Deep down, Zerek had wondered if gaining the element of ice had just been a fluke. Now, as he stared at the core pulsing with elemental energy extracted from the master of water, he knew that the code for elemental extraction had truly been cracked.
"It vorked," he murmured as his staff members disconnected the machine from the comatose master of water and the unresponsive oni. "It truly vorked."
"You are a monster." Julien's words were whispered and full of horror, and Zerek didn't bother turning to face his assistant.
"Surely, some part of you is marveling at vat ve have managed to do here today, Julien." Zerek reached forward, his rubber gloves shielding him from the electric pulses from the machine as he carefully took it apart to more fully expose the pulsing core.
"You did this on your own."
"Come now...do not erase yourself from zis historic moment. You have helped in many vays."
"Against my will." Julien's tone was dark. "I may not live through much more of this...you become more unstable by the day. But you will be taken down, Zerek. Good always rises to counter evil."
Zerek chuckled, gently removing the core at last. He could feel the pulses it gave off—the vibrations from the element of water as it adjusted to its newest vessel. "You sound more like a character from a comic book and less like a scientist ven you talk zat vay," Zerek pointed out as he scanned the core and marveled at its intricacies.
"I hope I at least live long enough to see you utterly destroyed."
Zerek paused and finally turned to face the bedridden young man. The robotic prosthetic was still propping Julien up, but the ninjagoian's face was pale and slick with sweat. It occurred to Zerek that he was probably in pain from the pressure put on his shoulder. The surgery was still new, after all.
Zerek took a few steps closer, and he noticed that Julien's heartrate began to race. The android smiled slowly, reaching over for his tablet so he could put in commands to the prosthetic. Julien gasped as the arm buckled, allowing him to lie back down on the bed. The young scientist squeezed his eyes shut, and Zerek set the pulsing chronosteel cube off to one side so he could help Julien orient himself onto the bed. Julien flinched hard as Zerek touched him, and the robot spoke at last.
"You do not need to fear me, Julien," he pointed out as he adjusted the young man on the hospital bed. "If it was my intention for you to die, I vould not have intervened ven you electrocuted yourself...nor vould I have bozered vith ze necessary surgery."
"You just murdered someone." Julien's eyes were still squeezed shut, and Zerek could feel him trembling under his gloves. "Possibly both of them. You do not care about human life...how long before you sacrifice me in the pursuit of knowledge?"
Zerek blinked in surprise. Julien was lying flat now, and Zerek turned his attention to the robotic arm, entering in commands to make it lie naturally at Julien's side. "Neizer subject is dead," he pointed out. "And even if zey did not survive ze procedure, zey vere alvays expendable. You are not. Viz your additions to my research, you have more zan proven you vorth, Julien. You vill make a profitable assistant in my future endeavors— more intuitive and creative zan my mindless, obedient staff members...but better at emotional control zan ze average human researcher."
"I will never help you again," Julien hissed, his breathing shallow as he kept his eyes closed. Zerek's smile faded.
"Do not let your emotions get in ze vay of progress, Julien. I fully intend for you to vork closely viz me. Elemental extraction is only ze first step...zere is still so much to discover."
"Then you might as well kill me." Julien's expression was tight with fear and determination. "I would rather die than help you 'achieve' anything else."
Zerek's gaze dropped to the metal arm connected to the young scientist's shoulder. "I am afraid zat is not an option," he said softly. He reached out and moved the chrome limb, causing the young man to flinch as it tugged at his healing shoulder. "You vill help me, Julien. Even if I have to continue improving you to gain your compliance."
Julien made a strangled sound, and Zerek removed one glove. He reached out to rest his exposed hand on the young man's forehead, frowning thoughtfully as he took a reading.
"You have a fever," he realized. "It seems ve have pushed your healing body to ze limit today. I vill send a staff member in viz some tea."
Julien didn't answer, making a weak attempt to move his head away from Zerek's touch. The android removed his hand and pulled his glove back on. He reached out and reclaimed the elemental cube from off the table nearby and walked away from the bed-ridden scientist. He paused to scan the once-elemental master of water. The boy had remained unconscious through the whole procedure, though his body had reacted to the element being forcibly removed. However, now that the experiment was over, the boy's vitals had begun to return to normal. Zerek mused that he could probably recover fully, though the android was still trying to determine how useful having the boy alive would be. Before Amber managed to escape, he wouldn't have bothered keeping the ex-elemental master around, but he knew that the situation had become more complicated, and it could prove useful to have chips to bargain with.
"Remove the boy from medication, but keep him restrained. I suppose ve should see if he vill even vake," he mused to a nearby staff member, who nodded. Zerek then turned his attention to the oni boy on the other bed. He hadn't lied to Julien when he pointed out that neither subject had died during the procedure, but the oni was close. His vitals were sporadic at best, and though Zerek had been able to extract the element before the last of the oni's energy was used, he wasn't sure if enough had been left that the boy would even recover. Again, he found himself weighing pros and cons. If the boy could recover, he could prove useful in continuing to provide oni aura for as long as his frame would hold out...but there was no way the boy would recover in time to be presently useful. With the assault Zerek knew was coming, there was no point in wasting effort to nurse the child back to health, but he also couldn't bring himself to get rid of him completely. He was technically interested to know how many times an oni body could recover after being drained, after all.
"Put ze oni back in his cell," Zerek decided at last. "If he survives on his own, zen ve may be able to use him in ze future. If he dies..." He shrugged. "It vill be no great loss."
With the aftermath of the procedure being taken care of, Zerek made his way across the fortress. He stopped briefly in his office to set down the elemental cube by the other he had obtained, studying them intently. The element of ice and water...so similar, and yet, they emitted slightly different frequencies. He felt a small thrill of victory, and contemplated how the other elements would compare. He was confident he would soon have them all in his grasp...though, he continued to wonder whether he should remove the element of earth immediately or explore it's co-existence with an unlocked aura structure. So many decisions.
"Tent-man...kill Teag."
