Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Christian's eyes opened as his ears alerted him to someone opening the door.
He looked up tiredly as it opened, and Isaac Blakesley stepped through. The old man closed the door behind him, bolted it shut, and turned to Christian.
"Welcome back," he said placidly.
"And where were you last night?" Christian squinted up at him.
Isaac smiled slightly.
"Seeing to my own affairs, as I prefer to do."
He made his way into the room, and toward the cupboard. Christian cast his eyes toward Varian, hoping the hybrid would wake up if something drastic happened. Or if the old man decided he was hungry again.
Isaac opened the cupboard and pulled out some heavy, chained cuffs. Christian heard them and closed his eyes. Isaac brought them over and knelt down behind him, before beginning to secure them around his ankles.
"And what are you planning on doing?" Christian drawled.
"What I am slightly surprised that Kaleb did not."
Christian frowned slightly.
"Well that's comforting."
Isaac began to lower him down, and once Christian was low enough, kicked his knees in. He continued to lower him until he was on his knees, then disconnected the handcuffs, unlocked them, and then handcuffed his hands behind his back.
Varian.
Varian's eyes slid open and the hybrid sat up in a rattle of metal links.
"You're here already? And I thought today was going to be a *good* day."
For the moment, Varian was taking on the guise of a small black haired boy.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac barely glanced at Varian, before backhanding Christian across the face. Christian jumped, not expecting the sudden hit.
"Now, that was uncalled for."
"Really?" Isaac sounded surprised, "I thought it was quite justified actually."
Christian glared up at him, before being hit again. Then the old man kneed him in the stomach, and while he was hunched over, pulled out a dagger and put it to his throat.
"You got off quite lightly last night, young Christian."
"I noticed," he flinched.
Varian.
Varian watched the drama playing out with watchful violet eyes. He pushed a ragged fringe off his forehead.
"I'd guess the other whitecoat's expecting me to play medic."
He tilted his head slightly.
"You're not."
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
"Heal him before I'm done and I'll have you punished."
Christian lifted his chin, and looked up at Isaac.
"So what the hell are you doing?" he breathed.
Isaac leant down so his face was just inches from Christian's.
"What I believe my son should have..." he began, then moved the blade of the dagger up to Christian's chin, "of course."
Varian.
Varian ran his tongue over his lips.
"And in your own sweet time, you'll enlighten us."
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac looked Christian over for a moment, then knelt in a more comfortable position before forcing the alien to lay on his back. Christian tried to twist his wrists, but they became wedged underneath him.
Isaac interlaced his fingers through Christian's hair, and brought the dagger down to his neck.
"What the f#!+ are you doing?" Christian half breathed as the old man began to draw blood.
"Just playing, for the moment, young Christian," Isaac replied, pulling the knife over Christian's exposed and vulnerable throat.
Varian.
Varian watched with hungry eyes, smelling the hot scent of spilled blood.
"You know, your son will be pissed if you kill him."
The hybrid swayed forward slightly, violet eyes fixed on the red he could see. His tongue darted out to lick his lips again.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
"I do not plan on killing him yet, Varian."
Christian kept his eyes pinned to the roof, flinching every now and then as the dagger stung. He could feel small drops of blood running down his neck every now and then and almost choked a couple of times. Isaac noticed, and smiled.
"One of the most vulnerable parts of the body, isn't it Christian?" he began softly, "yet not many exploit it."
"I..."
"Sh," Isaac put his finger to his lips, "it's not a good idea to talk in that state. You may put something in just the right place."
Christian frowned, then used his feet to lift the weight off his hands slightly.
Varian.
Varian breathed in the scent of blood, eyes glowing ever so faintly.
"You sound like a vampire."
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
"I may have known one or two..."
Isaac continued the henna-like pattern, until he decided enough blood had been spilled from the potentially lethal area.
He stood and made his way over to the table as Christian rolled onto his side to take his weight off his hands. He coughed a little, trying not to choke.
After a few loud clanks, Isaac went back over to Christian, picked his shoudlers up, and began to drag him back to the table. He lifted him onto the end and began to secure his ankles. Christian kept his head up, because if he lowered it the blood made his skin stick together.
Varian.
Varian coughed slightly, then made Isaac's hand slip. Yes, being an annoyance was fun. The knife slid away as Varian moved it with his mind.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac hesitated a moment, then continued with what he was doing. He strapped Christian's ankles in, then unlocked the hand cuffs and strapped his wrists to the table. Then he mad ehim lay down and also strapped his torso down.
"And how long are you gonna be 'playing' for?" Christian demanded.
Isaac didn't reply, pulling out another dagger and heading for Christian's feet. Pausing at his right, he stared down at it for a moment, then reached out and snapped the smallest toe.
Christian jumped, cursing under his breath.
Varian.
Varian hesitated for a moment. He really didn't like pushing Isaac. He was far more uncertain of how much he was going to get hurt.
