Green with Jealousy
Part 8
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.
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"Okay Sid, blow in Tobey's ear." As strange as it sounded, it was what Nana instructed her boys.
"No – wait – I know we talked about it on our way back to Chinatown, but I'm not sure this is a good idea – what if I fight you guys again?"
Sue answered him, "You won't - we wont tell you to do anything bad or do anything to make you uncomfortable. Nana needs you in a trance so she can introduce a set of instructions of her own into your subconscious. Her commands will override anything that Will or Kong Li try to make you do, alright?"
"Can't she just fix it - cure it, make it go away? I don't want to be hypnotized anymore."
"Tobey there is no way to fix it or reverse it. Once the hypnotic suggestions are in your mind, you have to be retrained or re-hypnotized and it will take at least as long as it did for Will to do what he did to you in the first place, maybe longer. Am I explaining it correctly Nana?"
"Yes Sue as well as it can be explained." Nana answered as Sid walked closer to Tobey, smiling. Tobey backed away from Sid. "I don't know – I don't want anyone playing in my head anymore."
Sid had Tobey backed against the wall and hugged him in spite of his arguments. Tobey blushed with Nana and Sue watching them hug. "I don't want to do this, what if something bad happens and I cant help you guys?" Tobey was very tense repeating his same fears over and over so Sid kissed him to shut him up.
Tobey tried to pull away a little, but Sid had him trapped and being trapped by Sid was the only kind of trapped he enjoyed. So Tobey relaxed a little and returned Sid's kiss. When Sid ended the kiss he hugged him tightly as he spoke softly, very close to his ear. "Trust Nana, and trust me. I won't leave your side until we rescue Will and stop Kong Li." When he finished speaking he blew softly in Tobey's ear and made him shiver. Tobey's eyes glazed over and his expression went blank. Sid kept his hands on Tobey's shoulders to make sure he would remain on his feet before he stepped back to give Nana room to work.
Sue could tell, her brother was being strong for Tobey, but he was worried too. They stood together nearby while Nana took Tobey through a series of simple commands. "Drink this-Smell this-Touch your nose . . ."
Tobey got agitated once, when Nana asked him if he loved Will. Sid and Sue moved closer, one on each side of him just in case they had to hold him. Nana continued, her voice soft as she suggested actions that she hoped would over ride what Will told him if he ever got close enough again. She kept adding affirmations; "We love you, we are your family, you belong with Nana, Sid and Sue. - We love you - you are special, Kong Li hurts people."
When Nana was finished. She commanded Tobey to go to his room and sleep. She told him that when he wakes he will be refreshed and calm, not worried about anything. For once she hoped he would wake from the trance without being scared or hurt.
Before Sid and Sue followed him upstairs, Sid asked, "Now, is it done? – he won't respond to what Kong Li or Will tell him to do anymore?"
"It will take more than one session Sid, how many times did Will do this to him and for how long? Like I said, we will have to keep doing this. Until we are sure and I think we will only be sure if Will tries to take him again and he is able to resist."
The next morning Sid and Sue woke up early and sat in the boy's room waiting for Tobey to wake up. Nana finally had to come in and wake him. As Tobey rubbed his eyes he spoke, "Hi Nana, I slept so good. How come you didn't hypnotize me last night?"
"I did, you just don't remember - just like when Will would do it to you."
"That is scary – things keep happening to me and I keep doing things that I don't remember."
"Sorry Tobey, and we need to do it again."
"Even before breakfast?"
"Even before breakfast. Since this worked so well last night. I should be able to wake you from the trance again right away so you can have breakfast and we can have a regular training session and meditation. You three will be helping Calvin and Barney in the kitchen. Sid, Tobey, when you go out for deliveries this afternoon you must stay together. Sue will stay here and rest her arm like she is supposed to. I could use some help researching a few things too so you can do that if you get bored.
Sid observed, "So it's business as usual today already? Kong Li and Will are going to show up for sure."
"I know Sid. The sooner they do the sooner we can stop them. Just keep your eyes open."
