Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen
...
"He'll know where they've gone. It's code, I know it is!" Craig said, practically waving Adam's phone in Warren's face.
"You're not going to visit your father, Craig. It will take too long," Warren said.
"This is taking too long! You can't find them and they've already had him for five hours! We're getting closer to tomorrow than today!"
"Visiting hours are already over," Layla said, feeling awful when Craig's expression fell. "You can call the prison and talk to him using Cara's voice," she offered as an alternative.
Craig's shoulders sagged in relief. "All right. I can work with that; it's how they communicated anyway. What's the number for the prison? Wait, I'll Google it."
"I'll go with you," Donny said, leading Craig out to a different comb in the lower Hive so they could have some peace and quiet.
"Warren?" Layla said, worry in her voice.
"Yeah, I'll check on him. He's not stable enough to keep Cara's voice for long," he said, squeezing Layla's hand gently before following them out.
"You two need to stay here. We need a plan of attack," Layla said to Grant and Jewel as they both looked after Craig.
"He's got my phone, so I'm going," Adam said, leaving before anyone could stop him.
Connor was looking at the map of Westville with Ry, determining the best way in, depending on Victor's location. Honey was sitting on a training mat, eyes closed as she desperately tried to see where Victor was being held, trying to focus on the details around him rather than her best friend being tortured.
"Why don't we just go in the front?" Zach interrupted.
"We can't just ask to be let in," Connor replied.
Zach shook his head. "I know that. All of these places have access codes to get in, right? We can get in using the access code, like we would if we had a storage unit there," he said, shrugging.
"I don't think Ace has the time to go through every possible combination to open it," Ry said, frowning.
"We don't have to; someone will give us the code," Ethan said, on his phone and tapping away quickly.
"What are you doing?" Connor asked curiously.
"Checking Craigslist; someone is selling office furniture that's currently held in their storage unit. I'm messaging them to say I'm interested and will meet them there."
"They're not just going to give the code to - "
Ethan's phone went off with a received message and he smiled. "Got it."
"Are you serious?" Connor asked.
"Always," he replied, showing him his phone. "Honey, can we use your minivan to get this table?"
"Is that really what we should be focusing on right now?" Grant asked.
"No, but we also can't turn up in a small car when we're looking at getting a table this big. It will be suspicious," Ethan said, looking to the other storage units and back to Craigslist.
"The van is fine," Honey said, her voice tinged with frustration as she still couldn't see the place clearly.
"Can't you go ahead? To when we've got him back and he says where he was held or something?" Robin asked.
Honey shook her head. "It won't let me. There's too much riding on what happens here, so there's millions of threads as a result. I need the right thread to find out where he is and what to do. I don't know which one to pick and I don't have time to sort through them all; it would take days. Victor could be killed before I get to the right thread."
There was a loud scream from outside of the training arena, Grant and Jewel immediately running for Craig.
Connor watched in some sort of detachment as the others ran after their friends, stuck to the spot with Honey's words. Victor could be killed?
Turning back to the maps where four properties were circled, all of which Greta owned according to Ethan's research, Connor tried to work out which one held Victor. He stared at the four properties as though he could determine the answer through pure will alone.
"Papa?" Ry said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find him, okay? No matter what else happens, we'll find Victor and bring him back."
"I know. I just..." Connor's voice broke. "I don't want him to die."
"We don't either. Come on, what if time. What if you were Cara and Greta?"
Connor bit back an immediate response to that, forcing himself to stop and think. "Worst case scenario, Greta knows Honey has some sort of future-seeing power. That means she knows she'll be found, so setting up four units to look exactly the same could trick her into going to the wrong one, but she'd have to do something to make sure they weren't found."
"Yep, what else?" Ry urged, looking to the map and placing a marker on the hospital.
"These two units are closer to the hospital. They could be a decoy or the real thing, but if they're going to... hurt him, this unit charges for electricity use. Greta wouldn't want to pay that."
"Okay, good. The other three?" Ry asked.
Connor looked at them, trying to determine what he would do in their shoes. Would he take Victor to a populated area so the noise could be drowned out or an area where there would be no one to hear him scream?
"This one's too populated, even if they were trying to use noise pollution to mask his screams. It's in Maxville, too, so people are more likely to call the police," Connor said, another one marked off the list.