The leather buckle restraining Christian's left hand started to work itself free.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Despite the pain from his foot, Christian felt the strap loosening and looked down questioningly. Glancing across at Varian, he kept his mouth shut.
Not while the old man's here, *please*, he thought, hoping Varian would pick it up.
Isaac snapped the next toe up, and then did the same to the other foot. Christian cringed, not letting himself cry out yet.
Varian.
Varian frowned, but stopped.
What to do, what to do...
The cupboard doors all banged open with a crash.
Polterghiest at work, beware.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac ignored the bangs, seeming oblivious to everything around him. Christian had jumped, however.
Isaac lifted the dagger slightly, and slit between each of Christian's toes. He blew on the cuts when he was done, then began a similar pattern to that on his neck on the soles of his feet.
Christian closed his eyes again, breathing steadily.
Varian.
Varian hmm'd thoughtfully.
What should khe do next? That obviously hadn't gained a reaction.
Perhaps something more drastic...
The knife in Isaac's hand suddnly tugged downwards, then flew across the room to thud into a wall. It stuck there, blade quivering slightly.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Blakesley hesitated again, then turned to Varian.
"I said once that I could have you punished for healing this alien," he began in his soft but stern trademark voice, "don't think I wouldn't have it for a lesser action."
"F#!+ing hell..." Christian groaned, trying to keep his feet still.
As the dagger had penetrated the sole of his foot, the blade had left a deep cut from where it had been ripped away.
Varian.
"While hurting you would be one of the more preferrable methods of stopping you, right up there with killing you," Varian said.
"It is not strictly nessecary."
He tilted his head slightly and the knife broke. A crack in the cuboards indicated a similar fate for everything else metal and sharp.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac sighed.
"While it may be rather... impossible for you to hurt my son and I, it is definately nothing to do with the vice-verse option."
Isaac stooped to fetch the broken fragments of metal, and threw them towards Varian in a way that khe couldn't avoid them.
"And I scarcely need such instruments to... punish Christian."
He made his way down the side of the table, and took hold of Christian's small finger on his left side.
Christian closed his eyes again.
"F#!+."
Varian.
Varian's hands flew to his face and he cried out in pain as the metal shards cut into him.
Eyes glowing eerily in a bloodstreaked, the hybrid raised his head.
"Eat shit and die, mother*cker."
The lightbulb blew out and Isaac slid away from the table. A wind howled and lightning cracked.
"Let sleeping dragons lie."
Varian raised khe's head and roared into the storm, rain whipping around the room and soaking everything. Khe spread khet wings and the band on khet leg snapped with a loud noise. A crackle of lightning lit across khet's outspread wings, arcing blue. Khe gleamed feyly in the reflected light, and all the cupboard doors started to bang. The main door buckled, then swung open with a thundering crash.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
"Varian, you woke up of your own accord," Isaac attempted to remind the dragon, not bothering to raise his voice above the noise.
"I was simply minding my own business, yet you insisted on disturbing me. You do know for that, I take none too kindly."
He looked down at Christian - obviously unnerved by Varian's actions - and made his way to the door to seek out Kaleb.
When he found him, he looked on him scornfully.
"I would suggest, Kaleb, keeping your dragon under control enough that I can have a few minutes with the alien undisturbed. Go to him. Now."
Varian & Blakesley.
"Can't you control it?" Blakesley said in a disinterested tone as he looked up from his computer.
"I'm in the middle of something I really do not want to leave."
Varian hissed angrily, then slithered out the door to hide kheself, the storm vanishing with a thought. Fog rose through the house, cloaking and disguising everything.
Isaac Blakesley
"Do not push me Kaleb," Isaac's voice deepened.
"Regardless of the fact that Varian is not of my concern, and that you have not given me all directions of containing the beast, I have given you a direct order. You do remember what I said the night your mother died, don't you?"
Varian & Blakesley.
Blakesley put down his pen and rose from his chair.
"You do not, Father."
Fuming, Blakesley went to find Varian.
Deepening fog eddied around his ankles. The air in the house grew colder.
Christian & Isaac Blakesley
Isaac snarled slightly, then disappeared into his bedroom.
Christian tried to sit up in the table, but the strap across his chest kept him down. Looking down at the strap on his left wrist that had been loosened, he began pulling on it.
Varian & Blakesley.
With a quiet scitter of claws, Varian slithered into the room again. Blakesley was off chasing fog eddies, cursing to himself, and his father but very very quietly. Varian scurried up the end of the bed and gazed at Christian with unblinking eyes. A nictating membrane slid across khe's eyes momentarily.
"You have the key."
Christian
Christian's eyes focused on Varian.
"I do," he replied, "but we don't need them knowing."
Varian & Blakesley.
Varian shrugged restlessly, bat-boned wings clattering against each other.
"I need to leave before I die. I *need* to fly, to see the world disappear around me. It's like a hunger, an all consuming ache."
