Authors Notes: OMG poor Echo...


Twisted Cogs:

Shadows

Chapter 3

Moonlight

Echo could feel the wind flowing through his hair as he ran through the woods. Mud splashed his shins, and the bright flashes of the lightning hurt his eyes. It was pitch black, and he couldn't see a few feet in front of him. His shirt had been ripped off and his frontal plate was missing. His power source was visible for all to see. His hand firmly covering the bronzed cloth he ran through the woods.

"Come back Echo...I only want to play." Echo heard Dr. Christophers voice trailing after him. Echo looked over his shoulder. Christopher had an axe in his hand running right at him. Echo slipped on the mud and fell hard to his chest. He felt his clock crack. It was like like being punched right in the heart. It made his head spin. He turned over and gasped Christopher had the axe held over his head.

"Whats the matter Echo? Wheres that protective brother now huh?" Christopher laughed loudly. Blood was dripping from his teeth.

"Echo!" He heard his brother.

"Brother...I'm here...help...help me. Please!" Echo called for his brother. He was so scared, but their was no way his brother could get there in time. "Please…" The Axe fell.

"Echo. I'm here...I'm right here." He felt the ground shaking.

Zane had heard his brothers outburst about needing help. Prompt jumping up and running into his room. To his relief their was no one in the room. He called out to him.

"Echo!"

"Brother...I'm here...help...help me. Please!" He heard his brother mumble. Echos voice became very fast as if either running, or very afraid as seeing someone he didn't want to. "Please…"

"Brother, I'm here, I'm right here." and he began to shake him trying to wake him. He shot up with a sharp gasp

Echo jumped as soon as the axe was supposed to connect with his chest plate. He looked around his dark room to see those comforting blue optics looking down at him.

"Brother?" Echo asked he felt his brothers hand on his forehead.

"You will not get proper sleep if you dream like that." Zane said and pushed his brother aside. He climbed into the bed next to his brother. He curled up and kissed his brothers forehead before pulling the blanket up onto them.

"Father won't be pleased." Echo said putting his head on his brothers arm.

"Don't care. You had a nightmare. I am doing my job." Zane said and whispered in his brothers ear. "Get some sleep. I shall keep the nightmares at bay." Echo sighed going back into sleep mode. Zane could hear his brothers snoring clicks before doing the same himself.

"Zane...why are you in your brothers bed?" Dr. Juliens voice called as Zane onlined his optics. Obviously a little disappointed.

"He had a nightmare last night." Zane tiredly answered.

"Ah no more scary movies for him I suppose." Julien said fishing Echos cloths from the closet and lay them on a chair.

"It wasn't about the movie dad. It was about…" He stopped talking and looked at his brother. "It was Dr. Christopher. He went after me with an axe."

Dr. Julien gasped and looked at Zane who looked almost iffy at the fact that Echo was trying his best to look unphased by all this.

Echo and Zane walked side by side as usual going into the school. Lightning crackled in the sky off in the distance. Zanes hand lightly pumped Echos every so often. It was these little displays of affection that Echo would tolerate close to the school. He liked to keep his rebel personality.

"Hey Zane!" Kai yelled from in front of the school. Zane waved, but the look of his friends rushing forward at one time with worried looks on their faces. His brothers hand grabbed for him, but when he turned to look at him he felt someone grab his middle and pull him into a van. The van door closed and he could hear his friends yelling for them. They wouldn't make it in time. Zane put his arms around his brother as he looked over the man in a red hat.

"Please don't fight back. I really don't want to hurt the merchandise." Ronin said from the drivers seat. Zane growled diving for Ronin. Ronin reached forward pushing something into Zanes chest. He screamed and writhed for a moment before going still. Ronin shoved him back into the back seat. He fell hard to the floor. Echo gasped shaking his brother. Burn marks could be seen where the taser had hit.

"Brother...Brother!"

"Brother…" Ronin laughed. "You act like real kids."

"We are real kids. Being flesh and blood doesn't stop us from being three year old children." Echo spat at the man. "That hurt him. Just like any child!" Echo said putting his ear to his brothers chest. He could hear the hum of the powder blue power source.

"Where are you taking us?" Echo asked looking down at his brother.

"Don't you worry about it. We're almost there" Ronin said

It took another five minutes, but the van door was thrust open and Echo was pulled away from his brother.

"Zane!" Echo yelled. He watched his brother picked up gently and carried just behind him. He looked around trying to figure out where he was. It was simple though. Their were ships everywhere and the seagulls above them. He honestly felt like he shouldn't get on the boat. He looked around at Zane and tried to get to him. They were carried up the boat ramp and into the brig area. Zane was thrown onto the ground. Echo let out a labored scream when he was hit on the back of the head.

"Stay quiet!" He fell to his knees shaking his head trying to rid himself of the fog that started to form at the corners of his vision. He looked back up at the man who brought them there.

"I see you got them. Any problems?" Echo knew that voice. He looked up into the hazel eyes of the man glaring down at him.

"Oh no problems. Titanium one tried to have it out with me. Had to taser him, but he's still functioning." Ronin said. Christopher chuckled.

"Oh you came too. I guess we can use you." He kicked Echo in the stomach. "As leverage." He chuckled and leaned down to talk to Echo. He was gasping for air. "Your...expendable. Your just...a copy of the original and not even a good one. Ugly, deformed excuse of a brat. I'll see to it personally that you die...horribly." Christopher kicked him again. " If it weren't for you...I would have had Zane all to myself right now and I'd be rich!" He kicked him again. Echo rolled barly intaking air.

"Whoa...Whoa there Christopher...your buyer won't take to kindly if he's broken." Ronin said.

"I don't care...I want him dead." Christopher adjusted his jacket and left the cell. Ronin looked down at Echo whose body was hitching as he lay on the floor.

"Sorry kid...not my arena…" He closed the door and walked out. "Jobs done."