"The last two are in Westville, so no one would call the cops even if they heard screaming," Ry said, frowning.
"This one's closer to the hospital. Greta used to work at a hospital, right? She could get easy access to hospital supplies and equipment," Connor said, then frowned as he saw the notes written for the storage units. "Both of these charge electricity fees."
"That's why you took out the first one," Ry said, Connor nodding in response.
"From what I've heard, Greta is cheap and doesn't want to spend money, so she definitely wouldn't want to pay electricity fees. She's probably using a generator," he said, getting Ry to put the first unit on the map again.
The others returned, Grant and Warren carrying Craig between them.
"What happened?" Ry asked.
"He used Heidi's power on his father through the phone and managed to fry himself as well," Robin explained.
"Luckily, he had it on speaker so we heard what Mr. Forge actually said."
"He didn't say anything useful, it was all gibberish. I'm pretty sure Craig caused brain damage," Zach said, frowning.
"He thought something useful before his brain was fried. It's this unit," Donny said, indicating to the first one near the hospital.
"You're sure?" Layla asked, Donny nodding in response.
"No security, meaning no one to ask questions or hear Victor scream. Close to the hospital he was kidnapped from, and Greta worked there a few years ago so she'd have knowledge of where things are kept," Connor said.
"We're going to get him." Honey didn't bother waiting for an argument and simply left the arena and Hive, heading for her minivan.
"I'll monitor things from here. You'll have green lights the whole way," Adam promised.
Grant and Jewel were looking after Craig and refused to move.
"I can't go. If they're doing what Honey thinks they're doing, I'll be useless," Donny said, looking nauseous.
Connor practically ran after Honey at that, Ryuu following him.
"I'll stay here," Terrence said.
"I'm going," Robin said over their shoulder.
"We don't have time for this. Hurry up," Wendy called, already in the hallway with Ethan and Zach a step behind her.
"We'll let you know what happens. We might have to take him to a hospital," Layla said, leaving with Warren quickly.
Honey already had the engine running and looked ready to leave the second they were in the van, never mind the door or their seatbelts. They stepped in, Warren just closing the door behind them and Honey drove out of the parking area, Layla falling back on her seat.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry. We have to get there before..." she trailed off, eyes glazing.
"You shouldn't be driving, Honey," Connor said, worried that they couldn't save Victor if they were hurt themselves.
"I'll get us there three minutes faster than you; we need that time."
"Any plans on what we will actually do once we arrive?" Ethan asked.
"Element of surprise?" Ryuu suggested.
"Earthquake? I can knock the power out," Robin offered.
"They're using a generator," Connor said.
"All right, I'll knock them out instead."
"You could set something on fire, get them to come out to us?" Layla said to Warren.
"No! Greta's prepared for both of you. You can't use your powers, not today," Honey said, distracted as she overtook a car.
"Then why are we even here?" Warren muttered.
"Decoy," Honey said shortly, putting on a burst of speed to make the green light ahead.
Turning sharply, she couldn't help a grin on hearing Zach praying in the back seat.
"You don't believe in God. Or Super God," Ethan said, clutching his boyfriend's hand anyway.
"You do; I'm putting in extra prayers for you," Zach said, his eyes screwed shut and returning to his whimpered prayers as Honey took another sharp corner.
"I don't think it works like that, but I appreciate the thought," Ethan said. His phone went off with a message, the owner of the table from Craigslist cancelling due to the weather.
"Theology discussion later; we have to work out how to get Victor out," Wendy said. "I'm working on a thunderstorm, just in case."
"Good, keep that going. We'll need hail too, but after the thunder," Honey said. "There's a higher chance of getting Victor out alive if there's hail," she added in explanation, her eyes unfocused for a moment.
"Honey, the road," Connor said, reaching for the wheel.
"I'm fine," Honey said, ignoring Connor's mutter of 'liar' and continued, "Warren and Layla, distract Cara and Greta at the front. We'll get Vic out through the back. Eth, get ready for a full meltdown."
"Everyone?" Ethan clarified.
"Yep, Vic too. You'll have to be careful with him. Either broken bones or... uh, we'll just see what happens," Honey said, glancing at Connor and his white knuckled fist.