Khe let out a soft mournful keening cry.
"Well, what do you suggest?"
Blakesley fell over a chair noisily, and swore, equally noisely.
Christian
Christian's eyes shot to the door at the noise, then back to Varian.
"Let me go. We both get out, I give you the key. Deal?"
Varian & Blakesley.
Varian's eyes gleamed oddly.
"Deal."
Khe raised khe's taloned paw and sliced through one set of the restraints like a hot knife through butter.
Christian
Once Christian's wrists were free, he set to work on getting the strap on his chest off. That done, he tried to free his ankles.
"$#i+. Locked. Varian?"
Varian.
Varian eyed the locked restraints.
"I'm not sure. I can try."
Delicately, khe started to tinker with the lock mechanism.
Christian
"If I could get this $#!king collar off..." Christian trailed off, watching.
He looked up at the door, listening out for anyone.
Varian & Blakesley.
"That, I could disable. But only by running a lightning bolt through it. You'd die, so that wouldn't be much use, really. Well, not to you."
Varian twisted khet claw slightly.
Blakesley started to head back to the room.
Christian
"Might be, as an alternative solution."
Christian glanced at Varian's work, then returned to watching the door.
He began to hear footsteps in the hallway.
Varian & Blakesley.
"Shit."
Varian tried to work faster.
Blakesley opened a window and fanned some of the fog out of it.
Christian
"Use that handy-dandy telekinetic slash destruction $#i+ you used before to make everything break," Christian exclaimed.
He looked up at the door again, wondering why the steps had stopped.
Varian.
"Yeah, I'll do that. And break your leg into the bargain. I don't have enough energy to heal you right now."
A slight click greeted Varian's efforts.
Christian
Christian struggled to get the shackles off his ankles, then slid off the table.
He cringed as broken bones hit the floor, then limped toward the door and hesitated before looking out.
Varian & Blakesley.
Varian slid down off the table and grew slightly bigger.
Blakesley looked up the hall.
"What else in this day can go wrong?"
Christian
Christian took a deep breath, then edged out of the room. He knew Blakesley was not all that far away, so he did quicken his steps.
Knowing he'd be seen, he headed for the livingroom and looked around quickly for the keys. No sign of them. Cursing to himself, he looked back for Varian.
Varian & Blakesley.
Varian dropped to the ground next to Christian and studied the locks. Khe raised a paw and tapped at the locks, gauging the hardness of the metal, then went to swipe through them, but collapsed, red feathered dart sticking out of khe's neck.
Blakesley reloaded the tranquiliser gun, eyes on Christian.
Christian
"$#i+," Christian exclaimed, jumping back slightly from Varian's body.
He looked up at Blakesley and spread his hands slightly, indicating surrender.
"I... didn't expect to be out this early, you know."
Blakesley.
"Indeed," Blakesley said dryly.
He gestured with the gun to Varian's limp body.
"Pick it up."
Christian
Christian just raised his eyebrows.
He looked down at Varian, and started shaking his head.
"Hey man, I ain't touching that thing," he insisted, looking up, "it's all yours."
Blakesley.
"This is not a time to be impudent," Blakesley said.
"Just pick up the damn dragon."
Christian
Christian looked surprised.
"Adding swear words tot he vocabulary now?"
He looked down at Varian.
"And you can pick up your own junk."
Blakesley.
"I feel the situation calls for swearing," Blakesley said.
"Pick up the dragon or get hurt. Your choice."
Christian
Christian bit his bottom lip as he looked down on Varian, then shook his head.
"Then shoot me," he said, regretfully.
Blakesley.
"Then I would have two comatose bodies to carry back to the room," Blakesley said.
"I'm sure that if you can run from the room, you can at least walk back."
Christian
Christian rolled his eyes and stepped over Varian's body.
Hopefully Varian would wake up while he kept Kaleb distracted.
Keeping his hands in full view, he cringed as he began to walk back.
Blakesley.
"It is highly unlikely the hybrid will be coming to anytime soon," Blakeskey said.
"That sedative is enough to stun a full grown dragon for ten minutes, let alone an immature one of barely a year."
Christian
"Good to f#!+ing know," Christian murmured.
He stepped through into the room, and stopped the sinking feeling as he looked around.
Blakesley.
"Cross, I think," Blakesley said, still holding the gun on Christian.
"I think I can take it from here."
He shot Christian in the leg calmly and worked the bolt to eject the spent cartridge.
Christian
"F#!+," Christian cringed, falling down onto one knee.
He managed to pull the dart out and throw it across the room, then leant back against a wall to catch his breath.
He looked towards the door, then up at Kaleb.
Blakesley.
Blakesley waited for the drug to take effect, then restrained Christian against the wall. He went and dragged Varian into the room, restraining it more securely.
He glanced around the room one more time, then turned off the light and shut and locked the door behind him.
The Art could wait.