Kate fideted, shifting back and forth on the chair, the whole time the healer was tending to her swollen face. She had less than 45 minutes to bring her twin and the others back. If anything unexpected happened, they could all be stranded. She needed to get somewhere quiet so she could concentrate, impossible to do with the pounding in her face and head. Her mind screamed, 'hurry up,' but common sense told her to get the medical help she needed first.
Ethan and the trapped miners could hear the equipment boring through the old tunnel above them. The specialty rescue team was close. Ethan had explained to the miners that they must not tell anyone what had happened down here. Then, he smiled without humor: picturing the rescuers shock when they arrive to find the mine shaft contained 3 extra people and a cat. A very frazzled cat.
Ethan sighed, his back was cold and damp where he sat leaning against the iron rich walls. Anne and Lucy were exhausted. They had fallen asleep, one on either side of Ethan, resting against him. He wrapped an arm around each of the girls. Anne whimpered while she slept.
Suddenly, Ethan saw Rudy jump almost straight up like he'd received an electric shock. Not certain whether it was a good sign or a bad one, Ethan decided to let the girls sleep.
The Hive was subdued. Rufus and Georgie didn't make a sound. Even Twiskers seemed to appreciate the seriousness of the situation.
The Guard had left, but not before Len Green wiped Bradley Jones mind. Kate shivered when she saw what Bradley's punishment was. Imagine just being a husk of a human, no memories, no hopes, no dreams, nothing but darkness....forever.
Now, Kate was seated on the sofa in a meditation pose. Her body perfectly still, her breathing deep and slow.
Without warning Kate's eyes popped open and she jumped from the couch. Her squeal startled Twiskers. "Oh my God, I was so scared!" Rudy had barely materialized when Kate threw herself at him, almost knocking him over.
Rudy rocked once, then caught his balance. "Shhh. I'm home now. Thanks to you, sis." He hugged her in return.
Ethan, Anne and Lucy were swamped with questions from Rufus and Georgie. No one was more surprised than the returned trio when Georgie hugged each one of them tightly.
"Whoa, what about you guys?" Ethan asked. "Anne said there was some sort of horrible accident."
"No accident." Rufus said solemnly. Georgie shook his head.
Kate took charge. "Lets all go into the kitchen, have something to eat and we'll talk about what happened. "
An hour later, Ethan, ever the stickler, still had more questions. "So, let me get this straight. This Bradley guy goes crazy, right?"
"Right." Rudy nods. "He was always peculiar...an odd duck."
Ethan continued. "So, he kills your pod mates, then comes looking to kill you Kate, knowing that will strand Rudy as a cat forever."
"That about sums it up." Kate agreed.
Still, Ethan persisted. "What I don't understand is how he single handedly overpowered and hacked up..." Anne quietly started to cry. Lucy and Kate both stood and moved to Anne's side. Rufus shot Ethan a furious glare.
"Maybe that's enough for now. Everyone is exhausted. Let's get some sleep. Ethan, you and I can talk more tomorrow if you want." Rudy started to clear the table, signaling an end to the conversation.
"I'm sorry." Ethan directed his apology at the whole group then turned and left for his room.
The new comraderie in the Hive didn't last long. Rufus blew up at Georgie when he got up to go to the bathroom in the night and tripped over a chair in the middle of the room. Georgie, in return, accused Rufus of hiding his things. Their constant yelling and bickering was getting on everybody's nerves.
Kate and Rudy were absent, busy moving to a new pod, Ethan had no patience for the pair, Lucy, while sympathetic, was not willing to get between them and Anne was dealing with her own demons.
At noon on the third day of their non- stop squabbling Mr. Christie arrived. He looked neither pleased to be there nor happy that it had fallen on him to confront the problem of a pair of unruly young men. He was a very important man.
"Settle down!" Mr, Christie bellowed.
"This nonsense must stop. Your training is suffering and to be honest I think you are a bunch of self...never mind, I digress." He pointed a finger at Rufus, then Georgie. "You two. Come here!" Georgie slouched his way across the room. Rufus looked ready to argue.
"Save it!" He commanded. This wasn't Mr. Christie's first rodeo.
I understand that things are going missing and your pod is being disrupted."
"He keeps..." Rufus' interruption was quelled with a stern look from Mr. Christie.
"I do not recall asking for your input, young man." Mr. Christie looked around the living space making eye contact with all five of them, pausing at each to insure they understood the seriousness of his being there. He was a very important man, indeed. He had no time to waste. They were silent, waiting.
"Good." Mr Christie appeared content he had their full attention.
"Griffin, Griffin Oliver! That's quite enough. You have caused enough disruption. Show yourself! Now!"
Ethan and Rufus exchanged looks. Was the old guy senile? Yelling around the room, his head moving back and forth. Anne followed his lead and looked around the room. Georgie snickered at the crazy old cout and Lucy had no idea what was going on.
"I said now!" Mr. Christie's face was turning a very odd shade of red. Lucy was prepared to leap to his side, just in case he required medical attention.
There was a shimmer in the air and suddenly a guy appeared out of nowhere. He was obviously their age.
Mouths gaped. Ethan was first to react, he thought for a moment, then nodded his understanding. "You can achieve invisibility. Do you do it by bending light?"
The new guy, obviously Griffin Oliver, nodded.
"Not much of a talker, huh? I'm Rufus. The brainy guy is Ethan. These two lovely young women are Lucy," He pointed at a pretty girl with raven, black hair. "And Anne." Rufus enjoyed Georgie's scowl for a few seconds before finishing the introductions. "Georgie."
"But, of course, you already know who we are, don't you?" Ethan narrowed his eyes. Things out of place, food missing, Twiskers odd behavior. "You've been here since our return from Chinatown." It wasn't a question.
"Ewww." Anne brought her hands up to her chest. "Stalker."
"No, I never...I mean..."
"Creepy." Rufus summed up all their feelings.
Mr. Christie had lost all patience with their situation. He had important things to do. "Alright. Now you know what's going on, there will be no more arguing or fighting. Agreed? Yes, agreed! Good bye." Mr Christie spun on his heels, never doubting they would follow his orders, and left their pod.
Griffin Oliver, a loner his whole life, smiled shyly at the others. "I guess I'm one of you now. "