threat7

Part 7

Blaise bolted upright from a fitful doze, one full of incomprehensible dreams. "Nathalie!" He screamed in anguish, for where her sense had been a moment ago, was only blackness, an emptiness. It took him a moment for his mind to stop searching for her long enough for him to remember that he was in the spaceship, and then Julie teleported in.

"What's happened?" She asked, crossing the room to wrap him in a comforting hug. Her eyes were full of worry for a girl that she know for less that a week. She had sensed it as well.

"I don't know� He hung his head. "She just vanished."

"She's not�"

He cut her off with a sharp look. "No," he said with certainty. "I would know if she died."

"The Darks." it was a statement, not a question.

Blaise nodded. "It was sudden. She was terrified and then everything went dark. Keery's either unconscious or tied up in 'mit rope."

Julie paced for a moment. "Let's see if we can find anything." She held up her hands, palms facing Blaise.

He pushed himself to his feet and joined her, raised his palms so that they were almost touching. As they concentrated, images came into his mind: Nathalie in her room; Christopher in their ship, red and sinister and still elusive, pleading for her help, saying that Jake was hurt; Nathalie arguing with him until she finally gave up and rushed to his aid against her better judgement.

Julie broke the mind merge as Blaise was receiving another image, this one accompanied by the familiar tingle of premonition.

"Let's go," she said, "she's hurt."

Blaise shook his head. "There's more. I couldn't see it." He put his hands back up. "Jules, please."

She sighed, impatient to leave. "Fine," she returned and reestablished the merge.

Images flickered through in flashes too quick to follow, until one image appeared, and his spine tingled.

Mind reeling, he opened his eyes and looked at Julie. "Did you get that?"

She shook her head. "I don't get premonitions, my powers just amplified yours." She said sadly.
"What did you see?"

Blaise closed his eyes, trying to hold it in his mind.

"Blaise?"

He looked at her, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes. "I'm not at all sure that I believe what I just saw."

                                                                         * * *

The man who had coined the phrase "waiting is hell" was very smart. Jake paced around the central column, arms crossed over his chest. He had the feeling that he was being watched and raised his shields instinctively, to the point where he could still sense others but his own emotions were hidden behind an impenetrable brick wall.

It was a good thing that they were, too. His current mental stare was one that could quite frankly get him killed. He was confused, unsure of what was going to happen next. Waves of guilt and remorse had been crashing over him since Nathalie's presence had disappeared from his mind; emotions that he thought had died when he had broken out. He was the leader of the Darks, he wasn't supposed to feel this way. He tried time and again to push the self-destructive emotions back into the Pandora's Box that they had escaped from, but the key to lock it up again had flown out of his reach.

I need to do something to help her. He thought to himself feeling numb. But what? I know that Chris is watching me like a hawk, doing anything myself is like signing my own death warrant.

He had to gather up the pieces and sweep them under the rug for the moment when Chris appeared in the room. He looked quite pleased with himself, nearly bouncing with joy.

�We got her!�

Jake nodded without speaking, he had sensed that much. �And what is to be done with her?�

�That�s up in the air, as to whether she�ll bleed out or freeze to death.�

�Ah,�

�Do you wanna watch with me?� Chris asked. �Come on, just like old times.�

Jake managed a smile, though his mind had finally latched onto a solution. He just hoped that he could fend Chris off long enough. For the moment his conscience was behaving, shrunk to almost nothing, but he knew that it would resurface at any time, and he didn�t know if he would be strong enough to fight Chris off, if he decided to try to go after him.

It was becoming more and more difficult for him to do so because every time he felt any emotion that was decidedly un-Dark, he felt his powers fluctuate, growing weaker until the emotion faded, then they grew strong again and he returned to normal.

�Sure, lead the way.�

They teleported together to the cavern, and Jake shivered instantly, though he tried to hide the fact that he was cold. Darks don�t feel cold. Nathalie�s screams echoed off the walls, shrill with desperation, pain and fear.

�Help me!� She cried.

