A Warrior's Path: Chapter 15: What is lost is found…and then some.

(Brett/Bit)

I watched Samantha fall and let out a cry of pain. I wasn't too worried, the wound wouldn't be fatal; the marksman was sloppy and careless, he didn't shoot to kill, or was he not trying to….

Killian ran to her as I looked around and spotted the gunman, thinking quickly and concentrating on his weapon, turning it to sand. Sam growled, sitting up grasping her shoulder as Killian held her protectively.

"Bastards!" She hissed angrily looking to me. "Think you can do that again?"

I did a three-sixty and counted guns…

"Ahm….I don't think so…..Not that many in a row…" I said as I heard familiar screams and yells.

"Let go-a-me! You son of a --!! You Mother----piece of--" She went on for quite some time, saying every bad word she knew, which I have to say, was quite a great deal. "You can't do this!! Let GO!!!" She stopped cursing and let out a shriek of pain. "Just let me go…I'm not who you think I am…." She said softer.

I could see Naomi now, two strong guards restrained her tightly, and pulled her to the right of the center of the catwalk we faced. The center door opened, revealing the man I hated most, who stepped out onto the platform.

"Welcome! Really, I'm lucky to have such guests…"He hissed.

I Held back the pain and rage that rose up within me. Cameron moved to Nakuru and pushed back her dyed red hair from her eyes.

"And not to mention our special guests of honour, like you, Nakuru."

"Naomi!" She spat out. "You lousy….I'd call you a goddamn cockroach but I'd feel bad for the bug."

He laughed. "Really? That's good, it's not nice to make fun of your friends, is it, Sweetie?" He sneered as she cursed him vulgarly again, pulling away from his touch.

"Well now, guards! Bring in our other guest!" He clapped his hands shortly.

I caught sight of him, being brought from the other door on the left side; he looked half dead. His Ice blue eyes were dull and lacked shine, and he appeared shaky. I cursed to myself, realizing that Cameron had bound him. Nathan kept his head down and walked without resistance to his guards, unlike Naomi.

"Nathan!" Samantha cried happily, jumping up halfway then falling back, letting out a gasp of pain as Killian embraced her softly and comforted her.

"Samantha…? Are you okay?" He asked, sounding completely worn-out and concerned, barely sounding at all like himself.

"Yeah! No problem, Bro!" She said smiling.

"Now!" Cameron interrupted. "Guards—"

"I Don't think so!" Naomi stopped him, slamming her elbow into her sentry's stomach, taking out the other. "Bit!! Do that gun-thingy!"

I Laughed and took out ten or so with the wave of my hand. Cameron backed up against the tall, black doors , glaring at me. Nathan had taken the hint and rid himself of his captors; he may have been bound but he was still very powerful. Cameron fumed as they ran down the steps to us. I looked back at the guards who stood still, lifeless, like oversized dolls. Hmph. Really Cameron, you can't even get people to willingly help you, you need to use your powers.

"Fools!" he boomed, appearing before them, before they reached us and the two skidded to a stop. His hand raised in front of Nakuru and she clutched her head in pain. I began to run to them, but Nathan reached Cameron first, spearing him and breaking the spell, his fist connecting with Cameron's cheek. I made it to Nakuru.

"Are you okay?" I asked as she nodded.

"Yeah."

Cameron rubbed the blood from his lip and stood, still in a menacing half crouch.

"Lemme at 'm!" She growled as Nathan stood in front of her.

"No. Get out of here while you still can, all of you."

"Are you crazy?!" She asked as he shrugged.

"Perhaps, but just get yourselves out of here. He's too strong now."

"Oh yeah, Superman, and you can take him, my hero." She scoffed, dripping with sarcasm.

"I didn't say I could."

"Nathan—" I put in finally as he shook his head.

"Brett, please, I'm counting on you to get everyone out of here."

Cameron stood fully, letting out a low laugh, I growled and turned the patch of floor he stood on into a deep pit.