Zerek turned at the heartbroken voice, and he realized how distraught the young oni in the corner of the office was. The boy's face was streaked with tears, his eyes swollen from crying. As Zerek met his eye, the child's expression twisted with a look so intense, it looked strange on such a little face.
"Tent-man kill Teag."
There was a darkness to the boy's tone, but Zerek paid no attention to the boy's anger. He moved to the door of the office, speaking calmly. "Teag is not dead," he offered. "Though, he is not far from it, so I suppose your conclusion may be—"
"Thee-thee kill Tent-man."
Zerek froze, his hand midway to the handle on the door he was facing. He processed what the child had just said, and when he glanced back at Raiyn, the boy's expression was almost calculated. "Intriguing," the android mused at last before leaving his office. He tried to push away the child's warning, but he found himself picking it apart as he trekked down the hallway. He entered the room holding the C.A.M. and was greeted with sobs and barely coherent words. He scanned the oni woman in the chair as she fought weakly, tears streaming down her face.
"Any change?" he asked, though he didn't necessarily need an answer. He was scanning the female oni, and he could already see that her aura had not been unlocked.
"Ze subject was rendered unconscious vonce, and ze grief trial vas begun after she regained consciousness," the staff member offered.
"How long vas she out?"
"Tventy-two minutes and thirty-seven seconds."
"How long has ze grief trial been going?"
The woman screamed out again, her thrashing becoming more intense for a moment before she sagged.
"Six minutes."
Zerek frowned as he studied the woman, his circuits whirring with impatience. Normally, he wouldn't mind dragging out the process in an effort to determine the effect of each variable...but he was running out of time. Even with the water element successfully extracted, his only powered oni was officially drained. Even if Teag managed to survive, he would have no aura to offer by the time that the other elements arrived at Estyeer. After all, Zerek had little doubt they were planning a way to infiltrate even now. In perfect conditions, he would be able to extract the last elements and leave Estyeer behind with only the most important elements of research.
He felt a pang internally at the thought of abandoning this place—perhaps the only place that ever had deserved the label of home. However, the pang didn't last long as he considered the logical side of things. He knew Estyeer would have to be sacrificed the second Amber and her friend had disappeared in a flash of aura. It wasn't the route he would have chosen...but perhaps it truly was for the best. He had been unsure how to best acquire the other elemental masters in a way that would not raise suspicion. As inconvenient as this all was going to be, at least he was free from having to maintain a certain image.
However, the biggest problem he was facing was the lack of Oni power. If he didn't gain it before the elements arrived, he would be forced to capture and transport each of the elemental masters as well as adding powered individuals to his list of necessary acquires. Amber had power, after all, as did her mother and brother...all of which Zerek could see coming to Estyeer.
"Theo..." the word was half choked as it escaped the woman amongst her sobs, and Zerek's gaze flicked back to the Oni. There was still no change aurally, but she had stopped fighting as she wept. The android frowned, analyzing her response to grief.
Thee-thee kill Tent-man. The child's voice rang in Zerek'ss mind, and he reached out to twist the power switch.
The Oni gasped as the C.A.M powered down, and Zerek watched her closely. After a minute, her eyes opened, and it didn't take her long to find him in the room. She glowered through swollen eyes, though he didn't miss the signs of fear blaring off of her.
"How much longer?" she asked quietly, her tone acidic. "Before you realize that whatever you're trying to do isn't going to work?"
"You are close to Zeodynn...aren't you?"
The woman's expression flickered, and she finally snorted. Zerek continued to watch her, but when she didn't say anything, he continued.
"Vat can you tell me about him?"
"He's going to kill you," the woman offered. "After what you did to his sister and his friends..."
"Does he care about you, ze vay you care about him?"
Her jaw clenched, her anger obvious for a few moments before her expression twisted in a sneer. "Nice try...but if you're going to try to use me against him, you'll be disappointed. He hates me."
"Mmm." Zerek turned his attention back to the console on the table that controlled the C.A.M. He fingered the various dials, his gaze flicking across the labels. Rage and grief had done nothing to unlock the oni's structure, and he was beginning to think that perhaps emotion was not the key after all. Perhaps he should go back to his electrical testing instead. Was it worth it to do another few trials? Which emotion should he try next? Excitement? Shame? Which emotion was strong enough to warrant a powerful response?
His gaze landed on one last dial, and he pondered a moment before moving to twist the power switch again. The C.A.M. whirred back to life, and the young woman fought against her restraints.
"Enough is enough!" she screamed. "For the love of an Ancient's Ghost, just kill me and get it over with!"
"My intention is not for you to die. It is to discover ze secret behind unlocking aural powers."
"Just give it up," she pleaded, wrenching her head back and forth in an effort to free it from the C.A.M's hold. "It's impossible, you tyrant."
"Perhaps it is," Zerek agreed. "Or perhaps I vas going about it ze wrong vay."
"I swear, if I make it out of this alive—"
Zerek didn't give the oni time to finish her thought as he twisted the dial he had chosen.
They were as prepared as they could be, and Theo knew it. Everybody did. He stared down at the table where he had sketched out various plans, wishing that there was some way they could execute everything at once. He knew Zerek was preparing for them, and the fact that the android hadn't reached out to propose any kind of trade was worrying. No doubt he figured they would come right for them, and he would be able to capture them so easily it wasn't even worth it to try to make a deal.
"How many could you transport at once?" he asked, glancing up at Amber. She had been quiet for most of the meeting, but now that Matilda and many of the others had left, she had come over to sit right next to Theo as he drew out various plans. He knew that the others in the room had their own idea of how the fight should go down, but he was surprised that they were letting him figure out his own thoughts before bombarding him with theirs. Either they assumed he wouldn't listen to their ideas, or they actually trusted him to come up with some way to pull this off. Either way, it was different than he was used to being treated.
"As many as you need."
"No. There's a limit, Ams. You're not just the transport, either. Zerek will be waiting, and you have to be able to defend yourself if I'm letting you do this."
Amber's expression flickered. "Three," she finally admitted. Theo stared at the plan, his heart dropping. For his plan to work, they needed more than just Amber and three others transported to the midst of Estyeer, but there was no way he was going to push his sister past her limit and risk her being trapped again.
