::Disclaimer, I own nothing but my own imagination.
::Claude makes an appearance! As does some one else... I was mean to Peter in this chapter, but he's got Nathan right! Once more, no slash, brotherly love and more characters will make appearances in future. Enjoy!
What You Can't Explain: 2
"Peter, Pete..." Peter blinked heavily as he came to, hearing his name being muttered. He raised his head slightly to see Nathan looking both worried and relieved.
"What's going on?" He breathed out vaguely. The van was awfully hot and yet he was shivering, focusing on his brother's fuzzy face was difficult.
"Shh shh, don't try to talk." The two met eyes, sharing so much in a glance that Peter barely needed to hear the snippet of Nathan's thoughts saying 'I'm gonna get you out of here' to know what he was thinking. Peter remained blearily awake as his head fell back onto his captor's arm. He felt the limb tense for a few seconds before relaxing.
Nathan desperately wanted to comfort Peter, who was still looking at him whenever he opened his eyes. But their captors seemed to dislike much noise, and Nathan wasn't naive enough to think that they wouldn't be hit a bit if they annoyed them.
After a few minutes the truck gave another violent lurch that upset Peter's lungs again. Peter hated the feeling of loosing a coughing match for oxygen as he gasped desperately in between hacking coughs. His lungs were tearing and giving up at the same time, he was reminded of when he had been let out of the police station.
Evidently his brother and captors were getting as afraid as he was that he couldn't seem to get air. As he started to panic he was vaguely aware of the raised voices around him.
"Help him why don't you!" came Nathan's worried but authoritive tones.
"Pipe down you!" Came an unknown voice and the sound of flesh on flesh followed by a grunting noise from Nathan.
"Easy, stop panicking, breath Peter, come on." Peter felt himself being lent back slightly and his head tilted backwards as his captor moved and coaxed him. He once again found himself obeying the similar words and tone that Nathan used when he was ill. Gradually he managed to take steady shallow breaths even though he trembled with the effort his lungs were being put to.
"Hey can we hurry it up! This one ain't gonna last much longer here." Peter could feel his brother's eyes on him, but didn't have enough strength to focus on anything but breathing, remaining lax in his handler's grasp.
"Calm down, were here." Came a muffled voice from up front as the van screeched to a stop. Light shone into the back as the door was lifted up and the ramp dropped, causing the four seated there to close their eyes temporarily.
Nathan was dragged to his feet and shoved out the van; landing sprawled on the ground, where he was picked up more carefully.
"Careful moron, the boss wont be happy unless they arrive in one piece."
"Yeah well they almost didn't thanks to your driving." Snapped back Peter's captor. He was carefully lifted up off the floor, head resting weakly on the man's shoulder as he was carried out the van.
"Now lets get them in before this one kicks it." The words were said harshly but Peter felt the man hold him a bit closer, as if he might be injured by the words alone.
Nathan glared at each man in turn until he was pushed into a sitting position on the ground; Peter was set down next to him. But any eye contact was made impossible as a blindfold was wrapped securely around his eyes. He felt Peter flinch as he received the same treatment, he never had liked the dark, blindness was as good as. Suddenly their predicament seemed that much more serious, his rising heart rate was evidently mirrored in his brother as he felt Peter's breathing speed up.
"Easy you two, no one panics and no one gets hurt." Peter would have been panicking at the nothingness that he saw, had Nathan not subtly shifted so that their shoulders were touching.
Knowing that regaining his health was all important at the moment Peter lent fairly heavily on his brother as offered, tilting his head back into Nathan's neck to keep his airways open and steady his breathing. Nathan allowed himself to relax and think once more as he felt Peter calm down beside him. He didn't want to think about how vulnerable Peter must look, blindfolded, wearing pajamas and leaning on him.
For now they'd just have to wait and see what happened. With Peter ill and unable to use powers, and with him being unable to use his arms and therefore unable to carry said brother. Yup, they sure were up shit creek without a paddle here.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
It was a few minutes before they moved again, whilst Peter had fallen into troubled sleep, Nathan had listened for anything he could hear. Before he had been blindfolded he had caught a glimpse of several warehouses slightly hidden by trees.
The four men that had captured them hadn't made any noise until some footsteps were heard.
"This them, don't look like much do they." Mocked an unknown voice.
"You haven't seen them in action yet." One of the original four commented dryly.
"Well whatever, bring 'em right in, the Doc's got everything prepared." With than the footsteps left again and their captors approached. Peter let out a small noise as he was removed from the safety and comfort his brother's shoulder had provided. Nathan also was hauled off the floor.
Evidently the men wanted to waste no time maneuvering the blind folded brothers around, as Nathan felt himself being lifted and carried once more. He didn't understand why it took two men to carry him when it only took one to carry Peter, he wasn't much heavier if at all, he also found it strange that he was thinking about this.