Sid got up and Tobey jumped down from his bunk. Tobey blushed again, knowing what was going to happen when Sid walked up to him. Sid spoke softly as he hugged him. "This will work Tobey, I know it." His soft deep voice made goosebumps on Tobey's skin. He thought the one good thing about all this was that they needed someone to blow in his ear and Sid was, of course the best choice for the job. He did it so kindly and naturally – he made him feel comfortable and didn't just walk up and blow slobber in his ear like Will did.
Nana appreciated the relaxed way Sid did his job. She was sure it made Tobey more open to what she had to do. This time during their session, Tobey didn't get agitated at all. He accepted everything Nana said and told him to do. She touched his arm or held his hand sometimes hoping to reenforce what she was telling him. When she was finished she told Tobey to wait for Sid to hug him.
Sid took the hint and went back over to him. His arms around him, Nana continued speaking. She told Tobey to return Sid's hug and when Sid let go he would be awake and feeling happy and relaxed.
Sid guided Tobey's head on his shoulder and hugged him for a few seconds and Tobey automatically hugged him back. Sid looked over at Nana and she nodded so he released him. Tobey seemed to startle a little as his eyes returned to their bright state and Tobey looked around. "How are you feeling buddy?"
"Hungry Sid."
They all went downstairs together to begin their day. After meditation, and before they went out the first time, Nana and Sid held one more session with Tobey and everything went very well. Nana was confident that Tobey would be able to fight back if they ran into Will this time.
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later that day, Sid and Tobey were feeling like everything was back to normal. Nothing strange had happened, no sign of Will or Kong Li. And it had been a good day for tips so far. Sunday was often a good day for tips. It seems few people wanted to cook at home and were grateful to have delivery the day before most had to go back to work or school.
Sid rode by the dumpster first. Tobey coasted behind him with his feet on the handlebars and his arms behind his head. From behind the dumpster when Tobey went by Will appeared suddenly and shoved a broom handle in Tobey's front spokes. His bike flipped and Tobey landed hard face down in the street. Sid heard Tobey cry out and turned to go back. "What happened – did you fall off your bike again?"
Will ran out and jumped on top of Tobey, with him pinned face down he whispered in Tobey's ear about how Sid was trying to kill him. Tobey screamed, "Get off of me!" When Sid saw Will he jumped off of his rolling bike and ran toward the boys lying in the street. Sid grabbed Will by the back of his collar and pulled him off of Tobey with one hand.
Will screamed, "Ah Tobey help - he's gonna kill me!"
To Sid's surprise, Tobey jumped up and attacked him. Sid fell back, but caught Tobey's hands and held on while he kept talking to him, repeating to Tobey what Nana had said during their sessions, "We love you - we are your family - Will and Kong Li are lying."
Tobey gritted his teeth and whined, like the confusion in his mind was causing him physical pain. Suddenly he yelled, "No! You can't make me hurt Sid again!" Extremely agitated, Tobey struggled out of Sid's hold and attacked Will. After only one punch, Will jumped up and ran. Tobey started to follow him, but Sid tackled him. "No Tobey, let him go!" You see? You did it!"
Scared and confused, Tobey's eyes shot back and forth as he struggled. Realizing that Tobey was still in a trance state, Sid hugged him for a moment continuing to whisper softly in his ear and released him. Tobey woke up just like he had at home. He was still very upset so Sid hugged him again just to try and comfort him. "Do you remember what just happened! Tobey?"
Tobey shook his head 'no'. "Will tried to make you turn against me - it didn't work! Nana's antidote isn't like her usual, but it is working! You were able to see through his lies and protect me!"
"I did? Of course I did, I have your back Sid like I always have." Tobey was shaking like he was extremely cold. Even his voice sounded shaky and higher pitched than usual. "Tobey try to relax, your hands are still shaking. I think this nightmare is almost over and we are winning!"
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On a quiet Wednesday night, Will's voice rang out in a dark alley. He was extremely upset. "Kong Li! Sid is in the way. He is hovering over Tobey and never lets him be alone. The last time I tried he convinced Tobey that I was the enemy!"
Kong Li thought for a moment. "We will have to do something about Sid. It will take more than a broken arm I think too. I wonder how little Sue Yi is doing?"
"I will need something stronger than pepper to get Sid out of the way."
"What? Pepper? Nevermind I don't want to know, but I will give you something to get Sid out of your way so you can finally bring me my son."