"I'm fine."
"Liar."
The car fell into silence as the storage unit sign came into view, indicating it was only 900m ahead. Honey clenched her jaw and hoped they would arrive before... No, she wouldn't think of it. Victor would be fine, so long as they arrived before the rain started.
Several drops of rain splattered on the windshield and Honey pressed harder on the accelerator.
Victor would be fine.
...
Cara smiled at her ex-husband and the electrical burns that littered his skin. He was only on five and she was sure his resolve was faltering. She would have the twins in her custody and be interstate by the end of the week.
Greta moved the generator aside, unclipping the alligator clips from the burnt fragments of Victor's shirt.
"What are you doing? We haven't got him to sign the document yet."
"Any more and he won't have enough feeling in his arms to hold a pen, let alone sign a document. He gets ten minutes to rest while I call Edith."
Cara watched as Greta grabbed the phone from the table. "We just need one more and he'll cave. I'll do it," she said.
"You do it wrong and you'll kill him. You want the document signed to get your boys back, don't you?" Greta snapped, then held a hand up as the phone connected to Edith.
"Hello? I've got the money. How do I get it to you? Is Victor all right?"
Greta was surprised at Edith's words; how did she get the money already? Maybe Hyacinth had helped, as Cara had suggested.
Cara typed on the voice changer as fast as she could.
"Hello?" Edith said uncertainly, frowning.
"You can bring the money to us. We will deliver your son to you once we have been paid," the electronic voice said.
"Actually, I don't think you'll have to worry about that," Adam's voice said cheerfully. "Congratulations, you've won this round of Guess Who's Going to Prison? Today's contestants include Greta Auden and Cara Forge, and you're both winners! Hand yourselves in now and I won't send this recording to the police."
Cara's eyes widened at Adam's voice. "How did you get on the phone?"
"This is why I told you not to use technology, girl!" Greta snapped. "I knew they could do something and this proves it!"
"Greta? It really was you? You absolute bitch! Just wait until I see you next time, I'll do more than slap you, you - "
"Edith, breathe. Hang up and look after Elijah and Elliot, okay? Victor will be home with you soon."
"Oh, no, he fucking won't!" Cara snapped.
Her horrid ex-mother-in-law had never liked her, not until she'd had the twins, and even that had been short-lived.
Victor looked up at Elijah and Elliot's names, though lifting his head even more than a few centimetres off his chest was a struggle. He saw the frenzied expression on Cara's face, the same kind she'd get when they were arguing towards the end of their relationship, when she accused him of wanting to steal his own children. It was like that now, but worse. Then, sex or money could calm her. Now, nothing could.
Cara turned to the table, grabbing a long-handled axe. "You'll get him back in pieces!" she screamed, raising the axe over her head.
...
"Honey, what are you doing?" Connor asked as she drove around and between storage containers, weaving the van and ignoring any attempt at subtlety.
"Change of plans. Shit, we're not going to make it," Honey said as lightning struck overhead and rain pounded on the windshield. "Hold on!" she called, gunning the engine and heading straight for one of the units.
Ethan joined in Zach's prayer.
Hail started to pound against the roof, balls of ice hitting the ground around them. Connor hoped Honey was right and that this meant they'd get Victor back alive and in one piece.
Thunder rolled and as they approached the unit, the roller door started to lift.
"Shit, shit, shit!"
"Get down!" Robin yelled, practically folding in half and pulling Wendy down alongside them.
The top of the minivan hit the roller door, the impact shuddering everyone in the vehicle, but Honey kept driving. The roof scraped, sparks flying off as the door was destroyed and bent as a result. Pressing her foot down until she heard a solid thump, Honey braked hard.
Ignoring her whiplash, her breathlessness, her aching chest, Honey scrambled out of the front seat, knocking aside the table of weapons. Moving to the front of the car, Honey saw that both Greta and Cara were pinned under the bumper. She'd narrowly missed Victor, who was still tied to a chair, an axe embedded in the wall next to him.
"Vic? You okay? Hey, talk to me," Honey said, kicking Cara as she climbed over the women to kneel in front of her best friend. "Heidi, stop hiding and get out here!" she called.
"Heids?" Zach said in confusion, his sister climbing out of the boot and into the main section of the van to get into the storage unit faster.
