The Dark One

THIRTEEN

Trevor knelt next to Isabel and placed his hands on the cement floor beside her. He tapped the molecules with his mind, urging them apart just enough for the floor to turn spongy.

"Better?" he asked.

But he wasn't expecting an answer. Isabel was deep in the akino, nearing the moment of crisis.

Michael hovered above them, pacing quickly. "If you're lying to me about her being able to survive-"

Trevor jerked up his head. "If you don't think you can trust me, why did you even come to me for help?" he exploded. Then he saw the fear in his brother's eyes. It spiked through his aura. "She's going to be fine, Michael," he said, his anger instantly gone.

"When I connected with her, I could see her organs, and they were all about to disintegrate," Michael said, his voice rough with emotion. He knelt next to Trevor. "Is that normal?"

"It's normal," Trevor reassured him. He reached out and pushed a strand of sweaty hair off Isabel's face. He didn't think he'd have recognized her as the vibrant, gorgeous girl he'd danced with such a short time ago.

"And her breathing. It's so… it's like it's going to stop any second." Michael shoved himself to his feet and started walking again, this time in a tight circle. Every few moments he stopped and looked down at Isabel, his hands curled in fists in front of his mouth.

He was so worried, Trevor could feel it coming off Michael in waves.

"It's normal," Trevor assured him.

Michael stopped pacing and sat down on the other side of Isabel. He took her hand gently.

"Hey, my Izzy lizard," he said quietly. "Hang in there. It's almost over."

It was clear that seeing Isabel in pain was torture for Michael. Trevor would bet anything that Michael would rather be the one going through the akino if he could spare Isabel.

Michael had been willing to give him that same loyalty. He'd stood by Trevor one hundred percent. When his friends accused Trevor of coming to Earth to steal the Stone, Michael had backed him without hesitation, even though he'd known Trevor for only a few days. The fact that Trevor was Michael's brother was enough. Or it had been enough until Trevor had completely betrayed his trust. Trevor didn't know if he'd ever be able to make it up to his brother.

A low groan from Isabel pulled him away from his thoughts. "The amount of pain-that is unusual," Trevor admitted.

"What?" Michael demanded. "Why?" He tightened his grip on Isabel's hand.

Trevor reached over and loosened his fingers a little.

"Oh, very nice," Michael muttered. "She's in agony, and I decide to break a few bones in her hand."

"You didn't break them," Trevor corrected him. He took Isabel's other hand and held it gently, stroking her feverish skin with his thumb.

"So how she's feeling-it's not normal," Michael said. He swallowed hard, as if his throat was too dry to produce saliva. "What does that mean?"

Trevor moved his thumb to Isabel's wrist, checking her pulse. It was weak and erratic. She was very close now. "I think it's just that the human body responds in a different way to-"

"A different way?" Michael interrupted. "So are you telling me she could die? Why didn't you say that? I trusted you. I didn't even bring the communication crystals."

"You can trust me," Trevor insisted. "She's not going to die." But a tiny seed of doubt had sprouted inside him. Why the hell had he been so completely sure her akino would operate the same way his had? The human body was so different. Maybe it wouldn't be able to stand the strain.

Isabel twisted her head from side to side, making horrible mewling sounds. Trevor sprang to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Michael cried.

"I'm going to get one of the Stones from DuPris," he answered. "If she holds one, its power will ease the pain." He turned and sprinted to the center of the hangar. When he touched the solid wall of the ship, a doorway appeared, and Trevor rushed inside.

"Leader!" he called as he ran down the narrow corridor, feet crunching the metal mesh of the floor. "I need you."

DuPris didn't answer, but Trevor could hear him singing to himself. It sounded like he was in the control room.

Trevor took a right and pounded down the corridor, keeping his head down. The ship wasn't designed for beings his size, and he had to constantly remind himself to stay low. One more turn and the corridor widened into the control room. DuPris didn't turn around or even flinch as Trevor ran up behind him.

"Leader, I need to borrow one of the Stones," Trevor blurted out. "Isabel and Michael have arrived, and her human body is not responding well to the akino. She's going through all the usual stages, but there's so much pain."

DuPris continued fiddling with the switches in front of him as if Trevor had never spoken. "I told you you could have your little friends over, but they aren't allowed to play with my things," he answered.

"What?" Trevor cried. He grabbed DuPris by the shoulder and spun the leader toward him. "You don't understand-"

Trevor stopped abruptly, realizing what he had just done. He quickly removed his hand from the leader's arm. "Forgive me. I had no right," he said. "I request that I be given permission to use one of the Stones."

DuPris reached into the pocket of his pleated pants and pulled out the fully charged Stone. He turned it back and forth in his fingers.

What is he waiting for? Trevor thought. Why isn't he giving it to me? He knew better than to ask the questions aloud. He'd overstepped once. He would not do it again.

"You request," DuPris repeated. "You request. Haven't you realized yet that you are not in the position to request? I am the leader. I command. You obey."

"Of course," Trevor answered desperately. "But-"

And suddenly he was hurtling through the air. He slammed into the wall of the control room, cutting the back of his head on the corner. It took him a moment to realize what had happened, and when he did, his heart started pounding with fear and fury. "You used the Stone on me," he whispered, staring at DuPris.

"At very low power," DuPris agreed cheerfully, leering at Trevor. "I thought you needed a little reminder of exactly how the chain of command works."

Max urged his molecules together faster. Faster, faster, faster. The instant his body had re-formed, he scanned the room, searching for DuPris. Max didn't see him, but he spotted Michael and Trevor in one corner, crouched on either side of Isabel. He sprinted toward them, hearing the others running behind him.

