Author's notes: Hey, everyone! Thanks for being patient with us. This story
was written by both Chase and myself in a chatroom style, and therefore was
originally written as a MiST, so to speak. (In other words, all of our
comments and screennames were stuck in there. _) Chase was editing it,
but she's working on about as many projects as I am, so I agreed to finish
editing it. The story is basically finished, it's just a matter of copy,
pasting, and editing...^^ Don't hurt me, I'll get it out as fast as I can!
^_- Enjoy, and feel free to email me at starchaser478@hotmail.com for any
remarks and such. Oh, if the spacing somehow looks weird, I apologize.
FF.net isn't liking my documents, and I have to tab them a certain way to
make it look right. Sometimes it doesn't work. Thanks!
Chapter Seven: And You Give Yourself Away
Brad realized what was happening and desperately tried to pull himself away from the teachers holding him back. "No! Don't listen to him! Schuldig! Look at me!" he screamed.
Schuldig's eyes darted over at the command. The sudden impact against his rib cage made him look back.
"When I'm speaking to you, your attention is on me, boy," Geheim growled.
"Stay away from him! Schuldig! Focus on me! Don't let him control you!" Brad cried. Geheim motioned for one of the teachers to hit him to shut him up.
Schuldig shook slightly as the teacher took his chin in his large hand. "How could you do such an awful thing to them? Your own parents. How could you?"
"I'm sorry," the young German whispered. "I didn't mean to. It got out of control..."
"He didn't. He wouldn't, you sick geezer. Leave him alone! You want a mind to rape and torture pick on someone your own size!" Brad snarled, pulling against the teachers that held him.
The unexpected impact from the teacher sent him flying against the wall.
Brad? Schuldig asked worriedly.
Geheim slapped him across the face. "You'll kill him too, you know. Him, Jack, Amy, and even little Abby. You don't know how to handle your powers. They'll all die because of you."
There was a decided click from the shadows. "Only if you make him. I warned you not to try this again, Herr Geheim."
Schuldig shied away from the man.
Julia stepped forward. "You're really pushing my buttons. I don't like men who don't listen to what I say." She glared at the five surrounding teachers, and they backed down. Not swaying her aim, she pulled Brad to his feet.
Geheim pulled Schuldig up by the collar of his shirt. "I'll kill him now, Frauline," he threatened.
"Ooh, what a shame. Destroying what you so desperately wanted to keep. I don't think you will, Herr Geheim. Really, I don't." Her mind touched Crawford's, and she sent him a suggestion. He nodded quickly.
"I got what I wanted from him."
"A memory of the past? Those come cheap, Herr Geheim. You can buy memories. He has a greater power. You won't destroy that. I believe, however, that Mr. Crawford made you a deal."
Geheim cocked an eyebrow. "What deal would this be?"
"And I quote, 'You want a mind to rape and torture, pick on someone your own size.' Now, of course, weight wise Mr. Crawford has nothing on you, but height and mentally, he should be quite a challenge. The offer is this, give me Schuldig now, I take him to Japan tonight and we're out of your hair permanently. You still have Mr. Crawford."
"That's right." Brad enforced.
"No!" Schuldig pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.
Geheim considered for a moment. "No. Not yet, Frauline. I have a much more sinister end in mind for Mr. Crawford."
Schuldig glared up at the man. He'd had enough. He threw all he had into a mental attack against him. A surprised look crossed his pale face as he was dropped to the ground and the elder man stumbled back a couple steps.
"You'll regret that, boy," Geheim hissed. He began stripping any and all of Schuldig's mental shields.
Schuldig let out a scream as he held his hands to his head, trying desperately to stop the voices rushing in. "Stop it!" he yelled out loud. "STOP!"
Geheim did not. He kept pulling and opening Schuldig's mind to all the voices of Rosenkreuz and beyond that.
Julia frowned and began to back away. "You idiot, he'll kill us all," she said.
Brad flung himself against the barrier that was still between him and the German boy. "Schuldig?"
The young telepath lay on the cold floor, hands pressed against the sides of his head. Somehow he felt he could stop it. There had to be a way. It'd never been this bad though.
Finally, there was nothing left keeping everyone else's mind out of Schuldig's. Geheim smiled coldly and planted a seed in the back of the pained boy's mind. /Aim it at Crawford.../ was the almost indiscernible whisper.
"No... Please," he begged.
Geheim simply smiled at watched. /Aim it at Crawford. It's his fault. He can stop it, he could protect you... he said he'd protect you.../ the whispers amongst the screams in his head.
"I don't want to kill anyone else," he whispered.
/Aim it at Crawford and it will all go away./
"Schuldig..." Brad whispered.
/It's his mind that's keeping you in pain.../
Schuldig finally couldn't stand it any longer. He didn't care where it went as long as it went elsewhere.
/Your freedom lies in his demise.../
It sent the telepath over the edge. He screamed, and all the voices and all the agony were pushed at Crawford. The American fell back with a choked cry as his mental shields were battered at an alarming rate...he couldn't keep them all away...they were slowly seeping in. Brad screamed and fell away.
