Now. Focus. Concentrate. Close your eyes if it helps. Draw, create, weave together telepathic energy. You said you've made objects before so this should be familar to you. Form it into a ball."
Craig stood and began to pace.
"If you can multitask, take a look at my Parith as a guide," he suggested.
Christian
Christian knew Craig had told him to leave he and Avie alone, but Own was still in the room, so he decided to go back.
He stopped at the door to listen in for a moment, hearing Craig instructing the girl. Reaching for the door handle, he slowly opened the door unnoticed, closed it behind him, and made his way over to where Owen was standing.
He noticed Craig glance at him, but had a feeling he didn't mind his presence so much.
"So..." he began in a whisper, watching them as he leant in to Owen, "what have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you for ages."
He raised his eyebrows.
Owen
"Well, I've got their sister all tied up in the Dream World, and some friend of theirs too. Other than that, I haven't really been up to anything. Just going out, and partying, stuff like that. You know what? With Avery here, and Jessica tied up, if we could get rid of Diana, we could stick you into the house, and nobody weould be the wiser," Owen said, with an evil grin.
Christian
Christian held back a snort.
"I think his brothers would be. I've studied how close they are, and apart from the fact my musical talent is limited I think he has a girlfriend."
He glanced at Owen, then continued to watch.
"Although it would definately get me closer to Isaac."
Owen
"Yas, that it would, and I think it would still be a clever plan. You could always claim amnesia as to not knowing things, say you were hit on the head or something, to at least get yourself in the house. Clever indeed. You should talk to Craig about it."
Christian
Christian scratched his chin.
"I could mention it I suppose," still not too interested.
"By the way. You have their sister? Does Craig have something against the Hansons or is it just you?" he grinned.
Owen
"Well, personally, I hate the little bitch. She's so strong for one so young. And also, it's part of Craig's plan. He was afraid of her dreamwalking and finding her sister or brother, and stopping us, I suppose. But I didn't mind it one bit. Oh well, let's get going then." Owen and Christian decided to leave Avery & Craig in peace.
Avery
Avery closed her eyes and concentrated on the energy she could sense, but not yet see. Suddenly, a blinding light came shooting at her eyes and she let out a scream and opened her eyes. Seeing Craig peering at her strangely, she decided to not explain and to just try again. For her sake and for Tay's.
The blinding light was still there as she closed her eyes, but she could see it glittering and swirling around. Avery noticed how pretty it looked and she reached out with her mind to touch it. It felt warm with the new energy she was creating.
"Come on." She whispered softly to herself, willing herself to make it. She stole a glance at Craig's Parith, and noticed for the first time the intricately woven strings, almost like a spider's web.
Avery returned her attention to her own creation, focusing on bringing the energy from all around her, into a tiny ball. She could see the energy on her left side slowly suck into the middle, as though pulled by a vacuum of some sort. She pulled the energy from the right side into the middle, and weaved the beginnings of a Parith.
A loud crash from the other side of the room distracted Avery, and the energy split apart, making Avery's job more arduous. She repeated the process of focusing it into the middle and began to weave some strings together, trapping her energy inside it.
The Spider
Craig righted the lamp. Stupid thing. Such a distraction could have been dangerous.
He went back to studing Avery. She hadn't seemed to have lost her concentration. Good. Either the lamp falling wasn't a big enough distraction or Avery's abilities were great enough that she could still hold on.
He nodded to himself. This was a goods sign. But then he supposed that he should expect nothing less from a potential Master.
Craig leaned back in his chair. But there was sill the inevitable problem. Only a Master could create a collar. And a collar could only be taken off and otherwise manipulated by it's creator. He was grasping at straws and he knew it.
Avery
Avery was struggling to keep her Parith in the air. The threads which held it apart were threatening to split and her head was aching from all the concentration and the exposure to the blinding light.
"I can't... hold... on..." Avery was struggling, tears of pain coming out of her eyes.
The Spider
Craig looked up. This wasn't good.
"Then don't hold on," he advised her. "It shouldn't hurt. Let go. Let go before you do yourself damage."
He'd better let her have a break after this. Wouldn't do for her to burn out. Tanya would kill him. She was awfully good at tracking him down, that woman. But she had never brought him in. That was why he broke it off with her - he found out she was a YIRAAS agent. Not being able to read her mind made it impossible for him to tell what game she was playing, so he opted to go for cat and mouse.
He was just hoping he was the cat.
Avery
Avery let the Parith go, gasping for air and falling to the ground. But surprisingly enough, the Parith remained intact floating around her. She smiled a small smile before passing out.
The Spider
Craig reached for Avery. Damn it. Then he felt a slip zap and smiled. Well, there must be something of the Parith alive and well.
"Christian. Take her to her room please. No one is to distrub her until I give the say so."
Christian
Christian nodded, and telekinetically lifted Avery from the floor and began out the door with her.
Making his way down the corridor, he came to a bedroom, and took her inside. Turning a light on, he moved the covers of the bed, and set her down softly. Covering her up again, he turned on a nearby lamp, and stared at her for a moment.
Shaking his head, he left the room, closing and locking the door.