Green with Jealousy Part 5 By crystalquirt Sibey yaoi – action, adventure, boyxboy romance, mild language Ideas for this fic contributed by:~loveless kittykat~Pandalover~Lycan-wolf96~forever tiki [Sadie] from DA Kong Li uses a spell that causes earthquakes and even lava to spew forth in Chinatown. But that isn't his plan this time. He uses the spell to lure out and weaken the fighting trio. Sid's innocent friend, Will from his history class is recruited by Kong Li to pursue his son to drive a wedge between Sid and Tobey and to help convince Tobey to join him once and for all. [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]Will led Tobey on foot to the corner where there was a waiting car, driven by a shape shifter. Tobey slid into the back with Will sitting next to him, his arms around him, blowing in his ear and kissing his neck. Tobey didn't fight it, and didn't respond either, like in his mind he was someplace else. After an unreasonably long ride staying within Chinatown, the car stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse about as far inland as you could go and still be in Chinatown. The large old building was on a hill surrounded by eucalyptus trees and hard to see from any road. Will walked with Tobey, holding his hand. Tobey didn't object or even ask where they were. They went through large open doors and across the red painted concrete floor. Tobey went willingly until he saw Kong Li ahead. The sight of the evil man snapped him out of the trance. "Kong Li! Where am I?" Tobey pushed Will away and tried to run. With one leap Kong Li blocked Tobey's escape and knocked him down with his staff before he could react. Kong Li rolled Tobey over so he was face down and kept him down with his foot on his butt. "Will, tie him up until we can convince him to be more cooperative." Will seemed to enjoy tying Tobey's hands behind his back a little too much. Once Kong Li thought Will had Tobey handled, he went back over to a workbench set up nearby. There was a large black plastic Halloween bowl with ghosts on it that was full of pieces of chocolate. This was more of the chocolate that Will had been giving to Tobey. He picked up a handful and held it out to Will. "Give Tobey some more chocolate while I finished the potion that will change his mind about joining me forever!" The second Will stepped away from Tobey to take the chocolate, Tobey tucked his feet up behind his back and stuck his toes into the rope that bound his hands. He pulled his knees up and brought his hands under his butt to the front of his body very quickly. With his hands in front, he pushed himself up and took off running chewing the ropes off of his wrists as he went. "Tobey! You will only wear yourself out son." Kong Li yelled calmly and coming out of no-where, landed in front of him. Tobey slid to a stop and glared at him. "How did you get in front of me? I'm leaving - get out of my way!" "No son, you live here now. Here or where ever I am at the time. You will never leave my side again. Will will stay too and you two will be as close as brothers, or maybe closer – more like kissing cousins!" Kong Li laughed at his own humor. "I don't even like Will, and you already know how I feel about you, Kong Loser! What makes you think I would ever leave Nana to stay with you." "You are just like me and one way or another you will join me." "That is never going to happen! I will never be like you!" "You are already like me in so many ways – I will prove it to you!" Tobey blocked a strike from Kong Li's staff as he dodged and ran toward the open doors. The moonlight coming in through the doors lit up the whole area, but suddenly went dark. The shape shifter stretched himself across the doorway like a big, black sheet. Tobey slid to a stop and tried to run the other way leaping and ducking to avoid the shape shifter's tentacles. He met Will and slid to a stop with Kong Li calmly walking up from behind. "Get out of my way Will – or I could hurt you." "Not likely – don't you understand? You are my boyfriend now!" Will smiled. "We will be well taken care of and Kong Li will train us well to do his bidding." "You are as crazy as he is!" Tobey tried to run by him, but Will made a grab for him. Tobey blocked with his arm and with a round kick took Will's feet from under him. Will was surprisingly quick enough to catch Tobey by his wrist as he went down. When Will fell he pulled Tobey down with him. Before Tobey could roll away, Will got him into an embrace and blew in his ear. Tobey felt dizzy and fighting the urge to just give up, he kept struggling weakly. Will got him rolled over again on his stomach. Kong Li threw him another longer piece of cord. Will sat on Tobey's butt to hold him down while he tied his wrists again. Tobey kicked with his heels, but couldn't kick Will in the back hard enough to make him get off. "You won't slip your arms in front of you again my little love bug." Will pushed Tobey's bound wrists high up his back, between his shoulder-blades and took a loop of of the cord around Tobey's neck before he tied another knot at his wrists. Now if Tobey tried to pull his hands down at