Stripped Wings

Leon and Shan shook hands, looking into each other’s eyes grimly, trying to convince themselves that they really had just agreed to an alliance with their greatest enemy.

So they didn’t notice as their watches came close together.

Or how Shan’s watch picked up on the proximity of Leon’s watch, and immediately began networking, trying to communicate with it.

Or how Leon’s watch, its networking signal turned off and carefully concealed, reactivated at the communication, and began broadcasting. Only for a second, until Leon realized what had happened and hurried to turn it off.

But by then, it was too late.

~~~

Kate smirked as she dropped the prisoner into the backseat. The Gifted girl yelled through her gag, straining furiously against the bonds binding her tight, wings straining to break free. Her blue eyes glared up at Kate, expressing every ounce of fury her mouth could not.

“Poor little bird,” Kate said, shutting the door of the red convertible and leaning over it, smooth nails clicking against the leather interior. The little Gifted would be more than comfortable in here- probably nicer than anything she was used to. “You’ve fallen rather far away from your flock, haven’t you? And right into the hunter’s trap. I wonder…” She leaned forward a little more, tilting her head to her side. “Whether you’d be willing to tell me where the flock hides its nest?”

Clara yelled something into the muffling, that Kate guessed was probably nasty. Definitely not an agreement.

“Ma’am,” an Agent said behind her, adjusting the dark glasses that hid his eyes. “What are your orders?”

“There’s an Agency-funded lab, only a few miles’ drive from here,” she said without turning. “We’ll take this one there. They should be able to get her to talk with minimal damage to her actual body. A few hours, and we’ll know where the Munia Gifteds are hiding. I’m guessing if Leon’s looking for them, then if we find them, we’ll find him too.”

Clara looked up at Kate, not understanding. Leon? Why did they need to find him? Had he gotten lost or something?

Kate started to reach for the button to raise the roof over the car, enclosing Clara in…Then paused, as a frantic beeping started up from the front of the car. The green tracker display built into the dashboard was responding loudly, all of a sudden, a small blue dot flashing on and off while directions scrolled by too fast to actually be read.

Kate’s eyes narrowed. “Come on!” she yelled. “It’s found Leon- 386 kilometers east!”

“I’ll get the other cars,” the Agent answered back, already running.

Kate darted around her own car, sliding into the driver’s seat, door slamming, roof zipping up overhead, engine starting and shifting to drive within seconds. Clara watched as the stars disappeared behind the black of the roof, cutting off her freedom once again. She felt her heart sink, the prospect of an Agent lab terrifying. Even worse was the thought that this might somehow come back to hurt her friends- not only the Munia Gifteds, but Camdyn’s colony, which was just starting to get on its feet.

Along with those, though, was the confusion. Kate, looking so grim and angry, Leon missing, the Munia Gifteds… Just what had she missed, while she was gone?

~~~

Aden flung himself at the door the moment he saw it, pounding on it frantically, his heart hammering in his ears. The key- he had forgotten the key! Left it, in its hiding spot. But… Tori! Tori was strong- she could do things! Surely, if she really tried, she could break the chains, break the doors, and stop all of th-

“Tori!” he cried out, hitting the door again and again, trying to get her attention. “Please! You have to snap out of it and come out here! We need you! It’s really bad, and-“

She was meditating. He knew how she could get, when she did that thing where she sat down and closed her eyes and went to sleep sitting up for a while. Something could explode right next to her, and she wouldn’t even notice. She might not even hear him right now! He had to yell, even louder, to get to her, even if it meant Konki heard him, even if it meant everyone heard him! He opened his mouth-

A hand clapped around it. He screamed against Konki’s hand, struggling hard as she pushed him roughly against the door, pinning his wings with her arms. His yelling had drawn her… But Tori! He had to get to Tori! He… Had to… Or…

As Konki dragged him away, wrist, ankles, and wings bound, still struggling and yelling, she didn’t blink, still entranced, intent on completing her orders.

