Chapter 9

"Ummm… yes?" Caiden said completely startled.

After an awkward pause, the man sipped some more tea and Emerson said, "You're drinking tea."

"I know." The man replied.

"Why?" Emerson asked.

"Because I'm English." The man answered. "Anyway, my name's Alasdair Blake, I'm a Jumper."

"No you're not." Was Emerson's immediate reply.

Alasdair frowned. "Yes I am. Look." He said and suddenly there was a small pop and he was gone. Something tapped Emerson on the shoulder and he swung round but there was nothing there and when he looked back Alasdair was sitting back down drinking his tea.

"See." Alasdair pointed out.

"Ah, that kind of Jumper… I knew that." Emerson muttered awkwardly to himself.

"I was told you were looking for me." Alasdair continued.

"By whom?" Caiden asked frowning.

"I have my sources."

"I'm not even going to make a joke there." Emerson muttered quietly but Caiden shut him up with a glare.

"Ok, yes we are looking for you." Caiden started and Alasdair gestured for him to continue. "We need your help."

"I guessed as much, why?"

"We're gathering a team together…"

"What for?" Alasdair interrupted.

"Have you ever heard of the Bloody Murderers?" Caiden asked.

"Well duh." Alasdair said rolling his eyes.

"Alright, you don't have to be so rude." Caiden muttered, taken aback slightly. "Well, they've been causing a lot of trouble killing people recently so we have been tasked by the British Guild master Nevada himself, to take them down."

"Ok, I can see you have these three lovely people here, but where's the rest of your team?"

"Well, ummmm… this is the rest of our team, this is what we've got." Caiden said.

"So far?" Alasdair asked hopefully.

"Nope, including you, this is our team."

"You're going up against the Bloody Murderers with five people?" Alasdair asked disbelievingly.

"There are only five Bloody Murderers." Emerson added helpfully.

Alasdair turned to Emerson. "That may be so, but they're the Bloody Murderers, world renowned serial killers. How is your team of average mages going to take them down?"

"How do you know we're average mages, we could be the world's greatest." Caiden retorted.

"Well are you?" Alasdair asked doubtfully.

"No." Caiden admitted. "Since we're on this topic, let me introduce you to the rest of the team. This here is Amya Radiant," Caiden started indicating Amya. "a very accomplished woman who has practised Air Mastery for most of her life and so has therefore become a very accomplished mage." He continued and Amya smiled at the compliment." This is Ryker Crow, a shadow magician…" Caiden started, and then thought awkwardly for a moment before quickly moving on. "And this here, is my younger brother Emerson, who is an energy manipulator and extremely difficult to live with. That leaves me, my name, as you know, is Caiden Tate, and I practise the mastery of fire." To prove his point, Caiden set his hand alight.

"Very…interesting." Alasdair said. "What are you prepared to give me for my help?"

"Well, to be honest, I was kind of hoping you'd help out of the goodness of your heart…" Caiden said awkwardly. "But if not, what would be your price?"

"You say you were assigned this 'mission' by the Guild Master himself yes?" Alasdair began.

"That is correct." Caiden confirmed.

"Well, you see, what I have in mind is, I've been looking for a job because I'm not really getting much income, so after this is over, I want to be paid for this job, and then given another job working for the Guild. Nothing shabby mind you, I want a proper, well paid job, see if you can get me with the Combat Mages." Alasdair demanded.

"We could probably do that." Caiden replied. "We'll talk to Nevada; see if we can get something sorted out."

"That's good enough for me." Alasdair said happily. "So, where do we start?"

All eyes turned to Caiden. "Well… how about I call up Nevada and you all sit down for some tea?"

"And biscuits." Ryker added.

"And biscuits." Caiden agreed.

"Nevada says yes." Caiden exclaimed to the rest of the group who were sitting at the table with their tea and biscuits.

"What job did he offer me?" Alasdair asked.

"He said he'd love for you to join the ranks of the Combat Mages."

"What rank?" Alasdair asked suspiciously.

"He suggested perhaps a Captain." Caiden said hopefully.

In truth, it was Caiden who had suggested it, Nevada had been reluctant to even let him join, but Caiden had insisted it was for the good of the mission. Finally they had agreed that they could always fire him, anyway, he might even be good at his job. Nevada had given the ok and sent some paper work for Green to sort out.

"I guess I can settle with that." Alasdair admitted.

"Good, Nevada will be in touch to talk salary and all that."

"Ok."

After a while of silence, Emerson asked. "Just a question, what exactly are we going to do now? We have the team together and everything, so what's our first move?"

"Well… we need to find Villainous and his gang." Caiden replied.

"Well, obviously, but how?"

Caiden was silent for a minute, but finally said. "I never really looked this far ahead…"

"You don't know?" Ryker asked fearing the answer.

"Well… no, but it's not that hard to come up with plans is it?" Caiden admitted.

"Actually, yes." Amya replied.

"Ah…" Caiden said awkwardly.

"Ah indeed." Emerson agreed.

"Ok, how about this:" Alasdair started and Caiden looked at him amazed.

"You've thought of a plan?" he interrupted.

