Thanks for all the reviews - appreciated like you'd never beleive i feel so special hehe.
special thanks to Kathy, your comments have been noted and I feel you are owedsomewords to explain, so here goes- all I can really do is hopefully assure you that there is a point to all this, its not just torture for tortures sake, I'm assuming you're not familiar with 'jipsfic' as I tend to never write simple short stories sorry! - however, I am currently about 50-60 pages ahead of posting (hence why I can update so quickly - I have a lot in reserve! I can't write then post, I need a cushion of fic, so I can tweak about a bit, knowing where the story has headed further on... if that makes sense) and I can guarantee that manymore of the twisted plots I weavewill be revealed, and definately tied up- however, this story is far from over - if I made this story simple and short unfortunately I'd find no joy in writing it, and I guess I'm selfish and enjoy challenging myself in the hope others will enjoy the ride too... if it helps, I have never not finished a story - I'm not that kind of fanfic writer as I hope my previous 15 drom fics will prove (and countless A-Team ones before that hehe), so I hope you stay with me till the end :)
saying that... erm.. you may want to skip the additional Harper angst in this chapter whistles and looks innocently at the skies
Part 38
Zal walked with Dylan along the familiar stone streets of Edenia. The captain had requested the young Edenian join him, whilst Rhade and Beka remained at the house to look out for Harper. Zal felt uncertainty as they headed to a location that Dylan was directing them too.
"Do you trust me?" Zal asked to break the silence that was nearly killing him.
"As much as I trust anyone I have only known a short time," Dylan answered.
"Good answer," Zal appreciated, with a smirk. "I'm not use to being trusted," he then added. "So it's no big deal if you don't, it's not something I crave."
"It's not something you offer very often either, your trust," Dylan observed.
"I get messed around a lot, I'm not a nice person," Zal admitted.
Dylan glanced at him, and frowned. "I feel as though you are giving us your best, even though at times it's nearly cost us, and to be honest that gives us cause for concern," he admitted with a smile.
"I like Harper," he paused. "I mean as a friend, nothing else," Zal was quick to stress. "I mean I value his friendship, it means a lot to me."
Dylan was amused by Zal's desire to make himself clear. "You've only known him for just over a week."
"Why is it so hard for you to believe it's possible to just like Harper?" Zal countered.
"It's not that," Dylan attempted to explain.
"Yes, it is," Zal persisted.
"Harper is a very likeable guy, but the circumstances of us getting to know you meant that we were naturally suspicious of your intentions," Dylan offered. "The first time you met Beka you gave her the impression that you had hurt or even killed him, for instance, and then the tricking him into that game of Zodd," he added.
"Ok, I see your point," Zal sighed. "I just felt sorry for him."
"Sorry for him?" Dylan questioned. "So you supposedly beat him up and tricked him because you felt sorry for him?"
Zal was quiet for a moment as he considered a response. "I knew what he was walking into, and he didn't, do you know how hard it's been to see what I knew was in store for him, actually happen?" Zal countered with hostility in his voice. "I got frustrated at how dumb he was being, and you guys too, because I knew what was coming."
"Why didn't you warn us?" Dylan asked calmly.
"I didn't know if I could trust you," Zal offered with a lopsided grin towards Dylan. "This place, it messes with your head, sometimes I don't even know if I can trust myself."
Dylan didn't say anymore, and just accepted Zal's words as they continued to walk. After a few more minutes he stopped Zal, and gestured to a building.
"There, do you know what that is?" Dylan asked.
Zal clearly wasn't up to speed and looked at Dylan strangely. "It's a building?" he offered unsure.
"Do you know its purpose?" Dylan spoke with a patronising tone.
Zal took another look and shrugged. "Not off hand, no, I assume it's just someone's house?"
"It has no windows, and no door," Dylan pointed out.
"Kind of a crap house then," Zal observed flippantly. "How do they get in or out?"
"Those two discoloured stones in front, on the ground," Dylan gestured. "They lift up."
"The tunnels," Zal cottoned on finally. "Oh, so it's like a fake house?"
"Exactly," Dylan was glad that Zal had finally joined him on the same page, it was proving hard work. "We think this is where the controls for the defences are housed."
"But that makes no sense," Zal returned, momentarily concerning Dylan, believing now that he had missed something obvious.
"Why?" Dylan pushed, when Zal offered no more.
"This is a Gilad run territory of the city," Zal gestured. "Over there," Zal pointed to another house. "That's where the expectant wives and girlfriends are housed during pregnancy or if they have some illness, for those Gilads who have settling down or commitment issues and want to impress the ladies," he explained and then pointed to the other side of where they were standing. "And over there is where all the Gilad meetings are held, when they are trying to look all big and impressive."
"I thought the Gilads were wanderers?" Dylan questioned.
"They do wander, and live in tents and terrorise the natives, but they also have a base, and this strange building is bang smack in the one area of Edenia that is established Gilad territory," Zal offered. "In fact, its right in the middle of the two known Gilad owned buildings."
"Zal, it makes perfect sense to me," Dylan stated. "The Gilads are here because they know exactly what that building is, and they made sure it remained inconspicuous between their two buildings."
