Matt Rane

Book 1: Trial By Water

Warren Peterson

Ch 1: The beginning

Matt stared at the grimy rain streaked window, and saw the bright lights of central London in the distance, partially covered in smog and dark gathering clouds.

"Typical London weather" he muttered bitterly under his breath as he turned back to his workbook, his disgust evident on his face, his problem was not with the weather it self, it was usual for the London to be rained upon in September; no it was what it was what the weather was called. Matthew Rane had been brought up in an orphanage for most of his childhood and was thoroughly eager to leave, not that anybody wanted him though he remembered with distaste, every time somebody had come to the orphanage looking for a child to adopt, Matt had tried his hardest and been extremely good, but still he was here and he was fast approaching his fifteenth birthday, the release date. As was tradition in the Walworth, fifteen marked an age of maturity and discipline. Normally this would mean a job or on rare occasions the first chores for the richer parents, but in the orphanage fifteen was dreaded, it was the age where they were let loose in the city. The directors said it was to let them develop, but Matt knew better, it was to make room for the new children who would be undoubtedly come that year. Matt sighed and got up from his scarred and nicked workbench, replaced his work back in his cubby, and slowly ascended the spiral steps to the attic room all the fourteen year olds shared in the orphanage. Upon the landing he gazed at the tattered almost torn down bed sheet that provided some privacy on the girls' side of the dormitory. He brushed past it as he made his way towards the bathrooms, inside he swirled water around his mouth to wash out the taste of the vile city air, and with a groan stripped to his too small boxers, walked out of the bathrooms, climbed into his bed and looked at his watch. In the glum half light cast by the street lamps floors below he was able to see that it was just after one, with a sigh he placed his glasses on the nightstand and dropped off to sleep.

"Wakey wakey kiddies" cried a voice from the bottom of the stairs "time to get up!" Matt rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch eight o'clock exactly; as usual Ms. Gracie was spot on. He rolled out of bed and got dressed along with the other fourteens and fell into line, just another morning ritual. After an assistant had cleared them they trooped down to the big breakfast table and got seated and said the usual Morning Prayer. As soon as all was said he hurriedly divided the portions and they all ate their too small breakfast the boys went outside and got their wooden sticks that they had made on arts day and started a war. Mrs. Gracie was thankful that Matt had made the game up long ago, it used to be so hectic with thirty some boys in the house, now all she had to deal with was the occasional bruise, splinter, or cut, he had made a standard speed too go along with the rules, not to fast, but not too slow as to make it easy to dodge or block. It was this game she knew that made it possible to keep all of the children occupied for hours on end. She sometimes enjoyed watching the boys play fight and would act as a referee of sorts, which was what probably, saved Matt's life that day. As Matt was one of the best swordsmen and the one who thought up the game, he was always captain, and therefore had to be "killed" for the game to end. He had been surrounded, all eight of the last boys left, and they were closing in on him. Ms. Gracie could see that he was tired and knew that he had been up late, she planned to chastise him later, and she never got the chance. The captain on the other team had yelled retreat and she couldn't figure why until she saw the double-decker, 3 ton, red building on wheels careen off the road and slam right into Matt, who was so tired he couldn't get out of the way in time. Ms. Gracie screamed and rushed over to the fallen boy as the bus swerved again and crashed into the oak that Matt's tree house/base was. She quickly called 999 and got an ambulance as quickly as she could. As the medical worker put him on a stretcher, she still clung to his hand, his very cold hand, and cried.

Ch 2: The hospital

When Matt came to, he found that he was lying in a soft comfortable bed. Even though he was conscious, and knew he couldn't be dead, he didn't immediately open his eyes because he wanted to enjoy this moment of peace, as he didn't know when he would have another. Eventually he was forced to open them because he had heard voices outside of his door.

"He should at least pay for the damages" Mrs. Gracie said hotly, stopping just outside the closed door.

"Mr. Roe has reached what he believes to be an appropriate verdict" answered another voice, a stranger this time, also unusual was the tone, flat, and no emotion at all. A click and three people appeared on the other side of the now open door: Ms. Gracie, dressed in a light blue skirt and bright red top with a flower on it, a man in a suit, probably a lawyer Matt thought, and a nurse. As the nurse was carrying a tray loaded with all of Matt's favorite foods, Ms. Gracie had probably told them, and she was who he greeted first.

"I'm glad that you're awake Matthew" She said in a sweet voice, like a mother cradling a small child, " We have to give you a couple more shots but then you will be able to eat and go home tomorrow" she continued brightly.

