Upon grabbing Heather. I became aware that she was heavily linked with whatever was controlling her. I decided turnabout was fair play, and reached down to the planet's core, pulling up massive amounts of energy. Without further warning, I poured it into Heather.
The effect was instantaneous. Heather screamed, and I could sense the puppet master in the link scream right along with her. I just ramped up the power. I had grabbed Heather's wrist, and was grounding her physical body. Most of the power was just passing through her, without doing any harm.
The thing at the other end of the link was insane from the pain. I could sense it thrashing around, trying to escape, and screaming like a madman. I ramped up the power again, and the smell of ozone spread around us.
Then I screamed out, "I'm coming for you! I never fail, and now you've pissed me off! You want to use some little girl like a pawn? You better hide in a really deep hole! It's just a matter of time, and I find you!" I sent a huge charge of energy down the connection, and felt the link with the puppet master burn up, and vanish. Heather went limp, and I slowly let her go.
She was out cold, and I could find no evidence of the link that had been used to control her. She appeared to be asleep, and I figured that was a good thing at this point.
Standing up, I looked around at my surroundings, trying to get my bearings. I was sure I was on Earth, and that Kathy's house should be here. Reaching out, scanning my surroundings, I tried to find my way home.
I had heard Madias talk in the past about variant time lines, and other dimensions. I was pretty sure that was what was happening here. I was in another dimension, or possibly a different time line.
Scanning around, I could see many variants that made this place so different from Kathy's home. Thinking back, I realized I had focused on a place when I folded space, and teleported us here. Now I reached out with my scan, looking for a person.
No matter what I did, I couldn't reach anyone's mind. I pulled up more power than I ever had before. I reached out with a massive burst of energy, and still, saw no sign of my world.
Moving my way through the tall grass, I reached a point where I believed Kathy's house had stood. Once again. I poured on the power, and pinged a blast of energy that would have blown out a major power station back on our Earth. At first I wasn't sure of it. But after firing off a second ping, I became sure I was seeing shadows from the house.
Striding back over to where Heather slept, I debated how to deal with her. When I stepped close, she looked up at me, and quietly said. "I was at the hospital, talking to Doctor Masters. How did I get here?"
Reaching down, I extended my hand, and said, "There was an accident at the hospital. We ended up here. I'm here to take you home. We need to walk over there."
She looked over where I was pointing, and said, "It's a long way. I can't walk very well."
"We'll walk slowly," I coaxed. "I'll help you."
"You're Koda's friend, Mike, aren't you?" she asked as she stood up slowly. She teetered slightly, and then started moving forward.
"I suspect she would tell you so," I replied. I moved alongside the girl, making sure she didn't collapse. It took us a while, but after a few minutes, I retraced my steps in the tall grass, to where the house should have been.
We stood there for a second, and Heather quietly asked, "Where's the house?"
"Right here," I replied. With a bright flash, I sat off another energy wave. There was no doubt in my mind what I was seeing. I abruptly pulled Heather close to me. She seemed to almost collapse into my arms. I focused on the ghostly image, and folded space.
It didn't work. I was standing in the same tall grass, and saw no sign of change.
"Where's the house?" Heather repeated.
Almost instantly, Madias appeared. He seemed truly delighted, quickly walked up, hugging Heather and I in one wide, sweeping embrace. Then he stepped back, and said, "We must leave at once."
"I'm fine with that!" I snapped back. "This place gives me the creeps."
"Follow me!" Madias instructed loudly. Without further comment, he folded space, and was gone.
Still holding Heather, I locked on him, and folded space right on his heels. There was an odd roaring noise for a second, and the house seemed to materialize around us. Bundled up in my arms, I heard Heather quietly say, "Oh! I see it now."
I caught myself looking around quickly for familiar points of reference. Everything seemed back to normal, but I couldn't be sure. We were standing in the hallway, just outside the kitchen. Madias was the person closest to us, and a quick scan told me he appeared to be the man I knew.