"Right." I nodded.

"Nathan…" Naomi stepped closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She fidgeted away, blushing slightly, then noticed Brad's necklace around his neck. Her nose crinkled as she looked at it. "Fuu.." She mumbled while Nathan untied it and placed it around her throat gently.

"Now go." He told her, touching her cheek softly.

She nodded; "We'll be back for you as soon as possible. I promise."

He nodded too and we turned and ran, Killian was trying to get Samantha to come, but she was kicking and yelling in protest.

Naomi stalked up to Samantha who was trying to pull away from Killian. Her open palm came down hard on her cheek, leaving it dark crimson.

"I'm sorry, but your brother's right. Now stop acting like a child. We don't stand a chance now, we need a plan! Now lets get out of here." The red-head's voice was hard and low, Samantha fished for words then nodded. It was amazing what opposite personalities Nakuru had. My cousin was warm and friendly, always had a smile that would fix everything. And Naomi, cold, harsh, antisocial and reclusive.

"Your brother's right! We need to regroup and recover! You're injured, I'm Injured! We need a strategy, a plan! This baka is sixty times stronger than you and I combined, especially now!! Now let's get the hell out of here!!" Sam couldn't argue against that and Naomi grabbed her by her injured arm and pulled her with us to our Zoids . I swiftly turned the locks on the CommandFox into water, and Samantha and Nakuru clambered into the cockpit as Killian and I retreated to our Ligers.

I Looked back one last time. Cameron had rose, laughing, from the pit and landed besides it. Nathan continued to fight, but Cameron kept laughing as if the blows tickled and called for more guards, who quickly restrained him.

We sped up and made it to the awaiting hover cargo and filled them in. We needed a place to hide out, a place with security: that place was Harry's. Samantha and I felt obligated to tell Harry what was going on and considering the circumstances, he took it quite well and agreed to lend us a hand. But, honestly as long as Leena was with us, he wouldn't have cared if we were wanted, escaped convicts.

I sat in Sam's lab, examining the purplish bruises forming on my tan wrist-- Naomi had found out that I had known Brad was Nathan the whole time, and she caught me after a chase around Samantha's lab, screaming "You think you can fear Leena!?!?!?! Well you have never invoked MY wrath!!! NYA HA HA!".

Sam quickly downed a potion for her injuries and tossed one to me for what the feisty redhead had done and one to her for her numerous cuts, scrapes, bruises and not to mention her wrist which was black and blue as well as quite swollen---not a pretty sight. Killian sat on a counter nervously biting on his lower lip, staring at Sam, making sure she was okay. I smiled, Killian reminded me of myself when I was his age (boy, do I feel old, or at least sound it, hehe). It was a pained smile, I didn't want to think about that; or her.

"Are you ready, Naomi?" She asked as Naomi kept staring at her left wrist and flexing her hand and fingers slowly. She looked up and saw the needle Sam held, trembling slightly.

"I hate needles…" She whimpered uncharacteristically and I laughed.

"Oh, C'mon—"

"Shut up Brett." She hissed as Samantha came closer.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." She told her as the redhead stuck out her arm and mumbled something. I watched Sam empty the syringe and Naomi soon went limp.

————

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((a/n: later….))

The four Kerodayvanians secluded themselves in one of the larger, many guestrooms. Nakuru was passed out on the bed, I was in the chair beside it dozing lightly, and Killian and Samantha were curled up, asleep on the loveseat, aw…how sweet. ^_^;

I guess I was more asleep than I thought I was since it took a while for me to hear Nakuru.

I opened my eyes slowly to see her sitting up and scratching at her eyes. I sat up quickly and told her to stop; she scratched harder. I took her wrists as gently as I could and told her to stop again. This time she bit me! I stifled a yell as she let go and fought me more.

"Get away from me! Who are you?! Where am I!? Why can't I see!?"

