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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 #47 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 Sunday, October 7 2001 Volume 01 : Number 047 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 11:53:49 +1300 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (15/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01C14F26.BA387BE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (15/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Fifteen "Lucky for you, I can't kill," complained Megabyte under his breath as = he watched the look of disgust Masters was giving his father. "Megabyte." hissed his father warningly. Masters' ears seemed to visibly prick up. "You can't kill?" he said in a = smooth voice that made Megabyte's skin crawl. "You really expect me to = believe you can't kill?" Adam stepped between Masters and his fellow Tomorrow Person, shooting = his friend a warning glance as he did so. "Don't you think it's about = time you did away with all the cloak and dagger?" he told Masters. = "You've got the advantage here, I think we all know that. What do you = want with us exactly? You know these headbands work. Now what?" "Yeah right, Adam," said Megabyte. "That's telling him. I'm sure he's = gonna come right out and tell us now, isn't he?" "Megabyte, shut up," hissed Adam. Masters looked at the two Tomorrow People and smiled, though Megabyte = noticed his eyes seemed to become brighter as he spoke. Must be the = whole loony tunes attitude coming out he decided. "If you have something = to say Marmaduke, say it. I'm very interested to hear about this whole = non-killing thing." Crap. Something else to add to the list of things he shouldn't have said = while being held captive by a bad guy. "Yeah right. And what difference = is it going to make? I tell you all about it and you let us go? Like I'm = gonna believe that one." Megabyte tried to ignore the looks his father = was sending his way. His dad didn't really need telepathy, he'd decided = a long time ago. The look in his eyes spoke volumes whenever he told his = kids off or was concerned about them. "So you're telling me that you didn't shoot me all those years ago = because you aren't capable of killing? Is that it?" Masters laughed, and = then reached inside his jacket pocket for a handkerchief and proceeded = to wipe his eyes.=20 Does that creep ever wear anything but a suit? Megabyte felt his cheeks = turning hot as he tried to ignore the anger rising up within him. "Why = do you think I never killed you when I had the chance? Don't you think I = would have if I could?" Cool it Damon. No point losing it now.=20 "You tell me." Masters still had that smug look on his face, that look = which said he wasn't buying it. For some reason the man had the idea = stuck in his brain that the Tomorrow People were a threat. "He is trying to tell you Masters," Damon told his former associate. = "But you're refusing to listen. The Tomorrow People aren't a threat. = They're peaceful, they're just trying to survive, trying to survive = people like you." "General Damon's right." Adam was wasting his time even talking to = Masters, of that Megabyte was becoming more and more sure. "We can't = kill you, we're no threat to you. Why don't you believe that?" "Because I know better," replied Masters. "I realised I was lucky all = those years ago in the fact that your friend here was young and afraid, = but time moves on. You are now older and with each passing day growing = more and more dangerous. You and the rest of your kind are more of a = threat to the safety of mankind than you ever were." "Get real Masters," Damon had a tone of disgust in his voice. "They're = still only kids. They're no threat, none at all. The only threat to the = human race I can see in this room is you. You're so tied up in what you = *think * is true you couldn't see the truth if it came up and hit you in = the face. It's people like you who are dangerous, not the Tomorrow = People." You tell him Dad, thought Megabyte surprised at the surge of pride he = felt for his father. He'd never heard his dad actually put his thoughts = about the Tomorrow People into words before, and especially not to = someone like Masters. He'd also never seen him coming this close to = losing his temper in public either.