Welcome back after so time has passed. Yes, a lot of time…

Anyway, I fear that this book is becoming rather complicated. I keep facing writers blocks because I can't advance plot in a way that is satisfying or makes sense. I'm not sure, but we'll keep going and see what happens.

On with the story…

Sense of Hope

The whole thing was messing with me. My mind was in so many different places and thinking on so many different things at the same time, it was unbearable and was my downfall. I would have never agreed to Austin and his plan to capture the team; what was I even thinking? Was my head really that messed up and my emotions that out of control that I blatantly agreed to the evil that I am now stuck in? Regardless, I was on my way to start off Austins first plan of capturing.

He had instructed me to head back to the team, telling them that I was able to escape, but Penny being killed in action. With his power, I had no choice but to do so, or I suffer endless pain, which I didn't want to experience now. He had his plans, and I had my own plan to myself, hidden away from Austin. If I could chip away at what Austin has, then I can finally kill him and make sure that he stays down forever, but of course it was to be done in secret, away from Austin's attention.

I neared Corneria rapidly, preparing myself to break the news to the team. How I was going to be able to tell them exactly what was happening was beyond me, but I would find a way to do so.

In the back of my head, I could feel Austin's presence. He didn't know it, but I knew when he was in my head and listening, ready to bring me pain at the slightest hint of disobedience. I wasn't entirely hopeless, some of it still shined, and I was ready to take advantage of any chances I come across.

As I broke the atmosphere, I entered the command to op the rear bay doors, a mile away from the estate. The large doors slid open, and my Arwing was sent into auto pilot to fly itself through the narrow corridor and into it's landing space beneath the estate.

I held my head as the Arwing did its job of flying, thinking about the plan and how to execute it correctly. The team isn't entirely easy to fool, especially Krystal, she'd know right away that something was going wrong if I were to suggest going to Aquas for no apparent reason. However, something did come to my mind, it would cause Austin to get cautious, but it was probably the only way I can get the team to Aquas without them suspecting much. If I forced them there, then they would suspect something was off, and If I tricked them into going there, then I could go forward with my own plans. It was dirty, but it was the only way I could anything against this Cerinian monster.

The Arwing slowed to complete stop as a mechanical arm came down, grabbing the sides and placing it back into it's original spot on the enormous rack of ships. As it locked, the cockpit hissed open, I, however, simply sat back with my eyes closed.

"...dear god" I said to myself, "what am I doing?"

I jumped out of the cockpit and onto the right wing, jumping down to the floor and over to the elevator. The small elevator took me down to the surface, I walked over to the other elevator and took it all the way up to the estate itself.

On the way up, I thought about the whole plan once more. What if the team isn't able to take any hints that I try to give. I am trying to make them as clueless as possible, to please Austin and keep him from harming Penny and I, but I want them to have some clues alluding to the danger.

I slammed my fist in the wall and cursed to myself, "I'm going to get you for this Austin" I said to myself, only to be met with a slight shock of pain radiating from my head. It was enough that I was able to stop it, making a point to Austin that I was listening, but not liking it.

The doors slowly slid open, revealing the small hallway that connected the two pieces of the estate. To the left was where the original team lived, and the right were the new members living areas and rooms. I felt them conversing in the briefing room, debating and arguing over what happened not to long ago. Apparently I wasn't in captivity for long, only around an hour of hell was what I endured. I walked over to the stairs that led to the room.

"So" I said loudly as I walked down, "I think you guys may want to hear what it is I have to say."

Everyone looked towards the entrance and watched as I walked into the room, unscathed.

"Kevin?!" Rose cried as she saw me alive and well. She ran over to me and hugged me tightly, relieved that I was still breathing.

Fox was even shocked, "What the hell happened to you?" he and Jess were standing next to each other at the front of the room. They were the two arguing, I had sensed it was due to Penny being captured and possibly killed, and the team not doing anything about it and simply letting them take her.

I released Rose slightly, looking straight at Fox and then over to Jess, "I know where they took Penny."

Jess was instant to speak, "We have to go! We need to stop these fuckers now! What if they are going to traffic her or something!?"

Fox grabbed his shoulder and yelled, "Enough!" he then looked over at me, "How do you know where they're going?"

I shook my head, "As I was escaping, I had sensed that the leader of the small group hiding in the asteroids, and yes, there were more ships hiding, was taking taking her to Aquas. That's all I was able to get, but I think it's enough for us to forge a counter attack and get Penny back."

