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Chapter 9

"Kevin?"

Wha...?

Pain kept pushing him back into the darkness; he felt utterly unable to go back to the real world.  He was comfortable and safe; now, someone was intruding.  He tried to ignore it, but soon there came another sound, and a flare of pain.  It became too much to ignore, and reluctantly Kevin forced his eyes open.  Nick's unhappy face was staring down at him; a second later Kevin realized Nick was gripping his shoulder.  The source of the pain...

"Kev, wake up!" he said, far too loudly it seemed.

"Shh," he said, wincing.

"Brian's gone!" he said again, fear in his voice. "You've got to get up!"

What?  Kevin sat up, groaned as he waited for the room to stop spinning, and then looked around.  Brian wasn't there.  Nick, who had steadied him a second ago, gripped his shoulder harder.  Desperation had set in.

"We've got to find him," he urged. "What if-"

Part of Kevin wanted to smack his hand away, but a bigger part agreed with him.

"Nick, relax," came a voice.  Howie.  His hand found its way onto Nick's shoulder. "I can look for him.  Remember, Illusioneer isn't the only thing I can do."

Nick stopped clenching Kevin's shoulder, finally, and seemed to calm a bit.  Now it was up to Howie.  Kevin saw that he had managed to get his amulet without getting fried by the guards.  The guards... He turned toward the door and saw that they were slumped on the ground, unconscious.  Both must have hit the wall when Brian's energy field hit them.  He heard a shifting and turned to see Howie kneel.  He had told the group once before that he was most comfortable kneeling when using telepathy.  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  The rest could only watch him as he searched.  Nearly two minutes passed before he spoke.

"There he is.  By the... escape pods." Confusion laced his voice.

"Escape pods?" AJ repeated. "Why?"

Eyes still closed, Howie said, "Let me see if I can get his thoughts."  He dug deeper.  The wall around Brian's mind was weak, his thoughts frantic, frightened, scattered.

All in pain...  It's my fault... I injured them, betrayed them... He lied to me! ... I have to stop it...  Only one way...

"No!" Howie's eyes flew open and he leaped to his feet.

Everyone reached out to grab him. "What is it?"

He tried to shake off the hands. "He's gonna kill himself!"

Kevin froze. "What?"

Howie took a deep breath. "He's going to launch an escape pod and set it for self-destruct... with him inside."

No one spoke for several moments.  Finally, "Do you remember where he is, Howie?" Nick whispered.

Howie nodded.  It wasn't something he would forget.  "Keep up.  I'll see if I can nudge the thought into his mind to wait.  He was so panicked he either didn't try to block me, or he couldn't tell I was trying to get in."

Without another word, he raced out the door.  Amulets around their necks at last, the others rushed to follow.

Hold on, Brian, Kevin begged. Don't do it!  Wait for us.

They raced down corridor after corridor, trying to keep Howie in sight.  They had to use a few lifts, but were met with little resistance.  That caught Kevin by surprise; Howie must have seen a way where the group would be safe while he searched for Brian.  Their steps faltered when they saw blackened walls and one unconscious crewman on their journey.  The powers must have exploded again.  The group sped up.  Finally, Howie announced they had reached the level of the pods.

"Go carefully," he instructed. "We'll definitely meet more soldiers down here.  I'll disguise us, but try not to act like Earthlings.  Okay?"

Confident that Howie had properly disguised them, they continued on down the hallway.

"How's Brian?"

"Frightened," Howie replied to Kevin's question. "And really confused.  He's not sure what to make of the thoughts I'm sending him; it's conflicting what he wants to do.  His mind wants to get out, but I'm telling him to wait.  He's getting more confused and emotional by the second."

"How far away?"

Howie sped up. "Just a few more corners and we'll have him."

"Howie, you might want to have some illusions coming from the other direction," Zanell suggested.

"Why?"

"Because I think that when he sees us, he'll want to bolt.  If more than one group is closing in on him, he'll have nowhere to go."

"Except for the pod," AJ interrupted.

Howie motioned the others to keep moving. "Not if there's an illusion waiting in the pod, too."

"Can you handle that?" Kevin asked. "That's a lot for you to do at once."