all, he would strangle himself. With his arms bound in this extremely uncomfortable position, Tobey groaned as Will pulled him to his feet. The rope around his neck made Tobey strain to keep his hands as close to his neck as he could and it was lucky he was very flexible. "You say you love me – how can you do this to me Will?" "I don't want to, but your father said that you are confused and ill. He promised that when he makes you all better you will remember that you love me!" Will pushed Tobey ahead to go back to where Kong Li was mixing ingredients. As they approached, Tobey watched, horrified and disgusted as Kong Li took a large, very sharp knife and cut his own hand in the center of his palm. He squeezed his fist over the bowl and let several large drops of his blood drip into the mixture. Stirring with one hand, he used his teeth to wrap a strip of cloth around the cut he made on his palm. When he was finished he turned to face Tobey holding the bowl. "Now my son, there is only one more ingredient needed to finish the potion. But first, I want to make sure you've noticed something and give you one more chance to join me willingly." "What Kong Loser? – I noticed that you seem even crazier . . . and uglier than usual . . . is that it?" "No, my son and careful calling me ugly – you look just like me when I was your age – you will likely look the same as I do now when you get older." "No way – I would have to have a black heart to be as ugly as you are – and I will never hurt others." "Stop spewing that sentimental crap that Mei Hua has been filling your head with. Lets get to business. It has been weeks since I died my hair. I'm letting return to its natural color so you can see." Kong Li leaned down so Tobey could see the top of his head. He parted his hair to show him he had white roots on one side! "See Tobey, you even inherited your hair from me the condition runs in our family!" "So what? Lots of people are born with weird pigments someplace on their skin." Tobey argued, but inside he was really freaking out. In the orphanage he was told he probably got his white hair from a parent. "Tobey, I had hoped that it would prove to you that I really am your father and you would think about joining me willingly." "I believe you 'sired' me, but you will never be my father and I refuse to help you hurt people!" "Well then, I guess I need that last ingredient after all." "What last ingredient?" Tobey watched Kong Li step back to the work bench and pick up the knife. "Bring him over here Will." "No!" Tobey pushed back as hard as he could as Will hugged him from behind and pushed him to Kong Li. Even with his arms tied behind his back, he could have taken Will down any other time, but Will was blowing in his ear and Tobey felt dizzy and confused again. Kong Li looked him up and down. "Your arms are busy, from where will I take your blood? Your neck perhaps?" Kong Li pressed the tip of the blade under Tobey's jaw, but not hard enough to cause him to bleed. Tobey begged, "No! you will get too much blood from there – no! Please – not my neck – not anywhere! Why do you want my blood anyway?" "To make the binding recipe work. Once you drink this potion, with my blood and your blood mixed together, you can never leave me or do anything against me! Even if you tried to leave and go back to your Nana, you will be come weak and sick, and if you stay away you will soon perish. We will be together forever!" "Ewe – that's gross – I AM NOT drinking your blood! You probably have diseases I don't want." Tobey sounded weak and after hearing Kong Li wanted him to drink blood he was so grossed out, he barely heard anything else he said. Kong Li had moved up very close to his face while he was talking. Will still held him tightly and he was too weak to fight anymore. He didn't understand why Will blowing in his ear made him feel so weird and it scared him. Kong Li holding a knife in front of him scared him too. Slowly, enjoying his own son's fear, perhaps paying him back for all the times Tobey helped Nana mess up his plans, Kong Li pressed the knife to Tobey's skin; just under his collarbone and at the same angle. Tobey screamed and tried to turn away, making the blade cut a gash even longer and deeper than Kong Li would have on his own. Tobey continued to scream loudly and Will covered his mouth with his hand. "Quit it, you're hurting my ears lover-boy." Tobey's eyes were huge; his breathing more like panting as his chest heaved very fast making blood run faster. With Will holding his arms tightly and his head back with his hand covering his mouth he couldn't see much, like a way to escape, but at least the rope around his neck was looser. The gash across Tobey's chest had bled enough that blood was running down and soaking into his white shirt, Kong Li held the bowl with the edge pressed against his skin so some would run in. Tobey gritted his teeth and whined into Will's fingers as Kong Li used the edge of the bowl to scrape more blood from inside the cut. Tobey tried to bite Will's hand and made him pull away. "This won't work Kong Li - I would rather die than stay with you – and if this recipe