Lukes New TR47 Fanfic Chapter X: Shattered Dreams
Tac looked at the computer, then typed in a few commands. He carefully studied the closet, then suddenly the view shifted as a voice appeared in the headphones.
"What are you looking for, Luke?"
"My gun. I was going to go to the shooting range tomorrow, and it needs to be cleaned."
"You don't own a gun, Luke," Magick replied.
Tac swore to himself for not thinking of something better for Luke to say. He then switched the microphone on again and said, "You know I'm joking. I'm really looking for a WATER gun."
Luke repeated the exact same thing, then Magick said, "You sounded quite serious to me, but whatever. The water guns are all on top of the fridge."
"Thanks," Luke said.
Tac watched the computer for a few more hours, carefully inspecting every inch of the apartment as Luke went about his usual business. Tac didn't want to cause any more trouble. Otherwise, everybody would begin to get suspicious. After a little while, Tac began planning when he would strike, and what with.
Joey and Melanie left to do other things, and Michi had to get to work. That left Luke and Magick as the only ones at the apartment. Eventually Magick decided to take a nap, so Tac saw his opportunity to further explore the apartment without stirring any suspicion.
Tac's first destination for Luke was the kitchen. He began opening each of the drawers, and after a few moments Tac saw when he had hoped for. Knives. Tac cackled, then told Luke to go to his bedroom. Tac sighed, because his mind-control device was quite a handful to manage.
Luke opened the closet and began looking again, because Magick had interrupted his the first time. Tac gasped, then smiled at what he saw. It looked like a sword, but Tac knew what it really was. It was a large Machete, and would be perfect. Luke picked it up and examined the blade carefully, then slid it into its leather sheath. It was very much sharp since it had never been used before . . .
Magick woke up a little while later. She yawned and stretched, then looked around. She wondered where Luke was, then stood up and walked into his bedroom. She found him there putting his Machete away.
"Why did you get that thing out?" She asked.
"I'm just looking through my stuff. I should probably clean out my closet sometime."
Magick giggled, then admired the intricate leather sheath protecting the blade. Beads of various colors hung from the tip of the sheath and the handle. Luke placed the Machete back in his closet, then turned to face Magick.
"So, how come you're up and about so soon?" Luke asked.
"I've been asleep for an hour," Magick giggled. "I always take naps that long."
Luke shrugged his shoulders, then walked out of his bedroom, followed by Magick. There wasn't much of anything to do at the apartment other than sleep, watch TV, and read books, so they decided to go to a movie. Magick didn't realize that it was just Tac's way of stalling for time in order to wait until everybody got home . . .
A few hours later, everybody was at the apartment getting ready for a party. The only target of Tac's that wasn't there was Lisa. Tac took care of that, however, with a quick phone call by Luke. Lisa showed up a little while later, and Tac laughed evilly. Before long, Luke would be going on a rampage with the machete. Once everybody else was dead, the mind-control device, which was packed with explosives, would detonate, killing Luke as well.
Tac yawned and began to doze of eventually, because he had gotten very little sleep the previous night. A loud beep, however, caused him to snap awake. His head had been resting on the keyboard as he began to doze off, so the computer beeped at him as a result. Tac yawned again, then stood up and walked around for a minute to wake himself up.
Tac sat back down in front of the computer a few minutes later. He immediately noticed that his opportunity to strike had come. Luke was in his bedroom changing into a dry pair of clothes, because he had been mobbed by everybody with water guns. Tac typed in a few quick commands, then pulled on his headset. He switched on the microphone, but this time Luke wouldn't be saying what Tac was saying. He would only be obeying Tac's orders.
"Okay Luke, tell me what your mission is," Tac said into the microphone.
"My mission is to kill the others," Luke responded.
"Very good. Now is the time to strike. Go and fulfill your task."
"Yes, master," Luke replied monotonously.
Luke walked to the closet and pulled out his Machete, then took the leather sheath off the blade. He checked the blade's sharpness, then tossed the sheath in the closet and walked out of his room. Everybody else was in the living room laughing about something.
Luke stepped slowly down the hallway outside of his room, checking to make sure nobody was looking in his direction. He wanted to be as close to them as possible, which would increase the chances of fulfilling his task. The instant Luke stepped out of the hallway and into the open, however, Magick turned and looked directly at him.