"All right," he mused. "You can take me, Zane, and Pix, I guess."
"I'm coming too." Tolan spoke up from his spot nearby, and Myrah leaned forward.
"We all are. Count us in."
"Look, I know you guys want to be involved, but we don't have a way to get you into the fortress."
"We will not be left behind." Myrah's tone was almost deadly, and her husband nodded his agreement.
"We know where Raiyn and Teag are now, Theo. You have to let us be involved in trying to get them out."
Theo sighed. "It's just not feasible."
"Then make it feasible." Tolan's expression was hard as he studied the young man. "We already know this whole situation is risky. There are a lot of chances for things to go wrong. The least you could do is allow us to take part in whatever outcome."
"If I could transport you all in myself, I would," Theo snapped. "But—"
"You can transport," Myrah pointed out. "Can't you?"
"I've never been to Estyeer. Amber has," Theo replied.
"She transported here from that place, didn't she?" Myrah argued before turning to Amber. "Had you been to this place before you transported here from where you were being held?"
Silence fell as Amber and Theo glanced at each other. "No," Amber offered. "I...honestly don't know how I transported to that hotel. I hadn't ever been there."
Theo furrowed his brow, realizing that Myrah was right. Based on what he knew about transporting, Amber shouldn't have been able to appear right where they were...but she had. It hadn't occurred to him how strange that was until now.
"What did you think about, when you were transporting?" Theo finally asked, looking at Amber. When he transported, he had to picture a place and emotionally connect with it before his aura would let him make the jump. Amber looked up.
"I...think I was thinking of you," she realized. "Rook told me to hurry up and transport to you, and in the moment, I just wished that I could be wherever you were. Safe."
Theo stared, his mind starting to piece together a new plan. Amber's expression contorted as she continued.
"But...this isn't the first time this has happened, is it? Didn't you transport to me, back when Matilda was burning down that building with you inside? You appeared outside...and you said you were thinking of me at the time."
"But do you think we could do it consciously?" Theo wondered. "Or do you think it only happens as an adrenaline-rushed, last resort sort of thing?"
Amber continued to frown, and she finally pushed herself away from the table. "I guess there's only one way to find out."
"Where are you going?" Theo asked as she began to leave the room.
"Anywhere," she said vaguely. "But if your theory is right, I should be back soon."
Theo watched her go before turning back to his plans. Tolan cleared his throat. "So...you're bringing us, right?" he pressed again.
Theo sighed. "I'll sure try, okay?" He reached out to draw another path, chewing his bottom lip as he thought through variables.
"Theo?" It was Ashley who spoke, and Theo glanced up as she entered the room. She had joined her mother and father in escorting Matilda from the premises. At the end of the meeting, the woman had been told her 24 hours had begun. No doubt she was halfway to who knows where by now. It was infuriating that they had to let the woman go...and Tolan had even pointed out that they could still technically turn her over. But in Theo's mind at least, they had agreed to the terms M had set up in the hospital room before bringing her in for information. Matilda was a psychopath, but Theo didn't want to stoop to her level and betray agreements. Besides, after her involvement hit the news, Theo doubted there were many places that Matilda would really be able to hide. At least, hide comfortably.
"Hey, Ash," Theo offered as the redhead came over, his gaze flicking back down to the map. "Is the blonde tyrant gone?"
"She's gone," Ashley agreed, coming over to where Theo was sitting. "I can't decide whether to say I hope it's the last we see of her. After all, we'd probably have to testify in her court case if and when she does get caught."
Theo shrugged, still trying to figure out how to make all the pieces in his mind connect. Ashley continued to stand next to him, and when she spoke again, her voice was quieter.
"Hey, Theo?"
"Yeah?" He put a finger on one of the hallways. Would they really need a skeleton key to get from section to section if he used his elemental powers to punch through the doors? He knew his father used to be able to knock doors clean off their hinges. Surely—
"Why do you need a gun?"
Ashley's question took him by surprise, and for a moment, Theo's mind went blank as he stared at the sketched passageways. At last he spoke, trying to sound nonchalant.
"I just want to be prepared."
"For what?" Ashley pressed, leaning on the table as she stared at him. "You have oni power, not to mention the element of earth. You don't need a gun."
"It's just a precaution, okay?" Theo wouldn't meet her eye as he reached over to grab the pen lying nearby to make a few more notes.
"What situation are you picturing that you would need it?" Her tone was hard, and Theo finally looked up to meet her eye.
"I know I have powers," he said. "But Zerek has ways to counter them. I don't want to be stuck without any way of defending myself if I get hit with vengestone, or worse."
"Worse?"
"He took the powers out of Zane, didn't he?" Theo looked back at the map. "I just...I can't go into this unprepared. I've had to surrender to too many people in my life, Ashley. I'm not surrendering this time, no matter what Zerek's got up his sleeves."
Ashley went quiet for a minute before speaking again. "Mia was able to get gas masks from the mine, and May's with the police commissioner now. She said it was tricky enough getting them to hand over tasers—they aren't going to willingly give up guns, especially considering that the people who would end up using them aren't licensed. How critical is it, that you have one?"
Theo clenched his fists for a moment, and then sighed. "I don't know."
"A taser would work better against robots."
"Maybe from a close range, but not if I'm trying to take someone out that's far away." Theo went back to scribbling, his expression darkening. "I can just plan on bringing shuriken. They aren't going to be as effective as a gun, but it will still be better than nothing."
He was starting to wish Ashley would just go away when she grabbed his arm. He turned to frown, but her expression was resigned. "Look...if you really think you need one that badly, you can use mine."
Theo blinked. "Yours?"
She shrugged in that noncommitted but secretly smug way she had. "I've had a permit to conceal carry for as long as I've been old enough to. Lawyers sometimes rack up enemies, you know." She lifted her draping hoodie, and Theo was surprised to see the holster on her waist. She pulled out a small pistol, though she hesitated before holding it out. "It's not state-of-the-art, or anything, but it could get you out of a pinch."