"Yes Kong Li. I look forward to it."
Kong Li handed Will a small vial with green tinged clear fluid in it. "Take this. In-between deliveries on Wednesday nights you can often find them at Jiang's smoothies."
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Sid and Tobey stopped at Jiang's smoothies in between deliveries, like they often did. It had been two days since they had seen Will even though they were looking for him. They had no idea that this time they were being watched by the very person they were looking for.
They picked Wednesday's for their smoothy night because Chris often ran promotions on Wednesdays where smoothies could be purchased two for one or even free when he had a contest.
"Hey Sid."
"Hey Chris."
Chris recited his sales pitch at Sid, "Welcome to Jiang's smoothies, what can I get for you? You alone today?"
"Sue is still home with her cast. Tobey's in the restroom, but he wants a chocolate chip, goat milk and prune smoothie and I'd like an orange - mango with wheatgrass. You have any promotions going on this week?"
"A contest - we are serving free fortune cookies with each smoothie as a promotion this week, one fortune cookie has a prize inside - free smoothies for a month!"
"Awesome! If I win I'll give it to Tobey, he would love that. By the way Chris, have you seen Will at all in the last couple of days?"
"No, I haven't seen him at all for weeks."
Sid sat down in a booth to wait while the smoothies were made and soon Tobey joined him. There was no one else in the smoothie shop right then and Chris knew that Sid had been seeing Tobey romantically. Since they were mostly alone, Tobey sat next to Sid on the same bench. Sid put his arm around Tobey's shoulders and kissed his cheek. Chris made cooing noises at them. And they all smiled. Chris had to stop when he turned on his noisy machines.
"Tobey, I'm glad to have you back. You had me pretty worried – besides Kong Li's interference. I thought you really liked Will at first . . . it was scary."
"No way – you know I wouldn't leave you right?"
"I know – I thought I knew, but it was really hard to watch before we knew you had been, um, you know."
"Yeah, I know. I don't want to talk about it."
"Its okay. I don't want to either really, I just wanted you to know how happy I am now."
"Thanks Sid, I'm happy too, but still very sorry you were hurt."
"It wasn't your fault, and we should have known Nana would have something up her sleeve."
"Right, but a dragon?" Tobey whispered. "Will you always have a dragon's tooth in your back?"
"I guess so, but it doesn't look like a tooth anymore from what Nana said. It formed into the bone and healed the nerve and muscle tissue around it. I feel great!"
"That is wonderful Sid." he looked up as a group of kids from school came in. Tobey sat on the other side of the table. He and Sid still held hands under the edge of the table to cut down on the amount of whispering among the other kids. They had no problem, especially Tobey had no problem showing his affection for Sid in public when appropriate but not every second and they both agreed there was no reason to stir up the gossip machine at school if they could help it.
Sid looked back to see where their smoothies were and saw Chris was on the phone. He turned back to Tobey and spoke softly so no one could hear. "I'm glad I can blow in your ear now without you going all transcendental on me now."
"I'm glad you can too. That was unsettling and I really enjoyed it before." If they weren't in a crowd Tobey would have hugged Sid and let him blow in his ear, or whatever he wanted to do right them.
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Will crept silently in the back door and hid in the back after he saw Tobey and Sid come in the front. After Chris made their smoothies the phone ran and distracted him. Will moved silently to the tray that held the boy's smoothies while Chris was taking a phone order. He had heard what they ordered and knew the orange one was Sid's.
There were fortune cookies on each smoothie's lid wrapped in green wrappers. He took Sid's cookie, opened a tiny slit at the end of the wrapper and using a syringe, dropped a few drops of a very strong, green tinged magic cinnamon and clove extract inside the cookie. "Now this will be over soon," he whispered, put the cookie back on Sid's smoothie and went out the back where he came in.
When Chris took the tray of smoothies out to the table. Sid and Tobey took them off the tray, each keeping the cookie they found on top. Sid forgot to tell Tobey what the cookie was. Not used to getting a fortune cookie with a smoothie he asked, "What's this Chris."
"Oh, I was telling Sid, its a promotion this week, the one who gets the winning cookie gets a month's worth of free smoothies!"
