Ashley was annoyed. She had been spying out the Hanson home for the last couple of days and there had been no sign of either Isaac or Taylor.
Now, how was she supposed to kill them, if they weren't ever at home? Such an inconvience!
Actually, she didn't see all that much of Zac here either... but there was that fourth Hanson brother...
She swtiched guns.
**********
Mackie woke up to water being splashed across his face.
"Wha-what?" he asked, shaking his face.
"You, kid," said the strange woman, peering down at him. "Where's Isaac? And Taylor?"
"At... at..." Mackie wriggled, trying to get free, but his atom manipulation wasn't working.
"Stop trying to escape. Your powers aren't going to work. I've tranked you with enough sedative to down your ability to... use your abilities. Now. Where. Is. Isaac?"
"Home."
"I've been watching your home for days. He's not there. Where is he?"
"His home."
"And where is that?" Ashley was getting annoyed.
Mackie chewed his lip. He couldn't let this crazy women find Ike... But Ike was... surely Ike would save him? Right?
"Well?" Ashley demanded.
"Don't know the address."
Ashley glared at him.
"But you know how to get there?"
Mackie didn't know what to say.
"I'll take your slience as a yes," and Ashley hauled him up roughly, and took him to her car. "And no tricks kid, or you'll be the first to go."
**********
Upon arrival, Ashley got out of the car and walked to Mackie's window.
"Which window is his?" she demanded.
"I don't know," Mackie answered truthfully.
"Which window?"
"I don't know!"
"What floor?"
"Thr-three I think..."
"You think," Ashley repeated, not at all impressed. "Now kid, how am I to know if you've sent me to the right place, if I can't establish if Issac - or Taylor - is actually here?"
Mackie pointed.
"Ike's car."
Ashley glanced over, but it was not the car that Isaac had been driving the last time she had seen him. It had been a while - she supposed he could have gotten a new one since then. Still... Oh hello, there was an idea... mail boxes. She stalked over and started pulling out what easily could mail.
Ah ha, One address to Mr Hanson. Now she even knew what apartment he was in. She sauntered back to the car.
"Thanks, kid, you've been a big help," she said.
She reached down into her boot and pulled out a knife.
"Can't use a gun," she said. "Makes noise."
Mackie shrieked and tried to pull back from the window, but Ashley had tied him in too well. She put the kife to his throat as... it passed right through.
"What the -"
Sedative must have worn off... he's got his powers back, Ashley frowned. Mackie must have worked this out at the same time, because he slipped through the bonds and the car and then lifted up into the air out of Ashley's reach. Ashley swore some more, opened up the car door and pulled out her rifle. Just as she was aiming for Mackie, he flew around the corner. Mackie was now checking the windows for Isaac. If anyone could help him it would be Ike.
Taylor
Taylor was sitting at the piano with his hands frozen on the keys and a blank expression on his face. Nothing was coming to him for the first in a long time.
And then a shadow moved over the keys.
Looking up at the window, his eyes widened when he saw... Mackie?
"Mac?!" Taylor exclaimed, kicking the stool away and going to the window.
He opened it, reached out, grabbed Mackie's wrist and pulled him in.
"What are you doing here?!"
Mackie
"Taylor!" Mackie cried.
He wrapped his arms around his brother.
"There's a girl out there... and she wants you and Ike... and she has a gun! And she tried to kill me and..." and Mackie burst into tears.
Taylor
Taylor frowned for a moment, before hugging his brother back.
"Ok then..."
Biting his bottom lip for a moment and looking towards the window, he pulled Mackie's hands away from him then took hold of his hand.
"Just for a second, ok?" he assured.
He took him from the room and into the living room. He spied Isaac practically asleep on the couch, made his way over and practically hit him over the head.
"Ike? Get up. We have a situation."
Isaac
Isaac glanced over at Taylor, and switched the television off.
"What kind of situation?" he asked warily.