Theo stared at the weapon for a moment before reaching out to take it. It was heavier than it looked, and he studied it with mixed feelings. One wrong move, and he could do permanent damage with it.
"Do you know how to use it?" Ashley asked, as if she was thinking the same thing.
"I...understand the gist."
The redhead's mouth became a thin line, and she gestured for him to follow her. "All right, come on. I'm not letting you borrow that unless you know exactly how it works...including how to turn on and off safety."
"I've got to finish this map," Theo argued weakly, though he knew she was right. If he was going to carry the gun, he had to be fully confident on how to use it. That much, he knew.
"We still have to wait for the others to get back, anyway."
Theo finally nodded. He was following Ashley toward the door to the room when a pop and a flash surprised him. He turned to see Amber appear a few feet away, and after catching her balance and looking around, the Xinta met his eye.
"It works," she offered, and Theo took a deep breath.
"Then I think I've got a plan."
122
The life Rook had led had well acquainted her with anger. It was an emotion that was always just beneath the surface, buried beneath whatever objective she was focused on. It was hard to live feeling constantly manipulated without carrying anger around as a relentless companion.
Grief, she had buried deeper. There had been moments of despair throughout her life, but those memories she tried to sink to the bottom of her soul in the hopes they would never be revisited. Of course, the last week or so had rid any chances of her avoiding that grief forever. If her time wracked with shame in the dungeons after betraying Theodynn hadn't reminded her what it was like to feel consumed with the empty feeling, then Iona entering her mind and forcing Rook to relive the loss of her parents and the lonely years that followed surely did.
The time spent in the restraining chair at the whim of the psychotic Asahkar could only be described as torture, but even at the end of the feeling-violation, Rook didn't feel broken. She had led a life of horror, after all—she had grown used to balancing on the edge of a knife, the flames of her own suppressed feelings licking at her heels. Forcing her to face what she had technically been dealing with for years wasn't going to accomplish anything—but before she could force the Asahkar to understand that, he had started his witchcraft once again.
Rook screamed as the needles stabbed into her mind, her entire body stiffening in preparation for whatever horrors the man was going to force her to experience. However, nothing could have prepared her for the feeling that rushed over her entire body—one that Rook had shut off more completely than any other.
"What..." she breathed, her eyes squeezing closed as she tried to process the warmth that was coursing over her entire body. This was the opposite of pain, anger and grief...but if she had had control of her own emotions, she would have feared it. The feeling wouldn't fade; instead, it seemed to consume her, making her chest ache in a way that was both exhilarating and painful. It dove deep, cutting through the walls she had spent decades constructing, heading into the darkest parts of her mind to revive the part of herself that she had tried to kill long ago. She desperately tried to latch onto anger once again—or even grief—to help her battle this feeling invading her more deeply than any of the others had, but even feelings as caustic as those fled at the earnest emotion overwhelming her.
Memories flickered to mind—the ones that she had never let herself dwell on, buried even deeper than those that were full of grief. At least she had been able to draw strength from the heart-breaking, traumatizing moments of her childhood. The memories that came to mind now were not of anything significant. They were not the moments that defined her...they were hardly worth remembering at all. But as the phantom warmth invaded deeper, she had no choice but to think of them.
You're a natural...
A man's voice, raspy, but proud. A voice that had urged and supported her long before Quazier ever had pretended to. A voice that made her feel like she could do anything...become whatever she wanted.
"STOP!" Rook's voice broke as she screamed. Her mind continued to betray her with bits of the memories she had long tried to burn. The sound of sword on sword...a laugh. The feeling of being thrown up into the air by strong arms. Someday, you're going to be better than all of this. No more mining for my little sniffer pup. Mark my words...you're destined for greatness.
She fought her restraints harder than ever, her wrists and ankles burning with pain as her raw skin scraped against the unforgiving metal cuffs. "Please!" she begged, not wanting to remember the feeling of being held. But it was too late—the feeling had pierced her to her core. For a moment, she was held. Protected. Safe in the arms of someone who loved her.
"NO!" Rook was valiant in her effort to drive out the feeling, but it was no use. It wouldn't leave, and as she remembered her father, she couldn't stop the longing that exploded inside. There was a desperation that woke like a starving sniffer after an entire year of hibernation, and suddenly, all Rook wanted was to be truly, deeply wanted.
She was sobbing, but she wasn't sure why. The feeling inside was exhilarating, and it urged her to be happy. It told her that she could still do anything, that she could still become whatever she wanted. But despite the feelings that had been forced into her through whatever sorcery the Asahkar had committed, her mind knew better. Because as great as this feeling was...as perfect as it seemed...it was only temporary. Allowing herself to feel it only set herself up to self-destruct, because deep down she knew that no one would ever make her feel like that again, and she would only waste her life in the vain pursuit of this perfect feeling filling her soul.
Something was thrumming inside, painful and quick. Her heartbeat? Something deeper? Twisting like a snake...but maybe that was just this infernal feeling, shining like a bonfire to shed light into all the secret parts of herself, bringing to mind hopes that she had never let herself form completely. Fueled now by this faulty feeling, the hopes took on a life of their own, and in her overwhelmed state, Rook had no choice but to face them.
"Theo..." The word slipped out of her against her will, but all at once, he was the only thing she could think about. The way he smiled when she amused him but he wouldn't admit it, or the way he stood his ground against her, even at her most volatile. A million moments flickered through her mind, but one latched on, and it wasn't one that she would have expected.
It was the moment they had traveled through the tunnels in Kahzym's Chasm...minutes before she had betrayed him to the trade in the biggest mistake of her life. In that tunnel, when the walls had been closing in on her, Theodynn had put his arm around her and pulled her close...and for the briefest of moments, she had felt it. That feeling of being held...protected. Safe. Possibly even...wanted.
He hates you, he hates you, he hates you...she chanted in her mind, her jaw clenched. You betrayed him. He will never hold you like that again...he will never care about you, Rook. HE NEVER WILL!