Jake followed her cries to the edge of the pit. He almost fainted at the sight of her. Her face was half-covered in blood from a gash running from above her left eye and running down her right cheek, barely missing her eye. Her clothing was torn, hair stiff with blood and frozen blood. There was so much blood. Her right arm was impaled on a spike just above the elbow.

She must be in too much pain to pull it free. He thought to himself privately. Through years of practice, he had learned to keep his face stony no matter what he felt, something that he was glad for now.

�Jake?� She asked weakly, squinting up as she craned her neck slowly into a very uncomfortable looking angle in order to see him. �Jake, help me!�

Jake glanced back at Christopher who was eyeing him closely, then back to his sister. He steeled himself and glared down at her.   Then he smiled coldly at her. �Having fun?�

Her face fell and she started weeping harder.

�Guess not.�

He could feel Christopher behind him, but he felt a strange need to reassure her. He raised his shields a little higher and let his cold face fall. He looked down on her again with caring eyes, feeling inside like he was betraying all that he was. Nathalie looked back, confused at this sudden turn around and unsure what it meant.

�I�m sorry.� He mouthed. Nathalie looked like she didn�t know what to think but managed a weak smile which looked somewhat like a grimace. He turned back to Chris. �Nice work.�

�Keep it up.� Jake said loud enough that Nathalie could hear and force herself for someone to find her as he meant his words for her and not for Christopher. �I�ve got something to do. I�ll see you later.� He closed his eyes and teleported before Chris had a chance to say anything.

He appeared in the ship and collapsed to his knees. It had taken all of his strength to appear strong in front of Chris when every nerve had been screaming at him to jump down into the pit, untie her and teleport her someplace safe.

The only safe place for her in the world is in the Light�s ship, and I can�t exactly go there. He thought cynically. He climbed laboriously to his feet and tried to quiet his racing heart. His thoughts rested on one of the few people that he knew that could go to both ships, and be able to get back out again.

He brought his shields down far enough that he could reach out his mind to her. �Morgan!?� He cried desperately.

Her response came back surprised. He sensed from her that she was with a group of people, all saps, at a coffee shop. �Jake, what do you want?� She sounded annoyed and a little distracted, he figured that she was trying to act normal, that these people didn�t know what was going on in her mind.

He sighed, too impatient to play her games. �I need you to come here quick.� He said.

�Why?� She asked. �What�s wrong?�

�I don�t want to say too much. Just come here.� Jake tried to sound authoritative, but he still sounded tired and desperate.

Morgan sent the mental equivalent of a sigh. �Okay, I�ll be there soon.�

�Hurry.�

                                                                               * * *

Morgan severed the connection to Jake with a sigh. She looked around the table. Her friends were chatting about beach parties and summer flings, all except Toby. He was sitting next to her, quiet, observant.

�What�s up Mor?� He asked. �You�re quiet.�

She gathered up her things on the table, a journal, some lotion that Ashleigh had borrowed, and put them back in her bag. �I gotta go.�

He rose to her feet as she stood. �Is everything okay?�

�Yeah,� she said quickly.

Too quickly, and he looked at her like he didn�t believe a word of it. �Let me walk you out.�

Morgan smiled. �That�s sweet Toby, really, its great to see that chivalry isn�t dead.� She said, laying a hand on his arm. �You stay.� She knew that he liked her , and if she took long enough to separate her life as a TP from her semblance of a normal like, she could see herself with him, but not with the war hanging over her head. She couldn�t deny the feelings that swelled up in her just by touching him, but she forced them away.

�I insist.� He said earnestly.

Morgan sighed. �Fine,� she said trying to sound gracious and not sounding annoyed. She turned to the table. �Hey guys, I gotta go.�

Moans and groans erupted from the table as everyone turned towards her. �Yeah, I know. I�ll see you guys later.�

She turned and left, Toby following in her wake. Once outside, she stopped, blinking in the sunshine, a stark contrast from the smoke-filled gloom of the coffee house.