"Awesome!"
Tobey broke his and a very disappointed look washed over his face because there was nothing in it, but he still ate the cookie. "Oh well, Sid hurry maybe you won!"
Sid took his cookie out of the green wrapper and broke it. "Is that Cinnamon I smell? Chris these cookies smell wonderful!"
"What? They're plain old fortune cookies, but thanks."
Sid broke the cookie and held it out to Tobey when he saw a paper inside it. Tobey read the words "You're a winner!" out loud.
"Yipppeee! . . . Chris! Sid won!" he yelled.
The broken cookie smelled so good of cinnamon and something Sid couldn't identify, he ate all of the broken pieces, every crumb while Tobey shifted around and bounced with joy. "You can have the smoothies Tobey, just share one or two okay?"
"Thanks Sid!" Tobey gave Sid back the paper that said winner. He didn't notice that it smelled of spices. Chris came over with a card that showed Tobey would receive thirty free smoothies! "Congrats Dude, give this to me each time and I will punch it as we go. You can make your free smoothies last longer than a month if you want to. You don't have to have one every day."
"Yeah right Chris – I might have three a day! Woo Hoo!"
"Wow Tobey, you wouldn't be any more excited if you had won a million dollars, in fact maybe not as excited since if you did, Nana wouldn't let you spend it."
"Yeah Sid, she will let me have the smoothies! I'll even give a couple to Sue if she stops yelling at me!" Tobey put the punch card in his wallet and they finished their smoothies. Tobey bounced happily the whole time.
Will watched from the front windows, waiting to see when Sid had drank most of his smoothie. Once he had, Will was satisfied his plan would work and left before Sid and Tobey came out to get their bikes. "I'm surprised Mr. Wu hasn't called us for more deliveries Sid – it must be a slow night."
"Yeah, its okay, I could use a nap." Sid yawned.
On the way back to Wu's Sid fell farther and farther behind Tobey and he finally had to stop and wait for him. It started to rain while he was waiting. They were behind the bakery, another of Tobey's favorite places. "Hey Sid, come on man – its raining - we gotta get back to Wu's and get our rain slickers just in case there are more deliveries. Sue will have our heads if she things we're out goofing off. We promised her we would never make her come looking for us again – at least she can't come out in the rain with her cast."
"Sorry Tobey, I'm coming." instead of catching up, Sid stopped completely still about thirty feet away from Tobey. He put his feet down and held his head leaning over the handlebars.
Tobey rode back to him. "Sid, you okay?"
"No, I'm real dizzy - I . . . um . . ."
"I'll call Nana!" Tobey reached for his phone. Sid fell forward on his handlebars and then he and the bike fell over. Tobey tried to grab him but only caught his shirt and the sleeve tore. Tobey jumped off his bike and leaned down over his fallen friend.
"Sid – whats going on? It's not your back is it?"
"Not my back, I feel so weak – all over! - I'm scared!"
"No Sid!" Tobey picked Sid's head and shoulders up off the cold hard pavement and pulled him up in his arms. He placed him gently in his lap and started to get his phone out again.
Will came from around the corner next to the bakery and Tobey saw him. "Will, Sid is sick!" Tobey had his phone calling Nana.
"Sid is worse than sick," Will threatened. Tobey was concentrating on his call to Nana and didn't hear him. Sid was so weak he barely managed to turn his head to see Will. He whispered, "Tobey, run!"
"What? I have to help you."
Will had walked close enough that he slapped Tobey's phone out of his hands. "What are you doing?"
"You and I have another date Tobey."
"Come on Will, I don't' have time for this - Sid is sick - I have to help him." Tobey still wasn't looking at Will so he didn't see him make a grab for him. Sid moaned, "Tobey watch out!"
Tobey ducked and pulled his fist back to punch Will. "Stop Tobey – I know I can't beat you in a fight. But even if you win, Sid's situation is hopeless."
"What do you mean? Do you know what's wrong with him?"
"I'm the one who poisoned him and now with Sid out of the way, you will love me and stop trying to get away from your father."
"There is no way that's going to happen – Will, but you poisoned Sid? That's impossible!"
