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From: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com (arfic-l-digest) To: arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: arfic-l-digest V1 #44 Reply-To: arfic-l-digest Sender: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk arfic-l-digest Tuesday, October 2 2001 Volume 01 : Number 044 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 13:48:49 +1200 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (10/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14B48.F6B881A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (10/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Ten "Adam, are you okay?" Max leant over the Australian as he struggled to = sit up. Adam looked around and the young alien could see the concern in = his eyes as he saw Megabyte sprawled out on some kind of cot bed on the = other side of the room.=20 Adam groaned and started to put his hand to his head. Max put his hand = out to stop him, not wanting his companion to find out the quirks of the = headband the hard way, as he had himself earlier.=20 "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Adam focused his eyes and looked at Max, realisation seeming to dawn in = his mind. He glanced again over at Megabyte and then back again at Max, = noticing the headbands for the first time. Max's suspicions were = confirmed as Adam reached for his own head again.=20 "Hey, don't do that, " Max said again. Adam stopped and this time looked at him with an unspoken question.=20 "It will hurt, that's why. The headband sends out some sort of = electrical pulse. If you try and get a grip on it, to take it off, the = pain gets worse. From what I've tried so far, I think you'd be = unconscious before you achieved much. Mind you, I have this nasty = feeling there's some kind of locking mechanism on it. That's what it = looks like from what I could see from looking at the ones on you and = Megabyte." Max paused. "It's hard to be sure when you're trying to avoid = touching the thing."=20 "Oh okay. Thanks for the warning." Adam rose to his feet very unsteadily = and leaned for a moment on the side of the bed on which he had been = lying.=20 Max heard a groan from the other side and the room and looked over to = see Megabyte struggling to sit up. The redhead looked very pale as did = Adam. Those headbands hadn't agreed with his companions, not at all. = "Megabyte?" "Adam, you look how I feel. I've got the mother of all headaches." = Megabyte looked around the room, pausing as he noticed the heavy door to = his right and the small windows near the top of the concrete walls. "Any = idea where we are?" "We're in the basement," Max informed them. "At least I'm guessing it's = the basement, judging from that bomb-shelter sign on the wall by the = door." "So what are these things for?" Megabyte indicated the band on his head. = "I heard what you were telling Adam. I wonder what Masters has dreamed = up in that nasty little mind of his this time? Whatever these bands do, = I don't think they're going to be particularly good for our health." "After you guys blacked out, Masters said something about the bands and = psychic powers. I got the impression that if we use our powers the bands = somehow use them against us. Maybe it's some kind of feedback loop or = something similar."=20 " *Our* powers?" asked Megabyte. "Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about = that. At first I thought you might be a Tomorrow Person after the flash = I saw when we met at the UFO centre." "You got a flash as well?" asked Max, a thousand questions rushing = through his mind at once. He'd suspected as much at the time, especially = after Jade had paled and asked her friend if he was okay. "Yeah," confirmed Megabyte. "Hey that force-wall thing you did earlier = was really cool. We can't do anything like that, at least I don't think = we can. Adam?" "No, I don't think Max is a Tomorrow Person, Megabyte. The question is, = if you're not one of us, who are you?" Max hesitated before replying. He had a strong feeling he could trust = both of them. After all they seemed to be in as much trouble as he was. = Yet there was still one thing bugging him. "At first I thought you were might be someone called Nasedo. W--I've = been looking for him for a while." Max hoped they hadn't noticed he'd = almost said we instead of I. That was two slip ups in as many minutes. = Not like him at all, he'd had years of pretending to be someone he = wasn't. Why was he suddenly having problems now? Maybe it's because = you've found others that you can relate to, a small voice whispered in = the back of his mind. "Yeah you mentioned his name just before Masters' goons struck," = remembered Megabyte. "So if you're not a Tomorrow Person, who or what = are you?" "What's a Tomorrow Person?" asked Max. He saw Adam and Megabyte looking = at each other and continued. "Well if I tell you about me, it's only = fair that the information goes both ways." Adam nodded. "We're the next stage of human evolution," he explained. = "As you've probably guessed we can teleport, and talk to each other = telepathically." "So it's basically psychic powers you have?" asked Max. "That explains = what Masters was going on about." He saw the looks his companions were = giving him and continued hastily. "After he fitted this head band he = warned me about using psychic powers. I sort of guessed he must have = thought I was like you guys, with all the talking about telepathy and = the like." He frowned. "That was the bit that I didn't really get. Masters kept = going on about you using telepathy and yet I could hear everything you = were saying." "You must be telepathic then," said Megabyte excitedly. "So what else = can you do? Apart from that force wall thing, I mean. Even though you're = not a Tomorrow Person it sounds as though you have some of the same = powers that we do." "Yeah it does, doesn't it? My powers aren't psychic though, at least I = never thought of them in that way." Max thought for a moment, before = asking what was on his mind. "Do you have healing powers and can you = open locks by thinking about it?" Adam paused before replying. "We have telekinesis and I used to have = healing powers, at least until I burnt them out. At least I'm guessing = that's what happened to them. They've been almost non existent after I = healed a guy after he came off a building. Have you?"=20 Max nodded. "But I'm not a Tomorrow Person. My powers are because." he = took a deep breath and wondered if he was doing the right thing even as = he spoke. "My powers are because of where I'm from." "Where you're from?" asked Adam. "Don't you get it, Adam?" Megabyte rolled his eyes. "He means he's an = alien. Is that right?" Max nodded. "How did you know?" Megabyte looked smug. "I've read a lot of science fiction and comic = books." Adam looked at him in disbelief. "It wouldn't have anything to do with = the flash you got from him either, I suppose?" "Yeah well there's that too." Megabyte admitted. "But hey, you must = admit, it sounded good." "So what makes you Tomorrow People? Is it something in the genes?" Max = asked. Megabyte looked down at his trousers and grinned. " No it's in the = sweatpants," he deadpanned. Adam groaned. "That's bad, Megabyte, even for you." Megabyte opened his mouth, then turned around as the door to the room = they were in, opened. He glanced at Adam who shook his head. Max = silently agreed, as he hazarded a guess as to what they had been = thinking. If they tried to escape now, he doubted they would get very = far.