"Luke, is it really necessary to show . . . everybody . . ." Magick trailed off as she saw the look in Luke's eyes. He wasn't there to show them his Machete. She could tell that he had other intentions.
Magick quickly jumped up and dove out of the way as Luke swung the Machete at her. It sliced cleanly through the top of the couch, leaving a large gash in the covering. The others gasped, and Lisa nearly choked as she spit out a mouthful of soda. Luke lifted the blade into the air again and took a battle stance similar to a ninja, both of his hands gripping firmly on the handle.
Nobody moved for what seemed like hours, but was in reality only a few seconds. Instantly Luke flashed forward and everybody dodged to avoid his attack. It would be a bit more complicated than Tac originally thought, because everybody could move much faster than a human. Being part Pokemon, then had the ability to move quite quickly if they had to. Tac knew, however, that Michelle and Lisa would be the hardest to kill. Luke could move rapidly since he was a Raichu, but Michelle was a Raichu as well and Lisa was a Pikachu.
Tac took a deep breath to calm his frustration, then typed in a few more quick commands. Melanie would probably be the weakest of the bunch, so she would be the first to die. Luke turned to face her, then froze in place. Melanie's hands were glowing, and she was prepared to attack.
"I'm doing this for your own good," Melanie whispered. "Please forgive me."
Melanie then closed her eyes and released a Psybeam at Luke. It hit him, forcing him backwards against the far wall. The picture of Luke and Michi hanging on the wall next to him fell down and shattered, scattering glass across the floor.
Luke immediately turned to face Melanie, a look of rage in his eyes. The attack had accomplished nothing except for making him mad. Luke charged at Melanie with a burst of speed using Agility. She dodged his sudden rush, but not enough. The blade ran across her shoulder, tearing the sleeve and slicing a deep gash in it.
Melanie jumped back, holding her shoulder tightly with her hand. The wound wasn't fatal, but it would need attention quickly or it would become fatal. The cloth around her shoulder was already becoming soaked with blood. Realizing the situation she was in, Melanie quickly made a dash for the bathroom before Luke could react. She slammed the door shut and locked it moments before the Machete landed.
Melanie jumped back and gasped as the blade penetrated through the door part of the way. She quickly ran to the cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit, ignoring Luke completely. She glanced up and saw the blade wiggling in the hole, so Luke was trying to pull it out. She returned to attending to her shoulder, which was still bleeding profusely.
Luke eventually pulled out the Machete and hissed in frustration and anger. He had been too busy pulling out the Machete, however, so notice the others sneaking up behind him. Suddenly a voice yelled, "Now!" and he was tackled from behind.
Michelle, Magick, Joey, and Lisa wrestled Luke to the floor and pinned him down. They pulled away the Machete and tossed it across the room, watching as it slid across the floor. They breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that Luke would calm down and come to his senses.
Moments later, however, Luke began to struggle again. He began to glow brightly, then let out a scream of rage as he threw all four of them off. He jumped onto his feet, then leapt across the room and retrieved the Machete. Luke turned around and glared at Michi, Magick, Joey, and Lisa angrily. Melanie stepped out a few moments later, a bandage wrapped snugly around her shoulder. She took a deep breath, then stepped up beside the others.
Luke then said, "Face it, you're all going to die. There's no chance of escape, and you all have yourselves cornered."
As Luke finished, the others looked at him in astonishment. He had completely lost it. He was going to kill them all if it was the last thing he did. Magick, Melanie, Michi, Joey, and Lisa look at each other and nodded, then turned to face Luke.
"We don't know why you're doing this or what's going through your head right now, but we're not going to let you do this, Luke," Joey said defiantly.
Luke growled, then raised the Machete. Everybody began charging up their most powerful attacks. Michi and Lisa powered up their Thunder attacks, and Joey, Magick, and Melanie powered up Psybeams.
Luke held his place for a full minute, then rushed forward in an incredible burst of speed and Agility. In that same moment, everybody unleashed their attacks on him. The two Thunder attacks and three Psybeams converged on Luke, exploding in a powerful burst of energy. Luke rolled backwards and hit the wall violently, nearly causing it to break away completely.
