A/N: I love peanut butter, no seriously we're out of sugar stuff at my house and all the fruits not crisp and fresh anymore so its like 'oh noes what do I do?'
Well the plums are already a lost cause, and I just hate apples that aren't crispy and crunchy.
So peanut butter to the rescue! I ate apples with peanut butter, it was great but filling and I really just liked the peanut butter more than I liked the apples.
Anyways, since I didn't want to waste the not so fresh apples I went online and looked up recipes, and in the process of looking up food kept coming back to your guys reviews (my brain has a minor case of ADHD, that or its just dumb and it likes taking my train of thought off the track and then run around the house smashing into walls with it).
Anyways so initially the game plan was we'd go back to the brawlers right away and I'm like 'no no, I've got a better idea.' See brain wanders off when I've got a story going on and when I get really into it brain tends to do some strangely brilliant things when it steals the train of thought.
For example I didn't plan out what happened after the brawl with Masquerade and Spectra the guidelines in my head were basically Masquerade wins, then Spectra and Masquerade engage in a physical fight Masky wins, mysterious figure shows up and defeats Masky. There was no Masquerade or Spectra losing it and going bananas. The figure didn't talk that much because I was afraid of spoiling the epicness of my plot of doom that will turn everything you thought you knew on its head and then throw it at the sun.
So we are not going to the brawlers but we are instead going back to our Earth to set up for the last of our OC's to make his way to the Bakugan Dimension.
Tyler: I can come in now.
Yes just don't ruin anything again and we'll be good.
Onwards with the story!
Chapter 65
Meredith Raynet pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat in the office beside Tyler Gyron. She was trying to keep herself from blowing a fuse or something because this was just getting ridiculous.
Once she arrived back at home she was immediately swept away by cops who had been waiting for her. They brought her to the station explained there was presently an ongoing investigation delving into the disappearances of not just her little sister Jessica, but her friends Viki Long, Mike Pasters, Aidan Baxter, and Alica Turner and left her to sit in this office alongside Tyler Gyron.
Meredith glanced sideways at Tyler. The boy's gray blue eyes were cast downwards at the floor avoiding her eyes as he sat hunched over in his seat his hands clasped together.
Meredith opened her mouth to question him when the door was thrown open and a burly mustached man in a police uniform stepped into the room. Meredith frowned at the man inspecting his uniform eyes wandering to the man's left shoulder where she recognized the sergeant ranking on his arm. Not the chief but higher than any normal officer.
"Ms. Raynet," The man said nodding to her his eyes narrowing slightly as he eyed Tyler. "Mr. Gyron." Tyler glanced up at the man before hastily looking back down tightening his grip on his hands. The man snorted and moved to his desk and took a seat, the chair creaking from the weight as he tossed a folder onto the desk.
"So you're probably wondering why you're here," The man said. "My name is Sergeant Barnes, I've been assigned your case regarding the disappearances of Jessica Raynet, Victoria Long, Michael Pasters, Aidan Baxter and Alica Turner." He opened the folder and showed images of the 5.
Meredith's eyes widened. "I thought it was just Jess and Viki who were missing." She murmured as she looked at the images of the other 3. "When were they declared missing?"
"As you know, since you had Aidan Baxter file a police report with us, those two disappeared at least 5 days ago. We're still in process of figuring out what happened to them," He said producing the police report that Aidan Baxter and his mother had filed for her. She took it to inspect it.
Meredith nodded setting it back down. "Okay, so what about the others?" She asked folding her hands on her lap.
The sergeant frowned as he pulled. "Michael Pasters was declared missing at 11 last night when Frank Pasters came home to find his nephew missing, and this boy unsure of his whereabouts." The sergeant glared pointedly at Tyler. "According to Frank he'd left the boys at home since 1 in the afternoon. Meaning anywhere from 1 to 11 Michael disappeared." He turned his head to look at Tyler who seemed to shrink down. "And you claim he went to cool off after a disagreement with Aidan Baxter."
Tyler nodded. "Yeah." He said quietly.
"How unfortunate that Aidan Baxter isn't here to support your statement." The man said pointedly.
Meredith raised an eyebrow. The sergeant seemed to be attacking poor Tyler. What was she missing here? But whatever it was this intimidating of the other boy wasn't fair. At least unless there was some reason to, "Okay, so what happened to Aidan?" She asked folding her arms across her chest and tilting her head.
The sergeant pulled out a different sheet of paper. "No ones really sure, all his mother knows is that she thinks he got a phone call last night from someone." The room seemed to fall cold. "We checked his phone, the last person who called him, was Michael Pasters." The Sergeant leaned forwards and looked Tyler and Meredith in the eyes. "2 hours after he'd been declared missing."
