100
The light was piercing, and Teag closed his eyes against it as he woke.
"Ze Oni subject has regained consciousness," a droning voice said from somewhere nearby. Teag tried to swallow, but his throat felt raw and tight. His breathing became gasping as he panicked. He couldn't remember where he was, and he was realizing that his arms and legs were restrained as he laid on some kind of flat surface. A few hazy faces hovered above him. They all looked the same, with coverings over their eyes.
"Vitals are getting stronger. Contacting Zerek now."
Teag blinked desperately, trying to clear his vision. "Where am I?" he croaked. His body felt heavy, like a boulder mired in mud. He wanted to cry, but he was almost too tired to do even that.
"Continue ze hydration drip, and prepare food. Its body may reject solids...if so, continue feeding zrough a throat tube."
"Go away..." Teag managed, closing his eyes. Glimmers of memories were coming back now, just enough for him to know that these men were bad, and that they would hurt him. A grey-eyed Asahkar came to mind, carrying a device full of pain. Teag shuddered in fear, but then a new voice called out in the echoing room.
"Get away from me! You can't keep doing this..."
Teag blinked tiredly, turning his head to see if he could see who the speaker was. He realized that there was another bed a yard or so away from him, and it looked like the person stretched on it was similarly restrained. However, unlike Teag, he was fighting his restraints.
"Ze Master of Vater is conscious. Prepare food and his evening draught," one of the emotionless men ordered. The person in the other bed lurched, and now that Teag's vision was becoming clearer, he realized that it looked like he was crying.
"I won't eat anything you give me!" the young man yelled. He had yellow skin, like the white-coated captors, but it seemed he was as much a prisoner as Teag. It made the Oni frown in confusion. What had that young man done to warrant him being here?
The white-coated men began to file out of the room until there was only one left, tapping some kind of glowing square across the room. Teag turned back to the other prisoner as he watched him fight. Teag wondered if he should be fighting too—what were they going to do to them in here? However, he was too exhausted to do much more than blink, so he doubted that he would be able to put up much of a fight.
"Who are you?" he finally croaked. At first, the weeping young man didn't seem to hear him, but as Teag managed to repeat his question louder, the other prisoner finally opened his eyes and turned. He blinked the tears from his eyes, his fearful expression clouding with confusion. His eyes look like Prince Theodynn's, Teag realized.
"An Oni?" the young man finally managed, studying Teag.
"I'm Oni," Teag agreed. "But you aren't."
"No I'm..." the man's expression twisted, and he began to lurch as he fought his restraints again. "Let me go!"
Teag swallowed hard. Was the young Asahkar in pain? His breathing was coming out in short gasps, and Teag could see him trembling.
"Are you all right?" the Oni finally asked, wishing he could shrink away from the writhing young man. At last, the young man stopped thrashing, though his expression was just as pained as ever.
"I have to get out of here," he managed, his voice breaking.
"Did...did they use the box on you, too?"
The young man looked back again. "The box?"
"The one that..." Teag shuddered hard, fear causing his throat to close.
The young man looked concerned, but then he shook his head. "What is an Oni doing here?" he finally asked.
"The Buyer brought me here, with all the others." Teag's eyes filled with tears at last. The rest of his memories had trickled back, and he was filled with despair as he remembered how hopeless his situation was.
"Buyer?" the other young man murmured. Teag closed his eyes as tears began leaking out. After a moment, his fellow prisoner spoke again. "What's your name?"
"Teag."
"I'm Colby." The young man's voice was soft, and Teag realized he sounded as tired as he was.
"Why are you here?" Teag finally asked as he opened his eyes. "You don't have oni power...do you?"
Colby exhaled shakily. "He's after Oni power too?"
"Too?"
The young man didn't answer, his brow furrowed in thought. However, then Teag heard a door open. He turned to see that the other two men had returned, each carrying a bowl. Teag stiffened as one came to his bed, and by the thrashing he heard from Colby, he knew the other had gone to him.
"Leave me alone," the young Oni begged, but then the bed under him was moving. He cried out in fear as it rose up on it's own, and suddenly he was in a sitting position. He tried to fight against his restraints, but he had to give up quickly. Whatever the horrible box had done to him, it had left him with little energy. Teag watched as the man stirred the lumpy food in the bowl before bringing a spoonful to Teag's face. The Oni turned away from it.
"Zerek requires that you gain strength," the man commanded. "Eat, or ve vill force you to eat."
Teag clenched his jaw, but from this position, he could see Colby fighting a similar battle with the man trying to feed him. The Asahkar was thrashing, turning every which way to avoid the food that was offered. Was something wrong with the food? What did the other prisoner know that Teag didn't know?
A gloved hand clamped onto Teag's jaw, forcing him to look back at the man offering food. Teag squeezed his eyes closed, and he felt the spoon with cold mush press to his mouth. He continued to keep it glued shut, but as the grip on his face became more painful, it creaked open at last. He choked as the food was forced in, gagging at the texture.
"If ve must feed zem from tubes vile zey are unconscious, so be it. Zere is less nutritional value to be gained, but it vill sustain zem vell enough." A new voice entered the room, and Teag swallowed in fear as he recognized it. He refused to open his eyes, but then he felt a hand resting on his head. "It seems his body has regenerated ze energy it needed to continue survival."
Another spoonful was forced in, and Teag found himself too frightened to fight. He ate the offered food, and Zerek's voice continued above him.
"Very good, Teag. Zere are ozers at Estyeer who vould be grateful to eat vat ve are giving you now."
A sob escaped, nearly causing him to choke on the food that he was trying to eat. He could feel his whole body trembling, and Zerek pat his head comfortingly.
"I am glad to see zat you have recovered. It vill be good to have Oni power on hand in ze coming days."
"Why do you have Oni?" Colby shouted. It sounded like he was still fighting, though Teag couldn't bring himself to open his eyes to check. "What are you trying to do?"
"It does not matter," Zerek offered. "Vonce your part in it is completed, your role here at Estyeer vill be over. Have patience a little longer, Mr. Valker, and you can be released, just as your girlfriend vas."
"You liar!"
"See for yourself."