Meanwhilst, Ashley completed a circle of the building. She missed seeing what window he had gone into, but no matter, thanks to checking the mail she knew which apartment they were in. She headed for the front door.
Taylor
"Well I'm having a bit of a sense of deja vu," Taylor almost scorned as Mackie cuddled into his side again and Taylor slipped his hand around his shoulders.
"Woman with a gun, trying to kill one of my brothers. I don't if it's Miette, or Christina, or who the hell it is - but someone's here and they want us."
Isaac
Isaac groaned.
"Well," he said reluctantly. "Let's go see who the heck it is this time."
He wanted to say a few other things, but not in front of Mackie who was obviously upset still, and didn't need to hear that kind of language.
"Where was she last you saw her?"
"With her car out the front," Mackie replied. "She was going to slit my throat! And then the... the stuff she gave me wore off and I got my powers back and I moved through the car and fly here. And she got her gun out and was going to shoot me!"
Isaac's jaw clenched.
"Don't worry, Mackie. We'll stop her," and Isaac stalked towards the front door, which flung itself open, and slammed itself shut as he passed through.
Taylor
Taylor stared after him for a moment, before leaning down to Mackenzie and looking him straight in the eye.
"Ok, Mac? I need you to go into my room, ok?" he practically ordered.
"I want you to close the door and the window and not let anyone in, ok? Just wait for one of us to come and get you. Hide in the closet if you have to."
Mackie nodded and took off. Taylor waited until he heard the door close, then he took off after Isaac.
Isaac
Ashley was on her way up the stairs, when she heard someone coming. Damn stairs, didn't have much for hiding places. Isaac was a telekinetic after all, in a fight she knew he'd win. Nope, wasn't going to let herself be seen by him!
She trotted back down the stairs and hid where she could have a good view of the stairs exit, and hopefully not be seen by Isaac at the same time. Assuimg it was him coming down the stairs. Ashley supposed it could easily be someone else, but if she assumed that Mackie had alerted his brothers, who else would be using the stairs, when there was a perfectly good elevator available?
Isaac felt rage boiling up inside him as he went down the stairs. Would the madness never end? Would there always be someone out to hurt him, or his brothers, or others that he loved? Why were they always picking on him? Why? WHY?
One of the stairwell windows shattered as he walked past. He didn't even notice.
The door flung open and Isaac stepped out. Ashley smiled. Bingo! She squeezed the trigger.
Taylor
Taylor froze when he heard the gunshot. Isaac was nowhere in sight.
He wasn't... He hadn't...
Snapping out of it, he locked the apartment door behind him and bolted for the staircase. Not being able to see anything when he leant over the edge, he began to make his way down.
He stopped when he came to the shattered window.
Isaac
The bullet was crushed before it even hit Isaac. What little furniture there was in the foyer was pushed aside with a force that broke more then it preserved. Ashley's hiding place was revealed. Ashley cursed and tried to run.
"Ashley," Isaac growled.
Ashley slowly turned.
"Hi Ike," she said, forcing a cheerful tone to her voice.
"Why? Why come after me? My brothers? Why try to kill Mackie?"
"Because he's an alien."
"We never did anything to you. Never! Why come after us?"
"How do we know? How do we know you don't? We're supposed to trust your word?" Ashley sneered. "Please. You aliens should be destroyed. Before you destroy us."
She lunged towards him with all she had. Isaac grabbed her easily in midair...
But like everything else... he grabbed her too hard.
Blood started dripping from her nose and eyes long before he threw her at the wall, where she left a dent. Her head cracked, but this was of little consequence as her internal organs had already been crushed beyond repair - or further use.
The surrounding windows shattered, and the doors shook fiercely.
Taylor
Taylor flinched back from the door handle as the door to the foyer starting shaking and the wood started splintering before his eyes.
His eyes widening for a moment, he concentrated and dusted the door. Carefully stepping through, he gasped when he caught sight of his brother.
And not to mention the damage in the room.
