Hey, sorry for the wait. I had to finish up a story. Anyway, I don't own anything.
Chapter 14
"How much did you take from them?" Sarah asked, anger dripping from her voice.
"Just enough. I have what I need and they're still alive. The only person I intend to kill is Tony." Ezekiel shrugged, a slight smirk appearing on his face.
They were in a room that was very much like the room Sarah was contained in but had two beds. The unconsious forms of Jay and Avery each occupied a bed.
Sarah was madder than ever but was careful to preserve her energy. She had to find a way to get the cuff off before she tried anything. "Just barely alive though. This is what I'll be like." it wasn't a question. It was a confirmation.
"Yes. Most likely."
She glared at him. She couldn't believe she'd fallen for him. Stupid, stupid, she mentally kicked herself. "I would hurt you right now but I don't want to..." she waved her cuffed hand around.
He smiled at her helplessness. Just to show off, he shot a pulse of energy out of his finger tips. She rolled her eyes. He laughed.
"Where did you learn that, demon? Or was it part of my package?" she said sarcastically. It didn't really matter to her.
"Actually, that was before you and before I used orphans for testing."
"I miss those happy days."
He chuckled. "There's no doubt that your his."
She felt the urge to say "Do you need a blood test?" but stopped. It reminded her of her conversation with Rhodey. Somehow that comforted her. She gazed off, almost smiling at the memory.
Experimentally, he tried to throw a fireball. She ducked just in time. The fireball soared right over her head and collided with the wall, leaving a scorch mark.
Sarah felt a sudden rush of energy. That wasn't the first time she'd felt it. Before, when he'd shown off too. But she didn't know what it was until now. So, it works both ways, she thought, that's my only chance. Sure he didn't give her as much energy as she gave him but it was enough. She felt restored.
All she had to do was egg him on. Get him to show off. Then she'd be out of the cuff in a flash. She smiled at the thought of his expression but said something completely different. She doubted he knew about the two way channel. "It would be nice to get a warning."
"I didn't think you needed one." his smirk grew into a wide grin. "Your just too much fun." he pulled her out of the room and back to her "cage".
"If you want fun, go to Chuckie Cheese's." she muttered.
"So, here's the plan." Alex said.
"We have a plan?" Pepper asked.
Alex was driving toward where Sarah was being held. "Yes. Anyway, I'm going to pretend like I kidnapped you. And...you'll probably get put in the same room as Sarah. After that-"
"Room?"
"It's a small completely white room." he glanced over at her. "Why are you confused by that?"
"Well, Sarah told us that you were put in cages."
"We were but that's for experiments. He ups his game for prisoners. Sarah's probably come up with some brilliant plan but if she has-"
"You're expecting Sarah to come up with a plan?"
He sighed. "Yes. She's like that. Anyway," he was getting annoyed at all the interruptions. "if she hasn't we'll do this: he's going to attach this band thing to your wrist that saps your energy. He probably already has the same thing on Sarah. So...he'll be in the room also. So if and when he goes to sleep. You ba-"
"He'll be in the same room?"
"Yes. The band will be attached to you and him. Please stop interrupting. You can ask all you questions after I'm finished. When he sleeps, bang his head with something. Doesn't matter what...it could be your hand. Then I'll come and cut you loose. The whole time, you've got to act like you have no hope. Understand?"
"Yes. I just have one question. What if he doesn't sleep? I mean, he upgrades his biology...so I was just wondering."
"No one can escape sleep. No matter how much upgrading you do. Unless you're hyped up on caffeine but that's a whole separate thing." he smiled. "Everything's going to be fine."
Pepper sighed. She was still unsure about the plan. "If you say so."
"Hey, I was just wondering...where's Tony Stark? Couldn't he help us?"
She rolled her eyes. "He doesn't know that Sarah's kidnapped. He drank a bottle of wine and went to bed."
"He does that...a lot?"
"He said he was playing chess...he's very complex. He'll come for her eventually. I don't want to lead them to the house, Alex, before you try anything."
"Okay, okay. Get in the back, we're almost there."
Pepper nodded and climbed into the back of the car.
"Try to act like you've just woken up."
"What does that mean?"
"Act like I hit you on the head and you just woke up."
"Okay." she sat up against the wall of the car, seriously doubting their plan and hoping Sarah had thought of a better one.
Sarah laid back down on the bed with a sigh.
Her captor smiled. "Depressed?"
"A little. It's hard to keep restraining myself." she rolled away from him as far as she could.
Ezekiel, once again, felt compelled to show off. He disappeared for a couple seconds and then reappeared like a flickering image.
She closed her eyes, partly because he was giving her a headache and partly to embrace the new energy. When she opened them again, he'd become a solid form.
"Done showing off?"
He nodded. "For now."
A small figure entered the room. He seemed nervous as he spoke. "Uh...sir, Alex has just sh-shown up. He has her m-mother." he was shaking and seemed focused on his fingers.
The demon nodded. "Tell him to bring her here."
His "secretary" nodded and left.
"What's up with him?" somehow it helped her to think of Stane as Zeke. She felt comfortable enough to talk to him more but still grossed out.
He shrugged. "He's new. Apparently he was warned of what I can do."
"Good for him."
The door opened again and Alex came in as a twenty year old, holding a struggling Pepper. "Here she is." Alex said. "I have no clue where her father is."
"I'm not worried about him. He'll come eventually." Stane answered. "Just put her in the corner over there." he pointed toward the corner underneath the camera.
Alex nodded and shoved Pepper in that direction. She stumbled forward and sat down in the corner. There was already a cuff connected to her left wrist. Alex handed his boss the other end and he attached it to his other wrist.
Immediately, Sarah noticed a change in her mother. She suddenly looked exhausted. Because she didn't have a special ability, her energy would be draining from her constantly.
Sarah turned to glare at Alex. He just shrugged innocently and left. Some help that was, she thought. "Why are you taking her's too?" she asked angrily.
Stane turned to look at her. "I need all the energy I can get. Your father is very strong and I have to take him down."
"Well, if she's going to be here, she might as well know what your capable of." she said mockingly, secretly hoping that he'd show off.
He smiled and forced his hand to become flames. Sarah glanced over at Pepper. She seemed a little stronger but not by much. Sarah felt a rush of energy as well.
Stane's hand turned into it's normal form and Pepper slumped against the wall. Sarah felt guilty. She had the bed and her mother was sitting on the floor, gradually loosing her energy.
She looked over at Ezekiel. "Could I switch places with her?" she asked softly.
He looked from Sarah to Pepper and back again. After a few minutes, he nodded. "All right." he unhooked Pepper's energy line and attached it to his other arm.
Sarah got off the bed and walked over to her mother. She helped her up but Pepper had enough energy to walk over to the bed by herself. Once they were both settled, he unhooked Sarah's line and moved it to his unoccupied arm.
Sarah was mildly confused as to why he had allowed the switch but didn't question it. She didn't want him to rethink it. She only needed him to show off until he was completely sapped of energy. It would take longer than she had expected with the added factor of Pepper's energy but she would do it. It was her only chance.
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