"Okay," Meredith said frowning. "Sounds interesting as Aidan claimed that he was able to get a call through to Jess and Viki before he lost contact with him from that point on." She said.
"Indeed and he'd stated that they were talking oddly as if they were hiding something." He said glancing pointedly towards Tyler. Who shrank down in his seat
"Okay, what's the deal." Meredith said glancing between Tyler and the Sergeant green eyes narrowing dangerously. "You've been looking at Tyler like he's the one who's made them all disappear, so get on with explaining."
The sergeant seemed taken aback by her outburst. "Ms. Raynet you must understand, once you hear the rest you will be agreeing with me."
Meredith folded her arms across her chest and crossed her legs and glared at him. "Then get on with the explanation." She said. "I have a sister and friends I have to find and I don't want to be sitting through a session of you trying to burn Tyler to ashes with your glare."
The sergeant chuckled though it was humorless. "Funny you should say that. As the report goes on to say that both Aidan and Alica left the Baxter residence fairly early that morning. Aidan took his computer his prized possession, among other things. Things that he could not bear to part with."
"And?" Meredith said still sitting unmoved. "That sounds similar to what happened to the others, they left home and never came back, I fail to see the connection to Tyler besides being their friend." She said nodding to the boy who was beginning to look a bit hopeful.
The sergeant scowled. "When we investigated both Alica and Aidan's room we found a picture in Alica's room placed on her bed." The man said pushing the reports aside and tossing pictures in front of both Meredith and Tyler. "Tell me what you see."
Meredith frowned as she uncrossed her legs and arms and looked down at them. The one marked 1 was an image of a rundown warehouse. The other pictures displayed the inside of the warehouse, one showed the main area and five scattered piles of ashes. Another 5 showed images of the piles.
"This look familiar." The sergeant asked pointing to the last photograph, which Meredith examined. Her eyes widened and she looked at Tyler in shock who looked equally shocked.
The image showed Aidan's messenger bag scorched and torn, and the familiar laptop case that held Aidan's most precious possession lay beside a pile of ashes looking slightly singed.
Meredith's eyes widened in horror as she drew back covering her mouth. "Oh god. You're not suggesting?"
The man nodded grimly. "I'm sorry Ms. Raynet, we've taken the ashes back to the labs and they're being examined. So far they have confirmed that the ashes do contain the remaining elements that coincide with flesh." He lowered his eyes. "We won't be able to confirm if its them until they run a few more tests." Then he raised his head and fixed Tyler with a blazing glare. "Now you see why we think, that you, Tyler Gyron, burned your friends alive."
Tyler's eyes widened and he looked sick as he snapped his head up. "No! I would never have hurt my friends!" Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "You don't think I'm scared for them and wondering where they are? What possible reason could I have to do such thing?!" He demanded.
"For the thrill," the sergeant said flatly as he pulled out another folder out from underneath the one that contained all the information and evidence for the case. He tossed the folder out in front of both Tyler and Meredith and gestured to all the photos and reports that were contained within it.
Tyler's eyes widened as he took in the sight of all the images of burned objects, burned buildings, and the occasional pile of ash. Meredith picking up a few to inspect looking questioningly at Tyler and the Sergeant "That's-" Tyler started.
"You are a diagnosed pyromaniac, you love to watch things burn." The sergeant said lip curling in disgust, "You've burned all sorts of objects and buildings, stationary objects but nothing with any real challenge right? Your family moved to Texas to escape any possible charges that the Chicago police department could put towards you. According to them they've been working to have you get over it, but such a time away from feeding that desire. It must've driven you mad." The sergeant said with a sneer as he leaned forwards and locked eyes with Tyler's horrified gray blue ones. "So when you had the opportunity to take advantage of your friends and get a chance to burn something new."
"ENOUGH!" Tyler shouted slamming his fists down on the desk as he rose to his feet glaring down at the sergeant tears in his eyes. "I'm not the smartest person ever, and I admit I do love to set things on fire. But only what is old or has no use." He scowled. "I would never burn my friends, I want to find them just as much as anyone else!" He glanced at Meredith. "The whole reason I took up Mike on his offer to come to Chicago was because I wanted to help them look, and that was after Viki and Jet were declared missing. How could I have even gotten a hold of them, or even been at the warehouse to burn them there!"
The sergeant met his glare evenly sitting back in his seat. "That's what I intend to find out."
Tyler's face screwed up in pain. "You're doing this, because you guys couldn't nail me for all those arson charges before." He said jabbing a finger at the folder. "All those cases were declared moot when the fire department confirmed that I had received permission from the owners to burn the buildings I did as they were already unfit to remain standing anymore. You guys didn't like that I was a pyromaniac, you feared I'd target something important so I was encouraged to leave. I left, and you guys were denied the precedence of putting away a pyromaniac." Tyler said scowling.