Connor was a step behind her, taking in the electrocution damage littered on Victor's body. Rubbing one of his own scars from a similar torture method, Connor couldn't bring himself to step forward. He wanted to comfort Victor, he wanted to shield him from the world, but he also wanted to beat the everloving shit out of Greta and Cara.
Heidi kneeled beside Honey, resting a cool hand on Victor's forearm. Victor didn't stir, still unconscious in the chair.
"Careful, he's got nerve damage. Too much could make him lose feeling completely," Honey said.
"You need to time it with his heartbeats," Connor said, his voice thick. "Electricity can go through the heart and kill a person if it's timed wrong."
Heidi knew, but simply nodded. Feeling for Victor's pulse, she tried not to flinch at his unexpected pained moan. Slowly, carefully, she drew out the electricity in his body. Barely daring to breathe too loud, Heidi watched as the electrical burns and lightning bolts started to fade from his skin. The ones on his biceps couldn't be removed entirely, as they were the place where the injury had started. It was easier to remove the lighter ones along his arms and chest for now. Heidi couldn't ignore the burnt outline of the alligator clips prominent on his skin nor the webbed lightning result of the electrical torture across his body though, the remaining scraps of his blue shirt melted and blackened.
"That's enough for now, Heidi. He'll be fully conscious in a few seconds," Honey said. "Thank you so much," she said, pulling the young girl into a tight hug as soon as she'd let go of Victor.
"Welcome," Heidi said, slipping away as Victor woke up and Connor moved forward, Ry beside his father in worry.
"Why were you in the van?" Zach asked.
"I had an earache so I was sleeping in the back. I heard you coming and got in the boot," Heidi said, shrugging.
"Is your ear okay now?" Ethan asked.
Heidi nodded, a high pitched scream drawing her attention to where Cara and Greta were pinned under the van.
"Like to torture people with electricity, huh? Let's see how you go with a million volts up your asses," Wendy snarled, lightning flashing in her eyes.
"Get off me, you freak!" Cara yelled, struggling against Warren's boot on her chest.
"You're sure we can't use our powers, Honey?" Warren asked, pressing his boot down harder on Cara's torso.
"I'm positive, not today," Honey replied, almost absentmindedly as her attention stayed on Victor, Connor and Ry using knives to destroy the binds holding him to the chair.
Greta gasped, spluttering blood as she woke up from the brief concussion. Internal damage, she thought. A broken rib, punctured lung, or something worse?
"You can't kill me," Greta wheezed, triumphant despite the pain in her body.
"We're not going to," Layla said, admittedly disappointed by the fact.
"If you're referring to the cuff you were wearing, it's in pieces on the floor," Honey added, Greta's eyes widening as she saw it for the truth.
She'd spent a lot of money to get that goddamn power-repressing cuff!
"I vote on vegetablising her," Zach said.
"No, that would take up valuable space in a hospital," Ethan argued, flicking water drops towards Greta and Cara.
Both women screamed in pain as acid corroded through layers of their skin.
"Dude, what aren't you carrying in there?" Ry asked, throwing the shredded rope and broken zip ties to the side.
Ethan shrugged. "I've got the necessities."
"Adam's acid is a necessity?" Robin asked.
"It is today," Ethan said, flicking more drops.
"How aren't you hurting yourself?" Layla asked curiously.
"They're encased in water; I can handle the water until it dissipates or lands on something solid and exposes the acid."
"Kinda like those chocolates with melted chocolate centres, yeah?" Zach asked, Ethan nodding.
"That's a good analogy."
"You can't kill me. I've got an email - " Greta breathed haggardly.
"Yeah, that's so been dealt with. Like, two months ago. If you'd actually checked, you would've seen the email had been changed to cat videos," Adam snickered from their phones.
"Is Victor okay?" Craig asked, taking the headset off Adam's head.
"You're meant to be resting! And give my headphones back," Adam snapped.
"He's... alive," Warren answered, looking to where Victor was curled against Connor's chest.
"Not helpful!" Craig said shortly.
"They used a generator to torture Victor with electricity," Robin said bluntly. "It caused nerve damage, though the extent hasn't been determined yet. I'll look at his insides when we're out of here."