Everybody held their positions and looked hopefully in Luke's direction. Moments later, however, a silhouette appeared in the dust and smoke. Luke stepped forward, out of the cloud of debris. Everybody gasped simultaneously, because Luke appeared to be unharmed. What evil force was possessing him?
Luke bean walking toward them with the Machete raised in front of him. Tac watched the monitor, smiling as Luke advanced. Everybody was caught in a corner, and there was not enough space for them to escape.
Magick was the most horrified by what was happening. She and Luke had grown so close, but now Luke had become a raging murderer. Her mind was racing as she tried to think of something to do that might be useful. She thought of every possible action, but nothing proved to be helpful.
"Luke, listen to me," Magick eventually said, as Luke continued to step closer, "you don't know what you're doing. You're making a huge mistake which you'll regret for the rest of your life!"
Luke suddenly darted toward Magick and thrust the blade forward, stopping mere inches from her throat. "I'm not going to regret anything, because nobody will know I did it. I'll enjoy killing you all slowly and painfully."
Magick felt emotions building inside of her. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, and she sobbed loudly. She knew there was no hope. She tried desperately to think of something to say, then suddenly blurted out something that even caught her by surprise.
"I love you!"
Magick suddenly gasped and looked down, realizing what she had just said. She blushed, despite the fact that she was about to die. Luke lowered the blade from her throat and looked her in the eyes.
"What . . . did you say?" he stuttered.
Tac growled angrily and began rapidly typing in commands. For some reason, the mind-control device had suddenly stopped responding. Luke was supposed to be killing the others, not lowering his weapon.
Magick took a deep breath and raised her head. "I love you," she whispered hoarsely.
Everybody could see that what Magick had said was having a deep impact on Luke. Whatever he had been thinking before, it was definitely changing. His hand quivered as he raised the Machete again, but he didn't bring it up fully.
Tac continued to rapidly type and retype the commands. It was beginning to take effect again, but Magick's words were powerful ones. They were strong enough to break through the barrier of the mind-control and release Luke's true self.
Magick could see that Luke's intentions were still somewhat the same. If she said the same thing a third time, it probably would have a much weaker effect. Magick got an idea, but it would take a lot of courage. If it didn't work, she'd be dead for sure.
Magick took a few deep breaths to clear her racing mind, then took a step closer to Luke. He inched back in alarm; the blade of the Machete snapping up in front of him. Magick took another step toward him, and the others watched in astonishment.
Magick continue until she was standing only a few inches away from Luke. She touched Luke gently on the arm, then the blade flashed quickly. Magick pulled away to avoid being hacked, then looked at Luke. His arm was still trembling a bit, and he had a look in his eyes that said he was fighting something. Magick took another deep breath, then gazed into his eyes for a few moments.
Tac swore, then began madly typing on the computer. Static was beginning to pop up occasionally on the view, and the sound was becoming distorted. His device was failing, and it was being destroyed by the one thing Tac couldn't control: love.
Magick's heart jumped as Luke reached forward and touched her on the cheek. He was acting almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. Luke pulled his hand away again, then looked at the Machete in his other hand.
Magick reached out, gathering up all the courage she had. This was the moment of truth. Either Luke would have a change of heart and give up what he was doing, or he would kill Magick for what she was about to do.
Magick placed her hand on Luke's cheek, then leaned forward slowly. She closed her eyes and everything seemed to slow to a crawl as she kissed Luke tenderly on the lips. The effect was almost immediate. She could almost feel the anger and bloodlust leaving Luke.
Tac screamed and slammed his fists down on the keyboard as the image changed completely to static. The only thing coming in through his headphones was a crackling noise. He pushed the computer off his desk in anger, causing it to explode in a shower of sparks.
Joey noticed a tiny electronic device lying on the floor, which had fallen from behind Luke's ear. She stepped over to where it was and bent down to pick it up. She recognized it immediately since she had spent so much time as a prisoner of Team Rocket.
"Luke wasn't in control of his actions. This tiny electronic device I'm holding is a mind-control device owned by Team Rocket. My guess is that Tac tried to use it to get rid of us. We're the only ones who know what he did to Team Rocket. Just be glad Luke didn't finish, because these things explode when the person controlling the victim gives the command."
Magick pulled away slowly and gazed into Luke's eyes again. He loosened his grip on the Machete, allowing it to fall to the floor. Magick smiled, then hugged Luke tightly.
