~Chapter 17~
In a room with only a long table and chairs, a worse for wear Nicholas and Lonnie sat handcuffed with a handful of men in dark combat style uniforms, standing back surrounding them. Patrick Bryce - a man in a suit no more than 25 in age, tops, stood with his hands in his pockets casually, walking around them now and again. He had a square jaw, short styled light brown hair and dark eyes. He was certainly not unattractive, but something in his eyes spoke volumes about him not possessing warmth and friendliness.
"I gave you and your people the means to apprehend the two, and then you disappear for months. Luckily we found you, because obviously you only used my generosity to acquire them for yourselves. You should be killed for reneging on our deal." -Bryce.
"But we've helped you before. If not for us, you wouldn't know so much about -" -Lonnie.
"Quiet. I do not recall giving you permission to speak. Your actions have spoken louder than any of your words need to." Bryce said and then, "Convince me to not have you killed today. Just what do you have left to offer me?"
Nicholas and Lonnie glanced at one another. There was quiet for a couple of long moments.
"Alright, enough wasting my time. Dispose of them. " Bryce said, gesturing to the men standing all around.
The two were grabbed from their seating positions. "You have no right!-" Nicholas started. Bryce ignored him and he was dragged away. Just as Lonnie was being taken out the door, she looked back to Bryce. "Wait. You don't need Nicholas anymore. But you do me. I've got more information for you." Bryce turned around and looked at her, he raised a brow, barely more than bored. "I guarantee you won't be disappointed-"
Bryce just looked at her hard for a moment, contemplating. And then he signaled to the men to let her go and for them to go on.
Bryce strode over to her and gripped her arm. "This had better be good."
"Oh it is. I assure you it is." -Lonnie said, looking up at him.
--- --
Victoria awoke groggily, her vision blurry at first. She was laying on a surface that felt hard and cold. She started to slide into a sitting position on the floor, but groaned as her head throbbed tremendously. She put a hand to her head and was shocked when she felt metal, some sort of circular metal thing on her head, then she looked down and saw that she wore nothing but a white hospital gown. There was nothing but glass and white tile all around her. She could see nothing else. Her attention was caught by Max when she saw him laying not so far away. She crawled across the white floor, but was stopped by glass. There was more than one cell, glass cells were to her left and right, empty except for the one to her right where Max was. Victoria sat up and pounded against the glass that separated them. At first he didn't move, so she tried to send a mental message. She was rewarded with a short, excruciating pain in her head. She tried again, but it only happened again. She clutched her head in pain. Her effort must have produced an instant jolt to Max before it was stopped, though, because he was moving to the glass and calling her name.
Victoria looked up as a slightly still groggy Max came as close to her as he could. He wore nothing but white drawstring pants and she saw a circular metal band around his head, which she thought must be what hers looked like.
"Where are we, Max?" Victoria asked to a confused Max, knowing he probably didn't know anymore than she did - which was virtually zilch.
"I don't know." Max said as he continued to look around. "But I have a feeling we're not in New Mexico anymore. And it doesn't look like we're in Nicholas and Lonnie's hands anymore either." He then looked back to her with concern, "Are you okay?"
"I think so, Max, but I don't think I can use my powers. Can you?" -Victoria.
Max tried something simple, a lighting of a small bit of energy in his hands. He was nearly knocked backward by the instantaneous pain in his skull. That's when he felt the metal around his head.
"I think this thing is preventing us from using our powers," Max said.
"You think?" they heard a voice say.
Max and Victoria turned to the voice and saw Bryce walking toward their cells.
"Every king and queen should have a crown, right?" -Bryce.
They looked at each other.
"Let's get a few things out of the way. First of all, don't look so surprised. I know a lot about the both of you. Secondly, I'm Bryce and I'm in charge of this place and you. If you cooperate well, your stay will not be overly unpleasant."
"What is it that you want?" Max asked, hesitant to know the answer.
"I want your cooperation when I demand it. And that is all you need to know or understand." - Bryce.
Bryce talked on a wireless communicator and in a moment, four men in white lab coats and carrying cases, two went in each cell. "Oh, by the way, its starting now." Bryce quipped.