=20 Megabyte reached out and laid a hand on his father's shoulder. Cool it = Dad. Damon turned and looked at him and then back at Masters, ready to = add more to his previous statement when Max moved forward, and looked = Masters squarely in the eyes. "If you want someone to pick on, " the young alien said. "Try me. I'm = the one you caught trying to contact someone else, not them." The way he = spoke, it reminded Megabyte of Adam when he went into 'protective mode.' Damon shook his head and pulled Max away. "Don't give him any ideas," he = advised. "Masters has enough on his own without you adding to them." "One can never have too many ideas." Masters gestured to Beckett who was = standing in front of the heavy wooden door leading out of the room. = "Could you tell Dr Brooke-Smythe that his services are required, please? = I've decided to try a little experiment to test this whole non- killing = debate. Can you kill or can you not, that is the question." He paused = momentarily. "Oh yes and Beckett? Inform the good doctor that young = master Damon here has kindly volunteered to test the theory for us. The = results should be quite.interesting." *********** Valenti ducked behind the large tree overhanging the entrance to the old = factory. He glanced at his watch. Damon had been in there now for at = least ten minutes. Now might be a good time to send for back up of some = sort. But what exactly could he tell his deputy, he wondered? Some = madman has kidnapped some kids to get back at an old enemy? Yes that = might do it. He unclipped his phone from his belt and started to punch in the number = of the sheriff's office when he heard a noise behind him. Blast! He spun = around, disengaging the safety on his revolver as he did so. "Michael, what the hell are you doing here? Correction. What the hell = are you, Maria and Liz doing here? I though I told you to stay put." "Right," snapped Michael. "Like I was going to sit back and watch you = get Max killed. Get real." "I had the situation under control," Valenti started to say, wondering = why he felt he had to explain himself to a bunch of kids anyway. He saw = what looked like a couple of bright lights out of the corner of his eye = and jumped as they solidified into Ami, Jade, Isabel and Alex. "Bring the whole gang," he groaned. Wonder if Bill has this sort of = thing going on all the time, he mused to himself briefly. No wonder the = poor guy was jumpy if he had kids appearing out of thin air in front of = him while he was trying to do his job. "Megabyte, Adam and Max are in there," exclaimed Jade excitedly. "We've = come to help rescue them." "And how do we know they are in there Jade?" asked Valenti. "I thought = you said you couldn't use your powers to contact them?" "Isabel." Jade started to say, then stopped. She looked at Isabel and = then at Ami. Isabel looked upset, in fact Valenti wondered if she had = been crying. "Isabel had an idea where they might be," finished Ami hurriedly." So we = decided to come and check it out. Looks as though she was right, if = you're here too." Valenti pushed his suspicions to the back of his mind. Now was = definitely not the time to discuss the weird stuff that went on in his = town concerning Max Evans. He knew there was something weird about that = kid. Maybe these Tomorrow People had been able to contact him somehow = using their powers, when they hadn't been able to contact their fellow = telepaths? This whole thing is beginning to sound like something out of = a science fiction novel. "Now that you're here I suppose." Valenti eyed the group of kids in = front of him. "Michael you come with me. I want Alex to stay here with = the girls. Ami, have you got any idea where exactly Masters might be = holding them?" Ami shook her head. "If I could get into Masters' office though maybe we = could find out what he's planning from there." "He might have his plans on his hard drive," Alex suggested. "Could you = take me with you and I'll have a look while we're hunting for the guys?" Valenti put his foot down. "No. That sounds too dangerous to me. No = offence, Ami, but I think from what you've told me that this Masters = would love to get his hands on the rest of you. You'd be safer staying = here with the others. That goes for you too, Alex." "But." Maria started to protest but stopped as Liz shot her a look. = "Come back in one piece, then. Okay?" Sensible girl, that Liz Parker, thought Valenti. It's a shame she and = Kyle aren't still together. Kyle. Valenti tried to push that thought out = of his mind too. One thing at a time. First he'd rescue Max and the = others, then maybe they could help rescue Kyle and Kevin in London. Michael looked around the perimeter again. "You coming?" he asked = Valenti. "Cause I'm going *now *." He glanced towards the gate and = before Valenti could stop him crept along the outside of the surrounding = wall, taking care to hide in the shadows. "Sheriff!" exclaimed Liz.=20 "What is it, Liz? What's wrong?" "Sorry, thought I saw something. Must be my imagination. You'd better = go, Michael's waiting. We'll be fine, promise." Valenti followed the path Michael had taken and in under a minute was = standing by the teenager next to the gate to the complex. To his = amazement Michael touched the gate and it swung open. "Must have forgotten to lock it." The teenager commented. Valenti grasped his gun firmly with his right hand, and led the way into = the complex. Hope like hell they don't see us coming he thought. Looks = as though surprise is probably the only advantage we have here. What was = he thinking going in by himself, with only a teenager for backup? = Hopefully they could sneak in and out before Masters even realised that = they'd been there.