"Dr Williams!" Robert Williams looked up irritated from his desk as the voice yelling his name came closer.
"Dr WILLIAMS!" The unidentified voice slammed open his door, turning itself into his new assistant John Bennis.
"What?" He snarled irately, wishing for the 9th time his other assistant hadn't been gored to death by that Minotaur the week before.
Bennis took a deep breath "We caught him sir"
Robert raised an eyebrow "Him?"
"The goblin king!"
"You mean, another goblin" he replied with a sigh rubbing the bridge of his nose
Bennis leant forward excitedly "No. HIM, Actually HIM!"
That got Roberts attention "what are you standing about yelling for man? Show me!"
The pair striding through HQ defiantly was a definite sight to see. Robert Williams, Head researcher for Office 92, a top secret agency for the gathering of mythical creatures was revered by most staff, and his new assistant John Bennis, Son of one of the trustees was treated like royalty, though his good looks helped.
Robert was oblivious to any of the admiring looks cast his way, finally I have him, if it is him So long the object of his revenge had been evading him, but tonight – they finally had the creature.
Sarah, Toby…his thoughts briefly went back to his children, and their tales of what had happened to them one night many years ago. He scowled Sarah was so upset when I told her she was making it up…Toby too, both of them must never know, but revenge will be so sweet – and a breakthrough in science!
They were at the lifts now, choosing to ascend to the top of the building. The lift was clear after a point, allowing views of the workrooms either side.
Robert admired the work his people were doing, seeing them drawing samples from creatures, interrogating the ones who understood human speech, training the ones who were wild.
Then the lift stopped at his floor. The doctors floor was quiet, it held only the most deadly and silent creatures. Strong cells lined the corridor leading to his office; trained guards saluted him as he marched along Bennis in tow. The light in the cell next to his office was on, which could only mean one thing the kings cell is occupied.
Almost trembling Robert swung the door open.
A tall blond-haired man was strapped down to a table. The table was tilted upwards allowing Robert to come face to face with the creature.
The look of pain on the mans face was enough to confirm that he was indeed fey the table is iron, and we know how much that stings the creatures Robert though grimly as he approached.
The man looked up.
"Hello Jareth" Robert said before punching him.
Three weeks later
Sarah scowled at her dashboard as she reversed out of the family driveway. Damn Irene she swore silently remembering the argument she'd just had with her step-mother. Toby had luckily escaped for the evening leaving Sarah to take the brunt of Irene's irritation.
And now she sends me to pick up dad, why is she so mad at him for working late?
Her father had not driven since his licence had expired claiming he was too old, meaning Irene had to usually pick him up from where he worked, Office 92, some company specialising in providing a helpdesk for obsolete computer programmes.
Sarah growled stupid woman. Irene had decided that a drunken rant at her step-daughter about everything wrong in her life being Sarah, or her mothers fault was in order, especially Sarah's fault. At least she wasn't in a hitting mood Sarah grinned wickedly then again she hasn't been since the pepper spray.
Irene's words echoed around Sarah's mind 'stupid slut', 'get a life or a job', 'stop writing these stupid stories' 'grow up' Sarah grit her teeth, she'd never show that woman how much her words hurt her, she'd promised herself that after telling them about the lab…I nearly thought about it shaking her head Sarah decided to concentrate on her driving.
Jareth was in pain. The people here had run various tests on him, shocking, blood testing, pumping chemicals and virus into him to see how he'd react. It was the table that hurt most, agony in every part of him that touched the accursed thing, and muscle spasms from the parts stretching to keep away from it. Then again, his pride hurt much, much more.
Tricked he thought, trying to focus his eyes, some of his blood, blue (shocking the scientists when it had appeared) ran down from various cuts on his face. Dr Williams had not been forgiving or gentle. They have my subjects here He thought, one of the reasons he had been tricked, he couldn't blame the dumb creatures He made them call for me, he harmed MY SUBJECTS and now he's harming you came a voice in the back of his mind. He scowled feeling a scab opening and some warm blood cooling his fevered face. Revenge the word echoed around Jareth's mind
Flashback
"Release me" Jareth demanded, spitting blood
Dr Williams snapped his fingers and a chair was brought for him, "You and I shall be having a little talk Jareth"
Jareth snarled "I am a KING You DARE to keep me…"
"Gag him" Robert had said simply
The gag reduced Jareth to glaring fiercely at Robert.
"Now….Jareth, we shall be having a talk, about my daughter, and my son"
Robert slowly began drawing on a pair of gloves "You may leave us" he said to the attendants they nodded and left the pair
"About 7 years ago Jareth, you were accidentally summoned to my house…" Robert began, making sure the gloves were on tightly, iron rings on the knuckles winked in the light. "…now, what followed after was cruel and sadistic on your part – Sarah did not deserve what you put her through" Robert punched the area near Jareth's head leaving a dent in the table.
Jareth didn't flinch, but watched Robert very carefully
"She did not deserve what I had to put her through afterwards"
What happened to the girl? Jareth wanted to ask.
Dr Williams carried on, as if Jareth had asked the question "I had to report her, have her decontaminated, demagiked from whatever you did to her, and then have her put into an institution"
The table swung as Roberts fist connected to Jareth's face "DO you know how it hurts to see someone you love given shock treatment? To see every inch of her probed? To tell her every day that what she thinks is real and is – is nothing more then her insanity?"
The girl?
"IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Robert screamed laying into Jareth properly for what seemed an eternity
End flashback
Jareth almost groaned as the lights were turned off no more tests for today
He felt so weak, so tired and pale, he almost laughed I FEEL pale? I must have been hit hard recently
Mismatched eyes snapped open, I must escape here, they will never release me..
Desperately he sent his mind out, feeling it recoil from the touch of iron surrounding him, a way, there must be he found a weakness, searching, searching for anyone, anything.
Sarah reeled back when she felt something brush against her mind. She was sat in the car park, waiting for her father, who was running very late. She twisted, looking all over; trying to see what had touched her.
That mind, it is familiar…I can use it. Blood dripped from his cracked lips as he smiled
Sarah was aware of walking past the guards with a cheery wave and entering the elevator, aware of the bio scan passing her with flying colours and allowing her access. She was only aware of a voice calling her Sarah. Come. And she could do nothing.
The guards along the dark corridor didn't see her walk past them, their eyes frozen in sleep that exuded from her presence.
No one heard the door open apart from Jareth.
Released from the table and helped down by his mind slave, Jareth drew strength from his now released magic, strengthening and fixing some of his wounds.
"Come" Jareth beckoned her linking her arm in his, strengthening his control.
The door was flung open before Jareth reached it, and he and Sarah were faced with half a dozen armed men.
"Frel" Jareth muttered
"Don't fire!" Dr Williams shouted, pale at the sight of his daughter in a trance. "Let her go!"
"You always demand things Dr Williams" Jareth growled softly, aching from his hurts that couldn't be healed here "You will let me outside, or I will kill her"
"You wouldn't kill her" Robert said
Jareth's vision was narrowing and he shook his head to widen it again "You've tortured me enough these few weeks, you will turn off the magnetic field around this room NOW!" His voice cracked on the last word, showing his desperation.
"Turn it off" Robert said quietly, "we will shoot as soon as he releases my daughter" he whispered
Jareth heard though, his sensitive hearing picking up the words, he sighed thinking "I'm sorry Sarah" he whispered just before he hit the back of her neck.