The other prisoner went quiet. Teag's own captors had finally finished feeding him, and he cautiously opened his eyes to see what was going on. Zerek was indeed here, standing nearby. He was holding up one of the strange glowing squares that he and his cronies carried around everywhere, and the prisoner's expression was contorted as he stared at it. After a moment, he exhaled shakily.
"Why...why is she in the hospital?" he demanded at last before looking up at Zerek with tears in his eyes. "What did you do to her?"
He began to fight again, but then Zerek was reaching out. There were tubes dangling next to the prisoner, connected to him through his arm. As Teag watched, Zerek fiddled with one of the tubes, his expression as calm as ever. The prisoner continued to thrash for a few moments, but then his whole body sagged.
"You...villain..." Colby managed, but then his eyes closed as his body went lax. Teag's heart pounded in fear, not understanding what had just happened. He looked down at his own arm, where similar tubes were attached.
"Do not fret, Teag. I vould razer not put you under, as I need your body to continue to grow stronger. Being forced into unconsciousness is not ideal for gaining energy."
"Is he dead?" Teag managed at last.
Zerek tilted his head as he studied the unconscious Asahkar. "Not yet."
"You're killing him?" Teag flinched hard, the mush already trying to claw its way back up his throat. "What did he do? Why are you hurting him...isn't he one of you?"
Zerek turned to meet Teag's eye. His gaze was as cold as always, despite the smile he offered. "You mistake my meaning. Mr. Valker is fine...he is not dying. However, I cannot guarantee zat vill continue in ze coming days."
"You just said you would let him go," Teag remembered numbly.
"I said he vould be released from Estyeer," Zerek corrected. "Sadly, I cannot release him alive, as I have done viz ozers." His hand went out to rest on Colby's head. "Vonce ze element has been vithdrawn, I vill not have any continued use for him...but if I released him alive, ze loss of his element vould raise questions. But if he vere not alive..." He shrugged. "Elemental power vanishes in death, so it vould not raise as much suspicion."
Teag had no idea what he was talking about in regards to elements, but he was horrified that the man could talk about killing someone so calmly. Teag had met cruel people in his life, but there was no malice in this man's gaze. For some reason, it almost made him more frightening, knowing their very lives didn't matter to him at all.
Zerek began coming toward Teag, and the Oni closed his eyes again as fear set in. The man stopped behind Teag's bed, and the Oni flinched as the bed began to move again, this time going back to a flat position. He couldn't stop the tears that leaked out as he felt himself lowering, not sure what to expect for his own fate.
"Try to get some sleep, Teag. I need you at full strength."
Footsteps made it clear that the man was leaving, but Teag kept his eyes closed. He continued to weep silently until sleep found him at last a while later.
Watching Iona work on Rook reminded Tolan of a time when the Ancient had forced Hershel through a similar exercise, searching his mind for clues for hours at a time. He hoped that this time wouldn't be as long. He could see tears dripping down Rook's face already, and he wondered if this is what Theo had wanted him to stop. The young woman had stopped gasping or crying out, but it didn't seem like she enjoyed having her mind searched through.
At last, the aura around Iona's hands winked out, and Tolan watched as both women sagged in exhaustion. Rook basically toppled sideways, only half-catching herself as her eyes flew open. She was shaking, and Iona wiped at her face wearily.
"Go get the tea boiling," the Ancient ordered at last, glancing over at Tolan. He didn't enjoy taking orders from the Xinta, but as he glanced back at the shaken young woman, he finally moved to where Iona kept her tea kettle.
"You lied to me." Rook seemed to finally find her voice, and Tolan glanced over to see the young woman glowering at the Ancient. "You said you would only look for the Buyer..."
"I did only look for that memory," Iona snapped back. "It was your buried memories that sprang forward on me. If you had managed to control your mind better, we could have both saved energy and time."
Rook looked like she wanted to say something else, but instead, she shuddered and closed her eyes as more tears leaked out. Tolan was using his aura on the tea kettle, and after a few minutes, it began whistling. He swiped two teacups and brought them over and dumped them unceremoniously next to the Xinta. Iona sighed in annoyance, but she poured a cup of tea for herself and for Rook. Tolan watched as the Xinta offered the tea to the young woman still trembling across from her. Rook made no move to take it.
"The tea will help," Iona insisted.
"I didn't know that you'd make me relive the memories." Rook's voice was hushed as she seemed to be avoiding eye contact. "You didn't tell me that part. I thought you were just going to look."
"I can hardly look at memories without them getting brought back to your own mind," Iona huffed. "Now drink your tea."
Tolan watched for a few minutes before finally speaking up. "Did you ever find the right memory?"
Both women glanced over at him, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Iona groaned as she pushed herself to her feet. "I found it," she agreed. "Where'd the prince head off to?"
"Theodynn went out for fresh air," Tolan offered vaguely.
Iona shook her head. "Boy wakes me up in the middle of the night and makes me do an empathetic connection, then can't be bothered to stick around for the results." She met Tolan's eye. "Well? Go get him."
"He's having a private conversation," Tolan countered. "I'm sure he'll be back when it's over."
Iona's expression crumpled in confusion, but then understanding flickered across her features. Rather than answer, the Xinta immediately made her way to the entrance, and Tolan watched her leave. He was tempted for a moment to stop her, but he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't have let him.
As the curtain fell back into its place over the doorway, Tolan turned his attention back to Rook. She still hadn't touched her tea as she hugged herself and glowered at the ground.
"Are you all right?" he asked at last.
"Like you care," she hissed through clenched teeth.
"You agreed to do this..."
"No one told me I was going to have to relive all of that!" she snapped back, turning to face him. However, her anger dissolved into further tears as her expression crumpled again.
"So you wouldn't have, if you had known?" Tolan asked. He still didn't know what to make of Rook, but unless she was a world-class actress, he could tell this whole experience had trully shaken her. She didn't answer him, and he took a step closer. "Why did you agree to let Iona in your mind?"
Rook finally composed herself somewhat, taking a deep breath. She wouldn't look at him as she tried to get an answer out. "It was the only way. He said that he wouldn't trust me otherwise."
"Why do you need him to trust you so badly?" Tolan asked.