does what you say and I die, then the prophesy still can't come true!" "What makes you think you will be able to make decisions like that? Will is going to help keep you under control until the potion takes affect and after a while you won't even remember Sid, Sue and Nana, except as your enemies. You won't even remember you had any other family – just like Will here – What happened to your parents Will?" Will repeated in monotone, "Mother died, Dad ran away." "What did you do to Will? His parents aren't gone." Will repeated, "Mother died, Dad ran away." Tobey had no problem begging when he became desperate enough, and the situation seemed pretty desperate. "I could never forget Sid – and the others – please! They are my family – I want to go home!" "You have no choice! It's already in your blood and you will join me – even if I have to force you until I can undo all of Nana's 'do good-er' teaching!" The bowl Kong Li was stirring with his and Tobey's blood inside started to glow. Tobey squirmed and screamed, "I can't - I won't! I will resist you!" "You are wrong my son and I feel sorry for Mei Hua and those siblings when you finally do embrace the power! You will be unstoppable, even greater than your father someday! . . . Every father, every teacher hopes their student will be stronger than they are someday." Kong Li kept stirring the bowl full of the most disgusting concoction that he had ever made. "I expect you to rule the world for me someday, with an iron fist." Tobey made one more attempt to push Will back and cried, "No-ooommmm!" His cries were silenced as Will forced a piece of chocolate in Tobey's mouth and blew in his ear again. Tobey stopped fighting, the sweet, love-potion laced chocolate melting in his mouth and the soft tickle in his ear from Will's own, chocolate sweet breath made him totally forget his current dangerous situation. In between blowing gently in his ear, Will whispered, "Tobey, my love . . . stay with me forever would you?" "Yes Will, of course, I love you." "Will you promise to kill Sid the next time you see him? He is trying to come between us – he wants to hurt me and take you away." "Sure, I do promise to do what you want, but who is Sid?" Kong Li interrupted Will's little conversation when he approached his dizzy son with a jar full of the potion he just made. He waited until Tobey's eyes softened completely and he didn't look scared anymore. Tobey went limp in Will's bear-hug, but Will still didn't loosen his hold on him just in case. Kong Li spoke softly, as he raised the jar to Tobey's lips for him to drink. "Will you join me too Tobey? Come live with me, let me train you and do whatever I ask of you for the rest of your life?" "Yes father. I will do whatever you say." Tobey whispered. "Good Boy." Kong Li praised him like he would praise a loyal pet and pressed the rim of the jar to his lips. The whole thing was like some kind of sick wedding ceremony.

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Sid peeked through the open doors and saw Will holding Tobey while Kong Li gave one of his long-winded speeches. When Sid saw Kong Li was stirring something and poured it into a jar for Tobey to drink, he knew he had to act fast! Nana moved silently on the tin roof, even quieter than a cat and looked down through a skylight. She could also see that Kong Li was getting ready to give Tobey something that she was sure would not be for Tobey's benefit. Sid screamed as he ran in, not caring if he gave himself away as long as he interrupted what Kong Li was doing to Tobey. Nana used Sid's yell as a cue to begin her attack too. She jumped through the skylight right over Kong Li's head. Will and Kong Li ducked and covered their heads to protect themselves from the falling glass. With no one holding him up, Tobey fell to his knees. He didn't react to Sid's arrival or the broken glass falling around him at all, even when a large piece of glass cut his cheek. Nana landed first on a rafter and ran along it for twenty feet until she was over a pile of boxes. She jumped down on them and then to the floor to join Sid in his attack. Will grabbed Tobey again and pulled him back to his feet to use him like a shield. He pulled him backwards keeping him between himself and Sid as he tried to leave the area. Sid followed Will while Nana went after Kong Li. "How did you find us Mei Hua? Oh those darn phones your rejects carry - am I right?" "No time for chitchat Kong Li – did you give Tobey any of this?" Nana knocked the jar containing the potion out of Kong Li's hand with a well placed heel. He blocked her next punch with his staff and followed right away with a kick aimed at her head. "That is a secret between me and my son – you will find out soon enough." Nana blocked, "You monster – what does it do?" They exchanged a flurry of punches and kicks, Mei Hua driving Kong Li back. "This potion will ensure his loyalty to me – or he will perish! I have to thank-you Mei Hua for raising him for me so far, but I will take over from here and raise him in my own image!" "I will stop you Kong Li!" "It's already too late Mei Hua! You can't save him now – no one can."

