Disclaimer: Tongue tired from saying it, fingers sick of typing it,..not
mine. Only Rosalie, Misha and the Firefly squad. :o)
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I needed to know that people would be reading it if I wrote it. I should warn everyone though, that things get rough for Brennan now, so if you're the squeamish type, look away now.
* * denotes thoughts ~~ ~~ denotes visions
Chapter 14: Red silk and gold bangles
It was dark, and it was quiet. Very quiet. Even the crickets had been silenced that night. In the distance, a dog barked once, echoing in the deathly silence.
The team walked silently along St. Martin's Street, feet barely making a noise on the paved street. Jesse motioned wordlessly to the others, and they split up as arranged. Emma and Shalimar turned left and made their way around to the back of the warehouse. It was up to Shalimar to lead Emma with her night vision.
Meanwhile, Jesse and Rosa made their way towards the bolted front door. Rosa lit the way for them by the dim red glow emanating from her hand. The light wavered as she fought to keep the raging butterflies she felt under control.
As they approached the door, Jesse laid a hand on it and phased them both through. It was the first time Rosa had passed through anything that Jesse had phased. It was almost like passing through soft sponge and left a tingling sensation on her skin. They appeared on the other side, on the edge of a large, empty area. As they listened intently, trying to hear any noise that was out of place, she felt Jesse's hand creep into her own and squeeze it. She turned to look at him as he flashed a reassuring smile at her.
They watched Shal climb through a high window and drop down soundlessly. She crept to the back door and opened it for Emma. Still no strange sounds. Surely this was the place she was told to come? As planned, they made their way up the stairs to the second level, Emma and Shal covering their teammates' backs.
They got to the top of the stairs and stopped, waiting to get a better impression whether there was anyone around. Out of the dark, something small sped towards Rosa without a sound and hit her shoulder. She looked down at the dart-shaped object in time to see the last drops of a blue liquid being drained into her body. She grabbed it and pulled it out of her skin, feeling slightly nauseous.
"You OK?" Jesse whispered. "What was that?"
Rosa swayed, feeling light-headed. Her vision began to blur and she couldn't stay on her feet.
"Jesse," she started to say. "I don't feel so good."
"It's OK, I'll get you outta here," he replied, holding her arm to steady her.
She closed her eyes and swirls of red and orange danced before her eyes. *Not another member of Mutant X led into a trap because of me,* she thought. As her legs began to give way, she caught sight of a gang of men coming out of the shadows.
"Jesse," she whispered, pushing him away weakly as he tried to pick her up. "Get out of h.." Her voice faded away as she succumbed to the darkness pulling her in.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As she opened her eyes, she was surprised to realise that she wasn't being restrained in any way. She was lying on a large four-poster bed draped with red and orange silk, and all around her were gold and bronze ornaments and strange bowls.
She looked around her, searching for a guard, or a force field. Anything that she could aim at, fight to get out of there. It couldn't be this easy to escape.
She got up and noticed that a length of red silk had been wound round her waist, forming a long flowing skirt. More red silk just about covered her breasts, tied at the back in a knot, exposing her middle. She had also been draped with gold chains, from her ears hung large hoops of gold and her fingers were covered with gold rings studded with precious gems. There was no sign of her own clothes anywhere.
She made her way to a large mirror standing just a few feet away from her. Her eyes had been rimmed with black eyeliner and her eyelids shimmered in gold. Fine gold threads had been woven through her red hair and a trail of gold and ruby jewellery pinned on her head kept her hair off her face. *These guys sure are hot on red and gold,* she thought to herself with a small smile. Her eyes unfocused,
~~Fire, people running away, screaming. ~~
The door creaked open, snapping her out of her daydream, and a slim young man entered. He flushed when he saw her standing there, and immediately broke eye contact.
"Highness," he cowered. "Forgive the intrusion. I didn't realise you were awake. I shall bring some food and drink," he finished as he backed out through the door, still bowing.