�Thanks for walking me out Toby.� She said and started to walk away, but he caught her upper arm. She turned back at him a little surprised. �What?�

His brown eyes were concerned, worried. She could vaguely sense his worry for her, if she really concentrated on him.

�What�s going on?� He asked. �You look like you�re about to head into the lion�s den.�

Morgan chuckled. �Just about.� She muttered under her breath.

�Huh?�

�Nothing.�

He narrowed his eyes at her. �Come on Mor.� He said. �Don�t insult my intelligence. I�ve known you for too long.�

�It�s nothing Toby.� She looked down at his hand still holding her arm and reached up to gently move it away. She gave it a squeeze, �I�m fine, I�ll see you later.�

�Okay,� he said reluctantly, conceding defeat. �If you need help, call me, alright?�

�Yeah,� she said smiling. She hoped that it was enough and he�d go away.

No such luck. �Be careful.�

�I will.�

He gently squeezed her hand and leaned in to kiss her quickly, softly on the lips.   He leaned back and smiled dreamily. �For luck. Something tells me that whatever you�ve gotta do, you�ll need it.�

She tried to smile again but barely managed to life the corners of her mouth. �I gotta go.� She whispered, blushing slightly.

Toby released her and spoke as she headed away. �You�re gonna have to explain this all to me one day.�

�Yeah,� she murmured, glancing back over her shoulder to see if he had headed back into the coffee house. She didn�t see him, so she turned into the nearest alley and teleported away.

She appeared in the ship to find Jake pacing back and forth in front of one of the windows and shivered, she always did when met with the frigid air of the arctic. �Okay, I�m here. What is so darn important?� She asked crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes .

Jake stopped pacing and looked at her. �Where have you been?�

�I had to get away from my friends. Sorry.� She said. Then she noticed the look in his eyes and the next sarcastic comment died in her throat. She could see a change, they were no longer as black, softer, devoid of the sharpness that had been there before. In her mind, she felt a change in him, something that she couldn�t quite put her finger on, but he was the master of projecting false emotions to get people to do what he wanted, so she stayed on her guard. �What is the game here?�

�No game,� he said. �I need your help.�

�Why?� She asked snorting in derision. �You never have before.�

�Something�s happened.� He said quietly. �Nat�s been captured.�

Shock coursed through her and it took all of her strength to stay on her feet. She had never been all that in tune with Nathalie, or any of the other Lights, ever since she became a Dark. She coughed. �Who?�

�Chris got her, she�s hurt really bad.� Jake said. She thought that she could almost see tears in his eyes, and passed it off as a trick of the light. Jake Ciarana never cried.

Morgan sensed what he wanted her to do and while she wasn�t as heartless as most Dark�s were, she was cold enough to make him ask for it. �Why should you care?� She asked. �You�re a Dark, you don�t care for anyone, not even your only sister. Love, regret, guilt, compassion, not in your vocabulary.�

Jake sat down hard in his normal spot on the window ledge and glared at her. �I don�t know what�s going on, but something�s happening to me.� He said softly. �I do care.�

She had never sensed him feel this way before. He was full of regret, remorse, and a grim determination to make things right again. �What do you want me to do?�

�Get her out and take her to the Light�s ship.� He said. �Please Morgan, she�s hurt really bad.�

The honesty in his eyes and his sense told her that he was telling the truth this time. �Okay,� she sighed.
�Where is she?�

�The ice cavern.� He said. �Careful though, Chris is still there and �mit rope works just as well on you.�

She nodded. �Okay.�

�Thanks.� Jake said. She was about to teleport when Jake let out a moan and slumped back.

She rushed to his side. �What happened?�

It took him a long time to answer. His eyes were closed and he looked unconscious. When he finally did open them, his eyes were clear, yet distracted. �I�m not sure. I just felt something, a loud click that felt like a punch to my stomach.� He waved her off. �I�ll be fine.�

�You sure.�

He nodded again, and grimaced as he shifted position on the ledge. �Go, my sister needs your help.�

Morgan looked at him one more time. He looked horrible. But he wanted her to go, so she closed her eyes and teleported from the ship.