But it was no use, because no matter what she knew with her mind, the horrible feeling that had been forced upon her didn't care about logic. Whether or not Theo would ever care about her, Rook could no longer hide from the fact that she desperately wanted him to. But even scarier than that, was the realization that she was capable of caring about him just as desperately.
All at once the needles left her mind, and Rook trembled as her eyes opened at last. Once again, the cold metal gripping her head loosened, and for a minute she panted as she stared at the ground. However, unlike the rage and the grief, the invasive feeling wasn't rapidly fading as the sorcery ended.
"Now ve are making progress."
Rook looked up at the man standing a few yards away to see him smiling at her. His cold grey eyes flicked over her form, and she tried to glare at him as he continued.
"Who vould have zot? All zis time, it vas not ze aggressive emotions zat voke your aura...it vas affection."
"You..." Rook's insult trailed off. She felt too disoriented to come up with a proper insult, and the man continued to study her.
"I could sense it...it is so close to being unlocked—closer zan I have ever gotten. But vat vill it take to vake ze structure completely?" He frowned thoughtfully. "You spoke of Zeodynn vonce again. First during grief...and now, ven affection vas forced upon you. Ze only conclusion to reach is zat you care for him. Deeply."
"Don't you talk about him," Rook hissed, still feeling dizzy.
"Perhaps your aura block vill be unlocked if I allow you to see him again."
Rook felt betrayed by her heart as it skipped at the thought, and based on the smirk on the man's face, she wondered if he had somehow sensed the pang of hope coming off of her. She didn't want Theo anywhere near this tyrant, but at the thought of seeing him again...
"Do not vorry. You vill shortly have ze chance."
"What do you mean?"
"I am confident Zeodynn is on his vay," Zerek offered with another smile. "Zo, I am not sure I vill be able to give you much of a meeting."
"Why?" Rook demanded, still trying to follow the man's train of thought. He met her eye calmly as he continued.
"Because I am planning on killing him, vonce he arrives."
It was like a punch to the gut. Something deep inside twisted painfully as Rook's blood ran cold, and she strained against her restraints. "You wanted him alive!" she accused. "You hired the traders to get him to you alive, so why would you now want to kill him?"
"I do need him alive, but only briefly," the man mused. "Only long enough to hook him up to Julien's machine...but I must admit, given his delicate dual-structure nature, I can only see two possible outcomes. Eizer his life-force is drained away at an even more rapid pace zan my past subjects, due to ze vaccuming nature of ze opposing forces vithinn him...or, ze forces vill literally rip him apart from ze inside out." He shrugged. "Eizer vay, I am confident he vill not live zrough ze extraction. But it is safer for him to perish, considering ze intel of possible future outcomes I vas recently told."
"You can't kill him," Rook countered numbly, the internal force still wrenching painfully. "You'll never get to him. You'll never—"
"I do not need to go to him. He is coming to me." He looked amused as he studied Rook coldly. "Or should I say, he is coming for you...but in doing so, he vill become subject to my testing." His eyes glinted darkly. "And I, for von, cannot vait to finally be given ze chance to pull him apart."
There was something that clicked then, or rather, snapped. Rook had felt hatred before—toward Quazier, the traders, even herself. But there was something to be said about the all-consuming feeling of Hatred that came once one understood how much they truly cared. Overcome with the desire to utterly destroy the man in front of her, Rook was hardly aware of the rush of heat around her hands, or the violet color that suddenly tainted her vision. All that mattered was that she stopped the man in front of her. But rather than look fearful or even displeased with her murderous attempts, the man looked happy. In fact...he looked like Quazier did, when something he wanted fell right into his lap.
"So...zat is ze secret, after all."
A sharp pain registered in Rook's side and she turned to see one of the goons with covered eyes standing nearby.
"I will kill you all!" she screamed, but then her violet vision was fading to black.
123
Theo stared at the papers scattered in front of him, taking a deep breath before looking up at everyone who had gathered. He had prepared as much as he could, and knew that the others were eager to get started. Their urgency was understandable—every minute that they waited to go on the offensive, Zerek was probably busy planning himself. But Theo had lost enough chess games with Zane to know that there was no beating an android without careful planning.
And even then, it's going to be very hard to pull off, his mind whispered. Theo ignored the warning, eyeing each person in the room in turn.
"Thanks for hearing me out," he finally offered. "I know it hasn't been easy to wait, but I think this will be the best way to get everyone out." He cleared his throat. "To start, my plan has two main groups—one that's going to be running interference from the outside and drawing Zerek's attention, and one that will be infiltrating to extract the prisoners from Estyeer. That is our goal—to get everyone out."
Everyone was listening, which made Theo feel strange. He kept glancing at the retired ninja, waiting for them to interrupt him and say that he was going about this wrong. However, he was surprised to see them leaning forward, ready to hear what he would propose. Feeling a little self-conscious, he plowed on.
"Mia, May, Jay, Nya, Skylor, Kai, and Ashley will be on the outside team."
Here, argument started. "We'd be more help on the inside!" Mia snapped, her brow furrowing. "May's got electricity, for crying out loud, not to mention that—"
"Just hear me out," Theo cut in, leaning on the table as he studied the Walker twins calmly. "Your parents know how to run an offensive attack, and I need May and Ashley's elements out of reach. Remember, that's what Zerek is after. All we can do to divide his attention works in our favor. If he's focused on the elements, then hopefully he won't spend as much effort protecting those he's already captured in Esyteer. That being said, I think your elemental powers are going to come in handy. He's going to send androids, drones, everything he can. Cause trouble at the checkpoints—clear the path for police forces to be able to get to the fortress. Take out any robots you come into contact with. Destroy things—cause mayhem. Anything you can do to make Zerek notice you. Taunt him from the edges so he's forced to divide his attention and prioritize. But just because you won't be on the inside doesn't mean that you won't be in danger. Don't let anything get too close to you—we still don't know how he extracts power. Don't listen to any transmissions or any messages from Zerek—destroy anything that tries to talk to you." Theo's gaze hardened. "This is not a negotiation. The second it becomes one, we will lose."