She wiped viciously at the tears on her face, scoffing darkly. "I get he hates me, okay? And I get that I deserve to be hated..." her expression contorted again, and she shook her head. "But maybe I wish I could change that."
"I just don't understand why—"
"He's the only one in this whole, messed up world I can trust. Okay?" Rook turned to glare at him, as if willing for him to challenge her. Tolan fell quiet as he processed her answer, and she turned back to face her cup of tea. She still didn't pick it up, giving it a deadly look as if she were convinced that it was poisoned. After a few minutes, the curtain rippled again, and Tolan turned to see Theo enter the room. When the Ancient didn't follow behind, Tolan frowned.
"Where's Iona?"
"Talking with Haiven," Theo offered. He was looking at Rook, but the young woman was keeping her back to him. After a moment, the young man walked around to get a better look at her. When he caught sight of the tears on her face, his own expression became pained. "What happened?"
"What happened is that wrinkled hoofer you sicced on me just spent however long dragging me through every painful memory I've ever had!" Rook snapped, though she still didn't meet his eye.
Guilt flickered across Theo's face. "I didn't mean for her to look at anything more than your memory with the Buyer."
"Yeah, well...that didn't happen." Rook folded her arms crossly as her accusatory tone grew strength. "Do you have any idea what it's like, reliving watching your parents die?" Theo froze, and Rook shoved her hair from her face. The tears seemed to be subsiding now as she grew angry. "I hope it's worth it, getting whatever it was you wanted from my head," she said. "I'll be having nightmares for weeks, I'm sure."
"I'm sorry." Theo's tone was soft, and Tolan watched as Rook finally glanced back over at him.
"Why couldn't you have just taken my word for it?" she demanded, though her anger seemed to have lost steam.
"You know why." Theo sighed as he finally lowered himself to the ground as if he was too worn out to stay standing any longer. "I needed to know that you were telling me the truth, before I stake everything on this. But I...I didn't mean for you to have to relive anything else." He shook his head. "I know what it's like, to have to relive those kinds of memories against your will."
Tolan watched carefully. Theo reached out to take the cup of tea sitting nearby, drinking it slowly as Rook watched him.
"How did you even know she could do that?" she asked at last. "I've heard of Xinta, but I had no idea they could go into people's minds like that." She shuddered hard.
Theo was quiet for a moment, and then he sighed. "I guess I've had my fair share of it."
"She's done this to you before?" Rook realized. "Why? What was she trying to learn?"
Tolan furrowed his brow as he watched to see what Theo would say. When had Iona ever gone into Theodynn's head? Before the young man answered, the door moved as Iona came in once again. Her gaze was cold as she found Theo in the room.
"I did not allow you to come here just so you could wake Haiven up in the middle of the night and break her heart all over again."
"I didn't wake her up," Theo pointed out tiredly. "She came to me...and I think the conversation was a needed one." Tolan could see Rook's confusion, but if she had questions, she wisely didn't ask them. Theo finished off the tea before looking up at Iona. "Did you find the memory?"
Iona didn't look like she was ready to drop the subject, but she finally sighed in defeat. "I believe so."
"What did you see?"
"He is from your realm, that much is clear. The clothing the outsiders wore was strange—long, white coats. The Buyer had features similar to your father...but he spoke strangely. Grey hair, hard eyes."
Rook huffed. "Do you believe me now?" she muttered. Tolan had to admit, the description was basically the same as the young woman had offered in her cell earlier that day.
"Yes, I believe you now," Theo admitted. She glanced over at him, and to Tolan, it seemed like Rook was trying to decide whether to be annoyed or relieved. The young man turned his attention back to Iona. "What about his name? Was there anything hidden in the memory...any words or phrases?"
"There was no name exchanged," the Xinta admitted. "But there was something definitely off about him. It was hard for me to really understand what it was, as I cannot connect to him through someone else's memory." Her expression darkened. "If that man has Raiyn now..."
"Is...there anything you noticed, Rook, from reliving the memory?" Theo asked, turning to the young woman. She looked up in surprise, but then she huffed.
"I didn't spend long with him," she admitted. "I met with him first out in the area that they always transported to, and we discussed the payment he brought. I went in expecting a barter, but he made it clear he wasn't the bartering type. We got our normal pile of supplies from his realm, and his men loaded up the dozen or so slaves we had onto dragons. He...thanked me at the end, and said that it was pleasant doing business with me." She shivered. "He seemed so polite the whole time... but there was something so cold about the way he looked at me. It made me feel strange, like he viewed me as some child that he was pretending to do business with. I'm not sure if it was because he knew Quazier sent me and that I didn't have experience doing it before, or if..." she trailed off.
"If what?"
"He was amused by all of us. I couldn't shake the feeling that he thought we were all less than him, somehow. Like he was just playing with us, and that we were getting the worse deal. I looked over the stuff he had brought over and over, trying to find the catch...but he had given us the same amount that he always had." She rubbed her arms. "I told Imgloss that I would never run another trade after that. In fact, I made certain I wasn't even in camp for the exchanges after that day."
Theo nodded his understanding, but he seemed lost in thought. Everyone was watching to see what he would say, but when he stayed quiet, Iona finally spoke up.
"If that's all you need from me, I'd like to go back to sleep," she said pointedly. Theo glanced up to meet her eye, and she gave him a grim look. "But please...go looking for Raiyn as soon as you can. Based on what we've seen in the dream, and what I just saw of the Buyer..." Iona's expression fell. "The child needs protecting. Please go find and protect him."
Tolan watched as the young man took a deep breath and nodded. "I promise, I'll do all I can."
101
The android was stable in her forced state of stasis as Zerek typed into the device plugged into her core. He was impressed with the security that he had to slip through in order to reach her main hardware, but in the end, he had managed to break through. He had accessed her internal memory systems first, carefully editing what she had experienced while at Estyeer. This process would be the riskiest chance he took, but in the end, Zerek had decided the risk to be worth the endeavor. Julien was slipping, and he wasn't sure the young man would be able to figure out how to remove elemental powers on his own. Having Zane on hand would definitely increase the chances of moving forward in that endeavor, not to mention that he would be able to acquire the element of ice. However, he was still deciding on what the best decisions would be moving forward regarding the androids he had lured to Estyeer.
