Inside, outside, stone, gone, end

Josh opened his eyes and felt a bit light headed. He looked around and did not recognize where he was. It was not JJ’s old house. All he could see was black. He lifted his hand and he could see it. It was not dark it was just black. He looked to the right and to the left and saw nothing but black.

“Hello,” said a woman’s voice.

Josh turned and jumped and looked in every direction and could not find the source. He closed his eyes and tried to use his telepathy but he could not access his powers. He then said, “Who are you? Where are you?”

“I’m where you are,” said the woman. “I am just an egg.”

“You’re the Lurker egg?” Josh asked confused.

“Yes,” confirmed the voice. “I am the Lurker egg. Though I’m not just any kind of egg. I’m very special.”

“Yes you’re invisible,” said Josh. “I think that’s pretty special. Why don’t you show yourself to me? I like sexy women.”

“I am not sexy,” said the voice. “I might sound that way only because it’s pleasing to your ears. My looks will be an exact contradiction to how I sound to you.”

“You’re not born yet and yet you can speak,” Josh asked still trying to see if he could find the voice with just his eyes. He started to walk around with his hands out in front of him as if he was in the dark, even though he knew he was not.

“I am in control,” said the woman.

“What do you mean in control?” Josh asked growing annoyed.

“Do not get annoyed,” said the woman. “I can feel your annoyance levels rising. I am now in control of you. You are no longer in control of your own body unless I state otherwise,” said the voice.

Josh saw a woman in the distances. He started running towards her as fast as he could. She never seemed to get closer. He felt like he was running in place. He stopped and said as he breathed hard, “I demand to know what the hell is going on.”

She then all the sudden appeared in front of him and said, “This is not my true form. Again it’s to appeal to your liking. I’m accommodating to my hosts.” She had a nice tone woman’s body with long dark hair that was hard to see because of the black that surrounded them.

“Where am I?” Josh asked as he calmed down.

“You are exactly where you’ve always been,” said the woman as she walked around him and started to walk back to where Josh assumed he had run from.

Josh made a face and followed her. He said, “My own body?”

“Correct,” said the woman.

Josh waited but she did not say anything further. “Why?”

“Why what,” the woman asked as she lifted her hands and the area that was black filled with familiar faces. It was as if they were looking out through his eyes as Twelve, JJ and others were looking down at him. “They cannot see us but you and I can see them. You have friends that care a lot about you. You must feel special.”

“I do,” said Josh as he calmed a little more. He then said, as he turned around to look at everyone he could see, “Why am I here?”

“You’re here because I brought you here,” said the woman. “You have to make a choice.” She turned and looked at him. “You can save them from the danger that is brimming around them or you can let them die.” She pointed up. “I’m going to allow you to decide. I am not, however, going to make it as black and white as I just did.”

“What is it that I have to do to save them,” Josh asked sounding a bit nervous.

“I commend you on the try that you just preformed in seeing if I’d slip and say something,” said the woman. “But I know you better than you think.” She smiled.

“What is your name,” Josh asked.

“Queen,” said the woman.

“I’ve heard of Prince but never Queen,” said Josh almost giggling.

“Giggle if you wish,” Queen said, “but it’s not a name without merit.”

“You’re the Queen of the Lurkers?” Josh said astounded.

She nodded.

“Why?” Josh asked looking directly at her with astonishment and disgust.

“Because you’re special and I need that for what it is I’m going to accomplish,” said Queen. “My body is dying. This egg that is inside you has all of me in it. I’m to form a new body and your powers were perfect. I assure you the process is painless. But you will no longer exist. You cannot stop me. You can try. That is your choice. You try to stop me or you allow me to do what it is I have to do and you’ll save those you claim are your friends from the danger that is to arrive in mere moments.”

Josh pointed at her and said, “You said you wouldn’t make it easy.”

She shrugged and said, “I like you. I like them. This is a necessity for survival of my kind. You are to be sacrificed. It was the least I could do.”

“What if I fight,” Josh asked with more calm than anger.

“You will lose,” said Queen. “Not only the battle but all of them.” She pointed up at the ceiling where the familiar faces filled it. Their concern was apparent. They were trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

“What is it that I have to do,” Josh asked without a single stutter of fear.

“Are you sure,” JJ asked looking at Twelve.

“Yes.JJ.Josh.Has.The.Queen.Egg,” said Twelve. “The.Insignia.On.The.Egg.Is.Defiantly.

Hers.”

“Take it out,” JJ demanded.

Dub_ moved forward and said, “It’s not that easy. From what Twelve showed me that egg has integrated itself into Josh’s body and if we even attempt to remove it Josh very well might die.”

“Then what,” JJ asked. “We do nothing?”

“There are other problems,” Kel said. “Shawn, for instances, he is infected by the Bobo Virus and he is not fairing too well. We should cut our losses with Josh and let him go and fix what it is we can.”

JJ looked at Kel and gave him a face that could only be described as deadly. Kel took a step back in fear. He had never seen such a look.

“I’m only being practical here,” said Kel as raised his hands and shook his head.

“JJ,” said Dustin. “Let me be serious for a moment and say that if Twelve and Dub_ state they cannot fix Josh it is best we do move on. I understand that this is difficult to say good bye to someone, even if it is just Josh, but we cannot make emotional decisions right now. We do have other problems. I will make the death quick and painless.”

“What,” JJ asked as he grabbed Dustin’s arm. “No one is going to kill him.”

“Some has to,” said Dub_. “If he has the Queen inside him she’ll call the other Lurkers and you can bet your bottom that Josh will not be the only casualty of a Lurker.”

Dustin looked at Bat and Bat nodded. He walked over and grabbed JJ and led him away from the kitchen table. “Come JJ we can talk outside.”

JJ followed Bat mindlessly outside.

Dustin pulled out his sword and lowered it to mark an imaginary line on Josh’s neck. He lifted it and then lowered it and then lifted it again. He held it up and the dropped it swiftly and as it came down it slipped out of his hands and went into the wall on the other side of him. It was halfway in the wall. He looked at Meg.

Meg saw him and shook her head. “It was not me.”

Dustin pulled the sword out of the wall with all the strength he could muster. He then tried it again. When the sword came down this time the sword lifted and spun. It was then lowered back into Dustin’s sheath.

“Wow,” said Twelve. “Josh’s.Body.Is.Not.Going.To.Die.Quietly.”

“Or,” said Dub_, “we are too late and the Queen has taken over.”

“What do you mean taken over,” Dustin asked.

“She chooses a host that has power,” said Dub_, “and then when she gains control she has their powers plus her not so hot look. She’ll explode out of the body ready to feast. And we’ll be the feast.”

“Oh hell no,” said Dustin. “Someone find me some explosives. I’m going to shove them in all his holes and blow him up.”

“How logical,” said Dub_.

“I know,” said Dustin as he went looking.

“What is that smell,” Will asked as he lifted Kelly out of her portal. Then the portal blinked shut.

“It’s death,” said Lindsey as she looked around. The lights were flickering on and off.

Will looked around and said, “Gross.”

Kelly groaned.

Will found a table and cleared it. He helped her up on the table and lowered her down on her back. “Don’t worry I’ll figure out something.”

Lindsey looked and saw everyone tied in the back. She used their telepathy and found out they were still alive just paralyzed and not harmed. She turned and saw Aron and she was filled in by everyone who could not move what had happened.

“Who are you,” Will asked even though he was preoccupied with finding something that would help clean the wound and the close it off until someone could fix it.

“From Religion City,” said Lindsey.

He found something and pulled it off the shelf. He grabbed cotton swaps and went back over to Kelly. He started cleaning off her wound and said, “Are you not going to ask who I am?”

Lindsey said, “No. I know who you are. I’ve heard rumors.”

“Rumors are nothing to go by,” said Will. He then grabbed a bandage and proceeded to place it on Kelly’s gun shot wound.

“We’ll see,” said Lindsey. “What happened?

