Unlocked: Rewritten

Chapter 10

A/N 

Surprise! Another chapter!

Sophie

Keefe spoke up. "Hey, mom! You didn't tell us you'd be here! If you guys wanted to join the party, you should've said so!"

Lady Gisela looked at her son. "Keefe, I didn't think you'd be here. Isn't this the Council's supposedly 'amazing' Team Valiant? Would you stoop so low as to join such weaklings? You know the Council will fall in the end. I thought you'd be smart enough to come over to the winning side."

Keefe didn't look fazed by his mother's words and said, "You're the dumb one if you think that Team Valiant is weak. Have you even met Foster? She's more powerful than any elf--ever! And I'm never going to join the Neverseen, so you can stop pestering me about it. All you guys have done is wreak havoc, and I won't play any part in that, or whatever legacy you're trying to choose for me. But thanks for the powerful ability, anyway. You're going to regret giving it to me when I use it to help bring you down."

Lady Gisela's smug smile morphed into an angry sneer. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it.

Sophie's heart swelled with pride for Keefe, who was standing up to his mother despite her intimidating words. She would've hugged him for it if they weren't currently facing off against the Neverseen.

Vespera said, "Come on, we've wasted enough time already. Gethen, if you will."

Gethen reached into his cloak and pulled out what looked like a handgun, aiming it at each member of Team Valiant in turn.

Sophie's teammates looked confused.

"This, for those of you who don't know, is a soporidine gun. Human weapons are really very fascinating, full of great ideas. All Gethen has to do is pull the trigger, and he'll inject you with soporidine."

Sophie could tell by her friends' faces that they were just as shocked and disgusted as she was.

Vespera laughed. "It's quite brilliant, I know. Now, if you want to know why we made this, listen carefully." Vespera's voice took on a low, threatening tone. "You and the rest of your little team of incompetent Regents will be injected with soporidine if you don't give us what we want."

"And what is that?" Sophie asked, already sure that it wouldn't be something any of them would actually be willing to give to the Neverseen.

Vespera smiled coldly. "We want the traitor Ruy."

Keefe

The first thought Keefe had was Seriously? They want Ruy?

Keefe could think of plenty of other things that were seemingly more valuable to the Neverseen than a guy who betrayed them.

I know. Sophie transmitted to him. Keefe was very proud of himself for not giving this away. It does seem weird. I'm transmitting to everyone right now. I have a plan, and I need you guys to buy me time. And Keefe, mesmer Gethen and make sure he doesn't fire that soporidine gun.

Got it, Keefe thought, not used to this level of bossiness from Sophie. He kinda liked it though.

"Why do you want Ruy?" Stina asked.

Lady Gisela answered, "That is none of your business."

"Uh, I think it is if we're the ones who have him," Dex argued, "Shouldn't we at least know whether or not you'll be torturing him when we give him to you?"

"Exactly," Wylie jumped in. "What if we don't give him to you unless you tell us what you plan to do with him?"

"That would be very unwise on your part, considering then we would have to inject you all with soporidine."

"Couldn't you tell us where you're keeping him, then?" Biana asked.

"No," Gethen scoffed, "If we told you that, it would kind of defeat the purpose of having him."

"Dang, you guys sure do like to maintain an air of mystery, don't you?" Keefe added.

"You could say that," Gethen responded.

"Or you could say that we are good at keeping our plans a secret, unlike some people," Gisela said, "I realize that you are just trying to stall for whatever silly plan your leader has come up with. It's not going to work. You must agree to bring Ruy right now, or else."

Keefe, keep a hold on Gethen. Sophie transmitted.

Okay, he thought.

Keefe concentrated, trying to feel the same rush of energy he felt last time he mesmered someone. The last time, he had had to speak the command, but Keefe couldn't do that now, so he just thought it really hard.

Don't pull the trigger. Do NOT pull the trigger. Do. Not. Pull. The. Trigger.

He kept thinking those words, and staring really hard at Gethen, imagining him not pulling the trigger. Then Keefe felt that exhilarating, terrifying rush of energy, again. He held onto it even as Sophie stepped forward, brimming with so much anger it made it hard to think straight.

"We aren't going to give you anything. We are Team Valiant, and we are getting what we came here for!"

"No you aren't!" Gethen exclaimed, then looked down at his unmoving finger on the trigger. "What's happening? Why can't I..." Understanding dawned on his face. "You're going to pay for this!"

Gisela said, "It seems your Mesmer ability is working well, Keefe! Maybe you-"

Then, Sophie inflicted on his mom, Vespera, and Gethen at once, a stream of red energy shooting from her forehead and splitting into three.

The three Neverseen screamed as it hit each of them in the chest simultaneously. Three bodies thudded to the floor.

"Wow, Sophie, that was..." Biana started.

"Epic!" Dex finished. "Wouldn't expect anything less from our Lady Fosboss."

"Yeah, what are we here for, again?" Stina joked. Stina joked? Since when did that happen?

"Nice job, Dire Wolf," Wylie said, "You saved us."

"You all helped too," Sophie admitted, always the humble one. "I needed that time to concentrate. I've never targeted my inflicting on multiple people before. And Keefe, thank goodness you mesmered Gethen, or else we probably would've lost."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," Keefe smirked.

As the rest of the team tied up Gisela, Vespera, and Gethen, Keefe whispered to Sophie, "You know, you don't have to be so humble all the time, Foster. You were amazing. Are amazing."

"Thanks," she said, looking away. But Keefe could tell from another one of those strange mood shifts that she was definitely blushing.

This chapter was written by SleepyKeefeMuffin.