=20 Brooke-Smythe entered the room, putting the tray of test tubes and = syringes down on the table in the middle of the room. He had Beckett and = Hawkins with him, both of whom were heavily armed. "Didn't you get enough to feed your vampires with last time?" asked = Megabyte sarcastically. Brooke-Smythe glared at him as he picked up one of syringes. "Right, = which one of you wants to go first? I know, I'll choose." He pointed to = Megabyte. "You can, seeing you've got such a smart mouth on you. Do I = need to get one of these men to hold you down or are you going to = cooperate?" "Oh I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble," the redhead replied = sulkily. "Megabyte." Adam started to say warningly. "Oh don't worry about your friend. He's knows what's good for him, don't = you, Megabyte?" Brooke-Smythe smiled thinly as he plunged the needle in. = He seemed almost to delight in what he was doing. Megabyte winced as the needle slid into his arm. He opened his mouth, = then closed it again, as Adam gave him another warning glance.=20 As Max felt the needle slide into his own arm, he wondered whether the = man had ever been told how to take blood samples without hurting the = patient. Ouch! Obviously not. It looked too that Masters must have = finally discovered what had happened to the original samples. I wonder = how long before he realises who I am really am, thought Max, as he = watched the syringe fill with the alien blood which flowed through his = veins. Once Masters had this particular batch analysed, the proverbial = cat would be out of the bag. As Brooke-Smythe packed up his supplies and left the room, with the two = men in tow, Max noticed Megabyte watching him, a grin slowly spreading = over his face. The other boy must be putting two and two together. As = soon as the door closed Megabyte turned to Max, unable to contain = himself any longer. "Okay, what's the story with the blood samples?"=20 Max grinned, lowering his voice as he leaned closer to the two Tomorrow = People. "I don't think they were expecting to find test tubes of Tabasco = Sauce."=20 "Tabasco sauce?" asked Megabyte, looking down at the still oozing wound = on his arm. "I know I have a hot temper sometimes, but last I looked it = was still blood flowing through there." "I can change the molecular structure of things," Max explained. Both Megabyte and Adam laughed. "Why Tabasco Sauce?" the Australian = asked. "It's an alien thing," explained Max. "I like sweet and spicy things = together. I go through a lot of Tabasco Sauce and I suppose in the spur = of the moment." "I love it," exclaimed Megabyte. "Just imagine Masters' face when he = found out. Serves the creep right." Adam's tone of voice brought Max back to the seriousness of the = situation they were in, as he asked his next question. "Roswell aliens. = Max I know this is going to sound crazy but you wouldn't know anything = about the '47 crash would you?" "Hey I thought I was the one who was supposed to come out with those = sorts of things," complained Megabyte. "Well, actually," replied Max. "That's how we got here in the first = place, in the 1947 crash. My earliest memories are breaking free of some = kind of cocoon and wandering along the road.I think we must have been in = those cocoons in some sort of suspended animation for years because we = only looked about seven when we were found by our foster parents" "That's what I saw in the flash, the cocoon thing I mean," confirmed = Megabyte. Adam frowned. "We?" he asked. "Why do I get the feeling you haven't told = us everything?" Max felt a slight trickle of guilt wash over him. "Sorry, it's hard for = me to trust someone. I've spent most of my life hiding who I am and I = guess old habits die hard." "Look you can trust us," Adam was trying to reassure him, and Max = appreciated the effort he was making. "After all we have a fair idea = what's you're going through, trying to pretend to be normal. We've got = just as much to lose here as you have. There's other Tomorrow People = besides just Megabyte and I to worry about too." "Jade? She's one of you, isn't she?" Max looked at Megabyte and wondered = what the relationship between him and the girl he had been with was. Megabyte blushed, his face changing colour to match his hair. "Yeah, = Jade's one of us. No, she's not my girlfriend if that's what you're = thinking. No way. It's not going to happen." Max caught the small smile Adam made before he turned away. So he hadn't = been the only who had noticed Megabyte jump at the innocently asked = question then. It looked as though it wasn't only himself and Liz who = were trying to sort out a relationship. Liz. Max stopped as he thought = about her. He hoped he hadn't left things too late. If he never got to = the chance to tell her how he really felt, he'd never forgive himself.=20 ************ Colonel Masters reached for his cup of coffee as he watched the events = unwinding on the video screen in front of him. He knew it had been a = particularly good idea to place a video feed into the basement room.=20 So Max Evans wasn't a Tomorrow Person, but an alien survivor of the = Roswell crash. It sounded as though he had stumbled onto a bit more than = he had hoped for when he'd mistaken the boy for the Tomorrow Person he = knew as Adam. He made a mental note to inform Trent of this new = information. They certainly had their work cut out for them, what with = aliens, Tomorrow People, and Trent's own problem. He sighed to himself. So much to do, so little time. Still one thing at = a time he supposed. Even though that mess up with the blood samples had = cost him time, at least he had learnt about Evans' other power because = of it. He glanced at his watch. Soon it would be time to put the next = stage of his plan into operation. This was the part he was really = looking forward to, telling General Damon what his plans were for = Megabyte, Adam and hopefully the rest of their kind. ************** End of Part 10 - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14B48.F6B881A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> All That Glitters (10/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Ten "Adam, are you okay?" Max leant over the Australian as he struggled = to sit=20 up. Adam looked around and the young alien could see the concern in his = eyes as=20 he saw Megabyte sprawled out on some kind of cot bed on the other side = of the=20 room. Adam groaned and started to put his hand to his head. Max put his = hand out to=20 stop him, not wanting his companion to find out the quirks of the = headband the=20 hard way, as he had himself earlier. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Adam focused his eyes and looked at Max, realisation seeming to dawn = in his=20 mind. He glanced again over at Megabyte and then back again at Max, = noticing the=20 headbands for the first time. Max's suspicions were confirmed as Adam = reached=20 for his own head again. "Hey, don't do that, " Max said again. Adam stopped and this time looked at him with an unspoken question. = "It will hurt, that's why. The headband sends out some sort of = electrical=20 pulse. If you try and get a grip on it, to take it off, the pain gets = worse.