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Not wanting to punch Tobey, or even Will; Sid slowed and followed them, walking to try and talk him into letting Tobey go. "Will – Buddy – We're friends at school remember? You don't want to hurt Tobey. He is my friend too." Will had backed himself against the wall, in between two supports and held Tobey tightly in front of him. "I would never hurt him I love him – but our father said that you would hurt us." "Your father? You think Kong Li is your father too? Will – that's just sick!" The whole time they had been backing away from Sid, Will had been blowing in Tobey's ear and repeating the same command. "Tobey, Sid is here . . . he wants to kill us to keep us from being together!" Sid could hear him whispering, but couldn't understand what he was saying. He also grew angrier the more he saw Will blowing into Tobey's ear. "Will - Tobey looks drugged or something, what did you do to him?" "I did nothing, he loves me. Maybe he's drunk with love." "Right Will, he loves you so much you had to tie him up to make him stay with you! Release him!" Sid saw how Tobey was tied when Will actually did let go of his arms and winced, "Will – the rope is going to choke him!" Sid could hear Tobey's raspy breaths as he labored to breath passed the rope, but Tobey was standing on his own, glaring at Sid! Will didn't start to untie him. Knowing he could take Will down in a fight, without hurting him . . . much, Sid walked up to Tobey to cut the ropes off himself. With his pocket-knife out and open Sid intended to cut Tobey free. With his empty hand, he reached for Tobey's shoulder to turn him around. Tobey leaned back into Will like he was afraid of Sid. Sid spoke hoping to calm him, "Tobey! Hold still man, everything will be okay." Will yelled, "Tobey, he's coming with a knife to kill me! Protect me!" Tobey moved so fast, Sid didn't even know what hit him for sure, but it was Tobey's foot. Even with his arms tied high and uncomfortably behind his back, Tobey effortlessly kicked the knife out of Sid's hand. Like Will's puppet Tobey continued to attack Sid! Sid blocked the next kick aimed at his head, but Tobey jumped up and kicked again right away, striking Sid in his shoulder. Sid went down rolling. He jumped back up and blocked another kick. "Wow Tobey, you are good – even with your hands tied you are holding your own against me!" "I have to kill Sid, I have to kill Sid, to protect . . ." "Protect who Tobey?" "My father!" "Oh no! Tobey you're wrong – you're confused! You have to stop! Don't do this!" Will bravely stepped up beside Tobey. "Give up Sid – Tobey has agreed to join Kong Li and stay with us." "What do you mean us?" "Kong Li has taken me under his wing as well. Kong Li loves me like his own son – he told me so!" "Will – you have a family who loves you too! You can't join Kong Li!" "I have no one who loves me. My mother is gone and my dad broke down and left town without me! I was on my own until Kong Li found me!" Sid knew Will's mother had been in the hospital recently, but didn't know how much of what Will was saying was true and how much was lies fed to him by Kong Li, but either way he had to stop Tobey. Will got out of the way as Tobey aimed another round kick at Sid's head. "Hey buddy, it's lucky I think you don't know what you're doing or I would be really mad and have to wipe the floor with you!" Tobey's expression never changed, he only repeated "Kill Sid," when he said anything and he fought viciously with Sid. With Tobey only using his feet, he exchanged blocks and blows with Sid slowly driving him away from Will. Sid looked behind him and realized they were near a railing for metal stairs that went down into another large area underground. It was too dark to see how far down it went or what was down there. Sid got in a good kick to Tobey's stomach and he stepped back and groaned. "Please stop Tobey – I was just going to untie you – aren't you uncomfortable? Please . . . let me help you!" Tobey did hesitate, he gingerly moved his sore arms and realized he really was tied up. Tobey started to scream, but it came out more like a soft whine and Sid thought he had gotten through to him. He groaned and got back into his defensive position when Tobey exclaimed, "Mmmmmnn-No! I have to kill Sid to protect my family!" Sid blocked another kick and delivered one of his own kicks at the same time. The timing was terrible. Tobey stepped forward right into his kick and he connected with his boyfriend's ribs much harder than he meant to. If Tobey's hands weren't tied he could have blocked it as he did so many times