"Nakuru! Shh…it's okay! It's me, Brett. Remember?" She slowly stopped and I removed her contacts, the cause of the 'blindness'. Her hollow looking dark red eyes, surrounded by pinkish scratches, drifted up to my face.

"Brett…?" Her voice came out small and tiny.

"Yes! Do you remember?" She nodded slowly.

"Where…are we? Prison?"

I laughed and shook my head, "No, hiding, among friends."

"Oh." She pointed to Sam and Killian on the couch. "I know them…..?"

"Yes, think." I told her as she pressed her pointer to her lips in thought.

"Ahm…K…"

"Come on…" I coaxed.

"Ki…Kil…" She looked to me for help, her eyes were big and innocent looking. I laughed again,

"Killian McBride."

"Yes." She agreed then pointed to Sam.

"Sam….an….tha…."She sounded like a little child, trying to read from a picture book.

"Yes! You're beginning to remember!"

"Samantha…..:" She said again, then looked to me pleadingly. "Na…Nathan! Nathan! Where is he! Tell me!" Her fingers closed weakly on my shirt. I told her to calm down.

"He's okay—"

"Where is he!?" She demanded, tears rising up in her eyes, clinging to her lower lashes.

"Cameron has him…we're planning his rescue."

"Cameron." She said angrily her fingernails now tearing into the sheet on the bed, forming little holes.

Killian stirred and began to wake up. In fact, I was surprised that they'd slept through Nakuru's yelling. He looked to Nakuru and smiled, gently waking Samantha who was resting on his shoulder. She groaned and gradually woke up.

"Hi!" Nakuru said cheerily, her hand shooting up like a student with a question.

"Nakuru!" She jumped up and Nakuru glomped her.

"Can I have my old look back? This skin dye is itchy…" She asked half muffled as Sam laughed and nodded.

"Out boys." She ordered as we obeyed and walked to the door as Kuru said to Sam.

"So I see you and Killian are getting along quite well." I saw them both go bright red.

Killian and I waited for what was probably an hour, until Sam stepped out and dragged Nakuru with her, who looked down at her feet shyly.

"Ta-da! Harry's sister had a lot of nice barely used hand-me-downs she left here!"

"Are you sure you could use it?" Killian asked cautiously.

"Of course, why would Harry need them?" She laughed and pushed Nakuru forward. "Well? What do you think?"

Nakuru looked like her self again, extremely pale skin, with some red scratches and patches from trying to get the skin dye out. She wore an expensive, fancy looking black dress that was shorter in front--about the knee-- and longer in back--floor length-- with long tight sleeves and a somewhat low neckline. The sleeves covered her hands slightly with white lacy…stuff woven around the cuffs, neck and hem. She also wore one of Naomi's old collars with a row of little spikes. Her white hair was down and reached to the small of her back and almost pin-straight, small pieces drawn into twists and braids with a few lavender feathers woven into the ends. Her eyes were lined and shadowed with black and her lips were pale pink. She turned pinker than her lipstick.

"I feel like an idiot." She mumbled.

"Well you look great! Right boys?"

We both agreed smiling as Kuru sighed and gave up.

Samantha dragged her into the common room where everyone was, Killian and I followed.

"Hi!" She said as everyone who was just hanging around watching TV, sleeping, the lazy bid, looked up and greeted her. "Presenting Nakuru Aimee Luna Saixare-Koran" She said proudly ad Kuru-chan blushed again and stared at her bare feet.

"Hello." She said softly, bowing . Harry whistled softly.

"Man! Are all these Kero…whatever girls this cute?" He asked as Both Sam and Nakuru blushed and Killian bit his lip, looking a little upset, or jealous.

"Nah. Not all but Sam and Kuru are tops! But mind you Harry, they're both taken." I warned, teasingly trying to not remember her.

"Shut up Bit! I wasn't looking, just wondering! Besides! They're nothing compared to my Leena!"

"Brett," I corrected him as Leena sighed.

"Can it, Harry."

"Yes, my beautiful, sweet angel." He tried to cuddle up but met her elbow and another sigh.