Falco tilted his head, "Huh, trafficking, the gangs in Lylat are starting to become ballsy."

"You mean they hadn't done so before?" Jordan asked.

Falco shrugged, "At least not when I was affiliated with any gang. I never heard of trafficking going on in Lylat. I guess they like takin risks now."

Fox nodded repeatedly, "Okay, we'll think of something to do, but we can't just go in guns blazing."

"BUT WE HAVE TO SA-" Jess yelled before being silence by Fox's fist.

My eyes grew wide at the sudden action taken by Fox. I didn't really expect him to do such a thing, then again I felt that he was pretty fired up with Jess. Honestly, who could blame him? Jess was was Penny's brother, and he swore to protect her during their service on the CDF, and now on Star Fox. While I didn't condone what Fox just did, I also didn't want Jess pestering us with pointless arguing and bickering, so I just let it happen and didn't say a word.

Fox was pretty mad now, "I am not going to let Penny die like this!" he said furiously, "It's bad enough that she was captured, it's even worse that you are here arguing and not getting anywhere with it. We will save her, damn it, just not right now. If we go in without any sense of direction we'll risk even more of us getting captured or worse!"

I could still feel Austin within my mind. He was keeping a close eye on me, making sure I didn't reveal anything. Surprising, his cautiousness didn't spike after I told them about Aquas, instead he let it go due to it being a much more believeable plan. It didn't really matter to me if he got scared over the fact that Star Fox knew of him being alive and his plan with me, but I did care for my life, and I wasn't going to be selfish and forget about the other life that is at stake.

Several hours later, Solar had set over the horizon. I was sitting in my room, thinking over my past and how I got to this horrible situation. As I was doing this, I felt something different in my mind, two different presence within my head at the same time.

"shit" I said softly as I realized that Krystal was trying to look into my mind. Instantly, I blocked her out and clouded my mind, keeping her away from where Austin would be detected. It wasn't time to reveal what is happening, not yet. Just a little longer and I would be able to.

Over the course of the day, I payed close attention to Austin and his grip on my mind. One major flaw I noticed with it was that he could lose it easily. He had great strength with it, but he didn't have all powerful control. Knowing how telepathy can wander around when one is asleep, I devised the plan to reveal everything when Austin sleeps and loses complete grip of my mind.

"Hold on Krystal" I said to myself as I forced her out of my head.

As I did so, keeping Austin unaware of her intrusion, he loosened his grip. I sensed his own brain activity drop slightly, his emotions that were coming through to me were dim and tired. He was sleeping, but he wasn't in deep sleep.

I smiled, "Dumbass" I spoke softly, "doesn't even know his own weakness" I was glad and filled with joy. For once, I actually saw hope in the situation.

Suddenly, Austin's grip ceased. He was no longer chained to my mind and I was free from his control. Instantly, I shot up to my feet and ran out of my room and over to Krystal's room.

I slammed on the door, "Krystal open up!"

I felt her sudden spike in emotion as I left my room and she opened it just as I finished my sentence.

"Kevin…" she said as I brushed passed her.

"Listen" I said abruptly, "I don't have much time, but you need to know this."

She shook her head, "Kevin what's wrong?"

I felt the control slowly returning to my mind. Austin's mind was wandering back to mine, so I had very little time.

"Penny is alive, she is fine but she is being held hostage by Austin! I don't have any time to explain. He is using me as we speak, he has his mind chained to mine and using my skills and connections with you all so that I can lure you into traps to capture or kill each and every one of you. The grip he has on my mind is deadly and I cannot fight it, but I can suppress it slightly. Whatever you do, do not go into my mind and do not search my mind. If Austin catches wind of any of what I just said then he will kill Penny and disappear from Lylat for sure; we cannot let him leave or live any longer."

Krystal simply nodded with her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth.

"Please, forgive me, but I can't do anything about it. Just go along with what I say and we can end up beating and killing Austin. Go to the traps with full awareness of what is to come. It's the only way we're going to win and save Penny."

She nodded again.

The grip returned to my mind as Austin wandered back. It wasn't as if he was awake or anything, it was just a weak grip because of his mind aimlessly moving around.

"So" I said, changing the subject instantly, hoping Krystal would get the idea of what was happening, "You mind telling me what it was that Jess and Fox were fighting about exactly?"

