Snheeta: Yeah, Mary is a really great friend. You'll see more of her in this chapter. Is you-know-who you? XD Alyssa better run! Things are gonna get even more intense, part of the reason I changed this from Friendship/Humour to Friendship/Adventure.
Tails1: Guess who comes in this chapter? :) I think you'll really like it. Your OC'll be on her way soon. Well, I'm not going to reveal what will happen between Natalya and Holly, but it'll be good!
Chapter Ten
I had dark bags under my eyes when I walked into the kitchen the next morning. Everyone was tired and slumped over; even Rev wasn't as cheery as usual. I noticed a spider scuttling away in the corner of the room and I shivered. Spiders were scary, but I had more important matters to address.
"Nothing?" I asked hoarsely. I had been left to my thoughts for a long time last night, my brain thinking up the worst scenarios, and I had ended up crying myself to sleep.
As an answer for everyone, Ace shook his head. "Sorry." I sighed; I hadn't expected there to be anything, otherwise they would've woken me up, but it was still hard to hear. That also meant Zadavia hadn't found anything either. We had alerted her soon after we found out my family -well, you know- and she had sent her associates (she had a lot of people working for her; these associates where also the people who tracked down the Loonatics after the meteor hit) out looking.
I took a seat at the kitchen table. Lexi slid a cup of coffee over to me. Giving her a weak, but grateful smile, I took a sip. It woke me up a little. I took another sip. "What about Mastermind?"
"She was put in the hospital for physical injuries, although she get released as soon as she arrived. Nobody tortured her physically. However the person did it, it was purely psychology," Tech explained. "I'll be examining her memories again and the rest of her brain today; you can come if you want."
"Definitely," I said, determined. I wanted to find the creep who took my family and make him pay.
(0)
I stared intently at the images on the screen. The Loonatics and I were looking at Mastermind's brain scans, and something was definitely odd. Tech then typed something on the keyboard the her memories (which were like photographs) popped up. Of course, it was through her eyes, so some of them were hard to decipher. She had been knocked out, and was now being tortured. I was glad there was no sound; I wasn't sure if I could handle the screaming.
I took Tech's hand, because he seemed to be taking this harder than anyone else. It made sense, since he knew her before she turned bad. It must be horrible. He squeezed my hand to show his thanks.
"Hey, wat's dat?" Ace said quickly. "Tech rewind," Tech did as his leader said, "-dere. Right dere. Dat looks interesting." He pointed to the screen. We all looked at where he was pointing. It was something that the person who kidnapped Mastermind (who we could only make the silhouette out of; it was a very dark room) appeared to be in the corner of the room. It looked like the top of a laser gun. It was an odd shape; like a swirled rectangle. Maybe it would be useful -thank God for Ace's optical enhancement.
Tech's grip on my hand tightened tremendously. I winced, but he let go, running a hand through his hair. He seemed very worried. "Please tell me it's not..." he muttered. He had the scene zoom in closer. He sighed. "It is," he whispered.
"Is what?" I asked, feeling a bit impatient and worried. It must be something bad because he wasn't getting right to the point, but I had spent enough time waiting.
"A power drainer," he answered. The other Loonatics didn't seem to had gotten it either, and we all gave him a confused look. Tech sighed a little. "It is a highly dangerous machine, that was invented by the government (D.O.H.D.W. -Department of Highly Dangerous Weapons). Until a highly skilled thief stole it four years ago. It was hushed up, and the case was considered closed when they found remains of the machine seemingly destroyed. That's why we were never told about it. But now it seems like the person who stole it either faked it being destroyed or made a holographic copy and has been working on it ever since."
"But you still haven't told us what it does," Duck pointed out. Tech shot him an annoyed glare.
"I was getting to that. It drains people of their power and it enhances the user."
"So like Sypher?" Lexi said.
"No. Sypher only took people's natural abilities and our powers. This machine literally drains people of all their strength, ability and knowledge until the person's-" He ended there, but we all knew what he meant. Until the person's dead.
"How does this connect to my family?" I said. Tech shook his head, frustrated -he hated not knowing.
"I don't know. Your family were just regular people right?"
"Yeah, I don't know what they would have to do with a government device." There were so many questions I felt a headache coming on.
(0)
I was pacing in the lab. Tech was looking at the power drainer machine again. It had to be a clue to why my family was taken.
"It seems its incomplete," he said thoughtfully. I glared at him. He had been looking for that thing for at least an hour and that's what he had come up with?
"That's all you've figured out?" I asked him, trying to stay calm. My emotions were running high. My family could be getting tortured right now.
"I'm doing my best-"
"Well you're not doing enough!" I burst out. I felt bad once I saw Tech's hurt expression. I took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's just-"
"I get it." He said curtly. He turned his back on him. Mentally cursing myself I sighed, sitting on the floor and putting my face in my hands. I wanted to cry. I noticed Tech glancing back at me sympathetically. "But at least that means that he's not power draining them." The thought perked me up.
"Yeah," I said, sniffling. I tried to get my emotions in check. "Thanks. Sorry."
"Apology accepted."
(0)
Sighing, I sat down staring at my MyTab. We had all spent hours racking our brains, but nothing seemed to connect to anything. Out of habit I checked my galaxymail. I had an email from my aunt Angelina (she had recently moved in with Tech's aunt Angelina and his cousin); at least she hadn't been taken.
