It was a bad dream come true. A very, very bad dream come true. Nick sat huddled in the farthest corner of his cell, wide-awake and trembling. Nausea threatened to fill his stomach, but he tried to fight it as best he could. The attack and their capture had haunted his dreams all night until he finally refused to go back to sleep after the last nightmare. Ignorant of the passage of time, Nick sat up and waited for his companions to wake up and be with him. The others…

Are they all right? Nick hesitated, and then slowly crawled forward to check on them. Only able to see three of them, he was still worried. A faint moan came from nearby. Kevin?

“Kev?” Nick called.

Silence. Nick sighed, and looked back at the others. He was startled as he saw AJ begin to move.

“Bone?”

AJ rose up on an elbow and looked over at him. “Hey, kid,” he greeted. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

Nick shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”

“Nicky, come on. Are you really okay?”

“Well… I kept having nightmares. The attack…”

AJ nodded in understanding.

“Aje, could you check on Kevin for me? I thought I heard him moan earlier, but he didn’t respond when I called.”

“Sure thing.” He scooted closer and peered into Kevin’s cell. His eyes widened. “Nick, I think he moved. He looks a little different from yesterday.”

“What?”

Howie stirred and sat up. “What’s going on?”

“AJ thinks Kevin moved since yesterday!” Nick cried, waking Zanell.

“Mrrn.”

All eyes that could see it went to Kevin’s cell. They hadn’t understood what he had said, but at least it let them know he was still alive. He coughed once, then again, which caused him to groan and slowly bring a hand to his chest. They watched as he tried to roll over onto his back.

“Kevin?” AJ called, hoping to get a response.

“Mmn.”

“Come on, Kev. Come back.”

Kevin’s eyelids twitched, and then they slowly opened to reveal cloudy green eyes. His eyes slowly moved back and forth, trying to see where he was. He turned his head toward the entrance of the cell and AJ saw betrayal.

He sighed. “Hey, Kev.”

Kevin licked his dry lips and tried to speak. “H… hey,” he croaked.

AJ winced. “Man you sound worse than I do with a sore throat.”

That barely got a twitch of a smile, but it was a response. “How… long…”

“We've been here about a day," AJ replied. "You've been unconscious the whole time."

Kevin sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he rolled back onto his side and tried to push himself up on an elbow. He had to stop once he was there and briefly close his eyes. Over the next ten minutes, Kevin's awareness sharpened and the others filled in the blanks in his memory. He remained silent as the narration continued, trying to absorb it all.

“Why him?” Kevin wondered.

"It could have been any of us, Kevin," Howie replied. "Why Brian was chosen, I don't know."

“Yeah, but…”

“But what?”

The question was never answered as the prison door slid open with a hiss. Nick’s eyes widened.

“Brian?” he whispered, a mixture of fear and hope in his voice. Had he come to set them free? Then he saw the two soldiers behind Brian, and the hope faded, allowing the fear to take over. Brian wore a similar outfit to what he was wearing the day before, but this time the silver outlining the crimson flame sparkled in the light. There were black gloves on his hands that hadn’t been there before.

Kael’s eyes settled over him briefly before turning to the others. Nick shivered and shrank back. His eyes had been so cold, like an icy blue fire.

“This one,” Kael said as he went to AJ’s cell. He typed a command into a small panel that dropped the force field. AJ leaped to his feet and headed for the door, trying to escape. A blow to his back sent him crashing to the floor. Two pairs of arms held him down. A laugh, familiar, yet so cruel, could be heard as Kael appeared in front of AJ. Kael crouched until he was able to look into AJ’s eyes.

“Trying to escape will get you nowhere,” he said. “This ship is too well guarded.”

AJ glared at him. “Traitor.”

Kael’s smile faded to a firm line. He rose and spoke to his soldiers. “Take him.”

The soldiers yanked AJ to his feet, and he immediately began to struggle against them. He was being taken to a torture room, he knew it. But he wasn’t going down without a fight.

Howie watched in horror as Brian—no, Kael, his name is Kael—stepped in front of AJ and slugged him in the face. AJ’s head snapped back and his glasses fell to the floor.

“Try to fight it and you’ll get a whole lot worse than that,” Kael warned. But AJ continued to resist even as he was pulled out the door. Kael turned back to the others.

“Don’t get relieved that it’s not you,” he said, “you three are next. You’ll just have to guess in what order.”