He waited to see if Mia would continue to argue, but the Walkers and Smiths seemed to be processing their role. While they considered his proposal, Theo turned his attention to the others in the room.
"The rest of us are on infiltration and extraction, and we'll be going in waves. Amber—you have to go first. Do you think you can transport to the holding cells in Estyeer?"
Amber was pale as she listened, but she nodded. "I could probably get into the one he kept me in," she admitted. "But it will probably be locked, so we won't be able to access the hall from inside."
"Don't worry about locks," Theo offered. "Focus on transporting to that cell, and you'll take P.I.X. and Zane with you. You guys have some kind of virus you're planning on using to slow them down, right?" Theo asked, glancing at the robotic couple. The nindroids nodded, and Theo smiled grimly. "Okay. P.I.X, as soon as you get in, start uploading your virus. If you can't do that from the cell then find somewhere where you can, but know that you've got to be on the defensive. Lay low, and try not to attract any attention. Meanwhile, I'll transport in next, aiming for Amber. If all goes well, Mom, Dad, and I will arrive minutes after you guys do."
"Wait, Theo, you've never been to Estyeer. I thought that transporting—" Kai started.
"I can get to Amber. Once she's in, I can get in," Theo assured. He glanced over at his parents and noticed that they had strange looks on their faces. Were they surprised by the revelation about his and his sister's transportation discovery? Whatever the reason they were looking so distant, he didn't have time to waste with extra explanation.
"You said you were bringing us. You didn't forget, did you?" Tolan cut in, and Theo glanced over to see his bodyguard, Myrah, and Hershel studying him closely.
"After I drop off my parents, I'll come back for you three and transport us back in. With any luck, we can transport everyone directly into Estyeer within a few minutes. Zerek will know what we're after, but he's going to have to decide where to put his focus—whether or not it's more important to him to keep the people he has, or spend more energy in acquiring what he's actually after—our elemental powers."
He spread the papers out, glancing at them briefly before pushing the map forward for the others to see. "Once we're in, we split up. Zane and Amber, you've got Colby." He pointed to the hospital wing. "I'll get you through the barrier between hallways, but after that, the two of you will need to do the rest. Watch each other's backs. The police force gave us armor to wear, but I don't know exactly what Zerek is going to be using against us. Keep an eye out on the laboratories you pass on the way to the hospital wing in case Julien is being held in one, but I think it's more likely he's going to be in the holding cells. Tolan and I will be in charge of breaking into all of them and getting to everyone being held in that way."
"I would prefer to help with the search for Julien," P.I.X.A.L pointed out. Theo sighed.
"I know, but Zerek knows that too. If you're the ones who go to free him, Zerek could threaten him in order to control you. That's why Tolan is on prisoner extraction—Zerek is much less likely to threaten Julien if it's a stranger who locates him. Using a son against a parent is more likely to work in Zerek's favor than using a prisoner against a random oni. I promise, Tolan and I will do all we can to locate Julien and get him to freedom."
P.I.X.A.L's expression was troubled, but she didn't press her argument. Theo turned back to his sister. "Amber, once you and Zane find Colby, transport out. Don't wait around for anyone else—you're in charge of Colby and Colby alone. Depending on the state you find him in, you may want to try and transport to the hospital, Ams...but most important is just getting him out of Estyeer. After that point, your part in the plan is over."
"But—" Zane began right as Amber added,"I could still—"
"Do not come back to Estyeer," Theo said, speaking over them. "If you're able to get Colby to medical attention fast enough, then you can regroup with the Walkers and the Smiths. You're too high priority, Ams—I need you in and out as soon as possible. You're going to be one of Zerek's more prioritized targets."
Amber's expression clouded, but she didn't necessarily argue. Theo turned his attention back to his parents. "So, when Zane and Amber go after Colby, I need you guys to head to the village. It'll be in this middle area. There's a door leading to it near the barrier between hallways that I'm already opening for Zane and Amber. I'll break down the door to the village, but then it's on you guys to convince the Oni being held there to get ready for extraction. You guys are honestly the only people these oni are going to recognize—and hopefully trust. I have no idea how open these Oni will be to being rescued or how traumatized they are...so you may have to pull out all the stops to convince them that it's time to leave and they have to leave now."
Keyda and Cole glanced at each other, and Theo turned to the newest member of the war council—someone who arrived only an hour before. Tobias Bentworth smiled as he met Theo's eye, but Theo kept his own expression serious.
"Tobias, you and your dragon need to head into the open center of the fortress. Aim to get there five minutes after our transporting launches," Theo said. "You and my parents are in charge of extracting the Oni from the village, so do what you can to convince them to get on the dragon. Our goal is to get everyone out, but we don't really know how many Oni are in the village. Mom, you may have to transport some out of there yourself...but our goal is that no one gets left behind. Keep an eye out for Teag—with any luck, he's being held in the village with the others."
Cole and Keyda nodded slowly, but Tobias couldn't help but chime in. "With all due respect, Prince Theo, couldn't we just use the dragon to attack the fortress and..."
"I'm not a Prince anymore, and there will be no attacking from the infiltration team, except in defense against those standing in the way of extraction," Theo cut in. "Attacking the fortress itself will only endanger the people inside that we're trying to get out. Our goal isn't to lay waste to Estyeer—its to transport everyone out as quickly and safely as possible. It's already going to be hard enough getting the dragon to the fortress, Tobias—focus on getting to the Oni who need you."
Tobias tugged on his mustache, looking a little disappointed that he wasn't going to be able to use a dragon to turn Estyeer to rubble, but he finally nodded his agreement. Theo took a deep breath and turned to the last two Oni.
"Hershel and Myrah, that leaves you," he pointed out. "And I'm sorry to say it, but you're going to be the weakest link." Both of their expressions immediately hardened in offense, and Theo continued. "You don't have experience with technology, and no way to protect yourself against robots, tranq-darts, or bullets, besides the police's bullet-proof armor that we'll be sending you in. Use the tasers we're giving you against anyone who tries to stop you—they should be effective against robots. Hopefully, Zerek's attention will be elsewhere and he won't focus on targeting you because neither of you have anything he wants. Your aim is for his office, all the way at the top." Theo pointed to the room on the map. "That's where he's keeping Raiyn. He's in a vengestone cage up against a wall, and—"
"Wait, how do you know that?" Myrah pointed out.
