Star Keepers: Rebirth

Chapter 8

"Lupus?" Orion called.

"He won't respond if Hydra's with him." Corvus says.

Cygnus sighs. "I don't think he's here. We would've seen him by now."

Just then the elevator opens, and Pegasus steps out with Scorpius. "Scorpius took a hit. He's okay, but it sounds like Hydra has another special ability we didn't know about."

The other three join Scorpius by his side. "What happened?" Orion asks.

"What other ability?" Corvus asked.

"He can get inside your head. Show you your fears, memories. Even things that haven't happened yet." Scorpius's red eyes show horror.

"What all did you see?" Orion asked him.

"I guess it all started as soon as we walked in. Pegasus had a vision, and so she and I went up in the elevator while you three stayed down here. She passed out inside the elevator, so when it got to the second floor, I went out by myself. I heard laughing, went back to the elevator for her, but she was gone and the elevator was broken.

"That's when you showed up," he says to Pegasus, "only you were dead. Then screaming from the third floor grabbed my attention. You kept saying things like 'they're coming' and 'it's happening'. And then your fear turned to anger. You yelled something about 'he was your friend' and 'he trusted you'. Then a siren, flashing lights, and I woke up after you threw me out the window."

All four of them stare at him. "What do you think it means?" Corvus asks.

Scorpius shrugs. "I don't know."

"Was any of that your fear? Or a memory?" Pegasus asked.

"No memories. Fears..." He looks at Pegasus, then shakes his head. "I think they were all premonitions."

"All of them?" Orion wonders. "Sounds awful. Do you think they were literal?"

Cygnus interrupts. "Scorpius, I'm glad you're okay, but if you all don't mind I'm going to continue looking for my brother." She sighs. "Landon. Lupus. Whatever." Cygnus turns to continue looking.

"Cygnus." Scorpius calls after her. "I'm sorry. We'll help you find him."

"We need to know how to defend ourselves if Hydra gets inside one of our heads, though." Pegasus says.

"How long has he been able to do this? What if all of this is an illusion?" Orion asked.

"It's not. You wouldn't even suggest it being an illusion if it were." They walk out of the hospital, the sky beginning to grow lighter.

"The sun will be rising soon. It'll be harder to find him when we're trying to blend in with normal humans." Corvus says.

"Can you track them now?" Cygnus asks.

Corvus closes his eyes. "I'm getting something." He says. "I can't tell who I've tracked...but it looks like they're outside. Wait a minute..." Corvus frowns. "I see us." Corvus quickly opens his eyes, and sees Hydra right in front of them.

He smiled his ugly smile. "You're all wasting your time." Hydra looked to Scorpius. "But it was nice getting to know you better." He laughs.

"Where's Lupus?" Cygnus asks.

Hydra scoffed. "You think I'm going to tell you? How stupid do you think I am?"

"Hand over Lupus and come with us. There's no reason for this to turn to violence." Orion said.

"Then why carry the bow?" Hydra smirks. "We're all expecting things to turn violent, not just now, but always. When has there ever been a peaceful trade? Never, because there's always a sacrifice in a trade and sacrifice is not peace, even if it brings it later."