Krystal looked at me with a confused look, to which I shot back a slight wink with a face of worry.

She nodded, "Yeah, Jess was just upset that we didn't stop them from taking Penny and you. Thankfully you're safe, but Penny can still be out there."

I nodded back, "I understand what he is feeling." I said, trying to keep my mind away from the information I had revealed to Krystal. Just the slightest thought would catch Austin's attention and ruin the entire plan. "After all" I continued, "if you lost someone you loved, and had the strongest feeling that you could in fact save them, then you would jump for the opportunity to do so."

Krystal simply nodded with her head lowered.

"When I learned that my mother was killed, I couldn't do anything, yet I wanted something to happen. Deep down I wished dearly for something." I continued.

"What was that?" Krystal asked.

I took a deep breath in, my breath shaking from the thought of my mother being gone, "I wanted what was said to me to be untrue. I wanted to hear back from them, telling me that my mother was safe and sound, living life like she used to. But…" I wiped my face from my tears, "...some things can't be done, and some things happen for a reason."

The day I heard that my mother had passed tore me apart. I felt like my heart had simply disappeared from my body and that my life was completely meaningless now. I had zero family left, she was all that I had remaining- now she was gone and I was alone, all alone in my life. But, Krystal and the other's helped me recuperate and getting me back to my old self. Because of this, because of the trust I had in them, I had to inform them about this one way or another- I wouldn't dare turn against my own friends.

Austin's grip weakened once more, leaving my mind and wandering off elsewhere.

"If you have a question about what's happening, ask it now." I said, looking at Krystal. Her face was still lowered as she pondered her own memories of Cerinia, the beautiful home world of this lovely vixen.

She simply raised her head, "How are we going to tell Fox and the others?"

I sighed, "Well, I can confine Austin to my mind and only my mind. I haven't tried it, but later on, I will see if it is doable. If I can infact do this, then you can freely tell the others about what I said, but they cannot say anything to me."

Yet another plan was coming into my own. I didn't think I would be able to expand it this much since Austin had so much power and was beyond deadly. Regardless, I was taking full advantage of what it was I could get away with.

She nodded, "I understand. Let me help you." she sat down next to me, "I can teach you to control your telepathy much more. I get that you have had yours for some time and are used to it, but there are secrets you have yet to unlock and potential in your own power that you have yet to meet."

I sighed once more, "Austin would likely find suspicion in it. But, I don't think we have much of a choice."

She shook her head, "I can pass down some teaching that my own father gave me to control my telepathy. He was a powerful Cerinian and had great influence, being the sole being with absolute control over his power, he passed them down to me, but I was unable to meet the expectations of handling such power. I couldn't handle it, and to this day I have yet to find the strength to do so. I am going to teach you this, whether Austin likes it or not."

I smiled slightly, finding comfort in the determination of Krystal and her intention to save me from Austin, "Thank you"

I wrapped my arms around her and smiled even more, "Austin isn't going to get away. He's going to die, one way or another."

Feeling the slight grip of his mind, I tapped on Krystal's shoulder, releasing her and getting up from her bed. I scratched the back of my head and looked back at her, "I assume that we'll start tomorrow? After we return from Aquas?"

Krystal nodded once, "Yes" she gave the simplest of answers to my question, and I was off to my room, feeling Austin slowly return to my mind, but drift off repeatedly.

Austin was a strange being. He was ruthless, menacing, powerful, and yet comfortable with everything. His attitude towards what he does and the possible outcomes of his actions are unlike anyone I have seen. The ego that he boasts is extreme and the self confidence that is based solely on his ability to fight and his intense telepathy were his downfall, in my eyes. I had already defeated him once, fighting his weak telepathy. Now I had to train my own to best him at his new game, a dangerous and risky game.

One way or another, Austin was going to die.

To Be Continued…

Right, so the plot is starting to mold into something different. Before I had Kevin going full on bad guy, having no control over anything, but now it's a bit more subtle as writers block keeps placing impossible scenarios in my face.

So, I ask you, please leave a review and tell me what you think of the story so far. Do you like the plot? If you have suggestions, tell me! If there are some things I need to improve upon, tell me! I can only get better with feedback.

Thank you all for reading, and I hope that this book will serve to be a great reading piece for every one of you.

Until next time...