Rosa shook herself mentally. She couldn't afford to go daydreaming randomly. She had to keep alert, search for a way to get out and get to Brennan. *They must be keeping him somewhere near here.*
She stood back and surveyed the room in greater detail. There was something about this place that was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. On the walls there were paintings of a blonde girl, not much older than her, flying through the air, flames erupting from her hands and extending up her arms. *On wings of fire. That must be Firefly,* she mused, slightly relieved to find she didn't look much like her.
There weren't any windows in the room, and the door appeared to be unguarded. *How easy are they gonna make it for me?!* she thought, delighted that they may have underestimated her.
As she approached the door, it swung open, and he came in again with a tray of food. Eyes averted, he shuffled over to a table and began to set out the meal.
"Who are you?" she demanded of him.
He kept his eyes downcast as he spoke to her in a tremulous voice. "I am only a servant, Highness. I was told to keep watch over you and see that you wanted for nothing."
"How did I get here?"
"Highness, it is not for me to answer your questions. The Chief Preacher will tell you all you need to know."
"What about the others? My friends? What happened to them?" He started protesting again, but Rosa cut in. "I don't give a damn whether the High Priest himself is coming to say hi, I want answers now, and you're the only one here."
~~Flames everywhere, terror in the air.~~
"Highness?"
"Answers," she repeated, trying to shake off the emotions that had just washed over her.
"They left. We had no need to bring them back." He was unwilling to speak any more, obviously uncomfortable with the thought of speaking to Firefly herself. He backed away quickly through the door before she had the chance to question him further.
Rosa sat on the edge of the ornate bed and tried thinking things through logically. Maybe things would be easier if she went along with this charade. She could get to Brennan, demand he be released and then be on her way. Now, if only she could stop these thoughts entering her mind unbidden. She could feel the start of a headache just above her eyes. She closed her eyes and lay back on the silk cushions.
~~Screams littered the air, she could see people running around as if from above. Flames licked at the huts below her as mothers clutched their young children trying to escape the fire. She turned and saw a large group of people, men and women alike, on their knees. They were all screaming, praying, tears streaming down their pleading faces. The sky was black with smoke, and lifeless bodies covered the ground. ~~
She snapped her eyes open. It had all been so real. The disturbing thing about it was it had all felt so right. A sound from the door caused her to turn.
"Most noble and wise Highness," spoke the man reverentially from his position kneeling on the floor. He got to his feet and risked a look at her face. "Welcome. You came earlier than expected, oh Noble Queen. Forgive our state of disorder, for we were expecting you after the elimination."
She looked at him warily. How did you treat someone like this who had such faith in you?
"You will no doubt be feeling a little disorientated from the effects of the serum. Fear not for this will not last much longer."
"Tell me what's going on," she demanded in her best psychotic queen voice.
"As you, in your wisdom, will already know, we have Him in the Cage. He is at this moment awaiting Elimination."
~~Elimination, an end to unbelievers. No less that what they deserved. She looked round. The kneeling group were praying louder now. Their screams taking on more urgency, clearer now. "Forgive us, Wise One." "Spare our children." "I beg of you!" "Please, don't send me for elimination." She laughed. Elimination was exactly what was necessary in this situation. Any unbelievers allowed to get away with flaunting their way of life would be detrimental to her power. This was a lesson to all who were tempted to stand against her. Let one person defy her and the whole town would be sent for Elimination. ~~
"We would be extremely honoured if you were to oversee this ritual," he broke through her trance. She closed her eyes, waiting for the unfamiliar emotions to pass.
"Yes, of course."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear the muffled voices getting further away. Brennan risked opening one swollen eye. How on earth did he get himself into THIS mess? It was just supposed to be an innocent-looking stroll to the park, where he knew she would be, hiding away from the others. She thought he didn't know about her spot, but he was much more observant than she gave him credit for. He just didn't see his attackers. That had never happened to him before, he had always been so aware of his surroundings. Shameful for an ex-thief to get caught like this. Well, they had got him soaked pretty quick, as if they knew all about his weaknesses, and now there wasn't much he could do to get out of here. They obviously had prior knowledge of his powers before abducting him.