"Don't you think he should stay here longer, I mean the accident was only a couple days ago," snapped Ms. Gracie, " he is only a child for Christ sake!" she put such a strain on accident Matt felt sure she believed that it was most certainly not one.

"He is quite ready to be moved; as long as he takes his pain pills he will be fine." Replied the nurse coolly, not at all how she had talked to Matt. As the nurse shut the door behind her, the lawyer spoke for the first time to Matt:

"I sincerely wish to apologies for the damages you have sustained, and wish to tell you that your stay will be covered, as well as the cost of your pills, and your, home, will receive a check for the damages in a weeks time." His voice was like a robots monotone, and as soon as he had finished he turned curtly, opened the door, walked out and shut it behind him.

"Oh Matt, we were all so worried about you" cried Ms. Gracie, "we thought that you were going to die, oh Matt, oh Matt" she sobbed, "I'm so sorry about all of this, I hope that you never forgive that stupid Metroline bus company." As she sat on the foot of his bed, he started in on his eggs and bacon, unresponsive, but not unfeeling, he knew Ms. Gracie cared for him, but sometimes she could really smother people.

"I hope that you got someone to watch the orphanage while you're away." Matt finally said in a not aggressive tone, unwelcoming she realized, and identified the response as to her reaching out to brush the hair out of his eyes.

"Yes I have the assistants watching everyone" She replied in a small voice, noting that despite his injuries he was still more concerned for the younger children then himself.

"I hope that they can cope by themselves" Matt replied, now more relaxed, she could see the tension drain from him. "Do you think I'm ready to go home yet" he continued, now in his friendly normal voice.

"The nurse said-" she began.

"I know what she said, but I want to know what you think" he interrupted.

"I think that so long that you take it easy that you should fine" she replied with a small smile.

"Thank you for what you have done for me" he acknowledged, and for the first time he looked a little embarrassed.

"Your welcome, though it was no different then you would do for me I hope" she agreed with another warm smile. "Now try and get some more rest, you look like you need it." Matt lay back down and felt the pressure at the foot at the end of his bed vanish as Ms. Gracie got up. He closed his eyes and heard a soft click as the door shut, and knew no more.

Ch 3: rain

Matt was given an easy stay when he returned to the orphanage the next day, a thoroughly exhausting process because insisted on double checking everything for safety. He was also given enough time to recuperate before he would be sent away, and so he was sharing the attic room with all the new fifteens. Matt tried to stay inside at all times, but it was so much more fun to walk around the property, walk along the short strip of dirt used as a side walk, without anybody to bother him and ask if he was ok, or needed something. It was during one of these times he tripped and rolled down the dirt hill leading to the junkyard, that he hit his head on a rock and for the second time in a week slipped almost into the icy clutches of death. When he awoke it was raining and the dirt hill was now a steep muddy mound, so he decided to walk around it and take the long way home. When he returned gave him a good strong whacking with the discipline wand and sent him up to shower and bed. He was confined to his bed alone for the rest of the week and only got regular rations and blankets. During that time a letter came for Matt in the mail, not a reporter requesting an interview, or a person who felt sorry for him, but a thick heavy envelope with a stack of papers with a signature on all of them, they were the result of a local drive., Each check worth one hundred dollars, and there were two hundred and eighty checks in the envelope. At the very bottom was another, fancier then all the rest, with the numbers: five, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, the only problem was that it was blank where the signature was supposed to go, along with the check came a dinner invitation to, where else, but Roe manor, or as it was more commonly referred to Roe castle. It was centered on the outskirts of London in the rich of the rich area. Surrounded bye many armed guards day and night, it was considered one of the heaviest guarded buildings in the London area, and he was invited! After a few moments a voice broke the silence in the room.

"Well, are you going to go or are you uncomfortable with it" said Ms. Gracie kindly, but with a little force to her voice.

"Of course I'm going to go!" he replied hotly. And so it was set, Matt was to wear a suit that Ms. Gracie would pick up the next day. After a brief call Matt knew that he would be about to alter his life, but for better or for worse was still up for debate he thought.

Ch4: A long ride

Matt dressed in a tight fitting, though old suit, waited at the entrance to the orphanage at six o'clock sharp the next day. At exactly six fifteen a stretch limousine pulled up and out stepped a man dressed as though he was an old fashion butler. He approached the small gate that led to the path to the orphanage and spoke:

"Master Rane I presume? In the usual flat tone of a man who doesn't enjoy his work at all.

"Quite correct indeed" responded in her strictest tone, the one she used when a child was in very deep trouble.

