Only Each Other

Chapter 12- Josh

"Ugh," I groaned, trying to get up but I realised I already was standing, tied to a metal pole in the arena. It was empty at the moment but if I was in here, it meant that it wouldn't be soon. My head was pounding like someone was stomping on it and my gut ached.

Oh god Erin.

'Erin!'  I thought but there was no answer. I tried to calm my ragged breathing down. She was still alive because I wouldn't be here if she wasn't. But the last time I saw her, she may as well have been dead. Maybe Hunt got her out. He would help her. He had to help her. Breathe, Josh, I said to myself. Just breathe.

To get my thoughts off Erin and the guilt I felt, I focussed on trying to free my hands from the bonds that held me. No use, they were too tight. Ok then, try to think of some sort of plan. No doubt that they'd ask me where Erin was, if they didn't already have her. If they did have her, then this was a Punishment session. But if that was the case, they would normally make her watch. No, they didn't have her. At least she was out of harms way...for now.

The screech of metal jerked me from my thoughts. I whipped my head up. The Master was standing in the doorway, Steve and Greg behind him. While the Master remained emotionless, Steve and Greg both had nasty grins plastered all over their faces. Somehow it was the former that made me more nervous.

"Josh," the Master said. "I have to say I hoped we'd meet again in a more pleasant situation than this." I stayed silent, not daring to speak.

"It's a shame Erin couldn't join us," the Master continued. "Though I did say that one day there would be a bullet in her gut, isn't that right Steve?"

"It is indeed, sir," Steve said, grinning. "I did very much enjoy the pleasure of shooting her." I gritted my teeth. Don't let them get to you, I thought. Don't let them get to you.

"Josh," the Master said. He and the other two men had come into the room fully now. The Master himself was standing right in front of me while Steve and Greg leant on the back wall. "Josh," the Master said again. I looked at him. "Where is Erin? Where did the hacker take her? Where were you going?" I bit my lip, taking a page out of Erin's book. The sharp pain did help you concentrate.

"Josh," the Master said once again, this time with a warning tone. "This will not end well for you. The easiest thing for you is to tell me. I promise I won't harm you or Erin when we get her back. You will be forgiven." I looked away from him so he couldn't see my eyes.

"Very well then," the Master said. I closed my eyes, waiting for the battering from Steve and Greg.

It never came.

"Oh Josh," the Master said with fake sympathy. "Did you really think I'd make it that easy for you?" He turned to the metal door. "Bring them in!" He roared, making me flinch. The door opened slowly. What came through the door was the last thing I was expecting.

A boy and a girl stepped through, a little older than Erin and I. They looked normal enough except from their bright red eyes that seemed to be fixed on me. Their pale skin made them look ghostly. I wanted to look away but I couldn't tear my eyes from them. They didn't look human or well either. What was wrong with them?

"This is Adela and Austin, Josh," the Master said, putting a hand on their shoulders. They didn't even flinch. "Or as we know them, part of T11." T11...why was that so familiar? Steve and Greg were backing out of the room, their eyes seemed to flicker with fear as they left. If they were scared of them...

"What is wrong with them?" I whispered.

"As you know we tried to make many more weapons like you and Erin," the Master explained, pacing around to the back of me. Adela and Austin stay where they were, their fiery eyes fixed on me still. They hadn't moved an inch since they came into the room.

"But," the Master continued, "they all went wrong. Most died but some didn't, like Adela and Austin. But still, they failed." He cut the ropes from my hands suddenly, leaving me shocked. "They were never like you and Erin. You two are far more useful but just defiant, something I thought I could work around easily enough. Unfortunately Adela and Austin were the two made before you, the reason why I figured it out," the Master went beck over to them with a knife in his hand. He sliced a cut into Adela's arm. Her face betrayed no emotion whatsoever. I looked over at the boy. His arm was bleeding too.

That never happens with Erin and I. We just share each other's pain not injuries.

"They are too unpredictable, I'm afraid," the Master said. "They can't heal each other and when one gets hurt, the other suffers the same wound, not just the pain. In fact, they have no feelings at all, save one. Pretty much, they are empty shells. Their telekinesis is nowhere near as strong as yours and Erin's. Neither can they use the telepathy Erin and you have or, someday soon, be able to shake the very foundations of the world. They cannot be soldiers. However, they do have three very useful characteristics. One: they are absolutely loyal to me. Two: they have a very useful talent. Three: the one feeling they have...is hate. Hate for you and Erin."

"Why us?" my voice sounded small and fragile.

"Because I gave you everything!" the Master suddenly roared. "I gave you the chance to rule the world! All you had to do was obey me but no, you had too many feelings. You were too weak!" He took a moment to compose himself then said: "they never got anything from me. I focused all my energy in you two. Of course, they never took it out on me but they crave attention. Let's see what they do now." He took a step back out of the room, clanging the door shut behind him.

"Look," I said to Austin and Adela. "I am really sorry if Erin and I hurt you in any way. We didn't mean it." They didn't answer me. I swallowed hard. Without Erin there wasn't a lot I could do to fight them if things got messy. Plus they were together. Like Hunt said, we were more dangerous when together.

Suddenly, Austin and Adela both raised their hands, sending me flying across the room and crashing into the wall. I gasped at the impact but was grateful that they didn't have strong telekinesis. Instead of bashing my brains out, they only gave me a little shove.

'Your apology means nothing to us, Joshua,' Adela's voice echoed in my head. 'You stole what was rightfully ours and we will have our revenge.'

"I'm sorry!" I cried. "I didn't even know you existed!"

'You do now,' Austin said. 'If we really wanted to, Joshua, we could just rake through your mind now and take what we need. The Master has promised us much reward for that. But we want to make it as painful as possible for you.'

'We can stop any system in your body' Adela chimed in. 'We can invade your mind, pluck out any secret we want and use it against you. We can find your darkest fears and wishes. We can even touch the mind of Erin if we really wanted to.'

"Don't you dare touch her," I threatened.

'And there is your biggest weakness,' Austin sneered. 'Love. Love for Erin. Jealousy of Charles Hunt. I wonder what would happen if she chose him instead of you? What would you do?'

The image of Hunt suddenly kissing Erin flashed through my head. What was even worse was she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back as I watched. Then-

"Get out of my head," I growled at them. They smiled evilly.

'Let's get to work,' they said in unison before clawing through my mind, showing me visions of the things I feared the most.

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I know it took so long and I feel really guilty for that so I'm really really really sorry...

I'm not too sure about this one. It may have been a little boring but I wanted to give some insight to what T11 is. I'm getting there anyway.

So next chapter is Erin. Hopefully you'll enjoy that one and maybe my writing will be better too.

See ya!

CricketCat