He tested his bonds gingerly and winced in pain. His wrists were already raw and bleeding where the rope had rubbed his skin off. He felt as if he'd been put through a meat grinder, his face was swollen and he could hardly open his eyes or move his mouth to speak. They had tried everything to get him to give information about "Firefly's" haunts and weaknesses, but he wouldn't spill.
He surveyed his jail cell for the hundredth time, praying to find an escape option he hadn't already considered. "The Cage", as they called it, was a metre-squared enclosure, about a foot of water at the bottom, surrounded on all four sides by iron bars reaching to the ceiling. The room he was in was bare apart from a metal table against one wall, and a steel bar fixed to the wall, circling the room, on which were hung various metal contraptions.
He hung his head in defeat. He had never been in as tight a spot as this. He knew the rest of Mutant X would be searching for him and for ways to get him out, and that was the only ray of hope he had to cling to. Despite that, he couldn't help but feel that they should leave him here, not attempt a rescue. That way only he would die. He didn't want to risk the others being captured and treated like animals, as he had.
He was particularly worried about Rosalie. These madmen were holding her up as a goddess. They were bent on getting her back. What would she do if she were captured as well? Would they treat her as they had treated him? Or would it be worse for her when they found out that she remembered nothing about Firefly? He wished he had had more time to speak to her when his jailor had demanded he get in contact.
The voices were drawing closer again. He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn't respond. His head began spinning again as he tried to look towards the doorway. What were they going to do to him next? Nothing could be worse than what they had been doing to him so far. Through the slit between his swollen eyelids, he saw a large group of people enter the room.
"Highness, the traitor," the man stated proudly. As he stepped aside, a slim figure clothed in red and gold entered his vision.
"Rosa!"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Oh, how I love cliffhangers... as if it wasn't obvious already! But seriously now, please keep the reviews coming cos it really helps to know I'm not writing for the hell of it here. Otherwise, it's back to the hypnotism ;o)
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I needed to know that people would be reading it if I wrote it. I should warn everyone though, that things get rough for Brennan now, so if you're the squeamish type, look away now.
* * denotes thoughts ~~ ~~ denotes visions
Chapter 14: Red silk and gold bangles
It was dark, and it was quiet. Very quiet. Even the crickets had been silenced that night. In the distance, a dog barked once, echoing in the deathly silence.
The team walked silently along St. Martin's Street, feet barely making a noise on the paved street. Jesse motioned wordlessly to the others, and they split up as arranged. Emma and Shalimar turned left and made their way around to the back of the warehouse. It was up to Shalimar to lead Emma with her night vision.
Meanwhile, Jesse and Rosa made their way towards the bolted front door. Rosa lit the way for them by the dim red glow emanating from her hand. The light wavered as she fought to keep the raging butterflies she felt under control.
As they approached the door, Jesse laid a hand on it and phased them both through. It was the first time Rosa had passed through anything that Jesse had phased. It was almost like passing through soft sponge and left a tingling sensation on her skin. They appeared on the other side, on the edge of a large, empty area. As they listened intently, trying to hear any noise that was out of place, she felt Jesse's hand creep into her own and squeeze it. She turned to look at him as he flashed a reassuring smile at her.
They watched Shal climb through a high window and drop down soundlessly. She crept to the back door and opened it for Emma. Still no strange sounds. Surely this was the place she was told to come? As planned, they made their way up the stairs to the second level, Emma and Shal covering their teammates' backs.
They got to the top of the stairs and stopped, waiting to get a better impression whether there was anyone around. Out of the dark, something small sped towards Rosa without a sound and hit her shoulder. She looked down at the dart-shaped object in time to see the last drops of a blue liquid being drained into her body. She grabbed it and pulled it out of her skin, feeling slightly nauseous.
"You OK?" Jesse whispered. "What was that?"