Trevor looked up as the small crowd approached. His eyes went wide with fear or wonder-Max couldn't tell.

"You shouldn't have come here," Trevor said.

"Now, Trevor. Mind your manners," a voice called. Max turned and saw DuPris step into the entryway of the ship. "You should make all your little friends feel welcome."

The beings of the consciousness exploded with fury and fear at the sight of DuPris. Max used all his will to keep the connection low. He needed to stay sharp, stay in control. If he let the consciousness start running the show, it could be deadly for everyone.

"Thank you for letting Michael bring my sister here," Max said, trying to keep his voice even.

He figured if DuPris was going to pretend that everything was fine, he would, too. Not that he believed DuPris's act for a second. Max knew that DuPris was like a cat-he liked to play with his victims a little while before he killed them. Which was more than fine with Max. It would give him some time, hopefully enough time to get Isabel safely through her akino and get them all out of there.

Max strode over to Trevor and roughly pushed him aside, then took his place kneeling next to Isabel.

"What the hell were you thinking, Michael?" he said, eyeing his friend. "Can't you see she's almost dead?"

He pulled the communication crystals out of his pocket and placed them in Isabel's fingers.

"Make the connection, Izzy," he urged.

"You've got to do it, Isabel," he heard Maria call from behind him. "We love you. It's the only way you can stay with us."

Michael grabbed for the crystals, but Max was too quick. He locked his hand around Michael's wrist, stopping him.

"You're wrong, Max." Trevor circled around Isabel and crouched next to Michael. "She's almost reached her crisis. In just a few moments she'll make the turn. She's going to be fine."

"You don't know that," Alex said, joining the little circle.

"You've given us no reason to trust you," Max said, daring Trevor to contradict him. He shot a glance at the ship. DuPris was still in the doorway, an amused smile on his lips.

Liz knelt next to Isabel and touched her forehead gently. "Isabel, please, make the connection," she urged.

"Don't do it, Izzy," Michael countered. "Stay strong."

Isabel opened her eyes. She slowly turned her head until she was looking right at Max. She opened her lips, and a croaking sound came out. Max's heart practically broke wide open.

"I can't understand you," Max said in a near whimper. Looking at his sister's ravaged face was almost unbearable, but Max would not turn his gaze away. He leaned closer. "Tell me, Isabel."

"No!" she screeched, piercing Max's eardrum as her voice cracked. She flung the crystals across the room with a strength he never would have believed she had. Her breath came in tortured gasps, but she managed to speak again. "No, Max."

At that moment Max's body was sliced with pain. He let out a howl as it ripped and seared through his body. He could feel his blood vessels bursting, pumping blood into his body cavity. A horrible, wet, swishing sound filled his ears, and he could feel liquid draining through his ear canal.

"What's happening?" Liz yelled. Max turned toward her, but all he could see was a dim shape. Blood from the veins in his eyes clouded his vision.

Images from the consciousness filled his brain. First an image of himself in agony. Then an image of Isabel holding the crystals, making the connection. Then an image of himself smiling, clearly no longer in pain.

As soon as the message ended, Max could feel his veins close back up. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, and his vision cleared a little.

"Max, you've got to tell us what's happening," Alex demanded, grasping his shoulder.

"The consciousness-" Max spat, tasting blood in his mouth. "The consciousness wants Isabel to make the connection. If she doesn't-"

Max felt dozens of holes open up in his stomach. Hot acid rushed out. He fell onto his side and curled his knees to his chest as if that could somehow protect him from the pain.

"I'll try to heal him," Adam told Liz, rushing over to Max's side.

"I wouldn't do that," DuPris advised calmly over Max's wails of agony. "If you connect to him, the consciousness will be able to use you for motivation, too." He slowly walked toward them, the usual smug smile on his lips.

"Adam, wait," Liz instructed, holding out a hand. "Motivation? What are you talking about? Do you know what's going on here?" she demanded.

DuPris turned his gaze on her, his cold green eyes sending a shiver down her spine. Liz forced herself to keep looking at him. She knew DuPris enjoyed getting a reaction, and she was determined not to give him one. Alex, Adam, and Maria moved into a tight knot around her, joining Liz in the face-off.

"Isn't it clear?" DuPris said. "Your friend over there is being tortured by the consciousness."

"But he's part of the consciousness," Maria protested.

"Oh, little bunny. So innocent," DuPris said. He reached out and tugged on one of Maria's curls. Maria didn't flinch.

Good for you, Liz thought. She found Maria's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"The consciousness cares nothing for the individuals who form it," DuPris continued with a quick shake of his head. "It benefits the consciousness if Isabel joins it. If it has to torture Max over there to get the result it wants, so be it."

"What are we supposed to do?" Maria cried, looking down at Max, who was choked with pain. Liz felt like she could feel everything he was going through in her own body. She needed to make his pain stop. Now.

"Listen to him," Trevor called from Isabel's side. "The consciousness is evil."

"Let me illustrate," DuPris said. "Say I'm the consciousness, and he is one of the unfortunate ones who have made the connection." DuPris nodded toward Adam. "If his death benefits me, I simply-"

DuPris whipped the Stone out of his pocket and aimed it at Adam, and before Liz could move, before she could scream, a laser of purple-green light speared out of the Stone and into Adam's chest.

He crumpled to the floor like a wet rag. Liz felt a cry well up in her throat, but it just stayed there, choking her, bringing tears to her eyes. She dropped down beside Adam and rolled him onto his back. A perfectly round hole went all the way through his body. Through his heart.

"You killed him!" Liz screamed. She wrapped Adam tightly in her arms and pulled him to her chest. "Oh, God, you killed him."

DuPris smiled and shrugged nonchalantly. "Just proving my point."