In a room with only a long table and chairs, a worse for wear Nicholas and Lonnie sat handcuffed with a handful of men in dark combat style uniforms, standing back surrounding them. Patrick Bryce - a man in a suit no more than 25 in age, tops, stood with his hands in his pockets casually, walking around them now and again. He had a square jaw, short styled light brown hair and dark eyes. He was certainly not unattractive, but something in his eyes spoke volumes about him not possessing warmth and friendliness.
"I gave you and your people the means to apprehend the two, and then you disappear for months. Luckily we found you, because obviously you only used my generosity to acquire them for yourselves. You should be killed for reneging on our deal." -Bryce.
"But we've helped you before. If not for us, you wouldn't know so much about -" -Lonnie.
"Quiet. I do not recall giving you permission to speak. Your actions have spoken louder than any of your words need to." Bryce said and then, "Convince me to not have you killed today. Just what do you have left to offer me?"
Nicholas and Lonnie glanced at one another. There was quiet for a couple of long moments.
"Alright, enough wasting my time. Dispose of them. " Bryce said, gesturing to the men standing all around.
The two were grabbed from their seating positions. "You have no right!-" Nicholas started. Bryce ignored him and he was dragged away. Just as Lonnie was being taken out the door, she looked back to Bryce. "Wait. You don't need Nicholas anymore. But you do me. I've got more information for you." Bryce turned around and looked at her, he raised a brow, barely more than bored. "I guarantee you won't be disappointed-"
Bryce just looked at her hard for a moment, contemplating. And then he signaled to the men to let her go and for them to go on.
Bryce strode over to her and gripped her arm. "This had better be good."
"Oh it is. I assure you it is." -Lonnie said, looking up at him.
--- --
Victoria awoke groggily, her vision blurry at first. She was laying on a surface that felt hard and cold. She started to slide into a sitting position on the floor, but groaned as her head throbbed tremendously. She put a hand to her head and was shocked when she felt metal, some sort of circular metal thing on her head, then she looked down and saw that she wore nothing but a white hospital gown. There was nothing but glass and white tile all around her. She could see nothing else. Her attention was caught by Max when she saw him laying not so far away. She crawled across the white floor, but was stopped by glass. There was more than one cell, glass cells were to her left and right, empty except for the one to her right where Max was. Victoria sat up and pounded against the glass that separated them. At first he didn't move, so she tried to send a mental message. She was rewarded with a short, excruciating pain in her head. She tried again, but it only happened again. She clutched her head in pain. Her effort must have produced an instant jolt to Max before it was stopped, though, because he was moving to the glass and calling her name.
Victoria looked up as a slightly still groggy Max came as close to her as he could. He wore nothing but white drawstring pants and she saw a circular metal band around his head, which she thought must be what hers looked like.
"Where are we, Max?" Victoria asked to a confused Max, knowing he probably didn't know anymore than she did - which was virtually zilch.
"I don't know." Max said as he continued to look around. "But I have a feeling we're not in New Mexico anymore. And it doesn't look like we're in Nicholas and Lonnie's hands anymore either." He then looked back to her with concern, "Are you okay?"
"I think so, Max, but I don't think I can use my powers. Can you?" -Victoria.
Max tried something simple, a lighting of a small bit of energy in his hands. He was nearly knocked backward by the instantaneous pain in his skull. That's when he felt the metal around his head.
"I think this thing is preventing us from using our powers," Max said.
"You think?" they heard a voice say.
Max and Victoria turned to the voice and saw Bryce walking toward their cells.
"Every king and queen should have a crown, right?" -Bryce.
They looked at each other.
"Let's get a few things out of the way. First of all, don't look so surprised. I know a lot about the both of you. Secondly, I'm Bryce and I'm in charge of this place and you. If you cooperate well, your stay will not be overly unpleasant."
"What is it that you want?" Max asked, hesitant to know the answer.
"I want your cooperation when I demand it. And that is all you need to know or understand." - Bryce.
Bryce talked on a wireless communicator and in a moment, four men in white lab coats and carrying cases, two went in each cell. "Oh, by the way, its starting now." Bryce quipped.