during training exercises. But this time Sid heard a sickening thud as his foot made hard contact. Tobey groaned and stumbled back over the railing. "Tobey!" Sid ran forward and slid on his stomach under the bottom rail. He barely caught the bottom of Tobey's pants-leg with one hand. At that angle it was all he could do to hold onto him. Tobey became aware at least that he was still tied and he was hanging upside-down someplace very dark by one leg. He screamed pitifully and begged for help. "What's going on? Aaaaah! Help! Please don't let me fall!" "Easy Tobey, don't kick! . . . Will - help me pull him up!" "No – he's mine – keep your hands off of him!" Will kicked Sid in the ribs and he slid over the edge farther. Bent forward at his hips now, Sid hooked his feet into the railing so he wouldn't fall any farther, but he couldn't lift Tobey up. "Will, I'm trying to save him – help me!" Even with Nana's magic in his body helping to temporarily strengthen him in spite of his injuries, Sid's back was objecting to the strain. His arms and legs started tingling again like they did after Tobey hit him. Tobey's pant-leg ripped and they both screamed. "Tobey!" "Sid!" Sid held on with both hands around Tobey's ankle. Tobey tucked his chin and looked up at Sid and their eyes met. Sid thought Tobey recognized him. He gritted his teeth and forced his muscles to stay tight around Tobey's ankle while Will cried like a spoiled five-year-old and kicked Sid's legs. While the boys were fighting for their lives, Nana was locked in a vicious fight with Kong Li. They both took a toll from the other and were both getting tired and slowing down. "Kong Li, give it up! You didn't get Tobey this time, nor will you ever take him from me!" "That is one of the many things you are wrong about Mei Hua! The prophesy says so!" The shape shifter, seeing his master was tiring slithered up behind Nana and formed into his six armed humanoid shape. When Nana felt the slimy shifter's arms grab her she was ready. A soft clicking could be heard right before one of the shifter's arms melted and a puff of smoke rose. Before he could get away, Nana aimed the small tank she had taken out of her bag at him. The flame from the little propane cutting torch made the shifter recoil and fall into an unmoving puddle. Nana calmly patted out where the side of her own shirt was still smoking, the skin under her ribs burned. When she turned back, Kong Li was gone. "Damn that coward." She mumbled and jogged in search of where she heard Tobey screaming. Nana ran faster when she saw Sid's helpless position under the railing with Will kicking his legs. Nana grabbed one of Will's arms and flipped him hard enough he stayed down. Sid had slid so far down, she couldn't reach Tobey so she ran almost to the end of the railing and leaped over it to land on the metal stairs. She ran down until she was under Tobey, she couldn't reach him from there either and it was too dangerous to try and catch him on the narrow metal stairs. Nana hurried and took a vial out of her bag and drank it. Tobey screamed when he felt Sid's grip slipping and Sid screamed too as he felt Tobey slip away from him. Sid reached to try to grab him again. His foot slid from the railing and he fell too. Using both hands Nana braced herself and caught both boys in a bubble-like magic barrier. Tobey landed in the bubble on his head and slid onto his back and Sid landed face down across Tobey's stomach in the flexible barrier. She raised both boys back up and over the railing as she ran back up the steps. The bubble let them down gently and vanished. Nana ran so fast, without stopping first she slid up to them on her knees to check on them. Sid hadn't moved off of Tobey, and Tobey's arms, caught under his back were strangling him. "Sid? Are you okay?" Even though he didn't respond Nana felt she had to take a chance that Sid's back was not injured more and move him to save Tobey. She rolled Sid off and quickly turned Tobey over. Holding his arms up to release the pressure on his neck, she cut the cords off with her own pocket-knife. "Sid! Can you hear me?" Nana called to him while she cut Tobey's arms loose. "Lie still Tobey, take deep breaths." Nana hopped over Tobey to be next to Sid. A very confused and sore Tobey sat up on his own and crawled over to Sid as Nana positioned him gently so he was flat on the floor. Tobey watched, "Nana? . . . is Sid? . . . no . . ." Tobey didn't know for sure what happened. He sat back on his butt and hugged himself, rubbing his sore shoulders. His memory was very foggy and the only clear images he could reference were