“A run in with Daniel the power hungry fool and his pit bull Anarchist,” said Will. He then leaned in and said to Kelly, “That’s as good as it gets for now. I’m going to have to find Andy and get him in here to help out.”

The room rumbled a bit.

“The door is locked shut by magic,” said Lindsey.

“Then how did you get in here,” Will asked looking at the door and then her.

“My powers,” she said.

“Oh,” said Will.

The door slid open. Will saw everyone but did not care and just pushed through them to go and find Andy. Kurt was shoved into the room and he hit the floor with his face landing in someone’s flesh. He spit and rolled over.

“They are paralyzed because of Aron,” Lindsey said.

“What are we going to do,” Usul asked.

“Why was Will here,” Abby asked.

Lindsey pointed at Kelly. Abby nodded.

“You are going to do nothing,” said Kurt as he arms started to stretch out and wrap around them all.

“Watch out,” Bri shouted as her hair moved about to keep Kurt’s arms away.

All the sudden the room filled with a bright light and when it left everyone was turned to cold hard stone.

Cathy’s body just disappeared in a swirl of red smoke. They were fiddling with the door. There was some sort of code that was needed to get inside.

“If we get inside will he wake up,” said Anarchist.

“Nah,” said Daniel, “He’ll most likely snore loudly in irritation. Hopefully. It is his first nap like this. It won’t be his last. Well maybe it’ll be his last.”

He dialed a couple of numbers and it buzzed him and he hit the panel in frustration. Something fell out from behind the panel and hit the ground. He bent down and picked it up. He laughed.

“Either Jeff is an idiot or Andy is a moron who shouldn’t be alive for such a stupid atrocity,” said Daniel who then hit another series of numbers and the door to the chamber opened. There was the sound as fresh air was sucked in.

“What,” Anarchist asked.

Daniel handed over the piece of paper. Anarchist looked at it and there on the paper were a series of numbers written in haste.

Just like a pharaoh in his death the scepter was held in his hand. Daniel pulled and pulled and finally the death grip Jeff had let it go. Daniel lifted the scepter into the air and said, “It’s mine.” He accidentally bumped the chamber door and shut it. It ended up reactivating the slumber process.

A bright light filled the room and when it had left Anarchist was stone.

“It is for the best,” said Bat as he put his hand on JJ’s shoulder. “I know that you want no one to ever die but death is the process of life. It’s going to happen.”

JJ looked up into the sky and said, “It’s too early for Josh to die. It just really sucks.”

Bat gave JJ a hug.

Winds rushed around both Bat and JJ. The clouds formed a dark halo over his house. Thunder and lighting passed around like a baseball in a game of catch from cloud to cloud.

“James this is no time to play,” JJ shouted.

There was no response.

“James do you hear me,” JJ yelled louder.

Someone ran out from JJ’s house and said, “I’m not doing anything.”

JJ turned and there was James. “Then what is going on?”

Kel came outside and said, “You better get in here.”

They all went inside to the sight of Josh with his hands out stretched and fire forming around him in the shape of a phoenix.

JJ ran over to Twelve and shouted over the noise of Josh’s power, “What is going on?”

“He.Is.Not.Happy,” said Twelve as he continued to scan Josh.

Chris was staring on at Josh when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Kimmy. “I have to talk to you,” said Kimmy.

“Now,” shouted Chris.

“Yes,” Kimmy demanded and grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the living room down the hall to one of the bedrooms. She threw him on the floor and said, “You’re going to listen.”

Josh’s eyes opened and smoke smolder out of them with a bit of flame. He pointed his finger out and said, “Do not leave the house.”

Thunder and lightning ravaged outside. James looked out and felt uneasy and said, “I’ve got to calm down the storm. Something is wrong.”

“James stay,” said Tina. “Josh said to stay.”

James said, “No one tells me to stay.”

He ran the front door and called up on the wind to take him up into the air. It started to rain. He closed his eyes and tried to calm the storm. “Something is so wrong.” He looked out in the distance towards Jeff’s and saw a white light that zoomed towards them. He would run back inside but the storm was out of control.

JJ went running after James to bring him back inside but as he stepped out the front door he was yanked inside and the door slammed shut. He hit the ground creating others which he quickly absorbed and stood up angry.

“What is going on,” JJ shouted.

“This is my last gift to you all,” said Josh. A tear fell from one of his eyes and left a trail that soon evaporated.

JJ pushed his way up to get up close to Josh and said, “What do you mean your last?”

Chris just looked at Kimmy and said, “We never had sex.”

“I know,” said Kimmy who just told him she’s pregnant, “which is why I have to tell you who it was.”

“Who was it,” Chris demanded as he stood up and looked at her. “I need to know.”

“Will,” said Kimmy.

Chris eyes darkened and Kimmy grew afraid of what was to come next.

“Why?” Chris asked with an even controlled tone as his hands held her.

“He tricked me,” Kimmy said.

“How,” Chris asked.

“By pretending to be you,” said Kimmy.

Chris just stood there.

“Do something,” JJ said looking at Dub_ and Twelve.

Dub_ shrugged his shoulders and Twelve said, “There.Is.Nothing.Left.To.Do.”

“JJ it’ll be okay,” said Josh without moving his head to look down at JJ. “I’m going to be fine. What is important is that everyone here will be okay too.”

“From what,” JJ said as he looked up at Josh whose flame was dying and he was lowering.

“The on coming change,” said a different voice but it came from Josh’s body.

There was a bright light that encircled the house and shown in. It never reached inside.

Josh hit the table slowly. His body ripped apart wings split the opening further apart. Out flew an insect looking creature that was roughly 3 feet long. It turned and looked everyone and said, “You can thank me later.”

JJ jumped up and tried to grab the bug and she rocketed out through the window braking one of the panes.

Josh’s body lay on the table lifeless.

JJ looked at Twelve.

Twelve shook his head and said, “Nothing.”

Shawn coughed and continued to cough. “We have more problems to contend with,” Thomas said. “We need a cure.”

“He deserves to die,” said JJ.

“No he doesn’t,” said Adrian. “He must have reason to contact Josiah and not you. Don’t jump to kill until we know.”

Twelve moved over to Shawn and said, “I.Will.See.If.I.Can.Find.Something.Different.

With.Him.That.Will.Help.Find.A.Cure.”

Dub_ followed him.

Gray said, “What about us? Can we be fixed? I’m sick of walking around like a commoner.” He walked over to JJ and said, “Death is everywhere. We are not exempt.”

JJ just looked at him and said, “I’m glad you are taking this easily.”

“I am not,” said Gray. “I’m just accepting it and trying to move forward. Come let’s go out side and bring James back inside. He must have done something the clouds are gone and the sun is shining a bit.”

They headed outside.

Josh’s body lifted up and disappeared. No one saw.

James fell from the sky and hit the ground like a stone because he was transformed into a stone.

“James,” said a man who lowered himself to look at him. “Yes you look like James. Different than I last saw you. Very stoney. Though you’ve been stoned when I’ve seen you…just not this stoned.” He heard the door open and he turned and saw JJ and Gray walk out. “We’ve gotta go,” said the man He place a metallic circle on James and hit the button. He stood up and looked at JJ and Gray and waved.

JJ and gray saw the man who was pale with a black circle around his eyes. They were taken aback by him and then in a flash he disappeared.

“Who was that?” JJ asked.

Gray let out a half laugh and said, “Derek.”

To be continued…….

In the “Queen”.

BOOM! Death and uhoh.

“I feel alive,” said Jake as he stretched out on the couch and got comfortable.

Ali looked at him a little confused and said, “What do you mean by alive?” She had walked in from the kitchen. They had just eaten and she was cleaning up.

Matthew had already gone to shower and get into bed.

Jake yawned and looked at his watch. He was a little shocked at how early it was and said, “Well you know I was dead. Cathy brought me back and for some weird reason when you came around it just made me feel more alive.”

