Hostages by Maggie
Part 1 - Ransom by Maggie
Part 1 - Ransom

Hearing the door open, Kevin looked up to see Brian and Nick enter Backstreet Headquarters.

"What's going on?" Nick asked.

"Your call said it was urgent," Brian remarked. "What's the deal?"

"We're getting a signal. It's high priority, but," he motioned to the wallscreen, "we haven't been able to clear it of static. Howie's been working on it."

"High priority? Who's it from?" Nick asked.

"We're not sure yet, but-"

Howie interrupted, "I've got it!"

The static cleared and the face of the evil Zophacian Emperor Zator appeared on the screen. "I know you hear me gentlemen, so listen well." The boys stepped closer. "These foolish games of yours to keep the amulets from me are growing tiresome. Return the amulets that my traitorous daughter stole from me and I'll let you all live. In fact," a malicious grin slid onto his face, "I will return a few things that you treasure."

AJ shook his head. "What is he babbling about?"

The screen changed from Zator's face to a metal room with a single large cell. There were five people inside... five very familiar people.

Kevin gasped. "Kristin!"

"No!" Nick clenched his hands. "Aaron and Angel..."

"Monster," Brian murmured as the camera zoomed in on his wife Leighanne and his year-old son Baylee.

Zator spoke again. "Return my amulets by midnight tomorrow Earth time, and I'll set them free. If not, I'll kill them all!"

Static began to fill the screen as Zator's maniacal laugh filled the room. The message began to fade. Brian whirled on Howie.

"Get it back!" he yelled.

Howie was already typing frantically. He shook his head. "I can't! It's gone!"

"No!" He wheeled around and struck a chair, sending it flying.

AJ leaped aside to avoid being hit. "Bri, take it easy!"

"He's gone too far this time!"

"We know-" Kevin began.

"I mean taking Leighanne is bad enough-"

"Brian!"

"-but he took Baylee too! He's just a baby!"

"Hey," Kevin interrupted, "he took my wife too!"

"He took my brother and sister!" Nick yelled. "You think I'm just gonna stand aside and let him hurt them?"

Howie stepped between the three. "So, what are we going to do?"

Nick gaped at Howie in shock. "What are we going to do?" he repeated. "We're going to find them, that's what!"

"Without a plan?" AJ asked.

"Zator wants the amulets," Howie continued. "We can't let that happen."

Brian spluttered. "So we should sacrifice our families just to keep the amulets safe?!"

"That's not what he's saying Brian," Kevin interrupted.

Nick shook his head. "Well we've got to get them out somehow! I want my brother and sister back." He whirled around and headed for the door to the garage.

"Nick, wait a minute!" Howie called out. "We need to figure something out together. We need to come up with a way to get your families out of there without risking anyone's life or the amulets."

They heard the rev of Nick's motorcycle. "I don't care! I want my siblings back and I'm not waiting for you!"

Brian sprinted to the garage. "Nick, wait!" He burst through the doorway in time to see Nick race off into the evening. He shook his head. "You're gonna get yourself killed." He grabbed his helmet and slipped it on as he headed over to his own motorcycle. He climbed on and was about to start it when someone grabbed his arm.

"Brian, wait," Kevin instructed. "Let him go."

Brian yanked his helmet off as he turned to look at his cousin in shock. "You're just gonna let him go? Kevin, he could get into who knows what trouble out there!"

"I know, Brian. But we can't just roam the city looking for him, as much as I'd like to."

"But-"

Kevin squeezed his shoulder. "We need to come up with some kind of plan in getting our families back."

Brian looked back out into the fading light. "You're right." He sighed, then glared out of the door. "He's gonna pay for what he's done."

Kevin nodded. "He certainly will, Brian."

~~~

A single headlight broke through the twilight as Nick zoomed through town. A quick glance at his speedometer showed that he was going well over the speed limit, but he didn't care. He had to find his siblings.

"He's gonna pay," he growled. "I'm going to make him regret that he ever messed with us!" He tightened his grip on the handles. Hang on guys, I'm coming. I won't let him hurt you.

Nick zoomed around a corner and had to swerve to avoid someone standing in the street. He only cast a glance over his shoulder, then turned back to continue on when he saw more people coming into the street. He groaned and started to turn around, but the people stepped into the light and their pale faces and dark clothing were revealed to him. His eyes widened and he stopped the motorcycle immediately.

"Where are they?" he demanded, climbing off his motorcycle. "Where are my siblings? Give them back!"

A deep voice from within the body of soldiers replied, "They will be returned only when the amulets are given to the Emperor."

"Never!" Nick shouted. He drew his swords. "You'll have to fight me for them!"

Raucous laughter met his ears. "You cannot win, human. You are outnumbered."

"I can take you all on any day," he challenged.

There was laughter again as the soldiers began to circle him. "Then so be it."

With a vengeful battle cry, Nick charged.

~~~

The sun rose through the clouds over the horizon as AJ McLean rushed through town. He had found the signal for tracking Nick's motorcycle back at the base.