                                                                              * * *

The tears were freezing to her cheeks, the blood frozen to her face and to the spike impaled through her arm, holding her fast even though she doubted that she had the strength to pull it free anyway. One good thing about the cold, it kept the blood flow down for the artery had probably been pierced. Her feet had gone numb, everything had, and it hurt too much to move. She was shivering violently, engulfed in pain. Her arms were still bound to her sides and her hands bound in front causing her to lie in quite an uncomfortable position.

She saw a flash reflect in the ice of the cavern, but with her powers bound as securely as her arms by the �mit rope, she couldn�t tell if someone was leaving or someone was arriving.

She stayed quiet, not willing to give away her position if it was Christopher or another Dark come to laugh and torture.

�Nathalie?�

She almost fainted with relief.

�Keery, where are you?�

She gathered what strength she had to scream. �Morgan? Is that you?�

She heard a relieved cry, and a moment later, Morgan�s dark hair and oval face appeared at the top of the pit. �Oh God!� She exclaimed when she saw Nathalie�s state.

�Get me out of here.� Nathalie called, fighting down a wave of nausea as she drew up her legs as far out of the way as she could.

Morgan judged the depth and hopped down, landing with a soft thud in the snow. �Cozy.�

Nathalie didn�t respond, but watched as Morgan bent over her and pulled apart the knots of the �mit rope, with some difficulty because of the frozen blood everywhere. Carefully, Nathalie squirmed so that Morgan could pull the rope away. She was still pinned to the ground by the spike and she heard Morgan gasp as she saw the extent of her injury.

�Help me pull it off, the blood�s frozen.� Nathalie said, feeling nausea swelling up at the thought. She didn�t want to contemplate what it would feel like when she was already close to blacking out every time she breathed.

Morgan dropped to her knees beside Nathalie and worked one hand under her elbow and the other under her upper arm. �Ready?�

Nathalie nodded and gripped her lower lip between her teeth. �On three,� she said, bracing her other arm on the ground. �One.�

�Two.�

�Three.� They said together. Nathalie pushed up while Morgan pulled. She screamed shrilly as the blood crackled and her arm pulled free with a sickening sound, and blacked out. She came to with a groan with Morgan calling to her. �Come on, Keery. Wake up.�

�I�m awake.�

Morgan put her hand on Nathalie�s shoulder and teleported them both out of the cavern. The sudden warmth of the room they appeared in made her moan. It was faintly blue in color, a background hum greeted her and told her that they were in the spaceship. She felt the grate of sand under her back and Morgan kneeling behind her head. Relief washed over her when Blaise rushed to her side and took her hand in his.

�Nathalie!�

Another person rushed to her side. Blond hair falling over her shoulders. �Do ye be still, okay?� She said. She placed on hand on either side of her arm and closed her eyes. Nathalie looked down at her arm and saw Briana�s hands and her arm begin to glow. Pain flooded her as circulation began to return to frozen extremities in swarms of pins and needles. She felt Blaise squeeze her hand in reassurance. The blood flow from her arm slowed and the stopped as Briana�s healing powers began to close up the wound. After a moment, one of Briana�s hands moved to her forehead and began closing that too.

Nathalie began to feel physically stronger until, finally, Briana sat back exhausted. Nathalie looked down at her arm, still blood-covered, but the wound looked like it had had a few days of healing.

James caught Briana as she collapsed. He pushed her hair out of her face and looked worriedly into her face, calling her name in a way that made Nathalie wonder just what the relationship between them was. She looked like she had just run the Boston marathon five times without stopping, while Nathalie felt like she had been dragged through hell and back. Nathalie rose to her knees, and Blaise helped her to her feet and over to the central column while James picked Briana up in his arms and laid her gently on one of the window ledges.

Blaise wrapped her up in her arms, holding her close. �I am so sorry.� He said, kissing her on the forehead.