=20 From what I've tried so far, I think you'd be unconscious before you = achieved=20 much. Mind you, I have this nasty feeling there's some kind of locking = mechanism=20 on it. That's what it looks like from what I could see from looking at = the ones=20 on you and Megabyte." Max paused. "It's hard to be sure when you're = trying to=20 avoid touching the thing." "Oh okay. Thanks for the warning." Adam rose to his feet very = unsteadily and=20 leaned for a moment on the side of the bed on which he had been lying. = Max heard a groan from the other side and the room and looked over to = see=20 Megabyte struggling to sit up. The redhead looked very pale as did Adam. = Those=20 headbands hadn't agreed with his companions, not at all. "Megabyte?" "Adam, you look how I feel. I've got the mother of all headaches." = Megabyte=20 looked around the room, pausing as he noticed the heavy door to his = right and=20 the small windows near the top of the concrete walls. "Any idea where we = are?" "We're in the basement," Max informed them. "At least I'm guessing = it's the=20 basement, judging from that bomb-shelter sign on the wall by the = door." "So what are these things for?" Megabyte indicated the band on his = head. "I=20 heard what you were telling Adam. I wonder what Masters has dreamed up = in that=20 nasty little mind of his this time? Whatever these bands do, I don't = think=20 they're going to be particularly good for our health." "After you guys blacked out, Masters said something about the bands = and=20 psychic powers. I got the impression that if we use our powers the bands = somehow=20 use them against us. Maybe it's some kind of feedback loop or something=20 similar." " *Our* powers?" asked Megabyte. "Yeah, I've been meaning to ask = about that.=20 At first I thought you might be a Tomorrow Person after the flash I saw = when we=20 met at the UFO centre." "You got a flash as well?" asked Max, a thousand questions rushing = through=20 his mind at once. He'd suspected as much at the time, especially after = Jade had=20 paled and asked her friend if he was okay. "Yeah," confirmed Megabyte. "Hey that force-wall thing you did = earlier was=20 really cool. We can't do anything like that, at least I don't think we = can.=20 Adam?" "No, I don't think Max is a Tomorrow Person, Megabyte. The question = is, if=20 you're not one of us, who are you?" Max hesitated before replying. He had a strong feeling he could trust = both of=20 them. After all they seemed to be in as much trouble as he was. Yet = there was=20 still one thing bugging him. "At first I thought you were might be someone called Nasedo. W--I've = been=20 looking for him for a while." Max hoped they hadn't noticed he'd almost = said we=20 instead of I. That was two slip ups in as many minutes. Not like him at = all,=20 he'd had years of pretending to be someone he wasn't. Why was he = suddenly having=20 problems now? Maybe it's because you've found others that you can relate = to, a=20 small voice whispered in the back of his mind. "Yeah you mentioned his name just before Masters' goons struck," = remembered=20 Megabyte. "So if you're not a Tomorrow Person, who or what are you?" "What's a Tomorrow Person?" asked Max. He saw Adam and Megabyte = looking at=20 each other and continued. "Well if I tell you about me, it's only fair = that the=20 information goes both ways." Adam nodded. "We're the next stage of human evolution," he explained. = "As=20 you've probably guessed we can teleport, and talk to each other=20 telepathically." "So it's basically psychic powers you have?" asked Max. "That = explains what=20 Masters was going on about." He saw the looks his companions were giving = him and=20 continued hastily. "After he fitted this head band he warned me about = using=20 psychic powers. I sort of guessed he must have thought I was like you = guys, with=20 all the talking about telepathy and the like." He frowned. "That was the bit that I didn't really get. Masters kept = going on=20 about you using telepathy and yet I could hear everything you were = saying." "You must be telepathic then," said Megabyte excitedly. "So what else = can you=20 do? Apart from that force wall thing, I mean. Even though you're not a = Tomorrow=20 Person it sounds as though you have some of the same powers that we = do." "Yeah it does, doesn't it? My powers aren't psychic though, at least = I never=20 thought of them in that way." Max thought for a moment, before asking = what was=20 on his mind. "Do you have healing powers and can you open locks by = thinking=20 about it?" Adam paused before replying. "We have telekinesis and I used to have = healing=20 powers, at least until I burnt them out. At least I'm guessing that's = what=20 happened to them. They've been almost non existent after I healed a guy = after he=20 came off a building. Have you?" Max nodded. "But I'm not a Tomorrow Person. My powers are = because…" he took a=20 deep breath and wondered if he was doing the right thing even as he = spoke. "My=20 powers are because of where I'm from." "Where you're from?" asked Adam. "Don't you get it, Adam?" Megabyte rolled his eyes. "He means he's an = alien.=20 Is that right?" Max nodded. "How did you know?" Megabyte looked smug. "I've read a lot of science fiction and comic=20 books." Adam looked at him in disbelief. "It wouldn't have anything to do = with the=20 flash you got from him either, I suppose?" "Yeah well there's that too." Megabyte admitted. "But hey, you must = admit, it=20 sounded good." "So what makes you Tomorrow People? Is it something in the genes?" = Max=20 asked. Megabyte looked down at his trousers and grinned. " No it's in the=20 sweatpants," he deadpanned. Adam groaned. "That's bad, Megabyte, even for you." Megabyte opened his mouth, then turned around as the door to the room = they=20 were in, opened. He glanced at Adam who shook his head. Max silently = agreed, as=20 he hazarded a guess as to what they had been thinking. If they tried to = escape=20 now, he doubted they would get very far. Brooke-Smythe entered the room, putting the tray of test tubes and = syringes=20 down on the table in the middle of the room. He had Beckett and Hawkins = with=20 him, both of whom were heavily armed. "Didn't you get enough to feed your vampires with last time?" asked = Megabyte=20 sarcastically. Brooke-Smythe glared at him as he picked up one of syringes. "Right, = which=20 one of you wants to go first? I know, I'll choose." He pointed to = Megabyte. "You=20 can, seeing you've got such a smart mouth on you. Do I need to get one = of these=20 men to hold you down or are you going to cooperate?" "Oh I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble," the redhead replied=20 sulkily. "Megabyte…" Adam started to say warningly. "Oh don't worry about your friend. He's knows what's good for him, = don't you,=20 Megabyte?" Brooke-Smythe smiled thinly as he plunged the needle in. He = seemed=20 almost to delight in what he was doing. Megabyte winced as the needle slid into his arm. He opened his mouth, = then=20 closed it again, as Adam gave him another warning glance. As Max felt the needle slide into his own arm, he wondered whether = the man=20 had ever been told how to take blood samples without hurting the = patient. Ouch!