"Nick, why'd you have to be so stupid?" he murmured, turning left down a side street. He screeched to a halt upon spotting Nick's overturned motorcycle in the middle of the street. "Oh no."

He leaped off the cycle and started moving around, calling for his companion. The ringing of his cell phone interrupted the search. "Hello?"

"Any luck?" It was Howie.

"Well," he looked at the overturned motorcycle, "yes and no."

"Yes and no? What does that mean?" Howie demanded.

"I found Nick's motorcycle," AJ explained. "Overturned."

Howie gasped. "Any sign of Nick?"

"None."

"Nick, why were you so stupid? You should have waited," Howie murmured. He sighed. "Listen, why don't you head on back here? We need to figure out a plan to get them all back."

"I'll be right there." As he slipped his phone back into his pocket, he wondered what to do with Nick's motorcycle. He couldn't just leave it; it would be towed away soon. He started to turn away when he spotted something small and black in the road. Ordinarily he would have dismissed it as just a piece of garbage, but since Nick was missing, there was a possibility of it being a clue to his whereabouts. AJ bent down to look at it and gasped.

"No."

He snatched it up without another word and shoved it into his pocket, then climbed back onto his cycle and zoomed back to headquarters.

~~~

Kevin watched Brian pace the perimeter of the room as they waited for AJ's return. Howie had told them about Nick's motorcycle being found and Brian had begun pacing at once.

"What are we going to do?" Howie asked.

He shook his head. "I wish I knew, D. I wish I knew." He glanced out the window into the sunrise and saw AJ pull up to the building, park the cycle and dash inside. Kevin's eyes moved to the door just as it opened. Brian stopped and turned to AJ.

"Did you find him?" he demanded.

AJ shook his head. "'Fraid not. All I found was Nick's cycle upside down. And…" He hesitated, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a black scrap of cloth. "And this."

Howie and Kevin moved closer. "What is it?"

AJ swallowed. "It's a piece of Ninja Man's outfit."

Brown, green and blue eyes widened. "What?"

"Zator has Nick."

Brian squeezed his eyes shut and turned away. Kevin frowned and rested a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Brian," he consoled. "We'll get them all back."

"Without letting Zator get a hold of the amulets?" Brian demanded.

"We have to. The universe isn't safe if he does."

~~~

His head pounded, a rude welcome back to consciousness. His body ached, a symbol of the fight he thought he could win but lost due to the superior numbers of his enemies. The thought registered in his brain that he was on something hard. A woman suddenly screamed. His eyes flew open as he shot up. Kristin and Leighanne were getting to their knees; they must have been thrown, he grimly thought. But where were they? A door clicked shut. Nick looked up to see a window next to the door, and standing on the other side... He scowled upon recognizing his archenemy, the evil Zophacian emperor Zator. Zator smirked, his dark eyes glinting in depraved pleasure at having captured the strongest of his enemies.

"Have a nice rest, Ninja Man?" he spat.

Nick growled. "This is your bright idea for taking our amulets?" he demanded. "Kidnapping our families?"

"Those amulets are mine, human!" Zator barked. "You and your families will be freed only when my amulets are returned to me by midnight tonight."

He scoffed. "Fat chance of that, you extraterrestrial freak! The guys would never give them up to you!"

Zator laughed. Laughed! "You are very amusing, Ninja Man. A shame you're wrong."

Kristin moaned, then rubbed her head. "Nick? What is he talking about?"

"Why'd he just call you Ninja Man?" Leighanne asked.

Zator's eyebrows went up. Nick mentally cringed. Crap!

"Can it be that you haven't told them the truth?" he asked. "What a shame. That would have made it much easier to retrieve my amulets."

"Forget it! We'd die before giving you the amulets just so you can destroy Earth as soon as you have them."

Zator laughed. Nick growled and jumped to his feet.

"You have no choice in the matter, human."

Zator raised his arm and Nick saw something dangling from his fingers. His eyes widened upon recognizing his amulet. It can't be! His hand flew to his shirt, but he couldn't feel the cord that held the amulet around his neck. No! The evil emperor laughed again.

"You will help me retrieve the remaining five. All three of you."

"Never!" Nick shouted.

Zator just smiled and nodded to someone out of sight. A hissing sound filled the room. Nick whirled around and saw vapor entering the room through vents in the ceiling.

"What's happening?" Kristin demanded.

"Hold your breath!" But Leighanne was already coughing, trying hard to stay conscious. Nick tried to move to her side, but his mind was beginning to cloud.

~~~

He chuckled as his three prisoners fought for air, unaware of what was happening to them. A smirk found its way to his lips as one by one they fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"That's enough," he ordered.

The vapor cleared, and he waited. Their bodies were stiff, breath evening out. The ladies raised their eyes first, Ninja Man following. Zator grinned. It had worked. Their eyes glowed a deep violet; they were his servants now. He controlled them.

"Welcome to my noble ranks," he said. "My Shadow warriors."



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