As the door slid shut behind him the room fell silent. Nick rose and began to pace nervously.

“What are they going to do to him?” Howie asked.

“It’s always different,” Zanell replied. “But no matter the method, pain is the goal.”

Howie winced and turned away. One of his closest friends was about to get hurt, all for the betrayal of another. How could you? he wondered.

Time crawled by, and soon Howie joined Nick in pacing. All sorts of terrible things were going through their minds at the moment, wondering what ‘method’ would be used on their friend. Just when they thought they could take no more, the door slid open again. Kael was leading AJ inside, a firm and secure grip on his arm. A gasp was heard, although no one could say who had made the sound. AJ looked more… subdued than before he was taken. What had happened? He wasn’t looking at anyone, not even at Kael.

Kael punched in the familiar combination to AJ’s cell, then released AJ’s arm. He smirked, seeing that the man made no attempt to escape. When the force field dropped, AJ stepped back into his cell and turned, waiting for it to rise again. As it appeared again, he sat down against a wall and bowed his head to stare at the floor.

Kael watched him for a few moments, and then moved on to the other cells. Looks of fear and disbelief met his gaze. Keep your emotions in check, he reminded himself. Don’t let them see what you feel. He stopped in front of Howie’s cell.

“Your turn,” he said simply, and then typed in the code.

Howie stepped forward. "Why are you doing this?"

"Zator wants the amulets," Kael replied, "Now let's go."

Howie hesitated, fear freezing his limbs. Kael drew his gun and motioned to the door.

“Now. Let’s go.”

He forced his feet to move, and he was out of the cell headed for the door. As he passed his friend’s cell, he glanced over at AJ. He paused as AJ looked right back. His eyes were empty, defeated.

“Move it.” Kael’s voice penetrated his thoughts. He took one last look at AJ, then back at the others and headed out the door. The door closed behind Kael without a glance backward.

AJ drew his knees up to his chin and began rocking. Silently, he prayed that they would take pity on Howie and treat him better.

“Alex?”

He slowly lifted his head as Kevin called his name. “You okay?”

“Kevin… a man I thought was a friend just… just tortured me. How do you think I’m doing?”

Kevin looked away as he held back the tears that threatened to spill over. His own cousin had done this horrid thing to a friend, a brother. “I’m sorry.”

“Um… AJ?”

AJ looked at his younger companion, hearing the caution and worry in Nick’s voice. “Yeah, Nicky?”

Nick hesitated, and then spoke. “What… what did he do? How did he…”

AJ shivered and turned away. For the time being, they left him alone. Half an hour passed by before the door opened again. Three prisoners climbed to their feet as Howie limped into the room. He was favoring his right wrist, so there must have been some kind of struggle. He stayed still as Kael opened his cell.

With Howie back in his cell, Kael turned to the next ‘victim’ and came face to face with Kevin’s green eyes. He paused and just stared at the man. The bruise on his jaw had gotten worse since he’d last been seen.

Zanell could have sworn she’d seen his hand waver over the pad just before he opened the cell.

“Get up,” he said. “Zator’s expecting you.”

Kevin placed one hand against the wall to support himself as he stood. He felt his knees shake a little, but he was soon standing straight. He took a few careful steps forward, and then began to walk with Kael to the door. As they reached it, Kael looked over his shoulder at Nick.

“Prepare yourself if you can,” he said. “You’re next.”

Nick watched in fear as the door closed behind them.

~*~

Kevin was instructed to turn right and head down the hallway. That was where Zator waited for them, Kael said. He straightened his shoulders and—confident in appearance—allowed himself to be led down the hall. After a lengthy trip, Kael paused in front of a large metal door. He removed a glove and pressed his palm to a pad next to the door.

“DNA scan confirmed. Chief Commander Kael.”

Kael slipped the glove back on as the door opened. He led Kevin inside and Kevin got his first look at the things Howie and AJ had experienced just before him.

The chair was the focal point of the small room. It was large, made of cold gleaming metal and black leather. An array of clamps waited to secure the intended victim tightly. A circular band of metal, attached by wires, hovered above the headrest. Kevin swallowed back his fear and focused not on the chair, but on his cousin. If only he could understand, if only he could make Brian see...

Kael’s voice was cold. “Strap him down.”