Peter's breath stuck temporarily as he was hefted into his carrier's arms. Only temporarily had he been startled from his fevered sleep. He found he couldn't keep his heavy eyes open as the swaying movement of walking lulled him to sleep again.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
The next real thing that Nathan was aware of was the high-pitched scratching of a sliding door. He assumed they were in one of the warehouses as the air became stiller, the footsteps louder.
After a flurry of movement that he assumed was corridors and stairs, they came to a halt.
"Very good, put them in, and get that one sorted out." The calm and cold voice penetrated the air as the owner walked away. Another door was opened and Nathan was dragged inside. Judging by the footsteps two of the men had remained with them, he assumed the two that had been with them in the truck.
He was dropped to the cold metal floor and felt hands ghosting around his blindfold, removing it. He opened his eyes to see a very dingy room, several random pieces of furniture were littered around, all metal, there was an unhygienic looking toilet in one corner by a sink, and near him what looked like a bathtub.
He stopped his exploration as Peter was placed next to him, he groaned as the blindfold was removed, glazed eyes coming to rest on him.
"Nathan?" Nathan tried to reach his brother as both their cuffs were removed, only his arms were still held behind him, Peter's falling loosely to the floor where he made no move to lift them.
Peter coughed weakly as he was turned over. Nathan watched his brother's confused and dazed eyes as the other man lent over Peter.
"Hey! Hey! What're-" Nathan's protests were cut shot by a slap as the other man stripped Peter of his T-shirt and pajama bottoms, only left in his boxers. Peter let out a soft moan as he came in contact with the cold floor.
"Its for his own good, he's burning up." Came the unnerving voice. Nathan could only watch as Peter was lifted and dumped into the bath.
Peter's air left him in a harsh gasp as he was submerged in what Nathan realized must be iced water.
"Ahh, no no, c-cold." He stuttered out as his body shuddered under the water. Nathan could see Peter's panicked and scared face as he fought to get out of the bath deliriously.
"Its okay Pete!" Nathan called, attracting the younger's attention. Peter's wide eyes found his, Nathan could only imagine how fast his heart would be going. "Its gonna make you better. Just relax."
Peter let out a scared sob like noise as he breathed rapidly, still twitching under the water, torn between his survival instincts and his brother.
Nathan had evidently won out as Peter eventually stopped fighting, letting himself lean back into the water as he lost the energy to fight. He lay panting heavily against the side with his eyes closed.
The two captors exchanged almost relieved glances, and Nathan's arms was let go, although a precautionary hand was kept on his shoulder.
Nathan's gaze remained on his brother, wondering exactly what was going to happen to them here. At least if they were bothering to return Peter's health they probably weren't going to dispose of them yet. But that was only partly comforting in the grand scheme of things. And Peter's pale face was doing nothing to ease his nerves.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
Peter was unaware of how much time had passed before he felt himself being hauled out of the bath. He spluttered as he was laid on the floor on what felt like a blanket.
As the soft material was wrapped around him Peter relaxed slightly. He let his eyes drop shut.
"Come on sleepy head." Vaguely Peter wondered why the man used such a soft tone with him. Once again he was picked up, he opened his still slightly panicked eyes as he was set into waiting arms.
Peter whirled around to see Nathan holding him protectively.
"Now you make sure that he lives alright? They'll be hell to pay if he's damaged prematurely. Nathan kept looking somberly as the demand was made, not breaking his gaze with the captors, Peter kept switching between the men and his brother until they had left the room and they heard the door lock.
Both breathed easier as they were left alone, Peter shifting his weight onto Nathan as they leant against the wall. Nathan held his brother closer as he felt him shiver through the blanket.
"Nathan, we have to get out of here." Peter spoke shakily and Nathan begun to run his hand through the younger's hair.
"Great idea, as soon as you can use your powers that might be an option. Shh shh, its all right, just sleep for now." Nathan patiently hushed Peter as he begun to get worked up over their predicament.
Eventually with the rhythmic movements through his hair, Peter stopped glancing around for an escape route, and calmed his breathing down, eyes falling shut. Only with his eyes closed did he realize how tired he was, and he fell asleep on his brother just as he had done when they were much younger, whenever he had awoken from a nightmare and Nathan was around.
Nathan smiled softly when Peter was asleep with the similarity of the situation, and let his own eyes drift shut.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
"Aww, well ain't that sweet." A mocking voice woke the slumbering brothers. Nathan and Peter both started, before either could react however Peter was grabbed by an arm and pulled into an upright position he could only just hold. His legs protested at the unexpected movement as the blanket was thrown off.
"Don't you start anything either." A third man warned Nathan who was crouching in readiness to aid his brother.
As Peter was turned around and pulled straighter, he felt a certain lightness catch his body for a split second. Nathan watched as Peter turned his head to face him, there was a renewed gleam of hope in his eyes. Nathan barely needed to see Peter's small nod after he thought 'they're back' to know that at least a bit of power had returned to his brother.
Peter was lead down a series of maze like corridors, eventually the three men escorting him stopped and opened a door.