"It's good to have you back," she whispered into his ear . . .
Tac looked at the computer, then typed in a few commands. He carefully studied the closet, then suddenly the view shifted as a voice appeared in the headphones.
"What are you looking for, Luke?"
"My gun. I was going to go to the shooting range tomorrow, and it needs to be cleaned."
"You don't own a gun, Luke," Magick replied.
Tac swore to himself for not thinking of something better for Luke to say. He then switched the microphone on again and said, "You know I'm joking. I'm really looking for a WATER gun."
Luke repeated the exact same thing, then Magick said, "You sounded quite serious to me, but whatever. The water guns are all on top of the fridge."
"Thanks," Luke said.
Tac watched the computer for a few more hours, carefully inspecting every inch of the apartment as Luke went about his usual business. Tac didn't want to cause any more trouble. Otherwise, everybody would begin to get suspicious. After a little while, Tac began planning when he would strike, and what with.
Joey and Melanie left to do other things, and Michi had to get to work. That left Luke and Magick as the only ones at the apartment. Eventually Magick decided to take a nap, so Tac saw his opportunity to further explore the apartment without stirring any suspicion.
Tac's first destination for Luke was the kitchen. He began opening each of the drawers, and after a few moments Tac saw when he had hoped for. Knives. Tac cackled, then told Luke to go to his bedroom. Tac sighed, because his mind-control device was quite a handful to manage.
Luke opened the closet and began looking again, because Magick had interrupted his the first time. Tac gasped, then smiled at what he saw. It looked like a sword, but Tac knew what it really was. It was a large Machete, and would be perfect. Luke picked it up and examined the blade carefully, then slid it into its leather sheath. It was very much sharp since it had never been used before . . .
Magick woke up a little while later. She yawned and stretched, then looked around. She wondered where Luke was, then stood up and walked into his bedroom. She found him there putting his Machete away.
"Why did you get that thing out?" She asked.
"I'm just looking through my stuff. I should probably clean out my closet sometime."
Magick giggled, then admired the intricate leather sheath protecting the blade. Beads of various colors hung from the tip of the sheath and the handle. Luke placed the Machete back in his closet, then turned to face Magick.
"So, how come you're up and about so soon?" Luke asked.
"I've been asleep for an hour," Magick giggled. "I always take naps that long."
Luke shrugged his shoulders, then walked out of his bedroom, followed by Magick. There wasn't much of anything to do at the apartment other than sleep, watch TV, and read books, so they decided to go to a movie. Magick didn't realize that it was just Tac's way of stalling for time in order to wait until everybody got home . . .
A few hours later, everybody was at the apartment getting ready for a party. The only target of Tac's that wasn't there was Lisa. Tac took care of that, however, with a quick phone call by Luke. Lisa showed up a little while later, and Tac laughed evilly. Before long, Luke would be going on a rampage with the machete. Once everybody else was dead, the mind-control device, which was packed with explosives, would detonate, killing Luke as well.
Tac yawned and began to doze of eventually, because he had gotten very little sleep the previous night. A loud beep, however, caused him to snap awake. His head had been resting on the keyboard as he began to doze off, so the computer beeped at him as a result. Tac yawned again, then stood up and walked around for a minute to wake himself up.
Tac sat back down in front of the computer a few minutes later. He immediately noticed that his opportunity to strike had come. Luke was in his bedroom changing into a dry pair of clothes, because he had been mobbed by everybody with water guns. Tac typed in a few quick commands, then pulled on his headset. He switched on the microphone, but this time Luke wouldn't be saying what Tac was saying. He would only be obeying Tac's orders.
"Okay Luke, tell me what your mission is," Tac said into the microphone.
"My mission is to kill the others," Luke responded.
"Very good. Now is the time to strike. Go and fulfill your task."
"Yes, master," Luke replied monotonously.
Luke walked to the closet and pulled out his Machete, then took the leather sheath off the blade. He checked the blade's sharpness, then tossed the sheath in the closet and walked out of his room. Everybody else was in the living room laughing about something.
Luke stepped slowly down the hallway outside of his room, checking to make sure nobody was looking in his direction. He wanted to be as close to them as possible, which would increase the chances of fulfilling his task. The instant Luke stepped out of the hallway and into the open, however, Magick turned and looked directly at him.