of Sid looking down at him while he held his leg. "Sid hurt himself saving me?" he said very quietly. Nana held another little vial from her bag under Sid's nose and when he smelled it he groaned and opened his eyes. "Sid – can you move?" "I – I think so." he tried gently and groaned because his back spasmed and sent shooting pains to his arms and legs. After he lie still for another moment, he was able to sit up with a little help from Nana. Just then a red portal opened up behind them, over Will. Nana jumped up to fight, but Kong Li jumped down and scooped Will up in his arms before she could get there. Even after Kong Li and his portal seemed to disappear, Kong Li's voice echoed around them, "I don't think you better trust Tobey anymore Mei Hua, he is mine!" "Nana, what did he mean?" Nana ignored Tobey's question about his father and his intentions as she had so many times in the past. "Are you boy's okay for a minute? I have to go see if I can find whatever recipe Kong Li used on Tobey." "Yeah Nana." Sid rolled over and found his pocket knife within reach of where he sat. As he folded it, he looked at Tobey. "You look pale Are you alright?" "Kong Li used a recipe on me? I don't remember, but what did Kong Li mean - don't trust me?" Tobey took several deep breaths and suddenly spun around and hugged Sid. "I don't know for sure Tobey, but it looked like he was making you drink something when we got here. Do you remember anything?" "No! He didn't give me anything. I would remember wouldn't I?" Tobey, let go a sec can ya?" "Sure Sid." Tobey watched as Sid painfully lie back flat on the floor with his knees bent. "Sid?" "My back really hurts." "Nana! Sid needs you!" Tobey yelled, nervously looking from where Nana ran out of sight to Sid. "Don't bother her Tobey; let her find whatever she is looking for. I want to be sure you are alright." Nana heard Tobey call her just as she finished taking a sample of the spilled recipe. She put the lid on the vial and slipped it into her bag with a copy of a notebook she found on Kong Li's workbench. All three sat in the back of the cab on the way home. Sid kept shifting uncomfortably trying to make his back feel better and Tobey just shifted nervously. Nana was alternately reading through Kong Li's notes and gazing at the vial she held. Finally she whispered, "Tobey did you remember that this has your blood in it?" "Ew, no Nana." "Kong Li must have cut you to get it. His blood is in here too." "Nana, what could mixing our blood together do?" "There are many other ingredients as well most magical herbs. This is a very complicated recipe that Kong Li was working on, not one of our master's. Don't worry, I will find an antidote. And Tobey, according to Kong Li's notes Will has been hypnotized; the process enhanced by a magic spell – and a love potion." "What love potion? Is that why he has been acting so strange toward me? Why would Kong Li want to make Will fall in love with me, I mean Will likes girls, and I like Sid." "Like?" Sid mumbled. "Love – I love Sid." Tobey picked Sid's hand up to hold. "Will was giving it to Tobey too wasn't he." "Yes Sid. I'm afraid so, that explained why Tobey was acting so strange." "What? I wasn't acting strange." "Guess you don't remember, you let Will hug and kiss on you in front of me and you agreed to go out on a date with him, breaking our plans to eat together. You said he was handsomer than me and our relationship was over." "Oh Sid, I'm sorry – I didn't know what I was saying . . . I would never do that to you!" "I know buddy – it was really hard to hear." Tobey was afraid he would hurt Sid's back if he hugged him, so he leaned against him gently and kissed his cheek. "Please forgive me Sid." "Already forgotten. There is nothing to forgive - it wasn't you – it wasn't even Will - it was Kong Li." Nana was barely paying attention to the boys as she read Kong Li's notes. As soon as she got home, she had plans for Tobey. Sid wanted to go by Will's house on the way home. Nana asked the cab driver to stop two houses away and across the street. Sid recognized Will's father on the sidewalk in front of his house speaking to a police officer. As they watched the cab driver shut the engine off. On the quiet street, they could hear Will's dad telling the officer how much he and his wife missed Will and were baffled by his disappearance. After a slamming screen-door up on the porch Sid saw Will's mother! She had a cast on her leg and used crutches, but was very much alive! She leaned over the railing for a moment and listened to her husband talking to the officer and crying, went back inside.