"Enjoy..." Sneered one of the men as the door opened. Beyond Peter saw a sterile white environment, it was a lab. Only when he saw a table bearing restraints did he try to fight back.
His efforts of trying to jerk out of their grasps, kick, hit and generally disrupt the three guards came to nothing as they forcefully picked him up and strapped him to the table.
The thick leather straps on his arms, legs and chest refused to budge as the men stood back and watched.
Peter fell still as a figure loomed over him. Tall and well built the dark haired man sneered down at him, part fascination, and part malevolent.
"Well well, I have been waiting to get my hands on you, I'm sure we'll have a great relationship." A couple of the men sniggered. Peter looked around, breathing heavily, he was sure he should plead his case, but somehow his brain had disconnected from his mouth.
His focus was redirected to the cold man as he saw an object flash within his hands.
"In our time together I shall test these powers of yours, see their limits. To start with that incredible ability to regenerate after being blown up. I wonder how much of your rapid tissue growing that took up." The words registered slowly in Peter's mind, he was too busy worrying about the scalpel the man was holding.
As the tool descended to his chest Peter focused as hard as he could, to his relief, the knife flew out of the man's hand.
"Oh well done! But we can't be having that now can we..." Before Peter knew it another scalpel had replaced the last. Once again Peter managed to throw it away telekinetically.
The man was beginning to get pissed. Peter managed to rid him of another three knives, but he was panting heavily. The next time, as the figure brought the implement down, Peter only managed to make it jerk slightly in the man's grasp.
"Ah, run out have we? Not to worry, you wont need that power for this." Peter struggled, both physically and mentally, as the tool descended to no avail.
As he felt the cold metal pierce his chest he begun to scream, the world seemed to revolve around him sickeningly as the pain increased.
Miles away, Claude awoke with a scream of his own.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
The invisible man sat panting in his bed, well someone's bed, he was loafing at a deserted apartment. Usually Claude would pass of dreams as unavoidable, but pointless. However, this one had been real.
He had seen the poodle being cut like a frog at a dissection class in front of his eyes, heard the screams, felt his panic. This was no mere dream. The poodle was in a fix, and once again it had been placed on Claude to step up to the challenge.
He couldn't help but admit he had a soft spot for Peter, if only because he could see him when no one else could, and could do what he could do. Damn it all if he had gone and got attached to the man, but he just had that kicked puppy look about him.
And no one should go and re-kick his poodle after he worked his arse off to get him un-kicked, metaphorically at least, not physically evidently.
Now he had to face something he really didn't want to. He needed Bennett's help.
Removing from his trench coat pocket a phone he never used, he dialed for Bennett. After only two rings, not enough time to rethink, the man picked up.
"Claude, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh the pleasures all mine Noah I can assure you." The other man let out a short laugh. "I just thought you ought to know that the human bomb's been captured. Now unless I'm very much mistaken you've 'changed' your ways, so who could it be I wonder." Claude's usual joking sarcastic voice was met with the desired serious tone that showed Noah really wasn't a part of this, and would help.
"Where is he?"
"Well that's what I need your help for isn't it. You and whatever latest tracking system you've got."
"I'll send you the location of where were meeting, I've got to get Mohinder Surresh on the phone." And with that he hung up.
'Well that could have been more awkward.' Claude thought as he moved to the fridge to 'borrow' one of the owner's beers.
::Y ::G ::T ::H ::O
Nathan looked up as the door opened, pouring light into the metallic room. He shielded his eye as something was thrown inside and the door closed. As the natural, for the room, light level returned, Nathan looked to see his brother lying on the floor, not making much effort at moving.
"Pete! Come on buddy its all right." Nathan swiftly turned his brother over only to be horrified by what he saw.
There were thin red lines all over Peter's chest, the majority were faint, but there were a few that were open and bloody, having been stitched up in a crude manner, others were raw looking.
Peter groaned as Nathan lifted him and moved back to the wall, wrapping his still mostly naked brother in the blanket.
"Nathan?" Peter sounded so weak and scared that Nathan once again found himself running a hand through his hair.
"Shh, I've got you, your safe now." Nathan heard Peter give off a soft sob as he lent further into his shoulder. "Shh shh, its okay, it's going to be okay." Because that's what Peter needed to hear right now.
Nathan stroked Peter's hair as he drifted off to sleep. If this had happened back home he would've left already to find and imprison the men who did this to his little brother, using his wide range of connections. Now he realized, that this was what Peter needed more, after all, it was what he would do to Nathan in a similar situation, if Nathan ever let him.
For now, he was just glad they were together again. Peter may have been going through torture, but Nathan had been in a torture of his own wondering what was happening to him.
The worst thing was, no one would be looking for them, as everyone who would be had seen the explosion. This would fall under the category of 'one of those days' for Nathan, even if it was to the extreme.
::Yay! Finished another, I'm giving this to you guys now cos I'm off for the weekend, so please leave me lots of nice reviews for when I come back!
::Thank you for reading, please let me know ya thoughts
::shadowtheo.