Sid forced himself to get up. "You cant take him! I won't let you." Sid swayed and Tobey held onto him to keep him from falling. "Sid, sit back down, I can take care of this."
"You can do nothing to avoid this Tobey! Did you hear me Sid? You will be gone soon anyway, just lie down and die would ya?"
"Someone as pathetic as you can't kill me Will – even with Kong Li's help! But if I do die, I will take you with me." Sid coughed and bent forward. Tobey frowned at Sid's statement. He didn't want him to die at all and he was barely able to stay on his feet with Tobey at his side to help hold him up. Seeing Sid suddenly so weak scared him more than anything.
Desperately Will ran at them, Tobey stepped in front of Sid and simply stopped Will with a palm to his chest. Tobey didn't have to put any force behind it. Will just ran into his palm and fell back on his butt in a puddle. Sid groaned and wrapped his arms around his stomach and started to his knees. Tobey caught Sid and let him down easy. It started raining harder and the sound of the splashing big drops drowned out the sound of someone else approaching.
"Now Will. This is not exactly the plan I told you to follow is it?" They all turned to see Kong Li walking up to them, scraping his staff on the ground. He continued, "Will is right though, Sid has been poisoned, but there is a small glimmer of hope I can offer. Say your last good bye to Sid my son. Go willingly with Will right now. Then I will take Sid home to his Nana. And when Mai Hua gives me the cookbook I will give her the antidote to save Sid's life."
Tobey only stepped closer to Sid and Sid argued, "Forget it Kong Li. If you get the cookbook no one will survive anyway. I am sure Nana, Sue and I will be the first to perish if you ever do get the cookbook."
"Oh now that's simply not true Sid. I promise, once I get the cookbook, I will start somewhere else and give you three a small chance to get away. My son will finally be at my side – what do I care what you do?"
While Kong Li spoke to Sid, Will walked up to Tobey and held one of his wrists like that would keep him from running. Tobey started to fight, but Kong Li threatened. If you refuse Sid will die now. Tobey froze and Will cooed at him, stroking his arm and chest wet with rain water. Tobey turned away and gritted his teeth. Will, let him come over here and say goodbye.
Will let go of his wrist and Tobey started out tentatively afraid Kong Li would change his mind about letting him go to Sid and he might hurt Sid. When Kong Li didn't make a move, Tobey ran the last few steps. Sid got up and hugged Tobey after he fell into him. "Sid, what will we do?" Tobey whispered in his ear.
"Tobey – we will get out of this – I promise. Don't give up – don't give in and let Will . . . do anything . . . no matter what they tell you!" Sid started to fall, but Tobey hugged him tighter. "Promise you won't die Sid – please – even if I can never see you again – don't die – stop Kong Li if you have to take me down with him."
"Tobey no-"
"Enough! Tobey, go with Will." Tobey only hugged Sid tighter so Kong Li forced them apart by pulling on Tobey's hair. He screamed in frustration and stumbled backwards away from Sid.
With no one to help him stand, Sid grabbed his stomach and fell to his knees and then flat on the wet pavement. Kong Li pulled Tobey's hands behind his back and poured something pink out of a flask over his wrists. The pink liquid formed into what looked like pink rubber cords and bound his wrists together automatically. Once Tobey's hands were secure Kong Li pushed him at Will. He stumbled and Will caught him before he fell.
Tobey wiggled out of his arms and balanced on one leg intending to kick Will into the next day, but Kong Li shouted, "Don't you want Sid to even have a chance? Go quietly my son."
Too weak to move, Sid could only watch as Tobey gave up and allowed Will to touch him. Sid was afraid Tobey had completely given up. He glanced back at Sid one last time and Will stopped. He looked back at Sid too and because Sid was still watching, he couldn't resist kissing Tobey so he could see. Tobey left his arms limp, tied tightly behind his back anyway and let Will do what he wanted. Tobey didn't respond, didn't kiss him back, but Sid panicked, "No Tobey! Don't give up – don't let him even touch you!"
Will laughed as he took Tobey back under his arm and led him down the alley and around the corner just past Golai's House of Stuff.
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Terrified to think of what Will might talk Tobey in to doing while they threatened his life, he tried to get up, but only wound up crawling a few feet. Kong Li kicked under his stomach and Sid rolled onto his back groaning.
