Part Four! Wow; I can't believe I've written this much. Especially considering I didn't originally intend to write more than a couple chapters (please no one hit me for saying that!). Thanks to everyone who reviewed; it's so cool to read them and all the nice things you have to say…instant ego boost! Okay, so, back to the story…
Idon'townthecovenantoranyofthecharactersdon'tsuemeplease
The Sons of Ipswich walked into Nicky's, the local bar and hangout for anyone looking for a little fun. Reid headed straight for the pool table, immediately starting up a game. His first opponent was a biker, one of the many leather-clad patrons that showed up on Friday nights. Reid beat him easily; the guy wasn't very good, sinking the eight ball on his second turn and ending the game.
A few friendly games later, and two hundred bucks richer, Reid was approached by Aaron. "Hey, pretty boy. Wanna play?"
"Is the Pope Catholic?"
"All right then. Just don't cheat this time, poser."
The game was on.
Aaron was good; Reid had to give him that. But he was better. He was three-quarters of the way done clearing the table, but Aaron "accidentally" bumped into him when he was trying to sink the 6 ball, and he missed. He swore under his breath, promising to get back at Aaron. So, during Aaron's turn, he used, moving the ball just far enough away from the cue that when Aaron went to hit it he missed. Aaron tried again, and Reid moved it again. Finally he got so frustrated that he broke the cue, throwing it on the table and stalking off.
"Hey, man, no need to get so mad," Reid said cheerfully. "I guess your aim's just off today. It happens to the best of 'em." Aaron growled under his breath, his ire rising when he saw the smirk on Reid's face. "It was you. You did something, I know it!"
Aaron launched himself at Reid, succeeding in knocking him over. Reid punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Aaron kicked him in response, temporarily knocking the wind out of Reid. The fight escalated, until Nicky himself walked over. The room got really quiet. "All right, cut it out, you two, or else take it outside. Either way, you're not fighting in here; I've got patrons, if you haven't noticed." His frown brooked no argument; Reid and Aaron stalked outside, intending to finish it. Tyler, Pogue, and Caleb followed them out, intent on trying to keep Reid out of trouble.
As soon as they were outside and the door was closed, the argument resumed. "You know what, Aaron?" Reid's voice rose, and his eyes went black as night. Aaron, not knowing what was coming, stood there, glaring at Reid. "You can just cut the shit, 'cuz I'm sick and tired of dealing with you." Reid lifted Aaron by the throat, using the Power. His body was singing with it, and he finally gave in, feeling it wash over him. Why hadn't he done this earlier? It felt so damn good; his skin tingled with it, and he broke into a huge grin, his eyes flashing amber. Aaron began grabbing at his throat, plainly terrified at what was happening to him. But Reid didn't care. Caleb yelled at him to cut it out and let Aaron go, but Reid ignored him. No one was going to interfere. Aaron was going to get what was coming to him, the son of a bitch, and no one was going to stop Reid from giving it to him; no one.
He mentally squeezed Aaron's throat, and Aaron began choking and gasping, trying vainly to get air. But it wouldn't come; Reid was holding too tight, and showed no sign of letting up. Aaron began to thrash, becoming lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. Reid just laughed, reveling in the bigger man's pain.
Caleb approached him from behind, intent on tackling him, but Reid saw him coming, and threw him into the brick wall of the building behind Nicky's without effort or thought. The others backed up, nervous about the new development. They had all spent years thinking about this exact moment, the point in time where Reid would give in to the Power and lose control, but now that it had come, none of them could accept it. Pogue creeped over to Caleb, checking to make sure he was okay without being noticed by Reid. He needn't have worried; Reid was too busy getting back at the school bully for years of snide comments to bother to pay attention to the people behind him.
Caleb brushed off Pogue's attempts to help, assuring him that he was fine. "We need to do something about Reid," he whispered to the others. "We can't let him do this." Pogue and Tyler nodded reluctantly; although on some level it was nice to see Aaron punished for his actions, if they didn't stop Reid he would kill him, and that was unacceptable. Already Aaron was turning blue, and had almost entirely stopped struggling against the invisible hand crushing his throat.