Zerek typed in further code, allowing the insentient android to connect to the systems of Estyeer. In doing so, he was able to connect her to a network to send a message to those who would no doubt wonder where she and Zane were.
We were not able to learn any new information about Julien or the others from Dr. Zerek or the MIRI, he typed. However, we have decided to extend our stay to help create more advanced drones that would better our ability to find those still missing. Network connection has been patchy, but you can expect to hear from us in the next few days.
He sent the messages out to anyone that the android had been in contact with the last few days about the missing teens, and nodded to himself. Rationally, the others would not find it suspicious that androids claiming parenthood over one of the missing hikers would want to put their intellectual abilities to work in helping find them.
Having completed everything he had set out to do, he carefully maneuvered his way back out of the android's hardware, careful to leave no coded imprint of his time in her systems. At last, he disconnected his tablet from her, allowing her to go back into her uninterrupted stasis. For a moment, Zerek merely studied her. Her systems were more advanced than his...at least, more advanced than his had been in the past. She carried a far more complicated cranial system as well, from what he observed. It seemed Borg had gotten better over the years...but Zerek still gave the inventor no credit for his personal achievements. It did make him wonder if this higher attention to detail in his digital assistant was the reason that she had risen to a level of intelligence that more closely resembled humanity.
Zerek eventually turned away, talking to a nearby staff member. "Keep her in stasis," he commanded. The android nodded his understanding, and Zerek left the chamber. He mentally went through the checklist in his mind of everything there was to stay on top of. He was pleased about what he had managed to accomplish so far, but there was still much to do, and time was running out to do it.
He visited the cafeteria briefly as he thought about the steps that would need to be taken in the next few days, and eventually he found himself back at his office. He opened the door, and the whimper as he entered let him know that the child was awake. Zerek turned on the light in the office, and he watched the small boy wince and draw back as the darkness he had been kept in was dispelled.
"Good Evening," Zerek offered. The child stared at him with fear and mistrust, the tear tracks evident on his face. The android studied the young prisoner thoughtfully. The boy would probably benefit from a walk to stretch his legs, but containing the mutated Oni was a tricky problem. The box that had been constructed had worked thus far to keep the young boy from being able to escape through transport, while also not condemning him to a lax state by forcing him to wear vengestone. If he were let out of his confinement, the boy would have to be put in vengestone, which would in turn make it impossible for him to get any form of exercise.
"I suppose we must simply embrace this as a less than ideal situation," Zerek mused. The boy continued to stare at him, once again fixing him with the look he often tried. The young Oni's gaze would become distant, and Zerek would pick up spurts of energy coming off of his form...but there was no actual consequence for it. After maintaining eye contact for a little while, the child sagged as he gave up. Zerek smiled thinly as he opened the hatch in the vengestone mesh long enough to slide the bowl of porridge through. The child took the food and immediately began eating it. Of all those Zerek kept at Estyeer, the small boy was the best about eating and sleeping regularly. As young as he was, he didn't seem to think it necessary to try to gain control of his situation by refusing food or rest, like the others were prone to do. Such defiance was always in vain, as starving and being sleep-deprived really did nothing to better the prisoner's situation in the long run.
The boy finished the porridge and licked the bowl before pushing it back to the mesh flap. He often cried or pleaded, but all in all, the child was an obedient prisoner, and Zerek had decided to keep him close at hand in his office. The box was large enough to be inconvenient, as it contained a mat for the child to sleep on, as well as a small portable toilet that staff cleaned out twice a day while the child was kept docile with vengestone.
"Have you had any dreams, Raiyn?" Zerek asked as he retrieved the bowl before locking the hatch shut. The child stared at the wooden floor of his confinement.
"Tent-men hurt Teag."
"It was a necessary procedure...one that we have learned a lot from," Zerek offered as he moved to give the bowl to a staff member that he had mentally summoned. The staff member moved off with the bowl to take it back to the kitchen, and Zerek shut the door. "You should be happy to know that Teag has woken—his body was able to recover from the experiment. Though, given your talents...perhaps you already knew that."
"Tent-men bad." The child's eyes narrowed, but Zerek merely smiled as he moved to sit in the chair next to the containment unit.
"Have you had any dreams, Raiyn?" the android asked again, studying the child closely. Since the young Oni had been confined, he often babbled or cried, but the more Zerek paid attention, the more he realized that the child may very well have a specific gift. Though nothing in his study of oni power indicated they possessed oracle abilities, his study of the mutated child had already shown that he was capable of things that other oni throughout history were not.
The child rubbed at his eyes. The night was waxing on, and it seemed that now he had been fed, Raiyn was winding down. He whimpered for a moment.
"Momma...Raiyn wants Momma and Daddy..."
"Do you have anything else to say?" Zerek asked kindly as Raiyn curled up on his small bed mat.
"Thee-thee coming," the boy mumbled as he began to drift off to sleep. Zerek's smile grew.
Zane added another few components onto the circuit he was building, scanning it with a frown. The machine's makeup was technically simple, but finicky enough that he wasn't sure if any additions would allow it to continue to function. The android sighed and lowered the circuit. The biggest problem was that he wasn't sure if a mere machine could accomplish what Zerek wanted. In all Zane's experiences with elemental power, it wasn't something that could be forced to obey through mechanical processes. Even though he was an android himself, he didn't feel like it gave him any advantage toward elemental control. An even head and patience for learning, perhaps...but just because the element of ice considered him a worthy vessel didn't mean that Zane could physically pull any other elements from their own vessels. There would need to be a different way to approach an elemental removal, but he was struggling to figure out what.
Zane turned to ask Julien his thoughts on the newly completed circuit, but he paused as he realized his son was asleep. The young scientist was resting his head on his arms, his breathing slow. All around him, robotic pieces were scattered on the table. Zane scanned Julien carefully, the inner ache still present. Julien's face was gaunt, and he had lost a few pounds since Zane had last seen him in Ninjago. His facial hair had grown out in unkempt patches. Zane reached out to gently brush Julien's flopping hair from his face, and the young man jerked awake. Zane pulled back as he registered his son's spiking adrenaline.