"You know Sid? I am really enjoying this. Seeing you suffer - after all the times you messed up my plans – even my plans of having grandchildren. And really, I am a little jealous that you grew up to love my son and I missed his whole childhood." Kong Li lifted Sid up by the front of his shirt and put his face right in his. "I am very angry with you for that. It was you that turned him away from liking girls – if he had been raised by me – a man – he would have been tougher and grown up to give me grandchildren."
"You are too old to have seen any grandchildren from Tobey. You'll die of old age before he is old enough to have kids. What were you; seventy when you married his mother? Anyway K-Kong Li, just because he loves me, doesn't make him any less a man or weaker and actually, Tobey was the one who pursued me until he caught me."
"How dare you – it had to be you who tricked him!"
"I know you won't spare my life, Will made that pretty clear even before you told me how you feel, but Nana will stop you. She will save Tobey and defeat you."
"Just pass out already, I'm tired of hearing your voice Sid. Its so soft and alluring – makes me sick how you used it to make Tobey fall in love with you. You know, Will plays the guitar too. He can serenade Tobey just like you used to."
"If you're so mad about Tobey liking boys, how come you didn't hypnotize a girl into helping you?"
"Because I know you have already ruined him for girls. I told you to just pass out." With his fist, Kong Li hit Sid in the side of his head so hard his head snapped back. His eyes closed and he fell with the side of his face in a shallow puddle. Blood ran from his hairline at his temple from a cut made by Kong Li's ring.
Kong Li picked Sid up across his arms and leapt up over six feet to disappear into a portal he congered. An instant later he landed in front of Wu's Garden holding Sid. Other people on the sidewalk looked quickly away and went about their business. There were no customers inside; Barney was restocking the condiments on the tables and Nana was sitting with her back to the door. She looked over when she heard the bell.
She gasped and hearing her made Barney look too when she saw Kong Li carry Sid inside. He didn't stoop down lower at all when he let Sid roll out of his arms. Sid landed on his shoulder and hip completely limp. Blood smeared on the floor from his head and he groaned loudly just before he passed out.
"Barney! Run!" Nana cried, but Kong Li aimed his staff at him. Barney was struck by the energy that shot from the head of the staff like lightening. He flew over the back of the booth he had been working in, slid across a table, bounced once on the bench and rolled off onto the floor under the table.
"Kong Li you didn't have to do that! Barney is innocent of all this – he doesn't even know who you are."
"And this way - he never will - at least not before I become king."
"What have you done to Sid? Where's Tobey?" Nana lowered her voice, hoping Sue was asleep and didn't hear what was going on. If she came down to investigate she would be in terrible, immediate danger too.
"Tobey is on his way to my lair, my home. He will finally live with me, as my son. Will has turned out be to much more helpful than I thought he would be at first."
Kong Li kicked Sid in the lower back trying to wake him up so he could hear the next part. Sid groaned and Kong Li looked down at him. "My son loves Will and together we can convince him that staying with me is the best thing for him to do."
Sid groaned, "No – not true," and rolled over on his side to try and get up.
"What about Sid? What did you do to him? What kind of sick game are you playing with his life?"
"No game Mai Hua. Sid has been poisoned. You have about an hour until he is beyond saving, so that gives you about an hour to meet me at the wharf, warehouse 14 with the magic cookbook. I will give you the antidote when I am sure you brought me the right cookbook this time. You better bring Sid with you. He may not last until you get back with the antidote."
"Kong Li – you monster. Why not let me give you the cookbook now, give me the antidote for Sid and we are done?"
"The antidote is at the warehouse. I want to do this on neutral ground. You are likely to try something very annoying here. By the way, where is little Sue Yi with the broken wing? Is she hiding out, planning to attack when I'm not looking?"
"Sue is not hiding. The warehouse is far from neutral. I know you've been calling it your lair for weeks now and who knows what kind of traps you have set up for me there. I will meet you, but I will not go inside."
"Fair enough Mei Hua." Kong Li slipped out the front door, this time somehow without making the bell ring. Nana ran to Sid and helped him roll onto his back. "Sid, how did this happen?"