=20 Obviously not. It looked too that Masters must have finally discovered = what had=20 happened to the original samples. I wonder how long before he realises = who I am=20 really am, thought Max, as he watched the syringe fill with the alien = blood=20 which flowed through his veins. Once Masters had this particular batch = analysed,=20 the proverbial cat would be out of the bag. As Brooke-Smythe packed up his supplies and left the room, with the = two men=20 in tow, Max noticed Megabyte watching him, a grin slowly spreading over = his=20 face. The other boy must be putting two and two together. As soon as the = door=20 closed Megabyte turned to Max, unable to contain himself any longer. "Okay, what's the story with the blood samples?" Max grinned, lowering his voice as he leaned closer to the two = Tomorrow=20 People. "I don't think they were expecting to find test tubes of Tabasco = Sauce."=20 "Tabasco sauce?" asked Megabyte, looking down at the still oozing = wound on=20 his arm. "I know I have a hot temper sometimes, but last I looked it was = still=20 blood flowing through there." "I can change the molecular structure of things," Max explained. Both Megabyte and Adam laughed. "Why Tabasco Sauce?" the Australian=20 asked. "It's an alien thing," explained Max. "I like sweet and spicy things=20 together. I go through a lot of Tabasco Sauce and I suppose in the spur = of the=20 moment…" "I love it," exclaimed Megabyte. "Just imagine Masters' face when he = found=20 out. Serves the creep right." Adam's tone of voice brought Max back to the seriousness of the = situation=20 they were in, as he asked his next question. "Roswell aliens. Max I know = this is=20 going to sound crazy but you wouldn't know anything about the '47 crash = would=20 you?" "Hey I thought I was the one who was supposed to come out with those = sorts of=20 things," complained Megabyte. "Well, actually," replied Max. "That's how we got here in the first = place, in=20 the 1947 crash. My earliest memories are breaking free of some kind of = cocoon=20 and wandering along the road…I think we must have been in those = cocoons in some=20 sort of suspended animation for years because we only looked about seven = when we=20 were found by our foster parents" "That's what I saw in the flash, the cocoon thing I mean," confirmed=20 Megabyte. Adam frowned. "We?" he asked. "Why do I get the feeling you haven't = told us=20 everything?" Max felt a slight trickle of guilt wash over him. "Sorry, it's hard = for me to=20 trust someone. I've spent most of my life hiding who I am and I guess = old habits=20 die hard." "Look you can trust us," Adam was trying to reassure him, and Max = appreciated=20 the effort he was making. "After all we have a fair idea what's you're = going=20 through, trying to pretend to be normal. We've got just as much to lose = here as=20 you have. There's other Tomorrow People besides just Megabyte and I to = worry=20 about too." "Jade? She's one of you, isn't she?" Max looked at Megabyte and = wondered what=20 the relationship between him and the girl he had been with was. Megabyte blushed, his face changing colour to match his hair. "Yeah, = Jade's=20 one of us. No, she's not my girlfriend if that's what you're thinking. = No way.=20 It's not going to happen." Max caught the small smile Adam made before he turned away. So he = hadn't been=20 the only who had noticed Megabyte jump at the innocently asked question = then. It=20 looked as though it wasn't only himself and Liz who were trying to sort = out a=20 relationship. Liz. Max stopped as he thought about her. He hoped he = hadn't left=20 things too late. If he never got to the chance to tell her how he really = felt,=20 he'd never forgive himself. ************ Colonel Masters reached for his cup of coffee as he watched the = events=20 unwinding on the video screen in front of him. He knew it had been a=20 particularly good idea to place a video feed into the basement room. = So Max Evans wasn't a Tomorrow Person, but an alien survivor of the = Roswell=20 crash. It sounded as though he had stumbled onto a bit more than he had = hoped=20 for when he'd mistaken the boy for the Tomorrow Person he knew as Adam. = He made=20 a mental note to inform Trent of this new information. They certainly = had their=20 work cut out for them, what with aliens, Tomorrow People, and Trent's = own=20 problem. He sighed to himself. So much to do, so little time. Still one thing = at a=20 time he supposed. Even though that mess up with the blood samples had = cost him=20 time, at least he had learnt about Evans' other power because of it. He = glanced=20 at his watch. Soon it would be time to put the next stage of his plan = into=20 operation. This was the part he was really looking forward to, telling = General=20 Damon what his plans were for Megabyte, Adam and hopefully the rest of = their=20 kind. ************** End of Part 10</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14B48.F6B881A0-- - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 10:13:29 +1200 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (11/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_01D5_01C14BF4.0C6F2AC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (11/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Eleven=20 "I'm telling you the best way you can help is to go home with Millie and = her mom and keep an eye on them." Bill felt his patience disappearing as = he repeated what he had been trying to get through to Geoff for the last = ten minutes. The boy was keen to find those responsible for Millie's = accident and seemed to be treating the whole situation as something out = of an adventure movie.=20 Bill had tried explaining the danger involved but soon got the = impression that what he was saying was literally going in one ear and = out the other. He'd been forced to explain about the teleporting to = Geoff but had managed to keep it to that for now. The boy had made it = clear that he wasn't going to take no for an answer about that, after = seeing it for himself, but at least for now that was all, in Bill's = opinion, that Geoff needed to find out about. Hopefully the situation = wouldn't arise where any other explanations would be required. = 'Hopefully' being a very optimistic word at this point, given the way = this mess was going. "But General Damon, I only want to help." "Well you can help by looking after Millie. I'd feel a lot better = knowing someone was looking out for her." Bill was finding it hard = keeping his voice down. In some ways this conversation was reminding him = of the ones he had with Megabyte and those never seemed to come out the = way he wanted either. Teenagers!=20 "General Damon are you ready to go?" Ami poked her head around the door = of the relatives' room. "Oh sorry, Geoff, am I interrupting something?"