"Um, how?" Craig asked, handing the headset back to Adam reluctantly and tapping his chair so he would turn the speakers on instead.
" - mineral levels," the end of Robin's response came from the speakers.
"Will that help?"
"I can tell if he's lacking in areas or not. Some minerals are more vital than others so I can increase them slowly until we can get him to a doctor," Robin said.
"Are we driving him to a hospital, then?" Ry asked, looking between Connor and Victor, and his friends.
"Can we fix the minivan? I doubt that it will make it out of here, let alone reach Maxville Hospital," Ethan mused.
"Want me to call an ambulance?" Heidi offered.
"They'll ask too many questions we can't answer," Ry said, looking at the mess around them and the two women still pinned under Honey's minivan.
Wendy generated a lightning bolt between her hands, redirecting a bolt at each woman. They both screamed as they were covered in lightning scars and burn marks. No one moved to help them and, after a moment of high-pitched screaming, they both passed out.
"I'll call Ma, tell her we've got an emergency. Can you all get back to the Hive?" Adam asked.
"I think so. We'll have to take it slow," Robin said, looking at the dented bumper with a wince.
"We'll get there. Take Ida to the lower Hive; she'll need a sterile space to prepare. I'll send you the list of equipment Terrence will need to make," Honey said.
"We've got plenty of sterile areas. If you three have kept to your areas," Adam amended, glaring at Craig.
"We have! Uh, well, maybe. Let me check the map," Craig said, taking out his phone.
"We'll let you know when we're leaving. Heidi, you'll have to stay in the boot with Vic. Con, you have to let him go. He'll be all right, I promise," Honey added gently.
Connor clenched his jaw and shook his head. "I can't. Honey, I... let me stay in the boot with them. I can fit," he added dubiously.
"No, you can't. Logistically speaking, at least," Ethan added, wincing at Connor's expression.
Ryuu put a hand on his father's forearm gently. "Papa, Victor needs to be seen by a doctor. He could be hurt internally. We'll take him to the Hive, Ida will look after him, and then you can see him, okay?"
Connor cursed under his breath but nodded. He strode forward, Victor in his arms and curled against his chest, and placed him in the boot gently. Heidi hopped in beside Victor, her hand resting on his bicep and starting to draw out more of the foreign electricity in his system again. Victor flinched back at her touch on his tingling skin.
"I have him, Mr. K," Heidi said with a serious tone.
"Thank you. I... I need to deal with those two women," Connor muttered, his skin feeling tight and his body restless.
Not only had they hurt the man he loved, they'd tortured him. Even before this, Cara had used and abused and manipulated Victor. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with them, but it wouldn't involve forgiveness.
"What was that email Greta was talking about?" Connor asked as he rounded the front of the van.
"Her insurance policy. She had an email set to send to all of Maxville's media outlets if she didn't delay it another day. It stated that Layla and Warren killed her and she has vines in her body to prove it," Adam said. "I made it into cat videos instead. The first one's where the cat falls off the lounge when it's trying to pounce on a ball."
Zach snickered. "I love that cat."
"Any other insurance policies or details I need to know about?" Connor asked.
"Cara's got two million in a bank account set up for the twins," Adam said, shrugging on his end of the line.
"That explains why she wanted to get to them; she has a document here to repeal the super restraining order," Wendy said, looking at the paperwork.
"Papa, you have to drive the van. You don't want to kill them in cold blood."
"It's not cold, Ryuu," Connor said truthfully.
In fact, his blood felt like it was boiling under his hot skin. Not only had Cara hurt Victor, but she was trying to get her claws on Elijah and Elliot, too?
"Then you don't want evidence left here. We're taking them back to the Hive so we can all deal with them," Ry said firmly.
"Victor isn't the only one they've hurt with their actions," Ethan added, melting the two women down and adding the water to his arms.
"I can drive the van if you don't want to," Warren offered.
Realising that they needed to get Victor to the Hive and Ida sooner rather than later, Connor shook his head. He went over to the driver's side and climbed over the fallen table to get in the seat.
Honey sat in the passenger seat, already sending a list of equipment through the group chat for Terrence to organise.
"We'll need to get something prepared for future accidents and injuries," Layla mused as she sat beside Warren, Zach climbing in and sliding the door shut behind him.