"Luke, is it really necessary to show . . . everybody . . ." Magick trailed off as she saw the look in Luke's eyes. He wasn't there to show them his Machete. She could tell that he had other intentions.
Magick quickly jumped up and dove out of the way as Luke swung the Machete at her. It sliced cleanly through the top of the couch, leaving a large gash in the covering. The others gasped, and Lisa nearly choked as she spit out a mouthful of soda. Luke lifted the blade into the air again and took a battle stance similar to a ninja, both of his hands gripping firmly on the handle.
Nobody moved for what seemed like hours, but was in reality only a few seconds. Instantly Luke flashed forward and everybody dodged to avoid his attack. It would be a bit more complicated than Tac originally thought, because everybody could move much faster than a human. Being part Pokemon, then had the ability to move quite quickly if they had to. Tac knew, however, that Michelle and Lisa would be the hardest to kill. Luke could move rapidly since he was a Raichu, but Michelle was a Raichu as well and Lisa was a Pikachu.
Tac took a deep breath to calm his frustration, then typed in a few more quick commands. Melanie would probably be the weakest of the bunch, so she would be the first to die. Luke turned to face her, then froze in place. Melanie's hands were glowing, and she was prepared to attack.
"I'm doing this for your own good," Melanie whispered. "Please forgive me."
Melanie then closed her eyes and released a Psybeam at Luke. It hit him, forcing him backwards against the far wall. The picture of Luke and Michi hanging on the wall next to him fell down and shattered, scattering glass across the floor.
Luke immediately turned to face Melanie, a look of rage in his eyes. The attack had accomplished nothing except for making him mad. Luke charged at Melanie with a burst of speed using Agility. She dodged his sudden rush, but not enough. The blade ran across her shoulder, tearing the sleeve and slicing a deep gash in it.
Melanie jumped back, holding her shoulder tightly with her hand. The wound wasn't fatal, but it would need attention quickly or it would become fatal. The cloth around her shoulder was already becoming soaked with blood. Realizing the situation she was in, Melanie quickly made a dash for the bathroom before Luke could react. She slammed the door shut and locked it moments before the Machete landed.
Melanie jumped back and gasped as the blade penetrated through the door part of the way. She quickly ran to the cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit, ignoring Luke completely. She glanced up and saw the blade wiggling in the hole, so Luke was trying to pull it out. She returned to attending to her shoulder, which was still bleeding profusely.
Luke eventually pulled out the Machete and hissed in frustration and anger. He had been too busy pulling out the Machete, however, so notice the others sneaking up behind him. Suddenly a voice yelled, "Now!" and he was tackled from behind.
Michelle, Magick, Joey, and Lisa wrestled Luke to the floor and pinned him down. They pulled away the Machete and tossed it across the room, watching as it slid across the floor. They breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that Luke would calm down and come to his senses.
Moments later, however, Luke began to struggle again. He began to glow brightly, then let out a scream of rage as he threw all four of them off. He jumped onto his feet, then leapt across the room and retrieved the Machete. Luke turned around and glared at Michi, Magick, Joey, and Lisa angrily. Melanie stepped out a few moments later, a bandage wrapped snugly around her shoulder. She took a deep breath, then stepped up beside the others.
Luke then said, "Face it, you're all going to die. There's no chance of escape, and you all have yourselves cornered."
As Luke finished, the others looked at him in astonishment. He had completely lost it. He was going to kill them all if it was the last thing he did. Magick, Melanie, Michi, Joey, and Lisa look at each other and nodded, then turned to face Luke.
"We don't know why you're doing this or what's going through your head right now, but we're not going to let you do this, Luke," Joey said defiantly.
Luke growled, then raised the Machete. Everybody began charging up their most powerful attacks. Michi and Lisa powered up their Thunder attacks, and Joey, Magick, and Melanie powered up Psybeams.
Luke held his place for a full minute, then rushed forward in an incredible burst of speed and Agility. In that same moment, everybody unleashed their attacks on him. The two Thunder attacks and three Psybeams converged on Luke, exploding in a powerful burst of energy. Luke rolled backwards and hit the wall violently, nearly causing it to break away completely.
Everybody held their positions and looked hopefully in Luke's direction. Moments later, however, a silhouette appeared in the dust and smoke. Luke stepped forward, out of the cloud of debris. Everybody gasped simultaneously, because Luke appeared to be unharmed. What evil force was possessing him?