=20 He looked back at the group of kids standing where he had left them and = thought he saw a flash of bright light. That better be my imagination, = he thought grimly, hoping that instead of the rescue attempt they were = planning, he hadn't just delivered more Tomorrow People to Masters on a = platter. ********* End of Part 15 - ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01C14F26.BA387BE0 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 (15/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Fifteen "Lucky for you, I can't kill," complained Megabyte under his breath = as he=20 watched the look of disgust Masters was giving his father. "Megabyte…" hissed his father warningly. Masters' ears seemed to visibly prick up. "You can't kill?" he said = in a=20 smooth voice that made Megabyte's skin crawl. "You really expect me to = believe=20 you can't kill?" Adam stepped between Masters and his fellow Tomorrow Person, shooting = his=20 friend a warning glance as he did so. "Don't you think it's about time = you did=20 away with all the cloak and dagger?" he told Masters. "You've got the = advantage=20 here, I think we all know that. What do you want with us exactly? You = know these=20 headbands work. Now what?" "Yeah right, Adam," said Megabyte. "That's telling him. I'm sure he's = gonna=20 come right out and tell us now, isn't he?" "Megabyte, shut up," hissed Adam. Masters looked at the two Tomorrow People and smiled, though Megabyte = noticed=20 his eyes seemed to become brighter as he spoke. Must be the whole loony = tunes=20 attitude coming out he decided. "If you have something to say Marmaduke, = say it.=20 I'm very interested to hear about this whole non-killing thing." Crap. Something else to add to the list of things he shouldn't have = said=20 while being held captive by a bad guy. "Yeah right. And what difference = is it=20 going to make? I tell you all about it and you let us go? Like I'm gonna = believe=20 that one." Megabyte tried to ignore the looks his father was sending his = way.=20 His dad didn't really need telepathy, he'd decided a long time ago. The = look in=20 his eyes spoke volumes whenever he told his kids off or was concerned = about=20 them. "So you're telling me that you didn't shoot me all those years ago = because=20 you aren't capable of killing? Is that it?" Masters laughed, and then = reached=20 inside his jacket pocket for a handkerchief and proceeded to wipe his = eyes. Does that creep ever wear anything but a suit? Megabyte felt his = cheeks=20 turning hot as he tried to ignore the anger rising up within him. "Why = do you=20 think I never killed you when I had the chance? Don't you think I would = have if=20 I could?" Cool it Damon. No point losing it now. "You tell me." Masters still had that smug look on his face, that = look which=20 said he wasn't buying it. For some reason the man had the idea stuck in = his=20 brain that the Tomorrow People were a threat. "He is trying to tell you Masters," Damon told his former associate. = "But=20 you're refusing to listen. The Tomorrow People aren't a threat. They're=20 peaceful, they're just trying to survive, trying to survive people like=20 you." "General Damon's right." Adam was wasting his time even talking to = Masters,=20 of that Megabyte was becoming more and more sure. "We can't kill you, = we're no=20 threat to you. Why don't you believe that?" "Because I know better," replied Masters. "I realised I was lucky all = those=20 years ago in the fact that your friend here was young and afraid, but = time moves=20 on. You are now older and with each passing day growing more and more = dangerous.=20 You and the rest of your kind are more of a threat to the safety of = mankind than=20 you ever were." "Get real Masters," Damon had a tone of disgust in his voice. = "They're still=20 only kids. They're no threat, none at all. The only threat to the human = race I=20 can see in this room is you. You're so tied up in what you *think * is = true you=20 couldn't see the truth if it came up and hit you in the face. It's = people like=20 you who are dangerous, not the Tomorrow People." You tell him Dad, thought Megabyte surprised at the surge of pride he = felt=20 for his father. He'd never heard his dad actually put his thoughts about = the=20 Tomorrow People into words before, and especially not to someone like = Masters.=20 He'd also never seen him coming this close to losing his temper in = public=20 either. Megabyte reached out and laid a hand on his father's shoulder. Cool = it Dad.