�For what?�

�For not protecting you.�

Nathalie didn�t know how to react to the emotions that she was getting from him. She just held on to him, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Julie appeared with a first aid kit that she had dug out of her bag, and Blaise released her so that Julie could get to the wounds and dress them.

Briana looked like she was sleeping. �Hey, Briana?� Nathalie called.

The young Scot cracked open her eyes and smiled weakly. �I did the best that I could, now it�s up to you. The bone is still broken, it needs a cast or a splint. I canna heal completely, just enough so that others can heal themselves.�

Julie tied a sling at Nathalie�s shoulder and handed her a small packet and Blaise handed her a glass of the orange juice that the ship produced. The packet contained Motrin, which she swallowed with the juice. Each sip seemed to give her more strength.

�Thank you.� Nathalie said to them all. She rose to her feet and gave Briana a hug with her good arm.   The injured one felt better with every passing minute.

Nathalie then turned to Morgan who was standing apart from the others, gazing out one of the windows. The young woman looked thoughtful, but unsure as well, shifting slightly from one foot to the other.

�Hey, Mor.� Nathalie called, and Morgan started as if being pulled out of deep thought.

�Yeah?�

�I owe you my life.� She said. �Thank you.�

Morgan blushed. �My pleasure.� She said. �You alright?�

�I�ll do.� Nathalie admitted. �Once the pain killers kick in.�

Nathalie heard her chuckle. Then she saw her glance over Nathalie�s shoulder. She grimaced and said, �I�m not welcome here. I�d better go.�

Nathalie could feel the intensity of the gazes of the people behind her and turned to look upon the others. All were watching Morgan warily, like she had the plague.

Morgan closed her eyes to teleport, but Blaise told her to wait. Her eyes shot open in surprise.

He walked around Nathalie and approached Morgan who took a step back. Blaise held up his arms who took a step back. Blaise held up his arms showing that he meant no harm, and Nathalie turned to Briana to find out what was going on.

�She�s a Dark.�

Nathalie gasped and shot a glance at her two best friends. �Then how can she just �port out? I thought that Dark�s got stuck.�

�She�s not a normal Dark.� James said, sitting close to Briana, holding her protectively. �She�s a Dark right now, but she could go the other way at any moment. She�s a Grey, neutral, she can go anywhere with no restrictions. Anything with a �mit is the only thing that can stop her.�

Nathalie looked back at Morgan who was arguing with Blaise.

�You know, Morgan.� Blaise was saying. �We appreciate all that you did, but right now, you�re a Dark.�

Morgan looked back at Blaise, determination in her dark eyes, and Nathalie had the sense that she was repeating herself. �I know that Kinsington. But things are changing among the Dark ranks. Christopher is going to become leader soon, if he hasn�t already.�

�What�s wrong with Jake?� Nathalie asked. �He seemed different. He came to see me, one minute he was his usual self, cold, dark, the next he was remorseful and apologetic.�

Morgan looked at her. �He is different. He�s the one who asked me to get you out, Keery.�

Blaise jumped in. �What are you saying?�

�Jake isn�t acting like a Dark anymore,� Morgan said. She was silent for a moment, eyes closed, then she opened them and looked directly at Blaise. �I don�t know what will happen, bit o do know that Jake will not be the leader for much longer. And when Christopher takes over, you guys are gonna need all the help you can get.�

�Are you defecting?� Nathalie asked hopefully.

Morgan nodded. �We are few, we must choose our allegiances carefully.   At this point I believe that the Darks are gunning for Nathalie, and you will need me.�

Nathalie sensed Blaise�s urge to scoff at her and crossed the room and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Blaise looked down at her hand then up at her.

�We do need her Blaise,� Nathalie said. �If not for her, I would be dead.�

�But she could go to them with our secrets.� Blaise said. �She could tell them where we are.�

Morgan laughed. �I was a Light first, Kensington. I�ve known where this place is for almost a year. I haven�t yet, and what makes you think that I�m gonna start now?�

Blaise had to concede defeat on that point.

