People, people, people. We really need to sit down and talk about the CLUES I've been throwing your way. The SPOILERS.

You all know I don't give spoilers, but COME ON! You guys are usually great at guessing ideas and OK, some of you guessed one idea and gave me another, but the one main one- THE MAIN ONE- and nothing. I am truly shocked at you guys. Maybe you need sugar :P

Not having a go at you lot or anything, I'm just saying- you threaten me to within an inch of my life by guessing my plans and… nothing. At all.

This chapter may not be all that long, depending on sugar, but I will try.

Luke lunged at Alvie, who nobly went 'meep' and ducked out of the way. Unfortunately, he collided with the hooded figure.

He was grabbed by the upper arms and the mystery foe held him still with scary, surprising strength. Alvie struggled for all it was worth; panic swelling in his chest, but that only encouraged his captor to secure his arms around Alvie, pinning his arms to his sides. They tightened their hold until it felt like Alvie's ribs were cracking and, even then, they continued, his ribs becoming increasingly painful as he was crushed tighter.

Then he noticed something that probably saved his life.

With their arms out from under the cloak, Alvie could see their wrists.

Scarred, exposed wrists.

Luke noticed that Alvie had figured out the main part of his plan, but instead of being annoyed at that, he smiled coldly and triumphantly. He snapped his fingers and Alvie was thrown to the floor harshly. He got the chance to draw breath before he was kicked onto his back. A steady foot was placed on his chest, crushing his ribs yet again.

He looked up, seeing a glint of silver under the hood as his imprisoner turned their head to look at Luke. Alvie saw that Elsie was unconscious at the woman's feet and Alokia was struggling against a big, muscular guy with a double-headed axe strapped to his back. She was terrified and pale, with tears prickling in her eyes. She stared pleadingly at Alvie, her breathing ragged in fear.

Luke stepped forward and yanked his new helper's hood down.

Stupidly, Alvie had hoped that he was wrong, but Max stared down at him with lifeless, dull grey eyes.

But that wasn't what scared Alvie the most. What frightened him terribly was the silvery-blue technological thing wrapped around Max's head with a silver ring of similar mechanics around his right eye, a translucent red screen in the centre.

"Much better than the potion." Luke laughed happily, clapping Max on the shoulder. "And no reverse either." Max just stared down at Alvie; blank, emotionless… dead. Alvie saw that he didn't breathe.

"And I thought you couldn't stoop any lower!" Alokia cried, tears of anger, despair and terror streaming. The axe man clamped a huge, meaty hand over her mouth, effectively silencing her. Even her muffled screams of protest were barely audible.

"Mmm… take those two to the holding cells. Alvie and I need to talk." Elsie and Alokia were carried/dragged away by the woman and the axe man. Luke snapped his fingers at Max, who automatically removed his foot from Alvie's chest and pulled the smaller boy roughly to his feet, manhandling Alvie along the corridor. Alvie tried to fight, but his heart wasn't really in it. He was still trying to get over the shock of his brother's latest situation.

When he did come back into focus, he saw that he was in a square room, like an interrogation room. There was a chair in the centre of the room, bolted to the floor. It was steel reinforced, but originally wooden and somebody had added leather straps to the armrests, the back of the chair and the chair legs.

Luke smirked at Alvie. "Max, show our guest to his seat." Alvie started fighting then, but it was no use. Even when Max was alive, he was way stronger than Alvie. No he had strength beyond comprehension.

Alvie tried to fight his brother off anyway, but Luke just clouted him about the head. Stars danced in Alvie's vision and he was momentarily dazed. Max took this opportunity to effortlessly shove Alvie into the seat and start securing the straps. It took seconds for Max to finish, seconds. Inhumanely strong and inhumanely fast. Why couldn't he just be humanely alive?