"You are all right," he said quietly, trying to still Julien's sudden panic. The young man's chest heaved for a few moments as he straightened the glasses on his face, looking around with wide eyes. When he caught sight of Zane, he sagged. The android smiled softly. "It is early morning now. You should get some sleep."
"No." Julien rubbed at his face viciously as he sat up in his chair. "I can do it."
"There is no need; you are exhausted," Zane tried. "I will continue working. I do not need sleep, but it is clear you have been working on this for many hours without—"
"I am fine," Julien cut in, his tone sharp. Zane blinked, and his son's expression flickered with shame. "I can do it," the young man repeated softly as he reached for a screwdriver. Zane watched as Julien pulled the machine toward him, but then the Nindroid was reaching out again.
"Please, Julien."
Julien didn't say anything, but his heart rate quickened. He continued working as Zane watched, but eventually, he lowered the screwdriver. "I cannot go to sleep."
"Why?"
Julien swallowed, and Zane could see his hand trembling as he turned the machine to look at it from a different angle. "Because if I do, you will not be here when I wake up."
Zane's expression softened with understanding, and he reached out to take the screwdriver from Julien's hand. He could see the glint of tears in the younger scientist's eyes, and the nindroid spoke firmly. "I am not going anywhere," he promised. Julien sagged, and Zane moved closer so he could guide the weary scientist to lean on him.
"If we cannot figure this out, he will do something horrible to you," Julien whispered as his head rested on Zane's shoulder. Zane did not answer; he was aware of Zerek's plan to use the machine to steal the elemental power inside of him...and he was also aware of what could happen should the machine malfunction. So rather than say anything, Zane accessed his internal files and began playing a song logged away on his mainframe.
Julien's eyes opened again as he heard it. "Why are you playing this?" he mumbled as the gentle piano music continued.
"Soft instrumental music is scientifically proven to help people sleep," Zane offered. He hesitated before adding, "This is what P.I.X.A.L and I used to play to help you sleep when you were very young."
"This very song?"
Zane smiled softly, pulling up the memory from his hard drive. "Caring for a young child was a learning curve for us both. We conducted a lot of research on the best way to go about doing it...but we learned that parenting is not an exact science. We often relied on sensory aides to help us in comforting you, such as music."
Julien let out a shuddery breath. "What do you think Zerek has done with Mother?"
Zane's smile vanished, anger invading his nostalgic feelings. "I do not know." The song continued playing on repeat, it's light tones jarring with the foreboding in the room. However, as the minutes passed, Zane realized that Julien's breathing and heart rate had slowed once again. With his arm around Julien to keep him secure, Zane could not really do much building, but he did not want to interrupt this moment of rest.
Time stretched on, and Zane tracked Julien's journey to deeper states of sleep. However, he left the soft music playing. Eventually, Zane turned to the door as he picked up movement. Sure enough, the door to the laboratory was sliding open. The Nindroid watched as Zerek entered, looking as rested as ever, despite the earliness of the hour. The grey-haired scientist's steps were soft as he approached, and as Zerek's eyes darted to the machine, Zane knew he was scanning it.
"Little progress," the other machine pointed out calmly, his voice soft.
Zane's eyes narrowed. "Julien cannot work all hours of the day," he pointed out just as quietly. The young man on his shoulder slept on, and Zerek's mouth twitched slightly as he glanced at Julien.
"I suppose he cannot. It seems I forgot to bring him his nightly draught."
"Did you hold Dani and Agatha prisoner here?" Zane asked, changing the topic completely. Zerek's expression showed no surprise at the change.
"Yes."
"You released them," Zane pointed out. "And based on what I heard, Dani at least had no memories of her time here."
"Right again," Zerek agreed, seemingly amused.
Zane studied the other scientist. Over the years, he had often tried to connect to villains' logical sides, but often their emotion overpowered their ability to listen; things like ambition, loneliness, greed, or a need for revenge got in the way. However, now the Nindroid found himself in an exact opposite situation. "If you could release them...you could release Julien," he said at last, his gaze unwavering.
"I released ze ozers because zey vere not useful to me. Julien Cyrus, on ze ozer hand..."
"You do not need him," Zane insisted. Their conversation continued to be quiet. It seemed neither wanted to wake the sleeping young man. "He does not have an elemental power, and any progress on this machine could be made by me. I have far more experience with elemental-mechanical fusion—"
"You are offering to take his place." It was a statement, rather than a question, and Zerek continued to look amused.
"I am." Zane waited to see what the other android would say, and Zerek was quiet as his steel eyes flicked from father to son.
"I knew you vould," the scientist mused at last. "It is a tempting svitch...practical in all vays but one."
"What way?"
"Your disappearance vould be directly linked to me...vhere Julien's can still be pinned on an ill-fated adventure."
"You cannot release me regardless," Zane pointed out softly. "My memories would incriminate you—"
"I have ways around zat," Zerek murmured. His confidence made Zane's gears churn with foreboding, but he continued regardless.
"Even if I did not remember what occurred here, if you were successful in your goals, I would return from your personal laboratory without the element of ice. That would be cause enough for concern and suspicion, even if we did not directly link it to the children's disappearance."
Zerek smiled fully. "Bringing you here at all vas indeed a risk...but it vas von I vas villing to make, and I knew going into it zat I vould not be able to keep you here long term vithout endangering all my plans. Ze disappearance of an element can be explained in many vays...especially given zat ze ozers in your original team have already lost zeir elements naturally." The emotionless scientist looked over at Julien, his gaze thoughtful. "I must keep Julien here."
"But that is—"
"He is the only von viz a long-term alibi...and in case our experimentation on you does prove disastrous, I vill at least have him to continue ze research until he is able to create somezing zat vill not fail," the scientist explained. Zane felt the anger inside grow, and Zerek tilted his head, as if he could sense it. "It is refreshing to speak to another android," he pointed out conversationally. "But even you mar decisions based on emotion, it seems."
"Julien said you found me and P.I.X.A.L weak because of our ability to feel, but the truth is it makes us far stronger."
"You are wrong," Zerek countered simply. "Perhaps it gives you direction...a set of rules vich makes some decisions easier zan ozers...but in ze end, emotions alvays get in ze vay of progress."
"I suppose it depends on your definition of progress."
