Chapter Three: Found

He was trapped in his nightmares. Not the ones he had about his sister. These were new. In them his team was dying. Not much different than normal. What was different was that he was doing the killing. He was surrounded by that violet light and was ripping them apart. It played through his head over and over again. He couldn't stop. Schwartz was there too, watching and laughing. They were controlling him somehow and he was aware of what his body was doing, but had no ability to stop.

Pain suddenly ripped through his body and he screamed, straining against the straps he was suddenly awake to find holding him down. He was lying on a bed. His shoulder, ribs and cheek had been tended to, but not healed. So he hadn't been out for more than a week. There was no way to tell just how long he'd been unconscious.

His injuries throbbed dully as he looked around. The intensity of the pain told him they were still fresh. He caught sight of a bag of liquid attached to his arm by way of an IV. The fluid being pumped into him was glowing faintly, bringing to mind Esset using a similar liquid on his sister.

Give me your pain. The voice he kept hearing, but was unable to place, was louder. More barriers around the light, the mental ones that kept it contained, had vanished. I can make you strong.

"Shit." He swore and began to struggle. Pain exploded in his chest and shoulder, but he gritted his teeth against it and struggled harder.

"Calm down kitten." A deep voice purred in his ear.

"Get stuffed Schuldig." The swordsman growled. His mind was reeling. In his head figurative walls were exploding and chains were snapping. Everything holding back that light was disappearing. Should he be scared? His parents had been. Scared enough to send him to the faceless people with the needles and medicine. Should he warn the German? He didn't understand.

"Tut tut kitten, such language." The mind reader chuckled softly then ran his hands down Aya's chest. The assassin froze as the hands slid slowly towards his pants.

"Get your hands off me."

"I want to play." Schuldig practically purred. "With the others gone, I now have my chance." Aya shook with rage as Schuldig's hands cupped his groin. A sudden coldness flowed through him.

Yes. The light was free. Give me all of it.

"I said get your hands off of me." Aya felt calm as the light enveloped his mind, unifying with his soul. Why was he scared? Schuldig unzipped Aya's jeans.

Right.

Someone was touching him.

He didn't like to be touched.

A cold wind blew through the room tugging at the swordsman's hair. The German looked up and paled. He could could sense what was going on. Knew that his time had come. Light bulbs shattered overhead showering the two of them with shards of glass and sparks.

"Calm down Aya, I get it, I'll stop." Schuldig quickly redid the swordsman's jeans then raised his hands.

"Too late." Aya whispered, his lips dry. Who did this fool think he was? Only Youji could touch him...wait. Where had that thought come from? And if these people had done anything to Youji...his temper flared. The straps holding him down all shredded at once. Schuldig stumbled back, pulling out his phone as Aya slowly got up. He ripped the needle out of his arm and wondered where his sword was. It was past time to do violence. His blood was burning with a strange sensation. He suddenly knew what to do. Aya turned to the telepath, who was yelling into the phone, pointed at him and hissed, "Burn.."

Violet flames burst into life and Schuldig began to scream as they covered him from head to toe. Aya watched dispassionately as the German's flesh burn and peel from his bones. The stench was horrible, yes, but he didn't care.

"No!" Crawford screamed running into the room. His cell was in one hand; telling the redhead who Schuldig had been talking to. "What have we done?" His eyes were wide behind the lenses of his glasses and he stumbled back, against the wall, staring in shock. Aya wondered briefly what the precog was seeing. It couldn't have been good, judging from Crawford's expression. It didn't matter. He would burn just as Schuldig had. The redhead pointed. This time he didn't even speak and the American was dying, flames charring his cream colored suit and melting his glasses. Aya stepped to one side as Farfarello came crashing through the window behind him. The Irishman hissed something unintelligible.

"Just die." Aya snapped. The Irishman's head promptly exploded. The swordsman watched the fire, violet in color rush across the floor and over the walls to immolate the entire room. As it engulfed his flesh he began to remember. Purple flames around his crib. His parents looking at him in terror. The research lab and featureless scientists.

They had filled him with a 'medicine' that had put the light in a box, chained it up then put that box in another then another then another. They had buried it deep because they couldn't pull it out without killing him. The light was actually a fire and it was a part of his soul. He'd forgotten due to other 'medicine'. That's what they called it. Probably to make him cooperate or make themselves feel better. Aya collapsed holding his head in pain. He screamed his rage and denial into the tiled floor beneath him then everything went black.