The sergeant rose from his chair and towered over Tyler. "You listen here boy, I know it was you, I feel it in my gut, you watch your step and enjoy your last few moments of freedom because it'll be the last bit you have before you go away for a very long-"
He was silenced by a bunch of photos being thrown in his face. He threw up a hand to shield his face eyes widening as he looked at Meredith who had rose to her feet.
"I've heard enough," She said flatly reaching behind her to grab her parka that she'd hung over the back of her chair. She put it on before reaching down and tossing Tyler's jacket to him. The boy blinking as he fumbled with the jacket. She stepped forwards. "My father would be rolling in his grave if he knew you lot were jumping so quickly to conclusions without investigating thoroughly. We have no reason left to remain in this place of fools. Come Tyler." She said grabbing his arm.
"Ms. Raynet! You can't-" The sergeant began and Meredith whipped around and marched up to him and jabbed a finger in his chest, green eyes ablaze with righteous fury.
"You know, maybe I'd be willing to let you waste my time if you'd been able to put my stepmother behind bars for child abuse, if you'd been able to nail my father's killer to the wall, but as you have failed to do either of those, you have nothing worth my time. Goodbye Sergeant Barnes, do not contact me unless you have something actually useful!" She snapped turning on her heel as she dragged Tyler out of the office and stormed out of the police station ignoring the shouts for her to stop or to leave Tyler behind.
/-/
Sam was waiting for the two of them outside the police station his car idling, exhaust curling up from the tail pipe. He smiled slightly at Meredith though he seemed to grimace slightly at Tyler.
Meredith slid into the passenger seat as Tyler sat in the back sitting quietly behind Meredith's chair.
"So what happened?" Sam asked as he turned the wheel and they pulled away from the police station.
Meredith sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Nothing notable." She said. "The police had a 'working theory' that was absolute bull, so I'm going to go home and sleep." She grimaced slightly "Try to figure out what I'm going to do." She said.
Sam glanced at her as he slowed to a stop at a red light. "You sure you want to be home alone? You could stay with me,"
Meredith winced. "No, Sam, I'd really rather be alone." She said looking out the window.
Sam frowned as he pulled away. "Meredith, you know we haven't been doing a whole lot together, and you know…" He glanced back at Tyler. "I'm here for you sweetheart."
Meredith seemed to stiffen up a bit and Sam scowled slightly. "Sam, you know I don't like you calling me that."
Sam sighed in irritation focusing back on the road. "You know I don't like that you keep me at arms distance, where I'm close enough to be willing to do you favors like drive you to places, and support you when you need it. But you never let me close enough to really have a part of you. Its because of that guy before me right?"
Meredith winced. "Yes," She said frowning.
Sam growled as he hit the brakes and turned the wheel harshly bringing them harshly to the curb. "Argh! What is it with you, what do I have to do to be better than your mysterious former boyfriend!"
Meredith lifted her head. "There is very little you can do Sam, and I'm sorry, but that's just how it is."
Sam scowled as he slammed on the brake and shifted to park. "Then get out, I'm not going to let you lead me on forever." He said jabbing a finger at the snow that was now falling outside and the wind carrying icy cold with each of its blasts.
"I'm sorry Sam," Meredith said moving out of the car and holding the door slightly open. "I really am."
"Save it." He snapped reaching over to slam the door closed in her face. Then he turned his head to glare at Tyler. "Get out before I throw you out too." He barked.
Tyler gulped and scrambled out of the car barely closing the door before the car peeled out down the snowy street.
Meredith sighed. "Should've known he would've snapped sooner rather than later. Come on Tyler, we can head to my house, as we go you can tell me what you know about what's going on." She said turning and shoving her hands in her pockets before beginning to make her way towards the Raynet home.
Tyler blinked as he rushed after her. "Well, its kinda, an unbelievable story."
Meredith looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Try me." She said as she grabbed her hood and flipped it up to try and keep her head marginally warmer.
Tyler sighed. "Well, see we were still stumped about Jet and Viki's disappearance for like 3 days before it happened. Me and Mike were sleeping on the way to Chicago and Aidan was sleeping at home. And apparently we all ended up in the same dream!" He looked towards Meredith expecting her to laugh or look at him like he was crazy but she merely nodded.
"Go on," She said smiling slightly. "What did you guys dream?" She asked.
Tyler rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we ended up in this weird temple of sorts, and in the temple there were all these statues and six of them were of the fighting bakugan! Except they were in their first form and they were made of gold." He glanced at Meredith who nodded for him to keep going. "So anyways, me and Aidan go off to look around and Mike of course goes and sticks his head in a pool of water that was in the center of the main room of the temple where the statues were and so we hurry over to him to pull him out and he goes on to say he knows where Jet and Viki is and he claims they're in the bakugan world!"