"I don't know N-Nana." Just the effort to say that much and Sid had to stop to catch his breath.
"Just answer 'yes' and 'no' Sid. Was Tobey okay when you saw him last?"
"Yes, but . . ."
"Shhhhh – save your strength. Did you eat anything that Tobey didn't?"
"No." with a shaking hand, Sid reached into his pocket and found the slip of paper from the fortune cookie. Nana took it, and could smell it before she even held it up to look at it. The paper still smelled strongly of cinnamon and clove. "Oh no, the poison green apple recipe! I recognize the smell!"
Sid nodded. "Jiang's."
"Are you sure Tobey didn't eat anything with this in it?"
"I'm sure . . . my fortune cookie. I won." Sid got the green wrapper out of his pocket too. Nana smelled it.
"The winning cookie was poisoned." it was more a curious observation than a question.
"S-Some prize . . . I . . . will complain . . . to . . . Chris." Sid panted and managed a weak smile as he closed his eyes. He exhaled and his whole body appeared to relax like he had passed out.
"Sid?" Nana put her hand on his stomach to feel for his breath. "Are you still with me?"
Sid whispered, "Yeah."
"Hang in there." Nana yelled for Sue as she quickly went to check on Barney. She pulled him out from under the table and put him on the bench. He moaned and put his hand to his head. "You will be fine Barney – lie still."
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Lying on her bed reading, Sue heard Nana yell. "Those boys better not be goofing off. I'm not doing their deliveries or looking for them today." She pulled her pants on with one hand and put the sling around her neck for her cast that she was finally using. When she got to the dining room, Nana was helping Barney sit up. She was explaining to him that the home invader had a taser and that was what hit him. She told him that he had been out so long that the police had already been there.
Sue gasped when she saw her brother. He was lying alone on the floor near the front door. In a few short running strides Sue was next to Sid. She touched his cheek and found him very cold. "Nana! What happened to them? Where's Tobey?"
"Kong Li happened. He has Tobey." Nana helped Barney to the kitchen without him seeing Sid and came right back to Sue.
"Kong Li was here?"
"Yes I am afraid so. It sounds like Kong Li and Will ambushed them. They poisoned Sid to keep him from being able to help Tobey and I'm sure they threatened Tobey with Sid's life if he didn't cooperate."
"Sid is poisoned? With what? Can you help him Nana? We have to go get Tobey!"
"Kong Li said Tobey was at his lair. He left Sid here to suffer while we mess around with having to take him the Magic cookbook to trade it for the antidote. He is not planning to give Tobey back and I'm sure he doesn't really have an antidote for Sid."
Sue said angrily, "He won't have a choice – he has to save Sid and we will get Tobey back!" Sue squeezed her brother's hand and leaned over to kiss his forehead.
"We don't need Kong Li to save Sid. I know what poison Kong Li used and know the antidote. Sid was smart and saved the wrapper tainted with the poison. It will just take a few minutes to put an antidote together; come on Sue." Nana gently picked Sid up and carried him down to the storeroom with Sue following close behind. As she got to the bottom step Nana complained, "Ooof, Sid you are getting too big for me to carry alone."
When Sue wasn't finding ingredients or chopping up ingredients for Nana, she held Sid's hand and watched him breathe. His skin felt very cold and he would no longer respond at all. "Nana, Sid looks really bad!"
"I know Sue, I think the poison is progressing even faster than Kong Li thought it would."
"Or he was lying about the time frame. Nana – he can't die right? We all need him!" Sue leaned forward and started to cry on Sid's shirt. Nana turned up the burner and stirred faster.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
From a very dark alley behind a liquor store Will walked behind Tobey, prodding him to go down into a large hole dug through the pavement and dirt. They ducked under some caution tape and after sliding down about ten feet they found themselves in a tunnel that went under a building. Will jogged a few strides to catch up to Tobey. Hugging him from behind like a sneak attack Will tried to blow in Tobey's ear for about the fifth time. Tobey turned his head and pulled away. "Stop it!"
"What have they done to turn you against me? – You used to like it when I did that."
"No one did anything to turn me against you. I've never even liked you and really – if you could remember anything, you would know you never liked me much either since every chance you get you pull some kind of mean prank on me. What would Julie from your math class say if she could see you trying to kiss me?"