�You need me.�

He looked at Nathalie who nodded and then to Julie who took a little longer, but nodded too. His attention returned to Morgan who stood patiently with her hands in the pockets of her jeans, straight black hair that refused to tangle, falling over her shoulders and framed her face.

�Okay,� he said with a sigh. �You can stay, but we�ll be watching. And if you betray us��

He trailed off meaningfully. Nathalie knew him well enough to know that he didn�t make idle threats. She knew that though he couldn�t kill, he would make Morgan wish that she was dead if she betrayed them.

�I understand.� She said. �Thanks Kensington.� She headed for Nathalie.

�Oh Morgan?� Blaise called.

She turned back. �Yeah?�

�It�s just Blaise. Okay?�

She nodded. �Yeah. Thanks. Blaise.�

                                                                                 * * *

Christopher emerged from his hiding place fuming with anger, just as the reflected flash of Morgan escaping with Nathalie faded from the pit.

He reached out with his mind and sensed that Jake was in the ship, but at the same time he felt that something was different about him. He didn�t know what it was, but felt that it was a weakness. The time for his attack had come.

He closed his eyes and teleported to the ship.

I knew that this day would come!

                                                                                 * * *

Jake sensed that Nathalie was safe in the ship and sighed, pushing his hair out of his face. Thank God!
His head was swimming and he leaned it back against the wall as he looked out through the icy water. His sense of Nathalie was the same but everything else felt dim; not quite what it felt like to be tied up in �mit rope, but close.

Suddenly, there was a roar in his mind. �Jake!!� He heard and groaned. Christopher.

The TP in question appeared in the room bristling, his brown hair nearly standing on end, his silver eyes molten
with anger.

�What the hell did you think you were doing?� He roared, advancing on him.

�What do you mean Chris?� Jake asked, sounding innocent.

�You know exactly what I am talking about.� Chris said, fists balled tight at his sides.

�You know what Chris? I really am in no mood for this.� Jake said, sitting up tiredly.

Chris scoffed and grabbed Jake by the lapel, and hauled him to his feet. He was six years older, a few inches taller and about had about twenty pounds more muscle that Jake had. Jake had always had the menacing presence that made him seem much larger, but that was gone now.

�You sent Morgan?� He asked incredulously. �Some Dark you are!�

Jake glared back at Christopher. �Let me go.� He hissed.

�Or what?�

Jake just glared.

�Where are they now?�

�The Light�s ship I suppose.� Jake answered. He reached up and pulled on Christopher�s pinky, hard, releasing himself. He backed away gasping, one hand to his throat.

�You ass!� Jake said. �What�s wrong with you?�

Christopher laughed coldly. �Don�t you get it?� He sneered. �You�re weak. I�m taking over!�

Jake moaned inwardly. Chris, interpreting his silence as an opportunity, advancing again. Jake backed away until his back hit the wall. Panic surged up and Chris smiled knowing that Jake was stuck. He stepped up and drew back his fist and punched his squarely in his stomach.

Jake doubled up and dropped to his knees, wind knocked out of him. �Stop!!� He cried. He knew that Chris would not stop. He closed his eyes and tried to teleport.   He felt the normal hyperawareness and then the room disappeared, then something went wrong. He felt a sharp pain and a roar in his ears, and reappeared in the same spot, gasping. He searched frantically for a �mit or a piece of �mit rope tied around some part of him but found nothing.

He looked up at Chris who was standing over him triumphantly. Jake�s mind was reeling. What just happened? He thought as Christopher�s foot connected with his ribs. He dropped to his stomach and barely managed to avoid the foot that was descending over him. It stamped to the ground as Jake got to his feet.

He tried to teleport again. This time he felt no tingle, no hyperawareness, nothing. �Okay, Chris,� he wheezed. �Where�s the �mit?�

�There is no �mit.� Christopher said, knowing that he had won. �I don�t know how it happened, but you�re a sap.� Triumph flashed in his silver eyes as shock coursed through Jake as he felt the truth in Chris�s words.

�And you are at my mercy.