Luke bean walking toward them with the Machete raised in front of him. Tac watched the monitor, smiling as Luke advanced. Everybody was caught in a corner, and there was not enough space for them to escape.
Magick was the most horrified by what was happening. She and Luke had grown so close, but now Luke had become a raging murderer. Her mind was racing as she tried to think of something to do that might be useful. She thought of every possible action, but nothing proved to be helpful.
"Luke, listen to me," Magick eventually said, as Luke continued to step closer, "you don't know what you're doing. You're making a huge mistake which you'll regret for the rest of your life!"
Luke suddenly darted toward Magick and thrust the blade forward, stopping mere inches from her throat. "I'm not going to regret anything, because nobody will know I did it. I'll enjoy killing you all slowly and painfully."
Magick felt emotions building inside of her. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, and she sobbed loudly. She knew there was no hope. She tried desperately to think of something to say, then suddenly blurted out something that even caught her by surprise.
"I love you!"
Magick suddenly gasped and looked down, realizing what she had just said. She blushed, despite the fact that she was about to die. Luke lowered the blade from her throat and looked her in the eyes.
"What . . . did you say?" he stuttered.
Tac growled angrily and began rapidly typing in commands. For some reason, the mind-control device had suddenly stopped responding. Luke was supposed to be killing the others, not lowering his weapon.
Magick took a deep breath and raised her head. "I love you," she whispered hoarsely.
Everybody could see that what Magick had said was having a deep impact on Luke. Whatever he had been thinking before, it was definitely changing. His hand quivered as he raised the Machete again, but he didn't bring it up fully.
Tac continued to rapidly type and retype the commands. It was beginning to take effect again, but Magick's words were powerful ones. They were strong enough to break through the barrier of the mind-control and release Luke's true self.
Magick could see that Luke's intentions were still somewhat the same. If she said the same thing a third time, it probably would have a much weaker effect. Magick got an idea, but it would take a lot of courage. If it didn't work, she'd be dead for sure.
Magick took a few deep breaths to clear her racing mind, then took a step closer to Luke. He inched back in alarm; the blade of the Machete snapping up in front of him. Magick took another step toward him, and the others watched in astonishment.
Magick continue until she was standing only a few inches away from Luke. She touched Luke gently on the arm, then the blade flashed quickly. Magick pulled away to avoid being hacked, then looked at Luke. His arm was still trembling a bit, and he had a look in his eyes that said he was fighting something. Magick took another deep breath, then gazed into his eyes for a few moments.
Tac swore, then began madly typing on the computer. Static was beginning to pop up occasionally on the view, and the sound was becoming distorted. His device was failing, and it was being destroyed by the one thing Tac couldn't control: love.
Magick's heart jumped as Luke reached forward and touched her on the cheek. He was acting almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. Luke pulled his hand away again, then looked at the Machete in his other hand.
Magick reached out, gathering up all the courage she had. This was the moment of truth. Either Luke would have a change of heart and give up what he was doing, or he would kill Magick for what she was about to do.
Magick placed her hand on Luke's cheek, then leaned forward slowly. She closed her eyes and everything seemed to slow to a crawl as she kissed Luke tenderly on the lips. The effect was almost immediate. She could almost feel the anger and bloodlust leaving Luke.
Tac screamed and slammed his fists down on the keyboard as the image changed completely to static. The only thing coming in through his headphones was a crackling noise. He pushed the computer off his desk in anger, causing it to explode in a shower of sparks.
Joey noticed a tiny electronic device lying on the floor, which had fallen from behind Luke's ear. She stepped over to where it was and bent down to pick it up. She recognized it immediately since she had spent so much time as a prisoner of Team Rocket.
"Luke wasn't in control of his actions. This tiny electronic device I'm holding is a mind-control device owned by Team Rocket. My guess is that Tac tried to use it to get rid of us. We're the only ones who know what he did to Team Rocket. Just be glad Luke didn't finish, because these things explode when the person controlling the victim gives the command."
Magick pulled away slowly and gazed into Luke's eyes again. He loosened his grip on the Machete, allowing it to fall to the floor. Magick smiled, then hugged Luke tightly.
"It's good to have you back," she whispered into his ear . . .