"I...saw it in a dream. I don't have time to explain," Theo said, waving off her question as he thought about the kennel he had seen in the dream Raiyn had sent. "The point is, you're going to need to break into the office and break the lock off the cage."
"We'll have weapons, and I can pick locks, besides," Myrah said. "How are we getting out, once we have him?"
"Well, since he's got powers, he may be able to transport you out, right?" Theo pointed out. The two parents glanced at each other.
"How did you know—" Hershel started.
"Iona," Theo said by way of explanation before continuing. "If Raiyn can't transport you out of there, then you're going to have to rendezvous with my parents at the center of the fortress. Understand?"
The two oni nodded, and Theo looked back around the room. "We'll go over questions in a minute, but I shouldn't have to point out that Zerek is going to send heat to every single one of us, so everyone needs to be a hundred percent prepared and committed to what we're going to do. If anyone has any real problems with the plan, then we need to come up with something else quickly."
He left the thought hanging as he continued, glancing over at the Smiths and Walkers. "Remember, our goal is to make Zerek prioritize, and thus be less likely to come as heavily on those we are trying to get out. But that also means he's going to come heavier on his specific targets—Me, May, and Ash."
"Then you shouldn't be going into Esyteer," May pointed out. "You should be running interference with the rest of us."
"I have to transport everyone else in," Theo pointed out. "And besides, our inner missions have a higher chance of succeeding if he has a target close in proximity to draw his focus."
"You're playing bait." Tolan was the one who said it, and suddenly, Theo could feel everyone's gazes becoming a little more accusatory.
"I'm drawing his focus so we can get our friends out of there," Theo offered carefully.
"Theo—" Amber started, but his eyes flashed as he smacked the table.
"It is not open to negotiation," he snapped. "This is the only way I could think of to do it...but I can handle myself. I'll be armored, just like everyone else...and I'm taking extra protection." He met Ashley's eye briefly, but then continued around the room until he his gaze came to rest on the bodyguard next to him. "I'll also be with Tolan. We may get the most heat out of anyone, Tol. Are you ready for that?"
"You say that like I'm new to this kind of thing," Tolan offered, raising a single eyebrow as he kept his arms folded confidently.
"If this was happening in the Oni realm, then I wouldn't doubt you a bit. But there are going to be surprises in Estyeer...none of us really know what to expect, or what Zerek is capable of." He looked around at the others gathered in the room and finally sighed. "Just remember—no negotiations. Those of us heading into Estyeer need to be suited with gas masks, armor, and tasers. Mia and May can help with that. Otherwise, I think that's everything."
He waited for someone to say something, and it was Jay who spoke first, turning to his long-time Nindroid friend. "Do I even want to know what the chances for success are for this plan?"
Zane frowned thoughtfully. "Given that there are a lot of variables that we simply do not know, it isn't really possible for me to calculate exact odds. But all things considered, I do think it is in our best interest to divide and conquer. The faster we can pull off each extraction, the more likely we are to succeed."
"Well...the Nindroid has spoken," Jay said with a shrug, turning back to Theo. "That settles it for me."
"All right," Theo said, trying not to let anyone see his trembling hands. "Then let's get ready to go."
The smaller versions of Julien's machine Zerek had ordered were more efficient for many reasons. They were easier to transport, for one, and they held just enough Oni energy to power an extraction. The only problem was that he only had enough Oni power at the moment to power two of the machines. It did not leave a lot of room for error.
Zerek screwed a loose bolt on the nearest machine in, studying them for a moment before turning to the unconcious Oni woman who's power had been given to charge the machines. Technically, he could probably charge at least one more machine with the remainder of her lifeforce, but perhaps she was more useful alive for the time being. He glanced back at the machine, calculating in his mind. Two machines were technically enough to get what he wanted, considering that the Oni Heir could power his own extraction. Zerek would just have to be very careful that everything went to plan.
Zerek turned away from the extraction machines and the unconscious Oni, turning to the other staff members in the room. In the attack that was coming, Zerek knew the most helpful thing to have on hand would be more of him—honestly, he was eager to be everywhere in Estyeer at once in order to protect what he had gained so far. Though he was against robotic cloning—making literal duplicates of himself— he had been testing out a way for him to see and speak through his robotic staff members. There would still be only one of him heading everything, but at least that way, he could address each angle of the coming attack himself.
"I do believe it vill not be long now," he mused. "Testing mutli-monitor protocol now." He mentally sent a command to the mainframe before continuing. "Testing."
"Testing." His voice echoed back to him from each of the staff members, and suddenly, the eyesight from each of the staff members entered his mind. He frowned as he organized the various viewpoints, turning each one on and off in turn to make sure that his connection to them was fully functional. Satisfied that he had numerous eyes, ears, and voiceboxes set up for the coming attack, he turned off the multi-monitor protocol and turned back to the Oni behind him.
"Help me transport zis one to ze keep," he commanded. "Vonce ve are set, I do believe ve vill be ready for vatever comes our way."
Sit-coms just didn't hit the same when you knew that your friends were about to go on a death-defying mission. M shifted in his hospital bed as he tried to focus on the tv set, grimacing as the movement tugged at his shoulder. His arm was back in a sling, curtesy of the nurse who discovered that his arm had been recently pulled out of socket.
A soft knock sounded, and he turned at the sound. "Come in," he offered. When the door opened and Amber entered, M immediately sat up, reaching up to drag his fingers through his messy hair. "Oh, hey, Oni-girl."
She smiled, looking amused that he was trying to get himself presentable. He smiled in return.
"They finally gave me a razor," he pointed out. "I look leagues better already, huh?"
"You're ridiculous," Amber offered, coming over to sit on the chair. Her smile faded slowly, and M titled his head.
