It was a quiet night that night, with everyone every one exhausted from the days events. Jeb was deeply asleep, when he felt an arm snake around him. Thinking it was one of the sisters, he moved to sit up, thinking of ways to stop them in their latest attempt to tease him. A strong hand clamped over his mouth, pushing him back down with ease. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself looking at the twinkling eyes of Adrian Zero.

He tried again to sit up, but Zero's arm was as strong as an iron bar. He kicked, but in the large bed it made no sound, nor any difference on Zero's grip. Zero grinned at his growing panic. "Now, don't be scared," he whispered, leaning down close to Jeb's ear. "It'll all be over soon."

Jeb's eyes widened, trying to claw at Zero's arm. He realized it was armor plated as it usually was. His heart pounded in his ears and his throat. Zero's other arm pulled out a knife. He let it glitter in the moonlight, and Jeb went suddenly still, shaking from head to toe. He shook his head as much as he could with Zero's hand clamped over his mouth, but Zero just grinned.

"I wish I didn't have to do this so quietly, kid. I'd love to hear your screams when I do this," he whispered. "Now, if you live, tell your dad, this one is for surviving and making me look like a fool every time…" Jeb thrashed helplessly as the knife plunged into his shoulder. "… and this is for locking me up in the Suit." The knife plunged into his other shoulder, sliding in between the bones like a burning stake.

A muffled cry sounded through Zero's fingers. Jeb felt tears come to his eyes, as Zero slid in an out of focus. Zero snickered quietly. "And as for you," he said. "This is for defeating me and my men…" the knife slid between his ribs. Zero grinned harder as he felt Jeb's lips part silently under his fingers, trying to draw in a gasping breath. "… and this is for that spoon trick you pulled." He twisted the knife slowly but steadily. He heard a few last muffling cries as Jeb thrashed one more time. He slid his knife out and cleaned it on his pants.

He waited patiently a few moments until the boy went limp, tears rolling down his cheeks. He took his hand away. "Have a nice night," he whispered, standing up and swinging himself out the window, taking one last, gleeful look at Jeb, laying nearly motionless, dry gasps wracking his body.

Some subconscious part of Jeb remembered to plunge his fist into the wound on his chest. He felt a new rush of pain as he did so, but his fist remain solidly there. He tried to call out, but he could hardly breathe, much less scream. Pain rushed through his shoulders and chest, and the world was getting darker. Something in his head told him, 'no, no, stay awake, stand up, get help, scream, stay awake,' but even that was fading away.

A scream ripped through his head, one clear thing in a world of haziness. "Oh, god, Az, get Cain, get anyone! Jeb!" His last thought was, 'DG,' before everything faded away.

-X-

The Queen walked in. "How is he?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"We got to him just in time," Cain answered, his voice hoarse and strained. "It's a miracle DG found him when she did."

The Queen walked over to her daughter. "DG?" she asked, putting her hands on her shoulders.

DG looked up at her mother. "I'm okay, mom, don't give me that look," she sighed. "And before you ask, I don't know how I knew, something just felt wrong, and so I came to check. It was just luck that Jeb's room was right across from ours."

The Queen looked at Jeb. He looked pale, young, and fragile. She tilted her head and put her hand hesitantly on his shoulder. His eyes snapped open, and he started out of bed. He was quickly apprehended by Mathia, who was the only one in the room who hadn't jumped a foot in the air. DG jumped to help her once she realized what was happening. Jeb thrashed against them, stronger than both of them even wounded.

The Queen stepped forward and took Jeb's chin firmly in her hand, turning his head to look at her. His eyes widened, and his arms went limp. His eyes slowly unfocused, and he fell back onto the bed. His eyelids fluttering, he murmured, "Zero," before going still.

Cain, only just now catching up with the events, jumped to his son. "What happened? Why…? Is he alright?"

"He needs rest," the Queen said, collapsing into a chair. "All this struggling isn't good for a wounded person."

Az gripped her seat, her knuckles white as a sheet, her face nearly as pale. "Zero," she breathed. She darted up out of her chair and fled the room. DG looked at Cain and Mathia apologetically, and dashed after her.

"Az! Az, wait!" she cried

She finally found her sister in her room, curled up and sobbing. She rushed to her side. "Az, what's the matter? Zero can't hurt us, not if we're together," she said, hugging her sister.

"I'm not afraid of him," Az choked.

"Then what's the matter?" she asked, frowning at her sister. "What happened? What did he do to you?" she added, in a sudden moment of horror.

Az took her sister's hand and guided it to her stomach. DG ran her fingers across her sister's chest. She it wasn't very noticeable, but she could feel the smallest, tiniest bump. "Oh, god," she whispered.

-X-