"What!?" Alasdair asked startled by the random interruption. "Well, yes. Why wouldn't I have thought of a plan, I'm not only useful for transport you know."

"No, of course not, I'm sure you're breathtakingly talented at collecting the groceries as well." Emerson replied sarcastically and Alasdair glared at him.

"Anyway." Caiden interjected before they could start arguing. "What's your plan?"

That seemed to get Alasdair's attention. "Well, I was thinking, Emerson told me you have already had quite a violent run-in with these guys recently, so they obviously want to do more than just say hi." Caiden nodded. "Well, I was thinking, just a thought…"

"Tends to be what thinking is." Emerson muttered but Alasdair didn't seem to hear.

"that if we were to split into groups, let's say Amya, me and Ryker, and then you two, and were to go out and look like we were looking for them…"

"It's as if." Emerson interrupted.

"What?" Alasdair asked confused.

"Not like we were looking for them, it's as if we were looking for them."

"Whatever, look 'as if' we were looking for them then they are bound to attack at least one of the groups, and when they do, I can just teleport the other group over to help, and from there I suggest we improvise."

Caiden looked surprised. "Wow, that actually seems like quite a good idea."

"Well why else would I suggest it?" Alasdair asked frustrated.

"Maybe because you're delusional?" Emerson answered helpfully.

"I'll show you delusional!" Alasdair snapped and he disappeared.

Emerson felt an arm wrap round his throat and he was yanked backwards. Suddenly, he blinked and he was somewhere else. He sensed Alasdair standing back and he managed a glance around him before he was hit. He was high up, he could see that, buildings far below and tiny dots that were obviously people. He was on a building as well, he knew that, but where? Another punch flew in, the next was coming, he could tell. He sensed the fist rush towards him, and brought down his around to deflect it.

He twisted round and tried a punch of his own but his fist hit thin air and he stumbled forward. He felt a boot smash into his back and fell forward, his chin bashing against the solid ground. He was dazed and almost unconscious, he felt himself being lifted up and then he was being held out over open space, two strong hands gripping his shoulders. He opened his eyes to see Alasdair's angry face staring at him.

"Do you know where we are?" Alasdair asked him.

He took another look around, looking down made him feel nauseous, but that was the only place he could look, around him was only sky. "Not a clue." Emerson answered.

"Have you ever been to America?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well… have you ever been to the Empire State Building?"

"Nope, but I've seen it, from the ground."

"Well we're doing a lot more than seeing it from down there." Alasdair said indicating the ground far below.

"Ah…" Emerson said awkwardly. "I don't suppose you're going to take me back home?"

"Nope, but if you wanted I could let you down?"

"Wouldn't be my ideal ending to this situation." Emerson admitted.

"Didn't think so. Here's my proposition: either, you agree to stop being such a dick, and I let you back onto the ledge and we go back home to your brother and go get beaten up by the enemy, or you decide to continue being the obnoxious twat that you are and I let you pay a visit to the lovely American citizens down there. What will it be?"

"Would you like me to take your jacket?"

"That's a good boy." Alasdair said and brought him back onto solid ground. "If you'd like to take my arm?" Emerson did and they were back in the house.

"Hi?" Emerson said and surprised Caiden who was standing with his back to them.

"Where the heck have you been?" Caiden demanded.

"We took a trip to America." Emerson replied.

"Where?"

"The Empire State Building."

"Why would you go to the Empire State Building, we have to concentrate." There was a pause and then Caiden continued. "What was it like?"

"Oh, no, we weren't actually in the Empire State Building, we were at the top… you know…" Emerson corrected him.

"Oh, that's what you were doing, ok…" Caiden said awkwardly. "What was it like?"

"Well I didn't exactly have much time to admire the view did I?" Emerson snapped.

"Ok, ok. I've always wanted to do that."

"What go up to the top? I know right, it was pretty awesome." Emerson agreed.

"No, not go up to the top, threaten you by holding you off the edge."

"Oh… Well aren't you a great brother." Emerson said sarcastically.

"I know right." Caiden agreed grinning.

"Where are the others?" Alasdair asked suddenly and they both jumped.

"Oh my… Sorry, I completely forgot you were there." Caiden said surprised. "Right, ok, I sent the others off ahead, they should be on their way to 'check out Archie Bellow's gym, you'd better go with them…" Caiden said indicating Alasdair. "And me and my lovely brother will go to Angelo Scraper's favourite pub."

"My lovely brother and I." Emerson said.

"I'm sorry?" Caiden asked confused.

"It's not me and my lovely brother." Emerson corrected.

"You're right, it's not, it's me and my ridiculously annoying brother." Caiden said sarcastically and Emerson rolled his eyes.

A/N: Ah Emerson, he has such a way with people. I like the next chapter, I really do. It's fun. I'm not gonna tell you if their plan fails or not, but I'm sure you could probably guess (Muahahahahahaha). Thanks so much for reading, there's another chapter up if you want to carry on reading and I should be updating at my steady, slow pace. Please review, it would mean so much to me if you even just said: 'You're a dick.' Honest, I just want a response. Thanks so much.

Mangobean.