"That evil jerk! Will's parents are fine except for worrying about him." Sid mumbled. "Nana, Can't we tell them that Will is okay, or will be soon after we save him from Kong Li?"

"There is no way we can tell them about Kong Li, and if we say anything, they police will be investigating us too, probably as suspects and may get in the way of saving him. Our best plan is to get Will home as soon as possible. At least we know what Kong Li is up to. With Sue injured and Sid too distracted with what you were doing with Will, Kong Li would be able to completely take over your mind or at least your body and get the cookbook."

Tobey covered his face with his hands and leaned forward like he might be sick. Sid hugged him and Tobey wound up lying against him.

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When they got home and out of the cab. Nana followed Sid and Tobey through the front door and saw Sue was waiting up for them, or had tried to. She had her cast on the table with her other hand and head laying on it like a hard pillow. Nana gently touched her shoulder to wake her up and sat down next to her. "Guys – sorry – I tried to wait for you – did you just get back?" "Yeah Sue." "Tobey, what happened?" Tobey slid in first and Sid sat down next to him. "Nana said I was being hypnotized, but Will too – he's still in trouble. Kong Li has him brainwashed into thinking his mom died and his dad abandoned him!" "Yeah, we went by there and saw his parents are fine, and very worried about him." Sid sounded a little out of breath when he spoke. "Are you alright Sid?" "Yeah, I think Nana's potion wore off." "I will go get you some more Sid I need a few things for Tobey too." Nana grabbed her bag from the seat and left for the storeroom. Sid, Sue and Tobey sat in the booth in the dimly lit dining room; the boys telling Sue all that had happened. Although there was a lot that Tobey didn't remember and more that Sid wasn't there to witness; they still gave her a pretty good idea about what had happened. "Well sound's like you two have gotten yourselves in a heap of trouble without me to look out for you." Tobey argued, "So not true Sue! If you had been there, you would have been right in the middle of the trouble with us! Right Sid?" Sid moaned and carefully laid forward with his head on the table. "Whatever Tobey." "Oh man, you're in a lot of pain – I'm sorry Sid. I'm sorry I didn't stop Kong Li from hitting you." "Sorry you didn't stop yourself from hitting him in the back too I imagine." Sue glared at Tobey. "What?" "Shhhh, Sue." Sid cautioned her. "Even if Will gave you something, you didn't have to hit my brother so hard did you?" "Sid, did I do something to you that you left out?" "I wasn't going to tell you - you weren't yourself at the time. Why did you have to tell him Sue? Are you still mad at us?" "You bet I am, look at how you are handling things – you are both hopeless. You are still letting your feelings get in the way of taking Kong Li down. Even Kong Li has seen it and he's using it against you, against all of us! He knows you will get emotional and distracted and give him an opportunity to get the cookbook somehow. That is why he is messing with you." "Come on Mei Mei, that isn't fair." "It's not fair that Nana has to count on only you two with me having to wear this stupid cast." Sid looked at Tobey and saw his eyes were looking wet. "Don't let her upset you Tob, she doesn't understand." "I understand plenty." "An-jing Sue." "Sid - I guess you went through some stuff because of me that I don't know about – I hit you? When?" "It wasn't your fault, I tried to stop Will from taking you out of here and while my attention was on him . . . it doesn't matter." "Yes it does! I hit you in the back where I knew you were already injured! Now that Sue said I did it, I kinda remember! It was like some evil creature was enjoying seeing you suffer and I was watching! I could have really - even permanently hurt you!" "That proves you didn't do it – you said it was like you were watching, right?" "I was not in control and it was like I was watching, but it was my fist that punched you." "Well – still – you weren't yourself – it wasn't your fault and it will take more than a hit from you to take me out." "Not true Sid, Tobey's punch put you down. You couldn't even move for almost a half hour. I still think you should have gone back to the doctor." "Sid! You couldn't move? . . . Like you were paralyzed?" "I'm fine – Nana said it was just the repeated shocks to my spinal cord it went haywire for a little while that's all." "Sid, I didn't mean to do it! I can't believe I am so weak that someone controlled me like that." "Oh Tobey," Sid made Tobey look