Max moved to the side, concealing himself in the shadows, on Luke's orders. Luke casually stood in front of Alvie, his hands behind his back with the air of a dictator about him. "So…" He said, as if beginning a regular conversation between two friends. "I hear you have some very interesting abilities." Alvie stayed quiet. Luke didn't press him on this bit, continuing anyway. "As to why Apollo would gift you with such immense power and control, I have no idea. But that doesn't matter. All I want to know is what your abilities are and how to gain control of them for my own use. Maybe you could join your brother…" Luke contemplated him for a short while. "Max, what do you think? Wish to be reunited with the brother that got you killed?" Max didn't so much as stir, but that only reminded Alvie harshly of the reason as to why he was like this now.

Luke slowly started pacing around Alvie's chair. "So, what can you do then? I've heard of the prophecies, although they weren't originally yours, but it was you who put them into motion. Can you move stuff? Read minds and memories? Have you seen the future without the inclusion of a prophecy?" Alvie still refused to answer. "Are you so-called powers related to your autism in any shape or form?" Alvie tensed. Luke noticed and seemed to find that funny, giving a short chuckle. "I know very little about you and your family."

Luke fell quiet, stopping in front of Alvie. He glanced at Max, before slowly turning his head to look Alvie dead in the eye. Alvie tried to stare the opponent out, but habit and nature made him drop his gaze. Luke just gave a stiff, mocking 'humph' laugh.

He was quiet for gods knew how long. Time slipped through Alvie's fingers like sand and he rarely could keep track of it. He kept looking over at his brother, half-expecting and half-hoping to see a bronze axe materialise in his hand and for the owner to charge Luke.

He didn't see bronze; he just saw silver and blue. The owner didn't charge Luke; he just stood stock still and as silent as the shadows encasing him.

Luke sighed. "Well, you're not going to talk. Max, watch him for a minute. There are some… friends of mine I'd like our guest to meet." Luke left, no response from Max whatsoever. Was he so sure, so confident in his latest achievement that he could leave it unattended and in charge of his prisoner? Alvie hoped not. He hoped that there was a flaw somewhere, one he could find and use to his advantage to…

To what?

Luke had said it was irreversible. Max was walking around and capable of manhandling someone even though he possessed no heartbeat or breath.

"Max?" Alvie called despite himself. "Max, it's me… please… I'm sorry…"

He got no response and this just caused him despair. More despair.

He didn't want to give up though. "He's got Elsie and Alokia somewhere. We… we need to find them…" Alvie talked to his brother, apologizing, offering to take him home, to help him, anything he could think of. He talked until his throat hurt, until he heard footsteps approaching. He fell silent as the door swung open.

Luke smiled at him, cold and menacing. Two men armed with spears were behind him and they moved to stand either side of Alvie.

"Are we going to talk now?" Luke asked him. "I'm going to ask you a question. You will answer. If you don't respond or fail to tell me what I need to know, they will shock you." He gestured at the spears they were holding and the tips crackled with electricity. Alvie glanced at Max, but he remained a concealed statue. "So, what can you do with these powers of yours? No, don't look at Max. He won't help you." Luke waved his hand and the spearmen readied their weapons. "Start talking." Luke's casual tone was gone, replaced with the deadly serious tone Alvie was often used to hearing. "Remember with have those dear cousins of yours locked away. We can shock you until the cows come home, but if that's not good enough, things will be so much worse for them." Terror washed over Alvie and he curled his hands into fists, trying to remain as calm as possible.

OK, he seriously had to think of something. Anything. His grandmother was Athena. There had to be some way out of this, surely?

Luke was talking again, probably repeating his question. Alvie mumbled the question to himself, trying to grasp at any thought that popped up, but they slunk away, as unattainable as Max.

A spear was jabbed into his ribs and a vicious jolt zapped through him.

Luke smiled grimly. "That was a warning shot. Answer my question."

"Wh-?"

"What can you do?"

"I…" Alvie bit his lip, trying not to hyperventilate in panic. Luke rolled his hand in a motion Alvie didn't register.

"Continue." Luke translated, growling slightly in annoyance.

What do I do? Max is… and Elsie and Kia… please help me, I can't lose anymore…

Dum-de-dum, off to bed, not allowed to stay up late 'cos I hate early mornings. Mum can cart me off to bed the second I get home, but early mornings and getting up from a warm bed and into a freezing room are not my things.

GODS DAMN YOU SCHOOL!

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