"We're trying to save Brian," Howie replied simply. "I'll manage."

Kevin was astonished at the amount of illusion that Howie was creating.  Obviously, he'd gained range and strength in the years since Kevin had left the fight.  At least this was a good change.  He shook the thoughts from his head as they rounded what Howie said was the last corner.

Just as he'd said, there was Brian pacing back and forth, his face pale and creased with worry, a slight limp in his step.  He turned just as they came into view and froze.  His eyes widened. "No..." he whispered.

He started to back up, turned again, but didn't get more than a few feet before Howie's illusions came the other way.  Brian gazed wildly back and forth between the two groups, breathing heavy, then whirled and reached for the keypad to open the pod.  Kevin rushed forward. "Brian, no!"

The pod door opened, and he ducked to step inside.  He froze, eyes widening.  He stepped away, shaking his head, whimper becoming audible.  Kevin moved closer and saw Brian's eyes shine with unshed tears, his whole body beginning to tremble.  He was losing it.  Reaching out, Kevin whispered, "Brian, it's okay."

To Kevin's shock, Brian whipped out his laser and aimed it at him. "Stay away from me," he ordered. "Just get away and d-don't touch me."

Kevin stopped, his eyes moving between Brian and the laser. "Brian, we're here to help you," he said softly. "We can if you'll let us.  We won't leave you alone like Zator did.  He lied to you, let you suffer.  I'm not going to let that happen to you.  You have my word."

He could see the conflict inside the man as he began to lower the gun.  Kevin held out his hand and stepped closer.  But Brian backed up and shook his head.  He raised the laser again, but his arm shook.  He didn't know what to do.  Suddenly, his eyes looked past Kevin, widened, then rolled back into his head.  Brian dropped to the floor, limp as a rag doll.

Kevin rushed to his side. Had he passed out?  Looking him over, Kevin didn't see any sign of a wound.

"He's fine, Kevin."

Kevin twisted around to stare at Howie. "What did you do to him?"

"I knocked him unconscious," Howie explained. "We didn't need him pulling that trigger; it could have alerted someone to the fact we'd escaped.  Brian's fine.  He'll wake up in a couple of hours unharmed."

Kevin looked back at Brian.  His breathing was still the slightly-panicked shuddering, but it was beginning to ease. If Howie said he was fine... "You're right.  I'm sorry."  Kevin activated his amulet, then knelt and lifted Brian into his arms. "Let's get out of here."

~       ~       ~

Kevin leaned back in his chair, more tired than he could remember ever being.  They were on their way home, but Brian hadn't stirred so far.  The entire mission had gone so differently than Kevin had imagined...  His body was demanding sleep, rest; his thoughts were far too tangled to comply.  He kept seeing the panicked, desperate look on Brian's face back at the pod.  How had things come to that point?  Had Zator really dared to mess with Brian's mind that much?  Just thinking that man's name made the anger flow again.  How dare he try to pull them apart with lies?  He'll pay.

Kevin's eyes fell closed as his thoughts drifted to his family.  How wonderful it would be to see Kristin again, to feel her comforting embrace with the children around them, anxiously waiting, tugging on his arms and clothes for their turn.  But he knew this ordeal was far from over.  Brian needed help, and Kevin didn't have a clue what to do.

"Kevin?"

His eyes flew open in surprise.  Of all people to join him... "AJ?" he asked, turning around in the chair.

AJ stood there in silence, glancing between the floor and Kevin.  It looked like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure what to do.

"Um... have a seat," Kevin offered, motioning to a chair.

He hesitated, and for a moment Kevin thought he would be stubborn and remain standing. Then he sat without comment.

Neither man spoke for several minutes.  Finally, slowly, Kevin asked, "Was there something you wanted?"

He didn't speak, fiddling with a pen he'd pulled from his pocket.  After a while, he asked, "How's he doing?"

Kevin glanced at the figure on the bed. "No change, so far.  Zanell healed his body, but his mind's messed up because of Zator.  I don't know what to do."

"We'll pay him back," AJ growled, "that's what we're gonna do."

He nodded in agreement. "As soon as Brian's better, we'll start planning."