Ali had looked at Jake before because that is what she did when someone talked. But she had not realized, until right then, that Jake was right. He was more alive. His skin tone had changed, she does not know when, from a pale to a lively tan tone.

“That could explain why you were shaking all over the ground like you were,” said Ali remembering that Marc did it too. “And Marc.” She came into the living room and sat down in one of the chairs. She took in a deep breath and said, “Wow this is interesting.”

“Very,” said Jake. “I was dead. I came back under a magical spell and you broke the spell. You defied Cathy’s magic. Nothing that I know of can do that.”

“I don’t know of anything either,” said Ali looking off into space.

“Well you know yourself and you did it,” said Jake. He closed his eyes.

Ali nodded, “This would be true. I do know myself. But I didn’t know that I had the ability to defy magic.”

“People learn new talents,” said Jake as he rolled over and went to sleep.

Ali took the hint and got up out of her chair. She walked back towards her bedroom when she saw a blinking red light in the computer room. She walked in and awoke her computer to check out what was going on. She saw that there was some sort of commotion at Jeff’s place. Cathy must be causing some sort of issue there. She continued to read the reports that were pouring in and apparently Jeff had gone to sleep earlier than he had intended and the person to blame was Cathy.

She yawned. They had reached Relationship City and they were all tired and they all decided to get sleep. This new found information does not alter that decision. She could barely stay focused enough to read the rest of the reports. She decided to just get up and go to bed. The information she just read was important but it was not like it could not wait until the morning. She headed to bed.

Aron had leaked gas out of his body and everyone had fallen to the ground paralyzed. His hand was forced. He had gathered the bodies and placed them up against the far wall. He had propped them all up so that they could see him as he talked to them and explain to them what it was that he was to do. Nate, Jordan, Steph, Kayla, and Brianna sat against the wall in a line. Their hands were tied behind their backs. He had tied Liz and Haxot together and placed them closer to everyone else. He had gathered samples from both of them and was looking the virus over.

Aron sat on a chair and was looking at the samples he had taken. He said, “Looks like Haxot is further along than Liz. I don’t understand that. Meaning,” he said as he pointed a finger in the air, “she’s going to be the first to blow up.”

There was no gasp or any sort of reaction from anyone in the group because they were unable to do that the gas paralyzed them. They just sat there and all they could do was hear him talk to them and occasionally see him.

“I’m full of surprises,” said Aron. “My body may have been fused together with this suit but I’m capable of much more than people realized…as you can see by your circumstances. I’m going to find a cure to this Bobo Virus and that will be that. I will not share it. How kind of me right? Well I think so. It doesn’t matter. Daniel will be gaining power any moment now and I’ll put in a bad word for all of you.” He then pushed off against the desk where he was and rolled across the floor closer to all of them and mockingly said, “Aww no response? Does the cat have your tongues? No. I do.” He laughed.

Haxot gave no warning. She exploded. The noise of her body ripping apart was deafening and the force of her body exploding was extreme. The shockwave hit everyone. The only person that screamed was Aron for he was knocked out of his chair and hit the door hard. Chunks of Haxot dripped off his face. His ears rang. His body was sore even if the amount of armored protection he had.

Everyone else that was against the wall was shoved into the wall. Cracks formed around the imprints of their bodies. There was no screaming from them because they were incapable of doing so. Liz’s body was thrown into another wall head first. Blood would have been everywhere if she were alive like everyone else. Her undead status protected her from totally feeling the explosion as she could have.

Aron looked around the room and could only see in double vision. He tried to get up but slid back down against the door. He felt the door vibrate. At first he thought it was just because he hit it as he was trying to get up, but it continued to happen and then he realized someone was trying to get in.

Aron then saw a black portal opening in the middle of the room. He tried to focus on who it was but he felt his brain just give out. His head fell to one side and he closed his eyes.

“They are in there,” said Lindsey to Usul and Abby.

They had ran into each other as Lindsey and Bri were forcing Kurt to walk back towards the Infirmary as their prisoner. Bri was keeping him from escaping physically and Lindsey was making sure he was not planning on leaving via her telepathy. They almost made it to the Infirmary but Usul and Abby suddenly appeared because Usul was using his ability to cast illusions.

“Ok,” said Usul as he tried to open the door but it did not work. “How does the door work?”

Lindsey pushed Kurt forward and said, “Open it.”

Usul and Abby had been informed of what Kurt had done by Lindsey and her telepathy. She quickly brought them up to snuff on what he had done and what they had went through with Daniel.

Kurt hit several buttons on the panel that was next to the door and nothing happened. The door stayed shut. He turned and said, “It’s not working. Someone must have altered the code.”

“Or you’re lying,” said Usul.

Lindsey forced herself, painfully, into Kurt’s head. Kurt groaned under the pain she caused. She then said, “No he’s telling the truth.” She let his brain go and he stood upright again.

“Try going underneath,” said Usul.

Kurt flattened himself and tried to slide under the door but could not. Something was blocking him from making it. He came back to normal form and said, “Something is blocking me.”

“What is going on,” Abby asked.

“Magic,” said Bri. “Cathy must have been by here.” Her red hair waved about. She pushed Kurt out of the way with her hair and then the hair went for the door and tried to force it open. It did not budge. She hit the door with her hair in anger and it vibrated but still nothing.

“Great,” said Usul, “we are right here and we cannot do anything. We cannot even get inside.”

“Yes we can,” said Lindsey. “Watch Kurt,” she said telepathically to everyone but Kurt. She moved to the door and melted into the shadow that was on one of the doors.

“Whoa,” said Usul, “that’s freaky cool.”

Cathy dodged Daniel as his fist flew towards her face. He was growing angrier with each miss. He goaded her though with, “I’m still not dead.” He would add his very dashing smile and he hopped that would gnaw at her insides.

Cathy’s hands glowed with hex energy. She lifted her hands and would fire and would hit Daniel across the face and sometimes miss. This last time she dodged his fist knowing that all it would take was once and she was in for a world of pain she possibly could not imagine. She was also trying to figure out how to get inside the chamber with Jeff and pull the scepter out of his hands.

Adin was trying to be careful and not destroy anything in the Jeff’s chamber. But he was growing tired of Anarchist’s ability to maneuver about the room and hit him with fire power. Of course the fire power was not harming him it was just annoying like a fly pestering someone during their picnic. He did try to swat him like a fly. It was not working.

“Looks like you’re a bit frustrated,” said Anarchist as fired a few rounds of bullets at Adin’s head. He would shoot around the head hopefully the sparks would be bright enough to temporarily blind him and Anarchist would have moments to get out of the way. Then Anarchist had an idea.

He rolled on the ground fast enough to get out of Adin’s aim and directly in aim with Cathy. He fired and hit Cathy right in the leg. She fell to the ground screaming in pain. He then said, “Switch.”

Daniel charged and hit Adin right in the gut with his shoulder and slammed him into the wall. The wall cracked under the pressure and Adin did one of the stupidest things he could have done: he hit Daniel as hard as possible. Daniel’s body absorbed the kinetic energy and he started to feel incredibly better.

He smiled and looked at Adin and said, “You’re every bit as dumb as people have said you drunk idiot.” He pulled back his fist and hit Adin as hard as possible right in the chest. Adin broke through the wall and did not lose momentum. Daniel did not even take notice where Adin was to stop. He turned around to give his attention to Cathy.

Anarchist stood over her with his gun pointed directly at her face. He said, “Move and I’ll paint the floor the color Cathy. I’m sure Jeff would not mind that your mind was opened up on his floor. Considering that would be a first for your mind…you know…to be open.” He laughed at his self made joke.

She did not respond. Her leg was hurting because of the bullet. Anarchist took care to hit her flesh leg instead of the metal one. Smart bastard.

Daniel motioned Anarchist to move away from Cathy. He then bent down and picked up Cathy’s neck with one hand. He lifted her up off the ground as her hands went up trying to remove his hand. He looked her directly in the eyes and said, “Tell Darph he’s welcomed.”

