Chapter 4: In the Dark

~*~

"That's what I get for sending Helcats!" fumed Renee Altimarie. The soldiers standing in front of her winced at the sudden change in octaves. "I don't suppose any of you pathetic low lifes gave any thought to finding them again." The captain of the guard, who was either very brave or tone deaf, stepped forward.

"Ma'am," he started but was cut off quickly.

"I knew it! You are all utterly pathetic," said Miss Altimarie sounding happy enough to just be able to tell them off for something.

"Listen," said the captain. "I visited the battle site and have discovered that the Command Wolf was heading northeast. It was probably damaged so if they want to make it to a Commission base they'll have to stop along the way, probably at one of the border towns near an outpost." Miss Altimarie's eyes lit up.

"Excellent! We'll just destroy whatever town they stop at and ferret them out that way, it's brilliant!" She grinned wickedly.

"Ma'am, wouldn't it be easier if we…"

"Silence!" shrieked Miss Altimarie. "What kind of attitude is that? I am in charge of this operation and I decide what we blow up, if I say I want to destroy a town then you bloody well better ask when and where, not any of this 'But wouldn't it be easier if we just-' crap. You are all just lazy, that's your problem!" There was silence as several of the soldiers uncovered their ears and opened their eyes. "Now, does Miss Altimarie make herself perfectly clear?" There were nods all around.

"We'll assemble the necessary troops immediately," said the captain curtly.

"Good," said Miss Altimarie smiling. "Now get on it! Stop sitting around here wasting precious time!" She shooed them all off and then lapsed into evil laughter.

"Man, I can't wait until those vocal cords of hers snap," muttered Alex of the guard, there were nods of agreement all around.

~*~*~

Bit Cloud was lost in a world of pain and darkness. He was vaguely aware of the sound of Brad's voice calling to him but he couldn't focus on it. He was drifting beyond the reach of anyone of anything. It was like something was cutting him off from his body and preventing him from waking up. Keeping him from Brad.

There was a flash of searing pain and flash of light that condensed into one glowing globe of soft white radiance. Groggily Bit wondered if this was the light at the end of the tunnel he had heard so much about, maybe he was dying. Except that couldn't be right since there hadn't been any tunnel and this light was hardly welcoming.

It called to him, or at least some part of him that he couldn't identify. But it wasn't warm or comforting, it wasn't even particularly friendly. It was hard and cold. It wanted power and it wanted him. Bit shuddered mentally and tried to move his mind away from the light, it was harder than it should have been.

There was another flash of pain, though this time purely physical. Bit was suddenly aware of his damaged body and the fact that it was totally defenseless. What was Brad doing out there anyway? Did he really trust that mercenary to help him? Bit halted that train of thought immediately. How could he even be thinking that, he'd trusted Brad almost instantly and he was going to stick to his first instinct. What was wrong with him?

A growl echoed throughout his mind as if from some giant feral beast. More pain engulfed him and he cried out. Once again the globe of light appeared in his mind's eye. This time it promised a release from pain, now and forever. He'd never be hurt again in anyway if only he'd let the light help him. Just forget going to the Commission, forget the Draft, forget the mercenary, they'd only cause him more pain later. Bit recoiled at the mention of forgetting Brad but the pain was already too much for him. He'd been confused since he'd first met Brad. He was tired, hurt, and kind of hungry. He couldn't be expected to fight something that only wanted to help him. With a sigh he gave in.

~*~

Brad finished cleaning a several gashes on Bit's stomach and looked up surprised and worried. The kid had been shaking just a moment ago, something he couldn't blame just on his minor injuries alone. Now he'd stopped and gone rigid and felt cold to the touch. Quickly Brad found the boy's pulse, it was beating steadily and felt strong but something deffinately was not right. Brad's gaze shifted to his face, the face just didn't look like the face of the kid he'd met the night before.

"Come away Bit," said Brad without knowing why. "Fight it, I know you can."

~*~

Bit Cloud heard Brad's voice and tried to pull away from the light to focus on it. There was a hiss and the light took hold of him. Bit panicked; suddenly he couldn't hear or feel Brad at all. Soothing warmth flooded into his limbs and mind. The pain he'd been feeling vanished. Forget the mercenary, who had only been using him for money, he was safe now. Bit slowly stopped struggling but part of him just wouldn't give in while the other part seemed to have absorbed the light and made it part of him.

He was starting to hallucinate. He could see faces in the darkness, his mom and dad, the people from his hometown, Brad and the Command Wolf battling the Helcats. There were other people too, Naomi Fluegal and Collin Neevs who he couldn't recognize, as well as Renee Altimarie, there was a red headed girl working on what he recognized as a Saber Tiger. The image of an older blonde haired boy talking to a middle aged man with brown hair came in with a wave of unidentifiable feelings. The last two things he saw was a boy with spiky black hair typing away at a computer and a girl with berry red hair reading over his shoulder. At the last minute the girl looked at him and he heard her voice.

"Oh no you don't, not before I even get to meet you!" There was another flash and the light released, for some reason unable to hold up against the girl. The images vanished and he blacked out entirely. When he woke up again he couldn't remember well enough to explain anything, Brad wasn't sure if this was a disappointment or a relief.

~*~