LadyJadePerendhil- First off let me say thank you for being my only reviewer for the past three chapters. It really does mean a lot. Secondly I'm sorry for the wait, this past week has been crazy.
And yes that was how Pete got body snatched. Chapter 51 will explore more of what happened to Pete -or should I say John- and just what he has been up too.
CHAPTER 44
FEARS
November 28, 2010
3:17am
Galway, Ireland
Inn
Benny awoke in a cold sweat, panting. Knowing that he would be unable to return to sleep Benny sat up and leaned against his headboard. Benny glanced to his right and saw that his dad was still sleeping in the bed next to him. Benny was grateful that while in the throes of his nightmare he did not wake Steve.
The nightmare, the same one he had been having for the past week. It was always the same, he, Pete and Kaine with guns trained at one another. The bullets exiting the chambers of the guns and the scream of the one girl. He had a name to go with her face now. Alex.
Adam had shown Benny some family photos on Adam's laptop. Benny nearly fainted when he saw a portrait of Alex. It was her eyes more than anything that gave her identity away. They were the same blue eyes Benny had, just a bit lighter in color.
Benny had been toying with the idea of contacting Alex. Warning her somehow that what she was seeing in their shared dream could actually happen. He was positive now that the two of them were sharing their dream. Benny just hoped that if he were to contact Alex that she would believe him.
And then there was the matter of Kaine. From what Benny had learned from Steve, Kaine had fled the monastery shortly after Benny and Steve had. Kaine was a lose cannon and a major threat. Benny feared the damage that Kaine was possible of.
November 27, 2010
12:17am
Charlottesville, Virginia
Russell Family Home
Like Benny, Alex woke up with a start. She had just fallen asleep only to wake up less than an hour latter from her reoccurring nightmare. Alex knew that something wrong was beginning, or had already begun. And yet she felt helpless to stop it. The only thing she was certain of was that it involved Pete.
Alex had briefly wondered if she and Pete were sharing dreams. But she soon realized that they weren't Pete had made no motion to talk to Alex about any dream. Yet every night in her dream, Alex made eye contact with Pete, every night the two made a silent vow not to let the dream occur. But if it wasn't Pete that Alex was sharing the dream with -because she certainly was sharing the dream with somebody- then who was it?
Knowing that she would not be able to sleep for the next few hours Alex quietly made her way out of the Black Files room and down into the kitchen. At the moment there was no one in the kitchen, apparently only Alex was the only one unable to sleep.
Not wanting the caffeine from coffee or tea to keep her awake Alex opened the freezer and pulled out a pint of chocolate ice cream with almonds. She sat down at the table with the ice cream eating it strait out of the carton.
"I'm not the only one unable to sleep," floated the sound of a soft English accent into the kitchen, startling Alex.
"Keegan you sacred me," Alex said.
"Sorry," Keegan replied walking over to Alex and taking a seat in her lap.
"It's alright," Alex told the boy. Keegan looked up at Alex studying her, peering into her mind. He didn't have to peer too far, right on the surface of Alex's mind, Keegan saw the confusion, and hidden fear plaguing the youngest Black File.
"Alex what is bothering you?" Keegan asked. Alex looked down at the little boy momentarily shocked that Keegan realized that something was wrong with her. But just as quickly Alex realized to whom she was talking to.
"I've been having dreams little one. They frighten me because..." Alex trailed off.
"Because you fear that your dreams are no longer dreams but premonitions," Keegan finished for Alex.
"Yes because I fear that they are premonitions," Alex echoed. Keegan bit his lip nervous of his next words but he knew that some one else had to know. There was only so much he, Jason, Jack and Amy could do.
"You also fear that something is wrong with Pete. That... that he is no longer himself," Keegan whispered.
"Keegan what do you know?" Alex asked the little boy. Reluctantly Keegan told his story of how Pete had scared him a few days before the return to Charlottesville. He also told Alex of how while trapped on SL-27 Pete had snapped at Jason and Jack.
Alex sighed. "I had hoped that this was all just a result of his abduction. But now I'm beginning to wonder if this has something to do with the drug Pete was given," Alex mussed. "Keegan do you think that you could do me a favor?"
"What is the favor?" Keegan asked.
"Alley and Will won't do it, Jeremiah might but he wouldn't be too comfortable with it and I don't want to borrow Greg or Lissa with this. I want for you to peak into Pete's mind," Alex said.
"I can't," Keegan said shaking his head.
"Why not?" Alex questioned.
"I've tried already, every time I do I'm met with a wall. He's had mental blocks placed, and strong ones at that," Keegan informed Alex, he was not the slight bit embarrassed to admit that he had already tried to read Pete's mind.
"Will and Alley said that you are more powerful then them. Do you think that you could get pass Pete's mental blocks?"
"It may take me a while, if you want me to sneak past his walls undetected," Keegan replied. "Alex why do you want me to do this? It isn't just because of the dreams and the way Pete has been acting is it?"
"No, it's my inner sense as well. It hasn't been very active since we rescued you four from Mr. Parker but every now and then I'll hear a few whispers. I can't make out but a few words. Cain...Hidden...Mask...Faux. But what they mean I have no idea," Alex sighed again. Keegan gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I think I will be able to sneak past his blocks, but it's going to take me a few hours. I don't have to be in the same room as Pete just with in a few yards or so. I can start tonight," Keegan offered.