From behind the door, Tori’s eyes fluttered for a moment. Had she heard something? No… She had just drifted off for a second. She had to concentrate more. She sat up straighter, and willed herself deeper into the meditation, sure that everything was completely fine.

~~~

Hours passed, the night along with it. The medicine keeping Dextera asleep wore off as Leon and Shan went through the long hike through dense, covered woods, back to the Cat Lady’s house. They spent most of the trip in silence, still uncomfortable with standing so close to each other without attacking, and barely even looked at each other until they were standing at the edge of the woods, looking across the long, grassy area that stretched forward towards the cliff on which the house was built. The ocean crashed quietly in the background, the sound muted beneath the sound of the occasional bird, waking up with the frosty sunrise.

This was it. They stirred in the morning quiet, glancing uncomfortably at each other now that they had no choice.

“Er… It’s probably better if you wait here,” Shan said. “The others still don’t know anything about this. I should probably break it to them first.”

“Sure thing,” Leon said, glancing at Dextera, shivering between them. He sighed and removed his jacket, draping it over her shoulders. “Just don’t wait too long, okay? I don’t like the idea of being alone out in the open like this.”

Shan smirked. “I’m going in alone too, you know. Once I tell them what’s going on, they’re probably going to tear me apart in there.”

“Sure, sure,” Leon scoffed. “When they figure out how to actually do it, I’d be interested in hearing about it. Cocky little shield…”

Another tense moment followed, as they realized they were actually joking with each other. This was… weird.

Shan turned away, walking across the grass. “Right, then.”

Better to get this over with as fast as possible. He let himself relax, dropping his guard, now that he was no longer hanging around a dangerous Agent, instead just going to meet his friends. Even if for only a few moments… He was looking forward to the break from the tension.

~~~

Aden kept his eyes closed as he was brutally dragged, stifling small whimpers. Konki… What had gotten into her? What had gotten into everyone?! This was wrong, so wrong…

Konki jerked him forward suddenly… Then stopped. She let go of him, stepping a couple of feet away, then dropped into a submissive crouch.

…Floral… There was a sickly-sweet smell in the air, as though he were in a small room crowded with too many flowers. Or maybe too much perfume. Something like that. It made his head hurt. Slowly, he opened his eyes, hoping desperately to find himself waking up.

“Hello, Aden.”

Elora sat primly on a tall, elegant, ornate chair, one leg crossed over the other. She smiled, long, vicious nails moving to flip a blonde curl over her shoulder as she watched him. He stared back at the woman, who only a couple of months ago had been completely helpless, feeling something instinctual in the pit of his stomach twinge with fear. Predator…

She sighed. “What am I going to do with you? Truth be told, I was going to save you for one of the last ones. You’re not a threat, not like some of these others are.” She waved her hand at Akaru- in tiger form- and Konki- kneeling in a position ready to spring and reach for her swords in an instant. “Honestly, you were kind of useless. But now you’ve heard everything, so it’s not like I can let you free. Mmm…”

A smile curved her full, red lips as she leaned forward. “Maybe it’s not so bad, eh? I still need to get to Tori, after all. Maybe, with your help, I can lure her out?”

“You won’t!”

Aden strained upwards, struggling to look at her. “I won’t let you! You… You can’t do this!”

Displeasure flashed over the beautiful features. “…You are right. I have to admit, it’s… much harder, to draw people into a full trance, when they’re… aware of what I’m doing. The mind builds up defenses, rejects even the things that are beautiful and make them happy. It’s harder…” She laughed. “But not impossible. You see, your mind can fight me all it wants. In the end, I don’t care at all about your mind. It’s your emotions I want! And silly little human beings are so ruled by their emotions… Rest assured, Aden. Sooner or later, you will give in and let me make you happy.”

“N…No,” Aden said, looking away, stiffening in his bonds. “I won’t… you can’t…”

She sighed, extending a hand. “Bring him forward.”

Aden shivered as he felt long fangs hooking into the back of his shirt, lifting him, a warning growl coming from the tiger. Konki’s hand was looping around one of his restraints the next moment. He wanted to struggle, but he was paralyzed, unable to move as they brought him forward, dragging him towards the chair, Konki reaching under his chin to lift his head to meet Elora’s hand-

“Hey guys.”

They all stopped, startled, turning to look in the direction of the door that had opened without any of them noticing.

“I heard voices in here, so…” Shan frowned, looking at them, completely at a loss. “…What…What’s going on?”

Elora stared at him, blue eyes hard as ice… Then slowly gave him a sweet, sickly smile. “Why, hello, Shan! It’s so good to see you. Say hello, everyone!”

A chorus of half-hearted hellos rose in response.

((Hope you liked it! Next post comes out the day after I get a comment. :) ))