Nakuru giggled softly and I introduced her to everyone.

(Nakuru)

I wandered throughout Harry's manor, which was enormous! I stepped into one of the living rooms, where Killian sat in front of the fireplace, trying to scry, Brontie at my heels. I walked past him and sat on the couch a few feet away.

~*Finally, will you please tell him what he's doing wrong?*~ The flames asked in an eerie unison, sounding frustrated.

~*Of course.*~ I replied as they told me.

"Stop trying to see through the fire, look into it." I advised, passing it on as he looked up snapping out of his trance and looking around, jumping slightly to see he wasn't alone.

"Beg your pardon?" He asked, calming down. I repeated the advice and he gave me a look. "It's telling you that, or trying to. See how it keeps clinging together?"

"How…"

"Do I know anything about scrying? I don't, much at least. But the fire does and it told me."

"Oh." He looked at the fire then at me. "Fire is a living thing?"

"An element."

"So, when we put a fire out…"He looked some what mortified as I laughed softly.

"No. Fire doesn't die. It is immortal, it may go out, but it does not die. Fire, wind, water, and earth are everywhere, just concealed. See?" I held out my palm and blew on it slightly, speaking in the fire tongue. A few flames gathered in my palm and I saw his eyes go wide with amazement. I smiled, knowing his next question. "No, it won't burn me if I tell it not to."

"Oh." He turned back to the fire and I pressed my palms together, concealing the flames again.

He tried it again and spaced out as I scratched behind Brontie's ears and looked around in the dim light.

"Did you…." He started as I nodded to tell him to finish. "Did you know my sister?" He asked shyly.

"Did I? Hmm." I Thought a minute. "Heard the usual, child prodigy, amazing scryer, never wrong, et cetera, et cetera… But, no, I never really met her….Nathan had. I think that's why Nathan chose you for Samantha, or part of why, other than the fact you're a sweetheart." I laughed. "Ask Brett, perhaps, he may know more than I do."

"Okay……are you nervous about seeing Nathan again…when we get him back?" He asked gaining a little more courage. I thought again, scanning my fuzzy memory.

"Maybe. I mean, I don't know. I don't really remember much, other than whenever I think of him, it hurts, and I get scared."

"Oh." He said as I kicked my feet softly in the air.

After a while, I stood, tiredly, "Keep at it. You just need practice. That and you need to feed the fire." During our conversation (or lack-there-of) the fire had gotten low and feeble.

"Okay. Good night." He said politely, dropping a few twigs and sprigs of thyme and clover into the fire.

I walked out, leaving Brontie with him, who curled up by Killian's knee. I strayed to the hangar where I heard someone repairing a Zoid. I was hoping to find Brett and I did.

I watched him rub his hands, covered in black grease from the Liger Zero, onto his grayish-black jeans, then push back a few pieces of his spiky front tuft. Liger purred alerting his of my presence.

"Do you want any help?" I asked even though I was still in the black dress, which wasn't very practical, but more so than I originally thought it would be.

"Nah, gonna quit soon anyway. It's late." He said yawning and letting down the lift.

I smiled and lifted my hands above my head purring to Liger who gave me a purr in response, and brought it's head down to my hands. I stroked it's hard, metallic, muzzle as Brett, Jumped down after grabbing his jacket from the rail. I turned to him, biting my lip, I wanted to know the answer.

"Brett?…Where's Rhiannon?" I watched him stumble slightly and tense painfully. Rhiannon Blaire was his wife, back on Kerodayvania.

"She…she was on Kerodayvania…when…he, Cameron…" he trailed off, his voice tight and constricted. I nodded.

"Do you miss her?"

"Of course, more than anything." He said morosely as I looked down at my bare feet.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault." I gave him a hug, and felt a pang of guilt. For some reason, I was blaming myself…

"I know…" I whispered." Brett?"

He nodded.

"He won't get away with this."

[end Chapter Fift33n: To Be Continued…]