=20 "Yeah I want to go with you to Roswell to find Megabyte and Adam and the = General thinks I should stay here." Geoff noticed the expression on = Ami's face and continued hastily. "It's okay, Ami, I saw you teleport = outside and made General Damon tell me what was going on." "It's okay, Ami. We can trust him. He overheard what we were saying = outside and after seeing you teleport I had to give him some sort of = explanation. I was just telling him how important it was to have someone = stay with Millie in case someone comes after her again." Ami gave Bill a = questioning look, a look he knew would be coming after what he'd just = said. Not that he blamed her. After all it was her safety and that of = her fellow Tomorrow People at risk here, not his. But coming out with = 'I've only told him what he needs to hear,' wasn't going to enlist much = cooperation from the kid was it? As Ami followed his lead, Bill heaved a silent sigh of relief. He had = hoped he could trust her to guess what he was doing. "Yes, Geoff, with = everything going on it would be one less thing to worry about. Besides, = think of how Millie would feel if you left her alone now, after what = she's been through? I know if it were me I'd want you to stay." Geoff looked at her for a couple of minutes, seemingly deep in thought. = "Yeah you're probably right, Ami. Just let me know if there's anything I = can do to help you guys, okay?" Bill handed him a card with his cell phone number on. "If anything = happens Geoff, anything suspicious, ring me immediately on this number. = I'll send someone to back you up. Ami, give him Megabyte's phone, just = in case." Ami reached around in her pocket and retrieved the phone she'd just = collected from Penny Weston. She handed it to Geoff who was staring at = the card in his hand. "Do you really think that someone might come after her again?" he asked. "I hope not Geoff, but the person we think is behind this operation is = very ruthless and I wouldn't put anything past him at this point in = time." As Geoff left the room, closing the door behind him, Bill turned to Ami = as she prepared to initiate the teleport. "Okay, Ami, what's your = secret? I spend ten minutes talking to the guy, trying to convince him = to stay behind and you achieve it in two." Ami smiled. "Something you haven't got, General. " she replied. "A = woman's touch." **************** Kyle Valenti stood on the corner opposite the Crashdown, wondering how = close he could get without anyone inside noticing him. That Whitman kid, = Alex, had just re entered the building with his laptop under his arm. = Kyle noticed that he had been looking around him nervously as he walked = along the road towards the caf=E9. Kyle had been suspicious since he had noticed Michael and Isabel coming = out of the UFO centre after closing. They looked, in his opinion, very = shaken. Even though Max Evans was nowhere in sight, he couldn't help but = wonder if he had something to do with what ever was going down. He'd = followed the two of them back to the Crashdown, telling himself that he = was doing it to watch out for Liz. Even though she had made it clear = that she was interested in Max now, he felt a duty to look out for her. = After all he still wasn't sure that Evans would. When it boiled down to = it, he really didn't trust the guy. As he stood there trying to decide what to do next, he glanced into the = alley beside the caf=E9 and was surprised when he saw a flash of bright = light which coalesced into two human forms standing where a moment ago = there had been nothing. The young dark girl, slightly older than Kyle = himself, motioned to her companion, an older man who looked about the = same age as Sheriff Valenti to follow her into the caf=E9. As they = approached the door it opened, so obviously someone was expecting them. Right, thought Kyle to himself, that's it. There's something weird going = on down here and Dad needs to know about it. As he headed towards the = sheriff's office where his father was still working late, he wondered = idly where Max Evans was. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen him for = quite a while. Yes it certainly sounded as though Evans and his friends = were up to something. Whatever it was Kyle hoped for their sake that = they hadn't placed Liz in any danger. **************** "This is Ami and General Damon, Megabyte's dad." Kevin introduced the = two new arrivals to the group in the Crashdown. "Ami, General this is = Michael, Isabel, Liz, Maria and Alex."=20 Bill looked around at the group of teenagers in front of him, groaning = to himself. Great, more kids to worry about. Just what he needed. The = brown haired teen, Michael, was glaring at him, not even making an = attempt to hide his feelings. The kid was annoyed about his arrival, = that was obvious. The shorter blonde girl, Maria, glared at Michael in a way that reminded = Bill of Jade and Marmaduke. Alex put a protective arm around Isabel but = the tall attractive blonde girl moved away. Liz seemed upset and very = much on her own, at least if you were looking at the group from a couple = point of view. Bill wondered if she was connected to Max in some way. = Girlfriend perhaps? Bill turned to ask Kevin for an explanation, but noticed that familiar = glazed eye expression. One of these days the Tomorrow People were going = to realise just how rude that was. As if they realised what he was = thinking, which was totally possible even with the assurances Adam kept = giving him that they really didn't do that sort of thing, the = conversation switched to speech. Jade grinned. "Oh yeah, Ami, there's something we haven't told you about = Michael and Max yet. They're aliens." Bill felt the sudden urge to sit down. Aliens? He echoed in his mind one = of the phrases Megabyte liked to use. Yeah right. Michael glared at her. "Hey, I thought you said you wouldn't give away = our secret. I trusted you." Jade glared back at him. "Oh chill out, Michael. Ami's a Tomorrow Person = like us." "Yeah okay, but what about him?" Michael waved his hand towards Bill, = the annoyance showing through in his voice. "Look I understand what you must be thinking, Michael, isn't it, but I'm = on your side. I want to rescue the boys as badly as you do. Megabyte is = my son, remember." Time to try and salvage the situation, Bill decided. "So how do you explain the teleporting project you worked on for the = SIA?" Michael glanced at Alex as he spoke.=20 "So that's what the two of you were talking about when Alex came back," = commented Liz. "I can't believe you got him to run checks on our new = friends. Max wouldn't have." "Well Maxwell isn't here, I am." Michael's temper was starting to wear = thin. "Max might be all trusting but it's not exactly helping him now is = it?" "Hey Michael." Maria started to comment on Michael's display of utter = tactlessness when Bill held up his hand and interrupted. "Look, you guys, I can explain about the whole SIA thing if it will = help. We've got to trust each other and work together or we've got no = show of rescuing anyone." "Okay then I'm listening." Michael folded his arms, settled himself back = on a stool, and leant against the counter.