Minions (editing and expanding)

Chapter Eight- Double Agent

"Did it work?" Siobhan asked groggily, sitting up with her back against the head board.

"I think so... Elaine stopped thrashing in her sleep a few minutes ago." Mel answered, her back to Siobhan as she made a cup of coffee.

"Good."

"Yep. How did you do it?"

"I had a little help from myself." She laughed. "Well, myself when I was dreaming. This is all so confusing." She pulled a face. "But at least it all got sorted out."

"Did it?" Mel whispered, so low Siobhan couldn't be sure that she had said anything. "You'd better get a good night's sleep." She said a little louder.

"No," She answered suspiciously. "I'm fine."

"It will be good for you, you'll see." Melusine encouraged.

Three days later, Siobhan finally woke up. Her head was thick with sleep, and something slightly less legal. She moaned as she attempted to open her eyes. Even the darkness seemed too bright.

Once she was able to open her eyes, she realised, wherever she was, the ground was rocking. Reaching out a hand, she quickly hit a wall. She was in a square room.

Not a square room, Siobhan realised with a jolt, a van.

Just as she realised this, the rocking stopped. A nearby engine started.

A whimper sounded just beside Siobhan's head. She stood up, looking around pointlessly. Her eyes had not yet adjusted to the pitch black surrounding her.

A small hand reached up and grasped her forearm.

"Help mee," a small girl's voice said. She sounded close to tears. "I want my Mamma!"

"Calm down." Siobhan's voice sounded like a shout in the near silence. "What's your name?"

"Onyx." The girl answered.

"Okay, Onyx, how old are you?"

"Eight." She sniffed quietly.

"Okay. You need to calm down, Onyx, Sweetie. Everything is going to be okay." She reassured the small child.

"Someone's touching my ankle!" Onyx shrieked suddenly.

"Ohhhhh," A voice moaned. "My head..."

"Hello? Who are you?"

"What? I'm Kimberly Walsh. Who are you? Where are we? And what are we doing here?" Kimberly's voice was high and needy, yet gave the impression of belonging to a spoilt selfish girl.

"My name is Siobhan Iquabeth. We're in a van... I don't know why."

"It's dark."

"Well, yes, it is dark. Well observed."

"I have a light." There was a click in the darkness, and a bright light appeared. It was pointed towards Onyx's tear-streaked face. Finally, Siobhan could see her small features. Her hair was a dark brown colour, with darker streaks that looked natural, and her eyes were a startling green. She was quite short for her age, but wore fashionable clothes- as Siobhan very well knew- that were intended for teenagers.

Kimberly swung the light round to illuminate Siobhan's face. Even in the darkness, she saw Onyx's emerald eyes widen slightly. She was conscious of her hair which was messy after being slept on for so long.

"I've seen you before." Kimberly's voice was low, and Siobhan struggled to hear her. "And your name. You left us."

"What? I don't understand."

"Twilight, aren't you?" she sounded as if she were talking to herself, but Siobhan answered anyway.

"Yes. I understand now. Midnight? Or Twilight?"

"Midnight. I think. I'm kind of undecided." She shined the light on her own face.

Siobhan suppressed a gasp. Kimberly was beautiful in an almost childlike way. She had hair the shade of light blonde that is only usually seen in pre-schoolers, and her eyes were a deep blue colour that seemed to pull you in. The only thing that ruined her near-perfect skin was a dark red scar that followed her hairline around the edge of her face, ending in a small spiral by her left ear.

"That's why I'm undecided." She had obviously seen the look of horror on Siobhan's face. "I don't even have the eyes anymore."

"I see. Do you know what's going on with little Onyx here?"

"Onyx?" Kimberly scowled. "What kind of a name is Onyx?"

Oh yeah. Definitely Midnight.

"I was named after my sister. She died." Onyx spoke up before Siobhan could.

"Oh my gosh!" She put an arm around the child.

She heard footsteps coming from outside of the van.

"Turn off the light!" she hissed. It was turned off immediately. "Play dead!" She closed her eyes as the swing door at the back of their square prison was opened.

Voices flooded in.

"They're asleep."

"Why do we need the little witch?"

"I hear that one is the old crone."

"Be quiet." A man's voice boomed, silencing the others without difficulty. "They may be able to hear us."

Siobhan silently cursed.

Keep talking! She ordered in her head.

Another man grunted loudly. He walked away, and a woman grunted just beside her head. She was lifted off the floor and held in the woman's arms as she was carried off. She was dumped onto the cold hard ground, so she purposely let her hair fall over her face. She felt it as Onyx was laid down beside her, and reached out a reassuring hand, attempting to calm her down.

She stiffened as a cold hand caressed her cheek. They pushed her hair out of her face, then the hand disappeared.

"She's the one." It was the voice of the man in charge. She shuddered as she realised that he was the one who had touched her cheek.

"You sure?" A woman checked.

"Positive. Bring her in." Siobhan was lifted again, this time by a man. She was put gently on a soft carpet. The hand was on her cheek again, pressing lightly on a bruise on her cheek. "You hurt her." He stated quietly, deadly menace in his voice.

"Sorry, Boss."

"Sorry?" His tone was still gentle, but there was a harsh message just below the surface. "Sorry doesn't undo it." They left the room, mumbling apologies as they went.

A door was closed. She opened her eyes quickly, looking round the room. It was very small, with only a sofa, a bookshelf and a cauldron filling the limited space. There were no windows, but the light was on.

The air was thick in this room, seeming to pour from the cauldron in palpable waves. She soon succumbed to the pressure of the air and passed out.

When she woke up, she opened her eyes right away. There were tubes and wires stuck into her arms, and a clear liquid was running into her veins. Four people were crouching over her, two women and two men.

One man seemed to have more gravity than the others. He was clearly in charge.

It took Siobhan a while to actually focus on the people's faces, and even longer to realise they were wearing surgical masks. One woman held a scalpel in her hand.

I'm in big trouble. Siobhan thought to herself.