When his eyes fell on Ashley's remains, however, all he could do was cover his mouth with his hand in shock.
Ike* Isaac had*
Isaac
"Go... go away Tay..." Isaac said. "I'm not... leave before you... before you get hurt too."
He knew his power was completely out of control. It was taking all he had not to simply let loose and destroy the whole building. He felt like he was moving through molasses as he headed out the front door. Four strides out he let loose a mighty scream of just rage as he let go of all control of his power.
Cars were flung everywhere. Power poles collasped. More windows shattered.
Taylor
"Oh... oh my God..." Taylor breathed, backing through the doorway he'd come through.
After taking note of where Isaac was headed, he bolted back up the staircase. He made it to the apartment and furiously rummaged through the keys on his keyring in order to find the right one to open the door.
Door opened, he bolted through and ran for the phone. As he picked up the reciever he glanced up at the emergency phone numbers.
Tanya was on the station, she couldn't do anything. So was Leroy. Their parents wouldn't be able to stop him. Next in line... Zac.
Not for a moment thinking of anything other than Isaac, Taylor dialled Zac's number before going to find Mackenzie.
"Come on... pick up, pick up, pick up..."
Isaac and Zac
Trees were uprooted and both they and the poles were crumbles into splinters barely the size of toothpicks. The whole power system in the area went down. Birds flew away in fright.
The kids playground at the end of the road was demolished in ten seconds flat.
And still the frustration didn't depart. Suprisingly, most building stayed relatively intact, as if somehow, even in his emotional explosion some part of Isaac couldn't bring himself to actually hurt anyone.
Elsewhere in Tulsa, Zac picked up his phone.
"Hello?"
Taylor
"ZAC!" Taylor exclaimed, rushing to open the door to the bedroom.
"You have to-"
And then the phone was dead.
"S#!t."
Taylor looked around the bedroom, then went to the closet.
"Mac? You there?"
He found his brother and grabbed his wrist.
"Come on, we have to get help. Ike's in trouble," he said quickly, pulling his brother from the room as he began looking for his cell phone.
"Is Ike ok?"
"I don't know. He's taken off."
Taylor found the phone and quickly dialled in Zac's number again..
"Just stay with me, ok?"
Isaac and Zac
Zac stared at the phone. Okay, that was slightly weird. Why was Taylor calling him? He put the receiver back down and attempted to call back, but the line was dead. Odd.
However, not long thereafter, his phone rang again and he picked it up.
"Taylor?"
Isaac's out of control telekinesis started pulling the pavement up and crumbling it into dust.
Taylor
"YES! Yes!" Taylor yelled, cringing at the volume of sound coming from down the street.
"Dude, you have to get over here. Right now. Ike's... Ike's lost control. He's killed one person already and he's tearing up the street. You have to get over here and do something."
He took Mackenzie to the window to see if he could spot their brother. He didn't see Isaac, but he did see what he was leaving behind...
Isaac and Zac
Zac was dumbfounded for a moment.
"Ike? Ike is tearing up the street? That's not like him..." he shook his head. "Okay, I'll be right there."
He hung up and hurried downstairs.
"I'm going over to Tay and Ike's," he told Ella. "It's an emergency."
Ella nodded, and Zac headed to his van.
It was as if Isaac's power had taken a life of it own, and Isaac's body was just the shell it used to house itself. As if tired of pavement, it started on the road itself. Potholes like you wouldn't believe started forming.
Taylor
Taylor hung up, then took Mackenzie to the door. He suddenly realised that he had no idea how Zac was supposed to get through.
Or maybe that was actually a good thing. It was Isaac he needed to get to after all.
"Where are we going?" Mackenzie asked as Taylor basically dragged him along.
"We're going to find Ike," Taylor replied, "just keep your distance from him if you see him."
He eyed off a few of the people who'd emerged from their apartments to find out what was going on, but said nothing to them.
When they made it downstairs, Taylor opened the door to the outside. Mackenzie's eyes widened at the damage strewn down the street.