=20 Damon turned and looked at him and then back at Masters, ready to add = more to=20 his previous statement when Max moved forward, and looked Masters = squarely in=20 the eyes. "If you want someone to pick on, " the young alien said. "Try me. I'm = the one=20 you caught trying to contact someone else, not them." The way he spoke, = it=20 reminded Megabyte of Adam when he went into 'protective mode.' Damon shook his head and pulled Max away. "Don't give him any ideas," = he=20 advised. "Masters has enough on his own without you adding to them." "One can never have too many ideas." Masters gestured to Beckett who = was=20 standing in front of the heavy wooden door leading out of the room. = "Could you=20 tell Dr Brooke-Smythe that his services are required, please? I've = decided to=20 try a little experiment to test this whole non- killing debate. Can you = kill or=20 can you not, that is the question." He paused momentarily. "Oh yes and = Beckett?=20 Inform the good doctor that young master Damon here has kindly = volunteered to=20 test the theory for us. The results should be = quite…interesting." *********** Valenti ducked behind the large tree overhanging the entrance to the = old=20 factory. He glanced at his watch. Damon had been in there now for at = least ten=20 minutes. Now might be a good time to send for back up of some sort. But = what=20 exactly could he tell his deputy, he wondered? Some madman has kidnapped = some=20 kids to get back at an old enemy? Yes that might do it. He unclipped his phone from his belt and started to punch in the = number of=20 the sheriff's office when he heard a noise behind him. Blast! He spun = around,=20 disengaging the safety on his revolver as he did so. "Michael, what the hell are you doing here? Correction. What the hell = are=20 you, Maria and Liz doing here? I though I told you to stay put." "Right," snapped Michael. "Like I was going to sit back and watch you = get Max=20 killed. Get real." "I had the situation under control," Valenti started to say, = wondering why he=20 felt he had to explain himself to a bunch of kids anyway. He saw what = looked=20 like a couple of bright lights out of the corner of his eye and jumped = as they=20 solidified into Ami, Jade, Isabel and Alex. "Bring the whole gang," he groaned. Wonder if Bill has this sort of = thing=20 going on all the time, he mused to himself briefly. No wonder the poor = guy was=20 jumpy if he had kids appearing out of thin air in front of him while he = was=20 trying to do his job. "Megabyte, Adam and Max are in there," exclaimed Jade excitedly. = "We've come=20 to help rescue them." "And how do we know they are in there Jade?" asked Valenti. "I = thought you=20 said you couldn't use your powers to contact them?" "Isabel…" Jade started to say, then stopped. She looked at = Isabel and then at=20 Ami. Isabel looked upset, in fact Valenti wondered if she had been = crying. "Isabel had an idea where they might be," finished Ami hurriedly." So = we=20 decided to come and check it out. Looks as though she was right, if = you're here=20 too." Valenti pushed his suspicions to the back of his mind. Now was = definitely not=20 the time to discuss the weird stuff that went on in his town concerning = Max=20 Evans. He knew there was something weird about that kid. Maybe these = Tomorrow=20 People had been able to contact him somehow using their powers, when = they hadn't=20 been able to contact their fellow telepaths? This whole thing is = beginning to=20 sound like something out of a science fiction novel. "Now that you're here I suppose." Valenti eyed the group of kids in = front of=20 him. "Michael you come with me. I want Alex to stay here with the girls. = Ami,=20 have you got any idea where exactly Masters might be holding them?" Ami shook her head. "If I could get into Masters' office though maybe = we=20 could find out what he's planning from there." "He might have his plans on his hard drive," Alex suggested. "Could = you take=20 me with you and I'll have a look while we're hunting for the guys?" Valenti put his foot down. "No. That sounds too dangerous to me. No = offence,=20 Ami, but I think from what you've told me that this Masters would love = to get=20 his hands on the rest of you. You'd be safer staying here with the = others. That=20 goes for you too, Alex." "But…" Maria started to protest but stopped as Liz shot her a = look. "Come=20 back in one piece, then. Okay?" Sensible girl, that Liz Parker, thought Valenti. It's a shame she and = Kyle=20 aren't still together. Kyle. Valenti tried to push that thought out of = his mind=20 too. One thing at a time. First he'd rescue Max and the others, then = maybe they=20 could help rescue Kyle and Kevin in London. Michael looked around the perimeter again. "You coming?" he asked = Valenti.