He squeezed her neck cutting off the air she needed to stay alive. She saw Daniel and when she blinked Darph had taken his place. She took a breath and blinked again and there was Daniel. She blinked and then saw Darph who was now laughing. She breathed and blinked and saw Daniel who winked.

“Going in and out are you?” Daniel asked. “Soon it’ll be the end of the road.”

She could not think of anything. She could not even think of how to win. She had failed just as was predicted. She could not hold on any more. Her neck went limp.

Daniel shook her a bit. He then slapped her face hard and when she still did not move he tossed her body against a wall and said, “Let’s get what we came for.”

Andy slowly got up. He heard a loud noise.

“Do you hear that,” Dill asked. “It sounds like someone is breaking through walls.”

Right when she finished her sentence the wall shattered in slow motion. She saw Adin’s back as it moved right for her. She could not scream for Andy to move out of the way in time. She was squished up against Andy’s head and Adin’s back and she felt as if she would not survive from the pressure.

Adin only felt Adin’s back as it propelled him, without stopping Adin, into the next wall which they broke through as they did the next wall and the wall after that until they came to rest on the ground. Adin lay on top of Andy whose last thought, before his brain decided to check out again, was how he always fantasized about being underneath Adin just not in such a manner as he found himself at that moment.

“We cannot stay here,” said Mat as he rolled on the floor but did not get up off the floor. “I feel so ill. But we cannot stay here.”

“What do you think we should do,” said Cudmore who had lost more hair which could be seen strewn all over the floor. “We are weak. We stand no chance of leaving and living.”

“Staying in this dark house is not a choice I’m willing to make,” said Mat with defiance that made him sound well. Until he followed it up with, “My eyes feel like they are going to fall out of my face.”

“If you don’t move that much,” said Josiah, “you’ll feel fine.” He was still on the couch. He had not moved.

Cudmore said, as angry as he could, “No one cares for your opinion.”

“Allow them to come to the decision on their own,” said Josiah.

“Oh like you lead me on,” said Cudmore. “I think people deserve to be told when they are being lied to and so far nothing you’ve ever said has been remotely true. You must lie so much you even fool yourself into believing you.” He coughed and then he tried to breath in a controlled fashion. The anger was not helping his condition.

Josiah did not reply.

“You better not say anything either,” said Cudmore, “because I’ve decided I’ll use my last bit of strength to rid the world of you if you do. I’m beyond mad at you and your death, at this point, wouldn’t even make me feel bad especially if it was at my own hand.”

“Brutal,” said Mat.

Mike would make grunt noises but never to the extent of conversation. His pain was too much too to bother with trying to communicate.

“So I guess we’re just staying here,” said mat as he sounded disappointed.

“Yes,” said Cudmore. “We wait for someone to cure us. That’s all we can do.”

“But that’s not how it’ll happen,” Josiah said under his breath.

The dinning table had been cleared of everything and made sterile so that Josh could be placed upon it. He lies there not moving and barely breathing. Twelve scanned him to see if he could figure out what was going on and why he had passed out. According to what they knew the egg was keeping him healthy so why would he all the sudden pass out if that were the case?

Twelve scanned him and when Thomas arrived, first by the way, he helped Twelve by making sure there were no other reasons as to why Josh was not waking up other than the egg.

JJ looked on with Bat, Dustin, Korey, Kel and Dub_.

Kenny was talking with the Comrades. They were sitting down on the couches that they had to clean off. They removed most of the dust and sat and chatted while they waited to hear about Josh.

James was hitting on Clancy, as he always seemed to do, and Clancy was just brushing him off with laughter and teasing no’s but nothing totally defiant as if he was trying to lead him on. James went on to tell him how he thought Mat was hot and how his friend Derek was hotter. He even made mention of an idea of forming a group with them and he wanted to call it the Holy Tramps.

Gray was talking with Chris and Wade. They started talking about nerd things that only they would totally understand. They were amusing one another while at the same time taking their minds off of Josh.

Kimmy was talking to Sara and Meg about girl things. Kimmy decided to tell Meg about how she knows she’s pregnant. They talked about how dumb boys were and how she was going to explain it to Chris who still avoided talking to her though he stated he wanted to.

Adrian was in the kitchen talking to Dan who was trying to cook something with things that he and Tina had got from the store. Adrian was sniffing all the smells of the food in hopes that he would get some sort of scrap but Dan was not giving him anything until it was all done, even though Adrian made the puppy face. Dan laughed and still said no.

JJ breathed out. “This has been a day. I’m tired.”

“The go to bed,” said Bat. “Take a nap. We’ll wake up you up if anything happens with Josh.”

“Or not,” said Dustin. “He might die and we might have to dispose of the body and if that is the case we don’t need to wake you because I’ve already planned that out in my mind.”

He snickered to himself. No one else did. But he continued until he got the snickers out.

“What could happen,” Kel asked. “I mean what is the worst?”

“Lurkers are bad,” said Dub_. “They’ll implant an egg in you and it’ll take over your body and then transform you into one of them and after that it’s next to impossible to revert.”

“Has anyone ever been reverted?” Kel asked looking at Dub_.

Dub_ said, “No.”

“Then why did you say it was next to impossible,” JJ asked.

“Because I believe it’s possible even thought it hasn’t happened yet,” said Dub_.

Twelve walked over to JJ and the rest of the group and said, “There.Is.Bad.News.And.

There.Is.Horrible.Deathly.News.Of.The.Two.Which.Is.Your.Preference.”

Darph held his fist up in the air. Cathy hanged in the air and did not move. He smiled. He then said, “Welcome to the both of you.”

Cathy said, “Both?”

Darph raised his other fist and then slowly opened it. Cathy screamed as her body was forced into a spread eagle. Her leg and the side of her face started to pull away from the rest of her body. There was a tare noise that would even make the hard of heart close their eyes in fear of what they would see.

He lowered the half alive Cathy and then said, “Say hello Cathy.”

Cathy’s eyes were the only thing she could move and she looked over but could not say anything.

“Hello Cathy I thank you for keeping me protected like a shell to a chick,” said Hexer. “You were a worthy shell of a person.”

Punch, found, burn, catch, release, and saught

“I’m so tired,” said Dill as her head bobbed up and down because Andy was running down the hall. “Where are we going?” Her voice bounced along with her head.

Andy turned down another hall and continued running. He said, “The scepter. I forgot it.”

“Where is it,” Dill asked.

“It’s with…”

A fist came out of nowhere and hit Andy across the face and he hit the wall. His hands had gone up trying to keep him from colliding with the wall but it did not work. His face hit the wall and slid down. Dill saw how it was and started kicking and squirming. Her hands went up with sparks of her wasp sting charging up.

There was laughing.

Daniel said, “That’s what I’d call sticking together.”

Andy turned around and looked at Daniel who was now standing over him looking down at him with his fists ready for an encore performance.

“What are you doing,” Andy asked as his hand came up touching the side of his jaw.

“I’m going where you’re going,” said Daniel. “I’m going to get the scepter and I am going to become the powerful ruler over SCN.”

Anarchist cleared his throat.

“Excuse me,” said Daniel without missing a beat, “we are going to be the rulers.”

Andy laughed at that and said, “You honestly think that he’s going to…”

Daniel hit him again with more force. Andy’s brain decided to go to sleep for a while. He slid down the side of the wall, again, and lies there. Dill was squawking. Anarchist took out a mini gun he had in his sock and walked over to Dill and fired. Gas came out and she passed out.

“Let’s get this over with,” said Daniel, “I need my beauty rest.”

“You think I didn’t hear you,” said Cathy out loud. Her right hand rose up above her head with a glowing pink orb forming. It crackled with energy like bug zapper on a busy night.

Adin looked at her confused and said, “What are you talking about?”

“She’s talking to me,” said Hexer as he used Cathy’s voice. It came out in a metallic manner but still had a hint of her in it.