Schuldig lost all awareness after his friend's scream. He dropped down, completely still.
Brad lay on the floor, battling the screaming masses in his head. He drew in deep ragged breaths and tears fell down his face.
Julia knelt by him. "My God," she breathed reverently, "Brad?" She couldn't even touch him, the pain was radiating off of him so much.
Schuldig slowly came too and looked toward his friend. "Brad?" he whispered.
The American simply lay there, drawing in now shallow and uneven gasps of air. His pulse was through the roof. Julia shook her head. He wouldn't be able to stand it much longer.
"What'd I do?" the German whispered. "How do I take it back?"
"You can't." Geheim said coldly. "I told you that you couldn't have him, Frauline."
Julia turned a deadly gaze on him. Brad cried out and curled on his side.
Schuldig placed a shaky hand on his friend's shoulder. "Brad? Please... Let me take it back," he begged.
Brad flinched away from the added contact. He whimpered and mumbled something under his breath. Julia stood, retaking her aim on the older man.
"And what do you want me to do about it?" Geheim asked. "You'll loose one of them. Even if the telepath brat finds a way to take it back, he'll die under the strain."
Brad's body seized up, and he inhaled sharply. One clear thought rang between the German and American. You didn't do this, know that. And then the voices swallowed him up, and Brad lay silent on the cold basement floor.
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered, tears forming again. "No... Brad, get up. Please? You have to get up..."
Geheim flicked a piece of lint off his suit. "Oh well. I warned him."
Julia moved forward, a smile gracing her lips. Stay with him, she told Schuldig.
Brad? Maybe he could reach him mentally. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his head. Brad? C'mon Braddy.
Julia closed her eyes and stretched out her mind. This was going to be tricky, if she didn't want to kill herself in the process. There might be one way to save Brad Crawford...
"What are you trying, Frauline?" Geheim asked, slightly amused.
"Oh, nothing much." She said darkly. "It's something they call channeling." Hold on to him...
Schuldig pulled the older boy into his harms, supporting him.
"Channeling? Isn't that something you do with the dead?" Geheim asked, still sounding amused.
The young German held on tighter. I don't want to loose anyone else...
A silent echo answered him. I won't let him take anyone else from you... Something Brad had said a long time ago...
Julia had reached both Geheim and Brad's minds, and began pulling the voices back.
Schuldig felt the American's hand tighten around his own. He looked down to see dark blue eyes flutter open beneath his glasses.
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered.
Brad smiled at him before cringing. "Oh my God........." he whimpered. He could hear the voices sweeping back in towards his brain.
Julia could hear them too. She just had to pull them fast enough...She leered at Geheim. "Get ready for the rush of your life," she said.
Geheim's eyes widened suddenly and he reeled back, screaming.
Chapter Seven: And You Give Yourself Away
Brad realized what was happening and desperately tried to pull himself away from the teachers holding him back. "No! Don't listen to him! Schuldig! Look at me!" he screamed.
Schuldig's eyes darted over at the command. The sudden impact against his rib cage made him look back.
"When I'm speaking to you, your attention is on me, boy," Geheim growled.
"Stay away from him! Schuldig! Focus on me! Don't let him control you!" Brad cried. Geheim motioned for one of the teachers to hit him to shut him up.
Schuldig shook slightly as the teacher took his chin in his large hand. "How could you do such an awful thing to them? Your own parents. How could you?"
"I'm sorry," the young German whispered. "I didn't mean to. It got out of control..."
"He didn't. He wouldn't, you sick geezer. Leave him alone! You want a mind to rape and torture pick on someone your own size!" Brad snarled, pulling against the teachers that held him.
The unexpected impact from the teacher sent him flying against the wall.
Brad? Schuldig asked worriedly.
Geheim slapped him across the face. "You'll kill him too, you know. Him, Jack, Amy, and even little Abby. You don't know how to handle your powers. They'll all die because of you."
There was a decided click from the shadows. "Only if you make him. I warned you not to try this again, Herr Geheim."
Schuldig shied away from the man.
Julia stepped forward. "You're really pushing my buttons. I don't like men who don't listen to what I say." She glared at the five surrounding teachers, and they backed down. Not swaying her aim, she pulled Brad to his feet.
Geheim pulled Schuldig up by the collar of his shirt. "I'll kill him now, Frauline," he threatened.
"Ooh, what a shame. Destroying what you so desperately wanted to keep. I don't think you will, Herr Geheim. Really, I don't." Her mind touched Crawford's, and she sent him a suggestion. He nodded quickly.
"I got what I wanted from him."
"A memory of the past? Those come cheap, Herr Geheim. You can buy memories. He has a greater power. You won't destroy that. I believe, however, that Mr. Crawford made you a deal."
Geheim cocked an eyebrow. "What deal would this be?"