Meredith's eyebrows rose. 'Could it be?' She thought. Then she noticed Tyler was waiting for her encouragement and she quickly nodded. "Yes, yes go on tell me more." She urged.
"Well anyways we all woke up from our dream after Aidan told Mike he was full of crap. Then me and Mike were watching a bakugan episode, you know the one where Runo tries to get in contact with Dan in New Vestroia?" Meredith's eyes narrowed at the girls name but she nodded.
"Yes, yes I know that one." She said.
"Well Mike apparently said it was similar to what happened to him and he called Aidan to try and convince him, but Aidan wasn't buying it so that's why Mike left in a huff." Tyler looked down. "I didn't go after him cuz he'd done stuff like that before, gone out walked around then came back. But when his uncle came back and Mike had been gone for 4 hours I was sort of panicking."
"I would too if Jess was gone for that long too." Meredith said.
"Hey here's a question that's been bugging me, Jet's your sister but you insist on calling her Jess or Jessica despite knowing she doesn't like it." Tyler said looking at Meredith curiously.
Meredith's expression darkened. "I don't approve of her reasoning behind calling herself Jet, she uses it as a shield to protect herself from the pain rather than face it. I call her by her real name in hopes that eventually she'll come to drop the shield and accept it." She said simply. "Anyways, you were saying."
"Well that's all I know really Mere," Tyler said rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't know Aidan left until today when the cops dragged me in for questioning. Or that Alica had left a picture."
Meredith was silent. "Hmm, that warehouse was awfully far away from town," She mused.
"Huh? Yeah, I guess." Tyler said frowning, then his eyes widened. "You want me to go investigate it?!"
"Why not?" Meredith asked turning her head to look at him as they turned the corner onto the block the Raynet house was on. "When we get to my house I'll go inside grab my keys and we'll head out in my car." She offered. "With the snow making it hard to see the cops can't be keeping as tight of a perimeter around it. And you might be able to figure out something." She said as they walked past the cherry tree that stood in front of the Raynet house.
"That's true, I could examine the ashes and Aidan's stuff to see what burned it. But why would Alica have that warehouse pictured if it wasn't where she thought they'd died?" Tyler said sounding discouraged.
"That's what we'll find out. You wait here, I'll go get my keys" Meredith said as she ran up the steps and turned the key into the lock and opened the door. She shut the door behind her and hastily locked it.
Stepping away from the door and heading into the dining room she unzipped a pocket of her parka. "You can come out Superior, I know you have something you're dying to say." She said as she pulled out a silver and purple bakugan ball. Holding it in her hand it popped open to reveal a hornless dragonoid.
"Meredith," The dragonoid spoke with a slight mechanical undertone to his voice. "Is this a good idea? We have to be careful remember, you don't want to screw up the events that brought us together."
Meredith nodded. "Supers, I know this is his way in. You said yourself you sensed the hike in elemental energy right after we arrived in Chicago. The rough waters of the lake mean that Mike found his portal in the waters, and the massive electrical and wind storm that was going on above the city tells me that Alica and Aidan found their way in as well. I think it's time Tyler joined up with them."
Superior was silent. "If you think its best." He said nodding. "But we have to be careful, you can't try to go in as well. That could be.. bad."
"I know Superior." She said going over to the buffet and opened a drawer pulling out a set of car keys. She tossed them up and down and lowered her eyes. "I'm not that dumb."
"Meredith, you will see him again, but we have to wait." The mechanical bakugan said.
"I've waited almost 2 years!" Meredith said tightening her grip on her car keys. "How much longer must I wait? How much longer do I have to lay awake longing to be with him again?!" She took in a deep breath trying to fight back tears. "Sam was able to keep me distracted but every moment I kept wishing I was with him again. But you keep telling me I can't, the time isn't right." She lowered her head sniffling slightly.
"It isn't. Trust me, you will know when the time is right." Superior said simply before he flew back over to her and rubbed his little head against her cheek. "I'm here Meredith, I will always be here for you. But we need to focus on the matter at hand."
Meredith swallowed and wiped at her eyes before she tossed up her keys and caught them. "Right, you'd best hide yourself away, we've got send Tyler to the bakugan dimension." She said as she headed for the door Superior tucking himself away in her pocket as she walked.
She opened the door and smiled at Tyler as she headed over to her car.
"You ready to go?" She asked him grinning.
/-/
A/N- What's this? Meredith knows what's really going on? And has her own bakugan to boot?
Oh I'm so glad to finally be able to bring Supers in.
Superior: I'll say! It's about time.
Now Tyler's on the path to rejoin his friends, but how are they doing with the aftermath of the battle between the masqueraders?
Is Spectra truly dead?
Is Masquerade finally beaten?
What lies ahead for the brawlers and the other dimension allies?
Find out next chapter as we deal with the AFTERMATH!