“You’re a psycho bitch,” said Adin as he stepped back from her. He covered his face as if that was enough protection from her magic.

“I’ve been waiting to do this,” said Cathy as her eyes turned white and the orb grew in size.

“You don’t have the balls,” said Hexer through Cathy.

Adin just looked at Cathy with confusion. “Hexer as in Jeff’s ship?”

“What do you think this metal leg came from,” Cathy shouted as she spit. “A cereal box prize? Idiot.”

She whispered, “Melt it. Get rid of it. Set me free. Give me what I want. Give me ME!” The orb left her hand and swiftly made rounds around her body. She lifted into the air with her arms extended. Half her face exploded and revealed mechanical parts. Her red hair fell out and left a metallic skull. Her mechanical parts of her body sparked and whined.

“So an extreme make over,” said Adin, “but not for the better.”

Cathy landed on the ground and laughed as her hands were thrown into the air. Electrical charges shot out of her hands and hit the ceiling and the walls there near by. Her eyes widened as she looked at Adin and said with total excitement, “I’m free.”

“Off your rocker is more like it,” said Adin. “Medication much?”

“You have no idea how oppressive it was to be imprisoned with that stupid computer fool,” Cathy said. She started walking down the hall. “I heard every word.”

“Every word of what,” Adin asked still not knowing what was going on. He tried to keep up with her because she was walking faster.

“Hexer,” said Cathy as she walked faster. “He said where the scepter was. We will soon get it and I’ll be in power and you’ll benefit, yet again, from someone in power.”

“What do you mean,” Adin asked.

“Jeff was in power you benefited,” said Cathy. “You’re nothing special and yet because you knew him you were someone. You’ll still be someone because you’ll know me. It’s a win-win for you.”

“Ah yes,” said Adin. “I see.”

“I feel more powerful than I’ve ever felt,” said Cathy. “Nothing will keep me from getting what I want.”

“Nothing as romantic as a woman’s lust for power,” said Adin.

“I orgasm for it,” said Cathy.

“I’ll mark that down as information that was not worth knowing,” said Adin with a smirk.

Kenny turned to ice and started with Cudmore. He picked up his body, after Thomas had done as much as he could, and stripped him of all of his clothes. Kel had brought out more clothes from inside the house and piled them near the front porch. Kenny had to work fast because he was making himself cold enough to cause frostbite just so he could keep himself from catching the Bobo Virus.

Cudmore would moan and make random noises but he would not wake up to say anything directly to Kenny. Cudmore was losing fur all over his body. There were patches in almost every area. One could almost play checkers on him. He threw the clothes that Cudmore had on onto the driveway and then he clothed Cudmore. He picked him up and walked inside. He placed Cudmore on the couch. He groaned loudly as if in pain. What was left that was causing pain was the virus itself. Kenny went back outside.

They quickly moved on and did the same to Casey, Mat, Mike and Josiah as was done with Cudmore.

Casey said, as Kenny moved her, “I don’t understand how I could have this virus and MarcII not.” She was not really conscious enough to have a conversation. Thomas had healed her shoulders and her hands from the wounds that she got from Shawn.

Mat and Mike were awake enough to ask their own questions.

“What is going on,” Mat asked. “Mike wants to know.”

Mike just looked at Mat confused and grunted.

“See,” said Mat.

“We are putting you in quarantine,” said Kenny as he led them inside Josiah’s house.

“Why,” said Mat. “We are not infected.”

“We can’t take the chance that you are,” said Kenny.

“This is like false imprisonment,” said Mat a little annoyed.

“What are you going to do,” said Thomas as he stood at the doorway looking in, “try and run? We’ll make you stay.”

Mat rolled his eyes.

Kenny left them in the living room and went outside.

Thomas had collected wood from the fence that surrounded Josiah’s backyard. Kenny started nailing the wood planks across the front door. Thomas went around back to start on the back door to make sure they did not try running.

Kel incinerated the clothes. After doing that he started helping with the planks and nailing. They went as fast as possible.

Thomas, after they were done, peered into the living room as he manipulated the molecules to allow his face to appear to everyone in there. He said, “We will figure out the cure and we’ll come back.”

Mat said, with bitterness tacked on, “Whatever.”

Thomas pulled his head out and looked at Kel and Kenny and said, “They are so pleased we are helping them.”

“That mat guy is one bitter angry person,” said Kenny. “Maybe we should just let him die.”

“That’s not heroic,” said Kel.

“I don’t want to be right now,” said Kenny. “Not with him.”

Kel laughed.

Thomas said, “Race you back to JJ’s.”

And they all took to the sky and zoomed as fast as they could.

The two big hands of the Gloom cupped together and caught all of them. Josh did not move at all. Everyone else was squirming around confused as to what was going on. Twelve was the only one that was ok. He was more interested in what was going on then fearful or confused.

“It’s going to squish us,” James shouted. “I’m paranoid right now. I haven’t even done any drugs in a while. This makes me want to. I want to drink, drink and drink. It’s going to squish us.”

“I won’t let it,” said Meg as she erected a force filed around everyone.

“Lift us out of here,” said Wade.

Gray said, “This is just to close to everyone. Everyone is touching me. We have to get out of this situation. I’m going to freak the freakin’ out!”

“Shh,” said the Gloom.

“Don’t tell us to shh,” shouted Sara as she pointed her finger up at the Gloom.

“Something is different,” said Bat.

“Yes,” said Twelve but he did not reveal what he knew.

“No really shh,” said the Gloom. “You’ll wake up Clancy.”

“Oh yeah Clancy,” said James. “I wonder what he’s doing.”

Gray made a face and said, “What do you mean wake him up?”

“Hi,” said the Gloom as it started to lower everyone to the ground. “It’s me Dub_. I’ve got this Gloom under my control. I called it back so we could have our own type of protection. I was going to fix it up differently,” the hands opened and carefully placed them on the front lawn, “but I’m tired and I was heading to bed when I heard its alarm go off showing me that there was something coming too close. It was you all. I love it.”

“Nice,” said Chris.

“Very,” said Kimmy. She hugged Chris as they got out of the Gloom’s hands.

“You have some things to explain,” said Chris as he looked at Kimmy.

“Can we discuss it later,” said Kimmy feeling a little sick. “I have to hurry to the bathroom. I think I’m going to puke.” She ran inside the house.

“We.Have.To.Get.Josh.Inside,” said Twelve. “He.Has.A.Lurker.Egg.Inside.Him.

Something.Has.Gone.Wrong.”

Bat picked up Josh and said, “I got him Twelve.”

Twelve said, “Thank.You.” They both headed inside. Twelve found Dub_ and started filling him in on the Lurker and what it was he thought they should do.

“I’m so getting to bed,” said Gray.

“Me too,” said James. “Think I could snuggle up with you?”

“No,” said Gray without even looking at James. He walked inside the house.

“Rude,” said James as he followed.

Wade looked at Sara and Meg and said, “Care to snuggle with me?”

Sara and Meg looked at one another and laughed and walked in.

“HEY,” Wade said, “does that mean yes?”

A hex bolt hit Daniel across the back of his head. It hurt. He turned around and looked at Cathy and said, “You’re not this stupid are you?”

“No,” said Cathy as she looked back at Daniel. Her hands were at her side. Both were glowing with hex bolts at the ready. “You can’t absorb kinetic energy from my magic. You don’t stand a freakin’ chance in hell with me.”

She threw two more and hit him in the face and gut. His fists tighten and he said, “You will not rule SCN.”

“Over your dead body I will,” she said as she threw another hex bolt.

Lost, lost and found (a small add on)

Josh started to feel light headed. His vision became blurred. He tried to navigate them away and around the Gloom but he seemingly went closer to it. Everyone in the bubble was shouting at him. He could not focus on them and what he was doing. He felt his power drain as if someone was taking it away. The telekinetic bubble flickered.

“What the hell is going on,” shouted Chris. “He’s going to drop us.”

“He.Is.Being.Drained,” said Twelve. “It.Is.Coming.From.Within.Interesting.Fight.It.