"Why wait?" AJ demanded.

"Because I'm positive that once Brian's back in his right mind, he'll want to be in on the planning.  He should have the biggest part in this."

AJ nodded.  "You're right." Then his voice got suddenly quiet. "You were right about a lot of things.  I'm... sorry for not welcoming you back on real good terms."

"Well," Kevin murmured, trying to find his voice, "I didn't exactly leave on good terms.  I didn't tell any of you what I was doing until you read my note after we rescued Nick, our wives and the kids."

"Even so," AJ continued, "Brian shouldn't have been the only one to accept you leaving."

Kevin looked over at Brian. "Nick said that if I hadn't given up my amulet, Brian would have."

"Yeah, he would've."

"Think things might have been different?"

There was silence as AJ thought. "Maybe, but not much different.  Zator may have come after someone else instead of him.   Shoot, it might've been you he came after instead."

That drew Kevin's thoughts to another question. "J, why do you think Brian believed so easily and allied with Zator?"

"You're askin' the wrong person, man.  I believed, too.  Remember?"

"Why'd you believe?"

AJ bit his lip. "Honestly, I've been thinking about that one, myself."

"Figure it out yet?"

"I think so," he said. "We're all tired, Kev.  This fighting has been going on for way too long.  The extra strength, well, we really could've used that in the past.  Why Zanell didn't show us, I don't know-"

"Maybe she didn't know how," Kevin interrupted.

AJ was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Maybe you're right.  Well, like I said, we're all tired.  What Zator showed us... it seemed like it would make our lives so much easier, Kev.  I mean," he looked up, "after you left, it got harder real fast, and I was almost ready to give up."

"What kept you going?" Kevin wondered.

The corner of AJ's mouth twitched. "Brian and Zanell's faith in all of us.  Both of them knew that we had to keep going, no matter how many were battling.  It's just hard now.  We... we really do need you, Kevin."

Kevin studied the weaving of the carpet as AJ's words sank in.  Now, every one of his companions had said, in one way or another, that they needed him.  After what had just happened the past several days, he was beginning to understand why.  Zanell was right; they worked better together as a unit.  Kevin's leaving had created a breach in that unity and they had nearly paid for that with their lives.  He would never forget that.

There was a small groan from the bed.  Kevin whipped his gaze over to Brian, eyes wide.  The dark blond head moved slowly from side to side, and then he finally rolled onto his side.  Kevin and AJ stayed silent, watching him.  After a minute, he began to snore.

"That's a good sign," AJ remarked.

"Is it?"

"Yep.  Means he's sleeping regular now, not the Howie-induced sleep.  He'll wake up when his body's ready."

Kevin sighed in relief.  That was a good sign.  Now all that was needed was for Brian to actually wake up, so Kevin and the others could see what state his mind was in.

Howie arrived and announced that it was Kevin's turn at piloting.  He didn't want to leave, but was somewhat comforted by Howie's promise to inform him of the slightest change.  Even so, Kevin could barely concentrate at his station.  It's lucky they didn't crash on an asteroid somewhere, like AJ had said a few days ago.

He was just waking up from a restless night when Nick entered the cabin.  Brian had woken up.  Kevin was at his cousin's bedside two minutes later.  He was looking around the room in confusion.

"We're on Zanell's ship," Kevin explained.  Blue eyes met green. "We're going home."

"How did I get here?"

"Your body couldn't handle the power of all five amulets, and yours started to go haywire," Kevin explained as he moved closer.

Brian looked at his lap. "I remember."

Kevin sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you remember what happened at the pod?"

Brian's eyes darkened slightly. "Howie."

He nodded. "There was no way in heaven or earth that we were going to let you kill yourself just to keep the rest of us alive and safe."

"I hurt you," he murmured, turning to look out the window next to his bed.  The light of the stars sailing past the ship filtered into the room, erasing some of the lines on his face that had appeared while Kevin was gone.

The door opened and closed a few more times, but he could only watch Brian.  Breakfast was offered, but Brian wasn't ready to eat.  Howie brought a tray for Kevin.  As he set the tray down, Brian turned from the window and looked straight at him.  Howie froze, waiting.