"Was it Ike?" he asked innocently.
"Yeah it was," Taylor rpelied, hesitating with a look of concentration on his face.
With the help of his power he determined exactly where the damage was still being issued - thus Isaac's position. He put his phone in the pocket of his jeans, then began to follow the path of destruction.
Isaac and Zac
Zac stopped driving and got out of the van, his eyes wide and he surveyed the scene in fron of him. Isaac walking down the street, tearing it up as he went.
Hoo boy, it was going to be an interesting trick explaining all this.
"Isaac?" he called.
Isaac barely glanced at him.
"Go away Zac," he said gruffly.
"Ike, you have to stop this," and Zac gestured to the destruction.
"It's too late."
And before Zac could say another word, his van was being flung.
Taylor
Taylor held Mackenzie back around a corner as he looked around just in time to see Zac's van go flying.
Cringing a little, he turned to his little brother.
"Stay right here, ok?" he insisted, "we don't need you getting hurt. Don't even watch if you can help it."
He waited for Mackenzies nod, before pulling himself together and stepping out from behind the building.
He waved to make sure he had Zac's attention, then shook his head indicating that Isaac couldn't do anything.
Isaac and Zac
Zac blinked, and looked from Taylor to Isaac.
"Ike, calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down!" Isaac roared. "You calm down! Over the past two years do you know how many alien huters I've had to deal with? And another one today! All they ever want to do is kill people. Killl me, kill people I love. Kill everyone! And what do I do? I kill them! I hide! I fight! And it's never enough. Never enough. If I'm not protecting someone I'm listening to everyone else's problems. Like I'm supposed to solve everything!"
Zac didn't know if Isaac noticed, but as he was saying all this things flying around in the air started to settle back down to earth.
Taylor
Taylor ducked as a bit of shrapnel almost hit him.
Careful not to make it obvious to Isaac that he was there, he gave the cut throat signal to Zac.
'Freeze him or something,' he mouthed, 'let Tanya deal with it.'
He crossed his fingers and gulped.
Isaac and Zac
"Damn it, Zac," Isaac went on. "What the heck -"
But Isaac was cut off as Zac excerised his ability to cryogenically freeze people. He looked over at Taylor.
"We need to call YIRAAS," he said. "And I'm going to enjoy finding out how they plan on taking care of this one."
He gestured to the expanse of destruction.
Taylor
"Jesus..." Taylor ran his fingers through his hair, surveying the mess.
Then he turned to fetch Mackenzie.
"Stay with me Mac, ok?"
When he nodded, Taylor pulled him out.
"Who are we supposed to contact now, anyway?" Taylor looked up curiously as he fiddled with his phone, "it's no good calling Tanya, I don't even think Wayne's in the country anymore..."
Zac
"How about... the YIRAAS emergency number?" Zac teased. "I think perhaps you've gotten too used to calling on the big guns. Just call them and say 'My brother just had a major nervous breakdown and his telekinesis went on a rampage. I suggest you come to this address. There are no guarrentees whatsoever that no humans saw what happened, but Ike is currently cryogenically frozen so at least he can't do any more damage.' "
Taylor
Taylor glared at him before dialling the number and putting his arm around Mackie's shoulders again.
He said pretty much what Zac had told him to, before hanging up.
"Ok, they should be here in a minimum of a few minutes. I need to call Dad and tell him to come get Mac."
And he dialled their home number before putting the phone to his ear.
Zac
Zac nodded.
"Ike did all this?" Mackie whispered.
Zac chewed his lip for a moment.
"Yeah... Ike was very upset."
"Just because that girl tried to kill me?"
Zac paused. Is that how this whole thing started? He suddenly realised he had no idea what had happened. And more importantly, that he had better phrase his response carefully. Didn't want him to start blaming himself or something, like some kids do when their parents get divorced and what not.
"Well," he said. "Wouldn't you be upset if someone tried to kill Ike?"