It was only then that Kevin saw the soldiers waiting in the room. They forced him into the chair and the clamps closed around him automatically. A soldier lowered the metal band around Kevin’s head.

“Where’s Zator?” Kael demanded.

“He left just a few minutes ago, sir. He said he had confidence that you could handle this on your own.”

Kevin saw the color fade just a little from his cousin’s face. He had to try…

“Brian, please, there’s no point in this.”

Kael finally looked at him and paused for a moment. “Gentlemen, return to your posts. I’ll call you when I need you.”

The soldiers saluted, and then exited the room.

"Brian," Kevin continued, "please, this isn't right. How can you serve someone like him? You know it isn't right."

"Zator wants the amulets," Kael replied coolly, "and he'll go to any lengths to get them. Including this." He walked over to the instrument panel and tapped a few buttons.

Kevin's back arched as excruciating pain shot through him. He howled in agony, wanting to beg for it to end. Suddenly it stopped and he collapsed back to the chair. He heard his cousin's footsteps come closer.

"Now you know what your friends felt before you."

"How could you?" Kevin gasped. “How could you, Brian? What about… your family?”

Kael stiffened. “What?”

“Leighanne… and Baylee,” Kevin continued, “they love you. They miss you and so do we. Please…”

Kael shook his head and turned back to the instrument panel. Kevin closed his eyes in failure. He hadn't gotten through. He was ready when the second wave of pain exploded through his body.

~*~

The machine automatically shut off when Kevin collapsed unconscious. Kael stared at the still form of his cousin, thinking about what he had said and how it had irritated him so much.

“Shut you up for a while, cousin.” He stepped outside quickly and motioned to the two guards by the door to come inside.

“Take him back and bring the other one in.”

When the soldiers had taken Kevin away, he sighed heavily and sank into the chair by the panel. Why had Zator left him to do this on his own? These men were once his friends and now he had been given the sole responsibility of interrogating them.

It was a test, he decided. It had to be a test; one to further prove his worth and loyalty. Yes, that’s all this is.

He looked up as the door opened. Seeing who came through, he stood and put on a stern face. The soldiers that had dragged Kevin’s unconscious body from the room now dragged Nick inside. Nick was struggling and fighting his hardest to get away.

“Feisty, this one, sir,” one soldier said. “Just like the first one.”

Nick met Kael’s eyes. “You!” he hollered. “How could you do that? Kevin’s your own cousin!”

“Get him in the chair,” Kael ordered. “Let’s see how feisty he is after a little interrogation.”

“No!” Nick struggled harder as he was led to the center of the room.

“Your fighting is pointless, Nick,” Kael said. “Just surrender to it and you won’t hurt as badly.”

“I’m not giving in!” Nick shot back as he was at last strapped into the chair.

Kael sighed, feigning sympathy. “So be it, then. Would you like a little demonstration so you know what your friends felt before you?”

Nick scowled at him, refusing to answer as the last band clicked into place.

“Very well.”

Nick’s back arched as he felt the pain course through his body. His fists clenched, but he refused to let Kael hear any sound of pain coming from him. When it finally stopped, Kael spoke.

“That was just the lowest setting Nick.”

“What happened to you?” Nick demanded. “I don’t even know you anymore.”

“You never knew me, Nick.” Kael motioned the soldiers to leave the room. As the door opened, Serafina entered the room. When she saw Nick strapped in the chair, his chest heaving, she went to Kael’s side and touched his arm.

“What did you do?”

“I just gave him a little demonstration, Sera. I let him know what his friends suffered before him.”

“You barbarian!” Nick growled. “Are you trying to use her to help you forget about your family? Your wife and son?”

Kael’s eyes widened in shock. He stepped forward, raised his hand and slapped Nick across the face.

“Kael!” Serafina cried.

Nick huffed. “Kael. It’s a good thing they gave you that name, commander.”

Kael bristled. “What are you saying?”

Nick straightened up as best he could and looked straight into Kael’s cold blue eyes. “With everything that you have done in the past few days, you don’t deserve to be called ‘Brian’. You killed him when you became Kael. You’re a murderer, that’s what you are! A monster, just like Zator.”

All that could be heard was the hum of energy throughout the ship. Kael stared at Nick. Nick glared back at him. Serafina watched both, fearing Kael’s reaction to the young Earthling’s tirade.