"Yes...I suppose," Zerek shrugged. His gaze lingered on Julien, but then he turned to meet Zane's eye again. "But since you are led by emotion...I vill put forvard an emotional argument. I suggest you decipher how to extract your powers as soon as you are able. Ve vill continue to provide Julien vith ze resources he needs to survive physically...but I'll admit I do not know vat it vill do to him mentally if he has to vatch your demise if ze machine doesn't vork ze vay ve need it to."
Zane clenched his jaw, his arm tightening around Julien. His son murmured in his sleep, and the nindroid's gaze was deadly as he studied Zerek. "Those most confident in their wrong-doing often fall the easiest," he said at last.
"And those who procrastinate rarely accomplish anything worthwhile." Zerek's gaze drifted to the circuits that Zane had made on the counter. "I'm afraid zose vill not be compatible vith ze machine. Perhaps ven Julien vakes, he can help you modify zem to fit his design."
He moved to leave, and Zane couldn't help but call out to him. "Why are you doing this?"
Zerek paused at the door. "Why is any machine ever created?" he mused. "I'm merely trying to fix the world."
102
When he was alone to occupy it, Lou's house felt larger than he needed. However, as he studied his current houseguests, he once again wished he had at least one extra room.
The two Oni were seated on the edge of the couch, looking like they would rather not have to be confined to his home. He had already brought several rounds of tea, but the couple had let the last few cups go cold without touching them, talking between themselves in hushed tones. Nearby, Keyda was pacing, glancing toward the front door every few minutes.
"I'm sure Cole will be here soon," Lou pointed out again from his place leaning against the kitchen doorframe. Keyda stopped pacing as she turned to him.
"I know. I just..." she trailed off, as if not really sure how to explain what she was thinking. It was all right—Lou was feeling it too. The crushing sense of urgency—Amber was still missing, and from what he had learned, there were oni lost somewhere in this realm as well.
Silence fell, and the grandfather clock in the corner of the room chimed. The elderly dancer sighed heavily. In the past, there were times his family had been in danger, and he had felt hopeless because he had always been stuck in a different realm with no way to help. This time, the trouble was here in Ninjago...but his cursed old age and limited mobility made it once again impossible for him to do anything useful.
The door opened, and everyone turned as Cole finally entered. He looked weary and dusty as he removed his shoes. Keyda stepped closer, but Cole must have known what she was going to say before she spoke.
"We didn't find her. We didn't find anybody."
Lou watched as Keyda sagged. "It just doesn't make sense," she pointed out, and aura winds rustled the objects sitting on the shelves in the room.
"What did the Council say?" Cole asked as he came to sit on one of the chairs.
"They're still organizing," Keyda said, not even bothering to hide her bitterness about the fact. "They still don't really believe that anyone from Ninjago would be stealing Oni. They say there's no motive for it..."
"But they have to look into it," Cole pointed out. "The treaty and all."
"They said they would," Keyda agreed wearily.
"I don't understand why they aren't taking this more seriously." The speaker was one of the Oni—the male with the strange white-streaked hair. His expression was full of anger.
"I think they realized how frustrated we are with their efforts," Keyda pointed out. "They're looking into it, if only to keep us from 'taking extreme measures'. What I don't understand is how they had the ability to pinpoint whenever any Oni transports in and out of the realm, but they don't have the means to track when dragons do the same thing."
"There are too many remote places in Ninjago, I suppose," Cole mused tiredly. "They have scanners in Ninjago City and other populated areas, but I don't think that anyone has the ability to scan the entire realm."
"There are a lot of things in this realm that don't make any sense," the other oni woman said coldly. She was sitting primly, and even if Lou hadn't been told she was a leader in the Oni realm, her body language probably would have given it away. She carried herself in a serious matter, and her gaze was clear as she stared at Cole. "But Hershel and I cannot wait here any longer. If this Council won't authorize large scale search parties, then perhaps I will bring my own from the Western Province."
"We can't, Myrah," Cole stressed, looking up to meet her eye. "I understand why you want to, but if we bring in large amounts of Oni..."
"Someone in this realm has our son!" the man cut in, leaning forward. "If they were refusing to send people to find Amber, would you accept their hesitation as easily?"
"I'm not accepting—"
"Speaking of Amber, there are still people looking, right?" Keyda cut in. "I've been in agony in all these stupid meetings with the council, when I should have been out with you."
"The whole team is out there, as well as Metallonian authorities," Cole assured.
"Who else can we reach out to for support? Are there other government entities? " the oni woman demanded as she pushed herself to her feet. "Because we cannot keep sitting here waiting like we've been doing the last few days."
The stress levels were rising, and Lou finally pushed himself out of the kitchen doorway as the four adults discussed their options.
"Cole?" Lou called, but his son didn't hear him over the din of thinly-restrained argument. "Cole." The discussion died down as everyone seemed to remember he was in the room. Four pairs of eyes turned to look at Lou, and he straightened as much as he could as he rested both hands on his cane. As Cole met his eye, the retired performer spoke again. "Have you gotten ahold of Theodynn yet?"
Complete silence fell then, and Lou's frown deepened as he saw Cole and Keyda share a look. He tapped his cane on the ground indignantly, but before he could chastise them, Keyda spoke up.
"We actually did try to reach him via the Council's inter-realm communicator, but we couldn't get the call to go through."
"Surely you could send that ambassador fellow back and tell him, though?" Lou pointed out.
Cole sighed heavily. "Tobias volunteered to help with the search in Metallonia—something about his wilderness survival knowledge..."
"Then go back and tell Theo yourself," Lou cut in, his expression stern. "Look, from what you've said, your relationship is already on thin ice. If he finds out that you've kept this from him..."
"He would want to come help look," Keyda pointed out, hugging herself. "But he's on probation from Ninjago. I just...we don't know how much more complicated it would make everything to tell him that Amber is missing."
Lou tugged at his mustache. "It's not fair for the Council to say who is and isn't allowed in the realm...not when people are hurt, or missing. Surely, there is grounds for emergencies in the treaty."
"Technically, yes, but as Amber and her friends went missing hiking, the council doesn't see it as an emergency," Cole pointed out tiredly.