"Not tonight. You need to get some rest. And when you do it I'm going to be there with you okay?" Alex said.
"Kay." Keegan replied.
"Ice cream and no one invited me?" Alex and Keegan jumped slightly in their seats, caught off guard by the new presence in the kitchen.
"Jeremiah don't do that," Alex hissed, for one horrible moment she thought that it was Pete. Alex then tried to understand why she was so frightened of her baby brother.
"Isn't it past your bed time Keegan," Jeremiah said grabbing a spoon from the dishwasher.
"I couldn't sleep," Keegan said.
"Because of Pete?" Jeremiah said carefully between a spoonful of ice cream.
"How much did you hear?" Alex asked.
"All that mattered," Jeremiah answered.
"Do you think we're being silly?" Alex questioned.
"I wish I could say no," Jeremiah answered softly. "But my inner sense like yours, has been making me wary of Peter. I want to pass it off as Pete just copping, but...I can't. He's been so aloof, quieter than normal, he broods. Pete never broods, that was always a Will thing."
"And your thing," Alex muttered, Jeremiah gave his cousin on of his brief smiles.
"We've all spent our fair share of time brooding," Jeremiah pointed out. "And yeah a lot of Pete's behavior can be passed off as a result of his abduction and then my favorite excuse the memory wipe drug,"
"What are you saying Jer?"
"The same thing we've all been thinking, but quickly berate ourselves for thinking. This has all been too easy. The boys could have been hidden anyplace other that the Jamieson Foundation. Hell Carthis at the least, but right under our noses. It was as though Parker wanted us to find them."
"But why? With the boys he had everything he needed to recreate the Centre. Not unless he put a trigger in Pete's head, like the first did to Spike in season seven of Buffy, and Parker plans on using Pete to destroy us all," Alex said sarcastically.
"You said it not me," Jeremiah replied darkly.
"Jeremiah, let's be serious," Alex groaned.
"I think he is," Keegan said in the same tone Jeremiah had used.
"What we're saying... It's insane, everyone will think we're paranoid," Alex said.
"Look tomorrow I'll use my powers to borrow Will's telepathy. That way I can help Keegan. We can get past the barriers in Pete's mind, and then realize that our fears our silly and then we can go talk to Grampa Syd about our paranoia," Jeremiah said
"And if our fears are proven to be true?" Keegan asked. Jeremiah and Alex sighed their eyes meeting each others.
"If our fears are proven to be true than we will just have to fix them," Alex told the little boy in her lap. "But for now it is time for the three of us to be returning to bed."
"I agree tomorrow will be a long day. It's thanksgiving which means somehow all of will be suckered into cooking" Jeremiah stated. The three children finished off the rest of the ice cream and Jeremiah disposed of the carton and rinsed off the spoons. Alex picked up Keegan and she carried the boy to his room, Jeremiah accompanying them.
Alex quietly tucked Keegan in as Jeremiah went to tuck in Amy who had kicked all of her covers off.
"Good night Keegan," Alex said.
"Night Alex," Keegan yawned the events of the day catching up with him. Alex got up from Keegan's bedside.
"Alex," Keegan called quietly after his cousin.
"What is it sweetheart?" Alex asked
"Can't go to sleep with out my lullaby," Keegan said a grin crossing his tiny face. Alex heard Jeremiah chuckle as he went about retucking the sheets around Jason and Jack.
"You are such a brat," Alex said ruffling Keegan's hair.
"That mean I get my lullaby?"
"Yes," Alex sighed theatrically. She than began to sing James Taylor's "Sweet baby James" to Keegan, half way through the song another voice joined Alex's. It was the first time Keegan had heard Jeremiah sing and the young clone decided that after Mike, Jeremiah was his favorite male singer in his family.
Keegan was soon lulled to sleep by Alex and Jeremiah's singing. Once the song was over and Alex was sure Keegan was asleep she kissed the boy on his brow and then quickly gave Jason, Jack and Amy a kiss on the brow as well. Together Alex and Jeremiah left the room checking first that the baby monitor was on so that incase either of the four children had nightmares someone would quickly be there to comfort them.
"We're lucky to have found him," Jeremiah said closing the door behind he and Alex, leaving it cracked slightly.
"Yes we are. I can't help but wonder though that if Parker wanted for us to find the boys why did he want for us to find Keegan?" Alex mussed as she and Jeremiah made their way back to their room.
"I don't think that Parker wanted for us to find Keegan. From what Dad told me Keegan's cell was at the opposite end of SL-27 from where the boys were being kept," Jeremiah said.
"Maybe Parker planed on coming back for Keegan," Alex spoke.
"Maybe," Jeremiah agreed. "But enough thinking, it's time for us to return to sleep," Jeremiah yawned as he and Alex approached the door to the Black Files room. The two cousins quietly made their way back to their perspective beds, careful not to wake their siblings and cousins.
November 28, 2010
5:03am
Galway, Ireland
Inn
Benny was surprise to feel sleep creeping upon him, normally after his nightmare Benny would still be awake as the sun began to peek out over the horizon. Benny knew that soon he would have to tell his Dad and Adam about the dreams, but for some reason he felt compelled to wait. It was as though he was awaiting a sign, an omen of some sort. Or maybe he was just waiting for Alex to contact him.
Up Next: Alex and Jeremiah learn the truth about Pete
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