"Then let us be off" The butler responded, still in the same tone, and with that he turned and walked back to the car, opened the back door and waited for Matt to follow. The moment that Matt got into the car he could see that it was nothing like he had imagined it, it was a hundred times better. It was like the designer had reached through Matt's mind and plucked all of the great ideas out sifted through them and put the very best in the limo. After the butler had shut the door and pulled away Matt turned on the "50" TV, had a Pepsi and relaxed on the leather seats. In no time the limo rolled to a stop and the driver got out. He walked to the back of the limo and opened the door. Matt heard the gentle click oh the handle being opened and swung himself around to the door. The door opened and he saw a brief flash of sunlight then he collapsed on the ground riving then fell into unconsciousness. To any casual observer it would appear that the boy had simply slipped and fell into the pavement. That would be, if there were anybody in a ten mile radius to see him besides the butler with the tranquilizer dart gun and the small crew of Socotroion mercenaries.

"أخذه إلى القارب ويخرج immediately1" said the butler with perfect fluency. They picked him up and placed him on the boat. The butler allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction.

Ch5: The beginning of the truth

When Matt came to his head was throbbing and his entire body was in constant pain. When he opened his eyes he saw that he was roughly tied to a wooden crate in a dark but not black room. He could hear noise through the metal ceiling, it sounded like lots of boots thumping, and what sounded like gunfire. Suddenly the latch on the door broke and a man was thrown in by the force of the charge that was placed on it. Ten men stormed in while six checked the area; two secured the entrance the commander came up with his, who matt thought him to be, second in command.

"Matt Rane?" he asked. Matt nodded his head, speaking was beyond him, the drugs still had a hold on him he thought. The commander motioned and the second man cut him free and picked him up. He carried him up the stairs down a passage and onto an S.A.S. helicopter, half the men boarded along with Matt and the others, including the commander boarded the one next to it. They took off and hovered at thirty feet while the team checked for survivors with heat seeking guns. There was a sudden movement on the deck below and one man turned and shot quickly killing the man but not before he had fired off a rocket towards them. They rose quickly, and so did the second heli, but the missile caught it in the rudder and it spiraled and crasher into the freighter it had just taken off of. The remaining helicopter fled the area immediately incase there were more rocket launchers around.

"You're lucky that Young called to in to report that you hadn't come to their house as you had planned." called the second in command, no now the commander, over the roar of the turbines. "If she hadn't called in you would halfway to the Middle East by now, but we managed to redirect and eventually stop the cargo ship once we found which one you were on."

"Thank you" was all mat could say before he passed out again. After checking for vitals, he slumped back in his seat and pushed a button on his watch, half a mile away the freighter exploded in a fireball. The backup incase something like this, if only they had just taken off, but no, pity would do no good now.

Ch. 6: An explanation at last

When matt came to, the helicopter was descending to a vacant field, and when they landed a solider hoisted him up in a fireman's carry and they ran to a low stone building at the edge of a near bye forest. As one man held the door as the rest marched in and down a staircase to the bottom of what seemed to be a mile long tunnel. The lead man held open a thick stone door with a strange symbol on it while the rest marched on through. All of the bumping was causing Matts' head to hurt so he closed his eyes and before he knew it was asleep again. When he awoke he was tucked into a bed of soft down, in a room made entirely of stone with only a wooden closet and a wooden door. He climbed out and was surprised to find that he was in a beautiful night gown made of silk. He found his old clothes in the closet and quickly dressed, almost a second after three people entered two he knew and one he didn't. Annie Roe, The commander, and a very old African man with a walking staff, Annie ran up and hugged him at once, and while hugging him whispered into his ear,

"I'm so sorry I should have known, I should have known" When she pulled away she was watery eyed and shaking. Shocked bye this sudden rush of emotion he sat suddenly down on the bed and looked questioningly at the other two.

"She was the one who called us and let us know you hadn't come" the sergeant explained.

"Remember I explained in the helicopter. Bye the way I'm , and this is Mr. Verner." He continued. "Matt your special, we know that and you know that so don't try and pretend differently."

"I wasn't going to try to" Matt said in a suddenly argumentative tone." I don't think normal people get kidnapped and shipped out of the bloody country, now do they!" he was shouting now and was extremely angry. What the God dam-"he stopped suddenly as he felt his throat suddenly close, after a few seconds it had stopped though and he was gasping for air. He looked around and was surprised to see lowering his hand.