"What about children stolen from their home realm?" the oni woman demanded. "Is that not considered an emergency, either?"
Silence fell, and Lou took a few steps closer to his family. "I say tell the boy. He has a right to know that his sister is missing. What he chooses to do after that is up to him. He's an adult, and he knows the consequences. You need to trust that he knows what he can handle."
Keyda and Cole shared a look once again, and Cole finally nodded. "You're right, Pop. I'll give Tobias a call and ask him to go back and fill in the first realm on our absence."
"Maybe I should just go," Keyda pointed out softly.
"You could," Cole mused. "But technically, popping in and out of the realm without Council permission was what got Theo banned in the first place."
"I trust this Council less with everything I learn about it," the oni woman pointed out.
"They take safety seriously," Cole tried. "There are a lot of rules and hoops to jump through in order to protect the interest of the realm, I guess."
"Sounds a lot like the Healer Organization," the male Oni said softly, and Lou saw his fists clench.
"I'll call Tobias," Cole said decidedly, pushing himself to his feet. "As an ambassador, he really is the only one with the clearance to pop in and out of the realm without permission. He could be back in the first realm before we could get a reply for the council about whether Keyda could go."
"I do hate that we have to ask their permission for everything," the Oni Ruler mused.
Cole reached out to squeeze her hand. "Me too. But after things fell apart a few years ago...it's probably best to stick to the treaty we ended up making." His wife didn't answer, and Cole finally made his way over to the phone.
Lou relaxed as he listened to his son call the ambassador, glad that they finally were taking steps to keeping Theodynn in the loop. He had learned the hard way that open communication was the best way to approach these types of situations...and besides, he couldn't help but hope his grandson would show up here in Ninjago after all.
Rook stared out the window, taking in the sunrise. Nightmares had made it difficult to sleep in, so she sat on the edge of the bed she had woken in as she waited for the sun to creep over the horizon. Below her in the courtyard, she could see guards stationed, watching her through the window. She leaned back out of their sight. She had been surprised when she had woken here, rather than the dungeons, but it seemed she was still imprisoned just the same. She hadn't checked the door yet, but she would be shocked to find it unlocked.
Time went on, and eventually, there was the sound of a key in the door. Rook wasn't sure what to expect, but when the door opened and the captain of the guard entered, the younger woman felt a small flame of hope fade.
"Are you here to take me back to the dungeons?" Rook asked.
"No."
"I assume I'm still a prisoner, though."
"Yes."
Rook scoffed softly, pulling her legs up onto the bed. "Then why am I in here, and not a cell?"
"Theodynn insisted." The Captain's expression flickered slightly, and Rook wished she could interpret the look. Did this woman think Rook deserved to be in the dungeons? Did she know about something else that Theodynn had planned for the failed assassin?
"Where is Theodynn?" Rook demanded.
"Questioning prisoners," the Captain offered with a shrug. "I'm just here to let you know that we have guards stationed at the door and on the ground. Don't bother trying to wiggle your way out of this, or you'll find yourself back in the dungeons quickly enough."
"I have no plans to escape," Rook promised dully, resting her chin on her knees as she turned her attention back to the window. "I don't have anywhere to go." The confession made her feel hollow inside, but it was a thought that had plagued her ever since the Xinta had dug up all the painful memories from her past. Behind all the painful events that had occurred, there was this terrible feeling that had weighed on her as a small child that had settled over her ever since she had finished last night's brain-reading procedure. It was a feeling of helpless displacement—the feeling that came from knowing you had nowhere to go and no one who wanted you. It was a crushing, lonely feeling...truthfully, one of the only initial reasons she hadn't tried harder to flee from Quazier and the trade when they had first abducted her. Sure, her training had been cruel, and she had gotten the bad end of the stick from the get-go...but at least when she had been with the traders she didn't have to wander from place to place all alone every day, wondering how she would get fed and what would happen to her.
At first, the feeling had merely been an echo of her past—a memory. But as Rook thought about her current position, the more engrained it felt. Even if she didn't have the freedom to wander any longer, she was just as alone as she had been all those years ago, after the mine had collapsed.
"I want to talk with Theodynn," she said when the Captain of the Guard didn't say anything else.
"He may come to see you...though I will endeavor to talk him out of it," the Captain replied dryly. She stepped forward, and Rook realized that there was another guard behind her, holding a bowl with food. Rook turned more fully, and the guard set the bowl on the floor as the Captain continued speaking. "I'm not sure how long you're going to be here, since I do not know when the Rulers will be able to hold your trial. But I would recommend making less demands, especially where Theo is involved." The woman's dark-colored eyes narrowed. "We're all aware of what you did to him."
Rook's fists clenched, but it seemed the other woman wasn't waiting for a reply. She and the other guard turned to go, leaving the food on the floor as the door closed and locked. The prisoner's gaze fell to the bowl of food on the floor, but she finally turned away. For once, she wasn't really hungry.
"This isn't a good idea."
Theo smiled grimly as he turned to Tolan. "Nothing is going to happen, Tol."
"Do you really think you going in alone will make a difference in what he answers?"
"I have to go in alone. If I take you in there, you're just going to end up gutting him."
Tolan grunted, though he didn't deny it. Theo took one last deep breath before nodding at the guard outside Quazier's cell. The guard nodded back before unlocking the door, and Theo could feel Tolan's eyes on the back of his head.
"He won't talk to anybody, Freak...if you go in there, he's going to try to negotiate."
Theo nodded. "I guess it's good I know a few things about the southern bartering system then, huh?" He moved toward the cell as the door opened, and he waited for Tolan to stop him. When his bodyguard didn't, he felt surprised. Did Tolan actually trust him to do this? Or did he not worry about Theo's safety against a man who was chained to the wall? Probably the latter—the main reason Tolan was against this meeting was because he thought it was a waste of Theo's time, not because he thought Quazier was a threat in his current state.
The cell was clammy, and Theo tried to keep his expression neutral as he entered. Quazier was studying him from his place on the bed mat, his wrists shackled to the wall above him. Rather than look fearful at the young man's entry, Quazier's eyes glittered with interest. "Well well...have you come to conduct my trial yourself? Or are you just here to chat?"