=20 "Cause I'm going *now *." He glanced towards the gate and before Valenti = could=20 stop him crept along the outside of the surrounding wall, taking care to = hide in=20 the shadows. "Sheriff!" exclaimed Liz. "What is it, Liz? What's wrong?" "Sorry, thought I saw something. Must be my imagination. You'd better = go,=20 Michael's waiting. We'll be fine, promise." Valenti followed the path Michael had taken and in under a minute was = standing by the teenager next to the gate to the complex. To his = amazement=20 Michael touched the gate and it swung open. "Must have forgotten to lock it." The teenager commented. Valenti grasped his gun firmly with his right hand, and led the way = into the=20 complex. Hope like hell they don't see us coming he thought. Looks as = though=20 surprise is probably the only advantage we have here. What was he = thinking going=20 in by himself, with only a teenager for backup? Hopefully they could = sneak in=20 and out before Masters even realised that they'd been there. He looked back at the group of kids standing where he had left them = and=20 thought he saw a flash of bright light. That better be my imagination, = he=20 thought grimly, hoping that instead of the rescue attempt they were = planning, he=20 hadn't just delivered more Tomorrow People to Masters on a platter. ********* End of Part 15</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01C14F26.BA387BE0-- - - 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: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 09:36:34 +1300 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (16/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14FDC.B7F87F40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (16/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Sixteen "Do you think they're going to be okay in there?" Maria asked Liz for = about the tenth time. "I don't see why we had to stay out here while = everyone else is risking their lives." "Someone had to stay behind to call for help if something goes wrong, = Maria. Think about it. Ami and Jade can teleport, and Isabel has her = powers." "Yeah but what about Alex? He can't just disappear into thin air if they = get caught." "Ami promised that she would look after him, remember? Besides I think = they need to use his computer skills if they want to find out exactly = what this Masters guy is up to." "Liz, have you thought about what exactly we are going to say if we do = have to call in the cavalry?" Liz shook her head. She was really, really hoping it wouldn't come to = that. She brushed her long dark hair back off her face as she remembered = what Isabel had told them about Max and the others. "Max, you've got to = be okay," she whispered to herself. Maybe if she told herself that often = enough he would be. After all she didn't dare explore the alternative, = at least not yet, hopefully not ever. *********** Megabyte felt the room spin, as Brooke-Smythe removed the silencer band. = He sat down on the cot behind him for a moment, trying to get his = bearings.=20 "Megabyte, are you okay?" He could hear the concern in his dad's voice = as he spoke.=20 "Yeah fine, Dad. Must be some sort of side effect from this band thing." = The room stopped spinning and Megabyte stood up again, trying to ignore = the look Brooke-Smythe was giving him. The guy thinks of us as some kind = of scientific guinea-pigs he realised, not as actual people. He looked = over to where his father, Adam and Max were standing and then again at = Masters. Even though he could now teleport there was no way he'd be fast = enough to get all three of them out. Besides he didn't think he could = teleport three people in one go anyway. "Thinking clearly now?" asked Masters. "To run the test properly I've = decided it's preferable if you have your powers returned to you.at least = for the moment." Now his powers were back on line Megabyte could feel the revulsion the = man was feeling towards him and his friends. Yeah, like I really needed = to feel that, he thought. Maybe I should try and contact the others? And = bring them into all this? Not one of your brighter ideas. Megabyte = deliberately raised his mental shields so that none of his fellow = Tomorrow People would be able to contact him. Sorry, guys. I'm doing the = right thing here.I hope. "I'll take it from your lack of response that the answer is yes then, = shall I?" Masters motioned to Beckett, who placed something in = Megabyte's hand. Megabyte looked down and shivered. What the hell was Masters up to now? = What was he trying to pull giving him a gun? Masters knew that he = wouldn't be able to use it. Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Megabyte tried to = ignore the cold feeling of fear that was spreading through him as he = remembered the man's earlier words. 'Can you kill or can you not, that = is the question.' "So, as well as being crazy, you've got a death wish?" Megabyte pointed = the gun at Masters, trying to ignore the fact that his hand was shaking. = Acting had never been one of his strong points but it was the only thing = he could think of to do. Would Masters buy that he would be able to = shoot him? What would happen if the creep called his bluff? "What are you waiting for Megabyte? You either shoot me or you don't? I = don't have all day to sit around while you think about it. Come on, pull = the trigger." "Okay, you asked for it." Megabyte pointed the gun squarely at Masters, = trying not to remember the last time he'd done this. Even though his = shields were quite strong, the redhead could still feel the hate coming = for the man. He felt an image of himself, much younger, pointing a gun = at Masters brush past his mind. Obviously he wasn't the only one who = remembered the incident from seven years ago. For him to pick up = Masters' surface thoughts like that, there must be a hell of a lot of = hate and raw emotion behind them. Megabyte tried to pull the trigger.