I relaxed my hold on Heather, and she settled onto her own feet. Kathy stepped out of the back hallway, and her eyes lit up as she saw us. "You're back!" she yelped loudly. "I thought I heard your voice."
I heard Koda clear through the house as she ran to where we were. She burst into view, and went straight for Heather. I put my hand out, and said, "You and I need to talk." As Koda stopped in front of us, I sent her a series of memories in the link, showing what Heather had been doing in the last two hours.
She looked from me to Heather, and back. Then she asked, "You mean they're using Heather against us?"
"Used is the word I would prefer," I observed. "I don't think they'll do it again any time soon."
Heather quietly said, "I'm really tired." and started to sink down as she stood next to me. I quickly pulled her close again, and Koda reached over to help support her. As Koda tried to pull Heather away, the young girl held onto my arm, and didn't want to let go. Looking down into Heather's eyes, I saw the intense fear in the girl.
"It's going to be okay," I reassured her. "I think you're safe now." It made me really angry that whatever we were fighting would terrify a child like this.
With a little hesitation, Heather released her grip on me, and asked, "Am I going back to the hospital now?"
"Not for now," Koda replied quietly. "You're going to be staying with me for a while. I'll be with you all the time."
"The room next to yours is open," Kathy commented to Koda. "Why don't you let Heather go get some rest in there?" Koda nodded, and started to lead Heather down the hall. The young girl’s eyes were locked on me till she was out of sight. Once she was gone, Kathy said, "She's an intense little thing. Isn't she?"
"You should have seen her an hour ago," I observed. "She scared the shit out of me, and that's not easy."
Madias had been standing quietly as all this transpired. Once Heather was gone, he looked at me, and said, "I'm amazed you survived. Most people don't live to tell of meeting the beast in the darkness."
"I got the impression the monster felt the same way," I acknowledged. "Frankly. I thought we were done for."
"The beast isn't used to pain," Madias observed. "I find it amazing you survived as well. For some time, I've wondered how you would stand up to the Darkness. I can see now that the timeline is true. You have the power to strike fear in the monster. You are a warrior worthy of this contest."
"How did you find us?" I asked Madias.
"I could see you for a moment each time you released an energy burst," Madias said. "You might have well used a flare."
"I tried to find my way back," I observed. "But couldn't get through."
"If you had tried again, you probably would have made it," Madias corrected. "You made it half way in your first attempt. You just needed to cut the rest of the way through the dimensional barriers."
"So it was another dimension?" I asked. "It's hard to imagine such a thing existing."
Madias seemed to consider my remark, and then said. "Each dimension is a variant of our reality. Some of those dimensions are more dangerous than ours. Great care must be taken to not stray too far from our reality."
"The other dimensions I saw didn't seem so bad," I noted. "How different could they be?"
"The last dimension you were in is controlled by ants the size of sheep," Madias observed sternly. "Had they found you, you would ha
ve been just polished bone by the time I located you."
I stood there, unsure if I should take him seriously. After a few seconds, I said, "You're kidding! Right!"
"No! I'm not!" Madias said with a sigh. "There are nightmares far worse than that out there."
I hated to admit it, but I suspected he was right.
Chapter 10
Horseback Riding
For almost an hour, Madias debriefed me on all that occurred during my time with Heather in the other dimensions. I tried to remember every detail, and Madias scanned me heavily, looking for as much information as possible. I was seated, trying to relax as I was being scanned, when Koda walked back in.
She walked straight over to me, and kissed me on the cheek. "I scanned Heather before she fell asleep." Koda said quietly. "I know everything that happened. Thank you!"
"It wasn't her fault," I said without thinking. "The damned thing was using her!"
"And you risked your life to bring her back anyway," Koda observed in a badly stressed voice.
"I don't leave our people behind," I said bluntly. "Never have! Never will!"
"She's not one of our people," Koda corrected me. "She's my little sister, and she means the world to me. Thank you."