"Julie? Who's Julie?"
"She's your girlfriend, or she was before you left school. Nana figured out that you weren't in juvenile detention – you were probably kidnapped by Kong Li weeks ago and it took him all this time to brainwash you so you would work for him. Your parents have been going crazy looking for you."
"Shut up – that isn't true – I had no one before Kong Li found me!" Will angrily pushed Tobey ahead. Tobey quickly recovered and walked backwards in the dark tunnel in front of Will still trying to convince him. "You're wrong, Kong Li has been lying to you. You have a life – you have people who love you and miss you. I want to help you get back to them."
"Do I have to gag you? Shut up already!"
"Just try to gag me!" Tobey threatened and pulled at the pink goo that held his hands behind his back. Will set his jaw, and spoke angrily through his teeth. "Don't make me do anything we'll both regret!"
"Too late! I'm regretting all kinds of things. You're lucky - when Nana saves you - you probably won't remember anything that happened. Sid and I will remember everything – I just hope he can forgive me, I'm not sure I can forgive myself."
Tobey stopped trying to reason with Will when the tunnel opened up into a larger dimly lit room just ahead. On a table there was a bucket of what was left of the shifter. Tobey knew they had to be where Kong Li called home. There were hundreds of old books on shelves attached to the brick walls and tables with pots and bubbling cauldrons, bubbling, even though there were no heat sources under them. Some of the goo in some of the jars was moving.
"You really think it is normal for you to live like this? Do you think it's normal for anyone to live like this?"
"Stop lying Tobey."
"I'm not the one who's lying – doesn't any part of your life before remain in your memory? Your parents, going on dates with Julie – you even brought her to Wu's Garden several times and you teased me the whole time I was trying to wait on you. You taped my legs together in class while I was napping and I fell flat on my face more than once."
"That does sound funny – but I wouldn't ever do that to you – I love you."
"No you don't, you may not hate me, but you probably look at me as a mild annoyance and I don't love you!"
"Not true – you just don't remember – Kong Li said they tortured you and made you forget!" Will roughly pushed him over to the wall and made him sit down.
The more Tobey spoke the more agitated he became. Tobey did what he said, just waiting for his chance to bolt. Will reached into the shadows and pulled a metal cuff with a heavy chain attached to it over to Tobey's ankle. When Tobey saw what Will was doing he rolled over and tried to get up thinking it would be his last chance to run. Will jumped on him and held him down with his knee in his back while he pulled Tobey's foot up and locked the cuff around his ankle. Tobey yelled at him "Let me go – or just kill me and be done with it!"
"You won't run away and killing you is the last think I want to do. While I convince you that you love me!"
"How are you going to convince me of that – when it isn't true?"
"Kong Li said I will have to do it the same way Mei Hua and Sid made you forget."
"How do you think they did that?"
"Kong Li said they tortured you." Tobey's mouth fell open in shock for a second. "No one tortured me a loving family doesn't torture it's members!"
Will wasn't paying attention. He opened a trunk and pulled something out. In the dim light Tobey couldn't see what it was until Will found the end and flipped it around. Holding a rigid handle with several heavy leather strips attached, the whip reminded Tobey of the 'cat 'o nine tails' that he saw used on the crew in pirate movies.
"Will what are you going to do with that?" his voice shook, his eyes got as big as saucers and he backed down the wall as far as the short chain attached to his leg would let him.
"I told you – Kong Li said if I torture you - you will remember."
"You honestly think that makes sense? You think if you hurt me – I will love you? Not likely - especially since it has never been true!"
Will walked toward Tobey experimentally slapping his own leg with the lashes. He was surprised even through his jeans, it stung. Tobey kicked hard with the leg where the cuff was fastened, but only hurt his ankle. As he tried to roll over and get up Will stepped on the chain and kept him down. Tobey fell on his stomach and yelled, "No! Will don't do this – Sid will . . ." he started to tell him Sid wouldn't forgive him, but remembered Sid was probably gone. Tobey turned away, crying for Sid and still trying weakly to crawl away. Will pulled the lash up and back pausing only an instant before he brought it down, aiming for Tobey's back.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
Tobey continued . . .