=20 He tried to pull the trigger. Tried to pull the trigger. He lowered the gun "Always a downside to having special powers," he muttered. "Why is there = always a downside?" Megabyte caught Adam's eye. The Australian knew more = than anyone else in the room what he was going through. Yeah, okay he = knew that they were the future of mankind and all that, and that the = fact they couldn't kill was a good thing. At times like this though, he = had his doubts. How were they going to survive when they couldn't defend = themselves? "Okay, Masters, you win. I can't kill you. Happy now?" Megabyte dropped = the gun onto the floor by his feet and waited to see what would happen = next. "On the contrary, all this proves is that you are either being obstinate = and not co- operating or showing yourself as the coward you probably = are." Megabyte stared at Masters. This guy was nutzoid. What was it going to = take to get through to him? Surely he must realise that if Tomorrow = People could kill, he'd be well and truly dead by now? He tried to = ignore the comment about being a coward. Masters was obviously just = trying to provoke him. Trying? Well it was working. If it wasn't for the = Tomorrow People can't kill thing.No, make that can't kill *problem = *.Masters would be one dead nutzoid. Megabyte struggled to keep his self = control and not say anything that would aggravate the guy further. "Hey what are you doing?" Megabyte noticed Beckett and one of his goons = move in and restrain his father and Adam, bringing them over closer to = Masters. "Well what happens next is entirely up to you Megabyte," explained = Masters. "I've decided to.up the ante a bit.I think the term is." He = raised his own revolver and pointed it firstly at Damon and then at = Adam. No! The guy couldn't be serious. "I can't kill you!" Megabyte felt like = screaming his answer. "Don't you understand. I can't. Don't you think I = would if I could? You.psycho." "Pick up the gun, Megabyte." Masters' voice was calm, but it did nothing = to decrease the turmoil and panic Megabyte felt going through his own = mind. "He's telling the truth, Masters," Adam tried to reason with their = captor. "Tomorrow People can't kill." Masters ignored him and continued on. "Pick up the gun, Megabyte," he = repeated his last statement. "It's simple, really. You shoot me or I'll = kill your father and your friend." He pointed to first Damon and then = Adam. "Oh and I wouldn't take too long either." He glanced at his watch. = "Now, who do you think should die first? Tick tock, tick tock..Pick up = the gun, or I'll shoot them now!" Megabyte bent over and picked up the gun lying at his feet. He could = feel the anger rising up within him and was surprised that there was = room in his mind for it, with the degree of panic that was setting in.=20 "Oh yes, one more thing before I forget. If you teleport yourself to = safety and show yourself for the coward I know you are, I'll shoot them = both anyway. Come on, make your decision. I'm waiting." *********** Ami leaned over Alex's shoulder as he settled himself down in front of = the computer in Masters' office. She glanced over her shoulder, frowning = as she did so. "What's wrong, Ami? Is there someone coming?" Alex punched commands into = the keyboard, watching the results come up on the small screen as he = spoke. "Don't think so. I thought I heard Megabyte.but it's gone now. Must have = been my imagination. I've tried contacting him and can't get a reply. = Besides if those headbands things work as Max told Isabel they did, it = couldn't have been him." Ami frowned, trying to fight the growing = feeling of panic that was rising up within her. Why was she feeling like = this? She was about to telepath to Jade to ask her if she was feeling = the same way when a comment from Alex brought her back to the reason = they were there with a bang. "Masters has been sending information about the Tomorrow People to some = guy called Simon Trent," Alex observed. "Do you know who he is?" Ami shook her head. "Never heard the name before." She handed him one of = the blank CDs that they had found in a drawer in the office minutes = before. "Copy all the information onto this and we'll look at it later = once we get the guys to safety." Alex started to read some of the information out loud as the computer = began to transfer the data. "He mentions a couple of other names. Have = you heard of James Horton or Joe Dawson?" Ami