I just nodded to acknowledge the comment, and turned back to Madias, asking, "So what happens now?"
I had never seen Madias look confused before, but that's the way he appeared. He hesitated, and then said, "We're not ready for the next step. But I no longer doubt what we shall do." Madias focused his gaze on me, and said, "You and I shall make the beast pay for what it has done to the Universe!" There was true venom in the old man's voice as he said, "Long have I lived for this day. I will see the beast destroyed, or imprisoned. I now know it's just a matter of time."
He stepped closer to me, reached out, and put his hand on my arm. In a tense voice, Madias said, "You are truly the Deathdealer the natives on Earth speak of. I must go now, and report all that has occurred here. Soon, you will be called to aid us in the front lines. I will return as quickly as I can. Be alert! This may not be over. I have never seen the beast just run away, no matter how badly injured." With that final comment, he released my arm, and folded space.
Kathy looked over at Koda, and said, "It looks like we're going to war."
Abruptly, Tim appeared in the kitchen. He could see me through the doorway, and his eyes lit up as he yelled out, "Good to see ya alive, old buddy!"
I was delighted to see Tim alive as well, since the last time I saw him, we were fighting the creature at the hospital. "How did you handle the damned thing at the hospital?" I asked.
"It just dissolved after Heather dragged you through that gateway into the void," he replied. "I guess the thing needed Heather to remain in our world."
"Where's Lisa?" I asked. "I'm surprised she's not with you."
"She's still at the hospital," Tim said. "Grace Masters and seven other staff people are dead. Over twenty more were badly injured. The place looked like it had been mopped in blood."
"What a mess," I said, cringing. "Were any of the patients injured?"
"No," responded Tim. "The thing only seemed interested in killing the hospital staff."
"We'll need to take steps to make sure the same thing doesn't happen here," I noted to Tim.
"I'll keep a close eye on her." Koda pointed out.
"That's not enough," I said quietly. "Dona needs to be informed, and I want everyone who meets and deals with Heather to be aware of what happened."
"You don't believe this is over. Do you?" Koda asked.
"No! I don't," I acknowledged. "The thing targeted Heather to get at us. I have no doubt, it won't give up that easily."
"You believe it'll use Heather again?" Tim asked.
"I doubt it, but we need to recognize the possibility," I replied with a nod.
We all looked at each other, and the group seemed to naturally start to break up. I went back to my room, got a shower, and fell into bed. In just a few seconds, I was sound asleep.
I woke up about three in the morning. Kathy was asleep next to me, and she was having a nightmare. I gently reached over, and shook her slightly. She seemed to jump slightly, and her eyes snapped open.
There were a few seconds of confusion, and then she seemed to really wake up. As soon as she was really awake, she clutched a hold on me, and hugged me tightly. "I dreamed you were dead!" she whispered, almost in tears.
"It was just a bad dream," I reassured her. She relaxed slightly, but was still wrapped around me. We laid there for perhaps a minute, and then I told her, "You need to relax your grip enough that I can breathe."
She released me at once, and muttered, "Sorry!" under her breath. She rolled away, and sat up on the edge of the bed. She sat there silently in the dark room for a few seconds, and then quietly said, "I need to get away for a while. I need to put some space between us. I'm getting too attached to you."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I don't mean to hurt you."
"It's not your fault," she said in a husky voice. "I know you've always been honest with me. Being a telepath has confirmed something I always knew. This is my issue to resolve, and I need some space to do it."
I laid there listening to her, and wished that I could do something to fix this. "Take as long as you need." I said quietly. "Let Tim, or Dona, know how to get in touch with you if there's an emergency."
She sat there for several minutes. Then slowly laid back down, and moved up close to me. I had almost dozed off, when she quietly announced, "I'll leave in the morning." That was the last thing I remember, before I fell back to sleep.
I woke up late the following morning, and Kathy was gone. I laid there for a few minutes replaying my memories of the night before. With a dawning awakening, I realized Kathy had left. Another person I had hurt. It's what I'm really good at. Inflicting pain on others is a natural state for me.