"The Gilads have never lay claim to having the controls for the city defences, it's almost been a myth that controls exist," Zal stressed.
"So there's a chance that even Kenan isn't aware of these controls?" Dylan checked.
Zal smirked. "Ever wonder why Kenan hasn't just flipped a switch and made this city defenceless himself?"
"Because he doesn't have that switch to flip," Dylan realised. "He's making these claims about opening up this city, without actually having the means to do so."
"You got it," Zal grinned. "Now, why the hell don't the Gilads use this to their advantage? If they do have the means?"
"I really don't care, all I want now is to use it to our advantage and get the hell out of here, come on, follow me," Dylan instructed, and the two men quickly retreated, heading back to tell the others what they had figured out.
Beka looked up as the two figures came into view at the door, and she gestured for them to come inside. Rhade looked at them before returning his attention back to the nap he was having.
"Tarah, Junia, can I help you?" Beka asked, looking fondly at Junia for the help she gave her when Harper was originally taken by Buz.
"We wondered if we could see Harper, we heard what happened, how he almost died and just wanted to see him, if that's ok?" Junia asked quietly and with innocence, as Beka smiled at them.
"Sure, he's resting in the other room, but make it quick, he's still tired and weak, he needs rest," Beka gestured absently, and watched as the two young women walked through to the other room.
As the girls entered the room, Harper wearily opened his eyes and he saw his visitors walk over to him, recognising them briefly, and relaxing as he did so.
"Hey," Junia smiled, as she knelt beside him. "How are you feeling?"
"Been better," Harper mumbled, but managed to still catch the quick concerned glance between the sisters. Before he could react he found Tarah was straddling him, and then felt tape being put over his mouth and he instantly attempted to struggle.
"Shhh," Junia encouraged with concern, absently brushing the side of Harper's face before glancing over to the door fearful of his protests being heard. "Please, it's not what you think," she stressed, as both girls grabbed his wrists.
Harper's eyes were wide, and he felt Junia place her hand over his tapped mouth when he tried to make muffled protests, and he continued to struggle until Tarah waved something under his nose and a strong intense smell hit him as he inhaled, and his body tensed, unable to move with the intoxicating fumes taking him over.
With Harper's sudden distraction Tarah easily managed to grab both his wrists and she tied a binding around them, before Junia moved behind him to hold his hands down above his head, as he lay prone on the floor with his head seemingly swimming. Tarah leaned forward, her mouth close to Harper's ear. "This is for your own benefit, Buz sent me," Tarah then whispered into his ear. "He's sorry for what happened, and wanted to make it up to you, and he hopes you enjoy it."
Harper's senses were ringing alarm bells but his mind was too caught up in the moment to protest, and he simply relaxed as Tarah began to lightly kiss his neck, smothering him with all protest gone from his body.
"What the hell is going on?"
Both girls suddenly snapped their attention to the door where Beka was stood. They quickly got to their feet and managed to flee athletically through the back window before Beka could reach them. She was about to pursue the girls, already climbing onto the sill of the opened window, when she heard Harper groan, and she glanced down to see he was now curled up on his side.
As she got closer to her friend, she saw his breathing was rapid, seeing his ribs moving frantically and the blankets no longer tightly wrapped around him.
"Harper?" Beka spoke with care as she knelt down, she could see his skin was clammy and he looked flushed.
Harper rolled onto his back and immediately Beka saw the tape that still covered her friend's mouth, his face was red and he was having trouble catching his breath. Without hesitation she ripped the tape off, and Harper took in huge mouthfuls of air and was gasping. Beka then noticed that his hands were bound, and worked to free them.
"What the hell did they do?" Beka asked with angered concern, still with half a mind of going after the two girls but she couldn't leave Harper's side seeing him like this.
Harper's eyes rolled slightly, as he took a few more gulps of air before he felt able to speak. "I'm either the happiest man alive, or this is the heart attack for my sins," he managed, still taking in air and struggling to compose himself, as he sniffed loudly.
"Don't joke, Harper, what's going on?" Beka demanded. "What did they do to you?"
"Buz is sorry," Harper said with distraction, and with an inappropriate smile, as his breathing calmed down slightly. "His apologies are not bad, coming in the form of those two," he added as his head rolled again, and then he smirked for no reason.
"You mean?" Beka frowned, not understanding completely until she saw Harper's smirk, and she began to get a better idea. "They came in here, and they were going to," she paused with disbelief and shock. "They tied you up, and, against your will?"
Harper rolled his eyes, losing the smirk, but still giggling. "I knew what they were doing and I was a fully willing participant, hell, it's not everyday I get that invitation," he smiled happily, and then grimaced. "But man it hurt when she sat on my belly," he stated with his eyes clenched shut, as he tried to stretch his aching muscles, but his smile soon returned.
"What has gotten into you, Harper?" Beka then asked unsure. "I can't believe you can just accept this," Beka moved away from Harper for a moment, needing to compose her thoughts. "That you even enjoyed it, for pities sake Harper, what they did was just plain wrong and words lose me, they really do," she sighed clearly upset and unable to show just how much.