"I think Mrs. Woo buys gauze and first aid equipment in bulk. I'll find out the name of the place at work tomorrow."
"Thank you," Layla said, kissing his cheek and holding his hand as Connor carefully backed out of the destroyed storage unit.
His skin was hot against her palm, and on her wrist, she could feel Warren's excitement and anticipation building.
They were finally going to deal with Greta.
...
Craig felt nothing but relief as soon as he knew that Honey and the others would be coming back with Victor. His knees went weak at the feeling, relief flooding his body and overriding his other senses.
"You're all right, babe. I've got you," Jewel promised, holding him up with a firm arm around his torso.
"I'll be right back, babe," Grant called over his shoulder as he headed to the front door.
"Where's Grant going?" Terrence asked, squeezing his way into Adam's room.
"They're bringing Cara back; he's gone to get his sledgehammer."
"That's so sweet," Donny said, Jewel ignoring him in favour of helping Craig out to the dining area so he could sit down.
Adam came out a moment later, filling two glasses of water and setting one in front of Craig.
"Thanks, Ace," Jewel said, giving him a warm smile before turning her attention back to Craig and coercing him to drink slowly.
"All good. I'll make sure they get back safe," Adam promised, heading back to his room with his water.
"They're out of the storage units; the storm knocked over several trees," Terrence said.
"One very conveniently knocked straight into Greta's storage unit," Ry added.
"I'm turning the speakers off now. I gotta call Ma," Adam said.
"Thanks, Adam. We'll be there in ten."
"Fifteen," Honey corrected.
Adam turned his speakers off, slipped his headset on, and navigated to his computer's phone app. Double-clicking his mother's work number, Adam waited for the call to connect.
"Adam? Are you all right?" Ida asked.
"I'm okay, Ma. It's Victor. He was kidnapped and tortured, and you need to come look at him, please."
"He was what? Adam, what's going on?" Ida asked in alarm.
"I'll explain it when you're at the Hive. Please, Ma. It's important, and Craig's kind of a mess, too."
"The Hive? There's nowhere sterile - "
"There is, I promise. Terrence has made the equipment you need, we just need you."
Ida nodded. "All right. I'll be there in twenty minutes. You'd better have a good explanation by the time I'm done with Victor, young man."
"Yes, Ma."
"Good. See you soon," Ida said, hanging up and going to find her boss to tell her about the sudden family emergency.
Victor was Craig's guardian, so it was close enough to family for Ida.
Adam closed the app on his computer and slipped his headphones off.
"D'you think your Ma will give me feedback on the equipment? I've never made an x-ray machine before," Terrence mused.
Adam snorted. "Yeah, she probably will without you even asking. Ma's been telling the hospital to upgrade their equipment for years. If your equipment's good enough, you could totally make a killing."
Terrence considered it for a moment. "I'm not at my full power yet; those machines probably won't stay together for longer than a day."
"Have you tried it?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you tried to keep one of your devices intact for more than a day?"
"Oh. Nah, seems like too much effort. I tried when I was a kid; didn't get more than five hours."
"That's good for a kid. You could try with the equipment. No one's gonna knock into it or do something stupid, so they might last longer now."
Despite feeling warm from Adam's praise, Terrence fought the urge to agree immediately. He couldn't do everything Adam suggested just because Adam was cute and sarcastic and Terrence kind of wanted to cuddle the fuck out of him.
"I could try next weekend. We've got a Mad Sci. quiz on Monday so I'm freaking about that."
"Cool. Want help with Mad Sci.?" Adam asked.
"You'll study with me?" Terrence asked, hoping the squeaky noise wasn't really his voice.
"Sure. Eth always says it's good to go over previous materials, and besides, Mr. Medulla could've updated it."
"Cool. Want to study now?"
"How about tomorrow? Doubt we'll get anything done with Victor and explaining to my Ma."
"Right. Tomorrow works."
"Great. I'll - ah, shit. That's supposed to be green," Adam muttered, turning his attention to the screen and checking the traffic cameras before changing the light that Honey's minivan was approaching.
Terrence busied himself with his phone and hoped his heart wasn't pounding as loud as he thought. Adam wanted to study with him!
...
End of the hundred and fifteenth chapter.
Thanks for reading; I hope you liked it!