Josh.”

“Josh,” Kimmy said, “just focus.”

“Please,” said Sara. “I cannot save everyone.”

“I could give us a web to land in but I need time….” Bat said as he was caught off.

There was no warning. The bubble burst and everyone fell from hundred feet in the air towards the ground that was not going to be kind to most of them. With the warning that using their powers might reignite Andy’s control there was back and forth thinking going on in certain people’s heads. The decision had to be made before the ground made it for them. Those that did have the power to save were taking a nap. Wade was one of those people and he was rudely awaken and could not understand what was going on.

“What do they think they are doing,” JJ yelled. “Land the ship. Land it on top of them if you have to.”

Kel knew that that was not JJ really wanted so he hit several buttons and made sure to land as close to them as possible. “Got it.” The Democritic shook as it was taken down.

There were screams that could be heard outside of the ship. There was also yelling.

Outside everyone had been pushed by the air that the Democritic was spitting out as it was landing. People were tumbling across the ground and others were just flying through the air until they hit the side of another house. They were taken by surprise. None of them heard the ship coming and when they did realize that the Democritic was there they were being thrown about in the air.

Blue and red smoke appeared as Jayden, Dustin, JJ and Dan stepped out from being teleported.

JJ shouted over the Democritc engines, which were still on, “Do not move.”

Jayden quickly teleported and snatched the battered Shawn, who was also tossed by the ship, and teleported back next to JJ. Jayden looked him over using his yellow hued eyes and three handed fingers to make sure he was not seriously injured. “He appears to be alright but he’s bleeding out of his nose.”

The Democritic’s door opened and a ramp came down. Everyone flowed out. Thomas walked over to JJ and looked down at Shawn and started to see what he could do.

Dustin appeared next to the entangled idiots that consisted of Cudmore, Mat, Mike, Casey and MarcII. “This is a gross orgy of stupid.” He kicked all of them away from Casey, because he knew she was the most dangerous, and lifted her up. She did not even fight him. He looked her over and realized something and said, “Why aren’t you healing?”

She spit out blood and said with spit garbling her words, “I don’t know. Moron. I’ll kill you even with this hindrance.”

Dustin gave her a face and said, “You’re stupid.” And then he tossed her aside. She hit the ground hard. She tried to move from where she landed but she just groaned in pain. Her hands had been ripped for the bones that kept her in place were exactly where Shawn had put them in the ground.

Dan looked through the remaining people and lifted up Cudmore and said, “Why did you do this? You caused all this distruction because of a whore like Josiah?”

Cudmore was about to speak but his mouth was full of blood. When he opened his mouth the blood fell out of his mouth and went down his neck. That was when Dan noticed the bare spots that were randomly all over both Cudmore’s arms. His blue fur was missing. Was it falling out?

Dan made a face.

MarcII said, “Be careful,” he got up and moved away from them all, “he’s infected. It’s contagious more so when it’s progressed as far as his has.”

Dan dropped Cudmore and he landed on top of Mike and Mat’s bodies who seemed to be awake but just was not moving.

“There was no fight left in these idiots,” said Dustin as he headed back to JJ.

“What are we going to do with the rest of them,” Kel asked.

“Nothing,” said Dan as he walked up with MarcII. “He has something to share.”

MarcII pointed at Shawn and said, “He’s infected with the virus. As is Casey or so it would seem. It attacks the very thing that gives us our powers and disables the powers unless they are forcefully used by the person. If the person forcibly uses them it will make the virus act quicker and deadlier.”

“This day has been too long,” said JJ. “We are taking the idiot Shawn with us. Leave everyone else to fend for them selves.”

“How humane is that,” Kel asked.

“It’s not fair that I have to decide this based on who is with us and who is against us,” said JJ. “But bring them back with us is not a choice that is worth risking. Them coming with us will allow them to have the upper-hand and if they decide they don’t want our help they can infect more of us.”

Shawn was not moving or reacting to what Thomas was doing. Thomas said, “Whatever was making him bleed I’ve stopped. But the virus is totally different. I cannot heal that. It is as if it’s immune to any affects of anyone’s powers…which, I’m guessing, would mean that if Dustin contracts it his healing factor will not be a factor in saving him that time.”

Dustin lets out a sigh. “Well that freakin’ blows. I’m not afraid though. Not at all.”

Korey telepathically said, “I found Josiah and he is not awake. He looks very bad. This bruise on his forehead looks like it could have killed him but he’s not dead. There is a pool of blood but I’m not really that close to him.”

“Step away,” JJ replied telepathically, “the virus is deadly and more contagious the longer the person has it.”

Korey stepped away and rejoined the group.

“We cannot just leave this mess,” said Adrian as he looked around at all the bodies. “They could infect more people.”

“What is it that we should do,” JJ asked. “We do not have the resources to contain them, that’s something that Jeff’s people can do. But they are too interested in who is going to gain power than what this virus is going to do to everyone.”

“We,” said Adrian as he looked directly at JJ, “are the heroes we should do something. We are the hope.”

JJ sighed realizing that Adrian was right, for the most part. “What is it that we can do?” Then JJ thought of something, “Kel and Kenny and Thomas will stay behind and contain everyone. Kenny would be able to touch them because he can get cold enough to keep the virus from infecting him---I’d assume since the human body is warmer and it seems to flursh in such an environment. Kel will burn the clothes they have on and y’all can fix them up with whatever Josiah has in his house. Thomas can heal them the best he can and all of you get them in the house and seal it the best you can. That should keep them out of the way and from infecting anyone else. Yes it sounds horrible to keep them locked up but we don’t have a cure yet and this is the best idea I believe we can think of.”

Adrian said, “That’s better, JJ.” He put his hand on JJ’s shoulder.

Kel said, “I like being depended on. This is going to be simple and easy. We’ll be back before you know it.”

“That’s what people say in horror movies before they die,” said Kenny.

“Yes well I wasn’t the one saying it,” said Kel with a grin. Him and Kenny walked off towards the Cudmore and the others that were still lumped together.

Thomas said, “Don’t worry too much, JJ. We’ll get this done. I don’t need rest. Kel and Kenny must have had some sort of nap while tied together. Go home. Get rest. Allow Twelve to figure out what is going on with the virus. He’s smart.”

Thomas walked off and JJ silently agreed with Thomas.

“Come with us MarcII,” said JJ. “We’ll need you to help find a cure for this lovely killer of a virus created by an underground fool of a man.”

“Whatever you just said I only understood you asking me to help find a cure,” said MarcII. “I will come for that, sure.”

Everyone else got back on the Democritic. Jayden carried Shawn carefully onto the ship. He lowered him down on one of the beds the ship had in the back. He secured him in and sat in the chair at the foot of the bed. The rest of the team sat in the front area and buckled up. JJ gave the flight control over to Anthony. He got it up and running and they headed home.

Touching, Gagging, Escaping and Finding

“How do you understand that garble,” Cudmore asked as he pointed at Mike as he continued to bounce in what seemed to be irritation.

Mat walked closer to Cudmore and spoke softly, “He doesn’t like it when people don’t understand him. It makes him annoyed and he calls people names. It’s really annoying that he does that so please don’t make him do it.” Mat bounced back next to Mike and patted him on the head.

Cudmore sighed silently. He had asked them to help and even though most of them are just stupid and a waste of space he needed them to accomplish what it was he wanted to do. For the sake of his wanting he silenced his frustration over the situation and decided to go along with his plan.

“Wouldn’t Josiah know we’re coming,” MarcII interjected right before Cudmore was to speak.

Cudmore thought on that a moment and said, “True he would. But I’m assuming, since he hasn’t, that the virus has grown more powerful and took the automatic use of his powers away leaving him with having forcing himself or not seeing the future at all. He’s too infatuated at the moment to even notice.”

“This is virus is intriguing,” said MarcII.

