Skitter or Mason

Chapter 1 - Capture

Ben looked behind him, second guessing his actions as he looked over Hals unconscious body. He took a shaky breath and took Karen's hand in his. They looked at each other and nodded, jumping in sync off the roof of the three story hospital.

They landed without complaint and ran for the woods. They kept running for five minutes without question before Karen's arm came across Ben's chest, stopping him in his tracks. They stopped and turned to each other, Ben's back tingling as he saw Karen's spikes glow. She shakily nodded.

"They are just over here." She said carefully. "Quick, not much further."

Ben nodded and followed her over the small hill, peering over to see the side of the road and a generally flat surface. He stepped out and looked around carefully, Karen standing behind him with a malicious grin.

"W-where are they?" Ben asked, looking around cautiously. Karen's voice was cold and blunt.

"Humans are so Naive." She spat as he turned to face her.

"What? Where am I!? What have you-" before he could finish his sentence, a bright light flashed in his face as a Mech came up behind him. He turned around to face it, the gun echoing through the area as it loaded. He turned around to find Karen with a Skitter to either side of her.

"Karen, where is the rebellion?" She grinned at him.

"Oh, this is not the rebellion. We... 'Dealt' with them." She said slyly.

Ben shook his head no as he slowly began to walk backwards. He ran into something, turning around abruptly to see a skitter staring at him intently. He turned back to face Karen to see she was holding a harness. He could see she was wearing one, too.

"Don't be afraid Ben." Her cold, emotionless voice spoke. Her head was tilted to the side slightly as she smirked.

"You have two options." She said standing straight, the skitters looking at him carefully.

"You can run back home to your ruthless family, and we will follow you back, destroying the Second Mass." Her voice was determine and unforgiving.

"Or, you can join us. Come back home, to were you belong. Somewhere you are accepted, where you fit in." She said, ben watching as the Harness squirmed slightly.

"So, what will it be?" The skitters watched him closely as the Mechs gun clicked and re-loaded. He looked back at Karen, angered.

"Never!" He said angered.

"Then your choice had been made for you." Karen spat more unimpressed.

"You will be joining us." She said with a smirk.

"Never!" He screamed and ran at her.

He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He panicked slightly, his spikes glowing blue. His nose began to bleed gently as he struggled. They stopped glowing and he fell to the ground. The skitter held him down as he squirmed.

"Let me go! I'll never be one of you!" He yelled. Karen looked down at him, tilting her head.

"Don't be scared, Ben. Everything is going to be fine. You are safe, with us." The other skitter took the Harness from Karen, placing it down on Bens squirming body.

"NO!" He screamed as the Harness slithered into position on his back.

It arched up, snapping down onto his back. It connected into the spikes on his back and comfortably adjusted itself. Ben stopped squirming, his eyes still and his body cold. The skitter moved and he lay there, awake but unaware. All emotion was drained from him and he slowly stood up. He looked over at Karen, blank faced and emotionless. Karen smiled.

"It's not so bad. You'll adjust back to our ways." She looked over at the skitters.

"Now we can effectively pull off our plan. After tomorrow there will be no second Mass. My master will be Impressed." Karen said to ben and he nodded, a smirk creeping onto his face.

"Yes. We shall destroy them." Karen smiled.

"That's better. Don't worry. You'll be safe." She took Bens hand, holding it softly in hers. He held her's back and the followed the Mech and skitters back, two in front and one behind them. They had got what they came for.