Kael was breathing deeply, trying to stay rational. You killed him when you became Kael. A murderer. He whirled around and slammed his fist into the panel, sending a shock wave of full power into Nick’s body. Not two seconds passed when Nick’s head flew back as he howled in agony. Not turning to look, Kael marched out the door and headed for the lift.

~*~

Nick’s cries followed him from the torture room to the lift.

You don’t deserve to be called ‘Brian.’ You killed him when you became Kael… You’re a murderer! Monster!

He stepped off the lift and tramped down to his cabin.

You killed him… A monster, just like Zator… Murderer! That’s what you are!

“Murderer,” Kael whispered as his cabin door closed behind him. “I’m a…”

He leaned against the door and slid to the floor. “A monster… just like Zator… No… No!”

He buried his face in his hands, and then realized that he was still wearing the gloves. Kael’s gloves, he thought as he looked at his hands, a monster’s hands.

Without a second thought, he ripped the gloves off and threw them as far away from him as he could. When he saw them land, he leaped to his feet and yanked off his jacket. As he did so, he caught his reflection in the full-length mirror on one wall. He froze and got a good look at himself.

“No…”

Dark and cold blue eyes stared back at him. He tried to relax and not show his shock. What he saw startled him; a face of stone stared back. Have I really become this creature? He remembered hearing that there was always some kind of twinkle in his eyes that was part of the reason he was so fun to be around. He leaned in closer to the mirror, hoping to find it. Five minutes went by before he stepped back in defeat. The light wasn’t there. Was Brian really dead?

Memories began to surface. Screams, people running, angry men and women shouting at him. The attack, he thought. He’d been so ruthless, so cold and hard and… evil.

“When I want your opinion on who I serve, I’ll ask for it.”

He sank onto his bed as the memories continued. “Kevin,” he murmured. “I’m sorry.”

A.J's angry brown eyes glared at him in the prison. Traitor, he’d said. He was right.

“Brian please! How can you do this to your friends?” He cringed as Howie’s brown eyes glowed with tears as he was strapped in the chair, begging him to stop.

“Brian, please, this isn’t right.”

Kael lowered his head into his hands as the shame, the guilt continued to build. Kevin’s face gazed up at him, desperate to have him back. “How can you serve someone like him? You know it isn’t right!”

“Kael. It’s a good thing they gave you that name, commander… I don’t even know you anymore. You don’t deserve to be called Brian… killed him when you became Kael.”

“Brian… dead?” He shook his head. “It can’t be.”

Slowly, he looked up and saw himself in the mirror. A man, lost and confused, looked back at him. That wasn’t Kael. But… it wasn’t Brian, either. Yet he seemed so familiar.

Seek and ye shall find.

His eyes widened as the familiar scripture was quoted in his mind. “Are you still alive?” he murmured.

A small boy, only an infant, held by his mother… Leighanne? Baylee?

“I haven’t forgotten you.” He rose, and stepped up to the mirror. “If Brian is still alive, I’ll bring him back to you.”

The door chimed. He turned. “Who’s there?”

“Serafina.”

“Sera,” he whispered. “Come in.”

The door slid open and she stepped inside. She paused when she caught sight of him. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” he sighed, “nothing’s okay. Sera, they were right. I became a monster.”

Serafina smiled and shook her head. “Kael, don’t let them get to you.”

“No. You don’t understand Sera. They don’t know where the amulets are. Your father thinks they were hidden somewhere on Earth.”

“But they’re not on Earth,” Serafina protested. “You have them.”

“That’s right. But he doesn’t know that. He thinks the others know where the amulets are.”

“So you’ve been torturing them, without them knowing?”

“Kael tortured them, Sera.”

“But you’re Kael,” Serafina protested.

“No,” he replied. “I’m not Kael. I…” he turned away from her, “I don’t know who I am right now.” He sank onto the bed. “But if Brian is still alive, I want to find him.”

“I’ll help you.”

He looked up and saw Serafina sit beside him. She took his hand and smiled. He smiled back.

“Thank you. Would you… stay with me for a little while?”

Serafina’s eyes widened and he continued. “Nothing like that! I’d just like you to be here for a little while.”

Slowly, a smile crossed her lips. “Just for a little while.”

“That’s all I ask,” he replied as she leaned into him. He shifted so he could lay down with her in his arms. He prayed that he could find Brian, and find out who he was before it was too late.