“Oh shut up,” Casey said. “Please tell us what we’re doing before I just go out there and beat the gay out of Shawn. Trust me, I’m that powerful.”

Lesbian, thought Cudmore. Even though Casey was not she sure acted like one. There must be spider-webs growing in her crotch to have her this angry all the time, he thought and then snickered.

“Are you not going to tell us anything,” Casey demanded as she suddenly appeared in Cudmore’s face staring him down.

Cudmore swallowed hard and returned the stare. He said, “Go and be our first wave.”

She did not even question that suggestion and stormed out through the side fence towards the front door where Josiah and Shawn were.

“Alright guys,” said Cudmore, “listen closely because if we do this correctly we’ll be able to use Casey’s failure to our advantage.” He continued to explain to them what it was that they were going to do.

Josiah, being blind, had to use his hands to see and he had been doing so ever since he opened the door and smelled Shawn. His hands moved all around Shawn’s bare chest feeling every part he wanted to feel above the waist. It would stay that way until he was invited to brail Shawn’s other gifts.

“Are you sure this is okay,” Josiah asked not really caring if it was or not because he smiled forgetting Shawn could see.

Shawn looked down at Josiah’s hands moving about his body and staying in a central area and said, “It is what blind people do. They constantly touch. There is nothing wrong with it just as there is no harm in harmless flirting.” Shawn smiled. “Cudmore asleep?”

“Who,” Josiah asked then he quickly said, “oh yes, yes he’s asleep.”

“It’s late,” said Shawn. “Are you going to invite me in and then we can play more comfortably?” He grabbed Josiah’s hands with one of his hands in an effort to turn him around and have him lead Shawn inside.

Josiah pulled his hands free and said, “No I think we can perform our play right here at the door. I think it would be more exciting that way.”

Shawn said, “It is like the make a wish foundation. You are someone who is handicapped and possibly dying. I don’t see anything wrong with allowing you a chance to see what it’s like to be with a real man.”

Josiah pushed up on the balls of his feet to reach where he assumed Shawn’s lips were. Shawn reacted and gave Josiah what he wanted. The kiss lasted longer than either had thought it would. It lasted long enough that they both lost track of time.

Shawn pulled back and said, “Whoa.”

“Yeah,” said Josiah shaking.

Shawn placed his hands on Josiah’s shoulders and helped him to get down on his knees. Josiah’s hands followed down the side of Shawn’s bare body until they rested on the only clothing he wore, which were his Speedo like swimwear that only the King of Atlantis would wear.

Josiah all the sudden stopped helping Shawn removing his skimpy wear to say, “Something’s wrong.” He looked to the left and right not to see but to feel. He felt nothing inside.

“What,” Shawn asked not wanting to think about blue balls considering who that would remind him off.

“I can’t,” Josiah said stopping as he moved his head to look up at Shawn giving Shawn a clear view of the white opaque look of Josiah’s eyes, “feel anything.”

“Feel what,” Shawn demanded as the moment he wanted for so long was melting away in reality and in his skimpy king wear.

“The future,” Josiah said slowly with scare dripping on every single letter.

“So sorry for your loss,” screamed Casey as she jumped up and kicked Shawn in the head knocking him out of the way. She landed on the ground with her legs bent. She looked directly into Josiah’s face and said, “You are a sick whore.” Her left hand came around her whole body with a bone in grasp and hit Josiah across the face so hard Josiah’s head hit the door frame. It bounced off the door frame and hit the opened door and then the floor where his head started to bleed out.

“What is wrong with you Casey,” Shawn demanded as he stood up without a wobble and looked directly at her with vengeance only hell could muster.

“Are you implying that there is something wrong with me,” Casey asked as she stood up and pulled a bone out of her leg. She held both up like swords and said, “Don’t cry that I hurt Josiah. He’s a whore. They love to be abused and then they go back for more. They aren’t good with relationships. Not in the least. I know.”

“Why because you’re a drunk,” Shawn said as his ankle wings fluttered. “We use to be good friends why are you doing this?” His tone continued to fluctuate between male aggression and female frailty.

Casey rolled her neck popping all kinds of bones in her neck. She then said, “I’m not a drunk I’m a social drinker and it so happens I like parties and they, as you well know, are social occasions and as so I frequent them often. Also I’m not a good friend because if I were I wouldn’t feel the need to snap at people. I’m angry that I’m not where I want to be in life and every moment I’m sober I think of that which is why drunk is good. But I’m not drunk. So don’t call me a drunk. You don’t know me well enough.”

Casey ran towards Shawn. Shawn ankle wings fluttered and he stood his ground. She was with in range and Shawn rocketed towards her with his wings lifting him in flight. He hit her square in the gut with his out stretched fist. She instantly spit out blood which flew behind Shawn’s feet because he was moving fast enough and took her with him. His other hand snatched one bone out of her hand. He flipped around extending his feet to slam her into the ground so hard he shattered bother her shoulder blades. He bent down, as she screamed in pain, grabbed the other bone out of her other hand. He then used one foot and pulled up one hand palm face up. He did so with the other hand as well with his other foot. He jumped up and stabbed both bones through both her palms.

As Casey screamed into the early morning night Shawn bend down on his knees, as he twisted both bones to cause more pain, and said, “You’re a bitch and the world would so be a better place without you existing. Hopefully someone down below hears my words and TAKES you away.” He then spits in her face. “And you’re right you’re not a drunk you’re an alcoholic.”

Shawn moved off of Casey’s body and as he stood up he was hit in the face with feet that stunk of manure and horse pee. He fell to the ground sideways. “Hi Shawn,” said Mat. “Care to explain yourself to someone?”

Cudmore appeared.

Shawn tried to get up but Mat instinctively pushed him down with one of his feet. He was shocked that it worked. Shawn was confused. Then his stomach started hurting and his abs flexed.

“Looks like you’re feeling the affects of the virus,” said Cudmore. “Josiah was infected.”

Shawn did not say anything.

MarcII and Mike walk in on the conversation and seeing how they were not needed they decided to look at the screaming whorelett Casey who would not be quiet. Mike leaned over her screaming face, ignoring the fact that the bones were wedged into her palms he used them to balance his leaning in, and shhhed her with his finger over mouth.

MarcII said, “You’re right she needs to shut up.” MarcII pulled off his shoe and removed his sock and shoved it in her mouth as he said, “Shut up already.”

Cudmore snapped his fingers to call over MarcII and Mike. He then said, “It’s time to show Shawn he’s not all that and bag of condoms.”

Mat flipped backwards hitting Shawn across the face with his foot. He landed next to the rest of the group. “Who gets first shot?”

Cudmore said, “MarcII. Shake him up.”

MarcII grabbed Shawn’s head. He tried to get to MarcII but Mike and Mat easily stabilized Shawn’s body. MarcII took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he said, “Clear.”

Mike and Mat jumped back and MarcII gave Shawn’s body a vibration he would not soon forget. His body started shaking. His nose drained clear liquid that soon turn to a dark red. His eyes rolled back into his head. His feet and legs bounced around as if they were rubber and that was within the first minute.

“I healed them,” said Thomas as he pulled his hands away from Bat. “The problem is that I cannot remove the device. I cannot say that it won’t go and do what it’s done again. We have to remove the devices.”

JJ nodded. “That’s something we’ll have to when we get out of here.”

Thomas laughed and said, “Duh.”

“Twelve you can remove them from being bound up,” said JJ. He looked at Bat and Sara and said, “Don’t use your powers. If you use them too much you might trigger the device again.”

“Fun,” said Sara. “I really just want to punch Andy one time in the face and fix him for good.”

“I don’t feel the need to say anything negative about Andy or Dill,” said Bat.

“Even after they did this to us,” Sara asked as she stood up after Twelve removed what bounded them together. “How could you think this is acceptable behavior.”

“That’s not what I said,” said Bat as he followed suit.