=20 Bill cleared his throat, wondering how exactly he was going to put this. = Michael was certainly a suspicious kid. He thought again about what Jade = had said about aliens and sighed. Knowing how Masters felt about the = Tomorrow People he couldn't help but worry how he would react when he = found out that Max was an alien. "It's true I worked for the Scientific Intelligence Agency," he started = to explain, trying to ignore the glares Michael was still giving him. = "When I found out about the existence of the Tomorrow People, and my own = son was threatened, I decided that what they were doing was wrong and I = left the organisation. Now I'm working for WorldEx, as your info = probably has already told you." He made a mental note to increase = security around his organisation's Internet files. Obviously Alex was = another Megabyte, a bit too good at gaining access to classified = information. "Yeah but would you have left the SIA if Megabyte wasn't a Tomorrow = Person?" Michael asked.=20 "What Michael is trying to say, in his own unique way," piped up Maria, = "is that okay we know the TP's can trust you because you're Megabyte's = dad and all. But does he know you won't give him up to the bad guys? = After all he's not a Tomorrow Person, he's an alien. That puts a whole = different spin on it." "General Damon would never do anything like that!" protested Jade. Bill smiled at her, wishing he still had that trust in people that she = possessed. In some ways it was a shame that she had to grow up so fast, = being a Tomorrow Person. As you got older it became a lot harder to view = the world in black and white instead of the grey it actually was. " I wouldn't do that, Michael. " Bill tried to sound reassuring to the = young alien, but could see that he wasn't buying it. He decided to try = another tactic, maybe something Michael could understand. "I can see you = still don't trust me, and let's face it - why should you?" "General." Ami started to say. Bill gave her a quick smile, trying to = get across the fact that he knew what he was doing. Well at least he = hoped he knew what he was doing.=20 He continued quickly. "Let's put this into terms you can relate to. If I = give you up to the authorities, how can I be sure you won't tell them = about the Tomorrow People? I mean if they have concrete proof about the = existence of aliens, they're just as likely to believe stories about = teleporters too, aren't they?" "In other words we have to trust each other because we have no choice. = Is that what you're saying?" Michael still didn't sound very convinced. Bill nodded. "In a nutshell, yes. What makes you think I trust you any = more than you trust me?" "I trust you, " said Isabel. "My brother's life depends on it. Don't = worry about Michael, he'll help because of Max. We're not about to give = away information about the Tomorrow People either, any more than they = are about us." "Okay, now we've got that out of the way, can we think about a rescue = attempt here?" asked Maria. "If you're waiting for Michael to come out = and thank you for coming you'll still be here next Christmas." The girl = looked fed up with all the talking, and frankly Bill didn't blame her. = "From what I can see this bad guy has Max and your friends holed up = somewhere and has got nasty things planned for them." Maria looked = around the room as she spoke, ignoring the glares coming in her = direction. "I mean all this talk about trust is really nice guys, but = it's not going to do much is it? What we need is a plan here." "Maria's right," Liz broke her long silence. "I don't know about you = guys but I'm trying really hard here not to think about what this = Masters person might be doing to Max and the others while we're sitting = here talking. If he's found some way to prevent them using their powers, = who knows what else he might be going to do to them?" As if on cue the cell phone in Bill's pocket rang. Hope that isn't Geoff = already. That's all they needed at the moment. "Damon, here." As he answered the phone his face paled. "Masters!" he = exclaimed. "If you've hurt them." Bill didn't dare finish that sentence = even in his own mind. This was the thing he had dreaded ever since = Megabyte had become a Tomorrow Person. Yes he'd heard Ami telling him = what had happened earlier but hearing Masters voice telling him he had = his son.and Adam. It only brought it home all too clearly, made it = harder to pretend it wasn't real. Made it harder to pretend that = everything would be okay, when really he wasn't sure it was going to be. "Yes alright I'll be there." Bill listened to the rest of what Masters = had to say and realised the man held the ace in the hole so to speak. = "Yes, I know I don't have a choice, but I'm warning you Masters.Damn, = he's gone." Bill sat down on one of the stools at the counter, and = poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a couple of strong gulps before = turning around to face the young people waiting expectantly to hear what = he had to say. "As you probably gathered, that was Colonel Masters. He says that = Megabyte, Adam and Max are okay, for now. He wants to meet with me to = discuss terms, and if I don't show up at the place and time he's = specified he'll." Bill's voice tailed off.=20 "You can't trust him, " exclaimed Kevin. "You can't seriously think that = he's honestly going to let them go, can you? Masters has wanted to get = his hands on the Tomorrow People for years. Now he's got Megabyte and = Adam, he'll use them for whatever scheme he's brewing up. He's got a = score to settle with them too, after what happened last time, and with = you too, I'd imagine." Bill nodded. "Don't you think I know that, Kevin? But what choice do I = have? " He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Megabyte's = my son. I just can't leave him and Adam in the clutches of that maniac. = Or Max either for that matter. It's not the boy's fault he walked into = this mess." A new voice spoke quietly as he stepped into the room "I understand how = you must be feeling, but it's not good policy to give in to kidnappers." "Great," muttered Michael. " Just what we need. Always a cop around when = you don't need one." ****************** end of part 11 - ------=_NextPart_000_01D5_01C14BF4.0C6F2AC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> All That Glitters (11/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Eleven "I'm telling you the best way you can help is to go home with Millie = and her=20 mom and keep an eye on them." Bill felt his patience disappearing as he = repeated=20 what he had been trying to get through to Geoff for the last ten = minutes. The=20 boy was keen to find those responsible for Millie's accident and seemed = to be=20 treating the whole situation as something out of an adventure movie. = Bill had tried explaining the danger involved but soon got the = impression=20 that what he was saying was literally going in one ear and out the = other. He'd=20 been forced to explain about the teleporting to Geoff but had managed to = keep it=20 to that for now. The boy had made it clear that he wasn't going to take = no for=20 an answer about that, after seeing it for himself, but at least for now = that was=20 all, in Bill's opinion, that Geoff needed to find out about. Hopefully = the=20 situation wouldn't arise where any other explanations would be required. = 'Hopefully' being a very optimistic word at this point, given the way = this mess=20 was going. "But General Damon, I only want to help." "Well you can help by looking after Millie. I'd feel a lot better = knowing=20 someone was looking out for her." Bill was finding it hard keeping his = voice=20 down. In some ways this conversation was reminding him of the ones he = had with=20 Megabyte and those never seemed to come out the way he wanted either. = Teenagers!