DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters created by Alexander Key and
owned by Walt Disney Pictures. This is fan fiction, and not endorsed by
Mr. Key, his estate, or the Walt Disney Company. No copyright infringement
is intended, and no money is being made from this story. It is based on
plot elements used in the books Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from
Witch Mountain, as well as the movies of the same name, although the books
and the movies differ extensively. Please direct all queries, comments,
etc. to kevinpkhaynes@yahoo.com. It is my sincere desire that you enjoy
the story as the pure entertainment it was intended to be. Your feedback
is welcome as well!
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 24
Tony had spent the day painting, or at least trying to. It was hard to concentrate. He was concerned for Ty, who was with him. He fretted over the mystery man, who again was across the street in the café watching them. And he needed to talk to Trina and wasn't sure when he would be able to.
Just then Ty came over to him and touched his arm. "Tony," he said silently, "don't worry so much!" Tony's eyebrows arched in surprise, and Ty just smiled and went on. "I can tell you're really bugged about what's been happening. But don't worry. It's not just you or just me or just my mom . it's the three of us together. I'd like to see anyone top that!"
Tony laughed out loud, then spoke silently and said, "You're right, Ty. And we will stay together. I never told you, but when I was just a little older than you, an evil man kidnapped me and, well, kinda hypnotized me into doing some things to help him. My sister finally found me, but I never forgot how horrible it felt to be controlled by someone.
"Well, I found out yesterday that the guy across the street who is watching us . he might be working for the guy who kidnapped me. I just couldn't bear to let anything like that happen to you. So please, do me a favor and stay close by. No more heroics for a while, OK?"
Ty hugged Tony and said aloud, "OK. I'd do anything for you, Tony." Then he got quiet, like he was really thinking hard about something. Finally he spoke. "Tony . um, since we are from the same family, well . is it OK if I think of you as my big brother?"
He looked up at Tony with big, trusting eyes. Tony melted. He leaned down to hug him right and said silently, "You bet! You're the best little brother I've ever had!" Ty hugged back, then stopped, pulled back, and said, "Wait! You don't have a little brother do you!?" He said it accusingly, and Tony was glad he got the joke, but he looked at Ty and said seriously, "I do now."
Ty actually blushed, then went back to straightening the paintings.
That afternoon they shut down early, hauled everything to Tony's apartment, and then went to the nearest computer store. Tony knew how much computer - memory and speed - he needed to view what was on the camera he had retrieved from the "enemy." Thirty minutes later, thanks to his Homedweller-set-up credit card, he left with a new laptop under his arm . and an eager younger brother wanting to try it out.
Concerned that his own apartment would be watched, he and Ty took the laptop and the camera to Trina's apartment. Tony set the laptop up in the kitchen/dining room, away from any windows, just in case. Once he got the camera hooked up and got the computer to recognize it, he downloaded what was on the camera.
The pictures were disturbing. There were pictures of Tony at his stand, painting. Some were close-ups he never knew were being taken - apparently the camera had a good telephoto lens. There were pictures of Trina and Ty talking to Tony on the first day he met Ty's mom. The man had taken close- ups of them as well. There was even a photo of Tony's business card.
Tony's blood ran cold, and his stomach actually tightened in fear. Next to his name on the business card, someone - probably the stranger - had written in pencil "Malone?"
Malone! The name he and Tia used when living with their foster parents! How would this person know that used to be his name? Who was this mysterious, seemingly all knowing man?
Next he downloaded the video. Again he was chilled by what he saw. The video was choppy, and you could hear café noises on it, but he saw himself moving about, setting up, painting. He saw Trina and Ty the day that she first met Tony - the man had taken video from across the street, then did close-ups.
The worst part was what was next. There, on the video, was Ty floating, and Tony pulling him down and looking around to make sure no one had seen! Thank the stars he had confiscated this video! With that footage, they would have been found out for sure.
However, he felt very strongly they were in danger right now. Someone knew his name used to be Malone, and knew for a fact that Ty could levitate. That was too much for any one human to know - it was enough to jeopardize them.
The phone in the apartment rang. Ty went to answer it automatically. He looked at Tony and said, "My mom always calls to make sure I'm OK. She didn't know you were coming by probably."
Tony smiled and said, "Good - tell her I need to talk to her."
As soon as he said "Hello," Ty's smile disappeared and he looked panicked. He covered the receiver and said, "Tony, it's some guy. He says he wants to talk to Tony Malone now! Is that you?"
Alarms went off in Tony's head - somehow this caller was related to the man in the car with the surveillance equipment, who was probably the man from the café. If he was calling Trina's, then he somehow knew that Trina and Ty were connected to Tony and his people. They had to get out of there right away.
Tony took the phone, and then said silently to Ty, "Go pack a few clothes into a plastic bag. We're leaving here just to play it safe." Ty nodded and ran to his room. Tony put the phone to his ear and said, "This is Tony."
The voice on the other end of the line could only be described as sinister. It wasn't Dr. Gannon - Tony would have recognized that. This man was younger - it had to be mystery man from the café. He said to Tony, "Malone, I have your girlfriend."
That puzzled Tony, but only for a moment. "She's not my girlfriend, but you better not harm her! Now, who are you, and what do you want?"
Almost on an impulse, he began to send his silent voice over the phone. He had never tried to communicate that way on a regular phone, and didn't know if it would carry through the receiver and into the room the man was in, but it was worth a shot. Still trying to listen to the caller, Tony said silently, "Trina, if you can hear me, somehow let me know! I have Ty and he's safe!"