A tentative smile crossed Mackie's face.
"Yep."
Taylor
Taylor looked up as a few agents appeared via teleportation and began to set up road blocks.
"Thanks Dad, and see you soon."
He hung up and rubbed his eyes.
"What are we going to do with Ike? He needs to see Tanya. And we need to find out what went wrong so it doesn't happen again."
Zac
"Well - " Zac began.
"Okay, now, who was it that made the call?" asked one of the agents, joining them.
"Was Taylor," Zac said, indicating.
"Okay, now, I need to know exactly what happened."
Taylor
"Well it* We were just*" Taylor ran his fingers through his hair nervously.
"We've had a bad run with alien hunters, and one showed up a while ago trying to* you know. And Ike just kind of lost it. I mean it's not the first time*"
Zac
The agent nodded.
"How you guys plan on explaining this?" Zac asked curiously.
"We have a few telepaths, temperature maniupators, so on and so forth on staff. Get the place looking like it never been hit, and all humans will have no recollection of what happened. Doesn't look like anyone was hurt, so that makes things easier," the agent shrugged. "Far as the general public knows it never happened. Not the first time a telekinetic's lost it. Do you happen to know who the hunter was?"
Taylor
"Ashley. Ah... ex-girlfriend of his," Taylor scratched his head.
"Obviously some weird revenge thing considering she went crazy. I have no idea why she'd want to kill either me or Mac. She's dead, by the way."
Zac
"Okay," and the agent made a note. "Now, you have your brother cryogentically frozen?"
"Yes," Zac replied.
"Okay, we'll obviously when he's... defrosted he needs to be somewhere where he's not going to lose it all over again. An empath or a telepath - preferably both - should be in the area."
"Tanya put a telepathic shield on in."
"As in the Telepathic Temptress?"
"Yep."
The agent whistled.
"Well, that changes things a bit... We'll have to get you to the station," he said. "Wait here, I'll get you guys a teleporter."
And the agent departed to make further arrangements withi his crew.
Taylor & Walker
"We have to wait for..."
"Mackenzie?"
"...Dad," Taylor ended with a small grin.
"Mind telling me what happened here?" Walker eyed Isaac suspiciously.
"You'll no doubt get a report on it," Taylor insisted as Mackenzie rushed into his father's arms.
Zac
"Ike lost it," Zac said. "Aparently Ashley came after Mackie, and somehow they ended up here... and we're about to take Ike to the station so that Tanya can be there when I defrost him. Y'know... to prevent him from doing any more damage."
"So, who's coming?" asked a women, cheerfully joining them. "I'm Susie, you're friendly neighbourhood teleporter. Well, obviously our boy here goes... and the temapture maniuplator."
"That would be me," Zac said.
"Anyone else?"
Taylor & Walker
Taylor raised his hand.
"I expect you boys to fill me in later," Walker insisted, eyeing off his two older sons, "I should be going with you, but I'd rather get Mackenzie home. One of you, call me."
"We will," Taylor promised. before Walker took Mackenzie back to his car.
Zac, Tanya and Isaac
"This is going to take a couple of jumps before we get to Houston," Susie warned. "And then of course, a trip via amplifier."
"Okay," Zac said.
Less than an hour later, they were on the station, in a backroom of the infirmary. A couple of healers, empaths and, of course, Tanya were gathered.
"Okay, Zac, can you start to defrost Ike?" Tanya asked. "Our empaths will send calming emotions to keep him passive."
Zac nodded, and carefully defrosted Isaac. After a while, Isaac blinked his eyes and looked around slowly.
"Where... where am I?" he asked. "And how did I end up here?"
Taylor
Taylor watched on carefully from a back corner of the room. Considerign his own psychological problems it had been mentioned that he shouldn't get too involved.
But he had to be there.
"Do you remember what happened, Ike?" he asked carefully, without moving.
Isaac, Tanya and Zac
Isaac frowned.
