Chapter Five

AN: This takes place after Chapter Five of Spectrum: Ninniach's Tale by Myth Queen.

I opened my eyes slowly, feeling disoriented. What had happened? I blinked several times, trying to clear the fog from my mind. The last thing I remembered was... we were being pursued. Something had struck the back of my neck, and I had told Ninniach to run...

I sat bolt upright, my eyes widening. Ninniach! Where was she? I scrambled to my feet, and looked around wildly. Cliffs, stony beach, sea...all deserted. Where was my sister? Where had the Mortals taken her? Panic clutched my heart as the possibility of losing my new sister so soon sank in. That could not happen. I would not allow it. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, and tried to think.

The mortals- Doctor North and Doctor Brightman, according to Ninniach- had followed us in a vehicle. Presumably, they had left in the same manner. I had been unconscious for several hours, if not a day, but there might still be tracks I could follow, so I should be able to find where they had taken Ninniach. Another thought occured to me. How had they been able to kidnap her? I knew she was capable of burning any who wished her harm, so she had to have gone with them voluntarily. Why?! Did she still fear my intent, fear me, even after she had named me her brother? She had pulled away when I touched her arm, earlier...

I ignored the disenheartening thoughts. Regardless of what she thought of me, she had seemed to understand that being held by the mortals was dangerous. That meant they had to have coerced her to accompany them somehow. I began searching the beach for the vehicle's tracks, and followed the route they left. It was unmistakably clear, and I thanked the Valar for mortal simplicity as I walked. Of course, less than an hour later, the tracks led off the beach onto a mortal road. I gazed along it in both directions, dismayed. I had no idea which way they might have gone. I put my head in my hands and groaned. How would I ever find Ninniach now? I had no friends in the mortal world, knew no-one who could help me, even if I trusted them with my story.

I felt someone's gaze upon me, and whirled round. A dark-skinned, muscular man with an eyepatch was eying me suspiciously. He took a few steps towards me, his full-length leather coat billowing behind him. I tensed. I had seen spies before, and this man definitely carried himself like one. I had no idea who he was, or what he could want with me, so I stayed on guard.

"Bit early to be walking on the beach, isn't it, sir?" He asked. "Unless you spent the whole night there for some reason."

"Who are you?" I asked tightly. I was in no mood to be interrogated, I had an actual problem to worry about!

"Just someone who's spent a long time trying to track down a troublemaker." He said casually. "Last I heard, Dr North was headed this way."

His eye focussed on me sharply when I gasped.

"Seen him, have you?"

I thought quickly. Whoever this man was, he plainly knew something about North. I did not trust him, but my chances of finding Ninniach alone were slim. I chose my words carefully.

"My companion and I were fleeing from him." I decided not to tell him that Ninniach was my sister. "He and his accomplices followed us here. I was knocked out with some kind of dart. I have no idea what happened next. I fear he may have taken my sis- my companion as a hostage."

He nodded. "I know. I watched the whole thing from a distance. You want to tell me why North kidnapped that girl?"

Anger had risen in me at his words, and I spoke without really thinking. "If you knew what was happening, why didn't you intervene?! You could have prevented her from being taken! Foolish Mortal!" I immediately wished I had not said that, but the one-eyed man did not appear to notice anything amiss.

"I didn't get involved because it was too dangerous, with North having two potential hostages." His voice was as calm as it had been the entire time, my anger seemingly not bothering him at all. "Besides, with what I saw that girl doing, I thought she'd be able to escape on her own. Burning all North's guys like that... that's a pretty unusual talent." He met my gaze again. "I'd imagine the only reason she didn't get away is because North pulled a gun on you."

My mind was reeling. Ninniach had gone with North to save my life? And now her own was endangered... "Do you know where North has taken her?" I blurted, deciding in an instant that I would have to trust this Man.

He shrugged slightly. "I might. It depends on whether you explain why he kidnapped your friend."

I gritted my teeth. I could not tell the truth, even if I thought I would be believed, but I would have to tell him something...

I spoke slowly. "My companion is older than she looks. She has some... unusual abilities, as you have noticed. I believe North wishes to discover if her gifts can be used as some type of power source. I cannot let that happen. She is my responsibility, and I have to protect her."

The man frowned at me. "You aren't telling me everything, but I believe what you have said. You called me mortal earlier, which makes me think you aren't, and so it's likely that your sister isn't either." I silently berated myself for almost calling Ninniach my sister a few minutes ago. I had stopped myself from actually saying the word, but the man must have heard my slip, and worked it out for himself. He was aggravatingly intuitive, for a Mortal.

The Man had begun to walk towards a stationary vehicle with darkened windows that I had not really paid attention to. He climbed in, and beckoned me to follow. I had little choice, so I went with him. As we drove down the road, and I fought my rising impatience, the man pressed some buttons on one of those mortal devices, a computer, I believed, and an image of Ninniach and I as we ran towards the cliffs appeared.

"My operatives began recording this as soon as we realised you two were North's targets." The man began speaking again. "With a bit of effort, we were able to work out what was being said as your 'sister' was captured." He looked at me intently. "North referred to Valinor, and the girl called you Maglor. Now, normally I'd take this as a cover story, since Tolkien's stories are fictional, but the way you and the girl talk, and your ears... I wasn't sure what to believe. So I had someone do some digging on Tolkien himself, and look what we found, in the archive photographs..." I tensed as he called up another image on the screen, this one in black and white. It was a picture of John and I, talking animatedly as we walked across the grounds of Oxford University. I flinched, cursing myself. Why had it never occured to me that my image might have been recorded? And how was I going to explain this to the mortal?

"I had family living in Oxford some generations ago. I have often been told I bear a great resemblence to one of my distant cousins." I bluffed, hoping my words sounded convincing.

"You're lying. The man in that picture with Tolkien is you. And you look exactly the same now as you did seventy years ago. Impossible as it seems, I'll have to acknowledge that you are the Maglor from Tolkien's stories." His expression became stern. "Now, I don't want details. I don't want to know anything about you, or your people. My duty is to protect this world from threats. So I'll make you a deal. I'll help you recover the girl, and in return, you two go back wherever you came from, and never cross paths with any of my people again. Deal?"

I took his offered hand and shook, silently thanking Illuvatar that he had not pressed for details.. His thoughts were in perfect agreement with mine. One question remained. "Where are we actually going?"

"I'm taking you to North's lab. It used to be a private clinic, but North's been using it for weapons research ever since it closed down. What you do when you get in there is entirely your business, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention me. I could get in a whole lot of trouble with my superiors for this, so..."

"My lips are sealed." I promised. He nodded his thanks, and we drove on in silence. Finally, the vehicle pulled to a stop. I got out first and looked around. I had no idea where I was. We were in a deserted area, dotted here and there with derelict buildings. The man who had brought me here gestured towards a one-storeyed building with darkened windows. "That's North's place. When you and the girl get out, head north- there are several abandoned cars there, in the parking lot. I assume you know how to drive?"

I shook my head. "I never learned. Ninniach and I will have to escape on our own feet. I thank you for all your help though."

He nodded curtly as he climbed back into his car. "Be careful," he warned. "North's more dangerous than you realise." With that encouraging statement, he slammed his door and the vehicle drove away.

"Farewell to you as well." I muttered. It only then really sank in that he had not once told me his name... not that it mattered now. I turned towards the innocent-looking building. I sent a silent prayer that I had reached here in time.

"Ninniach...I'm coming for you, sister."