Hi Holly,
Any news? I'm so desperate. Thank god that Angelina's daughter Natalya is here, otherwise I'd be all alone (Angelina had to go do an errand and Lacey is staying with Uncle Tyler). She managed to get some time off from her job -she does something for the government.
I love you sweetheart. Stay strong. :)
Love,
Auntie Angelina
(Lacey is my older cousin and Uncle Tyler is my mom's younger brother) I was just about to reply, when I realized something. Angelina was my mother's sister, therefore a connection to me, and technically the Loonatics. Natalya was Tech's cousin, well known by my aunt. And she worked for the government. My eyes widened.
I ran out of my room, looking for my boyfriend. Nowhere here -the lab! I ran towards, impatiently typed in the code and ran inside.
"Tech," I panted. "Your cousin, Natalya, what department of the government does she work for?"
Realization dawned on him as he spoke. "The Department of Highly Dangerous Weapons."
(0)
Tech had tried to call his cousin, who was only a year older than him, but the stupid number he had found didn't work. And she didn't have an email or anything; must be some sort of government protection thing. I emailed my aunt right away, but it might be days before she checks her email, and one day has already passed.
I was sketching, trying to take my mind off things, because all we could do now was wait, when I heard the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, I walked over and looked at the screen that showed who had come. Oh my god no way!
I got in the elevator. It seemed like it was going down more slowly than usual. Finally the doors dinged open and I tackled hugged the gray mouse anthro standing in front of it. Unfortunately I got a strand of her black hair (done into a ponytail) in my mouth and I had to stop to pick it out (grossest. Thing. EVER.)
"Oh my god I can't believe you're here!" I almost squeezed the life out of her once I was done getting the hair off my tongue (I'll rinse my mouth later.)
"Uh, Holly...can't breathe..." I released my best friend, Mary Wishbone, beaming and probably looking strange with the bags under my eyes.
"How did you get here?"
"Pulled a few strings with Darren," she explained. She had been dating Darren (a fellow mouse anthro) ever since they had been partners on a history project in the first year of university. He had graduated because he wanted to write historical fiction and worked in England, researching. That was part of the reason Mary had gone in the first place. She wanted to be a history professor. Darren's father was also interested in history, and was an accomplished pilot.
"Thank you!" I hugged her again. She's the best friend I could ask for. I mean seriously, she left England to be here for me!
"What are friends for?" She replied and grinned at me. And in that moment, I know I'll have to thank Alyssa for bullying me that day, because it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Hugging her one last time, this one less tight and desperate as the other two, we both sighed, contented. We break apart, still holding hands, when I saw something shiny. There was a ring on her finger.
"He proposed!" I exclaimed.
She nodded excitedly. I gave into my girl instincts and squealed (for the first and last time, understand?). She laughed. "Yeah, two days ago. He wanted to do it before I left. So, any leads on your family?"
I stuttered and found myself on the verge of tears a couple of times, but I told her everything: how we were trying to contact Natalya, about the power drainer and it's dangerous function, about how worried I was (that just sorta slipped out and I couldn't stop) and once I was done I realized how much I needed to say this, and how much I had needed her here. And without even saying any of that before, she still had come to my side.
Friends say "I'll be there for you when you say you need me." Best friends say "I'll be there for you, whether you say you need me or not." -Unknown. I hadn't said anything, yet she came. And if she ever needs me, (and she'll never say what's bothering her, a habit of hers) I'll come. Because we're not best friends anymore. We're sisters. And family is always there for each other.
(0)
The Loonatics were pleasantly surprised when I introduced them to Mary. There were many guest rooms in HQ, so she would have one next to mine. Lexi was also happy it was a girl. After all, the more the merrier right?
Everything was going so well, until the Loonatics went out on a mission. Mary and I chose to stay behind so we could stay on the look out for traces of my family. It had been under constant surveillance, in case whatever cloaking device was being used would slip up or shut down. Mary took my turn, since she knew how tired I was. I had tried to refuse, but she insisted.
I decided I would try to work on my art. It usually helped me fall asleep. However, on the table in the main room was a key card. Nothing was on it except for my name, which was typed out (it must've been printed out from a computer.) It hadn't been there when the Loonatics had left, and Mary and I had been hanging out here while they left before we headed to the lab together. So who had left it there? Definitely not one of the Loonatics, because it wasn't possible, and they would've just handwritten my name.
A feeling of uneasiness settled over me as I pressed the button on it. A hologram popped up, although it didn't show anything or anyone. A deep voice spoke.
"Hello Holly Fox. I am the one who took your family. I suppose you wonder why. I want you in trade for them. The rest of my motives are unimportant. If you want to save your family's lives, meet me in front of the Acme Tech University at midnight in two days. You have forty-eight hours to make your decision. Tell no one about this, or I will kill your family instantly. I will know if you have told someone. Forty-eight hours Holly Fox, forty-eight."
"Holly?" Mary called as she walked into the room; we had security cameras so it didn't always have to be watched. I slipped the key card into my pocket, heart racing. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Fine."
You know this is even meaner considering after Monday I'm going on my four day trip. Hopefully I'll update next Sunday; sorry this is so late! Also:
IdonotowntheLoonatics
I own Holly Fox, her family, the villain, Alyssa Pussycat, Mary Wishbone, Gabrielle E. Coyote, Angelina Fox, and Tyler Fox. (man that's a lot of people).
Tails1 owns Lacey Fox (Holly's cousin), Angelina Wolf (Natalya's mother) and Natalya (Tech's cousin)
Okay. PLEASE REVIEW!