"Ashley came after us and Mackie... I went downstairs, and she tried to shoot me, but I crushed the bullet before it reached me," he shuddered. "I didn't even... it happened without me thinking about it. Oh man... what did I do? Was anyone hurt?"
"As far as we know, only the alien hunter, Ashley. And she's dead," Isaac was informed by the supervising agent.
Isaac nodded.
"That's something, right?"
"Yes, it is," Tanya said. "And Ike, you've been under way too much pressure. You carry a few too many burdens, young man."
Isaac looked at her.
"You've been in my head?"
"I'm the only telepath who can - although Avie might be able to one day. And it's usual in these cases for a telepath to look around. We can't be letting these things happen again, you know. And humans think it's bad when they have nervous breakdowns, ha!" Tanya then took his hands. "You need to start seeing a councellor. Also, I reluctantly have to inform you that your telekinesis is now in emotional control."
"What... what does that mean?"
"It means that until you work through this, your emotions will dictate how your power is used. For example, sometimes you can get angry enough at someone to want to hurt them. Well, in emotional control, you would do this, even though normally you'd resist the urge."
"Oh!" Isaac stared at her, wide-eyed.
"When you regain normal control of your power, that'll show you're over the worst of it. There isn't anything I, nor anyone here, can do to change that beyond councelling," then Tanya frowned. "Now, what's this about not being able to write anything?"
Isaac collapsed on a nearby chair.
"I can't write a thing! No music, none of those sci-fi novels I like to write. I haven't even been inspired to do any graphic designing lately."
"Sci-fi novels?" Zac repeated.
Taylor
Taylor closed his eyes, hung his head and took a deep breath, attempting to get around what Tanya had just said.
As if it wasn't enough that Isaac was supposed to be watching him 24/7...
Isaac, Zac and Tanya
"Umm..." and Isaac looked a little embarrassed. "Uhh, yeah... I have a few books published."
"You do?" Zac asked. "Under what name?"
"H I Clarke."
Zac cracked up laughing.
"Well... it was all that I could come up with that the last minute," Isaac said.
"And on that note," said one of the healers, "I would ask you all to leave Isaac and I alone for a little while."
She gave Isaac a reassuring smile.
"Nothing bad," she said. "I just want to make sure that you're okay physically, and I don't think either of us would appreciate witnesses."
The healer shooed everyone out.
"Will he be okay?" Tanya asked one of the empaths, as they left.
"Sure," he nodded. "It's more the deforting moment... he's effectively been frozen in time, so the emotion hasn't had a chance to disapate. The momentary rage has gone now."
"Good. Taylor? Zac? May I have a word with you?" Tanya paused and looked around. "In private?"
"Uhh, sure," Zac replied, with a sidelong glance at Taylor.
Taylor
"Of course," Taylor nodded nervously, looking back at the door Isaac was behind.
He wasn't all that happy with not being at his side through this.
Zac and Tanya
Tanya led them off to the side.
"Look... I was just in Ike's head. I know all about the problems you boys have happened. And why Hanson broke up."
Zac started to feel uncomfortable.
"It was -"
Tanya held up her hand.
"I'm not going to make any judgements or anything. Just a suggestion: you may want to consider getting the band back together. For Ike's sake. Seriously, boys, like to you, music is important to him. And over the past two years he felt like it was the only thing keeping him sane. Maybe he was right."
"So, you're saying this is our fault?" Zac asked.
"No, no, no," Tanya replied. "No, none of you could have realised this was going to happen. I even agree with your reasons. No, all I'm saying is that getting get back together might help Ike's recovery. Assuming that you two think you can manage to... to put your differences aside enough to be able to co-operate with each other in this. If you don't think you can do that... you may end up fighting all the more, and that may make things worse."
Taylor
Taylor was shaking his head already, and he wouldn't even look in Zac's direction.
"I don't know. I really don't know," he admitted finally, "I mean I..."