“It’s not what you say,” said Sara, “it’s what you don’t say that really matters at this point. You accepted their behavior because you consider one of them your friend. You cannot speak ill of their mistakes for whatever reason and whatever the reason it’s most likely not to agree with them but that’s how it comes off and that, Bat, is what matters.” She did not stick around to hear a retort if there was one. She walked over to say hi to Meg.

“She has a point,” said JJ.

Bat shook his head and said, “I just don’t do it.”

“It’s good for moral to actually show some sort of emotion,” JJ suggested.

Bat either ignored JJ or just refused to answer because he also turned away and decided to go to Thomas and tell him thanks.

“They’ll come back for you,” Rick said as he wiggled about in his bonds.

“They don’t care too much for any of you,” said JJ as he turned to Rick and pointed to the Brain Trust who so happened to still not be awake. “They care more about the scepter of power than the fact you could very well die.”

“They care,” said Rick. “They care for us all.”

Forty-Five came around and asked, “Where’s my shield? I need my shield. Where is it?”

“Do.Not.Hyperventilate,” said Twelve. “You.Are.Sitting.On.It.”

“I cannot lose it,” said Forty-Five. “I need it. It protects me from harm.”

“Not.This.Time,” said Twelve as he put his finger to Forty-Five’s head and phased his finger through enough to knock him out again. He looked at JJ and said, “That.Was.For.

You.I.Am.Sure.He.Was.Annoying.You.”

JJ laughed and said, “Sure Twelve. Sure.”

“What.About.The.Message,” asked Twelve as him and JJ waked away from the captives.

“Let’s go outside and meet up with the others and we’ll deal with that,” said JJ as he ushered everyone to head outside.

They all went outside into the morning light that started to peer into the sky. They met up with the rest of the team and everyone started to talk and meet those they have not met prior.

Josh floated over to JJ and quickly told him about the Lurker Egg that was inside of him.

JJ said, “So what is it going to do?”

“We don’t know yet,” said Josh with a hint of scared. “I don’t know and that’s worse. I was told, but a non-reliable source, to continue to use my powers so that I can keep the egg from doing anything.”

“That sounds reasonable,” said JJ, “even tough it does come from Dustin.” He looked around the group and he saw Dustin was far enough not to hear what was just said.

“I’m going to need to get it out and the only person I can think of that could help me is Dub_,” said Josh as he continued to keep a straight and serious face.

“Alright,” said JJ. “This is important because I wouldn’t want to lose you.”

“That’s right you wouldn’t,” Josh said with a weak smile. “I feel odd. I feel that it’s going to explode me from the inside out.”

“We’ll get it out,” said JJ. “Don’t worry.” He got everyone’s attention with Josh’s help and said, “Okay. Some of us have to quickly get back to Dub_ because he has the best chance of getting Josh back to normal.”

“Normal,” shouted Dustin. “HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA he’s far from that. It’s like saying I’m gay. It’s just too ridiculous to be true.” There were some snickers.

JJ waited but Josh did not even reply. He must be feeling horrible. So JJ continued quickly, “I’m sending Twelve, Meg, Gray, Bat, Sara, Chris and Wade back with Josh to wherever Dub_ is.”

“He’s at your old house,” telepathically stated Korey.

“Ah,” said JJ as he smiled. “I thought that thing was destroyed by Daniel.”

“Nah it’s just really dirty,” said Kimmy. “You need a maid.”

“Care to do the services?” JJ asked.

Kimmy laughed and said, “No but I’m still not feeling well.” She held her stomach.

JJ then said, “Ok you can go with them.”

Josh gathered Twelve, Meg, Gray, Bat, Sara, Chris, Wade and Kimmy and lifted them off into the sky with his telekinetic powers. There was a bit of strain on his face but he knew he had to do it so that the egg would keep from working on its next phase. Everyone waved as they disappeared into the distance.

When they were gone JJ turned and said, “We have a detestable human being to save.”

“Why are we saving someone like that,” Kel asked.

JJ pointed at the Democritic. Thomas nodded.

“Because they’re a friend,” said JJ.

“Not a really great sounding friend,” Jayden said.

“Sounds like a douche,” said Dustin.

“You smell like one,” said Rhino who was still hanging small clipped on to Dustin’s side.

“You,” Dustin said as he pointed at Rhino, “shut it or I’ll shut it for you. Don’t make me pee in the trees again and accidentally back spray you.”

There was an air pocket release that caused everyone to turn around. The Democritic’s door opened.

“Dude,” said Anthony as he backed up from the door as a ramp lowered to the ground.

Kel lit up and said, “I’m too tired for another fight.”

“Then you’re in luck,” said Thomas as he walked down the ramp.

“Sweet,” said Dom.

“Yes we needed a ride,” said JJ. “We are going to borrow this and we’ll bring it back to them when we’re done. Let’s go. We got an idiot to save.”

The Brain Trust opened their eyes and looked around as they lifted their heads.

“Where you awake the entire time,” Rick asked with anger spitting out of his mouth.

“Be quiet,” said King Jason as he glared at Rick.

Charos said, “They’ve gone.”

“Yes,” said Tomtyke, “we are alone.”

“What the hell,” Rick shouted. “We could have taken them on.”

“Again,” requested King Jason, “silence.”

“You do not silence me,” Rick demanded.

“Yes we can,” said Mr. Green. The entire group turned and looked at Rick. Their eyes flickered with energy and Rick’s eyes rolled back into his head.

“Thank-you,” the Brain Trust said together.

“We will be back for you in a matter of minutes,” said Daniel through the link he shared with the Brain Trust.

“We approve,” they said. “Did you find the scepter?”

“No,” said Daniel dejectedly.

“Please hold,” they said. They looked up towards the ceiling as their eyes crackled with more power. Their voices echoed with godlike smoothness, “Continue holding and we shall get you an answer.”

All four of their minds found Andy who was still flustered over the merging of him and Dill. So much so his defenses were all down. They reached inside his mind and rifled through junk after more junk and still more junk. All of it was totally useless and vile and not worth looking at. They just wanted one thing. They could not find it. Instead they just punched him a couple of times in the mind and left.

“Andy has no idea where the scepter is,” said the Brain Trust.

“Good,” said Daniel, “that saves us a trip.”

“Hold again,” said the Brain Trust.

They reached out and found Cathy and looked around in her mind. They had to do so carefully because of Hexer. But Hexer told them he was not about to inform her of their violation. He would even keep her busy. They thanked him. He said that he would tell them where the scepter was.

“Where,” they asked.

“Who is it for,” Hexer replied.

“It is for Daniel.”

Hexer said with a negative tone, “He isn’t worthy enough.”

“Is he not better than Andy, Dill, Cathy or Will?” The Brain Trust asked.

Hexer then said, “Question is valid and allow me to work on the probability of evil with those four.”

The Brain Trust said to Daniel, “Continue to hold we’ll get you the answer.”

Daniel did not reply.

“I believe,” said Hexer, “that Andy and Dill would bring destruction as would everyone else. But their destruction would just be stupid and pointless and therefore they would not be worthy. Cathy is an emotional wreck and I think bound to Darph so no to her. Will doesn’t even know how to handle being on the Tribunal without bring up JJ as a problem so I’ll just say no to him. Daniel does seem to have the highest marks in this choosing between the lesser of four evils.”

“Yes,” said the Brain Trust.

“I will tell you,” said Hexer.

Hexer tells the Brain Trust and the Brain Trust in turn tells Daniel.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” thought Daniel.

“No sir,” said the Brain Trust. “That is what he stated.”

“Thank you,” Daniel said. “We’ll get you as soon as we get the scepter. Take a nap or something.”

The Brain Trust kept an open mind check as they made sure no one would come within realm of them without their knowledge.

“No way,” said Sara as she pointed.

Everyone looked to see what she was talking about and there was a Gloom standing guard at JJ’s house.

“We don’t have time for this,” said Gray. “Most of us cannot even fight.”

The Gloom turned and took notice of them and its eyes turned a deep red. It sounded like it growled.

“Looks like we don’t have a choice,” said Josh.