Reid was unreachable. Tyler had tried to talk to him mind-to-mind, but after Reid realized that Tyler was trying to get him to stop hurting Aaron, he had severed all contact. The sheer amount of Power Reid was using was giving them all a major headache, which didn't help the situation any. So they did the only thing left; they pooled their Power and prepared to restrain Reid, and kill him if absolutely necessary. They hated to admit it, but Reid was now a threat to all of them, and they couldn't let him continue.
They threw a net of Power at Reid, working together to ensure that it was secure and would incapacitate him. The minute it began to close around him, Reid yelled, in frustration and anger and pain all at the same time. He fell to his knees, thrashing at his invisible bonds, trying vainly to escape. But the three other Sons of Ipswich were more powerful than Reid alone, and they held.
Reid quieted, realizing his efforts were futile. What the hell did they think they were doing? Aaron was an asshole; he deserved to be punished. He was breathing hard, suddenly realizing how much energy he had expended. He looked over, and saw Aaron bonelessly slide down the wall, collapsing in a heap when he reached the ground. He didn't move. Reid smirked; served him right.
The others walked over to Reid, and looked at him, sorrow in their eyes. Tyler went over to where Aaron lay, and checked his pulse. He was still alive, but barely. "What the hell were you thinking?" Caleb asked Reid after Tyler nodded that Aaron was okay. "What gives you the right to make decisions about who lives and who dies? Sure, he's a jackass, and a dick, and a million other things, but that doesn't mean you can just kill him! That's not what the Power is for!"
"Oh yeah?" Reid shot back. "And who died and made you God? It's my life; I'll do what I want with it. And just 'cuz the rest of you suckers will follow what Danvers says doesn't mean I have to; make your own damn decisions for once instead of having them spoon-fed to you." He resumed his struggling, trying to ignore his protesting body. Using had taken more out of him than he thought.
"Come on, Reid; this isn't like you." Caleb decided to switch tactics, since yelling at him wasn't working. Not that it had ever worked.
"Right, and this from the guy who keeps telling me to stop using or I'll kill myself. You should know; this is exactly like me! I mean, I'm only doing what you all expected me to do anyway; I don't know why you're so upset. It's not like this should be a surprise or anything. After all, you all kept telling me this is where I was headed…"
"But, but, you were beating it!" Tyler sputtered. "I don't get it!"
"Yeah, well, I guess it got the better of me. Suck it up." Reid didn't know why he was being such an ass; granted, he felt like crap, but that didn't mean he had to shut his friends out. They were only trying to help, after all. He knew he was a lost cause, but they were putting out a good effort; the least he could do was be nice about it.
But for some reason he didn't want to be nice. He wanted them to hurt like he hurt, every single one of them. All the feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness and the labels forced on him since he was thirteen swirled around in his head, fueling his anger at the world around him and the cards he had been dealt. He didn't want this life, but it was the one he was destined to live; everyone kept telling him that he was going to end up dead by thirty and addicted to the Power, so if that was what they all expected of him, why disappoint?
"Do you seriously want to end up like Chase, just chasing the next high and hell-bent on revenge against something that happened hundreds of years ago? It doesn't have to end this way, Reid; you beat it before, you can beat it again." Caleb didn't know what else to say; he was all out of ideas, so he fell back on recent events, hoping that somehow he would get through. He didn't want to lose his friend; sure, Reid could be an ass, but he and the others were the closest things Caleb had to brothers, and despite all their problems they had to stick together.
Reid shook his head sadly. "No, Caleb, that's the one thing you don't understand, for all your experience with this. Sure, I can keep beating it back, but it'll just try again, wearing me down until I don't have a choice. You should know that; it's what happened to your father, after all." He saw the hurt in Caleb's eyes at his cutting remark, and couldn't help but regret saying it. But he pushed it aside; he had to make them see that there was no point in trying to "save" him; he would only let them down, like he had already. If he pushed them away it would make this easier on all of them. If he could make them hate him, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much when he left.
Next chapter is on the way, so don't panic! Let me know what you think; am I laying the angst on too thick, or does it work?