"And I quote, 'You want a mind to rape and torture, pick on someone your own size.' Now, of course, weight wise Mr. Crawford has nothing on you, but height and mentally, he should be quite a challenge. The offer is this, give me Schuldig now, I take him to Japan tonight and we're out of your hair permanently. You still have Mr. Crawford."
"That's right." Brad enforced.
"No!" Schuldig pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.
Geheim considered for a moment. "No. Not yet, Frauline. I have a much more sinister end in mind for Mr. Crawford."
Schuldig glared up at the man. He'd had enough. He threw all he had into a mental attack against him. A surprised look crossed his pale face as he was dropped to the ground and the elder man stumbled back a couple steps.
"You'll regret that, boy," Geheim hissed. He began stripping any and all of Schuldig's mental shields.
Schuldig let out a scream as he held his hands to his head, trying desperately to stop the voices rushing in. "Stop it!" he yelled out loud. "STOP!"
Geheim did not. He kept pulling and opening Schuldig's mind to all the voices of Rosenkreuz and beyond that.
Julia frowned and began to back away. "You idiot, he'll kill us all," she said.
Brad flung himself against the barrier that was still between him and the German boy. "Schuldig?"
The young telepath lay on the cold floor, hands pressed against the sides of his head. Somehow he felt he could stop it. There had to be a way. It'd never been this bad though.
Finally, there was nothing left keeping everyone else's mind out of Schuldig's. Geheim smiled coldly and planted a seed in the back of the pained boy's mind. /Aim it at Crawford.../ was the almost indiscernible whisper.
"No... Please," he begged.
Geheim simply smiled at watched. /Aim it at Crawford. It's his fault. He can stop it, he could protect you... he said he'd protect you.../ the whispers amongst the screams in his head.
"I don't want to kill anyone else," he whispered.
/Aim it at Crawford and it will all go away./
"Schuldig..." Brad whispered.
/It's his mind that's keeping you in pain.../
Schuldig finally couldn't stand it any longer. He didn't care where it went as long as it went elsewhere.
/Your freedom lies in his demise.../
It sent the telepath over the edge. He screamed, and all the voices and all the agony were pushed at Crawford. The American fell back with a choked cry as his mental shields were battered at an alarming rate...he couldn't keep them all away...they were slowly seeping in. Brad screamed and fell away.
Schuldig lost all awareness after his friend's scream. He dropped down, completely still.
Brad lay on the floor, battling the screaming masses in his head. He drew in deep ragged breaths and tears fell down his face.
Julia knelt by him. "My God," she breathed reverently, "Brad?" She couldn't even touch him, the pain was radiating off of him so much.
Schuldig slowly came too and looked toward his friend. "Brad?" he whispered.
The American simply lay there, drawing in now shallow and uneven gasps of air. His pulse was through the roof. Julia shook her head. He wouldn't be able to stand it much longer.
"What'd I do?" the German whispered. "How do I take it back?"
"You can't." Geheim said coldly. "I told you that you couldn't have him, Frauline."
Julia turned a deadly gaze on him. Brad cried out and curled on his side.
Schuldig placed a shaky hand on his friend's shoulder. "Brad? Please... Let me take it back," he begged.
Brad flinched away from the added contact. He whimpered and mumbled something under his breath. Julia stood, retaking her aim on the older man.
"And what do you want me to do about it?" Geheim asked. "You'll loose one of them. Even if the telepath brat finds a way to take it back, he'll die under the strain."
Brad's body seized up, and he inhaled sharply. One clear thought rang between the German and American. You didn't do this, know that. And then the voices swallowed him up, and Brad lay silent on the cold basement floor.
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered, tears forming again. "No... Brad, get up. Please? You have to get up..."
Geheim flicked a piece of lint off his suit. "Oh well. I warned him."
Julia moved forward, a smile gracing her lips. Stay with him, she told Schuldig.
Brad? Maybe he could reach him mentally. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his head. Brad? C'mon Braddy.
Julia closed her eyes and stretched out her mind. This was going to be tricky, if she didn't want to kill herself in the process. There might be one way to save Brad Crawford...
"What are you trying, Frauline?" Geheim asked, slightly amused.
"Oh, nothing much." She said darkly. "It's something they call channeling." Hold on to him...
Schuldig pulled the older boy into his harms, supporting him.
"Channeling? Isn't that something you do with the dead?" Geheim asked, still sounding amused.
The young German held on tighter. I don't want to loose anyone else...
A silent echo answered him. I won't let him take anyone else from you... Something Brad had said a long time ago...
Julia had reached both Geheim and Brad's minds, and began pulling the voices back.
Schuldig felt the American's hand tighten around his own. He looked down to see dark blue eyes flutter open beneath his glasses.
"Brad?" Schuldig whispered.
Brad smiled at him before cringing. "Oh my God........." he whimpered. He could hear the voices sweeping back in towards his brain.
Julia could hear them too. She just had to pull them fast enough...She leered at Geheim. "Get ready for the rush of your life," she said.
Geheim's eyes widened suddenly and he reeled back, screaming.