"You're disgusted by me, but that's cool, nothing new there," Harper spoke with a mock sneer, his face hidden in the blanket now. "So disown me, I don't care," he said with a hint of a slur to his words.
"You don't mean that," Beka reasoned. "And you do care," she added. "What they did was not with your consent, no matter how you dress it up, Harper."
"Beka," Harper's voice carried a warning tone, as he avoided her stare continuing to look away from her. "I never said no, so that means in the Harper way of the world that they had my consent."
"You only refer to yourself in the third person when you're drunk or annoyingly hyper active," Beka observed, knowing by just looking at him that it couldn't be the latter, and so she glanced around the room. "So how much have you had, and how the hell did you sneak it past me? Did those girls help you? Were they here before, they seemed to know about the back window being open, were you trying to outsmart me?" she stressed with paranoia, not understanding Harper's mood.
"They sure helped me, but they left so soon," Harper suddenly frowned as if just noticing their absence now, his face still looking away from her.
Beka took a deep breath, and found it hard to accept that Harper would find some enjoyment, even some acceptability in what could have happened, especially in the situation they were in. She knew he was hurting, and not just physically, and she felt ashamed for having let the girls simply walk through, in trusting those girls with Harper. Maybe he had found some pleasure in what they were doing, maybe he had convinced himself that he wanted it, but whatever he had got from it was minimal to the damage it might have done long term, and Beka was now fully aware of that. She knew her friend was dancing on the edge, and didn't need that extra push.
"So why can't you look at me?" Beka simply asked, and Harper's body noticeably tensed.
"Because," Harper returned without answer, his voice softer and weaker now.
"Harper, Seamus, look at me," Beka crouched down now beside her friend again, and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm fine," Harper protested.
"Harper," Beka persisted.
"My head hurts a little," He then spoke, and with a little more encouragement from Beka he rolled onto his back. "I think I hurt my nose," he then spoke, as he brought his hand away from his face and saw the small amount of blood that now covered his fingers.
"Let me see, maybe they caught you whilst they were attacking you?" Beka stressed, noting the nose bleed with some concern. "Do you remember them hitting you?" she asked, as she found a cloth and easily wiped the blood away from Harper's face seeing that it had already stopped flowing.
"No, but it's all kinda hazy now," Harper admitted tiredly.
"Were they really going to?" Beka couldn't even finish the question but now she could look him in the eyes, she still hoped she had misjudged what she had seen.
"Yeah, but they were too preoccupied, distracted by you or Rhade walking in on them," Harper admitted with a sorry frown. "Lets just say we probably would have broken a few speed records if it had happened," he sighed, and looked exhausted suddenly, as his head rolled again.
"You didn't need much encouragement then?" Beka found some humour finally, attempting to lighten the mood between them.
"At this moment, after all that's happened, even Killah is looking attractive to me, so hell no, I'm more than ready to go, maybe a bit too ready now, I think I need a cold shower," Harper grinned with a frown finally, even laughing at himself, and then grimaced as laughing pained him. "But maybe it might be an idea not to let Dylan or Rhade know? I do have some dignity and pride left, I mean those two didn't do much to overpower me," he admitted with some shame.
"They don't need to know," Beka agreed and brushed her hand through Harper's hair taking it away from his face, she then smirked. "Can I tell Zal?" she teased.
"No!" Harper immediately answered, and then smiled, knowing Beka was teasing now. "I'm sorry," he offered.
"For what?"
"Being a guy, not fighting back and I guess for having low morals," Harper sighed. "Being so weak and," Harper couldn't finish as he looked away again.
Beka moved closer to him, feeling his shame and seeing the sorry state he was in now, a knock back he really didn't need. "One thing for sure, we're not staying here."
"What?" Harper questioned with confusion, returning his attention to Beka.
"Buz can not continue to have you at his beck and call, regardless of what he's offering or taking, this has to stop, Harper, I'm tired to having to keep patching you up," Beka stressed. "We need to get you out of this house, and somewhere where Buz can't find you, and then we'll work out why you're being targeted like this!"
"I'm not sure I'm up to moving just yet and especially not for the next couple of hours at least, my head is pounding," Harper explained, and weakly brought the blankets up around him again.
"Even more reason why we need to get you out of Buz's range, he can't keep terrorising you," Beka insisted and then saw Harper's eyes attempt to shut, and appear heavy. "But you should rest, you've been a busy boy," she half smiled, and brushed Harper's hair from his face again, noticing that the blonde was starting to show through at the roots.
"Yeah," Harper mumbled but with a secret smile on his face, as he settled back down, and brought the blankets even closer around himself once more.
Beka watched as he fell into a deep sleep, seeing that he was still weak from his troubles, and she had seen that the bruises and cuts still covered him, despite the nanobots inside of him. The lack of food in the past ten to twelve days was really starting to show now, and his face was gaunt with ugly dark bags under his eyes, that were making Harper look a lot older than she was used to.
With a sigh, Beka checked Harper was covered well by the blankets before she returned to the front of the house, keeping what had happened inside, as she kept quiet around the sleeping Nietzschean who had missed it all.
TBC