Rosa swayed, feeling light-headed. Her vision began to blur and she couldn't stay on her feet.
"Jesse," she started to say. "I don't feel so good."
"It's OK, I'll get you outta here," he replied, holding her arm to steady her.
She closed her eyes and swirls of red and orange danced before her eyes. *Not another member of Mutant X led into a trap because of me,* she thought. As her legs began to give way, she caught sight of a gang of men coming out of the shadows.
"Jesse," she whispered, pushing him away weakly as he tried to pick her up. "Get out of h.." Her voice faded away as she succumbed to the darkness pulling her in.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As she opened her eyes, she was surprised to realise that she wasn't being restrained in any way. She was lying on a large four-poster bed draped with red and orange silk, and all around her were gold and bronze ornaments and strange bowls.
She looked around her, searching for a guard, or a force field. Anything that she could aim at, fight to get out of there. It couldn't be this easy to escape.
She got up and noticed that a length of red silk had been wound round her waist, forming a long flowing skirt. More red silk just about covered her breasts, tied at the back in a knot, exposing her middle. She had also been draped with gold chains, from her ears hung large hoops of gold and her fingers were covered with gold rings studded with precious gems. There was no sign of her own clothes anywhere.
She made her way to a large mirror standing just a few feet away from her. Her eyes had been rimmed with black eyeliner and her eyelids shimmered in gold. Fine gold threads had been woven through her red hair and a trail of gold and ruby jewellery pinned on her head kept her hair off her face. *These guys sure are hot on red and gold,* she thought to herself with a small smile. Her eyes unfocused,
~~Fire, people running away, screaming. ~~
The door creaked open, snapping her out of her daydream, and a slim young man entered. He flushed when he saw her standing there, and immediately broke eye contact.
"Highness," he cowered. "Forgive the intrusion. I didn't realise you were awake. I shall bring some food and drink," he finished as he backed out through the door, still bowing.
Rosa shook herself mentally. She couldn't afford to go daydreaming randomly. She had to keep alert, search for a way to get out and get to Brennan. *They must be keeping him somewhere near here.*
She stood back and surveyed the room in greater detail. There was something about this place that was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. On the walls there were paintings of a blonde girl, not much older than her, flying through the air, flames erupting from her hands and extending up her arms. *On wings of fire. That must be Firefly,* she mused, slightly relieved to find she didn't look much like her.
There weren't any windows in the room, and the door appeared to be unguarded. *How easy are they gonna make it for me?!* she thought, delighted that they may have underestimated her.
As she approached the door, it swung open, and he came in again with a tray of food. Eyes averted, he shuffled over to a table and began to set out the meal.
"Who are you?" she demanded of him.
He kept his eyes downcast as he spoke to her in a tremulous voice. "I am only a servant, Highness. I was told to keep watch over you and see that you wanted for nothing."
"How did I get here?"
"Highness, it is not for me to answer your questions. The Chief Preacher will tell you all you need to know."
"What about the others? My friends? What happened to them?" He started protesting again, but Rosa cut in. "I don't give a damn whether the High Priest himself is coming to say hi, I want answers now, and you're the only one here."
~~Flames everywhere, terror in the air.~~
"Highness?"
"Answers," she repeated, trying to shake off the emotions that had just washed over her.
"They left. We had no need to bring them back." He was unwilling to speak any more, obviously uncomfortable with the thought of speaking to Firefly herself. He backed away quickly through the door before she had the chance to question him further.
Rosa sat on the edge of the ornate bed and tried thinking things through logically. Maybe things would be easier if she went along with this charade. She could get to Brennan, demand he be released and then be on her way. Now, if only she could stop these thoughts entering her mind unbidden. She could feel the start of a headache just above her eyes. She closed her eyes and lay back on the silk cushions.
~~Screams littered the air, she could see people running around as if from above. Flames licked at the huts below her as mothers clutched their young children trying to escape the fire. She turned and saw a large group of people, men and women alike, on their knees. They were all screaming, praying, tears streaming down their pleading faces. The sky was black with smoke, and lifeless bodies covered the ground. ~~
She snapped her eyes open. It had all been so real. The disturbing thing about it was it had all felt so right. A sound from the door caused her to turn.