The caller was talking, apparently unaware of what Tony was doing. He said, "Bring the camera you took, and the boy, to your apartment. If anyone else but you and the boy walk through the door, your girlfriend will die."
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 24
Tony had spent the day painting, or at least trying to. It was hard to concentrate. He was concerned for Ty, who was with him. He fretted over the mystery man, who again was across the street in the café watching them. And he needed to talk to Trina and wasn't sure when he would be able to.
Just then Ty came over to him and touched his arm. "Tony," he said silently, "don't worry so much!" Tony's eyebrows arched in surprise, and Ty just smiled and went on. "I can tell you're really bugged about what's been happening. But don't worry. It's not just you or just me or just my mom . it's the three of us together. I'd like to see anyone top that!"
Tony laughed out loud, then spoke silently and said, "You're right, Ty. And we will stay together. I never told you, but when I was just a little older than you, an evil man kidnapped me and, well, kinda hypnotized me into doing some things to help him. My sister finally found me, but I never forgot how horrible it felt to be controlled by someone.
"Well, I found out yesterday that the guy across the street who is watching us . he might be working for the guy who kidnapped me. I just couldn't bear to let anything like that happen to you. So please, do me a favor and stay close by. No more heroics for a while, OK?"
Ty hugged Tony and said aloud, "OK. I'd do anything for you, Tony." Then he got quiet, like he was really thinking hard about something. Finally he spoke. "Tony . um, since we are from the same family, well . is it OK if I think of you as my big brother?"
He looked up at Tony with big, trusting eyes. Tony melted. He leaned down to hug him right and said silently, "You bet! You're the best little brother I've ever had!" Ty hugged back, then stopped, pulled back, and said, "Wait! You don't have a little brother do you!?" He said it accusingly, and Tony was glad he got the joke, but he looked at Ty and said seriously, "I do now."
Ty actually blushed, then went back to straightening the paintings.
That afternoon they shut down early, hauled everything to Tony's apartment, and then went to the nearest computer store. Tony knew how much computer - memory and speed - he needed to view what was on the camera he had retrieved from the "enemy." Thirty minutes later, thanks to his Homedweller-set-up credit card, he left with a new laptop under his arm . and an eager younger brother wanting to try it out.
Concerned that his own apartment would be watched, he and Ty took the laptop and the camera to Trina's apartment. Tony set the laptop up in the kitchen/dining room, away from any windows, just in case. Once he got the camera hooked up and got the computer to recognize it, he downloaded what was on the camera.
The pictures were disturbing. There were pictures of Tony at his stand, painting. Some were close-ups he never knew were being taken - apparently the camera had a good telephoto lens. There were pictures of Trina and Ty talking to Tony on the first day he met Ty's mom. The man had taken close- ups of them as well. There was even a photo of Tony's business card.
Tony's blood ran cold, and his stomach actually tightened in fear. Next to his name on the business card, someone - probably the stranger - had written in pencil "Malone?"
Malone! The name he and Tia used when living with their foster parents! How would this person know that used to be his name? Who was this mysterious, seemingly all knowing man?
Next he downloaded the video. Again he was chilled by what he saw. The video was choppy, and you could hear café noises on it, but he saw himself moving about, setting up, painting. He saw Trina and Ty the day that she first met Tony - the man had taken video from across the street, then did close-ups.
The worst part was what was next. There, on the video, was Ty floating, and Tony pulling him down and looking around to make sure no one had seen! Thank the stars he had confiscated this video! With that footage, they would have been found out for sure.
However, he felt very strongly they were in danger right now. Someone knew his name used to be Malone, and knew for a fact that Ty could levitate. That was too much for any one human to know - it was enough to jeopardize them.
The phone in the apartment rang. Ty went to answer it automatically. He looked at Tony and said, "My mom always calls to make sure I'm OK. She didn't know you were coming by probably."
Tony smiled and said, "Good - tell her I need to talk to her."
As soon as he said "Hello," Ty's smile disappeared and he looked panicked. He covered the receiver and said, "Tony, it's some guy. He says he wants to talk to Tony Malone now! Is that you?"
Alarms went off in Tony's head - somehow this caller was related to the man in the car with the surveillance equipment, who was probably the man from the café. If he was calling Trina's, then he somehow knew that Trina and Ty were connected to Tony and his people. They had to get out of there right away.
Tony took the phone, and then said silently to Ty, "Go pack a few clothes into a plastic bag. We're leaving here just to play it safe." Ty nodded and ran to his room. Tony put the phone to his ear and said, "This is Tony."
The voice on the other end of the line could only be described as sinister. It wasn't Dr. Gannon - Tony would have recognized that. This man was younger - it had to be mystery man from the café. He said to Tony, "Malone, I have your girlfriend."
That puzzled Tony, but only for a moment. "She's not my girlfriend, but you better not harm her! Now, who are you, and what do you want?"
Almost on an impulse, he began to send his silent voice over the phone. He had never tried to communicate that way on a regular phone, and didn't know if it would carry through the receiver and into the room the man was in, but it was worth a shot. Still trying to listen to the caller, Tony said silently, "Trina, if you can hear me, somehow let me know! I have Ty and he's safe!"
The caller was talking, apparently unaware of what Tony was doing. He said, "Bring the camera you took, and the boy, to your apartment. If anyone else but you and the boy walk through the door, your girlfriend will die."