He bit his lip and frowned, looking away from them. This was all getting a bit much for him to take already, and things only just seemed to have started.
Tanya, Zac and Isaac
"It's only a suggestion," Tanya said. "One I hope you'll seriously consider. I'm not making any demands here."
"Yeah..." Zac nodded slowly. "Well... I'll - we'll - think about it."
It was at that moment that Isaac stepped out of the room. He had a few words with the YIRAAS Agent, something which made Tanya smile.
"What?" Zac asked.
"Oh just musing... once that was me..."
"Oh. Is everything... with all the damage he caused... is that going to work out? The other guy said something about making it look like nothing ever happened."
Tanya nodded.
"Usually what we do. You'd be surprised just how easy it is to cover things up - even things like that. I mean, we could just say that a mutant's powers went bezerk, but that wouldn't do our mutant friends any favours, so it's better this way."
"Hey," Isaac said softly, rejoining them. "Healer said I was okay... so we can go home now."
Taylor
"If we have a home to go to," Taylor glared at the floor, "you know, considering it was kind've f***ed up recently."
He shivered as he felt the pheremones of an Adigian walk past, and stopped himself growling.
Zac, Isaac and Tanya
Zac looked startled and Isaac looked down.
"I'm sorry -" he began.
"You didn't mean it, Ike," Zac said, glaring at Taylor. "And hello, wasn't it just told us that it'll look like nothing had ever happened? Duh?"
"Taylor?" Tanya asked, a slight frown on her face. "Are you okay?"
Something was definitely very wrong...
Taylor
"Oh for f***'s sake, shut up Zac," Taylor glared.
"And I'm fine. Let's just get the hell out of here. I can't stand this bloody station."
Zac, Tanya and Isaac
"Why should I shut up?" Zac scrowled.
"You're not alright, Taylor," Tanya said firmly. "Everyone, I want you to step away from him."
"What? Why?" Zac demanded.
"Oh... crap..." Isaac whispered.
Taylor
Taylor froze on the spot, staring at her.
"Don't you dare touch me," he demanded, voice soft but stern.
Tanya and Isaac
"Touch you?" Tanya smiled. "Taylor, that's the last thing on my mind."
But the question was... what should she do? So far the only other incidents they had only learned about in hindsight. She sent a telepathic request to the empaths for them to try sending calming emotions.
"Oh man... I was supposed to... and I can't, and I... oh crap..." Isaac chewed his lip.
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, before his stare turned into a glare.
"I meant mentally."
Then he turned away as he felt the empaths trying to calm him. Cringing a little, he began to block it.
"AH!" he yelled, grabbing hold of his head as he fell to his knees - the pain he'd felt when he'd tried to do the same thing in the labs taking over again.
Tanya and Zac
Tanya stared at Taylor, a little dumbfounded.
"Why are you just standing there? Do something!" Zac cried.
Meanwhilst the empaths looked at each other. One inclined their head, and they stopped. If sending emotions hurt the boy... well, they certainly weren't trying to do that.
Taylor
"F**K!" Taylor almost screamed, still holding his head.
He didn't notice how red his face was growing, or that a few drops of blood began to fall from his nostrils.
After a few moments, he collapsed down onto his side, unconscious.
Tanya
Silence.
"Do one of you healers want to have a look at him?" Tanya asked.
Tentatively, a healer stepped over to Taylor and gently put her hand on his shoulder. Tanya warned Zac and the YIRAAS agent to stay alert for any trouble... in case Taylor suddenly regain consciousness and decided to hurt the healer.
Taylor
The healer had barely touched Taylor before his eyes flutter open slightly.
Looking up to see this person kneeling over him, he had a flashback to the labs and scrambled out from under them. When he hit the nearby wall, he noticed Tanya and his brothers watching.
"What happened?" his voice shook, before he saw the blood on the floor and quickly rubbed his nose.
Zac, Isaac and Tanya
"Looks like your evil twin decided to make an appearence," Zac attempted to joke.