I crawled out of bed, and got a shower before I dressed. It woke me up quick enough, and by the time I stepped into the hallway, I was ready for whatever the world wanted to throw at me.
Going in search of coffee, I found Tim in the kitchen with a cup in hand. Waving at the pot, he said, "Have a cup! I just fixed it fresh." Just as I started pouring a cup, Tim said, "Kathy said she would be gone for a week. We're due back at Drevins Spraug after that."
I finished pouring the coffee, and asked, "Are Koda and Heather in the house?"
"As far as I know," Tim replied. "I haven't seen them in hours."
I instantly reached out with a scan, and found Koda and her sister watching television in the other room. I focused back on Tim, and said, "We need to keep an eye on Heather. I think she's clear, but I could be wrong."
I sat down at the table with Tim. He pushed the sugar toward me, and said, "I saw what you did in the link. I'm betting the thing won't do that again."
"It really pissed me off, it used the girl to get at us," I growled. "It’s not smart to get emotionally involved. It's a weakness I can't afford."
"Is that the problem between you and Kath?" Tim asked.
For a split second, I almost barked at him. Then I caught myself, and said, "I suppose in a way, you're right."
He let me stew for a moment, and then said, "Being a telepath means I know everybody's business. I haven't decided if that's good, or bad."
I started laughing, and said, "Going to be hard to assassinate somebody if they can read your mind."
We both started laughing loudly, and Tim jokingly commented, "Looks like I'm out of a job!"
Almost at once, we sobered, and I quietly said, "Not so much I suppose."
A few seconds passed, and Tim abruptly asked, "Can I do anything to help, Mike? I can see what's happening here! You're going to march through the gates of Hell, and we're supposed to be fine with that!"
"It's funny," I said. "I always thought I’d die, pulling a kid out of a burning house. It was just the kind of life I led. I guess, now I get to save all the kids, in all the hou
ses."
Stressing heavily, Tim said, "I've always had your back, even when you were in hiding." He paused, his voice breaking slightly. Choosing his words carefully, he said, "It's killing us. Kathy, Lisa, Bugs, even Koda. We're all starting to freak out." He stopped again to regain control, and then finished, saying, "You're my best friend! I want to go with you! I can do whatever it takes!"
He was right about one thing! He was a damned good friend! I smiled slightly at his last comment, and quietly said, "I suspect you need a secret decoder ring to attend this party." Flashing my ring at him, I said, "Take my word for it. It comes at a heavy cost."
"Dammit!" He cursed under his breath. "There's got to be a way out of this!"
"There is," I remarked dryly. "We're taking it!" Tim gave me the look, and I almost laughed. He had chided me countless time for looking at him the same way. It was amusing to see him turn it on me. "I'm going to need help!" I noted. "Be patient with me."
I could hear approaching voices, and suddenly, Koda and Heather entered the kitchen. Koda smiled broadly, but Heather looked scared to death. Heather sat down next to me. Koda picked up the cereal, two bowls, and joined us.
Heather leaned close to me, and in a small, hushed voice, said, "Thank you for helping me. I don't know you, but I think you're very nice."
Koda said, "We've been reminiscing about everything that's happened."
"She talks about you a lot," Heather said, looking up at me. "She said you saved my life!"
I could tell she was having a hard time, and simply told her, "You're safe now! That's what's important."
Heather was still reaching for words, as Tim said, "I have things to do." He stood up, and started toward the door. Just as he reached the door, I saw Madias appear in the hallway, and step toward us. He glanced around, focused on me, and said, "I need to talk to you."
I just knew it was going to be bad news. I calmly asked, "What is it this time, Madias?"
He waved a hand at me, and said, "I just wanted to tell you we're setting up a security perimeter, so you may notice uniformed Guardians in the area if you're outside."
The Koda Files Boxed Set - Books 1 & 2 Page 26