started to shake her head again, but stopped as she heard a noise = behind them. "I'd be surprised if you had." A young man, maybe ten years older than = either Ami or Alex, with bleached blond hair, was pointing a gun at = them. "Move away from the computer please, nice and slowly." ************* End of Part 16 - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14FDC.B7F87F40 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 (16/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Sixteen "Do you think they're going to be okay in there?" Maria asked Liz for = about=20 the tenth time. "I don't see why we had to stay out here while everyone = else is=20 risking their lives." "Someone had to stay behind to call for help if something goes wrong, = Maria.=20 Think about it. Ami and Jade can teleport, and Isabel has her=20 powers." "Yeah but what about Alex? He can't just disappear into = thin air=20 if they get caught." "Ami promised that she would look after him, = remember? Besides I think they need to use his computer skills if they = want to=20 find out exactly what this Masters guy is up to." "Liz, have you thought about what exactly we are going to say if we = do have=20 to call in the cavalry?" Liz shook her head. She was really, really hoping it wouldn't come to = that.=20 She brushed her long dark hair back off her face as she remembered what = Isabel=20 had told them about Max and the others. "Max, you've got to be okay," = she=20 whispered to herself. Maybe if she told herself that often enough he = would be.=20 After all she didn't dare explore the alternative, at least not yet, = hopefully=20 not ever. *********** Megabyte felt the room spin, as Brooke-Smythe removed the silencer = band. He=20 sat down on the cot behind him for a moment, trying to get his bearings. = "Megabyte, are you okay?" He could hear the concern in his dad's = voice as he=20 spoke. "Yeah fine, Dad. Must be some sort of side effect from this band = thing." The=20 room stopped spinning and Megabyte stood up again, trying to ignore the = look=20 Brooke-Smythe was giving him. The guy thinks of us as some kind of = scientific=20 guinea-pigs he realised, not as actual people. He looked over to where = his=20 father, Adam and Max were standing and then again at Masters. Even = though he=20 could now teleport there was no way he'd be fast enough to get all three = of them=20 out. Besides he didn't think he could teleport three people in one go=20 anyway. "Thinking clearly now?" asked Masters. "To run the test properly I've = decided=20 it's preferable if you have your powers returned to you…at least = for the=20 moment." Now his powers were back on line Megabyte could feel the revulsion = the man=20 was feeling towards him and his friends. Yeah, like I really needed to = feel=20 that, he thought. Maybe I should try and contact the others? And bring = them into=20 all this? Not one of your brighter ideas. Megabyte deliberately raised = his=20 mental shields so that none of his fellow Tomorrow People would be able = to=20 contact him. Sorry, guys. I'm doing the right thing here…I = hope. "I'll take it from your lack of response that the answer is yes then, = shall=20 I?" Masters motioned to Beckett, who placed something in Megabyte's = hand. Megabyte looked down and shivered. What the hell was Masters up to = now? What=20 was he trying to pull giving him a gun? Masters knew that he wouldn't be = able to=20 use it. Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Megabyte tried to ignore the cold = feeling of=20 fear that was spreading through him as he remembered the man's earlier = words.=20 'Can you kill or can you not, that is the question.' "So, as well as being crazy, you've got a death wish?" Megabyte = pointed the=20 gun at Masters, trying to ignore the fact that his hand was shaking. = Acting had=20 never been one of his strong points but it was the only thing he could = think of=20 to do. Would Masters buy that he would be able to shoot him? What would = happen=20 if the creep called his bluff? "What are you waiting for Megabyte? You either shoot me or you don't? = I don't=20 have all day to sit around while you think about it. Come on, pull the=20 trigger." "Okay, you asked for it." Megabyte pointed the gun squarely at = Masters,=20 trying not to remember the last time he'd done this. Even though his = shields=20 were quite strong, the redhead could still feel the hate coming for the = man. He=20 felt an image of himself, much younger, pointing a gun at Masters brush = past his=20 mind. Obviously he wasn't the only one who remembered the incident from = seven=20 years ago. For him to pick up Masters' surface thoughts like that, there = must be=20 a hell of a lot of hate and raw emotion behind them. Megabyte tried to pull the trigger. He tried to pull the trigger. Tried to pull the trigger. He lowered the gun "Always a downside to having special powers," he muttered. "Why is = there=20 always a downside?" Megabyte