"You okay?" Isaac asked worriedly.
Tanya nodded to everyone, to signal they could stand down.
Taylor
"Oh no..."
Taylor put his head in his hands.
"This is the first time since... since with Master Blakesley. No one got hurt, did they?"
He gulped, eyes searching the floor.
Zac and Tanya
"No, everyone's fine. You're the only one who's blood was drawn," Zac said. "But that's not to say we're not all standing by... Hey... if Ike can't consciously control his telekinesis... how can we take care of it if Tay loses it later? I mean, I..."
"That's a good question," Tanya replied slowly. "Perhaps we should assign someone to stay with you. Another telekinetic perhaps, until Ike is better?"
Taylor
"Oh my God..." Taylor cringed, not looking up.
They'd really screwed things up now.
"Just, please, don't lock me up," he practically begged.
Tanya, Isaac and Zac
"I don't know, Tanya," spoke up the YIRAAS agent. "If Taylor might be a threat -"
"Locking him up would be counter-productive," Tanya snapped, interupting him. "It's what got him into this mess in the first place. Damn Blakesley."
"Ahh," and the agent was silent.
"I'll organise something for you," Tanya went on to the Hanson brothers. "It's funny... I'm not an agent any more - I run this Ga'Revali school - but Leroy arranged for me to stay on as a consultant."
The thought seemed to amuse her.
"Well, that means you have some weight then?" Isaac asked.
"Tanya? Have weight? Doesn't look like it," Zac joked.
"Yes it does," Tanya replied. "And very cute, Zac."
"Thanky."
Taylor
Taylor stood up and brushed himself off.
"So ah... what do we do for now?" he asked nervously.
Tanya and Zac
Tanya shrugged.
"Well, Zac could hang around with you guys and just use his power if you have problems," she said. "Or our freidn over here can hang with you until I organise something."
"Tanya - " the agent started to object.
"How long would I have to do that for?" Zac asked.
Tanya shrugged.
"Oh, I'll take as little time as possible, but it might be a couple of days."
Zac shot a glance at Taylor and the agent.
"I think I... I do have kids to look after... I don't think I could..."
"That's understandable. Then sir, you are now on temporary assignment -"
"Tanya, I must object."
"And I object to your objection. I have the authority to reassign agents in these cirmcumstances..." then Tanya paused. "Unless of course, Taylor has any objection to staying on the station a couple of days..."
Taylor
"Woah, woah, wait*" Taylor held his hands up in almost surrender.
"I can't* I mean* I'm having enough trouble trying not to bolt for the exits as it is. I mean these Adigians*Can I just say that my power doesn't like them?" he frowned.
Tanya and Isaac
"Okay, well, you're it," Tanya nodded.
"But -"
"Forget the buts. You're it. Now, boys, I imagine you'll want to go home. Everything okay now Ike?"
"Yes," Isaac replied.
"Okay, well, I shall see you boys another time. And do try to stay out of any more trouble."
"We will."
Taylor
Taylor eyed off the agent for a moment, hating the idea already. But he knew it had to be done.
"Have you heard anything on Christian?" he asked Tanya suddenly.
Tanya
Tanya shook her head.
"Afraid not, Taylor," she said. "I'll let you know if we find him."
Taylor
Taylor nodded.
"Good luck then. I've heard about Guffery."
He looked to his brothers, ready to leave.
Tanya, Isaac and Zac
"Okay boys, I'll see you later then."
"Bye Tanya, thanks for your help," Zac said.
"Yes, thanks," Isaac agreed.
"Well, Tad?" Tanya said to the YIRAAS agent. "Off you go."
Tad scrowled, but followed the boys out. Tanya went with them, as of course, she had to leave the infirmary too if she planned on going elsewhere. As she parted from them in the hallway, she couldn't hep but notice a stray thought from Taylor's mind.
She really hoped it was just an idle though and not actually something he intended to pursue.