=20 "General Damon are you ready to go?" Ami poked her head around the = door of=20 the relatives' room. "Oh sorry, Geoff, am I interrupting something?" = "Yeah I want to go with you to Roswell to find Megabyte and Adam and = the=20 General thinks I should stay here." Geoff noticed the expression on = Ami's face=20 and continued hastily. "It's okay, Ami, I saw you teleport outside and = made=20 General Damon tell me what was going on." "It's okay, Ami. We can trust him. He overheard what we were saying = outside=20 and after seeing you teleport I had to give him some sort of = explanation. I was=20 just telling him how important it was to have someone stay with Millie = in case=20 someone comes after her again." Ami gave Bill a questioning look, a look = he knew=20 would be coming after what he'd just said. Not that he blamed her. After = all it=20 was her safety and that of her fellow Tomorrow People at risk here, not = his. But=20 coming out with 'I've only told him what he needs to hear,' wasn't going = to=20 enlist much cooperation from the kid was it? As Ami followed his lead, Bill heaved a silent sigh of relief. He had = hoped=20 he could trust her to guess what he was doing. "Yes, Geoff, with = everything=20 going on it would be one less thing to worry about. Besides, think of = how Millie=20 would feel if you left her alone now, after what she's been through? I = know if=20 it were me I'd want you to stay." Geoff looked at her for a couple of minutes, seemingly deep in = thought. "Yeah=20 you're probably right, Ami. Just let me know if there's anything I can = do to=20 help you guys, okay?" Bill handed him a card with his cell phone number on. "If anything = happens=20 Geoff, anything suspicious, ring me immediately on this number. I'll = send=20 someone to back you up. Ami, give him Megabyte's phone, just in = case." Ami reached around in her pocket and retrieved the phone she'd just = collected=20 from Penny Weston. She handed it to Geoff who was staring at the card in = his=20 hand. "Do you really think that someone might come after her again?" he = asked. "I hope not Geoff, but the person we think is behind this operation = is very=20 ruthless and I wouldn't put anything past him at this point in = time." As Geoff left the room, closing the door behind him, Bill turned to = Ami as=20 she prepared to initiate the teleport. "Okay, Ami, what's your secret? I = spend=20 ten minutes talking to the guy, trying to convince him to stay behind = and you=20 achieve it in two." Ami smiled. "Something you haven't got, General. " she replied. "A = woman's=20 touch." **************** Kyle Valenti stood on the corner opposite the Crashdown, wondering = how close=20 he could get without anyone inside noticing him. That Whitman kid, Alex, = had=20 just re entered the building with his laptop under his arm. Kyle noticed = that he=20 had been looking around him nervously as he walked along the road = towards the=20 caf=E9. Kyle had been suspicious since he had noticed Michael and Isabel = coming out=20 of the UFO centre after closing. They looked, in his opinion, very = shaken. Even=20 though Max Evans was nowhere in sight, he couldn't help but wonder if he = had=20 something to do with what ever was going down. He'd followed the two of = them=20 back to the Crashdown, telling himself that he was doing it to watch out = for=20 Liz. Even though she had made it clear that she was interested in Max = now, he=20 felt a duty to look out for her. After all he still wasn't sure that = Evans=20 would. When it boiled down to it, he really didn't trust the guy. As he stood there trying to decide what to do next, he glanced into = the alley=20 beside the caf=E9 and was surprised when he saw a flash of bright light = which=20 coalesced into two human forms standing where a moment ago there had = been=20 nothing. The young dark girl, slightly older than Kyle himself, motioned = to her=20 companion, an older man who looked about the same age as Sheriff Valenti = to=20 follow her into the caf=E9. As they approached the door it opened, so = obviously=20 someone was expecting them. Right, thought Kyle to himself, that's it. There's something weird = going on=20 down here and Dad needs to know about it. As he headed towards the = sheriff's=20 office where his father was still working late, he wondered idly where = Max Evans=20 was. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen him for quite a while. Yes it = certainly=20 sounded as though Evans and his friends were up to something. Whatever = it was=20 Kyle hoped for their sake that they hadn't placed Liz in any danger. **************** "This is Ami and General Damon, Megabyte's dad." Kevin introduced the = two new=20 arrivals to the group in the Crashdown. "Ami, General this is Michael, = Isabel,=20 Liz, Maria and Alex." Bill looked around at the group of teenagers in front of him, = groaning to=20 himself. Great, more kids to worry about. Just what he needed. The brown = haired=20 teen, Michael, was glaring at him, not even making an attempt to hide = his=20 feelings. The kid was annoyed about his arrival, that was obvious. The shorter blonde girl, Maria, glared at Michael in a way that = reminded Bill=20 of Jade and Marmaduke. Alex put a protective arm around Isabel but the = tall=20 attractive blonde girl moved away. Liz seemed upset and very much on her = own, at=20 least if you were looking at the group from a couple point of view. Bill = wondered if she was connected to Max in some way. Girlfriend = perhaps? Bill turned to ask Kevin for an explanation, but noticed that = familiar glazed=20 eye expression. One of these days the Tomorrow People were going to = realise just=20 how rude that was. As if they realised what he was thinking, which was = totally=20 possible even with the assurances Adam kept giving him that they really = didn't=20 do that sort of thing, the conversation switched to speech. Jade grinned. "Oh yeah, Ami, there's something we haven't told you = about=20 Michael and Max yet. They're aliens." Bill felt the sudden urge to sit down. Aliens? He echoed in his mind = one of=20 the phrases Megabyte liked to use. Yeah right. Michael glared at her. "Hey, I thought you said you wouldn't give = away our=20 secret. I trusted you." Jade glared back at him. "Oh chill out, Michael. Ami's a Tomorrow = Person like=20 us." "Yeah okay, but what about him?" Michael waved his hand towards Bill, = the=20 annoyance showing through in his voice. "Look I understand what you must be thinking, Michael, isn't it, but = I'm on=20 your side. I want to rescue the boys as badly as you do. Megabyte is my = son,=20 remember." Time to try and salvage the situation, Bill decided. "So how do you explain the teleporting project you worked on for the = SIA?"=20 Michael glanced at Alex as he spoke. "So that's what the two of you were talking about when Alex came = back,"=20 commented Liz. "I can't believe you got him to run checks on our new = friends.