"What ya do that for" he coughed, "I could've choked"

"No you wouldn't have, I know when to stop" He said in a slow voice, "I've done that before, on hundreds of occasions and soon you will know how to do it, and how to counter it."

"What the Bloody Hell are you talking about!" Matt shouted.

"Don't shout" said, still in his slow deep monotone, and try as he might Matt found himself unable to talk louder then a normal voice. "you will be trained in my fashion off my choosing, I hope for your sake, you don't fail, you wouldn't be the first if you did though" and with that he departed the room.

"He is the most powerful we have, you will be in good hands Matt you will be able to learn how to control your power after a while, also call me Walter." Srg. Mac Nelson explained, and he too left the room. Now he and Annie were alone Matt felt butterflies in his stomach and he felt nerves.

"Why don't you sit down, you look pail." She suggested, he did as he was told, and she came and sat on the bed with him. "I know this must be freighting now, but it will be fun and exciting later on."

"I'm not scared." Matt said a little louder then he usually would have, apparently the effect of what did had stopped.

"I know how you feel I really do" Annie prompted, "I'm sorry", she blushed, "let me explain. Sticking out her hand, bright purple flames appeared on her palm, Matt jumped back and looked for water, but Annie laughed, and the flames extinguished themselves. "You'll learn how to control your own fires one day, I can sense how powerful you are, but for now you look tired." She smiled, and leaning over kissed him quickly on the cheek, got up and walked out of the room, leaving Matt looking after her in a state of happy shock.

Ch 7: Power

That night Matt had a very strange dream, he was trapped in a cage, feeling about ready to explode with energy and excitement, but unable to move a centimeter in any direction. It was not the first time Matt had had the dream; in fact he had had it a lot recently, on his 14th birthday, and after he had been hit by the bus, but this time it was the most realistic, it was as if he was actually trapped, it felt horrible, and unlike before it hurt like an electric current passing through his body, and he had a massive headache.

"Ow" he said, but it wasn't said, more of a feeling he put out. What's going on here, what's happening? He thought and as if in response an image appeared in his head, Mr. Verner's face, but it wasn't his face, his eyes were full of gold light, his hair pitch black and he was speaking in that slow monotonous voice again.

"Wake up Matt, wake up." It was saying, and all of a sudden Matt was being thrust up head first at amazing speeds, lines of blueish white lights flashing by, up ahead a bright light circle at the end of the tunnel, and whoosh he was through.

"Wake up Matt, Wake up!" Mr. Verner commanded, and matt opened his eyes to harsh electric day as it was cast by the naked bulb in the hand of Mr. Verner. "It is time to begin your lessons" he continued "it is 5:10 am, you will wake up at this time every day, save for Sundays"

"What's so special about Sundays?" Matt asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about yet"

"When will you tell me?"

"When you're ready." Matt sat up, resigned to his fate, and the first thing he noticed was that he was buzzing with energy, he was usually still half asleep until after breakfast. Mr. Verner left as Matt changed into a graphic tee and a pair of jeans, and when he was ready; Matt opened the door and stepped into a dimly lit tunnel. The only light for as far as he could see was coming from the light bulb held by Mr. Verner, if it went out, he would be lost in this tunnel with only an old man to get him out. Mr. Verner nodded and they set off. Matt quickly became accustomed to the dim light coming from the bulb and after 5 minutes he noticed the light was becoming dimmer.

"Mr. Verner" he asked "how far are we from the exit"

"About 20 minutes, why", and then he noticed the light, almost gone now. "oh dear, the bulb has almost run out of electricity, why don't you hold it for a while." As soon as he let go of the bulb it went out, Matt felt weird standing there in the dark holding a bulb. Matt was shocked he had stood there for 5 minutes and only now he realized what he was holding: just a bulb, no handle, not in a flashlight, just a bulb, and that's when he heard Mr. Verner.

"Matt, focus and concentrate on the bulb, really feel it" What useless instructions, but Matt figured he might as well try. He felt the metal base and squeezed it hard.

"No! Don't squeeze it, hold it loose and push your own energy into the bulb." How had he known that, how could he have possibly known that Matt was squeezing! When he relaxed his grip he felt a strange sensation, like a heat wave, only it started in his feet and traveled up Matt's body as fast as lighting, and briefly, later Matt wouldn't have even be sure he had seen it, but the bulb sparked. Feeling hand on his he leased the bulb back to Mr. Verner, and he led Matt around a curb into a large meeting room. Matt didn't have time to realize that Mr. Verner had lied about how far away they were before another wave this time freezing cold traveled up his body and he collapsed.

1 "take him to the boat and head out now"