"You're leaving soon, aren't you? To take down that mad scientist in his evil lair?"
"Yeah." She pushed her hair out of her face, and M sighed.
"I wish I could come with you. And that I wasn't so useless in general."
"You aren't useless," she countered, reaching out and finding his hand, even though her eyes wouldn't meet his.
"I would try to talk you out of it if I thought you would listen," he pointed out. "Promise you'll be careful, Amber."
"Don't worry. Theo's given me the least risky job in the whole plan." Her expression crumpled. "Just like he's given himself the most risky job. Classic Theo, I guess."
"Well, you did just break out from being stuck there," M pointed out. "Your brother probably just doesn't want you in harm's way again."
"I guess...but there's something more going on." Amber's expression clouded further. "There's something he's got planned...some part he's not telling the rest of us. I don't know...he's masking his feelings so I can't read them, and nothing good ever comes when people do that."
"Mmm." M leaned forward, his eyes studying her face. "He's like, super-ultra powerful now though, isn't he? Doesn't he have ninja elemental power and oni power?"
"I guess." Amber took a deep breath, her hand squeezing M's. "I don't know if I'm just terrified because I know what Zerek is like and what he wants to do to Theo, or if there really is something more going on." She looked back up at him at last. "But I wanted to come see you before we left."
M felt dread settle over him. "So you're going soon?"
"Yeah. In fact...I probably have to go now." Amber closed her eyes for a moment, and M felt his heart sink. After a moment, he squeezed her hand and she opened her eyes.
"You got this, Oni-girl," he offered at last. "You're the strongest person I know."
She exhaled slowly. "This feels different than anything else we've ever done," she admitted at last. "I'm...honestly worried about how it's going to turn out."
M felt a twist of fear himself at that, but he tried to smile through it. "Just try to come back in one piece, would ya?" he said. "You still have to try on that new tango outfit I got you. I'm pretty sure if I don't return it within the next week, I can't get refunded."
Amber looked taken aback by the comment, but M felt successful when he saw her crack a little smile. "I'll come see you when everything is done...okay?" she finally offered.
"I'm counting on it."
M pushed himself the rest of the way up, glad that he was slowly getting his strength back. Amber didn't pull away as he put his hand on her face, but her expression flickered slightly.
"Are we...just going to kiss all the time now?" she finally asked. "Does that mean we're...you know. A thing?"
"Um." M's mind went blank, not sure if she was telling him she didn't want to kiss. "I guess we can talk about it when you get back?"
Amber was quiet, and M was about to remove his hand when she leaned forward and gently kissed him. He relaxed, and she pulled away with a shaky smile. "Okay...we'll talk then."
M tried to decide if it was wrong to be filled with butterflies instead of dread, but the dread crept back in fast enough when Amber pulled away and left the room. She gave him one last wavering smile before she shut the door.
"If something happens to that woman, then the universe is officially out to get me," M muttered to himself, wishing he could ask Amber to come back and avoid all the danger she was going to face. A buzzing noise caught his attention, and he turned to a nearby table. His father had bought him a new phone after discovering that M's old one had been taken and was now who knows where. M frowned at it, wondering who on earth would be calling him right now. Was Amber calling for another goodbye? Not that he would be opposed, but did she even have his new number?
He picked up the phone, but the caller was unknown. He hesitated for a moment and finally forced himself to answer. With any luck, it was just a scammer.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Marty."
M stiffened and nearly hung up the phone, but instead, he huffed. "That's not my name," he muttered. "Why are you calling me?"
"I just wanted to make sure that rag-tag team of wannabe heroes isn't dragging you back into the fray," Matilda offered.
"I'm officially banned from taking part," he said flatly. "Like you care. Are you half-way to some desert island by now?"
"Something like that," Matilda offered airily.
"Well, enjoy your freedom while it lasts," M offered. "I'm pretty sure the team was taking bets on how long it will take you to get caught."
"Well, I hope they get their money's worth out of the venture," Matilda scoffed. There was a long pause, and M was about to hang up when she spoke again, her voice strange. "Regardless of where I end up...I would assume that you and I aren't going to see much of each other in the future."
"I'll be doing everything in my power to make sure of it," M pointed out bitterly. His mother laughed once on the other side.
"Yes, I suppose I can't blame you for that. I was curious to know what your plans for the future are...am I going to see news about you and that...oni...plastered all over the realm soon?"
M's grip tightened on the phone. "It's not really any of your business, is it?"
"I just wondered what you've got planned."
"Whatever my future plans are, they certainly don't include you, so there's no reason for you to know about them." M's voice shook slightly, but he found himself waiting to see what her reply would be instead of just hanging up.
"I'm aware that I've burned quite a few bridges, Mart—M. I won't expect any post-cards or wedding invitations."
M bristled at the suggestive way his mother dragged out the last two words. "Like I would even have someplace to send them to," M snapped. "How did you even get this number? It's a new phone."
"I have my connections," his mother offered vaguely. "Speaking of...I know that I'm the last person you will probably ever turn to for help...but if the need ever arose..." She trailed off, and M furrowed his brow.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"If you ever need me, there are ways that you can contact me. Not this number—I'm using a public phone at the moment. But I did mean what I said before—I believe you would excel in the world of business. If you ever need a little extra help...I'll be keeping an ear to the ground."
M didn't say anything, not even sure how to reply. Just as he had found his voice enough to tell his mother that he would never, ever, need her, Matilda spoke again.
"Take care of yourself, would you? I would rather not hear about you getting wrapped up in any more of these sorts of situations."
"You—"
"Goodbye, M."
The call ended, and M's hands trembled. "I don't want your help!" he finally yelled, though he knew that his mother was no longer on the line. He continued to hold the phone to his face, however, shaking slightly as he replayed the conversation in his head.
The door opened, and his father walked in. Marty IV frowned as he caught sight of M, and he cleared his throat. M glanced over, and the man gestured to the phone. "Who are you calling?"
M opened his mouth, but then scoffed as he tossed the phone back onto the nearby table.
"Wrong number."