=20 Max wouldn't have." "Well Maxwell isn't here, I am." Michael's temper was starting to = wear thin.=20 "Max might be all trusting but it's not exactly helping him now is = it?" "Hey Michael…" Maria started to comment on Michael's display of = utter=20 tactlessness when Bill held up his hand and interrupted. "Look, you guys, I can explain about the whole SIA thing if it will = help.=20 We've got to trust each other and work together or we've got no show of = rescuing=20 anyone." "Okay then I'm listening." Michael folded his arms, settled himself = back on a=20 stool, and leant against the counter. Bill cleared his throat, wondering how exactly he was going to put = this.=20 Michael was certainly a suspicious kid. He thought again about what Jade = had=20 said about aliens and sighed. Knowing how Masters felt about the = Tomorrow People=20 he couldn't help but worry how he would react when he found out that Max = was an=20 alien. "It's true I worked for the Scientific Intelligence Agency," he = started to=20 explain, trying to ignore the glares Michael was still giving him. "When = I found=20 out about the existence of the Tomorrow People, and my own son was = threatened, I=20 decided that what they were doing was wrong and I left the organisation. = Now I'm=20 working for WorldEx, as your info probably has already told you." He = made a=20 mental note to increase security around his organisation's Internet = files.=20 Obviously Alex was another Megabyte, a bit too good at gaining access to = classified information. "Yeah but would you have left the SIA if Megabyte wasn't a Tomorrow = Person?"=20 Michael asked. "What Michael is trying to say, in his own unique way," piped up = Maria, "is=20 that okay we know the TP's can trust you because you're Megabyte's dad = and all.=20 But does he know you won't give him up to the bad guys? After all he's = not a=20 Tomorrow Person, he's an alien. That puts a whole different spin on = it." "General Damon would never do anything like that!" protested = Jade. Bill smiled at her, wishing he still had that trust in people that = she=20 possessed. In some ways it was a shame that she had to grow up so fast, = being a=20 Tomorrow Person. As you got older it became a lot harder to view the = world in=20 black and white instead of the grey it actually was. " I wouldn't do that, Michael. " Bill tried to sound reassuring to = the young=20 alien, but could see that he wasn't buying it. He decided to try another = tactic,=20 maybe something Michael could understand. "I can see you still don't = trust me,=20 and let's face it - why should you?" "General…" Ami started to say. Bill gave her a quick smile, = trying to get=20 across the fact that he knew what he was doing. Well at least he hoped = he knew=20 what he was doing. He continued quickly. "Let's put this into terms you can relate to. = If I give=20 you up to the authorities, how can I be sure you won't tell them about = the=20 Tomorrow People? I mean if they have concrete proof about the existence = of=20 aliens, they're just as likely to believe stories about teleporters too, = aren't=20 they?" "In other words we have to trust each other because we have no = choice. Is=20 that what you're saying?" Michael still didn't sound very convinced. Bill nodded. "In a nutshell, yes. What makes you think I trust you = any more=20 than you trust me?" "I trust you, " said Isabel. "My brother's life depends on it. Don't = worry=20 about Michael, he'll help because of Max. We're not about to give away=20 information about the Tomorrow People either, any more than they are = about=20 us." "Okay, now we've got that out of the way, can we think about a rescue = attempt=20 here?" asked Maria. "If you're waiting for Michael to come out and thank = you for=20 coming you'll still be here next Christmas." The girl looked fed up with = all the=20 talking, and frankly Bill didn't blame her. "From what I can see this = bad guy=20 has Max and your friends holed up somewhere and has got nasty things = planned for=20 them." Maria looked around the room as she spoke, ignoring the glares = coming in=20 her direction. "I mean all this talk about trust is really nice guys, = but it's=20 not going to do much is it? What we need is a plan here." "Maria's right," Liz broke her long silence. "I don't know about you = guys but=20 I'm trying really hard here not to think about what this Masters person = might be=20 doing to Max and the others while we're sitting here talking. If he's = found some=20 way to prevent them using their powers, who knows what else he might be = going to=20 do to them?" As if on cue the cell phone in Bill's pocket rang. Hope that isn't = Geoff=20 already. That's all they needed at the moment. "Damon, here." As he answered the phone his face paled. "Masters!" he = exclaimed. "If you've hurt them…" Bill didn't dare finish that = sentence even in=20 his own mind. This was the thing he had dreaded ever since Megabyte had = become a=20 Tomorrow Person. Yes he'd heard Ami telling him what had happened = earlier but=20 hearing Masters voice telling him he had his son…and Adam. It only = brought it=20 home all too clearly, made it harder to pretend it wasn't real. Made it = harder=20 to pretend that everything would be okay, when really he wasn't sure it = was=20 going to be. "Yes alright I'll be there." Bill listened to the rest of what = Masters had to=20 say and realised the man held the ace in the hole so to speak. "Yes, I = know I=20 don't have a choice, but I'm warning you Masters…Damn, he's gone." = Bill sat down=20 on one of the stools at the counter, and poured himself a cup of coffee. = He took=20 a couple of strong gulps before turning around to face the young people = waiting=20 expectantly to hear what he had to say. "As you probably gathered, that was Colonel Masters. He says that = Megabyte,=20 Adam and Max are okay, for now. He wants to meet with me to discuss = terms, and=20 if I don't show up at the place and time he's specified he'll…" = Bill's voice=20 tailed off. "You can't trust him, " exclaimed Kevin. "You can't seriously think = that he's=20 honestly going to let them go, can you? Masters has wanted to get his = hands on=20 the Tomorrow People for years. Now he's got Megabyte and Adam, he'll use = them=20 for whatever scheme he's brewing up. He's got a score to settle with = them too,=20 after what happened last time, and with you too, I'd imagine." Bill nodded. "Don't you think I know that, Kevin? But what choice do = I have?=20 " He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Megabyte's my son. = I just=20 can't leave him and Adam in the clutches of that maniac. Or Max either = for that=20 matter. It's not the boy's fault he walked into this mess." A new voice spoke quietly as he stepped into the room "I understand = how you=20 must be feeling, but it's not good policy to give in to kidnappers." "Great," muttered Michael. " Just what we need. Always a cop around = when you=20 don't need one." ****************** end of part 11</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_01D5_01C14BF4.0C6F2AC0-- - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of arfic-l-digest V1 #44 **************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.