him in the face with his finger under his chin, "You are not weak, do you hear me? Anyone can be hypnotized – and Kong Li was cheating, using magic to do it." Sue got up, but had one more thing to say. "Just watch out Tobey, people can't be hypnotized to do anything against their true nature." Both boys stopped talking and watched Sue leave. Sid mad at her for being so mean and Tobey even madder at himself. "What did she mean by that Sid? Did she mean it like . . . it is in my nature to hurt you? No! Kong Li hurts people – not me! I am not like him – I won't be like him." "Tob, I'm sure that's not what she meant." Sid stopped Tobey from leaving. "Please stay with me, Nana's coming back she will need you here." "But Sid," Tobey whined, "Kong Li warned you and Nana not to trust me anymore – I heard him too - is it cause he did something to me that will cause me to hurt you again?" "No! We won't let that happen, even if he did do something to you, you know Nana is already working on an antidote for you." "Did you know Kong Li dyes his hair? He showed me where he has white roots for a patch of white hair on the side of his head! The hair is there, maybe his evil is in my genes too! Maybe there is no antidote – no help for me. I can't take a chance – I have to leave before I hurt you or anyone else again!" "No Tobey, stay, talk to Nana. - please." Sid suppressed a groan as he put his arm around Tobey's shoulder and pulled him over to lean on him. He leaned on Tobey partly because his back was spasming again, and partly to hold onto him tightly so he couldn't leave. With his face in Tobey's hair he whispered, "I love you – I love you no matter what happens." At first Sid was happy and relaxed a little when he felt Tobey relax. Sid didn't realize that as he spoke to Tobey so close to his ear, that Tobey felt his breath. The hypnotic trance state was activated just like when Will blew into his ear on purpose. Sid watched Tobey as he sat up straight after their hug. "Tobey? Are you alright now? You don't look upset anymore." Tobey didn't answer and before Sid could ask again, Nana returned with a cup of something minty, like very strong tea for him and three cups of different yummy smelling liquids for Tobey to try. She handed Sid his and put Tobey's on the table in front of she was planning to sit. "Tobey how are you feeling?" Nana notice that he was staring into space and had not even smiled at her. It seemed like he hadn't even realized that Nana even came back. Sid started to drink his 'antidote' that would help the muscles in his back relax and dull the pain again, but he still watched Tobey.
Nana walked back to the cash register and turned the rest of the light switches on before she sat down across from the boys. "Nana, I think there's something wrong with Tobey." Sid expected Tobey to argue, but he didn't – he just stared straight ahead. Nana looked at him and even touched his hand, "Tobey? . . . Oh my . . . he is in a trance state – but has had no command, no directions to follow. What happened while I was gone that would have activated this state?" "I don't know, Sue was yelling at us, she told him that he hit me in the back and put me down for a while. Tobey was feeling bad and wanting to run away so I hugged him." In the bright lights, Nana looked closely into Tobey's eyes. "I don't know why I didn't see this before, Tobey's pupils are dilated. It is a sign he could be controlled by a recipe, or even simply hypnotized! Kong Li hypnotized Will and showed him how to do it to Tobey. The love potion in the chocolate candy would make other emotions and actions besides 'love' easier to suggest to him too.

"Nana can you bring him out of it?"

"I will try. I will need Tobey's help to save Will with you and Sue injured. I have to make sure that the spell truly is broken and Kong Li can no longer suggest anything to control him."

"Nana, I'm worried, you don't sound sure you can help him!"

"I have never done this before. If I can do it for Tobey, I can do it for Will too. I hate to experiment with Tobey, but I don't see any other way. Kong Li isn't going to tell us how to save them and there is nothing about an antidote in his notes. He probably never planned to reverse the trance once he had Tobey under his control . . . Sid, when you hugged Tobey, did you say anything to him?"

Sid blushed a little, "I told him I loved him."

"Did you whisper in his ear while you were hugging him?"

"That's it Nana! That's how Will was controlling him and getting him to fight on his side - he blew in his ear and whispered a lot" Sid turned to Tobey, "I didn't mean to do it to you buddy!"

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Tobey continued . . .