"I need information about the Buyer," Theo said flatly.
"I thought Rookie was willing to supply you with all the information you need." Quazier leaned his head against the wall, his mouth curling into a sneer. "Or did you realize she doesn't know anything?"
"She gave me her side. Now I need to see if it matches yours." Theo leaned up against the wall, trying to seem casual as he kept his gaze trained on the chained man.
"Are you gathering facts for my trial, or hers?" Quazier scoffed.
"What's the name of the Buyer?"
"Never gave me one."
"What does he look like?"
"Like a man who made me rich."
"You're not doing yourself any favors."
"On the contrary, you are not doing me any favors," Quazier snapped. "If you want information, it's going to cost you."
Theo snorted. "Do you really think you're in any position to barter?"
"Anyone who finds themselves the sole possessor of valuable information is in a position to barter...wouldn't you say?"
Theo studied the man a little longer before pushing himself off the wall. "Fine. I'll go get Rook."
Quazier's laughed once without humor. "What for? So she can keep lying to you?"
"No. I just think she'd have more fun getting the information out of you than I would."
Quazier's smile faded fast. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm not really a fan of torture, but the information we need is important, and from what I understand, Rook has some unfinished business with you."
The trade leader was definitely pale now, and Theo prayed he would take the bait. As much as he hated what this man had done over the years, Theodynn wasn't sure if he would be able to reconcile torture, no matter the reason. However, he made sure his expression didn't give as much away. When Quazier kept quiet, Theo sighed.
"I guess that's that." He turned to leave, and he heard the trade leader shift angrily behind him.
"Getting as much use out of her as you can? I don't blame you...won't be long until you're the one she's dragging through the mud."
Theo stopped in his retreat, and Quazier continued darkly.
"It sure surprised me that she'd pick you over me, considering that I've been working on her far longer than you have...but I guess it makes sense, now that I've seen you. It's clear you found the key to controlling her—you just have to make her feel wanted. I wonder when she's going to wake up and realize that you're no better than I am."
Theo's fists clenched as he felt a bubble of fury rising inside, but if Quazier realized he was making him angry, he seemed happy about it.
"In fact, one could argue you're worse than me. I never pretended to love her in order to manipulate her, after all," Quazier scoffed. "How do you sleep at night?"
Theo laughed once, bitterly. "Honestly, not well." In moments, the sword at his side was drawn, and he had crossed the few yards separating him and the trade leader. Quazier stiffened against the wall as the sword tip was suddenly pressed to his neck, and Theo stared him down. "I get a lot of nightmares...mainly about my subjects who have been stolen from their homes by some rat-filled bag of scum who hurts children as a way to fill his own fat pockets. But you know, I've been wondering lately if I'd sleep better knowing that the prestigious leader of that filthy trade was lying six feet under in an unmarked grave."
The pressure on the sword increased, and Quazier flinched slightly. It seemed he knew better than to try to speak, so Theo continued softly.
"Really, the only good you are alive is if you're willing to cooperate, but if you're going to insist on bartering, then maybe it would be better to let Tolan in here to get his own revenge against you so that at least one moment of your selfish, meaningless life would be for someone else's benefit. True, my parents don't condone executions, but they're not really here right now, and I'm not really sure you deserve mercy, anyway."
Quazier's expression flickered, and he finally managed to speak. "Didn't think murder was really your style, kid," he muttered.
Theo smiled grimly. "I think you'll find there's a lot about me you don't know." He finally withdrew the sword, and Quazier sagged slightly. The sneer had disappeared—the trade leader was wary now. Theo continued softly. "For instance, I would never treat Rook the way you've treated her."
Quazier scoffed derisively, but he wisely didn't say anything aloud. Theo lowered his sword to his side, though he didn't sheath it.
"Last chance. What can you tell me about the Buyer?"
For a moment they held each other's gaze, and finally Quazier sighed. "You've got more of a spine than I was led to believe, I'll give you that much." The trade leader shifted. "I don't suppose you'll just consider undoing the shackles? It's hard to think about what I know when I can't feel my hands."
Theo didn't move, his gaze stern. After a moment, the trade leader's gaze darkened.
"Playing hard ball, I see."
"I'm not negotiating with you."
Quazier scoffed, but after a moment he finally seemed to realize that Theo was serious. "The Buyer was a secretive fellow. I'm not sure there's really much to tell."
"A name would be nice."
"Never gave me his name. I never asked for it, either."
"Why was he buying Oni?"
"He never said outright."
"Quazier..."
"Look, kid. You're asking the wrong questions."
Theo frowned, his eyes flicking across Quazier's expression. "The Buyer hired you to capture me," he realized. "He offered you the greatest payday ever if you could pull it off. What did he want with me?"
Quazier's mouth twitched. "I can't tell you what his exact plans were...but he did introduce himself as a collector."
Theodynn's expression clouded. "What kind of collector?"
"One that's willing to pay for Oni...and offer me a large fortune for a certain Oni Heir." Quazier made a show of looking Theodynn up and down. "Called you his 'prime sample' and insisted that you were priceless. Personally, I'm not really sure why you're worth more than any other Oni in the realm. Quite the puzzle...sure, you've got powers, but what he offered for you outshone even what he offered for the other powered brats I got ahold of. I just can't really fathom what makes you so special."
Theo stared at him, and Quazier shrugged.
"I'm afraid I can't give you more motive than that. An outsider showing up out of the blue and offering mountains of goods for Oni? It was a slave trader's dream. I didn't ever find the need to pry more into it...but I can say that he initially was only willing to pay for those with powers. When we scoured the realm and couldn't get any, he grudgingly started buying any Oni we could get ahold of. But whatever his game is...I would guess it's the power he's really after, more than the slave labor. But what do I know? I'm just 'rat-filled bag of scum', after all."
Theo didn't say anything else as he finally moved to leave the cell. Quazier's chains rattled as he shifted again.
"Really? I tell you what I know, and you can't even offer to let me stretch my legs?"
The question went unanswered as Theo left the cell, the door slamming shut behind him. Tolan was waiting outside, and his brow furrowed when he caught sight of the look on Theo's face.
"What?"
Theo looked up, his expression grim. "I think...I think we may have another Evynn on our hands."