Youji sat brooding on the couch, which was normally that was Aya's job, but the redhead wasn't there. No one could find him and he was terrified. Was his friend dead? It had been almost a week. The strangest part was that the higher ups at Kritiker weren't sitting on their asses like normal. There was a nervous tension there. It was hard to explain, but if he had gone missing, him or any other operative; they wouldn't be looking so hard. Schwartz taking Aya had thrown Kritiker into chaos. All resources were going into finding him, which was weird. So was Schwartz taking the swordsman instead of killing him. The whole situation seemed so bizarre .

What the hell had they meant by Aya being their key? Why had they chosen him as their new member? And what the hell did Omi know that the rest of them didn't? Youji looked over at the teen who was frantically typing at his computer. He was going to have to ask the kid some questions. Before he could even open his mouth, though, Omi's phone began to ring. The petite blonde snatched it up.

"Bombay." The teen only used that stiff tone with Manx. Youji leaned forward to listen. Had they-. "You found him?!" Omi suddenly exclaimed. Youji sagged in relief. "Where is he?" He paused listening to the answer. "Wait, what do you mean we can't see him?" Omi's brow furrowed. "Quarantined? Why?" The petite blonde's eyes widened as he listened. "Okay Manx, but I for one am not happy about it, and I doubt the others will be either." He hung up the phone with a sigh. "So there's good news, bad news and weird news. Which do you want first?"

"I'll go with the weird news." Ken replied with a small smile. "Because I'm guessing the good news is that Kritiker found Aya and the bad news is that we can't see him." Omi wrinkled his nose and stuck his tongue out at the brunette.

"Fine. The weird news is that Schwartz is now officially dead."

"Good...wait why is that weird news not more good news?" Ken asked with a frown.

"Because of how they were killed." Omi settled back into his chair. "The place they found Aya in was this weird hospital like room or lab. They found the bodies of Schuldig and Crawford burned to a crisp. Farfarello's head had exploded before he too was burned and the room was covered in soot and scorch marks. Everything was burned except Aya, who was semi conscious, but non responsive. He was curled up on the floor holding his head. The scorch marks radiated from him." Youji stared at Omi in shock.

"How the hell could that happen?" Ken's eyes were wide.

"I think its time you told us the big secret about Aya." Youji folded his arms and looked at Omi pointedly. "Something seriously screwed up is going on that you and Kritiker know something about that we don't and I hate being left in the dark."

"Why do you think Omi knows something we don't?" Ken asked angrily. "It makes sense that Kritiker would, but why Omi?"

"Back when they took Aya you said something about tests Omi." Youji said, ignoring the brunette. "What kind of tests?" Omi squirmed under his hard gaze.

"The easiest way to explain is that they're psychic tests." He sighed after a while. "We all get them although we aren't supposed know, and when Aya joined us Manx told me to watch him carefully because he had been failing the tests."

"How does one fail them?"

"By feeling them."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how we go to Magic Bus to get check ups periodically?" Omi asked.

"Yeah."

"Well usually there's a guy behind the observation mirror pointing this device at you. It sends out some kind of signal that only psychics can feel. Every time they turn the device on when Aya was around he would always look directly at where ever it was, even if he wasn't the one being tested." Omi fidgeted in his seat as he explained.

"Does this device also tell you what these psychics can do?" Youji asked carefully. "I'm not saying I believe you without proof, but even I can tell he has enhanced senses. I also know that Schwartz was made up of psychics that can do different things. Crawford could see the future and Schuldig had power over other minds. Aya doesn't seem to have abilities like that.

"Manx told me they were blocked when he was a kid and that if he ever got them back it would be bad so if I started to see signs to tell her. Ever since his sister died I've been worried. Trauma like that can have an odd effect on people. I haven't seen anything, but then he's so hard to read and then he got kidnapped." Omi bit his lip. "I don't know exactly what he can do, but I got the impression that it was dangerous."

"What's dangerous mean?" Youji cocked his head. "Like control minds dangerous?"

"Yes and no." The teen sighed. "No one knows what he can do, yet their scared. Kritiker is scared. There's psychics out there who can do some weird stuff; not just see the future and sense stuff. These people can set fires or move things with just their minds."

"You're saying Aya can do these things." Ken asked incredulously. Youji had to agree.

"I don't know. No one does.I don't even think he knows. Kritiker is scared because they have no idea what he'll do. I'm not supposed to tell you guys any of of this. So be careful who you talk to and what you say."

"Don't worry Omi I-" Youji was cut off by Omi's phone ringing again.

"Bombay." The blonde's brow furrowed. "Slow down Manx, what's..." His eyes widened. "I don't know Manx, I have no idea how to calm him down...have you tried...oh." He gasped. "Ten agents?!" Youji snatched the phone from the teen knowing why Aya was probably so upset and knowing there was only one or two ways to ease his mind. Neither of which Kritiker could manage, and Aya had confided in him about his fear of needles.

"I can calm him down Manx, just tell me where he is."