"Most noble and wise Highness," spoke the man reverentially from his position kneeling on the floor. He got to his feet and risked a look at her face. "Welcome. You came earlier than expected, oh Noble Queen. Forgive our state of disorder, for we were expecting you after the elimination."
She looked at him warily. How did you treat someone like this who had such faith in you?
"You will no doubt be feeling a little disorientated from the effects of the serum. Fear not for this will not last much longer."
"Tell me what's going on," she demanded in her best psychotic queen voice.
"As you, in your wisdom, will already know, we have Him in the Cage. He is at this moment awaiting Elimination."
~~Elimination, an end to unbelievers. No less that what they deserved. She looked round. The kneeling group were praying louder now. Their screams taking on more urgency, clearer now. "Forgive us, Wise One." "Spare our children." "I beg of you!" "Please, don't send me for elimination." She laughed. Elimination was exactly what was necessary in this situation. Any unbelievers allowed to get away with flaunting their way of life would be detrimental to her power. This was a lesson to all who were tempted to stand against her. Let one person defy her and the whole town would be sent for Elimination. ~~
"We would be extremely honoured if you were to oversee this ritual," he broke through her trance. She closed her eyes, waiting for the unfamiliar emotions to pass.
"Yes, of course."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear the muffled voices getting further away. Brennan risked opening one swollen eye. How on earth did he get himself into THIS mess? It was just supposed to be an innocent-looking stroll to the park, where he knew she would be, hiding away from the others. She thought he didn't know about her spot, but he was much more observant than she gave him credit for. He just didn't see his attackers. That had never happened to him before, he had always been so aware of his surroundings. Shameful for an ex-thief to get caught like this. Well, they had got him soaked pretty quick, as if they knew all about his weaknesses, and now there wasn't much he could do to get out of here. They obviously had prior knowledge of his powers before abducting him.
He tested his bonds gingerly and winced in pain. His wrists were already raw and bleeding where the rope had rubbed his skin off. He felt as if he'd been put through a meat grinder, his face was swollen and he could hardly open his eyes or move his mouth to speak. They had tried everything to get him to give information about "Firefly's" haunts and weaknesses, but he wouldn't spill.
He surveyed his jail cell for the hundredth time, praying to find an escape option he hadn't already considered. "The Cage", as they called it, was a metre-squared enclosure, about a foot of water at the bottom, surrounded on all four sides by iron bars reaching to the ceiling. The room he was in was bare apart from a metal table against one wall, and a steel bar fixed to the wall, circling the room, on which were hung various metal contraptions.
He hung his head in defeat. He had never been in as tight a spot as this. He knew the rest of Mutant X would be searching for him and for ways to get him out, and that was the only ray of hope he had to cling to. Despite that, he couldn't help but feel that they should leave him here, not attempt a rescue. That way only he would die. He didn't want to risk the others being captured and treated like animals, as he had.
He was particularly worried about Rosalie. These madmen were holding her up as a goddess. They were bent on getting her back. What would she do if she were captured as well? Would they treat her as they had treated him? Or would it be worse for her when they found out that she remembered nothing about Firefly? He wished he had had more time to speak to her when his jailor had demanded he get in contact.
The voices were drawing closer again. He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn't respond. His head began spinning again as he tried to look towards the doorway. What were they going to do to him next? Nothing could be worse than what they had been doing to him so far. Through the slit between his swollen eyelids, he saw a large group of people enter the room.
"Highness, the traitor," the man stated proudly. As he stepped aside, a slim figure clothed in red and gold entered his vision.
"Rosa!"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Oh, how I love cliffhangers... as if it wasn't obvious already! But seriously now, please keep the reviews coming cos it really helps to know I'm not writing for the hell of it here. Otherwise, it's back to the hypnotism ;o)