caught Adam's eye. The Australian knew more = than=20 anyone else in the room what he was going through. Yeah, okay he knew = that they=20 were the future of mankind and all that, and that the fact they couldn't = kill=20 was a good thing. At times like this though, he had his doubts. How were = they=20 going to survive when they couldn't defend themselves? "Okay, Masters, you win. I can't kill you. Happy now?" Megabyte = dropped the=20 gun onto the floor by his feet and waited to see what would happen = next. "On the contrary, all this proves is that you are either being = obstinate and=20 not co- operating or showing yourself as the coward you probably = are." Megabyte stared at Masters. This guy was nutzoid. What was it going = to take=20 to get through to him? Surely he must realise that if Tomorrow People = could=20 kill, he'd be well and truly dead by now? He tried to ignore the comment = about=20 being a coward. Masters was obviously just trying to provoke him. = Trying? Well=20 it was working. If it wasn't for the Tomorrow People can't kill = thing…No, make=20 that can't kill *problem *…Masters would be one dead nutzoid. = Megabyte struggled=20 to keep his self control and not say anything that would aggravate the = guy=20 further. "Hey what are you doing?" Megabyte noticed Beckett and one of his = goons move=20 in and restrain his father and Adam, bringing them over closer to = Masters. "Well what happens next is entirely up to you Megabyte," explained = Masters.=20 "I've decided to…up the ante a bit…I think the term is." He = raised his own=20 revolver and pointed it firstly at Damon and then at Adam. No! The guy couldn't be serious. "I can't kill you!" Megabyte felt = like=20 screaming his answer. "Don't you understand. I can't. Don't you think I = would if=20 I could? You…psycho." "Pick up the gun, Megabyte." Masters' voice was calm, but it did = nothing to=20 decrease the turmoil and panic Megabyte felt going through his own = mind. "He's telling the truth, Masters," Adam tried to reason with their = captor.=20 "Tomorrow People can't kill." Masters ignored him and continued on. "Pick up the gun, Megabyte," he = repeated his last statement. "It's simple, really. You shoot me or I'll = kill=20 your father and your friend." He pointed to first Damon and then Adam. = "Oh and I=20 wouldn't take too long either." He glanced at his watch. "Now, who do = you think=20 should die first? Tick tock, tick tock….Pick up the gun, or I'll = shoot them=20 now!" Megabyte bent over and picked up the gun lying at his feet. He could = feel the=20 anger rising up within him and was surprised that there was room in his = mind for=20 it, with the degree of panic that was setting in. "Oh yes, one more thing before I forget. If you teleport yourself to = safety=20 and show yourself for the coward I know you are, I'll shoot them both = anyway.=20 Come on, make your decision. I'm waiting…" *********** Ami leaned over Alex's shoulder as he settled himself down in front = of the=20 computer in Masters' office. She glanced over her shoulder, frowning as = she did=20 so. "What's wrong, Ami? Is there someone coming?" Alex punched commands = into the=20 keyboard, watching the results come up on the small screen as he = spoke. "Don't think so. I thought I heard Megabyte…but it's gone now. = Must have been=20 my imagination. I've tried contacting him and can't get a reply. Besides = if=20 those headbands things work as Max told Isabel they did, it couldn't = have been=20 him." Ami frowned, trying to fight the growing feeling of panic that was = rising=20 up within her. Why was she feeling like this? She was about to telepath = to Jade=20 to ask her if she was feeling the same way when a comment from Alex = brought her=20 back to the reason they were there with a bang. "Masters has been sending information about the Tomorrow People to = some guy=20 called Simon Trent," Alex observed. "Do you know who he is?" Ami shook her head. "Never heard the name before." She handed him one = of the=20 blank CDs that they had found in a drawer in the office minutes before. = "Copy=20 all the information onto this and we'll look at it later once we get the = guys to=20 safety." Alex started to read some of the information out loud as the computer = began=20 to transfer the data. "He mentions a couple of other names. Have you = heard of=20 James Horton or Joe Dawson?" Ami started to shake her head again, but stopped as she heard a noise = behind=20 them. "I'd be surprised if you had." A young man, maybe ten years older = than either=20 Ami or Alex, with bleached blond hair, was pointing a gun at them. "Move = away=20 from the computer please, nice and slowly." ************* End of Part 16</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0010_01C14FDC.B7F87F40-- - - 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 #47 **************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. 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